Waking up in a strange, unfamiliar environment, Alexander felt that something unusual was surrounding him. He was in a cramped, brightly glowing space, enveloped in a silver substance that limited his movements.
- Guys? Sofia? Yes, what's going on here? Or am I dead? - thoughts swirled in his head. Realizing that he was still able to think, Alexander came to the conclusion: “Well, even if he died, since I think, that means I live!” Just like that! Philosopher hare!
He tried to understand what was happening and how he ended up in this place. Alexander still felt himself in the body of a hare, his personality was human. The substance rather made it difficult to move, rather than constrained him, as it seemed to him at first. The brightness that had initially blinded him came from the viscous silver mass that enveloped him.
Listening carefully to himself, he recognized this energy - it was the power of the soul, and it was familiar. He strained his memory and realized where he knew her from.
- So this is the power of the soul! Moreover, I recognized her. This is Sofia after all. Her energy... - Alexander thought. Realizing that Sofia had probably created a kind of cocoon around him from her soul for protection, he thought: - What does this give us... That I suffered in the last attack and that Sofia covered me with a cocoon, and perhaps does not know that I came to his senses. And why should she know? Free souls, here they are! Take it, I don't want it!
Alexander felt the energy density around him, suggesting that this cocoon clearly consisted of at least ten souls, and this was already a good help in restoring it.
- It's time to eat! - he decided, preparing to absorb energy to restore his strength
Alexander, still in his hare form, went into a veritable feast of energy. He actively began to gnaw on the cocoon created by Sophia, tearing off flaps of silver substance and absorbing them. Each piece brought him a new portion of energy, slowly filling his own storage.
He acted instinctively, like a real hare, completely immersed in the process. If he could see himself from the outside, he might be horrified by his behavior. But at that moment he was completely focused on the task, not paying attention to his actions. With such behavior, no one would ever think that this was not a real animal.
- As long as we don’t violate the integrity, let’s go in a circle. - Alexander thought, deciding not to destroy the cocoon completely so that Sofia would not notice its activity. He carefully moved from the place where there was almost no energy left and continued his work.
Alexander didn’t know how much time he spent engaged in this process, but he felt as if he had worked an entire shift with his mouth. In the literal sense of the word. He continued stubbornly and methodically, gradually absorbing the cocoon's energy, feeling it become stronger and more powerful with each piece.
After Alexander absorbed what felt like eight souls, he felt overwhelmed with energy. The cocoon he was in was now a pale copy of himself, a wounded shell with a gloomy blackness shining through.
- It's time to move on. - he thought, breaking a hole in the cocoon and violating its integrity. At that moment, he began to be slowly sucked into the resulting hole, and Alexander found himself face to face with something incredible - a huge space strewn with stars.
- Is this really... It can’t be... Sophia’s soul! - Alexander instantly guessed. A majestic picture unfolded before his eyes: the stars, these were the souls absorbed by her, revolved around a black hole in the center, which, apparently, represented Sophia’s very soul. Around all this a snowflake swirled, pulsating with cold calm and clearly woven from souls.
- So this is what a gift looks like directly in the soul...
Alexander, finding himself stretched out of the cocoon almost to his shoulders, was completely absorbed by this vision. What caught his attention was the structure of the gift that Sophia used for defense and attack. The power of cold. This amazing gift was created from the finest threads of energy, forming hundreds of complex patterns and knots. This vision gave him an understanding of the depth and complexity of how one can interact with the power of the soul.
Seeing this, Alexander fell into thought.
- It’s a pity that I can’t also look at my soul, but only feel it... And how ignorantly I use energy. This is the greatest force that we treat like barbarians. It’s like we’ve been given a microscope, and we’re hammering nails with it. - flashed through his head. He realized that his ways of interacting with his own soul were ignorant. The young man wanted to study and learn the secrets of the soul.
He absorbed every moment, observing the subtle threads of Sophia's gift of Cold, while his own body gradually dissolved into her soul. Alexander’s hare shell had almost completely left the cocoon, and he had very little time left before finally plunging into the emptiness of Sophia’s soul. He did not see that his fur, which was a projection of his soul, began to smolder.
Suddenly, Cassandra's whisper broke his thoughts.
"It's unexpected to see you like this, hang in there," - she whispered, like a voice from afar, filled with understanding and support.
This whisper made Alexander perk up, and he, gathering his strength, looked into the very heart of the black hole into the very soul of Sophia. It happened naturally.
At this critical moment, when Alexander plunged his gaze into the very heart of the black hole of Sophia's soul, Cassandra's ephemeral hands appeared around her. Unwittingly, he activated the second evolution ability of Cassandra's Whisper, although he himself did not realize it. Within a moment, those ghostly hands stopped the movement of Sophia's soul, pulling the hare's body out of the cocoon and bringing it face to face with the void.
- I don't want to absorb her soul! Don't want! Don't kill her! - Alexander shouted desperately.
“You only have eight souls, five of which I will take as payment. Three minutes, three souls, hurry up and find yourself a body. The same as what you have now. Take something more and your soul will not be able to hold it.” - It was the first time Cassandra addressed Alexander for so long and so meaningfully. Her words were full of importance and urgency, indicating that Alexander had little time left.
Immediately after these words, Alexander’s consciousness trembled, and he felt himself falling into the abyss of emptiness. In this fall he felt both lost and liberated. Just a moment and everything became even more confusing for him.
Meanwhile, in the small temporary detention room where Ivan, Andrei and Sofia were, a tense atmosphere reigned. The room was more functional than cozy: the walls were painted in neutral shades, the floor was simple linoleum. There was a table with several chairs in the corner, and opposite the entrance there was a bench on which Andrei was sitting. The lighting was cold and uniform, and the air was sterile and devoid of any odors.
Ivan, without hiding his irritation, walked from side to side.
- What’s the point of throwing us into quarantine?! What kind of moronic rules are these?! - he grumbled, clearly dissatisfied with the quarantine procedure.
Andrei, remaining calm, sat with his eyes closed, just waiting.
- Just four hours, sit down and rest. We still have the gift of handing over souls and writing reports. And most likely, we will also be pulled in for interrogation, you know, it’s wartime now and the supers are now treated worse than dogs. - he noted phlegmatically.
Ivan, stopping, turned to Sofia:
- Yes, it’s clear that we are now worse than dogs, but what a performance! In general, you should have gone to Fireball while you had the opportunity, right Sofia?
Sofia, looking tired and exhausted, replied:
- A? I didn’t listen, my head was pounding, I had no strength. - she tried not to show her problems to her comrades, adding: - Don’t worry, sometimes they’ll let us go, I’ll go to my place and take a pill.
At this moment, the door of the temporary holding room slowly opened, attracting the attention of everyone present, and a security officer walked inside. His serious expression and determined gaze indicated that he was carrying important news or instructions.
- You can go out. Your quarantine is over. - the officer said dryly. - However, you have a meeting with management regarding your latest mission. Please await further instructions in your rooms.
Ivan, noticeably relieved, quickly headed towards the exit.
- Finally! I hope they sort everything out quickly and we can have a good rest! Let's go to the bathhouse... Yes, Sofia? - he threw over his shoulder.
Andrey followed him, maintaining his calm and phlegmatic manner. He knew that interrogations and reports were an inevitable part of their work. He only laughed at Ivan’s words, because he knew that the girl would ignore this and he would have nothing to count on.
Sofia slowly stood up, still feeling tired and headache. She followed her comrades, thinking about the possible questions and answers that might follow during the meeting with the leadership.
The corridor along which they were heading was typical of a military facility: the walls were painted in monochromatic, restrained colors, and the floor was covered with durable, practical linoleum. Linear lamps evenly illuminated the space, creating an atmosphere of rigor and order. Benches and small tables are placed along the walls, intended for short-term rest for staff and visitors.
Suddenly Sofia, walking among her comrades, stopped abruptly and began to look around, as if she had lost something or was looking for someone. She might also appear to be slightly hunched over. Andrey, noticing her strange behavior, approached her.
- What's happened? Is your head bothering you a lot? Let me look for something for you in the medical bay? - he asked with concern.
- Andrey, exactly! Are there any hares, white hares? Saw? Or what kind of cat? Is this the size? Yes, any animal will do. Or maybe a child? Newborn? Although, this is strange... - Sofia was clearly excited and uncomfortable.
- Uh-uh, strange is not the right word. He still won’t let you go, poor thing. Bunny, oh this bunny. We will soon return to Gran, where you and... - Andrei began, but did not have time to finish. Sofia, alarmed and obsessed with finding the hare, suddenly took him by the edges of her windbreaker, and her palms instantly became covered with frost.
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- Hey, what's going on there? - Ivan asked, seeing that something unusual was happening.
- Calm down, Sophia, calm down! You and I saw one weirdo who knows how to control animals. When they brought him, there was a whole zoo with him. I think he has what you need. And a bunny, and a kitty, and everything your heart desires... Come with me. Let’s go... - Andrei reassured, raising his hands up as a sign of surrender and smiling.
- Where? Where is he? - Sofia almost shouted.
- Building D, across the street, the building opposite. - Andrei barely had time to answer before Sofia was already rushing towards the exit.
When Ivan ran up to Andrey, his face was filled with concern.
- Hey, where is she going? Dusha, damn it, what's going on? - he asked worriedly.
“She ran to look for a hare... Or any other small animal... Looks like she’s lost her mind... - Andrei said thoughtfully, but his words were met with an unexpected blow from Ivan.
- Why are you standing here, moron? Are you crazy you say? She is our comrade! Run after her! - Ivan exclaimed, rushing to the exit. Andrei, rubbing his cheekbone from the unexpected blow, followed him.
Meanwhile, Sofia went down to the first floor and ran out into the street. The military town was characterized by its austerity and functionality: wide streets, surrounded by low, strong buildings, formed a clear and logical network of roads and alleys. Military vehicles and patrols were stationed here and there. The sky above the town was overcast with clouds, from which snow fell softly, covering the ground with a white blanket.
- How much time has passed? - Sofia muttered, looking around. But, without wasting a second, she headed towards the building with the sign “Building D”, quickly crossing the street under the falling snowflakes.
Sofia, entering building D, felt how time was mercilessly passing, and she still did not know where to find the person controlling the animals. She began to burst into rooms, creating chaos around her and attracting the attention of those around her. People, surprised and confused by her actions, came out of their rooms to see the cause of the disorder.
At this time, Ivan burst into the building. Seeing Sofia's actions, he quickly approached the guy in bandages, whom Sofia had approached first.
-Where does the guy who controls the animals live? - he asked decisively. While Sofia was knocking on the next door, she heard Ivan's loud cry: - Sofia! I know where he is. Come follow me!
He ran to the second floor, and Sofia followed him. Having reached room two hundred and fourteen, Ivan knocked down the door with a run, clearing the passage for Sofia.
The room into which Sofia burst was unusually spacious, apparently due to its combination with the neighboring one. The whole air was saturated with many smells: from the sweetish aroma of hay to the pungent smell of animal musk. In the room around there were various cages and enclosures, each of which housed an animal: from small rodents to large birds. On one side of the room was a large cage containing a group of exotic birds, chirping happily and adding even more life to the room.
A thin guy with glasses jumped out of the bed. His hair was unkempt and he was wearing casual clothes that were clearly not intended for meeting guests.
- Hey, what are you doing?! - he shouted, clearly alarmed by the sudden invasion.
Sofia was completely absorbed in the search. Her gaze fell on a hare with white fur, which hid in the corner. She slowly walked towards him, ignoring the guy's indignation.
- Hey! Dont touch him! - the guy shouted, and in response to his voice, the animals in the room began to behave restlessly and aggressively. But Sofia was too focused on the hare to pay attention to this.
Ivan, reacting to the growing tension, growled menacingly:
- Don't even think about it, guy!
He created a protective shield around himself, which began to push the guy back and protect Sofia, allowing her to approach the hare. He was ready to protect Sofia and help her in any action.
The tension in the room reached its climax. The situation worsened when Andrei stood in the doorway. He quickly assessed the situation and, turning to the curious people looking out from the neighboring rooms, loudly announced:
- There's a love triangle here. Sorry, it's already over. We part ways, they just talk. - his words immediately led to a decrease in tension among the audience, who, realizing that something personal was happening, began to dissipate.
Meanwhile, in the animal owner’s room, the guy did not give the command to attack. Ivan, while maintaining a protective shield, did not use it to attack. Sofia, completely absorbed in her emotions and intentions, took the hare and pressed it to her face. She looked straight into his eyes for several seconds, as if she was looking for answers or trying to make a connection.
Suddenly, unexpectedly for everyone, Sofia and the hare collapsed on the floor, losing consciousness. This caused shock to everyone present. Ivan and Andrey instantly rushed to her, trying to understand what happened and how to help them. The guy with the animals, in turn, froze in bewilderment, not understanding how to proceed.
Ivan tried to wake Sofia by shaking her shoulders while Andrei examined her for injuries. There was tension and anxiety in the room, everyone was focused on trying to help Sophia and the hare, who suddenly found themselves in such a state.
“The management will not miss this incident...” was all Andrei said while Ivan lifted the girl in his arms. They headed to their building, leaving the guy with his animals. The hare was still lying in the corner; they didn’t take it with them.
Alexander did not know how long he passed out. After several moments of disorientation, Alexander slowly came to his senses. His eyes, unable to concentrate, moved restlessly across the unclear space until he finally realized his situation. He was in a cage, surrounded by a variety of animals, from furry rodents to observant birds. The light from outside filtered through the bars of the cage, creating a pattern of shadows on the floor.
- Back in the cage! Well, this is too much. - Alexander sighed with irony and irritation, paying attention to his little bunny feet. He managed to return to the real world, but at what cost - all his souls were spent on Cassandra's gift. He felt drained and empty.
At the same second that Alexander was thinking about his situation, the dog next to him walked up to the cage door, easily opened it and walked out, heading towards the bed.
- So... This guy controls the animals... But why the cage then? It's probably more for people who panic at the sight of animals than for them themselves. - Alexandra had such a thought. - How can I find Sophia now, or at least get souls? Maybe this guy will feed me...
With such thoughts, Alexander, holding the bars, jumped in the direction of the guy, who at that time was busy repairing the door.
Sofia, coming to her senses in another building, felt severe confusion in her head.
- Oh, what happened? I don’t remember anything...” she muttered, trying to remember recent events.
- What happened is that you, Sofia, went completely crazy with this hare. She started a fight in building D and almost started a conflict with another superior! - Andrei, who was usually calm, but now behaved very nervously, reacted sharply. Next to him, Ivan, on the contrary, was surprisingly collected and calm.
- A hare? What have I done? - Sofia rose from the bed in bewilderment, holding her head.
- For some reason you needed a white hare, and you found it from a guy from D two hundred and fourteen. He controls animals, and he had it. You took him in your arms and then fainted. - Ivan explained calmly, watching how the girl’s face changed.
“I don’t feel it...” Sofia said in shock and abruptly rose to her feet. - There is no bead in my soul. I don’t feel it... D, two hundred and fourteen? Yes?
Without waiting for an answer, she rushed towards the exit. Andrey sighed and rolled his eyes:
- Again?!
Ivan, without wasting a minute, immediately rose from his chair and followed Sofia, ready to support her in her endeavor. Sophia, filled with determination, burst into room two hundred and fourteen, knocking down the door. The guy who just fixed the door howled with rage:
- Yes, how much is possible?! I just fixed it!
But his indignation did not stop Sofia. Her gaze immediately found a white hare, who was sitting at the door of the cage, sadly chewing grass. When he saw the girl, the hare stood up on his hind legs, as if greeting her.
- Don't even look at him, hysterical! This is my hare! - the guy shouted. However, Ivan, entering after Sofia, immediately took her side:
- Do you want problems? Buy yourself another one.
- This is my hare! My Bead! - Sofia said menacingly, and the room was suddenly engulfed in an icy cold. The animals, frightened, hid in a corner, whining. Sofia finally turned to the guy with glasses, and his voice trembled:
- No need to scare me! What are you waiting for? You have fur! Furry traitors! - he exclaimed, looking at his pets. - And you... You’re still hysterical and there’s no point in putting pressure on me. I will give you the hare, but not because I’m afraid, but because he wants it.
The guy pointed with his hand, and Sofia saw that all the animals were huddled in the corner, and the hare was standing almost at her feet. The ice that she caused with her cold prevented the hare from approaching.
- Bead! - Sofia shouted, picking up the hare in her arms and squeezing him tightly in her arms.
- Now, be so kind as to get the fuck out of my room and don’t come back! - his voice sounded decisive and peremptory. Sofia, holding her long-awaited hare in her hands, left, followed by Ivan, who said before leaving:
- I'll fix the door, sorry about that.
- Get out already! I don't want to see you. All my animals were scared.