#toadstool headcanon

[codename-sterling]

[FILE UPLOAD: DESTINATION: STERLING NEURAL LACE. VIDEO STARTING..] IT showed Comet, stripped of his armor, and strapped to a table. "YOU WILL NOT TAKE HER!" He was thrashing up and down, as Frankenstein, Raven, and a third member stood over him. "Just yoink it, Doc!" The third said, clearly a female. "Alright, alright." The Doctor reached down, to the back of Comet's head. "I WON'T LET YOU!" The bindings snapped, sending the Doctor against the wall, as Comet ripped the rest of them away. (cont)

“It will hurt less, Sterling, if you just-UGH!” Archer gagged as his back impacted the wall opposite the bathroom door entirely, briefly wondering how the hell he’d gotten there. He didn’t take the time to catch his breath, or pay any mind to the pain of his assuredly cracked ribs, as he pushed himself out of the way of the strike Sterling had aimed for his throat. “Right… augmentations…” Archer, or rather, Raven’s, lips curved in a vicious smile, as he drew his sidearm, shifting his weight from foot to foot.“What the hell is this, Archer!?” Sterling shouted, gaze alternatingly focused and unfocused as he watched the data streaming over his neural lace.

[codename-sterling]

remember a thing. [FILE END] NOTE ATTACHED. "If you find this, CODENAME: ARCHER IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED, STERLING. YOU NEED TO WATCH YOUR BACK. TOADSTOOL IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED EITHER.

“Archer?” “Yes, I’m sure, sir.” Archer’s voice sounded as Sterling found the towel, reaching up to dry his face tiredly. The Operative’s senses swam briefly, and he slowly lowered the towel as he mentally analyzed the feelings. Heavy limbs. Heavy eyelids. Hazy senses. How much coffee had he drank, and what dosage of tranquilizers had-Movement in the mirror, and Sterling threw himself to the side, augmented reflexes carrying him out of the way of the blade in Archer’s hand. “Archer, what the fuck are you-“ 

[codename-sterling]

[ONI FILE DUMP IN PROGRESS... FILE DUMP COMPLETE.] FILE NAME: Final Scan. SUBJECT: ICEY ROCK. OPERATOR: CODENAME: RAVEN. "The Subject's mind is almost completely scanned, and, as per orders, I've been told to.. Dispose of the body. IT isn't that hard. It's just a little girl." After a few moments, there is a loud screaming on the video. Then a gunshot. "Scan Complete." Archer's voice spoke the words. NOTES: Scan's complete. Body disposed of. Scans loading up to the AI core. And she won't(1 of 2)

“Are you sure there’s nothing Archer?” Sterling paused as he spoke, bent over the sink splashing cold water into his face in a vain attempt to wake himself. The coffee, the nicotine, nothing seemed to be helping. He fumbled blindly for a hand towel. “Archer?”  

[codename-sterling]

[ONI FILE DUMP: DATA SOURCE DETECTED. PULLING FILES... FILES EXTRACTED FROM SOURCE: Hidden in the Knife FLASHKEY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO VIEW FILES?] [Y/N]

“Anything, Archer?” “Not yet, sir,” Archer replied quietly, even as he selected [Y].  

[codename-sterling]

(3 of 3) [DATA CORRUPT. FIXING FILES] "-you react if I told you that your sister is still alive, in a sense." A bit of concern went over Comet's face. "What do you mean..?" "I mean, we saved her, in a sense." "And what do you mean, in a sense, Doc." Comet's eyes widened. "Trixie." "No.." "Oh, yes. And we'd like you to hand that AI over. Your part of the testing is done, and we no longer need you." There was a flash in Comet's eyes. "And who's going to take her from me.. You?" END. ENTER PASSWORD

“… that’s it then?” “Yes, that’s it.” Sterling shook his head as he ran shaking fingers through his hair, looking drained and exhausted from long hours without sleep.“… What are we-““I’ve yet to decide.” He replied shortly. “This is sounding less and less about revenge and more about something genuinely unsettling.”  

[codename-sterling]

business, Shall we?" "Yes, Doctor." "How are you adjusting to your AI?" "Trixie?" "If that is what you call her, yes." "It was a little strange at first." "Having a voice in your head?" Comet shook his head. "No. That she sounds so much like my sister. But, I guess that's why you guys made Trixie, right? To help me cope with the loss? I'm used to it, now." "That's good to hear, Lieutenant." "Please, Doc. Just Comet will do." "Alright, Comet. Has she been a benefit on your missions?" (2 of 3

“What in the-““There’s more…” “What!?” 

[codename-sterling]

File Number: 2 of 4. The Camera booted up. It showed a SPARTAN III next to a chair. "Please, have a Seat, Comet." The Lieutenant Colonol, currently just a second Lieutenant, sat down. He didn't have the Scar on his face just yet. He was still rather fresh to the ranks. "Thank you, sir." "Please, call me Frankenstein." "Frankenstein, Sir? Like.. The Monster?" "Contrary to popular belief, Frankenstein wasn't the Monster. He was the Doctor." Comet nodded. "Oh. I didn't know that." "On to (1 of3)

“Archer, are you getting this?” “Aye aye, sir… What-” “Hush up, there’s more.”