Chapter 6: The Advice

"Are you sure you can't stay with us a bit longer, Rabbity?"

Jonathan smiled sympathetically, petting Alice on the head even as the Nikke kept hugging him around the waist, having stopped him at the threshold of Unlimited's base.

"Sorry Alice, I'm just passing by on the way to a meeting, so I can't stay long." He replied.

Alice pouted and huffed, squeezing him a little tighter despite his backpack getting in the way of her hands.

"You've not been around in ages, though."

"Now now, Alice. Servant is a busy man indeed and we mustn't hold him up."

A hand on Alice's shoulder gently pulled the Nikke away from Jonathan. Looking back and up, she noticed Ludmilla smiling down at her.

"...okay, My Queen." She mumbled, looking down and wilting in place.

"Look, I'll have time on the way back. How about I stay with you for a few hours then?" Jonathan offered, buttoning up his thick coat and pulling up his hood.

"Really?!"

"Really. I promise."

Alice perked up immediately, pulling free of Ludmilla and hopping over to hug Jonathan again.

"Oh, thank you Rabbity! That'd be so great!" She squealed, grinning up at him.

"Is that so? Well then, I'll hold you to that, Servant." Ludmilla's own smile was smaller and more restrained, but there was a sparkle in her eyes nonetheless.

"I'd best be going, then. Give my regards to Neve, yeah?"

"Of course."

With that, he stepped out into the tundra and began walking, pausing only long enough to look back and wave as the base doors closed behind him. Alice and Ludmilla both waved back, Alice imitating a bunny by hopping in place all in the while, till they vanished from view.

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Jonathan kept on walking into the surrounding snowfields. As the snow and ice kept crunching under feet and the seconds turned to minutes, his mind began to wander back to his…new assignment.

And the 'encouragement' he'd been getting.

Andersen didn't even give me a few days before he started setting things up and pestering me to get on with it.

Was Ingrid actually underselling how intense he could get?

Maybe I could take this opportunity to get some advice as well.

Yeah, that sounds good.

Hope she'll be able to stay on topic once I bring it up, though.

Jonathan hummed to himself, before blinking and looking around. He'd been walking for quite some time and wanted to make sure he was on the right track. The cold air making him squint meant it took a couple of sweeps, but sure enough…

There it is.

A crumbling outpost building in the distance, with just the right array of comms antennae remaining to be the one he'd been directed to. Damaged and abandoned as it might be, the outpost

Sighing in relief, Jonathan hoisted his backpack back from slipping off, sped up into a jog and then stuffed his hands deeper into his pockets. The biting cold had already turned his nose pink while nipping at his ears and the rest of his face.

In just a couple of minutes, though it felt much longer with all the shivering, he'd reached the outpost. Trudging around, he quickly found a sizable enough gap in the wall that he could squeeze through without too much difficulty.

The temperature spike from being inside, as feeble as it was, was welcome enough that he let out a loud "Oh, thank goodness."

"Believer? Is that you?" A soft voice asked.

Slowly, a soft yellow halo of light began to appear in the right of Jonathan's vision as a new figure stepped out from behind the wall to greet him.

"Hey there, Rapunzel." He waved to her. "Thanks for meeting up with me."

"It's no trouble at all. It's been a while since we've seen each other, so when I got your message I came right away." Rapunzel smiled warmly…while trying to hide the light red dusting on her cheeks. "I-I mean, I set out right away."

"I know what you meant, don't worry, and thank you." Jonathan assured her. "But first, how's everyone doing lately?"

"We've mostly been getting on just fine, don't worry, but…there was almost a bit of an issue with Marian a few months ago."

"Issue? Is she okay?" His breath cut short, a pit dropping into his stomach.

"She's all right, don't worry, just a little…upset about recent goings on, is all. Actually, she was very upset indeed."

"Goings on?"

"Yes. I'm afraid Scarlet indulged a little too much in liquor last week and got rather chatty…including about your encounter with that renegade Nikke team that attacked you."

Jonathan winced, especially as the phantom pains flared up again at the reminder, rubbing at his stomach. Rapunzel stepped towards him, concerned, but he waved her off.

Damn it Scarlet, I didn't want her to know!

He hadn't even wanted them to know, to be honest, but Rapunzel had had other ideas that day.

He'd thought her silent focus on his chest, completely without her usual perverted smile, had been a bit off, but he'd not thought too much of it…until she'd pulled his shirt open and exposed the scars that had yet to fade, having deduced he'd been previously injured from his posture, of all things (or so she'd said).

In the face of her fretful concern and Scarlet's relentlessly pressuring glare, the swordswoman having sobered up near-instantly at the sight of her lord's injuries, he'd had to cave eventually. Especially since they were getting ready to hunt down whoever was responsible, and only relented after hearing that the Nikkes in question were inside The Ark itself.

Too much risk, even for his sake. Him promising that he'd handle it didn't hurt either.

"So, I guess you had to put up with some tears and attempts to run off to The Outpost?" Jonathan asked.

"A few tears, yes, but she didn't try to go to The Outpost."

"Oh. Well, that's a relief."

"She tried to go to The Ark instead."

"...oh."

"Yes, we were surprised as well." Rapunzel said, shuffling on her feet and shrinking in on herself, to Jonathan's concern.

What's she getting all meek for?

"I…she wasn't just upset, Believer, she was angry. I've never seen a fury quite like it in her eyes before." She said, swallowing hard.

Marian? Angry?

"It took a full three days for her to calm down enough that we could convince her to stop her trek to The Ark. Even then, I doubt we'd have managed it without all those Rapture swarms getting in the way.

"Well, I say that…but I think it was really more like stress relief for her, especially since she kept fighting them up close."

"Was it really that bad?" Jonathan's voice was small and quiet, still trying to comprehend the thought of the sweet, childlike Nikke he knew ripping Raptures apart like Johan did.

"She didn't spare any of them, even chasing after stragglers to make sure none of them got away. She said she couldn't risk them hurting you in the future.

"It was like she'd forgotten she had guns at all, it was just punches and kicks and they didn't stop until there was just scrap left. She kept saying she hated them, saying she hated The Ark for keeping her away from you and her team…and hated those Exotic Nikkes that hurt you.

"I suppose Snow White is a better teacher than we gave her credit for." Her smile and laugh were weak and forced.

Oh yeah, she mentioned Snow's "aggression training" to help fight Raptures better the time before last. Guess this is all it took for it to take.

"I'm sorry."

It was all he had.

"There's no need for that. It's not your fault, Believer."

"Well I still feel responsible, so I'll apologise anyway."

"That is very much like you." Rapunzel smiled and giggled, the atmosphere lightening.

"Can you tell Marian I'm doing okay when you see her again?"

"Of course."

"Thanks. How's everyone else doing?"

"Snow White is…she is as she always is. If she's not off hunting Rapture targets, she's off foraging and guarding our current camp. I really don't know where she found the time to look after Marian, but I'm glad she did. She can be stern when she needs to be, far more easily than we can, and I think that's helped Marian grow up a bit."

"So she doesn't wave flour around anymore?" Jonathan smiled knowingly.

"Or wear her underwear outside." Rapunzel replied in kind.

Both shared a small laugh.

"Well, that blip of anger aside…it's a good thing for her. Still, it feels a bit like the end of an era."

"Yes, I suppose it does. That innocence couldn't last forever, but I'm still a little sad to see it go just like that."

"So, how's Scarlet?"

"She's found this wonderful unspoiled grove with quite a few wild fruits, and has been thinking of trying to find some seeds to plant. Per her request, if you see Snow White then please….keep that between us?"

"Don't worry, I won't spoil anything before Scarlet's ready." Jonathan chuckled. He'd heard quite a bit about how…overwhelming Snow's stomach could be sometimes, something that had only been confirmed in his own journeys and chats with her given how much she'd drooled whenever the topic of food had come up.

"Thank you. She's a wonderful and dedicated teammate and I love her to bits, but she…she really does think with her stomach sometimes." Rapunzel smiled. "Not that I can blame her. It's been quite a while since I've had anything fresh or cooked too."

"Well, in that case, how about one of these?" Jonathan asked, shrugging off his backpack and unzipping it.

At Rapunzel's quizzical look, he smiled and tipped it in her direction, giving her a full view of the few sandwiches, cheeses and meats stuffed inside.

As it turned out, Andersen's provided picnic hamper had been generous enough that, even with Angelina's post-work appetite and Anne's eagerness to sample just about everything on offer, they'd still had quite a few leftovers once the quartet had all eaten their fill.

And, with Rupee's words about "Sweetie time" fresh in his mind, it had occurred to Jonathan during the post-meal relaxation that he'd been meaning to meet up with Pioneer again, but forgotten to arrange a meeting recently.

They'd all been great help to him and his team in the past, while also being supportive and kind girls in their own ways, so he figured staying in contact, even bringing along a packet of creature comforts every now and then, was the least he could do.

Plus it was adorable seeing Snow White all excited at their meetings, curious as to whether or not he'd brought a goodie bag with him this time.

Well, given the circumstances…it was as if the stars had aligned for an ideal opportunity.

Rapunzel let out a breathy whimper, eyes beginning to shine in excitement as she took in the bounty before her.

"A-Ah! Really? Is it okay? What can I do in return?" She asked. "Some favour in exchange for this kind offer."

"You don't need to-"

"Oh my. P-Perhaps you…you're expecting that kind of favour." Rapunzel bit her lip, breathing heavily and rubbing her legs.

"Rapunzel-"

"I-It's…j-just give me a moment to prepare myself! I-I'll gladly let you do whatever you want, if that's your price!" Rapunzel continued, her cheeks now fully flushed and a line of drool trailing from her mouth.

She's lost it already, huh?

Sighing and smiling to himself, Jonathan began moving towards her.

"Oh, y-y-you're not even letting me prepare myself?! How bold! Y-You're just going to…t-t-take what you want, with no regard for me at all! Ah, I-I suppose that's fine! Perfectly fine! Do what you want with me! You don't even need to be gentle, if you don't want to!"

The Pilgrim had dropped her staff and closed her eyes now, both hands cupping her cheeks as she shook back and forth, completely immersed in her fantasy. Indeed, as Jonathan drew closer she even leaned forward expectantly.

"Yes, th-this beast of a Commander, just having his way with a poor innocent Nikke all the way out here with no one around to hear her scream! So scandalous! It's just like in those thin boo-"

"Rapunzel."

A tap on her nose and soft voice, completely unlike the rough grasp she'd been anticipating, brought her train of thought to a screeching halt.

Especially when it was soon followed by a rather delightful smell. Opening her eyes, Rapunzel found a sandwich being wafted in front of her face.

"Here. Just take it." He smiled. "It's all splendamin food, but-"

He was cut off by the Pilgrim snatching it from him, immediately taking a large bite out of the sandwich and squeal-moaning happily in delight. Her previous lust completely abandoned in favour of sating her hunger, Rapunzel quickly devoured the sandwich in a few large bites, moaning and sighing in happiness all the while.

As she finished licking the crumbs from her hands, she finally noticed that Jonathan was watching her, an amused grin on his face.

She wilted almost immediately, red staining her face all over again as she struggled to make eye contact.

"Erm…I…it was really nice. Thank you." She mumbled.

"You're welcome, and if you really want to help me-" Jonathan began walking towards her. "There is something you can do for me."

"O-Oh?"

"There's…something pretty big has come up, a mission from Andersen that's like nothing I've done before. I could use some advice, if you're willing."

"Oh course. What's troubling you about this mission, Believer?"

The embarrassment and blushes faded in seconds, leaving a calm and attentive Pilgrim, arms clasped in front of her and a kind smile on her face, turning her full attention to his troubles.

"Okay, I'll start from the beginning: It's a very important mission. Andersen didn't sugarcoat anything, he told me this was about securing the future of humanity." Jonathan started, pausing to take a steadying breath.

"Quite the responsibility indeed. What exactly does it entail?"

"He, erm…I'm supposed to…" Jonathan mumbled, chuckling nervously.

"It's all right, Believer. Take your time."

"I'm supposed to, well…ensure the survival of the species. Of…of my bloodline, to be precise." He said, pinching his nose and rubbing his forehead in embarrassment.

"Andersen wants me to…t-to date Cecil, this scientist from Eden. He said her intellect and my charm are just too valuable to waste, s-so he wants us to…you know, pass them down an' all. I-I-I know this is absolutely crazy, but that's the long and short of it."

"O-Oh my..." Came the breathy gasp in reply.

Glancing at her, Jonathan actually relaxed a little as he noticed Rapunzel fully red-faced and nearly panting at what he'd just said, squeezing her staff very tightly.

Nice to see a familiar reaction.

"I-I suppose it's not, erm…performance advice you need, is it?" She asked, somewhat hopefully.

"No. I'd just like some advice on what to do."

Rapunzel took a few deep breaths, slowly calming herself back down and relaxing her grip. By the time she opened her eyes, the blush was gone and her breathing was regular again. Offering a small smile, she prompted Jonathan to continue.

"So, what is it that worries you most about this?"

"A few things, I guess." He sighed.

"First it's just…if I DID have a kid, then I'd want to at least be there for them, but with my job…I might not be able to find the time. Plus all the dangers. I-I want to make sure that I don't leave that kid behind, you know?

"And given how insistent Andersen is about this, I can't help but worry that the Central Government might try to pressure any kids Cecil and I have into going into the Ark Military, o-or the science division, or one of the big companies. I…I'd want my kids to have the freedom to choose what they do for themselves.

"Third...what if Cecil's not interested in me? O-Or doesn't want a family? This isn't just my future I'm talking about, after all, and it's a huge ask for both of us. It's not like I can just force her, that wouldn't be fair on her."

"I can see why you're worried. It's quite a lot of pressure for you both" Rapunzel agreed, frowning.

"I can't make this choice for you, Believer, but I can tell you that I'm sure you'll have plenty of support from all of the Nikkes you've befriended, plus whatever allies you have in the Ark.

"And I'm sure that, should you decide to go through with this…erm, mission, you'll make a wonderful father too. Whatever path you choose you always put all your heart into seeing it through, so I have faith that you'll have no trouble adjusting to fatherhood if that's what you choose.

"Even if your proposed partner ultimately doesn't want the same things, the least you can do is try. Have an honest and frank discussion with her, lay everything out at the start and make the upsides and downsides as clear as you can. At least then she'll know that you have enough respect for her to want her fully informed consent in this matter, and if she still doesn't agree, then you'll have to accept that too."

"Thanks Rapunzel." Jonathan nodded to himself. "That makes me feel a little better. Guess I'll try to pencil in a chat with Cecil at some point. I'd like her to know sooner rather than later, give her a chance to process it all for a bit. As for any pressure from the Ark, I guess I'll just have to cross that bridge when I get to it, if I get to it."

"There's no need to worry about that, Commander." Came a familiar voice, sending Jonathan jumping for the ceiling in surprise.

Rapunzel stiffened and stepped back, eyes widening, but he barely paid attention to her.

Wh-Wha- !?

Whirling around, the young man found himself staring at, of all people, Andersen.

He…what the hell's he doing here!? Is he alone?!

"S…Sir?" He squeaked, still trying to process the fact that his commanding officer had just shown up here. "W…Wha- h-how did you get here, sir?"

Did he just walk all the way here!? Without an escort!?

He's not even wearing any protective gear! He should be freezing, but he doesn't even look red in the face!

"I can promise that none of the Ark's leadership will try to force any future children of yours into any sort of career path. We believe that their future should be theirs to decide and want to make sure you and Cecil properly pass on your values to them." Andersen continued, as if he hadn't heard Jonathan at all.

"As long as the bloodline is continued and more among the next generation believe in Nikke equality, I consider that a victory. An important first step in bridging the gap and brightening the future, if you will. As for miss Cecil, please do talk with her as soon as possible, and if she's...less enthused than hoped, well, as long as you gave it the finest effort you could, then there's nothing much more to be done. I suppose it will be back to the drawing board afterwards."

"I…okay sir, bu…th-...other Commanders-In-Chief?" Jonathan asked, his mind desperately trying to reboot.

"Don't worry about them. After what happened with Burningum, I'll take proper precautions this time." Andersen assured him.

"O…Okay then." He nodded dumbly.

"Erm, excuse me?" Rapunzel spoke up, tentatively stepping forward. "Aren't you a little cold in that outfit, mister-"

"Andersen, Deputy Commander-In-Chief Andersen, and I'll be just fine thank you, extreme environments haven't bothered my family for generations. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting in half an hour."

W-WHAT!?

"W-W-W-Wait, sir, wait!" Finally finding his voice, Jonathan all but lunged at Andersen to stop him walking out of the ruins. "You can't go out there by yourself, there might be Raptures out there! A-At least come back to Unlimited's base with us!"

"Thank you for your concern, Commander, but I'll be just fine. I have a meeting to attend."

Wh-

…he has a meeting? A MEETING!?

He couldn't take this any more.

"THEN WHY'D YOU COME ALL THE WAY HERE!?" Jonathan practically roared, nearly cutting himself with how angrily his fingers were digging into his scalp. "IT'S HOURS FROM THE ARK, YOU'RE NEVER GETTING BACK TO YOUR MEETING IN TIME!"

Andersen didn't even reply, he just walked off and practically hopped through the nearest gap in the wall, quickly vanishing around a corner before his subordinate managed to get his legs to work.

"Wait! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GOING!? SIR!"

Jonathan ran after him, almost ripping his coat with how hurriedly he scrambled through the gap, and stumbled out into the snow…only for his mind to crash all over again when he found no trace of Andersen.

Where…w-...WHAT!?

He can't have gotten…he…he CAN'T just have vanished like that!

Quickly, he began jogging his way around the ruin's periphery, head turning this way and that to try and find his superior anywhere.

Nothing.

Halfway around now.

Still nothing.

Back where he started.

Still nothing.

WHERE IS HE!?

He wrung his hands in frustration, then paused as he noticed that they kept on shivering.

Ah, damn it.

Once he was aware of it, the biting cold of the outside smacked him full force. Hurriedly scrambling back inside, pulling up his hood and rubbing at his face to get some warmth back into it, he was met by a concerned Rapunzel.

"You uh…you saw that too, right? He was here." He asked, gesturing incoherently outside.

"Yes, I did. Erm, I've never seen a senior Ark figure so far beyond The Ark itself. This mission…it must be quite important to him indeed to come all this way." Rapunzel shuffled back and forth, looking quite lost herself.

"Yeah. Yeah." Jonathan mumbled, fumbling around for something to sit down on. He needed to take a minute to cope with the insanity of what had just happened.

The hell was all that? How'd he get here? How'd he know where to FIND me?!

Is this mission of his really THAT important that he'd do all this for it!?

…geez, guess so.

Ingrid was underselling him, wasn't she?

Ah damn it. No pressure, huh? Yeah right.

I-I need to rest for a bit. Just gotta get back for now.

"Believer, are you alright? Would you like to talk about what just happened a bit? You seem quite troubled."

He felt Rapunzel's supportive hand on his shoulder and looked up to see her concerned frown.

"Thanks, Rapunzel, but I'll…I'll be okay, I think." Jonathan assured her as he stood back up, squeezing her hand and smiling back. "I gotta get back. Give my regards to the others, won't you?"

"I will. Have a safe journey back, Believer, I'll be praying for a good future for you."

Smiling, he pulled her into a hug.

"I know you will. You get back safe too, okay?"

Rapunzel squeaked in surprise at the open affection, but returned it all the same, hiding her giddy smile and blush by pushing her face into his shoulder.

"O-Of course. Please don't worry about me." She mumbled.

"You know I can't do that, you stay safe now. Don't forget this, too." As they separated, Jonathan handed over the backpack of food.

"Eheh, thank you. We'll all treasure this gift from you, and make sure to return this in one piece." Rapunzel hoisted it onto her own back and flashed a smile.

"Oh no, don't worry about that. You guys can keep that, I've got plenty of backpacks at the Outpost."

"Well, if you say so. Goodbye for now, Believer."

"See you around, Rapunzel."

He watched her go, waving her off all the while until she was a speck in the distance.

After she was gone, he sighed and pulled out his phone.

Just need to make a call first. Hope I'm in comms range…

Jonathan scrolled through his contacts in Blabla until he found who he wanted, hit call and pressed the device to his ear. After a few seconds of ringing, a familiar voice filtered through.

"That you, Noob? What's up?"

"I…this might sound a bit out of left field, but can you look into someone for me?"

"Huh, sure. Who'd you want me to look into?"

"Might be a big ask but…can you look into Andersen for me. Nothing classified, just…anything strange about him and his family on public record."

"I can do that, but what's brought this on?"

"Let's just say he's been behaving a bit…oddly lately, so I'd like to find out why. Can't have my boss acting all erratic without doing something about it, right?"

"Guess so. Okay, gimmie a day or two and I'll get back to you."

"Thanks, Exia."

"Yeah no worries, you can buy me a coupon for Final Quest's new DLC pack in exchange."

"Shouldn't be a problem."

"Great, see ya later, Noob."

Click.

Pocketing his phone, Jonathan sighed in relief to himself.

Hopefully things won't get any crazier. I don't know if I can handle that.