Parallel Vol. 4 [LEGACY EDITION]

Chapter 72.2: The Truth (2)

"You already figured it out," accused Saeko as she rested against the door, lest she collapsed. She balled her hand into a fist, squeezing out the blood, and then regarded the halben with a self-deprecating smile. "...I'm not human."

"What!?" Taiga shouted in disbelief. "What does that even mean?" He paused, then added with a sardonic laugh, "What; are you saying you're some kind of mutant? Alien? Is that it?"

Saeko buried her head in her right hand, her voice cracked from subdued grief as she replied, "...I do not know."

Taiga scoffed and spread out his arms in disbelief. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I Don't Fucking Know Okay!?" Saeko screamed as she finally snapped. She shot to her feet and then shouted as she glared at Taiga through tear-filled eyes, "Do you think I asked to be born this way? A freak of nature!? Do You Have Any Idea What My Life's Been Like!?"

"No I Don't!" Taiga yelled back, his anger and frustration rising with each passing moment. "I don't know a damned thing about you!" The halben's eyes turned red, burning with equal parts rage and pain. "You know who I am; Where I'm from; What I've done! All I know about you is that you're some rich pampered girl who's used to getting what she wants. Oh. And apparently, you have admin privileges to this damned game. So, I know you work for Genaco." Taiga paused, his gaze turning hostile as he walked toward Saeko. "Is that it? Did they send you to watch me? Keep little, old, deranged Taiga in line. Make sure he doesn't do anything crazy?" Taiga pressed up against Saeko who instinctively shrunk back against the door. BAM! In his rage, he slammed his hand against the door and demanded, " I asked a Goddamned Question!"

BAM! Crash!

Taiga coughed as he was sent flying across the room. He crashed against the dresser, but then shot to his feet, the rage in his eyes turning even worse. However, perhaps, because of the time he'd spent with Saeko, he could not bring himself to attack.

Saeko glared at him, her expression a mixture of pain, remorse and rage. "I will answer your questions, but do not think for a second, I will let you intimidate me. I may have never taken a life, but I have been surrounded, and trained by the world's worst assassins, and drill sergeants since I was five. You do not scare me."

"HAHA! I don't fucking believe it!" Taiga could not help but let out a crazed laugh, as he looked around as if in hope someone else could confirm what he witnessed. "See!? This is what I'm talking about! Who the fuck trains a kid to kill from the age of five? Who, or What the Fuck Are You!?"

"I already answered you," Saeko replied in an even tone. Somehow, Taiga's combative tone and attitude helped her regain herself. "I do not know."

"Well, then. What do you know."

"I know that I had to kill my mother to be born."

"What?" Taiga froze. He searched Saeko's gaze, but could not find a trace of deceit. "What are you talking about?"

Saeko sarcastically chuckled as she shrugged her shoulders, and then said, "Apparently, I was a freak from the womb." She hugged her arms as if to protect herself from the memory as she confessed, "Turns out freaks need a lot more nutrients to survive than the average baby." Her eyes welled up once again as she looked at Taiga. "She tried her best, my mother did. She didn't give up until I was born. The nurses said she passed with a smile on her face, like she was relieved. Think about that. She was so relieved to finally be rid of the parasite sucking her dry, she happily passed away without ever laying eyes on me."

Taiga opened his mouth, but then shut it right after. His brows furrowed, pain and discomfort in his eyes as he muttered, "I... I'm—"

"Sorry?" Saeko laughed and shook her head. "Do not be. According to my father, mother died to save the world. A modern day Mary he called her."