Trigger: POV

I leaned against the walls of Training, Angela walking past me, "Angela." I opened my mouth to say only her name. She glanced at me with an arched brow.

"Is there anything you need?" I noticed the paper bag in her hand, it was a bit wet in the bottom and from what I can see… it has to be fresh meat. She is going to feed Bell, good.

I pulled out the small weird device I stole from Benjamin, she looked at it in confusion, "If you have some time, can you figure out what this thing does?" Asking that without giving context is a bit… weird, but I really didn't want to say anything just yet.

Angela took it with a curious look on her face, "What for? At first glance, it seems like quite the outdated communications device... although appearances can be deceiving." Thinking about it for a moment, trying to see if I should say anything… I shook my head at her.

"Don't worry about it, it's just a thing I picked up on the way here. At first glance it seemed like a walkie-talkie, weirdly enough it just didn't work like one. I just got a bit curious." I said with a small smile. Yeah, she doesn't have to worry about it.

Because I'll make sure she doesn't have to.

Angela gave me a long stare before she started opening up the device, "I see, there won't be an issue then. It shouldn't take me long to decipher it anyway, may as well do it right now." Guess she would be able to pull that off.

As she started pulling the device apart, her face took into some weird expressions. First her lips curled downwards, then her eyes narrowed in confusion. Quickly after, they widened while throwing a glance my way.

Suddenly, Angela just looked… uncertain, "Where did you get this thing?" Did she just sound… scared?

What does it do?

"Why? What did you find out about it?" Angela opened her mouth at my question before quickly shutting it.

"Doesn't matter. Just tell me where you got it." My eyes narrowed, and I sighed.

Glancing at the device once, I spoke, "Inside the room of a clerk, Benjamin or something." She reacted, way more than I thought she would.

Her eyes narrowed, and I swear I heard a snarl, "So that's how you would have…" It was a whisper, a whisper that I heard.

"Angela… what does it do?" I'm starting to get worried.

She looked at the device in her hands before crushing it with a tight grip. It was now just a bundle of scrap, "A long while ago, I was… afflicted with a virus that made me sluggish. Everything was moving just as always, but I was just so slow, at the time I wondered if that's what being drunk was like. This device… would attempt something similar with me at a grander scale, everything would move, but I wouldn't. Whoever built it could only have been capable of pulling it off if they knew how my artificial machine brain worked from in and out. This was tailored with my processors in mind." I stared at her for… I don't know how long.

A virus to shut down her body...?

I had already pulled together that Benjamin helped create Angela, but I didn't exactly know what that meant until now.

"I doubt this could be replicated unless the one that made it knew exactly of said virus… I suppose I'll have to prepare for that kind of outcome now, render any attempt like that null on me." Angela spoke with anger, but I kept staring at the device.

She grabbed my shoulder and gave me a firm shake, "Trigger?" I looked up at her worried eyes.

…

Taking a deep breath and letting it out, I smiled at Angela, "Guess it's a good thing I let you know."

Angela blinked for a moment before nodding, "True. I'll look into this matter, and it won't take me long to resolve it. Thank you, Trigger… I have to be on my way, your little fairy must be hungry by now." Seeing her walk away, I offered a wave.

…

I can't leave that to you, Angela... not if he had something like that in his sleeves. It may be improbable, but I want to be sure. I NEED to be sure Benjamin doesn't have anything else like that.

And… there is only one way, to deal with that.

I was walking towards the Main Room of Training, with those thoughts heavy in my mind, preparing myself to do what has to be done.

Why? For all of my acts of goodwill, I'm still human and therefore biased. Between Angela and a guy I just met and didn't even like that much… it's easy to see which one I would choose.

Taking a seat on the floor and deciding to simply wait for the rest of my new team, I closed my eyes and simply thought about what I will do in the future.

.

.

.

.

I opened my eyes, a bunch of emotions were coming my way. Glancing at the door, I recognized Tiffany and Gonzales pretty easily. I had no clue who the third one was, but whoever it was… felt both like a nervous wreck and a giddy kid that just learned how to use a bicycle.

Getting up, I saw them walk through the door. Gonzales obviously had a massive grin on his dumb face while wearing the… lock monster thingie's E.G.O. I really did just forget its name.

He was also dragging along a very annoyed Tiffany, who flashed me a look of anger, making me smile and give her a thumbs up.

The last one should have been someone I expected, a Sephirah. It was brown and has an antenna on… her?

Probably a her...

She is also looking at me with a bit of smug and jealousy, I guess things can never be easy… Hod? Interesting name, I do wonder why the Sephirah need to have their names written in their metal bodies.

"Good morning, I'm Hod the Sephirah of the Training Department, and you'll be in my care from now on." Huh, she is a peppy one. That's good.

Tiffany's face scrunched in anger. Before she could say anything, she was slapped on the back by a laughing Gonzales, "That we are, Miss Hod!" He shouted while giving her a big grin.

Hod stepped back, overwhelmed by Gonzales… Gonzaliness, "Thank you for the eagerness!?" She used a loud voice not unlike Gonzales, probably in an effort to go along with his flow.

"I SHOULDN'T BE THANKED, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR FEELINGS ON THE MATTER!!!" He loomed over her, his booming voice making the Sephirah reel back.

This is… hilarious, "Pfff…hehehe!" I glanced at Tiffany, who was deriving way too much amusement from the situation.

I grabbed Gonzales by the shoulder and pulled him back, while patting his back a couple of times, "I think your spirit is starting to make Hod nervous, buddy." Hod gave me a… stare, but gave me one of those awkward Sephirah patented nods.

"Uh… Thank you, Trigger." I gave her an awkward smile because… well, she just hesitated to thank me.

I'm not looking for thanks, but at least don't thank me if you don't want to…

Tiffany sighed, "So… Hod, what do you want everyone here for?" I glanced behind me to see the clerks and one agent with a… flaming suit and a wolf claw. He just didn't seem to care about anything.

Huh, guess all of Training Team is here.

Hod's… antennae started moving from side to side, "Ah! As for your amazing recovery since you came for counselling sessions with me." Tiffany's eye twitched.

I'm gonna throw a guess and say that she isn't that good at her job…

"I decided to make you our official Team Leader!" I think she expected fanfare. What she got instead was awkward smiles, all aimed towards Tiffany.

Gonzales was confused, but he just clapped along. I'm just surprised Hod… hasn't noticed how awkward things are.

Seeing that Tiffany was out of It, I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, "Congratulations! Looks like things are finally looking up for you." I leaned closer to her ear.

"Just go along with it…" I whispered in her ear, hoping she wouldn't just explode.

Tiffany threw me a disbelieving stare before gritting her teeth and sighing, "It's an honor, Hod… thank you for your support." My smile became strained.

At least try sounding honest…

"Thank you so much for your acknowledgement, Tiffany!" She bought it!?

… Wait, what did she say again? I thought over Hod's words, that sounded awfully… smug? No, that isn't the right word for it…

And why is the Sephirah looking at me so much? The hell did I do to her?

…

I coughed in my fist, "So… anything else you want to cover?" Hod suddenly froze in place. I exchanged a look with the blinking Gonzales and I nudged my head in her direction, he shrugged in response.

"Ummm… OH! I have already prepared a new protocol for Training submitted by… Trigger… day's ago!" I kept staring at her. Seriously, what did I do?

I guess it just means… she is uncomfortable with me, for some reason.

"Trigger, you'll carry Yang around and just watch over everyone else's chambers while they work. You are experienced and this should be NO problem for you!" Hod spoke out with an awful amount of happiness.

Gonzales rose his hand, "But everyone else here also is experienced!" This is not a school…

Hod jabbed her finger at him, "Indeed, but Trigger always does unexpected things, so a day off from his usual things would be good for morale!" Gonzales nodded and lowered his hand.

Also, if what you are saying is true… why are you telling me to put Yang on?

Tiffany looked at me with a worried frown, "Did you meet her before? She is being… weird with you." She whispered into my ear, I could only offer a shrug at this turn of events.

"Thank you all for coming, I hope you all have a great day. I need to prepare myself for today, too." The Sephirah nodded to herself, and everyone took that as their cue to dismiss themselves.

I focused on the whispers, most of them are annoyed complaints about Hod in general. She didn't seem that bad…

Gonzales suddenly loomed over the clerks, the agent had yet to speak at all… and he kind of just left shortly afterwards.

"Despicable! Comrade Hod is trying her best and this is all you can offer? I should snap you all over my knee!" All the clerks scrambled at a speed that was actually impressive. Guess fear would do that to you…

On that note, "Gonzales… the fuck?" I asked eloquently, Tiffany nodding along to my words.

Gonzales crossed his arms and spread his legs slightly, he actually looked a bit commanding there, "People who know only to complain… DESERVES NO RESPECT FROM ME! TRY YOUR BEST AND ALWAYS SPIRE FOR GREATER HEIGHTS!!!" He roared out.

Me and Tiffany… kind of just stared at him.

"Sure?" I said not really knowing how to take… all of that.

The moment Gonzales flashed me a thumbs up and a dumb grin, was the moment I knew today will be… interesting.