The Carnival

[Victoria]

Her fingers pushed against the buttons, shuffling through the pictures one after the other. It wasn’t anything new, it was all the same as before, but she found some kind of solace in looking into his eyes. She smiled slightly, and stared at the last one, losing herself in her thoughts. I’ve never been away for this long, I don’t even know how much time has passed. She stared at her phone, cupped in her hands, as she sat alone on the bench. Her wandering had led her to where this had all begun, back to the water park that was not as ominous as she had first perceived. The water splashed from giant spouts and people ran within the shallow pools. She looked up at them, and her gaze softened. How easy it would be to become digital, have no thoughts, just go about her protocol with a smile. The children laughed, chasing each other. I wonder if Gamer knew how to make them happy, or did he have to read a book? This couldn’t have been easy to program. Every emotion these people convey…it’s like art, it would have to be perfect. She mused.

I’m not strong enough, not yet, I’ve come too close to losing to think that I’m strong enough. She gripped the phone and looked down at Jeremy’s picture again. What have you taught me? Not enough. You had to let me go, just so I would grow, because you didn’t prepare me. She didn’t give into the anger she had felt earlier, instead, she simply questioned her life. She was not human; it hadn’t really sunk in at all. She was the by-product of biological enhancements and experimental drugs. So why do I still feel human? She wondered. All of her life had been human, and mundane. Despite the disappearance of her mother on many occasions, and her father teaching her about his work, she had been a normal kid. There has to be something, anything, her brow furrowed, unless he lied to me. She stared into the picture’s eyes, and debated the possibility.

Jeremy had taken care of her for almost half of her life; he pulled all of the strings. She closed her eyes and tried to remember the events seven years ago, what had been the most pivotal moment in her life. If she couldn’t figure anything else in the present, she would start at the beginning. She couldn’t know anything about her true past until she could understand Jeremy, her mentor, her would-be father. She went through her memories, fighting to remember the details.

”I need more time, you don’t understand,” his voice echoed. Victoria gripped the corner of the corridor, peering down the long hall leading to her father’s study. He always remained in that room, it was like a nightly ritual. He had a strange relationship with her, teaching her small details in his line of work, and then withdrawing for days and weeks while she kept to herself. She knew the company up and down, inside and out. What had been a simple dream to him had become a reality. His company expanded and she gained the knowledge required to help run it, but not until she was old enough. It was her dream, to be his protégé, and take over. Victoria would spend her days at school, when he was absent, waiting for when he would teach her more.

“I can’t give the research up yet, I…care about her,” his voice begged, and he nearly choked on his words, “I didn’t think this would happen, you have to believe me.”

She had to wonder what he was talking about, and to whom. It was rare for her to go near his study. Despite the ice cream, and the teaching, he never let her in. She could only assume it had been mother, she had made him build a wall, keep Victoria at a distance. She didn’t like it, but she was only a child, so she ached for more. She quietly walked down the hall towards his office, listening intently. He didn’t know about her side projects. For a young girl she had impressive investigative skills, she knew he had enemies all over the city. She also knew that her father was not entirely clean. In all these years, however, he had never acted so…scared.

“Look, I have all of the papers…the information; leave her alone, I’ll go with you.” He explained, and a chair scrapped against the floor. “I can make more like her, you just have to give me time.”

Something slammed and she jumped, Victoria wondered, who was he talking about? Who was the girl he referred to? She crept towards the door and looked in on her father standing behind his desk. She looked through the crack and saw the dark clad men in the room, but one of them stood out, he wore a suit.

“You idiot, you really expect us to trust you now? We gave you this, all of this,” he raised his hands to indicate the estate. “You took our research and stole what was ours. Didn’t you know we would come back? Didn’t you think that we would learn the truth?” Another loud noise resounded; the man slammed his fist on her father’s desk. “Your experiments have been evaluated long enough, we know that you succeeded, and you knew you had succeeded within the first week. We were fools to let you elude us for this long. If it weren’t for her…” The man made a disgruntled noise and looked to the side.

“You…you ran into her?” Her father clutched his chest, face stricken. “Did you…” He couldn’t finish.

“No, of course not, but we don’t need her anymore.” He waved a hand casually. “You’re coming with us, and V-

“No, please,” her father ran forward and fell to his knees in front of the Hunter. “Don’t involve her, I cheated her mother…I shouldn’t have done what I did, she shouldn’t have to get involved, besides…if the girl stays, she might return.” He looked up eagerly.

The man raised a hand, it began to glow, and he stared down at her father in contempt. “We don’t need the mother, not yet, not when we can have the girl.”

Victoria’s eyes widened. Who did they mean? Could her father be involved in slavery? She gripped the door, and it creaked. The Hunters turned immediately towards the door and she steeled her nerves. Her father was in trouble, and she couldn’t let it continue. She pushed open the door and ran in, her fist raised.

“I won’t let you take him!” She cried, her long coral hair floating behind her as she charged into the man in the suit. He stared at her, and for a moment, that’s all there was. She had seen something in his eyes that night, and the world had stopped for a moment. He held her fist, and stared into her fiery eyes.

“Hello, Victoria,” he whispered.

Victoria snapped open her eyes and stared into the black distance. He knew my name. She could feel her heart pounding. There’s more to my story, but…I had forgotten. He knew my name, which means… She looked at the phone and at his smiling face. He knew about me before that night. They were talking about me, I was so naive. She closed the phone and put it into her pocket. What am I supposed to feel? If I belonged to him since the beginning, should I be angry? She leaned back against the bench and closed her eyes.

Her years in The Company had sucked away most of her memories, and made her into a ruthless killer. She knew how to show happiness, display some form of humanity, but it was always about the job. She wanted to remember everything, but only select things stuck out for her; the ice cream, the night of her capture, and the useless teachings of her father. Her mother barely stood out, always that shadowed outline kissing her upon the forehead before she disappeared. As far as Victoria was concerned, she had no family.

Thinking about it won’t change it, I have to stop trying to live in the past, she decided and leaned forward again. The only person I can trust is him, regardless of what has happened. He has been there for me more than my father has…and neither of them are my real father. I guess it doesn’t matter. She stood up and stretched her arms above her head. He’ll have to tell me more, I’m tired of being in the dark. She turned away from the water park and ventured into the noisy carnival once more. He did right by telling me those things…now it’s hard to hate him like I used to. She smiled faintly at the thought.

Carnies called to her as she passed by, they all wanted her to play their games. She didn’t feel like indulging again. She hadn’t found any other players yet, but that didn’t mean that they weren’t there. She could only assume now that most of her acquaintances were either dead, or somewhere else. She was tired of the same routine; it had to end sooner or later. How much longer can I last? She pondered.

Victoria grabbed the pager that had been added to her attire since her stay. She hadn’t thought to look at it; it was new technology to her. She just knew that it beeped when a game was about to begin, and that was good enough. She stopped walking and looked at the little device in her hands. “What does this mean…?” She asked aloud and read the digits on the small screen. “200 Monies, is that…currency?[/i] She scratched her head and made a pondering face. She didn’t quite understand what it was, but that was the most logical assumption. She clicked a small button on the side of the pager, and it beeped before some words popped onto the screen. “Confirm…? Okay, why not.” She pushed the button again and the amount of Monies disappeared. “Well, that was silly.” She placed the pager back onto her belt and continued walking.

She had made her way to the food area, the smells made her mouth water. She enjoyed eating when she had the chance, and now was just an opportunity to do so. She strolled up to a hotdog vendor and leaned on the window. A man appeared at the opening and grinned at her.

“You want a hotdog?” He asked, his grin beginning to creep her out.

“Um, yes?” She replied wearily and took half a step back. “With a drink, and uh…ketchup on it.” She nodded slightly.

“Do you like hotdogs? I bet’cha do.” He began preparing the hotdog, looking at her as he did so. “I'll give you a big juicy one; you look like you need it.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down at her and slid a tray across the counter towards her with her meal on it.

Victoria twitched, and clenched her fist. “What do you mean by that?” She said through gritted teeth. “Are you implying…that I…” Her face flushed red.

“Could use a hotdog…?” The guy finished, and grinned at her. He hit the ground in the next instant, and Victoria fumed over him. She held up her fist angrily and stomped his face.

“Damn it! You pervert!” She grabbed her tray and stormed away. It was the last thing she needed, a robot making innuendos in her presence.

She rushed past the other carnival goers and past the bench she had once sat upon earlier. So content on her thoughts, she passed Orion and slumped down at a park bench a few feet away. She grumbled and started to eat the hotdog, it was good, but her mood had made her enjoy it less than she would have liked. She ate quickly, getting ketchup around her lips, and brooded in silence.

“Once again I meet you and you have what closely resembled blood upon your face.” His gruff voice made her look up from the table. She stared at the Saiyan and swallowed hard.

“What! I say, it does look like she’s got blood on her face!” A second voice replied, and she furrowed her brow. Her eyes roamed until falling upon the small creature on Orion’s shoulder.

“Don’t mind the rodent…He likes to talk.” The older warrior remarked and the small creature did a double take before leaning on his miniature cane.

“Ah, um, ok,” she looked away and grabbed a napkin from her tray and wiped at her face. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were around.” She kept her eyes off of Orion, and blushed at her embarrassing situation. For some reason, she didn’t enjoy being seen like that.

“Catnip indeed!” The hamster laughed and Orion placed a palm to his brow as if in irritation.

“I’m sorry?” Victoria glanced up at the hamster.

“It’s nothing, like I said, he likes to talk.” Orion replied before his companion could get a word in. “I take it you did well in your events?” He asked, and she smiled awkwardly at the question.

“If you call this doing well, I suppose so.” She raised a hand to indicate their surroundings. “If you wanted to…chat, or something, my schedule’s open.” She continued, and looked away again. “Nothing else to do, I’ve done pretty much everything else.” She has been looking for him, both times she had returned to the carnival, but she didn’t know if she wanted to tell him that.