Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost in the Shell or Transformers, just my OC's & the plot.
Additional disclaimer: Matti belongs to JillTheCrazy1
SPARK IN THE SHELL
CHAPTER 53: WHAT THE HEART SEES
The morning still felt like night time as dark smoke rose past the windows and blotted out the morning sun, turning its warm rays red and obscuring the view of the cityscape.
"Damn, those fires are still burning?..." Hailey mumbled to herself as she stretched her arms and legs out, the couch had not made for a comfy bed but it was better than the floor, with everyone pulling extra shifts on the analysis work, as well as several other things, the kids had tried to get some sleep where possible; Hailey had opted for the nine to midnight shift, but hadn't been able to sleep well on account of the previous night's activity. Just as she gaped her mouth wide open to yawn, she suddenly stopped as something felt odd; she realized there was something small and metallic sitting in her bra and it began to stir slightly with a high pitched squeak. Quickly sitting up and throwing off her T-shirt, Hailey gawked at the sight of Ratbat nestled snugly in her bra with his head poking out from in between her breasts.
"GHAA! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING THERE!" she practically squealed in a panic, Ratbat instantly flinched his audio/ears backwards to try and shield his sensitive hearing away from her loud high-pitched voice.
"Rrrrr! Quiet your vocalizer femme! You sound as bad as Starscream!" The little drone squeaked in an irritated tone, Hailey paused a minute as she resisted the urge to squee aloud at how cute his voice sounded.
"Sorry, what're you doing there? You know that's a rather personal space for us human femmes!" Hailey hissed in annoyance
"Is it? I wouldn't know, all I know is these are nice and warm and soft!" he grinned contently as he nuzzled her breasts
"Yeah, and that's pretty perverse, so if you'll excuse me-" she deadpanned as she gently grabbed the drone and pulled him from out of her bra, much to his annoyance as he fidgeted about in her soft grip, he managed to wriggle free and fly off up into the corner of the room by the ceiling while Hailey threw her T-shirt back on.
"How did you get in here anyway?" she asked
"I'm the creation of the great Soundwave! There's no place I can't sneak into!" he boasted proudly
"So the vents weren't too small huh?"
"Yep! Besides, things have been occurring whilst you recharged"
"Oh yeah? What kinda things?"
"There's a young femme in one of the interrogation rooms that's been giving off some strange mind vibes; the one called 'the Major' was talking to her last night, apparently she knows of us" Ratbat teased
"A young femme? You mean that girl Matti and her dad Mikaela and I brought here yesterday? Of course she knows of us she saw us during the fight yesterday"
"Ah, but it would seem she knows more than she's letting on, apparently 'the Major' found a note on her that would suggest she knew of all of you before yesterday's events" the bat smirked in a cryptic tone. Staring at him surprise, she flew off the coach and strode out the room; Ratbat flew off and with one smooth dive managed to slip down the front of her T-shirt and into her bra again.
"Oh no! We sit on the bot's shoulders, so it won't kill you to try sitting on mine!" she sternly asserted as she reached up her top and pulled him out of her bra and placed him on her left shoulder, Ratbat simply folded his wings and ears back as he muttered a string of cybertronian curses under his breath while she carried on towards the elevators. After arriving on the floor where the interrogation rooms were situated Hailey looked up and down the various corridors until she finally saw Morri, Tom, Mikaela, Ashley and Togusa standing outside one of the long-stay holding cells, the ones used to hold suspects for more than one day.
"Hey, good morning" Mikaela greeted
"What's up? Batty here say's the Major was talking to Matti last night, what's she done?" Hailey asked as she stopped in front of them, Togusa regarded her with a doubtful look as he drew in breath.
"Yesterday the Major found out she had a note with the Autobot and Decepticon symbols drawn on; although we can't be sure it looks like she might have known about us, and possibly have even known about the attacks before they happened" Togusa sighed as he folded his arms
"For real?" she asked in surprise as she peered through the one way mirror; in the room Matti sat on the end of the bunk with Batou standing before her, the room was completely soundproof but from the way his hands were gesturing it looked like he was giving her quite a lecture, she stood up suddenly and shouted something up in his face, he shouted back and she slapped him across the face, making the onlookers flinch slightly. A moment of tense uneasiness passed between them before Batou stormed out of the room and paced off down the corridor in an angry huff, completely oblivious to his friends standing by the door.
"I better make sure he doesn't bite anyone's head off, see you later...if I'm still in one piece" Togusa gulped as he took after Batou, being sure to give the ex-ranger a wide berth as he disappeared around the corner. Hailey glanced back at the others with a look of surprise, whist the others had somewhat mixed looks on their faces.
"What's been going on?"
"...Last night he and Matti had a fight; from the sounds of it there's something really touchy between them; but personally, she sounded a bit stuck up to me" Ashley shrugged
"I dunno about stuck up; considering what she'd been through yesterday I think it was just her nerves still being on edge...but, there was this moment when Batou was talking to the other guy in the room, and he mentioned something about her having some kinds of 'abilities'?, I don't know specifically what he was on about, but in any case it sound like they had some real issues between them" Tom pondered aloud
"And they weren't the only ones; I found out from Ishikawa earlier that apparently Batou had known that she'd known about us, yesterday when he went to meet her at that mall she told him about the Autobot and Decepticon symbols she had on this, and says she didn't get them from him or anyone else" Mikaela handed Matti's note to Hailey, she glanced down at the crudely scribbled insignias and glanced back at the one way mirror; Ratbat flew of her shoulder and landed on the frame of the window. "In her own way I think the Major blew a fuse with him; she's been really pissed off since she and the chief gave Batou a real chewing out this morning, and they both haven't spoken to each other since. She grilled Matti over it up until one in the morning but she wouldn't budge, and considering she tried to punch me in the face three times while flying her here yesterday she's defiantly got guts...but there's certainly something about those symbols that got her really riled, when the Major asked her about them she practically bit her head off, the Major then decided to call it a night and try it again today; but judging from that little argument she and Batou had just now I don't think they're gonna make any progress" Mikaela continued, her voice betraying her doubt.
"What do you think?" Ashley asked Morri
"...It's hard to say, I'll ask the Major if I can sit in on the interrogation, I think this situation could use a neutral party to help mediate things since neither Batou or the Major are in a fit state to interrogate her without their own nerves getting in the way; at the very least the kid looks like she could use an sympathetic shoulder to lean on" Morri sighed.
"Those symbols are only known by a handful of people in the government including the Prime Minister, and if Matti didn't get them from Batou then where did she get them from?...You don't suppose there's a leak somewhere and that they got out somehow?" Mikaela pondered aloud.
"Well that depends; either Matti's lying and she deliberately came across those symbols by way an interception of some kind...or, considering how defensive she's been about them, something happened and she came across them unintentionally, Batou swore earlier that she didn't know what they were, only their names and what they looked like" said Morri
"That's weird; but equally if she did know about the symbols and us then she could be afraid of the reality of the situation; just because everyone we know is cool with the guys doesn't mean everyone's comfortable with the idea of giant alien robots running about the earth...God knows everyone in the city got pretty freaked out by those attacks yesterday" said Tom
"Well, if the interrogation looks set to be a bust, and Batou's brat sister won't tell us anything; there may be one way we could know for sure if she's lying or not, we could get- Hey, I was just about to call you" Ashley grinned as Ravage came strolling around the corner with Rumble riding on his back, Ratbat flew off the window frame and landed behind his right ear
"Figured you might, it's bad enough the Major's angry vibes are starting to give me a CPU-ache, Batou's is like a plasma bomb between the sensor-nodes" the panther growled with distain as Rumble hopped off his back and bounded over to the window
"This, is the cyborg's fellow creation? But she's so puny and weak! Her creators must have made a serious error in her format design!" Rumble grimaced as he stared at the girl in morbid curiosity; Ravage glanced at her and twitched his ear in curiosity
"So this is the cause of everyone's grief? Simply for knowing the existence of our insignias? What a waste of anger, her temperament is just as bad as her sibling's" the panther snorted
"Granted their just as bad as each other; but, I figured if you could take a peek at her mind and just see if she's lying or not, it'll save us a whole load of time and trouble" Ashley smirked
"Hmm..." the panther purred as he stepped in front of the two-way mirror, his optic glowed intensely as he stared at the girl in a trance-like state, both his brothers seemed to go into a similar trance as their optics began to glow intensely too. As Matti lay on the bed, nothing seemed to happen at first, but then, she sat bolt upright as if alarmed by something, she looked all around the room in a mild panic before staring at the two-way mirror in a look of shock and bemusement. Ravage and his brothers flinched back slightly and stared at the girl in surprise before the panther bowed his head slightly and started to grin.
"Hehehehe! Oh this is going to be rich!" he purred in deep content and unnerving tone
"What?" Morri asked
"It would appear things have just gotten very interesting; you two go and find the Major and tell her to start the interrogation, and bring the rest of the team too, their going to want to see what this girl has in store; plus, find Batou and tell him to come too..." Ravage said to Mikaela and Tom, "What've you got in mind?" Tom asked, to which Ravage smiled cryptically, "This girl has got much more than just a short temper, I know how she found out those symbols, but a 'demonstration' of how she did it will be the only way to really convince everyone of the truth, and this, the Major needs to see, now go" he ordered, cautiously glancing at one another, Mikeala and Tom both left without a word.
"Rumble, go find Frenzy and tell him I need a little 'intel' on the girl, and tell him I need it right away" the panther ordered his brother, who bounded off without a word down and around the corner of the corridor.
"What's going on? What did you see? Or 'sense' I suppose would be more appropriate" Morri folded her arms
"All good things come to those who wait child; and there's something important I need you both to do, now listen carefully, because this requires both an open mind, and the upmost trust and confidence in my abilities..."
Fifteen minutes later:
"I don't get it? Why are we having to listen in on this?" Sideswipe asked in flat tone
"Because this a very unique development; and it could prove to be quite interesting, now be quiet so I can leave the comm channel open for the others!" Ravage retorted
"I don't know Ravage, I don't know what you think this is going to accomplish; even if this goes down okay bringing the girl in on this might serve to only complicate things, and I doubt Batou will be in a forgiving mood after this" Jazz said with a hint of doubt in his voice
"His loyalty to his little sister is not without commendation; however, we cannot afford to lose sight of the bigger picture here, she's involved in this whether he likes it or not and I'm afraid this 'delicate' situation between them requires a more, 'understanding' approach if it's to be resolved, that, and the Major needs to understand what's at play here" Ravage growled
"What's at play? What're you talking about?" Trailbreaker asked bemused
"...It would seem the rules have changed, and a new element has arisen in this case; just be silent and listen...if what I sensed of this child is correct, and we are careful in our handling of this particular matter, we might have a new ally to rely upon...but first, let us see how this transpires..." Ravage purred
Meanwhile, outside interrogation room 5:
"You want me to do what?" Batou exclaimed in anger
"Batou please! It's not like we're gonna perform water boarding on her! And it's not like Ravage is gonna use her for a scratching post either! Stop being such a stubborn arse and trust us on this!" Ashley pleaded aggressively
"Trust you? He's gonna fuckin' scare her out of her skin! No way is that cat going anywhere near my sister! And no way is he gonna perform any of his mind tricks on her!" Batou snapped back at the twelve year old, who didn't even so much as batter an eyelid as he stared up at the cyborg.
"Batou, I promise you, if I knew Ravage was gonna do anything that would harm her I would tell him to stay out of this; but she knows the Autobots and Decepticons by name! Don't you think that kinda warrants the Autobot's jurisdiction on this?" Ashley retorted
"And besides, don't you think you're only making the situation worse for her as well as yourself? You're already in hot water for keeping that note a secret! Are seriously willing to be so stubborn that your risk sending yourself and your little sister to jail? Batou if you care about her so much just let us talk to her!" Tom pleaded
"Please big-guy don't make this any worse than it already is! If Matti doesn't say anything she'll be prosecuted for sure, just go in there and tell her we'll be willing to be lenient on her if she co-operates and tells the truth!" Togusa reasoned
"Did I ask for your opinion?" Batou snapped aggressively, promptly shutting the detective up
"Batou, what possible reason could Matti have to be so reluctant to tell us the truth? Is she in trouble? Did she come across those insignias by accident? What?" Morri asked, Batou simply kept his arms folded as his scowl grew deeper and more intimidating, but neither the kids or the detective were put off, and he knew it was pointless to make them back off anyway; as his temper continued to boil, Ishikawa and the Major both walked around the corner and stopped before them; Ishikawa handed Batou a file whilst the Major just stood there with an equal look of ire about her, as Batou glanced at the first page of the file his anger rose to a whole new level as he practically began to radiate waves of heat. Anyone else would've began to slowly backed away, but everyone around the ex-ranger stood their ground, too concerned with the situation at hand to be intimidated by him.
"You looked at her profile?" Batou growled
"Of course; and frankly I'm a little concerned with what's listed in her medical details" The Major stated frankly, in that moment the kids were worried Batou was going to lash out as he glared daggers at the Major, Morri took a deep breath and stood firm, whatever was about to happen next was not going to be pretty.
"That. Is none of your business..." Batou growled venomously, Togusa's and Ishikawa's eyebrows flew up in stunned surprise; they'd never heard Batou talk to the Major like that before, not ever. Though her face didn't show it, her own frustration and ire began to rise too, but on the other hand she knew she'd hit a raw nerve, that was always a sign something else was going on.
"Really? You didn't think your sister being admitted to a mental hospital for attempted suicide and violence would be any cause for concern? If anything it calls the whole interrogation into question if her mental faculties aren't all in one piece, frankly I'm tempted to have the section doctor call in a specialist and see whether this calls for her to be sectioned" the Major continued coldly, Batou's temperament frayed even more as he stepped forward until he was staring the Major straight down in the eye, but before anything else could be said or done a flash blue light emanated out from Morri as she threw up a protective shield between the Major and Batou, the shield split in two and pushed the two cyborgs away from one another, much to their surprise.
"Alight! That's enough!" Morri snapped as her protective aura flickered angrily. "Togusa, Ishikawa, go and wait in the observation room for everyone else, you two are coming with me, right now!" Morri ordered sternly, the Major looked at her in astonishment; did she just give HER an order? But Morri didn't leave any room for objections as she encased both agents in a set of bubble force fields and lead them away to an empty room at the end of the corridor. She strode in with the Major in tow while she left Batou outside the room, the big cyborg folded his arms and huffed as he crossed his legs and sat down (or rather he floated) in the bubble; inside the room Morri waved her arm and the bubble 'popped', allowing the Major to jump down to the floor, but before she had a chance to reprimand the twenty-two year old, Morri simply glared at her in a stern tone.
"What the hell are you playing at? Don't you think its bad enough Batou's stressed out with his kid sister being arrested for a crime she hasn't committed, what does baiting his emotions serve to do except to aggravate him even more? If it were anyone else, this kind of behaviour I'd kinda expect from Batou himself, but not you!" Morri angrily reprimanded, the Major folded her arms and glared Morri down
"Firstly, you're not in a position to talk to me like that-"
"Oh am I? Excuse me for dropping my manners all of a sudden but this is an emergency, you're about to make a big mistake in prosecuting that girl, and calling in a head-shrink to administer tranquilizers and truth-serum won't do her any favours either!" Morri interrupted, the Major was about to reply when she suddenly stopped and blinked in surprise.
"How did you know I-"
"Frenzy intercepted your call to the Niihama mental health facility and cancelled the doctor's visit, said it was a mistake and that the prisoner was actually drunk and just needed to sleep it off. And frankly I did you a favour too, if Batou found out at the last minute that you were about to drug his little sister he would've ripped your head off without hesitation!" Morri snapped back
"...How did you know you she hadn't committed any crime? Theoretically at least" the Major asked
"Because she's no hacker, nor does she have any hand in any underworld dealings; if she had, her email's personal ID coding would've flagged red in the metropolitan police's online tracker net system, the one that, apparently keeps tabs on all the registered criminals who're monitored for hacking and any other dodgy online dealings" Morri replied
"...How?-"
"Frenzy found Matti's official records in double time, ten minutes before Ishikawa did; and got them to us just as fast, and good thing too, because you only went over the stuff that, typically, you'd look for anyway; priors, medical details, and of course the psych profile. But this time you failed to fully pay attention to the foot notes and actually read her full history...didn't it occur to you why she'd lashed out the way she did? It's one thing for a suspect to put on an angry face as a show of defensive bravado to simply toy with you, but what about if they'd been through some kind of trauma in their childhood? One so intense and damaging that it shatters their confidence in the world, and the way they perceive other people to perceive them? What you perceive to be an attitude with the upmost bitchyness might actually be a shield that's used to defend themselves, and that maybe its a case of coming in from the wrong direction?" Morri reasoned, though the Major's facial reaction was barely noticeable, Morri could see she'd gotten her attention.
"You've obviously got a point in here somewhere?" the Major asked
"Ravage knows how Matti found those insignia's, and she didn't find them herself...someone 'told' her about them, about us, about; possibly everything that's been going on...but the problem is, it's not just a question of who showed them to her, but how" Morri replied frankly, the slight uncertainty in her voice didn't escape the Major's notice as she quirked an eyebrow
"...What do you mean by that?"
"...I can't explain it, and frankly I'm still not wholly sure about it myself; but basically, the way in how she was shown those symbols is, something, a little too 'far out of your beliefs' for you to just accept; which is why we, and by we, I mean Ravage, Ashley, Tom, and myself, kinda decided to take things into our own hands and try to see if we can prove to you how she got those insignia's" Morri replied, the Major's expression softened and her temper simmered down as she listened, pausing for a minute to consider what she was telling her.
"Too far out of my beliefs to accept? What's so far out of the scope of my understanding that I couldn't 'just' accept it?..." the Major asked
"If I tell you that your gonna shoot me down and we're gonna be stuck in here all day simply debating the details of it; basically, we know what really happened and your course of action is simply not going to work! All I'm asking is that you that you let us handle this interrogation and see if we can actually get anywhere with Matti" Morri pleaded
"At the risk of sounding naive, why should I trust you on this?" the Major asked incredulously, Morri was somewhat surprised by the cold tone of her voice but, didn't ask, and simply continued.
"Because I think you knew from the start that Matti didn't obtain the insignia's illegally, your way too sharp to not know the difference between a real criminal and a kid with issues. I'm guessing you pushed her in that interrogation last night because you needed to know what you needed to know; she's brash, she's aggressive, she's got guts and is not afraid to back down, even from you, which is really saying something considering everyone I've seen go up against you is either incredibly brave or incredibly suicidal...but more importantly, you needed confirmation"
"Confirmation?" the Major quirked an eyebrow
"Yeah, confirmation that she really is Batou's little sister, and vice versa that Batou really is her big brother; when Frenzy found Matti's records he told Ravage that it took him one point five minutes longer than usual to open them because they were sealed behind a level four barrier, apparently the personnel tag attached to the file read 'administrator unknown' but after quickly perusing section 9's network for old data configurations he found that code the unknown administrator had used matched an ID code Batou had used over six months ago, apparently he'd been changing them regularly to avoid them being noticed; you knew this, and wondered why he'd risk his career like that , there was something in that file he didn't want anyone to see; that, and you found that he'd manipulated his profile of the section 9 network's personnel files so that it would read that he didn't have any next of kin...despite what he did, you figured there was something about her that he was willing to risk everything for, and in that, you realized that she really was his sister because he was willing to go the extra mile and sacrifice everything for her, like any big brother would for his little sister. But equally you had to be sure of the other end of it too, so you pushed Batou to as far as his limit would go, and in defying you and going against your orders, you realized he was doing it to protect her, for fear of the truth being misconceived and having her being locked up in mental hospital...that's harsh, but in any case it proves their both legit right?"
"Right...and you already found out what Batou's hiding that wasn't listed in the file, didn't you?"
"Yep"
"And?..."
"I can't say, and not for fear Batou ripping my head off; some family secrets are meant to stay secret for a reason, but I can assure you it's nothing of an illegal nature" Morri replied frankly
"If it's nothing illegal then why are they both being so defensive? If it was gossip about her mental issues he was worried about then he sure went to a lot of trouble simply to protect his pride" the Major coldly replied
"Simply protect his pride? Batou's ego isn't that big and you damn well know it! Sure he can get high strung at times but that's only because he cares! And he didn't want this for himself he wanted it to protect her! Do you seriously think for one minute that a guy as smart and selfless as Batou would risk his life and career just for sake of showing face to you? You may be his superior officer but she's his sister, there's no comparison when it comes to blood! And he may be loyal to you at any other time but in this case he'd be willing to sell you the river in a heartbeat if it means Matti will okay" Morri angrily argued, the Major simply stood there in mild astonishment and said nothing as the brunette continued. "...You may have come to the conclusion that Matti wasn't a criminal, but the fact that she still knows of those symbols is a liability, I'm sure, if we hadn't had a say in this, you would've put her away somewhere, no doubt for own protection, but at the same time I'm it would've been something conspicuous so she wouldn't be easily noticed, like a mental facility? After all, a kid with violent and suicidal tendencies rambling about alien symbols wouldn't exactly be suspicious in a place like that...and I have no doubt it would've been a nice place, with good doctors and caring nurses and nice grounds to wander around in; a reassurance of sorts to at least ease your consciousness for that fact that you put your best friend's little sister in the one place that terrifies her more than anything else! You know it lists in her files that she has a fear anything medically related, doctors especially; and despite that, you'd be willing to betray your best friend's trust, to break his very heart at seeing his sister locked up, all for the fact that she simply knew of the existence of a couple of symbols?...Didn't the possibility of putting her in protective custody ever cross your mind? Or even coming to us to help keep her safe? Are you so blind to the emotional cost of all this that you'd be willing to forego an innocent girl's freedom, even her mental stability, for sake of keeping face with the job? You've been accommodating with Togusa's family, why should Batou's little sister be any different?"
The Major flinched slightly as she stood there in a mix of confusion and surprise, trying to wrap her mind around what Morri just said, for a moment her temper simmered down and disappeared and her mind turned inward as she tried to think back to last night and what accentually happened; as she reviewed her external memories, to her surprise (and slight shock) she found she did call the hospital and asked for them to take Matti away, but something was off, the memory of the event wasn't 'fresh' in her mind...was she so riled by Matti's attitude that some part of her snapped and she couldn't be bothered to deal with her anymore? Not likely, if she could put up being around Ashley and his ballsy sense of humour then Matti certainly shouldn't have been a problem...but actually going behind Batou's back? As she racked her memories, she realized something was seriously off, her memories of last night were as they happened, but the emotions behind them were...sketchy; feelings of ire and venomousness bubbled up as she remembered conducting the interrogation, but the only thoughts she had towards Batou were...spite?. But how? Why? How could she even regard him like that?...'What happened last night? I know I was pretty riled after finding that Black Lotus hideout, but I couldn't have been that out of shape that I would-'
Her train of thought stopped abruptly when she noticed Morri had a look of concern in her eyes, wondering why the Major looked so spaced out.
"Are you okay?" she asked, the Major didn't know how to reply at first as she tried to get her scattered thoughts back in order; passing a deep sigh she looked the brunette in the eye with a mixed look of uncertainty and honesty.
"Yeah, I fine...Look, I'm really sorry I didn't talk this over with you guys beforehand and I'm even more sorry I went behind Batou's back; your right I shouldn't have gotten so riled when I did, and to be honest, last night is still a bit of a confusing blur...strange as that sounds, maybe I was more taken aback by the Black Lotus's hideout than I originally thought, and maybe Matti's attitude did get the better of me, and that's inexcusable nedalone unprofessional..." the Major admitted in an impassive, and slightly solemn tone.
"Hey, last night was hard for everyone, finding out about these Black Lotus guys was tough enough on you; the Autobots have finally come for us and we have no idea where they are, or even if they were able to shake off their pursuers; Ashley's dad is out there somewhere on his way here and we have no way of knowing if he's okay or not, Ashley was pretty riled too, and after seeing the look on your face last night I told him to get an early night, least you two would wind up biting each other's heads off..." Morri offered with a weak smile, but the Major didn't reply as she let her continue. "...Look, I'm not wholly sure how this is going to go down, Ravage is confident this little 'demonstration' will work, and though his way of thinking is intimidating to say the least, he's not been wrong so far, and I trust him on this. If, at the end, you're not convinced...then we'll reconvene and think of something else; but I'm telling you, the way Matti came across those insignia's is anything but straightforward, it's going to require an open-mind on everyone's part, including yours if your to understand this; but more importantly...Of all the things we've asked of you guys to do; now, we're asking you to have faith in us, and trust us to do what we need to do to get this whole thing sorted out...at the very least you can afford to put Matti into protective custody, and make amends to Batou by apologizing to him for nearly making a big mistake" she continued, the Major frowned slightly as she pondered on her reasoning, and was reluctant to reply, at first.
"...If this demonstration turns out the way Ravage is expecting to be; what'll it mean for the investigation?..."
"...I don't know; initially...but if Ravage is right, it could change everything, and maybe, just maybe; we might have an advantage over the Decepticons...but first, we've got to convince Matti we're not her enemies. She's been cooling off in room number five for the last fifteen minutes and as a courtesy to you I'm asking if I can talk to her"
"Courtesy? You drag me in here like a five year old, reprimand me for my actions and yet you still have the decency to ask for my permission to interrogate a subject?" the Major quirked with a small smile
"Well, you do work here, I don't; it just wouldn't feel right not asking you" Morri shrugged offhand
"Hm, and there's me thinking you'd finally learnt to take charge, heaven knows you've certainly got the balls to stand up to me and point out I was wrong" The Major grinned, a flash of surprise passed over Morri's face for a second before turning her gaze away
"...It's not a question of taking charge, you made a judgment call that, I'm surprised to say, I believed wasn't the best way to go; and the thing about having balls, it's not a question of not being scared, but knowing that there's something much more important than being scared...that's how I reason it at least" Morri replied honestly as she brought her eyes back up; the Major couldn't help but smile.
"You're too modest"
"Yeah, I get that all the time back home...so, shall we stand here chatting all day or shall we do this?" Morri stepped towards the door and offered to let the Major got first, but the Major hesitated before stepping out.
"What's wrong?" Morri asked
"What do I say to Batou? It wasn't like me to act the way I did, how do I say sorry?"
"Hey, Batou maybe a big lug, but he's your big lug, he doesn't strike me as one to hold a grudge; but he has got a big heart, and people whose hearts encompass the sum of the people they care about always feel that little more strained and hurt when confronted with aggression...I'm sure he'll forgive you if you just explain the truth, after all, he is your best friend" Morri reassured as she placed a friendly hand on her shoulder, with a small listless smile the Major opened the door and stuck her head around the corner; to her surprise Bayou was still in the force field bubble, but his temper had gone as he glanced over at her with an impassive gaze.
"Oh, one last thing I forgot to mention, I didn't know if it would help but Ravage kept Batou's comm channel open on yours so he could listen in on our little discussion...I trust your time out gave you a chance to cool off?" Morri grinned as she stepped out and mentally commanded the bubble to dissipate, allowing the ex-ranger stand on the ground again. The Major looked at her in astonishment before joining her at her side with a less than pleased look in her eyes.
"Pretty much, but if you let me listen in why didn't you let me in there?" Batou asked in much more placid and calmer tone
"Because you were too wound up to listen willing, that and you would've bitten our heads off at the first word so that would've been a waste of time; also considering how last night's events went down neither of you have been able to see eye to eye without both your high strung temperaments getting in the way; you had your sister to worry about and the Major here, simply had a really bad day and in the height of all the angst's simply made a mistake, it happens to best of us, okay?" Morri replied with a mother hen look about her, much to both the agent's surprise.
"...You said in there that Ravage knows out how Matti found the insignia's; did he really mean that?" Batou asked, the hint of worry in his voice didn't escape the girls notice.
"Yes he did, and frankly I'm quite amazed by it myself; it's certainly unique, not something you come across everyday..." Morri smiled, Batou felt a lump rise at the back of his throat "...But the important thing is that she was shown those insignia's for a reason, someone wanted her find us, and if Ravage if right she's meant to help us somehow, and don't ask why cuz I don't fully understand it myself; but right now, we have to convince her that she has nothing to fear from us, we're not here to ridicule or make fun of her, we're simply here to help." she continued, the two agent's glanced at one another slightly puzzled.
"...Fair enough...but even if you talk to her yourself she won't open up just like that" Batou replied
"I'm aware of that, and as such I've got a few tricks up my sleeves to grab her attention, that and a few other things that'll convince her she's not the only one in the world with secrets; I'm sorry I couldn't tell you before; but I needed you to hear what needed to be heard" Morri assured, confounding both the agents even further
"...You know, I don't think I'm ever going to get used to your unorthodox methods" the Major sighed
"You only just noticed? Eh, can't say the routine way agrees with me, you miss all the interesting stuff" Morri grinned as she walked off back down the corridor, Batou and the Major simply glanced sideways at one another as they followed after her. Outside the appointed interrogation room the chief and the rest of the section were waiting with most of the other kids along with Frenzy, Rumble and Ravage.
"Finally your here, are you ready to proceed now?" the chief asked
"Yes, but Morri will handle this one" the Major replied, the chief raised an eyebrow, "Oh? This wouldn't have something to do with Frenzy hacking into certain files pertaining to the section's personnel? Or the fact that Ravage won't let anyone past the door to interview the girl?" the chief asked, Ravage shot him a grin but said nothing, "Something like that, but it's for a good reason I swear, it'll should help clear up this whole thing with her" Morri was quick to assure him, the chief regarded her with bemusement for brief second before discreetly nodding in approval, "Very well, you may proceed" the chief replied as he entered the observation room (the room with a two way mirror looking into the interrogation room) followed by the other section members, "Oh, chief! Wait a sec!" Morri called, grabbing his attention as he craned his head out the door, "No matter what happens, don't let anyone in the room okay?" she asked in a hushed tone, the chief quirked an eyebrow but didn't ask why and simply nodded in acknowledgement. As soon as the door closed, Tom and Ashley came jogging around the corner, Tom was dressed in his holoform suit and collar while Ashley had his six-pointed star shaped tail-stinger spear in one hand.
"Finally! Everyone's waiting!" Ravage reprimanded
"Sorry! I had trouble attaching the collar to the suit! The wires are all fiddly" Tom replied
"Never mind, the Major's given the go ahead so we're good to go" said Morri
"I know, are you ready? Do you remember what to do?"
"Pretty much, the whole 'thought channelling' thing should be no problem, but I'm just a little concerned how YOU'RE going to do your bit" Morri replied in an incredulous
"Don't worry, it's not like this is an interrogation, just a 'friendly chat' remember? Although, if she kicks up the attitude again I will see fit to put her in her place" the panther growled
"As long as that doesn't involve any biting, swatting of the paw, or even tail-tapping her with the mace!" Morri glared at him
"Oh please, a meek little thing like her would be knocked over from even a single tap of my paw nedalone a swat!" Ravage rolled his optic
"Just don't do anything to piss Batou off!"
"Fair enough, now open your mind to me, and get to it..." Ravage ordered, as Morri stood at the door she closed her eyes and concentrated on what she needed to do, in that moment a strange sensation began to swirl in the back of her mind, like a stranger letting themselves in unannounced, she felt it move to the front of her mind and settle next to her present thoughts; when she opened her eyes she still felt like her usual self, except for her senses felt sharper, more in tune to everything around her and she felt the sensation of purring in her throat and the swaying of a tail at the base of her spine, she turned around and found nothing there, "It's merely a side effect, don't worry about it" Ravage said; Morri nodded and quietly entered the room. It was a large and fairly long room with bare walls, save for the two way mirror on the left wall and a table and two sets of chairs at the opposite end of the room. Sitting in the seat facing the wall, Matti turned around in her chair and acknowledged Morri with less than friendly look.
"Miss Walsh I presume?" Morri asked, Matti didn't reply and turned back around and slumped forward on the table.
"You here to take more pot-shots? Or just annoy the hell outta me?" she asked in a slightly venomous tone
"Not at all, if anything, try to think of this not so much as an interrogation, but rather an informal girl to girl chat" Morri replied, feeling slightly embarrassed for not making it sound more professional, bur regardless, she carried on undaunted.
"Oh Really? What, that ruby-eyed bitch send you to pick up where she left off?" Matti sneered
'So that's how she wants to play it huh?' Morri thought, "If by 'ruby-eyed bitch' you mean the Major, I'm afraid she's got other things to attend to at the moment; I'm simply filling in for this little session" Morri replied fluidly as she took a step forward, from behind the mirror everyone watched, wondering where this was going.
"Yeah right, she's right on the other side of that mirror! I know how this works you come in here, try to get me pissed off and then she'll come in here and you both do the old good cop bad cop routine, trying to wind me down until you think you can pry something out of me, the bitch already tried that and it didn't work, so you can piss off too!" she sneered; Morri spotted the can of cola sitting on the table and suddenly got an idea, she grinned and winked at the mirror, that caught the Major's attention.
"Hmm, interesting..." Morri said, deliberately sounding idle
"What?"
"Well, you got me thinking; are you absolutely sure the Major's on the other side of that mirror? Cuz, I haven't seen her all morning, and I was meant to have this little chat with you in private, so how can either of us be sure that anyone's back there?" Morri asked in a smooth calm tone, Matti turned back around in bemusement
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" she asked incredulously
"Well I'm simply pointing out it's a philosophical conundrum; it's a little bold to assume the actions of another human being without knowing beforehand with what limited information one's privy to, I know the Major hasn't had a chance to re-interview you today because she's been gone since last night and hasn't been back since, and I only just found out ten minutes ago that I was supposed to have this little chat to determine whether or not you're ready to start co-operating yet, and suffice to say the good cop bad cop routine has been somewhat redundant for a number of years on account it's easier to simply slip under one's protective barriers and take a peek at whether their telling the truth or not; but apparently since you don't have a cyberbrain that's not the case here...so that leaves us both at this uncertain little twist, since the truth cannot be taken, it can only be given willingly, and since you're not in a 'willing' mood, it looks like the usual means of questioning would be somewhat redundant" Morri explained coolly, Matti stared at her in complete bafflement, in the observation room Batou couldn't help but smirk.
"What?" Matti replied bemused
"Okay, to put it simply, are you absolutely sure of my intentions towards you?" Morri asked, in that one moment as she locked eyes with the ash blond/black haired girl, Morri concentrated her inner voice, channelling it so it rang out in the front of her mind and directed towards Matti.
'Christ this little freak is thick, can't even figure out what I'm saying, and talk about weak, I bet she can't even hurl that can of cola and hit me between the eyes if she tried' Morri s said inwardly. From across the room the girl suddenly froze, like a rabbit listening for a fox in the woods, she seemed to be concentrating on something distant, something Morri couldn't hear as she looked her dead in the eye; then a look of hurt flashed briefly across her face before she scowled in anger.
"I'M NOT A FREAK YOU BITCH!" Matti shouted in a fit of rage as she pushed the chair away, grabbed the can of cola off the table and hurled it at Morri; as if on cue the brunette snapped her arm up like a martial arts master deflecting and blow and the can bounced off the blue force field that suddenly rippled around her and spilled its fluid content all over her blue hoodie. Matti stopped and stared at her in alarm and inside the observation room everyone blinked in equal surprise. Morri casually looked down at the stain on her hoodie, and as fluidly as her breaths came and went, she let loose the rest of the force-field, letting it engulf her entire body and the surrounding floor in a radiant blue fire which made her hair dance around like seaweed drifting back and forth on the currents. Matti stood and watched in awe-struck shock and amazement as the fire lit up the room and gave off waves of energy that synchronized to her breathing, the cola stain on her hoodie began to glow vivid white, and then it began to flake off the cotton fabric like wall paint under a heat gun until it was all gone; Morri then recalled the fire, letting it die down until it completely dissipated. Needless to say Matti was left speechless, and Morri stood her ground as she anticipated the girl's rising level of uncertainty; uncertainty that could easily tip over into a panic if she wasn't careful.
"You...you're..."
"...I don't think you're a freak Matti...but how did you know that's what I was thinking? You don't have a cyberbrain so you couldn't have hacked me...so how else could you have known what was on my mind?" Morri asked softly.
One could have heard a pin drop as the room fell deathly silent, in the back of her mind Matti began to panic as she realized she was now at the point where two and two could be put together and she would be found out; as anxious worry began to creep in she began to break out into a cold sweat, her hands began to feel damp and clammy and her mind began to race with every conceivable lie to explain what just happened, but the look in Morri's eyes told her right away that it wouldn't work; inside the observation room the atmosphere had suddenly turned tense, Batou was beginning to inwardly panic just as much as Matti while everyone else was trying to figure out just what was going on, Morri had obviously hit the nail on the head, but on what exactly? As Batou watched on in uncertain apprehension, the scene unfolded further as Morri began to slow step forward.
"...I guess it must be quite a knack, being able to what you can do, and needless to say, I can't say I'm not impressed...but if you are what I believe you are, then you know I'm no threat to you, and you can see it for yourself, literally..." Morri said calmly; Matti instinctively stepped back, throwing up her defences as her anxiety began to spike. But something about Morri's eyes told her she wasn't what she seemed to be. As she calmed her breathing down, Matti reached out her mind to Morri, focusing on what she wanted to see; as she concentrated, she saw Morri's aura come into view, a faint blur at first that clarified into a clear vision of a radiant pale gold swirling cloud with tints of aqua-green, pink and blue, it was calming, warm and strong, and yet it seemed to radiate a loving vibe. But around the aura was a secondary mass of colour, a huge vivid blue radiance that sparkled and glistened with tiny white lights the size of pin heads, its vibes were strange and alien compared to the first aura and much more potent as it seemed radiate tsunami-like waves of powerful energy, she instantly recognized it from her dream and realized something was defiantly going on as the voice of the strange entity echoed in the back of her mind.
...Seek them out and tell them all that I have shown you...
Cautiously relaxing her guard, Matti allowed Morri to approach closer, her aura faded from her sight as she let her concentration go, in the observation room everyone was silent as they watched the strange scene unfold and Batou's fears had given way to a sense of realization, 'I don't believe it' he thought in amazement.
"Wh-Who are you?" Matti stammered fearfully
"Someone with certain secrets that have to stay secret, for fear of someone assuming the wrong idea...we all have secrets to keep Matti, all for our own reasons, personal or otherwise; and we're both individuals who're wary of the consequences of letting such sensitive information get out...But I've no doubt yours, compared to mine, is a most heavy one to bare. Being able to see what others cannot see and the truth of things that otherwise go unknown? I've no doubt people have seen this of you, and some have ridiculed you for being 'different'; that's why you lash out and push away anyone who comes too close for comfort, you know how badly prejudice can hurt, so your careful to guard your 'uniqueness' so no-one's none the wiser...but it would seem in this case, someone already knew of you..." Morri offered with a small smile; as she listened, Matti's anxiousness slowly turned into a sense of dubious curiosity, her more relaxed stance indicated she had dropped her guard and was feeling a little more at ease.
"...Why are you telling me this?" Matti cautiously asked
"Because I believe someone told you about us, and sent you to find us for a reason..." Morri replied as she unzipped her hoodie and Matti immediately saw the Autobot medallion hanging around her neck; a sense of realization swept through her mind as she looked at brunette. Whilst inside the observation room everyone watched in tense disbelief, "...What the hell's going on? What're they talking about?" Togusa thought aloud, "No idea, but Morri's obviously got this covered" Mikaela replied
"...If your one of them; the Autobots, why didn't you just say from the start?" Matti asked
"For the same reason you didn't open up either; just because you have, shall we say certain 'abilities', didn't automatically mean we can trust you just like that, the fact that you know our name and who we are was somewhat of a problem, only a handful of people know who we truly are, and fact that you found out about us was a reason to be concerned. For all we knew you could've been a serious risk; a terrorist with some ideological view to protest to the world, a hacker trying to gain information, or worse; we didn't know at first, but after a little 'probing' we soon figured out who you really are, and what you can really do...it's nothing personal, it's just being cautious" Morri explained; Batou was surprised by Matti's calm response, she didn't retort or snap back, she simply stood there and listened as Morri held her gaze with a soft and understanding look.
"But how did you figure out 'what' I was?"
"I'll explain later; but first, I need to be certain of what you can do, what your 'abilities' allow you to do in particular, nothing hard or strenuous, just some harmless little parlour tricks okay?"
"...Okay?" Matti quirked an eyebrow as a pang of anxiousness flared up in the back of her mind again.
"Just three little things...first off-" as if on cue the door opened and in stepped a tall athletic looking man with blackish-indigo hair and sky blue eyes, at his side was a younger boy with unkempt brunette hair and slate blue eyes holding a long spear with a weird looking six-pointed star shaped blade and covered in strange symbols and markings up and down the shaft. The boy stepped forward and handed the spear to Morri.
"Matti, this is my cousin Ashley; he's training to be a warrior hunter, and as such all good warriors have their chosen weapon...only two other people besides Ashley and myself know how he obtained the blade to this spear; I want you tell me how he got it and where it came from..." Morri asked, Matti looked at the spear for a moment, a little uncertain at first, but took the weapon in both hands and closed her eyes as she began to concentrate on the spear; channelling her mind on the object, reaching out for the energies that entwined it and tried to see the history that brought it into being. At first there was a dull blur of colour as she focused her mind's eye on the energies contained within the spear, then a fuzzy and scattered vision began to play out like a damaged video tape, bits and pieces of the past flashed through her mind...
A ten foot robotic monster, intent on killing
Ashley grasped in the creature's grip, but brought down as Ashley attacked the creature with...claws?
Ashley stood over the creature, triumphant and bristling with blue fire as a giant robotic panther snapped the end of the creature's tail off, and handed it to the boy...his prize...his victory
As swiftly as the images came, they faded from her sight just as quickly until only darkness existed behind her eyelids.
"You...you took down a dragon?" Matti said offhand as she opened her eyes and her mind returned to the here and now.
"I guess you could say that, so how did I get the blade?" Ashley smirked
"...You fought a...I don't know what the hell it was, but it looked like something off one of those old X-file rerun's" Matti grimaced, to which Ashley couldn't help but smirk, "...anyway, you somehow fought that thing singlehandedly and the blade came from its tail" Matti continued, there was a pause before both Morri and Ashley grinned and nodded in improvement; on the other side of the two way mirror everyone watched in a mix of confusion and morbid curiosity; the Major in particular was astounded, "How did she know about Saski?" she thought aloud, "She didn't! Dude I think I know what's going on here!" Miles exclaimed in excitement; "What?" Ishikawa asked, "Shh! Watch!" Hailey pointed out as the tall dark haired stranger stepped forward.
"Crude, but spot on" Morri smirked and Matti breathed a soft sigh of relief; "...So, for test number two, I want you take a close look at this fine stranger here, and tell his true form" Morri continued, to which Matti looked at her bemused
"His true form?" she asked
"His true form; he's not what he appears to be, and I want you tell me what he really looks like" Morri gestured to him. Matti locked eyes with him as she called upon her mind to reach out and see beyond what the physical boundaries kept hidden; the room seemed to fade away and only he and her were standing before one another. As his aura materialized around his form, Matti saw, much to her surprise, that indeed the stranger wasn't who he appeared to be. Instead of a tall mature stranger, there stood a shorter, younger teenage male with unkempt black hair, hazel brown eyes and a goofy grin plastered across his face, the form of the taller adult male was encased around him like a glass statue, transparent and with a blue tinge rippling up and down; but as she looked closer, she noticed his aura seemed to reach out to Morri's, that's when she noticed their faces were similar in terms of their jaw lines and cheek bones...were they related?
"Whoa, it's not him, I mean, he's defiantly different" Matti exclaimed in surprise
"Different how?" Morri asked
"...He's, younger, shorter and slimmer, has messy black hair, hazelnut coloured eyes, and, looks a little like you in a way" she replied, again Morri smiled and the stranger reach his arm up and seemed to tap something on the back of his neck; Matti flinched in shock as the stranger shimmered and disappeared, in his place stood the boy she'd just described, wearing a dark indigo body suit with orange stripes running up and down the length of his whole body and around his neck was a large collar.
"How?...what the hell-"
"Don't worry, I'll explain later; your two for three, and your last task is the simplest..."
"What?"
"...Tell me how many people are standing behind that two way mirror, what they look like, and which one looks familiar to you" Morri replied, Matti dropped her jaw in shock but Morri was quick to hold up her hand to stop her before she had a chance to lose her temper, "I know, but I never actually said anyone was standing back there; but that doesn't mean in any way that you're in trouble or that you've been taken for a ride, and if anyone does have any issues over this they will have to take it up with me, not you" Morri glared at the mirror, "...They've been watching all this because they needed to see the truth for themselves, if I had told them outright what you can do, chances are they would've shot me down and your situation would've stayed unresolved; they didn't know what they were going to see here when we asked them to sit in and watch this, and as such they watched this whole thing with more curiosity than speculation or doubt, I hope...I don't know what their opinions are right now, but I am hoping this last test will give some form of 'confirmation' for their own peace of minds, if they hold any personal views of you then they will stay strictly personal and if they openly speculate otherwise well then they'll have to deal with both me and your big brother, and at the rate he's been stressing over you I don't think anyone will want to argue with him" she continued, to which Batou smirked, Matti looked at her in confusion, on the one hand she didn't wanted to do this, but on the other, something about Morri and what she was saying didn't make her feel uncomfortable as she usually would, and that felt strange, being at ease like this in the face of uncertainty was something new for her, and suffice to say it felt both odd, and okay; as she wrestled with her thoughts, she found she couldn't reply and looked at her in uneasy doubt. Morri placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and gazed at her like a mother would her daughter.
"...Look, Matti, regardless of what anyone thinks of you and your abilities; the fact remains that you found us, and our karma is as such that, unfortunately anyone who gets mixed up with us becomes unintentionally caught up in our 'issues', and no matter how far you may try to distant yourself, one way or another, something will happen that'll lead us to meet each other again, and possibly not under good circumstances...Batou, and his friends found us, thinking we were something else altogether, but when they learned the truth they knew they couldn't back out; and for all that it's worth we've been trying to protect them as much we've tried to protect everyone else in this city; for all their expertise, their prowess, they're combat savvy and their true grit, they're still only human like myself, and like all humans they were scared at what was going on and what they got themselves into. But regardless, they, we, all of us did what we had to do to try and make things right; no-one should have to suffer at the expense of simply knowing what we are...I don't know who or what sent you to find us, but the fact that you were compelled to find us tells me that maybe you were meant to be a part of this...was it deliberate? Accidental? Who can say, not me, and certainly no-one else on the other side of that mirror, but either way, your here now, and as far as choices go, only you can decide what you want to do after you step out of this room, Batou will most likely want you go home and stay there, and probably ask one of us to guard your family's house; but in the long run I don't think it'll make a difference whether you're staying here in this tower or staying at home...one way or another something will happen that'll be beyond our control, and heaven forbid something happens to you, Batou will never forgive us, especially if it's something we could've had a hand in preventing...I'm not saying your life is necessarily in danger, I'm simply saying, life has an unfair way of making you realize that not everything is within your control, and that, something or someone else always has other ideas..." Morri explained; Matti dropped her gaze as she tried to wrap her head around everything that was just said, fear tried to push itself to the front of her mind; but for the first time in...she couldn't remember how long, she was more uncertain than anything else, uncertain of the choice that lay before her, and uncertain of what lay ahead. Batou continued to watch her in disbelief, never had he seen his sister so...placid, here she was facing with, possibly the biggest decision of her life, and she wasn't running away or lashing out, she was actually calm, albeit nervous as she began to wring her hangs. The others too were equally both fascinated and a little alarmed at how she correctly passed Morri's tests, however this was going to turn out, it was apparent Morri had brought out her true colours, and that she wasn't who they initially thought she was.
"...If I choose to help you guys, what'll happen?" Matti asked
"Who can say? Things will happen as they happen, nothing is set in stone and nothing is ever over until the fat lady's singing; but I can assure you you'll be in good company, if anything I think you might be a favourite among the more 'open-minded' of us, and don't worry about the Major, she may be a little 'strict' but I think you might actually impress her"
"You're serious?" Matti deadpanned
"Certainly not, one thing I've observed from running Batou and his friends is that you're not really worth paying attention to unless you can really make an impact, and within the course of the last several hours you managed to give the Major an ulcer, Batou a headache and the chief of this section has already got a ton of paperwork on you lined up; that pretty much ticks all the boxes so I'd say your off to a good start already" Morri grinned, to which Matti smiled; in the observation room the kids and some of the agents, including the chief couldn't help but snigger and chuckle. "...Look, whatever you choose to do, it's your choice, Batou can say whatever he wants but at the end of the day it's your choice" Morri reassured her.
"But...I don't think I totally understand it" Matti replied dubiously
"Honey, no-one ever totally understands what they get themselves into when they take a leap a faith; whatever happens, you've got a good heart and that's a good start as any...But I won't lie to you Matti, things could get quite dicey, and whatever happens, whether it's by our own hands or by something that's beyond our control, you'll have to learn to work with us as a team; you must be responsible for whatever actions you take, and you must be accountable for any choices you make, even the bad ones. And, you have to learn to be brave, you must be willing to stand up and face whatever comes at you, no matter how terrible or painful it may be; but don't fret, if you're worried about it we can teach you how to fight, how to think your way out of a problem, and anything else that you'll need to know...But you'll have to make the effort if you want to keep up, life presents only so many chances to prove one's worth, and things are as such that you'll have to learn on the go...and when things look down, don't think for one minute that you'll be the only one who's having it bad, because we've all been having it bad, and we've be there for each other, so we'll be there for you...But more than anything, the one thing that defines us all together is that each of us has a talent to bring to the table, something that makes each of us a pro in our field's and makes us formidable in our own right; and what you can do certain puts you in a class of your own; and if anything you could think of it as a way to render all the bigots and small minded idiots of the world invalid. Rather than strike out at anyone who say's you're a freak, go one better and prove them wrong; that your more than what you appear to be, you've got something that allows you to see past all the bigotry, prejudice and ignorance of the world, and see the truth in everything and everyone for what it really is, that's a power very few have, and it's something you could put to very good use..." Morri said; Matti looked at her speechlessly, no-one had ever said anything like that to her; it felt...empowering, and in the back of her mind it actually felt good.
"You...you seriously believe I can do this?..."
"Would I be standing here giving you the pep talk of your life if I didn't think you could?...You may have to convince everyone else that you're up to the task, but I know a good bet when I see one, and I believe you've got a good innings" Morri smiled, for a long moment Matti stood there in silence, pondering her thoughts and weighing her options, but uncertainty gave way to confidence and she then looked up at the two way mirror and looked back at Morri with a look of clarity in her eyes.
"...Two for three so far?..." she smiled
"Two for three, so who's standing back there?" Morri asked with a satisfied smile, stepping towards the mirror, Matti concentrated to see past her reflection and through the glass; everything at the range of her vision blurred away as the mirror faded from sight and inside she could see her 'audience' watching her with mixed looks of amazement and mild alarm, their forms and features highlighted by the essence of their auras.
"...There's fifteen altogether...From left to right; there's a bald guy with prosthetic eyes, looks like he's a cyborg. Next to him there's a tall slim guy with narrow eyes and slicked back hair, looks like a cyborg too...standing in front of them is a kid with shoulder-length blonde hair, a kid with red hair and a green bandana, and a tall girl with long blond hair...Further along there's a guy in a turtle-neck jumper with a mullet, a kid with dark brown hair, another kid, shorter, and has a prosthetic left leg, and a girl with long black hair and bright blue eyes...then there's a black guy in a football jersey; an older guy with a beard, the one standing next him has a buzz cut and an eye patch...and at the end there's a much older guy in a suit, next to him is the Major, and behind her is Batou..." Matti said. On the other side of the mirror, everyone was dumbstruck; aside from Miles who was grinning wildly in titillation, but Batou merely looked at her with a proud smile, and grinned in satisfaction when he saw looks on his friends faces. The Major was at a loss what to say nedalone think, this kid didn't have any form of cyberization so she couldn't have accessed the building's IR system, and there was very little chance anyone told her about all this before hand, what good would putting on such an elaborate farce serve except to waste time and entertain everyone? She had a very good idea what Morri tried to prove this girl had, but her straightforward line of thinking prevented her from saying it outright.
"Dude! She's totally psychic!" Miles exclaimed
"I was totally thinking the same thing! There's no way she saw us come in here and she certainly didn't know anything about the holoform collars or Ashley's spear...she's defiantly got the sixth sense!" Hailey concurred
"Wait a sec; are we seriously considering the idea that this kid has some kind of psychic ability?" Saito pointed out. 'Don't consider it, believe it!' her voice echoed through his mind, Saito froze in shock as he looked back at Matti; through the window she folded her arms and scowled at him in distain, the sniper suddenly felt a cold shiver run up his spine and said nothing more.
"So how'd I do?" Matti asked in slight eagerness
"Three for three, and, I don't know what happened between you and Saito just now, but I think that little trick was the cherry on the cake" Morri winked
"Saito? That's his name? So you can see them too?"
"Ah, technically, I don't have what you have, I was channelling for someone else, and they've been watching this whole thing through my eyes, it was he that discovered what you really are and how you found those symbols; like you he has certain abilities but unlike you his is much more powerful and can do a lot more" Morri replied, Matti's eyes flew up surprise
"There's someone else with my 'gift'? And he's more powerful?" she asked
"Oh yeah, and you've certainly piqued his interest, he's keen to meet you and I've no doubt there's a lot you two share in common; you'll get to meet him soon enough, but first, I think you better meet everyone else.." Morri replied as she stepped over to the window and gestured to everyone that they were coming out. She dipped her head as she felt the strange presence in mind began to creep away to the back of her mind.
'Well done child; now let her be introduced to the others, my introduction can come later...' Ravage's voice echoed in her mind before his presence disappeared like a fog back across the sea; Morri felt odd, the sensation of the purring and swaying tail had gone and she felt like her old self again, but still, it felt weird having the presence of another in her mind, but she shrugged it off and put it down to it simply the first time she'd ever allowed the panther to expand his telepathy into her mind.
"Are you okay?" Matti asked
"Yeah I'm fine, just relieved we managed to get this all sorted out" Morri sighed
"...Me too, but why me?"
"Huh?"
"Why so, understanding?...I don't think I've ever met anyone outside my family who'd seen me for who I really am and not what I am...how can you see me even though you don't have the same 'abilities' as I do?" Matti asked, Morri paused for a moment, then smiled at her with that understanding look in her eyes.
"Because what we are and who we are can be one and the same thing, their different and there are certain things that highlight those differences, but ultimately, who we are determines what we are and vice versa depending on the individual; it's one thing to look at someone at make up your mind what they are based on how they look and how they interact with you, but to really see them, you have to be willing to step back, be patient and try to work out what's really going on, and more often than not what you think a person is and what they really are underneath isn't necessarily true; but to really understand someone, I find you got to be willing to listen to your heart and not necessarily your head"
"Is that why you're always so good to me?" Ashley peeped in
"Don't push it..." Morri smirked, "Anyway, let's not keep everyone waiting; oh, one last thing before I forget-"
"What?"
"Talk to your brother and make amends okay? He's been worried about you since this whole thing with you kicked off, and I know doesn't mean half the stuff he says"
"Eh, that's Batou for ya, he maybe a jerk at times, but in the end he's my jerk brother, and the only one I have; you know, I kinda do feel bad for what I said earlier, maybe I should say something...and maybe the Major..."
"I think that would be a very wise thing to do" Morri smiled as she lead the way out of the room and to the waiting group.
A/N: Okay, if you think the Major was being somewhat out of characture; DON'T FREAK! there's a reason why she's behaving like this and it will be revealed in the next few chapters, it's an important plot twister so put a pin in it for later, plus, another famililar face will be joining the crew in due course so keep reading and stay tuned! Oh & don't forget to R&R on the way! :)
