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Time, at the moment, does not have the strength or leverage he’s used to having. This is probably the youngest he’s been so far, though it isn’t much younger than the last time—six or seven, maybe. Honestly, he’s been surprised that the researchers haven’t tried to monitor his entire reaging process yet, so it isn’t too strange to him that he gets pulled out the day after another edit.
They don’t go to the labs, though, and Time remembers with discomfort the last time someone had been led to the nicer, corporate parts of the building. Hyrule hadn’t liked talking about it, and nobody had liked hearing about it.
Time has a brief thought that it would be easy to run away as a child, seeing as he’s small and can duck under most adults’ grips. His size also means he’s slower, though, and easier to pick up and immobilize entirely. Still, it’s a thought. Perhaps he can leverage it.
The singular guard keeps a tight grip around one of his tiny arms and takes him to an elevator. They go up, though Time’s too short to see the buttons and know how many floors they ascend.
The building smells like cleaner and leather up here. Wide picture windows look out high above the outskirts of the sunny city, which is more information than Time had had before. He knows roughly where this building is, now. There are vinyl chairs and real plants in the corners, though Time doesn’t get a good look before he’s pulled along faster than his legs can carry him. It doesn’t help that these clothes are way too big, either. The smallest size they have is even too big for Four. The handler leading the guard and Time speaks to a secretary, who watches Time through high-end glasses before waving them on.
In contrast to the lobby area, this office is dark, the windows shaded by long blue curtains. The desk is cluttered, without a name plaque, and bookshelves line the walls.
The guard sits Time on a chair across from the desk, then retreats. Time’s feet barely dangle over the edge of the chair. He sits back and crosses his arms.
The man on the other side of the desk looks at him with yellowed eyes and deep-set features. “Yes, you’re very intimidating.”
Time doesn’t answer.