Intermission: A Day in the Life
Silver Notes: Welcome back, everyone. This isn't quite Act 3, but it's a chapter that I felt needed to happen before we move on to the rest of the story. Don't worry, we'll be back to Niss and Barry next chapter.
》Siffa sighed as she hung her head, fingers curling against the wet dirt and thunder roaring in her ears.
"You can kill me," she whispered, voice toneless. "I... don't care anymore."
A woman stood across her. The sliver of moon behind her cast a weak light on her back, shrouding her face in shadows. Only the pale, faded green of her eyes could be seen from where Siffa knelt.
"Now, why would I do that?"
Slowly she lowered herself to Siffa's level, though her knees never touched the ground. Her ghastly left hand traveled the distance between them and stopped just under the girl's chin, raising it so their eyes could meet. The touch sent a strong shiver throughout her entire body.
"Is this as far as you go?" the woman asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Do you really want to die?"
Siffa's eyes reflected no light. Her lips where the only part of her that moved as she replied. "I don't want anything."
"That can't be true. We all want something."
Her hold on Siffa's chin became firmer, almost painful. The edge of her eyes crinkled ever so slightly.
"They couldn't have broken you that badly, could they? You're not weak. You're not a slave anymore. So let me ask you again: what do you want?"
Siffa tried, she really did. Even with cold and despair clinging to every cell of her body, she racked her brain for an answer. What Asta had thought her... what she'd stained her hands in blood for... it was simply to live. She'd wanted to live. There had to be a reason for that.
But as the seconds went by and eventually turned into a minute, nothing came to her. Her hands, knees and lower lip began to shake in desperation, tears welling up in her eyes. Why… why did it hurt? It'd never hurt before; Asta had made sure of that. So why now…?
"I… I don't know," she admitted, a sob getting caught in her throat. "I just… did what she told me, but now she's gone. I don't know what to do, I don't know what I want…"
Shadi shook her head. "Really? Someone as talented as you? There's a million courses of action you could take, and there's a billion possible futures that could be born from those actions." She raised her palm as she spoke, the tips of her fingers curling into a fist. "And you're telling me that you don't know what to do?"
"I'm not you," she said. "I'm just a tool. Without someone to use me, I have no reason to be."
Her words hung heavy, forming the shape of a noose around her neck. She closed her eyes and waited. Waited for Shadi to tell her what she expected; that she was not a tool, that she deserved to live and carve her own future. Empty words and hollow promises. Nothing she hadn't heard a million times before, nothing she couldn't deal with.
However, for the first time of many, Shadi surprised her.
"A tool, you say?" She looked down at her hand, silent for a few moments. "…Fine, I'll believe you."
Siffa blinked, looking up at her willingly for the first time.
"W-what?"
"I'll believe that you're a tool. No one would know better than you, I suppose." She shrugged weakly. "And considering your previous owner is behind bars now… I guess that means you take orders from me."
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her body reacted on its own, forcing her to stand up and take a step back, horror reflected on her face. The idea of this woman being her owner… the mere thought of it made her stomach turn.
Shadi's lips curved up. "If you really were a tool, you wouldn't be reacting this way."
"I–I am a tool!" She stuttered, trying to convince herself as much as Shadi. "Th-that's all I'll ever be."
"Then let me use you." Shadi took a step forward, her voice eager. "Let me teach you all I know. You'll become part of something greater. You'll never have to dirty your own hands again."
Her hands fell on top of Siffa's shoulders, grabbing onto them like iron cuffs.
"If your life doesn't have meaning, let me give it one. If you don't know what to do with your talents, let me decide for you." Her voice changed, gaining both volume and strength as she spoke. "I'll force you to live your life to the fullest, and I'll make sure not a second of it is wasted."
A terrible smile stretched across Shadi's lips. Her teeth caught a piece of moonlight and reflected it back to her.
"If you want a reason to live, then follow me," she said, a sinister weight behind her voice. "For there is no purpose greater than mine."《
Thunder roared, rattling Mars' consciousness to the forefront. She opened her eyes slowly, a soft, endless blue meeting her as she came back to her senses. No clouds, no storm.
Just a dream, a part of her said. It was a meek voice, as familiar and unpleasant as the smell of blood. Keeping it locked in the depths of her mind would've been ideal, but it always seemed to resurface during her first moments of consciousness, after waking up. A bad habit, one of many she'd developed.
"Just a dream…"
She repeated the words carefully. Her lips curved up into a weak smile, and a small chuckle escaped from them.
She looked back toward the sea while she finished changing into the dry clothes she'd recently stolen. The waves were calm, barely a crinkle to be seen on the infinite blanket of blue stretching toward the horizon. Lucky, considering all the swimming she'd done to get back to Sinnoh's mainland.
And now here she stood, alone and completely aimless. Her strategy of tracking Shadi through Team Galactic had been a bust, which meant it was time to find other opportunities.
A sinister smile stretched across her face as she turned around, facing the looming shape of Mt Coronet in the horizon. It was a good thing, then, that opportunities were easy to come by for someone like her.
"All right then…" she grunted, letting out a yawn. "…let's throw some chaos at the wall and see what sticks."
Saturn tried his best not to falter under the weight of Cyrus' gaze. He sat still, unnaturally so, as if his body were made of something fragile and the barest movement could shatter it like glass.
The man sat at the opposite end of the table, both elbows resting on top and fingers tightly interlaced. Next to him, Jupiter leaned back in her chair and stared at her nails as if nothing in the world could possibly worry her. Lucky bastard.
"As you know…" Cyrus spoke up, his voice turning the room colder, "…I've called you here to discuss the results of our respective missions. It's important to know where we stand, and what our objectives are as of now."
Saturn shifted uncomfortably in his seat, fingers anxiously playing with each other. He'd expected a punishment right away, but the boss didn't sound angry. Then again, he never did. Maybe he was saving it for the end of the discussion; the thought of having to wait for it was even more unpleasant.
A loud yawn was hear, followed by Jupiter weighing in. "I thought you called all commanders; why the hell isn't Charon here?"
"He was only tangentially related to the events we're here to discuss," Cyrus explained. "Additionally, now that both the disruptor and the Berserk project have been tested, he's been tasked with improving them for next part of our plan. As such, he has no time to waste in meetings like this."
"Oh, but I do!?" She threw her hand up and let out a throaty laugh. "So I guess my work isn't enough for you!? Yeah, let's see you find someone else with two fucking PHDs who'll agree to–"
"Jupiter."
Cyrus spoke her name like a command, and as soon as he did so the room grew quiet. The woman squinted, as if the sound had dug into her chest like a knife, and leaned back into her chair.
It's not like he was jealous, but Saturn definitely wished he had as much of a presence as his boss. To be able to reign in someone as hotheaded as Jupiter by just saying her name…
"Good. Now…" Cyrus set his eyes on her. "I've been told that you not only failed to retrieve Ditto, but you let Mars escape and also lost many grunts in the process. Is this accurate?"
She crossed her arms and looked to the side. "Y-yeah… why are you even asking if you know already? I fucked up, alright? I don't need to be told that."
"I only needed your confirmation. Is it also true that, while escaping, you took in some of the prison inmates who'd been freed due to the destruction and brought them here?"
There was a sharp inhalation, and Saturn's eyes went wide. "You did what!?"
Jupiter almost jumped out of her seat, looking like a kid who'd been caught with her hand on the cookie jar.
"T-the hell are y'all getting mad at me for!?" Her accent got thicker as her voice wavered. "You're the ones who said we don't have enough people to cover our shifts anymore! I just… I told them that I'd get them out of here if they agreed to work for Team Galactic. I thought… it was a good idea, at the time…"
"A good… a good idea!?" Saturn couldn't help it, he slammed his fist on the table and let the volume of his voice rise. "They're criminals! Don't you think having a bunch of convicts join us would justify what people already think of us!?"
She was about to reply when Cyrus raised a hand and, like before, both of them fell silent.
"Saturn, I believe I warned you about keeping your emotions in check. Please, do not yell."
He leaned back, color rising to his cheeks. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he contain himself all of a sudden? Not only had he been a failure during the mission but now he was acting in a way which surely made the boss even more disappointed in him.
"Firstly, I would like to warn you against casting judgment on those our society consider criminals," said Cyrus. "By that alone, wouldn't you say we're the same as them? The only difference is that we haven't been caught yet."
"But… that depends on the crime, doesn't it?" he argued. "What if they're murderers or.." He felt a clump on his throat and couldn't speak anymore, the rest of the options too horrifying to voice aloud.
"A valid concern. Associating with those kinds of people would only hurt our image. Which is why I already checked on their backgrounds and interviewed them personally."
Jupiter's shoulders dropped, and her eyes widened to the point where she looked like a Magikarp out of the water.
"…I beg your fucking pardon?" she whispered, lips turning pale. "Then why the hell did you need to ask me about it!?"
"Did you really interview all of them?" asked Saturn. "In such a short amount of time?"
Their boss took his time rubbing his eyes and lightly yawning before giving a reply. The raspiness of his voice and the bags under his eyes told them he hadn't slept during the past few days, as usual.
"I wanted to see if you'd lie to me to save face. If you'd chosen to do so, I would've assigned the appropriate punishment." The woman's face grew pale. "And yes, I talked to all fourteen of them and determined that they're worthy of joining us. I've assigned them ranks and told them what commander's team they would join. I've told Astrea to update the rosters and give them to you as soon as possible."
The casual way in which he mentioned such an important detail was just like him, but it still shocked them. Everyone who'd managed to spend the barest amount of time around the boss could tell he worked harder than anyone else, and still he'd found time to go through such an arduous process without asking anyone else for help.
He really is amazing, Saturn couldn't help but think, a smile forming on his face.
And yet, that smile was lopsided, slightly more crooked than usual. There was a strange anxiety gnawing at his insides. Most of it he'd been carrying with him ever since what had happened with Ursa, but his words brought even more doubt to him. Having new recruits meant putting a lot of time and effort into getting to know them so he could find the best possible way to lead them. But no, that wasn't the source of all of it.
What had the boss meant by assigning rank? There were only three ranks in Team Galactic; grunts, commanders and the boss himself. Why bother specifying when it was clear all of them would become grunts?
You're thinking too hard about this, he told himself. Stop it.
"Yeah, about that." Jupiter kicked back a bit, placing her legs atop the table. "What are w–"
"Please don't put your feet on the table," Saturn pleaded.
She ignored him. "What are we gonna do about those grunts who used to work for Mars? Did you assign them to other teams or what?" She scratched her cheek. "Give them to Saturn, I don't wanna deal with any more trouble."
He fulminated her with his gaze, but she didn't seem to notice.
"Yes, I've been thinking about that for some time now," said Cyrus. "And yesterday I came up with a solution: I've promoted one of our grunts to the rank of commander. She will lead what used to be Mars' team, and will also incorporate many of our new recruits into it."
"R-really!?" Saturn's eyes brightened. "Who is it? Is it someone from my team?"
"You'll know once you read the roster. I'd like to avoid wasting time unnecessarily when there are still matters left to discuss."
From under the table he grabbed a sheet of paper and began reading it:
"Jupiter, the failure of your mission was at the very least eighty percent your fault, though bringing in those new recruits somewhat makes up for it." The woman's lips stretched into a smug smile, which died when Cyrus spoke again. "However, doing so without asking for permission is foolish at best, and harshly punishable at worst. As such, I've decided to go halfway and simply cut your pay for this month. That should be incentive enough to try harder next time."
The face Jupiter made could've been painted and exhibited as a true work of art. She parted her lips and let out a cacophony of half-formed words and sounds, none of which had any meaning besides the ever-growing tone of indignation behind them.
"That's bullshit!" she finally managed to say, her face turning as red as a Scizor's. "Like hell I'm gonna accept that!"
"Jupiter, calm down!" Saturn made an attempt to stand up, but the sheer anger in the woman's eyes discouraged him from getting closer. "You can't talk that way to–"
She slammed her fist on the table. "Shut up! Why should I get my pay cut just for that!?" She turned to look at Cyrus. "You think I fucked up? At least I didn't lose Uxie like a fucking moron!"
As soon as she said that, the room grew silent and cold. Saturn took his hands to his mouth, staring dumbfounded at what Jupiter had just said. How… how dare she…?
Cyrus' gaze veered up, and both commanders went stiff. Air escaped their lungs as if something had sucked it out.
He then blinked, and the feeling disappeared. A sigh escaped his lips. "A fair rebuttal. It's true that, out of everyone here, my failure was by far the most catastrophic."
The atmosphere returned to normal. Cyrus raised his hand slightly and stared at it, eyes dull and distant.
"However, I am already taking steps to fix my mistakes. You, on the other hand, need incentive. If you find my decision unfair, you're free to quit Team Galactic and head out into the world as a wanted woman."
As harsh and (kind of unfair) as Saturn found the boss' attitude to be, he couldn't deny he enjoyed Jupiter finally getting what she deserved. Not that he hated her, far from it, but a bit of payback was nice once in a while.
"Fucking…whatever." Jupiter's cheeks puffed up as she sat back and crossed her arms. "Tch, to be treated like this… I don't fucking deserve it…"
While she continued to mutter to herself, Cyrus grabbed the sheet of paper once more and continued:
"I shall assign the task of locating both Mars and Uxie later, but for now…" He stared at Saturn. "According to this report, you managed to recover Azelf but were not able to apprehend Ursa nor the documents. Is that right?"
Something hard and heavy formed on his stomach. "Y-yes."
"Is Ursa still alive?"
"I… think so. There was Drapion venom in her blood, but Azelf seemed to take care of most of it."
"I see…" There was a small pause. "That's means we still have a chance to find her. Good job, Saturn."
He couldn't have been more shocked if he'd seen the man smile or tell a joke.
"Finding those papers should be our top priority, closely followed by Mars and Rotom," he continued. "As for Mesprit and Uxie, I will take care of that myself once the time comes. I shall assign your tasks soon, but for now I believe we're done. Head off."
"Wh– wha–" It took him a moment to gather his wits. "E-excuse me sir, but… I don't understand. What… what do you mean by good job?"
A pair of eyebrows were raised his way. "It means what it means. You carried your mission more successfully than any of us," he said. "I thought it merited me commending you. That's all."
"But… I failed half of it," Saturn said, shoulders dropping. "And… and… you said I'd get processed next time I screwed up! I just thought…"
He made a gesture with his hand, words failing him.
"I see… so that's why you've looked so anxious all morning," Cyrus whispered to himself. "To put it bluntly… I was lying."
Saturn made a face like a Meowth grabbed by its tail, half-mumbles escaping his lips. Cyrus sighed, and proceeded to explain:
"You are my right hand, Saturn. I would never risk losing you just because of a few mistakes. My threat was meant to motivate you, and scare Jupiter, into working harder. That's all."
Jupiter set her jaw, eyes narrowing in anger.
"Still… I feel like I could've done a lot better," said Saturn, looking down. "I feel like I deserve some sort of punishment."
Cyrus stroked contemplatively. "I see… with that attitude in mind, perhaps a punishment would help. Very well, come here." He stood up from the chair. "I'll make this quick."
Fear spiked inside him as he heard that, but nonetheless he obeyed. Slowly he approached the man, limbs shaking and shoulders stiff. He reached his side, closed his eyes and waited for it.
And then, without warning, Cyrus reached with his hand toward his face and flicked his ear. Saturn squinted, surprised at first, until the pain flared up and he couldn't help but react.
"A-agh!" He took a step back, "What…?"
"Holy shit," whispered Jupiter.
Cyrus placed both hands behind his back, "There, I assume that will be punishment enough?"
None of them could reply, too stunned by the ridiculousness of the situation. Cyrus seemed to take this as confirmation, and spoke again.
"Good. Now, please head off. I have a meeting soon and I need to get ready for it."
The ride down the elevator was mostly silent, though Saturn couldn't tell whether it was because Jupiter was too angry to speak or simply falling asleep on her feet. Eyelids half-closed, she leaned against the back wall and yawned loudly every few seconds.
"Well… that was a bust," she finally said, voice groggy. "Woke up early for the meeting and this is what I get? No respect, man. No respect at all."
"…It's two in the afternoon."
A movement of her head told him she was either nodding or about to collapse. "Yeah… as I said, early."
His face unconsciously scrunched up as a heavy, acidic smell hit him like a gust of wind. Despite having never tried the substance, he had no problem identifying what it meant.
"Dear god, are you drunk?" His voice went slightly up from surprise. "Did you seriously start drinking right before the meeting?"
She let out a scoff. "Are you kidding me? How much of an idiot do you think I am?" One of her fingers tapped at the side of her forehead. "I drank last night, like I do after every failed mission. Y'know, to cheer myself up."
"You do that after every successful mission as well," he pointed out.
"That's for celebrating," she said. "Anyway, before going to sleep I just hooked an IV to my arm with some saline solution so I wouldn't wake up hung over. Good thing I thought of that, since they only notified me of the meeting a couple hours ago."
"I… what is wrong with you?"
"A good scientist always knows how to save face." She smiled smugly to herself. "Honestly though, I've dealt with worse. This one time I woke up in a trash compactor in the middle of the desert, hungry and hung over as shit, and I still got to work on time. You just need to be creative."
He made sure to roll his eyes only when she started yawning again. "God only knows how much more productive you'd be if you applied that creativity to your work."
The elevator came to a halt, giving him that awful feeling of his stomach and the rest of his body being pulled different ways. Judging by the way Jupiter placed a hand against her mouth, cheeks turning pale, she probably agreed as well. They stepped out and headed for the cafeteria. Not many grunts were around, but they could hear the yells and murmurs of conversations at the end of the hallway.
"Look… if the boss wants me to work harder then he has to pay me more. That's how it works," Jupiter said once her nausea eased.
"We are technically a non-profit organization," he argued. "He pays you as much as he can. Besides, the honor of working toward the next step of humanity should be reward enough for you."
After every word he spoke Jupiter would mimic a mouth opening and closing with her left hand, while rolling her eyes as obviously as possible.
"Wanna believe the nonsense the boss spews? Be my guest, but don't drag me into it," she said. "Personally I think he's full of shit. Not to mention every single person in this damn building is off their damn rocker."
Saturn's expression was downright rancorous; he was having a hard time not raising his voice as he replied.
"How… how can you be so awful?" He shook his head. "Is there nothing you believe in?"
"I believe that there's a tropical island somewhere with my name in it. And once I get enough money I'll be able to buy it along with its inhabitants and live the rest of my days in disgusting, self-indulgent luxury."
The sheer disgust in his face was hard to hide. Luckily Jupiter didn't seem to notice it, too entranced by her own fantasy. She almost tripped on the steps leading toward the cafeteria once they got there.
The room was –like most of the building– almost entirely painted in grey with a few red banners hanging from the walls, displaying Team Galactic's logo. About forty uniframe tables were sprinkled in rows, making out most of the right half of the room. At the other side was the thin wall separating them from the kitchen, with a long counter where the food was served.
While there were fewer grunts than usual (had the new recruits not been called to lunch yet?) Saturn couldn't help but smile at the amount of known faces which met his gaze as he looked over the room. The gloomy atmosphere of the past few weeks had been replaced with a more cheery one as almost everyone smiled, yelled or laughed while eating next to their teammates.
"Ugh… these assholes are so loud," complained Jupiter, placing a hand against her head. "I'll just… get a sandwich or something, maybe yell at a couple of people before going to bed. See ya."
Without another word she headed off. People would cease speaking and stare nervously at the woman as she made her way through the cafeteria. They'd all surely learnt the hard way that you did not bother Jupiter when hung over, especially if you were a mere grunt. Such an act would be akin to suicide.
Saturn shook his head slightly, trying to get the thought off his mind. There were too many of them already and he wasn't in the mood for making room at the moment. Slowly, nervously, he took one step into the cafeteria and looked around. Too many people. He wanted to greet everyone he passed and be friendly, but something heavy and oppressive pulled at his stomach, erasing all excitement and appetite he could've had.
What's… going on? he asked himself, frowning. The boss praised me, he said I did a good job. Shouldn't I be happy?
And yet, he couldn't help but feel like he'd failed, somehow. Met– no, Ursa was still out there, and so were the documents the boss so desperately needed. There was no way he could be satisfied with such a lackluster result…
She's alive.
He could've gone after them once Azelf was trapped in the Master Ball. He still had his Crobat with him, and with his speed it would've been a piece of cake to track Ursa. Then all he'd have to do was take the documents from her and…
Leave her to die.
A terrible shiver traveled all throughout his body. No… even if Ursa had betrayed them, she didn't deserve that… did she? She was just confused, that's all. Those meddlesome emotions of her had led her to believe that what they were doing was horrible, but there was still hope for her. After all, Team Galactic's truth was absolute, right? It was… it was the right thing to do…
No one who truly believed in Cyrus' plans would suffer so much making them come to fruition.
Azelf's words rang in his mind, as loud and all-encompassing as he'd heard them that time. Saturn's fingers unconsciously curled into fists. His eyes stung and his chest burned for some reason. And… why was he feeling lightheaded? He felt as if he were a few inches off from his body, he couldn't concentrate on a single thought, couldn't…
"Hey, Sat!"
He was forcibly taken out of his thoughts. It took him a moment to compose himself; to breathe, blink and do those things normal people did when they weren't assaulted by random panic attacks.
As he turned toward the voice he saw an arm raised high, attached to someone who was definitely waving at him with a smile on his face. Pictor, one of his grunts. He stood out easily amidst the group of six sitting on that table, due to his short stature and rosy cheeks.
"Yo', come sit with us!" He yelled loud enough for the entire cafeteria to hear.
"Saturn's with us, shithead!" a blonde girl yelled from a nearby table. "Don't go hogging him just 'cause he's popular now!"
"You guys get him all the time!"
"Yeah well maybe there's a reason for that!"
Out of nowhere a piece of bread the size of a fist flied through the air, barely missing a grunt's face and smashing into their plate. The trajectory made it seem like it came from one of the tables reserved for Jupiter's team. A theory which was confirmed as a girl rose from it and started yelling.
"Shut the hell up you blue bastards! We're trying to eat over here!" Her tone was much more aggressive than those around her. "You wanna kiss your leader's ass, do it on your own time!"
"You're just mad 'cause Team Jupiter sucks ass!" Pictor yelled back, earning a few of cheers from his teammates. "Come on guys, let's show'em who owns the place! Team Saturn! Team Saturn! Team Saturn!"
Soon the entire room was nothing but a loud, wall shaking cacophony of screams and cheers. Those from his team hollered while pounding on the table with their fists, while the members of Team Jupiter either tried to drown them out by screaming their team's name harder or simply settled with thrown pieces of bread.
Saturn looked down, and despite the sigh which escaped his lips he couldn't help but smile. His friends… his family… it'd been such a long time since he'd seen them cause a ruckus so enthusiastically. He figured he had the boss to thank for that; the speech he gave in Celestic had finally garnered Team Galactic the attention they deserved. Their fight was no longer seemingly in vain; they were at last being taken seriously.
Indeed… it was all because of him…
"All right everyone, settle down!" He forced himself to take a step forward, trying to ignore the thought. "This isn't a competition!"
He shifted awkwardly toward the nearby tables, trying to calm down the ruckus while smiling back to those who greeted him. All around people congratulated him on his successful mission and tried to invite him to their table, but he declined politely, telling them he was feeling quite drained and would prefer to have a peaceful lunch by himself.
He grabbed a tray with steak and mashed potatoes while his gaze moved all throughout the room, looking for a good place to sit. It didn't take him long for something to catch his eye; at the furthermost table on the left there were only two grunts, their bodies almost obscured by the shadow of the pillar next to the wall. They sat in silence, heads and shoulders down. Even from afar, Saturn could feel the gloomy atmosphere they exuded.
Pyxis and Orion barely looked up at him as he sat next to them. Their plates were mostly full. Her fork tinkled against the wood of the table as she moved it anxiously, while the man's gaze was set on a small tablet displaying some words Saturn couldn't quite read.
"G-greetings," he muttered, forming a nervous smile. "Is… everything all right?"
It was the wrong question to ask, that much was made obvious by the look they gave him. He almost stood up and fled right there, but he knew it wasn't the right thing to do.
"No. It's not… it's not freaking all right." Pyxis' face scrunched up, her fork furiously stabbing the pasta in front of her. "What do you want me to say, huh?"
Saturn leaned back. "I… if there's anything I can do…"
"Drop it," she snarled. "If I wanted to talk to you I'd say so. You don't gotta pretend you care."
Orion's arm traveled the length of the table, his hand falling on top of hers. The gesture was quick and almost unconscious, as if he'd done it a million times before.
"Pyx." He spoke her name softly. "He's just trying to help."
And I am so incredibly bad at it, a part of Saturn's mind spoke up. Couldn't really argue with that. Two of his most loyal grunts had recently lost one of their closest friends and he couldn't even console them. What a commander he was.
Pyxis looked to the side, rubbing her eyelids with one of her sleeves. "Y-yeah, I know. I'm sorry." She lost control of her voice for a moment, and when she spoke again there was fire in her words. "It's not your fault, it's… it's her fault. That damn bitch's fault…"
The sudden and unexpected curse made him flinch, though for once he was willing to let it slide. Proper or not, if there was a time to let out curse words it was probably to refer to the person who had killed one of your friends.
"I don't get it, she's just… she's just another stupid trainer," she said. "And now everyone outside is treating her… like a hero or something. If they knew what she did…"
"They'll know soon enough," Saturn assured her. "Now that everyone heard the boss' speech, people are gonna start thinking differently." He tried his best to hide just how unsure of his own words he was. "We'll topple this trainer-centric society and build our new world on top of it, I promise."
Pyxis swallowed down whatever was stuck in her throat, and sent a weak smile his way. A sliver of hope shone in her eyes.
"Speaking of that…"
Orion tapped the screen of the tablet absentmindedly, "I was just reading about it. News about the Celestic attack and the prison break finally started circulating." He slid the device across the table so Saturn could reach it. "The Association held some kinda conference, and the people are not happy."
Curiosity tingling through his skin like electricity, he bent down slightly and started reading the article:
The Association's response to Celestic's tragedy: Practical or just insensitive?
Following the horrific events of the past Sunday, all Sinnohans have been wondering what kind of statement the Association would air. It is well known that their response to the Veilstone incident a couple weeks ago has been perceived by the public as lackluster and irresponsible. In the brink of what many assume is a new wave of terrorism, how are our protectors supposed to keep us safe?
Last night, Elite Four member and Association Chief Manager Lucian Dusk agreed to hold a press conference in one of the League buildings residing within the Lily of the Valley island. Both terrorist attacks were discussed at length, and while no detailed explanation of what their plan of action is was given to the public, Lucian assured that every ounce of the Association's power and influence would be used to combat Team Galactic.
'It would be foolish to talk in detail about how we plan to deal with this particular terrorist cell,' the man explained after a question from a reporter. 'After all, what would we gain from telling our enemy the means by which we intend to destroy them? Even then, I can promise the good people of Sinnoh that neither I nor the rest of the League will rest until those criminals are brought to justice.'
One of our reporters asked what would this mean for the League challenge itself. Would the Gym leaders be too busy to accept challengers now? What of the Elite Four and the Champion? This is the reply we got:
'There is no need to suspend the League Challenge nor any kind of trainer activity in the region. While the Gym leaders will help in our investigation, they have been specifically tasked with becoming the protectors of the towns and cities they watch over. Their Gyms will remain open, and while their leaders might be slightly busier than usual, challengers are still welcome. As for the Elite Four, the rarity in which we receive challengers and the short duration of the battles we partake in means it won't be necessary to change our modus operandi.'
To that, someone asked if the Champion herself would be part of this modus operandi as well. Was this unflinching attitude due to her own personal ideas, many of which had been voiced by her during the Festival of Spirit, just before the terrorist attack? What of her stance that all Sinnohans had a responsibility to fight Team Galactic, did that mean there was no point to the Association at all?
'I assure you, the Champion is doing all she can to solve this problem. And in the extremely rare event that a trainer does defeat all four of us, I'm sure she'll be more than delighted to accept a battle from them.' After saying this, he stayed silent for a few seconds before continuing. 'As for your other question, I would appreciate it if you didn't twist the Champion's words. She did not say the citizens themselves should fight Team Galactic, she only spoke of combating their ideology. We will take care of everything else.'
He was then asked if he agreed with the Champion's speech during the festival:
'Whether I agree or not is inconsequential. We live in a land of free thinking. As long as we both try our best to protect our nation, I see no harm in holding dissenting ideologies.'
Our reporter asked if he thought the same of what the leader of Team Galactic had said during his own speech. In that case, what would stop people from believing his statements about the Veilstone attack being pre-arranged by the government?
'It pains me that I even have to take the time to answer such a question. As… let's say bold, as that man's claim was, those with even the barest hints of a working brain will realize that he provided no evidence for such a conspiracy. Moreover, whether any of his criticisms of the Association are accurate or not, his right to voice them disappeared the moment he dared attack innocent civilians. That is all I have to say on the matter.'
Despite further questioning, he refused to comment on topics such as the Champion's current whereabouts or the two young trainers who are rumored to have helped her defeat Team Galactic's leader. Inyssa Dawn and Barry Paladino –both of whom have earned notoriety thanks to their previous fights against the terrorist cell– are currently residing in Celestic's main hospital, slowly recovering from their various wounds. All attempts to interview them have failed due to the boy's parents (Sarah Paladino and Tower Tycoon Palmer) having forbid any reporter from meeting with them.
Much unrest has followed the official press conference. Almost from night to morning, all of Sinnoh seems cut down the middle on this particular issue. Many of those associated with the profession of Pokemon training condemn Team Galactic's actions and ideologies, while a large amount of civilians confess that at least part of what their leader said during his speech rang true.
Indeed, if one were to pay attention to the region's economic growth following the end of the war, it becomes clear what part of the issue is. A massive growth in GDP which goes hand in hand with a decrease in per capita income paints a very vivid picture of the state in which the Association and trainers in general have left the region.
Following the press conference, a few people have–
The sound of his Pokétch going off almost made him jump. Startled out of his curiosity regarding the article, Saturn looked down at his wrist and saw the Message button flashing red.
"Ugh… hold on a second."
Huffing in frustration, he pressed the button. The message had been sent by one of his grunts, and it said:
There's a situation in the lounge. There might be trouble. We need your help.
It seemed hazily written, but that wasn't the problem. Alarmed, Saturn stood up and looked toward the hallway at the other side of the room, which led straight to the lounge.
"Sorry, I have to go," he formed an apologetic smile. "We'll talk about that article more later if you want."
And with that he headed off, a strange anxiety gnawing at his senses.
A commotion was waiting for Saturn as he entered the lounge. A simple look at the group of people stationed in the middle of the room and he understood there was trouble. The way they stood close to each other, the raised shoulders and knit eyebrows, the volume of their voices; it was like the first drop of rain before a storm.
Standing up straight, he approached the twelve-some grunts and spoke as clearly as he could:
"What's going on here?"
He did his best to endure all their gazes as they turned toward him. About half of them were wholly unfamiliar, which meant most if not all the inmates rescued by Jupiter had to be in the group. Somehow, he could tell. Their faces were more weathered, and their eyes lacked the brightful youth which most grunts carried with them.
They were hesitant for a moment. Judging. Wondering how much authority he had, if they could get away with airing their anger at him instead of whatever had been their previous target. But before they could reach a decision, someone spoke from within their inner circle:
"Your clothes," a woman's voice said. "You're a commander, right?"
Even though no one was talking he still had trouble picking up her voice, due to how soft-spoken she was, not to mention the clear boredom in her tone. As old and new grunts alike made space, he could finally see her.
Plain was the best way he could've described her. At first glance she didn't look very old, though the lines on her face said otherwise. The Galactic uniform she wore fit loosely, and even though Saturn was the shortest commander she still only reached to his chin. Her black hair was shaven, over which she wore a black woolen beanie.
Her eyelids were partly closed, as if she were about to fall asleep. If she was unsettled by the amount of angry people surrounding her –most of which probably weighed twice as much as her– she did not show it in the slightest
"Yes… I am commander Saturn." As he said that, he could feel the others tensing up around him. "I heard the commotion from the other room. Is there a problem here?"
A moment of confusion, and then everyone started talking at once. Loudly, uncoordinated. It made him flinch, made his anxiety spike, but he knew he couldn't show any sign of weakness to them.
"She's tryna tell us what to do!" A burly man with a three o'clock shadow spoke first
"–ittle bitch think she can order us ar–"
"She's just a brat!"
"–hell does she think she is!?"
A bunch of screeching Mankey, that's what they reminded Saturn of. He tried his best to hide his distaste for the foul way in which they expressed themselves, and raised a hand to silence them.
"All right, let's all calm down here. There is no need for the use of profanities." His words managed to ease some of the tension in the air, but not much. "Now, what is this about being ordered around?" He addressed the woman. "Would you mind explaining?"
She stared for a beat before nodding, her lips parting lazily as she replied.
"A pleasure, my name is Asta. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk," she said. "To be honest, I don't understand what's happening either. I told them to gather here and listen closely while I established a line of command, but they didn't seem to take the suggestion very well."
From under his breath, another girl spoke. "You told us to obey everything you said."
"I thought it'd make the process faster for all of us," said Asta. "Say, do any of you know how to organize large groups of people? I do, which is why I asked for your attention and obedience."
Somehow Saturn didn't look the most confused out of everyone around her, and he'd just arrived to the scene. He could feel the tension of the room rising again. That burly guy and a couple others were forming fists, frustration clear in their expressions. He had to act fast.
He cleared his throat. "Uh… Asta, was it? I don't mean to be rude, but I think you might be confused as to how we operate here." He tried to sound as gentle and approachable as possible. "I applaud your initiative, and it's nice to see a new recruit so eager to do work, but I'm afraid only commanders have the authority to give out orders."
There was a pause, in which a few of the grunts smiled smugly to themselves and chuckled at Asta's apparent obliviousness. The woman simply stared at Saturn as if she were looking past him, and replied after a few blinks.
"…Yes. I already know that." She dragged her words, a tinge of irritation in her voice. "I'm… not seeing the problem here."
"What… what do you mean you don't see the problem?" Saturn's smile crooked a bit. "I'm telling you that grunts can't order other grunts around. The only ones who can do that…"
"Are commanders," she finished his sentence. "Which… I am. Therefore, I can order them as much as I want."
A cold shiver ran down Saturn's back. "I… w-what?"
"You're rather slow on the uptake, aren't you?" she whispered. "Here, maybe this'll help jog your brain."
With as casually as a flick of a hand could be, she pulled up the sleeve on her right hand and lifted it to meet his eyes. Around her wrist was tied a familiar device; the Pokétch's screen was turned off and at first glance there didn't seem to be anything strange about it. That is, until he took notice of the dark color of the carcass and the extra button at the side of the screen.
His eyes went wide. It was one of the modified versions Charon had created; with it one could track down the location of every single grunt whether they were in or out of the facility, not to mention they also worked as a makeshift Pokédex. However, only commanders had the privilege of possessing such a device.
He then noticed a detail which had escaped him until then. While half the people around him were new recruits, the other half were all the remaining members of Mars' team. If they were all gathered together… but no, there was no way. The boss wouldn't… would he?
"There has to be some sort of mistake," he said, a hint of desperation in his voice. "You're… you're a new recruit, you can't be a commander!"
"That's what I've been saying!" From the crowd yelled a familiar girl, one of Mars' previous lackeys. "She probably stole it or something. She's a criminal, ain't she!?"
Asta sighed as she let her arm fall. "I'm offended you would accuse me of that. Trust me, I'm plenty honest when it comes to my criminal behavior." She raised a finger as to get everyone's attention, and Saturn unconsciously felt the need to shut up and listen. "It's a pain, but I'll explain what happened so you all can stop yelling at me.
"Truth is, when I got drafted and saw what kind of jobs the rest of the grunts had, I decided it wasn't really for me. I went to the boss' office and, after explaining myself, he agreed to let me be the new commander." She stopped for a moment, out of breath. "That's… pretty much it."
So absurd were her claims, Saturn could barely process what she was saying. Luckily, the tall girl who'd spoken before aired his complaints for him:
"That's bullshit!" She stomped her foot on the ground, earning a couple mumbles of approval from the people around her. "You can't visit the boss whenever you want; there's always guards in front of his door and we're not allowed to meet him!"
He nodded unconsciously. "Y-yes, that's true. Not only that, but the idea of a new recruit becoming a commander right away is… absurd!" He could feel the heat rising to his face. "Your claim doesn't make any sense, Asta."
What could compel her to lie like that? Saturn asked himself. And why did she look so sure of herself?
"Say…" She spoke, and the room fell silent. "... My predecesor, Mars..." There was a glint of something, perhaps anger or nostalgia as she said that. "If I'm not mistaken, she specialized in stealth, espionage and assassination." Her gaze went up to meet his. "How I entered the boss' office without anyone noticing… Why he agreed to give me her position… I'll trust you to put two and two together, since you're the same rank as me."
Her implication was not lost on Saturn, though the mere idea seemed so… ridiculous. Did she really expect him to believe that someone as small and unassuming as her had similar skills to Mars? Judging by what happened next, he was not the only one who thought so:
"Oh shut up!" The tall, burly man stepped forward, anger clear in his scarred face. "You're just a fucking twerp! Like hell I'm gonna let you boss me 'round!"
Asta nodded absentmindedly. "Hm… if this is the sort of brains I'm working with, my job might be more difficult than I thought."
"I told you to shut up!"
The man closed the distance between them, and before Saturn could intervene he grabbed Asta by the wrist. Pain flashed through her eyes for a moment, which only served to make him smile.
"I'm the one talking now, and you're gonna stand here and listen," he said, eyebrows knit tightly together. "Got it, sweetheart?"
The rest of the grunts laughed and whistled; a couple even began to clap at the man's violent behavior. Saturn could feel the air grow denser, and an entirely different kind of heat spreading through his limbs. Grabbing her arm like that, talking down to her… he was obviously trying to put himself above her, he'd seen such tactics a million times. Most of them, he bitterly remembered, were aimed at him.
However, just when he was about to intervene, Asta spoke.
"You might want to let go of me. For your own good."
Her voice hit them like a hammer to the face. In a second, all the laughter and smiles vanished completely, leaving the room silent. The man grabbing her hesitated, his smile dying on his lips. For a second it seemed he was about to obey, but whatever idiotic pride burnt inside his chest apparently convinced him to do the opposite.
"I–I told you to shut up!" he hollered, fingers closing with even more strength around her wrist. "Who do you think you are to boss me–!"
It was the work of an instant. There was no time to react, no time to even blink. Saturn's eyes barely caught the afterimage of something rising from the man's shadow, and then the outline of his body began to glow.
Invisible strings tugged at his back, and the next second he became a blur. He was thrown across the room like a bullet, his body crashing violently against the nearest wall.
The impact reverberated all throughout the room and up Saturn's body, making him shiver. The pink-ish energy surrounding the man kept him pinned against the wall for a moment; after which he crumpled like a house of cards. His limbs lay limply on the ground, right arm bent backwards in an unnatural way.
Only then did the creature who'd just appeared lowered its arm, the glow surrounding its body dissipating into the air like smoke. It looked to the side and met Asta's gaze. The woman nodded, her lips forming a miniscule smile.
No one spoke. It was as if the air in the room had been sucked up by a vacuum. Too shocked, to scared to even try and take a step back from the horrifying Pokemon now standing amidst them. Saturn's legs began to shake; every cell in his body told him to run, to get away from the creature as fast as humanly possible, but he was completely frozen. He could do little but stare at its huge, blood-red eyes, which seemed just as bored as those of its trainer.
Another similarity it shared with her was its weak, brittle appearance. Its torso was so thin one could easily wrap both hands around it, and its arms looked as frail as twigs. Most of its lower body was covered in a white, flowing gown, the folds of which moved as if a gust of wind were caressing them. Its green hair curled down the middle of its face and down at the sides of its head, perfectly framing the shape of its eyes, the underside of which were a dark grey, as if the creature hadn't slept in a long time.
The rational part of Saturn's brain forced itself to notice all those things, in a vain attempt to keep the rest of him from panicking. However, the moment he looked down at its chest, the endeavor became fruitless. A red, triangular stake was stabbed through where the Pokemon's heart should've been, its sharp end jutting out menacingly toward him.
He almost had a heart attack as a sudden, beeping sound came out of his own Pokétch. An electronic voice came to life from within the device, booming all throughout the room:
"Gardevoir: The Embrace Pokemon – Psychic/Fairy Type. Unlike most Psychic types, its powers manifest not through its mind but through the red stake jutting out of its chest and back, which happens to be Gardevoir's heart. While difficult to train, those who manage to form a bond with this Pokemon will find themselves protected from all harm. The moment it senses that its trainer is in danger it will unleash the full might of its psychokinetic abilities, allowing it to create powerful illusions and even bend space itself."
Saturn clung to every word, thankful for any kind of distraction from having to acknowledge the creature in front of him. Unfortunately, it didn't last long. As soon as the voice died the room was plunged into silence once more. That is, until Asta decided to speak:
"Thank you, Saturn." She placed a hand on her chest, sending a polite smile his way. "You saved me the trouble of having to explain it myself. This right here is Sabrina, my dear companion. She's been with me ever since I was a kid, and is also the reason I've earned my… reputation, so to speak."
The smallest hints of pride flashed across her eyes. For a moment no one spoke, the room so silent that everyone could tell when someone amidst them parted her lips to speak. It was the tall girl who'd insulted Asta a few minutes ago:
"Wai–wait… I know you." Her eyes were wide with shock, sweat falling down her forehead. "I heard of you… back in the war…"
Her voice seemed to bring everyone back to reality. The shuffling of feet was heard as most grunts took steps back, while others (the older ones) narrowed their eyes, realization dawning on them soon after.
"Y-yeah! Me too!" said a pudgy man with a few grey hairs on his head. "Wasn't it… some woman with a… Pokemon like that, who led a bunch of mercenaries during the war? They called her… uh..."
"Asta, the pale devil."
She spoke her own title with pride, lips curling into a barely noticeable smile.
"Strangely enough, I was hired by the government back then. They gave me plenty of targets and money for taking them out, at least until the new Champion rose to power and decided that my services… were no longer necessary." A bitter smile formed on her lips. "She took Sabrina away from me and decided to lock me up, even though I was only doing my job. Funny how the system works. Though… thanks to Team Galactic, we are reunited once again."
Without looking she stretched her arm and placed a hand on the Pokemon's shoulders, whose eyes narrowed slightly in appreciation. Saturn would've considered the gesture heartwarming, were it not for what he'd seen that thing do.
His gaze moved toward the other side of the room where that man still lay on the floor, not quite unconscious but clearly unable to move much, a low grunt of pain escaping his lips. Asta noticed him staring:
"Don't worry, he'll be fine. A broken arm has never killed anybody," she said. "I needed a way to clearly establish my authority, and he happened to serve as a perfect example."
Saturn gulped, his voice coming out fractured. "E-example?"
She took a step forward, staring up at everyone around her. Very few were able to meet her gaze.
"I'm a commander. I can't have those under me not respect me," she stated. "For all of your sakes, I hope that demonstration was enough to show why you should do what I say, when I say so. If anyone here is not convinced yet, I'd be happy to find a different way to change your mind." She crossed her arms tightly. "But that won't be necessary… will it?"
Her tone made it clear it was a rhetorical question, one that she expected everyone to have the same answer to. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the grunts around her began to lower their heads, lips pursed in resignation. Their expression was gloom, but familiar. It was the same Saturn had seen in all those who used to follow Mars.
"Good. Looks like we're all in agreement." She relaxed her posture and breathed in. "Now, I think I'll have myself some lunch while I think of a good way to schedule our team's objectives. All of you stay put until I contact you again."
Her gaze moved toward Saturn, whose shoulders stiffened as if they were made of stone. "Would you like to accompany me? You look like the type who enjoys a good tripe hot pot, which is what I'm craving at the moment." Her smile was small, but cheerful. "I would also like to ask some questions about the facility, if that's okay with you."
For what felt like an eternity, he couldn't answer. Something blocked his throat, something hard and cold and heavy. The Gardevoir's eyes were still set on him, sharp like needles, sending the clear message to everyone in the room that whoever dared defy her trainer would suffer the same fate as the wounded man at the other side of the room.
"Th-this…" his voice came out like a whisper. "This is not… the boss would never…"
Asta raised an eyebrow, tilting her head to the side. He felt as if she could stare directly into his mind.
"You're unusually naïve and good-natured for a commander…" A strange sort of curiosity was reflected in her eyes. "How interesting."
As if that explained everything, she shrugged and began to walk away. The Gardevoir followed closely, her feet not touching the ground as her gown flowed behind her.
"If you have complaints about my promotion, you to voice them to Cyrus," he heard her say, her back turned to him. "And after that, feel free to join me for lunch. If you haven't eaten yet, that is."
Saturn could only watch as she exited the room, leaving a group of confused and incredibly frightened people behind.
Strie d'argent was not only the sound a Glameow would make while choking on its own hairball, but also Sinnoh's most luxurious and, dare she say, éblouissant theater and opera house, located in the middle of Hearthome, like a snooty jewel atop the head of a snooty crown. Not that she had anything against places like this. It's just that, considering how little Roark paid her to be his secretary, never in her wildest dream did she think she'd come here, and to watch an opera of all things.
She glanced to the side, eyebrows knit, glaring suspiciously at the woman who'd invited her. This… Shadi was good looking, she had to admit, but she couldn't have been more suspicious if she'd tried. And it was clear she had tried. That black, bellowing cloak of hers, those eerily lightless green eyes, that scar in her neck and that mysterious missing arm… Some would say 'Don't look a gift Ponyta in the mouth', but seeing as one of Sinnoh's most famous myths involved a giant wooden Ponyta and betrayal, she found the saying about as stupid as 'Don't look a gift arrow in the heel'.
Still, it beat eating cold pizza and watching art restoration videos all night.
The main singer for the show threw her hand up in the air, eyes closed, and finished the aria with a long, crystal-clear lament, her voice so sharp and strong it could probably break glass. She finished with a bow, the stage lights going off just a second after. Gentle applause filled the theater, and while her 'partner' couldn't quite follow suit, she did lean back on her seat and let out a glad sigh.
"This first half was a bit lacking in theatrics, maybe, but that voice of hers is like a dagger to the heart. In a good way, of course," said Shadi. "Don't you agree, Mint?"
Mint made a so-so gesture with her head. "It was... something alright. Not really my cup of tea, but I guess variety's the spice of life." She shot Shadi a side-glance, arms folded. "I'm more impressed that you could afford the tickets. Don't get me wrong, but you don't look like a woman of means."
"Oh, I am a woman of many means, just not the usual kinds," grinned Shadi, her eyes flashing ominously. "In all honesty, getting whatever you want in life is more easy than one would think. All you need is to know where to apply the right pressure, if you catch my drift."
"So… you stole them."
"I…" Shadi's smile turned into pursed lips. "Yes. Yes, I did steal them."
Far from being angry or uncomfortable, Mint simply raised one eyebrow slightly and whistled appreciatively.
"Nice," she whispered. "These fuckers have it coming if you ask me. That's what they get for never having the performances recorded and selling the tickets for an arm and a leg. Bunch of greedy fucks."
Shadi looked surprised, but she recovered quickly, once again drawing that smile of hers.
"It's a shame, yes," she whispered. "But if everything were free, then it wouldn't be quite as fun to… take it for yourself. Especially when you're not meant to."
Not only did her voice seem to deepen unnaturally at that last sentence, but Mint could have sworn the black of her cloak shifted slightly, as though it were made of woven shadows.
She simply raised an eyebrow. "You know... you phrased that like a real asshole, but I kinda know what you mean."
Shadi's expression froze again. She wasn't quite getting the reactions she'd been hoping for, which could only mean that she had to… step it up a notch.
She chuckled to herself, looking down toward the stage, where the second act was just about to begin. An idea took form in her mind. Mint made for quite the charming company, yes, but what fun was there if she didn't spook her a little bit at least? As such…
"I have to wonder, though…" she said. "If this show couldn't use a bit more... spicing up. I'd be mortified if I didn't show my date the most interesting time possible, after all."
"I was really hoping you'd say 'good' instead of interesting," muttered Mint. "What do you mean, though?"
The giddiness in Shadi's face was hard to miss as she finally got Mint to take the bait. Subtly, a smile on her face, she turned to look at the girl and, just at the right moment, made her eyes flash that faded, icy blue as the shadows around her thickened, pooling around them.
"Oh, I'd be more than happy to show you."
And at that, Shadi stood up and raised her hand, thumb pressed against her middle finger. There was a snap, and the stage below fell into absolute darkness. Deep, thick shadows seemed to fall from the ceiling downwards like some sort of liquid, and Shadi's shadow itself stretched in all directions like they were strings, attaching themselves to something behind the red curtains.
Mint's eyes went slightly wide, but judging by the lack of reaction from the rest of the audience, they couldn't see the shadows like she could.
"...Huh."
"Now, how about I show you a real spectacle?" said Shadi, her voice soft yet booming with power. "Let us begin our little Aria of the Abyss."
Lights illuminated the stage once more as the singer emerged, but they were… wrong. Askew, uncanny, as though it were only a pale imitation brought about by the absence of shadow instead of by the presence of light. As the singer took a step forward and threw her hand up, her voice came out… different. It was still that sharp, beautiful falsetto they'd heard before, but this time it was laced with something else. A booming that dulled the senses. It made the song sound more like a lullaby than an aria.
Stranger than that, however, was the way the woman moved. Erratically, jolting everywhere like she was being moved by strings. Not to mention her eyes were closed the entire time. And as if that weren't creepy enough, as she was moved about like a puppet, dancing and gesticulating alongside the rhythm of the song, something else happened. Thing, sharp-fingered limbs of darkness emerged from the ground around her. Some of them pushed her up when it looked like she were about to fall. Others grabbed her limbs and tried to pull her down before she freed herself and continued the song.
Then, almost at the end, a few dozen of them erupted in a ring around the woman, grabbing onto every part of her and covering it entirely in shadows. She was engulfed for a few seconds, and then the shadows poofed into smoke. The smoke thickened, solidifying into a substance half between gas and solid which now formed the singer's new dress, black as obsidian. After that, when she resumed her song, it was deeper, more melancholic. Like a lament for someone who had passed.
And all throughout, the audience was loving it. They probably thought these were some amazing special effects, and considering that both Shadi and Mint were in the highest spot in the theater, no one could see her partner standing up, moving her one arm like she were moving a baton, directing the entire thing.
When the end finally came, the singer smiled, eyes still closed, and bowed in a manner that was very uncanny and robotic before exiting the stage, eliciting much applause from the audience.
"Ah… now that should do it."
Shadi's eyes returned to normal. She looked all around the audience, clearly enjoying the praise, and with a proud 'Hmph' she sat down again and let out a pleasured sigh. Then, trying to quell her excitement, she turned to look at Mint again, an expectant smile on her face.
It didn't take long to drop. Mint didn't look spooked in the slightest. As a matter of fact, she was leaning back on her seat, smoking a cigarette, nodding appreciatively at the stage below.
"A… are you smoking?" asked Shadi, her voice thin. "In a theater? I… don't think you're allowed to do that."
Mint shot her a glance that seemed to say 'Are you for real right now?'
"Hey, you invited. You can deal with the consequences if I'm caught," she shrugged. "Anyway… that was a pretty neat trick. And you're right, it did spice up the show a lot."
"O-oh… thank you?"
Shadi looked like a Magikarp out of water, and as soon as that almost imperceptible smug smile formed on Mint's lips, she realized she'd been had. All her attempts had been for nothing.
"Don't feel bad," said the girl. "Your thing's cool and all, but before I was Roark's secretary I worked at retail since I was fifteen. You could bite a baby's head off and I wouldn't bat an eye."
"...I see."
Mint noticed the disappointed look on Shadi's face and rolled her eyes. Still…
"Like I said, it was fun. And hey, it's not like I have anything else to do for the rest of the night," she said, taking a drag of her cigarette and shooting Shadi a meaningful glance. "Wanna come over to my apartment after this?"
As much as she tried to stop it from happening, a slight blush did inevitably form on Shadi's cheeks.
"That… sounds nice, yes."
