I just got finished extracting ego weapons and suits from the abnormalities…and one caught my attention. The weapon we got from nothing's there…mimicry. A sword covered in flesh. That flesh having eyes in it…freaky thing isn't it? The emotion i feel when looking at it isn't the emotion you expect me to feel…i don't feel fear when looking at this horror blade…what I feel is sadness. The prototype of this blade was her weapon…kali. The red mist. The woman admired and liked…and something else…why does it feel like I forgot something important when I think of kali?

"Manager. The next two floors are available. Would you like to open the disciplinary team floor or the welfare team floor?" angela asked. I sighed.

"Let's open up the welfare team floor first." I said. After that i went to talk to the sephirah in control of this floor…and that was when I realized the whole level was gonna be an emotional kick to my balls. Cause this sephirah in control of this floor was chesed…formally daniel. I recognize that laid back and calming voice anywhere. And that never ending thirst for coffee…at first i thought i was gonna hate him. Being a powerful member of society. Big house in a nest. That sort of business. I thought for certain he would be some pompous ass oblivious to the suffering of the folks in the backstreet. But he proved me wrong. He was chill. He wasn't oblivious to the people who weren't suffering. And thus i became best friends with the guy i thought i would hate…coffee breaks with him was one of my favorite past times in the outskirts lab.

The next day came. And I opened up the disciplinary floor. Run by gebura…the crimson red of the place. and that rough and aggressive voice….it was kali.

"So you're the new manager? Well don't expect me to kiss your ass like the other sephirah have been doing." gebura said.

"I don't expect you too. I don't expect anyone to kiss my ass. So i take it when abnormalities breech. You'll be ready to fight?" I asked.

"Damn straight! The only thing i hate more than those abominations are cowards! Which is why i respect you! I heard that when alephs breech you went in and handle it yourself! I'm not kissing your ass…but i do respect you!" gebura yelled.

"Thanks gebura…here's a quick warning. The safety of my employees is what mattered to me. If any get killed because of your bloodlust…you will be punished. Understand?" i asked threateningly.

"Yeah whatever." gebura said. If she still had a body I imagined that she would whip out a cigarette. Anyway abnormality time again.

Most of the ones on chesed's floor seemed to be based off of a child book called the wizard of oz.

The scarecrow seeking wisdom the warm hearted woodsman and ozma. All abnormalities based on that old story. Though a much more grim dark telling of it obviously. Considering i don't think the scarecrow ever went brain sucking alien on anyone in the book. And i thought the wizard of oz was supposed to see some big green head. Not a blood and rose covered rag carrying a big golden staff with arms coming out of it like that one yu gi oh card.

The one different abnormality is rifle wielding merc abnormality like funeral of the dead butterflies. This big blue blood covered sniper is named der freischutz. I'll be calling him the free shooter for the sake of convenience. He's different from his two merc buddies in a way that he doesn't go out and kick breeching abnormality ass. Instead he does things through sniping. It doesn't matter where the target is. You pay him to shoot it. That thing is getting hit with a bullet from nowhere! Quite impressive.

The abnormalities on the discipline team floor all seem to be blood thirsty and aggresive. Fitting for the red mist. The first two would be the little red riding hooded mercenary and the big and will be bad wolf. These two seem to be based off of the story little red riding hood. Albeit this is probably the most metal interpretation of that story. In this telling. The wolf kills the grandma and leave little red riding hood bleeding out on the floor. She survived and came back armed pissed and out for revenge. Hell it's how we captured her. She came willingly knowing that the wolf she was after was here. I'm not sure how many times they've killed each other up to this point. But there's probably a mountain of corpses of each other.

The next two are aleph abnormalities. The mountain of smiling bodies. A big wad of black goo with white smiling faces over it. There's also a massive mouth of blood soaked teeth. And the last one is nosferatu. A vampire wearing a long crimson red cape. When she breeches. She transforms Into a big red creature with tiny wings and many many eyes.

The week went by. But there were five events worth mentioning. First off during a chat with gebura. Chesed came in to file some complaints.

"Gebura, about this suppression plan you sent me. Don't you think the scale is a bit too grand." chesed said. I looked it over, this would be epic…if not for the casualties it would most likely cause.

"Alright, now move along if you spat out what you needed to." gebura said. Clearly not wanting to hear it.

"c'mon , you know a similar incident happened before, i'm the leader of the welfare team after all. So i just i figured i'd point it out." chesed said.

"Yeah yeah, got it. How about you go back to your department now and lap up that coffee you and this dork love so much?" she asked pointing at me…that's what she used to call me all the time. I just laughed it off. It was bittersweet hearing it again.

"And another thing. Some of my department's ego has been malfunctioning. I'm sure you had nothing to do with it. But your last suppression..was rather quick." chesed said with a smug smile. Daniel always loved annoying kali. Nice to see some things never change.

"...i'll be sure to make it up to you. But if you press any further on this. Those ego's you value so much will be pointed at your head." gebura threatened.

"Alright! Enough! Both of you! Look i'll see to it that your crew's EGO's get fixed chesed. After all, those can be fixed. A person cannot. So focus on doing your job chesed! Same goes to you gebura! Your job is keeping the abnormalities in line. But know that casualties will not be tolerated. Anyone died just so you could satisfy your blood lust! And you will be punished. Am i clear!?" i yelled.

"Yes…sir." gebura said sounding irritated.

"Way to bring the hot headed war monger to heal manager. I'll be on my way." chesed said as he left. With a sigh i left too. I heard hod come in. she looked at me with surprise. Guess she heard me yelling and wasn't used to me being angry.

The next event was angela and gebura meeting with a girl called myo. The leader of R-corp's rabbit she's rude full of herself and annoying. R corp is willing to lend a hand considering it's our work that keeps them going. Though i don't see me calling the rabbit team anytime soon. Mainly because wherever their called too will gun down everything living in a room. Abnormalities clerks and my agents. But there's something i'm planning on asking her.

"I don't see myself calling you guys often…but I do have a favor to ask. I notice the rifles the rabbit team carry. If it's possible. I would like r-corp to send 12 of those." i said.

"What for? Arming your agents?" myo asked. I shook my head. And showed her the blue print of my riot guard project. She whistled. "Damn! How's this for security? Shame L corp already has you. Between this and those live saving nano tech machines. R-corp would love to have you on their R&D team." myo said with a laugh.

"The armor is already built and done…i just need the firepower to slap on it's arms." i said.

"And we'll provide the fire power." myo said with a grin.

"Really? What's the motive?" gebura asked.

"The motive being i keep the blueprint. Nothing in this world is for free. And i would love to drive one of these babies!" myo said.

"Very well…keep the blueprint." i said.

"Expect your guns soon manager." myo said walking off. She must have been really happy with the idea of driving a riot guard. Considering I got more than just the rifles i asked for. I also some heavy fire power. Miniguns rocket launchers. None of this was something a human could carry. But it did hit me with some inspiration for something heavy in case of an aleph breech…i already started making a blueprint on the "heavy guard"

The next event was when i went to the disciplinary floor room. And found not gebura. But chesed waiting for me there.

"Manager if it's alright with you could you pass my words along?" chesed asked.

"Sure. What's on your mind?" i asked.

"Gebura she's…strangely obsessed with suppression wouldn't you say? Any casualty to employees during suppression…she entirely disregards it. Of course. The casualties are lower. But I wish she would consider the loss of life. Instead of fear of being punished." chesed said.

"I know this…something bad happened to her. And her way of dealing with it. Is being angry and wailing on something. The abnormalities are just something she can take her aggression out on. To cope with what happened to her." i said.

"Do you know what this is manager?" chesed asked.

"All of the sephirah have something that they need to heal from…i promise that i won't fail you guys this time…ah ignore what i said." i said. I looked behind me and saw that eyeball looking at me again before disappearing.

"Seems like you have your own demons to calm…i'll speak to you later manager." chesed said as he left. Gebura soon entered with a cigarette sticking out of her metal torso…i have to ask. Can they even taste what they eat drink or smoke?

"I saw chesed leaving. What nonsense did he ramble on about this time?" gebura asked.

"He was talking about how you're obsessed with suppression and that it causes more casualties than necessary. And that I can agree with." i said. Gebura was silent for a minute.

"Don't act like you know everything. I've been here a long time. I've seen much more than you have." gebura said angrily.

"I know enough to know that this obsession with suppression..it comes from a moment where you felt weak…when you met your end at the hands of an arbiter!" i yelled. Gebura forced me to a wall. Even with that metal box of a body. She's still strong.

"How the hell do you know that!?" gebura yelled.

"Because i was there…you missed the throw and the arbiter just laughed at you. However she didn't see me coming…i remember holding you as you laid dying in my arms." i said. Gebura let me go and both her metal arms clutched onto what could be considered a head.

3rd person pov/flashback.

"You touched my sword dork…that was off limits." kali said with a smile. Tears went down jon's face.

"Kali…please stay with me. I'll get you to the infirmary. And get you patched up…we're leaving together." jon begged her.

"I can't believe i'm saying this…but that would have been nice…but let's not kid ourselves…i'm done for…jon. I know you're strong..you're worthy to carry my will…the will to protect the weak…it's your will now." kali said as she breathed her last. Tears streamed down jon's face as he screamed in despair. Memories flashed through his head. When something from the cogito river came out and attacked him from behind. Kali saved him by cutting it down. During one of his dives he almost lost his grip. But kali grabbed his hand before he fell in. when jon lost one of his sparring matches. She offered a hand and a smile. It was a face no one thought kali was capable of making. He picked up the prototype mimicry. And a shovel and buried his dead friends. Before he returned to the city. Jon took one last look at the grave marked by the sword of the red mist.

"I love you kali…good night." jon said as he left the lab behind.

Jon's pov.

A red mist soon covered gebura's body. She morphed into a tall red humanoid like creature. Wielding penitence and red eyes. She soon went on a rampage. Attacking anything in sight.

"If i can't kill the monsters. Then i will destroy this whole company!" the monster gebura yelled.

"Angela! Inform everyone to avoid gebura! I'll handle this!" i yelled.

"Understood." angela said through the speaker. She gave out the order. I then engaged kali in battle. This was her meltdown! Made sense that it was a full on fight. Instead of just a handicap. This was kali we're talking about. A full on fight was more her style anyway. As for the fight itself. She was tough as expected. When i did enough damage. She would change to the ego of the king of greed. The gold rush. And charge through teleporting to another area. I managed to stay on her by jumping and grabbing on to her head. As she dashed through. Each time she did. She would change to more power egos. The second set was mimicry and a scythe that i never saw before. Guess it came from an abnormality that isn't here yet. The last set of weapons was the smile weapon we got from you guessed it mountain of smiling bodies. And the other weapon was some black sword wrapped in bandages. Again probably an abnormality I'll deal with later. I was tired at this point hoping it would be the end. But nope. She busted out another sword this one another black sword but had yellow eyes all over it. It felt like an ego of three abnormalities fused together. A red aura came off of her as the mask opens revealing the black and red underneath. She charged at me…i refuse to die here…i refuse to lose her again. I won't!

"I won't lose you again!" I yelled as something appeared over my body. A suit of light armor…it seems i managed to do what kali did…i manifested my E.G.O. with it i brought the rampaging gebura down. Thankfully when I ran my blade through her chest her actual body didn't suffer any damage. I knew what was coming. I touched her back and just like before i got a flash back to my past…though this one was long before…i finally remembered what that something important was that i forgot…

"Dad? Who is that?" my 10 year old self asked as my dad brought home a girl with red hair that was covered in blood.

"Poor thing was surrounded by dead bodies and crying." dad said. The girl came back after a bath wearing a child's night gown that my mom bought when she was in the bath.

"My name is jon what's yours?" my 10 year old self asked.

"K-kali." she said nervously. I held her. She blushed. "W-what are you.."

"You've been through alot…i want to comfort you. Is that alright?" i asked.

" jon…you're a dork." kali said with a smile. I lived with her for 10 years. Those ten years were fun. It was like i had a sister. But when she became twenty. She left our home and became a fixer. She said she had to make her own way…and pay us back for our kindness. I remember going to her apartment for a visit only to find a bloodbath. She held a blade to one of her neighbors. I grabbed and stopped her. She then explained what happened. Needless to say i was pissed. All kali did was protect and help these assholes and they try to rob her blind. I knocked out the survivor and took the money and stole back.

"Ungrateful pricks." my twenty year old self said. He tried to hand her money back. But she pushed my hand back signaling me to keep it. "Huh? Why?"

"I took up fixer work to pay you all back. Not just your folks who took me in…you as well dork. Those years we've known each other have been the most fun as well…you were also the best teddy bear a little girl having nightmares could ask for." kali said with a smile. I blushed and rubbed the back of my head. I blushed even more when kali kissed me on the cheek. "Hopefully i'll find people to protect that will appreciate what i do…i won't lose hope. After all. I do have a home i can go back too…not many in the city can say that…later dork!" kali yelled as she left with a wave and a wink. Soon the flash back ended. Gebura stood up.

"We knew each other long before the old lab…how did I forget that?" i asked.

"The same reason I forgot. The good memories were consumed by a pool of darkness consisting of bad memories…" kali said as she stood up. "Still you've gotten stronger over the years…you've come far dork." gebura said.

"Gebura…kali." i said as i hugged her. "I'm sorry…i failed to protect you…i failed to protect everyone that day…i promise i won't again." i said as the light came back and the metal body i was holding soon turned to warm flesh as i held a tearful gebura.

"Jon..i'm sorry too…if i was only stronger…you wouldn't have to bear this alone." gebura said as she held me tightly.

"...words cannot explain how happy I am to see you again kali." i said. After the emotions subsided. She finally noticed the ego.

"So that's your ego huh? Don't get the point of the hair though." kali said. I looked at myself at a monitors reflection saw that my eyes were now glowing yellow while my hair was now long and glowing blue.

"Neither do i." i said. My ego dissipated. Returning to my normal form. I reached into my pocket and pulled out an unopened pack of smokes. It was kali's favorite brand.

"I thought you didn't smoke." kali said.

"I don't. These are just a lucky charm…i had them. Cause they made it feel like you were with me." I said. Gebura blushed.

"Y-you dork! Stop with that mushy bull!" gebura yelled. Though she was smiling. I offered her the pack. She reached for them only to grab my arm and pull me into a kiss. I melted into it as it quickly turned into making out…i never thought i would ever get the chance to do this. Me and her finally stood up. She soon looked angry looking behind me. I turned around to see chesed with a shit eating smile on his face as yesod handed him some money.

"I told you those two would get together." chesed said.

"Guess it's true what they say…opposites attract." yesod said. The two quickly went to a look of terror when gebura was right in front of them. Mimicry at the ready.

"Umm…manager? I think now would be a good time to advocate peace?" chesed asked nervously.

"I advocate you running." i said not giving a shit. And walking away. I smiled.

On the 4th day. A day after gebura's meltdown. I was enjoying a cup of coffee with chesed.

"So you escaped gebura's wrath?" i asked.

"Yes…no thanks to you, manager." chesed said. He then looked to the ground. "But i must admit. Things have been better since you arrived. Alot of employees died before. But since you took the reign's. Not a single casualty." chesed says with gratitude.

"What can i say? I have a commitment to human life." i said as i enjoyed the coffee and the classical music…just like old times. Except it's a metal blue box with tiny robot limbs instead of daniel's face i'm talking too.

"You know i once had a friend that i can't remember….we had coffee talked and listened to music. He wasn't the nicest at first. Probably assuming i was some egotistical snob. But as he got to know me. We became best friends…i feel bad that i forgot…I wish I could remember." chesed said.

"I hope you remember…looks like it's time for my shift. See ya daniel!" i yelled. Only for me to cover my mouth. I used to say that alot every time our coffee time was interrupted by work calling for me. It was years ago! Why is my brain still doing it automatically!?

"Daniel…see ya daniel." chesed said as a flash back occurred. It was the usual. Drink coffee listen to music. Shoot the shit. And once again i said my line and went off. Though i was covered in shadow. Clearly chesed still couldn't remember me clearly. Though shortly after i left. Another silhouette entered the room…it was her. That fucking arbiter.

"I apologize. I didn't think you'd open the door so i came in." the arbiter said.

"How did you get inside? Do i know you?" daniel asked. I wanted to yell at him to get away…to run.

"I've arrived from the head. I was so desperately looking for you all. The reason all the way here is..well let's just say i'm here to play my favorite music…excuse me there? Can you tell me the name of this fine gentlemen?" the arbiter asked.

"D-daniel…his name is daniel." an employee said scared as hell.

"Daniel? That name carries much more with it than you merit. I would assume you are the one in charge of this place. Open that section where those monsters are locked up. As you saw just a moment ago. Forcing a door open with my power is nothing for me. I'm just being polite here. It's only fair considering your the one in charge here. I urge you not to resist. Just listen to me. If you do so a few of these people may get to leave here alive no?" the arbiter asked. Guess that explains why i had the doors containing the abnormalities opened and had to fight my way out. Bitch probably thought i got ripped to shreds after the abnormalities were released…how wrong she was.

"Jon…you saw my cowardice…don't try to console me, this metal body is a punishment…all of this has been a shame for me…which is why i must rebel against you and angela…fairwell old friend." chesed said as he mutated into a cross. Each limb reflecting a damage type. And which ever one was glowing the damage would increase in 5 times. For example if the red one's glowing then physical will hurt a hell of a lot more. So I really had to keep an eye on the form of damage each abnormality does. If they did a glowing type of damage. Then don't sent my employees and let either the rabbit team myself or gebura deal with it. After fulfilling the quota. I went to check on chesed. I touched him and it flashed back to me having a mental breakdown. It was soon after leaving the lab. Some nights when trying to sleep. I would hear everyone's voices asking why I didn't save them. That i was pathetic. That i've should've been the one to die.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" i yelled. I crawled into a fetal position on my bed. "I'm sorry…i'm sorry…i'm sorry." i said as the tears went down my face. The flashback ended chesed standing up.

"I see survivor's guilt has taken quite the toll on you…i'm guessing seeing all of us again isn't helping that." chesed said with guilt.

"Actually…it has helped quite a bit…this may sound selfish of me…but this is my second chance…a chance to make things right. This time. I will not fail you all. I promise. Once the project is over. We're all leaving together." i said.

"Even angela?" chesed asked.

"I know she seems like a heartless bitch…but she didn't want to be. The script forced her to be. If she didn't act like the heartless machine that the script told her to be. The tt2 system fires up and rewinds. Which is why i erased that fucking script my first day here!" i said. Chesed laughed.

"And here i am talking about rebellion. Yet you've been rebelling this whole time…against everything here. Ayin's inhumane practices. The usual death toll of this place. Your even warming angela's heart. I want to see how this rebellion of yours ends…jon." chesed said as he offered a hand shake. Which i took. The light came again turning him human.

"Thanks daniel…and if i ever get too stressed. I'll come down here for a cup of joe and listen to some sweet tunes…your the leader of the welfare team so look out for my welfare while i'm continuing my rebellion." i said.

"I'll do it…not because your my boss. But your my best friend jon." chesed said with a smile.

"Thanks daniel." i said with a grateful smile.

"What are friends for?" chesed asked.

When i returned to my office. I found isaac in there. Trying to cause a massive breech. Like the one from the cabin in the woods. I stopped him before he could finish.

"What the hell are you doing!?" i yelled.

"I'm doing this for my girl and child. I don't want either of them spending their lives trapped within this damn facility!" isaac yelled.

"But if you did this? You would experience another prison. The one of paranoia of l corp finding you…which is why i'm going to make you a deal. When this is over. I'll tell the higher ups that you died and the queen of hatred escaped and can't be found. Until then or your kid is born…get back to work." i said.

"You'd do this for me? Why?" isaac asked.

"Three reasons 1. You're one of my best employees so think of this as a reward for your hard work 2. It's alot less trouble just to give you what you want instead of wasting resources on hunting you and the queen of hatred down after turning this place into a reenactment of the system purge scene from cabin in the woods. And 3. I understand…no father wants their kid spending their life locked in a facility being used as a battery. Not being treated with any sense of human decency. Tell the queen of hatred the good news. And get back to work." i said.

"Jon…manager…i can't thank you enough for this." isaac said with a grateful smile.

"If your kid's a boy name him jon but if it's a girl well…you can thank me by buying me a sandwich." i said. Isaac looked at me confused.

"Really? A sandwich seems a like very little gratitude for what you've done for me." isaac said.

"...you've never been to hamhampangpang have you?" i asked. Anyway. Those two floors are done. I got my best friend back…and i got the red mist as my girlfriend…things are good for me so far. Of course that would change when i got to the next floor. As the next two sephirah were two people I hate…ayin's little butt kisser benjamin…and the very arbiter who butchered everyone in the outskirts lab…sigh next week is gonna suck.