Dizziness, headache and weariness. Those three would perfectly fit Amy's description of how she felt at the moment she woke up. While her vision was recovering, the first thing she noticed was how dark her surroundings were, so it wasn't just her eyes failing. Then came her memory, and she remembered how she got careless, but hadn't lost her life, luckily. Remembering that, Amy almost jumped up to try and reach Peter, noticing he was in the same place as her.
She would hug him if she could, relieved by seeing him healthy, but as she came to notice, that was impossible: her hands were tied. Logically speaking, that was the best option. Amy was the invader in this situation, so the fact she was even alive to begin with was great. Still, the girl wasn't thinking logically, so it felt wrong. Did Peter really see her as a threat?
Of course, Amy answers herself, I almost sliced his throat, then almost gutted him.
Amy remembered exactly how it felt to hold his life at her hands, and how much that scared her. Even then, she almost sunk in hopelessness, believing he had lost himself completely to Vega. The only reason he was still alive was her fear, as she didn't have the courage to do it. Fortunately that was the right choice, as the girl found out there was still hope.
— You ok? — the boy asked with a neutral tone, looking at her as if deciding whether he would try to be gentle or not. — Can you hear me?
— Y-yeah, I can.
— Great, have some water.
He approached her carefully and lifted a water bottle, then raising it to her lips and helping her drink it. Because Amy was consuming the smallest amount of her supplies as possible, she gave in and drank the entire bottle, and that barely quenched her thirst. The girl thought about asking for more, but decided against expecting too much. After that, Peter distanced himself from Amy again, and they stood silent for an entire minute before the boy decided to speak up.
— Aren't you going to say anything at all?
— What? — Amy was caught by surprise at that question, and then she felt shame. She was ashamed about how cold she was being, how distant she had been ever since he came back. Amy couldn't say too much, but also couldn't say too little, as both of these options would lead to risking it all. Thinking about what to say, she eventually blurted out the first option that didn't seem terrible. — T-thanks, for not letting that woman kill me and for the water.
Amy had a few certainties in her life, most of those were about Peter, and that included reading his expression with almost-perfect accuracy. She could tell that he was in the "not angry, just disappointed" part, and that was the worst. Anger would be easier to deal with, but he never got angry, not with anyone and especially not with her. Instead, he would get sad or disappointed, and now he seemed to face her with both of those feelings at the same time. Amy knew she had messed up the words again, and so she turned her face away, feeling the burden of his gaze to be too much.
— I guess it was true, then. — his voice carried the weight of all the wrongs Amy had done during that year. If she were alone, she would certainly cry in frustration. She had to think about something fast. — Ever since you left, some memories started to come back, you know? During my dreams, mostly, but they were hazy and confusing. The first clear one was with you, after I won the match that qualified my team to the nationals. We agreed to get some pizza, something to celebrate with.
Amy remembered it clearly. It had been such a good day, such a lovely night, of course she treasured it. She would smile and talk to him about it, but his voice sounded so sad she almost doubted what memory he was mentioning. Surely they remembered the same thing, right? Besides, that was surprisingly good news, he was remembering things again!
— Then you freaked out and hurt me. It was so out of the blue, and it felt wrong, like it wasn't actually you. But you have proven me time and time again it's true, Vega is right.
— N-no fucking way! — Amy said with shock, not even noticing what words she had put out. She freaked out and hurt him? There's no way that happened. "I didn't touch him, I would never..." Amy started to think, then caught herself up on that last phrase. Ok, she had hurt him, but that was now and by accident, not before all of this happened. And what did he mean about Vega being right? Did she take too long to reach Peter? Did he lose himself once more? — Pete, please, you gotta listen to me, that ain't true, Vega's lyin' to ya.
— You almost killed me twice by now, ignored me when I was just trying to talk to you, abandoned us when we were stuck with that crazy woman. — Peter listed her wrongdoings in a calm manner, but she noticed how much each word hurt him to say. — I... I felt attached to you, you know? It's weird, but when I saw your face I just felt like we had to stay together and everything would be alright. Fuck, even looking at you made me feel guilty about something, then you just left. I don't resent you, it's just... I just want you to say something, anything.
— I'm tryin', I swear I am. — Amy couldn't hold anymore, and tears started flowing out of her eyes while she tried desperately to convince him not to give up on her. — I don't know what I can tell ya without messin' things up even more, but please... please trust me, don't leave, I will set things right, then everything will come back to how it was.
During her sentence, Amy noticed she was mostly trying to convince herself.
— Vega lied to you back then, he made you free him and all of those monsters roaming around. He is evil, Pete, we gotta get him out of your head.
She looked at him, hopeful in search of a bit of trust. What she was instead was the face he made whenever he was having a conversation with Vega inside his mind. Amy didn't know what Vega was telling him, but it could only be lies, it was always a lie.
— Vega told me what happened to me and why, he didn't need to say anything about you, my memories were enough. The monsters getting out were Hyperion's fault, not ours.
— Ya ain't listenin' to me! I'm tryin' to tell ya, and you ain't listenin'. — Amy was getting more and more desperate by the second, and at this point she was about to have a complete meltdown. — Please, Pete, please, you can't believe in any word he says. You told me that yourself, try to remember it, I'm begging you. Everything I've been doing was for your sake.
Amy noticed that she didn't have any real way of proving what she was talking about, so the only option left was to leave it to the boy's memories. The problem was: if Vega already manipulated his memories to try and pretend like Amy had hurt him before, what was stopping him from faking a past where she was the one in the wrong?
— Now you actually tried to have a conversation with me, what changed? Really, I thought you hated me.
— I-I don't know. Nothin's changed, or I changed. It's confusin', and I'm so scared just thinkin' about you fallin' for his trick again. — the girl said while slowly realizing she was getting closer to actually being able to say what she felt and thought. — I won't run away no more, I swear... I don't hate you... I... I think I lov-
— Shift's up, kid. — a woman interrupted them, entering the tent abruptly. — Oh, the golden girl is awake.
Amy was equal parts frustrated and relieved about the intrusion. Frustrated because an important conversation was cut short, and relieved because she almost made a very grave mistake. How could she say things like that without being sure? That was no joking matter. After letting a sigh escape, Amy realized who the woman was. A redhead, tall woman, gazing suspiciously. It was the same woman she fought before, the one that almost killed her.
— What do you mean the shift is up? I was here for barely an hour.
— Boss' orders, she wants to see you right now. Said it was important. — she said while they stared at each other. The woman looked angry, almost resentful, while Peter was just cautious. — Don't worry, your girl is safe.
Without saying anything else, Peter left the tent while giving a single "see you later" glance to Amy. The mood after that was just as heavy, and the girl couldn't avoid having dangerous thoughts. She was just crying and pleading, but now Amy was already plotting her escape from that rope. That is if she thought she would be attacked, of course, and it wouldn't make sense for the woman to kill her now. Depending on how long she was out, there must have been other opportunities for that.
— You really are something, aren't ya? — the redhead said while grabbing a chair and sitting on it cross legged, unconcerned. — Kinda impulsive, but impressive nonetheless.
— W-what do you mean?
— You are sixteen years old, if I remember right what your friends told me. Even being that young, you made me think I would die at least two times back there. No wonder you survived by yourself in the wilderness.
— Nah, I fucked up real bad. — Amy said while being as humble as she could be, even if deep inside she appreciated the recognition. About the last part, though, she decided not to tell the truth, as not everyone could believe in the blessed priest roaming the woods unseen. — But thanks, though.
— You are allowed to have some pride, miss lightfingers. — the woman said while getting up and unsheathing her knife, and Amy immediately started the process of releasing her hand from the ropes. — By the way, name's Leah, I'm here to put you up to speed.
Before Amy could release herself, Leah reached around her and cut her free, a very surprising, but welcome, deed. The fact she was open to giving her some answers was already great, so Amy just rolled with it. Getting up with certain difficulty, the girl and the woman left the tent together, and the former almost went blind by the sudden light of the sun. For some reason the star seemed brighter than usual, so the process of adaptation took a long time to finish. By the end of it she was already able to see her surroundings.
Lush greenery and imposing trees were the first elements she had the pleasure of seeing. Antique, but comforting and simple light posts were placed all around small dirt roads. Sadly, the sun being up meant Amy couldn't see that place with those lights on. Some houses were seen in the distance, all of them made of wood and built like vintage cabins, with the one closest to her being an exception. It was built with bricks and had plants decorating it all around the walls and even the ceiling, in a manner that felt more "connected" to nature than "overran" by it. Separating the bigger home and her tent from the rest of the houses was a small stone wall, although considering it only covered up to her waist, it seemed to be more symbolic than strategic.
Clashing with that scenery, though, there were lots of props spread on the sides of that house. Targets, weapon crates and mannequins gave the environment an easy way of being seen as a military camp, and that conflicted with the looks of the other cabins. Still, Amy summarized it as "heaven on earth", as even the air around her smelled fresher, and sunlight acted as an energizer for her to finally recover her consciousness entirely.
— Stunning, huh? I felt the same thing when I first came here. God knows how much I wanted to just stay and sleep on a comfy bed for months, but duty called. — Leah said while observing the way Amy spoke and acted. — The boss got really interested in you, so she told me to make you go meet her as soon as you recover.
— I'm fine, I think.
— Hard to tell if that's true or if you're just another "always ok" type of person.
— I'm fine fine, really. — Amy tried to sound as sincere as possible, still looking around in awe. — Hey, did other two folks come with ya? A small girl and-
— Yeah, yeah, James and Emma, right? — Leah asked and Amy agreed with her head. — They are here alright. Actually, they were nagging me and Peter for quite some time, asking about you and worrying for nothing.
The "nagging" and "worrying for nothing" parts were so easily applicable to those two that Amy had no trouble in trusting Leah on this. As they walked to the main house's doors, the girl noticed the sound of two persons talking, and the moment she recognized the voices, the phrase "speaking of the devil" went through her head. Not only the ones talking were James and Emma, they were also speaking about her.
Sitting in a comfy padded wooden chair, James was the first to get up, looking at her surprised. While he tried to approach her, though, he probably remembered he was supposed to be mad at her for their latest discussion, then James turned his face to the other side, crossed his arms and sighed. Emma on the other hand stood there quietly, staring at Amy with a sinister — even if apparently neutral — expression.
— James. — Amy greeted him without much thought behind it, treating it more as a way to recognize his presence than to actually start a conversation. — Emma...
She also greeted Emma the same way, but in a much more uncertain tone. The way the short girl was looking at Amy was discomforting to say the least. Besides, Amy did accuse her of being infected the last time they saw each other. And for the record: yes, she still believed that. James, who was still waiting for apologies or anything like that, rolled his eyes and went back to his chair the moment he realized Amy was just going to get past him without so much as a word.
She and Leah finished their walk whenever they entered the house and stood outside a fancy wooden door, hearing another pair having a conversation. She placed one of the voice's identity in a heartbeat — Peter. Because she didn't recognize the other one, Amy assumed that was the "boss". The problem was simple: the boss sounded like a kid. Not a metaphorical kid or a "anyone younger than me is a kid" type of vibe, she just sounded absurdly young.
— Go get your things organized, we begin in an hour.
The girl on the other side said, then Amy heard someone get up and reach for the door. Immediately after that she saw Peter once more, and she had to stop herself from wincing in response to the heartache she felt. Not only did he barely look at her, Peter just left without saying anything else, leaving the three of them behind.
— What are we doing, boss?
Leah asked and Amy finally saw the infamous boss of that place. What surprised her more wasn't just her small stature contrasting with an imposing presence, not even the way she looked soulless. What caught Amy by surprise was the fact she had already seen her before, in a picture within Laura's files. How could someone so young have such influence? Leah, Peter and even Laura had ties with her.
— "We"? There's no we in this. I will give him some lessons, much like I did with you. — the girl said while scoffing at Leah and finishing by looking at Amy. Her gaze seemed to penetrate her, as if analyzing her soul. — And who do we have here?
— H-hello, I'm Amy. — she answered while raising her hand to try to give a handshake. — Thanks for not killing me.
"Thanks for not killing me"? Seriously Amy?
— You're welcome. — the boss answered while refusing to shake Amy's hand. — Tell me, what are you after?
— What do you mean?
— You heard me right. What are you after? What are your goals?
— I think... makin' it outta here alive? — Amy answered and the room stood silent, while the girl looked at her waiting for her to continue. Leah was doing the same thing, arms crossed and raised eyebrows. Apparently, she wasn't too good at omitting information. — And helpin' Peter with his memories. Happy now?
— Happy? You think you're doing me some favor? — the girl said while sighing and retreating back to a big couch in the back of the room. — I'm disappointed, really. For someone that beat up Leah so skillfully, you're not looking very smart.
Not looking very smart? What the hell did that girl want? Of course she wouldn't say everything to someone that she barely knew, even more so with the woman that almost killed her by her side. For all intents and purposes, Amy was already planning an escape route in case they moved slightly fast.
— If I at least knew your name, it'd be way easier for me to have a conversation with you.
— I'm Kimiko Horokeu, heir of the Dead Hand and the strongest person alive. Happy now? — she mimicked Amy's tone, and the way she said that while being extremely prideful annoyed Amy. — I think I'm losing interest.
Kimiko said while rolling her eyes and laying back on the couch. Before anyone could say anything else, Leah spoke up.
— Come on, boss, everyone would do the same thing in her place. Try to be reasonable. — Leah said and Kimiko rolled her eyes once more, but seemed to accept her words. — What she was trying to tell you was that we can help you. It's kind of a deal, I took it, Peter took it, I guess you would too.
— What kind of deal?
Amy asked suspiciously. Nothing good ever came out of things like "a deal" in this hellhole. As far as she was concerned, Peter and Leah accepted being slaves for that girl or something like that.
— We do something for you, then you decide to join us or not. My colleague here is very interested in your friend, and we saw how much you care for eachother. — the tall woman said and Amy became even more suspicious. The words "you decide" were too open, too good to be true. — Have you met Hyperion yet? Or even heard about them?
— Sometimes, no good dealings though.
— That's the common experience, they are animals. Everything that happened here was their fault, and I'm sure you understand what they have done to Peter, right?
— Kinda, yeah, not entirely.
— So that's where we help you. Kimiko has a way of recovering his memories, and she can offer even more than that. We can help you reach true strength. No more being a victim of fate, no more letting others decide what happens to you. Have you ever thought about being the only one responsible for your own destiny?
Amy instantly remembered Dantalian's words, then realized she liked what she heard. Still, it was too abstract, and of course: too good to be true. Amy didn't believe in promises of strength or anything like that, even more so coming from people she had no good interactions with. She could enjoy the idea of finding more about the ones responsible for this and for Peter, but could she trust them? No, probably not.
— Yeah, sure, that sounds cool and all, but I really don't know you folks. And sorry, Leah, you actually seem like a decent person, but we nearly just killed each other.
— Hey, I get it, I said the same thing to her when we met, but with a lot more offenses and fighting. — Leah laughed and smiled softly at Amy. — You don't have to decide right now, take your time. And talk to Peter, he will probably change your mind.
Just by not being forced to accept immediately made Amy even more prone to thinking about it seriously. Furthermore, understanding Leah's and Peter's reasoning could help her in making a decision.
— Sure, will do. — she said while motioning to leave the room. — Gotta take a walk, I won't be gone for long.
Amy decided to use this as an excuse, although it was true — she really wanted to get fresh air and clear her thoughts. She didn't do that usually, but it's better to start later than never. She guessed the two of them wouldn't be so open to that idea, considering Amy could very well be lying to try and set some kind of ambush. Well, that's what she would think, at least. Unfortunately she could be right, as Kimiko herself stopped her before the girl had the chance to leave.
— Hey, want some advice?
— Shoot it.
— Don't think too long. Good opportunities don't come twice to anyone, even more so ones like these.
— Nice advice, thanks.
With that, Amy left the room, but something was compelling her. It was like her will was being split in two. One half of her wanted to leave and continue doing things her own way, however in a new, probably better, manner. The other half was unlike her, it wanted to come back there and accept the deal, feeling like she would regret it for the rest of her life if she did not do it. For some inexplicable reason, Kimiko was some kind of magnet to her determination, as if she knew subconsciously that the girl had everything she needed to reach her goals.
The Amy from a few days ago would have accepted already, but not her, not now. She could think about it as long as she wanted to, right? There wasn't anything to fear, except maybe the idea of Peter leaving with Kimiko. Wait, she thought, he will join her. The realization hit her with full force, and just now she noticed that meant Peter leaving again, and this time to a dangerous unknown.
With precise timing, Amy heard Kimiko's voice once more, taunting her as the girl walked away anxiously.
— You're welcome, and I will see you again very, very soon.