@linseedz @the-org-gsc
*Ko manages to find her way into The Org base, sneaking her way to the closest area she knows to Linseed’s location.*
Linseed hears her enter, and immediately goes over to her. They look... rough, to put it simply. Not dead, though, so that's good.
"Hey, Ko. Yuzu wanted to talk with you before we go. They made sure nobody would be able to intercept us, don't worry."
*Ko nods, slowly. Checking over Linseed’s injuries.*
…Alright. If you’re sure; we just need to be fast, okay?
They have all of the injuries they received in the torture video, plus a few more cuts/scars all around. They noticably have a large gash on the right side of their face, going from their forehead to the corner of their mouth, which has resulted in some nerve damage and facial paralysis. They seem mostly unaffected by their injuries, somehow.
"Yeah, of course, follow me."
They lead Ko down a few halls, steering clear of the cameras, until they come to a door.
"They're in there. This is going to sound super suspicious, but we agreed it was best if I not go in with you."
…Alright. I trust you. I should probably let you know that people do know I’m here, though. And that if I’m not back within a day, they will come searching for me.
*And with that, Ko walks into the room. She barely gives them the time to process. The room is quickly scanned; how many people, how many weapons? Possible traps? Counting and searching. Ready to fight. To survive.*
It's an office. No traps, no weapons, no threats. The only person in the room is Yuzu, sitting at their desk. They look up at Ko and beam.
They stand up to speak with her. They're even taller than they looked in the picture, at least 6'7". They don't seem at all intimidating, though.
"Ah, Miss Ko! It truly is a pleasure to finally meet you, my dear. I have heard many great stories about you."
Aha, so… so I’ve heard… although I’m sure that quite a few of them are exaggerated! *Ko smiles, not at all afraid to show off her fangs. As always, they almost seem to glitter in the light.*
*Ko doesn’t wait for an invitation; she just plops down in the chair across from Yuzu. They cross her legs, getting comfortable.* I heard you wanted to talk to me? Also, really! No need for standing or for calling me ‘miss’! I’m just Ko. Nothing all that special!
"Oh, surely. Stories often become exaggerated when passed through word of mouth. You have made quite an impression, though!"
They gesture at a poster behind them. It says "END EVIL AT ITS ROOT. END THE SNAKE.", and has a stylized drawing of Ko biting a snake in the back of the head.
"Ah, yes, my apologies. It's a force of habit. I was raised quite formally, you may be able to tell. I'm oft told my patterns of speech are strange."
*If Ko were breathing, she probably would have choked at that. Luckily, she doesn’t really breathe, and so nothing happened.*
I- uh. Huh. I was not aware of that poster. Is that safe for you to keep up?
And no, don’t worry about it! I just… wanted to make sure you weren’t treating me differently because of some stories. Speaking of… I am quite curious as to… what people are saying about me. I’d… rather things not get too out of hand…
"Don't worry, I don't keep it up. I put it up specifically because I heard you were coming. It'll be put in a secure, locked box afterwards."
Yuzu looks at a teapot they keep in their office for a moment, before shaking their head. They don't have the time.
"Most of the stories I have heard have been of your courage, and your kindness. How much you care about your family, and how much you will do to keep them safe. I truly am in awe of your strength, Miss Ko, both physical and mental. You seem like an upstanding young woman."
*Ko nods.* I thank you, then. Although… I’m definitely not as good as I seem, I can assure you of that.
*A smile, Ko hopping up from her seat. Carefully, she grabs Yuzu’s hand.* you know… going against something you’re so involved in — that takes courage, too. Make sure not to undermine yourself for that, okay?
Their hand is cold. Not unnaturally so, but still cold. Their skin feels almost like glass. They laugh a bit, a low, smooth sound.
"Believe me, Miss Ko, I am not one to undermine myself. I am, admittedly, a bit egotistical. Ah, yes, I have something for you."
They dig through a drawer on their desk, and pull out a bracelet. The beads are made of bloodstone and celestite. They also hand her a candy made with blood.
"For all you have done to help us. Thank you, Miss Ko, truly."
! It’s so pretty! Thank you, Yuzu! *She slips the bracelet on, pocketing the candy. And then she hugs the seraphim.*
And… I’m sure someone would have, eventually, if I didn’t. Again, I’m nothing special; just a kid with some trauma, a wacky workplace, and a little sibling that they love dearly.
Yuzu is a bit surprised, but they hug her back.
"Yes, your love for little Ake truly is the purest form of love I have seen. And, still, thank you for all you have done. The snake will be no more soon enough. Now, you should go. I may have considerable control over the technology here, but I can only deactivate the cameras for so long before it gets suspicious."
They give her a gentle pat on the back, and open the door for them.
*Ko nods* Got it! Stay safe, alright? And don’t forget to take down the poster. The Snake may just slither into their burrow, if they think something is up. *She winks at them, hopping back out to Linseed.*
They smile and nod, then go back in their office. Linseed is sitting on the groung, looking bored out of their mind.
"Can we go now? Please tell me we can go now. I am in so much pain."
Mhm! *Ko scoops Linseed up, careful not to aggravate their injuries too much.* Point out the blind spots for me?
"I can walk, Ko, don't worry. Uh... there, there, and there are the only places you really need to worry about."
They point at three different spots down the halls.
"After that the cameras are pretty infrequent. Plus, Yuzu deactivated them. I was just being cautious."
…Wow. You guys have pretty shitty security. No wonder it was so easy to get those cameras in the Snake’s office.
And nope! No walking for you! I don’t want to strain you too much, that’s not good for healing!
*Ko does not put Linseed down, instead opting to carry them all the way out. And to the medbay. Just in case.*
Linseed is clearly uncomfortable with that, but they can tell they wouldn't win the argument, so they don't bother. They're tended to at medbay immediately, where Junimo is very excited to see them.