(A/N: Can't even keep my word to myself, a little bit short of 2k words FUUUUUUUUUUUUU- I'm over it... probably)
Amelia: POV
I wasn't exactly feeling it today, not only because my new team has only ONE barely functional person while the others are drugged off their asses, making me and Jeremy clean up their damn puke, but because Trigger has been acting… off.
Kinda hard to miss, considering the haunted expression he wore after killing the worms. Well, more specifically, he made that expression after making eye contact with me.
It has been going on for a while. Bethany had asked me to keep an eye on him, something that Malkuth agreed with... it was quite the weird conversation that came suddenly.
But when I started paying attention… Trigger really didn't feel like a person, or at least not the first few days.
There wasn't really any time to ponder it, considering how much ridiculous shit he did every single day, but perhaps that was the point. If he gave us no time to react, we wouldn't be able to tell, or that's what Malkuth and Bethany think.
He felt less like a person and more like a character trait, said trait being 'overbearingly nice'. Even if he had his sass, his usual default emotion was cheery.
Then he met the 'Knight' and… suddenly he grew up. Not physically, but he acted more mature and nervous around people, like he was afraid of something but couldn't bring himself to avoid us. One could say his 'trait' matured into something else.
I'd really wish those two hadn't roped me into this, but one is literally the highest authority aside from the Manager and Angela, and the other is someone I actually respect.
.
.
.
.
I gave Malkuth and Bethany an arched brow while inside the 'E.G.O Training Room' I was still waiting for my damn turn…
Bethany was the first to speak, "Well, thank you for coming here, Amelia." I really didn't want to make this last too long. I have no idea if the Sephirah of Safety was a hard ass… and I'm not about to risk it.
Malkuth seemed to notice how hurried I was, "Don't worry… Netzach couldn't care less how long it takes you to go there." That's… not reassuring.
"Just tell me why I'm here for." At my words, Malkuth and Bethany exchanged concerned stares, the Sephirah turning back to me with a sigh… does sighing even do anything for a metal box?
"Don't you think Trigger is a bit… off?" The question made me pause. Thinking about it for a moment, the guy was always a bit weird, but his heart is in the right place… or probably a bit too right.
Then again, he has been more stressed than usual. I'm still not sure what happened to him, but Bethany talked about how this Abnormality called 'The Knight of Despair' seemed to have a change on him.
"He does seem a bit more… mature? Not in a good way, but not in a bad way either." I gave my response with a shrug. Now I have a decent idea of what they want of me, I wasn't so keen in leaving.
Bethany nodded, "We think this all has been intentional on his part. At times, it feels like he uses shock factor so that people don't notice how he feels." I took a moment to take that in. That would… make so much sense.
But that begs the question, "Why should WE pry, then? If he doesn't want to talk about it, then he won't talk about it." He seems like a pretty stubborn guy.
Malkuth gave me a flat stare, "Would any of us be here if he followed that line of thinking?" I sighed the moment the Sephirah said that. It felt like it just killed any argument I could bring up.
Fuck it, "Alright, alright… I'll keep an eye on him." I grumbled at them, feeling just a tiny bit guilt-tripped into this.
Bethany noticed this, of course. She got good at reading emotions… something she said to have picked up while talking with Angela.
"Sorry, we are just worried."
"And that's not reassuring to hear at all."
.
.
.
.
And now, here I am… cleaning vomit and keeping an eye on a guy that at some point seemed unbreakable. What has my life come to?
"To all Employees, please leave any Main Rooms and stay on the corridors for the next hour, and do it quickly"
The Manager's order made me blink. He sounded stressed, and a bit scared, but I glanced at Jeremy, who shrugged in response.
"Orders are orders, I guess." Jeremy said with a sigh, while grabbing Tiffany like she was a princess… drenched in green vomit.
I on the other hand grabbed Zele like she was a sack of potatoes, I'm not putting any effort on this. She groaned, and I was tempted to hit her in the head. The only thing keeping me from doing so was the fear that it would make her vomit again.
We both moved towards the door, and it suddenly opened, Trigger had a… displeased expression on his face, "Now he gives a shit…" He mumbled to himself, and I was surprised by his hostility.
It wasn't a secret he didn't like the Manager, I didn't know it was THIS bad.
"Well, it's nice and cozy in this damp green… hallway. Make yourselves at home." His mouth was still clinging to that pipe. He only had the thing for a few hours, and he already knew how to use it without hands.
Which I had to point out, "Weren't you bitching with me about these guys doing drugs?" I knew it was an E.G.O gift, I just didn't know he would actually be smoking with it.
He paused and put his free left hand in his pocket, a plume of transparent smoke leaving the side of his mouth, "I'm not emptying my vowels, which is all I need." That was… I narrowed my eyes at his attitude.
Trigger WASN'T dismissive. It was weird for him to not worry about stuff, but suddenly he seemed both more lax and… angry?
It was an emotion I had A LOT of experience with. So I noted that in between the whiff of his pipe, there was a slight twitch or spasm of restrained frustration.
"So… do you two have any idea of why the Manager ordered us to leave our safest rooms?" Jeremy asked, he was leaning Tiffany against a wall.
I huffed and dropped Zele against a wall myself, fuck that girl.
Trigger didn't answer at all, his gaze focused on the door of the Main Room, like he was waiting for something to happen.
"You should probably take that as a no." I commented to Jeremy, who threw me a confused brow when he saw Trigger's lack of response.
I made myself comfortable and stole a couple of glances at Trigger, who had most of his focus on the door, the rest of it was probably used to keep smoking from his pipe. Yeah… Malkuth and Bethany will want to know about this.
Jeremy sighed and leaned against the wall, keeping his sights on Tiffany like she could just choke on her vomit…
I threw one glance at Zele and kicked her off, flipping her body so that her face would end up looking at the ceiling. That should prevent a pathetic death.
Suddenly, Trigger's face scrunched in confusion and frustration, like he heard something he didn't like, and that's when I heard the steps. I looked at my left quickly and saw a… if I had to call it anything, it would be a Sephirah on crack.
A mechanical golem, the gray armored being was twice my size with a gun on its left hand and a chainsaw on the right, the single glowing red eye of the robot made it seem more menacing. Its armor was thick, so it wasn't going to be a quick fight.
Trigger, seemingly out of anger, called his butterflies and threw his red shield from the E.G.O suit from Punishing Bird at it, transforming into four big jaws midair. The machine reacted quickly with its gun arm and opened rapid continuous fire, removing two jaws from it.
The rest reached the machine and clamped on its chainsaw arm, and completely removed it with easy. The now broken shield fell to the ground along with the metal arm.
I was about to take action, but Trigger had already shortened the distance between him and the golem. His gauntlet arm reared back, it was shinning with a golden fire like aura, and with an expression of pure frustration on his face, he threw his punch.
The arc of light that accompanied said punch was a pretty sight, and the golem's top half shattering into pieces upon impact. The whole interaction must have taken seconds.
Jeremy blinked twice and gave Trigger a thumbs up, "Well… damn. Good work, Trigger." Suddenly he perked up. When he heard those words, a small weight from his back seemed to vanish.
He slumped slightly again and shook his head, "Uh… yeah, I'm going to go help Information. Seems like one spawned there too." At his words, he started sprinting down the hallway with amazing speed.
My eyes narrowed, and I got up, "What can I work here? We can't really stop producing energy." Jeremy should be able to handle these two… messes on the floor.
"With your current gear, Fairy Festival is the safest choice"
Was that… Netzach?
Jeremy sighed, "It's just a thing he does. Sometimes when the situation calls for it, Netzach does try to do his job, although he doesn't care if you ignore his orders." I'm… starting to feel bad for Jeremy.
I started to make my way towards the Fairy Festival's chamber, keeping my thoughts going and trying to organize what I was going to tell Malkuth and Bethany.
Trigger ISN'T alright, no way, after how he acted. Not that I have any idea why he is like this, but it has something to do with his 'hero' complex.
Not a lot but not little, maybe Malkuth and Bethany can come up with something more clear, cause I sure as hell have no idea, what exactly is wrong with him.
Except that it isn't good, at all.
Once in front of the chamber, I took a deep breath and pushed my… concerns aside for now. If I go deal with an Abnormality with my head in the clouds, I could die, even if this one is a ZAYIN.
…
It was easier when I could just make it like I didn't care. Goddamn it.
I entered the chamber with a bag of fresh meat that was in the cart, time to get to work.