Chapter Text
What a great job she did of absolutely failing. 10/10. Truly an outstanding fuck up never seen before. And she even had the feeling before she reached the fucking holding cells that something was off, but nooooo. Dumbass. The drifter had to take a moment before joining the Hex in discussion, needing to level herself out or risk her rage to leak through. It was like walking through quicksand as she took each step forward from the garage, able to hear the group talking as the empty mall echoed their voices. They had 14 hours and 5 minutes.
“So what do you want me to do, Lettie?” Exhaustion hanging on each of the leader’s words.
“ Maybe , we cut our losses like we should’ve done weeks ago. We pack up, and get the hell out of this estercolero before it’s turned to ash. Just an idea!” The silence following that was almost deafening before in a quieter voice, Aoi muttered.
“..You don’t have a problem with a few hundred thousand going up in smoke..?” There was a heavy sigh from the medic, Azura able to see them as she walked closer.
“Anyone still stuck here is techrot anyways. Sometimes, you have to amputate, Aoi.” A small pause. “And cauterize .”
They were sitting near the middle of what seemed to be a food court, all sitting around a table, Aoi sitting on a statue at its side.
“Didn’t come here to cut an’ hide. If Doctor E won’t stop this, then I say we do it. Am I right, Amir? AMIR?” It went quiet as Azura stood off to the side, feeling everyone’s eyes on her. The tension in the air was palpable. Arthur cleared his throat.
“So? Where’s Entrati? You said you knew and said this was a loop.” The drifter had to take a breath, feeling like she was having to deal with the fucking orowyrms again and dragging anger back from the tone Arthur had. She was going to say something but Eleanor spoke before her- or mentally spoke- whatever.
‘ Not anymore, is it? Your Boogeyman changed the rules. You’re toast like the rest of us. ’
Boogeyman. Certainly a name you could use for it.
“Seems so. But that means we can change it too.” In her time to cool down, she thought over different ways they could take control. Arthur let out a sort of huff.
“Stop the nuke.”
“No one listens.” Quincy muttered, rolling his eyes.
“Get me wired in.” At least someone was on board, Amir having a bit of a grin.
“Let’s take a minute to plan, since we’ve broken the loop, we’re gonna be going in blind. So, we need to get prepared for what we’ll need to get you in- Which.. Where will that be?” The drifter asked, looking over at Amir. He hesitated for a moment, pushing back his glasses.
“The right transponders would be in a techrot heavy area… Specifically where there’s a lot of spores-” Lettie cursed loudly, face palming with an angry sigh.
‘ Sounds like Lettie’s excited. ’
The medic gave Eleanor a look that could kill lesser men, but the other just gave her a little smile that said it all. So. Azura’s gonna say it’s safe to assume things happened there and there are things in progress that might end with attempted murder. Fun. Love that.
“I’m going to make sure I have enough supplies and check on mis panquecitos- I’ll be back in a minute.” Lettie got up and walked away rather quickly in an angry huff. Seems like a normal thing to the rest. Each left then one by one, going to prepare something until it was just Aoi and Azura. With the rest gone, the drifter decided to take a seat at the table, sighing and resting her head against it. Might as well chat a little since they haven’t had much chance to.
“Do you have anything you gotta prepare or-” Azura asked, looking over as the protoframe was messing with what looked to be a liquid ball of metal, hovering it between her hands and turning it into different shapes.
“Not really . I kinda can just make what I need when I need it.” Makes sense. She formed what looked to be a metal paper crane before melting it back into the orb. Azura partly wanted to ask if the group was always like this but had a feeling her answer was obvious, so she took another route much better for them both.
“So, from someone who, I assume, regularly drives atomicycles, how’d I do as a newbie?” As planned, she surprised the other with her random question, there was the ever slightest hints of relief for something different to their situation. Aoi hummed for a minute, even making a mock atomicycle briefly from the metal. “I mean- c’mon, the roads were pretty iced up- Annnd I didn't crash, so that has to add to my score.”
“Not bad , but you scratched the paint, so I deduct points.” The drifter faked a huff, crossing her arms.
“I didn't know rust counted as paint-” She joked lightly, Aoi rolling her eyes.
“There was some, annnnnd you scratched it- But , I guuuuess since you listened and were willing earlier with being cuffed, I will let this slide just once from your goodie points.” Azura laughed as the protoframe spoke with a playful tone, pretending it to be serious. It was nice to take a break, as small as it was. Took away the stress and brief crushing reality settling in.
“How kind of you to spare me some mercy for my good behavior- I'll be sure to try and keep it up then.” She hummed lightly, sitting up with a sigh. If she doesn't think about, she could almost pretend herself there wasn't the threat of being vaporized. Sure, highly likely it'll just loop. She could probably loop it. But she couldn't in that war. So what if she can't here?
At least the other continued the conversation as they waited, allowing the drifter a breather.
“You know…I don't think we ever actually asked your name… We've just been calling you Marty-” Aoi pointed out, looking at the other. Huh, not even Azura noticed it.
“I guess so… Not like I hugely mind. I was mainly called ‘drifter’ for a long time, picked up the name ‘Azura’ couple years ago.” Long time being over a thousand years, but y’know. She was looking down at the table, feeling the protoframe’s eyes on her. It was a very common question. “Both aren't my real name, but I'm not fond of that story- You're Aoi, right?” She flipped the topic to avoid the awkwardness, grateful the other noticed her discomfort and didn't mention it.
“Yep! One and only! You know, it's actually really funny you go by Azura-” The drifter raised an eyebrow looking at her curiously. “Aoi and Azura, they both mean blue!”
Azura blinked.
“Wait, it does???” Now Aoi looked surprised, tilting her head but a bit of an amused look.
“Yeah?? I thought that was probably why you picked it, since.. well blue seems to be your whole outfit choice- And your eyes, and hair-” For Lua’s sake. She put her head in her hands, rubbing her face.
“ That little ass- ” She sighed tiredly, a twinge of embarrassment. “No, I- I didn't really pick it myself , I was fine with no name but told I needed one and so. They offered Azura, and I was like sure, why not. Of course it means blue- Ugh!” She complained a little more, huffing angrily with a sigh again. Atasi was the one who insisted a name and offered the name of Azura. Ugghhh, she should've known… At least Aoi laughed from the story..
“Do you not have different languages or something in the future? Do you just use English??” Oh, that's what they called it here? Good to know. Azura kinda shrugged.
“Yes and no…? I have a universal translator, but it had to be updated with this language- We have different ones, but not from Earth.” She motioned to the mall. “There was a purge on all human history, so culture or anything wise, I have no idea what most of these things are-” Aoi looked mystified and fairly confused.
“Wait, why??” The drifter shrugged again.
“No idea. It was waaaayyy before my time, and way after your time. Something something, elites limiting and destroying information to keep control of the populace.” Seemed the other wasn't new to these tactics, looking relatively pissed off like when that Rusulka lady talked earlier.
“Great to know that doesn't change… I wanna ask more but I feel like it's gonna hurt my brain.” There was a small pause. “Do you work with those guys or-” Azura laughed a little, the thought too funny to not.
“No, they're kinda mostly dead- I'm more… Free lance? It'll probably make things more confusing if I explained it more.” Not bad questions to knock out of the way as they waited. At least it'll help boost the trust from the other and make that one less person suspicious of her. But, she dug a little bit of a hole for herself, hesitating before clarifying. “In a way, I was assigned this, but not for any reason but to stop the time looping, and get Entrati's ass for messing with shit. Order doesn't matter.”
“So, you’re like us then, right? Going where you’re needed to help others.”
“Yeah, exactly right to be honest. Came here to help, and I’m not leaving until I do, like how you’re not leaving either.” Didn’t feel right to. Doesn’t matter if she does or doesn’t stop the reactor. It’d be like if she left midway dealing with Ballas and ran away to Duviri instead. What’s the point if she doesn’t even try? The protoframe nodded with her words, seeming more at ease with her.
“Maybe Arthur did make the right choice in trusting you.. Besides the part where we’re now having to stop the explosion ourselves-” Azura feels like she did pretty good, maybe got herself some better footing. She just didn’t want to be a sole outcast (again) here. She was about to make a retort before the others started to return. Hopefully it won’t be their last chance to talk one on one, the drifter was rather starting to enjoy it.
“See you’ve been keepin’ an eye on Marty,” Arthur commented as he joined, nodding to the rest before looking at Amir. “You got a location for us?”
“Yep! I’m all ready too!”
“Time to go stop a bomb.” Azura stood with a stretch, cracking her knuckles. Gonna be a fun time.