I'll need a vacuum.

15

I wandered around the school, stuffed animal in hand, to find Yaga. Shoko was not there to redirect me and I took the opportunity to visit the school. Most of the buildings were unused, some were inaccessible to me and I wasn't trying to force my way through. I was only invited here, I wasn't going to be disobedient for nothing. After an hour of wandering, I ended up arriving on his desk and meeting him outside of it. I greeted him, and he invited me in. I sat down on the armchair that he indicated to me while he landed in his place. There was a gap, and I dared not speak.

" How have you been since the last time ?"

Yaga started the discussion, crossing his hands on the desk.

"It's better."

I answered with much more assurance in my voice than I expected.

"Glad to hear it. It's been what, two weeks since you arrived here ?"

"Roughly."

"Good. I am reassured to see that no major incident has been reported to me. The students returned yesterday, if you want to know, there will be a little more activity now."

" I hadn't really paid attention to it."

It was true, I had remained cloistered in my room, or strolling in the park, far from everything to train. I didn't want to bother or be.
Yaga put his hands flat on the table.

" I'm glad you came to me because I had a few questions."

" Which ones ?"

I was surprised, they couldn't be urgent otherwise he would have found me first.

"I don't know if you know about it, but the incident at your apartment made people talk. The police are looking for clues about what happened at your house, and they will certainly look for a link between the two identical craters that appeared a day apart. You had seen your owner, hadn't you ?"

" Yes... We had a quick discussion."

"He was not injured by the explosion and confirmed your identity. Right now, you're presumed missing because they found traces of blood and struggle, but I don't think I'm wrong assuming they suspect you. You were part of the lab and your apartment is destroyed right after ? Too many coincidences to ignore."

I say nothing, annoyed. I hadn't thought about that, my life having taken off, I felt like I had changed worlds and that the one I was in before had nothing to do with me anymore. Except it was wrong.

Yaga rubbed his face, tired.

"This story complicates things for us because it is difficult to cover up a big issue. We're going to have to find a definitive solution to divert people's attention.

"And what would be the best idea ? Should I go to the police ?"

" I do not think so. The easiest way would be to make believe in your death and recreate your identity."

"But I have already contacted my parents and my friends !"

"Darn. We're going to have to organize this quickly, and without there being any bodies to analyze afterwards."

"How can I prove that it is really me ? If we use a burnt body, for example, nothing could prove it could really be mine, even if our builds are similar. And I don't want to inflict that on my parents ! They're overseas anyway !"

"So much the better ! We're going to invent new parents for you and redirect all mail to them. Only your friends here will have to believe you're dead."

I hesitated for a moment. I didn't want to inflict this pain on two people, but I told myself that I no longer had a choice.

"OK. How should we proceed ?"