A Bio-Weapon's Rhapsody

Chapter 311: Miriam Eversoul lands

"I swear to god that if something happened to her, I will rip out every single blonde strand of hair from that man-child using wax." The voice outside the apartment said in an angry tone."Miriam... You are a pacifist, violence..." A secondary voice called in.

[Mistress, if you wish to hide this aspect of your abilities, it is advised to remove the hand and let me delete the evidence.]

"Ah-" Ale said letting go of the TV and turning to look at Big sister.

"I recognize Eleanore but the other voice..." Big Sister said, frowning, she waved her hand, and she suddenly was no longer wearing her pajamas, instead she was now in her street wear...

Which was kind of convenient, Ale was still wearing her pajamas....

"Should I open the door?" Golem asked, "I can suit up... but I may need some time, do you still have my spare rocks in the other room?"

"Yeah, go and get ready." Big Sister said closing her eyes and taking a deep breath of air, her face turned serious and her gaze sharpened. "Do you need time to change?"

Ale was first surprised, then looked down at herself.

"I can..." Ale was about to say that she could change only to stop herself cold, she had tested and her power still worked... kind of similar to before, "Let me check."

Ale sent inwardly as she spread a pulse of mana across her clothing.

[Currently three outwear blueprints detected within database.]

[Displaying data.]

Ale received the mental image of the clothes easily enough and frowned at that.

The first... Was Alexa's sundress, the one she had worn for like half a minute after creating the original body.

Ale now was questioning that memory, they had no actual understanding about clothing besides sparse images from seeing the people around them, and yet Alexa had made a sundress?

The second set of clothing was her own choice clothes, some short pants, a spaghetti top, her oversized hoodie... The casual Ale outfit.

The third...

It was a black tank top with some jeans, a belt, and some jewelry. The most complete set of clothing if Ale was to be honest. Also it was Alexandra casual outfit.

Ale sent inwardly, and then she felt the mana drain out of her Core.

Her pajamas were transformed into material by the flood of Nanites and the material was repurposed, the missing material was then filed in by Mana.

Soon enough Ale was wearing her casual outfit.

"I'm ready." Ale said as she made sure that her boots were right, the blueprint had not included much data about what she was getting after all.

At least she had her underwear and socks, that would have been an awkward find.

"Coming!" Big Sister then screamed and the sound outside became muted, they had continued their discussion outside. Which Ale was wondering if they had heard them or not.

But since the people outside had not said anything about it, she assumed they hadn't.

"What's the big deal Eleanore? I should have still some day offs from work." Big sister said with a frown when she opened the door.

Was that some kind of code?

"Sorry about that Skye." [Eleanore] said with a small smile, "A friend wanted to-"

"...Skye Venti?" The second person outside said surprised, "Is that you?"

"....Dr Eversoul?" Big Sister said surprised, "...Why are you here?"

Only to frown and tense, Ale even detected a change in the ambient mana.

[Detected concentrated spike in Space Mana.]

[Detected micro fractures forming in the space outside the apartment.]

[Detected shift of Space Aligned Mana within apartment.]

"... I am sorry for surprising you like that." Miriam Eversoul said sighing, "I did read your name on the files, but I thought it was someone else."

"...Files?" Big Sister frowned deepened, "...I was told you lot would not find trouble with us."

"I didn't come for you." Miriam Eversoul said shaking her head, "If you want help my doors are still open, but I came for something else."

".... What could make..." Big Sister said only to stop herself short and ball her fist, "... No."

"I am currently one of the legal guardians of your friend." Miriam Eversoul stated, "Her brother played a dirty move on me, and I should have come with her in tow to explain it to you, had I known you were the same person I would have come first to speak with you instead of trying to arrive with her."

"... She arrived yesterday." Big Sister said in an even tone, "I am not giving her away. We are signing the paperwork again, Eleanore. I am calling in any favor you owe me and will sign any extra one you want."

"...Can you let us in?" [Eleanore] said from the side, "This... It's better if it's not spoken like this out in the open."

"...Fine." Big Sister said moving to the side to let them in.

"Who was it?" And it was at that moment that Golem opened the door of the room he had been in, walking with extreme care into the living room, as his body was once again the gigantic mass of rocks. "Eleanore? And...?"

"Hello there, you must be Eduardo Herrera?" Miriam Eversoul said, bowing her head slightly to Golem, "Sorry about the mix-up, Ale."

And last but not least, Miriam Eversoul turned to Ale.

"Hello Miriam Eversoul." Ale said, "Alexanders told me about it after I got on the plane."

"... He likes doing that," Miriam Eversoul said nodding. Then turning to Golem she added, "I am Miriam Eversoul. I am the one who found your friend and helped her with her recovery after the traumatic incident that... took the life of her oldest sister."

[Eleanore] shuddered at that introduction.

"Skye here knows me as Dr. Miriam Eversoul. I work as a psychiatrist and humanitarian aid during catastrophes." Miriam Eversoul continued with her introduction, "More often than not, we deal with Mana-related catastrophes and similar incidents."

"Mana catastrophes?" Golem said frowning.

"Bad triggers, villain attacks, megafauna invading cities..." Big Sister said from the side, "Or they deal with the aftermath of attacks from the S-List Villains such as [The Scrambler] and [The Theater Master] squabbles."

"Oh," Golem said as he nodded slowly, "Well, thank you for helping Alexa. If you have come here seeking a remuneration we can work that out."

"I mostly work pro bono." Miriam Eversoul said shaking her head, "I do not require remuneration, my remuneration comes from donations and the money of those who want to use me as an excuse to get out of paying taxes."

"Then why are you here?" Golem asked, "Alexa is safe and sound, back at home. I am sure Eleanore is working out the needed paperwork to fix everything that came out of the misunderstanding."

"... I am here to speak about that actually." Miriam Eversoul said pulling a folder from her coat, "May we move this talk to the table?"

"Why not." Big Sister said frowning, almost glaring at [Eleanore], "Come Ale, let's see what she wants."

Ale moved and sat in the spot that Big Sister pointed at. The seating arrangement ended with Ale in one side of the table, Big Sister and Golem surrounding her and [Eleanore] and Miriam Eversoul on the other side.

"I'll be direct." Miriam Eversoul said placing the folder on the table and opening it, "I want you to let Ale and Alexa under my care."

"No." "Why?"

The response was almost immediate. A refusal from Big Sister and a question from Golem.

"She needs to grow as a child." Miriam Eversoul answered, "She is mature beyond her years and that is good and all, but she needs to be a kid."

"She is capable of doing that here with us." Big sister said frowning, "Eleanore is plenty capable of giving us allowances to get her into a school. She doesn't need... charity."

"She is also, as you stated, mature enough to decide for herself." Golem added, "You have been talking at us, when you want to change her whole lifehood. Shouldn't you ask this to the person in question?"

"I have." Miriam Eversoul said, turning to Ale as she spoke, "I asked her before if she wanted to live with me."

The response of the people in the table was quite varied, Big Sister was surprised, Golem was... well, he had the extra rock on her face, so Ale was not quite sure what he was thinking at the moment.

[Eleanore] for her part, was looking both relieved and conflicted.

"She did ask me that," Ale said nodding, "And I told her that I would think about it, I... personally, don't think Alexa would mind living with her. But...I am not sure if I want to live with her."

"You are underage," Miriam Eversoul stated plainly, "Your previous arrangement aside, it is not safe for you to live alone. You need adults."

"We are capable of taking care of her!" Big Sister said, standing up, "She will be okay with us!"

"I concur," Golem added from the side, "Her situation is... special, a normal household may not be adequate for her."

"You mean to say because she is a Core user?" Miriam Eversoul said shaking her head, "Or because she knows your alternate identities?"

That made both Golem and Big Sister to stop cold, both turning their gaze towards [Eleanore].

"I didn't tell her anything," [Eleanore] stated, "But Miriam is smarter than she has any right to think."

"Alexa was wearing my body armor when she found her." Ale said sighing, "It was not hard for her to guess that the people I was living with were... part of a Villain Organization."

"More reason for why it isn't going to happen then." Big Sister said crossing her arms, "We are Villains. Do you think it is a good idea to cross us? I am thankful for the help you gave me, but that is that and this is this."

"I admit that the fact that Alexa knows our identities is a factor in this." Golem said nodding, "But that is not the main reason why we want to keep this arrangement. We take care of our own."

"Ale," Miriam Eversoul said in a single word.

"Yes?" Ale answered wondering if she really was going to ask her to pick.

"Not that," Miriam Eversoul said shaking her head, "He has been referring to you as Alexa. You are not Alexa, you are Ale."

"... I know he isn't speaking of Alexa but of me." Ale said shrugging.

"It is still not proper, and why you should be in a place that understands you." Miriam Eversoul shook her head as she said that, "Denying your identity is not right."

"..." Golem was stunned at that, "I am sorry if you felt that I was denying your identity."

"I know you aren't, it's fine." Ale said shaking her head, Ale did notice it, but she also noticed that he was only doing this when he was with other people around. He had either used her code name as Rhapsody or used the name of Alexa.

"It doesn't matter," Big Sister said from the side, "She can stay with me, if having an adult is what is your argument then she can stay with me. I am also a Core user as you know, I can help her more than any of your sanitized rich parents that you will pawn her off with could."

"I am not sending her into the orphanage system." Miriam Eversoul said shaking her head, "I am planning to adopt her myself."

"I beg your pardon?" "No. Definitely no, never. Not going to happen."

This time, however the answer was more interesting.

Big Sister was confused, while [Eleanore] was now standing up and pulling at Miriam Eversoul.

"You will not do such a thing." [Eleanore] almost seemed frantic, "I did not let you come in here for this."

"It's fine Lena," Miriam Eversoul said with a smile, "This is right."

"Like hell it is." [Eleanore] said as her eyes started shining in blue azure light, "She [Is a monster]!"

"Well, that was rude." Ale said frowning, "And uncalled for. Also the pot calling to the kettle much?"

"It was the [Truth]!" [Eleanore] (almost) screeched back.

"More reason why I need to do this." Miriam Eversoul said shaking her head, "Ale is a good girl, she needs a safe environment to grow in. So does Alexa."

That was the thing that worried Ale the most if she was being honest. She could see it as clear as day, going to live with Miriam Eversoul was probably the best and most sure way to ensure Alexa was happy.

Ale could picture it, Alexa waking every morning and playing around with Miriam Eversoul. Eating her favorite breakfast while Alexanders came in from time to time.

It was the most sure way to ensure Alexa would be taken care of and would be happy. It was probably even how everything was supposed to go.

But Ale could not see herself there.

"...Even so." [Eleanore] said as her arms dropped down powerlessly, "Why must it be you? Skye wants to take care of her... Vulcanus wants to rear her into a position of power... Billy wants to have her as a possible successor even though she is not a [Tinkerer Core]..."

[Elder] wanted to?

"Even Gabriel... Even Gabriel wanted to come back and apologize to her..." [Eleanore] then fell to her knees as she covered her face, "Even I... Even I...."

"It's okay Lena." Miriam Eversoul said hugging the other woman, "You did your best too, it was not your fault."

"I think they forgot about us." Big Sister whispered from the side to Ale.

Golem merely stood there watching in silence, he was fully covered in stones, so he was probably playing to his persona of cold unmoving statue.

"It does look like that." Ale said back to Big Sister.

"If you want to..." Big Sister started saying as she sighed, "If you think it's the best for you... I don't mind if you want to live with her. She seems like a good person."

"We will respect your decision." Golem said nodding, still not turning to them though, "I will respect your choice on this. I only picked this life because it was my only choice, but if you can break off and live as a normal civilian. I think you should."

"...I will..." Ale said thinking on it.

If she wanted the best for Alexa, the actual best, she should pick the offer of Miriam Eversoul.

"...be egoist." Ale said with a sigh, "It is probably the right choice to live with her. Not only will Alexa get the best care, have more time doing what she wants... But I don't think..."

Ale didn't think there would be much future for her there, she couldn't see herself in that kind of environment, not really. Something... Something didn't quite fit whenever she thought of herself in there.

Something was not right. Ale felt as if Miriam Eversoul would replace something important for Ale. Something she didn't want to lose.

"I don't think living with her is the right choice for me." Ale ended up saying with a sigh.