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Teach Me #16



"Come on, your not even trying!" Halo stood in a defensive pose, no weapons. He faced a hot tempered woman wielding a katana. He faced me. I let out one final yell and charged him. With all my strength I swung my katana to attack the giant metal warrior, but, as usual, my efforts were blocked by a swift movement of his arm and quickly countered as he pushed me back. However a push from a 17 foot metal combat machine wasnt exactly gentle. I was thrown back until a tree finally stopped me, hard.

"Ow....." I slumped to the ground. We had been sparing for hours but it always ended the same, with me flat on the ground.
"Again." He takes up his stance again and waits.
"No! No more training! Im done!" I threw my katana to the dirt as I pouted. Since his return it had been two months and he allowed me to follow him while he tried to find a way to destroy Zhivago while proving he himself was innocent of the crime of murdering his team. The UNSC was not pleased with Halo's actions and were looking for him, however Halo always managed to stay hidden from them. I never knew how, and I never asked. All that mattered was I had to find out how to achieve my redemption without ever letting him know the truth a much more diffucult task then I ever anticpated.

My body was in a great deal of pain while many cuts, scrapes, and even bruises were plainly visible. Not to mention the tattered state of my clothes. I sighed, "Ugh, look at this! My shirt's all torn! Not to mention the grass and blood stains....I need some new clothes. You got any money on you?" He simply stared at me, while he had been talking much more lately as time passed there were still moments he remained in silence. "Well? Your responsible for all these stains and rips so your paying for a replacement set."
"Its not my fault you cant dodge or block me."
"Your 17 feet tall!" I got up and wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth. "Well if you wont pay for the clothes then at least buy me dinner tonight.... Come on." I started to lead him to Barton Town.

Shall I skip over my little shopping spree? Yes that would be best, your not interested in hearing a drawn out explaination of going store to store and trying on every item they had just to not buy it and then move on. However this gave me the perfect chance to become aquainted with all the shop keepers of Gaia.

"Are you finished yet? You've been at this for hours now?" Halo had been patient with me so far, but of course a man can only take so much of shopping. Or, at least I think he is a man... I stared up into his visor, trying to see if I could catch even a glimpse of anything behind that yellow mirror of visor on his helmet. "What are you doing?"
"Halo......your seventeen feet tall..."
"What of it?"
"Are you....human?" A long silence seemed to fall between us after that question. I only continued to stare into his visor, but all I could see was my own image reflected back at me. Why was he so afraid of the answer? Should I not have asked him? "Well?"
"Well, what?"
"Halo, I really dont mean to be rude but, what exactly are you?" Rather then answering me he walks off to the next store and waits outside as if that alone would push the subject away and I would continue shopping as though nothing had happened. It was obvious he wasnt interesting in discussing his personal life. After all, I hadnt even convinced him to tell me his real name....or did he even have a name. I couldnt help but let so many thoughts run through my head. What if he wasnt human, what if he was just a war machine that didnt even have a name? I find myself looking at him with pity and sorrow. He suddenly noticed my expression.


"Stop looking at me like that!" I snap out of it.
"Like what?"
"Like your about to cry! Can you just buy something already?!"
"S-Sorry!" I quickly rushed into the store, leaving him outside on the sidewalk. I guess this wasnt a subject to push right now, I would have to take my time with it. But I did plan on pushing it later, somehow I just had to know the truth. I had to know more about him.....


Much to Halo's relief, I finally managed to settle on a few items and changed.
"Its about time...the sun is going down."
"Oh, it is... sorry I took so long." He just walks off like he always did, so I followed him. We had never really found a place to stay, rather we would sleep outside, well I would sleep while Halo stood guard. He lead me to Zen Gardens, he seemed to like it here.
"Rest..." He stood beside a cherry blossum tree so I could sleep.
"Halo, I want to know more about you." He stood there quietly as I expected. "I dont expect you to tell me now, or soon. I dont know how long it will take, but I plan to learn as much about you as I can. I dont know why I want to know, but I do. About your past, your skills, everything. Tomorrow, we can begin again with the training. Show me to fight like you, teach me all you know...." He still remained quiet, but at least he did not object. I sighed to myself and laid my head to rest.
"Tomorrow.....tomorrow I will teach you"


For those of you who are curious, here is a reference picture of Rika. click here