POV: Angela

I went through my… plan again. It was quite simple really, recreate a similar situation to Malkuth's and quickly deal with the root problem.

Then it just… didn't happen? Nothing seemed to have gone wrong, Zele served as the right bait to make Trigger pour out his repressed feelings, or that is how it should have worked. What could have been different?

The Manager took an action that I didn't expect. Others before him weren't so flexible on their decisions, always craving for some kind of control over any situation. This one… does not.

And even then, Trigger quickly went from angry to vicious. The way he has been tearing into the Fairy Festival, which was slowly mutating into a more monstrous form, and looking like green monsters filled with claws and sharp teeth. The Queen was now a giant monster.

It didn't help, Trigger simply bulldozed through their new, more dangerous forms that would force a threat reassessment on that Abnormality.

I kept going through what happened, but nothing seemed different from the formula. They lash out, something disastrous happens, then he'd open up after he vented. Isn't that how it worked with Malkuth?

What did I miss? I looked at Trigger, who was still tearing the fairies without any hint of pity or shame. In fact, his expression… was wrong. If I had to make a comparison, it would be like that of the Little Red Riding Hooded Mercenary, a pit of completely focused rage.

I do not like that.

I do not like this.

What did I do wrong?

"Angela, explain. NOW!"

Malkuth? I glanced once at the Manager and decided to not raise my voice, at least not here. I rose from my seat and left the office.

"There was a bit of a complication, the Manager seems to have acted differen-"

"Wrong, explain what YOU did. Amelia came all the way to my floor, just as… Zele suddenly goes and ignores one of the rules of an Abnormality she has worked quite a bit. And unsurprisingly enough, she couldn't tell because of how high she was. What. Did. You. Do?"

I felt my hands balled into fists, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not going to say anything, I want to hear it from you. Bethany isn't taking it well… I don't think she expected this."

…

"Silence now? What happened to the AI that bra… just venting out with you will fix nothing. Since you aren't going to admit to anything, I'll just give out my opinion and hope you get it."

I don't like this.

I do not… LIKE THIS.

"I think… a girl that only knew hate, is confusing it for love. Make of that what you will."

She suddenly left communications. For a brief moment, I thought about calling back and giving her what she deserved.

And… just decided not to, choosing to ponder her last words. I had decided to do things the way I have always had, an efficient way and quick way.

…

The one created to torture the Sephirah into performing a Meltdown. The one that my creator formed to turn me into an unwilling witness. The one that… I grew to hate.

What other choice could I have made… if I didn't know any other way?

It's not something that I ever had to think about. It's a bit silly now that I think about it, how can you be kind?

I remember the times I tried before, just to be met with instant failure and simply ending up where I started thanks to the TT2 Protocol. There was no compromise.

And that became my new normal, so when an issue is presented to me... I just went with what I always had.

How was I meant to live, if I only knew how to hate? ...I'm not even sure of my own feelings regarding Trigger and Bethany, but what I'm sure of is… I do not like what I did.

…

"I'm… sorry." It was a quick call, an apology to two people. The one that is clouded in anger and the one whose trust I betrayed.

I have duties to attend to… and someone to meet after work is done.

POV change: Bethany

I'm not sure what kind of expression I was making, and that's fine. I couldn't see it after all.

But my chest felt constricted, like someone had decided to inflate my lungs with air until they blew up. It was an unbearable feeling.

A feeling that I didn't want to associate with Angela... you can expect it in The City and even say you shouldn't bother with it.

And in the end? It could be right to ignore such things, easier even. Betrayal wasn't something foreign to me, but experiencing it from someone you trust is a complete different experience.

"I'm… sorry."

I perked up, the pressure lessening slightly, "Angela?" I asked on reflex, but got no response back.

I didn't want to believe Trigger was out there losing his mind because of her, of all people. But Malkuth had made it pretty clear who did it, she told me herself a moment ago.

"Beth, I know the situation isn't ideal, but I need you with me here. Take a deep breath… and let it out."

Did Malkuth not heard Angela? Well… private messages aren't that uncommon.

Inhale…

"And out."

Exhale…

"In."

Inhale…

"And out."

Exhale…

I feel… lighter.

"Good… that worked better than expected. We can't do a lot with the Manager telling us to NOT do anything, so we better try and speed things up. The closer we get to the Quota, the quicker we can deal with… this whole mess."

Nodding to myself, I glanced to my left, seeing Ryn staring at me with focused eyes, "I almost thought for a moment you were going to lose it." She said lazily, but I could feel her weariness.

I huffed to myself, "I think that would have been better." I said with a sad smile. If I were just out of it… then I wouldn't be able to think clearly.

Why did you do this, Angela?

Shaking my head, I slowly moved towards the chamber of the Knight of Despair. I didn't really have to ignore my orders, and Yesod at least was mindful enough to not… berate me from spacing out.

What I received when I entered the chamber was a kneeling woman, like she was praying for something, "I see… you know of his pain too." It was easy to forget that this Abnormality could read souls.

Not that she needed it, my expression spoke volumes, "I'm more surprised you do." Then again… every day here, it feels less and less like a prison for Abnormalities.

"It's hard to forget the pit a former comrade fell through, I can only hope he doesn't either." I felt my blood turn cold.

…

I kneeled next to her, "Did you… ever found out how to help?" I asked, unsure where she saw someone go the deep end. But… maybe she knows of something.

After a moment of silence, she answered, "Desires are a dangerous thing, have you ever really thought of what he wants?" I furrowed my brows and thought about it for a moment.

"If the situation is similar, then he may not be dying… but does he really live if he is only seen as a 'Symbol'?" Her words bothered me, what does she mean by this?

She hummed for a moment, "I do not call him Companion lightly. It is what he longs for, the company of others. Yet… why does he look for it?" She wondered out loud, looking incredibly depressed.

Not that I was any better. Maybe… just asking could help?

Yeah, everyone is trying to act so skittish about everything, but no one has been trying to talk… perhaps we have all been overthinking things?

… Can't hurt to try. Just have to hope he makes it through again, just one more time.

I stood next to the 'Knight', simply hoping it would all work out. If not… then I'll have to make it work.

POV change: Trigger

How many times have I done this? Doesn't matter, I'll keep going and eventually… they will fear. The fairies are now monsters, longing for flesh, predators.

Hah.

Didn't last that long, no matter what they tried, I just kept going. Until they could no longer move their bodies, until I was satisfied.

Eventually it would all be worth it. I glanced at one corner of the chamber, a fairy... one had moved away from the rest and simply sat there doing nothing, watching me in wonder.

I approached it, seeing as I had to yet again wait for the Queen and her other followers to come back from death… may as well kill some time.

"I'm… sorry."

…

What? I blinked as I heard those words from the comms, Angela said that as if this had been her-

"Huh… Angela giving direct orders? That's new."

No… that's ridiculous. She may seem a bit off, but Angela wouldn't do that for no reason, right?

I looked around the red chamber for a moment, before simply sighing and walking out of it. I felt… something land on my shoulder and I took a glance at whatever it was, that fairy was staring at me in what seemed like reverence.

For a split second, I wondered if crushing it would make me feel better, before dismissing it. That… whole thing didn't help me before. Hell, I feel even worse than when I saw Zele getting eaten.

Looking down at the floor, I saw her body there, a person that I didn't even know… yet I still felt like I could have done something more. The fairy looked at Zele's body then back at me, before simply… looking away from her.

Weird.

"Done with your tantrum?" I moved my head slightly to see Tiffany, now with her own smoking pipe, looking at me with an unimpressed frown.

I thought about telling her to shove it… just to notice just how little I cared, "Guess I am now." I muttered and something flashed in her eyes.

Understanding. She simply leaned against a wall and started smoking her pipe like tomorrow wouldn't come.

…

A small group of butterflies put my own pipe in my mouth, which I started smoking too without shame. There was comprehension between me and Tiffany.

Misery loves company.

"Life's a bitch. We all get those days, where not waking up may just be for the best. I have those all the time." Her comment should have made me angry, but I was too busy feeling like shit to care.

"I wish you were wrong." I mumble tiredly.

She let out a plume of smoke and her smile was simply miserable, "I fucking do too".

We waited there. The fairy on my shoulder, the druggy that probably hated today as much as I do, and me the dumbass that doesn't know what he wants anymore.

How long was I in there anyway? ...And why do I suddenly feel like sharing any form of ecstasy with people?

"We marched from time to time, and we would share our pleasure."

THE HARMONY OF SKIN

I felt a sigh leave my lips at the same time Tiffany did, we both glanced to our left and saw a… scorpion-flesh-clown. Guess that answers both questions.

"Can't even be miserable in peace anymore…" I half-growled while getting up. My gauntlet glowing gold, butterflies putting Solemn Penitence in my left hand, and the fairy on my shoulder pumped her small fists for some damn reason.

Tiffany sneered while preparing her black Naginata while kicking off the wall, "I hear you…" We were in a pretty bad mood, if it wasn't obvious.

And that thing looks like fantastic stress relief.