Meeting Mels

As the girl in front of me comes into view I get a good look at her. Nearly 6 foot tall and with legs for days is a woman with hair as black as night itself with streaks of red like blood running through it like veins.

Her hair's colour might be ominous but her hairstyle is the complete opposite. The hair splits in two and flops down to her shoulders. It rather resembles the tail of an adorable animal from the orphanage girls' childhood. It sways slightly as she walks into the room seeming excited for her.

She's wearing a skin-tight bodysuit with a black and red colour scheme. The red lines run across the suit and sort of highlight the areas of her body that need to be highlighted. Like there's a line running down both sides of her trousers and one running up her stomach and straight through where I assume her belly button is before splitting off into different tracks and tracing her moderately large chest.

The neckline's high though. Like there's no neckline. It just hugs tight to her neck and only stops a few inches away from the chin. I know this is a combat suit and it's sort of her work uniform but like this could totally pass for a good bit of fashion if she used it right.

Instead though I see the face of what is very obviously an older sister type smiling like one and the twin tales behind that face that make her look really adorable. Of course the adorable impression is immediately offset by the way she handles herself. WELLL. There's that and there's the fact that she carries a few deadly looking objects on the belt attached to her hip.

I spot a knife, a laser and a personal shield. Oh and also a combat suit. The knife looks like the bio-electric kind that knocks people out or heats up depending on your preference. The shield looks high quality and that's all I can really say about it. The laser looks new though. Bet she's going to show that off later. Wait is that one of mine?

"Soph did you just say you can't see? How dark do you keep your room? I get that you prefer damp and dark dungeons to clean and orderly houses but squinting at the light when you see the outside indicates an actually serious problem." Amelie gently admonishes me while smiling. Yep. Defo giving off big sister energy.

Despite the jovial tone she took with me when mentioning this though I know she would seriously up the lights in my room if I didn't say something to assuage her fears so… "Well. This is just how I like it ya'know. It's not like I'm gonna go outside any time soon. I'll leave that to the healthy young'uns like you sis." I reply to her with a grin.

Despite that I'm having a little bit of a cold sweat in my mind. Please. PLEASE DON'T TURN UP THE LIGHTS! I scream at her internally. She latches on to something else I said though and I in turn don't wanna miss the opportunity to change the subject. "Did you just say young'uns? You are among those young'uns you know. You're 19 years old for crying out loud!" She shouts at me with the sort of retort you'd see in a comedy show.

This is typical banter though so I speak up in turn. "Oh but the world passes me by so fast. Why I'll be in my 60s and talked about behind my back as the witch of the district before I know it." My comment appears to have rubbed her the wrong way though. Well she's probably just playing along but she looks actually annoyed at that one. Maybe I hit a soft spot.

"I'll admit that youth is fleeting but not so fleeting as for a 19 year old girl who doesn't leave her apartment to start acting like an old lady. Oh and witch? No one would call you a witch." she takes a breath before continuing.

"Sure you've got the whole mysterious vibe around those from the orphanage but you're more like a flower than a witch. Look but no touch sort of thing. Rather than touch and you'll be stewed in her next concoction. Though having known you since you were a child. I actually agree that you fit a witch way better than a delicate flower."

We stare at each other for a moment after her tirade. Once we've done that for a while though we both burst into laughter. Yep this is definitely Mels alright. Only she would describe me of all people as a witch.

We eventually finished laughing and I got to proper greetings and stuff. "Yo Mels been a while. I think? You know I was never good at this sorta thing. That a new laser." I rattled off my greetings like a gattling gun. I was never one for formalities and Mel never cared so screw it.

"Yes this is a new laser and yes it's been a while. A few weeks actually. Though that is likely not very long by your standards." She replies still giggling a little. Yeah a few weeks ain't that long for me. I get reaaaally absorbed in work and stuff so not talking to friends and family for years at a time is kinda my personal trait.

Not that I have many I'd really consider under the umbrella of 'friends and family' or I have a load depending on your perspective I guess. "Mind if I take a quick look at the laser. Wanna make sure it's deservin' of you Mels" I say casually. Despite not knowing about my Mainframe stuff I'm pretty well known for being a tech geek and computer nerd. Plus a delicate flower apparently. Look but no touch c'mon. What am I? Made of glass.

"Sure why not. I wanted to show it off to you anyways." Replies Amelie with equal casualness before taking the weapon off the belt on her hip and handing it over to me. Grabbing it from her I quickly push off the floor with my feet and use my cool swivel chair to glide along the floor towards my now pitiful desk.

"Let's have a looksie here." I mumble to myself by force of habit and take a look at the laser. It's in the typical shape of a firearm with rectangular upper half and a protruding handle. The colour is a mix of white with glowing red lines along the surface of the weapon. This is just aesthetic though and likely just Mel's preference.

The real proof is in the pudding so to speak. So I take the gun apart over the next few seconds as I examine it. Yep this is definitely one of mine. I notice my company's logo on the light condenser inside the laser. No one would use our light condenser in other weapons because it makes them explode. I'm just that good. I think this to myself casually patting myself on my back as I examine the rest of the weapon.

It looks kinda like one of our mid-range models and is in pretty much perfect condition. I perform a little maintenance subtly so Amelie doesn't notice but it's just simple stuff. Cleaning out the dust, checking the batteries that sort of thing. Wow this one even has a perpetual power source like my personal shield on the door.

This is definitely in the upper mid tier of our selection. We're known for our top quality stuff too so I have absolutely no idea how she got her hands on this. Regardless it's working fine so over the next few seconds I put it back together again and toss it over to Amelie from where I'm sitting at the desk before pushing off the desk and spinning around on my cool swivel chair as I glide back towards her.

Yes I'm going to call it cool every time because IT IS COOL. I have my own swivel chair and no one will take it from me. I declare the war of cool chairs. Who am I warring against? Why, the rest of humanity. Their sense of aesthetics is wrong if they don't think these chairs are cool.

While I'm having those thoughts though I realise I may have overshot and I'm about to crash into Amelie. She's just caught the gun as well so her hands aren't exactly free. Oh shi- before I can do anything though, she holsters her laser and puts a hand on the arm rest of my chair stopping it in it's tracks.

"Thanks Mels. You're a traffic warden genius." I graciously thank my saviour who just stopped a highway collision all by herself. So cool, see big sister energy. I'm telling you she's the best you can ask for.

"Traffic warden? I do wonder where your mind goes sometimes but you're welcome Soph." She replies with a bewildered and defo rye smile on her face. Don't think I don't see that exasperation. I know you only put up with me because I'm cute.

I pout a little and she becomes even more confused so I decide to just give up with that line of thought. Who cares! "I'll be cute forever and no one can stop me!" I hear a sound come out of my mouth before I can stop myself and immediately realise my mistake.

Looking at Amelie's face gives me all the answers I need. She's just staring at me like I'm insane. Actually not much has changed in her expression. Has she always secretly thought I was insane? Wellllll…. That's probably not wrong if I can get along with people like Emily.

Let's move on from my sanity it's depressing. Groping in the darkness of my mind for a change of subject I come upon the easiest mutual connection between us. "How is the orphanage by the way. I know we send some money back every so often but I never really check if that goes to the right places so could you give me the deets sis." I say with puppy dog eyes. See I really am cute. I'm totally not insane and you're insane for thinking that.

"You only ever call me sis when you're desperate where the hell did your mind go honestly." She still seems exasperated. Noo! Not even the puppy dog eyes can obscure my sanity. This must be changed!

Regardless though she answers my question. "Flux's demands are getting ridiculous by this point. I mean at least three quarters of the adults who grew up in that orphanage are working illicit jobs like me and we're still barely able to pay them the fees they want for severance." She explains this with a heavy tone sounding utterly distraught.

"You remember that kid who was always sitting in a dark corner doing nothing while we were there. A few years ago he started working as an assassin to make the money and when they came to him wanting more money he eventually ended up working for them. I'm nearly certain that he's currently the head of security at the nearby flux branch." Wooooah things have gotten that bad huh?

That guy was way too timid for his own good though so I guess he'd chose the path of least resistance. Can't fault him for it but still hurts to see another dragged into the abyss. Flux the corporate abyss where orphans get dragged after being hounded for their entire lives. That malignant entity shall be stopped by the hero Mainframe who swoops in and saves the children in the knick of time.

Who am I kidding? I can't even escape them myself much less get everyone out. If they knew about my business I'd bet they'd totally order me to hand it over and absorb it as a flux branch and I'd be able to do very little about it.

At the very least they'd be able to drive me and my business out of this area or any area under their control and that'd be reaaaal bad. I guess Emily just has to do her best. I'm sure she'll enjoy it immensely.

"Sucks to lose another one but such is life and all that. Less depressing topics please! Computing…. Found one!" I say to Amelie trying to once again change the atmosphere. Sitting around here moping about our problems isn't good for mental health.

"How'd you afford the laser? With what you just said I figure you'd be sending most of your funds home how are you affording new equipment? Especially something fairly high end like that." I mean it's not our top of the line stuff but upper middle tier by my company's standards are like top of the world by everyone else's. There's no way she'd be able to afford that with pocket change.

"Oh this was a gift from a particularly happy client. They were a bunch of space pirates and I got them out of a bind. The cops were onto them and storming their base. I held them off while the pirates escaped and in exchange I could help myself to anything they stole and didn't have time to take with them. Among that loot was this. I thought it was high-end but you seem impressed so I bet it's even better than that!" She explains proudly puffing out her chest.

Well ain't that something? To make Amelie proud that's gotta be one tough mission. On one hand I'm glad she's safe after that. On the other hand, the hell did she think she was doing holding off the police. Like, I totally get that her jobs aren't above board or anything. I mean I'm not exactly one to think that the government's always right but holding off an entire unit of police is dangerous in so many ways.

What if they were embarrassed and tried to hunt you down for political leverage? What if they were too numerous and you just ended up being blown to smithereens? There were so many ways that could go wrong and not just combat wise either.

"Well I'm glad you're happy with the reward but Mels that sounds real risky to me. I'm surprised you came out from that without a scratch physically or reputation wise." I congratulate her with a bit of sarcasm in my voice.

I mean I'm worried for her so she's totally not gonna be made that I ruined her self-gratification right? Yeah it's all from worry for her safety. I'm totally not scared that the cops are tracking her and she could lead them right to my door. I got too many secrets to hide dammit.

"Oh don't worry Soph I always wear a combat suit on jobs and even when I don't I have a face filter or something similar. I'm totally all cautioned up when it comes to the cops." She waves a hand dismissively at me which is somewhat concerning. Maybe you're the one who needs cautioning about arrogance you cheeky little brat.

"Strange, I feel as though you are being rather rude. Is this concern of yours genuine?" She asks suspicion in her eyes. Oh fu- quickly excuses, excuses.

" 'Course you know I care about you above all else Mels!" I say sounding incredibly convincing. The exasperation and sheer disbelief in her reply however is equally convincing.

"That's BS and you know it. You care about yourself above all else. You're not a complete narcissist but I know you well enough to know if it came to you or someone else you'd always pick you." She practically reels back like what I said was such a shock to her.

I'm not THAT bad. I mean yeah if someone else was beside me and we were about to be shot I'd run before pushing them out of the way. But if someone I knew was in a dangerous situation I WOULD help them. So long as it didn't put my own life at risk. But still… I WOULD help them. It's not like I don't care about other people it's just my survival instincts are that strong ok? I'm just that tenacious. I'm not selfish shut up!

"I still get concerned for you ya'know. I mean, imagine. You only see your big sis every few years and every time she tells you about how she almost died in this ship or that firefight. Obviously I'm going to be concerned." I try to placate her. I DO care ok?

"I knew it! You do only call me sis when you want to calm me down. You scoundrel. Playing on my heart strings like that!" Now she's latched onto that. Does she just want a punching bag. Is that it? Seriously?

I quickly back away using my cool swivel chair and hide behind it. My aegis protect me. My great bastion of truth shield me from this presence of malice and malevolence. Shut up I know it's my sister but right now she's a being of pure evil!

After seeing me hide behind the back of my chair and fretfully peeking over the top Amelie just sighs like she's had enough and asks "What about you? Your work isn't getting dangerous right?" Ha! If only you knew sis. I'm a super cool hacker who helps the weak and opposes the strong. See I'm not selfish just tsundere. I wonder if I can actually make her believe that?

"Oh just some freelance coding stuff as per usual. I mean I even got a kid asking me to program an AI for him to plant in his body pillow. I say kid but he's like 17. Kids at that age totally have a screw lose. 'specially boys." I say with a disgusted face. Ok so even though I'm a super cool hacker who opposes the strong mayyyybe I make a little money on the side as a business owner, arms dealer and freelance coder.

But I mean girl's gotta make a living right? Oh and that story's actually true. I'd never lie to my bis sis. Lying by omission isn't lying it's a tactical leaving out of information to give someone a false impression of your goals. Isn't that just a fancy description of lying? Shush!

"Soph I don't think you've realised so let me repeat myself. A 19 year old girl should NOT talk like an old lady. You are TWO years older than that boy and you're calling him a kid. Seriously?" Why does she sound exasperated again? Am I just the kind of person who makes people exasperated. If so that'd be really cool. All the heroes exasperate people with their nonsense but they put up with it because they save the world in the end.

"But I mean… Emotionallllly" I drag out the end of my sentence as a look of realization comes across my features. A similar look of realization comes across Amelie's face though for entirely different reasons and her look has entirely opposite connotations.

"Emotionally?" She asks pointedly looking around the cluttered mess sometimes referred to as my room and staring at my hair which is just laying back down behind me. Though it's surprisingly clean thanks to Frame's reminders. Ha! I'm totally mature. I try to convince myself of that before I once again receive a stare and that's the end of that.

I droop my head in dejection and Amelie finally starts explaining the errors in my ways. "You may not be as ACTIVE as that boy was but you are most certainly not mature. In fact arguably the lack of activity in that regard could be considered another sign of immaturity. Understand?"

I just nod and spin my swivel chair around. As I'm looking behind me though I notice the time on the clock and think this is a brilliant idea for getting out of this lecture.

"Look at the time Mels. I know I ain't got anything better to do but do you?" I ask pointedly matching her own smug 'got you' impression. Sure enough the moment she spots the time she realizes she needs to be somewhere else.

"Oh shi- thanks for having me over and talk later Soph. Stay safe you hear me?!" She shouts as she quickly rushes out of the door. Ha! I got you for once. I know you were having too much fun. So was I really but I'm more experienced in this sort of thing. I got you.

Once she leaves through the door I swivel back to my computer and tell Frame "Start up Mainframe mode again. Let's see who wants to pick a fight with me." With a huuuuge grin on my face. Mainframe's back baby and she's ready to party.