When I made it back to the lobby, I saw Deva talking with Diana and... Lauron.
Lauron.
...
Of course... he's in the Natural Studies Club... Obviously they choose him...
"Is this for real?" I asked, not bothering to greet the two. "He's the guy?"
Lauron perked up and grinned. "Viel! My dearest friend! Oh, I am so glad that you are to be my escort!"
I could see why Aion was so confident that he would consent to this.
"You know what you're signing up for, right?" I asked him.
"Why, of course! I shall be the great Ambassador of Peace between humanity and the elusive Fae!"
Well, I suppose 'Ambassador of Peace' was a nicer way to put it. Still, I wasn't expecting Diana to be here.
"You okay with this, Diana?" I asked the girl.
Diana folded her arms and sighed softly. "I don't know..." she looked down at the floor. "Deva told me some... stuff about the Fae... I still can't quite believe it."
"Wait, you told her?" I asked Deva.
"Yes. Aside from Aion, I have the right to reveal this secret," Deva said, gesturing toward Diana. "I had to, since she is apparently an acquaintance of Lauron. Depending on how she takes this information, she might not be able to meet him ever again."
Diana turned to me. "Viel..." She opened her mouth, then closed it again. "Never mind," she muttered. "There are no Fae in the Old World... you wouldn't understand."
Ah... that was a rather cold way to put it. I mean, she was right; I couldn't possibly understand how she felt. I knew next to nothing about the Fae. Experience speaks louder than any data ever could, I suppose. No matter how she explained it, I'd probably never truly get it.
"Then..." I looked back at Lauron. "You're really okay with this?"
Lauron placed a hand on his chest. "During the Trailblazer exam, a lady most beautiful came to me. With a dress of petals, hair of silk, and the elegance of a thousand fluttering feathers. She offered to take me with her—to let me step into her world and embrace the wild unknown. I had to decline her offer then, for I am loyal to Ingenuity, and yet... Fate says otherwise, now that Deva himself has called upon me."
I rubbed my chin in deep thought. Why was the perception of the Fae so different between Lauron and Diana? Was it because they were raised differently? Was Lauron conditioned to be far more open-minded than most? Was Diana raised to hate nature so much that she hated the Fae by association?
Deva stepped between us and looked at Diana sternly. "This is a truth acknowledged by very few, and in knowing it, ultimate transparency is a must," he began. "You must come with us to the Forest of Clarity, see the Fae for yourself, and make your own—hopefully unbiased—judgment of them."
Diana gulped and nodded. "Yes, I will." She looked down at her body; she was still wearing nothing more than her sports bra and shorts. "Ah, will I need my Trailblazer uniform? Sally and Inata were working on them."
"We are expecting sabotage and attacks from the Insurgence. It is best that you go prepared." Deva paused and pulled a pager from his pocket. "I've contacted Inata. She should be here shortly."
Huh? Sally was just getting started on our uniforms. Isn't making clothes a lengthy process? There's no way they're already done.
"You rang?" a voice chirped from behind me.
"What the fuck?!" I jumped and spun around to find Inata standing there. She had appeared literally seconds after Deva put the pager away. "How the hell did you get here so fast?!" I exclaimed.
"Fastest courier in Pandora Logistics, at your service," she said, bowing with a smirk. "Anyway, yeah, we've finished both of your uniforms." She set down the backpack she was wearing and pulled out bundles of cloth. "Fresh from the designer's hand!"
"Sally made these in like... half a day?"
"Hehe, impressed? That's the Blazing Wildfire Circle for you!"
I was going to chalk it up to "everyone here is a superhuman" and just be grateful for the gear.
"Oh, wow..."
I mean, come on, look at this! Finally, I got to wear clothes. I was a robot; I didn't need clothing, but it was still exciting. This was the first outfit I had ever owned—designer clothing, to boot! A truly one-of-a-kind set, perfectly tailored for me.
First, there was the long-sleeved shirt: thick black Kevlar with solid padding at the elbows and joints. It also had a clever little clasp at the torso for my compartment area—I'd forgotten to mention that, but thankfully Sally had caught on.
Second was a light brown vest that covered my chest, fitted with two front pockets. I guessed it was made out of the "plasteel mesh." There was a strange logo on it that I assumed belonged to either the Trailblazers or the Wildfire Circle. Finally, there was a thick, fluffy dark brown scarf with its own clasp.
"Ah, almost forgot," Inata said, handed me the backpack she had been carrying. "This is yours."
"Oh my gosh, a backpack too?!" I grinned, inspecting it. Like the rest, it was made of stiff, durable material. It was empty and surprisingly light. There were plenty of secret pouches tucked inside and all over the exterior. "This is so cool!"
"Ahaha! Glad you like it. I'll be sure to let Sally know," Inata said, twirling on her heel. "Anyway, good luck on your mission!" she shouted before sprinting back toward the city.
I watched her leave for a moment before turning to Diana. She was putting on a cropped vest and a pair of long trousers, followed by a thick belt slung diagonally across her torso and shoulders. Finally, she draped herself in a large, stiff cloak.
"What do you think, Viel?"
"You look like an adventurer, the D&D kind."
Diana giggled and pushed her chest out, tucking both hands behind her back. "I guess it does make my breasts look bigger."
"NO!" I shouted. "That's not what I—!" I shook my head. "D&D, Dungeons and Dragons. It's an Old World reference. I was not talking about your..." Fucking hell, why did everything have to get lewd with her?! And why was she smiling?! At least act a little embarrassed!
"Oh," she said, blushing slightly. "Another Old World reference. Sorry, I thought you were commenting on my cup size."
There was no way to salvage this. "So, uh, Deva? Should we get moving?"
Deva nodded. "Let us begin." He led the three of us to the exit. A gargantuan metal door groaned open, venting plumes of steam. Beyond it lay a large, hallway-like airlock.
The door behind us hissed shut, and I could feel the change in air pressure instantly. "Is this the airlock?" I asked.
"Yes," Deva replied calmly.
I quickened my pace to walk beside him. He was as stoic and calm as ever, but after my talk with Aion, I was curious. "Say, Deva... do you agree with Aion?" I asked.
Deva folded his arms. "I have no choice but to agree."
"Because he's forcing you?"
"Because I don't have a better idea," he replied. "I can criticize him all I want—call him cruel or unethical—but for my words to hold any weight, I have to be able to offer an alternative."
A metal door loomed at the far end of the hallway: the gate to the outside world.
"An alternative, huh?" I looked down. "Is it really impossible?"
Deva shook his head. "It is not impossible, but to offer an alternative, you must first place yourself in Aion's position. Only then can you see if you could make a better decision than he has," he continued. "As it stands, you are like an amateur criticizing the use of colors in a finished painting, despite knowing nothing about how it was made or the intention behind the strokes."
I was getting schooled again.
"So Aion has no choice?"
"Aion always has a choice. He simply believes this is the best one," Deva said. "It is not just a king that creates a tyrant; it is the country, the throne, the people, and the circumstances." He sighed softly. "I cannot ask you to trust him. All I can say is this: don't just preach that 'this is wrong' and judge him for being the only one willing to make the decision. Show us you can do better; then you can speak up."