Hello and welcome to part II of this thing. Starts off after chapter 7.
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Sides/A Sleepless Night
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Allen gritted his teeth, steeling himself against the urge to flinch as the giant MRI scanner came to life. This was by no means his first time experiencing this, but that didn't make him hate it any less.
"Are you okay in there, Allen?"
No, but he was determined to endure it. "I feel like I might actually die from embarrassment, but whatever. Just get it over with."
"All right then." Komui sounded like he wasn't really believing him, but indulging him nonetheless. "Try to keep still, okay?"
Now that was way easier said than done, but whatever; Allen would keep his limbs locked up for however long it was necessary, provided it got him out of here even a minute faster. Such had been the plan at any rate.
Unfortunately, certain parts of his brain failed to get with the plan.
"Allen?" Komui's voice was full of forced calm now; Allen blearily recalled that the man had used this exact tone the last time around. "Just stay like that, okay? We're getting you out."
It should have been a damned relief to hear those words, but it wasn't, because Allen knew that this only meant that they would have to start the procedure all over again. He opted not to complain about it though, opting to screw his eyes shut and grit his teeth, his fingernails digging painfully into the flesh of his palm.
He opened them only once he was already outside of the machine, with Reever, the chief of the Science Division, peering down at him from above and Komui joining him soon thereafter.
Coming to think of it, while reoccurring health exams were a sad fact of life at the Agency, especially to those who had sustained serious injuries, it was not exactly normal to have both the Branch Chief and the Chief of the Science Division take part in one.
"Sorry," Allen said, because the two of them probably had a shitload of other things to take care of; things that were urgent and getting delayed simply because Allen couldn't keep his shit together for more than− "Just… give me something, okay? Komui…"
Staying in there for an hour and a half was simply too much; ten minutes had been bad enough.
"All right." Komui put a hand to Allen's forehead, smoothing his hair back while giving a bleak smile. "If that's what you want."
Reever worked quickly. Fortunately, so did the sedative.
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"Allen, again?"
"It's nothing. Just twisted."
"Sit down."
The tone brokered no room for argument.
"…It's really nothing," Allen repeated as the other crouched down to have a closer look. "Probably just twiste−argh!"
The touch was clinical, bordering on the edge of gentle but only just. "No broken bones."
"So, nothing serious," Allen concluded. "Told you so."
"How?"
It was not a question as much as it was a demand for information.
Still smiling sheepishly, Allen just offered up a mild shrug. "I took a tumble."
"Off of the bloody roof?"
"Uh…" So, the other did see it. Well, hear of it, at any rate. "Narain…"
"Look at me," Narain ordered, displaying his palm. "How many fingers am I holding up?"
On one hand, Allen appreciated the concern. On the other hand, though− "Look, it's not necessary. I didn't actually hit my head."
"How. Many. Fingers?"
Oh, for the love of− "Seven. Happy now?"
Narain's face lit up, but the smile was wry rather than earnest, and so were the words accompanying it. "That you have mastered basic addition? Ecstatic."
"Honestly…" Allen had yet to figure out how to deal with Narain when he became like this. In any case though− "Well, what's the verdict, doctor? Is it terminal?"
Narain straightened back up, still with that eerie smile playing on his lips. "The only cure for stupidity is death", he said. "Surely you don't need me to tell you that?"
"What's so stupid about wanting to save people?!" Allen asked, because− "You don't see me nagging at you for wanting to become a doctor. So, what's wrong with be becoming a hero and−?"
"…Saving people?" Narain said. That eerie smile was still etched into his face, but his tone had changed.
Allen looked at him, puzzled and a bit startled as Narain suddenly bent down and cupped his cheeks. "Narain?"
Narain just leaned closer, and as he did, an array of pentacles spread across his skin. "You, who couldn't even save−?"
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Allen woke up to Komui's hand resting against his forehead.
"MRI's done," Komui said. "Dizzy?"
Allen was just about to shake his head when he realised that probably wasn't such a great idea. Instead, he sat himself up, willing his racing heart to settle down. "No."
"Nauseous?"
A bit. "No."
"Ready to hear the verdict?"
Allen was just about to say no when the question registered. "Good news or bad news?" he asked instead.
Komui smiled bleakly at that. "The good news is that, abrasions and minor concussion aside, you are likely to make a full recovery.
Well, considering his past record, this was nothing. "And the bad news?"
"The bad news is that you will have to stay here at HQ, with someone to monitor you, for the next 48 hours," Reever cut in, and Allen snapped his head around way too fast. "Do you have anyone in mind or should we nominate someone?"
Allen expressed his opinions on the matter by vomiting on Reever's shoes.
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In the end though, Allen did in fact have someone in mind. And no, it was not Lavi, because Lavi was hard enough to deal with even when Allen wasn't suffering the ill effects of a concussion. Also, Allen would rather not be quizzed on what had taken place while he had been declared missing – he had already given a rudimentary statement, and for some reason, they hadn't pressed him on it. Odds were that they were probably waiting until he−
"Um… C2?"
Allen was in a swivel chair, spinning around. It made him dizzy, sure, but he wasn't nauseous anymore, so that meant that he was okay and could go home now, right?
"Um… C2? Crown Clown?"
It was Crowned Clown, but at this point, who even gave a damn? Besides, Allen wasn't even wearing his mask now, so− "Sorry about calling you in," he said, stopping his spinning to fire off a smile at the anxious-looking woman. "I'm sure you had better things planned, Miranda."
As long as it wasn't doing laundry; Allen would rather not wade through another wall of foam to reach the washing machine if such a scenario could possibly be avoided.
And yeah, calling the woman by her hero alias did not even occur to him. But that was likely the case for most, because while Miranda Lotto, alias Time Record, was technically registered with the Agency, she was only deployed on rare occasions. In part, this was because her nervousness, klutziness and lack of fighting abilities made her unsuitable for regular fieldwork. However, it was also because she was considered way too valuable to be put at risk.
Because, being able to pause time, even in a fairly limited space, was useful, and being able to temporarily reverse the effects of time? Now that was priceless.
Rumours had it that the Agency was planning on putting Miranda on the same team as Noise Marie, alias Noel Organon, and that they would be deployed specifically for search and rescue operations in disaster zones and such. If indeed so, then Allen thought it sounded like a fairly smart idea; Marie's excellent hearing could detect survivors and with Miranda's temporarily restoring buildings, it would be far easier to retrieve them.
The team would obviously need another member though, seeing that the number three was greatly favoured in this regard, and if that third was Kanda, well…
It would be a catastrophe in the making, to be perfectly honest.
Sure, Allen would obviously love not having to see Kanda again for extended periods of time, but he wouldn't want to see it happen at the expense of someone else's mental health. Because, contrary to certain people's opinions, Allen was tough, and he could handle Kanda, even on a bad day. Miranda however…
Well, she was a lot stronger than people generally gave her credit for, sure, but Allen had seen her and Kanda interact exactly once, and it hadn't been pretty to look at. Because, Kanda was vicious, plain and simple.
Besides, having lived in the same apartment building as Miranda for the last couple of months, Allen knew a thing or two about how she reacted when put under pressure. Even something as small as accidentally leaving a sock behind in the washing machine had been enough to turn her into a nervous mess that kept apologising for her very existence, not to even mention that time when she had accidentally used way too much laundry detergent.
Putting her on the same team as Kanda was just asking for trouble, or in her case, a nervous breakdown. And−
"A-Allen…"
Allen turned towards Miranda. She was fidgeting slightly.
"C-Can I−Would you mind it if I hugged you? I've been−We've all been so…" Seeing Allen's somewhat dumbfounded expression, she went quiet, and just by looking, Allen could tell that she was mere moments away from launching into a long-winded apology for being conceited and existing and whatnot.
"Sure." Allen smiled quite earnestly, spreading his arms. "Be careful of my ribs though."
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As it turned out, Miranda was not the only one who wanted hugs. Allen tolerated it, even if he made no secret of the fact that he thought that they were all overreacting. After all, in Allen's version of events, he had only had another very close encounter with the Hero Killer; he hadn't been kidnapped, per se, but his concussion had prevented him from thinking straight – as in, seeking out the Agency himself or having someone contact it for him.
It might not have been the greatest excuse he could have used, but it still sounded way better – not to even mention believable – than what was apparently the truth.
The truth being?
Well, he had been kidnapped – first lured into a trap, then taken down and then subjected to some new odd catch and release scheme by a villain that was also his poker pal, and somewhere in-between then and now, he had also been semi-adopted by a group of mobsters who were regulars at the bar he had frequented and−
"Anything else, Allen darling?"
−And if this was the result, then Allen caught himself thinking that maybe it hadn't been such a bad thing after all, because having free meals and being on paid leave almost made up for not being allowed to patrol. He mentally slapped himself for it though, because his pride – well, what remained of it – would hardly be able to withstand another encounter with Kanda's feigned chivalry. Or another encounter with the fandom for that matter.
You see, Allen had made a very conscious effort to limit his exposure. Once released, he resumed his normal routines for the most part – his civilian ones, at any rate. The only real divergence was that he usually finished his day dropping by HQ to pick up his rations; Komui seemed to have figured out that offering free food was the most sure-fire way to get Allen to show up more regularly, not just every once in a blue moon. That said however, Allen rarely stayed very long; his reports were as short and concise as ever, but since no one had raised any serious complaints, he saw little reason to change that.
Besides, he had far better things to do than writing reports; he was being forced to work extra hard to make up for his previous absences and negligence, and since Allen wasn't exactly academically inclined, he was suffering quite a lot.
Tyki wasn't much help either, but Allen hadn't exactly expected it either. Their meetings were a lot more sporadic now compared to before, but there was little to be done about it; Allen knew that he was being monitored, though he wasn't sure to what exact extent. He had his suspicions though, and until he knew for sure, he couldn't act carelessly. That said however−
When the heck did colluding with villains become such a significant part of his life again?
Speaking of which…
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CBA: Hey. Ever thought of trying out the other side?
TM: Hm, the other side of what now?
CBA: Heroics.
TM: …Boy, I'm a villain, and a serial killer.
CBA: So is Madness.
TM: …
CBA: I did some digging, and as it turns out, he was on death row for multiple murder years before he joined the hero circuit. Kind of puts things into perspective, doesn't it?
TM: …Well, that Agency of yours sure is a piece of work. Not to say that my side is any better to be perfectly honest.
CBA: How so?
TM: Fishing for info?
CBA: I guess…
TM: Well, fire away then. It's not like I have anything better to do.
CBA: But won't that get you into trouble?
TM: If any of this gets out, you're the one in trouble. Me? Well, sure, but not much.
CBA: …
TM: Anyways, I already mentioned my boss, right? A bit fucked up in the head but with an admitted soft spot for kids?
CBA: Yes.
TM: Simply put, he's the family patriarch.
CBA: …Like your grandfather or something?
TM: More like crazy uncle.
CBA: O-kay.
TM: In any case, he's not in town right now, so we're mostly running ourselves.
CBA: We?
TM: Me, my brother and my adopted niece.
CBA: …What are they like?
TM: Well, Sheril's a sadistic pervert and a brocon. Do know what that is?
CBA: Someone with a brother complex.
TM: Yeah. Imagine.
CBA: I don't really want to.
TM: Well, you asked for it.
CBA: …
TM: As for my niece, she's… a bit disturbed, to be completely honest.
CBA: How do you know that?
TM: … I'd show you what her room looks like, but your phone's too old. Buy a new one.
CBA: No. They're too fragile. I'd be buying a new phone every other week.
TM: …With your current allowance, shouldn't you be able to afford it?
CBA: …I guess.
TM: So…?
CBA: So?
TM: Why would I switch sides again?
CBA: I just started thinking.
TM: About?
CBA: You can phase through matter. That'd be a pretty useful ability to have on our side.
TM: I'll have you know it's a pretty damned useful ability to have on the side I'm on already, Boy.
CBA: Not like that. I mean like search and rescue, not robbing banks.
CBA: Or killing people, but let's not get into that.
TM: You really think I'm only good for phasing through matter?
CBA: Personally, I think you're good for a lot of things, but when it comes to search and rescue, it'd be pretty damned useful. You can expand it to things other than yourself, right? I mean, when you phase through walls, it's not like you leave your clothes behind.
TM: Well, thanks for that mental image. And yes, I can expand my ability to things other than myself. It doesn't work on Innocence though, so if you want me to help you phase through any walls, you're out of luck.
CBA: Search and rescue, Tyki, search and rescue.
CBA: Or, well, I guess you could assist surgeons in removing tumours? Or assist women with childbirth? I mean, with you around, I don't even think a Caesarean section would be necessary anymore.
TM: …
TM: Again, I can do other things than phase through matters. And no, I'm not considering entering the medical field.
CBA: Fine. But you can also walk on air. Imagine how many cats you could rescue. From trees, you know.
TM: Isn't that the fire department's job?
CBA: They're busy putting out fires. We have a lot of those.
TM: I'll have you know that they'd be out of a job if I came around.
CBA: That's an awfully bold claim to make.
TM: Boy, I can literally manipulate the laws of physics.
TM: I can phase through solid objects, sure.
TM: I can also walk on top of air and water (and other gasses and liquids)
TM: Lastly, I can also reject the shit out of any of those.
TM: In other words, I can reject oxygen to extinguish flames in literal seconds, and I don't cause any water damage.
CBA: …
CBA: …
CBA: …Tyki, you're seriously OP.
TM: OP?
CBA: Overpowered.
CBA: It's not fair.
TM: I don't want to hear that from you.
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