#manaaki

Carol walked into the Elites private Lodge, heels softly clacking against the thick carpet. She frowned, recognising the voice and spotting its owner leaned against the large bay window. He had that 'amulet' in his hands again, and apparently he'd not heard her enter.

"When I said you treat that thing like your own child, I was joking. I didn't think you actually talk to it."

Manaaki jumped back off the window ledge, giving Carol a cold glare like she'd snuck up on him on purpose. Or perhaps he'd taken offence to her comment.

"Miss Cross!" He beamed, the smile clearly forced. "What can I do for you? Was there a problem with that crew roster I did for you?"

Carol ignored his deflection, eyeing up the pendent suspiciously. "Are you ever going to tell me what that thing is?"

"It's just a fancy pendent, Miss Cross." He said, voice taking a rare stern tone. " 'Sides, I know you don't care for other people personal drama, so I won't bore you with the details."

Carol settled beside him, pretending to fain defeat. Instead, she lunged, snatching the pendent from Manaaki, and pulling his hat off with it.

"C-CROSS! THE FUCK?! GIVE IT HERE!"

Carol held it behind her, taking a few steps back as Manaaki towered over her (and most people), making any other course of action pointless.

"Tell me what this thing is, or I'll smash it. Right here. Right now."

"Don't you fucking dare!" Manaaki warned, his usual warmth turning a bitter cold, like an early winter breeze, as the sun disappeared behind a thick patch of storm clouds.

"You better give me a good fucking reason."

Manaaki just scoffed at her. "Why do you care!?"

"I'm curious."

"You're curious? YOU'RE FUCKING CURIOUS!?!"

Carol raised her arm a fraction higher.

Manaaki raised his hands, taking a reluctant step back. He sighed, arms folded tight against his chest. "Every other manipulator is able to guess what it is. Do you really need me to spell it out for you?"

"I'm not a manipulator."

Manaaki opened his mouth to argue. He looked like he wanted to argue, but... he held his tongue.

He turned back to the window, looking out to the earth below, which perfectly framed his home country of New Zealand.

"I heard from Wilhelm that Mr Macbeth gave you the chance to join the Toppat clan. To make something of yourself and life. Well... I had someone do that for me, too... except I was born here."

Carol lowered her arm.

"The Clan's always been my home, I was just a little shit of a kid." Manaaki laughed at the last part. It was a quiet laugh. It didn't sound like it belong to the jolly-clown-faced-smiler she was used to seeing. "I was always getting into so much trouble. No one knew what to do with me, everyone told me I was hopless and then... one day, my division's head walks up to me. He's some stuck-up-prick, high-end manipulator no-one likes because he literal had the 'silver spoon of leadership' shoved up his ass the second Sir Wilford bought him to the clan."

"People used to tell him he was wasting his time on me, I thought for the longest time he was wasting his time on me. Tch, I even overheard Sir Wilford tell him once to pick someone else for as his apprentice. I didn't have what it took to even make an Outpost Head, and you know what he told Wilford?"

Carol stayed silent.

"He told him it didn't matter if I made it or not. Said all that mattered was that I knew someone could see my potential, even if I couldn't yet. And... some days, I- I still can't see what he saw in me. I feel like I don't belong at our Elite meetings. You know... like, like I've stumbled in there by acciden- maybe you don't know."

Manaaki smiled weak. "It's... God, it's going to sound crazy, but... sometimes when I hold it close, and I can feel him. Here next to me, like those old days. Even if it's only a damaged fragment of him in reality.

It's like we're sitting out in the gazebo in that back field, and he's in his usual spot, absorbing all the sunlight like some greedy flower and... he turns to me and say: 'One day soon, you will be this Division's Head, and then you will see that bright spark in you that has ALWAYS been there.' And then, I'd laugh back at him and tell him, how he's 'probably mistaking it for one of his stars light', and how I'll be lucky to not end up as a cleaner, or whatever the lowest ranking job that comes to mind is."

He sighed, holding his hand out. "I'm just... I'm not ready to let him go yet."

Carol handed the amulet back and huffed a, "You were right. I didn't care for your personal drama."

Manaaki took the amulet carefully, holding it close. "Nah, didn't think you would. You don't care about other people."

"..."

"He'd be proud of you."

Manaaki nodded the head, looking down at the hand concealing the amulet. "I wish he was here. I still feel so fucking lost, I'd just- I'd give anything to be able to talk to him again. To ask him what he saw in some scrawny 13-year-old and... how he knew I could become this. "

"Feel lost is normal." Carol announced, adding, "My first 2 years as an Elite were rough too, and we weren't trying to launch a rocket, nor doing it with a new and inexperienced leader.

If you ask me, I think you're doing fine."

Manaaki laughed, "A compliment? From you?!" He chuckled loudly, the way Carol was used to hearing. "Nah! 'must have been the wind! The Carol Cross doesn't compliment anyone!" His smile turned cheeky, "In fact! I'm not even sure she knows what one of those are~"

Carol rolled her eyes and huffed. "Do you know where I can find Sven?"

Manaaki raised a brow, "Oh, so that's what you originally wanted~"

"Yes, or no? I've waisted enough of my time here."

Manaaki tutted, "He was here a while ago. Maybe... 15 minutes before you snuck in here."

"Great."

"Hey! Don't blame me! You're the one who was 'curious' about my personal business."

"Well, if you see him, tell him I want a discussion with him about the shit he's putting in his coffee, right NOW."

Manaaki just laughed, clearly not knowing what she did. "Don't tell me he used all the creamer again~"

Carol left, not giving Manaaki a chance to voice the concerns that had caused his smile to fall, seconds after his joke had left his mouth.

- - -

I found this story scene in one of my notebooks and saw the little accompanying illustration in my head. This is an unused piece of writing that doesn't fit in the story. I've made a few minor changes to it, as it was originally set before the rocket was to take off, but I really liked the imagery in my head of Manaaki looking down at their homelands while reminiscing.

I thought it was a fun little interaction anyway, so I typed it out so you guys get to enjoy it too, even if it doesn't find its way back into the final story.

I also wanted to practice some digital painting and while it's not perfect, I do think I'm getting better ^^