Disclaimer: I do not own any of the material of the H̶y̶p̶̸͢e̷rd̶i̴̵͢m̷e̵n̶si̵on̶ ̵҉̸Ne̵p̴t̶u̷nia̶ series or the Halo series in this story as they belong to Microsoft, Compile and Idea Factory…

What the hell? Why is the word 'Hyperdimension Neptunia' glitched? Hmmm... Let me see I can fix this...

Also, expect a few flashbacks in this chapter...


At the outskirts of Leanbox...

The assassin quickly exited out of the city as it's being watched by Cave's team during the night. He went into the forest with his SRS sniper rifle on his back and a silenced MAC-10 inside his hood while covering the gunshot wound on his palm as he brings out a mini-medkit out of his hood. After bandaging himself and injected pain-killers into his body. 'That was too close...' He admitted as the assassin called the main base, bringing out a circular device

"Assassin to main base, anybody hear me?" He questioned.

"This is the General speaking, how is your mission?" It was General Spectre as a blue figure with the same appearance as he asked him about the results in Leanbox.

"It's an utter failure. Those bastards interrupted my concentration while I'm taking the shot" The assassin answered.

"That's unfortunate... But did you have blueprints from their military bases?" The general questioned and the assassin then brings out a kraft bag, filled with blueprints stolen from Leanbox's military bases.

"Yes, I did a few things in my free-time that you didn't add..." He added which gave the general's eyebrows to rise.

"What 'things' are you talking about" General Spectre questioned and the assassin explained his acts of sabotaging military vehicles as well as civilians' transport which the general was pleased about but wasn't pleased when he heard about Leanbox's guild members gone missing. "Let me get this straight. Even though, sabotaging the military will do good deeds for ASIC's masterplan but why do you have to involve their guild members"

"With due respect, general. You should blame that pyromaniac because he's the only commander on this landscape... If he's alive, general..." The assassin makes a very good point as Incendio was the only supreme commander who overwatches his squads.

"*Sigh~* I knew he will do something like that..." The general admits his mistake as it'll give the Black Legion blood stains, giving suspicious not only to Leanbox but the entirely of Gamindustri. "We've got enough blood stains in this forsaken continent... Return to base, assassin. There'll be a dropship coming to your location"

"Roger that, general..." And the assassin ended the transmission as he pulled out of his hood yet again, a beacon with a sharpened metal rod. The assassin then stabs it on the ground as it the top of the beacon flashes green after he deployed his beacon, he waited for his dropship to come.


The Rookie

Location: Leanbox's Hospital

Twelve days after drop...

As the Rookie walked all the way back down, exiting out of the building both him and half of Cave's team were on, the ambulance was waiting for them next to the walkway as the doors were opened with paramedics and a stretcher. James who is carrying Hoshi dropped her on the stretcher and Karl helps the ODST get into the ambulance as they all entered the back and drove off with the sirens loud as ever.

As the ambulance drove its way to the hospital, Karl was next to the ODST while James was on the other side as he puts his hand on Hoshi's forehead as she groans. Karl, looked at Rookie as he saw a few bullet holes on his battle armor.

"Did that bastard hurt you that bad?" James spoke out, asking about Rookie's current conditions after battling the assassin on the rooftop. He silently answered him with a nod.

"Well, no shit. He got bullet holes on him, what's his armor made out of? Titanium?" Karl questioned which Rookie answered him with a nod. "It is?!" He questioned again and gets the same answered from the ODST.

"Parts of his armor are titanium, the rest I predicted is just ballistic protection. Am I correct?" James asked but Rookie responded with shrugged shoulder, he has no idea how they manufactured but he knew that even though the armor is very resistance than a standard infantry armor, it's still vulnerable to Covenant energy weapons, larger armor piercing rounds and large explosive devices. After a couple of minutes of pure silence and waiting, the ambulance finally arrives at the hospital as they heard the ambulance take some turnarounds, slowed down then immediately stopped.

"Guess we've arrived..." As James spoke out, the back doors opened with the same paramedics from before as they bring the stretcher down. The three men jumped out of the ambulance as they followed the paramedics who moving the stretcher which Hoshi's unconscious body was on inside the hospital.


Meanwhile, somewhere in Leanbox...

Somewhere in the Leanbox city, Nepgear and the girls including Rom who is very worried about Rookie and Ram who didn't want to get into this at all... As the girls arrived at the hospital, they entered the main entrance which is a couple of minutes after Rookie and half of Cave's team arrived, the girls saw Cave and another woman they didn't recognize but we know it's Karla as they both aren't wearing jetpacks...

"Miss Cave? Is that you?" When Nepgear saw her, she called out to her and waved as Cave waved back, the group walked up to her and the other woman.

"I'm glad to see you all here" Cave was very happy to see them. "How did the concert go?" She asked which she already knows that the concert was a big success as she watched it from the rooftops, the girls looked at each other then turned to her.

"It was great! Nepgear and other candidates were amazing~!" RED exclaimed.

"I'm glad to hear the good news" She glad as Broccoli looked at the women she's with.

"Who is that, nyu?" She asked Cave as she noticed that the girls didn't recognize Karla.

"This is Karla Flakvierling, a member of my team. Karla, this is Nepgear, IF, Compa, RED, Broccoli and the Lowee's CPU Candidates, Rom and Ram" Cave introduced Karla to them as well as introducing the girls to her.

"It's an honor to meet you all" Karla bowed down to the girls, they blinked on that moment as Nepgear quickly bowed back to her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Karla" Nepgear responded.

"Wait a minute... Team member?" As IF was about to question her about the mission she kept it as a secret, both James and Karl came as they stopped and both the men and the girls stared at each other.

"And this is James and Karla's twin brother, Karl. They're also members of my team" Cave breaks the silence, introducing both James and Karl to the girls.

"It's nice to meet you all" James bowed but Karl gave them a salute to the girls.

"It's an honor to meet you, ladies!" His salute gave the group a sweatdropped as Nepgear repeated herself from what she responded to Karla.

"We're getting off topic here... What the hell happened to Rookie?!" IF finally questioned Cave as the team except Hoshi looked at each other.

"*Sigh* It's best to tell them, Miss Cave..." James replied and Cave sighed in defeat.

"You three are dismissed, I can explain the story myself" She ordered her team, receiving a nod from her team members as they leave the hospital. "Follow me, I'll explain it on the way" And then she walked away as well as the girls following her.

"Argh~ We need to go home, Rom, NOW! I'm tired~" Ram moaned.

"But can I just... At lease see Mister Rookie?" Rom requested as her twin sister was about to reject her, she stopped her rejection by staring at Ram with sad puppy dog eyes. Ram tried to look away but couldn't stand staring at her face like this so she gives up.

"Ugh, fine! We'll see him then go home, got it?" She asked and her twin sister nodded as the Twins soon followed Cave and the other girls. 'Jeez~ I never saw her acting so... Worrisome... Maybe because it was back at our Basilicom...' She wondered about Rom's sudden change of personality, she became comfortable with Nepgear which she disliked a lot but gets more comfortable with the ODST, she doesn't know why though...

As the group walked their way to a hallway where the patients are kept and treated, Cave explained what happened behind the scenes as they have tasked to overwatch the idol from an assassin who's responsible for sabotaging vehicles, stealing blueprints and the missing Guild members which shocked the girls.

"There was an assassin in the city?!" IF loudly exclaimed. "Why the hell didn't you tell us about this? We could have help yo-"

"Chika doesn't want you all to get involved... She feared that the assassin would kill one of you on sight..." Cave cuts off her sentence as she explained which made a good point, a good point that saved Chika's plans to restore order in Leanbox. "Frankly, she made the right choice..." She stated.

"She's right about that. Without Nepgear standing up to the front stage, the Oracle's plan will fail, nyu" Broccoli agreed with Cave as well as the other girls. A few minutes later, they reached a certain patient room in the hallway as the nurse just exited the room.

"How's Rookie, ma'am?" Nepgear asked her.

"He'll be alright, his wounds will have to be healed for about two or three days" The nurse answered which relieved the group from worrying.

"What about Hoshi? Is she awake?" Cave asked and the nurse nodded. "You all go inside, I need to talk to a certain recruit..." Her eyebrows then frowned as she entered the room that is next to where Rookie is kept.


Inside the room...

Hoshi was on the stretcher, drinking a cup of water as her forehead is bandaged. When Cave opened the door and entered the room, her first reaction was spitting out the water out of her mouth to her side. "Miss Cave?! What are you doing?" She questioned, trying to be sarcastic but didn't work as Cave frowned at her.

"You know why I'm here..." Cave folded her arms, staring at Hoshi's eyes as she sighed and looked away. "Why? Why didn't you warn us?" She questioned but the girl didn't respond with her eyes shadowed in black and a sad mouth. "Do you realize what you did? You almost got yourself killed by him AND got Rookie injured!" Her voice gotten a bit louder, Hoshi's body jumped in fear. "If I haven't told Rookie to find you, you'll be like the missing guild members!" As her voice gotten a lot louder, the girl's body and her mouth began to tremble as she stares at her cup, seeing a reflection of herself.

"I... I-I kn-know... *Sob*" Hoshi trembled, shedding tears out of her eyes down to her face. "*Sob* I sh-should h-have contract y-you *Sniff*" She stated, Cave then walk up to the girl and sat on the stretcher next to her. "I just... *Sniff* Wanted to p-p-pr-prove m-myself to y-you... *Sob*" She honestly said as the girl covers her face with her hands. "I.. *Sniff* *Sob* I'M A FAILUREEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH~!" And she started crying with her tears falling onto the stretcher.

Cave moves closer to the crying girl, began stroking her head to calm her down. "Shhhh~ Hoshi. Look at me..." She politely asked the girl, Hoshi looked up to her bright emerald eyes as her eyes were red. "I knew you wanted to prove yourself" She puts her right hand on the girl's left cheek. "As long you're alright, I'm happy" Then smiled at Hoshi as her eyes widened and stared at her happy face.

"Miss Cave... Do you care for m-me? *Sob*" Hoshi quietly asked her and Cave nodded.

"Yes, Hoshi. A leader always cares for its team members rather its own" She stated as the girl's mouth tremble and pouring even more tears, she cried again but suddenly hugged Cave tightly, dropping the cup into the ground as it shattered into pieces, burying her face between her breasts as she continued to cry.

"It's alright, Hoshi. Know that never underestimate your enemy, understood?" Cave politely asked her as she nods her head, making her boobs bounce a little.

"*Sob* Un-understood, Miss Cave" The girl mumbled in her breasts as Cave sat there with her hand still rubbing her head while Hoshi hugging her tightly till she calms down.


Meanwhile in another room..,

While Cave stayed in Hoshi's room after confronting her, the girls were in another room where Rookie was in as he was sitting on a chair with his left shoulder was patched with an adjustable shoulder bandage, wrapped on his left shoulder to his right side of his chest, under his front chest armor. The girls were relieved that Rookie was alright according to the nurse but IF wasn't as she has her arms folded.

"Alright... Gear. Compa. Broccoli. Rom. Ram. RED..." The brunette gets everyone's attention as she sighed. "Me and Rookie going to have a little... Private talk so, can you step outside?" She asked politely, the girls stared at her and looked at each other. After a minute of silence, the girls have decided to leave the room just to give IF some privacy with Rookie.

As the group left the room, RED was the last one to leave as she turned to the brunette with a smug look on her face, closing the door very slow till she closed it completely. After that, IF then looked at Rookie with a serious look on her face.

"Is there a reason why we need to talk alone?" He asked her.

"Can you take off your helmet?" She ignored his question, asking him to take his helmet off. "I'll rather not talk to a man that hides in a helmet after he reveals it..."

"I don't wanna..." He answered as she was about to repeat her demand. "And don't try to force me to take my helmet, it's a one-time thing..." He stated. 'I think…' He thought…

"SINCE WHEN?!" She yelled as the ODST didn't speak a word. "*Sigh* It's obvious why we need to talk alone, Rookie..." Then she folded up her arms and closed her eyes.

"Let me guess... It's about what happened a few hours ago during the concert" Rookie frowned as he looked away from IF. "But before you said anything with due respect, it's for both yours and their own safety, IF"

"My own safety? I've been traveling around Gamindustri long before you arrived, Rookie! I can take care myself!" She shouted.

"Can you able to handle criminals?" He asked her which he received a nod from the brunette as she was about to say anything. "And can you able to handle terrorists and evil soldiers who want a bloodbath?" He added which gave her a bit of a chilly feeling, thinking about it as she shook her head.

"You need to stop pushing yourself, Rookie..."

"I'm not pushing mysel-"

"Yes, you are!" IF shouted, interrupting him as he was finishing his sentence. "Remember what happened at the World Labyrinth when we've encountered Underling?" She asked and Rookie began to cringe about that moment, how Histoire told him that he died after Rookie thought he just passed out, he didn't understand how an Anti-Crystal boosting the Underling would seriously do some major damage on him as he felt like he's being pounded by a Gravity Hammer wielding Brute. "Ever since that day, you always protect us from harm... Which is a good thing but it's time for us to protect ourselves… And you…" She finishes her sentence.

"I can tell that you girls can handle 'Appear outta nowhere' monsters without my aid but that's not what I'm worried about..." Rookie then stood up from his chair as IF tilted her head. "I'm worried about somebody deadly as Incendio" He referred to the hell-bringer that was killed but cannot refer to the assassin nor the soldiers he saw before he first entered the abandoned outpost due to the fact that the girls haven't encountered neither of them or experienced it.

"Oh please, he only did a scratch on me..." She lied but couldn't fool Rookie for obvious reasons.

"IF. You just lost a small bag amount of blood after you got swung by that bastard..." Rookie frowned as he folded his arms. "I'm not sure you're ready to take serious responsibility like us, ODSTs"

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"*Sigh* We ODSTs deal with serious situations like going behind lines, assassinating important targets blah, blah, blah... But I was enlisted in the Marine Corps during the Human-Covenant War..." Rookie explained.

"Hmm... Carry on?" IF insisted as he explained more while he sat on the chair again.

"Well. I was volunteered and accepted to be an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper to fight the Covenant, I saw almost all of my fellow ODSTs died when I first deployed..." Rookie suddenly but slowly takes off his helmet, seeing his downhearted face which surprised the brunette but didn't bother to question about that as he continues. "Till one day... I've got distress call by a veteran ODST, Gage Yevgenny who was injured when I found him inside a downed Pelican.." IF didn't know what a Pelican is but listened to his story. "His body was a mess... I was scared when I first saw him as I try my best to patch him up... This was real... Not a training session..." Then he remembered the moment he'll never forget...


Flashback At Mount Haven, August 2552 (Rookie's POV)...

"Sir..." In August 2552, I was once a Private First Class ODST. Aiding the injured veteran ODST, trying not hurt him more than helping him as I repeated again till...

"Shut up and listen, Rookie!" Gage Yevgenny shouted at him which startled me. "There's something important I have to tell you" His face relaxed after that and told me this before his backstory began...

"About friends. Betrayal. Loss. If you keep your head up and do what I tell you, you might even live long enough to tell someone what happened here..."

He told me how he doesn't want to be a farm boy and dig dirt with his parents. He wants to be a badass Marine so the girls bat their eyes on him when he comes home, hehehe~

"Wow... That's immature..."

"Oh shut it, IF and just listen..."

"Hmph!"

Gage was eighteen which he was old enough to join the Colonial Military Administration. As he was accepted into the military, it was hard for him to be a Marine he dreamed of which was obvious, getting yelled by a drill sergeant, getting his hands dirty, going around laps and punished to do a hundred push-ups... Unfortunately, unlike the UNSC, they've taught him to use a weapon, salute, march, and drive a Warthog. Only tasked with simple tasks, he and his friends, Eric and Felicia disliked how the UNSC treated them till one night, they arrived at a nightclub by a Hornet, piloted by Allison Stark, a pelican pilot for the CMA when it was bombed by the Insurrectionists, killing Allision, getting Eric into a coma and injuring both Felicia and himself under the rumble.

They were rescued by ODSTs which inspired Gage as he and Felicia who has nothing to lose joined the ODSTs. After several weeks of hard training, the Human-Covenant War began as they were informed that they destroyed Harvest, there was a fight between Felicia and Gage of his disrespect on his homeworld. After twenty-seven years, Humanity was losing with countless defeats, colonies glassed and millions of people slaughtered, Gage lost many fellow ODSTs and tend not to make friends as he became a battle-hardened ODST. In 2547, He and another ODST were rescued from approaching Covenant forces by a Spartan.

"A Spartan?"

"A super soldier meant to combat the Covenant Forces which was a Top-secret revealed by Office of Naval Intelligence. Anyway..."

In August 2552, Gage reunited with his friends as they infiltrate a city under siege by the Covenant, who were looking for ancient artifacts. They came across several CMA members extracting supplies of gold on the Pelicans till they discovered a class of school children and their teacher hiding in the underground vault at the bottom of a bank...

"What?! He found school students and their teacher inside?!"

"Yeah, I was shocked as well when I heard this"

"But why are they hiding in the vault?

"He said they were hoping to survive the Covenant glassings but there's no way to avoid it rather than getting out of your homeworld..."

"...MHmm..."

After discovering the children, the Pelicans were loaded up with gold with no space for the children. The ODSTs said that the gold would be used in the UNSC's war effort but Gage saw too many people died from the Covenant so, he tells them a strong favor of postponing the theft to save the civilians. Unfortunately, the Troopers said they're good as dead, all of them started a huge argument as Felicia stepped in and called in more Pelicans till it turned for the worse, the ODSTs went rogue and began shooting each other. Gage got hit in the abdomen, three other ODSTs were dead, and Felicia was fatally wounded as he rushed to her, she died in his arms.

In shock, Gage went outside to find Eric when I found him and his Pelican, he was informed that the UNSC was falling back. He then knocked him out and rolled him into the street, the veteran ODST knows the controls as Allison showed him while flying the Hornet, he fired the Pelican's engines and took off, contacting the UNSC Cruiser, Chares for more Pelicans, claiming they were under heavy fire. He flew the Pelican to the pickup point and collected the artifacts the Covenant were looking for, as well as a Shiva nuclear device, he also told the other ODSTs about the children in the bank then flew away from the city. He headed up to the mountain but the Pelican could barely climb thanks to the amount of weight inside, he saw a Banshee firing at the Pelican but was shot down by Rockets from the city and suddenly the Pelican's rear.

Gage know it was the rogue ODSTs who knew his betrayal shot him down as the Pelican crashed down into the mountains and then I came to his aid. I soon understand why there were extra Pelicans coming, why he'd been sent down with a second wave of ODSTs by SOEIV Drop Pods, it was because of him, Gage Yevgenny who is going to die here then… Me and Gage heard Pelicans coming in.

"There's a reason I've been keeping you here, talking" He answered. "Not just to confront my dying self. They're almost here. Both the Covenant and Eric with his friends. I'm surprised that you got here before them all. They're going to want to salvage the gold they can from the wreckage. So, I want you to do is head up the mountain, all out! Drop everything but comms and your weapon!" He then continued his instructions to me. "Get through the cut there in fifteen minutes. Don't flag down that first Pelican that's coming! In fact, hide from it as best you can. I had you here because if you'd taken off up the mountain, the Covenant would have seen you from the other side. But the Grunts are on canned methane; instead of using it up by panting their way over the mountain, they'll have worked their way around to get close to this wreck. So, head up the pass and over the mountain, and run like you run in boot camp, Rook, run like your worst drill instructor behind you!" He finished giving me what to do but still.

"Sir, I can't just leave you..." I wanted to get him outta here.

"They're all going to arrive, Rook, and I'm going to blow the Shiva up the moment those bastards show up" Gage then held up a control pad that is connected to the nuclear device as he continued talking to me. "Years ago, I told my father it was 'just dirt.' But it's not just dirt. It's where we live. It's our dirt, dammit! And more importantly, it's about who's standing on that dirt. Those children. Your family. Your friends. And those freaks are going to pay for every piece of dirt they've taken from us"

"We can still get you out of here..." I told him but refuses.

"No... I'm a dead man and you know it. I'm not going to waste more Marines"

"And your friends coming this way?" I asked him and he smiled.

"They're going to die helping protect the dirt, Rookie. They're going to die doing something good. If they'd stayed back in the city to form up with you guys instead of running out here for the gold, they wouldn't have a problem, would they? *Sigh* But they chose this path..." He sighed and asked me a promise. "Promise me something, Rookie?"

"Anything" I accepted it with a nod.

"You'll fight the Covenant all the way. Even if they land on Earth. You'll fight them even if you have to throw rocks at them"

"I will, sir..." I nodded again.

"Then go now!" I saw the arming device for the Shiva on his hand. "Or I'll set this damn thing off with you still dallying around!" He threatened and I followed what he said a few minutes ago, dropping everything but my Battle Rifle and my comm.

"So... What happened next?"


Present, back in Leanbox's hospital...

IF asked Rookie for more on this story. "I ran... Ran as fast as I could and never look back, I manage to get to the other side of the mountain" He explained further. "Then... He set the nuke off, killing everyone including himself, his friends and the Covenant forces in it... A Pelican picked me up and all I thought was dirt" And he stood up from the chair, putting his right hand on his chest. "And I promised him... To fight the Covenant all the way till my last breath"

"...Rookie..." After hearing his story in the war, IF felt speechless as she hasn't gotten this deep into his personality as a soldier.

"You're not the first one to hear my story..." Rookie stated which surprised the brunette, tilting her head. "Histoire wanted to know more about me when you ladies were chasing that Underling back in Lowee" He explained further.

"Rookie, I... Umm... This sounds a bit stupid but, why are you protecting us?" IF asked him as both him and herself know that was a stupid question but Rookie answered.

"Because I've promised Histoire that I keep you ladies safe from harm... And I want to because that's what friends do, right?" Rookie added, asking her as IF's face lightly blushed, rubbing her right arm.

"...Right... I need to go to the bathroom..." IF then walked to the door.

"Wait! Before you go..." He stopped IF as she grabs the doorknob. "Remember back when you wanted to save your friends from the Graveyard and someone ask you this, do you really care for them?" He asked which made her single eyebrow to rise up. "I know it's a very weird question I asked you, I'm not that good at making 'wise questions' from an old man but think about it..." He said sarcastically.

"O.K?" IF said in an awkward tone as she exited out of the room. As the brunette went out of the room, the girls were waiting for her as RED as always, zooms into IF's face with a big grin on her face while IF widened her eyes in surprise.

"So~ What happened in there, Iffy?" She asked with a big smile but IF moved her out of her way.

"Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom" The brunette than walked away from the group but something's off with her, the girls noticed when she stepped out of the room, her face was a bit saddened as her hands were together in front of her, she didn't blush, she didn't go a bit aggressive to RED like the last time, she just... Act like a different, making the group look at each other in confusion...

"I wonder what happened?" Compa wondered and the response was nothing but shrugging shoulders from her friends...


Inside the girls' Bathroom...

After walking away from the group, IF found a girls' bathroom and went inside then when she got in front of a mirror, she stared at it. Staring at her reflection while putting her hands on the sink as remember that weird question Rookie asked her which he stated earlier.

"Do you really care for them?"

'Rookie said it's a weird question, it's obviously a yes. I cared for Nep and the other CPUs' IF admitted. 'But thinking about it in a clearer image and getting to know Rookie's experience in their war, am I pushing myself too hard? Or I'm getting stress out after those three years?' She thought as she looked down at the sink and up to the mirror, she began to hallucinate as instead of seeing her reflection, she saw her mother, her blonde hair and green eyes with a beautiful smile on her face as the brunette hears her own voice inside her mind.

"Momma, I want to be a hero. Just like you~"

She heard her child voice speaking to her mother as she hears her mother's voice, smiling at her...

"Fufufufu~ Of course, sweetie. But being a hero is a lot harder than you think..."

"But is being a hero very easy? Like in the T.V?"

"No, sweetie. *Sigh* You see, being a hero doesn't mean you're invincible like those people in those shows. It takes not only courage but patience, responsibility, selflessness, and understanding..."

"Hmm?"

"You'll understand more when you are older, sweetie"

'She said to me those things of being a hero. Courage, patience, responsibility, selflessness, understanding...' IF listed the qualities of being a hero said by her mother, she already had courage, patience, and responsibility but not selflessness and understanding which she doesn't know what she meant on those two qualities. 'I know what selflessness is but I don't understand what she meant by 'understanding'. Does it means something?' She asked herself then closes your eyes as she hears her uncle's as well as her child's voice.


Flashback...

"Uncle Tyler? Can I ask you something?" A young girl requested who is obviously IF as a child, wearing a coat similar to what she wears in the present but different, has a black collar and has colored button, had gray short overalls with her initials inscribed on the bottom right part as she has a pink cell phone in a pocket in the overalls and a graphic of an orange fish-like monster near it as she wore her medium-length black socks. The young IF was living in her parents' house which is being looked after by her uncle.

"Ask away, kid..." Her uncle accepted as the young IF played with her fingers.

"Umm... Momma said that 'understanding' is a hero quality. But I don't know what she means by that..." She explained.

"Mhm... Welp. Your mother has been through a lot to be a hero she wanted when she was a little kid like you" Her uncle then grabbed his silver flask and drank for a few seconds.

"Really~?" Her head was tilting to the right side with a small smile.

"Yep *Hic*... But we're getting out of the subject so, what understanding means is that you can't just boldly go into conclusions" He answered her question about the meaning of understanding.

"We not?"

"Yeah, you have to understand more than what meets the eye. Besides, the more you understand, the clearer the image will be" Her uncle stated as she began nodding her head.

"Oh..."

"Or maybe she got drunk again" He added as he laughed.

"EH?! UNCLE~!" Her face was blushing so hard, she closes her eyes and slams her fists at him as her uncle giggled with a grin on his face.

"Hehehehehe~ I'm joking, kiddo! Calm down!" Her uncle then ruffled her hair and everything went dark...


Present...

IF then open her eyes, the look on her face was not amused. 'Well, that didn't help me at all... Thanks, uncle...' She frowned but soon used the tap to wash her face for a few seconds then dry her face. She looked around the bathroom, only to see a crack on the mirror's right side. 'Wonder what happened to the mirror' IF wondered but shrugged and exited out of the bath.

It's still unknown why the mirror wasn't repaired in the first, probably the staff forgot it but there's an odd explanation to who cause the crack... It was her mother...

Flashback (Before childbirth)...

"GODDAMNIT!" Illyria punches her fist onto the mirror, causing to create a crack on it as she was very, very furious...

"Illyria! Calm down!" Falcon tries to calm her down from her angry status who is, however, inside the girls' bathroom but luckily, the entrance to the bathroom was barricaded as his brother and the two Second Generation CPUs tried to bash it open, he wanted to be alone to confront her because he was the only one who has the closest relationship to Illyria than anybody else since they first met. "Please calm down!" He repeated as he saw blood coming down on the mirror from her fist she used on it then she turned her face and glared at him.

"Calm down, Falcon? Do you have ANY idea what happened back on the surface?" She questioned him with her face still furious. "Why? Why did you let her die?! WHY?!" She yelled.

"I'm not to blame, Illyria!" He stated. "Margaret wanted to protect Gamindustri from the Virus and-"

"There should have been a better way to destroy the source of the Virus without losing a GODDAMN GODDESS!" As Illyria interrupted him, she took out her fist from the cracked mirror as it dripping blood on the floor, she suddenly pulls out her Crimson's Bane and went into a frenzy mode towards Falcon. He reacted quickly to her attack as he brings out his metal shield from his back which is known as the 'Iron-Maiden Shield', an extendable and a deployable shield that covers the entire front of the body with Advanced Graphene material and chrome painting on it.

As she clashes her Crimson's Bane into Falcon's Iron-Maiden Shield which he's holding it with both of his hands, he tries to calm her down. "ILLYRIA! PLEASE, CALM DOWN!" He yelled as he embraces a lot of hits on his shield.

"Why would I calm down if you didn't stop her in the first place!" She angrily shouted at him as she continues slashing her sword onto his shield. "Why didn't you stop her?!" She repeated.

"Damnit, I don't want to hurt you, Illyria!" He shouted back.

"Don't change the fucking subject!" She swore and her sword glowed with a red firey aura around it as she penetrates through Falcon's shield but luckily, it didn't reach his chest. "Tell me why?! Why didn't you stop her?! WHY DID YOU LET HER DIE!"

"BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOU!" After Falcon yelled his lungs out, slamming his Iron-Maiden Shield towards Illyria as he pushed her back a few meters away, letting go his Iron-Maiden Shield along with Illyria's Crimson's Bane onto the ground, he began panting as his eyes are covered in shadows, a moment of silence occurred.

"..."

"*Pant* *Pant* *Pant*"

"..."

"*Pant* *Pant* *Pant*"

"...You... Don't want to. Lose me?" Illyria snapped out of her frenzy status as she stared at him.

"Don't you remember that moment? The moment that you told me about your past?" He questioned as she closes her eyes, trying to know what he meant till she found a piece of her memories.

"Since I was a young girl, I lost my entire family no thanks to those bastards. I'm not going to lose another family..."

Illyria then widened her eyes, forgotten that she told Falcon her past before the unknown events occurred.

"Ever since we first met, you saw me, Tyler and the CPUs as the best family you ever had" Falcon explain further. "When you were unconscious during the battle at the surface. You, me, Arfoire, Uzume, Natasha, and Margaret went deep into Magnavox Tower while the others defend the entrance and prepare an escape rocketship. When we encounter Nephthys, the source of the Virus, she seriously knocks you off in a coma during the fight as well as injuring both Arfoire and Uzume..." Illyria's eyes were widened in shock to hear this after waking up from a five-day coma. "We were losing the fight against Nephthys as me, Margaret and Natasha were the only ones alive. Retreating is suicide but Margaret decided to deal with her alone while me and Natasha get the injured out of the Magnavox Tower, I can't let her fight her alone till she told me this"

"Falcon. When I saw you and Illyria strongly bonded together, I knew that your future is bright like a star. I just don't wanna let that star burn out into dust"

After he repeated Margaret's words from his memories to her, her eyes were widened even more in great shock. 'Our future is bright?' She thought as she can't believe it that's the reason why she sacrificed herself...

"After she said this to me, Natasha and I were shocked as you were now... She for some reason got herself an N.A.V.E Bomb (Nuclear Anti-Virus Eradicator Bomb), latched onto her back as ordered both of us to get out of the Odyssey City, noting that she'll get back once the bomb is armed"

"What? How the hell did she sneak an N.A.V.E Bomb under our radar?" Illyria questioned.

"It probably the reason why she's at the back of the line..." Falcon answered as he soon continued his story. "As Margaret ordered us, we ran out of the tower as the Amber questioned where Margaret is. We told her and our friends to excavate as we inform that she'll get outta the tower as fast as she could... But..." He began hugging himself as his mouth lowered.

"She didn't make it?" Illyria asked.

"...No... She lied to us..." He answered which shocked her. "She... Knew about this... She knew that she will die no matter what way she could escape... When we went out of the city and waited for her, the tower exploded, causing the nearby buildings around it collapsed with a strong shockwave but luckily, we were out of range" And he pulls out a holoprojection device from his pocket. "Then when we got back at Gamindustri in Planeptune's Basilicom, this was found by Histoire. It's best that you hear it yourself, Illyria..." Then he hands her the device into her hands as she noticed a play button is on it, she presses the play button then everything went green...


Present...

"So, what do we do?" Compa asked the group and they shrugged as they're still in the hospital. "I'm so tired. Anybody feel the same?" And the group nods to her question.

"*Yawn~* What time is it now?" RED asked.

"It's about... Hmm... It's past midnight, nyu" Brocolli answered which surprised the Twins.

"What?! Rom, it's past our bedtime! We need to go before Mina gets mad at us!" Ram shouted as she grabs her twin sister's arm but she refuses to go. "Come on, you dummy! We need to go now!" She demanded but she silently refuses. Then Cave exited out of the other room and saw the group standing there.

"Is something the matter?" Cave asked the group as she noticed that IF was missing from the group. "Where's your friend, IF?" She questioned.

"She went to the bathroom..." Nepgear answered.

"And taking a long time. Hope nothing happen to her..." Compa added and everyone except the Twins as they fighting each other till they saw IF coming from the hallway.

"Sorry to keep you waiting" IF apologized then turned to Cave. "So, how's your talk with the girl, Hoshi?" She asked and she gave her a little smile with a little nod.

"It was good. Even though I lecture her for her reckless actions, it works out well in the end" Cave stated. "What about Rookie, is he alright?" And everyone nodded in agreement as she chuckled. "Seems that he has been looking after you all, am I correct?" She questioned.

"Hmph! We don't need a... Ugh! I forgot what that word is!" Ram disagreed as she forgotten the word that means a person who looks after a child or children while the parents are out, a 'babysitter'. As the group was having a conversation, they heard a bunch of footsteps and panting as they turned around, they surprising saw the idol, 5pb. coming towards them as she was sweating and fastly panting.

"*Pant* *Pant* *Pant* *Pant*"

"5pb.? What are you doing here?" Cave questioned but the idol was taking her breath.

"How long did she run, nyu?" Broccoli asked.

"*Pant* *Pant* From the Basilicom... *Pant* *Pant* To the hospital... I just ran over a mile... *Pant* With so many breaks... *Pant*" The idol answered as she stretches out her right hand to the group. "*Pant* Does anyone have a spare water bottle *Pant*"

As she requested some water from them, Cave gave her an extra water bottle she took from Hoshi's patient room. "Here you go, 5pb." The idol drank the entire water bottle in one gulp.

"*Sigh* Ahhh~ Much better..." Now the idol became relieved, she then sat on a nearby bench to rest as the group followed.

"What are you doing here, Miss 5pb.?" Compa asked and the idol responded as she turned to Nepgear.

"Your impromptu concert was really inspiring! Watching you and the other Candidates on stage was so exciting!" 5pb. commented while she smiled at her as the Ram giggled in embarrassment.

"No worries. I know the man's ultimate weakness, cute girls! Right, Rom?" She stated the man's ultimate weakness which is not true to all males but it's a child's mind so don't questioned their logic as she turned to Rom, asking her but she didn't respond while she's staring into space... "Rom!" She nudged her twin sister out of it as she shooked her head.

"Hmm? Oh! Yeah!" She responded.

"G-goodness, we were nothing compared to you..." Nepgear stated as she lightly blushes while Ram jawdropped with eyes opened wide in shut then she screamed inside her mind, saying 'Dummy, dummy, stupid dummy STUPID DUMMY ARGHHHH!'...

"Don't say that" 5pb. shook her head. "I was helpless to stop them from going berserk... I'm so ashamed..." She felt guilty about what happened at the concert till she continued. "B-but, I don't want to feel like that again, so... Please. Take me with you!" She then finishes which shocked everyone, especially Cave who serve to protect her after three years of the CPUs' absence.

"What is the meaning of this?" She stepped forward to the idol, questioning her.

"I want my songs to be heard by people outside of Leanbox. I want to sing for the entire world..." She reasoned with her. "I'm not sure how far I'll make it on my own, but I want to keep supporting everyone, so, please~" 5pb. looked at Cave, eyes locked into each other, filled with confidence as she requested to join them. As the group looked at each other and they responded.

"Hmm... Welp. Welcome to the club, 5pb.!" RED accepted it as well as Nepgear.

"Yes, you're more than welcome to come us" The idol then look at IF and she nodded as agreement while Cave looked over the group of girls that aided them to restore order in Leanbox, she closes her eyes to think about this for a couple of seconds.

"My, my. I suppose I will just have to put more effort into maintaining the status quo here, then..." She then sighed in disappointment.

"I'm so sorry, Cave, but-" And suddenly, Cave puts her right hand on the idol's left shoulder then she smiles at her.

"No need to speak. Your songs are larger than Leanbox can hold. Do your best out there" She made her choice, to let the idol go out to fulfill her dreams as 5pb. widely smiles back.

"Thank you!" 5pb. hugged her in happiness, Cave didn't expect it but she hugged her back. Group watched them as they were adored by the scene.

"In a few months later, this might happen to you and that ODST~" RED walked up to IF and whispers into her ear as the brunette lightly blushes.

"Can you shut up, RED?!" IF lightly slaps her on the back neck, quietly shouting at her.

"Umm. Sorry to interrupt this but, what are you going to do with Rook-Rook?" Compa politely interrupted the scene which questioned to do with Rookie as he'll be not healed for a while as both Cave and 5pb. broke the hug.

"Sadly, I'm afraid that nobody would look after him in an injured status. We'll be busy to maintain order in Leanbox" Cave stated.

"Then what are we going to do? We can't leave him alone, nyu" Broccoli replied as the group was in a sticky situation till Rom got an idea and whispers to her twin sister's ear which shocked her... In a bad way...

"What?! You are joking right?" Ram quietly questioned but it was no joke as she shook her head. "We can't carry him all the way to Lowee? He's as heavy as a Kangaroo, Rom!" She stated but her twin sister ignored her as she spoke to the group.

"We can look after him" As Rom spoke out to the group, they were surprised.

"Umm. Are you sure you two can look after him?" IF questioned, getting a bit worried about children looking after an adult male but they're Candidates...

"Mhm!" Rom responded to her with a nod as she looked at Ram. Seeing her arms folded and her frustrated face, the brunette knew that Ram isn't very positive towards the group, especially towards Nepgear.

'What gotten into you, Rom?' Ram thought as she questions about her caring attitude to the ODST but doesn't want to start an argument... In the middle of the night... "*Sigh* Yes... We'll take care of him till he is healed up..." She replied along Rom but mutters afterward.

"But can you two able to carry him all the way to Lowee, nyu" Broccoli questioned.

"Nope... But that's the thing, he is as heavy as a kangaroo" Ram stated. "It's not like there's a jetpack that can get him to our home..." And her words just gave Cave an idea...

"This might work" The group then turned to Cave. "We have a prototype jetpack which we tested it for short-range travel but, we haven't tested it for long-range traveling from one landscape to another landscape..." She explained. "If only the ODST would accept to be the test pilot..." But she'll need an answer from Rookie for a test of a certain prototype.

"I'll ask Rookie" IF spoke out to the group and turned around, looking towards the door to Rookie's temporarily patient room as she entered it. The group then waited for her, sadly theLowee's Candidate Twins have to wait for a half of an hour as the inpatient Ram quietly moaned...


Buck

Location: Kikowani Station

5 hours after drop...

After midnight at Kikowani Station, Alpha-Nine has successfully hijacked the Phantom which they planned. While Mickey, Dutch, and Romeo got into the dropship, Buck took a stationed Banshee and flew along with the hijacked Phantom as they killed Covenant forces and destroyed a couple of Huragok Recharge Stations which the ODSTs referred as 'Squid Houses', operated Anti-Air vehicles as well as the flying Banshees. Going through and unlocking each large doors as the Covenant forces somehow locked it shut till they reach the last door that leads to a tunnel out of Kikowani Station, there was a stationed Type-47B Scarab blocking their path.

"Troopers, I got bad news" Buck contacted the rest of his team inside the Phantom as the Scarab spotted him in his Banshee.

"What? You really are gonna make us walk outta this city?" Romeo guessed.

"We got a Scarab... Right by our exit..." He corrected as they saw the Scarab, it began charging its Plasma beam cannon.

"...Ah~ This is the best mission ever!" He whispered through the coms with joy as the Scarab soon fires its cannon at the hijacked Phantom while the large mounted Anti-Air turret on the top rear fires at Buck's Banshee.

"WHOA!" Mickey was able to pull the Phantom away from the incoming beam as for Buck, he dodges the superheated plasma from the A.A turret as he noticed a group of Banshees in a perfect battle formation attacking him. Buck then engages the group as he dodges a bullet hell of plasmablasts while he fires both its dual plasma cannons and its Fuel Rod Cannon at them while not looking back. Luckily, the A.A turret was focused on him that some of its plasma shots accidentally grounded a few friendly Banshees, giving him a fighting chance as he shot down the rest of them then continued on with their Scarab problem...

"Damnit! Take out one of its legs, it'll stop moving, Gunny!" He shouted to Buck in the coms as the Scarab continuing firing its beam cannon.

As Buck saw the Phantom constantly dodging beams of superheated plasma, he sees a couple of 'squid houses' lying around next to the Scarab's legs which gave himself an idea. "Guys, I got an idea!"

"Yeah? What is it, Gunny?" Dutch responded to him.

"Can you get its legs next to the squid houses, the explosion might have enough to damage it!" Buck explained.

"Roger that!" He obeyed. "Did you hear, kid?" Then he asked Mickey, referring him as a kid.

"Loud and clear!" Mickey responded as he then fires the Phantom's heavy plasma cannon at the Scarab, getting its attention as both its frontal cannon and the A.A turret aimed at the Phantom and began firing while the dropship fired back. One of the Scarab's legs stomped next to the Recharge Station as Buck fires a Fuel Rod shot at the station and it created a big explosion which damages the leg but the Scarab still moving. "It still moving!" He exclaimed.

"But not for long!" Buck then aimed at the damaged leg and fired another Fuel Rod shot. When it impacted onto the leg, the Scarab started to shake as the lights on the A.A turret and the cannon flashed constantly with the hull lowered down to the ground.

"It's down! Get behind it, shoot it in the ass!" Dutch demanded as Buck lands down on the front hull of the Scarab, he confronted a crew inside with Grunt Minors led by a Brute Captain. After killing the crew inside, he rushed to the back hull and went to the core that is filled with Lekgolo worms, shielded as he destroyed the shield and kills the exposed worms till it flashes red. Buck jumped off the platform and ran from the Scarab as it started exploding in different parts of the platform then it screeches in pain and...

*BOOM!* The entire Scarab exploded into pieces of metal, falling down onto the ground while the explosion destroyed the nearby Recharge Stations.

"OORAH, Gunny! Let it burn~!" Dutch cheered as well as Romeo, seeing the Scarab lit up like a firework.

"Let head to the tunnel before another one shows up..." Mickey suggested as the Buck opens up the door to the last tunnel, he jumps into another Banshee then flew along with the Phantom inside the tunnel and surprisingly, they found a tunnel filled with Recharge Stations all over the tunnel, even they've been placed on the walls.

"Ah, damn! We just hit the squid jackpot!" Romeo loudly exclaimed.

"Take 'em out, Gunny. So we can get through" Dutch told him and Buck replies.

"Alright. Stay clear, this is gonna be one hell of a chain reaction!" Then Buck began firing both its dual plasma cannons and its Fuel Rod cannon at the first Recharge Station in front of the group as it exploded, the rest of them did as well. The explosion reached to the outside of the tunnel as the ODSTs bursts out of the tunnel. Buck then flew the Banshee under the dropship as its gravity lift soon activates, he jumps out of the vehicle and was lifted up to the Phantom while the Banshee fell into the ocean.

"Keep her steady, Mickey..." Buck told Mickey to keep the dropship balanced as he turns to Romeo which he's hanging onto the Type-52 Plasma cannon with his hand on his chest, he was probably had a hard time breathing with a punctured lung. "You doin' okay?" He asked and Romeo turns his head to him.

"Just glad we didn't go with your first plan..." And the two ODSTs looked out to the city with the sun rising. "Look at those tunnels. Ones that aren't flooded are probably... Packed with Buggers. Hell, I wouldn't go down there even if you ordered me to." He stated which made Buck remember the conversation with Dare before the drop.

'Come on, Veronica... What could be more important than that carrier?'

'My orders. And Buck? Call me Captain...'

And Buck began to put the pieces together, knowing where Dare is as he contacted Mickey on the coms. "Mickey, turn around! Find a safe place to set us down" He ordered.

"What?! Why?" Mickey questioned.

"I lost something..." He answered then he whispers to himself. "Now I know where to find her..." And then, Mickey turned to Phantom around, heading back to the city.


Meanwhile outside of Leanbox's Basilicom...

As it is past midnight, Rookie who has an injured arm and the girls went back to the Basilicom from the hospital while Cave pulled out Hoshi of the hospital and ordered her team bring in the prototype she told them about it. A few minutes later, they were on the balcony as Cave and her team with an exception of the Flakvierling twins came with the prototype which is a metal winged jetpack known as EXO-IV Falcon with fuel tanks, enough to travel around the Leanbox's landscape but not across the entire continent. Now, it was redesigned as EXO-V Arctic Tern with improved wings and twin jet engines that can resist both in heated and cold areas.

"Alright, trooper. You're all set for take off!" Hoshi loudly said who she has a bandage around her head, giving Rookie a thumbs up as she finished attaching the EXO-V Arctic Tern to his back while he has his adjustable shoulder bandage and his Rucksack is being carried by Rom's hands as the twins are in their HDD forms.

"Are you sure this will get him all the way to Lowee?" James asked his leader as Cave nodded in agreement.

"I'm certain. Those reckless twins had a reputation for making one of the most ridiculous things ever created in Gamindustri's history..." Cave stated with her arms folded.

"Is she talking about us?" Ram raised one of her eyebrows in confusion.

"Oh, don't be offended! She's just referring to the Flakvierling Twins..." Hoshi then clears up the confusion for the Lowee Twins as the idol came up to them.

"Here's something you might need. Just in case one of you fell asleep during the journey back home" 5pb. gave them chocolate bars as the two grab the bars.

"Hey, look at that! This will keep us up till we get home, Rom!" Ram exclaimed as she smiled.

"Yeah" Her twin sister replied to her and the two Lowee Candidates ate the entire bar within ten seconds which surprised the others.

"Whoa. They were hungry?" IF's eyes widened in shocked at how the Twins ate the chocolate bars, 5pb. gave to them that fast.

"...Now I wonder how long CPUs live without any food in their stomachs, nyu..." Broccoli wondered.

"I don't think Gear will last for even a day without eating any food..." IF sweatdropped while the Candidate of Planeptune blinked a few times.

"Okay, Trooper! You know how to fly this beauty from what we told you?" Hoshi asked the ODST while she smiles and he nodded. Rookie then activated the EXO-V Arctic Tern as he began to float up into the air with the jetpack fired up. "Alright, try to do some air maneuvers" She told him and the ODST began doing some basic maneuvers like the loopy loops, curves, and some barrel rolls as the group watched him fly like a bird. James then pulled out a future-like panel and examined the results. Luckily, all systems of the prototype are green as he gave Cave the panel.

"All systems are green on the prototype" Cave called out as she looked up to Rookie and soon nods. "You're clear to take off-"

"HEY! That's my line, Miss Cave!" Hoshi recalled which saddened eyes with little tears. When the Twins heard that the prototype is good, they soon floated up into Rookie's altitude.

"Better catch us while you can!" Ram challenged him on a flying race as Rom who's holding his Rucksack smiled, didn't reply to her twin sister nor to Rookie and the two Lowee Candidates readied their lighted wings then zoomed away from the Basilicom as Rookie looked back to the group on the balcony.

"Well, you better catch them or you'll get lost, Trooper!" Hoshi yelled her lungs out as he then fired up the jet engines and pursue the Twins while the others went back inside the Basilicom. Cave and her team left to their homes to rest as well as Nepgear, Compa, IF, RED, Broccoli, and 5pb. slept in theBasilicom while Rookie flew out of the Leanbox's landscape...


Author's notes:

And that's... A very long chapter to finish...

Neptune: I know~ *Stretches her limbs and yawns*

*Sigh* After a ton of thoughts in the flashbacks, I think it was worth it...

Neptune: Wanna talk about why Arfy's in there for the viewers?

According to Gamindustri's history, Arfoire was once and only Goddess in Gamindustri and was the main cause of the Console War with a goal is to become a True Goddess. I've gotten little detail about her past and therefore, I wanted to try something with her when she's not evil…

Neptune: Yeah sure, you wanted to experiment things… Anyway, Enjoy the trip to Fuyuki City?

Yeah. It was pretty enjoyable. Luckily, we weren't involved with the events occurred in the city.

Neptune: Mhmm! But it'll be more fun to get involved with them-

Nope, because of two reasons. One, I'm literally a walking powerhouse. And two, if we do, then the Guardian of Judgement will lecture us! FOR-EVER~!

Neptune: ...Oh... Well, I've never been lectured from her besides Histy.

Oh you will rather NOT be lectured by her~ *Makes a serious look on his face to Neptune*

Neptune: *Gulp* Good to know...


[Quick note]

Welp. Over ten thousand words...

And this chapter was a pain in the ass, with lots of thought on the second flashback (IF's Parents)...

Now. With that out of the way, as some of you, viewers asked for...

We're going back to Lowee in Rookie's perspective...

While Nepgear and the others traveled back to Planeptune...

And now, come to think of it. It may reference Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), besides, the Human-Covenant War lasted for 28 years...