Chapter Text
*Rat-atat-tat!*
*Whhhhhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrrrr*
The chaotic cacophony echoed throughout the barren wasteland; the once quiet plains stirred by gunfire. Like a pack of wolves, the Raptures surrounded their prey, firing salvo after salvo of piercing-hot lasers. Barely clinging on behind a series of wreck cars, a young Commander cowered behind the debris.
‘This was not how it was meant to go…’ The terrified youth thought to himself. ‘This was all WRONG!’
He had been one of many whom the Ark’s propaganda had swept up. You’ll reclaim the surface, they said. It’ll be an easy task, they also said. And like a moth to a flame, he had been drawn in.
Now here he was, fighting not to reclaim the surface, but for his very life. Thankfully, however, he was not alone. For fighting beside him were the NIKKE, named after the Greek Goddess of Victory.
Taking positions behind the tattered wrecks, the NIKKE engaged the Raptures, fighting with legendary courage. They were the last champions of humanity, ones they needed, but certainly not deserved…
“Target acquired!” A Soldier EG barked out loud, aiming with her assault rifle and firing at a trio of Salver’s. Distorted whirring filled the air as the Raptures crashed onto the arid dirt with a *crunch*. Reloading her weapon, the Soldier EG poked her head from the wreck an—
*Tink*
A stray bullet bounced off the rusted car frame, narrowly missing her head. Yet she barely flinched at all; even the most minor spurts of fear could prove fatal. Her composure maintained; she continued firing upon the scourge of humanity.
Lifting his head from his hands, the young Commander peered at his NIKKE and watched. They… even in such a dire situation, they refused to give up. He could feel a second wind coursing within his heart. All the bravado and machismo the Ark drilled into him during his time at military academy came crashing back like a tidal wave.
He combed his greasy blond hair before re-adjusting his officer’s cap. “Sorry for my brief cowardice.” The Commander turned to his NIKKE. “Now, let’s show these demons what humanity’s capable of!”
A quick cheer escaped the NIKKE’s mouths as they instigated a counteroffensive. Emerging from the wrecks, they ran toward the Rapture’s position whilst firing. They bobbed and weaved through the terrain, gunning down all the Thrashs in their way. And like fish in a barrel, the mechanical monstrosities were decimated. Debris littered the battlefield as the Raptures fell one by one. But like a swarm of locusts, their numbers quickly replenished. For all the might the NIKKE possessed, they were outmatched by the sheer numbers of their enemy.
“Enemy Sparrow ahead!” an iDoll Flower pointed at a small quadrupedal Rapture behind an overturned truck. Serving as medics of the Rapture army, their destruction was prioritized over all the other Minion-class Raptures. Its body glowed a cool, grassy green that enveloped nearby Raptures, slowly repairing the damage they sustained. Hoisting her heavy rocket launcher, the iDoll Flower aimed and…
*Pfffffffft*
*Ka-Boom!*
A loud explosion filled the air as chunks of dirt & debris were flung everywhere. The burnt scraps of metal littering the ground indicated that the Sparrow was no more.
“Target cleared!” The Commander grinned victoriously while pumping his fist. “Now to mop up the stragglers.”
“Right!” A Product 12 chimed before turning to the other NIKKE. “Time to move out everyo—”
*Pffffft-tow*
*Booooooom!*
A large laser beam appeared out of nowhere and obliterated Product 12’s head, popping it like a rotten tomato. Stunned silence overcame the Commander as his NIKKE’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground, crackling electricity emanating from the severed wires. Fear gripped his heart once more…
I’m gonna die…
I’m gonna die…
I’m gonna die…
I’m gonna die…
“I don’t want to die!!” He curled into a ball and began trembling behind the wrecked car. His NIKKE was also paralyzed by fear, overwhelmed by the loss of their comrade-in-arms. They both hid behind a second-wrecked car, quietly awaiting their inevitable demise.
0000
“Target spotted!” Product 08 peered through the scope of her rifle at the trio. “Status: One NIKKE down, minimal injuries on everyone else. Package appears to be in good condition.”
“And the Raptures?” A voice approached from behind as the sniper turned to face her Commander.
“Sizable. 18 Thrash’s, 21 Minions, and a Driver-class Rapture.” Product 08 peered through her scope once more. “Odds of success 78%”
“I like those odds…” His bright blue eyes twinkled with determination. Though not the best odds out there, it was certainly the best he could expect on the surface. “That Driver’s the only troublesome Rapture. Take it out, and the rest will be a breeze.”
He then turned toward the NIKKE he trusted above all else, one who’d been with him from the very beginning. Comfortably nested atop a nearby rock was a NIKKE of unparalleled beauty. Her calm orange eyes gazed quietly at the violin in her hands, burning with the flickers of musical passion. Her short, shoulder-length greyish-white hair was nestled comfortably underneath the billowing white hood adorned with roses.
Her outfit, though not suited for battle, suited her perfectly. The matching white crop top and micro shorts clung to her elegant figure. White thigh-high socks hugged the NIKKEs' long legs, contrasting well with her black boots. This was topped off by a pair of long white gloves that reached just underneath her shoulders.
“Julia?” The Commander spoke quietly, snapping the violinist from her peaceful playing.
“Yes, Conductor?” She spoke in a soothing, almost ethereal tone of voice.
“I need you to sneak from behind and take out the Driver. I’ll join up with the other Commander and take out the rest.” He issued an order before resting his hand atop Julia’s exposed shoulder. “I know you can do it.”
A small smile grew on Julia’s immaculate lips. “We shall perform a duet they’ll never forget.”
Satisfied, the Commander turned his attention toward the rest of his squad. “Alright everyone, follow me!”
“Encounter!” Product 08 declared with iDoll Ocean & Soldier OW approaching their Commander. Brimming with confidence, the Commander hastily rushed down the hill to rescue his brother-in-arms. He bobbed and weaved through the wrecked cars as silently as possible, managing to avoid detection from the Raptures. Now in position, he gestured at iDoll Ocean & Soldier OW to get into position. Weapons raised, the duo aimed and…
*Rat-atat-tat! Rat-atat-tat!*
Bursts of SMG fire struck the Rapture’s left flank, taking out several Thrash’s. Confused whirrs emanated from the creatures as they turned toward their new foes.
“Allied reinforcements coming from our right!” Soldier EG called out loud to her Commander, who was still paralyzed with fear. Yet her words shattered that fear…
Lifting his head, the rookie Commander peered over the burnt car wreck. Scrambling for his binoculars, he peered at the newcomers to gauge their identity. “N-No way!” His eyes grew wide in surprise. “I-Is that…”
0000
“Product 08!” The Commander called out behind him. “What’s Julia’s situation?”
Nestled on a small ridge overlooking the area, she peered through her scope. “So far so good. The Driver doesn’t know she’s there.”
“Good!” A smile graced his lips. “Provide covering fire for us. The Minions are about to engage.”
She gave a silent nod of confirmation before aiming at the small group of Frisbees floating toward her comrades. Holding her breath, she peered through her scope before slowly squeezing the trigger.
*Crack!*
The first Frisbee was struck in the center and hurtled toward the ground. Spotting the sniper, the remaining Frisbees aimed and fired at her. But their lasers harmlessly bounced off the rusted car frame. Poking her rifle through the passenger side window, Product 08 continued to carefully fire at the enemy.
*Bang, Bang, Bang*
One by one the Frisbees fell onto the ground, their bodies shattering upon hitting the earth. With their air support obliterated, the Raptures had lost the initiative for good. Now it was time to put the nail in the coffin.
Unbeknownst to them, Julia had managed to get close to the Driver; amber-colored eyes sized up the Elite-class rapture. Amongst the lower-class Raptures, Drivers possessed some of the most potent firepower. But their lack of mobility and poor defenses made them glass cannons best suited to support other Elite-class Raptures and above. In other words, it’ll be a cakewalk for Julia.
Aiming with her assault rifle, she fired at the Driver’s exposed core. The glowing red orb was easily shattered by the relentless firepower as a distorted whirr escaped from the artillery piece. The damage quickly became too much, and the Driver soon exploded, sending shrapnel all over the place.
“Ah!” Julia managed to duck in time to avoid the debris, yet a cloud of dust blew over her body. Dirt and grime coated her once pristine outfit, yet she wasn’t phased by it at all. With the dust settling down, she peered over the rock and gazed at where the Driver once stood. Burnt metal and wiring littered the area, alongside a few small Rapture Cores that only sustained minor damage. Her Conductor will be most pleased with this outcome.
Turning her head, Julia spotted Product 08 and gave her the ‘all-clear’ gesture. Nodding in confirmation, the sniper aimed and continued firing at the remaining Raptures. By this point, the battle was all but won; Soldier OW and iDoll Ocean were mopping up the few remaining Vulcans, effortlessly dispatching the Raptures.
“All clear!” Soldier OW declared upon killing the last Rapture.
“Well done, everyone!” The Commander beamed at his squad before turning toward the approaching Julia. “Excellent work dealing with that Driver!”
“It was a most wonderful performance from us all.” Julia chimed with humble pride.
The Commander responded with a nod of agreement. “Now then. Let’s check up on the survivors.”
He emerged from his cover and began approaching the terrified Commander, only for his eyes to widen. He recognized that greasy blond hair anywhere… “J-Joshua?!” The Commander ran toward his brother-in-arms, leaping over a bullet-riddled car frame.
“Charles?” The now-named Joshua lifted his head toward the man who saved him. “Charles, it is you! Oh, what a sight for sore eyes!”
The two squads briefly united with one another as Charles helped Joshua off the ground. “Thank goodness you’re alright. Those Raptures nearly got the better of you!”
A deep sigh of relief escaped the young Commander. “I thought I was a goner at first.” Sweat poured down Joshua’s forehead. “The academy never told us things were going to be this hard…”
“I don’t think they taught us anything besides the basics. Even then, it was a slapdash job…” Charles muttered those words under his breath. Criticism against the Central Government was… frowned upon, so to speak. Especially if they came from a Commander. Nevertheless, it was a fact that most Commanders were given a poor education. Speaking of which…
“What’s the cargo’s status?” Charles gently shifted the conversation.
Joshua turned his head and glanced at the metal crate nestled beside him. “It’s all there. Dunno why the Ark needs these gems so badly. They look really pretty through…” He approached the crate and gently pushed the lid, revealing a trope of sparkly blue gems. They twinkled with an indescribable light, like stars nestled within the night sky. “I wish I could take one home for myself; might be worth a pretty penny.”
“You know how pedantic the Central Government can be Joshua.” Charles reminded his colleague, arms folded over his chest. “They’ll kill you if they suspect you’ve pilfered from them. Or worse, dumping you off in the… Outer Rim.” He shuddered upon saying the words ‘Outer Rim’.
A mild scoff of disappointment escaped Joshua as he tossed the crystal back inside. “Man, what happened to you, Charles? You’ve grown to be quite the bootlicker…”
The olive-complexion man casually reclined against the crate. “It’s my duty as a Commander to act out their will. Fighting to reclaim the surface and keeping the peace within the Ark, what could be better than that?”
Joshua knew that it would be futile to continue arguing so he dropped it. “Anyway, I gotta bring this crate back to the Ark.” He gestured at Soldier EG and iDoll Flower to lift the heavy crate. “Thanks for the save, Charles. I owe you one.”
“Ah, it’s not needed. I’m just doing my duty.” Charles airily waved his hand while watching the NIKKE hoist the heavy crate into their arms. “Wait, what about you fallen NIKKE?”
“Hmmm?” Joshua tilted his head in inquiry as Charles pointed at the headless body of Product 12. “Ah, it’s no biggie. I can always ask for a new one.”
The response didn’t come as a surprise to Charles; most Commanders saw their NIKKE as replaceable weapons. A fact that was drilled into them at the academy. It was a stance he didn’t quite agree with; there were less than 10,000 NIKKE within the entirety of the Ark. With numbers this small, every NIKKE was irreplaceable. But it was no use convincing him otherwise…
“Soldier OW, iDoll Ocean!” Charles turned toward his NIKKE. “I need you to bring your comrade’s body back with us. We may be able to salvage something from her.”
“Understood!” iDoll Ocean saluted her superior officer as she & Soldier OW crouched to lift the headless body. Strained grunts escaped the NIKKE’s mouths as they struggled to hold onto the body.
NIKKE were fucking heavy; more than twice the weight of an ordinary human. Charles wasn’t quite sure why they weighed so much, all that armor plating, perhaps? What he does remember was witnessing a colleague of his order his NIKKE to sit on his face.
It took weeks to clean the blood and gore out of the pavement…
Shuddering to himself, Charles wiped the memory from his brain before taking out his phone. Dialing in a certain number, the screen flickered to life as the visage of a bubbly, blue-haired girl appeared. “The Mission’s a success! Commander Joshua Phelps and the cargo have been successfully rescued!”
“Another successful mission.” Shifty cheerfully scribbled a few notes on her tablet. “You’re on a roll, Commander Alvinczi!”
“Only because I have the best operator watching over me!” Charles beamed brightly at the young girl.
“Ah, t-thank you!” The compliment was unexpected, but it made Shifty’s day. Her scribbling picked up in pace as the Operator hastily jotted down some more notes. “Any casualties sustain—oops!” The stylus flew out of her grip from her hasty writing.
“None from my squad, but Phelps lost one of his NIKKE during the firefight.” Charles briefly glanced back at Product 12’s body. “I’m bringing it back to the Ark. It would be a waste to just leave it here.”
“Understood.” Was all Shifty said as she managed to retrieve her stylus.
A casual smile formed on Charles’ face. “It’ll take us at least 12-15 hours to make it back to base. Any pockets of Alva particles to look out for?”
Shifty began typing away at the keyboard before her, eyes taking in the sudden flood of data coming in. “All clear!” She beamed brightly. “Alva Particle concentration at 0.7%”
“Thanks, Shifty. I’ll get in touch with you tomorrow!” Charles flashed her a thumbs-up before ending communications. Pocketing his phone, he turned his attention toward his squad once more.
“Alright everyone, we’ll rest up once we’ve crossed the river 10 kilometers to the south. Afterward, it’s a straight shot to the Ark!” He informed his squad with clear and precise orders. “Product 08, you’re on scouting duties once more!”
“Roger!” The sniper called out before getting into position ahead of the squad. With everyone now ready, they began the trek over the desiccated plains. What was once lush grasslands was now a barren wasteland. No birds… no bees… not even the cockroaches made this place home. All that populated it were smoldering car wrecks, filled with the bleached skeletons of those who couldn’t make it into the Ark. It was a depressing sight, too depressing for Charles to handle.
“Julia.” He inquired politely to the NIKKE by his side. “May I hear one of your excellent performances?”
“Certainly.” She beamed with pride over the request, taking out her violin-assault rifle hybrid. “What would you like for me to play?”
“Something uplifting. Anything to keep my mind off this wasteland.” Charles requested. With a calm nod of approval, Julia rested the violin within her arm and began playing a cheerful melody. It was exactly as he had hoped for; a gentle tune that revitalized the spirit. A soft hum escaped Charles’ mouth as he began walking to the beat of Julia’s song. As for the violinist herself, she was caught up in the rhythm as well, walking in beat with her Commander.
“She’s so incredible…” Soldier OW spoke quietly so as to not disrupt Julia’s playing. “Mastery over music and warfare? What an aspiring role model.”
“It’s no wonder the Commander places a lot of trust within her.” iDoll Ocean added with equal admiration, only for a sigh to escape her mouth. “These later model NIKKE are so lucky…”
“I know what you mean.” Soldier OW replied in return as she too uttered a sigh. “I wish I was unique…”
“Maybe one day our wish will come true. The Commander treats us nicely, I’m sure he’ll agree to our request.” iDoll Ocean’s tone took a more optimistic tone.
“Something the matter back there?” Charles called out to the duo as Julia briefly ceased her playing.
“Ah, nothing Commander!” The two Mass-Produced NIKKE replied quickly. Though initially confused, Charles opted to brush it off and continue walking. Julia quickly resumed her playing as though nothing happened, a testament to her skill as a violinist. It would prove to be a long, yet overall peaceful trip back to the Ark.
The Next Day
A quick sigh escaped Charles’ mouth as he quietly reclined atop the chair. While satisfied with the mission’s success, he was utterly bored by the waiting. He couldn’t go in and report his success to the Deputy Chief. No, he had to sit with his thumb up his ass while the Central Government processed everything.
For all the good they’ve brought, their obsession with meaningless bureaucracy was tedious…
So, Charles was content with mulling over the stray thoughts in his mind. Starting with his squad, of course. He was more than satisfied with their performance the other day. For as sparse as their numbers were, they fought with valor and courage. Product 08 was the perfect scout, spotting enemy movements from miles away and taking out aerial Raptures with ease. Soldier OW oversaw the squad's logistics, supplying the others with more than enough ammo needed for their mission. And iDoll Ocean’s skills in medicine kept the squad in tip-top condition.
And then there was Julia, the crown jewel of his squad. Her movements were elegant. Her willpower is unwavering. She attacked with the grace of a melody, fueled by the unbridled fury of an orchestra. Charles was immensely lucky that he got to skirt the rules a little regarding squad designation.
Normally, a Commander wouldn’t be given the same squad more than twice in a row. The exact reason was unknown, but it was stated that repeated interactions usually lead to the Commander’s death. But as Charles had proved himself to be more competent than his co-patriots, the Central Government was more than willing to cast a blind eye.
Provided he remained loyal, that is…
*ding*
A notification pinged on Charles’ phone as he got up off his chair. Finally, things can get started. Briskly approaching the door, he rapped his fingers against the wooden surface.
“Come in.” A smooth, if ever-so gravelly voice called out from the other side. Charles sighed in relief. Thank goodness he got Andersen.
With a kick in his step, Charles entered the office and closed the door behind him. As expected, Andersen was finishing off a few brief emails. His concentration shone through his rugged, masculine face. He’s aged just as well as the finest of wines; his handsome visage complimenting the pristine uniform he usually wore.
A total DILF as the younger generation would call him.
“Commander Phelps reported his safe arrival a few hours ago…” Andersen instigated the conversation whilst finishing his email. Then with a ‘click’, he sent it to his colleagues. “Another impressive outing, Commander Alvinczi.”
A sense of pride overwhelmed the young man. “You flatter me with your kind words,” Charles replied with the slightest hint of humility. In all truth, he loved being praised for his deeds. Perfect nourishment for his growing ego.
“You’ve become somewhat of an icon amongst your colleagues…” Andersen noted as he turned his attention toward Charles. “Not many Commanders survive their first year in the line of duty.”
“Yeah, life is brutal on the surface.” Charles took a seat opposite the Deputy Chief. “If it’s not the Raptures attacking you, it’s the terrain. The surface can be treacherous at the best of times.”
“Yet you’ve achieved success after success.” Andersen gently leaned forward, his hand pulling up his sleeve as he briefly glanced at his luxury watch.
“It’s all thanks to my NIKKE. They’re the ones putting in all the hard work.” Charles admitted in all sincerity. And why wouldn’t he? It was the absolute truth; NIKKE were the ones doing all the heavy lifting.
“I didn’t expect such an answer…” Andersen’s tone was filled with mild bemusement. Most Commanders would often take all the credit for themselves, refusing to even bring up their NIKKE. But Charles had a different mindset from the rest. Perhaps that line of thinking contributed to his success.
“Anything else you needed me to do?” Charles’ inquiry snapped the Deputy Chief off his train of thought.
“Not today,” Andersen informed him. “You’re free for the rest of the night.” A relaxed expression overcame the older man. “You’re dismissed.”
“Thank you, sir!” Charles promptly got off his chair and saluted his superior. With a nod, Andersen watched as Charles exited his office. Now on his own, he took out a notepad and scribbled a reminder to himself.
‘Have Charles and his squad engage in a series of combat drills as soon as possible.’
0000
Upon exiting the Central Government Command HQ, Charles took a moment to bask in the Ark’s atmosphere. Things were ticking along peacefully, just as he hoped for. The citizens were going about their evening duties, blissfully unaware of the potential danger they faced. For at any moment, the Raptures could invade this last bastion of humanity and slaughter them like sheep. All that was keeping them at bay was the NIKKE. Yet the overwhelming lack of competence within the Ark’s military was staggering.
You’ve got rookie Commanders getting themselves and their NIKKE killed, all while the bureaucrats up top wallow in their pit of hedonism. It was a growing tumor that threatened to engulf the Central Government and the entirety of the Ark. But that was part of his duty; preventing as many losses as possible to preserve the Ark’s scarce resources.
“Conductor?” Julia’s pleasant tone graced his ears as she walked up to Charles.
“Julia!” A smile grew on his face. “Just the person I wanted to see. We’ve got the rest of the day off.”
The softest of smiles grew on her face. “Now I can spend my night practicing. Just as my Mentor suggested.”
“Got a performance at the end of the month. I’ll use everything I’ve learned during my pilgrimage on the surface.” Her shimmering amber eyes gazed at Charles. “I hope you’ll attend my show, Conductor.”
The Commander gingerly grabbed Julia’s gloved hands and squeezed them gently. “I swear that I’ll attend your show. Your music brings me immense joy.”
Julia was stunned by the Commander’s words, mouth slightly agape. Only for her mood to be heightened as a radiant smile grew on her face. “Then I shall give it my all. I pledge that you shall feel the melody in my heart.”
“I’m looking forward to it already!” Charles beamed joyfully before relinquishing his grip. With a polite nod, Julia made her way to a secluded place, one where she could practice in peace. As badly as he wanted to listen in, Charles knew that disturbing a musician during practice was a major faux pass. As such, he opted to head toward the communal dormitories. Where he and the other Commanders spent their respite hours.
Life as a Commander was tough. Not only were you constantly thrust into deadly situations daily, but the payoff was pitiful at best. Many of his colleagues lived paycheck-to-paycheck, often taking side jobs just to make a little extra money. And though Charles earned a little more than his colleagues, it wasn’t enough to find a new place to live.
Besides, he found the dorms to be enjoyable. Yeah, things could get obnoxiously loud at times, but the overall atmosphere was inspiring. Especially when it came to telling tales about their latest exploits. And with Joshua’s recent rescue, Charles had a feeling he’d be the talk of the town.
0000
“Well, if it isn’t the man of the hour!” A middle-aged Commander raised a glass in the air upon Charles entering the room. “A toast to the greatest Commander alive!”
“A toast!” Several more Commanders raised a glass in admiration.
“Hahaha, thanks, guys!” Charles hung his jacket over a hook before taking a seat. He uttered a deep sigh of relief upon taking a seat, kicking his feet in the air. “Feels good to be back home.”
“That’s exactly what Joshua said when he got back.” A Commander with long black hair slouched over a couch like the lethargic lizards of old. “Though it’s a little more understandable in his case. Poor fella nearly got killed.”
“Mhm…” Charles hummed in agreement whilst pouring some Splendamin-based wine for himself. It may not have been the expensive stuff the higher-ups indulged in, but it was exactly what he needed right now. Charles calmly sipped from his glass as a refreshed “Ahhhh…” escaped his lips. The smooth, slightly bitter flavor was refreshingly delicious. Wonder if Julia would appreciate the taste…
Charles’ mind soon began wandering. There were a multitude of thoughts that crossed his mind every day, yet none were as prevalent as Julia. She was… more than just another NIKKE. She had a gift; one that was nestled within her heart yet needed Mustang’s guiding hand to be known.
And he was there to witness its birth.
The divine melody that Julia produced upon finding her soul and bones brought him to tears. Charles wanted to hear it again, to bask within its splendor once more.
Julia…
Just thinking about his tender Maiden of Melody caused Charles’ heart to stir. But for what reason…?
“…rles? Charles?” A voice called out to him from the other side of the room. “Charles!”
“H-H-Huh?!” Charles jerked abruptly in response to the loud noise.
“You were daydreaming again, weren’t you?” The tan-skinned Commander chimed in amusement. “Thinkin’ about that NIKKE who always follows you around?”
“Someone’s got a crush! Someone’s got a crush!” The long-haired Commander sing-songed mischievously. Laughter soon filled the room as the other Commanders poked fun at Charles.
“Who’d have thought the legendary Bloodshadow would fall in love with a NIKKE?”
“For all we know, he could have a harem of NIKKE!”
“That’s our Bloodshadow; gentleman in the streets, freak in the sheets!”
Charles chuckled sheepishly along with his comrades to hide his unease. It wasn’t the polygamous accusations that unsettled him, but the fact they used his infamous moniker.
Bloodshadow of the Apocalypse.
To this day, Charles doesn’t know how or why he got that name. One day he was Commander Charles Alvinczi, the next he was Charles, Bloodshadow of the Apocalypse. He didn’t like the moniker; it was far, far too edgy for his liking. Either way, he was stuck with it for the foreseeable future.
“You know I just realized something…” The tanned Commander ceased his playful taunting and raised a hand to his stubbled chin. “Why would the Central Government push this whole harem idea? Aren’t NIKKE/human relations illegal?”
“They most certainly are, Satoshi.” A towering, dark-skinned Commander clapped his hand on the man’s shoulder. “It’s all one big bait-and-switch to lure young men into becoming Commanders. We’ve all seen that advert after all.”
This piqued Charles’ attention. Was the Central Government doing yet another recruitment drive? Just how many did they need to do; the last one wasn’t even a month ago! “What do you mean, Thomas?”
Satoshi’s eyes almost bugged out in surprise. “You haven’t seen it yet, Charles?!” He exclaimed incredulously. “Oi, Igor!” He turned toward the long-haired Commander. “Get your ass off that couch and bring in the tape!”
An exasperated sigh escaped the man as he oozed off the plush couch. “I’m getting there…” He mumbled while walking sluggishly toward the nearby storage room. What followed were the sounds or rummaging as Igor searched for the tape. Then, the long-haired Commander emerged from the storage room with tape in hand. Causing everyone to start scrambling for a seat.
“O-Oi! I called dibs on this seat earlier tonight!”
“I was here before you called it; go find another one!”
“You two better get off MY seat. I bought it after all!”
Charles couldn’t help but watch with great amusement. For all their bickering and squabbling, his fellow Commanders brought a sense of camaraderie that could scarcely be replicated. It’s why he went above and beyond on his rescue missions; in this crapsack world, friendship was more valuable than all the Credits in the Ark.
“Okay…” Igor mumbled whilst inserting the tape into the video player. “Tape’s put in. You go work your magic, Satoshi.”
“Nice.” Satoshi retrieved the remote from his pocket. “Watch carefully, Charles. This advert is gol—”
*plop*
“!” A sudden grunt escaped Satoshi’s mouth as Igor hopped on top of his and Thomas’ lap. “Y-You’re squishing me, Igor…”
“May as well get comfortable, Satoshi. He’s not going to move for hours.” Thomas calmly accepted his fate. Nodding in defeat, Satoshi pointed to the controller and pressed the play button.
A disheveled, middle-aged man sighed wearily as he walked out of a towering building with his office supplies. Having been fired from his job, his overall demeanor was down in the dumps. Things couldn’t get any wor—
“Hey, isn’t that your cuck boyfriend?” The screeching of tires filled the air as a red sports car stopped before the man. The driver was your typical beach bully; short, spiky blond hair, tanned skin, and a shit-eating grin that reeked of ‘rich frat boy’ energy.
“Not anymore, loser!” The woman beside him flipped off the office worker. She looked like your average shopaholic bimbo. Wavy blonde hair, a voluptuous body, and a resting bitch face. With a malicious grin, she smacked the box out of the man’s hand as the car drove off, uproarious laughter escaping from the blonde man.
Having utterly given up on life, the office worker ran toward the nearby bridge and attempted to jump into the water.
“It’s not over yet!” A NIKKE suddenly emerged from a portal and kissed the man before dragging him back to her world. “I need you to come with me.”
“Oh, Commander. Welcome back!” Several half-naked NIKKE swarmed the man and caressed him sensually.
“Break free from cuckoldry today!” A stock announcer boomed over the video as various images of NIKKE in combat plastered the screen. “Join the army today and Command your personal harem today!”
Sponsored by the Central Government.
Charles did little more than blink in bewilderment. Was that the best they could do? Some sleazy advert that was better suited for a shitty mobile game? The silence was pierced by the cacophony of laughter that filled the room.
“Hahahahahaha!” A blond-haired Commander laughed so hard he almost fell out of his chair. “What a loser, allowing his girl to be stolen.”
“The actor for the beach bully knew what he was getting into! The way he said ‘cuck boyfriend’…” Another Commander wheezed joyously. “You can tell he purposely hammed it up.”
“That girl looked exactly like my ex-girlfriend, who left me for a beach bully…” Igor began shaking his fist at the TV. “Damn you Stacy, you took everything from me!”
“Easy there, Igor. It’s all in the past now.” Thomas consoled his comrade before turning toward Charles. “Any thoughts, my friend?”
“Well, I can safely say that there is a God, simply because this ad was so bad he abandoned us in disgust.” He quipped to everyone’s amusement.
“Hahaha! That’s our Bloodshadow!” A series of cheers escaped the Commanders’ mouths. The group soon began conversing about life once more, giving Charles the chance to quietly slip into his room. Exhaustion hitting in, he walked toward his bed and collapsed onto it. These last couple of days have been tiring; fighting Raptures was never an easy task. But in a way, it was a rewarding one.
For he was among a select few tasked with guarding the remnants of humanity. And despite his gripes, Charles loves his job with all his heart. Now to lie back and rest his weary head; tomorrow could be a big day after all…