After a mind-numbingly long flight, the girls entered the Ruiyen Airport in Yushalia: The legendary continent known for its nomadic people living in thriving towns and modern villages, and native monsters living amongst the people, roaming the diverse landscapes. The girls walk through the airport, trying to blend in with the local population. They are greeted by the sights and sounds of the unique culture, with people dressed in traditional Yushalian clothing, vibrant colors, and intricate headdresses. The airport itself is a mix of traditional architecture and modern technology, showcasing the mix of old and new in the region.
Trixie takes a deep breath and turns to Uni and Esther, determined.
“All right girls, we’re in Yushalia. Now we need to find our transport to the Research Institute of Supernatural Human Ability, while avoiding any Platinum troops that might be on the lookout for us.”
Esther nods, while Uni looks around, her eyes darting around, scanning the environment. She then points at a small, dusty building a few meters away.
Uni: “There, look. That’s probably a transport station. We might find a vehicle there that can take us to RISHA.”
Trixie: “Good eye, Uni. But we need to be careful. There could be Platinum soldiers patrolling the area. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.”
The girls walk towards the small transport station, their nerves on edge, aware of the possible dangers around them. They keep their eyes open for any signs of Platinum Army presence, their senses heightened. As they approach the station, they are met by a few local people going about their business, but no Platinum troops are visible. The station itself is small and basic, with a few vehicles parked nearby. Uni glances around, her expression focused. She then points at a rugged, all-terrain vehicle nearby.
Uni: “That one. It looks sturdy enough to get us to RISHA.”
Trixie nods in agreement. “Yeah, that one looks like it'll do the job. Let's take it.”
Esther, looking around cautiously, also nods in agreement. The three girls proceed to the all-terrain vehicle, trying to act as casually as possible. They get in, with Uni at the wheel.
Uni starts the engine and the vehicle roars to life, kicking up a cloud of dust. She takes a deep breath, her hands tightening on the steering wheel. "Hang on, ladies. This ride's gonna be bumpy."
She starts driving, the all-terrain vehicle moving through the rough terrain effortlessly. Bouncing over rocks and potholes, the girls held onto their seats tightly, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. As they drive, they pass by more villages and the occasional roving monsters. Some local people look at the vehicle as it passes by, but no one seems to be paying too much attention. Trixie glances at the landscape around them, her eyes scanning for anything that might alert them to possible threats.
Esther, sitting in the passenger seat next to Uni, looks out the window, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. She notices a group of local people standing by a nearby village, watching the vehicle as it drives past. They seem to be whispering to each other and pointing in their direction.
Uni doesn't seem to notice the group of people, her focus on driving the all-terrain vehicle through the rugged terrain. But Trixie sees them, her senses on high alert. She taps on Uni's shoulder, getting her attention, and subtly nods in the direction of the local people.
"What is it?"
Uni follows Trixie's gaze and sees the group of local people by the village. Her expression tightens as she notices them pointing and whispering. She continues driving, but her eyes dart around, scanning the area more intently.
"Those people by the village.” Trixie said. “They're watching us very closely. They might have noticed that we're not local."
Uni replied, "Yeah…one could say they look a bit suspicious. Maybe they're Platinum spies or informants?” she asked sarcastically.
"Could be,” Trixie answered. “But they could also be just curious about us. We are kind of sticking out here, with us being outsiders and all that."
“Achievement unlocked: you now know how it feels to be a minority,” Uni joked with a giggle.
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Uni keeps driving, her eyes flitting from the road to the group of people and back, until the village they were in faded out of sight.
As the girls drive further, the terrain becomes more hilly and rugged, the villages few and far between. The scorching sun beats down on them, and the air is dry and hot. Uni keeps her eyes peeled for any signs of trouble, such as Platinum Army troops or dark monsters.
Suddenly, Uni sees something in the distance: an approaching vehicle. It's moving fast, creating a trail of dust in its wake. Uni slows down slightly and squints her eyes, trying to get a better look.
"Guys…look."
Trixie and Esther follow Uni's gaze to the approaching vehicle. The vehicle gets closer, and they can start to make out more details. It's a military-style vehicle with a distinct platinum stripe along its sides, the Kamagirian flag also painted on either side of the vehicle.
"That's a Platinum Army vehicle." Trixie pointed out. "They must be patrolling the area. We need to get out of here."
Uni looks around, trying to spot any place to hide or escape. The terrain is mostly open, with nowhere to conceal themselves quickly. Uni starts driving faster, trying to put distance between them and the approaching Platinum vehicle. The girls grasp onto their seats, trying to hold on tight as the all-terrain vehicle bounces over the rough terrain, kicking up a trail of dust behind them. The Platinum vehicle keeps gaining on them, accelerating and closing the gap. Uni pushes the all-terrain vehicle to its limits, the engine roaring as they race through the rugged landscape.
Just as the Platinum vehicle looks like it's about to catch up, they see a fork in the road approaching quickly. Uni swerves the all-terrain vehicle to the right, taking the narrower path, hoping to lose the Platinum vehicle in the twisting, winding terrain.
The all-terrain vehicle veers onto the narrow path, the tires scrambling for grip on the loose rocks. Uni steers tightly, dodging boulders and maneuvering through the rugged terrain. The Platinum vehicle tries to follow, but its bulky build makes it struggle to keep up through the tight turns. Finally, they emerge from the twisting path and onto a wider, more open road. The Platinum vehicle is nowhere to be seen. Uni lets out a relieved sigh and slows down a bit, her heart still pounding. The girls look at each other, catching their breath and trying to calm their racing hearts.
“Geez,” Trixie groaned. “That was a close one. Definitely threw us off track of getting to RISHA. speaking of, how far is it from here?”
Uni checks her phone, pulling up a map of the area. "According to this, RISHA's just a few more miles away. But we're gonna have to be careful once we get closer. The Institute is well-protected and the Platinum Army will have it guarded. We need to keep a low profile and approach it discreetly." Uni looks at Trixie and Esther. "You guys ready for this?”
Trixie takes a deep breath. "As ready as we'll ever be. Let's do this."
Esther nods, her expression serious. "We've come this far. We're not stopping now."
Uni grins, her eyes focused. "That's the spirit, ladies. Let's keep going."
The all-terrain vehicle continues its journey through the rugged terrain, the girls braced for whatever may come.
After about an hour of driving, the girls catch their first glimpse of the Research Institute of Supernatural Human Ability in the distance. It rises up from the vast desert landscape, its imposing structure stark against the endless expanse of sand and rock. Uni slows down the vehicle, her eyes narrowing.
"We're close. Everyone stay alert. We don't know what we're walking into."
Trixie and Esther look out the windows, their expressions focused. The girls can see the Institute in full now, its high walls and fortified entrance giving off an ominous aura.
Uni glances around, her eyes scanning the surrounding area. "We can't approach from the main entrance. We'll be spotted immediately. We'll need to find another way in."
Trixie nods, her eyes fixed on the Institute. "Agreed. We need to find an alternative route, something that won't bring us right into their line of sight.”
Uni parks the all-terrain vehicle behind a large rock formation, out of sight from the Institute. The girls climb out, checking their gear and taking a moment to steady their nerves.
"Okay, we're gonna have to approach on foot from here." Uni says, scanning the area. "We need to find a way in there discreetly. There's bound to be guards and cameras all over the place.”
Trixie looks at the Institute, her mind racing. "We need to find a blind spot, somewhere that the cameras can't pick us up. Esther, do you have any idea of the Institute's layout?”
Esther nods, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen. She quickly sketches a rough map of the Institute, marking out key locations and entrances. Uni leans in to look at the map, her eyes flicking over the details.
"Looks like there are several possible access points," Uni says, studying the map. "But most of them are heavily guarded. We're gonna need to be stealthy if we want to get in without being seen.”
Trixie points at a spot on the map. "What about this? The northeast corner is secluded, and it looks like there's a maintenance shaft that we might be able to use to get in.”
Uni looks at the spot on the map, then nods her head. "Yeah, that could work. But we need to be careful. There could be security measures in place to prevent intruders from using that access point.”
Trixie grabs the map, studying it more carefully. "If we can disable the security measures, we should be able to get through undetected. Looks like there's a security panel just outside the maintenance shaft, we may be able to hack into it and disable any alarms or sensors.”
Uni rubs her chin, her gaze serious. "Alright, that could work. We'll need to disable the security panel and get into the Institute quietly. We'll also need to watch out for guards and security cameras.”
“This isn't gonna be easy, girls.” Trixie warned, a tinge of hesitation in her voice.
Uni grins, her eyes sparking with determination. "We've gotten this far, haven't we? We can do this. Just follow my lead and stay sharp. Let's do it.”