Nightmare Fantasy 2: A soldier's story

Chapter 12: Frozen Identity.

Chaos blinked as she slid out of her private bed in the Estrinkan palace. She stood and looked out to see an utterly white and chilly scene. She never anticipated she'd ever be staring out of such a place. Tribrinkians even infiltrating for spy work, never got this close in their lives to the tight Estrinkan palace. The staff was too tightknit and knew each other for years as family and close friends. An outsider was never welcomed.

Another form roused on an adjacent bed next to hers. Hissori studied her without word. Chaos pondered how to address their relationship as she studied the bruised eye she, herself, had given the woman that night in the Aneiyan ruins. She did have to admit a great deal of guilt over that.

She slowly slid into her private pack to reveal her secret makeup kit. Since traveling on so many missions, she created an extremely compact and concise kit that was no bigger than her palm. Hissori looked over at her ever so carefully as she crouched down and wary.

Chaos came at the edge of Hissori's bed and sat cross-legged. "I admit I was wrong to strike at you in the rain. Can I apologize sincerely and make amends?"

"There is nothing you can say that would ever make us allies, Elite," Hissori seethed. "Someone like you could never be trusted. You're slimier than a slug. You and that blonde nightmare!"

Chaos figured as much as she sighed. Though the kick was probably the only real thing she'd ever personally done to her, Chaos couldn't run from her reputation. She wasn't going to make a friend here, but they had to get along.

"Alright, missy, that's a nasty tongue, but we all still have to play nice. I apologize for breaking the 'Being nice' rules already. Now, being a gal of action, I want to formulate a peace where we can coincide and form a tolerable arrangement. If Sky and Marix can manage to suck it up and work together, we can. That bruise looks awful, and I did that. We have enough attention as it is here, I require you to sit still and let me place some concealer to lighten it a bit. I'm sure you loathe everybody staring at you all day, too."

Hissori glared at her hatefully as Chaos simply studied her. She felt like she was back at the old barracks again, and it was draining. No wonder she never made any girlfriends. This was exhausting, and she hardly had time for it. In a solemn voice and neutral face, Chaos resorted to simple commands. She loathed it, but Hissori, raised Tribrinkian through and through, followed the prompts without hesitation. It sickened Chaos, but it was like Hissori became more calm. It was something Hissori could expect out of Chaos.

"Don't move, tilt your head, turn, turn," Chaos directed, trying to avoid how disturbed she felt. Looking at her finished work, Hissori's face was painted perfectly like a doll. That hateful look still permeated her being, and she acted as if she were a prisoner following orders than anything. A knock on the door alerted both of them to carefully stare in that direction, but also never disregarding the other woman.

"Come in," Chaos shot out.

The door opened to a pair of alert green eyes. Chaos greeted them welcomingly, but the expression never formed on her face. She didn't want to be stuck monitoring this intense creature every moment of the day, and for how long? It felt like a bear trap on her foot that chained her down. His presence gave a little reprieve from Hissori's constant watch.

"I want to do a perimeter check again today and city walkthrough before Guard finishes his meetings with Seir. Get ready, and we'll be out," Marix ordered firmly. It kind of caught Chaos off guard for a moment in his briskness. She supposed Hissori was the result. He never had to painfully verbalize his thoughts to her, and half the time, she already understood him. It was reminiscent of an equal standing not superior and subordinate.

He approached Hissori, taking out one of his coms. Hissori began panting in absolute terror as he approached in a mild, modest way. "I would like to see your right forearm, please."