I awoke the next morning still starry eyed from the events of the previous day. Rin and I had spent the rest of the previous day enjoying each-others company, and finally ending with watching the sunset together on top of the air control tower. I was so in love with Rin now it was almost un-real. I deeply wished I could spend the whole day with Rin again, but I knew that the augmentations were to be done that day. At least the team and I would be on bed rest for a few days after the augmentations though, and I was sure that Rin and I would have plenty of time together then. I dressed, shaved, and headed to Dr. Kagamine's lab. Rin met me half way to the lab since her room was closer to the lab. We both smiled brightly as we caught each other for a quick embrace and a kiss. "Morning love." She said sweetly. "Morning beautiful." I said in response. We walked to the lab hand in hand, exchanging smiles. Though we walked in silence, we really didn't need to speak. We were both feeling the same powerful love for each other, and words simply couldn't describe how much we cared for each other. Upon reaching the lab, we found Kagamine preparing the equipment as he spoke with SGT Wilkens. Interestingly enough though, Miku and Howard seemed to have experienced the same revelation as Rin and I had the night before. The same could also be said for Rogers and Teto. Rin and I exchanged smiles at this sight. "Looks like they had the same idea." I joked. Rin responded by smiling and laying her head on my shoulder. "Hey Corporal! Ready for the augmentations?" Rogers asked as Kagamine instructed us to remove all clothing except for our boxers, and lie and on the operating tables. "Sure am! How bout' you?" I asked. "Hell yeah dude! After last night, I feel like I could take on the whole PLA by myself!" he said as he smiled at Teto. Teto blushed, but then returned his smile and took his hand. "I think I know what you mean." I said as I smiled at Rin. "Speak for yourselves!" SPC Howard said as he smiled up at Miku who was stroking his head. Rin then proceded to help Kagamine with the final adjustments on the machines that were to perform my surgery. "You two are certainly in a good mood this morning." Kagamine observed. "Just happy to have such an amazing guy in my life." Rin responded with a smile. Kagamine nodded approvingly. I was almost sure he already knew how we felt about each other. Finally once we were all in place Kagamine said, "Alright WARRIORS, today is the day all of that training pays off. Today you will be receiving your augmentations. While this surgery is going to put you out of commission for a few days, it will give you unsurpassed physical prowess once you recover. Girls, if you would please step beside your WARRIOR and wait for my signal." Rin moved over to the control panel by my table and looked at me again with those bright blue eyes I loved. She looked worried though. "Everything ok?" I asked. "Just a little concerned." She admitted. "Well don't be. Besides, I feel even better about all this knowing you're the one operating the machine." I smiled reassuringly. She seemed comforted by this, and she took my hand, and kissed me on my forehead like before. "Alright WARRIORS, sound your ready!" Kagamine called. We then sounded off. "Shadow 1 ok!" called Wilkens. "Shadow 2 ok!" I bellowed. "Shadow 3 ok!" called Howard. "Shadow 4 ok!" called Rogers. "On my go girls," Kagamine said. "5..4…3…2…1..mark!" he called as he pressed the go button on Wilkens's machine. Rin, Miku, and Teto did the same on mine, Howard's and Rogers' panels as well. The machines buzzed, and then came to life. They then began to inject a series of chemicals into each of our bodies that burned as they entered our blood-streams. We all groaned in pain, but pushed through it as we had learned to do. It went on for an agonizing 45 minutes, but seemed like an eternity to us all. Finally it was over. I was breathing heavy, and was very weak from everything. "Back it off girls, that's it." Kagamine said. Rin punched a red button on her control panel, and then rushed to my side. "Are you ok?" she asked worried. "Well, I feel like hammered garbage, but yeah I'm ok. Even better now that you're here." I smiled weakly. Rin returned my smile, and stroked my cheek. "Well WARRIORS, I'm sure you're probably feeling pretty weak after everything you've just gone through, but believe me when I say that all of this is going to be very profitable for you all. Once you have fully recovered, your physical abilities will be on par with your mental abilities thanks to your combat chips. Then, once you begin training with your armor, your transformation will be complete. You will then be the most lethal and fearsome fighting force the world has ever seen!" Kagamine said pleased. "Now then, girls if you would help your WARRIORS back to the infirmary, I would greatly appreciate it. I will allow you all to return to your quarters in the morning, but I'd like to keep you in the infirmary to monitor you all for the time being." Kagamine explained. I slowly sat up, because of how weak I felt. Rin helped me up and helped me walk over to my bunk in the infirmary. "Sure you'll be ok?" she asked concerned. "I'll be fine." I smiled re-assuringly. "Ok, I'll be close by if you need me ok?" she said with a caring tone. "OK." I said in reply. I spent the rest of the day resting, and talking with Rin who was always close by like she had said. Kagamine and the girls were constantly monitoring our heart rates, and other vital signs for any irregularities as well, but everything seemed to be fine. Then finally the next day we returned to our quarters. Of course Rin and I spent most of the time I had on bed-rest together. We didn't know how long we would have together once our armor training was complete and the team was officially activated. We were both well aware of how long and dangerous my missions could be, and we would be running the risk of never seeing each other again. Ultimately though we knew the risks, we felt being with each other during the time we had outweighed the negative aspects. It was during this time that I found out a little more about the doctor and a little more about Rin as well. I was in Dr. Kagamine's lab one day for a private individual exam on my augmentations and needless to say, what I learned surprised me even further. "Everything looks excellent Corporal." Kagamine said after running a diagnostic on my vital signs. We then tested my strength. "Alright Corporal, try lifting that set of weights." The doctor instructed. It weighed about fifty pounds, but only felt like ten. "Not heavy enough for you?" the doctor smiled. "Not nearly!" I replied. We then tried other weights, and with ease, I was able to pick up well over 800 lbs on my own! "Very impressive! Your body has taken to the augmentations better than I had anticipated!" Kagamine said pleased. I had also noticed these changes in myself as well. I now looked like a body builder with years of training. I also noticed I could give more than I ever could in any and all physical activity. It was then that Kagamine attempted to smash a baseball bat over my head. Instinctively I reacted by blocking it with a high block. Much to my surprise, the bat broke cleanly in half when it impacted my arm. "What the hell was that for Doc!?" I asked in surprise. "Testing your bone thickness, and reflexes. By the looks of things they've also come out quite well." Kagamine said. I was again taken aback by just how unbelievable it was, but also that it was real. "Well Corporal, I'd say the augmentations have been successfully been applied. I'm clearing you to return to duty for armor training starting tomorrow." Kagamine said. "Sounds good Doc. What's the armor going to be like?" I asked in curiosity. "Your armor will further boost your speed, stamina, strength, and provide you with the best protection on the battlefield. The entire shell is completely bullet-proof, radiation resistant, and is vacuum-sealed so it can be used under-water or in space." Kagamine explained. "Sounds neat!" I said excited. "By the way Corporal, how are things between you and Rin?" Kagamine asked suddenly. "Great! I know it sounds crazy, but I can honestly say that I love her with every last bit of me." I said. Kagamine smiled. "I can certainly tell John. She speaks very highly of you, and says that even though she knows she is not alive, she feels as though she is a real girl when she is with you. You really have made her feel special John, and that's more than I could ever ask of you. From a father's standpoint, it is truly comforting to see Rin being loved the way she should be. Thank you for that John." Kagamine said. "It's no problem sir." I said. "Doctor, I've been wondering, what was yall's story before WARRIOR? I mean, how did you and Rin come to America that is?" I asked. "It is somewhat of a long story Corporal, but I'll do my best to explain. I worked for a scientific institute specializing in neuro-science, and cybernetics on Kyushu, Japan for a few years before I met Rin's mother. She was a U.S. Marine stationed on Okinawa. It was through her that I began contracting for the U.S. military. Eventually, I married her, and Rin was born shortly after. My wife died giving birth to Rin unfortunately. I miss her dearly, and Rin is all I have left of her." "So that makes Rin part Japanese, and part American then?" I asked. "Yes Corporal, that is also why she can speak fluent Japanese and English." "What about Kokoro? How did that come about?" I asked. "From the time Rin was a child, I had always told her that she had a very strong heart, or Kokoro, and also to trust it whenever she was in doubt. Then after the accident, and after Rin became self-aware, she remembered Kokoro, and that it was what made a human truly human." Kagamine explained. "Remembered? I thought you erased her memories?" I asked. "Most of them Corporal. But she can still remember some. It is still there buried deep in her memory unit, but a certain code is required to access it." He explained. "But when was it you both came to America?" I asked. "About the time you were born as a matter of fact." He said. "Rin wasn't born until about two years after you were, but she was born here in the U.S." Kagamine explained. "I performed your and the other team member's surgeries at birth after being contracted into the program." "Guess that explains a lot." I said. The doctor then lowered his head, and stared off into the distance. "There's something you're not telling me isn't there Doc?" I asked. "Yes Corporal there is. There is another reason that I came with my family to the U.S. I had only begun to create and refine my inventions such as your combat chip and armor, and the U.S. wasn't the only one that saw the potential of these as weapons. There was a terroristic organization that threatened death on my family if I did not surrender these technologies to them, and so I fled the country to America hoping that it would keep my family safe. This is the reason why I made you swear to protect Rin no matter what John. I have long feared of being tracked down by that same group, and them hurting my daughter." Kagamine explained. I boiled over at the thought of someone wanting to hurt Rin. Over my dead body! "They'll have to go through me first if they want Rin sir, and believe me when I say I can put up one hell of a fight!" I said. "Hopefully that won't ever be necessary Corporal." Kagamine said in response. I hoped so as well. I walked back to my quarters trying to process all of this new information I had just been given. Rin was waiting for me when I got there. "What's wrong?" she asked concerned. I was amazed at how well she could read my emotions. "It's nothing Rin, I'm fine." I said. She then fixed me with a look that clearly meant she didn't believe me. "John I know you way better than that, now what's really going on?" I sighed, and said, "Just had a really bad thought today…." I said. "Of?" Rin asked in confusion. "Of what might happen if anyone ever tried to hurt you, or even worse, if I ever lost you." I said. Rin looked at me with that same gaze I had seen on the day she told me she loved me. "You don't ever have to worry about that. I'm not going anywhere. And I know I've got you to protect me if someone ever does try and hurt me." She said with a smile. "I love you John, and I always will." She said. "I love you too Rin." I said as I held her tight. We spent the rest of the day doing absolutely nothing but simply being with each other. It was times like these that I wished time would stand still. I was still somewhat haunted by what Kagamine had told me however. What kind of cold bastard would try to use Kagamine's only daughter to get back at him? I didn't know what to expect in the coming days, but I knew that I would have to keep my guard up now more than ever. If anyone wanted Rin, they would have an extremely ill-tempered WARRIROR super-soldier to fight off first….