She always hated to cry.
She remembered when she often did, in the past...
... things they always wanted her to do. Often it hurt.
And her mother was there, caring only about whatever they wanted to learn.
The girl didn't know exactly what they wanted and conveniently buried that past in her memory.
However... When she was crying, everything surfaced.
She really hated to cry.
Smiling was way more courageous.
+++++
She didn't notice Zack being shot. The girl had already taken refuge inside herself, not conscious anymore of her surroundings.
It was a pain to drag her out, and when she finally left him, looking totally confused, Antony ensured nobody was following them, firing some suppressive shots.
He entered quickly in the room and closed the door, allowing himself to sigh of relief.
Concordia was standing still, in the middle of the room. She didn't seem to recognize them when she glanced aimlessly at them.
Antony sighed again and took her hand "Just sit here" She let him drag her to the bed and sat, moaning softly.
"You're really stupid, you know that?"
She nodded without conviction while he was checking quickly her wounds. "Hell... Look at yourself..." He looked rather satisfied "Nothing critical however"
Antony tried to explain the situation to Shiro, without much luck... That white haired girl looked totally panicked and she was driving him a bit crazy.
Ignoring her, He took a look at Concordia's face, a bit puzzled. He expected her to yell, cry, reproach or curse... be annoying as hell to resume.
But she just stayed there... Unmoved... just moaning silently at times. As if she was a puppet without a puppeteer anymore to give the illusion she was alive.
Antony stayed silent during a couple of seconds and shrugged. He then stood up, leaving the girl, and moved to the door.
Leaning against it, he started to check the magazine of the side-gun he stole to the guard.
He suddenly cursed. A dozen of shots. Great. Just great.
They would need to move soon. He gave a side look at the two girls.
They had to escape and he had those two millstones around his neck...
+++++
Meanwhile, Shiro, quite confused, was looking at them, wondering what was going on.
She was a bit panicked, but she finally walked to the bed.
Leaning forward, she curiously looked at Concordia, wondering if they hurt her because they wanted her cookies too.
She then glanced at her hands and sat near her. She smiled at her at took her hand.
She finally took off her gloves and showed her her hands, saying she was like her now...
Concordia caressed that hand softly, seeming to be lost in her thoughts. She suddenly raised an eyebrow. "Uhoh..."
She raised her head, smiling softly, and looked into Shiro's eyes, who was quite surprised to see her attitude changing so fast. "All that sorrow..." She whispered "Inside you... I can feel it." "W...What?" Shiro took off her hand quickly "I'm not sad. Wha-What are you doing? Kyyya!"
Concordia pushed Shiro and leaned on her, touching her chest "Not you... The other you... I can feel it inside your heart?"
Shiro was struggling, trying to avoid being touched by the girl "Release me release me release me!"
Concordia tilted her head, looking a bit confused "Why are you keeping that inside? Because you're afraid?" "Nyaaaaaaa!" was shouting Shiro while attempting to get back on her feet.
"Hmmm" Concordia leaned back, pouting "How could you be really happy if you host such an horrible thing inside yourself, honey?"
Shiro ran and hid behind Antony. "The bad girl touched me!"
"Come on, ju..."
He stopped to talk as Concordia jumped on her feet, pulling face because of her wounds, and started to hobble along, trying to reach Shiro. "Wait! I didn't see everything yet!"
The two girl started to run around Antony. "Yaaaaaaaaa! Leave me alone~~~" "Wait! I just want to touch you again!"
He lowered his head and facepalmed.
Quickly enough he lost it. "Damnit!" He grabbed Concordia "Stop it. You're both driving me crazy." "Rmm... Why?"
Shiro was hiding behind him, jumping to try to look on top of his shoulder at Concordia.
She put an hand on his shoulder to make it easier but suddenly noticed she didn't have her gloves on.
"Aahhh~~~"
He turned around to look at the little girl "What now?!"
She looked at him with her puppy eyes "Uhhh...My gloves..."
He frowned and pointed at the bed, remaining silent.
While Shiro was getting her gloves, he sighed, releasing Concordia.
"Now maybe we can talk yes? In case you don't know, we're kinda in trouble. We need to leave this ship now!"
Concordia pouted and looked at him "I'm not leaving without Andrew honey"
He shook his head "What?!" He sighed once again "Are you idiot? We're risking our lives here damnit! And do you even know what this 'Andrew' is capable of?"
She tilted her head, thinking for a while "Hmmm.... Well.... All i know is Carrie would like to see him?"