The Destruction of Batana

THE ZENZEN 3

The next day was exactly five o'clock in the morning when the sun had not yet emerged from its hiding place. Someone shakes my body. I snorted in annoyance. It's too early to wake up. Who is trying to ruin my beautiful dream. Though I just had a dream that I was beating Bastian to a pulp. I grumbled and opened my eyes wide. I found Arina who had disturbed my sleep.

“What you sell..” My sentence was cut because Arina covered my mouth with her bionic hand. I dodge. The hand felt very cold on my lips.

“Sssst... Don't noise. You can wake the other kids. Quickly follow me.” Arina started to shuffle and headed out of the room.

I shook my head. He's stupid or too innocent, huh? It's obvious I won't follow him. I lie down and cover my whole body with a blanket. But Arina was bothering me again. Pulling my blanket and pounding my face with a cloth.

Resignedly. In the end I followed his invitation. I rolled my eyeballs and followed behind him with an annoyed face. What exactly does he want from me anyway? Surprisingly I couldn't smell hypocrisy from him. This is really weird. Though I was determined to assume everyone was a liar since someone ‘itu’ betrayed me.

“Hey, explain where we're going? You just made me catch your stupidity.”

“Good if you catch my stupidity. Thus you will quickly get familiar with all of us.”

I snorted in annoyance. We walked down the hallway and headed to Ador's room. I could see an orange glow coming out of the room. I guess I can guess what happened. This must be a surprise party. I rubbed my head. What a shitty situation.

“Mr Ador, I've brought this lazy boy here.” Said Arina in a soft voice.

“Ah, sorry for the umpteenth time, Zenzen. You must be very surprised to get a call early in the morning like this. I had to wake you up this morning to help me prepare for the surprise. I want you to give this gift to Bastian. At least I hope your relationship will improve.” Ador smiled widely. He showed his neatly arranged teeth.

“I should have given it to you, Mr. Ador.” Anita's exclaiming spirit. “Not this lazy boy.”

I glared at him. “Then why not just you, huh? Why should I involve.” I said while holding back my anger.

“To be honest I would like to do it. Even very willing. Before Mr. Ador asks for it, I will definitely give the gift with my own two hands. But this is all for your own good and for Bastian's good. That's why Mr. Ador told me to call you.”

I rolled my eyeballs. Well, at least it's just pretend. I just need to give that gift with both hands, right? No more than that. My feelings will remain the same. I will always hate him.

At six in the morning. Children begin to wake up one by one to get ready to give a surprise simultaneously. Plan's simple. We'll surprise him on Bastian's doorstep in a crowded manner. All the kids will be in front of Bastian's room. I complained. I really don't want to do this.

At seven, the breakfast bell rang. All children should wake up at that hour. I'm yawning. Drowsiness attacked me. I'm actually very good at withstanding sleepiness. I'm used to curfews. Of course, night time is the best time to carry out theft. But that day and today are something very different. Right now I'm really bored and upset.

The door slowly opened. Bastian who was still half asleep was startled by our cheers and the spray of knick-knacks pointing right at his face. Bastian blinked his eyes. The children began to congratulate him at the age of eighteen.

“You've lived life well, son. I'm so glad you're part of this family.” Ador smiled gently while patting his shoulder. “Let's forget the past that passed and start stepping into a new day. In appreciation for being with me all this time, and in appreciation for your loyalty to me, I gave you the gift you wanted long ago. Zenzen, come here.” Ador looked at me while waving his hand.

I frowned. Anita who was standing next to me nudged my shoulder.

“Hey, smile. You're just gonna screw up all the plans we put together this morning. Smile then the world will smile at you.” Anita whispered softly.

I sighed softly. Then smiled stiffly while carrying a bionic body that had been wrapped carelessly. Facing right in front of Bastian.

A really awkward situation! I felt like I wanted to spit out my stomach and pull my heart out through my mouth. Silent. We just stared and stared at each other. The other children were confused by this situation. Anita quickly embraced my neck and melted the atmosphere.

“You know for yourself, right? This kid is indeed very arrogant and shameless.”

I almost protested. He glared at Anita. Forced to release his embrace.

“This is a gift for you from Mr. Ador.” I handed the package to her with a stiff smile. I'm sure my expression is very bad right now.

Bastian received the prize and began to open it. All the children started cheering and clapping. Of course I didn't. Why do we celebrate birthdays? Without them knowing it was a stupid thing. Birthdays signify our growing age. After all, the more we age means the closer we get to death. I have never celebrated my birthday in my entire life. That's why the definition of a birthday for me is different from the others.

Perfect package wide open. Bastian's face turned radiant. He looked towards Ador.

“This is a real surprise! Sir, thank you very much... This is a really unexpected surprise.” Bastian bowed respectfully while holding the bionic leg and the iron hand tightly. As if I didn't want to let go of that thing. “I'm sorry I thought so badly of you, Mr. Ador. I'm really sorry.”

Ador hugged Bastian tightly while patting his shoulder. I shuddered in horror at the sight before me. It was like watching a child and parent drama. Can't we end this situation immediately?

“Then you can try it now, Bastian.”

Bastian nodded “But of course after we had breakfast. I'm already very hungry right now, Mr.”

Ador chuckled softly. We all headed to the dining room and started to enjoy breakfast together. So far I still can't get along with him. Don't get along, just say no. Arina is bothering me more. Told me to do this, to do that. I always held back my anger towards him. Not because she's a girl or anything. But I was keeping my pride as a good Zenzen in front of Ador. I don't want my true identity to be exposed just because of the scolding and triviality of an innocent girl who knows nothing about me. I wish he never knew about me.

Her afternoon. I slept in my sleep. It was raining outside and Ador seemed to be out. That day will be a memory I will never forget. In the morning during the birthday celebration, maybe the atmosphere feels warm even though cold pierced the skin. But this afternoon, all of that turned one hundred and eighty degrees. No one knows what will happen in the future. Four hours ahead, or even a minute ahead. Anything can change. Including sunny weather that suddenly turns into rain.

I who was dreaming of eating with my family was suddenly awakened by someone. I complained. I just enjoyed my sleep. Fuckin' man who else tried to wake me up. I covered my face with a pillow. Signal me if I don't want to be disturbed.

My body was kicked until it fell out of my bed. I complained of pain. My head landed first from my body. Yeah, even though my body landed first, the only part that hurt was my head hitting. I was angry. This is already too much.

“What the fuck are you, Ari.” I who was about to exclaim angrily fell silent. I found out it wasn't Arina in front of me.

Lightning outside snatched. The last time I heard that lightning bolt was when I decided to accept the offer from “the boy”. Today the lightning came back. Adding to the heavy rain that began to harden. I'm speechless. His right eye looked shiny in the light of lightning. Bastians. Men who thirst for love. Teenage boys who just had a birthday that day. He stood right in front of me while looking at me hatefully.

Bastian has been wearing the new bionic leg. The legs look elegant with a synthetic coating that looks flexible. It seems Ador added some features when pairing the legs to Bastian. I grumbled in my heart. What kind of situation am I going to face?

“What if we repeat the match yesterday. It doesn't seem fair if you use that bionic body to defeat me.”

I clenched my jaw. He stood up and looked up at his face. Our physicality is much different. Bastian's height even exceeds Ador's height. I am not at all scared or scared. It was getting worse looking at him.

“Didn't the result have been determined. Ador said that right in front of you yesterday. You should be self-conscious and don't embarrass yourself.”

Bastian laughed out loud. “Wah, it is now arrogant once you call Mr. Ador without using the word master. I'm sure you feel the strongest just because of that little race. Do you feel like you're winning? Gee whiz... It was just a joke made by Mr. Ador. All that he did was just to make you happy for a moment. Isn't that what he always does to cheer someone up? Mr. Ador would have wanted me to be the most powerful in this family. The proof today is that he gave me an immeasurable gift. It's surprising, isn't it?”

The lightning returned. I growl. This guy's gone too far. What kind of days make it this thick. The voices of the other children talking from outside the room were getting closer. As soon as the door opened, the two of us instantly became a spectacle.

“Zenzen, what are you doing?” Arina called out and approached us both. In his eyes I was the one who seemed to be bulldozing Bastian.

“Hei, Arina. Can you tell this pubescent teen that everything was decided yesterday.”

Arina was silent. He did not understand what situation was going on.

“Arina, you don't have to interfere in our affairs. Let me take care of this kid.” Bastian smiled gently. Makes me look more evil in front of the other kids.

“Hey, don't be a loser and vent all your anger on me. Bastian, he wants to challenge me back.”

All the children were shocked by my words. Including Arina. Bastian looked down for a moment and looked towards Arina.

“I want to repeat the competition yesterday because I felt unfair with the result. Can't you see the far comparison of his and mine bionic body? I'm sure anyone can see it even if they only see it once. The legs of the previous fake had rusted and had to be repaired several times. Therefore I want to repeat a match that feels unfair like that. Now we are even. Our bionic body is equally new.” Said Bastian steadily.

The other kids start to agree with Bastian.

I smiled thinly. “Now I know why you lost your sight, Bastian. It seems you never want to see someone superior to you, do you? You all even witnessed for yourself how Ador simplified the system in my bionic body.”

All the children still disapprove of my words. Arina looked at me more and more hatefully.

“It's enough, Zenzen. We will not all listen to your words.”

I rubbed my head. “Wah, now I also know why you lost your ear. Because you never learn to listen to others. You just hear what you like and cover your ears with the reality you don't like.”

Arina glares. His eyes began to glaze over. “You... You've gone too far, Zenzen!” Arina was about to come forward and slap me. But Bastian intercepted him first. Whatisthis? do I see a romantic drama in front of me?

I smiled cynically. He looked back at Bastian. “Looks like you're so scared of a twelve-year-old like me, huh? That's why you'll never calm down until you get me out of this place.”

Bastian's face changed. He was consumed by his own actions.

Bastian laughed softly. “I? Afraid? Don't joke, kid. You're the one who should be afraid of me.”

I don't know why that line makes me so upset and fed up. A sentence that really made me vomit. A sentence that comes out of someone who is pretentious in power. Sok feels himself great. He felt himself at the top. All right, this can't be allowed, someone has to make him aware. This rainy day will be a silent witness that I am greater than him. I'll make sure of that.

“Behind, I accept your second challenge. I hope you won't regret what you did and cry out in the rain. Ah, I'm sure even if you cry, your tears won't be visible. How lucky you are because it is raining.” I responded to his reproach casually.

“Bastian, you don't have to respond to Zenzen's rant. We've all acknowledged that you're the greatest among us.” Arina tries to persuade Bastian.

“No, I will fight with this big-mouthed child.”

The rain is getting heavier. The ground in the field began to fill with puddles and was a little muddy. Despite the rain, our bodies are equipped with a water resistant system. Which allows us to activity even though our bionic body is exposed to water. The wind blows strong. Plopping the wet leaves by the rain. Bastian and I let our bodies get drenched in the rain.

We will do this in two rounds. That's enough already. Especially when it is raining. Lightning and lightning could have broken our concentration. The mud could have slipped us, and the heavy rain could have disturbed our view. That was enough to be a big hurdle in this race.