Chapter 4:

"Are you fucking serious!? 5 minutes! We only got a handful of people!"

A burly man in a tank top clutches his Commander's blouse and lifted her off the ground. The Commander doesn't flinch nor resist the anger from her comrade.

"Do you freaking want us to die!? What the hell are we going to do with this many people! Huh!? Fucking bitch!"

"Pl-please stop! Iffy has her reasons!"

"Shut up, deadweight!"

"Kyaa!"

Compa tries to reason with the man, but under his anger back hands her, pushing her off balance and collapsing on the ground. One of the operatives rushes in and helps her get up. IF just looked resisting the urge to cut the man's arm.

"So, give the order! Disarm the bombs! We can still fight back if we regather everyone!"

"H-he's right Commander. How can we fight back when it's just the few of us left!?" one of the other soldier's asks.

"We're getting out of the city" IF says. Her voice unrushed and unflinching. Devoid of color.

"Wh-what!?" everyone is in shock. Their ears and brain cannot process the words.

"They've already rendered our national defenses unusable. With the Tower gone, there's nothing that will keep them away from this city" IF starts to explain, her serious, dead, cold tone, echoes like a low rumble of a feral animal.

"There are 2 scenarios that's going to happen. Either 1, they'll rush us and attempt to crush as all. Or 2, ring a perimeter around and siege us. Knowing Kei, she'll definitely do the latter"

"Th-then what about those things? Aren't they going to be in danger too if they stand around us?" another militia man asks.

"They have ICBMs and Jets, and any Air-to-Surface artillery you can imagine, they can easily shoot them down from the sky whenever they want. Remember, they're attracted by large amounts of people. They'll just remove as many guards on the ground as they can"

"So you mean…!" one of them realizes what Lastion wants to do.

"During this whole mess, they've been scattered everywhere and having a field day with whoever. Now that Lastation essentially declared the fighting is over, they'll retreat some of the men, making the perimeter thin of humans or none at all. So, if we all gathered in one spot what do you think will happen?"

"We're like a giant beacon for them"

"That's right. Sure, they might not get in through our doors, but Lastation will use their movements to discern where we are and drop a bomb on us. That's why we have to stay as few we can before we make another pla-!"

"Screw that! That's no reason to leave them behind!" the soldier holding IF shakes her to shut up.

"My brother is still out there! They're still alive! Fighting like hell and we're going to abandon them like that!?"

"C'mon kid! Say something! We still have a few entrances left don't we!? Disarm the bombs and tell them to go there! NOW!" his spit flies off from his mouth.

"…You're right"

"Th-then-!"

"But I'm not going to say the order. Whoever can't get in on time will have to survive on their own" she looks at the soldier dead in the eyes.

"Wh-What…! Are you fucking insane!?"

"This is for Planeptune! No, for everyone our comrades that sacrificed their lives to make this underground happen! This safe haven that they made, our only place to create a counter attack, I am not going to let those things run this place over! That's why I decided to let them die! We can't let them or Lastation get to this place or we will never have a place to run back to! No more home for us!"

"You little…!" he pulled out his gun and points it directly at her head.

"St-stop!"

Compa attempts to get in between them again. But the operative holding her up, stops her.

"No! Let go! Iffy!"

"I'll fucking…!"

"I won't stop you. You have every right to shoot me"

"…!" the soldier flinches.

"You want to take revenge on your brother? So be it. I'm not going to die today. Not now. We still have work to do. I'll let you kill me after" she looks at the rest of the soldiers.

"The same goes for all of you. Because of me, I let your brothers, cousins, and friends die. And I'm not going to run away from that. After this is all over, I'll let you all do me however you wish. Rape me, fuck me, use me as your sex slave, drug me, decapitate me, shoot me, torture me, throw me to the dogs. I don't fucking care"

"…"

"But I've got a home that needs saving. A friend that needs avenging. If you kill me now, then I expect you rid whatever the fuck we're in right now. Here's the keys to my notes" IF drops a pair of keys from her pocket to the ground. They're audible metallic ring echoes.

"So what's it gonna be soldier?" she looks back at the soldier holding her up with a gun pointing directly at her.

"Tsk… AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

*BANG!*

"Chika wait!"

"What!?"

"You're still not… fully recovered yet…! Haa… haa… Just leave it all on Kei for now"

"Haa? That bitch takes way too long. My way gets the job much faster" Chika brandishes her weapon.

"You nearly lost your arm and leg!"

"Hmph. I had it under control when you suddenly interfered"

"That's because you were doing something reckless!"

"Ah. Ah. Shut up! Shut your trap!"

*BAM!*

Chika punches the wall. Her fist numbs from the pain.

"I don't want to hear your trap when you two just started doing it now! I've been at it the moment she offered! So don't you dare tell me what I can't and cannot do!"

"I… I didn't…!"

"There you go! Going all meek and soft when one of us shouts back at you! Fucking hypocrite…" Chika turns her back to her and starts to walk away.

Her footsteps echo diabolically away from her. Each step carries certainty. Even her prosthetic arm and legs carries the same sound as if she was born with those. No discomfort. Natural. Too natural. Uncomfortably natural. As though her desire bends all reality. Desire strong enough to feel without even talking. Desire massive enough to imagine she towers over you.

"You have no idea Chika... We also want them to come back… Me and Kei… want them to come back…"

"Then work for it, Mina Nishizawa…"

"…!"

She turns around and looks at her. No, glares at her. With all the menace she could muster. Ready to cast a spell with her weapon at a moment's notice.

"Maybe hypocrite isn't the right word. Like wolf in sheep's clothing? Ha. I can't even speak as eloquently as my brother" but she doesn't mind. In fact, she welcomes the rage.

"And what do you mean by that?"

"Mean what? It's just my vocabulary needs work is all"

"…"

"Ah, you mean the other one. Yes. So far, Kei and Chika are already collecting. With Chika at top, I might just fulfill her wish first" she nods at the thought.

"And? What of it? As long as we have enough right?"

"Oh, please, nothing ever goes to plan. Plus, with their double persona, even I don't know if we'll have enough…"

"You…!"

"Oh, don't get angry at me. I do intend to keep our end of the deal. But we need more just for insurance, understand?"

"Tsk..! I won't commit to such devilish schemes!"

Mina, realizing her goal was to spite her, walks pass her, intentionally bumps her shoulder.

"Ow… that hurts. Rude much" she complains.

"…"

Mina didn't answer and continues to walk off.

"Ayayayay… these 3 are quite to handle" she swings her arm relieving it of any traces of the bump.

"But it wasn't all that unfruitful. So long as they continue on like this, eventually everyone will be in on the fun. Me, my brother, Kei, Chika, and Mina…"

A fun only for family and friends. Her childish excitement crawls from somewhere deep within her. She almost cannot wait for the party.

"Oh right… I almost forgot we do have a guest…"
She takes out a small circular object from her pocket. Its purpose is to reflect light to wherever it's pointed at. And right now, it reflects the person looking at the mirror.

"Right…?"
The girl beyond the mirror just stares back wordlessly.