Archer slipped into the room where he'd left Hina, expecting to find her curled up, asleep.
Instead, she sat upright, her eyes scanning the newspaper with quiet intensity, as if the world's secrets were hidden in its inky folds.
"You really love that news, don't you?" Archer teased, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
Hina glanced up, her calm voice soft but warm, almost startlingly serene, as if the weight of Hayate's death had slipped from her mind. "Hmm? Oh, hi, Archer! How was your walk?" She folded the paper slightly, her eyes bright with curiosity.
"It was… alright," Archer said, shrugging. "This place feels so much like our old Earth. Too much, maybe." He paused, his voice growing more animated. "I met this guy, Barry Wilson. Says he's the leader of some revolutionary group. Get this—he claimed he knew Mr. Zero!"
Hina's lips curved into a knowing smile as she sipped her tea, the steam curling around her face. "Oh, you've already met Barry? I was planning to take you to him later. Guess you've saved us some time!" Her tone was light, almost teasing, but her eyes lingered on the newspaper, betraying a flicker of distraction.
Archer leaned forward, his voice tinged with urgency. "He gave me a letter—one I wrote, back when I still had my memories. He said if I want them back, I need to go to Hierro's Peak."
Hina's brow arched, her tone cool but pointed. "Barry said that, or you did? You're talking like you're not the same person you were before you lost your memories." She sipped her tea again, her nonchalance a stark contrast to Archer's intensity.
Archer's jaw tightened, his voice rising with newfound resolve. "It was me, but… I don't know what I did back then. Whoever that guy was, I'm not him. I'm my own person now—me." His eyes blazed with confidence, as if daring the past to claim him.
Hina set her teacup down gently, her gaze softening. "Archer…" She folded the newspaper and turned to face him fully, her voice quieter now, laced with concern. "Are you sure you want your memories back? I can wait for mine, but you…"
"I'm sure," Archer declared, his voice brimming with unshakable certainty. "Whatever I learn, it won't change who I am now."
Hina's lips parted, but her words were barely a whisper, meant more for herself than him. "I hope you don't regret this, Archer…" She shook her head slightly, then met his gaze with a faint smile. "Alright, then. When do you want to go?"
"Right now!" Archer's eyes sparkled with excitement, his whole body buzzing with anticipation.
"So, where's this Hierro's Peak?" he asked, tilting his head.
Hina's smile widened, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "We're already on it."
Archer blinked, confusion creasing his brow. "We're… on it?"
"Come outside with me," Hina said, her voice playful as she stood. "I'll show you what I mean."
The pair stepped out of the apartment, the sun's golden rays warming their faces. Hina knelt on the dusty ground, her fingers tracing patterns in the sand. "Notice anything different from when you first went out, Archer?"
Archer squinted, scanning the familiar streets. "No? Everything looks the same."
Hina's fingers deftly sketched a sun symbol in the sand, its lines bold and deliberate. She pulled a small knife from her pocket, its blade glinting in the sunlight. "Here's the thing about this world, Archer. It's different from others because of transportation. Draw a sun symbol, add a drop of blood, and you can go anywhere in the world." She glanced up at him, her eyes gleaming with a mix of mystery and amusement.
"You've seen it, haven't you?"
Archer's eyes widened as realization hit. "Wait—that's how Barry went from that trashcan to his lair!"
Hina chuckled, nodding. "Yeah, though I have no idea why he chose a trashcan. One more thing: you can't transport to a place you've never been before. You have to have been there at least once." She reached for Archer's arm, her grip gentle but firm.
"What're you—" Archer started, but his words cut off with a sharp "Ouch!" as Hina nicked his hand, a bead of blood welling up.
Hina giggled, her laughter light and teasing. "What? You thought I'd cut myself? You're the tough guy here, Archer—this is your thing." She guided his bleeding palm to the center of the sun symbol, her touch surprisingly gentle.
"You could've at least asked," Archer grumbled, pulling his hand back and brushing sand from his arm, though a reluctant smile tugged at his lips.
Hina rolled her eyes, her tone playful. "Oh, come on, don't be such a kid. You're practically 20!"
"I've still got the mind of a kid," Archer shot back, his grin widening.
"Hey—it's glowing!" he exclaimed, pointing as the sun symbol shimmered with a soft, radiant light.
Hina nodded, stepping closer. "It's supposed to do that. Now stand on it, and… let me jump into your arms."
Archer's brow furrowed. "Wait, what? Why?"
"Because only one person can go at a time," Hina said, her voice impatient but laced with amusement. "Hurry up already!" With a playful leap, she launched herself into Archer's arms, her laughter ringing out as he caught her.
Archer stepped onto the glowing symbol, Hina's warmth pressed against him. "Now what?"
"Just give it a sec," Hina murmured, her breath soft against his shoulder. The light flared, engulfing them in a blinding cascade of brilliance, erasing the world around them.
When the light faded, they stood before a weathered cabin nestled in a dense forest, the air thick with the scent of pine and earth.
"Where are we?" Archer asked, his voice hushed with awe.
"Hierro's Peak, dum-dum," Hina replied, her tone teasing as she slid out of his arms.
Archer glanced at her, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Oh. Uh… mind getting off me now?"
Hina smirked, stepping back with a mock sigh. "You're so stiff. Never had a woman jump into your arms before?" She tossed her hair playfully, then paused, her voice softening.
"You know, Barry and I didn't do this when we went to his lair. I just followed him. We could've done that instead." Archer raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't we?"
Hina's smile turned wistful, her eyes distant. "Because this is more fun. I don't get to mess around like this with the other Code members. It's… how Hayate and I used to play." She knocked on the cabin door, her movements brisk, as if shaking off the memory.
Archer's expression softened. "Oh… Hayate."
Hina waved a hand dismissively, though her smile faltered.
"Nah, don't worry about it." She nodded toward the cabin. "Is this where we're supposed to go?"
Before Archer could answer, the door creaked open, revealing a grizzled man with a cigar clamped between his teeth. "Is there anywhere else you're supposed to go, Archer?" His voice was gruff, his eyes sharp as they flicked between them. "I know why you're here. Let's get to it."
Archer and Hina exchanged a glance, hesitation flickering in their eyes before they stepped inside. The cabin was dim, cluttered with two rickety chairs, a broken TV, and a fridge stuffed with beer cans, its hum filling the silence.
"Wow, this place is… really neat," Archer said, his nervous chuckle betraying his unease.
The man snorted, waving off the sarcasm. "Enough, Archer. You're here with Hina for one reason: you want your memories back, don't you?"
Archer nodded, his throat tight with anticipation. "Yeah."
The man gestured to the chairs. "Both of you, come closer. This'll take a while, so sit down." He placed a heavy hand on each of their foreheads, his touch firm yet strangely gentle.
"Unravel," he intoned, the word a spark that ignited something deep within.
Archer's mind erupted, memories flooding back like a torrent, each moment vivid and raw, as if he were living them all over again.