We Are Similar

The Cottage

"Alright, those who want to come, go and dress into something warm. If you don't, stay in the Duck Shuttle until further notice." Hugo said, unbuckling his seatbelt.

They landed safely in the snow, a small distance away from the house. A few minutes later, Hugo, Eva, Niara, Kirito, Ban and Hiro left. Ran, Jessica, Asuka, Ami, Kazuya, Yuuya and Kousuke stayed behind under Cobra's care in the cockpit to watch them from the screen, while Jin went off to some other part of the ship. "He didn't seem like himself", was all Yuuya could say about it when asked.

The six huddled up in their coats to keep themselves warm, apart from Niara who was used to the temperature. They trudged carefully through the snow. If it were a street in the city, they would've gotten to the cottage in five minutes by running, but the snow and ice on the ground was slowing them down and the small blizzard wasn't helping.

Niara was ahead of them all. She was raised here after all, she was used to the rigid enviroment. Turning back to her friends, she let out a sigh. "We're not getting an inch closer at his rate." She ran back to the others and turned to her house. "Drezion! Blizzard Slash!"

Zeema Drezion flew up and prepared it's sword. "Attack Function. Blizzard Slash." It swung its sword up and created an energy blade, cutting through the snow in front of them.

Putting Drezion back into her pocket, Niara called back to the others. "Come on! Before it gets covered again!" She ran across the path, the others following right behind her.

~~~~~

They managed to get to the cottage safely and were shocked at how fast their tracks got covered.

"Using a special technique to break through the snow." Hiro muttered, smiling. "Thanks, Niara!"

"I'm just wondering why you guys didn't think of it." The Russian girl teased. "Especially seeing how someone have an LBX called Fenrir Flare."

"Shut up." Kirito grunted.

"Well, then, may we come in?" Hugo asked her politely.

Niara smirked. "Undead scientists first."

"Thanks." The elder male opened the door and entered, the rest following right after.

The place was as dusty as you expected it to be. It was a simple single-storey house. It had a living room, kitchen, bathroom, two bed rooms, and a back door which Niara said to lead to the garden.

"So... What are we looking for?" Kirito asked. "Depending on what it is, it could be put in a different spot."

"Something relating to our parents." Hugo replied. "Notes, files... Anything that'll serve as a clue."

"Well there are six of us." Ban said. "Lets split up to two groups."

"Alright then. Eva, Kirito and I can stay in here and look theough the drawers and stuff." Niara suggested. "Ban, Hiro and Hugo can go and dig out the gardens or something."

They agreed and Ban's group went out the back door. Afer getting permission, Eva went to check out her room and her parents' room while Kirito went around the kitchen and living room. Niara went out to check the shed.

~~~~~

The garden was bigger than the house itself, but they kind of already figured that out because of the dome. They all began looking around, Ban and Hiro had their CCMs on while Hugo had Sirius with him.

"I had no idea Niara lived in such and isolated place." Hiro commented. "She must've been lonely as a child."

"Not to mention the technology here is pretty old compared to the ones in the city." Ban nodded. "I wonder how did she get so smart when she doesn't go to school."

"When she was born, my parents wanted to give a gift to hers." Hugo cut in. "They gave them my old textbooks for her to study from. On top of that, her parents are also pretty smart too... Just not so much when it comes to technology."

"You guys do know that I can hear you, right?" Niara's voice came in.

"S-Sorry." The two boys jumped while Hugo let out a small laugh.

"And as for Hiro's earlier statement, I didn't get lonely." Niara said. "My cousin comes to visit every month or so and my parents didn't have jobs so they play around with me a lot."

"Well, now they're dead." A lazy voice muttered.

"K-Kirito!" Eva nearly panicked, but Niara was laughing.

"Yeah. Like your girlfriend."

"Niara!" The blonde girl was trying to keep things as civil as possible. "This isn't the time for-"

"I found something!" Ban exclaimed as Hiro and Hugo ran over to him. "It looks like some kind of trapdoor."

"Is it the kind that people can fit through or small ones where you can keep stuff in?" Kirito asked.

"It's small." Hiro replied. He bent down to brush the dirt off and the metal became more apparent. He found a handle and tried to pull on it, but no luck. "It's locked."

"Then we need a key." Hugo stated. "Niara, any ideas?"

"Well, there's nothing like that in the shed." She replied. "Just some old guns and darts that my dad uses while hunting. Oh, and his hat too. Taking that with me."

"There's nothing in the bedrooms." Eva said.

"Nothing with me either." Kirito stated.

"I didn't see anything while walking around the garden..." Hiro said.

Niara hummed in thought. "Well... We haven't gone in the basement yet. Eva, come into the shed. The boys can stay and guard the trapdoor."

"Guard?" Ban asked.

"I mean, we never know if a wild wolf comes and tries to get it, right? A Fenrir would be useful."

"Very funny." Fenrir's owner rolled his eyes.

"I try. Eva?"

"Yeah, I'm out the door already, just give me a sec. Maybe it's just me, but the snow looks like it's getting worse."

"Huh, usually it gets better during mid day. Guess we should be quick then."

The blonde arrived in the shed and Niara revealed another trapdoor that had a staircase leading underground. They walked down, Niara using her CCM to light the way.