This chapter is Revenant PoV
I just got a message from her. She wants to go to town with me again as if our little outing of yesterday wasn't enough.
I can't say no. I don't want to say no.
I agree to go for a walk, asking where she'd like to go this time. She responds quickly, saying that she wanted to visit that Christmas market on that big esplanade in the shopping district. She will be here in an hour.
It is three in the afternoon.
I've passed the last four hours, laying on my bed and being deeply confused about everything.
Confused about my desire to punish Loba.
Confused about my wish to die.
Confused about her and what she could think about me.
Confused about what I feel about this whole situation.
Confused about what I feel for her.
When she told me, months ago, that I still had a human heart and she could make it work again, I didn't believe her. I found her so naive and delusional. Appears that I was the naive one. Since I became aware of my robotic transformation, I was so busy tracking down whoever did this to me... I never tried to just sit and examine what was left of the old me. I always thought I completely turned into a bot that, somehow, became sentient. I, now, believe that all my anger and desperation came from the human I used to be.
The human I still am.
I take another look at the clock. Ten minutes had passed. I should get ready before she arrives and put on my suit.
I get up from bed and start pulling on my shirt and pant.
From all this introspection I've done, two questions are stuck in my mind:
First, there are more gaps and incoherences in my memories than I thought. Way more than the data corruption could have done over the years. I need to ask her if she has any idea of what could cause such trouble to rewind souvenirs, especially the ones before I became a simulacra.
Secondly, why did Hammond made me able to feel so many things? I thought I could only feel pain as a punishment for my past life. But since I've met the girl, I've felt so many various things. I even discovered that my fake body can mimic reactions to stimuli, like increasing the heat when... when...
As I recall the moment, the heat strikes up and the fans turn on.
Did I fall for her?
I shake my head swiftly and resume putting my clothes on. I'll reflect on that later, I already got too many questions to handle. I should clear my mind so I can get some quality time with her instead of being moody and gloomy as usual.
She finally arrives at the motel, dressed in a simple black dress with a tulle over the skirt and thin silver stripes running down her torso, a black ribbon marking the juncture of the upper part and the lower one. Basic dark tights and mary jane on her feet, a thick deep grey shawl on her shoulder, and some silver jewelry here and there.
And her usual smile.
We don't need to walk for so long to get to the market and as soon as we put a foot into it, I remember why I hate those types of events. It's noisy, crowded, and the different scents that should smell good alone, mix together in a horrible sweet and spicy fog.
My friend must have noticed my discomfort as she softly grabs my hand and asks:
"If you want to do something else, just tell me."
"Don't worry, I'll get used to it. It's just that I'm used to calm and silent spaces. I'll handle it if you stay with me."
She strengthens her grasp:
"I'll stick to you so we won't get separated. I just want to find some ideas of gifts for everyone. Then, we can go elsewhere. Where ever you want."
We walk, trample, and squeeze ourselves through the mass of people, slowly progressing from one stall to another one. She show me various gadgets and items, get mesmerized by the painting of a street artist, had fun watching the kids getting on Santa's knees and buy a little bag of spiced cookies.
Since I'm way taller than the majority of the people, I scanned the area for her to find anything interesting she might want to see. My eyes stop on a photo booth where people put little Christmas hat on top of their head and smiles stupidly to the camera. I'm sure she would love to get a picture too.
Yet, we are not going to get that picture as I see someone I didn't want to see again next to the photo booth.
Loba.
She is in line with Valkiry, waiting for their turn. Gladly, she can't recognize me with the hood and the goggles but we can't take the risk to be spotted.
I grab my friend's shoulder, and mutter in her ears:
"We need to move now. Loba's here."
Her expression freezes once the name has been spoken. She nods at me and we both urge through the crowd.
Our pace was too fast for our good and we got bumped and pushed in every way possible, making the girl fall on her knees and drop my glasses off.
I turn my head to see if Loba had moved to cross her sigh with my bare eyes. Her face is suddenly torn with anger and she starts running at us, pushing everybody in the way.
" Fuck !"
I grab the little skinsuit and carry her in my arms, making sure to hold her tight.
"She is after us! I'm getting us back to the motel. Call your dad for help !"
The girl promptly takes out her phone and searches for her dad's number.
Something passes over our heads in a blue flash and lands a few meters in front of us, teleporting Loba on our path.
"You are not going anywhere demonio !"
She pulls her P2020 out of her bag and aims at me. She's out of her mind to do this with so many innocents around!
She is about to pull the trigger when her glare falls on the girl in my arms. Her angry expression is now ornated with a malicious grin and aims her gun at her.
I can't let it happen!
I turn around, showing my back to her, and run in the opposite direction. A burning pain hit me below my left shoulder, where HER head was before.
I run desperately in the street, turning randomly alley after alley to lose the wolf on our track. If my arms were free, I could have climbed the building or used my totem. But all I can do is run and pray nothing bad happen.
I take another bullet, just above my waist and another one in my left thigh.
After a long minute of running, I hear Loba yelling:
"Kairi! Let me get him! For fuck sake LET ME GO !"
She sounds purely enraged. As I'm taking this as an opportunity to run away, I can't tell what the Japanese girl told her but one word had been spoken louder. 'Crazy'.
Someone's gonna get scold tonight. Good. She clearly had push the limits and put many people in danger.
"Hey, skinsuit, are you ok?"
"Yes. And you? I heard you grunt twice."
"We'll see the damage later. Let's go back to the motel. Your dad's coming?"
She nods.
Once back in the secret room, I drop her on the bed and kneel down, hissing in pain.
My friend doesn't lose time and jumps off the mattress before rushing to the tools' bag, ready to work on my injuries.
A couple of hours later, after her family joined us, I'm as new as before. The girls are definitely gifted when it comes to healing me.
The dad puts his phone back in his pocket and speaks up:
"I've got my team on her track, just to be sure she hasn't found us. Also, the Blue Fox is ready to talk, I'm going to him next and we'll check his information afterward. But it is now too dangerous for you to get out. I'm sorry to tell you, but you'll have to stay here, in the motel, for a bit. They know your face and Caleb's outfit now so we can't afford to take more risks."
Sid gives a notepad to his sister:
"Write down everything you need us to bring from your apartment. I'll get them for you and I will take care of your pet during your absence."
The girl starts writing, then asks:
"What about my work?"
"I've already warned your boss. Told him you're sick and need to stay home. Told him you can do a bit of work at home, like creating designs."
She gives a grateful smile at her father and reports her attention back to the notepad.
We'll have to live together again. But something tells me it won't be the same as the first time.
