Es

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In a dark room, a girl tried covering her ears, squatting as whispers kept flowing into her ears. She tried to block it, but it never ceased, in terms of volume or tenacity.

'Conform. Conform. Conform.'

"That damn facade is at it again!"

'You are a mistake. You are a failure.''

"Why can't it just shut up!? Conform this, conform that!"

The voices continued, eroding the poor girl's mind.

"I'm not a mistake, dammit! I'm not a...failure. I...I'm needed..."

…

Sliding back a book onto its proper shelf, Es turned her gaze to an ethereal glowing butterfly, flapping its wings aimlessly around the room.

(This butterfly is the only thing with a color...other than the new inhabitant of this room.)

Speaking of Jack, Where is he? What's taking him such a long time to come back?

Es sighed as she thought of that person.

"Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy into what you can do," she whispered to herself. 

Remembering the words of an author, Es began to slowly focus her energy back to her work.

"Now what should I read this time?" Wondering what book she should read this time, she began to skim through the titles of different books that were shelved on the walls.

("Dreaming Jewels"..."No Longer Human"..."Strait is the Gate"..."First Love"..."Dogra Magra"...)

Her fingers gracefully skimmed across the different books...until she stopped at one particular book.

""Alchemy-Transmutation," written by 'Hohenheim,'" Es muttered to herself.

If she remembered correctly, wasn't this book the one Jack had read?

(I haven't read this one for some time now. Perhaps I should read this once again?)

Humming out loud, Es began to skim through the summary of the book. Transmutation circles? Comprehension, Deconstruction, and Reconstruction? Rebound?

(Now I remember. These are all nonsensical fantasies although there are lessons that can be learned even if they are fantasies.)

"...the value of a human life?

The value of human life? What is the value of life?

(Does my life have value?)

Dark thoughts slowly appeared within her mind, resembling that of the words of the facade.

'You are a mistake. You must confo-'

"No!" Es suddenly screamed, breaking herself from that line of thought.

"My life has value! I'm important and needed! That's final!"

Es huffed, saying that finality.

After breathing for a while, she rubbed her head, deciding to read another book to calm her mind.

(I need to read something to calm myself.)

As she thought of that, Es turned to a book that was slightly jutting out from its position.

(Turgenev's novel, "First Love?")

Taking the book from its shelf, Es walked back to her desk. Opening it, she skimmed the pages...until she picked out a strange sentence.

"Apparently, love festers growth, envy, and self destruction…?"

(I wonder...what even is love?)

Es questioned no one in particular, deciding that this was enough of a delay, she continued reading the book.

The host rang and ordered the remains of the sup->

She began to be engrossed in the words of the book, silently reading as she read over the entirety of the book.

Listen, she returned. You do not know me yet>

Es blinked in confusion.

(Is that flirting...?)

Es continued reading through the book, taking in all its contents, flipping pages…

Periodically, she would question herself from the words that were written in the book. 

(So… It's important for one to belong to one's self..?)

(Sweet pain breaking out…is that how love feels?)

(...I must be a child myself then…never having known love.)

Finishing the book, she began to evaluate what she just learned. After thinking things through, Es sighed. She didn't learn almost anything.

(In the end...I still don't have any idea what love means. I can pretend to know, but that is just putting up an act…}

"I'll just...read something else."

Nodding to herself, she stood up to grab another book.

Just as she was putting the book back on its shelf, Es heard the clicking sound of the door opening, and turned around.

*Click*

The door slowly opened revealing the person behind it.

"Before you ask, you should've seen the other guy," Jack's voice rang out, sounding somewhat haggard.

Realizing what his words meant, Es was unpleasantly shocked when she saw that he came in with dirtied and crumpled clothes, along with bruises on his hands.

She stood there, looking at him, while stuck in the pose of putting the book back on its shelf. After waiting for a few seconds, he spoke again.

"Uhhhh Es? You got any bandages? Or clothes, I'll trade them for chocolate." 

Quickly breaking out of her shock, Es placed the book back on its shelf before hurrying to try and help Jack with his injuries.

"Sit down on the couch, don't move," she ordered calmly. Inside, however, she was in a full state of panic on what to do.

Following Es's orders Jack walked over to the couch and crumpled down.

(What do I do? I've never helped someone before.)

She bit her lips as she tried to remember the procedures for first aid, acquired from reading a book on first aid.

"We...we need to check for any bleeding, take off your clothes…." Es spoke out.

Jack meanwhile, just remained sitting down, his face unreadable from his mask. It was silent for a moment...before he said-

"I'm not bleeding Es, don't worry." He said, motioning for her to calm down by waving his arms around.

"It's alright...relax. These are just bruises I got from fighting some superpowered traumatized kid," he said reassuringly, although Es couldn't tell if he was lying from his tone of voice and mask...or if he's telling the truth.

Staring at some of the exposed parts of his body from the coat he was wearing, Es began to feel distraught to see the bruises..

"Look, how about you sit down and… do one of those personality tests? Sounds good, yeah?"

"...your-"

"I'm fine, see?" He spoke while moving his body around emphasizing that he could move perfectly and that he was in good condition.

"No, we still need to make sure." Es replies. "Take off your clothes. I don't know if you're lying or not."

"If it makes you calm down, sure." He replied, taking off his clothes soon after.

"See? He started moving his arms to emphasize that there was no bleeding around his body. "No bleeding, only bruises."

Looking around there were only bruises located near his chest area with some minor scrapes around his body, Seeing that there was no immediate cause for concern Es started to calm down.

Jack, seeing her calm down, spoke up, "You know, I've never seen you act like that before. So why the cause for concern?"

"I...quite enjoy these talks we have, you know?"

"Really?"

"Yes, I've been alone here for such a long time. Such a long…long time…" she spoke with melancholy in her voice.

"...don't worry, I won't go away anytime soon." Jack said reassuringly

Es internally frowned at the words 'anytime soon.'

Snapping herself out of that she began to speak.

"Still...at first, It was just a way to kill time. I wanted to learn more about another person; the first I've ever met."

He nodded his head to that.

"But now…it's like a reprieve for me."

"...it didn't really seem that way at first, you know? Heck even now."

"It doesn't really seem that way? Really?"

"Yes, you were quite...cold."

"That's just because I'm not very expressive. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way."

"No hard feelings," Jack said, and he barely muttered something under his breath.

"Kinda-liked-i-as we-" whatever he said was lost to her, as it was too low for Es to hear. She in response tilted her head in confusion.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, let's just do one of your personality tests now," he said abruptly, drawing our conversation away from whatever he said.

"Fine but are you sure you're ok?"

"Yes, Es now go on."

"Ok now, I'm going to ask you 12 questions. Again, don't think too hard. Answer quickly and honestly."

"Ok, let's do this."

"Are you punctual?"

"No."

"Does your mood change at the drop of a hat?"

"Yes."

"Do you take action before thinking?"

"Yes."

"Do you prefer quiet solitude?"

"Yes."

"Do you like bustling places?"

"No."

"Do you enjoy the unexpected?"

"...yes."

"Do you consider things systematically?"

"No."

"Do you prioritize the past over the future?"

"Neither."

"Do you have difficulty empathizing with others?"

"No."

"Do you prefer to make a splash in life?"

"Neither."

"Would you say you're a dreamer?"

"...yes, I would say so."

"Are you the type who doesn't get jokes?"

"No, I'm the one who makes them."

"Ah so you're…"

…

I heard Es say the final verdict of the personality test.

What will it be this time I wonder?

"You are Artistic."

"Artistic?"

Me, an artist? I almost laughed at the prospect. Es didn't seem to notice the change in mood.

"Yes. What you think and feel at any given moment is more important to you than anything else. You may sometimes tend to see that person you were just a few moments ago as a complete stranger. If so, that proves just how strong an emphasis you place on the present. However…to anyone else, you're just the same old you."

"That...is as accurate as ever.."

"Although It may seem like a good thing to enjoy constant change, others might also find you awfully moody."

"Oh," I unintentionally blurted out, not really expecting that. Well, maybe I was just not so direct. "I see."

"Do you find me moody Es?" I asked with the calmest voice I can muster internally hoping she would say no.

"Annoying a bit, moody no. I don't mind. That's just who you are, if I said to change your personality would you? And even if you did it would be impossible to change that which is ingrained deep in your psyche."

"I see, thank you Es" She couldn't see it but I was smiling, not that of laughter but of genuine happiness from her words.

"Quite the revelation, hmm?"

"Yes it was."

"That should explain a bit of what goes on in your head."

"A bit, yeah."

"It might sound somewhat strange to say, but understanding one's own heart is not such an easy thing to do. The same goes for me, of course. I don't know myself at all. In fact...I probably know even less than you do about…about myself….ahem. Yes I think it's time for you to rest, your injuries are still there, and I'm sure that you're tired, yes?"

"I am, but-"

"Then rest, I'll be watching you sleep."

"..."

The wording of that sentence was really strange.

"...do you have any idea how creepy you sounded right there?"

"I do, but do you have any idea how creepy you look with that mask?"

"...touche."

That was true.

"I'll be off to the land of sleep now, Oh and before I forget there's some things I brought with me that you might like, there's chocolate and fruits in this bag," I suddenly remembered, holding up the bag I bought.

"I will check them later, for now you go to sleep."

"Alright, alright," I said, motioning my hands around in agreement. Even though It hurts to even move them.

Almost wincing from moving too fast, I tried to make it look like I was fine, I still need to keep up the mask that I'm ok with Es.

I began to make myself comfortable on the couch, mentally grumbling that there's no pillow to give me comfort to my head.

Getting ready for sleep, I secretly check on Es for the last time. Seeing that she was looking at the items I bought, I felt a bit happy knowing that she at least took a look at them.

Feeling tired from all that happened today, I began to close my eyes as I slowly fell to the land of sleep. 

(I should learn something to help me not get beaten up.)

It was my last thought as I succumbed to the land of sleep.

Unbeknownst to me and everything outside, something was changing within the confines of my body and mask.

End Chap-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Fuhahhaahaha it is me mortals, That is right the great Es_simp, Did you like this chapter? If so than leave a power stone below. But if you didnt like this chap comment what's wrong with my writing all actually good criticism is accepted. This is Es_simp signing out.

Edited by:Daoistofboredom