Chapter 24. In the orchard

If she was the only one he ignored, Olivia would understand that. She was ashamed of being too clingy with that love of hers. But he was avoiding everyone around him!

Arriz had changed a lot since Norman got hurt in that duel. He became quiet and rarely talked to anyone. He wasn't running away from them and he answered questions if he was asked something. But he wasn't starting any conversations and preferred to remain silent if he had choice.

Most hybrids didn't notice it or didn't think it was important. They weren't close enough to him to understand the seriousness of such changes. And Olivia cared about him, she felt that something was wrong.

She had spent many hours doubting if she should do anything about it. He didn't give her a permission to enter his life! But she decided she didn't need it. What kind of love was it if she could turn her back on him?

Unfortunately, her determination didn't make her any less shy around him. She couldn't approach him in front of other hybrids, and she couldn't come to his room – it would be a scandal if anyone noticed!

She had to wait for a suitable occasion. Her sister was against it, telling her to concentrate on her training, but his trouble was the only thing Olivia could think of. Besides, a day's training wouldn't help her, she had reached her top potential so far.

On the night before her next duel she decided to meditate in one of the training halls – and saw him in the tunnel ahead of her. That was her chance.

The situation seemed simple enough, but Olivia couldn't gather the courage to call him. She continued following him, blushing and praying that no-one would get in their way.

He chose the fifth hall. Olivia though it was a good choice, because she spent many nights in there too. This place had a real cherry orchard inside. The branches of short trees were always covered by either gentle pink flowers or juicy red berries. Olivia had never seen them with leaves only.

At first she thought it was an imitation too, like most things on Ceres. Real trees had to have their crowns bare at least once a year! At the same time, they looked so real, and the berries smelled of real cherries… She asked Teacher Rokko about it, and he explained that it was a special type of cherries genetically designed for this planet. They were surrounded by ultraviolet lamps and seemed to love the soil of Ceres.

Olivia had no idea what kind of training this hall was used for. She usually came here in search of peace, just like many other hybrids. Arriz was similar to them: when she entered the orchard, he was sitting on the grass with his legs crossed and looking at the imitation of night sky above them.

The sky wasn't real, but it was the next best thing.

"Why are you following me?" Arriz asked quietly without turning around to her. There wasn't a shadow of annoyance in his voice.

"I wasn't following you…"

"So it's a coincidence that you walked the same route as me and ended up in the same hall?"

"No, I walked after you to talk… I didn't know how to start! And I still don't…"

She came closer, but didn't dare to sit next to him. He didn't look like he was happy to see her! So she stayed beside one of the trees, leaning over it with her shoulder. The cherry's smell was light and tender, as if scared of ruining the atmosphere of this place by being too sweet. Olivia raised her arm absent-mindedly to gather a handful of pink petals.

"What did you want to talk about?"

Arriz wasn't looking at her, like before; his gaze was directed at the stars. It was a wrong projection: as if they were watching the sky from Earth, not from Ceres. But did it truly matter?...

"About what's going on to you lately."

"And what's that?"

Should she tell him or not? She wasn't sure she guessed it correctly. What if her version was stupid and he'd just laugh at her? Although… looking at his hunched shoulders and sad eyes these days was all the proof she needed.

"You're punishing yourself!" Olivia blurted out.

He flinched and finally turned to her.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're punishing yourself for becoming Norman's friend and feeling hurt because he nearly died!"

She thought he became pale, but she wasn't sure about it, it was too dark to tell.

"How can you know that?" he whispered.

"Because I know the curators' rules. You're supposed to observe us, not make friends with us. But you couldn't stay neutral and paid for it. And you decided not to get closer to us than your profession demands. That's why you're avoiding me and Alex and everyone else…"

"So that's what it is…"

"Am I wrong?"

He thought about it for a moment.

"No, I guess you're right. You're right about the theory too: I became too close to you guys. I tried keeping my distance at first, but then it just happened… I need to end this."

"No you don't!" Olivia objected sharply. "Don't you see you're saving us?!"

He gave her a puzzled look.

"What do you mean?

"Even before I became a hybrid… When I was preparing for this in the hospital, and then on the ship, and on Ceres too… I've heard many things about the relationship between hybrids and humans deteriorating with each year. Starting with the humans who work with the Second Breed, curators, like you! Someone dumb said that curators should be neutral – and everyone believed that. But you can't be neutral about such things! You should be with us or against us. Instead, curators began distancing themselves from us, thinking that we're dangerous because we are strong. And that's wrong! When Ar'yan was creating the Second Breed, he wasn't alone, he was assisted by his human friends. He was the only hybrid among them, but they didn't view him as an enemy! They helped him, because they wanted to help. Where did that go? Why is our friendship forbidden now?"

She knew her little speech sounded too emotional, chaotic even, but she couldn't do anything about it. Her eyes were already filled with tears of anger at the injustice of the whole situation. She hoped that didn't make her sound too pathetic.

Her reaction seemed to unnerve Arriz, but it brought him out of that apathy he had been drowning in for the last day.

"Come here," he pointed at the grass next to him. "If you want to talk, we'll talk. Why is this so important to you?"

She hesitated for a moment, but then joined him. Olivia discovered that the grass was warm in this hall, as if it had been heated by the sun.

"Because I can see that you've started to change us for the better," she explained. "I mean, all of us. We've always remembered how different we are from our teachers, and then you appeared… Today many hybrids, not only me, believe that you're one of us. Even the ones who don't like you treat you as an equal. You're not a stranger here anymore."

She wanted to add so many things… That he was amazing, and she'd never met anyone like him, and being with him made her feel like she was confident and strong. But those were her private feelings, and now she was speaking on behalf of all hybrids.

"I'm not sure you're right," Arriz noted. "But even so… Even if you accepted me… I can't see how that's saving you!"

"Our teachers often tell us that training on Ceres is the time when we receive not only skills, but also our values. And I think our friendship with you, your compassion and help will be something that all of us will remember. Every time we are pissed off by some dumb curator, we'll remember you and keep in mind that they're not all the same. Just because you were in our lives. You're closer to us than Teacher Damian, and he's a hybrid! You're one of us and we believe you. That's why I don't want you to cut your ties with us."

He lowered his head, and for a moment Olivia believed that he was holding back tears. But that surely was just a fantasy of hers! She was the one crying all the time, and he was too strong for such emotions.

"It's a good thing that Norman's pain hurts you," she said quietly. "Because the others see what you're going through, and they respect you for it. You don't view us as a weapon, you know we're alive!"

"You have no idea what you're talking about!" Arriz interrupted her.

But Olivia didn't let him silence her.

"Your current condition is all the proof I need! You want to stay away to avoid this pain in the future, but you can bring more destruction by that! You can save our generation from conflicting with humans. As for what happened to Norman… We accept that risk when we become hybrids. The schedule for tomorrow has already been announced. I'm going to fight Iutah. I may suffer too."

His sadness was gone in an instant, he was looking at her in such astonishment as if she'd just collapsed from the sky. She smiled lightly. Olivia didn't mean to scare him or impress him by her claim.

Everyone knew that Karajo was the strongest and Iutah was the cruelest. Those two were equally feared.

"You were put against Iutah?" Arriz inquired. "But why?"

"I don't know… The computer decided that."

"Deny!"

"You sound like my sister," Olivia sighed. "So I'll tell you the same thing I told her: no. I can't."

"Nonsense, the rules allow that!"

"The Ceres rules do, my personal rules don't. I remember Octavia's words about the hybrid way…"

"She didn't recommend suicidal fights!"

"It's not a suicide, it's a trial. I know that Iutah can hurt me or even kill me. But I must go through this! I need to see what I can do, if I'm worthy of becoming a hybrid."

"It's like jumping under a train to see if destiny wants to keep you alive!" Arriz argued.

"Please, don't scream. I've already decided everything, and you can't change that. You may understand me or not, but I feel that I'm doing what I should."

She leaned over his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his skin. Arriz tensed up, but didn't move away, and soon he relaxed again. Olivia wouldn't dare to do something like that just a day ago, she couldn't handle such embarrassment!

But thinking about her death made things different. She earned this night by what she was going to do tomorrow. This cherry orchard, and the stars, the sky above them, his warm shoulder next to her…

She wanted to tell him she loved him one more time. But she didn't – she was afraid repeating it would make it less important.

"I want to change the hybrid world," she said barely above a whisper. "I know those are brave words from someone like me… But I believe I have a chance. Sometimes a small action is enough for that, and a small person too. To accomplish something like that, I need to move forward. That's why I can't deny fighting Iutah. And you… you have even more chances of changing the world."

"Why?" he asked her as quietly.

"Because you're one of a kind. It's hard to explain how I see it, you're special… I think you're a lot like Ar'yan!"

"I'm the weakest student here, and yet you're comparing me to an immortal hybrid!" Arriz laughed.

"Yes, and I believe in that comparison. It's not about the strength you have or he had. Both of you came to the world where the likes of you had never been seen or welcome. And you had to change that world to create your own!"

"You're overestimating me. I'm a simple curator, one of many."

"You're not. You're the first curator to come to Ceres, the first to become a true friend to the new generation of hybrids – isn't that enough for you? You view your accomplishments too easily. There's something special in you, I feel that," Olivia kept smiling, holding his hand in both of hers. "And you know what? I'll survive tomorrow, because I want to be by your side when your start changing our world!"

"You're a dreamer…"

"I am. But are you sure you can't make those dreams come true?"

He didn't answer, and she didn't need that answer. Olivia was glad he started thinking about her words, and he wasn't sad anymore.

"Loving you is very simple!" she said. "Rita has always said I'm lazy. And she's right! Even in love I chose the easiest way: falling in love with a hero!"

"Stop it," Arriz frowned.

"I won't! Never!"

He grumbled at her, but he didn't try to make her go away. They stayed in the orchard together till the morning. And Olivia was happy.