IF was sitting at the bar in Passe. Chian went into the back to begin working on the counter measure to YingLong. "I see ya IF!" Nisa called out to IF. Who tensed up when Nisa called to her. Nisa sat next to IF, and IF lowered her hood.

"I haven't seen you in so long. How have you been?" Nisa asked with a smile. IF ignored her and Nisa frowned. "What's wrong IF?" Nisa asked in concern. "Nothing, it's good to see you to," IF replied awkwardly.

"I've been fighting for justice ever since moving to Lastation. What about you?" Nisa asked. "I've been wandering, climbing towers and trying to find treasure," IF replied, tapping her finger on the bar anxiously. She doesn't want to be near Nisa. Because of what happened to Gust.

"I didn't think I'd see you again. Do you wanna hang out?" Nisa asked. "Nah, i'm not really up for it," IF replied. "C'mon! Let's go out to serve some justice like we used to!" Nisa insisted. She grabbed IF's sleeve and dragged her outside Passe. The two headed to the city.

"Let's go Demon of Vengeance!" Nisa exclaimed and IF chuckled. "Alright Hero of Justice! My right arm will burn away all injustice!" IF exclaimed, getting back in touch with her childish self. "My light will shine through the darkness of tyranny! Come now Delphinius!" Nisa said, pointing to Lastation.

The two ran off with smiles. Yet IF felt a creeping pain. The guilt of what she did to Gust. All because IF got greedy and got Gust falsely arrested to steal her savings. Then what did IF do with the money? Spend it all and become poor.

She can't acknowledge the past. Because the consequences of her actions might ambush her. IF has to run away. Lest she'd have to face something she doesn't like.

An eleven year old Netherrealm was in the snowy streets of Lowee. His coat and pants were scuffed, and his boots were wearing out. He coughed and walked into an alleyway. Where there was a small fortress of boxes. "Who goes there!?" a childish voice asked from the 'fort'. The child tried to make his voice deep to sound intimidating. That just had the opposite effect.

Netherrealm snickered and said it was him. He crawled into the fort and saw Seiryū. Seiryū is only nine, and has blankets wrapped around his own winter clothes. "You're back!" Seiryū exclaimed and he hugged Netherrealm tightly. They huddled up together.

"I got you some grub," Netherrealm said. He took out a wrapper, and inside is a brownie. "What about you?" Seiryū asked. Netherrealm looked away from his small and skinny brother. "You're more important okay? I can always get some food of my own," Netherrealm dismissed that with a smile.

Seiryū pouted and tore the brownie in half. Netherrealm shook his head and tried to convince Seiryū to just eat the brownie. Yet Seiryū shoved the brownie in Netherrealm's mouth the second he began talking. He reluctantly ate the brownie while glaring at the smug Seiryū.

"Hahaha! Take that!" Seiryū said, sticking out his tongue. "Why did you...?" Netherrealm asked, so baffled that he couldn't finish his question. Yet Seiryū understood the question. "Because I love you Big Bro!" Seiryū replied simply. Netherrealm hugged Seiryū close to him. "I love you more," Netherrealm replied. The two began to argue about who loved each other more.

"When I grow up, I wanna be strong like you and Lady White Heart. So you don't have to protect me. Then we can all fight together when she saves us!" Seiryū said with stars in his naive violet eyes. Netherrealm nodded, "Alright! We'll be two dragons and a goddess!" Netherrealm replied excitedly.

"A dragon...?" Seiryū asked. "Yeah, like Dad and Papa told us. A dragon is the strongest of the strong. They are at the top of the world. They are ancient protectors and destroyers with hoards of unimaginable treasure!" Netherrealm explained with sparkling eyes. Seiryū nodded vigorously, wanting to become a dragon.

Yet they didn't know that White Heart wouldn't save them. They had to save themselves.

With Netherrealm, he was walking through the streets of Lastation. Thinking about the meeting, and the time he was on the streets. He learned more about Seiryū. Yet it was hard to believe, he didn't want to fight his brother. Netherrealm wants his family back. Yet that's not gonna happen. His fathers are dead, and Seiryu has gone off the deep end. At least, Netherrealm hopes it isn't too late.

"Hey bro," Seiryū called to Netherrealm from behind. Netherrealm turned to look at him. "Hey, what are you here for?" Netherrealm asked. "I came here to invite you for dinner. Since i'm eating out tonight," Seiryū explained. Netherrealm smiled softly, uncharacteristically somber and soft. The brothers went to a restuarant called 'Sackboy's Succulence'.

The place is an art museum and resturant. With sculptures as tables and chairs. The walls are murals and the hanging lights are intricate and beautiful. It is a restaurant built on the foundation of creativity and passion. The brothers sat down and were given menus. Which had music sheets for the front and back.

"Even the food here is art," Seiryū pointed out. Other customers' orders were designed to look like it would be in an artshow. Some of it was beautiful, others looked like a child designed it. Which had its own special charm to it. "I'd reccomend the Craftworld Deluxe," Seiryū suggested.

A waitress came up to the two. She was small, she looks like a child's sack doll. She had a great big smile. Netherrealm raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I forgot to mention the sackpeople. Don't worry, they are some of the most docile beings in Gamindustri. Doesn't mean they won't fight if their attacked," Seiryū explained.

"I'll have the Avalon Centrifuge, and a Big Toggle Cream Soda," Seiryū ordered. Netherrealm looked at the weird names with apprehension. "I'll have the Captain Pud," Netherrealm said, his face scrunched up at the name. The sack waitress nodded and ran off.

"Now i've seen everything," Netherrealm sighed. "It's a very underrated little place in Lastation. However, there's something I want to ask you, big bro," Seiryu replied, his face becoming frigid and angry. "Why did you let Black Heart go?" he growled out.

"She escaped," Netherrealm replied and Seiryū slammed his fist on the table. The marble cracking under the force. "Bull fucking shit! You're not the type to just allow that! What happened out there?!" Seiryū interrogated.

Netherrealm was silent, which was all Seiryū needed. "I can't believe this, that you of all people would let a CPU go. After what White Heart did," Seiryū scoffed and Netherrealm glared at his younger brother.

"Black Heart wasn't worth it. I don't want to kill people. After losing Dad, Papa and the Black Dragons. I don't want to see that again. The life leaving someone's eyes," Netherrealm explained.

"I'll ask you a question, what the fuck is YingLong!?" Netherrealm asked. Seiryū's eyes widened that Netherrealm knows that name. "How did you know that?" Seiryū asked quietly.

The sack waitress returned with large metal gauntlets. She held a tray over her head. Then she lobbed it on the table. The brothers began to eat while having a staring contest. "Black Heart told me," Netherrealm replied and Seiryū had a twisted smile on his face.

"YingLong is the ultimate defensive mech, a kind of 'metal gear' if you will. It's designed with long range ballistics capable of blowing up entire islands. With it, I can keep the other nations in line and end the Console Wars," Seiryū explained and Netherrealm's heart sank.

That his brother is doing something this drastic. "What about the people living in those nations? What about White Heart?" Netherrealm asked and Seiryū chuckled. "Those people are the enemy. Truth be told, I don't give a fuck about White Heart. Lowee will be YingLong's testing grounds," Seiryū explained and that shocked Netherrealm.

Seiryū had always been in love with White Heart since he was a small child. He always looked up to her. He told Netherrealm that she'd save them while they were both orphaned and homeless. When Toby and Edward, their adoptive fathers were killed by Arfoire. "When did you...?" Netherrealm was so suprised that he couldn't finish his question. Yet Seiryū understood the question.

"When I saw her hunt the Black Dragons and nearly kill you. I wanted to go and see White Heart. What I say was her nearly taking you away from me. Our revenge, for you and the Black Dragons," Seiryū explained. Netherrealm rubbed his forehead in frustration.

"I have the name of the person who killed Dad and Papa. Arfoire, that's why I went with you. You deserved to know," Seiryū said, clenching his fists when he thought about Arfoire. Along with her callous and hungry gaze. She desires the powers of the CPUs, that's what he remembered. Because she tried to absorb Neptune's power, but instead ended up absorbing his temporarily.

"Thank you for that information. Since you know about YingLong. I'm guessing you're working with Black Heart?" Seiryū guessed with a pained look on his face. "I don't know anymore. I just, want my family back," Netherrealm admitted.

"Let me give you some advice. Follow your heart no matter what anyone says. Even if it's against me or with me. I've always admired your stubborness. If you're against me, than i'll come after you with everything I have. You better do the same. Because when I beat you, i'll become a dragon," Seiryū advised and warned Netherrealm.

After Seiryū paid for their dinner. They left the restaurant and stood still. They didn't want to go their seperate ways. Because the next time they meet. It won't be a heartwarming family reunion. "I'm not letting innocent people get dragged into our vendetta," Netherrealm declared stoically.

Netherrealm is an embittered asshole, a bully, a criminal. He isn't a monster, far from that. "I'll beat your ass until you stop your plan," Netherrealm said. "Why? Why wouldn't you kill me?" Seiryū asked. "Because older brothers pick on their little brothers. Siblings stick their noses into eachother's business. That's what i'll do," Netherrealm answered.

With a bittersweet farewell, the brothers go down their paths. One goes down a path of reckless ambition, pride and vengeance. While the other one goes down a path to be a hero. However, there can be only one dragon.

IF and Nisa sat on a rooftop, staring at the dark sky. The stars covered by the thick, dirty clouds. "Whew! We stopped three muggings, two sexual assaults and one weird guy that spouts stuff about 'fear'," Nisa exclaimed with a satisfied expression. IF just looked away, she can't face Nisa.

"Do you remember how Gust went to prison? Did you know that after she was released, apparently she was gunned down and was killed instantly," Nisa brought up with a cracking voice. IF's lip trembled in fear. IF knew exactly how Gust landed in prison.

IF got greedy and desired money so she could 'adventure'. So IF stole money and messed with Gust's taxes to frame her. IF and Nisa inherited Gust's large fortune. Then IF never looked back and splurged all that money. IF was ambitious, greedy, unwise and inexperienced. She didn't fully understand what would happen with Gust until it was too late. IF flew too close to the sun, using Gust as her wings.

Since then, she put her stupid middle school delusions of grandeur and invulnerability behind her. Sometimes they resurface, but they don't control her anymore. All that controls IF is guilt and cowardice.

"It didn't make sense, Gust wasn't a thief. She was our Oracle who helped us find jobs to deliver justice. Only two people benefited from her being imprisoned. That was us, and the evidence used against her was paper thin. It was an obstruction to justice! Yet what hurt the most was the fact that you were the thief all along IF," Nisa said sobbing her eyes out.

IF stood up and tried to walk away. Yet Nisa grabbed her shoulder. Forcing IF to turn around and look at her past. Nisa gave IF a swift right hook to the jaw. Sending IF on her back, with a bruised cheek.

Nisa grabbed IF by the coat collar and hoisted her up. "Why did you do it?! Why?!" Nisa demanded. "I- I didn't-! I only-!" IF struggled to think of an excuse. "Answer me!" Nisa yelled and IF broke down. "Because I wanted Gust's money okay?!" IF blurted out. "You wanted her money?! What are you talking about?!" Nisa screamed. IF was now crying.

"I was stupid, so stupid. I let my own middle school delusions get out of hand. I ruined an innocent person's life to fufill my own greed. I'm sorry, i'm so sorry," IF blubbered and Nisa threw her back down on her posterior. Nisa had a drained and tired expression. "That's all I needed to hear. IF, treasure your new friends, don't betray your friendships a second time," Nisa advised. She jumped from rooftop to rooftop, leaving IF.

IF curled up into a ball and cried her eyes out. She chose to run away from her past, but the past always catches up. It'll force you to look at in the baleful eye of your demons. IF heard the sound of slow and heavy footsteps. Netherrealm stood over the pitiful girl. "I heard yelling and got curious," Netherrealm said, with his arms crossed.

IF looked at him, about to shatter into a million pieces. Netherrealm sat down next to her. "What happened?" Netherrealm asked and IF just let it all out. She recounted her crime and her former friendship with Nisa and Gust. Netherrealm absorbed it and processed what he heard.

"I'm a selfish brat Netty. I know you'll probably just want to leave. I don't blame you guys if you all leave. It's what I deserve," IF said with a forced smile and Netherrealm looked at her coldly. "Yes, what you did was unforgivable," Netherrealm answered bluntly. He then picked her up by the jacket collar. Forcing the Lone Gust of Wind to look the Silver Dragon of Planeptune in his violet eyes.

"But if you think we're gonna leave you! I'll bash your fucking head into a wall and make you have forget about that thought! We care about you Downwind! We nearly died together multiple times already! You could've turned me in for quick credit! You didn't because you fucking learned from your mistakes!" Netherrealm yelled at IF, angry that she could even suggest that Neptune, Compa and he would abandon IF.

"You have remorse Downwind! You have the ability to change! Instead of moping, fucking grow up! If you can't do it alone then we'll help you! Count on it!" Netherrealm proclaimed and he dropped IF. Who fell to her knees, stunned. Netherrealm kneeled down in front of her. "You understand?" He asked and IF jumped into his arms. Netherrealm wrapped his arms around her. IF shook and cried in his arms. The arms of a friend.

!Bond Levels increased!

!Bond Levels!

Compa: 5-8

Neptune: 4-6

IF: 3-5

Noire: 1