Chapter 21: Feeling

"Again!!"

Allucard's voice echoed in the training room.

Mio was on the floor laid on her back breathing heavily. Slowly she got up to her feet. Mio wiped the swear from her forehead and got in her fighting stance.

"Good. I want to see persistence." Alucard smiled as she gestured Mio to come and strike her.

Mio stepped forward and launched a punch right at Alucard's face. Alucard quickly dodged and stepped back.

"Weak!! I want to see you try to hit me. I know your holding back."

'I'm trying my best but it seems thats not good enough. My arms are starting to wobble. Let's see if I can try something else.' Mio thought as she tried to analyze her fearsome opponent.

Mio waited this time for Alucard to strike. It took only a couple of seconds for Alucard to notice what Mio was doing.

Alucard shrugged, "Darling, you have to try to beat me, but I guess you want me to show you how opponents can take advantage of weaker ones!"

Mio was more reactive than she was active in fights, even if she wasn't the one fighting most of the time. She remembered how she was terrified out of her mind facing Goliath. Golaith was a monster in every sense of the word but she was able to take him down. It wasn't in the moment of danger she chooses to run away. It was a gut feeling that made her stop and fight, something in her mind that said, "I want to live."

Alucard's movements were fast, but in those moments it was like she was dancing a waltz. Her poise, gestures and her footwork made it seem that she wasn't even trying to fight her, but amuse her.

Mio was in awe by her fluid movements. She saw how beautiful and careful she was. Mio could also sense something else something dangerous. Alucard's aura struck fear in Mio as Alucard lunged forward to attack. Mio tried to dodge her attack but she pivoted her foot to stay in front of her. Mio was moving backwards while Allucard slowed her pace to match Mio's. Alucard took the lead.

"Darling its over..." Alucard said as she grabbed Mio's right hand and dipped her so she fell flat on the floor for the umpteenth time.

Alucard was on top of Mio with a fist in her face and her hand pinning down her hand.

'She was dancing with me..' Mio thought as she laid helplessly on the floor.

"Uwaaah!! Mastah that was uwuwuwu delicious." Ceros was clapping while her eyes were widen at the sight.

"I guess I still have a lot to learn, huh?" Mio said as she was still laying on the mat of the training room even after Alucard got off her.

"It's all part of the process don't beat yourself too much. If anything you can rely on your big sister to pick you back up when your feeling down. Hit the showers we're done for today." Allucard said as she left the training room.

Ceros was looking over Mio, "C'mon nee-san, its bath time! She tugged on Mio to get up but, she was to tired to get up. Ceros noticed immediately and made a huge grin on her face. "Hehehehe."

"What are you doing?" Mio was concerned at the girl's intentions.

"Don't worry about it." Ceros' grip was getting tighter.

Ceros lifted Mio and princess carried her out of the training room as fast as she could.

"WH-wh-wait!? Staph, stop stop!!!" Mio's pleas of help echoed in the hallways of the facility as they zoomed to the shower room.

After their shower Mio was in Ceros' room. Ceros had a bunch of posters plastered on the wall as well as a couple of bookshelves with books that had interesting covers. She also noticed Ceros had a T.V. in her room as well as a bunch of game systems underneath the T.V. stand. Mio was staring at her room for a while as she sat on the side of the bed.

Then Ceros walked into the room which startle Mio. "Uwah!! That was refreshing. I got to see lewd nee-san in the shower. Hehehehe." Ceros stared lewdly at Mio's body.

"Whe-whe-where are you staring at?" Mio embarrassed covered her chest and crouched awkwardly on the side of the bed.

"It was a joke nee-san. Or was it..." Ceros got a little closer to Mio. Ceros laughed and handed a game controller to Mio. "Let's play some games before bed."

"Sure." Mio smiled and they played until they eventually fell asleep.

It was about 2am and Mio woke up randomly and couldn't fall back to sleep. As she stared at the ceiling of Ceros' room she felt Ceros tightly cuddle her as she slept. Mio figured that if she if walked around for a bit maybe she'll get tired again and fall asleep. Mio moved Ceros' arms gently as to not to wake her up and walked out of her room. As Mio was strolling the facility she was looking at the various rooms each piqued her interest as it did the first time she was shown the facility a couple weeks ago. Suddenly she bumped into somebody while she wasn't looking.

"Ouch." Mio rubbed her shoulder from the sudden collision.

"I should be saying that to you girl." An elderly woman's voice called out.

Mio glanced and her eyes widen. "I-I-I'm sorry about that Professor Archette. I wasn't looking where I was going."

"That's alright. Firstly, what are you doing up this late? It's almost morning."

Mio responded, "I couldn't fall asleep. Also what are you doing so late."

Archette chuckled, "Touche. Let's go outside for a bit maybe the cool air will list you back to sleep."

On the rooftop of the facility there were a couple of chairs and tables for employees to lounge around. They were also greeted by the open view of the city from afar, the shining lights of a sleeping city.

Mio and Archette were leaning against ledge of the rooftop. Mio could see some netting near the ledge to prevent people from falling. She wasn't afraid of heights but it reassured her that she was safe to lean on the ledge. Mio closed her eyes for a brief moment, she could feel the cold air touch her face and felt relaxed. She pictured her walks from station to her apartment complex and how she could look up at the sky and feel free.

"Enjoying the breeze a little too much are you?" said Archette.

"Yeah, I like this feeling a lot." Mio calmly answered.

Mio quickly realized the opportunity for Archette to answer some questions.

"Ummm, Professor Archette can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. Go right ahead. What's on your mind girl?"

"Can you tell me more about the Chaos Blade?"

She scratched her head and hesitated to answer. "What I told you during that interrogation was enough wasn't it?"

"No, it's not enough. If I'm gonna deal with this curse. I might as well learn more about it. Please, tell what you know." Mio was pleading to Archette for an answer.

"In due time." She placed a hand on her shoulder. "Try to get some sleep. We'll be sending you back to your apartment in the morning."

Disappointed and frustrated Mio left the rooftop and went back to Ceros' room where Ceros was sprawled over the bed. Mio pushed Ceros to the other side of the bed to make room for herself to pull the blanket and closed her eyes.

In the morning Mio ate breakfast with Ceros and Alucard, as soon as they were finished they waited for Mio to gather her stuff. When Mio was heading to the parking lot of the facility Alucard stopped her.

After they were done talking they could hear the car honking from the parking lot. When both of them were outside Ceros was slamming the car horn.

"Hurry Up!! You guys are eating up my show watching time." Ceros said as she peeked her head out of the rolled down windows.

Alucard placed a hand on her forehead, "Ayaya, you have more than enough time after we get back."

Ceros crossed her arms and started pouting as soon as she got to the back seat of the car. It was a smooth ride to the city and to the apartment. As they pulled up to the complex Mio got out of the car and waved goodbye. Mio got to her apartment and saw the pile of mail shoved into her mailbox. She ignored it and unlocked her door she walked inside and gently closed the door. She walked passed her kitchen, her small living room and finally her room. The dirty dishes in the sink, the unkempt bed and papers all over the living room table. She slumped down against her closed door and sighed.

'I never really noticed how empty it was...'

The next day Mio was back at the University sitting in a lecture hall listlessly watching a professor ramble on about economics. Mio had a laptop so she wasn't all that bored as she took notes just to keep herself awake. As she was typing she got startled as the door to the lecture hall swung open and saw a familiar girl. She scurried up the steps and saw an empty seat next to Mio.

"Is this seat taken?" The girl was out of breath.

"Umm..not at all." Mio didn't even look in the girl's direction.

"Thank you." The girl politely responded.

"No problem."

She quickly turned around and stared at her laptop.

'She looks oddly familiar...' Mio was pondering in thought as the Professor continued to listlessly lecture.

On the other side of the lecture hall a boy was staring at the two girls. The boy sat next to what seemed to be two or three of his friends. A girl whispered in his ear.

"Whatchu lookin at?"

In a cool, collected voice he said, "Nothing, something just caught my eye."

"Ooooh, you're such a player." The girl teased him.

"Nah, it ain't like that. I promise."

"I don't believe you. Let's go out to a club with the gang."

"What does that have to do with me?" The boy was curious at her proposal.

"You are gonna pay for our drinks to make up for all the staring."

"Dafuq?"

His other friend chimed in. "No way dude. Ballin as usual. Imma take your word for it."

He groaned and looked at the other girl. "I fuckin hate you."

She winked at him and proceeded to tap away on her phone.

Later that evening at a familiar office building a man in the purple suit was looking out the window to see the skyline. The man was in deep thought.

His secretary strolled in and called out to the man. "Is anything wrong sir? Are you worried about Myra? Do you think she is gonna disobey your orders?"

The man let out a deep sigh. "That child will let her desires get the better of her. It seems the mark of repentance will not be enough to quell her thirst. Foolish.."

In a downtown apartment Myra was getting ready. She was checking herself out in the mirror near the door of her apartment.

"It's showtime. No mistakes. No hesitation."

The door made an audible click as she closed her apartment door.