Chapter Text
After departing from having an impromptu breakfast with Zayne, you return to your condo. Retrieving the papers snatched between the two great girths of thick textbooks in their folder, you give one last read-through. But as your hands tilt the papers to the side in preparation to rip them, you hesitate.
What if you missed something, somewhere? Or a part wasn't memorized enough?
Could you say you were prepared enough to see this through?
Without knowing why, you tilt your head and your eyes inadvertently meet the girl in the mirror near the entrance. She looks like a young, passionate hunter, oozing with confidence and sparks of vitality.
It's clear as day that it isn't you.
However, when you look deep into her eyes, you don't see her.
You can see yourself.
It's not a quality someone can replace, and so even if you are a fake, no matter how many faces you plan to wear, no matter who your 'real self' is, it's okay. Because, the important thing is that at least one person knows you're real.
'What if everything that I thought I knew was imagined?' and, 'I am in fact a mental case that hit my head really hard on something and began to have delusions'. These thoughts cropped up once in the hospital, ones dripping with a self-loathing doubt. But even if someone argues you don't exist, and nothing in this world suggests you're someone else, it's fine.
You know.
Rule #3: Do not doubt that you exist.
And because you don't doubt yourself, you must take responsibility for your actions. Even if you run away from it now, you must do it eventually. You've prepared enough, and if you haven't, then you'll still get through it.
That's how life is, no matter which world you come from.
'Shwwiiipp-', you rip the papers. Then you gather pieces together and tear once again. Again, and again they form smaller halves, until they become small enough that your hands strain to tear them effectively.
This should be enough?
Having thoroughly destroyed the papers, you throw them into a bin to be incinerated later.
You then return to your room and strap on the rest of your Hunter's attire. It is almost like a ritualistic routine, with a solemn duty-bound weight, heavy but not restrictive. First comes the chest piece, with its red and brown leather separated by stitches and a zipper. Next is the belt with complicated intricate loops, chains gently swaying against your side beside the pouches, and finally the wrist gauntlets. You tighten the straps, making sure they aren't loose.
With the ticks off your checklist, you take stock of the anti-wanderer bullet cartridges and do a quick maintenance on your Hunter's gun. When you're satisfied, you place the Hunter's gun on the holster at the back of your waist and snap the flap over in place.
You retrieve the Hunter's watch on the counter before heading out of the door. 'Click!'.
Using public transport that you've gotten more used to, you wonder if it's about time to get an 270HM from the Hunter's association on lease.
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.
The first person you confront upon coming to work, with nary a second to spare to sit your butt down on your cold office chair, is the illustrious captain of Alpha team. The first thing you had noticed was the commanding crisp stamp of boot heels on the ground, tingling a faint brewing premonition not quite processed, and then a calloused hand was gently but firmly placed over the top of the glass compartment of your cubicle.
Perhaps, you should have escaped before then.
"UNICORNS recruit, answer me this. Did you accept mission HM-B-1027-2989?" Captain Jenna's deeply rich magnetic voice causes you to slowly raise your head to meet her eyes.
Swirling in their depths is disapproval.
For a moment, you're not sure what earned the ire of your superior as you reflexively flip through your Hunter's watch to confirm your log of missions. There it sits, as if wrongfully looking at you with doleful eyes announcing that it has no fault in being discovered by captain Jenna.
You look up.
"Yes, I did...may I ask what's wrong with it?" Uncertainty bleeds into your tone as you swallow a lump forming in your throat.
For some reason, the guilt of doing something wrong seeps into your skin. Well no, it is true that you're taking part of something underhanded, but everything is still through legal measures, and you're not committing a crime.
"Although UNICORNS hunters have the freedom to choose whichever missions they want to do, you need to have proper judgement. You were lucky to be still standing before me today. If the Wanderer had hit anywhere else, a little bit deeper, you would have been disabled for life. I understand wanting to prove yourself, but there is a difference between bravery and recklessness." Captain Jenna berates, "I do not want another Hunter to lose their life because of a moment blinded by ambition, do you hear me?"
You digest her words, taking in her stern manner that has your stomach clenching.
"Before returning to action, you need your supervisor's approval." Not hearing a retort, Captain Jenna continues, "Stay a few more days taking care of some paperwork I'll assign you before returning to the field. Do not rush, you'll have plenty of opportunities for action in the future. I'll call on you when you're ready."
No, wait-!
"Captain Jenna." You hurriedly call after her, your chair clattering to the side as you hastily stand.
With the morning sun not quite reaching through the windows, leaving the office in a much duller monochrome world not quite reached by the overlaying lights, Captain Jenna's straight form is clear and strong. She stops and looks back at you, waiting patiently for what you have to say.
Quickly, your brain clicks into gear.
"The mission is a retrieval mission." You begin, wetting your lips. "I will be heading to the periphery of No-Hunt Zone No. 67 to find a time capsule that is very important to the client. Just a few years ago, the boundary of No-Hunt Zone No. 67 was a lot further back. Even now, the threat level of the current boundary is very low, just, the client didn't want to risk it and reached out to the Hunter's association."
Captain Jenna sighs, shooting down your speech with a remark, "There is no telling when a Wanderer might show up. You are still heading into a No-Hunt Zone designated by the association. You must bring a partner when heading in. It's for safety."
You look Jenna right in the eyes.
"Captain, Linkon city still has Wanderers showing up everyday. In fact, the frequency of Wanderers appearing in Linkon city is higher than statistically proven in the periphery of No-Hunt Zone No. 67. I will also be reporting back every hour for a status update, and my location will be tracked."
After a moment, Jenna says, "...I see you have put a lot of thought into this."
"Yes." You nod, "I am aware of the dangers of being a Hunter, ever since I decided on this path. I admit, I was not in the right mind...therefore, after reflecting a lot in the hospital, I will be very careful and thoroughly prepare for my missions. I won't make the same mistakes and get hurt recklessly ever again. This is my way of owning up to my past. Please, Captain Jenna."
Captain Jenna sighs and crosses her arms.
"You confirm that you will check in every hour? And that you will only stay at the edge of the boundary?"
Breathlessly, you confirm. "Yes."
Captain Jenna then sighs once again and shakes her head, a resigned curve resting on her lips as if finding the situation ridiculous. From where you stand, you can see the softening lines in her brows, a sign of good fortune on your end.
"Fine then." Jenna finally utters, whether reluctantly or not, you do not know. "Do your best, UNICORNS rookie."
After giving you her permission, Jenna turns on her heels and walks away, her boots clacking across the ground off into the distance. When she is out of sight, you finally exhale the breath of suffocated air lodged in your throat, clenching and unclenching your hands. Spinning around to find water, you realize that you forgot to bring a water bottle, distracted by the piling matters weighing heavily on your heart.
You pinch your nose bridge and tap your fingers on the desk.
Well, at least you won the approval of Captain Jenna.
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.
.
Minutes later, after getting your gear ready, you take the 270HM parked in the basement garage that you got on lease with the Hunter's association and take off from Movere Bridge into the early morning Linkon streets, now weaving expertly through traffic.