3 Prey or Predator?

After much persuasion, Sylvia's Guardian, the Pixie, who supposedly was the User's most reliable advisor, managed to convince her to check out on some of the Candidates among the first-years during lunch break. How the Pixie did it? She laid out an irresistible bait in the form of 'never-before-seen high-technology', which should've been much credited to the System's hard work, but then again, the act of mischievously stealing people's credits was part of the euphoria in the Pixie's life.

Sylvia really did feel guilty at having left Lance alone at the mercy of his adorable and overexcited fangirls that had suddenly come 'greeting' because they were worried about 'that huge fight he had yesterday with the school's devil' – causing her to almost choked on the meal she had right then – but, at least he has someone or someones to take care of him, while she was out playi- trying to understand the ins and outs of the First Love System's various functions.

She had only just begun to experience the use of another function when the beeping sound had come out unexpectedly, startling Sylvia.

As the holographic screen projecting out of the small rectangular object from Sylvia's bracelet was wiped clean of its current display and replaced with strings of words, the Pixie shouted out in excitement, "Yes! Finally."

[Targeted Candidate incoming]…

[Scanning commenced]…

[Location: Falcon High School]…

[Specific point: First-Year Building]…

[Generating map for Ground floor only]…

[Pinpointing the Target exact location on map]…

Looking at the User's Screen that only the imprinted User could see, she saw a map appeared and on it, the movement of a green dot on the map was getting closer to her location.

"User, there seemed to be something wrong with the target."

"Pardon?"

"The target's speed of movement is too fast to be considered as a normal walking pace. User, according to my analyzation, it seemed like he is… running."

"Running? What's going on here? What do you mean Targeted Candidate?"

Pausing for a beat, at Sylvia's questioning, the System then began to speak again. "Please wait a moment, User…"

"Did you just ignore me, System?" asked Sylvia in disbelief.

[Analyzing Target's surroundings searching for the cause of alertness]…

Just then, four red dots popped up on the map.

"User-" the System had only begun to explain when Sylvia cut in. "Let me guess, those aren't friendlies."

[Commencing Mission: Become the Saviour]…

"Wait, a minute. We didn't come here to scout for my options amongst the good-looking gentlemen and test the System's usefulness as you've said just now, is it…?"

"Took you long enough to realize that, User. Now less talking more moving."

"And I should just agree to go according to your plan?"

"A child is in a distressful state," said the Pixie with such pitiful tone, before continue saying condemningly to Sylvia, "Shouldn't you act like an upstanding citizen and help him?"

"Oh, yeah…? Like I'm not in a distressed state myself seeing how obvious my Guardian had wanted me to engage with a Candidate. I can clearly see the mission flashing brightly on my User's Screen, you know," Sylvia said that stubbornly, but she still glanced at the fast-moving red dots on the map. Whoever this kid was he clearly couldn't outrun his chasers that long.

"Alright, fine! You clearly know where my Achilles heel is. So, what should I do? I'm presuming that you also have data on me that says, 'She doesn't know any martial arts' as well, yes?"

"Of course. No worries. We already took all that into consideration. Now, quickly follow the direction the System pinpoint you to, and I shall instruct you on what you to do, along the way," said the Pixie full of pride.

Since her Guardian was brimming with confidence with her full proof plan, Sylvia followed her lead, not second-guessing at all that the Pixie might not be as wise as she labeled herself to be.

******

Drake Lee was currently running for his life. For two straight months, he has had to become those four unwilling cash deposit machine. Millie, his neighbor and childhood friend has been upset by this feeble personality of his. She kept telling him to man up to his bullies. Thus, that was the plan for today when he saw them standing in front of his class as per usual. One second, they were apologizing for the inconvenienced that he has had to go through, the next second this happened! They swore that after they caught and beat him up, they'll immediately double up his payment for the rest of his school life.

He was already on his last legs, when all of the sudden a hand grabbed him, pulling him into an empty science lab. Drake thought that one of his bullies had actually caught him by surprise, but instead, he came face to face with an auburn-haired girl. Based on the color on her name tag which spelled 'Sylvia Rosewald', she was a second-year. Before he had the chance to say anything, Senior Sylvia had put a hand on his mouth, signaling him to keep quiet.

Just then, Drake heard several pairs of footsteps stopped outside somewhere down the hallway. It couldn't be helped, once you turned around the corner just now, you will come into a double row hallway with labs on both sides. He should have either went inside one of these labs or had exited to the back corridor using the double doors at the end of the hallway. Going in twos, the bullies separated to either went searching around the back corridor or the labs down the hallway.

Signaling him to follow her, Senior Sylvia silently led Drake to the windows on the opposite side of the wall, while outside they heard doors to the labs being opened and slammed shut one after the other. They were just about to climb out through the windows when suddenly, a ringtone coming from Senior Sylvia's breast pocket rang out, loudly announcing their location.

"D*mn it!" Without reading the Caller ID of the receiving call, Sylvia quickly turned off her phone, but it was already too late.

******

~Rooftop, Second-Year Building~

A dark-haired male student, who had just been lazily hanging about, was currently staring disbelievingly at his phone. A certain someone had dared to decline his call. He tried once again, but this time his call had gone straight to voice mail.

"Heh…" The student smiled wickedly as if accepting a challenge from a foe. He dialed up a series of numbered codes on his phone. After a few seconds, a small map with a GPS location sprang up indicating where the phone he had just called was at. Who knew when he had the chance to put a locator on the girl's phone.

If that girl thought that she could get away that easily with ignoring his phone call, then she hasn't heard about his reputation that much which was impossible, unless she didn't care in the first place. He ground his teeth in annoyance at that thought. It was high time that he made it clear to that impudent girl who she had been messing with.

Walking straight to that particular location, it didn't even once occur to him that his rejected calls had anything to do with the bell that had rung out 5 minutes ago signaling the end of lunch break. Not that he would've accepted that as an excuse. Furthermore, the location that was displayed just now wasn't the Second-Year Building.

******

Currently running around the back corridor of the First-Year Building was Sylvia and Drake, with all four of the bullies right on their tails.

Despite her literally breath-taking situation, a fiery argument was currently ongoing between Sylvia and the Pixie in her Mind Space.

"What the h*ll, Guardian!" swore Sylvia, not caring if she had sounded so rough.

"The scene that I had pictured in my head was very much different than what had just happened," pouted the Pixie, unsatisfied. Clearly not admitting to her mistake.

Now exactly what had just happened? Well, according to the Pixie's 'Grand Saviour Plan', if by any chance the bullies managed to get hold of their location and started chasing after them. All Sylvia need to do was confidently announcing her seniority and the bullies would back off immediately. Exactly! Just like what Sylvia had said – albeit a much shorter version – that was totally presumptuous of her Guardian to think that plan will work.

"Just hold on a bit more, User. You only need to make two more turns before arriving at the targeted location."

"Wait, what targeted location? I don't ever remember this part of the plan at all," asked the Pixie in confusion, but she understood immediately when she saw the ID of the incoming green dot. "Oh, good idea, System…"

Just when Sylvia was about to ask what was going on, she had turned the second corner and bumped head-first on a solid chest. Strangely, she felt that the feeling of this chest was very familiar. Looking up, she understood why.

"What're you doing, Sylvie...?" asked Dax in a playful manner as if he had just caught a child doing something she shouldn't.