Core Memory (Lolix)

Chapter Six

Why had Locus agreed to this again?

Even if Felix could remember nothing about his past, he really hadn't changed a bit, spending the first ten minutes of their walking time chatting his ears off about what he had been doing during the morning.

"Then, one of our chickens, 'Lina, fucking nipped at me when I was trying to check for any eggs. I almost threatened to cook her for dinner because of that shit, fucking hurt like hell."

"Lina?"

Locus questioned, not because he was particularly interested in the topic, but because the less Felix pried about him, the better.

"Yeah, like Carolina, y'know, two of the states in America? 'Lina is a fucking bitch of a chicken so I thought it would fit her well to give her a nicer sounding name, the opposite of her personality."

Carolina, huh? He eyed Felix slightly, watching as the other proceeded to get into the topic of how he got to name the chicken and how much the Callahans had liked the name, though were amused at the reasoning.

Felix seemed to know little things about himself, while also not knowing them at the same time. He was met with an attitude he hadn't liked and promptly named it after someone he knew with the same attitude.

Interesting.

"Anyways, besides that, you never told me how you knew me."

He could feel Felix's eyes on him, almost burning holes into his helmet.

"We were in the army together, then later became co-workers and have been working together until recently."

"Really? Shit, we stuck around each other for that long? How did you not get tired of me?" He laughed, almost shaking his head in disbelief.

"Trust me, there were times where I felt like killing you," Locus muttered, recalling all the times he was close to just snapping after endless remarks or actions the other would do to purposely get on his nerves.

"How much do you even remember?" Locus then found himself asking, taking note of how Felix's shoulders slightly slumped at the topic change.

"Well, I remember my name, of course, and I'm thirty-four. Recently though I found out I'm pretty damn amazing with knives, securing myself more time in the kitchen as the designated cook of the household and entertainer with my amazing knife tricks." Felix then paused as he glanced up to Locus, "And when I try remembering things, a figure with an X on its face shows up instead."

There was a silence that had followed them. How was Locus to respond to that? Claim that it was him? Or tell him that he didn't believe him on what he would see?

"Oh! I also realized that I look fucking cool as shit in my armor!" Felix exclaimed, killing the silence as quickly as it had come.

So it was Felix who set off his tracker, and there was no real reason for Locus to be there on Chamber anymore. Yet, he couldn't imagine himself leaving while Felix was still there, breathing and alive.

"You don't really talk much, huh?"

"You would always talk enough for the both of us." Locus mused, wondering if they even had a set direction or designation that they were walking to.

Felix huffed a small laugh as they continued their way. The silence between them seeming more comfortable and manageable.

They were now in a busy area of Chamber, people gathering around in their respective circles or crowing in front of little stands selling their goods. Stores seemed lively and bright, even when it was nearing noon. They were all so...happy. Unaware of anything that was happening or already happened above them.

Felix then grabbed him by the wrist, something that had almost made Locus immediately pull away, and dragged him to a nearby shop, "You still never picked something out for me to get you," Was all he offered as an explanation. Though, upon seeing what the store was for, one wasn't needed.

Looking through the window in the short amount of time he had, it was a candy shop. The walls were painted a light pink color while the edges were a darker shade. There were plenty of isles filled to the brim of different types of candy and sweets, from the smallest to the biggest kind. Locus slightly grimaced at the personification of tooth decay as he was dragged through the doors, a little bell going off above them to announce their arrival to whoever was working there at the time.

"Everyone likes some form of candy, so maybe you can find something here. They have everything, like, shit from Earth and every other planet kind of everything."

He...really didn't belong in here. Everything about him was the complete opposite of his surroundings. While the shop was bright, pink, and joyful, he was dark, full of greys and greens, and...not exactly the most joyful. He was also the only one wearing full armor, and well, armor in general. So while there were happy couples, parents, and children walking around, there he was, being big, scary, and intimidating. He wanted to leave as soon as he had set foot inside.

While Felix has his back turned to him he could just...leave. Leave and not turn back, get away from Chamber, and away from Chorus, and especially away from Felix.

Yet, when presented with different options of candy to pick from that Felix had decided to show him, he found himself picking out a large bag of nothing but M&M's.

He watched the way Felix's face scrunched, a sign of him holding himself back from laughing at the choice.

Felix then left his side to get himself something as well. Another opportunity to leave, to get away, but no, he stood there and waited for him to come back.

When he did return, he held an assortment of smaller candies in his hands. Cheap things like the little tubes of sugar, lollipops, and taffy.

Had Felix always been such a sweet tooth? Or was this a new discovery now that he wasn't living in his old lifestyle anymore?

Felix had paid for their things with the money he had on hand, and Locus was relieved to finally be able to leave.

"So...Want to come back with me? We can talk more in private. I figured by the way you were surprised to see me, and how you mentioned how we recently stopped working together that...things didn't go quite well between us, huh?"

He couldn't quite describe the look on Felix's face as he spoke. He wasn't sure how to break the news to him that he was basically a murderer, and how Locus had betrayed him and was one of the reasons behind his fall. He wasn't going to just tell him nothing though...

"Yeah, I'll come back with you. We'll talk more there."

What was the point of leaving if he was just going to run back anyway?