The Destruction of Batana

BIONIC 6

I breathe and rub my head.

“We'd better go home and cool your head. You must have been carried away by emotions because of the match.”

I remained silent while Ador had stepped through me.

Let us return in silence to each other. Ador just fell silent and stared out the window of the bus. We sit across. This incident made the atmosphere very awkward. I don't feel guilty at all. Anyway, I'm just telling you the truth.

Fifteen minutes passed, Ador finally started the conversation.

“Hey, don't you want to say something to me.”

I just propped up my chin while looking out the dewy window. Watching the snow fall slowly from the night sky.

Ador took a long breath. “You are stubborn. But that's what makes you unique.”

I remained silent. Still upset by this incident.

“If you keep quiet like this I'll snap your head.” Ador glared at me and raised his hand.

I finally responded. “There's nothing I want to talk about.”

Ador chuckles. “At last you responded to me.”

How can it be called responding? This situation just makes me more upset.

“Sometimes in this world there are one or two things that cannot be explained, Son. That's why I won't ask what happened to you. And I wouldn't be mad if you misjudged me all along. Your words are true. I am a knower when I know nothing. In reality, it is better not to know than to know. Because knowing it hurts.”

I rubbed my face. I cannot be carried away by his words.

“Like me who never wanted to know the story of other children until it was time for them to tell me. I don't know if I did this wrong or not. But I don't want to make the same mistake since Bastian's departure from the lab. I knew her past story and hurt her with it. I think reminding him of his past will bring him back to what he was. Like the Bastian I knew as an obedient child and never refuted my words. I thought if I reminded him of who he was, it would make him know who he was. Again I was wrong. Human feelings are complicated and complicated. Like removing tangled threads that are tied together and irregular. No, even much more complicated than this parable.”

I closed my eyes. It hurts me to hear that. I don't know why I feel worried. On one side I was still shadowed by Badas' sentence, while the other side said otherwise. If Ador continues to behave like this, if I get caught up in this, I will only be carried away by the rushing stream and forget my original purpose. That's why I won't let Ador's words shake me. It never will.

“Son, if you're angry, get angry. If you want to cry, cry. All you need to know is that this is not your fault. You're fifteen and you must have been forged like an adult. If you want to blame someone else, blame the adults. If you want to blame me, blame it. After all, I never mind being your place of impingement. Because actually this old man is never worthy to be your guardian.”

I took a long breath. Make the dew on the glass of the bus become thicker.

Snow flushed the city growing. Make the road look like a fog. Tomorrow I will inevitably have to go back to being ordinary. I don't want to get carried away. Because it would only bother me to reach my goal.

　

　

***

　

　

The next day, I woke up early in the morning to go jogging for a moment to release my mind about the events of the night. At least running a little can cheer me up. I no longer need Ador's permission. During my time as a student in the academy, it has become a universal permission for me to enter and enter the laboratory. That's what makes me want to get out of the lab or even go straight back to the academy.

I could have gone straight to the Talent Academy because I don't think there's anything else I can learn in the lab. I've mastered the internal energy. But I don't think that's what Ador said. If it was just to expend that energy, I should have been able to do it many times since I was twelve years old. What am I waiting for at fifteen years old? That's the question mark for me. That's why I decided to ask Ador later.

Satisfied to go around for a moment, I decided to stop at the bridge that I often pass when going around. The river was frozen. Although it is still very early in the morning and a new sun appears on the eastern horizon, the river has been crowded by several people.

“Hey, don't you want to try it?”

I turned around and found someone standing behind me. The figure also looked surprised at me. My hand almost slipped from the bridge. That figure was none other than the girl I had known in the first acceler class.

He blinked his eyes for a moment. “You?”

I rubbed my head. This is really unexpected. How could we possibly meet in such circumstances and in such a situation where winter is pervading the city? I used to make excuses for wearing gloves because I couldn't stand the cold. Even in the winter, I still had to go to class and make some absurd convoluted excuses. If only he still knew me at this moment, I'm sure he'd wonder why I would be able to survive out here in a temperature below ten degrees Celsius.

“You don't want to play?” Continue the girl.

I let out a breath. At least that means he doesn't recognize me. Either because of my height or because my face looks drastically different than when I was twelve. Men are very easy to change when they are teenagers.

I'm shaking. “No need, I just want to look around.”

The girl nodded and smiled. And then started to step past me. Go down the stairs and join the others.

I went back to watch those who were surfing on the slippery river that had frozen. If you stand on it while looking down, you can even see your own reflection set in a slightly cloudy blue sky with a glimmer of sunlight.

“You don't want to join?”

Someone came back to surprise me from behind. This time I really slipped and almost fell. Ador has stood behind me with the other children.

Ador chuckled while showing off an ice skate. “You sure you don't want to try it?”

I just rolled my eyeballs.

“Come on, everyone in this city knows how to have fun in winter. You should also enjoy it before you can never try it.”

I smiled cynically. “I didn't think an old man like you could enjoy a game like this like a kid.”

“What did you say, huh?” Ador glares furiously. “or don't-don't you can't play ice skating?”

I scratched my head that wasn't itchy. I've never tried that game before. In the slums there are no rivers or places that can be used for skating rinks.

“Come on, if you don't try it you won't know.” Ador handed me the shoe by throwing it at me. Makes me have no choice but to catch him.

“I'm waiting for you in the arena with the other kids.” Ador chuckled for a moment, then passed away leaving me.

I stared at the shoes with a flat face. Started to move from my place. Go back to the laboratory.

“Oi, Zenzen!” Ador. Make my steps stop.

I'm speechless. Lothawat! The girl will know my name if Ador screams like that. I looked stiff. Sure enough, the girl covered her mouth while looking at me. Ador waved both hands.

“This is also part of your training!”

I bite my lips. Why didn't he tell you from earlier, anyway?

I went down the stairs and approached the frozen river. The girl approached me.

“Zenzen, is that you?”

“Gosh! I really didn't realize it! You've changed a lot.”

I smiled stiffly.

“Hey, can't you be in the cold?”

I almost patted the jidat. What I was afraid of just happened. Meanwhile Ador kept calling me from a distance. He appeared to be skating with other children while circling around. It slipped and fell. I turned my face away.

“I've been in therapy for two years.” I finally gave a more reasonable reason. I wish he would believe me.

The girl's name is Serika. I don't know him very much. We just know each other's names. At least for me. Serika is very chatty. Every time we met in class, he was always talking about things and I just kept listening to him. Although I am not interested, I have no choice but to listen to him.

“So, huh? Have you recovered?”

I nodded clumsily.

“Oi, Zenzen! What are you doing there? Come quickly, boy!” Ador who tried to get back up while yelling at me.

Serika looked over and asked me. “Who is that guy? Your dad?”

I'm shaking. “Not, he's my grandfather.” I just answered.

Serika nodded. “Ah, it's worth it he looks like he loves you very much.”

“What does it mean?”

Serika smiled widely. “Sometimes we can see a person's affection through their behavior and behavior. It would be clear from her face if she loved you so much, Zenzen. Therefore be kind to him and do not waste his affection on you. Go, it seems I'm interrupting your pleasure.” Serika.

I nodded and immediately put the skating shoes to my feet. As soon as I set foot on the frozen river, I fell down and fell on my back. Serika panicked and approached me.

“You okay?”

I gulped while looking at the cloudy sky. At that time I realized one thing, that I could not surf on the ice. Because I have absolutely no experience.

Ador from a distance laughed out loud. The other kids laughed too. I quickly sat down and looked at all of them with a sharp look. They were silent and whistling, pretending not to see anything. Serika helped me stand up. However, I still find it difficult to stand on this slippery ice.

“You've never played ice skating?” Ask concerned.

I wanted to disappear from there. I should have just left.

“Surely this is your first experience because you have never done it in a lifetime?”

I rubbed my face. His words are true, anyway.

“Take it easy. I will teach you as much as possible as your classmates. Come on, it's gonna be easy. You just have to keep your balance. That's the key to this game.”

I stood back up while being helped by Serika. Thank goodness he was a very kind and patient man. Slowly but surely, I managed to stand up straight.

“Now, try stepping your right foot forward.”

I'm nodding. Started to raise my legs slowly.

“Next is, swing your left leg to the back.”

I nodded once more. Slowly swinging my left leg. Slowly but surely, my body began to follow the rhythm.

“Good, you just need to do both repeatedly and slowly. Don't look down, but look ahead.”

I'm taking a breath. All right, let's try. I started to put my left leg forward and swing my right leg. I did it over and over again until I got used to the practice. Serika clapped her hands happily.

“Oke, that's good. I've guessed people like you will quickly learn things like this. After all you also got the highest marks in various fields during elementary school, right? Things like this must only be a stepping stone for you.” Serika laughs cheerfully.

I just cleared my throat while tidying up my thick jacket.

“Well, now try swinging your legs a little stronger than before. But try leaning your body a bit forward. You know the attitude of a runner when they start, right?”

I'm nodding. I've done it before. Racing with Bastian.

“That's the next key. When the body is slightly leaning forward, it means you put a little weight on your upper body so that your legs will be easier to support you to stay balanced. Now try to do the previous step while leaning your body forward and swinging it tighter using your feet.”

Okay, looks like this is gonna be easy. I started to lean my body forward. I swung my feet a little faster than before. Again, this is easier than I thought. I advanced by about a meter. Serika cheered cheerfully as she approached me.

“That's incredible progress! Now you just need to get used to yourself.”

I nodded and tried again. Fifteen minutes later, I was able to surf casually. Approaching Ador who was waiting for me and watching me from a distance. Serika and I went to Ador at the same time. Ador looked at me suspiciously. I just shrugged my shoulders. Uncomfortable with his eyes.

“Who is this girl?” Ador looked confused and asked me.

Serika quickly answered. “I'm a classmate Zenzen.”

Ador laughed. “What the fuck? You never told me you had a girl friend?”

I just turned my face away. I thought he would say that.

“Take it easy, Sir. I'm not gonna interrupt your fun time. I was just talking to Zenzen because we hadn't seen each other in a long time. Then I say goodbye first.” Serika looked down respectfully. And then it left us both.

I'm throttling. “Now what do you mean if this game has anything to do with my practice?”

Ador ruffled waist. “Ah, this does have something to do with your practice, son. This game will train your brain a little as well as your balance. It is different from walking or just running. When you skate on the ice, you have to balance between thought and movement. Therefore this is needed in your next lesson.”

“But now I can already do it.” I pointed at my feet with both hands.

Ador just chuckled. “Not enough. I can watch you from a distance you can only make a few moves. Look at the people over there.” Ador pointed to a crowd of people.

I witnessed what Ador pointed to. There are seen some people skating while circling and doing some acrobatic movements. I grunt. Do I really have to do this stupid activity in order to study his vague theories.

“Why? You don't want to? Ah, should we just postpone your training for next year, huh?”

“OK, okay, I'll do it.” I smiled in annoyance.

So we spent hours in the ice rink. Until I forget I haven't had breakfast this morning.