Chapter 22: Decisions and Preparation

Hearing my concern, he sighs "Not really, but I will be in time" Replying with a slow unsure nod makes him smile once more "I just don't want to scare you."

-"you didn't get hit by debris and there's more to this story"-

Freezing in his tracks he gives me an unsure look "Is that…?"

Nodding I smile "Yes, it's her, didn't know she could also transmit her voice to other's their minds though"

He sighs "I'll tell you when we're in my room."

With a nod I follow him through the halls until we arrive in his room. Gazing around I can't help but feel excited and a bit jealous about his furnishings. The room seems to be a two chamber apartment and the living room itself is about twenty five square meters. While we're standing on the same epoxy flooring as in the other parts of the building there are tatami mats placed through the entire room, making the spot we're standing a small mudroom.

A comfortable yet stylish black cloth couch with golden accents, a red-marble inlaid black table, genuine red stained cypress dressers and cabinets with a three meter long desk made of the same cypress supported by black metal drawer cabinets on both ends.

"Whoa… that wood is real.. isn't it?"

He chuckles "It's all real, the tatami, the wood, the marble. It cost a fortune and I'm still not completely sure how but it's all chosen and paid for by Happy. The only thing I had a say in was the desk and even that was only about it's size. Well and the electronics on top of it"

Giggling softly I gaze around a bit more feeling rather calmed due to the dark red colors with the bright tatami mats and wooden ceiling.

"But yeah… what happened?"

While grabbing his coat from the hanger he groans. "I believe I told you about the mission and it's goal?"

Slowly nodding I look up "Yeah, you said it was a scouting mission for bandits and the like in the abandoned city-states"

Sighing he nods "Exactly, well for this mission we had to enter an old abandoned factory. While in there, an explosion occurred causing the building to slowly collapse. When the ceiling came down, our group was still inside so I did my best to catch the biggest segment near the exit so they all could escape…"

Sighing even deeper he looks down "But I was too weak and collapsed too soon. Happy got caught under it as well and is in critical condition… Whereas I… Well you can see I just have a few bruises and a bad headache."

Unsure what to say I give him a compassionate look, yet it's the Goddess who replies through my body.

"Do not mourn young one, fight. Get stronger. Make sure to catch it next time. For now just be there for your mate."

For a moment he remains silent before chuckling "It's odd, while it's your voice, you sound so different when she talks. But she has a point. Come let's go run for a bit and get some fresh air."

With another nod I wait for him to finish putting on his coat "Say… Felix? What are the effects of being in an acclimatization chamber while your body is exhausted?"

Walking out of the room he frowns "Hmm, why do you ask?"

Recalling the expression of Khloe I sigh softly "Eloise mentioned I was extremely exhausted when I got captured and Khloe seemed rather distressed about it."

Despite his kind smile, his eyes show similar alarm as Khloe. "Well normally… Being exhausted diminishes the recovery and growth ability of the body causing the treatment to last longer, be uncompleted or possibly even fail."

"So…?"

He shakes his head "In your case, nobody can be sure of what might have been the effects, you spent so much longer in there that it cannot be explained by exhaustion and your current capabilities are beyond normal. Hell you were pressing almost the same weight as I did. Yet you did it with ease within the first two weeks of waking up, where as I have been training for five years to reach this point."

Slowly nodding I'm pondering his words only to look up when we reach a similar glass and composite door leading outside. "Do you think… I should reenter?"

Giving me a wry smile he shakes his head. "That I cannot tell you, nor can Zhloe, Khloe or Danny. You'll have to feel it for yourself. That's part of why I'm taking you for this run so you can explore your actual limits."

Opening the door it quickly gets stuck in the snow and with a groan he pushes it further open.

"Ehhr, I shouldn't have pushed that myself… Anyway to get back to the subject. Did you feel… hmm how to say this, did it feel as if something held you back earlier as if your strength felt distant?"

Considering his words I do my best to think back of the moment and realize I did feel slightly off. "It did get a bit fuzzy I think… a bit like when Leone took over."

He nods "Keep that in mind, if it stays that way while you run, or gets worse, you might want to consider it."

Looking at the mild flurry falling from the sky I smile faintly "Say… are you coming when we head to my old city?"

Discouraged he nods "I will, however Happy…"

Smiling I look his way "Go visit her before we go"

Returning my smile he nods "That I will!"

Stepping outside I sigh from relief and sniff the air "It smells so nice"

Chuckling he follows me outside and closes the door "I honestly smell nothing special"

Giggling I jump and land in the crisp layer of snow a meter or so away. "So where do you want me to run?"

Thinking for a moment he chuckles "Normally I'd say the track, but as it's rather invisible right now… start with ten laps around the entire field"

Looking around the field I begin to smile and nod causing him to start running "Don't hold back!"

With a squeal I take a leap and begin to run, faster and faster until it feels as if I'm flying. I just keep on pushing and quickly feel my body change, the tingle returns and once I give in, I feel myself being propelled forward. In a matter of seconds I finish an entire lap, yet as I try and keep on pushing, the tingle slowly fades and turns fuzzy. Slowing down I sigh.

[So I do have to go in again…]

Remembering the feeling of solidarity and the weird liquid I rapidly shake my head and keep on pushing trying to ignore the fuzziness.

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Suddenly my vision turns blurry and disappears. Once it returns so do my senses while I lie face down in the snow.

"Leone!"

Felix takes but a second or two to arrive while I get on my knees. "Are you alright?!"

Groaning softly I sigh "Stupid, stubborn, frustrated… but fine"

With a complicated expression he sighs "Became dizzy?"

"Yeah… the tingle.. it turned fuzzy, slowly began to fade and pulsate and next thing I know I'm face down in the snow"

With a complicated smile he helps me back up "Want to continue?"

Feeling rather defeated and complicated I shake my head "No… I kinda want to talk with Zhloe and Danny."

"Alright, let's head back then"

As we walk back inside he takes off his coat and shakes his head "Aren't you cold outside?"

Shrugging I shake my head "A little, but if I'd say cold cold? Nah"

Smiling he nods "That's good then, but hey you go see Zhloe, I'll go see happy"

"Okay"

He takes a left into a hallway and while standing on the junction I scratch my cheek "Right… should have asked for directions"

With a shrug I continue walking straight ahead while anxiety grows. Luckily the hallway ends close to the large gym from where I know the way back.

When I enter the living room both Khloe and Zhloe look up from behind the desk "Hey, did Felix ditch you?"

Shaking my head I smile "Nah, he went to see Happy and luckily the way back was easy to find"

Zhloe groans softly "He told you?"

With a nod I rub my eye "Afterr me and Leone told him we knew it wasn't just some debris"

Nodding she looks back at the screen as Khloe points towards something "Alright, then I won't hold him accountable."

Walking towards the desk I sit down on the carpet as for some reason the couch doesn't interest me at the moment "So… The mission, when will we go?"

She shakes her head "It's yet to be determined, at the earliest tonight otherwise in the coming week, why?"

Unsettled by the idea of the chamber I sigh "I think I need to acclimate further"

Khloe exclaims while Zhloe falls silent giving me a curious yet intense stare "Explain, earlier today you were mortified by the idea"

Nodding I look down at my hand "I still am, I hate it in there. It feels strange, empty and I can't help but associate it with all the negativity I feel… But when pushing myself, the tingle… it begins to fade and turn fuzzy, as if my powers aren't stable."

Zhloe rubs her hand over the lower part of her face. "Are you sure you want to?"

Gazing back down at the ground I take a deep breath "I want to be myself, and seeing this change has already happened, I'll have to if I want to feel complete."

-"If I may"-

Softly sighing from the Goddess' intervention I look up to see the two of them nod "Go ahead."

-"I personally feel it would do the young cub well. The spiritual bond between her and my powers and soul fragment are complete, but the physical manifestation of said powers is very unstable."-

Zhloe nods "Alright, then I'll ask the on duty doctor to prepare a chamber for when we return."

When I nod, so does she before handing a flash drive to Khloe. "Bring this to the Admiral and tell her we're going tonight. As for you Leone, eat this and take a nap."

She throws me something that looks like a candy bar.

"What is it?"

"Energy bar specifically made for Animus enhanced humans, it should give you enough nutrients and energy for about a day."

Nodding slowly I open the bland purple wrapper before sniffing the chocolate covered bar. "Ooh caramel and mocha!"

Khloe giggles and smiles while I purr softly eating the bar.

A minute or so later I've finished the bar and lie down, curling up resting my head on my arm.

Zhloe looks down "I meant a nap in your room"

Pouting I look up making her sigh "Fine… you lazy cat"

Smiling I lie my head back down, closing my eyes I doze off before I realize it.

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