What just happened? My vision became blurry all of a sudden. Why did I just get knocked out? Who knocked me o-
"I'm not sorry, you deserve this."
It's him. Jab. He just punched me as I tried to get up. What is-
'What is happening? What is wrong with yo-"
Fuck. He just hit me in the mouth.
"What is wrong with me? Are fucking kidding me? What the hell's wrong with you?"
What is going on? I was just walking and he just punched me out of nowhere.
"What do you want? I didn't do anything?"
"Exactly!"
This time I caught his fist.
"Damnit!"
I'm not letting go. No matter how much he's trying to pull away. I was wondering why his punch didn't knock me out cold. I guess he really did break something bad. He has barely any weight behind his hits. And even then. They still sting.
"Let go!"
He kicked me, but that really did nothing this time. He must be so mad that his attacks are not doing anything to me. Plus. it looks like some of his wounds reopened.
"What are you doing?"
"Giving you what you deserve."
"For what."
"You piece of shit. You almost had us all killed back there."
"Oh, that. I told you. I couldn't do anything."
"And you think that's my fucking problem? Get your shit together. That's your job. You've got our lives in your hands, you asshol-"
He headbutted me. Again. Looks like he overdid it this time. Does he not understand he can't hurt me? Now he's bleeding.
"Gar- Gr- Fuck me- Fuck you!"
"Are you gonna stop hitting me if I let you go?"
"I- Oh you- Ha ha ha. Oh, you absolute piece of shit. You can't be seriously talking down on me right now. Ain't no fucking way."
"I don't want to fight you."
"But I do. So too bad."
"Look, if you want me to say sorry I can. But like I tried to tell you before, it's not my fault. I wanted to help but I couldn't."
"..."
Somehow that seemed to have defused him. I can probably let him go now.
"You're sick. That's all it is. You're some kind of monster. No sense of- of nothing. You can't even begin to understand a thing about a- anything. Y- You're insane."
"I know."
"I-. Right. Yeah no, fuck that. I don't- I- Nope. I can't trust you with my life or anybody's live. Got it. Note taken. I'm not saving your life for shit either. Just know that. "
"That's ok. I don't need you to. I'm doing good on my own."
"... You fuc- Wow. You're really good at making me feel like you're not doing this on purpose. But you're also good at pissing me the fuck off-"
"Hands off him. Right now."
… His fist was covered in aura this time. He was really going to go all out. Where did Doc come from, though? I guess he might've just saved me here. Jab looks like he's having a mental breakdown.
"I- There's just no way. You guys must just- You- Everybody is surprised at how often I get mad but are you seeing this shit right now? Like holy shit. Everything is against me. This gotta be a joke."
"Oh. You'll find out if I am entertaining a joke alright. Back off. That's a command."
"You… Alright, alright. My bad. Here, 'that good? Got my hand up and all."
This is escalating too fast for what it really is.
"Yet again, you've succeeded in offending me and my orders."
"What did I do this time?"
"Not only have you tried to harm another soldier, but you made an attempt at damaging my property."
His property?
"Your property? The fuck are you talking abo- Oh. No way. Hahaha! Him?"
"Something funny here, Soldier?"
"Oh. Not in the slightest. He's a bitch alright. Just didn't know he was yours."
"Enough. Too long have you made a fool of me. You will learn order."
Doc just nodded and looked past us. Wait. Since when were those men here?
"Hun? The fuck are yo- Arghhh!"
What is he doing? He just stabbed him with a rod in his back. He's… he's getting shocked Should I do something? I feel like...
"Don't intervene, young man."
What? But. No. Surely I have to do something. Here, let me just-
"If you touch him I'll kill him."
"What?"
"Now, stay out of this."
But, they just keep shocking him. He's convulsing. But he's not falling over.
"You resilient little… You. Go."
The other man stepped in. Wait- He just battered him in the face with his weapon. That did him. He won't be getting back up.
"Now you. You're coming with me. Turns out you are defective. Tragic."
"What?"
Why does he keep referring to me as like a.. An asset?
"You keep ruining my expectations, Akuma. You did during the Evaluations. You did at your last mission. Truly a shame. But worry not. We'll fix that. I will fix you. No matter what it takes."
"Fix me? How? What is there to fix?"
"Why do I even bother talking with him right now? It's not like he's going to remember anything. Time to leave. Men"
"Right Sir.
I won't remember? Why is he talking like I'm not here anymore? What is happening?
"Sir, what should we do with the delinquent?"
"Leave it there. Let it rot on the floor where it belongs. I have more important matters to attend to. Do put the other to sleep, though, like you did that one. And bring him with us."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Wow. That's fucked. Well, I'm really just glad you're ok."
"You tell me! That was spooky!"
The warmth of the blanket soothed them. Mostly Spike, still sore from the recent events. Bound to her, Blue felt at ease. Only when close to her can she ever feel that sense of serenity. Now even more knowing she came back to her safe.
"You sure you don't need to get checked, though?"
"Nah, I'm all good! And I mean, surely you would have found something of your own the way you've been meticulously investigating all parts of me…"
"Alright, alright enough. You're all good. I got it."
"Oh come on, what's wrong Bluey?"
"You know I can't deal with... Whatever that is."
"Oh. I know. Why do you think I love teasing you like that."
"Still doing it."
"Hehe."
Blue shook her head, unable to stop her grin from peaking out. She was running her fingers across her partner's smooth skin, trying to find any kind of bruise just so she could prove her wrong.
While she sadly coudn't find any scratch, she still found something. She knows Spike too well; she is too quiet. Something was wrong.
"If there's anything else you want to talk about you can tell me."
"Hm? Oh, nah. There's nothing really. It's just. It really was scary. Everything kept going wrong and wrong. And it didn't feel like anything was gonna stop it from going wrong. So I had this feeling in my stomach just giving me the creeps. But everybody just kept getting hurt and… And I tried to do my best but… It felt like I wasn't enough."
"Hm."
The Commander softly sat up on the bed, lightly pressing her back against the smooth wooden bed frame. Pulled from the heavy blanket, it revealed her bare silhouette. She kept listening attentively.
"I know I did all I could."
"Yeah. I'm sure you did."
The young rookie instinctively turned, also pulling her disrobed figure out of the warm cover, and laid her head on her partner's lap, staring at the lush ceiling, waving her hands around.
"But see, that's the problem. My best was not enough."
"Hm."
"So what can I do then? If the best I can do can't be of any help to anybody then... Will it always just be that way? That would suck."
"Hm."
Blue gently grabbed the young woman's hand with hers, delicately rubbing her thumb across her skin, reposing both her hands on Spike's chest.
"Knowing you, you'll be okay. I know you'll push through it and do even better next time. You've always been strong. Stronger than anybody else. Stronger than me. I cower and get frustrated at the first minor inconvenience I face. But you, no. You always go forward. You always did. And now you've got me, so. Whenever you get stuck on something or feel any type of way, you'll be able to rant to me. I'll be here to listen."
"Cheesy."
"Ok now. That's why I never say an-"
"Thank you, Blue."
Blue looked down into her friend's eyes, her light eyebrow suspicious this was all part of her flirty act still.
"No really. Thank you."
"Of course."
Spike faintly pressed her lips against Blue's hand. Blue smiled fondly.
"But that really was cheesy though…"
"Nope. Not doing this. Goodnight."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well, this is new. Wouldn't have expected that from you, Venom."
"Yeah well, that just shows this is important. So thanks for showing up, Gale. And all of you."
Seemingly too small to fit all of them in, more so that a handful of these individuals takes three times the space of an ordinary person, the brightly lit stray medical room had barely any leeway left for anybody else to join in. Thankfully, the party was complete, soothing the instigator's worries, thankful her comrades actually responded and followed through on such short notice.
While not all the Commanders are present, Venom has purposely curated only those to meet in secret. Whatever discretion exists in the Lab anyhow. In order of arrival time, Bowie, Wig, Whiff, Gale, Mohs and, very much later, Rowdy. Matters called for a much-needed assembly. The tardy member wanted to get down to business as soon as possible.
"Save the small talk. What do you want from us."
"Something's wrong."
"What's that mean?"
"Surely you felt it too, Rowdy. I've got a bad feeling."
"About what? Be clear."
"Sorry, Bowie. The Hollows. I'm talking about the Hollows."
"They've always been a problem. What's new?"
"They're stronger, Mohs."
Gale grunted, feeling the need to step in and share his experience.
"What do you mean stronger?"
The Wall was actually wondering. He had miraculously never once felt seriously threatened by a Hollow, so his question to Gale was genuine.
"Rowdy was there with me. He knows what I mean."
"We killed the fucker. Like we always do. Don't know what you're talking about."
"Bullshit. You've seen it. It didn't straight up beat us. It outsmarted us. That's why those kids died."
"They died 'cause they were weak."
"Are you fucking serious right now, Rowdy?"
"The fuck you want me to say, Gale? They died 'cause we were weak and dumb and if we were more focused and not so nonchalant they wouldn't have died and we wouldn't feel guilty about their death and we wouldn't feel so ashamed and just frustrated that our power fucking suck and - fuck!"
"Alright, settle down. Go get some air if you need to."
"Fuck you, Bowie."
"Everybody just, calm down. Look, we can't let our fears get the best of us. And if anything, you've got it backwards. You're not weak. Those new recruits aren't weak. Nobody is. Thats the entire problem. I've worked on these kids' cases since they survived the injections. Do- He, was right about them. They're strong. You aren't training them for no reason. But… It's precisely why this is bad. How is it that we're stronger than ever before and they are killing us off like we're nothing?"
"Well, in my experience, those recruits are yet to show any of that might they have been given to have."
"I'm with Whiff on this. You aren't on the fields, Venom. You keep your nose in your screens."
"I know Rowdy, that's why I-. Look. If you're here it's because I have something to ask you. These kids are strong. I know you guys have not seen it yet. I understand. But trust me, I know what I'm talking about. But, I agree with you. They aren't ready. Some came back earlier. Slash's bunch. I don't even know how some are still alive. Even Ace is still unconscious. Point is. This shouldn't be this way?"
"I don't know where you're going with this. I feel like you're just purposely avoiding the core of what you're trying to say. Just go straight to the point, Venom."
The scientist, jumpy, scratched the back of her fatigued neck, pacing around the very little room left. Her partners shared some glances in silence, gathering that her tongue must be tied for some unknown reason. Whiff felt the need to reassure her.
"We're not trying to pull something out of you, Venom. We're just trying to make sure we understand you."
Venom slowly stopped fidgeting and cleared her mind with a heavy charged sigh.
"... We've been told that Hollows have been living around here for the longest time. Even before humans escaped down here. That just goes to show that it's an ancient species that evolved into what they are now, after ages and ages. The Foundation is nothing compared to that. When Do- When, He, created it not too long before all of us, we started hunting them down ever since. But now, something's changed. How can a species already acclimated to this place, with no other apparent predator that we know of, get accustomed to us so fast to the point of backing us off to a corner like that?"
"We knew since the beginning that these fuckers were dangerous. They've been running havoc outside the walls murdering us all."
"I know that. But even at the start - I mean, Gale. We were on the same team together. You were there too, Wig. It was horrifying. I don't even know how you guys are still doing it. But even then. Even when we were scrapping the bottom of the barrel we were making it happen. All they were was just some headless rampaging beasts. So we hunted them down. And we got better at it. You did. You grew stronger. I'm not trying to say it was easy at all, but you all were able to make some shit happen. You didn't become "Commanders" for no reason. You made shit happen. But now. … I've been staring at headless corpses and severed limbs a-and howling kids I-... Listen. My issues are my own. Don't get it twisted. I know you have it worse than me. What I'm saying is that I know what I'm talking about. I- I know my shit guys. It's like Gale said. They're getting more clever."
"And why the fuck would you just tell us that, huh? Alright, we're fuck, we get it. It's not like you're gonna be the dumbass who will have to go deal with that shit, hun?"
The Junkie was unconsciously pressing the woman into a corner.
"Rodwy! Back the fuck off."
Gale felt the need to keep him in check.
"Why is everybody so on edge, damn!"
"It must be because of what Venom is trying to warn us about. Anxiety fills the air."
"I agree with you, Whiff. So, Venom, tell us. What can we do about it? We're listening."
"I need intel, Bowie. But I can't have Him know about that."
"Why?"
"I- I can't tell you that. But I need you to trust me on this. I need to study them. More. I need to get my hands on more samples."
"Let me be clear. Coming from you, I don't like the sound of that. What exactly do you consider a sample?"
"Corpses. In the best condition possibl-"
"For fucks sake."
"This is too much."
"Listen, please. I need this. This is for you guys' sake too. I'm in the fucki- Damn dark here. I need to study them. I need to know what the hell is happening."
"Let's say we want to help you. How do you even want us to do that?"
"Well, I was thinking. The next time you kill a Hollow, for example, Mohs, you keep it as intact as you can and just bring it to me."
"So you want us to carry back any of our kills to you? Without Doc knowing?"
"Hm, yeah."
"This is insane."
"How do you even want us to fucking do that?"
"This will put all of us in danger."
"Why us? What about the others?"
"This is just not gonna work."
"Just listen to me! I really need this. I- I have a shelter outside the Walls that He doesn't know of. Or at least pretend not to know of it. I'm not asking for a whole collection of corpses. Just… When it's possible and not too hard... Just carry your kill with you and drop it off at my place and just let me know. If I ask you to do this, it's because I trust you with this. It's not necessarily that I don't trust the others but… I can't bring myself to burden Blue with this. I don't think she can afford to not go all out, it takes her everything just to defeat a Hollow. She's got a strong heart but... The same goes with Ace. Plus it looks like she might be out of the fight for a while. I might check in with her later but I'd rather not. Slash will just straight-up disagree. He hates those things more than any of us and always goes out of his way to completely destroy them. He's set on killing every last Hollow on his own if he's got to. I guess for Mob and Swift I actually can't bring myself to trust them. Compared to Mob, I don't entirely distrust Swift, I actually think she'd be on her side. But it's too risky and she's too much of a wild card for this."
The ambience was suffocating. She unloaded a tremendous weight and they all felt the pressure. They understood the importance of what she was asking. And they all trust her. Their reluctance solely stems from fear and uncertainty. The lowest in rank here present could not think this through on his own.
"Ok ok ok. So you're telling me. You want us to go on secret missions, on top of our already packed schedules of babysitting these damn kids, to go on and amicably and peacefully kill these rabid bitches, only to drag their fat asses around, all the way to you and drop em off on your front porch with a bow wrapped around them, all the while not being seen by anybody else. Am I getting this right?"
"Rowdy liste-"
"Don't fucking do this. Why are you even asking me of all people? There's no way you'd actually think I would agree with this bull shit? You knew I would get mad!"
"I get it. We don't know each other much. But from working with you for a while I did get a grasp of your character. But even then. I know you hate these fuckers as much as the next guy. You're like the rest of us. So I know that if you could have the chance to be done with all of this as soon as possible, you'd take it. No hesitation. This is what it's all about. I'm giving you this chance. I can't tell you why or how. Hell, I'm not even sure how it's going to work out anyway. But I know it will. I promise you. I'll make it happen. I will."
"..."
They know this was terribly risky. For so many reasons. They have no liability whatsoever. At face value, none would ever even consider agreeing with this. But there's just this feeling. This dread that has been cursing them. Perhaps they ignored it or denied it to make sure it wasn't real. But they know. It is very much real. As if a terrible calamity will befall them. Soon. And if the only person they could ever trust to stop this tragedy, whatever it is, is her, then they would take it. It's not the worst bet they could've asked for. They can't help but trust her. And if not her, at least her expertise.
"Fuck me. Well if I die it's on you."
The Junkie did not wait for some sort of closure before spewing his words and walking out the room."
"And if He finds out about this and asks me anything, I will sell you out."
Venom scoffed and nodded to herself as Rowdy walked out of the room. Soon after, the remnants of the lieutenants followed suit, some scratching their scalps, most muttering to themselves. Mohs placed his massive hand on her shoulder and gave her a smiley nod before walking out.
Surely enough, the office finally filled up with air again. Only Venom was left behind. And Wig.
"Hey. I just want to let you know that it's good you reached out to us. And asked us to help you out. But I need you to know that we can't promise anything."
"Yeah, I know."
"At least I can't. The others are more suited than me, but..."
"Hey, it's ok Wig. Don't overdo it."
"I won't. Don't either. You're looking terrible."
Venom's nerves immediately loosened as she broke out laughing, which Wig could not avoid felling prey to either.
"Yeah thanks, girl."
"No worries. We should hang out sometimes. Go for a drink. Get you out of your desk."
"Yeah. Just like the good ol' days, hun?"
"The good ol' days indeed."
Wig slowly and awkwardly walked away, looking at the tip of her shoes kicking the dust. She threw one last glance at her old friend before leaving.
"Take care V."
"You too. See you later."
The friends parted ways, knowing all too well they will probably never catch up over that drink how they used too, reminiscing on it fondly to this day. No matter how much they want it. The scientist leaned her head on the cold wall behind her, closing her eyes painfully.
I'm sorry for deceiving you for so long, everyone. I'll make it up to you. To all of you. I'll fulfill what I was meant to do, you deserve it. And then. I'll disappear.