Tales Of Sacrifice- Delta Protocol

Chapter 8

Answers.

For the rest of the day we just relaxed. Scarlet would just hang out on the couch watching TV, I would bring books out from my room, and go over different scenarios in my head, Xero on the other hand was sitting on the far end of the couch looking like she was in deep thought. She would occasionally nod or shake her head, but when either Scarlet or I would look over questioning her thoughts, she would smile and say “I’m alright, just thinking is all.” Scarlet seemed more cautious around Xero than I was, possibly due to the fact I let her join without letting Scarlet know why I let her.

“Scarlet, it’s fine. I’m sure she’s on our side, and if not, we can both take her down. I have Mimic and Dual Cerberus while you have Vertigo and your Wakizashis, which she gave to us. Any sane person wouldn’t hand a weapon that can defeat them to an enemy.” I said to reassure Scarlet. “I know, that’s not the issue. It’s just she looks like a miniature version of me, but we’re the same age.” Scarlet said. “That did strike me as odd too. I don’t remember a classmate having the same shade of hair color as you.” I said.

Wanting answers I asked Xero, “Excuse me if this is rude, but why do you look like Scarlet, but only smaller?” In response Xero said, “Is that all? No, it’s not rude, but Scarlet and I happen to be from a distant family. You know how clans would work in Japan right? It’s something like that. While she isn’t my sister, she’s more like my cousin if you will. Both her and I don’t remember our last names, and both of us have shed our first names too. Scarlet or, please don’t get mad at me, Natalia probably felt a deep connection with the name she chose to go by rather than her birth name.” Scarlet then asked “Well why did you choose your name to be Xero rather than your birth name?”

“I Chose my name of Xero after I learned about the attack on our home town. Thankfully you’re sitting down, and have rage towards Zero team because, they were the ones behind the attack.” Xero said faltering at the end. “Huh… We always thought it was the numbers group. That’s why we went to Rust Ridge to annihilate them. I guess we were right, but to a degree.” I said calmly.

Both Scarlet and Xero looked at me very quizzically. “How are you not flipping out? Why are you not getting angry at that?” Scarlet shouted. “I am confused too. I expected at least some reaction out of you.” Xero concurred. “If it was before Clark’s death, I would’ve thrown this table to the other side of the lake, but now that he’s gone, I feel that that wouldn’t be right. You see, I knew my family for up until I was eight years old, and there’s not much to learn from the time I could remember them until they died. Clark on the other hand, I had fully gotten to know, and I remember every minute we had together. I knew Clark much more than I knew my family or even my town.” I said calmly.

“Initially, I hunted down clues for me to learn of the people responsible for the attack on my town because I had seen my parents dead bodies before me. I wanted to avenge them, but also I wanted to avenge the innocence in Scarlet. She had never killed a person before, nor had I, but I was much less broken inside than her when she killed those soldiers. She nearly lost her mind, but I stopped her from going insane.” I finished. “So the reason you’re not flipping out is because your priority is to avenge Clark?” Xero asked. “Bingo. See, when Scarlet watched Clark die for her, she lost it. She could’ve easily obliterated the town, but she didn’t. You know why she didn’t?” I questioned.

“Because I didn’t want to destroy Clark’s body, or kill you along with Zero team.” Scarlet finished my argument. “Awww, you stole my thunder.” I pouted. “But yes, she cares enough for me and Clark that even in a fit of rage, she doesn’t want to destroy us.” I said.

“That makes sense enough.” Xero said. “Now that I understand your reasoning, I’ve figured out a plan. We won’t have a plan. I just got word that the initiation for new coming students, is to complete a bounty on someone in the school. The initiation starts when we get to the school, and it lasts for a month which also means they need an area large enough for people to survive for a month. That area includes our tower, the lake, and the forest nearby. Everyone is going to go for the largest bounty while they’re at it, and guess who happens to have it? You guys have the largest bounty, and I happen to be near the same range for being in Zero team. Our tower is about to become a battleground for the greedy, and Red happens to still be under orders to attack you guys and me.” Xero deviously smiled.