6-4 The Monster Inside

Date: September 9

Place: Training Room

[Noel]

    We teleported to the training area. I heard that this is a secluded place where people can't easily come and go. But what's going on? Why does everything look so dark?

"Where's Noel?" I hear someone say.

"I'm here!" I answered back and walked towards those voices.

"Come out here. Don't just walk, run!" they warned and I took their advice. When I did, I found myself out of the darkness and realized that I was inside the black molecules that were released by Rei and it is now all over the place. Rei was in the very middle of the room while everyone are already holding their weapons and changed into their battle positions. "What are you waiting for? Get ready," Kazuma said and I saw Yui near him, scared and is in the same page as me but also holding her ground and is ready to attack anytime soon.

"Finally!" says a voice after it laughed like a villain who was just released for a million years. I can hear the resemblance of Rei's voice as it overlaps with another, a deep and scary voice. "This body will do," suddenly, the fog dispute all on its own with just the blink of an eye. From the middle of the room, Rei's standing body was displayed. She's looking around her body like she's checking herself out. "Oh! There are people!" she or he shouts in excitement. It's like two-person are speaking at the same time while only one body can be seen. When I look at her closely, I can see how creepy she grins and-her eyes-they're pure black. When we made eye contact, I felt like the abyss was looking at me.

"What is happening?" I hear some of the people around me whispers, also being confused.

"Sheesh! One, two, three, four, five, six, and seven!" it points while counting all of us. "Can this body even hold out?" it noticed that there are weapons on Rei's body. "Let's see, swords? Nah," it throws the sword away along with some knives. "What"s this? Oh! I remember her using this," it points the gun towards the Second Lieutenant's assistant. "Bang," it says and pulled the trigger but the assistant dodged it. "Nah," it says again and throws the gun away. We were all right here, just watching its every move and waiting for it to attack us. "Where're my claws?'' it said, trying to look at its hands. Then he started to retrieve the daggers that he threw away. And just like that they took the opportunity and attacked it with everything they've got. But they failed when it easily dodged and counter-attacked them on a single blow.

"Who are you?" the Second Lieutenant asked when he was pushed back by it. It looks like it also has Rei's physical abilities when I saw how it moved. It was like it was moving by instinct.

"Let's see," it tried to think for an answer but was interrupted.

"How about you give her back to us and just go away?" suggested who seems to be the Third Lieutenant.

They don't seem to be fazed by any of this. But I can somehow see the fear in their gazes and voices. And here I am, still astound on what's happening and can't move. What even is this? A ghost possession? Are they planning on killing her?

"Oh no. I can't do that," it waves its' head and hands to match what it says. Somehow, the mood is getting tighter and scarier as the next seconds pass.

"I'm here to eat," it grinned that almost made me scream. His expressions with Rei's face were so creepy I couldn't get the image out of my head even if he moved and started attacking us. I looked at my left to see the Third Lieutenant on his knees, holding his knife and gun above him acting as a shield against Rei's twin knives. I can't keep my focus away from Rei's creepy smile, she has this crazy expression on her face while attacking the Third Lieutenant with such speed after he managed to get back on his foot from Rei's attacks. Then the others joined it, to divide its attention as they strike it endlessly. But it seems to have no trouble defending and attacking at the same time. And it's scary that it still has the energy to laugh at a time like this.

"This vessel is much greater than I thought!" it says taking a step back, jumping like he was exercising before he went back in the ring.

"Do you have the remote?" I hear Kazuma say who was beside me all of a sudden.

"What remote?" I asked.

"The remote with two buttons. The yellow one and the red one?" I think he didn't mean for it to be a question, but base on his tone, he's doubting himself about the remote. I knew what he was talking about but I just stared at him, confused as to why he was asking that to me. What could that even do at a time like this? "Don't tell me they didn't even explain that to you?" he was surprised.

"Explain what?" already holding the remote in my hand, showing it to him.

"This is convenient for this kind of situation. It's to electrify her body to make her stop or unconscious when she disobeys her orders or from attacking any civilian in the facility," he explains, going to take it after I offered it to him. But I changed my mind when I heard the proper explanation I needed for this remote.

"I can't let you harm our leader," I strongly objected.

"Look around you. Who's harming who?" he said. I turned to the battlefield to see everyone getting scratched here and there.

"But still," I mumbled.

"Give it!" Kazuma's voice was furious, I can tell from how he looked at me.

"No!" I shouted and run away from him.

"Finally, a familiar face," I see Rei smiling creepily, holding a knife on my neck. I couldn't take another step either speak. I must have shouted too loudly earlier for me to catch its' attention. I can hear everyone calling my name and probably advising me to push a button. But I just couldn't. Especially when they said that this could kill or save someone. And I assumed that I'll be saved while Rei have the potential to die. I can't afford that.

"You don't seem to remember me," her expression changed to a worried one. "What was your name again?" it asked and I had no chance but to answer.

"Noel," but this time, I can already feel the knife's cold and sharp end slowly sinking in my flesh.

"That was weird. I was sure that it started with the letter 'K' or are you perhaps lying?" I closed my eyes when I saw those creepy but angry expression, looking directly at me. But I took a peek after I realized that I was still breathing. And to my surprise, I saw her hands trembling like she's stopping herself from what he's doing. Everyone even looked surprised.

At that moment, Kazuma who was near me kicked the knives out of her hands and pulled me away while it took three steps back and wobbled down the floor, looking at his hands.

"What an instinct," he sighs. " Something must have happened to you if you can't even remember me," when it was about to retrieve the knives that were kicked out of its' hands, he screeched to the pain and tried to detach the collar that I just noticed. So that shock collar was her punishment for hurting that old fart? And she was supposed to get rid of that today if it wasn't for that-

"She can withstand that!"

"Press the red one!"

    They were shouting, probably wanting to end this as soon as they can. I thought I accidentally sat on it but then I finally noticed that Kazuma was the one pressing the buttons. He must have taken it when he pulled me. I tried to retrieve it but he tossed it over to the First Lieutenant while he readies a syringe. I suddenly fell to the ground when I heard a familiar voice coming out of Rei's mouth. I wasn't certain from whom it was. But I'm sure that I've heard that somewhat chilly but comforting tone somewhere.

"You look a lot mature than back then," I found myself looking at Rei who's screaming in between the words that come out of her mouth. "Until we meet again," he said goodbye to me when he probably felt that Rei's body won't stand the voltage too long then right after, she collapsed. Even though her frail body can be seen unconscious, the black molecules don't dispute until Kazuma sank the needle into her arm.