"I mean, feckin' hell. The lad had it comin'!"
"Pfft, yeah right." Attention shifted as someone approached them. "Hm?" Her vision didn't tunnel. It highlighted. As an assassin, it was important to notice the details, the threats, and escape routes. In the first few weeks, she had always been on edge, and her instincts urged her to have a line of sight on a quick exit. It always snapped into place when entering this building.
It took her several weeks to adjust to the fact that she had to be among seasoned heroes—her enemies since she was a child—but nowadays her honed instincts rarely alerted her inside the company. At least, when there wasn't a surprise like now. His posture was straight and his chin held up, unfamiliarly confident. The stark contrast between this and his usual demeanor made her anticipate some sort of ambush. Even if they weren't close on a personal level, they had interacted enough times that she had filed him as harmless—until now…
For a moment, certain aspects were highlighted. His combat attire was where the familiarity started and ended. His walk was full of energy, firmness, and purpose. His eyes and body locked in their direction. She didn't have much time. Eight seconds until arrival. Several heroes to their sides—they needed to be closer to be used as distractions. Subtly angling toward the nearest person between them, Punch Up fortunately subconsciously followed her slight adjustments.
Shhhhk That was the elevator doors, 17 feet behind her. Ding… whirr… Fuck, it was moving down already. A green light blitzed in her periphery. How could she forget the emergency exit? The staircase wasn't far, just a few jumps over the cubicles. Was it worth taking a glance? Would it attract his suspicion? She had to know!
"You okay, Coupé?"
Nothing was obstructing the door. Good. The hero was also close enough for her to grab. Finally, her knives subtly reacted as her power penetrated their structure, ready to launch them at the earliest sign of aggression. Everything was prepared. Use distraction. Attack. Head toward the emergency door.
The only reason she hadn't made her move yet was because of her dear ally on her side. She had learned that in the less-lethal business, his approach usually was seen as more acceptable by her current employer, so it yielded better results to wait for his input. Apparently, her instincts were "unreasonable" and "unproportionable." As for whether she could trust him or his judgment? Her knives were still sheathed, weren't they? Besides, instead of being the aggressor, once attacked, all her actions would be justified.
"Hey, you two are from the Z-Team, right?" His hand was raised; it took a moment to recognize it as just a greeting. But why did he say it like he wasn't a member of the team too? Almost missing it, but there was a subtle tension in Punch Up as well. Not a good sign. He held no fear for conflict—it excited him. His chin rose as he kept Saiyan's eye contact. He too was confident enough to face any challenge. Who wouldn't be when bullets and blades wouldn't harm them?
It was surprising that the petty coward of a thief gave off such a new vibe. Did someone replace him? Someone with the ability to shapeshift? Since when would this coward dare approach them? Someone who would panic and disregard everything just to ensure his escape against the littlest resistance. It was ever present. It was probably this ingrained cowardice which allowed him to survive until this point.
So how could this cowardice be absent now? Just her reputation as an assassin had made him cower before. Now his steps remained firm as he closed in; the easy smile on his face spoke of calm assurance, reserved for the capable and the strong.
He seemed open, as if he didn't know that her knives were just a moment away from trying to skewer him.
"Jin, is it? Looks like you're still sufferin' a wee touch o' memory loss, eh?" Hearing this, she could feel her cheeks warming. She had completely forgotten about his name change. Luckily, she hadn't spoken yet.
"Yep, still figuring stuff out. You are Punch Up and Coupé, right? Visi just said you were the one to splash me with water that day. Don't really know much else, though…" The two glanced at each other at that segue. Coupé saw the confusion in Punch Up's eyes, practically asking what she thought about this. Jin continued, "So… I was thinking, how about a fight?"
Coupé was stunned. Honesty—she could respect that. Her chuckle came out naturally. "Bold." Her knives were subtly trembling, only a moment away from shooting out of her wings. Jin wasn't tense, seemingly content to just stand there as they conversed.
The flight would be too short. She needed a bit of an arc for her knives to pick up enough speed. Even if he moved his limbs, they were already locked on. His easy smile felt strange in this high tension. He glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. Did he notice her readiness? She needed more distance. There was nothing behind her to obstruct a jump back in case he attacked…
Did he even know what danger he was in? His eyes looked clear, as if he hadn't declared his intention just now. They almost seemed to glow like those eastern practitioners she had a contract for in the past. Usually, they were more trouble than they were worth—literally. Thirty-six knives of her right wing had to be replaced for the last one.
Before her plan was put into motion, though, Punch Up raised his arm.
"You mean, like a sparrin', right, lad?"
Jin's expression turned blank for a moment before he chuckled wryly. "Yes, of course. Sorry if I sounded hostile. I was getting excited about possibly fighting someone strong."
That was it? His words threw Coupé for a loop. Did he say sorry? What was he, a wannabe gentleman robber? At her side, Punch Up's lips turned into a dangerous smile, like he was told someone was trying to fight him… Well, that was exactly what was happening, and she just knew he was all up for it.
"Hahaha, then what are we waitin' fo—"
"Before you two idiots bash your heads in, how about the meeting? You know, new dispatcher and all that." Invisigal interjected, arriving out of nowhere—not uncommon given her invisibility. Punch Up just shrugged.
"Ay, sure. It's not like they'll last anyway. Last fella didn't even make it two days."
"What do you mean they didn't last two days?" Jin's face seemed accustomed to showing his confusion.
"Exactly! They're not even out in the field, but these folks still can't handle the pressure. Always complainin' and whinin'." Punch Up explained.
Jin frowned before shaking his head. "Either way, she is right. Since it's going to be our first meeting, it would be disrespectful to make them wait. Let's go." With that, he turned and headed for the large conference room. Coupé and Punch Up couldn't help but exchange another glance.
Was he expecting that they would just follow his lead? Who was he, Phenomaman?
Ting Ting Her knives clattered together with each step, an impossibility as her control was absolute even without amping them to shoot. Yet no reaction from him, like showing his back to them was without risk. Perhaps he truly forgot who they were and what they did, but even disregarding his carelessness for them as mere ignorance, why care about disrespectfulness for a dispatcher?
What else had changed about him?
"Interesting," Punch Up muttered quietly beside her, with a gleam in his eyes that only conveyed his eagerness for a fight. They followed Jin and a stern-faced Invisigal to the conference room. Unexpectedly, Jin held the door open for them. It was a small gesture, but it had all the members of the Z-Team watching him.
"A shapeshifter?" Coupé now had to voice her first impression, while Punch Up denied her guess with a chuckle.
Some frowned as they fully entered, while Prism snorted, "Did you shove him into a locker or something?"
An appropriate question, Coupé mused, but "No, first time we saw him since his 'accident'." Invisigal's lips thinned, while Prism looked confused. There were some things that made Jin, or at least the one from a few days ago, more polite and even obedient. A mere threat didn't work, as he would comply in appearance only, but coupled with an act of violence, it usually did the trick.
However, it wasn't something that would stick, as he would just avoid his tormentor and get back at them through some petty indirect methods that couldn't be linked back to him, so nobody bothered with him. A slippery target was usually more bothersome than a strong one. Besides, they were teammates, and it did well if they maintained a bit of decorum.
"Huh. Hey Saiyan, trying to be a gentleman? Got a girlfriend or something?" Prism called out. Coupé grumbled. The room wasn't big enough to shout as she did.
"Hm?" Jin's eyes searched for a moment before settling on Prism, who raised an eyebrow, her eyes covered by her glasses. "Gentleman?" Jin frowned as if he couldn't piece together what she was getting at. "No, I don't have a girlfriend, and it's Jin, by the way."
"So, you're actually gonna go through with your rebranding? I can respect that, even though your previous name was perfect for some catchphrases. Woulda been perfect for some ads." Prism mused, strangely good-naturedly. Her new song must be performing well.
"Well, it's less about branding and more about an identity crisis, but thanks for the good vibes. I'm sorry, who are you again?"
Prism's eyebrow climbed further up. "Bitch, you sayin' I'm irrelevant?!" Jin looked more stunned than threatened at the response.
"I got a problem with my memory…" pointing at his temple. Prism's previously hostile look turned blank instead.
"Oh, right. Shit, I forgot—" As their conversation settled, they were all seated. Sonar and Malevola were talking about some new club they wanted to visit, while Flambae approached Prism to show something on his phone. It seemed to be something unusual, judging by how Prism's eyebrows shot up and she released a "Damn, how is he that flexible?!"
Jin sat down at the corner of the table, his eyes settling on Golem before switching to Sonar and Malevola like… she wasn't sure. It was hard to grasp what his expression was conveying. He seemed curious but also deeply unsettled for some reason. Was it because they looked different? It wasn't like he was a regular human either. Supposedly, he would transform on full moons. Being of a Were-species, that was to be expected. Unfortunately, he wasn't a Werewolf like Nurios from Sacrilegious Pact, she would have loved to see it in person.
His eyes drifted over the people present, each time taking his time to study them for a moment before locking eyes with her. He didn't look surprised to have been watched. He acknowledged her with a nod and a slightly unnatural-looking smile, like he was unsure about something.
Didn't he realize it? Was it willful ignorance of her readiness to stab him the moment he made any hasty movements? Too calm, as if she was not a danger. Underestimating her usually meant they would fall to a blade they didn't see coming, but…
He tilted his head like Punch Up sometimes did, as if nonverbally asking if she was okay. Was it concern? For someone like her, a weapon? People should be concerned about themselves. He should be concerned about himself! It didn't occur to her why, but she gave him a nod before turning away, for the first time letting her gaze drift away from the man that now called himself Jin.
Punch Up caught her attention next. It seemed like he had been watching her. He smiled almost too happily-
"Where the fuck are they anyway?" Flambae bristled up, obviously having grown tired or having exhausted his videos to share, stuffing his phone away.
"Yeah, why are they taking so long? I've places to be!" Prism followed suit in complaining, a pair these two. Usually the most vocal about their discontent with almost anything.
"Since we are getting a new dispatcher, they are probably getting their onboarding, right?" They didn't expect him to speak up. Nobody did. The quiet, disgruntled bully no one liked and no one would listen to. For him to speak up was a rarity, but Coupé wasn't sure what to expect from him anymore. With every action, her theory of a shapeshifter grew more likely. "It's not like we can do anything without a dispatcher, or is there a way to take missions on your own? I didn't see anything in the notebook."
No one answered for a moment, clearly as put off as Coupé was with his casual manners. For a moment, they just stared at him like he was an attraction in the zoo.
"Usually, no. Since we don't have a dispatcher most of the time, we have some special privileges." The chair squeaked as Invisigal leaned into it. "Honestly, it's better this way. Once they talk your ear off during a mission, you'll understand what I mean, but don't worry, my forgetful Padawan, I'll show you all you need to know." Her response gave some amused grunts that seemed to bolster her. "We are used to doing it our way. With or without them, it doesn't make a difference."
"Hear, hear!" There were some nods and agreeing calls, though Jin didn't seem satisfied with the answer.
"So, who takes the clients' requests when we don't have a dispatcher?"
"We browse for mission tickets that are assigned to our team, or Chase gives us something." Sonar answered, his giant eyes studying Jin.
"What about the calls?"
"Obviously, some other loser is taking them, monkey-brain. Think I'm taking calls like I'm in a call center? Yeah, right." Flambae snorted, crossing his arms as he impatiently tapped on his upper arm as he glared at Jin, who stared right back, though without any heat.
"Let me get this straight. Not only are we less efficient because we have to search for our own missions, but we are also burdening another team's dispatcher to prepare not only their work but ours as well?" His eyes searched for someone to answer.
"Don't make it sound like a bigger thing than it is." Invisigal rolled her eyes, but Jin didn't seem to let it settle at that.
"Okay… even if it's not as big of a deal, it still sounds like someone is inconvenienced by us."
"So?" someone asked.
"So, if they have some friends higher up, it would mean they could make our work a lot more difficult unless you guys are actually well-liked and some people would take our side in case of a conflict?" He looked around, letting the silence answer his question. "Not to mention, we are hired, and it’s the only reason we aren't currently inside a prison cell."
"Pfft, they would never fire us." Invisigal interjected as she kicked up her feet on the chair. "Blonde Blazer needs us to be a success because of publicity and stuff." It was something they all suspected. The success of this team was important to Blonde Blazer, and since she seemed genuinely trying to help them, they were tolerant to some of the bullshit some dispatchers thought they could get away with. Until now, no one had assaulted any dispatcher that had pissed them off. As for their possession, that was another matter altogether.
Jin tilted his head in thought for a moment before some realization hit him. "Which means as long as we curate our public image, we are fine?"
"What? Lad, you aren't makin' a lick o' sense. Why would our public image be relevant?"
"…because of what Visi said, publicity and stuff. If Blonde Blazer cares about the opinion of the public, then this means as long as the citizens of Torrance think we are doing a good job, even if we aren't, SDN won't have a reason to fire us. If the public deems us as a failure, we would just be a waste of resources and a potential threat to SDN's reputation. And if we aren't profitable for a company in any way, they would have no reason to keep us…" The room was quiet, even Golem's rumbling of moving parts was as quiet as it could be. "So, our reputation is good… right?"
Nobody said anything. Reputation or rather the client's rating was also part of their ranking and even though it wasn't a major part of the points, them being at the bottom of the leaderboard spoke volumes.
Jin spoke slowly as he studied their expression. "Perhaps, the government's subsidies for taking in former criminals is so high that they don't care?" His tone didn't carry much confident in that explanation, but it did bring some hope before it was shattered by Jin's continued musing. "Though a reputation loss is usually long lasting and potentially company-ending, I doubt they would risk that for some monetary gains. Did Blonde Blazer give any hints about a possible timeline, did she seem urgent about our current disposition?"
Flambae scratched his head, "Ah, this is stupid. You're worrying about nothing. Now shut the fuck up, you're ruining my mood."
Jin seemed like he wanted to continue, but the door swung open before he could speak up. Blonde Blazer, Chase, and some unfamiliar blonde woman entered the room. It was clear that the woman was their new dispatcher.
"Hello, Z-Team, welcome your new dispatcher. This is Stacy Bennet. She will be your dispatcher effectively now…"
There was a palpable amusement in the room, though they kept it together as the mood had been dampened by Jin's comments. If it had been a Karen, Coupé doubted anyone could have kept it in.
The Stacy on the other hand didn't seem to sense that her status was already tanking just by virtue of her name. Coupé would give her that she, at least, looked confident enough, the kind of confidence that screamed 'I'm used to being listened to.' She didn't look much older than Invisigal, but contrary to her she gave spoiled rich girl vibes.
Blonde Blazer gave a round of introduction of the members of the Z-Team before Chase stepped forward, looking across the room, his gaze lingering on Jin, "I hope you fuckers know in what position you are in. This is the third dispatcher in the last two weeks! I swear if you make the lady cry, I'll fuck you up."
"Make me cry?"
"Chase, I think they get it, right?" Blonde Blazer used her stern tone and her gaze wandered across the people, making them nod. If it had been a few moments earlier, they would have dismissed it as they did with the previous stern talks. Blonde Blazer gave Stacy a look to let her have a few words.
"Yes, as Blonde Blazer mentioned, I'm Stacy Bennet. I'm sure you have some expectations for your dispatcher and despite being new to this I'm sure we can make it work. It will take some time until I can figure out what individual help you need, but I'm confident that we can make a great team, we just have to pull together."
"Oh, boy." Coupé sat closest, so she heard Chase mutter under his breath and she couldn't help but agree. It was an okay speech, but certainly not something that would rouse the sympathy and enthuse their team. She didn't give off leader vibes, especially after that non-motivating speech. Certainly, not something that screamed they could rely on her when things got tough.
Everyone waited for a moment, but as soon as it was clear that she wouldn't continue, the team gave a lackluster applause. She hadn't even said anything about herself. There was no information about herself, what she could perform well with and what her past experiences were. Just for once, Coupé wanted to work with professionals.
"Great, I'm sure you will do your best, right?" The blonde heroine glanced around, getting nods even if some seem reluctant and grumbled a bit, but other than that they weren't going to push back much. Coupé couldn't speak for the others, but listening to Jin made her realize that despite their hero work, they were still employees and she wasn't one to act unprofessional and be a burden just because she didn't like their dispatcher. "If there is some trouble you can't handle on your own just come to me, I'll help." Blonde Blazer reassured Stacy, who seemed a bit too carefree.
"Don't worry, I'm sure we can handle it." Blonde Blazer took a subtle but undeniably longer breathe at her response before she nodded.
"Then I will leave you to your team." With the grumpy Chase following, they stepped out of the room.
As soon as they did, it was like the tension in the room left as well. Where there was silence before, discussions started. Stacy looked flustered at the sudden noise, but her response was as quick as it was devastating. Most likely cementing her status among their team significantly for the coming future. Her hand formed the silent fox.
The room turned quiet as they saw what she was doing. She looked pleased that it worked for a moment before the meeting room erupted in laughter.
"Y-you." Her raised hand slowly sank embarrassedly to her side. Her mouth open, "Please, quiet down- this… is not nice-"
"Sorry, please don't give us extra homework, Ms. Bennet hahaha." Tables and armrests were slapped in hysterical laughter. Stacy looked like she was a minute away from crying.
"Seriously, where do they get people like you? The local elementary school?" Malevola's tone was still filled with amusement. The jab was the straw that broke the camel's back. Stacy bolted out of the room.
"Great." Jin's exasperated voice stood out amidst the laughter. "I'll go check on her and bring her back."
"Why, she's obviously not going to last anyway. Don't be a teacher's pet. Hahaha." Flambae laughed, but the only answer he got was the click of the door's handle snapping into place as the door closed shut.
The sound wasn't loud, but for some reason it cut through all the other noise. Their laughter died down quickly after that. Coupé couldn't explain the atmosphere even if she wanted to, a strange feeling sat heavily in her chest.
"This is bullshit." Flambae crossed his arms but otherwise stayed in his seat.
"We just laughed, I mean she was trying to treat us like children."
"We are going to fight crime, not sit in a classroom."
"I mean, she broke because of that. Come on!"
"Yeah, what she goin' to do when it's not just a wee of messin' aroun'."
The explanations sounded hollow.
"…"
Coupé glanced at the clock, 5 minutes had passed.
Click
The door swung open again and Jin came through, followed by Stacy. Her eyes were slightly red, but her gaze turned soft as she glanced at them.
"I'll try my best for you." Her chest high and a similar confidence back in her voice, though this time with more devotion. "Let's get some work, shall we?" Stacy rubbed Jin's arm. "Thank you for explaining. I know it must have been hard to admit. I'll see what missions I can get for you." With that she gave them a nod before heading out of the room with purpose in her steps.
"What?" "How?"
"Now, I guess we wait until our assignments. Until then, Invisigal, how about you give me a rundown of a usual mission."
"Y-yeah sure." With that, they left the rest behind in the room. They exchanged some confused glances, not sure what to think about what had happened.