"It still feels strange..." Rapi commented.

Yuki curiously looked towards her.

"Strange? What do you mean?"

Rapi was hesitant to talk about this but still decided to say it out loud.

"Central government sending a novice commander to a mission such as this...it doesn't make sense to me."

Yuki scratched back of his head...Rapi was actually right on her remarks.

"I know it is strange...it is as strange for me as it is for you but I believe that now that I am here, we can carry out the mission, trust me...I won't betray any of my Nikkes."

Obviously this surprised both Rapi and Anis but they saw his performance earlier...he was a capable commander indeed.

"Fine...I will fill you in with mission details." Rapi sighed. "A squad consisting of 46 Nikkes was found missing but unfortunately the ship sent to rescue mission was destroyed by raptures and the rest...you know yourself."

Yuki nodded. He already understood it himself as well, but still something didn't seem right...something was just aching in his heart, an unknown feeling of something bad incoming towards them.

"Then...I want us to retreat and save Nikkes in need, along the way."

This quite surprised Rapi and Anis. It was unexpected for commanders to think about Nikkes anyway.

"Wait a moment, commander, before taking them under your command I want to settle things clear." Her look fell towards Rapi. "Your name was Rapi, right?"

"Indeed, my name is Rapi."

"Then who are you, to call commander Yuki a novice when you were unable to defend your own commander. I would like to ask you to refrain from using this kind of words towards my commander or there won't be a second time." Marian was furious. How dare these girls call 'her' commander a novice...it was similar to calling him an incompetent and pathetic.

"Whoa there let's calm down okay? I am sure Rapi didn't meant it in that way." Anis tried to settle the conflict.

"Sorry, Marian, but I was just saying the truth... cold truth."

"Huh? So, you actually mean to say that my commander is incompetent? How dare you- "

"Please, stop!" Yuki finally decided to calm his Nikkes down.

He looked towards Rapi along with Marian and smiled.

"Marian, I am really thankful to you for trying to defend me but you shouldn't argue with your comrades like that." His voice was kind and considerate.

The brown haired Nikke immediately apologized to her commander.

"As for you Rapi...I am sorry that me being novice decreases our rate of survival." Yuki bowed his head down, which surprised Rapi.

"No, I am the one who should be sorry, commander...My words were a bit rough and cold."

Yuki smiled with the shiniest smile of his.

"No offense taken."

With that the tension disappeared completely.

Indeed. Yuki is a rough novice; however, he is pretty responsible person by nature and often tends to resolve any conflict with kindness rather than strictness...and his childish look adds charm to his words.

Among the group most surprised were neither Rapi or Marian but Anis.

"To think that a commander didn't threw a tantrum for Nikke's rude behavior...I am actually shocked."

This confused the black-haired commander.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You don't know?"

"Know what?"

"Well, Nikkes are considered as fighting machines rather than human beings so discrimination towards Nikke's by their own commanders is a normal thing...strange, I thought in academy they teach you on how to be indifferent to Nikkes."

This shocked Yuki...he never thought of these girls as tools in the first place, yet what Anis told him just now was really pissing him now.

"I don't know what kind of treatment Nikkes pass through but...I swear that I won't act like this towards either of you." His eyes were serious, they were shining with golden color...the color of justice, it was a beautiful sight.

'Oh Commander...your kindness knows no bounds; I want to hug you so badly...you are so adorable with that look that I might embrace you now." Marian was in near drooling state as she listened to commander's speech.

Meanwhile both Rapi and Anis opened their eyes widely. It was a rare sight to see someone being kind to Nikkes or consider them as human beings...this guy was so kind and calling it back he never got mad at their comments on him being a rookie without any experience.

Some unknown spark formed in their hearts.

'He is so kind and considerate...so cute and brave...so nice and adorable, it is not fair commander, you are just too adorable.' This time it was Anis, commander was adorable by himself but now after his words he was twice adorable as he was before.

And at last Rapi felt the same thing towards Yuki herself.

'If you will say things like this, commander...than I wouldn't have a choice but to protect you from everything in this world.'

The trio of Nikkes continued to stare at commander as he questioned looked towards them and obviously got no clue on what is going on.

.

.

.

Just as the group of newly formed team began to move forward, everyone in team heard a buzzling sound in their ears.

"Shifty to Nikkes, do you copy? I repeat, Shifty to Nikkes, do you copy?"

As the sound was erupted, a strange rectangle appeared before commander's eyes. He saw a beautiful blue haired girl who was trying to communicate with them. Guessing from her words it wasn't hard to pin point that the girls name was Shifty.

"Affirmative." Rapi took initiative to respond first.

"Good to hear, I thought the connections with you guys was lost for good." Blue haired girl leaves out a tired sigh of relieve.

Meanwhile Yuki confused looks towards his Nikkes waiting for explanation of whether who was that girl.

Thankfully the questioned face of the commander didn't last long as Shifty finally noticed the commander.

"Greetings commander, I am an operator assigned to assure your safe way back to Ark"

"I see...sorry you just startled me a little." Yuki exclaimed before giving her his heartfelt smile. "My name is Haruma Yuki, nice to meet you Shifty."

The blue haired girl nodded.

"I tried to send you coordinates of the rescue point but...due to the system error it seems that we are unable to restore the data."

"Wh-What, but the only person who knew the info was the commander who died not long ago!" Anis blurts in panic.

"I am really unable to track the coordinates clearly...The only way around is to find the Nikkes who have data within them, that's the only way."

The situation took quite a nasty turn but, suddenly Marian exclaims in realization of something.

"Are you alright, Marian?"

"I think that I may have coordinates of our destination!"

She takes Yuki's hands surprising the kind commander.

"Over here, guys!"

"W-Wait, at least don't pull me like that!"

The other two Nikkes feeling left behind ran after both of them.

"Are you for real? Wait for us dammit!" Anis exclaims following the duo along with Rapi.

.

.

.

"Are you sure this is the right place, Marian?" Yuki confusedly asks his Nikke as the sight before them is rather...dangerous to say the least.

A huge amount of raptures is circling the area at the moment and from the looks, they seem rather pissed and angry.

"I am more than sure, commander." The machine gunner responds quickly.

"Damn, what a hassle...it is a bit too much of them so, what do you suggest we do?"

Yuki looks forward yet again and with one of his hands holding his chin looks toward the girls

"Safest thing we can do at the moment is sneak past these guys."

This however had a negative reaction from shifty.

"There are too many of them at the moment and it is practically a suicide rather than sneaking."

"I agree with Shifty, commander, the odds are not in our side." Rapi responds.

"I don't think you both are right. I got a safe plan so, care to listen?"

Rapi and Anis confusedly pop their heads forward to hear the plan from the novice commander as he with a smile explains what he wants them to do.

"Are you serious...?"

"Yes."

"Sigh...Perhaps you are genius or perhaps you are a fool..."

.

.

.

Swarms of Raptures were still walking around the area but that didn't last for long as...

BOOM

A sound of enormous explosion was heard from deep north. This alerted all the Raptures and as if the bee nest soldiers, they burst towards the sound with some raptures remaining and with some going after their running comrades.

While this commotion was going on, the Nikke squad managed to sneak past the area making it in one piece.

"Okay, I admit that I would have never thought to use alarm fire as an explosive." Anis exclaims with a sweat running down her forehead.

"I am sorry for doubting your plan, I admit that we couldn't have thought of something like that in the first place." Now it was Rapi who praised the rookie commander.

"Th-Thanks, without your help I would have never make it come true as a plan" The praise made Yuki to blush as he scratched his cheeks.

It seemed cute to Anis and Rapi.

'He seems so adorable when he is shy~' Anis started to breath heavily while imagining god knows what kinds of scenes in her mind.

On other hand Rapi seemed completely normal...or that what it looked like.

'Oh commander...this face you are making; it looks so cute and adorable! It makes me take you into an embrace and never ever let you go~!!!'

Meanwhile Marian seemed to be rather too silent.

It didn't go unnoticed by Yuki as he approached the brown-haired girl who was blankly looking towards the vast blue sky.

"Something bothering you, Marian?"

"Over there..." she pointed towards some random location.

"Huh?" commander had a bad feeling crawling in his heart. It was quite disturbing feeling of something bad approaching.

He hesitantly approached the girl who was standing amidst the land and was mumbling something to herself.

"Are you alright, Marian?" Yuki asked again.

Obviously, he got the same answer in response.

"Over...there...Over there...Go/jover...there."

Her eyes were red while voice was strange, as if she was speaking through a microphone.

Rapi and Anis noticing what happened both sprinted towards Yuki's direction.

"Commander, step back ASAP!"

Grabbing the black-haired boy towards herself Rapi jumped back holding her commander close to her with her chest covering his head.

"Wh-What is going on...!?"

Rapi closed her eyes.

"Commander...Marian, she..."

"She is corrupted."

Yuki's eyes wide opened in shock.

"Corruption" a strange virus which affects Nikkes and make them become hostile towards humans and Nikkes.

Marian's voice was getting louder while a strange sound erupted from her mouth.

It was so loud that attracted attention of nearby raptures.

"Dammit, she is sending a distress signal!"

Yuki was still dazed.

"M-Marian..." His throat became dry as he tried to reach his hands towards the chestnut-haired woman however that was but a useless try.

As Anis and Rapi were trying to run away their path was blocked by a swarm of raptures waiting for them. The situation was dire, Two Nikkes along with their commander couldn't do anything but back down.

"Agh! The situation was awful without those little shits and now we have got a corrupted Marian in here!?" Anis was seemingly fuming with rage, her fellow Nikke was corrupted and now they were in the huge danger.

To make things worse a nearby building collapsed as a giant tentacles sprout capturing Marian.

A giant Rapture with bio-mechanic parts was piercing the squad with it's disgusting eyes.

Yuki's eyes were wide open. It was his plan to carry on the mission, it was his plan to move despite his Nikkes' warnings...if not him nothing would have happened, if not him than maybe everyone would have been happier?

'Why do I live...why do I move? I don't have motivation nor goal...I am useless and am not a heroic commander, I am just a hero wannabe I...'

Yuki fall to ground with tears flowing down his eyes.

"C-Commander, are you alright?" Anis exclaimed worriedly looking towards Yuki who was bending his knees on ground gathering himself in a ball.

Rapi knew what was going on...it was a mental breakdown. She was experienced enough to see many commanders fear for their lives...however now was a different case, this commander was fearing for lives of Rapi and Anis...no commander in Ark treats Nikkes with care like this and now this rare commander is broken on ground.

An unknown feeling spread in Rapi's heart.

Neither Anis or Rapi wanted to see this sight.

"Yuki." Rapi said seriously.

The boy looked towards her wiping his tears.

"R-Rapi...Anis...I am sorry I am incompetent like you both were saying...I got ahead of myself...if not me than we wouldn't have been in this situation...if not me than-!?"

Neither Anis nor Rapi gave Yuki a chance to cry, they both hugged the commander taking him into a deep embrace.

"Never call yourself useless!"

"You are the kindest and wisest commander ever...never degrade yourself like that."

Yuki indeed wanted to cry...it wasn't fear for himself rather it was fear for loosing the Nikkes near him.

"I know that you both t-trying to cheer me but if not my wish and_"

"If it wasn't for you, we would have been dead, your commands and plans were perfect so please commander, sober up and let's kick asses of these metal scraps."

Yuki's heart was pounding crazily...it was unknown feeling of determination. He remembered certain line Marian had said not long ago.

"I really like your bravery commander, no matter what happens you are always cheerfull and happy with life so can you promise me to always be brave?"

Those line were being repeated in his hand.

He sighed clearing his last tears, what kind of brave commander and man cries near women?

He smiled with determined face.

"Thank you, guys, I am alright now"

Both Rapi and Anis looked toward the commander. They couldn't help but smile looking towards Yuki and his bravery.

"Alright than...Rapi and Anis, take your positions...let's kick the butt of these metal junks!"

"I thought you would never say that! Let's go, Rapi!"

"Affirmative."

Now it was the time...they are facing a tyrant class rapture, a rapture which no regular Nikkes are able to defeat but they were still calm, because commander was on their side.

"Anis, deal with the small fries while Rapi will concentrate her fire towards the tyrant class!"

"Roger!"

Anis aimed her rocket launcher toward the middle of the enemy ranks and did as was told. Using one rocket she started a chain reaction which exploded majority of small raptures.

Rapi in meantime was concentrating her firepower on the main enemy.

The rapture who goes by the codename Blacksmith, truly disgusting looking machine.

It was trying to avoid Rapi's attack while its eyes were glowing with strange red color.

Yuki narrowed his eyes looking towards the red light...realization hit him quickly.

"Take a cover ASAP!!!" Yuki screamed with top of his lungs.

Two Nikkes without any additional questions took a cover as the creature's red eyes let out a beam of light.

Thanks to Yuki's warning they both managed to avoid the beam however Yuki himself wasn't as fast as his Nikkes and a part of beam managed to pierce through his arm.

He fell down with a thud yet he managed to catch his momentum, it wasn't a time to rest.

""C-Commander Yuki!"" both Rapi and Anis worriedly shouted wanting to go near the commander.

But Yuki stopped them.

"Continue the battle...we don't have privilege like these right now."

"Ro-Roger!"

Any human with a broken arm would have been writhing in pain but not Yuki, he had a huge adrenalin rush at the moment which also impressed his Nikkes on seeing his determination.

Both anis and Rapi were shooting the creature while avoiding its thorns.

While the engagement was going on, Yuki's eyes had a strange spark near them...he saw something on both of Blacksmith's sides...a strange circles similar to aims were near him and on top of them was a timer.

Yuki didn't know why but somehow; he had a feeling that he should shoot those sides.

"Augh...there is no time to hesitate!"

He pulled out his gun as aimed towards the right side.

"Commander, what are you doing? Human weapon can't harm Raptures!"

It was too late as he already pulled a trigger and...

BOOOM!!!*

Blacksmith's right wing was completely shattered.

Quickly not giving time for it to wreath in pain Yuki fired next bullet, now towards its left side.

KABOOOOOM!!!*

In matter of seconds the tyrant class Rapture exploded to tiny pieces with nothing but its lifeless body left behind.

"H-How is that even possible...a commander dealing with tyrant class Rapture!?" Rapi was surprised and not only Rapi but Anis as well.

Both of the Nikkes sprinted towards commander's side while the commander himself collapsed on ground.

"Phew...I th-think my arm is shattered..."

"Of course, it will be shattered when you are hit with tyrant class rapture's beam!" Anis stated.

"With all due respect commander but...how did you killed the Blacksmith?"

Yuki didn't know how to answer that but he trusted his Nikkes.

"I don't know how to explain...I saw strange circles near the Rapture and had a feeling that by shooting those circles it will damage it...seems I was right, he he..."

That was a bizarre thing to say and Rapi wanted more answers, however...

"Over... here... commander..."

"""!?!?"""

A familiar voice made a team to freeze in stupor.

Yuki's eyes widened as he ran toward the source of voice.

"Marian! Marian you are alrigh-... Huh!?" Yuki froze...Marian's legs were missing while head was bleeding from damage of an impact from Blacksmith's explosion.

Rapi and Anis followed the commander...the sight was indeed, a dire one.

"It's too late...she has been fully corrupted... Commander, as a protocol of Ark states, you should shoot her down yourself."

"Sh-Shoot her down? But she is our Marian...a cheerful girl who cares for us why shoul- "

"If you don't do it...I am afraid she is going to become an irregular."

"B-But..."

Neither Anis nor Rapi wanted to see the sight of a loving commander, killing his own Nikke.

"Rapi, I will do it myself so- "

"I am afraid it is impossible...only assigned commander have rights disable Nikkes..." Rapi looked down clearly disliking this idea herself.

"Dammit...but we can't force commander to do it...he is too kind to do it he is- "

"I would do it." Yuki said with shadows covering his eyes.

"A-Are you sure? Commander if you are not sure tha- "

"It is my duty...if all...I am your commander and that is my responsibility."

Slowly, he approached the barely living Marian.

He didn't want to do this...he wanted to run away with Marian but he couldn't...he was conflicted, no Nikke deserves this kind of treatment.

He pointed his gun towards her brain.

"Commander..." She softly smiled as pointed the gun he was holding towards her head. "It has been an honor to serve under you...you...are...the kindest and...b...bravest commander in entire Ark so..."

She smiled pouring every bit of emotion towards her lips.

"Please...become the greatest Commander in entire Ark and free humanity from raptures..."

BANG*

With that, the Nikke named Marian stopped her functions and was brought to infinite slumber.

Yuki holding his tears smiled and getting out his bandages started to cover Marian's head in them...it was his way of mourning her.

"Thank you for helping us so much, Marian, it was an honor." He saluted her with a smile as turned towards his Nikkes.

Both Anis and Rapi closed their eyes.

"Commander...I, Anis, swear to protect you even with my life on line...I will be forever by your side no matter what."

"Yuki, Yuki, Yuki, Yuki...I can't force myself to see your pained face, even though we would be assigned to a new squad...I will always try to protect you no matter what!"

This was the end...and the beginning of a long journey of a commander Yuki and his yandere Nikkes, where might his journey bring him? Guess the only answer to this question will be found in near future.

-End of Chapter 1-

Why hello there dear readers and Yandere lovers, I am greatful that many of you fellas liked this story of mine. I really do hope that you will continue reading this story along with my f motivation helping me to move on...but heh without further ado, cya in next chapters :)