A Bio-Weapon’s Rhapsody

Chapter 299: The welcome party.

Now that she was here, she only needed to walk in. Easy, the easiest part of her travel actually. Just walk in, go up the stairs... And get back to [Big Sister]'s apartment.

Easiest bit of the travel. Not like how she had to struggle when she needed to pick up the outfit she was going to wear (Good thing she picked the pants, imagine trying to look intimidating wearing a long skirt and a loose blouse with a cute ribbon on it).

Not like how she had to deal with the smell of the sewers (Good thing that Main Core had already cleansed her from the stink). Nor how she had to deal with [Frank The Bettle] after coming out of the sewer systems (The man was scary and weird as heck, nothing like what Alexa remembered, but then again, she was coming to terms with the fact that her perception was no longer the same as Alexa after the meddling from the duo asshole).

And definitely easier than what she had to deal with during the transit here, dealing with [SuperForce] and [Chrysalis] had been annoying, and potentially deadly. Or well, mostly annoying, she doubted [SuperForce] would have the know-how to kill her permanently.

[Mistress, while it is possible to keep life functioning and stabilize your body even after losing brain matter.]

[The trauma could be greater than what you suspect.]

[Also, there is no proof that you will be able to return fully as yourself.]

"Main Core, we can just ask Alexa for a full blueprint or for a checksum if needed in that case." Ale shrugged, "If you don't believe me send a query."

[Will investigate that statement.]

She really needed to get on checking about this thing, there was a weird conflict of data between what she remembered was accessible to her and Main Core before the asshole's meddling and what was now available.

Either way, what to do?

Well...

"Are you coming in instead of staring ominously at the building?" Someone spoke from her right.

Ale almost jumped in surprise and hissed at the interloper.

"Oh, it's just you..." Ale said relaxing at the sight of who she was seeing, "To be honest, I should have expected, everyone and their grandma is showing up today."

"Well, that is totally not a weird statement to make. Long time no see Alexa." It was [Mikey], one of the minions she hadn't seen in literal ages.

"It's Ale actually," Ale corrected him, "I go by Ale when I am in this form."

"Ah right, Eleanore send us the missive, you have that weird mental disease right?" [Mikey] said nodding, "Yeah my daughter also goes by a different name nowadays. She doesn't want us to call her by her name and doesn't answer unless we call her by the name Carrie."

"What's her name?" Ale asked, "I mean, the name she used to have before? Or does she go by multiple names?"

"We named her Karen." [Mikey] answered as he started moving towards the building, "You coming? I heard Skie was waiting for you; they prepared a whole party and whatnot."

"...Yeah that checks." Ale said nodding, "Why would you even name her like that?"

"What? Karen is a perfectly fine name." [Mikey] said frowning, "Thomas doesn't give us any problem and still answers when we don't call him by that nickname he picked at school."

"Thomas?" Ale asked confused, "Wait, that's your son's name? The one that is the same age as Alexa?"

"...Referring yourself in third person?" [Mikey] said arching an eyebrow, "Whatever, Karen does the same so it may be a thing with your age... Eleanore did say to expect something to this degree..."

"What did [Eleanore] tell you?" Ale asked, intrigued, "What did she tell the black masks' minions in general?"

"She gave us pamphlets, as if people ever read these things." [Mikey] said, waving a pamphlet, "Well... those that know you did read them, since it would affect us."

Ale opened the pamphlet as soon as [Mikey] gave it to her; it had some general data in DID and OSDD. It generally resumed and gave advice in how to speak to Ale, Alexa and Alexandra.

Stating that while they may know them as a single person, when in the form of Alexa they could expect her to be more childish. While in the Ale persona, she may present a more grown-up and selfish personality.

And finally, it stated that as Alexandra, they may treat her like an adult, but that romantic relationships would be frowned upon. So that was that.

Overall it was well written and it gave her some ideas about what the other people would think or how they would see her. Which was nice too.

"...So how much of that is true?" [Mikey] asked as they walked into the elevator, Ale was not looking forward to this bit, "Are you... You know, okay in there?"

"*Sigh*" Ale sighed, what else could she do? "It simplifies my situation yes, it is not quite like this. But close enough, you can think of Alexa and me as different people to some degree, but we can share information between us. So anything you say or do with Alexa is something I could theoretically know if Alexa allows it."

[Mikey] nodded at her.

"And the same goes for Alexa, if she wants about stuff I did, she can ask me and I'll share it with her." Ale said, only to stop herself and add, "If I want her to know, obviously I will not go out of my way to show her the more gruesome aspects of our line of work though."

"Ah... yeah," [Mikey] grimaced at that statement, "Eleanore told us in the meeting that this was a common reason for your... condition, and that this was a reason why we shouldn't encourage underage kids to work as minions."

Of course she would say that. The hypocrite.

"Whatever, she does not get to act like a concerned party when it was basically her fault that we ended like this." Ale said dismisively, "So, the party. What's about it and who is invited?"

"Ah yeah," [Mikey] nodded at Ale's obvious attempt to redirect the conversation, and also kicked the elevator's wall, since it had stopped moving.

The elevator answered by screeching at [Mikey] (The motor turned on again) and by moving once more.

"Well, all the minions that entered to Haephestus' Forge with you... Plus any other Minion your team worked with..." [Mikey] started counting with his fingers, "Plus all our families and any civilian friend you fellas made along the way."

".... So only minions and their families." Ale said nodding, there was no way they invited Alexa's friends from the school, those stuck-up, weird kids would never come to an apartment building in the middle of a known Super Villain territory.

"That's about it yes." [Mikey] laughed nodding, "...Don't tell Skye or Golem that I spilled the beans, also do me a solid..."

"Sure." Ale said nodding.

"If Karen or Thomas asks... Tell them I am just a driver, and that's how I got the invitation, you know how it is with kids. They idolize the whole Heroes and Villains thing..." [Mikey] said sighing, "Or well, that's life I guess... I also grew up wanting to be a cool SuperHero."

"And now you are a Minion." Ale pointed, "That is not that far away from what you wanted is it?"

"... You may not get it since you are a brat two-thirds of your life." [Mikey] sighed, "But if you are a parent, what you want is for your kid to be better than what you did. For them to be safe, for them to do well... And.... This work pays good, don't get me wrong. But would you want for someone you love to go through half the things you went through?"

Ale... stopped to think about that. Would she? Assuming she had someone who she loved as much as what a parent was supposed to love their children?

Ale was not sure how to answer that.

"I see... "Ale did not really see, the closest example she could think about would be if she had the choice to pick up if Alexa would go through what she went through when Melissandra Singh pointed the [Death] towards her.

She would not want Alexa or Alexandra to go through that. Hell, Alexandra felt the same, as her choice proved.

So, going by what metric, it stood to reason that someone in the position of [Mikey] would not want their offspring to follow his footsteps.

"... I'll try to dissuade them, should they ask me." Ale said nodding, "But I can't promise they will listen to what I ask or say, and chances are if I really have to dissuade them, they will be scared of me afterwards."

"You don't have to go that far," [Mikey] said shaking his head, "I doubt they would even suspect you from being a Minion anyway, they may think you are another daughter of a Minion or a Villain."

[Mikey] laughed as he said that, "But well... I took enough of your time, welcome back Rhapsody." And like that, the elevator dinged as the door opened and they walked... to a floor Ale didn't know.

"Welcome!" There she was blasted by confetti and the cheer of people that she had not seen that often. Minions she knew by their mask identity only, some people she had memories of seeing and of course, at the very front [Big Sister] and [Golem]. "Welcome back Ale."

Ale nodded and walked towards [Big Sister] and [Golem]. [Big Sister] was wearing a more modest approach to what she usually had, this time she had some simple jeans and a black blouse, it kinda matched with Ale at the moment.

On the other hand, [Golem] was in his most modest combat form; he was still tall and imposing, but not so much that people would need to mind it that much. His current form seemed to be made out of dirt and sand around the edges.

He was not dropping much of the material around, but if you paid attention you would be able to follow the footsteps he took around.

"I'm back." Ale said towards her teammates, "Sorry for the wait, and the worry. That was not part of my plan."

"I bet it wasn't." [Big Sister] said nodding, "Well everyone, thank you for your help. You may go and mingle!"

And with that announcement from [Big Sister], the other minions and people around dispersed around the floor. Ale had... not been sure what to think about that; she didn't know half of these, at least not directly, but the fact that they came for this was surprising nonetheless.

"Don't mind them," [Big Sister] said when she noticed how Ale was looking around, "Half of them came for the food, the other half came to try their luck and find a date."

"Don't oversimply Sylph." [Golem] said from the side, "They came because your merits Rhapsody."

"My merits?" Ale asked confused. "What did I do?"

"... You have become somewhat of a... legend." [Big Sister] said sighing, "Let's go to a more private place? A few of these gossips have good ears."

"Booo!" "Where is the freedom for the press!" "We deserve the juicy gossip!"

A few of the minions at the back booed and joked as [Big Sister] gave them a not-so-polite gesture back, that is to say, she cursed at them both with words and with gestures.

The minions laughed it back and returned the gestures, of course, as one would expect from the most illustrious members of the lower society in the villain business.

[Big Sister] followed by [Golem] guided Ale into a side room, as soon as they walked in and the door closed, the sound of a pressured door came.

[Notice, this room has Mana Isolation barrier.]

[Notice, room has been isolated from the normal network.]

[Searching...]

[Found connection to Saintsworths network.]

[Established connection.]

[Isolating from the broader Saintsworths Network.]

[Done.]

[You are safe to discuss whatever you need Mistress.]

...

Thank you?

Ale was not sure what to think, for one, it was nice to know that this was a private setting, meaning [Big Sister] probably was somewhat aware of the risks of whatever happened while she got knocked unconscious.

On the other hand, the fact that it was not away from the Saintsworths prying eyes... Well, that was that. Or it was till Main Core flexed his newest toys at least.

If she had gotten it right, now only an Administrator from the Saintsworths network would be able to snoop on her discussion, and that was under the assumption they knew where to look.

"What did Vulcanus tell you?" [Big Sister] started by saying that.

"*Sigh*" Followed by [Golem] sighing as he discarded his exterior body armor and revealed once again his more... normal humanoid form, as if he was taking off an exosuit, "Let's start by something simpler Skye, Ale probably doesn't know why we are doing this whole secret stuff."

"Ah right... the weeks going offline..." [Big Sister] nodded, "We got told you got knocked out for almost a month, was that true?"

"How much do you know?" Ale asked back, "Of what happened during that mission."

"We got told you got into combat with the test subject, got injured and your brother rescued you." [Big Sister] said shaking her head, "Of course, we didn't believe that bullshit, no way a normie would be able to do that, Saintsworths or not."

"Then there is the fact that Gabriel Light was acting suspicious," [Golem] added from the side, "He stormed Eleanore's room and blasted out straight into a Saintsworths building, only to get bailed out by Vulcanus later that day."

"... And then after half a week of no contact, he came to us." [Big Sister] said sighing, "Asking weird questions, asking us if we trusted you, even after knowing you were a Saintsworths."

"Of course we said yes," [Golem] nodded seriously, "Above all, you are our teammate. We may not know you for long, but we know you are trustworthy."

"He told us you may have some dangerous secrets," [Big Sister] closed her eyes, "That you may be more than you seem, and that if we wanted to remain in contact with you, we should really consider it."

"So we did," [Golem] said shrugging, "I believe in my own eyes, even if they are now a pair of gems."

"And I know how the Saintsworths are," [Big Sister] added afterwards, "And you aren't like them. No way Alexandra is that scheming, nor you are that evil... And of course, Alexa is Alexa."

"Alexa is Alexa indeed," [Golem] said laughing, "So, your turn. What happened."

"Well..." Ale started recounting the whole thing, she didn't hide much, she did not include the whole description about how Alexandra materialized and saved her, but only said that Alexandra took the hit for her, "So yeah... she is... gone."

"...I'm sorry for your loss," [Big Sister] said moving towards her side and hugging her, "... I read more on the DID and the whole system thing. I know the Death of a part of your system is traumatic in the best of cases... And while I may not know how bad it was, thank you for making it back."

Ale merely nodded, she had grieved this plenty, but it still hurt when thinking about it.

"I'm fine," Ale ended up saying, "I have cried about it, and thought about it. I still don't fully understand the thought train that Alexandra took, but I'll respect it."

"Such is life..." [Golem] said sighing from the other side, "You gotta honor those that help us move forward."

Ale nodded at that statement too.

"Afterwards..." Then she carried on explaining the series of events that followed, the talk about her new apartment within Aquila, the two women that had helped her in that side and... " And that is how we ended up with me becoming the actual sister of Alexanders Saintsworths... The big bad evil guy... Funny right?"

"...I know the man is whimsical at best and straight out a nutcase at worst..." [Big Sister] sighed, "So that's why..."

"It does explain why Gabriel Light was that... jumpy." [Golem] nodded, "And why he and Hermes suspect Vulcanus."

"[Elder] suspects [Vulcanus]?" Ale asked, of course, she also suspected the fact that [Elder] had suspicions about [Vulcanus], the proof was in the mask that he gave her.

A mask that circumvented all the Saintsworths networks, compared to the previous one that merely piggybacked in the Saintsworths networks, this one straight out moved around them.

Meaning, [Elder] suspected something was afoot.

"... We... or well Hermes and us, suspect that Vulcanus may be under the effect of a mind tampering Core Power. Possibly paid by the Saintsworths." [Big Sister] said in a serious tone, "We suspect it is by either [The Theater Master] or [The Scrambler]."

"Vulcanus was... weird after you disappeared," [Golem] said, shaking its head, "He stabilized half a week after, and returned to normal just about four days ago."

"When I woke up?" Ale asked.

"We suspect it was around the time they sent confirmation of your survival yes." [Big Sister] nodded, "Meaning he would have direct connection to the Saintsworths..."

"I'm sorry to say this," [Golem] said measuring his words, "But your brother is... He is not a good person."

"Of course not," Ale said immediately, "He is an asshole."

"...That is one way to look it yes," [Big Sister] said laughing, "Glad you don't have a problem with us saying that."

"Don't get me wrong," Ale said shaking her head, "I owe Alexanders Saintsworths, I owe him big. But that does not cancel the fact that he is an asshole."

"...That is family." [Golem] said raising a cup of soda, he was not even able to drink that.

"Such is life." [Big Sister] said raising her own cup.

"And even if they are family, we can always pick better family." Ale said smirking, "If you all want of course."

"Sure," [Big Sister] said nodding, "I already told you, you can count on your big sister."

"And after what you promised to help me with... You can sure as hell count with me, even if the enemy is the big bad evil dragon from the Saintsworths." [Golem] said hitting his chest with his free hand, the sound of stone hitting stone reverberating across the room.

Ale nodded and smiled.

"So, what's the plan now?" Ale said taking a sip from her own cup of... mango soda? Who even comes with these things? "I had originally planned for a week at most, but I was under the impression that I would have a time limit when coming back, that doesn't seem to be the case now."

"...Actually... that is also part of why we organized this whole thing." [Big Sister] said turning to [Golem], "Our new mission... is a longer term mission."

"We got selected for an infiltration mission." [Golem] said in a stern tone, "Usually we would not think much about it, but our situation being what it is, care is advised."

"What are we infiltrating?" Ale asked, "I should have some free time, and if not, I can ask for leave from school. Now that I made the whole travel here I should be able to go and come as needed."

"We are infiltrating a new Saintsworths project." [Golem] said, pulling a pamphlet from within his body and placing it on the table.

It couldn't be...

"We got scholarship lined up, both for [Golem] and for myself..." [Big Sister] said sighing, "I imagine you see the issue, right?"

"There is no way it can be this convenient." Ale said as she pulled out a pamphlet from within one of her cargo pants pockets (It was printed and made thanks to her nanites), "What are the chances?"

"When you are entertaining for the evil overlords?" [Big Sister] said with a sardonic smile "Very high they are."

The three pamphlets showcased the same, the golden eagle emblem of the Saintsworths with the words 'Aquila, the Light that will show the path towards a bright future.'

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