Work Text:
Now, it most definitely wasn't the most amusing thing to have to speak with someone who stole your child solely for their own greed, just to end up turning that child into a vessel of what stole it, and in this case, it felt absolutely deathly to sit across from the man who ordered and executed for it to happen.
If they were any less mature, Prime Shimmer would've killed the man right then and there. There was nothing stopping them from it- most definitely, but that would make them no better than Cobs. They would be more ethical about this. For Mephone's sake. It hurt to call him that, but they'd never force him to change what he was born into.
They and Cobs were very different, and they wanted to make sure he could differentiate.
..
Cobs stared back at the Phenomse. Never in his life had he expected to be sat down in front of it - let alone having to talk to it. Repercussions for his actions were entirely out of his schedule from as long as he could push it back, but this time he couldn't.
Coughing into his fist, he looked away, towards MePhone4.
Stifling a harsh glare, he simply narrowed his eyes a little at the robot. This was all his fault, wasn't it? He couldn't've just taken his kindness? He let him come back to- come back Home, and he turned around and led the Phenomse right to him?
Now, he wasn't a professional despite his many attempts at it, but he was rather sure this was practically a kidnapping.
Hypocrisy definitely, but the difference is the Phenomse are just a subspecies at best. It didn't matter if they were taken, it was for a better cause.
Prime Shimmer didn't raise up on their glare, though it subsided into a much lesser look as Mephone leaned against them. Right. They had to stay on track, this was for him, not to justify their anger of what was done to an innocent without a choice.
“..What is the point of this?”
Cobs looked at the floor before responding, “..Technology. I want to make tech.. Innovative! And unique!” He snuck at glance at the Phenomse, noting the way they seemed almost intrigued. Good. Entirely what he wanted. A little lying and manipulation would work on such a lowly species.
“It's advancing the world for the.. Greater good, let's say.”
..
Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse.
Mephone frowned, stewing in his thoughts. It felt so wrong to be so estranged from every other Meeple product. He felt so wrong to be estranged from every other Meeple product. And just to find out because of the fact that he wasn't the same. It wasn't just because of him being bad at things he was programmed to do. It wasn't just him being terrible at things for no reason besides being made wrong.
It was because he was different. He was doomed to be different, and even amongst what he's supposed to be he'll always be different. He didn't fit in with the rest of Meeple, he didn't fit in with the rest of the show, he doesn't even fit in with the Shimmers.
He could've been something different. He could've been something that wasn't a vessel. He could've fit in. Oh how much he tries to fit in, he never will. And what could he do about it? Nothing.
Mephone blinked back tears, looking at the Prime Shimmer. They wouldn't accept him either, would they? He was too different. Too odd. Too out of the ordinary. It'd be a betrayal to their own- His own species.
To become what took him away in the first place. It made guilt and shame twist in his internals. He couldn't prove himself. There was nothing to prove. He would always just be an outcast and there was nothing he could change about it, could he?
..The things he'd do to not remember again.
..
Prime Shimmer bit back a scoff as Cobs went on. Honestly? He phrased it like it was okay and would help people, but it was just so.. Volatile. Like he didn't care to think of how it'd affect the Light Shimmers. His selfishness hadn't gone away over the years if they had to guess. They looked down, towards Mephone. He looked so.. lifeless, and miserable. It made them worried if anything.
What had he done to their child? To “his” child?
“Oh puh-lease, it's not like it's hurting anyone for it to be a liittle.. Different, let's say. It's helping it more than anything! To be metal instead of a shell..”
Prime Shimmer narrowed their eyes at that. Who did he think he was? What right did he have to take away someone's chance of life? To be hidden and stowed away from what they were meant to be? It disgusted them. Disgusted all of the Shimmers. This was horribly wrong.
“..You can't just.. Do that,”
“Oh! But I already did, Prime. Is it okay if I call you that? I hope so cause I'm going to anyway--You can't change what it is, you and I both know it,” Cobs crossed his arms over the table cockily, a wide smile on his face.
“It's an unfair world, Prime. At least it's living, right?”
“..You call him an it?” They questioned, all seven eyes directed to the man now, a knitted expression across them.
“Your own creation, your own child-”
“It is not my child. ” Cobs deadpanned, irritation snapping out within seconds. A two-faced man, truly- he was good at hiding it, but not so much under pressure.
“..You created him. You- All this for what? Your plans? You stole from us, only to treat him worse than- than anything we could've provided to our child-”
“So? He isn't meant to be anything outside of what I made him for. Sure he has feelings and emotions, yada yada, I don't care. But that's your fault, isn't it?” Cobs shrugged, pushing up his glasses and his gaze dropped from the Prime Shimmer to Mephone.
..
“Four. You never learn, do you? Always trying to fight back. Hah- I see where you get it from! It's almost sweet,” Cobs rested his face in his palm. “You've hurt so many people though, haven't you? Think about it. X, Five.. 4S.. Your own contestants, yourself?”
He reveled in the way Mephone hugged himself, his expression dropping to something more hopeless.
“You've even hurt me, Four. I had so much belief in you. And you failed me. You failed 4S. You failed everyone. Where's your contestants, Mephone? Did you fail them too?”
Mephone dropped his gaze to the floor, opening his mouth to speak but eventually just shutting it. He didn't have anything to say. He knew Cobs was just being manipulative- when wasn't he? But even then, it all cut so deep, he couldn't help but just stay quiet at that.
He wasn't wrong, anyway.
..
Prime Shimmer put a hand down in front of Mephone defensively, narrowing their eyes at the CEO. They were- quite frankly- beyond pissed. However, they were better than this. Better than him. They had to set a role model, after all. Set an example. And being brash and crude wasn't the way to go about it.
“Stop that. Do not antagonize him that way.”
“I'm not antagonizing him in any way, am I, Mephone?” Cobs looked expectantly at Mephone, his playful expression dropping into an ominous glare when Prime Shimmer looked away from him.
Mephone bit his lip. On one hand, Cobs would be livid with him if he was honest, and God would that be horrible in itself, but on the other hand, Prime Shimmer was expecting so much of him.
He just wanted to make him proud. It's all he's ever wanted- but would it really be worth it to let Prime Shimmer down just for this?
He didn't know.
He was most certainly overthinking it, but he couldn't help himself. So much was going on so fast- he just couldn't keep up with it all.
..
Prime Shimmer looked to Mephone worriedly. In truth, they didn't really care for Mephone to respond at this point, as they were far too worried about the electronic at this moment to care for something so miniscule.
“Mephone?” They questioned, turning to Mephone fully. It concerned them greatly how he sort of just froze, gaze locked onto the floor for a long moment.
Cobs, on the other hand, simply wore his usual grin. It disgusted them. They knew he did something to the device, and they were bound to find out one way or another.
For now, though, they'd worry for Mephone.
..
Cobs rolled his eyes as the Phenomse ushered Mephone out the room, something about it wanting him to take a breather. Irritating, really. He wanted to mess with Mephone a bit more, especially given the fact all of this is his fault anyway.
Looking back at the Phenomse as they hovered back over, Cobs raised an eyebrow. What else could they possibly–
Cobs’ train of thought was quickly interrupted by a slam against the table, followed by Prime Shimmer leaning in.
“What did you do to the other Meeples, Steven.”