i am a cage in search of a bird

[crocodiline]

[ The figure inside the frosted glass snaps her fingers, and the glass falls away, sliding into grooves in the ground below. Inside, behind additional bulletproof glass, sits a woman, legs up on a transparent glass desk, absentmindedly petting a... whatever this thing is.

Say hello to your mastermind, everyone! ]

Hey there, everyone. Nice to talk to you in person - my name is Cipher, welcome to my city. Sorry I took so long to show up in person. No need to get up on my account - how about we talk business?

[ Let's drive. ]

Comments

2/2

[pairtner]

[Then the gentle smile falls]

Although I must confess I was not elated about the amount of crimes and government overthrowing that was being planned by some people during that final conversation. On principle, I must frown at that.

[Not that she'll get in the way of it, not her jurisdiction nor her business. She only mentions this because hey, part of her job to be a voice of reason.

Still, wow, it seems death didn't change Aiba at all. It's still the same one as always, haha]

[visiblepattern]

[Ah, that's...]

W-Well, I never did tell you that the end goal of the war back home is more or less to overthrow the current monarchy... Though in my defense, it's because the current monarch needs to be overthrown. It's to establish peace between our kingdom and the neighboring country, they've been at it for years.

So while I think my father and uncles will likely welcome Cipher's help, at least peace is the end goal...

[pairtner]

...hmmmmm...

[Aiba tilts her head]

...I find myself inclined to believe you know what you're doing. It should be alright, as long as that's the end result.

[Sentiment that definitely will be amplified once she remembers everything she knows about Forrest, really]

It's bound to be a long and difficult road to get there. Do you feel prepared?

[visiblepattern]

Not at all. I don't know if it's even something I'm ready to return to yet - I've got some things to discuss with people first.

[Namely, Midori and his father, assuming that he gets them back. Adaman, as another.]

I've been told that I should work on being happy, instead of just being useful. And maybe I want to do that for a little while. I don't know.

[pairtner]

Would you, by any chance, indulge in fashion as a way of finding some happiness? I do know what you're wearing is something you yourself made.

[In deadland there were compliments towards Forrest's attire in the final trial, if I remember correctly. He was very appreciated]

[visiblepattern]

[ohhh no, that's so cute]

That's how I usually do it, yes. I made you a dress, while we were in the game - I made a few people clothes, actually.

[pairtner]

Was Misfire one of those people? I must confess I have a hard time imagining him wearing anything.

[Well, not true. She can imagine it and she likes that mental image! He'd rock it]

[visiblepattern]

He was! I made a dress for him, actually. It looked fabulous.

[pairtner]

I cannot return home without asking him about this. I must see how this was like.

[Misfire must have looked fabulous indeed.

Part of Aiba plans on trying to return to wherever the rooms for everyone are at and attempt to find the dress Forrest said he made for her. Alas, that dress...it probably is gone.

At least she still has the memories of the dress in her backup memories. She'll have it in her projection]

[visiblepattern]

[She will! Best of luck to Aiba in retrieving those memories, he remembers her saying something about them and he thinks Rossiu had them last, so...]

Oh, if you can get him to show you, that would be great - it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I feel.

[Not because his work is that great, but because how often do you get to see a Transformer in a flouncy pink minidress, really...]