X47: To Dream

It must never be lost on Kazuki. Everything has required sacrifices up till now, and he will not forget that. Overclocking was on the table, but he never chose to do it, but maybe if he did, Svenn would have died earlier. Maybe if he did, less blood would run from the throne of cards he sat upon. Maybe if he did things differently…

He stopped his train of thought. He knows… the past will never change. But each passing thought bled full sagas of pain. He suppressed the thoughts. And for that, his mind bled more than usual…

Kazuki glanced up, longingly into the Sub Level skies. It was dark, dull. His temple was covered in sweat… It felt weird, like entire portions of his mind were cut out. Muffled voices came into clarity as his mind replayed them.

"Don't worry about Hartius," said Svenn before letting out a hearty laugh, eating a kebab stick beside Kazuki. They were at the training facility, a well hidden cargo compound on Sub Level 994. It wasn't well hidden enough. "Just keep learning and you'll make it through, m'kay?"

Kazuki glanced down at himself before nodding. He was shorter. Even without his memory, he could tell that it was around two or three years after Hartius joined. "But is it really safe?" he asked.

"Pfft, not really." commented Svenn, before chuckling it off. Kazuki couldn't see Svenn's eyes past his white hair.

It piqued his curiosity back then… It was the shame as his father, the High Admiral and heir to the Satrapy of Trasia, never told him about the unnatural white hair. "Just try to keep your head on. It's the BCA Freemuzzle way of life, Kazu, we're scum after all, in their eyes… Live for yourself once in a while."

"Oh." Kazuki knew he felt down back then, he was still being plagued by the memories of the attack.

Svenn glanced down, Kazuki raised his head upwards.

Kazuki's one blue eye shone.

Svenn's face was clear. Pure white hair and unmoving eyes. "I know that stuff can happen, Kazu, raining hell never changes. But what we can control is what we do afterwards, do you pick yourself up and defy the galaxy - or will you succumb to its numbness?"

He glanced down from the viewing balcony attached to the side of the warehouse. The air was thin down here, cold but also warmed by the geothermal generators.

Above were the hanging pillars of the Sub-Level, bristling with various lights. The sound of distant gunfire and underground winds accompanied the cruel atmosphere.

All around them were just run down apartments and brutalist blocks, with wrecks from the crisis still present. Most had been looted already.

He couldn't answer Svenn back then; he didn't have an answer. How could he answer it? So much had changed from then, and so much death… Kazuki looked down at his hands. Back then he thought of Victoria's blood. His present mind is filled with more blood than that.

The other members of the Eden Initiative were spending their leisure time below in the compound. Some were going to the barracks to rest; others lazed around - whilst many brawled and trained. It'll be a while till Hartius or Freyja returns.

"Just keep learning, you have that perfect memory that my brother talked about, you'll be a great fighter yet." said Svenn. Kazuki didn't respond. "Look, chin up…"

Kazuki glanced upwards to him, his gold and blue eyes a near dead colour. "Why should I?"

"Aha! You finally talked… Because you're the best of them," assured Svenn. "You should get along with them if you're going to work alongside them, what do you think?"

"..." Kazuki remained silent. He was never the talkative type to strangers, even back then. "Sure…"

His mind started to bubble, he could name everyone down there. It felt strange, Kazuki thought, as he watched his memories replay… He watches his body and mind repeat history; if only he could tell them all. Blurt out. Tell them all that Freyja would kill them. But of course, he could do nothing.

"Thanks, Svenn," said Kazuki. Svenn's face turned to surprise, a mixture of both bewilderment and amazement.

He collected his thoughts. "Now that's the spirit, Kazu," said Svenn. "Come on, get down there… Don't get into an argument with Cyrus, alright? Or anyone for that matter, right, Kazu?"