TOUCH MEME. send a symbol for my muse to react to yours (or add +reverse for my muse to touch yours) 🎀 – pulling their hair, ✋ – slapping them in the face, 👞 – kicking them, 👊 – punching them
“Are you flirting with me?I’m sorry my friend, but that ship has sailed. Now you’ll have to spend the rest of forever pining for me.”
Sw: *It had been a few days since she had last seen Kasady and it was making her worry. Unsure of how to contact him or even how to find him, she had to turn to an old friend for help. Knocking softly on the Director's door, she poked her head inside the office* M4? You here? I think I might need your help with something.
M4: *He's hunched over in his chair in front of his console, elbows on his knees and hanging his head. He jolts slightly and looks back when Witchie looks into the room, though it's a bit difficult to see over the car battery strapped to his back. He sounds weary, furrowing his brow at the woman.* Yes, Miss?
Sw: *She slips into the room quickly and shuts the door behind her. Letting out a quiet sigh, she rocks back on her heels.* Sorry if this is a bad time, but I'm really worried about-- a 'friend' of mine. *Although half of her friends already know about the two of them, she's not quite sure what she and Kasady are just yet. It's best to keep it simple for now.* I thought maybe you might have seen him around? Or could maybe help me find him?
M4: *He stands as she enters, easily hefting up despite the new load on his back. He nods hesitantly.* I could. What is his name?
M4: *He tenses and straightens up. Some text scrolls through his left eye and he shakes his head, quickly turning away.* I-I can't.
Sw: Oh... *Sinking into her shoulders a bit, she averts her eyes to the floor* Because of BB?
M4: *He shakes his head, quickly trying to come up with something to tell her that won't trigger his override to always be honest with operatives.* I... o-only track him when h-he's near the Base.
Sw: Well has he been nearby recently? He and I were supposed to meet here the other day but he never showed. I'm starting to worry.
M4: *He glances back at her with a question mark in his eye.* You're why he's been trespassing here more often lately?
Sw: *She cringes a bit and bites her bottom lip.* Well yeah, more or less. He's been helping me through some things lately.
M4: *He frowns nervously and turns to head back to his chair.* I-I'm sorry, Miss Scarlet. He does h-have a tendency to disappear without warning.
Sw: I know but I had hoped he'd keep his promise. *She slouches further* No such luck I guess, right? *She gives him a sad smile*
M4: ... I-I-I'm sorry, Miss. *He doesn't know much else to say before his words could make this situation worse.* M-maybe... you'll... *It's difficult for him to say this.* ... ssssssee him ag-gain someday.
Sw: *Feeling her knees buckle, she leans against the door and nods * Maybe, maybe not. I just wish I knew where he was.
M4: *He turns back to her as he sees this and frowns more guiltily, wringing his hands behind his back.* You... You r-really cared about him?
Sw: I guess you could say that. *She snorts and runs her hands through her hair* Yeah... I did. I really did.
M4: *He had made an even bigger mistake. Of course, Kasady would find another operative to bond with right after BB. He had done it before with Agent 19. His voice quiets noticeably, but he can't help the slight edge to it.* I'm sorry.
Sw: Sorry? Why are you sorry? I apparently just have terrible taste in men. Aside from Cory, God rest his soul...
M4: *He looks at her with a question mark in his eye, puzzled by her phrasing about Cory.*
Sw: *Noting the question mark, she furrows her brow* Sir... did you not hear about what happened to him? He-he died sir. He died in my arms a few months ago.
M4: *He stands upright, the blue question mark changing to a red exclamation. His face goes blank and he quiets again.* ... W-what?
Sw: *She can already feel a lump forming in her throat as she briefly re-lives that terrible moment in her head.* After our... spat on Halloween, we found out that he had become host to a being, or beings called "The Ancients" and what we didn't know is that they were keeping him alive. Maggie had banished them from his body and well... I found him in his weakened state on Christmas. *Brushing away a stray tear, she exhales* I'm guessing if you hadn't heard about that, you haven't heard about my girls either.
M4: *His optics widen in shock, their displays flickering a moment.* Christmas...? *He snaps suddenly, seeming to completely bypass the woman wanting to segue into news about her children.* Christmas?! *He jolts as a message is suddenly opened to him, the envelop symbol appearing in his optic. It contains news from BB about Cory and Witchie's daughters. His hands fly up to hold his head as he starts to panic, rage and fear clear on him.* No, no, no, no, NO! They c-can't be dead! They're not supposed to die! I can't let them die! *He turns on Witchie suddenly and harshly grabs her arms, shaking her a little.* Who did this?! Who hurt them?! WHO DO I HAVE TO KILL?!
Sw: *Startled, she goes rigid in his grip.* Well it's h-hard to say. All signs point to Scarecrow, but Agent Bolt believes there's reason to think that Atros was involved. That's what Kasady was helping me through though! M4 I lost my family and... *She starts to tear up again * And that's why I can't stand the thought of losing anyone else! I can't take much more of this.
M4: *He's brought back down to see Scar whither in front of him and he lets her go, but his own surmounting guilt and panic about losing operatives makes his quiet moment short lived.* N-no! Carnage destroys people's lives! He's better off dead and Scarecrow and Atros will soon join him! *A mix of files play, sounding like something like a growl. He holds his head harshly, then storms past Witchie to the door.*
Sw: Wait... did I hear that right? *Knitting her brows, she feels the hair on the back of her neck stand on end* Join him? What the hell is that supposed to mean? M4 what happened to Cletus?
M4: *He keeps walking, fists clenched tightly at his sides.* That isn't important to the objective.
Sw: *Fingers curling into fists, her puzzled look morphs into a scowl* It's important to me. What happened to Cletus!?
M4: *He twitches as something seems to glitch in him. He's struggling to be sympathetic towards Scar now, but he's taken over by his most prominent override: protect the operatives, no matter the cost. He hisses his answer.* He's dead, Scarlet. Killed before he can hurt you or any more of my Agents.
Sw: What? *The word barely makes it out. Feeling her stomach twist and turn violently, she struggles to find all the words for what she's feeling right now.* You killed him?
M4: *He only stops a moment to glance back at her sternly from over his shoulder. A wall of text appears in his optic, followed by a red message, [ELIMINATED], flashing in front of it.*
Sw: How could you!? *Her hands begin to glow with a red light* HOW COULD YOU!?
M4: *He simply turns away and keeps walking.*
Sw: *Letting out a frustrated scream, she throws a hex bolt at the back of his head.*
M4: *He stumbles forward and grabs onto a wall. His other hand holds the back of his head, but he doesn't turn to her. He speaks sternly, despite his voice malfunctioning.* Ly-Ly-Lyssa, plllllease. He should h-h-h-h---ave b-b---bzzt!---eennnnnnn dead months-ths ago.
Sw: ACCORDING TO WHO?! Who made you judge, jury and executioner!? Why him?! Why not Atros?! The very same monster who has made my life a living hell! The same one that YOUR DAUGHTER, made a body for! How could you let this happen!?
Sw: *The scarlet lights that encircled her fists grow brighter and bigger and the room begins to quake * You're no better than they are. Murderer!
M4: *He tenses and glances around the room, pursing his lips at what she calls him.* I h-h-have to prrrooooot---bzzt!---ect my fam-fam-fami--- team aaaaat a-a-a-all co-cos-st-sts-sts.
Sw: Oh and what a FINE job you're doing of it director *Her voice is full of venom as she practically spits the last word *
M4: *He scowls, offended.* I'm w-w-worrrking on it-it-it if yo-ou'll exxxxxcuse me to c-carry through my obj-ject-ject-jective. *He turns away to continue walking.* I'll grieve w-w-w-with you up---bzzt!---on my retu-tu-turn.
Sw: *The glow disappears and she lets out a strangled sob* You can forget about that! I don't need your pity or your protection.
M4: *He twitches again, but blinks hard, continuing to remind himself that three operatives are dead and he needs to do something about it before something worse happens.* It's h-h-h-hardwired. You a-a-a-and I have nnnnnno ch---bzzt!---oice.
Sw: You may not, but I do. *She rushes past him, shouldering him roughly as she throws the door open.* You can expect my official resignation on your desk tomorrow morning.
M4: *He stops dead in his tracks, convulsing and sparks flying off him and the car battery on his back. His eyes glitch and flicker as his expression goes blank.* W-w-what...?
Sw: *Whirling around, her face is contorted with rage and she hisses.* You heard me. I don't need this right now and I certainly don't need you. I quit.
M4: *His own face twists into a snarl, but it falls away again and he slaps his hands over his face. Fans can be heard from inside of him and more shocks and sparks fly from the car battery. It isn't anything near powerful enough to handle how much he is processing with these conflicting objectives and his arc reactor isn't fully functional yet. The lights all over his body dims and his vocal distortion gets even worse.* Y-y-y-yooouuuu caaa---bzzt!---n't...! W-w-w-w neeeeed y---bzzt!---ou...!
Sw: *Wiping away the tears in her eyes, she trembles, not quite sure what her emotions are doing at this point. M4 had been her friend. He had rescued her from Atros' control and the Phoenix force. He was the reason she made it back home safely in the first place, yet... He had destroyed one of the few good things she had going in her life.* Face it. You need me like you need a hole in the head. I'm too chaotic and disaster follows me wherever I go.
Sw: I sure as hell feel like I'm alone right now. Maybe that's selfish of me to think that way, but I think I've earned the right.
M4: Y-y-yyyyou're not! I a-a-a-am g---bzzt!---oing o-o-ou-outtttt tttttto avenge-venge-venge y-you and this t-t-t-team!
Sw: Don't bother. I'll avenge my family myself. *Her expressions softens a bit and she lets her head hang* I never thought I'd leave but, you've given me no choice.
M4: N-n-n-no-no-no-NO! /I/ hhhhhave t-t-to! Y-y-y-y-y-you cccccan't le-e-e-eave! *Smoke is staring to billow from where his wires connect into the car battery and his lights flicker.*
Sw: Oh I can't, can I? *she lets out a bitter laugh* And why not?
M4: Bec-c-c-cause it iiiiiis m-m---bzzt!---my purpose t-t-t-to proooote-prote-protect y-you.
Sw: Funny... Cletus had vowed to protect me too. I guess it is up to you after all. *She frowns and turns her back on him* Then again, since it's just me, I can take care of myself. Don't expect me to stay. I've made up my mind.
M4: *He reaches out an staggers after her, his palm glowing. The part of his face he's revealed contorts into rage when compared to Kasady.* L-Lyssa---! *He cuts off where the car battery's wires feed into his arc reactor on his chest pop and fizzle with a few sparks. The displays in his optics cut out and he collapses to the floor in a metal heap, the lights all over him flickering off as he shuts off into energy saving mode.*
Sw: *She flinches at the sound of him collapsing, but she ignores it and walks away. Even if she wanted to help, there wasn't really much she could do. *
Agent 13 goes to visit the SQUEALED Director with a very specific question in mind.
*Rather early in the day, around midmorning, there is a knock on the door of the main control room moments before it opens and Agent 13 pokes her head in.*
