The Untold Story of Texas and Lappland (Arknights)

What Went Wrong

"How dare you—" Swire gets cut off yet again, this time by Hoshiguma.

"We will do what we can to regain your trust, I assure you. But for now please finish answering Ch'en's question." The prompting words came out with the air of nobility she expected from the tall defender at this point. A part of her wondered where the woman came from . . . She'd never seen anyone quite like Hoshiguma before.

"I'm not sure there's anything more to be said. I've already told you what I know." She admitted.

"Is there someone else we can talk to?" Swire asked, the shorter woman still seemed to be coming down from her flit of annoyance, but kept some professionalism to her tone. "If Emperor isn't here?"

"Texas." Croissant found herself answering in time with Ch'en.

The unison was grating.

"Ah. You're wolf leader. Weird to see a Columbian alpha in these parts." Hoshiguma mused. "Especially one from that family."

Her mouth gaped. "You know Texas's family?"

A firm shake no. "I haven't had the pleasure of meeting them, no. But I've visited those parts in the past, heard a great many tales. Those wolves . . . They stick together. They aren't deserters. Packs are meant to stay together forever after all. So I wonder why . . ."

"We can talk about those musings later. If that's all you have to offer then you're dismissed Croissant. I'll go find Texas to straighten out the situation tomorrow. For now," Ch'en jammed a hand in her pocket. When it came back into view it was holding two small bands, marked with a glowing neon blue light. "make sure these get to Lappland and Mostima. This is so we can identify them and prevent any friendly fire."

Croissant stared at the bracelets in disdain as they touched her open palm. Angry fingers curled around them, the cold metal a reminder of what Infected were considered to many of the people of Lungmen. Just one of the many things wrong with this world. When are we going to trust each other again? Stop hating one another for no good reason.

"They aren't going to like this," She said.

"I'm not expecting them too." The words held a silent apology, but Croissant found herself less enthused to accept it. She's in power. So why doesn't she do anything? Would it really be that difficult to make change?

Maybe all of this was above her pay grade.

But those thoughts didn't seem all that impossible.

"What Ch'en means to say is we'll all feel better if they are as safe as possible." Hoshiguma entailed reasonably.

"Alright then. I'll go." She jammed the bands into the pockets of her fur lined jacket, shield heavy in her arm as she stalked the rest of the way to the elevator doors, aware of the three LGD officers watching her every move.

Let them.

****

Texas took one look at Mostima as she saw the other right when the elevator doors swung shut, and then grabbed her wrist. A questioning blue gaze bore into her. "We need to talk." Was all she said in offering.

"And it can't wait?" The expected question.

She remembered Exusiai's hesitation, the desperate hope bleeding behind the fragile smile. This was her home. Texas would not allow her friend to put herself through such pain again. Not if she could do anything about it.

Not to mention Lappland.

Oh Lappland.

A whole other problem entirely.