Earth Warriors (Undergoing Revision)

Chapter 59 - Seeing Red

1 hour later

Rian is in the near-empty sports court of FOB Garcia. Nothing but with a trusty paddle and a ping-pong table with the right lifted. This allows it to bounce the ball back to him, all while playing in solitude, surrounded by a handful of benches, windows, and doors that allow access inside from the outside.

Each hit with the paddle is marked with a certain momentum, in spite of his bandaged hand. It's almost like the old days of recess time at school. A time of simplicity yet still deprived of various benefits in life from the upper parts of society. It's one of the few times Rian feels like he has something to do other than his beloved sister. It's like a form of therapy for him to play in that state of mind.

He plays with pinched lips and a stiff posture, a moment still fresh in his mind from all the trouble it brought to the parties involved, even though it was something out of reach for him to do anything about it. And even now, a disparity of that magnitude is high enough to close up his throat with a tight chest.

An accident, a misunderstanding, of course they would justify what happened back then. Cowards. All of them. 

It can't be helped.

After several more swings, he feels a little lightheaded. With the sweat he produces from his body, his speed slows down with each passing minute. Even if he thinks otherwise, there's nothing good about this feeling. The only thing that would make him feel better is a sense of being needed. Being needed in order to make himself useful to everyone else if it means needing a roof to live well. 

A piece of contribution for others, so all of them can be proud. That's all what he wants.

Just then, the door opens as footsteps are heard near Rian who still plays. The footsteps then come to a close, which then comes a familiar voice.

"Hey, Rian," Logan says with a paced posture around him. Even for something that was out of his reach, Logan would still do so for him to do what's necessary to keep him safe. 

With this, Rian catches the ball with his bandaged hand, and then places it on the table top alongside the paddle. His posture remains the same as he doesn't bother to turn his glance to face him. This was something not worth expecting for him, for someone like Logan to still be with him ins spite of everything.

There is only silence between them for a few seconds in the echoes of the hall, with only Rian's sigh being heard. 

Logan takes a deep breath before speaking once more. "Look, I know it's hard for you-"

"You think?" Rian turns towards him, with his eyes tightening as well. Clenched fists and the same stiff posture are what to expect from someone like him. "Everything is hard for me, Logan. It's something not worth being pitied when I'm used to it, you got it?" He continues, with more bite in his tone as his jaw clenches. "You don't get to pity me."

"I'm not trying to, Rian. And I'm sorry, okay? I am."

Logan takes another step closer to him, with hands held out in front of him in an attempt to calm him down. Rian responds by bolting to the door on his back while leaving the table behind. Undeterred, Logan follows suit by heading in his direction as he exits the room as well.

When they're out of the room and walking in the hallway,  he continues advancing in the same pace as Rian while letting some officers and soldiers pass by their sides.

"You must be tired from what happened yesterday, so you may need something to alleviate that pressure inside of you."

"Something I could have handled myself anyway," he retorts back at him, his tone still fierce. "I don't need anything from you. As a matter of fact, I can't have anything from you. You should know that."