Finding Them

Chapter 21: Hello 057

Mera

After hearing Elryria's words I disappeared into the door darkness. The door faded behind us as I walked forward. A chill ran through me as the hallway opened up into a cavern filled with glowing trees. At the center of it sat a figure with white hair.

"I have a bad feeling about this" I whispered to Noka

"And so you should" The figure said standing and turning to me her dark red eyes piercing my light red ones "Hello 057"

She was smiling as she spoke. Fangs poked out of her mouth they almost looked as though they would cut into her lips. Her hair is white and straight with nothing in it. She wore shirt with no vest and black pants. There was no mistaking who she was

"Hello 057" I echoed back to myself "Though I go by Mera"

"Right you do" 057 said still smiling as her eyes flicker to blue. Like the fog. "Sorry Mera. I forgot that you are trying to pretend that you are not a monster" I flinched slightly but kept my voice steady as I spoke

"What are you doing here?" I asked not moving

"What am I doing here. Shouldn't I be asking you that" 057 said

"You know why I am here."

"Do I?"

"Yes, you know I am here to find Captain"

"You're right" she said "I do know that but if I know that then shouldn't you know why I am here"

"I'm not you" I said "but you are me."

"Confusing"

"Indeed"

"Oh what a fancy word! Did General teach you that?"

"He taught us that" I replied

"Oh right." she smiled "I have a question for you"

"Don't you already know that answer?"

"Does that matter? I want to hear you say it"

"Fine what is it?"

"Why do you call him General? He told you his real name and yet you never use it?"

"General is a code name as all the Elites names are. How could I call him anything else?"

"Oh that wasn't the answer I was hoping for"

"I'm sorry"

"You're not"

"How would you know?"

"Because I am you"

"But you are not" I said "You are a reflection of me and therefore not me. Just a copy. The moment you stopped being me was when you were created. When you split. You know how I used to feel but have no idea how I feel now"

"I hate the fact that we notice things like that" she said sadly but her mouth was still smiling "When did we become so smart? I thought we were just a pathetic lab experiment. When did we learn so much?"

"We had to learn to blend in"

"So we aren't really smart. We just have to pretend to be smart so no one knows. How boring. Life was so much simpler when you were 057"

"Life also hurt more when I was only 057"

"But doesn't it hurt now? Just in a different way."

"I'd rather hurt as Mera than as 057" I said

"Is that so? But don't you miss not thinking? Not needing to pretend to be something we're not? We aren't Mera. We are 057. A number in a long line. Their only success. Didn't you like being a success?"

"We weren't a success. We were just a number. They didn't care about us. They didn't care about me. General does"

"And yet you call him General instead of David. He's told you to call David but you refuse. What sort of thanks is that?"

"You are jumping all over the place" I said shaking my head "Do you want me to be Mera or 057?"

"I want you to be happy" 057 said "You'll only be happy when you accept the fact that you are a monster. A creature created for fighting, a creature made to die. You'll only be happy when you tell David that you only have so little time left. Why lie to him? You'll only hurt him."

"If I tell him it will hurt him"

"Then leave."

"Leave?"

"Yes, leave him behind. You only hurt him by existing. I mean he already sent you away. He doesn't want you around. He doesn't want a monster by his side. Doesn't want a monster as his family"

"He would have killed me if he felt that way" I said firmly

"Would have he? Do you really think that?"

"I know that!"

"You sound awfully sure for someone who hates herself. I mean you think you're a monster, don't you? Why should anyone think anything else?"

"Shut up"

"You know Lun hates you and Elryria is probably just pitying you. Not to mention that none of the familiars want to touch you except the one with you. Do you really think Noka likes you? Ha! What a joke! No one likes us"

"Don't listen to her" Noka said head butting my cheek.

"I'm not" I said

"You're not? That's quite rude"

"Nothing you say is true" I said stepping forward "You are here to stop me from progressing. You'll say anything to make me stay"

"Shut up"

"You are a trick. An illusion. Like the fog was. You take everything I say and think and twist it into something bad"

"Enough!"

"You're not a copy of me. Or a creature of the labyrinth. You are a being that feeds of the energy of the magic of the gods"

"Fine!" And suddenly 057 is no longer there. Instead there is a girl with scars covering her face. She has a single flower in her short hair. She's a ghost "I'm not you"

"No you're not. You're a ghost"

"That's right. I am a ghost who died by my own hand. Everyone called me a monster and a freak because of the scars that mark my skin. I didn't, no I don't, want you to fall down the same path"

"You're beautiful" I whispered "How could anyone call you a monster?"

"How could you call yourself one?" she said though her cheeks were slightly red

"I am a monster. You who must have died years ago must know of what the Furies are and what they were made for"

"That doesn't make you like them"

"No, but it gives me the possibility to be like them. One wrong step and I am them"

"You don't know that"

"But I do and so do you" I sighed

"I believe that you will be an exception. You will be the Fury who was Kind"

"You have high hopes for someone you've only just met"

"I think I know you quite well actually" 

"And I don't know you at all. Goodbye beautiful ghost. I will pray that Mortem will one day lead you to the stars"

"I will pray with you" she said and then faded away

"What was that all about" Noka asked as I moved forward

"Nothing important" I sighed "Let's go get Captain"

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One more to go after this. Just thought I'd give you a heads up

-Lily