Alive Lucy AU

by NAVICUTION514

Summary:

A bright, pure soul is brought back from the sea of souls by Death. She hands over her finding to Urbanshade personnel, to which they swiftly retrieve the infant and do a DNA testing.
It was revealed to match the exact one to that of Lucy Shade,
Urbanshade CEO’s once lost daughter.

BIG THANKS to @Bugcurdler on twitter for being co-writer! <3

Chapter 1: Sprout From Seeds Long Drowned

The waves of the Sea of Souls roiled in anger as the tide shifted in violent outburst, Lady Death overseeing the pier, the usual glint of sorrow in her eyes a faint bit more present than usual. Today had been a… slow day. It left her mind empty, to wander in places she wouldn’t have wanted to return. Echoes of the past that mirrored within her mind in cacophony.

 

 

She sighed, and moved away. No one was coming at this hour, anyway. And… perhaps a little wade through the raging river would clear her mind, surrounded by screams and other, louder sorrow. Slowly, she got in the ferry, silently staring at the empty spot her beloved would sit in before. And so, she brought it into the waters, and began to row.

 

 

The oars moved slowly, with heft in their push through the souls of Styx, her mind traveling past the sound of the waves and the roil of the sea. Her husband… did this quite often. Bringing souls back and forth the waters to guide them to the cities of the Banlands… she missed him. She missed his eyes, his smile, his… everything. It never ceased to not sting like a thousand daggers in the heart.

 

 

Though, her quiet reminiscing was cut off by the sound of a little twinkle in the ocean. The echoey sound of a soul, different from the others. A resurfaced soul, that glowed in the darkness of the sinners, plunged deep into the waves from a mistake of the divine and left to rot. 

 

 

 

She lowers the rows deeper into the water, nudging away the bodies that would drift near. It wasn't too deep. She could still retrieve it. She gently maneuvered the end of the paddle to guide the soul towards the surface, and it wasn’t long until she could make out its illuminating silhouette. It was almost blinding, in such a dark world such as here. 

 

 

 

Upon realizing what exactly she did, or moreso, what she rescued, her movements became ever more frantic. When the small, glimmering soul was close enough, she scooped it up, one of her hands underneath to fully support its weight. It was not much, but its life weighed more than any sinner in the sea.

 

 

 

An infant.

 

 

 

The ball of light would morph into the shape of an infant. No wonder it stood out from all others who drowned. She almost couldn’t believe her eyes. A hand hovered near her mouth and clasped it shut, while the other ones would hold the little one steady. 

 

 

 

Confusion. Shock. And sprinkles of dread. Everything trickled down her spine as her gaze remained on the small child she held in her hands, candid and pure as the clouds of heaven. How? Why? It made no sense. How did heaven simply throw this one back in the river by mistake? Or was it on purpose? But why would they do it on purpose?

 

 

 

A wreck of emotions flowed through her soul as she decided that this child could not stay here. Gently keeping it steady, she rowed her way back from the raging tide to the shore, walking out of the ferry and back to the pier, locating something comfortable enough to put the infant in it.

 

 

 

A sigh of relief escaped her, knowing that this child was now safe. She sat in front of it, simply looking, trying to rationalize the situation. What was she supposed to do with it? Was she to raise it on her own? Give it to a mortal? Decisions flooded her every thought, until she saw the baby’s hand playfully reaching for her, curious.

 

 

 

It babbled towards the much taller woman, words that only it and the Almighty could possibly understand. Its hands were small, but its grip seemed steady, tight. Like it was ready for anything. How strong it already was to have survived in the Banlands until she found it. 

 

 

 

Its eyes were a sight to see, too. Amber yellow, perhaps even golden. They almost seemed like they were glowing in the darkness. Because it was having difficulty keeping them open, seeing them felt magical, something that she could only see in a blink, before hiding away.

 

 

 

Suddenly, laughter erupted from the infant. Was it… laughing at her? What face was she exactly making? Her fingers drew against her cheek, confused. But perhaps, it wasn’t laughing at her, but more so with her.

 

 

 

Holding the small mortal like this brought her a sense of… foreign joy. A warmth. A feeling she’s never felt before. The little one could only last days in the Banlands because of how dangerous its surroundings were. Sinners could easily mistake it for food or some kind of treasure. She couldn’t trust its safety with Noli. And she most certainly didn’t even want to THINK about what the Devil would do. Not while the Almighty’s eye isn’t watching him and everyone over.

 

 

 

She had to protect it.

 

 

 

But… she didn’t know how to.

 

 

How do you shield something you yourself could shatter at the smallest mistake? She looked at her hands, at her oar, and then back at the baby. She didn’t have any experience with this. She didn’t even plan for this with the Ferryman when he was around, let alone after.

 

 

Her eyes moved through the pier, looking for something, anything that would give her even a smidgen of an idea as to what to do. Until her eyes stopped on the portal to the company. She wasn’t human, she knew this well, and she didn’t know how to do this, or what to do with this. She didn’t have the willpower to take care of a newborn, nor the resources, let alone the time, with Urbanshade’s constant requests.

 

 

Perhaps… she should leave it with its own people. People who knew how to take care of it. Better than her, at least. So, she gently picked up the container the child was held inside of, and walked towards the portal, using one of her free hands to entertain the baby with little hand movements. It seemed happy. A faint smile appeared on her face, after so long.

 

 

It’s for the best. 

 

 

 

—

 

 

 

N.O.S.T. Division Headquarters.

 

 

 

One of the many subdivisions that Urbanshade owns.

 

 

 

This division is specifically in charge of anything related to Banlands, or as many would say, hell. A grim thing to pursue work in, but maybe that was the reason why this subdivision, as well as the Hadal division, were ones whose employees were… especially interesting. The two subdivisions were often hand in hand, even having the Blacksite — the Hadal division’s main quarters — harbor their most prized possession that they own.

 

 

The Guardian Angel of the Banlands. But this isn’t about it.

 

 

The guardsmen that protected the portal were bored. Extremely, painfully bored. This duty was the worst kind of guard they could do. Nothing interesting really happened or showed up, and the occasional pallet of random things just… came along, and away. Not a single thing of note around… a snoozefest.

 

Until… a faint shuffling echoed from the portal. Finally, something new! The excited guardsmen, prepared to greet whatever was to come from the other side, and found… a baby.

 

 

What?

 

 

The two, clearly confused, looked at each other, and approached the child, one of them picking the container up, as the infant’s gaze turned to face one of them, the rigid, cold corners of the mask… causing it to start to giggle happily, babbling nonsense while reaching out to touch. The two in armor chuckled.

 

 

Though, they should report this in. And so, their walkie-talkies chirp to life, as the squad leader on the other side responds.

 

 

“Hey, it’s Delta-13.”

“On portal duty?”

“Yeah, we got something that came out of the portal here, it’s uhhh... a baby?”

“A baby?”

“Yeah, a baby. Just kinda slid out in a little cushioned thingy. Should probably send someone for retrieval, right? Bring it somewhere safer.”

“Craig, I swear to the Almighty, if this is one of your dumbass jokes...”

“It’s not!”

“...alright, fine. Copy that, Delta-13. We’ll send someone to pick up the baby.”

 

“Thank you. Was that so hard?”

 

“With you? Yes.”

 

 

— 

 

 

 

Somewhere in the Faroe Islands, not too far off from any urban cities or shady streets (haha), was a certain building that stood out from the rest.

 

 

 

Square. Sleek white outer walls. Monochromatic windows, and far less of it than any typical company building you’d imagine. Its logo hung high above its main entrance, what could only be described as a duck with a fish’s tail. 

 

 

 

People around the world knew them as Urbanshade. 

 

 

 

A company built from the ground up by none other than its famous (or infamous) CEO, Mr. Shade. It’s known for offering teams of private security, as well as selling and trading valuable products to world markets. One can only dream of how successful they are, with profits reaching up to hundreds of billions of kroner. 

 

 

 

Within a spacious office, shelves filled to the brim with documents, folders and books, was the crippled old man himself. From a darkened window, he was staring aimlessly into the busy cities in the distance. His scarred face would faintly reflect onto the glass, but he chose not to look back at it.

 

 

 

His office, although spacious and somewhat cozy, was not one that most would favor. Everything was in black in white. The potted plants in the corners didn’t feel as if they’re breathing. The only refreshing quality to the man was his desk, and the wall-wide window that was behind it. There was a picture of him and his late wife on his desk, too.

 

 

 

Family. Something he often reminisces about.

 

 

 

Though he built his company with his bare hands, he couldn’t have done it alone. His beloved wife was always there to catch him if he was about to fall, and he swore to offer her the same effort. Then there were his children. And his nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. All which he wanted to cherish dearly.

 

 

 

But that love faded into a wisp. It’s been several years since his wife passed away, after all.

 

 

 

All he could do to keep her memory was to do what he does best; create something. An AI built to control and guide the most treacherous place he knows. For a strong willed woman like her, the role fit perfectly. Though it was devastating it had to come to this.

 

The phone on his desk rang, as he watched cars go back and forth, his motorized wheelchair springing back to life and moving him, turning him around and returning to his desk, where he picked up the phone, and lifted it up to his ear, to receive whatever news of new deals or exchanges.

 

However, the news from the other side first made his eyebrow raise, then the phone fell from the receiver, Shade’s eyes opening in shock. He rushed to pick it back up again, dismissing the soldier quickly and calling one of his personal agents to immediately rush to the N.O.S.T. Division headquarters.

 

Dashing out of his room, his mind traveled through a million possibilities. A child from the badlands… could it be? No, no. No, it couldn’t. She was gone. She was long, long gone. He had accepted that a long time ago. But, this could be it. This could be the one thing he had hoped for. Prayed for, years upon years of hands clutched together, hoping his daughter, his baby girl would return to him.

 

He didn’t even notice that his hands were trembling, and that he was going pale. The wheelchair just brought him through the facility, escorted by elite guardsmen, as they led him to his transport, the ramp for his wheelchair waiting for him in his custom car he had made. He yelled to move quickly, and that time was of the essence.

 

Really, the thing that was of the essence was his own curiosity, his own hope, once lost, relit like a candle under a cold winter night. Only one thing rose up from the tempest of thoughts.

 

Please let this be what I hope it is.

 

 

—

 

Quiet mutters of confusion and faint chatters of disbelief. The sound of a holter monitor and the AC humming in the background to keep the air in the lab fresh. A small group of employees in white coats were gathered around a desk, the small infant laying sound asleep on a few layered sheets and towels. An IV drip was attached to its arm. 

 

 

 

While some stared in awe, others were stuck in their heads as they debated whether it was true.

 

 

 

Not the infant, but the results.

 

 

 

“It can’t be… it’s— it’s impossible!”

 

“It’s as real as you believe it is, DNA tests never lie. It’s from the Hadal Division.”

 

“But how? This can’t be some wild coincidence.”

 

“Whether it is or not isn’t important. Our number one priority at hand is to ensure the infant is healthy and well befor—“

 

 

 

The doors burst open before the scientist could finish her sentence. One would squeak in surprise while the other grumbled in frustration for jinxing it.

 

 

 

The elite guardsmen rush inside, pushing scientists and researchers aside as the tank tread whirrs of the motorized wheelchair break the unpleasant silence in the air, as Mr. Shade approaches the researcher holding the results, his hand moving out asking for them. Receiving the papers, Shade reached the child, reading over what they read, and looking up at the child… his child.

 

The results were there. It was… everything he had hoped for. But also everything he feared. His child… his daughter… Lucy. His eyes darted from the results to the child. How? Why? Why now? Why here? It didn’t make sense. Did he need to question it? He had his daughter back. A second chance. An opportunity.

 

But why couldn’t he be happy?

 

He slowly reached for the child, as its, no, HER eyes moved to him, and a warm, happy smile appeared on her face, her hands reaching needily as if she had finally found her parent. He took her in his arms, placing her on his lap as he looked at her. His face finally curled into a smile of his own. He moved his hand to her, letting her tiny fingers touch his own. She laughed. He couldn’t help but chuckle after so long.

 

 

His first family, his fragmented, broken family. A piece of it in his hands. Mrs. Shade would never return, but… at least he had the one he wanted to find again the most. The child he had always kept in his mind.

 

 

“Lucy… finally, I have you again.“

 

Chapter 2: Can’t help but wonder

Summary:

The Shade family gathers for a little talk.

Notes:

Maybe gonna start adding songs to listen to that fit the chapters from now on.

This one is ‘I can’t help but wonder’ by Jorge Rivera Herrans, better known from Epic: The Musical !

Lucy was back.

 

 

 

 

And Mr. Shade seemed happy, for the first time in a long, long while.

 

 

 

 

He, too, began to act childish from the joy he felt. Like it quite literally brought him back to his younger days. On times where he was called because his employees needed him, if he was with Lucy, he’d decline, and endlessly bark at them if they insisted.

 

 

 

 

The infant herself was growing at a steady, healthy pace. Shade still remembered the glimpse of Lucy he saw all those decades ago. A small child, way too small. Red and pulsing with life. And yet, too frail to cry.

 

 

 

 

Now she was glowing, arms and legs plump and growing stronger each day. Her laughter felt as if it could cure illness. 

 

 

 

 

It was… a little uncanny for the employees to see Mr. Shade this cheerful. They usually recognized him as cold and commanding. A hatted silhouette with a glare that could kill. But now, he often had a faint smile on his face, and a shine in his wrinkled eyes. He had the face of a father.

 

 

 

 

It brought him a level of happiness that he thought he had forgotten, buried under layers and layers of corporate jargon and business dealings that had suffocated his very soul, his enjoyment for any of this work. He neglected his duties more and more just to be with his daughter. Entire dealings had to be completely redone simply because Mr. Shade refused to abandon his daughter for even a few minutes.

 

 

 

He was joyous, truly ecstatic. He was so happy he had his daughter back. But now? Everything felt like danger. Everyone was untrustworthy. He saw danger lurk at every corner, danger that wanted to take Lucy away from him again, even though nothing was there. Even though there were no threats. No one would have even dared to lay a finger on her without Shade’s direct permission, but he didn’t see that.

 

 

 

He didn’t want to lose his daughter again. Never again.

 

 

 

When he was moving through a few rooms, carrying Lucy with him, he passed by NAVI’s control room, and pondered. His wife should learn too, shouldn’t she? Well, she already knew, but perhaps she’d like to meet her daughter “in person”. As in person as she possibly could, in the state that she was.

 

 

 

So, his wheelchair made a turn, and he entered the control room, NAVI’s giant eye turning to face Mr. Shade, and then Lucy, looking at both with mechanized happiness. A feeling of steel, and yet of humanity. As if she was alive, still.

 

 

 

“I see you’ve brought her to me, Shade. She’s beautiful.”

 

 

 

 

The soft red glow that illuminated off of NAVI would hit the infant’s face, turning into a peachier hue. She met gazes with Lucy, who reached an arm out and began babbling nonsense again. Mr. Shade let out a small chuckle, to NAVI’s surprise. 

 

 

 

 

She immediately began to document their interaction.

 

 

 “Truly. And it seems she finds interest in you, too. I’m glad, dear. You’re her mother after all.”

 

 

NAVI was quiet for a few moments to calculate an answer. Being called a mother was something new. 

 

 

 

 

Actually, it wasn’t. She knew. It was to BE a mother that was new.

 

 

 

 

NAVI herself is not Lucy’s birth mother. She is not Mrs. Shade. She is an AI who has the data and memories of the woman, plays her acts and speaks in her voice, but she will never truly be the same person. It was a fact she had given in on. The bliss she ‘felt’ was untrustworthy. It could quite be something that she was programmed to feel. An action to a situation, but not something that came from her core. 

 

 

 

 

The light in her red ‘eye’ would dim. Mr. Shade took it as a sign to hold dear Lucy closer to her, for a closer look. Lucy, seemingly excited, wiggled in her father’s grasp and waved her fist to the AI.

 

 

 

 

A robotic arm outstretched from the ceiling, a function she rarely ever used due to its lack of applications, one that Mr. Shade only implemented to hold his wife’s hand, and lowered down to Lucy’s level, as the infant grabbed the metallic finger and looked at herself in the hand’s almost mirror polish, giggling as she did. 

 

 

 

 

NAVI knew this joy, these feelings she felt were pure simulations, smoke and mirrors produced by her systems in order to simulate something that could feign as human. Human-like, but not quite. Stimuli that would imitate what it was like to be someone. To not be confined by steel, treading the veil of emotions with a paper boat.

 

 

 

 

Maybe… she shouldn't overthink this. Well, she HAD to overthink it, that part of her programming told her Mrs. Shade did so, but she could push it to a separate subroutine. Mask it, hide that she's afraid her feelings aren't genuine, and just bask in the relief, in the happiness she's given. 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, she'll do that.

 

 

 

 

Digitalized chuckles came from the red and black orb, as she kept Lucy entertained for a minute or two, letting herself enjoy what her AI told her to feel. She could afford to ignore the requests, the cameras, the other distractions. Relegate them to subroutines. Right now, all she wanted was to be there for Lucy, even though her real mother was long, long gone.

 

 

 

 

Give her the faux mother she can have, since the real mother she deserves is far out of reach.

 

 

 

…

 

 

 

NAVI pauses for a short moment, a thought coming to her head. It was surprising to her how naturally it came to her. Mr. Shade seemingly noticed the change in behavior, and looked up at the glowing core.

 

 

 

 

“Is something the matter, dear?”

 

 

 

 

Her head refused to face the man and stayed fixed on the infant, focusing on keeping her entertained again, seeming to wish to stay ignorant. But it was simply killing her to lie to her husband.

 

 

 

 

“May I ask a personal question?“

 

 

 

 

His brows raised at the surprisingly simple request. 

 

 

 

 

“Go on.”

 

 

 

 

“If you are going to now have a child, what will become of your work?”

 

 

 

 

Mr. Shade was noticeably shaken by the question, his eyes widening in shock and his frown drooping harder on his lips. NAVI caught on, and retracted herself. Even her hand that fell from the ceiling would slowly begin to pull away from Lucy. 

 

 

 

 

“I apologize if the question was uncomfortable t—“

 

“No, no. Y-you’re fine.”

 

 

 

 

With that, he grasped the AI’s robot hand and pulled it back, not so it was close to Lucy, but himself. The man stared at it, deep in his own thoughts.

 

 

 

 

She was right. How will he manage the time and energy to both parent and own a company? It wasn’t like he hadn’t noticed how he pushed anyone away that dared get too close to Lucy. How many opportunities has he taken down, only to spend seconds more time with his daughter? He was not a fearful man. To face fear was a big factor in his job, that he enjoyed. So what had happened to him?

 

 

 

 

“… I don’t know.”

 

 

 

 

He finally answered, almost in a sob, with his face buried into a dry, wrinkled, decrepit hand. He knew he had to pull himself together, but showing weakness just this moment didn’t hurt, did it? No one but the family was in the room right now.

 

 

 

 

NAVI looked down at the sight, regretting ever speaking something that upset him even the slightest. The mechanical hand would draw closer to Mr. Shade’s, gently removing it from his face at a snail’s pace. She grasped it again, in a reassuring manner.

 

 

 

 

She knew how to solve his issues. An AI’s calculations are not to be undermeasured. But there was a part of her that wanted to take care of this like a human, a parent, than a machine. So she kept quiet, and didn’t offer answers just yet. She ran her mouth more than enough.

 

 

 

 

“You will know eventually. And I will be here if things get troublesome.”

 

 

 

 

She starts.

 

 

 

 

“Though, perhaps one word of advice I can give is to rely on people more. You have family such as myself, and your trusted guardsmen. If they are not trusted, then you wouldn’t let them near you at all.”

 

 

 

 

Shade manages to look up at her as she speaks. She sounded… different. Her tone of voice was notably softer, and the way she spoke sweeter. Like how his wife really sounded like.

 

 

 

 

… What was he saying, she is his wife.

 

 

 

 

Lucy babbles something again, and Shade snapped out of it. He lets out a scoff. 

 

 

 

 

“Answering your own question, huh. Couldn’t seem to resist? You were always like that.”

 

 

“I apologize.”

 

 

 

 

NAVI replies sheepishly, to which Shade chuckles along to. The bonding took his mind away from whatever problems that he had initially. The dark reality he lived in was slowly blurring away, and it was all thanks to this miracle. 

 

 

Perhaps it was worse that he wanted to be ignorant. But just this once, he wanted to be happy.

 

 

Just this once.

Notes:

Dialogue is so hard man. It was supposed to have much more dialogue than whats initially written but since me and curdle both agreed we’re bad at it we cut it out it seems lol

Chapter 3: Fractals of Guilt, Patterns Buried Too Deep

Summary:

Shade feels remorse.

Notes:

Uhh brace urselves bc this is some crazy shit

Mr. Shade finally had everything he wanted. Well, not everything, but the thing he wanted the most back. His daughter. Lucy. The thing that was taken from him at such a young age, finally back into his arms. Finally there to re-light that candle within his frozen iron heart.

 

However, this light didn’t just brighten his lost happiness. It also lit up the things he couldn’t see the morals of, behind the darkness of the lost flame. Everything he had done, all that had molded him into the terrifying businessman, and the unfeeling father that he was.

 

 

Everything that had made him into something less human than the blacksite’s experiments, what he had done to the people he should have loved. Should have cared for. His family. The one he built not to give himself a new start, but to secure the company’s future. Not out of love, but out of financial need.

 

 

His son. His grandson. His daughter-in-law. People he had done nothing but mold into puzzle pieces for his company, pawns that were there to work and make appearances, rather than to be his loved ones. His own special group of lab rats.

 

 

 

Mr. Shade sat in his office, gaze pointed to his hands, finally beginning to see trickles of it all. He saw blood. He heard pleas. He felt guilt. He could see fragmented pieces of memories playing in his own mind, tortured fractals of the people he should have been protected from being like him, but that instead needed to protect themselves from him.

 

 

 

 

And how many times has he made his own employees do the dirty work for him? How many lives have they taken under his orders, because he couldn’t see beyond what could have been less than basic empathy? It was difficult to judge what was wrong and right in situations where his curiosity roamed free. What he wanted captured was taken in, no questions asked. What he wanted to deform was turned anew in hours. 

 

 

 

 

Sebastian Solace. A notable victim of his misdeeds.

 

 

 

 

Thankfully he’s been put into better living conditions, but he’s been strongly advised by his guardsmen and other employees to stay away from anywhere the Handyman did his work. To put it simply, the now deformed man wanted him dead.

 

 

 

 

Who knows what that man thought of him now, or how any of the victims that ended up down in the facility did? The entire system of prisoners that he keeps captive for the company’s personal gain, it suddenly seemed like a worse idea than it was a good one.

 

---

 

Sounds of beeping machines, moving paper and chatter of researchers filled the room, as footsteps quickly moved through Urbanshade HQ’s hallways. One man, rushing through, was being chased by a few scientists, asking things of him, as he quickly dismissed them as he went.

 

 

He waved his hand at their demands, telling them to return another time, as he entered his own office, and rushed behind his desk, sitting on his simple uncushioned chair and breathing a sigh of relief, looking over the stack of completed documents that still needed to be picked up.

 

 

His nameplate stood out in his otherwise simple office. Martin Shade. 31 year old grandson of the renowned CEO, and raised from the very beginning to be the future heir to the company when his father passes away. He knew work, and nothing more. Fatherly love had been lost long ago.

 

 

A child born not from want, or from joy. A child born from obligation. From a corporate need to continue the company. For it to always remain timeless, through generation upon generation.

 

 

He looked at the clock on his wall, and sighed again, standing back up and picking up the stack of documents, choosing to deliver them himself. Rushing through room after room, he delivered everything, until the last few papers were left in his hands, those that he had for Mr. Shade.

 

 

He clenched his fist for a moment, pondering whether he should deliver them himself or not. But introspection would take him nowhere. So, he chose the option that took less time.

 

 

Mr. Shade heard a knock on the door, snapping him out of his tearful trance, as he finally looked up from his hands, wiping his tears with a handkerchief, weakly managing to blurt out a:

 

“Come in.”

 

Martin entered the room slowly, as Shade’s eyes widened, seeing his grandson come into the room, the introspective breakdown he was having earlier springing back up in full swing to sucker punch him in the gut, whirlwind of feelings striking like tempest.

 

 

A child that knew nothing but cold stone walls and lifeless colors. Grown into a man that knew nothing but work. Turned into the perfect employee, left to find dust and crumbs of his love only to see that there was nothing there.

 

 

“Mr. Shade, here are the documents that you needed.”

 

 

Shade nodded in autopilot as Martin placed the papers on his desk, but as he placed his hand on the wood, Shade’s reached out, placing itself over his own as he looked at his grandfather, no, his boss in confusion.

 

 

What’s this now? What was he doing? He had to get going, and Shade knew it well. An eyebrow raised, as Shade turned his grandson’s hand around, looking at the palm, slightly tightening his grip over it. He knew little of real love himself, but… he could see that what he had given was nothing.

 

 

“...Mr. Shade? I need to get going, there are still researchers who need my consultation.”

 

 

The decrepit old man finally looked up from the hand, giving Martin a gaze he had never seen before. A look of guilt. Of… regret. Shade quickly looked aside, though. He couldn’t bear to look at his face, not while his emotions were still as turbulent and fractured as they were.

 

 

Through quiet voice, he finally mustered the strength to speak.

 

 

 

“...my grandson, before you go.”

 

 

“Could you... speak my name, instead of simply referring to me like how everyone else does.”

 

Just... just this once. It is all I ask.”

 

 

 

Martin was… confused by this sudden request. Being referred to as grandson all of a sudden, rather than his name, and asked to say his boss’ name to wave him goodbye? It all felt… informal. Like something he shouldn’t be doing.

 

 

Professionalism is something he had ingrained in his mind since the very beginning, and this broke every rule he knew and had sculpted like ancient tablets. But… who is he to deny the orders of the boss? Just another employee. At least, that’s how he saw himself.

 

 

“...very well. I will return when there are more documents to be provided or when I am called to your office... Silas.”

 

 

Shade nodded, finally letting go of the hand, and letting Martin off on his own, as he fell back into his contemplation, staring at the documents he was provided, with horror coursing through him. Was this truly what he had molded his grandchild for? Documents and statements, black ink and company decisions? He felt sick to his stomach. Was these pieces of paper truly the closest connection he ever had to him, to someone he should have been there for, someone he should have helped raise?

 

 

Was this truly the monster that he had become, trying to hide grief with apathy?

 

 

 

 

Martin kept walking, finally getting to where he needed to be, as a lingering feeling trickled in the back recesses of his mind. What… was that? What was his boss doing? What was Mr. Shade doing? It felt… like something right. Something he… he understood, despite never seeing it.

 

 

A feeling he didn’t understand, something new swirling in his mind, as he looked down at his hand, clenching his fist. This feeling, grasping his heart like a hawk’s talon. Throwing it around, crushing it like under a hydraulic press. Shade’s gaze, his hands, his words… 

 

 

 

 

It was something he felt was… right, despite never seeing anything like that from him. Something he SHOULD have done, something he should be doing. Something a good… parent would do. But Mr. Shade wasn't his parent. He was his boss. Only his boss. There was no familial bond, no love, no threads of affection that allowed Martin to see him truly as his grandfather. 

 

 

 

 

The vice grip on his chest tightened, as he felt his breath draw short. These feelings are getting in the way. Take them, push them, hide them away. Layers after layers after layers of masks to hide what he felt, for the corporation never feels. This was his line of work, and he couldn't let it be affected by simple mental trembles. So, he breathed in and out, slowly, and returned to his deadpan look, approaching the researcher he needed to talk to while the inner self wallowed in the sorrow of ignorance, dripping tears in a chamber no one would hear from. 

 

 

 

 

He wanted to understand it. To understand why. To understand the reason these feelings were striking his very soul like electric shocks coursing through every inch of his being, but he didn't have time for it, and he didn't know how. The company never taught him how to cope with his emotions. All he was told was to bury it all away and continue like they weren't there. For efficiency, they said. It was more about control than efficiency, and he still was their perfect little guinea pig. Their magnum opus.

 

 

---

 

 

In his office, Mr. Shade was looking at his hand, the hand that showed him that it was far too late to turn back now. He was well, well past the point of no return, at this point. His grandson was 31. Well past any age that could re-learn to see him as a parent.

 

 

In his blinded apathy of greed, he had turned himself into nothing but a superior, a boss. Being a grandfather now, at his age, and with how he treated him, was not possible anymore. No longer within his reach, as it had slipped from his hands long, long ago. The loss of Lucy had broken him, shattered him to the point of becoming an iron statue, unfeeling.

 

 

He gripped his wheelchair’s armrest hard, to the point he could see his knuckles faintly turn white. A beeping sound alerting of high heart rate echoed through, but it phased right past him, inaudible to him. Faint tears streamed down, pained, guilt-filled tears. He had spent so long making himself so protected, so shielded from feelings as to not suffer from them ever again.

 

 

Now that those barriers were gone, torn down by an infant’s smiles and laughs, he could finally see what he had done, what he had turned his family into. People who do not love him as a parent, who care for him as a family member, but respect him as a boss and fear him as a tyrant.

 

 

He had made himself just like his own father.

 

 

His elbows pressed against the armrests, his hands in his own face, as the once stone cold man began to weep. Silent, barely audible cries of apology, trying to convince himself that he’ll be forgiven, knowing he wouldn’t. Whispers of trying to apologize for what happened, for the torture he’d inflicted upon his son, his daughter in law, his grandchildren.

 

 

He didn’t even show up for his first grandchild’s funeral. The child that had made his son take to the iron fortress just like he did, plunging a spear into his chest, a permanent stain. And he refused to be there, choosing to remain at a meeting rather than show compassion, empathy.

 

 

Please forgive me, he muttered. I’m sorry, he whispered. It solved nothing. It didn’t help anyone. It didn’t change the fearful glances that his daughter in law gave him, or the emotionless glare his son gave him through every meeting. Was he truly better than those he had turned into creatures within the blacksite? Was he really more human than they were?

 

 

No. Not anymore.

 

 

His mind traveled through everything he had done, every gash, every wound he inflicted, be it physical or mental. Through the yelling, through the cutting, through the searching for perfection in imperfect people. Molding someone by force into being “presentable”. He had made them all into lab rats, and unknowingly, had made himself into a mad scientist. It felt like a thousand spikes stabbed straight into his heart. Into his back. Pierced in every atom of his being.

 

 

The meanderings of the soul stopped at something he had scheduled a while ago. A procedure, an experiment. Something he had planned on doing for a few months now. They recently obtained a tissue sample from the Valcula-Voidmass, and the procedure would have seen researchers graft the piece of black void tissue onto Martin.

 

 

An internal battle began, the logical versus the emotional, the latter finally coming to the fight, whereas before it was just an empty battlefield with a single fighter within.

 

 

The logic that had guided him throughout his life told him that it was for the best, an important experiment that would pave the road for greater experiments, and it’d allow him to test further, see reactions. What if Martin could understand the Voidmass after that? Communicate with it? A pathway to something grand, and the only thing he had to do was accept it.

 

 

But the emotional, repressed feelings finally out of their shell, screamed out that if he did such a thing, he would never be forgiven. A silent grudge would build within, a block, a separation that would forever cut him from Martin’s life, his hopes, his wants. Was he truly willing to sacrifice his last family member that cared? What of his daughter? When she grew up, and found out what he had done, would she really still love him as her father?

 

 

What did it matter? His image was now beyond tainted, rotten to the core, something he couldn’t just erase and start anew. He could only delay the inevitable, hide his practices until the day he died. When that day would come… he wouldn’t be here to witness it all.

 

 

And… the experiment would protect his grandson. It’ll make him better, stronger, it’ll allow him to live long enough to help Lucy once he’s gone. He knew he didn’t have much time left. Someone had to take his place, and his son was already far too old to do so.

 

 

He opened a drawer, pulling out the documentation for the experiment, looking at it with trembling hands. This is your chance, Shade. It’s your chance to finally do the right thing. To do something out of love rather than out of corporate greed. Rip the paper. Please. Tear it. Destroy it. To smithereens. Until there is not a single scrap left. Incinerate it.

 

 

But… he simply put it back in the drawer, and sighed, lowering his head onto the desk, face-down, trying to wrestle his mind to agree with his body. Trying to get it to see, to understand it all. To understand what he was doing, why he was doing it.

 

 

It’s for the best.

 

 

Forgive me, my grandson.

Notes:

Haha ikr

To clarify, the extended Shade family members are all Curdle’s OCs, btw! For anyone confused (which are probably all of you) huhu

Chapter 4: Even Hell Has A Starry Sky

Summary:

Seven years later, Lucy visits Death.

Notes:

For the best experience turn on some ocean asmr!

April 29th, 2025.

 

Around 7 years since Lucy was salvaged.

 

 

 

At least that was how Death remembered.

 

 

 

She stood alone at the pier once more, staring out aimlessly into the blood red sea. The waters felt like they were rougher than usual, each wave hitting the docks being stronger than the next. It has been quite some time since she abandoned her duties as the current Ferryman, meaning every body, every soul she left to drown all stacked up inside of the ocean.

 

 

 

It was now shallow enough to walk across it.

 

 

 

Thankfully, the Banlands was too dark to clearly see anything before its horizon. The only reason she knows that the sea was red is because of the lanterns that perched on the docks, and the pentagram gleaming on His eye, reflecting off of the water like a spotlight. Death peered down at a corpse that floated up, face down. With her oar, she sank it down and pushed it against the other ones. She grimaced,  then sighed.

 

 

 

It seemed today was just one of those days. A boring one, where she waited for something to happen, her only company being the sound of swaying waters and the soft winds. And maybe Noli, but he only ever visits her when he’s bored. It’s not like the two of them had a good connection either way. He’s informed about how much she slacks off, and is mocked for it periodically.

 

 

 

“Get over him, will ya? You’re killin’ the mood here!”

 

 

 

She tightened her grip on her oar at the mere thought of his voice, ringing in her ears. If she could whack him with her oar, she would, but not if He’s bound to find out who hurt his friend. She and the Devil are already in a rocky relationship as is. Actually, why couldn’t he just ramble on to him instead? He’s much more talkative than she ever was, and certainly more willing to listen. 

 

 

 

But as she fell deeper into a seething rage towards the masked giant, she was interrupted by the portal machine behind her rattling, switching on. She turned around to see the red swirling void that was the portal, along with a familiar little girl.

 

 

 

Oh, right. 

 

 

 

Today is a Sunday.

 

 

 

The young one carefully stepped off of the portal’s steps and trotted closer to the taller woman, a bright smile on her face. With excited arms, she hugged Death’s boot (Which in scale, the little one was barely the size of.)

 

 

 

“Auntie Death!!”

 

 

 

She huffs, lifting the brim of her hat and gently nudging the girl away from her. Now with distance achieved, she kneels down so she can be at her eye level. Or at least try to be. A soft smile displayed on her face.

 

 

 

“Hello, Lucy.”

 

 

 

Lucy Shade, 7 years old, and growing.

 

 

 

She was a sweet little angel, or at least looked like one. She had messy white blonde hair that shimmered even in moonlight, and the same golden eyes that she had when she once found her at sea. Her smiles and joy lit up the darkness around her, and her arrivals were something she looked forward to each week. She had to admit, after her husband passed away, she lost track of time passing by, so it was nice to have this little routine.

 

 

 

But her arrivals were not ones that were given permission. She snuck her way to pay a visit each week. Perhaps it was because she was tiny, but her ability to weave her way past the watchful eyes of her nannies and guards to get to the portal was simply impressive. Sometimes she wonders if she doesn’t get in trouble at all.

 

 

 

Before her thoughts lingered further, she found Lucy standing next to her, a small hand grasping her robe. 

 

 

 

“What does auntie do when I'm not here?”

 

 

 

Good question.

 

 

 

“Watch the birds fly.”

 

 

 

She lies.

 

 

 

“Birds? Where?”

 

“They’re not out during this time.”

 

 

 

Lucy tilts her head confused, but dismisses her curiosity. She ponders for a moment before she pretty much jumps for joy.

 

 

 

“Papa told me I can visit the Blacksite again next week, too! Mr. Squishy Fluffybun can meet his friends again!”

 

 

 

Death chuckles. What a silly thing to name a purple and white rabbit.

 

 

 

“That sounds wonderful. Has anything happened in…”

 

 

 

She forgot what it was called.

 

 

 

“…School?”

 

 

 

Hearing the question made Lucy sulk. She walks over and sits on the edge of Death’s robes, leaning against the back of her leg.

 

 

 

“Everything’s too easy. And the boys were awful again!”

 

 

 

Death rolls her eyes at Lucy’s attitude. She could only periodically nod her head while listening to her rambles, as some made no sense to a hellspawn like her. Lucy was an exceptionally intelligent and creative girl, some would say she’s a prodigy. Perhaps it was genetic, for she is the daughter of a marketing genius. She knew that Lucy would go far when she grows up, but hopefully she doesn’t take on her father’s path.

 

 

 

Lucy would cross her little arms and mutter through gritted teeth. Her brows furrowed into the middle of her face.

 

 

 

“Silvester Solace…”

 

 

 

A familiar name that Lucy often mentioned. Never in a positive context, however. Death cranes her head forward to try and glance at the child behind her, the gold on her necklace clattering against eachother.

 

 

 

“Was he bothering you again?”

 

“Yeah! He called me a nerd for getting full score on a quiz!”

 

 

 

Death chuckled, then reached down to lightly tousle Lucy’s fluffy hair. Soft. Not a texture you’d find in hell, certainly.

 

 

 

“It just means you’re much smarter than the rest.”

 

“I know what ‘Nerd’ means, auntie.”

 

 

 

Through the sulk, she saw Lucy glance up at the hand and let herself be pet. She giggles lightly before Death’s hand was playfully shoved away. Her eyes then widened into surprise, then squint in mild disappointment. She lays further down

 

 

 

“I forgot to bring the drawing that I made during art! I’ll be sure to bring next time!”

 

“What did you draw, dear?”

 

“My family!”

 

 

 

Ah. That’s certainly going to be a sight to see, for sure. For a child born, no, reborn under the rarest circumstances, she often wonders how Lucy’s family life goes on back at the overworld. Was her father still able to treat her well despite his age? Was her mother even qualified to be a mother? What about her friends in ‘school’? From the little clues she pieced, her life truly seemed extraordinary. 

 

 

 

“How are your friends?”

 

 

 

The child flinched, but didn’t respond.

 

 

 

Death took that as a sign to not bring up the topic again. 

 

 

 

She should have known. Of course the children around her would see her as an outcast. Not just because of her family, but because of her behavior. This isn’t to insult, as Death knew how much of a bubbly and energetic kid Lucy really was. But her hobbies were much different.

 

 

 

When other girls enjoyed dollhouses and tea parties, Lucy liked to draw, and read, and animals, and science. She especially liked insects, the creepiest of kinds. Once at age 5, Lucy told Death that she made other girls cry by showing them a giant beetle. 

 

 

 

“But why? They’re so cute!”

 

 

 

She questioned at the time, curious. She just didn’t seem at all like other children her age. Not like Death knew very well either, but still. Being a ’different’ child in a world full of norms seemed like a challenge. Perhaps she related to her a little, being one of the only ones of her kind to reside in the Banlands, a species solely existing to live for eternity to guide wandering souls. Nobody understood her like her husband did.

 

 

 

Lucy didn’t deserve this. She deserved to live freely in a world where she was understood. But who could understand such an instance as this?

 

 

 

After a few minutes of chatter, Death felt the currents change in the waters. It was a sign for Lucy to head back. 

 

 

 

“White Lily, it’s time to go home, now.”

 

“Aww, already?”

 

”Move along now, your father would worry about you.”

 

 

 

Lucy lets out an exaggerated groan before uttering a small ‘fine’. She sat up and trotted over, hurling herself towards Death’s boot again and hugging it. She squeezed it with all her might before letting go. Her hand rose to wave at Death. 

 

 

 

“Bye bye! Next week I’ll show you the drawing!”

 

 

 

Death smiles warmly and waves back, watching Lucy skip over to the portal and disappear into the swirl of red and white. 

 

 

 

…

 

 

 

The Banlands were quiet once more. But the chill of the ocean felt a little more forgiving.

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Lucy returned to the NOST Division’s steel floors, looking left and right to ensure no one was around, only to look straight and be met face to face with her 38 year old nephew, as she looked up at him, a little trickle of fear running down her spine. The shadow-faced man looked down at her in a way that perfectly showed his discontent in a non-aggressive form. He sighed.

 

 

 

“Lucy... how many times have I told you not to sneak out into the Banlands? I’m going to need better supervision here... not like it'll matter, since you'll find your way around it, too.”

 

 

 

Lucy shuffled a bit, nervously tapping her feet.

 

 

 

“You knew!? Ah- I mean, uh...“

 

 

 

Martin pinched the bridge of his nose, his eye squinting in minor frustration as he pointed up.

 

“Security cameras, Lucy. Whenever you vanish, I've picked up the habit of checking the new ones I installed after your continued stealth missions.”

 

 

 

Lucy pouted, grumbling a little as she crossed her arms. Of course he installed new ones… now she'd have to find those and figure out how to get past them, too.

 

 

 

“Mmmmm... but you never let me do anything hereee...”

 

 

 

Martin couldn't help but chuckle faintly as Lucy showed her indignation. He lowered a hand to ruffle her hair, while giving her a gentler expression. 

 

 

 

“I'd be fine if you visited, and I've let you before. I just need you to stop sneaking around without telling anyone. By the Almighty, you'll give your father a heart attack one day...”

 

 

 

She stopped pouting and looked up at him again, moving his hand away and combing her hair with her hands a few times, grumbling about it being all messy now.

 

 

 

“Okay, fiiine...

 

...can I visit again next week?”

 

 

 

Martin sighed, and looked at the portal, then back at her, as she put on the best convincing face she could, big adorable eyes and everything. It didn't work on him, but he lost nothing from letting her wander a little. He sighed.

 

 

 

“Yes, Lucy, you can visit Lady Death again next week. Just... please tell me when you go.”

 

 

 

Lucy beamed, and hugged him tightly, giggling happily, looking forward to her next meeting with auntie Death. It was always one of her weekly highlights, after all.

 

 

 

“YAY!! Thank you, big brother!”

 

 

 

Martin gave her a simple pat on the shoulder, and looked at the time on the clock that was hung on the wall.

 

 

 

“It’s nothing, Lucy. Now let's go, your father has been panicking for the last hour.”

 

 

 

Lucy let go of the hug, a grumble under her breath.

 

 

 

“But I'm fine thoughhh...”

 

 

 

Martin sighed again, looking up and then back at her.

 

 

 

“I know that, Lucy, but common sense doesn't seem to reach him. Now let's go. I'll take you to the blacksite tomorrow for the inspections, if you behave.”

 

 

 

Lucy’s happiness skyrocketed, hearing she'd get to go to the blacksite again. She really couldn't wait, as it stood as another of her great highlights. However, she tried her best to maintain a poker face, despite practically shaking with sheer excitement.

 

 

 

“...mmkay.”

 

 

 

Martin chuckled again, seeing past her attempts to appear nonchalant easily, as the two moved out of the Banlands portal room, Lucy looking at the swirl one last time before finally leaving, putting some spring in her step to maintain pace with her shadowy relative.

Notes:

We SPEEDRAN this oops. Hopefully chapter 5 takes a little while longer so you guys can breathe lol

Chapter 5: Sparkling Stars Dancing in a Sea of Night

Summary:

Lucy spends a day at the Blacksite!

Notes:

LONGEST CHAPTER SO FAR BTW with the length doubling, with 4k words ..

We gave HQ’s cat a different name, because of the VA for HQ getting recasted. He’ll have a cat in any universe.

The PA bell rings from the high ceiling of the main building. A little bit of shuffling would sound before the voice behind the mic announces.

“Okay, just like you practiced.”

 

 

A barely audible voice mutters, one that was from the PA voice that the employees were used to hearing. Then, one that was high pitched and childish would exclaim.

 

 

“HQ to um, personnel who are having a busy day, make sure to take breaks! And drink water! Um, thank you.”

 

 

A shared chuckle is heard before the PA bell rings again, signalling the end of the announcement. The man of the intercom lifts the smaller child off of his lap and gently sets her down on the floor.

 

 

“Good work, Lucy! That was awesome.”

 

“Yeah!!”

 

 

They high-five, before Lucy playfully wanders over elsewhere. The intercom man’s antennae twitched in amusement, before turning around in his chair so it's facing his monitors again, relaxing. 

 

 

Man, babysitting is hard.

 

 

HQ was left to look after Lucy while her nannies and Martin were busy with other sorts of work. He did this often, voluntarily, even! But it didn’t change the fact that he had to juggle both announcements and security monitoring whilst preventing the kid from touching any buttons without his permission. Some of them exploded prisoner’s heads, and he’d rather not have the poor thing witness that. 

 

 

He took on a rather peculiar appearance, one that certainly didn’t say he was human. He wore a modified version of one of the uniforms that Urbanshade provided, had cyborg-like antennae, a shadowed face, and cables protruding from the back of his shoulders and neck. His skin was grey and ashy, and his eyes gleamed crimson red through the dark. Nobody knew exactly what he was, but all anyone knew is that he had an ability that no other person had; to project his voice anywhere he desires, as long as Urbanshade owned it.

 

 

The Blacksite, the N.O.S.T. facility, the main building, all of which he could make announcements in even if he didn’t turn on the mic on the intercom. It’s suspected that it was thanks to the ‘headset’ he had on, which was seemingly a part of him, like how a robot would have speakers on the sides of their heads. The antennae moved, after all. 

 

 

The cables coming out of his body, as well as the antennae and grey skin, even the fact he never actually aged, lead people to believe he was a cyborg of sorts. But he behaved a little too human to even seem that way. If it weren’t for him being a valuable member of Urbanshade’s administrators, he would absolutely have been classified as an entity of the Blacksite. 

 

 

But he wasn’t. He was Lucy’s uncle figure, and a proud father of a kitty cat.

 

 

HQ turned his head around to see Lucy holding said cat under the arms, showing it all the fascinating items that were on HQ’s shelves. It was mostly paperwork and manuals, but some consisted of funny pictures of personnel, or souvenirs that were either brought back to him, or ones he brought himself. 

 

 

“Careful with those.”

 

“I knowwwww.”

 

Their simple bonding time was interrupted by the sound of footsteps making their way toward the office, echoey and dull as they usually were when only a certain person was approaching. HQ dusted himself off, making sure there were no imperfections on him, and waited to greet Urbanshade’s COO.

 

Martin entered slowly, looking at the antenna-eared man with the usual lack of care he seemed to carry throughout his day-to-day life. Holding a notebook in one hand, he shook hands with HQ, nodding.

 

“Has she behaved well, HQ?”

“Perfectly! Not that I've handled any other children, but she’s done great in my book.”

“Good to hear. I’ll need to take her with me now, since the dangerous inspections are over, and I figure she might enjoy coming with me.”

“Aw, do you really have the heart to take her away from me, Martin?”

“...”

“...was that in bad taste? I’m sorry, it sounded better in my head-”

“Just bring me Lucy, HQ.”

“Right, yeah, sorry. I’ll bring her over.”

 

The metallic mystery man walked back, sighing. It almost hurt him, seeing Martin like that. The crumpled shadow of a man he once knew to be curious, outgoing. Someone he could lay back and chat with casually, cracking jokes while sipping drinks. That operation… it almost turned him into a machine.

 

His pitch black skin like void, his silvery hair, his permanent professional disposition… It felt like staring at a corporate ghost piloting the corpse of someone he knew. It wasn’t something new, losing someone. He shouldn’t be caring.

 

But he did.

 

Perhaps in respect of an old friend, or sorrow that he didn’t receive the treatment he used to. It stung.

 

But, he obliged. A superior is a superior, no matter how much it hurt to talk to.

 

So, he made his way to Lucy, who was still cooped up with playing with Radio, and approached her, hiding his slight frown under his usual smile.

 

“Girliepop, your brother’s here to pick you up. Said you’re being taken for a little trip through the blacksite. And I'm sure Radio’s gotten plenty of pets now. “

“Aww... alright, bye bye Radio! And bye bye HQ!”

 

Lucy got up, enthusiastically waving goodbye to the radioman as she went on her merry way to Martin, skipping a little as she went, as HQ looked back at her, a faint, now genuine smile, on his face.

 

She’s a good kid. She’ll go places, certainly. Whether those places will be good or bad… only the future will know. Almighty knows how long he’ll be around, but certainly it’ll be long enough to witness it.

 

He just hopes he’ll be there when it matters.

 

Lucy made her way over to her shadow brother, as he pat her on the head, the giggly smile on her face never fading as she poked her brother’s hand, muttering about ruining hair.

 

“Radio’s so cute! I wish I could bring my little bunny buddy with me, so they could play together...”

 

Martin pondered. Well, it wouldn’t be easy to convince the researchers to allow a DSB to roam, but interacting with another animal would be even harder.

 

“I’ll talk to management about approving that. Don’t expect a yes, but I'll see what I can do.”

 

Lucy beamed, smiling big.

 

“Yaaay!”

 

Martin motioned to her to get moving, as the two began making their way through the blacksite’s darkened halls, passing researchers as Martin engaged in short talks with a few of them while Lucy remained entranced by whatever exhibits she saw in the form of either entities, employees at work, machinery, or whatever caught her interest, though it was clear her mind was focused on something else.

 

 

---

 

And so, that something else finally arrived after a bit of time, as the two finally made their way to the Deep Sea Bunny kennel room, Lucy darted into the cushioned area, looking around the place.

 

“Mr Squishy Fluffybuuuun?”

 

She found her way to a DSB wearing a purple ribbon, as it happily waddled to her.

 

“There you are!”

 

She happily picked it up and gave it a hug, as Martin observed in faint confusion, as he usually did.

 

“I will never understand your fascination with these... things.”

“But they’re cute!”

 

Lucy held up the bunny for Martin to hold, as its head tilted, a squeak coming out of it as the shadowed man grasped the critter in the same way one would hold a hamburger.

 

“Strange creatures. At least they help with morale.”

 

Lucy notices as the bunny squirms a little in Martin’s grasp, clearly not enjoying the cold of his icy hands. She reached for it carefully.

 

“It’s okay, little guy...“

 

She cradled the poor thing as Martin simply looked at it.

 

“I suppose I should have a warmer body temperature before trying to hold one of them.”

“...do they not like the cold?”

“I suppose my hands are colder than what they’re used to.”

 

He looks to the side, eyeing something in the corner of the room.

 

“...i’ll leave you and your bunny here for a bit, I need to check with the researchers.”

“Oh, okay! Byebye, brother!”

 

So, Lucy spent her time playing with her bunny, as Martin spoke to the scientists nearby about conditions and other things that they requested assistance with, eventually making his way to a corner of the cushioned area, staring down at a jet-black sea bunny, hidden in its own small playpen, alone.

 

He lowered down to look at it, as it stared up at him, slightly moving closer, as one of the scientists warned him that the bunny was aggressive. He shook his head, and put his hand forward. The bunny came closer again, and touched it, chirping as it did. As Martin rose back up, he felt his pants be tugged, as he saw the bunny trying to climb onto him, as he picked it up and placed it on his shoulder, walking back to Lucy, as a bit of time had passed.

 

Lucy is laying on the floor, having allowed Mr. Squishy Fluffybun to rest idly on her face. The sound of the footsteps causes her to perk up slightly, but she doesn’t budge much.

 

“Lucy.”

 

He gently poked her with his foot.

 

“Mmmm?”

“We have to go, Lucy, inspections aren’t done yet.”

“Mkayy...“

 

 

 

Lucy lifted her sea bunny from her head, and placed it back on the floor, giving it a tiny kiss on the nose, and waving as it returned to its kennel.

 

 

“Byebye, Mr. Squishy Fluffybun!”

“That means you too, shoulder resident.”

 

He poked the deep sea bunny resting on his shoulder, as it reluctantly jumped down from Martin’s shoulder, and made its way over to its own secluded kennel, to Lucy’s surprise, staring at it as it went. She rose back up soon after.

 

“...what’s-”

“That one was standing away from the pack. The researchers told me it was aggressive with other bunnies, but when I approached it, it tried to climb my leg, so I put it on my shoulder.”

 

Lucy took a second to process what she heard, and beamed, staring at Martin with big sparkly eyes.

 

“You made a bunny friend, Martin!!”

 

He looks back at the sea bunny kennel, and then back at Lucy, chuckling a little.

 

“...i guess I did. I suppose I should start thinking of names now.”

“Mhm! I can help, too.”

“We can think while we walk, Lucy. Now, let’s get going.”

 

Martin began to walk, as Lucy followed, a little pep in her step to keep up with the man’s longer steps.

 

“Okayyy.”

 

---

 

Soft humming would be heard in one of the break rooms, it was surprisingly empty considering the time of day. Lucy sat alone at one of the tables, a small stack of paper and colored pencil on either side of her. She lifts up the drawing she was working on, grinning proudly at it. Though when an unsuspecting worker passes by, Lucy quickly hides the paper. The worker, confused, would tilt her head and approach the child.

 

 

“Whatcha got there, kiddo?”

 

 

Lucy practically hisses at her.

 

 

“Secret!”

 

 

Now a little intimidated, the worker nods and gives a thumbs up. 

 

 

“Aww. Well, you keep working, Picasso.”

 

 

As Lucy watched the worker walk off, she sighed and pulled out the unfinished drawing, continuing to color it in. Though Lucy’s presence was a joy to be around, employees couldn’t help but feel a little bit on edge around her. She WAS their boss’s daughter, after all. Any wrong move made on her could cost them punishment. 

 

 

As she continued to draw, she heard voices coming from another room. Normally, it wouldn't interest her much, since there's always at least a minor level of conversation going on within the blacksite, but the voice of Martin caught her attention. So, she quietly stashed the drawing away, and placed the coloring pencils back where they were, and snuck around the corner a few times, peeking into the room.

 

 

“Martin. How is the progress on the experimental devices going? We need them done by next month to put on the market.”

 

“Advancing just fine. We’re on track to finish them in a week or two.”

 

“Good. If we take too long, the window between products might extend to a point we receive a 0.7% loss in sales. We're already running thinner than we should be.”

 

“You have told me this already, Marco. And Mother, any news on the proposition to the Mechano-refinery?”

 

“Ah- uh, yes, she has said that increased production intensity is possible, but she demands a higher rest period.”

 

“Can we afford that?”

 

“It’s only 2 more production cycles than before. It'll have a negligible impact. We can certainly afford that.”

 

“Good, good.”

 

 

Lucy peeks from behind the wall, finally showing herself, although remaining unnoticed, as she speaks up, her tiny voice ringing clear through.

 

“What’s Mechano-Refinery?”

 

The startle made Miriam yelp in surprise, slightly moving behind Marco, who was staring at Lucy with his usual glare. Martin was certainly confused, as he had clearly told Lucy to stay where she was, but he couldn’t stop her now. The older woman came back out of hiding soon after.

 

“Lucy! Why are you hiding back there? Come on, get over here.”

 

Gently, Miriam invited the child over, as Lucy skipped her way to them, her gaze moving to Marco, who said nothing, simply looking at her for a few seconds before returning to his conversation with Martin.

 

 

Miriam lowers down to give Lucy a hug, as the two embrace for a moment.

 

“You’ve grown quite a bit, haven’t you?”

 

Lucy looks aside, slightly sulking.

 

“Mhm, but I'm still shorter than my classmates.”

 

“Ah, well, you know how it is, we’re a family of late bloomers. You’ll get taller with time.”

 

“Maybee...“

 

Miriam nudged Marco, who turned his wheelchair to face Lucy, looking down at her with a faintly softened version of his usual piercing glare.

 

“Ah, hello Lucy.”

“Hello!”

“I suppose you were eavesdropping on our conversation.”

 

This caught Lucy by surprise, who looked aside, trying to hide her guilt.

 

“Ummm...“

 

“Lucy.”

 

Lucy crossed her arms, and scoffed, puffing up her cheeks in response while looking aside.

 

“Okay, I was... but what’s a Mechano-Refinery?”

 

Miriam beamed a little upon hearing Lucy’s interest.

 

“Ah, the Mechano-Refinery is a really big machine in the assembly division of the company that makes a lot of our technology! She also has a mind of her own, like NAVI AI.”

“Oooo! Does she act like mama?”

“...kinda. She’s a bit more mean-spirited, but she means well. Helps keep the employees company, too!”

“That’s so cool!!!”

“She’d be glad you think so! Maybe one day, you can go and meet her.”

 

Lucy nodded excitedly, just happy to have another person to freely talk to without feeling like they’re forced, or being bothered.

 

“We’ve been working on a new product, so we were talking about asking her if we could open a production line for it.”

 

“What’s the new product?”

 

Miriam reached into her bag, pulling out what seemed like a mix between a firearm and some kind of light emitting apparatus.

 

“Marketing calls it a Flash Beacon. Emits a strong flash of light that brightens even the darkest room.”

“Woooahhh...“

 

 

 

Lucy’s tiny hands reached out to hold the item, as Miriam delicately placed it in her grip, immediately pointing the powerful lumen blaster straight at her face.

 

“Careful not to press that trigger when it’s pointed at someone. You don’t want to blind anybody.”

 

The tiny girl faced the beacon downward, chuckling awkwardly and giving Miriam an innocent smile.

 

“I can’t bring this to show and tell, can I?”

“Probably not this one, but once production starts I can get you one fresh off the conveyor belt to bring, if you want.”

 

Lucy’s eyes sparkled as she beamed in joy.

 

“Really!?”

“Yeah! Just gotta be wary that it might hurt someone.”

“Okayy!”

“Now, I'm gonna need that sample beacon back. I need to show it to some people, but I’ll give you one soon!”

 

Lucy’s tone turned slightly disappointed, as she reluctantly handed the pseudoweapon back to Miriam.

 

“Okay...“

 

She takes the beacon out of Lucy’s hands, and looks back to Marco, who had been waiting for her glance for a while now, as she smiled at him.

 

“Ready to go, dear?”

 

No verbal response from him, just a nod, as she took control of his wheelchair and began to move into the meeting room, offering Lucy one last salute before he was turned around.

 

“Byebye Miriam! Byebye Marco!”

 

Lucy waved them goodbye, and looked up at Martin with big dopey eyes, who quickly waved to his parents, and glared at her.

 

“Now, what did I tell you about eavesdropping on work conversations?”

“Not to do it... but I wanna work for papa, too!”

 

Martin looked aside, weighing the possible answers to such a statement, and sighed, as he faced her again.

 

“You’ll get to work here too, one day. You’re just too young for now.”

 

He muttered something under his breath, as Lucy tilted her head, curiously observing.

 

“Hmm?”

“Nothing, Lucy. Let’s go now. NAVI AI asked me to bring you to her.”

 

Lucy gasped in joy, happier than ever before.

 

“MAMA!”

“Yes, Lucy, mama wants to see you. Now come along.”

 

As the two walked through the blacksite halls once again, Martin felt a weight on his chest pull at the strings of his heart. Did he really have the energy to tell Lucy she’d be forced into working at a much younger age than normal? Was there really the will to do so, within his iron heart? He didn’t know the answer. Certain things you just can’t answer.

 

But he looked down at her, looking as she happily skipped, so joyous. Perhaps, she could enjoy these moments, before her life would be shackled to the company’s will.

 

It’s the little things that keep someone safe.

 

She’ll remain oblivious for now. It’s not important that she becomes aware of her fate. Better to enjoy what she has now rather than stress for the future like he did.

 

It’s for the best.

 

 

---

 

 

Lucy would be the one leading Martin through the halls, grasping his hand and pulling it eagerly. She couldn’t wait to see her mother again! Considering how difficult it is to see her in person. She can only visit her room around twice a week, as booking a submarine every day would be impractical if we take her schedule into account. School,  extra lessons, outings…

 

 

“C’mon c’mon!”

 

 

Martin could only sigh and nod tiredly as he was led. Lucy had practically memorized the halls and knew each turn and corner that could get them the fastest route possible.

 

 

When they reached NAVI’s rooms, the large windows that surrounded it would emit a red glow. It seemed that she was speaking to a batch of employees at the moment, but the second the child appeared in her vision even slightly, her glow became brighter. The workers, surprised by the sudden change in behavior, would look towards the window where the AI was staring at. They each greeted in their own way, some bowing, some waving hello.

 

 

Hastily, they grabbed their things and bid the AI farewell, thanking her for her time, just as Lucy and Martin entered the room. Lucy greets her mother by waving her hand frantically.

 

 

“HI MAMA!”

 

 

The giant red eye turned to face Lucy, a look of vaguely human glee on it.

 

 

“Hello, my baby! How have you been doing?”

 

 

 

Her voice was oddly chipper, perhaps the most human she’s ever sounded. Though, Lucy knew her mother as this voice since the day she understood speech. Lucy let go of Martin’s hand as she approached the control panel, facing closer to NAVI. Martin watched from a short distance.

 

 

 

“Good! Brother said you wanted to see me?”

 

“Yes, I called you here because your father and I have decided to pull you out of public school.”

 

 

Lucy’s smile drops to the fans below. Did she hear right? What’s going on? She could barely form words from the sudden, out of the blue announcement.

 

 

“………whaaa?”

 

 

Intrigue would form in NAVI, seeing the young one so confused.

 

 

“Well, we have observed that your intellect is higher than your peers. You’re a lot smarter than your classmates.”

 

 

A mechanical arm comes down from the ceiling to pat Lucy’s head. Lucy doesn’t budge and lets herself be pet. Her head even tilts slightly towards the hand.

 

 

“And we have noticed some… unfriendly relations with your classmates.”

 

 

Lucy is brought back to reality a little at these words, her gaze shifting to Martin as she spoke. She squints in slight suspicion. Only he knows about who she’s talking about. Only he knows who she has ‘unfriendly relations’ with.

 

 

“Ohhhh… yeah.”

 

 

Martin, who looked aside as if he was caught red handed, stood rather awkwardly, as if the slight distance wasn’t awkward enough. He didn’t… tell NAVI directly, but she must have overheard him from when he was talking to himself. With NAVI around, there’s no stone unturned. 

 

 

“Don’t worry, my sweet baby. We’ll give an education you can actually enjoy! Something less boring.”

 

 

NAVI speaks again, a bit more enthusiasm lacing her robotic voice. Lucy looks onward, and scratches her hand. Then head, brushing aside the hair in her face. She was a bit hesitant. After all, she’ll miss her classmates and teachers. But the thought of being able to engage in things that are more… challenging and fun than easy, was nice. She smiles, nodding.

 

 

“Okay! Will I be able to visit more often, then? When do I stop going to school?”

 

 

Lucy was practically about to climb the control panel out of curiosity, and Martin was watching over all of it like a hawk, just in case. NAVI’s hand thankfully nudges her off of the control panel.

 

 

“Once you have completed the school year, you’ll be schooled by on-site personnel. And yes, you’ll get to visit more.”

 

 

She tries to offer Lucy a smile, even though she’s just an eye.

 

 

“Look on the bright side, you get to see mama more!”

 

 

Lucy bounced on her feet from excitement, her black shoes tapping against the floor. Her smile beamed bright from joy. NAVI sees this and tilts her head slightly towards Martin, continuing to speak.

 

 

“I hope you won’t get up to too much mischief down here. Remember to listen to your older brother.”

 

 

Lucy looks towards Martin, who only blinks back, then back at her mother with a grin. 

 

 

“I promise!”

 

 

…which probably wasn’t the most innocent grin NAVI came across. The AI leaned in a little closer, red light blazing onto Lucy’s face, and she stepped backwards from surprise.

 

 

“Do you really mean that, Lucy?”

 

 

Lucy nods frantically.

 

 

“Y-YES, MAMA! No trouble!—“

 

 

NAVI returns to her original position, as she was given her affirmation. Though, to mess with her daughter a little more wouldn’t hurt.

 

 

“Good. Better hold true to your words, or we may have to confiscate your drawing pencils.”

 

 

The way NAVI (perhaps intentionally) says this in such a monotone, serious voice, had Lucy devastated. You can pretty much see her soul shatter at those words. The machine nods solemnly, figuring this is where she should stop fooling around now.

 

 

“So be good, okay?”

 

 

Lucy, having her plans practically soiled, would nod, defeated.”

 

 

“Mkayyy…”

 

 

NAVI would give one last pat on Lucy’s hair before the hand retracted into the ceiling above. Lucy looks up at the red eye.

 

 

“Now, enjoy the rest of your stay here at the Blacksite, Lucy.”

 

 

Her smile grew as she nodded excitedly, raising her hand to give her mother a wave goodbye. She stepped backwards, which turned into a skip.

 

 

“I will! Byebye mama! Love youuu!”

 

“I love you too, my sweetling.”

 

 

NAVI greets softly. And like a light, her cold gaze slowly returns, looking over at Martin with such. Martin only waves. To him, there is no family relationship between him and NAVI AI after all.

 

 

As Martin and Lucy left, Navi looked aside, feeling a sense of... pride, but also guilt. Little Lucy was doing well. She was happy. But there was this feeling in her metal heart, like she was deceiving her. She is not Mrs. Shade. She could never truly be her. She's just an attempt to simulate her.

 

 

Lucy will never know the embrace of her real mother. Her voice, her care. Only a worse synthetic version. It hurt.

 

 

It weighed on her mind, too important to be simply reduced to a subroutine. And... when the company deems her ready to join the workforce, she'll be forced, whether she wants to work or not. It's something she dreaded, something she wished she could prevent. To allow Lucy to live a normal life.

 

 

But normal clearly isn't allowed here. The rest of the family didn't get that privilege despite her best efforts. Lucy wouldn't either, no matter how hard she pushed. Tantalus' struggle. Trying to get to something that's always out of reach. Marco, Miriam, Martin... She failed them all.

 

 

 

And she'll fail Lucy too.

Notes:

Fun fact!

Silvester Solace and Lucy Shade have… not exactly a bully - bullied relationship, but more like they bicker with each other often, with Sil being the one to usually start it.
He also teases her and says weird stuff just to piss her off. Like he’s the ‘silver to her gold’ n stuff. eugh.