“Alright, that’d be it.”

Charlotte held her right forearm with her left hand and rubbed it slowly. The man in front of her stopped giving her any attention and was currently focused on the display in his hands. At the back of the man were other two men Charlotte had never seen of which one held a lamp which lighted the area. Other two men were keeping watch of the surroundings. The four silent men wore black attires while the medic who checked on her was all white.

She looked around the currently not so dark street. Kamile wasn’t that far from her, and someone she just noticed was talking to him.

Olimpia! Charlotte jumped in her direction and immediately regretted her rash action. Pain assaulted the right side of her chest and her abdomen as a silent tear came out of her eyes. This’ll take a while to get used to than I thought…

She arrived to Olimpia’s side, making the talk they were having to come to an end. “You’re too reckless, going out alone at this hour around here is foolish.” She frowned at Charlotte and shook her head.

“… Yeah, I know.”

“Do you? Really?”

Charlotte nodded. “I do, now.”

“Alright. We’re going back to the office. Nothing good happens around here and we’re vulnerable with so few of us.”

Charlotte opened her mouth but decided not to say anything else. A complicated expression surfaced on her face as Olimpia went away to speak with the medic who kept his eyes on the device in his hands. Charlotte kept her eyes on her without much of a choice.

“How’s he?” Olimpia asked.

“Mostly fine. He has a few bruises on his arm and around his chest and stomach, but nothing worth considering an intervention. He’ll just recover after a couple days, I believe.”

Olimpia shook her head before accepting the medic’s diagnosis. “What happened around here?”

“From what he told us and what our men can infer with the evidence around here, he met three men and received a beating. At least one of them had a really hard object, a bat, for example, or an augmented extremity. There’s nothing much we can do with the evidence they left in this place.”

“I can guess… We’ll go back now.”

“Another thing, I’ll report this to the higher ups. As a normal recruit as he is, he isn’t important enough for us to risk coming out at this time.”

“I know.”

The medic nodded and walked towards two of the men who came with him. Charlotte looked to the floor as her expression became more complicated.

“You don’t have to worry.” Kamile put a hand on her shoulder. “We all make mistakes, you’re still young and it’s better to do things wrong earlier than later.”

“Yes…”

He touched her back and pushed her forward. Charlotte walked without much strength in her body, her arms dangled on the air and her feet kept going as she was surrounded by the other men. Olimpia joined her in silence with her brows knitted together.

But the thing is, I’m not that young. I should be aware of the dangers of this city and still chose to come out. I’m a fool who’s not thinking enough. Just because I didn’t want to sleep in that room I went and did this…

They walked the dark road until they arrived to the entrance building. The homeless man sat in a corner of the first room and was ignored by everyone, only Charlotte smiled a little at him.

After they entered the computer room, the five men who accompanied them with Olimpia disappeared into one of the rooms. Charlotte stood rooted next to the sliding wall as she studied the empty room. Kamile said his goodnight to her and went through the same door the other five did.

“What are you doing?” Olimpia’s voice brought her back from her reverie.

Charlotte shook her head and looked at Olimpia. She stood a few meters from her, the frown on her face was gone. In its place, a face one wouldn’t normally show to someone who’s not close enough was there. She had her arms under her chest, the left below the right with her right hand hugging the left forearm and the left hand holding up the right elbow. Her shoulders were lifted with some tension in them. She was trembling slightly.

Charlotte sighed before her lips quivered as they lifted in an attempt to form a smile. “I’m, going to sleep now. Thanks, and sorry for all the trouble.” She walked to the resting room of the place.

“And, where do you think you’re going?”

“I’m going to sleep, this’s the only place I can use.” She said without turning around.

She heard Olimpia’s sigh and then her steps as she approached Charlotte faster than she walked to the room. She paused and started to turn around.

Olimpia brought her hands to Charlotte’s face and joined them behind the latter’s head. She then brought that head to her chest. “You don’t need to force it. I’m sure you’re scared, you’ll sleep with me tonight, alright? Nothing bad’s gonna happen now.”

“Eh, uh, I…”

“Don’t worry. Let’s go.” Olimpia caressed her head for some time before letting her go.

Charlotte’s expression relaxed after that quick psychological session. Olimpia nodded and turned around as her face also changed for the better, smiling slightly.

“What? You don’t want to come?”

“It’s not that. But, wouldn’t you get in more trouble if you bring me inside there?”

“Oh? Why?”

“Well, I can’t go in to that place, right?”

Olimpia’s smile widened as her eyes shone. “And why do you think you can’t go in there?”

“Eh, isn’t that because you didn’t show me? I’m not allowed in as long as I’m not a full-fledged member, or something like that. Isn’t that right?”

“And what if you’re a full-fledged member? You wouldn’t have any problem, right?”

“Yeah, but I’m not?” Charlotte tilted her head as Olimpia started to chuckle.

“No. You just became a member of our group.” Olimpia bit on her lower lip as a smile flourished on her face.

Charlotte’s eyes imitated the curvature of a full moon. “What?”

“Yes! I was informed while we’re out there cleaning up your little mess. I didn’t want to spoil you from the surprise.”

“That…” She pointed to the screens around the room. “Why? I didn’t finish that thing.”

“You didn’t?” Olimpia frowned for a moment before her face returned to a calm smile. “He didn’t say anything in particular, just that he’s very pleased with what you did.”

“What I did…?”

“Yeah, we can ask him latter. Let’s go!” Olimpia took Charlotte’s hand into hers and walked to the door the six men used earlier.

“This room is for anyone to use, so there’s nothing much in there except for a single bed and a desk. There’re public toilets and showers anyone can use at any time and that’s about all we’ve got in here.” Olimpia explained before she opened door number 12 in the long corridor. There were twelve doors on each side of the floor and other two at the end.

“Public showers? Is it kind of, like a mixed bath?”

“Not at all. You saw the last door of the hall, right?” Charlotte nodded. “If you go through that one, there’re some cubicles where you can shower, in case they’re all being used, you just need to wait until one is free. The last door on the right side is for toilets and the left one is the washing area, people who stays here for long are the only ones using them. I don’t normally use the showers, though, I just wait until I get home the next day if there’s a need for me to stay, like today.”

“I see.” They entered the room and closed the door. “Isn’t there any problem with it being mixed?”

“Problem? Oh, you mean, like, what if someone peeks and stuff like that?” She nodded before Olimpia started to chuckle. “So what? As long as there’s no assault, what they see is their own business. If I notice it, however, I can make their life miserable while in here, and in the worst case, I can even make them go away from this office, completely.”

Charlotte saw how the corner of Olimpia’s lips turned up in a crescendo, sharp and sadistic smile. A cold chill went down her back before her body trembled slightly, at some point her right feet had moved backwards.

“Heheh, don’t worry! If anything happens to you, let big sis handle it!”

“Big, sis?”

“YES! You’ll be my young sibling from now on! So, get used to it now that you can!”

Young sibling… Why not just, oh.

Charlotte blinked twice, sighed softly and then shook her head with the left corner of her lips and brow raised. “I somehow became the one in the middle, huh.”

“What? You don’t mean, you actually have a little brother? Or is it a sister!? Oh my! What a surprise! I didn’t know! Tell me more about it!” Olimpia sat on the border of the single bed and clutched her hands on her lap as she repeatedly hit it.

“Well, it’s kind of like just now, she said I was like a big brother for her that one time. And I’ve become kind of attached to her.”

“Oh.” Olimpia clapped before bringing up a hand under her chin. “Is it her? The girl you were with on that restaurant?”

“Restaurant? The one you’re… Yeah, that one.”

“Suddenly I’m the big sister out of three, I don’t know how to feel.”

“She actually has a little sister.”

Olimpia stared at her before she started to laugh with Charlotte.

“Hah, I haven’t had such a silly conversation in such a long time… Thanks.”

Charlotte smiled back.

“So? Why’re you still there? Come here, let me see you properly.”

“What.”

“That guy didn’t check your injury properly, right?”

“No, but…” Charlotte looked around the room. Weren’t there cameras around here?

“Don’t worry, even if I’m not a true doctor, I can still assess some light injury.”

“… Alright.” Charlotte approached her and took off her shirt, exposing her bandaged chest and stomach. So, mics?

“Can you take those off?” Olimpia caressed the bandages her index and middle finger and followed them with her eyes.

“Let me do it, there’s a little trick to it.” Charlotte turned around, closed her eyes and told Prism to activate the Disguise Form: Kid.

As she started to undo the bandages, her arm started to prickle and the right-most part of her thorax screamed in protest.

“They really did a number on you, huh.” Olimpia kneeled beside her and took away the cloth from Charlotte’s hand, finishing the job. “Is it here?”

“Ouch!” Charlotte jumped to the side and eyed Olimpia, who remained on her knees with her hand in the air in a pinching position. “Why did you do that!”

“Well, I wasn’t sure where it was. There’s nothing I can see in there, you know?”

“Huh? Nothing? It still hurts like hell…”

“Heh, well, they say that as long as it hurts, it’s still fine, no?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. But the one in your soft belly, that sure is worrisome.”

Looking down, Charlotte saw her stomach swollen up with a faint purple color. “I don’t feel much over there, though.”

“And that’s even worse. Come, lay down, let me check.”

Charlotte let her body rest on the bed and soon after that she felt how Olimpia moved her hand all around her belly. She started to apply force to her fingers and asked Charlotte where it hurt.

“No, I don’t feel any pain. I can feel your fingers completely but nothing- Hey! Stop it! Guh!” Olimpia propelled herself up with her hands still on Charlotte’s belly and jumped away.

“Yeah, you’re okay, but that color is worrisome. I don’t remember you with it either and it’s not some kind of pain, what could it be.”

“… I wonder.” Charlotte studied the ceiling for a few seconds before trying to sit up. “Ouch.” And gave up as pain assaulted her.

Olimpia extended her hand, helped Charlotte up and sat next to her. She wore back her shirt before she started to talk with Olimpia for a while about the silly things of the day, mostly before and after Charlotte worked with the Helm.

*Yaaawn

“Oh my, you must be tired.”

“Well, it’s been a pretty weird day, I guess…”

Charlotte let her body fall on the bed and prepared to sleep. Once they both were in the bed, she felt how she was hugged around her belly and then pushed back to Olimpia.

“I’m trying to sleep, you know?”

“Let me be for a while.”

“Why? I’m an injured person! You can’t treat me like that!”

“Then, if you weren’t injured, you’ll allow me to do whatever I want?”

“No, obviously.”

“Then let your big sis be a little selfish this night, alright?”

“Tell me why…”

“Because you’re so cute and huggable! I just feel that if I hug you all my problems will be resolved!”

“I… Okay, be careful, though.”

“Thanks!” Olimpia increased her strength and brought Charlotte just to herself, immersing her head on her hair.

After a couple of minutes, Charlotte felt the strength surrounding her leaving slowly. A soft, regular breathing came hitting her head. Finally. She didn’t move from her position. She just closed her eyes and went to that calming world she created; that colorless and simple world where she could create and make whatever she so liked.

She studied with Prism what happened that day, and taught whatever Prism didn’t know and explained to her whatever she didn’t know. Questions and answers was the normal routine of the two, their time together always went like that. She also analyzed her encounter with that trio of burglars. How things could have worked in her favor and what the best solution to that encounter was. A fight with them was unavoidable, though. What the best course of action was the real question.

She fell asleep after more than an hour of fumbling in the colorless world and playing with Prism.

“Did you call me?” Tom said with a tone demanding a fast answer.

“Yeah, I wanted an explanation for your decision yesterday.” Olimpia answered without hurry on her voice.

“My decision? Oh, you mean about him?” He pointed at Charlotte who was beside Olimpia, holding a small sandwich between her hands. “I just thought he was worth saving so I informed Kamile.”

“Not that. Why did you approve of him joining in? He’s actually very curious about it.”

“Only that? He solved a problem we didn’t know we had. If I’m not wrong, it should reduce the amount of time invested in any type of developments on new visuals to a fourth of the normal time, even more if it’s refined.”

“Oh.” Charlotte swallowed.

“Is that true?” Olimpia turned around to Charlotte and asked with open eyes.

“Well, yeah. I just thought it was too much of a hassle to look through all those windows and search for the correct tool to use, so I joined everything in an easy way for me to find what I needed…”

“And that’s the reason, we never bothered with that kind of thing, we used what he had without doing anything to the existing programs. If he could find something like that and reduce the workload we have in such a short amount of time, I can’t imagine what other things he could find that are wasting a lot of unnecessary time but we don’t realize it.”

“… I see.” Charlotte scratched the back of her neck with one closed eye.

Olimpia stared at her and sighed. “Well, he doesn’t want to work in there, so we’ll continue searching for something else for him to do.”

“What? But you’re wasting incredible talent in that area.” Tom brought up his glasses with his hand.

“I understand that. If he’s not competent enough in the other areas he said he was, I’ll put him in your care. If he has enough potential to work in other areas, well, I’m sorry.”

“I get it, I get it! I won’t bother you, but I’ll also not allow you to do something selfish with him. As I said, he’s good for our team.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll take my leave, then.” Tom turned around and went out of the kitchen.

A sigh escaped from Charlotte’s lips, followed by one of Olimpia’s.

“You should work with him.”

“I already told you…”

“Yes, yes. So, what’ll you do now?”

“For now, I guess I’ll try with the augmented medic.”

“Perfect.” She clapped before she smiled at Charlotte, who answered with a quite similar one. “Don’t forget to go back before six. I’ll be going back now, I need to do some things at my apartment.”

“Good luck.”

“You too!” Olimpia hugged Charlotte and went out of the kitchen.

Charlotte tidied the things the two of them had used to prepare some fast breakfast and walked to the operation room of the augmented people. She knocked on the door and waited until the specialist opened it. His head reflected the light of the room. It was a smooth clean head. Everything else about him was also smooth. His clothes were tidied to a T and his face didn’t have a shred of hair on it. He didn’t have any hair on him. At all.

“Yes?” He said, startling Charlotte.

“Ah, yes. I’d like to take this…” She searched through her pockets and produced the card for the augmentation test. “I hope you can help?”

“A test, huh. I see. Well, come in.” He turned around and waited next to the frame of the door.

He closed the door after Charlotte walked in and the walked to a table at the end of the room. He brought out from the desk some metallic parts and left them on top of it.

“As you can see, there’s no one here to work on, so this’ll do.”

“Alright.”

He let his rear rest on the table’s edge and crossed his arms. “But first, I’ll like you to tell me, why did you said you wanted to come here? In the augmented section, I mean.”

“Well, I want to better know about this… I want to learn from the best and this here is the perfect chance to do it.”

“Chance… I see. Let’s start with the basics, then. Assume you have someone with their lower parts completely paralyzed, they can’t use it ever again with a normal intervention. Where will you start looking to implant a covalent compound to synchronize the neural stimulus?”

“The neural… Huh?”

“… Let’s go forward. Assume the point on which you can work is in the thoracic vertebrae, specifically, the T-8. Which device will you use? You don’t have to name it, just its functions.”

“Uhm, wait a sec, let me think.” Charlotte frowned with a hand under her chin and closed her eyes.

…

“So that’ll be ten out of fifty. You know what that means, right?”

“… Yeah.”

“Then we don’t need to do more.” He got up from the table, turned around and put back together the metallic parts he brought earlier back in the drawer. “You’re not banned from coming here, though. From what I heard, you already are one of us, so you can come whenever you have free time to observe, if you’re still interested, that is.”

“Alright… Thanks. Have a good day.” Charlotte turned around and walked out of the room as she looked to the floor with a face which prevented anyone from approaching.

“Why did you do that?”

“Huh? Alphonse, what’re you doing here?”

“I need your help with something trivial. I want to install this inside a mechanism. But that’s not what I asked first.”

“Well,” He scratched his bald head as he looked to the ceiling, “he said he was learning and that he wanted to take a chance, I guess.”

“A chance, huh.”

“Yeah.”

“Still, why did you ask those difficult things when you knew he didn’t know much?”

“He still got some points. But I guess, the reason is that I don’t need an amateur. If he wants to work, he can, but I need someone who can keep up with me.”

“And he can’t?”

“Right now, no. Impossible.”

“Even if he got ten points across? Just so you know, I don’t know much of the things he did.”

“He was half right on those. Most of the time he was just guessing, saying things which lack description or spouting out some nonsense. He only got one good solid point, I was lax with him, you know.”

“I get it. So, he can take that test again?”

“I guess? It’ll be harder next time, though.”

“I see. Anyway, for this little boy, I’d like you to…”

Damn, I don’t know shit. Charlotte walked through the resting room to the exit door of the office. I didn’t think there’d be a test like that! Nobody told me! I thought it was only an apprentice job…

She finished going up the stairs when she realized not even an hour had gone by since Olimpia went away. Kamile wasn’t back yet to escort her to the station and there could be problems around the place. She sighed and walked down the building and onto the street.

At least Olimpia told me how to get to the station from here, I don’t need to walk the same road as yesterday.She took a step to the left and started on her trek to the station.

After half an hour, she finally reached the station. She sighed as her body relaxed. I’m approaching my limit, huh. As she walked in the station, her vision was blocked by a wall of flesh in black.

Turning up her head, she saw Kamile standing there. “You didn’t wait.”

“Huh, sorry.”

“What’d I do if something happened, again?”

“Sorry, my head was a mess…”

“A mess?”

“I failed his test, huh.” She lowered her head and walked past him.

“I see. Where’re you going now?”

“My place, I guess.”

“Let me keep you company.”

Charlotte looked back at him and nodded.