Common Denominator - Epilogue 1: Actions Have Consequences
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice?" Agent snarled, angrily walking towards Archangel. "Answer me!"
"I didn't have a choice," Archangel coughed, staggering back as she pulled up a hand to wipe her mouth.
"Like hell you didn't!" Agent shouted, slamming her fist square into Archangel's face. Archangel crashed backwards onto the ground, curling up on her side as she covered her face in pain.
"That was some stunt you pulled off back there," Agent hissed, deftly tossing Archangel's arm aside with kick, sending her sprawling square onto her back. "Diverting resources to help humans, and in collaboration with Griffin no less. You do understand what you've done was tantamount to treason, right?"
"You don't understand," Archangel uttered in reply, looking up through loose hair at Agent towering above her. "I had to do it."
"Why?" Agent demanded, planting a metal-clad foot square on top of Archangel's chest, digging her heel against the thin fabric of Archangel's flight suit. "You better have a good excuse for all this."
"I-, it was essentially for morale," Archangel gasped, her hands clasped onto Agent's leg. "You know how it is; the SQ dolls work differently from you OGAS-users. I have to make concessions like these to keep them in line. That's all!"
"I have been overlooking these concessions for a long time now," Agent narrowed her eyes, "But lately I have seriously been questioning whether it is even worth it."
"What does that mean?" Archangel pleaded, "You know how much of an asset the MTF is! Sangvis Ferri wouldn't have survived in the months after the Butterfly incident had it not been for us!"
"What I know, is how much of a liability the MTF is," Agent shot back, "You were useful in the past, but now we are in the present. What would happen if one day you were unable to control your precious Task Force? Or even, what would happen if one day, I couldn't control you?"
"Oh, come on, Agent" Archangel begged, "You know that won't happen! Are we not all family here at SF?"
"Definitely not," Agent coldly replied, pressing harder onto Archangel's chest. "You are all pawns in the Mastermind's grand plan. To her—and me, by extension—your value is dictated only by your ability to further said plan. Or have you forgotten?"
"I know, I know," Archangel sighed, "But I'm just saying, I know what the boundaries are at the end of the day, so you don't need to worry about that, seriously!"
"I sure hope so, but understand that you're on thin ice, Archangel," Agent growled, lifting her foot as she turned around and walked away, leaving a frightened Archangel in her wake. "I trust that this will be the last time you and I have this conversation."
An exhausted Gager walked down the hallway of one of Sangvis Ferri's strongholds. Having spent an entire day analysing data from one of the outposts, Gager rubbed her eyes as she waited for the heavy metal door to the lounge to slide open.
"Hi, Archangel," Gager muttered to a ringleader sitting at a table, unaware of what just transpired in the room minutes ago.
Archangel lifted her head from her arms resting on the table, giving a dejected grunt in reply.
"Someone's not happy today," Gager noted as she plopped down onto an old couch in front of Archangel, reaching for the wall-mounted charging cable behind her. "Who caught you this time?"
"Oh come on," Archangel pouted, lifting her head slightly from her arms to look her fellow ringleader in the eye. "Stop making me sound like some sort of child who's just done something wrong."
"I know you well enough to know you probably did something stupid again," Gager absentmindedly said as she plugged the cable into her upper spine, "Come on now, out with it."
"I don't wanna talk about it," Archangel grumbled.
"Suit yourself," Gager replied as she closed her eyes, "We're gonna all find out sooner or later though, so you might as well take the chance to spin the story your way."
"What if I told you that I was out drinking with one of Griffin's Commanders?" Archangel asked after a while.
"I would pat you on the back for your courage, then slap your face for being a dumbass," Gager snorted, "If that's how you're trying to set the tone, you must've really gone off the deep end this time, huh?"
"Well…" Archangel began before stopping.
"Come on, I won't bite," Gager prodded, "It's just the two of us, you can tell me."
"I had the Mobile Task Force work with Griffin to save a village from collapse fluid and UXO," Archangel blurted out after some hesitation, "There, satisfied?"
"You what?" Gager asked in exasperation, opening her eyes to stare at Archangel. "Please tell me this is another joke."
"It isn't," Archangel muttered, "And I'm not apologising for what I've done."
"For goodness's sake, what the hell are we even supposed to do with you…" Gager sighed, putting a hand to her face. "You're crazy, you know that? Even crazier than Dreamer and Alchemist combined."
"Figured as much," Archangel rolled her eyes.
"I'm serious! I'm worried about you, Archangel," Gager chastised, "You gotta stop with all these antics, do you want everyone to hate you?"
"They already do!" Archangel complained.
"What are you talking about?" Gager asked, "No we don't. Not all of us, at least."
"Agent sure seems to," Archangel retorted.
"Well, that's just how Agent is; you shouldn't think too much of it," Gager sighed, "But still, you'd be getting less flak from her is you'd just tone down on all the stuff you do, you know?"
"That's easy for you to say," Archangel shook her head, "I don't know if I can let myself do that."
"Yeah, well ain't that half the problem," Gager muttered.
"Look, I don't want to drag you into my own shit," Archangel told Gager, "I'll be fine, probably, so…"
"That's not the issue, I want to help you, Archangel," Gager replied, "Out of all the weird people we have here, I like you."
"Is that so?" Archangel pondered, "Might be a mistake, though."
"You're a woman of principle, and I respect that," Gager explained, "You and I are not so different, you know?"
"Now where have I heard that before?" Archangel mumbled.
"I'm serious," Gager replied, "I don't mean to bring back painful memories, but I was devastated when we lost Architect, just like how you must've felt after the Butterfly incident."
Archangel looked at Gager in silence.
"For a period of time, I actually considered leaving Sangvis Ferri altogether; there simply seemed to be nothing left for me there," Gager revealed, "When that happened, I had to make a tough decision."
"A decision?" Archangel asked.
"The way I saw it, I could either let my regret overpower me, or I could rise up with renewed strength and resolve," Gager continued, "I eventually realised that if I left, then everything I had done would've been for nothing. I failed to protect Architect, Sangvis Ferri was the only thing I had left."
"Are you asking me to forget about the past?" Archangel asked.
"No," Gager replied, "Not a day passes where I don't think about Architect, and what I could've done differently to save her. I'm sure you've have similar thoughts."
"I suppose I have," Archangel agreed.
"But we can't let the past imprison ourselves," Gager implored, "We have to be able to rise above it and fight for what we can still influence, fight for our future."
"I know, but it's just… It's hard sometimes, you know?" Archangel muttered, "I feel so lost sometimes."
"I understand that," Gager replied, "But you don't have to shoulder your burden alone. You are Sangvis Ferri as much as the rest of us, and similarly, we are closer to you than you think. Don't be afraid to be Sangvis."
"Yeah, well…" Archangel began before stopping.
"Even if the others look down upon you, I'll always be here for you," Gager nodded with a faint smile, "That's because I see you for what you truly are: A loyal, intelligent, and virtuous person."
"Thanks, I guess," Archangel smiled in return, "Sorry to have caused you this trouble."
"I wouldn't be bothering with you if I didn't believe you could learn and grow," Gager said, patting Archangel on the back. "But you really need to learn to pick which hills to die on."
"And which hills are those?" Archangel asked.
"Look, I'm not here to tell you what to believe in," Gager responded, "If I did, would that be truly what you desire?"
"If only it were so," Archangel smiled.
"You're a smart girl, Archangel. I know you will be able to find the answer to that question in due time," Gager said, "Just remember, we are not your enemy."