The sound of the anime I was watching faded in and out. I couldn't wake up to turn my laptop off.
Just five more minutes of sleep, and I'll go back to playing my stream.
"I'm just tired." I groaned as the music continued to play.
'Only a little bit...'
"Listen...to...the wind flapping the mirage of the sea..." A voice was saying.
"Search...for... who's flickering the fireworks and the stars..." Someone urged.
I was being forcibly woken up. I blinked at my surroundings in silent surprise.
"Oh? ...You're finally awake..." A woman's voice spoke.
I couldn't tell anything about her besides what she was wearing and that her hair was shoulder length. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be able to see her black bra under her white shirt or if I was looking wrong.
"How much do you remember... Your name, your face... Do you... remember who you are?" A different woman spoke. This seemed like a memory.
"My name is Apollon Landis...I work as a video game streamer for the last decade. I..."
My voice sounded muffled and far away. I squinted absently, trying to process what was going on.
My eyes narrowed.
"...Can you only remember these? Fate is so cruel..." The woman lamented.
"But, it doesn't matter... As long as you still remember who you are, you won't lose everything..." She trailed off.
"Come. Come back to me... Your battle has begun."
"...I will ...wait for you..." She decided, I personally wasn't sure I was worth that.
A man's voice interrupted my hazy dream.
"Cleanup Squad! Level 1 alert! Unknown Sinner Invading—Unknown Sinner Invading!"
"You're finally awake... I've been waiting for you this whole time." A woman spoke. I jolted in an effort to wake up.
"You don't look well. Did you have a nightmare? Tell me, what did you dream about?" The woman over me continued.
"That's really invasive! Take me to dinner before asking something like that!" I protested.
"Don't listen to her! This is an attack targeted at you!"
I angled my head as best as I could but couldn't see who spoke.
But I could see that on one side of the recovery pod, several researchers were squashed into the wall. The lighting didn't let me confirm if they were unconscious or dead.
The only conscious person was shouting at me desperately. But I couldn't see them. I strained to move but was held down by a surprisingly strong force.
"Oi... I want to get up now," I grumbled.
"Chief, don't leave the repair pod! If you don't complete the repair program, your mind will be... Mmm——Mmm——!!!"
His protests were silenced as the man's face and voice are swallowed by a shapeless darkness.
"Can't be more fucked up than its current state.." I sighed.
'Right my brain to mouth filter doesn't work properly when I'm tired. Or disoriented.'
"I don't like being disturbed." The woman said simply.
"Me neither but I think we are referring to different things..!" I hissed as I was abruptly yanked to my feet.
"Great, now stand up. We've got a lot to do." She hummed, unbothered.
I didn't point out that I was going to keel over with her holding me upright.
"Stay away from her!" A woman's voice yelled.
"Guessing she means you," I remarked tiredly. I shifted just as the sound of rapid fire bullets started.
The bullets keep coming ceaselessly. With a few grunts, the woman before me collapsed onto me before she even had time to try to dodge.
I grimaced as I fell backwards into a pool of water, no longer being supported by the strong, now dead woman.
The impact gave me some feeling in my bones, which my bones did not appreciate and let me know this. I winced in pain.
Absently I noticed a series of rapid footsteps bursting into the room.
"Those creatures are still alive. Don't stop shooting. Keep them under control." The woman from before ordered and the soldiers clad in mechanical armor affirmed her command. Contrasting the armor guy she was wearing black military-esque clothes.
"Chief—, can you hear me?" She shouted.
I stared at her, "hoping there's someone named Chief behind me" I mumbled.
"Hold on. I'll get you out soon." She assured me, not even commenting on my remark.
'Chief??' I wanted to ask her to elaborate but I really couldn't focus.
"Deputy Chief, watch out!" A soldier yelled.
I shifted to see what was happening and noticed an immediate problem.
Over me, the body that should have been a corpse suddenly jerked. Several monsters burst out from under the ground all of a sudden, separating me and the rescuers.
I tried not to be too upset about the drastic changes to my environment. Very easy when I was abruptly in more danger.
'Oh shit,' I thought looking up.
"Not dead yet? Protect Chief! Team Four, cover! Chief, get away from her now!" The woman spoke but it went in one ear and out the other.
"Yeah about that.." I trailed off weakly.
I struggled to get up, but a hand pressed me back into the icy liquid.The woman who should've been dead propped herself up. She slowly approaches with the foul smell of blood, trapping me in the narrow space.
'Damn so she's really alive, huh?' her strength was slightly weaker than before but that didn't help me much.
"Where are you going? It's not over between us yet..." She purred with a murderous smile.
I gritted my teeth at her touch. "Take me to dinner first before talking to me like that..!"
"I won't give up easily." She smiled wider, I had to respect her being undeterred.
"What do you want?" I did not recall this woman in the slightest. But according to the other girl, the one in my dream, my memory was a bit fucked....
"Hmm... Heheh..." She chuckled as she caressed my face. I wonder what expression I had to make her grin so smugly.
The woman brushed my cheek with her hand. Her nails scratch my skin, leaving on my face a sting, and me a wince.
"Fuck.." I grimaced at the scratch. "Not even a real date and I already have scars."
"I can't take you away now, in this case..." She sighed as she licked her finger and slowly gets up.
"Huh!? You're trying to take me somewhere??" I blurted. Sluggishly wiping st the blood sliding down my face.
"This body... you can just give it to me." She smirked and I noticed her appearance was beginning to change.
I had no witty response for that. But I didn't need to, the terrifying smile on her face gradually blurs. Even her body begins to distort and deform—and eventually turns into mine.
My features, my dark brown eyes, my brown skin and my carefully, cornrow braided long hair with a faded orange streak. Her clothes didn't change but they shifted to match my masculine frame and I wondered if that was comfortable.
"Goodbye, Chief." She purrs at me. My heart pounded in my chest. She sits on the raised platform and leaves unhurriedly, with your face still on her.
'What the fuck?'