As the party was (sneaking?) around the (battlefield?) by causally walking on sidewalks through the deserted streets like they are not involved whit what ever is going on the other streets alongside the one on which they currently was; they don't pay any attention to the emptiness of the city. Well… except for the protagonist. He was wondering what the heck is wrong whit this place. Especially when the heavy clouds seems to get heavier and get lover as if they threatening the buildings bellow to drop all that (snow?) that was inside of them in one swift go. On other side of coin; probably everyone can sense that a heavy snowing is on its way. Additionally he was skeptic about that mission story from that tricky lilliputian woman in lab coat who was walking next to the mercenary guy on his last gun keeping his a guard up against possible ambush. Currently she was trying to drag him into flirtatious dialog, but he was short on words. They keep they walk speed a lite hasty on pace, so they will not lost the cat-girl woman in dress, who was just dragging the main guy by holding hands as if that was the only job here she had.
On one moment this group stooped in front of some shop or cafe or something similar whit big front window, having some quick discussion. As the cat let the protagonist hand to argue against the (You two are a fine pair.) teasing from the scientist, the protagonist itself dint pay to much attention to the nonsense they were talking about.
He eventually look through the front glass of that shop to its interior... But then he noticed something wrong directly on the glass plate. Normally, everyone would think they would see their own reflection there. But… this was something different… It was not his reflection and it was not a reflection at all… The (it) had a humanoid silhouette, but… It was filled by something like a (TV static interference?) similar to certain effect when switching channel or losing signal on analog TV. It feels like something was seriously missing, but for some reason the only thing that make a sense from that; was this feeling of being (disconnected?) from (not knowing whats going on here?). He tried to focus on that thing and in moment: he was somehow able to even hear that (static interference?) noise. What's more, he heard as if this (static person?) was trying to tell him something.
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As he was falling into staring at it, someone suddenly grab his shoulder and pulled him out of his deep thoughts back to presence.
Not quite: There was this another guy whit tired eyes under his worn out eyeglasses that probably saw to much things during his life. Actually whit his (tired man) facial expression, one shall expect to see a hints of lack of sleep like a black stain marking under his eyes. But no! Instead of gray hairs and other sings of aging, he give of a feeling like he was ridiculously overpowered by some game breaking mechanic or sheer amount of knowledge and experience. The main minus on him was those sings of having a burn-out from overworking. He was covered by a long full hoodie coat made for a harsh weather. But at this moment it was more like a remains of coat that had to many (bullet holes?) on too many places. Marks of burns give a hints that explosions bite to many times onto it from too close distance. Actually that teared appearance of that coat will look so cool on an outlaw character from any gun fantasy book. Its nearly felled like he went on disco whit (rain of bullets) and he was the main dancer. Additionally he has on his back a ridiculously big camp bag or something similar to it that was made on place by stitching things like a parachute together. Both of the bag and this tired man had this fresh white cap from the snow falling.
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The daydreamer got this shock of sudden realization, slightly look up and though: ("Wait! It actually started to snowing? When?") He was nearly ready to look back at the window, to check if what he saw there, was real or only his imagination...
But before the protagonist had a chance to look at the glass plate, the tired man who still had hand placed on that shoulder; he shake the body to force the daydreaming person to look at him. Moreover, he sounded stressed. "Hey!! How much do you plan on staring blankly at that thing?!" Soon as they gazes finally meets he suddenly realize something and lean forward to look from close to the protagonist face. "Wait… Don't dare to tell me, that you had been so deep in you inner thoughts, that you dint hear anything from what I said to you." He backed nearly for an entire step.
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MC [Main character] was looking shocked and clearly derailed. He was staring at this to much (tired?) or (bored?) Badass man [formidable strength or skill] in (questionable age?) who was giving this (old and wise grandpa) aura, like (I was been already through too much shit to get excited anymore for something!).
But the lack of answer as silence make this (four eye) [person whit eyeglasses] release a sigh of defeat as he turn his face away. "Its not that I found you standing here; sulking like a lost puppy. Then after a while of silence I decide to light your depression whit a then minutes of wholesome speaking into your soul to make you feel better. A grand speech that will move harts of masses that be worth of gold if spoken on academic gathering or during an intercession to the nation... A~and [aaand], you dint hear any of it." For a moment he look nearly sad. "No… I am not sad from realization that I was speaking into a wind, while you had probably an inner monologue of similar life or death importance. I just had lately a lot on plate for myself, so I can understand if you feel down. It's just that the Irony of this entire situation actually got me. The project was stressful enough, so its normal to get hit before finish line." Suddenly he look strictly on him and point a warning finger toward the MC face. "I will not repeat myself, so don't even ask!"
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The main guy had a feeling that this person and his (teacher like?) approach is not his enemy. On contrast he realize that something, that this person had say don't add up to the story, so he wanted to asked at (that things) he mentioned.
But before he has a chance to spoke up his question and look at the front glass, this man again strictly interrupted him. "Enough!! I will not allow you to sulk anymore and froze again." This eyeglasses guy turn the sulking one around in way as if he making sure that the patient will not be able to look into that window. Placing his hand around MC guy neck and shoulder, he practically start to push him into the cafe. "Even if I don't know what's your deal, I do know that it will do no help to pry on it. I spend so much time on daydreaming that I can tell that daydreaming her is a double waste. You shall already know pretty well that you are not the only one who have issues here. So bite it, or make yourself busy whit something! You are not alone, because we are in this together!"
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As the protagonist become a hostage of someone other demands, he realize that the thing in this guy backpack is quite heavy, but the carrier moved like it was nothing impressive. The items inside were making a metallic clunky sounds that the bag can holding a certain type of machinery or equipment. Like a whole tent whit a field kitchen or something whit six rotating barrels.
After they pass the door whit a lonely door bell ring: The interior look like a cafe or some kind of club, but there was nobody around and the light was off. They went to the back, aiming for the small room at back. But they don't went into a toilet room. Instead they turn behind certain corner in the corridor, passed through something like a hidden door, went a stairs down and face the second shop entry doors. They enter something that look like a hidden society bar, cafe or pub, that looked like a secret society club from movies about prohibition.
The trio from early was there: Mercenary was behind the bar counter acting like a barman and the girls were siting on the chairs in front of the bar counter like a lonely pair of customers.
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Soon as the four eye guy walk in, he spoke up. "Hey!! Are you don't missing something?... Or someone?... I found this lost child standing alone outside on street without moving. Like a lone puppy petrified like a fossil, waiting for his passed out owner to return."
The moment the cat-girl look at the duo, she scare jump a little whit a (Oh shit, I forgot about him!) facial expression.
The military guy give them a somehow confusing look. "Wait... I though he went to sleep. Don't tell us he was standing outside this entire time? Dam that's a quite effort to stay hard as stone, this entire time, for someone who dint return."
On other side the scientist went to the protagonist to check him, don't bothering to hide her wide mischief grin. "Dam you boy! It will be a really lame for us if you simply turn off you brain always the moment I told you to get some sleep. Or you blank out the moment that certain someone let yours hand go and that broke you hart? Or maybe you tried to find out if you can get here a hypothermia? I am flattered, by you flexing you brain on me." Only now the protagonist realize that he was a snow cape on his head when the tricky girl sweep the snow from him as if she was cleaning a stature. "Or is this a rare occasion, when you really become a lost child? Because you, from all people, to having a such a brain freeze is quite hilarious for me." She was nearly giggling in excitement when she was making a quick health check on him. It feels more pointless that useful, as if she was only testing how far she can go with doing a (random stuff?) proclaiming its a scientific medicine.
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The protagonist wanted to say something to her, but she slap her palms on his cheeks squeezing them, forming on his face a grimace, starring directly onto his eyes. Normally will one think that she just wanted to check his body temperature, but the sparks in her eyes tell otherwise. So he manage only to spoke something incomprehensible. That amuse the girl to the point that she grab his hand and drag him to the bar counter. For his surprise they have spread on table a bunch of this instant ramen sup cups or somethings like that. Plus there was some beans cans and few bottles of different spices. But not many persons will expect that a nearly camp like scene, (when nobody will bother to cook a proper meal); will include that the instant food will be part of some mad lab experiment settings. Just how much far someone must go to give a food rations a better taste?
For some reason his staring on this elementary school science project make the other trio to join in silent staring, switching from him to that food and back, trying to figure out what the heck is his problem or a point. ...or they just waited what he will say.
This starring contest, was interrupted only, when the man whit eyeglasses placed his big bag on floor. The metal pieces covered in that (parachute?) make a clinking sound as it leaned against the wall. Even the wooden floor make a noise complain from how heavy that cargo was. But it was strange that the floor or stairs to this point dint cry under his feet when he had that bag on. Nearly like his soul or presence just denied that side fact. Or he was just so (skilled?) that he was able to walk normally or stealthy, even whit that ridiculously heavy cargo on his back. Something similar can be say on ancient martial arts of silent running.
Now all of them just stared at him as he give himself a few seconds if the bag will stay on its place, or the floor will give up and the bag will disappear down into lower level.
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As he just walk over them, he noticed their weird silence: "Okay what's going on? This definitely is not a usual reaction for my arrival, or me doing an unusual stuff. Don't tell me you are already bored?" He look on them and suddenly notice something odd. "Wait, what are you don't telling me? It is something wrong? Or… is something wrong directly whit our lost child boy? And it just happenstance that I managed to ignored it?" He make a deep stare on the protagonist for several seconds. Then he look at the cat-girl. "What did you do~o to him?"
But to the displeasure of MC, the cat-girl heartlessly frown back at that question. "Is this the topic of the day? A theme?; that revolve around some wet fantasy that I'll drink him dry like a thirsty vampire? Until he end like a ghoul?" For some reason one can imagine, how she bristled her fur like a cat. "You all shall know that to this point; I had been a quite patient whit those comments, but now I starting to feel insulted. That's what you all are aiming for? For me to loose the cool and going wild? Its a winter outside, your smart-asses!"
On contrast to her nearly outburst the mercenary just glanced at her. "You can blame yourself for that thickness of yours bare thighs. Your practically begging for a good time whit a daddy. But someone here have an irony excuse, why the good time will not happening. And that winter reference as a sole reason for you lack of heat, will slap you on ass when the summer will arrive."
As they had this discussion the scientist finished (preparing?) the instant food cups. Normally the only thing one shall do is pour a boiling water into the cup, cover it and wait for like five minutes. But in her performance it look more like a dark art of heretical science. Wearing her normal UwU smile, she eventually notice the starring from a protagonist. "If you dint like it, we have a military protein bars. Or loot of alcohol and other potions. Plus some other cans. Like a dog food." But then she realize something and she smirks like a little devil. "Senpai… Are you actually staring at that fancy dress of our Kitty? Wondering, why she is wearing it? Will you believe me, if I told you?; (That she was so disappointed not going into a certain party, that she stubbornly wear it anyway just to show it.) Eventually milking the attention she desired, in a different way she planed." As she stared directly at him her voice turned into conspiracy tone and a (dark spark?) glittered in one of her eyes. "Or are we shall said at laud, that is a time to undress the (elephant in the room)?"
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The protagonist was taken aback whit this questioning, wondering what that actually means, because it will be hardly something so easy like (he doesn't remembering). When his glance drop on that fancy dress; he reheard the line (Undress the elephant in the room). One will be mistaken if she will try to say something like: (Do you praised her dress?) Knowing the scientist who just crazy jump from one topic to another, this turn of phrase was a trap. For the first time he tried to make this step back. But he was only in half when hand from behind stooped his movement back. No the eyeglasses guy force him to take a seat in front of the bar counter, practically pushing him onto that chair.
Then this man sits next to him, making a serious expression. "The main question shall be: (If is done?)"
But the rhetorical question stayed unanswered… As seconds of silence was passing, everyone from the team look at this tired man.
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[Notes]
-Badass - Someone or something that you admire or find impressive. Formidable strength or skill. A bad or slightly frightening person. Ready to cause or get into trouble.
-Break the fourth wall. Of fiction, especially theater, film, or television, to break the illusion of separation between the audience and the fiction itself, either intentionally or unintentionally. Taken originally from theater, in which the fourth wall describes the invisible "wall" that stands between the audience and the stage.
-If you say there is an elephant in the room, you mean that there is an obvious problem or difficult situation that people do not want to talk about.