Septifiria; The Becoming

Chapter 19

   “I’ve got no doubt that you will,” he said, a small but terrifying smile on his face. Septi smiled at him sarcastically. “I just have to be like you.”

   “What do you mean by that?” she asked, mildly offended.

   “You’re always pushing everyone to be better,” he explained. “You seem heartless at times, but you have a goal and you know how to get to that goal.” Septi snorted and tucked her legs up against her chest, wrapping her arms around them.

   “I have a goal, sure,” she said, thinking about herself. “I guess I do seem heartless, but it’s because I try to. I try to look strong, try to act like I know what I’m doing. I don’t always know, though, and I know I’m not as tough as I’d like to be.” Her thoughts strayed to Nito, and she felt sick to her stomach all over again. Silence fell and they both stared at the TV screen, lost in their own thoughts. Then Gin began to chuckle.

   “After that first day here, I thought you hated me,” he said. Septi fought the giggles that threatened to either choke her or turn into sobs.

   “You have no idea,” Septi muttered as she got the giggles under control. “I didn’t like anything much that day.”

   “Why?” Gin asked, oblivious to how quickly her mood was darkening.

   “It’s a personal situation,” Septi said after a moment, refusing to look at him.

   “I see,” he said, looking over at the clock on the wall. “We should probably go to bed.”

   “Oh?” Septi said, following his gaze. It was nearly three. “Yeah, we probably should.” She reached for the remote to shut the TV off.

   “I’m glad we got to talk,” Gin said. Septi rolled her eyes. “No, seriously.”

   “Well, that makes one of us,” Septi said, making her way to the door. He caught her by the upper arm, stopping her.

   “Look, I don’t want to fight,” he said as she jerked out of his grip. “Peace?”

   “The only way I’ll settle for peace is if you understand that I’m in control here,” she said.

   “I can handle that,” he said, offering her a hand.

   “Alright then,” she said, taking it and shaking hands.

   Little did Septi know that this understanding would help the Saha family mesh with the rest of the VI4C better than anything else she could have done. Over the next month Gin went through the required paperwork to officially join the VI4C, just as well as intense training. His times and scores became amazingly high, almost equal to Septi’s.

   As for Kin and Kane, they adapted well. When Septi announced that the sleeping arrangement was going to be changed- girls on one floor and boys on the other, they were among the most willing to go with it. Everything was going well until CAMM did the unthinkable- they decided that, because they viewed mutants as less than human and because they had gotten the governments government’s endorsement on their new program, which was designed to take mutants captive and torture them to the death, until they gave up their fellow mutants’ information, they were making numerous arrests.

   Septi and Ferinequell instantly began tracking down those mutants who know anything about the VI4C- even the Loners that had attacked them- and either convincing them to join them, killing the threats or offering the highest levels of protection to their friends. Gin, Kin and Kane, on the other hand, became extremely withdrawn, sulky and almost terrifying to be around. Scared that Gin might do something stupid, Septi put a watch on him 24/7.