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“So...”
Zeno leaned against the wall of the Gateway Ship, looking out at the stars, completely prepared for the incoming lecture for going out without clearance yet again. “The same old, same old—the seniors don’t notice the juniors.”
“Why were you bothering that particular senior ARKS operative?” Regulus asked from the other side of the Gateway Ship.
The eyes of the young ARKS operative blinked and then he turned his head so he might look at Regius, who like Zeno stood with his arms crossed, though unlike Zeno there was no apparent frown on his face; Regius was, after all, a CAST. “Does it really matter?”
“Does it?” Regius asked. “I think it does.”
Zeno’s facial features softened, his head tilting slightly out of curiosity regarding Regius' current tactics. “Because he’s awesome.”
“Well, that’s the answer I expected from you, troublemaker.”
The words stung, the hopes of one of the senior ARKS operatives other than Master understanding suddenly shattering into pieces. Zeno looked away, his facial features twisting with irritation. “Well, you would say that. You’re just like all of the other adults, aren’t you?”
“Oh? And why is that? And wouldn’t that include the ARKS operative you were bothering? After all...”
“Master isn’t like that!” Zeno turned, his hands clenching while his crossed arms uncrossed. “He actually listens and answers my questions!”
“So that’s what this is about.”
Zeno’s eyes blinked again, his mouth opening. After what felt like eons, he realized he was staring at Regius, realizing just how irritating CAST not giving off emotions like non-CAST do, was. “That...” Zeno looked at the ground, fidgeting. His hands went to his side, not liking the fact Regius' words felt like they were looking inside of him, reading his mind. “I told you, it isn’t important.”
“Well, I told you that we would continue the discussion when we returned, did I not?” Regius stated, which of course didn’t make sense.
“That...”
“Well, how would I be an apt instructor if I didn’t find out why the troublemaker student was doing what he did rather than assuming to know the reasons behind his actions? To me, finding out the reason is important, no matter how trivial those reasons might be—or not.”
Zeno continued looking at the ground, worrying the corners of his mouth. He didn’t say anything, unsure of how to react to an adult—a senior ARKS operative—actually finally paying him some sort of attention.
“I see you’re still not sure what to think of me, am I right troublemaker?”
“If I’m a troublemaker, then I must not be worth you’re time, right?” Zeno retorted. His head jerked up, his tone of voice gaining an iota of venom as he spoke. “Particularly for someone who's one of the big six, right?”
“Do you really think Atossa and Wolf think you’re not worth their time?”
Zeno flinched, his eyes widening, his arms dropping limply to his side. A whole range of emotions rushed through, his mind struggling to conceptualize said emotions. Eventually, his hands clenched and he looked down. One foot scraped the floor. “What does it matter? ‘cause I’ll never be at their level, will I?”
“Now why do you say that?”
“Senior ARKS operatives don’t listen, so it doesn’t...”
“Except I’m listening.”
“Yeah, well. It’s not as if I can become stronger. Strong like them,” Zeno muttered, hoping Regius wouldn’t hear him. He thought at first Regius hadn’t heard, but then...
“Troublemaker, can I ask you a question?”
“Whatever...” Zeno muttered.
“Who is it that you want to protect?”
“Isn’t the answer to that obvious?” Zeno glanced out at the stars, the feeling of frustration at his lack of strength. “It’s not as if either one of them needs me to protect them, right? Particularly her.”
“By them, am I right in assuming that you mean your parents, particularly your mother?” When Regius said those words, Zeno couldn’t help but have a sense of slight acidity on the tip of his tongue as he tried biting back the feelings welling inside of him. “Isn’t it, though, their job to protect you?”
“To a point,” Zeno muttered. The stars seemed to reflect how far off his dreams seemed to be. “And anyway. It’s their job to protect everyone, isn’t it? Good thing most people don’t know that the number one troublemaker among the ARKS operatives in training, otherwise I’d tarnish their good name, right?”
“Oh, I don’t know. While it is true Wolf is known for being mild-mannered and gentle, Atossa’s rather known for...” Regius cleared his voice. “Well, you know what her personality is like, but it does seem like you take after her more than you do him, right?”
“I guess.”
“I think some would actually be amused to find out her child is just as much of a troublemaker as she was in her youth.”
Zeno turned his head, raising one auburn eyebrow at him. “Say what?”
“You heard me, troublemaker genius who skipped to his final year of training in his first year.”
Zeno frowned, looking out at the stars. “As if that won me any popularity points.”
“Oh?” Regius hummed slightly, making Zeno wonder if he found the conversation amusing which in turn didn’t amuse him. “I was under the impression nobody knew you were their child, so how is it that you’re not making any friends?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Zeno let out a deep breath. “And I do have a friend.”
“When you say a friend, there is a tone of annoyance in your voice as if you don’t appreciate this friend.”
“Echo is...” Zeno shook his head.
“Ah. No explanation needed.” Regius said, making Zeno turn his head to stare at him.
“What?”
“Given the fact a lot of the complaints I’ve received have been filed by her...”
“That.” Zeno looked away.
“Isn’t she just looking out for you?”
“You don’t know Echo. She’s,” Zeno rolled his eyes and let out a sound of annoyance. “She’s always been that way, getting on my case for everything she thinks I’ve done wrong. Though...”
“Though what? You’re not getting out of this conversation.”
“As much as I hate saying it, you are right about me not getting clearance being a problem. I just—”
“Is there something you’re not telling me?”
“Clearance means having someone willing to go out in the field with you.”
“Popularity points?”
Zeno turned his head, looking at Regius who titled his head as if he understood. He suddenly reached up and wiped his sleeve across his eyes and shook his head, not wanting to vocalize how he felt. “I...”
“Tears of frustration. Nothing wrong with that, but you’re definitely telling me the other ARKs in training don’t want to have anything to do with you?”
“Except Echo. Well, there is....” Zeno shook his head, trying not to think of that particular option which was ruled by the instructors to be out of the question after just one mission.
“How’d it start? This not gaining popularity points?”
Zeno snorted. “Setting scores for the entry year that none of the others in the first year can beat—like all of the records practically. Then there’s the fact I’m a troublemaker, something nobody likes to let me forget.”
“Including Echo?”
“Including you.”
“Yes, well....”
“And if that doesn’t bother them, they've already teamed up.”
“You are your mother’s child.”
“What does me being my mother’s child have to do with nobody wanting to team up with me?”
“Nothing, but it does have something to do with the fact I’ve called you troublemaker. You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t cause trouble, but like your mother, you never mean any harm by it. Yet, I realize now those words are a double-edged sword and you’ve been feeling the other side of the blade, haven’t you?”
Zeno looked at him, frowning.
“For that I am sorry, but the fact you’re a troublemaker doesn’t mean you’re not worth my time.”
“What? Because I’m my mother’s child, their child?”
“No. Because you amuse me. You make me think outside of the box. You challenge me to become a better instructor, but I want all of my students to succeed.”
“Even troublemakers?”
“Even troublemakers,” Regius sighed. “This still doesn’t answer you’re problem though, does it?”
“It’s not...”
“Don’t say it isn’t important. Nay, it is. You want to become stronger, but you aren’t able to get out in the field like you want to become stronger. Though, that isn’t the real problem, is it?”
“What do you mean?”
“You are in a rush to become stronger, but Zeno...”
“Hmm?”
“You don’t need to rush into being stronger.”
“I don’t follow.”
“Isn’t your ‘to a point’ you’re way of saying you want to prove to Atossa and Wolf that you’ve grown up?”
“That...” Zeno frowned. “I still don’t follow.”
Regius uncrossed his arm, holding up a finger. “You want to be strong to protect them because that’s what you feel children do once they grow up, yet unlike other ARKS operatives who follow in their parents' footsteps, you’re—well, your parents are, as you put it, of the big six. So, you don’t need to rush into being stronger.”
“Yeah, but.”
“Why not try something else for the time being?”
“What?” Zeno frowned.
“To let your parents know that you’re growing up and becoming your own man.” Regius lowered his hand. “Why not get a girlfriend?” the CAST said, making Zeno splutter. “Surely there’s a girl you like, or...”
“She’s way out of my league!” Zeno blurted out, his hands suddenly waving. “And Melfonsena most certainly doesn’t need me to take care of her!”
“Ah. She’s one of the other promising ARKS in training for this graduate year, isn’t she?”
“See. Promising. Way out of the league of some troublemaker, right?”
“Oh, I don’t know and you won’t unless you try. From what I’ve seen, she’s not the type to...”
“She’s always partnered with Gettemhult and he and I are banned from teaming up by the instructors after the last time I teamed up with them!”
“Ah. Yes. Gettemhult can be a bit...”
“Oh. I get along with him just fine. I’ve been told I’m bad enough without him being a negative influence on me.”
“Well, then ask her to Franca’s Café or something.”
Zeno glared at Regius remaining silent.
“What?”
“You’re my instructor. I don’t think you should be encouraging me this way. Plus, what if she rejects my confession.”
“Oh, let me think. You’ll have for the first time confessed to a girl, but you won’t find yourself regretting later on that you didn’t act on your feelings. That, trouble in the making, is something I can attest to.”
“Did you just call me trouble in the making instead of troublemaker?”
“Is it more encouraging?”
“It sounds like you’re encouraging me to...” Zeno narrowed his eyes. “Are you encouraging me to cause trouble? My parents...”
“As long as your troublemaking doesn’t bring harm to yourself and others, or breaks a rule which has some form of a major penalty, why shouldn’t I encourage you? Think about it. We are speaking of your troublemaking ways now, and not sooner.”
“Adults are weird.”
“You are almost an adult yourself, young man.” Regius then said, “And Atossa and Wolf do care about what goes on, but I’m sure they’d like to hear about this girl you...”
“Woah!” Zeno held up his hands, his face turning red. “Don’t you dare go telling them I have a crush on a girl! I’ll never hear the end of it from them, particularly Wolf while she’ll threaten to get the video and picture logs out after she’s invited her over herself!”
“I told you Atossa was a troublemaker herself.” For some reason, Zeno thought Regius was laughing at him. “And no promises. Technically, all of us in the big six are troublemakers, so I think you’ll do just fine even if you don’t yet believe in yourself if you can’t yet see how you’ll become strong by them.”
“Seriously! This isn’t how an instructor should act!” Zeno let out a sigh.
The meeting much once better than he thought it would.