Discussions of the Future (Emily)

[Matrim Gallagher]

Matrim had left a note in Emily's locker. Yeah sure, call it old fashioned, call it what you want. Whatever the case may be, Matrim needed to talk to her, first of all he needed to apologize for his craziness in thinking she was Reira. She was not Reira, nor will she ever be Reira. No matter how much of a great Reira she made while the real deal was away. The note would say....

Emily,

Don't worry, I know you aren't Reira, so don't think I'm still all crazy and whatnot. Anyway, I need to talk to you about something. Can you meet me on the rooftop of the Science and Tech building when you get a chance? I'll be there for most of the later parts of the day and after classes are over.

~Matrim

He made his way to that rooftop. It was a good rooftop to sleep on, especially when you were ahead in all your classes, doing homework ahead of time so that you could get stuff done. It paid to have nothing to do at home except homework at home. Sure he had a computer, but he never used it. Anyway, getting on with the point.

Matrim would be waiting for Emily, or rather, sleeping. Snoring..... waiting for her to show up... and most likely wake him up.

[seishounohana]

Ah, so the great pillar has finally gotten back onto his rightful senses. Emily had an idea that Layla's help may have given him his mind back, but then again, she couldn't be sure.

However, Matrim wanted to talk about something, and Emily was somewhat curious as to what that was. As far as she knew, she and Matrim didn't have a lot to talk about, nor were they close friends at all. At this point, they were nothing more than mere acquaintances, at least in Emily's mind.

After taking her stuff out from her locker she headed on out soon after classes ended, making her way to the said rooftop. Piqued with curiosity, she opened the door. "Matrim, you said you want to ... talk about... something." She trailed off, finding the pillar asleep - snoring.

Emily just sniffled a chuckle and shut the door. Should she wake him up, or not? She sat at a square box right next to the box where he leaned against and began to wait. He must've been tired or something, and Emily thought it would be best if she let him rest for the time being. After all, he wouldn't sleep forever at least.

[Matrim Gallagher]

I musta.... dozed off.....

Matrim finally came to and looked over to see Emily, "Oh hey...." He said, unsure of how long she had been waiting. In any case he stretched out and yawned, "I jus whann aaaaahhhhhh.... Sorry yawning. Umm, I just wanted to talk to you about some stuff. I know, I know, it's quite vague of me to say this. I just thought I'd talk to you about gangs." He said getting up and turning towards her.

"I didn't know you were in this Militia gang, and I heard Ryuu talk about it," Matrim explained, "And I'm sort of taking an active interest in Ryuu's life. Nothing creepy don't worry, but he's sort of... I owe him a few favors. Anyway, I just wanted to know what kind of gang Militia is. Hell, if it's cool I might ask if I can join, I'm sure you could use a little more muscle right?" He laughed a little.

"So, what do you guys do?"

I wish Leon were here.... this would be so much damned easier if I had more connections. He was the one who had the plan, the one who ultimately was skilled at showing up and stopping the gang wars. How the hell am I supposed to do that by myself..... bad enough I'm in Reapers and Pillarship doing recon. Imagine if I was in Militia on top of all of that... I would be doing Recon on three groups, with no true gang of my own.

[seishounohana]

Emily hadn't been waiting long, or at least she didn't notice. After all, she had spent the last hour reading her notes -- studying, if you will. When Matrim stirred, she put her book down and smiled. "Morning, sleepyhead." She said, replacing her book at her bag. "You said you wanted to talk...?"

"I jus whann aaaaahhhhhh.... Sorry yawning. Umm, I just wanted to talk to you about some stuff. I know, I know, it's quite vague of me to say this. I just thought I'd talk to you about gangs."

Gangs? How'd he know that she was in a gang?

"I didn't know you were in this Militia gang, and I heard Ryuu talk about it," Ah, Ryuu. "And I'm sort of taking an active interest in Ryuu's life. Nothing creepy don't worry, but he's sort of... I owe him a few favors. Anyway, I just wanted to know what kind of gang Militia is. Hell, if it's cool I might ask if I can join, I'm sure you could use a little more muscle right?" He laughed a little, though Emily did not. Militia was serious business for the young filipina, and considering that she was one of the few that held it together at this moment, considered her role not to be anything funny.

"You want to know about Militia?" She asked, "Aren't you in the reapers or something?"

"So, what do you guys do?"

Emily sighed. "Militia hopes to empower the student body so that they will have no use for the student hierarchy; so that they will be able to protect themselves, and therefore create an equilibrium, be it for transfers or natives." she looked at Matrim, "Part of that means placing you pillars out of business. Concerned?"

[Matrim Gallagher]

"Militia hopes to empower the student body so that they will have no use for the student hierarchy; so that they will be able to protect themselves, and therefore create an equilibrium, be it for transfers or natives. Part of that means placing you pillars out of business. Concerned?" She said and his smiles and laughter were gone. Only a serious look stuck to his face. He was calculating, something had hit him, something strange.

Ideally militia is thinking of the student body. Their enemy is the Pillars, not Reapers. Alternatively the pillars contain Reapers in them, myself included. Reapers would in fact probably step in to fight if..... SHIT!

"Very," He said, imagining what would happen if it came to Militia versus Reapers. Especially if Militia mobilized the student body in order to attack. There would be plenty of civilian casualties if something like that took place. But he wasn't sure how big Militia was. And it wasn't the size of Reapers that bothered him, but the strength of the members. Not to mention the strength of the pillars. "It's as you say, I'm a reaper, and a pillar. I am one and the same. By definition I think that's supposed to make us like, enemies or something. But I don't buy into that."

He took a few steps away from her scratching the back of his head trying to run a few scenarios, he didn't want a gang war, "Why not just take on the School Captain? Win the title back, and work the system from the inside? Is... is beating the bone dragon really that hard? When I was back at Point Hope I was School Captain, but we were peaceful. I worked to protect students. I didn't stop fighting necessarily, but I prevented bullying and things of that such. So why not just take on Linda for the title?"

Point Hope was peaceful, but a lot of those kids were from Paragon... they knew war and they knew the destruction it caused...

"Besides, I know you probably don't trust me, but the Pillars really do mean well... at least, I think...."

[seishounohana]

"Why not just take on the School Captain? Win the title back, and work the system from the inside? Is... is beating the bone dragon really that hard? When I was back at Point Hope I was School Captain, but we were peaceful. I worked to protect students. I didn't stop fighting necessarily, but I prevented bullying and things of that such. So why not just take on Linda for the title?"

Emily shook her head, Matrim was taking this the wrong way and probably misinterpreting everything. Peace wasn't the ultimate goal of Militia as far as Emily knew. "Besides, I know you probably don't trust me, but the Pillars really do mean well... at least, I think...."

"Matrim, I have no question about Linda's ability to protect 42. In fact, I am in good terms with her, and respect her. However, you seem to misunderstand." She said, looking at the pillar. "But Militia believes that peace can be achieved even without the hiearchy."

She shook her head again, sighing. "Then again, I only know few of Militia's agenda, and our Leader has yet to leave Long Beach."

[Matrim Gallagher]

"Then again, I only know few of Militia's agenda, and our Leader has yet to leave Long Beach."

"Mine's been missing as well....." Matrim said without thinking. It was an idiotic thing to do. "But that's not what I mean," Matrim said, turning to face her, "Why not take out the hierarchy, become School Captain, and as School Captain, rid of the title, give it to no one. End the cycle, give power back to the students. It'd be one fight, two people fighting, and in the end you would achieve the same goal, right? You would only need your gang to stick around to enforce the change long enough for people to accept it...."

Matrim thought about this. She didn't know Militia's true Agenda. This in itself worried him a lot. In fact, this was probably some of the most confusing news he had heard so far. Uncertainty filled him, he didn't know Militia or Reapers true intentions. Neither gang showing their true colors.

I really can't trust anyone... God I thought my paranoia would leave once I got out of that prison school....

"I really fucking hate war......" Matrim said, rubbing his temples. This couldn't be as bad as Paragon, thank god, because this wouldn't involve actual soldiers with actual weapons and actual war machines. Which meant, thank God, he would never again have to see... the tree...

That god damned tree.... Austin....

He pushed the memory of all the things he saw at Paragon from his mind and returned his attention to Emily, "I'm just not sure who to trust anymore. I'm tired, confused, and the only reason I'm a Pillar right now is because of Reapers orders. They asked me to take out Olesya back at 259, so I did. I was fighting for the wrong reasons in that fight, want to know the truth? I'm sick of sports... I'm sick of all the drama in my life, and I'm fed up with people not coming out and just saying who they really are until they stab you in the back."

He realized he just got into a really heated rant, "Sorry... I sorta lost it there..."

[seishounohana]

So Mathew's been missing from the school, huh? Emily thought for a moment. That wasn't like him, then again he went missing for a long time back when she was captain, and when he came back shit came down. What shocked the girl was when Matrim revealed that it was the reapers that ordered him to take the previous 259 hierarchy down to accommodate the current one. "As it stands, none of the members of Militia are capable of defeating Linda as of now." She admitted. It was then he broke down.

"I really fucking hate war......"

"Everyone does, but everyone has different ideals and methods. War is unavoidable. Everyone prepares for it in the back of their minds."

"I'm just not sure who to trust anymore. I'm tired, confused, and the only reason I'm a Pillar right now is because of Reapers orders. They asked me to take out Olesya back at 259, so I did. I was fighting for the wrong reasons in that fight, want to know the truth? I'm sick of sports... I'm sick of all the drama in my life, and I'm fed up with people not coming out and just saying who they really are until they stab you in the back."

"Sorry... I sorta lost it there..."

Emily smiled, and gave Matrim a friendly pat on the shoulder. She could see them as friends, as he had opened a part of himself to her. Emily would return the favor, at least. "That's what life is, Matrim. That sort of life isn't confined to school." She said, remembering her family life ever since childhood. She could hear dogs barking on her head, and she shook slightly. No, she didn't want to remember that. "I am in this group because I trust my leader's vision would lead the school into something better. He made this out of his love of 259, and we brought it to 42 in hopes of fulfilling that love." She smiled, her cheeks radiating with a slight blush as she remembered the day Unfettered had her join Militia. She did it willingly, because he gave her a reason to become stronger: for his vision.

Emily had no real dreams of her own, or at least had no real dreams or visions that were related to the world. She wanted to at least be a part of it. "You have to trust someone at least, otherwise you will be miserable, and doubts will always be on your mind."

Trust was important in every relationship possible.

[Matrim Gallagher]

"You have to trust someone at least, otherwise you will be miserable, and doubts will always be on your mind." She said and he thought about this. He thought about who he could trust, about everything that had happened. He was torn about it, and for some reason the pat on his back had sent shivers through his body. It wasn't something naughty or anything like that, it just....

"I've fought in war. I've killed innocent men who were being controlled by a powerful Qi... and not knowing who she was, I killed... I've seen enough war. War is for countries and that's it. As far as I'm concerned, believing that war is inevitable is a bunch of bull. No offense but it's part of my belief that nothing is inevitable. People simply just give it when it gets too hard to think of a better solution." Matrim said, still somewhat riled about about the conversation, "Ryuu understood this, he believes as I do. 'War is not a beautiful thing, it is senseless violence, and precious lives are taken away because of it. I would not allow anyone to take away the lives of those I care about, I would find a way to avoid a fight as quickly as possible.' were his own words. Does that sound like a man who's going to sit back and accept that War is inevitable?"

He wasn't mad at Emily, he simply knew that she was a good person, "Could you bring yourself to kill me right now? Could you bring yourself to chop my head off? To shoot me in the heart, to burn me alive?" He asked, "I've killed and I have fought in a war, I don't know about your leader, but have you done either of those things?"

He was trying to teach her, instruct her. He wasn't looking to be her student, he wasn't looking to be her teacher. He was looking to be her equal. He would not follow her, but he would stand beside her if she could bring herself to understand what he wanted. Leon once said that if it were necessary sometimes they would have to choose sides sometimes.

[seishounohana]

Emily watched Matrim as he spoke. There was slight pain in his tone. Yes, there were things that were inevitable, such as death. Death was an ultimate end. Everything goes through death. Some take longer than others, some quicker -- but it exists.

War exists in the hearts of man. The war between their morals and ideals versus their ambitions and practicality. To Emily, war wasn't necessarily all about needless killing, but conflict overall.

And then he asked "Could you bring yourself to kill me right now? Could you bring yourself to chop my head off? To shoot me in the heart, to burn me alive?" He asked, "I've killed and I have fought in a war, I don't know about your leader, but have you done either of those things?"

"I could not kill you, because I believe that death shouldn't be in the hands of man. I cannot cut your head off, because I believe you need it. I would not shoot you in the heart, for I don't have the heart to, nor could I burn you alive, because I know the pain of fire."

Emily would peel off the long glove by her left hand, revealing numerous scars and wounds. There were parts that had disfigured skin, and some areas had healing bruises. The entire arm was covered in puncture wounds; the most prominent one was a wound right by the middle of her palm. It looked as if an icepick bore through it, or she was cruxified or something of the sort. It was time she told him her story. "I killed fifty- no. Fifty-one men when I was captured inside of Long Beach's correctional facility. I was emotionally tortured, set in isolation for a good six months before the Building crumbled." She looked away, "I murdered Four men when I was ten. They were members of a child pornography syndicate that purposely adopted me for that purpose. There is a war that I cannot avoid, Matrim. A war that destroys me. My guilt destroys me." As Emily said the last sentence, her voice began to shake. She was doing her best not to cry, as she had promised herself that what was in the past was in the past, and she had to move on to become a better person. "When I was four... I was not able to control my Qi, and I burned my house down, killing my parents inside. I barely escaped with my life, and gone through a lot of things afterward."

She took a deep breath, still on the brink of tears. Emily hated remembering things like this. "I would also want to avoid war and conflict. I do not seek a war either, as I dislike pain and seeing pain." She looked at the wound at her palm and sighed, "War is inevitable, but it is also a choice. You can choose to resolve things through different things; and unfortunately, if someone chooses to take arms to resolve conflicts, then someone will have to retaliate with the same, or there will be graver losses."

"I hope that you get what I'm... trying to say." she then sighed, "I would not want conflict with the reapers or any other gang that would cause any death. That is why I am in one, to make sure no one considers the notion of murder." She began to be firm in tone; determined and unwavering, something some members of militia had known her for.

[Matrim Gallagher]

"I understand...." Matrim said, walking very close to her. He would hug her, a hand on her back, the other on the back of her head. He would lean his head over on top of hers if she let him. "When I was a kid, I never knew my mother. I was raised by my father, a pretty famous rock star, his father was one too. He raised me to be a fighter, was obsessed with it for some reason. The man he had forgiven, a man from his childhood that he thought had forgiven him as well, he killed him, nearly killed me. I was orphaned, and ended up at a prison school in Japan. There, I murdered a woman in cold blood. A woman my father always spoke ill of. I wasn't in my right mind, but... I had such hatred for her... and I didn't feel remorse. Not until I found out that woman was my mother."

"I'm not a Reaper at heart. The only reason I'm even in it was because I wanted to get stronger, strong enough to change the balance of power. All the while getting information from the inside for another group. A group I was brought into that was devoted to preventing wars, ending riots by force if necessary, and making sure no one group gained complete control over everything... the last bit I wasn't quite sold on when I joined, but it was a gig.... so I took it."

He would let go of her and back up, "I believe a gang war is avoidable. I think what you seek is able to be accomplished without a massive fight, just promise me you will give me the time to try it my way. Feel free to prepare while I do, but if the time comes that Militia is about to make their move, and I haven't successfully dismantled the current leadership......."

What am I doing.... why would I promise such a thing?

"If it comes down to a war between Militia versus the Pillars and Reapers, the moment that war starts, me and anybody who follows me will fight on your side...." Matrim said, not quite sure what he meant by that. Maybe he would start up the Guardians. Possibly making them into something a little different then what Leon had going. He could get a building for the group, "But in the mean time, I want to be an anonymous member of Militia. I'll supply you with whatever Reaper info I have, but you'll have to trust that I won't turn you over to them... so the question is, can you trust me?"

[seishounohana]

Emily was slightly uncomfortable with the hug and him being so close. She didn't know how friendly this sort of thing would be, but she believed it was platonic. She just smiled and let him do the hug and listened to him. They were both victims of the world around them, and Emily found that she could empathize with him. They could be good friends, actually. He then told her about his stand with the reapers, and was actually surprised. She had thought that he was loyal to his gang, and blinked. "I believe a gang war is avoidable. I think what you seek is able to be accomplished without a massive fight, just promise me you will give me the time to try it my way. Feel free to prepare while I do, but if the time comes that Militia is about to make their move, and I haven't successfully dismantled the current leadership......."

"Militia is taking it's time, Matrim." She said, "Militia plans things carefully, as we want to avoid unnecessary casualties. Just do what you think is right."

"But in the mean time, I want to be an anonymous member of Militia. I'll supply you with whatever Reaper info I have, but you'll have to trust that I won't turn you over to them... so the question is, can you trust me?"

Emily smiled at him as she pulled her glove back on. She was now slightly uncomfortable without it. "Trust is a difficult thing to ask, since I believe I still don't know you that well." She said, laughing. "But you have my trust, Matrim."

[Matrim Gallagher]

"Good," Matrim said, feeling glad that she had accepted his offer. He was glad that they had gotten a bit closer, he wanted somebody to trust him, somebody who should actually trust him. Unlike the Reapers and Pillars who shouldn't trust him. Something about being around them made him feel dirty, he always showered after talking to a Reaper, "So I guess my question is, do you know who the Reapers are? Who their member base is? Because the first step is knowing your enemy. I'm afraid I don't know all the Reapers, but it won't be too awful long before I do..."

Kate had that meeting... I know about Mathew's involvement, I know about Jester, and I know about that Patrick kid... really not all that much. But Kate seemed to be running the show, and I know I can take her in a fight. Still, it's the other Pillars I'm worried about.

"If it helps, I'm putting a lot of trust in you," Matrim said, "Don't tell any of your followers of my involvement. Tell only your superiors if you have any around. I don't want some rookie slipping. And I'm pretty certain that your followers won't do too much damage to me if something should happen. If I get caught I'm not sure what the reapers will do. Probably jump me out of the gang, possibly worse. I'll keep an eye on Linda and the Pillars, but I don't foresee any big moves."

Matrim would wait for an answer about the Reapers before asking any more questions.

[seishounohana]

"So I guess my question is, do you know who the Reapers are? Who their member base is? Because the first step is knowing your enemy. I'm afraid I don't know all the Reapers, but it won't be too awful long before I do..."

Emily shook her head. She had a hunch that Mathew was the leader of the reapers, but never confirmed it. "No. Mind telling me?"

"Don't tell any of your followers of my involvement. Tell only your superiors if you have any around. I don't want some rookie slipping. And I'm pretty certain that your followers won't do too much damage to me if something should happen. If I get caught I'm not sure what the reapers will do. Probably jump me out of the gang, possibly worse. I'll keep an eye on Linda and the Pillars, but I don't foresee any big moves."

Emily just smiled and nodded. "It will be on a need to know basis." she assured him, patting him on the shoulder before something dawned onto her. She rushed to her bag and took a pen and a piece of paper, scribbling her number into it before giving it to Matrim. "My number, just in case."

It wrote: "Kari Aoyama - ***-****"

Kari was her japanese name, but very few people knew of it. In fact, Emily believed she never really said it to anyone she wasn't close to.

[Matrim Gallagher]

"I'll tell you in good time, right now I think I've risked enough as it is," And it was true, he wasn't about to go telling her who the Reapers were, just like she probably wasn't about to tell him every member of Militia. Either way, he'd get her the information soon enough. He wanted to learn more about the members of Reapers, what their strengths were, if they had weaknesses. To tell the truth he wanted to know the same about every Militia member. But Matrim was just one of those people, you know, smart ones who prepared for the possibility that everybody was a potential enemy.

She agreed to his proposal about keeping his affiliation a secret. It was how he wanted it to be after all, he wanted to be trustworthy but at the same time he didn't want to put so much trust in people he had never seen or met. Still, it was nice to know that he had a group to fall back on if the worst case scenario took place. "My number, just in case."

She handed him a paper with a name and number. Only the name didn't say 'Emily' but instead Kari, "Kari...." He said to himself, looking at the paper. He was confused by this but decided it was best to just let it go. Matrim tore off a section of the paper that hadn't been written on and wrote his number on it, giving it to her.

Matrim Awren Gallagher, ***-****

"I'll be in touch," Matrim said, "I'll keep you updated on the progression of everything." Matrim started to walk off before stopping and turning once more, "Oh... and before I go, what's your take on the Mr. Purple situation?"