Her apartment was on the top floor of the tallest building in City A. Tornado floated in through the floor-to-ceiling window, gently placing Allen on her bed. The green energy receded like flowing water. She stood by the bed, arms crossed, staring at the 'intruder' who had taken over her bed.
"Tsk, so dirty." Tornado pouted in disgust, but still used Psychokinesis to retrieve a wet towel.
When the warm towel touched Allen's cheek, Tornado's movements suddenly froze. She only then realized what she was doing – actually taking care of this annoying Rookie herself!
"I must be crazy." Tornado tossed the towel aside, her green hair gently swaying due to her emotional fluctuations.
She floated to the window, her back to the bed, trying to calm her chaotic thoughts. The content of the destroyed note kept flashing in her mind:
[Allen has been injected with Monster cells by me. How will you choose? (Smiling face)]
Tornado's nails unconsciously dug into her palms. If the Association knew about this, they would immediately label Allen as a dangerous target. She knew the higher-ups' style too well: better to kill innocent than let go.
"No." Tornado shook her head, a hint of determination flashing in her green eyes: "I need to confirm the situation first."
She turned around and floated back to the bedside. Allen's breathing had stabilized significantly, but his face was still alarmingly pale. Tornado hesitated for a moment, then gently lifted his upper garment.
The gruesome wound on his abdomen made her gasp. It was a fist-sized indentation, and the surrounding skin was an abnormal bluish-purple. What startled her even more was the faint, dark red lines slowly spreading from the edges of the wound.
"Is this the effect of Monster cells?" Tornado's voice trembled slightly.
She instinctively wanted to contact the Association, but her fingers stopped just as they touched the communicator. If she reported it, Allen would immediately be locked up in a special containment facility, or even be taken for research and cut into pieces.
She looked at Allen, lying unconscious on the bed, and it was as if she saw herself as a child, sent to a research institute. If she could, Tornado didn't want this Rookie to endure such a cruel fate.
"Consider it protecting the childhood self who couldn't be protected back then."
"No." Tornado shook her head fiercely. How could she protect a Monster, especially one who opposed her and was disobedient? She chased this terrifying thought from her mind. Tornado took a deep breath, and green energy once again enveloped Allen's wound, but she hesitated to act.
"Listen, Rookie." She lowered her voice, as if warning and convincing herself at the same time.
"I'm giving you three days. If you're not awake after three days, or if there are any signs of Monsterization..."
She didn't finish the second half of her sentence, but her gaze became more resolute. If he was a Monster, she definitely wouldn't show mercy.
Outside the window, the first ray of morning light pierced through the clouds. Tornado only then realized she had been guarding him all night. She rubbed her sore eyes, suddenly feeling a wave of fatigue.
As the S-Class Rank 2 hero, she rarely felt tired, but the emotional fluctuations of the night had drained too much of her energy.
"It's all your fault! Rookie! You're such a handful!" Tornado glared at the unconscious Allen, though her tone lacked its usual imperiousness.
She floated to the corner of the room and curled up in a single armchair. Green energy formed a barrier around her, both protection and surveillance. Tornado decided to take a short nap, but her eyes stubbornly refused to close completely, vigilantly watching for any movement on the bed... Allen's consciousness gradually surfaced from the chaos. The first thing he felt was the unusually soft sensation beneath him. This was definitely not the hard hospital bed.
He slowly opened his eyes, and a strange ceiling came into view. A uniquely shaped crystal lamp hung from the minimalist white ceiling.
"Where is this?" Allen tried to prop himself up, a sharp pain in his abdomen making him gasp.
"I knew I shouldn't have hit so hard." He looked down and found that his wound had been properly bandaged, but the faint stinging pain beneath the bandages reminded him of the severity of his injury.
The light in the room was soft, and outside the floor-to-ceiling window was the magnificent cityscape of City A. Allen then realized he was on the top floor of a high-rise building.
His gaze swept across the room: minimalist furniture, a few landscape paintings on the walls, and a uniquely shaped green potted plant on the bedside table.
"Hmm..." A slight sound came from the corner.
Allen sharply turned his head, only to see Tornado curled up in a single armchair. Her usually flamboyant green curly hair now fell softly over her shoulders. She was hugging a green pillow, her brows slightly furrowed, seemingly not sleeping peacefully.
Most strikingly, she was only wearing a loose white T-shirt, her long, fair legs curled up, making her look several sizes smaller than usual.
Allen: "???"
His brain instantly crashed. He lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. He must be dreaming and not fully awake. It was definitely because he hadn't rested for too long, to be having such a strange dream... Allen cautiously opened his eyes again, confirming that he wasn't dreaming. Tornado was indeed curled up in the corner armchair, sleeping defenselessly.
He subconsciously checked his clothes. Thankfully, they weren't too messy. But why was he in Tornado's home? And why had she taken off her iconic black slit dress while sleeping?
He couldn't help but glance at Tornado a few more times. What exactly was going on? Why was he in the same room as this short-tempered loli? What had happened during his sleep?
After thinking it over, Allen finally gave up. He really couldn't figure out what the situation was that he would be sleeping in the same room as Tornado. Where exactly was this place?
Allen carefully propped himself up, trying not to make a sound. After all, Tornado was sleeping, and it was best not to disturb someone's rest if possible.
He observed the surroundings and found the room to be surprisingly tidy, with almost no personal items. The only decoration was the small green potted plant on the bedside table, which looked very well cared for.
His gaze returned to the sleeping Tornado. At this moment, she looked like a completely different person from her usual self, without that imperious aura, instead resembling an ordinary girl.
"Speaking of which, she always wears that black dress. If she's not wearing it, then there's only one possibility..." Allen suddenly realized something.
"Wait, am I in her bedroom now? Is this her bed?"
This realization instantly froze Allen. He looked down at the bed he was lying on; the pale green sheets exuded a faint, fresh scent.
Allen's brain raced, countless possibilities flashing through his mind. Could it be? After Tornado learned he had become a Monster, she made her choice, and then she decided to kidnap him while he was unconscious, and then... take care of him?
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