Destiny [YiZhan FF]

Chapter 23 - Maxi No. 17/ Zhan's real self

A/N: Before I left this morning, I managed to write one more chapter. I just forgot to publish it. Haha

EGO POV Yibo

Although I kept my eyes open and observed Maxi number 17, as requested by Zhan, and compared her with the other homunculus, I noticed nothing unusual about her. Nothing, in fact. Which was easily explained after I heard from Zhan's father that Maxi number 17 was special because she carried the memories of her predecessors.

I don't even remember exactly how Xiao Liang and I came up with this. I seem to remember that he saw me watching Maxi as she went about her work. Xiao Liang said, "She is very special. I have always implanted in her and her predecessors' memories. Therefore, she not only has the knowledge since I created her 4 months ago. But the knowledge of about 30 years."

"I see." I replied.

"She is thirsty for knowledge. She is very curious. And when she's not working, she's often in the library reading or in my lab watching me work. I know Zhan doesn't trust her, I see the way he looks at her and avoids her. But just because she's different doesn't mean she's bad."

"Mhm. But she is unusual. And recently she disobeyed an order from Zhan, which upset him a lot."

"Well, I think they just don't like each other. And Zhan apparently forgets that the other homunculus are also thirsty for knowledge and curious. They just hide it very well. Still, I often see them going to the library. I also sometimes hear them talking about some things they have experienced. They tell each other stories. And Maxi often tells them about her memories."

"Still, is there a possibility that Zhan might be right in his suspicions? After all, she was supposed to follow your orders. Yet she disobeyed his order, provoking him even more to doubt her."

"Yibo, I can't answer that question for you. Likewise, I could also ask if she even realizes that she is provoking Zhan like this? She treats him the way he treats her."

"But that's not right either. If she's just a magical helper, shouldn't she listen to Zhan instead of irritating him like that and disobeying his orders?"

"That's why I said she's special. True, she is only a magical helper, and as a homunculus, she has no heart. But that doesn't mean she's not still able to live, have feelings, or even dream. Even she can feel hurt when Zhan rejects her so openly. But that doesn't mean she would do anything to hurt Zhan because of it. So don't worry about it." He said.

That same night, I talked to Zhan about my observations and that I didn't notice anything. I explained to him what his dad told me and then I also told him that it was my first time dealing with such magical helpers and so I couldn't tell if she was really different from others. And after what Zhan's dad said to me, I was even less able to judge.

Zhan did nod and tell me it was okay and that he was grateful to me for keeping my eyes open anyway. But I didn't like the look he had on his face either.

But maybe I should have waited a little longer to talk to Zhan about it. After all, he wasn't in a good mood anyway, because there had been an accident during training in the afternoon and I had suffered a deep cut on my thigh.

It had started when we were training with knives. Zhan transformed and I reminded him again that he has to be at peace with himself, his normal side and his dark side, in order to unleash his full power. The vampire grumbled that it wasn't his fault if Zhan still couldn't accept his dark side.

His dark side was right about that, of course. I nodded and promised that I would talk to Zhan again. We then continued to train and tried to attack each other with the knives and defend against the attacks. All was well. Until I got thirsty and had a drink. When I went back to the mats, I didn't notice that one of my shoelaces had come loose.