#mechsplo?

The sound of the door cut through her like a knife.

Esme, she saw, sauntered into the room casually – placing something on a desk before glancing her way. She was tall, with hair short in the military style, and built to match. Her robotic arm hung slack against her side while she lit a cigarette hanging from her mouth.

“don’t do that, theyll get mad” she protested from her position on the bed, knees to her chest. The other girl simply snorted and took another hit, fiddling with a piece of paper on the desk. It had been folded in thirds, and there were some stamps on it. Ameila could see Esme thumbing the corner for a moment before turning and leaning against the desk, hiding it from view.

“they wont get mad at *you* sis” her words were jeering but lightly. Amelia hated when Esme treated her like a kid. They were the same age, down to the day. The others did it too, thats maybe what twisted the blade in her heart. Just cause she wasnt strong like her. She glared at her for a moment, before relenting – eyes falling to rest on the covers.

“I don’t want them to get mad at you either Esme.”

The other girl leaned back, and looked at the ceiling for a moment to say “I wont get in trouble! They love me down there.” Her eyes dropped back into place, just in time for a toothy smile to meet them. Then she took another hit of her cigarette. She never changed, Amelia thinks wistfully, the several scars on her sister’s face and body reminding her of that brazen confidence and its consequences.

“Promise” she finally said, looking up again to meet those burning orange eyes.

“Of course!” Esme said, too quickly, flicking her cigarette into a trashcan nearby before rocking off the desk onto her feet. Amelia watched the smoke dissipate into stillness for a moment before glancing back to her sister. A Potemkin answer, and they both knew it. Maybe she realized it, remembered she knew herself it fake, cause suddenly she turned and grabbed the paper that had been hanging on her mind.

“Look here” she started, animated by some otherworldy power it seemed, “theyre letting me join the marines down there, something about probational training exercises!” she thrust the paper towards a nonenthused Amelia. “I know, I know, it sounds like bullshit but I think it would be good for me-” she catches, “good for us!” The paper is unceremoniously thrust towards her in a way that makes her re-actively lurch back, like it would cut her.

It was pretty run of the mill bureaucratic lingo. Apparently, it had been discussed between the Takeda paramilitary corporation (TPMC) and the Broker & Sinder corp that allowing cooperation between the B&S GAIA division and the bases operational forces would be profitable for both sides, despite any reservations held by local command. Child Unit 2, as they called her sister, would be deployed for training programme after the prerequisite augmentations had been successfully applied.

Augmentations? She looked at her sister, who was standing there expectantly. She gave Amelia a look that seemed to beg the question. Instead, the smaller girl answered simply with another one.

“How did you get this?” Her flat tone scrawled into the others girls skin, and she could see her bluster for a moment before putting her hands in her pockets and turning sideways. Of course, it wasnt hers to have. She must have snatched it when no one was looking. Doesnt she know this will only bring trouble to them both. Talk about keeping her out of it.

“Its not for you is it?”

“It is!” she started, turning heel with a storm on her face. But it passed quickly and she stepped back again. “Look my name is right there, of course its mine!” “thats not your name” Amelia retorted shortly, taken aback for a moment by the venom on her tongue.

“thats not your name Esme,” she repeated, quieter. She could feel footsteps closing in, then warm hands on her shoulder. They were so hot, she thought, against her cold shoulders. “I know” Her voice softly reminded her. Maybe she was more ephemeral than previously thought. There was no stopping her was there? It was a bitter thought to swallow. She’d have to chew on it first.

“Just be safe.” she said, resigning her will to fight. Her eyes met with the other girl’s, who leaned in to plant a kiss on her forehead. Then she released her, and leaned back with her usual relaxed demeanor. “What did I say Amy, the love me down there. Im gonna be something big, I can feel it. Captain said it himself you know?”