Agent Smith paced worriedly back and forth in the penthouse apartment that was the de facto MON Squad home base. Caboose was laid out on the couch, completely immobile and unresponsive as his suit's vital scanners showed wild fluctuations. The MON girls were scattered around, reacting to the situation in their own futile ways. The ogre Tionishia - called Tio by her friends - was sitting hunched in the corner (as much to keep her single horn from puncturing the ceiling as from her distress) wailing about how the 'nice, cool, strong guy' wasn't waking up. Zombina - the zombie girl who had been shot earlier - was sitting back and staring at Caboose like she expected him to rise as a zombie any minute without the need of biting, idly trying to fish out the new bullets lodged in her flesh. Manako - the monoeye sniper who hadn't been able to assist with the situation due to Caboose's intervention - was sitting in the corner opposite Tio, trying not to be noticed.

The most confusing reaction, as far as Smith was concerned, was Doppel the shapeshifter. She hovered in the middle of the room, her white hair swirling around her form as she stared intently at Caboose. Her usual smug smirk that Smith knew she used to hide her real feelings as easily as she used shapeshifting to hide her true appearance was gone from her face, and she was actually biting her lower lip.

"Well that plan went straight to hell," Zombina observed idly. "We knew that orc group would be trying something, and we were ready to act to show what we could do. How come you didn't tell us Mr. Ambassador over there was going to go ape shit?"

"I didn't know he would!" Smith declared angrily. "I didn't even know he was there until I heard him asking the orc what a clitoris was!" The fact that even Doppel didn't react to that as being funny showed Smith that everyone was taking this seriously. "I just wish I knew which of the girls to call to ask about this! We can't just leave Caboose in this state."

[First-Lieutenant Polt has already been summoned,] the black-opticed Freckle that hovered over Smith's shoulder offered helpfully. [Of the present Blue Team, only she has insight into Captain Caboose's inner psyche.]

"And you didn't tell me this sooner?" Smith demanded angrily of the floating ball.

[You did not ask,] Freckle responded flatly, the bland humor audible even through the synthesized voice.

"He's got a point there," Zombina teased with a soft chuckle.

[Opening window,] Freckle declared as it turned to the large windows and slid one open.

"Why-"

Smith's question was cut off as a screaming Polt flew in atop her own Freckle unit, clinging tightly to it before she was dumped onto the floor. "...Kobolds were not meant to fly…" she groaned softly as she clung to the carpet. "We have moved too far from our dragon ancestors…"

"Thank goodness you're here, Polt," Smith spoke up quickly as the Freckle units closed the window. "Something's wrong with Caboose and we don't know what."

Polt immediately ran to Caboose's side. "What's wrong with him?" she asked worriedly as she clung to his hand.

"We don't know," Smith explained. "Were you watching the news recently?"

"The comic shop and the orcs?" Polt inquired. "Freckle filled me in on the way here. Caboose tossed those orcs around like dolls...not that I'm surprised."

"And after that, he just...collapsed," Smith explained.

"Did he say anything before he collapsed?" Polt demanded intensely.

"He asked if he wasn't too late again," Doppel responded softly.

Polt's head snapped up. "He said again?" she insisted.

"Yeah," Doppel confirmed. "He asked if I was okay, if he'd stopped them before I was hurt. Asked if he wasn't too late again." She shrugged her shoulders. "Then I resumed my normal form, and he just-"

"Resumed your normal form?"

Doppel rolled her eyes, getting frustrated with Polt's interruptions. "Yeah, I'm a shapeshifter-"

"Show me the form you were in!" Polt ordered.

Doppel bridled at the command, but a glare from Smith had her sighing petulantly. "Fine!" she snapped out, once more taking the form of 'Sweetie Witch Maiko-chan'.

Polt carefully examined her for a time. "...yeah…" she finally murmured weakly. "I...I see a bit of resemblance…" She slowly slumped to the floor, face in her hands. "Falkor's withers and whiskers…" she swore under her breath.

Everyone present tensed up. For a kobold to swear by a draconic ancestor by name and by a part of them...it was almost considered sacrilegious. It showed just how emotional Polt was getting from the situation. "...Polt?" Smith asked carefully.

"When Caboose and I were first getting to know each other, we asked questions of each other," Polt explained quietly. "He has seventeen sisters. He...he had eighteen. Something happened, I don't know what...but he blames himself for it. The angry side of him, his ungodly strength and speed...all of that developed because he feels he failed to protect his older sister from whatever happened, because he wasn't fast enough...wasn't strong enough…"

Tio burst into loud tears, arcing out like waterfalls to either side of her. "That's...that's so awful!" she wailed.

"The poor boy…" Manako murmured softly.

"And?" Zombina asked, trying to push back her own mess of feelings.

"The human form Doppel took was, apparently, close enough in appearance to that sister that Caboose thought he was back at that event," Polt explained. "That's why the nursery rhyme...that's why asking if he was too late again. He...he was trying to save the sister he failed, and then it not even being real…"

"Move over," Doppel instructed firmly as she floated over to the couch.

Polt looked up. "Wha-"

"If you're right, then I can help him," Doppel stated flatly. "I don't like doing this sort of thing, because it makes me feel like a succubus...so if you want him helped then give me space."

Polt immediately leapt to the side. Doppel floated to hover over Caboose's prone form, then slowly reached down to touch her fingertips to either side of his helmet. Her white hair swirled around her, spreading from the contact.

The shape she took bore some resemblance to the 'Sweetie Witch', but there were distinct differences. For one, the odd twirl of hair sticking up off the top of her head was gone. For another, the hair was braided rather than hanging straight. Finally, instead of a school uniform, she was clad in an angelic white robe. There were other differences, but that was what stood out. "Mikey…" she whispered gently, her voice soft and echoing as though from a great distance.

Caboose started to stir. "Mi...Mika…?"

"It's alright, Mikey," Doppel whispered comfortingly. "It's okay…"

"I...I failed you…" Caboose moaned, his voice...broken.

"It wasn't your fault," Doppel responded immediately, reassuring him. "You couldn't have done anything then."

"But...but I was supposed to take care of you…I'm sorry…"

Doppel leaned forward, kissing the top of his helmet. "I forgive you, brother," she whispered gently. "And I'll be at peace...if you can forgive yourself…"

"...I miss you…" Caboose sobbed brokenly.

"When your time comes, I'll be waiting," Doppel whispered softly.

"...bye, sis…"

As Caboose's suit showed his vital signs stabilizing, Doppel pulled back as she resumed her standard form. "I feel unclean…" she murmured under her breath with a shiver, trying to shake herself off.

"Caboose?" Polt called out worriedly.

Caboose suddenly sat up. "I had a really strange dream," he declared calmly. "I was a computer, and I crashed. Then I rebooted, and I was here!" He turned to his surroundings. "Hi Scary Smith Lady! Hi Polt! Hi new sexiful ladies I've never met before making me abjectly terrified of making a bad first impression!"

Everyone blinked for a few moments, and then everyone but Doppel burst into laughter, though most of it had a hysterical tinge of relief to it. "Caboose," Smith began, "these girls are the MON Squad. I won't confuse you with the details, but their job is to handle demi-human criminals in human territory without getting mired in the interaction laws."

"Cause demi-humans hurting demi-humans isn't against the law!" Caboose deduced happily. "That makes sense!"

"Thankfully, your diplomatic immunity still applies," Smith murmured ruefully.

"Applies to what?" Caboose asked in confusion.

"Never mind," Smith smoothed over, not eager to remind Caboose of what happened if he didn't remember. "For now, some introductions. The ogre in the corner is Tionishia."

"Call me Tio," Tio offered somewhat nervously.

"Wow, you're huge!" Caboose declared in awe. Just before Tio's expression could start to fall, he continued, "I bet you give the best hugs!"

Tio blinked in surprise, then grinned widely before reaching across the room to pull Caboose into a tight hug.

"The bestest!" Caboose confirmed happily as he returned the hug until he was set down.

Chuckling, Smith gestured to the other side of the room. "This is Manako-"

"Oh, you're shy?" Caboose asked in surprise. "Yeah, I know how that feels. That's why I wear my armor. Do you want me to make you armor so people aren't always staring at how pretty you are?"

Manako let out a surprised squeak, her cheeks flushing. "My...my only having one eye doesn't...freak you out?"

"All the Reds and Blues only have one eye!" Caboose pointed out. "...or is that just the faceplates? It's really hard to tell anything past them."

"And this is Zombina," Smith introduced, trying to turn attention away from Manako before she turned into a tomato and fainted.

"Yo!" Zombina greeted happily. "I'm a zombie, in case you were wondering."

"Can I call you Bina?" Caboose asked curiously.

"Eh?" Zombina asked in surprise. "Got a problem with the Zom part? With me being dead?"

"I've had lots of dead friends!" Caboose insisted. "Like Church! And Church! Those were actually two separate friends though they had the same name. Oh! Alpha and Epsilon! Anyway, yeah, no problem with you being dead. But when I call you by name, I want to call my friend, not my dead friend."

Zombina's eyes went wide. If she still had blood to flow through her veins, she definitely would be blushing.

"So can I?" Caboose pressed.

"Can you what?" Zombina asked in confusion.

"Call you Bina?" Caboose clarified.

"Oh...yeah, sure," Zombina allowed, finding herself unaccountably flustered.

"And this is Doppel," Smith introduced, finding herself no longer surprised at the effect Caboose had on demi-human females.

"Thank you," Caboose said to Doppel before she could say anything.

"Eh?" Doppel asked, surprised.

"I don't know why, but I feel like you did something really big and really important for me," Caboose explained. "So...thank you."

Doppel turned her back, pasting her usual smile on her face as she shrugged her shoulders. "Don't worry about it."

Smith frowned thoughtfully. Normally, Doppel would hold anything she did for someone over their heads for as long as she could get away with it, just to gloat. The fact that she was trying to shrug this one off told Smith just how significant what Doppel had done for Caboose was to the shapeshifter. She wondered if Caboose had any idea just how lucky he was.

"So many new friends!" Caboose declared happily.

...perhaps he did.