Scattered Memories

03. Exuberance to Melancholy

Rien, attendami. 

Xachareus opened his eyes as he remembered once again his deceased childhood friend. Sitting up from the bed, he roamed his eyes in a familiar room where he is in whilst his right hand on his mouth as he yawned, he got out from his slumber and headed towards the door.

Another chance. This time, I'll finally find something worthwhile. 

Before twisting the door that was right in front of him and pushing it on the other side, he breathed in and exhaled with a slight tremble.

Please, let this time be the last.

Opening the door once again, nostalgic feelings came rushing through his veins and nerves. All of his beings from his cell to his skin, embrace the familiarity as he yields back in time. Back where he's happy, together with her.

Year : ××××

Place : Aphelion Research Institution

Time: 15:22:01 PM

The two interns walk through the hallway with Luka in front of them leading them to the next room they're about to tour. Psyche's still trying to comprehend that the two are truly twins, she misunderstood them for having different personalities or perhaps she thought that Connor is being nice to her just because she thought that he was being nice because of guilt.

Oh god, that's really embarrassing…

As they've finished eating lunch, the three of them continue where they left off earlier to tour the place, and one of them is the laboratory where they'll be assigned to and do their work and research.

"Here is where you two are going to be assigned for your whole internship and residency. All of us scientists here have already gone through this since we don't have that many laboratories and also, this old open laboratory-like area needs someone to look after here. You don't necessarily need to use all of the equipment here, but most of the apparatuses and tools you'll be using for your research are in here so it's perfect for the two of you."

The two nodded as their heads freely roamed the open laboratory. It's quite odd for a laboratory to be an open area where you can see the neighboring rooms. The laboratory was made for making different kinds of formulas that need bigger and enough space for better results and safety.

"We've used this area for years, and neither one of us broke anything during our stay here. So I hope that goes to the two of you as well." Luka said while walking around towards the table full of lab apparatuses that had been used by her other colleagues.

The two remained standing in front of the main table where the microscope, dissecting set and test tube racks were placed. It was clean, and it seems like no one in their scientists' group haven't ever used it before, as if it was made to be used by the two of them.

"You said earlier that you also used this laboratory, but now you finally have your own laboratories, so does that mean that we are going to use this permanently compared to you, seniors?" Hugo curiously asked wondering why the two of them will use the area permanently and why they have to share.

Luka's still walking around, pretending she didn't hear what Hugo asked. She begins to open the cabinet where some of the unused apparatuses are stored. The cabinet is clean and the apparatuses are arranged identically by shapes and sizes, but it didn't escape her feline eyes the careless way of cleaning the table that was below the cabinetries, and by the look of how clumsy it was cleaned she already knew who was the one behind it making her to be displeased.

That bastard doesn't even know how to clean his traces and works.

Hugo waited patiently for his question to be answered. Before answering, she calmed down herself first and finally after she closed the cabinet doors and looked at him, answering, "I can't tell you that for now, but you'll know it as soon as you finish college and start to work here. Assigning things here's pretty fast, so rest assured that you'll get your own laboratory."

Psyche, who was still being preoccupied by the open laboratory didn't hear what her senior said and just kept on looking at the apparatuses and lab equipment that was in their supposedly work station. Meanwhile, Hugo just hummed and continued to tour around.

As to Luka, she didn't move on her position and even leaned on the table while looking at their two juniors. She's still enraged by how messy it was cleaned and didn't bother to clean it abundantly. Really.. Maybe I should just use him as a test subject on my next project. Shaking her head, she diverted her mind away from the idea that she just had, to thinking about what they're gonna tour next after the open laboratory.

While still roaming around, Psyche stumbled upon a locked varnished cabinet. It was clean and well-furnished as though it was new while the other cabinetries were clearly old and were used numerous times. And not just that, there was a name engraved on the center part of it, however there weren't any names that were visible on the other cabinetries. Oh, but is it really a name? Psyche tilted her head, arms crossed in front of her chest, and was trying to decipher the meaning of the engraved name.

R. Ice… A name? Codename? Nickname? Or.. maybe a hidden message? Preoccupied by her thoughts, Psyche didn't notice that there was someone approaching from behind her, and there was an added member in their party.

"Ooh! Axe!!" Luka yelled consequently after seeing the person who was walking towards them, waving her hand up in the air. Hearing the name made Psyche snapped back to her sensibility and immediately turned her head to see who her senior was calling. Ice? Was it Ice? Did she just call Ice? Head full of these thoughts Psyche was stuffed with anticipation— anticipating that she could finally meet the one behind the engraved name and meaning why it was embossed in a neat cabinet.

With her beaming face, she faced the person who was called over by her senior. A young man with puffed, slovenly pitch black hair paired with his spheroid carob eyes greeted Psyche's feline green eyes. The two kept their eye contact, making the young man's eyebrows furrowed as he appeared before them.

"Davon! You done with that?" Luka asked finally after the young man arrived.

The said young man looked at Luka first with suspicions filling his eyes and answered, "What're you gonna do if I'm done with it?"

Luka, who's happiness' just as shallow as a paddle, laughed at his reaction. "Chill, will you? I just wanna ask. You sure don't let your guard down huh."

The young man was still suspicious of Luka but shrugged it off and proceeded to the cabinetries near a vast window where oddly shaped apparatuses are.

Psyche was just staring at the young man, not caring whether the young man might feel uncomfortable by how she stares at him.

"Ah! Come to think of it, You three don't know who he is, right? So let me just introduce him to you two. The young lad over there is Davon Axeem Rios. One of the nine scientists working here, and my fellow intern before." Luka glances at Davon who didn't even bat an eye at them and just continued looking for the things he'll be needing.

And as if on cue, Psyche approached the young man, who's name was Davon as said by her senior. Davon, still not giving them the time of the day, unconsciously looked at the approaching Psyche making him feel discomfort and clumsily grab what his hands got into just so he could finally get back to his room.

"Uhm, are you.. By any chance, R. Ice.?" Psyche asked as she stopped a few meters away from Davon.

Confused by the question, Davon inadvertently stopped what he was doing and looked at Psyche with his right eyebrow raised as if questioning her about her question to him. Luka also heard the question asked and shifted her attention immediately at the two, brimming with interest in her. The same goes with Hugo who stopped looking at the books right after he heard Psyche's question to Davon.

"No. No I'm not. I'm sorry." Davon answered obstinately, hoping Psyche would stop questioning him. But Psyche's persistence got the best of her and asked another question.

"Then do you know them? If yes, could you introduce me to them? Please, Mr. Rios?" Psyche looked at Davon's eyes once again but this time, with anticipation that he'll help her.

"Look, I don't know what you mean, nor do I know who that is. So I apologize again, young lady." Davon replied once again. He barely even said it, afraid that he'd shatter the young lady’s hope. But still, he can't introduce someone who he hasn't even met before.

Psyche was saddened by what Davon replied. Yet she didn't want her senior to notice that she was disappointed by what he answered, so she pulled up a smile and said sorry for her sudden question and making him uncomfortable.

Though no matter how Psyche hid her dismay from her senior, Davon still noticed it and felt guilty even though he didn't do anything, he still felt guilty. Scratching the back of his head, he turned around and continued minding his business.

While the two were conversing, Luka couldn't stop thinking how and why Psyche knew about R. Ice.

Did.. they already met? No, that won't happen 'cause I didn't see them earlier. Even these past few days. 

"Psyche.. Who do you mean by R. Ice? How do you know them?" Luka asked Psyche. Carefully picking her words as to not raise any inkling from the two interns. They shouldn't find out about them.

Psyche looked at her senior's direction before answering, "Oh, it was carved on the clean wood cabinetry near the entryway. Why do you ask, Ms.? Perhaps…" Eyes widened, and gasping, Psyche's hope started to sprout once again, as maybe, maybe this time, she'll know who this R. Ice person really is.

"Yeah. Psyche's right. It's really carved here. And to boot, it was nicely done and the cabinet seemingly looked like it hadn't been used for years, yet it still looked presentable and nice." Hugo inserted while touching the carved name, inspecting it.

Luka's eyes immediately landed on the cabinet where Hugo's standing. And the two were right. It was indeed a much more decent cabinet than the others. F*ck. Why is that here? Who put it there? They're dead if I found out who's the imbecile who placed it here.

"Ms. Goverteas, are you.. R. Ice? Or maybe do you know them?" Psyche once again asked after her question being neglected earlier. Even just a little bit, she still has a tiny bit of hope in her.

Giggling, Luka answered, "What? No. And I also don't know them. Why are you even invested in them? You don't even know them to begin with."

True enough, by the words of her senior, Psyche asked herself inside as to why she's invested in them? She doesn't even know their face, their figure, nor does she know if that's their real name or maybe just a pseudonym. She doesn't even know if it's really a name or just a bunch of carved random things on cabinets.

"Why do you think deeply about small little things like this? This doesn't even concern the institution's 'history', and is not even worth our time." Luka added once again.

This time, Psyche's interest towards the engraved name finally lost its significance to her. And just shifted her attention on their tour.

"Yeah. You're right. Why do I even bother finding them?" She replied. A hint of bitterness was present in her voice. But Luka just pretended that she didn't hear it and continued guiding them throughout the open-laboratory. Meanwhile, Davon, who's finally done with his business, bid his goodbye to the three, "I'm done here. Hope you won't bother me in the future." Consequently after saying his regards, he immediately stormed out of his way there leaving the three behind. A smile plastered on their face that was caused by Davon's timidity.

Just like when a bug passes by and you're suddenly fascinated by it. Though the bug who already went its way wasn't even a bit interested in you. Yet here you are, still admiring the bug from afar. Even though Psyche said to herself and the others that she won't bother herself with this kind of thing again, there's still an inkling feeling deep inside her that wants to meet who's behind that name.

Year : ××××

Month : ××

Day : ××

Time : ××:×× PM.

Place : A small town, far away from the suburbs.

"Xaaach!!" A feminine high pitched voice was heard aloud all over the street making the townsfolk who were passing by hear its loud voice. She was calling out to her friend whom she saw walking up the road to where the hill ranges are. The young boy's ear perked up upon hearing his name. Curious to know who was calling him, he turned around just to see a random kid running up to him whilst waving her hand up in the air.

Who is it? Gosh it's so hot, I can't see them clearly. 

The young boy squinted his eyes to see clearly who was calling him under the high and scorching sun. Moments later he continued walking up the road brushing off what he heard a while ago. He still hasn't recognized the voice who called out to him, and wasn't interested in who called out to him, he just really wanna see the person who knows his name.

"Ah! Hey! Stop walking!! Wait for me!" Once again, the voice who called out to him earlier spoke again, but this time, he didn't turn around nor gave any interest to the voice and just walked straight up.

Seeing that the young boy won't stop at any time, the girl halted her track and fetched her lost air from chasing after the young boy. She then started to stretch her arms up high, extended her legs, stretched it and shook her hand violently. Inhaling a huge amount of air and releasing it steadily, she positioned herself on a start-up running stunt which she just copied on their TV. 

Fixing her eyes on the 'finish line', that was the young boy, the young girl ran at her full speed. Under the high and mighty sunshine's warmth.

Xach could hear the young girl's footsteps rushing towards him, but he still didn't pay any attention. Moments later, the footsteps became louder and louder to the point where Xach started to be irritated by its sound.

Inevitably, he couldn't take the loud noises anymore so he turned around, expecting that he would just see a girl moderately running towards him. But oh boy how wrong he was when he saw a massive figure right in front of his eyes, arms up high, legs opened sideways, and a silly look painted on her face. It was as though she was trying to engulf him whole.

A loud sound of something falling echoed all over the area. There, a figure of two children was seen. One on top of the other holding the back of her head, while the other was lying on the ground, looking like an unconscious drunkard. Few seconds that they were in that position, the young boy spoke,

"So how many more minutes are we going to stay in this position?"

The girl didn't answer. And just stayed in her position for a little more while, pressing her body harder, jokingly suffocating the young boy below her. Irritated by the way the young girl acted, Xach just sighed, accepting his defeat.

Hearing Xach's defeated sigh made her giggle before standing up, shaking off the dust on her clothing. Few seconds and she's done cleaning herself. She then looked at Xach who's still lying down like a corpse.

"What? You still wanna lie there?"

Xach looked up to her and shook his head, gesturing that he wanna get up too.

"I.. I can't stand up.." He said shyly while looking away, hiding his embarrassment from the girl who's in front of him.

The young lady laughed at the way he acted before extending her arms so Xach could have a support getting back his feet on the ground.

 "Grab on." The young lady said, which Xach accepted wholeheartedly. Pulling Xach from the ground, made her wince since Xach's clearly much bigger than her even though she's older than him. Still, she successfully pulled him up after giving her full strength on her arm, and that was a lot of work for a young girl who's still growing.

After staying for a few minutes more on the side road, they're now walking towards the hill ranges— towards their spot, to be exact.

While the two children were conversing as they went their way, they couldn't help being loud. Especially the maiden who's laughing her heart out as she tells stories about how her morning went. As they got close to their spot, the two children were still in their own little world. Not caring about anything, just emphatically happy.

Finally, after having an intense walking session under the blazing mr. Sun, they finally reached their 'hiding' spot. It was a place where you could see the entire town, from the entryway where the arc is located to the very end of the town's forest. Located at the west side of the town, you can now clearly see as the sun voluntarily emerged itself from the hills. Serenity embraces the whole town, as the surroundings turned itself to a welcoming darkness.

Still having the trace of the sun, a silhouette appeared, standing on an old oak tree. Xach immediately recognized who it was. How could he even forget? It's the silhouette of the person he doesn't want to know about this place, and the young girl who's with him.

What're you doing here, mother?