An Unexpected Guest
The memory-lost boy shouted, "It's a pickup truck!" Color finally crept into Samantha's face, faint but unmistakable. The soldiers swiftly reorganized their formation, securing a retreat path to the rear, and Samantha yelled toward the proxies.
"Fall back!"
"Just to be safe, let's clean up a bit more!"
Adolf's response made Samantha hesitate for the briefest moment. Tiny Bell didn't reply, but Samantha's gaze lingered on their uniforms. Yeah, it'll be fine. They're proxies, after all. Without a second thought, she quickly secured the rope to the floor. She figured she'd only get in their way if she stayed. The sound of the rope descent echoed through the space.
Tiny Bell shot Adolf a sidelong glare before emotionlessly swapping out her magazine with a click. Like a leopard, she darted across the debris to a suitable sniping position, narrowing her eyes as she peered through the scope. She pulled the trigger, and another shockwave rattled the chapel.
Bang! The bullet embedded itself in the pillar with a gritty crunch, and just like before, a flash erupted—no sooner had it than the pillar began to crumble with a thunderous roar. Not a single shot missed; every round buried itself precisely into the Dist, as if drawn in by suction.
Adolf watched Tiny Bell's swift movements. Amid the glimpses of her face, her red eyes stood out starkly. Those eyes... is that the rare 'manifested ability' they say only shows up sometimes?
The striking, unnatural changes in a proxy's eyes or body—manifested abilities went beyond mere physical enhancement, serving as symbols that made even ordinary people envy them.
I'm jealous.
Adolf had no manifested ability. Just evenly balanced stats that were a notch above average. No flashy traits to speak of. Thanks to that balance, they'd experimented with giving him a sword, and surprisingly, he had a knack for it. But Tiny Bell's striking eyes held no fervor or sense of duty—just the jaded face of someone mechanically going through the motions. For some reason, that tugged at Adolf's heart.
He confirmed Samantha had descended fully, then hurried to Tiny Bell's side. "Captain, I think we can pull back now too."
Without a word, she shouldered her rifle and turned toward the ropes dangling from the window frame. Vibrations from the gunfire kept sending debris and dust cascading from the ceiling, and suddenly one section tilted precariously. In that split second, the ceiling collapsed, crashing down on the blood orb.
—KABOOOM!!!
A pillar of fire erupted with the explosion, and another Dist burst from within. Without time to think, Adolf reacted on instinct.
"No!"
The moment Tiny Bell cried out, Adolf realized too late he'd stepped into her line of fire.
"Ah!"
He twisted his stance in a panic, throwing off his balance, and swung his sword at the Dist's wrist instead of its neck.
Kashing!
The Dist's wrist severed in a shower of sparks, and the three collided, tumbling in a tangle.
"Ow!"
Tiny Bell, flung aside, sprang up and blew the Dist's head clean off with her revolver.
Bang! Machine-precise marksmanship.
"What the hell are you doing?! That was pointless!"
Tiny Bell yelled, and Adolf, momentarily startled, bowed his head sincerely. "I'm sorry."
"Ugh..."
Normally, that apology would've cowed anyone, but Adolf was unfazed. His dejected expression only fueled her irritation more.
"Don't make that pitiful face! It's annoying!"
Snarling, she smashed the Dist's head with the butt of her sniper rifle.
Crunch!
Wires and chips flew. She stared blankly at them for a moment before stomping them flat. Exhaustion clung to her back—not just battle fatigue, but something deeper.
God, this sucks.
Her eyes gradually shifted back to blue. The mechanical sensory enhancement, x-ray vision and trajectory prediction, rapid cognition—it all made her question if she was even human anymore. Even the moniker Red Eye felt tiresome now.
She whispered at Adolf's back. "...Don't play the hero."
Her words dissolved into the rain, unheard. Fortunately, Lieutenant Samantha and the rest made it back to the Valhalla Disk barrier unscathed. Tiny Bell hadn't uttered a word the whole way, vanishing the moment they arrived. Samantha thanked Adolf once more before leaving with her squad. Adolf, haunted by images of her anger, returned in a daze and collapsed into bed.
***
Valhalla Disk's air was crisp and pure, like refined mountain breath. Sunlight from the high plateau streamed through the window, mingled with the faint hum of turbines powering the vertical farms. This barrier city maximized food production. Each barrier had its unique traits, growing ever more distinct with time. Vines climbed the gray walls like decorations, a welcome sight for eyes weary of austerity. Adolf was one who found the place rather nice.
He slowly opened his eyes to the sounds outside. Morning already. He felt grateful for another day. Not knowing his past wasn't so bad, he thought. If he'd remembered intact cities and landscapes beyond the barriers, simple contentment like this would elude him. A bittersweet, realistic notion.
Ding-a-ling—
He reflexively silenced the alarm clock he'd scavenged. Rubbing his neck as he sat up, the girl's cold words echoed in his mind.
'Pointless emotional waste.'
Her white hair swaying, blue eyes icy—that image lingered. Was it really meaningless? He asked himself, but the thought didn't last. Understanding her was still too complex for him.
Washing up at the mirror, he pondered. Will I get it if we get closer...?
Everything was new to him, hence difficult. But he'd learn step by step, he reassured himself. Heading to the door, the hologram displayed the hallway feed. Silver hair, petite frame. Tiny Bell. She trudged wearily, looking even smaller without her massive sniper rifle. Adolf waited silently until she vanished from view. She seemed to dislike him, after all. Yet her first impression burned vividly in his mind.
As he reached for the door, she reappeared on screen, doubling back to stand right in front of it.
"Eek?"
Adolf startled, stumbling back.
***
The outsider, naturally, had no clue what was happening inside. Tiny Bell just frowned, pausing at the nameplate. Was that guy's name... this?
She couldn't quite recall Adolf's name. Just some nosy black-haired guy.
Did he end up in the management bureau dorms? Annoying as hell.
Amusingly, she'd gotten lost in the Valhalla Disk management bureau building. Proxies weren't immune to that. With no chopper for immediate return post-mission, she'd stayed overnight—and that was her downfall. The building's greenhouse-like interiors and manicured fields were scenic outside, but her sense of direction was hopeless. She'd wandered until stumbling here.
Inside, Adolf panicked so hard he lurched, slapping the door panel by accident. The one that opened it. Through sheer coincidence piled on coincidence, they faced each other again.
And both yelped at once.
"Ack!"
"Ah."
Separated by the open door, silence hung briefly.
"Coming through quick!!"
Someone dashed from behind, and researcher—no, proxy— Tiny Bell dodged reflexively. Right into Adolf's room. Thus, chance contrived the absurd: ushering her inside.
"...Huh?"
As the door hissed shut and she blinked in confusion, Adolf greeted on reflex. "Oh, hello?"
But she just glared coldly.
Another unbearable silence.
"You worked hard yesterday."
His voice was calm, but inside, chaos reigned. What now? Scouring his memories yielded no playbook for this. Fidgeting, he moved wordlessly to reopen the door. From her view, it looked like he was lunging toward her.
Thwack!!
"Ugh!"
A fierce fist slammed into his side. No ordinary girl's punch—this proxy force unbalanced him.
"I was just trying to open the door..."
He gasped out an excuse, staggering to flop onto the bed.
"Haha."
Pain notwithstanding, the absurdity made him laugh. Tiny Bell, more guarded, reached warily for the panel.
"Unregistered access."
The repeated voice irked her; she swept back her bangs, annoyed. Without the sniper rifle, she seemed totally different. Memory loss aside, his positive nature made novelties a delight. And Tiny Bell sparked intense curiosity—maybe from their charged first meeting.
She's really short.
That sparked his bad habit of staring. Uncomfortable under his gaze, she fumbled at her waist and drew her revolver.
"Why stare like that? It's creepy."
She squinted, gun raised.
Adolf snapped to, waving frantically. "No, no! Calm down. Kill me and you'll be stuck here for days?"
"If a shot rings out, they'll tear the door down from curiosity."
"Oh... good point."
He nodded earnestly. What a weirdo. Frowning, she sighed. From yesterday, she knew he wasn't the reckless type.
"...Open it."
Holstering the revolver, she crossed her arms and turned.
"Sure."
He grinned, rising. In his mind, she was an unpredictable bouncy ball. Her silver hair and blue eyes drew his gaze—wanting to keep looking.
"Don't smile."
Her icy tone wiped it off. "So, why are you here?"
"..."
No answer. Guessing she was lost, he softened like coaxing a child. "It's okay. Really. Um... need directions...?"
Her blue eyes widened. He pivoted smoothly. "Wanna grab breakfast together?"
"..."
She looked up at him. Breakfast together? No one had asked since she'd bristled at the world. Unknowingly, her expression eased.
Adolf noted it. She can make faces like that too. He pegged her: directionally challenged. Severely, maybe. "The layout's tricky. Better if I show you."
Careful words. Her gaze wandered idly to his desk toys. A cute lion plush sat there.
A plush? Doesn't match his vibe.
She stared unwittingly; he followed her eyes, beaming. "Oh, that lion? Found it in a ruined department store rubble. Looked so sad abandoned. Cute, right?"
His gentle reminiscence drew an inward chuckle. Cold exterior, but such a sentimental weirdo. She eyed it again. Lion plush, huh.
Curious, he watched her. "Want it?"
"N-no. I'm good now... never mind."
A memory flashed: calling "Ryan!" The door hissed open.
"Heyy—Mandel, good morn—"
Another figure: late teens, red hair like Roland Garfield, Adolf's friend in the regular army at the bureau. Not a proxy, but same age, his sole pal here. Personality polar opposite.
"...Wh-what?"
Early morning. Cute girl and his buddy in one room. The mischievous redhead gaped, then grinned slyly. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to barge in!"
Tiny Bell exploded at his antics.
Thud!
Her toe nailed his shin perfectly. Roland crumpled, groaning. Adolf grabbed her shoulder. "Captain, calm down... Roland, I'll explain."
Roland, stunned by the force and absurdity, spotted the uniform and snapped to. Clutching his shin, he stood. "Sorry."
Tiny Bell distanced from him, firm to Adolf. "Open the door."
"I'll escort you to the cafeteria."
"Ugh, seriously."
She raised a fist silently again.
"It's fate—better together."
Roland inwardly screamed What fate? Tell her to scram! but shut up. Tiny Bell pondered Adolf's earnest face. This guy's a total oddball. Staring, she reluctantly nodded.
Door opened; she bolted out. More talk would drain her. And she was hungry. Roland glanced warily, whispering. "Who’s that crazy proxy and why's she in your room?"
"Long story. Captain Tiny Bell."
Adolf grinned, introducing her. Roland eyed the petite figure disbelievingly. "Honorary to captain? Must be a big deal."
He dusted his knee snarkily.
"Haha—let's go."
Adolf cut it off hastily. Tiny Bell just shot them a fearsome glare from ahead, urging them on.