Wired: Metta's Story

YOU DIDN'T SEE THIS COMING?

Mistral

Ray Pines' Lab - October 10, 2012 - ????

"Mistral?" Her mother leaned down beside her, placing a hand on her knee. "Your father and I are going to go and try to find somewhere safe. Will you be alright here?"

Mistral nodded, glancing at Rose. The ginger's headache seemed only to be getting worse, Mistral was very worried about her friend. She squeezed Rose's hand gently as a way of offering comfort, shooting her an anxious smile. Rose looked at Mistral, smiling back even through the pain.

"We'll be back soon," Mistral's mother said as she stood up and headed over to her husband standing by the door. The two left the lab, and Mistral and Rose were left alone. Mistral looked down at the floor, the two sitting in silence.

"He'll be fine."

"Huh?" Mistral looked up and over at Rose, who was looking off into the distance.

"Mettaton." Rose's green eyes found their way to Mistral, an uncharacteristic solemnity radiating in them. "He'll be fine."

"But what if he isn't?" Mistral's expression scrunched up with anxiety, voicing the concerns that had been on her mind for the past half hour or so. "If he was tricked by Bill, then that means he was right in the thick of things... what if Bill did something to him?"

"That's not what Bill intends for him." Rose sighed, looking away again.

"How do you know what Bill intends?" Mistral could feel a surge of anger flow through her. She knew it was misplaced, but she wasn't able to think rationally. "Are you working with him?"

"Nah. I'm not fond of the guy, personally." Rose's fingers tightened ever so slightly on Mistral's. "Listen, you can still feel him alive, can't you?"

Mistral considered that, searching for Metta's SOUL. It was still there, still blocking her, but still there. "Yeah, he's alive."

Rose nodded and fell silent. Mistral had a very uneasy moment where she realized, she really didn't know whether or not Rose was working for Bill. It could explain everything Rose knew that she shouldn't, if she had ties to a mind reading dream demon... The idea horrified Mistral, that somebody she liked so much could be bringing about the destruction of reality without her even realizing it.

"Hey, I'm kinda included in the whole 'reality' bundle." Rose interrupted Mistral's train of thought. "Relax."

Mistral startled, jumping a little bit to the side. What the hell? Was Rose reading her mind? Maybe ROSE was a dream demon!

"I'm not, don't worry." Rose continued on her trend of responding directly to Mistral's thoughts. Mistral stared at her. She had no idea what to say, there were so many questions circulating through her brain she wasn't sure which to give voice to. Maybe she didn't even have to, though. Rose seemed to be able to read her mind just fine.

"Mistral, it isn't your mind I'm reading, TECHNICALLY." Rose's light tone interrupted Mistral's thoughts, AGAIN. Mistral jumped, the statement hitting her just as hard as the first few. "It's your SOUL. Big pink and yellow heart thing, remember?"

"H..." Mistral's voice shook. How was she supposed to react to a revelation such as this one?? "How???"

Rose shrugged. "I dunno, people in my family can just kinda... Do it. It's both a blessing and a curse. Really more of a curse tbh."

"You don't know any more than that?"

"Not really?" Rose reached a hand towards Mistral, who allowed Rose to take her hand. The touch was calming, she supposed. "Mistral, calm down, I'm still the same Rose. I'm on your side, you understand?"

Mistral slowly nodded. Rose sighed and pulled away, wincing. Mistral supposed she knew where the headache came from now. All the chaos must not be good for Rose. 

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Mistral's voice was almost a whisper, her throat dry. She just couldn't believe it.

"It just wasn't relevant." 

"Of course it's relevant, you've been in my head- everyone's head!"

"It doesn't really change anything." Rose's quiet voice was calm. Mistral hesitated. She guessed that what Rose said made sense. 

Mistral looked to the far wall, noticing the way the paint was chipping on the edges. 

"Ray should really get that repainted." Rose commented. 

"Can you like... Not read my SOUL?" Mistral wasn't really upset anymore. Now she was just uncomfortable. 

"It's not like a voluntary thing. I can't turn it off." Rose glanced at Mistral. "Y'know?"

"Alright." Both fell into a semi-comfortable silence. Mistral supposed overall, this didn't really change her feelings about Rose. She'd already trusted her. Now she was trusting her with a bit more than she'd known before. 

It didn't change the fact that Rose was suffering, and Mistral had to be a friend.