Imperfect Life: Arc 7

Chapter 12

Crys woke up. It was the middle of the night again. To her unsurprise, Seinhou was facing her down once again. She narrowed her eyes and scowled with anger.

"This is getting real tiring." She said through gritted teeth.

"That's good to know." Seinhow said calmly. "Any other feelings you wish to share with the class?"

Crys settled for staring at her antagonizer coldly.

"No?" Seinhou asked, not really caring. "Good. Now then, how did that history test go for you?"

Crys felt a shiver run down her spine. "Leave me alone already!" She demanded. "Stay out of my life!"

Seinhou gave a small smile. "I can't afford not to. Someone has to keep you in check, after all."

Crys kept scowling as she clutched her blankets tightly just to keep herself from doing something stupid.

"Your performance last night was rather interesting." Seinhou said. "It was quite helpful to understand you better."

"You set it up." Crys accused in realization.

"Oh, of course." Seinhou said as if it was a no-brainer. "It would have been better if that low-life wouldn't have blabbed about being paid off, but it was no real issue."

"Why?" Crys snarled.

"Did you not hear what I had just explained?" Seinhou asked rhetorically. "My, you really do metronome between rather clever and especially dull."
Crys growled a little, despising the insult.

"I needed to see how you would act in such a scenario, so therefore, I created the scenario. It is not that difficult to understand." Seinhou explained.

"You put people in danger!" Crys pointed out.

"For a good purpose." Seinhow said flatly.

"Didn't you say your secret organization was supposed to help people!?"

"What I explained was this: the organization I am a part of makes sure humanity does not destroy itself. That does not mean we step in for every little skirmish and petty squabble. No, we only deal with the serious things, which happens to include lycanthropes such as you." Seinhou said, his voice filled with disdain as he hung on his last word.

"Hypocrite." Crys said, still very much angry.

Seinhou gave a single small laugh. "You're nothing but a teenager. You would not, and do not, understand."

"Was it even worth it? Hmm?" Crys taunted. "What precious information did you learn about me that was so important?"

"I learned how you act. How you react. How you handle that sort of situation. It was well worth it." Seinhou said.

That wasn't the answer Crys wanted. She hated getting vague answers all the time. "So are you happy now? Can you finally just leave me alone!?"

"Oh, I'm afraid not. No, not at all." Seinhou said. "You see, that was only the beginning. I have other things planned for you, other tests that will help me not only understand you better, but also help me prove that you are nothing other than a threat."

"I. Am not. A threat." Crys said through gritted teeth.

"Believe what you want, werewolf. If your fantasy helps you to sleep at night, then by all means, keep believing it."

Crys twitched. She hated sitting still, she hated being threatened, and she hated Seinhou.

"Don't let the bedbugs bite." Seinhow said flatly.

Crys immediately felt the wave of exhaustion again and it took her back to sleep.

When morning rolled around, Crys woke up to her alarm sounding. She frustratedly kicked off her covers, sat upright, took her pillow, and screamed into it in fury. Once she had let out her anger, Crys put back her pillow, and then she cried.

"He showed up again last night." Crys said quietly as she and Brandon were walking to school. It was the first thing she had said to him all morning.

Brandon had noted Crys' quieter attitude earlier. He knew it meant something was wrong, but he didn't know what it could have been until now. "Seinhou?"

Crys nodded a little as a response. "He set up that robbery I stopped. He paid the two guys to rob the store just so he could see how I'd handle it."

Brandon went quiet. He didn't know what to say next.

"I-I can't do anything anymore." Crys continued.

"What do you mean?" Brandon asked in concern.

"I'm not in control of my life, Brandon." Crys said, snapping a little. "Sorry..." She added on. "I-" She sighed.

Brandon frowned. He put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Connor keeps messing with us, I'm the go-to person for gossip at school, a madman keeps waking me up in the middle of the night, and now that same person is arranging things just to study me... I don't feel like I'm in control of my own life anymore." Crys said, filled with gloom.

"We... We'll figure things out. We'll uh..." Brandon struggled to try and comfort Crys.

Crys gave a little grin for a second as she looked at Brandon. She appreciated that he was trying. "Thanks." She said.

"I really wish I was able to help." Brandon said. "I hate seeing you have to go through all this."

Crys stayed quiet for a moment. "You could always use your necklace." She said flatly.

"I-" Brandon started to say.

"I know..." Crys interrupted. "I know."

"I'm sorry."

"I just wish Seinhou would leave me alone."

"Me too."

"Do... Do you think I could just stick with you tonight?"

"Of course."

The two friends kept walking in silence to get to school.