Talking: Nice to meet you.

Whispering: That's wild.

Thinking: (What the hell is happening?)

---------------------------------------------------------

{3rd Person POV}

https://youtu.be/gSJlLtkS3S4

Chunks and fragments of stone flew all over the Cretan Hollow. Three figures were seen fighting, giving it their all to survive this situation. A small Bangboo cheered them on as a great horde of Ethereals just kept coming from every dark crevice of the metro ruins.

Kiba: Where do they keep coming from?! This doesn't make any sense!

The armored boy said in frustration as he landed a devastating punch on an Alpeca's chest, only for another one to take its place right after.

The monster landed a swipe of its claw, sending sparks flying! Kiba kneed it in the gut and kicked it into an incoming group of three which caused them to get knocked into the ground.

Anby: Nothing makes sense inside of a Hollow. Nowhere is safe.

She ducked under an Ethereal's swing and sliced its legs off in a swift motion. She quickly jumped away and landed beside Belle, who was hiding behind a concrete slab. Anby turned to the small android with her emotionless look.

Belle: H-Hey what's that look for?! It wasn't my fault you guys woke up the Arlaune!

In her ear, she heard the voice of her older brother through their encrypted communication system.

Wise: "It seems like the Arlaune release a sonic screech whenever they feel threatened, which attracts other Ethereals. Take them out, and the horde should stop."

Belle nodded and peeked her head out of the concrete wall separating her from the battle.

Belle: Billy, the Arlaune are the ones calling this mob! Shoot them down!

Billy: Gotcha!

The gunslingin' cyborg nodded, spinning his dual revolvers around his fingers and aiming while simultaneously striking an awesome pose! Rapid booms were heard and bullets whizzed through the air with every shot!

"[🤖Twosome Time!🤖]"

He crossed his arms in front of himself, shooting the flying targets at strange and unpredictable angles. The monsters seemed to struggle with dodging the shots too. They became desperate as they watched other Arlaune die, so their screeches got louder and louder! This caused the Ethereals to become even more feral!

Belle facepalmed after seeing the result of her "genius" plan.

Belle: (Alright, more and more Ethereals keep spawning and I don't know how long Kiba and Anby can last!... What do I do?! Think, Belle! Think!)

Her frantic, and frankly irrational, thought process was interrupted by her brother's voice coming in through the intercom.

Wise: "Hey, get it together sis! If you need more ranged options don't forget about the secondary mode of the SB-555P."

The Bangboo android's chest heaved up and down for a moment. She took a deep breath and nodded.

Belle: Right!

She peeked her head past the slab of concrete she was hiding behind.

Belle: Kiba! C'mere right now! I know how we can get out of here!

The armored boy looked back at her for a second before nodding. With a shout, he whipped back, jumped, and launched a group of Alpeca away with a helicopter kick! He quickly ran back and kneeled next to Belle.

She was a little taken aback when she stared into the huge yellow visor, it was a little intimidating.

Belle: Jeez...I gotta get used to seeing you like that.

She then felt his gloved hand on top of her head.

Kiba: Get to the point. Billy and Anby need me.

Her real body back at random play squirmed and her cheeks took on a rosy tint. He was petting her head so casually! She would be lying if she said she didn't like it even a little. Although, she enjoyed being carried in his arms way more. ANYWAYS–

Belle: R-Right! Take the phone out of the belt.

Normally, he would question her. But right now? She was the proxy. She was the Navigator. She was the only one who could get them out of this situation. He would follow her to the ends of the earth if he had to. He turned the phone 90 degrees and lifted it from the belt before flipping it open.

Belle: Alright, see that hinge on the left? Grab the top and turn it!

Kiba: Alright, if you're sure I won't break it–

He grabbed the screen portion of his new phone and turned it to the left, just as the bunny android had instructed. It smoothly hinged and after a satisfying click, a voice came from the phone. It was the same one from when he transformed.

《𝛷Pistol Mode𝛷》



Kiba: Pistol?!

He noticed a trigger on the side of the phone. How did he not notice it before?! He pressed it and a small red bullet-like laser beam shot out from the antenna! It flew right above Belle's head and into the concrete wall. The laser pierced through the concrete slab, leaving a burn mark outlining the bullet hole.

Belle: H-H-HEY! Watch where you're shooting that thing!

Kiba: How was I supposed to know a phone turned into a gun?!

Belle: It literally said "Pistol Mode!", genius!

She said with sarcastic sass.

Kiba: I get it, smartass!

The heterochromatic boy peeked the corner for a quick second before standing up and rejoining the fight. His new armor seriously enhanced his senses, but he wished it didn't. Otherwise, he might've not heard Belle's voice behind him shouting "Words of encouragement".

Belle: Go get 'em doggo!

She could practically see his blush under the helmet! Kiba stood beside Billy and pointed his gun at the flying Arlanune.

Billy: Ooooh shiny! Where'd you get that buddy?

Kiba: Came with this weird belt–I like it though!

*PEW PEW PEW PEW PEW*

His canines were showing as he grinned, pulling the trigger multiple times but the plant-like beings just kept evading everything he shot at them. Kiba growled in frustration which sparked a laugh out of the cyborg beside him.

Billy: I'd expect a Starlight Knight adjacent to be a better shot!

He slid on one knee and released a barrage of bullets at approaching monsters, supporting Anby with coverage fire. Kiba was surprised by the mention of The Starlight Knights. He watched it a little when he was a kid.

Kiba: Do you think I've ever shot a gun before?!

Billy: Lemme give you a crash course on sharp shooting! Courtesy of Starlight Black Knight!

He stood back to back with the armored male, emulating Kiba's stance. Instead of using his two revolvers, he used a single gun for now.

Billy: You don't think of the gun as an object, you think of it as part of yourself! You are the weapon, you are the gun!

*BANG BANG BNAG*

Kiba nodded at Billy's explanation. Despite it making very little sense and sounding incredibly cheesy, he began to understand a little. He gripped the Faiz Phone a little tighter, pressing the trigger and managing to graze an Arlaune with one of his lasers.

*PEW PEW*

Billy: There you go! We're guns, baby!

The Kamen Rider blushed in embarrassment.

Kiba: N-Ngh! Don't scream that so loud!

Billy: Why not? I gotta get in the zone! Say it with me!

Kiba: Tch...fine! I-I'm only saying this because I wanna hit my shots! G-Got it?! We...We're guns!

Billy: Hell yeah!

One by one, with every bullet/laser fired, the Arlaune began to fall and the swarm of Ethereals began to steadily diminish! Anby slowed down her pace, her chest heaving up and down. She finally got the opportunity to catch her breath.

Anby: *Huff* That took...way too long...

Finally, they were down to one last Arlaune, and the android gave the teen beside him a knowing look.

Billy: You know what Starlight Black Knight always says, right?

Kiba: *Sigh* Seriously?...So damn corny...Fine!

They pointed their guns together!

"🐕🤖JACKPOT!🤖🐕

*PEW/BANG*



{Imagine that's Billy and Kamen Rider Faiz}

The two projectiles swirled around one another as they flew through their, coming closer and closer in a spiral trail of red and yellow. Finally, Billy's metal bullet was coated by the photon laser!

This super-powered shot gained more and more and more speed until finally piercing right through the alpeca! The plant-like Ethereal was left with a gaping hole in the center of its body moments before disintegrating.

Billy: WHOOOHOOOOO! That was AWESOME!

Belle: Good job guys!

The Bnagboo quickly waddled over to the group, clearly overjoyed. She was followed by an emotionless and tired Anby. Kiba looked down at the Faiz phone, reverting it to its normal mode and pushing the "End Call" button. Once he did, red light surrounded him and the armor disappeared.

Kiba: Woah...

He looked down at himself, placing a hand over his chest.

Billy: We were so damn cool! I gotta say, we make an awesome duo! Don't we buddy?

The "buddy" in question crossed his arms and looked away.

Kiba: Yeah, yeah. I guess that was kinda cool. You're still corny though!

Anby: Hm. If you train some more, you might become as good as The Man with No Name. You're really sloppy right now, though.

Kiba: Eh?? As if you could do better!

Anby: I'm not the one that uses a gun.

She replied in her dry, emotionless tone which sparked a giggle out of Belle and Billy and a small grumble from Kiba. He felt a tug on his pant leg and saw Belle's Bangboo form raising her hands, requesting to be picked up. The boy rolled his eyes with an annoyed blush but bent down to pick her up anyway.

That strange sting from before returned to Anby's chest when they did this. Just what was wrong with her?... She shook her head and took another deep breath.

Anby: That last encounter took too long...I hope we are able to rest, even for a little bit.

Belle: Agreed. Let's take things slow and gather our strength.

*RRRUUUUUMMMMMMBLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEE RUMBLE*

The group perked up and immediately raised their guards when they heard a quaking roar echo across the Cretan Hollow. The ground beneath them shook, pebbles bouncing up and down and metal clanging. Wise spoke up again through Belle's intercom.

Wise: "Huh? What's that shaking...?"

Billy: How does this always happen?!

Anby: Ethereals...It appears I spoke too soon.

*RUMBLE*

*QUAKE*

*RUMBLE*

*QUAKE*

The resounding grumbles continued to get closer and closer. They almost sounded like footsteps, since the shaking pattern was in the same vain as walking. One after another, the ground vibrated harder, and the noises got louder. Kiba scratched behind his ear with a low growl.

Kiba: Tch, whatever it is, I'm gonna crush it!

Belle: Yeah, uh, no you're not! By the sound of those steps, it's probably an elite-level Ethereal! We're too tired to take it on. Plus, we need to get out of here before you guys show signs of corruption.

Kiba thought her words over for a quick second and nodded. The Bangboo resting in his arms pointed towards a seemingly random direction. It was only random to Kiba, Anby, and Billy though. They didn't have access to the highly complex navigation systems Proxies have.

They swiftly followed her instructions and ran away, not wanting to encounter whatever was making the ground quake with every step. The group moved quickly, staying together and watching out for any surprises along the way.

Billy: I have to say, you're doing far better than the average person.

Kiba: Huh? What do you mean?

Anby: What Billy is trying to say, is that an individual usually takes some time to get accustomed to the Hollow.

Billy: Yeah, you haven't even complained about the heavy air or gotten nauseous.

Anby: Eather Pressure, otherwise known as "Heavy Air" is the pressure of Eather particles in the air taking a toll on your body. You must have really high Eather resistance if you aren't experiencing the symptoms...

She crossed her arms and pouted ever so slightly. She remembered having a hard time adjusting to the Eather Pressure when she first started raiding Hollows years ago. And to see this newbie not even be affected in the slightest made her envious. The cyborg beside her noticed this and spoke up with a teasing tone.

Billy: Awwww, is someone jealous?~ I remember you couldn't even last 30 minutes inside the hol-

*Shing~*

He stopped talking when Anby put the tip of her sword dangerously close to his face. This got a laugh out of Kiba and Belle

Billy: I-I-I'll stop now!

She nodded, glaring up at her teammate coldly. Strangely enough, she caught herself turning to look at the heterochromatic boy of all people right after that.

It's almost as if when Billy was teasing her and she stopped him from revealing her previous incompetence, she didn't do it out of embarrassment for herself.

Instead, she did it because she didn't want Kiba to see her as weak. This realization had her flustered and confused, all at the same time.

Anby: (Could Batman solve the mystery of what I'm feeling?)

They continued walking until they arrived at a dead end. In front of the group shined a heavily secure metal door.

Belle: Uuuuuugh, Is this seriously the only way out?

Wise: "Unfortunately, this is the only route right now."

Kiba: Why is there a security door in the Hollow?

Belle: It's not a security door. It's basically just a toll set up by Public Security.

Anby: It was most likely installed to deter Hollow Raider and Proxies. 1,500 Gear Coins is steep.

Billy: Hmph! Even in a Hollow, they're seriously gonna charge a toll?

After hearing this barrage of...concerning facts, Kiba bristled with irritation. He was already sick and tired of this place and now they were trying to TAX him on top of that?! He walked up to the door and kicked it!

Kiba: There's no way they are charging to get out!

Belle: I know right?!

Kiba/Belle: I hate the government!

The two shouted in unison. Then their attention was grabbed by Billy's boisterous voice!

Billy: Even if I agree, The Starlight Knights wouldn't agree!... And even if The Starlight Knights agreed, Nicole wouldn't agree! So take this–!

He pulled out one of his guns, spun it around his finger, and gripped it by the barrel?! Everybody stared in anticipation, ready for him to perform an awesome maneuver!

"[🤖STARLIGHT MIRAGE!🤖]"

And then...! Underwhelmingly...he started forcing the valve lock open with the butt of his gun. Kiba almost fell backward and looked at him with a deadpan look.

Kiba: Do...Do you have a screw loose or something?

Belle: Very punny Kiba...

Kiba: Oh shut up, I didn't even mean that one.

*CRACK* *Cla-Click!*

After a few seconds of struggling, Billy finally managed to get the vault's lock open. He then turned around and gave the team a thumbs up, the thing is...

Billy: Door's unlocked!

Belle: Nice one Bi–Oh my god!

Kiba: Holy shit, your finger!

His hand was damaged during the opening of the vault, leaving his ring finger bent in a way that it definitely wasn't supposed to.

Billy: Oh...*Realizes* OH! OW...That hurts...

The small white-haired girl grabbed his hand and popped the finger back into place.

Billy:

https://youtu.be/8r3IHDr7M2s

The black-and-white-haired teenager covered his ears.

Kiba: Do you have some sort of speaker in your throat or something?! My ears are ringing...

*RUMBLE*

*QUAKE*

*RUMBLE*

*QUAKE*

Pebbles bounced up and down as the ground suddenly began to shake. The rumble of the approaching footsteps began to echo yet again!

Kiba: We're still being followed?!

Belle: Whatever that thing is, it probably heard Billy's scream.

They all turned to look at the cyborg with annoyance, Kiba especially was glaring daggers.

Kiba: I'm gonna kill you the second we get out of here...

Billy: H-Hey wait a sec– Is that road sign...moving?

Unfortunately for the tall android, he didn't have time to defend himself because a gigantic Ethereal EXPLODED from a mountain of rubble with an echoing roar! Its sheer stature added to its intimidating appearance. Large chunks of metal and concrete decorated its stony body, having assimilated parts of the train station into itself.

【☢️Ethereal: Metro Goblin☢️】



Kiba: What the–?!

Billy: I should've known it was a Metro Goblin chasing us!

The heterochromatic boy quickly set Belle down and pulled out the Faiz phone. Billy unholstered his guns and Anby gripped the handle of her sword, ready to attack at any moment.

Anby: Our condition isn't ideal but...we don't have many options aside from fighting...

Kiba: Tch...We're cornered.

He scratched the back of his ear and snarled before flipping his phone open and pressing the 5 key three times.

《𝛷 5-5-5 𝛷》 《𝛷 Standing By! 𝛷》

He closed the device and held it high in the air!

"🐕Henshin!🐕"

《𝛷 Complete! 𝛷》

He slammed the phone down and turned it to the left. The same red light from before surrounded his body, and once it subsided, he had transformed into Kamen Rider Faiz again!

Without missing a beat he rushed towards the Metro Goblin! It swung its titanic arm down to crush the armored boy. Thinking quickly, Kiba jumped to the side and slid between its legs.

He reached down and swiftly transformed the Faiz Phone into Pistol Mode, shooting a couple of laser shots at the monster's back to get its attention.

Kiba: Over here, ugly!

The monster roared and turned its attention to the Kamen Rider. Since they weren't cornered anymore, Billy and Anby took the chance to reposition. The cyborg "smiled" joyfully when he saw Kiba slide like that.

Billy: That's my buddy! He learned that from me!

Kiba yelled from the background.

Kiba: No I didn't!

But he did. He did copy Billy's sliding. The Metro Goblin now stood in the middle of the three agents. Now that they had it surrounded, it was time to attack. Billy rapidly shot at it with swift precision, but his bullets were blocked by the metal railroad signs it had for arms.

*CRACK-BOOSH*

Kiba: GHAHA!!

It suddenly whipped around and swung its titanic arms, catching Kiba off guard! The armored teen tried to sneak attack it, but the monster launched him into a wall before he could. Anby glared at the monster, suddenly feeling more motivated to take it down. She attempted to slash at it, but she was just a split second to slow...

Anby: (I'm sluggish...I'm getting tired...)

*KABLAMMM*

She was violently kicked away by the Metro Goblin, causing her to roll along the ground until she crashed into the side of a train car. Kiba tried to stand up but fell to the ground soon after. He could only watch Billy try to attract its attention long enough for them to recover.

Kiba: Tch...*Groan* What a pain...Anby, you alright?!

He only got a distant groan in response. He heard the sound of soft waddles quickly approaching. Belle stood beside him, placing a nub on his shoulder.

Belle: Kiba, are you ok?!

Kiba: Ngh...I'm fine...How are we supposed to take down that thing?!

Belle: Um...Alright, just let me think of something. (Come on, come on Belle. You're Phaeothon for god's sake!)

To her rescue came her older brother! His voice popped in through her intercom once more.

Wise: "Remember Belle, we still have SB-555V available to us. Let's just hope that it still works after all this time left unused."

The bangboo took and deep breath in, and a long breath out. She finally calmed down and looked at the armored boy with a steady gaze.

Belle: Kiba, take out the Faiz Phone and dial these numbers!

She pulled him down to her level and whispered into his ear. The heterochromatic boy nodded, finally regaining the strength to stand up as he flipped his phone open.

Kiba: Alright then, I trust you!

《𝛷 5-8-2-1 𝛷》 《𝛷 Auto Vajin, come closer! 𝛷》

https://youtu.be/vXD3rw48R2o

~Elswehere, behind Random Play~

In the parking lot behind the notorious video store, a blue tarp could be seen covering... something. Suddenly, a bright yellow headlight shined through and the roar of an engine echoed through the small and empty parking lot.

A black and silver motorcycle, its color scheme matching the Kamen Rider Faiz armor, drove through the streets of Sixth Street by itself. It arrived at an alleyway that led to the entrance of the Cretan Hollow, speeding past a pink-haired woman.

Nicole: Was that a bike driving itself?! I want that!... Much cooler than Billy's old car...

~Back inside the Hollow~

"[🤖Sliding Dash!🤖]"

Billy shouted, sliding across the ground, barely evading a powerful swing from the Metro Goblin. The Goblin's road sign hit the ground, causing a large crater to form under the impact!

He quickly turned around on one knee and fired a powerful sparkling shot! The giant beast staggered from the bullets.

Kiba: When is this "Auto Vajin" thing gonna appear? It better come save our asses quickly!

He tapped his foot impatiently. Luckily, he didn't have to wait for long as a portal opened out of thin air, and from it emerged the black and silver dirt bike.

Kiba: You're telling me THAT is Auto Vajin?! That's so cool!

【🏍️Auto Vajin — Vehicle Mode🏍️】 [Transforming-type Variable Vehicle]



The heterochromatic boy stared in amazement as the autonomous motorcycle rammed into the Metro Goblin. The beast stepped back from the impact, giving Billy enough time to reposition into a safe distance.

Auto Vajin accelerated again the second its wheels touched the ground, making a donut and riding to Kiba's side. It looked really loyal to him specifically.

Belle: YES! It worked!

Kiba: You didn't know if it was going to work?

Belle: W-Well...sometimes you have to take chances. What's important is that you woke up Auto Vajin, so now we've got backup! Plus, you've done much more reckless things, hypocrite!

He tried to come up with a rebuttal but couldn't come up with anything.

Kiba:...Shut up...

Auto Vajin's engine suddenly roared, startling Kiba slightly. While Belle giggled in amusement, the motorcycle's panels began to shift and rearrange themselves.

Kiba: Uh, Belle...What the hell is happening?!

Belle: I don't know!

Kiba: Then who is supposed to know if you don't?! Isn't this thing yours?!

He stepped back and watched as Auto Vajin took on a far more humanoid shape. Anby watched everything go down from a distance, her mind immediately going to a movie she watched a couple of months ago.

Anby: (Our backup is a Transformer...?)

【🏍️Auto Vajin — Battle Mode🏍️】 [Transforming-type Variable Vehicle]



The compact robot launched itself forward, jumping high into the air, and coming down with a hammer fist against the Metro Goblin! The impact was strong enough to cause a huge crack to the head!

The monster tried to swing at Auto Vajin, but the robot raised its tire shield and blocked the railway sign. The robot pushed the Metro Goblin away before activating its machine gun function, shooting a volley of bullets from its shield!

Kiba: That's Pubsec-level tech! I didn't know this sort of thing was publicly available.

He began to think it over more thoroughly before lacing down at Belle with a playful glare.

Kiba: But now that I know you're a proxy, I'm not even sure if the video store is legal!

Belle: I already said sorry like 3 timessssss!

Meanwhile, Billy watched the fellow automaton fight with such ferocity and power. He felt a strange feeling in his stomach, a sort of engine that fluttered like the soft brushes of an angle grinder... he then looked towards Auto Vajin as SHE punched the Metro goblin into the ground before stomping down on its chest to hold it down.

She grabbed its arm to prevent a counter-attack and pointed its machine gun shield at its head. She spoke in a strong, robotic, and womanly voice.

"[🏍️Execution Order: Fusillade🏍️]"

*💥PRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR💥*

She unloaded an absolute truckload of bullets into the Ethereal's chest without a second through while everybody only stood and watched in shock...

Kiba: Damn that was brutal...It just filled that thing with lead...

He deactivated his transformation, causing his armor to disappear in a flash. He started to get used to transforming back and forth. He stared at Auto Vajin with a toothy grin.

Kiba: That guy's awesome! Imagine me out patrolling the streets of Bofurin with a sick-ass robot bike! Heh, that's gonna terrify anyone that steps into my territory for sure.

Belle: You're a psycho...

She commented jokingly, but his dedication to protecting the community never failed to warm her heart. There was somebody else staring at Auto Vajin. It was Billy with HEARTS IN HIS EYES?!

Billy:

https://youtu.be/_r-GR80pH4I

Belle, Kiba, and Anby quickly regrouped. The heterochromatic teenager was holding onto Anby's arm to support her as she walked. She had already recovered from the hit she suffered...but she kinda didn't wanna tell him that. Why? She didn't know herself... She only felt a strange fondness...

Anby: That was a close call... We would've been if I wasn't so tired beforehand... I apologize...

Belle: It's alright Anby, it wasn't your fault.

Kiba: Ditto — Plus, it's not like I was very useful either. I damn near didn't do a thing in that fight, so quit apologizing! It's annoying...

Belle: You are horrible at consoling people...

Despite his harsh words, she nodded. Anby felt a bit relieved he wasn't sugarcoating things with her. He was just as genuine with her as she was with him. They then approached Billy, looking at the other robot in the distance with a lovestruck look. If he had a mouth it would be hanging open.



Billy: Dude... Who is that girl...?

Kiba: Huh?...

Belle: Wait, you mean Vajin?

Kiba: HUH?! THAT'S A WOMAN?!

Right after he said that Billy began to speak in a rather knightly tone. Like a valiant warrior of shining armor defending the honor of his beloved.

Billy: She's not only a woman you fool! You OAF!

Kiba: Hey what's with the insults, asshole—?!

*SMACK*

The teen got smacked on the face by a glove that Billy randomly had.

Kiba: Ow! Fucker! What was that for?!

Billy: As I was saying, She is not only a woman, she is the most beautiful woman I've ever SEEN! She's even more beautiful than...*Dreamy sigh*...Monica~

Kiba: You... You can't be serious...



Billy grabbed Kiba by the shoulder and pulled him into a secretive huddle.

Billy: Sooooo what's the hottie's name? Do you have her number? Does she have a phone?

Kiba: She doesn't have a phone, idiot. She's a bike — Wait why am I following along?! We're supposed to be leaving this place!

*CLANK*

The taller cyborg got slapped upside the head by Anby.

Anby: He is right. You wouldn't want this to appear on our mission report, would you?

Kiba: Your stingy ass boss is gonna dock your pay!

Billy: Nghhhhhh! You guys are right! Love will have to wait another day! Manager, which way should we go?

He said, looking down at the small bangboo. Belle herself looked quite amused with this whole Auto Vajin situation. The tall robot quickly transformed back into her Vehicle mode and rolled beside the group.

Kiba flicked his wrist with a grin and quickly got on the silver motorcycle. He reached down and pulled Belle upwards, picking her up from the ground before she took her favorite spot! His lap!

The white-haired girl and gunslinging robot followed soon after. Anby wrapped her arms around his strong torso. Billy...Billy was panicking. He was literally riding the (Newly decided) love of his life!

Billy: (Her seats are so comfortable...And her leather is so high quality! She's so PERFECT AHHHHHHHHHHHH—)

Belle: Full speed ahead!

Billy: Ahem! Understood! Full speed ahead! Wait... Ahead?

*VROOOOOOOOOOOM*

Without Kiba even doing anything, Auto Vajin accelerated on her own, startling everyone riding the vehicle except for Belle.

Kiba: STOP NOW YOU STUPID BIKE! THERE'S A WALL IN FRONT OF US!

Belle: You know space inside the Hollows is totally distorted. That means...

Anby: —A way out may look like a dead end. But a dead end may also just be a dead end.

Kiba: Do you two hear yourselves!? THAT MAKES NO SENSE!

Belle: I'm hanging up now. See ya back at the store!

The Bangboo's eyes dulled and its rabbit ears drooped. She really did disconnect the synchronization...

Anby: It's gone quiet. It became a regular Bangboo...

Kiba: I swear when I get my hands on that damn blueberry!

Billy: WE'RE GONNA CRASH! WE'RE GONNA CRASH! WE'RE GONNA CRASH!

Right before they hit the wall, and Eather portal appeared!

*~FWOOOOOOSH~* *~SHOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH~*

They passed through it like its nothing, feeling a sense of release now that they had left The Hollow's pressure.

*SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH*

The bike screeched to a halt in the middle of a dark alleyway.

Anby: The oppressive weight of Ether is gone.

Billy: We're out... We're finally out! Aha!

Kiba: God damn, finally! *Sigh* Let's head back to the store...

Anby: Do you know how to drive a motorcycle?

Kiba:....I'm a quick learner.....

Anby: Ah, so we're doomed.

Kiba: Have a little faith!

And they rode off towards Bofurin!

~Time Skip~

Belle, Wise, and Nicole were seen in the parking lot behind Random Play, waiting for the three Hollow escapees to arrive. They heard the roar of a motorcycle's engine and knew they were close.

Nicole: They're here. Perfect Timing!

They quickly parked and dismounted Auto Vajin. In turn, she went back to the little hiding space she emerged from. It was almost as if she liked it there...?

Belle: That was surprisingly fast.

Anby: Kiba ran three red lights.

Kiba: Snitch!

Wise: *Sigh* Don't tell I have to teach you traffic safety... Anyway, Nicole, they've both been extracted. I guess it's time to pay up.

The woman perked up at the mention of payment, snapping her head at Wise and quickly coming up with a rebuttal.

Nicole: Not so fast! That's not what we agreed on. The commission was: "My people AND the client's item." You've only completed the first half!

Belle: Don't worry Nicole, we remember. It's just a joke.

Nicole: I knew Phaethon was the most reliable and trustworthy!

The heterochromatic boy stood by and watched the professionals talk business. The way this "Nicole" woman spoke of "Phaethon"...It really did seem like both Belle and Wise were some sort of legend in the underground.

Anby: The strongbox should be in the territory of a highly dangerous Ethereal. The White Star Institute has it registered as Dullahan, a superior Ethereal.

Kiba: The one that Miguel transformed into right? He...or well, I guess it's not him anymore? Ugh whatever the hell that thing is, it's guarding your "strongbox". It'll be tough to get it.

Billy: What exactly is in that box? Is it worth all this effort?

Nicole: Uh-huh... We'll find out soon enough. Haha! Take a look at this!

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a necklace. It had a golden chain with an equally golden charm in the shape of a spiral. Decorating the end of said charm was a red fang. The pink-haired woman grabbed it by both ends and separated it, revealing a USB-A connector.



Belle: So, it's a weird-looking necklace that's actually a flash drive?‍

Nicole: That's right. It's Silver's. I picked it up in the building before I got out of Fourteenth Street!

Kiba: That guy really likes to stick to the "fang" theme...

He said with a deadpan tone. Belle giggled at his comment and Nicole found it a little amusing. From the way he spoke about the gang and their leader, she deduced he had some sort of history with them just like herself.

Nicole: I noticed it before, he always had it on his person, so it must contain something to do with the strongbox!

Anby: But it's suffered some damage.

Billy: ...Yeah, look at all those burn marks!

Kiba: It's almost as if Public Security shot a whole-ass missile at us! Tch, I am never letting that down...

Nicole: Phaethon, can you do some of your magic using that complicated computer of yours?

Wise: The HDD is mainly used to process Hollow data. But if we only need to export what's in the flash drive...

The older sibling gained a slightly cocky expression. One could rarely see him so animated due to his constantly tired look. His messed up sleeping schedule would do that to anybody.

Wise: Hey sis, maybe‍ I could try to recover the data with Inter-Knot's computing power.

Nicole: Great! It's a deal, then! We'll try to locate the strongbox in the Hollow. We'll come find you when we learn something new! Let's just go our separate ways until then.

The woman turned around to her car but stopped in her tracks. She did a cartoony turnaround with an awkward smile.

Nicole: Aaaactually...I have something to discuss with you...

Wise: We don't offer discounts on our commission fees.

Nicole: Wait, listen to what I have to say first! I won't mess with the official price. Just open an alternate account on Inter-Knot and give me a discounted price like before...

The tall android then chimed in, speaking in a rather... fake tone...

Billy: Proxy, please give us a discount or Nicole won't let me eat. Cry as you say this.

The heterochromatic boy cracked up and laughed in the background.

Kiba: PHAHAHAHAH! At least try to sound convincing! Geez, the drama club at my school can act better.

Nicole: He's right, don't read out what's in the brackets! Anyways, we really need the discount. It's just a liiittle money. It's nothing to you Phaethon, right?

The two siblings looked at each other, silently debating with their SIBLING SUPER POWERS! They eventually came to a conclusion, with Wise releasing a tired sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Wise: Ugh, fine...

Nicole: Yay! Well, that's all. Cunning Hares, let's leave. We will tackle this tomorrow!

Billy: See ya, Managers! Smell you later Buddy!

Anby: Goodbye.

Anby's eyes lingered on the heterochromatic boy for just a second longer than the rest. The cunning Hares got in their car and drove off.

Wise: Well, I'll get started on making that alternate account Nicole asked for.

https://youtu.be/t9TdQCdtUeo

He walked off into the video store through the back door, leaving just Belle and Kiba together in the lonely Parking Lot. It was still early in the day, meaning that they had spent the entire night out fighting. From the research building raid to escaping the hollow, and finally returning home.

Belle: Crazy day huh?

Kiba: Yeah... Batshit insane if you ask me...

Belle: Hehehe...That's one way to put it. You'll get used to it eventually. That is... if you plan on going back to the Hollow...

In her heart, the blue-haired girl wanted him to say yes. She wanted to go on more exploration missions with him, to guide him through treacherous landscapes, to see him fight. As for Kiba, he hadn't had much time to think about it. His mind was more concerned with more things at the moment.

Kiba: I haven't had time to think about it.

Belle: Oh, gotcha... Well, you've got about a day.

Kiba: You're starting to sound like my teachers...

His grumble caused Belle to laugh lightly. She was glad her genius intellect allowed her to graduate school at her age. She didn't have to deal with crap like that anymore. The two fell into a comfortable silence, one that Kiba was afraid to break. But in the end, he needed to ask...

Kiba: Hey... Why didn't you tell me you were a proxy?

There it was. The question she didn't want him to ask.

Belle: Well...I...*Sigh* Sorry ok?... You know being a proxy is illegal and I just didn't want you to get caught up in our business. This job can be really dangerous sometimes and... I didn't want you to get hurt...

Kiba: I could've handled it. I fight all the time.

Belle: That's different though. Thugs don't compare to monsters and soldiers... I was just scared that if I told you, you would become a target... Ugh, this feels like a Liar Revealed trope...

She looked down at the ground, a little ashamed. Kiba looked down as well. He didn't like seeing her like this. Her motives for not telling him were understandable, as much as he didn't like the fact she was keeping secrets. He scooted closer to her and softly nudged her shoulder.

Kiba: It's ok, dummy... thanks for lookin' out for me...

Belle: You're not mad?

Kiba: I was...*Sigh* But there's no point in staying mad when your intention was this good. Heh, now that fact you think I can't handle it is another thing! You saw out there! I think I did pretty good. This belt came in handy. Thanks for saving our asses!

His attempt to lighten the mood worked, with Belled nudging his shoulder back with a small laugh.

Belle: Well, it's yours now. And you've got a phone, so I expect calls at least three times a day!

Kiba: Pfff, as if! You're not my mom!

Belle: Careful young man, I gave you that phone and I will take it away!

She replied jokingly, scooting closer to the heterochromatic boy. Once her laughter subsided, she looked up at him again.

Belle: You're seriously not mad?

Kiba: Nah, but... tell me next time alright? I hate secrets. Plus if there's someone in this city you rely on, that's me. So stop being stupid and just... Trust me...

Her eyes widened for a moment. Belle's heart pounded in her chest, her cheeks heating up. This feeling, she had never let it with anyone before. The warmth in her cheeks spread and she looked away trying to hide her blush. She cleared her throat, attempting to regain her composure.

Belle: A-Alright... I promise.

They stood together in a comfortable silence, leaning on the wall. Belle knew this moment couldn't last forever though. With a sigh, she stood up straight.

Belle: I gotta go make preparations for the Hollow Raid tomorrow.

She walked over to Random Play's back door and pushed it open, but right before she went in she looked back at him.

"📼 You know, I'm actually pretty glad you found out. Now I don't have to hide from you anymore. 📼"



And thus, she disappeared into the store. Kiba was left standing there in the parking lot, completely baffled. He felt a strange heaviness and lightness in his chest. His face was hot but his fingers were cold. He felt so goddamn weird and it was her fault!

He looked down at the ground and bit his lip. He didn't like this and liked it at the same time. He had never had much emotional guidance in his life so he didn't know how to react.

"🐕 Tch...N-N-Not like I c-care or anything...D-Dummy...🐕"



Kiba stood in the empty parking lot for a few more seconds, his mind racing so fast he didn't even know what he was thinking. He walked off after calming down, he didn't know exactly where though. Maybe he'll hang out around Sixth Street for a bit before going home.

Inside Random Play, the blue-haired girl walked right past the main counter and into the "Staff Only" area. This was where they conducted their Proxy Work. They made Random Play as a front for Phaethon. It just turned out to be a successful business due to sheer luck! Inside, she saw her brother typing into the computer.

Wise: What took you so long?

Belle: Talkin' to Kiba.

She said as she sat down on the couch with a tired sigh. Guiding people through the Hollow was really mentally draining sometimes. Being hooked up to the system will do that to you.

Wise: I already made all the preparations for our alt account. I'm struggling to come up with a name though...

The blue-haired girl placed a finger on her chin, thinking it over. A few seconds later Belle stood up with a smile, walking over to the computer and placing her hands over the keyboard.

Belle: I've got the perfect name!

She wiggled her fingers and dramatically typed in...!

[F]

[A]

[I]

[Z]

.........

......

...

[ACCOUNT NAME ACCEPTED]

[WELCOME TO INTER-KNOT]

[FAIZ]

{TO BE CONTINUED...}