Chapter 144: Little Rabbit

Nyx suddenly demonstrated a way of using “data” that hadn’t been shown before.

[Temporary-use miniature combat bodies can be deactivated at any time, and any damage they receive won’t be fed back to your real body. However, the combat body’s performance is extremely poor—worse even than a normal Moon Rabbit.]

Safe, but weak?

For Clara, this wasn’t much of a problem. The main purpose of this combat body was to investigate the Moon Rabbits’ “stronghold” for breeding. Not having to worry about her own life was a relief; it was just a bit awkward getting used to using an animal body.

Though Moon Rabbits usually walked upright like people, their skeletons were ultimately different from a human’s.

Clara could only pick up her Moon Rabbit self for now.

“I need to get used to this…” “Squeak squeak…”

Both combat bodies made a sound at the same time, but only one made a rabbit’s cry.

Interestingly, the rabbit’s cry actually made the one in Sista’s hand quiet down.

A Moon Rabbit created right in front of them—was it seen as an outsider by real Moon Rabbits?

But that wasn’t important.

“So, what should we do with this one?” Sista asked.

“We can’t let it go back and report to the others, but it’s rare to catch a live one in good shape. Killing it right away would be a waste, but these things are nearly impossible to keep locked up in a cage…”

Those sharp fangs and teeth could chew through any physical cage in no time.

“Sorry to trouble you, but tie it up for now and see if Fran has any use for it. She probably wants a live one for research… If not, then just get rid of it.”

The Moon Rabbit probably didn’t understand human speech—at least, Clara’s words didn’t get any reaction.

At this moment, Sista reminded her:

“Miss Clara, Miss Darma asked me to tell you… there’s a courage test event at seven o’clock, and we need to hurry back to regroup.”

“I haven’t even had dinner… Forget it, I don’t think I could eat anyway.”

Right now, Clara had no appetite at all.

“Let’s head up, then!”

Clara, wearing a gas mask, didn’t mind, but the Moon Rabbit combat body was stuck smelling the unbearable stench of garbage—she needed to escape the dump as quickly as possible.

Sista nodded and followed Clara into the elevator.

While ascending, the Moon Rabbit combat body even retched a couple of times.

“So rabbits can vomit, too.”

“I’ll take care of this rabbit.”

Back on the surface, Fran was waiting. After hearing about what happened down below, she pulled out her handgun and injected some kind of solution into the Moon Rabbit—who looked dead on the spot.

“It’s still alive! It just won’t wake up for a while. There’s no professional lab at this resort, so I’ll have to use the infirmary’s equipment for analysis… But before that, I need to wash this filthy rabbit.”

Fran tugged the rabbit’s ears, making a disgusted face, and then passed that disgust on to Clara and Sista as well. She said,

“You two as well! Don’t tell me you plan on going to the event like this? There’s still time. Get back to your rooms and take a shower first!”

“Oh…” “Squeak…”

Both Claras answered in unison.

“Hehe, Clara as a rabbit is pretty cute. Definitely better than those wild Moon Rabbits. Let me borrow this body tonight, all right?”

But Clara turned away, protecting her Moon Rabbit combat body in her arms.

“No way, I still need to get used to moving in this body!”

With a toss of her head, Fran got into the car, tossing the core cube from the seat to Clara.

“Hmph, take this back and keep it safe! Don’t lose it again! And while you’re at it, tell the resort staff to fix up the garbage dump.”

The dirty plastic bag was thrown away by Fran, leaving only the clean BB-0027 core.

Clara nodded and also reminded her, “You be careful, too. Those rabbits might come to rescue their comrade and attack you…”

“Relax! Once I figure out what these rabbits are capable of, I’ll be the island’s top rabbit hunter! I’m off!”

The infirmary wasn’t far from the dump entrance, so Fran drove off in her touring car.

As for how Sista and Clara would return to the resort—

Well, they could both fly.

They rode broomsticks and followed Sista back to their rooms, but didn’t go in.

Their bodies reeked of garbage, the stench nearly unbearable. Besides showering, Sista also had to clean her exoskeleton.

…

Grimy filth had seeped into the seams of the armor.

“Don’t go to the bathroom—go downstairs!”

Clara shouted, “Wash the dirt off your exoskeleton in the pool first!”

Cleaning an exoskeleton—the downstairs pool might be a good option.

Sista shot into the pool like a cannonball, sending up a huge splash—a perfect zero points for style. The clear water instantly turned cloudy and dirty.

Thankfully, the pool had a self-cleaning system. It’d be fresh again after a water change.

Even if the viewers in the livestream couldn’t smell it, it still affected the mood for them and anyone nearby.

Compared to Sista, Clara’s process was much simpler. Peeling off her outer membrane took most of the grime away. As long as Sista took off her exoskeleton, she’d basically be clean, maybe just a faint smell left.

But the key was—

“Hmm, I’ll need to give ‘myself’ a wash, too.”

Although she’d been holding it ever since it was created, Clara’s protective membrane was already dirty, and the Moon Rabbit data body was filthy as well. The fur, which should have been snowy white, had turned yellowish.

After rinsing the fur with hot water, Clara climbed into the tub holding her Moon Rabbit self. Her hind legs pressed into her own belly, her front paws pressing on her own pouches, and those bright red eyes met her own gaze—

“Looking at myself as a rabbit—it feels so weird.”

[You’ll get used to it. Anyway, you don’t need both bodies moving at the same time.]

If they were both in human form, it might be easier to manage, but with one as a rabbit, her movement habits were totally different. Even Clara herself felt like hopping along on all fours.

[Nyx’s power can’t maintain two fully complete data bodies.]

[And your mind couldn’t handle it, either.]

“I never said I wanted to use two bodies~”

But if one was “Squeal” and the other “Clara”…

Just as Clara was about to slip into daydreams, there was a sound from beyond the bathroom partition.

“Hm?”

Clara hugged the rabbit, shrinking down into the water, and whispered,

“Sista?”

“Miss Clara, I’m coming in.”

“Huh? What are you—what are you doing?”

Through the partition, Sista’s shadow looked like she was undressing?

“Meeting’s at seven. We need to hurry.”

“Wait, I—I’ll be out in a—”

But before she could protest, Sista was already inside.

Her face showed not a hint of apology, hesitation, or shyness. Taking a bath together to save time—she didn’t seem to think anything of it.

She didn’t even wash under the shower first—just stepped straight into the tub, sitting right across from Clara. Even their legs, underwater, brushed up and crossed against each other…

The tub was big enough that it didn’t get any more awkward than that.

But the lack of distance was terrible.

“Waaah!!” “Squeak!!”

The seemingly calm, snow-white storm was like a porcupine suddenly breaking into Clara’s comfort zone. Clara shrieked, grabbed the rabbit by the ears, and tumbled out of the tub in a panic.