Cauda 02 - Smiles for Everyone

"The hell am I dealing with?"

VS. Smiler [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GKo-jCaXwAA0TNn?format=jpg&name=large]

image [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GKqVdRoXkAEOq1K?format=jpg&name=large]

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Artist: Zipcult

Song: NE O

The being picked up the barn axe and wielded it. It moved erratically, appearing to 'skip frames' as it scanned it's three opponents. It stood tall, lanky and at about Nikusa's height.

Its eyes were bloodshot, practically bulging out of its head. It was the only colour present on its body aside from the pale white head and pitch-black body.

S found the creature strange but nonetheless another target. From S' eyes Displo and Solazar could see it. "What magnificent luck.." Displo remarked. Tess would have seen it to had she not stepped out to check on Pompom.

Solazar's first instinct was to pull up the IRIS and TGG databases, begin searching but Displo stopped him. "No need." He adjusted his tie. "This is my expertise. Focus on logistics for the other teams."

"On it." Solazar said, resuming his attention on the cameras.

Opening up the IRIS database, Displo entered the keyword. T_023F. It took a few seconds, but the profile appeared on the screen.

"Someone wanna fill me in? The hell am I dealing with?" S asked. Though he already envisioned several ways he could kill it, he wanted confirmation first.

"That's a trollge. A specific type of abomination. It carries trauma with it. Specifically, that is Case 23, codenamed Smiler. One of the few trollge's who actually escaped the Fall of TCF. "

"Is it killable?" S asked.

Despite its previously hostile behaviour, Smiler just stared at the three, unsure of who to attack first. It stood hunched, breathing heavily. A scowl on it's face indicated it did not like being here.

Still speaking with extreme confidence, Displo continued. "They have extreme durability. The 'correct' way to kill one is to solve its 'riddle'."

"Wat?" S asked.

"It's complicated. A trollge is like a ghost, still here because it has unresolved business. Solve the business and it will vanish."

"Whatever. I don't care what he is. He's mine. Can I just beat it to death?"

"I wouldn't recommend it, S."

"Everything dies." Nikusa added. "Just a matter of how much beating it can take." She said, chuckling.

"We aren't here to collect any abominations so do whatever you want. I don't care." Updike said brashly, turning his comlink back to neutral.

The trollge's eyes finally settled on Nikku. "You." It muttered, bloodshot eyes tearing up. "D-derpina...?"

The trollge shook its head. "You're an imposter." It twitched again, likely on the verge of some psychotic break.

Nikku raised the bracket and stepped back, ready for a fight.

"D-do you remember me?" It asked, still a violent but confused look on its face.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Nikku mumbled. As she looked at the trollge she felt a tire wash over her. Not like her earlier hot flashes, they felt entirely different.

"YOU ARE A FAKE! YOU ARE ARE ARE A FAKE!" The trollge raised its axe and ran towards her. It barely made it a step before S slammed into it, rocket jumping into a headbutt. They slammed into a wall.

Feeling some energy back, she ran to Nikusa, getting as much space as possible between them. Giving her a helping hand, Nikusa took Nikku to the monitors, getting her way.

"We aren't done you..." S paused, unable to come up with a proper nickname for it. He stood over the trollge. "You got a cheap shot, but I only need one hand to kill...you." S stopped.

The trollge just remained on the ground, in a fetal position, whimpering. "They took her. I can't believe she took her." He muttered over and over again, now crying.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" S spat, annoyed at the being's actions. "Fight me you coward!"

"NO! YOU STOLE MY DAUGHTER! GIVE HER BACK!" The trollge jumped up and tackled S, axe swinging. Though the blade crashed into S' eye, it was one of the most reinforced parts, the blade doing no damage. On top of S, the trollge slammed the axe down and down onto S vainly. It did little damage to the hedgehog who did little to fight back. A few strikes later it dropped the axe and punched S. It slowed down, punches turned to mere slaps.

"I can't fight. I don't want to fight. No more shocks. Please. I don't want to do it anymore." It pleaded and got up, stumbling backwards. "Please. Don't make me." It wept.

"He has a life drain ability, so be careful about standing near him." Displo said.

"We kinda figured that out." Nikku said, feeling a lot better now.

"He's been missing since the TCF collapsed. Exercise, uh, I guess little caution. Doesn't seem that dangerous." Displo said, still enamoured his research was actually needed.

"I can tell too. Stupid. How the hell did you cut my arm off?" S said, more annoyed than anything. He got up and started kicking Smiler in frustration, the trollge just crying, not doing anything.

"Man whatever. Gets boring when they get to the hopeless stage. You're such a pansy." S said. Looking over the distressed monster, S took note of another aspect. Shock collar, a red light blinking on it. It emitted a signal which rebounded off the console. Due to S' rewiring the signal didn't reach anymore. For the moment the collar was useless.

Grinning, S ordered a shock, sending volts through Smiler. "Let's see what you got!" S said sadistically. The being groaned in agony ads it's tears dried up. Feeling particularly capable he turned and started walking away. The crying stopped and Smiler got up, quietly picking up the axe. Bloodshot eyes returning he starred at the back of S. He mumbled something about the voices returning.

Nikku and Nikusa watched what happened next but said nothing. Both knew S could see all around him.

Smiler crept up on S, raising the axe in an attempt to bring it down on his head. S yawned and raising his remaining arm aimed it at Smiler, letting loose a blast of energy.

He turned around, now noticing that Smiler's appearance had changed too. He grew larger, hands now having tendrils and stretching longer. Most of all, his face changed, contorting from its spherical shape into a distorted smile. A smile that stretched his face outwards, as if the grin the centre of the head. It stretched to his chest. His bloodshot eyes were replaced by two gaping black voids.

He giggled maniacally. "I'm terribly sorry for my 'other' appearance. I simply forgot some things. But now. I'm back! Let's do a little trolling shall we?"

From the data centre, Solazar and Tess had stopped paying attention to the fight, focusing on the other teams and organizing everything. From Nikusa's wiretap of the family they determined he was one of the people present at that 'Night of Fire' meeting.

Displo watched anxiously, not concerned about S but worried they hadn't disarmed the forcefield or completed the mailroom takeover yet. He knew what S did as well, and while he didn't approve of it, also didn't see how it could derail anything further.

"Alright you freak." S said, excited now. "Bring it on!"

Smiler swung the axe, ready to bring it upon S' head again. S let him get a bit closer, loving the thrill of it. He used his last arm to block the shot, holding it back.

"Gonna have to try harder buddy, no more cheap shots."

With his remaining arm S fired a beam at Smiler. Blocking it with his ask, it moved erratically, closing the distance between it and S.

Swinging the axe upon the S, he grinned maniacally. S dodged, rocket boots propelling him out of the way. Catching himself on the ground he bolted to Smiler, fist out. Smiler brought the axe down, S' first and the axe colliding. With the momentum gained from the run he uppercut the axe. It flew up, landing to the side. S aimed a blast at Smiler. The being moved fast, grabbing S' remaining hand and cupping it, the monsters tendrils easily covering it and part of S' arm. They pulsed,

"S, be careful! They have a way of replicating. Shouldn't affect robots but it could harm Nikku or Nikusa. Wrap this up!" Displo said.

Grinning almost as much as Smiler he let the blast go. It exploded in a bright light, singing Smiler's hand and ripping through it. Smiler was launched to the wall. Though one of his hands burned it reformed quickly, giving ample time to the monster to grab his axe and aim for S.

"Go S!" Nikku shouted from afar.

"H-honey?" Smiler froze. In that instant he choked up again, loosening his grip on the axe. S easily pushed it back, using his boots to launch up and force Smiler down. He flew up and, rotating down, rocketed downwards, smashing a hole clean through the trollge, and hitting the bare concrete.

It smashed into the concrete itself, though did little to stop Smiler. Whatever he was made of reformed instantly around S' fist.

"Huh. Guess Starline was right." S muttered.

"I can't let you hurt my daughter. No. I cannot let you!" His smile started to fade, a round face returning. Eyes of darkness turned white, resuming the same desperate and lost look from before. He grabbed S' intending to use his hands to dig into S' eyes. Though, with the metallic build he found he couldn't do it. He changed his attempt, attempting to choke out S, even draining his life force.

S just looked at him, bored.

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Nikku watched as Smiler tried to torture the hedgehog, Smiler getting progressively angrier that it couldn't harm the being.

"Buddy. I'm leagues above whatever the hell you are supposed to be." S said laughing.

Nikusa had turned her attention to the systems looking them over.

"Should we help him?" Nikku asked.

"Hm?" Nikusa turned. "Nah. I've seen some sickos in my time, but this dudes barely got a grip on himself."

Frustrated by S' invincibility he had taken to trying to rip S' other arm out of its socket. This action finally started to annoy S. "That's enough BS from you. You're weak. You're a freak. You barely constitute anything. Lemme show you what a real monster can do." S spat, letting loose a massive blast of energy freeing his hand and nearly splitting Smiler into two. Smiler hit the wall for a third time, starting to realize just out outmatched he was.

As Nikusa began hooking up the systems to IRIS, Displo turned his attention to S' wholesale torture of Smiler.

"S that's enough."

"What? Ah, c'mon. I'm just getting started."

"You're quite literally torturing a grieving father. I know Smiler's casefile. He cannot harm you."

While arguing with S, he glared at Smiler who looked back terrified of the metal hedgehog.

"Uh-huh. He cut my arm off! And what about Nikku? He tried to kill her!"

"And you almost bisected him." Displo replied. "We can get rid of him the normal way. I believe Nikusa can deal with him. Please finish the system setup."

"Argh. Fine. You're such a killjoy. If we see another one of these freaks, I want a better go at them then!" S complained as he turned on Smiler and walked away to collect his fallen arm.

Smiler desperately tried to reform himself, reconnecting his body to his lower half. The axe just laid discarded on the side though he looked scared. Whatever pulled him into the twisted form earlier was long gone. His actions were frantic and scared.

Still watching from S' 360 view, Displo sighed. Much as Smiler was technically an 'abomination', he felt bad at its predicament. Freeing it was one thing, but S knew only torture.

"Nikusa. Can I ask you'll be nicer to it?" Displo asked, Solazar scoffing visibly heard on the link.

"Ehn. Emotionally damaged freaks aren't really my thing...well not THIS damaged." She laughed. With Nikku behind her, Nikusa walked up to Smiler, cracking her fists.

"So, Smiler is it? I'm curious about this life drain ability."

Having reformed part of his body he just looked up at Nikusa. "N-no. It can't be you. Why do you torment me like this? J-just leave me alone. Y-you took my daughter." Smiler trembled.

Nikusa shook her head. "Yeah. I can't do this. It's like beating a puppy. Can't even manipulate it. Displo how can we kill it?"

Displo sighed again. "S. I want you to go to the creature. Allow me to speak directly to it."

"Alright fancypants. Can I kill it after?"

"I will walk you through it but yes."

Leaving the console S hovered to Smiler. Still frantic it tried to push against the wall, a pathetic attempt at escaping.

"You were called Smiler, were you not?" Displo asked, his voice emitting from S.

"I-I don't know anymore. I don't want to fight. It's too much."

"There won't be any fighting, but I need you to answer my questions."

"I just want to see my daughter again. Please. I can hear her close."

Nikku didn't know what to think of the creature. Though it kept referring to her as her daughter she couldn't help shake the feeling there was a connection. It didn't help that her memories were coming back faster. Maybe it was hot flashes or the stress. She got closer just to see Smiler better.

"There will be time for that later. Just bear with me. I want to help. We brought her here for you. Do you remember being in a prison?"

"A prison, yes. B-but it wasn't like this. N-no flashing lights, no computt-ters nothing. I-I-"

"I see." Displo said. "But then you ended up here."

"T-that man took me, he took my daughter he took my-" A volt of electricity shot through Smiler's neck, visibly shocking him. He tensed up, the troll-like face returning. Even his skin changed colour, turning from the ghostly white to a pale yellow.

"S! Did you do t-"

"Hahahha! I am sorry about that. Where were we...right!" Smiler jumped up and grabbed the axe. He lunged at Nikku, ready to cut her down. Though, while too far to hit, it didn't matter as S was there instantly, hand blocking the axe blade.

S' eyes went black. "No more questions tinman. We do this my way now."

"Very well." Displo replied. A line had been crossed and he saw no reason to disagree.

"S! Rip his collar off!" Nikku shouted.

"Damn, that's a good idea. I like it." S said, turning his head 360 to agree with her.

Smiler understood that and dropping the axe stepped back as S hovered towards him. He tried to block S, pushing him away. Hovering ominously S did not stop, even burning through the trollge's hand when he tried to block him.

S grabbed the collar, gently pulling it to the back of Smiler's neck. "Don't do it!" He shouted. The collar shocked S, the volts feeling in his core. While he felt it in his circuits he was simply too pissed to care. It shocked Smiler too, the being screaming in agony as the collar's defense system activated. With one iron grip, S crushed the collar, the apparatus exploding around them .

S lurched, the explosion blowing him back. Smiler was engulfed a plume of smoke, the being choking and coughing. Smiler took the brunt of the explosion, ripping him in two, albeit burnt. He blinked slightly, skin starting to turn translucent.

His face reformed into the first look again, spherical and 'normal' and his eyes no longer a white void and skin white. The axe lay smashed to the side. Human in appearance, he took on a depressed expression.

S got up, ready to destroy what was left of Smiler.

"Y-you saved me." Smiler muttered; unaware he was in pieces.

"...Pathetic." S said, raising a hand and readying a final energy blast.

Though he hadn't paid much attention to Nikku this time was different. He looked up at Nikku a way off. The alien, though hear beating from the missed attack, wasn't sure what to make of the battle.

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Artist: Seki Takashi

Song: Vacant Lot

"H-honey. I'm so sorry." Smiler croaked. Though struggling to move, it started to slowly crawl towards her.

S lowered his hand.Too easy, He thought. He landed on the ground, ready to stomp the monster's face in.

"I-I don't know who you are." Nikku said, thoroughly creeped out.

Nikusa had completely stopped paying attention to the fight, again fiddling with the controls to the monitors.

"It's me. Y-your daddy-" S putting a metallic foot on Smiler to stop.

"S, go help Nikusa and complete your objective. Nikku listen to me." Displo said. "Go up to the creature and play along."

S shook his head, knowing full well this was a bad idea. He didn't appreciate Displo trying to cut in on his action either. He let go of Smiler and flew up, keeping an eye on them in case Smiler tried to pull anything. S understood that in his current form, Smiler didn't have the energy to fight back.

"W-what?" Nikku asked.

"Trust me. I know this being. He will not be violent towards you anymore, especially since he believes you his daughter." Displo said.

"D-didn't he just try to kill me?"

"That was off a psychotic break. His is too damaged to kill you right now. When trollges turn translucent it is a sign of dying."

Nikku didn't reply, finding Smiler's current, ruined appearance unsettling.

"Nikku, please. If the Family is in possession of a trollge this can cause serious repercussions for us." Updike spoke up through the link. His voice muffled by the sound of a boat, barely audible to Nikku.

Nikku gulped, slowly going up to the creature and putting on Pompom's voice, hoping it sounded close enough to a 'daughter'.

"Daddy?"

"Y-you rem-ember me?"

"I, I do." Nikku said, more disturbed than anything. She tried to hide it, unsure if Smiler could tell.

"Thank you. You, you've grown so much."

S hovered nearby, disgusted by the scene. Holding his torn arm he tried to pluck it back into the socket, keeping an eye on Smiler in case he tried anything.

"Honey, I'm sorry for what I've done. I just couldn't-" Smiler's voice grew distorted as it started to fade.

"Ask what happened." Displo spoke up, reminding Nikku this was not a sad moment.

"What happened to you?"

"I..." Smiler stopped just short of Nikku. He had left half his body behind and lacked the energy to keep crawling. "It's nothing for little girls to worry about." It rose a hand, trying to touch Nikku.

Feeling sentimental, Nikku got a little closer and put a hand on Smiler's. Though he wasn't strong enough, Smiler held it. He looked up at her, trying his best to smile.

"I'm a big girl now." Nikku said. "You can tell me."

"S-so you are....They locked us up. We got free, and they locked us up again. Honey. Get away from this place. Your mom. J-just find her, you you you need to get to her. Get away from this place. What they did it to us..." Smiler stopped.

"I will."

"From the bottom of my soul, I need to say... Thank you my baby. Don't...become...like...me." Smiler started to flicker rapidly as if he were fading into nothing.

"No, no no." S said, returning to the scene. "You're just gonna vanish after that. You cut my arm off! Now you're just gonna abandon your 'daughter'? You're weak." S spat.

Smiler didn't respond, eyes locked on Nikku.

"Oh so you're just gonna vanish like that? At least make yourself useful!" S said, ranting now.

The flickering slowed. "M-maybe y-you're right."

"I AM RIGHT. Now get up!"

"S, what are you doing?! Leave him be. A trollge is a lost spirit. Let him rest."

"No screw that. He cut my arm off! This world may be grim, but he doesn't get a pass for it!"

Displo grumbled. He didn't care about Smiler. He just wanted to see what a trollge ascending looked like. From the files he read it was supposedly a beautiful event.

Finding energy, Smiler crawled back to his lower half, the two connecting. He struggled to get up but look as determined as ever. "Honey. I am going to end this." Smiler said, his trollge appearance still apparent. "I won't let the voices win anymore."

"O-okay." Nikku said still unsure.

"Wait!" Displo shouted through S.

"Tell us what happened. How did you end up here?"

"We really gotta go through the questions?" S asked.

"Yes we do. This is imperative. You may not think these creatures-"

"Okay, I get it, geez-"

"No S. You don't understa-"

To Smiler, it looked as if S was arguing with himself. As they bickered he spoke to Nikku.

"They brought us here. Many of us. F-from that dark place. They made me build this." Smiler motioned to the centre.

"Who did?"

"I-I don't know their names. There was one he was..." Smiler stopped, unable to continue.

"There were others?"

"L-like me. Honey stay away from them. Most are gone. Faded. There are only three of us left." His voice sounded distorted, constantly struggling to speak. While still seriously injured he at least appeared at peace. "Honey. I will take care of the bad men. Stay here. Mom will come for you."

"I will."

Smiler smiled. Not a distorted, twisted grin, but a fatherly one. One final glance at Nikku he turned, picked up his axe and clutching his stomach walked out of the mailroom, a limp in his step.

With only more questions than answered she watched as Smiler left, dragging the axe behind him.

"Where did he go!?" Displo shouted through S.

"He, uh, left."

"What?!" Displo sighed. "What did he say?" He demanded. As Nikku relayed his final message, S just paid half-attention.

"Should we go after him?" Nikusa asked, only vaguely paying attention to the scene.

"No. I don't wanna be near him. Just what the hell was that anyways?" S asked after Nikku explained.

"I already said. A trollge. It would have ascended and found peace, but someone had to interfere."

"Yeah whatever. It doesn't get the easy way out."

Displo looked over the situation. With a trollge wandering the base, especially one that might have been imprisoned could spell disaster. It gets spotted, and they'll be asking the mailroom what the hell happened. Displo instantly thought of the plan. Play dumb. Smiler officially got out via the storage room exit, destroyed the collar himself. As soon as he's spotted and someone raises and alarm, Nikku as Mommy orders guards to apprehend him. Once Team Haskell destroys the gate and if Smiler hasn't been detected yet, Smiler's escape will be attributed to the explosion. Displo relayed the message, making sure Team Lisp knew what was at stake now.

"S, keep tabs on Smiler. You know what to do."

"Fine, whatever. Guess I'm a babysitter now."

"What would have happened if it ascended?" Nikku asked.

"It would have vanished. He wouldn't need to exist anymore. You would have freed the soul."

"So there's others? Are we gonna be able to deal with them?" Tess asked, also finding the scene disturbing. She stopped paying attention earlier to help Solazar, though mostly a result of not wanting to see the violence.

"Unlikely. Don't underestimate them. As to what that being was, or how he got there, it appears the theory that Family may have had a hand in the fall of the TCF is true. I'm combing through old IRIS documents right now." Displo said.

"So we have to worry about some new, creatures...thing?" You ask through the comlink, the sound of a car muffling you.

"I wouldn't worry too much. They don't seem that much of a threat." Solazar said.

"It depends. Case files here indicate there are only three more trollges remaining unsolved. Two of which if encountered should be trivial. The other two not so much."

"A-are there any in the water?" Kapi asked through teeth chattering in his end.

"I don't-"

"It's possible but stop worrying. I can take them." Updike said, cutting off Solazar.

Nikku had been silently listening but one thing did bother her, even if she herself didn't believe it.

"Was that...that my dad?"

"Absolutely not." Both Solazar, Updike and Displo claimed in unison. "Believe me. You'll know if that was your parent." Updike said.

"His daughter is another trollge called Derpina. Though I believe she 'ascended' already." Displo added.

"Pft. Whatever. Nikku. Get over here. Help me re-attach my arm." S asked, snapping Nikku out of that 'mood'.

"R-right." She nodded and made for S.

"And get that paint off of you, don't need that stupid disguise anymore."

"Mhm. Sure!"

With the mailroom secure and time wasted thanks to a smiling fellow, S worked quickly. The schedule of the guard's patrols was sent, magic repeaters set up, the anti-magic forcefield disabled quietly and backups and logs destroyed. With the mailroom secure the next team would be on the scene.

As S scanned the surrounding networks he found something odd. It stuck right out, after all he was familiar with that number. Opening a private conversation with Displo he sent it to him. "Yo Tinman, get a look at this."

"My goodness." Displo replied.

"Should we tell-"

"No. We must absolutely not let anyone know. Keep it quiet for now."

Displo mused over the console. The next team up was Haskell. Whitty, Carol and Annie.

The Mailroom is secured! All surveillance nullified!

The next chapter will be called Take 'Em to Church.