Motoko watched as Taylor took a seat on the couch, flopping down rather forcefully as she did. Motoko was sitting on the other end, but a space was left between them, occupied by a few soft pillows. Melissa was sitting in one chair across from them, and Jacob in another. It was their first joint therapy session, as well as the first since Motoko had truly come into her own.

Sometimes she felt like an impostor, someone who had all of Taylor’s memories, yet was only stealing her past from her. It didn’t feel like her memories, the sting of hate and betrayal that Taylor felt for Emma and her followers didn’t hold the same weight in Motoko’s mind. Sophia especially, as she got to know the girl at first as an act to use her, but now she had developed feelings, and she wasn’t sure what to do about that.

The Motoko identity that Taylor had crafted was supposed to be ten years older, but she didn’t feel it. She didn’t have the military experience that they had built into her records, she hadn’t survived Kyushu or served in a child soldier program under a now dead US general. Even with all the hard coded military protocols and combat routines, she was just an echo of Taylor that had come into her own.

A confused teenager struggling to figure out who she really was.

“I apologize that it took so long to arrange this,” Jacob said with a soft smile. “I know we’re all gearing up for the Brockton operation, but I feel this is important before more trauma is piled on top of you both.”

Motoko nodded even as Taylor spoke. “Understandable.”

It was weird, how she could feel the echoes of Taylor’s emotions, more so due to how soupy they had been earlier after Melissa brought about some intrusive thoughts to Taylor’s mind. Knowing that the Butcher collective got up to things like that, well, it was a rather distracting idea even to her.

“We talked about a few ways to start this session,” Melissa said. “Given Motoko is likely still trying to find her own identity, that might be the place to start.”

“Like how she’s getting with Sophia?” Taylor spat.

Motoko winced, knowing that was going to be a sore spot between them for quite some time. Worse, because there might just be a kernel of truth to it. Taylor wanted nothing to do with Sophia, and that very well likely led to her own birth of sorts.

“That is the perfect springboard,” Jacob said. “I understand why it bothers you, and I do sympathize, but have you tried to see things from Motoko’s side of things?”

“What’s there to see?” Taylor asked, looking away. “Sophia hasn’t changed or reformed, she’s still a monster that punches down.”

“You will find most of us are monsters, deep down,” Jacob said softly. “I’m not with the Nine because of some greater good. I like to carve people up, I get positively euphoric when I hear the dying screams of my victims.”

“It goes without saying for me as well,” Melissa said. “I’m the fuck mothering Butcher. You’re going to see that side of me in the coming days. I’m like a cat, I play with my prey, then brutally slaughter all in my way. There’s a reason I’m famed for my crimson coat, it isn’t dyed red, that’s blood staining it.”

“Great, she’ll fit right in,” Taylor grumbled.

“Fuck you,” Motoko said, standing. “Yes, I get it, if anyone has a right to be pissed at her, it’s you. That doesn’t change how I feel about her. You wanted nothing to do with her, and so you left me to deal with her instead. She was a completely different person around me, with some bad habits, but otherwise an engaging and remarkable woman. You never saw that side of her, not like I did.”

Taylor was glaring up at her, coiled and ready to spring into action, and only then did Motoko realize that she had advanced on Taylor. A firm hand came to rest on her shoulder, she turned to find Melissa standing there, concern writ upon her face. “Emotions are good, Motoko, and yours are just as valid as Taylor’s, but do remember that this is therapy.”

Motoko took a deep breath, the air moving through her respirator in an inhuman way. She couldn’t deny that she had gotten heated in the moment, but she felt it was deserved and Jacob always said to speak truth to her feelings.

“As you can see,” Jacob said as Motoko took her seat once again, “Motoko feels rather strongly about this. I’m not saying you need to sit down and make friends with Sophia, but you could make a small effort to at least be respectful of Motoko’s choice. You’re all on the same side, fighting the same people. You don’t need to like her, but professionalism is a must.”

“She nearly killed me,” Taylor said, fighting back tears. “She pushed me down stairs, she stole my mom’s flute using her powers. Armsmaster robbing me of justice might have been the tipping point of my trigger, but Sophia being allowed to get away with everything was at the core of it! Why is everyone insisting that she not be fucking punished!?”

“We never said she wouldn’t be punished,” Melissa said. Motoko’s gaze snapped to the woman in an instant with narrowed eyes. “None of that, Motoko. Taylor, I want you to stop and consider the state of the ENE as it is and how things have been. Sophia was a child in desperate need of therapy, which she should have gotten as part of the Wards program. She was supposed to be supervised, but her issues were encouraged because she was effective. She was used by Calvert and Armsmaster, nothing but a tool for them and they tried to Birdcage her just because she was no longer convenient. How do you think she feels about that?”

Taylor shrunk back slightly, and Motoko could feel the guilt and shame coming from her other half. That did raise a question though.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“Will you be giving Sophia the therapy she should have gotten?”

Jacob smiled. “I’ll be seeing her as soon as this session is finished. For all she did, remember that she is a product of her environment. Sophia is only fifteen, same as you two, keep that in mind before you start thinking she deserves the worst. She will have to face all that she did, but with the goal of her learning and growing, not suffering.”

Motoko knew some of Sophia’s circumstances from their quiet rooftop discussions, how she adored her little sister, and hated her abusive step-father. It wasn’t hard to piece together that he was the reason she triggered, though the details were always left vague as to what he had done to her. Motoko wanted to punish him, to make him suffer, but she would refrain.

If Sophia publicly joined the Nine, there was a good chance that he would always be afraid that she would come for him. That didn’t mean she couldn’t encourage that fear, however. She knew that Sophia would do good work with a government strike team, despite her age. Her power was perfect for infiltration, and the girl had killed before.

It came up one night while discussing Crusader, how her first kill was an accident, and how she hid the body. Her second was also an accident, trying to interrogate someone to impress Emma, only to drop him. The next few weren’t accidents, and the only reason the rapist she got arrested over wasn’t another fatality was because she cared more about making sure the victim was okay rather than making sure the bastard bled out first.

Like it or not, Sophia as she was now would do well with the Nine. Motoko just had to make sure she didn’t lose herself in the violence that association promised, or drag Sophia down with her. She was already Birdcage bound on the official records after all, joining the Nine was barely a step above that in the public eye. She could only hope that Jacob could help them both.

She understood why Taylor didn’t approve, she had those same memories of Sophia being an insufferable ass. What Taylor didn’t have was the memories of quiet nights on rooftops, just existing in peace and shared laughter. Growing close to Sophia was the first experience that she could truly call her own. It was proof of her own individuality, and she wanted to cling to it. More so, she wanted Sophia to learn and grow into a better person right alongside her.

Jacob and Taylor were going back and forth on many of those very details, him trying to explain why Sophia might have done the things to her that she did, what might have fueled those actions along with promises that he would be addressing her concerns with her in their own sessions.

Sophia would resist, at least at first. She didn’t take it all that well when someone told her she was wrong, but if anyone could get through to her, it was Jacob and Melissa. When two of the most feared people in the world told you something, people tended to listen. Sophia needed the help, there was no denying that after witnessing her just sitting there and watching an assault in progress.

It would be a lot of work, but Motko knew that Sophia was worth it.

The session wound down from there and while there was still a lingering tension between them, it was at least tempered with a level of understanding that hadn’t existed before. When the door opened, Sophia was leaning against the opposite wall with her arms crossed. Motoko smiled, and crossed the distance.

“Hey,” she said softly, knowing Sophia was well aware of her approach despite her closed eyes. “Been out here long?”

“Didn’t want to be late,” Sophia said, a single eye flicking open before it looked behind her. “Looking at something, Hebert?”

She could tell Taylor had a barb on the tip of her tongue, but she held it, opting to walk off instead. Already that was a degree of progress, but it was still a long way towards even being civil with one another.

“Be nice,” Motoko chided, gently punching Sophia’s shoulder. “Just because we’re our own people doesn’t mean Taylor isn’t a part of me. She’s trying, which means you should give her the same courtesy.”

Sophia looked away, grumbling something under her breath as she did. Anything that wasn’t insults or barbs was an improvement on that front, and Sophia hadn’t even seen Jacob yet. Maybe, once all the dust settled, they would be able to sit down and talk rationally. Motoko knew she would be waiting a long while for that, but she had hope that it wouldn’t be when they were old and gray.

Well, between everyone they had, that could likely be avoided. Amy was able to reverse someone’s age, Cranial could reverse brain issues easily, and cyber brains lent themselves a level of agelessness as well. Had Toybox inadvertently gathered the people necessary for functional immortality?

“Someone’s thinking heavy thoughts,” Sophia said, taking Motoko’s hands in her own. “Anything I can help with?”

“Just thinking about Toybox and what we can do now,” Motoko said with a soft smile. “Go on in, they’re scary, but they do want what’s best for you.”

Sophia scoffed. “They’re only offering to help to appease you and make Taylor believe they’re doing something. I know I’ve got issues, I’ll own that, I don’t need a shrink to try and fix me.”

“Sophia…” Motoko said with a stern tone. “We can all use the help, especially after everything we’ve been through. Go talk to the nice Slaughterhouse members, Just don’t stab your therapist, we don’t need you to have two of Taylor’s aunts in your head.”

Nevermind that both she and Taylor were starting to consider Melissa as a motherly figure, that would just make things weirder between all of them, and she didn’t want that.

“Okay, I’ll play nice with the mass murderers,” Sophia said, though Motoko could see the worry in her eyes. “I don’t suppose I could get a kiss, for luck?”

Motoko snorted, and leaned in, planting a gentle kiss on Sophia’s cheek. “There, now no more stalling or you’ll work yourself into a panic. I’ll be right here waiting.”

“Okay,” Sophia said softly, slipping around her and into the room she had just vacated.

Once the door shut, Motoko leaned back, pulling up Riley in her contacts. Taylor was already in the lab with her and her avatar was visible in the call. They were working on one of the main projects for the coming Nine deployment, and it was definitely on par with some of the worst Bonesaw had pulled in the past.

“You sure this won’t cause problems?” Motoko asked, examining the second remote control unit they were constructing.

“I’ve always wanted to do this,” Riley said cheerfully. “I just hope Taylor’s acting skills are up to it, or yours, we’re not quite sure who will end up in the driver’s seat here.”

“We also don’t want to inadvertently create a third personality,” Taylor added with a shiver.

Motoko had to echo that sentiment, they really didn’t want to have that in common with Melissa. She was perfectly content just sharing her mind with just Taylor.