The first action she has taken as Lt. Serpierite was to visit Antimonite’s house. She had arrived, sitting on a tree that overlooked the front of his house. Nobody noticed her, leaving Serpierite alone in her grief. She didn’t know how long she had remained, whether it was for a few minutes or several hours. But it was that same night that two police cars arrived on the curb of the house. The males stepped out with grim authority.

She had known their purpose long before they had arrived. And yet, she had to watch. She observed as they crossed the porch and knocked on the door. A women, in her late 40s answered, her gaze immediately growing worried. Police officers were always an ominous omen. Then, she called out behind her, a man nearly the same age coming up behind her. Lacie couldn’t hear their conversation – but she already knew what would follow. The officers spoke, and their concern was immediately replaced by shock and grief. Lacie could tell from their expressions, the exact moment that they had realized that their son was dead. The woman turned to her husband’s arms for comfort, the police officers offering sympathetic consolations for their son’s death. Eventually, they left and the couple retreated into their house.

Switching from her negaverse persona to her civilian form, Lacie knocked on their door. They looked bemused by the sight of a girl that they had never seen before. It was silent for a few moments, Lacie wondering how she would approach the issue. She wondered if there was anything she could begin with, but in the end, she couldn't find the words. “I’m sorry for your son’s death.” Lacie began. The woman looked shocked, and then fell to her knees.

"Please, come inside." Her husband ushered her in. They couldn't have this conversation in an open doorway for the entire neighborhood to see. Lacie followed him to their living room, where he had coaxed his wife to come to as well. They sat together on the couch. "Will you stay?" He gestured to a seat but Lacie shook her head. She couldn't remain here. Meanwhile, his wife was still in a state of disrepair. “The police officers couldn’t even tell us why or how he died. T-They can only say that he fell off a building.” The woman sobbed, her defenses shattered by the news. There were so many things they must have wanted to know. "What did he do to deserve this?" Had their son done it willingly? Or was it an accident? How could they have stopped it? If only, if only they hadn’t let him leave. Then he would still be alive today. Lacie could only look away, clenching her teeth. Through her actions, she had killed a person which would undoubted affect many others. “W-Were you with him tonight?”

…. “Yes.” She couldn’t lie to them. But she couldn't bring herself to explain anymore than that. Not for her safety but theirs. "I can't say anything else but.." She trailed off. The silence was filled with questions, longing, and surprisingly, understanding that she felt the same sorrow that they did.

When nothing was forthcoming, Lacie shook her head. "..Please, let me know if you need any help." Lacie turned to leave. She would forward them her necessary contact information later.

"Wait." Her husband stepped forward, "Please.. what is your name? The least you could do as an acquaintance of my son is to tell us that."

She turned around with a somber smile, "Lacie. Call me Lacie."

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Looking back upon the meeting, Lacie merely sat against the wall of her empty room. Drawing one knee up to her chest, she couldn’t help but stare into the vast oblivion. Why had they simply accepted her presence? Why hadn't they pushed her for more information? I want to be blamed and yelled at. She wanted to be beaten to a bloody pulp. She wanted to be torn to a million pieces. Then she wouldn’t have to think of anything. But the fact remained that he was dead and she was alive. She couldn’t remain like this. There were things that needed to be done.

-------------------------

She coughed, collapsing over the doorway. “Are you alright?!” Her friend concernedly asked. This turn of events wasn’t surprising. In the last few wrrks, aside from work, Lacie couldn’t bring herself to do much of anything else. She threw herself into work, skipping meals and sleep. Not that Lacie could help herself. She could no longer keep down what little of a meal she ate, nor could she find any comforts in her slumber – the nightmares plaguing her until she tossed and turned and woke up in cold sweats. When she wasn’t working, she was either training in her gymnasium or spending her nights with a string of people.

Even now, the embrace of another person couldn’t keep her nightmares at bay. Lacie stood above the sink in the bathroom, the water dripping from her hollow face. The water was still running yet Lacie didn’t make a move to turn it off. Looking up, she caught sight of her reflection – seeing something that nobody else could – staggering backwards until she fell against the porcelain wall.

Her hair fell over her neck and shoulders, pooling on the ground beneath her. “I-I can’t..”

She couldn’t stay like this. She wasn’t doing any good to herself or to anybody else in her life. Clutching her head, Lacie told herself, “I have to pull myself together.” She had to do better. She needed to be stronger. She needed to go beyond her abilities to prove herself if only in Antimonite’s defense. In the last few weeks after her recruitment into the Negaverse, Lacie still couldn’t forget the events of that night. Antimonite’s face, his cries, his pleas, plagued her dreams and even her waking moments. During the day, it was easy enough to stay busy. During the nights, when she wasn’t engaged as a nerverse officer, Lacie sought companionship to keep herself distracted. But there were always moments, moments where she was alone, and she couldn’t stop herself.

Covering her eyes with her arm, tears streamed down her cheeks, her chest trembling with restrained sobs.

"I have to do better."