Chereads / Rebirth of Artemis / Chapter 17 - Repulse

Chapter 17 - Repulse

Millie was laying down on a bed. Looking up at the ceiling. Her face hurt from the previous wounds. Terra was still repairing her face. Millie winced from the pain.

Terra: So you're Repulse?

Millie: I don't kn0w what you're talking about.

Terra: Yeah you do.

Amala had a razor blade. She cut Millie lightly on the arm. Terra almost jumped out of her seat.

Millie: Hey!

A blast came from Millie's wound. It shot towards Amala. Who dodged it.

Terra: You have the same powers.

Millie: *sigh* yeah. I'm Repulse.

Terra: So. Why don't you elaborate?

Amala: It's obvious justice to you is literally what it is to you. What are you even doing here? I can tell you aren't a city girl.

Millie: So I'm that easy to see through?

Amala: Then why are you Repulse?

Millie: I found these powers about a year ago.

Amala: How'd you get them?

Millie: God, slow down with the questions. Why do you even care?

Amala: Because your "justice" isn't right.

Terra: We met one night. The one with the girl you tried attacking!

Millie: That girl had convicted crimes. She was with that blind sensei and his cult.

Terra: How do you know Stick?

Millie: There's been rumors going around the city. I've seen him in police reports all around. I heard from a very powerful man that it's called the Chaste.

Terra: What powerful man?

Millie looked at the clock. It was 3:00.

Millie: Listen. I have to go now.

Amala: Why are you in such a rush?

Millie: I need to go and find my little brother! He's just getting outta school!

Terra chuckled.

Amala: Seriously? For something as petty as that?

Terra:can go. Just come up with a good excuse for why you're so banged up.

Millie: Yeah. I better.

Millie got up and went to leave the room. She felt her head in pain.

Millie: Amala right? You'll get what's coming to you. You deserve justice.

Amala: The fuck does that mean?

Millie winced in pain and fell to her knees. She was feeling her head. She looked up.

Millie: Stop! Get outta my head!

Terra ran over and looked at Millie. She was closing her eyes.

Terra: Millie! What is it! What's wrong?!

A hand drew a sword in front of Millie. It was a longsword. With vibrant blue circuits running down it. Millie jumped back and got to her feet. She grabbed Amala's razor blade.

Terra: Hey! What's wrong?

Amala whacked Millie on the head and knocked her out.

Terra: Amala! That was a bit much!

Amala: She might've hurt someone!

Terra: Well I guess we're waiting.

Amala: Yup.

Terra: What was that though? Have you ever seen anything like that?

Terra sat down on her chair across from the bed Millie was in. Amala sat back down in the chair next to the bed.

Amala: Yeah. It could've been multiple things. A mental shutdown, hallucination, something with the astral plane, maybe an illusion.

Terra: Illusion...It had to have been an illusion.

Amala: What makes you so sure?

Terra: You remember the Blue coats?

Amala: Those idiots?

Terra: They've been having some illusions too.

Amala: Like all of them?

Terra: Yeah.

Amala: I've met some pretty powerful illusions casters in my life. It's gotta be a pretty good one to do multiple illusions at a time.

Terra: How good can you even be at illusions?

Amala: There's the little guys, they can make you see scary shit or go invisible. The middle guys, they could do multiple people at a time. They could replace people with others, they can make you see your worst nightmares. Then you get to straight up reality breaking illusions. You don't wanna get caught up in those.

Terra: Stupid question that I think I know, are you some sort of immortal. It can't be impossible!

Amala: The stupid part is that you didn't ask me sooner. I'm immortal alright. A blessing and a curse. Literally.

Terra: Since when have you been around?

Amala: I'm one of the if not THE longest living immortal. I've been around since the medieval ages. I have to be around 1,500 years old. I lost count. But I did retain most of my memories. Pretty fun for a while. Now it's kinda boring. I'm surprised I'm not suicidal by now.

Terra: Wow! Do you know how long that is?! That's ridiculous. But why would you lie? If things like ancient armor and books, giant shark men, and weird gods who like cake can exist then an immortal isn't that crazy?

Amala: Don't have a heart attack.

Terra: Hey, Millie's stirring.

Millie: Did I-Did I have another hallucination?

Terra: Yeah. I think.

Millie: I have to go and get Kris.

Millie got up and tried to get off the bed.

Terra: No. You have to stay here to heal. Why can't Amala go and get him?

Millie: What?! Hell no! I would rather crawl there!

Terra got up off her chair and got close to Millie.

Terra: Millie, Please. Amala isn't that bad of a person. She will bring Kris back safe. I promise. Right Amala?

Amala: You want me to take care of a kid?

Terra: Come on!

Amala: You owe me a coffee.

Amala got up.

Amala: The closest school? What's he look like?

Millie: Uh, Black sweatshirt. He has a yellow backpack. I could go into more detail if needed. He'a like one of the only ones with a yellow backp-

Amala: Got it. Yellow backpack.

Millie looked at Amala. She nodded.

Millie: If he comes back with even the slightest scratch. I don't care if you are stronger than me. I will track you down and I'll kill you.

Amala: Yeah okay Liam Neeson.

Terra took a deep breath and sat back down in her chair.

Terra: Millie, we saw each other. What went through your head then?

Millie: I couldn't believe it was you. But I couldn't just do nothing. I met up with you after that to see what you were really about. It was weird. I've been living with my brother Kris. My parents are gone. So I have to provide for us. I'm Repulse by night. It's an escape.

Terra: I know how it feels to have family gone.

Millie: Oh. I'm sorry. You seem like a good kid.

Terra: My village was burnt down by a man named Beck. Including my grandparents. I didn't know my parents well.

Millie: Heh. And I thought I was worse off. You must've earned that power.

Terra: I dunno. I was told where the armor was. I didn't have to earn it.

Millie: There's no way that skill wasn't earned.

Terra: Yeah. It's crazy you noticed. I got it from my former master, Stick. Even though I started throwing my own twists into it. That's how Stick liked us.

Millie: Stick?

Terra: That old blind sensei.

Millie: Yeah...You know him? Wait, are you part of his organization?

Terra: Hell no! He tried to kill me!

Millie: I really ran into a weird case…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Amala was jumping across buildings. Almost at school.

Amala (thinking): What am I doing? Going to get a kid? I hate kids!

Amala came up on the school. She jumped down and saw a lone kid waiting in one of the benches outside looking at his phone. She walked over to him. He had brown hair and a black sweatshirt with a golden symbol of some sort. He wore some light jogging pants. He was short. Definitely shorter than Millie

Amala: Hey. I came to pick you up.

Kris: Uh, I-I think you've got the wrong kid.

Amala took a deep breath.

Amala: I was sent here by your sister. She's busy.

Kris: Leave me alone.

Amala clenched her fist.

Amala: Iisten. Your sister is Millie. She's Repulse. That enough for you?

Kris: If you really know her, then let me hear her voice.

Amala: Ugh.

Amala took out her phone and called Terra.

Amala: Put Millie on the phone.

Millie: Do you have Kris?

Amala: Here you little bitch.

Kris took the phone.

Millie: Sorry Kris. I got hung up. Just let her take you home.

Kris: ...Ok, gotcha.

Kris gave the phone back and Amala put it away.

Amala: Let's go. I'm probably starting to look suspicious.

Kris: I think you already are.

A cop came over to Amala.

Cop: Is there a problem here?

Amala: No. I came to get him.

Cop: Well to me it looks like you were harassing this fine young man. You should know your place, girl.

The cop had his baton in his hand. He poked Amala with it and pushed her back a little. Something snapped. She grabbed the cop by his throat. He tried kicking and punching but it did nothing. Amala looked into his cold eyes. He went for his gun and Amala threw him against the building.

Amala: Let's go kid.

Kris: You know that was wrong right?

Amala: He came onto me. Tried threatening me. If it's not obvious, I hate cops.

Kris: I can tell. You just made more problems for your life though. The cops are gonna hate you.

Amala: They already clearly do. They abuse their power. Not all do. But maybe I'm just really unlucky. Either way. We're getting back to your sister.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Amala and Kris entered Terra's apartment room.

Kris: Millie! What happened to you?!

Millie: Don't worry. Pain is temporary. It's part of the job.

Kris:...

Kris's eyes lit up with a blue light to them.

Kris: You did this. Didn't you?

Kris turned to Amala. He opened his palm and a blue arrow of light formed in his hand.

Millie: Stop. We don��t need to make more of a mess.

Terra: So I told you my story Millie. Why don't you tell us yours?

Millie: Do you really need to know?

Amala: Think of it like this. Maybe we could get to understand you a little bit more.

Millie: Kris?

Kris: Are you sure you can trust these people?

Millie: No, Amala is right. I can tell you. It was a normal day. Until we...

- - - - - - - - - - - -

It was a friday night. Millie and Kris were in the car driving down backroads. Not another car in sight.

Millie: It's nice to get away for a day. With all the robberies by us I'm surprised we haven't been touched.

Kris: Well we can call today a good day! I still don't get why you don't like all the art pieces there.

Millie: It's a flea market. Art is boring! I like real world things. Me and mom used to mess around with pretty much anything electrical. Just to see if we could take it apart and put it back together!

Kris: Eh, you and mom were always into that stuff. It's too frustrating!

Millie: Well that's how you and dad were.

Kris: Yeah…

Millie: Hey, you see that on the road?

Kris: What?

Millie slammed on the brakes. They stopped right in front of tire spikes laid across the road.

Millie: The hell is wrong with people?! Stay in the car.

Millie got out of the car. She inspected the tire spikes. She looked around the area. A man walked into the street. He looked civilized. With a black trenchcoat that reached down to his boots. He had tended to black hair that drooped down and almost covered one of his eyes.

Millie: What do you want?

Civilized man: Your life.

The man drew a sword and slashed Millie right across the stomach. Leaving a huge cut. But not cutting into any vital organs, She fell unconscious with a whimper.

Kris: Millie?!

Kris got out of the car and had a small knife for emergencies.

Civilized man: I forgot the Korubas had another one. And even more useless than the last.

The man threw a punch, Kris swung the knife at him. Only slicing a bit of his suit.

Civilized man: That was rude, wasn't it?

The man grabbed Kris by the arm and took the knife from him.

Civilized man: Could you hold this for me?

The man stabbed Kris in the arm with the knife.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Millie woke up to a very bright light in her eyes. She tried to move her hand over her face but she couldn't. She was locked down onto a bed for 1.

Civilized man: You may call me Ivan. It's rude not to call each other by name. I feel like it's only appropriate that you die by my hand.

Millie: What even is your problem?! I didn't do anything! Let me and Kris go!

Ivan: We've got a screamer. Your brother is being tended to in the other room by Integer

Millie: Integer? What are you talking about?

Ivan: Don't worry. She ordered me to unlock your powers. I really just wanted to kill you but it really sucks.

Millie: You are fucking insane! You give me powers, you'll regret it later.

Ivan turned on a machine. It started scanning Millie.

Ivan: I would love to talk but sadly you will have to be unconscious for this procedure. We wouldn't want you dying yet.

Kris was also locked down. But he was unconscious. A familiar long black hair appeared. It was Jilaya.

Jilaya: Ah, the youth is so entertaining to see. Don't you think Erica?

Erica had the same sweatshirt wrapped around her waist that the uncertain girl had. She also had those same tattoos running down her arms.

Erica: Just get it over with. This kid wasn't expecting to be here tonight.

Jilaya: Ah. don't act so petty.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Millie awoke. Her restraints were taken off. She got up. Ivan walked out with the same blue circuits running down it from Millie's hallucinations. He slashed Millie on the arm.

Millie: Hey what the-

A blast of light came from Millie's cut automatically. Millie started panicking.

Millie: What the hell?! These are what you did to me?!

Millie walked up to Ivan and threw some punches. Ivan dodged and hit Millie's arm away and kicked her backward. She kicked the bed at Ivan. Who jumped off of it and did a flip. He spun in the air and went to slice Millie in two. But he was stopped in midair. He was getting held up by Jilaya's hair. She put him down gently and walked towards the both of them.

Jilaya: You wouldn't want to kill our freshly made first subject. Congratulations! You are my first successful experiment!

Millie: ...Where is my brother?

Jilaya: Don't worry. Not a scratch. He even has a mutant gene! You did as well. But your powers were much too weak. I drew out that power.

Millie looked at her hand.

Millie: You did this to me. You gave me powers for some sort of experiment?!

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Back to the present.

Terra: ...I'm sorry for all that Millie.

Amala: Did you get out?

Millie: Let me continue. I was there for a week or two.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Millie: Are you going to let me out?

Jilaya: Don't worry. We will. But I'd like to run a couple hundred experiments.

Millie: What?! I have a life! I need to leave! Let me out!

Jilaya: Maybe we should've picked a less rebellious one.

Jilaya thought for a second.

Jilaya: I have an idea. Excuse me, let's go Ivan.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

A couple weeks of experiments later.

Millie was standing next to Kris.

Millie: We'll get outta here, I promise.

Erica walked into the room. She wheeled in Kris who was still unconscious.

Erica: So your mom's prisoner? *sigh* I shouldn't have gotten involved.

Millie: You trying to make me feel bad?

Erica: Not at all! I see why they thought about killing you.

Millie: Killing me? Well apparently I was too important for your mother. Something about being her first successful experiment.

Erica: Yeah. She's been at this for a while.

Millie: What?

Erica: Trying to make a successful meta. You're the first. Now she wants to make even more. Listen. My mom's hunger for knowledge can never be satisfied. So I want you to leave.

Millie: She's going to try and find me no matter what. Plus your lying aren't you!?

Erica: No. She experimented on me too. Ivan treats me well. I just want her to go away. So I'm going to let you leave.

Millie: Okay. You are supposed to be evil. But you must not be that bad. You've been an ass to me the whole time but now this is sudden.

Erica: Leave.

Erica threw out some strings which went through the walls. She pulled back and broke open a hole in the building. Millie took Kris and nodded to Erica. She left out the hole and took off into a full sprint.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Millie: After that I kept getting horrible hallucinations about Ivan. He kept appearing in front of me when he wasn't really there. Or I had nightmares about him. It's like he's in my head.

Something clicked in Terra's head.

Terra: That sounds really similar to the illusions that Amelia and the rest of the blue coats saw. I wonder if they are connected.

Amala: Sounds like Millie here might be the key to the Blue Coat's problems.