Location: Terra Colony Andromeda
North Sector - Training Field Septa
Frontline Position
Time: 1245
January 31, 2050
So just what the hell is the plan now?!
Chisuke had to keep himself from visibly grumbling. As he sat there, back to the tank’s side with Itsuki next to him, he was keeping up with the conversation Itsuki, 00, and S1 were all having over the wireless. They, and what allies they had left in Division 8, were holding ground of about 1 to 2 kilometers to the enemy and the goal, Point Bravo.
Itsuki had been in a hurry moments ago, urging them to fight and get at the enemy explorers. Yet now minutes ticked and ticked away. 00 and Itsuki were continuously bouncing ideas off each other over the comms. 00 would suggest a plan and Itsuki would shoot him down with cold and undeterred logic.
What was the point of all this? Chisuke was trying to keep his exasperation mild. [Itsuki, can you hurry and come to a decision already. You said it yourself, if we don’t hit the enemy explorers then we’ll lose today’s war game. I’d think you’d already have a plan by now, and would be bossing us around to get it done.]
[You’re not wrong.] Itsuki admitted. [But this is a training exercise, my role is to help, not hold everyone's hand through this.] His face soured as he muttered under his breath so that no one could hear, and said, “Plus, I’m sure Joel’s watching and getting a kick out of this. I’m not going to fall into his game.”
But his opinion was besides the point, and 00 didn’t seem to wish to pass comment. Not directly that is.
[Query..] Said 00, [Your logic is sound User Itsuki, you wish to keep within the bounds of your contract as an explorer, but your cooperation to help and lead will expedite our chances of success. I suggest you lead the group.]
Itsuki shook his head. [Not doing it, and that’s final. Now can we get back to the point. We have maybe 500 guys on our side remaining after including S1’s guys. We have 5 tanks, 10 jeeps, a couple mortar emplacements, limited artillery, and air support. And me, an explorer.] He paused and looked at the stump left of his left arm, then corrected himself as he waved it a bit to see if there was any feeling left in the lower elbow part. [Well I’m half as effective without this arm, but still an explorer. So what do we do?]
[Well.] S1 said. [Our options are limited to hitting them hard and then charging in, which I doubt we have the ammo for, seeing that the constructs keep popping up and their numbers are increasing.]
He pulled up the binocular slung around his neck and scanned the horizon from atop the tank. The swarm of irritating constructs was holding position about 200 meters ahead of them, no doubt protecting the enemy explorers and shielding them so that they could recover. Why this massive swarm of constructs moved away to take Division 1 through 7 in the rear was a mystery to him, and why they weren’t coming to finish him and his group off was another mystery. He could order his guys to hit them with tank fire, but that would be a waste of ammo.
[They’re just standing there.] He said. [It’s creepy.]
[Then that confirms it.] Itsuki said. [They’re being controlled manually rather than the remote function they have built into them. They just suppose to charge at you when you get near, but these ones turned away. This has Joel’s mischief written all over it.]
Chisuke sighed. [So we’re indirectly fighting that monster? Well, that’s just peachy.]
[Query.. Then I see and predict no possible way to win.] Said 00. [The headmaster’s unpredictability according to official records have outmaneuvered even the most cunning of tacticians. I find it unlikely any of the students can.. How Itsuki would say.. Outwit the conniving bastard. So again, I suggest that User Itsuki should take over, you’ve done so before in putting your earlier stunt in motion and you are well versed in tactics like the Headmaster.]
[How many times do I have to repeat myself.] Itsuki groaned. [I’m not taking command. And my earlier stunt? I did that without obtaining direct control. And like I keep saying, I’m here to help the students, and leading them isn’t part of my contract, not unless Joel has anything to say about it, which he probably won’t since he put so much damn fine print on it.] He grunted as he injected himself with another stimulant to keep himself awake.
The last fight had drained him of a majority of his stamina, and that was the same with his core energy. Another engagement wouldn’t be possible if he didn’t use supplements to keep him active. He threw the empty syringe away and leaned back against the tank as he closed his eyes.
[Now think of something 00.] He told him. [I’ve given you what we have and a list of people. Think.]
[Query.. Again User Itsuki, I can not see a path ahead where we..]
[That’s because you keep discarding me and Chisuke from the equation.] Itsuki’s abrupt cutting tone made 00 pause, so he listened as Itsuki said, [Now run another analysis with us in it. Run simulations, think for yourself, you’re not in assist mode, you’re in standalone mode. So use that brain of yours and think of a way out of this.]
[Query.. I understand, but your suggestion to include yourself and Chisuke into the strategic planning is inadvisable. You and Chisuke are in no condition to fight. I calculate a 99% chance of death, and my functions prevent me from endangering lives for the sake of results.]
[Functions?] Chisuke asked, then realized. [Is this guy an AI?]
Itsuki nodded and threw him the medkit he’d been rummaging through. [Yeah, so what? Got an issue with that?]
[Hah.] Chisuke scoffed and caught the kit. [Not really, I was just wondering why this 00 person is so damn inflexible. By how he talks, he’s pretty old.]
[Query.. I am a first generation AI. My designation is..]
[Yeah yeah.] Chisuke waved his hands in the air dismissively, not that 00 was around to see it, though he could if he was hooked up to their screenless HUDs. [Just get on with the calculations.] Chisuke said as he sorted through the medkit. [I wanna hurry up and get this part of the training exercise over already.] He grumbled. [I can’t believe I signed on for another year of this crap.]
[That’s because you failed 6 times.] S1 said. He pulled his binoculars down and regarded Chisuke with a smug smile from atop the tank. [This is your 7th time, so cheer up, your luck might change this year, and with Gen, he’ll probably manipulate the odds for you. He’s gotten better at doing that with his weird luck powers.]
Chisuke doubted that and really wished he had the energy to get up and sock S1 in the face, but the bleeding hole in his gut was stopping him and moving a muscle hurt like hell. He was thankfully able to stay alive due to all the extensive training he undertook the last 6 years here at the academy. Durability wise and skill wise, Chisuke knew he was possibly as strong as an amateur explorer, yet he didn’t make the cut, a sour point he was going to have to take lying down.
Looking around he gauged the situation. The 5 tanks they had were spread out at the vanguard of their perimeter, while a makeshift and relatively basic trench system had been put into place behind the tanks. It was astonishing that the trainees could set this all up in less than 10 minutes, though the use of explosives to dig everything out was the possible expediting factor. Further behind, about 100 meters, he spotted their reserve position, where most of their remaining allies were getting treated or were resting.
Chisuke wondered if he should make his way over there, but simple first aid was beyond helping him in particular. A fist sized hole in him would need more than stitches, he should be dead by now, but he wasn’t. If there were any good healers on their side he’d want one to come over and help, but that wasn’t the usual practice. They would’ve set up a designated medical position. No luck though, Chisuke would have to suck it up until either he was knocked out from the training exercise or his body gave out. After finding what he needed from the medkit, had stopped the bleeding with an injection to his side that worked to staunch the wound. Going into shock now was the least of his worries.
“Ugh. Damnit, this stuff sucks.”
The injection was revolutionary, though the pain he suffered was the trade off, it was like getting stabbed over and over, yet there wasn’t a knife doing it, it was his nervous system and felt like it was on fire. Noticing a pair of eyes glancing his way, Chisuke found Dahlia and Amanda standing off a few meters behind the tank. He had thought they had left by now with how Itsuki had shooed Amanda away and cut her off about that certain topic concerning Dahlia.
Chisuke chimed the comm and connected to the earpiece devices. [What the hell are you doing, are you just going to stand there. If you’re going to waste time, then at least make yourselves useful.]
That seemed to startle Dahlia. Her hands clenched and Chisuke was sure she wanted to hit him.
[What? Think you can take me now girly?] Chisuke patted his gut wound and then laughed at how Amanda was blinking at it. She was so bewildered, like any old fresh meat to the academy. Chisuke put up a hand and shooed them away.
But instead of leaving, Dahlia stepped forward. The first step was slow, then the second came a little faster, and then the next and the next, until she settled into a brisk walk. She now stood over him and Itsuki. Though Itsuki was taking no mind of her, he was focusing on the comms. Chisuke glared up at Dahlia on Itsuki’s behalf.
What does she want? Not like she can do anything? Not with how she is? Not with what’s been done to her.
He knew all too well about Dahlia's past, a tidbit of knowledge that he had in common with Mana. But that didn’t make him Dahlia’s friend.
[Well?] Chisuke sneered up at Dahlia. [Are you just going to stare at me?] He chuckled, trying to sound off put to get her away from him. She didn’t need to involve herself with him, this was for the better.
[Oi!] Chisuke’s tone became mocking. [Deer girl, quit your staring. It’s creepy, and get out of here, go frolic with the rest of your kind. You mangy animal.]
He spat on the ground, though internally he was disgusted by his own words. He was like those bastards of a family back in Eastern Bloc, his home town.
But this is better than her sticking around. She should’ve never come here. Why the hell was she even let into the academy? Was the headmaster an idiot? With a past like her’s? Why? She’ll never become an explorer with that weight on her shoulder.
Chisuke averted his gaze, making sure to seem like an incorrigible bastard to Dahlia. His act was working on Amanda, she was seething with anger.
“I can help.” Dahlia suddenly said. She went and knelt down next to Chisuke. “I can heal you. I can.. I know I can.”
Behind her, Itsuki overheard and flashed Chisuke an eye. They had gotten better at reading each other, and Chisuke was astonished that he could even read anything from Itsuki’s impassive and mostly unemotional face, but 6 years of knowing the crazy bastard had its.. unfortunate outcomes.
Refuse.
Is what Chisuke guessed Itsuki was saying, he didn’t have to tell him twice. Chisuke held his hand out and pushed Dahlia away. She tumbled back, where Itsuki grabbed her shoulder from behind and stood up to drag her away.
“Hey! Stop that!” Amanda yelled at them. “You can’t just treat her like that, she’s just trying to help.”
“She can’t.” Itsuki told Amanda, and then glared down at Dahlia. “You know you can’t.”
Dahlia was stunned silent. She was on the verge of tears, but she looked intently up into Itsuki’s blank black eyes. She saw the void, the dark depths of things she hadn’t a clue of. Except there was one thing in particular though, one thing she could understand from the color of his eyes, what they reminded her of.
My cell. My prison. Myself.
Dahlia remembered it all now. In a terrible starker and clearer clarity. The hard stone floors, the starry sky framed by the bars of her solitary cell, the black emotions welling in her as she heard the cackling of those humans, and the dead eyes she had when she looked at herself in the mirror sometimes. She blinked and let the words slip from her mouth.
“I.. I remember.”
Itsuki and Chisuke visibly tensed.
Amanda was at a loss. “What? What do you remember, Dahlia?”
“Shut up!” Itsuki shouted at her. “Don’t fucking ask her any questions! Got it! Now leave it the hell alone!”
“Hey hey, what’s the big deal?” Amanda asked, startled by the deathly glare he was giving her. Itsuki usually never raised his voice.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“None of your business.” Chisuke growled. “Itsuki..” He jerked his head. “Get her out of here.”
“No!”
Shouting all of a sudden, Dahlia shook herself as she pulled in resistance to Itsuki's arm. It was futile, but Itsuki let her go and Dahlia fell onto her hands. Itsuki stepped back to the tank and sat himself down next to Chisuke.
“Leave.” He said to Dahlia.
“Why are you two being so terrible?” Amanda asked. “Dahlia can heal both of you, I know that 00 said she was limited by how much, but she could help right?”
Itsuki and Chisuke shook their heads, then Dahlia spoke up.
“No.. I can heal them, and I don’t just mean the cuts and bruises.”
Chisuke glared at Itsuki and seemed to be asking him a question with his eyes.
How does she know?
I don’t know. Was Itsuki’s reply as he shrugged. He then rolled his neck and sighed. Chisuke then heard the next words from his eyes. Let’s see.
“Do you really think you can?” Itsuki asked. “Can you really bring yourself to heal people like us? I dislike a few of your kind Dahlia, and I know Chisuke does as well, beast humans, we hate them. Can you bring yourself to heal someone that hates your kind?”
Dahlia shook her head. “That’s a lie. You.. You and Chisuke are.. Are different. S1 as well.”
“Hey Hey.” S1 put his hands up as if surrendering. “Don’t drag me into this drama. I prefer to watch.”
“Of course you do.” Itsuki rolled his eyes, then focused back on Dahlia. He could see something in her he had seen before. Tears, Tears for him, but was that really true? And they weren’t sad? Happy? Even?
Impossible. She wouldn’t have remembered, we made sure she’d forget. I made sure. Itsuki sighed. Well, this is as good a chance as any. I’m sure Mana will have words for me about this, but that was then, and this is now. He threw his eye up and down Dahlia. She’s all grown up, and Chisuke too. He nudged the guy and leveled a severe glare on him, his way of telling him to shut up and stop with the act.
Chisuke sighed and complied, though reluctant. “Fine.” He muttered. “But if this gets all melodramatic and the girl starts crying, I’m out.”
“Then I’ll throw her out of sight.” Itsuki clenched his fingers, menacing them towards Dahlia.
If that was supposed to be a joke, Amanda sure as hell didn’t get the dark humor or could even understand if this was an inside joke Itsuki had with Chisuke. Or was the joke directed at her? Amanda had been getting tossed around alot today, an alarming amount.
Dahlia paled and even flinched back at how Itsuki’s fingers cracked as he flexed them. She was no doubt sure Itsuki meant what he said. The rumors and gossip from her peers about him was that he broke the first year in, and by broke, they had meant it literally. Bones, face, leg, spirit, will, if you had something that could break, Itsuki could reduce it to pieces, damned or not. She had to swallow her hesitation, and fear.
He’s a good person, under all that.. That.. eeriness. He’s a good person.. Right?
She had to recall that Itsuki was like any other human. That when she had been saved from the bad men of her dreams and nightmares of her tragic youth, the people who saved her had murdered people to do it. Was it right, was it wrong? Yes or no? Dahlia wasn’t sure, all she was sure was that she was glad that those bad men were dead and that she wanted to help people, she wanted to be an explorer.
Her hands trembled as they came close to touch the dismembered stump of what remained of Itsuki’s left arm. A white of bone was sticking out. She held it with both hands and focused as she tried to get her bearings.
I can do this, just concentrate. Remember how I did it before back home, back with Mana.
Controlling core energy externally was a mystic’s trait. It was their highest acclaimed ability. They could conjure and cast spectacular phenomena that defy the laws of physics and thermodynamics. But that took training, years of it, and a degree of focus that needed to be rock solid. Itsuki knew all this and for a fact knew Dahlia was constrained. She did well in hiding it, the emotional discord inside her, under that trembling and meek exterior.
It was like two sides of a coin. One side of Dahlia hated all humans. That was the version of her that was trapped in a cell from so long ago. And the other aspired to be an explorer, the one who came out of that cell, who repressed the memories and was naive in coming to this academy. She wanted to be an explorer.
Just like her parents. But she won’t.. She can’t do it.. Not with her inner turmoil as it is. Everything I know tells me she doesn’t have what it takes, but who am I to choose for her. I’m not them, I’m not her parent, I’m not them.
Itsuki wondered when was the last time he visited their graves, though there wasn’t much to mourn over. There weren’t any bodies or coffins to bury. Only a rock that was marked in a graveyard by the survivors of that tragedy he and his comrades were unable to stop in time. By now, after all these years, the graveyard of that burned down village the survivors came back to, was probably a city by now, flourishing without them. So that rock was just a rock in a vast graveyard, to be forgotten yet always remembered as it weighed down on the earth, and his conscience.
Not just mine. Itsuki thought. Chisuke, S1, everyone.
He felt no real depression from this, that time was only a mission, a job he was hired for. But really? Was that all?
I’m in denial. Aren’t I?
Dahlia continued to hold Itsuki’s arm, Chisuke noticed how Dahlia was muttering, probably chanting. She got louder and then.. The air stirred, like a breeze was coming in.
“Protect.. Protect.. Protect.” Dahlia said. “Protect all who suffer on this earth, may the earth supplant and support all, for which it returns to the source. Wood to fire to ash to earth, the cycle continues and continues for all of time. Let not the fire take us to eternal ash, instead let the life the earth gives flourish on. Force the fire to stay its hand, to still, to turn back and remember its purpose. Destruction is not the way, the way is the cycle, the cycle is growth. The cycle is eternal, so fire is eternal.”
As she spoke and spoke, wisps of green light suffused the air around Itsuki. His blonde hair blew with the breeze as the singed and split ends unfrayed. The cuts on his face ebbed away, the blood evaporating and steaming off his skin.
Amanda had to blink, before she gasped, “Woah! Amazing.”
She hadn’t thought she’d see this kind of spectacular spectacle. It was like magic. And though she could do something similar, like conjure ice from thin air, seeing another mystic at work was fantasy-like. It was awe inspiring, plus Dahlia’s powers didn’t stop there.
Itsuki raised his left arm up as Dahlia’s hand let go of the exposed bone she had clasped. She hovered her hands across his arm, directing the flow of the green wisps of what he could recognize as core energy. But not just any core energy, not the kind that was within Dahlia or a human being. No, this was energy coming from the very earth, from the raw source of where core energy came from.
Looking down at his arm, Itsuki felt a return of sensation, and not just to his lower elbow that had numbed from the pain. No he felt fingers, the familiar motions of wiggling them back and forth. Yet when he checked he didn’t have those appendages, not until suddenly the green wisps of energy collected and shaped themselves into a solid visage of a glowing green hand, his hand. This was all Dahlia’s work, her power that he had read out. According to UN standards, her abilities had her ranked as B in core affinity and an A for versatility.
She was a possible match for him in versatility, though only one rank below S. And that meant she was the closest in being better than him in a certain aspect he took pride in. The ranking for versatility related to how well an explorer was in the ability to adapt and apply their physical skills and gifted powers to any situation.
Itsuki was a rounded grunt type explorer who excelled in every form of combat and every modern day weapon, it's what made him lethal and effectively able to counter any strategy thrown at him even though he didn’t have a high core affinity like other explorers. His diversification in several fields and types of training and handling of weapons had honed him over the years. He put more worth into his physical training and ability than a mystic would into their conjuration and spell casting.
Yet Dahlia, a student of all people, who wasn’t even an explorer yet and younger than him, could do this. She could regrow an arm, and at a speed unlike regular healing, unlike their current opponents who needed an hour. It was miraculous. He could never do such a thing, he couldn't, he didn't have her gift. And Itsuki knew this was only the start, the icing on the cake to what Dahlia could really do. He imagined just how much of a difference she could make if she truly became an explorer, and learned everything the academy had to offer. She was a Miracle child, Like her parents had said. But..
To me she’s hope.. The next generation, the ones who will take over when I’m gone, when I die. Itsuki was counting those days, and he counted the seconds too.
It all happened in less than a minute. The green glow of his arm faded. Itsuki no longer felt the lingering pains of all his wounds, and his skin, that had been marred with bleeding cuts, was smooth and undirtied. He sat there as he flexed his regrown arm, he heaved a deep breath and he didn’t flinch from pain. His ribs had been all cracked, but now he could breathe easier than before. Much easier, he felt at 100%, except his remaining core energy was somewhat lacking.
“Functional.” He said, as if unimpressed.
“Aren’t you going to say thank you?” Amanda said with a teasing smile.
“Aren’t you going to leave?” Itsuki said, side eyeing her. “You’re not doing anyone any good by just standing and watching.”
“Oh shut up, You’re insufferable.”
“Agreed.” Chisuke nodded, to which Itsuki belted him across the face with his new fist.
“Ow! What the hell, same side asshole!”
“Sorry, I needed to test it.” Itsuki said, still testing and wiggling his fingers. “And also, don’t you get stronger when you get hurt? Just suck it up like you always do, meat bag.”
He grinned, though Amanda was suspecting that he was trying to smile. Itsuki was horrible at that, so when he looked in Dahlia’s way she immediately tensed up. Then out of nowhere he patted her on the head with his new hand, he did it so casually that not even Dahlia noticed.
“Huh?” Itsuki cocked his head. “Looks like you got over it.”
“Uh.. Um.. yeah..” Dahlia blushed all of a sudden. “I remember.. About..”
“Don’t talk about it.” Itsuki said before she could finish, his tone was softer than before. “You don’t need to remember.”
Dahlia only nodded.
“What are you doing?” A voice chimed in at the side and apparently they had drawn in a crowd. Approaching them were Richard, Stella, Ikki, Shisuki, Gen, Osamu, and Mana. All the students Itsuki had recommended to 00 for his consideration were now here.
Osamu was leering at them, his hand on his chin as he scanned both Itsuki and Dahlia, moving his eyes up and down. He squatted next to Chisuke and said, “I think Itsuki is trying to steal your girl Chisuke, aren’t you going to do anything?”
Chisuke grunted and threw a punch at him.
Osamu dodged and Chisuke cursed under his breath. “I swear to god, If I wasn’t in so much pain, I would’ve smashed your face in just now.”
“Well no thanks to that, and I’m just kidding around.” Osamu said, amusedly watching as Dahlia scuttled away into Mana’s arms. He then hopped up on the tank to look out ahead of them. “So what now?” He asked.
“I’m guessing 00 told you all to come here?” Itsuki said. “It must mean he's come up with a plan. Haven’t you?”
[Query.. Correct, yet incorrect.] 00 said in their ears over the comms. [In light of new data and in need of new perspectives, I have been talking with a few of the individuals from your ranks. User Richard has proposed an idea.]
“Well let’s hear it.”
“Hold up.” Said S1.
Before Itsuki got up, S1 tossed something over to him. Itsuki snatched it with his new arm, testing if it really was as good as new.
“Take a look at what’s inside.” S1 said. “We used up most of the supplies you gave us to counter the other 6 enemy explorers, but there are some oddities in there that might be handy. Also.” He jumped off the tank and pulled at Itsuki’s tattered sleeve. Itsuki was almost bare chested at this point. “Can you hurry up and put on a new set of clothes, the ladies here might not take a shine to exposed skin, I can see the red haired girl over there blushing at your muscles.”
“What!” Stella piped up fuming. “I am not!” She shouted, then began stuttering as her words trailed off. “I was just.. Looking at his arms.. And.. comparing.” Oddly her eyes drew to Ikki, to which Shisuki immediately reacted and rounded on her.
She glared down at Stella. “How dare you look at my teacher that way, and stop eyeing my little brother you pervert!”
“For the last time, I’m not a pervert, and I wasn’t even looking at his muscles!”
“Ah ha! So you do admit to looking at teacher that way! And my Beloved Brother! How dare you!”
“NO!”
Richard facepalmed himself and sighed, grumbling. “God, these two can never get along.”
“But it’s fun to watch.” Amanda said as she moved to Richard’s side. “So what’s this idea you have?”
Suddenly put on the spot, and after getting Stella and Shisuki to settle down, all eyes were on him. Richard didn’t know where to start, but he could at least put his two cents in even if he wasn’t sure. He was sure that was what his grandfather would do, or that’s what Itsuki said about his grandfather, that the guy was gungho and always spoke his mind.
“It’s not much of an idea, I was thinking we’d attack from above.” Richard explained as he shrugged. “That's what I said to this 00 guy on the comms, then he went silent for a while, then all of a sudden said to come here, I have no real idea on how to tackle our current situation. It was just a suggestion.”
“No..” Itsuki nodded. “I think you’re onto something.”
S1 nudged him in the back. “That’s all well and good but can you please put some clothes on already, the red head is still looking.”
“I’m not! I swear!” Stella shouted, to which Shisuki grabbed the back of Stella’s head with both hands and began to squeeze.
To prevent another ensuing argument, Itsuki palmed the storage ring S1 had returned to him. It was a finger sized ring at the moment. When he brought it around to his wrist, it expanded and coiled around to fit perfectly. A few seconds later after scrolling through his screenless HUD, and then his tattered apparel shimmered away and was replaced by a camo attire.
Dahlia gave a small gasp, then went silent as Mana put a hand on her shoulder to steady her, likely worried about Dahlia’s fear of humans. Though she didn’t know yet.
“Now that takes me back.” S1 said, clapping Itsuki on the back. “You don’t happen to have a second one right? Or a third for Chisuke? From before?”
Itsuki gave him a look as if not to ask dumb questions, though the undertone of keeping to secrecy was what S1 understood. S1 was sure the others were not in the know and hadn't picked up on what he was implying. Itsuki threw on the camo cap and pulled the front low.
Dahlia had to stop the second gasp in her throat from coming out.
It’s him, he was there. Not just that one time, but the time before, before I lost everything. On my birthday. But how is he.. But.. his name.. That face.. Why is he so short? He hasn’t grown?
She had so much to say, except she recalled what Itsuki said to her, To not talk about it. That she doesn't need to remember. Was he referring to the trauma, the heartache, and sadness she had kept locked up for all these years, or was it him he wanted her to forget, him along with Chisuke and S1.
Mana leaned in over her shoulder. “Dahlia, you alright?”
Dahlia shook herself. “No I’m fine, in fact I’m better than alright.. I’m.. I’m glad. And I’m.. kind of curious. But I’ll figure it out later.” A smile took shape on her lips and Mana hugged her from behind.
“Yeah..” Mana muttered. “We’ll, figure it out.”