Stargazer - Segregation

Chapter Twenty-Five - Shallow

Rory can't believe his eyes.

Turin, a wonderful city that kept its way up till today. The city; restless and burned. People walk around with sticks, destroying the monuments, yelling, insulting everyone they see. The soldiers try to prevent as much devastation as possible. Rory steps up to the one that holds onto his shield tightly.

"What is going on?" he moves his head around.

"They just don't stop. This has been like it for the past days since the announcement! Alphonse has to do something," a man grabs Rory's clothes and shakes him up. "Please help us!"

Rory walks up to his group as he pushes away the man. They all stand and watch. Teresa bites on her nails, and Wang's face is filled with paleness. Nalani's arms are crossed, and her eyes are wide open.

"What are we supposed to do now?" Nalani's voice shakes.

"What if we try to talk to them? Shouldn't that work?" asks Wang as he swallows.

"No. They've been like this for the past days. There is no way you can solve this with comforting letters," explains Santino calmly.

"There is one solution!" says Rory to get attention. "We just have to shut them up completely."

"Wait. Do you mean we should—all of them?" Teresa's eyes shorten to him.

"Yeah. That's pretty much what I mean. Look around you," his index finger shows up ahead. "What is there to safe now? All of them are crazy!"

"You remember why Alphonse build the machines? People are scared of the unknown. What if we just try to scare them instead? Shouldn't that work?" says Wang to receive an answer.

"Good idea," says Santino.

They walk towards Rory's machine, leaving him a slight bit behind.

"I thought my idea was pretty good," he says, wrinkling his mouth.

He boots up the machine and flies towards the center. The fearsome riots do not move an inch. They stand still in their place, demanding in a loud voice a change for them. They won't let him pass, lift up their wooden sticks, and start to speak in unison.

Freedom in our mind,

merit for all kinds.

We fear no man and no machine,

no more divine left in between.

To make us leave the world we in,

the man confine,

the people inside.

For who we are and what he took,

made us define the freedom we stood.

To segregate us from the rest,

he chose to bind us as a protest.

For us all to believe his words,

the perfect world we do not dare,

upon us all to make us sherds.

"What are they talking about?" he asks as he looks closer to the screen.

"They are singing the song of freedom," adds Teresa.

"Of what? When did that happen?"

"I don't know, don't look at me!" says Wang spreading his palms out.

"Where am I supposed to go now?" he spits with anger.

"Just stay in the air," suggests Wang.

Rory looks at him. "You know what? I am not going to try and talk this through, nor am I going to put them on the court for this," he turns down the control pad, the machine falls heavily on his feet, crushing the people underneath.