Five days have passed since the experiment failed, almost a week since what was on the other side put the director's entire plan on the verge of bringing irreversible damage not only to HQ, but, by extension, to the whole division; days since she woke up with rage and sadness from her delusions. As soon as the wounded and dead were removed from the machine room, overseer Han ordered the isolation of the facility to avoid information leakage from any potential infiltrators in the base. Certainly, employees had their background checked extensively, and care was taken to ensure that none had had a prior affiliation with any other of the Cardinals, the usual exceptions being former lower ranks within the metahuman police, and thus the most closely supervised.
Due to the always possible external bribery by members of intelligence communities both nationally and externally, blockades were never considered out of place in situations like this, where technological assets were compromised and the agency could come to look weak before its peers. At the time, several key areas remained isolated, and staff inside had not been able to eat or change since the protocol began; if it weren't for the existence of outdoor drinking fountains, there would surely be a bigger problem. The engineering and physics staff were too busy kicking off corrections to the formulas and calculations made over the past two months to notice or care, given that, again, Raon had given them a deadline of 15 days to have a new theory and schematics.
Even though it was not directly in her hands, Ah Ra had dedicated herself to personally supervising the emergency wing despite the paperwork she had and the pending neural scan tests her team had to perform in all the Awoken Ones, not only in the base but throughout all Division sites. One of such scans had the highest priority, the one she did to the director just a couple days ago, and no matter what she was doing now, she had to be very attentive to the moment when the results were ready, such as to offer her diagnostic confidentially. Right now, she was ordering the nurses to stabilize the vital signs of the injured while she headed towards the bed where Mari was.
The actress got out of danger after her second surgery; her state was still delicate, and the medic knew that if they had to perform a third surgery, Mari would most likely die, regardless of any serums or special formulas they had on hand in the hospital's main laboratory. The procedure made under Raon's orders, she thought, would not be enough to save her either, on such risky conditions; she took the actress's hand as she slept profoundly, a worrisome expression over her face:
- Come on, Mari – she said quietly - You must hold on.
She thought about it, but then added, nonetheless:
- S-1 is the strongest of us, even kept in such isolation...even having lost all of those she fought for.
Ah Ra ended by saying:
- Surely you still have many, so I hope you got even more strenght to get through this.
That said, she let her rest peacefully; her body was still exhausted, although in better shape than it had been days ago, even the color of her cheeks slowly returning, giving Ah Ra some hope. The medic continued her routine, collecting files from the previous day left clipped to other beds and transfer them, but just like others before, she didn't even suspect that through the corridors someone began to follow her; first she went to her office to do stack after stack of documents, reviewing internal circulars as head of Neurology. She then headed to lunch, sitting next to Goo Joon, trying to act rude so that others who wanted seats went elsewhere; secure, they both talked about how things were going, and what they thought about the SAHASRARA's second trial:
- Should we try the experiment again? Wait and arm ourselves would be less costly - he said
- We have first-hand evidence of it being highly hazardous, yes. But there's no other alternative.
- If this fails again, the Division could very well be investigated and receive reprisal, if not worse.
- That's a good point - she replied - Although...
- You really are worried about our guests? - he smirked - They are really useless to us...if only Raon...
- No. You don't say that. I know you have... quite the character, but that goes against our goal.
- Our goal, Ah Ra? Or hers only? You know she doesn't give a dime for us. We're expendable.
- I know well. Everyone does, in their own way.
Goo Joon felt awkward, as he touched a raspy, subjacent topic, so he went back to the project:
- Theoretically, if we take into account the enemy transmitters, they could've already come.
- It really worries me.
- It's what they want...that's why they haven't attacked immediately, whether they could or not.
He then took her hand:
- They want us to be afraid; really, it is they who fear our attack.
- As always, you know how to make things look better.
- Seeing your eyes is enough for me...
- Yes. It relieves me too.
They both finished eating, held each other's hands under the table, and moved back to their assignments as the stalker resumed following her trail and continuing to observe closely how the medic acted. It was not just the mellifluity towards Goo Joon, her treatment of others was quite polite and sweet too, and every time someone passed by her, she would greet them with a smile in a friendly, albeit respectful way, same when she approached to give instructions or make requests to those under her. This spy then entered the consulting room behind her and watched how she went through some neurological exams, in alphabetical order; as a matter of organization, the secgens' numerals, assigned since they were cygots, were still kept within medical records.
Not even once did Ah Ra vocalize those ciphers, her uneasiness and a sigh giving a hint as to why:
- If the director cared of what these numbers mean for us, she wouldn't use them anymore.
The spy then spoke:
- She almost never use them in your presence. Should be enough, it's more than all of you deserve.
The medic took it as her own thoughts, as she perceived no one with her, replying:
- Isn't it hypocritical she never calls herself by her own number?
And there the stalker was, not knowing what to answer. It was at that moment she felt her heart heavy; she wanted to ignore such weakness, but no matter what, now she couldn't. Thus, she put down her
- Director! - she exclaimed - excuse me, I didn't see you arrive...I just...
- Do you really think I wouldn't understand how you feel? Oh, trust me, I do know perfectly.
- Ow, that...No, no, don't be worried, I never said it, alright…?
- You did. And it...got me curious, besides, I also have a question for you…
- What would it be, ma'am?
- Am I a hypocrite? Answer me or I'll rip your head off...
- Wha...?! Oh, I...
She extended her arm, just making a gesture with her hand, driving the medic to say:
- Time's up, so...
- Yes! Yes, you are!
- That's better. Now tell me why...
- You hate what it means to be numbered, as we all do...you promised us a better life, and still...
- Get this inside your little head, Ah Ra. Truth is, I despise each and every Awoken One alive.
The medic knew that, but this time it felt... strange. Her words sunk in differently...her expression looked...tired:
- You are cowardly slaves, vermin who never flinched in trying to destroy me. You were a pain in my ass since we were children, and you think I wouldn't return you all the favors?
- I never asked for this life - she replied - I've never been a bad person. Judging us all by what a few did out of....such a criminal conditioning...it's unfair...
- You could've followed my path willingly, yet decided to be lapdogs to the good doctor, or flee as rats when I sank the ship.
- Doesn't justify being treated as objects, director. We knew no other life, it was that or dying as Ji Gong did, and others before...
- I betrayed the Division? - she mocked - You should kneel and thank me for not wiping it out.
- Why would I? Look around, this isn't going anywhere...why you followed me here like this?
- Because I wanted to know...if my judgement could be mistaken. At least when it comes to you.
The medic didn't expect such an answer at all; she reflected on it for a while and then continued:
- I don't care about what you want with this, nor I have an ambition you could use to buy my fealty.
- Then why you don't extract their implants? And yours? You could do it, with Goo Joon's help...
- Because I know I can't defeat you, nor the vice-director. And, really, I don't want to.
- And what you want?
- I just want to help as many as I could...that's all...whether I am free or not. And using these numerals...just causes pain to me, deepens the others's resentment towards you, towards the Division. If we continue like this, I'm afraid this will all fall apart.
- So you care about the others, after all... and do they care about you in return?
- They don't need to. I only know that discarding this nomenclature would alleviate their pain...at least a little. I'll help everyone around me who asks for it, because that makes this place better.
- Huh... - Raon sighed - It seems you really believe your words. I can respect that. And I will tell you the truth for that. I keep calling them numbers out of spite, even when I hate my own for all the...
- Suffering it recalls.
- I remember each time they called me S-2. All the rage it caused me.
- Then please. Let me change this, speak with Dr. Weisenschaft, even if you hate us so much, I promise this will serve you well anyways.
- Alright. But do not mistake this for goodness, I'll do it out of usefulness. If a charity sister like you can conquer the hearts of everyone crossing her path, then I could use that trick as well.
- It's not a trick. You should try and be sincere with others at least once; it will take off a great weight off you, ma'am, that I assure you. If I may say something else...
- Quick...
- Apologize with Mari. Compensate her. She never deserved this...nor see how deep we have fallen.
Raon got silent for a moment, but soon replied, without gazing at the medic:
- Well, I think the informal chatter must end here.
- Okay director, agreed. - Ah Ra stated, smiling.
The medic started looking in between files piled on the table, and inside the drawers, being at that moment the director asked the question:
- So, do you have my results?
- Yes, I have it somewhere...got it. Your turn was in half an hour, but... here, this is it.
Raon looked at it quickly, and replied:
- I see...according to this, I'm fine...but it also says there are areas in my right hemisphere...
- With excessive activity...but there doesn't seem to be a pattern to it, nor could a causal agent be pointed.
- That's what I wanted to ask you, actually. I've had trouble sleeping for a while now.
- When it started?
- Like, well, about four years ago. The first time happened a few weeks after...S-0, she...
Ah Ra had a clear memory of that day; S-0, the woman who served as a prototype for the secgens decades ago, escaped from her confinement in HQ by teleporting with her mind, destroying buildings and felling hundreds. The medic was still in Switzerland then, watching the news from a hotel where Division execs had stayed for their annual meeting, and she was in charge of supervising the event's medical team in case of an emergency. Everything was chaos until Raon and S-1 confronted and defeated her; she was not at all surprised that her superior could have some trauma because of it, but, on the other hand, she feared even more her reasons for bringing up this query of hers just at such a bizarre moment for the agency:
- Have you experienced fatigue, insomnia, or anxiety before sleeping?
- All the time; sometimes I don't dream when I can sleep, but other times, when I dream...I just have...these recurring nightmares...
- Director, excuse me, but I cannot give a psychological evaluation in that regard. I can only tell you that there may be a possible relationship between the arousal of the right hemisphere and what you have experienced, even so, we need more evidence.
- What do you need? – Raon asked – Tell me and I'll bring it to you.
- Nothing for now; I have what I need here – said the medic – we'll carry out a comparative evaluation.
- Ah...so a comparison... with who? – The director agreed, seeing that Ah Ra understood her intentions.
- Since when were you spying on me? – the doctor then asked.
- Since morning. When I saw how you treated... even though we both look the same.
- Mari is just an unintended victim. That's why I help her.
- So that's why you treat people with kindness... to keep stupid oaths.
- It's not like that - Ah Ra replied - although our lives have been... I think giving the same back only causes more negativity. I didn't see things changing much around here after the doctor died, so I decided to start changing it on my own.
- Nonsense – Raon said – the only thing you should care about is doing your job.
- Always.
- That's nice to hear. Now, let's get back to the topic, shall we? Is it her then?
- Exactly, ma'am. After the Shanghai incident, both of you would probably share similar symptoms, as of trauma sequels is concerned. Possibly she also has nightmares because of it.
- It's not entirely comparable.
- No, but your brains are the most similar to each other that we can find. They will both undergo an MRI simultaneously, to start. Then I will speak with the psychology dept to schedule analyses.
- Unnecessary - mocked the director half-heartedly - my mind is superior to that of a mere mortal.
- It is necessary to compare the origins and rationalizations in both cases, and if a common alternative can be found to treat the problem from a physical level, and then on a mental one.
- So, if we can alleviate or deal with the problems of her own little head, that would help to treat my problem.
- In theory. We'll know when we get those results.
Raon got up from the seat and started to go towards the door saying:
- I want you to keep this completely confidential. Choose your people well, or you will regret it.
Ah Ra just nodded as her superior closed the door behind her. As the director went through the corridors, every face with a friendly expression she saw with the medic was replaced with ones showing suspicion, feigned indifference, or outright awe as she got straight back to her office.
She let another day and another night pass inside it, this time surrounded by complete and absolute silence, for in the next morning she was still sitting behind her desk, working without stopping for a single minute, without even thinking about going to her personal quarters and take a break.
Then she received the call she had been waiting for:
- Director. Neurological examination room 3 is ready; Your exam is in 15 minutes.
The director checked the time, noticing that it was already 9 AM, so she set off, but took the detour towards the emergency wing, where her counterpart would surely continue dozing like the fragile human she was. That's how she found her, resting in bed, with a nebulizer active and the monitors constantly measuring vital signs; her eyes were still closed, so Raon took the opportunity to activate a pair of buttons on the side of the seemingly fixed stretcher, and it rose, revealing a pair of tracks that allowed it to move to the place the controller inserted in the commands. Seeing the actress was still sleeping, she spoke to her in a jaded tone:
- Hey, Mari. Wake up…
She was surprised at herself when she called her only by name. It was surely the result of her lack of rest, so she was not planning to repeat it again. And luckily she didn't have to, as the actress opened her eyes heavily and asked, barely raising one arm to shoo away the source of annoyance:
- What do you want? I'm sleeping…
- You're going to take a little trip, and you'll do it with me, so let's go quickly.
- Why you…
Mari did not finish her sentence before going back to sleep, carried on the bed which followed Raon through the hospital halls while the latter turned corners without stopping to ask any of those who were circulating at that time, taking the elevator to the floor where they needed to go. Soon, through the neurology area, which had purposely been left deserted, she reached the assigned room, and upon entering the anteroom, one of the assistants said to her:
- Good morning, director. Please change your clothes, and wear this overall. No metals or electronic devices are allowed.
Raon ducked into a cubicle on the side, and was soon ready; another assistant took Mari to one of the examination machines, and with the help of a couple of nurses waiting inside, she laid her on it. The director was soon lying on the machine next to her, and after the staff left the chamber isolated, Ah Ra arrived in a hurry to the anteroom at the same moment the scanning began:
- Good morning, Dr. Yoo - everyone bowed.
The first assistant said:
- The procedure has started ahead of time, but everything is working as planned.
- Okay...let it continue.
The doctor had been scared for a moment when she couldn't find Mari in her place; she had rushed there to see if her subordinates had seen her, and luckily, as she now saw, it had all been the idiosyncrasies of Raon, who seemed to have fallen asleep alone. That was preferable to the disappearances of patients that occurred during the former director's time; she wasn't about to let something like that go anymore.
The monitors were showing the live results and recording them in the local CPU, brain activity boiled in a hypnotizing rainbow marked by different colors depending on the type and area of activity, which seemed to generate flashes and novae like the ones in deep space. In a matter of minutes, blue spots appeared on the right hemisphere of both girls; on Raon's side, they crackled and expanded aggressively, while Mari's pulsed more fluidly, following an almost identical spatial pattern. From the outside, the director could be seen squirming uncomfortably inside the machine, held back by the built-in restrictors activated upon feeling her movements, while with Mari those were unnecessary as she rested heavy, as if her counterpart wouldn't have tried to wake her up.
- What does she have that the director doesn't? – Ah Ra asked herself – I must request brain tissue analyses.
Soon the EEG scan was over, and the machines stopped bellowing as their luminous rings stopped spinning. The horizontal platforms lowered a few centimeters, so the nurses went back in to reconnect the actress to the monitoring equipment and the nebulizer; on her side, Raon, agitated, was still asleep:
- Take them to room 305… – Ah Ra ordered, worried.
Long time later, Raon got up quickly, and without being fully conscious yet, she looked around at a place unfamiliar; alarmed, she began to instinctively levitate every object in the immediate vicinity of her, and to pulverize it. This set off the room's alarm as the crushed monitors began to spark and make noises they shouldn't; within seconds, guards entered the room with weapons at the ready, followed by a group of nurses. Soo Young and Jae Won entered behind them, respectively managing to get in the director's mind and disintegrate the projectiles she launched into dust:
- "Director, please calm down…" - said Soo Young.
She woke up immediately, recognizing that voice both in her mind, looking at everyone present, all of them terrified of her next action. She thought for a moment about doing what she always did, that is, punishing their insolence, this time by crushing Jae Won's bones, throwing Soo Young to the floor, disarm all her guards and point their own weapons at them. A split second before she did such, another voice intervened:
- Ra…Raon… is that you?
Raon looked to the left, and saw Mari awake, although still lying in bed, looking only at her; she still didn't seem to notice the mess she had just left around. Surely the fake sunlight, filtering through the curtain from the projector screen, was clouding her vision:
- Ah, Kang Ma-ri, you finally woke up.
- Raon... I mean, ma'am... - said Jae Won - Uhm... I'm sorry to get in like this, but...
- Get out. All of you, leave…
Everyone got silent, looking at each other, still a little dazzled:
- What are you waiting for? Didn't you hear me? Out.
Seeing she had calmed down, but above all because she ordered so, everyone knew "there was nothing to see here", so a guard called someone from cleaning over the comms, signaling everyone to quit promptly which all did. Little by little the room became empty again; as Soo Young was leaving, looking at Mari with an understanding but also cheerful smile, she said:
- Get well, Mari...
She closed the door. The actress nodded automatically and immediately looked at Raon again, once they were alone:
- They left at last - said the director - Aishhhh, I must have fell asleep...how pitiful...
- I saw you again - the actress replied.
- Now what are you talking about? - Raon asked annoyed - Got things to do, rested too much...
- You stopped.
Raon only searched the room for her uniform, as she was now wearing a hospital robe just like her counterpart, who continued talking:
- You didn't attack them, even though you wanted to. Maybe you don't hate them as much as you think.
The director found her uniform, and after using extrasensory perception to make sure it didn't have any spy equipment installed, she put on her pants and blouse, going to the bathroom to try to fix her disheveled hair as best she could, and then brush her teeth. After she got finished with that, she said:
- I forgot, didn't see the test result...
She brought to her hands the files clipped on both beds, and when looking at the images, she looked at Mari again:
- Hey you. How are you supposed to achieve this?
- Raon…
- Huh? Achieve what? – the actress stammered, questioningly.
- What makes you special?
- Special? Why you say that?
- According to what I have in my hands...
Raon approached the actress calmly:
– ...we both had neuronal activity associated with nightmares, and yet your activity is lower, it is almost plain.
Mari, of course, had no idea how to respond, and so Raon continued:
- Oh, I forgot, you're just a dumb idol. An actress with such an immature brain...
- You think I lack maturity?
The actress laughed suddenly, feeling insulted, overwhelmed by not knowing why she was there:
- Aw, perfect, you now think you can mock me...
– I live off my art, and you are a horrible person... trapped in your…closed mind.
- I am someone rational, who seeks rational answers.
Raon put on her suit, aligned her pin and continued:
- If I base myself on the fact that, for example, you must have a more developed right hemisphere, I could infer you have more synapses there, and so the nightmares you have, being imaginary things, pass their bioelectric signals without overloading your brain as much.
- Ok, I didn't get that.
- And so, when you're awake, the parasympathetic response on your peripheral nervous system is decreased in front of subtly dangerous situations. It is not as if you can be more prudent, you can't.
- Are you listening to...?
- In fact, I can see in this page there was also a somewhat higher activity in your left hypothalamus, associated with states of trance or visions according to some studies...
- If this is about our nightmares, we don't have to think about it so much, dog faces with horns no...
Raon got surprised, how could she know that? She was almost caught off balance with such statement, but rather kept it for herself as she continued:
- You think neuroscience is simple? Ow, dear, I almost sound like Ah Ra saying all this jargon...
Mari ignored what she had just said, and continued with her idea, staring into nothingness:
- When I have one, and I feel very afraid, what I do is try to remember. I remember what I have experienced, those who have been with me, the people who I care for, and all things I like to do and make me happy, and all the happiness I give back. And have hope, as I know they are there.
Raon could understand in the serious tone of those words, and the smile with saddened eyes, that he was not only referring to the nightmare he had just had. But suddenly, the actress added something else:
- The truth is I woke up a while ago, but it wasn't because the bad dream I had. It was you.
- Did I?
- You were sweating, shaking a lot, crying. It scared me a lot to see you that bad.
- Hah... but what... nonsense is this. - Raon muttered to herself.
The director looked away towards a nearby painting.
- I wanted to wake you up, but you couldn't hear me, nor could I get up because of the pain.
Knowing she was now witness to yet another of her secrets:
- How bored I get hearing you, talking as if...
- You've been trying for years, haven't you? Live as if what torments you does not harm at all.
- Living as I live is my only option...
- Don't tell me...you gave up so easily.
- I never give up.
- So? You're Kim Ra-on, the one who beats everyone and goes through life being arrogant. Solve it.
- Huh, I can't believe it. Being in that bed giving pity made you even braver.
- Trust me, having people with you and give them company...is the best way to live life.
- We Awoken Ones were not made for those worldly things.
- That's not true. All people need others to raise them up…to trust. Others would also need you at some point.
- Fine, whatever. I've wasted too much time here, must go back to work.
The director headed out, but just before, without looking at Mari, grabbing the knob mid-turn:
- I'll come later - she said hesitantly - And don't worry, if you want to convince me not to kill you and keep my word... it's not necessary. I don't want to see my face on someone else much longer either.
Mari only smiled with some pain in her side; one of the nurses would soon arrive to check her signs and give her the intravenous painkiller, while Raon went off, thinking about something that couldn't be a coincidence:
"She dreamed about it. The beings that attacked her, maybe they...? Could be related. I'll have to find out soon."
For now she would set aside that task due to his omnipresent obligations, the greatest of which being to keep track of and monitor the specific deadlines he had outlined for the new SAHASRARA machine to be operational, this time employing the initially planned superhuman catalyst, the clone. She dedicated herself to sending the memos to the supervisors in the specific areas, knowing that time was of the essence, that sooner rather than later her other search would have to begin if she wanted to resolve the question, to know in advance if it was related in any way to all this mess. The relation between the dark place, the Kim Ra-on she hadn't found trace of yet, and all the weird anomalies surrounding her everywhere could very well hold the key to reach her final objective.
She couldn't stop thinking about the seemingly senseless words those beasts pronounced, as if they knew the actress, as if they knew in advance of her arrival, as if it were they who told Soo Young the words she said while possessed; that could be very real after all, it seemed. The director had learned she couldn't allow herself to make false patterns, nor ignore them all as if it were an illusion, just like those voices. Even if she was beginning to doubt their imaginary origin too, she couldn't let herself fall into paranoia, she had to look for evidence, she had to gather them and see if the pieces formed a real picture before dismissing everything as a fantasy.
Hours passed, and by the time she realized it, it was already close to midnight. There wasn't as much left to do today as she would have expected, so she soon to her personal room, without giving the escorts a chance to follow her. Raon was going to stay and rest, but she couldn't as her brain rationalized she couldn't let Mari loose her tongue, and so returned to the room the actress was in, finding her being checked by nurses; however, she got alarmed as a new serum was being applied:
-Who authorized it? – She asked.
The assistants were scared, and one of them, after bowing, said:
- Director Kim. Dr. Yoo authorized us to use it for her recovery, 15 ml administered every 2 hours.
- Ah, so Dr. Yoo did, I see - she replied - Back off. Leave us.
Somewhat confused, the nurses obeyed and got out of there as quickly as possible. Once she was alone, Mari told her:
- You did come.
- Got nothing better to do. May I ask something? what you saw…
As the director sat nearby, the actress answered:
- I don't understand why you're so interested.
- If I told you I've seen something like what you described, you wouldn't believe me.
- So you were actually listening. Well, uhm it's probably just a coincidence...
- Yes. That's probably what it is - Raon responded, settling the issue.
Instead, the director, knowing she couldn't extract much more, and that they both knew practically the same thing about the other Raon, the director decided to ask her, after thinking about it a little:
- Hey, idol.
- What?
- You said you hated me…that I was your worst role.
- It's true. But things are what they are...and you did what you did.
- Do you really prefer dramas? - Raon finally asked - It seems bland to me...
- Ah. About that, everyone can have...different tastes. No problem with it.
- It was unnecessary; do all this to you.
Mari looked away, her heart heavy, her rightful resentment boiling:
- I should've been less impulsive from the beginning. More rational…
The actress cut her off:
- I understand what you mean. I know you, remember?
- Nothing I do will compensate the harm done to you and many more undeserving of it.
Mari remained silent for a while, and then she thought about it, remembering what she knew:
- It must be painful for you, to be what you are.
- You don't have to see me as human. I am not, nor do I ask you to see me as such.
- I told you, and what you just said shows it. You are human, Raon, that's why you came to this. At least you start to realize it.
Raon rather got off her sit, went around Mari's bed slowly and commented, head low, and completely off the tangent:
- Wait a second - she said - you still haven't answered me. Why you prefer dramas? Be specific.
Mari understood perfectly what her counterpart tried to do; it was clear, she wasn't ready to follow this conversation just yet, and so she abided to follow her play on words to see where it took them:
- Well... - she answered - as far as the typical romance goes...I don't know, it's cute, but I admit it's not entirely my favorite genre...
In this way they continued talking for a long time, the actress started to speak more about her life, and in turn Raon gave her minor details about things she did in the office, about the Division and certain people inside it, those Mari barely knew as a name written on a script. However, while the latter focused on talking about the commercials that she had filmed in the last year, the director deviating to not get bored, talking about the Coalition, a coordinated effort by the world's superhuman defense organizations to fight supervillains, mad scientists and superhuman terror groups. Their story almost blew Mari's mind, even making her laugh in disbelief before a pain on her ribs made her calm down; what Raon left out, of course, was that among the Coalition's list of criminal groups was her own agency, although unoficially and protected by their formal belonging to a member state.
The next day would come after the long conversation.
Raon was the last to talk until Mari fell asleep from the fatigue, she knew, of receiving the blue serum into her body, the processes of which she knew went far beyond her recovery; she had been hesitating whether to tell her the truth or not at first, but she knew deep down she couldn't avoid it. This was for not only being a part of her little "personal experiment", but it would also be important for the next insertion mission against the Society and the things she knew they had at their disposal, based on all data recovered from those Einherjar lunatics.
The next night she arrived to Mari's room, where the actress was recovering well, now faster than before by a factor squared thanks to that wonderful solution running through her veins; this time the director smiled out of kindness, and not mockery or contempt. She felt strange now, as she cared about having no idea if Mari would notice, or if perhaps the muscles in her face were so used to the same expressions that her attempt would look worse than expected.
She greeted her:
- Good morning, idol. How are you feeling?
- It's very strange. I feel more...I don't know...alive, as if...I already want to stand up and go out.
- You shouldn't even; but very soon you will be ready.
- I know, I already tried, and the wound in my belly burned. I had to support myself to get back up.
- Indeed, not ready yet.
- Hey, Raon…
- Aye…
She pointed at the blue liquid dripping to her vein:
- This serum over here. What is it? I've never seen something like it...
- Ow, well, it's the reason why you will heal faster. A formula to promote tissue regeneration.
- Like lizards?
-This has nothing to do with that, but...
- You have medicine like that here? Awesome... – the actress said, perplex.
Then Raon spit it out, to her great amusement:
- It's made from sea slug blood, actually.
Mari turned green with disgust, covering her mouth:
- Wait, what? Ugh, it can't be true.
- By the way, I wanted to give you this.
Raon took something out of the suit's left pocket:
– Your phone. You left it in the barracks.
Mari only nodded to thank her.