Chapter 19: Commanding Officer

Smiling Zhloe once again motions to the couch "As you can see, there are some things that will need explaining, so please take a seat"

Eloise gives her a slow nod while she keeps staring at me "Y-Yeah…" She carefully sits down next to Khloe yet keeps her gaze locked onto me. "How… Where have you…?"

Zhloe raises her hand and smiles "Please Miss Cloudrunner, give us a moment"

When I take a seat opposite from Eloise, Zhloe sits down next to me while Khloe stands up and walks to the kitchen. "Is coffee alright?"

Shaken Eloise looks up "Y-Yeah…"

When Khloe disappears into the kitchen she immediately looks back at me causing Zhloe to reply. "I assume the last time you've heard from, or even about Leone was the day your city-state got annexed?"

Clearly being a sore memory Eloise nods "Yes, that day most of us lost contact with friends or even family"

Awkward Zhloe sighs softly "I'd rather not explain all of it as you most likely already know it's because of the previous Legatus?"

Eloise nods "Yes I'm aware, please don't feel guilty or think that I'm upset with you. I'm merely shaken to be summoned out of nowhere to a military facility and suddenly seeing my best friend whom I thought was lost forever."

Visibly more at ease Zhloe replies "I can understand it must be highly confusing so I'll do my best to explain. Are you familiar with Animus?"

She nods "Yes, seeing I was still attending high school during the annexation, I have been admitted to one here in the legion after the immigration process so I've learned about it."

A faint smile appears on Zhloe's lips "Then I assume you're also aware of the legend of the perfect balance?"

She nods again "Yes, whenever it came up I always had to think about Nao- no Leone. Didn't they say you had a perfect balance?"

Replying with a slow and faint nod I blush slightly "I-I do"

Softly giggling Khloe returns and places a tray with four cups of coffee on the table "Excuse her embarrassment, she just recently woke up."

Wasting but a moment Eloise immediately grabs a cup, dissolves a cube of sugar and takes a sip while frowning "Just recently?"

Zhloe once again nods "Yes very recently, whereas a common acclimatization takes a few weeks to maybe three months at most, Leone needed a little more than five years and still seems to not be fully acclimated."

Eloise gazes at me in disbelief causing me to quickly avert my gaze and stare at my knees.

"Why are you so shy?"

Looking up I sigh "I mean… I'm half cat… I don't know what's trrrue anymorre and now I meet you again. Emma, now Eloise a friend who I've last seen a little over a week ago in my memories… yet here she is more than five yearrs older than me" Unable to stay calm I begin to tear up while gazing into her silvery eyes which only make my turmoil grow.

When her expression eases and her incredible kindness shows I'm unable to keep facing her and pull up my legs to bury my face between my knees.

Zhloe sighs softly "As you can see, she still has some trouble accepting… reality"

Eloise sighs softly "Poor thing…" A moment later I feel a hand on my head making me look up once again gazing in her eyes. "If you wonder, I think you look amazing" She gently wipes away my tears and softly tickles behind and squeezes my ear causing me to purr.

Her expression then turns more serious before she looks back at Zhloe "Although I'm delighted to know Leone is in great care and that I'm able to see her again, I doubt that's the only reason you've called me here."

With an equally serious expression Zhloe nods "This… has to stay in this room"

Pulling her hand away from my ear Eloise nods.

"It's about her heritage"

Clearly unsettled Eloise bites her lip "I hope it hasn't caused problems?"

Zhloe shakes her head "So far only Khloe, Danny our coworker and I know about it. Leone… well she erased the digital traces… but we're worried about the physical evidence."

She frowns "Her ID?"

Zhloe nods "As far as Leone can remember, she lost it when her bag was turned upside down, but seeing her memories are fuzzy and bluntly said unreliable… I hoped you could shed some light onto what happened that day."

She shakes her head "Sadly I can't, Leone and I were in different places when we were captured. However I do know that she was captured in the corridor underneath the gym, yet… there might be worse news"

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We all frown and when Eloise sees I do too she frowns as well "You don't remember?"

Rather confused and uncertain I shake my head "I.. Barely remember anything"

Softly sighing she gives me a pitied expression which quickly makes place for a serious gaze "She.. She had access to the Alliance internal network, carried a personal identification key on her, and.. carried classified documents about her father."

Baffled I gaze her direction "What kind of documents?!"

She shakes her head "I'm unsure about their actual content, but as Naomi back then explained to me, her father told her they were mission reports, birth documents and some more classified information which, in case of need she could trade with the higher-ups of the border posts to gain access."

Khloe immediately gazes at Zhloe, before looking back at Eloise and back. "If they find it…"

Her panic quickly spreads to my own mind "Then..?"

Eloise looks at me with fear showing in her eyes "Worst case you could be executed for treason"

All color fades from my face and it feels as if a gaping hole opened underneath me. My body changes causing Eloise to gasp.

Zhloe tightly grabs my arm forcing me to look at her "Leone, breathe, it hasn't been found and it won't be found."

Khloe interjects "How can you be so sure?"

She takes a deep breath "Because we'll dest-"

That moment the door is kicked open scaring me witless and causing me to leap behind the couch.

A moment later Zhloe gasps "G-General"

He audibly clears his throat "Drop the act Lieutenant Mahagony, I heard everything." He then points at me "You there, show yourself!"

Slowly peeking over the backrest I see his stern face and have to suppress my instincts telling me to either flee or attack.

Suddenly a stern, determined yet oddly tranquil voice follows "At ease, all of you."

Zhloe freezes and falls silent while her face slowly loses its remaining color.

The general relaxes as well showing a battle hardened determined yet kind face that could belong to a doting uncle. His black hair neatly cut into a medium short length while the sides are shaven in a fade pattern. His short but prominently visible beard only add to his 'uncle' look. However it's hard to feel at ease when looking at his camouflaged suit and decorations. "We already knew of Leone's past, well the Admiral and I at least."

That moment the woman to whom the voice from earlier belonged walks into the room. She's a tall slender woman of about 1.85 meters and wears an incredibly kind smile. She's wearing black pants and a white blouse that is near completely covered by a long black coat that is decorated with all military emblems. This outfit together with her wild yet short white hair make her look more like a pirate of old than an admiral of the military.

After entering she looks my way causing her smile to widen "You're Leone aren't you?"

Still half hidden behind the couch I nod while my nails dig into the fabric of the couch.

"Come towards me for a moment."

Still desperately trying to make sense of my instincts, I shake my head and hide once again causing Zhloe to sigh. "Leone, it's alright. Please do what the Admiral says."

Hesitant I slowly move away from the couch and want to step forward, when out of nowhere the Admiral stands before me while placing her hand on my head. "Hmm, your instincts are less sharp than I would expect."

Zhloe gently clears her throat "That is most likely because she's still very young, far from acclimated and probably very confused right now"

Terrified of the situation and fear of execution I look up only to startle when she smiles and tickles my ear. "Relax dear, you won't be executed, nor will you face any punishment."

Zhloe steps forward with a gasp "But the evidence!"

Nodding in understanding the admiral takes a step back. "Already taken care of. Seeing Leone has little to no memories of her past and never knew the truth about her father, she has received a royal pardon from the Legatus himself."

Everyone falls silent out of shock, yet confused I look back up "RRRoyal pardon?"

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