Release 3.15
The receptionist looked down at the paper in her hands and then looked back at the young woman in front of her, dressed in the PRT uniform sans helmet, eyes narrowed as she pursed her lips. "So...your first name is...Beyonce?"
The young woman, her skin a uniform tone and her eyes an oddly reflective hazel, nodded her head, her wiry black hair shifting as she did so. "That's right!" She smiled revealing perfectly white teeth.
"And your last name is…"
"Beyonce."
The receptionist let the silence between them stretch on. When the young woman in front of her gave no explanation she coughed into her fist. "Right...Well, everything seems to check out. Welcome to the job miss…"
"Beyonce, but my friends call me BB."
"...okay." The receptionist pressed a button on her desk and leaned forward, speaking into an unseen microphone. "Hello, we have a new security guard here. Please send someone down to take her. Thank you."
BB smiled, humming to herself as she bounced on the balls of her feet. After a moment a man came walking calmly into the room. He wore the PRT officer's uniform, the helmet obscuring his face, but he stood out due to how laid back his posture seemed.
"Hey, you needed someone to show the newby around?"
"Yes. This is…" The receptionist paused, looking suddenly very tired.
BB stepped forward, extending one hand out. "Hello! I am Beyonce Beyonce, but please, call me BB."
"Nice to meet you BB. You can call me Jimmy."
"Oh, but you are my se-senior. I can't call you by your first name."
She got the sense that the man was rolling his eyes as he let out a small chuckle, wordlessly leading her away from the reception desk and through the Rig. "Fine, I guess you can call me Officer Page if it really makes you uncomfortable."
"Alright! I'll be in your care!"
"I'm surprised you have a uniform already. They usually don't give those out until orientation."
BB stumbled a bit and gave a nervous laugh. "A-Ah, well, I already got orientation, but the, uh…"
"Oh, did the Endbringer alarms interrupt things before you could get settled in?"
"YE-!" BB bit her own tongue to quiet herself. "I mean...yes, that's right."
The officer nodded his head. "Well, I don't want to step on anyone's toes or anything. Who was the officer that was giving you orientation? I can go find him and get things straightened out."
BB would have swallowed a lump in her throat if she could, but the android body she was in didn't have that capability. "Actually, I don't really remember." She scratched the back of her head with her gloved hand. "Sorry, I'm a little scatterbrained."
Officer Page waved a hand dismissively. "No problem. It was pretty crazy around then, so I can't really blame you. Still...any idea where you were supposed to be stationed?"
"A-Ah, yeah! I do. Umm...quarantine?"
The officer kept walking, not saying anything and for a moment BB wondered if she had pushed her luck a bit too far. Then Officer Page came to a stop in front of a large steel door and waved his identification card in front of it. He turned to her as it opened and she got the impression he was smiling. "Well, he we are! Quarantine. Right through these doors."
BB smiled. "Oh! Thank you!"
"No problem. See you later rookie!"
Office Page walked away as BB stepped through the open doorway, the steel door closing behind her. He walked through the Rig aimlessly for a while until he happened upon Miss Militia who was walking from the hospital attached to the building (likely to see to a teammate who got injured in the fight against the Simurgh). Beneath his helmet he smiled, waving the identification card in his hand through the air. "Hey, thanks for letting me borrow this Hannah."
Miss Militia paused, but smiled, taking the card from him. "No problem Jimmy."
"Oh, and could you point me towards the nearest exit?"
She nodded, pointing down the hall. "You'll want to make a right at the end of the hall and then take the first left you see. Then just go straight."
"Thanks. Oh, and you aren't going to remember me or anything we've talked about, okay?"
"Okay."
He waved as he passed by her, eventually turning the corner out of sight. He pondered the information he had gained. Assassin was apparently the titular character of the
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He could use that. He hadn't been able to get Archer's identity confirmed, but he was obviously Greek. If sightings of him having a horse tail were to be believed that narrowed it down considerably.
"So probably Chiron." He hummed to himself.
Underneath his helmet Mephistopheles grinned.
Archer watched with a keen eye as BB walked around Vista, holding her chin with one hand as she paced. "Okay, you are
sure about that time you gave me?"
Chiron nodded his head. "Yes."
"Okay then, here goes nothing!"
"That is not very comforting to hear."
"Don't care! Let's go!" BB placed her hand on the sleeping Vista's head (Chiron was at least grateful that Ruler brought chloroform as opposed to just punching her) and the room was covered in a white glow. There was a pause and then the glow receded.
"Did it work?"
"No clue!"
Chiron twitched. "What do you mean by that?"
"We won't be able to tell until she wakes up. If it didn't work though I have a back up plan." She leaned down and picked the smaller girl up, hefting her over her shoulder.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm getting your Master out of here."
"...but won't that-"
"Archer!" BB smiled as lines of code in the ether of the internet became active. "I order you, by my authority as Ruler, to blow a hole out of here and help me kidnap your Master!"
Chiron felt the power of a command seal take hold. He lifted his bow and fired.
Faultline looked up at the building above them with a frown on her face, though the expression was hidden behind her mask, a simple welding mask with a few noticeable grooves and chips in it. Marks gained from past battles and close calls.
The building before her was a square building with a curved front with bricks walls painted red and white columns decorating its face. Tall windows were set on its front and sides in neat rows showing a clear division between the first and second floors. A spire rose from the building's front, eventually doing away with the red brick look and instead becoming an all white gothic tower ending in a high point. It was not the most ornate or tall building in the city, but given its position set on a hill away from other buildings it stood out.
Not for the first time she wondered why they were asked to meet in a church.
"We shouldn't keep him waiting." Gregor the Snail's voice was calm, composed, with a slight accent to it that was difficult to place. He disliked going out if he didn't have to, but after seeing how unnerved Faultline had been at Accord's odd request he had decided to accompany her. Besides himself, her only other companion joining her was Labyrinth, the subject of the meeting.
Faultline nodded her head, taking long deliberate steps forward up the steps to the church. Gregor placed a white hand on Labyrinth's shoulder, gently prodding her forward and guiding her up the steps. She did not say anything, but she slowly rolled her shoulder to try to nudge his hand off of her, feeling manhandled despite Gregor's light and gentle hold. The movements were perhaps too subtle, or perhaps Gregor misinterpreted them, but either way he did not let go. The thought that she could just ask Gregor to let go did not cross the blonde girl's mind.
Faultline and her entourage found Accord waiting for them inside, standing at the altar. Beside him was a girl with curly dark hair in a neat looking white shirt and black skirt with a matching tie. She found herself frowning at the sight of the girl. She was informed that the job was being offered on behalf of another party, but Faultline had expected...she was not sure who. Someone she'd recognize at least. Perhaps someone she had a bad experience with who thought she wouldn't hear them out otherwise. Not some girl she had never seen before.
Accord's mask shifted to show his smile. "Hello Faultline. Gregor. Labyrinth. I am glad to see that you were able to make it. Faultline, I see you are still wearing that
costume of yours. Really, you should just let me make you a new one."
"Not interested. Now get to the point." Behind her Labyrinth sat down in the pews, sitting in the front row looking up at the stained glass ceiling behind the altar, staring at it, her eyes slightly unfocused. Faultline noticed the strange girl with Accord focus on the blonde mercenary, a smile on her face like a broken mirror, sharp and uneven. Faultline frowned.
Accord held up one hand placatingly then used it to gesture at the pews. "Please, take a seat. We do have quite a lot to discuss."
"And have you lording over us even more? I'd rather not."
"Suit yourself." He let out a sigh. "I've called you on behalf of my friend here who has an offer that I believe you would all be interested in."
The girl stepped forward, grin still in place, and gave a small condescending curtsy. "I am the Holy Grail, and I believe I can help you reach your desires."
Faultline felt her frown deepen, but did not speak. After the silence was allowed to stretch on for a time Gregor asked the question on her mind. "What desire, exactly?"
"Don't you want to know where Case 53's come from?"
Faultline felt her entire body tense. She did not need to look back to know that Gregor had reacted as well. "And why do you think you can help us?" This was not the first time someone came to her claiming to have a lead only to be unable to deliver.
"I don't. I
know." If Faultline thought her smile couldn't get anymore off, she was proven wrong as the word 'smug' was added into the growing list of adjectives she would use to describe the girl.
Accord to a small step forward, moving slightly to the side as though trying to block an invisible door to keep the girl out of the conversation. "Right. My friend here has a rather...interesting ability. She is able to grant boons to others, though only under certain circumstances."
"What kind of boons?"
The girl peeked around Accord's body. "I'm a mother fucking genie."
Accord, without looking, reached back and pushed her head behind him again. "That is...one way of putting it. Regardless, she is capable of granting you the knowledge you seek, perhaps even teleporting the person responsible to your feet."
"But there is a catch."
"Yes, those circumstances I mentioned." He paused for dramatic effect. "The Grail is capable of granting seven individuals projections-" "Servants", the Grail interrupted. "-which, though with some mind of their own, are extremely powerful. They release a great deal of energy when destroyed, and this energy is needed for her to use the greater portion of her power."
The Grail nodded, stepping to the left to reenter the conversation. "It is also how I choose who is most worthy to have their wish granted."
Faultline felt the puzzle pieces fall into place. "So then, these seven people you give projections to are meant to fight it out and the last person left gets their wish?" It sounded absurd, though being able to see Gregor's organs and skeleton was also absurd.
"That is correct! The other six have already been chosen! I just need one more!"
And had specifically asked for Labyrinth.
"How do I know you aren't lying?"
"Does it matter? You can see the whole thing go down, kill me if you feel like it. Accord has no offensive powers, and he only has some unarmed mooks here."
Accord nodded. "It
is a church. I wouldn't let my men bring weapons in here." She didn't want to believe him, but he was weird and OCD enough to actually do such a thing.
"But really", the Grail began, "It isn't your choice, it is hers." The Grail extended a finger to point at Labyrinth who was still looking up at the stained glass.
Faultline inhaled. She knew, intellectually, that Labyrinth was perfectly capable of making her own decisions, and the Crew didn't have any set in stone rules about taking jobs individually, mainly because none of them had ever been offered such or had considered it. Still, she felt somewhat responsible for the girl.
The Grail sighed. "Listen, I'm not going to give her a projection right now or anything. We are just going to talk. Let me get a feel for her, see if she's a good fit to be a Master and what Servant she should have. Okay? Just going to have a little interview."
Faultline hesitated, but before she could speak Labyrinth responded. "Okay, what do you want to talk about?"
The Grail grinned. "You of course!" She jumped down from the altar, jogging over to the pews and sitting beside the green mercenary. Labyrinth did not turn to face the Grail, but she did tilt her head slightly to allow her to listen better.
Accord shifted. "Would you two like something to drink? We can wait in the side room over there while they talk."
Faultline sighed. She shot a glance at Labyrinth and nodded. "Fine." She trusted that her teammate could handle herself, and they'd only be one room over.
Didn't mean she liked it.
The Grail waited until they heard the click of the door closing before beginning the conversation in earnest. "I'm certain you have questions for me as well, so I shall give you the same deal as the others. I'll ask a question and then you can ask a question."
Labyrinth swayed slightly. "Okay."
"Alright. Firstly, I'd like to ask why you became a mercenary."
"Faultline helped me leave the asylum, so I stayed with them."
There was a long beat of silence. The Grail twitched. "Your question?"
"Oh, I don't have one."
They blinked. "Oh, okay. I'll just continue then. So you stayed with her because she helped you?"
"No. She wasn't trying to help. I just left at the same time."
"But…?"
"She was friendly, and I had nowhere to go, so it was easier to stay with them. They helped later. A hypnotist they hired helped me with my power, but that was after I decided to stay, so I guess that isn't relevant."
"So you just stay because it is easy?"
"No. That is why I joined. I like them, so I stay."
"So you are friends?"
She paused. "I think so, yes."
"So did you ever think of leaving?"
"Sometimes. Sometimes things were hard and people fought or people got upset with me, but I knew leaving would be difficult. It was never bad enough that I tried to leave, and those hard times never lasted that long. Especially after they helped me with my power."
"How was your power like before they helped?"
"A nightmare." A pause. "I think I want to help too."
"What was that?"
"You want to ask what I want, and I want to help too."
The Grail frowned. "I think I know what you are getting at, but please expand."
"I didn't like my power, but Faultline and the rest helped make it better. Gregor helped too, and his power makes things hard for him. He doesn't like going outside because of it. Newter doesn't dislike his powers as much, but it made things really hard for him before. He says he used to live in sewers. He still doesn't like it. He can't have sex, and that makes him really frustrated." She paused again. "Ah, I don't mean frustrated like that, though I guess that is the case too."
The Grail blinked. "So because you know what it is like to have a power that makes life difficult you want to find a cure for the Case 53's?"
"Yeah." She looked around. "Did you know that this church was made by Peter Banner?"
"No, I didn't. Tell me about him."
"He was from England. Made a lot of buildings for Yale and built churches in Boston. This was the only building he made in Brockton Bay. It is very similar to the Park Street Church he made in 1809. The front of this building doesn't have the same windows above the door, and the steeple here is only two tiered. This glass must be new too. I don't think it was included in the original design."
"You know a lot about him."
"I think it sounds nice."
"What?"
"Building things. I think I'd like to be an architect."
"Really?"
"I can't. No high school. No diploma. And I don't think I'd do well in college anyways."
"Didn't Peter Banner learn about architecture from books?"
Labyrinth turned to look at the Grail. "You know about him too?"
"I read some books at the library. Though, I admit, I didn't recognize this as his work by sight. I can recognize different styles though."
"Styles are easy to recognize. That isn't very impressive."
"Ah, sorry, I was trying to show off."
"Why?"
"Wanted to impress you. You seem really smart, and it is pretty normal to want to seem smart yourself when you are around an expert."
"Oh, okay."
They lapsed into silence, just sort of staring up at the stained glass window leaning against one another. Accord came out a few minutes later looking curious, Faultline and Gregor behind him. "You two finished."
"I think so."
OPTIONS:
[] Make Labyrinth the final Master
[] Do not make Labyrinth the final Master
