I finally arrive back at our hideout, still in the form of Oren. As usual, Dodge is here first. And, also as usual, he's here playing that handheld system again.

"So, how'd things go?" I ask him.

"In a matter of days, they'll know our secret. Like it or not, we have to speedrun this."

"Enough with the game terminology already! Honestly, I cannot tell if you're as serious as I thought you were! How long must we continue to do this!?"

"Things don't always go as fast or as smoothly as we would hope, and rushing things can sometimes make things worse. But I can assure you, regardless of pace, I'm still quite serious."

"It would be more convincing if you didn't have your face in the game all the time when we talked!"

It sounds as though he has paused the game.

"Chates. My little brother. You remember what we've been through to get this far, don't you?"

."..No...I don't."

"We all have our burdens as well as ways we combat them. You always take the form of somebody else, even around me, because you're concerned about your appearance. As for me, I play games to get my mind off of some of my troubles."

I always take the form of others, huh? Well, sadly, as much as I hate to admit it, he's right. I hate how I look. I'm ugly. Or, at least, I don't seem handsome enough to win her over. It's ironic really. I could look like anyone I want, anybody she could want, but she would never love me for me.

"You heard about Selot?" I say, trying to change the subject.

He unpauses his game.

"Yes. This Oren character seems even more interesting now. Wonder how the game will play out with him around."

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Um...hey, big bro?"

I hear the sound of his game being paused again.

"Yes?"

"Do you really think we're doing the right thing?"

He remains silent for a short time. The only sounds I hear come from his game.

"To be honest, I'm...not certain anymore. However, right or wrong, we cannot stop now."

He slowly gets up and walks towards me. He then puts his hand on my shoulder.

"We cannot let the sacrifices we and others have made be for nothing."

I slowly nod.

The sound of footsteps is heard in the corridor behind me.

"It would seem we have another guest," Dodge says.

"I'll let them..."

"If I know you, you might want to give them some space."

(Oh no. Don't tell me it's...)

No doubt about it: it's Hunter.

She immediately turns to me, and her expression changes to one of disgust. One of her arms turns into a snake and moves towards me to bite me. I quickly turn into Togo.

"I'm not Oren! I'm not Oren!"

A few centimeters between the snake's fangs and my arms, Hunter stops, retracts the snake, and reverts her arm back to normal. Damn, that was close!

"Welcome, Hunter."

"How's your progress?"

"Our research has resulted in a 92% stable rhime crystal of eight of the nine rhime tones."

"Wonderful!" she says cheerfully.

Dodge hands her some of the notes regarding our research.

"Now may I ask you something?"

"You may."

"Your funding has been most helpful, and we are still in your debt for helping out our lady. But what is the point of this research? Isn't your motive wealth? This isn't exactly a good method of getting wealth. And I doubt we need it for our revolution."

"I need this for a much larger revolution. But that's all I'm going to say."

"You talk of revolution, but you don't seem to make your motives clear. Tell me, what are you, no, what are WE really up to?"

"I'll say it once more. Revolution. And I'm being serious."

Dodge lets out a sigh but keeps his emotionless composure.

"I can never tell with you. Do you have as many personalities as you do hydra heads?"

"What's it to you?"

"May I speak to the original?"

At this, Hunter drops the notes, grasps her head in her hands, and begins to shake her head in pain.

"I'm the original!"

"No, I am!"

"Lies! I am the wisest!"

"Well, I am the most beautiful. In both body and soul!"

This continues for a few seconds, until one yells out:

"I AM THE ORIGINAL, AND I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS!!!"

After a few more seconds, the tone shifts once more.

"You may be the original, but the only one in control is the strongest in body and mind. Strength takes precedence. It's the rule of mother nature."

Dodge simply stares, silent.

"I'm sorry for troubling you," Hunter says in a more peaceful and apologetic tone.

She quickly picks up the notes and leaves. We may not like her, but she's the whole reason we got this far. When our lady, Dodge, and myself were on the streets with nothing, she gave us a chance to regain what we had lost. She gave us a chance to make a difference. To change the social structure of what led to our suffering in the first place. And, on a personal note, she has given me the chance to prove myself to my lady.

On her way out, Hunter puts down a small container of a substance I am unfamiliar with. Dodge saves his game, turns off the system, then picks up the concoction.

"It would seem that this game is reaching its conclusion. We will finish the preparations ahead of schedule, and end our suffering once and for all."

This is it. All our years of effort are finally going to come to fruition. Nothing will stand in our way now. Not even Hunter.

Nor Selot, if the worst comes about.