The girl who had locked eyes with Marty slowly blinked her eyes and then turned around, starting to walk away at a leisurely pace. Her steps were much lighter and fresher than the ordinary people of IDYPIA.
She's inviting me to follow.
Marty was confident in her intuition. The girl's movements lacked the emptiness of an IDYPIA citizen, something that neither Tyra nor she could imitate. Above all, if it was her, she might know the answer to what Marty was feeling right now, something she couldn't explain well with the words she had.
With that thought in mind, Marty began to follow the girl slowly, trying not to attract the attention of drones or security agents.
Let's see what this is all about.
Marty's footsteps were unusually light and spirited.
Let's go all the way.
***
Passing through the barren city with towering buildings and following the swaying path through the barley fields, Marty began to see the walls surrounding IDYPIA.
Hmm? Isn't that supposed to be a restricted area?
However, the girl didn't stop. She paused at a certain spot, smiled mischievously, and then vanished into thin air.
Wait, what? What happened? How did she disappear?
Startled by the girl's disappearance, Marty hurriedly ran to the spot where the girl had been standing.
"Over here."
"You surprised me."
The girl appeared like a hologram to the left of Marty.
"To be that surprised you must be one of us after all."
"Well, you did suddenly appear out of nowhere. Huh? But who are 'us'?"
"Try holding my hand. Then you'll understand."
The girl extended her hand to Marty. It was a slender and elegant hand. Marty took the girl's hand without hesitation.
"Whoaaaaa!"
The long corridor with extended vacuum tubes sucked the girl and Marty in as if they were passing through the tunnel of a high-speed train. The place they arrived at was an old and rusty building that looked like it could be demolished at any moment.
"Where is this?"
"This is one of the buildings of the 'Intelligence Research Institute,' an ancient building built during the early days of IDYPIA's establishment, which is now closed. It's located outside the IDYPIA barrier and has been closed for a long time. Even the surveillance sensors of the AG Security Center have been removed from here, so it can't be traced by the brain chip's location tracking device."
"Such a place exists?"
At the girl's words, Marty looked around. The building had traces of explosions here and there, making it quite old in appearance, but the sunlight penetrated deep inside, giving it a cozy atmosphere. Near the areas with traces of explosions, there were aquariums where various creatures were studied, and in the garden, moss and various plants created a small ecosystem, living in their own balance.
"Wow, this is impressive."
The girl approached Marty, who was marveling at the various aspects of the place.
"How is it?"
"Um? What do you mean?"
"This place."
"Oh... it's amazing to have a place like this."
"No, not that."
"Not that?"
When Marty looked surprised, the girl spoke.
"Doesn't it feel familiar?" the girl asked.
"Ah..." Marty responded.
Marty agreed with the girl's question. Indeed, this place felt familiar, as she had mentioned. However, no matter how hard she thought, nothing came to mind.
"When I try to remember something, a vague fog creeps into my head, making me feel stifled. It's like I've eaten potatoes."
"What? Haha!"
The girl laughed as she found Marty, who was deeply contemplating with a serious expression, adorable.
"W…why?"
"Well, I just thought you had such a rich expression."
"Is having rich expressions a good thing?"
"Of course. It means you can be honest with your feelings."
"Honest with... my feelings?" Marty expressed disbelief.
"In IDYPIA, people can't show feelings like this."
"Exactly. That's why I thought I was weird. But turns out I'm not!"
Marty didn't hide her joy. Despite the strange situation where the brain chip wasn't working, the communication with the girl in front of her was more important.
"You're also quite similar to us."
"You've been saying 'us' repeatedly. Are there more of you?"
"Yes, one more. Waiting for you inside."
The girl pointed down the hallway and replied.
"Is she older, like you?" Marty asked.
"How could you tell I'm older than you?
"I guess I just read the room."
"You must be naturally perceptive."
"Really? I'm perceptive?"
When Marty asked with eyes that sparkled like a child's, the girl responded with a smile in her eyes.
"Since you could tell I'm older than you so easily, I think that's good enough, don't you?"
Marty chuckled.
With a hint of embarrassment, Marty smiled in response to the girl's compliment.
"Sorry for the late introduction. My name is Siu. I graduated from Noah Tech School a year ago. And like you, I feel something different."
"Oh! I see!"
Marty felt a sense of excitement at meeting someone like herself. While Siu found Marty's natural expressions endearing, she also worried about Marty's overly upbeat and positive tone.
"How have you survived in IDYPIA until now when your emotions are so evident in your expression?"
"Well, I usually maintain a 'brainchip face.' See for yourself."
Marty looked at Siu with a suddenly cloudy expression. Her appearance was that of an excellent IDYPIA citizen to anyone who saw her.
"How is it?"
"It's amazing. Zena would be pleasantly surprised if she saw you."
"Zena?" Oh, the one you mentioned earlier?"
"That's right. She's waiting for you now."
"For me?"
"Let's go. Further inside."
As Siu smiled and led Marty further inside, Marty felt a slightly excited sensation wash over her. Her steps seemed to lighten, mirroring Siu's enthusiasm.
***
The inner part of the research facility had a different atmosphere compared to the outside. It was filled with objects like books, dolls, and clothing that Marty had only seen in history class. As they walked down a long corridor, they arrived at a large room with a covered iron door.
"We're here."
"Wow!"
Marty was taken aback and let out an involuntary gasp. In the room, there was Zena, a girl in a white ballet dress with her hair tied up, gracefully dancing alone. From her fingertips to her toes, her movements flowed like a smooth line, and even her eyes, illuminated by soft lighting, were captivating. Her beauty and charm were unforgettable after just one look.
She's so beautiful. It's like the word 'beautiful' was made just for her.
Marty was lost in thought, staring in astonishment.
"You're here!"
"Are you doing ballet or something again?"
"Yeah, I was bored waiting. Ah?"
Stopped in her tracks, Zena looks at Marty and extends her hand abruptly.
"Oh?"
"Handshake. It's a way to greet someone by holding each other's hands."
"Ah... I know, but it feels a bit awkward since it's my first time. Hehe."
Upon hearing Siu's explanation, Marty finally took the girl's hand and shook it. Her hands were as slender and long as Siu's, warm yet with a slight callus on the fingertips. Marty had her doubts, but she didn't bring them up, considering there might be personal reasons for it.
"Nice to meet you, my name is Zena. I'm the same age as Siu here."
"You are Zena.."
Marty thought that the name suited her well and was also beautiful.
"You've come this far, Marty,"
"How do you know my name?"
As startled Marty took a step back, Siu quickly chimed in to provide further explanation.
"In fact, we've been searching for a 'kid who can feel something' like us at Noah Tech School all along."
"Well, is that how you found me?"
"Correct. Full marks, student."
Zena playfully imitated the Overseers, altering her voice. Despite it being out of character for Zena, Marty and Siu couldn't help but burst into laughter.
In the midst of it all, Marty couldn't help but think of Tyra.
Tyra, it would have been nice if you were here with us...
Suddenly, as that thought crossed her mind, Marty felt a deep sense of loneliness wash over her.
"But how did you know it was 'me'?" Marty asked.
In response, Siu chuckled and replied, "I could tell by the way you looked at me. Your gaze was different."
At that moment, it was a moment of undeniable recognition, but the realization of this fact would come a little later in their story.
***