Project: Shimmer (ii Blue Eyes AU)

[15] -2am Talks-

Wanting for mentions of child abuse.
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It was past midnight already. Everyone, was sound asleep in their rooms, everyone except for Test Tube, and probably OJ. The clacking sound of keyboard keys was the only thing that kept Test Tube company as she furiously typed at the dusty laptop Baseball had stolen. She had been trying to figure out the computer password for hours. It was a 14 letter code, but for the life of her she could not figure it out. It felt like she had tried everything, the passcode hint leaving her mind grasping for straws. She glared at the lettering at the bottom of the screen, "Passcode hint: Your Greatest Work." Greatest work? She had already tried every Meeple related answer she could think of.

Test Tube groaned and leaned back in her chair. She stretched, her muscles sore from laboring over the frustrating machine for so long. She glanced at the thick file and blueprints. She had already looked over the blueprints, but she hadn't even touched the file. She rolled her chair over to the file, she read the tape for what felt like the hundredth time. "Project: Shimmer" It had something to do with the Prime Shimmers, she was sure of it. She knew Cobs had hunted the Shimmers for their power, but she still had no idea why. She felt like banging her head against her desk, she was so frustrated. At first she was excited to dig through the layers upon layers of info, but now she just wanted to go to sleep.

She hit the table and buried her face in her arms. Her body felt stiff and uncomfortable, her head buzzed in a confusing swarm of frustrated stubbornness and exhaustion. She leaned back in her chair again, took off her glasses, and rubbed her tired eyes, the chair slowly turning with her momentum. She put her glasses back on, opened her eyes and yelped in surprise, almost falling out of her chair. In the small doorway the glowing eyes of Mephone stared back at her, a surprised expression on his face. Test Tube breathed, her surprise subsiding. "Oh! Mephone! It's just you." Test Tube sighed in relief. Mephone just stood there awkwardly. She laughed nervously, "jeez, I didn't even hear you come in, you surprised me!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Mephone apologized. "I know you're a workaholic, but why are you up so late?" Mephone leaned against the door frame, arms crossed. Test Tube paused, she couldn't help but notice the dark bags under his eyes, it looked like he hadn't slept properly in weeks. She shook the thought from her head, deciding to save that conversation for another time. She sighed, "I'm trying to unlock this godforsaken laptop, but so far I've been... unsuccessful." Test Tube glared at the desk of work. "But enough about that, how have you been feeling? Did you eat anything?" Mephone rubbed his arm nervously, he had not, infact, eaten anything all day.

But instead of saying that, Mephone replied with his own question. "You do know I don't need food to live, right?" Test Tube rolled her eyes. "Obviously, but you eat food all the time despite that, your body must be used to it by now." Mephone shrugged, she was right. All day he had been feeling a phantom pain in his chest. Not quite hunger, but close enough for him to recognize it as the cause. Despite the distant pangs, he still had zero appetite. "Also don't lecture me on being awake after midnight when you're awake too. What are you doing up anyway?"

Mephone rubbed his neck and winced, "I uh... couldn't sleep..." Test Tube was inclined to believe him. He glanced at the still open laptop, the password still awaiting to be entered. "Have you figured out anything about the passcode?" Test Tube rolled her chair back over to the computer and Mephone followed her. "Only that it's 14 characters and it's whatever Cobs's greatest work is." Test Tube looked at him. "You're his son, do you know anything?" Mephone grimaced at her wording. "First off, he created me, but he is not my father. Second, how would I know? The guy hated me, he wouldn't tell me. Maybe 4S, but not me..."

Mephone stared off into space, bitterness and a latent sadness bleeding into his voice. Test Tube gave him a sympathetic look, but didn't pry. Walked over to the file and stared at if for a moment, he felt like he had seen it before. He gasped, a memory resurfacing in his mind. He could practically feel the memory gem lighting up in his mind.