Mega:Secret Headquarters:Attn:Tai-San

[_into_the_fray_]

Mega stood in his usual spot, in front of the monitors, arms crossed over his chest, jaw ticking as he watched the streets. It was a quiet day, the color wars were mild at best, and people were going about their business as if it was previrus times. That would do no good, no good at all. Mega snapped his fingers and Roger appeared, "Yes, sir

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[_tai_san_]

Tai-San wrapped a towel around her body, her hair was wrapped up on her head in a towel, she'd had her braids removed, she was shedding the skin of her former life as a Techno, becoming reborn as, well she wasn't too sure what she was a part of now, she only hoped it was for the greater good. Pausing in the doorway between her bathroom and bedroom she put a finger to her lips and thought, how could she be oblivious to whatever this "organization" was? Mega had surely told her? Tai-San couldn't remember, something about a war, oh it didn't matter, she was going to brush and dry her newly styled and colored hair (black with blue streaks of course) and then she was going to slip into her VR helmet and spend the day somewhere beautiful. The beach, perhaps, meditating and restoring her inner peace on some faraway shore where the adults had never died, where Lex was her husband, and where the world was at peace with itself. Yes, that sounded wonderful. Tai-San moved into her bedroom and opened the door to her closet, going through the few

[_into_the_fray_]

Mega turned the knob on the door and pushed it open slowly, coming to a stop when he noticed what Tai-San was doing exactly. "Tai-San," he said, his voice slow and even, drawing out the last part of her name a bit, "you must not put the helmet over your wet hair," he reprimanded softly, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. He stepped forward and took the helmet from her, then eyed her in her towel. "Just out of the shower I see. Get dressed, we have some," Mega paused, searching for the right word, his jaw ticking as he considered it, "plans to discuss. Do you think you can put aside your VR for just long enough to do that for me?" Mega was careful to keep his voice even, loving, gentle, he wasn't trying to be condescending, though he was filled with disgust for her and the "habit" she had. She'd gotten better, he could tell, over the week as he'd messed with the programing, tweaked and twisted it until it was just right. She seemed to be able to go for hours without it, maybe a whole day at a time, but her

[_tai_san_]

Tai-San visibly jumped as Mega came into the room, taking the helmet from her, "I wasn't going to put it over my hair Mega," she gave him her best droopy eyed look, "Why won't you give me one of the new units?" She knew she was whining a bit, but she was trying to do it in the cute way that Mega always responded well to. "If you gave me one of those new prototypes, I could wear it with wet hair, it wouldn't be so bulky, and I could always look my best for you," Tai-San moved towards him, swaying her hips a bit, readjusting the towel wrapped around her body. "I could get dressed, or," she stood before him, pressing her left hand against his chest, her right hand moving up to caress the side of his face, pushing her body into his. "I could get you undressed," she stood on the balls of her feet, reaching her head up and drawing his face down so that her lips were inches from his, looking into his eyes. She may not be in love with Mega, not really, but she had loved him once, and if she could convince him that she still did, he'd give her

[_into_the_fray_]

Mega looked down into the eyes of Tai-San, but he could tell that she wasn't all there, and that she was only thinking of her next fix. Mega didn't flinch or move or respond, and then he was grabbing her by the wrists, suddenly, and he pulled her closer. "I won't give you one of the prototypes because they aren't ready yet. They aren't for general distribution and we haven't had a lot of luck in getting enough parts together to mass produce them. Now," he lowered his voice, moving even closer to her face, "get dressed. We have important things to discuss," Mega let her go with a bit of force, watching her move back from him. He moved to sit in the office chair in front of the computer stand, crossing his arms over his chest, keeping a close eye on Tai-San, intent on watching her dress herself. She meant none of her words or intentions, Mega knew all too well that she had long ago fallen out of love with him, once she'd caught sight of Lex, even after she'd seen him with Siva, she had only been able to think of him, and her nature had

[_into_the_fray_]

Mega stepped closer to her, inches from her face, his eyes still locked on hers, his head tilting in a way that demanded she stop playing around with him, his jaw ticking away. He blinked, but only his left eye, it was like a tick, showing his anger and annoyance. "No, I want to hear it, I need to know that I can trust you and not just today, but every day, every week, every year," he paused, the pitch of his voice had gone up, the anger was bubbling inside of him and he was mere seconds away from screaming at her, "forever. Can I trust you forever, Tai-San?" Trust and loyalty couldn't be programmed, it was something that had to come from within, that had to be earned out of respect, Mega knew this all too well. "Well? What's your answer?" he demanded, his eyes flashing, daring her to say the wrong thing.

[_tai_san_]

Tai-San almost gulped, almost looked away, she was breathless, but she wasn't afraid. As mean as Mega had been to her, as rough as he had gotten with her, he'd never hurt her, not really. He'd never hit her or given her any real reason to cower from him, though he could sound threatening enough. The fact that he was normally so cool, so calm and collected, it just made it even scarier when he started to yell, when he got really angry and he did that twitchy eye thing. She didn't make a face, or let on that he was affecting her, making the pit of her stomach turn over in fear, she just kept her eyes locked on his, lowering her eyelids a bit. "For all of eternity my love. I won't let you down," she promised. The suspense was killing her, what could be this important that he was demanding the loyalty talk from her? What did he have in mind for her? This was what was really scaring her, deep down inside.

[_into_the_fray_]

Mega stared at her, his nostrils flaring, watching her eyes and face, knowing the truth, and he quickly calmed down, relaxing his jaw and face, "Good, that's good Tai-San. Now, you will be gathering information for me from a group that is very hard to infiltrate, though I have no fear that you shall be able to gain access with ease," he turned from her, fixing the cuffs of his shirt, as if he was just walking around getting ready for his day at work, instead of just giving her orders, bored with this already

[_tai_san_]

Tai-San felt the blood rush out of her head, she was going to faint, and she was trying not to show it. She gulped this time, she couldn't breathe, his words sounded like they were coming through a tin can first, she would never be able to remember everything he wanted to know, and she couldn't invade the Mall, to be a traitor to the Mall Rats...could she? She was going to be sick, though she'd eaten nothing since dinner last night, she could feel her stomach churning and gurgling and she felt ill. "The..the Mall?" she shivered as he threatened to delete her, insisting that she become her old self, "I-I can't Mega," she looked away, at the floor, she couldn't do this. There was no way she could pretend to be who she had once been, she was not that girl anymore, and she couldn't bear to see Lex in the flesh, now that he had Siva especially, it would hurt too much. She wasn't a jealous type, she didn't mind that he had found love while she'd been away, and she respected that Siva was who he chose to be with now, but she still felt