AN: And here it is, the second and final part of the prologue! Now we can really get down to the fun stuff...

First, I want to thank everyone who submitted OCs. As I said in the discord, I had to turn down many good apps simply because I ran out of room. It makes me so happy that we even reached 35 submissions in the first place! So thank you, truly!

Second, I want to thank Petty and Magus for writing their characters this chapter. I appreciate the help!

3/4/20 Rewrite: Changes have been made to fit the new canon, and some errors have been fixed.

November 14th, 2017

10:46 AM

Chernobyl Institute, Floor 2

Mathematics Lab

The Mathematics Lab on the second floor was extremely spacious, containing every piece of tool and equipment a mathematician would need, including high-grade calculation computers, probability simulators, and countless books and scientific journals.

A tall, dark-skinned man with bright pink eyes brown blonde hair in a ponytail spun in his seat with a loud, dramatic sigh. He wore a white-collar shirt with gold buttons, left unbuttoned to the midway point exposing his chest, along with an expensive-looking teal suit jacket with white pinstripes, worn open and with the right sleeve rolled up to the elbow exposing his arm. He finished his look with well-fitted pair of black pants, and a pair of black dress shoes.

"Hey, big guy Kazu, whatcha doin'?" He asked, leaning over and looking over his shoulder.

"Hmm? Oh, my apologies, Leo, I didn't hear you come in," the giant man said. Kazu set down his pencil as he stood up and turned to face the other. He ran a large hand through his slicked-back blond hair as he looked down at the Statistician with a small smile. "I have been getting a few journals prepared, I thought I should have a few ready for each of our fellow Perfects for my own notes."

"Why bother though? None of them besides Song will understand a word we say. It's a waste of time," Leo snorted, shaking his head. "Hey, how about instead of working your life away up here, we instead head down the rec room and grab a drink, yeah?" He suggested slyly, nudging the Number Theorist good-naturedly.

"A bad idea, unless you want the Director to have your head. He wants a rundown on our latest project by the end of the day," a curt female voice spoke up. The two mathematicians turned to the sliding glass door to see a very young, violet-eyed girl walk in. Her lilac hair was straight and traditional, and she adjusted the dark grey military jacket that was under her lab coat.

"Leo, if you focused as much on slacking off and partying as you did your work, we would already be done for the day," Song sighed, setting down a stack of files on her personal desk.

"Hey now, don't be like that beautiful~" Leo purred, winking at her. "You're so serious, you should learn to relax! Is it because of your Chinese parents or something?"

Kazu sighed as he turned back to load his various journals back into his bag. "Don't go making jokes like that, Leo," Kazu said with a slight frown. "Anyways, we shouldn't stress our workload, Song. Not all of us have the same work habits, so we just need to find a rhythm that works for all of us."

"Yeah, that's the attitude to have! That old man chose us because we're all the best of the best, right?" Leo agreed good-naturedly, leaning back in his chair. "So long as we do what's required of us, we're on our way to easy street!"

"Careful. Overconfidence leads to carelessness. And carelessness leads to failure. And it has been made clear that failure here is unacceptable. Considering the state of the world, we are quite fortunate and blessed to be safe. If Seriozha is to be believed, our contributions could change and save the world..." Song trailed off thoughtfully.

"I must say, it's quite tough having to be the middle man in this group. You both make good points after all," the giant mused as he stroked his beard. He looked between the two with a tired smile. "Our work is very important, it even affects the other departments. So we should rush our work, but we also can slack off on it."

"Right! So whaddaya say we head down to the rec room? You should join us Song, you look like you could use a bit of relaxing!" The Statistician suggested, resting his hand on her shoulder. "I'll teach you how to play pool..."

"I'll pass, thank you very much. I was on my way to check-in with the Director anyways," Song replied curtly, roughly shrugging Leo's hand away. "I'll be in touch with you two later. I wish you luck dealing with Leo, Kazu. I don't pity you."

Kazu and Leo watched silently as she left the room without another word.

"Man, she's a party pooper, isn't she?" Leo laughed, unfazed by Song's rejection.

"She only graduated a short while before coming here, I'm sure she's just used to a very work centered world," the Theorist explained with a shrug. He walked up and playfully gave the other man a punch on the arm. "All right, let's take a break for now. I'd love to get a chance to talk to some of the others as well."

Leo seemed slightly surprised, before breaking out into a large grin. "My man! We're gonna have a blast, just you wait. Who knows, maybe I'll even help you pick up a chick, yeah?"

Upon seeing Kazu's flustered face, the large statistician broke out into laughter. "Oh, you're too easy to tease, man. Relax!"

The Theorist awkwardly rubbed his arm as he tried to calm his nerves. "L-Look, I'm just not that interested in getting into my love life.."

"Hey, don't be shy! Plenty of ladies and even dudes would want a piece of you, you're a hunk!" Leo told him encouragingly. "Hell, I wouldn't mind a piece of that action myself!" He teased as he led a beet red Kazu out the door. "So, the first tip to stealing someone's heart..."

12:11 PM

Chernobyl Institute, Floor 1

Cafeteria

The cafeteria was situated right next to the recreation room and seemed more like a high-class restaurant than a research building cafeteria. It housed a massive state of the art culinary kitchen, and the dining hall looked like something out of a fantasy book, having countless ornate tables and expensive chairs. A large diamond and gold chandelier hung above the hall. Classical music played softly in the background, providing a very relaxing atmosphere.

A wavy, brown-haired girl in a manual wheelchair looked over several of the items in the kitchen in thought with her amber-colored eyes, before finally settling on selecting a platter assortment of sandwiches and a beverage selection of tea, water, and most importantly for this occasion… coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. While she herself hated the beverage, it was essential for the people she would be having lunch with.

As Iris Murdoch rolled out of the kitchen and into the elegant dining hall, she sighed in frustration as she eyed the table that her two lunch guests were sitting… no, correction, napping.

"Oi! You dunces, wake up!" Iris growled, rolling over and lightly slapping the two upside the head.

"Mmm, Iris whyyyy…" Akuji moaned, raising his head up from his pillow. The black-haired, brown-eyed Egyptian girl next to him did the same, grumbling as she rubbed her eyes.

"Ugh… where am I again? Ohhh, hi Iris…" she mumbled shyly, turning away. "Wait, why am I here again?"

"Because Shadya, we're here to talk about you two's work ethic!" The mycologist chided, setting down the food and drinks. "In fact, it was Fuka and Ayeka who came to me and said that you are always falling asleep and never doing your half of the work. We're all a team, and we all have to pull our weight and try our best!"

"Then why didn't you bring Leo here? He's just as bad!" Akuji whined, picking up a small sandwich and nibbling on it.

"I was gonna, but Kazu caught up to me and said he'd handle it, and I gladly accepted. Dealing with you two is enough of a time waster to my own work as it is, this should be the Director's job, but nooo, I'm the one who needs to step up around here!" Iris sighed, pouring herself a glass of tea. "Either of you mates want coffee? It'd do ya both some good."

"No thanks, I hate coffee."

"Hmm, so do I."

Iris gritted her teeth. "Seriously? Does everyone hate coffee in this place? Eh, guess I have no right to complain…" She sighed, pouring them both some water. "So ya need to tell me, why do you both nap so much, and not sleep at normal times?"

"Hm, I just wanna conserve energy. It's not really any of your business anyways. Some of us like to work at night too." Akuji pointed out, rubbing his head against his pillow. "Besides, I still fill my work quota."

"Normal times?" Shadya muttered as she let her glasses tip downward. She pouted slightly as she locked eyes with the Mycologist. "During the so called 'normal times' is when my mind is the most active, so it's better this way."

"Hey, I just asked a question!" Iris replied, raising her hands up defensively. "But, you know that's not healthy, right? Write it down and go back to sleep!" She turned and eyed the Geodesist, narrowing her eyes. "Speaking of healthy, Akuji you look like a skeleton! You need to eat more!" The mycologist then proceeded to shove several small tea cakes onto his plate. "Here, eat this!"

For the first time, Akuji looked visibly wary. "No, that's alright, I'm eating enough, I swear! Besides, we're here to talk about our work ethic!"

'He changed the subject' Iris mused to herself, before clearing her throat. "Oi, Shadya. How's your work coming along? Do you like Fuka and Ayeka alright?"

"They're fine, but I can still tell that they are starting to get frustrated with me," the Pathologist explained with a sign as she crumpled up her pillow.

"Eh, I wouldn't take it too personally. That Fuka don't seem to get along with anyone, except for maybe Ayeka. As for the latter... she's too busy flying around on that fancy wheelchair of hers, but maybe you should try talking to her? She seems nice!" Iris suggested, tapping the side of her wheelchair thoughtfully. "What about you Akuji?"

The geodesist frowned, scratching the back of his head. "Well, I don't have as much in common with many of the others, but Ysandro won't leave me alone..." he mumbled.

"See? There ya go!" Iris smiled, clapping her hands together. "So, can ya both try a little harder?"

Akuji and Shadya looked at each other for a moment, before the former smiled lowly. "Maybe, but you in return have to learn to relax a little."

"E-eh? What?" The mycologist asked in confusion.

Shadya nodded as she straightened out her pillow. "Look I don't mind trying to work at changing a little, but that doesn't mean everyone else doesn't have something to change. You are doing this because it's your nature to police everyone else who isn't a workaholic like you."

"Hey, I'll have ya both know that I get a solid 4 hours of sleep each night! A-and just yesterday, I sat down with Kagemaru and Ranze for 5 minutes at dinner! And, uh..." Iris trailed off, rubbing the back of her head with a sigh. "Look, I just like working, ok? But I'll try to 'relax' more if it means you two will work a bit harder and socialize more."

"Heh, it's a deal then..." Akuji snickered.

"Yeah... I can prove my place here," Shadya said softly as she reached out for a sandwich to start nibbling on.

"Aye, then it's a deal!" Iris smiled, picking up some food for herself. "Let's make sure that our futures here will be bright!"

1:37 PM

Chernobyl Institute, Floor 4

Medical Lab

The psychology room of the Medical Lab was a far cry from many of the other labs within The Institute, as it looked much like a standard living room. A fireplace warmed up the office, several couches, rugs, and coffee tables decorated the room, and a large wooden desk sat in the center. The wallpaper was brightly colored, and humorously, many cliche inspirational posters had been hung up by the lab's primary occupant.

A black-haired girl with red eyes cleared her throat as she pulled two files out from her desk. She adjusted her green turtleneck and smoothed out her skirt as she sat on the couch across from a brown-haired, blue-eyed boy with a dopey smile on his face. The Perfect Psychologist opened one of the files, returning the boy's smile.

"So, let's see here..." Tomoe Kagami mused as she read the file. "Ysandro De La Cruz, the Perfect Animal Behaviorist. Born February 16th in Columbia. Is that correct?"

"Yup yup! Sure is!" Ysandro laughed, swinging his legs like a child. "And you didn't forget about Mini-pup, did you?"

Tomoe shook her head patiently, long having grown used to the boys antics. "No, of course, I haven't. Hello, Minino." She said, looking down at the black and tanned German Shepard dog that lounged lazily below Ysandro's feet. The dog didn't acknowledge her in any way.

"Well, at any rate, as soon as Azra gets here, we can begin," the psychiatrist informed Ysandro.

"So, what's this for? I'm already bored!" The blue-eyed boy whined.

"Oh, it's nothing to worry about. The Director simply asked me to give a psychological evaluation to everyone here. And considering the mental state of a few people in here, I can see why... many of them are scarred by the recent events in the world one way or the other..." Tomoe admitted. "You and Azra are the last two I need to do, and I figured having both of you here would kill two birds with one stone."

"Huh? But why would you kill two birds? What did the birds ever do to you?!" Ysandro cried out, his eyes watering. "Those birds could have had families!"

"Aww don't be sad, Ysandro. There aren't any real birdies being killed, at least I hope not," the Entomologist called out as she appeared at the. As always her giant millipede laid across her shoulders, slightly coiling around the woman. "Sorry I kept you waiting, Tomoe. Arcelio here was just being so playful that I lost track of time."

"That's quite all right, dear," Tomoe smiled understandingly. "Please, take a seat. Would either of you like some tea or coffee? Hot chocolate perhaps?" She asked politely.

"Ohhh, I'd like hot chocolate, please! With whipped cream and sprinkles on top!" Ysandro cheered.

"Hell yeah, same for me!" Azra beamed as she sat down next to the Animal Behaviorist. "You know, I've really been looking forward to getting a chance to meet with you, Tomoe."

"Really? Is that so?" The red-eyed woman responded in surprise, as she got up and began pouring the two a cup of hot chocolate. "That is most certainly not a sentence someone in my profession is used to hearing." She joked, returning as she handed the two their cups. "Is there any particular reason why?"

A sly smile crept along Azra's face as she set her cup down beside her. "Oh, it's not because of you being a psychiatrist or anything like that. It's actually because you have got some nice big boobies, and I just have to get a chance to feel them!" the Entomologist boldly stated with a wink.

"I-I'm sorry?" Tomoe sputtered, her face going beet red as she covered her breasts automatically, before taking a deep breath and recovering. "Azra, that is not an appropriate thing to say!" She chided, attempting to sound stern.

"Eh? Am I missing something? Are Tomoe's boobs important?" Ysandro asked cluelessly.

"Well, I think they are important! And you don't have to be embarrassed about them at all," the green-haired woman mused before taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

"I see, I see..." Tomoe noted as she wrote something down in Azra's file. "Tell me, when did you start having an obsession with female breasts?" Tomoe inquired, having gone back to her analytical attitude.

"It's not just female breasts, of course, it can be anyone really. Like, have you seen some of the guys here like Leo or Kazu? Their boobies are just as awesome as yours," happily explained. She gently stroked the larger millipede as she smiled towards the other woman.

"Ohhh, yeah! Leo and Kazu are super handsome!" Ysandro piped up. "But I'm not exactly sure they're my type."

"What is happening right now?" Tomoe deadpanned, shaking her head. "We're getting off-topic you two. So, I'm going to ask a set of questions, and I would like you two to answer as best you can. First question: what major person and/or event in your life has shaped you into the person you are today?"

Azra's eyes lit up as she continued petting the large insect that had begun moving its way down her arm. "Well that would be an easy one, it'd be when Auntie Maya adopted me. It's thanks to her I even got to go to school in the first place!"

"Ohhh, for me it's big bro Cisco! He likes animals too!" Ysandro clapped his hands together with a giggle. "One time, my brother went camping and he found a package of expired hot dogs. He put it on a spitroast and when it was cooked, it has attracted many animals. Including a bear. So Cisco was chased by them until he crashed a wedding and the bear ate the six-tier cake!"

"...Well, alrighty then..." Tomoe blinked, bewildered as she hastily scribbled down notes in their files. "So next question... tell me drives you, and why did you decide to come to the Institute in the first place?"

"Because I wanted to be the mother of a brand new generation of awesome buggies!" Azra boasted as she hoisted Arcelio up into the air. The bug frantically scurried back onto the Entomologist's shoulder, tickling her the whole way, eliciting a torrent of giggles from her.

"Ohhh, I'm kinda the same, but with like, animals!" Ysandro offered, smiling as he began to pet Minino, who simply growled at him in annoyance and tried to bite his hand. "Ouch! Sheesh Mini-pup, don't bite me!"

"Excellent. Thank you." Tomoe wrote down their answers, pausing as she eyed the next question with a sigh. "This last question... may seem a bit odd, and I would like to point out that the Director is the one who wrote these questions... but please do answer to the best of your ability.

The psychologist paused, before asking. "What is your greatest desire?"

"I mean, it's like I just said! I want to raise, like the best bees this world ever had! Able to survive any condition," the other woman explained as she traced over the tattoo of a bee in her stomach.

"Mmm, I'm not quite as sure..." Ysandro frowned, tapping his foot in thought. "I would say I wanna help and train animals all over the earth, but is that even possible?"

"I... don't think so..." Tomoe chuckled, shaking her head as she closed the files. "That question is rather odd and vague, isn't it? There are just some wishes and dreams that cannot be granted, no matter how much we wish them so," She sighed. "At any rate, thank you for your time. Do you have any other questions?"

Azra rose from her seat as she started walking around the office. A framed picture sitting on the Perfect Psychologist's desk captured her interest first as she started studying it. "Ooh, who's this shorty with you? He looks pretty young, do you have a kid?"

The Perfect Psychologist blushed, her face turning crimson red. "Oh, I do have two kids, a boy and a girl... however that's my husband, actually."

"Eh? But he's so short! Is he a kid?" Ysandro giggled.

"No, Nagato is 36, actually. But... I have not seen him in years. I do hope he's doing alright." Tomoe said softly.

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that, Tomoe. Even if this wasn't a harsh world right now, it can still be so tough to be separate from our loved ones," Azra said softly. She set the picture back down and carefully pulled the other woman into a gentle hug.

"Mhm! I bet he's doing just fine! Your kids too!" Ysandro agreed, patting Tomoe on the shoulder. "And I'm sure Mini-pup thinks so too!"

Tomoe chuckled, lowering her head. "Thank you. Ha, usually it is the psychiatrist's job to comfort their patients, and yet here we are!" She freed herself from Azra's vicelike grip. "Before you leave, would you two like a lollipop?" She asked with a smile, innocently holding out a bag filled with various colored lollipops.

"You don't have to thank me. We are all partners here after all, so we should be looking out for each other," the Entomologist replied before she looked over the bag presented to her. "Well, of course, I want one!" Azra smirked as she fished out an orange lollipop and after unwrapping it, popped it in her mouth.

"Me too! Me too!" Ysandro cheered, grabbing a blue one. He turned to Azra, a bright smile on his face. "Hey, I've been meaning to see some of your insects. I usually only deal with mammals, but I think I'd like to see something new!" He told her, the enthusiasm clear in his voice.

Azra grinned as she gave the Behaviorist a thumbs up. "Then what are we doing still standing here? Let's go find some buggies to play with! Nice talking to you, Tomoe, my door is always open if you want to come talk."

"Am I the psychiatrist here, or you?" Tomoe chuckled as she watched the two leave, sitting down at her desk in thought. She pulled out their files, looking at her previous notes about them. She smiled as she wrote down her approval for the Director.

"Maybe there's some hope for this world after all..." She mused, pushing her glasses up on her face.

3:05 PM

Chernobyl Institute, Floor 2

Technology Lab

The Technology Lab was among, if not the, most advanced technological labs in the entire world. Countless high-end computers and electronics filled the room, many of which had never been released to the public yet. In the center of the room was a massive device, with several pods connected to it. To the right was a control panel with a security lock on it.

A flamboyant man with bright purple and pink hair and fuchsia eyes sat tapping away on his Genesis Pad, eyeing the control panel in thought. He surprisingly wore no shirt, exposing his fit and lithe build. Ikouze Kurieita frowned, looking back at his colleague that sat behind him.

"Hey, Kline... are you almost finished with that code? The Director is going to be here any minute. We have to have this finished!"

Kline glanced over at Ikouze, raising an eyebrow before replying, "No worries, I'm just about done. How are you coming on your end?"

Ikouze hummed, tapping his Pad in thought. "I'm done. I've hooked the AI up to the control panel. See this baby right here?" The AI Specialist proudly showed Kline a giant black box-like device. "It detects and reads all types of artificial intelligence, and hooks them up to the entire Institute mainframe! Even an AI in a physical body can make use of this! Like that Keebo guy in Hope's Peak Academy." Ikouze rested it on the desk in front of him. "Isn't that cool or what?"

"Is that so?" Kline questioned, gazing at the object in question. "Fascinating! I'd love to see this thing in action. The mind boggles at the possibilities."

"I know right? After we show this bad boy we're making to the Director, I'll show you how it works. You're probably the only one who would even come close to understanding it anyways!" Ikouze laughed. "Too bad that Keebo guy and Professor Idabashi aren't here. Professor Idabashi is my idol, he seems like a pretty cool guy. And he made the world's most lifelike AI! I'd pay to learn his secrets... ah, I'm getting off-topic. Sorry."

"Ah yes, Professor Idabashi. I had the chance to meet him once at a conference. He is a most fascinating man," Kline replied with a slight smile. "That was after Keebo had gone to Japan, however. I never had the chance to meet his creation in person. Still, he is a brilliant man, I shall say that much. And thank you, Ikouze. I would her much appreciate seeing how this device works!"

Kline paused, glancing over curiously at him as he went on. "I will say, I didn't think such technology was currently possible. However, did you come up with it?"

"Aw man, I'm totally jealous!" Ikouze pouted, folding his arms over his bare chest. "And hm, uh... well, I'm not exactly sure why I made it, except it goes well together with... another project of mine. One that I didn't bring with me, sadly." The fuchsia eyed boy sat back down, shaking his head. "Ah, we're getting off track, aren't we? We can chat about this later. So... how about we come up with a name for this AI we're making? Did you program the voice to be a boy or a girl?"

Kline raised an eyebrow at that but didn't push the subject any further. "Yes... I gave it a feminine voice. I've taken to calling her Eris, myself. How's that sound?"

Ikouze crinkled his face for a moment, before choosing his next words carefully. "Eris? Isn't that the Greek goddess of discord and strife? That's depressing. I'm vetoing it." The AI Specialist had a tone in his voice that left no room for discussion. "Oh, I got it! How about Curie? You know, named after Madam Curie, the first scientist to discover and work with radiation and isotopes? I think its fitting, considering where we are. What do you think?"

"Well, I suppose it's fine enough," Kline replied after a moment, shrugging. "It is rather fitting, all things considered. Curie it is then, I suppose."

"Sweet! Well, looks like we have everything rea-"

Ikouze was cut off, the glass door slid open as Seriozha walked into the room, his hands behind his back as he eyed the two prodigies curiously. "Gentlemen. I hope you have something interesting to show me."

"Sir!" Ikouze squeaked, jumping to his feet and giving the green-haired Director a polite salute.

Kline stood up a half-second later, before politely nodding his head at the Director. "Director Seriozha, good timing. We just finished the final touches on the AI system, I'm sure you'll be more than pleased with it."

"Excellent work. I look forward to seeing it." He turned back to face Ikouze, his face scrunching in distaste as he picked up the purple-haired boy's lab coat, throwing it at him. "Young man, put on a shirt. I have no time for barbarians in my Institution, and I don't want to have to make you yet another ID badge again because you lost it."

"Ah! Apologies sir! I'm not even sure how I got shirtless!" Ikouze wailed, hastily putting his lab coat back on. "It won't happen again!"

"That's what you said yesterday..." The Director mumbled under his breath, before shaking his head. "Nevermind that. I wish to see the AI."

Kline nodded again and reached over to tap at his keyboard a few times. A moment later the screen of his laptop flickered before the green silhouette of a woman appeared on it. "Curie is ready and waiting for you, sir."

"Yup! All you have to do is identify yourself as the main administrator." The AI specialist explained, shrugging on his lab coat. "It will then respond to your voice and yours only... well, and the Vice Director, if he was here..." Ikouze trailed off.

"I see..." Seriozha said curiously. "Curie, I am Seriozha Raymond-Reddington, the Director. You are to respond to me and me alone. You'll be carrying out matters that range from trivial things such as getting me coffee, to protecting the Institute from outside threats if need be. Understood?"

Curie blinked, her smile unwavering. "Acknowledged Director. Standing by and awaiting orders."

The green-haired man smirked in satisfaction, turning back to the two Perfects. "Well done you two. And you made sure it cannot become self-aware?"

"Of course, Director. There's little threat of such a thing occurring. And if need be, we do have the capacity to wipe her memories and 'reset' her, though it'd take some additional work," Kline replied. "Although I took the liberty of installing some special code. Believe me, if there's even a hint that something is wrong with Curie, I'll be the first to know."

"Excellent work you two." Seriozha smiled. "Take the rest of the day off. You gentlemen have earned it."

"Ah, we're glad you like it, sir!" Ikouze replied enthusiastically. "So... does this mean I can continue working on the Neo World Program? I believe I'm close to gaining full access to it." He replied, gesturing to the massive machine with the pods hooked up to it.

"Yes, yes. If that is what you most desire. Though I do not see what purpose it would serve us. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll order some tea."

The Director turned to the AI. "Curie, would you please get me a cup of ginger tea please?"

"Affirmative, Director."

A moment later, a small drone flew in, a cup in its grasp. Seriozha took the cup in satisfaction. "A toast, gentlemen." He took a sip, instantly spitting it out with a stutter. "This... this is coffee! I hate coffee!" He growled. "Ikouze, Kline... what is this?"

"Well, that's quite odd," Kline stated, furrowing his brow. He stared back down at his computer with a considering expression, biting at his lip for a moment before he continued. "It's likely nothing significant, Director. Perhaps a small glitch or bug. Perhaps its internal censors mislabeled the coffee or something along those lines. Either way, it shouldn't be hard to patch out. It might even fix itself: I made sure that its learning algorithms were highly advanced, so it should take note from mistakes like this, and avert them a second time around. Perhaps try it again, Director?"

"Very well." Seriozha sighed. "Curie, get me some ginger tea, please. Again."

A moment later, the drone returned with yet another cup. This time, Seriozha hesitated before taking another sip, this time nodding in acceptance. "This is black cherry tea, not ginger. But it will be close enough for now."

"We're sorry sir, you know how finicky these sorts of things can be. We'll be sure to iron out the bugs soon," Ikouze assured him. "We know you expect nothing but perfection from us. We'll be sure to deliver."

"Indeed. Believe me, Director, this will all be smoothed over soon enough," Kline echoed, giving an awkward little smile. "In the meantime, Curie should serve you well. Just make sure to take good care of her."

"I'll be sure to do so. Now if you gentlemen will excuse me, I'll be heading back to my office." The green-haired Director gave them a curt nod, before exiting.

"Well, that's that I suppose. I'm gonna get something to eat, see ya later Kline." Ikouze waved, as he too walked out.

"Well then, this was certainly interesting." Kline chuckled as he went back to his work.

4:54 PM

Chernobyl Institute, Floor 4

Director's Office

Seriozha sat on his balcony overlooking the Institute's courtyard, sipping a cup of tea. He smiled as he watched Azra energetically jump around Tomoe, the Psychiatrist scribbling down notes into her notebook.

Despite the setbacks, things were going along perfectly. All of the projects and ideas he had presented to the Perfects to accomplish had been met with great enthusiasm, and with the Curie Interface up and running, the security within the Institute was now flawless.

"Director, you have an incoming video call."

The green-haired director was snapped out of his thoughts, stroking his chin. Curie would certainly take some getting used to.

"Thank you, Curie. Please answer the call and project it on the balcony TV," Seriozha responded politely, setting down his tea.

"As you command."

The massive TV attached to the wall suddenly blared to life, showing a young boy of about 15, with bright green hair parted down the middle, deep green-blue eyes, and a bright smile on his face. The boy raised a gloved hand, adjusting the green and gold scarf he was wearing as it flowed behind him in the wind. He wore a typical black suit with a gold tie and black dress pants.

"Ah, sir! Sorry for disrupting you, I hope you're not busy!" The green-haired boy asked apologetically.

"Worry not Lugh, you're not bothering me in the slightest," Seriozha chuckled, folding his hands in his lap as he smiled at the boy. "How goes the expedition in Britain?"

"Well, you see sir, that's why I was calling!" Lugh answered enthusiastically, resting his hands behind his head. "The team of scientists I recruited were able to break through the entrance to the Knights Templar tomb! Some of the riddles and puzzles were tough, but thankfully once we solved them there were no more traps." The green-haired boy's smile grew wider. "At first we didn't find anything of value, and even sadder, most of King Arthur's knights are not buried here, but we did find one… Sir Galahad."

"Galahad…" Seriozha mused. "I can't say I recall the name, my boy. What was he known for?"

"Sir Galahad was the illegitimate son of Sir Lancelot, and he was known for being one of the purest knights to ever exist. But even more importantly… he was known mostly as the one worthy knight who earned the Holy Grail!" Lugh informed him, bouncing in the heels of his feet excitedly.

"The Holy Grail…" The director inhaled sharply, feeling his hands shake as he quietly asked. "Did you actually find…?"

"Yes, we did! We found the Holy Grail!" The young boy shouted excitedly.

"Keep your voice down, my boy," Seriozha said sternly, yet he himself could not blame the boy for his excitement. "What have you done with it? The legends surrounding it are varied and a bit worrying."

"Oh, yeah… about that." Lugh hesitated, before shaking his head sadly. "One of the scientists touched it, and after a moment, disintegrated into ashes. We've moved it out of the tomb with a robotic drone, and nobody has touched it since. Needless to say, uh, I think the legends about a person having to be worthy to get their wish granted is true."

"Good. Make sure it stays hidden from the other scientists. You're the only one I trust." Seriozha leaned back in his chair in thought, tapping his fingers on the table.

"Sir? What are you thinking?" Lugh asked curiously.

Eventually, the green-haired director opened his eyes, looking back at Lugh. "I'll be sending the Blackstone Mercenaries to assist you in not just moving the Grail, but protecting it too. Once they arrive, you're to help them bring it to me as quickly as possible."

For the first time, Lugh's smile faltered, quickly being replaced by nervousness and apprehension. "Not that I'm questioning you sir, but are you sure that's wise? Um, the Blackstone Mercs… can you really trust them?"

Seriozha also heard the unspoken question Lugh was asking: Do you not trust me?

"I trust them as long as my bank account remains large!" The green-haired director joked before his expression turned serious. "I have done business with them for years. Einar and I have an understanding that as long as I pay them, they do whatever is asked of them. It is not about you or them. In fact, it is those scientists you took with you that you should be concerned about."

The young boy seemed surprised. "Really? You think so? They seem nice."

"That, my boy, is a habit you need to break," Seriozha warned him sternly. "You cannot just trust people and take them at face value. Do you truly think all of them are willing to share credit for the greatest archaeological discovery of the century, and will just let you have it? I think not. The Blackstone Mercs are for your protection."

"...I suppose." Lugh accepted reluctantly. "Will I be traveling with them to see you in Ukraine?"

"Of course. I do wish to discuss some things with you since you will be running my operations while I'm occupied here. That, and I do wish to see you, my boy." Seriozha told him warmly, resting his hands on his desk.

"R-really? Alright!" The young boy replied with a blush, rubbing his cheek in embarrassment. "Not sure why you chose me, I'm still really young…"

"Do not sell yourself short." The green-haired Director cut in. "I have raised you since you were young as my own son, and I trust you as one."

"I… thank you, sir," Lugh said politely, however the pride in his eyes gave him away. "If you'll excuse me, I'll start making preparations."

The video call cut off, and Seriozha hummed, leaning back in his chair thoughtfully as he made one last call.

After a few seconds, the call patched through, revealing a clean-shaven British man with a red mohawk. He was around 20 years old, however, his size and muscular body deceived most people.

"Einar. I have a job for you and your mercs." Seriozha said bluntly, not wasting any time.

Einar Barnaby, the leader of the grisled and brutally efficient Blackstone Mercenaries based out of Britain, simply smirked, taking a long drag of the cigarette he was smoking. "What have you got this time?" He said simply.

"Do you remember my protege Lugh?" When the merc leader nodded in the affirmative, he continued. "He has led a team of scientists on an expedition in your country and recovered a valuable artifact. I need you to help him escort it to me in Ukraine."

"Sounds simple and straightforward enough," Einer replied. He never was one for small talk, always straight to the point. "How much does it pay?"

"5 million in advance, 5 million after it is delivered to me, and a bonus 2 million if it is delivered to me within the week."

"Consider it done." The merc replied, taking another puff before putting out his cigarette. "And may I ask what we're helping transport?"

"No. All you need to know is that it is an artifact of high value, and neither you nor your mercs can touch it directly. All you need to do is transfer the artifact and my protege to me unharmed." Seriozha stroked his beard in thought for a moment, before sighing. "And… when you arrive at the expedition site, you'll find around a couple dozen or so scientists and researchers. Kill all of them, they cannot be trusted. Even if Lugh protests… do it. I care for the boy and his feelings, but he has a big heart, and he is too soft."

Einar let out a wolfish laugh. "And there's the ruthless order I was waiting for!" The merc's expression turned serious, and he eyed his employer in thought.

"Is something the matter?" The green-haired Director asked, clearly unnerved.

"You know, I've known you for years Seriozha. You're many different things… ruthless and pragmatic, yet charismatic and personable… It's taken some years, but I feel like I can read you fairly well now. And I have to say…" Einar leaned forward, and even though it was simply a video call, Seriozha felt himself sweat.

"You seem to care a lot for that boy. He was some nobody, and yet when his mother died you took him in. It's almost as if he's your illegitimate-"

"I'll pay you an extra 2 million to not finish that sentence," the green-haired Director said lowly.

"My, what a generous donation!" Einar chuckled. "Don't worry, your little secret is safe with me. And as a show of good faith, I'll have your job done in 3 days. See you then…"

As the video call cut out, Seriozha leaned back in his chair with a shaky breath, chewing on a fingernail.

"This will be the last job I need them for." He muttered under his breath. "Soon, everything else I'll finally be able to do myself…"

6:33 PM

Chernobyl Institute, Floor 4

Institute Entrance Hall

The Entrance Hall of the Institute sat up in the furthest reaches of the top floor and was the only real way in and out. There was an elevator in the Central Garden, however, this led to Tower 4 in the Chernobyl Power Plant, which was extremely irradiated and dangerous.

The Entrance Hall itself was nothing fancy and was just a simple yet large metallic hallway housing a large, vault sealed door. Access in or out via opening the door could only be authorized by the Director.

Ayeka Akemi rolled in, her large wheelchair making soft clicking noises as it rolled on the hard metal. The Perfect Epidemiologist sighed in relief, upon seeing her colleague present, staring at the vault door silently.

"Fuka, I haven't seen you all day… are you ok?"

The blue-haired Perfect turned around in surprise, adjusting the glasses on her face. "O-oh, Ayeka. Hello. I was just…" She hesitated, looking back at the door. "...thinking."

"About leaving? Or something else?" Ayeka inquired, pulling up her wheelchair next to the Virologist.

"Both, I suppose…" Fuka mused. "Many years ago, my husband and I had to make a tough choice. We decided to pursue our careers instead of settling down and raising our son. At first, we thought we were making the right choice, but it quickly felt so… hollow," she explained quietly. And then, the Tragedy broke out. We had no way of finding our son. Then as we were coming here to the Institute… my husband died." Fuka sighed, looking upward. "I'm sorry for rambling. My point is… I'm filled with so many regrets. And sometimes I wonder… If I could go back in time and do it over again…" She trailed off.

"We can't change the past," Ayeka said sternly. "Fuka, you have to let go. You can't let this consume you. Focus on the present, and who you can help right now."

"That's easier said than done," the virologist muttered. "But… I'll try my best. Thank you Ayeka."

The wheelchair-bound girl gave her a small smile. "Just glad I could help a friend."

Fuka blushed, looking away. "It's been a long time since someone has-"

Suddenly, a loud ding ran out throughout the entrance hall, startling the two girls.

"W-what was that?" Ayeka squeaked out.

"That… was the bell out front of the vault door…" Fuka said softly. "Someone's outside. Hold on."

The blue-haired woman went over to a control panel and activated a monitor and intercom to the outside.

The screen blared to life, showing a well endowed blonde-haired girl with icy blue eyes. She had on a cream-colored school uniform and a blue skirt, however, her attire was ripped and muddied and the girl herself looked exhausted.

Behind her was a middle-aged adult with cherry red hair and teal colored eyes. He wore a blue parka sweater and a checkered dress shirt. His clothes were equally tattered and ruined as the girls.

Finally, the last person was a very familiar old man that Fuka instantly recognized. He was unconscious and was being supported by the other man.

"Professor Idabashi?" Fuka gasped in surprise.

"That's Satoru Idabashi? Not what I was expecting…" Ayeka mumbled under her breath.

Fuka paused in thought for a moment, before turning on the intercom and talking into it. "Hello, this is Fuka Tanaka, the Perfect Virologist. Please state your name and business here."

The blue-eyed girl on the other end jumped in surprise, before looking up at the camera warily. "Um, h-hello. I'm Tsubasa Kamii, a former member of the Hope's Peak student council. This man behind me is Tom Barloc, he's a good friend. We were told to come here by Mr. Isabashi."

"I can see that," the Virologist replied bluntly. "What happened to the Professor?"

Tsubasa shivered, clearly cold. "W-we were in Towa City. Nobody knows it yet, but things are going to get bad there soon, very quickly. Ultimate Despair has taken hostages!"

Before Fuka could reply, she heard the door behind her open, as one by one, the other Perfects began to gather around.

"What's going on?" Hermit asked curiously, looking over Fuuka's shoulder. "Who are they?"

"We heard the alarm go off, so we all rushed here." Emil explained calmly, pulling out a cloth and wiping a smudge off Fuka's glasses, despite the bluenette's growl of protest.

"We're not sure…" Ayeka frowned. "But… they have Professor Idabashi…"

"Satoru? They have him?" Cut in a familiar deep, commanding voice. Seriozha walked in, eyeing the monitor curiously. "Who did they say they are?"

After Fuka explained the situation, the green haired Director stroked his beard in deep thought.

"I say don't let them in. We don't need anymore trouble!" Ranze protested, waving his hands dramatically.

"Hehe, what a crossroads we are at. A fateful, fearful decision!" Kagemaru cackled, petting Corvo. "Our fearless leader will decide our fate!"

"Oi, will you two morons be quiet? The Director is thinking!" Iris snapped.

Seriozha sighed, turning the intercom back on. "You may come in. However, you will immediately hand Satoru Idabashi over to us, and will be detained for questioning until we decide if you are trustworthy or not. Are these terms acceptable to you?"

"Gladly." Tsubasa responded instantly with zero hesitation. "Trust me, I have information that you all will find interesting. Things out in the world are about to get even worse than they already are."

"Very well," Seriozha turned to Fuka. "Let them in."

The Virologist nodded numbly, forcing down the lump in her throat that was warning her that something was amiss. She hit the button.

And the massive door began to slowly open.

Fuka squinted her eyes at the sunlight that began to poke through, shielding her eyes. However, before she could recover, she felt her head begin to ache. Her vision blurred, and she felt herself gasping for air as she fell to her knees.

And then everything went black.