FUNCTION DISORDER :: VOLUME ONE

21

xxBLAZE_CRUSADERxx began messaging MILO at 08:17.

xxBLAZE_CRUSADERxx: You wanted to talk.

MILO: hey

xxBLAZE_CRUSADERxx: Do you need anything?

MILO: can I like go back to being your little brother again

MILO: Ive been alone for so long

xxBLAZE_CRUSADERxx: What about your new demon friends? Go hassle them.

MILO: ok for one. stop calling me a demon thats not cool

xxBLAZE_CRUSADERxx: Whatever. The point is, you have plenty of friends. I don't believe that you're any lonelier than I am.

MILO: yeah I guess but like

MILO: its not fair

MILO: cant I come over sometime? like we can play games or something

xxBLAZE_CRUSADERxx: The last time I ran a game night, you sent somebody to attack me.

xxBLAZE_CRUSADERxx: Look, I could never really hate you. I never wanted anything bad to happen to you. I just can't stand to look at you anymore.

MILO: :(

xxBLAZE_CRUSADERxx: I'll think about it.

---------

It was a bit weird for Rain to be in the above-ground portion of the Shellen building during usual human business hours. So many people irritably shuffling in and out of the monstrous tower, and they were all so serious and formal. He felt out-of-place. Nearly all of the Day People employees were overdressed humans. His appearance attracted strange looks. The entire building's industrial-scale AC system was set to uncomfortably warm, so he was glad that human dress standards didn't seem to apply to him. He stepped into the elevator and pressed a button to go wayyyy up.

Despite the airy, opulent design of the building, it felt constraining to Rain. His head was fuzzy from waking up way too early. It was barely past noon, it wouldn't be sunset for ages yet. While he elevator rose, he brushed his fur a little, in attempt to shrug off the discomfort. Soon enough, however, he reached the appropriate floor and strode out into a quieter hallway of omnipresent blue-white plaster walls and then a small, painfully stuffy meeting room with no windows.

At the head of a shitty plastic table sat 50, his shining golden-orange fur smooth and perfect, dressed like a proper business person, with the exception of his sharp anime shades, which Rain thought would look good at a rave but not in this meeting room.

"Welcome. Sit down.", 50 commanded.

"Is this about what happened on the mission last night?", Rain asked, ears alert, tail low. He took a seat, immediately to 50's right.

"Partially.", began 50 obtusely. He paused for several moments to observe Rain's expression before continuing. "There was more... slaughter than Ascher would've liked. Mistakes were made. Zeo could easily have died. However... you and the rest of the team succeeded. Congratulations on that."

Rain perked up. "It was hard, but it worked out in the end I guess, thank you~"

50 nodded and continued. "In case you're worried about trouble arising for you and your team from your adventure, we already have a plan for that. Shellen Corp has a PR team who plans to pin all of the destruction on the Angel of Calamity alone, and everybody will believe that. Despite what happened, the Eight Orders and the Lower City authority won't discover the Wayward Star.", he explained, fidgeting with the corner of the table, dark restless claws dragging over its surface.