Matis

.....

After some minutes they begin to wake up.

Laplace:...

Drake:....

Maxwell:....

Eunhwa:...

Rapi:...

Vesti:....

Neon:....

Emma:...

Anis:...

Shifty:....

Varakiel: Hey you, you're finally awake!

Anis: -_- this is not the time to joke around commander…

Varakiel: Hehe, so what happened to you?

Maxwell: We nearly bought the farm back there. our batteries couldn't have picked a worse time to die on us.

Laplace: thanks for sharing those emergency batteries with us.

Eunhwa: you idiots. you didn't bother to check your batteries before coming up to the surface?

Laplace: other than our core, we can also use electricity as auxiliary power. there are more things we need to be concerned about compared to regular nikkes.

Maxwell: The real reason is because we came straight here after finishing another mission.

Anis: isn't that a little reckless?

Varakiel: You know how Syuen is by now, anis.

Maxwell: Yeah it's because Syuen ordered us to follow your squad just right back when we returned.

Drake: Ha! following orders, no questions asked. we might as well be sheeps!

Maxwell: You say something to Syuen then.

Drake: No way, she freaks me out.

Varakiel: I could say something to her.

Drake: Wait, really? you don't care about what she does to you?

Anis: hehe, while she freaks you out, she is freaked out by our commander.

Rapi: anis.

Anis: what? I am right, isn't it?

Maxwell:...ugh.

Laplace: enough, self-control is one of the tenets to becoming a hero.

Varakiel: and protecting the well being of your comrades is one of the laws of becoming a hero and you already broke that law.

Laplace: ehhhh!? b-but the enemy will never wait for us!

Varakiel: Then you are not a hero, you're a martyr, a true hero plans ahead of his enemy, you're too young to become a hero!!

Laplace: I am sorry sensei!

Anis:....what the hell is going on here….

Maxwell:....i don't know exactly.

Varakiel: I am disappointed after this operation. I shall teach you what a true hero is and I don't accept no for an answer!

Laplace: okay sensei!

Drake:.....can i join these classes as well?

Varakiel: Of course.

Drake: Good, to become a villain I need to know how a true hero acts!

Varakiel: alright...so

Maxwell: I am out of this show, what we need are extra batteries, not a training.

Laplace: we mustn't rely solely on our equipment! justice comes from within!

Varakiel: WRONG! The equipment of a hero is as important as its companion! they are a symbol of hope and the consequence the villains will face!

Laplace:....i am sorrrrrryyyy!!

Neon: the commander seems to be really into this hero thing.

Emma: I didn't take your commander as a hero enthusiast.

Drake: What a large weapon you have there…give it to me! right now!

Emma: Sorry, it's not mine to give.

Drake: The thought saddens me.

Eunhwa: everyone shut up. Tell me, why are missilis lackeys like you tailing us?

Maxwell: Syuen ordered us to follow you and provide necessary assistance.

Eunhwa: That's the funniest thing you've said yet. you expect me to believe that?

Maxwell: Oh well, I've always been a terrible liar.

Eunhwa: Why are you here, then?

Maxwell: to collect the heretic fragments.

Rapi:....

Anis: I guess the information got leaked.

Maxwell: more like we uncovered it. missilis has an intelligence department dedicated to absolute. We get reports on what you are doing and your whereabouts. we came to investigate why you were heading in this direction, and we came to the conclusion that this must be the place where you had the clash with the heretics. even the flames have died down. it's rather obvious when you think about it. Syuen sent us after she realized you were after the heretic fragments.

Emma: wow. look how much attention we are getting.

Eunhwa: don't you have anything better to do?

Laplace: hey now, don't sneeze at intel. It's the building block of any solid plan.

Varakiel: Well said, collecting information is the first step to becoming a great hero.

Laplace: yes!

laplace jumps up with a smile.

Maxwell: there's no need to belabor the point. Let's just get some sleep. we've got a long. hard search ahead of us tomorrow.

Eunhwa: hey. don't act like you've joined us or something.

Varakiel: they did, as the commander in charge, Matis is now part of this operation.

Maxwell: Thank you.

Eunhwa:....

Drake: Someone give me a pillow! I can't sleep without one!

Neon: there are pillows in the tents.

Drake: perfect!

Laplace: I'll be on night watch. It's a hero's duty to protect the weak.

Varakiel: no, you go to sleep, I'll keep in night watch.

Laplace: but…

Varakiel: rule number 12 for heroes: never deny your body and mind necessities because that is something a villain can take advantage of.

Laplace: okay!

Anis: so easy to influence…..-_-

...….

all the squads arrive at a bridge….

Anis: think we can cross this bridge?

Shifty: the data shows it being built 20 years ago. Apparently it was the main route for freight vehicles. it might be dangerous with all nine of you. I suggest crossing separately.

Varakiel: Very well, so who is going first?

emma:...

neon:...

Rapi: considering that nikkes-

Emma: rapi you don't have to explain he gets it.

Maxwell: absolute and counters, you go first.

Anis: us?

Drake: If I tell you to go, then go!

Anis: you don't get to boss us around!

Drake: Are you refusing?

Drake says with a sad face.

Anis: you're a real handful -_-

Maxwell: don't be difficult. just go first.

Eunhwa: I'm not turning my back to any of you.

Laplace: everyone stop! we will go first! a hero must be willing to face danger in order to help the helpless!

Varakiel: Well said, it seems you're not misled, just lost.

Laplace: really!? hehe~.

Maxwell: but….but the commander comes with us.

Anis: absolutely not. why?

Maxwell: you could attack us once our backs are turned!

Vesti: w-we are not cowards.

Varakiel: (there's really a issue of trust between nikkes jeez)

Maxwell: I know you wouldn't do such a thing. Vesti. but there is someone that might.

Eunhwa:....tsk.

Varakiel: *sigh* we are wasting time like this, let's go ill go with them.

Rapi: I'm strongly opposed to this.

Varakiel: I'll be fine, you should know better by now isn't it?

Rapi: right….fine.

Varakiel: alright let's move matis.

Maxwell: Great, c'mon we are already wasting a lot of time with this quarrel.

Anis: Are you sure about it Rapi?

Rapi: I think it should be okay, nothing bad should happen…right?

Varakiel: That's a red flag Rapi~.

Anis: ohhh! fingers crossed!

Maxwell: Come on, let's get the show on the road.

Laplace: let's go!

...

Maxwell: We've crossed.

Varakiel: uh i guess Rapi's luck is great today.

Laplace: I…I'm sensing something…there!

*POW-!*

Laplace's cannonballs hit the rapture unit in mid-air. there is a loud explosion, and the remains of the rapture tumbles on top of the bridge.

*bang* *clatter*

the bridge disappears into the crevasse.

Maxwell:....

Laplace:....

Drake: haha!

Varakiel: Now that's a movie worth like explosion.

Maxwell: What the hell are you doing!?

Laplace: I-it wasn't on purpose.

Drake: wonderful! letting them know loud and clear that the fragments belong to us! a majestic display of power, indeed!

Maxwell: this is bad…really bad…if we want to join up with the others, we have to go back 8km!

Drake: Is there something wrong?

Maxwell: everything!

Varakiel: yeah there was only one explosion the ideal would have been two!

Drake: yeah you're right, it wasn't enough. also it's their fault for being so gullible!

Maxwell: We weren't trying to fool them in the first place!

Maxwell: shifty! get in touch with the other party! This was all an accident. We have no ill intentions.

Shifty: uh…the communication line is limited to the vicinity of the commander. there's no way to reach them.

Maxwell: So can you…!

*pew*

There is a loud cracking sound, and Laplace's hair flutters back, a bullet flies past her.

Varakiel: hahaha!, it seems all your operations are full of fun, let me fix this…

Varakiel then takes out a mirror out from his pocket.

Varakiel: if she knows hand language she should know morse…

….

meanwhile on the other side.

Anis: ahhhh!! I knew it! I knew they were up to something!

Rapi:....*sigh*

Neon: the next time i see them i'll use my most powerful shell.

Vesti: uhhhh i trusted them.

Emma: there there Vesti.

Eunhwa: can you shut up! The commander is using morse code, I need to focus.

Anis: oh! So what is he saying? Is he okay!?

Rapi: anis, be quiet.

Anis:....

Eunhwa: "we….were….attack....by…..raptures…..and….one…..of....laplace...cannon…..balls….feel….on…the….bridge..."

Anis: Are you kidding me!?

Eunhwa: shut up there's more…." i….will…proceed….with….matis….you….catch….up…..with….us….on…the….objective….zone….post…..data…..rapi…..don't…..go…..to…..the….casino…..for…..this…..week..."

Neon: Well, at least the commander seems to be okay if he's capable of keeping telling jokes…

Anis: yeah, i honestly admire his guts sometimes -_-

Rapi:....not go to the casino for the week…noted.

Emma: The three of you don't seem to be that worried now….why is that?

Anis: Well, the commander is how I say this, hard to deal with…

Neon: the commander is really well versed with the surface, he said he used to escape a lot when he was in the academy, he can hide from raptures very easily.

Vesti: w-wow really? The commander sounds like a total expert in the field.

Eunhwa: more like a reckless idiot, but i have to admit, i didn't expect him to also know morse, i guess he really is prepared for anything…

Rapi: Well the commander is quite unique….let's move on the sooner we reach the objective the better…

.....

on the other side.

Drake: hahah! yeah stupid idiots, leave! The heretic fragments belong to Matis!

Maxwell: don't provoke them, you moron!

Varakiel: mhm that should do.

Laplace: What did you tell them?

Varakiel: that Syuen has taken me hostage and that she wants the heretic fragments for herself.

Laplace: y-you villain! That's not true! 

Drake: oh? I like that, can you teach me?

Varakiel: haha, i was joking i told them that it was all an accident don't worry.

Maxwell: *phew*....thanks for that uh…

Varakiel: call me commander, or varakiel, whatever you like, also laplace rule 21: think about your actions, a villain can use anything against you, even the things you didn't intend to do. a true villain doesn't want to destroy you, a true villain would destroy everything you have built up, the trust with the people, your dreams everything, so think before doing something! Think of this as your first lesson!

Laplace: ah! i-i-i am sorry sensei!!! I promise I won't do it again!

Maxwell: I don't think I can trust that statement.

Varakiel: see?

Laplace: noooo!!!

...….

...….

Varakiel and Matis' squad kept moving to the operation objective.

Shifty: come in Matis. I keep being contacted by Elysion. They want an explanation for why the mission has been disrupted.

Maxwell: laplace, you explain.

Laplace: please tell them it was an accident. completely unintentional.

Shifty: I keep telling them that but they are still asking for an explanation.

Varakiel: *sigh* Laplace rule number 32: a hero must lie if it's for the well being of its companions, a villain can use the truth you use to hurt others.

Laplace: ah!

Varakiel: shifty, tell them that the bridge was destroyed due to laplace indirect accident by attacking a flying lord rapture.

Shifty: roger.

Laplace: i….uh….

Ingrid: Excuse me.

Varakiel: ingrid?

Maxwell: She's in the operation room? uh.oh…that can't be good.

Ingrid: explain. Why have you disrupted absolute's mission? Am I right in assuming your intentions are nefarious in nature?

Maxwell: no, boss. it's not like that.

Ingrid: do you want to obtain the heretic fragment for Matis alone? or do you just relish in making fools out of the absolute squad? Could you be declaring war against Elysion? or perhaps even intending on destroying us?

Maxwell: She is fuming…we are so screwed.

Varakiel: (I can see where D' wild imagination' comes from now haha…)

Drake: C'mon, where's your backbone?

Maxwell: you try and talk to her then!

Drake: I would, but she's so hard to talk to, y'know?

Maxwell: i hate you so much

Ingrid: I'm afraid this matter cannot be overlooked. I will be making an official report to the central government.

Varakiel: Hey Syuen, I think that's your cue.

Syuen: Shut up, would you?

Shifty: umm…these rooms are typically only meant for one person…

Ingrid: I'm glad you're here. I was just questioning Matis about what they've done.

Syuen: guys. no need to worry. I'll deal with this.

Ingrid: it's precisely because you are always letting them slide that they do things like sabotaging missions.

Syuen: So what if they did? your nikkes just don't cut the mustard. isn't that right, ladies?

Maxwell: well…we can't entirely absolve ourselves from bla…

Syuen: be quiet. I don't want to hear any apologies now or moving forward.

Ingrid: I don't want an apology. just an explanation.

Varakiel: Now now ladies , please we don't need to resort to violence, I'll give you the explanation you want of why they are here, and you Syuen, if you just want to fight you should have found something on missiles!

Syuen: don't you dare call us missiles again you damn piece of-

Shifty then mutes the communication…for 3 whole minutes…

Varakiel: Are you done?

Syuen:....hmph.

Ingrid and Shifty were looking at Syuen with an amazed expression; they had never heard Syuen swear so much to a single person in their lives.

Varakiel: I requested the help of Matis because the pilgrim Snow white informed me that there could be a heretic nearby, and that I should be careful.

Ingrid: a heretic!?

Syuen: a pilgrim!?

Varakiel: yeah, yeah so there you have it i don't need to keep explaining so yeah, Syuen let me bring Matis. now can you please let me do this operation in peace!!? my god!!

Varakiel yells at both ingrid and Syuen.

Syuen:...

Ingrid:...

Laplace: come on, no need to dwell in violence! 

Varakiel: *inhales* *exhales* you're right, now if you excuse i have some fragments to retrieve thank you very much.

Drake: this guy really has the balls to yell to two CEOs directly, wow.

Varakiel then cuts the communication feed…

Maxwell: Are you sure it is okay to be yelling directly to two of the most powerful people in the ark?

Varakiel: 2 things, one: they started it, and two: i have leverage to hold my ground, i am not your regular commander.

Laplace: really?

Drake: What are you then? some kind of super commander? haha.

Varakiel: (you're not wrong) *sigh* but still it surprises me. Syuen does care about the three of you.

Maxwell: Wha…Us?

Varakiel: Mhm, this is the first time I hear Syuen treating nikkes like that.

Maxwell: Well, not to brag, but we are pretty awesome. one thing never changes though.

Varakiel: hm?

Maxwell: the fact that we're nikkes. sure, she values us…for what we can do as nikkes. She knew our battery power was almost depleted. but still sent us up to the surface without a second thought.

Varakiel: oh yeah about that...that might actually have been my fault….

Maxwell: huh? What do you mean?

Varakiel: Well you see… it was a bit long ago, i might have taken a prank wayyyyy too far on her, you know that she was in bed for a week?

Maxwell: yeah, she said she was feeling sick or something like that, what about it?

Varakiel: I might or not have stimulated her tickling sensation with the help of Yuni and Mihara and she was sensitive on her feet for a week…and now she wants to enact revenge on me because of that…

Maxwell:.....what does that have to do with us?

Varakiel: Well, she wants to make my life impossible on my missions and she forced you to come so you use my own batteries….

Drake: Play with fire and you'll burn huh?

Maxwell:...you're a weird commander…

Varakiel: A lot of people always say that to me heh.

Laplace: what kind of villain would do that to someone!?

Varakiel: it was payback….where was i…ah, yes, Syuen does actually look at you with a certain amount of respect, maybe that brat does actually feel alone and created herself a squad of friends, ahahah!!

Maxwell: I doubt it, to her, we're just objects that can get the job done. playthings she can use to show off and bolster her reputation. we don't cross the line or want any more out of it. she's always been this way.

Varakiel: you might be right as well, there's no true answer until she is cornered and shows her true nature.

...