Chaos of Victory

[enigmaMystere]

There's a pounding in my head, the rhythm of drums that is slowing down in time with my heartbeat. There is a stickiness on my face, a trail from my brow down into my ear. I flinch as gunshots and someone shouting start to filter through the liquid pooling in my aural canal. There is a stifling, uncomfortable heat all around me.

"-zero one down! BA-Zero One…!"

Ah, the bubble of blood must have popped. I can hear her better now. That is a lovely voice, in spite of the desperate tones.

"Useless piece of-"

Oh. I guess she was yelling for a while to get that angry. I try to turn my head to her, but I only get a few inches before a sharp blade of sheer agony pierces through my consciousness.

"Commander! I can't get through to the Ark!"

The Ark? Why does that sound familiar? Agh, the headache got worse!

"…Commander?"

Oh God, make it stop, please, it hurts so much! I barely catch the gasp escaping her lips.

"No! You're going into cardiac arrest...!"

Is this it? Am I dying? When did this angel in blue and white start leaning over me? Is she taking my spirit to heaven?

"A… AED! AED!"

A high pitched whining filters through my fading consciousness. The heat is slowly starting to fade, leaving behind a bitter chill. Heaven's angels are breathtaking…

"Charging…! Clear!"

I suddenly feel like I got dropkicked in the chest by a sumo wrestler. I gasp heavily, eyes shooting wide as my heart is forced back into a proper rhythm. I cough, blinking my bleary eyes free of the tears, staring up not at an angel but a beautiful woman, wearing what appears to be an old-style attendant's outfit. I offer her a smile, some of my memories returning now that I wasn't dying.

Her shoulders marginally relax, but her eyes, a beautiful blue speckled with reddish-brown dots, are still full of concern. "Can you tell me which section you're from?"

I nod, glad that piece of knowledge was one that came back to me. "Central Government. Nikke Management Department." Granted, I don't quite recall what a Nikke is…

"Alright, then," her voice cuts through my musings, offering her arms as she stands up with surprising grace. "Up and at 'em. Raise your arms up."

I oblige, gripping her arms so we can both get me up. What she says next is completely drowned out by a loud, cheerful voice calling out.

Survive a plane crash! Gain one Silver Random Ticket!

The sudden voice in my head nearly caused me to collapse once more. Down on one knee, I start breathing heavier, my mind racing as I start to worry that something went wrong with my brain.

Oh, shoot, you don't remember? That isn't good.

My brow furrows, yet I try to focus on the woman before me. "Try" being the key word here, as I am suddenly hugged by her, my cheek pressed against her belly.

"It's alright, Commander," she says, her voice soft and soothing. "I've got you."

Later, then.

I take a deep breath, centering myself as I carefully stand up. "Sorry. Still have a bit of a headache," I murmur, carefully getting back up to my feet. "What were you saying, Miss?"

She nods, letting her arms fall to her sides as a serious expression crosses her face. "We were attacked en route to our destination. The transport ship is down." She gestures to the left, and I turn to see a large pile of metal merrily ablaze. "Any Rapture within a hundred-mile radius must have heard that explosion and is headed our way."

Raptures. Those were the robots, right? Or were they aliens? I can't seem to recall at the moment.

She must have misread the look on my face, as she places her hand on my upper arm reassuringly. "I realize this is all a bit sudden, but I am now under your command. You're giving the orders." She smiles, and it occurs to me that I don't even know this woman's name, yet she's trying to comfort me in this dangerous moment. "Can you do it?"

In a split second, doubt starts to weigh on me. I, a man who can barely remember anything, am tasked with making sure we make it out of this alive. This lady before me is counting on me to take control of this situation I was thrust into. And yet, when I look into her eyes, see the trust she put into me, I am unable to let her down.

I smile, giving her a small nod as I stoop to grab what's left of my supplies. "I'll do my best."

She brightens up at my response. "Yes, Commander!" She turns, and I see a little half-cape (with pockets?) on her back, fluttering in the wind. "Keep your head down." She looks back at me, one more little smile on her lips. Please don't worry. I will protect you," she pauses as the sounds of screeching fill the air, then turns as she grips her gun, "no matter what happens."

She lifts her weapon, and her presence suddenly seems that much… more. "Marian, activating combat mode."

Marian. I idly muse that she has such a wonderful name.

She snaps her gun up as the first mechanical monstrosity leaps out from behind a dilapidated building. At that moment, I can't help but think she's a goddess of victory.

"Engaging!"

---

We stand there amongst the pile of destroyed Raptures, their spindly little legs twitching as the last of their energy fades from their broken cores. I kick a piece from where it is limply clawing at my leg, actively ignoring Marian's laser-focused stare on my back. I honestly don't understand why she's eyeing me like that, she was the one doing leaps and slides all over the place as she fought. All I did was point out each Rapture so she could shoot them… right before they appeared…

…okay, now I am curious. How exactly did I do that?

Explanation time!

I promptly freeze as the cheerful voice returns to my mind. Maybe the strange thing is some form of imaginary friend?

Rude! My name is Nandi, divine messenger, and I'm running your Chaos Gacha!

My what?

See, if I knew you'd forget all about it, I'd have started you later! Augh, whatever. Here, I'll give you the rundown again! You are part of the system called the Chaos Gacha! Long story short, you are capable of gaining items, skills, and abilities by successfully completing challenges or meeting secret goals!

…one of the challenges was to survive a plane crash?

…yes. Also, you survived your first Rapture encounter! You get one Gold Random Ticket!

My brows furrow. This is not helping me understand things at all.

I'm getting there! So, you have three tickets, one gold, one silver, and one bronze, which is from completing the academy. You can use them at any time, and I'll pull the gacha for you! Now, you've already got an ability and a trait. Here, let me copy these over for you…

I shake my head and turn to ask Marian what we are supposed to do now. It's not like this gacha thing is going to change things too much, right?


[View Air]

|Uncommon Ability|

Allows you to share your senses with the air around you, allowing you to map the world around you through the wind. The base range is 1km but it can be improved with training and base stats.


[Lil' Hercules]

|Epic Trait|

You are unusually strong, even as a regular human without powers you could rip a man in two with your bare hands and are durable enough to take your own punches. This strength scales with your current physical abilities, you are always stronger than you should be.


[Celebrity]

|Minor Curse|

You are great at drawing attention, whether you like it or not. People tend to notice you, and if you ask them to pick out someone random in a crowd, they would pick you more likely than not. Can be useful for gathering fame, but the downsides edge out the positives.

|Resolve: Get 3 stranger class powers or traits.|


I halt just as I start to open my mouth, stunned as I see the list before me. What the heck? What are these abilities? And why do I have something called a Curse!?

That's easy! You rolled Lil' Hercules, realized that you wouldn't be allowed on the frontlines, and got a Curse. It gave you a gold ticket, which gave you View Air!

…so I gained the ability to see about a kilometer in every direction… but I'm stuck in the limelight as a result. I sigh, rubbing the bridge of my nose. Brilliant. Shaking my head, I finally address the woman beside me. "Miss Marian," I begin, only to be distracted by a cut on her thigh. I blink, then let out a curse as I drop to a knee and pull my pack around. I fish out one of the five bandage rolls I have and start to dress the wound. "What happened?"

My voice likely came out clipped, since she flinched before answering. "Uh, Commander… this isn't of much use to a Nikke…" I do not listen, feeling her eyes on me as I complete the wrap. "I… appreciate the gesture." She offers a small smile as I glance up at her, and I have to squint to stop myself from being blinded by her radiance. "Thank you, Commander."

I offer her a half-smirk in response, getting back up and patting her on the head. "Just doing what any decent person would, Miss Marian." I see her blush under the action. Beautiful and cute, that's a deadly combination.

"I thought you'd be a rough and tumble kind of person," she says in a teasing voice, likely trying to direct attention from her embarrassment. She ducks away from my hand and starts turning away. "Let's keep moving. The rendezvous point should be up ahead."

I blink, taking a moment to stretch out my senses with View Air before I nod in agreement. There indeed does seem to be a couple people up ahead… and they seem to be in a rough spot. "Lead the way, Miss Marian, and please hurry."

She gives me a strange look at my request, but she swiftly follows orders, hastening our departure from the wreckage of the plane. I relax, glad she turned those bright blue eyes away. No telling how long I'd get lost in them otherwise.

…crap, more Raptures are trying to cut us off. How smart are these things!?

---

…so maybe I went a bit overboard. I set down Marian and gasp for air, having run past the Raptures as stealthily as possible with her in my arms. Lil' Hercules let me carry her with a bit of difficulty, and View Air let me circumvent any ambushes that were in place. It's not my fault we need to conserve ammo, is it?

Sneak around Raptures! Gain one Silver Item Ticket!

I lean against a building, letting my hammering heartbeat slowly go back to normal as I turn to Marian. "How much further?" I manage to say without wheezing.

Marian gives me that inscrutable look again, staring me down for a good five seconds before answering. "We're almost there. Are you feeling alright?"

"A little dizzy," I freely admit, grabbing a water bottle out of my bag and taking a big gulp of the refreshing liquid. "I'll be fine," I say, my voice not as hoarse as before. I quietly offer her some of the water, which she takes, staring at the mouth of the plastic container briefly before partaking. As she drinks, I reach out my senses once more. "I think I hear gunfire."

She tenses up, capping the bottle and putting it in her cape pocket. "We'd better hurry." She turns and starts running, gun in the low ready position, and I scramble to follow after her. We run for a good mile, pausing in the middle briefly for some unknown reason, and finally catch a glimpse of two women firing at Raptures from behind cover. The two seem to be in an argument, such that one person raising their voice at the other could be construed as such. We manage to catch one more piece of dialog as we get closer.

"This is absurd!" Says the one with short blonde hair, her voice both spunky and frustrated.

"Everyone!" Marian calls out, making the one who spoke before her jump in place, almost catching a laser to the head.

"Ah!" She whips around, pointing a finger accusingly at my partner. "You scared me!"

"I'm Marian," she says, slipping into cover beside her. I duck under a completely different particle beam as I join them, and the lovely lady in blue gestures to me. "The Commander is here with me."

"Are you serious?" She practically hisses at Marian. "How did you survive that explosion?" Her golden eyes dart my way briefly, then leans in closer, trying to drop her voice. Sorry, lady, View Air apparently increases my hearing, as well. "I get you're a Nikke, but isn't that one a human!?"

"Yes," I say, startling the girl such that she bristles like a frightened feline, "I am a human."

She narrows her eyes at me, pursing her lips as the girl with strawberry blonde hair continues to shoot Raptures behind her. "…something's fishy about this. Are you really the Commander?"

I place a hand on my chest, projecting a playful facade. "Yes, I am, Madam. I graduated and everything." Not that I can remember any of it, but I'm not going to tell her that. She can be catty if she wants.

The sound of the last Rapture present dying cuts off any retort from the spunky short- Jesus, how did I miss those jugs? I forcibly rip my gaze away as the long-haired blonde turns towards us, placing her hand on her companion's shoulder. "Excuse me for a moment," she says, shuffling past to stare unnervingly at my face. She is beautiful, but the lack of any change in her expression is uncanny, as if looking at a porcelain doll. "Commander identification code, read."

We sit there in silence, my eyes meeting hers and adamantly refusing to glance down at her outfit seriously what the heck is she wearing-

"The Squad 04-F Commander has been changed," she says abruptly, jostling me out of my thoughts.

I glance to the side as the blonde with shorter hair gets indignant about this. "Rapi, we don't even know him! How could you…"

"Now's not the time to argue!" She says sternly, the first hint of emotion I've seen from the now-named Rapi. "We have Raptures incoming."

The blonde girl listens for a moment before grimacing, reluctantly conceding the point. "Well… that much is true."

Rapi turns back to me, fixing me in place with her stare once more. "From now on, you're in command." She glances towards a lump in drab olive clothes, standing halfway between us and what remains of the Raptures she took out. "As the former commander is unable to issue orders at the present, no formal procedures are necessary to transfer authority." I grimace as the implication sets in, which she must see as she continues. "The situation is urgent. I'll explain the details once the battle is over."

I nod, glad that we are focusing on the pressing matters at the moment. "Thank you," I say, which gets me a raised brow from the shortsta- dang it, stop looking!

As I berate myself, Rapi turns to Marian and asks her, "You said your name was Marian? What branch are you from?"

For her part, Marian straightens up slightly into what might pass as parade rest, despite kneeling behind cover. "I belong to Silver Gun," she says, nodding to her weapon. "I'm a Machine Gunner."

Ah, so it's a machine gun. I really should learn more about the weapons my companions are using. My mind drifts to the gacha system apparently attached to me. Nandi said I could learn skills. Is gun knowledge one such skill?

Just as I'm contemplating whether to use the tickets, the unnamed blonde girl addresses me. "Alright, Commander," she says, looking less tense than she did earlier. "What's the next move?"

I can feel the enemies closing in on us, View Air giving me quite the clear picture. I take a deep, fortifying breath, nodding once as I address them. "Aim where I tell you, and fire right when they come into view. I want us all to make it home."

Rapi gives me a look of mild curiosity, but nods once. "Yes, Commander."

The spunky blonde grins, hefting up her grenade launcher. "Let's get this party started!"

I nod, gesturing out where the largest group of Raptures will come. "Engaging!"

---

Writing this to get back into writing and to improve my writing skills. Yes, I realize I just said "writing" several times just then.

Let me know if there's anything that needs to be improved upon. for now, I

 

[enigmaMystere]

"Single, high, northeast!"

Rapi swiftly turns around and fires a shot through the Rapture's core, sending it tumbling off the highway sign it was perched on. She nods, confirming the kill as she stands ready once more.

"Cluster, low, northwest!"

The blonde bombshell lifts her grenade launcher, shooting a payload that reduces the six that emerge from around the building into so much scrap. She shoots me a cocky smirk, and I just shake my head playfully at her before focusing once more.

"Single, close, south!"

Marian turns and kicks the Rapture in its glowing red eye, making it stumble back. With the distance given, she fires rapidly into its face, piercing its core and making it collapse in a heap. She gives me a beautiful smile in gratitude, and I'm glad I can speak clearly and quickly. I don't like the idea of losing any of my companions.

I reach out with View Air once more, checking again just to be sure, and sighing in relief once I am absolutely certain the coast is clear. "Alright, ladies, I think that was the last one." I sit down on the tattered remains of a car's seat, the majority of its frame lost as collateral in this fight.

The spunky blonde immediately lets her weapon drop, the strap catching on it and preventing it from hitting the asphalt. "That was easy!" She turns to Rapi as the slightly taller woman speaks.

"We're Rapi and Anis," she begins, gesturing between herself and her teammate. "Thanks for the assistance."

"It is of no issue," I say, placing a hand on my chest and bowing slightly. "Anyone should be willing to protect their fellow man."

Rapi and Anis both flinch away as if physically struck. Did I say something wrong? Was my bow not low enough?

Before I can try again, Marian steps forward, her arm stretched out in front of me as if pushing me back. "But why," she starts, eyes focused on Rapi, "did you ask to take the Commander up to the surface all of a sudden?"

The strawberry blonde woman turns her head to the side, staring at that same olive figure, the color slowly being overtaken by a deep red. I grimace, realizing that last Rapture must have run the body over in its mad dash towards us.

Marian must have realized it, as well, as her expression slowly loses its tension. "So…"

"I'm afraid so," Anis says, crossing her arms and pointedly looking in the opposite direction. "Our former Commander is dead." She clearly misses the thunderous expression growing on Marian's face as she continues, "He tried to shoot at the Raptures with a human weapon, hurling obscenities all the while." I blink, looking at the guns in their hands. Those aren't human weapons? I move to examine Rapi's rifle closer, seeing if there is a visible difference. "He knew that those pea shooters can't put a dent in the Raptures…"

"You two failed in your duties," Marian suddenly interjects, and my attention immediately snaps to her. "You let him die."

Anis bristles, glaring at Marian in what I can only hope is annoyance instead of outright anger. "You're wrong! We've always been willing to protect the Commander no matter what, even if that meant putting our lives on the line!" I try to hide my grimace, not liking the idea of anyone speaking so freely about sacrificing themselves. Anis grips the strap of her rocket launcher, the leather creaking under her grip. "But just because we're willing to put our lives on the line doesn't mean he'll always be safe…"

I reach out before Marian can make a response, placing a hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down. She gives me a quick glance, then looks away, a light dusting of pink on her cheeks. I push aside that observation for now, simply glad that she does not look like she will be jumping down Anis's throat at the moment. Maybe we can discuss it when we get back to the Ark?

Anis grumbles, kicking what appears to be the wheel of a truck as their tempers calm. "I was just saying…"

Rapi steps forward, carefully slinging her gun over her shoulder as she addresses me. "Could you tell us your name?"

I stare at her blankly for a moment, as my name seems to be part of what I- oh, there it is. "Flick." I smile and offer her a handshake. "Flick Nexus. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rapi."

She looks hesitant for the briefest of moments before her discipline kicks in, guiding her to grasp my hand firmly and shake it once. "Anis."

I blink in confusion, tilting my head slightly. Anis? Isn't her name-?

"I'm going to do a little digging," the shorthaired blonde says. Oh, Rapi was addressing her. That makes more sense. I try to hide my blush, taking solace in the fact I didn't ask that out loud. "Let me see…" She stares right past me, sending a small chill up my spine for some strange reason. The furrowing of her brows does not help me feel any better.

Rapi notices her expression almost immediately. "Is something wrong?"

"This Commander is a total rookie!" Anis blurts out, pointing a finger in my face that has me holding my hands up in surrender. "He just graduated from the military academy yesterday!"

I did? I glance between the three women before me, slightly nervous. Massive waste of time, that school was. I forgot everything they taught me just a day later. The thought almost drags a smile kicking and screaming onto my face despite the circumstances.

Trust me, it was for the best you forgot what they "taught" you.

I try not to flinch, but Anis leans closer, her eyes narrowing at me. I guess Nandi is here for the long haul?

Duh. Hey, are you going to use any of those tickets you have? They're kind of just sitting here.

I relax slightly, glad that I don't have to speak to her out loud at the very least. You know what? Sure, roll the lowest one, see if it gets me something that'll help.

Alright! Rolling with the Bronze Random Ticket!

I hear a literal slot machine start spinning in my head, and is that not the weirdest sensation? Ow, Anis, that's my ear! Stop tugging!


[Ripen]

|Common Ability|

Allows you to ripen and mature organic objects that cannot or do not resist.


I blink. What kind of ability is that? It's not very helpful, at least at the moment. Maybe she can roll the next highest ticket?

Which one? Silver Random Ticket or Silver Item Ticket?

…yes. Roll them both, please.

Alright, boss! Rolling both tickets!

"Stop ignoring us!" Anis says with a huff.

I grimace as she tugs my ear a bit harder. "I'm sorry, Miss Anis. I'll try to focus better." I try to ignore the slot machine in my head so I can look around the area, reaching out with View Air-


[Eternal Bleed]

|Elite Trait|

Your body holds a virtually limitless amount of blood and you regenerate blood 100 times faster. You can feed a whole clan of vampires for the rest of their lives or be the ultimate bank for a Hemokinetic.


[Butchers Bag of Infinite Meat]

|Common Item|

A bag containing a limitless amount of fresh meat inside of itself, you can only take 100kg of meat out of it every 24 hours, it contains meat from all mundane animals from earth in all cuts, all of it clean, not ethically sourced. Just plunge your hand into the bag of meat, think of what you want and ignore the implication of infinite meat and its source.


-and suddenly find myself holding a bag in my left hand. All four of us stare at the odd burlap sack that absolutely wasn't there mere seconds ago.

Marian is the first one to speak, raising a trembling hand and pointing at the item I just acquired. "Commander? Where did you get that?"

Wow. I… did you immediately summon that in front of these girls? You didn't keep your secret very long, huh?

I summoned it? I thought it was supposed to show up on its own! And is it supposed to be a secret? I just want people to not think I'm crazy, what with the voice in my head and all. Anything past that might as well be a bonus.

You know what, fair. What will you tell them, though?

I nervously swallow and carefully hand the bag over to Anis. "Peace offering?"

She gives me a flat stare, a real "Are you serious" look on her face that makes me feel small despite having at least a head over her. "And what, exactly, am I supposed to do with this?"

I offer a sheepish smile, gesturing toward the bag as best as I can while still holding my surrender. "Uh… you can have any kind of meat you wanted to try?"

Anis rolls her eyes, letting the bag's mouth drop open and plunging her hand inside. "What, you expect there to be some… sort of…" She trails off, eyes widening as she slowly pulls out an uncooked premium wagyu steak from the sack. "…oh wow, that marbling… wait! No, how did that fit in here? It looks empty!" She passes the fresh meat to Rapi, who looks poleaxed by the sudden action, and starts digging for more meat. Ribeye. Sirloin. Pork belly. A whole freaking turkey. Every single item was withdrawn without fail, fresh, raw, and slightly bloody.

She finally stops with a tuna in her hand, staring at the bag in awe. Rapi stands nearby, her arms full of all the meat that Anis pulled out and a slightly annoyed expression on her face. "Perhaps," she says, slightly testy, "we should find somewhere less out in the open to discuss this development."

Anis, for her part, does manage to look slightly sheepish, and follows Rapi to what appears to be the Commercial Street of this town. Good idea, maybe there are still some functioning stoves that we can use!

---

Turns out there are only camping stoves. As Marian starts cooking the steaks on skillets borrowed from rundown diners, I sit down and explain everything I know about this gacha to them.

"So you have the ability to roll for a bunch of stuff that shouldn't make sense?" Anis asks, eyeing the burlap sack as she speaks. "I would not have believed you a few minutes ago," she bluntly says, gesturing to the tuna on the table, "but when I could pull this baby out of an empty bag, I really couldn't argue further."

"And you said you have more that you have rolled?" Rapi asks, her eyes focused on my face. It was a bit unnerving, but I still responded with a nod. "What do you have, exactly?"

"Uh… I have one that makes me stronger…" I say, trying to recall what each one was. Oh, a skill sheet. Thanks, Nandi! "I can see about a kilometer in every direction through the wind, I can make organic objects ripen or mature, and… apparently I hold a virtually endless amount of blood." Naturally, they each had different reactions to my current abilities.

"Oh, so that's how you carried me," Marian absently notes, focused on the food.

"And that's how you were able to figure out where each of those Raptures were gonna pop out!" Anis crows, proud of herself for figuring that one out.

Rapi, meanwhile, furrows her brow slightly. "What use would having so much blood provide?"

I just shrug, scratching the back of my head. "Dunno. Guess I can provide for a blood bank?" What is my blood type, anyways? Would that even help?

You still have one more ticket!

Right, thanks Nandi. "I do have one ticket I haven't used," I offer, smiling at them. "Want me to see what I get?"

"Well yeah!" Anis says, leaning forward with an eager grin as the machine loudly turns in my head. "Tell me you can get some sort of drinks as well. Steak deserves a nice soda to go with it!"

I laugh softly, shaking my head. After all, the odds of something like that are astronomical.


[Wind Alteration]

|Elite Ability|

Allows you to alter the chemical composition and properties of air, allowing you to increase the oxygen concentration to make it more flammable and poisonous or dense enough that it feels like steel among other things.


I blink, reading over the description of the new ability I got. "…so I can do more with the wind, now?" I say, slightly baffled.

Rapi looks at me curiously, a delicate eyebrow raised ever so slightly. "What do you mean by that?"

In response, I try to activate my new ability, only to use View Air instead, much to my consternation. Good to know there aren't any Raptures that close to us, I guess?

Yo, you can only have one active at a time, right now, since you only have three abilities. Switch them out before you can use them.

Slightly embarrassed, I swap View Air for Wind Alteration. When I activate it again, I can actually feel the difference. Instead of my senses opening, expanding to cover a good chunk of the city in my view, it's more like the wind is at my whims, waiting for me to change it in whatever way I wish. Instead of watching someone else play, I am now the one with the controller. I observe the air around me, taking note of the words floating through my consciousness and how each one applies to my surroundings. Almost like I had a notebook that could access the adjectives for the wind and could add or subtract any descriptor I wanted. Let's see, if I can change any property, how about-

The fish before us flash freezes, making Anis and Rapi leap back, pointing their guns at it.

-temperature. Huh. Maybe I should have added more than just "freezing" to that description.

Anis glances between me and the fish-cicle, eyes round in stunned silence. I awkwardly wave back to her, lowering my hand once it becomes clear that my show of power is concerning to her.

"…did you just remove the heat in the air?" Rapi quietly asks, appraising me with that deep stare of hers.

"It's… more like I added cold?" I mumble, slightly embarrassed. "I think I need to be more specific when it comes to this one…" I try switching my powers back, but nothing happens. My brows furrow, and I try again, yet still nothing happens.

Oh, right, there's a five-minute cooldown when switching abilities. My bad.

"Right…" Anis says, interrupting my conversation with Nandi. "So… you can change the temperature of air? I guess you'll never be cold again," she lightly jokes.

"Not just temperature," I correct her. "Any property, and the chemical composition, as well."

"Any property?" Rapi cuts in, eyes narrowed in thought. "Density? Pressure? Refractive index? Humidity ratio?"

I nod along until that last one, frowning slightly as I scroll through the short menu. "…is that under this psychometric heading? Ah, here it is. Yes, but only as long as it still counts as air and not a cloud."

"That… could very well be useful," she admits, tapping her finger on her arm. "You could technically have light bend around us so that we're invisible, or make air dense enough to stop bullets in their tracks."

I look back at my little menu, impressed by the ideas she brought up. "Very likely, though we might end up going blind if I refract all the light away," I point out. "Too bad about the humidity ratio, I could've had a fog bank around us instead."

"All I'm hearing is that the Commander is the perfect air conditioner," Anis says with a cheeky grin. "And with all the free meat - no Splendamin at all - and I may just ask him to let me bunk with him," she jokes, then promptly yelps as a perfectly cooked steak goes flying past her head.

Marian scowls at the busty blonde - gah, do they have a gravitational pull!? Anyways, my cute flight attendant pointedly says, "You couldn't protect your last commander. You have no right making demands of mine."

I wave my hand, offering her a benign smile. "I see no harm in letting her have some meat. It's not like I'll be eating one hundred kilograms of meat every day." Oh. That is an interesting glint in Anis's eye. I guess she loves food?

Earn Anis's interest (for your food)! Gained a Silver Familiar Ticket!

I blink, staring at the unfamiliar word.

Heheh.

I sigh, rubbing at my brows as I berate myself for the unintentional pun. "Okay, so I just gained another ticket. Apparently." I gesture broadly at the text box they undoubtedly cannot see. "Though I don't know what familiar means, in this context. A silver familiar ticket."

Hey, put some respect on those capital letters!

Marian gives me a strange look, as though wondering what creature she's seeing at the zoo. "A familiar, in that context, means a creature that is connected to you."

Right on the money!

I nod absently, drumming my fingers on the table as I consider the ticket. "…you know what, I'm gonna roll it." I lean back and sip at my canteen of water, watching as Marian serves us our steaks, with Anis getting the Wagyu she pulled out of the bag. I smile and accept my ribeye-


[Renamon]

|Uncommon Familiar|

Digimon - Renamon is a strong beastman like Fox digimon with formidable physical abilities, with a focus on speed and agility. Renamon is skilled in Ninjutsu, whether that is using it in tandem with unarmed strikes using her claws cloaked in flame or performing basic ninja spells with it. (evolution does not exist)


-and nearly drop my plate, staring at the screen in utter bafflement. "…so… does anyone here know what a Digimon is?"

"I've heard of them, before," Rapi supplies, surprising me. "I never really got into them due to… circumstances." Ah. She must've grown up poor. That is nothing to be ashamed of, in fact, she should celebrate the fact that she rose up in the world to become a respectable soldier!

You poor, naive fool.

I elect to ignore the messenger in my head and say a blessing over the meal Marian so kindly prepared for us. The others do as well, though my partner does give the frozen fish on the table a curious stare.

 

[enigmaMystere]

The steaks are gone, the tuna is still frozen to the table, and the turkey was stuffed back into the bag. Now it looks like there's something inside, so it will not look weird as we carry it. Then again, who would be able to see all of us here? It is not like some random person is going to appear out of nowhere, right?

…actually, why didn't Renamon appear out of nowhere like the bag did?

That's because I held the familiar space closed while you were eating. Do you want them to choke by having her randomly show up?

Good point, but we are done eating now, I have my bag back so Anis will stop eyeing it hungrily, and we should be safe for a while yet. I pause at that, switch Wind Manipulation back out for View Air, and quickly confirm that there are no Raptures within a kilometer of us. Perfectly safe, for now.

Fine. Your familiar space is available now.

Great! I sit there for a moment, rubbing the burlap sack between my fingers. So… what is a familiar space?

It's a sort of pocket dimension that houses familiars when they aren't in use. You also have an item space specifically for the items you roll, which is why I'm utterly annoyed that you just summoned the meat bag immediately!

Sorry, Nandi. I'll try to be better. I look at the bag and try to will it back into the item space. It disappears between blinks, and Anis looks like a child who was just told Christmas was canceled. I offer her an awkward smile, then start mentally reaching for the familiar space.

Oddly enough, I feel someone reaching back. I wrap my metaphorical hand around theirs and pull.

"Gah!" Anis yelps, jumping back and pointing behind me dramatically. "You scared me!"

"It was not my intention," says a somewhat deep feminine voice behind me. I turn in my seat, staring up at the anthropomorphic fox who is only half a head taller than me while I'm sitting down. I look down slightly and notice a ruff around her neck that I sort of want to bury my face in, it looks so comfortable, then back up to her face. Her blue eyes stare into my own for a second before she nods, relaxing a fraction of the smallest amount. "Greetings. I am Renamon. Are you my partner?"

I smile warmly, reaching my hand out for a handshake. "Hello, Renamon. I'm Flick. It's a pleasure to meet you." I swear that Marian huffs slightly to my right, and I glance her way to see her looking slightly put out. Nodding, I make a gesture with my free hand, since Renamon started shaking my other one. "This is my squad, Marian, Anis, and Rapi. I'm sure they're just as happy to make your acquaintance."

Renamon bows slightly to them, then tilts her head at Anis's disapproving stare. "Is something the matter?"

"I'll say there is," Anis says, shaking her head. "You'll stick out in the Ark like a pickle in vanilla ice cream." She gestures to the fluffy yellow fur on her body. "I can think of no Nikke that looks so much like a fox."

Renamon coolly stares back at her, nodding once before pressing her paws together. "Fox Switch Deception." My jaw drops as a digital wireframe forms over her body, reshaping itself until she looks exactly like Anis. She gives the blonde spitfire a cheeky grin, one hand on her hip as she thrusts her chest out- gah, not you too! I swiftly avert my gaze, my face warming in embarrassment. "Is this better?" Huh. She even sounds like Anis. Neat.

I notice the original's brow twitch in annoyance. "Hey, don't steal my looks! I should sue you for identity theft!"

"Interesting," Rapi says, tilting her head to one side. "Maybe you should try copying one of the mass produced models. That would be much less noticeable."

Renamon observes her own hand, flexing the fingers for a moment before nodding. "That would be wise. Thank you, though I have to ask what that is."

"We can probably discuss it later," Marian points out, gesturing to the distance. "Right now, we still have Nikkes to rescue."

"Right," I say, promptly standing up and turning to the group. "Please brief me on the current situation."

Rapi nods, standing up as well and settling into parade rest. "Forty-six hours ago, we lost communication with a Nikke squad that was patrolling the area. They went completely dark, so we decided to send out a search party." A hint of regret makes its way onto her otherwise emotionless face. "During our search, an accident resulted in the death of our now-former Commander."

"The biggest problem," Anis cuts in, leaning back in the steel chair she's settled in, setting it to groan in protest, "is that the deceased Commander was the only one who knew the coordinates to our destination." She raises an eyebrow at me, crossing her arms under her bust, which I most certainly did not look down at. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

I rack my brain for what little information I have, yet nothing sticks out in regards to a mission. "No," I regretfully inform her, "I don't."

She sighs, rolling her head back. "I figured as much."

"I know the coordinates," Marian says with a smile.

Anis waves her hand dismissively. "Yeah, I figured that too." I stare at her blankly for the few seconds it takes her to realize what was actually said. I can tell when it does, as she suddenly sits upright, eyes wide as she looks at Marian. "Huh?"

"That information was put into my system when I was sent out on this operation." Oh, that was incredibly lucky. I guess having a soldier memorize the location is more secure than a paper trail, but it's not like those Raptures could read, right? "I'll take the lead," Marian continues, brushing off her skirt as she stands.

"Oh. Okay," Anis says, mildly subdued.

I see Marian about to say something else, her face gaining an expression I could only describe as cold anger, so I reach out and place my hand on her shoulder. Her head turns to me so fast I worry she'll get whiplash, but I offer her my most sincere smile. "Thank you for your help. I would've been lost without you."

Her face turns an interesting shade of pink, and she turns to the table, quickly gathering up the dishes. I guess my honesty must have been embarrassing to her.

I turn to Renamon, smiling warmly. "Since you're good at sneaking around, could you keep an eye on us from above? There should be plenty of buildings to grant you higher ground."

The disguised fox grins and offers a salute, winking playfully. "Can do, partner!"

"I'm not that much of a flirt!" Anis protests behind me.

"Are you sure?" Renamon says, her voice full of surprise.

"Now look here, you furry gremlin…"

I watch the two of them interact, a small smile on my face, when I notice Rapi sidle up to me, her arms by her side yet her hands unclenched but tense. I tilt my head slightly to acknowledge her.

"…I'm sorry."

I blink, confused. "For what?"

"I thought you were a novice, despite how you led us without a single injury among us. I apologize." She bows, her body at a perfect right angle.

Flustered, I raise my hand. "Don't worry about it. We're all entitled to our opinions." I pause as I realize that the others are staring at the two of us.

"He didn't get himself into a tizzy?" Anis says, leaning forward with a small smirk. "This Commander is getting better by the second."

I have no real response to that, so I turn and gesture for Marian to lead the way once everything is packed.

We step outside the store, and Renamon immediately jumps up into the air, bouncing between two buildings until she reaches the roof. She waves down at us, and I wave back to tell her that she's doing a great job.

"Pfft. Show off," Anis grumbles, bending her legs slightly as though testing whether she could do the same. I roll my eyes playfully and start following after Marian.

---

A few minutes pass, and thankfully we come across no Raptures the whole time. We stay ready, guns up just in case one makes it past our overwatch. The tension is thick, as we carefully pick our way closer to the last known location of the Nikkes. It is quite the walk.

Maybe that's why Marian keeps stopping briefly every block or so. Even Anis notices, as she steps up beside her to poke her head into the attendant's view. "Are you okay? You don't look so good."

Marian finally stops walking, touching her head and wobbling slightly. "I don't know what it is, but I feel…"

Rapi steps forward, just as professional as always. "Let me do some maintenance." Now, I may not remember much, but that implies they are at least partially mechanical, right? I consider the implications about how much is needed to be considered human and the ship of Theseus, but my musings are cut way too short by Rapi's next words. "Take off your top."

I jolt as though I touched a live wire, and Marian is not fairing much better, her face turning a vibrant red. "Wh-what?" She stutters, glancing my way. "Right here?"

Anis steps fully in front of her, arms crossed as she regards the brunette with a raised eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"

Still blustering, Marian frantically gestures in my direction. "What I mean is… the Commander's right there!"

Anis lets out a belly laugh, shaking her head at the other woman. "You don't actually think the Commander sees you that way, do you?" She rolls her eyes, gesturing broadly in my general location as though shooing a fly. "Relax. To him we're just emotionless fighting machines." I feel offended by that accusation. They clearly feel just like I do, and I'd have never known they were cybernetically enhanced if they didn't tell me. "The last thing he's thinking of when he sees us is sex, trust me." She looks at me with a wry smile. "Right, Commander?"

My brain promptly short-circuits, and I'm fighting for my life to not imagine these beautiful women in any sort of compromising situation. They are gorgeous, yes, but they are more than just their bodies.

"Well well," Anis says, narrowing her eyes at me the way a lion might look at their next meal, "so you do see us that way! Interesting!"

"Please stop teasing me, Miss Anis," I request, covering my burning face with one hand.

"Promise I get first dibs from your meat," she says, poking my cheek with her finger.

"Deal," I agree immediately, just so I can preserve whatever dignity I have left. "Marian, please let Rapi check you, I don't want to find out the hard way that you are damaged inside."

"Yes, Commander," she says, sounding subdued.

"Good," Anis says, grabbing my shoulders and turning me away from the others. "There. Stay facing this way, Commander."

I nod, a part of my mind insisting that I use View Air to peek. I promptly switch it out for Wind Alteration to remove the temptation.

Respectful guy, aren't you?

Is it wrong to respect people's privacy?

No, but I know there are several men who would've loved to sneak a peek. Or a good long gander.

Those men need to learn self-control. Or at the very least enter into a relationship with her.

Why don't you?

Are you kidding? I'm currently trying to survive out here. The battlefield is not the best place for romance.

I have several romance novels that suggest otherwise!

Right… this is not fiction. This is reality. I am not going to break their trust just so I can satisfy my base urges. I am better than that.

Okay, okay. I won't press further.

Thank you.

"Everything seems okay," Rapi says, cutting my conversation with Nandi short. "Don't turn back around yet, Commander."

"Hey, I saw that!" Anis suddenly says, making me tense in concern. I hear Marian's soft gasp behind me, yet the cat-like grin on Anis's face only grows. "Just kidding!"

"Please don't say stuff that will get me in trouble," I beg Anis, "even if it's just for a joke."

She scoffs, patting my arm as she passes by. "No promises."

Earned the respect of your squad! Gained one Bronze Random Ticket!

…yes, thank you, Nandi. Very helpful. Though I guess it's good they respect me? Why though?

Because you aren't a creep. It's such a bare minimum thing that you only got the bronze.

Thanks? I feel like that's a bit insulting for men, but I guess I'll take the ticket.

"Let's keep moving," Rapi says, marching past me with Marian, who is thankfully completely dressed. I let out a small sigh of relief and move to follow them, hoping that we can get an extraction soon.

As we walk, I consider the bronze ticket currently stockpiled. I consider things for a few seconds before shrugging and letting it spin. I listen to the machine rumble for a bit, keeping an eye out as my cooldown for switching abilities is still active.


[Novice Arms Mastery]

|Uncommon Skill|

You are able to handle all conventional weapons, ranging from knives to swords to axes to polearms to guns to bows to even chained weapons and clubs with basic proficiency, enough to have some familiarity and know how it's used.


…huh. I mean, from what I understand, these weapons are super guns that I can't quite fire without injuring myself, so how useful is this skill, anyways? Normal guns do nothing to the Raptures, so I'm probably going to be stuck in the guiding position for a while yet.

Renamon drops down, her landing somehow not hurting her as she gestures in the direction we are heading. "Several Raptures up ahead. They appear to be waiting for something."

I grimace, taking a deep breath and nodding to my familiar. "Thank you. Would you like to join us?"

"I don't know if I'm strong enough," she admits, looking into the distance, "but I will try."

I smile gratefully, patting her on the shoulder as I turn to the rest of the squad. "Alright, we've got Raptures up ahead."

"Twenty," Renamon supplies.

"A good score of them," I continue, smiling at each of my companions. "Let's show them why we're the ones making it home." I broadly gesture forward, to where the enemy lie in wait.

"Engaging!"

 

[enigmaMystere]

As I direct the others, still limited in my view of the battlefield as Wind Alteration is still in my ability slot, I marvel at how much Renamon is a help to the squad. Sure, her kicks and punches are not doing much damage, but between that and her Diamond Storm (which is enchanted leaves, for some reason), she is perfect for drawing attention away from the girls, who take out the Raptures with surprising ease.

I am no slouch either, making invisible walls of air that block off the smaller arms fire this model fires at us. At one point, a Rapture gets the drop on Marian, and I freeze it by removing the heat in the air around it. With no small amount of satisfaction, I manage to punch the foe that got its lucky strike into pieces, the faceplates and core shattering under my first while the rest of it falls backwards, inert. I look at my fist, grimacing at the small slices across its skin, then promptly ignore it to make sure that Marian is alright.

Defeated a Rapture by yourself! Gain a Gold Random Ticket!

I ignore the message for now and approach Marian as she grips her upper arm. Gently placing my hand on her wrist, I pull it away despite her reluctance to reveal an abrasion where a bullet clipped her hard enough to cause bleeding. Sighing in relief, I pull out another bandage, wrapping the wound before she can lose more blood, or whatever this red liquid is for these enhanced women.

As I finish up, Anis and Rapi come back, as well as a woman I've never seen before. My hands drop from Marian's arm, staring at the stranger for a moment before my eyes light up. "Ah, you must be a new recruit," I say, playing along with the ruse.

The soldier nods, hefting her rifle onto her shoulder as her golden-visored gaze looks into my eyes. My eyes flick upward when the triangular decorations twitch slightly, almost as if they were ears, and I pull my attention back just as she starts speaking. "iDoll Series Model Sun. Nice to meet you."

I smile as I recognize the voice. I look down at her protective gear, then frown as I realize that underneath the bulletproof, pocketed vest was a leotard, her ammo belt the only thing keeping the outfit modest… wait, no, there's the smallest of shorts. I shake my head and address her. "Glad to have you on board." I glance at Rapi, an eyebrow raised. "So is that actual equipment, or did she copy that as well?"

As iDoll Sun wilts upon being found out, Rapi responds, "Renamon found the deceased Nikke, stripped her down to her underclothes, and copied her. We had to put a bandage around where the damage to the neck got replicated, but she now has proper equipment." She glances at the disguised Digimon. "We are not quite sure she can handle the recoil of the gun, however."

I consider Renamon for a little while before nodding, offering her a warm smile. "Well done." I turn away to survey the battlefield, switching out Wind Manipulation for View Air just to make sure that all of the Raptures are down. Once I confirm that the kilometer in every direction is clear, I finally relax, sitting down on the rusted steel of a flatbed trailer. "Alright, I think we're-"

"…do you… copy?"

I blink, hearing a voice in my ears. I reach up and touch the dried blood on my earlobe, grimacing as I scrape it away to find a tiny microphone poking out of a nearly unnoticeable ear bud. Feeling my other ear reveals a matching earbud, and now I understand why the gunfire wasn't deafening me.

"Ark Control to surface. Do you copy? Rapi, Anis?"

Rapi breathes out a response, then presses her hand to her ear. "This is Rapi. Shifty, do you copy?"

"About time we got through!" Says a voice that sounds young, and brings to mind a teenager at her first job. "What's the situation on your end?"

Rapi glances in my direction, as though appraising me, and answers, "The new Commander has arrived. The operational coordinates have been confirmed and we're proceeding as planned." Oh, nothing about my abilities. I guess that the Central Government is a group I'm not supposed to confide in?

For learning discretion is a thing, you get a Bronze Random Ticket.

No need to get snarky, Nandi.

Kidding. I can't give a ticket for that.

Why you-

"Excellent," Shifty chirps, drawing my attention back to the group. "We had quite the scare back there when we lost contact with the transport ship."

Anis draws herself up to full height, crossing her arms and doing her best impression of a scolding older sister. "You took the transport ship straight into the middle of an enemy camp?" She wags her finger in the air at the voice in their coms. "What were you thinking?"

There is a brief pause before Shifty responds, her voice lilting upwards. "What?"

Anis continues berating her, not catching the surprised tone. "It's completely obliterated. With friends like you, who needs enemies?" Hey now, that seems a bit rude.

Shifty takes a moment to respond, the sound of keys clicking on a computer filling the dead air. "…Raptures in that area have no anti-air weapons."

This brings the short blonde's tirade to a halt, staring off into space. "…what?"

Rapi places a hand on her shoulder, taking over the speaking role of our group. "Shifty, can you send me the data for the transport ship's black box?" Her calm tone helps to ground our rising confusion.

Shifty responds almost immediately, pressing keys rapidly once more. "Sure, once I'm done analyzing it. It won't take long."

Rapi gives a single nod, though she does not relax in the slightest. Maybe the idea that a Rapture might not have shot us down is disquieting to her. "Okay, thanks."

"Just a sec." A screen pops up in front of me, much like when I perform rolls in the gacha. Instead of text, however, there is a young woman with blue hair tied up in twin tails and a headset. "Well then… hello, there! I'm Shifty, an operator from the Ark Intelligence Department." Her eyes glance to the side briefly, and I realize that she is still typing. "I will be assisting you throughout the operation from here on out. Nice to be working with you."

I offer her a small smile, even if she can't see me. "I'll be in your capable hands, Miss Shifty."

For a second, I swear that she blushes from the compliment. She perks right up and beams brightly. "Yep!" A red light glints off a screen to the other side, and her gaze quickly turns towards it, her tone returning to professional standards. "High class energy detected ahead, most likely Lord-class."

Anis jumps slightly in surprise, one hand quickly grabbing her grenade launcher. "What? What's something that big doing here?"

Rapi's lips curve down slightly, which I assume would be a heavy frown on anyone else. "I suggest we retreat."

Marian blinks, looking between the two of them, eyes wide with concern. "What about the missing Nikkes?"

Anis shakes her head, looking in the direction we were heading. "We leave them behind." I turn and stare at her, gobsmacked by the lack of concern. "Only 0.2% of Nikkes who go missing are ever recovered." She turns to Marian, who looks thunderously back at her, and points out, "You, of all people, should know these search parties are just for show."

"Well I can't pretend like they don't exist either!" Woah, easy there, Marian, I care too but we are getting nowhere yelling at each other.

I clear my throat, trying to stop any argument before it can begin. I speak the first thing that comes to mind in an attempt to change the subject. "Is a Lord that dangerous?"

Wait, that did not change the subject at all!

Shifty responds anyways, since I did indeed ask the question. "Yes. They are the ones who lead high-level Raptures. Their combat capabilities are unparalleled." I hear beeping through the sound of her mechanical keyboard, and she continues, "Judging from the simulation, our chances of success are high, but there's a high probability of us sustaining heavy losses…" She stares straight into the camera showing her to me, and it feels like her eyes are boring into my soul. "And a 24.35% probability of total annihilation."

Marian, upon hearing the numbers, actually hesitates, turning to me with what's left of her hope. "Commander, should we pull out?"

I consider it for a moment, how those girls must feel, lost, injured, almost certain that no one will be coming for them… I raise my head, my eyes flickering over each of their faces, my mind forcing me to imagine them in the place of those faceless soldiers. I clench my fist, resolve overtaking me. "I don't want to give up on the search."

"Then please give the order," Rapi says, her mouth flattening back into that straight line. "That's all we need. We follow the Commander's orders no matter what."

I furrow my brows, as something about that phrasing rubs me the wrong way. I will be unpacking that later, but for now, there's soldiers to rescue. "Continue the operation," I say, trying to project the facade of someone who has everything under control.

Rapi nods once, her eyes focused on my face. "Yes, Commander."

Anis sighs loudly, drawing my attention to her as she places her hands on her hips. "Commander, you do realize that this could be a suicide mission, right?" I stare right at her, making her take a half step back before she finds the gumption to continue. "So long as our brains remain intact, we Nikkes are no worse off. It's a different story when it comes to humans. You're fine with that?"

I feel my shoulders relax at this information. So they are tougher than they look? That's good. I still refuse to let them be injured in the first place. I nod once, smiling warmly at her. "I'm okay with that. I trust you all."

Anis blinks, then shrugs, her hands moving to grip her weapon once more. "Okay, understood."

Marian sidles up to me as the conversation winds down, looking up at me with a smile. "Commander, please walk behind me. I'll protect you."

I chuckle and pat her on the head before turning to look at Renamon. "Did you have anything to add, Sun?"

She quickly shakes her head, as though taken aback at being addressed. "I'm just a simple Nikke. I have nothing worth adding."

Rapi frowns, gripping Renamon by the arm and walking off to one side, much to her confused protests.

I blink, turning to Anis in confusion. "What was that about?"

She eyes me briefly before turning her head away. "It's not my story to tell."

I groan, but accept the situation. "Alright. I guess I'll just wait until she's ready to tell me." I look at my hand, surprised that it's stopped bleeding, but I guess with how long we have talked it makes sense.

Oh right, maybe that gold ticket can grant healing? I would like to roll it, please. The sound of the wheel fills my mind as I glance over at Rapi and Renamon, who are making their way back over. I wave to them, offering a small smile-


[Orchard]

|Rare Ability|

You are able to create fruits and vegetables out of your own energy. The fruit and vegetables you create are extremely refreshing and can have unique properties depending on your abilities.


-that freezes on my face. This ability… doesn't really seem that useful, right now. I sigh softly, then shrug, figuring I could test it out later, when we aren't about to go into combat. And hey, if nothing else, maybe I can grow trees with Ripen. I check to make sure that Wind Alteration is still in place, and then silently gesture forward so we can see what we're dealing with.

I peek around the corner, a tattered flag covering up enough of my face so I can see the large Rapture without being detected. There, standing several blocks away at about two or three stories tall, was the mechanical creature, two large limbs hanging off the top of its chassis. I nod, then look at the others waiting behind me for my orders.

"Alright, so Rapi and Marian, I want you two finding a vantage point to snipe at its core." I glance at Renamon. "Try to get its attention by peppering it with your diamond storm. We know it won't harm it, but it won't, and will try to target you." I place my hand on her shoulder. "Keep moving. I don't want you getting hurt. Any of you." I let my gaze rest on each of them, focusing on our explosives expert last. "Anis, you have the biggest job."

She raises an eyebrow at me. "And what would that be?"

I give her a sharp grin. "We're going to crack open its shell."

---

Anis and I carefully creep close to our enemy, using conveniently placed broken cars along the sidewalk to avoid its searching gaze. I turn to her, meeting her eyes as she nods back at me, ready to start the assault. I offer her a brief smile before tapping the comms in my ear. "Sun, you're clear to engage."

Barely even a second later, bright white leaves start swarming the Rapture, plinking off the hard metal of its backside. I tense my body, arm already extended to signal Anis when suddenly a blue barrier forms a cylinder around it. My eyes widen in surprise before I bite down on the curse about to leave my lips. I touch my earpiece again. "Sorry, Rapi, Marian, you'll have to hammer that shield for me."

Two streams of gunfire from two different directions strike the hard light, barely making any headway. Not even the leaves are making that much of a difference, aside from making the thing swivel in place, as though not sure where to turn first.

I take a deep breath to analyze the Rapture and its protection, seeing how it extends from the ground to about a meter above its head. A piece of rubble, knocked loose by the cacophony, falls down and lands directly on its head.

Wait a second.

My eyes narrow at the concrete currently resting in pieces on top of the Lord class. Does the barrier only stop bullets? No, it is clearly stopping Renamon's leaves. Does it not block ordinary items? Simple enough to test. I pull out the whole turkey that was stuffed in the bag in my inventory, then use Wind Alteration to form a tube of solid air that will direct it towards the shield. Now for some simple science, one of the odd pieces of my memory that I retained. I drastically increase the density and pressure of the air currently trapped underneath the fowl, then drop the temperature of the air above it briefly to flash freeze the parts it can touch. There, now instead of a potato gun, it's a poultry gun. I chuckle to myself before I let my control of the pressurized air go.

It works exactly as intended. The pressurized air, desperate to expand, shoves the turkey out of the tube at sonic speeds, slamming the bird into the barrier hard enough to form a small crack. The Rapture turns my direction for a pulse-pounding second, but it apparently cannot see me past the busted Ford I am hiding behind.

Holding my breath, I consider the facts before me. The barrier is hard to break. It reaches down to the ground with no visible gaps. It stops everything, yet the big beast was still hit in the head by rubble. Only one conclusion reaches my mind.

"Anis, fire a grenade above the barrier!"

Without a second's thought to process the order, she fires. As it flies, I modify the air around the top half of the Rapture just so. I smile and look up, only for it to drop as I realize that the grenade is going too far. I reach out and twist the air to my whims once more, forming a slide that smoothly catches and redirects the explosive straight down on top of its head.

The explosion is glorious, shattering the barrier as the mass of pure oxygen combusts with the power of ten of Anis's bombs. The monster staggers from the force as parts of the hard outside sloughs off to reveal the core. I promptly point at it and call out to my girls. "Hit it!"

The burst of gunfire nearly deafens me despite the dampening earpieces, but the damage done to the Rapture is more so, shattering its core under several seconds of fire from Nikke weapons. The creature lets out a reverberating cry, lets loose one last stream of bullets, and falls to the ground. We stare for a moment, observing the twitching limbs as they slowly stop moving.

I sigh in relief, my legs giving out to the point I have to hang on to the truck bed to stay upright. "Oh thank God."

The comms come to life as I hear Shifty's voice filter through. "Battle over. Damage report?"

Rapi answers first, like the efficient soldier I've come to know her as. "Minimal damage, all from previous engagements. Sufficient ammo remaining."

Anis pipes up next, almost sounding surprised. "Same here, except I only used a single grenade."

"No damage," Renamon says next, checking her magazine while making sure her gun is pointed at the ground. "Almost out of ammo."

Marian's eyes flash briefly. "Only new injury is from the last stream of bullets, which managed to glance across the left clavicle. Overall damage rate is five percent. Still combat capable." She turns, then jumps as she sees me standing there. "C-commander!?"

I offer her a reassuring smile as I carefully bandage the injury. "You did great. I'm sorry I couldn't keep you completely safe."

"Commander," Anis interrupts, poking her head in from the side, "what on Earth are you doing? That kind of thing is useless to a Nikke."

Marian stares sternly at her, making the slightly smaller woman flinch. "No, it works." She touches her collarbone, her expression softening to a wistful smile. "It feels like I'm being healed… from the inside."

The rest of my squad looks between each other, not quite sure what to make of this. Heck, even I'm not sure what to think of this turn of events.

Wow, and I thought tungsten was dense.

Hey now, that's uncalled for.

Defeat a Lord Class Rapture with help! Gained a Silver Random Ticket!
Use an ability granted in a creative way! Gained a Bronze Trait Ticket!
Upgraded from Marian's crush to Marian's infatuation! Gained a Gold Random Ticket!

…oh. Maybe it was called for.

---

AN: And with that, we're all caught up. Thank you for taking the time to read, so far, and I hope to hear your thoughts!