Half and Half



Half and Half



1



   “How do you like your coffee, newbie? Sugar or cream?” Captain asked mockingly, pouring coffee into our mugs.

   “Both. Why bothering asking if you already knew the answer?! There’s no other way to down that brown liquid. I can’t understand how you can drink that poison with a straight face. Yuk!”

   I cringed as I regretfully recollected the bitter taste of freshly brewed coffee.

   Soon the horrid taste fled as the sweet, mellow of sugary deliciousness filled my mouth.

   “Fohohoho! Still a fresh egg, I see. Listen, kid. I was like you once. An ambitious boy who wants to raise up in the ranks and revered as a hero back home. But the truth is-”

   “Here we go again. Another speech. Let me drink the only luxury that I have in peace! Everything else taste like crap!”

   I raised my cup to my lips to take another sip but realized that it was empty. I drank it all too quickly.

   “Urgh…”

   “No, you better listen, kid. There will be a day when you realize that the raw flavor of these beans are a reminder of who we really are.”

   “Who we genuinely are? Fine, humor me, Captain. What are we?

   “We are all—”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Boooooooom!

<p class="MsoNormal">   There it was. A pineapple of death whizzing through the air, plummeting down into our trenches. It happened again. All of my senses being simulated like crazy. Explosion deafening my ears: a persistent ringing. An outburst of heat singed my skin pores. Flickering colors of white, red, and yellow blinded my eyes temporarily. Loud cries of despair and confusion. Worst of all—

<p class="MsoNormal">   Splat!

<p class="MsoNormal">   Something warm on the side of my face and neck. I turned my gaze to my side, only to see an armless man screaming in agony while he clutches his currently missing limb. Another bleeding profusely in place of his absent organs. Bits of metal covered with blood and globs of burned flesh scattered all over the field. An object riddled with holes smelling like iron. The warm substance that was on my face, flowed into my mouth.

<p class="MsoNormal">   The taste of iron.

<p class="MsoNormal">   This is blood. Evidence of life fleeing towards the afterlife. I’m sick and f***ng tired of this flavor. This always reminded me that this arena was where all of the naïve boys arrived to grow up too quickly. We became men but at what price?

<p class="MsoNormal">   In an instant, we learned the basics of reality in the bluntest method conceivable: Survival of the fittest.

<p class="MsoNormal">   In a flash, a bullet is fired.

<p class="MsoNormal">   In a beat of a heart, someone is shot.

<p class="MsoNormal">   In a second, a person dies.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Captain, a person whom I hate the most among the men at the base, is now silent. He always bragged that I would die before I would even reach to the frontlines in each battle.

<p class="MsoNormal">“It’s a miracle that you’re still alive, newbie! I figured you would have died on the 2nd day here. Gohohoho.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   He joked as he slams his huge ape hands on my back.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Captain.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I stared at the quiet Captain with none of his hands in sight.

<p class="MsoNormal">   He must have made an attempt to block the blast grenade but explosive ammunition has a way to get around that.

<p class="MsoNormal">   For the first time, he was quiet.

<p class="MsoNormal">   For the last time, he will stop mocking me for how I drink my damn coffee.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Damn…Damn…Damn it!

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Ahhhhhhhhhhh!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   A shrilling scream left my mouth.

<p class="MsoNormal">     Don’t leave me alone in this hellhole!

<p class="MsoNormal">   Thak thak thak thak thak thak thak!

<p class="MsoNormal">   Die, you bitches! There is no way I will die today! Not today! Not today! I grabbed a rifle nearby and unleashed my hatred to those scumbags.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Thud! One. Thud! Two. Thud! Thud! Three and four kills.

<p class="MsoNormal">   More enemies soldiers down. Firing away rounds of death onwards the opposing infantry.

<p class="MsoNormal">   If I managed to survive this bloodshed, I can assume that I was stronger than thousands of soldiers who turned into instant corpses this day. This thrill of taking peoples’ lives makes you feel invincible. It felt like that I couldn’t never lose.

<p class="MsoNormal">   But sadly, I was only human. It was inevitable.

<p class="MsoNormal">   When will it be my turn to be weak and dyed the grounds a darker red? I’m a mere drop in a sea of storms. Too scared and too weak to conclude this war.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Kill. Kill. Kill.

<p class="MsoNormal">     I must kill before they can kill me.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Die. Die. Die!

<p class="MsoNormal">   If you move, you die.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I’ll shoot to kill. Better you than me!

<p class="MsoNormal">   ''Thak thak thak! ''Sounds of bullets either killing them or me.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Sweat and blood.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I know that I’m alive because I reeked of them. Just one more shot. Maybe I can live if I can kill one more.

<p class="MsoNormal">   War. Peace.

<p class="MsoNormal">   No matter how you argue the difference between those two words, it’s pointless to change my attitude towards them. It doesn’t matter now. What’s the point of living if I was discarded like a fish bone? I was a happy go lucky character who thought he was fighting in the name of justice. As a soldier, it was normal to be that stupid. I was stupid enough to believe that I could assisted in ending this war sooner. For all I know, I’m a mere weapon, slaughtering soldiers who probably had the same ideal as I do. Only a meaningless death awaits us.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “We are all murderers. There is no disguising the ugly truth with a sweet lie. Once you understand that reality, you can never truly enjoy the sweet taste of innocence.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Ahhhh. So that’s what the captain said.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Incoming!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   A shout that I heard too late.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Damn it. Something recognizable in front of my face. The same omen of death that took away my comrade’s life: a pineapple.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Was this how I will die? Why couldn’t I be immortal? I guess that I was weak after all. My last sight was a beautiful burst of light. The spectacle lasts only for a fleeing moment. Just like my worthless life.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Booooooom! <p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">  <p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">My eyes opened. A bright light in the sky. A sea of flowers all around me.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Did I die?

<p class="MsoNormal">   I must have.

<p class="MsoNormal">   In front of me was a vast field of flowers. Red lilies. Blue daisies. White Chrysanthemum. Pink Cosmos. So fragrant and peaceful.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I did rest in peace literally. I’m a man in a white gown staring at the wondrous sight of blooming nature. I was surely in a nirvana: my mind was at peace with the world. How did I die again? No matter. There’s no need to worry as I was already dea—

<p class="MsoNormal">   Wait a minute. That scent. I didn’t know that heaven has a distinct odor. The smell of roasted hazelnuts, cocoa, and wood permeated the air. This aroma was nostalgic, evoking memories of my daily interactions with people whom I was familiar with. Such a pleasing scent to whiff continuously until you realized that the source emitting those heavenly odors were painfully in contrast between its taste and smell. Hard to believe that the bitter taste was barely reminiscent of its warm conforming aroma.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “This is coffee!” I jolted up and sighted a familiar scene with minor differences.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Two mugs with childish designs sit across the room, next to a coffee grinder on a mahogany table. I didn’t know there was coffee in heaven! I figured that they were too nasty to exist in a realm made of everything this is happiness. It must already have sugar and cream in it. Or…an actual cup of black delicious black coffee.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I stumbled out of the bed of flowers, placed my feet on the grassy path, and walked toward the sitting cups of coffee. For some strange reason, my body was not moving as well as I intended it to. A shortness of breath. Muscles throbbing with pain and they felt a weaker than usual. I sensed something came out of my arms earlier but I thought I was just overreacting. But after a few seconds passed by, it felt that my body would collapse at any minute if I were to perform a simple movement. If I was a machine, all of my gears would be rusty and break apart in a flash.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I noticed that my legs were also covered with bandages. Bandages? Strange. I never noticed them before.

<p class="MsoNormal">   As I took each step forward at an extremely slow pace, a mysterious force was tugging onto my arms. An annoying beeping keep ringing off everywhere. Was the grim reaper trying to prevent me from heading to the cups of coffee? Were those two drinks the sacred nectars that mere humans were forbidden to even take a sip?

<p class="MsoNormal">   I resisted the grasp that the paranormal had on me and persevered onwards. My forearms were aching as if they were warning to stop but I didn’t care. My desire for a mouthwatering beverage overwhelmed my body’s screams for mercy. At last, I held the cup with a panda design and slurped a mouthful of coffee.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Urgghh…Ue…Egwaggh…Gak! Crash!

<p class="MsoNormal">   The taste was so appalling, the murkiness and unpleasantness of the coffee’s flavor triggered a violent reaction in my body. I accidently dropped the cup and spilled all of that nastiness onto the floor. Some of that swamp juice splashed into my bare feet. I fell down hard on my knees to the floor, with my hands around my neck. I was spluttering the coffee out of my mouth, to purge the poison from my taste buds.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I thought I died and went to heaven but...

<p class="MsoNormal">   This is hell!

<p class="MsoNormal">   Yuk. Patoo. Patoo. Patootie!

<p class="MsoNormal">   Slam!

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh dear. Look what you did, Joe. That was a limited edition Doskoi Panda cup! You finally woke up and I have to walk in to see this?!” She blurted with veins throbbed on her forehead.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Another fragrant scent drifted into the room, magnifying the lovely fragrance of coffee in the air. Entering from the dark hallways, a brain resembling a sea of vast knowledge regarding the blueprints of life and the universe was scraping what was left of her precious cup from the ground.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Her thick glasses, large white lab coat, and black hair tied up in a messy ponytail with countless pens hanging out gave an impression of a reclusive bookworm. Such a tiny little thing, it was shocking to see how someone of her petite figure could possessed a voice with a volume that matches up to a cannonball’s explosion. At a glance, I saw an angelic kitten but she was in fact, an unruly and vicious tiger that clutched your neck in its fangs already.

<p class="MsoNormal">   In an attempt to diffuse the obvious resentment in the air, I performed an act of desperation. It’s show time!

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Objection! If you take a closer look at the crime scene, it is evident that the culprit was indeed…the floor!” I extended my index finger dramatically towards the ground.

<p class="MsoNormal">   She scoffed.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “The ground? Are you stupid?! How stupid do you think I am to believe such a ridiculous theory? Don’t mock my intelligence, you walrus!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “No, my dear. It’s the exact opposite. I did not intend to make light of you but hear out my explanation before you tear out my insides!” I thrust my hand outward to stop her advance to slaughter me with the jagged edges of the remaining parts of her coffee mug.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Fine, then. Humor me with your foolishness, you foolish fool.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   She retreated her improvised weapon a little but it still gave me an uneasiness as I feared for my life.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Well then, first off, there was some spilled coffee on the floor. Anyone could have slipped and fall down flat on their face, thereby letting go of the cup during the process; therefore, it was not my fault!” I felt contended with my answer as it should be enough to drowse her anger a bit.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So that’s your excuse, huh?” She retorted.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Excuse?! No, it’s the truth! You should clean up your messes before someone gets hurt again. ”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Now that’s out of the way. Where’s the bath—”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Wrong answer!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Wham!

<p class="MsoNormal">   I blacked out. 

<p class="MsoNormal"> 

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">2

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">

<p class="MsoNormal">A glaring spot of light from above: Déjà Vu. So warm and peaceful. I died and entered heaven again. Not sure how’s that possible again but here I am.

<p class="MsoNormal">   No…

<p class="MsoNormal">   Once my eyes have cleared, it was just lights on the ceiling. Plentiful of flowers in vases as get well gifts. They look fresh. Has someone visited me recently? Wait, was this a hospital room? What the hell? I’m not dead?

<p class="MsoNormal">   From the looks of my bandaged hands and this stupid bunch of I.V.s hooked up to my arms, I must had a rough night. What was I doing? Did I get drunk again? The last thing I remembered was going out with the gummi bears to our weekly hangout: the Giant’s Nostril. I knew I shouldn’t have follow the rabbit down the hole! I want the last cookie! Why was that guy slamming a giant whale onto me? My body felt like it was burning like a piece of forgotten croissant left in the toaster oven for 4 hours. My head was aching! My mind was in a frenzy. I kept seeing fireworks everywhere my eyes wandered. Especially hot sauce fireworks…Along with sounds of explosions, I hear people…screaming? I couldn’t bear to hear another ear-splitting cry. So frustrating! Man, I was starting to hate the color red. It was irritating my tired eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I must gotten into another bar fight. That fedora’s punch broke my ribs!! That f***ing bitch! Wait until I see her again! I shall get my reveng—

<p class="MsoNormal">   The pungent scent reached my nostrils yet again. It was not the strong aroma of coffee that captured my attention this time but of that woman in my line of sight. On her trusty doctor chair, she slid from a small desk with a small monitor to where I sat.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Gasp!” I bolted from where I laid down. I was sweating profusely as I tried to catch my breath. Once my eyes laid their sight on her, I immediately reacted.

<p class="MsoNormal">    “Not the face! Not the face!” I covered my face as a natural instinct to protect my handsome face.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Finally awake now, Joe? I was wondering if I accidently induced you into a coma but you look finally well to me.” She giggled.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Do I still have my organs?” I shuddered as I hoped that she wasn’t one of those mad scientists who have a disturbing hobby of collecting organs from living beings.

<p class="MsoNormal">   She adjusted her glasses to emit a glow of her sinister nature. “No, I already extracted them and they were… delicious.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Ahhhhhhh! No! No! No! No!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Sweat flowed from every single pore of my body. In a frantic frenzy, I patted all parts of my body to check that my body was intact. Whew. Nothing was missing…Wait, what did she call me?

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Joe? That’s not my name. It’s…huh? Strange…I can’t remember my name…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Don’t worry about that. The symptoms of temporary memory loss is normal in cases of victims who experienced a powerful blow to the brain or in your case, death.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Death...I died?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yes, you did. You had the misfortune of being within the range of a blast grenade on the 2nd day of the Guillermo Trench War about 6 months ago.” She read from a medical chart that attached to my hospital bed.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I was in a war?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yes, you’re lucky to be alive. You should thank your doctor later once you are fully recovered from the post-surgery and rehabilitation.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “That’s right…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I began seeing visions that I wanted to forget for the rest of my life.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I was in a battle. A burst of light. Was it…Fireworks? So many have died from it.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Argh!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Flashes of painful memories circulated in my head, I saw glimpses of mayhem and death being played again and again. The images won’t stop and I can’t control it. It felt so real and I’m experiencing hell all over again.

<p class="MsoNormal">Taste of blood. Thak Thak!

<p class="MsoNormal">Rounds of death. Splat!

<p class="MsoNormal">Murder. Boooooom!

<p class="MsoNormal">I killed people too.

<p class="MsoNormal">   My entire body shook violently and I crossed my arms together to ease off this feeling of terror but it’s not working. My body remembered the battle and I already reached my breaking point of my sanity. I’m going insane.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Stop. I can’t take it anymore! Make it stop! I don’t want to suffer anymore! Stop!

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Reality Check.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Something hard was suddenly shoved into my mouth. It was sweet and melting quickly all over my tongue.

<p class="MsoNormal">    “Chocolate?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Feeling better now? Chocolate helps you feel happier. It’s a scientific fact.” She said with a big, giant grin while writing on her clipboard.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I was brought back to my senses. There she was. Not a cadaver but a real live person.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Delicious! Thank you, ummm...”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh, how rude of me! I’m Eiska. I’m one of Dr. Vegapunk’s lab assistants and your personal nurse. You are now currently being treated in one of his main labs in the first half of the Grand Line: Vega Cross.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “It’s nice to meet you, Nurse Eiska.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh no, you can call me, Eiska for short.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Hmmm, Dr. Vegapunk? That name…it sounds so familiar. Where have I heard of him before?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “You would be a caveman if you have never hear of his name. Dr. Vegapunk is the genius scientist who works for the World Government. People have said that he is a man ahead of his time by 500 years. He is the prodigy who uncovered the truth behind the mechanics of the mysterious Devil Fruits and how to counteract the abilities of those who consumed them. Such a role model for me and the scientific community. He is surely the man who will lead this world to an era of infinite prosperity! As proof, Dr. Vegapunk personally operated on you with the live-saving surgery! If it was any other person than him, you would be dead a long time ago! Impressed?” She smirked.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “This chocolate is so good!” I rejoiced the dark, creamy indulgence in my mouth as I chewed it into nothing. It’s rich and sweet yet very smooth and delicate. This is a candy that is complimentary to all tastes. I was enlightened that such a delicacy exists!

<p class="MsoNormal">   I’m so glad that I’m alive.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Where did you get this chocolate? It’s like an orgasm in my mouth!” I continued to chew the bar of chocolate.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Did you hear anything that I said?

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yeah, something about a punk that was a caveman about 5000 years ago who ate a devil cake. He found the truth behind the fruit and made a rolling mecha hat that will lead this world to an errand of prostrating as Doctor Jicama. With the live shaving otters, I would be longing for imp breasts.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “What?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Do you even hear yourself talk?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Sorry, I ran out of the chocolate you gave me. Can I have another?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Do you still feel pain in your arms?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Now that you mention it. Yes, I do.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Did you know that you are currently hooked up to painkillers to ease your pain from your injuries and numerous surgeries?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh really? Well, thanks! If there’s a worse pain than what I’m feeling right now, then I’m glad that such a pretty nurse like you is making me comfortable in my stay here!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Well, thanks…” Elisa blushed, wiping her glasses.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So the chocolate?” My eyes gleamed like a cute puppy begging for treats or a hug.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “No chocolate for you!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   She presses the down button on the tiny device attached to my I.V. to lower the pain relievers’ dosage to zero. A few seconds later, a dreadful wave of suffering kicked in.

<p class="MsoNormal">     “Ooooo….ya….Ouufh! Goaa….Yaoooww!”

<p class="MsoNormal">     “God!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Is!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Dead!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I clutched my chest, losing my soul to the burning sun within my failing body. Pulsing spikes of discomfort and throbbing pain stabbing all over. This is torture! Please let me escape from this unbearable agony!

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So you do feel pain.” Elisa wrote down my behavior during the lower than average dosage of painkillers.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Please make it stop! Stop writing and help me for heaven’s sake!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Sorry but it wasn’t as if I did this out of malice. I have to turn it down as you could be addicted to it. You can’t have any more for the rest of your stay.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Go. To. Hell!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Just kidding.” She turned the pain medication’s level back to its original settings.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Hey! Why did I have to suffer from that?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Think of this a trial of severe pain. A reminder of how ill-mannered you are!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “You’re supposed to help me recover, not kill me! What kind of nurse are you? You’re supposed to be an angel to patients like me!” I screamed at her.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I may be a nurse but do not be mistaken. I am an angel but I can turn into a devil sometimes.” She stuck out her tongue out, playfully reacting to my outbursts.

<p class="MsoNormal">   No doubt about it.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I was in hell.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">3

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">

<p class="MsoNormal">   A few days passed by ever since I woke up from my eternal slumber. I was still held captive on my bed unwillingly. When your body was in a coma for 6 months, dying and being revived several times on the way, the muscles were weakened to the point that standing was like a marathon to a normal person. So I have been stuck in this small room ever since. This tiny space was my new home for now.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Elisa, my personal nurse (and tormentor for the way she performs her checkups on me), explained to me that I was one of the patients that underwent an experimental surgery and one of the few that survived the medical procedure.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Think about this.

<p class="MsoNormal">   An estimate of 9,340,000 Marines served on active duty during the Guillermo Trench War.

<p class="MsoNormal">   About 360,000 of them served in Guillermo Peninsula.

<p class="MsoNormal">   About 1,768,000 people were involved in the Guillermo Trench War.

<p class="MsoNormal">   There were at least about 120,000 - 170,000 Marines who were in combat against 54,000 Guillermo soldiers in combat.

<p class="MsoNormal">   There were about 78,000 combat deaths and 14,000 non-combat deaths (accidents, disease, murder, etc.)

<p class="MsoNormal">   Only 12,000 from the enemy’s side suffered causalities.

<p class="MsoNormal">   The Marines lost about 80,000 soldiers.

<p class="MsoNormal">   As for non-combatants, 184,000 citizens died.

<p class="MsoNormal">   That means the civilian-combatant fatality ratio of approximately 2:1, or more precisely 68%.

<p class="MsoNormal">   So in total, about 276,000 people died during the Guillermo Trench War.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Officially, I was listed as Killed in Action or K.I.A.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I might as be dead as my state of health was barely different from a corpse.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Only 200 soldiers that were listed as K.I.A. and passed the list of requirements, were recovered by the team of scientists on the battlefield and transported to the experimental biotechnical facility and research lab, Vega Cross.

<p class="MsoNormal">   The success rate of their new experimental surgery was at best, 33%.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Elisa calculated all of these numbers and concluded that I had about .0000071% chance of being drafted to Guillermo Trench War, serving in combat, getting killed, my body recovered by Dr. Vegapunk’s team of scientists, and surviving the low-success rate surgery, living to breath to till this day.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I must say.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I’m one lucky son of a bitch. No insult to my mother intended. Then again, I don’t even remember my mother nor my father. Did I have any siblings or was I a lone child?

<p class="MsoNormal">   Did I even have a family? What about my friends? I don’t even remember my name. I didn’t have a home to return to anymore.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I was a stranger to myself. Would anyone please tell me…

<p class="MsoNormal">   Who am I? <p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Hello, Joe. It’s time for your bi-daily physical!” Elisa walked into my room with the usual goods. Two cups of coffee made from the grinder in the staff room.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “You mean time for my bi-daily torture session. Ack!” I whined and flinched when she applied the cold, unwelcoming stethoscope to my chest.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “It’s so…cold!” I shivered, the cold sensation from her hands still lingered on my body.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Don’t be such a baby. Incorrect. You fulfill every single condition of being a baby. You can’t go the bathroom by yourself so you’re defecating into the bedpan. You’re extremely picky with your food and only wants chocolate. I had to feed you by spoon. I had to force-feed you your medicine! And another thing, you—”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Ergh!” As she ranted on and on about my humiliating conditions as a patient who can’t even get out of the bed, her words stabbed me where it hurts: my pride.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Okay! Okay! I get it! I get it! Stop it with the words from your poisonous tongue! I feel like that I would die of shame if you continue to blather about my sorry state! Have mercy on your patient!

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Tighten up your guts and be like the tough Marine that you were before!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Your checkup exams are much worse than the battlefield! How are you even a nurse?! Ahhh!!!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Elisa continued to rough handle me as she checks all of my vitals. She jammed the tongue depressor into my mouth like a jackhammer! Almost ripped my eyelids out from examining my pupils. My ears stretched to the limits of a rubber band! A powerful smack on my knees to test for a jerk reaction! I hoped that my knees were still intact.

<p class="MsoNormal">   She was the total opposite of a nurse! She was not comforting! She’s horrible with people! She’s not warm! Her cold hands pressing against my body reminds me of a polar bear but worse! At the very least, a polar bear would have claws to gouge out my organs and end my life in a merciful way!

<p class="MsoNormal">   I swear that I wanted to knock myself unconscious as so I won’t have to feel the pain from her attacks! I would feel sorry for anyone who was immortal. They would never escape from her, the reminiscence of a frozen hell!

<p class="MsoNormal">   Overall, she was a bully. It was not an opinion! It was a fact! Why did I have to be proof of that?! Did I wrong her or anyone in some way that I deserved this?

<p class="MsoNormal">   Was I brought back to life to die again?!

<p class="MsoNormal">   As usual, she recorded every single data she collected from my bi-daily physical.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “All done. That wasn’t so bad. You were a Marine after all!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So Joe, all of your vitals are improving at a normal pace as expected. Be sure not to overstrain yourself and remember to take your medicine on the appointed time. Or else…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “No! Not the banana!” Without thinking, I just used my pillow to shield myself against her.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Elisa sat down on her chair and sipped her coffee after it finally cooled down to room temperature.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I knew that you would see it my way. This is what’s best for you, after all. Joe. Want some coffee?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yes, please.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “With sugar and cream as always?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “You know the drill.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Such a shame but it’s your taste buds.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   She handed me a plain white mug filled with the coffee that met my standards.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Thanks.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I sipped my coffee and it was sweet as always. Just the way I like it.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Don’t break this one, not that I care but just don’t.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Maybe if you hand me the one you’re using, I would less likely to break it.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Not a chance, walrus. It’s worth more than your life and you already murdered my other one days before.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Wow, you really value them that much. Sorry.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “It’s all right, Joe. I can just recreate it somehow when I have the time to return to one of the labs. So Joe, enjoying your childish coffee as always.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “It’s not childish! And Joe. Again with calling me with Joe.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Is there something wrong with that? Would you prefer that I call you something else?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I’m used to it but why are you calling me Joe?”

<p class="MsoNormal">     “As I told you before, when we salvaged your body from the battlefield, we did not have any way to identify you as none of your fingerprints, teeth, or your dog tags were left behind to analyze. So we are unable to give you any information on your background. We apologize in our lack of ability to give you the answers that you wanted regarding your identity. So I’m calling you Joe for now. It’s better than John Doe or a stupid number.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “That’s fine with me. I’m just glad that I was alive.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yes, you were very lucky that your body was barely intact and has met the qualifications of the experimental surgery. We used the latest biotechnologies to restore your body.to save your life.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I’m thankful for what doctors did for me. Their work is a miracle…but...why haven’t my memories have not returned? Was my amnesia that severe?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yes, from the medical scans, you suffered from a grenade explosion that destroyed about a majority of your body especially your head, upper chest, and upper limbs. You suffered from 3rd degree burns at least 70% of your total body surface area. We recreated your cells, performed skin grafts, and added prosthetics to ensure that you can continue your life as a normal person afterwards.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I seriously doubt that I can be a normal person after hearing the damage done to my body. I’m scared to see what lies under the bandages covering most of my body.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Don’t be. Trust me, you do look normal under the wraps.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “If I was so normal, why are they still on?

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Standard procedure. We have to give time for your body to fully adjust to your new skin and to prevent any bacterial infections in your stitches. Anyway, since you suffered damage to your head, parts of your brain were damaged. At best, your brain’s function are misfiring and your memories were sealed. In the worst case scenario, your memories could be destroyed.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Destroyed, huh? So it’s possible that I never ever know my true identity or my past.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Maybe but you have something that others did not. A second chance at life, Joe.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So why Joe of all of the names? Ooo! Does Joe stand for Jet –equipped Outstanding Emperor?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “No...”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “How about Jaguar Overpowering Elephants?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “That’s not possible unless they are baby elephants but I never heard such a case.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Then, Justice Overseeing all Elephants?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Do you only have elephants on your mind? You’re more like a Jacked up Out of the loop sorry piece of an Excuse for a human.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oi. That’s too many words. You’re not playing the game right.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I win.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “No, you didn’t!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Shut it, Jealous Overcompensating for their lack of Esteem, Education, or skills that fell exceedingly short of Excellence!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Grrr! Well! You’re….You’re an elephant!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Wow, you must require another surgery as I am clearly a homo sapiens. I must recommend an immediate eye reconstruction surgery and perhaps, a brain transplant as your brain is undoubtedly malfunctioning.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “You’re wearing a lab coat!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “You ran out of ideas to insult my character, haven’t you?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Ponytail! Glasses!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “We’re playing the, “What I spy game,” aren’t we? Fine then. I spy with my little eyes, a walrus.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “What? Where?” I scoured the room for the walrus but it was nowhere in sight.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Right in front of me.” I saw a glimmer of wickedness in her glasses again.

<p class="MsoNormal">     She took out two of the pens lodged in her ponytail and rapidly jammed them right up my nostrils before I could react.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yaooooo...Yeow!!!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   The force of the pen’s momentum lifted my nose along with my entire body up in the air a few inches. Ever had that feeling of congestion when you dived underwater and resurface only to realize so much water entered deeply into your nose? This is about five times worse.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I was right. You are a walrus.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I was in severe pain. I was almost about to blackout again. I need to go to another hospital to recover from my recovery.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Doctor….I need a doctor.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Sorry, your insurance doesn’t cover that. So far…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Huh? Insurance?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yeah, every Marine gets insurance. It’s not uncommon for soldiers to be in the hospital and be treated for their injuries.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I thought the government was paying for all this?!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Normally, that is the case but this surgery required the latest technology not available to the public. To be exact, you are one of the most expensive humans in the world so you have to recompense us for our time and money. There is a high chance that you would be joining one of the Cipher Pol division to pay off your debt for most of your life.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Oh great, I’m broke anyway. So how much do I owe the government for my treatment?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   If it wasn’t bad enough with her as my nurse, I had to pay her for mistreating me as well!

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Ooo, this is going to take a while. Hold on.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Elisa took out a calculator and did a lot of calculating as she rapidly presses buttons. For each second that passed, I was getting more nervous. She finally finished after about a minute and wrote the total costs on her clipboard.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Including the taxes, it comes down to 578,654,600 Berries so far.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I saw the figure. 9 digits. 9 digits. 9 digits. Those two words occupied my mind for a while as I phased out with my mouth hanging out. Out of my mouth was annoying noise from pure shock.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Gaaaaaaaaaaaaa— Wait. Is this figure before or after the insurance deductions?

<p class="MsoNormal">   “After.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh…Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—”

<p class="MsoNormal">   ''Klunk! ''

<p class="MsoNormal">   Elisa placed more pressure in the ballpoint pens in my noses, driving them further up in my nasal passages. I got a massive nosebleed. Not the kind that I prefer when I’m with a girl.

<p class="MsoNormal">   DON!

<p class="MsoNormal">   I passed out. My pupils are gone. My face was drained of all life and I swear that I saw my soul coming out of my mouth. Either I have too much painkiller pumping into me or Elisa would be the one to declare my time of death.

<p class="MsoNormal">   She walked toward the door as she already completed her task for the morning. But then she paused for a moment and looked back.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh, I almost forgot. The coffee cups.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “What about me? Aren’t you going to take these pens out of me?” I’m still down for the count.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “It’s okay. You can keep them. I have plenty in my hair.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh…thanks…” I replied with much dispirit.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh yes. I never answered your question before.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Who do I yell at in the quiet of my head? Why is water wet and how come the most expensive coffee is from poop?

<p class="MsoNormal">     Elisa remained silent, she was deep in thought, thinking over the questions that I asked.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “To be honest, I don’t know! Now to revert back to the main topic.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “What’s a topic?” I was still in a daze from the nosebleed.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I’m the one who gave you that name. Joe.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “It was you?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yes, back then when all of the surgeries were completed on the patients, only about 56 out of 100 patients survived the multiple operations. But during the post-operative care, despite our best efforts, 42 people died from complications such as infections. We were able to stabilize the remaining patients’ conditions but most of them did not regain consciousness, you included. A few months passed by but there were no changes in their conditions. By then, they were categorized as vegetables and as each day passed by, we losing hope of them waking up; however, you were the first one that we were able to get a reaction from. For some reason, whenever I brought a cup of coffee to your room, your nose was twitching, it was slight but it was a sign that you still have some consciousness left. So I called you Joe for that reason!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I’m named after a cup of joe…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “It’s better than calling you #46.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I would have preferred to be called #1!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “What a lame joke and #1 already died.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “How about #2?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “How about shut up and accept your new name?!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “What kind of coffee was it?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Huh? Is the type of coffee honestly significant to your curiosity, walrus? It’s the same as the one I gave you without the extra cream and sugar. Macchiato.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Macchiato? What’s that?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “It’s an espresso with a small amount of milk or foamed milk added.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “It’s too strong for me. Even though, it already had milk in it.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I feel pity for you for not appreciating the full flavor of Macchiato.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Wait, since this is an expresso, am I allowed to drink this?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “If you drink it in moderation, it’s fine even for patients with heart diseases.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Ok, I’m too addicted to the taste of coffee. I think I always drink it every day in the morning. So does Macchiato have a meaning or was it just a fancy word?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “That’s for another time, I need to attend to other important matters. Remember to take your medicine. Or else—“

<p class="MsoNormal">   “The banana. Please don’t bring that up. I still have the scars and I like to have only 3 of them for the rest of my life.” My body was still shaking from the mere mention of the forbidden word.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “See you in the evening. Lunch will be coming as usual at 1:00.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Bye, Elisa.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   She walked out of the door and left me alone in the room as usual. I may have disliked her arrogance and cruelty but she was the 1st person that I met after I woke up from my coma. I was alone but more alone than an average person.

<p class="MsoNormal">     I looked down at my bandaged hands. All I see is someone else’s body.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Without a past, how could I possibly define myself?

<p class="MsoNormal">   A mystery that can’t be solved was what I am.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I didn’t want to die but my previous self already died.

<p class="MsoNormal">   This is my life after death.

<p class="MsoNormal">   My new life is now of a bandaged person who goes by the name of Joe.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">4

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">

<p class="MsoNormal">   After a few months, it was finally time to be released from the hospital. My surgical wounds had fully healed so it was time to unveil the identity underneath the bandages. As Elisa was unraveling each bandage from my head one by one, I was getting anxious as I was about to see my new appearance. Once an explosion tears up your entire face, it was hard to believe that you would ever look normal to your own eyes and to anyone else in the world. The misery of not being accepted by society is the scenario that I feared the most. I don’t want to be an outcast. I wanted to be normal like everyone else.

<p class="MsoNormal">   When a person looks at a burn victim, the first thought that comes to mind is the terror of seeing a disgusting and flawed living being that’s not human anymore. You know that in your mind that the creature in front of you is human but your eyes denied it and in turn, your mind is filled with these dreadful thoughts that you wished to reject its existence.

<p class="MsoNormal">   The burn victims may be seen with empathy but in reality, it was pity but also a sense of horror from how unnatural they appear to be.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I was afraid that I would be what others would see me as, a monster.

<p class="MsoNormal">     I don’t want to be alone.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I don’t want to die and be reborn as a monster.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I wanted to live. As a normal person.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “All done. Come on, Joe. Don’t be scared. I actually you look handsome.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I don’t want to. Are you sure that I look normal?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   My eyes were still closed. It’s almost pitch black. Just a one thin layer between my eyes and possibly seeing the most repulsive sight that I ever seen.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I was afraid that it would be me on the mirror.

<p class="MsoNormal">   It’s time for the moment of truth.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Wait, did you say handsome?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I gathered up the courage to pry open my eyelids and what I see in front of me is a human. Not just any person but me. A light skin complexion. Barely any hair but a bit frizzy. Purple hair, I think. I wonder how I look when it grows out. Short and sharp nose. Round green eyes. Thick eyebrows. Ears are sticking out. No scars or burn marks at all.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I looked perfectly fine.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Impossible. This is a miracle. Who is this Dr. Vegapunk?

<p class="MsoNormal">   “See. I see a man who can easily pick up a girl and seduce her to a lovely night in town!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I looked normal on the surface. But only on the outside. When I look deeply into the mirror, I see a relived person who can be proud of how he looked but an uncertainty within himself. A lost soul on the reflection. A person who doesn’t even know if this face even resembled of his past identity. I don’t remember if I looked like this normally.

<p class="MsoNormal">   My memories have not returned yet. Not a single recollection of my past.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I was no one but thankfully, I know that I have a place in this world.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Someone was there to guide me ever since I was reborn: Elisa. She was always there to comfort me when I needed someone to talk my frustrations with. As a scientist and the only person that I know from the outside world, she filled me in the wonders of the Grand Line. The grand line is an ocean current that runs around the world and was known as the most dangerous place of the world: it gained an infamous reputation as the Pirate’s graveyard ever since the Golden Age of Pirates began.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Despite of its infamy, many people were managed to lead normal live but some like Elisa came here to study its hidden secrets. This ocean’s unpredictable climates, dangerous and unique animals, and yet to be undiscovered islands were a treasure mine to those who want to satisfy their curiosity of the world. Furthermore, it was a hot spot of devil fruits and people who consumed them. As Elisa told me of her stories of traveling with her fellow researchers to several islands for exploration and studies, I was fascinated and intrigued by her adventures. She showed me her published books of the places she explored and added in a few of her favorite fictional romance books. I wished that I have my life published on piles of paper like her.

<p class="MsoNormal">   My memories are at a blank and I wanted my life story to have at least some exciting content. I want to have a treasure grove of memories to look back on and then smile as I have no regrets of my past actions.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Perhaps in the future, I would share my stories with someone else. A companion or my loved one.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Maybe someone like Elisa…Huh?

<p class="MsoNormal">   Elisa? Why did I thought of her first?

<p class="MsoNormal">   Did I have a crush on her? I’m not sure at this point.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So I am handsome! Not too bad. Hey, how about having lunch with your patient, Elisa? Maybe I can seduce you like you said. Is it a yes?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Slap!

<p class="MsoNormal">   She smacked me right into my left cheek. It was light but I understood her thoughts behind it. I guess that I carried the joke too far.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Don’t let it get to your head, walrus. While the offers sounds tempting, you need to work on your charm if you want to ask me out. I’m only into guys who are manly and witty.” <p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">   “Don’t you worry, Elisa. I will become a better man for you and ask you out again.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">   “Joe, you shouldn’t be celebrating yet as the worst is coming.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">   It felt so exhilarating to escape from that insufferable cage that I recently checked out of. I was suffocating from the lack of space, it was boring to wake up every day only to see as far as a few meters from my bed. The small apartment that I moved to shortly after wasn’t much of an improvement but it’s different from that boring bland hospital with crappy cafeteria food. I wished for excitement in my life, anything but those dreaded physicals by Elisa.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Eeheeeheeh.” The terror of her checkups will always be ingrained into my soul.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Besides what I said before, I wasn’t picky at all as I want something to make my blood boil. Of all of the deaths I don’t want, the top two would be death by the banana and from boredom.

<p class="MsoNormal">   There’s a common saying, “Be careful what I wished for.” Now I wished to put my own foot in my mouth for saying such a stupid statement and burn my pants off as I was a liar.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Elisa was right.

<p class="MsoNormal">   The worst knocked on my door and dragged to a worse hell than the isolated island that I was stuck in before. My body was still weak from the invasive surgeries and a complete lack of physical activity for about 10 months. The only method to remedy my lack of strength and agility was rehabilitation. Rehabilitation was just a floor below where I was before, I dove deeper into hell.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Surprise. Elisa was my rehabilitation trainer. Sets of strength training to increase my muscle mass. Stretching exercises to regain my range of motion and prevent further injuries. 5-6 days a week, I underwent an excruciating course of strengthening exercises that targets all of my muscles for one hour. Even with crutches, the walking sessions was equivalent of trekking through a muddy field with 23 kg of weights training wear on.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Pain goes on and off.

<p class="MsoNormal">   A remainder of the fact I was alive but life was hell.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Motivation to get better and return to the normal life could last for so long but it runs empty at a faster pace as the days goes on. Was the rehabilitation worth it?

<p class="MsoNormal">   Hell yeah, it was worth my time. With Elisa cheering me on every step of the way, I drove myself to cross the finish line for each of my goals. It was a long road but with the goal of seeing the look on Elisa’s face when she congratulates on a job well done, how could I possibly give up? She was waiting for me and I will fulfill my promise to become the man that she will respect and perchance, to love.

<p class="MsoNormal">     6 months passed by and at last, I had completed my rehabilitation. At long last, I walked out of hellhole that was my training grounds.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I didn’t know how it was possible but I still didn’t believe it. If someone told me that I survived a grenade explosion, I would pull down their pants, douse it in oil and light it up, and call them, “Liar, Liar, Pants on fire!” This new left arm of mine felt like I never lost my arm in the first place. No wonder why the hospital bill circled around the hospital grounds several times: there was nothing left untouched.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I had no idea on how to repay my saviors, Dr. Vegapunk and his team. Even if I worked for 500 years, the money that I earned won’t be enough to express my gratitude for them. Especially Elisa for helping through this ordeal. I didn’t know why she was assigned to assist me throughout the entirety of my recovery but I liked to believe that she developed some feelings for me as I did for her. I knew that I was being optimistic. Maybe too optimistic like a child, but that’s what love does to the brain: stupidity. The good kind of stupid.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I wonder if I’m witty enough for her yet. I read many books from the ones that Elisa lent me during my stay in the hospital and I continued to read more books during the times I wasn’t rehabilitating. Will she accept me now?

<p class="MsoNormal">   Before I left Vegas Blue to be relocated to my new job, I spent some time walking on the beach with Elisa for a parting goodbye,

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So Joe, it’s finally over. You’re free to go.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Not really, Elisa. As you told me before, I would be working for the Cipher Pol after I was fully recovered. So I’m still a government dog.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Fetch the stick, boy! Fetch!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Elisa threw an imaginary stick to the far end of the beach. She has a powerful throwing arm. Wait…

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Nice try. I didn’t fall for that.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Then why did you took a step forward to where the stick could have been?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Well, I didn’t want you to feel bad of the fact that you were hallucinating. It would be cruel of me! If I broke your heart if you realized that there wasn’t a stick in your hand!

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yes, you can cry into my shoulders if you want. That stick was a dear friend to you but you have to let it go. The stick is within your imagination but it’s okay. It will always be within your heart!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “You win this round, Joe.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “And many more!” I sang out my statement.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Kohihihihihi! Ahhhh, I’ll miss you and your antics. It’s been fun being acquainted with you.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yeah, we had some fun times together. Even the bad ones. You know what? Only the good parts are the fun parts.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh, don’t be shy to admit that you’re a masochist!” She lightly elbowed my chest, teasing me as usual.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Right….Hey. Here’s the book that you lent me last week. I liked the story of Little Garden the most. I would like to see a T-rex if the island was real.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Brag Men is still one of my favorite books about the Grand Line. A classic! I’m glad that you enjoyed it. But you can keep it.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh, wow. Thanks. I’ll make sure to keep it safe but are you sure? It’s one of your favorite books!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yes, don’t you need something to remember me by when you’re away?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “What? You look like you want to say something. You’re actually at a loss of words?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Will you wait for me?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Huh? What do you mean? Wait for what?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I mean, whenever I get back from whatever they assigned me to do, will you be my girlfriend?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…Wow, Joe.” She blushed and took off her glasses to wipe them clean. That’s a habit of hers whenever she gets embarrassed/

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I had no clue that you felt that way about me. I don’t know what to say.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Maybe I can seduce you like you said. Is it a yes?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Well?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Kohihihihihihi!” She burst out laughing with tears in her eyes. She accidently dropped her lenses as Elisa couldn’t contain her laughter.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh. That was from back then! Oh, you’re such a joy. Sure, why not?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Eh? Did I hear you right?” I must be still be on medication and I—”

<p class="MsoNormal">   She placed her two fingers on my lips, interrupting my rambling.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Shut up, Walrus.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   She leaned toward with barely any space between our faces. Our eyes were in contact with each other. She has such lovely eyes. I had never been so close to her like this before. Time stood still as we stare in each other’s eyes. I don’t know how much time had passed but when it finally did—

<p class="MsoNormal">   Smooch!

<p class="MsoNormal">   Cue the romantic background music! I have reached the jackpot!

<p class="MsoNormal">   She jumped on me, forcing us to fall to the sandy ground. We kissed for a long period of time that I don’t even care to calculate.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So how do you like that, Joe? Your first kiss, maybe?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Wow! Can we do that again?!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Any time you want. I decided. I’m going with you.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Heh? You can do that? Aren’t you an important member of Dr. Vegapunk’s team of scientists?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yes but they can bend the rules for me. Don’t be mistaken, I’m not leaving them as I’m still a scientist. Right now, my focus is on a particular biological subject, you. I need to analyze you further for a conclusion. My hypothesis is a yes.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   She places her lips on my lips once more. I was speechless like she said. The happy loss of words kind.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I was afraid that I wouldn’t be accepted by the world but that doesn’t matter anymore. As long she accepted me, I don’t care about the world.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I was no longer empty. I defined my existence by her. This is what lies beyond the horizon. A second chance at life.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I know who I am.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I’m Joe, Elisa’s lover and a survivor.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">5

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">

<p class="MsoNormal">   Two years after I joined CP8 (Cipher Pol Number Eight), I became a top-ranking Cipher Pol agent, succeeding in 95% of the missions that were assigned to me. My line of work included being an investigator for the intelligence branch and countering any political threats towards the World Government. It was a dangerous job but someone needs to fulfill the role as the exterminator. No one will destroy the world that I live in not as long I could still breathe. Before I officially became a CP8 agent, I was required to attend the 3 month long mandatory training for new recruits at the CP8 headquarters. 5 days per week, the fresh recruits underwent a physical training consisting of multiple durations of muscle and resistance training, stretching sessions, and aerobatic exercises The rest of the week were non-training days consisting of learning how to operate as a spy: disguises, surveillance, information gathering, communication, etc.

<p class="MsoNormal">   For those who can’t take the heat, they were immediately dropped out and demoted to basic physical training. The ones who were left in the end were promoted to the special class and guess what?

<p class="MsoNormal">   Another training montage! First, the rehabilitation, then, the hell island’s training, and now, this s**t?! The Rokushiki training was even more intense to the point that we had to train literally every single part of our body. Our fingers, toes, and even our butts! I know that I said that I went to hell a lot but this is the true hell.

<p class="MsoNormal">   In spite of the constant aches and complete exhaustion from the attempts to master the Rokushiki, “Six Powers,” I learned a few neat tricks.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Soru. Shigan. And Geppou.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Using Soru was the best feeling in the world. One second you can see me. One second later, you don’t! It’s hard to believe but after you kicked the ground with your toes at least 10 times within a blink of an eye, you’re faster than anyone else. In addition, dodging any attack that your enemy throws at you gives off a feeling of invincibility. It’s my best technique along Shigan.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Shigan was one of my favorite techniques. You can’t argue with using your fingers that can strike as hard as a pistol would and it has unlimited ammo. Unlimited ammo! My dream of piercing a small hole in a watermelon and drinking it straight from the fruit was finally fulfilled!

<p class="MsoNormal">   Geppou was like dancing in the air without a care in the world. The sky is the limit and you can reach the sky. Stepping on the invisible stairs that is air, I don’t need a ladder to get the coconut from the coconut tree anymore!

<p class="MsoNormal">   It’s strange but for some reason, they seem natural to me. The techniques were like 2nd nature to me. Even my instructor told me that I have a highly unnatural talent for using them as if I already knew how to execute them.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Perhaps I was a genius in martial arts?

<p class="MsoNormal">   As for the other 3 techniques, I couldn’t master them but mastering 3 was enough of an accomplishment for my superiors so I was assigned to high-ranking missions. My assignments were from a range of gathering information on highly suspicious officials and dangerous criminals, sabotaging corrupted leaders, and infiltrating enemy bases. I get a few scratches here and there and, maybe sometimes get caught in life and death situations but I turned out fine. I had worse.

<p class="MsoNormal">   F***ing banana!

<p class="MsoNormal">   Speaking of fruit from hell, I had so many successful missions that my boss decided to reward me with two bonuses: a raise to my income and a devil fruit. I always wanted to eat a devil fruit and become a person with a convenient power like be able to make anyone laugh. Guess what? The devil fruit…is. A. Joke!

<p class="MsoNormal">   It…taste…like…S***T!

<p class="MsoNormal">   I was told that I would get an incredible power if I consumed the fruit of the devil but I got was a whiplash and rancid flood of slime and rotten fish swirling my mouth. I rather drink black coffee than this slop!

<p class="MsoNormal">   Just great! I can’t swim and no one has any clue on what power I have. The only hint that lead to the truth is that it was likely a paramecia fruit, making me superhuman as I hadn’t transformed into an animal or an element of nature so far. I haven’t find my ability yet and even worse, I don’t know why but occasionally, I would black out during one of my missions and wake up to discover that my assigned mission was void. Apparently, my targets were either killed or missing when I was unconscious. The back-up CP8 agent must have completed my assignment for me! So I traveled all of way to my designated location to accomplish nothing! But it’s not something I was worried about. I have my girlfriend.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I lived with Elisa in a house close by another one of Dr. Vegapunk’s labs, “Punk Bombay.” We haven’t changed at all when we moved in except there was more kissing and we took a further step in our relationship. Wink. Wink. We still tease each other, always engaging in a battle of wits.

<p class="MsoNormal">   She was usually the victor…

<p class="MsoNormal">     But I won some battles! I swear!

<p class="MsoNormal">     I taught myself ventriloquism as a hobby to give myself a crazy edge over her whenever we talked. It never gets old every time she turned her head around to look for the mysterious voice that talked to her out of nowhere. She could never figure out that I was the source of those voices. I was driving her insane! I only learned this in secret whenever Elisa wasn’t home and when I had free time for my duties. While having time to myself was relaxing at times, I can’t help but noticed something was strange was going with Elisa lately. She was coming later than usual with a frown on her face.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I already knew that she was engaging in top-secret research experiments. I wonder what she was studying that was so crucial. I don’t really care but I suspected that it was related to my successful body restoration operation. Even up to till now, she always writes down information of my condition and behavior since day one. I tried to ignore it but ever since I saw a change in her enthusiasm for her work, I can’t help but be curious of her circumstances.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Every time I asked her if something was bothering her, she would either say it was confidential or pretend it wasn’t of importance to talk about and change in topic. Months passed by and I’m not getting answers. Even weirder was the guest that she frequently brought home.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Her name was Kouko, a sweet little girl with bangs and ponytail at the age of 6 years old. She was a research participant from the lab that Elisa worked at. Elisa was assigned to educate her about the world outside of the lab and record her behavior as she adapts to different environments. She always asked questions about anything she sees and gets so excited when she fulfilled an accomplishment or learned something new. It was always adorable to see a blue-haired mermaid swimming around house, she wears an inflatable tube like device around her tail that lets her float in the air. She was a great kid to play with and to be with.

<p class="MsoNormal">   She even gave me a cute nickname to call me by: Joudan. Isn’t it adorable of her? It was a misspelling of my name combined with the Don! as I always surprised her with my antics.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Honestly, it felt like that she was our child. Our sweet, sweet daughter. It didn’t matter if she was a different race or doesn’t possessed the same genes that we had. I was her father, Elisa was her mother, and we were a family. Our time together with Kouko was about a year but the amount of time doesn’t matter. It was how happy we were when we were together. Because of Kouko’s presence in our life, it felt whatever that was depressing Elisa this entire time was finally gone. Kouko was our savior and the best present that we ever had.

<p class="MsoNormal">   We were the kind of family that went out on picnics, take a walk around parks, playing catch and baseball with another, eat dinner together, and explore new places together. We taught each other as we were always learning about each other and ourselves.

<p class="MsoNormal">   We smiled together. We laughed together.

<p class="MsoNormal">   We were a happy family.

<p class="MsoNormal">     It’s that plain and simple. <p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">   I wished that this happiness would last longer than it should have. Even a little. But our fate was already chosen for us. It was too late for me to notice as I was too naïve to realize the signs. I was too caught up in the happy moments to do anything about it.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">   If only that I had known the truth behind her smile, maybe I could have prevented it. The family was no more because of that incident.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">   Elisa and I had been a happy couple for about two years and it’s almost time to celebrate our 2 year anniversary. It was today and I was just cleaning the house while Elisa was still at the lab with Kouko. They were coming home in about 30 minutes and I wanted to make sure that everything was perfect for our celebration of our relationship. I already prepared lunch and cleaned the house so I had enough free time to relax in the study room while as I was waiting for them.

<p class="MsoNormal">   My hands wandered around our collection of books as I recalled some happy memories. I remember Elisa and me taking turns to read our favorite books to Kouko as I used different pitches and tones to bring the characters to life. Kouko really enjoyed reading time and in turn, we loved to see her happy smile as she shared our joy of reading. My hand stopped at a nostalgic book that was sticking out of the bookshelf: “Brag Men.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I opened it up to reread my favorite chapter: Little Garden. I always imagined myself as pioneer Louis Arnote, discovering real live dinosaurs that were supposed to be extinct, long before humans came. And—

<p class="MsoNormal">   Thud!

<p class="MsoNormal">   Oops. I dropped the book while daydreaming. I reached down to pick up and to put it back but I couldn’t shove it fully back into the bookshelf. Was there something in the way? I reached into the bookshelf to find a large folder of documents labeled, “Punk Bombay: Confidential.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I couldn’t believe my eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal">   A secret file right in front of me.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Did Elisa misplaced it?

<p class="MsoNormal">   Why would she accidently leave something so important to her career, in our library? It was tempting and terrifying at the same time to have access to the truth. Was it an ugly truth that lies within these sleeves? What if it was better to ignore it and pretended that I never found it in the 1st place?

<p class="MsoNormal">   It was too late. Curiosity got the best of me.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I regretted that action ever since.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Because of it, I lost everything.

<p class="MsoNormal">   It was too much of a loss for my heart to bear.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I have died yet again.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">6

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Hey, Sweetie! We’re home!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Joudan! We’re home!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Joe! We just saw a bright light from a distance! Did you see it! It looked like it came from our house’s direction! It was pretty!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yay! It was…Pretty!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I just bought home your favorite snack! Pandamonium chocolate! Sweetie? Where are you?

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I’m here.” I walked out to the front hallway, with my eyes still looking down at the floor.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh, Joe. I can smell the food all the way from here. I can’t wait until we sit down and devour everything down. Right, Kouko?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yeah! It smells…So…Good! Drool.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So let me tidy myself and—”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I waved the folder in front of her. She was at a loss of words. She dropped everything in her hands. She knew what would occur next as she read the situation from the looks of my face and what was in my left hand.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Kouko. Can you please be a good girl and wash your hands, and wait at the table for us? Mommy and Daddy are going to have a talk.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Ok-ay!” She swam to the kitchen, listening to what Elisa.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   We walked without saying any words to the study room.

<p class="MsoNormal">   We were silent for a few minutes as we were waiting for one of us to break the silence.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Elisa, dear. I know everything.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Please tell me that I found this file in the fictional romance section for a reason! That it was all made up!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Elisa. Tell me that I’m just delusional as usual! Please!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I loved you, Joe. That’s not a lie.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “No…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I’m in love with you but not in love with you. For the sake of science, I was selected to be your lover to gain your trust. That’s the truth.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Please stop! No more! You’re lying!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Tears flowed out and they weren’t stopping. Both of us were crying our hearts out.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Why so surprised? You already know the truth. Show me your left hand.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “No!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   She ripped the folder out of my hand by force. In the center of my palm was a hole with burn marks.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So you confirmed it.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “That was just an injury from one of my previous missions. It’s not what you think it is.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Stop dodging the truth. You know that it is true. That you are—”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Stop!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “You’re a cyborg, Joe. An incomplete prototype of the secret artificial project: Pacifista.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “You’re lying!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “We picked up soldiers from various battlefields who were on the brink of death and modified them in order to gather date and increase the success rate of creating the first artificial soldier engineered for battle. It was a long journey but we had made many progresses in our research. You were one of them. We remodeled their bodies to exert superhuman strength and endurance in several parts of their body. Your left arm, head, and chest were the areas that we modified. As proof of that, you were able to shoot a laser from your left palm, resulting in a burn mark on your hand.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So it’s true. I am a military machine.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yes, you are indeed a living weapon.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “This explains those blackouts that I having. I was remotely shutdown and was commanded to assassinate my targets while I was unconscious. My job doesn’t require me to kill but I didn’t know that I was used as their weapon. I had a clear conscience of what I was doing for my job. For you, Kouko, and for the world. But I murdered another human being in cold blood! I was brought to this world to take another’s life? I don’t know what’s right or wrong anymore. And that wasn’t the worst of it! You told me…that I had amnesia but the truth was that my head was rebuilt, my brain was also modified. My memories weren’t lost or destroyed, they were intentionally deleted! My past life, gone and replaced with the art of killing. I was tricked to do the government’s bidding as my loyalty and my gratitude for them saving my life was all a farce! I was truly a government’s dog!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I don’t mind if I was someone’s toy but you guys took it too far. You involved children! Of all of the conspiracies, why was Kouko involved?! Our own daughter?!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Listen, I—”

<p class="MsoNormal">   No, you listen! If everything was according to plan, my future would have been forfeited to them anyway. I can’t die of old age! I’m a cyborg who already died once so why I do care? But Kouko…Kouko is still a child. She has a future! And you have no right to take that away! None of you!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “But I—“

<p class="MsoNormal">   “NO EXCUSES!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I slammed the folder down to the ground.

<p class="MsoNormal">   CRASH!

<p class="MsoNormal">   My superhuman strength combined with my enraged state of mind, created a deep crater in our study room.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “She was a reconstructed warship called, “Zeus,” a war machine that could destroy the world with the ability to control the weather. They forced it to consume the Merfolk devil fruit so it can be trained to be an easily transportable weapon? She’s a child! There’s no place for her in a war! What’s wrong with Dr. Vegapunk? What’s wrong with this world for forcing her into this?!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “What’s wrong with you?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “…”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I win this round. I thought you were smart! I thought you and Dr. Vegapunk are the two smartest people in the world but you two are too dumb to realize that human lives are precious! She’s not human but she’s my daughter! Your daughter as well! I thought we were a family but it was a lie! A big fat joke!

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yes, it was a joke. All of it. Even our relationship.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I loved you! I really do even to now! But this whole time, I was a test subject to you. Studying me if I was a success and if my artificial brain was capable of emotions. Intense emotions like love. The same goes for Kouko as well. Well, guess what? Congrats. It’s true. Kouko and I do have feelings and right now, I felt heart-broke and betrayed! You betrayed this family!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “So what are you going to do now, Joe?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I’m leaving with her! Don’t you dare stop me!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I ran out of the study like my life depended on it. I had to take Kouko to somewhere safe before it’s too late.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Kouko…We’re going on a trip somewhere but Mommy won’t be coming with us.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Eh? Aw! But the food here is ready to eat!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “But where we’re going has even more delicious food!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Really? Yay!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “We’re leaving now! Gotta catch the ship. Let’s have a race who would get there first.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Hehaha! I’ll win this time!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   I already packed up my bag and after I opened the front door, we had company: Marines and Cipher Pol. I knew it. They’re already here but how did they know that I was trying to escape?

<p class="MsoNormal">   “CP8 agent Joe! We are here to reprimand you along with Zeus. Do not resist or else, we have to use force to detain you.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Joe Dan. What’s going on? Why are the uniforms outside? Did I do something wrong?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “No, Kouko. They just want to have a talk with Daddy. Make sure you keep your hoodie down and close your eyes tightly, princess. Daddy is going to make them all go away.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Kouko pulled down her hoodie so she can’t see anything. I raised my hands up to show my intention to surrender. The enemies closed in carefully to capture me but they don’t know what I am.

<p class="MsoNormal">   A light was charging within my closed palm. I released my fingers and directed all of my anger in the form of a spear to pierce through all of the obstacles that will come forth from now on. <p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"Cambria","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Cambria">« Radi Lance<span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Cambria","serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">»

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"><span style="font-size:16.0pt; font-family:"Cambria","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Cambria">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">BOOOM!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt; padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"> <p class="MsoNormal">

<p class="MsoNormal">   I don’t know why but every Sunday, I would take Kouko to a reading café and spend the entire afternoon, reading adventure books.” She would get a small toffee cookie and hot chocolate and I would order the same cup of coffee. Months after I escaped with Kouko from Punk Bombay, I realized that I still held onto Elisa’s book. I never once read it again until Kouko wanted me to read to her my favorite chapter. I couldn’t say no to her as she was still distraught from our situation as fugitives and for leaving her mother behind.

<p class="MsoNormal">   While I read aloud the story, there was a note etched into the blank page after the ending of the chapter. It was never there before.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “I win this round. Walrus. The conclusion was a yes but experiments can go wrong. The result was not what I wanted at all. It’s a no.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Damn it. She won in the battle of wits again. How could I had been so stupid? It was so obvious. She purposely led me to find the secret file to force me into go into action. To take Kouko away from the World Government’s hands before it was too late.

<p class="MsoNormal">   She really did loved me.

<p class="MsoNormal">   At first, she must had the intention to fake her feelings for me but as the Grand Line was unpredictable, those feeling of love became the truth.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I’m the real joke for not realizing this earlier.

<p class="MsoNormal">   She sacrificed herself to protect the family. I thought it was odd that I haven’t had any blackouts since I became a criminal for kidnapping Kouko according to the bounty poster that was released published to the public.

<p class="MsoNormal">   It was unfortunate that life ended up this way. Our family was separated but we know that we loved each other. It’s a loss, all right but I know that we can pull through.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Excuse, sir? Would you like another cup of coffee?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Sure, miss but this time, can I have a Macchiato, please?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Sure, sir. Would you like some more sugar and milk in it as well?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “No, this time, I’ll drink it as it is.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Ok, it will be coming in just a min—”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Wait, before you go, do you know what meaning behind its name?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Oh a Macchiato? In another language, it’s another word for, “stained, as it has a little milk on top.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Is that so? Thanks for answering.”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “No problem, would the little miss like another cookie?”

<p class="MsoNormal">   Kouko stares at me with puppy dog eyes, begging me for permission to have another. I nodded my head.

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Yay! One please!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   “Coming right up!”

<p class="MsoNormal">   My drink arrived and I took a sip.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I like this drink.

<p class="MsoNormal">   It’s bitter but there’s a little sweetness to it from the milk.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Just like life.

<p class="MsoNormal">   I had my struggles but I’m glad that it turned out this way somehow.

<p class="MsoNormal">   Elisa.

<p class="MsoNormal">   If only I can drink it with you again.

<p class="MsoNormal">

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center">TO BE CONTINUED?