I didn't know how to feel, so many emotions started swirling inside as the minutes went by.
"Marth, I know this is a lot to take in. While I won't say I understand how you feel, after all I never met Apollo but with how things are playing out we need to figure out what to do next." Alyssa said as she placed a drink in front of me.
The drink was hot as I could see the faint steam flowing from it, just as quickly as the steam appeared it vanished. I accepted the drink and drank it. Its mix of bitterness and sweetness instantly tells me that it's tea.
I didn't respond to Alyssa as I quietly drank more of it, with each sip the tornado of emotions started to simmer down; while I couldn't say my emotions were at rest I could say that they became manageable.
"Thank you, I needed that." I said as I chug down the rest of the tea.
"Frankly, I would like to hear your thoughts about all this." Alyssa asked.
"I truly don't know. Mr. Apollo did so much for me. He saved me from a life of running from place to place to survive, hardly anyone gives us Sarkaz the time of day, especially those like me who are infected. Most people look down or harm us. But Mr. Apollo knew all that but took me with open arms."
"So he's a great guy then to you." Alyssa said.
"Very, he took me and my classmates shopping whenever Rhodes Island stops somewhere. He has cooked food for us as well and overall took care of us. As for me he always helped me with nightmares and operated as my guardian, he's the closest thing I have to a family currently."
"I won't tell you what to think."
Alyssa walked away from me momentarily, I could hear something moving as if Alyssa was looking for something. The constant clicking of pens and pencils I assumed filled the room. After a few moments two cards were thrown in front of me on the table, one was a gray-silver card while the other one was made with a glossy blue metal material.
"I'm willing to let you keep these two. I tried what I could but couldn't get much information from them, perhaps you could." Alyssa said.
I turned my focus to the cards as I read them.
"I don't know anything about Chaldea or the Clocktower, I'm sorry." I explained.
"If you don't know then perhaps Apollo does, after all these cards also came from the massive Cube." Alyssa said.
I felt my shoulders loosened as my soul tensed up, I understood that asking Mr. Apollo would clear up so much but I still didn't wish to believe that Mr. Apollo would be the center of everything but all the evidence is pointing towards him. I take the cards and get up from the desk.
"With everything that happened I believe that we will be leaving Columbia soon, everyone else might have to finish some things I don't know about." I said
"Leaving?" Alyssa asked?
I nodded.
"Then I'll stay in touch, I'll give you updates on whatever I manage to find out."
Hearing Alyssa's words made me feel as if warm honey was being poured on my heart. Warm and sweet, as I thought an off handed comment Mr. Apollo said came to mind.
"Make some friends, friends make everything in life better."
"He was right, friends are great." I said as I got up.
"I'll walk you out." Alyssa said.
Alyssa and I talked about whatever as she guided me out.
The final day came and went. Due to the attack and many companies being in uproar the conference was canceled so the company that is hosting can stay face to face, at least that is what told me. That same day we signed out of the hotel and started our journey back to the landship.
"We leave the landship for a conference, we leave Columbia with a terrorist attack under our belt. Perhaps Kal'tsit will allow me to goof off." Ms. Closure said as she ate some food she brought.
"I say you now have more reasons for Amiya to cover your ass in case something goes wrong." Ms. Warfraim said as she stole a piece of food from Ms. Closure.
The trip back was largely uneventful as it was mainly Ms. Closure and Ms. Warfarin going back and forth. Melantha, Cardigan and I enjoyed each other's company while all the guys were sleeping all their worries away.
The days came and went as we rolled over a large hill in the green scenery as we could see landship moving along a very beaten path with tracks of the many mobiles. The landship in its black, orange and blue color palette came into view. My hopes of seeing Mr. Apollo rose along with the worry of what I learned back in Columbia.
I haven't told anyone about what happened last night as I don't wish for anything to happen for potentially false information. I could feel an uneasy feeling spread within my heart; I took a deep breath and looked out the window to calm my nerves.
"It's good to see you all again, and thank you for the report."
Currently I am in Ms. Amiya's office. The lady who appears to be around the same age as me was sitting behind her snow white desk, the small potted plant and the cup mat holding a drink were the splashes of color on the surface.
"It's good to see you too, Ms. Amiya." I replied as I watched her grab the report.
"You don't have to be so formal with me, I told you this. If anything I should address you with honorifics since you're slightly older than me." Ms. Amiya said as a small chuckle left her mouth.
"I doubt I will be able to do that, even if I'm older than you I still say you accomplished so much more than I have in a shorter amount of time." I confessed. "I don't think you should lower yourself to my level."
For someone who had to deal with so many moving parts at Rhodes Island, Ms. Amiya's eyes always looked so hopeful as if the end of a war was just around the corner.
Amiya ear's lowered a little, similar to how a rabbit's ears would when it had its carrot taken from them. As quickly as they went down they quickly perked back up.
"Marth, keeping this between you and I while you were away Mr. Apollo said a lot about you. He sang your and the other student's praises." Ms. Amiya said.
My eyes widened. Mr. Apollo was proud of me? But why, I don't think I did anything important.
"While I will be honest with you, I didn't completely understand everything but he was very excited whenever he talked about you guys." Ms. Amiya said as she placed a single finger on her check. "If you want to talk to Mr. Apollo, he has an office now."
Ms. Amiya dug in her desk for a moment before pulling out a piece of paper which was a map of the floor where Mr. Apollo's office is located. I thanked her before heading to see Mr. Apollo.
Being back in the landship seeing the familiar interior was welcoming. Not having to worry about being attacked, or potentially unpleasant experiences. As I followed the map following streaks of white and yellow flow in the air, anyone in the landship could recognize those colors.
"Suzuran!" I said as I quickly caught up to her.
The young fox girl who at times had expressions so bright that any doubts I felt currently regarding everything around Mr. Apollo to fade away.
"Ah! Marth you're back!" The young child ran towards me and jumped into me with enough force that I almost fell down. "How did your mission go?" She asked with a smile present on her face.
"The mission went well I guess. I even made a new friend there." I said as we continued to walk towards Mr. Apollo's office.
The two of us talked about whatever before we split off at the door since Suzuran had volunteered to help around the landship so we said our goodbyes. I found myself alone before a door that didn't match the rest of the ship. While many of the doors were mostly gray in color at first, it isn't uncommon to see operators put decorations on their doors. Whatever Mr. Apollo was very eye-catching, his door was made of wood colored maroon. It truly did feel as if a foreign personality came in and made their home.
I knocked on the door and took a step back, however I didn't hear anything on the other side. Mr. Apollo has never been a quiet person, everything about him was loud and distinct, I'm often able to know he is nearby just by his footsteps. I knocked on the door again and nothing was heard.
"I guess he isn't here." I said as I was ready to head back into my room.
Suddenly the doorknob turned as I heard the door open.
"Oh, Marth you're back already."
I turned around to see Mr. Apollo in his usual attire, a jacket and sweatpants. Attire that would make people question if he was an educator of any high regard. Black stains contrasted with his attire and hair along with a burning smell started to come from the office. The only things that seemed untouched by whatever Mr. Apollo was wearing his red necklace and the cross attached to it.
"Hello, Earth to Marth? Are you still with me here?"
I quickly snap out of my daze.
"I just came to see you; I've returned from my mission today." I said.
's eyes slightly as his bright red eyes lit up. "Oh, shoot I didn't know."
Mr. Apollo quickly wrapped his arms around my waist and within a moment my connection to the ground was separated as I was carried into the office. I guess I was being kidnapped. He quickly sat me down on a couche as he quickly walked to a fridge and pulled out a container.
"I didn't cook anything for you but I hope that these leftovers will be good enough." He said as she prepared the dish for me.
Within a few moments a dish was placed in front of me. It was shaped in a circular fashion, in the center was a piece of fish but when I touched it was cold. I kept looking and poking at it.
Mr. Apollo takes a seat across from me with his own plate of this food. "Marth, have you ever had sushi before?" He asked as he popped one into his mouth, a smile reaching ear to ear formed.
"I can't say I have." I replied as I picked up a piece of sushi, it was weird as I believed that all food should be warmed up but like always Mr. Apollo proves me wrong.
"I'm happy to see you are doing better."
I looked back at Mr. Apollo and had a soft smile on his face as he returned eye contact with me.
"What do you mean, I don't think I changed too much in Col-" As I spoke suddenly the smell of burning flesh rushed into my nose overcoming whatever smell I noticed before. My body started to burn as if the sight of a burning started to form in existence. The heaviness in my heart grew heavier by the second, it hurt, it really hurts.
Suddenly I could hear glass shattered and small white pieces on the floor slid into my vision. I looked up to see Mr. Apollo's sushi mixed in with the various pieces of his broken plate.
"Glad I got your attention, you ignored me for a moment there. Hell it looks as if your mind has so many thoughts flowing in your head that I can see the steam flowing out of your ears. Are you a titan or a certain rubber boy?" Mr. Apollo asked as the smile on his face while not as aggressive was still there.
"You look troubled now, sorry about that." he said as he laid back on the other couch. "Marth, I had this friend back home. He was someone I placed a lot of faith in, perhaps a little too much but I didn't care too much about that. He was someone that had a lot of self doubts about himself. He didn't think he was all that important in the grand scheme of things, he was a lazy slacker at times."
I didn't understand where Mr. Apollo was going with the story but I couldn't try to interrupt him.
"He sneaked snacks during work and so many more dumb things. Yet I remember a time he helped me when I helped raise my younger brother. He parted me with some wisdom that seemed so obvious now but I was new to that whole situation."
'Sometimes talking with someone about their worries can heal their hearts, you may not even need to give out a solution. Just the act of listening does wonders.'
"That was what he told me during a very hard time for many of my friends and colleagues. He helped keep everyone together when things were going south and where walking uphill both way wasn't impossible."
"Sorry if I'm being rude but I don't understand what you are trying to tell me Mr. Apollo." I replied as I could feel my palms getting sweaty.
"Oh sorry, I ramble sometimes. What I wanted to say is let's talk, tell me everything that happened in Columbia. I'm here to listen, Marth."