by J. F. Johns
'I'm not sitting, I'm crouching.' Morgana's face appeared between branches and leaves. 'Get down.'
'Why?'
'I hear them.'
'Okay, so...' Before Eric could continue, Morgana had snatched his arm and brought him down to the ground. His face landed first, his mouth scooping up a nice amount of dirt. 'Why are we hiding from them?' he asked after spitting out the floor.
'We're going to follow them.'
'That wasn't the plan.'
'It is now.' She eyed him, as if he might question her further. Eric couldn't be bothered. 'Now shut up.'
Two kids appeared at the entrance to the temple. Eric hadn't seen them in years, but they hadn't changed. They couldn't. People like Scarlet and Morgana had been created in a laboratory, their bodies altered completely to be immortal and indestructible. Nothing could truly damage them.
The first to appear was Vladimir, a thirteen year old boy with blonde hair that mostly covered his eyes. His round face was sweet and childlike. He was rather small for his age. Next to him, carrying something in a box, was a girl of eleven with long blonde hair that hid most of her face, as if she might be scared of the world seeing her pretty features.
The children made their way down the almost deserted street. Few people were out, and the ones left were busy finishing off their tasks, closing down offices or restaurants.
Vladimir and Persephone walked without a care in the world. Eric couldn't help but envy them. Why would they be scared of anything? Nothing could hurt them. They were too far away from Petra, and she seemed more focused on Scarlet anyway. Here they were away from the drama.
'They're going to know we're following them,' Eric whispered.
Morgana shrugged.
He stared at the girl next to him. She looked mesmerised at the sight of her brother and sister, even though, technically, they weren't family by blood. Their lives and what they were tied them together, and Eric wondered sometimes if that was stronger than blood. He thought of his own family, long gone by then, and his cyborg family that he had created through the bonds of friendship. He thought of the serious and crazy Camille who was like a sister to him and Malcolm -with those blue eyes and sweet face- who could get out of any trouble just by smiling. A brother.
The kids turned down an alley and climbed a set of wooden stairs that led to a door. They entered a small flat. Morgana and Eric stood in middle of the dirty alleyway that only contained bins and rubbish bags that someone had left thrown about instead of inside the actual container. A black cat was drinking something that had spilled from one of the bags.
The door to the apartment opened and Vladimir stepped out, glancing down at them. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to. Morgana sighed and climbed the wooden steps, followed by Eric.
The inside of the apartment was depressing. It was minuscule. The entirety of the flat was in one bedroom. The kitchen could be found immediately to the left, space enough for one person to utilise. The living room was to the right, a television and a small sofa crammed as close to the television set as possible. There was a door that Eric guessed led to a bathroom. He didn't ask. His yellow eyes focused on the mattress in the far corner of the room.
Vladimir and Persephone stood by the sofa, their eyes wide and expectant. They weren't focused on Eric. Their attention was on their sister Morgana, who was equally staring at them as if they'd grown horns.
At first it was amusing, after five minutes, it became irritating. 'Well, as I see you're not that good at introductions...'
'Eric.' Morgana gave him a sharp look. 'Not the moment for your jokes.'
Eric lifted his hands up and made his way to the sofa. 'Fine. When you're done staring at each other, let me know. Then maybe we can talk about what's important; Scarlet.'
Vladimir perked up at that. 'Has something happened?'
Eric scoffed. 'What hasn't happened, you mean?'
Morgana waved him away, clearly annoyed. 'Scarlet let the monster of ash and feathers take over.' No gasp came from Vladimir and Persephone. They kept perfectly quiet and still. 'Now she's become... the Destroyer of Worlds. We need your help to get her back.'
Persephone turned towards the box she'd been carrying home which was on a small table in the kitchen. She opened it and a brown and white bunny materialised in her arms. From all the things that could've appeared from within, that was probably the last choice Eric would've guessed. She began to pet the creature, holding it carefully against her chest. The bunny seemed very content at the attention it was receiving and didn't move. Its back leg even spread out comfortably.
'It was lost,' Persephone said, as if she thought they were expecting an explanation from her. 'It needed a home.'
'What exactly are you both doing here?' Eric asked, clearing his throat.
'After we all returned from No Man's Land and Morgana left to live alone,' Vladimir began, causing Morgana to tense at the mention of her name, 'Scarlet explained that it would be wise for each of us to go somewhere and help. It was silly for us all to stay together. We could help better separately.'
Eric remembered such a conversation, which took place a long time ago. Almost twenty years had passed since such a talk had occurred. He hadn't seen them again after they had departed. Time worked differently for cyborgs; one year for a cyborg was ten years to a human. So in a decade, a human would've aged ten years. A cyborg only one. It was even more bizarre for the Prototypes that didn't age at all. Time didn't seem to exist for them, and not speaking for twenty years probably didn't mean much to them at all.
'You still haven't answered my question,' Eric said, causing Vladimir to smile.
'We help. Cyborgs. Humans. Anyone.'
'You help to...?'
'The temple we work at is a sanctuary for anyone that requires it. If someone needs a place to stay we provide our own home.' Vladimir gestured at the mattress on the floor. 'We counsel many cyborgs that are suffering from their time in No Man's Land. We speak to humans that need someone to talk to.' Vladimir's smile, even though genuine, didn't quite reach his eyes. He seemed sad. 'In this city, you may always be surrounded by people, but most feel completely alone. And that's the worst feeling anyone can feel. To be always surrounded by people, and yet, have no one to truly speak to.'
'So you're counsellors?' Eric frowned.
'We are whatever the person needs us to be.'
'The people that created you would not be happy at how you're putting your abilities to use,' Eric joked. The three X-Prototypes stared at him, long and hard. 'What? Don't act like it's not true. Jesus, no one can take a joke nowadays?'
Eric sniffed the air. Most apartments held some type of smell, a mixture of food and life. There was no such thing within the tiny studio. Vladimir and Persephone didn't eat or sleep. They didn't really have any type of basic necessities, so the space just smelt neutral, devoid of any humanly smells. It was strange.
'What can we do to assist?' Vladimir asked.
'We're not sure it'll change anything but... Perhaps if we were all together again, it might help to bring Scarlet back somehow,' Morgana explained.
'Do you believe that?'
Eric noticed the tension in Morgana's body. She looked tired and uncomfortable. A long time ago she had been a fierce warrior, afraid of nothing. But time, loss and the brutality of the world had changed her. Eric wasn't sure which Morgana he preferred.
'I don't think anything can bring Scarlet back.' Her words made Eric freeze, his eyes narrowing. He didn't like hearing such things, no matter how true they were. He would never give up on Scarlet, and hated the thought that Morgana had done so, so soon. 'But I won't stop trying,' she added.
Vladimir turned towards his sister Persephone, who held the bunny with tenderness and love. 'What do you think, Persephone?'
It was hard to see the expression she wore with so much hair covering her face. She seemed to be smiling. 'Scarlet has done so much for all of us. She is our sister. We
owe it to her.'
Vladimir smiled. 'Then we shall help Scarlet.'
Eric stretched out, the tension he had felt minutes ago gone. 'Awesome. I knew I could count on you two. You've always been my favourite Prototypes, by the way.' He winked, which caused Persephone to look away nervously. Vladimir and Morgana rolled their eyes at him.
Clapping his hands together, Eric said, 'Okay. One left to go.' Morgana suddenly began playing with the hem of her shirt, which made Eric pause. 'What?' he growled.
'Tristan will be more... difficult to reach.'
Eric cursed. 'Where is he?'
'You're not going to like it.'
'He's not working in a bakery, is he?'
'Hilarious, Thorn.' Morgana settled on the edge of the sofa. 'He's actually in the town of Greystone.'
Eric cursed some more. 'You can't be serious.'
'I am.'
'Why the bloody hell did he choose Greystone?' Eric had never visited the town, but he knew about it. It was set in Capital Six, a place well known for its mountain ranges. The towns were located across such mountains, and Greystone was the highest of them all, almost at the edge of the borders where the capital ended and No Man's Land began. Few people lived in such a place, and the few that did were rough, brutal and cold.
The idea of going there did not amuse Eric at all.
'You having second thoughts, Thorn?' Morgana questioned, her face serious, even though Eric knew too well she was mocking him. 'Scared your nice suit might get ruined?'
'Of course not. My suits are impenetrable.' Morgana opened her mouth to reply, but Eric cut her off. 'Shh, don't go saying something silly, Morgana. We all know I've won the argument. Right, what are we going to do about sleeping arrangements?' He stared at the mattress, then at the three X-Prototypes. 'Usually, I'm totally okay with others watching me. I am handsome and it would be selfish of me to hide my beauty from the world. But... I'd rather not sleep there with you three staring down at me.'
Morgana moved from the sofa. 'You are insufferable, Thorn.'
'Delightful, you say? Why, thank you, Morgana.'
Eric chuckled as he stepped into the kitchen, searching through the cabinets for something to eat. They couldn't go after Tristan until the morning. No transport ran when curfew started. So, he'd have to make himself at home.
'You have any whiskey?' he asked, glancing over his shoulder. Persephone had settled herself on the sofa, the bunny fast asleep. Vladimir was tidying up the few things within the apartment and Morgana was just standing there, watching them.
Vladimir shook his head. 'We have some refreshments for when someone stays over.'
'But no whiskey?'
'No. No whiskey.'
'I'm honestly shocked you get anyone to stay here with such a lack of essentials.' Eric tilted his head back and laughed at their annoyed expressions. 'I'm just kidding. But really, I'm not. You need whiskey.'
The night passed in a strange but comforting manner. Eric ate some noodles and drank water, which made him particularly grumpy. The three Prototypes sat around nearby, listening to him talk. Vladimir would sometimes tell them about experiences they had had in the capital and Persephone would nod or smile at certain points. Morgana sat with her back against the side of the sofa, her eyes closed. Eric knew she was listening to absolutely everything. For some strange reason, he felt completely relaxed and happy. Perhaps it was because being with them brought him closer to Scarlet.
Whatever it was, Eric fell asleep on the mattress with a smile plastered across his devilish face.
Chapter thirteen
The Destroyer had travelled across the city, observing the neon lights that shone across the skyscrapers. Every night it would sit on the tallest of buildings, watching the citizens running home before curfew took place. They resembled ants from such a distance, but it amused the Destroyer. The darkness surrounding its body enveloped every inch of itself, hiding it from sight. It didn't really matter. No one would see the creature from so high up.
The Destroyer felt rather annoyed that night. Scarlet was fighting, fighting every day with more strength and determination. It was unusual for something like that to happen, and the Destroyer cocked its head to one side, curious. Usually the host would weaken with each passing day, and yet, Scarlet only grew stronger.
This would not do. The Destroyer needed Scarlet's full cooperation. With an indestructible and immortal body like hers, the Destroyer could stay in the same body for the rest of eternity, never having to worry about seeking a new host.
The Destroyer turned its attention towards the Government's Headquarters. Perhaps it should've gone to Petra. She did seem easier to manipulate. Well, it was too late now. But it would need to keep an eye on the X-Prototype. Petra was dangerous, and her need to destroy Scarlet could end up being problematic.
The Destroyer stretched its arms out lazily, sniffing at the evening air. It would slowly begin its path of destruction of the capital, but it wanted to have a little bit more fun first. Its hunger could wait. Just a little bit more.
The Destroyer leaped off the edge, falling, falling, falling until becoming a dark mist that vanished with the breeze.
...
Terra woke up with pains in the morning. The stitches in her side were pulling at her skin so much she considered getting up and searching for Curtis through the house to beg him to take them out. At some point the pain turned into an ache she could support and the thought of leaving the bed didn't seem very enticing anymore.
When the door to the infirmary opened, Terra expected anyone but the twins. The sight of them brought a happiness to her she hadn't quite anticipated. After everything she'd been through, any familiar face brought tears to her eyes and her heart to warm.
Ten and Rife made their way to her side, crawling up to sit on the bed between her legs. Rife was sucking on his thumb, lost in thought, but Ten was watching Terra with immense curiosity. 'Did she cut anything else off?'
'Ten.' Terra arched an eyebrow at the little girl. 'Is that really the way to greet someone after not seeing them in forever?'
'It hasn't been forever,' Ten replied. 'Just nine days.'
Nine days.
They had felt more like nine years. What would've happened to her if she had stayed longer?
'I saw Scarlet,' she told them, their green eyes shining bright with hope. 'But it wasn't her. Not really.'
Ten's face was no longer human. It was so covered in screws and pieces of metal that it was almost impossible for her to express anything through her face. But somehow it was always obvious whether she was annoyed, upset or happy.
'Did she ask about us?'
At that precise moment, Terra considered lying to them. But she was pretty sure that the bond between them because of the Destroyer would betray her. Besides, what would be the point?
'No, she didn't, Ten. But then again, Scarlet right now isn't Scarlet. We need to be patient. She'll come back.' Terra nodded at Ten's questioning glare. 'Have you guys been good?'
'We lost your ear,' the little girl declared, making Terra grimace. Petra had bitten Terra's ear off some time ago, and the twins had petitioned to keep it for some reason.
'I don't really need it,' she said, shrugging. 'Could you help me find Curtis? I need to talk to him.'
'About what?'
'About getting Scarlet back.'
'How?'
'I don't know. But the three of us are connected to her.' She gestured at herself and then at the twins. 'Scarlet saved us through the Destroyer. We hold some of that power. So maybe there's a way we can... I don't know.'
Ten nodded and dropped off the bed, grabbing her brother's green jumper and pulling to get him to follow her. Terra tried moving but the ache turned back into pain. Cursing, she lifted her white T-shirt up to make sure she hadn't ripped any stitches out.
'You're fine,' Ten said, waving at Terra to hurry up.
Determination took over and Terra s
tood up, ignoring her side which was screaming at her to get back into the bed. She wasn't going to look like a cry baby in front of the twins. One foot first, then the other; right, left, right, left. Inhale, exhale.
The room began to spin, but Terra didn't stop. Ten was still beckoning at her, her robotic fingers curled around the doorknob. 'We mustn't let them see us,' she whispered. Terra wanted to question why they couldn't be spotted. They weren't doing anything wrong. But upon watching Ten hurrying down the hallway, Terra realised this was like an adventure for the little girl. The twins never left the house. When had they last felt the sun on their robotic bodies?
'This way, this way,' Ten said, turning right down another long narrow hallway. The home was like a labyrinth, so easily confusing with its sharp twists and turns. The dark wallpapers and carpets made the place hauntingly gloomy. It seemed fitting.
They stopped in front of one of the many wooden doors. Ten knocked twice, but looked annoyed at having to do so. 'I get told off if I don't knock,' she informed Terra, as if it were vital information. 'Eric says it's very rude to just barge inside someone's room in case they're doing naughty things.'
Terra coughed awkwardly.
The door swung open and Curtis appeared, his red eyes widening at the strange sight in front of him. 'Terra, are you okay?'
'I'm fine.' She tried to stop the twins from just walking in, but then decided against it. They weren't her responsibility.
Curtis's room was peculiar, beyond normal. Weapons hung from the walls as well as scattered over the different desks he had arranged in the tight space. There was a cot in the far corner, no blankets or pillow. A single wooden chair in front of a boarded up window.
It was depressing.
Then again, not everyone could have nice things. Terra had been lucky to have grown up in such a big house. She had hated it, the coldness and the size of it, but now she came to realise that she should've enjoyed it more. She had been a spoiled kid that had only complained about what she had without actually appreciating it.