8

Play: Back to Normal

After wrangling a clearly relaxed Anis and Neon for dinner, we all sat around a makeshift table in the Outpost to unwind for the evening.

Anis sipped on her soda and said, "You know what, Commander? You're alright." She waved her soda at me and said, "This place was trashy, but you got the water running, got us food..."

Neon raised her own soda and said, "And made a proper shooting range!"

"Yeah! ESPECIALLY that. Man..." Anis sipped her soda again and said, "I really needed to cut loose."

Marian smiled and gently scooped a piece of lasagna into her mouth. "That's good. You DID seem to be stressed since the moment we met, Anis."

"Ugh." Anis shoved some chips into her mouth and sipped on her soda more. "Don't even get me started. First me and Rapi get sent on that BS mission with an incompetent commander. Then he dies in the first hour while we're stuck fending for ourselves for 49 hours. Then YOU guys show up and the crazy train started..."

Rapi let out a soft chuckled and took a bite out of her sandwich. "I agree. It has been... an ordeal, shall we say?"

Neon waved her own bag of chips and said, "Well it's been great for me! Being a spy is awesome!"

Anis looked over at Neon and said, "Just what DID you report, oh miss spy of ours?"

"That Master is amazing, knows a loooot about firepower and is STUPID hot!"

Anis choked on a chip, smacking her chest. She grabbed her soda and chugged it, only to tear up. "Pain...!"

Rapi sighed and handed over a carton of juice. "Anis..."

Anis chugged it and glared at Neon.

Neon blinked. "What? It's true!"

Marian nodded. "Our Commander IS attractive... and competent. And knows a great deal about... firepower." She subconsciously licked her lips. Then she blushed.

Rapi raised an eyebrow. "...I am beginning to think there may be some side effects, Mari."

Marian blushed. "N-Not that many. And nothing too... Nothing that detracts from operation!"

"...If you say so."

I watched my team interact and chuckled. "You're getting along a lot better now, huh?"

Anis rubbed her throat and said, "Well, it helps that our commander's competent and we're not on the scrap list."

Marian nodded. "It is nice..."

I paused. "Scrap list?"

"Well, yeah." Anis looked at me and said, "If Nikke don't perform well, they usually get sent off to get 'reformatted' or well... scrapped." She paused. "Me and Rapi are... a bit of an exception. But if push comes to shove, even we're expendable. You know?"

I narrowed my eyes.

Marian tugged my sleeve. "It's okay, Commander. It won't happen."

Neon nodded. "Yeah! We'll blast anyone who tries that on us!"

Rapi sighed. "...It's best to just focus on doing what we can."

I paused. "...Alright. Let's focus on that. But I'll say this once." I looked at Marian, Neon, Rapi, and Anis. "You girls are practically family now. I won't let anyone mess with you. Ever. If they try... they'll regret it."

Anis's golden eyes flitted towards me. Then she looked away and said, "...You keep saying things like that, Commander. Stop. You're too cool when you do it." Her ears turned red.

Neon gave me a thumbs up. "Well, I like it, Master! Keep it up!"

Marian smiled. "Yes. You're quite cool when you talk like that, my Commander. Please, continue doing so."

Rapi smiled as well and said, "It is quite inspiring..."

I chuckled. "I'll keep it up then."

For a little while, we just ate. But then I looked around and said, "You know, since we're definitely working together for a while, why don't you ask me any questions you have. I'll answer truthfully. If I can't answer, I'll say so. And if I don't want to, I'll say so too. But I won't lie."

Neon stuck her hand up. "Ooh, me, me!" She grinned and said, "Master! How do you know how to make all the cool things you do?! Did you learn it at the academy?"

I shrugged. "After I got banged up in the transport incident, it just... clicked?"

That wasn't a lie. All my knowledge came from my other life, which clicked into place here when 'I' got banged up. So... yeah.

"Wow! So it's like... a superhero! You got powers after a tragic accident! Amazing!"

I laughed. "Something like that."

Marian looked at me and said, "My turn then, Commander?"

"Of course, Mari."

Marian paused. Then she said, "...If I hadn't been able to break out of the corruption. What would you have done?"

Rapi's eyes widened and she glanced at Neon. "Marian..."

"H-Hey." Anis looked over at Neon too. "Mari, you can't just-"

I held my hand up. "It's fine. I trust Neon. Besides, Ingrid is respectable. Even if she hears about it, I don't mind. As for Mari's question..." I looked at Marian. "Real talk? I would have kissed you."

Play: Who's Dumber?

"W-What?" Marian's face turned red. "C-Commander?"

Anis blushed too. "Wh-what the heck? What kind of answer is that?!"

Rapi's face turned a shade of red too. "I-I... suppose that... is a tactic..."

Neon's eyes widened. "Oh! Like true love's first kiss!"

Marian covered her cheeks with her hands. "A-Are you serious, Commander?"

I nodded. "Deadly. You see, corruption is 'code,' right? But BECAUSE it's code, it's incomplete. Code is based off binary numbers, which in themselves can only approximate even decimals only to a certain degree of accuracy. Because of that, strong emotions and memories like kisses would supercede any form of suggestion. A proper, filthy, and dirty kiss, along with a sincere love confession... along with the fact that Mari was already fond of me... Well, that would certainly break the spell."

Silence.

Then Anis covered her face. "Why does EVERY ridiculous suggestion of yours make sense, Commander?!"

Neon laughed. "I knew it! True love ALWAYS prevails!"

Marian fanned her face. "Th-that... A-A-And if the kiss hadn't worked...?"

"Hot and heavy."

Marian turned a brighter red.

"Hot and-" Anis cut off and said, "COMMANDER! YOU PERV!"

"What?" I chuckled. "The shock factor would disrupt it, no?"

Rapi pinched the bridge of her nose. "...I hate that this is logical."

"ME TOO RAPI!" Anis pointed a finger at me, face a bright red. "Don't you dare, Commander! If we ever get corrupted, just shoot me! I don't... I wouldn't be able to live with myself if... I mean, you aren't bad looking and you're a decent guy, but... AAAAGGGHHHH!"

I laughed. "Relax, Anis. I know an easy way to break you out of corruption."

"Oh yeah?" Anis crossed her arms. "Spill the beans then, oh great one."

It was something I'd noticed earlier. Both the fact that Anis mentioned she was from Tetra Line, a company famous for entertainment Nikke, and from the fact that she easily followed along to rhythms in my instructions.

So...

"Ahem." I cleared my throat and started singing an old idol song.

Play: Pretty STAR (Pretty for you)

Against her will, Anis instinctively started humming and shifting in her seat before catching herself. "You-!"

"See?" I laughed. "The inner idol can't resist~"

Complicated emotions crossed Anis' face before she glared at me. "...You know, don't you? Who- What I was?"

I blinked. "Uh, full disclosure, that was a guess. I noticed you were pretty good with rhythm and you mentioned you were in Tetra. I figured you probably were an idol or something before?"

Anis froze. She stared at my face as if peering into my soul. Then she slowly said, "You... really don't know."

Neon tilted her head. "Oh! Does Anis have a secret identity too?"

Anis covered her face and let out a dry laugh. "Great. My commander clocked me as an idol, but he doesn't know shit about my past. Even then, he treats me better than anyone ever did... Ugh. I hate it. It's NOT fair."

"...Uh. Anis?"

"...He even clocked my name as a reference to Star Anise too... ugh. Stupid competent Commander..."

"...Do you want some me time or-"

Anis jabbed a finger at me and said, "Alright, Commander! Answer me this then! Between us or the Ark, who do you choose?!"

Play: Scene of Memory

"Anis." Rapi's voice cut through, sharp and curt. "You can't-"

"You guys, obviously. The Ark can burn for all I care." I shrugged. "I just work here. I mean, from what I can tell, this place is fucked. If I had my way, I'd probably cull about 75% of the upper brass and elites, then about 50% of the standard populace."

Deathly silence.

Anis stared at me for a long while. Then she burst out laughing. "Finally! Someone admits it!" She let out a dark smile. "...I think we'll get along just fine, Commander."

Marian looked between me and Anis, concerned.

I waved my hand. "It's fine, Mari."

Marian slowly nodded. "I know. It's just... hard to admit that it's true."

Rapi pursed her lips. "...We are Nikke. The Goddesses of Victory. We shouldn't be talking about this."

"Shouldn't we?" Anis looked at Rapi. "You've seen how they look at us. How they treat the mass-produced Nikke. And you KNOW how they're made. Those girls gave EVERYTHING to serve and then-!"

"Enough, Anis." Rapi quietly said. "I know. Firsthand."

Anis froze. Then she lowered her gaze. "Right... Yeah. You know."

I coughed. "Uh. So. Should I pretend I never heard that stuff, or..."

"Stuff it, Commander." Anis rolled her eyes. "You're stuck with us. That means you're stuck with our trauma dumping too." She nodded at Neon. "Go on, Neon. Your turn. What's your damage, huh?"

"Me? That's..." Neon looked at everyone and hesitated. "...I don't remember."

Anis paused. "You... don't remember?"

"...Yeah." Neon was quiet. "I don't remember anything before becoming a Nikke."

"Oh." Anis was quiet. "That... I guess that explains a lot."

I clapped my hands together. "Alright. Enough trauma dumping. Go on, ask me something funny. Anything."

Marian smiled and spoke up, catching my attempt to change the subject. "Well, Commander. What's your favorite color?"

"Pink. It's warm, soft, and fluffy."

Anis snorted. "Pink? Really?"

"Really." I nodded.

Neon smiled. "I like pink too!"

Rapi stared at me for a while. Then she said, "Commander. Is your name really Hoopa?"

Silence.

With that question, everyone turned to look at me.

Anis frowned. "...You know what, yeah. Is your name really Hoopa, Commander? Cause honestly, weird."

Marian shook her head. "Even if it's strange, it's a good name. It's unique!"

Neon nodded. "It is! It suits a Master of Firepower like Commander!"

"Hm... Well, to be honest, it's not my name. You've probably seen it, right? My records just have me as 'Commander.'"

The girls all grew still at my answer.

I shrugged. "It's the name that came to mind when Mari asked me after she saved me though, so I'm sticking with it."

"Wait." Anis laughed. "So Hoopa is just like... some name you grabbed while half-concussed?"

"Yes and no. I did get it while half-concussed, but the name has meaning."

"Oh yeah? What, basketball hoops?" Anis chuckled.

"No. It's an acronym."

Rapi raised an eyebrow. "An acronym? For what?"

Play: Wisdom Spring

"Hero of Omnipotent Powers Annihilated. My ambition, my promise, and the truth I live by. After all, I did create an axiomatic disproving of omnipotence by logically showing the concept of absolute cannot exist in this reality."

Deathly silence.

Neon adjusted her glasses. "That... is so cool."

Anis froze and slowly said, "...Holy shit. No wonder you called us Brave." She looked at me. "...You're a godkiller. No, a liberator." She glanced back at Marian and said, "...You don't have inhibitors. If you wanted, you could kill humans. Couldn't you, Marian?"

Marian was quiet. Then she slowly nodded. "...To save, Commander. I'll do anything."

Rapi stared at me for a long time. Then she said, "...I suggest that you never elaborate on your name, Commander."

"Obviously." I laughed. "It's an inside joke. People laugh at it. I laugh back. Because I know what I can do. What I did." I paused. "Also, I never asked. But did you hear what I said to Marian, Anis? Rapi? Back then, I mean."

Rapi was quiet. "...Half of it."

Anis shook her head. "Bits of it. Why?"

"Mm..." I sipped on my drink. "Since it's a 'proof,' it doesn't just get rid of corruption. It would likely override anything you have limiting you. Hypothetically, if I broadcasted the proof, all Nikke everywhere would be unchained."

Everyone immediately grew tense.

Rapi quickly said, "NEVER say that, Commander."

Anis nodded. "Yeah. Seriously. The only reason the Ark exists is because those safeguards exist. If Nikke could suddenly act independently..."

Marian quietly held my hand, concern in her eyes.

Neon frowned. "...Would that be a bad thing?" She looked at me. "...People treat Nikke poorly. But we're the same. Shouldn't we... be able to make our own decisions?"

Rapi pursed her lips. "That's..."

"That's the reason why I'm your commander." I smiled softly. "I'm the 'shield' for you all. At least, until the climate changes."

Neon tilted her head. "Climate change?"

Anis blinked. "What does weather have to do with this?"

Rapi sighed. "He means the political climate, Anis."

"O-Oh. Right. That." Anis blinked. "Wait. But how? Also, you never explained why you took so long in the meeting, Commander."

"Right. That. Well..." I hummed. "Let's just say that Deputy Chief Andersen and I came to an understanding."