“.......”

The group went silent after they found out about the truth.

“.........”

No word has been spoken to comment on it. Everyone is clear. No question. No suspecting in Syd's action. They understand truly through it all.

“........”

Even Jody who didn't even go into the mission with them was down after she heard it.

“ Bro?”

“......”

Syd nodded to Toshi's invitation.

“ Anyone? Jody? Sera? ”

“ What's that?”

Asked Sera.

They saw him showing them a hand-size black square shape thing like a lighter.

“ Vaporizer.”

Answered Toshi.

Though Sera was surprised at first, she declined.

“ No. I don't smoke.”

“ Okay. Up to you.”

The boy walks out of the patient ward. They got themselves over the balcony which underneath is a nice view of the garden and people walking around.

Toshi was the first one who hit it, a smoke that smells like strawberry came out of his mouth. He then handed it over to Syd.

The same goes for him.

“ Never know you guys vaping.”

The two turned around over Jody's voice which she followed them from behind.

“ Is it contain nicotine?”

Asked the American girl.

“ Yeah.”

Syd replied.

“ You know it'll destroy you, don't you?”

“ Everybody says that.”

Syd replied.

“ We rarely do it. We agree that we'll only use this if the mission seriously affects our mental stability. Last time I hit it was like... Mexico? I don't know I can't remember now.”

Toshi explained to her.

“ Hm? Even the vape is strawberry flavored? ”

“ Yeah. He asked for it.”

“ Nigga shut up.”

Syd turned to Toshi.

“ Really?”

“ Look. I know nicotine is bad. But it's not like I enjoy smoking. No, I'm not. But it's the only way that can effectively lower the stress. You didn't see the bodies of...dead victims like us, what'll you know?”

The boy was about to complain more, but then a tip of her index finger with the red colored nail was placed on his lips.

“ Was that whining?”

asked the girl.

“ Fins out yourself” replied Syd. He grabbed her hand and put it away from his face.

“ You're having more and more nerves recently, Jody.”

“ Wow. You hear that, tosh?”

“ Yeah, I hear that.”

Jody turned back, grinning.

“ He realizes.”

Jody grins, which irritates Syd Barrett. He's feeling like she treated him as a kid. And he really REALLY doesn't like that shit.

“ I know for a fucking while. I just have a manner not to say it.”

“ You have a manner? That's insane.”

Chill deep voice, but made the boy twisted his eyebrows.

“ Imma 'bout to Plus Ultra your weak-ass cracker's legs. If you continue with that shit. You don't vape, what you know?”

“ Me, don't vape?”

Jody took the vaporizer from Syd, she then did it on her own.

“ I've quit that years ago.”

She blew the smoke right to his face.

“ Ah! Jody what the fuck! ”

Syd bent his face away.

Jody chuckled before handed it back to Syd Barrett.

“ For someone who has a short life-span.... Do you really think it's a good idea to do this? ”

It would be thought of as another joke to him only if Jody did not say that with her serious voice and sincere eyes.

“ Do your mother know you're smoking?”

Asked Jody.

“........”

“......”

“ No, huh?”

“ Why do you want to know? What has to do with you, women?”

Asked Syd, irritated face.

“ I just worry about you, is it wrong? You Barretts and Sera are only people that have someone behind.”

“..... !? ”

“ Wait a min... How do you know I don't have?”

Asked Toshi.

Jody turned to him in confidence.

“ Because I've read your info.”

She noticed the change on his face, it's like he thought ‘Ah....shit’

“ Wait, You've read our info??? ”

Syd asked her in surprise.

“ Well. Somebody told me before he went on a mission that Elementalist has some special privileges. So...”

“....You're a cunt.”

Said Syd.

“ Hey. Jade offers that to me though.”

“ Shut up. I hate you.”

The middle finger had been lifted by Syd.

That's the same as allowing someone to see the awkward picture on an ID card or old Facebook profile.

“ I just warn. Because we still haven't figured it out whether vaping can destroy you like a cigarette or not.”

Said Jody.

“ I'll warn you too. Next time beware of your wheelchair. It may disappear when you need most.”

Suffering from Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Though usually, Jody does not use a wheel chair to begin with, She gets what Syd meant. But as we know, He's the only one Jody did not even get mad when he brought this up.

“ Boy, You mad?”

Instead of answering her, Syd turned to Toshi.

“ See, nigga. This is what I told you. Look at how this cunt face cracker did to me. I don't like messin' with a cripple, but lord please forgive me for what I'm about to do...”

“ Yo, dawg. The girl just tryna messin' with ya brain tho. Keep it cool, man.”

“ Aight.”

Jody heard all that. And they still acted like she's 20 kilometers from them, sure they did it on purpose, and she didn't feel attacked or anything. On the opposite, she glad at least they're out of the bad mood for now.

“ I'm not those crack head. I can control it.”

“ Good to hear.”

“ Fuck me, come on. You tried to make me a vegan and now this??? Then what? Sign me in PETA? Damn. I'm so sorry for whoever will be your partner in the future. Them lives would be as boring as hell.”

Said Syd, sarcastically.

“ Whatever you said, Syd. Just don't let it turn out to be you then.”

She said with a grin on the face.

“ Wha-”

The boy hit another vape before handed it back to Toshi. The Japanese boy spotted the slight change on his pal's face but chose to not say anything.

Sigh.

“ Fuck this bullshit. Anyway, how's your upgrade?”

Syd Barrett changed the subject, getting serious this time.

“ It was painful at first. I felt like boiling inside. But still bearable. The swapping technique is a lot of torture-”

The boy looked satisfied with the answer. His face was expressing the speech ‘See? Told ya.’

“ Thanks for the teaching of the ‘Greatest-smartest most talented’ master of mine.”

“ Nice one, Jody. Nice one.”

Said Toshi.

“ 'Fuck you mean Tosh. Anyway, I kinda curious about how your ability has developed.”

Said Syd.

“ That's a topic for another time. Right now Mickey is more important.”

Said Jody. Which they agreed. She continued,

“ I'll get back to them.”

“ Okay... Give us 20 minutes and we'll be following.”

Jody then left the boys and returned to the patient ward.

“.......”

After making sure she's out of the hearing range,

“ Yo. You remember when Jody said don't let it turn out to be you?”

“ Uh, huh.”

“ Dawg, You know it'll become your life biggest bruh moment if that comes true-”

“ 'Fuck up, cunt.”

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In the patient's room (ICU)

The only sound presence was Roxxy tapping on the keyboard. And a constant beep sound from the respirator. Typing reports and sending information to the higher-ups. Seraphina was next to her, but now she did not have any mood to do anything.

However, she remembered something she wanted to ask Roxxy for a while but she kept forgetting.

“......”

“ What's that on your neck?”

“? ”

The girl paused from the laptop,

“ What? ”

“That yellow thing on your neck.”

“ Oh... This...”

Roxxy touched on the golden necklace.

“ What's up with it? You also wear a choker too, aren't you?”

“ Yes. But I never see that kind of necklace before. It looks new to me.”

“ It's not for fashion like yours.”

“ Huh?”

Sera slightly bent her eyebrows.

But Roxxy did not keep her questioning.

She explained nicely,

“ It's an amulet.”

“ Really? Isn't it suppose to be bigger?”

Because it's just the size of the first joint of the pinky.

“ It's Thai amulet. Usually, I don't like anyone to touch it. But...

Roxxy removed it from the back of her neck and gave it to Sera.

“ You're an exception.”

The British girl carefully received it, she then noticed something stand out.

Instead of a crystal core or any other jewelry, it's a golden casing. And a image of a monk made of plaster.

“ What's the purpose of hanging a buddha image around your neck? ”

“ It's our belief...um...Like... It'll bring safety and fortune to those who wear it. Basically, it's like a crucifix. But for Buddhist people. Actually, it isn't only a thing in Thailand. But also other countries around us too.”

“......”

“ Where do you buy it? ”

Asked Sera.

“ Mom gave it to me. Syd has one too. But he doesn't wear it.”

“ Let me guess, He thinks it's nonsense?”

“ Well... Not all Thais think the same.”

“ I see... So you believe in this kind of stuff?”

“ I'm neutral with it. I just wear it to make my mom feel comfortable so as myself. And feel that my teammates will be protected as well... Even though...”

Roxxy gazed her eyes to Mickey Mannix on the bed,

“.....”

Sera didn't say anything. She felt ashamed on the inside. But Roxxy can still sense the melancholy from the British girl.

“ What do...”

Roxxy Barrett felt a bit awkward to ask, but she did anyway. She gazed away before gazed back to Sera to increase the confidence in the voice.

“ -you think of Mickey?”

Roxxy looked away.

“? ”

“ What am I thinking of Mannix? ”

“... Yeah”

“ Psycho.”

“.... Oh...”

“ This kind of person is despicable ...I swear to god, I'll beat this guy's arse as soon as I know basic hand combat.”

“.... Okay....”

“ Like, seriously. He's actually kind of respectable when he's serious. But other than that is just an asshole. Or even worse than an asshole. A mega dick head, I'd say.”

“ So, apart from what you're describing. Is it true back in the van when Mickey said you like him?”

Sera paused, Roxxy gazed her eyes back. She found the British girl was covering her face with palms.

“.......”

“ Don't want to tell me? No answer?... Not admit but also not refuse?”

“.... Fuck you.”

She cursed.

“ Okay. If you insist. I thought I could give you some advice to defeat him...so-”

“ Really?”

“.......”

“....…........”

“......................”

“ That's Kinda quick, don't you think.”

“ What the fuck. You lie to me?”

The half Asian girl grins,

“... I've checked... Your profile when I heard from Syd he's bringing you in the team...You like things that are challenging to you, right?”

“ And what? I just like to do things they say are impossible.”

Asked Sera.

“ What does it cost? ”

“ Well... It feels good to stand above those who can not do it.”

“ So you're practically saying. The harder something challenges you, The greater your interest in that thing would be?”

“.......”

“ Uh... Yeah... I guess you can say that...”

“ That's a pretty weird kink you have there, you know that?”

“ What?? That's irrelevant! ”

“ You know I used to like Mickey...”

“ ...... ”

Sera's eyes widened. That's just out of nowhere and it's astounding.

“...Really? ”

“..... Did he know it? ”

Roxxy shook the head.

“ I never tell. But I guess that time he already knew by himself. He's not stupid, you know.”

“ And you still like him?”

“ Not anymore. He's more like another of my brother. Someone besides my brother that I can trust.”

“.... Is this bastard so that attractive to you back then?”

“ Hell, he kinda cute. Don't you agree? If I put a wig on him, can you tell if he's a boy or girl? ”

“........”

Sera glared over Mickey on the bed, she wanted to refuse it. But Roxxy kinda has a solid point.

“ You have a boyfriend, Sera?”

“.... I only interest in those who are stronger.”

“ uh-uh. You're answering the wrong question.”

“ Well, I had. Like... Three. But after I became stronger than them, we broke up.”

“ Why?”

“ Like I said, I only interest in those who are stronger.”

“ Wow. You are a bitch.”

Roxxy said it without hesitation.

“ Hey. I make things right and clear and I never cheat. When I had no longer interested in them, I told them... Let's break up. Nothing against convention.”

“ Okay. Sorry. You are a horrible bitch.”

“ That's even worse.”

“ For real? Sorry again then.”

“ You know what? , you're acting like Mickey now.”

“ I just want to lift the mood. You look so guilty. I just want you to feel better.”

“ Anyway... Does Mickey has some kind of... Look, I know romance is prohibited in your line of work. But I mean... The other similar thing...Does he has with anyone here?”

“ Many had tried.”

“ Many? Who? The agents?”

“ Not just the agents. Sometimes even the targets themselves.”

“... So he has many partners here?”

“ No. Not at all.”

“ huh?”

“ Mickey... Kind of... Has a bad memory with those sort of things so...”

Sera recalled the story Mickey had told her a long time ago.

[ Check out chapter : Mickey Mannix, Electrik. For the context ]

“ Oh... Right...”

“ He told you?”

Sera nodded.

“ So he just... Declined them all?”

Sera asked, “ Like... Really? None?”

“ Yes. He rejects them all.”

“ Wait...so this guy never hangs out...with other people?”

“ Well, there's a time he had to pair up with other agents. But it's only just a job.”

“ So his entire life is just you guys?”

“ Well, Syd brought him in. Who do you think he'll go for if not him? There's a weird rumor out there thinking he and Syd is ... You know...”

Seeing Roxxy looked obstructed and awkward to speak it, she knew what this girl meant.

“ So is the rumor true?”

Asked Sera.

“ To my knowledge... I'm not sure either. It's not like I stick with my brother all the time...”

“ Shit...”

This weird feeling formed in her again.

“ What about Toshi? ”

“ Huh?”

It might be Sera, but Roxxy looked like she got her mood cut when Sera mentioned that name.

“ Did he get... involved? I mean...there're always three of them right...”

“ Toshi is just a little bitch. He's come to know us later on.”

“ So back then it's just you three?”

“ No. We have another. But he's on the mission right now.”

“ May I ask who?”

“ His name is ‘Denji’ ”

“ Denji? ”

“ Yes. His code name is ‘Deadman’. We've known him before Mickey.”

Listening to Roxxy's voice, this sure is the other dude Roxxy respects.

“ Is he an ability user?”

“ Of course, he is.”

“ What's his ability?”

“ Oh, I can't tell you that. It's classified from people outside.”

“ Am I still the people outside?”

Sera was a bit disappointed to hear that.

“ On paper, It does.” Roxxy shrugged,

“ In fact. I'm not even allowed to tell you who we know.”

“ Wow, that's touching.”

Said Sera, ironically.

While they're talking, Jody opened the door and stepped in.

“ Where's the rest?”

Asked Roxxy.

“ Still outside.”

She sat on the couch,

“ What are you talking about just now?”

Sera almost forgot. Jody has a decent hearing range due to her ability.

“ Why ask if you already hear it?”

Sera twisted her eyebrows.

“ Manner.”

Replied the American.

“ Then you know what we're talking about.”

“ -About you clarifying why you like Mickey? ”

Jody said with her fingers doing “ ” sigh.

“ What the fuck you said?!... I never say that shit! ”

Yelling Sera, violently arguing.

Jody did nothing but gazing to Roxxy. Both grinned.

“ Damn it, Jody. since that???”

“ Well...there's a water dispenser over the ward and I can't force my ears to not hear them, you know. ”

“ Then you'd know there's another person in this world that can live up with these psycho people right?”

“ What the hell. I'm sittin' right here.”

Said Roxxy.

“ I don't care.”

Sera turned to her before back to Jody.

“ About dude name Denji? Yeah.”

Jody drank a cup of water she got from the dispenser outside.

“ What?! How'd you know?”

“ Yesterday. I've read everybody's info. There's a name Denji gettin' mentioned in there too.”

“ Wait. You read our info?”

Roxxy paused, her face showed a surprise face.

“ Jade allowed me.”

“.......”

Roxxy was stunned for a while.

“ So you know what his ability is?”

Asked Sera.

“ Nope. It's just a mentioned name. But I've seen him walking around with his buddy yesterday though we never talk. I think he didn't even see me at that time. Just his colleague that I've talked to.”

“ Colleague? Who, this time?”

Asked Roxxy.

“ Her name is Liu. You know her right?”

“ Liu?”

“ A woman. Korean.”

“ Yeah...yeah. That Liu.”

“ You know her?”

“ Not personally.”

“ But seem like everybody here knows you guys...In many ways.”

Said Jody.

“ *sigh* Many people, many thoughts. I don't care about those rumors about us.”

“ Even the rumor about Toshi?”

Once shoot, both Jody and Sera noticed a blood vein on Roxxy's face, together with a sudden change in her expression from normal to anger within a second.

“ Jody. It's the real thing. You have read it.”

Roxxy said with the voice showing she did really piss off with the name Toshi.

“ Yes, I do. And I understand. If I were you, I'd do the same.”

Right now, the most confused one was Seraphina.

“ What the bloody hell are you talking about?”

Asked Sera, quizzical.

“ It's not worth knowing. And it has nothing to do with the current mission. I don't see any advantage we gain-”

Said Roxxy.

“ Hey, don't you know if you say that, it'll make it a hundred times compelling.”

Questioned Jody.

“......”

Roxxy gazed back at Sera, seeing the British girl making a “ Please...” expression, begging her like this brought an uncomfortable feeling to her.

“...... Uh... Fuck.”

Roxxy couldn't make herself natural.

Although she tried typing on a laptop, she couldn't bear the girl's sight.

Seraphina Gilmour is the first person she clicked with followed by Jody. They're her first ‘Normal’ friend. Plus seeing that it'll probably tighten the bond between the three, which led to her final decision...

“ Alright Alright! Fuck it. You know what. Just two of you okay??? And I'll do it once. No more.”

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