And now, back by popular demand (Oh, who are we kidding, you know it was coming, anyway)...

[center][h3][color=red][b]A Tale of Two that Met in the Past[/b][/color][/h3][/center]
[center][color=f7941d][b][u]PART TWO[/u][/b][/color][/center]


Things did not go according to plan.  Clearly shaken by her actions, the young boy struggled free from her. The boy then said,[color=yellow] " Are you telling me that I wasn't loved? My father doesn't love me?"[/color] The child is being brought to tears, as he trys to fight back the urge to ball his eyes out. 

Terra was then accosted by horrid sound, a sliver of black emerges from the spectrum of yellow and green. [color=yellow]" You're like the people Kuma tells me about, you say anything to make people think you are right! I don't know you, but all you have done is tell me I'm wrong!"[/color] 

At this point, the boy had his hands curled up in small little balls, as streams if tears make their way down the boy's face.

She was only demonstrating what affection was like.  It actually annoyed her that he was making that nasty color, like he'd deliberately made a bad sound to irritate her.  Terra watched him for a moment, assessing the problem, and spoke thus: 

[color=red]"Then, I'll introduce myself.  My name is Terra Laedo, and I was changed at birth to become better at fighting and killing things.  I'm not telling you you're wrong simply out of hand.  I'm saying it because I've hit others repeatedly until they beg me to stop.  I didn't do it because I liked them.  I did it because they were bullying.  I don't like that."[/color]

The topic being somewhat changed, and the introduction lessens the tension. The sound became more subdued. The boy's smile slightly returned as he replies [color=yellow]" your name is Terra? My name is Hibiki, Hibiki Laplace. You hit people as well?"[/color] the boy gives a wide innocent smile, as the black sliver forms a twisted face with a frightful smile. [color=yellow] "I hit people too, when I play with Kuma. Do they explode into red mist for you? They do for me."[/color] 

The boy intently waited for her response.

Terra blinked.  This was a bit unexpected.  If he was saying what she [i]thought[/i] he was saying...  She shook her head a little.

[color=red]"I haven't tried hitting anyone hard enough for that.  Someone said I broke someone's face, but that's not the same thing.  How hard are you hitting when you do that?  And who is Kuma?"[/color]

She was beginning to think that it wasn't just mad science experiment, switching out pieces of this boy for others.  Was he being augmented stronger too?

[color=yellow] " Oh ya, you wouldn't know. Kuma is my friend. He tells me things when I'm inside big brother. Kuma doesn't like it when people try to love big brother, and tells me to hit them. So, I do"[/color]

The boy responded like nothing was odd about the statement.

There was [i]everything[/i] wrong with that statement, and Terra was taking a moment to piece it together.  She was pretty sure she understood, though, since she understood what he meant be 'love'.  If he was making red mist, then...

[color=red]"Big brother is a big machine you get inside?"[/color]


His aura returned to what it was, and a little gold was tinting the outside of his sound. 

[color=yellow] " Ya! Big brother is so [I] COOL[/I]. He has a big hammer, awesome claws and a tail!"[/color]

Hibiki said this with a level of excitement in his voice.

Yeah, she could see that excitement.  Terra wasn't exactly as excited, but she knew an NC being used when she heard it.  She never really [i]thought[/i] of Id like a big toy, but if you were young enough, you might...  Ah, they weren't telling him. This was obscene.  If he was going to have any real chance of functioning normally at the slightest upset, he needed to be informed now, or the next time someone disturbs his reality in the future, he just won't be able to cope.

[color=red]"I suppose if I were in my machine, I could turn people into a red mess too.  It's what happens when you mash them with a giant fist.  Has your father never explained killing people before?"[/color]

Hibiki's head turned to the side, [color=yellow]"Killing?"[/color] he said.

[color=red]"What do you think we're being made for, Hibiki?  You're being put into a big robot and smashing people.  I'm going through training to pilot one, myself.  We're suppose to fight and kill people."[/color]

He perked up for a second, like he finally understood. 

[color=yellow]"Oh! Do you mean when they disappear and don't come back? But that's fine right? I don't know them, so why is it bad?"[/color]

[color=red]"I'm not sure.  It's what Red-Star wants because they have enemies, but I dunno much more than that.  But...you have to understand that people you fight in your machine don't love you and you don't love them back.  They [i]hate[/i] you.  They want you to die and it isn't pleasant when you get hurt.  I haven't figured this all out yet.  It's my mom and dad telling me the difference between things.  They don't want me to be confused when I'm told to fight.  If you confuse things, you'll get killed yourself, Hibiki."[/color]

Hibiki took a moment to digest what Terra has just said. 

[color=yellow]"Well, if that's true. It's fine. I was built for big brother, and if he goes away... I have no reason to be here. So dieing is not that bad. And and , if I go away, I'm sure big brother would be fine. He is just so cool. But, You know your mom? That's awesome! How is she? What does she like? Can she cook? I never knew my mom, dad said she had to go away after I was born." [/color]

[color=red]"Yes, I know my mom.  She's nice and she [i]can[/i] cook.  She said I should try to avoid dying...  They're worried about me all the time.  I try to tell them that I'm fine, but they say it's [i]not[/i] fine.  I have no intention of dying, and you shouldn't think it's fine if you do.  That's the point.  You can't DO anything if you die.  You just waste your life away."[/color]

Hibiki, felt the passage of a good amount of time. 

[color=yellow] "Terra, I better go back before my dad lov...hurts me. I don't mind if I die, really, but you seem to want to not die. I hope you not die Terra."[/color]

Hibiki waddled up to Terra and gave her an awkward "hug". Then he scampered off back to the room.

It was only after he left that Terra muttered [color=red]"I hope you don't either."[/color] and started to walk down the hall.  She didn't want to be around for Bastion to show off with now.  Things just didn't feel right, and she had no intention of letting Hibiki's father near her.  If he ever tried, she would break his fingers.  Terra continued down the hall, rounded the corner, and then...

[color=red]"...he still has my baseball."[/color]