[h3][center][b][i][color=f6989d]Hibiki[/color] & [color=6ecff6]Shizuka[/color][/i][/b][/center][/h3]

Shizuka made it up to Hohenheim's room at last, shortly after Bonesword. She knew that at this point the angels had won: she saw their battleground before and couldn’t imagine what they faced. However Shizuka was certain that Hibiki did, and sure enough her sister was standing by Hohenheim's side, stoic and graceful. [color=f6989d]”Shizuka.”[/color] The blue-haired maid stood as still as stone. She could tell in Hibiki’s voice that she was disappointed and Shizuka knew why. Stuttering Shizuka tried to speak but she was cut off by Hibiki, her words as sharp as a blade.

[color=f6989d]”You’re too soft Shizuka. That humility will kill you one day. The whole reason I stayed up here was so I could see what [i]you[/i] could do. But instead you wasted precious time trying to free the others so they could save you.”[/color] These words hurt Shizuka deeply. She would have never had made it this far if she didn’t work alongside Hibiki. As if reading her mind, Hibiki spoke again. [color=f6989d]”You’ve grown too dependant on others, or being someone’s support. Did you not lift the restrictions so I wouldn’t have to worry about you? So you’d be an independant warrior?”[/color]

Shizuka wanted to get a word in and interrupted Hibiki. [color=6ecff6]”You don’t think I could have seriously taken on both the angels and demons alone, do you? We’ve always worked in teams sis, a-and I was just falling back to my training-”[/color] [color=f6989d]”Excuses. I did not give you my equipment so you could face them head on. This mission doesn’t require us to take on any of our enemies, just reaching Hohenheim. You could have activated the cloak the moment you got into the room and flew right into an elevator. Even on the next level you weren’t required to fight any of Hohenheim’s monsters, and you could have just used the drones to repair any damage to their tanks if they were about to break free. Even the last guardian wasn’t an enemy you needed to fight, just avoid. Never once did you have to rely on anyone or fight anyone. You made that choice. And you choose poorly.”[/color]

The spirit was nearly heart-broken. Why was her sister being so cruel? What did Hohenheim do to Hibiki? An anger welled up inside her as Shizuka glared at Hohenheim, but Hibiki intercepted her gaze as she walked up to Shizuka and made her look into Hibiki’s eyes. [color=f6989d]”You have no one to blame but yourself Shizuka. When we get back home we will need extensive training.”[/color] Leaning closer to her sister Hibiki whispered into her ear. [color=f6989d]”You’re too sweet, sis. One day I won’t be able to keep up with you. You need to be stronger. Stronger than me.”[/color]

Frozen, Shizuka wasn’t sure how to react to Hibiki’s words. They were harsh, but she was giving Shizuka much needed critiquing. Shizuka didn’t [i]want[/i] to be the harden person Hibiki was suggesting however. She was fighting to save lives, not to throw more away. But looking at her sister Shizuka knew that being able to ignore the humanity in others and see them only as either an enemy or an asset was exactly what Hibiki wanted Shizuka to be able to do. Normally she never had to do that before because she had Hibiki made those sort of hard decisions for her. Funny how easily Shizuka could accept these things when Hibiki was the one doing it. But Shizuka still needed time to process all of this and come to a decision. Taking her silence as acceptance Hibiki stood by her sister’s side and bowed towards Hohenheim.

[color=f6989d]”Thank you for being a gracious host, Master Hohenheim. With your permission I wish to return to the Machina of Men and continue to serve them.”[/color] Of course Hibiki was going to do that regardless if Hohenheim allowed her or not, but it was a courtesy for Hibiki to ask anyways. The fact that she hasn’t been tortured or overtly harassed by the alchemist was something Hibiki was grateful for. 

As the two waited for Hohenheim’s reply Shizuka blurted out. [color=6ecff6]”Ho-Hohen, I mean, Master Hohenheim.”[/color] Shizuka retracted the helmet around her head to reveal her face, which was exactly like Hibiki’s but with blue hair. She dared not to look directly at the alchemist knowing that she was overstepping her lines trying to ask Hohenheim something. Like Bonesword, Shizuka wasn’t the first to arrive and frankly only made it as far as she did thanks to everyone else helping her. But taking Hibiki’s words to heart, Shizuka wanted to get stronger. By any means nessisary.

[color=6ecff6]”I know it is… Presumptuous for me to ask you of this… But I want to become stronger. I failed to meet your challenge because of my own weakness, but if you could somehow unlock my strength, I will be indebted to you.”[/color] Shizuka stood up straight but looked directly ahead, not quite staring at Hohenheim but having her within eyesight. Hibiki stood next to her sister, the both of them still as stone. They both feared for the same thing: that Shizuka was asking for something she doesn’t deserve, and paying for it with something she can’t afford. If there was one thing that both the sisters knew, it was that making deals with any higher power, be it angels, demons, or machines, can and will end badly. And Hohenheim was a wild card of her own class.

[@KoL]