Brad stood frozen in place, his hands and the lit end of his cigarette trembling in the dark.

~Sshh.~ Came a whisper into his mind. The silhouette of a green-eyed Organoid was obvious in the moonlight.

Brad had stepped out for the cool night air and to calm down. Not this.

He glanced in through the sliding glass door. Though the man's mind drew a complete blank about what to do personally, his chest tightened with the knowledge Naomi was nearby, asleep, vulnerable.

~Lad, ye'd both be dead if I were here to cause harm.~

Brad looked back. An unfamiliar voice and feel. Not the Fury. Not Zero. Apparently, yet another of these things decided to exist.

"Doesn't really make me feel better."

~Ah mean… I've been watchin' ye both for a bit now.~ The Organoid raised both brows mentally, implying more than a casual voyeurism. ~Thought I'd introduce myself.~

Brad just stared, going for an unsteady drag on the cigarette. The two studied each other through the curls of exhaled smoke.

~Name's Ambient. Yours?~

There was silence as Brad debated whether to engage or not.

"Brad."

~...isn't that the human word for'a wee lil' nail?~

Brad slow-blinked. "What do you want?"

~Ah, t'talk. And maybe your help.~

"Don't do charity." Brad looked away and pointedly glared into the distance. "And I really don't know where all you fucking things keep coming from. But go back there. I want quiet."

Ambient dimmed its optics and proceeded to stand silently for several minutes. Brad calmed down after the span, flicked his spent cigarette to the concrete, and immediately went for another. He continued to fixedly stare at the distant city lights, as if ignoring the seven-foot-tall creature on the patio might make it stop existing.

~They hurt ye, didn't they?~

Blue eyes irritably snapped back to the Organoid.

With the vaguest of reminders he was seized by pain he'd been desperately trying to block out. It came just as fresh and raw as when One first sunk its fangs in. There was nothing to bandage, no wound to tend. Just a searing pain and a sickening knowledge that a beast had wolfed down part of him, and he wasn't getting it back.

Brad glared at Ambient, furious that these things could simply glimpse everything - things he worked hard to keep hidden. He just wanted to forget what all had happened, and pretend things were okay. Maybe, then, they eventually would be. "Fuck off. You don't know anything."

Ambient met his glare directly. ~Och. I know a lot more than ye do.~

"Fuck. Off."

The Organoid sighed. ~If ye donnae wish t'talk, that's fine. Can ye at least help me out? Then uh'll be on my way.~

A long exhale. "What help?"

~Ah've a bit of a wound I cannae properly see to.~

Brad eyed the creature. Cracks, scuffs, gouges - damage of all kinds marred its body, visible to him even in the dark. Its asymmetrical head pointed to the loss of half a brow ridge, at least. "A bit of a wound? You look like you fucked a blender."

~Eh.~

Brad flinched at the sharp, soft hiss of the Organoid's paneling disengaging. Ambient parted its chest panels just enough to allow a slight view. ~That stuff's nae matter. These parts, though...~

This Organoid's hollow innards looked somewhat like One's. The basic idea was the same, but this creature looked even worse inside than it did externally. A thick, unhealthy-looking bronze mucus was congealed variously throughout it. Silver blood collected on the lower edges of the split paneling, and began to freckle the concrete.

The creature motioned with a claw, and Brad saw where the blood originated from. The remains of a relatively large-caliber bullet were lodged in the back of its chest, surrounded by more filmy bronze mess.

Pointed out, the related piercing damage in its armor was plain to see as well. As Brad looked over what was presented, he noticed a lot of small pockmarks and holes - damage from gunshots, countless smaller guns. This thing had been shot at. A lot.

~Ah'd really appreciate it. It stings and I cannae get at it.~

"Who's been shooting at you?"

~Ah, y'know. People who donnae like me on their porches.~

Brad sighed, stared in thoughtful silence for a moment, then went inside.

Shooting at the damn thing didn't seem like a bad idea, apartment complex aside. Naomi owned many firearms and he had two of his own: he briefly debated if any of them had the potential to take this creature out. Or at least dissuade its presence sufficiently to outweigh the issues with using that kind of force here.

...but it hadn't really done anything. Except show up.

He reached no real conclusion, becoming aware again of the dull ache in his head and chest. If it was the Fury who'd showed up wanting his help… what would he do?

Several tense minutes later he returned with a multitool.

Ambient regarded him carefully.

"Lie down. And stay quiet."

Ambient was slow and hesitant to comply, but did. It watched Brad closely.

With several more minutes of considerable effort Brad removed the bullet, stealing quick glances to keep an eye on the Organoid the entire time. Ambient gave a grunt of relief, and immediately snapped shut when Brad's hands were clear, righting and quickly stepping back.

However fleeting, the vulnerability caught Brad's attention. He stared at the creature's bright green optics, and felt a deep, deep twinge.

These things could feel vulnerable.

~Of coo'urse we can, idiot.~ In one smooth motion the Organoid whirled, slamming its tail into the man and pinning him against the patio wall with a thump . Brad felt the cold pressure of the creature's bladed tail on his bare abdomen. ~How'd ye feel if it was your belly open t'the wolves, eh?~

"Brad. Don't move."

Both Brad and Ambient glanced to see a very, very angry-looking Naomi pointing a pistol at the Organoid's face.

Ambient sighed.

~Y'see what I mean about the guns?~

Naomi couldn't hear Ambient protesting and kept the gun trained on him. Brad could hear the Organoid, but was busily trying to remind Naomi it was probably a bad idea to fire guns in an apartment. Ambient kept insisting that it wasn't actually going to do anything, and all three were trying to be as quiet as possible as they stumbled their way off the porch and back into the bedroom.

Brad quickly shut the sliding door and closed the thick curtain, whipping back to the group. He slapped a light on.

Naomi scowled. "What part of 'don't move' did you not understand, Brad?"

"Naomi. I think it's okay."

"Bullshit. This thing was at the Blitz Base. Everyone lost their minds. Is it dangerous?"

"I don't think s-" Brad parsed the first part after a second and squinted at Ambient. "Were you?"

Ambient picked the man's brain and came up with the association, the Liger Zero. ~Ahh. Yes. Yes.~

"Why?"

~Uhh…~

Naomi looked between the two impatiently, but lowered the gun. "Please don't tell me this is like that shit with Bit and the Liger. Does this thing talk or whatever too?"

"Do you want the answer you just explicitly asked me not to give you, or…?"

"Goddamnit." Naomi returned to the bed and shoved the pistol back in the nightstand. Brad hadn't realized she kept one in the nightstand, and stared at this.

~She's feisty. And looked like she fucks real nice. Good choice'a mate.~

Brad cut his eyes at the Organoid. "I don't think I asked your opinion."

~Well you're gettin' it. Let's be pals.~

"I helped you. One time." Brad held up a finger for emphasis. "I didn't say we're pals."

There wasn't quite the same feeling as with the Liger or Berserk Fury. But that distinct heaviness, a desire, was there. Less strong, it was possible to quash and he could really do without all of this. Brad sat on the edge of the bed and made a dismissive motion.

Ambient just stared, unblinking.

Naomi was burying her face in a pillow in an attempt to cancel reality, but lightly kicked Brad in the side. "You sound crazy."

He screwed up his face and looked at her for a second before realizing what she meant: half of a conversation out loud. "Oh. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Make it go away!"

Brad looked back at Ambient and shrugged. "You heard her. Scram."

Ambient audibly sighed and vanished from the room.

But it was still somewhere nearby. Brad could feel the Organoid watching him, even as he lay back down beside Naomi, who'd glanced to verify that the creature was gone. Brad loosely put his arms around her, and she relaxed into him. There were several minutes of reassuring silence, during which Naomi went back to sleep.

Despite knowing Ambient was still around, Brad didn't feel particularly threatened by it. He closed his eyes and started to drift off too.

~So? What d'ye say? Pals?~