Omnidimension Neptunia: Infinite Memes

by SuperHuman200

Divergent plot, crispy memes, meta humor & references. In a world where the CPUs are subjected to tentacle hentai at the hands of ASIC, it's not quite up to our... MALE OC to save the day like so many other harem power fantasies, but it beats kicking rocks like an NPC, especially if he became a relevant character because of a weirdly shaped one. (Current: Divine Hunger Arc)

46. 46 - Enemy Contact! Lab Rat's Evolution!

All rights are reserved to their respective owners. I own nothing in this piece of fiction except my OCs and the story itself.

---

"What you know about rollin' down in the deep?

When your brain goes numb, you can call that mental freeze-

When these people talk too much, put that _ in slow motion, yeah-

I feel like an astronaut in the ocean...!"

The sound of the bass reverbed in the room, a surround sound speaker system shaking with vibrations as an instrumental was taking up the space of the area.

It was a room with multiple comfy couches and chairs placed around in a U shape to face a platform with a stage and a large flatscreen behind it, propped up on a set as the room was well lit, but change into an array of colors when a song played, such as now.

It even had a few plants and portraits of the top hits to give it an authentic yet causal vibe as the fighter sang his heart out.

AL, with a wireless mic, sang the lyrics to Rolling Down in the Deep as he jubilantly moved his body to the flow of the music, enjoying himself as he with the girls all occupied a soundproof karaoke room with the lyrics being shown on the screen behind him.

"I... Don't think I've ever heard this song." 5bp. thought about the tune, and didn't pick up any sort of memory, even as the music lover she was.

"Yeah, it's weird. But at least it's cool!" Ram smiled, enjoying the zany atmosphere that the song produced, which it usually shouldn't, but thanks to the flaming fighter, it did.

"A total mental freeze...!" Beamed Rom, also enjoying the somewhat ice theme that the song displayed.

"You two are not funny." Facepalmed Chika, a smile adorning her face as she still appreciated the presence of the two kids and their comments. Even if the joke could've left the building.

"It's nice that everyone's having a good time. Morale is important, after all." Ironically spoke Nepgear as she was rather well known for needing constant reassurance.

At least her self-awareness was a step in the right direction.

"Falling out, in a drought-

No flow, rain wasn't pouring down- (pouring down)

See, that pain was all around-

See, my mode was kinda lounged-

Didn't know which-which way to turn-

Flow was cool but I still felt burnt-

Energy up, you can feel my surge-

I'ma kill everything like this purge-"

Lyrics that oddly fit within AL's past experiences came to be as he performed accordingly.

His tone was far from the best, but a world away from nails on a chalkboard. It had the charm of unrefined talent but was easily picked up by 5bp., finding herself head bopping to the way the meme man rapped.

The flow was spot on, though. If she had to give points for anything, it was his on-the-mark imitation. This could also be said for the timing, credited to his repeated listening to the song, even though she was sure it never surfaced in mainstream media anywhere in Leanbox, or Gamindustri for thay matter.

As a matter of fact, she was surprised thr song was even playing right now!

"AL's really singing his heart out, isn't he?" Inquired the blue-haired idol, as she looked towards the others.

"... Yeah, actually. His voice sounds really nice. But I can't put a finger on the song..." The CPU Candidate struggled to remember the origin.

"It seems familiar, but also outlandish. I wonder who sung this." Thought the Oracle as she cupped her chin, unconsciously bobbing her head to the beat.

"Ooh, ooh! Is it Parappa?" Guessed Ram, having some level of musical knowledge, came as a surprise to the others.

"You know who that is?" Chika was honestly taken aback by the answer.

"Uh-huh. Blanc had some old CDs lying around that were in her study, so Mina let us listen to some of them. She also said something about 'Kidz Bop'." Rom explained.

"Mhm. But he does make some awesome tunes! No wonder big sis listens to him!" Ram's features were crafted into a cherry expression as she then vigorously head bobbed to the song.

"What you know about rollin' down in the deep?

When your brain goes numb, you can call that mental freeze

When these people talk too much, put that _ in slow motion, yeah

I feel like an astronaut in the ocean, ayy..!"

AL finished up before he walked down from the stage, as he got a cozy round of applause from his friends.

"Good job, AL!" Nepgear congratulated, looking towards him with her usual upbeat expression as her head slightly tilted with a small smile.

"Your vocals were spot on!... I-I think." Going from what she felt at the time, 5bp. accordingly complimented the muscular performer.

"For a second, I thought you actually made the song. Did you? I don't reckon I've heard it anywhere else." Chika told the dark-skinned man.

"Oh. Uh... It just came to mind. Beats me when it comes to how the karaoke system managed to find something that matched. I'd assume it picks songs that were popular or existed for that matter." The warrior cupped his chin, perplexed by the nature of the song.

"You... made it up?" Rom asked the fighter.

"I don't think so." AL shook his head, suddenly decisive in his thought process.

"Then how did..." Ram trailed, even more, confused than before.

"Somebody that I used to know..." Yet another reference was dropped as an explanation was weaved into the sentence.

"Who?" This rose even more questions.

"Cares." Answered the tall singer as a trollish look was plastered onto his features.

"This is serious, AL. How does the karaoke system even have the song in its database?" Chika was still miffed.

"Dunno, honestly. It must be a miracle of music. Hey, the song's changed!" 5bp. pointed out as another familiar tune to her in particular, showed on the monitor behind the stage.

"Kirihirake! Gracie Star..." Nepgear read aloud. "I don't think I've heard that song either.

"You've never heard of it?" A now fixated Oracle, moving on the from skull shredder that was trying to figure out the origin of AL's song, moved on to the CPU Candidate's ignorance.

"Nuh-uh." Ram shook her head in tandem to her question.

"Nope," Ram answered the green-haired woman.

"You're in for a treat, I'll tell you that." A brow raised as he looked at the twins with a brazen grin. "This girl here doesn't know the meaning of tone-deaf, so prepare your ears for audial euphoria." Hyped up the fighter.

"How do you know?" Planeptune's CPU Candidate turned to the knowledgable friend as this was done by everyone else.

"Because I went to one of her concerts with Nebula when Taleia won some tickets." A proud smile was smeared on the highest in the room.

"Really? Where were you?" Curiosity became apparent on the idol's face?

"Remember the guy that did a triple backflip onto the stage before profusely synchronize dancing to the beat of the song?" He tried to jog her memory.

"The same guy that was wearing the sweepstakes winner shirt when I was singing Dimension Tripper?" A vague recollection came to mind.

"Twas I as a wee 19-year-old. The homie bet 500 Credits. He kissed his wallet goodbye." Cackled AL as her face brightened.

"Oh!... So it WAS you! What happened you after security dragged you off?" She inquired.

"I waited until they dragged me offstage before snapping my fingers in their faces and footing it back to the audience." A big-brained look was present as he tapped his temple.

"How... Interesting." Chika wanted to use a more vulgar vocabulary, but refrained due to the Lowee twins' presence, while also putting it in the back of her head to up security.

"Cool story. Now let's hear the song!" Whooped the pink twin.

"Let's!..." Rom shared the sentiment, with an equally pumped expression.

"I'd really like to her your song, 5bp.!" Nepgear was with the two snow girls as she looked at the blue-haired musical superstar.

"The best kind of shows are free ones, after all!" A hearty chuckle escaped AL's mouth.

"Speaking of which, I need remember to blacklist you from her next one." The Oracle narrowed her eyes at him.

"I SAVED THE COUNTRY, COME ON!-" Protested the fighter.

"Shh! It's starting!" Aniticpation bubbled as the two adults were silence as the boisterous twin shushed them both.

"Hikare! Yume no hoshi-

(Mitsukedasou!)Over Limit!-

Genkai nante koete ku yo kitto-

Dare ni mo makenai kara!-

Ano murasaki no daichi aoi sora- (mau midori)

Nee anata to mitsumetai mou ichido- (nando demo)

Anata no yasashisa nukumori (kanjitai)

Ima wa tooku te mo itsuka...!-

Hikare! Yume no hoshi (Mitsukedasou!)Over Limit!-

Yurugi no nai omoi kitto- (GracieStar)

Meguru ryuusei no (Bifrost) sashishimesu-

Genkai nante koeteku yo kitto-

Dare ni mo makenai kara!-"

As the song started up, everyone in the room could see the sheer difference in personality that offstage and onstage 5bp. possessed.

Her shyness seemingly ebbed into the ether as she began to sing, her voice sounding as if it came straight from the heavens.

Her expression was full of life and vigor for her craft as she sang her heart out, mind you this being the first thirty seconds of the song as the speakers broadcasted the same amount of energy she put into her songs.

The idol's eyes shifted between every person in her room, each individual getting a glimpse of the passion she felt for the song and her performance as all she was missing was a wider audience.

"Wow! She's amazing!" Nepgear was blown away by her extraordinary talent for singing.

"Just wait!" Chika told the CPU Candidate.

"Tada nani mo dekinakute namida shita- (modokashisa)

Kono detarame bakari no sekai no naka- (samayotte)

Anata o tozashita kurayami (hateshinai)

Ore souna kokoro... dakedo!-

Kirari habataite! (Tsukinukete!)Super Limit!-

Akiramenai tsuyosa motto- (togisumase!)

Tatoe chippoke na (hito shizuku) kibou demo-

Shinjiru chikara yuuki te ni motto-

Dare yori mo kagayake!-

Itami muryoku sa ni tachimukau-

Mayoi no nai negai zutto-

Tadoritsukeru kara massugu ni-

Daisuki da yo itsu demo zutto-"

"Wow!" Rom and Ram were awestruck by the musical vibrations that massaged their eardrums as they listened to the vibe that radiated from the singer's voice as they danced in their seats to the tune, with their bodies grooving and faces beaming.

"I know, right! This is bussin'!" Head bobbed the fire user as he was rocking out in the corner as he played the guitarist's section with his air-guitaring skills.

"My ears feel so nice...!" Sighed Nepgear, right before jigging her body to the song's tempo as all occupants of the karaoke bar's room were shmooving to the song and it's a performer.

"She's one of our most popular idols for a reason!" Bragged Leanbox's Oracle as she has a very prideful demeanor in her posture, putting her hand on her chest in a flamboyant manner.

"Just like you're one of its best drama queens!" A devilish snigger made its way to the jamming out young adult before he returned to his vibing state.

"Exactly, just like- WAIT A MINUTE, YOU-"

"Hikare! Yume no hoshi (mitsukedasou!)Over Limit!-

Yurugi no nai omoi kitto (GracieStar)

Meguru ryuusei no (Bifrost) sashishimesu-

Genkai nante koeteku yo kitto-

Dare ni mo makenai kara!-

Ai mo mirai mo kirihirake!..."

The song ended before a thunderous round of applause was heard from within the room as everyone cheered for the idol's performance.

"Thank you! T-Thank you all!" Her cheeks grew red with appreciation as she gained a wholesome grin as she stepped down from the stage.

"You were something else, 5bp.!" Complimented the Planeptunian CPU Candidate as she came up to the idol, who stepped back a bit.

"Eek!" She jumped as some distance was gained.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I still thought you were approachable." The younger sister scratched her head in remembrance.

"Hey! That was half an inch closer than last time." AL pointed out with some optimism.

"You're getting better, aren't you? I knew some singing would help us get closer!" AL comically cherry expression was on his face.

"You were great up there, Miss 5bp.!" Rom was the one to speak first, as she stood a comfortable distance away from her.

"Yeah, you sing like a pro!" Ram called out her skill as she shouted with high praise in concern with the idol's performance.

"Thank you, really. I do this because it's my passion." She bowed, showing gratitude to the compliments she received in a humble response.

"Oh please, darling. You could be a bit more proud of your talent for music. You were astounding." Chika metaphorically stroked off her ability, albeit deserved when it came to her caliber.

"Indubitably, Lady Chika. Do you also mind performing the same amount of verbal fellatio with my ability?" Trolled the fighter as he laughed before narrowly dodging the jab that was sent his way before he looked back to the four.

"What does that mean?" Asked the blue twin.

"Beats me." Shrugged the pink. "Tell us!" She looked towards Nepgear.

"I don't... Uh, you're too young to understand." Nepgear's face was pleasant, with a hand waving motion, even if it masked her own ignorance.

"When you're older." 5bp. told the two little girls.

"Aww..."

"So not fair."

A reasonable letdown from the singer made them moan in disappointment.

"Speaking of time, we're almost out of it. Ladies, do you want a Sicko Mode or a Mo Bamba?" Inquired the group member.

"I GOT H-" The twins began to sing, to the immediate chargin of everyone else as AL put a hand to his mouth in mock surprise.

---

"Any sign of the Mascot?" Asked IF as she ran towards the cave which the Oracle of Leanbox was once captured.

"No sign of it as yet, I'm afraid." Cave denied the question as she looked to the brunette Guild Agent.

"We cannot linger for much longer, my allies! Haste must be made in the name of justice!" Miss yelled as her spirit burned as much as her legs as the group had been running for the past 30 minutes.

"We're close. I can feel it. Just keep going, guys." Uni gave the group words of encouragement as they continued on their trek.

"Can we stop soon, though? My legs are burning like crazy!" Complained Compa as she had comical tears running down her eyes from the extended duration of running.

"Don't be the reason we lose the Mascot, Compa." Warned Lastation's CPU Candidate.

"Just keep going. I won't forgive you if you mess this up for Nepgear, you hear me?!" She shouted from the front.

"Y-Yes!" Cowered the Nurse-In-Training as her eyes cutely squinted as her legs comically ran to the front.

"Don't push her too hard, Uni. She's our healer, after all." IF reminded the markswoman.

"Whatever." Huffed the gun-toting goddess as she continued to run, relatively fine on stamina consumption.

The group of five made their way towards the Underverse as they took the ground route, as opposed to the aerial path that those before them took. Trees, patches of grass, a relatively distinct path, and determination to succeed were present with the occasional monster popping up to challenge that drive.

They were slain during their trek up to this point, that being shown by the scratches and somewhat ruffled clothing that was a part of their appearance. But they continued on their path nevertheless.

The CPU Candidate of Lastation was the least damaged, then Cave with her dodging skills, after her Compa due to rarely being in harm's way due to team formation and Nisa and IF sharing the most damage taken.

Their mission was finally reaching a pivotal point as they neared the entrance to the cave, as one of the members called out the fact

"We are approaching the entrance." Cave notified the group members.

"Finally! My legs can rest...!" Sighed Compa, almost deciding to collapse and roll the rest of the way to the front of the opening.

"I knew we would make it! The path of justice always shines true!" Nisa shouted triumphantly.

"...Hey. Are there... People standing around the entrance?" Uni's eyesight honed from her mastery in marksmanship as well as her physiology as a CPU made it easy for her to tell what was going on up ahead.

"What?... Wait, you're right! Everybody take cover!"

RUSTLE!...

IF told the others as they quickly went to the side right before a clearing as the five hid behind some obstruction, in the form of some big rocks and tall trees, the branches moving from everyone hiding appropriately.

"Are we all here?" The Guild Agent looked around, making sure the party of five was all out of sight.

"Yessy. I hope we don't have to move for a bit, though. My legs are burning like hot potatoes..." Moaned the Nurse-In-Training as she massaged her calves.

"It's not like we can just waltz in there if people are already investigating it..." Uni shook her head, as a wave of relief washed over Compa.

"Why? It's not in their best interest to stop us. We're doing this for the greater good, after all!" Whispered Nisa as she kept her shouting to an inside voice level.

"My assumption would be identical. But with the uniforms these people wear, they have nothing righteous in their intentions." Motioned the Leanboxian soldier as the others stared.

ASIC-affiliated individuals stood guard in front of the entrance, as the two of them were relatively inspection as they talked to each other.

"You think anyone's gonna actually come back now that the Oracle's gone?" Asked the guard on the left, his cowboy hat worn in a way to cover his eyes.

"If I had to guess, I'd go with a yes. Their Mascot's still here anyway, so why wouldn't they come back is the real question." The one opposite to him responded as his bandana was slightly moist from the sweat with the time they spent at their posts.

"They know we're coming here?" Compa was mildly taken aback by the apparent foresight the guards possessed.

"Well, you head the two. They still have the Mascot." IF explained to the somewhat ditzy student nurse.

"Still though, I pity the fool that thinks they can get past us." Hummed the right side guard as he looked around, scratching his chin.

"Yeah, you'd have to be really dim to come over here, and lack a brain to think you can get past here. Complete retardation, I tell you." Laughed the left-wing goon.

"Why you..." Huffed Uni, resisting the urge to snipe them.

"These fools know not who they are speaking of." Some offense was taken as Cave's eyes narrowed.

"They dare undermine our justice?!" The superheroine was not pleased with their labels.

"To tell you the truth, we'll be lucky if even one person shows up." Stretched the left side guard. "Who even comes out here, anyway? We're in the middle of fucking nowhere." He asked.

"You forget my friend, this is Gamindustri. There's bound to be some crackhead coming to fight for some platitude about the power of friendship on us any moment now." His criminal in arms had a different perspective.

"You keep thinking that, imma take a smoke. I guess drugs are my only therapist in this wackhouse called Gamindustri. Talk about the quality of life, am I right?" Laughed the mook as his friend chuckled as well as he dug into his pocket and took out a lighter.

"Yeah, yeah. Just get ready to shoot anything that looks at you for too long. Those bills ain't gonna pay themselves." Reminded the right side guard as fingered his sword, looking around.

"That's. Kind of sad, actually." The mood was soured as the Nurse-In-Training felt her mood slowly plummet due to the rather grounded matter they eavesdropped on.

"Driven to the wiles of crime from the hardships of life. An unjust hand caused them to pursue a criminal career." Nisa shook her head at the two.

"With ASIC taking advantage of their need of work, no matter the cost for these persons will do anything for the right price. The love of money is the root of all evil, as they say." The soldier deduced from their dialogue.

"The sooner we get those underlings out of the way, the sooner we can get the mascot. Take the shot, Uni." IF looked towards the two as the CPU Candidate had her rifle aimed for the head of one of the guards.

"Roger." Eyes narrowed as a death glare was given through her iron sight, her breathing halting as she stayed her weapon for the perfect shot.

BANG!

A 50. caliber round tore through the air, its potency enhanced by share energy coursing through its structure as the bullet was let off towards the goon on the right.

His moderately alert stature became on edge as the sound echoed through the area, his buddy jumping so hard that his cigarette almost fell out his mouth.

DEFLECT!

"The fuck was that?!" Asked the startled guard as he gripped his firearm, spooked from the seemingly random gunshot. It came out its holster as he aimed sporadically, the adrenaline pumping.

"They're in the trees, man! Branches don't speak mid!" Shouted the alerted swordsman as he held his longsword after it deflected the round. "I told you so, just keep up your guard!" He simplified.

BANG!-

DODGE!

"Fucking hell! That sniper's on us as a secret boss on an unsuspecting player!" Shouted the gunner as he barely jerked away from the second shot.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

"You really think a pun about RPGs is appropriate right now?!" Asked the bladed henchman as he ran past the third, slid under the fourth, and sliced the fifth bullet in half.

"Shit, you're right. Fucking camper!"

BOOM!

Yelled the armed mook before he pulled the trigger, his ASIC modded revolver firing back as the return shot kicked up grass only a few inches from the group.

"Split!"

SCATTER!-

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Yelled IF as the others scattered, before more shots littered their previous hiding spot as the left side goon grumbled in discontent.

"You're not funny, dude." A blunt comment contracted any hope the fellow guard had for the joke landing.

"Tough crowd. But I knew I just heard a voice there!" Snarled the guard. "Come out, you pussies!"

AIM!-

BANG!

Another revolver was grabbed as the akimbo style marksman got the end of his cigarette blasted off as a result.

"My ciggy! You've done it now, fuckers!" Eyes burned with comical fury before he spun his guns.

BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM!

SMASH!

BREAK!

CHIP!-

SHATTER!

The dual gunslinger let bullets fly as the entirety of the position that they once occupied was reduced to smoking remains, trees were shot through and wood chips on the ground with rocks shattered from the unusually powerful rounds.

But to his disappointment and further anger, he hit nothing.

"Fuck! FRICK! I missed! Damnit!" Seethed the dual wielder, as he reloaded.

"Any idea where they went?" The swordsman stayed his blade, looking around for the person.

"If I knew, wouldn't I have told you already?! When I get my hands on that cover-loving coward...!" He gripped the grip of his guns before spitting out his smoldering cigarette, malding.

Behind a different array of covers, the girls were breathing heavily as they looked back to the destruction.

"Such power...! I assumed these two were good-for-nothings!" Nisa breathed as she looked back to the group.

"I can't believe all of my bullets were either deflected or dodged..." Uni was in slight disbelief. "For the sake of my aim rate, they must perish." She gripped her rifle.

"You can worry about FPS statistics later, right now we need a plan." The Guild Agent told the CPU Candidate. "Rushing into the open will only send us to the deep end." She continued.

"T-That was still really scary, though...! I've never been shot at before." Compa, understandably shaken, had some tears at the corners of her eyes from the fear-raising moment.

"Do not fret, Compa. We will assure the victory of the party if we devise a solid strategy." Cave gave her a look of reassurance.

"O-Okay...!" Shakily nodded the Nurse-In-Training.

"Right, now let's get planning!..." IF got the rest to huddle, while the two guards were on high alert, looking for the whereabouts of the shooter.

"Nisa, you're the decoy. We need a distraction and your ability to attract attention will be very useful." Devised the Guild Agent as she looked to the scarf-wearing superheroine.

"Why me?!" She asked, not expecting to be put on the spot.

"Because you have no moves tailored to stealth." Explained the brunette.

"If that's how it is. Mind sending someone with me, though? A numerical disadvantage doesn't seem very good for us." Pointed out the heroine.

"I will assist you." Cave was the one to volunteer. "With equal numbers, we will be able to divert attention within their ranks even more." She told the others.

"Right. Nisa and Cave will come out and distract the bad guys. Compa, you'll act as support and stay by my side. You being out there on the field isn't gonna be very helpful, sorry to say, and I need you to keep me above water out there." IF turned to the bubbly nurse.

"You got it, Iffy! I'll support ya." Nodded Compa with a serious nod.

"Uni, locate any blindsides or weak spots and pick them down from the cover of the trees. Make sure to switch every once in a while so that you're not found out." Instructed IF as she looked to the CPU Candidate.

"You got it." Lastation's CPU Candidate got a better grip on her gun, resisting the urge to cock it and give away their position.

"Alright. Now, since everyone knows what they're supposed to do, let's do it!" IF spoke as the others nodded in unison.

"Right!"

JUMP!

SOAR!

SIDESTEP!

RUN!

JOG!

They spoke as Uni jumped up the nearest tree away from the sight of the guards, right as Nisa jumped high into the air, out of cover with the guards looking up at her as Cave slid into the open unbeknownst to them as the remaining two ran around to another hidden area.

"In the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane!" Yelled the guard on the left.

"No, it's your dead brain cells ascending, that's a person!" Yelled the person on the right as he readied his sword. "Shoot them out of the sky!" He yelled as he looked up.

"Damn straight!" Yelled the gunslinger as he aimed.

DASH!

"You will do no such thing."

"!?"

The redhead closed the gap between herself and the ranged ASIC member as her weapon was angled with the scissor blades being open around the criminal's neck.

'Damn! I was caught in a blitz!...' Sounded the guard in his mind as his aim was interrupted.

"Look out!" His ally only now shouted as the soldier got ready to close the blades around his neck.

TRIP!-

SLICE!

BOOM!-

DEFLECT!

"What?!" Cave did not expect her opponent to trip himself, escaping her blades as she pulled back her scissors to deflect the bullet.

THUD!-

ROLL!

"Freakin' bitch!"

SWING-

CLASH!

Her efforts switched to the swordsman, her original target rolling away as she parried a sword swipe that caused her to completely switch her attention to the more apparent threat.

Meanwhile, the other guard already got up from his evasion and got ready to shoot the soldier in the back as he got ready to the trigger.

"You're wide open, babe!" He tauntingly shouted.

GASH!

"Ack!" His face was cut as a knife was thrown, not knowing of its origin even after it hit him and cut his face.

"And so are you! Dynamic Entry!"

DROPKICK!

SMASH!

Nisa yelled, driving her foot into the armed mook, as he barely blocked before the ground below him kicked up dust as the two tumbled from the impact.

"Crap...!"

KICK!

SLIDE..!

The other guard looked to the side before kicking the soldier in the stomach as she slid back after letting out the wind in her lungs and tensing her stomach to minimize the pain as she grunted.

"GET THIS BETA SHIT OFF MEEEEEE!"

PUSH!

"Whoa!"

TUMBLE!

Screamed the gunslinger as he shoved the superheroine off of him, the blue-haired girl tumbling from the motion.

SKID...!

"Nisa, are you alright?" Inquired Cave as she looked to the ally as she stopped her tumble near her.

"I will be fine...!" Breathed the heroine. "We just have to keep at them!" She glared before pulling herself back up.

SWING!

GUST!...

POINT!

"Oho? See, I TOLD you they were crackheads! She fell out of the flipping sky!" The swordsman swung his sword, before pointing at the blue-haired heroine as a burst of wind was generated from the slash.

"Good for you. I almost got my vocals clipped by that bitch over there!" He sleight of hand his guns before aiming them at the soldier before continuing. "The audacity."

"Says the criminal. You will be defeated for the sake of Gamindustri!" The redhead's resolve burned as she brandished her scissors for more combat.

"Bring it on!" Roared the ASIC swordsman.

"I'm so fresh you can suck my nuts!" Yelled the ASIC gunner.

The four combatants rushed towards each other as battle cries were heard, the action only building up from that point forward.

---

'My head feels fuzzy, chu...'

Warechu was coming to, his surroundings unknown to him as the rodent was hooked up into a hollow cylindrical tube, big enough to hold a human comfortably.

Weirder yet, it was filled with an unknown liquid, as it was all around him as he floated around with a breathing device connected to his nose and mouth as his eyes were still half-lidded.

His vision was clouded due to the septic liquid, its green fluid all around him as he became more and more conscious, as his body shifted as he woke from his slumber.

"He's starting to wake up. Run further diagnostics, the test subject is regaining consciousness." A scientist in glasses announced as the tapping of holographic keyboards could be heard.

"Viral injections have been completed. Subject has been fully exposed to the agent." Another scientific mind disclosed some more data.

"Vitals are stable. His reawakening should be in full swing. Get Birkin out here, he needs to see this in person." The third voice ordered.

Eyes now fully open, the large rat realized that he was in a place unfamiliar to him. Fear of the unknown crept into his heart as the media he consumed, which mostly was comprised of pirated games, entailed that any character in a situation like this did not meet a pleasant fate.

His struggle was for naught, as he attempted to move, yet the substance that surrounded him impaired his movement to crippling levels as a single motion felt nigh eternal.

"Well, well, well..." Wesker, appearing from seemingly nowhere as Warechu's vision was hindered by the fluid around him and could only see a few get ahead.

"Look who finally decided to wake up. I initially assumed you were going to stay unconscious until the very end of the experiment, but you managed to prove me wrong." A raised brow and a slight head tilt showed an impressed mastermind.

'What the... Is that Wesker, chu?...' Thoughts of confusion stemming from lingering disorientation were conjured as the rodent slowed his movements.

"I suppose since you're awake, I can fill you in. A fitting reward for managing to exceed simplistic expectations." The intelligent individual decided.

'Y'know, usually I'd have a lot of questions... And I still do. But since he's gonna answer some, I guess I can afford to relax a bit... Not like I can do much of anything else.' He mused.

'I went from field rat to lab rat. Talk about a career change. On the bright side, I'm not dead so at least I have something to be glad about... Yeah, chu...' Optimism slowly faded as the grey rodent's eyes slightly closed as a result, the scientist finally decided to talk.

"After you were neutralized, your body was brought and hooked up to the incubation device you see now." He went into descriptive, yet simple detail as he walked to the left.

"While unconscious, your bloodstream came into contact with a prototype viral strain, and you were closely monitored to see if any adverse side effects were to take place." He turned to walk in the opposite direction, his gaze never leaving the general direction of the rat.

'Wait... They put something in my blood?... I knew that deal was shady. Now look at me, I'm just like one of those test subjects from those convoluted zombie games, chu.' A dull glare was apparent on the oversized rodent's face as the man took notice.

"Oh, my apologies. I'm hoping you didn't want anything cheese flavored. We aren't a restaurant." A bad joke was purposefully sent as a tick mark was seen on the hooked-up ASIC member's face.

'Piss off, smartass! Don't patronize me like I'm some sort of chump, chu!' A comically unamused expression made its way to Warechu's face as his eyes continued to follow the head scientist's person.

"But moving on, all of your important bodily functions seem to be in order, and you show no negative reactions. Usually, all of our other test subjects would have had some type of unpleasant genetic restructuring right about now." Enlightened the higher up as he turned.

'Genetic restructuring? You mean, those guys ended up becoming malformed...? I just agreed to unsolicited experimentation. The longer I stay here, the more I regret my decision.' His eyes closed in exasperation as his brows knotted.

"A truly sorry sight. I honestly wished they lasted longer in the experimentation phase. Their deaths were the equivalent of fatalities in my bank account. Potential driving right into a roadblock, and the debris of wasted capital blowing up in our faces. But I know you won't end up the same, I assume?" Raised brows and a stare-down ensued.

'You say that like I wanna become a disfigured pile of scientific failure, chu! My genes are fine just the way they are! I don't need to end up looking like a zombie and a furry had some nightmarish love child!' Jittered the rodent within his mind as comical sweat drops were present on his face.

"It would be wise not to scare our test subject." Another familiar voice, being Birkin made his appearance as he stood next to his colleague. "Stress has the nasty habit of muddling up results to unnecessary degrees when it is not part of the equation."

"But seeing him squirm is so entertaining. Alas, you have some merit to your words. Very well. You can explain to him the pivotal nitty-gritty details. Make yourself useful." Wesker prompted.

"You're referring to my involvement as if I didn't contribute the most when it came down to the actual development of the hybrid strain." Grumbled the undercut virologist.

"More specifically, I've personally seen it fit to revolutionize the biochemical weapon scene in this world by combining two of our magnum opuses into the ultimate virus!" Announced the intellectual.

"I dub it the GT Virus! This will change the world!" He shouted as he went into further detail. "If you manage to survive, and retain not only your intelligence but develop new abilities, your name will be engraved into the annals of history!" His voice got more excited, the very thought of his creation becoming a success fueling him with morale.

'I don't like the part where he said manage instead of guaranteed. When I said I would devote my life to my work, I didn't mean sacrificing it...!' What would have been shivering, reduced to very awkward shifting from side to side was Warechu after truly listening to the words the head virologist spoke.

"And now for the moment of truth. Drain the anti-reactionary fluids. " Birkin turned to the other scientists, as they nodded before commencing with the procedure.

DRAIN...!

The ASIC member felt his wet fur exposed to some contained air as it was now easier to move as a result. A metallic echo sounded from within as his feet touched the ground.

RELEASE!

"...!" The breathing device was disconnected from Warechu's facial orifices as he took deep breaths, getting used to the oxygen the tank possessed as he stood up, with moderate difficulty.

"That liquid was inhibiting your transformation, as we monitored your vitals. Now that it's no longer present, we aim to see how your body reacts unprotected and fully left to its own devices." Wesker explained as the rodent looked at him.

"Okay... What should I expect, chu?" Asked the rat as he looked at him. His answer, however, was given to him by the next intellectual.

"Except excruciating pain right about..." Birkin checked his wristwatch.

"Wait, hold on. I-I'm not so sure about this, you guys never said anything about-"

"Now." They both sounded.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Screams of unholy proportions escaped the rat as his entire body writhed in pain. Twitches of torture coursed through his entire being as all he could render was the unbearable amounts of pain as his structure was being tampered with down to the molecular level.

COLLAPSE!

"THIS IS AGONYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Bloodcurdling shrieks continued to escape out of the rodent's mouth as the pain never ceased, but stayed constant as he convulsed on the floor with no concern, rather losing the ability be aware of others as he was battling his demons right now.

GROW...!

CRACK!

CRACK!

FLESHY GROWTH!

The first abnormality began with his wings. His rear appendages began to rapidly grow, their size increasing as the growths were short and random, but also linear as if each increase was constantly being recalibrated before the next.

His wingspan stagnated at a jarring three meters, the red-winged limbs being slightly cramped in the jar as the next mutation took place almost immediately after.

STRETCH!

STRETCH!

STRETCH!

STRETCH!

STRETCH!

"WHY AM I GROWING!? I WENT THROUGH PUBERTY- AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Warechu's voice screeched before it started to pitch down as his height increased, his very limbs going through the process of elongation with his arms and legs growing out as he soon felt his body coming into contact with the glass of the container he was in as he had to push himself up, in fear of becoming cramped.

SHED!...

SHED!...

SHED!...

His fur was the next to be affected, as it fell out like a middle she'd man's balding on steroids as he felt extremely cold, not used to having so little hair on his body.

"S-So c-c-cold...!" Shivered the rat as he was lambasted with the drop in internal temperature, not prepared for the onslaught of a moist body being exposed to such arid and low temperatures.

BULK!...

In response to this low body temperature, another mutation occurred as this one was more centered on his musculoskeletal structure about his body, as his muscles developed to make his appearance anthropic with his frame becoming lean and defined as his bones became denser to suit.

This was of course accompanied by burning pain as Warechu's eyes whites out for this part, whatever left of his pain threshold being grounded into dust as keeping his consciousness seemed more daunting as the seconds went by.

GROW...!

Hair did make a comeback, but only barely on his head and his ears which still managed to remain on the top of his head with his teeth becoming more sapien in appearance his frontal rat teeth only becoming barely noticeable.

STATIC!

STATIC!

STATIC!

But the final mutation, and arguably the most important one was the appearance of electricity. The greenish-yellowish static danced around his body as he felt his skin course with the bioelectrical medium, the pain being so great that it radiated off of the rat in droves of electricity.

Shockingly painful, if one could describe it.

"Think he's still alive?" Birkin asked.

"It would be highly unfortunate if he didn't make it. He's already developing at such an accelerated rate. Crashing into a glass ceiling is one of the most embarrassing ways to go, in my opinion." Wesker laughed as the cries of Warechu still echoed in the lab.

"WHEN WILL IT EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEND!"

FLASH!

STATIC!

CRACK!...

"The chamber can't take this much power, you two!" A scientist warned. "If this keeps up, we'll be at risk of injury!" She continued, informing the two.

"Then simply refill the chamber with the sedative. We pay you for a reason." Instructed the shorter mastermind.

REFILL...!

Warechu felt the cold sensation of the liquid bathe his body as any further mutation that could have occurred was stopped from the moment it touched his body.

His frame was brought upright by the fluid as he now looked completely different.

...STATIC!

The electrical discharge still lingered as its influence only temporarily decreased. It came back in short bursts as it filled up the tube completely.

"The cylinder didn't drop the breathing mask! He'll drown if we don't lower the levels of the sedation agent!" Exclaimed a scientist.

"But lowering them will put us in danger, he's already mutating so rapidly, and the bio-electric properties are persisting!" Another vyed against it.

BEEP!

BEEP!

BEEP!

"Energy levels are overloading! The subject is producing too much electrical interference for the system to regulate!" Yelled a scientist in the back as the once green liquid became a more yellow hue.

"Finally, something interesting. This is promising, rat!" The taller blonde's tone took a turn to the excited as something even more

CRACK!

"There's a fine line between promising and perilous, Wesker!" Brikin stepped back as he saw the structural integrity of the glass waver.

CRACK...!

"Ah, yes You have a point. Everyone, evacuate the area. Mr. X, get ready to shield us from the upcoming event."

FOOTSTEPS...!

The spearhead with the shades ordered as the tall fedora-wearing individual came from the shadows, before stepping in front of the two as the buffer between them and whatever could happen.

CRACK!

CRACK!

CRACK!

More fractures appeared on the glass as staff made their way from out of the room.

STEPS...!

Hurried footsteps were not in shortage as within the little time they has left, all workers had retreated to outside of the room with only the three persons left.

"...!"

STATIC!

DISCHARGE!

CRACK!-

EXPLODE!

The sedative compound was overpowered, with the glass cylinder exploding in the same instant as bio-electricity coursed through the entire room from the place Warechu was kept as his eyes instantly regained their color, his irises flashing a brief white as they did.

ACTIVATE!-

BLOCK!

Pulling out an item that transformed into a modified ballistic shield, the mutant managed to not only shield but completely stonewall the knockback of the force as it tanked the electrical properties, the concussive force as well as shards of glass as it stood motionless.

THUD!...

"Uhh..." Coughed a voice. It did not seem like it belonged to the rat from before but had enough vocal similarities that it seemed vaguely familiar from a single utterance.

Mr. X lowered the shield before clicking another button as it shrunk back into a cubical object as he put the device in his pocket.

W-WOBBLE!...

A rather toned and extremely human-like being was on the floor, naked as the day he was born, and electricity rolling off of him in waves and dripping the green fluid in droves as he took a wobbly knee.

His hair was a dark grey as it covered his eyes, barely being visible from an outside perspective.

It reached about slightly below his nape as its texture was still wet from the sedative. One thing that stayed the same, was his ears as they still resided on the top of his head, with no structural changes.

Wings were a different case though, as the red appendages took a more bat-like appearance, still maintaining prehensile movement, but now sported a maroon appearance as opposed to their previous deep red as liquid dripped from their frame.

Warechu's tail was elongated a bit as it now had about a meter in length as the heart tip of it sported a more jagged and lightning-like appearance for the broken heart design.

STAGGER!...

The human-looking rat then stood to his feet, almost falling multiple times without the aid of the other scientists as he got used to his new legs rather quickly.

Said appendages allowed him to stand at a surprising 5'8" as he looked at the three, his heterochromatic eyes shifting. His left remained red, but he's right iris became the same shade of yellow that once was on his chest as it glowed with projecting trailing from it.

Speaking of his chest, it showed the markings of an athletic build but was condensed into pure muscle instead of size, giving him the appearance of a very lean and potential killing machine.

"I... I f-feel... Odd, chu..." Warechu's voice sounded awkward as if he didn't belong in his own body. The sounds his voicebox made sounded much more mature yet still juvenile as he looked at his sapien fingers as he opened and closed them, trying to get used to his anthropomorphic body.

If one had to describe his voice, a mix of a tomboy accent and mid-teens pitch with some pubescent bass was the best that it could be described without putting it next to something.

"Looks like the experiment, for the most part, was a success...!" Birkin's eyes brightened, an outcome he never thought possible occurring standing right before him.

"Honestly, I presumed he'd appear much more grotesque. Perhaps, the mutation failed? If anything, it's more like he evolved towards conventional anthropology than warped biology." Wesley observed as he folded his arms.

"Well, you've always wanted to create a race of humans that surpassed any conventional limits. And in a sense, the rat has done just that by ascending from his rodent genealogy." A perspective was described by the shorter scientist as the boy before they tried to walk.

"Exactly, William. I want to manufacture a virus that will help mankind ascend, not rodent kind. Look at him, he can't even walk on two feet yet, and you still dare to tell me that this worked?"

STOMP!

DENT!

Disbelief and indignation made their way into the scientist's voice as the rat mutant almost fell, but stopped himself by stepping a bit harder on the ground, but ended up puncturing the metallic surface.

"He shows promise! His body already boasts of power far surpassing his previous capacity alongside developing the latent ability to generate electricity! I'm positive other mutations we're unaware of!" Defended the shorter virologist.

"I refuse to call this a success until he's shown at least satisfactory results. Some practical examinations are in order, and I will see to it that he is put through the wringer to make sure he doesn't possess the aptitude of a defective cripple." Growled the taller scientist.

"Could I... Get some clothes...? If you didn't know, it's freezing down here." Inquired the level 1 furry as his teeth clattered, the loss of his fur making him aware of how cold one could get.

"Apologies. T-00, take him to the armory. Have him guided to the simulation sector for initial testing of his parameters." Virgin instructed before the shadily dressed mutant looked at the rodent before walking away, towards the place he was ordered to go.

STUMBLE!

RETRACT!

"H-Hey! Wait up, chu!" Yelled the furry as his wings slid into his body, making a very fleshy and somewhat disgusting sound as they were now hidden, no trace of the appendages left on his back as he caught up to the giant figure.

"Well, didn't he learn how to walk quickly?... Pity he didn't land on his face. It would have alleviated my mood some." Gazed the taller scientist, an impressed tone hid behind his otherwise neutral dialogue.

"It's as I said. He could be the one!" Theorized the shorter scientist, unknowingly referring to a movie about bullet dodging.

"If the one was from a C-list movie, sure." Wesker, catching the reference, immediately making fun of it. "Less movie references, more scientific breakthroughs. I still have to see if the lab rat can perform." Spoke the scientist as he walked to the door.

"Of course." Birkin looked back at the damage one last time before following suit as the two remaining persons in the room soon exited.

...

...

...

After a short while, all four could be found within the aforementioned simulation sector.

It was a rather small room, only spanning about an average parking lot in size. The walls were electronic black, appearing to be several monitors that were activated but not displaying anything at the moment.

Lights were in-between said monitors above, as they shined down on the sole individual present in the room. In fact, the only place that didn't have lights OR monitors was the floor, which was a metal tile black that had some treadmills at the edge of the room to prevent collision into the sensitive technology.

"Well, then. Pikachu, I assume you are prepared for this examination. Prepared being very subjective in this context, but nevertheless. I could care less about how this goes for your sake." Wesker's voice was projected as small yet loudspeakers fitted behind the monitors blasted his voice.

"It's WARECHU, the chump! Damn ass..." Grumbled the furry as he scratched his.

His hair had been styled into a long and clean bowl cut with straight bangs, which made it easier to see his facial features such as the two white streaks on his cheeks and his multi-colored eyes.

Warechu now donned a closed long-sleeved trench coat that went to his shins, matching his hair color, the buttons red and yellow in an organized fashion. The collar was inevitably popped up, which hid his mouth but gave him an air of mystery as a result. There was a grey belt with a darker shade around his collar and waist, the buckle being silver as it fastened around those areas to make his frame seem unassuming.

The interior of the lower section was a dark red, that could be seen when it flapped on the wind. He also wore a pair of tactical gloves that were in the trench's front pockets, the underside being, you guessed it, red and yellow on each side that mirrored his eyes. His pants were baggy and black as they were stuffed into his grey boots, with red and yellow undersoles, mirroring his eyes as well.

Some accessories include two slits on the back of the coat for his wings, as well as ASIC's symbols in between the two openings. They were currently inside his body, so they just looked like ordinary pieces of fabric, odd but still unsuspecting to the untrained eye.

'Clothes feel weird and awkward. I might take a while to get used to this, chu... But public nudity is something I can no longer partake in.' Internally sighed the rat as a response brought him back to reality.

"I am very sorry, and I apologize, for the inconvenience of me not giving a FUCK." The shaded scientist's voice echoed with some interference as Warechu's face visibly cringed from the feedback, his ears ever sensitive to sound.

"But I digress. You already know why you're here, and what we want. Perform well, and just maybe you might be given the respect you deserve. Fail, and likewise in the way, you would not like in the slightest. Not to mention sanctions, ergo you suck." Bluntly started the man behind the mutations.

STATIC...!

STATIC...!

CLENCH!...

STATIC...!

The agent-looking ASIC grunt looked to his palms, his bio-electricity moving about his hands as he clenched them as that action caused the medium to travel around his body before he lowered his arms and looked up with the passive appearance of lightning bursting into and from existence.

"Bring it, chu. I'll shut you up, Whisker! I don't give a rat's ass about anything you have to say about me!" A challenging smile formed on the rat's lips, unbeknownst to the scientist.

"Oh, the irony." Mused the head scientist, as he resisted the urge to laugh outright at the test subject's position.

"The first opponent you'll be facing, may or may not be familiar to you. You can even say, you've met." Wesker hinted as sparks went off in Warechu's mind.

'It's probably that Nebula chump, right? He was freakishly strong. It could also be that Nepgear broad, chu. Linda told me she was no joke, either. It could even be that annoying flat Guild Agent. I'm fine with any one of them.'

CRACK!

The firey cracked his knuckles, getting used to his new body as he thought of the catharsis he'd feel about beating down an old enemy and proving himself.

"Now presenting your first challenge."

DIM...!

LIGHT UP!...

Wesker's voice announced as the lights dimmed before the monitors became pure black and lit back up, now resembling a scene out of a high-quality romance anime.

Sakura trees were plentiful, the ground decorated with their petals.

The surrounding distance filled with a pink background with daydream-like effects. If he listened closely, he swore he could hear a theme from a certain show with a pink-haired transforming vampire.

"What the hell...?" Warechu's hype evaporating, he looked back up to the intercoms.

STEPS!

His attention was yanked from the infuriating bastard of a scientist as his head snapped to the sound the direction came from as his eyes narrowed.

They soon widened, and almost fell out of their sockets when he saw who came to confront him.

"Mister Mouse?!" An identical figure of Compa, down to the way she called him by her nickname. Same demeanor, same appearance, same voice, he could have sworn it was the real thing with the number of similarities.

She ran towards him, before stopping a few feet away, beckoning his presence.

"Mister Mouse, I..." She faltered, realizing his hostile demeanor. "Please don't hurt me!" She shielded herself, a tear threatening to fall from her eye as she shut them in fear.

"O-Oh, sorry C-Compa." Warechu stuttered, his repressed feelings for the Nurse-In-Training resurfacing as he released his clenched fists.

"...Mister Mouse, I'm... I'm sorry about what I told you the other day." She lowered her arms as she looked at him, her eyes still welling with tears.

"W-What...?!" He couldn't believe his ears. She made it so clear that she wanted nothing to do with people like him, yet in a simulation of all things, she made an effort to apologize?

The furry didn't know what to think, his feelings temporarily fighting for dominance with the logical component of his brain as 'Compa' continued.

"I-I didn't consider your feelings. I'm sorry I hurt them, Warechu. Please forgive me, so I can wrap a bandage around your heart." Sniffled the cream-haired girl as her cheeks became red with emotion.

"When I saw you rolling on the ground, crying your eyes out... I felt like a monster... I didn't know I hurt you that badly, Mister Mouse. It eats away at my heart how I didn't even think to try and make you feel better, and I call myself a Nurse-In-Training." Her face wrenched into an upset look as she gazed into a shocked Warechu, on the verge of breaking down.

"C-Compa..." Warechu felt his heart beating with joy. Never in a million years, he'd expect his crush to not only notice him but ask for forgiveness for her actions against him threatening to tear up.

His legs lost their feeling, ignoring that he only had them for a short while as he felt butterflies in his stomach and sweat formed on his face, telltale signs of nerves around someone that one felt a romantic connection.

One half of him wanted him to believe it so badly, to rationalize this in any way possible, to make this reality.

A simulation was based on what would happen in real life, right?

This could be a possibility, and a likely one at that, right?

His aching heart and desperate mind worked in tandem to connect as many dots to form the picture that this was the truth.

But another side of his being was rooted in reality. And it knawed at that belief with the cruelty and heartlessness that the truth was known for. That this was not real and it will never be a reality as far as he was concerned.

It was a lie, a façade, a dream, a mirage made from technology to screw with his psyche, the labels were interchangeable but the definition did not waver.

The scene before him tore Warechu apart from within, knowing that this was not Compa, but she acted so much like her that his kind could not help but think that it was.

But the next thing she said solidified his will to believe the lie.

"So I want to make it up to you, Warechu." She stretched out her arms, the petals behind her blowing in such a way that it almost felt magical, as tears of once sorrow turned happiness trailed down her rosy cheeks.

"Gimme a big hug. Hold me, and let me coddle your booboos away. Feel my heartbeat and whisper sweet nothings into my ear, Warechu." The rat furry could almost feel the pure love that radiated from the girl before him as he tried to will himself to stay strong, but his innermost feelings began to win.

Silence permeated the air as the eyes of the rat were covered by a dark shadow as he twitched from the restraint.

DASH!

"... I'M COMING, COMPA!"

This persisted for a good minute before he finally kicked off the ground, running ahead full sprint to scoop up the bubbly girl into his arms, consequences be damned.

Misty eyes blurred his vision, as he beamed underneath his collar, his arms wide and ready to hug the visage of his beloved as utter bliss radiated from his being.

The closer he got, the happier he felt. It was like it was meant to be. He and Compa were intertwined by fate, meant to be together no matter the form of contact be it real, fake, imaginary, reality, virtual, physical, dream, nightmare, you name it!

STAB!

PIERCE...!

Until he was stabbed in the heart.

Compa, armed with her syringe that was digitized from nowhere took advantage of the completely lowered guard of Warechu as the needle managed to pierce not only his chest but narrowly missed his heart, punctured his lung, as well as poked out his back.

Blood exploded from the entry and exit wounds as his eyes became widened with shock from the inconceivable action that his idol of love did to him.

"C-Compa...! W-Why...!" His eyes instantly dried up as some blood also managed to trail from his mouth as his heart was shattering into a million pieces all over again as his eyes were hollow.

ゴゴゴゴ!

"You're so stupid, Mister Mouse!" Laughed Compa before she opened her eyes, a terrifying expression that consisted of a smile with that was betrayed by the look of malice and scrutiny, her gaze mocking his entire being.

"No... T-This isn't you...!-"

STAB!

"URK!" He practically begged with his tone, as his voice wobbled before she lodged the needle of her syringe, causing him more pain.

"Did you actually think I loved you? For someone with such big ears, you sure are deaf. Didn't you hear? I don't like you and NEVER WILL! You can go die in a ditch for all I care, you filthy rat!"

SHOVE!

THUD...!

She barked before shoving him off of her syringe blade. The ASIC grunt fell to the floor, his eyes wet with tears as his body burned from the injury.

REGENERATE...!

Thankfully, the mutation gave him a healing factor that he was unaware of for the most part, too focused on the EMOTIONAL DAMAGE that he was being inflicted.

His wounds closed up, but fresh ones were soon to be made.

SIT!

RAISE...!

'Compa' got on her knees and straddled him, her weapon raised over her head before she sent another strike to the chest cavity of the mutated rat as she rode him.

STAB!

"Mister Mouse, I never liked you." She smiled, her genuine tone now on the opposite side of the spectrum as she attacked him.

STAB!

"No one ever liked you. Not even your friends." Jabbed the Nurse-In-Training as she drove her syringe into his chest again.

STAB!

"You're just a nuisance to everyone around you. How could anyone love a loser like you?" The question sounded far too real for Warechu, which made his suffering all the more painful.

STAB!

"Your life is meaningless! You serve ZERO purpose!"

STAB!

You're gonna stay on my tits until you die! You should kill yourself, NOW! And give somebody else that piece of oxygen and ozone layer so that we can breathe inside this blue trapped bubble!"

STAB!

'Compa' utterly destroyed the mutant's self-esteem and corroded his will to live as she continued.

STAB!

"UGK!"

"Because what are you here for? Your job? You're screwing up right now! For me? Kill yourself! I mean that with a hundred percent with a thousand percent, Mister Mouse!" Cackled the girl as she stabbed the rat in the neck, as he guttered.

Tears continued to fall as Warechu saw the bloodied face and drenched clothes of his former crush, as she took the utmost of pleasure in spilling his blood.

The stabs matched the emotional damage he felt, but salt was incoming as the intercoms blasted.

"What's wrong, Pikachu? Did the nurse give you a booboo? Hahahaha!"

His eyes got back their color as the member snapped back to reality. Wesker's voice pulled him back into the happenings of the mortal plane as he continued.

"It seems you've gotten caught up with the quality of the simulation! Look at you, lusting at pixels like a depraved degenerate! And for what?! To be nearly killed by the weakest simulation opponent? And by your 'waifu' no less? Unrequited love going sour. What a classic! Hahaha!" Mocked and belittled the scientist as Warechu's eyes became cold.

REGENERATE!

"Heard that, Mister Mouse?! You're nothing but a joke to ASIC. And nothing but a chump that got played by me!"

THRUST!

The simulated Compa sent her next attack directly to the skull of the mutant rat, hoping to destroy his brain and end his life after emotionally breaking him and mentally scarring him.

GRAB!-

SMASH!

Her weapon's sharp end was intercepted though, as the steel needle was grabbed and broken to pieces by Warechu's pure grip strength.

"You broke my syringe! Stupid rat!"

"Shut up." His eyes contracted, his teeth baring underneath his collar.

SWING!-

PALM!

SHATTER!

"AAAAAAAACK!"The fake then attempted to bludgeon the rag by using the remaining part kf the syringe to slam it atop the bowl cut rat's head, spilling the fluid onto him to inflict status effects that would cripple him.

But Warechu swiftly palm struck the glass and smashed his hand into her eyes, effectively blinding the Nurse-In-Training as she screamed, rolling off of him in pain.

CHANGE...!

He stood up before the scene changed to a more fitting scenario as the trees became withered, the petals became dead leaves and the background became a lonely and depressing forest with a crescent moon shining in the sky.

"Dang it, Mister Mouse! You would hurt me! The love of your-"

KICK!

"Kyaaa!-"

TUMBLE!

SPLINTER!

'Compa' was swiftly interrupted by a kick to the plexus that sent her into a tree, completely shattering it as she came to a stop shortly after.

"Aren't you getting a kick out of this?" Inquired the overseeing scientist as a provoking tone was mixed into the play on words.

"You be quiet." Grumbled the rat as he approached the one that broke his heart. Well, the thing, but who's really paying attention here?

"Touched a nerve there, didn't I, Pikachu? I'm sure you would've wanted that ditz to touch somewhere else, I assume?" Wesker made fun of his attraction as the rat snapped.

"SHUT IT, CHUMP!" Seethed the furry as he looked up. "AND I AIN'T NO FURRY!" The level 1 furry barked at the narrator.

"Seethe, cope, and mald."

Dismissing the jerk of an intelligent mind, he turned his focus back onto the imitation.

"Y-You're a monster, Mister Mouse. No one could e-ever love... Scum like y-you!..." 'Compa' gaslighted as she held her stomach.

Her figure was now hunched as she sent a venomous glare to the mutant as she took a stick from the remains of the tree to support herself, her body banged up and sweater ripped up.

"As if I could get it up for a bitch like you, chu...!"

EQUIP!

SPIN!

Warechu reached into his pocket and pulled out a stick, black in color and metallic in material as finger grooves were present and wrapped around in white tape as he twirled it around his fingers.

GLOW!

STEPS!

"Don't make me laugh! If you think you of all people are going to get anywhere near what's under my skirt, then you're just as delusional as you are stupid, Mister Mouse!-"

STATIC!

ENERGY!

The grunt approached as the fake berated him. She was just finished with her insult when his yellow eye subconsciously glowed, giving a slightly chuuni appearance, unbeknownst to him.

Sparks of bio-electricity flew from his eye as the handle suddenly generated a mass of bio-lightning that solidified into a 5-foot long tsuba-knife glowing energy blade, its yellow radiance startling the 'girl'.

"Ooo, that's a really pretty glowstick. If you give it to me, I'll forgive you...! Mister Mouse, let's be chums again!" Marvel filled the virtual clone's eyes as she bargained for his friendship, her demeanor becoming distracted.

Warechu realized that 'Compa' was left open, and capitalized on this in the best way possible.

"Sure, Compa!" He made a goofy expression, an infatuated smile he'd give anytime he thought about her.

"I knew you'd listen to m-" A jolly and relieved face was shown back to the rat, unbeknownst to what was coming.

EXTEND!

IMPALE!

The ASIC member lied, as the fraud believed the same way he did, only to be fooled the very same.

Her chest burned with light as she looked down to see that she had been run through, the blade extending several meters to run her through as it gave her an unbearable sensation of pain, especially since she was comprised of electronic parts when it came down to it.

DROP!

"You... Y-You meanIe-E! I t-TrUstEd yOu!" The replica gaslighted once more as her voice sounded broken, starting to sound robotic at the end as she dropped her stick.

"Good. Know how broken trust feels before I break your body, chump." Mouthed the mutant as he went to finish her off, as the robot did not have regen on her side.

SWIPE!

"Ack!"

TWIRL!-

"Burn in hell."

SLASH!

"GYAAAAAAAAAAA!-"

EXPLOSION!

Warechu cut down the imitation, before twisting the handle, and retroactively the blade to face skyward before clutching it and swinging it up, bifurcating the simulated Compa as she let out a far too realistic scream before she promptly exploded, molten metallic pieces flying everywhere.

DEACTIVATE!

DIM...

DARKEN...!

LIGHTS!

The technological sword reverted to its dormant state as the rat mutant pocketed it. He then turned up to the intercoms as the background faded and the lights returned.

"Color me impressed, Warechu." Wesker's voice returned, addressing the ASIC grunt as his actual name for the first time.

"When heartbroken and emotionally unavailable, you are surprisingly efficient. Kudos to your spontaneous ability, however little you may possess." Complimented the scientist for once.

"I'm very moved, chu." Sarcasm dripped from the rat's voice. "Stop patronizing me and just bring out the next simulation." Growled the mutant as he put his hands in his pocket, trying to forget the expressions of the fake.

"Watch out, T-00. We're dealing with a badass over here!... Get comfortable, rat. Your tests have only begun." Back to business was the motif as Wesker booted up the next simulation.

CHANGE!

The trees came back this time, with the implementation of a more natural setting with green leaves, some trees having futuristic rings around them. Dirt paths and shrubs littered the area as well as a river nearby. The background became dense forestry as a bright and cloudy sky was above them, the sun shining down on the mutant.

LAND!...

Another figure landed on the ground. It was IF, or what appeared to be her. Of course, he held less attachment than he initially did to the Guild Agent.

"You damn rat! You're gonna pay for what you did to Compa!" She barked, which indicated that this may be the first difficulty tweak since the next AI remembered what happened to the last, giving itself a level of adaptation.

STANCE!

"I'm gonna take you in for her murder and we'll get some answers out of you! By the goddesses!" She equipped her Qatars as the girl got into an offensive position.

"If that's what helps you sleep at night." Mused the mutant rodent as he stared her down, a tick mark forming on her forehead as he rolled his eyes.

Knowing that noje of it was real made him as uninterested as can be, especially with Compa's annoying Guild Agent buddy as his next test.

"Note that the difficulty increases with every opponent. Also, the next simulation learns from your previous fight, therefore giving them a level of adaptive learning. Do try to defeat them as you did the last. With the epitome of efficiency." Announced the overseeing individual.

"So, basically just kill them really fast, chu? I got it." He sighed before making a move.

STATIC!

LUNGE!

---

"How long do you think we're gonna be in this cave?" Underling asked, back in her regular clothes.

However, there were a few noticeable differences. Her base physical stats had risen, which propagated a little more definition in her midsection.

Her weapon also changed, moving from a simple bent pipe to a longer version that was not bent as it resembled the make of a certain revolutionary chief. It weighed heavier but had a longer reach, which required some training, which she did.

And her hair remained in the ponytail, but the hood was down to reveal her hair as she looked towards her sister.

"As long as it takes for the rest of them to get here. Magic said to stay put and wait until the others arrived. If we were here, to begin with, we'd simply absorb the Mascot for ourselves and gain its power." Linette explained to the younger sibling.

Speaking of the Mascot, they had it restrained, with several discs designed to siphon its power as it remained silent for the most part, due to its strength being mostly diminished by said discs.

"..." It remained stationary, unmoving as it floated as it barely stayed off the ground, its share energy sapped from its being as the trap was situated at a vantage point in the cave system that was easily observable to those knowledgeable to it.

"Why don't we just absorb it now, though? It's not like anyone's gonna stop us." Opted the younger sister.

"We're saving that for a sticky situation. If we absorb its power now, then we'll be wasting it on absolutely nothing at all, since we don't know how long it would last or what it does specifically." Noted the older sister as she looked towards it.

"Sounds like a bunch of crap." Dismissed the grunt. "I say we take it now!" The thought of an edge in her future missions was enticing.

"You say things that you don't deliver on. Remember the last two Mascots?" Smirked Linette.

"Hey! That's in the past. And besides, that's why I'm gonna absorb it now! Since there's nothing for them to take when WE use it, it sounds golden for a plan." She smiled, proud of her problem-solving skills.

"Which is why it's a contingency, sister. Patience is a virtue, you know." Spoke the hooded elder sister as she looked to her imouto.

"Yeah, but-" Her retort was cut off.

"Damn, all you guys do is talk and plot? How boring." Accelerator made himself known, picking his ear with an uninterested expression as he walked into the cave entrance, his face bored.

"Not everyone is blessed with inconceivable amounts of strength." Linette struggled to maintain eye contact as she looked towards him.

"Well, it's neither my fault you all suck." Drawled the member. "You guys secured the Mascot, or whatever?" He asked.

"Yeah, we did. Where the hell were you?" Linda asked the superior member as she narrowed her eyes at him, suspicion present.

"Is it really your concern. I doubt you'd gain anything from it. Just continue sitting on four ass and doing nothing like a good doorstop." He insulted the two as he looked to turn away.

"Listen, you e-boy! I didn't you existed until a few hours ago, so what gives you the right to act so above us, like we're nothing to you?!" Getting tired of his attitude, the ASIC grunt stood up and shouted at him.

"A lot of things. More than I care to list. But just to name a few, I'm not only the most powerful esper where I hail from but also one of the most mentally gifted. I've only lost a fight once and killed thousands. They call me the one who wields the power of the creator himself. My ability is logically unbeatable in every definition of the sense." Prattled the esper as he had on a goading the entire time.

"So tell me, what's so special about you? What do you bring to the table besides filler space? What makes you an asset. Also, breathing doesn't count." A finger raised in reminding.

"I... I, er..." Linda felt intimidated after he revealed a portion of his resume, not expecting someone so unassuming to be so powerful.

She soon lost the wind behind her sails in terms of how to respond to him after hearing the reputation she was going up against.

Looking to her sister, who was sweating at the information presented, Linda realized why she acted in such a way to prevent inciting his anger in any way or shape.

The elder sibling tried to signal not making the situation worse than it already was by shaking her head, but her action was ignored.

Because this was the type of power that she was talking about back in her quarters.

"I got heart! Even if I'm not as strong, or not as smart, or not as experienced, I have the will to get stronger! And that's way more than someone who does nothing but lazes around and acts like he's better than everyone." Underling gave her reason, having to scrape by with something non-physical to give her reply a chance of being taken seriously.

A dull glare was his response.

'Crap. She's in for it, now...!' Linette was fearing for the worst, remembering what happened to the goons.

"You really are stupid, aren't you?" A question was asked an amused smile crept onto the lips of the touted esper.

"If you really think all it takes is some heart and believing in yourself to reach where I'm at, you'll never reach even the shadow behind where I stand." He laughed.

"What, you were just born like that, then?" Her face became filled with scrutiny.

"Pfft. Of course. Hard work could never reach where I lie. Only the desperate and the ignorant believe in such clichés." Some condescendence found its way into his voice as he continued.

"Same goes for you. Just a girl that thinks she's more important than she actually is. Learn your place before I put you in it, grunt." Accelerator warned before turning around and walking away.

SPRINT!

Until a random grunt ran into the cave as he was leaving.

"Intruders! They're trying to breach the entrance!" She shouted, her demeanor hyper. "Did you guys secure the Mascot?" She inquired hurriedly.

"Yep." Linette pointed. "Who's fighting them currently?" She asked as Accelerator turned to the goon, same with Underling.

"Some girls. I don't know where they're from or who they're for, but they're battling the guards at the front." She explained.

"Oh. Then we should be fine. Those guys are something else, seriously." Linette relaxed, shuddering at their prowess.

"I'm gonna go check it out." Linda opted. "Beats sitting on my ass and doing nothing anyway." She decided as she walked towards the cave exit.

"Hold up. Stay back, Linda." Her sister called out.

"What? No way. I'm going out there." She refused.

"I have something important to show you. I promise it won't be a waste of your time." Linette told her sibling, sincerity in her voice.

"...Fine. This better be good or I'm bonking you." She warned as the white-haired boy laughed.

"You talk about heart, yet can't even show face. What a joke." Jabbed the esper, getting a growl from the younger sister.

"But that fight seems interesting. Doubt it'll be worth my time, though." Accelerator commented before walking away.

"I'll go warn those who don't know!" The grunt went to alert her colleagues as she too got out of the cave.

After it was said and done, only the two siblings remained in the cave.

"All by myself~..."

The elder sibling sang, before walking to an open space in the cave.

"You're not even... Whatever." Linda dismissed her sister's zany singing.

LIGHT!

PROJECT!

"Might as well make ourselves useful." She decided to do something productive as she used her power to send a projection of light, which created an area that showed a flatscreen-like image of the entrance of the cave system.

"Woah..." Underling was in shock. It showed a 8K UHD surround sound 16 Gigs RAM, HDR GEFORCE RTX, TI-80 Texas Insturments, Triple A Duracell Battery Ultrapower100 Cargador Compatible iPhone 1A 5 W 1400 Cable 100% 1 Metro Blanco Compatible iPhone 5 5 C 5S 6 SE 6S 7 8 X XR XS XS MAX GoPro hero 1 2 terrabyte xbox series x Dell UltraSharp 49 Curved Monitor – U4919DW Sony HDC-3300R 2/3″ CCD HD Super Motion Color Camera, 1080p Resolution Toshiba EM131A5C-SS Microwave Oven with Smart Sensor, Easy Clean Interior, ECO Mode and Sound On/Off, 1.2 Cu. ft, Stainless Steel HP LaserJet Pro M404n Monochrome Laser Printer with Built-in Ethernet (W1A52A) GE Voluson E10 Ultrasound Machine LG 23 Cu. Ft. Smart Wi-Fi Enabled InstaView Door-in-Door Counter-Depth Refrigerator with Craft Ice Maker GFW850SPNRS GE 28″ Front Load Steam Washer 5.0 Cu. Ft. with SmartDispense, WiFi, OdorBlock and Sanitize and Allergen – Royal Sapphire Kohler K-3589 Cimarron Comfort Height Two-Piece Elongated 1.6 GPF Toilet with AquaPiston Flush Technology., Quick Charge 30W Cargador 3.0 Cargador de Viaje Enchufe Cargador USB Carga Rápida con 3 Puertos carga rápida Adaptador de Corriente para iPhone x 8 7 Xiaomi Pocophone F1 Mix 3 A1 Samsung S10 S9 S8AUKEY Quick Charge 3.0 Cargador de Pared 39W Dual Puerto Cargador Móvil para Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8/ Note 8, iPhone XS / XS Max / XR, iPad Pro / Air, HTC 10, LG G5 / G6 AUKEY Quick Charge 3.0 Cargador USB 60W 6 Puerto Cargador Móvil para Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8 / Note 8, LG G5 / G6, Nexus 5X / 6P, HTC 10 Camera resolution of the current scuffle going on, albeit no sound was being played.

"This is what I wanted to show you. A strong heart needs a sharp mind. And knowing is half the battle. So let's take a look at what's going on right now." Linette motioned as the two green-haired sisters observed the fight at hand.

The image currently showed a blue-haired superheroine and a redhead soldier going head to head with a swordsman and a gunslinger.

"Hey, it's that broad!" Linda's eyes widened as she became invested immediately, spotting Nisa.

"And they're fighting codenames SMITH and WESSON. Those two held their own against CFW Judge so I wouldn't their battle an easy one." Linette spouted some info.

"Really!? Then why haven't I heard of them before? Judge's no joke!..." Shuddered the younger sister, remembering the last time she met the hulking robot.

"If I had a dollar for every time you didn't know someone because you were too busy being bottom-tier, I'd be loaded." Joked the sister as a vein formed on her sister's forehead.

"Shaddap already! Let's just watch. You said these guys were good, so let's see if you're right." Huffed the tomboy.

"Those girls are in for it now. They best be prepared for what they're facing now, let alone what lies in this cave." Foreshadowed Linette as the two spectated in silence, gaining information on their opponents.

---

A/N:

Welcome back, readers!

Another chapter finished, and another step to ending the arc we take.

As we thicken the plot of the Leanbox Arc, I'm sure you've noticed some characters being dramatically changed or added into the mix, some even developing throughout the last chapter or two.

These events are to enrich the characters to give them a sense of development to those that may not have had that chance in the canon continuity. Not that they were bad per se, but rather that their characters could be expanded upon, and this point would be a good place to start.

Meanwhile, others such as our heroes can act as their foils and obstacles to give a challenge, the same way ASIC does to them in a cycle of padded-out and balanced character development. Since the OCs and main cast get some, I figured some villains could get the same luxury.

With that, I want to thank you all for reading my story. I put effort into each one I make and enjoy the continuous support (Even if no one comments that much.) And with today being its anniversary, I mean that with even more sincerity. So thank you, guys.

But alas, I am grateful for the continuous support. Make sure to tune in for the next chapter.

Arrivederci.

Read and Review!