Battle Scars I - The Immortal

Chapter 4: Curiosity

1

19 January 25,012

     I never really managed to fall into a good sleep, even when night came, and I was able to actually lay down. I would wake up sporadically, and I got up the next morning aching. I made my way slowly down the ladder and when I finally got to the floor, I made it a few steps before stumbling and taking a knee. The commotion awoke A, who sat up abruptly.

     "Whoa, you ok G?" I heard him get up off his bunk.

     "I think that I'll be fine. My legs have just never felt so sore is all." I tried forcing myself to stand back up as he came over to me. In truth, I don't think my whole body had been this sore since our intense muscle training.

     "Yeah, and we're about to go out to eat something that isn't slop." A said, putting a hand on my back and a hand on my chest in a supporting hold.

     "Hilari- AH!" I gasped as he put his hand on my chest.

     "Oh, sorry about that." He took it away quickly. "Do you need any help getting dressed?"

     "No, I believe that I can take care of it myself. Thank you though." I went over and put one hand on our dresser, opening the drawer for the shirts with my other one.

     We went down to the mess hall, meeting up with D as we went. We made our way through the line receiving our "slop" as A so eloquently put it and sat at a table. Once there, A and D began to eat but I couldn't bring myself to take more than small, spaced-out servings of food. My head ached and my body just hurt. I found myself absently looking at the Zantarian, 9l66v again. It was odd, but I didn't seem to think about my pain as much when I was looking at her or to think about anything else really for that matter.

     "Are you trying to stare a hole through that girl's head?" A asked, bringing me back to reality.

     "What, no, I just..." I trailed off, trying to think of what I wanted to say, but I wasn't even sure what that was. I had never really felt like this before. The closest thing I had to relate it to was my feelings towards A and D but distinctly different and with no grounding in past experience.

     "Uh oh, could it be that someone has finally rivaled training as your focus? It's about time you had something other than combat and studying on your mind." A smile danced onto D's face as she spoke.

     "Please, don't be ridiculous. I hardly even know that girl."

     A raised his eyebrows and leaned in a bit over his tray. "So perhaps you should stop staring at her, and maybe try talking to her."

     "What, why?"

     "Well, you seem confused on how you feel and why you feel the way you do. Usually talking with someone will help you to understand."

     I passed a glance at A, holding his gaze a moment. What he said made sense, but oddly enough there was a part of me that still wished to completely bypass this, though not out of disinterest. A tilted his head, giving me an expression which meant he was awaiting my response. I passed my gaze to D, to which she gave me a prompt.

     "Well?"

     I nodded.

     "You're right." I let out a deep sigh.

     Well, there was no getting them off it now. If I didn't follow through, I would hear about it every chance they got to remind me. Besides that, I might as well, it had to happen eventually at this rate.

     "Very well."

     I stood up and went over to her table, sitting down opposite of her. She was alone today as she was most other days, though I sometimes saw Y venture over to sit with her. He was off on his own today though.