And now... it's Sari's time to shine.
Much like the Blackbell factory chapters, we're getting another story arc. I'm planning (and hoping) for this one to be three chapters total, and it's gonna be a major wham moment, as will the arc that I'm planning for after this one (which will be set during the Cruise arc). I originally wanted to get straight to the Cruise Arc, but then as I planned things, this arc formed between the Blackbell Factory arc and Cruise arc. Hope everything reads well for you all!
And fair warning, the end of this chapter is... pretty dark. Because you know who is involved.
Please don't forget to help add to the TV Tropes pages for this fic and its side stories whenever you all can. I feel like they haven't gotten much attention lately. Any and all updates/additions to it are welcome.
Special thanks to Quantum01 and SwapAUAnon for helping Beta Reading this chapter.
Mission 15: The Sumdacs of 128 Park Avenue
"Mama, Papa, come on!"
"Okay Anya, just slow down a bit."
"No way!" Anya's words made Papa sigh and Mama giggle. She and Bond ran out the door, her parents just behind her. It was going to be an outing with her and Mama today since Papa had "work" and Mama had the day off. That wasn't why she was excited though.
Really, she was just happy her family was still alive. She didn't know why the factory didn't go boom last night, but she must've done something to save everyone. After all, Bond's visions so far tended to happen unless she stepped in to do something. She just couldn't for the life of her figure out what that something was. As she ran down the stairs with Bond at her side, she thought about it, trying to think of just what she did that stopped the explosion.
… and I'm bored, Like that, Anya just as quickly stopped thinking about it as she reached the bottom of the stairs, waiting a bit for her parents to catch up. Did it really matter now? The explosion was stopped and everyone was saved! The only issue was that whatever she did to save everyone, she couldn't say anything about it to get another Stella at Eden and further help Papa with his mission. But she could live with that, having lived with secrets her whole life, even if it was a headache to keep up with them all.
"I'll wait for you outside!" Anya said when her parents walked down from the stairs, turning to run out the door so they could see Papa off.
"Come on Dad!"
… right as the door to her left opened and someone ran out.
"Let's go see around tow-OOF!"
"OOF!" Anya fell to her back, hearing her parents calls of concern alongside their footsteps getting close. She also heard a third, older voice from just ahead of her that she couldn't recognize. Rubbing at the back of her head, she felt Mama help her stand, Stupid powers! Why don't they work when I want them to?
She'd have thought mind reading meant not bumping into people so often.
"Hey, are you okay?" The voice from before asked, Anya looking up to see a dark-skinned, red-haired girl that looked to be around her age. She was wearing beige long pants, sneakers, and a black, long-sleeved hoodie. But what really stood out to Anya the most was her eyes. Her very bright blue eyes that, even in the light, looked almost like they were glowing.
For some reason, Anya thought this girl looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place her finger on why.
"Sorry for bumping into you. I wasn't watching where I was going," The girl said, poking her fingers together nervously while Anya was still stuck on her face. Seriously, why did it look so… familiar…
Wait a minute! Anya quietly gasped, I saw her in Bond's vision yesterday! She'd been too caught up with the factory explosion to pay it much mind, but now that vision was happening. She wasn't expecting it to happen so soon after the ones with Becky's family's factory! Actually… Speaking of Becky, Anya realized something else, I think I saw this girl somewhere before that too, but where did I- And then it hit. In those visions of the far future that Bond showed her, an older version of this same girl was there holding hands with Becky, which meant only one thing…
SHE'S ONE OF MY FUTURE FRIENDS! Anya gasped even louder than before as she-
"Uh, excuse me," The girl waved a hand in front of Anya's face, "Are you there? I didn't hurt you or anything, did I?" A sad, terrified thought entered her head, It wouldn't be the first time I hurt someone on accident.
"Wha-" Anya snapped out of it, realizing she needed to say something before she looked suspicious, "I-I…" Looking around for anything to point out, she ended up staring at the girl's eyes again and said, "Your eyes are really blue. They look like they're glowing."
The girl went quiet and looked away, a hand covering her face like she was trying to hide her eyes, "… U-Uh, y-yeah. I get that a lot." Please don't notice I'm a robot. Please don't notice I'm a robot. Please don't notice I'm a robot. Please don't notice I'm a-
SHE'S A ROBOT! Anya gasped, wide eyed and staring at the girl in shock. That's… that's… A grin appeared on her face from ear to ear, "THAT'S SO COOL!" She said out loud, startling everyone before clamping a hand to her mouth. "I-I mean, your eyes are… they're cool!" Anya reached forward and said, "I'm Anya!"
"I'm-" Okay, she hasn't noticed anything, but she thinks my eyes are… cool? The girl looked caught off-guard. A lot of people think they look weird. Her head filled with anxiety that she tried to shake off. Reaching forward, she replied, "Sari."
Anya tilted her head, "For what?"
The girl blinked and grunted, "No, I'm saying that I'm Sari."
"… is this about the bumping thing? Because you already apologized for-"
"No! I mean-" She took a deep breath and calmed down, I gotta work on how I introduce myself. Apparently, this happened a lot. "What I'm saying…" The girl tried again, looking right at Anya before pointing to herself, "Is that my name is Sari. S-A-R-I. Sari."
"Ooooh." I get it now. Anya smiled and said, "It's nice to meet you, Sari." She gestured to her family just behind her, "We're the Forgers!"
Mama stepped forward first, "Hello there. I'm Yor." It's so sweet! Anya's made a new friend! Mama knelt down and shook hands with Sari first, briefly blinking in surprise, "Wow, that's a pretty strong grip you have there."
Right as Mama said that, Sari's blue eyes went wide and she pulled back, "S-Sorry!" Her dad gently put a hand to her shoulder as she looked up at Mama, "I didn't mean to hurt you or anything! I just-"
"Please calm down. It's okay Sari," Mama said, showing the girl her hand, "I'm not hurt at all. See?" Her strength is impressive. It reminds me a lot of myself when I was around her age, though she feels even stronger than I was back then.
Sari calmed down, looking at Mama's hand and not seeing any injury. She breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay, good. Sorry, it's just… I kinda tend to hurt people by accident. I don't mean to, I just…"
At that, Mama frowned, Poor girl. I know what that's like. Memories appeared in her head, from all the times she accidentally broke Unkie's bones to the students she injured in high school, forcing her to keep a distance from people. She put those memories aside, regaining her smile, "Don't worry. You obviously didn't mean to."
"Still…"
"Mrs. Forger is right, Sari. You meant nothing bad by it and are trying. I believe that counts for something," Sari's dad helped put her at ease, his voice having an accent that Anya couldn't recognize.
So this guy's Sari's dad? Is he a super spy like Papa? Anya got a good look at him and saw that, for a grown up, he was kinda short. He wore a green button up shirt, had black pants, and was also pudgy in a way that reminded her of the Swan jerk from her school interview. Thankfully, his eyes, face, and surface thoughts all had a kindness that didn't exist in the Eden Housemaster. Both him and Sari had the same skin color, though he had black hair rather than his daughter's red, plus it went upward and had a large white streak in it. He kinda look like he got struck by lightning a few times.
Well, what cartoon characters who got struck by lightning looked like anyway.
"Oh, my apologies," Sari's dad cleared his throat and held out a hand, "My name is Isaac Sumdac. We just moved in."
Mama stepped up first and shook the man's hand, "Hello Isaac. I'm Yor," She gestured to Papa, "And this is my husband, Loid."
"Sorry for keeping so quiet," Papa said, shaking Mister Sumdac's hand when it was offered, "I didn't want to interrupt." And I was trying to ascertain if you have any hidden agendas. Nothing from an immediate glance. I'll have to dig a little deeper. "So, when did you move in?"
"Last night, We're…" Isaac yawned, "We're from out of town."
He looks really tired, Anya now saw the bags under his eyes. If anything, he didn't just look tired. He looked like he hadn't had a good night sleep in ages.
"I see. In that case, welcome to Berlint," Papa said, smiling as his thoughts went, Having new neighbors in the building could prove a potential complication. Before moving here, I made it a point to memorize and learn everything possible about the apartment complex's occupants, both to see who among them would be potential threats and how best to go about befriending them for the purpose of maintaining cover. Knowing everyone's psychological profiles also allows me to watch out for which among them is most likely to report someone to the State Security Service.
Papa's so smart, Anya stared up at her father in awe.
Also, the fact that my first apartment was compromised by Edgar's thugs means that I can't take any risks when it comes to ensuring my family's safety, Papa's second thought went, I still don't know how they found out where I was staying though, and I can't conceive how they accomplished that. All the more reason to cover my tracks more carefully from now on.
… o-oh… Anya grew sheepish and guilty at the reminder. She was bored and wanted to have some fun with Papa's spy equipment. She didn't mean to attract bad guys to them! Getting kidnapped was terrifying, and it still scared her just thinking if it, but Papa was able to save her. Plus, at least a couple good things came out of it. We wouldn't have moved here if that didn't happen, Anya smiled again, And because of that, I got to meet Mama, Bond, and I'm getting to meet one of my new friends now!
"Anyway," Papa said, looking to his family members, "I should probably get going. Don't want to be late for work." I have to deliver mission details to Agent Nightfall for her cover at the Blackbell factory. Since she also has a meeting at noon with Handler, I can also ask through her if she can have WISE poke around, do any digging on the Sumdacs. Hopefully, they're just a run of the mill family of two. "Sorry to keep things brief," Papa apologized to Isaac with a sheepish expression, "I hope you understand."
"No, that's quite alright. Sari and I were about to head out as well," Isaac replied.
"We're gonna explore the city!" Sari chirped, fists pumped in the air, reminding Anya a bit of… well, herself.
Is that what I look like when I'm excited? And with that thought, Anya gasped, smiled, and got an idea. "Papa!" Turning to her dad, she asked, "Can me and Mama show the Sumdacs around on our ooting today?"
"That's a great idea, Anya!" Mama nodded, Bond barking in agreement before she turned to Papa, "Don't you think, Loid?"
"Hmm. Well, I don't see the harm, so long as they're okay with it," Papa turned to Isaac, wordlessly asking permission.
Nodding, Issac said, "That would be delightful! What do you think, Sari?"
"Uh…" Sari looked between them and her dad, nervously responding, "S-Sure! I think that'd be great! Thanks!"
She doesn't seem very happy about it though, Anya was about to read her mind to learn why, but she picked up on Papa's thoughts first.
It's an admitted long shot, but maybe Anya and Yor can learn key details about the Sumdacs while they're out today. Much as I'd rather not use them for mission purposes, I'm gonna need them to do so. For all I know, the fate of our family could depend on these new neighbors and what they know.
Already on it, Papa! Anya smirked inside her head, now putting her idea into motion. This would be a win-win-win for everyone: She got to help the Sumdacs by showing them the city, and she got to help Papa with his own spy stuff. More importantly, however, since Sari was in those future visions Bond showed, that meant she'd be super important in the future. Just like the friendship scheme with Sy-On boy, making friends with Sari would be really important. Anya wasn't very good with math (though she'd been getting better bit by bit thanks to reading Bumblebee's mind while studying during drives), but there was one equation she knew for sure.
Anya + Friendship + Sari = No more orphanage = Happy ending secured.
"Come on!" Anya ran ahead for the doors, slamming it open as she and Bond stepped into the outside. She laughed and he barked while Bumblebee waited at the curb for Papa.
"Your daughter is very excitable," Isaac said, Sari at his side while Mama and Papa were at the other, joining them.
"Yes, yes she is," Papa said, It can be a headache sometimes, but it's endearing in its own way. "I'm sure your daughter's just as excitable."
"That she is, especially when she runs off on her own to have an adventure. Oh, the stories I could tell..."
"Dad! I'm not that bad..." Sari grumbled and crossed her arms before getting her hair tousled by her father, everyone else laughing, including Anya.
"Well, me and Anya would be delighted to hear them while we're out," Mama finished laughing, "We're neighbors now, so we should get to know each other." That's something neighbors are supposed to do, right?
So, we have new neighbors? Anya picked up on Bumblebee's thoughts and looked at his car mode, They seem nice, though there's something about the girl that's… I don't know, kinda off.
Can Mister Bumblebee tell Sari's a robot? Anya wondered just as Papa finished saying his goodbyes to everyone and got in Bumblebee.
I think it might be the eyes. I've seen plenty of humans with blue eyes so far, but I don't think I've ever seen that shade of blue before, Bumblebee thought as Papa began driving away, the last thing Anya picking up from him being, They kinda look a lot like Cybertronian optics, being honest.
"Huh…" Anya muttered quietly as she turned to Sari, who was currently staring at Bond before getting her face licked, giggling with one bright blue eye open while the adults smiled and watched. They really do look like Mister Bumblebee's eyes the more I look at them, Anya thought back to when she first saw him in robot mode, remembering how bright and blue his robot eyes were as she compared them to Sari's, Does that mean she's a Cy-be-tonian too?
"So," Isaac began, facing Mama, "Where should we go first to become familiar with the city?"
Mama hummed, a finger under her chin, "Well, Anya and I were planning on going to the dog park to play with Bond. Why don't we start there? We can point out any other sights on the way."
"A dog park?" Sari's glowing eyes lit up even more, "That's sounds great! Dad, we have to see it!"
Isaac chuckled at his daughter's excitement, "Alright, the dog park it is then." Turning to Mama, he said, "Please lead the way, Mrs. Forger."
"Okay then. Come along, Anya and Bond!" Mama took the lead, holding Bond's leash with Anya at her side and the Sumdacs following.
"Yay! Park time!"
"Borf!"
Yor giggled as she watched Anya run around with her new friend in the distance, the two of them chasing Bond in a game of tag. It wasn't much of a competition, since the girls, especially Sari, easily caught up with Bond time and again. Yor honestly couldn't tell if Bond was just tired or if he was letting the girls win.
Just like all the games of tag Yuri and I used to play, Yor smiled at the fond memory. Because she'd always been so much stronger and faster than other kids her age, Yuri was never able to keep pace with her, but he never gave up nor did he ever stop trying to win at the game. That determination was something she deeply admired, enough so to give it her all and never slow down, no matter how much she wanted to let him win even once. If she did that, it would've been an insult to his efforts, and he deserved a victory of his own merits.
He never got it though, and now that they were adults with their own livelihoods to tend to, it was unlikely he ever would.
"I'm glad your daughter is getting along so well with mine, Mrs. Forger," Mr. Sumdac said, looking just as happily at the scene as Yor was.
"Me too, Mr. Sumdac. And please, call me Yor. We are neighbors, after all," Yor was fairly certain good neighbors were supposed to have enough familiarity with one another to use their first names. She didn't exactly interact enough with 128 Park Avenue's other occupants to have a solid idea.
Thankfully, Mr. Sumdac gave a wistful hum, "In that case, please call me Isaac."
"Okay then, Isaac," Yor returned the sentiment as the two continued to watch their daughters play. Anya had pulled a ball from her pocket and threw it far, letting Bond go after it, or at least casually walk for it. Thankfully, there weren't too many others with their dogs at the current hour, so no one else gave the ball any chase. "Hey, Isaac," Yor began just as Bond retrieved the ball for Anya, her daughter trying to give it to Sari, "Can I ask you a question?"
"I don't see why not."
"Why did you decide to come here?" Yor asked, "To Berlint, I mean."
Her question gave him pause as he looked to the grass. For a second, Yor regretted asking and wondered if such questions were invasive. She only wished to get to know her new neighbors, both because they seemed like such nice people and to better blend in with the average person, but now she was fearing that she might accidentally push them away.
Wanting to resolve the issue as fast as possible, she blurted, "It's alright if you're uncomfortable answering! Sorry for putting you on the spot like that! I only wanted to-"
"No, no it's quite alright, Yor. It's just a… difficult subject for me," Isaac answered, shoulders sagging ever so slightly.
"If you want, we can talk about something else."
"I'm fine with discussing parts of it. It's just…" Shaking his head, Isaac looked on at the scene of Sari reluctantly taking the ball from Anya, experimentally tossing it in the air a few times, and said, "Before I began traveling, I used to be a scientist. In my heart, I still am, to a degree."
"What kind of scientist?" Yor asked. While she was no expert in any science by any stretch of the imagination (unless killing people counted as a type of science), she at the very least knew that it wasn't a monolithic thing and that there were a variety of different fields, some of which tended to overlap with one another. Maybe she knew something that could help a developing, friendly conversation between two parents in a pinch?
"Robotics, mainly," Came his answer just as Sari tossed the ball with an underhand throw, letting Bond run to get it. Yor was impressed with how far the ball went despite the clear lack of strength put into it.
"I see…" Yor began, wondering where to take the conversation with that detail, given that she knew nothing about robotics. Naturally, she went with the first thing that popped into her head and asked, "Did you build killer robots to help someone try and take over the world?" The second that escaped her lips, she panicked, Wait, is that not something I should ask?
Instead, her question drew a hearty chuckle out of the former scientist as he wiped a tear from his eye, "N-No, nothing of the sort!" Stifling his laughter, he watched as Bond returned to Sari with the ball in his mouth and replied, "My research was mostly spent alongside other scientists in helping to both decipher and reverse engineer… eh, challenging technology, you could say. My previous employers had never seen anything quite like it and needed whom they considered the brightest, most adaptable researchers they could find for the job. From there, it was a matter of figuring out what it could be used for. For a while, things were good." His expression soured, "But then events happened and, well…"
Yor watched the way his eyes flickered towards Sari, focused so intensely on her with what she could only describe as a burning, protective drive. Whatever happened clearly involved her. To what degree, Yor didn't know, but despite her reluctance, she asked, "Did your daughter have anything to do with these events?"
Isaac seemed rather dodgy, likely put off by the suddenness of her question. Yor wanted to take it back, not wanting him to be uncomfortable, but to her surprise, he relented and answered, "She was… she was part of the reason, you could say. I was already disagreeing with my colleagues' methods of research, but when Sari entered my life, I decided the best thing to do was quit. We began traveling after that."
"Sounds like a tough decision," Yor commented, looking at hers and Isaac's respective daughters as they played. Blinking, she realized something, "Wait, what about Sari's mother? Did she not come with you?"
Unlike her previous questions, this time, Isaac flat out froze with wide eyes before looking away, "Oh, uh, Sari's mother doesn't-I mean, she's…" With a deep sigh, he said, "She's no longer with us, I'm afraid."
Yor's own eyes went wide, the man's reaction, statement about when they started traveling, Sari's birth coinciding with the beginning of these travels, and the mother's absence all painted a clear picture of what happened: Death by childbirth.
"I-I'm so sorry! I had no idea!"
"You didn't know, so it's perfectly understandable," Isaac reassured her, "Though, I ask that you not bring it up around my daughter. It's a very sensitive subject for her."
"I can only imagine," Yor nodded, looking back at Sari, her heart going out to daughter and father as Bond brought the ball back again, handing it to Anya, who was now talking exuberantly with her new friend. Sari, now seeming more confident in the games they were playing, nodded and the two walked a distance away from each other, Anya aiming the ball and throwing it to Sari. Watching her daughter, Yor remembered something, and broke the silence between her and Isaac by saying, "If it means anything, I think Anya and my husband know how you feel." Upon receiving a confused look from Isaac, she clarified, "She lost her birth mother two years ago. I guess you could say my daughter and yours have a few things in common."
"So you're Anya's-" Isaac shook his head and gave her his full attention, "Forgive me. I honestly wasn't aware that you were her stepmother."
"Really? Because a lot of people tend to know right away. Or they make… assumptions." Yor replied with just a hint of bitterness to her voice. Even now, she remembered those thugs that tried to kidnap Anya just outside the grocery store and how they thought her to be a family servant. Outside of that, whenever she was spending time with Anya on outings, people were easily able to tell she was a stepmother just from appearance.
While Isaac and Sari shared numerous similarities in appearance that Yor could pick out with a glance, she and Anya shared absolutely none.
Granted, Anya and Loid don't have much in common there either, but I can only assume that's because she takes predominantly after her birth mother, Yor's eyes went half-lidded, focused on the two daughters playing catch as Anya smiled and cheered for Sari to give it her all. Actually… Yor felt a small smile grace her own lips, Anya and Loid do have one thing in common.
They both had the exact same smile. And it was beautiful.
"If it means anything, it's easy to tell that your daughter loves you very much. Perhaps almost as much as you love her," Yor was stirred out of it by Isaac, whom she faced as he asked, "How did you meet Anya and her father, if it isn't much trouble to ask?"
Smiling, Yor said, "It isn't any trouble. If anything, it's fitting, since I asked first." I can't tell you everything, of course, but maybe something like what Loid said for our Eden interview should suffice. Looking up at the tree providing them shade, Yor remembered that fateful day and began, "Loid and I first met at a tailor shop. I was fixing a dress for a workplace get-together, and he was buying Anya some new clothes. I noticed him staring at me and he called me pretty." Yor was unable to fight her blush, "Honestly, it caught me off-guard. No one's ever called me that before."
"I can't say I have an opinion on such things," Isaac admitted, slightly bashful, "In all honesty, I've never had an eye for physical appearances."
"Me neither, but it felt good to be considered that by someone," Yor's wistful mood continued. Sure, her brother had called her that, alongside sweet and beautiful, but… sometimes she felt like the only reason he called her that was because he was her brother. He pretty much had to call her that and accept her by default simply because they were family. She didn't know Loid at the time, but he still complimented her and accepted her oddities regardless. "As for Anya…" Yor began again, "Well, the first thing she did when she saw me was wish that she had a mother. Even now, I'm still not sure why she acted that way."
The only reason Yor could conceive as to why Anya did was if it was some sort of ploy to help Loid get a wife for the Eden interview, but Anya was too sweet and innocent to do something like that. Not to mention the way Loid reacted made it clear that not even he was sure why she did that either. Still, it led to their family as it was now, so regardless, Yor felt no need to truly question it.
"Before my own daughter, I never had much of any experience with children, so like before, I can't really comment on your daughter's actions either," Isaac said, "But it sounds like she loved you like a mother from the moment you met."
"… Yeah, I suppose she did," Yor muttered, not sure what to make of that. Did Anya really see her as mother material before she even knew anything about her? She didn't think she'd be any good at it at first, even with all her experience raising Yuri under her belt, but time and again, Loid and Anya sung her praises and reassured her that they couldn't ask for anyone better than her for the Forger family's matriarch.
I'm enough, Yor repeated Loid's words to her from after her initial disastrous attempt at driving Bumblebee. She'd found herself doing so less and less as the days went on, though the few times she reminded herself still helped.
Coughing, Isaac drew Yor out of herself and said, "Forgive me for my boldness, but after getting to know you, I do believe your daughter was right to want you for a mother." The former scientist smiled, "It seems she has a gift for reading people."
Yor smiled back, taking in the sounds of singing birds and other families playing with their dogs as she replied, "Believe me, no one understands how perceptive Anya is like I do." Except for Loid, of course. Even now, Yor couldn't help but be amazed at how perceptive Anya could be at times. In a lot of ways, it reminded her of Yuri, as well as how much she wanted to see Anya flourish with her gifts. "And what about your daughter?" Yor asked, watching as Sari and Anya became more invested in their game of catch, "Would you say she's the same in that regard?"
"She is. Much more than I am," Isaac answered, sounding quite proud and happy, "She's always been a better judge of character. Better than me at reading people, I mean, and I believe that she'll grow up to become much smarter than I am even now. I look forward to when she does."
Yor couldn't help but be amazed. The way he spoke, it was less that he hoped such a thing for Sari, and more that he viewed it as an absolute certainty. He had that much faith in his daughter. "Loid and I want the same for Anya," Yor said, "We want her to be happy and successful in life. To live without worry and just be herself." Turning back toward their playing daughters, Yor reminisced the times she and Yuri played catch together like Anya and Sari did now. "I'd like to think a lot of parents wants the same for their children."
Isaac shrugged, but his upbeat mood remained, "Perhaps. I know it's what my own parents wanted for me. It's why I've moved around and worked so many jobs. I'm hoping that I can find a place for me and my daughter to call home, where she can live happily as herself without fear."
"In that case, I hope Berlint can be the home you and your daughter are looking for," Yor replied honestly, "If you need any help with that, you can always ask us. As your neighbors it's our duty to help however we can."
"Thank you, Yor," Isaac's smile grew ever so slightly, but the emotions behind it were as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He started saying something about how he'd find a way to repay her for any help she and her husband would provide, but then the air shifted subtly. Yor's instincts ran wild, recognizing the shift as similar to when bullets were flying. In an instant, she threw an open fist at Isaac, stopping at the side of his face in time to catch the ball before it made impact.
It took exactly five seconds for Isaac to process what just happened. When realization hit his eyes…
"AAHH!" He yelped, jumping out of his bench seat and falling flat on his butt to the park's grassy ground. Yor got up to check on him, hearing Sari shout for her father the moment she knelt down and helped him up. Turning, the two adults saw their daughters and Bond rush up to them, Isaac rubbing at his lower back, "Don't worry Sari, I'm fine. Mostly, at any rate."
"Dad, I'm sorry!" Sari's eyes began to shimmer, "Anya and I were just playing catch and running around and I got carried away and-"
"She threw the ball really hard and it bounced off a few trees," Anya finished for her new friend, said girl looking down shyly as Yor blinked before looking to the ball she'd caught.
That she managed to throw it with such force… Yor could still feel the speeds at which it was moving when she'd caught it and found herself more than a little disturbed, To have that kind of throwing strength without knowledge of rebounding between objects is a dangerous combination.
She could still remember all the times playing catch with Yuri during her teens. When she threw the ball at too high a speed for him to catch, he'd manage to dodge it, thankfully, but then it always managed to ricochet off something in the environment and hit him either in the face or back of the head. He always took it in stride and complimented how strong her throwing arm was, but it left her guilt-ridden regardless.
Judging by the look on Sari's face, the poor girl was going through the exact same thing. And it was clear this wasn't the first time it's happened either.
"Sari, it's okay. It was an accident. Besides, Mrs. Forger caught the ball before it hit me," Isaac knelt down and gently tried to cheer her daughter up. The girl's glowing eyes didn't shimmer as much, but there was still an evident, all too familiar self-loathing in them, especially as she looked down at her throwing hand.
"I know!" Anya chirped and ran up to Sari, pulling her in front of Yor and asking, "Sari, maybe you and Mama can play catch? She's really strong and really fast, so you don't have to worry."
"Great idea, Anya!" Yor looked to Isaac approvingly, and he nodded with a thumbs up. Sari seemed highly apprehensive, looking at Yor like she was afraid of hurting her. All Yor could do was smile, kneel, and say, "Sari, I'd love to play with you. There's no need to worry. I'll be fine." Maybe playing catch with someone who can handle her strength will help her feel better?
Lord knows having someone like that growing up would've made things less lonely for her.
"I… o-okay," Sari held out her hand, Yor giving her the ball before she got into position, walking a distance away from everyone that may as well have been halfway across the park, dogs, owners, and children surrounding them in sparse numbers, all playing or talking about amongst themselves. Anya, Isaac, and Bond all stood just behind Yor, who prepared to catch when Sari was ready. From here, Yor could see the nervousness in the little girl's eyes and body language, looking down at the ball and taking a deep breath. Rearing back, she threw it at Yor with all the strength she could muster, the ball flying in a straight line for the assassin, air rippling around it like a bullet. To the untrained eye, it was probably moving too fast for anyone to even see.
But Yor's eyes could see it just fine.
Right as it was about to impact her forehead, Yor raised a hand and caught the ball, stopping it dead in its tracks. The sheer force behind it made her hand move back a centimeter, but she was otherwise unaffected. Lowering her arm, she smiled at Sari and said, "Good throw!"
"A-Are you okay!?" Sari called out, sounding both worried and disbelieving.
"Never better!" Yor called back, giving the ball a few experimental tosses, "You have a strong throwing arm!"
"That was so cool Sari!" Anya cheered for her friend, Yor turning back to see her daughter jumping up and down.
"Nice one, dear!" Isaac clapped his hands proudly, though Yor could see he was still a little bit worried. Not that she could blame him for feeling as such.
"Borf!" Bond joined with the rest, his tail wagging in excitement.
"My turn!" Yor got into a throwing position and gave Sari a determined look, "Are you ready?"
"U-Uh, yeah! Yeah, I'm ready!" Sari said shakily, though she seemed to have gained a bit of a confidence boost after watching Yor's catch. She got ready and held out her hands to grab the ball when Yor threw it.
Taking a deep breath, Yor pulled her hand back, Okay, how do I want to do this? She's around Anya's age, so I'll have to hold back a lot. But at the same time, she's clearly afraid of her own strength and holding back too much might reinforce the idea that she should be afraid of it. Not that Yor could talk too much there either. Often, she was just as afraid of her own strength, always doing her best to keep it on a tight leash with… mixed results. But she wanted to help Sari, so for her, she'd put no more strength into the throw than what was needed. Yor took into account how much force was behind the girl's ball throw, figuring how much strength to apply, and said, "Okay, here it comes!"
With that, Yor threw the ball, holding back as best she could. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, as the ball still went flying in a perfectly straight line, rippling the air and blowing wind across its surroundings, giving it the impression of a mach wave. Upon realization this detail, it was already too late to do anything while it flew for the six-year-old.
Oh no! Yor gasped, mind panicking with several options. She wanted to yell at Sari to get out of the way, outpace the ball and grab Sari before it hit, or pray that Sari could withstand the force of her throw. It was too late for the former two options, as the ball was already too close to its target to warn or outpace it. All she could do was pray, Please catch it, please catch it, please catch-
-the ball flew a few feet above Sari's head, her red hair billowing in its wake-
-it? Yor blinked, watching as the ball completely missed its intended target, instead continuing onward as its sheer speed and strength terrified everyone in the way to bolt to the side. By the time the ball reached halfway across the part, it began kicking up dust, dirt, and grass, flying even faster than ever until it reached the very end, perfectly squeezing between the rails of a fence. It could've likely gone even further, but ceased all motion when it hit the window of a black car, plopping unceremoniously to the ground and now hidden by bushes.
"… what just happened?" Sari asked, turning around to where the ball had went before turning back to Yor. Feeling the eyes of both the Sumdacs, her daughter, and her dog on her (plus a few nearby park goers), she felt her face heat up in embarrassment and shame.
"I-I meant to do that!"
"Don't worry, I'll get it," Sari said, turning and running to where Yor threw the ball.
"Be careful, Sari!" Isaac called out to her.
"I will!"
Yor could see that Sari's response didn't put Isaac at ease as much as she would've liked. "Hey, Isaac," The secret assassin gave him a reassuring grin and asked, "Would it help if I go with her? I'll keep watch while she's getting the ball." Kneeling down, she motioned for Anya and Bond to come close, "You two stay with Mr. Sumdac, and don't wander too far from him, okay?"
"Okay!" Anya smiled brightly and ran up to Isaac alongside Bond, "Wanna play with us, Mr. Sumdac?"
"I…" Isaac seemed hesitant, eyes shifting between them and where Sari was running off too, clearly worried for his daughter, but Anya and Bond were giving him the most adorable, pleading eyes they could. Yor could never resist them, and Isaac proved unable to either. "Very well," He sighed reluctantly before facing Yor, "Please make sure she stays safe. Sari's always had a tendency to find trouble. If not that, then trouble tends to find her."
Why does that sound so familiar? Yor wondered, eyes briefly shifting to Anya as she began pulling at Isaac's hand and asking to play tag. Giggling before remembering what she needed to do, she turned to where Sari went and saw that she was already past the bushes. Yor ran, deftly avoiding any whom she almost bumped into while apologizing to everyone, and reached the fence in precious seconds. She pushed past the bushes, expecting to see Sari pressed against the gate and reaching for the ball through the steel bars, but instead…
"What?" Yor whispered, now seeing Sari on the other side of the fence as she tried to reach under the black car, likely for the ball. How did she- Yor almost asked herself before her eyes glanced over the fence, seeing a spot that looked like it'd been pried open by bare hands, creating a space just big enough for a child to squeeze through, Oh! Well, I guess that'll do it.
Personally, Yor would've jumped over the fence, but Sari's method worked just fine.
"Come on! Stupid short arms! Stupid car!" Sari muttered just loud enough for Yor to hear as she stifled a small laugh. Seeing that the girl was having trouble, she prepared herself to go help with… the…
W-What? Yor froze, blood running cold as her senses ran wild. Throughout all her years as an assassin, she'd developed an acute awareness to certain dangers. She could sense the shifting of air when someone was attempting a sneak attack. She'd mastered picking up on when she was being watched from up close or afar. And she'd immediately recognized what this particular sensation was: Bloodlust.
But this felt different. Yor had become accustomed to when it was directed towards her and only her in the heat of combat, as everyone in the criminal underworld wanted Thorn Princess dead. This felt like it was being directed at everyone in every direction, and it was currently aimed the most at-
Sari! Yor gasped and wanted to yell at Sari to run. She didn't know where or who it was coming from, only knowing that the girl needed to get out of there. But as Yor watched Sari lift the car up to better reach the ball, that wave of murderous intent magnified so much on her that it was nothing short of a miracle she didn't spontaneously combust. It left Yor frozen with indecision and fear for the child, eyes darting every which direction to figure out who it was coming from.
"Finally!" Sari got out from under the car and put it down. Just as she began walking back to the fence, however…
"Hey!" An angry voice yelled as the car doors slammed open, revealing two State Security Service officers, one of whom stomped around the vehicle and joined his associate, "What the hell was that, kid?"
The Secret Police! Yor's eyes went wide, getting a better look at the car, seeing that the black Biscayne had the Security Service's logo on the side door. Oh no, this is bad!
"I… I uh-" Sari cut herself off, staring nervously at the two officers that loomed over her, surrounding her from the left and right to keep her from going anywhere.
"You what? Do you realize you could've damaged the car? It's government property!"
"She lifted the whole thing too. What kind of freak is this kid?"
The officers' words made Sari shrink and appear on the verge of tears. Clearly, that word, freak, struck a nerve. It struck one with Yor too, as she saw a mix of sadness and anger in Sari's eyes that made her blood boil.
"Kid doesn't seem like she's from around here either," The first officer said, glaring at Sari, "Where are you from?"
"F-From out of town?" Sari stammered, too terrified to even move as the officer kept glaring at her.
"So, you're a foreigner, huh? Likely undocumented, from the looks of it," The officer's glare intensified as he grabbed Sari by the arm, "You're coming with us." He looked at his partner, "Search the park for the kid's parents. We're taking them back to HQ."
"H-Hey! Let me go!"
Yor grit her teeth and was about to jump in, but Sari managed to throw the officer off, making him stumble and trip backwards as she tried to make a bolt for it. But she wasn't able to get very far, as the second officer just barely managed to grab her by the back of her hoodie's collar, leaving her to flail helplessly in the air.
"Seriously you damned brat, just stop squirming so much and-"
He never got to finish. In the span of a single second, Yor had leapt over the fence and delivered a kick to his lower back, sending him flying toward his partner and knocking them both to the floor, all while she grabbed Sari mid-fall.
"What do you think you're doing!?" Yor lowly snarled, gently placing Sari behind her.
"Grr, stay out of this, lady!" The first officer yelled, "This is State Security business."
"All I see is a pair of bullies harassing an innocent child," Yor's tone was cold, holding Sari close as she felt the girl cling to her leg. Gently placing a hand to her head, she said, "I'll give you this one chance. Walk away now, before I hurt you."
Both officers stood tall, one of them snickering, as they sauntered over to her. "You know, threatening a member of the State Security Service is a serious offense," The chortling one sneered, "We're gonna need you to come with us too."
"Neither of us are going anywhere with you!" Once more, Yor growled as her eyes darkened, her usual fear of the SSS and the consequences of getting arrested by them smothered with an uncontrollable rage.
"We're not giving you a choice," The first officer reached into his coat, the smell of gunmetal hitting Yor's nostrils as he rummaged through it, "Now, get in the car or else-"
Yor refused to let him get another word in, finding her anger too much to bear. With their car just to her right, she slammed a fist down on the hood, rattling the entire vehicle and sending the rear upward for a few seconds. The officers were left wide eyed, watching the back wheels of the car slam down with a thud against the pavement, despite the fact that it was still outwardly undamaged.
"If you so much as take a single step forward, you will wish that I'd just killed you," Yor threatened, glaring at them with such malice that they took a few more steps back. Much as it threatened her cover, and for as much as she would've preferred avoiding any confrontation with the State Security Service, right now, she couldn't bring herself to care. If it meant protecting a child and ensuring she could go home to her father, then it was worth it in her eyes.
The two officers seemed to reconsider their position, but then stubbornness made its way into their eyes and they glared back, and with that glare, Yor sensed the bloodlust from before. It'd grown tenfold, and no longer was it aimed all over the place.
Now, every ounce of it was aimed solely at her. It almost made her panic, especially with Sari's presence, but she refused to buckle.
So, these two are what I was picking up on, Yor magnified her glare to match, intent on scaring these monsters away, The State Security Service's recruiting standards must be lower than I imagined, especially if they allow such depraved men within their ranks.
Yor's projected wrath escalated, her glare matching the bloodlust in equal measure. Despite the terror the officers showed, they just wouldn't leave, and the first one seemed intent on pulling out his gun at the slightest sign of movement.
But then, his eyes widened, "Oh God… you're-" He grabbed his compatriot by the shoulder, "Get in, we're leaving."
"What? But they-"
"I said get in!"
"O-Okay, okay!" The two officers bolted into their patrol vehicle, which started up and zoomed out of there like their lives depended on it.
They didn't, but only because of current company.
What was that about? Yor questioned, relieved that they were out of trouble at the very least. Hearing a sigh of relief, she looked down at saw tears form in her eyes. Kneeling, she gently held the girl by her shoulders, "Sari, it's okay. The bad men are gone now."
Instead of answering, Sari jumped up and hugged Yor tightly. With the amount of force behind it, the hug probably would've crushed anyone else's rib cage, but not hers. Returning the embrace, she picked Sari up and began walking along the sidewalk for the park entrance, understanding that the girl needed a moment to calm down.
"M-Mrs. Forger, who were those guys?" Sari asked, sniffling just a little.
"Rotten members of a rotten organization: The State Security Service," Yor answered, struggling to keep her anger from before in check as she patted Sari's back. Oh how she lived in fear and loathing of them. As a group, and on paper, they may have been trying to protect Ostania like the Garden, but their methods were torturous, cruel, and often targeted the innocent just as much as they did the guilty. And far more often than not, the innocent suffered because of them simply for being appearing suspicious.
At her age, had she not become Loid's wife, she would've fallen under similar suspicions and likely been arrested. Though as a later encounter she had with them during a mail run while working showed, not even that guaranteed her safety. The tiniest excuse can and would be used to erase someone from society, never to see the light of day ever again. Even if they all played their parts right, her entire family would always be at risk because of them.
I won't let that happen. Not now, nor ever! Yor seethed with quiet determination, feeling the child in her arms calm down enough that she stopped shuddering. For the moment, she knew her family was safe from the SSS, at the very least. Loid was a hard-working psychiatrist, Anya a flourishing Eden student, and Yuri a dedicated diplomat. All she could do for now was sincerely hope that none of them would be anywhere near the Secret Police. If they ever got in trouble with them, she had no idea what she'd do.
"H-Hey Mrs. Forger?"
"Please call me Yor, Miss Sari," Yor smiled at Sari's light giggle. She kept the girl in her arms, but pulled back enough to face her, "Do you want me to put you down?" Receiving a nod, she complied and asked, "What's wrong?"
Staring at the floor, she grabbed at her right elbow, rubbing it and asking, "Can you please not tell my dad about what happened? I don't…" Her eyes began watering a little, "I don't want to worry him. And we just got here and I don't want to leave and… and… I'm scared that if he finds out he'll..."
"I understand," Yor placed a finger to her lips, "I won't tell a soul. I promise."
Sari smiled, looking like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, "Thank you, Mrs. Fo-I mean, Yor!" The two of them giggled and continued their trek around the park, the only sounds being their steps against the sidewalk and the playing happening behind the fence. But right as they began to near the park entrance, Sari stopped, "Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"How did you do that with those guys' car? Hit it super hard like that, I mean."
"I, uh…" Yor looked up, unsure how to really explain that to her. She understood that her strength made her stand out like a headless body (not a good thing in the current political climate), and whenever confronted by it, she'd always tried to come up with the first excuse she could think of. With Sari, however, things were different. The girl had displayed similar feats in strength to what Yor could do in her youth. They were two of a kind, so perhaps what she needed wasn't a hastily thought up lie, but honesty.
Well, as honest as I can be with this, Yor knelt down again, dark red eyes meeting vibrant blue, and answered, "To tell the truth, Sari, I've always been pretty strong for my age. It led to me being a bit of an outcast growing up." She smiled sadly, shutting down those bitter memories for Sari's sake, "And as I got older and trained my body, I kept getting stronger and stronger. Much of what I can do now stems from training."
Sari took in her explanation with awe, "A-Are you… like me?"
"Huh?" Before Yor could ask what she meant by that, Sari just sighed.
"Never mind, it's just…" She stared down at her hands, "I'm not good at controlling myself like you can. Those officers were jerks, but they're right. I'm a… a freak."
Freak. There was that word again. A word no child should ever be called. A word that Yor was all too familiar with. Hearing it again made those twisted emotions blister inside her. But to hear it from Sari, who sounded so… accepting of the label, it made something inside her snap.
"No, they're wrong!" Yor's words caused Sari to flinch and step back. Realizing she was being too forceful, she reached forward and hugged her, "Sari, you're not a freak. You're just a little girl. A little girl who's had to go through so much in such a short time." She made not have had all the details, but from what Isaac described, the constant travel must've taken a toll on both of them. Pulling back from the hug, Yor saw Sari's eyes begin to shimmer again as she wiped the tears away, "So don't ever call yourself that again. You're just a little different, and that's something you should never have to apologize for."
Yor couldn't help but wince on the inside at her words, the hypocrisy tasting like acid in her mouth. How often did she try to hide away her otherness like she was ashamed of it? How often did she try to downplay her strength and abilities just to appear like the average person? Yes, she needed to keep her assassin identity hidden, but that didn't excuse the double standards coming out of her mouth. It was just another reminder of how abnormal she was, for normal people weren't this two faced. Her husband, her daughter, and her brother were always honest with her, yet she was perpetually incapable of the same with anyone, even to a child who was so much like her.
And yet upon seeing the smile return to Sari's face, blue eyes glowing even brighter, Yor couldn't bring herself to mind it this time. After all, she became an assassin to help create a better, brighter world where children could smile and live free from its darker burdens. Even if it made her a hypocrite to say "be proud of yourself" while doing the opposite, so long as it helped a young girl better live with herself, she'd wear it like a badge of honor.
But just as quickly as Sari's smile formed, it left and she looked down at her hand, this one holding the ball, and muttered, "I just wish I didn't always break things. I want to control it, but…"
As a silence entered between them, Yor looked up in thought, hand to her chin as she gasped, "I know! I can train you!"
Sari blinked, tilting her head, "Wha-"
"I mean, I know what you're going through. I've had trouble with it myself. I still struggle with my strength even now, breaking things or hurting people without meaning to," Yor looked down at her own hands before taking Sari's into hers, "But I've learned to live with it, to control it as best I can and channel it into something that lets me help my family. And because of that, I want to help you live with it too. So, if you'll allow me, I'll teach you how to control your strength."
"Y-You'd really help me?" Sari all but whispered, grinning from ear to ear as Yor smiled at the sight.
"Of course! What are neighbors for?" Yor's answer made Sari all but jump into her arms for another hug. Picking the girl up, she walked into the park, eyes glancing between dogs and their owners in search of her own. In no time, she found Anya and Bond running around, being chased by Isaac in what looked like a game of tag.
At least, Yor was sure that's what they were supposed to be doing. As it was, it looked more like they were vastly outpacing Isaac, who seemed two steps away from collapse.
He fell face first after three.
"Did I…" The scientist panted and rolled onto his back, face and upper shirt drenched in sweat, "Did I win yet?"
Yor placed a hand to her mouth, stifling her laughter at the display. Sari and Anya, however, had no such reservations, the two children letting out a bark of chortles that made Bond proud, if his own barks were any indication. Even with all the laughing, Anya still walked up to the still Isaac and clapped her hand against his own, "Yup! You win, Mr. Sumdac!"
"Hoooraaaaaay…" Isaac droned out, desperately trying to sound excited despite probably suffering from dehydration. Either that or heat exhaustion, from the looks of it. Thankfully, Bond was there to help, licking the man's face to try and help him cool down. "Thank you. Really, I needed that," Isaac said as he started to stand, now looking up at Yor as she held Sari, "Are you alright, my dear? Nothing bad happened?"
Sari jumped down from Yor's grasp, "Don't worry dad. I got the ball back and nothing bad happened at all!"
"… Okay then, I trust you," Isaac stood up fully while Sari let out a sigh of relief. Even Yor let out one she didn't know she was holding. "Yor," He began, walking up to her with a kind look in his exhausted eyes, "Thank you for taking care of my daughter."
Yor nodded, "Of course. And thank you for looking after mine." Anya and Bond ran up to her. Patting her daughter's head, she turned to her neighbors again and asked, "Shall we continue touring the city?" Since we had an encounter with the Secret Police, it's best we get away from here as quickly as possible.
For some reason, Anya gasped, but Yor paid that no mind as the Sumdacs nodded, Isaac replying, "Yes, I think that will do nicely. Anything to get inside a building, if I'm being honest."
"In that case, I know a mall we can go to," Yor led the way out of the park, everyone following her. Sari was engaged in a happy conversation with her father and Anya about how much fun the park was, even mentioning how Yor offered to help tutor her in regulating her strength. Despite Isaac once again thanking her and Anya cheering about how they could be training buddies, Yor's mind was stuck on the Secret Police encounter from earlier.
She didn't regret her actions, as they ensured Sari was safe, even if worry that she'd put herself on their radar was cropping up inside her. However, she zeroed in on something in particular one officer said: How he called Sari "undocumented".
It's probably just him making excuses to arrest someone unabated, but with what Isaac said earlier… Yor wondered if he and his daughter ever got the right papers for Ostanian citizenship. If they were just traveling from place to place, drifting without a set destination in mind, then probably not. And in a country like this, that left them at greater risk than most.
When I get the chance, I'll talk with the Shopkeeper and Director. The Garden can forge some documents for the Sumdacs to help them blend in as official citizens. Hopefully none of us will have to deal with the State Security Service for the time being.
Panting as she slowed her run to a walk, Kelly Shiragami wiped the sweat from her brow and placed her hands in her pockets. Dressed in a light red sweater, white sweatpants, and sneakers, she'd decided to go jogging on this slow day, both to relieve her stress and because she had yet to replace her old car. Kelly wasn't even sure if she wanted to get it replaced, not after seeing that… that thing take on its form and drive off.
No, Kel, don't! Kelly clutched at her head and took a deep breath. This had been a reoccurring thing ever since that last encounter, and the more she thought about each subsequent giant robot run-in, the worse it got. The first time it happened outside the grocery store wasn't too terrible, horrible static and whirring aside. But the second time just outside her home, it loomed over her so menacingly. She was so certain that it'd come to get its revenge for throwing her groceries at it that she passed out, only to awaken the next morning unharmed.
And then came the new encounter with this darker, scarier robot. The same one that came from the stars.
Aliens. T-These things are aliens! Kelly's breathing rate increased. The thought that they weren't alone in the universe wasn't something that ever crossed her mind. But she'd just seen a giant killer machine drop from the sky, murder a deer, and drive away in the shape of her car.
It was still here, somewhere in Berlint. Both of them were, and with every waking second they threatened to kill everyone!
But…
No one believes me… Kelly huffed, coming to a stop at the parking lot of Berlint General Hospital. Needing to relax, she leaned against the nearest vehicle: A yellow VW Beetle with a black stripe running down the middle. The first time, no one listened and she was dismissed as delusional. Then came this far more sinister looking robot and she'd tried again, but every call to the State Security Service went unheeded. They'd recognized her from last time and similarly dismissed her. Looking back, she probably blubbered a lot and sounded incomprehensible to them, but as she stared at the hospital, something told her it wouldn't make a difference.
"Maybe I should schedule an appointment?" Kelly mused aloud to no one in particular. That last encounter was so thoroughly burned into her mind that every night since she'd woken from nightmare after nightmare. Every single one had the machine rise from the waters and kill the deer like before, only this time, it noticed her.
This time, it chased her.
This time, it caught her.
This time, it killed her.
And it never made it swift, always taking it's time, red eyes filled with rage and hate while it… it smiled at her.
After suffering through all that in her dreams, seeing a psychiatrist could probably do her some good. Even if he or she didn't believe her, just getting it off her chest and having someone to talk with consistently would hopefully be enough. She was about to get off the car and head in, see if she could schedule something, but then she heard a very loud engine roar, scaring away any birds in the trees. Standing tall, she looked around and saw an SSS car driving down a road, weaving past a couple cars and around the corner to behind the hospital.
"What the-" Kelly, now curious, followed where the car went. She'd never seen an SSS car drive so erratically before. What's gotten into them? She wondered, running around the corner to see the patrol car stopped on the edge of the sidewalk, two officer getting out with hands to their knees and taking deep breathes, their faces filled with abject terror. If Kelly didn't know any better, she'd assume they were just attacked by some kind of monster. Wait! She realized, wide eyed, Maybe that's it?
Perhaps these officers had a run in with that alien robot from before and managed to get away? Maybe unlike everyone else, they'd believe and help her? Kelly was feeling pretty calm now, so maybe she could properly articulate what she saw? With renewed confidence, she started walking to where they were, slowing down as she began to overhear a conversation.
"-why the hell did we run from that bitch?" One officer, the one who got out of the shotgun seat, asked, his fear slowly replaced with anger as Kelly yelped and took several steps back, hiding behind a dumpster.
Or maybe I'm better off not saying anything to these two. They didn't seem to be in a listening mood, though Kelly was still able to hear them and poked her head out.
"Look, we can't arrest her. Did you see her face? Her hair and eyes?" The officer that'd been in the driver's seat asked, sounding kinda frustrated. Thankfully, in the throes of said frustration, neither officer noticed her.
"Yeah, I'll admit, she was easy on the eyes. Like, really easy on the eyes, but why does that matter? We suddenly can't arrest someone just because she's hot?"
"No you idiot! I recognized her from photos. She's Second Lieutenant Briar's sister!"
"… o-oh," His partner relaxed, trying to piece things together, "You mean the one he never shuts up about?"
"Yeah, I remember seeing her in a photo when we were changing out of uniform. That sister obsessed wacko's got his locker filled with pictures of her from top to bottom. Doubt he'd like it if we brought her in."
Ugh, nepotism, Kelly grimaced, both at the "sister obsessed" part and the fact that whoever said sister was, she had total immunity from the SSS, Some people get all the perks in life. Bet she could get away with murder if she wanted.
"And what about the kid she was with?" The first guy got back in his shotgun seat.
"Forget it," The second officer followed, walking around to get back to the driver's seat, "Right now, dealing with the brat means dealing with her, and that means dealing with Briar. Trust me, it ain't worth pissing him off. He may be a loon, but he's good at what he does."
He closed the door, his partner following suit. Kelly sighed in a mix of relief and disappointment, but stood up, ready to walk around for the front of the building so she could get in and schedule an appointment proper.
Before she could, however, an ominous purple light entered from the side of her vision. Snapping towards it, she saw the SSS patrol vehicle, still afar, but whose interior was now bathed in said light. No sound came from the car whatsoever, and as she started to get close, the light ceased, and the shotgun door opened, out falling-
"H-Holy fuck!" Kelly fell to her butt and scrambled back, staring wide eyed and open mouthed at a charred corpse covered in what could only be described as everything degree burns. It wore the clothes of an SSS officer, but so thoroughly scorched off that it'd been reduced to the bare minimum, the body itself sprawled on the sidewalk, small sparks of electricity arching off as it faced the sun and cloudless sky.
And then the door closed on its own as Kelly heard screams from within, now muffled as she got to her feet and ran back, hiding behind the dumpster again and sitting in a fetal position. She hugged her knees, trying to comprehend what was going on. But then she heard the car door open again, the screams replaced by a loud gurgling noise. Daring to look out, she gasped and saw the other SSS officer scrambling in front of the car, trying to keep himself steady on the hood with one hand while the other held his throat. Even from here, Kelly could see the something impaling him, blood oozing down his neck and covering his white undershirt. She covered her mouth, knowing that if any noise came out, it'd be nothing but screams.
Throwing himself off the hood, he tried to run in her direction, a croaked call for help wheezing out of his mouth before he tripped on his partner's corpse, falling face first into the pavement. Kelly hid once again, hoping to go unnoticed and unheard, but curiosity got the better of her as she looked out once again, the bleeding officer seeing her and making a desperate crawl, more cries for help choked by blood. He reached out to her, desperation in his eyes that haunted Kelly all the more.
Finally regaining some semblance of control, she went back behind the dumpster, one hand to her mouth and the other to her knees. She closed her eyes, trying to keep herself together, but she was falling apart at the seams with no idea what was going on. She just wanted to run, go home, hide under the covers and pretend life was normal and that she didn't see anything.
But then she heard the car engine start.
W-What? Kelly looked out, seeing the patrol car's rear lights glow red as it drove forward and away, That shouldn't be possible. There's no driver! Unless- Eyes going wide, she pressed her back against the dumpster wall, both hands focused on covering her mouth to not make a sound, I-Is this the same monster from the lake? It can't be. It took the form of my… oh no! Just as quickly, Kelly remembered how it scanned her car and realized it could do that more than once, It scanned a patrol car when it got into the city. These things can take on more than one form! We're being invaded by alien shape-shifting cars!
Gurgled wheezing was all she could hear, but then she heard the sound of an engine and wheels against asphalt closing in. Poking her head out ever so slightly, Kelly hoped to see someone whom she could ask for help, maybe get the officer inside the hospital with her while he still had a chance. But instead, she saw the patrol car coming back, slowing down as it approached where the officer laid on his side. She watched from afar as it turned away from the officer, driving forward and stopping before it proceeded to back up.
Oh God! Terror filled Kelly, watching as the monster's back right wheel was on a collision course with the choking, convulsing officer's head, slowing down bit by bit as it neared. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She stood up and ran as fast as she could, almost tripping when she turned the corner and bolted even faster. Without thinking, Kelly saw the yellow car from before and ducked in front of it, sitting with her back pressed against its hood and bumper. She didn't know how long she stayed like this, only covering her ears the moment she heard the familiar roar of that monster's engine. Even muffled, it sounded like a devil from Hell as it drove down the road at high speeds. She didn't know where it was going, nor did she want to.
I gotta get out of here, Kelly used the VW Beetle's hood to prop herself up, legs still shaking from what she saw. Taking a deep breath, she looked at her reflection through the car window, seeing her face and red sweater now completely drenched without her noticing. I'm such a mess, Kelly huffed as her eyes wandered all over the small car that'd unknowingly protected her, Yellow with a black stripe. Kinda like a bumblebee. Looks pretty cute too. She smiled, You know, this thing actually reminds me a little bit of that-
That yellow machine, pelted with fruits and groceries in a blind panic. Kelly remembered those awful sounds it made, how it came up to her, and how it drove off, transforming into a futuristic looking car. One with a very similar black stripe running down the middle, just like-
"I-It's you!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, jumping back and running away, refusing to look back for fear that the robot in disguise would give chase. She ran and ran and ran, almost certain that Berlint General Hospital was long behind her, but she didn't stop running. She wouldn't stop until she was safe and sound at her apart-
"HEY, WATCH IT!" A man yelled at her, Kelly stopping and turning to realize she'd run across while a green light was flashing.
"I-I'm so-" She almost apologized, but then her eyes fell to the man's car.
Or at least, what looked like a car. For all she knew, it could've been another one of those… those things.
"Lady, are you alright?" The man asked in worry, making Kelly realize how fast she'd been breathing in that moment. Rather than answer, she turned tail and ran away. She needed to get out of here. She needed to get away from everyone.
She needed to get away from them.
How was that for disturbing?
Barricade and the Decepticons don't even need to be in robot mode to commit grisly murders.
For further context, aside from Barricade being an "Outside Context Problem" as a science fiction villain, whenever he's shown from the human perspective (such as with poor Kelly here), I tend to write him as a flat-out horror villain. So, he's pulling double duty as a Genre Refugee, being a sci-fi and horror villain (sometimes both) at individual points.
Speaking of Kelly, while I'm not sure on how well I'm doing, one of my goals here is to basically deconstruct her character from the Robots in Disguise 2001 anime. More specifically, her Butt-Monkey/Recurring Extra status in her encounters with the Transformers. In that series, they were all played purely for comedy, especially since most of her encounters were with Autobots who never meant any harm to her. But encounters with the flat out cruel Decepticons, especially a sadist like Barricade?
... yeah, not so funny anymore, is it? Poor woman's developing a pretty bad case of Amaxophobia for her troubles.
I have no idea how well I'm doing on deconstructing that, as intent and execution are two very different things, but I hope I'm doing a decent enough job.
Fun fact, when I was initially planning the final section, it wasn't gonna be located around Berlint General Hospital, but I couldn't figure out where else to put it because don't exactly get a detailed map of Berlint. This does also allow Loid's job to tie into the chapter somewhat and gives us even more of Spy X Family's classic Dramatic Irony, so I think it was a good choice.
As far as bonding with the Sumdacs goes, Yor gets to be a cool aunt/big sister-figure to Sari and connects with Isaac as a parent. Plus, in addition to Yor being casually superhuman, Sari gets to be casually superhuman too. Do be expecting her to show off more of her Techno-Organic nature throughout this short little arc. She probably would've accidentally blasted the SSS officers with an energy ball had Yor not jumped in when she did.
And yeah, we get your unfortunate reminders that Ostania is still very much a police state, that the State Security Service most certainly can (and will) arrest innocent people for the smallest suspicions or pettiest of reasons, and have unchecked authority to get away with it all while no one bats an eye.
Sorry for the notable lack of Loid in the chapter, but when I was planning things, I had a harder time figuring out how to integrate him directly into the events and just decided to have him absent and at work. He'll still appear in this arc, but his role's gonna be minor and rather detached from what his family and the Sumdacs are doing. Plus, while I love all the members of the Forger family, I have the most fun writing Yor and Anya, with Loid kinda being my least favorite of the Forgers to write.
Like I said, I love them all, but those two give me an easier time while Loid's more of a challenge. I think I have a lot more fun writing him from Anya's POV as well since Anya's POV tends to be the most enjoyable for me to work with.
As always, please add to the fic's TV Tropes pages, and I'll see you all next time with Mission 16.