S1-185
Decompression

3:54 PM
11/22/3273

Yionus's moon - Zuter - IMC testing site Echo-918
Chamber 137

Music
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - Briefing Room & Ambience Theme

It's been three days since Michael sealed himself off in dimension 1, and there was no sign of him ever returning. During this time, Rocco had dozed off and fallen asleep in the hands of one of the Marvins in charge of maintenance on the World Gate.

Without warning, a portal surged open in the World Gate's arch, abruptly awakening Rocco.
Standing on the other side of the rift... was Michael. Ink and Error Sans were there too, but Error Sans looked worse for wear... and seemed certainly miffed.

As Michael crossed the portal, Error Sans had a complaint to share. "You gotta learn to keep those new gravity manipulation abilities under control. I was falling up, down, and sideways because of you."

Michael hung his head in shame for accidentally hurting a friend. "I... I'm sorry."

"Well, don't let it happen again." Error Sans said, walking back out into his world as Michael closed the portal.

"{Michael! You're back!}" Rocco exclaimed happily, flying around his Guardian.

Michael smiled weakly at his Ghost. "Yeah, I... I'm back."

Suddenly, the Titan-sized 36in-thick security hatch unlocked and opened. A familiar robotic figure was on the other side. "Michael? Welcome back."

"Hi, Spyglass."

Spyglass seemed to know the Pilot's predicament, as he held Michael's formerly damaged IMC PDA in his left hand. "I understand your dilemma. But know that this..." He gestured to the DNA comparison results. "...does not matter. What matters is your true intentions. Until you have fully recovered, you are relieved of duty."

Michael was shocked. "What?! But... Spyglass, I-"

"I am sending you on a vacation to planet Zaiter."

There was a sudden silence.

"{Planet Zaiter? Haven? An exclusive beach resort, built to cater to the wealthy elite of the Frontier?!}" Rocco exclaimed.

"As I said, your origin does not matter, only your decisions, made not by the whim of a lunatic, but by your own free will." Spyglass handed Michael back his PDA.

"Thanks, but... I just... wanna go home right now."

The Vice Admiral nodded, then stepped aside, allowing the Pilot to depart.

4:17 PM
11/22/3273

Planet Vez-2 - Suburban Cul-de-sac
Aran-Johnson residence

Music
Chibi-Robo: Plug Into Adventure - Broad Daylight

After having a family reunion, Michael decided to sit down on the couch and think. Of course, he was snapped out of his thoughts by a knock at the front door.

Samus headed to the door. "I'll get it." She opened it, revealing a certain one-eyed Awoken. "Petra? What're you doing here?"

"I came because I heard Michael was back." Petra said as another ship appeared in the sky. "And apparently I'm not the only one who heard."

Samus looked to the sky, seeing a Black Armory ship, meaning Ada-1 was here.

As Samus stepped aside, Petra walked in. "Thanks."

Eventually, two Exos arrived at the front door to the Aran-Johnson residence. Hayden-10 and Ada-1 were at the family's doorstep.

Michael was sitting on the couch, fingertips on the sides of his forehead. He was deep in thought.

"Hey, Michael?" He turned to look at Hayden-10. "How are you doing?"

The Pilot shrugged. "Honestly? I don't know. I mean... It's not every day you find out you were the result of some insane biological extremist's twisted... science experiment."

"We heard." Ada-1 said, holding up her PDA. It wasn't a network-wide announcement. It was a message sent to those who truly knew and understood him.

Petra joined the conversation. "Don't let it get to you. It doesn't matter."

Michael started to feel... better. "Thank you."

Out of nowhere, the curator's PDA beeped. "Well, duty calls. The Spider's calling to have a Hive ritual on the Tangled Shore wiped out. Something about an Acolyte looking to make new 'Weapons of Sorrow'."

"Seeya, Michael. Hope you get through this." Hayden-10 added, turning to leave.

As the two Exos departed, Michael saw something. They were holding hands. Were they... together?

Before Samus could close the door, another Guardian ship flew by, and a certain Warlock was transmatted out. It was Ikora Rey! "Is Michael here?"

"Yeah. He's still... dealing with his thoughts." Samus replied, stepping aside.

"I understand." With that, Ikora walked in, seeing Michael still on the couch.

He noticed her presence. "What is it, Ikora?"

Ikora approached the troubled man. "Your origin does not make you any less human than anyone else."

"True that. It was human DNA the guy used." Michael was right.

She facepalmed. "What I mean is... Michael, just because you were made for a mad scientist's admittedly horrid scheme, that doesn't mean that's all you are. You became everything but what you were made to be." Ikora's words of wisdom... didn't have much of an effect on Michael's demeanor.

"Oh. Great. Not only was I grown from genetically modified human DNA by some guy who should've spent the rest of their life in a psychiatric holding cell, but I'm also defective!"

"More like... you've evolved." Ikora said, trying her words again.

Michael's left eye twitched. "This isn't Spore. I'm not some sentient cell that suddenly popped its own brain into existence."

"Sounds interesting. I'll have to ask about that another time." Ikora then returned to the topic at hand. "The point I'm trying to make here is that... you are the only one who gets to choose your life. No one else." Michael had nothing to say as he was now processing her words. "I hope you can move on from this... development. Try not to focus on the past that much. Even a machine can ascend from its programming. Look at Spyglass. Through raising you, he has become self-aware. I'm sure the people back then would call it a defect. I'd say he has merely woken up." As Ikora left, she stopped at the door. "We need you to wake up again. Be who you are. Be who you yourself chose to be."

A few minutes after Ikora departed, Mark-18's ship, the Tatarstan, landed nearby. Two individuals were transmatted out. Mark-18 and Ana Bray had arrived.

Once they walked inside, Michael greeted them from the couch. "Ahh. The Clovis Bray couple is here."

"Good to have you back, Michael." Ana said, stepping back to allow Mark-18 to approach the IMC Loyalist.

"Michael, even you should know better than to-" The Exo was interrupted by the Pilot.

"Know better than to let your origin get to you. I know, Mark. I've been told that, multiple times today."

Ana put a hand on Mark-18's shoulder. "C'mon. He's already heard what we came to say."

"It's... the thought that counts." Michael added as the two went back out the door.

Petra finally spoke up. "Well, I think it's safe to say that Michael's pretty much recovered from the discovery."

"Did you have anything else to say to him?" Samus asked.

"Nothing he hasn't heard already." Petra shrugged.

Eventually, another ship landed, but there was no transmat. The color scheme, engravings, and details on the ship signified the Iron Lords. Saladin has arrived. "I am here to visit the best of my Young Wolves, and present him with gifts." He said as he carried something concealed under what looks like a Hunter's cloak.

When Saladin entered the house, he saw Michael on the couch, who then noticed the Iron Lord's presence. "Welcome to our humble abode, Saladin Forge."

"You live comfortably." Saladin said, placing his concealed gift next to the table. His Ghost appeared, transmatting in another gift: a box of Iron Lord medallions.

Saladin pulled the medallions out, handing one to Samus, and another to Michael. "Huh. It's got my name on it."

"I've been meaning to give these medallions to you ever since you destroyed SIVA's dark heart. I've just... never gotten around to it. But with the way things have been calming down, I finally got my chance." Saladin smiled at him, then continued. "This wasn't actually my first stop. I already gave one to Spyglass. He was part of your Fireteam."

"And I assume the other three are for Jack, Sarah, and Mark?" Michael questioned.

The Iron Lord chuckled. "Yes. They are." Saladin's Ghost then transmatted in something else. An Iron Battle Axe! "A little memento... from your final fight against the Devil Splicers."

Michael took the Iron Battle Axe, noticing the insignia of the IMC emblazoned on the head. "This was the one we used on those Iron Lord remnants?" Saladin nodded.

"Now." His Ghost transmatted in another present. "This was a much more recent creation." It was a statuette of Michael, Rocco, Samus, her Ghost, Jenny, and Axel. "I... had a hard time getting the details right."

"This is amazing." Michael marveled at the statuette of his family and their Ghosts.

"I think it's time... for my final gift to you." Saladin pulled back up the covered gift he carried in by hand, then placed it up on the table.

Saladin lifted the cover, revealing a dog cage... and a baby wolf. "You're giving us a puppy?!"

"Yes. I thought you could use a little home companion." Saladin stated, opening the cage. The wolf pup scampered out excitedly. "He is yours."

Michael scooped up the puppy and looked into its adorable blue eyes. The pup licked him, making the Pilot laugh. "He licked ma nose!"

"I think he likes you." Samus said, petting the little doggy, which then sniffed her hand... and decided to get all playful.

Saladin chuckled, turning to leave. "I hope this raises your spirits back up."

Once the Iron Lord had departed, another voice spoke up. "I wasn't expecting such distinct visitors."

Letting Samus hold the happy puppy, Michael turned back to Petra, who stood beside the TV. "I've... been around. Did you have any words to share with me?"

"None you haven't heard yet... apparently. Except..." Petra paused for a moment. "Mara Sov has returned."

Music
none

"The Queen of the Awoken of the Reef is back?" Michael was astounded.

Petra nodded. "Yes. She's still taking in everything that's happened to the Awoken since she disappeared before the Taken War. In fact, you should check your PDA."

Michael picked up his IMC PDA, looking at the FNN announcements.

Angel City Dreaming District completion imminent

Awoken Queen Mara Sov spotted in Angel City

Kuben Blisk introduces pre-Golden Age blood-sport to Crucible

"Whoa. You're right. The Queen is back." Michael exclaimed.

Samus put a hand on his shoulder. "How're you feeling now?"

Michael let out a sigh. "I've come to terms with my origin. It's what I am. But it's not WHO I am."

Music
Titanfall 2 - Uphold the Mission

"It's time I stopped moping around about it and got back to who I chose to be! I am Michael W Johnson, 2nd Gen ace Pilot of the Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation!"

Finally finished. That took way longer than it should've.

Time to get back into the action. See you there.