The day was over, and slowly, but surely I made my way towards Safety. He was most likely still there...

I looked at my shaky hands and closed them into a fist. Someone grabbed my shoulder, I glanced back to see Dakota, "You are going to meet him?" At the blunt question, I had to blink twice in confusion.

Rober walked into my view behind Dakota with a grumble, "No, she is going to the restaurant to order a pizza." Dakota threw one elbow back without looking, which Rober blocked with his forearm with no reaction.

Nodding at them, I glanced to my right to see… a teary Gonzales, "Uh… our Leader is… so…" Uh, yeah.

Amelia sighed at my right, when did she get here? "Leave him be. Do you have a plan?" Giving a small shrug in response, I felt her judging gaze on me.

"BONG! Bong." BongBong pumped her fist at me cutely. At least someone supports me openly...

I huffed, "Well… I'm going to meet him, and just… ask what's wrong." All of them just kinda… stared at me.

"Then be careful." Dakota said with narrowed eyes and a grave expression.

Everyone except for Rober and Amelia looked at her in surprise, but I quickly got what she meant. In the past few days, Trigger's anger was escalating to a degree that felt unnatural.

It went beyond normal emotions or animal instincts. It felt primal, like he had always been this scary monster from day one.

And… it was hard to refute. Trigger was a terrifying person when he really lets himself go, and today his temper is flaring high.

That wasn't enough to deter me, "Don't worry, I'll be fine." Dakota stared straight into my eyes, before nodding to herself and walking away, giving me a pat on the shoulder before leaving.

Rober gave me a thumbs up, "You know what to do. We'll do the rest after you are done." Wait, what does that last part mean?

I glanced at BongBong, who smiled at me and pulled out a… thank you card(?), it has Trigger's name on it and a lot of blue glitter, before skipping after Rober.

Amelia grabbed Gonzales and started dragging him away, "They are planning a small 'party' for him, saying he had usually been by himself a lot." I looked at her with wide eyes, before smiling at her.

She scoffed at seeing my reaction and left with Gonzales dragged behind her. Now that's one more reason to try and help him.

Makes me wonder how long they have been planning this, not that I needed to know. I started to move again.

Each step had a lot more confidence than before. Once I entered the elevator, I could feel myself getting even more confident.

Yes, I can do this!

Once the door snapped open, I saw Trigger staring back at me, a perplexed expression on his face.

All that bravado? Suddenly gone since he saw me puffing my chest out, with my fist on my hips like I was some kind of hero.

…

Uh…. "Those scars look good on you." Foot meet mouth.

Trigger touched his face and his expression was weirdly pensive, "I'd like to think it basically helps to show my more… wild side." While it sounded like a joke, it wasn't worded like one.

I exited the elevator and nervously put my hands behind my back, "Yeah, really makes your inner beast side shine through." I'm just doubling down at this point…

Trigger's eye twitched, and I saw a twinkle of amusement shine there, "Why are you acting like a school girl?" His words forced me to straighten my back.

…

Alright, show time.

Opening my mouth and closing it a couple of times, I thought for the right words… before deciding just simply asking, "Are you okay?" Worry was conveyed through my tone.

Trigger for his part stood there before leaning against a wall and letting his back drag on it before he ended up sitting on the floor. I followed his example and waited.

…

"Beth… am I an anomaly?" I passed the question through my mind, and decided to give him the truth.

"I can count the number of people like you with one hand, and that is me lowballing." I said with a small smile, while Trigger's expression shifted a little.

He looked away for a moment, "Great…" He mumbled.

Blinking at the reaction, I gave him a concerned stare, "It sure is." He wasn't looking at me anymore.

"Yeah… I'd wish I wasn't." My blood didn't run cold, but it started to boil.

…

"Then you'd wish we never met?" I asked suddenly, and his eyes snapped back at me.

Half of it was anger, the other was pain, "Are you trying to guilt-trip me into something?"

"NO, I'm just worried about-"

"About what? Me having to be the big fucking special snowflake on everyone's busine-!"

"ABOUT YOU, YOU FUCKING MORON!" He recoiled back at my shout.

I jabbed him on the shoulder with my index finger, "Stop trying feeling bad for being someone unusual, so what? You are still the same dumbass that made me get this far, that made Rober more than just a depressed mess, Malkuth more than a crazy control freak robot and Angela more than just a cold AI." He growled at me, and glared back.

"Then am I just some kind of crutch?" He growled back, we both were back on our feet.

"Of course not! Don't you get it!? Sure, you aren't like the rest of us, but because of that I'm still here and not another nameless soon to be dead clerk!" I pushed him back with tears in my eyes.

He didn't budge, "I wasn't asking for that responsibility! Was it so wrong to want people to not see me as some kind of miracle maker!?" I glared at him straight in the eye.

"What did you expect!? Of course, I'd start seeing you as my ideal!" Why did he not want to get it?

"And I don't want that! I'm as frail as fucking glass and barely know what to do with myself!" He shouted loudly, a pained look on his face.

"And that's fine! I just want my fucking friend to understand that NO ONE CARES IF HE IS DIFFERENT!" Trigger staggered back and looked at the roof, his expression cooled down, as did mine.

He gulped and licked his lips, "I'm… I need some time alone." I gave a small nod while I wiped the tears from my eyes.

He was walking away before pausing, "Sorry." And then he left.

…

Stubborn asshole…

"Seems like the conversation got a bit heated." I looked behind me to see Angela, eyes open and a lot less… stiff.

But I was simply too tired and weary, "Guess it did…" Angela glanced at me.

"At least your attempt did something rather than simply worsening the situation." Oh, I almost forgot about that.

"So you did do it..."

"Too much time with only a hammer to solve my problems have left me… a bit clueless on delicacy." I gave her a small smile, at least she was being honest.

"This is Lobotomy Corporation, no one knows how to be subtle." At my small joke, I was surprised when she cracked a smile. A lot more… awkward than her soft and small ones.

But much more… genuine.

"I cannot deny that. I'm more surprised you aren't asking questions about my… fumble." Angela spoke with a soft tone, I glanced at her once with understanding.

No one here is a saint. I do remember a few times I left some poor sods by themselves a couple of unfortunate times I ended up in the night in the Backstreets, "It's not my place to judge, I'm just happy to have you here." Angela's stare was quite blank, before turning into something a bit more serious.

"What can we do for him?"

"Not a lot… I just have to hope my words changed something."

Angela hummed for a moment, "Then there is nothing to worry about." Blinking a couple of times, I was forced to ask one question.

"What makes you think that?" I said in slight confusion.

Angela threw one more awkward but genuine smile, "I trust you." Huh.

…

I think my smile became a bit too wide, "Thanks." Angela nodded, and her expression became a bit more neutral.

"Bethany… I would like you to accompany me towards that 'Training Room' Trigger uses with you and the original team of Control." That came a bit out of nowhere.

Turning towards her with curiosity and saying, "Did something happen?" Angela's expression shifted in a… grave way.

She almost seemed tired, "A lot more than you can imagine. Just be prepared to hear some… outlandish claims."

Angela… "We make energy out of monster emotions and gear too. I think whatever you have in store for me, I can handle it." Angela for her part started walking towards the elevator, I followed close behind.

"I hope you and the rest actually keep that mentality then. Just keep in mind this was Malkuth's idea." She responded in slight annoyance.

I poked her cheek with a grin, "Already throwing her under the bus?"

Angela gave a strained smile, "I'd throw her under a train if I could." The amusing part is that Malkuth probably thinks the same thing.

The elevator moved up, and I just have to be prepared for whatever the future holds for me…