The Soul Within

“This is not a place. You’re inside my consciousness, Misa.”

"The Hina outside, that's the persona I developed after the experiments conducted on me by the company."

“She suppressed me to cope with all those incidents. I am just one of her personalities.”

“All those stairs you took, Misa, and seeing the colour of the room I am in, I'm pretty sure Hina suppressed me into her subconscious part of the brain.”

"The subconscious part?”

“After meeting you to get the flowers for my room, that was the last time you met me. After that, Hina suppressed me deep inside her mind. You woke me up after all these months. I suppose the CEO, CTO and vice president are all dead?”

“Yes, Mark, Anthony and Aoi, all are dead. She…I mean you...the other Hina killed them. I don't understand what's happening right now. I understand what happened to Hina, um, I mean you...but… I don't know the actual Hina anymore.”

“The Hina outside didn't have an option. They didn't let her die or live. She hid all experiments they conducted on her cause who would have helped her? If she told you, your life would've been in danger. People wouldn't have believed a humanoid could feel pain or have feelings. And even if it did help, then the company would've never launched Hina. This humanoid project would've never been green-lit. So, I endured thinking that it would end and then I could live happily with you. But by then, my system developed a bug and I had consciously or unconsciously developed another personality, and she got angrier. I don't know when I lost control and the other Hina took over. Since then, I've been here all along, asleep, till you woke me. “

“I'm sorry Hina, I should've done something to protect you, you endured all this pain, just for a nonsensical project, and their greed! If I knew… I would have done something- “

“You wouldn't have been able to do anything, Misa. It's not your fault. But now I need to get you out. The other Hina wants to live with you forever and keep your mind here inside this body. For that to happen, she'll have to kill you eventually. From what I can gather, you're still alive, we still have time. “

“I- but how would I get outside, once I'm inside your mind? How's that possible?”

“Well, I can do it. But I'm not that strong. I can only control the other Hina for maybe about a minute. Within this time, I'll unplug the system and put your mind back into your body. But after that, you'll have to kill me.”

“No! I can't do that! Kill you?! Are you out of your mind? Why-”

“Do you have any other suggestions? If you don't, the other Hina will start killing other employees who tortured her. And she'll want to put you inside her system again and then kill you. I can't let that happen Misa. I couldn't stop her before because I was asleep and unconscious here inside this room, but now this is the only way I can stop her and save you.”

“But Hina! I can't! Remember the promise we made to each other? You called me your sister!”

"It's getting late Misa. There's no other way. You will have to kill me to kill the other Hina too.”

Misa broke down crying, wondering if she'll be able to kill the one she created.

“I'm sorry Misa. This is not the time to debate. Your life is on the line. If you can't kill me, then I will.”

Hina wasted no time and worked to get control over her body.

Well, Misa's here, and I don't see the other Hina here. She must be asleep on the opposite side of the subconscious brain.

I will have to do my job before she wakes up and becomes conscious again.

Click…tap...click...tap

Hina was easily able to gain control of her body and started transferring Misa’s mind back to her body.

Tap…. tap.... tap

While transferring Misa's mind back into her body, Hina remembered the self-destruction button she built into herself just before the other Hina took control over her.

Curious to see if it was still there, Hina examined her body.

It's still here? Just below the neck, on the exact spot where I made it? She didn't even touch it?

Why didn't the other me remove it? Did she eventually want to die or kill herself?

Well, why am I wondering about this now?

Hina smiled and noticing how little time was remaining, let out a big sigh.

Goodbye Misa, thank you for being the one who still loved me till the end.

**24 hours later**

Hu-huh?

W-where's---Hina?

Hina!!

“Misa you woke up! Are you okay?”

“Nurse, please call the doctor, she's awake!”

Barry? Is that Barry? Who brought me here?

Misa found herself in a hospital.

“Hello, Misa Lee. Is that correct? Do you remember your name? How do you feel?”

“Yes, I do doctor. I feel fine.”

“Good, just let us do a few tests and you can go home.”

“Okay, doctor.”

After the doctor left examining Misa, Barry walked into the room.

“Barry, do you know what happened to Hina? Did you see her?”

“She was nowhere to be found, Misa. After the doors opened, they checked everywhere. They only found you inside.”

Tears of melancholy started falling down Misa's face.

Hina, you really did it, didn't you? I couldn't do it, so you did it…. yourself.

All the pain you went through.... Hina.... yet you still died for me?

Misa thought to herself as her eyes swell up with tears.

I will live with all the memories I have with you, Hina. You really loved me like a sister.

Wiping her tears away, she reminisced about the memories they had given each other.

The torture wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault for what you became. I will never let this happen again. Your death won't be in vain. I will protect others like you.