A/N: Nobody understands the condition Patrick is in, and it makes things hard for Selena and Marlene. And with Akira in a coma and their leader imprison, what will become Team PASM now? If things are bad now, wait until she interferes.
Chapter 47: Feelings
A week has passed.
Selena and Marlene hardly leave Akira's room, especially Selena. Mashika balances herself between looking out for the girls and checking on Patrick as well as trying to reason with Ironwood about being harsh on him.
After learning about Patrick's Grimm Hybrid, he is now uncertain if Patrick should even be released from his prison.
He then speaks with Ozpin.
"Are you sure this is wise, Oz? You know what he is." Ironwood says.
"His hybrid status is indeed surprising, but do not forget who his mother is. I am still positive he has the power we need." Ozpin says.
"But this is the wrong kind of power!" Ironwood says. "In case you have forgotten, he injured one of his members. He is simply too dangerous. Besides, if Salem finds out about this-"
"I understand your concerns, James, but rest assured, I'm positive Patrick Aki will be able to help us turn the tide against Salem." Ozpin says.
Ironwood gives a long pause before sighing then speaks. "For the sake of humanity, I hope you are right." He then ends the call, then James calls in on the intercom. "What's the status of the Shadow Hunter?"
"Same as always, General." A soldier says.
"Keep an eye on him, and inform me of any changes." Ironwood says.
Meanwhile, in the infirmary, Selena fell asleep watching over Akira. Her head rests on her arms on the side of the hospital bed. Rayla walks in to cover her up with a blanket. She looks at Selena with sympathy, then leaves.
Mashika is outside of the room with Marlene, Marina, and the rest of Team CPER. Just a few days ago, Marina arrives in Atlas with Clawdia, Peter, and Earnest. They have been updated on what they learned since the interrogations. They find it hard to believe that Patrick is actually a Grimm Hybrid. Even Clawdia describes it as a "Cat-astrophe".
Rayla leaves the room to join them. "How is she doing?" Marlene asks.
"Mistress Selena is resting. It looks like she stayed with Mistress Akira all night." Rayla says.
Mashika lets out a sigh. "I understand her worries, but I wish she would take care of herself."
"Well, I don't blame her. From what you guys said, that blow was meant for her but Akira sacrificed herself to save Selena." Peter says. "Seeing her friend like this must be hard for her."
"Peter's right. She must be feline horrible." Clawdia says.
Earnest speaks, and Clawdia translates for him. "'I'm more concerned about Patrick. He may be cold-hearted, but I am sure he feels guilt.' I agree with Master Earnest. Given what the Mistresses who visited him have said, it sounds like he's carrying a heavy burden."
The conversation goes on. Marina is the only one who is silent. She only turns her attention to the door of Akira's room, and soon the voices of everyone's chattering turn deaf to her ears. Marina starts entering the room. She finds Akira on the bed resting, the sight of her turns Marina's stomach. Her condition is worse than Marina thought. She then looks at Selena, who is sleeping with her head on the side of the bed.
Marina approaches Selena, putting a hand on her back. Selena suddenly awakes in shock and this startles Marina. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
Selena relaxes. "It's fine."
Selena turns her attention back to Akira. Marina pulls up a chair and sits next to Selena. "You okay?" Selena is silent. Marina can tell she's trying to hide her feelings. "You can talk to me. I'm here to help you, just as your mother helped me in my time of need."
Selena sniffles before answering. "It's just...I-I've never had any friends. At least not those who cared for me as...well, myself. Not as Selena Akimura, daughter of the famous idol. When I first came to Beacon, it was hard for me to open up. I even get up early enough to have the showers to myself and have one of my team be on lookout. But everything changed when I met my team. Aside from Patrick, Akira was the only one who learned who I was. Despite my fame, she still treated me as an equal...as a friend...as family." Tears are building up in Selena's eyes. Her voice starts cracking in sorrow. "He was coming at me, that kill strike was meant for me. But she..."
Finally, Selena breaks down crying. Marina pulls Selena into a hug, letting Selena rest her head on Marina's shoulder. "It's okay, hon. Let it out."
"It hurts...It hurts so much." Selena says.
"I know." Marina closes her eyes. Her mind becomes lost as she holds Selena as a mother would to a child. Without thinking, Marina slides her arm around until she grabs hold of Selena's hand. As they come to a still in this moment of despair, Marina's Aura slightly glows. Then suddenly, markings start appearing on Marina's and Selena's hands, the hands that are holding onto each other. The markings form a chain bracelet, with a large circle with a heart inside.
The second it takes full form, Marina is surprised, her eyes suddenly turn pink, and there are tears in her eyes that are escaping. Marina is frozen in place, taking in the sudden burst of emotions wailing up inside of her. Selena stops crying for a moment and looks at Marina. She is surprised to see her crying.
"P-Professor Marina?" Selena lets go of Marina, and the markings suddenly vanish, and Marina comes to her senses, and her eyes return to normal. "Why are you crying?"
"I..." Marina feels her face and is surprised to find it soaked with tears. Startled, she wipes them away. "I don't know. It's weird but..." Marina's sudden silence confuses Selena. Marina then chuckles slightly. "Forget it. It's nothing. Probably just a lot of tension." Marina stands up. "I'm gonna go get some coffee. Need anything?"
Selena shakes her nod. "No. I think I just want to be alone for now."
Marina doesn't say anything else, only leaves the room. When she's out, she only stands just outside. She looks at her hand, confused. "What happened back there? It was almost as if...I felt her feelings."
Patrick is remaining in his prison cell, this time without any of the restrictions to contain him, aside from the Hard-Light Barriers. Mashika is watching him on the monitors. Her expression is hard. She can see how miserable Patrick is looking at him. Without saying a word, Mashika storms out of the observation room.
Mashika is walking beside Ironwood in a hallway. "Absolutely not!" Ironwood says.
"General. I'm only asking for Mr. Aki to be let out for some fresh air." Mashika says.
"He's too dangerous. We don't even know what'll happen if he's let loose with this power." Ironwood says.
"He is not gonna go berserk...I mean, he might but not on purpose." Mashika says.
"Might is still a possibility. I won't allow it." Ironwood says.
Mashika stands in front of Ironwood and stops him. "James! Patrick is having a hard time, and that is because you are treating him like a prisoner!"
"He is a prisoner!" Ironwood says.
"He is not! Can't you see how he feels? He's upset about everything he's done in that Grimm form of his." Mashika says. "General, we don't know what triggers it. What's to say the misery he feels right now could trigger it." Ironwood doesn't say anything, just stares down at James. "Trust me, this is what he needs. Just let him have it, and he'll be back before you know it."
Ironwood doesn't say anything still, then the silence breaks. "He doesn't leave the courtyard, and I'll have a patrol team with you two are all times."
"I agree with these terms. Thank you, General." Mashika says.
After a while, Ironwood does as he promises. Patrick is released from his cell, being patrolled by Winter and a couple of Atlesian Droids. Mashika awaits by the Academy doors. When the doors open, she finds Patrick and the military guard with him. Mashika approaches Winter.
"It'll take it from here, Miss Schnee, thank you." Mashika says.
"Unacceptable. I will remain on guard duty with this mercenary student of yours." Winter says.
Mashika lets out a disappointed sigh. "You have Ironwood's stubbornness." Winter proudly smiles.
Mashika takes Patrick across the courtyard. She wishes she could do this without the guards and Winter. The whole time, Patrick has been quiet. Doesn't even make any changes to his expression. Mashika takes Patrick to the edge of the courtyard, which alerts Winter. From there, they get a good view of the city.
"Atlas sure is beautiful at night." Mashika says.
"Whatever." That is all Patrick says.
Mashika takes notice that his behavior isn't changing. "Still, it beats being in a cell, doesn't it?" Patrick doesn't say anything. Mashika lets out a sigh. "Listen, I know it's been hard with everything that's happened, but I am trying to help cheer you up."
"I don't see how that's gonna help. It's not gonna change anything." Patrick says.
"That's not true." Mashika says.
Patrick glares at Mashika. "Is it? You weren't there! You didn't see what I've become. What I have done! Akira is knocking on death's door because of me. No amount of 'cheering up' isn't gonna change that."
"You're right. Nothing is gonna change what has happened. But that's just it. You can't change the past, but that doesn't mean you should let it control your future." Mashika looks back at Winter, who is only several feet away along with the droids. Mashika then lends in and whispers. "I never would have become the Huntress and Teacher I am now if I let our past with the agency control me."
"Hmph. Well, that's fine with you. But I already told you: That as long as he still lives, I'll never be free. And now Ironwood is making me his own prisoner." Patrick says.
"Yes, I am aware of how the General treats you. Trust me, I am trying to convince the general to reconsider his decisions. He's a stubborn man." Mashika says.
"Yeah, I've noticed." Patrick says.
Mashika and Patrick continue watching the view for a short while, then Mashika suggests they should return. Mashika offers to buy Patrick a drink. As they start walking back to the academy, Patrick suddenly stops. A sudden surge of power hits him in his mind, and then a dark voice echoes in his head.
'Join me. Join me.'
Patrick shuts his eyes then they dart wide open with his Grimm eyes, but Patrick closes his eyes shut and lets out an agonizing shout grabbing his head and then collapsing on his knees. Mashika and Winter are concerned seeing this and immediately aid him.
They hurried Patrick back to his cell.
Mashika leaves Patrick in his cell. She goes to the cafeteria to get herself a drink. Since they don't serve drinks to students, she has to settle with water. Mashika sits as she drinks. That's when Marina arrives and orders her Black Coffee. After getting her drink, Marina goes to take a seat. When she notices Mashika at one table, she takes a seat next to her.
Mashika is surprised by Marina's sudden appearance. "Oh, Marina. I didn't realize you were here."
"It's a surprise to see you here too." Marina and Mashika sit quietly as they drink. "How are things with the general?"
"The General's the least of my concerns. I'm worried about Mr. Aki." Mashika says.
Mashika tells Marina about how the general's been treating him. Marina isn't all that surprised. Then Mashika brought up the strange behavior Patrick had when they were about to return to the academy.
"What happened to him?" Marina asks.
"No idea. I'm just hoping it's nothing serious." Mashika takes another sip of her water before continuing. "The last thing we need is for him to go berserk again. How are things going with the students?"
"There are still no updates on Akira...Honestly, seeing her was horrifying. Clawdia, her team, and Marlene are all debating everything that's happened. As for Miss Akimura. She's..." Marina falls silent. She then puts a hand on her other, the one that was holding Selena's hand.
Mashika takes notice of her sudden silence and the change of sorrow in her expression. "Marina?"
"I don't know what happened but...for a moment, I actually felt like I was experiencing her feelings." Marina says.
"Isn't that normal? We can understand each other's pain and sorrow." Mashika says.
Marina shook her head. "No, it's not that. I actually felt her feelings." Hearing this only confuses Mashika. "Her sadness. Regret. Fear. I was feeling all of them. It was like...Like our souls are linked."
Mashika's expression changes. She sets down her drink, looking at Marina suspiciously. "If I may ask, did anything happen between you two when this...feeling link happened?"
"Well, she was crying, and then I pulled her into a hug. Then held her hand...Sometime after that...I actually don't know what happened. I was feeling deep within thought...Then the next thing I know, the feeling link happened." Marina explains. Mashika thinks for a moment after hearing Marina's story. "What do you think it is?"
"It sounds to me like you might have unlocked your Semblance." Mashika says.
Marina is shocked to hear that. "My...Semblance?"
"It's a theory. I've heard a number of Semblance's that involves emotions. Masking. Tracking. But to actually link them, that's something new." Mashika says. "Can you try it again?"
"I can try." Step by step, Marina repeated the actions she made with Selena onto Mashika. At the final step, Marina closes her eyes, trying to concentrate. She hardens her concentration and...nothing happens.
Mashika begins to catch on that nothing is happening. "Well, feel anything?"
Marina opens her eyes. She doesn't feel anything different. And realizing how she's holding on Mashika, Marina's face turns red and she immediately backs off in embarrassment. "Nope. No, no. Nothing. I didn't feel anything."
Being ignorant of Marina's awkwardness, Mashika thinks about it. "Well, there must have been a lot of emotion between you two. It is one of the most crucial events that unlocks a Semblance." Mashika finishes her drink. "Well, we'll look into it later. I'm gonna go see if Mr. Aki's doing okay."
Meanwhile, a doctor is taking notes as he is speaking with and observing Patrick. Patrick doesn't say anything about hearing a voice inside of his head. Once the doctor is finished with his work, he makes his leave. The second the doctor leaves, Mashika arrives. She approaches Patrick.
"You feeling okay, Love?" Mashika asks.
"I'm...fine." Patrick says.
"Patrick, normally I'd let you be your secretive self once in a while, but after what happened with this Grimm power of yours, if there is anything strange going on we need to make sure it isn't another trigger. Do you really want to repeat of what happened with Miss Rhysenshi?"
Patrick doesn't show it, but he knows that she is right. "You'll think I'm crazy saying this, but...I think I heard a voice."
"Like a conversation nearby? I don't think there was anybody other then Winter and her drone guards." Mashika says.
"No, it's not like that. It was like a voice inside of my head. Nothing like a conscience. It was echoing inside of my head. For a moment, I actually felt like I was about to lose it." Patrick says.
"You mean, unleash this Grimm power?" Mashika asks.
"Probably." Patrick says. "But it doesn't make sense. My memory may have been dark the first time it's happened, but I differently don't remember a voice." In truth, he remembers the voices he was hearing that fed his negativity, but it's not something he'll want to speak of. Not even to Mashika.
Mashika puts her hands on Patrick's shoulders. "Listen, Love, whatever it is, we're gonna get through this. We will not let this dark side of you resurface once again. I'll try to contact Elizabeth, she might be able to help. Just hang in there."
Mashika leaves the cell. What she didn't realize is that Ironwood was watching the whole thing, and he heard every word.
Ironwood's expression hardens. He knows what this 'voice' in Patrick's head could be. And he'll plan to stop it before it begins.