Ariqa's quest: Origins of Maria

Secret chapter 11

Victun's point of view

It has been a few weeks since I came back from being a failure, and although it was daunting at first, I realised that it was what I do, but for a good cause.

It was New Year's Eve, and I decided to return back to my safe house to spend the rest of the festival here before coming back home.

I got in the safe house where I got to the top floor where there was a kitchen, a living room with an old fashioned TV, a bathroom and two bedrooms.

As it was the morning, I decided to head to the left bedroom and sleep for the morning.

I woke up and checked the analogue clock.

It was 1:35 pm.

I got up and decided to get some lunch when I came across Saibar watching the TV, and the TV itself had the modern advancements we have today, just in a deceiving look.

I looked back at the TV on what Saibar was watching. There was that animation show that the Enforcer wasn't so keen on, which reminds me of the discussion I had with the Enforcer for when that bulky robot visited me two days ago...

Two days ago...

The Enforcer's point of view

I lightly knocked on Victun's door where his apartment was in Psychic City, It still came out sounding like I was attempting to break in, but I'm still getting used to the upgrades that I received.

For exactly 7 weeks, 5 days, 3 hours, 12 minutes, and 20 seconds, I have been secretly worried about Victun. I may have been a very concerning male robot to Boris, who is not just who I work with as a best friend, but I know that he has a son.

A son who may not have had much experience compared to his father, but to me, he was a sort of a nephew I cared for.

Even if it means occasionally visiting him and playing fairly with board games due to my limited programming with board games and other stuff he does, even when my best friend is around.

I waited for 6.8 seconds before Victun opened the door.

Me: "Greetings, young Victun."

Victun let me in before closing the door.

Me: "How's your life been going, agent?"

Victun sat down, I tried my best to lower down carefully on to his luxurious sofa, but my positioning went off, and thumped down on the sofa.

"God Fucking damn it!" I said as I immediately scanned the sofa for damage. Luckily, no damage was done. I guess the laws of psychics must have a glitch at the time.

Victun looked a bit surprised as analysed by cameras with my facial expression analysis software.

Me: "My apologies, young Victun."

Victun looked calm after I apologised, embarrassingly.

Victun: "I'm OK, so what about you since we don't work together anymore?"

I checked my records with the people employed. I used my software to search up Victun. Turns out that he was supposed to be suspended for six weeks due to a botched attempt to arrest two thieves stealing from Miss Doubtfire who died on the scene, but he quit.

The eye turned red and growled quietly.

Me: "Why... Why did you leave?"

Victun said calmly, "Because I don't need the stress to get to me, hence why I am working in a stall in Steamburg."

My eye turned blue and moved back until my back completely rested to the sofa in surprise.

Me: "Didn't Alynx work for a Guild who originally sold stuff in Steamburg before becoming a merchant, mechanical, building, and potion making Guild as it is today?"

Victun: "Yeah."

Victun shrugged.

Back to the present day, Victun's point of view.

Me: "But this Guild has something which I had dreamt of since I was a kid, wanting to add infrastructure to electric cars back in my old home."

The Enforcer: "I know. Your father told me that after you managed to intercept your first criminal..."

Saibar: "So both your father and your former employer are both in the animation special..."

I turned around. Saibar was standing up and looking at me.

"... No wonder you are here."

I walked towards Saibar. She was the first person who I became friends with after joining the Viper Guild. She was timid, hard working, and had glasses back then.

Now 14 years later, I was reunited to her, who she now was still hard working, just she had red hair, then the brown hair she had back then, and was less timid than before.

I got to Saibar and hugged her. She hugged back a bit more tightly than usual. She must have missed me.

Me: "It was been a long time."

We then stopped hugging.

Later in the evening. 10 minutes til the mark of New Year's Day...

We were both in the street, watching the New Year's Eve parade come to an end. There were a total of 21 floats. Three for each of the regions in Maria.

As the last float, which was a jungle themed float that depicts rival tribes fighting to the death for territory, we both went back to the safe house which was a 3 minute walk away from where we were watching.

Along the way home, Saibar asked, "Do you think we'll one day achieve what those people back in the Wastelands weren't able to do 50,000 years ago?"

It was years since I worked for the Viper guild, and the reason why I have joined didn't come back as to why I didn't come back until now.

I sighed.

Me: "Unless something terrible happens that gets most of them killed, I don't think that will happen anything soon."

Saibar sighed, "Fair enough."

We both walked up to the safe house and got to the top floor of the safe house.

We got to the middle of the open plan kitchen/living room where Saibar got my left hand with her left hand and went over her left arm before she asked this:

"Do you regret killing Alynx?"

I hesitated. I can remember when she asked 14 years ago.

Saibar: "Is it done?"

Me: "Yes."

Saibar: "What did it cost?"

Me: "A friend who I was currently dating..."

I could remember hugging Saibar when I began to cry about the death of Alynx.

Me: "... I... I do regret that..."

I started to cry.

Me: "... Because she hadn't of... Got to where I was in... The wrong place and at the wrong time... Then... We would have gotten married and had children... Children that would grow up in a world without therians..."

I hugged Saibar. This time, I hugged her tighter than usual. She hugged me lightly.

We both stopped hugging after a while.

Saibar looked sorry for me.

Saibar: "I can understand... But I will always be with you..."

I blinked.

An imaginary Alynx was in front of me. A girl who I dated who didn't have the gun shots I inflicted to save both my skin and my employer's futures that was on the line.

Imaginary Alynx: "... As one... Until the end."

10...

I blinked.

9...

Saibar was still there.

8...

We both moved closer to each other.

7...

We touched each others lips.

6...

In a tongue dance.

5...

Before we touched each others backs with our own hands.

4...

Then I moved forward whilst Saibar moved back.

3...

The left bedroom door opened...

2...

We both tripped over the bed...

1...

As I lay on top of Saibar in the bed.

Steamburg citizens outside: "HAPPY NEW YEAR! :D"

And we both finished kissing. Saibar looked more timid than usual while I was a little bit happy.

Me: "Happy New Year, Saibar."

Saibar: "Happy New Year, Victun."

And so we continued what we were doing. I don't remember the rest of the night, but what I remember waking up the next morning was that both of us were under the covers in bed in modesty...