Chapter 06 - Strength (Part C)

Chapter 06 – Strength (Part C)

-Pollux’s Story-

The kunai is piercing through my chest. My life is flashing before my eyes as I shielded Vega from certain death. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always told myself that if I were to die, it’d be while saving someone in need.

But why am I having doubts now? Am I doing this because I’m Pollux? Am I being true to myself in these final moments as I leap into the palm of death? Pollux…isn’t even my real name. The name that was given to me by my parents… My true name… It’s…

***************

“Sayu~ ♫ Peek-a-boo~ ♫”

…That’s right, my name is Sayu. The memory of my life is beginning with a man in glasses shielding his face with two hands, and then he’d open them to reveal funny faces. I had to be about age 2. This strange man who’d kept disappearing behind the hands was my dad, his name is Ryu. Not too far behind him stood my mom, Saori. Together, we are the Kanzagi family.

My parents were as normal as normal could be. My father was an electrician, my mother a bookkeeper. They raised me with care, showered me with love at every possible opportunity, which were numerous. Not that I didn’t mind. What child wouldn’t want these things from a parent?

I was a normal child. I loved my parents and our vacations. I enjoyed playing outdoors and reading books. I had many friends from the neighborhood. The looked up to me as a big sister, so they nicknamed me ‘onee’. Our parents got along with each other, looked out for each other, and helped raised us children. We’d play in the park, have birthday and after-holiday get-togethers. Sometimes we’d even go on vacation together, and even a camping trip under the stars away from the city. My life was as normal as normal could be, at least until my sixth birthday.

We celebrated our birthday in a park. My friends and I played games like tag, hide-and-seek, and who could swing the highest. Meanwhile, our parents were having their conversations and prepared the foods. After about an hour or so, we had our lunch and cake. Once we had our fill, it was time to open the presents. Among all of the presents I had received, the one that was my most favorite was a ball from my dad. I remember grinning from ear to ear after opening his gift. Dad knew how much I loved being active, and he wanted to be a part of my interests.

“Let’s play kickball!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. I was so ready to play with that ball. I hadn’t even finished opening the other gifts. All of my friends gathered onto the field and formed teams while our parents watched us play. First, it was my best friend Yawara up to bat. KICK! The ball flew as far as a kid our age could kick. The other team was scrambling to catch the ball for an out. Next up, another of our friend, Michio. KICK! The ball flew…until someone in the outfield on the other team caught the ball. OUT!

Finally, it was my turn. KICK! And the ball flew…and flew…and flew…and flew… Out of the park. Gone. My favorite ball. I began to bawl my eyes out. My parents and friends rushed over to my side to comfort me. Dad said he’d buy me another ball in the same design. My mom and my friends, and their parents, commented on how impressed they were that I kicked a ball that far with such incredible strength! A kid my age has done the impossible. Their words cheered me up and I became happy. That was possibly the last time I was ever genuinely happy during my childhood.

That evening when my family and I returned home from the park, I pushed open the car door. It was torn off. My family and I couldn’t believe it and simply thought it was a faulty door, or there was a faulty bolt or something. Next, I opened the door of our home to help my parents carry in my presents. The door was separated from its hinges. Fortunately, it was easily repaired. Why did it happen, my family and I wondered.

It wasn’t just the door to the family car or to our home that became damaged. It was also to the kitchen chair, the spoon I held, the refrigerator door, my toothbrush, my bed, and even the first step on the school bus! What’s going on? What is happening to me? I suddenly became strong…too strong for my own good.

***************

My parents brought me to a doctor. The doctor could not diagnose the cause of my sudden abnormal strength, and there are no traces of this phenomena ever occurring within either side of my mom nor dad’s family tree. It all began with me.

My parents decided it was best to temporarily withdraw me from attending school and to receive homeschool education until my abnormal strength was under control, which took five months.

Nobody at the school knew the reason for my absence. But, children aren’t stupid, you know? My neighborhood friends learned of my condition and began to spread the news around the playground at school when I returned to school in October of that year.

“Onee is a freak!”

“Onee is super strong like a boy!”

“Is onee an onii?”

“Onee is an oni!”

“♫ Oni, oni, don’t come out and play! Your home is a cave and children run away! ♫”

I became isolated from my peers. No one wanted anything to do with me. They kept their distance. They’d run away at the first sight of me. Some children would throw rocks at me, sometimes even mud. The teachers did nothing to help. They all thought it was a game I was playing with the children. Even when I told them that it wasn’t a game, all they’d say was, ‘Be strong.’ Be strong? Be strong? How could I be strong? I’m just a kid! Physical strength doesn’t mean I’m emotionally strong! A man, woman, teen, or child could only take so much bullying and abuse!

Even when I wanted to do something about it, there was that worldwide slogan: ‘Peace, Safety, Happiness.’ It always reared its ugly head. Somehow, the majority had the impression that bullying, discrimination, or any of the sort no longer exists under the flag of this campaign. With this peace of mind, everyone’s safety is guaranteed and we could all be happy in any society throughout the world. Where did this shitty slogan come from anyway? It makes me sick. So sick that…I just smiled. Yes, that’s right. I’ll just smile. People want happiness from me? Fine. Then I’ll smile. I’ll give them the biggest smile! I’ll smile when I’m being bullied. I’ll smile all day throughout school. I’ll be the happiest ‘oni’ they want me to be!

The bullying continued throughout elementary school. In middle school and high school, people still kept their distance away from me. I had a few friends, but they would never hang around me during school time, and never in public. The only time anyone would ever bother to speak to me was when they needed my strength for something: to get their ball out of a tree; to move furniture; to be a part of their team. That’s all my classmates ever saw me as: a convenient tool. But I’m not a tool.

“I’m Kanzagi Sayu. I’m human just like you all! I only have abnormal strength, that’s all! How is that any different from your intelligence, or your beauty, or your talent?”

This is what I wanted to shout from the depths of my heart. To scream my lungs hoarse. To bear my mind for all to see and know. But, it was useless. Everyone only saw me for the ‘scary oni’ they perceive me to be. Except my parents.

One day after school during high school, I returned home, at my breaking point in life. The years of wanting to lash out, to speak my mind, had finally reached its apex. It just so happened that the people who were on the receiving end were my parents.

“Would you stop pitying me already!? I know you and all the other adults pity me! ‘Poor Sayu, she can’t make any friends. How pitiful she became a living freak of nature at the little age of six.’ I bet this is the only conversation you all have of me. Not about my grades, my accomplishments, my future, nor my happiness. Only my strength! Well, I wish I never had this strength!”

After that outburst, I turned from them and tried to walk away. But I was stopped. Not by harsh words. Not by an ultimatum. Not by a slap. But from a hug. Two hugs…from my mom and dad.

“Sayu! Your mother and I would never speak nor think such a thing!”

“We love you very much, Sayu! We’re sorry you are going through such a difficult life!”

“We love you with all our hearts! Our beautiful daughter! We care about your future, your happiness, your well-being! Even since that day of your sixth birthday! We never saw you any different. We only see you as our daughter, we only see you as our Sayu.”

“Never wish to be anyone other than yourself. Embrace yourself. Be proud of who you are. There will always be many people in the world, but there will never be one of you. Love yourself and the person who you want to become in your future, because we love you, and we will always love you.”

I didn’t have to turn around to know it. I didn’t want to see it. I already knew. Tears flowed without end from my parents’ eyes. Tears, and love. I was too stuck in the depths of my darkness to notice, all of these years. And I guess it showed, because I didn’t want them to see the tears flowing without end from eyes either. I quickly turned around and buried my head into their shoulders. I wanted their love. I wanted it more than for people to recognize me for who I am.

“Mom…dad…I’m sorry…”

The next day, on my way to school, there was a little girl being bullied by a group of kids. She was crying. Her tears and her wails were echoed throughout the autumn morning. Not a soul did anything. Not a soul came to her rescue. I wasn’t going to wait around until someone did something.

“Hey, you brats! Leave that girl alone or I will give you something to cry about!!” my voice overpowered the child’s wailing. The group of children stopped their bullying and turned towards my direction. It wasn’t long until they realized who I was.

“It’s the oni! Let’s get out of here!”

“Never bother that child again or I will have you for a midnight snack!”

The kids scrambled on their hands and legs, trying to run as far away from me. The girl was left behind on the ground. I walked towards her. Her cries and wailing had ended, and all that was heard from her were sniffles.

“Are you alright, kid?” I asked, kneeling to her level.

“I’m okay.” The sniffles stopped, and she looked towards me and grinned from ear to ear. “Thanks for saving me, Ms. Oni!”

I was taken aback by her words and her smile. She didn’t fear me. She didn’t think I was a freak or a tool. She simply thanked me for coming to her rescue. It was her smile that made me realize, I shouldn’t let the strength gifted to me go to waste, and I shouldn’t be ashamed of it. I should, no, I WILL use my strength to help people. Perhaps someday, my strength will rid the world of this false happiness and usher in an era of true happiness to this city and to the world! Nobody shouldn’t have to be isolated like I have, and nobody should be bullied!

Now that I think of it, if it weren’t for my outburst…if it weren’t for my mom and dad, I never would have found my place within the world. I would have never met such kind, unique people at Crux Academy. I would have never found a second home like the Crux Knights.

I…I love my parents, and now I won’t get a chance to say goodbye to them. Mom…Dad…I’m sorry. Please, be strong for yourselves, just as I was strong for you all, just as I was strong for myself all these years. That’s right, I’m strong. I’m strong not because I’m Pollux. I’m strong not because I’m ‘an oni.’ I’m strong because I’m Sayu, Kanzagi Sayu…

***************

Pollux collapsed onto the ground. She was fatally wounded because it was my fault. My fault. Because I’m weak. Because I’m weak, Pollux…no…she told me her name was Sayu, at the bar last night. That night, we cheered to our new comradery. Our comradery…Sayu…

She was strong. I was weak. I should be ashamed of my weakness! I won’t let Sayu’s strength be wasted!

I unchained myself from my frozen stupor. My perception is strengthening, more focused, clearer than before. This bastard…this bastard who killed my comrade! I will see this through! I’ll make sure he will live a regretful life!

I clenched my teeth and quickly moved towards him. I can see it. That shitty sneer of his! I will give him something to sneer about! He begins to ready his bloodied kunai, ready to strike me down. I won’t let you, bastard! I exerted all of my strength into the palm of right hand and pushed away the hand with the kunai. His grip weakened, and the weapon was knocked to the other side of the warehouse. He’s disarmed!

I curled my right hand into a tightly clenched fist. I focused all of my strength, all of my rage into it. Sayu…Crux…I’m sorry, but I’m going to break that rule! My entire body feels as if it is flaring with fire, energy, and rage. It won’t stop. I won’t stop. I’ll see this through! Even before he killed my comrade, somewhere deep within my heart, I already wanted to punch him.

The hooded bastard lowered his stance into a crouch and raised his right leg. He’s preparing for an attack! Is this how he did those stupid wind slice projectiles? It doesn’t matter! I’ll connect my punch before he even have a chance!!!

GRAB! His right leg was tightly grasped in someone’s hand! Sayu! She’s still alive! With the rest of her strength, she attempted to pull him to the ground to subdue him. He’s struggling! I’m still going through with it! I will punch his lights out to end his struggle!

TEAR! Sayu released her grasp! No! Sayu!

As her strength began to fade away, significant piece of his pants leg became torn. It wouldn’t have been significant if it weren’t for what I am now seeing. I truly wish my eyes were deceiving me. His leg… His leg is…from that URO Sayu eliminated the other night! What the hell?! How did it survive!? Why didn’t it implode! Why is it attached to a civilian?!

“Tch!” The hooded guy clicked his tongue and crouched, preparing for another attack. I was falling forward. I can’t catch myself in time! Dammit!

It was at that moment that sunset shone directly through the hole and onto that guy’s URO leg. He yelped in pain and jumped backwards into the shadows of the warehouse. There was now some distance between us. Like that’s going to stop me!

Not wasting another second, I reached into my jacket for my Quasar. Within that timeframe, the hooded bastard ran away at full speed within the shadows of the warehouse to who knows where. He’s still in my sight. I’m not going to let him get away! I activated my Quasar, and my halberd came forth! I steadied my breathing, my body, and arched back my right arm. My Quasar will be the arrow that end this! My entire body is flaring with increased rage! Target is locked within my vision! All of my strength and energy is now focused into my Quasar! Here it goes!

“VEGA!!!”

Sayu’s shout instantly snapped me back into reality. She was holding onto my right ankle. Since when did she… COUGH! She just coughed up a considerable amount of blood!

“Sayu! Hang on! I’ll get you help!”

I briefly diverted my attention back to the fleeing bastard. Shit!

He got away.

***************

Strength (Epilogue)

“Yes. Yes. I will lecture them when I see them. Thanks for calling me, Mr. Foreman. CLICK.”

Vice Commander Saturn gave a long sigh of frustration. “Feels like I am actually a parent with this group of knights.”

He glanced down at the now vibrating phone in his hand. An incoming call from Vega. His mouth curled into that creepy smile of his from his morning briefing with Vega and Pollux. “Perfect time.” The vice commander answered the call and placed his phone next to his ear.

“Walking off in the middle of your civilian duty? When will you two - -”

“Vice Commander Saturn! Emergency! Send medical assistance to Warehouse 3 near Port Belwich immediately! It’s Pollux! She’s severely injured!”