Auron Trinity

The morning sun had climbed high over Novaria's skyline, its rays piercing through the gaps in Angelo's curtains. The city outside hummed with life, but inside his modest apartment, Angelo remained oblivious to the world, deep in slumber. His suspension from duty had stripped away any urgency to greet the day.

The shrill ring of Angelo's phone cut through the tranquil atmosphere, but even this failed to rouse him from his deep sleep. Blue materialized beside the bed, his form a perfect mirror of Angelo's. His eyes darted between the insistently ringing phone and Angelo's sleeping form.

"This presents quite the dilemma," Blue mused, his usual composure tinged with uncertainty. "Do I wake Angelo and risk his irritation, or..." He glanced at the caller ID and his eyes widened. "It's the chief. Perhaps I should answer in Angelo's stead?"

As Blue wrestled with indecision, Red's mischievous voice echoed in his mind. "Oh, let me take this one. It'll be absolutely hilarious!"

With a resigned sigh, Blue reached for the phone. "I shudder to think what chaos you'd unleash," he muttered, then cleared his throat and adopted his best imitation of Angelo's casual tone. "Good morning, sir," he answered, trying to sound natural.

Chief Ramirez's gruff voice crackled through the speaker, laced with suspicion. "Took you long enough to pick up, Angelo. Don't tell me you're still in bed. Has this suspension already made you soft?"

Blue could practically feel Red's glee radiating through their shared consciousness. Steeling himself, he responded, "Not at all, sir. My apologies for the delay. I... misplaced my phone momentarily."

The chief grunted, seemingly satisfied with the excuse. "Alright, listen up. I've got some important matters to discuss with you."

Blue, treading carefully, replied, "Of course, sir. What seems to be the issue?"

"Well, it's been two years since you joined the force through the special training and recruitment program for promising Aurons. Now that you're 18, it means you've officially graduated," Chief Ramirez began, his tone a mix of pride and something else Blue couldn't quite place.

Blue, unsure of the chief's direction, responded cautiously, "Yes, I'm aware, sir. The graduation ceremony is still fresh in my mind. May I ask why you're bringing this up now?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, I'm getting there," the chief chided, his gruff voice softening slightly. "Every two years, we welcome a new generation into the program. Your group has just graduated, and after a few months of rigorous candidate selection, we're ready to usher in the next batch."

Blue, attempting to mimic Angelo's enthusiasm but falling short, replied, "That's fantastic news, chief! I'm thrilled to hear it." His imitation of Angelo's casual demeaner was painfully unconvincing.

Chief Ramirez paused, his brow furrowing at the odd response. After a moment, he continued, "Right... Well, here's where it becomes relevant to you. Starting today, you'll be guiding one of these new candidates. They'll undergo training at the station from 8 AM to 4 PM, and then from 5 PM to 8 PM, they'll be shadowing one of you experienced officers - in this case, you."

Blue, caught off guard by this revelation, stammered, "Is that so? I don't recall being paired with a mentor from the previous generation when we joined, I mean, when I joined," he hastily corrected, realizing his slip.

"Yeah, we are trying a new approach. I called to let you in on the details and another thing."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and when Chief Ramirez spoke again, his tone had shifted to one of deadly seriousness. "Now listen here, Angelo. This is important. While you're mentoring this new recruit, I don't want to see a hint of that 'Angel of Death' nonsense. You stick to what you were taught, understood?"

Blue hesitated for a split second before replying, "Absolutely, sir. I understand completely." Then, almost despite himself, he added, "Does this mean my suspension has been lifted?"

The chief's laughter was short and humorless. "Nice try, kid. You're still very much suspended. Consider this mentorship part of your punishment."

"Ah, good thing you jogged my memory," Chief Ramirez said, his tone shifting to a more official cadence. "Per department protocol, before you can resume active duty, you're required to complete a refresher course. I'm sending the video link to your phone as we speak. You've got some flexibility on when to watch it - could be today, tomorrow, or even a week from now. Just make sure you've gone through it before you set foot back in this precinct, understood?"

Blue, sensing the conversation drawing to a close, replied with carefully measured relief, "Certainly, sir. I'll make sure to complete it promptly. Is there anything else you need from me?"

The chief paused, mentally running through his checklist. After a moment, he added, "Yes, one last thing. Don't forget your rendezvous with your assigned junior officer in the town square. Kid's name is Bill. Tall fellow, got a mop of curly brown hair on his head. You can't miss him."

With a final exchange of formalities, Blue and the chief concluded the call. As the line went dead, Blue closed his eyes, his normally composed features betraying a hint of stress as he grappled with the weight of the unexpected responsibilities thrust upon them.

After ending the call, Blue stood motionless for a moment, processing the weight of the new responsibilities thrust upon them. He turned his gaze to Angelo's still-sleeping form, then addressed Red. "I noticed you were uncharacteristically silent throughout that entire exchange."

Red's laughter rang out in Blue's mind. "And ruin such prime entertainment? Not a chance. Watching you squirm was far too amusing."

An hour later, after Blue and Red had finally roused Angelo and brought him up to speed, all three stood facing each other in the small living room, fully materialized. Angelo's face was a mask of disbelief and frustration.

"You agreed to WHAT?" Angelo exclaimed, his voice rising with each word. "How could you just accept all of that without consulting me?"

Blue met Angelo's heated gaze calmly. "Given our current suspended status, I doubt protest would have been a prudent option. Unless, of course, your goal is outright termination from the force."

Angelo turned his frustrated gaze to Red. "And you? Why didn't you step in and stop this madness?"

Red's lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Oh, I tried. Told Blue to let me handle the call. He refused. Not my fault he's such a stick in the mud."

Angelo paused, a look of horror flashing across his face as he imagined the chaos that would have ensued had Red answered the chief's call. Shaking off the thought, he let out a resigned sigh.

"What's done is done, I suppose," Angelo conceded, his voice tinged with frustration. "So, we're expected to meet this new recruit at 5 PM, is that right?"

Blue nodded, his tone matter-of-fact. "Indeed. And don't forget, we also need to watch that refresher course video. The chief sent a link to your phone."

Angelo ran a hand over his face, fatigue and annoyance evident in his gesture. "Right, of course he did. Well, that can wait for another day. I was hoping to start pursuing some leads today. We're at square one here, and I have no clue where to begin. We went to Albert's yesterday for advice, and we completely got sidetracked."

Red's voice cut in, his tone dripping with mock disapproval. "Oh yes, you should be ashamed of yourself. Tsk tsk."

Blue, ever the voice of reason, interjected, "We still have nearly seven hours before our appointment. That should provide ample time to formulate a starting point and perhaps even begin our investigation."

Angelo's expression hardened with determination. "I think our first move should be to uncover more about our parents. That's where this all began, after all."

Red chimed in, a rare note of thoughtfulness in his tone. "You know, come to think of it, we don't really know much about them, do we? Or was I not paying attention all this time?" he turned his gaze towards Blue.

Blue closed his eyes, recalling what little information they had. "We were mere infants when they passed. Our home was destroyed, and we spent the majority of our childhood years in the orphanage. Those we questioned either knew little or were unwilling to share. By the time we came of age, we discovered our former home had been demolished and the property sold to another family. I'm afraid we have precious little to work with, Red."

Angelo's brow furrowed as he continued, "The only information we were ever given was that they died in some sort of lab accident. This would mean our parents were likely scientists, engineers, or perhaps chemists of some sort."

Red fell silent for a moment, then suggested, his voice uncharacteristically thoughtful, "You know, maybe we should consider returning to Ashford. There might be someone there who knew our parents. We're adults now - I'm sure they'd be more willing to talk to us."

As Red spoke, unwelcome images of Ashford flickered through their shared consciousness. The memories were far from pleasant, and among them, the face of a particular child surfaced unbidden.

Angelo shook his head vigorously, as if trying to physically dislodge the thoughts. "I don't think that's a good idea, Red," he said, his voice strained.

Blue, ever perceptive, interjected softly, "Perhaps the true reason for your reluctance is that you wish to avoid encountering Har-"

"No!" Angelo cut him off abruptly, his voice sharp with barely contained panic. "This has absolutely nothing to do with that. I just don't see any point in revisiting Ashford." Despite his forceful words, nervousness was evident in his demeaner.

Seizing upon a sudden realization, Angelo added hastily, "Besides, we can't possibly leave for Ashford until we've completed our obligation to Bill. We're required to meet with him daily at 5 PM." The inconvenience of their new mentorship duty had suddenly become a convenient excuse.

Blue, maintaining his characteristic calm, replied, "Very well. Once we've fulfilled our duties with Bill, we'll request a few days' leave from the chief to investigate in Ashford."

Angelo's eyes widened in alarm. "And what, we just sit on our hands regarding our parents until then?"

Blue responded evenly, "Not necessarily. We may be short on ideas at the moment, but should inspiration strike, we can set a plan in motion immediately."

Red, unable to resist the opportunity to needle Angelo, chimed in with a smirk, "Oh, Angie, you were so close to wiggling out of it."

Angelo slumped onto his worn couch, resignation etched on his face. "Well, I might as well get this refresher video out of the way," he muttered, reaching for his laptop.

Red's face contorted in disgust. "Yeah, hard pass on that snooze-fest. I'm going for a walk. Who knows? Maybe I'll stumble upon another juicy lead like I did in the archives." His lips curled into a mischievous grin. "Could be fun, eh?"

"Oh no, you don't—" Angelo started, but before he could finish, Red had already transformed into his smoky form, rushing back into Angelo's body only to re-emerge as an intangible mist. With a wisp of crimson, he slipped through the cracks in the window and vanished into the Novarian air.

Angelo's eyes flashed orange, his fists clenching in frustration. "Blue," he said, his voice low and controlled, "Go after him. Make sure he doesn't cause any trouble. If he does..." he paused, a hint of steel in his tone, "destroy his body."

"I heard that!" Red's indignant voice echoed in their shared consciousness.

"Can it!" Angelo snapped back verbally, his patience wearing thin.

Blue, ever composed, raised an eyebrow. "And what will you do?"

Angelo's eyes faded back to their normal hue as he sighed. "I'll stay here and suffer through that stupid video," he grumbled.

With a nod, Blue mimicked Red's exit, leaving Angelo alone in the quiet apartment.

Settling in front of his work-issued laptop, Angelo clicked the link Chief Ramirez had sent. The video began to play, revealing a woman with an overly enthusiastic smile that made Angelo cringe.

"Hello there, officer!" the woman chirped, her voice dripping with artificial cheer. "You're about to embark on an exciting journey with Luminia's finest!"

Angelo groaned, already regretting his decision. As the video droned on, covering mundane topics like dress code and proper radio etiquette, he found his attention drifting. His eyelids grew heavy, and he had to shake himself awake more than once.

Just as he was about to nod off completely, the topic shifted to something that piqued his interest.

"Now, let's discuss our collaboration with other regions," the woman continued, her enthusiasm undiminished. "Luminia works closely with Geovale, Zephyria, Infernia, and Maridian through the International Police. This body handles cases that cross regional boundaries and provides aid in complex situations worldwide."

The woman's smile widened even further, if that was possible. "And did you know? We're proud to host both the International Police and the United Regions Headquarters right here in Luminia, in our beautiful capital city of Lumecent!"

Angelo sat up straighter, his mind racing with the possibilities this information presented. The proximity of such a powerful organizations could be significant. Could this be relevant to his own investigation?

The video went on to cover the integration of Aurons and non-Aurons in the force. "Remember," the woman said, her smile impossibly wide, "we're all equal here! The only difference is in task allocation based on our unique abilities."

She then delved into the specifics of when Aurons were typically called to action - primarily for Auron versus Auron scenarios and specialized rescue operations.

As the video neared its end, Angelo found himself torn between boredom and frustration at the oversimplified presentation of complex issues. Occasionally, he could hear Red's exasperated groans echoing in his mind, a reminder that he wasn't suffering through this alone.

After what felt like an eternity, the hour-long video finally concluded. Angelo leaned back, massaging his temples. While most of it had been mind-numbingly dull, he couldn't shake the feeling that some of the information might prove useful in his quest for answers about his parents. The mention of the International Police Headquarters in Lumecent, in particular, stuck in his mind as a potentially valuable lead.