⁕ The diary entries

Entry 501

"I miss CT and CK... I hope they are doing well in the afterlife. Now and then, I remember the way they helped shape myself to be who I am now. To CT, I hope you are at peace despite what Jagger did to you. I hope you find your true love in your next life and live a happy life away from the misery left by this life. Let the wine of life as you said bring you joy instead of reminding you of the melancholy. To CK, fight on, live your next life doing what you like. Be thrilled, be optimistic, be the unwavering daredevil you used to be. Also, I hope that you have found a partner who will ride high with you into the sunset. 

As for you, Senju and McCree, I hope you both are safe and sound. Although I'm oblivious to the fate that met both of you, I wish the best for both of you. Although we were never very close, you two chose to come to my aid in my darkest moments. And for this, I shall remember you two for the rest of my life. I shall keep on living, hoping that I can meet you two one day again. 

Entry 502

"I wish I could see better. Now that I think about it, I have now realized how much I have been taking my vision for granted. Seeing the world through a sliver inside a sea of fragmented colours is truly torturous and frustrating. Meanwhile, the darkness inside the tunnel is getting more and more oppressive the further I dug. So far, I have managed to punch through 3 metres of dirt and have reached the more treacherous rocky layer. However, I need to go through the rock or else, the tunnel may collapse considering the sandy nature of the Australian outback. Wish me luck, Mike. "

Entry 503

"Today, I learned a few things about Lucy...

Kadyn fumbled in the dark while trying to feel the structure of the ground around her. With no source of light, she can only rely on touch alone. However, this also slowed her progress considerably as she had to waste time digging through the soil while not knowing if she was digging through a field of pebbles or the irregular surface of a massive immovable stone. Just yesterday, Kadyn spent the whole day trying to dig through what she thought to be a field of medium-sized rocks only to realize that she had been fruitlessly trying to chip away at a massive stone. 

After an exhaustive day of work, Kadyn sat by the side of the tunnel while chewing on some soggy noodles like a death row inmate. As night inched closer, Kadyn wasn't expecting to see Lucy jumping down from the hatch to check up on her. 

[Lucy] - "How are you doing, child? "

Said Lucy as she cracked her back. 

[Kadyn] - "I thought I made some progress but I ended up chipping at the side of a massive rock again. "

Said Kadyn in a frustrated voice while angrily biting down on her food. 

[Lucy] - "There is no rush, child. Patience is required if you want to succeed. "

[Kadyn] - "It's not that! I need a source of light. Sigh... I can't see well already and now I had to deal with this crap. If only I could see what was in front of me. "

Said Kadyn in frustration before she bit down on her spoon.

Lucy smiled gently and raised her wrinkled hands toward the tunnel entrance. In an instant, as her ability was activated, the inside of the tunnel began to glow with a gentle blue light. 

[Lucy] - "Maybe this will help. "

Kadyn immediately dropped her plate to her side and wandered curiously into the tunnel while admiring the magnificent glow that illuminated all of its walls. 

[Kadyn] - "This is your ability? "

Said Kadyn as she turned toward Lucy. 

[Lucy] - "It ain't much, but at least it served a purpose. I'm glad this worthless ability of mine could help someone for once in my life. "

Said Lucy with a satisfied smile. 

[Kadyn] - "It almost felt warm... like the life force and soul of a person. "

Said Kadyn as she brushed her fingers against the glowing walls. 

[Lucy] - "Your ability is linked to you as a person. Oftentimes, who you are determines what kind of ability you will unlock. "

[Kadyn] - "I see... "

Said Kadyn as she stared at the sleeves of her coat. 

[Lucy] - "Well, child, it is time for me to get back up there. If you need anything, just give the trapdoor a few gentle taps. "

Said Lucy as she began to climb up the small opening.

[Kadyn] - "Hey, Lucy, thank you for this. It's a beautiful ability. "

Said Kadyn with a gleeful smile. 

Lucy smiled back warmly before disappearing into the upper floor. 

That night, I had the urge to work. I kept on digging while avoiding the obstacle. Funnily enough, the light followed wherever I dug while never leaving me in darkness. 

Current progress: 6 metres. "

Entry 504

"I had a dream about Mike again...

As Kadyn lay on the barrack's roof while admiring the stars in the sky, sleep gradually caught up on her as the night went on. In her mind, meanwhile, she didn't realize that she had fallen asleep. As the moon shined brightly above, Kadyn suddenly felt a presence to her right. 

[Mike] - "A beautiful night for admiring the stars, right? "

Said Mike as he lay comfortably beside Kadyn. 

[Kadyn] - "It's not stars I'm after tonight. I'm simply trying to relive the time you took me to the moon. "

[Mike] - "Did you know that we travelled at a speed close to light? It only took us only 2 seconds to reach the moon. "

[Kadyn] - "Luckily you weren't this fast in bed. "

Said Kadyn with a smirk. 

The two spent some time in silence while the cloud temporarily covered the moonlight. 

[Kadyn] - "Say, Mike, abilities are the manifestation of one's mind and soul, right? "

Said Kadyn as she turned to face Mike.

[Mike] - "Indeed, abilities are often determined by the state of mind of an individual. "

[Kadyn] - "What about you? Why do you have such an exceptional ability? "

Mike raised his arm and stared at his crystals with a raised eyebrow. 

[Mike] - "Who knows? There are many abilities out there that are beyond human understanding. Oftentimes, I don't even think they have anything to do with the user's mind or nature. "

[Kadyn] - "My ability can conceal me... Does this mean I'm still scared or something? "

Said Kadyn as she caressed the crystal on her chest. 

[Mike] - "All humans can be scared of something. Fear is what keeps us alive. You don't need to overcome all the fear or uncertainty you possess. You simply need to find the middle ground where they keep you alert while not becoming something that occupies your mind all the time. "

[Kadyn] - "I see... "

Said Kadyn with an acknowledging nod before rolling onto her back. 

[Mike] - "Do you know what the symbol of the cyberknights stands for? "

[Kadyn] - "Enlighten me. "

[Mike] - "The small diamond at the bottom of the symbol represents you, the user while the larger piece of diamond represents your ability. Finally, the rain clouds are pushed aside by your ability, signifying the duty you carry as a cyberknight. Altogether, it means you, a simple human armed with such a small weapon, can manifest a beacon of hope that pushes away all darkness using the virtue and resolve contained within your soul. "

[Kadyn] - "Such noble cause but look how it turned out. "

[Mike] - "Meh, people tend to choose greed and power over virtue and selflessness. "

Said Mike as he brushed off Kadyn's comment. 

[Kadyn] - "I'm hoping that someday I will be able to overcome my fears. "

Said Kadyn as she looked at the sky.

Despite the beautiful stars reflecting off her eyes, she could only see a sliver of them properly. 

[Mike] - "Abilities can evolve with a person's mind. You'll know when you manage to overcome your fears. "

The night went on as Kadyn spent her time with Mike's illusion. By the time she woke up, Mike was once again nowhere to be found.

How much Kadyn wished for her dream to become reality...

Progress so far: 10 metres. "

Entry 505

"I have neglected to talk about this for so long but I suppose I can't keep this under the rug forever. My two children... I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect both of you. You two deserve a better mother than me. I hope you have found a loving family in your next life and...

There were droplets of tears on Kadyn's diary tablet while her hand struggled to hold the pen. Although Kadyn wanted to continue writing, the thought of what happened to her children haunted her mind to the point where she would stare at the wall for hours on end without moving. After finally snapping herself out of her stupor, she decided that she couldn't continue anymore. 

Current progress: 13 metres. "

Entry 510

"Lucy was truly like a nanny for the prisoners. It's nice to see how every prisoner respected her whether it be male or female. They brought her their torn clothes to sew and their minor injuries for her to fix. She's like a mother to all the prisoners no matter what gang they belong in. 

As for me, lately, progress has been good so far. I can't believe how long I have been stuck inside the wretched place. I want to get the fuck out of here but these stupid rocks kept slowing me down. Also, Mike, seriously? I found a secret compartment in your coat which contained Cuban cigars. It's crushed up pretty badly throughout the years but I thought you gave up smoking these bloody things.

Progress so far: 20 metres. "

As Kadyn wrote inside her diary, Lucy climbed into the hatch and brought Kadyn a tray of warm meals. 

[Lucy] - "Eat up, child, you need food for this kind of work. "

Said Lucy as a smile appeared on her wrinkled face. 

[Kadyn] - "Thank you, Lucy. "

Said Kadyn as she shoved her spoon into the mashed potatoes. 

As Kadyn savagely devoured the food, Lucy watched with a smile like a grandma watching her grandchildren eat. 

[Kadyn] - "Say, Lucy, what do you plan on doing once you get out? "

Said Kadyn while chewing a mouthful of kidney beans. 

[Lucy] - "Probably visit my husband, children and maybe even my grandchildren. Oh... I wonder if they still recognize me. "

Said Lucy with a worried face. 

[Kadyn] - "I'm sure they'll be happy to see you. "

Said Kadyn as she dug her spoon into the sweet corn pile. 

[Lucy] - "I wish, I wish. How about you, child? Considering your age, you must have parents and maybe other loved ones waiting for you out there. "

Kadyn suddenly stopped eating. After swallowing the food still in her mouth, Kadyn stared blankly at her plate. 

[Kadyn] - "I don't have anyone. I never even had parents, and everyone I know or care about is either dead or missing. "

Said Kadyn in a monotone voice. 

Lucy's eyes widened with shock before she approached Kadyn. 

[Lucy] - "Well, in this case, how about you come live with us? I'm sure our family is more than welcome to take you in. "

Said Lucy while trying to hide her shock. 

Lucy put one of her arms around Kadyn and pulled her in for a hug. This sudden gesture of kindness caused all of Kadyn's pent-up pain and sorrow to leak without restraint. 

[Lucy] - "There, there, poor child. "

Said Lucy in a comforting voice while Kadyn wept in her arms. 

[Kadyn] - "I lost everything because I was a stupid and worthless girl! I couldn't save my lover as he died in my arms, I couldn't protect my children from a fucking psycho, and I'm the reason all my friends either died or went missing! "

Cried Kadyn as Lucy shed a few tears with her in compassion. 

[Lucy] - "It's fine, my dear, nanny Lucy will take care of you, ok? Forget all that, it's not your fault. There are things in life you simply can't control. "

Said Lucy as she hugged Kadyn tightly in her embrace like a mother. 

Kadyn felt something she never felt before as she sobbed in Lucy's embrace; The love of a mother. For her entire life, she had to leave all her pain and sorrow bottled up inside her heart without anyone to vent to. This was the first time after Mike's death that she got the opportunity to vent her bottled-up anguish accumulated throughout the years. 

[Lucy] - "Don't worry, child, it's all in the past now. You have a whole future ahead of you. Shhh... there, there... "

Whispered Lucy as she gently stroked Kadyn's dirty hair. 

After finally calming herself down, Kadyn quickly pulled herself away from Lucy in embarrassment. 

[Kadyn] - "I'm sorry for this! I don't know what came over me and... "

[Lucy] - "No need to apologize, child. Sometimes, you just need to let it out. Here, if you need to talk to me again, it would be my pleasure. "

Said Lucy as she wiped the tears off Kadyn's cheeks. 

As Lucy began to climb back up to the surface, she looked back to see Kadyn smiling with a kind of joy she never saw her display. 

To be continued...

*EXTRA

- Profile: Lucy Miles

- Ability: [Blinding Lights]: "The ability can redirect light photons toward a place designated by the user. In situations where no light is present, the user's crystals are capable of generating a gentle shade of blue light which can be used to illuminate a designated area of a few kilometres in radius. Besides this primary function, this ability does not possess any offensive or defensive capability. "

-ABILITY STATS

Power - None

Speed of the ability - A

Speed granted by the ability - D

Range - B

Durability of the ability - S

Durability granted by the ability - E

Precision - B

Potential - C