Chapter 3:

"PUWAAAAH!"

I breathe oxygen as I wipe my face to get my bearings. The lake is rough from the tower timbering down.

"Good thing I remembered that Planeptower is situated in the middle of a lake"

I can still hear the gun fire in the distance. Explosions raging all around. The once lively city of Planeptune. Whose night lights are like Christmas lights, is now dyed in black, red, and orange. I wonder, whose sick joke is it to put me here?

The sky above is dark, I can't see the stars with all this smoke. Instead, I hear the rumbling of engines roaring through the skies. From where I am, the various fires that's been erupted looks so far away.

"First off, to shore" it's a good thing my clothes are light. With just boxers and a shirt on me, I'm able to swim relatively fast.

If there's a war going on here, I need to stay in low profile. Attracting attention isn't going to help me out. Plus, it's best to assume that this isn't the same place as I was before. I don't know what happened or how I got here, but there's also a possibility that the rest of them are here too.

"…!" the scene of Nepgear's room flashes before my mind. Something dark suddenly weighs in on my stomach.

"Dammit..!"

I swim with more vigor, kicking the water behind me as I pull my body forward with my arms. My tired body is going numb faster than I thought. I control my breathing, forcing my body to supply oxygen to my tired muscles and push it to move. More thunderous roars of gunfire, explosions, screams, buildings collapsing, echo in the air and reaching my ears, the hair at the back of my neck stand in attention, goosebumps remind me how totally different this world is.

Reaching the shore, I take a few deep breaths as I look around.

I'm by the freeway, at the right side of the Planeptower. I take a look at our home. The tower that looks like a sword is now split in half. The many buildings, terraces, antennas that peek out from the side of that sword is now on the ground, turned to ruble as if a child just tumbled down a creation made of Legos.

Looking at the highway that is the only public connection to the tower, I see trucks, tanks, and men all rushing to the ruined tower. The open space before the entrance to the tower, used for all kinds of events, are littered with crates, and bags formed for cover.

"God I hope you three are okay…" I shake my unease and not let it consume me. I stand up and jump over the concrete barrier to the freeway.

From the looks of things, whoever is taking over they're going to likely rush this place. If they don't, then they plan to siege the remaining forces. Either way, it's not safe to stay in Planeptune anymore. I have to find and establish a small reprieve for myself before I head out finding information.

I follow the road and head deep into the ruined city.

The city is literally ruined. The sparks of gunfire and explosions gets louder and louder as it echoes around whatever walls the city has left standing. Rubbles fills the entire street and sidewalks. The tubes that ease transportation looks like ancient artifacts as it sits in the middle of the street with its glass walls shattered.

Not to mention, there's lots of blood here. Smeared on the roads, some coming from deep within a bunch of rubble. Arms, legs, an entire torso, they're sprinkled all over like little surprises for the weak hearted.

"…" at a certain distance, I see one a person in uniform.

I run towards him and see that he's already dead. Died from bloodloss, shot through the liver, stomach and kidney. Noticing his eyes are still open, I close both in one motion.

He's already been looted for weapons so there's nothing I can get out of him. I turn him to his side, to see his insignia on the left sleeve of his uniform.

"Lastation…"

"ORDER EVERYONE TO GET UNDERGROUND STAT AND SEAL THEM IN 5 MINUTES!"

"A-Are you suggesting to let the others die!?"

"WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THEM! I'M NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES!"

"…"

"Dammit!" one operative with a headset curse under his breath.

Everyone's eyes grow dim, their hearts that was once filled with hope; now is completely and utterly shattered. All of them knew what it means to deliver the orders their Commander gave them. A war that they hope to win. A war that they hope to live through. Sure, they did plan on getting through this war and live to tell the tale. But not like this.

"…*Sigh*…" their Commander sighed.

She goes to the nearest radio person and snatches the headset off her. She points the mic to her mouth, leans to the keyboard and press the F7 key to broadcast her message.

"This is IF speaking. I'm ordering everyone to get to underground as soon as they can, because in 5 minutes we will be sealing the entrance. I'm ordering all guards of to arm the explosives. That is all"

Her voice was cold, devoid of all humanity. The girl of long hair of plain brown hue, with sharp green eyes, once headstrong and confident. Her voice lacks any of that now. Now, remains a girl whose colors that makes her are now gray.

"…Here"

She returns the headset to the operative.

As if on cue, the rest of the operatives started speaking through their respective headsets. Feeling as though she has said enough, she leaves the room and into the hallway.

She hurriedly heads towards her room. Luckily there isn't anyone here. Or they would've noticed the pained face she's making. She weaves through the underground base while looking down on the ground. Her chest burns hot, her legs runs faster. She closes her eyes as she runs in full sprint…!

*BAM!*

"Iffy…!"

"Haa… haa… haa… *hic!*"

She leans on the steel door behind her. Her legs gave in, as she cannot contain the heat inside her anymore.

"*hic*..! Dammit…!"

"*Hic!* Dammit…! Dammit…! Dammit…!"

"Iffy…!" the congo-pink hair girl rushes to her.

IF couldn't stay her tears any longer. She breaks down. She sits on the floor as she puts her palms on her face, trying to block the eventual whirlwind of emotions coming out of her.

"*Hic!* *Sniff!* *Hic!* Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! Why… Why does this have to happen!? *hic!*"

"Iffy…" she couldn't do anything. Her heart that she had tried to stay above water, now sinks inside her. Her friend shakes, quivers. Her pent up feelings rushes out of her in waves. All she can do to comfort one of her best friends to rub her back.

"*Hic!* *Sniff* *Sob!* Why… Compa… Why did this have to happen!? *Hic!* We… we were…!"

Compa can't answer IF's question. She doesn't know the answer. Answering would be meaningless. Fake words to cure the symptom. No words could ever truly answer her friend's grief. Not the walls that only hears her tears, not the ground that hears their pain, nor the air that feels the weight that is on friend's shaking shoulder.

Instead, she pulls her friend to a hug. At least, in that way, her warmth would offer an answer to their prayers.

"Uhu…! *Hic*…! UwaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH…! "

IF cried, letting the floodgates of heart burst forth. Compa hugs her even tighter and rubs her back in a rhythm. Both of them are tired. How much longer are they going to endure? How many more days are they going to live through this nightmare?

Between the sobbing, and the hiccing, they both pray. To stars beyond the ceiling. Beyond the ground. To the stars that twinkle high up, untethered to all the events happening. They both pray.

Please, save us.