Location: Celestina's office, Starwave Base, Mars
December 30th, 2552
10:11pm
"We had plenty of amazing New Year Days, didn't we? That year we were turning 16, on New Year's, for a split second, I wanted to tell you how I felt. But I figured, you know, it was a little crush or something and you probably wouldn't have felt the same way so why bother? Why embarrass myself? But then, 3 years rolled by. And you told me that you loved me. And on that night, when you did, you wanna know what I noticed for the first time? The way those hypnotizing hazel eyes of yours would light up every time you looked at me. It's been happening for years but I only noticed it on that special night. It made me wish that during all those years ago, you'd notice how happy I'd get every time you would smile at me. Oh, but don't me wrong, Celest. I'm thrilled that we got together 9 years ago. I just wish that we had done it sooner."
"... Are you done? Or do you have more sweet things to say to me before you chew me out?"
An evil smile played on his lips when he heard that. "How are the ribs?"
"Not so good after you tossed me over my desk."
"Sorry about that. Sometimes, I don't know my own strength." The hallucination said as he made himself even more comfortable on Celestina's sofa. "I wouldn't have done that if you hadn't punched me in the face, Celest. You provoked me."
Celestina was in a comfortable navy-blue hoodie jacket, blank pants and heeled boots and currently had no interest in even glancing at the hallucination's direction. She huffed in major annoyance and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't give a flying fuck if I hurt your little feelings. I just want you out of my life."
"Oh?" Now "Jun" was seeing some interest in this conversation. "You-you want me out of your life? So you've finally decided to cut me out after all this time? Well, it was a long time coming."
Anger coursed through her body as she shot up from her leather chair. "I'm talking about YOU, not about Jun! You're not Jun! He's dead and I'm trying to accept that! But you just keep coming back again and again and I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" She yelled out.
"What's that? Can't take it anymore?" He leaned forward, now even more intrigued. "Well, nobody's asking you to endure it, princess. You can end it all instantly."
The next thing he realized was that there was a Magnum pointing in his direction, as well as a furious look on Celestina's face. "Or I could just end you."
The hallucination was not to be intimidated by a former Spartan-III handling a gun. He rose to his own feet and stood at a distance from her desk. "By shooting me? Well, good luck with that. You really think that's gonna get rid of me?"
She leisurely made her way around her desk to meet up with him, making damn sure that her grip on her sidearm was tight. "I can try."
He still maintained that smirk of his, as if he knew that at the end of this, he was still going to win. "Then go ahead. Shoot me. Destroy everything we have worked for for the last 9 years!"
"I'm not destroying everything he and I have worked for for the last 9 years! I'm destroying the thing that's taking my sanity!"
"No. You're digging your own grave, princess."
She drew in her breath in a hiss, like he had struck a chord. "Stop calling me that."
"You're losing touch with reality and you know that. Look at you! You're pointing your gun at something that's not there!"
"I just want you to get lost!" She knew he was right, but the rage boiling inside of her was taking over her.
"Oh, but you know deep down you don't want me too. You want to be punished in the worst way possible - having me point out everything that's wrong with you. How else would you have it other than the person who's been looking out for you since you were 6? Who's been loving you since you were 19? Celest, I can make it all go away. I can make the last of this pain go away for you."
"No, you can't!" Tears began to form in her soft hazel eyes already. "No one can! I'm all alone, just the way it's supposed to be! Ever since mom and daddy, Christine and Caden, Amy and Jennifer, Yuri, Nick, Ryan and Rhonda, Emile and you were taken from me! Each one murdered or sacrificed! Each of them a demon I had to face as they tried to either comfort me or break me down! And now?" Her voice cracking as she struggled to form her next sentence. "And now, I..." She lowered her gun and turned around, unwilling to face him. Instead, she hurried over to her desk and held on to the edges of it, sobbing softly.
"And why did each of them die, Celest? It was either the Covenant, the Innies or your own damn fault. But let's be real, most of the deaths that occurred around you were your fault and yours alone," His voice was practically dripped in disdain. "So why continue to live with the guilt? You know you can put an end to it all! So go ahead. Raise that gun to your head."
"No!"
"Why not? Why continue to live like this? Isn't it all too torturous? It's like a razor blade in your stomach, isn't it? A knife to the heart? Celest, you know that you can't take it anymore. You said so yourself. So finish it, right here, right now."
Her right hand was quivering as she lifted it up just a little. However, she soon as she did, she dropped her hand. There's no way... I can't do this... I can't take the pain but I can't do this either.
With her back facing the hallucination of Jun, she could not view the appalled expression on his face. He could not believe that she was unwilling to go through with it. "What's the hell's the matter, Celestina?! You're in utter pain and misery but you still want to stay alive? For what?! Who the HELL is going to miss you?! Certainly not the people you've let die under your watch!" He went silent for a good 2 seconds when the realization of this situation dawned upon him. "Ohhhhhh, I get it now. I know why you can't do it. It's because you're weak. Weak as always. Always needing me to hold your hand. To carry you to the finish line. To take care of you. Oh no. That's not happening anymore. I refuse to take care of you anymore! You're a burden and you've always been one to me! So do the both of us a favor and pull the Goddamn trigger, won't you?!"
So she did.
Although it wasn't at her own head. She had pointed the gun at him and the hallucination of Jun had caught it right in the center of his chest, putting him down. Permanently, she had hoped. He just stayed there, on flat on his back, seemingly dead.
"Shut up. You talk too much."
A/N: Another chapter dedicated to the demons Celest is facing.
Next chapter? The return of everybody's favorite AI, Death! XD