...

Within a dark and unknown void... A young girl aimlessly ran through the darkness.

"Huff... Huff..." Grasping for air, she hurriedly ran.

"Get her!"

"Don't let her escape!"

Voices cried out from behind the young girl as they grew seemingly louder and louder no matter the distance she ran. Her vision shook as her limits neared. However, despite that, she continued running.

"Please... someone...!"

The young girl prayed, clasping her hands together as she ran and ran. However, her prayers were never returned. The young girl fell down to the ground. Her eyes turned lifeless as she heard the voices getting closer.

"There! Capture her!"

"No... No..." The young girl begged and pleaded, "Please... Please... Someone!!"

...

A small gleam of light lit up within a room, as a young girl laid on a bed, unconscious.

Zephyr's Headquarters—6:47 P.M.

"Ugh..." The girl rustled about on the bed, "No... Please... Please..." She murmured as she continued rustling around. Soon after her eyes abruptly opened as she shouted out, "No...!!"

The moment her eyes opened widely, she was greeted with a sight of a ceiling that was unfamiliar to her.

"Huh...?" The young girl slowly got up on the bed. Quickly she took notice of the soft and comfy mattress she laid on, "I'm on a bed...?"

Confused, the young girl scrutinized the room around her. Seeing a flush lamp on the ceiling giving a faint gleam light. On one side of the room was a desk and beside it was a cabinet which seemed to contain bottles of medicine within.

"...Just where am I?" The young girl murmured to herself.

'This place isn't the alleyway...' She thought to herself as she tried to recall what had happened before she blanked out. Why did she run away? What happened before she came here?

'Ah...? Why can't I recall what happened...' No matter how much she tried to remember, everything was just a blur.

Not knowing what to do next, the young girl locked her eyes over towards the slightly opened door. Slowly she got off the bed as she took a step forward. However, just as she took a step, she felt a sudden sharp pain on her leg.

"Ah...!"

She cried out as she hurriedly looked down, to see bandages on her leg.

"...Bandages?" She blinked at the sight. Who would bandage her? Why? Many sorts of thoughts ran through her mind as she shook her head. Quickly she turned her eyes back towards the door, she thought to herself, 'Maybe all my answers would be answered outside the room...'

Taking a deep breath, the young girl mustered up all her strength as she slowly made her way to it, limping step by step.

Finally, she successfully reached to the door, placing her hands onto the knob, she twisted and opened it.

...

Slowly stepping out of the room, her head turned towards the left and right side of the hallway. As she was observing her area, the younger girl overheard a few voices coming from the left side, curious, she slowly approached it.

"...So let me get this straight, you have multiple wounds on your body, you're suffering from fatigue, and yet you say YOU'RE OKAY?!" A voice cried out in anger.

"...Ack, Emily... I'm really okay alright...? I just need to rest and it'll be fine." A voice replied back.

"You just need rest? Then why aren't you resting right now?!"

"...Well we have to wait for her to wake up right?"

"Well, you don't have to wait with us! Luke and myself are enough to look over her, so you should go back to your room, get on the bed and fall asleep!"

'...Could they be talking about me?' The young girl thought to herself as she leaned in from behind the corner of the hallway, peeking out to see two men, one scruffy white-haired while the other blonde and a red-haired girl sitting by the living area.

"I told you already, Emily..." Ryan helplessly sighed, "I'm fine... I'll only be here for a while alright?"

"A while? You've been here for an hour already! Who knows when she'll wake up? Ugh... If Sarah was here, she'd give you an earful!" Emily clicked her tongue.

"Aha... You're already giving him an earful though." Luke chuckled.

"Well, Sarah's would be even worse! Ryan's here all injured and he isn't resting."

"...Sigh, fine... I guess I'll just go back and rest up. It looks like she's not waking up anytime soon." Ryan conceded.

"Finally! Now shoo! We can handle this, alright?"

Getting up from his seat, Ryan sighed as he turned over towards the hallway, taking a step forward, he abruptly stopped as he noticed the young girl peeking out from the corner.

"Ah...? You're awake?" Ryan muttered in surprised.

"...!" The young girl took a step back from his sudden words.

"Oh, it seems that your waiting paid off huh?" Luke chuckled as he turned towards the young girl, "Sorry for startling you, would you like to take sit?"

"...Hah, just as Ryan was about to rest..." Emily helplessly sighed.

"..." Hearing the offer from him, the young girl scanned her surroundings as then nodded her head. 'These people were worried about me... I think it is safe...'

After nodding her head, she slowly made her way towards the three. However, the sight of seeing the girl limping over to them gave them an uncomfortable feeling.

"Here, please let me help you," Ryan hurriedly rushed over to her as he aided her in walking over to the sofa. Finally settling in, the young girl said weakly,

"...Thank you... I'm sorry for the trouble..."

"It's fine," Ryan smiled as he turned towards Luke.

"Ahem, would you like a cup of tea?" Luke asked as he took the teapot which was on the coffee table. Soon after he poured the young girl a cup of tea which allured the room with a nice aroma, "I hope some oolong tea would suit your taste?"

"No no, it is fine..." The young girl shook her hand.

"Are you sure? I heard from my colleague who is a big fan of tea that this tea obtained from Sector 4 is one of the best in the city. You should try it." Luke insisted as he continued pouring a cup of tea for the young girl.

"...Alright." She said helplessly as she looked at the orange-tinged liquid pouring out of the pot into the cup.

"Haha... Anyways, here you go." Luke placed the cup in front of the young girl, "Now then, where are my manners? Let me introduce myself. I am Luke, Luke Vanquis and those two over there are Ryan and Emily."

The young girl's eyes turned towards the two as she saw their smiles. Soon after, she turned back towards Luke.

"It is nice to meet all of you... But, where am I exactly?" The young girl asked in a confused tone of voice.