I let my thoughts simmer down as Jax runs off for the food-covered Clover. Pourin' myself a glass of apple juice as I find myself a seat in the chatterin' cafeteria. As my juice fades away, my nerves return to their former calm. I throw myself to my feet, startin' my trail to where Diana most likely is. I navigate over to the Trainin' Hall, the one place Diana is almost always found in. As I brush through the halls, the walls seemingly whisper as I pass. Each chatterin' group growin' bigger as I near the room. Word travels too damn fast in this small ass base... Findin' myself at the gym adjacent to the Trainin' Hall, I pull open its hardened door. The dark moonlit night floods the room through the glass wall. I stumble around the jumbled room, tripping over the left-out weights.
Boss: "those damn jocks... I keep tellin' em to put these stupid weights away before they leave..."
Nearly shatterin' my foot around this land field of a room, I make it to the dojo's slidin' door. I slide the matted room door open. A soft blue light fills the vast room as its light's dimmed shadow casts across the spongy mat below my feet. Sat in the center of the desolate room's shade, was none other than Diana. I slide off my shoes, placin' them on the sidelines as I walk over to Diana's backside. The soft mat crunchin' under the weight of my delicate steps.
Diana: "Leave."
I pause in my tracks, softly settin' my foot down at my side. Diana refuses to turn and face me. Instead, she stares up into the full moon shown through the skylight, backside towards me.
Boss: "Tell me, Diana. What's your deal with Clover?"
Diana: "..."
Boss: "What did she do to make you act like this?"
Diana: "..."
My calmed nerves sink into frustration at Diana's silence, lashin' out in a burst of anger.
Boss: "Damn it, Diana, you gotta say something! How am I supposed to understand why your bein' like this when you won't tell me jack!"
Diana: "... There's no point trying to explain something to you that you won't even try to understand."
Boss: "How can I understand when you ain't even lettin' me try!?"
Diana snaps back, joltin' to her feet as she springs towards me. Her tear-streaked face glistened in the moonlight as she stammers over her words.
Diana: "I told you exactly what she was doing! But you didn't even try to listen to me!.. Leave me alone Lucas... I'm not in the mood to talk..."
Her outburst sizzles out as she returns to her spot. Diana remains standin', starin' out into the stars. Her ever-thin outline gently sways in the dim moonlight.
Boss: "I can't do that Diana..."
Diana remains still and silent, showin' no drive to even give me a reply.
Boss: "Then promise me this Diana, then I'll get out of your hair!.. Promise me you'll at least leave Clover be alright!?"
Diana: "Leave me be Lucas..."
Boss: "I'll be happy to the second I hear those damned words, Diana."
Diana once again turns towards me. She wipes her tear-stricken face before slidin' into a combat stance.
Diana: "If you won't leave Boss... I'll make you leave..."
Boss: "Christ child... I'm not here to play your petty ass games... But if fightin's the only way to get through that thick skull of yours, what choice do I have?"
Diana: "Leave Lucas... I won't ask again..."
Boss: "... Try me, kid..."
She charges me as her white dress flutters in the moonlight. She tosses me one of her fists as I effortlessly parry the attack, throwin' her off to the side. She recovers in an instant, once again lungin' herself at me for a kick. I block the attack as she sends another one right back to back. In a furry of blows, I block her kicks while parryin' her blows, slowly pushin' back. I reserve my chances to strike as she tires herself from the relentless assault. An openin' appears and I capitalize it. Sending out a single strike for her gut.
But it was a trap, she grapples my arm, tryna throw me to the ground. But little does she know I was expectin' this. She follows through, latchin' on to my arm like a leech as she springs me over her back. I latch onto her arm mid-throw, landin' on my feet as I throw the unsuspectin' Diana into the floor with all my strength. Her body claps into the mat. Sendin' an echoing thump through the room as a gasp gets ejected from her mouth. Diana squirms there for a second, gaspin' for her escapin' air.
Boss: "Who the hell do you think taught you that move? You really think my own tricks would work against me?"
Catchin' her breath, the wounded honeybadger staggers to her feet. She raises her fists once more, still roarin' to go. She reinitiates her assault, sendin' her fists as fast as she could dispatch 'em. I throw away her weak attacks, holdin' my ground without movin' an inch. Each time she's thrown off, she just turns back and sends another attack, each endin' the exact same. Havin' enough of her pitiful resistance, I throw a jab into her gut. She recoils back, keepin' on her feet.
Boss: "Just give it up already Diana... I'm gettin' tired of these games you've been dabblin' in."
She raises her head, glarin' me dead in the eyes. She cashes her last bit of strength into one last stance. Puttin' everything she had left in the tank, she throws her leg high, spinnin' the back of her heel around for a roundhouse kick. I catch her leg, throwin' mine into her exposed upper thighs. She drops to the floor as her leg gives out from below. Diana curls up into a ball, clutchin' her wounded leg.
Boss: "Well? Had enough yet?.."
With tears welled up in her eyes, she looks up at me. She grits her teeth, advertin' her eyes as she mutters out her white flag.
Diana: "I'll... Leave Clover alone... Can you please leave me alone now?.."
Boss: "Sure thing, kiddo..."
After lettin' out what I wanted to hear, she returned to a huddled ball. Curlin' into it deeper than before. I turn away, walkin' to the door as I hear soft whimpers cry out from the rolled-up pill bug. I let out a sigh, adjustin' my path for a small fridge a few feet away from the door. I open the fridge and its adjacent freezer. Grabbin' both a bottle of strawberry milk and an ice pack, tossin' both to the snifflin' child. As the ice pack hits its mark, I put on my shoes. Gently slidin' the door shut as a murmur catches my ear. "Thank you..."
Since that day, Diana's respect, friends, and social standin' vanished. Leavin' nothin' but her isolation and badmouthed rumors. After a while, I couldn't help but give the sulky little girl some company. I'd force myself beside her regardless of her wishes. and after a while, she finally let me stay. In that time I tried to get a reason outta Diana's claims, still gettin' nothin' of the sort. Instead, she'd just double down her claims without any kind of evidence or justification. So instead, I tried Diana's point of view. Tried seein' if Clover was really playin' us for a fool like she's been sayin'. But I just haven't seen anythin' of the sort. Just a kind little miss tryna get by on base. I place myself on a bench outlookin' the landin' strip, ponderin' my mind as Jax sits down beside me.
Jax: "Heya Boss. Been a little while since we've had a chat."
Boss: "You don't say kiddo? How's the little miss been doin'?"
Jax: "She's gotten pretty good I'd have to say... Good enough that I think she could take on your new Ignited Barrage."
Boss: "Ohho? That's quite the statement their kid. You can't just be flingin' those wild claims all over."
Jax: "Hehe, those aren't just any wild claims Boss. You'll understand when you fight her yourself some time."
Boss: "Sounds like a hell of a good time... So where is the little miss? Rare to see her not with you."
Jax: "She's out doing some solo PCAST training. I don't have to hold her hand through ALL her training you know... But that's not what I'm here to talk to you about. A few days ago on a mission, I came across this small deserted island in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. I think this would be a pretty good trip to get Clover and Diana to get along with each other. Plus, it'd serve as some pretty nice off time for the two of us. You up for it?"
Boss: "A deserted island?.. You sure it's a deserted kid?"
I wave off Bosses wariness, assuring him with my highly confident words.
Jax: "I'm sure! I made serval passes around it and checked for any sort of structures. I promise you it's clean."
Boss: "If you say so, kid... Either way, is Veak alright with this? All the Aerocord pilots bein' off on a little vacation?"
Jax: "I already ran it by Chloe and Capt'n. They said it's fine as long as we can take up a mission on short notice."
Boss: "... Good enough for me then. I'll run the idea through Diana when I see her. You go ahead and do what ya gotta do."
Jax: "Righto, I'll fill you in more later then!"
I stand from the bench, waving Boss down as I make my way Spirit's hanger. Would Diana even accept such a proposal kid?
Guess it's my job to find that out huh...