Endzone: Simulated Apocalypse

Slowly, Dianna turned around and began walking towards Cyanide, an alluring smile on her face. It was playful and teasing, almost seductive. Once directly in front of him, she bent over forward a bit, as if to let Cyanide get a peek at her generous cleavage, and shut one eye as she waited for his reaction.

But of course, there was none. At this, Dianna was confused, and rested her chin on her hand as she straightened back up.

"Hm… how surprising. That's the first time a man hasn't showed any reaction to my body, even after doing that…"

"… If you're going to kill me, just do it," Cyanide said coldly. "I won't apologize for killing your father."

Dianna sighed and facepalmed lightly, shaking her head. "Didn't I already say? I'm not here for revenge. If he never even thought of me like a daughter, why should I think of him like a father? Killing you, though… I'll consider it~"

"… Heh. Never thought of you like a daughter, huh?" Cyanide gave a low chuckle. "Is that why that old geezer was always staring at that picture of you and your mother before he died?"

At this, Dianna blinked innocently. "Hm? What picture?"

"… 12 years ago," Cyanide breathed. "Sa Colonia Beach, Italy. You were 7 at the time. Don't tell me that doesn't bring up memories?"

Dianna clenched her fists tightly, glistening metal claws reflecting the lights on the ceiling. Her red eyes held a silent, angry gleam as she recalled the memory, but she didn't say a word. Cyanide, noticing this, decided to take things a step further, and continue his mind games.

"You can kill me if you want," Cyanide said calmly, staring Dianna straight in the eyes. "But before I die… I want to tell you a story."

*****

- Several Years Ago, The Night of Anthrax's Fall -

(Continuation of the short story, 'From Teacher to Student')

"… The final lesson?" Cyanide asked, narrowing his eyes. "I've already learned everything there is to learn from you. Your combat skills, your stealth techniques—I have mastered them all. What else is there for you to teach me?"

"… It's not that," Anthrax said with a slight smile. "You've already become the perfect assassin. There's not much left for ya to learn, skill-wise. But as a human… ya still have a long way to go."

Cyanide frowned. "… What?"

"Your father made ya to be the ultimate human being," Anthrax replied. "A god amongst men, the perfect intelligent entity. But… he was wrong."

Sensing Cyanide's silence, Anthrax continued.

"In order to make ya 'perfect', he did not teach you any emotions or morals. As an assassin, it's been etched into his head that emotions are weaknesses."

"You taught me that as well," Cyanide muttered, to which Anthrax nodded to the best of his ability.

"Yes… I did. And while it's true, for an assassin, emotions are weaknesses… assassins, even you, are also human. And emotions… are part of us inherently. You… you need to accept that. You are not just an assassin, kid. You are also a human, with your own life, your own choices, and your own feelings. Embrace them. Emotions can be a weakness, but they can also steer you away onto the right path.

"What we do ain't just," Anthrax continued. "I know that. But that's part of the job. We're not killin' because we want to. We're killin' because that's what we have to do. And if ya ever forget that… you're no assassin. You're just a murderer. What separates us from those scumbags… are emotions. Outside of our career, we don't kill. We still have morals. Feelings. Love. That… is my final lesson to you."

As Cyanide tried to digest what he was just told, Anthrax blindly fumbled around his neck, and slowly pulled out a circular golden pendant with a trembling hand, before opening it up and staring at the picture inside. Despite the knife in his chest and his impeding death, the aged man smiled as tears fell out of his emotion-filled eyes and down his cheeks.

"This… is my family," he whispered, voice quieter before. "My wife is already gone, but my daughter… I want you to protect her."

At this, Cyanide froze, confused. "… What? Protect her?"

"Listen, kid… over the years, teacher here hasn't asked you for much, have I? This… this is my one and only request. My daughter… she is in danger. For how successful I was in the job of assassination… I could not fulfill my job as a father. So… I hope you can, in my place. Protect her… please."

After a short silence and some hesitation, Cyanide took the photo out of the pendant, and placed it in his pocket.

"… I will, teacher."

Anthrax smiled slightly, satisfied, and closed his eyes peacefully.

"Please… end it."

"… Understood."

Cyanide got up off of Anthrax's body, and lifted his gun before pointing it at his teacher's forehead. The same man who had taken care of him for the past ten years; the same man who was more like a father to him than his actual father.

"I'm sorry, Mia… I'm sorry, Dianna…"

Cyanide closed his eyes, tilting his head towards the sky, and pulled on the trigger.

*****

"…" Dianna, stunned, had a tear rolling down her face by the time Cyanide's story was done. She didn't even realize when she had began crying, but family was family.

"… Later, after doing research, I discovered the true reason why Anthrax said he was the target that night," Cyanide continued in a quiet voice, not fond of these memories. "His wife—your mother—had already been targeted and killed by a different assassin organization, the Yingshe. Anthrax killed their previous boss as part of a job, and somehow, they managed to find information on him and his family. They couldn't take down Anthrax himself, so they targeted you and your mother instead. The Yingshe told Anthrax that if he didn't die, you, his daughter, was next."

"…" Dianna collapsed onto the floor, left completely stunned by the story. "Father…"

She no longer was using her mind to control the throwing knives, so they clattered harmlessly to the floor and Cyanide was able to break free. He lifted his gun instinctively and aimed it at Dianna, but…

"Protect her… please."

Anthrax, his former teacher's voice rang out in his head, and hesitantly, he put the gun away. Then, bending down to one knee, he did something he has never once done before in his life…

… And wrapped his arms around Dianna, pulling her close into a hug.

Met with this warmth, the warmth of family she had lost so long ago, the girl fully broke down at last, and began sobbing into Cyanide's chest. Once a battle was now turned into a touching scene, and for the first time, Cyanide was able to experience someone's 'emotions' so intimately.

Strangely, as he held Dianna in his arms, feeling her heartbeat and tears alike, he remembered Anthrax's final lesson to him, and he smiled slightly. Not the cynical smile he usually had in fights, but a genuine, warm smile.

'Teacher… is this what you meant by feelings?'

He still couldn't say he agreed with the last lesson. After all, Anthrax's death was caused by these same 'emotions', his attachment to his family. In the end, Cyanide wasn't experiencing these emotions for himself yet, and thus couldn't comprehend them.

But at the very least… he understood what emotions are now, on a deeper level.

At the very least… he had fulfilled his teacher's dying wish.

Even though Dianna was already dead and a mutant now, Cyanide made a promise to his teacher. Ten years of teacher and student, one single wish. Cyanide had to do it… no matter what.

Dianna will be safe so long as he is alive, regardless of what happens.. To that, he vowed.