POV: Trigger
The day continued without a hitch… well except for the fact that the bigger worms came to play a bit later.
When that happened, I learned two things. That Joy was a lover of any kind of close-quarters combat and her… queen-sized bed? Yes, her cocoon turned into one of those, to help with 'Exciting fights' as she puts it. I'm pretty sure I saw way too many martial arts used to count all of them... to simply crush worms, and Der's information wasn't exaggerating his inability to miss.
His shots DON'T miss at all, I'm pretty sure his 'laser', I refuse to call that a bullet, was actually moving to hit the mark… it also almost went through my head and Tiffany's too. I destroyed the 'laser' with Primal Impulse before it could do that.
Fucker was amused at that.
Which didn't last long. Joy caught wind of that and apparently decided to visit him to perform a German suplex of all things.
I did laugh when she told me that, maybe a bit too much.
But now… since the day is over, I have to go meet Malkuth and Angela. I'm a bit nervous of what I may hear from them, Beth made it sound really serious.
Making my way up, I decided to first make my way into the bathroom, but before going in, I took note of the… familiar emotions I could feel from inside the bathrooms of Safety. That's… from the guy that talked with the Manager.
I looked around to see if anyone was nearby, no one… yeah, the moment work is done, people literally moved like leopards. I looked down at Primal Impulse and felt the metaphorical light bulb on my head shine.
Joy managed to only make sound pass through her portals, I should be able to do the same. I know enough of the layout of the bathrooms to not fuck it up too.
Using one single claw, I opened a small tear in the air. If I got this right, then it should be just below the sink... and even if these things seem like they are emitting light, they actually aren't. If I opened one in the air, no one would be able to see any kind of light at all.
"Just a bit more… I've been doing fine for now. Just a bit more, and I can make it right…" I could hear him. Words without context don't help a lot, but at least I know he is a dedicated person, or that's what it sounds like.
He was meddling with something, probably that box he uses to call the Manager. After a bit more of that, he took a deep breath to keep himself calm, "The first truth I will tell you is… do not trust the AI at your side." He spoke without any kind of signal, he must be serious about not having a lot of time before being found out.
Well, excluding me, of course.
He didn't even wait for a response, it seems. Speaking about how smart AI were compared to people and their ability to feign emotions. I huffed at that last part, Angela clearly didn't imitate emotions. Those were hers and very much real.
"-or rather, to be more precise, they can withhold information." He had said AI could lie, which shouldn't be a surprise. This time I paid more attention.
"If the controller has said to not divulge certain information… then the AI has no obligation to tell anyone but the controller of said information." I think he is underestimating Angela here, but that's just me, and this guy… sounds like he had a hand in making Angela.
And he speaks of her like that… I certainly like this guy a lot less now.
"Some advanced AI's may exploit such an order, interpreting it differently to become capable of telling lies." He continued, and I had to make a conscious effort to not go in there and make myself a collar with his teeth.
"I've made an AI before. Well, participated in it's programming… that's how I know for a fact one doesn't necessarily need to tell the truth." I'm a leaf on a calm stream… no violent impulses here.
"In case you doubt me, I'll send a program I developed myself to your monitor… you can say it works like Pinocchio. Your monitor would flash red or green depending on the answer, red means untruth." Well now… that confirms this bastard helped in the creation of Angela.
"This is a test version, and it can only be used once. Times up, I must leave before I'm found." He hanged up, and that was my signal to leave, not before glaring at the door.
With a simple mental command, the tear closed. I made my way towards the elevator before pausing… if he hears it being used now of all times, he may get suspicious.
Tracing one claw slowly through the air, a tear big enough for me to fit in was made. This should take me to my room and from there I'll go to Control. I went through the tear which will close after reaching my room… mentally preparing myself for whatever was waiting for me.
Hope it isn't too crazy.
POV change: Rober
It wasn't hard to put two and two together after Angela… gave us that exposure bomb some days ago, that was a heavy day for everyone. Gonzales, Bethany and BongBong weren't really in the know and to be honest? After everything Angela revealed, not even us were in the know.
Amelia and Dakota had demanded nothing of Angela. If anything, they seemed to be the most understanding out of everyone. They were angry for the loops, but it never felt like they blamed her, something that seemed to confuse her.
BongBong… wasn't cheery as she usually was, this whole experience seemed to resurface some fears she had before. She wrote to me about the sham that took every Ahn she had when she was tricked into believing her condition could be fixed, or how her whole family essentially sold themselves to the Kurokumo Clan, and that Syndicate had handed her family to the Carnival's tailors to be made into more fabrics of high grade for defensive purposes. BongBong wouldn't die from starvation, but she lost a lot by being fooled, and she felt fooled again.
Gonzales wasn't boisterous anymore, he had gone rather quiet and seemed to be pensive all the time. I heard him mutter Trigger's name a couple of times and the word 'training', this also didn't seem new to him.
Bethany didn't stop moving or anything dramatic but simply asked Angela one thing 'Did you enjoy it?', the AI didn't answer instantly, but soon answered with a blunt and simple 'No'. Bethany hugged her, saying that was enough for her, Angela tried to not react but I saw the relief in her eyes.
Me? I didn't need to ask anything, this alone told me enough, and I know the way I am. That means that every time these loops happened… I died. It was clear to me since she mentioned how 'Everything was changing because of Trigger'. That means he was a new variable, something she hadn't seen before.
It meant that at the first day of each loop, I died... for being a coward.
After that, no one was in a good mood. But at the moment, that doesn't matter… I just have to take Trigger to the other's and let Angela explain everything.
…
"You seem to be having a bit of a problem." My head whipped behind me and I saw Trigger. For a moment, I was expecting him to look like he had for a couple of days, barely hanging in there.
Yet… he seemed like his usual self, but not quite similar. Less cheery, more happy, less blunt, more mindful.
Almost like he… evolved.
He grabbed my shoulder and looked at me straight in the eye, before smiling, "Hey, everyone has their part to play. Don't go losing hope in yourself so easily." I blinked at how… easily he spotted what was troubling me.
"That's easier said than done…" And I'm sure you are going to change your tune once you heard the whole truth.
He stared at me for a moment before smiling again, "The world isn't about that. Once you start doubting your own abilities every time, you start avoiding the issue." I wanted to say he was wrong, but that'll be a pretty bold lie.
Jeez, is this the same guy that was losing his mind a couple of day's ago?
"So, how about you believe in me that believes in you?" He said that with a completely straight face, and I smiled both in amusement and amazement.
How does he come up with this shit? "Alright, if I needed a pep talk, I would have told you. Besides, we kinda need to get going." And see what to do from there.
We walked towards the 'Training Room', and I signaled for him to go first. He went in without thinking much on it, while I was right behind him.
Right in the back was Angela, Beth at her left and Malkuth at her right. Sitting at the side was Gonzales, who was patting Amelia's back, who for once didn't hit him. Dakota was in the right corner, just waiting with a small frown on her face. BongBong… was now burying her face on my back.
Trigger took one simple glance around the room before looking at Angela, "What happened?" I huffed at the question, what didn't happen would be more fitting…
"You are aware of the TT2 Protocol, aren't you?" Angela asked, and everyone except for Malkuth looked at Trigger with a small amount of wariness, feeling like he kept something important from everyone.
He hummed for a moment, "If I'd say yes… I have a feeling you'll tell me I don't know everything." His response was interesting. He was aware of it, but he seems to think he doesn't know the full story.
Malkuth spoke next, "Well, this one is news even to me… you could say we have been doing this for a long while." It was then… that the explanation started.
The loops... in the hopes of reaching some kind of 'Light' that no one knew fully well what it was except for 'A'. That fucking prick… their length and Angela's reasons for enforcing said loops, and how it all stopped being a factor once Trigger himself came into the picture.
Through the whole thing… he didn't react, only listening to the words of Angela and Malkuth while remaining calm. Not that everyone else wasn't showing some kind of negative emotion… the most notable one being anger.
The man in the middle thought it all over before coming to an answer, "Not that I'm dismissing what you are telling me… but how does that affect us at the moment?" I feel like something in the back of my mind just broke.
Hell, I think everyone felt something break.
…
Angela looked genuinely offended, "I... please give me some context to your words." I think an insult was on the tip of her tongue, but she reined it in when Beth touched her shoulder… not that she looked any better.
Trigger nodded and gestured to everyone in the room, "From what I got, the only person that truly has a good scope of what happened is Angela since she is the only one to remember all that clusterfuck. Yet, I'm seeing everyone act like they know what happened." Everyone looked at each other for a moment, but I had my eyes on Trigger.
Everyone felt a little uncomfortable at the amount of logic he was throwing around, and he is the kind of guy that thinks with the heart.
For a moment… I just wanted to believe in him.
So I'll do it right now, "On every loop at the very first day, I died. Just because I was a coward, that must have been thousands upon thousands of deaths, and I have no idea how to take that. I was just seen as disposable meat." Just… show me what you showed me the day we met.
Malkuth cringed, she also had connected the dots and must have been quite aware that at least half of the time she must have killed me. Angela never told us the number of loops, but we all knew it was probably above the five digit mark.
"Bong…" I patted BB on the back of her head, trying to reassure I was still here, even if it felt a little weird.
Trigger walked up to me and jabbed me on the chest, "Who are you?"
"Rober."
"Where are you?"
"In… Lobotomy Corporation?"
"Why are you here?"
"Um… because of you?" Where is he going with this?
He denied with a shake of his head and signaled with his hand that I should try again.
"Because I'm alive?" I tried again, and he stared at me for a moment before smiling.
"Yes, you are alive. Isn't that already different?" He looked around and spoke not with confidence, but with a factual tone.
"Sure, it isn't ideal or positive, but we are alive and things are changing. Worrying over the people we aren't or what had been isn't going to solve anything. You all heard it, we can change the curse of this tale… and I, for one, want to reach the best ending I can." Trigger put his palm forward and had only one thing to say.
"Who is with me?" An invitation that I took instantly. This guy… is just something else.
"Bong!" BB jumped and put her own hand to the pile.
"Crazy motherfucker… you really know how to get people riled up." Dakota joined soon after, a smirk on her face.
"COMRADERY!!!" Gonzales quite harshly put his hand on top too.
Amelia sighed and tried her best not to smile, she failed, probably on purpose, "Shit… how do I say no to that?"
Beth offered a small smile and nudged a perplexed Angela and Malkuth before walking towards us and adding her own hand, "I wouldn't have it any other way." This girl… became a lot more confident.
Malkuth released a giggle and joined into the fray, "It's been… quite a while since I felt like I was part of something worth the effort. Can't really say no with so much on the line."
Angela was the last one staring at all of us, before almost shyly approaching our little group and slowly… very slowly reaching out to our pile, until she actually joined us.
"Is this some kind of… secret message?" At her question, everyone except for Trigger and Beth gave her amused stares.
After a second of silence, Amelia broke, "You are very sheltered." Wow… way to ruin the mood.
Angela glanced at her with genuine confusion, "Then it isn't?" Amelia quickly seemed to notice she had fucked up.
"Um… kinda?" Oh, this is just hilarious.
We all separated, with great amusement being shown by all of us. Trigger spoke again, "Well… I hope you all have some kind of plan, because I literally was just made aware of all of this." Everyone looked at Malkuth and Angela.
Malkuth spoke first, "As of now? We have to wait and prepare. There are many variables at play… not only that, but the only way for the facility to raise from its spot underground is for the 50 day's of script to be finished." Well… that doesn't change a lot of things that I had in mind. It does give me an incentive to train a lot harder and ask for my E.G.O training.
Angela took it from there, "We need to keep an eye on the other Sephirah who… do not share our same view, one could say we are preparing for the war. The time we have should be used efficiently, which is why I brought this." Angela signaled to the… white 'Standard Training-Dummy Rabbit' on the left side of the room.
That waved at us… alright.
"It was used to 'train' novice agents in the past, but it was later simply tossed away since agents that knew how to fight an immobile object and those that didn't... made no difference. That, and the training program lasted about 10 minutes." Angela said with a blunt tone of voice.
Amelia huffed, "You weren't kidding when you said we are seen as expendable." Preach it, sister.
Trigger looked at the rabbit… then back at me, "Well, since we seem to be just about done, I think it's Rober's turn for his E.G.O training with me." Why do I suddenly have a chill in my spine?
Everyone seemed to get the memo and send different types of pity my way. Well, not Dakota, she just smirked at me.
Wait, they are leaving!? I could feel Trigger behind me after everything we heard! He was going to put my ass through hell!
BB!? EVEN YOU!?
I felt a hand land on my shoulder and felt like death came to pick me up, "Rober… just know that all of them will suffer with you soon enough." He then looked at Angela.
"Also, I have a bit of an idea. I'll write it up, and I'd like if you send it to the Manager. It's a long shot, but if it goes through, the benefits would be amazing."
"Why does it sound so ominous?" Malkuth asked before leaving with the rest.
Angela nodded at Trigger's request before glancing at me… and she smiled, "Do not worry. After this is over, BongBong will finally be in your league." Oh, this bitch…
Trigger smiled at me, "Ready for lesson one?"
WHY DO YOU LOOK SO TERRIFYING NOW!?
At least the test rabbit doesn't look that bad. I looked at the Punishment Bird pistol on my hip and I swear I saw it twitch.
Why do I get the actual harsh training...? "Alright, Trigger… show me the way." I said with fake bravado. Trigger? He smiled at me.
It wasn't a nice smile, for me at least.