*Meritas here again, with a new chapter. Please enjoy, and don't forget to let us know what you think. Reviews, opinions, just about anything helps. Thank you and have fun. Peace out and Deus vult*
The two were still in the same room, eyeing each other intently, like two fighters stuck in an equal match, searching for something to leverage.
Mark's mind was a storm of thoughts and ideas, each one more dangerous than the others. He could offer information; he could discuss things that no one else would know but those close to her, yet every one of them faltered as the woman before him seemed closed off to a certain degree, especially in front of him, a nameless nobody.
Himeko's gaze was sharp, driving itself through his farce, aiming for whatever may hide underneath.
"At least for the time being, I'll keep my eyes on you. In the earlier scans, it seemed that your body didn't suffer a lot of damage from the Nexus. You're one lucky guy."
He shrugged, unsure of whether she was aiming for something with that line or she just tossed it out in the wind for the sake of conversation.
"Whatever the case might be, Major, for now I'd like to simply get a chance to use my supposed abilities for something. You won't let me out of your grasp, so I think it'd be best to simply drag me around."
The idea clearly sat wrong with her, the scoff that left her lips barely noticeable, a reflex more than anything else.
"For the time being, I'll trust you. Come on, now. Follow me."
From the depths of her pocket, she fished out a strange device, which opened up his handcuffs, the strange device falling to the floor with a thud.
"Don't even think of doing anything funny, alright? I'm more than capable of dispatching you myself with my bare hands."
Despite no pain present in his wrists, he still rubbed them a little, the motion a familiar imitation of scenes in movies.
"Damn, lonely women near their thirties sure are scary," he mumbled, perhaps feeling too brave and bold.
Big mistake in his pursuit of getting closer to her. She just turned around, a smirk on her face as her fingers cracked with a satisfying pop, echoing along the chamber's walls.
"You little," she grunted, grabbing him by the front of his shirt. Clearly, he regretted every life choice that had led him to that point. In the heat of the moment, honesty could hopefully save him.
"EY EY, I DIDN'T MEAN IT AS A BAD THING, OK!? I LIKE THEM CRAZY!"
Her grip relented, the expression on her face baffled, completely stunned by the absurd words that left his mouth. Mark just stared at her, hands up like a prisoner of war, sweating bullets while hoping to maintain a somewhat calm expression.
"You like what?" she asked, blinking slowly.
"I, uuuhhh... just ignore me, ok? I'm a little stupid, hehe." He chuckled awkwardly, lightly scratching his cheek with the tip of his index finger.
She sighed and let go, just giving him a smack on the back of his head, sending him walking forward.
"Yeah, you're more than stupid. You have a death wish. Get moving before I get mad."
So, he walked along, following Himeko through the empty halls to what would be his room for the night. Nothing but a bed inside an otherwise empty room, the walls themselves barren, the steelwork visible.
Aside from that, there was one door that led to what he assumed was the bathroom.
"You'll sleep here for now, alright? I have some things I need to take care of, so don't even think of running away. I'll come back for you."
Before he could say something, she went away, leaving him all alone inside. With nothing else to do and a wild story to his name, one that was in the works, the bed became his point of interest, squeaking slightly underneath his weight. It was going to be a long period of time.
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Himeko just walked down the halls of Hyperion, talking with her subordinates and issuing orders about no one letting Mark out from his room without her permission.
The situation was still tense, especially thanks to his impossible appearance inside the ship and him using the Nexus with no issues. It was from his stigma, yet his reaction to hearing he had one was too real.
'He's either a good actor or an honest man that actually doesn't know what happened to him. I need to discuss this with Theresa.'
Still, the tiny principal of St. Freya High was still away. She'd have to wait for a while, at least until the next day.
______________________________________________________________
Mark's mind couldn't take it anymore, and it had barely been two days. No form of entertainment, no activity to keep his mind at bay, just him and the room.
Without much to do, he began exercising, something that would, at some point, be needed for him to get stronger—unless he could take advantage of his stigma, which he still had no clue about.
The bathroom had no mirror for him to use, and the steel frames didn't reflect it well enough. With no choice, Mark simply gave up and kept working out, pushing his body as much as possible.
His meals did arrive at fixed times, so that much was ok. Not the best food he's had, but it would have to do for the time being, dry as it was.
"Alright," he sighed, putting away the empty food tray. "Time for some exercise, or else I lose what little sanity I have left."
Down on the floor, he began doing pushups, counting them between breaths. The pain in his muscles was ever-present, a reminder of the pathetic state he'd succumbed to, yet it would have to do. Thirty seemed to be his limit, after which they became painful to a fault.
"Ugh, I suck," he huffed out, standing up, clad in only his briefs. It was the only way to work out and not ruin his clothes with the smell of sweat. The underwear could be washed to a certain degree, drying out overnight.
*Whoosh*
The door opened, and in came Himeko, unbothered by the sight of his scrawny form covered in sweat. Still, he did grab the blanket and covered himself with it, trying to keep some semblance of respect and privacy.
"Enjoyed your stay?" she asked, mocking him with a smile.
"Oh, yeah, surely did. Free food, place to live. If I had some entertainment, this would be a five-star experience," he answered, keeping it serious, his lips pursed in a line. He wasn't going to just give in to her little games, at least not for the time being.
"I see that you're rather serious about this. Anyway, come on. Dress up, it's time to go. There's someone who wishes to talk with you."
With a groan, he grabbed his clothes and went to the bathroom. Quick shower, in and out. He returned fully dressed, his hair damp, dripping slightly with each step he took.
"Alright, I'm here. Let's just go," he sighed, following her out to wherever they'd have to meet that person.
He could only guess, but his money was all in on Theresa. After all, Himeko went on to report everything to her right after the events took place, but it might have happened earlier thanks to his intervention. From what he recalled, Himeko's body had undergone some stress thanks to utilizing the Nexus, and so she took a while to heal up.
To his surprise, they disembarked the Hyperion, which did take a while due to the size of the ship. He could only look back, amazed by the sight, yet they had no time to waste on that. He just followed Himeko, going on a car ride to the building he's only ever seen on a screen. It was larger in person and fancier than what one would expect.
"Damn, nice place," he said, shooting her a glance.
"This is St. Freya High, a school for valkyries. This is where students are trained and taught. It's a school for those with honkai resistance, but it's an all-girl school."
He nodded, following her inside, walking through the large doors. His eyes darted around, and most of the students that were present just stared at him like he was some kind of animal in a zoo. Too much pressure for a guy like him, which led to his face doing the usual—tensing up ever so slightly.
His jaw was clenched shut, and his expression bordered between silent anger and fatigue. Himeko's heels clanked on the floor, all the way until they entered an office, where none other than the tiny Theresa was sitting at a desk, the tip of her head barely noticeable.
"I see that you brought him in, Major."
She nodded, giving Mark a light push so he'd get closer to the desk. Aware of the principal's demeanor to a degree, Mark bowed slightly, acting respectfully while avoiding any comments on her height—unlike his little jab at Himeko's love life.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said calmly, keeping his tongue in check. He wasn't supposed to know her name, but the ease with which it could flow out of his mouth was too much. He'd have to be smart with his information, sly, and with a touch of cunningness.
Theresa scrutinized him with a careful gaze, a stark contrast to her tiny frame. If put side by side him, she'd look even more like a toddler.
"Have a seat. Major, you can leave us alone for the time being. Wait outside."
Himeko left without question, and it was just the two of them left in the room. Awkward silence settled in until she motioned for him to have a seat on one of the couches. With a somewhat tense move, he made himself comfortable, keeping silent.
"Major Himeko told me about you, Mark, but I wish to hear it myself. Tell me," she inquired, choosing her words slowly, prolonging his internal suffering. "How did you get aboard the Hyperion? More important than that, how come you managed to use the Nexus, and above all..." she stepped closer, moving away from her desk to look at him intently. "Why did you act like you had?"
He sighed, trying to think of some excuse, but in the end, it seemed like a bit of truth mixed in with his words would go far.
"Well..." he motioned her way, asking for a name.
"Theresa. You may call me that."
"Well, Miss Theresa, here's the deal. I have no damn clue how I made it there, alright? I wasn't even aware of this damned stigma I have on my back. That's all there is for me to say. I'm pretty sure you have some form of video footage from the ship, so I won't bother talking more about this."
He crossed his arms, taking a breath to satisfy his lungs, since his rant was draining them.
"Moreover, I did do Himeko a favor. She's using an artificial stigma, right? It's killing her slowly, and the last thing I want is for others to die thanks to efforts made against the Honkai. I know I'm far from strong, but I do wish to grow stronger and lend a hand, alright? I can use it in her stead. I can fight in her stead. I can take the brunt of the honkai, since it seems that I'm made for it."
Theresa raised a brow, her own tiny arms crossed, mimicking him.
"It seems you do know something, more than a nobody should. Mark, there's plenty you're not saying, right?"
He let out a sigh, his eyes downcast, his demeanor somewhat on the offensive.
"Knowledge... the more one knows, the more one suffers. That's how it goes, and you know it well. I'm not an enemy; that much I can tell you. It might come across as odd, but I do care, and I do wish to become someone helpful in the battle against the Honkai."
She listened intently, nodding along, her thoughts kept to herself. Her calm demeanor hid much, and he knew that well. Somewhat playful, but also capable of handling a lot of work, more so than most humans could ever complete.
"Empty words, Mark. For all we know, there's no trace of you in any system. Perhaps you have a story of your own, one that's forgotten even by yourself. We did research and found nothing."
He shook his head slightly, meeting her gaze.
"What now?"
She shrugged, allowing the moment of silence to stretch on before speaking.
"Now? Perhaps a chance for you, but be aware that we'll be keeping a close eye on you. The last thing we need is an insider, so you better brace yourself, because lies won't get you far."
"I got it. So, can I study here, at this school? Himeko did say that it's for honkai warriors, so maybe..."
"This is an ALL-GIRLS school, Mark. You, for all I can see, are a MAN."
He sighed, trying to take out his secret weapon.
"Well, if that's the case, I'll just tell everyone that you like reading manga, and you also enjoy bitter melon juice."
All logic flew out the window that very second. She was frozen in place, wondering where he had gotten that information from. Worry settled in for multiple, obvious reasons, but the main one was her being exposed.
"W-wait, how do you know that?!"
He shrugged, smiling.
"Oh, so I WAS right. You do like that, don't you? Well, Miss Theresa, here's how our little deal will go. I'm allowed to learn here, since I need to focus mainly on combat, but other stuff would be useful, and in return, I keep your secret AND double down as the guy who secretly brings you manga."
She was floored, but the offer didn't sound all that bad. Sure, he somehow knew her secret, which already drew a big red X on his head, but there was something nagging her deep down, the feeling that, should his words be true and his knowledge plenty, or he had some ability to read minds, they'd gain an indispensable ally.
"Fine, Mark. You've made your case. I... I accept, but don't think even for a second about doing nasty stuff, alright?"
He broke out in laughter, the sound so loud and full of mirth that Himeko came in, thinking something was afoot. Instead, she just found him wheezing like an idiot, short on breath.
"What the..." she mumbled, staring at Theresa, who was blushing from embarrassment.
"Nothing to worry about, Major. I was just having a laugh with Miss Theresa here. She just said I'm to share living quarters with you to be under your watchful eye and also suggested you might need some male company at home."
He winked, putting all the blame on Theresa in a playful manner, but his intention was to be close to the main trio, since the events unfolded around them. The closer he got to them, the more he'd be able to interfere with the main events and change fate itself.
"SHE SAID WHAT?!" shouted Himeko, fuming, but Mark shrugged and looked at Theresa in a way that simply shouted, 'Play along, or else I'm telling on you,' and so, with no choice, Theresa put on her serious expression and went on to confirm his statement.
"Yes, Major. I'm afraid this is how we have to go about it. Leaving him on his own could prove detrimental, and thus someone must keep an eye on him, someone that could subdue him in combat, should there ever be a reason to."
"Thank you, Theresa," said Mark in an overly sweet voice, while both of them were glaring at him, one subtly, and the other making it clear that she'd claim his head during the night.
'Boy, oh boy, I'm just playing with fire on the edge of a volcano in space at this point.'