Hanister walked along the path around the mid field. Aside from the first day of registration she had pass through the area, normally she seldom comes here. The dormitory, cafeteria, and the location where they mostly trained at were all fairly closed together.

As she was walking back to the Base Training Department, she was looking at the Spooky Hand between her fingers, which was a type of potted plant with fleshy leaves. She had only just learned that the canteen in the base sells potted plants. That pot of Spooky Hand wasn’t large, hence that it is suitable to place inside of her locker. She wasn’t an expert with greenery, but any simple spot of the refreshing color reminds her of the flowers and fields of her homeland.

She really wanted to find some time to get familiar with the other facilities of the base. Unfortunately, the lunch break wasn’t long enough. After walking for a while, she soon passed by the square where the Dusttav statue stands. She walked down the stairs of the square. Comparing to the mid field, this square was a lot smaller. It was also missing some tall trees that can provide shades. A lot of people pass by, but only a few stays.

Thankfully, the weather today was a little cloudy at noon. Hanister was planning to just cut straight across the middle of the square. However, she noticed a familiar person at the edge of the stairs when she was half-way through. "Joel?" She walked towards the person underneath the shades.

The recruiter was sitting on the ground, his back facing Hanister. Her words almost made him drop the ice cream he was holding.

"Hanister?" Joel turned around, awkwardly licked his lips. "Haven't seen you in a while." His eyes gleamed with surprise.

"What are you doing around here?" Hanister sat down next to the man.

Joel shook his head. "There are too many people at the mid field. That's why I'm here," he explained.

Hanister did not respond. Instead, her eyes widened as she stared at the ice cream in Joel's hand. "I wouldn't take you as a person who likes eating soft things like this," she said in a rather surprised tone.

"Have you never eaten ice cream before?" Joel cocked his head and asked.

"Of course I have." The girl blinked her eyes. "But you rarely come across them in where I'm from. Also, my mom said that constantly cold foods aren’t exactly good for the body."

"Oh..." Joel glanced at his ice cream.

"Well, you know, the diet of urbanites are never normal," he helplessly chuckled. "And it has gotten hotter lately."

"Were you born in Rodenzal as well?"

Joel shook his head.

"My family and I used to live in Code Man City," he took a mouthful of ice cream. "But they moved here as soon as I was certain about my service location."

Code Man City.

Hanister thought. She recalled it being another city governed by laws that was protected by the electromagnetic waves emitters, just east of Rodenzal.

"You?" Joel continued after the two of them were silent for a while. "Are you getting used to the lifestyle here?"

"I'm doing well, though I'm not really used to being away from my mother for so long." Hanister curled up a little, lowering her head to her knees. She was still holding the pot of Spooky Hand.

"Oh and, do you think I'm weird?" The girl suddenly asked.

"Huh?"

"What I mean is..." Hanister paused for a second. "What I mean is, normally the people who join the S.D.A are all like you, right?" She said. "The majority of them don't want to fight those monsters."

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"I thought you already knew..."

"I did, I just-" The girl stated, but hesitated a little. "Sometimes I feel like I don't fit in."

"You are certainly a special girl," Joel answered after thinking for a brief second. "I wouldn't say you're 'weird.' You know, I even think that you most definitely will become an extraordinary Chaser."

He then took another bite of his ice cream, this time at the cone.

"Someone like Lieutenant Miranda or Major Cavil," he shrugged. "But I must admit, people like this normally get treated like outcasts."

"Sometimes I wonder what you guys are thinking. Haven't you felt unfair?" Hanister asked. This question has been circling in her mind for a long time. "That those enemies that appeared out of nowhere took away where we live?"

"Hm..." Joel stared blankly at the buildings afar.

"I guess we're the luckier generation," he said. "At the time when we were born, the S.D.A had already developed a proper defense system. We don't exactly feel the threats that they bring. Of course, this might be because I haven't had your..."

"...experiences." He paused.

"I don't think what happened to my dad is the only reason." Hanister answered thoughtfully. "If the amount of the people who are willing to stand up and fight gets less and less, doesn't that mean we've lost?"

"I don't think this is something determined by winning or losing," Joel said after he finished listening to what Hanister had said. "But it is true that the reason why the S.D.A recruited through the mandatory service was to prevent Sheer from falling into the enemy's hands."

"Have you ever wanted to kill those monsters?" Hanister continued asking. "To defeat our enemies."

"Perhaps when I was younger," Joel responded. "I used to love watching war films. I mean those movies that involved Chasers, since a lot of them depicted those Chasers almost as if they're superheroes."

"For some time, I dreamed of myself becoming a Chaser of the S.D.A. I dreamed of wielding black shells to battle." He shoved the last bit of the ice cream into his mouth, then waved his hand around in the air dramatically, his eyes sparkling.

"But if you've actually seen the reports and official documentaries, you'll know that the films aren't entirely real," Joel said after dropping his hand. "The process of dealing with a Star Creature isn't as easy as you think, neither is it as..."

"...cool." He sighed.

Hanister let out a chuckle by accident.

"What are you laughing about?"

"Is that how Shell Wielders make you guys feel?"

"That's because that's how movies played it!" Joel answered, a hint of red creeping upon his face.

"I never wanted to become a Chaser only because it's cool," Hanister said as she toyed around the tiny potted plant in her hands. "I don't know, I just don't feel like we should indulge their invasions."

"I know." Joel leaned back. "I noticed the day when I took the gyroplane here with you. You must hate them for stealing your loved ones."

Do I look like I hate them that much?

Hanister couldn't help but ask herself, suddenly falling silent. She couldn't tell if the intention that had been supporting her so far until today was from the Star Creatures, the hatred towards Star Creatures in general, or just her survival instinct of wanting to protect her home, protect the planet.

But is there really a difference between the two?

"Oh shoot, looks like it's gonna rain soon." Joel lifted his head, only to see some dark clouds congregating. "I'll walk you back to the dorm."

He stood up, slapping on his pants a couple of times to dust off the dirt.

"It's alright, I can head back on my own." The girl got up as well. "Since my dorm is right-"

She cut herself off with a sudden eruption of laughter.

Joel stood still, clueless of what was happening.

"Your face," Hanister pointed at his lips and said, since there was a smudge of melted ice cream on them.

"Oh, sorry." The boy hurriedly turned away, his hand rummaging through his pockets.

"Here you go," Hanister walked up and handed him a clean handkerchief. "You can return it another day."

Joel hesitated for a moment, but at last he accepted the offer. "I'll wash it before returning it," he stuttered, blushing once again.

Hanister smiled lightly and nodded before turning to leave.