Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Wakey, Wakey…” A gentle voice called out to me and I could feel my body being shaken slightly…both the touch and the voice felt like an angel.

My eyes gently flutter open to see her…

A young woman.

She wore her stylish white military uniform, blue tie, and tiny hat.

Her million dollar smile, chocolate brown hair, ocean blue eyes greeted me, a wonderful sight to wake up to. This woman…

Was Marian.

Marian and I have known each other since we were children.

We played together when we were kids.

We studied and practiced together when we were growing up.

We hung out every day together when we were in high school.

We fought together during our time at the academy.

And today?

Today marks both of our first missions…and we’re doing it together.

“Hey, you’re finally awake, sleepyhead!” Marian beamed brightly as I stretched my arms out. I couldn’t help but smile back, even if I was still half asleep.

“Not my fault this was such a long flight from the academy to the…” My sentence was interrupted by a yawn and another stretch. “Mother Base. Besides, you’re the one that gets on me for bad sleeping habits…so I got the eight of the nine hours of rest, just like you asked for. Since you can’t interject, I’ll be going back to sleep to get that last hour of sleep I oh so desperately need…see you in an hour, lieutenant.” My best friend would roll her eyes as I closed mine.

“We’ll be touching down at our post within the hour! You need to look somewhat presentable to make a good impression…and you can’t look presentable when you’re half asleep!” A mom friend to the core…Marian had always been that way since we were kids. She constantly looked after me, took care of me when shit went wrong…

I could always go to her to get out any frustrations or worries I had, regardless of what happened. 

“Alright, alright, fine…” I open my eyes once more, mentally preparing myself all the while. “...I guess I’ll get up.” Marian crossed her arms in response.

“You better.” Another sharp sigh from her would lead to a smug smile from me as she threw a protein bar and a plastic bottle of lemon-lime soda directly at my face. “Your breakfast.” 

“...Talk about a low budget flight.” I murmured. Granted, nothing was truly as bad as the food served back in the dining hall at the academy…but I asked Marian to pick up a filling but nutritious breakfast…

“Oh, don’t be a baby.” She rolled her eyes at me. “It fills me up just fine for days, so I don’t want to hear a peep out of you.”

Marian was a Nikke, a human brain inside a metallic shell created in the image of what the brain considered their ideal form. These androids were created for fighting the raptures, a race of machines from another world that invaded ours long ago, making all sentient life nearly go extinct. The few humans that remained were driven underground into a place known as the Ark, a safe haven created by what was left of the old world’s governments, now known as the Central Government. The Nikkes were created as weapons in order to reclaim the surface under the orders of commanders like myself. 

When I was becoming a commander…the thought of being away from me terrified Marian…so much so that she was willing to give up her human body and life to become a weapon to remain by my side. Despite my objections at first, Marian was insistent…which ended up being the right move. Apart, we were formidable soldiers…but together? We were damn near unstoppable. We knew each other perfectly, and as such, fought in perfect synergy. Thanks to her, I graduated top of my class at the most prestigious academy in the Ark.

I unwrap the cellophane from my breakfast and can’t help but admire the taste…she definitely knew my taste pallet, that’s for sure…

“...It’s good. Just get me two next time…” I open the bottle of soda, the ever satisfying and refreshing beverage making me let out a “ahhh…” Marian smiles sweetly yet smugly at my comments. “...I see you smirking over there, Lieutenant.” This, however, only amplified my Nikke’s laughter. 

“Sorry, sorry, you’re just too adorable not to tease sometimes.” She tried to stifle her laughter as I just groaned. “Awww, don’t be like that Dante! Think of it as…team building!”  I cut her a glare. 

“We’ve known each other for most of our lives, I think, with this final exercise, we’ve had enough team building effectively now to the end of time.” She sighs, finally calming herself down. 

“Alright, fine…but you need to lighten up a bit! You’re getting your first squadron today, you should be excited! We’re gonna be great together, I just know it!” Her optimism was always welcome, especially in the grim wastelands of the surface. A sharp contrast to what people called me, anyway. 

“Yeah, you’re probably right…” I looked outside, seeing the other clouds as our transport pierced through them with precision. “It’ll take some getting used to. The academy always assigned me “promising” recruits…only for them to be a waste of my time.” Marian would frown at my comment, crossing her arms once again.

“Dante!” She said sternly…once again back talking to her commander…then again, this has been our relationship for the longest time, so I allowed it. 

“Marian. They gave me the bottom of the barrel and expected them to keep up with us. That’s a recipe for failure…besides, they always complained that my additional training was “too much” or “wasn’t needed”...If they were going to actually want me to succeed, they’d actually let me have Nikkes that weren’t just grade three other than you. Hell, to even let me have you under my command, I had to pull strings to force their hand. Even after they saw outstanding and unprecedented results, they just continued to waste my time.” My partner simply looked to the side…she realized that I was rightfully upset about my treatment at such a prestigious academy, especially with such high tuition. 

“...I understand you’re upset at the academy…but don’t get mad at the mass produced Nikkes…I just so happened to have won the genetic lottery when it came to being compatible with a particular power core…I could have ended up just like them.” A sharp deep inhale and exhale leaves my body as I rethink her words. 

“I know, I know…just frustrated. Then again, that’s what you get when you get into the academy with all the rich brats with silver spoons in their mouths…wasn’t hard to be top of your class when everyone’s in a fraternity and do everything but what said academy is for. Weren’t you going to that one…uh…” Marian cuts me off before I could even say his name. 

“...Do not even get me started on that asshole. I was only in his squad for the first three days of the academy before you cleared things up with the administration…I hope he dies the second he gets on the battlefield.” My eyes widened in shock and I had to blink a couple of times. Sure, Marian hated a couple people, but never before did she hate someone so much that she’d wish they’d die. My Nikke noticed my expression before quickly shaking her head. “My apologies, Dante…I just haven’t been feeling like myself lately. After graduation, it feels like something inside me has changed.” I finish eating my breakfast and comfort Marian on my way to the bathroom. 

“Hey, I can relate to that…kinda like growing up. But we’ve got each other, remember?” I place my hand on her shoulder. “Forget about it and we’ll move on…day by day, y’know?” Her feeling of sadness is replaced by one of extreme happiness…she always loved when I cheered her up. Just another way we’re completely in sync. 

“Yeah…thanks, Dante.” Without any hesitation, Marian hugs me tightly, causing me to reciprocate it gently…before I feel something shake the entirety of the ship, a deafening explosion coming from the hull of our transport, followed by the flashing red lights and whirls of the ship.  

The loud explosion sent any sleepiness I had left, and I could hear my ears ringing as it happened. The initial impact combined with sudden and rapid drop in altitude sent me to the metallic floor of the descending aircraft. I managed to catch myself with my right hand, my breathing becoming erratic due to both the stress of the situation and the amount of air available, my vision began to fade to black…a groan…from there, time began to blur…I could feel the initial impact...then me sliding against something metallic and hard from the force of the crash.

“Dante!” I could tell it was Marian yelling for me, yet the actual volume of her scream wasn’t as apparent thanks to the various alarms blaring in the cabin. I weakly opened my eyes…for some reason…I had no strength…and it was getting increasingly hard to think. “Hang on, Dante!” My vision began to blur as the blue eyed Nikke made her way towards me after she was blown back from the initial impact…my whole body began to feel numb as Marian flipped me on my back, clearly panicked. Her mouth was moving, yet there was no sound…my subordinate stood over my body as I began to slowly close my eyes…before I felt a sudden shock course through my body, jolting me awake.

“Dante!” Marian spat out quickly, sitting me up. “Dante, can you hear me?!” I gave a groan as I shook my head. 

“Yeah…and you can knock it off with the yelling…” It was already loud enough with the sirens from the now crashed aircraft…the last thing I needed was a bigger headache compared to the one I already had.

“Can you tell me…” I already knew the protocol for this whole situation…so I just said it out loud to get it over with.

“I’m Dante Fortuna of the Central Government’s seventh sector, You’re Marian Kurijo of Silver Bullet Squadron, and we’re both fucked if we don’t get ready to move.” My Nikke only sighed. 

“...All three of those statements are correct, Dante…” She offers me her hand, to which I gladly accept, pulling myself up.

Nothing like a good shock to the heart to get the blood flowing.

“Do you have a plan?” She asks me, her voice sounding less panicked, but rather one of alertness. 

“Not really. Considering the fact I’m lucky to be alive right now, I’d say we take this as a sign that I abandon my usual plan of “shoot it until it dies” and come up with a new plan B this time around.” Walking over to a metal shipping crate, I pry it open with a nearby crowbar. “I think I’ll shoot my way out…mix things up a little.” Marian let out a frustrated sigh. I made my way to my luggage that had been dislodged, pulling out my most essential item for surviving nearly any situation. 

My Solid Eye. 

An invention I had made to keep up with Nikke, the Solid Eye was the end all be all of battlefield intelligence and utility I could get my well trained hands on. 

Nikkes were machines designed to combat raptures, given weapons that were manufactured with calibers, weights, and recoil that were impossible for a human to reasonably wield. As a commander, it was my job to ensure that the team would be coordinated and utilize these weapons effectively…however…

I felt like there was more that I could do than sit on my ass and just watch my units blast raptures. I began to train my mind and body…pushing myself to my absolute limits. But…I was still just a human. 

I couldn’t wield fully automatic anti material rifles, couldn't withstand the recoil or backblast from a sniper rifle, even the weakest and most stripped down pistols could easily pop my entire arm out of socket. 

I needed an equalizer. 

During my off time, I’d tinker with absolutely get my hands on. Electronics, weapons, scrap metal, anything I could use…even using salvaged technology from fallen Nikkes, the latter of which contributed heavily to the Solid Eye. 

See, Commanders were given a cellular device that was connected to the central government’s servers to send and receive data through secure channels and a variety of other features that were essential to sustained trips to the now inhospitable surface of the earth…while it was useful, it could be optimized. Texting your squad was instant, but it took too long to send the messages…so I looked for more effective methods of communication. I had the utility of the cell phone, but there was still the lingering issue of battlefield communication. 

Then I realized that I was looking in the wrong place. All Nikke have a built-in OS that grants them access to holographic utilities that only the user could see. Identifying, labeling and targeting the enemy…scanning objects to compare with the Ark’s records…instant retrieval of information…and instant communications with your team. 

All I needed was a grasp on the technology that it ran on and I’d be infinitely more capable as a commander. After dozens of all nighters, failed prototypes and setbacks…eventually, I’d get a working model. 

“Dante…” I could tell she was about to start whining, so I decided to cut her off by giving her something I was saving as a present for when we arrived at our destination…

It was a rifle of my creation, just like my Solid Eye.

What started as a stock assault rifle given to all Nikkes quickly evolved into a weapon to surpass all of its brothers. It was better than stock in every single regard, and while all these upgrades and tweaks I made were impressive, the feature that made it a cut above nearly every weapon in the arsenal of the central government was the custom barrel and rifling. 

By sacrificing rate of fire, this firearm could be charged up to hit like a railgun or sniper rifle, accomplished by holding the trigger down to cause the round to spin inside the chamber to build up enough force to be able to pierce through targets, thus earning it the name…of spiral.

“Here.” I presented the weapon to my Nikke as I walked towards her. “It’s a stable prototype.” I added as I examined my creation for the Nikke, perfectly suited for her style of combat. Only the best was good enough when it came to making a weapon for my best friend. “...And this is the perfect place to test it out.” Her blank stare at me makes me sigh. “Look, you’re gonna use it, it’s a…”

“It’s a work of art.” Marian completed my sentence with a somewhat annoyed tone, seeing as I had said it dozens of times when crafting the other versions of her rifle. I flash her a smile as I make some final preparations on my own weapon.

“...And it’s not complete without you.” The Nikke gives me a thoughtful smile, her demeanor changing in an instant upon hearing my kind words.  

“Aww…how quaint! You’re so thoughtful, sweetie.” My smile grew the tiniest bit wider upon hearing her complement…even if she gave them out frequently, they never truly got old to me. 

“That I am…that I am…” I finished my adjustments on Thanatos, looking at it with a sense of pride. Like Spiral, this weapon was also of my design. While most human weapons couldn’t put a dent in a rapture, Thanatos was custom built to have enough force to reasonably engage and take down raptures. While it was less effective when it came to hurting larger sized models, this heavily modified Nikke assault rifle had more than enough firepower to make it work.

Marian stood at the end of the ship...her face seemed calm, but I could see the fear clear when I looked into her eyes. 

“Hey, don’t sweat it. This is just another day at the office for the two of us, right?” My solid eye finished the scan of the outside of the ship…giving me a headcount of all the approaching raptures. “...ten…twelve…twenty four…Twenty Four Raptures?” A light laugh. “This is a piss-poor attempt at a welcoming party…” Marian couldn’t help but giggle. “...I mean, I didn’t think it was THAT funny…but…feel free to laugh at any of my jokes.”

“No, no, it’s just…even when faced with a swarm of raptures…you still are laughing and smiling, more so than when you’re not about to fight.” She looked at me thoughtfully. “..This is…what you live for, isn’t it?” I felt a warm feeling in my heart…a calming and soothing sensation that I can’t describe with words alone. 

“Yeah…” I nodded. “...It’s my job…as a commander, people are counting on me to give every drop of sweat and every drop of blood I have to retake the surface. Besides…I never need to worry…because you’re…” I didn’t have time to finish my thought as raptures were quickly arriving, my solid eye making me well aware of it due to the constant beeping. “...I’ll finish being sappy later…for now…” I nod at her, signifying her that she was to release the door controls to grant us access to the surface. 

The planet had been ravaged by the human-rapture war, and this city reflected it. Moss had grown on the decaying buildings…chainlink and concrete were broken and scattered among the wind…but I had no time to take in the scenery as I could hear the machines approaching…

“Let’s start the party!” The two of us took cover behind the debris of our fallen aircraft before taking aim at the machines that had overrun the surface. From there, me and my Nikke used concentrated bursts of rounds with pinpoint accuracy to hit specific parts of our opponents. Joints to restrict movement, weapons to prevent counter attack, power cores for easy kills…anything we could hit to hold them back before they could reach us. 

Together, we thinned out the cannon fodder with ruthless efficiency. We had run hundreds of drills preparing for any situation, so this was nothing to Marian and I. The firefight lasted for a couple moments before this group of raptures revealed their stronger forces…

“Sniper!” I called out as I marked it on our shared user interface using my Solid Eye.

“Understood!” Marian nodded her head, using her excellent shooting to land a shot inside a sniper barrel as it prepared to fire, causing it to explode. “Sniper’s pushing up daisies…” 

“Not bad!” I gave a compliment as I saw a red flashing outline on my Solid Eye’s display…never a good sign. Most likely signifying a Rapture had locked onto me and prepared a powerful attack. Without hesitation, I duck back behind my cover, feeling a massive wave of heat fly straight above me. “Shit, that’s the control unit, it’s got a proton cannon, take it down!” Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a green flashing light on my interface. Taking a quick glance, I saw Marian’s weapon energy signature rising exponentially. 

“Spiral Shell charged and ready to fire on your order!” Marian said as I was notified that the attack had been fully charged. Blue mist came out from the heat exhaust ports on both sides of the weapon, meaning that enough force was generated to fire as soon as she let go of the trigger. 

“...Take the shot!” With a nod, Marian leaped into the air as she aimed down the scope…and let go of the trigger, causing the shot to be sent flying with enough force to change her midair trajectory. It pierced through several raptures before finally making its mark in the dead center of the leading raptures midsection, all of the machines in its path exploding in unison. With the chain of command broken, all remaining raptures would self-destruct, leaving us the victors. I watched as Marian flipped several times in the air from the blowback before gracefully landing back on her feet. “...So…” I let out a breath of relief, as I walked to meet up with her to plot our next move. “...How’s it? The gun, I mean…” The solid eye finished saving all of our battle statistics. 

“It feels really nice.” Marian said as I leaned against a nearby wall, the adrenaline slowly wearing off as I took deep breaths. “...The recoil is much better than the last model thanks to the technology you were going on about last week and the sweat doesn’t pool around the grip, even when charging spiral shell.” I nodded in response. “In other words…I think you’ve finally gotten me my perfect weapon.” A smile goes across her face before crossing mine as well. 

“For now.” I corrected my Nikke. “I’m sure I’ll think of some improvement later down the road to work on…but as it sounds, I think that’s your permanent weapon.” As the blood frenzy of killing raptures slowly dissipated, I couldn’t help but be proud of my achievement. “But celebrations of accomplishments can wait, I’m sure that the commanding unit sent out a distress signal before it died.” Marian nodded her head. 

“Right. What’s our next move?” I used the solid eye to get a feel for my surroundings, checking the distance between us and our original destination. 

“Well…on foot, we’re too far away to make it to our new home with our current supplies…” With that out the way, I begin scanning for any signals that could be of help. There were always possibilities that a nearby patrol could be a couple miles away…which to my surprise…there was a Nikke Squad…and it wasn’t broadcasting just any signal…

It was broadcasting a distress signal. 

“Alright, change of plans.” I closed my Solid Interface. “Found a distress signal, not even half a mile away…if we hurry, we can get there quickly. I marked it on your map, so let’s get moving.” Another nod from my Nikke. 

"Right.” After catching my breath and rehydrating myself, I stop leaning and start making my way to the origin of the signal. As she ran by my side, Marian looked over at me concerned. “...Commander…if you need to take a break and regain your stamina, let me know. I can carry you.” It takes everything in my power not to stop…I just look at her funny and pretend it was never said. “Lifting you is like lifting a feather for me…and…I want to carry you. You need your strength for combat…you’ll tear your body to shreds if you try to fight like a Nikke.”

I was feeling rather tired…the thought of her holding me in her divine arms…I tried to push it out of my mind before she scoops me up into her arms, then smiles smugly. “Hang on to me tight, Dante…it’s going to be faster this way.” Considering the distance, my weight, my top speed, and Marian's top speed…she wasn’t exactly lying, at least according to my Solid Eye. I just sharply breathe in…and out. 

“Fine…but never tell anyone about this, understood?” Granted, this felt amazing, but it was so embarrassing…but nothing could beat the relaxing feeling in her arms, feeling the wind speed by my hair and fresh air on the surface. 

“You rest…you earned it.”

Chapter Text

As the gunshots and the sound of laser cannons firing became audible, I looked up at the woman carrying me in her arms bridal style. 

“Marian.” My Nikke nodded at me, knowing what I was going to request. She proceeded to gently set me up on feet before smiling brightly.

“Are you feeling better, commander?” I couldn’t tell if she actually meant it or if she was teasing me again. The mere thought of the first one nearly turned me red…

“Yes…very much so…thank you for your assistance, Lieutenant.”  Marian was a bit more…forward with her feelings than I was. She wore her gigantic heart on her sleeve…one of the many traits or quirks that I found so endearing about her. 

“I’m glad.” She blushes, making the air of tension increase…I could easily handle the unpredictability of the battlefield…but charged emotions between two people?

No amount of VR training could prepare me for that…

“At any rate…” I spoke formally, trying to make the atmosphere more professional. “...we’re approaching the combat zone.”

I could see two Nikke from where we were standing. 

One wore a red and black uniform that gave off a sense of superiority and her marksmanship with her assault rifle was impressive.

The other wore predominantly yellow. It appeared rather loose compared to her partner, her standard issue grenade launcher being used effectively enough considering the amount of time the distress signal had been out. 

“Looks like that heavy rapture has them pinned…Marian.” I said, checking and loading Thanatos for our entry into the firefight. Marian was holding down the trigger of Spiral, blue steam slowly coming out of the vents on both sides of the weapon.

“...Spiral Shell fully charged and ready to fire on your order, commander.” My Nikke took aim at the machine, before fully locking onto her target.

“Fire at will.” As she let go of the trigger, the bullet exited the weapon with such force that it caused Marian to slide back slightly. Within the second, the bullet grazes between the two trapped Nikkes before nailing the problematic rapture in its power core.

“Kill confirmed.” Marian looked up from her scope towards me, content with her shot, as was I.

“Excellent work, but we’ll have to celebrate later. Cover me, then you follow.” I ensured my magazine was full before nodding my head. Marian nodded back.

“Understood, but be careful, commander.” I smile and wink at my childhood friend.

“I’m always careful. Except when I’m not. At which point, consequences be damned.” Before she could take her own jab at me, I’m already on my way to the failing piece of cover that housed the two Nikke. “Got your distress signal.” I lean to the right, firing a three round burst towards a single rapture to take it out. “Stay behind here. We’ll handle this.” The yellow Nikke piped up, despite her exhaustion.

“Did he just kill a rapture?!” I just flashed a tiny smile before rolling to my right to an adjacent piece of concrete that was just thick enough to cover me from the incoming rapture laser fire. Now at a safe spot, I tapped my earpiece, radioing to my partner.

“Thanks for the assist. Make your way to the slab next to me. I’ll keep you safe.” 

“Got it!” Using my solid eye, I was able to identify each rapture that was targeting Marian. Raptures emit unencrypted signals that can telegraph their attacks, alongside charging their energy based weaponry. Using three well placed shots, I took down two raptures that had their sights set on my Nikke before she safely arrived at the designated area. “What’s the plan?” She asked me, firing a couple shots from Spiral to damage a couple of machines. I mark two particular raptures on my Solid Eye.

“See those two? I’ll take the left one, you take the one on the far center. They’ve got fully automatic weapons, we kill them, we can move those Nikke to a resting spot.” Marian immediately nailed her target dead in its power core, causing me to follow suit. I whiffed my first few shots from the sheer distance, but managed to take it down with a couple rounds to the center of mass. With them out of the picture, I turn to the two resting Nikke, their eyes still fixated upon us. I motioned them behind a fallen rapture, to which the one in red immediately caught on. To my surprise, she was able to narrowly dodge two incoming rapture laser blasts while laying down covering fire for the yellow one. I would have complemented her skills, but she was too far away to verbally tell her and I wasn’t able to use my solid eye due to her not being synced to it yet. I marked a heavy duty rapture that leapt down from the top of a building. “That’s the leader. Let’s wrap this up!” 

“Right!” The two of us focused fire upon the spider-like machine, with the red and yellow Nikkes following suit. With enough firepower from the four of us, it collapses to the ground before detonating, taking the few remaining raptures along with it. “...Excellent strategy, commander!” I give a cocky smile to my teammate.

“You don’t need to flatter me, Marian. It’s just common sense, that’s all.” With the conflict over, I approached the two injured Nikke. “You two did well out there.” I took a seat next to the red one. 

“...Thank you.” She was straight to the point, unlike the yellow one, who appeared too stunned to even speak. 

“...Something up? You look like you’re about to have a heart attack.” I chuckled…is THAT what I looked like when Marian had to practically revive me after the transport ship crashed? Snapping out of her trance, it was obvious she had something to say. 

“Oh, I’ll tell you ‘what’s up’! I just saw a guy take down at LEAST a dozen raptures! You expect me to NOT say anything?” I blink a couple times. Everyone back at the academy became accustomed to the fact that I was able to take down raptures using Thanatos…it was a pretty isolated campus, after all. Combine that with the fact that ninety nine percent of my classmates hardly even cared about their new life, it’s rare that they’d talk about me, much less bring up the fact that I could kill raptures on my own. So, I just shrug my shoulders at the Nikke before me.

“Yeah, well…what’s life without a couple surprises, right?” A tiny smile crosses my face. “You mind filling me in on your situation?” The one in red spoke up, clearly the serious one of the group. 

“...Our squad was on a mission to find a patrol that hadn’t responded to command’s calls after two days. We were ambushed by raptures…a common Nikke and our commander died in the process.” Marian perks up, her eyes narrowing. 

“You let your commander die?” The Nikke in red solemnly nods her head, which seems to anger Marian. “...Nikke's responsibility is to protect their commander at all costs. The fact that you are still alive means you failed in that mission.” The one in yellow pipes up.

“Hey, it’s not our fault our commander peaked his head out from cover far too often, if he maybe, you know, tried not to get shot, he’d still be here to boss us around. Hate to break it to ya sweetheart, but not every commander is like that freak of nature over there.” This statement seemed to enrage Marian. 

“Did you just call my commander a freak!?! Not only did you fail to protect your commander, but you have the gall to insult mine!?! You are defective and should be put down as such, you  tra-”

“That’s enough, Marian.” I cut in, glaring at my partner before giving a sigh. “Sorry about that…she’s a bit overprotective sometimes.” Marian seems to be quiet after her sudden outburst…the stress must really be getting on her nerves. I should try taking her out to dinner sometime. “Name’s Dante. Dante Fortuna.” The yellow one’s eyes light up…and even the seemingly emotionless red Nikke would be caught off guard.

“...Wait, are you serious!? You’re THE Dante Fortuna!?! As in, son of Caesar Fortuna!?” she said, clearly taken aback by my name. I only sighed in response. 

“...That’s right.” I said, cracking my neck. Truth be told, I was hoping she didn’t recognize the name…

See, my father was something of a legend in the Ark. A hero that was celebrated by practically everyone for his courage, skill, and charisma…He wasn’t just a commander, he was THE Commander. No one ever saw him in the Ark, only news reports from the battlefield that he and the goddess squad had achieved yet another victory against the rapture horde…

Ever since humanity had been pushed underground, Caesar Fortuna was up on the surface as a symbol of hope. Constantly fighting for freedom…Victory after victory, he pushed back the raptures and led the charge to free the surface…until one day, he disappeared without a trace. No one knows what happened to him or the goddess squad. 

“Try not to make a big deal out of it, alright?” I asked, somewhat awkwardly. Granted, being the son of a legendary hero means you’re gonna be put on a pedestal by anyone who believes in the so-called “Legend of Fortuna”, but…it’s something I’m not entirely fond of. “...So…” I glance around the area. “You mind telling me your names?” The one in yellow spoke up first.

“I’m Anis, a Grenadier from Tetra Line.” She gave a mock salute to me, but I couldn’t tell if it was out of respect or disrespect. “Just an average Nikke trying not to get scrapped or die.” An…interesting way to introduce oneself, but…can’t say that she isn’t going to make this whole trip a bit more entertaining. With Anis out of the way, I turn to her friend.

“Rapi from Elysion.” The one in red responded sharply before I could even ask her the question. her voice still sounded as if few emotions truly existed inside of her. I couldn’t help but be intrigued by this Nikke…there was something about the way she carried herself that was…interesting to me. “I hope you will find us useful, commander.” Her monotone voice and expressionless face made it impossible to tell exactly what was going through her head…So I wouldn’t bother trying to figure it out for now.

“Well, Rapi and Anis…” I clapped my hands together. “Welcome to Silver Bullet Squadron. For the rest of this mission, you’re stuck with Marian and yours truly. You guys want a few more minutes to rest before we get going?” Anis looked surprised while Rapi stayed just as emotionless from the moment I started talking to her.

“You…do understand we’re machines, right?” Her surprise quickly morphed into suspicion. “We don’t take breaks, we don’t get sick days, and we don’t get paid overtime.” 

“Wait, Nikkes don’t get paid overtime?”

“That’s right. We have a job to do and we’re expected to stick with it…wait a minute…do you?”

“Get overtime? Yeah. Time and a half over forty hours, time and a half and a half over sixty.” 

“...Really? That’s bullshit, we double the work commanders do, yet we barely get paid!”

There’s a bit of silence before I decide to ask something else.

“At least tell me they match your 401K.” With that question, Rapi stands up, clearly ready to leave. 

“Commander, we’re ready to depart whenever you’re ready.” Anis looks up at her squad mate, clearly caught off guard.

“We? Who is ‘we’? I didn’t know you spoke French, Rapi.” The one in red would give a death stare to the other, who would turn to me with a nervous smile. “She doesn’t speak for me, commander. I’m taking as long as I can, the longer the break, the lower chance I’ll die.” Rapi’s death stare intensifies, to which Marian would give one of her own to Anis. “You know what? After further soul searching, I think I’m ready to get back out there.”

Well, this will certainly make my trip a bit more lively at the very least…After I learned their names, I made an update to command, letting them know of my location and what has transpired thus far. In addition, I made a request to add both Anis and Rapi to Silver Bullet for the time being. My request was immediately accepted, despite normally taking a couple minutes to review. With them now part of the team, the solid eye could now communicate and connect with them, just in time for Rapi to receive a call from command.

“Shifty.” Rapi spoke with such conviction, knowing the exact name and even being on a seemingly nickname basis.

“Rapi!? Thank goodness you’re alright.” A feminine voice came from our shared network communications…and I couldn’t help but be startled and nearly jump out of my skin. The static portrait slot on my Solid Eye’s HUD clears up, revealing a short woman with light blue hair and eyes. 

“We lost contact with you and your squad…and we assumed the worst, and seeing as you’ve transferred squadrons, I assume that means Unit 8011 and Captain Flowers are…” 

“...Killed in action.” Rapi looks away from what I assume is her holographic display. Marian clearly seems irritated by the commander’s death, but I just ruffle her hair, which seems to calm her down a little.

“Understood. Still, glad to see you two made it out ok.” The woman seemed genuinely happy to see the Nikkes, a sight that I couldn’t help but smile at. Most operators could care less if a Nikke lived or died. “...Oh! I should most likely introduce myself to your senior.” Once again, I couldn’t help but be amused by this intelligence operator. “Commander Fortuna, I’m Shifty, an Intelligence Operator for the Central Government’s 8th Division. Nice to meet you!” I could tell the young lady was clearly nervous, most likely because of my last name, but was too afraid to bring it up.

“Hey.” I responded casually, trying to show that the operator had little to worry about when talking to me. “Nice to meet you too, Shifty. I hope my Solid Eye’s connection works fine. It’s rather…homebrewed.” The operator’s eyes light up in response.

“Wait, you mean you designed this interface yourself?! It’s incredibly convenient, Commander!” I smile, proud that someone was recognizing my work. 

“Thanks, lots of time went into it…glad you could admire it.” The plucky young lady seemed very interested, at least from the look in her eyes. “So, you mind relaying to command everything that’s happened thus far?” The operator nodded her head.

“I already have and have been given authorization to send an extraction unit to pick you up and return you to the ark.” This surprised me. Most operators usually take a couple minutes to review paperwork, then command takes at least ten to fifteen minutes to approve and dispatch any additional resources.

“You’re pretty fast, Shifty. I’m impressed.” The lightning fast support unit would be practically beaming.

“Th-Thank you, Mr. Fortuna.” Normally I hate it when people call me that, especially back at the academy…but I’d let it slide.

“Just call me Dante, alright?” She frantically nodded her head. “And, you don’t need to be intimidated alright? Just keep up the good work and don’t let my last name scare you.” Another nod as she cleared her throat.

“Right…I’ve marked where the extraction point will be…take as long as you need.” I give a smirk to the operator.

“Got it.” I hung up before standing and stretching. “Alright, since you three are done taking a break, let’s go for a walk. Should be a straight shot with nothing but little skirmishes at most.” I make sure Thanatos is completely locked and loaded before resting it in the rest I made. 

An emotionless nod from Rapi, a forced smile from Anis and a lovely warm smile from Marian couldn’t help but put me in a good mood as the four of us began our journey to our trip home.

Chapter Text

Making our way to the extraction zone was far easier than most might have expected. The surface was an unforgiving place, sure…but if you play your cards right, anything and everything up there can be used to your advantage.

There were minor skirmishes here and there, but it was usually over before the raptures could even detect that we were there.

For the most part, it was all smooth sailing, just me, three Nikke, and the decent weather of the surface.

“Commander.” I turn to my new subordinate. “Can I ask you something?”

“You don’t have to ask for my permission to ask me anything, Rapi.” 

“Sir.” Her voice is just as flat as ever. “If anything, it’s the opposite. I have to ask you for permission to speak freely.” I shake my head, grinning as I take a sip from my canteen.

“So by the books…” I chuckle lightly to myself. “Don’t bother being so formal, Rapi. I don’t really care about protocol, just ask Marian.” My partner would turn to face Rapi.

“I can verify. He has zero respect for the rules or code of conduct for Nikke commanders. If he wasn’t so good at killing raptures, he would have failed out of the academy at the first possible chance.” I cut Marian a glance. “Am I wrong, commander? Hmm?” 

“You’re not WRONG…but you could have at least painted me in a better light…” My first Nikke only smiled in response. “...Regardless…” I look back to Rapi. “Feel free to say anything you want, anytime, anywhere. I’m the last person to ever tell you to shut up.” 

The red eyed android stayed silent for a moment before breaking eye contact after a couple seconds. 

“Understood, commander.” Clearly still being formal, it was evident that it would take time to break this Nikke out of her persona…but that may be for the best. Other than Marian, there’s no guarantee that any Nikke would remain in the Silver Bullets for more than a single mission before being needed elsewhere. Last thing I need is for anyone to be punished because they got too used to my…unorthodox management of my squadron. 

“That goes for you too, Anis…but you seem like the type to speak your mind anyway.” I snicker, clearly making the yellow-clad Nikke upset. 

“Hey! I know when to draw the line.” I roll my eyes.

“Sure you do. Anyone willing to bet she’ll insult me within the next half hour? Winner gets a free dinner.” Marian attempts to speak up but is beaten to the punch by Anis. 

“Me.” I narrow my eyes.

“No. This isn’t how you’re supposed to play the game.” The grenade launcher user would smile in response. “You can’t just…never mind, you’re getting me off track.” Once again, I look back to Rapi. 

“Regardless, what’s your question?” Rapi pauses for a moment, as if debating if she truly wants to ask me. 

“Your father…” She paused, examining my face to make sure I wasn’t going to lash out at her for bringing him up. “What was he like?” Anis looked interested in this as well, seeing as her eyes were now transfixed on me while Marian didn’t really seem to care, only moving in a straight line.

“You know…” A sigh. “...Can’t really say. Never saw the guy for very long. He’d call whenever he “got the chance”, mainly for birthdays and holidays…but other than that? Can’t really say much myself.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Then, one day he just…stopped. I dunno what happened, but…I assume he most likely died.”

“Think?” Anis asked, sounding genuinely confused. “What do you mean THINK? There’s a casket for him and everything at the museum of ark history.” Once again, I sighed. 

“The casket is symbolic. There’s nothing inside…the body was never found. It doesn’t really matter, he’s gone now anyway.” A pause for a brief moment. That was enough to put an end to this question…but there was still something more I wanted to add, just to be perfectly clear.

“I didn’t become a commander to continue my father’s legacy. I did it because I want to carve something of my own...”

“I see.” Rapi went silent. “Apologies for asking, commander.” 

“It’s all good. Truth be told, no one’s truly ever had the courage to ask me that. Back in high school, I used to go by an alias to throw off some people. Terry Redgrave, if I remember right…” I motioned my head towards Marian. “You know, Marian over there has secrets about her bloodline too, you know.” The Nikke in question would playfully pout and look away.

“Hmph. I can’t believe you’d sell me out…” Anis would look at her closely. 

“You do look familiar…” she tapped her finger on her chin. “...Uhh, I just can’t put my finger on it.”

“It’s alright.” A smile, as if her previous transgressions of the yellow Nikke were forgiven from earlier. “Have you ever heard of Kirijo corporation?” Rapi would look up instantaneously.

“The Ark’s most advanced weapons manufacturer.” Marian would nod. 

“That’s right.” She’d take out a coin from the chest pocket, something she’d play with when she was nervous, flipping it up and down to amuse herself while walking. “It wasn’t always a weapons manufacturer, originally being a research organization when my grandmother ran it. Once the Human-Rapture war started, they started developing all sorts of weaponry…next thing you know, we were invited to a dinner with all the CEO’s of the big three.” A slight chuckle to herself. “...That was a fun dinner party. I remember after the food, the Tetra CEO walked me to the Recreational room and told me not to come back until my mother came and got me.” She then faced me with a warm smile. “That was the day Dante and I met.” I smile back.

“Yep. My mom was there as well on behalf of…well…I’m not really sure. My mother was secretive about her job, all she’d tell me is that she worked with very special Nikkes. Occasionally, a Nikke would come and babysit me every now and again.” Rapi seems intrigued.

“...Do you remember her name?” I shook my head.

“Not really. It’s all pretty fuzzy. I probably wouldn't know it was her even if you showed me a picture of her. 

Either way, my mom walked me to that rec room that day and the two of us have been best friends ever since.”  Marian begins to walk closer to me…if the other two Nikke weren’t here, she’d most likely hold my hand. “Welp…” a deep exhale as I checked my map…only around a dozen or two meters left before we reached the extraction point. I stop for a moment to point out the exact area. “There’s our spot where we wait for the spot. One of you two mind calling…" My words trail off as I see Marian continue to walk forward. “Marian? Did you hear me?”

No response.

I begin to walk after Marian.

“Wait, Marian! I know you’re upset but…” My plea was met by the sound of a gun being pointed towards me from behind. “...Rapi?” I pull out my own weapon as well, whipping around and pointing it back. Had Rapi lost her goddamn mind?! She aims downs the sights and begins to speak sternly.

“Stop right there Marian.” Rapi ignores me and as I realize that Marian is the target, I get in front of the line of fire, protecting my childhood friend from any sort of danger. The red Nikke would look up at me for a moment “...” a sigh escapes from her, some kind of pain clearly evident in her voice. “...Out of the way, commander.”

“...Rapi, you do not want to do this, trust me.” Her and Anis are very tough Nikke…but they’re no match for me and Marian. I look to Anis, thinking that, by some divine miracle, the seemingly more unpredictable of the two would be the most level headed one. “Anis, calm her down.” The yellow Nikke sputters, trying to come up with something. 

“What do you want me to do?!?” 

“I don’t know! Something!” 

“Enough!” Rapi nearly yells and, despite being her commanding officer, I go quiet alongside Anis. “Marian. Turn around. Now.” She complies and looks on as both of the new members of Silver Bullet Squadron faces turn to a mix of fear and sorrow. “...It’s as I thought.”

“What are you…talking…about?” I turn around as well and immediately notice something off. Replacing her normal beautiful blue eyes…were unhealthy red ones. “Marian?” I ask softly, very concerned, yet hiding it from the others. 

“...Da-Dante…” Her speech began to deteriorate. “W-Wha-t-t’s happening to me?” Marian’s voice was panicked, completely shocked by what was taking place. She walked towards me, clearly struggling, before practically lunging into my arms. “...It hurts…Every-everything hurts. Da-dante, what’s going-ing-ing on?”

“It’s ok, I got you. Just hold onto me, ok?” I spoke softly in her ear as Rapi walked to the two of us. I could see tears flowing freely down her face…to which I wiped as calmly as I could before gently lowering her to the ground. “That’s it…”

“I don’t want to go, I don’t want to go, I don’t want to go, I don’t want to go…” She clenched me tightly, squirming all the while. Seeing her like this…it broke my heart. She was whimpering like a scared child and I couldn’t help but hold her just as tight. 

“You’re not going anywhere, Marian. Just hold on…hold on for me, alright? Can you do that?” She weakly nodded her head before I noticed something…My Solid Eye noted that she was broadcasting an unencrypted signal…one that nearly any rapture could pick up. The message was simple. 

“Over here.”

Realizing this, I’d look towards the other two Nikkes.

“Alright, lock and load ladies. We’re going to have raptures swarming us any second.” Anis loaded her grenades, while Rapi lowered her gun and put her hand on my shoulder. 

“Commander…” I didn’t respond as I picked up Marian with all of my strength. Even if the metal alloy underneath her delicate skin was relatively light, she was still made out of said metal alloy…

“Up you go…” I grunted as I lifted her up, walking to a safe spot to hide her, a decaying yet somewhat stable building, before lowering her as gently as I could. “Just focus on your breathing…everything is gonna be alright.” 

“Over…here…” She sputtered out to which I kneeled down and gave her a hug.

“Shhh…just save your strength.” I whispered into her ear. “I’ll get you fixed up as soon as we get back.” With as much as a warm smile as I could muster, I looked at her one more time before returning to the others. “Alright, what’s the situation?” While I was expecting Rapi to respond, the blue haired operator would appear on my screen instead.

“...Nothing.” She spoke, sounding just as confused as I was. “Not a single rapture heading your way…”

“...Something’s not right.” I said as I scanned the area for any suspicious activity. “They know our location…unless…” I use my solid eye to check the history of the unencrypted signal Marian was sending out. “The signal...It was redirected elsewhere, to an abandoned radio tower around thirty seconds or so ago. Someone sent the raptures on a goose chase.” I couldn’t help but be impressed by my partner. Even when inflicted with something that was eating away at her…she would stop at nothing to protect me. “And seeing as it was the emitter of the signal…that means it must have been…” I turn my head to Marian, barely visible from the spot I rested her at.

“Well, thanks to Marian, your extraction should be there in a couple of minutes.” Shifty sounded content with our result…but I couldn’t help but still feel something was off. I just took a deep breath and began to walk towards the spot where I left my Nikke. 

“Commander, I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news…” Anis spoke up, clearly upset about something, only for Rapi to stop her.

“Anis. I’ll handle this.” The red and black Nikke began to walk behind me slowly. 

“Rapi, take a rest.” I didn’t even bother facing her, my eyes locked onto Marian. “You two have had a long day. I can carry her…” Before I could even finish my sentence, I saw something thick and metallic wriggling nearby Marian.

“...!”

Chapter Text

Whatever it was, it must have noticed that it had been spotted, seeing as it quickly wrapped itself around the damaged Nikke. My instincts kicked in, as I ran as fast as I could towards my partner without hesitation. 

“Commander!” Rapi reached her hand out to grab me, but it was too late. Even if it had begun to drag Marian across the concrete slabs that made up the building’s floor, I wasn’t letting it escape with my best friend. I jumped as far as I could, just barely making it on top of the tentacle. Balancing on top of it was hard, due to its cylinder-like shape and I couldn’t help but wobble as it continued to retract. Summoning every bit of courage I had, I very carefully inched my way to where Marian was held in its vice like grip. I extended my hand to my Nikke, hoping she had enough in her to grab it.

“Marian! Take my hand!” 

No response. The tentacle was now outside of the structure, rising in the air as it returned to whatever abomination it belonged to. I could see Rapi and Anis below…alongside hearing the deafening sound of screeching metal.

“Commander, are you fucking crazy!?” Anis yelled over our secure codec line. “Get the hell off of there before it’s too…” Without another word, Rapi would spring into action by aiming at a turret that had emerged on a section of the tentacle, one that was deadly close to the one I was on, then fire. The shots connect, but make me lose my balance and as I fall from at least twenty meters in the air…

Marian grabs my hand. 

“Over…Here…” She smiles very weakly. Of course, holding me was no problem for a Nikke…but the force of gravity was. Marian hardly had any strength left in her as it stood…but she bought just enough time for Rapi to be able to catch me. 

“Commander! Let go!” She yelled into our communication, to which…I couldn’t. Something was stopping me from letting her hand go. Upon noticing this…Marian would give me one last smile.

“Over…here…” 

Before letting me go. 

I fell for what felt like an eternity. My hand reached for hers…but I just kept getting farther and farther away. Eventually, I’d feel a sharp force on my back and see Rapi’s face. 

“Commander! Are you alright?!” The initial shock wore off after a couple of seconds. Rapi began looking at me with a sad expression, before turning to Anis in pure rage. “What the hell were you thinking?!?” Before her teammate had a chance to answer, the one behind this chaos would reveal itself, the camouflage unit it hid behind being unveiled for us all to see. “Shit…” Anis just looked angry as hell.

“What the fuck is that?!” I snarl. In response as I stand up from Rapi’s arms on my own volition. Shifty would come up on my solid eye’s display, her expression in a state of pure and utter panic.

“A Tyrant-Class Rapture, Codename: Blacksmith! Evac location has been moved!” A spot around 50 meters away would light up on my solid eye as a flashing circle, signifying the evac point. “Get out of there!” I pause for a moment...trying to figure out what I want to do. 

“No.” The look on everyone’s faces says it all, a look of complete astonishment that I wasn’t afraid of this giant machine before us. 

“...ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US KILLED?!? I was wrong about you...You’re not crazy…YOU’RE BATSHIT INSANE!!” Shifty seems just as shocked, but seems to hide it only slightly better than Anis. 

“You aren’t ready to fight a tyrant class rapture without proper equipment, Dante! Your chances are getting out alive without causalities aren't half-bad, but if anyone's the most likely to die, it's you! You are throwing yourself into a literal fire here! Think with the right head!" Rapi would look at me, seemingly unwilling to meet my eyes.

“I understand you want to save Marian…but…she’d want you to be safe.” I instantly paid more attention to Rapi than I did the others. “I think that would be what she would want…" Her eyes wander to the rapture. "That said...if you are determined to fight in order save her..." the ever-stoic Nikke's eyes would finally meet mine. "I will fight by your side to the bitter end."

This surprised me, seeing as I saw her as the most reasonable out of the three...and judging by the reactions of the other two, I'm not alone. 

"Oh, great, now Rapi's lost it too..." Anis just narrowed her eyes at the two of us, while Shifty looks unsure of herself.

"Rapi..." the operator spoke as if she had made a bad choice...I was wondering the same thing.

Marian would never want me to put others in danger for her sake...was this really the right call? Or was this my emotions getting in the way? 

I close my eyes for a moment…trying to calm myself down…

But something inside was telling me…what’s the matter with me? 

Was I just going to sit there and watch?

Was I going to forsake her in order to save myself?

Death awaits her if I do nothing…

So…Was my decision to love her a mistake then?

…

No. My resolve is set. 

“Commander. You and Marian saved our lives…I can’t abandon you like this after all you’ve done.” With a roll of her eyes, Anis stands at my left side.

“Well, now I really don’t have a choice. If I stay here, I’m scrap metal because I’m either in that thing's stomach and if I go back, I’m scrap metal because I failed to protect my commander. So, might as well die alongside a literal hero and get a chance at being at the memorial.” Shifty pipes up as well.

“I’ll help too! I’ve always wanted to indirectly take down a rapture!” I look at all three of my teammates.

Rapi, the stoic and loyal riflewoman of Elysion.

Anis, the cynical yet carefree grenadier of Tetra Line.

Shifty, the plucky and young operator of the Central Government.

Then lastly, there’s me, Dante Fortuna. The resilient and hotshot commander of Silver Bullet Squadron…

What a group of all-stars we have here…

“Right then.” I use my solid eye, getting a feel of the composition and intricacies of the hulking rapture before me. “...I’ve got a vague outline of a plan. Anis, you take care of those turrets. Rapi, you focus on its knee joints. Shifty, analyze the data I’m sending you through my solid eye, see if you can find a way to kill this thing.”

“Understood.”

“Right!”

“You got it, commander.” I crack my knuckles in response, rolling my neck. Truth be told, I’ve never fought a Tyrant class rapture, not even the simulation room, much less a simulation with two superb Nikke or any sort of operator…Seeing as there’s a very good chance I wasn’t coming out of this alive…I brace myself. 

“...Don’t worry, Marian. Just another day at the office. I’ll get you out of there…”

I stand before the beast-like rapture, it’s eyes narrowing at me as I continuously shoot it in the face using Thanatos. It wasn’t doing much damage at all…

But it certainly was pissing him off. 

“Hey! Yeah, you! I’m down here busting my ass while you get to stand there and watch me jump around? How is that fair?” It began to fire upon me using one of its heavy plasma repeaters, spewing hot dark blue globs of gel-like substance that melted the ground upon contact. “Come on, you can do better than that!” As I was buying time, I’d occasionally use my solid eye to check the integrity of its parts…I can see Anis blowing up several of the side turrets while Rapi focuses on doing heavy damage to one leg.

“Commander, I found a way to kill this thing!” Shifty yelled for me through my earpiece.

“Great, what’s the plan?” 

“Anis, do you see the highlighted part of the rapture?” Anis rolls to avoid some plasma fire before responding.

“You mean those fleshy red things?” 

“Yes! Pick one and pop it like the overgrown tumor it is! It's cancer and you’re the cure!” I blink as I jump over a bit of residual plasma. I’m having a hard time distinguishing if she’s an operator or a cheerleader…

“On it!” While I couldn’t see her due to the hulking size of the rapture, I could see the bombardment of grenades assaulting the so-called “tumor”. The machine began to shriek in pain as it was attacked not only by Anis, but from its buckling leg thanks to Rapi. I started to fire at the tendril as well before it began to swell up before exploding into colored rain.

“Anis, fire a grenade straight into that hole you made! It leads straight to the power core!” Anis begins to laugh nervously. “Anis…Don’t tell me…”

“Haha…Yeah...I got some plasma on it. Shit’s broken.” Shifty starts nearly having a panic attack on the spot from the sheer stress of the situation going south. 

“Then there’s no weapon you have on you that could kill this thing.” I look over to where I rested Marian. “Follow the commander! Get out of there, quick!”

“Rapi, Anis, draw it’s fire! I have an idea but I need some time!” I ran to the building, looking for what I needed… “Come on, come on, where is it…” Through the rubble, I find what I’m looking for. “Aha!” I lift up Spiral from the wreckage. “...Ok…” I open the exhaust and find the right thing I’m looking for…

The limiter.

“Commander, We can’t keep this up much longer! Whatever you’re gonna do…” Anis cuts out as she’s hit by a plasma blast…I’m running out of time. With a deep breath, I remove the limiter and sync it to my solid eye, reassembling the weapon as I walk back to the battlefield. 

“Commander, the hell are you doing with that?” Shifty calls out, unknowing of this weapon’s true power. I don’t answer as I hold down the trigger.

“Rapi, get Anis out of the way!” I was screaming over my solid eye as I charged the weapon’s ultimate attack.

25%...

50%...

75%...

Rapi picks up Anis, carrying her a safe distance away.

100%

125%

150%

“Commander! I don’t know what you’re doing but if that energy signature is anything to go off of, you need to stop now befor-“ I mute Shifty as I could practically feel my skin begins to burn off of my hands.

“...Body…Don’t let me down…”

175%

200%

225%

“C’mon, baby…hold it together.” My hand felt like it was devoid of flesh, but I didn’t look at it. Blue smoke wasn’t being emitted, it was billowing out…I held my breath, trying not to breathe in any of it.

250%

275%

295%

I close my eyes for a moment. This shot has triple the power of the Spiral Shell Marian had been using…but this was so dangerous to charge to such a degree that I’m certain that this weapon will blow up as soon as I release the shot. “Alright Marian…” I think to myself, smiling through the immense pain. “This one’s for you.”

My eyes shoot open as a spring breeze blows away the blue and black clouds that left me in isolation.  

“I got something special for ya…”

The machine turns towards me, roaring as I see “Critical” appear on my solid eye. Exhaling…

“YOU’RE AS GOOD AS DEAD!!!”

I let go of the trigger, using my solid eye’s thermal vision to see the power core be PLOWED THROUGH by my shot, in through the face and out through its back before falling apart with a metallic death cry. I unmute shifty, who was awaiting my response with suspense.

“Target eliminated.” I spoke with exhaustion heavy in my voice as the operator's room erupts into cheers. People began to hug Shifty and congratulate her, a touching scene, but one that I couldn't really afford to watch. As I turned off the link between the two of us, I could see both Rapi and Anis walking towards me, even if the latter was holding the plasma burn on her chest. 

“Excellent shot, commander.” Rapi had a tiny smile on her face, the first time she’d shown true emotion this entire trip.

I stood in silence, catching my breath, unlike the Nikke.

“Well.” Anis puts her hand on her hips. “That was something else...You sure you aren’t some kind of Human-Nikke hybrid, commander?” I didn’t answer, just walking forward. My exhaustion and the scenario left me in a trance-state…I could only think about Marian. “Hey, commander? Yoohoo? Anyone home in that batshit crazy head of yours?” I used my Solid Eye to look for any Nikke signals…and to my surprise…

There was one. 

The End

I broke out of my trance, taking off without thinking twice. “Hey, wait, where are you going?!?” Anis yelled as I took off, easily catching up. I was still exhausted from my battle…but I didn’t care.

My health wasn’t important right now. Hers was. 

“Commander! Slow down!” The yellow Nikke would call out to me as I just kept moving…finally making it to the spot where the signal was emanating from. Pieces of scrap covered the exact spot, so I began to dig, recklessly casting aside chunks in an attempt to uncover the source of Marian’s signal. And…

There she was. Heavily damaged…heavily corrupted…

But still alive…holding on with everything she had. 

“Marian!” I yelled, never being so happy to see her as I rushed to her side. “Marian, Marian can you hear me!?” I kneeled by her side, examining the extent of the damage. Her left side took the most damage…the arm was heavily torn up, and the eye socket was cracked, with the eye’s white and blue replaced with black and red. Other than that…she looked to still be intact. Bruises and cuts were everywhere, but…nothing major aside from the previously mentioned ones. 

“O-Ov-Over He-he-he-re…” She was trying to speak…but the corruption was stopping her from saying anything but that phrase. I placed my hands on her shoulders, holding them firmly. 

“Marian, if you can hear me, just hang on! I’m going to call medical, they’ll get you fixed up, just stay with me!” I look back to Anis. “Anis! Call command, tell them we need a chopper now!” The yellow Nikke…said nothing, only looking off to the side. “Hey! Anis, you hear me? I said get medical down here, NOW!” Still no response. “Fucking hell…” I look toward Rapi. “Rapi! Call Command, give them an update on the situation, now! We need a medical unit, silver bullet doesn't have one, and your squad's medic is dead.” Unlike Anis, Rapi was able to say something.

“...Commander…” Rapi spoke solemnly as she walked towards me. “...Did the academy not tell you how to deal with fully corrupted Nikke?” 

“Course’ not! It’s a situation that rarely happens and the fact she’s not trying to kill us means she isn’t gone yet! So shut up, and FUCKING CALL COMMAND!” My outburst doesn’t even phase the seemingly emotionless Nikke, continuing to walk in silence. “What the actual hell has gotten into you two!? Why aren’t you saying anything?” Rapi would arrive a couple centimeters away…before taking out a pistol. My eyes widened.

"...The mandatory course of action taken for corrupted Nikkes beyond saving is... execution.” The audacity of her to suggest that is…it baffles me.

“What the hell are you talking about!? We can still save her, she’s breathing, we can figure something out, but every second we waste is-” Rapi cuts me off.

“Marian has already reached stage four corruption. The reason she isn’t attacking is because she is unable to move her legs.” I shake my head, that isn’t true, there’s no way. 

“You’re wrong! There’s always hope, even in situations like this, I can’t…I won’t.” My words start to fall flat, my brain unable to come up with any meaningful arguments. Rapi gets down on my level looking me in my eyes. 

“Even if we got her back to the base...the corruption is embedded into her central nervous system and brain. They wouldn’t be able to remove it regardless.” Anis looked at me in silence…she didn’t want to say anything for once. “In other words, the longer you leave her like this…the more pain she’ll be in. I want to save her too…

But there’s nothing left to save, commander.” I violently shake my head. 

“No, that can’t be true…I won’t let it. The two of us have defied the odds so many times, this isn’t any different…I just…no. I can’t let this happen!”

“Commander.” Shifty speaks to me on my Solid Eye, clearly stressed as well. “They…They’re right. The longer Marian is in this state, the more pain she’ll be in. If you truly love her in either a familial way or a romantic one…you’ll put her down.”

After hearing everyone’s statements…I look back to Marian. 

“O-O-O-Ov-Ov-v-ver H-He-He-He-e-e-r-r-e-e…” Her speech was further devolving…it hurt just to watch, let alone listen to. I didn’t want to accept it…but this really was true. This wasn’t some nightmare…although I wish it was. I look deep into Marian’s eyes before sighing. I wanted to cry…no, I was going to cry. My trembling hand has a pistol.

“Everyone…please leave. Call a chopper…We’ll leave once I’m done.” Rapi opened her mouth…but Anis stopped her, to which the red Nikke tried to refute…but eventually relented after seeing a couple tears run down my face. 

“...Understood, commander.” Rapi and Anis leave, followed by Shifty hanging up to give me space. 

I look down at the pistol in my hands, then back to Marian. Tears became more and more apparent…I couldn’t stop crying. I knew exactly what I had to do…but I didn’t know if I had the strength to do it. My heart raced as I gazed back into those eyes that I had seen a million times…they were still moving…meaning she was still conscious to see my weakness.

I always tried my best to never show weakness in front of Marian ever since I joined the academy. It wasn’t too bad if I vented to her back when we were growing up together…but with our relationship as commander and Nikke…things needed to change. The Central Government kept tabs on both of us, we knew that for certain. If I told her anything that was classified, we could find ourselves in a very bad spot. I decided if it was best to internalize my frustrations, just as requested of me.

I didn’t have any more words to fail. There wasn’t anything to say…I wasn’t even sure if she could make out what I was saying. Every second felt like hours…and as much as I’d like to do nothing more than stay here with her as long as I possibly could…

It was time to say goodbye…at least for now.

I held her Marian tight as I could…knowing fully well this would be my last chance to ever do so. 

“O-O-V-V-VE-VE-VER…” I place my finger on her lips.

“shhh…it’s ok.” I spoke softly. “…you can rest.” I removed my finger…and…caught up in the heat of the moment…

I gave her a deep kiss on her lips…our first kiss that I was saving for a special and happy day…for when the time was right. 

But I guess this would have to do. 

I held it for as long as I possibly could…all of my happy memories I made with her playing through my mind. It hurt…but it felt…warm. These memories that would remain, even if tainted by corruption…wouldn’t be forgotten.

After slowly breaking away…I stared at her in silence…seeing her this way…It hurt so much…but I couldn’t look away just yet. As both her commander…and her best friend.

I had a job to do.

I grab the pistol Rapi gave me from where I dropped it earlier, inspecting it closely. It wasn’t anything over the top, just an average sidearm. The real technology was in the bullet…a custom made round made specifically for this situation…once embedded into a target, the sudden impact would generate a charge that would overload a Nikke’s system in an instant…granting a swift and painless death. 

As much as I’d like to use Spiral or Thanatos to close the book on this, I’d created both weapons with a built-in feature to prevent friendly fire…

I rose to my feet, standing above Marian and holding the pistol at point blank range. I only had a single shot…these bullets were expensive to make and as such, were considered a luxury.

Most Nikke suffered painful and agonizing deaths from blunt trauma or bleeding out.

Whatever…that didn’t matter now. I don’t care about the fate of other Nikkes…I needed to put Marian down.

I flick off the safety and aim down the sights straight at Marian’s head…when I notice something peculiar. 

My normal steady hands…they were trembling. Even in some of the most stressful practice missions at the academy, if I couldn’t count on anything else, I could always count on my impeccable aim to see me through, no matter the weapon. And yet…

I could barely keep my crosshairs on Marian. 

I couldn’t get a clean shot, at point blank range no less! Tears continued to stream down my face…my vision was blurry, my adrenaline was spiking…I tried to recalibrate my aim using deep breathing, but all that came out were choke sobs. After a couple tries, without even thinking about it, four words leave my mouth.

“...I can’t do it…” 

I fall to my knees, just repeating those words over and over again, each one growing louder than the last. The stress was overwhelming me, this was all too much…I began to claw at my own face…ripping and tearing the flesh off in a vain attempt to stop feeling anything at all…when I heard a voice.

“O-O-O V-V-V-VE-V-V-E-R-R…H-H-H-E-E-R- DANTE.”

I immediately dropped my newly acquired weapon upon hearing my name, looking up towards Marian in a look of pure shock…was she…

“Dan…Dante…” her voice was strained, as if she was using every fiber of her being to just say my name.

“Marian!” I get closer to her…hearing her shaky breathing.

“Dante…I…can’t fight it…for…long…” and just like that…that last light I had left…My final shred of hope is extinguished. Even then, I allow her to caress my face, weakly wiping off some tears and blood from my scratching. “...Dante…Thank…you…” She pulls me into a weak hug using just her right arm, seeing as her left one is completely useless from when she kept me from falling. I hugged her back without hesitation. “For being…my…best friend.” I tear up again, hearing her words. Once again, she wipes my tears as she slowly lets go…l could tell that she is falling back into the corruption as her right eye begins to turn the same black and red as the left.

“Marian! Don’t leave me here! Marian! If you can fight it now, we can figure something out! I’ll figure something out! Just hold on!” Once again, I couldn’t stop my tears. 

“Dante…” she holds my hand, steadying the weapon. “If pull…trigger…together…I’ll…be…you.” Her speech was quickly beginning to deteriorate, but I could make out what she’s trying to say. Tears still fresh in my eyes…she manages to crack a small smile as I stand up. Even like this…even with this corruption latching deep within her…she still never stopped smiling for me when I needed it most. “...Heart.” She moves the gun toward where a human’s heart would be…the left section of her upper chest. No matter where the bullet landed…the pulse would painlessly end a Nikke’s life. 

I place it up towards her heart…my breathing gently slows the longer she holds my hand. I loaded the bullet in the chamber, ready to fire…all I needed to do now was do a countdown.

“...3…” 

“...2…”

“...1…”

“ I’m sorry…I love you .” I believed that she was incapable of speech now…but she managed to get out one last thing, the quality being crystal clear, granting me the miracle of hearing her angelic voice one last time.

“... I love you too, Dante. ”

She used all her strength remaining to pull down the trigger…the bullet fired…ending the life...

of Marian Kirijo. 

Chapter Text

My sweet, sweet Marian…gone. Just like that. I could only sit down next to the lifeless corpse of my best friend…and the woman I was going to marry one day. I loved Marian with all my body…all my mind…all my soul. She was my motivation. She was my power. She was everything to me…

And now that was stripped from me because of the raptures. The one person who NEVER left me when I needed them most. I look at the pistol for a moment, dark thoughts swarming in my head. Two slaps to my face to snap myself out of it.

“...Marian would hate me if I…” I didn’t bother finishing the sentence…I rested her custom made weapon on her lap…I considered giving it to Rapi…but it’s Marian’s weapon. And only Marian’s. As I did, I heard something rattling from her breast pocket…and I knew exactly what it was.

It was a golden coin, one given to her by her grandmother Mitsuru…it was a misprint, featuring double heads...seeing as very few of these coins were ever in circulation, it was most likely one of a kind. Marian always told me it gave her good luck…and I feel like she’d want me to take it. A keepsake. So, I put it in my pocket and rose to my feet…When I’d get a call from Rapi. 

“Commander…” She saw my face, still bleeding from the scratches I made in my moment of weakness. The stoic Nikke looked away for a moment, not wanting to see me like this. “...We heard the gunshot. The aircraft is waiting for you.” In my tunnel vision, I totally forgot there were even others around me. I turn away…only to take one last keepsake. 

Her blue tie. 

To be honest, I never saw her as someone that could rock a tie. Granted, it was allowed in the Nikke’s dress code, but no one ever really wore one. It was just something she wore, one of her many quirks that made her so special. Another way to remember her…

I slowly shuffle to the chopper, hands in my pockets, my right one fidgeting with the coin I had acquired earlier. From there, I passed the building where I initially laid Marian down…where I noticed something…out of place. In all the gray and mundane concrete lay something pure white that outshined all of it…I intended to ignore it, until I saw the blue trimming and realized exactly what it was. I take a detour, gently picking it up and dusting it off.

Her hat. 

I always asked her why she wore such a small hat…it didn’t cover much of anything, it constantly fell off, and she ALWAYS misplaced it. Her response was that she thought it was cute.

I smile gently, thinking about all the times we’d have to retrace our steps to look for it. With a sigh, I make my way to my ride home…its entrance opened with Rapi and Anis standing at attention. Despite my feelings…I try to put on an act of how I normally do, just for a little bit. I couldn’t really come up with any quips at the moment, so I just nodded and entered the transport ship. 

The door closes, the natural light of the surface going along with it…just the dimly lit area where we’d be sitting for a while…

The atmosphere was tense and for most of the trip, we sat in complete silence. Anis was on her phone while Rapi just stared at me. As for me…I closed my eyes. It had been a long day…and I can imagine, no matter how exhausted I was…I wasn’t sleeping tonight.

“Commander.” Rapi started to say something only for me to correct her.

“My time as your commander is over. Call me by my name.” Despite initially trying to act like my normal self, I just…couldn’t. 

“...Dante.” The way she said my name…it felt somewhat…nice. Maybe it was the way she pronounced it…maybe it was because it made me let my guard down to be Dante the person rather than Dante the Commander. I…couldn’t really tell. “Thank you for your assistance. I am unsure how much longer Anis and I could have held out had you not come to our rescue.” I shook my head.

“You shouldn’t thank a commander for doing what’s expected.” I knew this…wasn’t exactly the best option to say, but…my decision making was heavily impaired at the moment.

“...You’d be surprised.” Anis said without looking up from her phone. “It’s kind of an unwritten rule that you don’t need to help Nikkes if their commander is dead.” This…caught me off guard.

Sure, commander’s used the code of conduct and hand book loosely…but I never really knew these…unwritten rules. Just another reason why it’s hard to talk to other commanders…

usually a waste of my time and effort.

“Then…You’re welcome.”

“...I can’t stand it any longer.” Rapi stood up as she walked to a nearby supply crate. I raise an eyebrow. 

“...Stand what?” She rummaged through the box before pulling out a bottle and cloth.

“The scratches on your face.” She said as she walked back towards me before getting on her knees, pouring some of the liquid on the rag. “This will sting, most likely.” Before I knew it, my face erupted in pain as I felt the substance hit my delicate skin. I could see Anis laughing, causing me to practically growl.

“What’s so funny?!” Still trying to stifle laughter, Anis flips her phone around, revealing a photo of when Rapi was on her knees…captured at the exact moment of when her head was at my waist. I just glare menacingly.

“Classy.”

After finishing applying the liquid, Rapi whipped around to see the photo.

“Delete that.” I couldn’t see the Nikke’s face, but I had a feeling she was blushing a bit.

“Don’t worry, I’m not posting or sending it…it’s perfect incase I need a favor.” Anis’ devious smile caused me to sigh.

“Wonderful…” I couldn’t help but give a tiny smile…even if Marian clouded every single thought in my mind, it didn't mean there couldn’t be a bit of joy in my heart. Knowing that we had some time left before we arrived at the nearest entry point to the underground ark…I decided to at least rest my eyes for a moment…even if I wasn’t gonna sleep…it wouldn't hurt to get some rest after the day I’ve had. 

Next thing I knew? Rapi and Anis’ arguing slowly turned into white noise as I drifted off to dreamland…

When I woke up…i couldn’t open my eyes. Mr. Sandman must have gotten a fucking raise because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t open them. 

“...M–y! -a-y! H-s awake.” A feminine voice was heard, alongside the sound of a…heart monitor? Upon hearing that, I tried to open them as hard as I could..yet nothing was working. 

“Oh?” Another voice could be heard as the heart monitor began to beat faster. “Ah! Calm down, Mr. Fortuna! Everything’s alright…you are not in any danger at the moment.” The woman’s voice was…familiar. I couldn’t pick it up, but it had a motherly tone to it… “I’ll take this blindfold off the second you should be able to see again.”

“Something happened?” I spoke with a bit of uncertainty, I didn’t remember having any trouble seeing after getting on the plane.

“Yes…your entire eye and portion of your nerves around your eye was infected with bacteria that spread rapidly due to the…unique…ingredients used in the military's disinfectant.” I can hear her nervously laugh…before sighing. “Your eye was unsalvageable…Pepper and I did what we could…the infection is completely erased from your body, but your eye is now…synthetic. I wholeheartedly apologize, Mr. Fortuna. I breathe steadily, trying to make the most of this situation.

“You two did what you could. I thank you.” I responded, still thinking of the situation…and to say Marian wasn’t a constant black cloud that loomed over me at all times would be a boldfaced lie. 

“You’re welcome, Mr. Fortuna!” The younger of the two voices, who I assumed to be Pepper, spoke up with excitement at the thought of being recognized for her achievements. Her enthusiasm was a ray of sunshine in the darkness, literally and figuratively. 

“Call me Dante, both of you.” I smiled, despite not being able to see their reactions. 

“You got it, Dante!” The younger voice said without hesitation, while the older voice seemed a bit more reserved in this privilege. 

“Whatever makes you more comfortable, Dante.” I could hear her writing down things on a notepad or clipboard. “The two of us will be overseeing your rehabilitation. If you ever need anything…”

I can feel her warm touch move my right hand onto…something. “Press down on this. You should be out of here in the next two to three days, and that blindfold will be coming off by the end of today.” I nodded my head…before I had an idea. “Do you have any questions, Dante?”

“Just one. This replacement eye…it has an electronic pulse like most other replacement eyes used in the ark do?” 

“Yes…is there a complication? I understand if you’d like to not receive one with a charge, as you may not be comfortable using technology that is used in Nikke.” I shook my head.

“No, I just wanted clarification.” I smile hopefully at the two. “Also, can you please hand me my phone? I…need to make a call.”

“No need to worry, Mr. Fortun-Dante. Your superior officer has given you seven days leave until you fully recover. Just relax and let the eye fully adjust itself, alright?”

“No, that’s not it, Ms. Mary. I need to call someone and ask about what happened.” I’ll call Mar…Rapi it is. “Is there any way you can get me in contact with a Nikke named Rapi? As in…call her here?”

“That I can do, Mr. Dante!” Pepper spoke up and was already out the door before Mary could even react.

“Th-Thank you Pepper…” she said before sighing. “She is going to be the death of me.” I couldn’t help but snicker at that kind of comment. 

“Sounds like you two have an interesting relationship.” Mary let out a chuckle herself.

“Yes, well…she is something special. The only person I know that can do three different surgeries in one day and come back to cover someone else’s shift with more energy.” I could practically see the sweatdrop run down her forehead. “It’s…certainly a quirk of hers.” There’s a bit of silence for a while before she starts to sit up from what sounds like a rolling chair. “...Thank you for your kindness, Dante. It’s rare we are thanked by patients your age if we don’t restore them to full health immediately.” 

“Am I…like…the only person in this place that’s NOT a complete asshole?” I question her…it feels like everyone in the ark is just so…angry…Mary seems to laugh at this.

“I wouldn’t say that.” She says, typing on a computer. “...People are just a bit…temperamental. It’s human nature to not want to be stuck somewhere you find worse than your previous home.” Her typing continues. 

“...You’re a Nikke…aren’t you?” The typing noises stop.

“...Even without sight, you’re able to see through me.” She gives a tiny laugh. “But yes, I am a Nikke, alongside Pepper. Does that change anything, Dante?”

“Not at all.” I responded. “In fact, I think that my respect for you grew a bit more.” As much as I tried pushing her out of my mind for the time being, Marian continued to haunt my thoughts…She used to ask me all the time if our friendship changed since she became a machine…Nikkes were seen as subhuman, after all. I just took a deep breath in, remaining calm through everything…as much as I wanted to let my frustrations out about Marian…now wasn’t the time. I was, however, surprised to hear the voice of my savior sighing.

“There’s no need to lie. When people learn that we aren’t human…”

“I wasn’t thinking that at all.” I tapped my fingers on what should be and feels like the railing of the hospital bed. 

“Your heart rate dramatically increased after you learned we were Nikke.” The clicks and clacks on her keyboard felt…relaxing somehow. The sudden bursts of keystrokes make it all the better as well. “I believe that says what needs to be said. But even faking kindness…”

“How do you cope with losing people?” The words cut her off. I didn’t even mean to say it, but…it must have been so much that I couldn’t help myself. “Like…as in someone you really cared about.”

An unhealthy silence fills the room, seeing as she stopped typing to think about it.

“Hmm…” I could tell she was taking this question seriously…as if she had been needing to ask someone about it herself. “As a physician, I should try to remain detached from patients…that way, the pain of losing them doesn’t hurt as much…

For someone like me…” a pause “that’s not easy. It wears you down…knowing that you did all you could to save them, but you still didn’t succeed. But I firmly believe that the people that died under my care…did so for a reason. Maybe it’s to push someone to do great things. Maybe it’s to serve as a wake up call for someone to get back in the saddle. Whatever the reason…

Fate chose it…and I can’t change that.” Another pause. “I’m no therapist…but I am willing to listen to why you would ask such a question, if you’d like. It would stay between us due to doctor-patient confidentiality, so there’s no need to worry about me telling anyone about it.” I think for a moment…it’s weighing so heavily on my mind…I need to let it out. Besides, if she can’t tell anyone…it can’t hurt.

“That mission I returned from. I…lost someone I grew up with all my life…someone who has never left my side…not once. She was…corrupted by the Raptures…I’m still not sure how yet…but that’s not what matters…I was so close to saving her…but…I failed. It’s my fault. If I was just a bit stronger…a bit faster.” 

“...I understand.” She says before the room filled with tension as I wait for her reaction. “I can only imagine how you’re feeling. Rapture corruption hurts to look at, let alone see happen to someone you know. The feeling that you couldn’t save this Nikke must feel like an unbearable burden.” I had a feeling she was rather moved by my recent experience, even if she is not allowed to show it as a Doctor. “However…If you were as close as you say…I think she’d want you to keep pushing forward.” More tension fills the room as I await what she’d say next.

“I can tell you're a good person, Dante. As long as you continue the path you are going…I’m sure they’ll be proud of you as they watch from the stars.” I can hear the positivity in her voice as the door opens. 

“Dante! I’m back!” Pepper’s ever chipper voice only adds to the warm feeling I have. 

“Ah, so you are.” Mary says to her coworker. “Do you mind taking care of our commander here? I have a couple more patients on my agenda.”

“Not a problem, Mary!” The young voice says to her senior, growing closer to me.

“...Thank you pepper.” I can hear her get up from her chair and walk towards the door.

“Take care, Dante. I’ll see you soon.”

“Mary.” I said. Causing the footsteps to stop. 

“Yes?”

“...You’re a good person too.” As I heard an ‘Awww…’ from her, I could not help but think of the expression on her face.

“Thank you, Dante…I’m glad you think so.” She exits, causing Pepper to close the door.

“Alrighty then! Rapi is on her way, so I’ll make this quick! Let me check your notes Mary left me…” The enthusiastic young lady would sit on the swivel chair, rolling a ways before arriving at the computer. “...Mhm…ok! Well, looks like I can start taking that blindfold off…now that you’ve been awake for a bit, you should be able to adjust to the light. After that, we’ll run some tests!” I hear her get up from the computer and grow closer. I feel some tugging on the back of my head…but it felt nice the tension of the knot was loosen. “Annndddd…let there be light!” With that one sentence, the blindfold lowers, causing me to see the dim hospital lights that still managed to disorient me. And it sort of…burned? “If you feel any pain, just know it’s because your new eye is adjusting, seeing as it’s…well…seeing light for the first time. I know it hurts, but give it a sec, ok?” Some time passes, and eventually, my sight returns, albeit a bit blurry.  “Don’t worry if your vision isn’t one hundred percent just yet, it’s just the optic nerve being a bit overstimulated from all this light.”

We run several tests, with pepper talking about stuff that I can’t remember for the life of me. Eventually we finished just as Rapi arrived. “Perfect timing! We were just finishing up!” The eccentric pink haired Nikke said to the Nikke I recently commanded walked in, her face as emotionless as ever. Compared to Mary’s typing that was in short bursts, Pepper’s typing was like a neverending machine gun. “annnndddd Volia! We’re done here for now. We’re gonna be doing just some routine monitoring to ensure there were no complications with the surgery, but the hard part is over, Dante!” The doctor would get up from her chair, a smile well across her face. “I’ll leave you two in private! Thank you for your cooperation, you’re a really good patient!” As she exits, so does that warm feeling in my heart. Seeing Rapi again was enough to bring me back to the cold and harsh reality that I am to inhabit. 

“Commander.” She says, once again forgetting her mannerisms I asked for her. “...I am sorry for disinfecting your wounds. It is my fault your eye was…” I didn’t bother hearing her excuses. 

“Don’t bother.” I dismissed her worries. “I’m not mad and that means there’s no point in apologizing. You tried to help, not your fault that the gas emitted from Spiral is volatile. It was never designed to be wielded by a human…or be charged to triple the power output.”  Rapi breaks eye contact, something she often did when stressed. “Besides, I have a way you can make it up to me.” Her eyes widened at the thought of paying me back.

“Sir, you are my commander and I am your Nikke. You give me orders, I execute them. There are no such things as “paying you back” or “making it up to you”.” A frustrated sigh. Was she always going to be like this? “Did something I say irritate you further, sir?” 

“Yes.” I said, gripping my hospital bedside. “...Stop acting like a machine. That’s your order. How’s that?” I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a bit of residual frustration over the entire situation. “...You talk like me like a human being. Now.” She seems completely dumbfounded, looking for any words to sound “Normal”, as if it had become completely foreign to her. 

“...Understood. I’ll…try my best.” I can only shake my head…she was completely…infuriating. “Regardless, I assume you called me in for a reason rather than just have someone to talk to.” 

“That’s right. My headset and eyepiece…do you know where they are?” To my surprise, she extends them to me after pulling them out from her jacket. 

“I kept them on me since I carried you to the Emergency Room.” As I take them, my brain processes what she just said. 

“You…carried me?” Rapi nods. 

“I did. After you weren’t waking up when we landed, I carried you through the Infirmary.” The thoughts of Rapi carrying me…it was FAR MORE embarrassing than when…she…carried me. “It was the middle of the night, so I doubt many saw us, if that’s a concern of yours.”

“...That’s good.” I tried to hide my embarrassment from her, choosing to just accept it as something that certainly did happen. “I suppose that makes us even. I saved your life…you saved mine.” I began to unscrew and disassemble my Solid Eye…something told me it was going to be obsolete in the very near future. 

“As for the debriefing…you’ll be needing to report to Deputy Chief Andersen.” I raised a brow. The only reason you usually go to the Deputy Chief is if you’re getting a promotion…or you’re getting fired. “...They considered our original operation of finding those of Nikke a success, though. That Tyrant we fought is able to melt down Nikke and remake Nikke into parts…so it can be reasonably assumed that’s what happened. So…Anis and I won’t be penalized for the commander not making it out, since we completed our intended assignment..” To my surprise,
Rapi gives me a smile, one that could pierce the heavens. 

“.. Thank you, Dante .” 

With that, for another brief moment…the black clouds turn into blue skies. Seeing her smile made me feel a fraction of how happy I was when Marian smiled like that… but it was enough for me.

The next couple days were uneventful. Mary and Pepper would check on me and, with their permission, I began working on a Solid Eye that was well…my left eye. It wasn’t too difficult, just tedious…but the looming dread of visiting the Deputy Chief was ever present…not knowing what I was going in for. 

I took down a tyrant rapture, sure…but I still had so many infractions from that mission alone that could get me fired. With a new eye, I was discharged from the hospital…and was going straight to what very well be my last time in the military wing of the Central Government Headquarters for my “appointment” with destiny.

The walk to the deputy chief’s office was…interesting. I couldn’t help but notice so many details thanks to my Solid Eye…Information is my greatest weapon, every bit I store is more power I can use for later, whether in pub trivia or life threatening situations…it is the difference between winning or losing. I would need to learn how to conceal this advantage, but as it stood…the amount of information I was receiving at once…was this what it was like being a Nikke? If so…perhaps they have more potential than even I thought. Regardless, I walked through the halls of the Central Government’s headquarters, following the directions I was receiving on my solid eye…before arriving at what was labeled as his office. 

The door was seemingly shut tight. So I knocked on the door to hear a gruff voice on the other side. 

“Enter.”

Now able to twist the ordinate handle, I enter the office, 

“Dante Fortuna…” he said while shuffling documents and files containing what I assumed was information pertaining to me, sighing to himself as he laid it on his desk. “...I had a feeling you’d be in this office one day. Just not on your second day.” I said nothing as the room fell silent. “...Your file stated you were quite the backtalker. You were arrogant…selfish…and downright repeatedly breaking protocol for your own benefit. Did your first mission serve as a rude awakening, Dante?” I still had nothing to add, deciding to stay quiet. “...Or is there something else that’s on your mind? Something…or someone…occupying it completely?” My hands grip the chair tightly. “...How does it feel without her, Dante? Without your Nikke?” If looks could kill, this man before me would be dead. “Well? I asked you questions, Dante. I recommend you answer them.”

“...It’s not important. I can get another Nikke.” I forced myself out. I needed to think inside the box now…there’s no point in trying to be myself in front of someone so high up in the Central Government…just tell them what they want to hear.

“Even if that wasn’t a boldfaced lie...I wouldn’t worry about that, Dante.” He hands me a pink slip of paper. “Effective today, you are discharged as commander of Silver Bullet.” I read it over, and it really was a notice of termination. “...Just like your father, you’ll be going down in history…but unlike his illustrious reputation, you’ll be going down as the record holder for the fastest firing of a commander. A record that won’t be broken from sometime.” Without even the slightest bit of emotion, I began to stand up.

“Understood, sir.” Before I even had the chance to leave, he’d speak up.

“Did I say you were dismissed, Dante?” He said, not showing much emotion either. “I am to read to you the reason for your discharge as per regulation…to ensure you cannot press charges on the grounds of unfair termination. So, sit.” Despite wanting to claw his eyes out, I followed his instructions…mainly so I don’t have court on top of all this. “Right then…Commander Dante Fortuna is being indefinitely suspended from the Central Government’s Army Division under the following infractions:

Repeatedly disobeying direct orders

Possession of illegal devices

Possession of illegal weaponry

Unauthorized tampering with Government issued materials

Several hundred counts of using the academy training facilities without approval

Staying out past academy curfew 

Dozens of transactions with unauthorized dealers

Refusing to attend academy events

No showing the Academy Awards show

Reappropriation of discarded Central Government Devices

Unprofessional interactions with an operator

Dozens if not hundreds of complaints when it came to other commanders interacting with you on and off the battlefield

And, your greatest infraction yet, exactly one thousand, nine hundred, and eighty seven different counts of unprofessional interactions with your Nikke.” A deep exhale from the deputy chief. “Quite the list of charges. Any defense? Going to make your case?” I look him dead in his eyes and say the worst possible thing I could say in this situation. Not like I had anything to lose.

“I’m not going to apologize.” Andersen’s face does not change in the slightest. 

“I figured as much.” He pulls on his tie gently, making sure it remains straight. “I am not going to sugarcoat it for you because of your bloodline. Do you want to know what people think about you? 

You are an elitist, downright spoiled brat that believes he is above all consequences due to his father’s accomplishments and a powerful Nikke to hide behind. That’s the general consensus around you…but you know what I see?”

“You are an arrogant, self-destructive commander that believes he is above all consequences due to valuing his own judgements over his superiors, which is something that has zero place in division seven of the Central Government.” My face still remains expressionless. I had received similar songs and dances during my time at the academy after missions…and as much as they disliked me, they couldn’t kick me out due to my father practically founding the place. 

This, however, had a much different twist.

“That said, Dante…” he taps his fingers on the table. “...just because you don’t fit in the Central Government…does not necessarily mean you have nothing to bring to the Human-Rapture war effort.” I couldn’t help but raise a brow at his statement, the first time I showed any sort of engagement. “You complete your objectives, but not utilizing the methods or tools intended. You give orders to your Nikke, but you also fight at their side. You take advantage of the resources provided to you by the Central Government, but you also acquire additional resources to use.” The more he spoke, he didn’t feel like he was complimenting me as much as he was simply stating the facts. “Commanders are just that. Commanders. They tell Nikke what to do and follow the methods intended to complete their mission. 

If you threw them at a problem with no definitive way to go about it? It doesn’t matter how well trained or armed the Nikke under their command are, they are being sent to their deaths. 

We have the specialized Nikke’s to get the job done…but if there’s no one who can use their full potential, then they are simply just more powerful Nikke. 

Squads like Matis, Absolute, and Cafe Sweety have had great success in all areas, even with semi-competent commanders. However, these squads, and by extension commanders, are in exclusivity clauses with the big three companies they work for.

This system has been here for a long time and has become archaic…outdated for the threats we now face.

We need someone that is willing to work with all three…someone capable of taking on any mission…” I decided to cut him off there. My mind was already made up.

“Not interested.” I began to get up from my chair and begin to walk towards the exit of his office to start packing my things for moving out. “I lost my other reason for fighting since she’s gone. The future I wanted is gone now too, so why should I-

“...If you are referring to the Nikke you lost-“ I snap back to face him. 

“Leave Marian out of this, Andersen!” He didn’t seem phased by my outburst at all. 

“As I was saying...If you are referring to Marian, I believe I have information for you.” My eyes widened as Andersen clearly tried to hide a smile. “...Do I have your attention now, Dante?” I narrow my eyes.

“...Go on.” 

“If you become leader of this squad…I’m willing to let you lead an investigation into several cases of Rapture Corruption that could be related to what happened with Marian.” He gently throws a folder containing a couple of documents on my side of the desk. “That folder is everything you’ll need to start solving that mystery. “You find the culprit? You might be able to find a way to bring her back.”

The mere idea of bringing Marian back to life…I could help but latch onto the idea. 

“Since I clearly have your attention, I’ll make my point quickly before I lose it.

I want you to lead a special team that takes care of whatever I deem important. You answer to no one but to me, not even the big three CEO’s can assign you a mission without your consent, instead requiring them to make a request.” The more I think about it…the more I realize how well this job fits me so far. “...And, seeing as you essentially are working for me and the three CEOs all at once…you’ll be making plenty of money to use for your weapons and gear you are so fond of making, alongside any commissions you accept.” This all sounded…good. Very good, actually…but anyone can coax someone blinded by greed. 

“I assume there is a catch here?” Andersen handed me a folder.

“Of course. Naturally, the missions you will be going on will be much more dangerous…then again, your file says that destroying raptures is more than up your alley…especially considering your current…feelings regarding your partner. You will also not be residing in the Ark for security reasons, instead residing in an outpost on the surface.” I couldn’t help but be surprised at the second part. “...It’s been abandoned for quite some time now, but should have enough to get you started. It’s connected by ark via elevator and no one other than me, and the CEO’s would be able to bother you…once we get the elevator there working again. After that, do whatever you want…Install a rollercoaster, a McMustang’s, I don’t give a damn… You’ll have the funds to afford it, I can imagine. 

Normally, the isolation from the rest of the Ark would be a mental health concern…but, once again…you appear to not only be an exception to that rule…but most likely perform better than if you were around other commanders.” A pause. “Long story short…

This position seems perfect for someone of your particular set of skills. If you require…”

“I’ll do it.” I didn’t even bother to hesitate. Getting paid to practically be by myself and do things my way…this was absolutely perfect for me. Even the downsides fit. 

“As I expected.” He slid over a piece of paper…a contract. I return to my chair, taking a seat as I read over it. “How wise…I had expected you to not even bother reading it.” All of what Andersen was saying was lining up…except for one thing.

“...What’s…Pilgrim?” The deputy chief said nothing, only getting up and taking a painting off his wall. 

“...I’m not the most qualified one to explain it.” The classic “safe hidden behind a painting” trick.  It was huge, black with gold trim and locks…so many locks with combinations, scans…such a huge build-up to reveal nothing I could see…before handing me a flash drive. “They are…she left it to me when you started the academy…told me to give it to you when the time was right…” I was puzzled…until I read the red label written in black ink. 

“To: My Sunshine

 From:  Mama…”

I read it outloud, albeit unintentionally. I could almost see Andersen smile as I did…and I signed without any further questions. 

Chapter Text

“Right then.” My new employer clasped his hands together. “Now that negotiations are over and our deal is closed, you have a couple things you need to take care of before you start your new job.” Andersen begins writing things down on a sheet of paper as he talks. “Consider that flash drive an introductory greeting from the company…it’s sort of a legal requirement. Watch it at your own pace, It may be emotional for you. I also recommend you contact those Nikke you were working with on your previous mission, since I assume they’ll be making up two thirds of the units that will be on your squad going forward.”

Considering the circumstances, I think that Andersen was most likely right about this one. I would be lying if I wasn’t worried about those two getting killed. “Lastly, I will be contacting Elysion CEO Ingrid Von Sogenmu about getting you a third Nikke to fill the third slot.” I raise a brow, to which he notices. “Is that a problem, Dante?” I shook my head.

“Not in particular.” I didn’t feel like being too formal. Being so casual in situations like this was part of my charm…or, so I’ve heard. “Just surprised you can get a hold of someone as notoriously busy as Ingrid.” The big three Nikke Manufacturers pretty much had as much sway in the Ark as The Central Government did…not only that, all three provided practically everything in the ark…From entertainment to everyday needs…you name it, one of the big three provides it.

Granted, I never really knew much about them, even if they were all the talk of the town growing up. I did know that the big three CEO’s would sometimes observe training operations looking for promising candidates to lead their personal Nikke squadrons, but I was never offered that sort of thing…

not that I would have accepted anyway. 

“A fair observation.” He put down the pen. “Ingrid and I just so happen to be rather close, so this wasn’t too difficult for me.” I smirk without even thinking. “Wipe that grin off your face, Dante. It’s not like that.” Before I had a chance to respond, Andersen handed me a ticket. “Take the AZX downtown and head to their headquarters at once. She’ll be expecting you in twenty minutes. Now get out of my office...I have a meeting to attend to.”

I got up from my chair once more, hopefully for the last time…but as my hand reached for the door handle, my new boss said something that surprised me. “Looking forward to seeing where this goes. Don’t disappoint me, Dante.” I didn’t physically acknowledge what he said, only leaving the office and calling Rapi using my Solid Eye. 

No response.

“...!” That was…concerning. I hastily called Anis, hoping that they were alright. I knew they went on a mission to the surface…but I was hoping that they were…

“Y’ello?” Anis’ sassy voice came out from the other end of the line, much to my relief.

“Where’s Rapi?!” I was more than a little concerned. If Anis was able to pick up her phone and Rapi wasn’t…

“Shower.” She said, deadpan. “And, I’m not her answering machine. Unless you’re talking bad about me behind my back, then anything you can tell her, you can tell me.” I roll my eyes…this is why I prefer having Rapi relay intel rather than Anis. 

“I got promoted and got a new squad. If you have anything you want to bring with you, start packing.” The Tetra Line Nikke was silent as if she was loading a response.

“You WHAT?!?” Annddd…here we go… “Why in the hell are you picking us? If you’re gonna be pulling more of those crazy stunts like you did on our first mission together, I’d rather stick with the new commander we just got, Commander Jackal. Sure, the guy hits on Rapi, but at least I’m not going to be facing certain death every Tuesday!” I can hear a door opening, then the sound of Rapi’s voice in the background. “Nope! No one important! Just go back to showering…of course I’m not talking to Dante, I’m talking to…Hey! Rapi, wait!” There’s the sound of a brief struggle on the opposite end of the line, before I can hear Rapi on the phone, speaking in her classic emotionless voice.

“Commander?” I couldn’t help but smile. “Apologies that I missed your call. I was in the shower.”

“Relax, Rapi…everything is fine.” I keep walking down the hallway, making my way out of the headquarters of the Central Government. “I was just telling our friend here that I’m getting a promotion and a new squad of my own choice. I’ll fill you in on the details later. For now, get packing. We leave by tonight.” As I expected, Rapi wouldn’t even hesitate.

“Understood...and…” As she was about to hang up, I could practically hear her smiling. “Congratulations on your promotion, Commander.” For once, I didn’t mind her calling me commander.

“...Thanks…now get ready.” I hung up, now finding my way to the nearest train station. 

The monorail system was the main method of transportation for the general populace of the Ark. Cars were a thing, but the tram was by far the most cost effective way to trial. From those, there were three lines. The UMVC Line from Tetra Line, the GCN Line maintained by Missillis Industries, and, the most high quality line, the AZX, run by Elysion. The AZX system was the definition of pure luxury incarnate when it comes to travel…Whether you wanted to travel for five minutes or five hours, the AZX would be the best choice if you had the money to pay for the ticket. 

I never really rode the train all that much, mainly because I never needed to. The academy had everything I needed in terms of both living essentials and materials for my projects, so why go out if I didn’t need to? 

The line was even more desolate than I expected. Sure, AZX tickets weren’t exactly cheap, easily being the most expensive of the three, but…there wasn’t anyone in the line. Most of the people must be working at this hour…so I continued walking down the line, only the sound of my footsteps echoing off the concrete due to being in the tunnel.

Eventually, I made my way to the front, with a woman with silky silver hair that covered one of her beautiful blue eyes at the ticket check in. She was invested heavily in her work, tapping on her tablet with precision and utilizing smooth swipes. Her uniform looked identical to…hers. In the whole rush of this, I had pushed her out of my head…but somehow, something always would remind me of her not long after. I shook my head, extending my voucher for her. To my surprise, she swiped it away and took a sip of Coffee.

“Not now, Soline.” She spoke firmly, as if talking to a child. “Try to find…” She looks up from her Coffee and tablet with an expression that could only be described as “Please don’t hurt me, sir.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the terrified look in her eyes.

“You uh…alright there, lady?” She silently shakes her head, bringing herself back to the world around her. 

“My apologies, sir.” She gives a bow before running the ticket through a machine on her desk. “You may enter, we’ll be departing shortly.” I just shrug my shoulders and look at her nametag.

“Not a problem at all…Brid.” My solid eye recognized she was indeed a Nikke…but I’d be lying if I didn’t walk away to not have to be reminded of…her. The train was completely desolate. I did hear about the so-called “dead hours” in Ark Travel…most people didn’t need to use trains at certain parts of the day, so the UMVC and GCN Lines were much thinner…

Apparently that translates to the AZX being completely unmanned…

Either way, I step through the sliding doors of the train, admiring the pristine condition of the car inside…a stylish combination of a mainly dark blue color scheme complemented black and whites gave it a sleek and modern look to the interior. I walk around to what would be considered the middle of the car, my head turning both left and right as I find a spot to sit. Taking a seat, I was pleasantly surprised by how comfy and cozy the seat felt…like sitting upon a cloud, ever so fluffy that you could fall asleep…and I almost did too! That was…until I remembered. 

“...The flash drive!” I murmured under my breath as I patted myself down, trying to find where I put it…only to find it residing snuggly in my back right pocket. I held it up to my face…there was never a better time to take a look at it than the present. “...Now let’s see here…”

“Hey Sweetie!~” My mother’s ever-chipper voice calls out to me through the recording, her frantic waving instantly warming my cold dying heart. It takes a lot to instinctively not wave back. “I just want to start by saying that I’m so proud of you for graduating from the academy! You’ve worked your butt off for this and I have never been prouder!” My mom was my biggest cheerleader…even gave Marian a run for her money…

“Momma had no doubt that you could do it, never not once! My little sunshine is more powerful than every single rapture put together…Oh, I can just imagine the look on your face, you must look so adorable right now!” I audibly sigh. Part of me was tempted to fast forward through the recording to get to the actual information, but…she wanted to leave it…so I’ll listen to her ramblings. “But, Uhm, Honeybun, I know you get bored to death hearing me prattle on about how much I love you or how cool and handsome you are…so, let me start with this. 

I’ve…hidden a lot of things from you, Dante.” Her voice gets deadly serious, something that I hardly remember ever happening. I wasn’t really a bad kid, but the few times I messed up, she was never this serious. “...There’s a lot of things I wanted to make sure you never got involved in. Even while I’m recording this, I still have my doubts if I should ever tell you.” I began to grow increasingly more concerned…seeing my mom, the most chipper person ever, being unsure was never a good sign.  “...but you deserve to know. So…” she takes a deep breath. “I…ran an organization known as Pilgrim. If you’re hearing this, then chances are that Andersen still runs it now that I’m…gone.”

She looks off to the side…calming herself down. “I am sure you are aware of rumors of Pilgrims at the academy. Nikkes that wandered the surface with extreme power…hunted by the central government.” I had heard of them…but I’d be lying if I said I completely believed they existed. “Our home…it served as a place for them to rest and receive repairs from yours truly.” That…made a lot of sense. There were several Nikke that would visit our home fairly frequently…and never anywhere else. Unless my mom was with them, they refused to step off the property. I had sometimes wondered if they were pilgrims, but always quickly discarded the idea…that made it all the stranger they would be my babysitters…wait, did my mom just have Pilgrims on speed dial or something!?

“...It started off by just me taking care  of your father’s Nikke after his when they were damaged beyond a repair kit…Eventually, after one of them would CONSTANTLY get into fights even when at an extreme disadvantage, I needed a more efficient way of getting them down to me…which is why I had that service elevator to the surface built.” 

“Secondly…You’re more special than you think you are.” At first, I thought this was going to be her affirming me of my worth, but that didn’t seem to be the case. “...There’s something inside you, Dante. Something that flows deep within your body. Your blood…I don’t know if it’s a blessing or a curse…but it’s not normal. I never got the chance to run extensive tests with it…it’s special, though. Whatever you do, you cannot trust anyone with your blood. Don’t get your blood taken for any reason…I don’t know exactly what it’s capable of, but I know for certain it can’t be given to the Central Government…they’ll…” My mother shakes her head, as if trying to push out the bad thoughts. “...Nevermind. It’s best just not to get caught.” 

“And…I’m sure you wondered what your father is like.” I had a feeling she’d bring him up…yet I felt unprepared to hear whatever she was going to say about him. “Your father…he loved you more than anything in the world. He always asked about you and how you were doing…even if he couldn’t see you.” A pause. “Cesar was where you got your battlefield prowess from…he lived to fight. A little tidbit, The media always left it out, but your father actually trained Deputy Chief Andersen…Even if I made sure you stayed out of all possible politics, I’m sure he’s super happy to be working with you...even if he will never admit it under that persona of “Never Playing Favorites”…Then again, who wasn’t interested in the mysterious rumored Son of Fortuna?”

Yeah…sure, mom.

 “Your father’s Nikke…they were always so interested in you…they felt responsible to take care of you after he passed away. I owe them so much to be able to continue my research while they look after you…to make sure that no one would try to take my special boy.” Tears began to form in her eyes. 

“I know that there were dozens of times I had to push you away…and how I’d break promises to play with you when you were little or pick you up from school…but I had work to do.” Her breathing would become heavier, having trouble even speaking. “I’m so, so, sorry that I wasn’t there more often for you. Despite everything both me and your father achieved…we both knew that you are going to be our greatest. Everything we’ve ever done since the day you were conceived…was to put the pieces in place for you.” I tear up from watching her passion, with every single syllable filled to the brim with emotion. “Dante…my sweet sunshine…you’re going to be the one to finally end this war. It’s your destiny.” I struggle to keep watching…

“...Baby..,My only regret is that I couldn’t get to see you smile again. Please, always take care of yourself…and always remember that I love you, my sunshine.” With a kiss to what seems to be the camera alongside a smile…

“Stay Safe, Honeybun…

I love you, Dante.”

“...Mom…” I closed my eyes…gently pondering all this new information, making connections, filling in gaps that made things make sense…but also brought so many questions to the table. 

Why didn’t the central government keep a closer eye on us? 

What’s so special about my blood?

What was Andersen’s role in all this? Can I trust him? 

All this and more circled in my head. To be brutally honest, I couldn’t really know if this gave me more questions or answers. However, it told me what I wanted the most…

Both my Mother and Father both love and believe in me…and I think that means a lot. 

“Uhm…Excuse me…Sir?” A female voice calls out from in front of me, causing my eyes to open suddenly, alongside putting me on edge. She wore primarily blue with black accents. “Want some strawberry candy?” The worker asks me, holding out a piece of wrapped candy. My solid eye told me she was indeed a Nikke…meaning worst case scenario, this is a harmless prank. I take it, eyeing at this mysterious stranger, unwrap it, and put it in my mouth. 

“...!” My mouth EXPLODES with flavor! I like strawberries, sure…but this was something else! The Nikke smiles at me, an amused chuckle leaving her.

“...It’s good, right?” I fervently nod my head, swallowing the treat with delight. “It’s a homemade recipe I make…I call it ‘Berried Delight’.” 

“This is some serious gourmet shit!” I said, the candy drastically lifting my spirits. “You made this yourself?!” The Nikke took a seat next to me, her scent matching that of the candy.

“That’s right.” She reveals a pouch on the inside of her blue jacket, the same red and purple pattern as the candy wrapping. “I always have a full supply on hand before every shift on the AZX. That way I have enough for me and any peckish passengers.” She gave me a smile that could cause sunshine to crack through storm clouds. “I saw you were upset about something, I felt it was my responsibility as a staff member aboard this train to at least check and make sure you’re alright…” Her friendly vibes were more than welcome in this situation…with both my mom’s message and the loss of Marian…I really was at my lowest point. I couldn’t be left alone with my thoughts, at least for the time being. 

“I’m…not exactly fine…but I’ll manage.” She crosses her legs, a gentle indicator that she’ll be with me for a bit. 

“That’s all you can really do.” The tone of voice was as gentle as I could ever think of a voice being. There was a bit of quietness between the two of us as she tried to find something to talk about. “You don’t have to talk about it…but if you need someone to listen, I’ll be more than glad to until you get off.” This Nikke…there was something about her that just made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. 

“...Do you believe in destiny?” I ask with a bit of uncertainty present in my own voice. “You know, like, a goal you’re meant to achieve one day?” The blue clad Nikke would tap the side of her face, clearly thinking the question over. 

“Hmm...” Despite sounding just as friendly as before, I could tell just by looking at her face she was heavily thinking over the question. “You know, I’m…not entirely sure.” There’s a bit of quietness between us as the sights of the ark zoom past us due to being viewable through the glass.  “I guess that everyone has a purpose. I don’t know if it’s always a goal you achieve…maybe it’s just something you do to inspire change in someone else that goes on to fulfill their destiny.” The chipperness that Nikke had earlier slowly disappeared the longer she pondered this question. “To that end, you can never stop, just go, no matter how many more scars you get and you’ll end up at your destiny.”

She practically seemed entranced by the views, unblinking as she kept speaking. “Or maybe Destiny is like an unstoppable force…kinda like getting on the AZX at the wrong stop. No matter how much you don’t want to go…this train can only go where the tracks take it.” She quickly shakes her head, breaking out of this somewhat depressing way of thinking. “I don’t really worry about that sort of thing. It’s about the journey, not the destination, after all!” She turns back to me with a smile. “Take it day by day, y’know?”  I could tell by her answer that she tended to live in the moment, not unlike I did. 

“You’re right about that.” Day by day…it’s the only way I really could live. Every time I am going to step on that battlefield, my chance of not coming back home will skyrocket. “...Sorry if that was a weird question by the way.” The attendant would give a warm look, as if assuring me everything was alright. 

“It’s more than alright! It’s important to reevaluate things like this every now and again…” I continue to get every single bit of flavor out of the candy before swallowing. “You really like my candy, huh? Here.” She offers me a handful of candy. While it would be polite to accept it after an initial refusal, I couldn’t help myself. 

“Thank you…this stuff is amazing…” I unwrap another piece, flicking it into my mouth. 

“I’m glad.” She gives me another expression that could light up a room in an instant. “Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself!” She takes off her hat and rests it against her chest. “My name is Diesel, I’m a Nikke from Elysion and leader of Infinity Rail.” Diesel stands up and gives a bow before sitting back down. “It’s nice to meet you…” 

“Name’s Dante. Dante Fortuna.” I offered my hand to her, to which she accepted…before pulling me into a surprise hug. It felt weird being hugged by a near complete stranger…but I would be lying if I said it didn’t feel like all of my worries disappeared for a moment. Eventually, Diesel let me go and didn’t explain why she hugged me…and seeing as there was a feeling I shouldn’t ask about it, I didn't ask for her reasoning either. The Nikke pops a piece of candy in her mouth, the faint sound of her chewing and the noises made by the train being the only ambiance to watch the buildings of the Ark pass us by on the way to my destination.

“Brid wanted me to apologize on her behalf.” Diesel broke the silence after finishing her candy. Despite being sweet, this delectable candy made her breath smell immaculate. “She’s a bit of a workaholic and gets tunnel vision very easily…I still feel that she should have been the leader of Infinity Rail.”

This caught me a bit off guard. When not under a commander’s direct supervision, every single squad has a designated Nikke leader responsible for several duties, mainly with taking care of squad affairs…and it was rare for a Nikke to turn down that position. 

“...Why did she turn it down? If you don’t mind me asking…” Diesel looks off to the side. 

“She felt that it was going to be too much.” She responded, trying to hide some sort of emotion in her voice. “So…she gave it to me instead. Our other member, Soline, was deemed a bit too immature to be leading the team.” This time, it didn’t take a genius to show that she was clearly embarrassed by that fact. 

“...I see…” I think about it for a moment. I didn’t really know any other Nikke…and she seems very interesting. I think I found my new recruit for the team. Besides…it completes the primary colors.

Red for Rapi, 

Yellow for Anis, 

Blue for Diesel,

She’s Perfect.

I didn’t have any more time to think this over, however…A chime is heard, coming from above the two of us. 

“Attention all passengers.” The voice sounded a bit more mechanical from what I heard earlier, but it was still clearly Brid’s voice. “We are now arriving at the AZX Downtown Terminal. Thank you for riding with us and we hope to see you again soon.” Diesel gives me another hug. 

“This was pretty fun.” She said pulling me up and then walking me to the exit. “Despite riding the AZX everyday, it’s nice to admire the view every now and again.” The two of us stand before the sliding doors, with Diesel looking at me with a smile of a child. Despite my initial disposition and still volatile emotions…

I managed to crack a weak one myself.

As the doors split open to reveal the downtown station, I take my first step carefully, only to spot Diesel waving goodbye.

“Hope to see you again soon, Dante!” If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume this would have been some kind of marketing scheme to get me to ride the AZX to talk to Diesel…

“...Yeah.” I responded, giving a nod, but not fully turning my head. People enter the various cars of the AZX as I exit. A little girl by the exit door would nod at me. 

“Thank you for riding the AZX!” I pull down on my hat with a light “heh”. It’s cute to see a child think she works here…but hopefully her parents come back for her soon. 

“Thanks, kiddo…but you should probably head back with your parents.” I grab the door handle, watching the child as I open it. This clearly irritates the sassy lost child. 

“H-Hey! I’m not a child!” She pouted, but I was already out the door and walking up the stairs. As soon as I opened the exit gate, the loud chattering of civilians bombarded me, something I was never truly a fan of. Despite being accustomed to gunshots and rapture laser fire, hearing so many conversations I deem unworthy of my time to care about really pisses me off. 

I walk up a dozen or so stairs to be greeted by the artificial sunlight of the Ark…and dozens of more pointless conversations between men women and children alike…I just grin and bear it. These are the people I’m fighting to free, after all. I can only hope that this new position of mine doesn’t entail interviews or be forced to go to events for higher level commanders. 

It wasn’t hard to find the Elysion Tower. In fact, it’s practically impossible to miss. A skyscraper with the logo plastered on the front isn’t the most concealable structure. It was only a five minute walk, but I couldn’t help but feel some sort of dread. 

Ingrid was notorious for being strict, deadly serious, and high-strung, AKA, definitely not a fan of someone like me. Then again, I have never personally met her. My mother had worked with her in the past, but she always managed to ensure that I never came into prolonged contact with any of the big three. They knew I existed and kept out of sight for confidentiality. When your father was as famous as mine…you’re bound to have clout-chasers or some other scum wasting your time. It’s why our manor was rather isolated in the ark. 

Regardless, this would be the first time I’d be meeting her. As I stood outside the admittedly beautiful tower, I steeled myself for a brief moment. The higher you went up the social hierarchy of the Ark, the more they could smell your fear of their power. I learned that fundamental truth at both high school and the academy, especially since I was sent to dens of these wolves alongside Marian. Ingrid, however, was a whole different beast. If anyone else were to piss her off, she could have their lives ruined in an instant. Granted, I was a special case, seeing as I had the deputy chief’s approval, which held just as much power as she did. Remembering this, I just had to present myself as I am to her. 

I walk through the rotating doors with confidence, determined to set on this road, even if it chains me to hell itself from both my actions and words. The interior was just as lavish as the outside, nothing over the top, but I could definitely feel the overpriced vibes coming from every object in the room on my way to the front desk. A young lady awaits me, tapping on a computer seemingly just as busy as Brid was prior. “Good morning!” She said, practically on autopilot. Despite her young age, it felt like she was doing this song and dance for hundreds of years…

“Fortuna. Dante Fortuna.” She looks up from her laptop, clearly becoming more alert at the sound of my name, as per usual. 

“She’ll be waiting for you on the top floor.” She responded, clearly intimidated, even if she tried to hide it. She proceeds to motion towards the elevator located at the back of the room.

“Thanks.” I acknowledge as I stuff my hands in my pockets, making my way towards the lift, pressing the button to reveal an immaculate interior made of primarily blue velvet, but also featured glass on the outermost wall to provide a view of the Ark. I step inside, looking at the floor selection panel to find my destination…Floor EX. I push down upon my selection, with it making a satisfying click. The doors close, alongside my view of the lobby. It starts with a thump before starting its ascent, as evident by my rising view of the Ark. it’s a rather slow ride, even if no one is getting on…so it’s just me and my thoughts. Upon placing my hand in my pockets once again, I feel something metallic in my right one…I pull it out revealing…Marian’s coin.

“...”

I look at it for a bit…and now that I’m alone with nothing to distract me from thinking about her, the realization that she’s truly gone finally begins to set in. I can’t help but wonder…

Why was it her? 

Who could be so cruel that they’d corrupt a Nikke as pure as she was…and why?

When was she corrupted? 

If I had noticed earlier, could I have saved her?

Could I truly be called her best friend if I failed her when she needed me most? 

What will become of me? 

I only have gotten this far because of Marian and I’s unique relationship…without her…am I worthy of this position? Could anyone else ever fill that slot of fighting perfectly in sync with me? 

My head begins to throb because of all these questions. I wish I could just not think at all right now…but sadly, I can’t rest yet and won’t be able to for a while.

The elevator dings, much to my surprise. I must have spent much more time in my own head than I thought, seeing as I’m already at my destination. The doors slide open, revealing another hallway that could only be described as “fancy”. Two glass walls to my right and left, combined with a blue holographic floor beneath me made for an intimidating entrance to be certain. Dead ahead lay a door, elegant as the prior elements, made out of some sort of shiny metallic red material alongside a platinum trim and, the clear centerpiece, the Elysion logo made out of what appeared to be solid gold. I steel myself once more…despite not truly fearing the power the CEO possessed, I still needed to accept that we will be essentially a customer of mine in the future.'

After mustering up the courage to approach the office, the door dramatically splits apart, revealing what I could only describe as “a Velvet Room”. Featuring that same blue material from earlier alongside now being complemented by golden accents and a stylish desk, was Ingrid Von Sogenmu. 

“Fortuna.” The woman spoke with a stern voice as she looked up from her desk. Somehow, she seemed to be more serious than Andersen. “You’re early.”

“And you’re complaining?” I questioned as I waltzed in her office. I’m not going to bother covering up who I truly am. I want her to know EXACTLY what she’s getting herself into.

“...I didn’t call you in my executive office to waste my time. While Tetra Line is willing to accept you without a second thought, I want to know if you’re a good fit for Elysion’s payroll. I only accept the best of the best and I don’t want you to tarnish our reputation.”

I had no idea that Andersen had already started talking to the other companies yet…guy certainly works quick. Then again, the fact that the CEO of Tetra Line was already willing to open the checkbook and start paying me without having properly ever talked to me was…interesting. Not that I’m complaining, of course. Less talking to rich people that think they know me, the better. I open my mouth to speak, only for Ingrid to cut me off.

“I talk, you listen.” She was certainly a feisty one…was it that time of the month or was she always like this? Either way, I just give a nod.

“You got it, boss lady.” I responded, with a scoff from the CEO of Elysion. 

“As I was going to say, this isn’t about your combat efficiency. This is about everything else. Andersen sent me your psychological evaluations…and you are far from stable. You are a PR or HR accident waiting to happen, particularly when it comes to that mouth of yours.” I sigh. 

“Not to worry, I can handle it.” I dismissed her claim with a wave of my hand. “Believe it or not, I know how to be proper when the situation calls for it.” She crosses her arms.

“Is this exchange we are currently having what you consider ’handling it’?” I shook my head.

“Not at all.” The look on her face went from one of annoyance to being completely dumbfounded. “I want you to know my true colors. Unlike most, I’m not afraid of you or the political and economical power you possess.” She blinked several times, as if trying to figure out if this was really happening.

“...Huh, he was right…you certainly know how to make a first impression.” She rolls her eyes. “Alright, fine…You’re a bit rough around the edges…but if Andersen trusts you with such an important job, then I’ll have to trust his judgment. We’re in a war, not practicing ballet.”

Ingrid presses a button down on her desk. “...Neon. You can come in now.” The doors open behind me, and in walks what I assume to be my new replacement for Marian. Sporting a white uniform with oversized glasses, big green eyes and an interesting looking quadruple-barreled shotgun, this short Nikke, this “Neon”, was going to be my new partner. “Andersen said you loved making weapons, so I decided that Neon would be a perfect fit for you.” I get up out of my chair, starting to examine her more closely.

“Hello, I’m Neon! It’s going to be nice-“

“No.”

Both the Nikke and the CEO were blown away by my rejection, with Neon in particular seemingly having her soul completely crushed.

“Come again?” Ingrid asked, as if she needed to confirm that I rejected her pick. 

“She’s not going on the team.” This seemed to crush neon even further. “I already had an Elysion unit in mind.” Ingrid flies off the handle.

“Alright you arrogant little shit, I don’t care if Andersen recommended you or not, you come into MY OFFICE, ask for my Nikke, tell me that the one you’re getting isn’t the one you wanted, as if I'm some sort of tool to be made use of.” I had a feeling if I didn’t cut her off, I’d get kicked out of her office. So I decided to just say who it was and get it over with.

“Diesel.” Her tirade pauses, looking at me with less anger and more confusion. Neon was practically crying at this point. 

“...Really?” Ingrid seems blown away, though I can’t imagine why. “Diesel? Out of the entire list, you pick…her? She wasn't even on the list! NEON was on the list!”

“Wait, why was I…” Ingrid decides to cut off the Rejected Nikke.

“My Entertainment.” A brief pause. 

“Frankly, I’m just happy to be included.” A practical growl from Ingrid leads to her taking a deep breath in.

“Is there something inherently WRONG with Diesel?” I raised a brow, confused on why picking her was such a big surprise. The now (slightly) cooled off CEO would continue to steady her breathing. If Andersen and her really are a thing…I’m starting to question who’s the husband in this situation…

“No, not at all…just…a bit surprising is all.” She taps on her computer, bringing up a picture of Diesel. “She just seems a bit…oh.” The realization suddenly hits her. “...She…reminds you of her…doesn’t she?” I nod my head silently. “I should have known that Marian’s death would have wounded you deeply.” Her tough guard lowers, revealing what potentially may be her true colors. “I...apologize for my insensitivity. Marian was practically family to you…” Neon stood confused, but seemed sad nonetheless. “I assume Andersen will have you leading the case on who corrupted the Nikkes from inside the Ark.”

“That’s right.” I spoke, adopting a far more serious demeanor. The air in the room grew stagnant, hot and heavy. Ingrid even looked a bit sympathetic. 

“In that case, you have full backing of Elysion to find the ones responsible.” She remains professional, a difficult feat, even for someone as stone cold as Ingrid. The silence becomes deafening before the CEO speaks up. “...The last of the Kurijo’s…gone.” she says solemnly. “...I owe them a lot. Elysion wouldn’t have survived without their research…” I…don’t have an apt reaction, only remaining motionless. “...I know you’ve heard this dozens of times but…” a deep breath in…

“This wasn’t your fault, Dante. 

There was nothing you could have done to save her.” 

Ingrid looks at me with a combination of sternness and sympathy. “But…if Diesel is who you’d like on your team...then Diesel will be the one waiting for you outside.” I nod my head. “There is one last thing we need to take care of before I can transfer Diesel to your team.” I looked at her with disappointment…I thought this was going to have no strings attached. “Silver Bullet won’t be the name of your squad anymore. It’s registered under the central government, so you’ll be needing a new name. Andersen suggested the name “Counters” due to you being our ultimate counter against the Raptures…but you are free to disregard this decision if you’d like.” I think hard about it…but I think I can come up with something better…when it hits me.

“Revenant.” She raises a brow at my choice.

“Revenant?” I give her an affirmative nod. She flips a pen before writing something down on a sheet of paper that she just printed on her desk, then motions it to me, alongside offering me a pen. I skim through it, ensuring all the information is correct before giving my signature and push it back to her all in one swift motion. “With that...It’s finished.”

“Thank you, Ingrid.” I spoke politely, there was rarely an occasion that required me to do so…but hearing that from the person that MADE Marian a Nikke helped me feel a bit more at ease. Besides, this was a hassle for her after all. I stood up with a light bow towards Ingrid, then faced Neon, still drying her tears from her rejection.  “Hey, cheer up.” I give her a smile, trying to comfort her. “This isn’t a personal thing. If Ingrid chose you, I’m sure you’ll be the best of the best one day.” Her demeanor changes in an instant.

“I’m gonna be an absolute member one day! Believe it!” She peps up, signifying my comment has given her more than enough motivation. I pull down on her adorable little hat.

“Keep trying.” I said, turning towards the door. “...Oh…and by the way…Ingrid.” The CEO looks up from her desktop in silence. “Thanks again.” I give her a wink to which she just sighs.

“Just…get out of my office, Dante.” With that, I walk back to the elevator, ready to see Diesel again. I pop a piece of her candy in my mouth as I step inside the lift, getting a call from Andersen on my Solid Eye all the while.

“Report.” He says without even asking if he got the right number. 

“Just got out of the meeting.” I responded with far less sense of urgency than he’d most likely want. “Negotiations were short and I got the slot filled. Other than that, nothing of note.” 

“Hmph.” He responded. Despite doing exactly what he asked, he seemed upset. “Do you mind telling me exactly why you rejected the name I selected?”  

“A revenant is a vengeful spirit, one that haunts their nemesis relentlessly until their goal is completed, usually resulting in complete annihilation of their target.

Sounds familiar?” My new employer just shakes his head. 

“It doesn’t matter. The elevator has been repaired and you can now travel to your new home, as well as use the one there to return to the Ark. Notify your Nikke and leave as soon as you are ready.”

“You got it, big boss.” He rolls his eyes.

“Do not call me that.” He hangs up with a scowl, leaving me with a smirk. I decided to call Rapi to check on her and Anis’ packing. She picks up on the second ring. 

“Commander?” I have practically gotten accustomed to the fact that she will never call me by my first name…

“That’s me.” I responded, propping my foot up against a wall. “How’s the packing coming along?” I can magically hear Anis in the background.

“Get! In! There! You! Stupid! Thing!”

“...Better than expected.” Rapi sounded completely embarrassed by her roommate's poor packing skills. “I’ve already completed my packing and will be able to depart as soon as Anis finishes.”

“...There!” The sound of Anis panting as she zips up something…before another unzipping noise seconds later. “MOTHERFUCKER!” 

“We’ll be ready by the time you arrive at the meet up point…I hope.” The Nikke sounds unsure of herself, but tries to hide the last part.

“Right.” I said, just as embarrassed myself. Anis was officially a squad member now, so I have to be responsible for any item flying out of a container that hits a passerby because of her packing skills. “I’ll see you there in 20.” 

“Understood commander.” The call ends, leaving me free to text Diesel to inform her about it. To be honest, calling Rapi was much easier, seeing as she reminded me nothing of Marian. Diesel on the other hand.

The elevator dings, bringing me back down to the bottom floor. Thankfully, Rapi told me all my stuff is with her, seeing as I never really had time to take it out before the plane crash…so all I had to do was walk to the designated elevator to the outpost. 

With a renewed sense of vigor and nothing to break or shake my stride, I exit the elevator.

Chapter Text

It was a ten minute walk and do you know what that meant?

10 more minutes of spewed trivia and celebrity bullshit.

“Did you hear about…”

“You know, I read…”

“I remember seeing…”

Stuff like that. People that could be doing something or actually relaxing, but instead they just talk about other people’s lives. And next, they’ll complain about how the surface hasn't been reclaimed yet.

I spot Rapi and Anis by the elevator, luggage and tow. The former gives a salute, the latter gives me a wave.

“Commander.” I nod. By now, I’ve accepted that they will be referring to me by my title from here on. It’s hard programmed into Nikkes to do so. 

“Hey, what’s up?” I responded, casual as per usual. I noticed Rapi’s medium sized suitcase compared to Anis’s three deluxe sized ones. “Gee Anis, I didn’t know you had so much to pack…what, you take your dorm’s sink too?” Anis gives me an eye roll. 

“I had to pack Rapi’s stuff behind her back! She was throwing perfectly good outfits because, “This wouldn’t be to the commander’s standards” or “The commander wouldn’t want to see this in our dorm” and…” before she could continue, Rapi gave her a death stare. As evidenced by that phone call, the red Nikke easily overpowered the yellow one when it came to strength…so I believe Anis was in the right to shut up.

“Regardless.” Rapi said in her emotionless yet wonderful voice. “Your luggage was already delivered from the transport ship to your new base of operations, commander.” I leaned up against the a wall beside the elevator, waiting for Diesel to show up. 

“So…our third member…who’s it gonna be?” Anis sounded pretty excited, all things considered. “Rapi told me they were going to be from Elysion. Is that true? Huh?! Huh?!?” I nodded my head with much less enthusiasm than she had.

“That’s right.” I assume Andersen at least gave Rapi some details…surprised he left out her name…pretty damn important if you ask me. “In fact…I think that might be her.” I see a blue dot making its way towards us at a pretty quick pace. Despite being a ways away, the shape waved at us. 

That’s…most likely her.

As it grew closer, I could notice Rapi’s face growing slightly less intense…

As I expected, it was indeed diesel, accompanied by Brid…and that young child from earlier.

“Hey!” Diesel gave us a friendly wave alongside the child…while Brid continued to look at her tablet. “Sorry I’m late, I had to convince Workaholic over here to come and see me off!” Said workaholic doesn’t even look up from her screen. 

“Canceling a ride isn’t something to be taken lightly, Diesel. I am currently writing letters of apology to every passenger.” The anger in her voice was palpable…until Diesel practically shoved a piece of candy in Brid’s mouth…despite nearly anyone else being caught off guard by being force fed, the silver haired conductor began to eat it without any sort of fuss.

“Oh relax, Brid!” Diesel dismissed her subordinate’s worries. “It’s a one time thing! Certainly you can make time just this once before going back…” A frustrated exhale and head shake from Brid as she puts away her tablet.

“Fine. But as the new leader of Infinity Rail, I cannot allow you to ever halt our scheduled departure times ever again without suffering the subsequent consequences.” As I suspected, Brid had been chosen to lead in Diesel’s stead. “...Soline and I will be splitting your duties until a replacement for the third member is found.” Upon learning the little lady’s name, I couldn’t help but think about something…

Nikkes are made in the ideal image of the brain before they are taken out. And while there is probably something philosophical about the ideal form actually being a child, judging by Soline’s behavior from earlier…

Did she die as a child before becoming a Nikke? I didn’t even know that there were child Nikkes…might be worth something looking into.

“Yup!” The childish Nikke spoke up. “And for that very reason, we’re asking for a raise of one big bag of candy per week for each of us!” The leader looks away for a moment, clearly embarrassed by her secret like for the candy being exposed. 

“I asked for no such thing, Soline!” Diesel smiles in response to her team’s antics, as did I. With a cough to regain her composure, Brid looks at my team. “Commander Fortuna.” The silver haired conductor motioned at me. “I humbly ask that you take very good care of Diesel.” Despite her formality, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Relax, of course I will.” Without another word, Brid looks towards Rapi next.

“Rapi. Please advise your commander and oversee Diesel to ensure she stays out of trouble.” Said Nikke nods in silence. “And Diesel.” A sigh. “Please…stay safe.” 

“Awww Brid, don’t be sad!” The ever optimistic Nikke seemed…well…optimistic. Soline hugs Diesel’s waist before receiving headpats from the departing member. “Not you too! Come on you guys, you said you were gonna be happy!” Brid shakes her head once more…before joining in on the hug. Diesel makes a cute little noise as she wraps her hands around both of them. It was pretty touching…and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel bad right now about splitting them up. I could see Anis taking a picture while…wait…was Rapi smiling?! “Alright you two, you better get back to work. Don’t forget to visit at least twice a week and text me if you need anything!”

“Yes mom…!” Soline rolls her eyes, while Brid nods her head. 

“Of course…Take care, Diesel.” Brid pulls out her tablet, beginning to walk away…and it may have been me, but…I could see a tear run down her face. Soline began to follow with her hands in her pockets…before her partner offered to hold her hand as they started their trek back to the station.

“...How cute…” It sort of came out of my mouth, as if the cuteness was too much for my cold dead heart to handle. 

“...Whew.” Diesel takes off her hat, wiping her forehead before dramatically putting it back, then placing her hands on her hips. “If they stayed any longer, I think I would have started crying!” She whips around to the rest of us. I give her a slight wave. “Hopefully I didn’t keep you waiting, did I commander?”

“Nah, not really.” Like I’m the one ever to talk about being on time. “But we should probably get moving. The sun’s already going down.” I press the button on the elevator to bring it to us…until I see something out of the corner of my eye.

“Dante! Dante! Let’s take a picture to celebrate!” The eccentric Nikke was somehow even more charged than…she was. I didn’t even have a chance to turn around before I heard…“Everyone, say cheese!” I give as good of a smile as I can on such short notice, Anis apparently is just photogenic as all hell, Diesel has a smile that could pierce the heavens and Rapi…gave it her best shot? I think? “It’s perfect!” Diesel brings her phone close to her chest.

The elevator dings and opens, inviting us all inside the dimly lit lift. This was a service elevator…but I expected at least a decent amount of light. I enter, followed by Rapi, then Diesel, then finally Anis. I use my keycard, and it automatically sets me on the course for the outpost. The doors close and we start our ascent to our new home. It was going to be five minutes of a 12 second elevator music loop…meaning we were all going to start killing each other if someone didn't start a conversation soon…

“Commander.” Rapi was the first one to say anything…I would have lost my life savings right then and there if I was a gambling man. “You never told us anything about our new position. All you said we were going to be in promoted position.”

“Because I was saving it for when we were in private.” Totally wasn’t that I completely forgot about it, nope, not me…not ever. “Effectively immediately, all of us are no longer truly working for the Central Government or any of the big three.” Rapi seems sharply opposed to this, while the other two seemed just ready to sit back and listen/watch the chaos. 

“We’re going rogue?” She was baffled, as I expected. She seemed to be the “by the books” type.

“Not necessarily. We work directly with the deputy chief. As far as we’re concerned, he’s the big boss and the only guy in the world I answer to. We’re the squad he goes to for the most critical of missions…each one he assigns us could very well be the determining factor of humanity’s survival or extinction. I picked you all because…” 

“Dante...” Anis crosses her arms. “...I can’t fucking believe this shit. Of every Nikke…you pick me!? For fucking end of the world situations, you don’t pick Eunhwa, you don’t pick Laplace, you don’t pick Frima…you pick fucking ME?! Rapi makes sense but me?! I’m literally her fucking sidekick!” I had no idea who those people were…but they must be pretty good…meanwhile, I snap out of my daze to see Rapi just backhand her “sidekick” “WHAT THE FUCK, RAPI?!?” Despite literally bitchslapping her best friend, the emotionless face remains. Diesel, meanwhile, is just eating candy through all of this. 

“Be quiet.” Rapi said, still without emotion. “Let the commander finish the briefing.” She turns to me. “Please continue, commander.” 

“So uh…I picked you all not because you’re the best of the best…but you have certain integral qualities that synergize with me and each other…and I feel that’s worth more than Rapture kill counts or mission success rates. I also believe that Nikkes have a near infinite amount of potential. If you give them the right training and equipment…then they could kill as many raptures as you need them to.” Marian was the one who taught me that…and even if she was an exception to the rule or lightning in a bottle…then I’ll start from the ground up. “So, I might as well pick people I like, right?” Anis keeps rubbing her cheek.

“...Ugh…why are you so convincing…fucking fine, I guess that makes sense…” I partially feel that she was saying this so she wouldn’t get slapped again.

“Good…we should be arriving up top in a sec…We’ve all had a long day, so…let’s get settled in on our first night and we’ll talk about it tomorrow.” Like magic, the doors open revealing…a desolate place, without any trace of life other than grass and the structure a couple dozen meters away. Now finding higher ground to overlook the entire building, I spread my arms out, motioning to it.

“Ta-da~” Oh my god, Andersen I swear to god the pay better be good to fix this place up. “Welcome to the outpost…I’ll come up with a name later.”

“I know it’s called that.” Anis spoke with a bit of piss and vinegar in her voice. “I’m referring more to the fact that it’s a dump. No, wait, I’ve seen landfills that look more appealing than this.” The sassy grenadier turns from Diesel to me. “...Commander.” I raise my hand.

“Not in the mood, Anis. It’s gonna need renovations, but, hey, on the plus side, we don’t need permits or anything.” I was trying to spin this in a good way. Granted, I’m mainly just going to be using most of the money after initial renovations for better parts for cooler shit, but that’s beside the point.

“Where are we going to sleep?” Diesel says nervously, as if she was afraid to know the answer.

“Andersen said the dormitories are over…” I point to a rectangular building connected to the main one. “...there. Let’s have you leave your stuff there and get settled in. I have paperwork to fill out.” Granted, that was a bold faced lie, I was working on a project before I left to be transferred and REALLY wanted to finish it. The entire time we walked, the three chatted amongst themselves. If they were trying to talk to me, I couldn’t hear them over the sound of how I was going to rework the kinetic energy receiver in said project. Either way, we inevitably arrive at the dormitory, opening the door to reveal the living quarters of the Nikkes. 

“This is the dormitory? I thought it was a warehouse…” Anis mutters to herself as I flick on the surprisingly working lights. 

“Does it have a dining room? Or better yet, a small kitchen? I have some ingredients to make some candy as a celebration!” Diesel seems optimistic as usual…Anis? Not so much. 

“There’s a pantry over here.” Well…that solves the dining room question, at least. “Looks like they’re about to expire though…” I just walk over to a wall, propping my foot up against it. Rapi proceeds to awkwardly walk to my side…seems like she wasn’t a fan of this sitcom. 

“Hang on one moment, please…” Diesel briskly walks over to what seems to be the bathroom…and I can hear the sound of the faucet creaking. The former train conductor walks back out shortly after. “I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news…”

“Wait a second…Are…you…kidding me?” Anis’ eye twitches. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t funny as fuck. “We don’t have FUCKING RUNNING WATER?!?” I wasn’t aware of this…and while it isn’t a direct hindrance to me particularly…

It’s still funny watching her overreact. 

“Great. Just fucking great. Yep. Some FUCKING PROMOTION this is.” She glares at me with inexhaustible hatred. Diesel shakily speaks, clearly unnerved by the angry anis. 

“And…are…all of us staying in here, Commander?” I nodded my head.

“That’s right.” I responded in my default tone. “Once we get enough money, I’ll start getting you custom rooms, but until then, you’re rooming with each other.” Both Anis and Diesel look at each other nervously before looking back to me. “That a problem?”

“It’s just that…” Diesel starts trying to say something, only for Anis to finish it when the former hesitated. 

“Girl stuff.” With those two words, I got the situation in a far greater grasp.

“Relax, I have my own place.” I turn to leave, ready to get back to work. The grind never stops, as they say. “Speaking of which, I’ll be heading there now. You three get settled in. I’m sure Andersen will have something for us soon, so I recommend you get some rest. See ya.” Next thing I know, I feel someone grab my collar from behind.

“Oh no you don’t!” Anis says, holding on tightly. “I wanna see this for myself!” I just sighed.

“Alright, Alright, whatever…if you want to, you can go see it.” Her grip loosens. “Follow me.” I motioned for them to follow me through what seems to be a common area…complete with a kitchen and a den with a decent TV viewing area. Diesel went over to inspect the kitchen while Anis quickly scoops up the TV remote. As I expected, Rapi stayed by my side in complete silence.

“Hmm…” Diesel said as she examined the kitchen closely, carefully inspecting it. “...It might not be as nice as the infinity rail’s kitchen…but I certainly can cook in here!”

Anis had been using the remote to flip through the channels, practically hopping in one of the chairs. “Looks like this is one of the older models…it’s just a TV.” I look at her with a confused expression.

“Yeah, no shit. It’s a fucking TV, what are you expecting? Or are you wanting one of those fancy 3D TV’s I’ve heard about?” Anis whips around.

“No, those are a stupid gimmick!” She acted like such an expert with the following sigh. “...What I meant was that this is one of the older ShinRa Models without internet functionality or luxury features. Seems to be one of the ones running the outdated Sol 

I develop weapons, not fucking consumer electronics…

“Regardless, since Anis wants to see it so badly, are you ready to see my place?” The two reunited with us as we ascended the stairs where my room should be. It has a fancy door with a keypad…even if it doesn’t work, seeing as it opens without one. The commander’s room is completely different in regards to its size and budget. The room was…adequate, to say the very least. This clearly set off Anis.

“Oh, this is bullshit!” She practically yelled. Every moment since I’ve known her I wondered if she surpassed my own foul mouth. “This place is massive! I could practically, no I COULD run laps in here!” 

She wasn’t exactly exaggerating, either. The main room was at least one and a half times bigger than the dormitory and that’s not even counting the unopened bathroom yet. Anis merely hops on a sofa located in what seems to be a mini-den. “Wow, the sofa is super comfy…wait, why is a sofa up here anyway?” 

“I need to confirm something.” Diesel opened up the bathroom door and I once again heard a faucet turn. This time, however, it was accompanied by the sound of running water. 

“We’re out there struggling in the desert, meanwhile you’re up here chilling in an oasis!” Diesel walks back out and places her hands on her hips, seeming genuinely upset.

“I’m disappointed in you, Dante.” I can only look away. It was pretty unfair…however, I was told ahead of time that my living situation would be better, seeing as I am human and of high rank. Apparently, the place I was being transferred to would have been even more luxurious…

“Then again, it’s not entirely unheard of. You are the commander of the elite squadron of the Ark. it only makes sense you’d get better treatment.” The passive aggressiveness in Anis’ voice was palpable, but I just decided to take a seat on the comfy swivel chair and prop my feet up on the office desk with a satisfying “ahhh”. Anis gets up from the couch and walks to the front of the desk. “Hey, I got an idea! How about we swap?” I give her the best “are you fucking serious right now?” look I have. 

“Nope.” My response was simple and straight to the point. 

“C’mon, commander! The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few! You said yourself you treat Nikke like people, so if we apply that to this…”

“Anis, I’m a decent human being, not a fucking communist. Big difference.”I decide to cut her off right there…but if I ever need a lawyer, and I will at some point, I know exactly who I’m calling. 

“Oh, so now you’re retracting your statements on Nikke rights? I was right that you’d show your true colors eventually.” Damn, if I wasn’t her commander in the military, I’d be put in a bind…thankfully…

I’m her commander in the military.

“It won’t be good for any of us if you’re pampered too much.” Rapi finally said something since we got here, even more light on words than usual…and it’s bringing Anis down a peg. It seemed like for a while, she was in some sort of trance. Going through the motions, but not mentally there. “...I’d make to make it clear that…” Rapi tries to say something…but it doesn’t seem like it wants to come out. “Hmm…” I wasn’t oblivious. I can’t always read what people were saying…but it was obvious to me that Rapi wanted to say something… well, right up until she looked towards Anis. “...You smell.” I blink a couple of times. I could hardly smell a thing. “...You were so busy packing that you didn’t shower after the mission…” Anis’s eyes widen as she realizes that she’s right, alongside Diesel.

“A-Ah! I didn’t shower either!  After my shift on cleaning duty today, I went straight to the elevator!” Thanks to that candy, Diesel always smelled immaculate…so maybe that was it. “Oh, this is so embarrassing!” She turns to me in a panic. “C-Commander! Can I use your shower!” I just sigh and nod my head.

“Sure…I’ll be getting someone to repair your showers by tomorrow morning. This is a one time deal. Enjoy it.”

“Th-Thank you!” She quickly darts off, with Anis in tow, most likely to get a change of clothes. 

I look towards Rapi, who was staring at me. “Do I smell or something?” My Nikke shakes her head.

“No sir…but may I speak with you outside, commander?” It appears my initial interpretation of her expressions were correct…unless this was another fake out and she was going to talk about something embarrassing.

“You see, normally I would just say I’m busy and for you to schedule an appointment…but seeing got nothing better to do, so I can take a break from my busy schedule.” I got up with a wink then a stretch.

She put her hand on her chest and bowed. “Thank you, commander. I promise I won’t waste your time.” Either she was playing along or she was convinced I was genuinely taking time out of a busy day to hear her concerns. Once again, I am unable to get a solid read on Rapi as I lead her outside. She was completely emotionless…yet I knew there was something deep within her. It’s just…a feeling I’ve got.

We stood outside in silence for a while. I wasn’t going to rush her, but if she tried to run off, I wasn’t going to let her leave until she told me what’s weighing her down.

“Going back to what I was saying earlier…I want to make it clear that…” Rapi pauses for a moment, clearly trying to muster up the courage that she needed to tell me whatever she’s about to say. “That Nikkes…

Are not Human.” 

My eyes narrow as I hear that…I heard that hundreds of times back in high school and thousands of times at the academy…same old shit…until I realized I just heard it come from a Nikke herself.

“We are weapons. Unfaltering and unkillable weapons made for the sole purpose of taking back the surface.” The word “unkillable” made me clench my fist…Nikkes can only truly be killed if their brain is completely destroyed or made completely unsalvageable by a silver coated emp bullet…

Like what I put down Marian with.

Rapi turns to the now setting sun…Sighing to herself.

“Commander. What do you see us as?” The question catches me off-guard. It’s such a fundamental question…but everything that’s happened since graduation has come and gone so rapidly…yet it’s made me question everything.

“You know…” I walked to a wall of the building, leaning up against it. “You were to ask me that question the day I graduated from the academy before I hopped on that transport ship, I would have gone on some long winded speech about how Nikkes are human. 

But right now…I…don’t really know.” Before I knew it, I was talking not as commander fortuna…but just Dante. “I never lost a Nikke before…so having it replaced by one that acts very similar…even looks a bit similar…it feels like the value of your lives are diminished.” Rapi stays quiet, as if waiting for me to finish my true thoughts. “At the same time…you aren’t machines, either. You have a brain and are different from each other at the fundamental level…you act like people and I’ll treat you like them.” I look off into the sunset as well.

“I…hate to ask…but did you see Marian as human?” I responded without hesitation.

“Yes.” Rapi doesn’t turn around still, completely lost in the sunset’s radiance. 

“Will you give all of us the same treatment as you did her?” At first, I thought this was coming from a place of jealousy…but Rapi didn’t strike me as the type to envy others. I close my eyes, exhaling sharply.

“...I can’t. Marian was different. She was my childhood friend growing up. I will do everything I can to make sure that you, Anis, and Diesel are taken care of in all aspects…

But you’ll never have the same bond that I had with Marian.” Rapi goes dead silent. During this pause, I can’t help but think about why she’s asking this.

“...That’s for the best.” She said with her soothing monotone voice. “We’re soldiers under your command…we’re not meant to be treated as human beings. Despite having emotions and feelings…at the end of the day…we are weapons, Dante. Your weapons.” Her surprisingly cynical view of herself and sisters in arms throws me for a loop. My brain didn’t have any words…so my heart decided to take over.

“Every weapon has a purpose. If I wanted a powerful weapon, I could pull some strings and get one of the strongest ones I can…but that’s not really my weapon. All the weapons are designed by me…built by me…and are unique to me. 

If you truly are my weapons…you will be treated with the same love and care I give to Thanatos. Seeing as I treat Thanatos like family or a close friend…you’re pretty sharp, so I can assume you can put two and two together.” Rapi refuses to tear herself away from the seemingly red sun. 

“I’m flattered that you feel that way…but that will only hurt you in the long term.” Her feelings about herself reminded me of something like self-hatred…but it felt like she believed this was a fundamental fact rather than an opinion. “...I hope you keep that in mind.” Having enough of the light she finally turns to face me. “It’s getting late…let’s go rest for the evening.” As much as I wanted to debate her point…I still had to really think about it. Even if I only saw them as weapons and treated them better than most people…

Does that still mean they’re human? It sounds like a redundant and convoluted question…but it’s something I’ll have to see for myself. I can only nod my head and walk back inside. I don’t even have time to look back before Rapi disappears from my sight entirely, the sound of the door closing alongside Anis and Diesel chatting. With only my footsteps and dark thoughts to accompany me, I return to my new quarters, opening the containers that were already brought up here. I needed to get to work on my pet project again…get my mind off of everything. I’ll worry about unpacking later…right now, it’s earbuds blasting music to drown out the voices in my head…and tinkering with this stupid thing to get it to work. As I pulled out the components, I noticed something metallic and silver towards the bottom.

It took a moment to realize what it was…but I didn’t need to take it out to know.

The pistol that I used to kill Marian.

“Later.” I said to myself. I didn’t have the proper materials to do such a weapon justice…it was going to be a powerful addition to my arsenal, a mainstay no matter what, one capable of dealing in death. Besides, I had plenty of other projects, including making weapons for my three Nikke. 

I worked from sunset to midnight before finally getting my new device to work. It was late, sure, but until Andersen contacts me with a mission, I’m practically free to do whatever. I left a voicemail to a company called “Mighty Tools” to help with the running water situation before using the mini kitchen inside my office to heat up some instant noodles. After that it was time to get some rest…

God knows I needed it. 

The next morning started off spectacularly. This bed was immaculate. Sleeping on clouds was nothing for this thing…I took it slow, resting in bed before trying to get out of it…until I heard knocking at the door.

“Commander?” I could tell it was Rapi, even if her voice was muffled.

“Yeah?” I replied, trying my hardest to sound normal, as if I didn’t just sleep in.

“Someone is here to speak with you.” Rapi’s muffled voice is as emotionless as ever, sounding more like a depressed secretary than a soldier. 

“Tell them that I’ll be down there in a bit.” Oddly enough, I don’t remember having anyone else know I was here. “Whoever they are, I’m certain they can understand that I’d not be up at this hour yet.” There is no initial response from my subordinate, before sounding a bit hesitant.

“Understood.” I heard footsteps going back down the stairs as I rolled out of bed, walking to the new fancy shower located in my bathroom, turning on the hot water. As I wait for it to heat up, I look in the bathroom mirror, staring at my reflection. I can still see a bit of light scarring from the surgery that implemented my Solid Eye, but other than that…despite everything that’s transpired thus far…it’s still myself in that reflection. 

One morning bathroom routine later and I open the sliding doors of my room with vigor, ready to start my day. I have plenty of things to do, like getting completely unpacked, procrastinating on paperwork, start customizing the other Nikke’s weapons and…

“Oi.” A new rather high pitched voice called out to me, causing me to glance in their direction. There were three people present, to which I waved. “Are you just going to ignore me? You think I don’t have better things to do than wait on you?”

“Well, I did wave at you, didn’t I?” I smirk. I had no idea who these people were, but considering the two standing at her sides, I assumed it was a family of some sort, with a lesbian couple that’s definitely into some kinky stuff and the one looking pissed off at me being their sassy child. “I’ll be right with you, little lady. Just give me a second to make breakfast. Do you three want anything to drink? We don’t have much, we just moved in.” Their silence speaks volumes, with the child looking extra pissed about being ignored. In a way, she actually looks pretty cute when she’s grumpy…and I’m one of those people that doesn’t find kids usually cute at all. Regardless, I take out some soda and the jelly from the fridge. I motion towards my Nikke. “You three already eat?” 

“I had something already.”

“Ditto.”

“Commander…”

All three of them responded one after the other. I assumed Rapi was the type to skip breakfast, and while we would be visiting that later, I was hungry myself at the moment. The child still looks completely blown away that she’s being ignored, my teammates getting far more attention. If I didn’t know any better, she’d be another one of those spoiled upper class kids. She looks to her parents. “...Are you…making a sandwich?” I could tell this one is CLEARLY an only child.

“Peanut Butter and Jelly, actually.” I clarified as I finished spreading the peanut butter on my gourmet dish, yet this seems to infuriate the sassy one. She takes a deep breath in, ready to speak once again.

“Alright. I think we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot here-“ Before she had the chance to finish, I opened the soda can, a satisfying fizzing noise coming from its release. The interruption from this caused her to be caught so off guard that it made the child stutter. “...C-Could you take this any less seriously?!” 

“Absolutely.” I said as I took a bite of my sandwich. “Why do you ask?” She practically growls in response. The taller of the parents speaks up.

“Ma’am-“ The child lifts her hand up, as if commanding them to stop speaking.

“No, no, I can handle this.” There’s something about the way that this child is speaking. I hadn’t activated my solid eye’s additional functions this morning, seeing as I wanted to have a morning without distractions…but I decided to activate it now. Something is clearly wrong here. As I wait for it to boot up, the child walks forward. “...Do you have any idea who I am?” Another bite of the sandwich…so simple, but so delicious!

“...Not in the slightest. I don’t watch Blah-Blah, so if you’re an influencer or something, I have no idea.” They scoff at me before turning to my units. 

“You, the one in blue.” She points to Diesel, who clearly seems nervous about the situation. My eyes narrow at the little lady…but considering she’d only been here for a short while, I can’t blame her for not knowing her name, so I’ll give her a pass. That was until she flashed a wicked smile. “Tell him who I am.”

“Commander, this is Syuen, current CEO of Missills Industries.”

And suddenly, things make a lot more sense. 

The CEO smiles wickedly as she turns to face me once again. “Very good…” she replied, satisfied with the short but sweet explanation…only to seem initially taken aback by me still munching on my sandwich, as if she was expecting me to grovel at her feet. 

“Oh. This is just perfect.” I smiled, with hers getting more intense.

“Starting to get the picture now, pretty boy? Of how big of a…” I decided to cut her off. My question was far more important than whatever she had to say.

“Do you know anything about a Nikke named Marian being corrupted?”  I asked. Granted, Missills Industry didn’t make Marian, but if the CEO was in my office, it couldn’t hurt to ask. 

“What?” She seemed genuinely surprised by my question, so I decided to elaborate.

“One of my Nikke’s, Marian Kirijo, must have been corrupted inside the Ark, since there was no contact with any corruption when she left. You have any info about it?” This seems to be Syuen’s breaking point. She snaps her fingers.

“...Yuni.” The one with the pink hair steps forward before Syuen points at me. “Get him on his knees.” With my solid eye not fully active, I decided to prepare for a physical counter. Even if they were a Nikke, unless they have proper training, they shouldn’t get any takedowns on me.

“Yes!” She replied enthusiastically, a flashing light running through her hand as he pulls out a whip and strikes me with it in one swift motion. I didn’t account for extended melee range, so the whip cracked against me, not only causing pain from the initial impact, but sending some kind of electrical pulse through my body to cause my legs to give out. 

“Commander!”

“The hell are you thinking?!”

“Dante!”

I fell to the ground, my legs unmovable as I lay there. I growl in frustration, to which Syuen laughs, walking to my side. “This is what you get…” I feel a sharp pain on the back of my head, followed by my face being thrusted to the floor. “...for not knowing your place!” I try to raise it up, only for her to stamp back down on my head, harder than last time. “Speak and act with absolute respect when you talk to me.” Another stomp even without raising my head. “And don’t ever ask questions like that ever again…capiche?” This woman…she was trying to show her dominance over me…that she can tame me…the very idea that she wants me to respect her without earning it…how absurd.

“Get your foot off of me. Now.” I growl, causing the CEO to laugh once again.

“Oh? Looks like we have a tough guy.” She kicks the left side of my head with more force than before.

 “Did you think…”

A kick to the left.

“...That I was…” 

A kick to the center.

“...Kidding?”

A kick to the right.

At that moment, I heard three guns click in near unison, the safeties being turned off. It didn’t take a genius to figure out who did it. Syuen smiles. “Ahaha…not bad.” Rapi still spoke in a near emotionless tone, yet anger was clearly evident.

“Get your foot off the commander.” Anis scoffs.

“Don’t get her to stop. Let’s see if she’s faster than my pistol’s bullets.” Syuen snaps her fingers once again. Through my pain, I am able to turn towards them.

“Mihara.” The one in the black outfit steps to the CEO’s side. 

“Yes ma’am.” A blue laser appears on all three of my Nikke. “...Switch complete.” I didn’t know what was going on…but as much as I wanted to stop it, I still couldn’t move, even if some of my strength was starting to return. Syuen proceeds to take out a pistol from her coat, putting it against the side of Mihara’s stomach…before firing. The Nikke didn’t even flinch…but my three clearly felt the pain. Anis and Diesel’s pain sensors clearly weren’t used enough to tank point blank gunfire to their abdomen, lowering their weapons from the pain. Rapi however, was still pointing her gun and aiming, even if she was hardly able to. The sadistic CEO smiles brightly as she fired three more shots. Causing the weaker two to stagger backwards and Rapi to fall to a knee.

“Alright, now that I have your attention, I’ll get to the point.” Syuen turns back to me, stupid smile still wide on her face. “I know I can’t force you to follow my commands under normal circumstances, commander. Andersen puts you in a position where, unlike most others, I can’t just force you to do what I say using my normal methods. Be that as it may…I have…other ways…to get you to do my work for me. I have forged some documents that are very incriminating…” I have no verbal response, only cutting a look of pure hatred towards Syuen, to which she scoffs at. “Don’t give me that look, it’s not doing you any favors.”

“Fuck…You…” I spit out, some power returning to my legs. 

“Pfft, you wish.” She laughed at me…until she noticed I was getting up. “...Well, in any case…your mission is to capture a particular rapture for me.” Syuen points to those two Nikke. “You have two days. Any other questions, ask them. I have more important things to do than entertain such a waste of money…Not that I’m paying you up front.” She turns to leave…only for me to fully stand up.

“...Wait.” Syuen seems genuinely surprised that I was able to recover from whatever attack Yuni performed on me, whipping around to face me.

“...What?” 

“You’re gonna leave…without…paying?” My breathing was still incredibly heavy…that whip really knocked the wind out of me. She just rolled her eyes at me and sighed.

“I guess you can have a deposit up front. You’re gonna need money for the equipment. It’s out of my kindness.” My breathing slightly stabilizing as I shook my head.

“I don’t need the money…I just want you to answer my question from earlier.” She clearly doesn’t remember or pretending she doesn’t…just a cherry on this cake of misery she was serving. “Do you know what happened…to Marian?” Syuen blinks a couple times as if confirming she heard what I said.

“...Oh, that.” A cross of her arms. “I can’t really say I do.” She stays quiet for a bit. “What’s it to you, anyway? You’re treating like it’s so personal…

It’s just one Nikke. Big whoop.” 

“...I-I’m sorry, I think I misheard you.” I responded. There’s no way even someone like her could be THAT insensitive. “...What did you just say?” The CEO tilts her head at me, puzzled by my question. 

“I said it was just one Nikke. Did you just want to be on forensics and got into the wrong squad, is that why you’re asking? Because I can get that sorted out, it’s not a problem. Doing us both a favor, actually.” She said that with a completely straight face. “...No? That’s not it either?” Her obliviousness…it’s enough to make me laugh. In fact, I can’t help but crack a smile. Her tone deafness is enough to fill a comedy skit. “Ok, that’s it, now you’re just pissing me off!!” She snaps her fingers once more. “Mihara, switch senses with him.” Mihara seems troubled by this, even if she was emotionless about harming other Nikke, it seemed that harming humans was where she drew the line.

“But they’re human!” Syuen looks at her subordinate with disdain, as if she had personally insulted her.

“I said switch!” Mihara gives a sigh of regret as a blue laser goes across my stomach. I knew exactly what was about to happen. But you know what?

She personally insulted the woman I cared about more than anything in the world…so even if this pain was going to be unbearable…

Mama didn’t raise no pussy.

Syuen once again places the gun up against Mihara’s abdomen. 

“Haven’t had enough, is that it?” A smug smile crosses Syuen’s face. “How about this?!”

BANG!

I feel some of the sharpest pain I have ever felt in my life go in my stomach. I have been hit with projectiles during training missions…but this pain…it was unlike anything I have ever felt. My vision and hearing began to blur…but the pain only motivated me to move forward.

“You better wisen up before I end up turning ya into Swiss Cheese!” Upon seeing me moving forward, I could make out the look on her face…she was afraid. 

Then she isn’t as dumb as she looks.

“Wh-What are you doing?! What are you…” Out of sheer panic, she fires two more rounds in different spots on Mihara’s abdomen. “D-Don’t come any closer! Stay back!”

As my ears began to ring and I staggered a bit, the look on her face…sheer terror…it was like a drug. The more I looked at it, the more motivated I became to keep moving forward. “Get back!” She frantically pulled the trigger twice more…but I could see the fear clear when I looked into those eyes. I practically had forgotten why I was so angry at her in the first place.

 I just wanted her DEAD. 

“I said STAY BACK!” If she shot the gun, I couldn’t even tell. My rage dulled the pain, the combination of euphoria and pain-fueled hatred driving me ever-forward, with the one causing this began to move backwards. The woman couldn’t help but look to her Nikke as if it was going to be her savior. “Mihara! Shoot him!” I heard a voice say something, but I couldn’t make it out as I arrived at my destination. I wrap my right hand around this person’s throat, raising her in the air and pinning her to the metal wall behind her. My grip tightens as I watch her kick and scream. “Let…me go…!” Her incessant flailing made this all the sweeter. It was at this moment I remembered why I was doing this in the first place.

“Don’t EVER talk about my Marian…or any of my Nikke…like that…” My breathing was sporadic, both from the pain…and the excitement of finally getting my hands on her. Her vain struggles intensify.

“Why should I…They’re…hunks of…scrap metal!” I reared her back, before slamming her back against the cold unforgiving metal out of sheer rage. I didn’t even remember what I had just commanded prior, but the fact that she refused to do what I said made me practically lose all self-control. The drops of water that landed against my hand…were they…her tears? If they were…this hydration was unmatched. 

“I-I’m…I’m…”

With every ounce of strength, I try to tighten it further to make her spit it out…until I noticed I was losing my grip, loosening it…my vision began to go black…

Was this…my limit?

I try to fight it off, to finish the job…but I couldn’t. What happened next felt like a blur…

“...N-No…” I said as I slowly faded out of consciousness…Before everything went black.

Chapter Text

The damage was done, even if the pain hadn’t subsided yet. I try to sit up on my own, but the pain in my core muscles stops me dead in my tracks, causing me to fall back to the floor. 

“Commander!” Rapi seemed more than concerned.

“Just…gimme a sec…actually, five more minutes.” I attempt to ease my second in command’s worries as I continue to lay there, catching my breath. “Has the bitch left the building yet?” Though my vision was still a bit off due to my Solid Eye recalibrating, I could see Anis nod her head.

“She’s gone…yeah.” Diesel kneels down to my right side.

“Commander? Can you see me?” To ensure that the candy creator stays carefree, I give her a thumbs up.

“Crystal clear.” My sight had returned, but the other functions of the Solid Eye still were booting up. Anis let out a tiny sigh of relief. 

“That’s good…at least.” She looks off to the side. “You gave me quite the scare…I’ve never seen a commander get so…violent.” At first, it took me a second to remember what she was talking about. Everything that happened felt like blur…but then I was able to recall the feeling when I had her pinned helpless against the wall. Sure, Syuen pissed me off by talking about Marian like that…

But I shouldn’t feel happy about what I did, no matter what the cause was. Had I not blacked out…who knows how far I would have gone? 

“That look in your eyes…try…not to do that again.” I nod my head. “...Nevertheless…”Anis closes her eyes, sighing once again before opening them. “Thank you…for standing up for us.” I wanted to give her a smile…but I couldn’t seem to, no matter how hard I tried. I was too busy trying to rationalize my reaction to the situation Syuen presented me with. 

The belief that Nikke are nothing but scrap metal isn’t uncommon in the Ark. In fact, it was the overwhelming majority…so what would happen if someone else does that in front of me again, someone who’s just following societal norms? Was it the fact that she was hurting me first? Or was it because I saw the others in pain? I’ve had violent tendencies ever since I could remember. My mom and Marian were always there to make sure I didn’t lose my cool…but with them gone…would stuff like this become more common?

It doesn’t matter. I can’t worry about things that haven’t happened yet. I snap back to reality just in time to hear Anis getting upset once more. 

“Does Syuen think she’ll tell us to jump and we’ll ask how high?!”

“As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what she thinks.” Mihara replied with a completely straight face. “Syuen is a part of the big three…”

“That’s not my problem.” I sit back up as interrupted our temporary allies, the pain being a bit more manageable this time around. With a grunt, I’m able to push myself upward, facing the two Missills Nikkes. “You heard it from the lady herself. The only way she could get me to go was via blackmail, which won’t work by the way. I’ve got people.” Andersen, while not fully trusting of me yet, still will most likely have my back on this. Something tells me this isn’t his first rodeo with her.

“Do not underestimate a CEO’s power.” Mihara seems very confident in herself while saying this, leading me to believe she isn’t bluffing. “Syuen will do practically anything and everything to get her way. There are people she can use, far higher than you can.” It wasn’t too out of the question, she most likely had far more strings she could pull…I have the Kirijo Corporation card, but that can’t get me very far with someone like Syuen. Andersen would maybe help me, but Syuen has people outside of the military but still in the Central Government’s pocket. In other words…I don’t really have a winning hand here.

But that doesn’t mean I’m out of cards.

“Yeah, well…I didn’t have much to do anyway. Besides, if she wants a particular rapture, then that means it’s something special…and I don’t mind trouble as long as it’s interesting.” I smile at Mihara and Yuni. They seem like just people doing their job…I can’t really blame them too much for that. “I’m in. Should be fun. Should give me some good combat data too.” 

“Understood, commander.” Rapi nods. 
“Ugh, If you say so…” Anis said as she rolled her eyes.
“You got it!” Diesel pulls down on her hat. 

“Great. We leave in five minutes, get your gear ready and we’ll move out.”  I walk back up to my quarters, readying Thanatos by quickly making sure it’s in peak condition. Then it hits me…I should ask Andersen about this. Can’t hurt to have a second opinion.

“Dante.” Andersen sounded as glad to see me as usual. 

“Hey big boss, quick question…did you tell the Missills’ CEO about the compound?” 

“No. I only told her about your recruitment…why? Did she show up?”

“Yeah…She has a mission for me and if I don’t take it, she’s blackmailing me.” Andersen just lets out a frustrated sigh.

“I see…and what does this mission entail?”

“Capturing a particular rapture. Other than that, I know literally nothing. She’s trying to play fast and loose here, so I wanted to call you for your thoughts.”

“Well, it appears that you have some semblance of common sense after all…At any rate, do you plan on taking the assignment?”

“Yeah. I just felt I should tell you first. Something about this…I think there’s more to it.”

“I agree. Syuen is tricky…there’s no telling exactly what she wants. She is notorious for getting commanders that survive a single mission killed after she sends them on her own assignments…be ready for anything. If you sense anything you are absolutely certain that you cannot handle, call me for an immediate extraction. I need you alive.” 

“Got it.” I ended the call. With my viewpoint reinforced, I try to make my way downstairs…until I spot it out of the corner of my eye…the pistol. I stare at it’s metallic luster as I debate on taking it with me. 

“Commander!” I hear Diesel call for me. “We’re all ready and waiting!” With no time left to think…I decided to leave it behind.

I don’t need extra weight. 

I lock the commander’s room on my way out.

“Great, let’s get going.” I nod to the group. “Mihara, Yuni, you mind telling us the way?” Mihara nods her head, beginning our long journey to find our mechanical game. The walk is silent, with everyone seeming to be lost in their own thoughts. Part of me wanted details on the mission…the other part of me was either too scared or just wanted it to be a surprise. 

The journey to the mission start was a three hour walk. Every thirty minutes or so, Rapi would ask me if I needed a break…which quickly evolved into her demanding I rest. My response was always the same. 

“I’ll rest when I’m ready.” After this repeated six or seven times, Mihara stops.

“This is the place.” She says as I drop to the ground, hitting the concrete.

“Commander…” Rapi looked very concerned, while Anis looked pissed.

“Oh my god…were you always like this?! How are you still alive?!?” I shrug.

“Sheer spite. My mom used to tell me that dying wasn’t the answer.” I take of water, refreshing me almost instantaneously. “Outliving my enemies so I can piss on their graves was the way to live.” Reactions varied, with Diesel smiling, Anis seeming a but frustrated and Rapi being...Rapi..

“Establishing connection with command…” Rapi said as she held her rifle by her side. Her ever neutral face gradually devolved into one of concern. I decided to check the progress of her transmission using my Solid Eye…only to find that it wasn’t connecting. Her signal was being broadcasted loud and clear…but it looked like there was too much interference. 

“Sorry about that.” Mihara must have noticed that we’re both seeming a bit puzzled. “Syuen needs us to stop all outgoing signals…the rapture we’re catching is a clever one.” I wasn’t buying it for a moment.

“Hold it.” I cut in. “I know there are raptures capable of jamming or, in this case, receiving signals…but they are usually broadcasting signals of their own to do so, detectable clear as day, seeing as they do it by tapping into the same channels we use. My Solid Eye isn’t picking up any frequency that matches those signatures within fifty meters.” Mihara looked rather impressed at me…and I was never the type to turn down praise. 

“You’re correct. However, this rapture is special…Worst comes to worst though, I can turn the device off so we can call for evacuation.” Rapi crosses her arms, clearly not liking this.

“Looks like this won’t be standard operation…” I did plan on saying that we won’t be taking normal operations due to our status as Revenant Squad, but decided against it.

“You can say that.” The taller of the Missills Nikkes said without any malice in her voice…It’s not her fault that she has to work for a bitch like Syuen. “We refer to them as…black ops.” Anis scoffs.

“How cliche can you get…” Her response gets a light “heh” out of me. “What’s so funny, commander? Like you could come up with anything better…Revenant Squad is such a stupid name and I’m embarrassed to say it, so…you’d probably name it something worse. Like…Ghosts…or Cold War…something like that.” Part of me was offended, while the other half was accepting that naming things is hard…

“I mean, I was gonna go with Black Ops anyway. It sounds cool.” Rapi sighed from our antics while Diesel was lost in her own world.

“Capturing a rapture…” The former conductor thought out loud. “...is such a thing even possible?” Mihara puts on a warm smile.

“Don’t worry. Yuni and I were made for this.” As I heard that, my mind goes to back to what Andersen told me.

“We have the specialized Nikke…just not anyone who can utilize them effectively.”

I noticed Mihara was leading the way forward, which caused me to follow behind Rapi. Thanatos was itching for some action…and I couldn’t wait to give my newest addition to my arsenal a test drive.

With the Missills Nikke leading us, my mind drifts off a bit…I can’t get the feeling of how good slamming Syuen against that wall was out of my head. She seems to be an awful person that has no regard for life, but…she’s still that.

A person.

Do most people feel good when they physically hurt someone they dislike? I’ve never really known how other people thought…I didn’t talk much to the other kids at school, only Marian and my mom…and they didn’t seem to like hurting others…so why do I?

I just shake my head and take a sip of water to get it out. Doing this on the battlefield was a death wish, I needed to stay alert all the time.

“Where are we going?” Diesel asked Mihara, most likely to break the silence after a while of just silent walking.

“Why do you ask so many questions?” The more talkative of the two guest Nikke didn’t seem to have any hostility in her voice, asking it more as a genuine question. “Don’t you know men don’t like women who ask too many questions?” Wait, they don’t?! I love girls that want to know more about me, what I make, how I make it, what I’m up to…it shows that they’re interested! Is that not normal?!

And Mihara…isn’t my type.

“Well, we have to know where we’re going, don’t we?” Truth be told, I had been wondering the exact same thing. Did they already know where the Rapture was? Or did they just know its last location?

Mihara wasn’t answering…so I decided to ask Diesel a question of my own.

“You feeling alright?” I asked my favorite train driver…she hasn’t been acting as chipper as usual. After what happened with Marian…any of my Nikke acting strange immediately sets off red flags in my brain. I needed to stay calm. “Just some things on my mind is all…that and I was shot in the equivalent of my own house.” Mihara has this weird look on her face that I can’t describe.

“No big deal though…I don’t mind a little pain.” She looks over to Yuni and, it was at this very moment, that I finally put two and two together. 

YEP, DEFINITELY NOT MY TYPE! 

And with Mihara’s comment, our normal silence turns into an awkward silence. It wasn’t until around ten minutes later that Yuni seemed to spot something, running off a little bit away before stopping and pointing at whatever she had just found. “Mihara! Over here!” Those two words…it reminds me of what happened around a week ago now. Any time I hear it…I can faintly hear her voice say it as well. I shake my head once again, reminding myself that I need to stay alert or die. Mihara had made her way to Yuni with my three Nikke in tow. I power walk over there to keep up the illusion that I’m not that strange. As I grow closer, I can hear Mihara and Yuni discussing something.

“Nicely done Yuni.” 
“Don’t I get a reward? heh heh.”
“We’ll talk about it later. I haven’t decided how much you can have yet.”
“Okay!”

I’m not gonna ask. Not in a million years. Even then, that’s far too soon.

“What are these anyway?” Anis squats down to examine what Yuni had discovered. “Footprints?”

“That’s right.” The whip wielding Nikke answered, with the grenadier seeming rather confused. 

“You track raptures using footprints? Talk about being stuck in the Stone Age…” I examine the footprints myself, using my Solid Eye to capture every detail. 

“...These ridges toward the center…” I get another angle, looking at the height of said markings. “The shape was reminiscent of a lockdown type, but the area in the center is completely foreign…” 

“You know Rapture tracking?” Mihara seems practically shocked, even if she doesn’t show it in her face. I confirm it with a nod of my head.

“Knowing what could be up ahead can mean life or death. Might as well grasp the basics.” Yuni seemed genuinely impressed as well.

“Ugh, why can’t every commander just be like, half as good as you are? We’d have this war over with already!” Anis pouts. I couldn’t tell if her comment was a complement or a jab at me.

“Either way, Chatterbox’s signal is difficult to get a hold on…so we’re using the fundies to find him.” 

“Chatterbox, eh?” I can’t help but snicker. “Anis, what were you saying about me coming up with shitty names?” Anis rolls her eyes, about to defend herself, only for the nearly dead silent Rapi to cut her off.

“Why?” She asks Mihara, who I assume is the team leader of Wardress by this point.

“Hell if I know.” She shrugs. “Command wanted us to bring him in a couple months ago, but never told us why.” I decided to continue what I think could be the logical route to get some form of data out of the Missills Nikke.

“Have you had any previous engagements?” Mihara shook her head.

“You know as much as I do now. I’ve never seen him myself.” That’s…interesting. Concerning…

But also interesting.

“Jeez…” Diesel sighs, pulling down on her hat. “Finding this guy seems like it’s gonna be finding a needle in an ocean…” I raise a brow…She’s got the point, but didn’t stick the proverbial landing. 

“Don’t you mean finding a nail in a haystack?” Anis…how does she not…I was about to say something before the last person I’d expect to say anything in this situation interjected, albeit under her breath. 

“It's a needle in a haystack, you morons…” I couldn’t help but smile at Rapi…I’d be remembering this moment for a while…and something I’d never let her forget. “Regardless…if you are adept at tracking him and are equipped to capture him, what does bringing us change?” To be fair, I have to give that to Rapi. Sure, I had a feeling something wasn’t right…but I couldn’t put my finger on it. 

Rapi figured it out first…Mihara goes silent.

“...Looks like this isn’t your first rodeo.” My second in command’s expression doesn’t change, her eyes cutting through Mihara like daggers. “Tell me…what is the probability of a commander dying on their first rapture engagement?”

“Seventy percent.” Rapi’s response was immediate…as if she knew it by heart. It makes me wonder…was the reason she is staying within the guidelines on practically everything…

Was it because she was afraid of losing me?

“And the second?”

“Eighty seven percent.”

“The third?” 

“Ninety percent.” Hearing these statistics…I can’t help but think…Do we just suck that badly? Like…survival of the fittest and all…but surely not everyone is THAT incompetent…Anis snapping her fingers caused my return to reality.

“Aha! So that’s why Bitchpants McCrabby came knocking? Because he’s beaten the odds?” Normally, this would feed my ego, but I’m still grappling with the fact that when it comes to my fellow officers, I’m surrounded by idiots.

“Exactly.” Mihara replied. I push the thoughts of embarrassment of my species away for the time being. I need to focus on the here and now.

“...How many of them are there?” Rapi asked, her eyes becoming even sharper. Mihara didn’t seem to understand the question, same as the rest of us. “How many one-and-done commanders has Syuen burned through?” That question isn’t one I’m not going to like the answer to.

If they were competent, then that means they most likely studied on their own like me. If Syuen pulled them to do this, something that requires immense skill to pull off, blackmailing them if they refuse and getting them killed in the process…

Maybe I should have killed her when I had the chance…

“...I don’t know the exact number, but I’d say it’s above forty.” I sigh. Poor souls…hopefully they are in paradise for their dedication. Rapi turns to me. 

“Commander. This mission is most likely extremely dangerous…but due to Syuen’s methods…we cannot abort this mission.” I can only smile smugly.

“Quite the contrary. I think I have a way out of this jam.” I use my Solid Eye, dialing Andersen using a line that should be out of her… “Connection Terminated?” That can’t be right…the Solid Eye’s private line…does Syuen know? 

“Ah. I forgot to mention. If you are trying to use your eye to contact command, don’t bother. We know about your so-called “Solid Eye”. 

The base for that technology you’re using…was made by Missills. Though, Syuen is willing to pay a pretty penny to learn the way you made it.” I growl. That means…

“Well, fuck, I guess we’re capturing a rapture today.”

“Hmm?” Yuni spots something else, once again walking to something nearby. “Mihara, look at this!” Though she only called for her partner, I couldn’t satiate my curiosity unless I looked at it too…only to find the surprise that there was nothing TO look at.

“The footprints are gone…” Mihara says, some confusion hidden in her voice. I examine my surroundings…something doesn’t disappear without any sort of trace…especially in such a seemingly random spot like right here.

“...No.” I spoke up, pointing at a nearby wall. I noticed some repeated markings going up a building to my left. “Judging from the footprint from earlier where there were three spikes on each step, it looks like we’ve gotten an idea of where to go next.” Yuni seemed very impressed, Mihara less so.

But I wasn’t done with my investigation just yet. I get closer to the wall, examining the spike marks further. “Weird…these tracks…they don’t seem to be deep enough for any old rapture to keep a grip…”

“We already know he’s special commander…” Diesel speaks up nervously, as if afraid I’d lash out at her for the comment.

“...Yeah, but this isn’t your typical rapture behavior in the slightest. Even tyrant class raptures can’t usually tell they’re being tracked…but if he’s trying to get us off his trail…”

“He knows we’re tracking him…” Mihara tries to complete my thought…only to fail in guessing my exact train of thought.

“That…” I pause, drawing Thanatos. If he is intelligent, he might have a trap set…can’t be caught off guard against raptures. “...and he’ll have to try a bit harder than that to fool me. Let’s go.” I get ready to leave…until Yuni looks at Mihara.

“Mihara! Reward, Reward!” The way she said it made her sound like a child…but I had a distinct feeling that what may possibly happen next maybe for adults only…

“Alright, Alright…” Mihara chuckles. “...You’ve been a good girl.” Diesel’s eyes flash.

“Ooh! If you wanted a reward, Yuni, you could have just sai-...” Anis covers Diesel's mouth, with Rapi standing in front of her comrades to obscure the pair’s vision. 

“Did you say something, Diesel?” Anis cuts in for the team’s ray of sunshine. 

“Nope, she asked Rapi if she wanted a piece of candy.” Yuni shrugs her shoulders. A huge sigh of relief washes over me. I know for a fact that Diesel needs to stay far away from this sort of thing…

What happened next?

I couldn’t tell you for the life of me.

Yuni sat in Mihara’s lap, squeezed the masochist’s calf, both of them were turned on by it and I wanted to claw my eyes out because I didn’t sign up for this shit. Anis told Diesel that there was a “candy bar wrapper she dropped”, pointing to a place still visible to, but far enough so she can’t hear or see…whatever this was.

“What are they doing?” Anis asks, genuinely confused.

“No goddamn clue.” I gave my complete honest answer. Rapi just looked on with a completely emotionless stare. This “session” goes on for a bit longer than I would have liked…then again, this was already awkward to have right in front of me…

We follow the spike marks left by our mystery rapture, taking a left. While most people would be trying to process what the fuck just happened, I’m too busy thinking about this rapture…and how cunning it is.

This one…it’s far too clever than every other rapture I’ve fought put together.

“...We lost him again.” Rapi says as we examine the end of the trail. 

While everyone is discussing their theories…I notice three red dots right on Rapi’s chest…The signs of a deadly rapture sniper. “...Raptures!” The sound of a rapture binary rifle rings out, meaning I only had no time to push her out the way.

Perfect.

I leap in front of her, and with a wave of my hand, a deep blue collection of hundreds of small hexagons connected by yellow lines would appear in front of Rapi, much to her surprise.

“Commander?!” I look back towards Rapi.

“No time to explain!” I turn my attention towards Diesel. “Diesel, now!”

The blue-clad Nikke would draw her fully automatic assault rifle without hesitation before pelting it with dozens of shots. It took a solid three seconds of continuous fire due to the range and wind throwing off the trajectory, but eventually, she took it down.

“That’s that.” I lower the light shield, only to see two dozen or so raptures on their way. We only had a couple seconds to prepare, with some medium range raptures already firing at us. I leaped behind debris of a fallen building before poking my head back out and returning fire against the rapture that was targeting me, nailing it dead in the legs, causing the already primed shots from its laser repeater to hit another rapture. With the pressure off of me for a second, I use my Solid Eye to mark raptures for the team.

“Rapi, go for headshots on that lockdown rapture before it fires its EMP Beam. Anis, put some grenades under that Rapture’s body, then Diesel, you shoot the core for a nice midair explosion. Should take care of the airborne ones.” Mihara and Yuni were doing their own thing, so I decided to give them some orders as well. “You two, focus your firepower in the center!” They acknowledge my command, and before you know it, the Rapture Squad Leader made itself visible…A tank type. And it was aiming right at me. And while Thanatos couldn’t damage its heavy plating…

I did have something that could.

“Yuni, on my signal, fire your rocket at the area with the thickest armor!” She nods her head, smiling like a lunatic.

“Looking forward to this, I’ll be with it until it’s very end~” As I prepare myself for this risk, I analyze the situation…is right now the best time to be stylish?
…
…
…
I shouldn’t waste my time with stupid questions.

With a cocky smile, I leap over the barricade that I was hiding behind, much to Rapi’s horror alongside the others’ mix of fear and confusion. The rapture locks onto me, preparing to fire its main gauss cannon. 

I seemingly stand there, motionless…as if waiting for death to take me. The Gauss Cannon now fully charged, and the moment I heard the firing noise, I brought up the same energy barrier I had used prior directly in front of me to absorb the blast. “...Gotcha.” I snap my fingers at Yuni for the signal, who fires a rocket without hesitation. It hits exactly where I had hoped, exposing the tank’s power core. Some of the blast and debris would have hit me, only to either be absorbed or stop dead in its tracks by my guard. With enough damage absorbed, I couldn’t contain my excitement. “...Go.” I clench my fist, causing the hexagons to fly towards the now defenseless power source of the Rapture, piercing through it with ease, the resulting explosion sending scrap metal everywhere.

With the battle over, I dust off my jacket, wiping off some of the ash from the detonation of the rapture before bowing towards my teammates. “So, what did you all think of my newest little trick?” Diesel and Anis seemed too stunned to speak, while Rapi seemed frustrated.

“Commander. What you did was needlessly reckless and could have endangered both your life and all of ours. Please bear in mind that we can be rebuilt. You cannot.” I walk back to Rapi then place my hand on her shoulder, a cocky smile well on my face.

“Oh calm down, lieutenant killjoy. I knew I’d be fine…” There is no better feeling in the world than three months of testing paying off in a life or death situation. “You all did great back there. Let’s take a quick break, then get back on the hunt.” Before Rapi could interject, I decided to rest against a nearby wall, sipping some water as I looked out upon the wake of my squad’s destruction…despite Marian not being here…I still held my own. For shits and giggles though, I decided to use my Solid Eye to review the battle data…then compare it to what it would have been like if Marian was here. The results were…

Less than stellar.

A sixty three percent drop in efficiency on average in time, resource management, and risks. Even without counting my little stunt, my chances of losing Anis was forty six percent and Diesel was worse, with fifty five percent. The reasons for these potential mortality rates were…the tasks I assigned them were too difficult…I decided to stop looking at it for now. I have to remain calm…only positive emotions are beneficial on the battlefield. Negative ones lead to loss of focus…and evidently, I can’t have any more blunders in my judgement. I didn’t have time to reflect on my own actions, however, as I heard Diesel yell. 

“Rapi, behind you!” Without hesitation, I snap out of my own world and find Rapi, to see a half dead rapture trying to kill her. 

“Yuni!” Mihara looked towards her partner, who took out that whip again.

“Yes!” Energy would surge through the weapon as she struck the quadrupedal machine’s left hind leg, making it lose its balance.

“You missed!” Anis smugly points out before Diesel prepares to fire.

“Eat lead candy!” She unloads round after round into what would have been its face. With the threat now passed…I can only sigh in relief, checking my Solid Eye to ensure there were no more raptures to sneak up on us.

“All enemies neutralized.” Said, sipping some water. “Nice work, all of you.” It takes me a second, but after I nearly had a heart attack…I realized that I forgot to scan for surviving raptures as I usually do, to prevent situations like this from happening. 

I was slipping…making rookie mistakes. 

Mistakes that are only made by trash commanders. 

“That was close…you nearly lost your head there.” Surprisingly, Anis was still cracking jokes, rather than chastising me as I thought. Then I remember…unlike Marian who exclusively worked with me, all of these Nikke were used to working with low to mid level commanders…people that hardly have the same expectations as I set for myself. I just sigh once again…I can’t go back and unmake that mistake. Only move forward…I’ll reflect on my performance later. 

“That Rapture laser…was pointed straight at my head.” While it sounds redundant, raptures didn’t usually go for headshots. They were machines designed to put Nikke down quickly, not efficiently. They usually aimed for the biggest target…so if they went for the head…they must REALLY want you dead. Rapi looks from Anis towards Mihara. “What did you do to piss them off so much? Capture them, I presume?” Mihara nods her head in affirmation.

“More or less.” She replies with complete calmness. Between this, I decided just to say something else before I forget.

“I thank both of you for your help, you two. You saved my Nikke’s life.” Mihara gives me a surprisingly gentle smile. 

“Your thanks is appreciated, but unneeded, commander. I’m not the one you should be thanking. That honor belongs to my partner, even if it isn’t every day a Nikke receives a compliment from a commander.” I decided not to push that any farther, looking towards Yuni instead. 

“Thank you, Yuni.” She pulls on her whip, I think out of excitement. 

“Hehehe, You’re welcome! I hope you’ll reward me, commander.” I nearly said of course, until I remembered who I was talking to. I’d…rather not be put through any sort of unneeded pain.

My own thoughts and crippling self doubt are way more than enough to handle as it is.

My train of thought must have been written in my face, because Anis and even Diesel couldn’t hold their laughter, Mihara smiled, Yuni was confused, and Rapi remained completely stoic. “Don’t worry commander, Yuni won’t be using her special whip on you. It’s for shutting off senses…as well as obviously turning pain on. It’s more for Rapture capturing anyway…” Rapi’s eyes narrow, a telltale sign that something was about to happen…and not once yet has it ended well for whoever gets the cold dead optic stare.

“So both of your powers…aren’t originally meant for Nikkes, correct?” Suddenly, I feel like I’m watching either a police interrogation or courtroom drama…I wonder which is more terrifying…Rapi as an interrogation specialist or Rapi as a prosecutor. “Why would something that is supposed to be used on Raptures work on both Humans and Nikke…” Once again, Rapi points out an obvious question that never even crossed my mind. Mihara has no comeback, leading my second in command to push the question further. “...Who are you?” The atmosphere grew intense as Mihara said nothing at all, Diesel and Anis stepping back as I stood up, ready to end this if things didn’t diffuse naturally.

“You’re quite the supersluth, Rapi.” Mihara looked dead into my Nikke’s eyes…and just as I was starting to warm up to them a bit more, this happened. “Always getting to the bottom of things.” Rapi doesn’t so much as blink, ever vigilant.

“Answer my question.” Yuni decided to jump in on this in the worst possible way. 

“D-Don’t talk to Mihara like that!” I would be lying if I said that Yuni didn’t scare me. Not because I’m afraid of her in particular…but that I can’t ever tell what she’s thinking, which isn’t too big of a deal…but I could tell she’s already unstable…so I have no idea how she’ll react to anything. I rested my hand on Thanatos, ready to draw it if things got violent.

“It’s fine.” Mihara puts her hand in front of Yuni, thus calming down the situation, much to my relief. “...I’ll admit we haven’t been very transparent on who we are. But I can assure you that our abilities are equally as effective on Raptures, Nikkes and humans alike. We didn’t choose to have these powers…but we have them, and we use them to bag raptures…but versatility isn’t a bad thing, no?” That…couldn’t possibly be true. Before I have the chance to disprove the technical side of their argument, Rapi had her own line of thinking.

“You’re lying.” She was blunt, more so than I was going to be. “Nikkes are created exactly as the brain considers the ideal form. While you can wish for special powers or proficiencies that can be granted at the Manufacturer's discretion, said manufacturer cannot force them upon a Nikke. You couldn’t possibly end up with abilities you didn’t want.” That was…even better than my reasoning, holy shit. I’ve never met a Nikke so clever…even if I didn’t know that many Nikke regardless. 

“Syuen had us custom made without our consent. Do you really think that she’d be the type to personally explain what happened?” I was going to mention the fact that there is a waver you need to sign when becoming a Nikke that prevents anyone from tampering with your new body…until I remembered exactly who we’re talking about here. 

“...Fair enough.” Anis responds, clearly having more of a hatred for the CEO than I did. And I was essentially shot in the chest at least six times by her. 

“All we know is that we have these powers…” Mihara continued with her defense as the rest of us awaited what appeared to be her closing statement. “...And that we’re to use these abilities to bag raptures. That’s all there is to it.” With Mihara finished, I look to our team’s apparent judge, jury and executioner known as Rapi, who continues staring in silence.

“Adjust the formation. Wardress will take the lead for now on.” Our head of public relations Diesel looks at Rapi with a sad look in her eyes. 

“Rapi…” My second in command doesn’t even hesitate, despite Diesel’s charms. 

“I’m not turning my back on a Nikke who doesn’t even know who they are.” While I did have the power to negate this action, her line of thinking seemed logical enough. Mihara nods, although she sighs shortly thereafter. 

“Very well.” She begins to walk along the path where footprints appeared once more. “Let’s go.” I rest Thanatos on my back once again, beginning to follow behind Rapi. With Diesel and Anis by my sides…Rapi was really tight on my security…even if I’m far from fragile. We followed Mihara for a while, the tracks remaining consistent…until we stopped once more. 

“I’m detecting a high concentration of rapture wavelengths up ahead.” Rapi spoke as if she read Mihara’s mind. “...Never a good sign…” the leader of Wardress looks over her shoulder to look at me. 

“What do you think, Commander? Should we push forward?”

“I think that’s the right call here.” I use my Solid Eye to confirm their findings…and yeah, there’s something big there…but it’s not moving. Normally, I’d be able to sense that thing with ease, seeing as the massive signature it’s giving off…must have some sort of long range jammer…neat trick. “We found your guy, but there’s no way we’re taking down something that size without more forces. Besides, given the size of that thing, it’s gotta be lord-class at least, meaning it’s not moving all THAT quickly…meaning we can resupply, come back and he’ll still be right there or, at most, 2-3 miles away if getting ready goes smoothly.” Mihara gives a nod. 

“Good thinking, commander. Even when your call to command goes through, there’s not a lot of places he can go…” I prepare to dial Andersen, seeing as once Mihara deactivated her jammer, Chatterbox might know he’s caught. Apparently, he’s a crafty one, so I might as well be quick so he doesn’t have time to set up any more surprises. However, before Mihara got a chance to deactivate the jammer…

I get a text?

@CEO_Syuen: Hello?
@CEO_Syuen: Hello, hello?
@CEO_Syuen: Does this thing even work?!

@Call_Me_Dante: Sadly for me, yes.

@CEO_Syuen: Aha! It does!
@CEO_Syuen: How’s the tracking going?

@Call_Me_Dante: We found your rapture’s location. Planning to get some reinforcements before we take any risky actions.

@CEO_Syuen: Heh heh, suit yourself.
@CEO_Syuen: I’m sure people will be willing to help a turncoat after I leak your plans to betray the Ark. 
@CEO_Syuen: No amount of quips will restore your reputation after I’m done. 

@Call_Me_Dante: I’m taking this as a sign that you aren’t allowing me to return to the ark until I get you your rapture?

@CEO_Syuen: That’s right! You’re sharper than I gave you credit for. Mihara can’t lower that jammer unless I say so. You beat a Blacksmith on your own with less units. This should be light work for you. 
@CEO_Syuen: Make it work, Dante.
@CEO_Syuen: Ciao!~

The connection is cut off, leaving me with a frustrated look on my face towards Mihara.

Silence...

“Would asking “Pretty please with cherry on top” change anything?”

Chapter Text

With no other choice, our group began moving towards the source of the signal…the silence was never good for someone like me. It’s why I listen to music when doing practically anything, even if it lowers my productivity.

Being alone in my own head is never good…especially when she’s not around anymore. She used to split apart the dark clouds with her smile, her gentle touch enough to make the darkest night turn to the brightest day.

But that’s nothing but a memory now. And now that I started thinking about her, I can’t stop. I try to tell myself it wasn’t my fault, trying to make the pain stop. It made me feel like my brain is infected by the same thing she had. Guilt infects every thought and action, slowly consuming me…I fight it off…

But it will never go away.

Never.

It’s not helping that I feel like I’m marching these Nikkes to their demise for a cause I don’t care in the slightest about…most likely what the useless trash that came out of my graduating class of the academy does.

It made me want to stop thinking, returning to a cold and empty place where I…

“Dante!” I hear my name behind me, causing me to whip around to see Rapi and all the others from a bit away. I shake my head a bit, reclaiming my bearings before walking back to the others.

“Sorry, I was just thinking about some...battle stuff.” I said, trying to act like my normal snarky self. “What’s up?” The look on Rapi’s concern didn't fade, but she seemed like she was calming down.

“We’re going to be taking up refuge here for a while. We Nikkes don’t get traditionally tired…but.” Anis cuts her off, looking upset once again.

“You do. You walked for four hours, fought a rapture ambush and went two more hours without stopping until we made you! You need to rest before your body gives out.” Normally, I would have put on a tough guy act…but not here. I could hardly move right now since I realized how tired I really was. I looked at the shelter we picked out…it wasn’t much, but it had enough room for all of us…I also managed to find a cozy spot near the corner, not too cramped but still boxing me in a bit. Compression was always nice. The others were talking about something…I couldn’t even really make it out. I just set my stuff down and lied in wait of the incoming nightmares of reality as I drifted off to dreamland…

I could hear distinct chattering…several conversations going on at once. Seeing as they weren’t from strangers talking about completely useless topics like celebrities, but rather teammates simply talking to each other…it was a nice ambience to get me going after a nice power nap.
…
…
…
…Fuck, I need my water. I know my canteen is nearby, but I don’t remember exactly where…let me just…

Let me just…

Let me just…

LET ME JUST…

…I can’t move. Am I dead? Is this it? No afterlife, just an endless abyss to think myself to insanity to with no means of Esca-

“Oh my god, Yuni! Get up! You’re going to crush the commander!”

Oh, it’s just Yuni on top of me…

OH GOD, YUNI’S ON TOP OF ME!?!

“Mhm…just five more minutes…” I can hear Yuni’s half asleep voice tell someone I assume to be Mihara. Diesel would have been more polite, Anis would have cracked a mean joke about it and Rapi would have grabbed Yuni and tossed her through the concrete. “The commander is so firm, so warm, so comfortable…” I cannot even squirm due to whatever position Yuni was in. I am now realizing that it feels like there are two independently run bakeries on top of me. I know this is someone’s fantasy, but NOT MINE!

“...Get up. Now.” I can hear a voice and realize that either it was the Devil ready to take me to my eternal damnation…or Rapi seconds away from tearing Yuni to shreds.

Quite frankly, I don’t know which one is more terrifying.

The gremlin known as Yuni gripped me tightly, practically a bear hug as I felt my breath getting weaker.

No god, not like this, my mom is gonna kill me again if she finds out I went out like this!

“...Yuni.” Mihara said as if talking to a child, a sentiment that I was also beginning to share.

“Ok…” Moments later, I can feel the massive weight being lifted from my torso, fresh air filling my lungs with a deep inhale. My hands touch my body to make sure I’m still able to feel it…sure enough, I’m fine. I stand up, doing a couple stretches.

“So.” I clapped my hands together, unsure of how to respond to this situation. Everyone was staring with intense expression, ready to hear something come out of my mouth. In reality, I only take a sip of water from my reclaimed canteen and donning my coat once again, ready for action. “Is everyone ready?”

Personally, I’m going to pretend that the whole incident never happened in the first place.

“Revenant Squad is fully prepared, sir.” Anis still sighs upon hearing the name, but seems not annoyed enough to comment on it this time around.

“Wardress is also ready.” Mihara spoke, with Yuni by her side. With confirmation that both units were fully operational, I picked Thanatos, spinning it around before resting it in the slot on my back.

“Then let’s get this shit over with.” I lead the way outside…only for all the Nikkes to get in front of me. Personally, I don’t think it’s right that the leader cowers in the back while his subordinates are shielding him, but Rapi is a ridiculous stickler for it…so to save my time and effort, I just go along with it.

We walked in silence for a bit…still seemed like everyone wasn't fully attentive yet.

“Mihara.” Anis asks, surprisingly a get-up-and-go person.

“Yes?” Surprisingly, it appeared Mihara was quick to recover from late day naps as well…

“It seems like the commander is running off with your woman. How does that make you feel?” At some point, Yuni had dropped back and began to hold my hand, very firmly might I add. Granted, I could let go…but are YOU gonna tell them no?

“As long as Yuni is happy.” Yuni looks at me, and, by this point, I’m practically shitting bricks at the mere thought of EVER being locked in a room alone with this little pink gremlin.

“I did not agree to partake in any of this.” I clarified as Mihara looked over her shoulder.

“Aww, what’s the matter, commander? Afraid of…”

“Yes! Yes I fucking am!” I don’t care how pathetic it made me, I am not interested in any surprises either of these two would have for me.

“From this angle, it looks like their relationship is more like parent and child rather than commander and subordinate.” I cut Diesel a mean look…this situation sucks enough without third wheel commentary.

“It…certainly does appear that way.” Rapi looked away, my previous savior abandoning me once again.

“...Commander?~” I can hear Yuni’s voice at my side, even if I was too afraid to look at her, it was still there. “Can I hold your hand a little tighter?” My instant reaction should have been “Nope!” And making it so she can’t hold my hand…both Mihara and Diesel had these looks on their faces that practically screamed to let her do so. While I’ve never been the kind to give into peer pressure due to never having a sense of belonging, thus no one I considered a true peer…their looks were like saying no to puppies.

“Ffffinnee.” The word hardly left my mouth, as if my body was begging me to not let this happen. “...but only a little tight-“ before I could even finish, I could feel her grip increase exponentially. It was like my hand was being trapped in a hydraulic press!

“You’re so warm commander, I love it!” Yuni sounded so carefree, just as childish as she looks. Mihara laughs a bit, with both Anis and Diesel smiling about it as well. Lieutenant Killjoy found no humor in this situation, but the grass was also green today.

“A Nikke that likes heat…that’s a new one.” Anis didn’t seem all too bothered by this pain…she has fucking vice for a hand…I am filing a restraining order the second we get back.

“It’s not that she likes the heat itself…Yuni is not able to normally feel anything without direct contact with someone else.” That’s a bit…weird. I’m no doctor, but I’ve never heard of something like this in a Nikke before, nor did it seem like something your brain would desire and even less likely that the manufacturer would accept this ability. “I don’t know if this has something to do with her before, during or after becoming a Nikke. However, I do know that it puts off most people.” Mihara would proceed to look back at me, a genuine if not smug smile on her face. “Your commander must have…interesting desires.” My eye twitches out of sheer frustration. If I could scream without alerting raptures, I totally would. Rapi didn’t respond with the same sense of kindness.

“He is not a masochist, nor is he abnormal.” Anis decided to chime in, always ready to give her two cents.

“Correction. He’s one of a kind for a couple reasons, but his sex drive is apparently nonexistent. You’d assume the guy’s Catholic…” Rapi would bump her in the shoulder, even the arbitrary filter for Anis’ mouth. Diesel would smile, placing some candy in her mouth.

“Despite his status and attitude, the commander is really just a big softie.” I can’t tell if any of these were true complements or cleverly worded insults…whatever, I’m the guy that signs their paychecks. They’re gonna respect me those days…right?

“...Yeah.” Mihara continues looking at me for a couple more moments…I guess she gave Yuni some kind of signal, because my captor slowly loosens her grip before letting go entirely. The circulation that had been cut off prior begins to return…and, as much as I miss my hand being held…I have never felt more elated for someone to stop doing so.

Our walking continues for a while longer. With my hand freed, my body felt energized and my mind was focused on my goal of bagging another huge Rapture without the proper equipment. Music was a huge factor in psyching myself up for such a battle…while I try not to use my earbuds on missions for obvious reasons…I needed all the confidence I could get.

1 Mile…

0.75 Miles…

0.50 Miles…

0.25 Miles…

0.10 Miles…

0.05 Miles…

The air was too thin to breathe from the amount of stress…

“Commander…your heart rate…” Rapi asks me, looking at me with a very concerned look. I brought up my own vitals using my Solid Eye as I took out my earbuds.

“150, eh? Don’t worry, if the Raptures don’t kill me the heart attack will.” I laughed it off. My body always pumped blood fast, especially when stressed or in combat.

My potential final confrontation approached. The signal was coming from a dark wide alleyway, hardly illuminated under the now setting sun. I could see something in there…something big.

And it knew we were there. It was looking dead at us…the whirling and sounds of internal machinery came from the end of the alley. Despite knowing I was ill prepared to take this thing on…I didn’t really have a choice.

I take a deep breath, remembering why I’m fighting…something I always have to do.

“Move in…keep your guard up. Diesel, watch our six.” Our conductor nods as we crept up the street to get closer.

The hulking machine before us isn’t as big as the tyrant class by a longshot, maybe at most three times my height. But...those gnashing teeth...those finger knives...

Then it did something not even I could have seen coming.

“I was going to have some fun with you before I killed you. Today’s my lucky day!” The machine let out a menacing laugh that could send chills down my spine. All the others were in pure shock upon hearing his voice…even I was a bit shaken…

Guess we figured out why they call him Chatterbox…

“Commander!” Rapi ran towards my side, trying to get back in front of me…only for Chatterbox’s leg to swiftly send her into a concrete building. She looked hurt, badly.

“That’s not good.” I said to myself. As much as I hate to say it, I’m not strong enough on my own to take down these kinds of threats. Thanatos packs a punch, sure…but that can only take me so far. Low to mid-class raptures weren’t a tall order for me, but this?

That’s a bit too much for me to take on right now.

“You bastard, I’ll blow your ugly ass to kingdom-come!” Anis gets angry and preps her grenade launcher to fire, only for Diesel to stop her.

“Anis! Not yet! You’ll blow us all up!”

This new threat ignored our grenadier, pointing one of its claw-like fingers at me.

“Who…”

“Mihara!” Before he could even finish, Yuni motioned towards her, taking the initiative, seeing as Mihara was a bit shaken. The latter would snap out of her daze, glowing with a blue light.

And I had a distinct feeling I wasn’t the one that was having their pain senses switched.

The glow stops as fast as it came…before Mihara smiles…then shoves her own hand into her abdomen. No hesitation, no fear…just punctures herself. A loud BAM can be heard from around the same area of the rapture, followed by a groan. He can feel and process pain?

This may be fun.

“Your turn, Yuni. Let’s rough him up a bit.” The short pink haired sadist pulls on her whip with a smile.

“Yes!” With a satisfying CRACK, it quickly became apparent that he couldn’t see us.

“My vision…has it become blocked?” He huffed and puffed…it was kind of disappointing. I had been amping myself up this entire time for this big fight, only to get to watch Nikkes, that aren’t even mine mind you, get the satisfaction of watching him fall?

How boring.

“It should be easy to subdue him now.” Mihara and Yuni appear at my left side. Rapi, bleeding a bit from that hit, would stand at my left…determined to the end.

“Commander. The danger of this encounter is minimal. As your second in command, I request that you participate.” The look and determination in her eyes screamed that she wanted to take this thing on after she practically got bitchslapped.

And who am I to argue?

“Alright.” I clap my hands together, then submit the others the battle commands my Solid Eye drafted and I revised on the fly. “Let’s wrap this up.” As we engage, the fight goes as smooth as butter. His ranged weapons were practically useless thanks to his lack of vision. What little shrapnel that could have hit me was caught by my energy barrier, then had the kinetic force be redirected right back at him. However…he seemed to be much more durable than we initially thought. No matter how much damage we’d do, it felt like only half of it was really noticeable. It bought him enough time to regain his vision.

And that’s where things started to go wrong.

Slowly but surely, this clever rapture began to predict our movements. I could see the blowback from an explosion to cause Mihara to slide backwards.

“He’s putting up more of a fight than I thought. Looks like I’ll have to give him another dose…” Mihara's smug look as she once again exchanged senses with Chatterbox was something surprisingly out of character…until the rapture did something I hardly saw coming.

“Sense-switching…alright…” Without hesitation, chatterbox begins to tear off the equivalent to what would be his flesh around his torso, cackling maniacally. “Ahaha! This feeling! Come, let’s see how long you can endure this pain!” Mihara would fall over after only a bit longer, twitching on the floor. This would enrage her partner, as I’d suspect…and as much as I wasn’t a fan of either of these two…they were still human at one point…so I can’t let her do anything too reckless.

“M-Mihara!” She pulls out her whip, charging a powerful attack as she rushes to get in close proximity with this beast.

“Yuni, wait!” I tried to reach out to stop her, only to see her be backhanded into a building like it was nothing.

“Take notes, human imposters…use your rage, but do not let it blind you.” My Solid Eye displayed that Yuni’s out of commission, reasonably knocked out after being thrown through a concrete wall from that amount of force. What wasn’t reasonable, however…was Chatterbox reattaching his ripped off flesh.

“Self-Repair?! They can do that?!” Anis seems shocked and horrified. Me, on the other hand, I was more impressed than anything. If we take this guy down, I’m going to take a couple samples. An automatic healing unit for my Nikke would cause their survivability to go through the roof…and if I can get one for me…it will be exactly what I need to finally be on par with my Nikke. Chatterbox simply ignores Anis’ question, only turning to face me.

“Human…” His rough and gravelly voice says the name of my species makes my hair stand on end. “...lend me your ear. Unlike these human imposters…I mean you no harm.” His proposal seemingly comes out of left field…a surprise to be sure, but in this situation…

A welcome one.

I’ve always been told I’ve had a silver tongue…so I guess it’s time to put it to the test.

“Alright.” I close my eyes for a moment, steeling myself for what could be my end if I wasn’t careful. “I’m willing to hear you out.” As I open them, I see all three of my teammates staring at me in shock.

“Seriously?!? You can’t just…huh…I can’t even…” This was one of the rare occasions where Anis didn’t even have words which, if we weren’t on the battlefield, would have been amazing. Diesel and Rapi just looked at me with concern, with the latter seeming a bit more trusting of this action. Chatterbox chuckles in response.

“So…what do ya wanna talk about?” I ask as I lower Thanatos before slowly leaning up against a nearby building. “You have my full undivided attention.”

“Tell me, human…” He starts, leading my mind to play the hundreds of thousands of possible questions he could ask me. “...You are nothing like any of your kind that I have ever come across. I have been watching you since you arrived…and I’m thoroughly impressed by your skill and resilience. I would like to take you to meet my queen…I have the distinct feeling you will be the most useful asset in her conquest, perhaps even more so than I.” I rub my chin, critically thinking about his every word. It could be interesting to meet his superior…to learn more secrets that the raptures possess. There’s even a part of me that wonders if they have some way to restore Marian. If I had a way to guarantee an exit once I was satisfied with my visit, I would have leapt at this opportunity…but considering my situation at the moment, there’s no way I could…

Hold it!

“...Hmm…Certainly an interesting proposition.” I rubbed my chin, tapping my foot as I asked myself if this truly was the optimal play. With Yuni and Mihara out of commission alongside a weakened Rapi, continuing to take him on would be dangerous. I couldn’t stall for time because there’s no one that’s coming to save us thanks to that jammer. We can’t run away, because we won’t be able to make it back to the Ark before running into more raptures and I didn’t know this thing is capable of. I didn’t really have many cards on the table here.

So, since plan B of shooting my way out isn’t available…seems like it’s time for my tried and true plan C…

Wing it.

“With the right concessions…I’d be willing to accept.” The looks on my teammates' faces seem horrified at my apparent defection to the enemy. Chatterbox, on the other hand, seems rather pleased about this turn of events, seeing as he lets out another mechanical laugh.

“Excellent…I am willing to reasonably negotiate, human.” I smile in response. EXACTLY what I wanted to hear, down to the syllable.

“Alright…In exchange for taking me to see your Queen…I want you to give these lovely ladies safe passage. Pretty simple, eh?” All of my Nikke look at me with even more shock than before.

“Commander, this course of action…” Rapi tries to be the logical one here…only for our emotional powerhouse of the team to barge in.

“...is complete and utter horseshit! The second we get back without you and our mission incomplete, we’re getting scrapped if not worse!” Diesel decided that she might as well contribute to the dog pile, even if it was in her own fashion.

“Dante…this is really dangerous. What if you…” I rub her head. I needed her to stay positive at a time like this.

“Relax.” I shake my head to dismiss their worries, no matter how reasonable they may be. “I know exactly what I’m doing.” I said, lying through my teeth. “So, what do you say, Chatterbox?” I have a smirk on my face, trying to feign confidence as a method of remaining in power.

“Do we have a deal?” Chatterbox goes silent for a moment, the only noise he’s making being the mechanical whirling that made up his “breathing”. I’d be lying if I said my nerves weren’t shot. The ball was out of my court right now…he’s got the power to decide not just the outcome of this mission…but also who gets to die another day.

I was trying to form a plan…while getting the others home with a “captured” Chatterbox was already taking shape…I had no idea how to get myself back to The Ark.

Problem is that there are far too many unknown variables to even draft up a solid plan for me to get out alive…I’m putting myself at his boss’ mercy and, spoiler warning:

Raptures aren’t exactly known for being the kindest crayons in the box.

“Interesting…” The rapture says with a voice not unlike a scientist getting an unexpected result. “I didn’t expect you to care about your imposter humans.” The way he had been referring to them as “Imposter Humans” was frustrating…but I’m in no position to correct him. “But this does show one of the most important qualities of an asset.” I decide to guess his reasoning for him…should score me a couple of brownie points.

“Completing the mission no matter the cost, right?” Those sharp teeth of his display a menacing grin towards me…one that I had to pretend not to be afraid of.

“Precisely. You are going to serve the queen well, human. Very well…the terms are set. I promise that they can have a safe extraction in order for your mission of finding me to be completed.” I couldn’t help but smile alongside him. “We will leave at once. Hop onto my back, human.” I nod my head as I quickly hand over a tiny container to Rapi.

Inside were several samples of Chatterbox’s flesh that he had ripped off earlier. I managed to gather some during the fighting. I decided to also send her a lightning quick message using my Solid Eye.

@Call_Me_Dante: Give PKG, Chief 3W Max

The message should be clear enough. In case anyone was listening in, they couldn’t get too much information. I needed her to give Syuen the Package and tell Andersen that if I’m not back in 3 weeks, something’s gone wrong.

She nods her head, meaning hopefully, she understands. As I walk to get on top of chatterbox, Diesel grabs me, pulling me back into a hug. “You can’t just expect us to…” As nice and warm as this embrace was, I couldn’t remain here for long.

“Shh, I’ll be fine. You three take Wardress and rest up. I’ll be back in no time.” I flash her the calmest smile I could before breaking the hug. Without another word, she practically throws her bag of candy at me. “...Sweet, Road trip food!” I try to act as optimistic as I possibly can in this situation as I stuff it in my inner coat pocket before hopping on chatterbox and finding the smoothest and most comfortable spot I could. “Alright, ride like the wind, chatterbox!” He groans a bit with me giving the others a half salute as me and the rapture literally ride off into the sunset. Flash forward a couple of minutes…the constant rhythm of his steps, the warmth from the internal combustion, and the rapidly approaching darkness makes me…incredibly tired. “...Can I take a nap? It’s rather cozy up here.” No response, so I assume he doesn’t mind.

I lay my head back…God, I’m exhausted. As I close my eyes, I check on the others’ status using my Solid Eye…all energy was in the green…and Wardress was up too.

Seems like he’s kept his promise.

I slowly drift off to sleep, despite the current situation…I didn’t feel all that worried. The plan was 50% complete, I just have to work on the rest. Maybe it was because how tired I truly am right now…hard to say.

Now…I wait.

Wait for what may very well be my last Rapture Encounter.

Chapter Text

The crackling of thunder jolted me up from my previously peaceful slumber, a wonderful alarm clock, if you ask me. 

“What’s the matter, human? You aren’t afraid of the weather, are you?” I couldn’t tell if he was trying to intimidate me or was genuinely curious. 

“Quite the opposite, actually.” I stretched out my arms and legs, trying to make sure I was properly prepared for meeting his boss. “...Lightning has always been fun to watch. The flash of light and the booming afterward…there’s nothing truly like it. What about you? Do you like any particular weather?” To my surprise, it seems he was actually considering my question.

“Rain.” His answer was short and sweet. 

“A machine that likes being out in the rain? That’s a first.” Said machine chuckles in response.

“Hmm…I thought you would have learned by now that I am far beyond your typical rapture.” I shrug my shoulders. “Besides, I find it hard to believe you’ve never asked your imposter humans about their preferred weather.” 

“Meh.” I replied, hiding my anger about his comment behind apathy. “Much easier coming up with other things to talk about with them. No offense.” He chuckles.

“Oh, I am going to love working with you…We’re on the same wavelength, you and I.” The fact he even thought we were remotely similar disgusted me, even if I wouldn’t show it. 

“Maybe, once these negotiations are handled. Speaking of which…how far are we?” The one literally named Chatterbox didn’t respond. This led me to a singular, yet undesirable conclusion. I checked my Solid Eye for the time. “...20 hours of traveling…and you can’t remember the way there?” The rapture let out what I can only describe as an embarrassing sigh.

“I don’t want to hear it, human.” I pop a piece of candy in my mouth. 

“Oh you’re gonna hear it; HOURS of it.” I cleared my throat. “Are we there yet?” 

“I’m not lost.” He corrected me. “The location has been moved several times due to her orders. We will be arriving shortly. I recommend you prepare yourself.” Another piece of candy in my mouth…as good of a breakfast as I was going to get at the moment, alongside some ice cold water from my canteen. I looked into Thanatos’ metallic coating…making sure I was somewhat presentable. I would have been really exhausted if I had slept for over twenty hours…God knows how much distance we’ve covered in that time. It reminds me that I’ll need to be reserving water…I have the feeling I’ll be needing it in the future. 

After about fifteen minutes, me and my trusty steed entered a ruined city…Cleveland, apparently. “...I hope you’re ready.” He said with what I could imagine was a wicked smile on his face. “You were brave to not be afraid of me…but you’ll be a fool if you do not fear her.” Truth be told, I could feel the pressure building…the idea of meeting a Rapture that could command a subordinate capable of ragdolling Rapi and wiping out the entirety of my team despite being at a numbers disadvantage…it wasn’t the most reassuring feeling in the world. The thunder in the air was adding to the mood, even if it wasn’t raining. The clouds were so dark, I couldn’t even tell if it was day or night, the sun or moon shining down upon us. 

I could, however, tell we were moving towards the city’s center and I could even see the grassy clearing that had grown over the concrete thanks to the bountiful soil known as time…there even was a tree, the healthy and natural green making this sight all the more magical. Standing under that tree…was a figure, it’s silhouette being elongated on the buildings sides. My solid eye registered it was…a Nikke? The exact picture from a distance couldn’t make it out…but Chatterbox stopped. 

“It appears our journey together has come to an end, human.” The Rapture’s toothy grin is visible to me after I dismount my ferry. He looks towards the figure. “I have brought him to you…my lady.” They do not turn around, deciding to continue to stare at the rest of the city down below.

“Good.” Her voice… “Your next assignment is to intercept a Nikke Squadron en route to the destination we had discussed earlier. Leave immediately…You’ll need to hurry to catch up to them.” Chatterbox bows in response to his new directives.

“As you wish…Lady Modernia.” He begins to depart, only to glance back at me. “I look forward to working with you soon…Partner.” The way he smiled before saying that…it sent a chill down my spine…next thing I knew…I was alone with this “Lady Modernia.” She still doesn’t turn around to face me. 

“Human.” She spoke with unbridled confidence, knowing she was in complete control of this interaction…and my fate. “Come to me.” With a bit of hesitation, I slowly walk towards her, the grass swaying in the wind. The closer I got…the more I began to hallucinate. 

Her proportions, the color of her hair, her height…all of it reminded me of…her…I pushed it out of my mind. It’s all in my head, just the stress getting to me. 

She didn't face me immediately and neither did I…a part of me was too afraid to look. Instead, the two of us looked down from this deadly height at the ruined city that crumbled into a crater.

“Is it not beautiful?” She asked me before continuing on without my answer. “Nature finally reclaiming what is rightfully theirs from these parasites known as humanity. True justice takes a physical form…it makes me smile seeing it, even if my colleagues don’t understand its inherent beauty. I know it was a much longer journey for you and Chatterbox…but all Raptures deserve to see what our goal is.” To say she was wrong about the natural beauty of the sight below us would be a lie…even I cannot deny how nice it is. A perfect place to get away for a bit.

If I make it out of here alive, anyway.  But my slight bit of happiness was shattered as Modernia finally turned to address me, getting a look at her full body.

The visor on her face covered her eyes…but there was no mistaking it. It was…

Marian.

“It appears as if you already know how to speak only when directly asked a question.” My former Nikke responded to my silence, mistaking it for reverence rather than disbelief. “Good. I love a lapdog that’s already potty trained. Chatterbox was right about having a suitable candidate…but of all things he said to you…he never told me your name. Referring to you as a human would be an insult, one that even someone high above you such as myself would refrain from using. So Tell me…

What is your name?” 

I close my eyes for a brief moment…trying to process this information. I was feeling all emotions all at once…Euphoria but also despair. I felt I was so alive…but also dead.

Seeing her here…it was against everything I ever knew. I put a bullet in her head, one that I am certain ended her life. 

Is this some kind of clone? A shapeshifter? Even if Marian survived, why would she join the Raptures rather than call me? All these questions and hundreds more flood my mind…but I needed to be in the moment. I needed more information.

“...Dante.” The word left my mouth as I opened my eyes to look at her once again. The mere sound of my name seems to trigger something inside her, seeing as she let out a tiny gasp. 

“Dante?” She asked me, as if trying to confirm it was me…only to continue saying it. “...Dante. Dante. Dante. Dante. Dante. I’ve heard that name…somewhere.” My eyes widened in shock. This was practically proof! My former Nikke keeps repeating the name over and over again, intensifying with each repetition. “Dante. Dante. Dante. Dante. Dante. Dante. Dante.” Eventually, she was practically screaming…until something began to muffle her. Black liquid began to drip from her mouth…with each repeat, it began to intensify the flow, eventually causing her to grab her throat as she hacked up chunks of black. “What’s…happening…to…me?” It began to stream behind her visor, as if she was crying it too. She begins to tug at the metal over her eyes before devolving into frantic pulls. “Get…it OFF!!”

With a fling of her mask, it revealed the rest of her face, the area where it covered being drenched in this black liquid. She hastily wipes it away from her eyes, only to be more shocked at seemingly seeing my face. Modernia begins to scream in pain for a moment, clenching her head tightly. I move towards her, only for her to push me away. “GET OUT OF MY HEAD, GET OUT OF MY HEAD, GET OUT OF…My…” after a couple repeats, she seems to grow very tired, falling to her knees. “...Head?” She proceeds to look up at me, very confused, now practically shaking.

“D-Dante? Is that…really you?” Her voice was a bit different from before, missing that slight distortion…

Marian’s voice, clear as day. I slowly begin to walk to her…only for my Nikke to furiously shake her head. “DON’T COME ANY CLOSER! STAY BACK!” Her yell sounded more desperate than anything she ever said, so I listened to her instructions. “I don’t want to hurt you…but I can’t control myself…” she winces in pain, clearly fighting off something. “They…injected me with something…it’s using my body…like a puppet…” She begins to spit up more black liquid chunks…something I assume has something to do with this. I would take a sample, if I had something to persevere it with…I gave my container with the scraps of Chatterbox to Rapi. “You need to run…get as far away from me as possible. You can’t beat her, not right now…I’ll hold her off for as long as I can, just run!” I shake my head. Seeing her here…and in such a poor condition…I can’t let the past repeat.

“How can I? I see you again and suddenly you expect me to leave you behind?” She clearly was losing control, trying everything she could to not let this infection take her body once again. “Does this thing have a weakness?” My Nikke shakes her head. 

“I-I don’t know…but, run, please! We can figure out something later, but you need to get away from me! I don’t want to hurt you!” I continue to walk towards her, despite her obvious qualms. “Stop! Stop! What are you doing? What are you doing with your life! Don’t…” I cornered her against the tree…before gently and gingerly wrapping my arms around her. Tears run down Marian’s face, most likely from both pain and emotion. “You…” Our eyes lock, and despite their unnatural red color…I can still see the eyes I’ve stared into all my life. “...really are foolish, aren’t you, Dante?” I give her a smile.

“Yeah, well…Without you to keep me and my emotions in check, I’ll be getting myself in lots more trouble.” She closes her eyes as I back away, wiping the black liquid off of me.

“Ok, Dante…” As she opens them once again, I can see the unbridled hope in her eyes…it was another one of the many reasons I cared about her so much. “...I trust you.” 

The change in her demeanor was instantaneous.

The soft expression on her face snapped to one of pure rage. “...You…” Like I do with most of my sentient opponents, I decided to taunt this parasite. 

“Hey, what’s up?” I stylishly draw Thanatos, pointing it at her with a cocky grin. As I hoped, this irritated my parasitic friend.

“...I’m going to make this hurt, human…a lot.” 

https://soundcloud.com/backslash3r/the-duel-modernia-battle-i

The duel begins…I decided to take the first move, firing three shots as a gamble to get an early game advantage. And while my accuracy was dead on…my bullets stop in midair, inches from her face. “...What?” Using my Solid Eye, I could tell she had created a magnetic field, holding the bullets in suspended animation.

“...Hmm…surprised, Are we? I guess humans can be entertained by mere parlor tricks.” Modernia would take a step back before resting her hand near the bullets and grinning. “Let's see how long you can last…Show me a good time, Dante!” She proceeded to flick the bullets back at me. The first two weren’t too hard to dodge, so much so I was able to have enough time to shoot the third one out of the air. Thanks to that magnetic field though, I’m at a major disadvantage. Bullets were one of two offensive tools I had, the other being utilizing my guard’s ability to redirect energy in the form of homing energy blasts. The second one requires me to put myself in disadvantageous situations to get more energy and, when fighting something where the solid eye has so little data to work with was practically suicide…Ok, yeah, I MIGHT be a bit in over my head here…

fuck it, PLAN B! 

While she definitely has a movement advantage over me. I just needed to get a window to escape…and wing it from there. Not a great plan, I know…nor did I have any way to get that escape window…but it’s better than fighting without any idea what to do. 

The minigun on her shoulder began to fire bullets slowly as it warmed up. I knew I only had a couple seconds to react before that thing started spewing out more bullets than god, so I rolled to a tiny piece of cover to keep me safe for a couple seconds. Assuming an all concrete composition, I’d have roughly three and a half seconds to-

(BANG!!!!)

NEVERMIND, I JUST GOT SHOT IN THE SIDE! A snarl would come from me as I went prone to dodge any other bullets the chaingun was firing, knowing that the elevation should give her too little of an area to consistently land a shot, especially with such an inaccurate weapon. Still though, I could hear her growing closer, so I needed a plan to buy me some more time…I was a rock in a…

I’ve got an idea. 

I grab a palm sized piece of concrete…before throwing it up in the air. As I suspected, the minigun locked onto it rather than me, firing at it without mercy. 

“What?!” Modernia seemed clearly surprised at such a trick, only to see me jump out, Thanatos primed and fired dozens of shots using my own auto lock-on as I retreated backwards. Black drops were littering her torso as I hid inside a building. “Slippery little bastard!” She growled, wiping her “blood” away as she pursued me using what seemed like those wings on her back. Once again, I had to think quickly. Using my solid eye, I determined the weakest portion of the decaying building…then waited for her entrance, using my eye to calculate the aim and trajectory needed to make my impromptu plan work. It was risky…but I needed to try. “You can’t keep up with me…” She mocked me, misplaced as her insults may be.  “...Just look at my speed!” I could hardly track her, heavily relying on my solid eye to show me her location as she entered Melee range. 

“Be that as it may…” I aimed down the combat sight. “Let’s see you dodge this!”  I let loose a three round burst, sending the building crashing down on top of us…before activating my barrier around my body to shield me from the incoming chunks of concrete, absorbing all the force of the impact. I didn’t need to see Modernia to know that she’s been entombed under all of the rubble. The dust clears…causing me to let down my energy shield. That should buy me some time…even if that didn’t hurt her that bad, that’s a lot of rocks. With no time to lose, I prepare to take off…when I notice something. Thanatos…

…was missing?

I had it in my hands a couple seconds ago…until I saw it being dangled in front of me by the Barrel. 

“Looking for this, Dante?” Modernia smugly smiles as she looks down upon my horrified face. “Sorry…” I vainly lunged toward it, only for her to throw it sky high, then use her chaingun to reduce it to scrap metal, landing in her hand before she crushed what was left, a shit-eatting grin wide on her face all the while. “...Was that important?~”

I didn’t have time to think about my situation as she used a diving kick straight through my chest, riding my body like a skateboard across the rubble from the building until I was pinned against the tree from before. Modernia jumps off of me, landing by my side with a backflip. “You’re still conscious? Good.” I feel like there was so much in my back that I had become a part of the road I was just dragged on. I could only weakly groan as she lifted me to the throat and pinned me to a tree. “...Gotta say…that hurt my arm a bit…” Her smug smile turns into one of pure malice. “How about I repay you the favor?”

Her grip was like a vice as it wrapped around my own arm…then proceeded to start to break it at every single conceivable point as I screamed and writhed in pain. “That’s right…keep screaming!” The look on her face…it made me sick…something using her body like that…It stirred enough in me to throw a punch with my remaining arm. It landed on her cheek…but hardly moved her head. Modernia began to laugh a bit. “Pathetic…You humans are nothing if not persistent. Do you have any other tricks for me, pretty boy?”

She grips my throat tighter, causing me to cough up a bit of blood. “Go on! Try something! I’m waiting!” I was quickly losing oxygen, beginning to grow light headed. I wanted to use my barrier redirection…but my Solid Eye said it had been critically damaged. “What’s the matter? No more quips? No more words to fail?! Then…I think we’re about done here.” She aims the minigun dead in my face as I vainly struggle to escape her iron grip. I close my eyes…before remembering exactly why I was fighting. 

Marian is being given a fate worse than death…stuck inside her own body, unable to move…I can’t let her stay like that forever. 

I wasn’t going to die here…not without her by my side. 

That was…until I heard the sound of a Sniper Rifle ring out, then feel my body hit the ground. Despite my oxygen deprived delirium, I could see a bullet carve through the dead center of Modernia’s shoulder mounted weapon. Another shot was fired, hitting Modernia in her chest, causing her to growl. “...You…” I turned around to see another Nikke, unlike any other one that I’ve seen. She wore practically all white and was practically carrying a full arsenal on her…was that an ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUN?!? 

“I’ve told you before.” The Nikke’s voice was deadly serious…more so than even Rapi. “I will never stop hunting you down…traitor.” The Rapture growls, turning back to me as she touched a holographic display on her arm…revealing a giant machine behind her…she had cloaked an entire tyrant class rapture?! 

“You…insignificant FUCK! THIS IS NOT OVER!” In the blink of an eye, a cockpit inside the machine would open…with Modernia suddenly being inside, sealing shut before it roared to life…Our mysterious stranger tried to shoot it down, but it took off at the speed of sound. 

“Damn it…not again.” She sighed, the huntress seemingly being upset with her prey escaping. She quickly turned her attention to me, quickly walking over as I felt the blood running down my side. Despite not being choked still, my vision was still blurry and pain setting in now that the adrenaline was wearing out. She stood in front of me, I could feel her picking me up. Was this…an Angel? Was I being taken to the afterlife? 

I was…extremely exhausted. I wanted to fall asleep so badly…but knew I may never wake up if I did rest my eyes. I could hear muffled words, most likely meaning that my savior was speaking to me, but I could hardly hear her over the ringing in my ears and the rapid fire pumping of my heart. After a while,I could feel my body being laid down on something, still seeing her hovering over me all the while. From there…everything felt like a blur. I can’t remember exactly what happened…but eventually, I fell asleep. But before I could…I see a smile on her face, then heard a couple words that made me wanted to get context to.

“...Just like old times, eh Dante?”

Chapter Text

Pain. I hadn’t even opened my fucking eyes yet and I’m already in pain. Not like “my stomach hurts” pain. I mean like “Oh my god, please end me.” It causes me to let out a groggy but agony filled groan.

“...You’re awake.” I could hear a somewhat familiar voice call out from my left…but due to being half asleep and feeling like I was about to die, I couldn’t make out exactly who it was just yet. A sharp exhale…I knew I had to get up…but god, I just really didn’t fucking WANT TO! 

…

…

…

I attempt to sit up, only to feel an even sharper pain in my side. I nearly screamed from both the sheer sensation and its sudden appearance, but manage to silence myself before I embarrassed myself in front of who could very well be god for all I fucking knew. “Be still.” I can hear footsteps walking towards me, then a cold sensation being applied all over my body. It felt…hydrating? Refreshing? I couldn’t really explain it…but it felt amazing…like “I had just died and gone to Heaven from how good this felt” amazing. I inadvertently let out an “ahhh” to commemorate this feeling, which got a tiny laugh out of whoever this voice was. “...I had been waiting for you to wake up before I applied the ointment. It should dull the pain for you.” Now sufficiently healed, I manage to finally open my eyes, sitting up gently to see the same white-clad Nikke from…

“...Marian!” My memory comes rushing back to me. Modernia, the black liquid, Thanatos being shattered into a million pieces, “you insignificant fuck!”, giant mech, the whole shebang! This Nikke, however, shook her head.

“Modernia retreated for now.” She spoke with complete composure, the air of a true soldier being apparent from her mannerisms alone. “Sorry I couldn’t assist you sooner. Had you not thrown that punch at the last second, she wouldn’t have been able to…if I was only a little faster…” She seemed to be very upset with Modernia’s escape, more so than I. Then again, I think I knew a bit more about my former best friend’s situation than this Nikke did. 

In that case, I guess my punch wasn’t completely futile after all…

“It’s alright.” I wasn’t fully awake enough to explain what happened to Marian. “I’m just lucky to be alive right now.” My savior only shook her head, not willing to take the praise. 

“You’re barely alive.” She motioned to my body and I noticed two things immediately. There as a bandage wrapped around my chest…and my arm was in a sling. “I was able to get the bullet out of your side.” That certainly explains the sharp pain from earlier. “As for your arm…it’s never moving again.” Now that…was more of an issue. “...Modernia completely destroyed the thing, down to your nerves. Even with the highest level treatment I know of, you will never be able to use it at one hundred percent again…” That…certainly will be a problem. Even still…better than being dead, especially now that I have a clear goal to complete. She looks at me with a sympathetic gaze, clearly not forgiving herself about me getting beat up this badly…

Even if parts of that were my own fault. 

I decided to at least try and comfort her. Without her, I’d be in hell by now…first layer at best, ninth at worst considering how pissed off I get.

“I’m still alive though. That’s the most important part. Thank you for that.” She lets out a frustrated sigh.

“Jesus fucking Christ, you really are Ceaser’s kid…” My eyes widened and my jaw hit the floor as I heard that lore bombshell came out of left goddamn field.

“You know me?” I tried to not fly off the handle out of shock, managing to conceal my surprise rather well, all things considered.

“I do.” A faint smile from the Nikke, one that was enough to make me smile back. “You’re not the only one cursed with that secret.” I guess you could call it a curse…keeping it underwraps is always a nightmare. Hopefully, if I make it back home, my interaction with the outside world will be minimal…just me, my Nikke and my workshop. Either way, not the focus of the conversation, my thoughts on HOW she knew me were FAR more important right now. “That look on your face…” her smile grows a bit wider as she laughs a bit. “...You’re somehow just as adorable as you were when you were a kid.” This solved a couple questions…but also raised at least eight more. 

“You’re a pilgrim, I take it?” That explains she’d know me and my family…and why she was so powerful.

“I’m not surprised you don’t remember all that much of me. I only babysat you when you were a baby…” The thought of this woman who just saved my ass carrying around an anti-aircraft gun and engaged a Rapture commander’s forces by HERSELF…taking care of me when I was an infant…really diminished the “mysterious badass” vibes I was digging. “My name is Snow White. It’s…nice to finally see you again, Dante…even if the circumstances aren’t what I expected.” That name…I did remember mom saying something about that name before while talking to someone else at our house…though I couldn’t remember that person’s name either…

“Feeling’s mutual.” I rolled my neck, the satisfying pops and released tension adding to my new found energy. I reclaimed my shirt that Snow White had removed while bandaging me up, alongside my surprisingly intact bag of candy, popping a piece in my mouth as a refreshment.

There’s a dry spell in our conversation for a moment, with both of us trying to find the right things to say in this situation. My Solid Eye was still rebooting…when I noticed that I couldn’t connect to any sort of Central Government signal…meaning communicating with the Ark or the Outpost would be impossible. 

“Snow White…does this area have a high concentration of dense particles?” I asked, to which she nodded her head.

“Mhm. Chatterbox was here…and he can choose to leave lingering heavy particles that jam all communications from Central Government sources in a huge radius to cover his tracks.” Clever bastard…I’m not surprised, it’s what I would do…but still. His intelligence isn’t to be underestimated, clearly something Snow White understood as well. “The only way to breach this signal would be a radio tower…” Snow White puts out the bonfire she had set up prior, walking toward her arsenal of weapons. “...which is where we will be going. Dawn will be breaking at any moment…so we should leave immediately.” She finishes picking up her tools of her trade, quickly walking to my side. “I will warn you that we must traverse a fair distance.” I expected as much. Chatterbox could have sped up while I was sleeping…so who knows how far we are from the outpost or the closest elevator back to the Ark. 

“How far are we talking?” I raise a brow. She was most likely talking about fair distance for your spoiled commander…so no problem for me. 

“Considering the distance and speed of which we travel…then factoring how we may encounter raptures along the way…” Snow White stops speaking, most likely calculating the time. “Ah. Not only are you human, therefore requiring rest…you are also injured. That healing ointment may dull the pain…but your body, particularly your arm, will most likely cause you extreme pain, so we’ll have to take that into consideration as well.” Another pause and I assume once again she’s doing the math. “I believe it should take us two weeks.” 

…

…

…

Well…shit.

“Two weeks, huh?” I asked for confirmation, thinking she had meant two days or two hours. 

“...If we could procure a vehicle of some sort, that could certainly expedite things…but we cannot factor luck into the equation…if luck even exists at all.” I smirk…my luck was one of my most powerful assets every now and then. It’s either I go completely broke…or I buy a lottery ticket once and win the jackpot.

“It certainly exists.” I clarified. “And while there are times you’re not able to have Lady Luck smile upon you no matter what happens…I’ve found that it's something you can earn. It requires preparation and forethought to get your pieces in place, and maximizes your chances of a return. It's counting cards, running the numbers…rather than the blessing of lady fortune.” Snow White blinks a couple times before smiling and shaking her head. 

“It seems like you inherited the possession of a large vocabulary from your mother…and the tendency of being overly dramatic from your father.

…What an award winning combination…” I roll my eyes. “As long as you have me…you will make it back to the Ark.” Snow White places her hand on my shoulder. “...I promise.” I shrug.

“Relax. If my father could trust you, I’m sure I can too.” I pop another piece of candy in my mouth before stretching and standing up. “...Let’s go,” With that, the two of us begin to walk in silence…when I noticed Snow White was…Drooling? “You…ok, Snow White?” 

“That candy…” I look down at the bag, noticing the abundance of sugary contents inside. 

“You want one?” I take one out before offering it to her. She quickly nods her head, to which I flick it into her hand. She unwraps it, wiping the saliva from her mouth as she puts it inside, her reaction to the taste being even more over the top than mine…

“...So good…” To see someone as stoic as Snow White practically melt at the taste of a homemade candy was…entertaining to say the very least.

The thoughts about Modernia however...were far from that. I couldn't get her out of my head...I needed to save her...but how? I had so little to go off of...and I was beaten in under a minute. No information, no means to track her, no advantages...even destroyed all my weapons and crippled my arm...

These thoughts are brought to a halt when I hear Snow White call out from in front of me. “Hey. You’re slowing down.” To be honest, I was lost in my own thoughts so much that I’ve forgotten how long I’ve been walking for…long marches were usually silent because of the stamina drain…didn’t leave much energy for casual conversations. However, the voices in my head never got tired…they whisper truths and lies to me as I practically think myself to death. Regardless, I caught up to Snow White. “Is there a problem, Dante?” 

“I’m fine.” I was not fine. Not at all…how long we have been walking for is beyond me…granted it didn’t bother me much, the internal soul crushing guilt and self hatred keeping my brain far too occupied to care about the pain of walking until someone snaps me out of it. 

“You’ve been walking for some time. I believe you may have unintentionally broken the record for most distance walked without stopping. Over ten hours of constant movement…unprecedented by human standards.” I give the Nikke a half smile.

“Yeah well…I’m just trained better than most. You think that this will save some time on our trip?” Snow White nods.

“If you continue to function at this capacity, then yes. Our current location is vast and open, meaning we are completely exposed to any nearby raptures. That isn’t a problem for me, but your critical condition means that your life would be in grave danger from any sort of rapture weaponry. There are some ruins up ahead. Just pick up the pace for now.” Thus, we continue walking and that means I’m right back to my own thoughts…and the voices in my head.

“You’re slowing down again.” She looked back much more concerned than before. “You don’t need to prove that you’re hardy. Your fight with Modernia already showed me your resilience and resolve…you need to rest…and your blood sugar levels…” Turns out, running on solely Diesel’s candy wasn’t going to cut it. “...That’s…not good. Saying you’ve overexerted yourself on an empty stomach is a drastic understatement…” Snow White pauses for a moment. “...I will adjust the route. We will be heading to a nearby farm…or the remains of what used to be a farm.” 

“You think there’ll be any safe food there?” I was so tired, I didn’t have the energy to make any sort of funny asides. 

“I don’t know. If we are lucky, then yes. If we are unlucky, then no.”

Yeah, that’s how luck works, Snow White…

“It may also be crawling with Raptures.” I just looked at my survival specialist, but must have had an irritated look on my face. “Why are you giving me that look? On the surface, nothing is certain. You must rely on luck wherever you go…this place is inhospitable…it is not your friend.”

Oh yeah? Well, it better start getting used to me, seeing as I live above ground. 

“Right then.” I begin following Snow White, my brain practically shutting off by now. The walk to the barn thankfully wasn’t long…at least, I don’t think it was. I entered a trance like state, following the white Nikke until she suddenly stopped. 

“Stop.” She said, causing me to cease moving at once. “Raptures dead ahead, they’re wandering around the barn.” I quickly found some cover near Snow White, instinctively reaching for Thanatos with my non-dominant arm to find it wasn’t there…Shit. Deciding to use my Solid Eye’s radar, I could get a look at our opposition to at least make myself useful.

“Three of them, seem to be a group of scouts…their command signal from their leader says they’ll be leaving soon. If we wait them out, we…” Without warning, I hear a powerful gunshot go off. I look over to see one of the Raptures shatter in a million pieces. “...!”

“You want to wait…” Snow White pulls back a lever on her weapon, proceeding to aim at the second rapture, who was still trying to discern the location of who practically annihilated their leader before suffering the exact same fate. “...for the Raptures to leave?” While the third was able to ascertain the location of their assassin, it proved to be far too late, seeing as there was already a massive bolt headed its way. “...isn’t that a nice thought…” The smoke clears from both her gunfire and the sparks of dead raptures. “ We kill all of the raptures.” Her voice was cold when she said that…and I could practically hear the hidden rage in her words. “We don’t leave a single one standing.” 

“Gunfire could attract more of them. We are in no position to act like this.” Correction, I was in no position to act like this. Snow White was in perfect condition.

“Let them come…” She responded, loading her rifle out of precaution. Her weapons seemed to not utilize the 3D printing technology found in later weapons…if I wasn’t in this predicament, I would have been examining this weapon from dawn to dusk. “...I’ll blast every single one of them to kingdom come.” Snow White takes a step forward. “Let’s get inside that barn. Hopefully, we can scrounge up some food.” 

The two of us enter the barn, each of us taking a side to examine. 

“Nothing on my end.” I yelled to the other end of the barn, now really starting to feel the hunger since I was potentially minutes away from food. To my surprise, Snow White was already behind me. 

“I found some clean drinking water and several cans of food.” I smile. Hell yeah, canned food stays good for fucking ages, I wonder what flavor- “the canned foods expired nearly twenty years ago.” 

…

…

…

That’s just…wrong. What are we in a famine…oh…right. 

“It seems that there used to be some grains but the rats have eaten it all.” Fucking Rat Bastards…If I get out of this, I am never letting a rat live again, no matter how cute it is. “To be safe, do not eat any of the leftover grains. Even if it looks healthy, it may be infested with rat droppings. As for the cans…” Snow White opens one of the cans regardless, to which I was about to deny without hesitation. I’d rather starve to death now that I've gotten a whiff of it. To my surprise, however, she scoops some on her finger, then puts it into her mouth. With seemingly no reaction, she faces towards me. “It’s gone bad. You will die if you eat it.”

Yeah? I thought it would give me a permanent health bonus, thanks for the helpful tip, Snow White.

“For me, however…” She empties the can in her mouth. Then the next one. Then the last one. Ok, if you try something once and it clearly sucks, I believe you. If you try something twice and say you don’t like it, I’ll be a bit suspicious but still accept it. If you try the same thing three times then practically ready to have some more, then I’m calling bullshit. Now I’m starting to wonder if she was lying and that was secretly some amazing stuff. “Yuck…” that face she’s making dismissed my train of thought. Nevermind, that shit tastes terrible, two hundred percent sure. “It tastes awful…but calories have been secured. Though…you might not want to come near me for a while.” I’m trying to process the fact that she really ate that shit. “I will give you all of the drinking water.” She handed me a couple bottles of water…surprisingly clean water, according to my Solid Eye. I begin to dump it into my thermos, the auto-cooling making it ice cold…refreshing like no other. “I have heard that humans can survive up to four weeks on only drinking water. That may be true…but then again, I doubt that you will be able to traverse the remaining distance on drinking water alone.” Snow White walks over to a tree nearby the barn, her hand sliding down the bark. “Perhaps we can boil this tree down into some kind of porridge…” That’s a THING?! Since when?! “Or this shoe leather…no, it’s synthetic leather.” It was at this moment I grew concerned over exactly the type of shit Snow White has eaten. “We need to get some food in you so you can keep moving…give me a…” I heard a “squeak squeak” from nearby the Pilgrim, which was then followed by a lightning fast stomp from the Nikke…it was…

A rat.

It squirmed frantically, trying to escape what it knew would be its end. But it cannot escape from death.

Snow White tosses me a pocket knife. “Once you remove its intestines and roast it…you’ll be able to eat it.” It sounded disgusting at first…but then I remembered the other “luxurious” dining experiences I’ve gone through. I ate a bowl of expired dog kibble once…just in case something like this were to happen. 

“Can you get a fire going?” I asked, surprising the Nikke. 

“Understood.” As she walks away, I smile as I think of this as my revenge on these rodents for eating all the grains. I proceed to carve them out with laser precision, despite my less than ideal mental condition due to being out of it from hunger. Fast forward a couple minutes and the two of us were sitting around the fire like we were camping…just replace the marshmallow with a rat. Eventually, I got to dig in, savoring each bite. Snow White’s stare never left my dinner. “How is it?” She asks, practically foaming at the mouth. 

“Not bad at all. Kind of bland without any sort of seasoning…but it’s still meat.” Another bite…seems like the asshole was fattening up on some grains for quite some time. Plenty of meat to chow down on.  

“You have to do whatever you can up here.” She says, looking deep into the campfires burning light. “Some days, you go through the rain. Some days, you feed on a tree frog. It’s an ordeal…a trial to survive…even just to see new light. You’re doing far better than I expected.” I smile. Getting a compliment from a hardcore survivalist like Snow White was quite the honor, at least in my opinion. 

“You’re my guide. I’d be dead without you.” It was true. I couldn’t think about what would have happened if she hadn’t saved me back there. 

“Even still…your drive to keep going…you must really want to get back home as soon as possible.” That was…partially true. I did have a will to do something…but not for myself…I have to save Marian. 

I won’t die until we’re reunited. I made her a promise…and I never make a promise that I cannot keep.  

“Mhm.” I’m tempted to ask her about these so called Heretics…Nikkes that join the Raptures…but I wouldn’t have a chance to, seeing as she gets back up.

“In that case…” Snow White puts out the fire. “...Let’s get moving. You seem to have some energy back, so wasting it on small talk could be fatal.” 

With that, our journey continues once more, pressing forward to the radio tower. I decided not to check the distance between us and our destination, feeling as that may make the trip longer…so I keep moving, entering my thoughts once more. Once again, time seems to blur…the endless stretch of wastelands making nothing but ambient noise as I continue to think about my next move…before eventually stopping thinking at all. “Going back…after…arrived.” I could hear muffled voices…but honestly it blended in with all the other ones inside my head. “...here?” I choose to ignore it once again, still moving forward before I hear what I know is Snow White. “Hey!” I shake my head, looking to my left to see the concerned look on her face. 

“Huh, what?” I responded, breaking out of my head. 

“Are you listening to me?” She must have noticed that I wasn’t paying attention…“...Look at me.” I stare at Snow White for a moment, so much so that I could feel my eyes start to close. “Keep looking at me…” My vision starts to go black, feeling a relaxing sensation in my mind. “...Look.” I continue to embrace the sensation from earlier until I feel her shake my shoulder. “Wake up!” The combination of her raising her voice and her shaking me jolts me awake. As my eyes open, I am greeted by the sight of a frustrated Snow White. “...Goddamn it, Dante…” She looks around before turning right and continues walking. “...Follow me. We’ll find a place to rest.” It was at this moment that I realized…

How long has it been since I last slept? 

In my own thoughts, I once again forgot that I need to survive long enough to get back to the outpost so I can make a master plan to get Marian back. I follow behind Snow White, forcing my heavy eyes to remain wide open. 

“There.” Snow White points to a tiny enclosed space in some debris. “...Go and rest there. Do not think of moving around or even lifting your head. Lay your hands by your side…if you move around too much, this structure will collapse on top of you.I follow her orders, not having enough energy to question it. I made sure to line myself up to ensure I’d get an optimal sleeping position…if I can’t move…I have to get it right on the first try…and with a slide…I’m inside the closed space…a tiny rock under my back.

Oh, this was gonna SUCK…

“Now go to sleep. You should be safe from any heat detecting raptures now. The concrete should cover up your body heat. As long as you do not move, you are completely undetectable…meaning I can’t set up a fire to keep you warm. Considering how long you’ve been awake, I believe that you need at least ten hours to fully rejuvenate your body…meaning we can spare five hours before moving forward. Consider it a…what’s it called…a power nap.” 

Ah, power naps my beloved. I thanked them in my valedictorian speech.

I close my eyes, only to hear Snow White speak once again.

“I know how you must be feeling. Ignoring absolutely everything about your own body…refusing to accept that you are in pain, moving forward even when you should have stopped hours ago, so lost inside your own head that you practically rip yourself to shreds physically, mentally, and emotionally…

But we’re almost through the worst of it, Dante. They say it is always darkest before dawn. Soon, we should be able to get to that radio tower. And when we do…we can talk without any worry.” She pauses for a moment, looking directly at me with a look that seemed to be one of regret. “I don’t need to sleep…but you do. I can respond to a surprise attack…but you can’t. If you don’t want to die in your sleep…just do as I say.

I won’t let history repeat itself.” The chills that ran down my spine as I heard that last sentence were enough to dislodge that rock from underneath me. I could only imagine what it could entail…

“You aren’t setting up a decoy?” I asked with a bit of hesitation. Even in the early days of the war, holographic decoys were used to distract raptures so commanders and their Nikkes could get some rest. Personally, I felt that they could have far more utility than just that, but I haven’t had much time for experimentation. 

“I do not have one.” Of course she doesn’t… “There are two reasons why I do not carry a holographic decoy. My weapon carries a majority of my maximum capacity. Currently, I only have ten kilograms to spare and that’s only because of the ammunition I have expended. That is also why I cannot carry you. More importantly however,

We kill all raptures.

Rather than luring them away with a decoy, I would rather them come straight to me. Now get some rest. I will be nearby…just say my name if something is wrong.” Her back turns to me, walking to a nearby cliff to gaze over the wastelands of today. All I can do is begin to watch her…despite being tired…my mind was racing. Occasionally, she’d stand up from a bolder she was sitting on then mumble “No…not it” or something similar…There was something about Snow White that was so intriguing about her…not only did she know my true past rather than the practical lie I had been living thus far…but her intense hatred towards Raptures was…

“Snow White.”

“Yes?” 

…

…

…

“There’s a spider on my arm.” 

“It will go away in a moment. There are no lethal venomous spiders in this area…”

“Now it’s on my face…”

“Eat it.”

…

…

…

“Did you eat it, Dante? Do you have any left over by any chance?”

“...No.”

“...That’s too bad…”

As I slowly begin to drift off to sleep, I decided to pop off a question about something that I’ve been wondering about for a while. 

“Snow White.” She looks towards me once again. 

“What? More spiders to eat?” Was she drooling over SPIDERS?! Definitely candy and rats if she was REALLY hungry, I can understand, but a spider?!? 

“Why are you so hellbent on destroying raptures?” I ask, to ease my mind. 

“You already know the answer to that.” I had a feeling I already did…but I decided to keep pressing forward, my exhaustion causing me to not think straight. 

“Aren’t there situations where sneaking by is more preferable?” 

“You’ve seen what raptures can do. Avoiding them is against everything people like you and I stand for.” Her words were full of emotion…yet she kept that somewhat gentle monotone voice. “Even if just one is alive, humanity will never be able to reclaim the surface. Every rapture I kill is for the betterment of mankind.” Her reasoning is somewhat valid…but does she think she can do it all by herself? “There’s never a day I don’t think about the day humans take back what is theirs.

 This is why I fight.” 

I decided, in my wonderful sleep deprived logic, that now would be the perfect time to try and recruit Snow White to Revenant Squad.

“Do you think you can kill every single Rapture on your own without any help?” She shakes her head, though my eyes could barely make it out as my eyes grew heavier and heavier. 

“Of course not. I can, however…take down all of the Rapture Queen’s Heralds…the Heretics. The Nikke that deserve no mercy… then the queen herself.

Modernia’s cackle rings out in my head…alongside Marian’s cry for help. I’ll have to tell Snow White eventually…though, now won’t be the best time.

“What then? Once the Raptures are wiped out, what’s left for someone who does nothing but kill raptures? Do you have any hopes or dreams for yourself?”  My eyes grow even more powerless as she turns away.

“...My hopes and dreams died long ago. There’s nothing truly left for me now.

…

…

…

Though…it may not be grand enough to call a dream…but one day…I want to eat until I’m just before I’m about to burst then immediately sleep for days afterwards.”

“...”

The last thing I hear is something that could have made me tear up, had I not fallen asleep as I heard it. 

“Are you asleep?

…

…

…

“I envy you.”

The next day…Despite my one hour rest…I was in worse condition than when I slept. I couldn’t breathe…I couldn’t think…I’d occasionally vomit…red and green spewing from my mouth. I’d even collapse several times…at least every thirty minutes. After two hours of that…then more vomiting, I’d hear Snow White sigh.

“It’s worse than I thought.” She says, clearly scanning my vitals. “...Your body is deteriorating, and rapidly at that.” She practically growls, clearly out of anger. “I should have known that you couldn’t keep up with me…humans aren't meant to be treated like this…you’ve been living like me…and it’s tearing your very body apart.” I punch the ground out of sheer frustration. What I’m trying to do is certainly possible…I just need to keep going…I have to. I weakly try to stand up, only to collapse again. “...This isn’t working.” She said as I lay motionless on the ground. I hear a loud THUD next to me…despite feeling like my brain was waterlogged, I think I managed to discern what exactly she dropped…her weapon. “I’ll be carrying you from here on. I’m putting you on my back.” It took me a moment to two and two together, but I eventually managed to tell what it was. 

“You can’t just…” I hack up some blood from my mouth. “...drop your weapon.” I retorted, trying to summon the energy to stand once more, yet couldn’t even muster enough to pick myself up. 

“I can’t let you keep going like this. I have tolerated your suffering under the assumption that something like this wouldn’t happen if you followed a somewhat altered version of what I do…You were doing so well, but in the end…

You’re not a Nikke. You’re the strongest and most skilled human…but that can only push you so far. Not only that…your arm is broken. I shouldn’t be pushing you this hard. 

I’ve realized that now and if I can’t get you to safety, I may have learned this too late. 

I’m not losing anyone els-“ Snow White didn’t have time to finish her reasoning before Raptures got the drop on us. “...Shit! Dante, RUN!” Despite having literally no energy seconds prior, the sounds of rapture lasers and explosions trigger my last energy reserves as I pick myself up and run for cover to hide behind, thick stone slabs that can be great to take cover behind…or, in my case…close my eyes…and rest. Despite the literal battle going on…I start going to sleep. 

“Dante…Wake up Dante…” A sing-song voice graces my ears, sounding oddly familiar…I feel my body being laid down on something metallic, causing me to wake up near instantly upon coming into contact with the cold and unfeeling steel.

“..!” I can see Snow White hovering above me…a common occurrence as of late. Unlike normal, her completely emotionless face was replaced with a light smile.

“Did you sleep well?” A pause as I try to remember what happened from what felt only moments ago. Last thing I remember was…

“Where…” I didn’t have time to finish my question before the Pilgrim answered it for me. 

“The Radio Tower.” Snow White takes a seat on what used to be complex machinery, crossing her legs at the same time. “I carried you here.” 

Despite just waking up, I knew that Snow White couldn’t just carry me here when I last left her… 

“What about your weapon?” 

“My weapon is special…handmade by your mother, actually. It’s composed of seven different modules that allow me to be fully prepared for any situation…I discarded four of the seven momentarily, leaving them hidden from any raptures. I’ll retrieve them once you’re safe.” While this did answer my initial question, it also raises several more. “The antenna of the tower was damaged, but I did some maintenance…You should be able to contact The Ark.” The pilgrim motioned towards the port that would provide a signal…little did she know that I was already utilizing the technology inside remotely using my Solid Eye. After a couple seconds, she would smile. “So that’s how you were intercepting the rapture signals back at the barn…you have…” I tap the side of my head, near my eye. 

“Be it human, Nikke, or Rapture technology ...Nothing is safe from the Solid Eye.” An overstatement, this thing was hardly the end all be all…yet. Snow White stifles a laugh.

“I see you inherited your mother’s tendency to be overdramatic…” I roll my eyes as I fully receive access to The Central Government’s online servers. “...You’re patched in with your eye?” I nod…dialing Andersen.

He picks up instantly.

“Hey Big Boss, you busy?” There is chatter in the background, though I can’t make out a word due to the amount of people talking over each other.  

“Extremely. I am in the middle of a press conference…Be quick.” 

“So…basically, I’m alive.” I can imagine the look on his face. 

“Evidently. We can discuss the details later. Give me your coordinates, the nearest active squad will be extracting you.” I sent Andersen my location, glancing at Snow White who gave me a thumbs up. “...Understood. Closest squad in your area is…

Absolute.”

Absolute was Elysion’s crown jewel, that much I knew…but I didn’t know much else. But seeing as we might be going on the occasional joint-operation thanks to Ingrid’s trust of Andersen, AKA, the guy who signs my paycheck…it wouldn't hurt to get to know them. 

“Got it. See ya!” I can hear him sigh on the other end of the line…took a year off his life and added a year to mine. 

“...Dante.” His voice showed the same sternness as usual. 

“That’s me.”

“...You did well.”  Andersen hangs up, the sound of the press becoming the last thing I hear as my boss returns to whatever boring thing he was up to. To be honest, I didn’t expect him to compliment me considering my “reckless” actions…but I’ll take whatever praise I can get…With a deep breath, my gaze returns back to Snow White.

The two of us stand in silence after I hang up. It was obvious Snow White wanted to say something as we looked each other in the eyes…as did I. 

“...I’ll stay with you until the helicopter arrives within two hundred meters of the radio tower.” To pass the time, she began to disassemble her weapon, thoroughly caring for each extremely worn part with a cleaning kit.

“You’re not coming back with me?” I asked. Snow White was incredibly powerful and durable…we would be in a much better spot if she was around…that…and I had so many questions. The Nikke responds with a sharp but simultaneously gentle sigh.

“It would put you in danger…the Central Government will do anything to get their hands on a Pilgrim…as they have made it more than clear. The have been chasing me for years now…Even if that means hurting you…they’ll do it without hesitation.” I recall my mother talking about the Central Government’s desire to capture any assets that they deem useful in her recording…and while Andersen had plenty of power…he couldn’t protect me entirely from the all-seeing eye of the Central Government. 

“The outpost is above ground…its my permanent residence now. Its very existence is classified…we can…” I didn’t even have time to finish before Snow White shut me down.

“No, Dante. I refuse to put you in any sort of danger…I’d never be able to rest with the looming thought of you being cast aside like trash. That and…” She breaks eye contact, as if she was ashamed of what she was going to say next. “...this whole ordeal showed me that I am not capable of keeping you safe on my own. I must kill all raptures. It’s my prime directive…I will never fully rest until I kill every rapture…all of them…down to the last one.” Her desire to kill raptures has gone from a directive to a passion…that now has spiraled out of control into obsession. 

“That heretic…” I decided to finally bring it up…I knew it could cause some tension between us due to her overzealous nature when it comes to raptures.

“Don’t worry, Dante. The next time I see that traitor…I will break her arm.” I shook my head in response. 

“That’s not it.” Snow White raises a brow out of confusion. “That heretic…I knew her…no, I know her. She was my Nikke.” The pilgrim looked surprised…but not in a good way.

“She betrayed you?!” Snow White was about to lose her cool, so I decided to stop here then and there.

“...No. She was corrupted by the Raptures. I had to put her down…” Her look of rage transformed into one of somberness. 

“...I see.” She shakes her head at me before locking her eyes upon me once more. “...Dante, I need you to listen to me. The look in your eyes screams that you wish to return her to her previous state…” Snow White grips on a nearby rail so hard it begins to cave in. “...but you can’t save her. Anything that was left of her is gone…when a Nikke becomes a heretic, their entire brain and body are changed to suit the Rapture Queen’s needs. That’s something practically possessing her body…it’s not her.” 

“You’re wrong.” I didn’t have time to be elaborate, seeing as I didn’t know how long it would take for Absolute to pick me up. “Before our fight began…I was able to reach her. It wasn’t for long…but she was able to speak. I even promised her that I’d free her. She’s still in there, Snow White. There has to be a way to save her.” The Pilgrim said nothing, only wearing that scowl for a couple seconds of silence.

“...You’re too much like your father.” The Nikke added as she closed her eyes, to which I believe she was picturing my father in her mind. “You will always try to save your Nikke, no matter the consequences.” She opens them, her expression turning into one of a conflicted person. “On one hand, that’s what I like about you. You don’t compromise and neither do I…on the other…any rapture I let slip through my fingers could be the one that kills a Nikke…any rapture I avoid could be the one that finds its way into The Ark. 

I will not let any more good people die…even if that means putting down Modernia.” I was getting rather frustrated. Her overwhelming desire to destroy all raptures is to the point of absurdity…I understand she’s named Snow White…but why can’t she see gray? “I’m sorry about your Nikke…I know you most likely got attached to her…but you can’t let false hope over one soldier get the best of you.” The way she said it was my last straw, my quick temper taking over. 

“She’s more than a soldier, Snow White! I can save her, I swear!” A drawn out sigh from the pilgrim.

“I know that Nikke are more than machines or soldiers. But she’s a rapture now, Dante. The blood on her hands…despite only being around for two weeks…she’s a killing machine. Ruthless…genocidal…relentless.” Still more frustration from me…why is she so goddamn stubborn?!?

“...Snow White…That Nikke…I knew her ever since I was growing up. She’s my best friend. I can’t let you kill her.” The mysterious Nikke sighs once more.

“...I see. If you are that sure you can save her…then I promise that I’ll not kill her unless you give me the word.” Hearing her promise to me…it felt like a huge burden was lifted off my chest, causing me to breathe steadily again after being so emotionally charged. 

“...Thank you.” I was straight and to the point…just the type of answer she was looking for. She shook her head once again before standing up and giving me a light smile.

“You’re welcome.” After reassembling her weapon, Snow White began to walk towards the exit behind me…or…so I thought…before I knew it, she embraced me deeply. “Promise me you’ll take care of yourself, Dante.” 

“I will.” I responded, muffled by the sound of being right up next to her. She held me for a good while. 

“I’ve forgotten so much…but you I will never forget.” I could feel something wet run down on me…and I had a feeling it wasn’t blood this time. “As rough as this journey has been…It was worth it for this. To hold you just like this.” It was clear that Snow White wanted this moment for a long while…god knows how long. Eventually, she lets me go.

“If you ever need repairs…you can always come to the outpost. Even if you’re not a permanent member…you can still message me or stop by.” She opens the door to the tower's ladder…

“I look forward to that.” Her smile grows a bit wider. “...I’ll be keeping you safe from a distance…even if you can’t see me.” She walks outside the door...disappearing into the night, with no shadows left behind...leaving me on my own as I see the approaching helicopter  

Chapter Text

As the helicopter grew closer and closer, I couldn’t help but feel a bit…Actually, I’m not really sure what I’m feeling right now. Snow White had left me with so many answers that dug further and further into the truth of my family…and even myself. It made me really think…

Could I really live up to the immense standards that are my parent’s legacy?

Cesar Fortuna; The Legendary Nikke Commander. A master tactician, capable of fighting alongside the strongest Nikkes ever assembled.

Mary Fortuna; The Scientist Supreme. The ultimate craftsman when it came to weapons or other Nikke necessities, capable of forging weapons of mass destruction.

I have to live up to that somehow…whatever.

It doesn’t matter right now. I didn’t have any strong desire to be or surpass my parents before, so I shouldn’t let this one experience change all of that…besides…

I have enough phantoms to chase as it stands thanks to Modernia. Last thing I need is more shit to beat myself up over. 

Eventually, the engine and rotation of the blades of my salvation began to drown out these thoughts thanks to the sheer volume. They were beginning their descent in front of the tower, so I decided to begin making my way down as well.

I had no idea what Absolute could be like. For all I know, they could be a group that takes everything seriously or takes everything as a joke. However, any thoughts of the latter were quickly cast aside when the side door opens, revealing what should be the team's commander. Well, actually, my first thought was “Jesus Christ, her forehead is HUGE!” but was quickly followed up by “Yep, that’s the look of a killjoy if I’ve ever seen one.”

The Nikke didn’t even say a word, only motioning me inside the transport. With nothing else left here, I followed the implied instructions and entered the helicopter. As I did, however…my Solid Eye picked up a signal that something was locked onto me from far away and upon zooming in…I could see someone clad in white watching me through a scope. Having a general idea of who it most likely was, I give a wink, putting a tiny smile on the partially obscured face. The sliding doors closed promptly afterwards, sealing the sound of loud propellers as it began to ascend to the sky in order to take me back home. Not content with staring at a steel sliding door for the duration of my ride, I turned around to see the leader of the group alongside her two companions.

“Take a seat.” Her voice was softer than I suspected, yet sharper than any knife. She laid her sniper rifle across the cushioned bench she inhabited, a cue that she didn’t want me to sit next to her…

I literally just met her and she hates me already. That HAS to be a record. When’s the last time you heard of a person despising someone else before they even met? That or she had a stick shoved her ass massive enough that it messes with her memories and tricks her into thinking I’m her nemesis. 

With the leader clearly out of the picture, I look to the other two members of absolute. To avoid looking too awkward, I didn’t have long to make a decision. I decided to sit next to the…well-endowed one. As I plop down, I feel my body relax…I doubt this is as luxurious as my body let on, but after roughing it for so long, anything with air conditioning and a comfy seat felt like heaven. The woman next to me seemed so surprised, about to speak up, before being stopped by fivehead. “Don’t.” Jesus, who pissed in her cereal this morning?! “You are the son of Cesar Fortuna, correct.” Oh…so that’s what this is about. 

“Are you going to shoot me if I say yes?” I was tired…I must have gotten 3 hours at best…maybe around 13 hours during how long I was out there. She only scoffs in response.

“...I expected more from you.” Wow…my jaw nearly hit the floor. A pilgrim called me the strongest and most skilled human on the planet…and that’s not enough for her?! 

“Oh don’t be like that, Eunhwa!” The one sitting next to me responded to her officer in a chipper voice before turning to me. “Don’t mind her, she’s a bit mean towards new people.” She smiles brightly, showing that she was clearly a ray of sunshine compared to the dark eclipse of whatever the fuck Eunhwa is. “My name is Emma, it’s wonderful to meet you Commander Fortuna!” I instantly felt comfortable around Emma…like I had known her all my life and could trust her with my darkest secrets. 

“It’s nice to meet you too, Emma. And, please, call me Dante.” I turn my attention to the smallest one of the group…just one look at her could make me smile. They lock eyes with me, clearly unsettled by my presence. 

“That’s Vesti.” Emma answered my next question before I even asked. I could tell the two of us were going to get along perfectly. 

“Hey, what’s up?” I offer the petite Nikke my classic catchphrase.

“It’s nice to meet you, Dante.” Her response was filled with uncertainty, clearly unable to tell if I was friend or foe just yet. I’m sure she’ll come around eventually. Emma would clap her hands in delight.

“Now that we’re all acquainted…” The peppy Nikke would reach into her bag, pulling out some granola bars. “...How about we have dinner together?” My eyes light up as I spot the flavors advertised on the wrapper. Peanut Butter Chocolate…Macadamia Nuts…Raspberry cream cheese…it was enough to make my mouth water. Emma must have noticed my sentiments, a small laugh leaving her. “You look famished, Dante.” Considering how I was surviving on so little, even a mere snack to hold me over was gonna taste like a three course meal…she sets all three in my lap as she begins to distribute the same amount to her comrades. To my surprise, I was struggling to eat them. They were SO GOOD, I wanted to do nothing more than devour all three…but I guess I’ll have to eat slowly. “Oh my gosh…” Emma looks at me more closely. “...you look awful…I thought we would try to get to know each other, but you look like you’re on death’s doorstep with those eyes…” I couldn’t look that bad…what happened next was a bit of a surprise. Emma would snap her fingers, a light bulb going off inside her head. “I got it!” She pats her lap. “...Do you want to rest for a moment? If you sleep upright in this helicopter , it can cause your neck to hurt…or, so I’ve been told. You can rest your head on my lap.” I didn’t even have time to react before my head was thrusted into the Nikke’s lap…

Holy shit, this felt fucking amazing, I could die right now from pure comfort HOW ARE HER THIGHS THIS PERFECT OF PILLOWS?!?

I proceed to remember exactly where I was. In a Nikke’s lap…that I had just met. The reactions of the room weren’t as shocking as I’d imagined. Eunhwa just rubbed her temples while Vesti tried to ignore this scene entirely by playing on her phone. I can hear Emma chuckling above me. “Aww…you’re so cute when you make that face…” I don’t know what kind of look she’s talking about and, at this point, I’m too afraid to ask. 

“Emma. Do not coddle the weakling.” Eunhwa brushed the hair away from her eyes. Goddamn, is she just that much of an asshole? And, I’m hardly weak, considering I survived an encounter with a heretic. I was milliseconds away from losing my temper when I felt someone’s fingers go through my hair, instantly pacifying me like a baby,

“He’s not a weakling, according to the report Ingrid sent us…and even the toughest commanders need to be pampered every once and a while.” Thank god Marian isn’t in the spirit world or whatever watching over me…she’d be pissed off seeing me not immediately rejecting this. “Besides, we have a long ride home! The least we could do is let him rest comfortably…” I can feel myself drifting off to sleep…My worries disappear. 

My family line…

Modernia…

Revenant Squad…

All melting away like snow in the radiant ray of sunshine that is Emma. I don’t care how embarrassing this was or the complications that could come about in terms of team cohesion…It had been a long time since I felt…relaxed. I have been in a perpetual state of negative emotions ever since I lost Marian and this new chapter of my life began…brief moments of peace kept me sane, but I never felt truly relaxed…until right now. 

And I am loving every second of it.

I woke up broken out in a cold sweat, heavy breathing and the sound of a rapid heartbeat making me realize what had happened…

“A…nightmare?” I said to myself…before being smothered in a hug, right in between two orbs on each side of my face. 

“Oh, you poor thing!” Emma’s muffled voice made me realize what exactly was going on. Oh my god, this is so fucking embarrassing, more so than being in her lap. “I was getting worried when you started twitching and matter how much I tried, you were just out like a light…but it’s ok now…it’s just a bad dream…” Emma smiles as warmly as before as she lets me go. Vesti nervously looks up.

“I-If it makes you feel any better…I had a nightmare too…I want it to stop coming back…” Poor kid…She looks like she’s about to cry.

“Hey, don’t cry!” I get up and kneel down to get on her level. “It can’t hurt you.”

“...I keep having a reoccurring nightmare…about a murderer coming to the school.” Ah, gun violence in the Ark has become a problem…but since she’s a Nikke, I can put this problem to bed.

“There’s no need to worry, Vesti…you’re a Nikke. No matter how strong they are, you can take them head on.” A tear runs down her face…did I mess up?! Was it something I said?

“But…how am I supposed to restrain myself before I kill them? It’s not just the guys…but the girls and teachers too…they were acting like animals…so I slaughtered them like animals.” I stand there dumbfounded…before it hits me.

“You know, in my dream, I guess I go through similar experiences.” Emma looks at me with great concern. “...the difference between our dreams is that it wasn’t what I did that got them killed…but what I couldn’t do. Even giving my one hundred percent wasn’t enough.” I heard a noise coming from the opposite side of the helicopter, a simple “tsk” to be more precise. 

“That’s the reality of war.” The leader of absolute spoke syllables ever sharpened. “You aren’t able to save everyone. You might not be able to save anyone…let alone yourself.” 

“That may be true…” I acknowledged her actual input, despite its negativity. “...but that doesn’t mean I can’t give it my best shot to ensure the mission is complete and everyone makes it out.” Eunhwa lets out a sharp exhale. 

“At any rate, we should be touching down any minute. Absolute, when our drone lands, you are dismissed…I will be addressing Ingrid.” She turns to face me. “As for you, I imagine that your team will be waiting for you at the docking bay. You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.” After a couple moments, I feel the ship shake. The leader must have noticed my alertness, because she shakes her head. “It’s the docking mechanism, just the magnets attaching themselves to the drone.” The red light illuminated us prior would turn green shortly afterwards, the doors beginning to open. Emma would smile towards me, with Vesti looking up at me. 

“E-Excuse me but…” the small Nikke taps her fingers together nervously. “...I’m glad that I’m not the only one that has bad dreams like this. Can we be…bad dream buddies?” I give her a confident smile.

“Sounds good to me.” Her eyes practically sparkle, a look that warms the coldest of hearts. Emma would be smiling at the tiny Nikke.

“See? I told you that you can make friends, Vesti!” Both of them seemed so happy about it, with Eunhwa pretending the whole scene wasn’t happening. 

The sliding doors open slowly as the propellers begin to stop spinning. While there was plenty going on in this docking bay, I could easily spot all three members of the revenant squad waiting for me. I decided to not keep them, stepping out alongside the others. Upon seeing me, I saw a blue blur running at the speed of sound, as if she had places to go, only to come flying towards me in a giant hug. “Dante!” The voice was instantly recognizable, being Diesel. “Dante, I was so worried! You didn’t call, you didn’t write…” I cut her off while simultaneously patting her head, resulting in some adorable Diesel noises…as she lets go, I feel something hit my head, then fall into my arms.

An empty soda can.

“Missed you too, Anis. If you wanted a hug, you should have just said~” a frustrated “ugh” leaves her as she rolls her eyes.

“Two weeks, Dante! Two WEEKS! Where the fuck have you been?!” Anis crosses her arms.

“What, did you think I was chilling at a hot spring?” I wore a smug grin as both her and Rapi grew closer to me. “Communications were blocked. Only got through after making it to a radio tower…” 

“Yeah, well, it’s been hell without you! Diesel has been in a state of pure fear and Rapi was-“ The yellow one was pushed aside by her partner, cutting her off. 

“Nothing to report during your absence, commander.” Never have I been more happy to hear Rapi call me that. “Though…It’s good to see you again.” My smug smile reshapes into a genuine one upon hearing her true sentiments.

“I’m glad to see you too, Rapi. Goes for all three of you.” The look of content on my second in command’s face was amazing for the short time it lasted…only to come to an end thanks to a certain killjoy I had met recently. Rapi got one look at the Nikke and locked up on the spot.

As they left, I just blinked a couple times. I think I missed a couple volumes of the manga, because so much just happened and I understood around twenty percent of it. “Right then…let’s head back, everyone…” Either way, I begin to make my way towards the elevator that will take us home. I can practically feel the hot water running down my back from that shower I’m gonna be taking in a couple moments. Then, we cross some stuff off the checklist to help me get me ready for my encounter with…

“Don’t feel that you need to debrief us, commander.” Rapi says as I stare off into space. “Andersen already told us about everything…get some rest. He said he’d like to see you in his office as soon as possible.”

…Well shit.

(One nice R&R session later…)

“Enter.” He said in his typical frustrated voice. The second I got the chance, I flung the door open. 

“What’s up, big boss? Miss me?” Andersen looks up from his paperwork, uninterested in my antics as usual. 

“Take a seat, Dante.” I noticed that he didn’t even bother trying to correct me when I called him Big Boss, which means he’s gotten used to it, or he isn’t in the mood to correct me. Either way, I walk to my seat…the one I was simultaneously fired and hired in. “...Rapi has already given me a recap of your mission from her perspective. Now I want yours…from the looks of it, it was far beyond your pay grade.” I looked down at my damaged arm. On the plus side, I can hardly feel it, thanks to the nerves being completely destroyed…downside is that the damn thing’s useless. “...Recall it as well as you can.” A deep inhale.

“Well, basically, after I negotiated with a rapture, we set off, I took a nap on the thing’s back, woke up in some place called Cleveland, found a heretic, who we WILL be discussing regardless of your meeting by the way, got my ass beat by said heretic, saved by a pilgrim, passed out from exhaustion, woke up with the pilgrim, and wandered to a radio tower to call you.”

A pause and a deep exhale.

“Any questions, Big Boss?” 

Andersen blinks a couple times, trying to process all the information that I presented in what I considered to be a timely fashion. My superior officer could only shake his head.

“Alright…very well. Let’s start off with the pilgrim, seeing as if the Heretic will be a touchy subject.” I nod my head. “Did you get her name?”

“Snow White.” Just saying her name makes me feel warm…like her comments about always protecting me made me infinitely more confident that I could really do my job as leader of Andersen’s elite squadron. 

“Ah.” He says, recognizing the name immediately. “We’ve met before. That explains why you were able to survive such harsh conditions.” Andersen clasps his hands together. “Did you attempt to recruit her?” I nod my head.

“Yeah, it kinda worked too. Not joining as an official member, but she’ll be willing to help out if I’m in danger.” 

“Good work. It isn’t easy to sway a pilgrim to join someone affiliated with the Ark in the slightest. To have her on standby is a powerful asset for you.” For once, he seemed genuinely impressed and…hold up, did he just compliment me? Looks like hell will be freezing over by the end of the day…“...Now about this heretic…” I sigh…did I…really have to talk about this? “...did you get a name?” I shook my head…it’s best that I explain this in full. 

“Andersen, I’ll cut to the chase.”  He raises a brow at me. “The Heretic’s name…it’s Modernia. But her true identity is…it’s Marian.” The two of us sat in silence for a while, with Andersen trying to think of what to say and me waiting for his response.

“Are you sure?” I nodded my head.

“Positive.” I said without hesitating. “I was even able to break through her new Persona to speak to Marian for a couple seconds.” Big Boss tapped his desk.

“I see…Somehow you manage to complicate even the most straightforward of plans…I’d be impressed if it wasn’t such a pain in my ass.” He shook his head before looking back up at me. “I assume that you are determined to save her?” I didn’t even need to answer that before he did. “Never mind, that’s a useless question. A better one to ask is if you have a plan to do so.” 

“Not a complete one.” I responded. “...I don’t have enough data yet to come up with anything solid. My Solid Eye’s scan of her body didn’t get too far thanks to most of the CPU power being devoted to helping me survive. But…I do have a theory.” He crosses his arms.

“As long as it isn’t the power of bonds or something akin to that, I’m all ears.” Comments like that make me want to ask if he’s ever held a puppy or kitten before…or seen a rainbow…or gotten gifts from Santa. 

“Marian told me that there’s some kind of parasite latching onto her central nervous system and brain, utilizing her body like a puppet. I also noticed that her blood was black rather than red…and whenever Marian was breaking for a limited time, Modernia began to emit tons of that black liquid.

There has to be some kind of connection.” He gently pulls down on his tie. 

“I see…no other sightings of ‘black blood’ have ever been recorded by any heretic encounters…alongside any way for a commander to reach the Nikke that previously was…

Once again, it appears that both you and Marian are exceptions to those rules.” Sounds about right…we’re both one of a kind. “It sounds to me like you need to get more information before you come up with an actual plan.” 

“That’s right. I gave the container that can preserve organic matter to Rapi so she could deliver Syuen’s package…so I couldn’t get any samples.” Andersen rubs his chin, surprisingly caring about my Nikke or my situation at the very least. 

“I see…If that’s the case, I have good news. From what we gathered, every heretic has a set operation zone, their area of jurisdiction. If there’s a high concentration of raptures in said area…then it’s practically a certainty that the heretic will be there as well.” I can easily see where he’s going with this. “I’ll keep tabs on any reports of large rapture forces in the area where you encountered Modernia. If something comes up, I’ll be assigning you that mission.” I nod my head, smirk on my face.

“That’s why you’re the best, Boss.” He only rolls his eyes in response.

“I’m not doing this for you, Dante.” My smugness must have come off incredibly strong.

“Sure you aren’t. Either way, what’s next?” He cleared his throat.

“Right then. There’s a couple things you need to take care of in your downtime. First off and, by far the most important, is your arm. It’s not hard to tell it is about as useful as corrupted combat data, so I am hoping for your sake that you’re going to be getting some sort of replacement?” I look down at it…remembering the look on Modernia’s euphoric face as I writhed in pain. 

It won’t be happening again. 

“Yeah…a mechanical one.” I had already been getting ideas for what equipment my new arm would entail…but that’ll have to wait until I get the thing. 

“...I’ll be sending the bill to Syuen's personal bank account, seeing as the contract she signed agreed to having her pay for any damages. Please keep that in consideration when having the procedure done.” He obviously told me this so I wouldn’t go overboard…but now I’m going to make sure this thing comes with all the bells and whistles. “Furthermore, seeing as the mission report has already been dropped off by Rapi to the financial office, your funds are ready to be picked up at that location, alongside your new transaction card. While it doesn’t have a limit…don’t spend it all in one place.” I cross my arms.

“Come on, do you really think I’m THAT irresponsible?” His eyes narrow at me, to which I shrug. “Ok, maybe a little irresponsible, but still! I know how to restrain myself.” 

“...Regardless…If you’re up for the task, I have a mission that could be worth your while that you can conduct inside the Ark while you wait for your heretic friend to appear.” I raise a brow…another mission to keep myself occupied so I don’t bore myself to death would be amazing. “I’ll take your expression as a sign of interest. 

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is disrupting a Nikke smuggling operation located in the outer rim.” To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect when Andersen asked me to perform a mission inside the Ark. I wasn’t expecting to do grocery pick-up for him or anything…but not this, that’s for damn sure. 

“You sure about this, boss?” I ask, questioning my superior officer’s judgement. “This would get really, really messy…” He looks me dead in the eyes before he says something that chills me to the bone.

“You are correct about getting your hands dirty…as you know, Nikke aren’t typically capable of taking human lives…but just like you, there are exceptions to every rule.” This also caught me off guard. Which one of the big three thought it was a good idea to…Actually, I take that back, I know EXACTLY who would. “In other words, you won’t be working with your regular Nikkes this time around. Instead, you’ll be assigned to…” He pauses, before taking a deep breath. “Exotic.” 

“Exotic, eh?” I tap my fingers across my arm. “Not a bad name, if you ask me.” Andersen shakes his head.

“Don’t let their name fool you, Exotic isn’t a group of spoiled Nikkes…they function independently in the outer rim, similar to the position that you and revenant squad have.” Working with a group of people like me? That sounds like a good time. “While they are more than capable of handling this on their own, I feel that there should be a commander on standby as a way of making sure things don’t spiral out of control.” I close my eyes, thinking it over…this could be pretty dangerous, seeing as someone like me in the outer rim would have so many laser sights on me that I’d look like I have some kind of sickness. Maybe I should- “Needless to say, you will be more than fairly compensated for this endeavor…and, knowing your need for parts, it may be beneficial to get contacts in the outer rim.”

Nevermind, let’s fucking do this.

“Sounds like a good time to me.” Andersen stands up from his chair, pulling on his tie.

“Very well.” He says sharply. “I’ll message the leader of exotic to contact you about the details. Until then, I recommend you get moving…and out of my office. I have a meeting.” I get up from my chair, walking towards the exit. 

“I’ll be back in one piece, big boss. I’m not dying until I get her back.” He sighs in response.

“Run along, Dante.” I close the door behind me, deciding to contact Rapi as I walk through the various corridors of the Central Government headquarters. She picks up on the third ring.

“Commander?” She asks me, as if wondering who could be calling her otherwise.

“That’s me. I’ve got some info for you about what’s next.” She nods her head.

“Understood. You can relay the information at any moment.” I cleared my throat.

“Andersen told me that he’ll be checking the area that Modernia would be in charge of for any significant rapture clusters. We find a massive one, then we know where she is.” Another nod from my right hand Nikke. 

“Is there anything we’ve been assigned in the meantime?” She asks, always ready for the next mission…I expected nothing less from her. 

“Not for you and the others.” I replied, nearly hitting a Nikke carrying a stack of papers. “Andersen’s sending me to oversee a mission run by exotic.” This clearly caught her off guard…and not in a good way. 

“Exotic…” While Andersen gave me some insight, it appears as if Rapi was even more concerned. “...Are you sure you want to do this, commander? Exotic’s missions aren’t…” I decided to cut her off. 

“There’s no turning back now. I’ve already gotten the assignment and accepted it. Besides…you know I can handle myself.” Rapi looks away from the camera, clearly not sharing my confidence.

“Still…be careful. Plenty of things can happen in the outer rim…seeing as your commander makes you a target for most people there. Worst comes to worse…you may find yourself in a situation where you are forced to take someone’s life.” I nod my head, not really sharing her sentiments. I’m not all that worried about something like this…as long as I place my shots…it’s no different than incapacitating a rapture.

“Thanks for the concern…I’ll be coming back home in one piece. I’ll be back before you know it and in time for breakfast.” She looked back towards my eyes, clearly still upset…but also knew how stubborn I could be.

“...See you soon, commander.” As she hung up, I didn’t have time to rest my voice just yet…I used my solid eye to find Seraphim’s number…I’ll be needing them. On the very first ring, the phone is answered, by a soothing and motherly voice. 

“You’ve reached Seraphim team, care for Nikke’s and Commanders alike, my name is Mary how may I assist you?” 

“Hey Mary.” The bit of tiredness in her voice evaporated immediately upon hearing me.

“Is that you, Dante?” She asks, clearly more engaged than before. “Is everything alright with your eye?” I chuckle in response. This was going to be fun to explain. 

“No, it’s…my arm. It’s Uh…how do I say this…completely…useless?” Smooth as butter Dante…smooth as butter. Mary sighs on the other end of the line.

“Dante…” she asked, concern clearly growing, alongside a bit of frustration. “...what did you do?” The look on her face said it all…not happy with the way I overexert myself. 

“Alright…” I paused. “...but you can’t be mad at me.” 

“What did you do?” Her impatience was quickly running thin…I needed to just tell the truth and tell it fast.

“...Ok, I got in a fight with a heretic…it didn’t end well.” The Angel in White shook her head, much more understanding of why it might have been rendered completely useless. 

“...I see…If that’s the case, then you are lucky to escape with your life at all…much less merely a destroyed arm.” A bit of silence fills the air. “...I assume you’d like a mechanical replacement?” I nod my head.

“That’s right…and I’ve got a bottomless wallet, so it can be custom made for me.” She looked very disappointed in me, not unlike a mother catching her child’s hand in a cookie jar.

“Dante, I understand that as a commander that fights alongside his Nikkes, you feel the need to have the best of the best…but mechanical arms are expensive as is and…” I decide to cut her off, putting the whipped cream on this shake that will be made out of a certain CEO’s tears.

“Oh, I’m not paying, Syuen is.” There’s a bit of silence between us, with Mary nodding her head. 

“I see…in that case, I will have Centi from Raise and Rebuild Workshop get started right away. While I wait, do you mind if we get your annual check up out of the way? You’ll be sedated already, so it will be one less trip for you.” I nod my head.

“Sounds like a plan. When do you want to handle this?” I ask, smiling at the thought of Syuen’s face when she sees the bill. 

“I’m backed up for the rest of today…but I don’t mind working a bit of overtime after my shift ends. Does…two hours from now sound good? Centi works extremely fast and The operation won’t take long…three hours at most, I believe.” I give a thumbs up.

“You got it…thanks Mary, I’ll see you soon and I’ll try not to fall down any stairs on my way there.” She chuckles slightly in response to my praise.

“I’ll hold you to that, Dante.”

“So…this is the place, eh?” I look up towards the sign on top of the building. “...Talentum Center…” To call this building fancy was a massive understatement…looked more like a royal place than a shopping district. Then again, this was THE place of the Ark, functioning as so many things that it could make your head spin. Shopping, dining, relaxing, capitalism…you name it, it was probably here. 

I looked down at my list of things that Rapi sent me with my solid eye, then cross referenced it with the location in the store, creating an optimal route. 

“Alright…” I cracked my neck a bit. “Looks like it’s payday.” 

The payment office…wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. Instead of a quiet place of conducting transactions, I got a bunch of people screaming at each other. As I’ve said before, I hate the sounds of whining about matters that are none of my concern. So hearing all these “commanders” yelling at people simply doing their jobs…it made me sick. A man at the door nodded at me, offering me a slip of paper with the number sixty four on it. I give a polite “Thank you” before taking a seat in the lobby area. To give the illusion that I wasn’t too far out of place, I simply put my earbuds in to drown out the loud noises of the pathetic people that surrounded me. Music was my escape when I was in public. Without it, I would have lost my sanity already. With my mind occupied, I set my Solid Eye to notify me when my number or name came up as I lost myself in my own head…trying to get my mind off of Marian or any other worry that I couldn’t do anything about right now. However, I was quickly growing annoyed by the constant complaining and whining in this room. We are officers, holding ourselves to higher standards than this.

This position is an honor, not a right. I was about to scream myself before I thankfully heard “number sixty four to booth nine, number sixty four to booth nine.” I shot up out of my chair, walking forward to the booth labeled with a nine. Thank god, I can get my card and cash and get this surgery done…

“Is this some kind of joke?!” There appears to be a disgruntled commander in front of me, clearly upset over something. They called me up here just to make me wait more? 

“Your pay is indeed accurate.” The man behind the counter was clearly shaken by the others' ferocity. “...There’s nothing we can do.” This enraged the commander before me.

“Nothing you can do my ass! I lost two Nikke on the front line…” by this point my patience had worn thin, so I’d calmly defuse the situation myself so both parties can live happily ever after.

“Hey, can you wrap this up?” I tapped my foot to keep myself cool. “...I’ve got shit to do.” The commander whipped around, an insane smile on his face.

“Hey man, can you prove my point?” He stepped aside, showing off the numbers on the keypad. “I won a battle on the front lines with the Raptures and lost two Nikke, does fifteen thousand credits seem like chicken shit to you too?!” I just blink twice, then look at the clerk, who looks like he’s about to cry.

“Yeah, you’re right, that is low.” I lied through my teeth as I saw the commander smile triumphantly. “You take a rest, let me talk to him.” The officer walked off confidently while the clerk’s heart sank. Once he had left, I make my way up to the kiosk. “Ok, he’s in the waiting area…can you quietly call security?” The man perked up instantly upon realizing my intentions.

“A-After I assist you, sir! The customer comes first, ahaha…” He still appeared to be scared shitless…made me wonder what the hell that guy said to instill sheer terror into this clerk.

“If that’s what you want…I’m here to claim it under the name Dante Fortuna.” The man types on his screen, then looks up. Before he had a chance to comment, I decided to nip any potential problems in the bud. “Don’t make a big deal out of it, ok?” The clerk shakily nods his head before clicking and typing some more. He proceeds to pull out a card from a printer, pretty bland, but I’ll get a more stylish one later…

“Here’s your card…and the 150,000 Credits are already deposited in your account. Thank you for your sacrifices, Dante.” The man behind the Kiosk seemed genuine in his remark, to which I smiled. 

“...Just doing my job. Never lose sight…”

“A HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND CREDITS?!?” The disgruntled man from earlier yelled and cut me off from my motivational message, causing several heads to turn upon hearing such a high number. I just gave the kind clerk a wave and began to leave. I had no reason to stick around with trash. “You got paid TEN TIMES AS MUCH AS MOST OF US!?!” Without turning my head, I just looked at him on my way out, seeing all the looks of commanders that clearly wanted me dead. 

“Yes…” I gave a cocky smile.  “...So Try and keep up.”

“Why you little…”  His enraged state left me in a good mood…I’d hear people talking about me on my way out. 

“The clerk said Dante, right? That’s his name?”

“Fuckin’ prick…”

“...You think he’s with Elysion?  No, he seems like Tetra with that moxie…”

“...Acts like he works with Missills.”

I exit the building…only to not watch where I was going and run into someone. 

“H-Hey, watch where you’re going!” I reel back, keeping my balance all the while. The other however…wasn’t so lucky, landing flat on their ass. Taking a good look at her, my Solid Eye told me that she was indeed a Nikke…apparently a part of a group called Triangle. 

“Sorry.” I said, offering her a hand to pick her up. “You alright?” The blue haired Nikke looks up at me, looking surprised to see my face. The look on her face…this is what people called…flustered, isn’t it? 

“I-I can get up on my own!” The apparently clumsy Nikke would get up on her own, then dust herself off. “You should be more careful, commander…” Her eyes widened upon reading my tag…and I couldn’t help but smile at her reaction. “F-F-F-F-F…” She can’t seem to say my last name…I give her a smile.

“Fortuna. Dante Fortuna.” Her face was a crossover combination of shock, awe, horror and excitement all at once. Never thought I’d meet a fed this cute. I chuckle in response to her face with something I knew calmed Marian down when she’d act like this every now and again after I’d catch her doing something embarrassing. 

Two headpats. 

“Are you…” She was completely dumbfounded, but seeing as I’ve had my fun for the time being and had places to be…I’d have to leave without asking for her name…

“See ya, around…” Even if my solid eye told me her name, I’d take a glance at her chest to look at her nametag. “...Privaty.” I departed with a wink, which left her a blubbering mess. As much as I’d like to get to know someone who could potentially get me information from areas inside the Central Government that isn’t in Andersen’s jurisdiction, I’ve got to get to Seraphim.

The waiting room was complete and utterly empty, not a person in sight. Blue chairs outlined the area, other than the side featuring the kiosk to sign in for your appointment. Thankfully, the room had some crosswords to keep me occupied…

“No…wait…shit, I fucked it up…” I spoke to myself…until I heard a giggle behind me. 

“Are you winning, Dante?” I practically jumped out of my skin from not expecting someone behind me…even if I knew it was Mary. 

“...No. I’m usually good at these…” I just sigh and close the book. “This one’s just hard.” 

“Hmm…I think you were overthinking it.” She smiles a bit, happy to provide me advice no matter how trivial. “You had it right the first time…just remember that in the future.” I nod my head as she leads me to the operating room, the satisfying noises of our steps resonating throughout the dark halls. Despite being taller, I had a distinct feeling that others may see us as a mother walking her son somewhere. “Here we are.” She opens the door, inviting me into the cramped operating room, clearly eager to get this over with so she can go home and rest. We do a standard check up before we begin to move onto the main event…Mary injects me with anesthetic, and I drift off to sleep… 

My eyes fluttered open…I didn’t feel any pain…if anything, I felt better than I had in a long time…then again, I had practically been roughing it for two weeks and running off a day’s rest. I stretch…realizing that…

I had my arm back.

After two odd weeks of having three limbs, having four once more made me feel like I could conquer the world. I could see Mary sitting across the room from me, giving me a gentle smile. 

“Ah.” She said standing up and walking to my side. “...glad to see it…fits you like a glove.” It was obvious she didn’t intend on making the pun, but I still laughed at it anyway. 

“Good one.” I said as I curled my fingers, getting a feel for it…it felt like it had always been a part of me. “...Feels nice, by the way.” It’s amazing the confidence boost I got…I feel so complete…

“That arm cost a pretty penny.” Mary smiles at me, knowing exactly who was paying. “...It’s the top of the line…made from scratch by the finest artisans in The Ark…and I know you’ll be customizing it and upgrading it over time.” I flash a devilish smile. 

“I promise I won’t break it, MOM.” I teased her a bit…then again, her and my mother shared the same name. A silence filled the empty vacuum of our conversation. “But yeah, I’ll be fine tuning it to be perfect for me.” She nods her head. 

“That’s what I had Centi keep at the forefront when making it…it’s practically a playground for someone like you. I can imagine you’ll be using it as much as any firearm you can wield it with.”  That did remind me…I did have one last thing I wanted to try and do before I go on that mission…if I had time, hopefully, I could stop by and make a replacement for Thanatos…seeing as he’s…well…you know… 

“I’d love to stay and chat, but I’ve got somewhere to be.”

“I know you do.” She smiles with that angelic radiance of hers. “You’re the type of person that never feels that they can kneel or rest…even if your heart was ripped straight out of your chest.” I smirk back.

“Yeah, well…There’s always so much to do as a leader. Never rest or settle for less…that’s what my mom used to say.” I got up, rolling my shoulders. 

“Hmm…” She looks at my new arm, then smiles a bit wider. “...It looks nice on you. Pepper did a great job with the colors…it complements those wonderful blue eyes of yours.” I nod my head as I turn to leave. 

“Give pepper a thanks. Hopefully, I won’t be seeing either of you anytime soon…healthcare is a bitch.” She crosses her arms a bit.

“I doubt that. You’ll throw yourself into danger before today’s end.” I shrug.

“Maybe I will. Maybe I won’t. Hard to say.” Then again, considering my mission with exotic…I better get working on that replacement for Thanatos…and create a couple new tools for myself.

“...Just…don’t get too hurt, now.” I smirk at my favorite doctor. 

“I won’t…I…have some things to take care of.” I walk out of the door, dialing Ingrid.

“Dante.” Her stern voice practically growls at me…looks like she forgot about our heart to heart from a couple weeks back. “...You’re supposed to go through my Secretary before calling my personal number.” That’s Ingrid for you…if nothing else, she’s memorized the textbook of both the corporate and military mannerisms. Me on the other hand…

“Yeah, I don’t feel like listening to your shitty hold loop. Besides, I just wanted to ask if I could use the Kurijo Corporation Weapon Workshop. I’m getting my own built, but until then…I need to make a replacement for my old weapon.” She lets out a long sigh.

“Fine…You’re going to go in there regardless of what I say anyway.” I smirk…she’s catching on to my style quickly.

“Bingo.” I responded with a dumb smile on my face. “How’s Neon, by the way?” 

“You know, I have no idea what you did, but she’s been putting in extra effort into honing her skills…That comment about joining absolute May start holding water soon…” She looks off to the side. “...anything else I can help you with?”

“Nope. Thank you so much, you’re the best~” With an actual growl, she hangs up, leading me to make my way to the research and development center that belonged to Marian’s family. I always felt welcome here…the staff loved me and I had the highest level of clearance. I nod at several researchers, secretaries, and security guards on my way to the weapon workshop…this place was my paradise.

I open the door, the wonderful smell of progress resonating in the air as I shut it behind me. This place was reserved for VIP’s…and it was an unwritten rule that this workshop in particular belonged to me. It was pretty isolated, so no one used it much anyway.

I walk over to my workbench and set down priority number one and the basis for my new primary weapon. 

It was the same pistol that killed Marian. I wanted it to be my right hand…made to take down raptures with even just a quarter of efficiency that me and Marian had together. So…I got to work. 

I disassembled the entire thing and rebuilt it from the ground up, adding in new features all the while. An increase in accuracy, rate of fire firepower were my top priorities, and seeing as my new arm will be able to resist the recoil of it, I can make it far more powerful than Thanatos ever was. After that, I gave it the same charge shot as spiral had, alongside a three round burst and fully automatic firing mode…the ammunition produced by the standard 3-D printer technology was also upgraded to be modular, allowing me different ammunition types to fit any situation…just in case. It added lots of weight, but the versatility could be the difference between life and death. I also made it compatible with my Solid Eye, meaning my shots can be assisted over extremely long distances…a pistol with the range of a sniper rifle. All that was left was a paint job…and I had my colors custom picked. Primarily blue with white accents and golden trim…and like that…

It was perfect.

I spun it around before placing it inside a holster I made earlier. 

I wasn’t done in the workshop yet, though…I still had more things to do.

I wanted to make a matching gauntlet and pair of greaves to complement my new arm…something that could ensure not only their protection from another Modernia trying to shatter them, but also to give me some close quarters capabilities. 

So that’s exactly what I did.

I was in the middle of the installing a literal shotgun inside the gauntlet, because fuck you, it’s impractical but it’s still fucking cool, The door behind me opens…pretty surprising, considering what hour it is…

“...Neon.” I heard a familiar voice call out, mistaking me for the Nikke. “This is a restricted area. You aren’t allowed to be in here…” I turn around to get the identity of the hall monitor…

It was Eunhwa.

“Hey, what’s up?” I gave my typical cocky smile, to which the leader of Absolute sneered.

“It’s you…I didn’t expect a weakling such as yourself to be here at this hour.” Again with the weakling bullshit?! 

“I’ve always been a night owl. It’s more quiet at night.” Eunhwa sighs.

“You are certainly right about that…” She commits to walking into my kingdom, closing the door behind her. “...I came to do some rifle maintenance. Carry on with whatever you are doing.” She pulls out her weapon, a black and silver sniper rifle with a beautiful luster. 

“A modified Mercurio XR-15?” I asked as I took a quick glance at her weapon. 

“...Good eye.” She seemed hesitant to give me a compliment. “I’m impressed you were able to gather that from such a quick look.”

“I worked on one before, and had a problem with a drop off past 2 Kilometers.” She freezes for a moment, putting down a ratchet she had in her hand.

“How did you fix said problem?” Well…looks like she had the same issue.

“It’s with the muzzle. Even just a millimeter of distance between it and the barrel can cause it.” Now finished with my own weapons, I began to do some brief clean up before leaving her alone.”

“...I’ll be sure to try that.” She says with the tinest smile on her face. I responded with my own. 

“Let me know if it doesn’t work. I’ll do some more research on it.” I exited before she could say another word…when I got a DM.

@Stone_Cold_Crow: Outer Rim Gate #2, 20 minutes. Don’t wear your military uniform. Dress casual.

I assumed this was the leader of Exotic…clearly not the most friendly of Nikkes I’ve met.

@Call_Me_Dante: Got it.

With that…I made my way there as quick as I could.

Once I arrived, I was greeted by what appeared to be Exotic Squad…I didn’t know what they’d look like…but certainly not this. The one with the twin submachine guns in her hands would eye me up and down. 

“...Hmph.” She’d turn to the taller of the two Nikkes. “I’ll give you your twenty credits when we get back.” Said Nikke gave a giggle in response.

“Thank you.” I only shrug my shoulders.

“Did I make you lose a bet or something?” She didn’t seem to show any discontent about it, just a look of neutrality, not saying a word.

“Don’t mind our leader.” The one that won the bet spoke up…clearly the head of public relations here. “...She’s not the most talkative one of the bunch.” She steps forward, her piercing red eyes and alluring smile in direct opposition to each other. “My name is Viper. It’s nice to meet you, honey.” The way she said honey…it made me feel a certain way. “...Our shorter one is Jackal.” That Nikke waddled towards me, then gives me a shark toothed smile.

“This is for making the captain lose a bet!” Without warning, she bites down on my hand… only to be surprised when I don’t react in the slightest, only looking at her with a menacing glare. She proceeds to try again…and again…and again. “...Wha- Why aren’t you…” Does she not know that it’s made out of metal? Is she just stupid? What’s the deal here? I look back to viper, who only gives a laugh that could be described as…intoxicating. What the hell…

“Jackal…” She gives the other a mean look. “...It’s rude to bite our guests. This isn’t just some random person, you know?” She turns toward me and gives me another smile. “Apologies for our…dog.” You know what? I’m not even gonna question it.

“But he made the captain lose a bet!” Was she that devoted to the leader? Is that why she’s called a dog? The plot thickens.

“That’s enough, both of you.” The leader finally puts an end to this insanity. “...Let’s get going. We have a delicate mission window.” She turns around, opening the gate to the outer rim. Viper gets right by my side, while Jackal goes to the side of Crow.

“Shall we depart?” Viper says next to me…once again, I know damn well this woman is NOT good for me…but for some reason I couldn’t stop myself from feeling attracted to her. 

“Yeah.” I responded with no uncertainty, covering up any signs of weakness. She proceeds to take my hand and walk me through the gate…leading me to the land of stench and filth known as the outer rim…an expansive area rife with despair, filled with drugs, alcohol, the black market, and generally shit I stay far away from. 

“Gotta say…” Crow speaks up after a while of walking. “...You’re a lot different than I expected.” I let out a tiny laugh. 

“In a good way or a bad way?” I can see her shake her head despite being in front of me. 

“I saw your last name and was expecting a typical high class spoiled brat. Looks like the Central Government still has a couple tough people. It isn’t every day you see someone shake off several of Jackal’s bites.” Jesus Christ, she is the literal embodiment of punk rock…

“Unlike most of the so called “Commanders”, I can actually take care of myself…with or without the Central Government’s help.” That seemed to hit a note with the leader of Exotic.

“Not a fan of how the ship is run?” She asks, seemingly genuinely interested in my response. I shake my head.

“Can’t say I am. They let a lot of bad shit slide to line their own pockets…makes me fucking sick.” I couldn’t see it, but I could tell that Crow had a smile on her face.

“That’s why we’re here. If they won’t do anything with this part of the Ark, we’ll work with it ourselves.” Viper gives another laugh, still holding my hand.

“That’s right! We’re Exotic…the problem solvers of the outer rim. A squad that functions without a commander…” Her eyes gain a look that I could only be described as…lustful. “...for now.” Another one of those intoxicating laughs. 

“Either way…” Crow cut off any more flirting between me and Viper. “...We’re approaching the mission area. Andersen told you the plan?” I raise a brow…Andersen didn’t seem like the type to change plans on the fly…

That was MY thing.

“Nope. What’s up?” Crow looks back at me.

“We’re going to be waiting on the back end of the place. Your job is to mark the target. We’ll take care of the rest. I’ve already pulled a couple strings and gotten you in the check in…you can just walk on through.” Crow sends me a picture of the so called “Target”. “Jonathan Irons. The guy leading this whole operation…we get him, we’re taking a major step towards disrupting a massive crime syndicate in the outer rim. Needless to say…this mission is practically impossible to fail unless you mess it up. 

Keep your head down, your job…and you’ll get your fat paycheck. Sound like a plan?” I nod my head.

“No problem.” I responded with a smirk. “I’ll take care of it.” She responded with her own smug look. 

“You’ve got some moxie, I’ll give you that.”  Jackal gave a…salute? I think? I can’t really tell.

“If the captain believes in you, then so do I!” Viper would give me a smile as well, much more genuine…even if I knew she was faking it. 

“Go get them, honeybun!” I take a couple steps forward, looking back at them.

“This’ll be over in a nanosecond.” With a wave, I walk away to the entrance of the building, looking at the bouncer at the door. 

“Good to see you, Mr. Stark. Enjoy your night.” I nod my head…If I’ve ever heard a rich person’s last name…definitely up there.

The underground nightclub was huge…flashing lights and colors, strippers, pole dancers, the smell of drugs, loud mumble rap…the whole nine yards. 

Definitely not my speed…all of this made me feel like I was losing brain cells. Thankfully, I wouldn’t have to partake in any of these…festivities…

While any other inside agent would have to inconspicuously move in the shadows to find and mark Irons, all I had to do was find a good vantage point and use my solid eye to mark him on Crow’s hud. I walk up to the second floor, granting me the best spot…Now?

We wait.

I took a seat, one of the waiters approaching me. “M-May I get you anything, Mr. Stark?” In order to blend in for the short while I was here, I decided to at least get something.

“Cherry Martini…Shaken, not stirred.” The man quickly bows, then darts off…leaving me to look for…Gotcha. I mark the target on Crow’s hud, then call her. “You get it?” I can see her impressed smile from the video feed.

“You’re pretty good.” She motions to what I assumed to be her team. “Wait for fifteen minutes after we get Irons.” Viper would poke her head into Crow’s view.

“You’re amazing, honey!” Hearing her complement was like the finest symphony. I must have gotten so caught up, since next thing I knew, Viper was already in the club…invited Irons on the dance floor, sneakily injected him with something, then had Crow take him off. Viper then proceeded to leave as well…before blowing me a kiss. 

Goddamn, she had me wrapped around her finger…I could feel her venom coursing through me any time she looked at me. After around ten or so minutes…I got up to begin to leave until…the music stopped. The DJ’s microphone goes off as someone taps it. 

“May I have your attention please? May I have your attention please?” Everyone stops what they’re doing as we hear the female voice, looking at the DJ with bated breaths. “We have two very special guests tonight…” 

…Aw Crap…please don’t be me, I don’t want any attention. 

“Introducing first…She’s the leader of the House of Hedonia…” before they can even finish, the room erupts into panic…as for me, I just decided to watch the chaos unfold as I drank my Cherry Martini. I hear the sound of several guns cocking as women in suits stand up from all across the room, pointing at specific targets. I even feel something metallic at the back of my head. “Give it up for…ROSANNA!” A spotlight of a black rose appears behind me…so that means…

“The game’s up, Stark.” I heard the voice of who I assumed to be Rosanna behind me. I remained calm, not showing any fear at the risk of being shot. 

“...Woah-ho…slow down there, sweetheart.” I responded…to which the voice let out a noise of confusion.

“What? You’re not…” Just then a man proceeded to dart out of the room, alerting “Rosanna” of this unexpected development…even if she didn’t seem phased in the slightest. “Sakura.” She said, talking to someone.

“They aren’t getting far.” A far gentler voice responded to her claims. “The Seimeikai are already tracking him. He won’t be slipping through our fingers a second time.” Rosanna puts on a devilish smile that I could see, even if I couldn’t see all of her just yet. 

“Good. Put the bastard in the dirt.” Holy shit…yeah, definitely not fucking around and finding out with these two, even if I could feel the gun slowly being retracted from my head. “Who the hell are you? You’re a pretty shitty decoy, don’t look a damn thing like him…getting a similar haircut ain’t doing you any favors, pal.” I sighed. 

“Nah, I’m someone with the central government.” Rosanna forcibly turns me around, giving me a good look at her…holy shit, was Marian purposefully making sure I stayed away from hot chicks to avoid temptation? If so…

I’ll get her a couple drinks. 

“...You have some ID?” I reach into my jacket, pulling out my identification card. “...Dante Fortuna…” She blinks a couple times…then gives me a bright smile. “Oh my god, I didn’t even recognize you! You’ve grown so much…and you’re so handsome!?” I blush…why are all the badasses the ones that still see me as a kid!? “How ya been, you little shit!? Been like, what, ten years?” 

“Can’t complain, can’t complain…”  I tried to make casual conversation…this situation went for a rollercoaster…first a gun pointed at my head, then she started acting as if she had known me my entire life. 

“Shit, feels like yesterday we were at the range blasting targets.” I did faintly remember my mom telling me about how plenty of different Nikkes took care of me…though, it seems like not all of them were pilgrims. I could hear footsteps coming towards us, as could Rosanna. “Sakura! C’mere! You’re never gonna guess who’s here!” A shorter Nikke began to approach me…looking unamused by Rosanna’s antics. 

“Rosanna, we’re supposed to be professionals, you can’t be acting like…wait…” She pauses…don’t tell me…  “Dante?” 

God Fucking Damn it!

“That’s me.” I don’t really remember her either…then again, I’ve tried forgetting most of my past. 

“Ah…so it is you.” She gives a gentle smile, clearly more composed than Rosanna. “...It’s wonderful to see you in good health, even in a place like this.” 

“Oh yeah, that reminds me.” Rosanna chimed in. “What’s a good kid like you doing in a place like this?” Yep…they still see me as just a kid. I’m twenty one, not fucking twelve. 

“Special Ops mission.” Sakura and Rosanna look at each other, then each display a smile. 

“Well, aren’t you just the cream of the crop?” Rosanna said like a proud parent. “I knew our target practice would pay off.” I mean, my impeccable aim was one of my greatest assets…

“I’d expect nothing less from someone who I trained in Martial Arts. You are MY prodigy after all.” Now that she mentions it, I do remember my mom taking me to private martial arts lessons…I guess this was my instructor. 

“Then I guess I owe you two.” I relax my body, loosening it up. 

“Nah, seeing something pay dividends is far better than anything you can give me.” Rosanna  gave me a smile…alongside Sakura as well. 

“Agreed. And while I’d love to catch up, I think you should leave before things get messy, Dante.” She writes down two sets of numbers on a sheet of paper…and I assume that they belong to my two new mob boss mothers. I accept them.

“Yeah, it is extremely late. See ya later.” I wave and say my goodbyes before beginning my trip home after a long, LONG day…

Chapter Text

I walk down to hear Rapi repeating the letter F…with Anis standing in shock.

“Holy shit. She’s gonna say it, I can’t believe it.” I take a final bite of my breakfast bar.

“Huh? What’s going on now?” I stand next to Anis, who is watching this whole thing incredibly intensely.

“Is she gonna say it? Is she gonna say the F-word?” I look at Rapi, who’s still repeating the letter F, then back to my grenadier.

“Pfft, I’m sure she’s said it before. I mean, look at her…she’s always pissed at something.” Anis turns to me with a completely straight face.

“Fifty credits says she’ll say it.” Why the hell not?

“Ha! Deal.” We both turn back to Rapi as her voice intensifies…

“FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUNK!” I tried to contain my laughter…oh, who the hell am I kidding? I’m laughing my ass off.

“Fastest fifty credits of my life!” I start laughing uncontrollably at the situation, oh my god…holy shit, my sides hurt…even more so when Rapi looks at Anis and says…

“Anis…why is the commander laughing so excessively?” Anis just groans in response.

“The one time I have my hopes set high for you…and you let me down.” Clearly a sore loser, Anis snaps back to me, tired of my laughter. “OH GIVE IT A REST DANTE!” 

“Was it…something I said?” She tilts her head as Anis pokes her in the chest.

“IT'S WHAT YOU DIDN’T SAY, RAPI! You just cost me fifty credits that I don’t have because I bought jewelry yesterday!” The situation comes to a close as…the bitch arrives. As we see her on the cameras, our happy little moment turns into pure rage.

As she entered the room, I could practically feel all of the emotions I felt from her last visit…intensified by remembering what happened on that mission…With my new weapons, I could kill her…or just incapacitate her and break her arm just as Modernia broke mine…I can imagine the look on her face…the tears running down as…

Wait, what the fuck, Dante?!? The hell are you thinking? 

“You.” My voice is filled with pure but imperfect hatred towards her. I was holding myself back from tearing her apart…I had been controlling my temper pretty well as of late, but this was pushing me to my absolute limit. “You have five seconds to get your weasly ass out of here.” Syuen looks at me with disdain.

“Watch your mouth.” I smirk…you know what? There’s no one here to save her this time around. I guess team Wardress didn’t decide to escort her.

“Or else what? Do you remember what happened the last time you pissed me off?” As much as she tried to hide it, I could see her remembering the pain from that slam against the cold and unforgiving steel.

“...” Her silence…it reminded me of something.

“Why didn’t you let us get in contact with command? We could have completed your suicide mission no problem with a bit preparation!” 

“I had my reasons.” I couldn’t help but laugh at such a response. 

“Reasons? What fucking reasons?” Syuen sighs, trying to keep her composure…it seems like I’ve kind of gotten into her head. Anis decided to chime in as well.

“Are those reasons so important that they’re worth having a Nikke’s memory wiped?!” Wait a second…that’s…new. Could that be why Wardress isn’t here? Because Yuni or Mihara had their memories wiped? 

“It doesn’t matter. I got my sample of chatterbox…and you got in contact with a heretic. Which brings me to why I’m back at this dump.” I didn’t have my pistol on me…or else my hand would be resting on it and ready to nail her in the fucking face. “That heretic…that’s your Nikke, right?” I could tell she was hesitating…knowing that one wrong move and she’d be in for a slow and agonizing death. 

“...Yeah. What does it matter to trash like you?” Syuen sighs then shakes her head, clearly starting to psych herself up with a smug grin on her face.

“Oh Dante…I guess that old hag Ingrid never told you?” I raise a brow…the hell did Ingrid have to do with this? “...Elysion certainly does own The Kurijo Corporation…but do you know what that means?” I stare, burning inside with ardent wrath…where was she going with this? “Due to Central Government Policy, the daughter of a CEO of a company bought by the big three cannot be turned into a Nikke by that manufacturer.” No…there’s…no way… “And since Tetra Line was bogged down at the time…Your precious friend was oh so desperate to be by your side that she turned…

To me.” My eyes widened as I looked at Syuen…I wanted to scream…but I couldn’t…I was so angry I couldn’t even emote. “So, seeing as she’s Missills Property, she belongs to me…” those words leaving her mouth were enough to make me lose my cool. I tried to run forward, ready to relish in ending her here and now…only for Rapi to hold me back.

“Commander!” She cried out, struggling to keep me in place as I kept trying to break free. 

“But don’t worry. I’ll be sure to let you and your bucket of bolts have your goodbyes once you get her back…I do love a good soap opera. I’m a nice CEO, right?” Anis looked like she was barely containing her rage as well…

“You…” She couldn’t even finish before Syuen continued.

“You know what? I think I get the picture now, Dante.” She says, getting cocky enough to appear inches from my face. “You’re truly convinced that they’re still human, aren’t you? That they can still feel true emotions because they have a brain? That they deserve the same respect as a human being? 

Let me tell you something, Dante.” She holds chin up, looking me in the eyes as I helplessly try to break free from Rapi’s vice grip. “I’m not as cruel as you think. I’m not some heartless CEO looking to make your life miserable because you have the moral high ground. No, no, no, I’m just a woman. A woman that wants the people in the ark to be happy and healthy...if that means tearing apart machines that have a human brain inside? Then that’s what I’ll do.

What remains of your best friend would beg you to let her go with me if it meant helping the surface be reclaimed...would she not?” I growl in response, Rapi’s iron grip loosening. “Just think about it, She is now less than nothing, an imperfection to be cleansed after I learn more about the heretics. Admit it…

You’re obsessed, Dante. 

So obsessed in fact, that you are willing to throw away both your own life and a couple of your precious Nikes for a fragment of who she was. When she was being turned, her wish for a power was to be able to protect you…and look at how well that turned out. She’s a brainwashed monster and you're in a downward spiral that will continue until you finally come to terms that she is gone.” She stops for a moment, looking at my face as I try not to unleash hell upon her. “That face you’re making…you know I’m right, don’t you?” She sighs, letting my chin go as shakes her head. “Trust me when I tell you that this is for your own good. The path you’re going down is an unhealthy one…one that someone with such a bright future ahead of you doesn’t need to travel on. You can start anew, with a real woman rather than a machine…Nearly every girl in the Ark would kill just to hold your hand…even I’m not immune to your charms if you play your cards right.” She giggles to herself as I thrashed around violently. I feel something wash over me…like warm and soothing rain. I couldn’t hold myself back from opening my mouth.

“You’ll never take her from me…no one will. Not Andersen, not the central government…and especially you.” She smugly turns around, looking towards me as I make one last burst trying to escape Rapi.

“Oh, you poor commander…I already took her from you long ago…you’re just talking to a husk.” She pauses before clapping her hands. “Maxwell. We’re leaving.” Before I even had time to ask who Maxwell was, a Woman would suddenly appear from just out of my field of vision…

“Yes ma’am.” She said, walking next to her puppet master.

“Oh and by the way…” Syuen stops as she walks out the door. “Clean yourself up…you look awful.” As she slowly fades from view, the Nikke from earlier would shake her head at me, mouth the words “sorry”, then leave alongside her boss, leaving me, Rapi and Anis in silence. After a couple of seconds…Rapi lets me go. 

“...Commander.” She knows that I’m incredibly volatile at the moment…so she speaks softly. I just barely turn my head to look behind me.

“...Save it.” I said in sharp contrast to her gentleness. “I’d rather die than let that happen to Marian.” I turn to leave, walking up the stairs to the commander’s room. Rapi tries to follow me…only for Anis to stop her. I lock myself inside in a vain attempt to clear my thoughts…

Next thing I know, I get a call from Andersen. I’m so tempted to just not answer…but I do have questions that he may have the answers to. His call lasted three seconds.

“Come to my office now.” 

He’s more pissed than usual. With no reason to stay in a room and let resentment build up inside me, I’ll heed the call and go straight to him. Without a word, I leave the outpost and head straight for Andersen’s office.

“Enter.” He says, sounding more pissed than he was on the phone. I open the door to see him at his desk. “...I entrust that Syuen paid you a visit this morning as well…unannounced?” I nod as I take a seat…misery does love company. “I guessed as much.” Andersen sighs before looking me in the eyes. “I have information on the heretic/“

“Did you know, Andersen?” He goes silent, I imagine trying his hardest to conceal his own “oh shit” face. “About Syuen making Marian?” He shakes his head.

“Can’t that woman keep her damn mouth shut?” He mutters before looking at me once again. “Until this morning, I had no idea. Marian being a part of the Kurijo family was hidden in all documentation…all of which was forged by Syuen’s legal counsel. Ingrid kept it a secret at Marian’s request. You know just as much as I do, if not more.” That’s good at the very least, I can continue trusting Andersen. We sit in silence for a moment. “Dante. I know that is a very bitter pill to swallow. As someone who tries to stay detached from their emotions in this line of work, what Syuen is planning makes me sick. If that’s the case for me, I shiver at the mere thought of considering what’s going on in your head right now.

But you cannot give up yet.” This was…oddly out of character for my superior officer. “As a Deputy Chief of the Central Government, my responsibility is to ensure everything runs smoothly in the Ark. Needless to say, Syuen has clearly been causing problems ever since she took over Missills. She has run rampant long enough…” Ok, who was this guy? Did I walk into the wrong office by mistake? “Her unsanctioned mission to capture chatterbox violated several fundamental principles of our missions that put not you and your Nikke in unneeded danger, but potentially gave the Raptures access to sensitive information regarding the Ark. I believe that it is in our best interest to begin forming a case file on Syuen.” I’ve heard of no brainers, but this should have been done YEARS ago! “That said, this sort of thing takes a lot of time and patience…so don’t expect Syuen in an electric chair within the next couple of days.” I simply nod my head. 

“Sounds like a plan…I don’t know why you didn’t think of this before…” He sighs, ever the ray of sunshine.

“It’s complicated. I have a meeting soon, so I’ll wrap this up. I’ve located Marian to the North…they’re using a fallen research laboratory as some kind of outpost.

She’s overseeing it.” I get up out of my chair in a flash. “Glad to see that you already know the urgency of this. You need to get there before Syuen does…or else you’ll never see her again.” I’m practically halfway out the door already when I hear a faint “Good luck.” I dial Rapi as Andersen sends me the coordinates. 

“Commander?” She sounds upset…most likely from this morning.

“We’ve got Modernia’s location, meet me at elevator one hundred and seventeen, by the petty officer memorial as soon as you can!” Rapi hears the urgency in my voice before nodding her head and signing offline. 

Once I had arrived, I waited impatiently…I couldn’t stop thinking about what Syuen had said…the way she said the word “obsessed” really triggered something in me. Was I really?

It’s only natural, right? I loved Marian more than anything in the world, of course I wanted to save her at all cost. Putting my own life in jeopardy was what I did on the daily…but putting Rapi, Anis and Diesel in scenarios that aren’t the best course of action just to save one person…was that really right of me? 

It doesn’t matter now. None of it does. Syuen doesn’t know the first thing about me or Marian, despite being the one who manufactured her. She’s trying to manipulate me, get in my head to control me like a puppet. To use my own emotions against me as a way to get what she wants. But…

What if she knows that? What if she knows that I’m not going to listen to her and uses that to her advantage? She’s smart, no doubt, but I don’t know HOW smart. Maybe I’m just overthinking it…but still…I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t going to keep me up at night. 

“Dante!” Diesel waved rapidly towards me as the three Nikke broke me out of my thoughts.

“You made it.” I said, happy to have some company for once. “You’re all ready to go?” My second in command would nod her head.

“Everyone has already been briefed on the mission objectives…except for one thing. How are we getting inside the research base on such short notice?”

I leaned against a wall near the surface elevator as I pondered how I wanted to approach this predicament. “Hmm…if we can’t get official access to the base and My Solid Eye can’t break through…” I look towards Anis with a smile. “...Then I suppose I’ll just have to break in. Nothing a little explosion can’t fix.” 

“Non.” I hear an unfamiliar voice say in my direction. My hand rests on my new pistol…just in case this needed a QuickDraw. “Non, Non, Non, that won’t be necessary.” I could see Diesel squinting her eyes towards my upper left side.

“What’s that light up ahead?” Looking in that direction, I confirmed that I couldn’t see a goddamn thing…except a silhouette of a man. 

“Is that…a disco ball?” Anis said in disbelief, the priceless look on her face nearly making me die out laughing. “Wait…don’t tell me…that’s…” The figure grows closer…and while the light’s intensity hadn’t changed, the extra space made visibility much more manageable. 

“Voila! Exactement!” The man said as I got a clear view of him. “I am the CEO of Tetra Line! The greatest showman in the entire Ark…Mustang!” This…was the CEO of Tetra Line? You know what? I’ll take this over Syuen, I guess…My hand slowly drifts from my gun, realizing that I’m not in any immediate danger. “Allez, repeat after me! Entertainment!” I’d look in bewilderment…oh my god, why can’t people just be fucking normal sometimes? Me and the revenants stare in stunned silence before diesel breaks it.

“...wow.” That…summarized it well enough, I suppose. I’d go with ‘what the actual fuck am I looking at’ but that works too.

“Oh non, Anis, where’s your applause?” I glance over to my grenadier, making that one face she does when things get a bit wacky. She lets out a deep sigh.

“Hello boss…it’s been a while.” Note to self: Thank Andersen for being not an over the top clown. 

“You look well, Cheri! Looking stunning as always!” A nervous laugh for Anis. 

“Ahahah…do I now?” For the first time since we’ve met…

I felt bad for Anis. 

Though, I’d have my own problems when our fabulous Frenchmen would turn towards me dramatically. 

“And you…Commander Dante Fortuna?” I cleared my throat, trying to shake off any sort of shock factor to remain on this plane of reality. 

“The one and only Dante Fortuna, at your service.” I managed to put on my cocky smile, to which the CEO clearly was impressed by.

“Bravo! Magnifique!” I’d be lying if I didn’t want to just say ‘Oui Oui Baguette’ or something…but that would be in pretty poor taste, I imagine. “You are just as much of a performer as your mother!” No, I was just a damn good liar…managing to fake my emotions to the point that sometimes not even I know how I truly feel about things…or maybe that’s the crippling self doubt talking. “You are heading to the research station in the north, no?” 

“That’s right.” I crack my neck. 

“Lucky for you, I have the highest access key.” Oh boy…more favors, I can sense it from a mile away. “...However, this key is a bit special!” Wait a minute…is he not…asking for anything? Is he out of his mind? Good man, absolute legend! “This pass is activated…via dance!” Oh…

I pay with public humiliation instead…Yippee…

“Eyes are on you from everywhere in the Ark…and I want to have Tetra Line show off to the world what this new rising star can do.” I smirk in response…I’d be lying if I said looking stylish while doing anything wasn’t one of the most important things in life. 

“Alright…I’m down.” Anis looked to be in pure shock, Diesel seemed excited, and Rapi would say nothing at all…pretty standard reactions from if you ask me.

“Dante, you’re not serious, are you?!” I look back at Anis, a cocky grin still on my face. 

“Why not? You don’t think I can do it?” She groans.

“It’s not that, just…someone like you? Dancing? On a mission?!” I had doubts before, but now I’m definitely going to do it to spite Anis. 

“Well, with that, I must bid you all farewell!” Mustang exits as quickly as he came in…bringing me to the reality that I had to face Modernia once again…

“Right then…now that’s out of the way?” I smile as I press some buttons on the elevator. “Let’s go.” 

As we trek through the tundra to the research station, it’s obvious what’s on my mind. 

Modernia.

She occupies every thought I have now. There are so many unknown variables in this equation once you factor in the others being here. My biggest fear however…

What if the raptures managed to purge Marian in her entirety? 

I try to force her out of my mind, only to find that I can hear her distorted cackling any time I attempt to calm myself down. However, my train of thought would be disrupted by something cold slamming against the left side of my face.

“The fuck?!” I whip to that side, pistol drawn out of pure reflex to find…Anis and Diesel in a snowball fight with Rapi giving death stares to each of my squadmates .

“She did it.”

“She did it.”

They both said it simultaneously, to which I only sigh. It made the voices in my head shut up, so I can’t really complain. I holster my new weapon and glance at the two.

“...Dante? Dante, do you copy?” I hear a familiar voice call out from my Solid Eye, even if I couldn’t remember who it belonged to. I expanded the call I was receiving to reveal a certain blue haired operator. Upon seeing her visage, I instantly recognized who she was.

“Hey Shifty, long time no see!” I gave as good of a smile as I could at the moment to keep up appearances. It seemed to have worked, since she seemed over the moon that I remembered her name.

“It’s good to see you too, Dante! You as well, Rapi!” My second in command would display a tiny smile on her face…one that did remind me that she really had emotions other than frustration.  “...Though, we’ll be seeing each other much more frequently, seeing as I’m now Revenant Squad’s permanent operator!” Shifty seemed proud of her achievement and I couldn’t help but share that sentiment.

“Hey, look at you!” I wore a genuine smile this time…despite being rather unfamiliar with her, I was very happy just seeing her so confident.

“Yep! That means I’m pretty much the best operator of the Ark…” Her confidence began to waver upon saying that out loud. “...I’ll…do my best to help you all out in whatever I can!” I shook my head, deciding to reassure my new operator that she’s up for the challenge.

“...” I clap my hands together. “...So, what’s up? What do you got for us?” Shifty looks at something on her desk, the sound of rustling papers heard through the microphone. 

“G-Give me a second…” After a couple more seconds of paper shuffling, she holds one up triumphantly. “Ah-ha! Found ya!” She examines it closely before looking back up at her camera. “...The route is surprisingly straightforward. You should be able to get to the research station without much resistance or hassle.” I saw the directions flash on my Solid Eye, and sure enough, the way we’d be traveling is pretty basic…

But I'd be a damn fool to think this was gonna  go smoothly.

“Looks like a cakewalk!” Anis says, clearly happy about the minimum amount of effort required to reach the station…and thereby dooming this mission due to her arrogance.

“Everyone.” I roll my right arm then motion my group forward. “Let's move.” I take the lead, not emotionally stable considering what I know awaits me…but wanting it to be over all the same. I try my best not to get lost in my own head…but this frozen abyss…it’s enough of a beauty that I can’t help but take it in. It also made me wonder…what was Snow White up to? Knowing her, she’s most likely…I dunno…eating a spider for her lunch right now. I could hear Anis and Diesel chatting it up behind me before the former looked towards me.

“How about you commander? How are you holding up in this winter wonderland?” I glance backwards to look at her, though not fully turning my head.

“I’m fine.” I responded, the chills running down my spine were far from the weather. “Actually…I don’t think I mind the snow.” I started to ramble. “The cold sensation on your skin, the purest white below you…does make for some great sights, I imagine.” Anis nods in agreement.

“Right? Stuff like this is why the surface isn’t always so bad. It’s pretty cool, right?” I couldn’t tell if that last part was an ice pun…not that it mattered, seeing as everyone’s favorite second in command would surprisingly chime into this discussion. 

“It’s the sole reason why we exist.” She said, emotionless as ever. “To take this back, I mean. To ensure that humanity can see the silver snow again.” Seeing as she was at my side, it didn’t take much to look at Rapi.

“You know, you were human once too. You don’t have to say it like you don’t have an equal stake either.” My red-clad Nikke doesn’t respond at all, only continuing to move forward to the research station.

“...How is your arm?” Rapi asking me about that catches me off guard, but I imagine to save myself. 

“It’s amazing…feels even better than my organic one.” Diesel decides to speak up, seeing as she finished munching on a piece of candy and was unwrapping another one. 

“Just by looking at it, you can tell how expensive it is…The Elysion Curaga Series Prosthetic Arms already run for around a million credits…and that’s without all the extra stuff Centi put in.” I give my favorite conductor a smug smile. 

“Only the best is good enough, as they say…besides, if it helps with my abilities on the battlefield, it’s hardly a waste. 

That and Syuen was paying the bill.” I look down at my arm…it really did make me more confident. Like I was a weapon. I could see I was receiving a call from Shifty, so my admiration of myself would have to wait. “Hey Shifty, got something for me?” My operator would shake her adorable little head from side to side.

“No commander, I was calling to ask you why your signal was weakening.” Rapi would speak up, trying to ensure I do not need to answer any questions that she could herself.

“The snowstorm is approaching rapidly and picking up in intensity. Communications are most likely going to get worse from here on out.” Shifty once again would examine a sheet of paper…my operator in fucking SPECIAL OPS cannot be this cute…

“Hmm…I just took a look at the geography, there should be a bunker not far ahead. I’ve calculated the amount of time it will take for the storm to pass and compared it to the location of your…target. You have plenty of time to wait it out.” 

“Sounds good to me.” My solid eye auto adjusts the route, correcting it to the bunker. “See on the other side, Shifty.” The smile she gave me could light up the night sky. 

“Be safe, you guys!” The transmission cuts out, leaving me to power through the snow storm with nothing but my sheer desire to save Marian and hatred towards the raptures for taking her from me. I could see Anis’s concerned face out of the corner of my eye.

“Are you holding up alright, commander?” She asked, clearly wanting a specific answer. 

“Decently enough, all things considered.” Surprise, Surprise, I picked the wrong answer.

“Commander.” Rapi injected herself into this conversation, knowing Anis’ over the top outburst wouldn’t be efficient in accomplishing anything. “If you get below a certain threshold in her vitals, I will be carrying you to our destination. Do not be alarmed if I pick you up.” I blink a couple times, to which Anis just laughs.

“Relax Rapi!” She waves her hand to dismiss her comrade’s warning. “The commander is just cold, that’s all!” She then looks towards Diesel. “Yo, Diesel!” Our ray of sunshine stops her munching, swallowing her candy before giving a light “eh?”. “Take off your clothes and snuggle up with the commander.” My expression goes from relaxed to confused and afraid. 

“I must have misheard you, what did you say?” Neither Diesel or Anis acknowledged me, with the former looking less concerned than I was with the latter deciding to elaborate.

“You need to warm up the commander using your body heat!” Rapi would sigh and shake her head, not even bothering to give a death stare.

“It’s just when you put it like that…” A pouting Diesel would cut off Rapi’s voice.

“Anis, must you give me a hard time on everything? Can you please do this one simple task?” Anis’ smug face turns to fear in a quarter of a second.

“Nuh-uh.” She shook her head as quickly as she could.

“The frick you mean ‘Nuh-Uh’?!” I don’t know which was funnier; Anis’ face or the fact that Diesel doesn’t say the word fuck. “It’s a perfectly reasonable thing to do.” Ok, now we’re drawing the line before Anis actually convinces our favorite strawberry to go through with this.

“First off, no it’s not and second of all, both of you keep your clothes on. Last thing I want is to see anyone naked in the snow…” I continue walking alongside Rapi, who still is as stoic as a statue. Makes me wonder if she and Snow White are secretly related…

“Rapi, you should…” She didn’t consider her comrades’ idea for a moment.

“No.” Though was she…blushing? Oh wait, we’re in a fucking snowstorm.

Our group walks along until we eventually reach the approximate area where the bunker would be.

“There it is!” Diesel points to a concrete indention from the wall…might as well had the words “Fallout Bunker #76” written on it…pretty damn obvious. However…it was also just as obvious that the Raptures were also here. 

“Everyone, assume combat positions!” Rapi yelled out before looking at me. “Commander, you should…” She didn’t have time as I take down a rapture with a single shot. “...stay out of sight…” she trailed off as I nailed two more. 

“Rapi, why don’t you guys…” Another common rapture bagged. “...use pistols more often?” Rolling to the side behind some dilapidated concrete to get out of harm's way for the time being, I look over towards her, waiting for response. “This is fun as fuck!” I smile at her disapproval.

“Commander. You should be giving us…”

“Diesel, target the front row of common raptures, then take out the specials. Anis, lob some grenades to the back. Rapi, shoot those drones out the sky.” I ordered my Nikkes with the plan drafted by my Solid Eye. Meanwhile, I just hit core after core after core. Thanatos took three or four shots to put one common rapture down…this hand cannon does it in two at most. 

This feels…amazing! I’ve never felt this feeling of empowerment before! This feeling…this power.

I needed more of it.

We fight two waves of raptures, causing a light smile to cross my face as the commanding rapture falls. “Nothing to it.” I stylishly place the pistol in its holster, before feeling my nose twitch. “Achoo!” I sneezed…causing a massive rumbling behind me. “Ah crap…” The rumbling grew louder and I see something white rushing towards us.

“AVALANCHE!” It came at us at lightning speed, the snow rushing down like a tidal wave. Rapi extended her hand to me

“COMMANDER!” I was whisked away by the rampant snow in the blink of an eye. I was able to activate my light barrier in time, and while it did protect me…it didn’t stop my movement. Next thing I knew…everything went black.

I stir…holy shit, that hit me like a ton of bricks.

“Goddamn, did anyone get the number of the Semi that just hit me?” My vision was blurry, thanks to my Solid Eye rebooting…I really need to give it a faster reboot sequence…I’ll have to worry about that later. I shake my head, trying to regain my vision. 

“You’re awake…” a child-like voice called out to me, catching me off guard. “...I wouldn’t nap in the snow if I were you. You might catch a cold…” Napping in the snow?!? My eyes began to focus to reveal two figures. One was tall, with blonde hair, adorned in white. The other was much smaller, and wore practically entirely pink.

“Good advice, I’ll…be sure to keep that in mind.” This one in pink seemed pure…even more so than diesel. “Either you two know where I am?” The one in pink spoke up again.

“You’re in the frozen world of the queen of hearts.” What in the actual fuck is she talking about? Am I hallucinating all this shit or have I just gone crazy? I can’t go insane yet, I still have to save Marian. 

“Alice. Make preparations to depart at once. We don't have long, so do not waste any time.” The tall blonde one ordered the young Nikke, to which she did a salute and darted off to do…something. Once Alice was out of sight, the leader would face me. “You. Tell me your name and who sent you.” I could tell that she wasn’t the type for my kind of humor, so I decided to come clean.

“Commander Dante of Revenant Squad, at your service.” I bow with a smug grin, to which the leader didn’t react, only closing her eyes for a moment.

“As I suspected.” She proceeds to open them, staring straight through me. “I am Ludmila. From now on, you serve me, Dante.” To say I was taken aback was an understatement. 

“I’m sorry, I think I’m still recovering my senses, what did you say?” She shakes her head at me…and while I could use my commanding status to order these two around…that really wasn’t my style. Besides, this could be very entertaining.

“Tell me…who is higher on the totem pole? The queen or a commander?” She sees herself as some sort of Queen, eh? I can make this work.

“...Let me answer your question…with another question. What’s a Queen to someone who isn’t a part of their kingdom?” The “queen” seemed rather pleased by my response.

“Well, aren’t you clever? I didn’t know the Academies of the Ark could produce someone who could think outside the box.

I like that.” Was she…flirting with me? I mean, if she is some kind of royalty, I can…No, wait, eyes on the prize, Dante.

“My Queen!” Alice returned with yet another salute. “We’re ready to move!” 

“Very well…Come along, then.” She motions to me, to which I gladly accompany her. There’s no way this could be as bad as the journey Snow White and I endured…If I could survive that shit, I can do anything. We walk for a bit before the “Queen” looks over towards me. “I’m sure you have plenty of burning questions…allow me to explain.” 

Oh, this is gonna be some high quality shit, right here…peak fiction, even.

“We are unlimited. We are on a quest to defeat the evil Queen of Hearts.” Unlimited, huh? That’s a new one…learning all sorts of things today.

“That right?” I asked, smirking at the two.

“Mhm!” Alice chirped up. “This place used to be filled with flowers and trees…until the Queen of Hearts summoned a snowstorm, tossing the land into turmoil…” I look towards Ludmila, who gave me an…interesting look, as if asking me to play along…alright…

This may be fun.

“But…what about you, mysterious stranger? Where did you come from?” Being put on the spot, I needed to think of something quick.

“My name…is Dante and I am…the darkslayer. I heard there was something called the Queen of Hearts that needed an ass kicking…and who am I to put off a good fight?” Alice practically had sparkles in her eyes hearing my introduction.

“My Queen! We found one! We finally found one! A companion to join us on our quest to defeat the queen of hearts!” The little one seemed overjoyed at the thought of me joining their little party, practically jumping up and down. Ludmila brushed her own hair aside, looking elegant if nothing else.

“Calm yourself, Alice. I am the one who brought them here.” Pfft, yeah right…then again, if a hot queen showed up at my doorstep and asked me to go on a quest to save the world and potentially get paid a fuck ton of cash for it…I shake my head, watching as Alice looked at the ice Queen for confirmation.

“You did?” I decided to respond once again…my ego has been severely damaged after these past few weeks…

“That’s right.” I added. “The Icy Queen of Execution recruited me…to finally end the reign of terror caused by the Queen of Hearts.” Ludmila seemed impressed by my skills…and here I thought Marian dragging me into that drama club sophomore year wouldn’t have any practical applications…

“Indeed.” The leader of unlimited verified. “...Though, I must ask…why did you come here alone?” 

“I didn’t. My party and I got separated by an avalanche…even if I usually walk the path of strife alone.” 

“You didn’t come alone?!” The pink Nikke seemed over the moon at the thought of meeting more “legendary heroes”...

“Of course not. While Dante may be extremely powerful, he is but one.” She might be laying it on a bit thick, but…it made me realize something…how much my short time since Marian’s death has caused me to grow. It also made me question if I had been relying on her far too much…it doesn’t matter now…I’ve gotten stronger and that’s all that matters. “Your companions…were they human like you? If so…” I shook my head.

“They weren’t…far more than human.” Ludmila nodded at me, seeming rather relieved.

“Then there is hope for them yet.” She smirks, as do I. “Come Darkslayer! Let us go through the domain of the Queen of Hearts.” We continued walking for a while…before Alice wanted to know more about my mysterious story.

“Hey…one of your arms is different from the other.” Ludmila noticed my mechanical arm as well and I could tell that she was going to ask about it. But who am I to deny an opportunity to let my fragile ego run wild for a bit?

“This?” I display my mechanical arm to both of them. “...is Beowulf.” Ludmila seemed pretty impressed that I was coming up with this on the fly. “A legendary weapon, capable of shattering worlds.” Alice is blown away by my explanation, so much so she wasn’t going to ask about the gauntlet or boots. 

“Woahhhh…” I let out a menacing chuckle.

“Seeing as it has lost much of its strength due to the stains of time, it needs more power…as do I. With it…my power shall be absolute.” Ludmila smiles at me.

“I expected nothing less from the Legendary Darkslayer. Do you think I would recruit any ordinary hero for such an important task, Alice?” Damn, I’m good at this! Really need to start copywriting all of this information…could make for a decent side hustle. Alice, however, didn’t seem to share the same idea that this was fiction…even if it could be peak fiction.

“My Queen…do you think they could be…the Rabbity?” I blink a couple times, trying to process what she said.

“Wait, what?” I broke character, to which the two seemingly didn’t pick up on.

“And what makes you say that, Alice?” 

“Well, I don’t really know how to explain it…but what are the chances that we come across a human with such a legendary weapon?” Ok, now I’m just confused.

“No, seriously though, what the fuck is a rabbity?” Once again, I appeared to be ignored. Was this some kind of secret conversation I shouldn’t be hearing or something?

“Well, why don’t you ask him?” Ludmila looks at me as Alice tugs on my sleeve.

“Uhm…excuse me but…are you…the rabbity? The one destined to help us this world from the queen of hearts?” Ok, I could handle everything up until now, but this just kinda came from out of left field. I mean, I know Ludmila wants me to go along with it…but being called “The Rabbity” isn’t something I’m interested in…Anis would never let me live it down. Besides, I had so many cool nicknames lined up! The One Winged Angel, The Legendary Hungry Wolf, The Alpha and The Omega, that kinda stuff! I don’t to be called a fucking rodent! I take a deep breath as Ludmila watches with a keen eye.

“Hard to say. Destiny can’t really be determined by anybody…If you think that, then…that’s what I am. But until I save this world…until that destiny is fulfilled…I can’t give you yes or no. It’s up to you.” Alice looks to be in deep thought and Ludmila seemed satisfied with my answer.

“Yes! I’ve been waiting for so long! Together we’ll finally defeat the Queen of Hearts and go to the promised land!” I smile at Alice…as does Ludmila.

“She will die one thousand deaths…so it is written.” Ludmila then coughs to get our attention.

“There’s a bunker up ahead…you should rest, wandering soul. You must be exhausted from your great journey.” I hardly noticed that my legs needed a break…guess some shit never changes… After we make it to the bunker, Ludmila plops down a metal crate…as do I. “Alice. I wish to spend some time alone with our Darkslayer.” The younger Nikke gave a bow extremely quickly.

“Yes, my Queen! I’ll go outside and look for any of the Queen of Heart's minions!” Without another word, she scurried off, leaving me alone with Ludmila. That’s someone’s dream, I can imagine. She takes a deep breath in…and out, closing her eyes, then opening them.

“...Thank you for playing along, Dante.” She smiles, to which I do so as well and give her a shrug. 

“No problem. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t having a bit of fun.” Ludmila chuckles to herself as she looks at me.

“I’m glad. It’s been a while since we’ve had company.” I cross my legs as the conversation goes quiet for a minute. “...Allow me to introduce myself once more. My name is Ludmila and I am the leader of unlimited. We are in charge of rescuing lost Nikkes.” Now things are starting to click…I was wondering why a squad was just stationed in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. “...There is a saying that if you’re ever lost, go north. That is because we are here.” Coming from anyone else, that would be arrogant, but considering their goal…they had more than enough reason to be proud. “Though…this is the first time we’d ever saved a human. Then again, not just any commander can just tank an avalanche and just be knocked out for two hours tops.” I smirk…Snow White did call me the most capable and powerful human on earth…

“I’m just full of surprises.” She gives a different kind of smile…is this…more flirting? I’ll just say it isn’t.

“Evidently. Then again, I have always been into surprises.” Oh, never mind, she totally wants some of this. I’d be down to go out with her too once or twice if I didn’t…you know…best friend that just so happens to be a girl. “Regardless…I have a feeling you’re here to reclaim the research base?” I nod my head, not like I had anything to hide. “I see…well, that place is crawling with Raptures…precisely the reason we’ve been reduced to nomads, seeing as a heretic is stationed there.” I must have shown some sort of response, seeing as the queen would shake her head from side to side. “...Why are you smiling? I thought you were far wiser to know that you cannot fight a heretic without extensive preparation and Nikkes specifically equipped to take one down.” I intentionally smiled this time around.

Things are going to be different…I swear.

“I know. But I have all I need to take care of the problem. Trust me.” 

“That look in your eyes…” She comments seemingly in a state of shock. “...Do you not fear death? Or are you really buying into being the Darkslayer, truly capable of saving this world?” I shook my head, chuckling all the while.

“Save the world? Nah…that was more of my father’s thing. I’m here to…save someone else.” Ludmila begins to put the pieces together, realizing exactly who I am.

“You’re…his son, aren’t you?” Seeing as she’s in the middle of nowhere, letting her know of my line isn’t much of a problem. 

“I said it before. Dante Fortuna, at your service.” I decided to stand up, stretching my back out. “...The sooner we get to that research station, the sooner I can take back what belongs to me. That and…I hate to keep a girl waiting.” Ludmila smirks confidently. 

“A gentleman with a dash of arrogance. You’re checking all the boxes, Mr. Fortuna.” Oh my god, she wants me…not even among allies can I truly catch a break. “Very well, Darkslayer. Let us depart. Alice!” I can hear some murmurs in the corner. 

“H-Huh? What’s going on…” I thought she was on patrol, yet here she is, cradled like a baby. It would be adorable…if you know…I was into this sort of thing.

Regardless, I thrust open the bunker’s door, watching as both Alice and Ludmila followed me out into the unforgiving snow. We kept moving further north…it was…beautiful. It felt like less of a military operation and more like a hike. The tranquil breeze…the sensation of snow on my skin…the relaxing fragrance of pine…it made for a wonderful time for introspection, to look upon my own successes and failures…to really ask myself…why was I…

“DANNTEEEEEEEE!!!”

Oh, Goddamn it.

In front of us, stands the bunker where the avalanche had occurred prior…confirming my suspicions that…yep, those certainly were my teammates.

Had they been screaming for me the whole time? Granted, it had been, like, what, twenty minutes to walk, but I was out of commission for some time. “Yes. They are my teammates, don’t bother asking. I’ll be back.” I walk to one of the corners of the bunkers undetected, sighing. “You know…” both Diesel and Anis instantly turned their heads as I twirled my pistol around. “...Screaming isn’t gonna do much if I’m dozens of miles away…try smoke signals or something.” Diesel did the exact opposite of what I hoped she would do…and practically tackled me. “Hey, what’s-“

“Dante!” She squeezed me even harder…shit, I think she cracked a rib, what the fuck? “We were terrified, Anis and I thought you’d become a strawberry flavored popsicle by now!” I only roll my eyes.

“First off, I’m fine. Second off, I’d be one of those red white and blue ones. Like, the really good stuff.” Of course, my asides never failed to ease tension by either being annoying or occasionally being funny. Wait a second…one, two… “...Where’s Rapi?” Both of them look at each other…and the look that was exchanged isn’t good. 

“Dante…Rapi...” Diesel started…but looked to Anis to deliver the bad news. 

“...isn’t here.” My heart sinks…did…no, there’s no way…I couldn’t. “She kept searching and searching…until it killed-“ Before Anis even finished, a shadow loomed over her…fear appeared on her face as she heard the noise of someone landing behind her.

“Don’t mind them, commander…” Rapi stands behind Anis and Diesel, who were both practically shitting their pants. “...I’m fine.” The accomplice Diesel gets a death glare as she turns around with Anis getting far more strict of punishment…shoved aside…maybe a little too hard as she rolls a small distance. “...I’m sorry, if I had just been a bit faster, I could have…” Oh no, we are NOT going down the “everything is my fault” rabbit hole. That’s MY territory.

“It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you three are ok…” Ludmila and Alice stand in silence a couple of meters away. Diesel squints, trying to determine who they are.

“Dante? Who are…” I didn’t even have time to answer before the Queen beat me to the buzzer.

“We are unlimited. I presume you are accompanying him?” She motions towards me, with Rapi giving a nod of affirmation.

“That’s right. You have our thanks for keeping the commander safe.” Ludmila chuckles, seemingly pleased.

“It wasn’t much trouble. He’s quite the character.” A sweat drop runs down Rapi’s forehead. 

“We’re…more than aware.” Anis and Diesel snicker. Their joke caught me off guard…but I’ll try to set my desire to make them run laps aside for now. Before we have a chance to head to the research center, Alice looks towards Rapi.

“Are you…the Rabbity’s teammates?” I had a feeling she was gonna say something, but I was really, really hoping she wasn’t. My second in command looks the most confused I’ve ever seen her.

“The…what?” It would be pretty funny if this didn’t have the potential to humiliate me. 

“Yes! My queen’s servant and the one who will take me to the Promised Land.” The other’s reaction all match Rapi’s before the red one speaks up. 

“No, We’re…” I give Rapi a wink, to which she lets out a sigh. I decided to lead here by example…should make things easier.

“That’s right. We are Those Chosen By the Planet…to lead all of mankind to the promised land.” Rapi catches onto my act, deciding to play along to appease both of the members of Unlimited. 

“So, you must have your own legendary weapons then, right?!” Alice was clearly happy and even someone as unamused by this sort of thing, I couldn’t help but feel like I was doing the right thing.

“Of course…we do.” Rapi was still skeptical and unsure of how to go about this, clearly not the best at putting on a show…

“What are they!? What are they?! Let me have a look!” She was practically bouncing with excitement…my team just stood there, unknowing of what their weapon was. Looks like my “divine intervention” was required once more…

“As we’ve previously discussed…This…” I raise my metallic arm, chuckling menacingly as I do so. “...is Beowulf.” The others seem to catch on, with Diesel deciding to go first.

“My ultimate weapon is…” Our head of public relations shows off her hat dramatically. “...is Lucifer.” She dons “Lucifer” once more, making sure it’s on tight. “Using nanomachines, it can harden parts of my body in response to physical trauma or enhance my melee attacks. It has a limit, so I can’t really show you anything.” Huh…not a bad idea…I’ll keep that in mind. Anis sees her opportunity to go next, beginning to take off her gloves.

“My ultimate weapon…” She holds up a golden ring, inscriptions all around it. Not gonna lie, it actually looks really cool. “...is called Sauron.” Anis puts it back on, then her gloves. “...It can do plenty of things, but its main use is to allow me to cast illusions. It’s out of power right now, but I’ll definitely show you one day!” That…might actually be possible for me to make. Holograms, tapping into other machines remotely and using them…noted. Alice turns to a nervous looking Rapi, who didn't seem to have come up with anything just yet and has the look of a student who forgot their homework.

“That’s so cool! What about you? What’s your legendary weapon?” Rapi was sweating despite the cold, practically terrified of being put on the spot. Luckily, Anis was here to save the day.

“Rapi’s weapon is called…Pandora. It was so powerful that it had to be sealed away.” Alice is blown away by this, while I’m impressed by how well she can lie. 

“Holy Macaroni!” Upon hearing that, I’m going to be using that when I can’t swear around children or something…

“Yep…it was sealed in a chest.” Oddly specific choice of words, but…worldbuilding? I guess?

“I wanna see!” Alice had never sounded so excited, causing Anis to turn to me.

“As you’re well aware, Rabbity…” I’m going to ignore her any other time she calls me rabbity. “...you can release the seal by undoing Rapi’s buttons.” Both me and the wielder of “Pandora” give Anis’ death glares. Anis only smiles at me. “We’re all waiting.” Rapi decides to end this little skit here and now.

“That…won’t be necessary.” Rapi says before contracting a thousand yard stare. “...If we let it out…it could reduce anything and everything I love to ashes.” That was…odd. Rapi couldn’t be creative to save her life a couple seconds ago, but she suddenly spaced out and became Macbeth? My mind flashes back to how Marian would begin to act differently and space out when she was corrupted…I’m bringing this up soon with her. “At any rate, we should keep moving. According to the maps, the research station should be much farther ahead.” I nod my head. 

“We’ll be moving out shortly. Everyone hang tight, I have something I need to discuss with Rapi.” I motion her to follow me inside the bunker, to which she does. I lock the door behind me and get the farthest I can from the others…no one else needs to worry right now. 

“Have I done something wrong, commander?” She tilts her head, rather puzzled. “If this about you wanting to see my breasts in private, you are…” she blushes to which I decided to cut her off her train of thought. As beautiful as Rapi was, I’m not a pervert. 

“That’s not it.” I take a deep breath, calming my mind…I need to be thinking clearly. “...I’m running a full scan on you.” I began to use my Solid Eye to do the routine that I do every mission to normally check for anything that may need fixing, but this time…I was inspecting absolutely everything. 

I’m not losing her too.

“During a mission?” She asks skeptically. “That’s highly unnecessary, especially considering our time to get to Modernia before Syuen’s team does is potentially limited.” 

“That’s true…and as much as I want to save her, I can’t let you potentially be corrupted.” Her eyes widened in reaction to this information. 

“Commander, I’m not corrupted. I haven’t gotten in physical contact with any raptures, much less been injured by one.” I shake my head.

“I know that. But you were acting strange when you were talking about your legendary weapon.” Her intense sense of what I assumed was fear dwindled as it turned to a more somber one. 

“Oh…that. I was recalling some bad memories, that’s all.” That makes a bit more sense. The full scan didn’t find anything out of the ordinary other than a risk factor in her memories…It confirmed it wasn’t corruption, but something else entirely, most likely a memory. However…that’s not my place to look, so I’ll ignore it for the time being. “My apologies for worrying you, commander. I’ll try to lessen any other memory recollection episodes.” I get back up, walking back to the door of the bunker. 

“Don’t worry about it, we got bigger fish to fry.”

Chapter Text

As I unlock the door to the bunker, I am greeted by the icy cold norm of the north…

I’ve…never really been the one to be affected by extreme weather or temperatures. Even right now, the most I feel is a bit of chills…but considering the current climate and my attire…it’s amazing how I’m not a popsicle like Diesel said. Anis places her hands on her hips. 

“Took you two long enough.” She said as both me and Rapi took our first steps outside. “If I didn’t know any better I’d think you two were…” Rapi decided to cut off any possibility of her saying anything lewd by giving a classic death stare. Despite how many times Anis has most likely seen it, she still seems to fear it…

…As she should.

“Sorry, I needed her to talk to. Much better at keeping my emotions in check after your little “practical joke” you and diesel pulled earlier.” That shut Anis up really quick. “Let’s go…who knows how much time we have before Syuen and Company show up.” I cross reference the map of our current area to the one Shifty provided earlier, discerning our chosen path to what could be the most important battle ever for me before sending to the others with my solid eye. Alice jumps a bit, clearly startled by the sudden appearance of the map. She starts talking to Ludmila about how she’s found a secret map…to which the queen looks at me and nods. As per usual, I try to take the lead, only for Rapi to somehow slip in front of me instead. 

“Zero.” Our support said with absolute certainty. “I’ve run through the scan nearly dozens of times…there doesn’t seem to be any Rapture Signals inside.” Ludmila shakes her head.

“Impossible. Alice and I were forced to retreat due to the sheer number of raptures that overwhelmed the research station, not to mention the heretic showing up. They must have some sort of jammer.” While normally I’d agree with Ludmila…I do recall that Modernia did use some of Marian’s strategies in our battle. If that applies to the same way she managed any sort of operation.

“I don’t think so.” I said, using my optical zoom to get a better look at the base’s outside perimeter. “There’s very few reasons for them to not jam communications, just our radars. Either this is a trap…or they got what they came for and left.” When she was in command of anything, optimization of resources was her biggest concern. She had a tendency to make all units able to assist each other…sometimes to a fault. “Is there anything they’d want in there?” Ludmila closes her eyes, trying to think of something.

“Nothing they don’t already have.” I try to think of something as well…what could they be after here?

“Well, there’s no use in trying to figure it out. Everyone, stay on your guard…Diesel, watch our six. Anis, you’re looking after our nine. I’ll keep watch of our three. Everyone else, lead the way.” Rapi places a hand on my shoulder.

“Commander. It could be beneficial to keep watch for two hours minimum to monitor any movements.” I shook my head. 

“Every second we aren’t moving is another second Syuen can capitalize on. There’s no time to waste.” I begin moving forward, as does the rest of the group. We cautiously arrived at the base in around fifteen minutes…without encountering a single Rapture. Alice touches an access panel, causing the twin blast doors to open slowly, granting us access to the heat inside. Ludmila inspects another control panel. 

“Looks like the research base has been sealed under grade five security lockdown…Alice and I only have grade four access.” Rapi looks at me for some reason…followed by Anis…and then Diesel. 

“The hell are you looking at me fo…” It was at this moment I realized exactly why they were…Mustang’s stupid Fucking keycard. “Hey, uh…Ludmila. I have a way…” She sighs, crossing her arms.

“Mustang’s keycard?” She says with a completely deadpan voice. “I had to do it before to get grade four…Just shut up and do the fucking dance, Dante.” 

I take a deep breath, closing then open my eyes, pulling down on my hat…followed by Anis playing some music to get me going.

https://soundcloud.com/backslash3r/dantes-dance

My hand slowly drifts from my hand before I sharply put it at my right side, rocking my hips back and forth. This was followed by a kick outwards, using the same hand prior thrusted to the same side with some hand gestures, then a quick spinning. I repeat that before using the opposite hand to both my shoulder and my opposing arm, then do the same with the other. This was followed by a spin, then a quick moonwalk, with another spin attached. 

Once the keycard has been fully charged, I point it at the lock, watching the golden glow cause the various safeguards begin to unlock themselves, the barrier riding up as I conclude my dance with a “yeah!” 

Everyone stares in complete silence. Their reactions were interesting, to say the least. Anis was the first to speak up.

“Rapi.” 

“Yes?”

“...How did he look sexy and stupid at the same time?” I can tell she was trying to hide how impressive my dance moves were…even if I just kinda went with the music. Rapi doesn’t respond, but Diesel and Alice certainly did…Diesel in particular had some kind words. 

“That was awesome! Where did you learn to dance like that?” I shrug my shoulders.

“Marian took me to those stupid high school dances…like the ones with the lame music. Guess I learned a thing or two.” Alice looks over towards Ludmila, who seemed to be amused. 

“My Queen! Once we reclaim this land from the Queen of Hearts, we should invite Rabbity to the Royal ball!” Ludmila brushes her hair aside.

“I agree, Alice. He certainly is talented…but if you’re quite done Dante, may we go inside the base?” I nod. “Very well. Let us proceed with our investigation.” I get two notifications on my solid eye. 

@Call_Me_Dante: Y’ello?

@The_Real_Slim_Shifty: Dante, it’s Shifty. Just wanted to say you looked awesome during your dance.

@Call_Me_Dante: I’m never doing that again.

I look at the other text.

@CEO_of_Entertainment: ENNNNNTERRRRRTAINNNNMENT!!!

@Call_Me_Dante: Hey, what’s up?

@CEO_Of_Entertainment: I just received the footage of your magnificent dance! This will be more than enough to make you a star, my friend! 

@Call_Me_Dante: Is that so? 

With my messages out of the way, I make my way to the others, with our two guests inside and my three standing in the doorway. “What are you ladies waiting for, Christmas?” Anis just looks at me with that one face she makes when things get a bit…campy.

“Do you find it suspicious that ALICE is working all the machinery…and Ludmila just stands there?” I just give her a look. They’ve protected me up until this point…why would they turn on us now? Ludmila lets loose a drawn out sigh. 

“Fine. I’ll show you.” She touches one of the many maintenance panels…causing it to fry near instantaneously. “...are you satisfied now? Any machine I touch gets fried.” I take a look at the broken panel while everyone is distracted.

“I work all the machines at home!” Alice says as upbeat as usual while I begin analyzing the remnants of Ludmila’s victim. Sure enough…the motherboard was completely short circuited…if I could weaponize that…My thoughts are cut off by a shocked Anis.

“Seriously? Have any idea why?” Ludmila stands resolute. 

“Not a clue.” Before I could make any funny asides, Rapi would motion me towards a maintenance panel.

“There’s a folder here you may be interested in.” Rapi points to a file on the exact center of the desktop called “Last_Transmission.txt” Trying to open it prompted me to answer a multiple choice question. A single sentence, to be exact. 

It was a message…from Marian.

Hello Dante. 

There are plenty of things I would want to say to you, but I need to keep this file unnoticeable to the Rapture Monitoring Software. 

Firstly, I am safe. 

After our meeting, they tried everything to get rid of me…and I tricked them into believing I was gone, more or less…turning myself off. I won’t be able to communicate with you anymore, not like before…All I can do now is watch. 

To bring me back, you’ll need to drain the black blood from my body. It’s what this parasite is using to puppeteer me…once you drain enough to the point there’s a certain amount remaining…

I’ll take care of the rest.

Second, this whole research base was a ploy to lure you in. As soon as you’re done reading this, you need to get back to the Ark as fast as possible. I don’t know why…but the Rapture Queen herself wants you…alive. Captured, not killed. I was turned into a heretic to be bait…but she will never stop hunting you.

Third, if you need an idea of what to do next, Modernia is stockpiling a massive amount of raptures and resources to make herself a fortress. If you can bring down that stronghold, you will deal a critical strike to the Raptures in a huge area. If you give it a week from today, it’ll be the best time to launch an all out attack. The coordinates are: 28.3772° N, 81.5707° W

Lastly, I…wanted to say thank you…for not giving up on me. When I was being tortured inside my own mind…when Modernia taunted me…the only thing keeping me alive was the thought of seeing you again. I’m in constant agony…even her taking a mere step causes me to feel like I’m being tortured. But I know that if I hold on…we’ll be together. I’m sure this has been hard on you. The look in your eyes whenever I saw you again…you were different. The way you presented yourself…you seemed so…broken. 

The last thing I want is to be rescued by someone that isn’t the Dante I grew up with. 

But I’m not worried…You’ll come to save me, just as you always have…and as you always will.

 I’ll close my eyes…and just believe in you. 

I love you, Dante.

Your best friend…Marian

I finish wiping the tears from my eyes. That was a ton of information…but I’d be lying if I said that hearing that she was safe wasn’t a huge load off of my mind.

“Commander…” Rapi places her hand on my shoulder…only to stop as Alice seems to say something important. “...something is transpiring with the others. We should regroup with them now that we have this critical intelligence.” I snap out from my daze. 

“Yeah…right.” As I walked forward to the others, Alice was being adamant to Ludmila about some more of her shenanigans, so I just propped up against the wall as I flipped Marian’s coin a couple times. “Anyone care to fill me in on this critical subplot in this developing miniseries known as “The Wonderland Arc”? I don’t mind spoilers…” Ludmila sighs as she turns to face me, with the others noticing my return as well.

“Alice here was wanting to pay a visit to the sleeping princesses below.” I raise an eyebrow…

“Sleeping beauties, eh?” I scratch my chin, thinking it over. After a while, I come to a conclusion. “Why the fuck not, I’ll bite.” As the words left my mouth however…it suddenly comes to my mind of what this could entail…Alice was as pure as they can come…so, if something is permanently sleeping…

Ah shit…I have made a terrible mistake, haven’t I?

“...Very well.” Ludmila looks at Alice as she walks to a control panel, operating it as if she had done so a million times. My squad all exchange glances, all preparing ourselves for whatever could lie in the basement…

I can’t name one good thing that has ever come out of a basement.

Regardless, a hatch opens, inviting us inside…to a place deep below ground…where no one…will hear us…scream. You know what? Maybe Anis was onto something about this being sketchy…

We move to our demise and I rest my hand on my pistol as we descend…Ludmila chuckles.

“There’s no need to be so jumpy, commander. You are armed with three Nikke’s against two…and if we were corrupted or in collusion with the raptures…we would have killed you by now.” Rapi’s eyes narrow in response.

“Tried to kill him.” She corrects the leader of Unlimited, ever the attentive one. “Dante is not the type to die easily.” The way she said that…I got the same chill down my spine from earlier…Rapi almost never calls me by my first name…and she’d seem the type to let something like that stay in her head. 

I’ve already examined her before…I’ll ask Mary about it when I get back.

“Oh, I’m more than aware.” Ludmila commented as we arrived at another blast door, Alice inputting in her security credentials. “You three are lucky to have someone like him…it’s unprecedented for a human to be strong, smart and compassionate all at the same time.” As flattering as that was, I shook my head.

“Thanks, but…can you not do this in front of me?” Before there can be any objections, the doors split apart, the sounds of gears turning being…oddly satisfying. Once the doors had completely opened, Alice was the first inside, turning to face us before smiling. 

“This is it! This is where the sleeping princesses reside!” I look around the rather large dimly lit room…I didn’t see any chicks anywhere…I thought they were gonna be like, in glass boxes with roses in their hands or some shit…not like…pods. “Let me introduce you!” Making her way to the pod closest to the right side of the door, She begins to press some of the keys on the keypad. “This is Princess Blue Hair!” As the pod opens, I decided to play along.

“Hey, what’s…” Before I could even finish, I’m stopped by the horror before me…inside the pool, suspended in blue liquid…was a Nikke with the upper part of her skull missing. My eyes widened as I stepped back out of sheer surprise. All the others seemed just as shocked. As Alice moved towards the next pod, I wanted to tell her that “We’re needed elsewhere!” Or “We need to return home, for it is under siege” or some shit, I don’t know, anything to not see this. I am NOT equipped to handle this right now. To all of our dismay, Alice moves to the next pod.

“This is Princess Yellow Eye!” The pod opens up to reveal a Nikke with only her top half remaining, the right eye and upwards completely missing. And Alice was just smiling like a…little kid. 

Ludmila tries to stop her from opening the next one, but it’s far too late. “And this one’s her sister, Princess Blue Eye!” The pod opens and it…causes me to start breathing heavily. A Nikke, missing their left arm…with only their right eye remaining…and a hole where the human heart would be. I blink for half a second and I could see…

her…

her right arm was banging against the glass of the pod, screaming for help before a black blob went through her mouth…turning her into…

“These are some of the sleeping princesses.” Hearing Alice’s voice snaps me out of my…hallucination. “We’re going to wake them up soon and go to the promised land! For now, we all have milk and cookies together!” Ludmila snaps her fingers, as if she had just remembered something.

“Alice?”

“Yes, my Queen?” 

“I could go for a glass of milk. Can you prepare some for me and wait for my arrival?” 

“As you wish, my queen!” With that, the plucky pink Nikke would skip her way up the stairs, leaving us and the broken Nikke in solitude. The air was cold, not unlike being inside a meat freezer. Ludmila sighs, shaking her head. Rapi decides to break the silence with the question that was in all of our minds. 

“Are these the Nikke you've "rescued"?” Ludmila nods her head. 

“Yes.” Anis decided to ask the follow up question we were most likely all going to ask.

“Aren’t they dead?” Ludmila turns to face the yellow Nikke. 

“Not yet.” Anis sputters a bit. 

“I hate to state the obvious, but aren’t they missing their brains?” The Queen would turn around fully to face us, stone cold stare locked in. 

“I’ve been here doing this for a long time now and do you know what I’ve come across the most?”  I didn’t even really process her question, still staring at the pod containing the Nikke from earlier. “Missing Brains. Do you know what that means?” Silence fills the room. “...That if the brain dies…then there’s no hope in bringing her back.” I definitely heard that part…and it made me happy Marian moved the gun from my initial spot…to her heart. “So they, or someone else, hides the brain in a safe spot, hoping someone finds it.” Diesel, who hasn’t spoken in a hot minute, asks a question that I might have asked, had I still been fully aware at the moment…but I wasn’t going to be hearing it.

“I’m…going to get some fresh air.” I said as I walked towards the exit. “You all take twenty and then we’ll head back to the Ark.” No one questioned my sudden departure, a blessing, seeing as I didn’t have to come up with some cryptic excuse to explain it. I walk back up the stairs then towards the exit, hands in my pockets as I closed the doors behind me for some privacy. I let out a deep exhale…but before I even had a second to talk myself down, I’d be swooped up, grabbed by something metallic…this texture…I remembered it well. I could only shake my head as I opened my eyes to see a familiar toothy smile.

“Sup’ Chatterbitch?” The sound of screeching metal from him placing me on his back makes me shiver as he begins to laugh.

“Human…” That deep, menacing voice called out as it began to flee from the scene. “...it’s been a while, hasn’t it?” I can’t help but let out a tiny one myself as he picks up speed. 

“Where does the time go?” I think about a timeline where the two of us have a comedy show during prime time, new episodes every Thursday only on ANN…because it totally exists. 

“...I’m not mad at you for lying to me…I’m fact, a part of me enjoyed our little conversations on our trip…the passive aggressiveness was enough to be cut with a knife…and no one can throw insults at me without fear as you can.” By now, the research base was far away…he didn’t waste any second this time around. Then again…this was a nice change of pace…not talk for a bit, walk, fight, get knocked out/separated…now I get to at least feel the wind against my face…makes me want to get a motorcycle.

“Yeah, well…not going to lie and say it wasn’t fun having someone to do a routine like that with. Variety in comedy is needed to keep you sharp.” Chatterbox chuckles at it.

“And sharp you are, human…the sharpest blade the Central Government and, by extension, humanity has to offer. So refreshing compared to the dime a dozen cowards I face on a daily basis.”  

“Guess that makes two of us then…I’m not a fan of them either.” The more I talk to him…the more I realize we aren’t that different from each…no. He’s a rapture. I’m nothing like them. “Either way, where are we headed this time, Rapture Taxi?” 

“Directly to the queen herself…not to her vanguards…the queen of queens.” So that message from Marian was right…She always comes through. “While it is a fair distance, fret not…I do not intend on a guest of the Queen to be damaged…lest I run the risk of being scrapped.” He continued to pick up speed…my solid eye said we were moving…way too fucking fast, that’s for sure.

“Shame. I was really looking forward to a rematch with your heretic from earlier.” I twirl around my new weapon…still unnamed as of now. Chatterbox lets out his trademark mechanical laugh.

“Ah…Rest assured that Lady Modernia shares the exact same sentiments.” This was outstanding news. If she is willing to fight…I can make her bleed. “...I was surprised that the Rapture Queen bonded with her so closely in such a short amount of time…then again, I’m sure your…unique…status with both of them has something in common.” The Rapture Queen and Modernia were buddy-buddy, eh? I can cook with that. “Modernia was your Nikke, that is an undeniable fact…as for the Queen…no one knows for sure…but I can promise you that her obsession regarding you is nothing short of…all-consuming.” It’s amazing how much intel this guy spits out…like he’s playing both sides in a roundabout way or something.

“Guess I should feel honored. Getting special treatment ain’t too shabby…but I’m gonna go on a limb and say this whole operation was about catching me, wasn’t it?” Chatterbox continues to move faster and faster, noticing my grip wasn’t faltering in the slightest. 

“Perceptive as per usual…but you are correct. This was Lady Modernia’s plan to procure you to the queen. It seemed to have worked like a charm…even better than projected, actually.” I shook my head in response.

“You know, you certainly are quite the…” The pun is there…I can’t stop myself…but I…

“Chatterbox?” I sigh. Thank god he said it…it was gonna sound really lame if I did.

“Yeah, that.” I rolled my eyes, thinking about how lame that pun is in retrospect. “...You got a reason to tell me all of this knowing how much of a slippery little bastard I am?” He chuckles to himself…not usually a good sign. 

“...There’s no harm in making casual conversation with a friend, is there?” A friend? No, Dante…he’s trying to get your guard down. Don’t listen to him. “...I’ve commented on it before, but we’re kindred spirits, you and I.” I cross my legs. He’s said this a couple times…so if he cares to explain how we’re so similar…who am I to deny it?

“Oh yeah? How so?” 

“We’re both…” Before he even had a chance to answer, a glimmer of light would blind me, with chatterbox coming to a screeching halt. “Who…” He didn’t even have time to finish his question before I’d hear a voice that sounded…familiar. 

“Show me thine strength…” Chatterbox growled, making a fist before trying to slam it down on the source of the voice. I’d hear the sound of a metallic clash before the feminine voice said anything. “...That’s enough!” With that, a white blur would move so fast that only I could only track them using my Solid Eye, watching as I see her put a weapon back in its place with a satisfying click. I proceeded to hear the sounds of slashes, followed by metallic weezing. Chatterbox would use his tail to try and strike at the mystery combatant, only to inadvertently send me flying at such an angle and velocity that I just barely had enough time to break my fall to prevent my body from being broken. Even then, it knocked the wind out of me…so I could only observe this battle from afar, sparks flying…next thing I know, I slowly begin to lose consciousness…

“Shit…not again…” I try to fight the feeling, but ultimately succumb to my much needed rest. The next time I awoke, a Nikke stood over me and considering her attire, I could assume that this was the “White Lightning” from what felt like only a couple moments ago.

“Ah! It appears that my herbal remedies were effective!” Her old English dialect would normally prove to be hard to understand…yet, for some reason, it felt like I had heard it dozens of times before. “How are you faring, my lord?” My lord? Do I look like some kind of King?!

“For hitting the ground at Mach 2? I’d say pretty damn well.” Unlike my awakening after Snow White’s save, I was able to sit up as soon as I tried for the first time, meaning nothing was most likely broken. “...Thanks for the save, by the way.” I rolled my neck, which felt good but also hurt from the sheer amount of stress I’ve been under for the past month and a half.

“‘Twas nothing at all, my lord. I am just thrifty to hast caught thou when i was on mine way to meet with mine comrades for some companionship and spirits.” If I had any doubts about her being a pilgrim before, they had definitely been allayed now. “Although, if you wish to provide a form of recompense, then offering me thine name would be acceptable.” I had a feeling of what would happen next, but only took a deep breath in before saying my name. 

“Fortuna. Dante Fortuna.” As expected, the pilgrim’s eyes light up as a reaction to that information, clearly knowing me from my past.

“Ah! At long last, the two kindred souls are reunited after five long years of parting! Truly, this calls for the most potent of spirits tonight!” I didn’t know what she meant by spirits, but…it sounded good, so I wasn’t going to complain about it too much. However, what did seem inconsistent…was the timeframe. Rosanna and Sakura said it had been ten years since they last saw me and Snow White said it was around fifteen…if I spent two years prior to the academy, I should remember them…right? I don’t remember much of my childhood, only the important bits…other than that, I never found it worth thinking about…but it wasn’t that bad that I didn’t remember a majority of my high school days…and I would remember her, right? “Is something troubling you, old friend? Doth thou not recognize your former mentor?” She asks, pulling down on her hat before seemingly remembering an important detail. “Ah! Mine apologies, I forgot about your memory wipe!” Well, I can’t blame her…wait a minute…

“...I beg your pardon?” Memory wipe?! I don’t remember a goddamn memory wipe! Well…to be fair, if I had one, remembering I had a wipe in the first place would be rather redundant…

“I am surprised you were not informed of this after your…” The pilgrim seems to remember an important detail, only to shake her head. “Ah well, it hardly matters. I will just relay it to you myself! Come!” She pats a tiny bench, inviting me to sit next to both her and the warmth of the fire. “I shall inform you of the missing pieces of your puzzle.” I do as instructed with the Nikke taking a sip from her flask. “Ah, preserving this bottle of spirits was worthwhile after all! Alas, after thou recovers, I must track down the vile machine that managed to escape me, so I cannot drink too much.” A deep sigh from this Nikke. “A shame, drinking in company of an apprentice truly is the definition of splendor.” She must…really like alcohol. “Regardless, allow me to explain.” She clears her throat. “About…hmm…I’d say five years or so ago…your mother had you undergo an experimental procedure of what she called selective memory wipe to keep you safe from anyone wishing to know her secrets. That included most of your caretakers.” 

“Hmm…” I think about that for a moment. That would certainly make sense…I think. Honestly, I’m so desperate to get even a limited understanding of what the fuck is going on in my life that I am past the point of caring about how accurate it is or isn’t. 

“Seeing as that is the case…allow me to reintroduce myself once more…my name is…” Right as she is about to say her name, I get a sharp pain in my head, like it was about to pop! I clasp my skull in an attempt to nullify the pain…only for it to subside just as quickly as it occurred. My mouth then says one word, out of some sort of reflex.

“Scarlet.” After a second, I realize exactly why I said it, as if I knew it all along. “Your name is Scarlet, right?” The samurai pilgrim nods. 

“It seems as if your memories are returning, my lord.” She gives me a warm smile in response. “I am glad I am the first memory that has awoken in you.” Her genuine smile turns to one filled with pride. “Then again, with all the time we’ve spent together, could there have been anyone else you could recall more vividly than me?” Slowly but surely, I began to recall moments I have had with Scarlet over many years. Learning how to cook with her…Her helping me with my homework…and that one time she got so frustrated with algebra that she threw the worksheet up into the air and cut it into a billion pieces. But most importantly, I remember her training…teaching me how to use a weapon. 

“You taught me how to…” Before I could even finish my sentence, Scarlet practically explodes with euphoria.

“Oh thank goodness, you remember our sparring sessions! I was so afraid I was going to have to teach you all over again!” I blink in response…I knew how to use a sword?! Since fucking when?! Not only that, I could keep up with a pilgrim?! Seriously, this is getting fucking out of hand! “Oh the look on your face!” She began to laugh about my reasonable confusion. “I know it seems far-fetched, but I can assure you really are recalling correctly! I am elated to know that I can still hone my skills in duels once more!” With that, she begins to stand up, putting out the fire. “Alas, we can reminisce no longer, for that phantom menace known as chatterbox may be able to fully recover and escape before I can land my killing blow.” I stand up with her, checking my solid eye’s connection…and, surprise, surprise…wait, what the fuck? It works!?! I call Rapi as I exit the bunker with Scarlet. She picked up the very same frame I pressed the call button.

“Commander.” I could tell Rapi was hiding extreme happiness when she heard my voice.

“Hey, what’s up?” I flash a cocky smile, as if nothing happened and I wasn’t kidnapped by a killer robot or saved by a Nikke that uses a literal sword. 

“What’s your status? We have been searching a twenty meter perimeter for you, yet have turned up nothing.” I shrug my shoulders.

“Same as usual, getting kidnapped and saved by a pilgrim…” If I had a nickel for every time I got knocked out and then saved by a pilgrim, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot…

but it’s weird that it’s happened twice.

“Kidnapped?” Her eyes narrowed at the camera, clearly going into “kill anything that poses even the tiniest threat to the commander” mode. 

“Yeah, Chatterbox kidnapped me. Really polite about it, all things considered. Even got some sweet intel out of it, so I’d say it’s worth it.” Rapi initially seemed baffled, but only shakes her head and sighs accepting the fact I’ll alway be like this. “Me and the pilgrim are going to kick his ass, though. You three go to the nearest elevator between your location to mine and wait for me. I’ll be back before you know it.” Rapi clearly objects to this plan, as I expected.

“Commander, as your second in command, I cannot let you proceed with this course of action, seeing as it puts you in immediate danger. We will be assisting you.” I shake my head. I know damn well, I’ll be talking in circles trying to get her to agree. 

“Alright, fine. I’ll be transmitting our course in real time, we’ve got his tracks, and there’s nowhere in this cold hell he could hide. If she shows up…Modernia’s mine.” Anis would suddenly chime into our call, looking peeved as usual. Actually, she looks like she’s about to lose her shit.

“Dante, are you fucking craz…no, we already fucking know that! You’re going to take on a heretic by yourself?! You barely lasted a minute in your last fight, you think you can fight her now since you got some new gear!? I know you’re all about being a badass, but there comes a point where YOU learn your limits. You’re gonna get yourself killed and that means we all get scrapped! So quit trying to be cool and get it through that thick skull of yours that you can’t fucking do this!” Anis catches her breath for a moment, allowing Diesel to give her two cents.

“Commander…Anis is right. If you prepared for Modernia, that means she most likely prepared just as hard as you, if not more…I know you feel like this is your responsibility…that you have to be the one to do this…but it’s ok to rely on us.

You’re not alone. Everyone is here for you…and we might not be as attached to Marian as you are…but all of us want to save a Nikke’s life if we can.

Dante…you’re so special…to all of us. Please don’t throw that away.” She stops a tiny gasp leaving her lips. “Are you…crying?” I wipe my face, feeling the water…she was right. I was crying. “I think you always knew that, deep down. We trusted you so many times now…

Now it’s time for you to trust us.” Her speech…It confirmed what I knew deep within. I couldn’t beat her on my own…I would need help. In the end, I’m still just a human. I’m not a Nikke…even if I’m on the borderline. 

“Ok. We will do this together then.” Everyone lights up…even Rapi. They all sign off, leaving just me and scarlet to continue tracking Chatterbox. As I hang up, she can only chuckle.

“Ah, it appears as if you haven’t changed at all…still refusing to accept help from others, even in these kinds of situations. Uncompromising and unyielding…just like your father.” She pulled down on her hat, clearly happy about my similarity. “But unlike him…it appears as if you can be swayed by a heartfelt speech. I believe that is for the better.” The two of us follow these tracks for an hour before Scarlet stops. “From this map you provided me, it appears as if we should take a brief break so your teammates can catch up.” She points to a nearby area of trees. “Come. I wish to test something.” I walked at Scarlet’s side until we arrived at the location she had selected, then watched as she pressed a button on the sheath of her sword, unlocking it from its position before passing it to me. “I wish to test if you retained muscle memory from your training.”

“Scarlet, I haven’t used a sword in…” She places her finger on my lips before equipping it at my side without my consent.

“Rest your mechanical hand on the hilt…then your other hand there…” As Scarlet placed my hand on the side of the sheath, I quickly but barely slid the blade in and out, seemingly out of complete reflex, causing something to cut a log nearby. The pilgrim claps in delight. “I told you, my lord.”

“How did I…” An overjoyed Scarlet would cut me off before I could even finish my question.

“Your mother’s blade is able to transmit slashes to an area of your choosing by bending the space around it…it is how I am able to fight at a distance with a sword. I had you practice this technique at least a hundred thousand times over our relationship.” That seems like overkill but…whatever. “I am sure you still will be rather rusty, but considering how you remember this, I am sure the rest will fall into place. Now that you are older, it excites me to think about you modifying my style to suit you…” The pilgrim seems more than content, seeing as if she decides to reclaim her sword once more. “Ah…it appears as if your friends will be on track with us…we should most likely continue moving.” Just as quickly as we had stopped, the two of us began our hunt for our talking rapture once more.

We wander for at least two more hours before we finally find the slippery little bastard. Thinking quickly, Scarlet takes me to a nearby patch of trees ahead so we can get the drop on him.

https://soundcloud.com/backslash3r/la-ballata-della-macchina

The two of us exchange glances before I emerge from the web of shadows. “Yo, chatterbox!” I yelled to get his attention, spinning my pistol around as he turned to me. He chuckles in response to seeing my visage…the guy can hardly get enough of me. 

“Ah, Dante…so nice to see you once more. I am glad you decided to return to me after being kidnapped by that pilgrim.” I shrug my shoulders, cockily shaking my head from side to side.

“Not a fan of being a damsel in distress. I may not be a knight in shining armor, but I get the job done.” From there, Scarlet would take her first steps outside the darkness as well. A small but barely noticeable gasp would leave the machine’s mouth, causing an admittedly arrogant smile to cross my face. “What’s the matter? You faced me, my team, and Wardress all at the exact same time and had us on the ropes…surely a mere human and one Nikke should be no problem for you.” Scarlet rests her hand on her blade as she stands at my side. I stop spinning my pistol, pointing it directly at Chatterbox.

“Hmm…You’re right. I was only caught off guard by the ambush. The two of you I can handle on my own.” I smirk confidently, a “heh” leaving my mouth inadvertently. 

“Right then…since we’re all in agreement…” My solid eye begins recording the battle, combat data is always important…especially when I want to fight bigger raptures one day. “Let’s have some fun!” 

Our battle begins, with Scarlet taking off towards chatterbox at blinding speeds, her initial dash leaving purple sparks in its startup. “Prepare thyself!” Mere centimeters away from the rapture, the swordmaster would perform an attack that had her rising into the air, slashing all the way up to his face before kicking it and landing on his back. Meanwhile, I swapped my pistol’s round type to incendiary and began unloading in his chest as I approached him as well, forcing him to launch homing missiles to not only throw me off course, but force Scarlet to back off as well. With three explosives heading my way, I needed to be quick, using explosive rounds myself to blow them right out of the sky, while my partner sliced through them with pinpoint accuracy. With the gap closed, I unloaded as many bullets as I could into Chatterbox’s chest, doing a surprising amount of damage, even enough to cause him to stagger.

“Ghhh…” he groaned as he fired an explosive straight from his arm, to which I barely had time to block using my light screen, even if it blew me out of close quarters. He followed up by firing more homing missiles at both me and scarlet, with the latter having no choice but block it due to the firing angle. With a brief moment, I decided to try and throw him off his game, as per usual with these kinds of encounters. 

“Oh and by the way…” I fire three anti-material rounds, taking longer to fire but much more efficient at doing damage to heavy raptures. “...missiles are getting boring. Try switching weapons from time to time.” I knew I had gotten under his skin in the slightest, seeing as he tried to swipe at us with his tail, to which I hopped over. Not content to stop his onslaught, he launches a salvo of explosives at the sword-wielding pilgrim and, rather than dodging, they respond by jumping from each projectile towards Chatterbox.

“Thy end is now!” She cried out as she proceeded to stick her blade in his head, running down his spine to practically split him wide open. While his healing factor would seal it back together, it was obvious that it took a lot of power out of him. Since she was temporarily out of sight, the enraged rapture would attempt to slam his right hand down upon me, as if uncaring if I were to be squished. I raised my newly acquired arm to summon my light barrier, absorbing all the kinetic energy from the blow, stopping it dead in its tracks. Clearly annoyed by his inability to hit me, I lept on top of his fist, running up his arm as he frantically flailed as a way to shake my mentor and I off his wide body. Undeterred, I got up to his neck, jamming my pistol through a vein, then holding down a trigger.

“Don’t move~” Just like spiral had, the bullet became charged, only to be combined with the energy my barrier had absorbed. Once I let go, a supercharged shot would be fired into the rapture’s internal workings, ricocheting throughout his body multiple times…and I could tell it did a number on him, seeing as he spit out some blood. 

“Enough!” Chatterbox yelled as several bombs emerged from his skin, knocking the two of us off his back from their detonation. As with anyone taking point blank explosions, it definitely put a halt to my momentum as I slid backwards. Scarlet, however, landed gracefully on her feet and elegantly wiped a bit of blood that ran down her nose.

“Weak.” She rested her hand on her blade, clearly holding it tightly. “...Behold, my ultimate blade.” Scarlet would seemingly disappear, only for hundreds, if not thousands of slashes to cover Chatterbox’s body moments later. She’d then appear right in front of him and smile. “...Now, you shall perish!” With a sheath of her sword, the Rapture’s wounds would explode into a burst of blood, taking the rapture down as he growled in pain, followed by an out of breath Scarlet turning around to face me. “Ah…what a wonderful dance.” With our quick and decisive victory, I would begin to approach my Pilgrim mentor…only to be cut off by a familiar voice. 

“Yet one featuring a par performance from Chatterbox…par performance indeed.” Without warning, a powerful energy shot would directly impact Scarlet from behind, sending her flying with a pain-filled cry. With a whoosh, I’d see something I had dreaded yet looked forward to seeing…Modernia’s escape from last time. The active camouflage ceases, the light no longer refracting off of the metallic surface. 

“Hello, Dante.” Modernia’s voice echoed from the exosuit from our last encounter.

Was it truly time to put an end to this nightmare once and for all? 

Yes…today, this ends…one way or another.

Chapter Text

https://soundcloud.com/backslash3r/modernia-battle-ii

“Hey, what’s up?” I looked upon the massive exoskeleton that housed my former Nikke, unphased by its massive size. I had been preparing for this for what felt like forever.

“Still rocking that cocky attitude, I see. Good… very good. It’ll make you really fun to beat into a pulp…but I’ll make sure not to mess up that wonderful face of yours.” I scoff at her remark…was this some shitty attempt at flirting? 

“To be fair, I’m not a masochist, so I’ll have to pass on that. That and I’m not a fan of women that spit up black chunks upon hearing my name.” This seemed to make her upset, seeing as she let out a frustrated sound. 

“Don’t bring that up, because it’s never happening again. I got rid of your little friend, she’s gone for good this time.” A light “tch” escapes my lips as my brain processes this information.

“And you expect me to believe that? I didn’t know you were a stand-up comedian? What’s next on the routine? Trip over a banana peel and die?” My insults were clearly making her upset, seeing as one of the many laser cannons on the right wing fired at me, giving me very little time to sidestep. “Woah-ho, slow down, babe…”

“Do you ever shut the fuck up?”

“...Not in particular, why do you ask?” I was simply buying time until…

“Commander!” Rapi yelled out to me as all three of my Nikke swooped in to save my sorry ass. 

“Glad you made it.” I said as I looked over my shoulder. “Scarlet and I took care of Chatterbox, now we just gotta take down another giant robot.

Just Tuesday, y’know?” Speak the Devil’s name and he’ll groan in pain.

“My…Lady…” I can practically see the eye roll from Modernia as she sighs.

“Retreat to the stronghold. Get yourself cleaned up…I’ll handle this on my own.” Without another word, the rapture flees. “Right then…since you and your friends are present…let’s get this over with, shall we?” She chuckles as the rest of us ready our weapons. 

The fight was intense, with both sides taking heavy losses…We practically crippled Modernia’s exoskelleton, but Diesel and Anis were out like lights with Rapi using the last of her energy protecting me. 

Modernia had planned that the revenants would jump in front of every laser blast to protect me, leaving me minimally damaged…an easily exploited loophole. By the time I noticed her plan…it was far too late.

She’s been wanting her 1V1 rematch…

As Modernia hops out of her mech, I stared across the barren wasteland that we had created thus far from our battle. The mass destruction that stood in wake of our encounter was…it didn’t sit right with me. That doesn’t matter at the moment…I needed to remain both focused and in character…I couldn’t let Modernia see any form of weakness.

“You sure know how to throw a party...” I taunted, still trying to anger her despite hardly being in a position to do so. “...No food…no drinks…” I look over towards the injured Rapi, Anis and Diesel who took hits in order to grant me this chance. “...and the only babes just left.” Modernia takes a mocking bow. 

“My sincerest apologies, Dante. I was so focused on seeing you that I forgot to make proper preparations for the bash.” Her sharp wit had improved compared to our last meeting…certainly going to make this a bit more fun in terms of banter.

“That’s alright, I couldn’t get my mind off of you either.” I smiled smugly, yet the heretic wasn’t easily enraged this time around. “...Mainly because we still have a score to settle, right?” I spun my pistol around my finger before pointing it at her. 

“...You got that right.” There is a bit of silence between us before our battle begins. We just stare into the other’s eyes, completely transfixed. It was obvious what, or rather who, I was thinking about…but I was wondering why the heretic hadn’t started fighting yet. She didn’t seem to be the type of person to hesitate after making a comment like that. “...Let’s settle this!”

With that, I begin unloading electromagnetic hollow point rounds from my pistol. Like before, she tried to use her magnetic field to stop the bullets…only to find that they would cut through it. “What?!” I smugly smile.

“What’s the matter? Did you honestly think I’d fall for the same trick twice?” The hollow point of the bullets were so she would be bleeding constantly…that was my strategy. I still didn’t have enough data to come up with a solid plan…other than making her bleed. She’d practically growl at me, already starting to lose her previous sense of calm, but managed to cool herself off. Modernia wipes the blood dripping down her torso and sighs.

“I suppose it can’t be helped…and besides…” the heretic chuckles as she clenches her fist. “...I’m hardly a one trick pony.” Without warning, nearby scraps of metal from the collapsed buildings of mankind would appear at her side, combining and contorting into what appeared to be eight sharp projectiles. With a thrust of her hand, they’d be sent at me one at a time with blistering speeds, requiring some lightning fast reactions and side steps to avoid them. 

“Offensive and defensive magnetic manipulation, huh?” I rubbed my chin. “Noted.” 

“That’s right.” Modernia looks at me with an evil smile wide on her face. “I’ve gotten far more adept with it since our last encounter. I suppose I should thank you for giving me the motivation to push the boundaries of my power.” So I’m just as much inside her head as she is in mine…

“Ditto.” I have been tracking the amount of blood lost…I’ve already drained ten percent and with each hollow point shot I land, the rate should increase exponentially. All I have to do is stall for time. That wouldn’t be easy, seeing as Modernia was using her superior speed to rush towards me and land a devastating shoulder charge, slamming and pinning me against a nearby wall of ice. 

“Got you!” The heretic seemed so proud of herself as she landed this tide turning blow, even more so when I spat out some blood. “What was that about you getting better at fighting, Dante?” As I cough up a bit more blood, I put my gauntlet that contains the shotgun hidden within the knuckles right to her stomach.

“I said…ditto.” Without another word, I fire the shotgun, blowing her back and sending her into the air due to the force. While she was still airborne, I landed three more hollow point rounds on her before she activated her flight.

“What the hell…you were nowhere near this effective in combat in our last encounter!” I scoff, dislodging myself from the ice and dusting myself off. 

“Is that all you got?” I twirled my pistol around, taunting her once more. “...Marian didn’t even have special powers and she fought better than you do!” That must have really set Modernia off, seeing as she’d rev up her shoulder mounted minigun, trying to pelt me with rounds. I used my barrier to give me temporary cover as I ran behind that wall of ice from earlier.

“Your pathetic friend abandoned you. If she was better than me, she’d still be fighting for control of her body, right?” With a cough, she’d perfectly imitate Marian’s voice. “Oh Dante, please save me! You can beat her since I’m always in your heart! Then we can live happily ever after!” A scoff as she returns to her normal, bratty voice. “How pathetic can you be? Makes me sick when I think about it.” I couldn’t help but get incredibly pissed off about her comment. I peek behind my cover, only to see Modernia right in front of me, her shoulder mounted weapon seemingly gaining an orange glow. “Watch this.” Steam would blast out of some cartridges ejected from the backside of the weapon, followed by a torrent of bullets streaming out of all the barrels. I only had a split second to roll out of the way, thanks to my solid eye giving me a warning ahead of time, the heat from the rounds melting the ice and snow around them.

“Heat sink technology, huh?” I said as I rose up from the ground and used a right hook to hit her dead in the side. “Not bad.” With her momentarily stunned, I went for an uppercut…only to find my left hand firmly gripped by Modernia.

“How predictable.” She spoke confidently, knowing that she was once again in an advantageous position. “Don’t you get it by now, Dante?” I could feel her trying to break my non mechanical hand, yet not being able to easily pierce the durability of the gauntlet I had crafted. “I am better than her in every single way.” Before I had a chance to counter, Modernia landed a rising knee strike followed by a downward punch to send me flat on my back…and that impact hit me like a truck. I don’t think I can take many more hits…

“Give it up and just come to your new home with me. The Queen expects your arrival, you know?” She stands over my body as she elegantly lands, proceeding to grab my throat and raise me high in the air. I cough a little bit, but secretly begin to twirl my pistol in order to build up a little speed before I fire.

“Sorry…but I just got done moving into my new place…and you’re coming home with me.” I look at the percentages of blood loss…thirty five percent of the black blood drained. But this next shot, if my solid eye is right about the trajectory…could change everything. I fire, causing the bullet to ricochet off a nearby mass of ice, pierce through her minigun and land right into an artery, spewing blood all over the place. The amount of blood loss increases exponentially….

“...How did you…” She growled before she thought quickly, slamming me to the ground and using a magnetic construct to grab a heavily wounded diesel, then put a weapon up to their throat, walking backwards all the while. “It doesn’t matter…even if you do know, it hardly matters. Don’t move a muscle…or I’ll make sure sugartits never lives to see another one of those pieces of candy again.”  Eventually, Modernia has her mech descend, dropping diesel to the ground. “...You can’t run forever, Dante. The Queen will have you one day…as will all the raptures.” With those parting words, she blasts off, leaving the rest of us on the ground. 

“Hey, Shifty?” I call my operator as I lay flat in the pure silver snow. 

“Yeah?” She responds hesitantly.

“Can you…send us an evac? I’m just gonna nap for a bit.” A nod and a hang up leaves my vision blurry, so much so I can hardly make out the white figure in front of me. 

“My lord…” It was obviously scarlet, but…it still was hard to make out her face. Her speech was complex as usual, but she seemed extremely hurt. “...You did thy parents proud this day…in both morals and combat prowess…Once thy wounds heal, I will prepare the finest spirits for a wondrous night.”

From there, everything felt like a blur. I was fading in and out of consciousness, but I remember being held by Mary in her arms. I gave her a wave, but she didn’t seem to be too happy…Pepper was though. At least, I think she was. Some more stuff happened…Mary tucked me in bed and told me to get some rest.

Waking up the next morning was uh…interesting. I felt like shit…I’m cold and wet due to being drenched in black blood, I’m in pain from my fight, my head hurts…I mean, it’s not as bad as the aftermath of my first fight with Modernia, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck. 

But seeing as the world waits for no one, I summon enough energy to get out of bed and walk to the bathroom…I’ll need a shower and some medicine for…yeah, pretty much pain. After I brush my teeth and turn on the hot water, I go to the vanity, opening one of the drawers to find what I was looking for…and there it was! 

Minos, the fast acting pain relief pill from M.M.R. Labs. 

Granted, it was made by Missills, but I bought this before I met Syuen, so hopefully it won’t make me suffer internal bleeding or total organ failure. I pop open the bottle and grab two pills, and wash it down with some water. I immediately felt better and ready to take on the fucking world. “Oh, that’s that good shit!” I said unintentionally with a dumb smile as I hopped into the best shower I’ve ever taken…felt like a hot spring.

With my morning routine completed, I was taking my dirty clothes to the hamper, taking out Marian’s coin from the pouch…when I felt something. Upon pulling it out, it was obvious what it was: A glass vial of black liquid. Judging from how old the vial looked, it was pretty obvious who put it there. I’ll have to thank scarlet the next time I see her. I didn’t have much time to think about it though, seeing as I’d get a call from Andersen moments later. “Y’ello.”

“Dante.” His gruff voice said my name with the usual emotion…pissed off at me. “Rapi already filed your report and provided me with the letter left for you by your Nikke.” I could only sigh…when your second in command is a workaholic, you’re always going to seem lazy no matter how hard you try. “I think it goes without saying you’re going to be departing at the appropriate time to reach the facility when it is most occupied.” I roll my shoulder as I walk downstairs, preparing myself some breakfast accompanied by cold and refreshing soda.

“Yeah. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Andersen shook his head.

“While I usually tolerate your…immature nature…You need to take this one very seriously.” That’s…concerning. “We’ve already had scouts confirm the base not only exists…but also is heavily fortified and infested with incredibly deadly raptures. Revenant Squad’s chances of successfully destroying the stronghold…is zero percent.”

Oh. Oh fuck, that’s really bad. This is usually the part where he says it’s zero point one percent and then I just kick everyone’s ass, right? “Which is why…you’re going to need to have outside help.” When he says things like this, he makes me feel like I’m going to be having a stroke. “Later today, I’m calling Ingrid, Mustang, and Syuen for an urgent meeting about this whole situation…” 

Oh, great. Just what I needed…a certain someone pissing me off and this time in front of the people that sign my paychecks. “You’re going to have to persuade them into allowing you to command their most elite teams to assist you. If you can secure those assets…your chance of success improves drastically.” He gives me a long drawn out sigh.

“We know that the Rapture Queen considers Modernia expendable, seeing as she is viewed only as a tool to obtain you. If you succeed in your mission and she escapes…then you most likely never see her again. 

This is your last chance to save your Nikke.” My blood runs cold upon hearing that statement…this is a lot to take in all at once, something Andersen could obviously tell. “That said…if anyone can pull off such an impossible mission…it’s you, Dante.” I take a bite of my breakfast burrito, clearly shaken. “...If you want my advice on how to convince them, I recommend you do what you do best. Good luck, Dante. See you in my office.” 

Chapter Text

Silence. That’s all there was in the outpost right now, other than the sounds of my chewing on a breakfast burrito. I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread looming over me, hanging above my head like vultures. That was, until I heard a voice behind me.

“Dante?” Soft and sweet were the best way to describe it…and I already knew exactly who it was.

“You’re up pretty early, Diesel.” I said as I threw away my trash, looking at her dead on with the best smile I could give at the moment. “Normally, you or Anis are the last ones up.” She returns the facial expression, clearly chipper this fine day.

“I wanted to do some baking early this morning…but…are you alright? You seemed pretty stressed when I walked in.” My subordinate looked concerned, despite her prior smile. I couldn’t worry someone as pure as her…so I decided to just spit it out.

“Yeah, just a little something. I have surprise meeting with Andersen about our next mission. Threw off my day’s plan.” I just so happen to admit the tiny detail that this could be my potential last chance to save Marian. “Speaking of which, I’ll be at the ark for most of the day. Feel free to do whatever…you all deserve a rest after how well you did out there.” Diesel gives me another warm smile, followed by a hug.

“There’s no need to thank us! This is how Nikke and Commander’s should work together, right?” It was here that I remember that Diesel had the least amount of combat experience compared to the rest of Revenant Squad…meaning she was relatively yet blissfully unaware of the cold reality of how commanders treat their Nikke.

“Yeah…guess you’re right about that.”  With the dramatic equipment of my coat, a twirl of my pistol and sheathing it in its pouch, I walk my way to the exit of the main area, looking back at the conductor with a confident smile on my face. “Be back soon.” Without another word, I left, greeted by the rising sun of the surface. As much as I’d like to sit and admire it…I’ve got plenty to do today.

I arrived at the service elevator and pressed the button to get it moving. With nothing better to do, I decided to start trying to gather any and all assets that could possibly be useful in my assignment. And I knew EXACTLY who to go to first.

@Call_Me_Dante: You busy? I have a favor to ask.

@Snow_White: Please hold.

The next thing I knew, Snow White was calling me, literally the frame after she typed that.

“Hey, Snow White! You busy?” I didn’t even need her to answer, seeing as the amount of gunshots the sounds of deactivating Raptures entered my Solid Eye. 

“No.” Of course she doesn’t consider live combat “busy”...I still don’t know why I’m surprised. “Is something the matter?” 

“Not particularly...at least, not in the next twenty seconds.” I said as heard the elevator ding and open, stepping inside to begin a very productive day. “I…need your help.” Those magical set of words…they work like a charm. Snow White goes silent, as does the battlefield she had cleared out.

“What can I do?” The pilgrim asked, clearly ready to assist in whatever I needed. I took a deep breath in…asking for help has never been my strong suit…I have been able to tackle several “impossible” problems on my own. If I ask for help, it feels like an admission of loss…the exception was…nevermind.

“In seven days, me and my team will be assaulting a Rapture Installation. It’s heavily fortified and has more raptures than god. 

We can’t do this alone. We…I…need your help.” Once again, Snow White falls silent. “This could be my last chance to save my best friend, Snow White.” She responds without hesitation.

“Send me the coordinates. I’ll get Scarlet and Rapunzel as well on the way.”  Before I even had a chance to say thank you, she hangs up. Without any other information, I sent her the location. 

With little else to do, I look down through the glass on the backside of the elevator, my eyes lying upon the Ark as I descend to it…the sprawling metropolis comprising the last of humanity. The humans that live seemingly carefree as they gaze upon the false sun and sky.

The people that my father died to free.

The people that my mother helped to have a better future.

The people that I should be fighting to free. 

Should be. 

Ever since the first time I got on my first mission where my transport crashed…I hardly felt like I was fighting for them at all. First it was to survive…then it was out of sheer spite for Raptures taking Marian from me…now it was to save Marian. 

Not once did freeing humanity cross my mind when I killed a rapture. If anything…I felt like I was fighting so Nikkes could have a better future. I haven’t really had many pleasant experiences with humans…they hate what they don’t understand or what they find different. 

That just so happens to include me. So, that begs the question…

What AM I fighting for? 

Revenge? 

Freedom of Nikke?

Maybe I just subconsciously want to kill and this lets me get rewarded for it.

I don’t know…but I don’t want to think about it anymore. 

To get my mind off of it, I took a look at the vial Scarlet had put in my jacket. The black blood that reminds of her…the one I was fighting for…oh goddamn it, now we’re right back to square FUCKING ONE! I just audibly sigh as the lights on the elevator hit the star…meaning I’m now at my destination. The door opens, revealing the bustling ark. “Alright then…” I said to myself as I exited the lift. “Let’s see what you got for me…” It was then that I realized.

The fuck am I supposed to do with a bottle of blood? 

I hadn’t really thought about it, I just wanted to get out of the outpost for the day to not drown in my dread or despair…meaning that I had no plan whatsoever. That was, until I felt a tug on my sleeve.

“Excuse me, sir?” A voice called from slightly below me, causing me to look down to see a young woman. “Are you looking for something?” 

“...Aren’t we all…” I commented as I tucked away the black liquid. “Really just trying to solve a little mystery about…” before I could even finish, stars lit up in her eyes. No, like…seriously. Literal stars.

“A mystery!?!” She exclaimed, clearly excited about the prospect of a puzzle to solve.  

“Uhhh…I guess you could call it a mystery if you really wanted to.” I mean, it’s not like it isn’t. The resolve of the young lady increased tenfold upon my confirmation.

“Then I’ll help you! As a detective, it’s my job to ensure there is no mystery in The Ark that goes unsolved!” Now knowing that she certainly is a bit…eccentric, I decide to scan to see if she’s a Nikke. Lo and behold, she certainly is one, made by Tetra Line. “I am Novel, the greatest detective in The Ark. You’re a commander, right?” I nod my head.

“Commander Dante at your service.” When I give my classic cocky bow, Novel lights up once more. 

“Dante? That sounds almost as cool as my normal commander’s name!” She giggles and I couldn’t help but smile as well.

“Oh yeah, What’s his name? I might know him.”

“Commander Superhero! He is the best!” I gave her a look of confusion before I cross referenced his name in the list of active commanders and, sure enough, there was…leader of protocol. Pretty notable too. “But! What kind of mystery do we have on our hands?” The sparkles in her eyes intensify as she eagerly awaits the case that awaits her. 

“Right, so…I have this liquid…” Before I have even a second to finish, she grabs my hand, eyes still lit up.

“In that case, we’ll be heading to M.M.R! Let’s go, Watson!” I didn’t even have a chance to say anything before I was led to some sort of complex entrance after thirty minutes of walking.

The worker at the front desk sighs upon spotting Princess Detective over here. “Novel. We have already discussed that our laboratories are not meant to be used for “solving mysteries”...” She pauses her denial of entry to gaze at me.

“I’m not here to solve a mystery this time, Watson is!” I can only sigh…I really wish I just made up some kind of fake last name, rather than leave it blank. I approached the scientist, who I assumed to be called "Mana" due to her ID, as looked at me with a bit of curiosity.

“I see…in that case, welcome to the M.M.R medicinal laboratory.” The standard greeting is as professional as they come. “Is there any way I may assist you, commander?” I nod my head as I pull out the vial from my pocket.

“I need to run some tests on this liquid…Detective Novel directed me here.” I had a feeling that I too was going to be denied entry…so I begin to reach towards my wallet to show my Identification Card. 

“Ah, my apologies, but M.M.R is not to be used for…recreational purposes. I assume that she put you up to this?” Novel whistles in the background…clearly having some kind of history with this facility. I open my wallet, showing my last name and my security clearance. 

“I wish it was for recreational purposes.” I sighed. Even just looking at the bottle of blood reminds me of my previous bouts with Modernia…and the stressful aftermath that followed both. “But this is very important.” Mana eyes the identification card closely, most likely trying to determine what she was seeing was real. Upon realizing this was hardly a forgery, she tried to hide her anxiety. 

“Very well. I will escort you to the proper testing area.” She leaves the kiosk that she was previously behind, beginning to lead me down the left hallway. Novel attempts to follow, only to be stopped by this no nonsense researcher. “You’re staying right here.” Before the Nikke even had a chance to plead her case, Mana was already walking quickly, giving me the only opportunity to shrug my shoulders towards the one who directed me to M.M.R.

As I caught up to Mana, I began to notice the various experiments growing more and more…intense…as we journeyed deeper into the chamber. It was then she said something that immediately triggered red flags. “If you do not mind, can you face forward so you don't disturb other researchers at work?” Now, I’ve heard plenty of suspicious lines in my life…but that’s at least top ten, if not top eight.

“If you say so.” I said, still skeptical of what exactly was going on here. The further we went in, the more tinted the glass became, quickly rendering me unable to even get a glimpse of what was happening. Oddly enough, it appeared that Mana was just as unnerved to be here as I was.

“As interesting as what experiment you may be performing may be, I’m afraid that my partner will be supervising you. I’m the head of the rehabilitation center, only covering a friend’s shift today.” Considering what’s going on here, a “rehabilitation” center could very well be some shady shit…brainwashing, turning people into Nikkes, torture methods, who the fuck knows?

I didn’t have much longer to come up with conspiracies, seeing as Mana would turn to a door on her left. “This will be your testing chamber for today. I hope that whatever you’re looking for, you find in spades.” Before I even had a chance to thank her, she was already walking back down the hallway, leaving me to gently open the door.

The room was white with blue lights pulsing in between the tiles. Advanced equipment was abundant, even someone like me didn’t know half of what this shit could be. Then again, I develop weapons, not medicine. In the upper right corner of the lab was a desktop computer, with an obviously bored woman occasionally tapping the keys on the keyboard. 

“Hey, what’s up?” I gave her a wave, thus grabbing her attention. 

“Oh. About time another test subject showed up.” This immediately put me on edge. Not enough to rest my hand on my weapon just yet, knowing she could just have some dry sense of humor, but more than sufficient to shake any morning grogginess left inside me.

“I’m afraid not. I’m going to be the one doing the testing today.” To be fair, I did briefly want to be a scientist when I was growing up so I could be “just like mom”...then I learned I have to put up with snobby scientists, so I threw that out the window pretty damn quick. 

“I’m aware of that.” She says, approaching me. As I got a better look, it was obvious that she was hardly as professional as Mana, in both words…and attire. “I just call anyone who comes in here a test subject. People that don’t work here trying to figure things out are both entertaining and informative…and it gets me out of my job, so I’m all for it.” More relatable words have never been spoken. “I’m Ether.”

“Dante.” I introduced myself, matching the exact same formality as she did. “I’m here to get some data on a liquid that should be blood.” This seemed to intrigue Ether, seeing as she raised a brow. 

“Not what I was expecting to do with a commander. I thought it was going to be yet another case of an abnormal chip of a Nikke.” She would point at a machine with a couple of slots. “Go over there and put your mystery liquid into one of those notches over there. It should take care of the rest.” 

I do as instructed and proceed to watch the complex equipment work its magic. After a light show and some spinning around, a read out would be displayed on the monitor next to it. Ether, determined to take a look, peers over my shoulder. “Well, it’s certainly not O Positive, I’ll tell you that much.” 

Yeah, no shit. 

I examine it closely, looking at the various values of compounds located within. Most of it seemed to check out with normal Nikke blood…except for two, labeled appropriately with triple question marks. “...You got this from a heretic, didn’t you?” There was no point in trying to hide it, nor did I have a reason to. 

“Yeah. It’s complicated, but I need them to bleed as much of this as I can. It’s the only way to beat it.” I mean, that’s a bit of a stretch, but…meh, it’s theoretically true? “Any suggestions are welcome.” Ether rubs her chin, clearly taking this as a challenge or something.

“If this heretic needs to bleed as much as possible, bullets wouldn’t really be the way to go. I suggest trying to cut them open around the normal spots for a human…neck, preferably. You throw enough Nikkes with knives at them, you could probably overwhelm the heretic, I can imagine.” That’s…wow. I was on board right up until I heard the part of trying to throw Nikkes at the problem to fix it. Thankfully…

I had a better idea.

“...Thanks for the tips.” I said casually as I reclaimed the sample, not trusting someone as sketchy as Ether with it. I put it back in my coat pocket as I turned to leave. The sooner I get out of here, the better. “I don’t have time to chat…duty calls.” It was the best excuse I had at the moment. The purple haired Nikke could easily smell my fear, an eerie smile on her face. 

“I’m sure it does. As much as I’d like for you to stay so I don’t have to get back to work, I wouldn’t want to be accused of having an affair.” Was this her idea of flirting?! Was that what this was the entire time?!? Whatever, I don’t have time for this! 

“Sure, let’s go with that…” I turned to leave, walking to the door as briskly as I could…before she said something that chilled me to the bone.

“See you around…number seven.” I had NO IDEA what that means and I’m sure as hell not here to fuck around or additionally find out. I exit the testing chamber with my mind, body and soul hopefully intact. It wasn’t long before I returned to the entrance, where a certain starry eyed detective eagerly awaited my arrival.

“Did you solve the mystery, Watson?! Did you? Did you?” After my scare with Ether, it was so refreshing to have such an adorable Nikke be so excited to see me. I gave her a toothless smile.

“Yeah…I sure did.” She practically explodes with joy, jumping up and striking a pose as she lands.

“Then it’s another mystery solved by Detective Novel and her assistant Watson!” The detective seemed so happy with herself that I felt obligated to give her a reward as well in the form of headpats. 

“Mhm.” She seemed content with her gift as she pulled down on her hat. 

“Ever so, there are plenty of mysteries waiting to be solved. I’m already on to my next case!” I raise a brow, praying to god it has nothing to do with Ether. 

“And that would be?” Novel would subsequently point at the bathroom door. 

“That bathroom door is locked. It must be…” Her eyes begin to sparkle. “...a locked room mystery!” Before I even had a chance to explain that her assumption was most likely incorrect, she already started walking over there. I’m sure Mana will most likely take care of this, so since there’s only so much time in a day and with my fate-deciding meeting with the big three on the horizon, I don’t really have much of a choice but to hit the trail. I exit the facility, dialing a certain Yakuza boss. She answers rather quickly.

“Ah, if it isn’t my prodigy.” Sakura’s gentle voice comes from the other end of the call, soothing to the ears. I’d most likely fall asleep if she read me a story. “...is there something I can help you with?” I nod my head in affirmation…I don’t know if this could work, but it’s better than nothing. 

“Yeah…It’s a very odd request, but…” Sakura cuts me off instantly, surprising seeing as she is hardly the impatient type. 

“There is no request too large for you. Name what you need and I will have it done.” Her eagerness to provide for me couldn’t help but make me wonder…how close were we back then? I know she feels some sort of maternal desire to protect me…but the way she said that…it…I don’t really know. I just need to stay in the moment for now. My spacing out nearly caused me to bump into someone on my walk to my nearest AZX terminal. 

“I need a blade that excels at making a Nikke bleed…one that can be outfitted with technology.” Sakura looks at me with a soul piercing stare, silence deafening both of us. “...was it…something I said?” Snapping back to reality, The Yakuza Boss shakes her head.

 “No, I was expecting more from you…you made it sound much more grand…” She coughs, trying to regain her formal tone “I will have one custom made for you by today’s end, if not within several hours.” She pauses for a moment, looking away from the camera with a blush. “It’s just that…You’ve grown so much. I remember when you were such an adorable child…now, you are just so…handsome.”

As I wait in line at the station, Sakura grows a bit more flustered. “...Never mind. I haven’t been sleeping well as of late…it’s been causing me to have some…peculiar thoughts.” It didn’t take a genius to figure out what the boss was thinking when she looked at me. I sigh…everyday…

It gets harder and harder to keep my eyes solely on Marian.

“Don’t worry, Sakura.” I dismissed her concerns. “Even Nikkes don’t think entirely straight when under mental or physical pressure. Just try taking some deep breaths ok?” Sakura looks back towards the camera, doing exactly as I said. She opens her eyes, and I can see that professional composure once again.

“Thank you, Dante. I feel much better already.” I nod, giving her a warm smile. “I must be going, though. I’ll talk to you soon.” She abruptly hangs up, most likely trying to hide any lust for me. I could only chuckle to myself at the realization of how many women wanted me. 

“If I had a nickel…” I entered the AZX, sparsely populated, but more than my previous experience. Without a sound, I took a seat by a window so I could watch the Ark pass me by…it was a relaxing site…unfortunately, I wouldn’t be given any room to breathe.

“Honey?” The voice sent chills down my spine. It was sweet, smooth, and seductive…there was only one voice in the entire Ark that could cause me to feel this way.

Viper.

“Hey, what’s up?” I shot her with a pair of finger guns, trying not to show any sort of social anxiety. Without any sort of warning, I’d find myself face to face with her, staring into those lava red eyes with my ocean blue ones. 

“Ah, it is you! It certainly has been a while since we’ve last seen each other, hasn’t it?” To be honest, considering the effects she has on me?

I don’t think it’s been long enough.

“You could say that.” I cross my legs, noticing that…wait a minute, weren’t there more people in this car? Where the fuck did everyone go? Why was I left alone with her?!? “I’m just busy, that’s all. What about you?” I knew she wanted something from me…I’ve gotten her all figured out. Yep…totally…one hundred percent. Then again, if I were to not lie to myself, I’d say she’s playing me like an idiot. 

“Oh, me?” She giggles to herself…never a good sign. “Just doing assignments with Crow and Jackal, the usual. The outer rim gets more and more volatile by the day…that means our jobs get more and more important.” The same could be said about The Ark in general, in all honesty. Seems like every other day, there’s some kind of protest or controversial shit that I should care about, but don’t have the energy to. “I just finished my assignment and was returning back with the others.” 

Once again, the red flags were strong with this one.

“Really? What assignment?” If Viper operates in the outer rim, there’s no need for her to be here with me. That means…oh boy, this was gonna be some bullshit. How long is she going to lie for? Any thoughts of comedy would immediately leave my body and soul as she gives me a massive smile.

“Why, making contact with you, silly!” My blood runs cold. That is, by far, the worst thing she could have said. Like “Oh honey, I just finished installing a bomb in the train.” kind of bad. Like, “I let the animals out of the zoo” kind of bad. Without any hesitation, she sat next to me…my heart was racing and my mind was a jumbled mess.

“Ah…” She sits down exactly as the train starts, jolting me to the right, causing me to bump shoulders with her, letting out that venomous laugh. “If you wanted to touch me, you could have just said, honey.” A seductive smile crosses her face. “I’d be more than willing to let you touch as much as you like.” Nope, nope, nope, nuh-uh, that’s an omega red flag! I would try to stand up…only for my body to refuse, for the serpent had already paralyzed me with her venom. 

“It was the train.” Ah yes Dante…blame something else for your problems. That ALWAYS works. 

“I know it was, I’m just teasing you.” My god. Out of every Nikke I’ve met, it's practically impossible to get a read on Viper! EUNHWA was easier to understand and she hates me for no reason…or maybe not, the jury's still out on that one. Either way, the train gets moving, granting us a view of the morning Ark sky. “Isn’t it wonderful?” She starts off, clearly waiting for a perfect opportunity to Segway into something. “The blue skies and clean air of the main hub of humanity…for some people, I can imagine this is paradise.” 

“You could say that. To be fair, I think that it’s better down here than it is up on the surface.” That could potentially be my choices of eating spiders on the surface or candy down here as snacks talking, but who knows? “Natural sunlight means jackshit when it’s all covered in smog.” She giggles once more, with every syllable becoming more and more seductive…I need to remain focused.

“That’s true.” Viper tapped her chin, trying to act like she was in deep thought…but I had a feeling what I said already was keeping her on course to where she wanted this conversation to go. That was, until she sighed. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it, honey. May I ask you something?” Her bluntness was rather…unusual. But, not like I’m in any position of power here…

“Fire away.” I said, bracing myself for whatever was to happen next. 

“How would you feel about working with Exotic more often?” Her voice seemed rather genuine...as was my shock. Viper’s infectious laughter from her would elicit no reaction out of me as I continued to stare straight through her. “Oh honey, mortification is not a good look for you. Such a handsome face doesn’t need to have pure terror written all over it…” Again, she’s impossible to get a feel for.

“Crow’s an excellent leader, but there’s nothing like having a competent commander on your team. You’ve got all the skills we need to establish a stable outer rim…and besides…” Two of her fingers begin to walk across my left thigh, making their way to my…OH SHIT! “I’m sure I can offer you services that no one at Revenant can match.” 

Viper makes her move, like a serpent slithering to its prey…in one swift motion, she’s already in my lap, her chest mere centimeters from my face. “Oh my god, you’re the cutest thing when you’re flustered!” Her left hand latched onto my shoulder as her right slid down from my Adam’s apple down to my stomach. I was completely paralyzed with fear…or…was this lust? “Don’t worry honey, you’ll be ready for when you get off…just rest…let me take some of that stress off of you.” However…I’d be saved by an unlikely ally.

“Attention all AZX Passengers, we will be arriving…” said the intercom, causing a surprised Viper to sigh.

“Hmm…I could have sworn I’d have enough time…” Her lustful red eyes looked directly into my soul, as if she knew a dark primal part of me very much was enjoying that. Without warning, she’d grab my right hand. “Oh well…looks like you’ll be staying pure for a little longer, honey.” Viper hopped off of my lap, then pulled me up alongside her. “Where to next, darling?” I could only blink.

I proceed to give her a “I beg your pardon?” To which that stupid sexy laugh would come from her again. 

“We’re on a date, right?” The exotic Nikke would begin walking me to the exit of the train as the two of us waited for the doors to open. “So, where are we heading next?” It took all of my mental fortitude to resist Viper’s seduction…she was trying to manipulate me…get my guard down…that way, she can sweet talk her way into getting something from me.

“Sorry, but this is strictly confidential information.” I lied through my teeth, to which Viper looked offended by…yeah, just my luck.

“So you trust Novel with sensitive information more than me? You’ve wounded me, honey.” Her comical expression returned to a normal one once we step out into the downtown terminal. “But I know you’re such a busy commander…so much power, so much responsibility…that must be an incredible burden.” She faces me with those “eyes”...the ones filled with abundant lust. “Come find me if you need to relieve that burden from you forever…or just a couple hours.” 

With those words, she placed her lips dead over mine and didn’t let go for a solid ten seconds…

“Be seeing you…honey.” She leaves with a giggle and a wave, leaving me just standing there trying to process what the hell happened. Remembering that there’s no time to waste, I decide to book it to my next stop: Talentum Mall…back to collect another paycheck. 

Just as before, loud yelling and screaming greeted me upon entering the bank. Despite being earlier in the day, it managed to be just as irritating, if not more so, than my last visit. I once again took a number from a polite young man, this time being…13.

Well, fuck me sideways, I guess…

Despite my seemingly unlucky number, I decided to take my seat at a nearby chair…putting in earbuds and shutting my eyes to minimize the amount of annoying noises I could hear…unlike last time, however, I wasn’t going to be having such a smooth waiting room experience. 

“Dante!” I heard a gruff man call out my name. Seeing as it wasn’t the person calling my number, Andersen, or a Nikke, I briefly opened my eyes, making sure there was no immediate threat. Upon noticing practically nothing thanks to the insane amount of traffic, I decided to close my eyes once more, my mind drifting off to thoughts about…Crow.

Calling Exotic sketchy is like saying words are made of letters. All three of them were hardly upstanding citizens. Sure, Jackal seems to be completely devoted to Crow and nothing more…but the other two…

Viper was obviously a master manipulator. She could convince nearly anyone to give her what she wants using plenty of methods…subtle persuasion, planting her ideas in your head as if they were your very own…and, her apparent favorite, appealing to someone’s lust.

Crow, on the other hand, was much harder to get a read on. It was obvious that she had some kind of goal, but what kind of leader doesn’t? She seems to be closed off to most commanders, seeing them as useless…with me being an exception. Either way, it hardly matters. 

I don’t intend on taking her offer. 

The outer rim is outside of the Central Government’s hands anyway…you could even argue it has worse conditions and culture than the remnants of civilization on the surface. No matter how much we would try to establish some sort of order, the financial gymnastics alone would be near impossible to maintain. 

And I think Crow knows that.

Sure, she dresses like a punk rock slut, but she’s far from stupid. Still though…I can’t help but try to rack my brain for some kind of answer to my question…

What’s her endgame? 

I didn’t have much time to ponder this question, seeing as I heard my name being called out by the same person that was mad at me the last time I was here. Though…I paid him no mind. My music made it all seem like white noise…though, hearing number 13 be called certainly got my attention. I walked right past the commander who was screaming at me, walking to one of the automated kiosks.

I read online that, once your number was called you didn’t have any “questions” about your payment, you could easily get your money through one of the automated machines, just insert the card in and get your nice paycheck. That means less people I have to talk to, even if they aren’t wasting my time…I just hate the sound of people…I can’t really explain it.

Either way, I operate the simple machine, insert my card in and…

“For your previous two missions, User_Dante is now awarded…one million credits.” I just blink as the room falls silent, practically everyone looking at me like they were going to stab me on the spot. So I merely took out the card, slid it in my pocket, and left without saying a word.

Upon leaving the financial office with ample spending money in my pocket, I knew exactly what I was going to do with it…snacks! I was going to be in the workshop while I wait for Sakura’s people to complete my sword…so, might as well have some snacks to munch on while I worked. I take a left, eventually arriving at some sort of convenience store with a young lady at the front desk in some sort of chair.

“Ah, good mornin’!” She spoke with a southern accent despite her wearing more oriental attire. “Can I help you find anything?” I glanced over to her, to which she covered up nearly her entire face using a hand fan. “Not a morning person, eh?” The clerk chuckles to herself. “That’s alright, we’re having a special sale on some coffee packets that’ll surely pick you right on up!” I shook my head.

“Not a coffee person.” I could see the aisle with a piece of candy on it, about to start walking towards it when the person working at the check out would practically appear right by my side, as if she had teleported right next to me. 

“Not a problem, not a problem! If it’s candy you want, then it’s candy you’re gonna get!” Holy shit, the amount of commitment this lady has is impeccable. The name on her name tag reads “Yan”...and my solid eye did confirm she was a Nikke. That explains why she’s so fast, too…might even give me a run for my money. “Tell ya what, I’ve got a special offer just for you!” 

Before I could even blink, the seller would snag a bag of sour candy that I was going to buy alongside some peanut butter chocolates “I’ll sell you…wait a second…I’ve seen you before!” She pauses, squinting at me. “You’re the commander that Mustang was talking about?” I pause for a moment…took me a second to remember exactly who that was…

Then I remembered, prompting a sigh.

“Unless he’s talking about another commander that’s on his mind, then probably.” Her eyes light up, literal dollar signs appearing in her eyes…does Mustang have a thing for making people’s eyes light up? 

“Then it’s a true pleasure to meet’cha! I’m Yan, leader of Talentum! Can I interest you in a brand deal?” I just blink a couple times. 

It’s…too fucking early for this…

“I’ll…think on it.” The shrewd Nikke nods her head.

“Of course, of course! Gotta weigh out all of your options, right?” She’s…certainly enthusiastic about her job…more so than novel, even. “Alright, I’ll leave ya be for now! Let me know if you need help finding anything!” She confidently walks back to her spot, leaving me alone in the candy aisle…

Or…what should have been alone. 

I’ve heard it since I left the financial office. Footsteps. They’ve been directly behind me…I can only sigh. 

“You know…” I started speaking to the person watching me from the next aisle, according to my solid eye. “...I hated lunch time during school.” I begin to walk towards the end of the section, hearing and watching the footsteps perfectly mirror mine. “...I had to learn how to hide in plain sight…disappear whenever I needed to. I’ve gotten pretty good at it. But you?” Reaching the end of the aisle, I take a deep breath, ready to reveal my mystery stalker. 

“You suck at it.” 

With a sharp turn of my heel, I turned to face a long blue haired young woman, currently blushing like she had been caught wearing a boyfriend’s hoodie.

It was the girl I met outside the financial office the last time I was there…the one that practically had a heart attack upon learning who I was.

Privaty.

“I-I wasn’t following you!” She spat out near instantly, trying to cover herself with anything she could think of. “I was…picking up…” she “subtly” looks to her left looking at the items next to her. “...baby food!” 

Now, I have met some awful liars. Like, really bad at it. But I think Privaty may just take the cake for the worst with a single lie. It’s such a pitiful attempt that I’m actually kind of impressed. It was then I had made up my mind of how I should punish this “lie”...

Starting today, I am going to make her blush as much as I possibly can any time I see her…not like that’ll be hard… “huh, that right?” I cross my arms and narrow my eyes towards the Nikke, getting a perfect, albeit a tad lewd, idea for how to begin my torrent of torment. 

“I mean, I understand you have the childbearing hips and all but…” 

Her face goes completely red, alongside being rendered unable to speak, upon hearing my comment on her appearance. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a sucker for women for hips and thighs I like…but I can’t let Viper rub off on me too much. Either way, I decided to go back to the candy aisle to continue grabbing my snacks for my long day of tinkering ahead. As I expected, she’d follow me like a sick puppy, trying to muster up some kind of comeback…

“I-I-I…” once again reduced to a blubbering mess, I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. I'd also be lying if I said she wasn’t adorable when she acted like this.

“Relax.” I said casually as if I didn’t simultaneously compliment and insult a woman’s appearance a couple seconds ago. “Lots of guys are into that…” I turn to look over my shoulder, seeing her reaction to continuing to speak of her body so frankly. “...including me.” She was now as red as a tomato and I could hardly wait to hear her response.

“Sh-Sh-Shut up!” She pouted…it was obvious that I already had her wrapped around my finger with just a bit of flirting. This was my true goal. As fun as messing with her may be and I won’t deny that she’s definitely my kind of woman underneath that tsundere…she could easily be a source of information from branches outside Andersen’s jurisdiction. 

“...All too easy.” I said under my own breath, knowing how I have landed a potentially very valuable asset. With my snacks secured in my basket, I walk back to the Nikke from earlier. 

“Ah, you’re ready to check out? With a plus one, I see.” The manager hides her smile behind a fan, causing Privaty to practically shake in embarrassment.

“W-We are not together at all! I’m just…” by the time she’s finished spitting out words, Yan is already practically finished scanning and bagging all of my items. 

“Now just slide that card and you’re set to go!” She says, clearly happy as ever to make another successful transaction. “Alrighty, don’t forget to come back now!” I nod back towards the owner, a smile on my face. 

“Thanks for the deal on the candy…and I’ll be back, I imagine.” I exit the store, with Privaty following suit soon after. 

“Hey! Don’t just...leave me…here…” Her sentence trails off into nothingness, causing me to look backwards, seeing less of a flustered Nikke and more of a terrified one. As fun as teasing her is, if she is feeling something like this, I think I’ll just let up a tad bit for the time being.

“Privaty.” I heard a tired feminine voice say the name of the President of my fanclub, causing her to freeze on the spot. Looking forward, I’d see two Nikkes walking towards us, the taller one looking hella pissed off…more so than I’ve ever seen Andersen.

“Oh…hey…Yulha…” Privaty nervously taps her fingers together. “Fancy…running into you here…today…right now.” The other two of whom I assumed to be a part of my biggest fan’s team were hardly amused. The smaller one stood in complete silence while the older gave a large sigh of frustration.

“Where have you been for the past hour? We’ve got a tight schedule today, you know that.” Privaty looked confused for a moment before remembering something…and promptly blushing because of her surprise.

“The earnings spreadsheet! I completely forgot!” She yelled out, as if she was a child late for their first day of school. It couldn’t help but bring a smile to my face. Privaty growls in response, to which my smile becomes even more smug.

“Looks like to me that you’ve got better things to do than follow me around.” I look towards the obvious leader of the team, giving them a far more sincere and gentler smile. “Sorry about that. Hopefully I didn’t throw too much of a wrench in your plans.” My apology seemed to have fallen on deaf ears, seeing as the Nikke I was speaking to didn’t seem all too happy.

“Admi, take Privaty back and get started on the spreadsheet, I’ll be there shortly.” The small Nikke would begin to escort my fan away, to which I’d slip in one of those fancy business cards Anis ordered. An asset you can easily access is one of the best ones you can have, as they say. With a shake of her head, the shark toothed Nikke walk towards me, the frustration seemingly subsiding as she did so.

“I’m sorry you had to see that, sir.” She stated formally. “Privaty has a tendency to get sidetracked when sent on errands.” With a shake of my head, I dismissed any concerns of bad blood.

“Meh, it’s not that big of a deal. As long as you found her, that’s what matters.” It was then I got a text from Sakura.  

@Bl00DY_L0TUS: Dante. It's Ready. Please come at once.

"Well..." I look back towards her, goofy smile wide on my face. "...Duty calls." Her eyes narrow, but I leave before she could say anything.  

Wandering through the outer rim was…not fun. It was muddy, the air quality sucked, and the stench of burning garbage drowned out every single pleasant smell from the candy. People stared at me as I walked to the designated safehouse Sakura told me to pick up my weapon at, murmuring as they did so. 

Seeing someone wearing such a high quality outfit was a bit out of place in an area like this. There were very few wealthy people residing in the outer rim and even fewer that flaunted that wealth…I didn’t bother going back to the outpost to change though…too much of a hassle. Besides, I’ve been here before…even if I was escorted by Exotic Squad. 

Eventually, I arrived at the inconspicuous building located at the address Sakura sent me. There didn’t seem to be any guards around…a bit shady, but I had a distinct feeling I was already being expected. I place my hand on the scanner causing the door to slide open, granting me access to the meeting place before sliding closed even faster than before. 

It was practically pitch black inside, the interior was completely unfurnished with a dim lamp being my only source of light as it gently swung back and forth. However, there were clearly words being exchanged on the floor above me, clearly being a good place to start my search for Sakura.

Carefully making my way up the steel steps, the chatter in the room stops, like they were trying to pretend they weren’t there…that was enough to rest my hand on my pistol as I carefully crept my way to the door at the top of the staircase.

I knock on the entrance carefully, only to be relieved to hear the gentle voice of Sakura

“Enter.” She said calmly, giving me the comfort and peace of mind to open the door. My eyes were greeted by the sight of both Sakura and Rosanna, alongside someone I’d never seen before…who’d proceed to pull a gun out at me. I would extend the same courtesy.

“Sakura, get down!” The leader would hardly do so, taking a sip of her tea as Rosanna gave an eye roll.

“Easy on the trigger there, ace.” The Head of Hedonia would lower the stranger's gun's barrel from its position from my heart. “He’s with us.” Now finished with her drink, Sakura turned to face me. 

“Ah, it’s good to see you again, Dante.” Rosanna would also offer her greetings, giving an informal wave.

“How’s it hanging, mister?” The stranger would look confused at my two mafia boss mothers, looking between them.

“Wait, you two know this guy?! And you knew he was gonna show up? Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?” This barrage of questions annoyed Sakura, causing her to let out a frustrated sigh.

“It was on a need to know basis…and you simply did not need to know, Moran. We will be continuing our meeting once he departs.” Rosanna takes a sip of what may be water, but I assume to be Vodka.

“‘Sides’, not like every day we get to have company over for…pleasure.” The look in her eyes narrows at me seductively, to which I’ll ignore for now. Sakura shakes her head, clearly having some impure thoughts as well. As attractive as these two women were, the idea of a new weapon to add to my ever increasing arsenal was overriding any sense of lust I could possibly have.

“You should take a seat between me and Rosanna.” She glanced at the one called “Moran”, who was currently occupying that position. “Moran, go sit on the opposite side so he may take your place.” This seemed to offend the third member of this meeting.

“H-Huh!?!” She seemed practically shocked by such an order. “But this is my spot! It’s a tradition! Besides, should he really be more important than…” Rosanna whipped hair back with an annoyed groan.

“The activity of the church is important…but nothing’s more important in our line of work than our family.” She explained before cutting a look towards Moran. “And seeing as we consider this handsome son of a bitch an honorary member of both Hedonia and the Seimeikai, he easily outranks your dumb ass on this council.” Moran seems blown away by the explanation given by my aim trainer. 

“This is outrageous! It’s unfair! How can someone get a seat without even being a leader…” Sakura would cut off the stubborn one, making her presence felt.

“Take a seat, Moran.” Realizing there is no winning this fight, the hapless Nikke would take her seat at the opposite end of the table. I soon take her spot while Sakura resumes her original position. “As I was saying…It’s so nice to see you again, Dante.” She began pouring me some tea without even asking, causing Rosanna to laugh.

“What? You're not even gonna let me offer him a nice shot of whiskey?”  The leader of the Seimeikai would shake her head and sigh.

“Not everyone has the craving for alcohol that you do. That and I imagine a busy commander like him has plenty left to do.” Oh boy do I…then again, explaining my plan to the big three and Andersen while hammered seems like it would be funny to watch. At any rate, Sakura finishes pouring the tea and places it before me. “Here. This was your favorite blend growing up…” I’m hardly a tea person, so I can’t imagine it’ll…

!!!

“This is amazing!” I say as I take another sip, admiring the smooth and soft texture of the blend with a real kick of an aftertaste. 

“I’m glad.I was very worried your taste buds had changed over these years…but it seems that worry was misplaced.” As she says this with a warm smile, Sakura gets up once more and retrieves something from the corner of the room. “If that is true, I am certain that your impatient nature remains within you as well.” As much as I’d love to say that wasn’t true, I’d be lying…and I had the feeling being a mafia boss would help you smell a lie from a mile away.

“In any case…” she says, holding up a seemingly traditional Katana. “...I present you with the finest work I could commission…” Rosanna smiles at me alongside Sakura.

“That smile suits you pretty damn well. Been a while since I’ve seen it.” Moran looks at the situation with confusion, trying to figure out why I was being given a sword.

“Wait a sec, what’s a human need a sword for? They still have guns, this seems pretty obsolete.” Sakura rubs her temples, as if this individual asked questions and made statements like these on a regular basis.

“Moran, do you see that piece of sheet metal?” She points at it, causing Moran to glance at it as well. 

“Yeah, what’s so special about it?” Sakura hands me the sword, expecting me to perform the exact same move I had done with scarlet so many times in the past. I close my eyes for a moment resting my hand on the hilt and…

“There.” I open my eyes, performing a flash cut to shatter it into a dozen or so pieces, much to Moran’s shock.

“E-Eh?!? The hell was that?!” I ignored her surprised face, turning to face Sakura once again.

“This feels…perfect.” My guardian gave a triumphant “Hmph”, clearly proud of her achievement.

“I would accept nothing less for my prodigy.” I remember how Sakura claimed to have taught me martial arts…and while I don’t remember everything, I remembered the basics…and that’s most likely enough to beat anyone who’s foolish enough to fight me. Her face slowly returns to normal before she lets out a deep exhale. “That and…I wanted to make sure you were properly equipped for such a dangerous mission.” I raise a brow. 

“You…knew?” There was no point in playing dumb with these two, so I guess I’ll have to hear them out. Rosanna lets out a light “pfft” in response to my foolish question.

“Course’ we did. Since you showed back up, been watching your every move in the Ark, more or less.” Sakura looks over towards her coworker, somewhat embarrassed.

“Don’t phrase it like that! We’ve just been getting intel on what he’s up to when on the job. Tapping Andersen’s office was the easiest way to go about that.” A smirk from the other Mafia member. 

“Either way, Sakura’s right. You’re going on one of the most dangerous missions ever assigned.” Rosanna stretches as she stands up, grabbing three golden suitcases. “...meaning you’re gonna need all the help you can get. Which is where I came in.” She opens them up, revealing three expensive looking weapons. “Pulled some strings and got these beauties custom made for your team. Top of the line and maybe hiding some classified secrets or two…should be enough to get the job done. I’ll have my guys drop 'em off at your place.”

I managed to finally speak up. “Thank you…both of you.” Rosanna dismisses my thanks, nonchalant as usual. 

“Don’t sweat it, little mister. Consider them birthday presents from the years we missed.” Sakura nods, clearly sharing the same sentiments as the more brash boss of the criminal underworld. 

“Indeed. Furthermore, if you need anything, and I mean anything when it comes to the outer rim…the organization will make it happen by any means necessary.” 

“Same here. You’ve got the House of Hedonia backing you up. If someone out here tries to fuck with you, I’ll know…and I’ll have some fun.” A part of me tears up upon hearing two people caring so much about me that they’re willing to do anything and everything to ensure my success. “Right now though, you better get on out of here. The longer you’re in the outer rim, the more dangerous it gets…especially in that outfit.” Looking down at my uniform, I realize that I…really didn’t think things through when I came here.

“Rosanna is correct. While it has been enjoyable spending time with you once again, your mission depends on your survival to get there in one piece.” Sakura looks up at me, nodding her head. “...I am confident you can perform this mission without any complications.” I stand up, resting the scabbard against my waist. 

“World’s waiting for ya, mister. Kick some ass for me, would ya?” Rosanna gives that smile unlike she just advised me to kill. I walk to the door, looking back as I open it.

“I’ll be back.” I close the door behind me with a smirk, walking out the building…until I’d feel a gun being pushed at the back of my head.

“Going somewhere, Dante?” A familiar voice would say…and was one I was dreading running into while in the outer rim. 

“Hey Crow…what’s up?” My clear disregard of my own safety and being so casual about a literal submachine gun being pressed against my skull awards me a “tch” from the leader of Exotic.

“Just getting off patrol…when I heard about a  commander being spotted in the outer rim. You’re difficult to track…but not impossible.” I hear her put the gun away, causing me to turn around and face her. “...Not gonna bother asking you what you’re doing here, if that’s what you’re wondering.” 

“Good. It would suck if I had to spill a government-run crime syndicate.” She places a piece of pocky in her mouth, looking at me with an amused expression.

“If that were the case, Viper would be here, not me. Then again, that sort of thing isn’t uncommon…high ranking money men and government officials trying to make an extra buck by doing some activities in the outer rim.” Crow motions me forward. “Let’s get you out of here. You’re needed for that big mission of yours.” So Crow knows too…I feel like a fucking celebrity in this town…

“And how did you know about that?” I follow the leader of Exotic through a series of back alleyways, watching her give glances to various low life criminals…implying not to mess with me.

“Viper told me.” Of course she did…I couldn’t help but sigh. “It’s not like it’s easy to do…her intelligence network spans the entire Ark. If she wants to know something, she eventually will.” I was going to ask about her offer, but it appeared Crow was already ahead of me. “I didn’t think you were going to accept the invitation at the first possible opportunity.” She places another piece of pocky in her mouth.

“You've got a ton of shit to take care of. Personal shit. I get that…but it’s an open invite. You have Viper’s number.” Despite taking forever to walk there, Crow’s shortcuts let us get back to one of the Ark’s main gates in no time at all. “...Here ya go…nice to have this chat.” Without even giving me a chance to say thank you, Crow begins to walk away, only to say a couple more words as she becomes one with the shadows. “...Good luck on that mission, by the way…Dante.” 

My solid eye notifies me of my big meeting…and I couldn’t WAIT to finally put this to rest. 

I peek into the room, trying to get a feel for it. The conference room was as stereotypical as you would have guessed for a meeting room used by the government. Long wooden table, drab color schemes, people being all serious…all in all?

 Not my gig.

I thrust open the door to find Andersen, Ingrid, Syuen and Mustang all turning towards me as I entered.

“Finally, some entertainment!” Mustang seemed overjoyed to see me. “Monsieur Dante has arrived!” Considering the usual apathy that awaited me any time I talked to the other three, this was a refreshing change of pace.

“Hey, what’s up?” I offered the room, closing the door shut to seal off my chance to run away from the problem. 

“Perfect timing, Commander Fortuna.” Andersen pulled down on his tie as he addressed me, trying to be as professional as possible. “We were awaiting your arrival so you may provide an appeal for use of additional resources for your assault on Rapture Installation Four.” It was at this moment I realized…

I had absolutely nothing prepared in terms of strategy. 

I was planning on taking an hour before to draft up some sort of organization of information I had from the map of the facility…but I completely forgot.

Well, I winged plenty of PowerPoint presentations back in high school, so it should be a breeze. I clap my hands as a copy of the map appears on the screen. 

“Right then.” I spoke, trying to come up with a starting point. “Obviously, we’re here to destroy this rapture stronghold. There’s two ways we can go about this. Firstly, we can detonate the reactor in the basement floor. This is the easy way.” There’s no easy way…just a way that has a slightly lower casualty rate. “The other way…”

I look at Syuen, who smiles smugly. 

“Go ahead Dante, please inform us of the second option.” Despite my instinct to go feral and rip her to bloody shreds, I can’t hurt the bratty CEO…and so does everyone else in this room.

“Option two, while more difficult, revolves around destroying…” I take a deep breath in “...or, preferably, capturing the heretic inside the base, Modernia or, as I knew her…Marian. It is important to note that there is a way to potentially revert Marian to her previous state.” Syuen decided to cut in, wanting to be clear that everyone is on the same page.

“After which, she will be turned over to me, as I am her owner.” Ingrid looks at the ground, ashamed by her secret of not being Marian’s manufacturer being aired out for her peers to see. Mustang obviously wanted to say something, yet didn’t have any sort of ground to stand on. I had practically given up hope on that end…until the person I had been so untrusting of thus far decided to take action. With a cough, Andersen made his presence felt.

“I deny your request.” Syuen blinked a couple times, as if trying to process what he said.

“Huh?” 

“I said, I deny your request for acquisition of Marian Kurijo.” The CEO of Missills would let out a laugh at my boss, ready to shut him down.

“Surely a stickler for rules like yourself would understand such a basic right of a CEO to do with a Nikke as they wish, correct? Or have all those meetings caused you to not think clearly?” Andersen shakes his head.

“Hardly. Seeing as Revenant Squad is under my jurisdiction, I am exercising my right to deny such a request as both a deputy chief and Dante’s superior.” Syuen clearly seemed threatened by the fact that Andersen apparently had the upper hand in this situation, yet was trying to remain composed.

“Hmm…Under normal circumstances, that would triumph over my request.” A smug smirk would come across her face, one that was begging to be ripped off. “...however, Ingrid would have something to say.” The entire table would look towards the Elysion CEO, who would let out a sigh.

“As the owner of the Eylsion…I am required to object, as it would be in the best interest of…” before she could even finish, a certain showman would pose dramatically in his chair.

“Non, Non, Non…As the head of Tetra Line, I would like to be on the side of Revenant Squad…meaning that we cancel each other out, Mon cher.” I am struggling to even comprehend what’s going on at this point, but judging by Syuen’s expression, I’m winning, so I don’t really care.

“No…you can’t…I…” She stammers, trying to come up with some sort of arbitrary reason why I can’t have my Marian back if and more importantly, WHEN, I rescue her. I can’t help but fan the flames a little…and by that I mean dump old gasoline on it. 

“What’s the matter?” I smirk. “Plan falling apart because the world hates you? Gee, where have I seen that before?” Andersen looks towards me, glaring with the intensity of a sun. “Continuing from where I was, before I was rudely interrupted, I’ll be needing each of your highest squads.” You know, when you say it out loud?

Does make you sound like an asshole.

“My reasoning is that this area could become a huge asset for taking back the surface. We take this strategic location, we can build another air base to bring our total to three…that means we can extend missions further in both scope and distance.” Ingrid nods her head, deciding to willingly speak up this time.

“That’s enough for me. I authorize you to utilize absolute for this assignment.” Really? That’s it? I just literally had to ask? Mustang strikes another pose, dramatically pointing at me.

“The more air bases, the more exotic locales for shooting productions! You can count Cafe Sweety in! Show us your potential, mon ami!” With two out of three, we all look towards a pouty Syuen. 

“...Ffffiinnneeee.” She says reluctantly. “You can use Matis.”

Looks like even Syuen can crumble if you put enough people against her…Noted. 

“Well, with that, you’re all adjourned, thank you for your support!” I give a wink to Syuen, who I am convinced flipped me off. I quickly exit the room myself, trying to contain any bursts of emotion, positive or negative.

Chapter Text

“...If you wanna beat me…” I gaze around at the cluster of Raptures that had me pinned. “...You’re gonna need a lot more people.” I brandished my sword from its scabbard, holding it firmly as the silver reflected the surface sunlight. 

The first rapture decides to charge the laser from its eye, making it my first target. I rush forward, plunging my sword deep within it to prevent its attack. 

I pull back my sword, watching as it glows with blue energy once more. “...Carve!” With my new technique fully charged, I threw it forward, watching it cut through a rapture as it flew at mach speeds. With a snap of my mechanical fingers, it returned to me, slicing another one clean in half on the way back. 

With a column of three raptures approaching, I pull back my sword, watching as blue energy would flow into it from my mechanical arm. In one swift motion, I swing it forward, causing a blue shockwave to rush towards the machines, wiping them out.

A row of raptures behind me were far from content to let me get away with harming their brethren. One by one, the raptures laser lock on to me, giving me only around a mere second to slide away and do a flip to avoid their plasma beams. Placing my blade in the sheathe momentarily, then perform scarlet’s technique several times midair to shred all three raptures before they could fire another shot.

While the immediate threat had been dealt with, a new one was quickly on the horizon. Directly below me, another rapture charged its laser. With little time to react, I slam my sword downwards, the sheer force cleaving it in two, so much so that it made my sword get stuck within the metal! The rapture behind me would see this as the prime opportunity to leap high into the air, then pounce upon me. It moved with such speed that I was unable to draw my pistol or even activate my energy barrier.

Now pinned against the ground, I was quickly surrounded by raptures. My vision slowly goes black…until I’m greeted by red text. 

“Simulation Results:

Time: 00:00:39.86 : S

Kills: 12: S

Efficiency: 9001 Points : S

Par Score: 100

Par Time: 00:00:07:23

Final Rank: P”

The environment around me shatters, leaving me flat on my ass in the simulation room. I look up to see the room’s compassionate artificial intelligence hovering over me.

“Alright, alright, commander I get it, you’re a tough cookie!” She says, clearly upset by my training. “But you’re pushing yourself too hard! You’ve been running this simulation dozens of times now!” I look at her, giving a comforting smile.

“But I’ve been getting better every time, right?” The artificial sweetheart would look away from me, as if not willing to make eye contact to prevent herself from feeling too guilty. 

“Well, yes…exponentially so…but still. Even if you are taking regular fifteen minute breaks…it’s been three days of three sessions! You’re only supposed to be here once a day, with your squad, not training on your own like some kind of Nikke!” As she lectures me, I open the compartment in my arm containing the fuel cell that powered the various energy attacks in order to ensure it stays cool. 

“I’ve got one of the biggest operations in the history of The Ark coming up. I need to be prepared to fight on my own.” After sufficient time has passed to allow the cool air to stabilize the power source, I push it back in. “I’ll be back again tomorrow after I finish tweaking my weapons.” A frustrated sigh would leave the lips of the guardian of the simulation room.

“Oh, how I know…” 

Three more days passed and over that time, I made more adjustments while adding more and more features. Alterable traction for boots for extra speed and magnets to stick to metal…correcting gyros inside the sword to allow for spinning attacks…even a form of lightweight godesium armor for protection against melee attacks…anything to get a potential edge on Modernia and other raptures. 

The day before the big assignment is to take place, I head to the central government headquarters to brief my units on the assignment.

The “war room” as I so elegantly called it, remains as silent as it was this morning when I took a look around for the first time. 

I sat at the head of the table, munching on some donuts as I awaited the arrival of the Ark’s elite…leaving me lost in my thoughts all alone. 

This whole mission…could I really pull this off? I’ve done some incredible things that aspiring commanders chase for their entire careers…surviving an encounter with a Heretic…fighting one to a stalemate…hell, even bagging a simple fodder rapture is enough to earn a lifetime of praise and fortune. But even that isn’t enough. 

It will NEVER be enough. 

I will never be enough.

No matter how hard I push myself…no matter how many times I get back up after falling…no matter how much I reinvent myself…

I can’t do this on my own. 

For someone like me who hates admitting they can’t get the job done on their own…it’s enough to break your spirit in two. The idea of “you can do anything” or “there is no limit to human potential” falters when put up against something of this magnitude..

But with them by my side…the pain of hopelessness eases away, even if only a bit. Rapi, Anis, Diesel, Shifty…all of them bringing skills and experiences to the table that I can’t have…objectively increasing my chances of pulling this off…

So why do I feel so…hollow…when they reach out to me? 

“Commander.” A voice says my name, practically causing me to fall out of my chair. 

“Huh, what?!” I said, looking around the room to spot Rapi saluting at the entrance. “Oh…hey Rapi. Didn’t hear you come in.” My second in command steps back as Anis also comes in, the sound of a soda can fizzing open entering the building alongside her. 

“Heya commander!” The yellow one spoke up, giving a much more mocking salute. “Private Anis reporting in live from…wherever the fuck we are.” Gulping down some lemon-lime soda, she quickly takes a seat on one of the nice sofas I had put in here. 

“Dante!” Without warning, I was greeted by a blue blur wrapping her arms around me, then nuzzles. 

“Hey Diesel…” I rub the top of her head, and judging by the noises she’s making, she really appreciated it. She proceeded to grab one of each type of donut, delighted by the taste of the chocolate one.

Rapi, on the other hand, appeared to have some sort of energy drink…and took a seat in a plastic chair that was left behind.

“Rapi, I got those comfortable seats for all of you so you wouldn’t have to worry about getting uncomfortable mid-meeting…” I hear the door open, blobs of red and black appearing just out of the corners of my ocean blue eyes.

“Yes, it would be good to ensure that everyone is in the correct mindset when discussing our strategy.” She spoke matter of factly as she entered the conference chamber, followed by Emma.

“Hello everyone! Sorry that I couldn’t bake any treats, Eunhwa threw out the ingredients because she thought they expired!” The leader of Absolute had a tiny smirk on her face in response…meaning that I can imagine they weren’t out of date at all. I mouthed the words “thank you”, to which she nodded her head ever so slightly. Emma turns to face me, smiling brightly. “Either way, it’s wonderful to see you’re fully recovered, Dante! You look so much better than the last time I saw you!”

“It’s a huge secret, but consistent eight hours of sleep and taking proper care of yourself makes you look pretty healthy.” The “big sister of absolute” smiles upon hearing my joke…which it was. When’s the last time I got eight hours of sleep or didn’t get my shit rocked? 

“That’s fair enough, I suppose.” Her smile is as warm as ever…I couldn’t help but feel my previous worries slowly be beaten back due to her radiance. “It’s great to see you too Rapi!” It appears that even the unrelenting stoic known as Rapi cannot help but relax around Emma.

“You too…Emma.” Both of the members of Absolute took a donut…the leader surprisingly took one with pink frosting and sprinkles. I considered making a joke about how cute it was, but decided against it, seeing as she didn’t seem to want to chastise me or anything at the moment.

It was then that Vesti would meekly enter. “Hello…Dante.” I give the timid Nikke a warm smile. 

“What’s going on, Vesti my bestie!” I fire a pair of finger guns towards her, to which she gradually and shakily returns. She grabs a glazed donut before sitting next to Emma. The silence became deafening…

That…and the sound of an engine alongside intense classical music would grow louder and louder from the outside of the conference room. Anis groaned, clearly about to complain.

“Goddamn, what the actual hell! Who in their right mind…” Her question would soon be answered as three Nikkes I had never seen before entered the war room. 

“Yo.” One said, yawning shortly afterwards. 

“Yo.” I said back, not having time to say my traditional catchphrase, seeing as the door would cut me off when it would close. This however, seemed to be the right answer, as the Nikke in question would smile.

“Good.” The one wearing the leather jacket would speak up, though she wouldn’t be much of a talker either. 

“Sorry about the noise. A Muffler on Black Typhoon got damaged on a job earlier today. Damn SVC: Model C mufflers…so goddamn expensive.” I raised a brow. I still kept up with bikes…always wanted one since I was a kid.

“Don’t CVS 2 models work better? New one that came out the other year or so?” She grew a bit more interested in me, even if it didn’t seem to be all that much…or she just wasn’t great at self-expression or something.

“Right…half the cost too…I could just get an adapter and make it work.” She taps her foot across the floor, closing her eyes as she visualizes it. “Thanks…you know what? I like you. We’re partners now.” I just blink a couple of times. Isn’t…making friends supposed to be hard? The last one rolled her eyes.

“Man…hearing about motorcycle parts makes my goddamn head spin. I’m more of the breaking type, ya know?” I just nodded. 

“How the world needs people like that…” I responded, nomming on my own donut all the while. “Either way, now we’re just waiting on…” I look down at the list…only to hear the sound of shattering glass. It was then that I saw a blur moving through from where it once resided, causing me to roll out of my chair and draw my pistol, pointing it at the unknown party crasher. 

Surprisingly enough, Eunhwa and Rapi were the only other ones ready to take the offensive…everyone else seemed mildly annoyed. As my vision finally sets eyes upon our assailant, she speaks up in the most triumphant manner possible. 

“Have no fear, the hero has arrived!” Both Eunhwa and Rapi lowered their weapons…but I wasn’t let in on whatever was going on, so god knows I’m not letting this seemingly insane Nikke out of my pistol sights. She smiles arrogantly at me. “Hohoho! A human wants to duel!? A test of skill rather than strength, I see! As a hero to the entire Ark…” A mask covers up her face as some sort of cannon materializes in her hands. “...I accept your challenge!!”

I just blink a couple times. Is…is she real? Or have I finally spiraled out of control and will be locked in an asylum before today’s end? Either way…

This fucking sucks.

I hear the door open up in a hurry, to see someone who looked familiar.

“What the actual FUCK Laplace!?! We talked about this on the way here! Don’t ruin our first impression!” After yelling at her teammate, the new arrival turns to me, bowing. “I am so, SO sorry for our esteemed leader over here, Commander Fortuna.” From the looks of it, this one was far more capable at being a leader than “Captain Windowbreaker” over there…

I can only sigh, unable to do much else at the moment other than stylishly hostering my weapon. “Right...” Glancing over to the now shattered window, I think about how strong this idiot would have to be to dive bomb through it completely unscathed. That…alongside how I was going to explain to Andersen how a Nikke just jumped through a massive bulletproof plexiglass window and shattered it into a million pieces.

 “Afraid our duel will have to wait...just take a seat. I’ll be going over the briefing shortly.” I grab another donut from my box…nomming on it as a projector warms up. 

While I waited, I decided to grab my laser marker that I’d be using to outline key information…only to find it was replaced by a different one. “...The hell?” As those words left my mouth, I’d hear cackling behind me…I turned on a dime, being faced with another Nikke…holding my laser pointer.

“Hahahaha!” She flipped around her new toy, smiling at me with an air of accomplishment.I didn’t even have a reaction. Is THIS Syuen’s best?!? “Frozen with fear! That's a good sign, because it means I, Drake, have made the perfect villainous introduction!” I still couldn’t believe that anything going on right now was real…I just took another deep breath. 

“You…do understand that this pointer you gave me is better than the one you “stole”, right?” Without any hesitation, she nods her head.

“I made sure of it! That way, you’d underestimate its abilities and perform better, thus forcing you to alter your plans seconds before you start! Truly diabolical, don’t you think?” I feel like I lost brain cells just listening to her bullshit long enough. What kind of fucked up logic is…you know what? 

I’m not even going to bother this time around. I put up with plenty of idiots before, this should be no different. 

“Alright, now that everyone’s here...” I wave my hand, causing an image to appear on the canvas. “...let’s brief you all on the plan that I’ve drafted up.” Using my new laser pointer, I circle the starting area of the mission. “Our core mission objective isn’t too complex…all we have to do is destroy this base…pretty simple on paper, but pretty hard on execution.” A brief pause as I look for any questions. 

“...We all start here. You’ll be in strike teams, each with their own objectives.” I glanced in Eunhwa’s direction. “Cafe Sweetie, you’ll be thinning the herds of Raptures while Absolute and Wild Card take care of any lords or tyrants.” Frima gives a thumbs up, with milk seeming pretty excited for a fight…Sugar just nodded. Eunhwa, however, seemed to have far more concern.

“I am unaware of any squads known as “Wild Card”. Do you mind sourcing the database you took the name from so that it can be corrected?” I shake my head. 

“My source is that I made it.” Wild Card was what I was going to be calling Snow White, Scarlet and whoever this Rapunzel is. I mean, the name is pretty self explanatory, after all. “They couldn’t make the meeting, mission schedule conflicted, I’ll brief them later.” Eunhwa nods, far more understanding than I expected her to be. Truth was that I had already briefed Snow White…

“Understood. In that case, we’ll be ready to destroy any that are marked as threats.” I couldn’t help but wonder about what changed between me and her.  That means it’s time for the idiots…

“And Matis…you’ll be…” before I even had a chance to speak up, a certain blonde little shit cut me off.

“Be the ones going headfirst into the den of the raptures to take down the heretic and save the day! You can count on us, birdie!” Huh? Wha…why…I groan…I’ve known her for around five minutes and I’m already this close to snapping. 

“Actually, you’ll be in the base holding back the raptures while Revenant Squad and I will be putting the coagulant inside the “blood” of the base. As for Modernia…” Rapi, Anis and Diesel look at me with great concern as I sigh. “...I’ll be dealing with her myself.” Despite my obvious sensitive feelings on the matter…I’d hear stifled laughter from a voice that had become VERY irritating. Everyone else turned to it as well, sharing my sentiments. 

“That’s what I’m talking about, Maxwell! That’s what we need in Matis! Someone willing to sacrifice everything for humanity…true heroes.” I…couldn’t fucking believe it? How dense was she? She’s giving a black hole a run for its money! “Then again…” Laplace turns back to me, smiling without a care in the world.

“What kind of hero would I be if I let a human perform a Nikke’s most important duty?” Clearly sensing the tension between us, Rapi would get up…only to be stopped by her former leader, who said something I couldn’t quite make out. Either way, my second in command sat back down. “Dante, you’re the most heroic human I’ve ever met! You’re strong in the heart…in that way, we’re alike! But here’s the difference between you and I!” She stands up, placing her hands on her hips as if posing for promotional material.

“I’m built to protect the Ark and its people from all raptures. You’re built to help, not actively fight. 

You’re just a human…and you can’t be a hero like me. I know that it must be crushing to know that you can’t save the day like I can…but as a hero, I have to stop you from.” 

“That’s enough.” I said as I looked down at the floor to break eye contact. “I didn’t ask for your input, Laplace.” Everyone looks at me, seemingly disturbed by my evident frustration. The subordinate in question, however, seemed more or less oblivious to my rising frustration.

“But as a hero…” Hearing that word…it’s begun to make me sick.

“Save the high and mighty crap for when you’re dead.” My anger had now reached a fever pitch, requiring all my self restraint in order to not open fire upon a new teammate. “I don’t care about who in the hell you think you are to tell me what I can and can’t do…but I’m sick of it. Know your role in this operation…and shut your damn mouth.” The leader of Matis is baffled by my sudden outburst, but I was hardly finished.

“You must think you’re so damn special, don’t you? That you’re some kind of savior, destined to save who you consider “weak?” 

That’s the real difference between us.

I don’t honestly care what happens to humanity. It’s not about being recognized as a hero among ungrateful little shits that cower underground…it’s about getting back up there, killing every single rapture I can, all to protect what little I have left. Because unlike you…

I was born to kill raptures.”

Despite my evident frustration, Laplace responded in kind.

“What do you mean you don’t care about humanity?! You’re not a traditional hero that can fight raptures, but you can still be one from the sidelines!” Surprisingly, before I even had a chance to speak up, Eunhwa would brush her hair to the side while looking at Laplace with disdain.

“Absolute unanimously agreed that it would be a waste of resources to have him on the sidelines. Regardless of any ideology he possesses, Dante knows exactly what he is doing on the battlefield and we have full confidence in his abilities to lead this operation. 

I recommend you and your squad do the same.” Despite her words, it was pretty clear she was stating facts rather than complimenting me…still as unreadable as always…unlike Laplace, who was still not backing down from her stance on the situation.

“I didn’t know Absolute could be deceived so easily! Well, let’s put it to a vote!” Laplace smiles as arrogantly as before. “All in favor of the commander revising his plan, raise your hand!” Laplace raises her hand…alongside Anis. We all cut glares at her, other than the one who suggested this. “See, I knew there was one hero among us!” Anis smiles.

“Nah, I’m just raising my hand so he revises the plan to cut Matis out of it.” A couple of stifled laughs are heard across the room upon seeing Laplace’s shocked face. 

Not going to lie, that was pretty good.

“A-Anyway, all in favor of letting Dante continue…” Before she could finish, everyone raises her hand…including Drake and Maxwell, causing the leader of Matis to be in a state of pure disbelief. 

I love democracy.

Drake smiles evilly at her superior.

“Ha! Take that hero!” Maxwell only shook her head in silence. The pressure was starting to overtake me…I felt light headed…like I was about to throw up. 

“If you’re all quite done, this presentation is over. Rest up and get ready for the next battle. Meet me at Hanger 13 from elevator 56…we ride at dawn.” I walked to the exit of the conference room. Glancing towards Rapi, I’d practically snarl. “Revenant Squad, get this place better than you found it…as for everyone else…you’re dismissed.” With that, I open the door and slam it shut behind me. 

I needed to cool off…I had too much on my mind, something that would get me killed on the battlefield. I wanted to go back to the outpost…but I also wanted to be left alone, craving the sound of deafening silence to drown out the voices in my head. 

And there was one place I knew for certain no one could follow me…a place that I never wanted to go back to…but I also felt that I needed to…just in case I never had another chance. 

Fortuna Manor.

My house.

Getting there wasn’t too difficult, at least physically. 

Emotionally was a different story. 

I’ve dreamt and dreaded this moment for so long…when I’d close my eyes…any dream or nightmare I had…it was always there. A universal constant in such abstract concepts…it was etched into my mind or…something like it. It took many forms…but it was ALWAYS there.

No matter how much I ran…no matter how much I hid…I’d always be confronted by the house.

After the fire that left half of it destroyed…it remained practically untouched. I inherited the property…but never did anything with it. I wanted to forget it existed. But since that fire took my mother…it was tied to her. I couldn’t forget it no matter how much I wanted to. 

As I stood before the secret entrance hidden in a painting in an elevator upon hitting a certain code…

I braced myself, remembering the countless times I attempted to try and visit this place…yet never could commit to it. But with no other choice this time…

I step inside the painting, watching the illusion ripple as I do so.

Upon entering, I was greeted by the half burnt home I grew up in…awestruck by the silence.

Happy memories tarnished by flames.

All the voices in my head stopped…letting me think clearly for the first time in forever. It gave me the chance to admire the contrast of the green grass with charcoal and wood remains of the house’s exterior…beauty in destruction.

I walked up the path towards the house, hands in my pockets as I recalled the dozens of times Marian and I traveled this path on the way home from school. 

More memories tainted by fate. 

Once I had finally arrived at where the front doors previously stood proudly, I could spot the giant family portrait half burnt. My mother and I were visible, only slightly charred…my father was completely burnt. It reminded me of the pure joy I felt when I got to speak to my dad. 

Memories soured by stains of time.

This surge of emotions was…too much to take in. Up until now, I have been wanting nothing more than to go on this mission and save the one person I felt that I had left…but the more I thought about it…the more I realized something.

I’ve been so focused on her that I’ve blocked out everything and everyone else from my life. Everything I’ve been doing since my first mission has had something to do with her. Even with all of the Ark’s finest backing me up and even Snow White and company supporting me…our success rate still isn’t high.

For one person…so many Nikke’s lives could be thrown away. Is it…

really worth it? 

I try to convince myself that they’re all weapons…meant to be disposed of…but then I remember how I reacted with Syuen when she said something similar. 

If I truly believed they were weapons, why would I react that way? True emotions shine through when angered like that…and Anis thanked me for standing up for her. Then again, Rapi also told me they were weapons…and back then I wasn’t sure…now I’m even more conflicted.

That leads me down the route of how I’ve maybe gotten too attached to Revenant Squad…I told Rapi I’d treat them like I treated Thanatos. But Modernia broke my weapon…and I just replaced it with a stronger one. 

I never mourned, I didn’t cry about it…but if Rapi died on this mission, I would never forgive myself. The mere thought of replacing her or anyone else seems…insane. 

This reminds me of Eunhwa's stance on this sort of thing…She told me that I can’t save everyone…that even if I gave it all I had, it might not be enough. So that brings me back to the initial question…

Is this operation worth it?

To save Marian…at the cost of god knows who else? 

She’d never forgive me for something so reckless…and time heals most wounds. I wouldn’t forget Marian…but eventually, it would stop hurting…and maybe…just maybe…I could find someone new…even Syuen admitted that.

I decided to call Andersen to see if there was any way to cancel the operation.

This is far too reckless…now that I’ve cleared my mind, I know that.

“Dante.” He said, starting in his normal tone…I decided to just rip off the band-aid.

“I’m canceling the operation.” He seems completely unphased.

“I had a feeling you’d try and joke about this…what do you need?” Silence fills the call for a couple seconds as Andersen slowly realizes I’m not joking. “Oh god, you’re serious.” He seems shocked, like he just won the lottery. “...Care to fill me in on your sudden change of heart?” I sigh as I look at him, his face quickly changing into one of concern.

“This operation isn’t worth putting all our eggs in one basket. I can’t in my right mind go through with this knowing the potential wiping out of the Ark’s finest just to retrieve a singular Nikke and take out a rapture installation.” Andersen just stares blankly, in more disbelief than before.

“...Wow. I…don’t even know how to respond to that.” His tough guy act slipped very slightly as he tried to process our conversation. “I’m not going to stop you if you choose to call this off…but I will say this and only this. 

You’ve come a long way in the short time I’ve known you. 

I hope for both your sake and mine that you don’t lose sight of your true self because of that progress.” 

He hangs up, leaving me alone to ponder his message…or…so I thought. I would hear the last thing I’d ever thought I’d hear back here. 

Choir music…

Readying my pistol, I stealthily made my way out the house…in the clearing in the back. There stood some sort of Nun…obviously a Nikke, judging by…all of that…and how she had an incredibly powerful jammer on her. With nothing left to lose, I lean against a tree, flipping Marian’s coin. 

“Y’know…” I started, causing the mystery Nikke to freeze. “...If you need somewhere to pray in peace…there are plenty of other places in the Ark that are even better than here…and aren’t private property.” She slowly turns around to face me…

“A-Ah!” She seems scared, whether that be from the potential consequences of being caught or something else entirely is unknown. 

“Easy there, I’m not gonna hurt you. Just curious how you got here.” I had my suspicion this was the Rapunzel that Snow White mentioned…but I couldn’t be sure. 

“I know you are to collect payment from me for praying on your land, knowing fully well I have no money!” I just tilt my head. Is…is she ok? “Fine then! Have your way with me! But know that I’ll not give in easily!” She begins to both let out heavy panting noises and laughs…and…were there hearts in her eyes?

I stand in sheer bewilderment. What the fuck is she on? 

“What the actual fuck is wrong with you, lady?!” I was practically yelling at this point as she closed the gap…her heavy breath weighing down on me. I had no idea what in the fuck am I supposed to do in this situation! 

“Rapunzel.” I hear from behind her…a voice I’m familiar with from years ago…and weeks in the wasteland. 

“Snow White.” The one who was on her knees got right back up to face her companion. “I’m so glad you’re here! This oaf was trying to…” Snow White looks at me with a warm smile. 

“Dante. It’s good to see you.” I gave a gentle wave in response, getting away from my…captive…and towards an old mentor…caretaker…and more importantly…my friend. 

“I could say the same.” As I walked, I felt much warmer, as if my guard was slowly dropping not just from the recent…event…that just transpired…but from the stress from a while. “You got the seven dwarves back?” She nods her head, examining the selection wheel.

“I’ve retrieved them…but module two, five and seven are malfunctioning. I should be able to function in a decent capacity on our mission.” I shook my head in response to her damage report.

“I’m not letting any Nikke of mine go onto the battlefield with a malfunctioning weapon. Let me have a look.” As I requested, Snow White lays down all of her modules…all of which being in states of near disrepair. It doesn’t take too thorough of an examination to come to a definitive conclusion. “...How in god’s name do you fight with these!? Most of them don’t work properly and the ones that do are falling apart!” Snow White just looks away, blushing out of embarrassment.

“I…” I only pull out my weapon repair kit I keep on hand at all times…and get right to work. Snow White watches In amazement as I restored her modules…to be honest it felt far easier than it should. “You’re a natural, just like your mother.” I look up from module three, giving a gentle smile to the one who saved my life weeks ago.

“I learned from the best. Besides, it’s just putting band-aids on it until I have access to other parts.” It was then I’d hear a “tsk tsk tsk” behind me.

“It appears that thou hast retained thy father’s tenderheart as well, my lord.” It didn’t take a genius to figure out who exactly such a sophisticated speech pattern belonged to.

“Scarlet.” The words left my mouth like I had said it millions of times prior. Most likely because I had, seeing as…I most likely had. “Glad you could make it.” I could feel her place her hand on my shoulder, shaking it lightly.

“Pardon my delay M’lord, I was…catching up on some spirits.” She reveals four glasses filled to the brim with purple liquid. “I had prepared moments before my departure…I did promise you the finest of spirits, after all.” Snow White shoots a glare at her.

“Scarlet. We have already discussed why drinking before missions is not optimal for peak performance. This is especially true for humans, even more so if they are not accustomed to alcohol.” The Swordmaster dismissed her comrade’s claims with a wave of her hand as she passed out the drinks.

“Relax, old friend. It is not every day that the goddess squad reunites for a mission…let alone by the side of someone as capable as the son of our previous lord!” It would appear to surprise the “pure and holy” Nikke from before.

“W-Wait! So you’re saying…” Before she could overreact, I cut in.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m the son of Commander Fortuna.” Scarlet hands me my glass, looking at me with a wink.

“Fret not, m’lord! I had your glass especially prepared. Thou need not worry of ill effects.” I nod my head taking a light sip. The Cherry flavoring makes it taste divine and makes this much needed social interaction all the more sweet. We all sat down and just…talked. It felt…

Amazing.

I hadn’t ever really had something like this. Just friends relaxing in each other’s company. The sale helped keep my mind off the looming battle ahead, just living in this moment…until Snow White sighs.

“Dante.” I look towards my father’s Nikke, tilting my head a bit. “You’re nervous.” I take a bite of my sandwich.

“Is it that obvious?” I ask with a bit of hesitation, causing Snow White to shake her head. 

“No.” Another deep sigh. “The only times your father ever got nervous were big missions that have a high casualty rate. I assumed you’d be the same.” I unintentionally let out a light gasp. “I’ll tell you now the same thing I told him then.

Get to know and respect your Nikke and they’ll give two hundred percent when the time comes.

I can’t speak for either of my teammates, but…” She pauses, looking me dead in my eyes with those determined yellow ones. “You have given me something that I thought I lost for good.” I cross my arms. She’s clearly struggling to get this out…so I can tell this is from her heart. 

“You’ve given me something to look forward to when this war ends.” I recall how Snow White said she didn’t have a true hope or dreams of what to do once we took back the surface…so hearing her say this was a pretty big deal. “When this is over…I want you, me, Scarlet, Rapunzel, and your friend that you’re saving to share a meal together. I understand it isn’t much, but the idea of eating without the looming sense of danger like we’re doing right now is something I’m willing to die for.” Scarlet looks towards me as well, a gentle smile wide on her face.

“Hmm…I would like to duel you with all of your combat skills, then share spirits afterwards…it’s hardly much of a dream either, but it’s something I desire nonetheless.” Rapunzel takes her turn and I was…interested…in what she had to say.

“Ooh, I’d like to be by your side…” Oh, well…that’s not so bad. “Resting together in unison…” Ok, that could be sexual if you read into it enough, but most likely not. “...feeling your warmth as you pin me down, then proceed to…” Snow White cuts her off before she could get any more...ideas.

“Our final fantasies aside, my point stands. You’ve given ALL of us a reason to push forward twice as hard as before. It’s reasonable to assume that your Nikkes are even more willing to help you on whatever mission you go on. 

Our ideal futures are shared with you, Dante. No one by your side will truly die until that future is achieved.”  I stand up, getting ready to dial Andersen the second I leave.

“My future is with all of you as well…and with Marian by my side again. No more sacrifices…everyone’s getting out of this.” Snow White smiles.

“Then go rest…you’re going to be leading the biggest operation in the Ark’s history. We’ll be watching you from a distance while we follow your orders…but we’ll always be by your side.” Scarlet chimes in as well.

“Seeing as we have revealed ours, I believe you should show us your motivation on the battlefield tomorrow.” I nod, looking back at the three as I begin to walk away.

“I’ll make everyone proud…” I dialed Andersen, who was eagerly awaiting my response.

“So? Have you made your decision?” I nod my head as I begin my trek back to the outpost.

“I’ll be proceeding with the operation. I’m going to take back what the Raptures took from me.” Andersen sighs.

“Understood…now if you’ll excuse me…” I roll my eyes.

“You have a meeting? I guessed as much.” The tiniest smile came across his face, or maybe it was the sun in my eyes. 

“No. Lunch break.” 

Chapter Text

The journey to the west hangar was…difficult, to say the very least. Despite my spirits being raised thanks to Snow White and her amazing friends…I couldn’t help but be nervous. This is going to be the most dangerous mission ever done since Operation: Overzone…

Operation: Forced Destiny

But as I rode down the elevator, I took a look at Marian’s coin…remembering why this operation wasn’t important just to the Ark…but to me as well. 

Andersen said that Marian and I were the exceptions to the rules…and I felt that this was another case of that. No one else could break through to their Nikke once they had become corrupted, let alone a heretic. No one else could survive an encounter with a heretic, let alone on two separate occasions. 

I believe that everything happens for a reason. Even if the universe is just a cosmic level coincidence, it still happened. There must be a reason why Marian and I have such a unique bond…and that means our story together can’t end here or…more accurately…

I wouldn’t let it.

As the elevator comes to a screeching halt, I await for the doors to open. I passed several Nikkes and other personnel on my way there…laser focused on the designated area. Upon opening, I saw everyone else was already there…alongside other familiar faces and…cameras?

“And there he is, ladies and gentlemen!” A familiar french voice called out with a microphone. “The Legendary Rapture Hunter and Leader of Revenant Squad himself…Dante!” I just blink a couple of times as several of the cameras focus on me. 

I…wasn’t expecting nor prepared for this. 

Mustang strutted over to me, microphone in hand. “Oh Monsieur Dante, may Tetra News Network have an exclusive interview?” He puts the amplifier next to my mouth. The sudden spur of the moment was causing me to act unwise…

“Sure.” I said, putting on my cocky facade. The reactions from everyone else present varied, but fuck it, when has that stopped me before?

“You are going on the most dangerous mission in the Ark’s history…” Oh how I am MORE than aware. “...how are you feeling about it?” 

“I mean, it’s just another mission. You gotta keep a level head for stuff like this…treat it like a normal operation and you’ll perform much better.” Mustang nods his head in response to my answer.

“As one would expect, the leader of the most elite squad in the Ark is as cool as they come! Speaking of better performance, do you have any advice for aspiring commanders?” This answer I felt could actually be impactful, so I decided to make it count.

“Get to know and respect your Nikke…and they’ll give you three hundred percent when the time comes.” I was suddenly blinded by a camera flash, making me nearly swear on live TV. Shit hits like a flashbang…

“Lastly, do you have any inspirational messages for the audience watching at home?” Oh shit, I didn’t have any quotes…fuck it!

“We’re getting out of here one day…count on it.”

“Bravo, Bravo! That is all the time we have for the interview today!” Mustang says dramatically. Good, glad this is almost over. “Do you mind saying Entertainment for TNN!?” Ok, now THIS may be fun. 

“Well, that’s all the time I’ve got. I have to get back to work…until then…” I clear my throat, charging up my best and most dramatic voice I could. “ENTERRRRRTAINNNMENNNTTT!!!” 

“Annnddd cut!” He says, clearly happy with the result of my acting. “Excellent job, my friend! You're a natural rising star, just as I hoped!” I nodded my head arrogantly, still wearing that mask of confidence and unapologetic charisma. 

“Well, you know how it is…gotta look good for the people.” Mustang motioned his camera crew forward. 

“Of course, of course! While I must be going, know that I have no doubt that you will return for a proper interview…Good luck, Monsieur Dante!” As he leaves with his signature “ENTERRRRRTAINNNMENNNTTT!” I just stand there, now processing what the hell just happened. It wasn’t until Ingrid and Neon approached me that I broke out of my trance. Ingrid seemed as stern as ever.

“Dante.” She said, placing her hands on her hips. “I hope your plan is appropriate for this operation.” I shrugged my shoulders. 

“Meh. I have like…sixty…seventy percent done.” She gives me a glare, to which I decide to give my reaction. “Listen, listen, it’s better than my usual fifty percent, ok?” Ingrid just sighs in disappointment.

“I…owe you an apology. I’m sorry I never told you about Marian’s true origin as a Missills Nikke.” Before she could even continue, I decided to nip this speech in the bud. 

“Save your breath. I’m not mad about it. It’s understandable, so I’m not going to get upset about it.” I look towards Neon, a warm smile on my face. “Besides…you’ve got Lieutenant Firepower here to make sure you don’t make any other stupid decisions.” The Nikke’s face lights up. 

“Mhm! I’ll make sure Ingrid stays on the straight and narrow!” 

“Good.” It was then that a group of Nikkes came to give their send offs. 

“Don’t get too roughed up now…I’ll already have my hands full when I have to repair your friend.” I looked down to see Novel beaming…eccentric as usual.

“You go and win, Watson!” A familiar store clerk covered her mouth with a fan as she gave me a seductive look.

“You better come back in one piece, Dante! You know how difficult marketing products endorsed by a dead man is?” Of course that’s what she cares about…

Infinity Rail and Exotic even offered me their good luck…with Viper getting close to me.

“Oh honey…It would be such a shame if you left us behind…I’d miss you so, so, much…as would the captain.” Crow would just scoff. “She won’t admit she’s into you…but I will.” Without a warning, Viper pulls me in for a passionate but brief kiss. “Good luck, honeybun.” As I watched her leave, bit of blue would appear out of the corner of my eye, revealing a certain President of my Fan Club. Since this could be the last time seeing her, I wanted my time talking to Privaty to be extra saucy.

“Hey, sugartits.” I started out with it, causing her to turn beet red. “Come to see me off?” 

“Don’t call me that! It’s very degrading to speak to a woman like that, you know!?” Oh, she was totally into it…she’s awful at hiding emotions…it’s why it’s so much fun.

“Not too keen on that, eh? How about we go with the other one then, childbearing…” A furious shake of her head would cut me off…but then lead me to headpats. “I’ll be back soon…don’t go obsessing over anyone else until I get back.” She’s practically growl.

“I-I am not obsessed! And you better come back in one piece with that dumb…handsome…stupid face!” Realizing what she let slip, she’d quickly make a “tactical retreat.”

I’d hear the sound of a bottle opening, revealed to be Rosanna cracking open a bottle of alcohol. Sakura just looked over in disappointment before returning her attention towards me.

“Ah. We made it in time.” I couldn’t help but smile towards my two caretakers, taking time out of their busy schedules to give me their luck. “I thought we weren’t going to make it after we were ambushed by those organ harvesters.” Rosanna shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly, not caring that she most likely killed a couple people early this morning.

“You know what they say about omelets…can’t fret over every egg.” Once again, Sakura seemed uninterested in Rosanna’s antics. 

“At any rate…” The leader of the yakuza would approach me. “...your mission has been directly endorsed by me…meaning that you are to complete it without failure, understood?” I blink a couple times…this is certainly a change of pace.

“What Sakura is trying to say is that you better come back better than how ya left, mister. We just got you back, ain’t no way we’re losing ya now.” A groan from her partner would make her sigh as she…hugs me?

“Dante…” Her voice is as gentle as the trees she is named after. “I missed you greatly…don’t leave me again.” The leader of the House of Hedonia would join in on the hug…my face being smothered in her chest…which I feel was intentional.

“Relax, Sakura! Dante’s a big boy now! He’ll be fine. Our little runt is becoming a man…and a handsome one too.” Normally, a babysitter saying this would be weird…however, seeing how it’s coming from someone like Rosanna…

Sure makes sense.

Either way, the hug breaks, with Sakura clearing her throat. 

“Of course. I have total faith in your abilities to carry out this mission and return safely.” With a man in black nodding at Rosanna, it appeared to be time for their next order of business.

“Much as I’d want to stay, looks like there’s someone touching my shit…You coming Sakura?” My prior sensei nods her head, hugging me one last time before leaving. I begin walking towards the ship, spotting a certain short CEO…who promptly flipped me off.

I return the gesture, leading to both of us wearing a tiny smile. However, the gruff voice of my boss would catch me in the act.

“Having a good time pissing her off even more?” Turning to face him, I snicker a little bit.

“It’s a mutual feeling. I think we’re growing closer because of it.” He rolls his eyes, unamused by my typical act. 

“I thought you were going to be a nervous wreck, so I came to ensure you had your head on straight…I canceled a meeting for this.” Is he ever not in a meeting? “Either way…” He sighs, shaking his head. “I wanted to tell you that…” a pause from the deputy chief would cause me to raise a brow…never seen him hesitate when talking to me so…this was a first. 

“Both your mother and father would be extremely proud of you, Dante. You’ve grown so much over such a short period of time…and I look forward to seeing what you can do when you and your friend are reunited.” He gives me a light salute. “Good luck and Godspeed…Commander Fortuna.”

I hear the transport ship start up…

“Looks like I’m up.” I smirk back to everyone as I board the ship. “I’ll be back.”

The mission was going great…everything worked out just as I had planned, oddly enough. We landed at the dropsite, got into position and stormed the compound. With all the chaos going on outside, it wasn’t too difficult to slip through their defenses…and once we got in, it was smooth sailing. Most of the raptures were outside thanks to three of the best squads ever assembled (and Matis, I guess) unable to deal with the unrelenting onslaught caused by my Nikke.

From there and about twenty minutes of sneaking around, we got inside the control room. With a bit of improvisation (AKA, Rapi tearing a motherboard straight out of its socket so I could apply the coagulant to the base’s cooling system), we started the countdown…but there was just one tiny, insignificant problem.

“Dante.” I hear HER voice, stopping me dead in my tracks, alongside the rest of the revenants. “I know you’re here…and I know what you did to the base. ” Her voice was already angry with my mere presence, knowing that the base was going to be destroyed within the next half hour. 

“...you’re getting rid of my assets…” on some monitors behind us, it shows Matis and Absolute on the defensive, not overrun yet, but were definitely not in a good situation. “So I’m getting rid of yours.” This place jammed all signals…no wonder they didn’t ask for an assist. “That being said…” 

Behind a fake wall, some sort of dark passageway is revealed to us. “I await you down below, Dante…Come forth child of man. ” The speaker cuts off…leaving me to come up with a plan. 

“Ok, well…uh…I didn’t really account for this.” I started off by being completely honest. “Shit Uhm…” locks the sole exit…sealing me inside and separating me and the revenant squad with a closing blast door.

“...!” My second in command immediately notices, trying to stop the door from fully shutting, only to realize it was too late. “Dante!” The others turn around, their faces contorting into ones of pure fear. Anis was completely mortified, ready to yell.

“What’s going on!?” I take a deep breath in, before giving a light laugh…almost out of self-pity.

“Well…there goes the power of friendship trump card I had planned.” I couldn’t help but let out a sad sigh. “So uh…yeah. Looks like I was right. This is something I’ll have to handle on my own.” I can see the abundance of despair surging through my teammates, to which I just laughed off. 

“Relax. I can do this. I’m perfectly prepared and had plenty of prep time.” My fake confidence faded as I saw my favorite conductor beginning to break down. Tears run down my face as I want to do nothing but hold Diesel close to my body…wipe away her tears. But it only motivates me further…so I can make it up to her.

“Just…You three just back up Matis and Absolute…I’ll meet you and the others at the rendezvous point, ok?” I look at the passageway, bracing myself for what could be my final showdown. “I’ve got one last thing to take care of…then I’m coming home. We’re all coming home.” I begin to walk towards the dark corridor, only to hear banging on the door behind me. 

I take one last look back to see…Rapi, banging on the door with all her strength. The pure sorrow, rage, and fear surging through her body was enough to make her…cry? I didn’t think I’d ever see her cry, let alone shed a tear. In order to comfort her, I give her a wave and a warm smile.

“Take care of those two idiots until I get back, will ya Rapi?” I can hear her muffled cries of my name, pleading with me to take her with me. I only flash another smile as I disappear into the dark corridor to finally end this, watching as Anis pulls her along.

The hallway quickly morphed into a spiral staircase…or should I say SPINAL staircase, considering the ridged outline of the steps below my feet…and with every step…every inch I move towards my destiny…I can hear…a melody. A melody that had etched my mind…but one that I had long since forgotten until now. It reminded me of so many things. 

Green Grass…

Blue Skies…

Chocolate Brown Hair…

A Million Dollar Smile…

A Voice that Eased All Hearts…

A Singular Gunshot…

Any doubt in my mind was erased. I had to save her. I can’t be away from her any longer. 

This ends…today.

At the bottom of the staircase, was a room…a room I had seen dozens of times. It was exactly as I remembered it from the last time I visited…down to the bumps in the Sheetrock. And at the other end across from me…

was a woman…playing the piano…only to stop as she noticed my presence. Despite knowing she was my enemy…a part of me wished for her just to continue playing her song. 

“Ah.” She said, less…bratty than before. Not exactly Marian’s voice…but much closer than our last encounter. “You’re here.” The heretic said, practically emotionless.

“Didn’t keep you waiting, did I?” I responded without a quip. She gives me a light laugh in response.

“Not at all. Honestly…a part of me wishes you didn’t come here.” That was certainly odd…but it finally clicked as she turned around, revealing Marian’s eyes…meaning she was in control for the time being. 

“Oh…hey.” I relaxed a bit…even just knowing she was still in there was more than enough to calm me down. “What’s up?” Her sigh was out of stress…I could tell.

“Dante…” Marian looks up at me with pathetic eyes as she weakly stumbles to me…I have to rush to catch her. “...I…I wanted to use the last of my control to play that song for you…don’t have much longer before she takes over. 

But I wanted to ask you something.” I look at her face, caressing her cheek as I hold her in my arms. 

“Yeah?” I responded with the utmost attention to every detail. 

“If this…if this is the end…” I put my finger on her lips. 

“It’s not. I’m going to get you back by my side…no matter what.” I bring her close to my chest, squeezing her tightly. She lets out a weak laugh.

“I just wanted to ask you to hold me like this…one more time.” I give her a trademark smile of my own. 

“Then I guess you got your wish.”

We both stare at each other in silence…seconds feel like minutes as we take this time to be with each other. She smiles faintly, a mere fraction of the pure supernova of a grin she wore in the past.

Yet it was more than enough to push me forward towards the future…the one we’ll be sharing together either in life…or in death.

“Right…” I gently lay her down on the ground then take a couple paces backwards. Once at a sufficient distance, I flip my pistol out of its holster and into my hand. “I’m ready when you are.” Marian begins to stand, twitching ever so slightly as she slowly relinquishes her control to her other self. 

“I’ll be cheering for you. We’ll do this…together.” I nod my head, putting my insecurities aside to ensure my confidence doesn’t falter.

“And I’d have it no other way.” With a deep breath and a close of her eyes, her calm eyes turn into ones filled with pure malice as a wicked smile comes to her face followed by that ever iconic cackling of hers.

“What a touching reunion.” The bratty heretic’s body language screamed egotistical supervillain…how annoying. “Aww, what’s that look for? I hope you weren’t expecting me to skip such a heartwarming moment between you two, were you?” I twirl my pistol around my finger as I lean against a nearby wall.

“Come on, give theatrics a rest. We BOTH know exactly why we’re here.” I stop my tricks, pointing it dead at her “heart”. “So, we're gonna fight or what?” Modernia's smile grows wider as she stares at me.

“Very well, very well…I do believe it’s about time we…” I decided to complete her sentence, seeing as I was going to say the exact same thing.

“...ended this?” I could see the excitement light up in Modernia’s eyes…the mere thought of fighting me once again filling her with a sense of unmatchable euphoria. 

Modernia Battle III

“All things end Dante…even you.”  With nothing else to say, I began to fire rapidly at the Heretic, to which she effortlessly danced out of the way of. With another annoying laugh, she’d wave her hand, glowing with a blackish purple energy. Several scrap metal knives would begin to surround me, levitating thanks to her magnetism. With a chuckle and snap of her fingers…

“Checkmate!” 

One by one, the knives would begin to fly at me, forcing me to use some acrobatics to avoid damage. The frequency and speed of the knives ramping up exponentially as she ran out, leaving her open to a couple shots, which clearly angered her. 

In the blink of an eye, she’d rise up into the air, then go for a dive kick…but I was ready for this one. As she descended, I’d have my guard of solid light appear in front of me, not only stopping her momentum, but giving me enough kinetic energy to send it right back at her, sending my opponent flying into a wall. 

With no time to waste, I draw my blade, holding it underhanded before slashing forward, creating an energy shockwave. It connects her dead in the chest, driving her further in the wall…but ultimately causes little in terms of making her bleed. With a groan, she dislodged herself, dropping down from the wall with a graceful landing. “Well, it appears you’ve gotten stronger…” Modernia closes her eyes, adjusting those machines on her back. “But are you fast enough?” I didn’t even see her move before I felt something clasp my throat tightly, being hoisted up in the air. “Didn’t think so~” 

Thinking quickly, I prepared my shotgun gauntlet, firing the hollow point rounds dead at her chest. The concussive force was enough for my opponent to both lose her grip and be momentarily staggered. To capitalize, I needed to stay in this range and attack with lightning quick strikes. With no time to waste, I hit her with a kick to the stomach, followed by two more to her upper chest.

Modernia wasn’t content with letting me take the offense for long, however, as she once again charged her hand with that dark purple aura. She gives me a mocking smile. “...You’re going down.” In a flash and wave of her hand, her waist was surrounded by sharp metallic rods, spinning around her as she revved her shoulder cannon. With no choice but to disengage, I jumped back out of her melee range, activating my barrier to absorb some of the kinetic energy from her minigun shots and rods she sent flying at me. While some of them manage to graze me, I take cover behind a sofa…when I notice something on my solid eye that makes my eyes widen. The temperature of the room…

It was rising…really quickly, might I add. And while a machine like Modernia can breathe in this kind of arena..

I can’t. I needed to hurry up. With a jump back, I’d unsheathe the blade given to me by Sakura. I decided now would be a good time to make her a bit more angry...

“Don’t move.” I perform three flash cuts in rapid succession, not only heavily lacerating my opponent, but also damaging her shoulder mounted weapon. Black blood splatters around her, with the heretic falling to a knee. Spotting an opening, I opted to charge forward with a stab meant to pierce her stomach, fear practically nonexistent. Although, my concern grew tenfold when Modernia punched the ground…got back up, grabbed me by my throat, flew up, then slammed me back into the ground for her first big hit.

And it fucking HURT.

I landed with a sickening crack, writhing in pain as she hovered over me arrogantly. The new armor I installed helped absorb plenty of the impact…but I definitely think I broke something. 

“Aww, what’s the matter? Where’s all that bravado?!” In Modernia’s hand, something begins to assemble; it looks like…a sword? “Come on…get up! You can do better than that!” She patiently waits for me to get up, obviously believing she had already incapacitated me. I growled in frustration…she was getting in my head. 

But that’s for Marian…not her.

I rose up, causing her to cackle once more.

“Good! Very good! I wasn’t done playing with you. Though, we’ll have all the time in the world for our sparring sessions once you become one of us.” Whatever she said sounded static, seeing as I was more interested in getting Marian back than the bullshit that comes out anytime she opened her mouth.

I rush forward, dodging pillars of scrap metal that she rose to try and stop me. Once I had closed the gap, I brought my blade down with a powerful overhand swing, only for her to raise hers to block. Our blades grind against each other, not willing to give an inch. Realizing I couldn’t overpower her…I decided to step back and do three alternating underhanded swings in a row. Modernia managed to block the first two, but the third shattered the weak construct. I had her staggered…

This was it, my chance to do some real damage and make her bleed. 

Without any hesitation, I performed a myriad of slashes. Downwards left side, a cut to the bottom, upper slash to her right side, twin diagonal swipes to the left and right…then rushing forward, swinging, swiping, slashing and stabbing dozens of times until I charge up a powerful swing to send her flying into a wall…Blood spewed everywhere, my Solid Eye notifying me that I had caused her to drain nearly enough, seeing as two entities were taking control of…

“ENOUGH!!!” Before I could do anything, Modernia uses her magnetic manipulation to create a giant tentacle, impaling through the stomach and pinning me to the other side of the room. The failing cooling system has caused our battleground to burst completely into flames as my former lover menacingly approaches me. With a playful chuckle and a confident attitude, she begins to taunt me. “Foolishness Dante…” The tentacle is driven deeper into my abdomen. “...Foolishness.”

My vision was blurring…my Solid Eye was on the fritz from the impact…but approximately 75% of the black liquid had been drained…and it seemed like I needed just a bit more. “Hmm…this has been plenty of fun. Though I expected nothing more…” She wipes a bit of my blood off her shoulder, oblivious of how much of her own she had lost. “...from a human.” A weak laugh came out alongside a bit of blood from my mouth. 

“Hey…If I had credit for every time I heard humans being called weak, I could buy a candy bar…But you know what?” She raises a brow, clearly interested in whatever I was going on about. “Humans have one thing…one key component…that all raptures lack.” A chuckle, seemingly amused by such an outlandish claim. 

“Oh? Please enlighten me. I love hearing the ravings of mad man” I seemingly motion towards my heart, only to sneakily grab Marian’s coin. “A heart, hmm? How adorable…you see your emotions as powerful…I guess you could be correct. We do…” In silence, I shake my head, then tap the side of my skull. “Oh? That’s not it? We are superior in processing information, so it couldn’t ...” I give a grin…then in one swift motion, I flick the coin in the perfect arc that I needed, distracting her long enough to allow me to aim my pistol JUST right…

“Aaannnnd…” I fire my weapon, the bullet ricocheting off the coin to nail Modernia perfectly in the back of the spine, stunning her momentarily. Using all my strength and pushing my mechanical arm to its very limits, I am able to dislodge the tentacle while also having enough time to spare to reclaim my sword. 

“What?! Why…can’t I…move?! Is she…” I whistle to get Modernia’s attention, seeing the horror in her eyes as I ram the sword deep into her chest.

“...Jackpot.”

With that single word, her agony filled screech would be muffled by copious amounts of black blood pouring out of her. In a disgusting method to keep the liquid circulating inside her body, Modernia used her hands to block the exit of her mouth, causing it to temporarily clot. I look upwards at the heretic, my face contorting into a look of pure malice as she frantically shakes her head. 

I responded by shoving my sword deeper into her body, twisting and turning it to make the pain truly unbearable. Her painful cry was enough to make all of the built up fluids erupt outwards like a powerful geyser.

“Please! Stop!” Modernia pleads as more blood explodes out her body. “...I-I…Is there any way we can talk about this? P-Please…don’t…” Black bloody tears flow down her face as she begins to sob. “Please don’t kill me…I don’t wanna go…” I fly off the handle at the mere thought of having this creature of steel trying to convince me to allow it to control Marian’s body any longer. I was about to raise my voice…until I noticed something. 

She…stopped moving, really only twitching occasionally. This led me to believe that Marian was speaking to her…but I’m not letting her off of my sword until the very end.

“...It’s all up to you now, Marian…”

Chapter Text

Dante.

As usual, he occupied so much of my mind. Those ocean blue eyes, the golden blonde hair, a larger than life personality…Everything about him was magical in its own way. There was something that he just naturally possessed, something no one else could replicate.

I knew he was biologically different, yes…but there was something more to him. 

It didn't help that I got to see sides of him that no one did. 

Everyone got to see that cocky attitude…but few ever saw his doubts or insecurities.

Many have seen his terrifying strength and iron will…but I’ve seen his weaknesses and watched him lose confidence in the past. 

To have someone like Dante by my side…it really did make my life so surreal. Without him, however…it’s been quiet.

No daily training, no forcing him to take better care of himself, no one to make snarky comments…

It's just been me inside this endless black void…this nightmare…this prison. 

The raptures locked me in here…trying to force me to completely relinquish control by making me go insane…no external stimuli, nothing to see, nothing to do…except wait patiently. I’ve lost track of how long I’ve been here…

But it didn’t matter. 

I’ll hold on until the very second before he frees me. For now though…I’ll just think about…

As much as I wanted to wait until Dante ended her…I had to help him actually get her out of my body…so when I heard the sound of Modernia heavily panting out of exhaustion, I knew it was time to close the book on us.

“Twice?!? Beaten by a human, TWICE?!?” I couldn’t help but sigh…she’s always so loud…even inside my own mind…her incessant complaining never ceases to give me a headache. 

My heretic counterpart often came inside my confinement before I went near dormant to try to break me when she had little else to do. I knew she derived pleasure from it…trying to convince me that my life was meaningless…or no longer served a purpose. And now since she sensed I had "Reawakened"...she's here once again. 

But I knew better. 

If Dante was risking everything he had to try and save me, I must be very important to him. 

And that’s enough of a purpose for me.

“Oh? Already? That was fast.” I ask, not bothering to turn around in order to face my heretic form. “He’s gotten far stronger than I thought…he never ceases to amaze me.” I hear that growl and the sound of footsteps behind me, yet I don’t still bother facing them. 

“You…you told him about me…and the base! Didn’t you?!? How?!?” I nodded my head.

“I did. Not that it matters…he would have figured it out regardless.” I chuckled…Dante could either be an ace detective or completely clueless depending on the situation…but I needed to set aside my infatuation with him for the time being. “Then again…you ruining your own plans due to your arrogance seems to be a running theme here.” My heretic counterpart was clearly getting frustrated…the pain Dante had inflicted on her amplifying it dramatically. 

“In actuality…I guess I should at least thank you for the only thing in your existence that you’ve actually gotten right, shouldn’t I?” I ask, walking towards her. “You showed Dante that he could count on other people…that he could keep growing and that, even without me, he could smile again. 

Just like how I showed him that he could smile after his mother’s death. And for that?

You have my gratitude…but the crimes you’ve committed against humanity…against him…and against me…are not forgotten.” Modernia’s panic intensified, frantically looking around for some sort of weapon. But this?

This was the end. 

As I stared into those powerless red eyes…the more power that was drained from her…the stronger I got. The growth was…exponential, to say the least. With every step, I could feel myself gain more strength than I’ve ever had. The fear in Modernia’s eyes was rewarding, even if I was hardly the sadist.

“W-Wait!” She stammered, backing away as her power was being sapped. “We can work something out! Just calm down, let’s be reasonable here before we do anything we might regret later down the road!” Her cowardice was…sickening, but not as much as her desperation.

“You think after all you’ve done…I’m willing to strike a deal with you? What, did you just blow in from stupidtown, sweetheart?” Modernia stumbles backwards, landing without the slightest bit of grace. 

“Information? Weapons? The exosuit? You want it? I-It’s yours my friend, as long as you let me live!” I scoff at the rapture, its words being an insult to practically everything I’ve known.

“What I want…” I put my boot down on her stomach, watching her squirm in a futile struggle to escape. “...is my life back.” Her thrashing and flailing intensifies as I finish. I used to be afraid of Modernia at first…only to realize she’s just a sniveling coward…

“P-Please! Marian, wait! I…” I decided to cut her off, growing tired of her pleas. 

“That’s enough!” I yelled, echoing throughout this void. “You’re the scum of the entire surface, and I’ve gotten sick of it. Don’t bother asking for forgiveness anymore because I’ll never forgive you!” I gently let my foot off of her, choking and lifting her up as I did so. Modernia begins squealing like a pig as I lift her up, her veins turning a sickening black. 

“Marian! Marian!” She begs, beginning to spit up some chunks of black practically right in my face. “Stop! You can’t do this to me! I’m superior…I’m…” I clench her tighter upon hearing her comment, causing the black blood inside her to grow darker. “the one…for him…don’t kill me.” I wrap my hand as tightly as I could, a pain-filled shriek echoing around me.

“You’re not superior…you’re a parasite. Just piloting me as your way of getting what you want.” As I watched her struggle even harder, I decided to quote a book Dante and I read together. “There is no life for mere objects in the void…only death. Witness oblivion.” Before I had a chance to do anything else to put my nightmare to rest…it began to…melt? Realizing that her fate has been sealed…I let go. I’d rather not taint myself if she turns entirely into paste

“Wha…what’s happening?!?” Modernia begins to feel her body, looking in horror as she rapidly begins to degrade. “I’m out of…blood?!” She tries to reach out her hand, only for it to be unusable as it becomes nothing more than a glob of glue on the floor. I believe she asked me to save her or something, but I couldn’t make it out due to her quickly becoming a pile of sludge on the floor.

I was going to comment over her corpse…but it appeared as if I was going through some sort of transformation as well…albeit, far more pleasant. 

It hurt…but it was a good kind of hurt. Not in a masochistic way, but like getting a massage of some sort…I couldn’t tell what was changing about me…but it was causing this dark empty place to grow whiter and whiter until my entire vision became that color…only for it to go pitch black once more…

Moments later…I could feel my racing heart…my ears were ringing…my whole body hurt…but I did hear the sound of an annoying voice…alongside a familiar and charismatic one clearly taunting their opponent. 

“I won’t give you the pleasure of killing me!”

“You get back here right this fucking instant! Gotcha! You thought you were getting away that easy, you slippery little bastard?!” The voice whoI couldn’t possibly guess would laugh a bit. “You look like a snake, so you could go on my mantle or maybe my desk? Ooh! Or I could, like, make a kickass watch or some shit?” I could proceed to hear the sound of a struggle.

“Danteeee!” Lastly, just as I opened my eyes, I could catch Dante shooting a snake, just as I heard.

“Funny. I didn’t remember asking you a goddamn thing.” In contrast to this entire situation…two words that I have wanted to say for what felt like an eternity.

“I’m…Free…”

A surprised but relieved Dante would carefully walk over to me, kneel down...

“...Hmph…” then flashes the most wonderous smile I’ve ever seen.

“...So you are.”

Chapter Text

As I kneel at Marian’s side…I didn’t know how to feel. There were so many emotions swirling around inside me…I couldn’t process it.

How do you react to finally achieving such an impossible goal? 

Tears run down my face uncontrollably from this surge of emotion. To no one’s surprise, Marian wipes them away. 

“Dante…I’m…free…I’m…I’m…” My best friend was in shock, not exactly knowing how to react to this situation either. And when situations get awkward, you know what that means!

Oh, would you look at the time…

It’s Quip o'clock, motherfucker.

“What? Did you not believe in me or something?” She doesn’t seem to say anything back…just staring at me. That’s not just a red flag… that's a “crimson one that was then soaked in blood” red flag.

“How are you still moving, Dante? You’re practically half-dead!” She asks me, clearly having done a bio scan.

“Good question.” Seeing as I didn’t have an answer for said good question, Marian narrows her eyes. Knowing she was about to go into her protective mode, I decided to make the state of the operation clear. “Ok, as much as I’d love to have first aid at the moment, we need to get out…like…now.” I motion to the building all around us, currently on fire due to the failed coolant system. “I’ll check…” before I could even finish my sentence, Marian scoops me up and carries me bridal style. “Shit! Not again!” My reborn partner only smiled gently as she sped up the spiral stairs as quickly as she could.

“Take a rest…leave it to me.” I had even fewer objections this time compared to our first assignment.

“I…you know what? I don’t really care…I’m gonna sit this one out.” The adrenaline rush of battle had worn off and it made me realize how much pain I was truly in. I decided to run a scan myself to get an assessment.

My vitals were…not the greatest, most of my ribs have been fractured, my normal arm had sustained a bit of damage, I’ve got three bullets in my body and I’ve lost…a lot of blood. Needless to say…

I’m in a fuckton of pain. I begin to close my eyes, ready for a nice nap in this surprisingly cold building…or, more likely, the blood loss. However, this was stopped by the angel carrying me…and the subsequent shaking sensation.

“Hey! No sleeping on the job!” She kept running towards the exit…with all I could do was look…watching the building beginning to collapse rapidly…and as we nearly reached the light…I stopped her. 

“Wait…the others…” Marian’s eyes widened, she must have been far more focused on my safety and how we worked alone.

“Ah shit, I forgot about that!” She panicked, checking our shared hud for everyone’s position. Her face goes pale as she must have a significant discovery…and not a good one. “Uh…Dante? We may have a problem.” I checked my solid eye…still scrambled from my fight, but I hardly needed it in focus to see the problem.

“They got split up?!” I said out loud, to which Marian nodded her head.

“Yes…and to make matters worse, we’re running out of time until the base triggers a complete meltdown…” My next question was obvious…but I had a feeling it wouldn’t have a good answer either. 

“How long do we have?” I begin racking my brain for any potential ideas of how to go about this critical choice.

“Seven minutes. Seven minutes is all we can spare to save them until the fusion reactor reaches critical levels.” Without my solid eye to come up with any useful data, I’m on my own. “I can get you out safely no problem and, if I’m quick enough, we can save one of the groups…” Marian looks at me with a less than confident expression.

“But not both.” 

I had two choices…either:

Save Rapi and Absolute while letting Diesel, Anis, and Matis die in the process…

…or…

Save Anis, Diesel, and Matis…while leaving Rapi and Absolute to fend for themselves. 

“Not trying to rush you Dante, but every second we don’t get to work is another second we could be saving them! Make your choice before we can’t save anyone!” That last part…it made me remember what Eunhwa told me about how I can’t always save everyone…but I also recall what Snow White…

“...I’ll take care of him.” A mysterious voice said from behind me, causing the two of us to face her…it certainly was a Nikke, just by looking at her I could tell…and she looked…familiar…the same way I felt when I met Scarlet.

Mysterious Savior

“You save your Nikkes. I’ll get your commander to safety.” The welcoming smile on her face was…maternal, in an odd way. Her gentle voice was angelic. “Hurry, I don’t believe you have much time.” She held her out her arms to Marian, offering to carry me. 

“O-Oh! Right!” My partner hands me over to the holy Nikke, who nodded. “Don’t cause any trouble, Dante! And don’t keep me waiting this time.” Before I could tell her the same, Marian disappears into the night-like corridors, not so much as leaving a shadow behind.

“Well then. I think we should be going ourselves, shouldn’t we, Dante?” Her angelic voice saying my name stirs feelings inside me, even if I’m not sure exactly what they are. 

“Yeah…that sounds nice…” An awkward drop in my sentence prompts her to say her name aloud. 

“Dorothy.” Rather than running…Dorothy casually strolls slowly through the burning building for a while before addressing me. “...It’s oddly beautiful, isn’t it?” She doesn’t even look concerned…oddly at peace. “The oranges and blues are quite the feast for the eyes…” I weakly nodded.

“Yeah…” I really did agree. I’ve always liked fire…the smell…the visuals…the memories I’ve made with others because of it. “...something as simple as a reaction being so…interesting.” She giggles a bit, slightly picking up the pace. 

“I’m glad you think so too…” Other than the crackle of fire, there was little other audio, seeing as we weren’t really talking…when I noticed…wait, how were we talking?! The Nikkes should be able to, but I should be struggling to even get air, let alone speak! Whatever, questions for later! I had a…bigger one right now.

“...Who are you, Dorothy?” She walks a bit faster…but not giving me a straightforward answer. 

“You already know the answer to that, Dante.” I had a feeling…there was an air of danger around her…and it was not only the smoke. “...I remember being inside the proto-ark nursery at your father’s side when you were born. I had never seen him so happy before…none of us had.” She continues to pick up speed ever so slightly…yet keeps reminiscing about the past. 

“After that…it was like a summer that I got to know you. Right before Ark Guardian…I still remember that time the goddess squad all wrote a lullaby to help you sleep…so many memories we all made over you…Back when things were…different.” It was obvious that this Nikke…was traumatized by something regarding my past. “...now here I am, decades later…still holding you like I did back then.” A light laugh from her was followed by a sigh.

“You…I…” She tries to say something, only to change direction to be greeted by two other Nikkes. “Harran. Isabel. I assume you have read your orders?” Both nod in silent affirmation. “Good.” She lays me up against a wall, looking at me with another gentle, yet forced smile. “I shall be taking my leave now...Take care of yourself…your grace.” With that, she begins walking, turning halfway to get one last look at me, before disappearing into the fire, white dress swaying all the while. My eyes were transfixed on her…until a sudden cry of an animal snapped me out of it…followed by a laugh.

“Relax.” I weakly look over to the source of the voice. “He’s not going to hurt you. Not unless I ask him to.” That…wasn’t too reassuring. Her hips swayed as she approached, flipping her hair as she kneeled down and opened a vial. “Drink up. It’ll clog the blood and be a decent pick me up.” She put it into my mouth…and it didn’t taste awful, surprisingly. “Lizard tails, grains and slime, if you were wondering. I’ll let you figure out the measurements for homework.” 

No comment.

“Huh. Thought he’d throw up by now.” She seemed genuinely impressed by my iron stomach. In reality, I was just too exhausted to say anything, though my stamina was quickly recharging.. “Whatever. You’re up, Isabel.” The other Nikke said nothing at all, only staring at me with those piercing eyes. “Isabel?” The one called Harran turned around to face her partner, waving her hand in front of the mystery Nikke. “Isabel!” 

“Oh!” The dazed Nikke would snap out of her confusion, looking towards Harran. “S-Sorry…I was thinking about something…” The master of crows would cross her arms then narrow her eyes.

“Sure you were. Either way, hurry up and get him to his extraction point…” Without hesitation, Isabel eagerly scoops me into her arms, her staring resuming as she did so.

“But he’s…so…” Harran shook her head.

“Dorothy’s orders. You wanna keep him as a house pet? You’re more than welcome to bring it up to her. Besides, Johan would flip his shit if some random commander starts living there…” The winged Nikke signs, looking over to her comrade before taking to the skies in silence. On our way to the point I managed to give her, this elite effortlessly dodged rapture laser fire…couldn’t help but be impressed.

“You're really good in the air, aren’t ya?” I joked as she descended…with a blush?

“Aww, You’re too kind, my darling.” The way she said “darling” was…flirty? I think? She gently lowers me to the ground. “Thank you for flying with me, Dante…See you soon~” With that, she rocketed off, leaving me on my back…now just barely able to move…thank god I carry my phone on me…

With my solid eye down, I had to rely on the standard issue phone…which I have no idea how to use. It takes me a moment, but I eventually get into my texts and send a simple message.

@Call_Me_Dante: Hey.

@Call_Me_Dante: 

I was about to send her a message to clarify that I need help and indeed not two for one taco night, but I can already see her in full sprint towards my location.

“Dante!” Snow White ran over, kneeling by my side with a slide. “What happened?!” I was feeling a bit better thanks to that “witchcraft” from earlier…

Still felt like shit though. 

“Lots of things, Snow White…lots of things…” I was already struggling to comprehend everything after saving Marian…like it’s a spiderweb of “What the hell is even happening.” 

“You’re roughed up…and…ugh…!” She says, radioing over to her team. “Rapunzel.” 

“Y-Yes?” The Nikke that made me uncomfortable was going to be my savior?! 

“Dante’s hurt bad. Get to my location as soon as possible.” I can hear the sound of metal being cut open and I could only take a wild guess as to who could have caused it. 

“Go forth, friend and don’t look behind. I will provide thy cover!” Snow White signs off, holding me upright, clearly upset…showing the most emotion I’ve seen out of her yet.

“Dante, you’re fading, stay with me!” She shook me a bit, causing me to snap out of my daze. “Rapunzel is on her way. She’ll keep you safe until that base goes critical. Just hang on.” She was over-exaggerating my condition…though, I was still on death’s door, of course.

Within the minute, Rapunzel is here, hardly the Nikke I met earlier. She kneels at my side, taking me from Snow White, who began to return to the battlefield.

“You take care of Dante and guard him, I’ll go reinforce Scarlet.” The formerly lustful nun quickly gets to work like a master surgeon. She painlessly removed bullets, applied anointments, and administered herbs.

“I cannot repair the internal damage, not with my current supplies. You’ll be needing a specialist once you return to the Ark.” She said as she looked me in my eyes…a far cry from the woman I met earlier.

“...Thank you, Rapunzel.” I said, looking at her with the best smile I could muster. She blushes, clearly embarrassed, but more so happy that I appreciate her efforts.

There’s a reason why the goddess squad sticks around.

“Think nothing of it.” With my solid eye rebooted, I take a look at the countdown, reading around two minutes. As much as I wanted to get back and help Marian, Rapunzel stopped me as I tried to stand up. “Absolutely not! I cannot allow you to return to battle! You are in no position to command, let alone fight!” I just sigh as she sits me back down.

“Yeah…I know…Tell ya what, since we have the time, how about we play twenty questions?” Well…if that’s the case…might as well get some answers. Rapunzel seems more than excited for this.

“Oh, I love this game, Snow White and I used to play this all the time! Can I pick something first?” I nod my head, making the Nikke go into deep thought before a figurative lightbulb went off in her head. “Aha! Got it! Ask away, believer!”

 “Alright, question one...Do you know a Nikke by the name of Dorothy by any chance?” Rapunzel blinks a couple times. 

“I-I don’t think this is how you play twenty questions.” She laughs nervously before exhaling sharply. “...Dorothy was a member of the same squad your father led, alongside me, Snow White, and Scarlet. There were two others, Red Hood and Lilith…but I…don’t wish to discuss them at the moment.

Dorothy was one of our finest…quick on the draw, always aware of everything around her…and kind to all. If you were to ask me back then what every Nikke should aspire to be…I’d point at her.” She shook her head.

“But…it wasn’t meant to last.” I stayed perfectly silent, hearing her every word.

“After your father was recalled at the tail end of Operation: Ark Guardian, he had to choose someone to lead the squad in his absence…Lilith was felled…so he went with his best friend before she became a Nikke…being Dorothy. 

It was a happy moment…and Dorothy did her best as a leader…but it was far too mentally taxing for her.” Rapunzel stares off into the distance. “While the goddess squad still kept in touch after the Ark had been completed…Dorothy hasn’t been seen since.” I decided to not press further into it…this seems hard enough for her as it is. I still had plenty of questions, naturally.

Why are the goddess squad up on the surface rather than living comfortably in the Ark?

Why’s Dorothy isolating herself? 

Who were Lilith and Red Hood?

It didn’t matter right now…I had plenty on my plate without trying to fish for specific pieces of the story. 

“...I…” I didn’t have time to finish before the ground beneath me shakes violently…I look over to the base to see a giant explosion ravage any pore inside the facility…dozens of raptures are incinerated in the fires…and, as I look on in shock…I can spot them.

Matis.

Cafe Sweety.

Absolute.

Wild Card.

Revenant.

All of them. 

Even Laplace…who I was secretly hoping would trip over a conveniently placed stray banana peel and get burnt to a crisp or something.

Despite my injuries, I slide down from my vantage point to greet all of them, a dumb smile wide on my face. “...and that’s…how you do it. Outstanding work, everyone.” The self-proclaimed hero would dematerialize her weapon, looking at me with such hubris it was…admirable.

“Would you expect anything less from the heroes of the Ark?” She said, looking over to her squad. “Whenever there’s a threat to the Ark, we as heroes never back down!” Eunhwa was too busy on her phone to really care. 

“Hmm?” She briefly looks up and instantly is able to rectify her mistake. “We’re merely soldiers following orders. As our superior, shouldn’t you be taking the credit for our success? Is that not the way of the commander?” I can only scoff, about to tell her to learn to accept the compliment when Frima cut in. 

“Did work. Could have slept. Good job.” I could only take guesses as to what her point was, but in all honesty, I had a feeling the answer would be right on the money. Snow White decided not to say anything, just inspect her weapons. Rapi decided to just end this “debate” once and for all. 

“Looks like things went well this time. We should count our blessings that there were no casualties on this mission.” Marian and I just gaze into each other’s eyes, silently exchanging comfort of the opposite being safe and sound. However…the joyous moment…

Was not meant to last, thanks to a familiar metallic chuckle.

“Don’t celebrate victory so prematurely…” without any sort of warning, a missile would land right on top of us, giving us barely enough time to avoid direct impact, though most of us were still damaged, including myself. “...surely you didn’t think I was going to skip out on all the fun, did you?” I could see Snow White clench her fist. 

“Chatterbox…” He doesn’t seem to pay her sort of mind, solely focused on me, as per usual.

“Hmm…this day extracts a heavy toll.” He says, sounding genuinely upset. “...So many of my brothers fell…but more importantly, the loss of a powerful heretic. What a shame.”  A deep exhale led to a shake of his head. “In the end however, she accomplished her ultimate mission. 

All she had to do was soften up your human impersonators…so they won’t be in the picture. You’re not slipping through our fingers this time, Dante.” I glance over all the Nikkes, their wounds severe…with nowhere to run but with more than a couple of places to hide. With a groan…I stand up, more adrenaline pumping through my body. 

“Oh yeah?...” I give a tiny laugh. “...but who said I’m running? Mama didn’t raise no pussy.”  He responded with laughter of his own.

“I expect nothing less of you, Dante…fighting until the bitter end. It’s one of the most interesting things about you. No fear…no dread…just an organic with the willpower of a machine. It’s like I said…

We’re not so different, you and I.” By analyzing the situation, I was reading who had the highest amount of health remaining, the top five being Rapi, Diesel, Anis, Snow White…and Marian. I send everyone the plan, then radio to Command.

“Shifty. I’ll be needing a tactical extraction at these coordinates. Get those Nikkes back home…” My adorable operator responded, but seemed less than excited about my question.

“Dante! What about you and your Nikke?” I smile at her, giving off nothing but my usual attitude. 

“We’re more than enough to finally put down this bastard.” An unsure mumble would come from the other side of the call, making me roll my eyes. “Trust me, Shifty.” She nods her head…but still seems hesitant.

“Understood, Commander…but…” She had tried to stay professional, but seemingly let something slip. “...come back safe, Dante.” As I end my transmission, I send the extraction point to all Nikkes. 

“Alright, here’s the plan. Everyone, get to your extraction zone…Me, Snow White, Diesel, Anis, Rapi, and Marian will buy you some time.” Obviously objecting to this were several members of my team. Vesti looks up at me with puppy dog eyes, clearly saddened about potentially losing me.

“Bu-But what about you…” I rubbed the top of her head until Emma arrived alongside Eunhwa. 

“Don’t worry, Vesti.” She says with a comforting smile. “Dante can take care of himself…and that’s not counting his Nikke and even a Pilgrim by his side!” Eunhwa was surprisingly caring as well, but looked towards Rapi with a look I can’t describe.

“Emma is correct. Despite their battle damage…he still commands a former member of absolute. That should be more than enough to ensure victory over a mere lord class rapture.” Rapi nods her head, providing yet another layer of comfort towards her former friends. 

“Are you done coddling a mere infant?” Chatterbox impatiently snarls, which leads to Vesti going from crying to sheer rage. She attempts to try and enter combat, only to be knocked down by the butt of Eunhwa’s Sniper Rifle. She proceeded to scoff at the rapture. 

“As a matter of fact, yes. Mocking absolute is an easy way to return your parts to the assembly line…my ammo is wasted on scum like you.” She turns away, beginning to walk to her designated extraction area…only to nail him with a headshot by resting it backwards on her left shoulder and firing it. “Absolute, We’re leaving. As for the rest of you…” She cut Matis a look that could kill Laplace. “...come with me if you want to live.”

The rest of the Nikkes look at each other before following the leader of Absolute. Rapunzel helped Scarlet get to safety, seeing they couldn’t return to the Ark. I shook my head in response to Chatterbox’s idleness.

“Guess I owe you for letting them go.” The final Rapture standing gives that trademark menacing laugh.

“Think nothing of it, Dante. I can deal with them later. Besides…you’re my priority.” I take a mocking bow.

“I feel like I should be flattered.” Chatterbox responded in kind, the whirling from his bow sounding oddly satisfying. 

“I’m even willing to give you…hmm…five minutes to come up with a strategy. Beating you when you’re running around like ants is hardly entertaining. Unlike most Raptures…I don’t fear you.” Knowing that I scare raptures…it’s a wonderful thought. 

“Then I guess you’ll die braver than most.” I motion everyone standing by my side backwards a bit, making a tight circle. “So gang, you got any ideas before I tell you my master plan?” Anis raises her hand, to which I just narrow my eyes. “...that doesn’t involve us doing something that will get us all killed.” She lowers it just as quickly…though my conductor quickly took the lead.

“Dante! Dante!” Diesel raises her hand, clearly having some sort of idea.

“Yes, Diesel?” She practically was bouncing up and down, before looking at Snow White.

“Hey, don’t you have some kind of super special move? Like, you charge and overload your gun to do crazy damage?” The pilgrim blinks a couple times, caught off guard by the question.

“Yes. Why do you ask?” Diesel dramatically pulls down on her hat. 

“I’ll distract him, then when I give the signal, we all jump him until Snow White puts him down for the count, giving us time to slip away!” I tap my foot, thinking it over. 

“Works for me. I'm not able to fight right now, so I'll hang back with Snow White” Everyone else agreed…but Anis had a question.

“Wait, what’s the signal?” Without another word, Diesel confidently walks up to Chatterbox, who chuckles menacingly.

“Oh? They’re offering you as tribute…perhaps there is hope for him in rapture command yet.” My favorite conductor seems as chipper as ever...has she completely lost it?!?

“Before you do…whatever you do to Nikkes…Can I ask you a very simple question?” The last Rapture standing ponders it for a moment,  carefully weighing his options before nodding his head.

“Hmm…I see no harm in you gaining a piece of rapture knowledge. Ask away, false human.” Kicking a bit of debris around, Diesel puts a weird smile on her face.

“...Do you like candy?” The collective group of everyone here has the exact same thought. The words in our heads vairy, but the general consensus  goes something like; “Diesel, what the actual fuck are you doing?”

“Hmm…I see…is this some kind of way to lead me into a trap? Through some sort of joke? Could you be any more cliche?” He chuckled, to which Diesel seemed shocked by.

“Wh…Wha-What?!? M-My master plan! You ruined it!” Was she being dumber than usual? Where the hell is she going with this?!? “It was gonna be this cool thing, you know? Like, you say yes, I say “eat lead candy”, and you get turned into Swiss Cheese, and you’re all like “noo!” And I’m all like “Wahoo!” and then I throw a brick at you…”

“False human…I…am not quite sure I follow…I...” Before he has a chance to react, Diesel nails him dead in the face with a brick, clearly being the signal. 

Diesel threw a fucking BRICK at him!?!

“May victory be ours!” Realizing the obvious signal, Anis smiles. 

“Let's get this party started!” With her new grenade launcher, Anis rapidly fires a barrage of heat-seeking micro missiles, embedded inside of chatterboxes’ skin allowing them to seep through into his body before finally exploding. “Hey fucker! Your mother was a salamander and your father was a washing machine! Come on, try and hit me! Better make it hurt! Better kill me in one shot!”

With the intelligent machine now focused on her, she’d goad it into attacking her with his fists, to which he missed consecutively. “Nope. Nuh-uh. Too slow. Hey, look at that, you’re getting closer! Nevermind, you still suck.” 

Seven Dwarves: I, II Now Online

“Focus Fire!” Rapi would capitalize on his mistake using her laser-like precision, her extra-heavy rounds doing outstanding damage to a rapture of his class, considering her new weapon’s size. He growled as oil began to leak from his body, looking at Rapi with disdain. 

“You’re getting rusty, false human!” He said, throwing a straight right hand that rocketed my second in command flying backwards. 

Seven Dwarves: I, II, III, IV, V Now Online

Catching Rapi, Marian lays her down before entering on her own offensive. While she didn’t have access to her heretic abilities, she would use my pistol as a substitute, weaving through his strikes and his projectiles like poetry in motion. 

“You’re mine!” My Nikke yelled as she fired dozens of shots into his chest. 

“Come on Modernia…fight me like a heretic!” With my partner continuing to stall him, I noticed Diesel had returned with some kind of canister, then motioned to Anis using some sort of hand signal. The soda lover would nod her head before aiming her grenades at his back. Diesel decided to go for her own taunt as well.

“Hey butthole! You wanna know what grilled Rapture tastes like?!” With that, our candy loving conductor threw the canister onto his back, followed by Anis detonating it midair, seemingly with no effect. “Hey Snow White! He’s all yours!” 

From my position, I could see a tiny smile on the pilgrims face. 

“Seven Dwarves, fully active…” Chatterbox heard her, realizing his grave mistake of toying with Marian. He quickly backhands her into a building, trying to charge at the member of the goddess squad…Rapi, Anis and Diesel were all swung away as well by his tail…but it was already too late. “...Blast away!” 

With a pull of the trigger, a charged shot would plow through chatterbox's chest at sonic speeds…and thanks to that liquid that had seeped inside his body, he was practically being burnt alive by a fire raging all over his body.

In his rage, he fired a missile at our location. With no time to get both of us out of the way, Snow White pushes me back out of the blast zone, critically damaging herself.

With Snow White out of the picture, that meant there was only one Nikke left…Marian, who had a bit of gas left in her tank. Despite bursting into flames, Chatterbox stares her dead in the eyes.

“Well, well…I had been saving the best for last.” He chuckles as Marian enters a stance, calming her breathing. “...So tell me…how have you enjoyed your freedom thus far? Seeing him again must be very exciting for you…and I’m sure he feels the same.” 

“You talk too much.” Apparently, both me and Chatterbox had the same idea.

“It’s all in my name, my dear.” He smiles menacingly. “Either way…I’m sure you two can get caught up when you’re working with the Raptures. You’re a package deal…one without the other is useless.

What do you say? Care to have a far more…willing conversion?” Marian scoffs at the mere thought of returning to her past self.

“Tch. I think we both know the answer to that.” The machine’s haunting laughter sent chills down my spine.

“Ah well…I’m sure once Dante is with us you’ll change your disposition…” She puts up a valiant effort, but quickly loses ground after a mistimed timed dodge allows a missile to blast her back. The rapture begins to approach her, seeming as if he was willing to beat her within an inch of her life…it was here that I realized I couldn’t sit back anymore. Despite everything…

I had to at least get up and try to fight.

“...Sorry to keep you, Chatterbox!”

“Dante…” He said, turning with a look of amusement. “I should have known you wouldn't be content to watch your Nikke...disappear. You’ll never let go of that hatred…” I weakly walked to Marian, gave her a reassuring look, then retrieved my pistol. I then unsheathed my sword, despite being hardly fit for any sort of combat.

“Shut up.” My words were straight and to the point. No games or quips this time. The rapture, on the other hand, was far more willing to taunt me.

“You’ll never let go of your past.” 

“Shut up!” Without even thinking, I rushed him down, narrowly dodging an overhead right-handed smash. Little did I know he was anticipating that, then threw a left hook at me. With no time to evade, I raise my barrier of hardened light, narrowly keeping him at bay. He continues pushing against it…and I can see cracks begin to form. 

“Absurd. Trying to defeat me is meaningless. No matter if you do…humanity will never achieve peace. They'll kill each other. You know that more than anyone, Dante.” I growl, pushing back harder to keep the failing shield active. “It does not matter how many raptures fall…they’ll never care for who you are. You can embrace what they consider darkness…and be a true hero. They do not deserve the surface...so much power...and you waste on these vermin.” Just as my shield is about to shatter, I hear the voice that made me believe I could be a hero in the first place.

“Wrong!” As my brain processes who it is, I take a quick look to my side to see Marian.

“Marian, stay back!” I can faintly tell she shook her head.

“How can I? I want to help you!” 

My shield hits 0.01% when he suddenly…lets go. Chatterbox chuckles, clearly not taking me too seriously. 

“You can’t.” The rapture states as he faces her. “He’ll never let go of what keeps him going. That inexhaustible self-hatred of his own human nature…” Marian shakes her head.

“He doesn’t have to. He just needs someone to surround him with light.” A pause. “The hatred will always be there, Chatterbox…but in a place nor you any other rapture can reach.” Yet another hearty chuckle from the machine. 

“Is that right?” Smiling at me, he’d turn the offensive to Marian, pushing me back with a love tap that sends me tumbling backwards. “Let’s see what this “light” of yours can do.” Despite her battle damage, she’d avoided his slow offense with elegance…but it was obvious this second wind was far more akin to a dying gasp, seeing as she hardly countered any of his attacks. 

Watching her gradually slow down with each dodge, I felt something awakened deep within…beneath my soul, beneath my skin. 

Like some kind of surge of energy in response to what’s happening before me. With a newfound vitality, I rush forward once more, running with all the speed I’ve got, then use the momentum to punch the side of Chatterbox’s arm off its direct collision course with my best friend. A second wind...made out of that same hatred Chatterbox spoke of.

“Oh?” 

“Dante…” She says, clearly running out of juice. “...Let’s finish this.” We both stand at each other’s sides…and just like before all this happened…fight in perfect synergy. We hit him with every bit of strength we had left inside of us…

But he healed too quickly. It didn’t matter how hard we hit him. The two of us alone hardly had enough power to put him down for good. Eventually, we were overwhelmed by his onslaught of homing missiles, straight missiles, punches and stomps. With both of us knocked back down, he’d flash that stupid toothy grin.

“Indeed…it is as I have guessed.” With a smile, he crouched, swiping with both hands, causing us to be pushed back ever further. “Together, you are unstoppable…I would stand little chance of winning if you were in top condition. But in the end…I have attrition on my side.” Marian stands up, clearly angry. “You aren’t yielding? Interesting…” I punch the ground twice, making a tiny dent in the concrete. “And neither are you…that’s one of the most admirable traits you both share…when you are cornered, you never give up.”

“Yeah well…” I stagger to my feet, blocking out all of the pain. “...I just don’t like you, that’s all.” I fire a couple shots with my pistol using the strongest bullet-type I have…Buster Rounds. 

These things suck to fire…but I was already in so much pain, I hardly cared anymore. It only took four shots before I felt like my arm was going to completely shatter from the recoil. Those four shots clearly left their mark though. I collapsed to the ground momentarily from the pain, but quickly rolled out of the way of a retaliatory strike from Chatterbox. Knowing that he whiffed his attack, the machine snarled in frustration.

“You are formidable warriors…but you can't dodge forever.” He was right…we needed to end this now…there has to be some kind of power source that I can exploit. “Give in to the Raptures.” We kept fighting the inferno-covered chatterbox…and it was clear we were pushing his healing factor to his limits. All three of us were exhausted…my body was in so much pain…the only thing keeping me going was the heat of fire…

And that’s when it hit me.

If I could make a hole that could open up chatterbox to the flames…his internal circuity would be exposed. Unlike when Snow White tried, we’ve weakened him down enough that it would potentially have time to slip in before he could heal!

With all the stamina, I had left…I rushed directly towards chatterbox, drawing my sword and dodging several missiles, even cutting one open. I jumped as high as I possibly could, aiming to stab him in the chest. He rared back a punch, preparing to knock me back…until something unexpected happened. A red streak speeds by, knocking his strike off its course, giving me the right angle to impale him. It connects…but I lose my grip on my sword…as I fell back down, I managed to flip him off.

“See you…in hell…chatterbitch.”

Only for me to black out seconds later.

My eyes gently flutter open…the material beneath me is ever so soft…but then I remember what happened a couple seconds ago.

“Marian!” I yelled out as I recall the final memory before I blacked out…only to hear a familiar laugh behind me.

“Nothing to fear, I’m right here.” I try to turn to face her, only to be forcefully laid back down. “Just rest, Dante.” As I am put back down, I’m able to ask one singular question.

“Did…Did I get him?” Another chuckle behind me as I feel something stroke my hair. 

“Yeah…you got him. We won’t be hearing from him any time soon.” There’s a brief pause. “It’s ok, Dante…you can rest now.” My vision starts to go black once more…only to hear my best friend say one last thing. “...Don’t leave me alone again.”

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

It’s all I heard for a couple seconds as I slowly begin to wake up once more to another familiar voice sounding happy to see me.

“Smell the ashes. Mr. Fortuna?” Another, far more chipper voice chimed in as well.

“Rise and shine!” Considering the circumstances and the situation around me, I could safely assume who it was.

“Mary? Pepper?” My vision returns, meaning I’m most likely not blind again. A blob of pink seemed perky as ever, while the other figure remained working at a desk, gently typing down what I assumed to be notes.

“Yep!” The pink haired Nikke spoke. “Team Seraphim scores another victory!” Her senior only shook her head and smiled.

“Yes…your recovery definitely will be one achievement that will look very well on our resumes.” I give an awkward smile, remembering her advice from before I left about not getting hurt. “I am still impressed you were able to survive despite everything you went through according to the mission log. Considering how nearly every part of your body was damaged, you being here is a miracle.” My nervous smile grows wider. “Then again, you are, without a shadow of a doubt…the most determined man I’ve ever met.” I can only let out a sigh.

“I assume the medical bill is going to be massive?” Pepper nods her head.

“Mhm. Do you know if your insurance provider covers organ replacement, by any chance?” My eyes widened. Was it really THAT bad?!? After reading the bill, the look on Mary’s face says it all. I just look her dead in the eyes and say with a straight face…

“And…we’re sure this couldn’t have been fixed with two pills of Minos and an ice pack?” The two  smile at me, to which I grin back. 

“Were it so easy…” Mary looks at me with amusement. Pepper decided to cut in and finish her sentence.

“...We’d go out of business!” Shaking her head, Mary would glance towards the hospital idol. 

“Either way…everyone that was on your mission has made a full recovery...even if three units are missing in action…” I could only assume they are referring to Wild Card…in which case, they most likely left following the battle. “As for Marian, the battle damage has been healed…but what you do with her heretic functions are up to you.” 

What, am I just supposed to get rid of super cool shit?! Hell no! Regardless, I need to stay polite, despite such a foolish question.

“I think she should keep them. Could be very useful.” Mary nods.

“I agree. I already did some in depth scans to create somewhat of a “manual” for you…” I give her my classic cocky smile. 

“That’s why you two are the best.” Pepper seemed overjoyed at the complement. 

“You’ll be out in an hour or so. We haven’t told Revenant Squad you’ll be discharged...I thought it would be good to keep it a surprise.” This seems to catch Mary off guard.

“I thought I asked you to tell them, Pepper.” She sighs…looking towards me with a warm smile. “Either way, just be patient and you’ll be out of here in no time.” 

Just as they said, an hour and a half later, I arrived at the door of the outpost. 

“Home sweet home…” Ready to see my friends once again, I connect my Solid Eye to every speaker in the commons to put on some entrance music. 

Boss_Music.WAV

I can hear Anis’ voice from the inside.

“For fucks sake Rapi! Turn down your music! I know it’s you!” I don’t know what’s more surprising…the fact that me and Rapi have similar tastes in music or the fact that Anis knew my second in command’s preferences.

Either way, I slide the door open, dramatically spinning my sword around and resting it on my shoulder. “Hmph…never thought I’d see the day…” Everyone inside was shocked, being Diesel, Rapi, and Anis. It was time for me to say the thing I always said. I took a deep breath…

“...Hey, what’s…”

Before anyone could even say anything, I’d see a blue blur run across the commons, open the fridge, slam it shut, then stuff two pieces of candy into my mouth.

“You’re back!” Though the candy was a dead give away, it was happy to see Diesel so ecstatic. She hugged me to the point I was about to pop…Anis, on the other hand just looked pissed off.

“Dante!” I give her a tiny salute.

“Hey, what’s up?” She practically growled at my catchphrase.

“Oh, don’t you “hey, what’s up” me, Dante! Do you have any idea how fucking worried we were when you were being flown back and woke up for two seconds, then barely had a heart beat?!? You selfish asshole!” I shrug, enraging Anis further. “Then you have the nerve to stroll up in here, play some weird final boss music to look like you’re cool, just for the shock factor?!? I can’t even-“ Before she could continue ranting Rapi chopped her on the back of the neck to knock her ass out on the couch.

“Commander…” I smirked at her, shrugging my shoulders.

“Looks like you did your job of taking care of these two idiots while I was gone. I’ll be sure to leave the babysitting money in your account.” For once, she didn’t try to bring up protocol or how she was only following orders…instead flashing me one of the few smiles she’s ever given. 

“It’s…much appreciated.” Did…did she just take a joke? I mean, it’s hardly a joke, I am paying her, but still! “It’s good to see you but ...you should get some rest. Your body has recovered basic functions, but you shouldn’t push yourself too hard.” I nodded my head.

“Yeah…I need some alone time anyway. We can chat more tomorrow.” She gives a salute as I walk up the stairs to the Commander’s Room

“I’ll keep these two from bothering you.” I smirk, giving it to her as a parting gift. Upon entering, there was something drastically different than when I left…someone on the balcony. They looked like a Phantom, merely staring off into the night’s sky. In silence, I sneak outside to talk to my childhood friend.

Goodbye For Now...?

“You shouldn’t be up here, ya know?” I joked, sliding the balcony door close. “The commander’s room and all parts of it are restricted.” She stifles a laugh, still looking out at the endless abyss of space.

“Since when did you care about that? Don’t tell me that you’ve become a central government puppet in the short while I’ve been gone, have you?” With my hands in my pockets, I walked towards her, eventually resting next to her on the railing. “Then again, if you were, you still wouldn’t be using 8008 as your password…”

“Well, you got me there.” I said, just as fascinated by the cosmos as she was. “I don’t think I’ve changed much since you’ve been on your little heretic escapades.” My fingers tap the railing, clearly nervous.

“I disagree.” I grew incredibly concerned…though my worries were quickly set aside. “You’ve made relationships with other people…I think that says enough.” It dawns on me that, since she’s been away…I was forced to make connections with others…and much better I felt about myself. “All it took was losing everything…but, Dante…” She looks down at her own hand, clenching it tightly. “Will…you treat me differently now that you not only have others in your life…but I’m not the same as I used to be?”  I raise an eyebrow.

“The hell are you talking about?” This catches her off guard, causing her to look at me…while I keep my vision locked on the stars. “You’re still Marian…my Marian. And that’s who I care about. That’s who I risked everything I’ve ever known for. As long as you’re still that person inside…” I gaze deep into her eyes, then tap where her heart would be. “...Then I’ll always love you.” Tears gently streamed down her face…tears of joy. She latches onto me, holding me tightly. 

“Dante…” she sniffles, overwhelmed by emotion. “You’re perfect, you know that?” I give a hearty laugh.

“Listen, that’s a good one, but I’m the one who tells the jokes. Don’t quit your day job.” She violently shakes her head.

“You’re perfect for me.” Now realizing exactly what she meant, I wrap my arms around her as well, swaying from side to side. 

“I could say the exact same thing.” She looks up from my chest to my eyes, the endless hope for a brighter future together eradicating any despair left inside me.

“Dante…I know it’s not supposed to happen between Nikke and Commander but…would you…like to be something more than just best friends?” I didn’t even hesitate. To be fair, we might as well be dating by this point. Hell, I’m pretty sure her Mother would be screaming at us to just kiss already, seeing as she said we were always so cute together. So with her mother’s “permission”...

I share a deep and passionate kiss with Marian. It was long, and just felt…right. Eventually, we let go. With a short moment of silence, I decided to let her know exactly what's next.

“So uh…I’ma take a shower. I’ll have the day off tomorrow so we can do something then.” She smiles with a grin I’ve never quite seen before. 

“May I join you?” I blink a couple times, confused on what exactly she was asking.

“Y-Yeah? I mean, I just said we can do something tomorrow…” She shook her head, smirking at me.

“I meant in the shower, genius.” Once again, I’m confused. 

“Why the hell would you want to join me in the shower? I mean yeah, they made it fit like two people if you really tried, but like…I dunno.” My social ineptitude leads her to rub her temples and sigh in frustration. 

“...Just get in the fucking shower, Dante.”