UNITY FORCE MISSIONS: GIRLS' LAST TOUR
CHAPTER 11: Human Factor
DISCLAIMER: All characters in the story are not owned by me, save for my OCs.
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[Train, Earth-8751]
[PLAY MUSIC: Girls' Last Tour OST - Shuumatsu no Hirusagari]
Forty minutes later, the rest of the Unity Force including Chito, Yuuri, Zoro Roronoa, Maya Tendo, Kanta Mizuno, Nagi Sanzenin, Laala Manaka, Ako Udagawa, Rinko Shirokane, Usopp, Brook, Ichika Takatsuki, Rinon, Aloy, Erend, Sorao Kamikoshi, Toriko Nishina, Ben Tennyson, Ash, Renge Miyauchi, Tony Tony Chopper, and now Strelok are seen riding the train that leads to a seemingly endless journey, as they don't know what destination it will stop.
Earlier, the rest met up with Strelok, an expert stalker in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe, at the food production facility for fish, whom they later find out that he is acquaintances with Sorao and Toriko since last year, due to him going with them on the Otherside in the past through mere coincidence.
Later on, they realised that Shuka mysteriously vanished, as well as them spotting Laala with near-grievous injuries. They later suspect that Shuka's disappearance is connected to Laala getting injured, which later becomes true, when they now theorise over her reasoning: going after the Burning Legion commanders Kil'jaeden and Archimonde to rescue Falala・A・Larm and Garara・S・Leep by herself, which is bad news if she is at the receiving end of getting captured, as she is the last piece needed for Sargeras's awakening.
Meanwhile, within the train...
"This train is way bigger than the bedroom of my own mansion." Nagi remarked.
"I wonder how the people of this world created such a train like this." Rinko remarked.
"Bigger than the subway station." Ako said.
"They probably have built this with machines." Aloy said.
"I was far more excited at seeing the scenery earlier." Kanta said. "It's like the Great Kanto Desert at night at my own world." He remarked. "Except everything is still intact." He ended.
"But... where are we now?" Maya asked.
"This train seems to go nowhere." Renge added. "Oh, look! A giant machine corpse!" She said.
"Maybe we should check with this place furthermore." Zoro added.
The rest of the group moved forward, as they continue to walk into the giant train. As expected of what Renge has said, they later see a giant machine corpse lying around the train, which is another long list of the most bizarre discoveries they can compile within this world. But they also found a broken clock embedded on it.
"This is a clock, right?" Chito asked Zoro.
"By the looks of it, yes." Zoro said.
"Hmmmm... It seems that its hands are pointing at 5:35 P.M." Chito said. "Does it show the correct time, though?" She asked.
"I think not." Ichika said, as she asks Rinon for the time.
"It's already 6:43 P.M.!" Rinon said.
"That clock is an hour late, so it definitely is broken." Maya said.
"Speaking of clocks, the needle goes around twice for every one rotation of Earth." Chito said.
"Really?! Is it that fast!" Yuuri exclaimed.
"I think you're missing the point here, Yuuri." Usopp said. "That's not how clocks work." He ended.
"No, time doesn't go fast or slow, it just goes..." Chito said. "No matter what, Earth turns and time goes on..." She continued. "Time's a-wasting. Hop on." She ordered Yuuri.
"Geez... You're impatient. There's no rush, when the train is still moving." Yuuri said.
"I guess you're right." Chito said.
"Speaking of that, where do you learn all of this stuff, Chii-chan?" Yuuri said, before jumping into the Kettenkrad.
The rest then leave the machine corpse alone, as they proceeded further into the train.
"You really have a short and bad memory, do you, Yuuri-nee-sama?" Laala asked.
"Memories get in our way." Yuuri remarked.
"No wonder you don't know a thing or two." Zoro said.
"Hey, what are you talking about?!" Yuuri exclaimed questioningly in front of Zoro, while pouting uncharacteristically.
"They're just as important as it is when you are in a mission." Zoro claimed. "Not to mention, you even nearly forgot the scope of this mission." He added.
"No offence, Yuuri-san, but your brain has the functioning of a goldfish." Nagi coldly said.
"HEY! That's not nice!" Yuuri said.
"About these clocks, Zoro-san." Chito said to Zoro.
"Why people of the old world use these small clocks, what you call...?" Yuuri added.
"Hand watches?" Zoro said.
"Yes, hand watches!" Yuuri added.
"While I don't know about the people of the old in this world, they used hand watches to determine a specific time for something else including appointments while they are outside." Zoro said.
"Wow..." Yuuri said.
"I never wonder how the people of this world would create such things like this." Chito said.
"And speaking of time, we cannot waste it." Zoro added. "We have to find Shuka-san as soon as possible." He continued.
On cue with that, the train suddenly stops at another station known as Station A-6. However, Chito is far more unsure about this, as she tells the rest that this is not even the right stop. Shrugging it off, they later decide to stay at the train and reach the very terminus of it. They wait for another three to four hours for the train to finally reach its destination: Station A-15. During that time, we see the rest of the group killing their time, with Zoro sparring off against Brook in a sword fight. Chito and Yuuri, meanwhile, are within their Kettenkrad, with the latter eating a ration, before Maya proceeds to take three, causing the blondette to pout in annoyance.
Three hours later, with little time to waste, the Unity Force group later depart from Station A-15, as they leave the giant train away, before departing into its unknown destination again. They head into yet another giant stairway that leads into yet another mysterious facility within the megacity that they cannot comprehend.
Later on, they see what seems to be signs of a battle that occurred, as shown by the corpses of Felstalkers in here. Cautiously, they later approached it and examined it, thinking this would lead them to Shuka's last whereabouts.
"Some kind of battle occurred at this place." Chito said.
"Not to mention, traces of unknown energy are to be seen from these corpses." Yuuri added. "One light and one dark." She ended.
"It looks like Shuka-san defeated the minions of Burning Legion without a hitch." Zoro said.
"That means she is undoubtedly going after Archimonde and Kil'jaeden." Maya said. "My deductions earlier at that fish farm were right, after all." She continued seriously. "Aloy-san, can you use that device of yours?" She asked, referring to Aloy's Focus.
"I hope it works." Aloy turns the Focus on to search for any traces of Shuka, before the familiar purplish holographic trail appears underneath them. This time, however, it splits into two trails that all go in a forking path. "Two different paths, but none of them belong to Shuka." She deduced. "Instead, both of these trails have footsteps that are cloven in nature." She added, as she looks at the Unity Force group.
"There's no footprints of Shuka..." Zoro said. "That means she used some kind of levitating power." He concluded.
"Why would she hide her trail, anyway, knowing that we would simply follow it?" Kanta questioned.
"I'm more worried about Shuka-san by the passing minute..." Laala said worryingly.
"Cloven?" Nagi questioned. "You mean hooves?" She asked Aloy, who nodded.
"Does that mean..." Kanta said.
"It seems that there's more to this." Chito said. "I guess we have no choice but to split." She ended.
"Keep your guards up." Zoro said. "It seems that they're not going to stop until Shuka-san is within their hands." He ended.
There, the group plans to proceed to split ways, with Chito and Zoro planning out the next phase and that is to follow the separate trails and find any traces of Shuka, now that she strayed earlier to hunt down for the commanders of the Burning Legion, and it would spell disaster if everything went badly for the girl.
Chito, Yuuri, Zoro, Maya, Kanta, Strelok, Sorao, Toriko, Ichika, Rinon, Laala, and Nagi decide to take the first forking trail, with the rest taking the second.
"Call us if you find something amiss, Aloy-san." Chito said.
"We got this, Chito." Aloy responded.
"Alright, let's go." Chito said, before Aloy's group depart.
"Now everything is silent, again." Maya said.
"And the danger is something else." Chito said.
As Aloy's group later part ways with Chito's group, the latter group later follow the first holographic trail that leads to a completely straight path. There, however, as the rest continue their journey, Yuuri suddenly tells to the group that she heard something mysterious from the radio they took earlier in the grave markers, much to Chito's annoyance, when she found out it was actually in her possession for the whole time.
"YOU really brought that device with you?!" Chito exclaimed. "We told you, Kanta-san, and Laala-san to put whatever you took back at those graves!" She added, as she also looks at Kanta and Laala.
"Eh?!" Laala exclaimed. "I already brought that book back." She ended.
"Oi, you're pointing at the wrong people, Chito-san." Kanta remarked. "Laala-san and I put our own items we took from that place." He ended.
"It might be useful at any point." Yuuri said. "Not to mention, it made that strange sound earlier." She ended.
"You're only looking for trouble by taking it." Chito added.
"Besides..." Kanta said. "We don't believe in stuff like ghosts, unlike you." He shot back.
"Aw, you know what, Kanta-san also agrees to this." Yuuri said, as she fiddles over the antenna of the radio. "They say 'Dead men wield no wield no weapons.' If they're unarmed, I'm not scared of them." She ended.
"Yeah, right." Kanta said sarcastically.
"Besides, it's 'Dead Men Tell No Tales.'" Chito corrected.
"About that, Kozakura is also like that." Strelok said. "A scaredy brat." He added sharply.
"You really don't like Kozakura-san, don't you?" Sorao asked the stalker.
"That сука блять (fucking bitch) is nothing more than trouble, despite her smarts, thanks to her coward personality." Strelok added, who had endured Kozakura's scare-prone personality. "Beyond all that, however, she has known about what I went through during that battle with C-Consciousness in the past." He ended.
"Wow..." Zoro remarked, who ironically hates Kozakura, due to her putting the rest into such unnecessary trouble to locate Chito and Yuuri in the past. Jima, on the other hand, did not follow the Otherside researcher's scare-prone personality, and was more disappointed at her irresponsibility to help the Unity Force group out. She also felt a tinging amount of guilt, as a result.
But for now, those annoyances and inconveniences have been allayed, and they have a more pressing matter to deal with right within their two eyes. During that moment, they later head into a mysterious structure for a brief stop. There, Chito asked Yuuri about the strange melody, where the latter interpreted it through a series of hums, where the rest are uncertain about it, where the two converse about music and song.
"We should take a rest here for a few minutes." Nagi said, as she sits down. "I haven't walked this far, ever since." She ended.
"Talk about living as a sheltered aristocrat." Kanta remarked sarcastically.
"Hmph!" Nagi huffed, as she pouted. "At least it's better than you wearing that ragged-up clothing of yours." She scoffed.
"Why these two don't end arguing within each other?" Chito asked.
"Just ignore those two." Zoro said.
"Speaking of which, I wonder how Aloy-san's group hold up." Ichika said. "We've been walking through this empty place for hours and yet we haven't had an exact clue as to where Shuka-san is." She concluded.
"Hey, out of curiosity." Sorao said. "We still remembered that time about Aloy-san seeing this hologram of this so-called cultist leader and the masked figure." She added.
"Yeah, what about it?" Kanta said.
"Well, it's just I'm not sure why would they had access to that kind of technology if their world is tribal to begin with." Sorao said.
"That's what I was also thinking, as well." Kanta responded. "All of this ridiculous bullshit talk from Aloy-san about her falling into a technologically advanced bunker amidst a tribal world and getting this so-called Focus from a dried-up corpse doesn't add everything up." He added. "Even Erend-san doesn't believe in Aloy-san's horseshit." He ended.
"All these mysteries that don't add up into the pile..." Sorao pondered.
"Anyways, we should head back into following the trail." Chito ordered.
And with that, Chito's group later leave the small room, as they continue following the holographic trail. While they continue travelling across the dark road, which is only complemented with the metallic sound of footsteps banging into the metallic floor. Chito and Yuuri continue conversing more about music and sound waves, and with the rest thinking about the current state of their mission, and how they have managed to get thrown into such a mess that is bigger than they can't expect.
They later head into what seems to be a giant robot factory, where the likes of which they have never seen before, including Kanta, who has developed a fascination with the so-called Dark Age weaponry within Chito and Yuuri's world.
"Talk about this place being a bizarre munitions factory." Kanta remarked. "That right there is like a whole new level of Dark Age technology." He commented at the robots above. "While those hulking WMDs didn't exist in my own world, it was something else that caused it." He continued. "Don't ask me for what it is." He ended.
"And speaking of which..." Yuuri said. "It's about time we saw some sunlight though, huh, Chii-chan?" She added.
"I'll say ever since all of us got to this stratum, we've been stuck down in its foundation. We don't even know how far we might have travelled on that train." Chito said.
"I'd say we had travelled our way from that station to here through that train for the last five hours." Maya said.
"And we're trying our efforts to find Shuka-san and by getting our way out to the surface." Chito said.
"But how?" Yuuri asked.
"By going upwards." Chito responded, as the rest of the group later approach what seems to be a lift.
"The trail seems to end here." Maya said.
"I don't think so, yet." Zoro added.
"Chii-chan, what's that?" Yuuri asked her friend.
"This incline is too steep for us to begin with." Chito said.
"My rocket winch would be too useless for this scenario." Kanta remarked.
"This lift will probably bring us up to the surface." Yuuri said.
"It looks like it still is functional." Toriko said. "I can hear some faint humming within it." She ended.
"Do you know how to make this work, Yuuri-san?" Sorao asked.
"Maybe this switch might turn it on?" Yuuri said, as she presses the button, before the lift suddenly turns on, as the rest of Chito's group are being brought above.
At first, the lift goes at a normal pace as it begins its trip above the adjacent surface. In the midst of the trip, Yuuri suddenly hears the radio making the same mysterious melody like what she heard in the previous area. However, the lift suddenly goes at a rapid pace, prompting Chito and the rest to immediately tell Yuuri to press the switch to slow the elevator down, but unfortunately for the rest of them, the blondette was too distracted from the melody within the pocket radio.
"Goddamnit!" Zoro exclaimed. "Yuuri-san, slow the elevator down!" He yelled.
"I can hear that music again... The surface might be close..." Yuuri said.
"Yikes, I don't think that equates to 'close', WHEN THE LIFT IS GETTING CLOSE TO THE TOP WITH NO STOPPING!" Kanta yelled, before he takes the radio out from her. "Slow it down, now!" He exclaimed.
"Yuu, hit the switch!" Chito exclaimed.
"I cannot tell where it is." Yuuri simply said.
"BRACE FOR IMPACT!" Kanta boomed rather loudly, as the lift suddenly collides into the terminus at a much rapid pace, causing a slight shake, before the rest are thrown mid-air, which also includes the Kettenkrad.
The rest including Yuuri, Zoro, Kanta, Ichika, Strelok, Toriko, and Rinon were fortunate that they jumped and landed freely without causing too much of a hassle. However, the rest including Chito, Sorao, Maya, Laala, and Nagi weren't, as they later hit the pavement in front of them. They later arrive in what seems to be the surface, but instead it was surrounded by buildings around them, as they are now on top of a building.
Suddenly, however, a strange melody plays into the radio, one of which they cannot describe.
[PLAY MUSIC: Girls' Last Tour OST - Owari no Uta]
"Is it just me or is that radio playing some kind of a haunting melody?" Kanta asked.
"It sounded sad, Yuu. You are right." Chito said.
"But that's impossible." Ichika said. "This place is completely dead, yet the radio plays a tune?" She questioned.
"Just when you thought things can't get any weirder." Zoro said.
"Speaking of which..." Yuuri said. "Look at the sunset." She called out, as the rest of Chito's group look at it. "It's red." She ended.
"A red sunset...?" Nagi said.
"This is rather unusual for us to explain." Laala said. "Not even Shuka-chan knows about this." She ended.
"Something doesn't feel right..." Sorao said.
"Not only that, but the place is also virtually empty, as well." Toriko added.
"It's so red." Chito said.
"Quite the eerie feeling, especially with the empty buildings in front of us." Zoro said.
"I bet the sunset's red has a sad rhythm too." Yuuri said.
"Not to mention, my eyes sting." Chito said.
"Me too." Sorao said.
"It does look painful to watch." Toriko added.
"Why are you crying?" Nagi asked.
"Is the song really that sad?" Yuuri asked.
We see Chito, Sorao, Toriko, Ichika, and Laala tearing up slightly for whatever reason, where some of them lied about it for reasons that are left unexplained, and the others including Chito explained that it was due to the scrapes they obtained earlier during the lift's wild ride to the surface.
Speaking of which, because of spending hours from the train they rode earlier, they decide to take this opportunity to rest again once the sunset falls, while keeping their guards up, especially with the current matters regarding the Burning Legion. This is largely due to them being pushed to their near limit, especially with the events that are currently unfolding.
Night falls, and that said cycle of slight peace is suddenly broken at around 1:30 A.M., when Zoro is suddenly awakened by a rather bizarre and unexpected event that he did not anticipate in the first place.
He heard his tablet ringing slightly loudly, where he later receives a call from Ash, who sounded slightly troubled than his usual demeanour.
"Ash? Why you call me at a time like this?" Zoro asked.
"Listen..." Ash said in a whisper. "Our group just uncovered something strange, 10 minutes ago." He added.
"Like what?" Zoro questioned.
"Some kind of mysterious rock, but it has flames that are coloured blue in nature." Ash said, as he points the camera of his tablet into the said rock.
"Whatever you do, don't touch it." Zoro said. "We don't know what would happen if anyone of you did." He ended.
"You don't have to..." Usopp nervously said. "L-l-l-l-ooooook!" He exclaimed.
Suddenly, from the other side of the line, the mysterious bluish rock later takes form into something more malicious: a giant Infernal with dark-blue flames. Its hulking nature has awakened the rest of Aloy's team, as it begins to attack the rest of them. This new Infernal is known as Gror'thas. Unlike the rest of the Infernals the Unity Force have faced throughout their journey in this world, Gror'thas is far more intelligent and sentient than the rest of the same constructs the Burning Legion has summoned.
"What the?" Aloy questioned.
"Uh-oh, this is not good..." Ash said.
"Mortals..." Gror'thas gravelly called out. "Surrender now or you will face a fate worse than death." He ended.
"What the heck is that?!" Erend exclaimed.
"It looks like one of the Infernals we have just encountered." Aloy said.
"But it can speak?!" Ako exclaimed.
"Whether it can speak or not, we must put a stop to it, before it will be too late!" Chopper exclaimed.
"How?" Rinko asked. "We tried to attack it, but it seems that our magic doesn't work on it!" She exclaimed.
"We have no other choice but to go physical on this!" Usopp said, as he takes out his slingshot, before leaping at one of the buildings within him. "Rinko and Ako, try to distract them!" He added.
Then, the rest suddenly heard Kil'jaeden's voice from afar, where they see the Eredar, who has a vicious, threatening look on his face, as if he is utterly displeased.
"This is your last warning." Kil'jaeden said. "Give us the girl, or all of you will die." He added ominously, as he summoned two lesser Infernals, before they march further towards Aloy's group.
"Are you kidding me?!" Brook exclaimed. "Kil'jaeden is also here?" He questioned.
"Damnit!" Usopp said. "He must be after Shuka-san!" He added.
"Gror'thas, destroy them." Kil'jaeden commanded.
"As you wish, my liege." Gror'thas said, before he and the rest of the lesser Infernals proceed to attack Aloy's group.
"Listen, Zoro, we have to go now!" Ash speaks abruptly, before ending the call.
"Ash? ASH!" Zoro called futilely, but to no avail.
This awakened the rest of Zoro's group.
"What's happening?" Maya questioned.
"Aloy-san's team got attacked by the Burning Legion!" Zoro said.
"The what?!" Chito and the rest exclaimed.
"Listen, myself, Maya, and Kanta-san will go there and help Aloy's team out." Zoro said to the rest of Chito's group. "The rest of you, continue following the other trail. It seems that their eyes and ears are everywhere else we go around this world." He ended, much to the confusion of the rest.
"Call us if you find something there!" Kanta exclaimed.
Afterwards, Zoro brandishes his Wado Ichimonji, and with Maya taking out her Odette. Kanta then reloads his shotgun, before he uses his rocket winch.
The rest who left including Chito, Yuuri, Nagi, Sorao, Toriko, Strelok, Laala, Ichika, and Rinon are in such stunned silence that they cannot believe what just happened within Aloy's team. They can hope that everything will be resolved within the next day.
And with that...
Six hours later, the rest of Chito's group have awakened from the nightmare they have just experienced when Aloy's team was attacked by Gror'thas that prompted Zoro, Maya, and Kanta to part ways with the rest. But their journey is far from over, as they still have to follow the current trail that they have been desperately following for hours.
"I hope Zoro-nii-sama, Maya-nee-sama, and Kanta-nii-san are fine." Laala said.
"Don't worry about them." Ichika said. "I'm sure that that they're still fine, I hope." She added.
"Speaking of that... The weather is okay..." Yuuri said, as she slightly fiddles.
"Hey. Stay still." Chito said, as she is seen trimming the ends of Yuuri's hair.
"This mission is going us nowhere." Nagi said. "Not to mention..." She added.
"But we have no choice." Ichika added.
"Hey, we should head down through that hole!" Yuuri added.
There, Chito's group later head down into the ruins of yet another war, where everything in front of them is in a state of utter and complete mess.
"Too many weapons in here." Chito said.
"Some kind of war must have caused it." Strelok said.
"It looks like a huge, big jackpot for me!" Toriko exclaimed.
"All of them are submerged, so it's pretty much useless." Sorao remarked.
"That hole below must be older, which got blasted from a battle, a long, long time ago." Chito said.
"What are you suggesting, Chito-nee-sama?" Laala asked.
"Probably more fighting came to the town must have caused this crater to be formed, or probably something else." Chito added.
"Sounds really complicated to explain." Yuuri said.
"This is nothing like Chernobyl." Strelok added.
"Was Chernobyl in your world really that bad?" Ichika asked.
"Too bad and too dangerous for any greenhorn and casual thrill-seekers." Strelok remarked. "If you're too much of a total coward there, you won't survive that place easily." He added.
"Speaking of that, look!" Yuuri said, as she points at the decommissioned war tank.
This time, however, the tank's cannon pours out water that is being produced by the larger water pipe from above, as it later gushes out, turning it into a makeshift mini-waterfall. Yuuri later places her head into the waterfall, where she later complains about it being called, before she is stopped by Chito. To the annoyance of the rest, Yuuri later shakes her head, as tiny droplets of water later spatter around the group, before Nagi prompts her to smack the blondette with her fist.
"Cut that out, will you, Yuuri-nee-sama?!" Nagi exclaimed with a huff.
"Sorry..." Yuuri apologised.
"Now, stand up..." Chito said, as she grabs Yuuri by the collar of the jacket.
"Hey, you don't have to be so strict, Chii-chan!" Yuuri exclaimed.
"Anyways, we should go through the centre of that hole, and we should eat, while also wondering about the rest of our group." Chito ended.
"Alright!" Laala said.
"It's best for us to set up some communications with them, as well." Strelok said.
"I can do that." Ichika said, before she looks at Rinon. "Rinon, retrieve any signal for the rest of the Unity Force to contact them, once we reach that hole down there." She ordered.
"You got it!" Rinon said.
The rest of Chito's group later head down into the mysterious hole, before they encounter yet a giant war site that has been abandoned for several years. Here, we see Chito and Yuuri eating rations, before the rest of Chito's group later rendezvous with Ichika, as they see Rinon transforming into what seems to be the form of a transmitter.
They find it absolutely strange for an organic computer interface like Rinon to transform into something completely different, in the form of a signal transmitter, unlike the previous form it assumed, which is Ichika's cybernetic right arm when in combat.
However, that later becomes proven to be an important necessity, when they later start contacting the rest of the Unity Force group who have been separated within this mission.
"Signal strength: 100%. Power: 89%. Current location: Earth-8751. Communication established." Rinon mechanically said, as it turns into a screen, before a face of Zoro is shown within the screen, as well as several members of Aloy's group in what seems to be in injured condition. "It's looks like it's Zoro-san, Maya-san, Kanta-san, and the rest of Aloy-san's group!" Rinon exclaimed.
"What's the update there, Zoro-san?" Chito asked.
"We're here taking a camp at a building with tanks in here." Zoro said. "While Gror'thas and Kil'jaeden's lesser Infernals are dealt with, for now, half of Aloy-san's group is injured from the battle." He added."There's a likelihood that he will come back and target the group again." He ended.
"You're saying Kil'jaeden was there?" Chito questioned.
"Which is the reason why half of Aloy's group got injured from the preemptive attack the Burning Legion threw earlier." Maya added. "He was responsible for causing the mysterious blue rock to appear in the first place." She ended.
"Not only that, but Gror'thas was unlike any other Infernal we have fought for the last few days." Zoro added.
"Rinko-san said that he is largely immune to any form of magic, and her and Ako-san's attacks didn't do any damage, at all, considering they are magic users." Kanta sternly added.
"If that's the case..." Chito said. "Then we have to go physical on this one." She continued. "Also, what did you get at least from Kil'jaeden?" She asked.
"Not a good news to begin with and we're too late until we found out about it." Zoro added.
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Chito said.
"It was a preemptive attack, and likely a distraction." Zoro said.
"So you're saying..." Ichika added.
"The attack was a clever distraction, most likely planned out by Archimonde, and Kil'jaeden has already gloated over his victory, now that Archimonde has taken Shuka away." Zoro added, as it only causes more discomfort for the rest.
"He what?!" Laala exclaimed. "They took Shuka-chan? I'm not going to believe this lie!" She added furiously.
"Are you fucking serious?!" Chito exclaimed, as she loses it. "We have to stop him before he is about to wake up Sargeras!" He added.
"Calm down, Chii-chan!" Yuuri attempts to reassure Chito.
"But we still don't know where they are, yet." Zoro said. "Not to mention, we don't know the exact location of their main base of operations within this world." He added.
"I don't want to think of this..." Chito said in a downcast manner. "We'll rendezvous there, as soon as possible."
"Chii-chan?" Yuuri said, as she looks at Chito.
"Chito-san, calm down." Ichika said.
"I can't believe that this kind of madness is happening in my world..." Chito said.
"We're not too late, yet." Toriko reassured.
"Why are you already moping over this, леді (lady)?" Strelok questioned. "You signed this up to be a hero of a heroic organisation, so you have to understand that anything unexpected like this is going to happen." He added seriously.
"I don't want to see my world getting destroyed, even if it's already dead." Chito said. "I don't want to see this happening, Yuu..." She ended.
"Then stop wallowing over it!" Yuuri exclaimed in front of Chito. "This is just the beginning, and you're already giving up?!" She added, as she bellowed in front of Chito.
"Yuuri-san, calm down..." Sorao said.
"I'm not going to calm down until Chii-chan snaps out from this deluded thinking." Yuuri egged succinctly. "This is just her unbecoming of a Unity Force hero." She added.
"I'm not giving up." Chito simply said.
"Then let's go!" Yuuri said, as she drags Chito.
"Hey, calm down, Yuu!" Chito said rather futilely.
"It's now or never, so we should go!" Yuuri added.
Despite Chito's futile attempts to resist Yuuri, the noirnette later gives in, as they later prioritise with their plan of locating Aloy's group, Zoro, Maya, and Kanta. The rest of Chito's group later head into what seems to be a group of pipes. Things later calmed down, with Chito getting some water from the mini-pond, when some of Chito's group later suddenly see a white creature slithering at one of the pipes. But before they can catch it, the creature quickly hides into the pipe.
"A strange creature just came out...!" Yuuri exclaimed.
"Yikes! What was that thing?!" Sorao exclaimed.
"It's showing up again!" Laala said. "I'll catch it!" She added, as she proceeds to jump towards it, only for her to hit the pipes. "Ouch! That hurts!" She ended.
"That's going to leave a mark." Nagi remarked.
"Was that creature a fish?" Chito asked.
"No, but something different!" Yuuri exclaimed. "Try banging on it, Chii-chan!" She added, as she gives a steel rod to Chito.
"Will that even work?" Nagi questioned.
"It doesn't hurt trying." Yuuri said.
"Like... this?" Chito said, as she bashes the hollow pipes with the steel rod, causing the same white creature to jump out towards Yuuri, Sorao, and Toriko. Strelok, on the other hand, cannot believe what he is seeing.
The creature in front of them is a small, worm-like, and quadrupedal creature that has white body around it as well as a white-coloured mouth and two outlines that resemble as eyes. This is Nuko.
"Are you okay, guys?!" Chito asked.
"I think, yes." Yuuri said.
"But what the heck is that thing?" Sorao said.
"Doesn't look like a fish." Chito added.
"It's not even close to a fish, so no." Nagi corrected.
"It's probably a cat?" Chito asked.
"A cat...?" Ichika asked sceptically. "That definitely doesn't look like some sort of cat to me." She ended, with Rinon agreeing.
"Not to mention, a normal creature." Rinon added.
"Let's eat it!" Yuuri exclaimed.
"I don't think that thing is a food to begin with." Nagi corrected.
"Hold on, I'm hearing some voices." Chito said, as she heard some crackling from the radio. "Did you just hear that sound from the radio?" She asked Yuuri.
"A voice?" Yuuri questioned.
The rest later listen to the sound coming from the radio, of whom which they find it completely strange in nature, before they realised it was coming from Nuko. Annoyed of what goes on, Yuuri then asks Nuko for what it truly is.
"I'm Nuko." Nuko simply said.
"It says its name is 'Nuko'." Yuuri said.
"Says its name is 'Nuko'." Nuko repeated Yuuri's statement.
"Did it just repeat what you have just said?" Nagi asked in front of Yuuri.
"I think so." Yuuri said. "What should we do? Cook it?" She questioned.
"Everything that goes in your head is all about food, so no." Chito said. "We should leave that thing alone." She added.
"Why is it?" Yuuri asked.
"We can't eat something that speaks." Chito said.
"Is it that 'empathy' thing?" Yuuri questioned.
"Yeah, that's it." Chito answered.
"I don't think that's the right answer." Ichika said. "Plus, it's ridiculous for all of us to think about eating that thing." She ended.
"Maybe we just leave this thing and leave this place." Strelok answered.
Chito and the rest leave Nuko away, as they later continue their journey and rendezvous with the rest of the Unity Force. But to their utter surprise, Nuko starts following them in a rather sneaky manner, before Yuuri and Nagi notice it.
"Is it just me or is it Nuko following us?" Yuuri questioned.
"You have got to be kidding me." Strelok said. "Listen, we have to go, as we have something to deal with, okay?" He looked at Nuko with a displeasing look in his face.
But to his surprise, Nuko simply followed the group, before Chito then takes the creature with them.
"It seems Nuko wants to go." Chito said.
"But can we eat it?" Yuuri asked.
"No." Chito answered.
"Are you a cannibal or what, Yuuri-nee-sama?" Laala asks Yuuri.
"Besides, since we already lose so much things, it's nice that we have someone new as an addition." Chito remarked, before Nuko slithers around the noirnette's neck. "Eeee! It's slithering around me!" She added.
"It looks like it wants to come with us, anyway." Yuuri remarked.
"Can anyone of you carry it for me?" Chito questioned the other group, but not before Laala suddenly takes it.
"I WILL!" Laala exclaimed, as she cuddles Nuko. "SO CUTE!" She added.
"Soft!" Yuuri exclaimed.
"Don't torment it, you two." Chito said.
"But Nuko's cute!" Yuuri and Laala said altogether.
And with that Chito's group later leave the war ruins, as they later plan their next course into their journey, and that is rendezvousing with the rest of the Unity Force group.
~~~0-0-0~~~
[Battle Tank Depot, Earth-8751]
Meanwhile, with the rest of Aloy's group, as well as Zoro, Maya, and Kanta in what seems to be the ruins of a tank depot, we see some of Aloy's group who are largely uninjured treating the injured Unity Force group members including Ash, Renge, Ben, Chopper, Ako, and Rinko who took the brunt of the Burning Legion's attack, seven hours ago.
"What's taking them so long?" Zoro questioned.
"They're now coming here." Maya said, as she takes out her tablet, where they see the blip of Chito's group.
"I can't believe that those Legion fuckers have pulled off a preemptive attack against us." Kanta grumbled.
Suddenly, five shadows show up from the other side of the building.
"Someone's coming!" Aloy said, as she arms her hunter bow.
"Prepare yourselves!" Erend ordered, as he takes out his war-hammer. "We're not going to take any chances, so we must stop anyone who is trespassing here." He added.
But instead of the Burning Legion's minions, three girls, a human, and a panda humanoid show up as they leave the spiralling stairway.
"Hold it!" One of the girls exclaimed.
"Yeah right, as if we are going to believe all of you!" Erend angrily exclaimed.
"I think they aren't a threat." Aloy reassured Erend.
"They might help us out, but keep your guards up." Zoro ordered.
The first girl has a platinum blonde hair. She wears a dark brown hairband with a giant unbloomed cherry blossom on her left, with a dark brown ribbon, and some bloomed cherry blossoms on the right side of her hairband. She has light tan eyes and is also fair-skinned. She wears a white, schoolgirl uniform with a dark brown ribbon and lines. The sleeves of her costume reach her elbow, and there is a red-coloured band on the left sleeve. She wears gloves that go from her elbow to her hand, with white bows on top around her wrist. The cuffs of her sleeves and collar are a light blue with brown stripes On her dress, there is a gold chain. There are also two long ribbons adorned with cherry blossoms on the backside of her costume. She wears a miniskirt which is grey and white in colour. Her shoes are thigh-high and are white in color with dark brown stripes. On the back are bows the same colour as her collar and sleeve cuffs, and there is a brown stripe right above the bottom of her shoes. The bottom of her shoes are also brown. This is Snow White, one of the former participants of Magical Girl Raising Project, who is known by her real name as Koyuki Himekawa.
The second girl has a long, dark brown hair that is put in a ponytail by a silver shuriken-like clip and brown-red eyes. However, her left eye has a large scar on it, as well as her having a prosthetic left arm. Her outfit is very ninja-like and includes a long, red scarf. The outfit has a black top and fishnet-like upper sleeves with decorations. The bottom of her sleeves widen toward her hands. This is Ripple, a former participant of Magical Girl Raising Project, who is known by her real name as Kano Sazanami.
The third girl has long blonde hair with dark-pink tips tied into pigtails. She has cloud-like creatures coming out of her hair. She also has light-purple eyes. She wears an oversized pajama shirt that is yellow and covered with bunny faces and clouds with faces. She has a candy wrapper at the collar of her shirt. She also wears long white socks, with one being tugged down more than the other. This is Nemurin, a former participant of Magical Girl Raising Project, who is known by her real name as Nemu Sanjou.
The panda humanoid is seen wearing what appears to be a black Chinese clothing known as a Tang suit. He also wears a straw hut with tufts on its edges. Around his belt are two bottles with the leaf logo on it, as well as him holding a barrel of ale, and a stick with a teapot that acts as a flail, as well as a bottle with a paw logo on it. This is Chen Stormstout, a legendary brewmaster and a warrior who is from a race known as the Pandaren.
The human is a dwarven humanoid with a muscular body, who is seen holding a giant war-hammer that is more advanced in nature than Erend's. He wears what seems to be a helmet. He has a long red hair tied in a ponytail, as well as four smaller beards that tie through smaller braids, as well as a larger beard that is tied up into a giant braid. He also wears an armour that consists of a pauldron with feathers on it, as well as green crystals. He also dons a breastplate, pants, blue belt with green crystal in the middle, vambraces, and brown boots. This is Falstad Wildhammer, the High Thane of Wildhammer Clan.
"Who are all of you, anyhow?" Zoro asked.
"I can tell that you have faced the Burning Legion, yet again." Ripple said seriously.
"What? You know about them?" Maya asked.
"It started when they attacked our world, three years ago..." Snow White added.
"And they unleashed what seems to be the biggest surprise attack no one has anticipated." Nemurin responded, before shaking her head. "No, it was a genocidal attack against our world." She ended.
"We already thought that the horrors that was the Magical Girl Raising Project would forever etch into our memories, after it was finally over." Ripple said. "But the Burning Legion's sudden invasion has proven us wrong again." She added in a melancholic manner.
The rest cannot believe at what they have just heard, before Snow White proceeds to tell the story about the destruction of their world from the clutches of the Burning Legion. While the rest of the people in their world, regardless of what side they are in, valiantly fought over the invasion, it wasn't enough to stop Sargeras, Archimonde, and Kil'jaeden's forces who were amassing at every corner and destroy everything in its path. The only survivors including herself, Ripple, and Nemurin were fortunate to be rescued by Chen and Falstad. But they are unfortunate that their world and the life within it has been completely annihilated and exterminated by Sargeras, his subordinates, and his army.
"You gotta be kidding me..." Zoro said.
"The Burning Legion have already caused the Battle of Mount Hyjal, and when they were defeated, they later resorted into targetting Himekawa's world." Falstad added.
"Since then we have been residing in this world for three years, hoping we can avoid Sargeras and his army." Ripple said.
"Unfortunately, we have encountered them, yet again." Maya said, as concerned looks follow Ripple and Snow White, with the former being far too pleased over what she has just heard.
To be continued...
~~~0-0-0~~~
The characters that appear in this chapter (in order):
Gror'thas is an Original Character
Nuko from Girls' Last Tour
Snow White/Koyuki Himekawa, Ripple/Kano Sazanami, and Nemurin/Nemu Sanjou from Magical Girl Raising Project
Chen Stormstout and Falstad Wildhammer from Warcraft
~~~0-0-0~~~
A/N: This story is inspired by the ideas of someoneStupED, XP4Universe, and Tamama900.
On the next chapter of UF Missions: Girls' Last Tour: After Chito's group rendezvous with the rest of Aloy's group, Zoro, Maya, Kanta, the Unity Force group attempt to convince Snow White, Ripple, Nemurin, Falstad, and Chen into stopping the Burning Legion's rather malevolent plans to awaken Sargeras and ignite a massive omnicide. But things didn't go well, when the survivors of the Magical Girl Raising Project universe, whose world has been totally annihilated by the Burning Legion's invasion forces three years ago, heatedly refuses to help the group out, as they do not want to relive the same horror that happened to their world.