Metanoia

Hydra, Vruydon: Chapter 26

Jeno remembered the first day he had entered Vruydon. Everything was large, big and very threatening to him. The people were completely different to what he knew before, with flamboyant hairstyles, clothing preferences and eye colours it was hard to tell anyones personality. His surroundings were not something he was normally used to, he was scared and nervous about coming to the city. Nothing held any familiarity to him, it was only the person who came with him that held any sense of home.
However when he had entered that building and actually got to talk to people. That let him calm down. It let him know that although everyone around him may have looked different from one another in a certain way, they all had some hint of home to him. And that was enough to make him comfortable. Saige and her little sister were enough to calm him down and reassure him that this city wasn't as foreign as he first thought. Even if the interaction was short, it was worth while.
So seeing the sweet girl come into such a mysterious, suspicious company such as Hydra confused him. Sure Kuzma had also went into this bloodthirsty school but for some reason Jeno could see why. Maybe it was a boost on family reputation to have someone be in Hydra, maybe it was a guaranteed fund that would let the family coast by easily. But it seemed obvious from the way Kuzma brought up Hydra to Jeno that this program was big on physical activity- violent or not. That's what confused the white haired boy.
"Why did you join Hydra?" His approach was a bit blunt and he inwardly flinched at the tone of his voice. "I mean like... its a pretty uh... strength based school? Like Kuzma pointed out that I would be good cause I was an athlete and stuff. And I was wondering if.... uh...." He lost his train of thought and suddenly realized how empty his brain was when it came to the school.
Most kids probably grew up knowing what the company used as a front to make them want to join so badly. But as someone from out of town he had no experience or outside knowledge of the school. Besides knowing it was the company that trains kids to become soldiers; the origin of those agents that tried to kill Renjun; and the place that was most likely hosting an experiment around Goldenleaf. He really had no idea what others thought about it.
The purple haired girl went rigid and Jeno's heart dropped, hoping she didn't catch on to where he came from. However she hissed out a tense breath as her eyes started to turn red.
"Oh no. Oh no. Sorry sorry. I didn't mean to pry I was just curious-"
"It's fine." The last word was forced out as if she was struggling to even talk with a steady voice. Her eyes were near daggers as they starred at him. She was trying to compose herself. "You're the kid I saw that night."
Jeno nodded carefully, thinking about his words and responses.
"You used to have black hair."
His posture deflated a bit at the reminder of his perfect onyx locks that were now dyed a blinding white. "Yeah..."
"But you were there.... Did you stay when the chase happened? When Sicheng chased after that blond kid?" Her voice became shaky again. It must've been a startling event even for her. But Jeno really doubted it was that bad-
"My sister died that night."
The face of sweet little Megan flashed in Jeno's mind. Her adorable round face, her light purple hair, her bright, shining golden eyes. But it had transformed into a gruesome picture of his imagination. With the dart impaling her forehead and her bright eyes dulling, glazed over with the loss of life. Her small body, limp and lifeless as the poison in the dart overtook her body.
"I.... I'm so sorry......" Jeno whispered, reaching a hand out to rub her shoulder. He didn't know what else to say regarding things like this. If he tried he'd only be reminded of what people said to him that school morning.
When he went to the classroom that day, only to find students mumbling about the paper. When several girls would give their condolences and the guys would pat his back. When he asked Chenle about it and all he got was a pitiful glance. They answers to his questions being only avoidant, as if they were treating him like a kid. And only when he stormed home that day, frustrated over it all, that he noticed Jaemin's absence. Only then as he stared at the TV during dinner did he find out that his best friend for as long as he could remember. Was dead. No one was sure. But at the same time everyone thought so. And as he thought about what to say at his friends funeral- Jeno realized there wouldn't even be a body to cry over. Jaemin had just disappeared. Ceased to exist.
The athlete stared blankly at Saige as her body started to shake uncontrollably. It was only when he heard a hiccup did he snap out of his own memories. He was quick to embrace her as it was the only thing he thought could help at this moment.
She returned the hug instantly and buried her face against his chest, continuing to sob. In that moment she felt small, she wasn't the strong, quite girl that Jeno had trained with ever since he entered Hydra. She was back to the girl in the shops, guiding little Megan around and letting her answer the boys little survey.
"She was four years old," Her voice was cracking. "She hadn't even started Kindergarten yet. She was supposed to start next year. She was supposed to make friends and be a happy little girl. She was supposed to continue dreaming. Continue wanting to be that girl that wanted to help everyone when she grew up."
Saige's hands balled up, gripping his uniform shirt. "And they killed her....."
"It wasn't even on purpose. It was an accident. It could've been avoided." Her body was trembling. "Why couldn't she have decided to stay home that night. Why did she want to come with me....."
"......This wasn't your fault..." Jeno was unsure of what to say. He wanted to comfort her more and take a break from all this training to talk it out thoroughly. But at the same time their actual break was coming to a close, and that meant their mentors would come. And if they thought that these two were in the bathroom the whole time, the wrong idea may come across. Despite the fact that the white haired boy would not waste time and actually explain the situation, it would be best not to even get into that problem in the first place.
"You're right..." She pulled away and wiped her tears away. "Those stupid security guards had done it. They hadn't had enough training with guns and look where that got them."
'But if they had than Renjun wouldn't even be with me right now.'
Saige shook her head and rubbed her face with her hands, trying to remove any evidence that she broke down. "That's why I joined Hydra..."
"Because your sister had died?"
"My sister died because of the security guards incompetence. The way I see it, if I can get a hold of the security systems in this city, I can better educate these guards on how to properly handle guns." She smoothed her hands over her own uniform that wrinkled when she was in Jeno's arms. "If I can teach someone to properly aim, than maybe if a chase like that ever happened again. Maybe no innocent bystander would die next time."
The taller student was silent in thought. Her reasoning was valid, and completely cleared up a lot. It was easy to understand the behaviour change that she had gone through because of the lost of her sister. Of course she would have to be tougher, of course she had to be more serious. Saige had a goal in mind and she was completely determined to complete it. It was similar to Renjun in a way. Except she wanted to build Hydra up and he wanted to tear Hydra down.
He thought about the idea she had, in training guards in properly aiming a gun. Wasn't that a thing someone could do in the VR? Looking back, he remembered some of the students back in his old school talking about that. There was a shooting range room in the VR that let people learn how to shoot a bow and arrow. It wasn't a gun, but it was something.
"You could use the VR as a starting point."
"Huh?"
Jeno flushed red in embarrassment. "You know, use the bow and arrow shooting range room thing to help train them... Sorry I don't really know much about the game I never played it that much."
"That makes the two of us." His classmate crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Cause there is no such thing as a VR."