#I wrote fanfic of an RP by fans uhhh

[wyvchard]

Context: This takes place after this devastating set of events.

"Agent, tell me what exactly happened. You went missing for nearly 5 hours!" Reginald huffed as his agent remained unresponsive from their desk, merely twisting the tips of the pens to watch the ink spill onto the pages of their notepad.

You saw the medical report, Reggie. I don't think I need to explain that.

"Phoenix. Please, tell me what happened. You had a bunch of cuts by the time you got to the medical wing. You went off the grid and you expect me to be fine with that? Don't you know what happened last time? We almost lost you! ... Again."

Phoenix merely sighed. "Even if I say something, I doubt you'd hear me anyway." Their breaths were shortened, hiccups as their lungs fought to stay grounded. "Sorry. That was... I'm sorry."

"Agent, I understand." He sighed, watching his agent from the cameras. His hand wandered to the pen on his desk to document his observations on his agent once more. "But please tell me why you were covered in cuts and looked like you're about to cry when we were checking up on you.

I know that look, agent. I'm sure you've seen it on my face multiple times already."

"I failed to save them. They got away." Phoenix muttered as they used their TK to wrap themselves in the blanket he got for them during their hospital stays. "I'm still too weak and it resulted in another Agent Phoenix being in danger."

"Agent, some things are out of our control. You know that. But I do understand. I blamed myself for what happened back with Juniper, and even recently. I... felt helpless. Even when you were running from the agency."

"I-"

Their mind wandered back to the words someone said, taking away their words in order to smash it onto the walls they built up over the years once more.

"Reggie, I should have been able to handle it on my own."

"Agent, the agency does not rely on a single person, nor should it be."

"It would have been better if I was the one taken. I can take it if it's up to me. If I'm the only one who will suffer. But no... my weakness caused someone else to... Why am I so pathetic?"

"Agent, listen to me. It's not your fault. Do you hear me?

If it bothers you, then... how about tell me some things you can control? Something you can do to pass the time?"

"I suppose I can check up on someone else for the moment. The other Agent Phoenix who got more injured than me."

"Good. We can start there. You're still off the field, and you can no longer use the excuse that you're in another world to go around that.

...Do you need something, Phoenix?"

"A hug." Phoenix got up from their desk and walked to their handler's office, using the blanket as an impromptu cloak.

The trip towards Reggie's office was long and slow, yet the end felt so comforting as they melted into his warm embrace.

Phoenix didn't keep track of the time but they soon fell asleep, exhaustion melting onto their bones.

13-12 was fussing over the wounds on Phoenix as they grabbed the bandages they packed. Based on the distance, they would be left alone with this crazed doctor as the others chase after 004-2.

Phoenix opened their eyes, darting around to look for 043, reduced to nothing but a marionette following orders. "Target outside of range."

"Dr. P, look out!" 13-12 tackled 004-3 before using their TK to form a wall to keep the fight between both of them, regardless of the concerned protests of the others around them.

"Interrupting a target mission will result in death."

13-12 merely closed their eyes as they brandished their knife. Their nerves were shaking as all they could do was dodge. Their grip was still too unstable, the faint smell of blood making them gag as the anxiety of their realization started bombarding them. They were in too in Dr. Vadas' strategy, unable to leave with a win.

"You're quite a flighty one, little bird."

13-12 didn't pay heed to the mocks from Dr. Vadas' mouth, trying their best to make sure they wouldn't get fatally injured this fight.

'Agents shouldn't be attached. You shouldn't have gotten attached. Now, look at you. Isn't that why you avoided the other people in your agency? What made them different this time? Is it because they were another version of you?'

It only took one moment for Phoenix to slash 13-12 on the arm, causing one of their knives to falter, leaving it on the ground with a clang. They grabbed it and pointed it straight at them.

Phoenix's eyes were glazed over, empty and apathetic to anything other than the mission. 13-12's eyes were brimming with tears, haunted by the fact that the other was no longer there.

Rules in the agency were created for a reason, even if they aren't written in the concrete construct of paper. 'Handlers shouldn't be attached to agents.' 'Agents should try to trust their handlers.'

'Ruthlessness is something unavoidable in this line of work.'

Perhaps it was a weakness, perhaps it was not. But all that is clear at the moment was faltering only led to the reopening of wounds barely bandaged by the cells in their body. They dodged another time, hissing as the slash was made with little regard on the amount of havoc it would cause.

They had wanted to give Vadas a taste of their agony, yet they knew how heavy such a move will cost. It wasn't worth it. Subjecting another person into carrying the revenant of others had been far too cruel, considering what they had gone through under its clutches.

"Interrupting a target mission will result in death." The pair of mismatched eyes looked at them with indifference as the blade dug deeper into their skin, the warm sensation slowly turning cold. It wasn't as deep as the ones in their arm and surely 043 had it worse.

Everything else was a blur outside of them occasionally helping Dr. Greaves with patching 043 up back at the van.

They woke up with heaviness as they got up from the bed. Bed? Right. They did send a text that they wanted to go home. They looked around to their apartment to see a note with breakfast prepared.

Sent the other Reggie that plushie. Don't worry too much, alright? You'll win one day. If there's anything I know about Agent Phoenixes, it's that you lot just don't give up. Also, make sure to wear the new watch R&D sent. We know we can't stop you, so please at least let us know where you are.

Phoenix smiled a bit, only to falter a few seconds later. "Dr. Vadas, you don't mess with those we call family. You may have won this battle but we will get them back."

They got up out of bed in order to visit someone who probably needed to talk about this as well.

"This isn't over. But a few days to think things over won't hurt."

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@phoenix-and-found-family , I hope you like mild angst.

@the-one-and-only-043, this is just 13-12's view before the hospital visit.