Sometime in the Arknights story...
"Um, not to question your methods, Teach, but um," A finger extended into my wide-eye view. "I don't think that's going to buff out."
"What the hell was that!?" I was in a foul mood today. Everything was fine, to begin with. Got up, got reminded Reunion still wants to be... well a bunch of non-negotiable jerks capable of nothing but more violent acts against the non-Infected - You think after failing at Lungmen they'd learn but no, no they don't.
To give context, I was meant to oversee a new training performance of my team, simple enough, I wanted to test some of our newly acquired skills alongside a few new recruits to our team in particular. One issue with that actually-
"How did you even get enough C4 to blow a hole through military-grade steel!?" My hand shot toward the black smoke and lack of wall ahead of me. "Where did you get the C4, I specifically remember Kal'tsit revoking your permission into the armory for this specific reason!"
"Did she now, huh?" Was she even remotely aware of - oh who am I kidding, she always was! I knew she was up to something, she's always up to something.
Now I was pacing, feeling bullets of sweat leak through my coat in a frenzy. "And now she's going to think I gave you the explosives and I'll be forced to endure her lectures again," Now everything was dark and swirling around me. "I'd rather fright FrostNova with my bare hands than ever have to go through that torment!"
A tap on my shoulder shook me out of my stupor of despair, seeing the laid-back smile on the perpetrator's face. A young woman with black, red, and white attire suitable for that of a mercenary. Her crackling, ember-shaded orbs watching me with a lack of care for her actions. This was par-for-the-course with her, honestly.
"A small mistake, tch, bet Kal'tsit's gonna pull her hair out at this mess," She was... amused by this, of course, she was! Finally, she blinked at my grinding teeth and twitch in my brow, smiling slyly. "Oh? Someone's a little hot under the collar today?"
"Ya think!?" My voice bellowed, pointing at the damage being assessed by one of our resident ops, his head spinning at the damage. Putting my hands over my nose I tried to rationalize this. "I - you just - why, every time someone leaves you alone for a period of time, why is it that all your antics come right back around to bite me, W?"
The mercenary known as W chuckled at that, shrugging. "Guess I'm just too much for you to lose, hmm?" Her elbow nudged me as I gawked. W was just... leaving, and through the hole in the wall no less like it was some renovation... are you serious right now...!
Reaching out, my hand snatched the end of her tail, yanking her back as she let out quite the girlish yelp, being spun around until a felt her knife jab against my throat, those same, fiery eyes piercing my own as her face burned a dark shade of red. "You want me to gut you on the spot for that!?"
Off to our sides, one of my teammates, a feline with dark navy hair tied into a ponytail with a few strands of pink, and hesitant, matching eyes, Jessica, tried to speak up, her hands waving between us. "D-Doctor, M-Miss. W, please don't f-fight!"
From her left on one of the training grounds' elevated, white platforms, one of my best vanguard operatives, a man with short, onyx hair and the kindest blue eyes watched from a safe distance, his hands resting on his scabbard with keen interest, both his deer ears perked up. "Miss. Jessica I suggest staying a safe distance, a young lady like you shouldn't get too close, especially with these two riled up," Even he shivered, probably sensing our tension nervously. "I'm not one to judge but it looks like a fire might break out."
Back with me and W, "Oh please, you've suffered way worse than a tail-pull, Roach," I rebutted, pushing her knife away so easily with my own burning glare. "But if you want to go I'll be happy to kick your ass into fixing your own problems?"
W ditched the knife, cracking her knuckles as a fire of red and blue scorched between us and our murderous glares. "I'll take that bet, oh great and wise Doctor."
Now we were butting heads, shoving them against one another, "Why, thank you, Operative Cockroach." My sharp tongue flicked back with venom at her twitching smile.
"That's it!" She tackled me first as my fist struck her cheek, the two of us tossed back as she slammed her knee into my side and I shoved my hand against her cheek, using the leverage to headbutt her. With this being W she immediately did the same, the two of us recoiling with a curse before her legs straddled my waist, throwing two fists across my forearms. "Hah, not this ti-!"
Using my elbows I propped myself toward the right, throwing her down while I delivered a left hook to her shoulder and her own mirrored my action as we rolled, punching and kicking one another with brutal force. "You're such an ass, you know that!? Every-" Another right hook. "-Single-!" Another. "-Day I put up with your shit, and not once do you ever take responsibility for it!"
W quickly snatched by wrists, throwing me off her stomach, quickly hopping up to charge me down, wiping the blood off her cheek. "Like you're one to talk! Heh, even all these years and all that amnesia took away your skill, how tragic - ah!" I threw a discarded bullet casing at her, seeing the steam puff from her head. "Did you just throw a fucking shell - ah - stop that - ah - Kaid, I swear to God!" This one hit her on the nose.
"Oh sure, blame it on the amnesia, how original of you to think so little during a fight," While I stood up I tapped my forehead. "May only have bits and pieces but, hehehe, pretty sure I still won most our fights, then again, you're still predict - gah!" She tackled me to the floor with such ferocity, pinning one of my arms with her hand, the others locked by the forearm.
"'Predictable'? I'm a mercenary for a reason," She grinned down at me, licking the blood off her lips. "Getting me rilled up won't save you this time."
"Did it ever," My fist wedged to her cheek as she pinned me with her knee. "I'm not done yet."
"I never said I was either."
"At it again I see," Our bodies froze with the colors slowly seeping from our bodies at the strict tone of voice. "And with such vigorous energy too, how wonderful."
"Oh crap, it's Kal'tsit!" Our minds froze with possibly the same words.
Standing above us was the woman in white and green herself, and with an aura so cold it might as well be turning us to ice in seconds. I've only ever felt this once but from where I did not know, but her body was frigid with a bright blue aura. Standing next to her was the exasperated partner of mine, Amiya, she was even pouting disapproving at me while my fist lodged itself against W's face and her foot was wedged against my stomach.
"Doctor..." That was all Amiya had to say as we blinked twice up at Kal'tist, her arms crossed, finger tapping to her bicep.
"Kaid, W, I do hope you two still have some energy, I do believe this damage to Rhodes Island will require a little more manpower than usual," Both of us raised our hands, trying to form an excuse before her eyes leered down. "Am I clear on the matter?"
"Ah... transparently." Our fire died out quickly with a flat tone, and soon she walked away, all of my team looking around as though they weren't listening, well, say for one who was my student, he looked ready to make it worse.
"And here I thought we'd actually see these lovebirds duke it out for real this time, aw well..." Null deflated beside Cardigan, herself giggling
"I heard they did this alot when they grew up together long ago, so cute."
After that I don't think being slapped across the face with Patriot's shield would be such a bad thing, actually, that might be a mercy, I couldn't even look at W now as I shoved her off my stomach. In return, her fist jabbed my side before Kal'tist could see.
Some time passed and our progress was... okay, I guess. Neither of us were good at this work, although we spent most of our time just sitting there, watching the machines do all the work for us not saying a word. It wasn't... untrue what Null said, though the idiot could stand to use his inside voice, I just... W is... very complicated.
Sitting at the edge of the elevated platform facing the blown apart wall I juggled with a small, amethyst crystal in my hand, feeling its power vibrate every time it grew closer to my palm, it felt really warm when it did. My eyes then glanced over at W. She kept her back to me just a meter away, and she was still, merely inspecting her grenade launcher inquisitively.
"It still bothers me," Was her first words in almost an hour of mind-numbing boredom. "The whole fact you were him the whole time, tch, how stupid is that I never realized it sooner? You both were awkward messes," Her tone made it sound like she found herself pathetic, but that's not true. "And how many died and you can't recall? Bet that's a kick to the teeth."
My eyes were downcast, reflecting off the crystal I rubbed my finger across. "Yeah... I hate it, because of what you said, I... I don't know, and that scares me," I heard her shuffle but I refused to look up from my frown. "I'm the 'Great and wise Doctor', tch, yeah right, I still don't believe that, or rather, not in the person I was before."
Pausing a moment to reflect on it, I added. "You never bring it up, why now?"
I felt my body tense as I found W's body pressed against my back, feeling her hair tickle my neck with a long-drawn sigh. "Don't know, call it nostalgia I guess," W chuffed hollowly at that, her head against mine. "I hate it, why'd it had to be you, of all the people in this world, it was you behind that mask I feel so... twisted about."
It wasn't her fault. I never told her back then for fear of what I became, and now she's forced to try and move on, I wouldn't blame her if she didn't but I... she's... Running my hand through my hair I rested my back against hers. "Sorry, I really wish it was different-"
"I don't." My eyes opened wider at that, her voice was strangely solemn, enough to draw my head around to meet her glowing, eyes like crackling embers. "I got my idiot friend back didn't I?" And that smile, how long since I've seen it this kind. Call it just a misdirection all you want, but this was her, my friend was still here, my... yeah, W was still there.
Smiling at ease, I felt my head rest against her own, our eyes closed and that familiar, black tail wrapped between us. Not now, but maybe soon I'll get this off my chest, W is the reason I'm here now, and I won't let this second chance slip away again.
After our lengthy silence. "Say, you think she's watching?" My mirthful tone combined with the feeling of W's eyebrow curving up told me she was more than aware.
"Bet she's furious~" That almost made my stifled laugh escape. "Who cares, I certainly find the idea of someone watching exciting," Eh? That threw my head back as I felt a steady rise of blood to my face, W's fingers tip-toeing up my chest with a coy smile. "And for the record, my tail's sensitive if that wasn't obvious, Doctor~"
"Please stop, W, W?" If I tried to get away she'd tease me more, if I gave in she'd win. What the hell do I do now!? My eyes felt like they were spinning as her gaze grew closer.
~*Sigh* I thought I said to fix the wall not... this!~
From the speakers above, Kal'tsit was indeed watching, can't imagine this was something she intended on observing, so, in typical fashion, W went in for the kill. I winced as she hopped into my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck as I tried to ignore her... really attractive body against mine as best I could.
"What's the matter, Kal'tsit? Jealous I get the strong, supportive Dr. Kaid all to myself, hehehe." She was enjoying this a whole lot more than me, that was certain.
"God, someone kill me..." Today was a long day.
Several days before 0-7 in Equestria...
"Ugh wha - huh?" Aoi, who resided in the body of W startled herself awake, looking around only to realize she was still in bed, eyes peeled toward the large tarp that was draped over the section of the wall that was destroyed, her way of keeping the cold out. Looking down at her bare stomach, having stripped down to just her sports bra and panties. Astra was still nuzzled in beside her like a pet - though she'd admit that was the last thing she would ever title Astra as. "What a weird dream?"
Sighing out a yawn and wiping the drool off her cheek, she stretched then tugged the blanket over her body again, snuggling against the warmth of her bed with the filly beside her. Soon, the strange dream faded from memory.
To Be Continued...