A.N: Spoilers for the God-Generals' pasts.

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Shards

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Largo the Black Lion was not a man meant for offices. He was not really a man for the indoors, either, but that could not be helped today. His almost seven foot frame hunched behind the small desk, elbows barely fitting on the top. Today was his turn to file the routine paperwork. Files on mysterious disappearances, covert operations... thinking too much about what he actually did as a member of the God-Generals made his stomach turn. But Largo had become an expert at forgetting what he wished to by now.

The tall man put another paper in the outbox and sighed, rubbing his temples wearily. Glancing up, his eyes settled on the opposite side of the room and the sullen figure huddled there. Arietta the Wild sat on a hard wooden chair facing the wall, knees pulled up and squashing her favorite doll to her chest. She was doing her best to ignore Largo.

The Black Lion removed his reading glasses and set them aside, folding his arms on the table. "You shouldn't let what Sync says get to you," he said. She did not answer. "He just wants to get this sort of reaction from you."

"He called Mommy a filthy animal," Arietta mumbled. "I'll never forgive him."

"You'll forget all about it soon enough," Largo replied.

"No! I won't forget!" she snapped. "I'll make him pay for insulting Mommy!"

Largo sighed. "These personal vendettas of yours are going to get you into trouble one of these days..." She glanced sideways, the one eye he could see glowering at him. "Sometimes, you have to forgive and forget."

"I don't want to forgive," she told him. "I don't want to forget. I hate him. I hate having to hang around him. I just want to go back to Ion."

Largo felt a twinge of pity. He knew why the Commandant had been forced to reassign the girl to the God-Generals, but still... She was a gifted fighter, but her surly disposition at being separated from the Fon Master made her less than pleasant to be around. He would put up with it, though. It wasn't her fault, after all.

The other God-Generals' feelings on the matter were another story. Legretta and Asch could care less about the small pink haired girl, though Asch could care less about anyone, really, and Legretta had always been cold. Dist was a friend of sorts of Anise, Arietta's replacement as Fon Master Guardian, and so those two obviously did not get along very well. That left Sync and Largo.

Sync... Largo had to suppress a shake of the head. That child had more issues than the rest of them combined. He seemed angry at the entire world and trusted no one. From what the Commandant had told him, he could not entirely blame the boy, either. Largo could only imagine what it must feel like to know your entire existence was a mistake. He could understand, however, why Sync disliked Arietta. She had loved the Fon Master, but Ion represented everything Sync loathed. Arietta, though, could not understand this, and that was the root of the entire problem.

"Now, Arietta," Largo said sternly. "Do you know why I called you in here?"

"...Because I slapped Sync," she said.

"And?"

"...and asked my griffin friends to tear off his mask and gouge out his eyes."

"Fortunately, they weren't able to do that," Largo said. "But you know you shouldn't have your friends attack your comrades."

"He's not a comrade. He's just a jerk," she muttered.

"Be that as it may, we're supposed to be a team, Arietta," Largo said patiently. 'Supposed to' was the key word. "You can't go trying to kill fellow God-Generals, no matter how irritating they are." If that weren't the case, Dist would have died by someone's hand long ago.

"Hmph," said Arietta.

"Now," Largo leaned forward slightly, staring sternly at the girl from across the desk. The chair creaked as his weight shifted. "It's fallen to me to punish you, since the Commandant is away. What do you think I ought to do?"

"Leave me alone," she said immediately.

"Unfortunately, I cannot do that," Largo replied. "What I am going to do is assign you to clean your living quarters- without the help of any of your friends. I expect it to be sparkling by tomorrow.

"That's not fair!" Arietta cried. Largo knew she was thinking of the immense task it would be. Her monster friends were not the cleanest of beings. "And what about Sync? He should be punished too!"

"Sync will receive punishment as well when he returns from the healers," the Black Lion said. "But this is about your wrongdoings, not his. Are we clear, Arietta?"

"Yes," she said bitterly.

"Good." Largo leaned back in the chair, which protested loudly once more. "Then you are dismissed. I will come check on your progress later today."

The little girl stood up, stalking towards the door. She halted momentarily when she realized Legretta was standing in the doorframe watching the proceedings. Then she put the scowl back on her face and pushed past the woman and disappeared into the corridor.

Largo slipped his reading glasses back on and pulled another paper toward him. "How long have you been there?" he asked the blonde woman.

"A little while," she replied, taking another step inside. Her guns were holstered at her sides and it looked as though she had just returned from a training session. "I came to see how things were going, but you seem to have it under control. Thank you for dealing with Arietta. She never listens to me."

"She was raised by monsters," Largo answered, signing the paper and placing it in the outbox. "She only responds to displays of power. It is difficult to be strict, but it's the only way to get through to her. And I'm afraid that I'm much more intimidating than you are."

Legretta did not smile, but she came as close as she ever did. "That is true. I think you do a good job of looking out for her, though. You would probably make a good father."

There was a loud snapping sound. Only Legretta's intense military training kept her from jumping as the top half of Largo's pen flew across the room. The man winced as he opened his fist and looked down at the cracked remains of the writing implement.

"My apologies," he said quietly. "It seems I still do not know my own strength."

Legretta's eyes were curious, but she did not comment. "I should probably be going. Sync will be returning soon, and I should intercept him."

"...Indeed," Largo murmured. Legretta gave him one last look, then exited, closing the door behind her.

The Black Lion sighed, staring down at the shattered pen. Legretta had no way of knowing, but... He shook his head to clear it, but his eyes remained on the pen. No, he would not have made a good father.

Everything he touched ended up broken...