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āI put my arms around myself and I'm unbreakable.ā
ćÉĪ¹Ī±ĘĻgĻ Ń cĻĘĻŃ:#BDA0CB ā ŃŠ½ĻĻ gŠ½Ń cĻĘĻŃ #F7B3DAć
|| Demon Slayer || LiSA ||
ćÉĪ¹Ī±ĘĻgĻ Ń cĻĘĻŃ:#BDA0CB ā ŃŠ½ĻĻ gŠ½Ń cĻĘĻŃ #F7B3DAć
|| Demon Slayer || LiSA ||
012 and Janet were behind the door, waiting to escort her into the public eye. "Good morning Winter," 012 greeted with a wave. Janet was as silent and stoic as ever. "Slow down 012, Winter doesn't do fast." He was a bit ahead of them, right off the bat. "Sorry, sorry." He laughed, "so why do you always call 009 Janet?" He asked, seeming genuinely curious. Winter answered without hesitation. "If someone spent everyday taking care of you, would you want to address them so formally? Janet sounds warm, almost matronly. 009 sounds cold and stiff." 012 slowed down, falling into step. "What about me? Do I get a nickname?" He inquired, seeming eager somehow. When you became a Chrysanthemum agent, you were, essentially, erased. Everyhing personal about you, including your name and place of birth were deleted from the system. It was why they were given ID numbers.
"Would you like one?" Winter inquired, Janet piping up. "Careful, or you might end up with Tom." What, did 009 not like her nickname? Winter thought for a moment. "You can be Merlin, since you appear out of nowhere, like magic." He tapped a fist against his chest, seeming proud. "Merlin, I like it!" Janet rolled her eyes, "012, may I remind you that you are on duty?" They were approaching the doors. The press conference was open to the public, however you needed a press pass to get close, otherwise you had to wait outside of the gates. "I would like to prepare for a moment." She took a deep breath in, fearful. Janet and 012 waited, respectfully, until Winter gave a subtle nod. They opened up the doors, the first time Winter had been outside since all of this had begun.
As soon as they spotted her, they began to ask questions, the roar so loud that it hurt Winter's ears. She limped onto the stage, her grasp on her cane tight. She took her seat along with the others, Janet guarding one stairway and Merlin the other. Winter sat with her hands folded in her lap, her cane propped against her leg. Doc sat on one side of her and Hellen the other, both of them wearing official uniforms rather than their normal, casual attire and lab coats. Winter waited, Doc rising once the hour struck and going to the podium in the center of the stage. Behind them were two holo screens to enlarge the image for those who were all the way in the back. "I'm sure you must all have plenty of questions, which will be addressed in an orderly fashion at the end of the presentation." Presentation? Winter had not been made aware of this, she only knew of the small bit she was supposed to say and the responses she was supposed to reply with when asked.
"Our discovery began 4 years ago, after the terrorist attack of 30XX. A stadium was bombed and on the very same day, in the middle of summer, a blizzard." There was a slide show, of course, because Doc loved his slide-shows. A picture of Winter, 12 years old, in the hospital, her leg in a cage in between surgeries to keep it straight. She self consciously crossed her legs, as though to hide the scars underneath her stockings. "Imagine our surprise when we discovered that the cause of the blizzard was a little girl." He moved to the next slide, a photo of Winter from the front and back, her face still marred by the bruises of the attack. She tried to keep her hands from curling up into fists in her lap at the memory. They thought she had used some sort of fancy technology to cause the blizzard, which Winter didn't even remember.
"It was upon the second blizzard that we realized that Winter Matsuri truly had this inexplicable power. Thus, the Chrysanthemum made the executive decision that for the safety of both Winter and its citizens to take her under our care." He moved on to the next slide, a video of Winter in rehabilitation, regaining her ability to walk. Another video, this one testing her power, and a third, of her sleeping, of ice creeping up the walls. When had they gotten that video? Winter wondered, realizing it must have been recent, when she was in her mini-comatose state where Yuuki held her consciousness hostage in order to train her. "Now, the Chrysanthemum has officially found a way to harness Ms. Matsuri's power."
"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the future of the Chrysanthemum. Your very first, real-life superpowered human." He gestured to Winter to stand, who grasped her cane, rising, her hands shaking ever so slightly. He nodded, Winter realizing the microphone that had been clipped to her dress had turned on. She took in a slow breath and reached towards the sky. "Spirit dress!" Snow whirrled around her, her dress transforming, her entire outfit changing. When she lowered her hand, the ice bow was within her grasp. She heard gasps and whispers, plenty of camera shutters going off. "Allow us to demonstrate. Don't worry, you are all completely safe. Ms. Matsuri's power is fully under control."
She drew the bow string back, an icy arrow forming. Winter launched it into the sky, which exploded into a flurry of harmless snowflakes. There were gasps, more camera shutters. "Now, Winter will field a few questions, I'm sure you all have plenty." Doc stepped aside, allowing Winter to take to the podium. She had to stand on a step to reach the microphone, considering her short stature. "Ms. Matsuri, surely you don't expect us to believe that you aren't going to turn on the Chrysanthemum?" Came the first question. Winter blinked, bewildered. "What do you mean? Why would I do that? The Chrysanthemum is my home, just as much as it is all of yours."
"Winter, Gordon Grant here," he took the microphone, winking. "What are your thoughts on being parented by cold government officials and not being allowed to enter the foster care system?" She didn't need to look behind her to know that Doc and Hellen's eyes were both boring into her. "I'm under the constant care of the Chrysanthemum's top medical professionals and psychologists, anymore parents and I might lose my mind." There were a few laughs, Winter doing her best to disperse the tension. "Ms. Matsuri, do you have any idea how much you're costing us in tax payer money?" A grumpy reporter asked, looking rather harried as he held the microphone. "No, but I'm working on my math skills with a tutor, so perhaps one day I will." More laughter, she could feel the eyes on her back grow a bit less intense.
"Winter, what are your thoughts on the meddling in your everyday life by government officials?" Claude asked, wearing a press-pass. Winter had expected him to be here, of course. "Doc and Dr. Hellen are constantly working to make sure that all of my needs are met." She smiled, trying to put them all at ease.
That's when she heard it. "Get down!" An explosion, it sounded like a gun. Winter reacted instinctively, a thick barrier of ice forming. She had practiced this with Yuuki, actively listening for threats. "009, 012!" Doc snapped, both of them jumping into action to protect Winter and get her inside.