The Southeast Military Base

51:49

It sure is late now, with so few people present at the base, lacking that chaotic atmosphere it always had whenever the people argued. CHE5TER is the only person present at the moment, maybe waiting for the others to come back from the mission of today. What He does isn't much though. He simply wanders around the hallways, killing some time alone until the others arrive.

Still, His expression seems to show rather confusion and joylessness. His eyes are half opened, with the same emptiness as always, looking at the ground while walking as if He tries to make peace with His own mind.

"Say, First Man... Why do you say that we are not the same? If I am born as an Almost-Hooman as you say, then wasn't I suppose to be a chance of your kind's redemption? And if it is that way... don't you realise that I do not belong in this world either? So where do I belong if I am not a hooman... nor one of my people's kind? Or do I even belong somewhere after all the sins I have committed in this life of mine...?"

Still talking to yourself, Little Ruler?

"..."

He seems rather more upset now, taking such a huge breath as if His biggest regret has come back to Him once again, before looking at the floor, searching for a sky to watch.

"...You know, Demon... I do not hate you. I never did. I just have so many questions for you and you simply don't want to answer them. I've been only a child and you still decided to get rid of that part of me... Why is that?"

As if the answer will matter to you. You ask me questions because you want to forget that you are trapped in a misery from which you cannot escape and seek protection from me as if I am meant to be your guardian.

"Then what are you meant to be?"

Why spoil the fun? I am just a little voice to you, am I not? My true meaning will remain lost, just like your true potential. As you are a soldier, I, too, am a follower. It just so happened that I've decided to take my own decisions from now on.

"Follower of who? Leo said that parasites aren't able to adapt nor think. How is it possible for you to make your own decisions, and from what exactly are you stepping away?"

Mmm, curious much, are we? You know very well that I feed on your curiosity.

"I just... want to know the truth. That's what I've wanted my entire life."

Why is that? Why do you seek to uncover the truth as if that truth you are suppose to find is meant to be your very salvation from darkness? Sometimes the truth might be even worse than a lie. And funnily enough, you tell me that you wish to find reality when you avoid my guidance and advices too.

"That's because your "guidance" wishes to take over my body with no meaning behind. What's so special about a sinner's corpse? Is it the blood of it you seek for? The mind it holds? Is it the powers that I am suppose to hold? Why... do you continue it? Why are you so motivated on getting rid of me and remaining with my body alone? What is there for you to achieve from all of this?"

You keep secrets from your loved ones, I keep mine. It's not like you would understand anyway... alien.

"..."

[RY4N]-...CHE5TER!

As He heard His brother's voice from behind, He wakes up to reality in just a matter of seconds, looking back at RY4N as if nothing happened. It does look like while He was having His time alone, the team managed to get back.

[CHE5TER]-...Oh, RY4N. How was the mission?

[RY4N]-You are kidding me, right? I haven't seen you these past few days at all around the base! Heck, I started having the feeling that you just ran away like you used too!

[CHE5TER]-Right... I was just caught into this investigation about where this stranger comes from that I guess I forgot to visit you all.

[RY4N]-*sigh* If it was for other times, I would've been worried like Hell, but at this point I should be used to you running away from home and coming back whenever you please... Seriously now though! You didn't give us any updates!

[CHE5TER]-Well, it's not much of an update though. I guess we are on the same level as before. Still no track of his people and what exactly that map was meant to hide.

So you choose to lie to him again, huh?

[RY4N]-But why the whole disappearance and only speaking through texts?

[CHE5TER]-I had a few problems to solve in the City of Above, nothing much. Really. You don't need to worry about that fact. But I still am going to say that I will probably be missing some more days too in the future. Just so that you know.

[RY4N]-Alright, alright... At least update me if so. Many people started asking questions on what's happening too and they begin to put me in a worry every time they bring the subject of you facing a threat again.

"...I will tell him when I will be ready to face reality myself. Until then, I will lie and protect them all from this truth. From the fact that... I am not one of them."

Though CHE5TER continues to play a character in order to hide the truth, He doesn't seem as He succeeds this time. RY4N notices that something is strange about the way He talks or even looks at him. But funnily enough, even RY4N played a character the very moment he saw his brother in this state, as he felt from the very start that something is not right. Maybe he has learnt how to lie too, but CHE5TER already knew it. No one dares to say a word after though, with such an awkward atmosphere happening between them for the very first time in their entire life, just staring at each other as if words will come out randomly.

So, CHE5TER decides to kill this awkward moment which He hates so much, having a small thought to ask.

[CHE5TER]-Hey, RY4N... Has it ever felt strange to you that you are the only R born among our group?

[RY4N]-Why would it feel strange?

[CHE5TER]-Well, I mean... you aren't the same race as us, right? So, why wouldn't you feel strange about that fact? That you are different than us?

[RY4N]-Are you... trying to make me feel uncomfortable? I don't really understand the question...

[CHE5TER]-Just... how did you feel about this fact?

[RY4N]-How should I feel though? Yes, I am the only R born, but why would I feel strange about that? People accepted me for the way I am as a person, not for the way I was born. This whole concept of not accepting one another belongs to the above, not in the underground. You are the ruler, so you know the best that this city accepts anybody, no matter what they are... even M borns of the above. So why do you ask something so weird?

[CHE5TER]-I was a bit curious on a fact, that's all.

[RY4N]-What fact? About how the R borns feel? I don't understand, CHE5TER.

[CHE5TER]-No, no, it's just... a fact. A small fact in my mind.

[RY4N]-What's the problem, Brother? You act a bit strange today.

[CHE5TER]-I was just imagining how would it be if our roles were reversed, nothing much. I simply didn't know how people would react to me being an R born and you a C born, given that I was hated even as someone from their own race.

[RY4N]-But who cares about what the others feel about you? You are my sibling, remember? Even if the world is against you or you are different than me, I will still be here to fight the world alongside you. Wasn't this our very promise?

"...Even as an alien?"

CHE5TER takes a pause, taking such a huge breath while RY4N looks confused. But then, He looks one more time to His brother...

[CHE5TER]-...Heh, I guess you are right. Thank you, RY4N. Thank you for... always being there for me.

...with such a smile that never appeared on the face of the ruler after He has lost that happiness He once had. This is not a fake smile, not a forced one to make RY4N feel better as it was in the past. This smile... is real. It is such a sincere one that even RY4N cannot believe what he is now watching, as if he is dreaming.

But the smile slowly fades away as CHE5TER begins to be even more lost in His own mind. Though it was just for a few seconds, His brother sure had that old feeling as the little boy he once knew came back to life, even with that void still present in His eyes. However, knowing the present, RY4N sure knows that this smile hides something, and it isn't just a secret. It's sorrow that his own brother doesn't want to show, sad on a fact that is kept away from him.

Then, CHE5TER simply leaves him alone, with no other words given, no gesture that means "goodbye" nor even an eye contact after the final words He has said. He simply goes towards His own destination, leaving RY4N puzzle the moment that just happened.

"...This is not you speaking at all, Ches. These are your thoughts which you fight right now. Tell me. What did you find in the City of Above or from the stranger that made you fall into such state?"

08.09.1642

00:10

CHE5TER arrives in His office not long after He has left RY4N behind. It isn't much He is doing now though. He goes towards His chair, stops in front of the view of the city for a few seconds, admiring it with such an expression that either says confusion or sadness, before making up His mind and sitting down on the chair as intended in the first place. After that, He makes a small pause from His own mind, staring at a single direction with no meaning of seeing anything in particular, before the rest ends and then searching for the papers that got added to His work as the Great Leader.

Since those days He has been out for such a long time, those papers got into such a huge number for Him to handle right now, having hundreds of them which He takes and puts on His desk and other hundreds that are still remaining untouched in the drawers for Him to do them later. It doesn't bother Him that much from what it seems though, since His problems are different from just a few papers that He can avoid or do quickly anyway.

But then He notices the old photo of His family from years ago, which simply makes Him more confused the more He thinks about it. So, He takes it in His hand and just... stares at the man that was His father, as if He waits for the answers to come.

"Father... you were the first one who told me this information. You knew what I am. You knew..."

"...but now I can just tell you that this is what makes you special, CHE5TER."

"...that I am different than them all. How did you...? How did you know that I do not belong in this world from the very beginning? How did you know that I am this rare race of "Almost-Hooman"? How did you know the answers? And... why didn't you tell me the truth from the start? Why did you hide it...?

Why did you leave only a map for me to find this truth? I could've not find it in the first place, who made you think that I will be able to find it one day? Or who made you think that AL7AN will keep his promise? Why did you do this entire puzzle for me only to find that I was meant to be a whole different specie from the very beginning, instead of telling it right into my face? Did you fear that RY4N won't accept me anymore? Did you fear that the world won't do it? The world already didn't, so I simply... don't understand...

The word "alien" means a person that does not belong in this world with our kind. An outsider, a being that tries to make itself look as if it is the same as all the others. The word is so rarely used and when it is so, it is given to psychopaths, cold murderers or criminals that wish for this world to burn in Hell, all with a mindset that cannot be changed. In other words... a person that simply has nothing to do with us anymore. So if it is for me to not belong here, then where do I belong? Do I belong in the world from which Leo comes? Do I belong in the outside world with the demons? Do I belong in Hell? Or do I really belong here with beings that are not even from my kind, a lie that I have believed my whole life? If Leo isn't accepted as what he is in our world, even as the First Man Himself, then who am I to belong here? Who... was I made to be and where is my home...? And why did you leave me wonder on this answer alone...?

Come to think of it... even if you were the first and only person that knew what I am, you still accepted me for a reason I don't understand. Your letter to us even said that you did not see yourself being a father one day, so what made you change that idea? Was it truly me who affected your fate the moment you took me as your son? Or... have you got your own plans from the very beginning?

You are more complex than I remember, Father... I do not remember you being so secretive, nor I remember you being such a master in making up plans, seeing how they have succeeded. You make me wonder more about our ancestors and how were they like... I remember you telling us stories about Grandfather as if He was a god, knowing everything and doing everything. But how come nobody knows who LAZ4RU5 was besides the documents written by Him? Why were you the first LENKOV to ever show His face in front of the Council? Were our ancestors... Almost-Hoomans too?"