L-03's mission to deliver raw meat to Z-01 for the twins provided a rare opportunity for her to engage with her teammate. The usual drone responsible for this task lay incapacitated, and her timely completion of a mission stoked her enthusiasm for the impending reunion with Z-01.
To maintain her covert status, she employed an elaborate disguise that involved the donning of a wig and a hat, concealing her distinctive features: her shimmering white hair and delicate bunny ears. Her superhuman agility enabled her to traverse the considerable expanse between the Singularity base nestled in the Appalachian Mountains and Rochester, Illinois, in a mere hour. The precious cargo of raw meat found its secure haven within her trusty backpack.
Upon her arrival at the campus, she found herself under the watchful gaze of vigilant security personnel. They queried her intentions and demanded proper identification, potentially creating a hindrance.
“Hey, you there! Stop right there!” one of the guards shouted.
L-03 turned around and smiled innocently. “Yes?”
“What are you doing here? This is a restricted area,” the other guard said.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I’m new here,” L-03 lied.
“New here? What do you mean?” the first guard asked.
“I’m a transfer student. I just arrived today,” L-03 said, looking into his eyes.
“A transfer student? Where’s your ID?” the second guard demanded.
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L-03 continued to gaze into his eyes, activating her hypnotic power. “My ID is in my backpack. But you don’t need to see it.”
“I don’t need to see it,” the second guard repeated in a trance.
“You’re very friendly and helpful. You’ll let me pass without any trouble,” L-03 said.
“We’re very friendly and helpful. We’ll let you pass without any trouble,” the first guard echoed.
“Thank you very much. Have a nice day,” L-03 said.
“You’re welcome. Have a nice day,” the guards said in unison.
L-03’s heightened senses, particularly her keen sense of smell, enabled her to track Z-01, who was leaving his dorm room. Her excitement nearly got the best of her, but she exercised restraint upon spotting Saiya with him. She wisely waited for an opportune moment when they would part ways, hiding behind a corner.
Observing Z-01’s awareness of her distinctive aura signature and his subsequent separation from Saiya piqued L-03’s interest. She approached him, finding him sporting a rare look of surprise on his face, a departure from his usual demeanor.
“L-03! What are you doing here?” Z-01 saluted.
L-03 saluted back and handed him the container of raw meat. “Z-01! I’m here on a mission.”
“A mission? What kind of mission?” Z-01 asked.
“I’m here to deliver this to you. It’s for the twins,” L-03 explained.
“For the twins? How did you get this?” Z-01 wondered.
“The drone that usually does this job broke down. I volunteered to take its place,” L-03 said.
“You volunteered? Why?” Z-01 asked.
L-03 blushed slightly and lowered her voice. “Well… I wanted to see you again.”
Z-01 was taken aback by her confession, feeling a surge of warmth in his chest. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, L-03 acted out of character by embracing him in a hug, a gesture that conveyed a sense of warmth and connection. As she felt his heartbeat, she wished she could prolong the moment, but duty called her back to the base.
“Z-01… Thank you for everything,” she whispered in his ear as she hugged him.
“L…” he was unable to form words.
“I have to go now. I’ll see you soon,” she said as she let go of him.
“Wait! L…” he tried to call after her.
But it was too late. She was already gone, leaving behind only a faint trace of her aura. Z-01, watching his team leader vanish from the campus, grappled with a whirlwind of emotions. Shaking his head, he refocused on his task and proceeded to deliver the twins’ breakfast.