Indigo's Owl [Indigo Rewrite]

Chapter 16 - Interview

"That is quite the recommendation," said Discord, tapping his tablet. "I do have some concerns to address before we proceed with this interview, particularly in regard to the background check."

With a glance towards Raph, who nodded, Athira gave Discord a thin smile. "I'll answer whatever you require to put your mind at ease, Discord."

"I'm glad to hear it," said Discord, though he sounded anything but. "I understand that at your Hue Rite you were identified as a volatile merger, and that you lost control at one point during the sessions. Have you experienced anything like that since?"

A volatile merger — a Purple who, as a result of the Indigo-Violet merge had developed abilities from both the original Colours, abilities that sometimes clashed with dangerous results. That's what the Elites had assumed she was at thirteen, and she'd never had a reason to correct them.

"My control over my Colour is generally stable without outside influences," said Athira.

Half-truths, Raph had said, were safest. His earlier nod had confirmed this Purple Elite wasn't one of the few with an ability that might cause them problems, but it was still possible they had some form of lie detection ability that half-truths often fooled.

"Can you clarify what you mean by generally stable?" asked Discord.

"That most of the time, I have control of it."

Discord gave her a withering look. "I had assumed that much. I was hoping you'd elaborate on situations that are not 'most of the time'."

"You should have said," replied Athira, all too aware of Raph's locked-on stare. "Situations where I'm forced to wield significantly more Colour than I normally would at one time can prove difficult to maintain complete control."

"Give me an example."

"Reader at Starpoint tower," said Athira. He'd taken her amulet, flooding her body with Black right before a Surge. She swore her insides were still scorched from the pain. "He attempted to hold me captive, but my efforts to fight him and later evacuate Shift and myself from the collapsing tower eventually overloaded my Colour, and I passed out."

Athira kept her gaze trained on Discord and watched the faint, violet glimmer of the Purple Elite from the corner of her eye. They didn't react past a small glance at their own tablet, which she supposed was a good thing.

"I see," said Discord. "While we're on the subject of Reader, do you know what motivated him to abduct you on two separate occasions?"

"I encountered him before Starpoint," she said, which was true. The Owl had almost caught him once before he'd vanished. "I can only guess at his true intentions, though he did imply he wanted me to work with him." Also true. Sure, he was interested in Rathe, but she had no idea why.

"Potential recruitment, I suppose," muttered Discord, making a note on his tablet with a pen. "How was he able to find you yesterday? There's no record of an intrusion at Indigo base, yet Keeper Dukehart's report of yesterday indicates Reader was able to abduct you."

"I... left the base for a while after I woke up and realised I was missing a few personal effects," she said, keeping her words vague and hoping Discord would assume the rest. "I wasn't expecting to come across Reader again so soon."

"I thought you said she was smart, Raphael," said Discord, a smirk on the edge of his mouth. "I suppose I should have known, given the weak-willed are far more susceptible to mind blasts."

"I don't think there's a need for insults, Discord," said the Red Elite. "Especially when it's been proven that the will of an individual has little to do with the effect of a mind blast."