–Look, I get it. I don’t want to push you too much… but you have to pull yourself together and show a little bit more initiative. You have to go back to that ingenious, resourceful person that was put in charge of our team, or we’ll never get anywhere…– Frost responded calmly, although he was a little hesitant to be the one giving the orders. But as he was confident and showed trust in her and the possibility of change, he inspired her to listen while he tried his best to keep encouraging her.
–Take risks, be more open-minded, consider the potential of the entire team, and stop trying to figure out everything by yourself because you are helping no one like that. And even if your ideas are too precarious, we’ll always be there to support you and help you achieve whatever you want us to do. But show us some of your own plans. Don’t just follow whatever the higher-ups tell you to do, find a way to put your own spin on it…– Frost explained in a heartfelt and uplifting manner, becoming enthusiastic to share his suggestion with Indie, who froze still to take in all of the advice, but she was quickly convinced by most of it as she nodded along. Frost was going to continue listing ideas, but once he noticed he got a smile out of Indie, he stopped himself from interrupting her train of thought, and instead, he waited for her to reconsider and come around to the ones he already provided.
–You think the team would be okay if I took those risks? Aren’t they going to question me like you do every time?– Indie asked insecurely, trying to be optimistic but unable to get rid of that doubt that lingered in the back of her mind. But to not pay attention to it, she stared directly into Frost’s eyes, trying to find reassurance in there, which for a brief moment seemed to display the exact opposite, but he still gladly eased her worries.
–Of course they will trust you in everything you do, and they’ll let you know if there are any doubts. They know you put our safety first, they know how much you care, and that’s why they will always believe in your plans…– Frost replied with a promising smile that lit up his face for a moment, as he seemed to not be able to control it, although he didn’t care and let himself get carried away with excitement since it was clearly working in cheering Indie up.
But as positive and confident as she now was able to trust her team, being convinced that they would put their faith in her, she still seemed a bit skeptical of one last thing. It was one person in particular, the same one that was right in front of her. She kept staring at Frost doubtfully, tilting her head for him to continue speaking, which he picked up on rather quickly and was forced to give an answer after failing to dismiss it.
–Well, regarding me, I will always question you. I do it to engage that part of your mind that comes up with brilliant plans, even if it sometimes gets you a little angry…– Frost added in a playfully dismissive manner, mixed with his usual cockiness in the form of a prideful smirk, to which Indie couldn’t resist cracking up too. But as much as he pretended to be judgmental, Indie could find some genuine support in her eyes, even when he tried to hide it or never expressed it most of the time, meaning pretty much every time.
–You have been extremely disrespectful lately. I would not have forgiven you for all the things you’ve said these past couple weeks… but it’s okay, I know you didn’t mean them…– Indie responded in a similar playful manner, adding a bit of austerity with a disapproving look. But despite both sharing a short chuckle, Frost couldn’t help but look a bit awkward as he tried to find a way to admit his actual intentions.
–Oh, I most definitely did. But it’s because I wanted you to realize that what the team needs is for you to take charge again and lead them with a clear objective and all that. I could never do that, as much as I try, I’m not as good as you as a captain…– Frost confessed in a slightly embarrassed manner, dropping his cocky attitude to be sincere for a brief moment, long enough to make Indie suspicious, as he turned deceivingly confident right away. And although it turned out to be in good faith for once, Indie couldn’t be flattered as Frost turned more and more friendly towards her.
–But that doesn’t mean I won’t try my best to help you lead them, but only if you actually put in the effort to take initiative again…– Frost affirmed with a rather smug grin, which looked exactly like his fake, cordial smiles, prompting Indie to stare intently at his face in order to determine if she was able to trust him. But upon seeing her reaction, he scoffed at her and dropped the smile, only to give her a more alluring look while insisting on changing her mind.
–So what do you say? Can we leave all this behind and go back to our old selves?– Frost asked persuasively, getting a bit closer to Indie, almost getting her to comply immediately with the way his thoughtful and gracious eyes looked at her. But the more she thought about his offer, the less trustworthy it seemed since Frost’s fake smile made him look disingenuous. And even when Indie appeared to look right through his act, she still hesitated for a moment to give an answer.
–I don’t know, it might be too late. I don’t think I can mend my mistakes with them, or even forgive myself for the things I did…– Indie finally replied uncertainly but turned overly apologetic to get Frost back to being honest. And while he seemed to take everything lightly, he was still showing some compassion in his eyes, which matched the tone that he adopted when responding.
–Don’t worry, they’ll forgive you. They don’t even know what is going on. Ask any of them, they’ll fully support you and your plans. They would even follow you to their deaths, and that should be enough for you to believe in them as well…– Frost replied lightheartedly, but his reassuring voice easily won Indie over. She tried to hold a smile and not show her appreciation to fuel his cockiness, but she was still relieved, even though it almost sounded like he was being sarcastic.
–And what about you? Would you follow me to your death?– Indie asked in a playfully skeptical manner, getting a nervous scoff out of Frost with her teasing look. But despite the question catching him off guard, he didn’t seem to mind the question and took it seriously, although he had to think it through for a good couple of seconds.
–I-... Well, I would say the same, but I feel like you wouldn’t truly trust me, so you can always talk to and rely on the rest of the team. If you ever doubt yourself, you can always talk to Panda, Tricky, Candy, or anyone else… probably not me, but you get it…– Frost replied sincerely, with slight embarrassment alongside his honesty, while also remaining supportive and optimistic. He seemed to regret his answer almost immediately, but Indie was pleased to hear his opinion and laughed out loud for a moment, giving him no reason to be worried.
But with them both starting to relax and turning back to face the mountain again, Frost’s eyes seemed to wander far, while Indie continued to stare at him with a contemplative expression. She paid close attention to his eye movements and body language, provoking some thought that distracted her for a bit, gradually riddling her with doubt. She struggled to accept his honest attitude, but she was more doubtful of herself as she hesitated to say something for a while, at least until she looked over at the fields outside the city and found the courage to just speak her mind.
–You know, I actually was going to let you and the whole squad go on that mission, and I would have stayed here to take care of everything because I felt so guilty for putting you through all this. But I always had that feeling that Snake might be right, and we should stay here to protect the city, even if nothing is going to happen and it makes more sense to actually go out there and do something useful…– Indie mentioned nonchalantly, with a bit of regret but mostly indifferent towards her decision as she got it out of her chest. But while she was able to move past it, her confession caught Frost’s attention immediately, prompting more questions.
–And why didn’t you let us go then? Snake wouldn’t have found out…– Frost asked curiously and eagerly, even a bit frustrated at the revelation but taking it more lightly as he seemed to find it amusing. But while Indie also seemed to find it funny, her demeanor drastically changed when she turned to face him again, getting a close look at his confused eyes, but seemingly growing fond and sympathetic of them.
–It’s because I still feel like something bad might happen and we should be prepared… and out of all the people, I need you the most by my side…– Indie replied with a small but heartfelt smile, mixed with a bit of embarrassment as her transparency captivated Frost. He was stunned as he looked her in the eye while declaring her trust in him, and while he seemed in denial at first, the longer they stared at each other, the clearer it became. She was addressing him from the bottom of her heart, which became more apparent when she inched forward and began getting lost in his eyes.
–I can’t let you leave me… You know, just in case something actually happens. If we get attacked or something, I know having you here will keep us safe, and I won’t have to worry. That’s mainly why I need you here, you are the most valuable member, and we wouldn’t be anything without you…– Indie added with a grateful and kind stare, which paired with her soft, soothing, and almost sweet voice, completely engrossed Frost in the idea of her actually reserving that much appreciation for him. It seemed like a joke in his eyes, especially in the way she stared at him as it looked like her affectionate smile could turn into a teasing grin at any second. But to his surprise, it never did, and since he found himself frozen in place, he could only try to break the tension by awkwardly saying the first thing that came to his mind.
–Alright, I'm all for this policy of truth we are having, but just say you like keeping an eye on me and don't try to justify it with an exaggerated flattery– Frost replied modestly, with a nervous scoff once again as he tried to shift his attention somewhere else. But after sharing a quick laugh, Indie completely drew his focus back in as her eyes followed his face wherever he tried to look, forcing him to stare back, now in a timid manner since her oddly doting eyes were starting to overwhelm and unnerve him.
–It really isn’t, at least not to me… At the end of the day, you are the person that I trust the most and put all my faith in... So I’m glad you have kept fighting and haven’t given up yet, it means there is still some hope to fulfill our purpose… and maybe I’ll think of a way to get us out of here if you believe in me as well…– Indie replied, only being more heartening and sentimental as her voice turned softer and slightly passionate, which started to make Frost a little uncomfortable. But thanks to her warm, calm, and slightly playful tone, he was instead inspired to return the feeling despite being unable to match the high levels of emotion she was suddenly displaying.
–I do trust your instincts and will gladly help with any foreseeable plan, as long as it comes from you…– Frost affirmed with a confident but earnest smile, which became more affectionate the longer they stared at each other. It gave way to a short silence, one no longer tense but soothing as Indie saw nothing but support and kindness in Frost's eyes, which caught her off guard but enticed her to be open with him as well, finally accepting and trusting his word.
–And I trust you to help me carry out those plans when I come up with them, as well as the team, if you all listen to me and respect my decisions, of course…– Indie replied with a fulfilled smile, satisfied not only at her new freedom to communicate with Frost but also pleased by his response. All of that disdain and resentment was seemingly long forgotten now, and instead, they were both fully supportive and trusting of each other, with a bit of skepticism as always, but it was a healthy amount that kept both of them comfortable. But they were so comfortable, in fact, that Indie didn’t hesitate to cut their heartfelt moment short after noticing that Frost was trying not to crack up after such a deep and intimate conversation.
–But also… Will you stop treating me like I’m the enemy?– Indie asked with a cheeky smile, getting a good laugh out of Frost, who tried to dismiss it, but he remained fixed on her eyes and quickly came up with a response to match the mood.
–Only when you prove that you are indeed on our side with a stellar plan…– Frost replied playfully, with hints of a cocky smile appearing on his face as he played along without actually committing to his promise. Indie didn’t care, though; she wholeheartedly believed him. Even if he was lying, she just laughed it off and continued to look at him, but after joking around, they both stayed silent as they tried to prove their trust in each other by staring intently and slowly building up more tension.
They allowed the suspense to linger, but instead of them disrupting their composure, their demeanors began changing slightly as they tempted each other with subtle, suggestive looks. It was a long silence, leaving plenty of room for both of them to make some sort of move, which seemed to lean more into the violent nature, with a tiny bit of longing or devotion. While it did look like they were restraining themselves from doing what was on their minds as their stares turned defiant and provocative, Indie couldn’t take it anymore and broke their eye contact to prevent anything from happening.
–Well, I hope we’ve left all of that behind us and can start a new chapter as a team… And you know, if you do need to talk, I’m here if-...– Indie said in a friendly and slightly sheepish manner, getting a bit embarrassed as she came to her senses, with Frost doing the same. But as they quickly regained composure and looked away, he promptly cut her off before she could suggest anything too out of character.
–Yea, there’s no need for that. We are all good…– Frost replied with a nervous laugh, his eyes becoming reluctant to look at Indie, who was also acting a little awkward after the silence. However, as soon as she heard his response, she was extremely relieved, letting out a long sigh before returning to her usual demeanor.
–Thank you, I was hoping you would say that…– Indie said with a calmer, subdued tone, composing herself as she looked around their surroundings, partly just to look away from Frost and avoid another awkward moment. He seemed glad about the outcome of their chat, but as he also looked away to check for people nearby, he became tense when Indie drew near instead of distancing herself from him.
–I should probably call Panda and see how they are doing…– Indie mentioned casually as she stepped closer to Frost, who panicked for a second as she reached for the back pocket of his pants, wrapping one arm around him as if she were going for a hug, only to grab the radio she had given him since she had no place for it in her dress. He tried to back away, but she swiftly retrieved her radio and stepped back, letting him catch his breath before watching Indie call Panda at the factory.
Back at the steel mill, the Heartaches continued to search for clues while the rookies tried to cope with the carnage around them. Panda and Agnus took the captured antipunk to what appeared to be a large office at the right corner of the assembly room, which was next to the gate straight to the cargo bay, where the others inspected the room. With no antipunk in sight, they just stayed there, guarding the three open gates leading to the outside while they cleaned their weapons and grabbed a snack. But after finishing questioning the antipunk in the office, Panda knocked him out, and right when he and Agnus were about to return to the group, he received the call from Indie.
–Umm, hello?– Panda asked insecurely as he chose to stay inside the office, letting Agnus close the door for him to walk towards one of the windows, seeing a big courtyard outside, which was dwarfed by the big mountains in the backdrop.
–Hey, Panda. How is it going? Did you reach the factory?– Indie asked casually as she leaned on the railing next to Frost, who started paying close attention to their conversation but giving her space.
–Yes, we found some antipunks here, killed them all. But I did a bit of digging, and it seems like they wanted to take this place to fabricate some weapons with the stolen echolite from the cave…– Panda replied firmly as he looked back at the unconscious antipunk lying next to his discarded machine gun, all while Agnus left the office to check up on the rest of the team. But despite his optimistic response, Indie couldn’t help but grow a little concerned about the news, which reflected on Frost as well since he heard the mention of echolite.
–Huh, so did you stop them and reclaim the echolite?– Indie asked curiously, growing doubtful as Frost tried to step in, but only to listen to Panda’s response. The latter hesitated to answer after walking back to the door and checking the assembly line, looking for traces of the special material, only to realize that the factory was only processing steel.
–Umm, not really. They actually didn’t bring any here, I think… We might have to look further, but I haven’t seen them working, so they probably just wanted to secure the factory first and not risk it…– Panda replied with a slightly nervous expression, but he hid it with a dismissive tone, although he still got a little anxious as Indie fell quiet to think, creating a silence that began to unsettle him.
At the same time, Frost noticed some people walking by them up the main road, heading directly towards the castle. He glanced at them, slightly confused to see activity outside since no one besides them should have left the party. But as he saw that the guards at the gate were ready to receive this small group, he just watched for a brief moment to check if they were a threat, but Indie’s skeptical demeanor quickly drew his attention back to the radio. He could clearly tell she was sensing something wrong as she kept staring over at the mountain with worry. But after leaving both Frost and Panda in suspense for a while, she tried to remain calm and reasonable.
–Right, that’s most likely. But beware of those rats, you know how they can come out of nowhere. Stay put and secure the place. If you need backup, we’ll head there immediately…– Indie warned in her usual commanding demeanor but was a little more lighthearted as she turned to Frost, forcing a smile to ease his anxiety, while also teasing him for eavesdropping on the conversation. He saw right through it but chose not to pay it much attention, although Panda was the most surprised by her response, having to look through the window in the office again with a paranoid look in order to check for any movement near the quarry.
–Really? Well, I don’t think we’ll need your help…– Panda replied smugly, scoffing at her after seeing nothing but mountains in the distance before walking back to the assembly room to regroup with the rest of the team. But despite his confidence, Indie remained cautious, and even more so when she heard the Heartaches and rookies faint chatter in the background.
–Just be careful and watch out for an ambu-...– Indie tried to reaffirm but was cut off all of a sudden. Panda got distracted by the Heartaches’ conversation as he stepped into the cargo bay, and while it seemed like they were just boasting about their kills, what truly caught Panda’s attention was what he saw behind Kayden and Agnus, right outside one of the three large gates in the room.
He stared out the gate for a while, where it was already getting dark due to them being surrounded by mountains, blocking most of the sun. However, after squinting a little, he found something that immediately made him cut communication with Indie. In response, she checked her radio to see if there was an issue with the signal, but unable to talk to him again, she turned to Frost with a concerned look, which he seemed to share, except looking more distraught. He wasn’t looking at her, instead focusing on what was going on behind her, right at the castle entrance. And while she didn’t notice his eyes shifting at first, it was clear there was something out of place, in particular, the guards at the gate that were no longer there.
