• "Again."
    Two weeks had passed. And for those two weeks, Nine had Seth training almost non-stop. Nine had discovered a training field built into the base a long time before Seth and Dawn came along. It was normally used as target practice, but Nine had one of the rebels modify the room specifically for their new recruit. It was now a highly advanced obstacle course, complete with traps and targets for Seth to shoot out. However, the targets often needed repairs since Seth decided he would rather use his fists than a gun. This was partly due to the fact that Seth turned out to be a horrible shot. Seth was worn out from going through the course so many times, but he was extremely satisfied with the results. He was stronger than he ever thought he would be, and felt as though he was equal with Nikolai's own Chimeras.

    After successfully completing the course again, Seth was looking extremely tired.
    "Again.", Nine said over an intercom, as the rebel who made the course walked in.
    "Nine, what the hell?! Do I have to fix this thing again?! This is the twelveth time this week!", he exclaimed.
    "Expect to fix it many more times, Rotor.", Nine said.
    "Ugh, I might as well fix it now since I'm here.", Rotor said in a tone full of melancholy.
    "No, the boy needs to run the course a few more times today.", Nine said.
    "Oh come on, look at him!", Rotor yelled. "He looks like he SERIOUSLY needs a break! And besides, I- WHOA!", Rotor yelled, jumping slightly when he heard the crash coming from the training course. Rotor looked out the two-way mirror to find that Seth had seemingly broken through one of the course's walls in order to avoid a series of traps. Rotor slammed his hand down on the intercom button. "HEY, JACKASS! THIS IS THE GUY THAT KEEPS HAVING TO FIX EVERYTHING YOU BREAK. PLEASE DON'T GO SMASHING DOWN THE WALLS.", Rotor yelled furiously.
    "Amazing...", Nine thought. Nine spoke through the intercom, "OK, kid. You're done for today. Get back up here."

    Seth ascended on an elevator to the room where Rotor and Nine were waiting.
    "God damn, kid. You trying to make my life hell? I know you're a Chimera, but take it easy on my work, okay?", Rotor asked.
    "...Sorry.", Seth responded quietly. He was getting extremely tired of being called a Chimera. He knew he was one, he just didn't need to be reminded about it.
    "Y'know kid, after that last display, I think you only need one more test.", Nine said. Nine quickly moved toward Seth, throwing a punch towards his face. Seth dodged to the right and grabbed Nine's arm, pulling Nine toward him and delivering a punch of his own. The force that Seth put behind the punch sent Nine flying into the wall at the opposite side of the observation room. As Nine slid to the ground he looked up and gave Seth a half-smile. "Nice job, kid. Now get out of here.", Nine said. As Seth left, Rotor took a long look at Nine.
    "That looked like it really hurt. You gonna get up any time soon?", Rotor asked.
    "...Go get Saint.", Nine responded.

    As Seth entered the hallway, he saw Dawn talking with Lynx. She seemed grateful that Lynx had saved her.
    "Dawn, hey!", Seth called out. Dawn looked and saw Seth, but then immediately walked away from Lynx. Sadness washed over Seth's face as Lynx moved toward him. "She's been avoiding me for the last two weeks.", Seth said.
    "After what happened to her parents, I can't blame her.", Lynx replied.
    Seth looked up in surprise, but soon hung his head again. "So she knows.", he said.
    "Listen, tiger. I've talked a lot with her lately. She really does care about you. I mean, if it weren't for you, she would have never made it out of the Square. Had anyone else found her, they would have just turned her in. You didn't. She's extremely thankful that she met you.", Lynx explained.
    Seth still seemed very unhappy. "Yeah, but if she's too afraid to talk to me, then I won't ever feel like me again.", he said. Lynx looked at him with a confused expression. Seth decided to explain. "Everyone around here has been referring to me as a Chimera, as though it's some kind of honor to be one. But it's not. I'm cursed to be a... a monster forever. But when Dawn talks to me, it's different. I feel like a normal person. Like someone understands me. Until she came around, I've never felt like that." When Seth looked down, he saw that the floor was stained with something. He then noticed that tears were streaming down his face. Lynx pushed up his chin so she could look Seth in the face.
    "Sounds like you really care about her, too. Tell you what, I'll talk to her again and see what I can do, okay?", Lynx said in an effort to cheer Seth up. Seth wiped his eyes and nodded. Lynx walked away and Seth found himself alone.

    After wandering for a while, Seth sat on a bench that he found in a hallway. He suddenly heard Dawn's voice from around the corner. "
    "We've been walking around for twenty minutes, now! What is it you want to show me?", Dawn said. She rounded the corner with Banshee pulling her forward. Seth sat still, expecting Dawn to run away again. Instead, he felt her land right next to him on the bench. Banshee then took a pose that reminded Seth of Lynx.
    " "These two have issues to work out and I need your help! Find Dawn and make her follow you until you the boy, okay?" That's what Lynx said!", Banshee exclaimed. She then ran back the way Dawn and her came. Seth and Dawn found themselves sitting there in complete silence.
    "Lynx told me what you said.", Dawn said quietly. Seth was surprised she spoke to him. She must have been talking about the conversation Lynx had with him earlier.
    "Yeah, well... y'know...", Seth said, not exactly sure what to tell her.
    "I'm sorry I've been avoiding you lately. I didn't know I meant that much to you.", Dawn said.
    "...It's okay.", Seth said.
    "It would be nice if you could say something too.", Dawn said softly. Seth really wasn't sure what he could say. After some thought, he just said the first things that came to his mind.

    "Dawn, I'll never be "normal". I'll never be seen as a person like you, or Lynx, or Banshee. People will always see me as a monster. A Chimera. But you're somehow able to help me feel like I'm not a monster. Like I'm just a person. And there aren't words to show just how thankful I am for you. Listen, we've gotten into something big here. Something really bad could happen to either one of us. So I want to make a promise. A promise that if you ever need help, I'll come running. I'd do anything for you. I'd even kill if I had to. I don't care if you're afraid of me. I don't even care if you hate me. I just want-", Seth said, suddenly feeling Dawn pull him towards her. As their lips met, Seth's eyes widened in surprise. When Dawn was done, she moved away from his face to speak.
    "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything. You talk way too much.", she said. Seth grabbed Dawn and held her close. There wasn't anything in the world that would make him want to let go. For the first time in his life, Seth felt truly happy.