Archcore: Echo of Ion

[06] - [The Augmented Humans]

Petra and Shay had come on their day off the Nerissa's dorm, presenting both her and Azuma with food before coming inside. When inside, the two were in awe at the size of it, especially due to the fact it was all Nerissa's.

"Anyway, I wanted to apologize for Chelsea the other day." Petra started, "If we had known or if Emil told us, we wouldn't have brought you with us."

"No, I think it was mostly on me." Azuma quickly said, "Finding unexpected company in your own home does have some serious problems. After all, your home is the place you should feel most safe, right?"

Petra and Shay looked at each other after hearing Azuma's explanation.

"Azuma will do just about anything so that blame falls mostly on himself." Nerissa sighed.

"Yeah, but Chelsea still doesn't get along with new people." Shay quickly added, "As it is, she finds me and the other guys annoying."

"That's everyone." Petra said before laughing. Nerissa laughed a bit as well, while Azuma only smiled.

"But I'm sure given enough time, she might get used to you, Azuma."

Azuma was about to speak, but his notebook lit up with a message, calling for his attention from the others, "Who is it?" Nerissa asked. Azuma said nothing as he looked over the message, reading it over before setting it down and looking at Nerissa, "It's from Eld. He wants to fight me."

The room was silent after Azuma spoke, allowing it all to sink in.

Meanwhile, not long after sending the request to Azuma, Eld left the sphere, traveling by a train to reach another sphere. But as he got onto the train, he stopped for a moment upon seeing Noir in the same train. When their eyes met, he was surprised before composing himself almost immediately as he sat across from her.

"You really intend on fighting?" Noir asked.

"I do." Eld said, "Not only just to fight, but ever since its first fight, I've wanted to know more about the Raven. In that fight, I felt something inside it, I know you did as well, Noir. Why else would you take interest in it and Azuma? You, the girl that never cares, suddenly has an interest in Azuma."

"Which one do you think he is?" Eld asked, "If he has a Dreadnought like that, chances are he's like us."

"An augmented human?"

"Well, that too. But that isn't what I'm referring to. There's more that the three of us have in common than just that after all."

"That's what makes me so much more curious about Azuma. After all, maybe if things turned out different, I could've been friends... rivals even. Instead that will have to be a wishful thought."

The train eventually came to its stop. Getting up from his seat, Eld walked to the doors as they opened. Looking back, he saw Noir still sitting down, her eyes looking to her lap, "Maybe I'll make a request to fight him outside the colony. Piloting those types of Dreadnought together could be dangerous inside after all."

Noir finally looked up at Eld, only to see him walking away as the doors closed shut.

"How would Azuma have more in common with us than that?" Noir asked herself, "Does Eld believe Azuma is a... is he?"

It was the third sphere Eld had come to. A place that held many large warehouses as it was located near the industrial area. Eventually, he had come to a warehouse that had large letters and numbers painted in red on the door. Matching a key he had with him, Eld opened the doors, allowing the outside light to enter.

As the light came in, it shined off a glossy metal, reflecting back into the outside. As Eld came into the area, his eyes began to adjust before he saw the shape of a Dreadnought. It sat at the other end of the warehouse, multiple cables running into its body from the ground. Much of its armor was a deep blue and glossy deep purple. Its overall build was thin, yet still large enough that it gave off an imposing threat. Eld simply smiled as he saw it.