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Eva stood along with Scarlet, watching the girl carefully. She'd ignored the part about her family. "What happened? Why are you..." She started to ask, gesturing to Scarlet's now younger appearance, "...a child?"


Genesis's form rematerialized from the ghastly portal in the next room over, the Caretaker silently stepped from his dimension to the floor of the laundry room. He overheard Eva's second question. His eyes focused on the direction of Eva and Scarlet, vision unaffected by the wall ahead of him. To the machine's eyes, the whole kitchen was a grey deadzone, except for a tiny red splotch within Eva's skull, and the brilliant red of Scarlet's entire form. He took note of these observations, sending the data back to the other two Caretakers. A purple crack formed in the upper corner of his vision, originating from outside, where a guardian had just exited a rift. Genesis reached out to the wall, arm fusing with the wall's structure, until he became an invisible part of the building. He would watch closely, waiting for this oddity to unfold.

Eva had been far too stunned to respond before the girl darted out, and so she stood there dumbfounded for a moment longer. She eventually chased after Scarlet, stopping in the doorway to look out. There she was, tight in the embrace of a radiant guardian. They seemed so joyous.
Something was tugging at Eva's consciousness, as if she were being pulled backward out of her own body. She leaned heavily against the door frame, trying to remain stable as her mind was being yanked out of her. She was about to lose her footing right when a pair of hands tightened around her shoulders.

"Please don't panic. I mean you no harm." Genesis assured Eva as she looked up to him with fear in her eyes. She tried to resist, but weakness again overcame her limbs. The Caretaker scooped her up with strong, steady arms and carried her to the nearest couch, where he set her down gently. He knelt down beside the woman, metallic grey eyes focused on a portion of her forehead.
"W-who are you? What are you doing?" Eva demanded in her frail voice, clearly pained by the headache which still ailed her.
"A friend of Raowan's. He asked me to look after you, since he's so busy with his job." Genesis smiled, eyes still focused, "Tell me, Eva...are you feeling unwell at the moment?"

She was reluctant to answer, afraid of his intentions. For all she knew, he could be a Corrupted. She wasn't certain, but something seemed unusual about this man... artificial. Eventually she spoke up, "Just a bad headache, and this sensation of being pulled out of my head..."
Suddenly, the world started rising around her, as if she were falling quickly downward. Her body felt light and ethereal. Eva raised her hand to visibility, and let out an unheard scream. She had become intangible. Still she fell, through the couch, through the floor, the basement, the dirt... until her surroundings were naught but empty space. The half-robotic face of Metamorphosis stared right back, all seeing and blank of any expression.
Eva flinched as she floated back to reality, aware of Genesis's careful observation. She sat up fast, feeling her own flesh for its solidity. That day dream felt all too real...

"I see..." Genesis responded solemnly, as if his understanding was intended for a deeper meaning. He stood up again, half-turning to Scarlet and Odessa. The guardian also had a splotch of red within, but she yet seemed unaffected. His main focus was on the girl.

Genesis only remained watching, somehow held back from initiating any conflict, yet no physical restraints were in place. He gazed back to Eva briefly, "You should go to your appointment today — just to make sure it's nothing serious. You'd rather find out sooner than keep worrying, right? I'll be in town if you need me, and I'll periodically check in. See you, Eva."
The Caretaker passed by, heading back to the door. He stopped just briefly to whisper in Odessa's direction, "I'm not as my brethren are; I have my obligations, but I also have a conscience. Only should the need arise would I ever resort to such things. Please don't make me." For that moment of pause, his icy eyes almost took on a personality, a soul. Then, the AI left, his words the only trace still lingering in their minds.

Eva was too distracted to notice the whisper, too freaked out by how much that man knew. She heard Scarlet's question, however, and that was what dragged her back from her own thoughts. "I think so... I just had this weird feeling. Maybe something is wrong with me..."

[[ is this RP fun? >3> ]]

[[ > v > Maaaaybe I will~ ~ ~ ]]

((Niice xd ))


After a long moment, Odessa relaxed.

They're gone.

I looked to Eva, but I knew what was coming...

Scarlet...........

I turned and gave Odessa a large, wide-eyed and cavity inducing cute look.

Odessa looked to me, and groaned.

Okay, Okay, you win. But... why Scarlet? Why did you have to alert those Caretakers? They're onto you now.

How was I supposed to know what was going to happen when I get hit upside the head by a frying pan?

... good point. But I can't take you home now. They'll notice if you go missing. I've been searching for you for 4 years Scarlet...

Odessa strode over to me and hugged me again.

... I missed you, sissy.

Likewise. Mom and Dad do too.

Odessa let go and I settled down on the couch. She looked at Eva. She remebered the comment about the blood tests. we looked back and froth between eachother.

I don't think b--

{Scarlet.}

{Ah, yes, I apologize.}

{But you are correct. I think blood tests are not going to tell anyone what this Eva's problem is.}

I grinned wryly. {She's experiencing glitches in the VR, isn't she?}

Odessa nodded. I looked to Eva again, before back at Odessa.

{Should we tell her?}

Odessa rubbed her chin. {She seems trustworthy... but naive. She knows our names and what we look like. If she says the wrong thing to the wrong person, they'd be after you and she'd blow my cover wide open.}

{Cover? Oh, the whole guardian thing.}

{Yes.} It was Odessa's turn to smile darkly. {Of course, everyone would expect those not completely insane among the Corrupted ranks to be Revolutionaries. But who would expect a Guardian? A protector of the peace?} She chuckled. {Anyway, I expect that she's experiencing glitches. After all, this is a VR, and they haven't taken it down to fix bugs or glitches in 25 years. It's a damn fine piece of programming, but despite what they say, it's not perfect. The Corrupted that are insane? Driven that way by the bugs and glitches, I expect. Plus the whole 'power of the guardians' things. We need to get these people out of here soon... or else... Even the hash real world would be better then being trapped in here, slowly going insane...} Odessa looked away, a grim look on her face.

I paused for a moment, considering that.

Uh.... who wants pancakes? I said with sudden perfect cheerfulness, and I hopped to my feet and ran to the kitchen, were I started collecting the ingrediants and making the batter for pancakes.

Odessa laughed hard at this, as if relieved to find amusement.

Okay!

I called from the kitchen; the sound of a child making a mess and having fun was now clearly heard.

Odessa finally straightened after calming down from her mirth. She looked back to the kitchen as her wings folded against her back and vanished.

Don't set anything on fire either! She called.

Okay!