Lieutenant Ava stood her ground, her hand tightening around the hilt of her sword as she faced Sergeant Livia and the other soldiers. The Xynoin beside her was already unconscious on the ground, and its alien features were slowly losing its life and color.
Sergeant Livia spoke up, her voice dripping with disbelief and suspicion. "Lieutenant Ava, what's the meaning of this? Are you protecting a Xynoin?"
Ava didn't flinch. Her eyes narrowed, her grip on her sword growing even tighter. "I won't repeat myself," she said, her tone firm and commanding.
As she stood there, Ava couldn't help but wonder why she was putting herself on the line for this Xynoin.
She had other priorities - finding Yuichi and rejoining the main force. But something about the creature's plight had touched her, and she couldn't just stand by and watch as it was slaughtered by her fellow soldiers.
Livia's expression hardened as she listened to Ava's response. "Does this mean you are going to ignore orders?" She asked, her hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of her sword which remained sheathed in her belt.
"The order came from Lieutenant Colonel himself. You might be a Special Lieutenant, but that doesn't exempt you from following our rules," Livia replied firmly, drawing her sword from its scabbard.
The soldiers under her command readied their weapons as they stepped forward, the sound of their guns being cocked filling the tense air.
Despite the overwhelming display of force, Ava remained calm and composed. She stood her ground, her grip on her sword unwavering, and showed no sign of backing down, even as more Meta soldiers rushed in.
A deep sigh escaped Livia's lips as she spoke to Ava, "Surely, you are not that ignorant, Lieutenant. The risk is clear, and we have the numbers advantage." Her voice was stern, and she stood tall with hundreds of soldiers flanking her.
Ava remained unfazed, her stance unwavering. "I believe you have misunderstood the situation," she replied calmly. "I see no helicopters or war machines, just regular Meta soldiers. You will need a lot more than that to defeat me".
"Fine, have it your way." Livia's expression hardened as she raised her sword to the sky, signaling the soldiers to raise their weapons.
The sound of hundreds of guns being cocked filled the air, but Ava stood her ground with sparks of lightning crackling around her body. Her eyes glowed with an otherworldly energy as she prepared to defend herself.
Ava's squad, consisting of Rose, Gabs, and Mira, appeared out of nowhere, standing in front of Ava as a shield against the soldiers. Mira stepped forward, fixing her gaze on Sergeant Livia.
"Sergeant Livia, I urge you to order your soldiers to put down their weapons," Mira stated firmly.
A Sergeant from the development department sneered and interrupted, "Who do you think you are, barking orders at us? You only obtained your rank a week ago."
Mira changed her focus to the man, "That is correct, Sergeant Mira Hayase, Scouting department." She saluted but immediately sent a stern look right after, "My squad leader is a special Lieutenant, using that logic, she is higher ranked than you and therefore can make this decision".
Livia's stern expression didn't waver as she listened to Mira's explanation, her eyes darting from Mira to Ava and back again. "Are you suggesting that we allow a Xynoin to roam freely within a military base?" she questioned.
Mira kept her gaze downcast, trying to maintain a respectful demeanor. "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure why Lieutenant Ava is protecting the Xynoin," she replied. "But I know that she wouldn't make this decision without good reason."
The tension in the air was palpable as the soldiers waited for Livia's response. Just then, Gabs knelt down beside the fallen Xynoin and spoke up. "What the hell, Lieutenant Ava? Isn't this your guy friend?" He demanded, his voice filled with confusion and concern.
A hush fell over the crowd as Gabs' words echoed through the tense atmosphere. Every soldier's gaze snapped to him, and Ava and Mira turned their heads to see what was happening.
Ava's eyes widened in shock as she saw the form of Yuichi slowly taking shape within the Xynoin's body. The gray substance that had once covered him was now dissolving, revealing his skin beneath.
Ava's heart raced as she struggled to process what she was seeing. How was it possible for Yuichi to be inside the Xynoin? Was he controlling it? Was he in danger? The questions bombarded her mind, but she knew one thing for sure: she needed to get to the bottom of this.
"It's...human," Livia muttered, her voice barely above a whisper as she stared in disbelief at Yuichi's human form emerging from the Xynoin's body. For years, the military had been fighting against the Xynoins, creatures that were supposed to be mindless monsters.
The soldiers around them were equally stunned, unsure of what to do next. Fear and confusion were etched on their faces as they tried to comprehend what had just happened.
Even Mira, who had been the first to speak up in defense of Ava, was still trying to process the situation. She had never heard of a Xynoin being able to transform into a human, let alone one that they knew personally.
Silence hung in the air for a few moments as everyone stood frozen, unsure of what to do or say next. The only sound that could be heard was the soft rustling of the leaves in the wind.
Finally, Ava spoke up, breaking the silence. "We need to get Yuichi out of here and find out what's going on," she said, her voice firm and commanding despite the chaos that surrounded them.
"Oh cut the Bullshit!" Nao suddenly yelled, his voice ringing through the tense atmosphere. "You expect us to help a Xynoin… why don't we build an orphanage for them while we're at it?"
He gripped his sword, lowering his body as he got ready to take off. "You might be a Grade 1, but I'm a Grade 2, meaning just like you I also have special abilities… hand the Xynoin is over, or I'll tear you apart to get it".