10 Minute Tales

Mar 6

The interview room beckoned. Its cold, grey stone walls were interrupted only by a large, clear wall. On either side of this wall was a desk, an intercom speaker sat on each one. Sat in front of the other desk, grinning to herself, was Rose. She still had the crimson hair that she had been known for, but without the supplies to style it, it drooped down beyond her shoulders. Her piercing, green eyes stared at Queenson as he entered.

"About time." she commented. She raised an arm to rest it on the table, the metal of her augmentation clanging quietly against the table. The arm was green, and though it sported thorns originally, these had been removed. "Is my lovely sister here?"

"... I'm here." Alyssa muttered. "And I'm not your sister."

"Oh, sister, so soon with the aggression." she sighed. Queenson didn't understand it; Rose had switched languages flawlessly.

"Speak Common." Alyssa insisted.

"If you will hear my message, it shall be in my language." Rose snapped, clenching a fist. "What shall it be?"

"... fine." Alyssa huffed, having switched languages too. "Speak."

"Why should I speak? After all, you haven't even asked how I am." Rose grinned. She was clearly in control, clearly in power. Alyssa growled briefly, but sighed.

"Fine. How are you?"

"Oh, not bad." she chuckled, her eerie grin broadening. "Prison's been a little harsh, but it's comfortable enough."

"Prison isn't about comfort! You know something, don't you?"

"About what?" she tilted her head playfully, giggling softly.

"Why the president is killing innocents!"

"Innocents?" Rose's grin vanished as she sat up. "There is no such thing as an innocent person. All I did down there was what you couldn't." she leaned in, gripping the table with both hands. "I plucked out the weeds. I trimmed the dead heads. I disposed of the bad apples."

"Killing isn't right, no matter what! That's why we have Sinis, that's why you're still alive!"

"Am I?" Rose huffed, sitting down again with some force. "When I was brought in, I was convinced I had lost everything. The nature down there is screaming, little sister, and I'm not there to protect it. I'm disappointed that you won't attempt to finish what I could not."

"We aren't all like you, Rose."

"Please, I insist." she stared into Alyssa's eyes. "Call me sister."

"... sister..." she muttered, almost spitting the word out. "I know we're hurting the planet. The water down there..."

"Ah, yes, your little addition. How does it feel, being inhuman?"

"Shut up." she huffed. "This was my choice..."

"A most curious choice, I think. That ball up there is more orange than blue, but you insisted on preparing yourself for the abyssal depths. Very forward thinking."

"Do you have it yet?" Queenson asked, making Alyssa almost flinch in surprise.

"N-not yet, sir, sorry." Rose chuckled.

"Sir? Does he mean that little to you?" she teased, her familiar grin back.

"That's personal." she huffed, glancing away from both Rose and Queenson. "Please, sister... what can you tell me about the president? Why is he killing at random?"

"No attack is random, sister. It's just the case here. Why don't you ask him what it means to be human?"

"Huh?" Alyssa looked back at Rose, confused. "What it means...?"

"I mean as I say. You've heard what I'm willing to share." Rose sat back. "I'm done." she spoke in common. The guard on the other side nodded, moving to stand Rose up and take her away. Queenson just looked at Alyssa, confused and annoyed. Alyssa stared at Rose's back, thinking it over. What did it mean?