Original list here, and I’m tracking my progress here.
I meant to catch up with this earlier, but this entire week slid by me faster than I would have liked. I think I’m only going to skip one day or so, but I flip flopped back and forth on who to use for Day 14! Almost wrote two versions, but I didn’t want to tax myself more~
Day 14: Sifono: “you better leave now”
In spite of how it may have looked, Sifono had been very careful to keep their secret. It was... a complicated truth, one that even they only knew shades of. When they looked at the Shimadas, at Angela, at Reaper, at Widowmaker, at Zenyatta and Echo, they felt all the more reason to keep their secret even tighter to their chest. In spite of all the lies they had to spin in the past and all the truths they've had to bend, they wouldn't even know where to begin this time. If it was all found out.
So, that made this pain both alarming and quite telling. As sudden and new as it was, Sifono was filled with dreadful understanding. They reached a hand up to their neck, fingers digging into their throat to keep them grounded. Someone called out to them; some hand graced over their skin. Sifono didn't shrink back. They hardly remembered acting at all. At first, they were flooded in the base lights of Gibraltar, and then they were alone in swelling darkness, listening to the waves. They weren't on the base; they weren't even at home.
Athens, maybe? This place smelled like how Athens did.
They dropped down to their knees. They couldn't be sure of how much time they spent in such intense pain. Their vision blurred; their mind scrambled. They tried to trace their movements, but nothing was coming to them. Sifono reached out, grabbed the sturdiest thing they could, and pulled themself forward. The sound of chipping glass filled their ears. Their armss and back began to feel lighter as pieces of their armour began to fall away. They staggered—they stumbled—they crawled to safety. More darkness, cloaking and familiar. More glass clattered to the ground, breaking into even more dangerous pieces.
The pain came and went in waves. It felt as if Sifono's bones were made from the same glass, threatening to break under pressure. A familiar and unwanted buzzing went through their head, growing in intensity. They weren't sure what made them cry out or even when they did, but the sound of their pained voice was enough to draw someone to their location. The door to their hiding spot slid open. Sifono extended a hand out. Half of the numerous shards collected to hide them while others raced towards the source.
An omnic's hand rose, staying the dangerous shards. From the cracks of their barrier, Sifono could see Zenyatta's floating form. From the way the shadows bent behind him, it was clear that he wasn't alone. They flicked their eyes back up to him.
"You better leave now," Sifono warned. Their voice trembled only slightly. Nothing else was off about it. Not quite, not yet.
Zenyatta lowered his hand to his lap once again. "You are in pain, my friend. Let us aide you."
It took a great deal of effort for Sifono to rise. Glass solidified as best as it could under their feet and lifted them from the ground. They splayed their fingers to recall the glass.
"I do not need your help," they said, fighting back the heat and bile that threatened to spill up. What was happening to them... "And if I must fight to retain my peace, I will."
Original list here, and I’m tracking my progress here.
Already falling a bit behind on this one, but that’s okay. I haven’t really been feeling it in its entirety. I think if there’s something I don’t do/don’t want to do, I’ll just skip it and mark it accordingly!
Also, debating about adding other characters into this as well. I’ll just have to add them to the blog. We’ll see.
Day 5: Sifono: “unacceptable, try again”.
Sifono clutched their middle, winced, and then collapsed to the floor again. Thick shards of glass lay scattered around them. Their omnic mentor stared down at their bruised body. She kept a loose grip around the metal quarterstaff; her stance was wide an easy.
"Get up," was all she said.
Sifono glared before trying to stand again. It took effort — a lot of it. There was pain shooting down the back of their right leg that they tried to ignore. They grit their teeth and rose with a long groan. They managed to stand upright for a few seconds before they doubled over, hands clenching their thighs desperately. Their arms shook, wavering under the new pressure.
Their mentor waited. Patiently. As she always did.
"Come now. That last one was nothing more than a graze."
Sifono pressed their lips tight and concentrated on breathing. As it regulated, the shards of glass all around them began to rise and lazily twirled in the air. They reassembled behind Sifono's back sluggishly. They forked out like sharp wings before pressing smoothly against the back of Sifono's arms. Another few seconds passed. Sifono stood upright.
Their mentor nodded and took her position; her forehead array was a dim glow. She took long, easy steps backwards, her attention never diverting from her student. Sifono took long, grateful breaths as they tried to keep their airflow regular. Everything hurt. Something in their ears buzzed like nanomachines. The right corner of their vision was a bit blurred, darker around the edges. They'd look into it later. Now wasn't the time to bring it up.
The footsteps stopped. Silence descended like a weighted blanket. Their mentor twirled the quarterstaff before steadying it with her other hand and sliding her right foot back.
"Come," was all she said.
Sifono dashed. With an extension of their will, the glass wrapped around their right arm and formed a spike. It caught in the light like polished obsidian with tinges of glossy purple. Sifono stabbed forward. The quarterstaff rejected the strike. Another jab. A downward parry followed. Sifono wasn't fool enough to keep up things this way. They curled the fingers of their left hand, forming obsidian armour that covered their forearm and gave their fingers deadly claws. They swiped, they stabbed. After a particular parry threw them off their balance, they swept their leg around. The glass rushed to the spot, crawling down their form like a fiend possessed, to give their foot lethal cover.
They managed to land some strikes, but they were neglible. The real goal was to cut off the necklace that their mentor wore. For all the good that brute force could give them, they needed to be precise. They needed to measure what would be a necessary amount of force in the moment. This was their task.
And they were failing.
Spectularly, wonderfully even. It was thrilling to always be so close and to be subtly dominated by someone who didn't flinch away from aggression. Their mentor was like no one they had ever met, and due to her quiet, pious nature, they had believed she was part of the Shambali. Funnily, no. She had traveled from Numbani, though that wasn't where she was from. She was an interesting being and surprisingly capable with any weapon in hand.
What had she done before getting to this point? Sifono always wondered, and every defeat made that curiosity burn brighter. Every victory, infrequent though they were, solified that the satisfaction of that knowledge would be all the sweeter.
The thoughts bloomed to life again as their mentor ducked and swung the quarterstaff around her back as she side stepped. Once she was behind Sifono, she swung with a decisive strike and brought them down to her knees. Sifono groaned in relief this time. It felt so good to be on the floor that even the soft chiming of their glass falling to the mats were soothing to them. Death was pleasant this time.
"Unacceptable. Try again."
With great effort, Sifono rolled onto their back. "And what was so bad about that one?"
"Your strikes were lacking. Your exhaustion shouldn't be an excuse for your hesitation."
"I'm just sore. Not exhausted yet."
"All the more reason for you not to be so sloppy." She walked over and tapped their foot with her own. "Come on. Get up. I'll even keep an arm behind my back."
Annoyed and amused, Sifono smiled. "Now, you're just showing off."
"Show me how capable you are at handling yourself and maybe I'll use two again."
Sifono closed their eyes and sighed. They rolled their head back and laid still for a while. Once the pleasantness of resting on the floor had passed, they began sitting up again.
"Alright, you're on. Before we end our session for today, I'll make you use two."
Original list here, and I’m tracking my progress here.
Day 3: Sifono: “you did this?”.
Sifono sighed heavily and looked around at the bodies scattered around them. Some of the operatives were unconscious; the others weren't so lucky. Dark glass glittered in the sunlight. Fragmented shards as long as Sifono's forearm were sticking out of some of the body.
"Not exactly how I planned for this to go," Sifono muttered to themself. They raised a hand up to rub the bridge of their nose. The sound of windchimes clinked softly in the air. With their free hand, Sifono pressed down on the comm in their ear. "Sombra, tell me you got what we came for."
"Almost done. I found a little something extra."
"Please." Sifono took a half-step back and dropped their hand from their face. They stared up at the eroded white building behind them. "I really want to get out of here."
"Aww, a few guards too much for you to handle?"
Sifono hummed and rolled their eyes towards the sky. "I don't really think you'll like my idea of 'handling it.'"
"Well, you're probably not as bad as—" Sombra cut off for a second before laughing lowly. "Bingo. Alright, going dark. See you outside."
"Roger that."
Sifono cut communication and looked around to the bodies again. Well, this was definitely going to raise some alarms if anyone caught them out here. They opened out their arms, silver claws catching in the sunlight just like the glass scattered around them. They closed their eyes and extended their will outward. They heard a familiar buzzing like nanomachines, and within seconds, the buzzing dwindled down into a faint ringing. Shards of glass on the floor rose into the air; the glass stuck in the operatives' bodies wiggled and jerked before finally freeing themselves. Sifono rolled their hand, palms upward and fingers fanned. The glass circled around in a large, lazy spiral and then raced towards Sifono's body.
The sound of rocks tumbling behind them made Sifono turn. The glass spiral fractured dangerously, hovering at alert and ready to strike. Above them, to their surprise, was Reaper. He stared at them befor turning his head slowly this way and that as he surveyed the area.
"You did this?"
Sifono's shoulders relaxed slightly. The glass coalesced behind them and formed to their suit. Once smooth, their attire now took on a glossy scaled look. Sifono placed a hand on their hip.
"I really, really didn't mean for it to go this way."
"Didn't think you had it in you. Thought you were all talk."
Sifono hummed lowly. Reaper dropped down in front of them and stalked closer. "Is Sombra finished?"
"She took a little detour, but she'll be here soon."
"Cover us," he ordered as he walked past.
"What are you about to do?"
He stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Don't worry about it."
Sifono stared at him before shaking their head. "And you say I'm full of mystery."
Facing forward again, Sifono thrust a hand forward, casting a wave of glass to rush in front of them. They rolled their hand and spread their fingers. All of the shards caught the light and slowly began to take on the colour of the sky on one side and the ground on another. Sifono tightened their fist, causing the shards to shudder and rush together, forming a wall of camoflague. They whipped their hand behind them with a somewhat dramatic flourish.
I just realised both parts ended with Alma having a line. That was completely unintended, but here we are.
Even though they had plans to talk when the food arrived, everything smelled a bit /too/ good for either of them to focus on business. Sifono and Alma touched glasses once again and took a swig in unison. Regardless of the circumstances, this was pleasant company. Conversation all around the restaurant was calm save the occasional exclamation or laugh. The cooking staff was by far the loudest as they shouted shorthand lingo to each other and discussed which tables had been served. "Five more minutes on the fire!" someone had yelled, but the patrons largely ignored it all.
Sifono bit into a morsel of their food, and even though they were no stranger to this restaurant, this bite still felt like the first time. It was comforting, in a way, and Sifono savoured each bite. Alma was a bit more vocal with her appreciation, sometimes pausing to mention how good it tasted. Repetition didn't bother Sifono. If anything, they merely smiled and agreed. The talent displayed in these seemingly simple looking dishes was almost enviable.
Halfway through their meal, Sifono held their glass overhand, fingers framing over the top as they swirled their drink absently. They stared out the window, watching as cars and pedestrians passed by. The sound of birds calling cut through the air, sharper than any noise nearby. Alma patted her lips with her napkin before setting it down onto the table.
"We should begin our discussions before I completely forget why I'm here."
Sifono's lips curled up. "That'd be good." The glass touched down to the table. Sifono's attention refocused on her. "So. To business?"
Alma nodded. "I've heard tale in the area that Vishkar has their sights set on a couple of areas here in Greece. They're not looking to monopolise, per se, but they want to make 'quick friends' with the security companies that are already here."
"Perhaps they're looking to find the most promising ally to make the integration easier," Sifono muttered quietly.
"Ah, that would make the most sense actually."
"Is that not what you were thinking?"
"I was thinking more along the lines of scoping the country to see what areas are in need of most protection and don't have any. But even then, that's only part of it. Vishkar is a megacorp. It's hard to know what their true aims really are."
Sifono nodded slowly, their gaze sliding to one side. They hummed quietly. "That makes sense as well. If they were to take aim at a place like Thessaloniki, for example, they could build ties with Axios United. But if they moved to Patras, they would find that competition is more willing to make way for a corporation as big as theirs. Competition is plentiful, but the little guys aren't willing to wipe each other out to have it."
"Hm, well if they're not aggressive enough, Vishkar Corp might take the decision out of their hands."
"True enough."
Alma curled her fingers in the napkin and looked at the other patrons. Her gaze flicked around briefly, a thoughtful expression on her face. Sifono watched her, curious.
"Is everything... alright here?"
Sifono's shoulders raised the slightest bit. "What do you mean?"
"In Kataphnyo, I mean. I'm just..." Alma took in a small breath before letting it out as a self-conscious breath of a laugh. "I might just have my heckles raised." She looked back to Sifono. "I travel a lot and speak with a lot of different community leaders, but I can't seem to find anyone here who has anything majorly negative to report."
"Ah! Well then." Sifono smiled wide, a flash of teeth as they leaned back. They crossed their left leg over their right and folded their arms in their lap. "I'm sure they just didn't want to make a terrible first impression with you. Depending on the situation, it can be a bit rough here just like any other place, but it's possible our, ah, community leaders have more of a handle on things than I'm giving them credit for."
Alma nodded, seemingly certain of this. "They have a great sense of confidence, and their plans are all incredibly concise."
Sifono hummed softly. "And what are your plans as you travel?" They lifted a hand lazily. "What's next on your 'to do list?'"
"Nothing terribly intricate! I'm going to continue my surveying and out reach. I don't believe many people are being denied basic services here, but it never hurts to ask around, you see." Alma stared down at her food as she ran down her mental list. "And from what I've seen, those in the forward moving local positions seem to have what they need to operate as well." She sighed then, and Sifono smiled when she rubbed at her forehead. "That's why I prefer if Miller and I travel together. We do double the work this way, and I prefer to listen to his pitches and go from there. But it also makes it easier for us to..." She wiggled her fingers through the air before returning them to her forehead. "...spread our message in case we feel like going separate ways."
"Does Network Communications have an office here? I never had a chance to ask Miller, we got caught up with other things."
"Oh!"
Alma immediately brightened. She straightened up her posture and immediately went to rifle through her satchel. As she searched, Sifono returned to their meal. They ate slower, already having plans to take the remainder out with them when this was over. When Alma found her business card, she handed it to Sifono. They took it, and it was only through an idle movement of their hand did they realise she had actually handed them two cards.
"My contact is the one underneath, but the main office we have stationed here is actually a few streets over from here! It's... actually part of the reason I chose this restaurant. It was one of the more well-known locations nearby."
"You chose well. Things get a bit too busy the closer we get to the museum," Sifono replied as they examined the business card.
The cardstock was eggshell white, thick with dark blue accent along the edges. Imprinted in thick lettering was the company name. Underneath in sharp, thin font was the address, main contact email, and the phone number. There was another number as well with an out of country area code. This number had been pressed in light blue. The glass of their watch caught the light suddenly and brightly, dancing like diamonds just for the moment. Sifono's eyes scanned the information for a few seconds before they leaned forward to point the second number out.
"And what does this number go to?"
Alma leaned in with a pleasant smile, but then she startled suddenly. She laughed it off with a bit of an urgent air. "Oh! That. No worries." She found another card and offered it out. Sifono gave it only a glance before they traded it for the card they were holding. This new one was missing second number.
Sifono laughed easily and nodded to her. "Ah! Perfect. I'll hold onto this." They leaned back and placed both cards in their pocket.
"Your watch is beautiful, by the way. Where did you get it?"
Sifono's head perked, and then they looked down to the accessory on their wrist. "Oh, this? It was a gift, you see, from an old client. I'm unsure where it came from."
"Shoot. I was hoping to get something similiar for my mother. Or myself."
"If I find out where they acquired it, I'll be sure to send the information your way."
Alma smiled, and it was beautiful. "I would love that, actually. Thank you."
I have a lot of fun thinking about Sifono, but their story isn’t one I can easily tell through one shots. At least not yet. I’m still fleshing the finer details of their character out. So I’m going to shake off some writing dust and see if I can talk about them in chapters.
Dialogue in italics is in Greek.
[ NEXT PART ]
The sound of wings hurriedly fluttering caught Sifono's attention. They paused mid-step on the bleach white stairs, their eyes following the flock of eight or so birds urgently taking flight. They watched for a few more seconds before their gaze drifted down to the watch on their left wrist. Half-past nine. They were making good time. Even still, it would be rude to dawdle. That was an easy way to guarantee that one would be late. They cast a final glance to the sky before continuing to climb the stairs. The foot traffic on the upper level doubled; cars cruised down the gently winding street.
Sifono adjusted their clothing as they went. They straightened the lapels of their white trench coat; they hooked a finger into the raised fabric of their creme turtleneck. Their fingers traced, just for a second, over the thin silver chain of the necklace resting against their chest. Little motions, little adjustments. All unnecessary, perhaps, but it never hurt to be sure. Sifono hung to the right side of the sidewalk, idly running a hand over the half wall as they passed other people. Some glanced their way; others were more preoccupied with their surroundings. A noticeable margin, Sifono realised, were tourists. They were approaching a group standing in a circle, trying to read their different maps and itineraries. Sifono glanced at their watch again. Still good enough to take a slight detour.
They diverted from the wall and headed towards the circle. "Need any help?"
A woman with wispy brown hair flicked her head up suddenly. The rest of the group looked as well, a mixture of pleasantly surprised and startled. The woman did a double take before turning slightly towards them.
"We're trying to find the Kaolasi Museum and the...." She blew air out through her teeth, making an elongated whishing noise as she did. "restaurant," she finished. She laughed. "Sorry."
Sifono laughed softly before raising their head. "Let's see. The Kaolasi Museum is that way." They pointed straight ahead and elevated their hand. "It's a large green and white building on your left hand side. There's a hill that's more or less dedicated just to it. As people nearby for the Kaolasi, and someone will take you to the nearest tour guide."
"Nice!" said someone in the group.
Another, a more stressed out looking individual, rubbed their forehead. A visible bead of sweat was creeping down the side of their face. "Well, that's one problem."
"As for the restaurant... I'm not sure of that myself." Sifono rolled their chin thoughtfully. Someone pulled away from the group to show a map he had pulled up on his phone. A spark of recognition flashed in their eyes, and they laughed. "Ah! That one." They raised a finger as they stepped backwards from the group. "One moment."
They dawdled towards the sidewalk again and rested their foot on the curb as they waited for a woman with a stylishly tousseled updo to come their way. They held out a hand. "Excuse me. Do you know where The Fountain Pen is?"
She looked at Sifono before lifting up her shades. She looked around, squinted in the direction Sifono had pointed out the museum, and then turned to look straight ahead once again. She spoke with a flourish as she lowered her glasses once more. "You'll head down this way and curve around to the narrow alley. Keep walking until you see the big flower shop. And it'll be right behind."
"Thank you then." They touched a hand to their stomach as they backed away then. They turned to the group and told them what the woman had said.
The tourists seemed revitalised. They picked up their belongings and gathered themselves with a flurry of eager thanks. One or two tried their hand at Greek, and Sifono nodded with a slight wave and a farewell of their own. As they parted from the tourists, they put some speed into their step now. They weren't late still, but they were losing their edge of being "politely early" to just being simply "on time". If the cross way was particularly packed by the time they reached it, they would officially be nearing on "late".
They shook their head and huffed a little laugh. Well, that's what they supposed they deserved for losing sight of their mission today. They would just have to make up for it by sealing the deal once they arrived at their destination.
---
"Ah! You made it! Excellent."
Sifono lifted their attention away from the menu and smiled at their client. "Yes, the waiter led me over to our table while you were away."
"I just needed to freshen up," said Alma Bilem, vice president of Network Communications.
Sifono pulled out of their seat to stand up and face her properly. They stood three inches taller than her, but she made up for it with her presence. Her handshake was firm, and theirs was nothing to scoff at either. They shared a smile of appreciation before drawing away to take their seats once again.
"Good to see you, then. I heard you had met Miller!"
"He was interesting," Sifono replied, taking their menu in hand again. "Very lively."
"Very loud." Alma tapped her index finger against her lips as she muttered, "Don't tell him I said that."
"I won't." Sifono mimicked locking their lips. "But I'm curious about your tastes. Would you like to start with the appetizer or go straight into the main course?"
"Main course. Nice as it would be, I don't have much time to idle today."
Sifono nodded. "Very well. I suppose we should just get down to business then."
Alma leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs. She laced her fingers together before setting them atop her knee. "Let's. After we get our dishes."
Another nod. This time, Sifono focused their attention on the different selections. They already knew what they wanted, but it was always best to play the silence. It gave their clients time to think while they feigned interest in this or that. The waiter returned with two drinks for them both and a bowl of something small and sweet for Alma. Sifono tipped the menu away to give it a curious look. She sighed in content.
"Couldn't help myself. Might be my only treat before this trip is over."
The waiter asked with a very steady, kind voice, "Are you two ready to order?"
"Yes." Alma redirected her attention immediately as she placed her order. The waiter turned to Sifono. "And for you?"
Sifono hummed as they slowly folded the menu off to the side. They recited their usual order with an almost detached ease, and at the end, they asked, "And I'll have the same dessert she's having, but at the end of my meal."
"Very good." The waiter jotted the notes down before nodding and leaving the two to their devices.
"How's Greece been treating you?" Sifono asked Alma as they spread their fingers out over the surface of the table.
"Wow, it's been... wonderful. Seriously." Alma nodded slowly. "I've never been in this direction before. I'm always bopping around Asia or South America around this time."
Sifono raised their brows. Well, that's part of their intel confirmed. "Business?"
"Majorly," she admitted with an almost wistful smile. "But privately, I like to think it's all part of a larger vacation."
"Well." Sifono grabbed their drink and lifted it slightly. "Let's hope that this trip counts as part of it."
Alma glanced over to them before laughing in a breath. She grabbed her drink and gently tapped her glass along with theirs. "Hear, hear."
This idea has been burning a hole in my head forward. Skips a lot of things, and I’m not even sure if I’m setting this in the canon. So we can tentatively say that this is canon divergent, and they’re undercover in Kataphnyo right now.
Either way, enjoy.
SIFONO & REAPER/GABRIEL REYES
Sifono sat on a white stone half-wall while gazing out towards the ocean. They could see the lights of the city in corner of their eye; they could hear the contented movements and consequences of life nearby. They closed their eyes and let out a sigh through their nose as a breeze caressed their skin. Tonight was truly beautiful...
Behind them, not too far away from their right side, they heard slow, heavy footsteps. Sifono opened their eyes slightly, but they didn't turn. Instead, they continued to listen, tracking the footsteps as they passed— Ah. Turned closer. Sifono tilted their head slightly to one side as the steps drew near. Despite this, when they felt a brief but sudden chill against the back of their left arm, they were, admittedly, surprised.
"You drink?" came Gabriel's rough voice.
Sifono pulled away and twisted to the side. They looked up at Gabriel in disbelief before glancing back down to the beer can in his hand. They laughed in a breath. Surprised.
"You do?" they asked pointedly. "It doesn't taste like shit?"
"It always does. That's the point." He lazily lifted his hand again, giving the can a slight shake.
Shrugging a shoulder, Sifono reached out with their right hand to grab the proffered drink. "Thanks," they muttered.
Gabriel grunted and moved to stand on their left side. He curled his fingers around the tab, and the can opened with a satisfying couple of pops. Sifono had, by now, returned their attention forward, and they opened their drink as well. Gabriel took a long, deliberate pull from his drink. Sifono held their can close, and their nose burned from the smell. Yep, that was beer, alright. They took a drink, stopped midway through, and suppressed a shudder as they continued.
Just as they lowered their beer, Gabriel spoke:
"What's your game?"
"Never knew I had one," Sifono said pleasantly. They set the can down on the wall next to them, their fingers partially curled around it. A sailboat coasted towards the far edge of the island. "Gonna need you to explain."
Another grunt. "You know what I mean. It's hard to get a beat on you. Sometimes, you seem excited for missions. Other times, you drag your feet."
"Isn't that just how it is?" Sifono laughed softly. "It's just like work, isn't it? Some days, you feel happy to be there. Other days, you'd rather be somewhere else."
"This isn't a 'job'," Gabriel said slowly. Dangerously.
Sifono turned their head slightly to the left. They saw Gabriel watching them, his eyes narrowed in a way that was as handsome as it was haunting.
"It is by definition," Sifono replied, typically glib, before deciding to change their tone. With a sigh, they rolled their left shoulder and looked straight ahead. "I'm just going through the motions. Like you said, some motions are good. I have energy; I have focus. Other days, I feel... as if my attention is elsewhere. Either better somewhere or forcibly there." They ran an index finger along the back of their ear. They squinted their eyes. "Other than that, I'm the same as when you found me."
"And that doesn't tell me a goddamn thing," Gabriel muttered, but he seemed to... relent. For now. He turned to the side and sat down on the half-wall. He swung one leg over and then the other, his body turning as he brought the beer can up to his lips again.
"Thinking about kicking me out?"
"We need the personnel," Gabriel said blandly before taking a drink. "That besides, you help move things around. There are some important figures we need you to see."
"Ah." Sifono nodded slowly and smiled. "I'm still useful yet."
Gabriel hummed. It was hard to tell if it was an agreement or if he was merely thinking. They shared the silence for a moment longer. Sifono was the one to break it before long.
"Why are you doing this?" they asked him. When Gabriel turned his head to look at him, one thick brow raised, they supplied, "Why are you with Talon? What are your motivations?"
Gabriel reacted in a way that was hard for Sifono to describe. Surely, there was a growl. They heard the noise, but they also felt it. It prickled along their skin. There was... an irritated buzz? It jostled their ears; it made their teeth hurt. The moment was short-lived, but the effects lingered for a little while. Gabriel shifted his fingers on his beer can, sliding further down slightly as he raised it for a drink. Sifono mirrored him, but they noticed that his drink had noticeable indents where his fingers were before.
Instead of giving him a chance to answer, not that they set out to really get one in the first place, they said, "Is it so unheard of that they have their own agenda in a place like this? So long as our sights are set on the same goal, we can weasel our way into beneficial relationships. We can always make sure that we align if we play our cards right." They motioned a hand. "I don't understand you and Moira's suspicions."
"And Widow's," Gabriel ground the name between his teeth, but there wasn't any outright malice in his posture or tone. Curious, that. "... We don't even know what you are."
"Me? Well." Fragments of synthetic glass branched from Sifono's back to their right side, casting a reflection of Gabriel's face. It splintered, became geometric, and then scattered, returning in a spiral to Sifono's form again. By now, they were standing. They held the beer can in one hand and cradled the bottom with another. "I'm no one special, if you need me to be. Otherwise, I'm just like you." They glanced down at him; their words full of meaning, and yet. They looked away after a few seconds. "Just like the others."
Gabriel squinted at them. Instead of explaining further, Sifono let out a long breath before tipping their head back and chugging the rest of their beer. Their express seemed tormented, but they committed to the action until the last drop. When they finished, they pulled away the can harshly and almost gasped for air. They stared at the empty can as if it offended them. A traitorous burp rose and burned. Sifono held the back of their hand against their mouth as they burbled out some gas.
"Oof." They shook their head and spun around on the half-wall. "I'm gonna regret that." They hopped down to the floor. They could still feel Gabriel's gaze burning a hole in their back. They didn't turn. Instead, Sifono raised the hand holding the can and gave a lazy wag of their index finger. "I'm going to find Sombra. I'll let you know what we get into. Night."
There was that noise again, low and thoughtful and palpable in their chest. When they glanced over their shoulder, they noticed that Gabriel looked forward again. As they looked away, they could hear the man rumble a rather ominous "Good night".
Much happier with this version. And now, how Sifono met Moira.
Sifono’s footsteps echoed in the empty halls. They raised their head, looking up towards the silver plated ceilings. Even when they strained their hearing, they were met with nothing but silence. How odd. Talon Headquarters were just as Sombra said it would be: massive, slow, and quiet.
“It won’t always be that way,” she had said with a knowing smile. “Most of the agents were sent out on missions when I left.” She curled her fingers back and glanced up to Sifono. “Explore while you can.”
So, explore they did.
The moment they touched down, they had followed Sombra’s instructions about where to go to get to the heart of the base. From there, they spent an hour wandering through the empty halls. How strange. Silence was nothing. There were times when it was even preferred to the noise and nonsense of daily life, but a facility like this was always teaming with life, right? Even when they paused and strained their hearing, they were met with nothing. No whirring of technology, no lazy cycling of computers stirring out of sleep mode, no absentminded shuffling of bodies nearby. Nothing— absolutely nothing. How… peculiar.
This place was like the grave.
Though they had covered a fair amount of ground already, Sifono assumed they had only seen a fraction of the headquarters. It was hard to estimate how large a place like this truly was, how deeply these halls could run. They stopped at an intersecting hall and lazily looked both ways before tapping their finger against the right wall. Perhaps they could have asked Sombra for more meaningful directions. Ah, well. They’d find their way eventually. Aimlessly, they drifted to the right and continued down the way.
They began to build a profile on the facility based on what they had seen so far. Were they anyone else, they might have been disappointed by the lacking appearance. Nothing caught their interest; nothing seemed particularly out of the ordinary, but that, on its own, was the trick. There were a fair number of prop rooms that were meant to look used but were devoid of any real signs of life. Everything seemed just too staged, a bit too perfect for pilfering. If they were naive or cocksure, they might have fallen for the obvious traps that dotted the surface. Sifono kept themself from wandering into those rooms, but they peered in through the windows.
Continuing on, they found that there was more to the ground level than just shallow pitfalls. They found hallways that rounded in on themselves and rooms with timed lock mechanisms that they only barely managed to escape. An intrigued smiled curved Sifono’s lips. They ran their tongue from one sharp canine around to the other. Ah, so now their interest was piqued, but they would have to pull back a bit lest they catch someone’s attention.
Sifono slowed their footsteps and glanced up towards the ceiling. Silence still, even on the “busier” side of the facility they found themself on. Hm. Alright then.
They pressed forward until they began to notice subtle changes. One door had very slight discolourations where the silver polish was lighter. Another door, closer near the floor, had similar light spots. Sifono tipped their head and began looking for hese tells. They found a door jamb with dent marks; somewhere in the middle of a hall, there was a single scuff mark from a pitch black shoe. Or perhaps… Sifono knelt down and examined the spot briefly. Rubber, was it? They scratched at the spot from their finger. Hm, yes. A wheel scuff. From a cart or something similar? They rose to their feet, keeping their eyes on the spot as they did.
Before they could continue on, they heard footsteps behind them. “And here I was wondering who was sleuthing in our halls.”
Sifono turned their head to the side, looking over their shoulder from the corner of their eye. They could barely make out a slender figure in a long white coat. A doctor of some sort? Scientist, perhaps? Sombra hadn’t talked much about the other figures who worked here or their status. Yet another aspect of Talon for them to figure out on their own.
“No one important,” Sifono replied with some levity in their voice.
The pause that followed was brief but meaningful. “Then, no one who would be missed.”
Sifono chuckled and turned their attention away. They shook their head in slow, exaggerated sweeps. They tensed their neck on each turn before looking forward. “Now, now, that all depends. Someone who may not be important to you could mean all the world to someone else.” After a brief mental debate, Sifono turned to face the figure behind them.
A tall woman with a willowy form and an unimpressed, neutral expression. Her hair was a bright red, styled in a quiff. The open white coat on her frame fell to her knees; underneath, she wore a smartly cut navy suit with touches of red. She had her hands behind her back, and she stared at Sifono dead on.
“But we’re not here to talk about the stirrings of little people,” Sifono added, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.
“No, it’s not relevant to the moment at hand.” The woman stepped closer. “Who are you and why are you here?”
“A counter, if I may. How come you haven’t attacked me yet?”
The silence that followed this time hung in the air like a heavy blanket. The woman’s eyes narrowed in thought as she drew closer still. Instead of stopping in front of Sifono, she curled around them and examined them. Sifono stayed still, allowing her to see whatever she needed to. They were unsure as to what conclusions she would draw. Their appearance for today was rather unassuming: formal to some extent but nothing that would stand out in any meaningful way in a crowd.
When the redheaded agent came to stand before Sifono again, there was something new to her expression, something fiery and intrigued. Sifono wonders what she saw, but they didn’t dare to breach that topic. After all, they still didn’t know her name.
“I’m here because of Sombra,” they said plainly, wondering what weight the woman’s name carried in this place.
They were surprised and equally amused when the redhead rolled her eyes and shook her head. She pressed long nails to her forehead and tapped a place with a heavy sigh. “Sombra, yes,” she said before long. Her hand opened with a fan of her fingers. “It’s unwise for her to let our new contacts wander aimlessly through these halls.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I’m more of a recruit then, isn’t it? That way, I can be weeded out by the various trappings.”
The woman perked up then; the smoking embers of her intrigue grew into a visible flame. “Well now,” she began, her voice a drawl. “And what skills do you have to offer?”
Sifono canted their head and looked somewhere behind Moira. Well. She would find out eventually, right? They lift their left hand over their head; their fingers twisted and spread, and then with a flick of their wrist, they drawed their arm away. A current of shimmering, glass-like shards followed their movements in a jagged, dreamy arch. Sifono looked back at the woman, and they flicked their left hand out. The glass twisted down the length of their arm before bursting into a dangerous circle in front of their palm.
“Combat’s not my strong suit, but I can take a punch or two?”
“How about a bullet?”
Sifono laughed then, softly. “I’ve had to prove myself in that regard. Pretty recently actually.”
The woman moved her hands to the front of her body; she tapped at her chin as she scrutinised Sifono. “... Fascinating,” was all she said; her tone seemed a bit distant. “I have some questions.”
Sifono recalled the shards and felt them assimilate within their clothing. The woman closed the gap. “I suppose we should make introductions. I’m Sifono.”
The woman tilted her chin. “Moira.” She waved a hand behind them. “I’ll guide you to where you need to be. We can… kill time while we wait for the others to return.”
Sifono heard the weight of her words but didn’t point it out. They turned away from Moira slowly, and when she didn’t actively take the lead, they began walking forward. They could feel the heaviness of her gaze on their back. Sifono rolled their shoulders but didn’t comment. They filed it all away in the back of their mind for talking points to bring up with Sombra later when they got a hold of her.
“Take a left here,” Moira said. They fell into step as they turned.
“Wouldn’t it be easier if I followed your lead?”
“You are and just fine at that.”
Sifono started to counter that, but they laughed it off instead. They were understanding a bit more of how things worked here, and until the others arrived, they hoped to learn a little more.
I don’t really have a written profile/story for this yet as to how Sifono was brought into Talon. I’m going to end up yadda yadda’ing over parts because I know how it’s supposed to go, but as I put in Sifono’s bio, they had a chance meeting with Sombra one day. She was following a lead about a dignitary who supposedly had valuable information about certain “flight patterns”. Was it about Overwatch? Talon? The people over at Volskaya? It was hard to say, but she wanted to compare it with her findings. So, she made her way to Athens.
She ended up staking outside of a locked door, posted up higher on an outcropping near the ceiling (proper descriptors escape me). And while she was waiting, she noticed that someone else was making their way there. Someone she hadn’t seen before or accounted for: Sifono. She dropped down, noticed that they were packing some pretty impressive tech, and hacked it just to make sure they wouldn’t try to use it on her.
In doing so, Sifono had... a reaction.
There was a flash of light, and then Sifono went immobile. She drew closer and examined them, completely taken off guard by what had happened. In doing so, she ended up stepping on small fragments of glass that dropped when Sifono was shocked. They immediately reached out for her.
They missed on a grab, but the strike itself was enough to knock her out of invisibility. Sifono was able to catch a glimpse of her face before she translocated out of there. By the time she made it back, some of the information she found had been selectively picked at, but there still enough remained that she could report back to base.
However... there was something else here that caught her interest. In between encrypting and copying the information to send back to the council, she followed Sifono around. This added a couple of more days to her stay in Greece, but she was oddly interested. There was still that question of what happened when she hacked their gear though. That raised some questions.
After watching Sifono, ah, “chastise” someone after a botched drop, she made herself known to them as they were heading back to their temporary stay. She managed to talk with them for a while, and it seems that they knew, to some small degree, about her. Which was still more than most. Considering them warily, she gave them an offer to meet with some of her constituents.
Sifono agreed, saying that they always liked to make contacts. They set a date a couple of days from then and went their separate ways. Seemingly. Sombra, in her invisibility, found out where they were staying before sending the coordinates to both Reaper and Widowmaker, saying that they might have a problem.
It was supposed to be an ambush, really. Reaper and Widowmaker flew over as quickly as they could. Widowmaker stayed in the back, making sure to keep Reaper covered while “discussions” happened. However, when Reaper appeared in Sifono’s room, they were gone. Or so it seemed.
Glass shattered and raced straight towards the wraith, cutting them up until he went incorporeal. There was a scuffle. Sifono managed to succeed in disarming him if only because they didn’t want to draw civilian attention, but little did they know that Reaper still had pure strength on his side. He was an impressive opponent, but it was no surprise to them in the end when they lost.
Even still, Sombra appeared moments after everything died down, and the three of them actually talked. Unwilling to give anything away but amused at these so-called “global criminals” coming to them personally, Sifono agreed to join forces with Talon’s operations. At first, they were an auxiliary component, merely taking to their task and exercising their versatility in both civilian and criminal aspects.
However, it seems they have no motive for doing what they do. They seem to just be living in the moment, thriving in whatever modicum of chaos they chaos. It would be easy to say they just want to watch the world burn, but it’s apparent like a weight that there has to be something more to that.
