Aon didn’t answer right away. How dare this beast come here and declare terms. The fact that their worst assumption had been correct, along with her putrid aura made them nauseous…as close a feeling as they could in any case.

“You picked a poor way to go about it. I don’t talk to reprobates who need to scratch at the door to be let in for attention.”

This one was from the chatroom too. There were a few self-proclaimed Darkloids in there, regardless, her appearance ruled out all but one option. Still, they weren’t about to act as if they knew, or cared about who this was and what they had to say here…where they could be caught out.

“You’ll just have to send me fan mail like everyone else!”

They snapped forward at a run, loading in a sword to swipe a wave of energy to send ahead at the intruder in an attempt to hold her at bay before they could close the distance.

Of course they had a wall up they had something to hide now. But did they always come off that way? Was it not just the detached professionalism?

“I…” There really wasn’t anything else Aon could think to say other than to acquiesce.

“Yes…And you’ve been very patient with me so far so I’ve just got to keep…trusting that.”

Their gaze fell to Roll fidgeting with the gaudy imitation beverage before she could even mention it.

“Yeah…Yeah I think I would appreciate that. One of those…” It certainly wasn’t something they would normally be caught dead with, but they would be remiss to pass on the olive branch at this point. That, and it was something to keep them from running as much of a risk of getting ready to pry their own fingers off

“And you’re right. I don’t know much about any of you at all.” They thought back to the vision bursts, how they could do nothing but quietly observe with no context or personal connections to what they were witnessing.

“What we saw at the end back there, at the arena…I couldn’t connect to any of it. Ellen’s memory was the only one that was obvious by lack of presence alone.”

@cinnamononions

There was a lot for Aon to be thinking about, a lot of which they really didn’t want to be.

So much had happened in such a short amount of time, and not just a matter of their short activation period, or even the Alpha incidents, even just since…since escaping the lab.

Dealing with Ellen and CometMan, crashing out at the cafe, whatever the hell happened when confronting Lan and Rock…the dark chip that had eluded them. All the while the scraping beneath their frame, behind their eye, had yet to subside; almost as badly as if they had used the thing.

But they were here. Back at work pouring over a stack of papers at their little desk that one couldn’t tell had been at one point cleft in twain. Needing to pretend to be fine just a little longer– just until the withdrawals finally died down and then maybe…maybe they could try to salvage things.

They were back at it, the ‘unconventional romance fiction’ lie was coming true (How many more would?). Anything to keep their putrefying mind off their latest blunders. Something– anything to help convince themselves that what they were feeling had any shred of normalcy. To keep them from unraveling at the seams.

They had been so engrossed in their reading that they hadn’t noticed the intrusion–

“I think it’s funny that you format your files that way.” The generic reddish navi mused from her place across the desk. Her head rested in the crook of her crossed arms.

Thorn. Thorn in their side was more like.

“Seems novel for a lot of people.” Their reply came dry. “Can I help you?”

“I can’t check in with my favourite coworker?”

The corner of Aon’s lip pulled into a grimace behind the pages. It was too bad. She was never really their type from square one, let alone whatever was becoming of them now.

“It’s more that I’m evidently preoccupied.”

“Well sure, but what other chance am I going to get? We’re seeing less and less of you.” Thorn sat up straight, and gesticulated with a roll of her wrist. “I’m not the only one who can tell something’s off you know. You’re kind of a bad actor when you can’t see the camera.”

They folded a corner of the papers back with one finger to peer at their interrogator. Not that the mask revealed any more than what the papers were hiding. There it was again. ‘Bad actor.’

“Is that so?”

“So what have you been doing? Dr. Kidd taking you around?”

“Sometimes.”

“Right.” She wasn’t really having that. “…but she would be requesting that personally if that were the case. Rampant’s not complaining about her though…”

The lie hung in stilted silence before Thorn continued; with an offer instead of an ultimatum.

“Do you…think I could come with next time?”

As soon as Aon opened their mouth to object a loud blaring alarm echoed through the network instead. Thorn practically jumped in her seat.

FIRST LEVEL SECURITY ALERT: BREACH IN SECURITY FIREWALL

Opening a small console off to the side Aon worked on pinpointing the breach. Something like this had never happened since they had been made, which lead them to one conclusion. A pit formed in their core.

It could be nothing… some jackass trying to prove themselves like they’ve heard happening to other institutions. When that Darkloid version of MegaMan came through he hadn’t tripped the firewall at all, so surely if someone were here after them they wouldn’t be so clumsy?

Or it was to purposely draw their attention.

“I’ll get Thistle-” Thorn announced, scrambling to get herself together. It was evident this was a first for her as well.

“Don’t.” Aon practically growled at her. Catching themselves, they unwound their demeanor just enough to try and win her back over with their bad acting and stupid grin. “I’ve got this.”

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The facade dropped flat as soon as Aon jacked into the affected comp space. Thankfully they were the first on the scene and if there was any remaining shreds of competence in them it would stay that way.

Immediately they were met with the familiar, cloying pressure of a Dark Aura, confirming their suspicions. They loaded their sword and stepped out into the open to survey their surroundings.

"Alright, show yourself."

Bad at acting. They scoffed under their breath before dropping their expression flat.

“I know what you meant.” Aon retorted. Their finger tapped against the table with decided impatience considering the nature of the conversation, but they were quick to start slipping. “I know you didn’t mean literally. I’m-I mean I should also do it literally- I mean-”

It really shouldn’t have annoyed them so much but…they really had underestimated these two, hadn’t they? Not to the level that Serpentine had and yet. Why did sitting need to feel like an interrogation? Why was this all so unnecessarily harder it needed to be?

They came here for help so why?

Why? WHY!?

“Where am I meant to start? Huh? Not with myself? Not trying to be so wound up doing something as simple as chatting at a cafe? I’m trying.” The last word barely escaped as a hiss as they caught themselves a little too short of escalating further.

They chanced a glance around at the other cafe-goers, half–concerned they were starting to garner attention to themselves, before slumping back in their seat and crossing their arms a little too tightly over their chest.

“What’s ’wrong’ is that apparently I’m too out of touch and nobody thought it was a problem until now.”

Either they were made that way, something was wrong with them, or in the fashion that everything else going wrong in their tenebrous little life was: both.

Aon growled through the grip on their neck as their own grasp loosened on Rock, the sludge receding. “I can feel you rejecting it.” They hissed, ignoring the damage they themselves were taking from their own element. “Why do that if there’s nothing to worry about?”

The next thing they knew they were on the ground, roller blades pendulating over them ominously while Lan and Rock verbally lambasted them.

Maybe some of what they were saying had some truth. There couldn’t be an argument that they preferred to be the one in control, and maybe they had come here today under less than decorable circumstances, but in their mind the intention never wavered. Gauge how much of a threat they were and have the proof they needed to trust them again.

“That’s not–” They started to argue, before cutting themselves short. “It doesn’t matter, I’ve already explained myself and you two won’t listen.” Of course, they elected to omit their own little crashout.

“You’re always justified.” Just like She said.

These two were dangerous. There was nothing they could do about it, and they had to somehow relax through it all for the sake of the rest of the team while they battled their own demons. They had to sit by and let them do whatever with this power no child should have until the next inevitable casualty.

‘All the power in the world’ What a thing to say.

Aon had barely made a move to try and get away from the descending blades, only to realize they were completely surrounded, all ways and up. Out of preloaded options, all there was left was to squeeze their eyes shut through the barrage of arrows.

A layer of white static clouded the back of their eyelids. Each arrowhead felt like they were being held further under while their Undershirt program desperately attempted to keep them afloat.

How were these kids all so strong for no good reason while they were a government funded project? Clearly they weren't funded enough, otherwise they'd be better...

‘All the power in the world’

Otherwise they wouldn’t have been the only one who lost in the last fight.

Otherwise they wouldn’t already be hitting their ceiling while everyone else grew taller around them.

Otherwise they wouldn’t be so broken.

’You will never reach your full potential’

An ear twitched, picking up a low, familiar thrumming. Louder and louder until it drowned out every other noise, the threat of the blades dropping and dealing the final blow. The world slowed with the pace of the dark, droning pulse.

A new chip loaded in their peripherals floating just off to the side of Rock’s dark figure. It would look right at home there if they didn’t know any better. It was meant for them.

DarkThunder

Aon made a desperate grasp for it, if they couldn’t win they could at least afford themselves the dignity of losing on their feet. Garner back some semblance of control.

The little ball of thunder would barely scratch a form like Shadow Trance, hell, she was practically made of darkness would it even matter? But the stun would be all they needed to avoid the blades and get back to their feet. Get some distance. Try to shake off the gnawing at every fiber of their being until they could get the hell out of there. Convince themselves they still had a handle on their own reigns while they frothed around the bit only to wedge it deeper.

They reached for it– and it dissolved from their vision before they could fully grasp it. A sick joke, a twisted hallucination, or maybe their heart just wasn’t in it. It would have looked really bad on them if they had taken it after all, and they had already done a fine job of doing that without making things the worst they possibly could have been.

“Enough!” They rasped through their teeth, glaring back up at Rock. “I yield.”

“Well, naturally I should think so.” Aon conceded, cocking their head slightly while they rehashed that answer.

Of course that read on paper, If they were any more self aware maybe it would have clicked into place a little easier. That they came off far colder than intended eighty percent of the time…especially more recently, but…

Instead they couldn’t help but feel like they were being talked around in circles…even if this was kind of what they asked for. Patience had been in high demand and low supply lately.

“Right…I’ll…try to be more relaxed.”

Relaxing at all, let alone around them– the others, was easier said than done. It did have to be done though, no matter the discomfort.

As if to emphasize their willingness, they laxed their posture slightly in their seat and crossed one leg over the other. Meanwhile the most disjointed little sneer cracked over their features.

“That’s an excellent way of putting it, yes.” Aon nodded along, eager to keep this conversation back on the rails.

“I think I’m in very capable hands then.” They clasped their hands together and leaned back a bit in their chair.

If there was one thing they were good at, it was laying it on thick. And they had kept them on the line so far despite the outbursts. Their fingers pressed tighter together at the notion of having their concerns heard, as if theirs weren’t drowned out from the start in their mind. They kept that to themselves.

“I…think I see where you’re going.”

Of course it was something a police mascot could do. They just had to try a little harder at the kindness part. This would all come a bit easier once they were able to get their current state of being under control.

“I’ll take anything you can give me, if we’ve got the time.”

please edit me

edit: yay

edit 2: noo

edit (hub) why the fuck can i edit your post

“Ah..” A weak noise creaked and died in the back of Aon’s throat while they tried to process their misstep. The hand cupping their chin moved upwards and under their visor to cradle their forehead.

“I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have assumed you would think that. My PR has been horrendous lately, so I…”

They could still turn this around! This kind of answer was what they wanted out of this after all, regardless of how unearned.

“Thank you for um. For that.”

Their hand retracted from their face and joined the other back on the table.

“I don’t think that’s entirely true. I think I get on just fine with my coworkers…” Very rarely did they take actual cases with them that weren’t more than small time operations or data collection. And then there was the marketing. It was peaceful times. They hadn’t really considered if maybe their standing within the system had gotten in the way of being approachable to their own coworkers. They never really cared either.

“Though I guess it’s not really the same as the kind of work we have been dealing with in the chatroom. I can’t say I’ve pulled off the type of coordination I have with you in battle with anyone else. So for the sake of this exercise let’s say that’s correct.”

“Mutating over time…”

Aon took a moment to consider what that could possibly mean for theirs…and a mental note to keep a closer eye on her in the chatroom.

They were caught off guard by how nicely they had put what they could only assume they were really trying to say. The whole intent of the meeting was to solidify trust with the two, now it was backfiring in their face.

“What? N-no I meant dealing with the whole of the chatroom and having to deal with the government backend breathing down my neck if I were to disclose it not-”

Their control was slipping away. Bitter malaise rose in their throat that they had to fight to keep down, clenching their jaw. They propped their elbow up onto the table and put their chin in their hand in an attempt to ease it up.

“Are you saying you think I’m incompetent?”

Aon opened their mouth to deny but quickly shut it again. They hadn’t thought about it so deeply…but surely this had to be true, otherwise they could have felt safe enough to have asked for help.

“Ah…well I don’t know if that’s necessarily the case but…”

Accepting that, or a fault of their own ego were equally undesirable options. So they chose to let that topic die in awkward silence.

They blinked through all of the names listed off and just nodded along, recognizing none of them except ‘Netto’; knowing there were least a few of that guy in the chatroom and theirs wasn’t one they had met yet.

“Right, do we know if there’s any update on them?”

They glanced down past their visor at their restless hands while they debated sharing their own information. There really wouldn’t be any harm in telling a half truth…That that SoulNet Yuichiro reached out to them in direct messages inquiring about the Tower. But that could potentially lead to–

No, they couldn’t. Not yet.

“You don’t need to tell me. Just curious.”

“I stated what I wanted to see from the start! Why are you surprised?! Is it because I’m not coddling you like everyone else?! Letting you think it’s all fine?!”

Aon struggled to keep their hold while they argued, bracing their arm with their other hand attempting to pump more of their vaccine toward Rock.

“You’re arguing what I’m doing isn’t fair? After using illegal chips on me, and now this?” They knew they were going to be dealing with whatever this Shadow Trance was, and in all truth they hadn’t made any kind of plan for it, not even this.

But now here they were, unable to take it back. They could only attempt to excuse their way out of it.

“What’s with the double standard? First it’s ‘no one told me so it’s fine’ but it’s not fine when it’s used against you. Is it? I haven’t said one thing I didn’t mean!”

Their gaze meandered to the screen to glare at Lan, taking note of her reactions. It left them off guard for the sudden transformation and the swiftness of Rock breaking free, appearing directly in front of them and the shadow from behind,

They struggled briefly, slacking when it became evident they were far outmatched. They could barely keep up with these two as it was, this new form was as Ellen put it ‘Frightening’ but not fun by any means.

They couldn’t do anything about this, no matter how badly they wanted to.

“I’ll take the hate. I’ll take it all! If you brats would. Just. Get it!!” They hissed through their teeth, tilting their head up and to the right against the blade to shoot a direct glare at Rock with their good eye from under their visor.

“I see.” Aon nodded along through most of the explanation until it landed back on the topic of the chatroom and theirs.

“Ah, I don’t think it’s for lack of wanting to know. Rather…” They started, “I just don’t think I can shoulder something like that just yet.” A far cry from all of their funny ideas about punitive justice.

“It’s more that I seem to be the only vector for the chatroom here. I don’t claim to know how this all works, but Miss Blaire can only access it through me as well, she doesn’t have access her own client. Which worries me as to why she keeps getting dragged into things.”

It was so easy for things like that MegaMan to come through…and for Blaire to have been involved in the past two Alpha encounters. They weren’t familiar enough with the people working on preventative measures in the chat to inquire.

“Maybe it’s selfish, but I don’t want the hands of every old man in the government prying me open to take a gander when I’m confident that I can keep tabs myself.

“But I guess I can feel at ease that your side has things under control! I am curious about what that looks like.”

Nothing the pair said afterwards really registered anymore, until they were called out. Aon started, briefly stunned that it had finally happened, and not even for the reason they were trying to hide– directly anyways.

“Don’t! question me!” They argued, their voice raised in an uncharacteristic guttural bark.

Their footwork was messy in the fight, they were losing control of themselves, they needed to reign control back into their favour. They had to convince themselves in the same breath that this was on purpose and not the same.

“You are the ones being tested. You are proving yourselves to Me. Not. The other way. Around.”

Some of the tendrils sloughed off after impact with the blades, but that only caused Aon to try and tighten their grip with what remained. The goop rippled and a white glow began to creep from Aon’s end toward Rock as they forced their element into the attack. Their teeth ground together as if it was hurting them to do so.

“Show me that you can overcome it this time! Or don’t! Let it out for all I care!”

”You don’t know that! So people have warned you and you refuse to listen?” Their gaze couldn’t help straying to Rock while they argued with her operator. This wasn’t Rock’s fault, It seemed like there was some merit to Ellen’s concern about Lan herself after all.

“Why won’t you just listen then!? Your stubbornness is putting your navi at risk, not just…” Aon squinted at the smoke and trailed off. Even if it wasn’t the same, that reaction after using Lightwave was enough confirmation that there was much more to what was wrong with these two.

“Fine.”

At Rock’s running lead they took to running to meet her, veering to their left slightly to keep the blades in their field of view. They weren’t about to let her get too close though, kicking out as she slid forward while they loaded the next chip.

With a growl through grit teeth Aon’s free arm began reforming, elongating, bursting into a stream of familiar iridescent black goop that stretched forward and enveloped Rock. Sludgy tendrils constricted around her middle pushed her back and swung her into the trajectory of one of her own blades while Aon stayed in place.

“Right, you have a boyfriend.” That had come up before…hadn’t it? It hadn’t been relevant at the time – that ‘useless blue thing’. They had context for that now, even if it was different iterations of the guy.

It was heartening that she had the time for that, but sickening at the same time. A thought Aon had to swallow and grimace through like bad heartburn.

“Must be a hard balance.”

More and more they wished for that stupid coffee to talk around.

“It’s still Officials in Kingland. They’re called Net Sheriffs on some parts on the mainland and I think if I had to call myself that I’d probably die.”

“I’ve always been one.” They answered in a blasé way to avoid stating their age.

“It’s pretty much baked in, though I more so meant things are more stressful lately what with our encounters with Alpha and the new viruses in the chatroom. It’s kind of uprooted my usual routine and well I don’t really want to mix that into my work life. Too much to explain.”

“That being said, yours are aware? How much do they know?”

They were caught midair– again. They were getting sloppy, but they didn’t have time to beat themselves up over it while they were busy taking the brunt of the blast of dark fire, barely catching themselves on their damage-propelled landing.

Aon grimaced, grazing a hand over the singe-marks on their side feeling like the burn prickled a little longer than it was meant to.

“This is what I mean.” They hissed, catching the glint in Rock’s eye. Part of them did want to be proven wrong, to get to let all of this go and not have to worry about working as a team. But the part that was justified won out in the midst of the turmoil.

“Do you even know what you’re using? You can’t be just whipping out shady chips like that and claiming you’re not a danger to those around you! That wasn’t even what I was worried about. What else is there?”

Done with whatever niceties they had been attempting, and failing with, they loaded in their next chip; they were running low so they had to start making their next moves really count. Their sword arm glowed and they swiped the air once, then twice, sending an X shaped LightWave across the gap at Rock.

“No no it’s fine, really!” Aon simulated a deep inhale to try and hold things down. Smooth out the shaking. How could they have fumbled this frame one? If they could sweat it’d be coming in bullets; thankfully that was one less tell to worry about. If a mundane meeting without a cyber coffee could slip this fast how were they going to be able to keep this up?

“Please don’t apologize, It’s really nothing.” They iterated again, hands back up on the table now with more rigid and deliberate movement.

“I guess I can’t attest to it being close to the real thing, but just about? I suppose it’s hard to explain how something is meant to taste or not when-” The blood “-you don’t have a frame of reference, but it feels nice to have.

“As for the addictive properties I doubt that is effectively simulated. I feel like it’s probably more the routine. The thought of having the nice treat after you do something stressful, or before. Just a lot happening lately. You know how it is.” Or maybe they didn’t. Roll certainly didn’t (Serpentine’s comments on her maturity came to mind), and they weren’t about to make any judgements about Meiru.

“That sounds like a lot of fuss just for one little outing.” They cocked their head to the side and pulled a practiced grin. “I’m sure I’ll loosen up as we talk.”

“No, I’ve seen you fight, I know you’re not stupid.” As far as fighting went, Aon chose to omit. “I just told you what I came to see, that’s all.”

They weren’t ready to start really goading them just yet, though their patience was wearing incredibly thin. A hot commodity that was running in shorter supply as the days went on.

Rock flashed forward and Aon realized they may just be getting what they asked for sooner than expected. They Jumped to dodge her sweep, swiping out with their blade in attempt to retaliate that left them without much momentum to avoid the poison.

They growled as the too-familiar goop splashed underhoof and it was their turn to start trying to put distance between them now, leaping back to try for unsullied ground.

“Ah, Roll.”

Aon eased slightly in their seat as Roll joined them, but as soon as Roll produced the imitation frappe, explaining that it didn’t do anything– the bottom half of their face that was visible noticeably fell.

They hadn’t noticed while they were waiting, but the other items were just like hers. No interaction but simply being able to carry and place them.

No coffee.

They had even thought about how it would have been rude to get one for the road ahead of time. Now here they were without a fix.

“Haha…they don’t do anything…” Their voice warbled under a small nervous chuckle.

Not that their cyber coffee really -did- anything, it was the placebo, the idea of the coffee to ground their instability. Their link to normalcy. Something they were really depending on to get them through this.

“I’m so sorry, I hope I’m not coming off as rude. I should have inquired beforehand about the coffee. I was totally expecting something else.”

Their hands slipped under the table and into their lap in an attempt to hide the shaking.

“It’s a shame, takes away the icebreaker of getting to know someone by their order. But these are quite charming though, you’ll have to remind me to pick one up as a souvenir before we go.”