The ride continued on in awkward silence.
Trout was looking out the window, his mind filled with thoughts.
He looked down to his gloved hand, thinking about what he should've felt. Could it be that he was disgusted of himself? Thinking of the moral line of not killing another person he told Sal, now that he was confused of himself. The image of Scaros's frightened eyes and hopeless struggles while Trout's hand gripped around his neck, tightening his throat left a strange feelings in him, something like... satisfaction. Trout didn't notice that a part of him wished that Liones didn't interrupt him, or maybe hoping that she interrupted him a bit more late.
The vertical line running down the center of his helmet pulsed faintly, brightening and dimming while remaining white.
Tinmas was avoiding to look at anyone, he already stood up from his seat and stand at the front of the vehicle, pretending to be busy with the controls.
Scaros was crawled into a corner of the bus with Liones, he was sobbing while stroking his throat like a terrified animal. He looked at Trout a few time but quickly looked away.
Suddenly, a robotic voice echoes inside the bus:
"Arriving in 5 minutes, be ready."
Everyone except Trout looked up, their attention focused to the front of the bus.
Liones looked at Trout, then at Scaros. After a moment of hesitation, she stood up from Scaros and walked towards Trout.
Scaros was terrified by the scene, he wanted to stop Liones from doing whatever she was about to do, but his hand didn't reach far enough. His legs refused to take a step closer to Trout. He watched hopelessly as his companion approached Trout.
Liones, now standing beside Trout, took a deep breath then she looked straight at him, a burning gaze.
Trout could felt the blazing glare next to him, he looked aside.
"Do you need me to help with something?" Trout asked, he looked up from his seat, the light on his helmet was not as bright anymore which Liones didn't notice.
Scaros watched from the corner of the bus, he shut his eyes closed but his legs instinctively pushed his body towards Liones on the floor.
...
"I want to apologize for Rossy's action." Liones said. She bowed down to Trout.
Scaros froze, he wanted to shout something but looked at Trout, he couldn't bring himself to say anything. Instead he covered his throat and crawled back to the corners.
Trout nodded, them he turned his head towards the window again.
Liones stood there, frozen like she expected something else.
"...BUT!"
Liones shouted. Tinmas who been trying to avoid looking at the scene was shocked, he looked at the others across the bus. Holding his breath to see what's coming..
"BUT!...I want you...to apologize to Rossy too..." liones said, she lowered her voice so much, it could barely be heard. She took another deep breath.
"No, I want you to apologize to my friend!" She said, loud and clear this time. Her voice wasn't too loud yet it echoed inside the bus.
Tinmas widened his eyes in shock.
Scaros was frozen, he looked at Liones who was still standing but her legs were obviously shaking. He wanted to tell Liones to get back but all he could produce was a mumbling sound.
Trout looked back at Liones, she flinched under his gaze.
"Apologizing? What for?" Trout asked. Liones look speechless.
Liones's fist tightened, she raised her voice.
"For hurting Scaros! You almost choked him to death" she said, her voice echoes in the bus.
...
"What does apologizing even change?" Trout muttered.
Liones's face burn with anger.
"Why?! Look at him! He can't even look back at you right now. You almost choked him to death and now asking why? You know what?! I never wanted to be here with you in the first place! Only if-"
While Liones is talking, Trout's light became more and more grey. Eventually he gave out a sigh.
"I apologize."
Liones froze. She stood still unable to say anything. After moment, she was able to bring back her consciousness.
"...THAT'S IT? You're just going to say that? You think I'm going to buy it? What's wrong with you?!" She yelled, almost screaming this time
"You wanted an apology, I provided it already." Trout said.
Liones's anger reaches it's climax, just as she was about to slap Trout, Tinmas who was pretending to be busy while actually watching the whole conversation spoke up.
"Kid I think you should go back to your friend, he's struggling to call for you. He did apologize right?" Tinmas said. Liones looked at him and shook her head, yet Tinmas's stare forces her to back down.
Scaros, who been struggling to speak up finally gathered all of his courage, he yelled at Liones:
"I DO NOT NEED YOU TO APOLOGIZE FOR ME!"
Then he fixed his gaze on Trout. He was scared yet his eye sparked determination. Scaros brought himself up, walking towards Trout and Liones. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her away while forcing himself to stare at Trout's light.
Liones tried to escape his grab but his grip tightened. He dragged Liones back to their seat. Staring right into her eyes, Scaros said:
"Don't do it again."
"Do what? I'm the one who's trying to get you all togethe-"
"I SAID STOP!"
"..."
"You always do it."
"Rossy I-"
"Don't. Don't call me that."
"What?!"
"I said, stop calling me that. I'm Scaros."
"Why did you, all of the sudden-"
"What am I to you, a pet?"
"..."
"What, say something!"
"...I have...always seen you...as my friend."
Scaros's eyes widen, his eyes tears up. He began to sob.
Not knowing what to do, Liones sat still for a moment deciding what to do. She reached her hand out then took it back. After the hesitation, she reached both her arms out and embraced Scaros. He did not push her away but kept sobbing while trying to wipe the tears that kept coming out of his eyes.
Tinmas gave out a sigh of relief. He sat down a nearby seat and close his eyes like he just went through an intense battle.
Trout on the other hand was lost in confusion.
"...I did apologize did I? What else do I need?" He thought. Shrugging his shoulder, Trout looked back out the window. He noticed that the bus was moving slower than earlier.
Suddenly, the bus stopped.
"Destination reached."
The robotic voice echoes inside the bus again. Trout looked to the front to see Tinmas violently flipping his notebook to find something.
On the side, Scaros stopped weeping. He seems embarrassed while Liones just teased him and called him a crying baby. But the two soon focused their attention out the window on the side, outside was another bus stop, the neon light of the stop flickered on a green neon light. Written on it was "outer zone 12" showed by white neon dots.
The bus's engine rumbled one last time before shutting down, yet the doors remains shut.