"What the Witness gave me, I give to you. May it serve you in death, or in finality. It cannot be both." - Rhulk, Disciple of the Witness

Flavor text of the weapon, 'Collective Obligation'

It was her choice, that lead to this moment.

Standing center at the gymnasium floor, one Ultimate Soldier in disguise, had been deceived. By none other than her own sister. Her sister of Ultimate Despair, her only family. The one person she would stand by for all of her existence, has now brought ruin to her.

Junko Enoshima.

"Wh...?" The Soldier, disguised as her beloved sister, trembled to speak. The pain, the pain was excruciating. Spears, from all angles, had skewered her body through, and impaled her in place. Her whole body shook and twitched, unable to process the sheer distraught she found herself in.

"H-Huh?..." She felt a viscous liquid pooling in her mouth, spilling past her lips, traveling with more pools of blood. Each spear had carved a path for more of her life fluid to escape her, and spread itself on top the gymnasium floor.

"This wasn't... supposed to..." She could feel her energy draining with each drop of blood that fell, a twisting pit in her body that felt like she would collapse upon herself at any moment.

"Why... me...?" She had asked herself that question aloud, but she already knew the answer. As she peered down for the last remaining energy she could muster, she could see the grinning face of what led her to this point.

That damn bear, Monokuma.

With her sister at the helm of its controls, the plan was simple. She would oppose the bear's insane antics of a 'Class Trial', and by defying Monokuma, it would lead to a position where the Soldier would be sent down a trapdoor, to be 'killed', and gain a way out of the Killing Game. Then, she would perform tasks for the Mastermind that would be deemed 'for Despair'.

But clearly, that had not been the case.

Instead of a trapdoor, spears had replaced her escape. With no time to think, or move, her small claim on life had been stolen away. Stolen by the one she had freely given it to in the first place.

Junko-

The last thought to cross her mind, was that of her sister. Even in death, her mind went back to her.

Existence beyond death, was not existing at all.

It was not a heavenly afterlife, where the clouds become islands of paradise, and Hope.

Neither, was it pits of torture and Despair, where those who had sinned were reprimanded for their actions.

There was nothing waiting for them. At one point, they had a name. Personality, existence, mortality. Qualities that define that of a being who has lived and desires to continue on the path that they were granted.

This no longer applied here. What became of the individual was nothing but scattered ideology, remnants of who they once were. To return to once was, would be beyond the reach of the one lost to this void.

But not all would be lost on this day.

"My dear, dear lost soul..." A voice, calming, soothing to what may have once been their ears. It had changed the atmosphere from the nothingness that had been, had always been, to a spectacle of starlight. Sparkles of light glistened and twinkled, as if universes of stars and suns were born, as others turned to nothing but dust, to cycle back into existence.

"Betrayed by one you called family.. I can't say I am, unfamiliar to it." They had family? Family...

As they tried to grasp for the memories they no longer possessed, it felt, as if a hand was caressing their being, a way like a mother would care for her child.

"You should not push yourself, try as you might, you won't be able to see the truth." They had accepted these words, it was not like they were wrong in that regard.

"However..." the serene voice continued.

"Allow me to lend you... my assistance." They were... going to help?

How?

"I shall pull your essence back together... weave you back to who you once were. Woven, by the threads that make you exist..."

Who... who are you?..

"I have gone, by many names... the thousands of my beings that exist, throughout all of that which is dictated by paracauality..." The starlight that had draped itself around had begun to shift, flowing like a liquid towards a drain. All of what had become of the loss of totality, began to form again.

What laid next was a hum, a melody. Rhythmic notes, echoing throughout what remained. A tune of eight beats, split in half. The chant rang out to it...

And She had resonated back.

"I do hope I get to see you on the other side dear... rather, the 'me' on that side, will see you.." from the void that has been washed away, she could see a glimpse of what she had assumed was speaking to her.

The glimpse consisted of bright, vibrant specks, slowly revealed to her, as if one would open their eyes from a full night of rest.

She counted them closely, for it was all she could do. First on her left, then a second on her right.

Then a third, directly above her. They seemed to bear into her very core, as if to read her through and through.

"May you find, a new lease on your life dear. I know I did..." the lights grew bright, washing away the remaining void with a vibrant green hue.

"Aiat"

.

.

..

...

We grant you access to the realm with open arms.

TO BECOME A PART THAT GRANTS US POWER

to watch as you tear asunder those against you

TO BE GRACED BY YOUR EXISTENCE THERE IS EXEMPLARY.

WITHOUTCAUSEWEMUSTACT

To ferry existence - to keep existing - always exist

Your time + not yet to come

hallow worlds = unmarked potential

.existence graced | severance insured.

.

.

..

...

Our fates are intrinsically tied to those otherside.

DEPENDENCE IS NOT A CHOICE BUT A CAUSE

without cause, to exist by effect by effect by effect

UNDER THE GUISE OF A DEAD GOD, WE ANTICIPATE YOU,

GROWINGEVERGREATER

To be brought - not by gift

as eternal watching + everlasting guard

Once soldier = always loyal

.trust n | o claims.

.

.

..

...

The sights of broken hallways fill the area, columns that once supported the ceilings were now fractured, some collapsed due to damage and the tests of time. Debris scattered on the floor, and sections of the hall were cracked, shifted, as if the ground beneath had given way long ago.

A low hum soon echoed, followed by a shining light. Light blue in color, it illuminated the room with its sheer presence alone.

Moving along the broken hall, the blue light revealed itself to be some sort of floating machine, a drone of some type, small enough to fit in the palm of a human's hand. A single metal sphere exists within a white 'shell', the receptor screen on the sphere emanating the bright blue light, not unlike a spotlight beaming down on a crowd.

Around the sphere were eight rough tetrahedral segments, like raised chevrons fitted to surround the sphere. The segments expanded and retracted at will, as if the 'shell' was its own living, breathing body.

The drone floated past the hallway, the beam of light scanning over multiple areas, seemingly looking for something, or someone. As it proceeded with its task, an almost human-like humming began to sing, despite there being no speakers in sight on the drone. Occasionally, what would sound like robotic chirps and beeps would be heard from this drone.

Past the hallways, a large opening led to direct sunlight above, multiple floors caved in to around two floors below the hallway the drone was now on. Foliage had overgrown around the hole, the sunlight from above allowing the exotic vegetation to thrive. Floating down to the cave-in below, the scanning continued from the small light.

Moments passed as the drone scanned down beneath the largest of the plants, and instead of moving forward with its scanning, it stopped, and a robotic gasp emanated from it.

"C-can it be?.." The drone spoke aloud, to nobody to itself, as its shell expanded outwards, the space between the tetrahedral fragments filled with a cool blue energy sphere, the parts of its shell spun slowly in an orbit, as the scanning light began to target the spot more frantically.

The rotation of its fragmented shell increased in speed, and in a bright white light, the shell collapsed upon the sphere.

This Ghost has found what they were searching for.

…

…

…

.."dian?..."

…

.."Guar…dian?"...

…

.."Eyes.. up.. Guardian!"...

She felt the ground beneath her, holding her body from falling more into an everlasting void. She turned her head to the side, and took in a deep breath, stretching her joints and muscles that felt like they had been dormant for an eternity.

Her eyes felt like iron vices, clamped shut with such extreme force. Pushing her willpower to get up from where she was, she forced her eyes to begin to open, and to get the rest of her body moving.

With a faded groan, her body lifted itself from its resting position. She stumbled, catching herself on the debris and foliage roots that laid around her, and hoisted herself to stand, all the while taking in the sights that beheld her.

A massive hole had ruptured to what had once been a large building, if the multiple levels visible from the sides of the crater she found herself in. Vegetation had overgrown this area, from its appearance of the metal stands and rusted wire frame beds, was an infirmary of sorts. The rubble and plants did not help in distinguishing this fact however. What was most peculiar was the floating drone nearly in her face, the screen in the center of the machine's sphere stared down at her. A small blue dot, with two blue chevrons vertically on the sides of the dot.

"Guardian, it worked… I-i-it worked! You're alive!" The drone's shell moves with its speech, the voice seemed to emanate directly from it, rather than there being a speaker on it. It had a particular nativity to the voice it spoke, but held a strong resolve that cleared all forms of discomfort.

The drone flew around her in an excited manner, robotically chirping as it did. "You have no idea how long I've been looking for you."

"F-for me?.." her voice was raspy, as if she had not used her vocal cords for a long, long time. She reached up to try and touch her neck, but a layer of some sort of suit covered her neck and body, and upon further inspection, her body was covered with plates of armor seemingly simple in design.

The drone got close to her again, "Yes! You don't know where I've gone to find you!" It floated a distance away from her, as if to look around the crater, then back at her. "I am a Ghost, well, now I guess I'm your Ghost, and you," the tetrahedral above the Ghost's screen tilted downwards to address her, "Well, you've been dead a long time. So, you're going to see some things you will not understand"

"Now, we need to move. We're not safe here, Guardian." The drone started to float away from her, so with hobbled steps at first, to finally feel the movement within her body steady out, she started to follow the floating Ghost, as it guided her through the broken building. But before she could proceed, something.. had been bugging her since she awoke.

"H-hey… Ghost?.." she asked out to the floating light, which stopped and turned to look at her.

"Who… who am I?.."

The question had burrowed into her being since the moment she had awoken. While she remembered what would be basic gestures, words, and structures, her idea of self-sense was absent in her mind. No name, no place of residence, devoid of family, all of it was nothing but blanks.

She couldn't remember.

The tetrahedral around her Ghost frowned, as to imply pity. "Well… Guardians don't… usually have memories when they are risen.." it floated away from her, but came back to her with vigor. "But! That just leaves us room to make new memories!" Her Ghost flew close enough to her that she thought he would bump into her head, but she realized it clinked against something on her head. A helmet, she realized, to finish off her suit of armor.

"Well… I don't want to go by Guardian forever… So if you can help me find my name, I'd… I'd appreciate it. Um, Ghost.." She stumbled on her words, not sure how she should refer to this floating companion she found herself with.

A few chirps and beeps emanated from the Ghost. "Well, if we go out of our to search this place.. then I think it's only fair that you give me a name!" It spun around her, like a pet running around its owner's legs.

She contemplated this for a moment. "Well.. I guess that works for me." She went to hold her hand out, cupping her hand upwards. Her Ghost stopped flying around, noticing her hand outstretched, and flew to land in her palm. "But," she continued. "I'll need some time to think of one, how's that sound?"

Her newfound companion chirped happily, and went to move closer to her. When she thought it would collide with her helmet again, in a sparkle of light her Ghost vanished, leaving behind particles of light. She panicked for a moment, her one line of communication and companionship in her newly awakened world seemingly gone. Before she could worry more, a voice emanated from the back of her mind.

"Don't panic! I'm still here. I'll guide you where to go from here, in case, well…" trailing off, her Ghost was hiding something from her, and she wasn't going to wait until her curiosity got the better of her later.

"In case of what, Ghost?" As she spoke, her helmet's display had lit up a digital chevron, leading her out of the crater, and into one of the broken hallways.

"Erm… well… I, when i said we're not safe-"

A loud, thunderous roar, echoed from somewhere above. She turned to try and find the source, but saw nothing. But, something in her had triggered some sort of instinct. Something she felt had helped her survive impossible odds, for she felt the world slow down, her senses sharpened, suddenly turning and scanning all around her, all while moving towards the hallway that was marked for her.

"What are we dealing with. Now." Gone was the newly awakened woman, stumbling though conversations with a hand sized drone. Commanding in tone, it left no room for debating, demanding answers to aid in combating whatever it was that may potentially be after them.

"T-that sounded like a Hive Knight… usually they lead with groups of Thrall and Acolytes to scout ahead.." Her Ghost used terms she did not understand, but what she did understand was she had to keep moving, or risk the enemy discovering her location. Picking up the pace towards the marked hallway, the chevron kept moving, keeping pace ahead of her.

Dodging the sharp rebar and fractured floor, she deftly moved through the hall, stopping only to check if she's being followed by anyone. When she was assured that she was undetected, she proceeded to move forward.

"Ghost. What's the plan when we're out of here? Is there an extraction waiting for us?" Her newfound resolve seemed to have shook her small companion back to her attention. "I-i thought I would have more time! We need to find a communications room, or anything I can use to tap into this building's-"

Another roar, this one louder than the last. It emanated behind her, most likely back at the crater she awoke from. Understanding the objective, she began moving for a way up, hoping to find any form of communication upwards.

After several floors of climbing, she had made it several stories away from where she once was.

As the two explored these halls, her Ghost beeped at her in her own mind. It was strange, having another voice speak to you in your own head, almost as if it were your self-conscious given form.

"In that next room on your left! I'm picking up multiple communication devices I might be able to use!" Needing no further commands, she bolted for the room, the door's lock rusting so bad the second she put force on the door, the lock mechanism broke off.

Upon entering the room, multiple monitors adorned the back wall, covering the wall from top to bottom, save for a doorway in the center. Whatever door that was once there, had either been taken out, or rusted away long ago. The pile of rusted metal scraps in front of the door made her think that the second choice was correct.

Her Ghost materialized out from her, and went to scan the monitors, seeming to connect to them. After a few moments of her Ghost beeping and chirping, she heard it scowl, seeming frustrated.

"Of course it needs to boot up. Ugh, Pre-Golden Age software, always a hassle." Her Ghost was upset, clearly, so she made a move to try and give it something to do while it waited. After scanning the area, she took another glance towards the rusted-out door frame, seemingly curious as to what laid inside. As she approached the room beyond, her Ghost followed her, curious as to where it's Guardian was going.

The next room had been nothing but a sight for sore eyes. Monitors smashed, chair turned over, controllers and keyboards that had once been there were nothing more than rubble now. The ceiling had given way, and smashed the main terminal controls. Among all the ruins, something caught her eye. A tablet of sorts, in far better condition than the state of the rest of the room, laid on the floor, under scraps of the chair. Reaching down for it, she picked up the item of interest, and wiped off the dust that covered it.

"Wow, I'm surprised that it has lasted this long. Here, let me have a look at it." She held it out for her Ghost to scan, and see if it could get the tablet to a functional level. After some scanning, the tablet's screen flickered to life, if for but a moment, before powering off again. Her Ghost had sighed, once again disappointed. "Looks like it'll need fixed up to get it working again. Maybe we can take this with us, and see if it'll give us ideas on names for both of us?" Her Ghost was trying to stay optimistic, giving her hope that it could be salvaged.

"I wouldn't mind taking it, could lend some valuable information." As she looked for a place to put the tablet, her companion floated beside the device, scanned it, and suddenly, it vanished in the same light it disappears to when it went to her head. "W-what did you-"

"I turned it to data to store, we can transmat it later." The drone stopped for a moment. "Transmatting is turning physical matter to data, and visa-versa. It's quite handy." Flying back out the main room, it began to scan the monitors again, this time they powered on, some screens flickering, others ceased to function, but a select few stayed on. "YES! Ok Guardian, I'm going to work on getting a signal out towards any other Guardians that can help us."

She nodded, and went to turn away from her Ghost, when something on one of the screens caught her eye. It was figures crawling their way through one of the hallways, one she had once been through. She surmised they must be security cameras, and while many were non-functioning, some still were operational. The figures that she witnessed stood as tall as she was, but these beings were malformed, inhuman.

What would be their head, there existed a third eye, in the center of their forehead. Protrusions of what looked like bone shaped around the sides of the creature's head, giving it the visage of a helmet. Armor of the same quality of material armed its upper chest, arms, and legs, and ripped cloth was adorned across its chest. It held some sort of object in its claws, triangular in shape, constructed of a black, bone-like material. The whole creature looked like a shambling corpse, its slouched form making it harder to determine exactly how large these creatures were.

What started as one of these creatures, soon sprawled to at least ten on the main camera, each one searching and digging their way around the debris. While she was content to watch them while her Ghost worked, what happened next startled her to her very core.

One of the creatures looked directly at the screen, as if it saw her.

At first, she had hoped it would ignore it and move on. However, much to her dismay, the creature instead began to rally the others around it, and began to move at a faster pace, to where she did not know.

"Hey Guardian, what are you- ohhh, that is… not good…"

She heard her Ghost speak behind her, as it now was locked on the screen, like she was. As they continued to watch as the creatures ran off to what she assumed was to find her, one turned back towards the camera. Pulling the device in it's hand out, aiming it directly at the camera, and a purple projectile shot out from it. When the projectile made contact with the camera, the signal was lost instantaneously.

"G-ghost… was that…" Her instincts faltered, as if to not be able to comprehend what she had just witnessed.

It had chirped at the screen, and made to shut off the remaining cameras with a few more scans. "Those were Acolytes, some of the Hive's vast fighting forces. They've been chasing new Guardians down recently, more intense than ever now." It flew away from the screens, and went to illuminate the room for it's Guardian. "You'll need to grab something to arm yourself, but I don't see anything you could use as a weapon…"

As her Ghost floated around the room, searching for anything to defend them with, she instead made to try and close and blockade the door, as the locking mechanism had rusted off from their previous entry.

What she was not expecting to see was a group of eyeless corpses of one of those creatures, bare of armor, to be huddled around the hallways she had entered from, seeming to be focused on chewing away parts of the floor.

Part of her wanted to scream, shout out to her Ghost what she was witnessing. But once again, her instincts honed in, sharpening her senses, and slowing down her process of thought so that she may find the best way out of this situation.

With the new-found threat discovered, she did her best to gently shut the door, and wedge a piece of rubble beneath it, and when she was assured that none of the pre-Acolyte corpses had noticed her actions, she silently strode up to her Ghost, still illuminated.

"Guardian, I haven't fou-"

"We have a problem." Whispering these words to her Ghost, she made motion to hold a finger up to her helmet, and pointed towards the wedged door. Her Ghost took the hint quickly, and transmatted back to within her head, now speaking to her from within.

"I wasn't able to find a proper weapon for you Guardian, I'm… sorry…" She could hear it's dejected tone, but this was her moment to give some hope back to her companion that gave her this chance.

"Whatever these creatures want from you, or us…" she spoke, her resolve returning in full vigor. She went next to where her Ghost was last scanning, and found a decently-sized stick of unbent rebar poking through the rubble. With a few give heaves, the rebar broke free, it being bent and broken off down below. A chunk of concrete was stuck on the end of the rebar, turning what would have been a makeshift spear, into a crude sledgehammer.

It'll have to do.

"...I won't let them harm us"

And with that, the unnamed Guardian was going to defend what she had gained in her newest life.