POST_METAMORPHOSIS

Chapter V/7 - Pain out, ease in

It's been an entire week since Saki met her savior. It was 8 AM. Saki has been sitting on her bed since when she woke up. She was thinking about everything that had happened to her from the moment she got pulled out of her daymare.

- "I still can't believe I got saved by a full-blown gentleman from another world... The way he treats me... Am I THAT precious to the facility? I mean, I'm their first-ever, but... I'm not royalty, either. So much happened after I met Aleister... I had my soul purified from something vile by him and wrote a letter to Mom while he regained my stuff... Even Mr. Doggy... I awakened my Prowess and scared off some douchebags who held Minny captive. Mom would surely kick our asses if she heard I got shot in the head while fighting alongside Al. Hell! He was down to help me reconcile with Sakura's bunch, too! And I could also face those thugs for the first time... Misa and Shouji brought Mom and Mikasa here. I even befriended Yuumi... A chuunibyou... She helped me form something I don't want to witness getting turned into an occultist group. After all, things are way better than they used to be, but... My past just hurts me too much... Dammit... Hana..."

- Hey, Saki! Good morning! - Minerva came inside. She was happy to see her.

- Hi, Minny! Everyone!

The rest of the Sisterhood of the Damned formed yesterday was with Minerva.

- Are you alright? - Minerva asked Saki.

- Uh... Yes, I am... I was just... reflecting...

- ... Oh... I see...

Saki looked at Yuumi.

- About yesterday-

- Saki... No worries. At first, I couldn't understand the situation entirely, but I do now. <sigh> All I can say is... I'm so sorry...

- You did nothing wrong... I'm the weak one here-

- Bullshit! You're a lot tougher than me, ya know that?

- She said it - Mikasa joined in.

- I... I, too, wouldn't be able to sleep at night if something like THIS fucked-up happened to me... It's hard for you, I can understand that.

- Hard is still weak here... - Yuumi added.

- You might know that already, but... we won't extend you the same courtesy as those monsters did. Cry it out on our shoulders whenever you need it, OK?

Hearing Mikasa's words, something clicked in Saki: she could truly trust them, too.

- ... Alright... Thanks, girls - she said silently.

- I'm glad we could clarify it.

- It means a lot to me...

- We can see that crystal clear... Hell, I'm glad you're one of my first friends...

- Well, it's always good to have a circle of trust. I, too, have mine, even if it's smaller than yours. Anyway, I'm so glad you would accept my help! I hope we can get along and that I can get to know you better.

- Uh... How come? - Sakura asked.

- Al, our dear leader, said I could take his place daily so he could focus on Ms. Yoshida. Plus, another reason. Saki?

- Well... I assisted her brother in finding and rescuing her from an abandoned factory. Some bastards from a tribal gang, naming themselves Nomads, held her hostage there. I... I got shot in the head at point-blank range, but I survived and beat the shit out of them... with Al and Lucius, however.

- WHAT?! - Sakura said out of shock.

- No way... This isn't you... Like... At all! - Asuka followed.

- But she did...