We sat next to a broken-down wall, with our feets hanging from the ledge. It was pretty high up so one fall would cause an elimination, but the breeze and light were just perfect to pass on.
" I had no choice... " Rena starts explaining what was happening on her end.
" I didn't want to suddenly dismiss everyone when I was given the responsibility to take care of everyone, but I was forced to... " She grabs her knees as she looks at the many battles occurring down below.
" James and Jade, they... They told my father about all of this. " She looks down as a huge sense of grief flash through her chest with the thought of her close friends and assistants betraying and causing her dream to collapse.
" I already told you about my scenario... How my father treats me, despite my efforts. "
It was pitiful honestly. The more I look at her, the more I realize her hopelessness. She was like a weak child stuck in the slums trying to escape her fate, yet the person she was supposed to trust the most is keeping her as someone she hates.
" I... He knows I'm better than any of his sons, yet he pushes me away just because I'm a girl from the secretary he impregnated. " A look of rage yet sadness flashes in her eyes every time her father's name or anything that has got to do with him escapes her mouth.
" He told me to dismiss this trick I was cooking and then sent my brother to watch over my actions during all of this... And by the looks of it, you seem to have realized all that already. " She says as she looks at my expression the moment she revealed what was troubling her.
So Rena's father basically sent someone that Rena was clearly fighting against in terms of position to handle her. It was clear that he didn't want Rena to succeed as he even sent one of her brothers.
" And he might look like the calm and innocent assistant teacher guiding the students, but he is more of a devil than you think... " Rena's eyes suddenly flashed with hatred as she mentions Gerald's deeds.
" He is the oldest sibling out of the bunch and also the heir. He was just a weak, powerless yet incredibly loving brother when we were young... But when I grew older and showed my desire and talent in leading, his entire attitude towards me shifted and his entire personality twisted like he became a different person... "
" The older brother who would never hurt a fly, turned to someone who wouldn't hesitate to kill a man. " She says with a pained expression.
I don't blame her, it's a painful thing for your own family to treat you as such. When they're supposed to be the ones there for you as you strive for a better life, they are the reason why you want to escape your current life.
" That's why I couldn't... I wanted to fight trust me. But I can't risk everyone else's chance to be great for my sake. " She starts to tear up, as despair and hopelessness fill her head. She wanted to do something, but she couldn't. She felt frustrated, yet guilty of her actions despite not being in the wrong given her current situation.
" So it's better to leave a useless leader like me Mon. I'll cheer for you. "
Sigh...
" You are really annoying, aren't you? "
" Wha- "
" Why do you think you're a leader? Because you are responsible for everyone else? The last time I heard the job of the leader is to lead a group of people to act as one. Not babysit a group of people and act like their mother. "
Rena kept her silence as she listens to my words. I'm not great at giving advice but I couldn't just let her be.
" You're hopeless right now because all you're thinking of is how to fix the problem by yourself. Why do you feel like you're weak or less of a leader because you're asking for help? "
" You might know already that I planned to use your authority without being friends with anyone in the class at all. I'm not speaking for everyone, but the reason that I kept on staying is because you have the capabilities to be a leader, not a babysitter. I only got to hang out with you for a week, yet I already know you're someone who is worth being friends with. I haven't been with you for too long so I don't know you that well, but what I see and what my instincts tell me is that you're a great person destined for great things. "
" When you ask for help, it's not because you're weak. It's because you want to remain strong. "
...
" ... " Rena stares blankly at the street with her eyes focused on the battle below. A battle that was happening between Reign's side and what was hers.
" Pfft... "
" I'm sorry? " I asked her, as I was quite confused by her reply to my speech.
" I'm sorry... I couldn't contain it. It just doesn't suit the carefree and sarcastic Mon I know. " She replies with a soft smile as she wipes the tears from her eyes.
" Hah! I know, look at what I have to do just to cheer you up. Surely I become the vice president of the class now. " I cheekily say before standing up. " Alright miss... Rena ready to do this? " I say probing for an annoyed reaction, but she raised her arms signaling for me to quiet down.
I don't know the reason why but I could only comply. What now? I swear to god something always happens when I say that line.
" Do you hear that? " She whispers.
" What? " I look at her confused, by the whole ordeal. I don't know what I was looking for but I decided to listen for something anyways...
" He.... " Then when I thought Rena was a little too paranoid, I hear a disoriented, deep, and weird grunt coming from directly below us.
Rena looks at me trying to validate if she was hearing right and I could only nod in confusion as I try to figure out what that was.
It sounded like human speech, yet the voice was too odd for a human to release.
" Help... meee! " It says with a low grunt, yet you could hear the rise of the pitch at the end of his sentence, causing me to shiver from what I just heard.
" Does someone need help?... Rena looks at me nervously, seemingly confused yet nervous about the whole situation.
" No... " If I've encountered this thing for the first time in my life, I would've fallen for it. As this thing, was no human asking for help. It was a Gorilla... no it has the body of a gorilla yet the head of a crow. An Inter that copies the voices of its most recent victim.
An Elite+ Inter, the Shrieker.
But how does it have a voice, when no one was supposed to die in this vicinity? It can hold up a voice for up to 24 hours only, so unless someone died, It should deliver crow noises instead...
" Help meee!!! " It screeches yet again, but the voice, instead of originating from below us, came directly from the floor we were currently on.
How in the hell did a Shrieker suddenly appear in this sector with Mr. Froil present?
I don't have a good feeling about this. As multiple theories fill my head, I couldn't help but shiver with the sudden thought of something that could threaten not only my elimination in this training, but everyone's life including me...
As the only thing that would make this possible is...
The presence of an Original.