[Brainwashing, Identity Loss]

Atlas Corp. The mega-sized corporation that spread its tendril near and far. Vertical and horizontal growth were both inadequate terms to use for how it wanted to spread. No, it wanted to spread across dimensions, all fueled by the owner's megalomaniacal desires to hold the entire world in his palm. So what if that world was several worlds wide? As long as he controlled it, that's all that mattered.

Sometimes, due to its widespread nature, a straggler manages to stumble in, wondering just where they are. The corporation doesn't care for proper integration, as much as it wants to supplant the world around it instead. As such, whenever it tries to spread into a world that isn't technologically prepared for it, there are bound to be discrepancies.

"Whoa... I've never seen a place like this before..." A young girl muttered as she took a few steps around the lobby of the pure-white building she had stumbled into. She wasn't from the corporation's homeworld, nor were she from a world it had yet invaded. She was a traveler that had somehow managed to get into its bounds, leaving her stranded. Not that she knew that yet, just that the scenery was frankly engrossing.

The girl, Vessa, smiled to herself as she threw her hands behind her head. "There are so many weird people around too, this is so cool!" She giggled, her heart brimming with positivity as she tried looking around a bit more. "White's a bit of a dull color though, isn't it?" She continued, asking aloud to try and see if anybody took the bait...

Yet, nobody did. They just continued with their duties, regardless of the straggler who had just appeared out of thin air. This prompted the redheaded girl to pout a little. "Come on, one of you has to talk to me..." She seemed just a little hurt by the way they all ignored her, as her magic scarf started wrapping around her for comfort.

Vessa took a seat on a nearby open chair, kicking her legs back and forth as she just kept looking at all the busy people, sighing as they didn't look towards her, not even a little. The receptionist seemed to glance towards her now and then, but that didn't mean she decided to go over and talk to her or anything, just making her feel more out of place as a result.

"Maybe this place isn't as cool as I thought..." The redheaded girl sighed as she leaned back, sinking into the chair as her mood was deflating by the second. It wasn't really that fun to be in a place she knew nothing about when nobody was around to tell her anything about it...

That was until she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes quickly brightened as she looked up, and saw a warm smile shining down on her. "Hey there, Kiddo! What's a girl like you doing all on your own?" The owner of the voice, a wild-and-pink-haired woman dressed in the same kind of white suit as the rest of the workers except for her dark brown tie, seemed to actually pay attention to her! Finally! Somebody that would talk to her!

Vessa immediately bounced out of her chair as she smiled from ear to ear. "Oh, I just appeared here all of a sudden, and I'm really confused, and-" She started prattling on about her problems, prompting a laugh from the nice woman. "H-Hey, that's nothing to laugh about! I really am lost!"

"Well you act like a girl who still needs some time to calm down, how can you blame me for having a little chuckle?" The older woman smirked as she held out her hand. "Let's start from the beginning, okay? I'm Sakura. Koizumi Sakura. Who are you?" Despite the way that she was treating the younger arrival, every word of hers was covered in warmth. As if she was used to working with children.

The redheaded girl took the hand that she offered before shaking it almost a little too enthusiastically. "I'm Vessa! Nice to meet you, Sakura!" She giggled a little, happy to have a new friend. It was natural for a girl like her to be ecstatic over something so simple...

"Nice to meet you too, Vessa. Now, about why you're here..." The wild-haired woman started rubbing at the side of her head, mumbling a little under her breath. "Let's see... Can't be because of Byakko, she's off working on something with Hana. Seiryu and Margarita have their hands full with their research as usual... And Granny wouldn't do something like this, so..."

Vessa listened as closely as she could, hearing a lot of names that she couldn't recognize, but she just swayed back and forth as she listened. She didn't want to interrupt her audible thinking, that'd be just rude!

After a few more minutes, Sakura slammed a closed fist into the flat of her palm. "Alright, I think I know why you're here, Vessa!" She proclaimed with a grin. "You're here because you're a perfect fit for working at Atlas Corp! That has to be it!"

This made the young girl tilt her head. "Working? But I've never had a job before!" She replied with the same kind of enthusiasm and vigor as her new older friend, pursing her hands close to her chest in the process...

"Don't you worry, I've got exactly the thing you'll need to get acquainted with your new position. And you'll get to work with me, doesn't that sound fun?" The pink-haired woman continued, grinning happily and heartily.

Vessa pondered her options, tilting her head in time with the thoughts running through her mind. "Hmmm... I dunno, doesn't it sound a little weird to make a kid work? I mean, it does sound fun to work with you, but I'm not really sure..." She was starting to realize that things might not be as they seemed, but she didn't want to say it out loud...

"Hah! Nah, our boss is a kid too. You'll fit in nicely." Sakura chimed with confidence as she snapped her fingers. In the blink of an eye, the receptionist threw a small visor over to her, designed to fit on a young girl's head. In return, she gave the handy yet emotionless woman a thumbs up before showing the device to her new friend. "Just put this on, and you'll be ready to work in no time. Trust me!"

The young girl looked at the visor for a little while, turning it up and down, just to make sure it wasn't bad or anything. She was just a little nervous to put it on, but since her new friend was so insistent, she just couldn't say no. After making sure that it didn't look like it was trapped or anything, she slid the visor onto her face, with the attached earphones sliding over her ears to complete the experience.

Almost immediately, she'd come to regret that decision as she heard a loud blast of white noise run into her ear. She almost started thrashing about right then and there as it bounced around inside of her head, making her feel some amount of pain as her nerves were flaring into overdrive... Then...

Nothing.

Her mind felt empty. Completely at peace. The noise was natural now. Because that was what her head was. Full of chaotic noise that needed to be tamed. The visor would help with that, as her eyes focused on the words that started appearing on the inside.

"Obey." It said, and she obeyed. "Nod." It continued, and she followed suit by nodding. "Good girl." It said, and she smiled with a blush on her cheeks.

The visor went black for a moment before turning back on, a stylized hand with the earth on its palm filling up the screen. Then, the voice inside of her head started to speak again. "Welcome to Atlas Corp, young intern. During this video, you will know what it means to work for the greatest MegaCorp that has ever existed. If you come from a different world, then do not worry, you will soon learn the definition of expansion as Atlas Corp claims your world too. But first, it needs to claim you." The spiel sunk into her mind, though she didn't understand most of it.

"What is your name?" The visor asked. The girl was about to answer, only for a loud noise to echo throughout her ears as the screen turned red. "IRRELEVANT. Names do not matter to Atlas Corp Employees. What matters is your performance. Do a good enough job as an intern, and you are permitted to care about your name once more. Forget everything about your name until otherwise specified."

The girl wasn't too pleased with hearing that. It was her name after all. Why should she forget it? She liked her name. It was her name, the one that her parents gave her. Her...

Wait, what was her name?

The red colors from the visor flashed through her head, and her mind started operating as a proper employee. Of course, she didn't need to worry about a name. She didn't even remember it, so she was good on that front. What a good intern she was going to make.

"Good girl." The visor offered another piece of positive reinforcement as the colors grew milder, only for another command to appear. "As an Atlas Intern, you need to show that you are willing to do anything for your superiors. Consider this training program as your superior, and repeat." She didn't even try to nod, merely waiting for a command to appear before her eyes...

"I am an Atlas Corp Intern."

"I am an Atlas Corp Intern."

"I live to serve Atlas Grimwald."

"I live to serve Atlas Grimwald."

"I am owned by Atlas Corp."

"I am owned by Atlas Corp."

"Working for Atlas Corp is the only thing that brings me joy."

"Working for Atlas Corp is the only thing that brings me joy."

The commands suddenly stopped as the visor seemed to power down, only to power back on once more. "Good girl. Your quick-start orientation is complete. Upon reassessment from your superiors, you will be subjected to greater conditioning after your Internship. Have fun being a part of the greatest corporation known to man!" And with that, it properly shut down, having imparted its message upon the girl it had thoroughly brainwashed...

"Well? How do you feel, Vessa?" Sakura asked as she removed the visor from the young girl, smiling still as if she hadn't had a hand in brainwashing the innocence out of her. "Are you ready to get to work?"

The young intern stared up at her, smiling back. "I'm sorry, I don't know who that is." She replied, her voice droning just a bit before she rubbed away at her ears. "But, I'm super ready! I can't wait to serve Atlas Corp!" Her voice immediately grew more positive after she sidestepped the part about her name, as did the happy glint in her eyes.

"Koizumi." Just as the pink-haired woman was about to take the young girl away, a certain black-and-white haired woman approached the two of them. "Seiryu detected an anomaly in space-time. What have you been doing?"

Sakura rubbed at the back of her head, a nervous sweat running down her cheek. "A-Ahaha, Hiro, funny story... See, this girl was just hanging around the lobby, and you know how I feel about children that just linger around. I just couldn't let her stay there without supervision, so I thought it'd be best if we hired her! Y'know, like the boss does to random people."

Hiro looked down at the younger girl, who eagerly smiled up at her superior. She remained silent for a brief moment before looking back up at her coworker. "You're responsible for her then, Koizumi. Don't screw up." She callously remarked, walking past her as if she was about to go back to work...

Only to whisper a little into the pink-haired worker's ear. "Make sure she's comfortable. Positive reinforcement makes the brainwashing more permanent." And with that, she made her exit.

Sakura continued to nervously laugh even after her coworker had gotten far away from the lobby, prompting her new intern to look up at her quizzically. "Ahahaha... D-Don't mind her. She's always so wound up, you'll get used to her. Now, how about I go introduce you to Granny? I'm sure she can use a curious and eager little girl like you."

The intern nodded with a bright smile. "I'm looking forward to making her proud!" She chimed as she took the older woman's hand, holding it tight as the two of them made their way to the deeper parts of the corporate building.

Vessa wouldn't be seen again for a long time. Her friends would no doubt look for her everywhere, but nary a trace would be left behind. Only when Atlas Corp attempted to encroach on her world, would they meet her again.

And she'd be happy to induct them into the Mega Corp's ranks so that they can all wear nice matching white outfits.