Some Thing Called Myself (Complete)

L: Something Forgotten (Part Two)

Ch. 50: Something Forgotten (Part Two)

Mara tossed the arils into her mouth and lay on her bed. Like the first time she'd eaten them, the flavor spread in her mouth and body, satiating the distant hunger shadowing her thoughts.

Besides that, everything else was different.

***

The Sentinel HQ, March 1980.

Ten years ago.

Her eyelids weighted over her eyes, and when she managed to open them, she was met with the foggy version of the same locker room she'd been in earlier today. Mara saw and heard what happened in her immediate surroundings—the lockers, benches, and the sound of the shower—but anything farther than a couple of meters dissolved into a white cloud of nothing. More than that, she watched it like a movie; standing at arm's length, she saw herself.

Younger, more innocent, and with the same weird sense of style. She knew she was eighteen because she recognized her black velvet choker and the sneakers she was wearing. It was an ugly, yellow thing covered with doodles of zombies and unicorns made with a blue ball pen. This was her favorite pair until it suddenly disappeared one night, never to be seen again. Human Mara—the Mara without her Sentinel memories—had no idea of what had happened to them, but something told her she'd soon find out, along with a lot many things.

For a start, she'd love to understand why Tai was spinning her set of keys on their index finger, narrowing their eyes in provocation like a martial artist in a movie. They looked different then, with a long braid folded over their shoulder, big hoop earrings, and a baggy tank top tucked into their jeans that showed the sides of their chest.

"So?" Tai goaded. "Are you ready to admit I'm much better than you?"

Mara scoffed. "Please. You've seen me in that training den for the past year, didn't you?" She inched closer and smirked when Tai reeled a step, eyes narrowing. "You might have arrived in the HQ four years before me, but I made sure to get twice as good as you."

"Oh yeah? And what happened today was...?

"A bad day, that's all." Mara furrowed her brow.

Tai chuckled. "Well, I guess you've been having bad days since we were twelve, huh?"

She widened her eyes and gasped in mock surprise. "Rude!" Present-Mara chuckled at the memory. The provoking seemed to be normal between them from the very beginning of their friendship.

Past-Mara went for the keys, but Tai was faster; they tossed them upward and snatched them with their other hand, using the momentum to spin away from her reach.

"You're so slow; I think I'm gonna take a nap here," Tai said.

Mara laughed, but those words hurt a little. Tai's provocations had never hurt before, but her hard skin was just a little bit more sensitive today.

"Shut up, Taiguara!" She pounced on them, the movement a lot quicker than before. Tai might be faster, but Mara had always been stronger. And smarter.

She let them dodge her right hand while her left one latched on their t-shirt. Tai tried to escape, but Mara's arms wrapped tight around them before they could. With a surprised laugh, Tai lost balance, and they tumbled toward the lockers. Tai cursed under their breath when they hit their back hard.

Mara chuckled. "So? Is this enough? Did I prove myself to you, oh senior Sentinel?" She narrowed her eyes, and they chuckled.

"Mariana, Mariana, my beautiful young pupil." Tai narrowed their eyes. "You're using both hands to keep me here—I'd love to see how you're gonna take the keys."