บท 22: New Identity
Opening her eyes, Charlotte found herself in a unfamiliar room.
<Right… I'm in a hotel.>
Remembering where she was, she moved her body, she felt a little sore all over her body. Though it wouldn't trouble her while moving normally, it was still a little concerning. To feel sore like that without doing any exercise was weird!
"Maybe it's the same as exercising when I move it?"
She said softly, without much in her mind.
"What is?"
She was surprised at that voice! Looking at the source, she remembered she was not alone, Gut was with her in the room!
"Uh, nothing, I'm just feeling a little sore over my body."
It was the truth, though she didn't know if she could explain the reason or if she would even be believed.
"Oh, right, yesterday we did move all morning. Maybe that is the reason?"
"Yeah… That might be."
"Anyway, it is still early, we are moving at eight."
She wasn't sure why, but Gut liked to speak weird, even if he had a perfect accent.
<Maybe he's not from Gercia?>
"What time is it?"
"Close to five."
"Oh… Yeah, it's early… I'm gonna take a shower."
"Alright."
Getting up from the bed, Charlotte went to the bathroom. She first took off the bandage from her chest. She then took the one on her abdomen, trying to be careful so she wouldn't be in pain. It was for naught, as she still felt some. After taking it off, she was still feeling something on her scorch.
<Right, he covered it with something.>
Feeling that cover with her hands, she tore it off.
"Ssss!"
She felt as if her skin was being torn open!
Stopping the urge to cry, she went to the washing area. Being as careful as she could, she washed her body clean. She still had the other burn marks, so she took extra caution with them. She couldn't do much to her back, though. It hurt with only the water going down!
Once her torture was over, she dried off the water on her, wrapped the bandage she was using on her chest, put on her panties and went out. She then searched her newly bought clothes and took out the new trousers.
"Fuuu…"
Breathing out, she sat in the armless chair and started to meditate. Once inside the Crystal's Core, she called forth the External Projection. Looking at herself, she saw something worrying. The brown spots on herself were getting bigger!
"I've to do something fast, or else it'll be dangerous."
Even if she couldn't feel anything bad now, she remembered how they were black before. Black was an ominous sign!
She couldn't tire herself either, as they were moving out of the city today.
"Umumu… What to do…?"
She tore one off and looked at it. Before they were in her vision, and now they were on her body. Both times, they were 'on' her. She felt a little curious of what would happen if they covered her completely, a little. Only a little. Her safety was first.
"But being brown is better than being black, right? So it's better if they're on my body… Right?"
Staring at it some more, she soon gave up. Everything she came up she had already done.
Going out to reality. She sighed and stood up.
"Hey, what time is it now?"
Gut opened his eyes hearing her ask. As she already knew he was a modified human, he didn't bother to hide his eyes. Looking at her, he got up from his assigned bed.
"Right now, it is four to seven in the morning."
"Alright… We're gonna eat after going out, or can we eat something now?"
"… Now is a good time to eat. Wait for me."
When he finished speaking, he went to the bathroom. Charlotte had to follow his lead, so she wouldn't go out even if someone called her out. She wanted to survive! Or at least until she was sure she could do so on her own.
Waiting for around ten minutes, she heard him going out of the bathroom.
"That's fast."
"Unnecessary trouble, it is better to move faster. Now, show me your face."
"Uh?"
"Make up."
"Oh, right…"
Sitting in the usual armless chair, she let herself be toyed by Gut.
"It is good now."
"Let me see."
She went to the mirror of the bathroom and saw herself in there. The boy her, that is. Going out she wore a new shirt and asked:
"So, where're we going?"
"To the cafeteria, of course."
He smiled at her.
"Take all your things. We are leaving after breakfast."
"Right."
She packed everything she currently owned on her satchel. It was packed full now with her new clothes.
In the cafeteria of the hotel, they were given a simple breakfast consisting of white bread, cooked eggs and a mug of coffee with milk. Not eating so fast nor so slow, they were ready when it was fifteen to eight.
They booked out of the hotel and started to walk. Even if they were still in Monnimoyas, she felt like she was in an alien town. She was scared of being recognized at any moment. Even with her disguise on.
They walked for around an hour. People kept going forth and back. No one gave her a second glance. At most, some girls stared at her. Maybe mistaking her for an actual boy their age. That stare wasn't long, though. She ignored it all, pretending everything was okay despite being restless.
<This's gonna kill me…>
She sighed to herself. Not long after that, Gut stopped in front of a building. It was a normal looking building in the middle of the street. It was four stories tall and had no sign to recognize it from the others, having only the number of the building on its front door.
"It is here, let us go in."
He entered the building without waiting for an answer. Following him, Charlotte saw the interior, it was a normal looking reception. Maybe the same you would find in a hotel or a small business building. Going to the receptionist, he asked her:
"Hello, miss. Is mister Leblanc already in?"
"Hello, sir. Let me check."
She smiled at him and then proceeded to check on the desktop she had on the reception desk.
"Yes, he's in. Do you have an appointment with him?"
"Indeed. My name is Gut. I believe it was scheduled at nine. Though we are a bit early, I hope he can receive us."
"Wait a sec."
She then called him from a cordoned phone she had at her side.
<That's odd, those are quite old… I think they stopped selling them some years ago?>
Looking with curiosity at the phone, Charlotte kept quiet all the while.
Once the reception lady finished talking in the phone, she smiled at Gut.
"Sir, I've been told you can go in. Do you know where his office is?"
"No, tell me please."
"Alright, it's on the third floor, number nine. Have a nice day."
"Thank you, you too. Goodbye, miss."
She smiled at Gut without answering. She then continued doing her things on the desktop.
Charlotte and Gut followed the lady instructions and arrived at the room nine on the third floor. Gut knocked on the door and proceeded without waiting for an answer, she followed without a word. Once inside, Charlotte saw an old man sitting on a desk. He had white hair trimmed back, wore a monocle in his left eye and smiled when he saw the both of them coming in.
"Hey Gut! How long without seeing you! How have you been? You look different from usual."
He said rapidly, with clear emotion in his voice.
<So they're old buddies? … How old is Gut to be talked that way by an elderly?>
"Hello, Jonh. It has been a while. Right now I am on a job, so I have to do my part."
Smiling at him, Gut talked slowly, as slow as he ever talked, with a calm as if he had all the time on the world.
"Oh, yeah. The ID… Let me see. I need a picture of him, though. Is he the one? Poor boy, so young and having to change his identity because of some bullies."
"Yeah."
"Yes…"
Charlotte didn't understand what was going on, but did her part in following the conversation.
<Bullies? Who? The government? Yeah, they're bullying this lady! Please help me!>
"Come with me, I don't think you have a picture with you. I'll take one and finish it asap."
"Go on, I will wait here."
"Okay."
She did as told and followed Jonh. They arrived in front of a room that didn't have a number. Entering after him, Charlotte saw it was a white room with a seat in the middle and too much space left over.
"Sit in there, I'll take it now."
She sat in the chair and waited until he was done with his photos. After taking around ten with his phone, he chose one and showed it to her.
"Good, I guess."
"It's fine, this'll only be your fake ID, you won't have to forgo your true one if you want. Let's go back and wait for me to finish it."
"Alright, let's…"
She nodded at his voice, feeling a little restless by the mention of a true identity.
<How're they doing now…? Durd, Ellen… Jean, I hope he doesn't despite me after that… Mom, brother…>
Thinking about the ones she was closest with, she felt powerless. She had to forgo all her relationships she had made during her life and start it all anew!
She was feeling tired even before doing anything.
After coming back to room number nine, they waited for around an hour.
"Ok, it's ready. You'll have to wait until it's delivered. I Believe it's going to take another hour to be done and brought to here."
"You have my gratitude."
"Don't mention it, I owe you so much."
With those words as a trigger, they started to talk about their past without mentioning anything too serious.
After however long it took to be ready, someone finally knocked on the door.
"Mister Leblanc, I've brought the package you asked for."
It was the voice of a young man. Maybe just entering his adulthood.
"Come in."
After hearing that, the young man entered room nine. Seeing there were guests, he lowered his head a little.
"He's my new assistant, what do you think?"
Jonh asked Gut while making a proud expression.
"I have not seen him in action, but at least from his demeanor, I can infer he is quite skilled. What are you good with, boy? Knifes?"
<…! This lot are dangerous! When is one good with knifes? When they kill with it?!>
Feeling restless in her heart, she was once again informed that her peaceful days had ended. She was mixing herself with the dark side of society, the lot that used weapons and coercion to achieve their objectives!
Feeling her concerns, Gut patter her shoulder.
"You do not have to be worried. As long as I am near you, you shall be safe."
"Thanks…"
She thanked him with a bit of sincerity, after all, right now he was the one helping her the most. But…
<If you turn back to me, what should I do… How would I survive then…?>
The more she thought about the future, the more worried she became. While walking this morning, she had seen in the screens her face, she was being advertised almost all the time. They were even saying that she was to be captured, but if it wasn't possible, she was to be brought down. She was to be killed!
"From now on, your name shall be Shuck. Shuck Stellar. Is that alright, Charles?"
"… Yes."
She was given an ID for minors, as well as a passport. In it were numerous stamps. Finally a note, which said to what countries she could get in with that passport, and some precautions regarding the others she was not allowed to enter.
<Now, my own name is taken from me…>
She wanted to cry! To be washed in sorrow!
But she knew, she had chosen this road. She was the one who decided for it to be this way. Even if it was harder than she though.
"Alright, shall we go, then?"
Getting up from his seat, Gut motioned for them to leave. After giving the duo of Jonh and his assistant some parting words, they exited the room, and then the building.
*****
"So, what do you think, boy?"
"He's the wanted one, right? That boy… No, that girl."
"Indeed, even if she disguised herself and pretended to be a boy, being besides Gut is a sign of something turbulent being cooked."
"I don't know. She felt so… Normal."
"But that's a given. She's feeling the pressure from the world. If she didn't feel normal after being in that situation, then she'd be a monster. I have to commend though, at least she didn't break on the spot, however close she was, she got over it… I believe you wouldn't fare any better in her place."
"That's… I don't know. I'd have to feel it before saying anything."
"Ha ha ha. Let's wait and see what changes she brings to the world. This world that's so rotten that everyone thinks the government is always right and without fault, it has been stagnant for too long."
"Yes."
"Inform James that our part of the deal is done. We'll be waiting for his help now."
The boy then bowed to him and went out of the room.
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