Chapter Text
Meridia's central intelligence agency had a reputation for being the best of the best, and also for having employees that just wouldn't cooperate with one another. Through all the years Eight had worked in the agency, never have they seen a duo more incompatible than Seven and Six. And now, they'll have to work together. Unfortunately.
Walking up to the arguing pair, Eight's calloused hands roughly pulled the two over to an empty meeting room. Promptly ending the fight, and instead directing their anger to them.
“Wh-..Eight, the hell?!” Six lashed out, “What's the matter with you?” Eight flashed a folder at them with a familiar name. A name they've been shown countless times during meetings. Six, with a frown, closed their mouths. Ending a series of rants that could've started from that alone.
“What's that?” Seven asked, leaning on Six's head. Before the latter swatted their hand away. Or, tried to.
“You forgot?” Seven nodded. “Well, to jog your memory, a few months ago Ten announced that project Harpocrates’ Will would commence today.” Seven listened intently as Eight elaborated, twirling their black hair as more and more memories of the project began to rush through their mind. Project Harpocrates’ Will was a covert operation that had agents from the MCIA sent to sneak into Cartesia and smuggle out information. The thought gave Seven's heart a slight flutter as they gulped a bit. The mission seemed simple enough for them. They were the nation's pride and joy, it shouldn't be hard for them in theory. But even gold isn't pure.
“When's the train? We've still got a bit of time, right?” Six asked, leaning on Seven as payback.
“Yes, but not too long, so hurry a bit would you?”
Eight affirmed, setting down the documents as they turned to the now settled duo. They nodded their heads as Six walked out first. Grabbing their disguise.
Taking the moment head on, Seven leaned against the boardroom table as Eight organized the papers. A look of experienced calm on their face. They broke the silence with a question, a cheery smile on their face. “Hey, could I have a bit of a run-down on the plan again? You know how I am with remembering things.”
“We'll go to the North Station at 10:15, arrive at Cartesia at 11:15. Since we're going to be there for a while, Ten's already rented out a flat for us,” Seven's smile faltered. “We'll try to blend in for a week or two. So nothing too out there, just try to get to know the locals. Build trust.”
Seven's hand slammed the table, “Do we really have to share an apartment? Can't Ten rent us seperate rooms, or something?” Eight's stone cold face didn't waver one bit.
“It'd be too much of a hassle if we got caught or if something happened. Better to stick in groups, then.” Eight cleaned up the documents as they prepared to leave. “I'm gonna go grab some coffee before I prepare. Wanna come with?” They turned to Seven.
“No thanks.” Eight shrugged, walking out the room. Leaving Seven alone with their thoughts. Golden yellow rays shone through the curtains of the room, brightening the door just behind them. As if encouraging them to go out as well. To prepare for their mission. But a part of them anchored their feet in place. This was insane. They had been taught to believe the Cartesians were rotten to their core. That even stepping on their soil would eventually poison you from the inside out too. Tainting you with their twisted ideologies. And now, they were asked to go there for weeks. Maybe even months. They had only had this job for around 8 months, for goodness sake. That wasn't even a full year. They haven't toughened up enough yet to resist Cartesian propaganda, who knows what could happen if they stayed there for months on end? The door creaked open.
“Don't just stand there. Get ready.” Seven winced, their train of thought cut off as they turned to see Eight leaning by the door frame. They sighed a breath of relief as they nodded, stepping out of the room.
Seven walked out the agencies bathroom a different person; a person of Cartesian-Meridian descent who had moved back to Cartesia to connect with their roots. Not some spy. They reassured themselves that this would help strengthen their bond with their nation. They were doing two things they loved, after all. Serving their country and dressing up. Perhaps that was why Ten chose them to be one of the more crucial pieces of the mission. In comparison to Eight and Six, they were the only one who hadn't completed a year of work yet. They grabbed their belongings that they surprisingly had packed weeks prior. With a swift, yet hesitant speed, they walked out the door and into the private car.
Settling into their seats, Seven, Eight, and Six sat down patiently awaiting the beginning of their next job. The howling of the train starting to move sent a rush of cold air running about the passenger car. The three barely looked recognizable, camouflaging well with the crowds of people sitting and waiting for the train to arrive. Six leaned on Eight's shoulder, trying to distance themselves from Seven at all costs. The view of Meridia's countryside that Seven knew and loved slid away as the train moved. They scanned the car, the seats, everything in that train. It was all a novelty to them. They felt like a child again, with an undying curiosity to look at everything. Seven leaned their head against the train window, feeling it jump as the train moved.
Their uncharacteristically quiet first minutes were broken up by the smell of coffee. Their eyes shifted from the window to the aisle seat, watching as a cart rolled away to serve other passengers.
“You got us coffee?” Seven leaned forward past Six. Watching as Eight gives the two cups of espresso, complete with its signature coffee sleeve.
“You looked drowsy. Plus, you two haven't argued since we left headquarters.” Eight shoved the coffees into their hands, earning a rare smile from Six.
Six held the two cups and, very reluctantly, gave it to Seven. “I spat in yours,” Six said through gritted teeth. Turning their head away to look at the aisle. Seven kept a neutral face, save for the raise of the eyebrow, as they took the cup from Six's cold hands. They smiled, looking down. Eight had always been a caring guy, even if they didn't show it much. They looked out for the two in almost a parental way. Breaking them out of fights, getting them to shut up. Seven's worries were calmed down as they felt their usual spark and enthusiasm flow back into their veins.
The train screeched loudly, echoing through the dark tunnel they were in, as it stopped. The metallic clanks harmonized with the sound of people's shoes hitting the cold metal ground as they got up and prepared to get off at their stop. To their surprise, an abundance of people got off at the same spot as theirs. Creating quite the crowd. After a fit of push and shove against the sudden horde of people, the three managed to get out and into the quote, “wonderful land of Cartesia.” As it said on the billboard to the right of the station. They hadn't even gotten to their apartment yet and there already was a piece of propaganda. Lovely, isn't it? Though, Seven prided themselves in being good at spotting things such as this. So they couldn't be tricked into submitting so easily.
The three, disguised, found a secluded spot away from the crowd to wait for their taxi. Six and Eight sat on a bench, while Seven leaned on the wall nearby. Their hands rummaged through their duffle bag, pushing aside the thousands of different trinkets they had lazily stuffed inside. They could feel their face turn white from under the makeup.
“So…everyone got their passports ready?”
Six glared up at them, “Well, obviously?” They hissed, flimsily holding their phone. Their furrowed brows relaxed for a moment, taking a pause. Before they realized the darting of Seven's eyes, and how they fidgeted with the strap of their bag more and how…. “Wait, did you seriously forget?!”
“What? No, I just misplaced it, that's all!” They gritted their teeth, trying to argue.
"God, how incompetent are you?! I'm surprised you even got a job for the government!" Eight watched as the two argued again. The coffee they had bought had done its job in rejuvenating them. Perhaps too well. They sighed as they looked in their bag for their phone to check their emails. That was when they found it.
"It's here." Eight remarked.
"What is?" Seven leaned in.
"Your passport. You gave it to me so you wouldn't forget, remember?" Eight handed over the fake passport to Seven as they breathed out a sigh of relief. Cradling it in their arms as if it was a child.
Six stretched, "Seriously Seven. You'll really need to work on that sooner or later."
Eight swung open the taxi door, bidding farewell to the driver as he said goodbye wordless. With only a nod of his head. As Eight unloaded their luggages in front of their new apartment complex, Seven wasted no time getting out of the taxi. Six followed shortly after, going to the back of the car to help Eight as the two watched Seven scan the building. Waiting for them to help.
"You know," Eight began, slowly putting their luggage on the gravel, "I'm curious. Why do you hate Seven that much?"
"Well, they're incompetent for a government worker. Second-" They grunted, dropping off a particularly heavy bag. "Second, they're dumb as all hell. Third, they're the most forgetful person to ever exist. Fourth-"
"Alright, alright. I get it." Eight hoisted their backpack on, "You don't need to list all of them in one go."
"Well, you did ask for it." Six snickered, as they closed off the taxi door after finishing up. The two walked towards the entrance, where Seven was waiting. Six strided towards Seven, complaining about the load of the things they had to carry. As Seven chuckled in response. Eight watched as they bantered, before they looked back at the empty streets and at the coffee shop and library just across. They took a moment to take it all in. It was one of those rare moments in their job where they weren't being bombarded with paperwork every few minutes. Now, they could breathe freely. Even if it was in a nation that hated them. But, today, it wasn't about that. It was about moving into a new place. Starting new beginnings, and meeting new people. Of course, this mission had the same, if not more stress than the paperwork. But something about it was different. More...domestic.
Eight smiled, weakly, before they turned back to the two as they waited for them to come. Slowly walking up the steps.
Whatever political conflict Cartesia had in store for them could wait. For now, at least.
The door creaked open, revealing a relatively large apartment. Seven's eyes widened in surprise. This was one of the reasons they loved working for the government, besides their nationalism. They paused, taking it all in, before they stumbled forward after Six shoved them inside.
“Hurry up, I can't carry this thing forever..” Six grunted in discomfort. Carrying an assortment of things, such as a couple of their luggages and boxes. Their forearms ached so badly they swore it could rip off at any moment. Six quickly got inside, shoving off the load they were carrying. Their arms felt lighter, as they exhaled in relief. “Mind helping us, for once?” Six offered, looking up at Seven, who was prancing around their new apartment like some clueless toddler.
“You know what? Sure.” Seven turned, facing Six.
“Really?” They looked up, a glimmer of hope in their eyes. Sure, it was only for a moment, but they genuinely felt a bit optimistic. Their prayer, that Seven would actually do something useful for once, was finally answered!
“Yeah. I'll help open the boxes!” Seven replied, crushing any sort of optimism Six had in favor of the cold, harsh reality.
“It's a start, I guess.” They shrugged, handing Seven a box cutter as they began settling in. Slowly, but surely, their apartment came to life. Three bedrooms, each to be decorated in time, a living room, kitchen, the essentials. Though it didn't look like what the three of them had imagined, it settled.
“Hey, Eight,” Seven began, putting down a few boxes in their bedroom. “D'you wanna go to the library across the street? Try and see if there's any Cartesian history books.” They walked out, stretching their arms after a long day's work. That was, moving a few boxes here and there. As well as the occasional decorating. “Besides, I heard there's a restaurant next to it, so we could grab lunch.”
Six opened their mouth, as if to argue, before Eight interrupted. “Sure, I don't see why not.” Six stood, unmoving. Mouth agape. They were still about 30% finished furnishing the place. They could, at least make it to the halfway mark. The fridge looked like a barren wasteland, though, so Six shrugged reluctantly as they sighed.
“Mind if I come with?” Six asked.
“Well, ‘course you can.” Eight nudged, playfully. With a smile as warm as the coffee they always drank. “We haven't bought groceries anyhow, so maybe we can get to that after this?” Six nodded, as they shrugged their jacket on.
Seven felt an odd sense of anticipation go through their veins, and a feeling of regret. What they felt so guilty about, they didn't know. At the time it was just an odd occurrence. A coincidence that could be treated as a bad omen, if you were that paranoid. But, looking back, they'll realize soon enough why they felt that way.
The three head out, again, and into Cartesia's public library.