Olley: I wonder what my mother would think if she knew that her daughter suddenly got arrested. Actually, no! I'm a lot more scared if she thinks this was bound to happen. What do you think, Arc?
Arc: I think you should keep quiet while the officer is reading his statements. He's already quite pissed that you didn't shut up for the entire path.
Police: For the last time! Keep it down! I don't get paid enough to listen to all your nonsense! So? Why are you here? You two don't even have any identification or border passports?
Sitting in a small stone cell with the head officer looking down at us. His black mustache fluffed up from the frustration of listening to Olley. He didn't seem all too interested in what we would say except if we had any passports. It was quite warm here too, making me a bit sleepy. But if I started yawning I'm sure that this officer would get mad. He was wearing some kind of weird outfit that didn't look like something a guard would wear. Is it just a Plauxian thing to wear that? It was a purple cloth fleece with some metal paddings on it. What was strange was that he was also wearing a red and white striped skirt to his knees. Olley took a great giggle when I pointed that out moments ago. Thinking about the many options I had on my sleeve, this was by far the most boring one but the less destructive. Also this was a lot more frustrating on both parties. Who knew that cooperation was the most troubling path to take? All the officer could do now was sigh at what to do with these random people falling from the top wall. Definitely one of the weirder parts of the day for the officers.
Arc: I don't know if this should matter but I'm Adamian. I have my digital passport for it. Though I'm not sure if any of you have the database that correlates with it.
Police: AN ADAMIAN!? AN ACTUAL ADAMIAN!?
Olley: Oh look at what you did now, Arc. You scared him.
Arc: Relax, I'm going to hurt anyone anyway. We're just passing through. Can you help us out? We have to find our way to your capital. You seem to know your way around.
Police: If there's an Adamian here… Then something is going to happen! I have to get to my family now! Screw this!
And just like that, he left with his tail tucked between his legs. Did we really have such a bad name in Plaux? Olley was far too amused at the idea of someone creaming their pants at the echo of an Adamian. Guess that doesn't make things easier for us either. Though the gate was completely open now. The head of police rushing out with the gate opened up isn't exactly a good sign for the rest of the city. It didn't seem sensible to just stay here so I modded some fire on my hands to melt the iron cuffs off. Olley turned her binded hands to me but then I realized that she had already been free. She had this silly grin that basically told me she was never binded in the first place. This sly girl just likes breaking the rules huh. Seems like this city is terrified of Adamians. Wonder if how far this stems in the city or maybe in the capital.
Olley: Now what? You scared off our informant, chief.
Arc: I didn't know that the people here are terrified of us. Guess we find another? We don't exactly have a map towards the capital either.
Olley: I thought you Adamians always have plans in your heads. Like some super cool elite team that always knows what to do.
Arc: We are an elite team but our plans aren't that specific. We're taught to be agile in terms of planning. Adapt to any situation kind of things. No one actually has a damn plan.
Olley: Anyway, we should leave anyway. I might have an idea on what to do!
Arc: Where to?
Olley: The pubs! Or maybe an inn? I don't actually know? All I know is that I've heard from the other guards in the background that's where they would go. Maybe that's the place to be for information!
Arc: That's a bit strange. I didn't hear a thing.
Olley: Maybe I just have superior hearing then.
Arc: Guess Plauxians have better senses than other bipeds I know. Let's get the hell out already first.
Olley: I'm the one that's waiting for you to bust the jail door already.
Arc: Are you going to be like this all the time?
Olley: Maybe~
I surged my eyes preparing to break apart the cell door towards the outside. However, as I was about to release something, the cell walls behind us were busted open! The explosion shot both me and Olley towards the cell bars. Now I was in pain! Our backs hit the bars with some force. There was still smoke everywhere making everything harder to see. My instincts started acting up because I could feel some magic in the air! Was this Terra!? I grabbed Olley's shirt then threw her to the other wall. There was a thud beside me, I probably threw her a bit too hard there. But a second later, a powerful flamethrower shot in the original spot that Olley was in! The flames cleared the air showing our assailant. It was one of the guards but there was something wrong about it! Its eyes were completely dark blue! A dark matter was spreading all over his veins. The way he walked looked absolutely horrid as he limped forward. Its mouth steamed out the flames as his swollen throat glowed a violent red. His skin completely changed from their normal form. It's almost like these things were going through a metamorphosis!
Olley: You could've moved me a little bit smoother!
Arc: Fight now! Battle phase!
Olley: HUH!?
The problem wasn't that it wasn't just one guard. There were more right behind the first. Some of the normal guards were moving towards them. However, as they aimed their weapons at them. These monsters simply bursted different elements at them! Destructive air blasts! Flame breathes! Magic was all over the place! My hair was starting to tingle from the sudden amount. I surged my eyes then shot out a hurricane to the roof. Quickly darting to Olley to dodge, these abominations are aiming right at us again. My cannon broke through making the ceiling visible. Grabbing Olley's arm, I shot us up using a ground pillar. As we got shot up in the air, the city was now under an apocalyptic horror. It was just like some kind of weird prophecy. The city was slowly erupting with explosions! Sounds of fires breaking out and citizens on the ground cowering in fear! What the hell was happening! A loud horn suddenly went off. Everything seemed fine moments ago!
Loud speaker system: Everyone! This is not a drill! Foreign mutants have been detected in sector M. At all costs do not leave your homes! I repeat! This is not a drill! All citizens must stay in their lodgings until everything has been cleared…
Something about these mutants didn't feel right. That was genuine magic in the air. Not just some kind of random pseudo replicated magic! It was real Adamic magic flying around! Olley held my hand as we landed back onto the building's roof. Citizens were slowly running away from these strange things. Blue veined monsters littered the streets. It reminded me of what magic would look like if it was contaminated with something! But even then, it would only happen to magic borns! These are Plauxians.
Olley: What's happening, Arc!?
Arc: That's what I want to know!
Olley: Everything is breaking down. We need to help those citizens into their houses or safe spaces! Or at least clear the streets! People need help!
Arc: We can't do that right now.
Olley: Why not!?
Arc: I have my prime directives, this distraction could help in slithering through the fuss.
Olley: But the people! They're clearly suffering! We have the power don't we?
Arc: Going down to a hot zone like that is basically a death wish. KIA on the spot.
Olley: Guess that's where we become two different people, Arc. Well I never said I needed your help anyway.
Arc: Hey, if it wasn't for me, you'd be incinerated there. Listen to what I have to say first.
Olley: I didn't ask, did I? When people need help, you go for it. Waiting can be dangerous. I don't have time for this! I'm going! I'll just meet you somewhere if we ever cross again, Arc.
My mind started to buzz again like some kind of strange noise. Olley's face didn't have the normal expression she had on. Olley was determined like her. Without another second of hesitation, she jumped off the building running with her special boots. How could she make that decision! She is far too reckless! This place was going to be leveled with the amount of magic output that's being let out! Adamic magic isn't for the untrained. That's why children are trained the most because they're the most destructive. What more random citizens who don't have a clue on how to use them! A nuclear magic fusion bomb is going to happen before we know it!
This girl is going to be the death of me if I follow! But damn it! I'm getting too soft! I modded my boots then chased after her. Her mother wouldn't be pleased about these heroics! The city's structures were already starting to burn down. My boots were leaping off burning building to building, all of my intentions were clear. I needed to stop this from spreading somehow. But I can't save everyone! Olley needs to learn that she can't save the entire world! I took a great look to scout quickly where the mass of encounters were then headed down there. Mutated citizens were starting to spawn much more as I kept dodging ranged mutants spewing different kinds of elemental abilities. At least for now I know they don't have any other powers besides elements. As I turned the corner, Olley was fighting off three mutated citizens trying to protect a family. I reached out my arm then aimed right deadcenter. Just like training, Arc. Breathe and SURGE!
Arc: OLLEY GET DOWN!
My eyes flashed a bright blue, my magic was far superior than these things! My magic won't be cancelled out by weaker magic! Olley quickly ducked then I flowed everything into my right arm, here's my hurricane haymaker! A loud thundering drum sound echoed through the streets, destroying every mutant, debris, fire, and scores roads in its path. The haymaker decimated all the mutated citizens out of my sight with nothing left alive standing. Olley came back to the family to help them get inside. I walked up to her but from the looks of her eyes she still wanted to help more. All I could do was scratch my head as my air cannons were reaching its next level. Olley lifted up her goggles from her eyes revealing their colors again. Bright blue, just like mine.
Olley: You are a softie, y'know I can easily find you right?
Arc: Shut it! Let's just do this already. Do you even have a damn plan? There's so many of them spreading. They have an infection rate that's far out numbering the great Scifian Virus.
Olley: What's that?
Arc: No need for that. Just answer the damn questions.
Olley: I don't have one! I just want to help! But it's really omega cool that you're here! High five?
Her expression turned into a big happy one as she raised her hand up. I looked at it and it was similar to how Able did when he seemed happy. How do I even know what makes Able happy? He's a golem. This place is tearing my capacity apart. If it weren't for my training to keep my focus, I would've had a mental breakdown by now. The district's scream harrowed in the air as several of the district's guards had been deployed from the walls. Hover planes from other districts were already on the horizon. This needed to end quickly or the place would fall apart. I needed to stop this with a giant band aid fix.
Olley: High five? Don't leave me hanging?
Arc: High five?
Olley: Here like this!
She opened up my hand then sort of just clapped it for me. Such a strange ritual but it did make her happy. I should teach this to Nex when I see him. There was another explosion that happened nearby. Olley went first to investigate if there was someone out there that needed help. What was I even doing? This should be the most optimal time to go and find a route to the capital but letting her drag me along. The smell of the air was filled with iron burning and ashes. It felt like the place was truly falling apart after just a couple of minutes of me arriving! We kept sprinting around to where people would need help. Screaming could be heard from multiple areas but we're only just two people. Others were also helping but this was some kind of new age of calamity. An invasion? More mutants started to come as we kept helping some others.
I'd shoot some hurricanes to buy some time. However, this wasn't going to end soon. I tapped Olley's shoulder, signalling her to watch over for a bit. There seemed to be some moderately tall buildings to see everything happening. After a quick air burst for elevation, I was hanging on the ledge of a tall structure. The fires were spreading this way! That means that the monsters were coming from that side! I jumped over towards what seemed to be a hot zone. Landing on the ground, a surge came through my veins again. It shot a bright blue power through my eyes. With a powerful slam on the ground, I placed a seal on the ground. Immediately a giant rumbling from the ground came, everything including the mutants were starting to lose their balance. With everything I had, I kept pushing my powers to its destructive points. In seconds, the ground started to rise up with me at it's top. I pushed walls up until it felt as though it couldn't be scaled by any of these creatures! Breathe in, Arc. I jumped and unleashed another powerful magic surge to my side. In another second, the ground created a large wall then I shot it hard through the buildings! I expanded it further and further till I couldn't! The path the wall took eradicated everything in its path including metal structures. Everything that was in the middle of my wall was cut in a destructive half. After feeling that it was long enough, I dug deep again. Another surge came up, I jumped then shot another seal at the ground. It created the same destruction and wall to my right to finish the border! All I could do now was sit on top of the wall I created as my body felt tense.
There was no way that they could break through this unless they coordinated an attack. They seemed to be mindless for now like some kind of drones. Some of them were on the ground climbing trying to get to the other side. Citizens that seemed to be infected with something in them. These creatures made the air smell terrible or at least for me. The potent smell of this corrupted magic was frightening. Looking at the other side of this wall, this side of the city was burning right in front of me. Strange how I feel powerless to do anything about it. I wished I knew that something like this would happen. After taking one more good look, I jumped down back to Olley. Everything started to calm down as the surroundings were a bit quieter on this side, granted that there was still some scuffling. As I leaned on my dirt wall, I took a look at the destruction that happened one more time. All of this in just a few minutes. Homes ruined, roads unrepairable, and families decimated. All I could do was sigh that this was another day's work. I looked at Olley again with her entire body dirtied from the mess we got ourselves in. Sometimes I forget how dirty we get from work. She was holding one of the guards by the back of his neck collar. It seemed pretty important to her that this person was knocked out.
Olley: Good job on the wall. I didn't think that you could do something like that! But it must be pretty easy for you huh.
Arc: These kinds of things are a lot more difficult than you think. I'd have to study how to shape the ground like people who have ground affinities. If I lost focus for one second there, it would've caused an uncontrolled earthquake or even worse a landslide. Even simple walls require finesse.
Olley: Whatever showoff. Anyways, check this guy out. He's one of the guards that were running away from the scene without helping. He might know something if he wasn't with his other guard buddies helping.
Arc: Pretty smart of you.
Olley: Thanks! Let's get to a safer place for now. I think I'm fine with this. Though I would've wanted to do more.
Arc: This place is going to shit. But I've blockaded most of the invasion. Despite the destruction from these random things popping out. They don't seem to have a mind to actually attack people. So isolating them in one area was the only thing I could think of to help this place out.
Olley: But what about the people on the other side!
Arc: I know it's hard but we have to leave it to their government. It's been a rule of Adamians to not get involved in political matters if they can help it. Help them with the least amount of work. Besides, I already did the heavy work. All they have to do now is evac. Leave it to them.
Olley: You're such a stickler for the rules y'know that. But… I still want to help a bit… There's still people in here
Arc: Rules keep people like us alive, Olley. Trust your own system. They'll save people faster than just us two people. We aren't even supposed to be here.
Olley: Fine! Hmph!
Arc: Let's just get going already. We need our answers.
There weren't many places that weren't still recovering from the damages. Some places were removing corpses. Another section was still also fending off the remaining mutants that weren't walled off. Looking at the sky, more reinforcements have started to arrive from what seems to be the main city. Silver floating air ships deploying armored soldiers with atomic style technology. They were landing on the isolated spots as we continued on towards a safer destination. Eventually we made it to a random house that seemed abandoned. Olley threw the man on the corner of the room. The force of the impact managed to wake him perfectly up from his unconscious state. He looked like he was still in his early adult years based on his physical features. His armor covered most of his head but there was one thing that caught my attention. It seemed like his evolutionary feature was his legs. They were unscathed despite being exposed to multiple explosions. As he started waking up, his expression slowly turned into despair. However, Olley had already tied up the soldier's torso and arms. He was basically a worm trying to wriggle his way out.
Arc: Hey! You're awake. Mind explaining what's going on? We just arrived, is this normal?
Soldier: Normal!? You call those things normal!? You must be crazy or something. Those things were using magic! This can't be happening! It should be impossible!
Olley: Not completely impossible! We have an Adamian in our midst right now!
Soldier: AN ADAMIAN!? SO THIS WAS YOUR FAULT! THE CITY BEING DESTROYED WAS YOUR FAULT!
I walked up to him then gave him a strong left hook. It sent him face down on the ground with a hard sound. This guy was starting to get restless. Best I remind him who's the one asking the questions here. He's the hysterical type but I have a feeling that's not it. Something was bugging me about this guy's aura. It looked as though he's helpless but that's not it. An itching feeling kept running through me. Was this? No… It can't be.
Arc: Why did you have to mention that? Now he's going to be a lot more annoying to get information. Calm down will you? We just said that we just arrived in this district. We're a bit confused ourselves.
Soldier: THOSE THINGS! THEY'RE MONSTERS!
Olley: I think he needs another clobbering!
Soldier: NO! PLEASE DON'T!
Olley: Then stop shouting! Geez… Calm down. We aren't going to kill you. We just want to know what's happening.
Soldier: If that's the case then cut me loose! I don't want to feel like some kind of insect!
Arc: Fine but if you run before we get what we need, you might get pummeled again.
Soldier: I won't run! I promise!
Olley: You heard him Arc. He promises~
I hopped him back to his feet then started untying the rope around him. He touched his cheek to soothe the pain from the punch. It didn't seem like he was going to run so I didn't respond to any of his movements. Though I hesitated, there's nothing that I could do to make him talk without extreme pain. Nex was a lot better at interrogating than me. I never had the finesse to ask the good kinds of questions to get information. But I think this is pretty stupid to just cut him free, especially with this itching feeling about this guy. However, I did rig the place if he did run. I ground snares outside the building.
Soldier: You have names?
Olley: I'm Olley! District H.
Arc: Adamian, 24th Arc. You got one too?
Soldier: Kier. District M. So you two are the outsiders that I've heard about. I might not be the one who should say this but you guys belong here, especially you.
Olley: Don't worry! I'm just here because of my partner! Right?
Arc: I'm not your partner. You're just tagging along because you want to.
Olley: Oh, don't be shy now. You came to me when I went off on my own. If you really didn't want to be my best friend you'- AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! THAT HURTS! STOP IT! STOP IT!
Arc: For someone so fragile, you sure do have a big mouth on you. This is the mouth that's causing me trouble isn't it? I just met you and you're already declaring strange things.
Kier: Well you two seem close.
Arc: I don't think so. We just met.
Kier: Sometimes it's not the time that defines how you bond with others.
Olley: Who is this guy and why is spitting embarrassing stuff.
Kier: Hey! I'm just saying what's on my mind!
Arc: That was pretty embarrassing…
Kier: You two suck.
Arc: Well? What's happening?
Kier: No clue… To be honest, I just kind of got scared of what happened.
Arc: You're absolutely useless. Olley, you should've picked someone other than some random guy.
Kier: Wait a minute, I'm not that useless!
Arc: You're not giving us anything to work with.
Kier: I don't look like much but I'm a lot stronger than you think.
Arc: I highly doubt that.
Kier: What's that supposed to mean?
Arc: I'm an Adamian. One of the strongest fighters in the galaxy. I don't think a lowly soldier like you can say that in front of me.
Kier: I have no idea what kind of fighters you are but if it's something that I know. You don't know a thing about Plauxian strength.
Arc: Is that a challenge?
Kier: I'm just saying that you shouldn't underestimate a Plauxian. Besides, what you see isn't always what you get?
Arc: Alright, you win. I'm interested.
Olley: Arc! Don't just fight people! You said it yourself, y'know. Don't be an omega jerk.
Arc: This guy just wants to prove his strength. I'm sure that he's confident in his fighting ability. I shouldn't stop a man from showing what he's got.
Kier: You sure have a way of words for someone planning to kick the living shit out of me.
Arc: What can I say, I'm a veteran.
Kier: Are you sure you want to do this?
Arc: I know exactly what I want, tough guy.
Kier: Then if I win then you owe me. If you win, I'll do whatever you say.
Arc: Deal.
Kier: Alright then, bad guy.
Before I could even take a stance, Kier was already in front of me! It was just a jolt of speed that I hadn't expected! All I saw was a small blue sonic boom trail that made its way to me. However, just as I finished that description, I was already smashed into the wall from a punch! I didn't even feel or see it because of how fast it actually was! He appeared in front of me and I had already been smashing through the wall! Plauxian strength huh? Alright then, prick!
Kier: Is that it, Adamian? Come on, bad guy
My back was utterly smashed through as I fell downstairs into the ground. I could barely feel the pain because my adrenaline had started to kick in already. Before my feet were already standing, I had been thrown again, this time into the wall! The bricks fell apart as my body hit contact! This guy was just too fast for my eyes to keep up or even react. I felt the wall and turtles my arms into my face because I had caught a glimpse of a blue trail coming from above. A danger sense tingled which made me jump out of the way. As I looked back, the wall had a hatchet on it!
Kier: Quite the sense you have there. Even I didn't even expect that.
He barragged my body with kicks that I couldn't even feel until the last second. This fight wasn't going my way. My legs weren't going to last standing as he kept trying to aim for my mobility too. I tried to check with random punches but I wasn't hitting anything. He would counter attack by taking advantage of my misses then hurl me to another part of the room!
Arc: Alright… That's enough.
I surged my eyes once more. However, this time I increased my senses to the air affinity. Magic surrounded my body making me feel the surrounding air on unnatural levels. I can feel everything that's creating its own path. With something that's creating its own air tunnel and sonic boom, I could tell now. However, I needed to close my eyes or it'll have an input overload. My senses have been logged into level ten which means anything around me was sensitive. I needed to lower it all as much as I could. So he's a speedster huh. Anything within my radius has now been dialed up to insane amounts of input. I can already feel my ears in pain. Anything it takes to survive.
WIthout even a second to waste, I felt a current moving to me. In a flash, I aimed right at the critical points. Grabbing directly his throat then smashing onto the wall instead! The noise that the wall responded with echoed into my ears but I didn't want to care anymore! No seconds to spare! I lifted him up then chucked him to the other side of the room. The furniture broke into several dozens of pieces. I lowered the intensity of my magic then took a look. Kier was on top of several debri, pieces of metal, and broken tables. His face is in complete pain. People forget that being thrown with full force can kill.
Kier: What the… That's…
Luckily that wasn't the case. I walked up to him but before I could get close he vanished. Only thing left was his blue trail, but somehow knew what he was up to. I didn't even need to use my magic and turned around to do a roundhouse kick that landed on his face. I felt the impact of my foot hitting his cheek as his body fell to the ground again.
Olley: Woah! That looked painful! Almost thought you were going to lose that one.
Arc: Being powerful doesn't always mean invulnerable.
Olley: You looked like you had everything under control though. Did you feel anything?
Arc: Having magic doesn't negate any of the pain, Olley. It didn't look like it, but he landed a lot of deadly hits that would've killed anyone else. To be honest, he's one of the deadlier ones I've faced.
Olley: Scary~
Arc: Take this seriously, he's a strong one too.
Olley: Well you knocked him out pretty hard. I don't think he'll be getting up anytime soon. That fight looked omega cool though.
Arc: Fighting isn't about cool, Olley.
Olley: Do you need help treating your injuries?
Arc: It's fine… I can heal these over time. We need to focus on the next move. This guy will probably help us get out of this district right?
Olley: I mean he is a part of the police. He could make some stuff happen. It's better than aimlessly moving about the infested city. This place is a lot bigger than my district after all.
Arc: Yeah, I figured.
Olley: Now what do we do? He's knocked out again.
Arc: Let's bring him into an actually safe place this time. We can't keep beating him up.
Olley: You seemed to enjoy it though. Besides, you look cool when you use your powers.
Arc: I wouldn't know what that looks like. Let's get out of here already.
After a couple of more hours of searching for a place, we finally found an inn. It was a small wooden house that didn't seem to have plenty of rooms but it would do. Best that we kept things subtle rather than something big and obvious. The innkeepers didn't seem all too interested in asking any questions with us bringing an unconscious guard to their inn. This place definitely looked cozy with it's simple wood furnishing and fireplaces. Looking at the simple portraits made me understand what kind of time period they were in. Primitive painting styles with simple poses. Nothing close to what the other modernized planets would take their pictures. Family photos littered their walls but now I'm wondering if these people were one of the people I've killed as mutations.
After making it to our room on the second floor, we placed Kier down on a straw bed. I needed to treat my bruises quickly or it'll only get worse. I already know that the fighting wasn't going to stop. Making my way to the balcony, all I could see was the district at peace. A clear calm before the storm. Taking a few pellets from my pouch, the bruises on my arms and back started to sting. Olley took a seat on the wooden porch rails as she started to take out some bandages from her pouch.
Olley: So what do you think?
Arc: What do you mean?
Olley: Plaux! You're an Adamian after all so you must've been on different planets! I want to know more about what's out there.
Arc: I'm not entirely sure. This… All of this isn't what I expected. More importantly, I'm not supposed to talk about these things with locals.
Olley: Local? I'm your friend!
Arc: We just met, Olley. Don't push your luck
Olley: Well you're no fun. Then what can you talk about?
Arc: I don't know.
Olley: Well how about…
Ring… Ring… That was my communicator. It was Eliza. I wonder what she wanted to ask. Though something in me didn't want to answer the call. This was a bit weird, I've never ignored a call before. Yet, why does it feel like if I answer it, things won't go well for me. She's another human being so it should be easy to talk right?
Olley: What's that ringing sound?
Arc: It's a call, if you know what that is.
Olley: I know what a call is! It's like when an animal echoes something to another right?
Arc: No, that's not it. Though you're not exactly wrong either. It's a bit hard to explain. It means someone wants to talk to me.
Olley: Aren't you going to respond then?
Arc: No… I don't think I will.
Olley: But why?
Arc: I'm not entirely sure. It is a foreign feeling to me.
Olley: Geez, you're so weird. I just want to talk to someone.
Arc: I can't believe you always want to talk to someone that doesn't want to talk to you.
Olley: You say that now, but someday it will all be worth it.
Arc: I hardly believe that. And you're using that bandage wrong.
Olley was poorly fashionising her bruises and other areas, parts of it didn't seem like it was going to stay up if she moved around at high speed. Reminded me of the times when other kids at the academy couldn't pass basic first aid training. I held out my hand towards her, her eyes glowed a tinge of red as she passed it to me. She started to stretch out her arm as I tended to it.
Olley: I bet you do this to all the girls in your world.
Arc: Technically that's correct. Except, I do this because it's beneficial to the team.
Olley: Oh! You do have friends! I was pretty confident that you were some kind of loner.
Arc: Sometimes I wonder how I allow you to run your mouth.
Olley: So?
Arc: So what?
Olley: Tell me who they are? Or is that not allowed?
Arc: I'm not entirely sure.
Olley: Come on! You're already doing this much for me. Isn't that something already?
Olley smiled at me once more as I pressed down a cold press on the bruise on her shoulder. This is conflicting to me. I'm doing this much for someone that wasn't even human. Yet, a part of her reminds me of someone. Someone that I used to know but if I can't remember then that means I've suppressed it for a reason. But for what reason? Olley then removed her poncho and revealed her bare back that had a sizable bruise. I guess she trusts me that much. She sure is a strange one.
Arc: What do you want to know?
Her eyes beamed a bright yellow that almost illuminated in the dark. All I could do was do this for her for what's to come. Besides, it's best to have someone as backup in missions. It isn't entirely unheard of to have some help on classes by the locals.
Olley: Tell me everything! Who's your favourite and who's your best friend!
Arc: I'm not entirely sure if any of us are best friends. More like co-workers though some do feel closer than usual. I feel… Conflicted a bit when I think about it.
Olley: You sound lonely.
Arc: Do I?
Olley: Yeah, just a bit.
Arc: How would you know?
Olley: I'm the only person in my village that's my age. With no one to talk to or relate, I think I know what I'm talking about.
Arc: I think you do… Sorry about that.
Olley: It's alright. It's just a bit refreshing to have someone to talk to.
Arc: I'm not good at that.
Olley: I know. But that's alright too, Arc. You can leave all the talking to me. Okay? Here let me do you next~
Arc: I don't think that's needed.
Olley: Hmph!
Arc: The things I let you do…
Olley grin spread across her face again as I rolled up sleeves. Though I could see the small surprise on her face as she saw my bruises clearing up slowly without any help. Regardless, she applied some of her first aid bandages and cream on them. I wonder if any of them would do the same for me. It wouldn't matter anyway because of our technology. The way Olley touched my bare skin felt a bit too intimate for my liking. Probably the first times someone has actually felt my skin. I feel thoroughly uncomfortable with this sensation. She tried her best to wrap bandages on my bruises but I didn't expect much.
Olley: Tell me about them? They're basically your family after all.
Arc: I'm not entirely sure to be honest. They all feel so distant yet feel so… I'm not sure what word to even use for our situation.
Olley: Sounds a lot like family.
Arc: Is that how a family feels like?
Olley: I'm not entirely sure myself but that sounds similar to how I feel with my mother and father. A close bunch of strangers. I feel like I know them but not really. A bit harsh to say to any mother but that's how I feel.
Arc: I see… Well, there's one that I feel particularly close to. Though she's a bit of an odd one.
Olley: Ohhh a female Adamian.
Arc: Yeah, though she almost killed me and my other teammates.
Olley: Strange. I would've thought that meant she hates you.
Arc: She might as well do right now but she wasn't like that before.
Olley: So you've grown fond of her huh?
Arc: Yeah.
Olley: What's her name?
Arc: Terra. She's one of a kind I'll tell you now. On the battlefield, there were only two people. Her and the enemy, no one else. Part of me wished that I stayed with her on the vanguard but people change. I know she wishes I did too.
Olley: So you two are close.
Arc: Would you even call it that?
Olley: Aw she misses you. And you're concerned about her.
Arc: I am… But that's because that's our line of work. We have to look out for each other. We're the only ones we have.
Olley: Sounds like you miss them too.
Arc: It's not the first time we've been separated. But this one definitely feels different. I'm sure they can take care of themselves.
Olley: Such a softie.
Arc: Shut it…
Olley: And, we're done here. I think. I'm not sure if I'm doing it or not. I've only applied these things for myself after all.
Arc: Thanks.
Olley: No problem.