[Co-Author: Butterfly123199, Elise, Okasan, and Nicole are her OCs, she wrote interactions on them too.]
Context: An unexpected turn of events leading one thing to another. Trin and Elise accidentally unveil an entire storm of dark secrets - leaving questions in its wake. Now here we are with Nicole… (This is mostly Butterfly's spotlight here honestly hehe.)
Nicole sat in front of him. "Ask away."
"When I said 'I wondered what it would've been like to have met him' I didn't think you'd bring me to your mother, El." He scratched the side of his head, a little shy and unsure of where to start with the questions. After a momentary pause in thought, he shrugged. "If you say so... Let's see, Elise, mind if I ask you something personally first?" He gestured so as to have a small privy talk.
"Not at all.." Elise gave him a bit of a concerned expression at the question, but stood up with him anyway and followed. She glared back at her mother. "Behave."
"He better be proposing."
"We're not dating, ma!"
"So don't you tell me to behave you single woman."
Elise squinted her eyes at her mother, before turning back to Trinity. "What's wrong, Trinny?"
"This is sweet and all but..." He whispered, uncertain of things. "Before I ask, does she know about Dawn and Beth, your other self? Or even the whole Underground movement? We don't usually like to drag other people in matters like this."
She held up her hand to cut him off after his last sentence. She didn't let him say another word. "She knows everything. She's met Torn and even Tess and Ash." She smiled softly. "She knows.. she's the one who told me where to find Daddy's old lab notes.."
Trinity acknowledged it all, "Guess I was too busy to realize who Torn spoke of with The Shadow in his off-time, alright then." His worries were relieved and they had returned to rejoin her. His pale left finger tapped on the Dark Dagger, "Do you anything about this weapon? Curious if it was found in this city or in the Outer Wall honestly."
Elise's eyes traced his movements, she realized that his fingers had slightly grayish veins curling around his entire left hand, despite it being gloved. 'Does he even realize that?' She couldn't help ask herself.
Nicole trailed her eyes to the item Trinity was tapping on. A sudden smile slowly crept onto her face, followed by a soft chuckle. "Ah... my husband's finest work. It was his first successful weapon used to harness the Dark Eco..."
Almost on cue, the dagger flashed a bright purple, and even gave off a few sparks. Nicole chuckled, "Successful.. but still has a few bumps here and there. I see you've been taking good care of it."
"Why'd daddy make it..?" Elise asked her mother softly, taking a seat beside Trinity, but keeping her eyes locked into the elder woman.
"Your father knew you could channel eco. We both did..." Nicole gazed at her daughter tenderly. "He wanted to make sure.. you wouldn't lose yourself. You were always such an angry girl...
And I see you've given it to someone who needs it more." She looked at Trinity's bad arm, covered in deep, purple markings. She was way too knowledgeable about the markings. She's seen them more than she would've liked to in her lifetime.
Trinity could feel himself unintentionally dart his eyes away from her, slowly crossing his arms as to hide the left one.
"During my time in the DWP I caught wind of prototype weapons like these. Of all kinds, some tried mixing other eco into the weapons, and a little touch of the Dark Eco - that caused a nasty accident." He recalled. "I wasn't in that specific R&D department at the time though."
Nicole sighed and leaned against the table more. "Okasan... wanted to use weapons to channel eco, rather than depending on the few selected eco channelers...left.." She cleared her throat. "And he Especially didn't want Elise getting into any of the eco mess.. but I say my girl's doin pretty alright." She smiled and gazed at her daughter.
"The most successful weapon was a necklace.." She tapped her hand on the table. "Though I was never able to find it anywhere.. I just hope whoever found it, is caring for it.."
Trinity immediately thought of Elise's gift, but before he brought the said item into the conversation, he had one very important question searing in his mind. "Do you think Light Eco's real? Sure, it's something only existing in legends like the warrior who once wielded pure light in his hands, but, well, here we are with the Dark Warrior Projects."
"Well, of course I think it's real." Nicole calmly crossed her arms together, something signature Elise would always do as well. "We have Dark Eco. The world cannot live without balance, young sir." She tapped the side of her own head. "Remember that. Darkness wouldn't exist without light. Because Light is what creates the shadow that the darkness is from." She smiled. "Think of it as… an eye for an eye. Or a scale. Both sides need to get even."
He snickered, "Now why does that sound familiar…"
"Probably because you're both old." Elise slipped in, earning a slap to the arm by her mother. She laughed.
"I am not old!" Nicole objected, "He might be, but I'm not! Callin' me old.. psh…"
'Wow. Even you call me old-' He quickly brushed that thought aside.
"And about the necklace, did you mean this?" He pulled it out from under his bandana.
She gasped softly. She covered her mouth, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Ma..." Elise gently gripped her mother's other hand.
"That's it..."
All of this from the necklace spawned and spun such a complicated web of events, Trinity couldn't believe something he tried hiding so well was because of this thing. Not that he hated it, not at all.
"This crystal - she told me it differs person to person on what colors they see. Something as special as this that I could think of...it'd only be Precursor artifacts from outside of Haven."
Nicole almost seemed to tense, but managed to compose herself quickly. "Well... Okasan was a strange man.." she tapped her fingers. "I was told it was his successful experiment... but just like you, I've suspected it to be an artifact." She glanced at her daughter and sighed. "I wouldn't doubt for a moment it actually is an artifact."
Elise furrowed her eyebrows slightly. "How did daddy even get it..?"
"That." Nicole shook her head. "That I can't answer. Your father took a trip; he said it was for research. He was gone almost two weeks. When he returned he locked himself in his office, and spent another few days in there. When he finally came out, he told me about the necklace, and how he made it for you." She squeezed her daughter's hand gently. She knew how hard it was to talk about her father. She turned her gaze back to Trinity. "If you'd like, I still have his old journals and travelers notebooks.. if Okasan told anyone the truth about the necklace—he told his journal."
"I'd love to see them, but if you must keep it, I understand." Trin said, glancing at the weapon to try and study its surface for anything.
The mystery surrounding this man, necklace, and even the blade made Trinity too fixated to notice much around him at the moment. He lifted the crystal of the gift, lifting it to the light. All he saw was the faintest bit of purple intertwined with the vast void of blackness inside.
"...Lemme guess, this represents us, doesn't it?" He asked, though, it was meant to be a question for his own mindscape.
'Peculiar.'
"Ah, what am I gonna use em for?" Nicole joked with a soft smile. She slowly stood to her feet, "I can get you a few now, that I've kept with me and make you two some food before you head off on your way."
She gave Elise a stare, that only the ravenette could read and nod to. She scurried her way into the backrooms. Precursors know how that woman was so damn quick-
"So..." Elise turned to Trinity. "Got anything useful outta this?"
"Quite a lot, I bet those journals would answer the rest of the questions." Trinity put the pendant away.
There was a small awkwardness feeling bubbling in his stomach and he wasn't sure what it was exactly. Was it anxiety of some sort?
"Do you have questions for me?" He suddenly asked out of the blue, still clutching his left arm under his other one to hide it. There wasn't a point, but he didn't feel like waving it around as a proud display.
The sudden question startled her and caused her to drop the small fork she was playing with. "Huh? Oh..."
She cleared her throat nervously. "Why did you hide this for so long..?" She asked. Her tone almost sounded hurt in a way? Though, she knew everything he did had proper reasoning.
He didn't know where to begin. "Uhh... That's a complicated one- " Trinity hummed for a few moments. "Despite it being me, I push it away. Hide it as best as I could. You can already tell anyway, I'm more of a, uh, volatile mess." The word stung more than it should be, it sounded like he was back in his KG days, recording DWP subjects behind a screen.
But then something clicked in his head. 'I see what you did Onin.' He had expected no less from the soothsayer.
He began to run his fingers through his hair again, Trinity didn't give much thought about those things, but now it's bothering him.
Elise almost grimaced at the sight of him fidgeting. 'Why is he so scared?' without another thought, she took his hand into her own. Just like he had done once before with her. She was hoping she held the same 'magic' he did. When she had moved his hand away she noticed something that his goggles and his hair seemed to be hiding..
"Trinity..." she held back from glaring. She didn't even want to ask for permission. She took the initiate and brushed his hair aside, her stomach dropping at the sight.
"Trin..."
"D- Don't look at them, they've been there for as long as I can remember." He kindly tried to push her hand away, being careful not to act something out of pure instinct.
Trinity's heart skipped a few beats and he didn't want her to ask a certain question regarding this. It was all because of that one slip-up he couldn't help but be nervous. The more nervous he was on this, the more he knew he was going to cause another mistake. Like some domino effect.
She let out a surprised breath and covered her mouth with her hand. She felt after all this time.. she really didn't know him.. even though she thought she was getting close, she's hardly out of the mud..
"H-..."
She swallowed back her fear. She wasn't afraid of him. She was afraid of his answer.
"H-How long...?"
He paused. Found himself staring off into someplace else, his eyes glued to the wall.
It took him a few small deep breaths, trying to blink away a foggy memory. "I was a kid." He whispered, his eyes being glazed over. To Elise, he was frozen stiff, losing grip on the arm he was trying to hide, and just sat there.
Trinity gave a small trembling smile, still doing a thousand-yard stare. He might as well go out with it, no use in hiding that.
"You look at me the same way everyone did." Trinity spoke softly, voice dead flat. "Even when...that's just me."
She felt guilt rise into her chest. She recalled how she felt. And she wished she could just go back and stop herself..
"I didn't-..."
It gave her a few brief moments to collect herself, trying to form something.
"I'm..."
She couldn't find the right words. Everything she tried to say would just get tangled up and ripped apart. Even if she explained, she was almost positive he wouldn't believe it..
"It wasn't... because of what you think..." She mustered out, pulling and twirling some of her short hair to keep her hands from shaking.
"I want to tell you..." She gritted her teeth and covered her face with her hand. It was a poor attempt to hide tears.
Emotions she never liked were bubbling up all around her internally, despite that, Elise steeled herself and tried to let something out as well.
"But I'm scared…"
Those very same words he heard so much back in the KG days made him turn his head. 'Of being alone?' Trinity once again tapped on one of the two bits, pricking himself by accident. But it didn't faze him.
He pulled away his index finger from his head, then made a fist, Trinity could feel the tingling pain.
"..."
She raised her hand to rub the patch on her neck.
'Yeah..'
It felt like a secret revelation had dawned in his mindscape.
"I trust you... even if you don't trust me..." She huffed softly. She didn't realize the tears running down her pale cheeks. "But this is beyond trust...not even Ma knows about this..." she shook her head. "I'm sorry for what happened.. I want to trust you with this, I really do..." She even began picking at the tape that held the patch securely in place. "But you're really kicking me back into the water, here..." She tried to chuckle.
She didn't want to admit how she felt. Especially not after she just felt connected to him.
"You don't want me to get close... do you?"
His blue eyes widened a bit, he didn't say those words aloud. Nor he could've sworn he saw El's lips move, maybe he needs a breather outside...
"It's alright." He sighed, not minding it, but had to keep noted. "No one knows about me except for Onin, anyway. It was a secret meant for both of us until the time came ripe." He confessed, Trinity traced his mask. Then look to focus on Elise's shining eyes.
'I can't take it off, not yet.'
'He still thinks I care about the mask, huh?'
She chuckled and shook her head. "I know.." she decided not to push on for anything else.
'You ask too many questions, El... keep your mouth shut.'
Oh how she wondered where her two companions had gone... she felt so empty without the two. And even more so after all their mishap.
He closed his eyes, 'I give up. I like you.' Trinity didn't mind saying that in his thoughts, but if he didn't need to say it out loud, it makes things a lot easier. 'I keep this mask on for many things. One, a promise. Two, my first partner. And three, my enemy.'
He smirked.
'You can hear all of this in here, don't you?' Trinity could feel his cheeks being rosy and heart flutter from that massive spill of truths. 'This is a one-time thing I shall speak of my mask, keep it safe, partner. I know you don't mean my mask, but I've always wanted to say it.' Trinity felt a massive weight of burden lift from finally saying those things, something like that he's held on for too many years. He felt glad about those secrets for once.
When Trin slowly opened his azure-violet eyes and shifted to Elise…
"..."
The ravenette's glossy brown eyes were widened in shock. Her face was almost as red as the table cloth in front of them.
"Y-You-"
She suddenly felt even more heat rise to her face. She felt so overwhelmed. Should she be happy? Sad? Afraid? Confused?
"..."
She began to tear up. She didn't know what else to do at all. And she didn't even know if her tears were from sadness or happiness!
'T- too much?' Trinity's expression mirrored hers.
Elise let out a strained chuckle that was mixed in with a hard sob.
"Not enough..."
Trinity chuckled, but couldn't find the right words to say. 'Oh, I'm so stupid.' He smiled and looked to the side, already ignored the bubbly feeling of anxiety about secrets and took Onin's advice about not worrying for the future.
"Sometimes I really hate you." She covered her face with her hands, noticing Nicole returning.
The old woman returned with a worn box and a small bag, then set them on the table. "This was all his work." Trinity carefully eyed the container, worn through time and years of some neglect. But the information inside was something he had yearned for a long, long time. He couldn't help but feel his heart skipping a few beats about it. "And here's some food for you both." She smiled tenderly. "Stop by again soon.. and take care of Munchkin for me, yeah?"
As if Elise's face couldn't grow even darker. "Ma!"
"Oh hush. He knows you're small too. It's adorable." She turned to Trinity. "Isn't it?"
Elise begged with her eyes for him not to feed the god forsaken teasing.
He smiled. "If you say so."
"HA. He agrees!" Nicole nudged her daughter.
"Trinity!" Elise gritted through flush.
"Alright, Alright! You two should head off. I've got people coming over for-"
"Lemme guess." Elise playfully flicked her mother's glasses. "Book club?"
"No..." The woman squinted, "Leave before I kick your ass-"
Trinity realized where his partner had gotten a certain familiar trait.
"Going! We're going!" Elise took the initiative and carried the box, "Thanks again for everything."
Nicole smiled warmly at the two. "Please stop by again soon.. And Trinity." She turned to the tall man, trying her best to gain eye contact through the ruby mask. "I know you'll do what's right."
He nodded curtly, something along those lines hung heavily on his mind. 'Hopefully.'
"Let's go, dumbass." Elise called, not bothering to look back as she held the door with her hip for her partner.
'If only you girls were here now..' She thought to herself with a small smile.
Nicole waved for a simple goodbye.
JV007 A/N: Again, I have NOO idea this would happen, Elise, Okasan, and Nicole are all Butterfly's! The pendant? Along the way during the RP I didn't know what this could actually do, but I did a little funny trick and acted just like Trin - I made him say things in his mind to "test" his own theory on the fly! AND WHAT A TWIS! IT WORKED-
While this chapter's going on, Jak is most likely doing smaller missions of the game like JET Board practice or whatever the upcoming missions were that we'd skip. I bet those bore you guys lol.
Butterfly A/N: I'm still shocked as to how you can find all this out so quickly. Wth JV-
SIX YEARS. YOU KNOW ME TOO WELL GDI.