Story Reader / Affection / Lee: Hyperreal / Story
Lee: Hyperreal I
>It is a rare beautiful day here on the surface. The gentle breeze and sun shower the earth like golden sand, leaving behind shimmering colors.
As the war slows down, most elite squads are under maintenance, only doing simple elimination missions at conservation areas. Given how intensive the last few years have been for Gray Raven, this is almost a vacation.
The leaves on the tree rustle as you hear familiar footsteps approaching you, and you turn to find Lucia and Liv poking out from behind you.
All Corrupted at the back of the conservation area outpost have been eliminated. Only one side remains.
There might be a chance for you to go back and have dinner in time, Commandant... Hmm? Where is Lee?
This conservation area was built in the early days. Although Babylonia regularly invests and upgrades its equipment, the lack of a maintenance crew means that some of the conservation area's hardware requires repair.
Seeing how the security cameras are falling apart, Lee requisitions some spare parts from the conservation area to patch up the defense system, despite his alleged annoyance.
We'll finish the cleanup as quickly as possible, then.
We'll stay on the line, Commandant.
Lucia and Liv depart in the opposite direction.
The afternoon sun shines down, warming you as you begin to space out, pondering all kinds of things—the files you have not completed, the coffee you forgot to throw away before leaving, and Lee's new frame...
Thunk!
You hear the dull sound of something falling down not far from you.
You quickly rush through the wild shrubs toward where Lee is repairing the cameras, and you find Lee feebly leaning on the white fence, his face pale and his eyes closed.
You rarely see Lee acting as vulnerable as this, which is why this is starting to alarm you.
Confirming the integrity of the circulation system—confirming the status of the terminal—confirming the status of the M.I.N.D. connection...
His frame is operational; his M.I.N.D. has slightly fluctuated, but nothing that is too disconcerting. What is going on...
The Construct leaning on you slowly flexes his fingers before opening his eyes, and the sun reflects a hint of confusion in his grayish-blue irises... Confusion?!
...?
He seems bewildered by the current situation. The panic in Lee's gaze is contrary to how calm and collected he often acts.
...Where am I? W-who are you?
Staring at you warily, he grabs a wrench nearby and holds it like a weapon as if defending himself.
Should I recognize you?
...My commandant? I... This is...
Lee struggles to stand up, his limbs seemingly out of control. Holding on to a tree, he looks left and right, acting like a student from Babylonia Elementary School.
He still looks like Lee to you, but something is amiss.
I was still in the school lab just then. How did I end up here... in the countryside...
And this body...
He tries to move his left foot, only to trip and fall flat on his face as if wearing a shoe too big.
Ugh...
What's happening... to my body? I'm...
Lee stumbles back a few steps, staring at his arms in shock.
Whatever is happening, something is clearly wrong with Lee. You must get back to Babylonia with him immediately.
A Construct? That's not possible. No one would operate on a student like me with that kind of technology.
You keep trying to contact Lucia and Liv while attempting to convince Lee to come with you. He is still practicing how to walk, and he looks too stubborn to listen to anything you say.
Just showing me a group photo and an ID without any proof is not going to make me trust you, random-person-who-claimed-to-be-a-commandant.
You can easily forge a photo and an ID. The only thing you can't falsify is memories, and mine tells me that I have no idea who you are.
You even said my name wrong... My name is not "Lee".
The alarmed Lee keeps stepping back. The moment you approach him, he will stagger away even farther.
He is almost outside the safety zone around the conservation area outpost... You must keep Lee inside the safe area.
Corrupted? What kind of monster is that?
It must be another fairy tale monster people made up to scare children, isn't it? Something like Granny Wolf and Slender Man, I bet.
Children... Lee is indeed acting like a child right now.
Has something happened to his frame that causes his M.I.N.D. to revert to an earlier time?
The M.I.N.D. connection has not been severed. Checking Lee's M.I.N.D. again, you only find minor fluctuations without drastic deviations.
In the near distance, Lee is still stumbling, trying to get away from here.
Your louder, harsher tone seems to work. Lee finally stops, leaning by a tree and watching you cautiously.
You are almost at the edge of the safety zone. As soon as Lucia and Liv return, you can depart for Babylonia.
My teachers told me I should always call the police no matter what IDs a stranger is trying to show me.
He hides behind the fence of the safety zone, trying his best to move his fingers and pick up the weapon on the ground.
I suggest you give up, no matter what it is that you want to do. Kidnapping a child is a felony... What is that sound?
Having been paying Lee all your attention and planning how to inform Lucia to approach from behind, you have completely ignored the movement on your rear side—
Raaargh—!
Watch out!
You manage to catch a glimpse of Lee picking up a gun and clumsily firing toward you with one eye closed. The bullet seems to be flying straight for your head—
You can also hear Lucia and Liv screaming behind you almost at the same time—
Commandant!
