Chapter 4
Fictions Mentioned:
Episode 4
Insert Song: Start
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes - MGS Peace Walker Medley - Love Deterrance
It was late afternoon.
The flowers on the grass were being blown gently by the wind. Eugene Thruston and Chiffon Fairchild never left the bench and spent the rest of the day being content.
"Zzzzzzttt."
Chiffon smiled a little, a mix of happiness and sadness. Sometimes she hummed. Sometimes she was silent. She was looking at the young man who was fast asleep and breathing in a relaxed mood. He had been like this for about three hours, with his head placed near Chiffon's hair, which she noted. Chiffon would eventually fix up the position and place his head on her lap, slowly and gently. She strokes his hair and traces his plain face.
Now this was quite a new experience for her. She never offered her lap as a pillow for any man. In fact, this kind of position feels like this should only be reserved for couples who are close and love one another. But that was the odd part. They weren't a couple. Much less were they Pandora and Limiter. They just met. And yet, Chiffon felt drawn to this man. His words were still engraved into the back of her thoughts. His subtle and similar actions left an impression on her.
As she traced his cheeks, she wondered. How long must have been for you to sleep in this kind of position? What kind of life had you led before coming here?
Then her eyes would glance at the sunset from time to time. It was beautiful, with the rays producing orange-colored brightness that not even an art of human hands could ever portray. Chiffon felt nothing but an interior peace and a deep longing.
"...Hmm."
Chiffon's smile turns to Eugene who seems to be slowly waking up. His eyes would glance at the sunset, and they took a whole new meaning for him, one that Chiffon did not know, yet felt curious. His eyes slowly turned back to Chiffon's whose eyes opened again to reveal the wonderful and mysterious golden eyes with white lightbulb lines.
"...How long was I out?" Eugene asks, muttering softly.
"Hmm. About three hours," Chiffon spoke with a sweet smile.
"...That long, huh," Eugene spoke with a saddened tone, covered with a grim demeanor.
Eugene would eventually try to get up, but Chiffon did not let him, putting her hand on his chest and lowering him down gently.
"It's alright, you can relax, there's no one here to see us, so you can relax," Chiffon reassured.
"...It's not that that I'm worried about," Eugene spoke softly. "What about your student council work?"
Chiffon's smile twitched a bit, positively. "Oh, I trust Ticy can handle things just fine without me. Besides that... I wished to spend more time like this, is that okay?"
"...Hmm," Eugene hummed a little, making a nod. "I currently do not have anything to do."
"Thank you," Chiffon smiled as she stroked his hair.
Eugene would move his face a little to see the beautiful afternoon sunset. One of the favorite things that Eugene has of this world is the sunrise and the sunset. He could not explain it. Happiness and sadness were something he felt when looking at these types of natural phenomena. It helped keep him grounded. It was like a part of his soul felt refreshed.
Though, he was now conscious of one thing. He was currently experiencing what, and he would hear Octagon's voice ringing in his ear when saying this term, "Lap Pillow". This was not like this was the first time this had happened to him. His adoptive mother, Sister Margaret Lindman, would do that to him when he needed to take some rest. And then...
...There was one other person that did this with him. A certain nun with silver-white hair and pale skin, yellow entrancing eyes, wearing a dark purple habit, and wrapped bandages from her arms, legs, and other parts of her body, showcasing her ailing condition. Her name which rhymes and stands for peace...
The two were silent, and did not talk, and only waited for the sun to come down.
Night falls.
Eugene was now escorting Chiffon towards the female dorm not far from here. About three floors in height and wide open length that accommodates more than a hundred or so female students.
"This is as far as I go from here," Eugene would look at Chiffon who was still holding his arm with a smile. "I do not think males are allowed in the female dormitories."
"Officially, yes," Chiffon spoke with a smile that was a little teasing, putting one index finger to her lips. "Though you're not going to attempt to go inside and take a look at it for yourself."
Eugene shook his head and spoke with a serious tone. "That would constitute a grave misconduct on my part. As a Limiter Cadet in training, I should know better."
Chiffon's smile would be a little sad, though touched by the young man's courteous attitude. "I suppose so. Though... do you not mind if we... hang out for tomorrow?"
"...Why?" Eugene asks, knitting his eyebrow in confusion.
"Do I need a reason why for trying to get to know a person?" Chiffon asks.
"In most cases," Eugene spoke honestly. "It doesn't hurt to be a little prudent."
"Hmph," Chiffon pouts, side-glancing. "Well, if you must know, I thought that we could hang out together. And, oh!" She places both of her hands as her smile brightens a little. "We can bring Ticy and Mr. Rotomaster with us while we're at it."
I don't know why, but this almost feels like a double date had been set up in advance somehow. Eugene raised an eyebrow a little. "What if I were to miss this for some reason?"
"Oh, you won't, I'll make sure of it," Chiffon said with a smile, cocking her head a little to the side. Though Eugene felt a chill running down his spine when the woman spoke. Quite passive-aggressive. She must really want this to happen, and that would probably involve me. Rotomaster and Phenyl are essentially a cover to mask this intention.
"Normally, it is the man who would like to take the lead when it comes to the affairs," Eugene spoke honestly.
"Hmm, yes, but consider such a rule overruled," Chiffon's smile showcases determination amidst her now passive-aggressive tone.
When it comes to Pandoras in general, Eugene learned over the years that they were quite forward in their wants and needs. No beating around the bush. No second guesses. Just actions that spoke much louder than mere words could ever convey. Even facial expressions and gestures would speak volumes. If they want something, they will pursue it, even if it means crushing anything that stands in that goal.
Hmm. If this continues on, then the possibility of being the Limiter of this woman seems even more of a likely probability. Eugene thought with a little exasperation. Thinking of what he might say next, he won't say "On whose authority?" because that just invites trouble. Rather... "Alright," He complied instead, nodding, went straight ahead to the direct subject.
"Really?" Chiffon raised an eyebrow. "Just like that?"
"Hmm," Eugene nodded.
Chiffon pouted again. "Mou~! You surrendered quite so easily. I have plenty of other lines that I could have used against you."
In other words, you were deliberately trying to drag this conversation out to either test me or prolong it for your benefit, Eugene dryly thought. "I have agreed to your proposal because I have learned one thing from you, onee-chan."
"Hmm? What might that be?" Chiffon asks.
"An unrelenting desire to push yourself harder and farther than anyone could think possible," Eugene spoke honestly.
"...!" Chiffon remained silent.
The words that came out from Eugene struck a chord with her. It essentially described someone like her. A woman who tries to push harder and farther, whether as a Pandora, or as someone who tries to be human...who is not human. Chiffon Fairchild. An unfair existence. The strongest Pandora? But she felt that this title was undeserving on her part, hence the drive she has to train and work harder.
She was only recognized by the title in the beginning, not out of true love and admiration, but of terror and fate. She was a Legendary Pandora, a being beyond human, who tries to be so human. It was why she smiles all of the time. Underneath her smile, there lay her complexity and simplicity. A woman who had learned many things, and yet, still questions her own sense of humanity. Someone like her, who so easily loses herself in the bloodlust of battle. Even now, she could hear the riddling screams of various women from a fleeting memory that seems like a nightmare. She remembered her own twisted enjoyment as she brutalized every Pandora in sight. Her rage, subtle yet effective, hiding underneath the smile that no longer seemed to be what her friend, Aureriel Fairchild, had wanted to intend.
She felt disgusted by her own self when she recalled those events, sometimes looking into the mirror, and remembers punching it, cracking the glass. If not for Ticy, she would have undoubtedly killed someone, and this one was not even worth killing compared to the ones who had killed her best and only human friend. The newly gained title of Smiling Monster. She hated that title. She loathed it. The smile that Aureriel would give her should not be used for monsters. And yet, that unfortunately happened.
She had felt angry for Ticy due to the three Pandoras who had coerced and maltreated her. But that rage became loose and turned on everyone. Uncontrollable. No longer recognizing friend from foe. Lost in her own bloodlust. She could not control it. Her desire to see such cruelty was immense. It was like another side of her had come out, and she, much to her terror, enjoyed it.
She dared not to repeat something like that again, hence she would eventually request that she would be exempted from the next and other Carnivals to come wherever possible. She does not want something like that to happen again. Since that time, she tried to change herself for the next year. She masked her own reputation, taking advantage of it and putting it to good use, running for student council president, the highest authority of this school barring the faculty and headmistress. With her at the top, her image as the Smiling Monster who butchered through about thirty Pandora would be almost forgotten. Some won't obviously. Those who had seen what she had done could never forget it. But those who do not know her, Chiffon would put up a smile that hides the past and showcases her present self as the gentle, kind, caring student council president who is always there to provide the new students with whatever they need. The reliable, peaceful, cheerful, good-natured onee-sama.
...But Eugene seems to see right through all of that somehow. His eyes would say it all. His words struck a cord deep within her heart.
"...Hmm, is that so?" Chiffon's mouth would twitch. Her smile became a little smaller, one that hid her current feelings of concern and trepidation. Her smile then covered for what she would say next. "Then, I will expect you to be in the student council room along with Abel. You already know where the room is, correct?"
"I do," Eugene nodded. He had been there before after all when he helped Chiffon with carrying the paperwork.
Insert Song: End
OP Insert Song:
MGS3 Snake Eater - Cynthia Harrell [With Lyrics] MGS3 Snake Eater OST
Start:
"Good, then..."
With subtle hesitation, she would slowly let go of Eugene's arm. Eugene didn't leave right away. He looked at her silently, as if he was waiting for her to speak. A few moments later, as it became apparent that Chiffon was letting him go, Eugene slowly turned around and started walking, with both hands being placed in his pants pockets.
The winds would slowly blow towards Eugene and Chiffon's direction, tugging a little of their clothing. Chiffon would hold a part of her hair with her right hand as she looked at the now slowly retreating figure. Her left hand clenches as it is placed on her left breast. Chiffon would simply stand there and wait before Eugene was far enough into the distance.
Seeing Eugene leave seemed to make her feel a little sad because she wanted to spend more time with him. Of course, she already scheduled such a thing for tomorrow with Ticy and Abel. But she preferred just her and Eugene to be spending time together if she were to be honest. What was happening with her?
She sighs a little, with her smile turning a little sad. Then she would slowly walk towards the dorm. Well, she did think that she needed to call her father so that she could potentially find out more about him, so this was as good of a time as any.
She would enter the female dormitory, only to find...
"Hmm? Elizabeth?"
Chiffon noticed a blonde woman with arms crossed, leaning on the wall, waiting for her across the hallway. That was Elizabeth Mably, the head of the DAC, and judging by her expression, it was more of intrigue. Chiffon figured that the woman had been watching her and Eugene just now, happening to see them at the entrance of the dorm.
Elizabeth spoke with a subtle smile. "Hello, Madam President. Forgive me for prying, but I just so happen to notice you with a boy just now. In fact, I saw the same boy was with you when the introductions in the gymnasium were dispensed and all of the students were leaving."
Chiffon's smile didn't reach her closed eyes. She was twitching a little, though she didn't show it. "Ah, well, he's a freshman who had just arrived yesterday along with the other new freshmen. His name is Eugene Thruston, and from what I checked from his records, he appears to be the adopted son of a military official, though of course, the name of said official is censored, for confidential reasons typical of military affairs."
"Oh, I see," Elizabeth said, with a curious tone. "How did you meet this boy?"
"Oh, I was just carrying a couple of papers when I met him. Though, Elizabeth," Chiffon's smile, while it seemed to not change much on the outside, made Elizabeth feel that a chill ran down her spine. It did not help that the woman was drawing near to Elizabeth. A hostile intent, but it was not on Elizabeth specifically. "Can you do me a favor? If there is any Pandora that you know that would like to get to know about a boy named Eugene Thruston, tell them... that it's more than fine, and that they could even be good friends with him, but... they should know one thing. He's taken."
Elizabeth did not need to ask what Chiffon meant. "Taken" in this case meant only one thing. Chiffon Fairchild herself appeared to have set her sights on a specific boy who would potentially become her Limiter. For it to be so made Elizabeth wondered just who was this boy who had managed to catch the interest of the formidable Smiling Monster of West Genetics. She did not know if the boy was fortunate or unfortunate, especially when Chiffon was now becoming a little passive-aggressive about staking her claim right in front of her. It made her sweat a little because she hadn't felt this kind of aura since the Carnival of 2015, and the horrors she saw were what kept her on guard.
"I'll... spread the word, with discretion of course," Elizabeth said, with a subtle, cautious tone.
"Splendid," Chiffon's smile would turn to normal, with the chilling atmosphere from earlier disappearing. "Now then," She clapped her hands a little. "Is there anything else that you may need of me?"
"None at all," Elizabeth shakes her head.
"Well, then if you were to excuse me," Chiffon would take her leave, walking past Elizabeth who was looking at her with a subtle look.
Chiffon, while walking, would be a little surprised at how... demanding she just became when Elizabeth had been inquiring about Eugene Thruston. She did not know why, but with Elizabeth drawing her attention, she remembered Eugene's status as a Limiter who had yet to pair up with any Pandora. Now, she suddenly hated the idea that Eugene would become another Pandora's Limiter. Normally, she would not be bothered by this, but somehow... she was, and she hated it.
After making sure Chiffon was leaving, Elizabeth would begin to draw out her phone and try to make contact with someone. She would press the numbers and wait for the call to pick up, putting the phone on her ear. Then someone answered.
"Elizabeth?" a woman's voice would be heard on the phone.
"Attia, I may need a favor to ask," Elizabeth spoke. "Can you do a little research on one of the new Limiter freshmen of the school?"
"Okay... I can do that. Who is his name and why the interest?" Attia spoke with a confused and curious tone.
"His name is Eugene Thruston, and... he's someone that just caught the full interest of Madam President herself."
"Huh?" Attia was a little surprised. "W-W-Wait a minute, Elizabeth, can you please explain to me in detail just what had happened?"
And Elizabeth would provide a little input based on what she understood.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
A few walking distances after leaving Chiffon, which caused him to be pondering for a bit, he noticed a call coming from his phone. Looking around for a little bit, he would eventually move towards the back of a building and answer the call. He leans towards a wall. He would look at the screen of his phone and would show a holographic image, showing a familiar person.
"Hey there, Beetle, how's West Genetics holding out for you so far?"
The one who spoke was a man somewhere in his thirties. A man with brown hair and brown eyes with round glasses frames. He was wearing a white scientist lab coat, a simple white collar shirt with a red necktie, black pants, grey socks, and black shoes. His name was Dr. Kyle Emmerich, though most people, including Eugene, call him Octagon.
"Quite... normal," Eugene spoke slowly, side-glancing.
"Hmm~" Octagon looked a little amused.
"What is it?" Eugene noticed the man's expression.
"Oh nothing, just..."
To complete the response, images of Eugene and Chiffon were seen on the phone, specifically the part where Chiffon has her arms locked to Eugene, and Eugene sleeping on Chiffon's lap. Eugene could only raise an unimpressed eyebrow at this.
"Seeing as part of my current mission is to monitor and analyze the entire location of West Genetics, I just so happen to see you two having a great time together through the usage of my Metal Gear Mk. V. I just couldn't resist watching with a smile on my face."
"Hrmm. Glad you're enjoying my current predicament. So what exactly have you found out so far when observing the academy?" Eugene wanted to redirect the subject.
Octagon spoke while putting his hand to the bridges of his glasses. "Well, if you must know, so far, there hasn't been any suspicious activity that is happening throughout the premises. Mind you, that doesn't mean everything is in the all-clear, but for now, things are quiet as they can be."
"What about the current vibration frequencies?" Eugene asks.
"No sign of any active Nova activity, situation normal, just as always. I even checked with the other Blackwatch Operators around the world just to be sure, but everything seems to be fine," Octagon reported before his face turned grim. "Still worried about what had happened three years ago, Beetle?"
"Hmm. We were lucky three years ago," Eugene answered grimly. "The entire planet was at risk at the time. Provided a bit of wake-up call to take the Nova more seriously compared to the past."
"Here, here. The 8th Nova Clash, one of the most devastating clashes that the Earth had ever had with the Nova. A full-scale invasion where they attacked several areas around the globe. Tokyo, Beijing, Moscow, and other parts of the world had been hit hard. A lot of Pandora and Limiters lost their lives back then. If you hadn't come to Alaska when you did... well, Kazuha would have been one of the casualties..." Octagon's expression turns grim. "Speaking of Kazuha, you haven't even tried to meet up with her yet?"
"No, not yet. Though now that you reminded me about it, I suppose I would need to meet up with her eventually," Eugene would then redirect the subject. "Listen, Octagon, about... onee-chan..."
"Onee-chan? Must be serious," Octagon made an amused expression upon the term, one that was used for Chiffon Fairchild.
"Octagon," Eugene looked irritated.
"Relax, Beetle, just taking a little harmless jab is all," Octagon waves his hand a little before turning serious. "Anyway, I hear you. I wouldn't be surprised that Ms. Fairchild at this time has her own suspicions regarding your actual identity. If she's already browsed through your records and taken a few leaps, she's probably going to verify them with her father as we speak."
"And whatever that man would tell her about me may affect her current general impression of me and how she would act towards me from now on. This double date that she set up between myself and her, and between Rotomaster and Phenyl, seems like a perfect opportunity to get to know more about me, though I wouldn't really call myself interesting."
"What?" Octagon looked bewildered. "Not interesting? You? You're Red Beetle, the Lead Boss, a figure that is just as respected as Captain America. You're one of the most toughest badasses that I know of. You've lived and fought through World War II and the Cold War. You fought against HYDRA for over a century and a half. You stopped a rogue artificial intelligence from taking over and nuking the planet and prevented a dark future timeline where said AI ruled simultaneously. You've saved the world plenty of times, and you would call yourself not interesting?"
"Alright, alright, I get it, Octagon, no need for the compliments," Eugene rubbed his forehead with his two fingers, not wanting to debate further about his current legendary status.
"Oh, and by the way," Octagon smiled a little. "The way she really looks at you, at least based on what I saw, I've got the feeling that, if Gengo actually does tell her, she'd... hmm, how to put this into words... she'd be very clingy with you."
"Clingy?" Eugene asks.
"Potential rom-com moments, jokes, and cliches aside, you are the first person she's ever met who, well, for one, lived just as long as her, with the major difference being that she slept through entire decades. Considering that you two are practically the adults compared to most people in your physical general age category, it must be refreshing for her to have an equal conversation with one. For two, she did have quite a hard life considering... what had happened with her friend and all. I don't think she'd want a repeat of what had happened last time."
"I can take care of myself, Octagon."
"I know that, but I pegged Ms. Fairchild as the type of woman who wouldn't care and just be worried about her man all the same, especially when this man had made a ton of enemies over the years. HYDRA would be the first of her worries since they were responsible for her friend's death. Just them being involved again with someone she knows may set her off in some ways, depending on the circumstances. She's no yandere, but she's more umm, ax-crazy when going blood knight."
"Hrrm. You and your anime tropes, Octagon," Eugene grunted a little. "Though I can see your point on things escalating a little when they shouldn't, so I'll keep that in mind when keeping an eye on her."
"Keep in mind as well that I'd pegged her as the type of woman who would not hesitate to stake her claim with you in case she wants you to be her Limiter."
"In other words, make sure to prevent yet another repeat of the Summer Carnival of 2015. Got it. However with Kazuha here, that job may prove to be easier at times. The only reason that the carnival escalated that badly was that Kazuha wasn't there to witness it."
"Yeah, she was actually with me at the time. She took a temporary leave of absence just so we could hang out together at Akiba just like the old days. Harsher in hindsight, huh," Octagon looked contrite, putting his right hand to his face.
"In any case, now that we've established a few important points, I would need to do a little sightseeing in the town outside of West Genetics. It helps at least to be prepared."
"Oh yeah, that's a great idea," Octagon nodded in approval. "It would probably help if a man would be the one to take the lead after all."
"What's that? A dating sim reference?" Eugene's tone turned sarcastic.
"Don't diss the dating sims, Beetle," Octagon placed his hand on the bridges of his glasses. "I'll have you know that they pioneered the visual novel genre which had inspired thousands of otakus like me. Heck, without the dating sim genre, we would not have some of our well-known video games that are beloved by Western fans such as me."
"Alright, Octagon, no need to go into a tangent," Eugene rolls his eyes a little.
"Well then, good luck with your walk, Beetle."
Then the call wound down, and he hung up. Eugene would place his phone back into his pocket. He would begin to raise his right arm and hand, and a red mechanical Japanese rhinoceros beetle, with a white five-pointed star painted on the center. A silver-black belt would materialize around his waist. Then he would lower the beetle down to the lower right before pressing it to the center of the belt.
HENSHIN
An automatic computerized voice was heard. Then his entire body would become consumed by digital blue hexagons until all that was left was a suit of armor. Bulky silver armor with bits of red and a white five-pointed star that is seen on the front and back which is overlapped with a black bodysuit. Black boots with silver metal plating going towards the ankles. The outer side of the lower legs had silver metal plates on them and the ankles had three to four silver plates. Silver knee pads were seen above the knees. On the sides of the thighs were silver metal plates. The shoulders were covered in bulky metal armor that had rounded ends. The underside of the shoulder armor was red while the rest of it was silver. The front and back of the shoulder armor each had a silver metal orb that acted like a joint. On the shoulders, there were front orbs that had the symbol of a white five-pointed star on a blue circle surrounded by three concentric rings of red, white, and red.
The arms were covered in silver segmented armor and his forearms were bound with silver jointed gauntlets. There was a silver chest plate that had a red upper piece that wrapped around the neck. There was a silver antenna on the front of the head and a small forward-facing horn on top of the helmet. A single blue eye plate set under the silver armor of the helmet, the edges around the eye plate trimmed in red. There was also a silver mouth plate.
And then, he would flip the metal beetle's horn. Instantly, the armor would be charged with electrical currents and would pop up.
CAST OFF!
The outer armor pieces flew off at a very high pace before they eventually dematerialized. A long horn attached to the chin of the helmet would rise up. It is attached to a slot above the blue eye plate, creating a beetle horn. The single blue eye plate had now become two blue eyepieces.
CHANGE BEETLE!
Most of the bulky armor was discarded. The armored body was much sleeker. The thighs and lower legs still had the side armor plating and the feet still had the armored boots but the extra out armor was gone. Silver knee pads were still seen. Nearly all of the segmented armor on the arms was gone as well. The upper arms now only had a single silver plate covering the sides as did his forearms. The forearm armor plates connected to silver wrist bands which also connect to a black hand guard trimmed in silver on each hand. The shoulder armor was also less bulky. The top parts were a shiny red color while being trimmed in silver. The outer sides of the shoulder armor were flat yet slightly rounded.
The helmet and chest plate had undergone the biggest change. His chest plate was now more pronounced, looking like body armor. Nearly completely crimson red in color, only the lower sides around his ribs and parts of his back were trimmed in silver. A black track line separated the chest armor, giving it the appearance of two solid pectoral plates and two solid abs plates. On the center of the torso and the back was a white five-pointed star.
The top of the helmet was mostly red in color while the bottom half was silver and trimmed in black. The black linings also seemed to separate some of the silver area, giving it a distinguished look, really like that of a beetle. The black part of the helmet was also trimmed around the silver mouth plate and the blue eyepieces. On the top of the helmet was a small forward-facing silver horn. The long red horn from before went right up the middle of the helmet and slightly spread out to the sides at the tip of the horn.
Then, scanning the area with his visor hub, he would begin to jump high and make a landing on the rooftop of a building. He would see the moon shining from the distance. He would start to pick up the pace, moving his feet, before he would jump ahead, seeing the nearby town from his line of sight.
"Chiffon, it's rare for you to call me directly."
Somewhere in the female dormitory was a room reserved only for the Student Council President of West Genetics Academy. There was a large mattress that was seen just nearby, with two white pillows, and a blanket.
Chiffon was talking to someone from a holographic projection screen, conjured up by her iPad. He was an old man somewhere in his 70s. He had amber eyes and white hair. Average height and gaunt-looking facial features. Even in his old age, he is still considered to be rather handsome. He was wearing a white suit jacket, blue slacks, and a blue dress shirt. He was also wearing a white, ankle-length lab coat over his suit.
This was her father, Dr. Gengo Aoi, the one who pioneered the idea and concept of a Pandora as they are understood today. The foremost authority on Pandoras and Novas.
The man was smiling a little, though was wondering why would his youngest daughter want to call him.
Chiffon spoke with a smile, though tinged with a little inquiry. "Father, I apologize for disturbing you."
"Nonsense, Chiffon," Gengo shakes his head. "If my daughter wants to call me, who am I to not answer? Though I would assume that this is far more than just a simple call."
"That's right, father. There's something that I needed to ask, and it relates to this... boy that I have met," Chiffon explained.
"A boy?" Gengo looked intrigued. "That's surprising. I never imagined that would be what you would ask me. How did you meet this boy?"
"Oh, just when I was carrying some paperwork. He was one of the newly arrived Limiters that came yesterday. He offered to help me carry some of the load. We talked up until we reached the student council, and since then, I've decided to do a little research about him."
"Hmm. What is the name of this boy?" Gengo inquired.
Then Chiffon uttered a name. "Eugene Thruston."
"...!"
Gengo widened his eyes in shock. Chiffon noticed it. It appeared that some of her suspicions may seem to hold support, and she thought of that picture with Director Ironwood and Eugene together.
Silence reigned for a little while, then Gengo spoke. "...Eugene Thruston. Do you have any image of the boy?"
"I'm already sending it to you now," Chiffon spoke, pressing a few buttons and sending the records and the image of the young man.
Gengo looks at the records for himself. What drew his attention was the young man's appearance. Dark blue hair and light blue eyes. Memories of the past would come back to him. Memories of a boy who had aged slowly, a boy who was older than most men, one who had experienced battle and knew war all of his life.
"...So it is who I thought it was," Gengo muttered softly.
Chiffon noticed it, and she sported her own concerns. "...Father, do you know who he is?"
"...I do," Gengo nodded, before sighing. "I'm starting to wonder just what is Ironwood thinking right now by sending him there."
So some of my suspicions are confirmed. Eugene does know about Ironwood. Chiffon thought.
"Father, what can you tell me about him?" Chiffon asks, directly to the point.
Gengo twitched a little, making an exasperated sigh. "Oh, Chiffon, to answer that question, one must look back at the annals of history. Do you remember what I told you about someone called Red Beetle?"
"...!"
Chiffon widened her eyes a little, recognizing the name.
Red Beetle. Also known as Lead Boss. The Legendary Soldier. The general public knew him by the name Kamen Rider Kabuto Zero. His real identity was mysterious and enigmatic. No trace of birth records or anything can be dug up about him. What was at least known was that he was one of several children who had been forced to participate in a specific super soldier program called Project Asgard. Through that project, he was forced to undergo cybernetic surgery, which in effect gave him enhanced abilities that normal children could not be capable of performing. It also made him develop a healing factor that slowed his aging, making him younger than he actually was.
Held up in a HYDRA concentration camp in those years, he received the most brutal training, having not known a normal childhood, only the art of war, the art of combat, the art of killing. Eventually, that camp was stormed by Captain America and the Howling Commandos, rescuing the boy. Sometime after the War, he would be adopted as a son by the leader of the Howling Commandos and the current Director General of Blackwatch, Rick Edwards Ironwood, codename: The Director.
One can say that Red Beetle inherited all of the skills of the war hero, The Director, and passed them on to him. Captain America became Red Beetle's ideal, his inspiration, his example. And with this, he would live and fight for years to come.
"...What does this have to do with Eugene Thruston?" Chiffon asks. Does he and Red Beetle have some kind of connection? If so, what was it?
"...He is Red Beetle," Gengo revealed.
Chiffon paid close attention. She felt less than surprised, if only because that explains the eyes that she would decipher from Eugene. It also explains a little about Ironwood being present in the photo. She would see Gengo would put his hands behind his back.
"Do you remember one peculiar story that I told you when you were young? The very first time I met Red Beetle?" Gengo asks.
Chiffon confirmed with a nod. "Hmm. You first met him back during the Cold War when it was at its height. You had been kidnapped by the Soviets, or rather, HYDRA, as it had already sunk its tentacles in some of the Soviet government and military, just as it did in the American government and military. The West and the East had both been compromised and forced to play the role of puppets, to keep the entire world distracted. You were taken to a research facility in Tselinoyarsk, to be forced to provide the Soviet Union with more capable Pandora that are loyal to the Soviet cause, or rather, HYDRA's cause. At some point in your stay, you met with a Russian rocket scientist, Dr. Nikolai Stepanovich Sokolov, and through his insights, you find out that HYDRA had plans relating to building mobile nuclear ballistic missile systems in preparation for a foreseeable future when the US and Russia were to declare war on one another. And you knew that you had to stop it, even if it meant your life."
"That's right," Gengo nodded. "HYDRA had planned to profit from the ashes that the US and Russia would leave behind in its wake. Now, one were to ask, but wouldn't a nuclear war defeat HYDRA's main agenda, which was to control and mold the world in its image? Not necessarily, as they took that, and took steps into limiting this nuclear armageddon to specific targets, the US and Russia. With the two superpowers annihilating each other in the nuclear strike, HYDRA would have a major advantage in filling in the power vacuum. Even if humanity were to survive against the Nova, we'd be living in a dictatorship instead where everyone is forced to comply with only one will that would grip itself across the world. I could not let that happen."
Chiffon continued. "And it was at that same time when you met him. Red Beetle. He was assigned as a one-man soldier in an operation termed by Blackwatch as Virtuous Mission, whose primary objectives are to find and rescue you and Dr. Sokolov. He also helped you and Sokolov put a stop to HYDRA's ambitions, at least at that specific moment."
"Yes, and I have been forever grateful to the man ever since. That very rescue mission became the foundation for the eventual alias that he would take, taking the codename: Lead Boss. How is he by the way?" Gengo inquired.
"From what I could tell upon meeting him, he seems physically fine. A healthy young man who seems to be at the age of either fifteen or sixteen, yet his eyes don't seem to match his appearance. He's..." Chiffon made a concerned expression, putting one hand to her waist. "...He has this overall professional attitude, rarely makes time for lighthearted conversations, honest to a fault."
"Hmm," Gengo laughed a little, making Chiffon look at him with an inquiring look. "That does sound like him, I'm glad to see that hasn't changed even after all this time. When I first met him, he was a man who always focuses on the mission assigned to him, but he was also someone who would not hesitate to look from all angles and perspectives which could provide a bigger picture of what he was dealing with. It makes him both flexible and versatile, a deadlier kind of soldier. He may not be a Pandora, but that doesn't mean he isn't quite a formidable foe to face on the battlefield. It helps that he has the body of a child, as his enemies would not treat it seriously until it was too late to do anything about it."
Gengo continued. "Though, as I saw a very young boy, wearing military camouflage clothing, what I saw then... there were his eyes." He looked disturbed. "They were not the eyes of a ten-year-old child. They were that of someone who had seen horrors that no child should ever have to bear witness to. When he kills his enemies, he kills them, no questions asked, not even a twitch, just cold, precise efficiency. A normal child could never do that."
Chiffon didn't like the mental image that she would subconsciously conjure up. A very young Eugene, coinciding with the Eugene that she met, and all of those dead bodies that lay behind his wake.
"Chiffon," Chiffon looked at her father, with an inquiring tone and expression. "I cannot help but ask the question. Do you intend Red Beetle to become your Limiter?"
Chiffon became a little silent at the question. After a few moments, she spoke. "Why do you ask, father?"
"Because I feel that you have taken quite the effort to find information about Red Beetle, and that includes your call to me. If this were the reason, then I would approve of the decision and have my blessing on the matter."
"Father?" Chiffon spoke with a concerned tone.
"Red Beetle is someone that I believe you could learn from, just as I believe he could learn from you. If there was any man that is more compatible with you as your Limiter, there is none I would trust more than the man who saved me all of those years ago." Then Gengo made a grim expression. "Of course, the fact that Red Beetle is attending West Genetics concerns me. I wondered just what Ironwood was thinking. Perhaps to monitor Genetics, or something else. Either way, it is for the best that you stay by Red Beetle's side. If you find anything that concerns my notice, inform me of them immediately."
"...I understand, father," Chiffon nodded.
"Good. Well, then, take care, Chiffon," Gengo said.
Then the call would cut off, leaving Chiffon to her thoughts. She would eventually head towards the mattress and fall down. She would embrace her pillow as she thought of the young man that had been discussed.
Now she wonders just how she would approach him tomorrow.
It was sometime in the early morning.
Somewhere in West Genetics, there was a room in a three-story building that was reserved for those who were members of the DAC. Elizabeth Mably, the leader and the one in charge of the DAC, with her eyes closed, was seated in the center, with arms crossed.
"So... what exactly did you bring all of us here for at this early in the morning, Elizabeth?"
The one who asked was Arnett McMillan. A young beautiful woman with long red ponytail hair, with the inner side of her temporal locks curling inward over her cheekbones and amber-colored eyes. She was seated right next to Elizabeth, somewhere on the right side of the long rectangular table. Her expression was one of inquiry.
"Attia," Elizabeth spoke, opening her left eye. "It's time you show us what you have researched regarding a certain freshman that has caught the interest of our one and only student council president."
"Huh?" Arnett and the others would look in bewilderment.
"With pleasure," Attia Simmons, a small, petite woman with short, silvery-white two curls-tails hair and light brown eyes, would say with a professional expression and smile, making use of a remote-like device to project holographic screens that would detail what she had just researched. Images of a boy, his name, and where he came from. After the brief introductions, one of the committee members could not help but remark.
"So this... Eugene Thruston is someone that you think we should keep an eye out for?" Creo Brand, a young petite woman, with white hair, grey eyes, dark skin, and a large bosom, would speak with an inquiring tone.
"I have to admit, never would I have thought that Chiffon would choose to take an interest in a boy this quickly at the beginning of the school year," Marin Maxwell, a young woman with short, light-colored hair and dark eyes, and a moderate build, would say with interest. "And you say that she stated that he was taken, Elizabeth, and directly to your face at that."
"Yes, and that is what would concern me," Elizabeth became thoughtful, having opened all of her eyes. "As we all know, not every Pandora in this academy is noble and honorable. Some are ambitious, some are vicious, and some are quite adamant about getting what they want. If the Pandoras in particular were to find out about Chiffon's interest in this boy, there may be some potential conflict that may brew and ensue if left unchecked."
"Hmph," Arnett would make a contempt look, with arms crossed. "I'm starting to wonder if there is even a Pandora in this school who would actually have the gall to nab someone who now belongs to the Smiling Monster herself. They'd have to be either stupid or suicidal. That Summer Carnival last year should have given them the hint."
"Though I feel it is not wise to publicly broadcast the news that the Madam President has chosen Thruston as her potential Limiter, we can say instead that he's under surveillance in the Disciplinary Committee, hence he is not to be sought out for Baptism," Attia proposed with a smile. "So any Pandora who would try to hook up with him would be violating the rules, and the Pandora in question would have to answer to us."
"People would still wonder and ask questions about that," Ingrid Bernstein, a young beautiful woman with back-length red hair and bluish-green eyes, would point out.
"Yes, but either way, let's keep an eye on this boy from now on," Elizabeth spoke firmly before standing up from her chair and walked towards the window, seeing the early rising sun. "This may just be an unfounded feeling on my part, but it seems that the next few weeks would be a little interesting around here."
In that same early morning, Chiffon Fairchild and Ticy Phenyl were walking towards the student council room.
Chiffon in particular was anticipating this day. Today would be the day when she and Ticy, Eugene and Abel, were to try to get to know each other better. Well, especially Eugene. She wanted to get to know more about this man, this boy behind the Legendary Soldier status. She wanted to know the boy behind that. That was her goal for today.
They enter the student council room to find, much to their surprise...
"...Ah!"
Eugene, simply waited by the window and looked outside. And he was holding what appeared to be a bouquet of roses. His expression was serious, yet observing. Chiffon found that particular bit to be handsome in some way.
"Eh?" Ticy would blush a little when she saw the bouquet of roses, wondering just who it was for.
"Eugene?" Chiffon would try to get Eugene's attention.
Eugene, noticing the two, would bow his head a little. "Onee-chan, Vice President."
"Umm... Eugene, just what are those flowers for?" Chiffon pointed to the flowers on his hands.
"Well," Eugene would walk towards Chiffon. Ticy gasped as she placed both of her hands towards her mouth, blushing a little. Chiffon became a little surprised, and touched. She would smell the scent of the flowers with her nose. She sees Eugene raising it a little towards her. "I thought it seems appropriate to start the day per our agreement, and well, if I'm not mistaken, women tend to appreciate flowers in the early morning."
"...Hn...Hmmm," Chiffon couldn't help but lightly giggle at this situation. "You have a strange way of doing things, Eugene Thruston."
Eugene made a little hesitant expression, side-glancing a little.
"Ticy," Chiffon spoke with a sweet smile as she took the flowers from Eugene, putting a hand to her face. "Do you mind if you were to leave us for a bit?"
"Ah, ye-yes! Of course!" Ticy spoke with a stuttering, blushing tone as she headed outside, closing the door quietly.
Eugene and Chiffon were the only ones left. Chiffon would gently place the flowers on a nearby table. Then she would walk towards him with a smile, putting her hand to her waist.
"You are quite early today, Eugene," Chiffon pointed out, though she was not complaining, feeling a little giddy.
"I always aim to be punctual," Eugene would take something from his shirt pocket and roll out what appeared to be a poster depicting cute animals, making Chiffon a little curious. "I heard that the Vice President has a thing for turtles, so I thought that the marine zoo would be an appropriate place for us four to hang out."
"Have you told Rotomaster yet about our little arrangement?" Chiffon asks.
"He's aware," Eugene nodded. "He's just back in the dormitories and will be joining us at around 8 am."
"Hmm. 8 am, huh~?" Chiffon would draw near to him and would, much to Eugene's surprise, give him a very warm hug. "Then, onee-chan and you would have a little time to ourselves until then~?"
"...I suppose," Eugene muttered softly, feeling the soft, warmth of the hug. Then he noticed a gentle pat on his hair. He raised his face up to see the bright golden light eyes of the woman who was hugging him, and even making a dazzling smile.
"Then, you would not mind indulging this onee-chan with warm hugs?" Chiffon spoke with a smile.
"...I have no reasons to object to that," Eugene spoke softly.
"...Good boy," Chiffon said.
Truth be told, she was embracing Eugene right now due to whatever it was that she learned about him last night. Red Beetle. Lead Boss. The Legendary Soldier. The man who had been through many battles and wars. The context behind the eyes. The desire to know more about this man who had lived through an entire century and a half.
Chiffon had her fair share of blood, gore, and violence, but this man... he'd seen too much. She's heard stories of Red Beetle from her father, Dr. Gengo Aoi, and did research about Red Beetle in her spare time, keeping updated on whatever happens to have caught sight of him in the public eye. So Chiffon had a pretty good idea of just what kind of life Red Beetle had experienced.
Secretly, Chiffon admired Red Beetle and his exploits throughout the world. She had wondered just who was the man behind the suit of armor. She knew the backstory, but not the identity.
Now she knows.
After everything he's been through, Chiffon felt that the man standing before him deserved nothing but a hug.
End
ED Song:
Sins of The Father · Donna Burke · Ludvig Forssell · Akihiro Honda