Chapter Text
Angel Starr was a woman who had captivated Aura from the instant she first beheld the once-famous detective. Their initial meeting was a serendipitous moment. It had been a crisp morning, the air chilly despite the brightly shining sun in the sky. Aura had begrudgingly come to court, acting as a support to her younger brother as he continued to prosecute his fellow prisoners. The crisp air had filled her chest, unsuccessfully attempting to ease her dread. It was a mere moment. They brushed past one another on the courthouse steps, exchanging a courteous nod almost absentmindedly. Despite being total strangers, there was something in the icy sparkle behind her eye, concealed by a disarming smile, that awakened the heart Aura had thought was long since encased in ice.
Aura had never considered herself to be interested in any sort of romantic affair. As far as she was concerned, it was all complete and utter bullshit. The only woman she had ever truly loved had been cruelly cut down in her prime, leaving so many things unsaid. Why would this time be any different? Aura tried to convince herself that she would be much more content if she simply dreamed about the what-ifs. Imagination is a powerful thing, after all. It could satisfy the loneliness that had clawed at her insides for years on end.
That chance meeting had uncovered a vague memory about the strangers identity. It was surprisingly simple to gather information on Ms. Starr through online sources. Vast amounts of details were already public knowledge, having been leaked to the press around a decade prior, during a scandal that had seen the detective discharged from her line of duty. The deeper the robotics engineer had dove into Angel's life, the more connected she felt. Both had been failed by the legal system and harboured the same burning resentment towards prosecutors. And… they had both lost somebody they had loved very deeply. As she stared into the dim blue glow of her computer screen, she tried to convince herself that she needed to get a grip. She wasn't a lovesick teenager, and never had been. She was approaching her forties now, almost certainly nearing the end of her prime. That nagging voice in the back of her head constantly whispering that she was too old to be desirable, too ugly to be loved, haunted her. It had grown stronger in the years since the death of Metis Cykes, almost all consuming.
These days, she appeared to occupy herself with her growing lunch business empire. It sounded utterly ridiculous. Aura was of the opinion that those skills would be better put to use someplace else. Perhaps as a private investigator, considering that brilliant woman too glamours to return to detective work that was so clearly beneath her. Such an effortlessly stunning yet incredibly intelligent lady seemed almost unobtainable, but proposed an undeniable thrill. Aura had always been a fan of intellectual pursuits rather than romantic ones.
Exactly three days had passed since that chance encounter and this damn woman had completely consumed her thoughts. It was embarrassing, seeing how quickly she had turned soft at the sight of a pretty face. Aura had taken a gamble and decided to confront that bumbling, incompetent detective who had somehow been tasked with rehabilitating her falsely jailed brother in an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of Starr's life. After all, there were only so many tabloids about a new "boyfriend" one could read before their brain turned to mush.
"I'm afraid I don't understand. Why the sudden interest in Ms. Starr? As far as I'm aware, Prosecutor Blackquill has never mentioned a connection between the two of you."
Detective Fulbright, more commonly known as "Fool Bright", glanced nervously at the strange contraption Aura held at her hip. She had no intention of using it of course, it merely acted as a method of persuasion if the man in front of her decided to kick up a fuss. After all, he had survived several attacks from the hawk her brother was so fond of. A little electrocution never hurt anybody. The full buzz of the fluorescent lights overhead momentarily filled the silence between the pair. She gritted her teeth, patience already wearing thin.
"Does it matter?"
She spat the words out, each one more bitter than the last. Of course it did. Why would it not matter? After all, she was essentially a stranger to this detective and to the ever-elusive Angel Starr. Even now, she could see a hint of pity hidden behind those tinted orange frames and it infuriated her. Aura was more than aware that it probably appeared to be a flimsy attempt at recreating the spark she had with Metis to anybody with even the simplest understanding of what occurred seven years ago. Of course he thought she was stark raving mad, who wouldn't? However, it still made the rage buried deep inside her chest her burn bright and her grip around the weapon she had bought tightened.
"I'm sorry Ms. Blackquill, but I can't give out private information on former detectives willy-nilly, even if she our lunch lady. She personally graces us with her presence on occasion."
Fulbright chuckled to himself, a seemingly inappropriate reaction to the words he had spoken only moments prior. However, Aura paid it no heed. The foolish detective had accidentally given her the precise information she required. If she simply waited around the precinct for long enough, she would certainly be bound to cross paths with the woman who had begun this mental torture. She carefully disguised her delight under a scowl, ensuring that she sharpened her glare as she feigned irritation.
"Stupid wankstain. Utter waste of my time."
It felt good to insult that useless oaf. The satisfaction made the anger in her chest solder, though it took all of her willpower to resist the urge to smirk as Fulbright's expression morphed into one of almost childish upset. Aura then promptly turned on her heel and strode away, delighting in her triumph. Now it was only a matter of time before she encountered Angel Starr again. Perhaps the spark would vanish after a conversation and she could continue on with her life. She desperately hoped so, now feeling the shame of being so obsessed creeping in.
The sunlight on her face was a welcome sensation as she stepped through the doors, finally escaping from the insufferably stuffy atmosphere of the local precinct. The cool air soothed her agitated nerves, and she took a large gulp of air, savouring it.
Now, the game was afoot.