Angela wordlessly opened the door to the Manager's office, and I found Yesod standing there on the left side of the office, simply staring at the vague direction of the door, but quickly focused on me. The Manager, with his fingers interlocked, looking both aggravated and pensive at the same time.
I walked forward and stopped in the middle of the room, I took notice that Malkuth had taken my side towards my left while keeping her focus on Angela and the Manager. Angela didn't care about that since she calmly closed the door and took her position right next to the Manager, her eyes fully open only because she was slightly behind him, she still would rarely open them around him...
"This conversation is being broadcasted to all Sephirah in the facility, they aren't ready to meet the Manager yet, but this was a situation that requires everyone's attention. I will also relay all important questions that they may have." She announced, which seemed to be the go ahead to start the... let's call it disaster, from my perspective at least.
Yesod was the one to take the initiative, "Moments before the confrontation with the Knight of Despair, you seemed to have suffered from great mental stress that even hampered your capabilities as a combatant. Moments later, after getting over it, the... 'fusion' had manifested. Do you believe it had something to do with your actions?" Because of course he had to point out I'm crazy in his eyes.
I didn't get the chance to speak, Malkuth did so first, "I doubt that, if simply resisting high-mental stress was the condition, many more employees would have achieved a similar result, of course compatibility must have something to do with it since he had two E.G.O weapons on him without suffering any mental deterioration." Damn, if the situation wasn't so tense, I would have given her a thumbs up. Yesod's eye met Malkuth's, and he glanced away from her.
"What exactly determines compatibility with abnormalities or E.G.O? I know there are requirements between their rank, but this is new to me." Commented the Manager with a small frown on his face.
Angela took it upon herself to answer this question, "It was a minor concern, since it was always advised to the employees to NOT listen to the urges of E.G.O, it is highly possible his emotions resonated with the ones Trigger was using." Good, if they make this go in that direction, it would be chalked up as an accident and nothing more... Instead of something I have been doing very willingly.
Yesod of course took note of this, but before he could speak, I decided to not let him have any ground in the conversation, "Before you mention it, do you really think Angela would have let me in here if I was affected by the E.G.O that badly?" Yesod grunted but didn't retort, I sure as hell won't let him get the chance if I'm around.
"Indeed, Tiphereth has raised a valid point, and wishes to know how you managed to deal with the Abnormalities differently than others do." Angela suddenly brought the little kids up, and I forced back down a sigh, it wasn't the time to feel sad.
I thought about the question for a second, I don't know how to avoid it... so I guess the truth would have to do, "I try to sympathize, weird as it sounds they seem to like being the center of attention and bringing up their problems or quirks seems to help a lot with that." Everyone at that point gave me stares filled with disbelief and a bit of amusement from the manager.
"That is simply inconceivable, they all have a set way of being no matter what you do. Abnormalities would follow their selfish desires without question, what you are saying is words without fact." I gave him a smirk that may have been TOO smug, but damn it, he is asking for it.
"Right after the scuffle with the Knight, her whole demeanor had changed, you are the one that pointed that change to begin with. It is small but noticeable, unless you want to call it a one in a million chance which I doubt you will, it happened." Yesod wasn't about to show that my words affected him, but I think my grasp of his character is good enough to KNOW he didn't like it.
The Manager of course had to dampen the mood, "Having only neutral results hampers what we are here for, energy. I don't care if it's possible when it would only make our job harder." I wasn't about to take that one lying down.
"Bring that up when you have it in you, to actually meet the abnormality." Well, that wasn't my best moment of self-control.
Angela hid her amusement very well... while Yesod made his disdain very well known, "And you show, yet again, your disregard for the rules without consideration of your surroundings and the consequences they can bring." I glanced at him once and sighed.
"You talk as if the rules made things any better, or the stupid things we are told like 'go meet the abnormality that can dismember you alone' or how could I forget 'have the Manager just be there and let Angela actually do the work' it's not like he can do what she can't." I mentally flinched at my words, I had gone too far with that one.
"I agree, there is a room filled with how little they worked as proof." I glanced at Malkuth with wide eyes... well, maybe I didn't go too far.
"Please, let's not derail the conversation, and I mean this for everyone." I have a feeling the other Sephirah also went a little over the edge. I glanced once at Yesod and the Manager, neither looking happy at all, and I wasn't either.
"That is a weird request, but still on topic, Binah is interested... in what you felt when the fusion happened." I rose a brow at the pause in Angela's words, it felt like she was taking her time deciphering something, which is weird to think about.
It was also a strangely on point question... Binah sounds like someone that knows how to choose her words, "I was afraid, of what I was doing but decided there was no point of worrying about that, I do or I don't. Putting your mind in the consequences will just make choices harder, is that satisfying enough?" I asked, not wanting to go into more details.
Angela nodded once, so that's a win in my book...
"Can I take a closer look at the fusion?" The sudden question from the Manager had me wary, but I walked towards his desk and put Solemn Penitence there. He stared at it for a moment and slowly reached for the weapon, once in his hand he flinched and dropped it on the desk, his eyes unfocused.
I reacted quickly enough to keep him from falling off his chair, "Woah there, what happened?" I asked, confused by his reaction. I expected E.G.O erosion, not whatever that was.
Angela, seeing as nothing major happened, kept her calm demeanor, although I took note that she noticed his reaction before me, yet didn't decide to act...
The Manager waved me off and adjusted himself on his seat while I took back my weapon, "I... I'm not sure, but I have a feeling that thing consciously rejected me." I rose a brow, that sounds like the greatest locking mechanism ever.
"Well... if it is really something born from his emotions and the E.G.O connecting, then it would make some sense it would only respond normally to Trigger's emotions." Malkuth theorized while I hummed in agreement, that makes enough sense for me.
Yesod took the stage again and this time hid his animosity, "While no concrete evidence is shown, with Trigger's words and a few facts... we have painted a coherent picture. The fusion could be born from the emotions of the user and the E.G.O aligning with one another without any clear repercussions. I would like to have more information, but this seems to be the best conclusion we have." Wait, if you can summarize this well, why are all the folders with information on Abnormalities so long?
Angela caught everyone's attention again with a suggestion, "Chesed believes that handing Trigger more E.G.O gear would help clear the subject more, and I agree with this. Geburah... agrees with this notion." Why do I feel like she really changed whatever Geburah said?
"She also has a question of her own... which I'll pass along due to her insistence, what makes you think Abnormalities are people?" I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes.
I thought about the question for a moment... "Because I can, I lose nothing by trying to see past what's shown to me, unless she'd wish for everyone to just throwing down with them and get nothing in return, then that's her way, I have mine." If Angela's smirk that vanished as if it was a ghost is anything to go by... Geburah must not be okay with what I said.
"While that seems... foolhardy, there doesn't seem to be many options to follow the avenue, so I'll agree with it." Yesod actually agreeing with something that benefits me? I don't believe it.
Malkuth eagerly agreed too, "He has yet to show any problems with the new E.G.O, it should work out!" Malkuth... you are my favorite Sephirah by default now.
Angela glanced at the Manager, her eyes closed, "What is your decision Manager?" Ah yes, even if he is... basically a figurehead, he still has the final say.
That makes no sense.
After a moment of consideration... and throwing one glare at me, he nodded, "I see no reason to refuse this, is there anything else we need to do" I had a feeling Angela wanted to say no but glanced at me once.
"There is one last inquiry, this one from Hokma, he wishes to know how you entered L Corp." My eyes narrowed dangerously, that question... it's almost like whoever asked knew of my circumstances.
So I simply refused to answer, "I thought we had to stay on topic, I doubt this is connected to what this whole debacle was all about." I said to Angela with a straight face, who in return simply nodded.
Fuck... Hokma.
"Then this is settled, you can all return to your posts now." Announced the Manager, I gave him a small nod and left with Malkuth. I took note of Yesod staying behind... probably because he didn't want to take the elevator with me.
I sighed once we left the office, "Well... that was intense." I commented, drawing a giggle from Malkuth.
"Maybe you should have calmed down a little bit." I wanted to refute, but she is right, I went as hard as they did.
I opened the elevator and let Malkuth in first before following after her, once the door closed I grimaced, "Who is Hokma? That question... troubles me." Malkuth paused for a moment.
And she answered, "He is... a man that will be against us no matter what, because we are against 'A'. As for that question... why does it trouble you?" I wondered for a moment if I should answer, but she told me her whole past life... I would feel bad if I didn't show the same amount of trust.
"Because I don't know how I ended up here." I said with a frown.
"That's... weird, I know many of the employees were contracted beforehand and dragged here with us." I nodded at her words, still frowning.
"Rober doesn't know how he ended up here either, but he has a card saying he was contracted... is that how you got all the employees here?" I had the feeling Malkuth didn't know that much about this either.
"I'm not sure, I don't even know who was the one that contracted people..." Well, that's quite the mystery...
Guess I should worry about what I know for now, "What now? Things are bound to escalate from here." I commented with seriousness.
Malkuth hummed for a moment, "We prepare, Gonzales mentioned you will be training them... I'm guessing in what you found about E.G.O?" Well, I now know Gonzales has loose lips.
"I would have wished to tell you that myself." I commented with a small smile.
Malkuth huffed slightly while... I think she was puffing out her nonexistent chest, "This is fine too! I cleaned... that room a while ago, it has no cameras and it's close enough to Control for me to keep an eye out for you guys while you train them." My smiled dimmed when I heard that, I guess getting rid of the bodies would happen at some point.
But a chance is a chance, I shouldn't just ignore it, "Thanks... I'll take them there when that happens." The door of the elevator opened and I walked out first while staring at Malkuth for a moment.
"Come on, let's go and hang out with them for a moment, I want to let out the stress from my body." I do feel like calming down after today's events.
"Sure...! Also, that E.G.O gift looks better than expected on your face." She commented, and I smiled brightly while touching right below my right eye, where the Knight of Despair had given me her E.G.O gift, a black tear tattoo.
Well... I guess things are moving forward, hopefully for the best.