12Title: Nothing is what it seems
Author: me! (Flowerfluffy)
Rating: T (language and stuff)
Warnings: If you can´t process oxygen, then DON'T READ THIS!
I don't own the characters; all the credits go to people with difficult Japanese names :3
Summary: Guess who´s upset again...
I don´t know what´s gotten into me, but within two days I finished another chapter. Also, seeing that one extra review a few days ago got my fingers all tingly and ready to write another chapter! Also, my plot bunnies are solidifying into one big story, so I finally know where to take this story! But for now, I hope you like this chapter ^^
Enjoy!
Nothing is what it seems...
Rinslet frowned at her cup of tea. There they were again, at that awful Japanese restaurant where Rinslet received her first order of Sephiria… Where Rinslet really had no say in, because that order soon turned into blackmail with her pride as a thief at stake. Rinslet grimaced. Sephiria probably wanted something from her now too, but she wasn´t going to let her get it that easily.
Content with her resolution, Rinslet relaxed a bit and saw Sephiria sit down in front of her across the traditional Japanese table. She looked the same as always with long waving blonde hair, pale blue eyes and signature Chronos tattoo on her forehead. This time she wore a navy business suit with a cream white blouse underneath it. Rinslet had expected other Chronos members to join their little tea party, but nobody came in and the chauffeur had also left a while ago.
"How are you, Rinslet?" Sephiria smiled at her.
Rinslet smiled back. Pleasantries, huh? She could play along with that.
"I've been good so far, thank you, how have you been?"
Rinslet reminded herself that Sephiria always has a hidden second agenda for everybody and that she is not afraid of using anyone to achieve her goals. Rinslet clearly remembered how Sephiria used the sweepers as a cover at Clarken Island to get her own crew safely to the castle, without any concern for the safety of the sweepers. Even when those sweepers included Train, Sven and Eve: people who had done so much for Chronos and who basically saved the world.
Rinslet had seen the damage that the Apostles of the Stars inflicted on the other members of the sweeper alliance when she picked them up with the helicopter. Rinslet had trouble keeping a straight face as she had a vivid flashback of the injuries of Kevin, who courageously took the hit for Eve but was sent straight to the ER for it. In short: don´t trust Sephiria.
"Very well. How are things between you and Jenos?"
"What do you want, Sephiria?"
Rinslet´s impatience got the best of her again; she really had to work on that. Rinslet made a mental note to put it on her to-do list together with ´checking birth control more regularly´.
Sephiria sighed.
"I know of the child you´re carrying and that it´s Jenos´."
Rinslet´s face started to redden. Was Sephiria implying that she could have slept with other guys? Before Rinslet could get up and give Sephiria a piece of her mind on that infuriating accusation, Sephiria cut in: "You cannot keep it."
That stopped Rinslet dead in her tracks. She couldn´t keep it? Sephiria sensed the impact of her announcement, and made use of the state of shock that kept Rinslet unusually silent to continue her story.
"Jenos remains a Chronos member and his enemies increase in number every day. We´re tolerating your relationship with him, because we know that you´re able to defend yourself and because we know that you´ll protect the identity of Chronos."
Rinslet came back to her senses again with this comment and snorted internally. Of course Sephiria knew that she wouldn´t blab about Chronos, because not keeping her mouth shut on the matter would equal signing her own death sentence. Well, Sephiria didn´t explicitly threaten her with death, but Rinslet was more than enough (which is more than she likes) associated with their way of working to know what a breach of this silent agreement would mean for her.
"But being pregnant and having a child means that you will become a number one target to all of Chronos´ enemies, as Jenos is a vital member of the organization. In your weakened state, your defense will falter and you´ll become an easy target to secure. Jenos´ emotional ties would then make it impossible for Chronos to ignore the situation without cutting his loyalty to us. In case we do dismiss prioritizing rescuing you, Jenos will come to harbor resentful feelings towards Chronos and will eventually turn against us. Of this battle we already know the outcome. So in order to prevent this sequel of consequences, Chronos has to ensure your safety at all times resulting into constant monitoring of your actions, health, consumptions, communication and environment during and after the pregnancy, which will result in you having no privacy and living in a secluded area set up by Chronos for your own, Jenos´ and your child´s safety. Also, you won´t be allowed to meet with Jenos, as we have to prevent the information of you being pregnant from spreading and frequent visits will elicit curiosity."
Sephiria had lost her smile and stared into Rinslet´s soul with a serious and cold expression on her face. Rinslet didn´t respond, being frozen to the spot with this information. It was too much for her to understand immediately, but the thing she could understand was that she had to end her pregnancy or she would end up being controlled by Chronos as a puppet. And that was not something she was excited about.
"In Jenos´ and your case, I chose to talk to you about it in private. In other cases we would have executed the procedure discreetly, as Chronos is aware of the condition mostly before the people involved are. But in this case, Jenos found out about your condition earlier than we had suspected and he evidently told you, so I had no choice but to inform you of the way of conduct."
"So you´re just deciding this for me?" Rinslet hissed through her teeth. All ignorance had evaporated and Rinslet was now fully aware of what Chronos wanted to do to her: they wanted to take away her child, their child, because that was just more convenient for them!
"DO YOU REALLY THINK I´M AGREEING TO THAT? YOU INSOLENT B…"
"I can´t have children."
Rinslet had already stood up and had her hands slammed onto the table in defiance, when Sephiria uttered this sentence. Again, Rinslet was too shocked to carry out her angry act and stared at her. Sephiria ceased to look at Rinslet and casted her eyes downward at her cup of tea.
"They ordered for me to have my uterus removed when I was only ten years old. Back then, I was told it would make me stronger, as though my weakest point would be removed along with my uterus. But at fourteen, I got to know through simple biology books what this removal had actually meant: they had taken away my feminine disadvantages, like having my period and being emotionally unstable, but with that also my ability to conceive a child. In the eyes of the Council of Elders, only a man is able to take up the position as number One within Chronos´ ranks. But unexpectedly, I outranked all of the male candidates at a very young age and they saw my potential as a leader of the Time Guardians. So they had to ´adjust´ me in order for me to meet their expectations. Those expectations included not showing and having any signs of weakness and therefore I was deprived of the privilege to have children."
Rinslet had sat down in the meantime and listened intently to Sephiria´s story. She always wondered why there were only male time guardians, except for Sephiria. It sounded so unfair… Taking away what most women took for granted. But before Rinslet went up into Sephiria´s pity fest she mentally slapped herself. This was still Sephiria we were talking about: the lying and scheming devil herself! There had to be a reason why Sephiria told her this and why she was trying to win her sympathy.
Rinslet struggled to keep Sephiria out of her head, but during her inner debate Sephiria suddenly looked up at her and their eyes crossed. Sephiria´s face revealed nothing, but her eyes conveyed regret. As Rinslet took in Sephiria´s demeanor, she saw dejection. With that, Rinslet´s previous doubts about the genuineness of Sephiria´s words quietly vanished. Maybe there is more to Sephiria than meets the eye, Rinslet wondered. Their eyes met again as Sephiria started speaking once more.
"I am telling you this as a woman, not as a commander. Pregnancy remains a sacred miracle to a select group of women, but unfortunately, we are not one of them. We have a responsibility towards the world to maintain its stability and we all have to make our own sacrifices to realize that. I would like you to understand this and to make peace with the decision."
Unable to say anything, Rinslet saw Sephiria get up in her recovered manner as the leader of the Chronos Numbers while her chauffeur appeared at the entrance of the room.
"I will give you and Jenos time to process this information and I shall inform you of the following steps within three days. For now, you´ll be escorted to your apartment where Jenos will be waiting for you. He has been fully informed by now as well."
Sephiria was handed her mantle by her chauffeur and she draped it loosely over her shoulders. Before she made her way out, Sephiria looked back at Rinslet, who hadn't moved an inch.
"Please consider my words, Rinslet. I only wish the best for you and Jenos."
As Sephiria exited the room and left Rinslet in the comfort of autumn leaves dancing in the wind outside, Rinslet still couldn´t move. Only a tear that formed in the corner of her eye managed to alter her appearance for a second. But other than that, Rinslet had not consciously made a move until she was delivered to her front door where Jenos greeted her with an expression as grave as hers when she was told that her parents had died.
Time started moving again and Rinslet fell into Jenos´ arms as everything that had just been told finally settled in her mind, giving way to her grief and her tears.
I hope you liked it :3
I might have to change the genre to psychological, because things are getting real here with childhood traumas and stuff :o
Reviewer recognition:
Again: thank you for reading and reviewing my stories, because that really keeps me going. I´m still new to the world of writing, so constructive criticism is always welcome! (constructive, mind you x3)
HeartsofStone: Thank you for reading my story! This chapter gives you a little peek into the heart of Sephiria and that has a major influence on the story, so stay tuned for the rest :D
Thank you so much for subscribing, favoriting and reviewing my story and I will update soon again!
Byaa~~
Hunniebunniezzz & Luuuvv ~~ Flowerfluffy ~~
