The only light in the room came from a sickly green lamp at her side, casting warped shadow across her face and making the purple of her shirt bleed into something darker, almost bruised. Her cat ears twitched once, then stilled, catching the glow. Her short brown hair framed her round cheeks. Soft and mischievous smile. Her boots hung heavy, her stripped leg warmers slouched like they'd given up staying still.
— Who the hell are you?
"me?", she pointed her finger at herself, she then bent her arms and gave a small shrug, "It's obvious who I am! Look at my ears! My tail! I'm not a regular cat—" I interrupted her cold, hands inside my pocket, "I don't have time for this childish game"
— Childish?..
— Hey.. don't you dare criticize her, this was her idea!
…
— Raily!
…
It was hard to see her face from here with barely any light, i tried squeezing my eyes and then it caught me,
— Wait… you're that girl…in
"Bingo!", she said as she raised her hand, her fingers curling in until only her index and thumb remained extended, forming a crooked "L" that hovered in the greenish light. Her other hand reached across, wrapping gently around her wrist.
— It's
In a disappointing tone I said, "You must feel very powerful now, Romie. But, it's only temporary."
— Your power is just a "false awaken"
Her smile vanished quickly as I said those last words, leaving her face bare and sharp. One ear twitched, then flattened slightly against her headband. Her tail tightened around the branch like a noose. The light caught the edge of her jaw, now clenched, and her eyes, like an animal, were no longer soft.
"Shut your mouth!"Her hand snapped upward, finger curled into a mock gun—index pointed at me. From her fingertips, a shimmer of bubblegum pink began to pulse, thick and sticky. The strings were sharp and could easily cut objects, it resembled those strings you see on marionette puppets. It stretched invisibly with a pink glow that shines through the air, humming with tension. She fired.
Missed.
Not a bullet, but a thread—sharp and fast and alive. I quickly jumped and dodged it over my shoulder, the string slicing past my ear, a few strains of my hair danced in the air then fell.
— You don't know ANYTHING!
— No, you don't know anything Romie. Raily is not a good person.
I stood on my foot, I paid attention to every movement she made. She stood on the branch,
— Which one do you worship? Which siblings?
The darkness did a good job covering her face, but I could still see her eyes curled up as tears began forming.
Angry, her body shifted, crouched low on the plastic branch. The lamp flickered— vanished for a moment. She leapt. A blur of violet and pink, her limbs tucked in tight, her posture screamed pure predator— shoulders forward, claws invisible. The sticky string still clung to her fingers. "You…", she launched at me at full speed, her knees tucked, torso twisted, every muscle taut with killing intent. Her right arm summoned and enlarged the string—in which it was wrapped around her in the air, she grabbed onto the other corner with her right palm. Her left arm flared behind her, counterbalancing the leap, while her striped tail curved in a perfect arc. Eyes narrowed, jaw clenched as the strings trailed behind her.
I had no interest in fighting her, so I backed away, not putting up a fight.
— I don't wanna fight you. Didn't you hate Raily? She abandoned—
She manipulated her strings with ease, so much for someone her rank. "I don't hate Raily!", she growled, i waved my hand in surrender, but my word meant something else, "Then you hate Zack."
With a smooth finish, she closed her palms together and before I noticed, she had me tied up in her thread. "Zack is dead."
— He went and betrayed Raily, then died just like that!
…
The thread were sharp, almost piercing through the fabric of my clothes
Her shoulders trembled.
…pfft…
…hahaha.….…..
ha..hahahhaha….…
..ah..hahahahha….
"ahh..", she sighed,
— But it's all good. Raily said she forgives her brother. She made a deal with me.
She turned her face back, her pupil enlarged in the darkness, "If I worked under her, she'll bring him back. Thanks to Anny. Zack will be alive again."
I lifted my chin, "So it is Zack."
— Zack is someone I always looked up to ever since I was young.
…
you see, back when Zack worked for both the
───────────────────────────
[ year 3014 ]
On May 3014. It was the 'Day'.
[ "Zack, it's time to choose which of these kids will be your student" ]
Master Sen was still under Mertha, still not independent, he clapped his hands proudly, [ "Mertha has trained them hard. She trained them to serve you and be worthy to be called your student"]
Mertha was young back then, she was a mother to him, so while she trained us, she was very strict compared to other seniors. She wanted us best, she wanted the best for her adoptive son.
[ "that's right."]
[ "They are super excited, aren't you children?"] she glanced at us. We were lined up perfectly, neatly in our uniform. Little boys and little girls all excited, waiting to be picked.
I remember the exact words,
[ He was so cool. I couldn't believe I had a chance to learn from him..]
I remember vividly how he appeared in the room and his face.
Mertha handed him the list of our evaluation and profile.
["Is this all?"]
["Yes, I've already sorted the children,I kept the high valued ones and those with potential growth. Like you mentioned"]
I remember he stood with calm, he held the list. His eyes were dark and was neither warm nor cold. He had a gaze that was indescribable alone.
Zack, he was super handsome just like those rumours of him. He was perfect in my young self's eyes.
Pick me, pick me, pick me. I shouted inside. My heart was pounding. I didn't let my eyes off of him. The grip on my fist was so damn tight that I left finger marks as I shouted inside me. ["choose me! I'm over here! Let me be your student! I want to be…no..I'm worthy. I'm the only one who's worthy here!"]
…
Then everything shattered, he threw the list and papers in front of everyone. Sen and Mertha was left speechless, ["no one."]
I remember. ["No one?…"]
I remember. ["Am I not good enough?"]
I remember.
I remember questioning myself. Questioning his choice.
I remember Zack promised me.
["You expect me to choose from this garbage list?"]
["none of these kids are useful"]
["oh..I'm sorry Zack. I'll make sure to train them extra hard…I'll make them work harder and I'll—"]
I remember. He walked away.
["No need. I'm not interested in those kids. Don't bother."]
I remember. He left.
─────────────────────────
— Who killed Zack?
— Was it Sen?
— Or Raily?
Romie approached me, she wasn't much shorter than me so she could easily reach me and look straight inside me. I remain neutral.
— Why should I tell you? Does it matter? Now? Raily will bring him back.
— she won't.
— You don't know Raily.
In the corner of my eyes, I could see her face puzzled, "She'll never save her brother even if he's on his death bed."
her eyebrows narrowed, she brushed past me,
— You talk as if you know them both. What are you to them? What are you to Zack?
I couldn't help but be dumbfounded by her, i let out a small chuckle,
— I'm his closest friend.
She stood in the darkness near the lamp,
I continued, "Romie, I'm not your enemy. I don't wanna fight you. Unleash me and I'll tell you."
I wiggled
With her fingertips, she snapped, and the strings were now visible on her hands.
— How can I ever trust you?
"Zack is alive"
Her skill slowly fading around my body, she gave me a dirty look.
I changed my tactics.
— You don't need Raily to save you. Do you really think Zack will die just like that? I'm sure you're aware of how strong he is.
With her skill now gone, she let down her guards and listened to my words carefully. I could sense her trying to think of every possibility and the credibility of my words.
Romie was smart.
For someone who only grew up with a single parent.
— So come join me, Romie.