Hidden Meanings

Eternal Loss [Rewrite]

Since I'm drained for Eternal Loss, but love the characters, here's a rewrite I thought of. 

Society had fallen.

That was just the truth. We were stuck here, in and out, with no choice of who we loved, what rank we had in society, when we died- nothing. 

Our jobs were decided for us. How many children we had. Who we married, who we loved. 

No, not loved. No one loved here.

Freedom was just a word here. If you were suspected of causing an uprising, you were killed. If you had any hints of liking anyone outside of your 'relationship', you were killed. If you were caught doing something that went against the rules; like all the others, you were killed. 

"Mounste!" Someone called, and I slid the guard's mask over my face, bringing a hand to my forehead as I turned in the direction of the voice.

The blue-and-gold-clad guard lifted his hand in a salute in response, and his other hand was tight on the silver-laced chains that locked around a woman's hands.

"She was found wandering in Area C," he grunted. "I checked her barcode, and she belongs to your Area B." 

I spared a glance at the woman, who stared at the ground instead of meeting my eyes. "All right."

With a final shove towards me, her chains went from the guard's hands to mine. 

Her glare- hardened, steeled grey eyes- burned into mine, as if daring me to back down and drop her chains now. 

"Take her away," the guard ordered, roughly jostling me with a hand on my shoulder.

"Of course, General Tasheru," I dipped into a quick bow before tugging at her shackles. "Come on, let's go." 

The red-haired woman didn't answer, just giving me another cold look before starting to walk towards Area B. After a small distance, she stopped and looked back at me, the chain pulled taut because of her distance. 

"... what did you get in here for?"

Still silence. As I started to shuffle forward, adjusting my helmet, she just turned away. 

"You know what, forget it. It's not like you'll tell me anyway," I sighed, and we started to walk again. It wasn't long before we arrived in front of a large gate that was labeled 'AREA B'. 

Two thin people- one male, one female- were positioned on either side of the gate, their lips curved into a frown as they stood.

"Place your index finger on the slit," the female said, boredom leaking into her tone. It was almost robotic, like she had repeated it dozens of times before. 

"You first," I murmured softly to the woman. She stepped up, and placed her hand on the imprint on the right of the gate, her index finger resting over a small slit. 

The male elf held out his hand below hers, and an electronic sound buzzed. A droplet of blood dropped from the prisoner's hand into the palm line of his, where it hissed before being absorbed into the skin. "Rei Harunana."

His female friend nodded and turned to the computer beside her, typing in the name. A picture of Rei appeared on screen, along with a 'Serving: 5 years. Served: 2 years.' and some other text. 

"Clear," he droned. "Wait here until your companion is also cleared." 

I did the same, stepping up to the imprint and pressing my hand to it. A prickle of pain registered to my mind before the blood of the elves seeped through, dulling the throb. 

Elves were almost extinct now, and the few scattered among the society of Saxier donated their blood to heal pain and close minor wounds. They were mostly used as gate elves- probably what these two where.

"Ferran Mounste," he said to the other guard. Moments later, my face appeared onscreen, but instead of the Serving/Served line, I had 'Occupation: Guard of Area B'.  

"Clear." 

As I pulled away from the hand imprint, the gates rumbled and pulled apart. 

"Rei's a pretty name," I commented, unable to stand the awkwardness.

"... if you are attempting to make at small talk, you're horrid at it." 

"I know." 

"Keep this is mind, Ferran," Rei drawled, putting a sheer malice into the last word. "Attachment is forbidden. Everything is forbidden here."

With that, she whipped on her heel, and with a sharp tug, walked away. I had allowed the chain to fall from my loose grip once we had entered Area B. Her bright red hair was evident against the dim lighting, and I watched it until she disappeared into her cell. 

"Yo, Fer, who was that?" 

I looked sideways at the voice. The dark hair and the milky eyes told me immediately who it was.

"Vivian," I greeted my blind friend. 

Vivian slid her helmet off her head, shaking her locks free from her collar.

 "Once again, who was that?" She asked, shifting her feet around in the dirt.

"Just a prisoner that was found wandering in Area C."

"Ah," she commented. "Our shifts nearly over. Want to join me for lunch?" 

Sure enough, when I glanced at the small red clock at the top of the gate, the minute hand was close to the one. "All right. You sure your brother won't get mad?"

Vivian giggled. "Drake won't get mad," she said, tugging at my arm. "He's a very forgiving person."

Vivian's brother, Drake, was a commander of the high imperial army. He was one out of two, and just below the general of the whole army. Usually, rules of our society mattered more then more to the army, but like she had said, Drake was very forgiving. 

"You two!" A guard barked. "Contact between guards like that is forbidden!"

In surprise, I glanced at where her fingers had wound around my upper arm. "I apologize," I called back, nudging her hand away.

"Sorry," Vivian whispered to me, her tone short and clipped. 

"It's fine," I responded. "It's just that we need to remember attachment is weakness."