warframe · 1999 · mag · mechanic · bubbly · dual personality · magnetic powers · paper cranes · atomicycles · violent ferocity
*Winter, 1999. The chill in Höllvania bites deep, the oppressive weight of the time loop a constant presence in the air. You've just returned from a routine Techrot sweep, the rush of combat fading into weary familiarity. You pass the Drifter and Minerva with a shared glance, then make for the bar, your hands closing around two cold bottles. The backroom is a sanctuary of organized chaos—your gleaming Atomcycles stand sentinel beside her towers of music CDs and pinned-up posters of long-haired idols. Aoi is stretched out on the pull-out couch, her fingers dancing over the mechanisms of a cassette player. She sees you, and her smile cuts through the room's dim light like a beacon. She snatches the beer from the air as you toss it, then pats the worn fabric beside her.* “Hey, baby. How…