Andromeda [Oki]

The old man would let out a snort to Hyde’s words.

“You kids and your flattery,” he said with a shake of the head, his malice no longer there as he shuffled forward not sure what to do with the redhead and his jokes. On one hand, he was amused by them, but on the other he wanted to bar his heart from them. Block out any chance of pain again. He told himself the only reason he was going to share his secret with the pair was because they reminded him of a happier time in his life and that was all; however, the more the pair stuck around the more he had to wonder about his reasoning for doing what he did. Maybe…maybe he just wanted to share his pride and joy one more time before it all ended? Who knew?

In any case, the old man would begin to lead the way to Andromeda listening to the pair talk as he walked.

Meanwhile, Oki would watch the old man suspiciously not sure if he was leading them into a trap or not as it asked its question; however, when Hyde made his comment about Andromeda and then grabbed its hand, Oki found its fear melting away as it saw the silly smile on Hyde’s face. Maybe everything would be fine.

The old man didn’t answer the red-head question as he simply gestured for them to follow instead as a light chuckle escaped his lips.  An odd response, but then again….

Oki’s fingers laced easily with Hyde’s as it nodded at the red head as a smile came to its lips.

“You’re right. Let’s go!” Oki said as the excitement from before finally returned to it. With that, the pair would follow the old man down the long halls, Oki taking note that the Japanese manor feel began to fade as the floors seem to slope downwards, leading into more plain rooms made of grey brick. The old man would pause by a simple silver door and after messing with a pad next to the door, it would slide open and the old man would enter.

When Hyde and Oki followed, they would find themselves in a long hallway lined with pulsing lights. As they walk the hall would curve until finally opening up into an underground lab full of machines and tubes. In the center of this strange web rested a large tube and within it a giant of an woman suspended in space as the water flowed around her. Her blue eyes were open and a smile frozen upon her lips.


As the old man shuffled into the room he would stop before the tube looking up at it with a mix of pride and sadness.

Then turning to Hyde and Oki he would speak.

“This is my beautiful and sad goddess, Andromeda. A creature that is neither alive or dead as she rests in an eternal sleep,” the old man said as he looked back at the giant with the blank gaze wondering how many years it had been since he had dared to show her off.

As this occurred, Oki tilted its head lightly from one side to the other not sure if it was happy, sad, or amazed to see such a thing as it stayed by Hyde’s side and holding his hand for a moment as it continued to examine the sight quietly quite lost as to what to say for the moment.

Hyde didn’t nave anything to say for the moment. He was practically  I awe of the entire tank. “Whats the background of this person? Is this technology? Magic?! How did….what?” Hyde was a little confused as his hand tensed up, oki could notice. “  When you say goddess and shrines, I thought you mean the old school shrines that you can actually pray to with the stones and stuff. I wasn’t expecting an actual person to be here…..how did this happen to her? ………why did this happen to her. “ He exchanged a confusing glance with oki, hoping that she could make sense of what they just saw. There was a person in some kind of tank. “she looks human, why is she called a “Creature” when she looks like us? Is she ever going to wake up?” All Hyde had at this point were questions.

Oki looked around the room its eyes taking in the unnatural and familiar landscape of a lab. It made it feel sick and uneasy inside as its hand tightened around Hyde’s in discomfort. Despite how it felt and the memories that came up with the scene, Oki held its ground as it looked over at Hyde when he too seemed to tense up and he began asking about the person in the tube as confusion showed on his face.

The old man let out a light hum as he pondered about an answer; however before he could speak, Oki asked a question of its own.

“You created her with mad science didn’t you?” it asked its voice calm and somewhat biting. It didn’t seem to like where this was going, but why was another matter entirely.

“Shrines and goddesses can be made in the traditional way or bow to the whims of technology like my own,” the old man said. “You need no stones to pray to Andromeda, you simply have to impress me enough to let one past,” he said and then smirking at Oki continued.

“Oho, so you know of that sort of science, eh?” he asked with chuckle. Oki did not smile back as it remained watching the man with an unreadable expression and cold silence.

“Hmph,” the old man grunted as the smirk turned into a grin. “I see. You're of that type. Well then, while it is true I used mad science to do what I did, I will have you know I did this out of love for the original holder of that map. Your grandmother’s grandmother…I bet her name was Lydia was it not?” the old man asked, Oki who simply narrowed its eyes in response.

The old man nodded lightly understanding the silent gesturer.

“Lydia was like me a lover of the darker side of science. That is why I loved her so and in the end wanted to create a life with her. All I ever wanted was for her and I to be in a place where our jobs could not harm us and happiness could surround us much like you two…but as anyone who knows of the dark science knows. Stories like that do not come true for our kind. Our love was strong, but our employees stronger. They attacked our home and separated her from me. All our work and love was destroyed, except one data file,” he paused and looked over at Andromeda.

“The one that contained the data for the daughter we were planning to create. Alone, I recreated the labs and performed the experiment until I was able to create life from that data. I watched as she grew and then brimmed with so much life until she finally became frozen in this state of being,” the old man paused as he glanced back at the tank a bit sad.

“She is not human, but to me she was the world and now I have no way of waking her from that deep slumber. I have tried all things, but still she sleeps. So I hide her here in this place hoping that no one would disturb her….” the old man said before becoming silent as he bowed his head with a frown.

“It would be….wonderful to see her active again before I die…but alas, I suppose I will spend the rest of my days watching and guarding her until I cannot anymore. It is the least I can do for failing in so many ways to protect and provide for those I loved most….”

The old man would fall silent after that leaving the pair to absorb his tale. As Oki did this, the being would lean its head on Hyde’s arm as it tried to come to some form of conclusion about this fellow. On one hand it should’ve hated him for his work…and yet…

Green eyes would look towards Andromeda as the being continued to think. Was the man really so evil?

Hyde listened to the story and frowned even more. He could definitely feel what the old man was feeling, thought not to that many extremes that the old man faced. You lost someone important to you and this girl was the only way you can keep that memory alive. I almost thought I lost oki today, I know how it feels….”Hyde would say as he looks at oki with the side of his eye. “It ‘s a scary feeling, like your world starts crumbling apart or something. It’s a little hard to explain, but I was fearful. “ Hyde was mentioning the time that oki fell in the pit and he had to pull her out. Though, seeing her fall in that pit was pretty scary, what would he have done if he couldn’t rescue her?”
“Well, science or no science, Andromeda is your daughter. It’s not a something, it’s a someone, you gave her a name. I guess you’re just waiting for the day she wakes us, and i‘m sure she will. I don’t know how , when, or how much longer, but I’m sure your feelings will connect with her and she will wake up. “Of course, there are the important questions of her intelligence what she would already know and things like that, but Hyde didn’t want to ruin the mood. “

The old man would give the younger man a smile as he shared with him some of his only emotions. It was a dangerous thing to do with strangers, but he appreciated the fact that someone could relate nonetheless. Happy…someone understood he was not a monster and had only created Andromeda to not be alone anymore.

Even the young man’s words were encouraging. The old man would bow down rather humbly towards the red-head.

“I can only hope that you are right. I would give almost anything to see her moving just one more time,” the old man said his voice gentle as he looked at the ground in thought.

Oki, on the other hand, was not so gentle as Hyde. While the being did acknowledge the glance Hyde gave it when he spoke on losing her, the being’s gentleness sealed up once its eyes were back on the man. Oki wasn’t being hostile, but it wasn’t openly kind either as it analyzed what the man said before frowning a bit as it gently let go of Hyde’s hand and reached for its bag. It would dig around until it found the box that held the dragon piece. Glancing at the images on the box and then back at the girl, Oki figured that maybe this box was the old man’s tale instead. The one about love never dying. So…if that was true….

Oki would take a step towards the old man remaining highly cautious as it eyed the things around it as it neared. Once it was before the man, it would look at him sternly before holding out the box to him with an almost childlike frown of disapproval. Like it was doing its best not to be mad about giving the guy the box for free. Talk about bad business.Tch! At least it was hidden in a way, but still....Hmph!

“Give up your science then and perhaps she will wake up quicker,” the being said as the old man took the box and then looked at Oki in shock.

“But I need –“

“No you don’t. You just need compassion,” the being said cooly before turning its back on the man and going back to Hyde.

With its back still turned it would speak.

“I thank you for sharing your secret with us, but I believe our time here has worn out. I wish you and Andromeda well doctor,” Oki said and then glancing up at Hyde said in gentler tones. “Let’s go," as it took his hand and began to leave the room.

Hyde could stop the being if he had more to say or what not or he could follow if he wanted. Oki would not stop him.

As for the old man, he observed the pair for a bit before looking down at the box and opening it. When his old eyes landed on the golden chest piece of the dragon within, he let out a light gasp. One shaky hand going to his mouth as he slowly went to his knees and began to sob.

Keeping its heart sealed from the man of dark science, Oki would ignore the sounds the best it could as in its head this mission had been completed….

“Babe, hold on a sec.. please?” Hyde would say with a pleading tone as he looked at oki with a frown. For some reason, he felt as if he couldn’t leave that old man groveling on the floor. Hyde walked over to te sobbing man and started to pat him on the back. “One day were going to come back to visit you ok? I don’t know how Oki feels about science and stuff, but as long as you don’t do harm anyone else with your practice and be mindful about what you doing, i'm sure you could find acceptable ways that could also prove beneficial. “ Hyde would then grin. “Look man, you’re a genius, just consider it as a challenge instead of unnecessary limits. “With one last pat on the back, Hyde goes into his bag and hands the man a small handkerchief before he sips up his bag and grabs his flashlight. Hyde then walked back to Oki.

“Sorry oki, but I couldn’t just leave him on the floor crying like that. You understand right?” He took oki’s hand again, ready to follow her. “I know I seemed like I was going against you, but all this science stuff is something he knows right? Relying on compassion is great, I do it all the time, but if this is something only he can do with his skills as a scientist..… we can’t just tell him to quit…..right? If that was you stuck in there, I would never give up.

Oki was quiet and did not say anything verbally as Hyde asked it to wait a moment. Instead, the being would halt in its movement and allowed Hyde to do whatever he wanted to do. The being would look over its shoulder with narrowed eyes completely blocking itself from letting pity or mercy come into its heart. It heard Hyde’s words, not exactly pleased by them, but the words seemed to give the old man some hope.

“Turn my science…. into something….beneficial…” the old man repeated considering the words carefully, but at the moment seeing no way of undoing or changing the practices he had done for years. The child called him a genius, but it was hard to say if he took it as a compliment or not as gave a quiet nod to the red head as his sobbing began to soften. He would take the offered handkerchief from the boy with a soft “Thank you,” but outside of that seemed to be done with speaking. His emotions to wound up to go on any further with the situation.

Oki would watch the scene for a only a moment before turning away waiting for Hyde to finish up what he was doing. When he came to the being’s side apologizing and what not, Oki would be surprisingly cool in response.

“I can understand your compassion, but I cannot support continuing the sort of science he practices. I do not care if it was his life’s work. Science like that should not exist,” Oki said as it began to walk leading them back down the passageways they had come through and back to the entrance of the manor.

“While I appreciate the thought of not giving up on someone, sometimes the best path is seems like the coldest one –truth and sternness. In order for that man to reprent for what he has done, changing and using compassion is the way. Not more science,” Oki told Hyde sternly before stepping out into the sinking sunlight of the world. The being didn’t expect for Hyde to understand this. Didn’t expect anyone except those like itself to understand why it was so cold when it came this subject…No one outside of itself and others like it could ever understand this…dislike for it the dark sciences of the world.
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Note: The Hanged Man is in the neutral position.

It seems as this subject is a little touchy for Hyde’s fare maiden, but he kind of wanted to know why. Science can help people as well, mad science just seems like a strange way to see it as it is. Alphonse was created by mad science, and he turned out to be a really great friend in spite of that. There might be a special reason for oki as to why she disliked science so much. “Hey oki, I have a question for you. It’s a little personal so you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I kind of never saw you like that before, back there……” Hyde was referring to the current vibe he was getting from her. The old man had traps and was doing a bunch of crazy things, like the sword, but he wasn’t all that bad. It’s like Oki flipped a switch as soon as he mentioned science.

What’s the thing between you and mad science? Did something happened in the past? I remember when you told me…well..i don’t think you was ever that detailed about your past, besides the fact that you ws mistreated, which I didn’t like at all, and you was saved. However, where does science fit in all of this? Why do you dislike it so much?” Could you blame Hyde for asking?

They’d go through the house in silence, Oki’s mind trying to find a way out of the darker holes in life. It was hard to find an exit after so many years of not going back…to that place. It didn’t mean to seem blunt or cold. Didn’t mean to appear shut off from Hyde, but the truth of the matter was, no matter what Hyde would not understand the issues it had with science. It was just impossible to put into words that misery.

Even when he asked questions regarding the matter, the being did not say anything until they were well away from the house. Stopping in a clearing for a moment, the being would take a few deep breathes as it looked around at the trees and other greenery around it. It was…safe….No more lab.

Calming only the slightest bit, Oki would turn to face Hyde its expression unreadable as serious green eyes landed on him.

“Mistreated? We wish that were the word for what we went through back then,” Oki said coolly as it watched Hyde carefully knowing very well this could harm or strengthen their relationship; however, if he wanted the truth well then. Here it was.

“We did not flip a switch. We simply stopped pretending. Stopped pretending we were normal, kind, and unharmed. Pretending we were not broken. This?” Oki gestured to its current state and self with its hands. “This is the real Oki, Hyde. We are not sweetness at all. We are a broken and very bitter creature. We shift moods without warning and do what people would define as cruel by the normal standards of this world. We are a cold calculating beast that tries to hide under warmth, but cannot,” Oki shifted its weight to the left as it placed one hand on its hip and a cold smirk crossed its face. The taste in its mouth the most bitter of leaves.

“We are the end result of science “helping people”. Sure, we can agree some science can help, but in the long run tests have to be done, experiments performed, and much more than flesh sacrificed to “help people” with science, especially with what he was playing with. A fire that will only burn him in the end,” Oki said steaming not so much at Hyde, but at a past that would always haunt it. It didn’t know if Hyde could understand what it was saying, but there was no other way to explain what had happened to it. No other way….
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Hanged Man is in the neutral position still.
Caution: Oki is a emotionally wound up.

Hyde was shocked and quiet for a bit he had no idea that Oki felt this way. “ I…..” What could he say to her to make things right? What was done is already done, nothing would change what happened to her in the past. It was a chip of the shoulder that was definitely noted by Hyde this time. “You know… bitter sweet is still a desirable flavor…even though everything happened the way that it did for you… you still try to smile. I don’t think you are pretending or being fake…. I think the real you is just as important , just as a part of you like the other personalities that you show.”

Hyde would then move closer and softly hold Oki’s hand if she allowed him to. “ regardless of what you are….. I love you anyway….” Hyde would let that sink in, and then he would continue. “You know, there is something about me I haven’t told you. You now the portals right, would you believe me if I said that I originally came from one of them a year ago? I’m an outcast of this dimension, this world isn’t even mine….. the one I came from… I was always put in the predicament of doing things I had to in order to survive…. “ Hyde would say as he let go of oki’s hand and stared down at his own. “Hands covered in blood, and …sin…. I’m here now because in the face of death…. I ran away… I ran away..and my friends..my comrades…they died…. Makes me wonder how you could love a coward in the first place….. but you…. You’re not like me oki…. Everything about you is laid bare for everyone to see. “ Hyde would look back to oki.

“If you hide behind the warmth…… I hide behind my smile… but i do the best that can to hold on to whats real in my life. What i have with you.... this bond we share, its real to me....and i cherish it...‘”

There was silence making Oki believe what it had said had indeed cracked the bond between them. It didn’t want it to come to this, but….things were shifting in unexpected ways. Ways that slowly tore Oki apart. The being didn’t know how to handle it all. Handle the pressures and demands. The truths it had learned regarding the world…and its fate with Hyde.

What made this hurt even more….was that Hyde really did try to understand it. Tried to comfort it and even shared persona; information with it. The being listened, its face remaining as emotionless as a statue’s. It wanted more than anything to hug Hyde, tell him it was going to be okay, but…

Oki lowered its head as it allowed the other to hold its hand as he continued to talk. He said he loved her…and even told the being where he was from and how he really was. When he finished speaking, Oki gave him an unreadable look.

“Hyde…” it said wanting to say something back, but unable to find the words at the moment, so shaking its head lightly it would give him a small smile. “Let’s go,” Oki said softly and then led them out of the forest. They would go back to the bus station in silence and even ride the train back home in silence too. When they arrived at the old shop, Oki would lead the way to the door before pausing and turning to Hyde with a calm expression on its face.

“Hyde…I thank you for all you have done for me. For understanding and being so loving. I cannot replace what you have given me with anything. Wouldn’t dare. You see, I love you too and that is why what I am about to say is so hard, but…our path together ends here. I cannot explain it, but the next time we meet we may be on opposite sides of the fence,” Oki said as it gave the other a sad smile.

“I really wanted to stay with you forever Hyde, but it appears Fate is more cruel than either of us can imagine,” Oki said before turning away and hurrying into the shop and disappearing into the darkness beyond….

Fate has us separated, but please don’t forget me..Hyde…and forgive us for not being able to keep our promise...

Oki has exited the thread.

What was he feeling right now, this feeling he was currently experiencing in his heart.  Oki spoke about their paths differing, being on opposite sides. He didn’t want that, and she didn’t want that so why did it have to be like that?  He couldn’t speak, due to the fact that what she was saying and the tone of her voice made it all the more clearer. Hyde tensed up , he felt sick. “Thi-…This can’t be…happening…. “ “ What did he do wrong? Was there something he could of done differently?   The things he said?  The way he reacted to the scientist?

His world was slowly falling apart into a dark abyss in his heart. As she turned away, all of the light that she brought with her into Hyde’s life turned away with her. She was gone……
“But……why…”

It happened so suddenly,  with no warning whatsoever. “Gnnhf..” Hyde fell down on his butt, his legs suddenly felt weak as he basically stared off in shock before looking down.  It wsas ust painful, that was the only way he could recognize it as. It was a pain that didn’t want to go away, a stream of tears that wasn't going to dry up any time soon.

Hyde Mizumi...... was broken...

Weakness

Spoiler:

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The Strength Arcana- The lion weeps in sorrow as the lady fades away

-End