Elias and Yui pushed through the thick crowd, maneuvering past groups of tourists and resort staff, the constant motion of people moving in every direction making the task of following their target more difficult. The scent of grilled food and ocean air mixed in the dense atmosphere, but neither of them had ti to take it in. Their focus remained locked on the man in the white coat.
Yui cut through the crowd faster, slipping between gaps while Elias struggled slightly, his broader movents hindered by the sheer number of bodies moving around him. By the ti Elias reached the side door of the hotel, Yui had already disappeared inside. The door swung shut just as Elias reached it, forcing him to push it open again and step inside.
The mont he entered, his gaze locked onto Yui, who already had a firm grip on the cuff of the man in the white coat. The doctor, his expression calm but clearly impatient, glanced down at Yui’s hold with mild irritation. Elias narrowed his eyes, the faint yellow tint from his vision still lingering at the edges.
"Is this guy a doctor or sothing?" Elias muttered, still trying to piece together why his ability had highlighted this specific person.
The man in the white coat swiftly pulled his arm free, straightening his sleeve with a quick flick of his wrist. "Sorry, young man, but I don’t have ti to be playing gas. I have a patient to see." His voice was even, professional, yet edged with impatience.
Yui didn’t back down. "We need to talk," he said, choosing his words carefully. "You’ve been... highlighted as soone who might be able to help us find soone important."
The doctor exhaled sharply through his nose, adjusting the strap of the black leather case he carried. "Make an appointnt like a normal person," he said, already stepping away. "Otherwise, I’ll have to bill you for the ti you’ve wasted." Without another glance at them, he pushed through a set of double doors leading to a winding staircase and disappeared from view.
Yui clicked his tongue in irritation, watching the man vanish up the steps. His hands twitched at his sides, his first instinct telling him to grab the doctor again, force him to stay and answer questions. But sothing about the situation made him hesitate. Instead, he turned back toward Elias.
"Are you sure he’s soone of interest? Why a doctor of all people?" Yui asked, his tone laced with skepticism.
Elias rubbed the bottom of his chin, his fingers brushing against the faint stubble forming there. "I’m trying to wrap my brain around it, but... I’m not sure. The vision hasn’t led astray yet, though. There’s got to be sothing important going on here."
Yui exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he considered their next move. "We could follow him, but that might get security on our backs. Though, worst case, we just flash our credentials and let them know we’re military." His voice was casual, but his sharp eyes stayed locked on the stairwell where the doctor had disappeared.
Elias glanced at him, tilting his head. "Why did the gate guard call us a Federation, by the way? I noticed that earlier."
Yui barely spared him a glance. "Because we are. The military isn’t tied to any single governnt anymore. We’re an established military federation that supersedes political law and jurisdiction."
Elias blinked. "Huh. I never really thought about it. I guess I haven’t paid much attention for the last five or six years. Just went with the flow." He paused, rubbing the back of his neck. "What do you think about it, though? The military being in charge over, like, a political structure with elected officials and parties making laws?"
Yui’s expression remained indifferent. "I don’t care either way, as long as we’re ready to deal with the looming threats. The shard situation is already reshaping things, whether anyone likes it or not. A power like this can’t be kept secret forever." His gaze flickered toward the staircase before he added, "But that’s above my pay grade. Right now, our job is simple—secure the two shard users here and take them in."
Elias nodded absently, his mind still turning over Yui’s words. But before he could say anything else, sothing shifted in his vision. His surroundings—already dulled by his ability—remained a hazy grey, the figures around him blurred with black dots moving in their usual patterns.
Then, suddenly—a flicker.
His breath hitched. It was quick, but unmistakable—a flash of orange. A new color, distinct from the muted greys and blacks he had grown used to. It ca from the staircase, right as the door creaked open once more.
Elias rubbed his eyes, shaking his head to clear the dizziness that followed. "I just saw another color!" His voice ca out more urgent than he intended. "I don’t know what it ans, but I have a really bad feeling about it."
Yui sighed, rubbing his temple. "Great. Now we’re dealing with the damn rainbow. Standing around won’t do us any good—let’s keep a steady pace." He pressed a finger to his ear, activating the comms. "Platoon Commander and Sergeant Kimi, can you hear ?"
Kimi’s voice crackled through, her usual bubbly tone evident. "Yes, sir-ee! Loud and clear! Also, this wave pool is amazing—you should see it!"
Yui let out an exasperated breath before pressing on. "...Any leads yet?" His patience was thinning.
"Nothing yet," Kimi admitted, "but we’re sure the target’s sowhere around the wave pool or the giant slides. I might have to go down each one to check. You know, for the mission, of course."
Elara’s voice cut in through the comms, more direct. "How are you and Elias doing with your search?"
"Not much yet," Yui replied. "Elias is using his Ikona to highlight—whatever that ans. But he also picked up on sothing else. A possible danger. We’re at (location) in case we lose comms."
Elara’s tone sharpened. "A danger?"
"Person of interest is a doctor," Yui continued. "White coat, older—forties, maybe fifties. We’re following up now."
Clicking off the comm, Yui turned to Elias. "Alright, let’s move."
Elias nodded but faltered slightly, his hand drifting to the side of his head.
Yui frowned. "You good?"
Elias forced a small chuckle. "Y-yeah, just... that movent penalty thing still hits sotis. Feels like my skull’s being used as a drum set, but I’ll live."
Yui raised a brow, unimpressed. "Then stop standing around looking like you’re about to pass out and keep walking."
Elias took a deep breath, rolling his shoulders before following after Yui. "Right. Let’s go."
Elias and Yui approached the double doors the doctor had walked through, stepping inside to find a short, winding staircase leading upward. The wood steps creaked slightly beneath their feet, the tal railing cool to the touch as they ascended.
At the top, they passed through another door, stepping onto a red and white carpeted floor with a peculiar hexagonal pattern. The shapes never fully connected, giving the illusion of an endless, shifting design beneath their feet. The hallway curved in a wide arc, forming a continuous loop with numbered doors lined along the inner wall.
Elias glanced around, his brow raised. "Whoa... so this whole floor just wraps around? More hotel rooms, but way closer to the main attractions."
Yui nodded, already pulling out the scanner. A light blue blip pulsed softly on the screen, marking a location about 300 feet straight ahead. "Which makes sense. The scanner’s picking up sothing right in that direction."
They moved forward, their steps muffled by the thick carpet. As they rounded a corner leading to a more narrow hallway, their eyes landed on a man standing at a door, his hand resting lightly on the surface. A black scarf wrapped around the lower half of his face, obscuring most of his features. His gaze flicked toward them the mont they entered the hall, his tired-looking eyes narrowing slightly.
Elias’s gut reaction was unease. Sothing about the way the man stood, unmoving yet watchful, sent a ripple of tension through him.
Yui, glancing between the man and the scanner, exhaled sharply. "Be careful. The reading’s pointing directly to this room."
Elias stepped forward, raising a hand slightly to signal Yui to let him handle the conversation. "Let take the lead on this," he said. "You can be a little... cold around the edges."
Yui let out a quiet sigh but didn’t argue, crossing his arms and keeping his stance firm as Elias approached the man.
"Good afternoon, sir," Elias began, keeping his tone light and casual. "I was wondering if you’ve seen a man in a white coat around here? I needed to track him down for a prescription fill-in."
The man’s expression shifted, a slight crease forming in his brow. "...No. I haven’t seen anyone like that," he replied hesitantly. "I’m actually looking for soone myself."
Elias feigned mild surprise, tilting his head. "Oh? Well, if that’s the case, then is this your room by any chance? We’ve got so interest in who’s staying here."
The man’s eyes sharpened into a wary squint, tension rolling off him in waves. Slowly, he reached up and unraveled the scarf from his face, his features fully visible now. His voice dropped to a low, guarded tone.
"What do you want with my son?" His fingers tightened at his sides. "Are you here to hurt him too?"
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