10/03/2024
1400 hours
G&K HQ, Moscow, Russia
"Ah… It still hurts a bit," Ralph sighed as he rubbed his ribs. He was currently seated in the cafe on the second floor of the HQ building, which seemed to have become his default debriefing location after mission.
WA2000 was seated across from him, along with Kalina.
"You're still complaining about that? Just how weak are you?" WA2000 frowned.
"Hey, it's not even been a day since I had this injury treated. You're lucky you have an artificial body and your injuries can heal faster," Ralph pointed out bitterly.
"Will you be ready for the next mission?" Kalina asked worriedly.
"I'll be fine," Ralph assured her confidently. "We've finally received orders to head out and recover the nuclear codes, and I'm not letting this opportunity slip by for anything."
"Hm, still, I'm surprised we were given that mission. The AR Team has still been making regular check-ins, and they haven't reported any difficulties so far," Kalina mused.
"We earned it after yesterday's mission. The only negative is that we have to drag those 404 bitches along with us," Ralph's expression soured.
Kalina gave him a blank stare. "You know those are elite Dolls, right? You won't be 'dragging' them anywhere. Instead, you should be happy that they're coming along to assist you."
"You don't understand. Those Dolls are backstabbing cunts," Ralph shook his head. "Right, WA?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, the Commander does have a point. I don't think Squad 404 is very trustworthy," WA2000 agreed reluctantly.
"Oh… I guess they are kind of secretive, but I didn't know they had that bad of a reputation," Kalina said.
"It's because you don't come on missions with us, so you've missed out on a lot," Ralph pointed out. "But you're coming this time, right? Now you'll get to see for yourself."
Kalina sighed, not looking forward to it. "I suppose so. I don't really want to head out into Siberia right as winter is approaching, but after you all nearly got killed on your last mission, I don't think it's fair for me to stay behind anymore…"
"What are you going to do anyway? Can you fight?" WA2000 asked her.
"I am trained to use weapons just like Commander Ralphie is, though as a logistics officer, I haven't gone through as much combat training as he has. My primary job is to coordinate supply drops and communicate with Headquarters. This is supposed to be a reconnaissance mission, after all," Kalina reminded them.
"Right, well, I'm not returning until I've turned AK-12 and AN-94 into piles of scrap," Ralph stated, a momentary flash of anger dancing across his turquoise eyes.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, sir. Don't forget that we sent numerous echelons that never returned after those two," Kalina cautioned.
"I guess you're right," Ralph admitted, surprising Kalina a bit. "However, that doesn't change what I said. I won't let them humiliate me like that again…"
Ralph then saw a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye, and he turned his head to see G36 enter the dining area.
"Oh, it's G36? Looks like she's been repaired," WA2000 said.
Kalina looked over curiously as G36 approached them. "So that's the Doll you mentioned in the after-action report?"
"Guten morgen, sir, Miss WA," G36 greeted Ralph and the sniper with a slight bow. She glanced over at Kalina.
"Ah, I'm Kalina. I'm the logistics officer assigned to this echelon," Kalina introduced herself.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Kalina. I am G36, an assault rifle type Tactical Doll," G36 reciprocated. She then turned back to Ralph. "Sir, how are you injuries?"
"They're well enough, I guess. I see you've been repaired too," Ralph replied.
"Yes, sir. I have been restored to fully functional status, and I am prepared to continue my service to you. As of now, I have been formally assigned to your echelon by Miss Helian. Commander Ralphie, you are now my master," G36 stated with another bow.
"Master? I like the sound of that," Ralph grinned.
"Hey, don't get carried away here," WA2000 glared at her commander.
"I've always wanted to have a personal maid!" Ralph continued, ignoring WA2000.
The sniper T-Doll grew more annoyed. "She's not your 'personal maid.' She's a T-Doll like the rest of us and is just following your orders because that's what she's told to do by command. Don't expect too much."
"I may be a Tactical Doll, but I have also been programmed and trained as a professional maid," G36 cut in. "Master, you may ask what you wish of me. I will do my utmost to fulfill all your orders, whether they be on or off the battlefield."
"Finally, a Doll I can count on!" Ralph stood up in excitement. "Welcome to the squad, G36! You and I will get along great together."
WA2000 sighed and shook her head. "You've shot yourself in the foot by saying that, G36…"
"That aside, it's still good that we got another Doll," Kalina tried to bring them back on track. "If we're going after the nuclear codes, we're probably going to need all the help we can get. It would be great if we got more Dolls as well."
"I'll ask Helian during my meeting with her today, but I have a feeling our request is going to be denied. After all, they never planned to send me originally, so they probably don't have any spare Dolls lying around. Unfortunately, we might just have to rely on Squad 404," Ralph admitted.
"Speaking of your meeting, shouldn't you get going now? It's already two," Kalina said.
"Shit, guess so," Ralph took a quick glance at the clock on the wall. "By the way, G36, where have you been staying?"
"I have a room to myself in the T-Doll dorm area," G36 answered.
"So they gave you a room by yourself but couldn't even spare one room for our Dolls? What sort of bureaucratic incompetence is this?" Ralph spat in disgust. "Anyway, sorry to do this to you, but you're going to have to share with some of your fellow echelon members now. Kalina will take care of it."
G36 bowed as Ralph walked by her and exited the cafe, heading downstairs to the main command center. As usual, OTs-39 was guarding the door to the command center. She saluted as Ralph approached.
"Sir. Miss Helian is expecting you," she said.
"I see you've been repaired too. Back on guard duty?" Ralph greeted.
"Ah, yes. For now, at least."
"You should join our echelon. You did well enough in the last mission," Ralph offered.
"That isn't my decision to make, sir. Besides, I think there is already another SMG-type Doll that is being assigned to your echelon," OTs-39 told him.
Ralph raised an eyebrow. "Really? That's the first I've heard of that… Anyway, the next time you get a reassignment, maybe you should ask to come to our echelon, okay? See ya."
The commander went inside and was greeted with the familiar sight of the dark command center, with its blue screens and the various terminals providing most of the light. As usual, numerous staff members were at work on the computers, and Helian was at her desk in the back. However, unlike the last time he was here, Kryuger was not seated in his chair in the center, but was standing beside Helian's desk and discussing something with her.
Furthermore, there was a third person there. A girl with luscious black hair tied in two low ponytails which hung across her shoulders stood silently beside Helian. She wore a sweater and a short black skirt, and a blue lanyard holding her ID hung over her sizeable chest. The three of them turned to look when Ralph entered.
"Ralphie, good afternoon," Kryuger nodded a greeting.
"You're late," Helian merely said, giving him a sharp look.
"Good afternoon, sir," Ralph returned Kryuger's greeting, ignoring Helian.
"Right, now that we're all here, Helian, please give the briefing," Kryuger announced.
"Understood. As we all know, we lost contact with all of our echelons when we initially sent them out to investigate the location of the nuclear codes. Their sudden disappearance most likely means that they were ambushed by something, and we have sent the AR Team out to discover what that 'something' is. As of this morning, we have been able to maintain contact with the AR Team, and they have told us that they have discovered the exact location of the Sangvis Ferri base in Siberia. We have given them orders to refrain from attacking it until backup arrives. Ralphie, you and Squad 404 are that backup."
"So it's Sangvis Ferri who attacked the other echelons? And AK-12 and AN-94 are working with Sangvis Ferri?" Ralph assumed.
"That wouldn't make any sense. Remember that AK-12 and AN-94 stole the codes from Sangvis Ferri in the first place," Helian pointed out.
"Hm… Could it be a rogue Sangvis branch? Or maybe whoever those two Russians are working for took over the Sangvis base and are using it for themselves?" Ralph posited.
"The former is very unlikely, considering that Sangvis Ferri subordinates almost never revolt from the Mastermind," Kryuger said. "The latter would be a possibility, but we have confirmation from the AR Team that there are actual Sangvis units operating inside the base, including the signatures of two ringleaders."
Damn, they must have gotten pretty close to the base to figure that out, Ralph thought, wondering how exactly the AR Team managed that.
"It's still possible that units from the Sangvis base are the ones who eliminated our echelons, but it's unlikely that the Sangvis base is also the location of the nuclear codes," Helian continued. "Even so, that base cannot be allowed to stand, as it has already hampered our efforts to locate the codes. We are hoping that the combined might of the AR Team, Squad 404, and your echelon can disable it."
Only three echelons to take down an entire Sangvis base with two ringleaders? They must really believe in the strength of the AR Team and Squad 404.
"Ralphie, after your last mission, you and your echelons have proven that they can survive against overwhelming odds. The AR Team and Squad 404 have specialized Dolls that are capable of acting independently if they need to, but we are still counting on your command ability on this operation," Kryuger stated firmly. "Once you destroy the Sangvis Ferri base, we will need you to press onwards and recover the nuclear codes. Can you do it?"
Ralph thought about his situation. Initially his plan was to keep the nuclear codes to himself and Mr. Asterid in order to use them as leverage to gain access to America, but this time with Squad 404 and the AR Team watching him, it would be a lot more difficult. Nevertheless, this was an opportunity he could not pass up no matter what.
"Yes, sir. I will complete the mission," Ralph replied confidently.
Kryuger nodded in approval. "Good. Now, then, you must be wondering who this girl is. This is Tactical Doll RO635, specially made to be the next member of the AR Team. For this mission, she will be a part of your echelon."
The black-haired girl saluted to Ralph as she was mentioned. "Greetings, sir. I am RO635. It is an honor to be in your service."
"Right, good to have you," Ralph casually replied. "So, when do we leave?"
"Tomorrow. This mission is our highest priority. Is that all right?" Helian answered.
"Fine by me."
"Good. Well, Commander Ralphie. I wish you luck. I am sure you will do our company proud," Kryuger said, then left the command center after exchanging a handshake with Ralph.
Helian sighed. "I'd tell you to be careful, but you did ask for this. This will be a difficult mission. Don't regret this."
"I've done plenty of difficult things before. This'll just be another one to add to my resume," Ralph grinned. "I'm off to prepare for tomorrow. I'll be back before you know it, Helian!"
"Ah, wait for me, sir!" RO635 ran after Ralph.
Helian frowned and rubbed her temples. "Father… You and Ralphie… I hope you two know what you are getting yourselves into."
10/03/2024
1600 hours
Pushkino, Russia
Dreamer stood atop a grassy hill, her black hair swaying in the wind as her pale yellow eyes watched over the town of Pushkino in the distance. The town was crawling with G&K personnel, most of them dressed in biohazard suits as they went about removing the corpses of the ELID. There were also a few T-Doll echelons for security, but there were no more ELID left in the town anyway, so they simply stood around and watched the biohazard workers go about their business.
"So in the end, they were able to flee," Dreamer mused to herself, thinking about Ralph's echelon. "That commander and his T-Dolls have escaped the jaws of death yet again… How lucky."
Dreamer wondered if she should have taken her little plan more seriously. Perhaps if she had put in more thought instead of just launching this operation on a whimsy, she would have been able to kill them after all.
Hm, not that it matters, I suppose. It's not as if those Dolls and that commander are important in the grand scheme of things.
Besides, this entire operation was unauthorized to begin with. Dreamer had been specifically told by Agent to simply watch over the G&K Headquarters, but she had disregarded those orders and embarked on this experiment instead. Of course, she knew the whole time that this experiment would have no negative impact on Sangvis Ferri and their goals, so in reality, she technically wasn't going against her organization.
Paradeus… What a strange group.
Dreamer recalled when she had been approached by a strange-looking girl clad in all black and been given the collapse fluid that allowed her to infect the town of Pushkino. She didn't know why the girl had asked her to infect the town, but she figured that their interests were similar in that they both wanted to see what would happen. Dreamer was only in it for the amusement factor and to brighten up this boring assignment that she had been given, but she figured that the girl from Paradeus must have had a different reason for wanting to infect the town.
Well, I suppose that I can at least report the existence of this strange group to Agent and Elisa, Dreamer thought, hoping that providing this information would make Agent go easier on her for acting so freely.
Taking her yellow eyes off the town below her, Dreamer tapped into her communications channel through her OGAS interface. She opened a communications request with Agent, who shortly accepted the call.
"Dreamer. Do you have news?"
"I should ask you first. Have you heard anything from here?"
"Yes, I noticed a television report on a small outbreak of ELID contamination around the town of Pushkino. You wouldn't have had anything to do with that, right?"
Dreamer couldn't resist grinning at that. "Well, I may have been involved in it. And it may have not been as small as the news reported."
"... And this is explicitly after I told you not to do anything outlandish." Agent sounded exasperated. "So why bother to tell me this? It seems nothing good or bad came out of it. And where did you get the fluid to cause the spread anyway?"
"That is what I wanted to tell you about. Have you heard of the group known as Paradeus? They are the ones who supplied me with the fluid." Dreamer said.
"They wanted you to attack a random, insignificant town? I suppose the only reason they would do that is if they wanted the virus to spread from there… Did they tell you their reasoning? Why did they approach you?"
"Who knows? I just saw it as a great opportunity to have some fun," Dreamer admitted. "However, it doesn't seem like they were playing around. This may have been a test run of sorts for them."
"A test run? For a larger-scale infection, I presume," Agent put together. "Did they know you were from Sangvis Ferri? They must have, and yet they decided to approach you anyway… I suppose they figured that you would aid them because the infection would do collateral damage to Grifon and Kryuger, and they were right."
"What can I say? In the end, it's not like it was bad for us, right?" Dreamer shrugged.
"Maybe so, but you don't need me to tell you to use more caution next time. If we don't know what their goals are or what their strength is, it is better if we don't get involved with them," Agent said.
"Right, right. Aside from that, how are things in the tundra?" Dreamer asked, curious.
"Everything is going well so far. Architect and Gager have been stationed there for years and so they know the area well, and now that those Grifon dogs are off their backs, they have been able to do a proper reconnaissance mission. Based on your location data, we believe that AK-12 and AN-94 have taken refuge at a small, abandoned outpost once used by the Soviet military. Our recon has revealed that there is a small force of military Dolls and soldiers stationed there by whatever group AK-12 and AN-94 are working for, and though we don't know their exact number or specifications, it seems clear that we still hold the advantage."
"Is that so? And the AR Team?" Dreamer wondered.
"You told us that they would be coming, but according to Architect and Gager, there have been no sightings of them yet. It's possible that they went looking for survivors from the G&K echelons we wiped out which is why we haven't seen them yet, but it doesn't matter. As I said last time, our main priority is recovering the codes, not dealing with the AR Team."
"Heh, I see. And what if the AR Team attacks our base or our forces while we're doing that?"
"If that happens, then we will deal with it. I have left the specifics of that up to Architect and Gager, but I have made sure to tell them that our number one priority is recovering the nuclear codes," Agent stated. "With any luck, we will have recovered the codes before the AR Team makes their move. If you gain any more information on their movements, be sure to let us know, Dreamer."
"Sure, but I doubt I will be hearing anything more from them since they are in the tundra now," Dreamer told her.
"Fine. Do you know if any other squads have been deployed to Siberia?"
"None that I know of."
"Understood. Then that will be all."
Agent terminated the comms channel, and Dreamer turned her attention back to the sad state of Pushkino. Though hundreds had died during her little experiment, Dreamer was not satisfied. The main reason she had agreed to spreading the virus in the town was to pay that commander and his echelon back for what they did to her in Bangkok, but she had failed yet again.
Hmph. Rest assured, we will meet again, Commander. Dreamer's lips curled up into a twisted smirk. Next time, I will be sure to entertain you myself.
10/04/2024
0800 hours
G&K HQ, Moscow, Russia
Ralph stood in front of his echelon as they lined up for a final weapons check in front of one of the helipads nearby the HQ building. All seven of his T-Dolls stood silently, geared up in their usual uniforms and equipped with their standard weapons. Ralph himself was dressed a bit differently; instead of his usual white dress shirt and black slacks that came with the G&K commander uniform, he was wearing a thicker white camo jacket and combat pants, along with white snow boots. The snowy, Siberian environment required this change of clothes, and his weapon, an AK-12 painted in white camouflage, also reflected the location of the mission.
Ralph looked down at his gun, which hung by his side from his belt. AK-12 and AN-94… I will find you. What did you betray G&K for? What do you need the nuclear codes for? And… Why didn't you just kill me back in Bangkok?
"Sir, it seems all the preparations have been completed," Kalina reported as she finished inspecting all the Dolls. Like her commander, she was also dressed in the same gear, though she carried an MP7 instead of an assault rifle.
"Hm? Oh, okay. Guess we just have to wait for 404 now," Ralph replied.
They stood around for another five minutes before Squad 404 showed up, along with Helian and Mr. Asterid, to Ralph's great surprise.
"Ralphie, my boy! Ready to head out, I see," Mr. Asterid greeted with a smile.
"Ah, Father, Helian. Didn't expect you two to be here," Ralph said.
"Since this is a fairly important mission, I'm just here to make sure you have everything you need before setting out. I don't know why Father decided to drop by," Helian frowned.
"What? I just wanted to impart some quick words of wisdom before Ralphie leaves," Mr. Asterid said. "Can we speak in private, Ralphie?"
Ralph followed his adopted father out of earshot of the rest of the group.
"Is this about the codes?" the commander asked.
Mr. Asterid's expression turned serious. "Indeed. It looks like you have plenty of company this time outside of just your own echelon, so we won't be able to get away with taking them for ourselves."
"Yeah, that's a problem, and it's a problem caused by you," Ralph accused sourly. "Why would you hire 404 for this?"
"Well… I had to have insurance, you know? What if you couldn't get the codes?" Mr. Asterid said.
"And you hired 404 instead?" Ralph repeated in disbelief. "How can you even trust them to do what you say? And don't they work for G&K? You seriously told them you wanted the codes for yourself?"
"Squad 404 does not work for anyone, though they are often contracted by G&K. However, in this case, I am the one paying them, and so they have no reason to tell G&K about my designs," Mr. Asterid explained.
Ralph frowned at that. "That's still not a reason to trust them. What if they decide to ignore your agreement, or what if G&K pays them more for the codes? Take it from me, those cunts are not to be trusted."
"They did save you on your last mission, didn't they?" Mr. Asterid pointed out. "But regardless, I don't need you to tell me about the dangers of Squad 404. That doesn't change the fact that I still needed to hire them. I didn't know if you would be cleared to go on this mission, first of all, and secondly, there is no way you can recover those codes on your own. You will need more than just the Dolls in your echelon where you're going."
"I still don't see how the benefits outweigh the costs. It will be much more difficult for you to get those codes with Squad 404 and the AR Team in the way," Ralph shook his head.
"Luckily I have my connections," Mr. Asterid smiled, his eyes gleaming dangerously. "You just worry about getting those codes, Ralphie, I'll try to take care of the rest. You will most likely receive some sort of communication from me once you have the codes, but until then, just act normally and carry out the mission like you are assigned to. All right?"
"Fine."
"Right, then. I must be off now, so good luck."
Mr. Asterid patted Ralph on the shoulder before walking away from the helipad, and Ralph returned to Helian and the T-Dolls.
"What did he want?" Helian asked.
Ralph shrugged. "Nothing, really. He just gave me a few pointers."
"And he needed to do that in private?" Helian raised an eyebrow.
"I guess so."
With a sigh, Helian decided to drop that topic. "All right, whatever. Anyway, it looks like everything is good here. You all are cleared to sortie."
"Gut, let's go, girls," UMP45 waved the rest of her squad onto the large helicopter.
Ralph watched them as he stood next to Helian. "Are you sure we can trust them?"
"Ralphie, I don't even know if we can trust you," Helian shot back.
"Haha, what are you saying? Even after all this time, you still doubt me?" Ralph grinned.
Helian shook her head. "And that's precisely why I say that… I've known you since you were a kid, fresh out of the African militia. Though you've clearly polished yourself a lot since then, there is a sense of wildness still in you that can probably never be tamed."
"Hm… Is that supposed to be an insult?" Ralph questioned, amused.
"More of an observation. Ralphie… I'm sure you've wondered why our Father decided to adopt you? There is a reason related to your past, but I think the main reason why he chose you was because he knew you could be used as an attack dog to serve his own interests even if they went against Grifon and Kryuger's," Helian stated, not holding anything back.
Ralph laughed. "I knew that since the first day I met him, Helian. Why would such a rich and influential man adopt a rabid animal straight out of the bush unless he wanted to make some use of him? But what you're missing is that I also stand to gain from this arrangement. This is what's best for me."
Helian's sharp eyes flickered with uncertainty. "If you say so. But just know that even if I weren't your superior here in the company, I still feel responsible for you as your adopted elder sister. In spite of what your life may have been like up until now, there's a bright future waiting for you if you would just reach out and take it. Don't let your past hold you back."
"I'll keep that in mind," Ralph said as he walked back towards the helicopter. "I'll see you when I return. I'd wish you luck on your never-ending search on finding a boyfriend, but I doubt it would help you! See you, Helian!"
"Wha- !" Helian stammered, but by now Ralph had leapt into the helicopter and her voice had been drowned out by the rotor blades anyway.
He flashed her a cheeky grin through the window before the helicopter took off, scattering the air around it as it began its journey towards the frigid, Siberian tundra.
10/04/2024
1000 hours
Unknown Location, Siberia, Russia
AK-12 and AN-94 walked into a large, empty room in the abandoned military base they were staying in. Based on the size of the room and its interior design, it seemed to have been made to be used as a hangar, though it had long been out of use. Holes were present in the ceiling, allowing snow to drift inside and letting the cold, Siberian chill permeate throughout.
A lone figure sat on a box towards the back of the room, smoking a cigarette and staring up at the gray, snowy sky through one of the holes in the ceiling. She had dark hair and wore dark clothing covered by a thick, winter military coat.
"So this is where you were, Ange," AK-12 greeted in Russian, her eyes closed as usual. "Isn't it cold in here? Why not sit in the main command room, which at least has a fire going?"
The woman, Angelica, put out her cigarette. "All the soldiers are in there. Too noisy. Anyway, did you figure anything out?"
"Yes, now that we've finally got the outdated consoles working, I was able to tap them for information. It didn't give me much, but luckily the advanced radar built by the FSB when they were using this base still works. There is a Sangvis Ferri squad with a ringleader in command camped out nearby, and signatures belonging to the AR Team have also been spotted," AK-12 informed her.
Angelica sighed as she stood up. "So bad news, huh? Looks like they finally put the data from the tracker they slapped on you to good use."
AN-94 frowned. "I'm sorry. I got rid of it as soon as I noticed, but…"
"Eh, it doesn't matter now," Angelica waved her off. "But the other thing you mentioned is also interesting. So the AR Team is finally here? It's about time they sent them."
"They are still encamped by the Sangvis base, though. It doesn't look like they know exactly where we are," AK-12 provided.
"That doesn't make sense. Why would the AR Team focus on Sangvis Ferri instead of looking for us?" Angelica frowned.
"It seems there was a bit of fighting done that we didn't notice," AK-12 said. "I also saw a few scattered signatures of other Dolls on the radar, but they were far away and far between, so even this radar couldn't get a clear picture of them. It looks like they are Grifon Dolls, though, which means that they probably came looking for us but ran into trouble from Sangvis Ferri before they could reach us."
"So G&K sent echelons after us but Sangvis Ferri got rid of them? That's pretty lucky for us," Angelica summed up.
"Yes. It might mean that the AR Team is here to recover those Dolls or get rid of that Sangvis base instead of chasing after us," AK-12 said.
"I doubt it," Angelica shook her head. "Mr. Kryuger probably made it clear that recovering the nuclear codes are of the highest priority. If the AR Team is lingering by the Sangvis Ferri base, then it may just be that they're trying to find a way to sneak past it, or…"
Angelica's face took on a thoughtful look. "About those scattered Dolls you mentioned earlier… Did any of them happen to belong to the G&K echelon you two used to be a part of?"
AK-12 and AN-94 looked a bit surprised by the question.
"No. They were all unknown to us," AN-94 answered.
"Then maybe the AR Team is waiting for reinforcements, maybe even from that echelon," Angelica said. "After all, they are the ones in that company who know you best, right?"
AK-12 opened her violet eyes. "So Commander Ralphie is coming? Interesting."
AN-94 looked uneasy, shifting her attention to her gun.
"Will you be able to fight them?" Angelica asked with a smirk.
"Of course," AK-12 answered confidently. "In fact, we look forward to it."
Angelica glanced at AK-12's partner. "AN-94 doesn't seem to share your enthusiasm."
"I will do as AK-12 does," AN-94 replied.
"There you have it. There is no need to worry about us," AK-12 said.
"Hm… That was the first time you two fought alongside other T-Dolls, right? How did it feel?" Angelica wondered.
"I don't know what you mean. The other Grifon Dolls aren't anything special," AK-12 dismissed.
Angelica smiled. "I see. You two don't seem to have any friends outside of each other, so I thought maybe your time in that echelon was a good chance for you to open up to others."
"Are you saying you're not our friend, Ange?" AK-12 returned the smile.
"Haha! If you want to look at our relationship that way, sure, I guess," Angelica shrugged.
"There's no point in becoming friends with those we have to fight," AN-94 stated.
"I suppose you have a point," Angelica admitted. "But not all relationships are based in logic, right? Friendships may come and go, but they still hold value forever as long as they helped you grow as a person."
"Never knew you to be so optimistic." AK-12 was amused.
Angelica gave another lighthearted smile. "Call it what you want. Anyway, we should start preparing for battle. It looks like our time sitting idly in the tundra is finally up."