Pilgrim

….

the next morning.

yuni:zzzz…

Varakiel:.....(so adorable~)

Yuni was sleeping on top of varakiel.

yuni:huh…

Varakiel: Hey little one, it's time to wake up.

Varakiel wakes up Yuni with pats on her head.

mihara: oh my gosh! Yuni, get up! you're going to crush the commander!

Varakiel: It's not that bad, I can handle it really.

Yuni:mmm…just 5 more minutes…the commander is so firm…so warm…so comfortable….so….safe.

Mihara:.....

Varakiel: What is it, jealous~?

Mihara: hmph.

Anis:...what's going on here?

Neon: Apparently, Yuni thinks the master makes for a nice pillow.

Rapi:...get up. we have to move out.

yuni: aww…c'mon…just a few more minutes…

yuni then hugs varakiel more tightly.

Varakiel: c'mon yuni we have to complete the operation.

Varakiel then stands up with Yuni still hugging him.

Anis: a bear hug!

Neon: impressive technique!

Rapi:....

...

Outside on the surface, the squad continues with their search for chatterbox.

Anis: mihara.

Mihara: What's wrong?

Anis: seems to me like the commander is running off with your woman. Are you okay with that?

Mihara: heh heh, as long as Yuni is happy, yes.

Neon: they look like father and daughter from this angle.

Rapi:...from the way they walk together, yes…

meanwhile behind them.

Yuni reaches out and holds varakiel hand.

Yuni: heh heh, commander, can I hold it a little harder?

Varakiel: Of course, do your worst.

Yuni grabs varakiel with a very tight pressure.

Yuni: you're so warm, commander, I like it.

Anis: a nikke who enjoys heat? never thought i'd see the day.

Rapi: could her sensors be malfunctioning?

Mihara: That's not it. only through physical contact with someone else…can she ever feel anything. I don't know whether she was like this from the very beginning, or if it has something to do with her ability. Either way, it's made her very….touchy-feely.

Rapi:...

Mihara: This puts off a lot of people, and they end up avoiding her. so you all have quite the peculiar commander.

Rapi: they're not "peculiar"

Anis: far from it.

Neon: it's because they're a good person, it's all.

Mihara:...yeah.

Varakiel: alright yuni let's walk faster so we can finish this operation alright?

Yuni: Okay commander!

Varakiel: good.

varakiel pats her head.

Yuni: heh-heh, that feels really, good commander, keep doing it.

….

some time later.

Rapi:...i don't like the look of this place.

Anis: it's perfect for an ambush

Mihara: Well, that's not good. Do you think we've been led here on purpose?

Varakiel: most probably yes, we're right on his trap….Sniper!

*BLING* 

Varakiel perfectly reflects the laser back to the sniper!

Yuni: commander are you alright!?

Varakiel: I am okay, prepare for combat everyone!

*BLING*

another attack deflected!

Anis: they are after the commander!

Rapi: HO formation! commander! get behind me! you're the one being targeted. just stay close.

Varakiel: Oh brother, since when I became a celebrity.

not knowing when that chatterbox will appear varakiel decides to not show his capabilities yet.

Varakiel: Alright, HO formation now!

Rapi: Yes, commander.

Anis: formation complete.

Neon: firepower charged to 100%!

Mihara: Go!

Rapi: Engaging!

...

Rapi: enemy neutralized.

Mihara: We make a pretty good team, don't you think?

Yuni: Yeah, they're pretty cool. so is the commander.

Mihara: It feels good being part of a bigger team.

Anis: yeah. rapi, what do you think?

Rapi: That decision isn't mine to make.

Anis: But surely you must have your own thoughts on the matter?

Rapi: i…can't trust them that much…yet.

Mihara:....

...

Yuni: Hey, commander! That was awesome.

Varakiel: Hehe, thank you yuni.

Varakiel pats her head.

Yuni: heh-heh

???: found them.

Varakiel: Squad ready!

Varakiel turns around and….see a horrifying smiley face staring back at him.

Rapi:...!!

Mihara:...who are you…!?

???: i was going to have some fun with you before I killed you. Today's my lucky day!

Neon: H-he's talking?

Anis: isn't he a rapture?

Varakiel: "chatterbox" *chuckle* a fitting name indeed.

Rapi: commander..!

Varakiel: anis, neon stop rapi!

Anis: w-what!?

Neon: r-roger!

Neon quickly grabs rapi who was trying to run to varakiel.

*bang*

thanks to that neon stopped rapi from being hit by the foot of chatterbox!

Yuni: mi-mihara! that foot!

Mihara: That really is chatterbox!

Chatterbox: don't move. Can you help me figure out who this is in front of us?

Anis: you…!

Mihara:...

Mihara starts to glow with blue light.

She then tears her abdomen apart.

with a bam, chatterbox rumbles slightly.

Chatterbox: argh…!

Mihara: yuni.

yuni: yep, it's been turned off.

*sizzle*

Chatterbox: my eyes…? is my vision blocked!?

Mihara: It should be easy to finish him off now, huh?

Varakiel: rapi, anis. neon engage!

R,A,N: Roger!

….

Mihara: he's putting up a bigger fight than i thought he would 

Anis: he seems to be slowing down. I think he's just about done for.

Mihara: ha ha, let's speed it up then!

Chatterbox: exchanging senses…

*crack*

with a heaving grunt, chatterbox tears off his arm.

Mihara: what!?

*crack crack*

Chatterbox is violently tearing his body apart and tossing chunks of flesh onto the ground.

Chatterbox: ha ha ha! It's delightful! destroying my own body…it's bliss! ha ha ha! Come now! feel the pain as your flesh is torn asunder! Let me see how long you can last! human impostors!

Varakiel:!!! Mihara turn off your exchanging senses, this is an order!!

Mihara: aghhh! r-roger!! *cough* ah…!

Mihara kneels on to the ground feeling great pain

Yuni: mi-mihara! I'll kill you!

Varakiel: Yuni, take away Mihara! this is an order!!

Yuni suddenly stops charging at chatterbox

Yuni: b-but commander, mihara…

Varakiel: Mihara is still okay, take her to a safe place quickly!

Yuni: r-ro-roger!!

Yuni then walks back to Mihara and takes her to a safe place.

Chatterbox: impressive, you seem to have some experience, human, hehehehe.

*creek creek*

Chatterbox instantly repairs himself.

Anis: self-repair!? raptures can do that?

Chatterbox: humans, join me. lend me your ear. I mean you no harm.

Varakiel: *chuckle* yeah sure, no thanks, not in a listening mood.

Chatterbox: So be it. no matter. Even if I have no limbs, my functions remain unaffected.

Chatterbox smiles creepily.

At that moment, rapi appears between varakiel and chatterbox.

Rapi: you're not going anywhere.

Chatterbox: what's this? the impostors trying to get in my way?.....

Chatterbox looks at rapi.

Chatterbox: ha ha, i see. you're a fairy tale model, yes? red riding hood, i believe.

Rapi: shut up.

Varakiel: (hahaha, i knew rapi couldn't be your average nikke, i wonder who anis and neon are then, it would be fun to find out~!)

Chatterbox: ha ha ha! It really is my lucky day!

Rapi: Commander…I'll buy you some time. Just go! get out of here!

Varakiel:.....(i know they will be okay, that guy wants me…hm…and i want answers so…but first) no if we fight, we fight together.

Rapi: no, i know you have some abilities but this is something you can't deal wit-

*whew*

*bam*

Varakiel is suddenly in the sky.

Varakiel: ( oh well that actually helps, thanks chatterbox, i promise i won't be too cruel with you..a lot muahaha!)

*bam*

Varakiel then lands back into the ground…

Varakiel: (well time to put those acting skills to play…)!! Well, my leg is broken. I guess I am not going anywhere.

Rapi: commander!

Anis: You'll pay for that!

Chatterbox: oh, how i hate it when they try and slink off like that.

Varakiel: alright chatterbox, you got me, it seems you want me, let them go and i'll go without a fight.

Rapi: c-commander!

Anis: commander you can't give up like that!

Neon: master…

???: That's very kind of you.

*Bang*

A gaping hole appears in chatterbox's body.

Chatterbox:!!

Rapi: An anti-ship rifle..?

Varakiel: (oh fuck that's an anti-ship rifle!!)

???: just leave it to me.

*bang* *bang*

Chatterbox: argh….A Pilgrim..!?

???: begone, you blasphemous creature.

Varakiel then looks at the mysterious nikke.

Varakiel: (lily?)

Lily: ( pilgrim nikke snow white, one of the few nikkes that roam the surface to destroy any rapture they find.)

Varakiel: ( snow white…that name truly suits her…)

*bang*

Chatterbox: the repair function can't keep up…damn..!..

chatterbox suddenly disappears.

???:...go home.

the mysterious figure begins to walk away….

Varakiel: before you go…thank you, snow white.

Snow white:....!

Snow white nods then disappears.

Anis: commander do you know that nikke?

Varakiel: she's snow white a pilgrim.

Rapi: anis! neon! take the commander to somewhere safe!

Varakiel: There's no need…

Varakiel suddenly stands up with his visibly broken leg

Anis: c-commander!

Varakiel: just a second.

Then he turns it in the right direction!

*CRACK*

Neon: master what are you doing!?

Varakiel: [heal]

Then suddenly the swollen leg turns back to normal in the blink of an eye.

Anis: what!?

Varakiel: anis, is called magic.

Neon: right, master has magic!

Rapi:....right, the commander is not normal….

…..

The squad then goes to mihara and yuni hideout.

Rapi: Mihara seems to be okay, despite all the pain she suffered….commander are you sure you are okay?

Varakiel: Of course, Rrpi, is magic, magic can do literally anything.

Anis: Can it create money?

Varakiel: Well I can create things to sell for credits so yeah.

Neon: can it create firepower?

Varakiel: There's a lot of firepower in magic.

Rapi: Stop, we need to focus.

Varakiel: But still Mihara needs proper assistance.

Anis: yeah it'll take too long to head back the way we came.

Neon: communications have been cut off. we can't call in a transport ship.

Anis: plus…

Anis looks at Mihara and yuni.

Anis: those two are unable to fight for now. In other words, half of our squad is unable to fight.

Mihara:...sorry.

Varakiel: don't worry Mihara, all that matters is that you're okay, alright.

Varakiel crouches down and pats mihara.

Mihara:.....thank you commander…

a very warm feeling goes inside mihara.

Yuni:...sorry.

Varakiel: It's okay, don't worry.

Varakiel then pats Yuni too.

Varakiel: If it wasn't because I don't want raptures to know my true capabilities yet, I promise I would have dismembered that chatterbox for what he did to mihara.

Yuni: really?

Varakiel: really!

yuni: heh-heh the commander really is cool.

Anis: what should we do? should we risk it and light up a beacon?

Rapi: No. We need to keep moving forward.

Anis: Are you serious?

Rapi: there's a large radio tower nearby that should have a direct line to the ark. Let's make our way there.

Anis: how long will that take?

Rapi: I'm not sure. Normally it would take 2 hours.

Varakiel: But right now all the raptures will be on high alert thanks to chatterbox, so let's say it would take half a day.

Rapi: That's true…so commander should we do this?

Varakiel: I don't see any issue, thanks to snow white, chatterbox will remain hidden so it's better to take the chance.

Anis: you're right commander! The longer we take, the more chances chatterbox finds us again.

Neon: master is really perceptive as ever.

Rapi: very well, no time to waste.

Varakiel: Can you walk now Mihara?

Mihara: don't worry commander, I am well-versed in dealing with pain too.

Varakiel: good and you Yuni, are you okay?

Yuni: I am fine commander…I was a little scared about Mihara before…thank you for ordering me to protect her…

Varakiel: It's okay, after all I am here to make sure you make the good decisions~.

Yuni: heh-heh.

...

...

Mihara:...

Yuni:...

Anis:...

Neon:...

Rapi:....

Varakiel: anyways have yo-

Anis: Just what exactly was that thing?

Neon: I've never heard of raptures that could speak.

Mihara: Your guess is as good as mine. I thought we were being ordered to capture a special rapture, not some organism that none of us have ever seen before.

Neon: was that even a rapture.

Anis: Then there was that other nikke, how did you call her commander? Snow white?

Varakiel: mhm, she's a pilgrim nikke, they seem to roam the surface fighting against any rapture they find.

Anis: I'm starting to think we're not the only ones involved in whatever's going on here.

Mihara:...there is so much to report and so much to ask after we get back.

Anis: So you don't know anything?

Mihara: Unfortunately, no.

Anis: I'm afraid of going back now…

Varakiel: Relax, nothing wrong is going to happen to any of you, I will not allow it, all of you worked really hard today.

Mihara: This guy really is weird…

Yuni: and fun, mihara.

…..

the squad reaches the comm. tower.

Rapi: Let me try to get through to the ark. anis, neon keep your eyes peeled.

Anis: okay.

Neon: roger.

Anis and neon leave.

Mihara:...*exhale*

Yuni:...*exhale*

Mihara and Yuni exhale.

Mihara: We let Chatterbox get away.

Yuni: I'm sorry…I was useless back there.

Mihara: a rapture retrieval squad that can't even catch a rapture..

Yuni: Are they going to discard us?

Varakiel: Relax, I will not allow such a thing, and if Syuen decides to discard you, I have a ton of information to fight her with.

Yuni: Really commander…I won't leave mihara's side?

Varakiel: I promise, with my life.

Yuni then hugs varakiel.

Varakiel: is okay little one, nikkes give their life for me, i would be a worse than trash if i didn't do the same.

Yuni: commander…thank you.

Mihara: You realize she is the CEO of missilis right?

Varakiel: And I am the last hope of this world and now, the guardian of nikkes, if she wants to do anything to you it should be over my body.

Mihara: ….no wonder your squad trusts you a lot….thank you commander, but i am sorry if i sound hypocrite to ask but how exactly are you doing that?

Varakiel: Well in fact….i am going to reveal a secret to you, but this must not be revealed to anyone, not even Syuen understood? it won't put me at risk but it can give me a ton of problems.

Varakiel then takes two bullets with a grey tip on them.

Varakiel: this is called vapaus alfa…

Mihara: vapaus alfa?

Yuni: what does it do?

Varakiel: it disables the nanomachines ability in your body to memory wipe you.

Mihara: what!?

Yuni: t-that can't be true…

Varakiel: is true, believe me, so this is what are you going to do, i shoot you with them, they can't wipe your memory, and when they do, because i know that they will do so just act like you not know anything, i bet is not the first time your memories have been wiped so it should be easy for you.

Mihara: That's true actually…

Yuni: Wow, then let's do it Mihara.

Mihara: but i am curious why only the memory wipe function?

Varakiel: there's a the normal version than deactivates the nanomachines completely, but that also means that a nikke is able to die once, I don't want that.

Yuni: Does that mean that nikkes can die with the normal version?

Varakiel: Indeed, but don't worry this version only deactivates one function, believe me.

Yuni: i-i believe in you commander.

Mihara: if yuni says so…go ahead commander.

Varakiel then charges one bullet on a pistol 

*bang* 

He shoots at Yuni's hand.

Yuni: ow, it stings.

*click* 

Varakiel then loads the other one.

*bang* 

Mihara: hm..i didn't feel anything.

Varakiel: The effects are immediate, so don't worry, just act like your memory was wiped and you're good.

Mihara: Well thank you commander…..i am just curious do you have another version for the other functions of the nanomachines?

Varakiel: Are you talking about the obeying all orders and the no killing humans function?

Mihara: Indeed, if you made something like that you should destroy it immediately.

Varakiel: don't worry I haven't created such a thing, if a nikke I know wants a human dead I will do it myself~.

Yuni: commander don't say something like that it's scary…

Varakiel: Hehe, I am sorry yuni.

Varakiel pats Yuni's head.

Yuni: heh-heh.

Varakiel: And remember if Syuen discards you tell me, you're free to come to my outpost, I will receive you with my arms open.

Mihara:....thank you commander.

Yuni: Thank you!

Rapi: commander.

rapi suddenly speaks to varakiel.

Rapi: I've gotten through to shifty. 

Varakiel: perfect!

rapi: i briefed her on the current situation, she says she wants to talk to you. here….good luck.

rapi says with a sour smile.

Varakiel: yellow. 

Shifty: what in the world do you think you're doing!?

Varakiel: shifty is nice to finally see you again~!

Shifty: you went to the surface without filling a report? have you lost your mind!? not only that, but you brought nikkes with you? These are all serious crimes punishable by law!

Varakiel: Now before you yell at me again, this operation was enforced by the CEO of missilis Syuen, she said she would kindly fill the report.

Shifty: Syuen? you mean director Syuen?....i see. i'm sure something must have happened to that report. ill make a report about it to mr. andersen. so what's the situation on your end now?

Varakiel: well, two nikkes are unable to fight right now, one due to extreme pain and the other due to psychological trauma.

Shifty:...and are you okay commander?

Varakiel: Well, I stepped on a nail and it almost went through my boot. Does that count as an injury?

Shifty: *sigh* There's a runway 10 minutes from you by foot. I'll send a transport ship out there. regardless, you'll face the consequences of your actions upon your return. This is no small matter.

Varakiel: Hehe, nice to see you too, shifty, thank you.

Shifty: just come back here safe and face your punishment!...*cof* That's all for now.

*click* 

the communication is cut off.

Varakiel: Well, let's go.

Rapi:...roger.

….

*beep*

Varakiel: hm? is it syuen again?

—-

Syuen

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

Argh!

you mother….

ah ha, i can use this!

Ah!

you're probably loving this, aren't you? you're making a complete fool out of me!

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

what the hell were you thinking getting in contact with the ark!?

thanks to you, the entire ark knows about this!

"A commander lost their marbles and went above ground without fitting a report. and syuen seems to be connected somehow."

how do you plan on explaining this?

Varakiel

Explain what?

Syuen

I wanted to keep this a secret, but you've gone and ruined it!

i'm losing my mind over here

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

and you were injured?

anything you can tell me about chatterbox's tracks?

Varakiel

We engaged in combat with him.

Syuen

you doifd!?

you did!?

are you sure?

Varakiel

very sure

Syuen

listen

not a word of this to anyone

if you do, that little terrorist attack you were plotting goes public

tell those hunks of junk to keep their mouths shut as well

not a word from any of you 

not a single peep

you got that?

Varakiel

and not a single harm to mihara and yuni, or it might slip away from me that a certain CEO experiment revealed the location of the ark to raptures, i been clear?

Syuen

ARgh you, you…

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

….

fine…

if you like those failures so much then you can have them.

Varakiel.

 what?

Syuen

they will become your issue now after you come back they will be assigned to your squad i don't need them anymore.

Varakiel

you won't dare.

Syuen

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

you'll see i am not the CEO of missilis for nothing!

Varakiel

…..fine

but also don't forget the 10m and remember by the end of the week~.

Syuen

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

Varakiel

is nice to make deals with you Syuen bye~

Syuen

[Inappropriate language detected unable to send SMS]

—-