POV: Angela

I glanced at my long hair. Behind my neck and covered by said hair, Bell the little fairy was hidden away from prying eyes.

After work hours ended, I met with Trigger once more, who had shown me his interesting… pet. Although that term wasn't something Trigger used at all.

Our plan was rather simple, but that made it effective and fast. Made up check-ups that, frankly, no one had grounds to question.

Even so… if Bell wasn't Trigger's pet or useful to the plan, I would have acted upon my annoyance and squashed her like the bug she is.

The fairy has been pulling my hair, orb touching my neck. Despite feeling neither, it was something I still found annoying.

Unable to voicing or showing said annoyance, I walked through the facility, hands in the pockets of my lab coat.

No agent or clerk wanted to get on the bad side of their superior, so they all made an active attempt to ignore me. I'm hardly bothered by this, there are only a few people that… I like.

Trigger feels right, it was like meeting a part of my life that was always missing. He pulled the whole picture together perfectly. I couldn't help but wonder where he had been all this time, a small petty part of me wanted to be angry… but I couldn't.

Bethany is my friend, someone that simply decided that she liked me, no matter whatever she may have heard about me. We talked with each other, and we enjoyed our time together.

Malkuth… loathing this as much as I can, has found her way inside my life. Not as simply another Sephirah that I had to look after like a child, but an interesting relationship, fueled by... it seems like a rivalry? Hmmm… I need to reorganize my thoughts on her. She is… not bad to converse with.

"You seem to be lost in thought." I glanced at Gebura, leaning against a wall of Safety, seemingly impeding my way to the elevator.

"I have many things to think about." A short reply, it's not like I interacted that often with Gebura.

She looked at her own sword, before glancing back at me, "Does it have something to do with your team?" Hmm… we weren't being that discrete anyway.

"Indeed, would that be all?" I gave another short reply. Having things to do and places to be, I really didn't want to waste time with Gebura.

"What makes you think this is the right choice?"

…

"Pardon?" I narrowed my eyes at Gebura, who didn't flinch at all, but was still surprised by my aggressive tone.

Gebura shrugged, "I'm just confused, aren't you here to keep the company running? Why suddenly try and do something else?" Her confusion had been apparent from day one, but that isn't the point.

"I was PUT here to keep the company going, I simply found a more enticing choice. Nothing more, nothing else." Every word was said with what seemed like anger, and perhaps it was anger.

Gebura stared at me for a couple seconds, "Yeah, I guess you really don't have any reason to stick around." That… was not the answer I have foreseen.

"Then why bother bringing the topic up?" I asked, feeling a bit more wary of her.

She shrugged, seemingly pensive, "I just can't wrap my head around it, much less what that guy has been doing with Abnormalities." Gebura simply sounded frustrated.

"He simply is like that, from what I have observed. Which you dislike… for obvious reasons." I drawled, making the red Sephirah glare at me.

"How can I not be angry? He is acting like a long-lost friend to those undying monsters that kill more and more." Her words were heated and emotional, anger clear as day. She said all of that like it was a fact.

And perhaps it was, I just didn't care.

"So? Lobotomy Corporation is what it is. With or without Trigger, the employees would still die. You are simply looking for a target to aim your anger at." Every word was cold and deliberately chosen to anger Gebura.

The red Sephirah clenched her sword tightly, but didn't make any sudden moves, "You're defending him…" She accused with what sounded like discomfort.

"Indeed, anything else?" Gebura's grip tightened, and she seemed ready to take a swing.

I prepared myself in case I needed to shut down the functions in her metal body.

Gebura relaxed slightly, "Tch… guess this is really how things will go…" The red Sephirah sounded conflicted, she kicked off the wall and entered the elevator.

Silently joining her, I measured her while the elevator moved down. Gebura was radiating discomfort for some reason.

"So you are doing this for yourself? You just grew tired of your situation… or so it seems." Gebura spoke again, my hopes for some silence dashed quickly.

I sighed and… felt a small constriction in my chest, "To some degree…" I started and thought back to a conversation I had with Gebura long ago. The way she acted every time I had to forcefully remind her that there wasn't enough she could do to protect what was around her, to make up for other's weaknesses.

Now in the same situation… I can't help but think back at my plan to help Trigger get over his anger, or when Bethany was at the mercy of a duo of Abnormalities. So I wonder… what would I have done if neither issue solved itself?

Would I force the Manager to reset? Attack the facility that took them from me?

Even Malkuth as of late and to a lesser degree. The one's that are now with me in the same side… would I really like it if suddenly they were gone?

"...But as time passed, I can tell, that perhaps I was too harsh with you. Seeing what you care crumble with no way to help is… certainly something I didn't like experiencing." Gebura froze when I said my… thoughts? Comment? But that was all I could say to her, an apology is simply not worth it. I know that for a fact, the Manager on his knees asking for forgiveness… taught me that much.

The elevator reached its end, I threw one glance at Gebura, "We may have many differences, but seeing such a stalwart protector like this, is not a good feeling. Have a nice day, Gebura." And with that I walked out, leaving the petrified Sephirah alone with her thoughts.

I wonder… why did I say that? I never had a deep bond with her, and I hardly bothered with her anger fuelled crusade?

…

Or maybe I do? Thinking back on it, I never enjoyed seeing Trigger angry, and every time... he looked similar to Gebura.

With this new context, maybe I found her situation… harder to bear with.

Even so, that would be for later. I'm close by to Tiphereth and with a role to play, I'd do so with the same efficiency I always had.

The two small Sephirah were having a conversation, which I didn't particularly care about.

He noticed me first, "Hello, Miss Angela." Tiphereth M greeted with a happy tone, one that didn't fit his situation.

She followed suit, after noticing my presence, "Ah! Lady Angela, I take it we will still keep Netzach around." Ah, yes… this time I didn't even bother reading her petition.

Always the same thing, only with more words, "Greetings, Tiphereth. You are right about Netzach, but I came here for a different matter." She gave me a brief nod.

"Oh, he has been acting up a bit, but isn't this a bit too soon?" I wasn't surprised Tiphereth F expected the worst, she will soon change her tune.

He nodded, agreeing with Tiphereth F, "It isn't that bad yet…" That is certainly something you shouldn't say in this situation.

"You are both wrong, this is a check-up. After reviewing the corporation's expenses, it was established that if there was a way to repair Tiphereth, it would be more cost-efficient. Which is why I'm here." It was a bold faced lie, one I expected both of them to buy.

She stared at me like I was some kind of anomaly, "Wait… that can just happen? ...Sorry, I was just caught up in the heat of the moment."

He rose one metallic arm, "What brought this up, Miss Angela? Not that I mind this development." Hmmm, he was always the more composed of the two.

"I believe I already answered that, you will receive check-ups before and after work. They will continue until I decide if you can be fixed or not. Anything else?" I explained further, and allowed them to have a small chance at asking another question.

"Who asked for this? Don't get me wrong, I… like it, but no one seemed to really care about what happened to Tiphereth." She said with a narrowed eye, and I had to take a moment to really think about what I was going to say next.

I saw no major issue with saying who brought this up, "The idea specifically was made known because of Trigger. After he found out about your predicament, he decided to take matters into his own hands. I decided to not bother the Manager with this task, like with many others I do." She grew still when she heard that.

He, on the other hand, perked up, "You seem to listen to him a lot, Miss Angela. He must be a really good friend." Tiphereth M spoke words without really knowing anything about me or Trigger.

Yet I can't help but feel a small bit of joy after hearing them.

"What? But he is so… rebellious and refuses to listen to orders. What good quality could he have?" She said while looking away, I slightly narrowed my eyes in her direction.

He blinked while glancing at his fellow Sephirah, "Didn't you praise him for talking back to the 'Uppers' as you call them?" She sputtered while he chuckled.

"Be as it may… I would like you to come with me, Tiphereth." He nodded at me once before waving at the unsure Sephirah that he has been used to torture for ages.

...

He followed me for quite some time. Reaching the disposal area, where he was crushed more than once. We were silent, obviously we didn't have much to talk about.

"It's nice having someone to rely on." Tiphereth M suddenly spoke. When we entered the parts area, it wouldn't have been hard to open him, but a small part of me wanted to hear him talk.

"I suppose it has its benefits." Answering the unspoken question, Tiphereth M hummed at what he heard before nodding once.

"Yeah, I know you aren't doing this for me, maybe not even for Trigger. Perhaps for yourself?" His sudden inquiry made me do a full turn, giving him a leveled stare, trying to discern where he was going with this… I found nothing but honesty.

"What would this do for me? As you can see, Tiphereth, this is nothing more than routine." I answered back, sighing at the defective Sephirah's antics.

"Perhaps, I like to think that isn't the case. After all, you hate the routine… this may be you just trying to be nice." I gave him a confused stare, what makes him believe that?

"I mean, you wouldn't bother listening to me otherwise."

…

That isn't true. I gave up on that a long time ago… I did, right?

"Just turn around so that I can inspect you." I ordered with heat, Tiphereth M seemed hardly bothered with the way I spoke.

"Sorry if I bothered you too much, Miss Angela." He spoke while turning around, and I slowly opened the compartment with some tools. Bell the little fairy moved slowly inside the mess of cables and close to what kept his… 'brain' intact.

Technically speaking, it was a cloned brain from the original brain kept inside a cryochamber. Simple healing methods that not even a Singularity could return it to a normal state, but Abnormalities don't work by logic. The healing of the fairies… theoretically can turn all flesh fresh and warm. Even if it was a putrid body, it could work as a living one with enough exposure. The only thing keeping it from being 'alive' being the lack of brain waves.

Tiphereth M is very much alive, cloning has become that good. So the little fairy could potentially make it work.

I closed the compartment shortly after, "Nothing too unusual, if a bit… unsightly. I adjusted some cables. We'll wait and see if anything changes." Tiphereth M nodded and gave me what felt like a warm smile.

"Thank you, Miss Angela. I knew you were nicer than what the other's painted you as." He left shortly after. A small, content person.

…

Now alone, I pondered… was I really trying to be as I was before?

That…

May not be so bad after all.