"They are considering it a necessity. Our efforts are considered inadequate."
Sapphire's words burning in Steel's ears. For centuries now, they had been enough. They had stood on the front lines in the battle of Time verses everything else. They had fought tirelessly and without faulting(are you saying they've never failed in an assignment?). And for this? To be told they weren't enough?
"Inadequate?" Silver, for once, was in agreement with Steel. "I don't understand."
"Adjective: inadequate is defined as lacking the quality or quantity required or being insufficient for a purpose." Sapphire's eyes
glowed a brilliant blue.
"Yes, I know what it means, Sapphire." Silver snapped, proving just how upsetting this was to him. He paused and offered a small smile. "I'm sorry. This whole thing is proving most unnerving. You Elements will be fine, but what about the specialists?"
"There will always be the need for specialists." Lead sat and the chair groaned in protest. "I'm worried about the steam-lining(do you mean streamlining?) process they spoke of. I am not built for speed."
Steel smiled at that. "I don't know of anyone I'd rather have at my back in the time of a crisis."
iNo one else?/i Sapphire's thought trickled in.
iYou aren't anyone, Sapphire. You are…/i
"If you two are going to move this onto a mental level, I'm going back to my room." Silver stood, then froze as the door slid open.
Four people entered, two men and two women, and cautiously eyed the agents. There was a sense of unease and uncertainty that rolled off them in waves.
For a moment no one moved, then Sapphire stepped away from her colleagues. "Hello, may I help you?"
A white-haired man cleared his throat. He was young, despite the color of his hair. In fact, everything about him was white, from the pallor of his skin to the material of his clothes. "Who are you?"
"I am Sapphire. And you are…? " She held out her hand and the man shied away from her.
"We mustn't touch. I would kill you."
Immediately, Steel took his position at her side, then stepped slightly in front of her, his message clear. "Then, by all means, do not touch her. I am Steel."
"Yes, we've heard about you."
"And we've heard nothing about you." Silver stepped to Sapphire's other side.
"We are the new agents. I am called January and I freeze anything I touch."
"Sounds like you and Steel will have lots in common." Silver cocked his head to the side as he studied a woman dressed in green. "And you are?"
"May, I rejuvenate." She indicated the others. "He is March, he conceals, and she is October, she harvests."
"I am sensing a pattern here." Sapphire managed to wiggle between her protectors. "You are Months?"
"Yes."
"Are there more of you?" Sapphire already knew the answer.
"Eventually, yes. There was to be one more, but there was a problem with her…" May paused and turned to consult with her colleagues. "… creation. She is ample and difficult to contain."
"Ample?" Lead laughed. "I'll bet her name is June, isn't it?"
"Yes-" May started to say, but Steel interrupted.
"How do you know that, Lead?"
Lead's laugh was nearly deafening. "Because, Steel, just like in the song, June is busting out all over."
