Author Note: In a bit of a rush so next chap will be review responses. However, thanks for everyone that has followed, favorited, and reviewed! We are going to be nearing the end of ARC 1. Then ARC 2 will begin, Winter. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful and awesome day!
Chapter 15
There was no pizza, no recovery, no celebratory party. The aftermath of the duel left them all in shock as the Aerial unit was confiscated and Suletta taken into custody. Witnesses from the dueling committee and the opposing teams stared in disbelief, while others watching from their phones or the crowd were perplexed by the unexpected turn of events.
These wild turns of events replayed in Deacon's mind like a broken record. It had been hours since the incident, and the night was already late. The moon hung high above the building, casting an eerie glow on the expanse of stars. House Harmony was on high alert, especially the pilot group. Oscar called out to Aiden, trying to calm down the agitated boy.
While Jack, Deacon, and Oscar had changed into their casual clothes, Aiden still clung to his pilot combat equipment, showing no signs of calming down. His wild eyes remained wide with exhaustion as he pushed forward, his boots echoing on the metal floor.
Oscar struggled to keep up with Aiden, attempting to speak reason to him. "Aiden, you need to relax," he stammered, dodging passersby who gave the group strange looks. "Please, Aiden."
But Aiden was resolute, his gaze focused and alert. He seemed driven by an unshakable purpose, pushing himself forward with relentless determination.
Deacon questioned Aiden's intentions, but Aiden continued without a word. The group arrived at the main lobby, a desolate room used for processing troublemakers connected to the academy. Usually, it was members of Harmony House who ended up here for foolish or drunken behavior.
Aiden's eyes locked onto a man separated behind a thick layer of glass, typing on his keyboard. The room was Spartan, with plain office paper walls and a few shabby chairs and couches.
Just as Aiden was about to turn the corner, Jack intercepted him, their eyes meeting. "Get out of my way," Aiden said calmly, an eerie contrast to his volatile motions.
"No," Jack snapped back, his frustration evident. "Enough is enough," he snarled.
Oscar and Deacon observed the standoff between the two boys, feeling helpless and uncertain of how to intervene. Deacon leaned against the opposing wall, a mix of emotions swirling within him. "I don't know what to do," he awkwardly admitted. "This situation is just..."
He paused, the tension in the air palpable as Jack and Aiden continued to lock gazes. "Enough is enough," Jack repeated, frustration seeping into his words. He gestured behind him, trying to make Aiden see reason. "What are you going to do, huh, Aiden!"
Aiden remained unyielding, his stare unwavering. "You're going to march in there and do...what!" Jack stammered, exasperated. This whole situation was foolish, beyond foolish. "You're going to charge in there, beat up the president himself? Fight off all the guards, and then what...you're going to walk hand in hand out of this place!"
His voice echoed through the hallway, his heart pounding in his chest. He leaned towards Aiden, their eyes locking as he noticed the wild expression on Aiden's face. "Aiden," he sighed, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "She's been caught with a gundam, a gundam of all things."
Aiden sneered and turned away. Oscar, stepping in as a pillar of support, spoke up as well. "It's true, Aiden," he said, rounding to Aiden's side. "I get that you like Suletta a lot, and I like her too, she seems like a really cool person. But dude, this is too much. She's a danger not only to you now but herself. You know what those machines do to their..."
Aiden shot him a furious look, interrupting him. "She didn't know," he retorted.
"How do you know that?" questioned Jack.
"I know," Aiden replied defiantly, but his friends' faces showed doubt as they turned away.
"You're too damn close to this, Aiden," Jack snapped, growing increasingly agitated. "How can you be so damn blind!" he shouted.
"She's a good person," Aiden stammered.
"I don't give a fuck if she was Mother Teresa," Jack fired back, his eyes narrowing. His fingers clenched into fists as a vein bulged from his shaved head. "She's a goddamn liability. She's been getting House Harmony into trouble ever since she showed up in the academy, and here you are...inviting her to our house and treating her like a guest."
Aiden winced. "She saved you in the..."
"I don't give a fuck that she saved me, Aiden," Jack cut him off. "A duel is a duel, and she was my teammate. You think I'm going to ignore everything that happened because she saved me from some crappy laser beams that wouldn't even hurt my titan."
He ended his words with a laugh, but it lacked any trace of joy, and a chilling coldness seeped into his voice. "I don't give a damn about Suletta Mercury," he finished, his tone dismissive.
"Whatever," Aiden waved off, trying to circle around the corner, but Jack blocked his path again.
"Move," snarled Aiden, his temper rising, but Jack stood firm.
"She's got you wrapped around her finger," Jack shot back.
Aiden's fists clenched, and Jack was so close now that he could see the synthetic texture of his eye, the unique dilation and shades of blue. Rage swelled within Aiden, his eyes wide and alert, as if steam could froth off him any moment.
"Move..." he stretched the word, but Jack remained smirking defiantly.
"I am not going to let you throw your life away for some whore from Mercury," Jack taunted callously.
Oscar stepped back, appalled by Jack's choice of words. "Dude, that's not cool," he interjected.
However, Aiden's eyes went wide. A bitter laughter escaped him as he paused, pointing a finger at Jack's face. "That's real fucking ironic that you're calling Suletta a whore," he retorted, his eyes narrowing as he glared at him. "How's Cecilla and you?" Aiden shot back, menace radiating from him as he balled both fists. "She's still busy screwing other guys?"
Deacon and Oscar moved forward, sensing the impending violence, but before they could intervene, Jack's fist collided with Aiden's face, and Aiden's bionic fist retaliated, slamming into Jack's gut.
Both boys were thrown from each other, Aiden crashing to the floor, while Jack knelt on his knees, gasping for breath. Bile rose to Aiden's throat as he felt the stinging pain of Jack's punch.
"Aiden...I..." Jack struggled to speak.
"Motherfucker!" Howled Aiden, pushing himself up from the floor and charging toward Jack.
Jack, however, had scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide and alert. Aiden tackled him hard, slamming him against the metal wall like a raging bull. Gripping Jack's sides, he hurled him once more, causing him to collide against the wall again.
But Jack was not giving up. He was the shield of Harmony, and shields don't break! He swung his elbow down along Aiden's back, raining blows upon him.
"Stop fighting!" Shouted Oscar, about to run into the fray to stop the fight. However, Deacon's firm grip on his shoulder held him back, and when he turned to look at Deacon, he saw him shaking his head slowly.
"Don't try to stop it," Deacon spoke with a sigh. Oscar, still with both hands raised, looked back at Aiden and Jack. Now, Jack had fought his way off the wall, kicking Aiden away with both feet extended. Aiden was thrown to the opposite side of the wall. Deacon sighed again, guiding Oscar farther away to a safe distance to watch but not interfere. "Remember what happened after Daniel?" he said.
Oscar nodded slowly. "They'll tire themselves out," Deacon said calmly.
Deacon and Oscar stood there, watching the two boys clash with savage intensity. Aiden's fists struck out, connecting with Jack's face, while Jack countered with a swift kick to Aiden's gut. Bile rose from Aiden's lips as he hit the floor, but he didn't stay down for long. He sprung back up, tackling Jack and pinning him to the ground, reminiscent of his fight with Guel.
"Just a reminder," Deacon warned Oscar. "We stop if they pull out their knives."
Oscar's eyes widened. "They've pulled out knives?"
Deacon sighed, exhaustion etched on his face as he leaned against the wall. "No, they haven't. I was just saying, in case things escalate."
"But you said after Daniel's death..."
"It's okay that you don't remember," Deacon interrupted gently. "You were upset."
"I wasn't," Oscar protested, though his expression softened as Deacon raised a hand in surrender.
"Okay, sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," Deacon said wearily. He was drained not only from this night's events but also from the endless days since Suletta's arrival. "What I meant was, after Daniel's death, things got really rough between Aiden and Jack. They're like brothers, and brothers fight, especially when they're hurting."
Oscar nodded, still drawn to the fight. Jack managed to break free from Aiden's pin and retaliated with a backhand swipe that sent Aiden's glasses flying. Jack's volatile eyes glared with fury.
"You motherfucker!" Jack howled, the danger radiating from him.
"Try it then, bitch!" Aiden shot back, relentless in his assault as he pinned Jack down, throwing him across the floor. Oscar's gaze flickered to the lone man at the front desk, but he had headphones on, oblivious to the chaos around him.
Suddenly, Jack lunged backward, headbutting Aiden. The impact left them both stunned, but they recovered quickly, charging at each other once more.
In a swift move, Aiden's bionic knee connected with Jack's most sensitive area, causing a horrified shriek to escape Jack's lips. He crumpled to the floor, hands clutching his pain-stricken area as tears welled in his eyes. Oscar and Deacon stood in shocked silence, watching the scene unfold.
Aiden's face was a mix of pain, anger, and regret, blood trickling from his lip and nose. He struggled to catch his breath, his body tense and trembling. His wild eyes bore into Jack's beaten form, seething with emotion.
"You bastard...you...you..." Aiden's words were strained, his voice quivering with a mix of rage and agony. He couldn't find the right words to express his frustration.
"I didn't...I didn't...I didn't..." Aiden stammered, trying to explain himself, but his words were disjointed. He took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself. "I didn't mean to kick you in the balls with my bionic leg."
Aiden limped away, rounding the corner to stand in front of the teller, who regarded him with a puzzled expression. Despite his injuries, a twisted smile spread across Aiden's bloodied face. He knocked on the teller's window as the man peered off his headphones and gazed at Aiden.
"Tell me, sir," he whispered in a low, chilling tone, his blood-stained grin spreading crimson along his chin and dribbling onto the bare metallic floor.
"When can I see Suletta Mercury?"
Miorine stood in her greenhouse, surrounded by the lush greenery she so carefully tended. Her hands shook as she tried to lose herself in the act of planting, driving the plants deep into the soil. But her mind was elsewhere, and her focus faltered.
"Foolish...foolish girl," she muttered under her breath, her silver eyes narrowing in annoyance. The image of Suletta flashed in her mind, and she quickly averted her gaze, trying to distract herself with the vibrant colors of her flowers.
A heavy sigh escaped her lips, and she found herself leaning against the dull metal wall, once covered in plants, now bare after she and Suletta had moved them to safety. The dent caused by Guel's attack was a constant reminder of the chaos that had entered her life.
Weeks had passed, but it felt like an eternity since Suletta arrived. So much had changed in such a short time, and Miorine needed a moment to catch her breath. The whirlwind that was Suletta had swept through not only her life but the lives of those around her, leaving a trail of upheaval and transformation.
Now, Suletta's fate hung in the balance as a decision loomed over her and her precious mech. It wasn't just about the academy; it was about the uncertain future that awaited her. Miorine's heart ached for the girl, knowing the weight of that decision could alter her destiny forever.
Amidst her thoughts, a faint banging sound echoed from the closed door. It was early morning, and Miorine had no classes that day. Her breath caught in her throat as she cautiously approached the front door, hoping it wasn't Jetturk's cronies or something even worse.
The door slid open, and Miorine's silver eyes widened as she beheld the person standing before her. Casual wear, tied-up long hair, freckles kissed by the artificial sun, and piercing green eyes fixed upon her. She spoke in a sigh, her words laced with frustration. "I don't know what you want, and I don't care, leave," she commanded, attempting to slide the door shut.
But it wasn't that simple. Miorine winced as the door halted, leaving a small opening, and she noticed the end of a shoe wedged in the gap. Her sneer intensified as she looked up at the towering figure. "I don't want to talk to you, Deacon."
Deacon sighed, his hand nervously touching his neck as he awkwardly met Miorine's gaze. "That's... understandable," he muttered, his voice tinged with regret.
"Then leave!" she nearly shouted, slamming the door even harder.
Deacon winced at the impact but maintained his grip on the door, holding it open. "Wait," he stammered, pleading with her. "Please, just hear what I have to say."
"I don't need to," Miorine snapped back. "It's all just going to be a bunch of lies or manipulation anyway, huh?"
Deacon remained silent, his eyes downcast, bearing the weight of unspoken emotions. He sighed heavily, exhaustion evident in his emerald eyes, something Miorine had not noticed before. And then, to her surprise, faint tears started to stream down his face.
"Please," he implored softly, his voice a gentle whisper.
Miorine hesitated, her grip on the door faltering. She observed the transformation in his countenance—the smile and smirk that had become characteristic of him crumbled before her eyes. It reminded her of Suletta, the weariness etched on Deacon's features, burdened by the weight he carried.
With a resigned sigh, Miorine let the door open wider, revealing two figures behind Deacon. Jack and Oscar stood there, Jack appearing annoyed, his arms crossed defensively, while Oscar seemed out of place, somber in the unfolding situation.
Oscar's eyes fell upon Deacon, watching the tears cascade down his face, and a complex array of emotions swirled within him. He didn't feel ashamed or pity for Deacon's tears; he understood that everyone had their breaking point. Yet, watching someone he relied on as a pillar of strength crumble before him stirred something within Oscar—an amalgamation of emotions he couldn't quite define. It was like seeing your father or older brother cry—unsettling and heartrending, leaving him unsure of how to respond.
Miorine stepped out of her greenhouse, finding Deacon seated on his steps, with Jack, Oscar, and herself standing before him. Jack's voice snapped with pain as he spoke, his vocal cords tense. Deacon sighed and turned to Miorine. "We... I... I need to know if Suletta is doing well, and what's going on with her."
Miorine scoffed, wrapping her arms around herself and narrowing her gaze. "Why do you need to know?" she spat back, her words dripping with venom.
Oscar shot her a disapproving look, clearly annoyed with her attitude. He didn't like that Deacon was at his breaking point, and Miorine's relentless questioning wasn't helping. "Aiden," Deacon replied simply.
Jack threw his hands up in frustration, stepping back and pacing as he turned his gaze toward the group. "You've got to be kidding me!" he snapped.
Miorine noticed the bruises on Jack's form and wondered if they were from the titan fight. But there was something deeper at play, something that made her believe these bruises weren't the real cause. "Aiden this, Aiden that," Jack continued, his voice filled with frustration. "Aiden has been throwing tantrums for weeks, and you haven't done a damn thing about it!"
Deacon had his face in his hands, and Miorine could hear faint sobs escaping from him. "Do something!" Jack demanded.
"Jack," Oscar interjected, trying to signal him to calm down. "Everyone is on edge right now. We need to take a breather and relax."
"Relax!" Jack yelled, spit flying from his lips. "Don't you tell me to relax, not after Aiden punted my nutsack!"
Despite the tension, Miorine couldn't help but burst into laughter. She covered her mouth, trying to stifle the outburst, while Jack simmered with anger.
"Aiden is under your care. You're his commanding officer, and you're not doing anything to correct his bad behavior," Jack snarled.
Oscar shook his head. "Aiden's situation is different," he reasoned.
Jack sneered, accusing, "Because he's the ace, because Deacon is playing favorites."
"That's not true!" Deacon yelled, tears streaming from his eyes. "Aiden gave me a reason, a good reason for all of this!" he explained, his voice breaking with emotion. "Aiden... he was honest with me... he... he..."
"Then tell us!" Jack interrupted with a furious yell.
Deacon paused, his lips struggling to open, uncertainty clouding his face. Miorine watched in stunned silence, trying to make sense of the situation.
Jack seethed with rage and frustration. It had been too long, Aiden's focus had shifted since Suletta arrived. He risked everything for this common girl!
"I didn't want this..." Deacon's voice came out in another whisper, drawing all eyes to him. His gaze fixated on the metal of the stairs. "I thought I would take up my father's job as one of the advisors in my town," Deacon's features briefly softened, a faint smile gracing his face, only to vanish as quickly as it came. "I never wanted to pilot a titan, but the militia had other plans. I was different than the other boys, so they trained me to be a commander. But the war came to a close. I was like Aiden, I understood his hate, all of our hate. I led out of necessity, I fought to avenge my family, and I killed... I killed because I thought it was just..."
Miorine took a step back as she heard his words. All the Harmony members had come into view, witnessing Deacon's emotional breakdown.
Miorine realized a disturbing truth about herself - she struggled with judgment and control. She held people to high standards without realizing it, judging them based on her own perceptions. She had disliked Suletta from the start, treating her with disdain. Why? Because Suletta had tried to help her in a difficult situation, and Miorine had rejected her.
Her mind went back to Suletta's final words to her about taking responsibility for her actions. Suletta had done just that, despite Miorine's judgments and objections. It was Miorine who burdened Suletta with expectations.
Secondly, the control element - Miorine's father's influence, perhaps. She repeatedly went against what Suletta wanted, being the voice on her shoulder discouraging her decisions. But she had failed to understand Suletta's morals. Suletta fought not for glory, money, or revenge, but because House Harmony needed her skills, and she believed in being a valuable asset to the team.
Miorine struggled with her feelings, knowing deep down that there was a part of her that wanted control. She wanted Suletta to listen to her, to follow her advice and avoid the current situation. She couldn't help but wonder if her father ever felt the same way about her, trying to exert control over her life.
Deacon was still in tears, his hands behind his head, distraught over the situation. "I don't know what to do," he snapped. "Jetturk claims the duel was forfeit and is trying to steal the Holder position, saying that Aiden cheated willingly with Suletta."
"That's bullshit!" shouted Jack, fists clenched. "We had no idea about any of that."
Deacon's feet tapped incessantly on the ground. "I don't know. The dueling was already getting out of hand, and now Suletta is piloting a freaking Gundam!"
His gaze turned to Miorine. "How could she have a Gundam?"
All eyes focused on Miorine as she glared back at the boys. "Why are you all looking at me?" she snapped.
"Well," Oscar spoke up, "you're like her best friend."
Miorine grimaced. "Me and her aren't..."
"Quit that shit," Jack interjected, silencing Miorine's protests.
"Don't talk to me like that," she spat.
Jack was running on fumes now. "You're always by her side."
"She clings to me."
Jack shook his head. "You share each other's clothes."
Miorine sighed. "Suletta would probably get lost trying to find her own."
"You walk her everywhere she goes," Oscar chimed in.
Miorine sighed again. "Again, Suletta would probably get lost or start another war between two houses."
"Why are you acting like you're doing the world a favor?" Jack fired back, looking around at everyone. "Suletta isn't some mentally ill patient that needs to be coddled day in and day out. She's a young woman. I don't know if it's an issue on your end, but her social issues don't entitle her to a babysitter!" he shouted.
Oscar looked at the bickering pair and then turned his attention to Deacon, who was still emotional. He spoke calmly, causing Jack and Miorine to ease their fists as they turned to look at him.
"Why can't you just call her your friend, Miorine?" Oscar questioned.
Miorine's eyes widened, her anger giving way to neutrality. "What are you talking about?" she asked.
Oscar shrugged. "It's obvious you care about her," he said with a sigh. "Pride will be the death of you."
His words hung heavily in the air, weighing on Miorine's heart as she thought of Suletta trapped in that cold, damp cell. Her mind churned with thoughts of the uncertain future ahead.
"All she wanted was friends and a normal school life," Miorine spoke with defiance and anger.
The other boys paused, turning to look at her. Miorine's fingers tightened into fists, her pale silver hair falling across her features.
"My lousy father," she paused, anger burning in her voice. "He's just going to throw her out and destroy her mech like it's nothing, and..."
"She'll get expelled," Oscar stated flatly.
Deacon gripped his head again. "If Suletta gets expelled, I'm not sure Aiden won't follow her all the way to Mercury."
The others looked at him in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me," Miorine exclaimed.
"Is he really that obsessed with her?" Oscar wondered.
Deacon's head was in his hands, his eyes fixed on the floor as he struggled to speak.
"This girl," Jack sneered. "Aiden is risking everything for some girl he hardly knows. Whether it's because of Dan's death or he's completely lost his mind after all this time. Deacon, you have to do something."
"What am I supposed to do?" Deacon's words were sharp, his narrowed gaze directed at the three of them. "What more can I do?"
Jack sighed, wrapping his arms around himself, his anger cooling into a chilling precision. His eyes fixed on the wild orange sun, and he knew deep down that Aiden was with her... with that witch.
"She's a danger to us and House Harmony," Jack said sharply. "You have to do your job as the president and do what's necessary."
Deacon shot up, tears still streaming down his cheeks as he locked eyes with Jack, his voice like a knife against a chalkboard. "Don't lecture me on what's necessary," he said, his fingers curling into fists. "You don't know what Aiden has been going through, you don't know Suletta and what she's been through. Aiden is..."
"Aiden is what!" Jack snapped, pushing Deacon's finger off of him. "This is insane, this is looney and irrational. Don't you all see that?"
He whirled his gaze toward Miorine, then to Oscar, and settled back on Deacon. "That girl is a witch, she pilots a gundam. All the things she's told us and the situation we've found ourselves in stem from her. And you don't want to do your job as president... you don't want to..."
"Deacon," Oscar's voice interrupted the heated exchange. Jack was about to lash out at him for interrupting and most likely defend Suletta and Aiden. However, Oscar held a strange, mile-long gaze, and his expression was weary and eerie. He still wore his casual clothes from the night before, obviously feeling the fatigue from what had occurred.
"Deacon," Oscar called his name again, softer this time, with a sigh. His blue eyes loomed over his president as Oscar stared at him. "Aiden has been acting strange. Sure, Suletta seems to be a good girl, but you have to be more rational with this," he paused, collecting his thoughts. "Aiden is your underling, and he heeds your orders. Tell him to pull away from the witch with a gundam. We've escaped the eyes of Marko and the Warband, the ripples of what's left of the IMC still hunt us, and if Aiden keeps being around this girl, maybe it will lead to god knows what happens to him."
Deacon's anger had faded away after Oscar's words. His back was crooked, his fingers loosening into fists as he realized the way they all looked upon Aiden now. Their earlier views of Aiden had warped so much due to not knowing the truth, and his actions seemed foolish and mad.
Jack and Oscar had fought with him for years and would do anything for him. However, they had held their tongues long enough, and now Deacon saw the confusion within them. Strangeness, anger, hesitancy toward this matter involving Aiden, but mostly... confusion. Aiden Winters, this person who had always been on the straight and narrow, so focused on music and piloting. How had his vision been so warped?
Miorine did not have a past with him or any prior relationship. What she had witnessed with Aiden was horrible, to say the least. Fear, possessiveness, and aggression emanating toward her friend had made her fearful and worried about his intentions toward Suletta. It didn't help with his prior tactics concerning Aiden and Miorine before.
Deacon knew that they had either lost faith in Aiden or were in the process of losing it. Aiden's promise buzzed within his mind, but he took a deep breath as he knew they needed an explanation. To them right now, Aiden's actions were like those of a madman... they didn't know the truth.
"Aiden, he..." Deacon began.
Jack groaned with anger in his voice. "I don't care anymore, Deacon, I..."
"Aiden had another vision," Deacon interrupted.
The words stilled the air. The only sounds for a second were the powerful wind that soared through the artificial environment of the academy, brushing and ruffling against their academy uniforms or casual clothes, and the long strands of grass. It ruffled through the bountiful flowers that hung along Miorine's greenhouse.
Miorine stared at Deacon, arms wrapped around herself as she paused. "What?" She could only mumble, watching the others with a confused expression.
However, the earlier anger and annoyance had faded from Jack. His arms still closed against himself as he stared at Deacon. Oscar, not holding Jack's emotions but merely exhaustion, had his eyes wide as he took a step backward.
"Aiden had another vision?" Jack repeated, grim determination taking over his features as Deacon slowly nodded.
Deacon pushed past his blond locks, and his gaze seeped downwards to the grass. He sighed. "Not another vision, it wasn't recent, but three years ago... Aiden..."
"Whoa," Oscar spoke with both arms raised, Miorine still staring perplexed at the pair. Were they actually playing into this right now?
Jack shook his head. "This vision was three years ago?" He shot his gaze back to Deacon. "Why didn't you tell us this sooner?"
"It was because Aiden didn't want me to," he sighed. "However, it's a vision that had Suletta in it. Three years ago, right before Harmony was destroyed, he was fighting on the world of..."
It took Deacon five to ten minutes to explain what Aiden had told him that day after he beat Guel. He broke down the subtle complexities of what had occurred, talked about Aiden's final fight before the battle, and detailed the fragments of the vision of Suletta. He winced at the new information he learned, the fact that Suletta may hold Aiden's dying form in his hands.
Jack and Oscar stayed in stunned silence for a second, their minds wandering with this newfound information. Jack could only sigh, the earlier anger fading from him like water to sand. Oscar kneeled and had his face in his hands.
"So," Oscar spoke, his words laced with a stunned fervor. "This explains Aiden and Suletta..."
His words stammered from him, his head still in his hands. "So, the prophet has witnessed his own death," Oscar finished, reeling with the zealous implications of it.
"The druid... Aiden," Jack paused as he corrected himself, his fingers tracing along his features as he sighed. His mind drew to all those moments with Suletta and his own prior fight with Aiden hours before. Now he understood why he was like this, why this girl he hardly knew... why Aiden would do this... why he would...
Miorine's laugh was heavy, but it lacked the humor. Rather, it came out forced in a false chuckle that drew three pairs of eyes to her. "Are you kidding me?" She questioned the other three, mostly focusing on Oscar.
She nodded her head toward Deacon, her disbelief palpable. "Are you seriously going to expect me to believe this?" She pointed at Deacon. "This is just another one of your manipulations, right?"
She was astonished that Jack and Oscar only stared at her, their gazes unwavering as they accepted the information as if it were fact.
"Why didn't Aiden tell us?" questioned Oscar.
Miorine was about to interject, but Deacon spoke up. "Aiden made me promise not to tell anyone," he responded, realizing that this wasn't a good enough answer. "This is something personal to Aiden. To him, Suletta Mercury was just some fever dream. Some hallucination that was cooked up on the verge of death, but he still hoped... he longed for over three years, hoping that she existed and that the future she led to offered him hope during those dark days of the long war."
Deacon paused, the looks of understanding coming from Oscar and Jack as they slowly nodded. "We all needed our own personal hope during those dark days," Deacon concluded.
Miorine was still shocked, her eyes wide and alert as she glared at Deacon and the rest. "You've got to be kidding me," she snarled, whirling away. Her footsteps echoed as her voice followed behind her. "You may have them fooled, but you can't fool me."
However, it was Deacon's voice that stopped her. "Suletta's mantra." The words didn't stop her, though. She kept putting one foot in front of the other, now reeling with this newfound information that the Harmony boys were possibly a cult. However, the next words chilled her to her very core. "Aiden has been saying it ever since I first met him. That was three years ago in an IMC rehabilitation camp."
Miorine paused within her stride, her eyes wide and alert as she slowly cracked her neck and gazed at the three. "How is it possible, Miorine?" questioned Deacon as he rose from the steps, his green eyes narrowing with cold determination. "You wanted an explanation on why Aiden's so damn obsessed with Suletta, there's your explanation, or is that not good enough for you?"
Miroine's fist tightened, pounding her feet toward the three boys once again. "This is ridiculous!" she yelled, her eyes latching onto Deacon, then Jack, and then Oscar. "You Harmony boys... you are all insane, talking about visions, and prophecies, and—"
"Miorine," Oscar cut her off, taking a step forward as he looked at her. "Miorine, do you remember the first time we met?"
Miorine winced at the sudden recollection, however, she stayed mute as her eyes bore into Oscar. Oscar continued, "You were there, you heard it."
Miorine grabbed at her head, shaking it as her wild eyes locked onto the three. "You are not going to—"
"You know our history, Rembran," snapped Jack as he looked upon her. "You've heard tales of people like Aiden, and you must have read about the experiments that we went through back then. You've seen the powers that Aiden has been capable of... no person, no normal human, no one could do something like that."
Jack's heavy sigh flooded her senses. "Are you too foolish to believe that there can be some of us who can open our third eye to witness what lies ahead?" He paused, gazing upon her trembling and agitated form. "Or, are you too fearful of the possibility of such power existing?"
Miroine paused, her throat quickly growing dry. "I... I..."
She stammered out the words, staying mute for a total of five minutes as she took the seat that Deacon had once occupied. Her head in her hands, she grappled with this newfound knowledge that swirled within her mind's eye. Visions, powers, and secret experiments.
She was aware of Harmony and what they were doing—aware of the child experimentation and the horrors they perpetrated. But could they truly create psychic warriors, individuals capable of seeing a path that no one else could?
Miorine sighed as she suddenly rose, her gaze stopping on Deacon as she paused, their eyes meeting. "I don't know what to say."
"That doesn't matter," Deacon responded. "What matters now is that you all know the truth about Aiden and Suletta."
"He won't leave her side," Oscar chimed in, with Jack nodding in agreement.
Jack turned to Miorine. "So, you believe us?"
Miroine only shrugged her shoulders, her hand going to her face as she continued to grapple with the newfound information.
"I don't..." She slowly shook her head. "It doesn't matter," she erupted, her gaze squarely on Deacon. "I am always going to take those words I do not know with a grain of salt. Maybe you are telling the truth, and maybe you aren't. However, it doesn't change my view on Suletta... If helping Suletta stay within the academy in turn helps Aiden, then so be it."
Deacon raised his hand, a small reignited smile on his face. "Then," he spoke, "how about we all work together, and then maybe..."
The expanse of the academy stretched out before them. Deep within the holding center, in a solitary, closed-off portion, floated a girl. Stripped of her pilot uniform, faint tears welled down her face as she closed her eyes, ready for what was to come.
However, unbeknownst to her, House Harmony and Miorine both had plans to get her out of this difficult and perilous situation.