To Get Things Straight

A couple of minutes of walking and turning down long hallways planted beneath the ground led Illya and me to a cell that was grouped together with a ton of other people besides me. They were all sleeping, or just staring as Illya and I entered the cell together. Faith refused to move from the cell, and Dani sat right beside the cell to accompany Illya and me.

The hallways were checkered with a blue and white pattern, and the cells were kept clean, and nice underground. About fifteen people were sitting underneath the ground with the rest of us, and as for my friends above me, I had no idea what would happen. I didn't know what would happen with Shike, Belle, Alexia, Boo, or anybody else. It hurt to be separated from them again, but I would have to deal with this, just like I do with everything.

"I'll be back in a second with your food. Dani, Faith, you can come up out of this place whenever you feel like listening." Ruby said, walking back toward the door. She closed it, and conversations started to stir.

"So, is that really him? Sky Asterio? I imagined him to be bigger."

"Oh wow, that Asterio kid is here? You think he'll break us out?"

"He gets a cutie like that in his cell and one sitting outside? Don't we get one?"

All the small talk from the small jail was starting to get to my head, so I sat down and looked up at the ceiling. My left arm was still dead from the strike of the Isle...

It was weird, thinking about the journeys I had on that Isle, all for it to interact with my Stone, and then vanish permanently. The very ground I had stood on will never be seen again.

I tried to move my fingers again and again, but couldn't. I was disappointed that I couldn't talk to Avie at all. She was gone, with no signs of being found.

"Do you want us to leave you alone?" Illya asked me.

I looked up from my blank stare at the ground and wiped the frown off of my face.

"You guys should stick with everybody above ground. I want to make sure they're okay... and Faith, stick close to Dani. She'll protect you. I'll think of a strategy here, but don't wait up for me." I told Dani and Faith.

They were both hesitant, but they agreed and followed behind Ruby from a long distance to the exit of the underground facility. After they turned the corner, Illya sat down on one of the beds in our cell and crossed her legs.

"You're surprisingly complacent toward me and this city right now. You and I both know you could blow it to smithereens. So, why don't you? Why don't you destroy this city, and kill me in a way that would make it look like an accident?" Illya asked me.

"And then what? Destroy civilization, all because I'm mad?" I asked her.

"Wow, you've changed a lot. Do you think I'm stupid? I know what you're thinking right now. You're thinking about it right now. Don't forget, we were childhood friends four hundred years ago, everything that makes up your personality is what makes up mine." Illya told me.

I shook my head at her aggressive response and sat down on my bed.

"Sure, I've thought about it. However, I don't think that's the right thing to do. I'm a very impulsive person, I know, but when I got off that ship and I looked around, I realized that I idolize the nature of this city, and want to protect this environment. This can be a real place to grow up in, for the children we'll raise, and for the people, we'll protect." I confessed to Illya.

"So, you really have changed... Sky, I'm sorry again. I know, sorry won't fix these things, but I'll prove to you that I can be useful." Illya told me again.

I stood up from my bed, walked over to her, and backhanded her. With the clap of my hand hitting her cheek, she held it in surprise and sulked beneath the hand covering her face.

"Expect one every day until you do something. I told you that I wouldn't kill you because Faith wishes it, but that does not mean we are friends, lovers, or whatever you think we are. I keep you around because you will help me raise Faith. Not for any other reason as of right now. As I just demonstrated, I might change one day." I told her, moving to sit back down on my bed.

She didn't retaliate at all, nor strike me back. She's aware of how badly she messed up, and I'll never let her forget.

"You're right. I'm angry. I'm pissed. I can't use my left arm, I don't have any communication with Avie, I have to sit in a cell with you, swallow the pain you've caused me, come to terms with the death of my friends, and I have to look at your face, incapable of realizing what you've done to me. Had Faith not wanted you alive, I would've gutted you in front of everybody, brought you back to life every day, and did it again, and again, and again, until my Wrath was satiated." I told her.

I was grasping the metal poles to my bed frame and ended up bending one far out of place, almost taking it off completely.

"... My brother, Genesis. You'll bring him to Eirikr?" Illya lightly asked me.

"Yes," I shortly said, looking at the bent bedframe.

"You'll need me. I can fish him out... I'll be useful to you." She said, keeping her head tilted down toward her knees.

"And that Fico girl? Is she going to be a problem? Do I have to be on my guard until I beat her?" I asked Illya again.

"Most likely... there's something I have to tell you. An impending danger that I'm sure we'll face, together of course, very soon." Illya said.