18:08

ROLE SELECTION: GUARDIAN

SIMULATION READY

[LUK3]-Alright! I'm back, little guy!

LUK3 enters the training ground after leaving to get someone for the next role. C0NNER isn't present anymore, nor does KYR4 seem to be around. The simulations looks to be already set even from before LUK3 went out, so the only thing left was for him to the person who he needed present.

[LUK3]-N04H, this is Mr. ELL1OT! One of the members from the defensive group as a Guardian!

[ELL1OT]-It's a pleasure to meet you, Recruit N04H!

[N04H]-Nice to meet you too. But... what's the "defensive group"? Is Mr. C0NNER included in it as he is a "Defender"? And what's the difference between this group and the other one you guys mentioned earlier? The "offensive group"?

[LUK3]-No, no! C0NNER is from the offensive group just like me!

[ELL1OT]-You see, the "Guardian" title, which I have, is included in the defensive group just like the "Healer" title. The rest are from the offensive group, which are responsible of the inside part of the missions: the Defenders and Strikers. The defensive group is responsible of the outside part, which is to protect the people from the other team by giving them information about the enemies' position outside the building and eventual emergencies happening, so that they are aware of anything about the events of the outside. It is thought in a way of making sure the situation is by our side, while we also try to make the enemies avoid the offensive group's location. In simpler terms, we are the shield, while people like Mr. LUK3 are the weapon. The only role who is part of both groups is the "Hacker", which includes Officer KYR4. She has the duty to gain us control of anything regarding the devices, doors, cameras and any other possible things we might need. While she gains information which is later distributed to us, she is also a part of the quest itself.

[N04H]-And why isn't the "Defender" role a part of the defensive group?

[ELL1OT]-Because, technically, they take part in the quest as well. Even if they only provide others of information. They are working in real-time action with the cameras so that Strikers complete their duties. In most of the cases, they are very close to the control station too, so they can avoid interferences which we don't want to appear during the missions. We don't really do the same. We only supervise the areas and provide information about what might change the initial plans. Them, on the other hand, have to give every little detail out so that Strikers work without any issue.

[LUK3]-Alright, alright! Enough with the chit-chat! N04H, Mr. ELL1OT will teach you about the role this time!

[ELL1OT]-Indeed. Let me explain what you have to do in this simulation. Here will be ten enemies with unexpected behaviour. Each of them will do something unique, so each of them will make different moves. You are going to stay on some platforms above them and watch everything they do, while inside the building in front of you are supposedly your offensive group colleagues. Your mission is to inform them about anything that might seem important to the plan. Remember! Even the smallest details can cause a lot of problems for us! And do not show yourself, or you blow the whole plan up!

[N04H]-...It is pretty much the same thing as the "Defender" role. Can we try the next one?

[ELL1OT]-It's worth a try. Come on!

[N04H]-*sigh* Alright, alright...

LUK3 gives N04H the equipment needed and begins the simulation. But while N04H was preparing for it, LUK3 simply gives Mr. ELL1OT a hand gesture for him to understand that he needs to observe the situation, while he sits down on the floor and slowly falls asleep. N04H, on the other hand, started his thing. He observes every enemy's action, but the number seems overwhelming to him. He notices a hologram entering the building and informs the "team" about this action with the equipment given. Then, he misses a hologram who went to activate the alarm, but somehow manages to inform the "team" in time anyway. But then, out of nowhere, another hologram appears on the platform he was standing on, seeing him and resulting in the simulation to conclude. It appears that he initially thought the hologram left the area, yet instead it climbed up right where he was.

[N04H]-...You got to be kidding me!

[ELL1OT]-It's not a good idea to stay in the same spot for a very long time.

[N04H]-But I thought the man left the area!

[ELL1OT]-Don't worry! You did well! You can try again later if you want!

[N04H]-No, no. Thank you, but I think the role doesn't fit me...

[ELL1OT]-It's alright! Go wake LUK3 up to see what's waiting for you next, I will take my leave for now! Good luck on your choice!

N04H nods at the man and goes to see what LUK3 is doing on the floor. He actually did fall asleep in the meantime, not caring much about what really happens in the whole simulation.

[N04H]-Mr. LUK3?

[LUK3]-Mm....

[N04H]-Mr. LUK3! Wake up!

[LUK3]-What is it...? I'm trying to sleep...

[N04H]-I've finished with the role, Mr. LUK3! What's next on the list?

[LUK3]-I will... bring MY4 for the next one... Just let me sleep... a little... more...

[N04H]-Are you tired?

[LUK3]-A bit... I barely slept last night... Go take a small break... *yawn* for now...

The boy leaves the room, letting LUK3 enjoy his peaceful sleep alone. After walking a bit around the hallway though, he notices the Great Leader again, and the same lifeless eyes that scare him. He looks busy, as always, holding in His left hand some papers while the right arm is still not visible from the torn cloth. So, the boy rushes towards Him to have a small chat.

[N04H]-...Master CHE5TER?

[CHE5TER]-Hm?

[N04H]-What are you doing with these papers?

[CHE5TER]-They're just a few work papers. Nothing you should bother yourself about. I was planning the next mission.

[N04H]-Are we going to save other people?

[CHE5TER]-No. We will need to extract some documents from one area. That's all. It's not big of a deal, really.

[N04H]-Documents?

[CHE5TER]-Yes. So? How is the role selection going? Did you manage to make an idea of a possible choice?

[N04H]-N-Not really... None of these seem to be to my liking... The closest one that I could think of would be LUK3's role.

[CHE5TER]-Did you try them all?

[N04H]-I think there is one left... Mr. LUK3 said that he will bring someone named MY4 for the next one.

[CHE5TER]-MY4, you say... *sigh* Yeah, I have an idea of what's next on your list. But I don't think it suits you that much.

[N04H]-Why do you say that?

[CHE5TER]-...Just a thought. Did LUK3 go after her already?

[N04H]-No... He said he wants to rest a bit since he is tired, so he told me to take a break for now.

[CHE5TER]-Then let him have his rest. It isn't the first time he falls asleep during the day, yet I told him to stop sneaking off during the sleep schedule.

[N04H]-Why does he do that, though?

[CHE5TER]-I don't know. But I let him be at this point. It's not my business to supervise him all the time. As long as he doesn't go in the City of Above without my approval like last time, I don't really care what he is doing in his free time.

[N04H]-Right...

[CHE5TER]-And that should include you as well, little N04H. Hope I do not find you in that city without telling anybody again.

[N04H]-E-Eheheh... I guess I got a bit carried away during our celebration and didn't think it straight...

[CHE5TER]-Yeah. I guessed that from LUK3's explanation.

[N04H]-Oh, by the way! I'm a bit curious of something!

[CHE5TER]-Hm?

[N04H]-How did you even manage to find out anyway? You weren't present with them when we all went to solve the problem.

[CHE5TER]-Little one, I'm the ruler of this city, the Great Leader Himself. You know this already, you signed that contract when you chose to stay in this base and promised on your life on not telling anybody about this information. You think I don't find out everything that's happening in my city, no matter how insignificant the details are?

[N04H]-Yeah, but how did you--

[CHE5TER]- --That doesn't matter. I have my own ways. I'd say you go back to your break for now. We will discuss later if you wish, but right now I'm a little busy. I wish you good luck on your choice, N04H.

The Great Leader then leaves the boy alone, making N04H look at Him while He vanishes on the hallways, wondering what this person even has in mind.

[N04H]-I knew the ruler works in the shadows and all, but why are you so secretive?

19:12

After the break, N04H comes back to the training ground and waits for LUK3 to bring the person he needs. After a few minutes, he enters the room with a gentle girl which N04H assumed it is MY4. She is actually so gentle to the point you can mistake her with a flower. She has long, blonde hair and such a light in her eyes that could make even the darkest eyes show a spark. She is a C born too, with her colour being pink. Her clothes are casual, but what stands out is a bag she carries on her right side which looks to be full of items. LUK3 seems a bit sleepy on the other hand, walking by her side as they have a conversation. Then, N04H comes towards them and interrupts their talking.

[N04H]-This is MY4, right?

[LUK3]-Yep! She is my best friend! Aaand, also, kind of the best person qualified for this role that I know about... This is why I chose to take her!

[MY4]-Right... By the way, LUK3. Do you know if KYR4 is back from the meeting?

[LUK3]-Nope! I tried to leave her a message a while ago and her whole response was simply "Shut up". I guess they aren't done with that shit yet.

[MY4]-*sigh* CHE5TER isn't so happy about the whole event idea, though.

[LUK3]-He discussed it with you when He came for the treatment?

[MY4]-Yeah... But He cancelled His schedule again and I didn't have the time to even look at His condition for today. He just... left after we've discussed and rescheduled the medicine.

[LUK3]-I swear, this man has a death wish! What's up with Him anyway?? And He tells ME not to mess around with the schedule...

[MY4]-I don't know... But I'm beginning to worry even more...

N04H notices the uncomfortable conversation they both have, even if for him the subject is not fully known, so he tries to change it.

[N04H]-What's up with this event you just mentioned, Mr. LUK3?

[LUK3]-Oh, yeah! Sorry little buddy! Well, we are suppose to celebrate Great Leader's on the 17th day of the second month, so we, as soldiers, are taking a day off! Similar to those graduation events you had, but on a bigger level!

[N04H]-Is Master CHE5TER's day this close?

[MY4]-No. The celebration is about the former Great Leader, not the current one. But anyway... let's change the subject for now. We are here for your role selection, right?

[N04H]-Right...

[MY4]-Alright then. Should I explain it before we begin or you already got an idea of what you are suppose to do? Since the title "Healer" is pretty obvious anyway...

[N04H]-Well, Master CHE5TER didn't really give too many details... An explanation won't hurt, I guess.

[MY4]-...You bumped into Master CHE5TER?

[N04H]-I just happened to see Him on the hallways. When I mentioned your name, He already knew the next role and said it doesn't really fit me. But I didn't know what He was talking about.

[MY4]-I see... We should take His advice into consideration then.

[N04H]-Wait, WHAT?

[MY4]-Master CHE5TER can see easily small details we might not notice about ourselves and understand what might fit us. I'm not sure how He manages it myself, but He helped some newcomers back when LUK3 and I joined the base when we were your age, myself included. He noticed something about my character and I ended up listening to His suggestion. To help people. This is how I became a Healer.

[LUK3]-Oh, yeah! I remember it! I thought at first that you got in trouble for the fact that we've disturbed both Him and RY4N when we just entered the base since we were asking too many questions! I had my worries when you told me you came out of His office! In my mind, the same idea of Him scolding you for my behaviour kept repeating! And when it happened the second time, right when we were suppose to think of our possibilities, it made me fear the fact that we might be thrown out of the base! Him helping you with your role was the last thing crossing my mind!

[MY4]-*giggles* Right. But if you still want to give it a try, N04H, then I have nothing against it.

[N04H]-If you say He knows what He's talking about, then I guess I will pass this one as well... But I don't think there is anything left for me to try, and none of those roles seem to be right choice.

[LUK3]-I guess we can try them all again! Boss said that you don't have to rush anyway, so you still have some time!

[N04H]-Do you have the papers with each role?

[LUK3]-Oh, yeah! Sorry! Here!

LUK3 takes out a paper on which are written all the titles and some descriptions about them, and gives it to N04H. He reads each of them, but notices right at the end of the paper a crossed out role which he didn't hear about earlier: "Investigator".

[N04H]-Hey, what's up with the last role, Mr. LUK3? Why is it crossed out?

But the moment LUK3 hears that, his eyes get wide open and stares at the paper. MY4 doesn't really know what this is all about, but N04H sure gets more puzzled than before. At least now, LUK3 manages to wake up for good.

[N04H]-What? Why are you staring like that?

[LUK3]-...I could've sworn I will do this!

[N04H]-Do what? What's happening?

The weird man then stares at the teen, not knowing what to do. MY4, on the other hand, simply went next to N04H to read what is on the papers and realise what exactly is happening.

[LUK3]-...Fuck! CHE5TER's going to kill me!

[N04H]-What? Why?

[LUK3]-I wasn't suppose to show you this! How could've I forgotten about it??

[N04H]-Why? It's just a title, it can't be that ba--

[LUK3]- --He specifically crossed it out Himself when I went to get the papers, N04H! I shouldn't have shown you this role at all! Fuuuck...

[MY4]-Okay, LUK3, calm down...

[N04H]-But why such a big deal for a simple title?

[MY4]-Well, I guess Master CHE5TER didn't want you to try it out, knowing the past with it.

[LUK3]-And I was suppose to follow orders, yet here we are!

[N04H]-But what could possibly make Him take that decision? The other roles seem fine!

[MY4]-Maybe because... of the losses we had with it... But even so, it used to be a title which anyone could choose back when we joined. It was a normal role, that's why it is on the papers to begin with.

[N04H]-But why cross it out then?

[MY4]-I-I don't know... We used to have a lot of them until a few years ago. Now, because of the past issues of the base, almost all of them either left or... *sign* But anyway, I'm not sure why He chose to erase it from the choices all of a sudden, knowing well He has this title too.

[N04H]-...Wait, you mean He is the only Investigator left??

[MY4]-Yes, something like that... After we've lost some of the Investigators, He decided to take this role on His own in order to take part in the missions as well. He wasn't the only one though, there were still Investigators that were working with us back when He changed His role. It's just that... He is the only one that remained in the present. And because of all the censorship regarding our base, we weren't able to get more recruits to join us. As a consequence, there weren't any new Investigators to come. It was... a strange fate to happen for this title.

N04H looks again to the crossed out role on the paper and stands a bit to think about it. He now understands what the Great Leader was talking about during their conversation about the next mission. Because the whole next mission focuses on His role and on Him specifically. But even N04H knows this situation must be horrible even for the ruler Himself. To be the person who watches over a whole city and the only one left with a title which used to have tens of people.

[N04H]-...Can I give it a try?

[MY4]-I don't think it's a good idea...

[LUK3]-Yeah! Besides, I'm the one who gets his ass beaten if He finds out! You really want to do this to me, man??

[N04H]-I just want to try it only once! If I fail, we won't speak about it ever again! I promise!

[LUK3]-B-But, but...

LUK3 stands and thinks the whole situation again, while N04H already made a decision, waiting for his approval.

[LUK3]-Oh, alright... But don't tell Him, please!

[N04H]-I won't! It won't!

[MY4]-You never were the type of guy to follow rules anyway, LUK3. Why are you so scared this time?

[LUK3]-HEY! ON WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON, MY4??

[MY4]-I was just saying...

[LUK3]-*sigh* I know I'm going to regret it later, but... come on. Let's see what we can do about the simulation.