UKMC-Akima/Mashiro Arc Part 6 (Finale)

SSS 11th branch, Under TW-1/Yotsubishi Heavy Industry Eastern Branch
Breaking into the containment chamber, the Fengese-SSS3B agents were stunned at the scenery of the beautiful anomalous light emitting blood red stone.
“That’s… the legendar-”
Fengese agent Mingyu muttered but she was quickly interrupted by an alarm.
“Great. Now what.”
Mingyu asked, slightly frustrated by their failures to intrude without trigger any alarm.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Graf took the lead and charges toward the stone as he fires at the CCTV.
“We take the stone and get out here?”
Zhengzhu asks sarcastically as she follows.
“Mingyu! Lianxin! Don’t let anyone of those sentries enter!”
“Roger!”
Guarding the entrance with heavy fire as the other two arrives at the transparent container.
Zhengzhu tries breaking it by smashing it, however it still held together fine.
“That thing is transparent aluminium… stand back-”
Before the old man finishes, he fired at the container several times, making a circular shape, kicking down the isolated piece, creating a hole. At the same time, Zhengzhu quickly took out a metallic briefcase, and a tong.
Carefully clipping the tong onto the crystal.
“Careful now.”
Graf advised her. Making Zhengzhu slightly nervous.

“Mingyu! There’s one at 9 o’clock!”
Lianxin warned her teammate as a Ravager-Class Aragami sentry is crawling, and closing in like a spider..
Mingyu quickly let herself fall backwards and retreat into the chamber before the Ravager-Class’s claws could reach her.
“You escaped death, girl.”
The old man said as he fired right at the Ravager-Class’s cold white mask, shattering it, disabling its main sensors.
Mingyu then fires at the mainframe, destroying it.
“Got the stone?”
She asks Zhengzhu who was now holding onto the briefcase, standing behind her.
“Of course!”

Making their way back to the elevators, a whole division Aragami sentries were destroyed, mountains of shattered mechanical humanoid parts were everywhere.
At the middle of the room, a young girl with blood flowing down her face was sitting on top of a unit with a fading light in its eyes.
She kept stabbing at the unit’s armor, little bit and little bit, the armor was chipped away by her baynote on her rifle.
As the last of her wound healed, she finally snapped the armor, pulling the trigger while it was stuck inside. She did not blink, nor hesitate. The last unit was destroyed.
However she didn’t stop, as if she was on autopilot.
“Tatiana! Hey!”
Graf called out to her, but she didn’t hear. She was too focused on her given mission.
“That’s enough, it’s already dead.”
Graf quickly walked over to Tatiana and stopped her continuous stabbing on the Aragami sentry.
However she was still obsessed with her world, paid no attention to her surroundings.
There wasn’t any feeling of guilt, responsibility, nor hatred. It was simply her duty. That is right, it’s her duty.
“Tatiana!”
Graf shouted as he embraces her.
“It’s ok now. Don’t think about it.”
In Graf’s embrace, she turned her focus to the piles of mechanical parts everywhere, from the units she single handedly destroyed.
Looking at the ravager’s sensory eyes.
‘Am I…. different?’
She thought, confused.
She and ‘them’ were made for the same purpose. Can be recreated and mass produced.
But why? Why is this old man spending so much time taking care of her? Is it because she is the last of her kind? Was it an order to protect her? No. It couldn't be. Having a human protecting a bio-sentry is illogical and impractical. Why? Why? Is it because she looked humanoid? Null, Ravagers are humanoid.
System Error.
Warning, amygdala defect defected.
Reset? <y/n>
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“It’s warm.”
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n |

The first thing she heard after returning from her processing unit, Graf was carrying her on his back as the five enters the elevator.
Mingyu and Zhengzhu kept spraying to keep the incoing the Aragami units while Lianxin closes the door.
The door closes as everyone lowers their weapons and sighed.
“We made it. Somehow.”
Mingyu said, sitting on the ground as the elevator ascends.
Tatiana cleans her blood covered face with her sleeves, the three Fengese agent were still speechless, seeing the child soldier in her monstrous self.

SSS 11th branch, Ballroom, TW-1/Yotsubishi Heavy Industry Eastern Branch
“Good job on distracting em”
Akima complimented Hijikata as the await the rest of the team’s return.
The party resumed as if nothing had happened. The blackout distraction the two had caused seems to be treated as a generator malfunction.
“It’s should be about time-”
“Aren’t you Akima Koutetsujou?”
Akima muttered but he was interrupted by a voice of a middle age woman standing beside him.
It was Soua Lam, the director of the 11th Branch, the final boss!
Goddamnit, why do you have to appear now!?
Akima thought, while keeping a smile as he greeted her.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you ma'am.”
The two starts an awkward frenemy conversation as Hijikata quietly moves away.
“I see that the 1st has issued an order to send forces to investigate the Sebastijan empire.”
“Is that so ma’m?”
Pretending he didn’t know about the letter he gave Edward earlier to handover to Miss Lam.
“Don’t you think it’s strange? Mr Koutetsujou?”
“Why is that? Ma’m?”
“The only DDH we have, URN Graf Zeppelin has been sent to Wasari, leaving the newly constructed facility defendless?”
At this point, Akima knew Miss Lam is just toying with him, she is aware of his plans.
“I’m sure those Ashigara-class is capable of defending this place… Miss Lam.”
Trying his best to extend the conversation, In his head, he hoped Graf and the Fengese team would be back now. He can’t hold this conversation any longer.
“If you say so, Mr Koutetsujou. Since you’re the navy’s second in command.”
The director smiled.
“Please to praise me, ma’m..haha-”
“However-”
“Eek”
“However, Mr Koutetsujou, I’ve heard of a submarine…”
At this moment, Akima knew, he screwed up. The United Kingdom did not have any modern submarines. However, there is one exception.
“Does the project named Colossus, ring a bell? Mr Koutetsujou?”
“Pardon?”
The show must go on, Akima kept pretending to be innocent.
“Oh? Hasn’t Inaban told you? The 13 Colossus?”
“Ma’m I have no idea what you’re-”
Before Akima could finish it, The director pulled out her c96 pointing at Akima secretly.
“Let’s stop this act of yours. Your acting is as bad as ever, my boy-”
A shot was fired, it wasn’t from the director. The hall was stunned by the loud gun fire.
Akima slowly turned at his back, Tatiana fired, from the emergency exit.
“Now she’ve done it.”
Hijikata sighed, looking at the scene from a distance.
Taking this chance, Akima quickly knocked the gun off the director’s hand.
“So you’re after the red stone? Even though it’s against foundation regulation?”
The director asks, as the disguised guards open fired at the Graf’s team.
“Just trying to save my boss and the world here.”
Akima took out his pistol pointed at the director as he retreated to regroup with the rest.

“Now what!?”
Lianxin shouted as she takes cover behind a column.
“Yeah kid! How are we supposed to get off this artificial platform? It’s a goddamn fort!”
Graf asks Akima, as Tatiana threw away her G36.
“Out of ammo.”
She reported.
“No worries, old man. We’ve got uber.”
Akima responded, breaking the window.
“This way!”
“Are you crazy!?”
Zhengzhu shouted, looking at Akima standing on the window frame about to slide down into the sea.
“Come with me if you want to find out!”
Just like that Akima jumped out the window and slides down the dome of TW-1, leading to the sea.
“This is the last time I’m taking order from the navy! You’re all idiots.”
Graf quickly picked up Tatiana and jumped out the window.
Leaving behind Hijikata and the three Fengese agent.
“Well.”
“...”
Moments later all four of them jumped.

Back in the ballroom, the guards quickly approaches the director.
Checking on her wound on her hand as they report the situation to her.
“Why don’t we give them some fun? Deploy the Ashigara-Class destroyers! Prepare anti-submarine warfare! Turn them to scrap.”
“Roger!”
“Haha, Akima… hide and seek huh?”

Three Ashigara-Class destroyers were quickly mobilizated, turning on their search lights.
“Sir! Unregister submarine detected on radar!”
“The lady said turn them into scrap.”
“Roger!”
Missiles were then fired from the destroyers targeting the unregister submarine.
Moments later, several surface-to-air missile emerged from water, intercepting them.
“Sir! They were inter-”
Before the rader office could report, the unregister submarine was changed to [Allied] on their systems.
“Captain! The unregistered ship is being listed as [Allied]! They’ve overwritten our system!”
“No..”
The strange shaped submarine surfaces. She was bigger than anything in the United Kingdom database. The design terrified TW-1’s forces. Shaped like a starving whale with the wings of a stingray. No matter how one looks at her, she was not built conventional use.
She was built for a specific purpose.
A hatch of a small bump has opened, a AGS-X could be seen.
Before the TW-1 forces could react, the colossus fired. Destroying and snapping the ship’s radio tower as a warning.

The director took a good look at the unregistered submarine from the ballroom.
“Gaghiel…So that’s her name, Colossus Gaghiel.”
She muttered as she watches the monster submerges.

Peninsula Hotel, Colonial Hong Kong, United Kingdom
Following Graf, Tatiana and Hijikata, the three Fengese agents walked into the hotel lobby.
Far from the luxurious place they expected.
It was an old apartment refit for a hotel. A perfect hideout.
“That’s some interesting choice you people got here…”
Zhengzhu said as she inspect the rusty the handrail built into the walls.

The moment the door was opened, Okita who was left behind to take care of Inaban inside the hotel room took aim at the group.
“You bloody scared me!”
Akima complained, who happens to be the one to open the door.
“I thought we’ve agreed on a password?”
Okita questions Akima as he lowers his rifle.
“And, Akima, who are these people?”
“They’re Mingyu, Zhengzhu, and Lianxin, Fengese intelligence. Okita.”
Graf answered for him.

Putting the briefcase on the table, Zhengzhu then unlocked it, a bright red stone could be seen.
“So that’s the thing the foundation retrieved from the wealther’s blacksite?”
Okita asked, taking a closer look.
“Let’s get the operation started.”
Akima ordered as he walks over to Inaban room.
“Wait- What!? What do you mean!? How do you like- use this piece of rock!?”
Hijikata asked, very confused.
“Ask those three over there, if anyone, it’s them.”
Akima replied before entering the room.

The situation was worse than he imagined. Heartbreaking, almost.
Tissue covered in blood was everywhere in the room.
Upon hearing footsteps, Inaban, opens her eyes, turning her pale face dooring the source..
“First Officer Koutetsujou Akima, reporting for duty.”
Akima said as he sits next to her.
“It seems you’ve made it back, idiot.”
She replied in a weak voice with a smile.
“Obviously!”
Akima replied, then reached out for her cold hands.

Carefully laying Inaban down on the sofa, the group prepares for the operation.
A strange lens prepared by Mingyu on the table, in front of the red stone. Focusing the reflecting light onto Inaban.
“In theory, this minimal setup should be able to draw out the power within the legendary crystal.”
Mingyu explained, as she checks her notes on her phone.
“Great, in theory.”
Hijikata muttered, scratching his head.
“Well, what did you expect, these are mythical entities.”
Lianxin said to Hijikata, slightly frustrated by his attitude.
“What is the rate of success?”
Akima asked the expert as he walks over to the Inaban once more.
“We don’t know.”
Lianxin replied.
“...”
The room was silent for a moment until Inaban resumed the conversation.
“Why the long face? Raise your heads.”
She said as she smiles.
“But, Inaban-”
“There’s no but, Akima… haha”
Keeping her optimistic views, as always.
“Are you crying?”
She asks Akima, seeing his teary eyes.
“No. Something went into my eyes. You’re crying!”
He lied, rubbing his eyes.

Tatiana watches the two closely and curiously.
There are so many things she still have yet to understand. Why are the two of them crying? They’re not in any form of physical pain. Why is everyone staying so quiet?
Why?

“I have something to tell you-”
Akima whispered to Inaban lying on the sofa, he was interrupted by Mingyu, who was resumed reading her notes.

“The legend as it, using the stone, comes with a cost. The user will be corrupted and fall into madness.”
Mingyu finishes reading her note in depressing tone.
Graf turned away to look at the wall in frustration.
Okita and Hijikata looked at each other.
“In order words, it’s a trade.”
Lianxin commented.
“There’s no such thing as creating something out of nothingness, even the legendary ruby is also bounded such law of the natural world….”
She added, turning away from the group, facing the window.

“Nevermind that.”
Akima said to Inaban, he then immediately stood up and walked away from the sofa.
“I’ll do it.”
He volunteered.
“What are you saying? Akima?”
Inaban called, having difficulty breathing.
“Stop being so selfish! How do you think I could possibility continue living knowing that you traded your life in return for mine!”
Inaban forcefully lift herself up from the sofa, shouting at Akima.
“Yes. It is selfish, but I want you to live.”
“What are you saying!? Idiot!”
She reached her hand to Akima’s, holding onto him tight, preventing him from reaching the setup and the stone.
“Akima, no dead can take responsibility. You’ll leave a burden behind for her.”
Graf spoke, joining the drama.
“What am I supposed to do then, old man!?”

Tatiana look at the group arguing, she herself is confused by the situation.
Why are they arguing? Why won’t she accept to be saved, to prolong her life?
I don’t get it. Pride? Shame? Responsibility? I don’t get it.
I don’t get it-.
…-
Ah, I see...
(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxsgYQouHiA)
Tatiana taps on Mingyu’s opposite shoulder, distracting her as she pickpocket her the Fengese’s phone.
Scrolling through the notes as she approaches the device on the table.

“Tatiana?”
Zhengzhu called in a faint voice, which caught Lianxin’s attention, causing her to turn her focus away from the window and back into the room.
“Girl, what are you…”
Akima muttered after he notice Tatiana’s approach to the table.
Before he realizes, he start to lose balance. A moment later, intense pain could be felt from his leg.
Tatiana shot him.
“What is the meaning of th-”
Zhengzhu shouted as she tried to grab her pistol for countermeasures, however she was not fast enough. The pistol was shot and drop from her hand.
“Tatiana! That’s eno-”
Graf called out to her, but he was also shot by Tatiana on his leg.
Her eyes were cold, and empty, as if one could be sucked inside the void of her iris.
Hijikata and Okita approaches from behind trying to stop her rampage, they ultimately fail when they trip on a wire Tatiana setup.
“When did she!?”
Okita muttered just before his face hit the ground.
“What is going on!?”
Mingyu asks the special United Kingdom task force.
Before she knew it, Tatiana pointed her pistol at her.
“Do not interfere, outsider.”
The child soldier said in a cold robotic tone, which startled Mingyu and Lianxin.
“Taitana! Why are you doing this!?”
Inaban asks, holding onto the sofa, barely standing in place due to her constantly weakening body.
Tatiana did not respond, she took out an injection round and shot it at Inaban instead, paralyzing her.
Akima watches in horror as Inaban collapse onto the sofa, forcing himself to stand, the moment he stood, he was shot again on the other leg by Taitana.
“Stay still.”
Tatiana ordered. The group were frustrated and felt betrayed.
Ignoring them shouting at her, Tatiana takes her time and walks over to the table with the device.

“Why is she acting like this!?”
Akima asks Graf as he tries to reach for the pistol on Graf’s back.
“This is the first time-”
Before the old man could respond, Tatiana placed her hand onto the stone, adjusting the reflection angle toward the focus lens, which directs to Inaban.

At that moment the entire room was speechless, they’ve realized her intentions.
“Wait! Don’t!”
Graf shouted desperately trying to stop her.
A red barrier surrounding Tatiana and the device suddenly appeared from the ground as the crystal glows in the device, redirecting a bright sinful red light to the lens then reaching Inaban.
Mingyu rushed over trying to stop her, however she was blocked by the barrier.
Taking out her pistol, firing at the barrier. It was no use, the barrier is not of this world.

“Tatiana! You don’t have to do this! It should’ve been me!”
Akima cried, begging for her to stop the process.
At the same time, a dark aura began to surround selfless child soldier. The dark aura were then began to be absorbed into the crystal as the light shines ever brighter.

“Mission clarification. It is my duty to protect this nation’s future. End.”
Tatiana spoke without moving an inch, reporting as a machine.
“That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard! Stop clarifying this and that, like an Aragami unit!”
Akima shouted furiously.
“Action clarification, the current United Kingdom is in ruins, according to ATHENA the Admir-”
“Athena system this, Athena system that, I’m talking to you!”
“System to Akima Koutetsujou-”
“Tatiana!”
Graf called, interrupting the two’s conversations.
“You’re pretending aren’t you?”
Graf asks as he stood up, holding onto the wall. For just an instant, Akima saw her loses focus as the dark aura grew denser.
“System to Graf Hawk…”
Even she herself didn’t realize, she fails to answer in her system voice.
Trying to analyze the situation with the internal system, but she fails to do so, as it begins to malfunction. Her always empty eyes are now filled with life.

[PGRIOS-C53 V1.6] Force Restart..\
[PGRIOS-C53 V1.6] Checking update
[PGRIOS-C53 V1.6] Last update: 1998/8/9
[PGRIOS-C53 V1.6] Loading Humanity_Suppression.pkg...0%
[PGRIOS-C53 V1.6] UNKNOWN_ERROR… Retry?[y/n]

“Tatiana…”
Graf called once more, now right outside the barrier, behind her.

[PGRIOS-C53 V1.6] UNKNOWN_ERROR… Retry?[y/n]
[PGRIOS-C53 V1.6] UNKNOWN_ERROR… Retry?[y/n]
[PGRIOS-C53 V1.6] UNKNOWN_ERROR… Retry?[y/n]
[PGRIOS-C53 V1.6] UNKNOWN_ERROR… Retry?[y/n]
[PGRI53-A_TATIANA] FATAL ERROR
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<Emotion-in-Text Markup Language:version=1.6:encoding=EMO-2020161?>
<DOCTYPE etml PUBLIC :-//SSSC//PGRIOS ETML 1.6 transitional//DE>
<etml:lang=ja>
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Graf…
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Tatiana spoke, unlike her usual emotionless mechanical tone. Her voice was soft, and shaken up as tears builds up in her eye.
Pretending to be emotionless mechanism under the influence of the ATHENA system to save the admiral, putting all the blame on the system, so no one would feel guilty for her sacrifice.
That was what she planned, but seems like her closest one does know her.
“In order to gain something, something must be lost in return, Graf.”
She said quietly as the dark aura around her inside the barrier grew even denser, covering her lower half.
“Tatiana.. You don’t ha-”
“Its my decision.”
Tatiana turns her head to Graf and Akima and softly declared.
“It is my decision, not anyone’s, not the system’s, it’s mine alone.”
She declared with a smile.
“Why? Why does it have to be you!?”
Graf cried, now on his knees desperately wanting to stop her sacrifice.
Tatiana turned over to her supervisor and guardian, despite no touching the stone, the process is still being carried on autonomously.
“Father.”
She smiled as she called in a comforting voice. Shocking the scene all at once.
“Tatiana, I’m not yo-”
“As a clone, that’s how I see you.”
“Tatiana.. I- I..”
The two faces each other on different sides of the barrier, they were only an inch away, yet so far apart.
“Father, just like Dr Simon Mendelson said, this plague called human emotion will cloud and slow down decisions…. Yet… why… is it so beautiful? I can’t seem to control these… tears. Haha…. I’ve become weak haven’t I?”
Tatiana said quietly to Graf.
“...Tatiana, emotion will cloud one’s judgement and delay decisions without a doubt. Fear, hatred, sorrow, shame, pride… yes, we’re weak, and so? We will make mistakes, we’re not machines”
“... Father… you see… I’ve been thinking back there… am I any different from an Aragami sentry. I’ve been indiscriminately killing too many under the system… just like them. I’m scared of myself.”
“Tatiana…”
“Saving someone else means saving yourself...”
Tatiana said, just as the dark aura increase greatly, covering her shoulders.
“… so please, allow me to fulfill this selfish… Father.”
Tatiana said in a broken voice, she then turns back to the device.
“No.. no.. wait!”
Graf cried, trying to break the barrier.
“Take care, big sis(original).”
She said to Inaban, before a bright light from the crystal engulfs the room.

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Thank you.
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Thinking back on what happened down there, floors below. How Hyuuga died, and her last moments before she was dragged away by some monstrocity. What could’ve happened to her after she was dragged away? Those unsettling sounds and disturbing screams haunts him.
When he rushed out to save the specimen girl, he was sure he was done for as a spear shaped rapidly changing biomass was reaching for them, yet something happened, the spear was destroyed in midair. A miracle, maybe he could’ve traded places with Hyuuga for the Sphinx division, she is a much more capable person than he is.

“Mr?”
The specimen spoke quietly, without looking at him in the face. Probably still deciding on whether these people are trustworthy as she hides her tail.
“Yea?”
Sakamoto respond, slightly surprised, this is the first time she directly started a conversation with any of the Sphinx expedition division.
“Thank kyu.. Ver saving me back there…”
“Oh… umm… it.. Umm… you better not wander off on your own, its for your own safety.”
He awkwardly said, checking on his rifle.
“Marissa.”
“Huh?”
“That’s my name. Marissa. PGRI-044-21”
She quietly introduces herself, showing her bracelet identity code.
“Umm… I’m Sakamoto Ryoma.”
“Nyoma?”
“Ryoma”

“This thing won’t move at all.”
Konan complained, interrupting the two’s conversion.
“Should we try using explosives?”
Khaito suggested, looking at his dynamite.
“Oh hell no, I don’t want to wake up what behemoth down there.”
Konan responded, strongly showing disagreement on the use of explosives, as he exposes his fear.
“Ok now, will you two-”
Just as Hans tries to calm the two down, two streams of light could be felt from the door, moments later the door opened from the otherside.
Kahito quickly reached for his rifle and pointed at the light source, Hans followed.
“That’s rather disappointed, I was expecting our major to be better than this.”
“Respect your elders, Kahito.”

The door is now wide open, two wounded, soldiers of unknown nationality could be seen standing on the other side.
“Who the heck are you guys.”
Hans asked the two wounded soldiers, who are now putting their hands up, surrendering to the Sphinx.
As Hans and Kahito kept their rifles aiming at the two, Konan went and unarmed the two. He then caught a glimpse of an insignia of a serpent on their armbands.
“These idiots are serps.”

Even after explaining their situation, they’ve somehow manage to get the Sphinx division to believe what happened, since they’ve met the same anomaly.
“In other words, one of your men, Torescu ran off and locked both of you in?”
“That is correct.”
Lieutenant Blaney explained.
“You two serps knows that if your men didn’t come here in the first place, we wouldn’t be here right now, we would be having a drink back in Hexagon.”
Konan blames the serps for starting all this.
“Oh well? If is wasn’t for you Miotians who denied war crimes and inhumane experiments back in the 40s, this place would’ve been cleaned up by now in the 21st century, barbarians.”
Feroscu shouted at Konan, before getting kicked by him.
“Know your places, serps.”
“Cut it Konan, we need corporate if we want to get out of this place alive, our mission is to bring back the serp special operates, remember?”
Hans dragged Konan away from Feroscu.
“Fine.”

Since the exit to the surface is locked, the operatives had to search for another staircase to head back down to the bottom floor. The one they came from is believed to be occupied by the eldritch horror they encountered earlier.
Khaito and Blaney discovered an elevator shaft, however the heavy metallic doors were well sealed.
“Should we try blowing it up?”
Konan suggested blowing stuff up again, however Hans doubt the doors could be destroyed by the explosives they have easily.

Marissa was given a flashlight by Sakamoto, after she insisted on helping them.
“So your speech capabilities slowly returned?”
Sakamoto asked the girl as he scrapes off inactive biological material on the wall, trying to get a clear view of the map.
“Nya… Nye….Nii…Nou…. Nu….- Nya think sou... “
She replied as she provide light for Sakamoto.
Removing the last chunk of dried flesh, the map was complete. Sakamoto quickly notices there’s a generator on the other end of this floor.
“Guys!”
As Sakamoto calls the rest of the operatives to gather and discuss his plan, Marissa felt a strange vibration on the floor, it was similar to a heart beat.
Marissa looks into the void, to the otherside of the pitch black hallway.
For a second, she thought a girl in white was standing there.
“Marissa? Is there something wrong?”
Sakamoto called after seeing her staring into the void.
“Nyothing..”

The group slowly advances to the generator room, nothing seems out of place so far. Everyone seems to have gotten used to the rotten and gastric smell coming from the inactive biomass covering the layer.
“Come to think of it, Marissa… you’ve been holding onto those ID bracelets for quite sometime now. Do you know their owners?”
Sakamoto asked after noticing her constantly looking at them.
“Yes.. They belong to miya friends… in the orphanage down below.”
“Where we came from?”
“Nyot excatly. However it’s in the same floor… Mr, We’re going back down there right? Do you think they’re somewher-”
“The year is 2020, this facility has been abandoned for 21 years now, you survived because one of the scientists put you in coldsleep inside a vault.”
Before Marissa could express her optimistic views on the chance of surviving children, Kahito cut her off.
Her mutated feline ears lowers, staying silent after hearing Kahito’s harsh fact.
“Come to think of it… who is this Akko you’ve repeatedly mention about?”
Sakamoto asked, trying to change the topic.
“Akko, is cool. Akko is miya best friend, she always pulls pranks on the doctors. Causing trouble, etc… Akko is like the leader of the orphanage, she never cries, she is like a big sis to everyone.”
Changing the topic somehow cheered her up.
“That’s right! We had a birthday party… and then… eh? I can’t seem to remember…”
“That’s fine, don’t try too hard on it kid.”
Hans commented with a smile as he keep his rifle forward, leading the group.
“That’s strange… the doctors were preparing for the party… and then… we went out to the hallway.. And then… eh?”
Trying to remember what happened on January 4th 1999, however her memories seems to be incomplete.
“The hallway… and then… a new kid with Dr Reinhold..? No we were in the room the whole time… Akko even made her wish…”
Same time, however, two events overlap each other in her memories.
“If that’s the case… when did the hallway one happened….”

“We should sing happy birthday together!”
Luka, one of her friends suggested.
“Sing?”
Zinozaki asked as she seems very confused, a new kid Dr Reinhold brought to visit the facility that day, she seems to be covered in scars and wounds.
“That’s right, Shinozaki, the birthday song.”
Himeko, one of Marissa’s friends replied kindly.
-
“Happy birthday Akko, go ahead and make your wish.”
One of the doctors said with a gentle smile.
“I wish-”

What did she wish for? Why can’t I remember anything beyond this point?

Dr Reinhold is now seen carrying Zinozaki covered in wounds running away from her.
However, Marissa’s point of view is now on the ground.

Why was I on the ground? Which one comes first?

“Marissa!”
Sakamoto called, notifying her that they’re at the generator room.
“Are you ok? You were spaced out.”
“Ummm… Nyeah… just a little tired.”

The moment the door was opened, a strong wave of wind rushed inside the room, the air pressure inside was clearly different. The generator room was surprisingly clean compared to the rest of the facility. Dust were the only thing that covered the machines, strange. Brushing the dust off the controls, a mechanical keyboard could be seen.
“That’s definitely something you don’t see everyday…”
Konan said as he shined his flashlight to the levers on the side.
“Kids these days…”
Hans sighed as he walks over to generator unit.
“These things are over 20 years old, are sure they’re gonna work?”
Kahito asked, standing next to his boss.
“I don’t know, but they don’t look too rusty to me.”
“Tell me this won’t blow up.”
Feroscu said nervously as he puts a lamp on the floor.
“There’s no other way, Feroscu.”
Blaney silenced him, as Feroscu turns on the lamp.
The bright light shines and reflect from the smooth walls to every part of the room. As if it was a portable sun.
After a long journey in the dark, the lamp reminds them of the surface.
“It’s beautiful.”
Marissa muttered as she stares into the bright light. Even though it merely a rusty lamp, to her it was as bright as the sun she last remembered.

“3.. 2.. 1... “
Kahito turned on the switch as the aged generators slowly begins to move.
“It worked?”
Just as Konan commented on the generators. Two out of three of the generators died as a breakdown warning light was automatically turned on.
Moments later, the lights of the room and the hallway was turned on.
A bright red glow could be seen coming from the hallway due to the flesh covering the lights.
“Alright people, we need to be quick! Get back to the damn door before this last one breaks!”
Kahito shouted as he checks the status of the generator.
“You heard him! Move it, before that thing detects us!”
Hans ordered as the rest of the team began to assemble at the door.
Sakamoto and Marissa got up and started walking toward the door where the rest of the group were. However, the moment she gets up, a painful headache could be felt as her vision blurs.
Looking at the door, there was something else out there, not the serps nor the SSS.
It the familiar girl in white again, looking back at Marissa with a smile. However that smile slowly turns into a rather sinister one as her white dress slowly taints to red along with her legs.
“Akko?”
She called quietly, remembering the promise they made before she was put into cold sleep. The promise to find each other once they are awake.
That flashback was quickly interrupted when Feroscu fired at it. This time, it wasn’t a hallucination, there was something actually there. The bullet puts a hole into the mysterious figure’s body, however it quickly grew and regenerated the wound.
Before anyone could realize it, Feroscu was laying on the ground in a pile of his own blood with a fleshy root connected to his wound back to the figure.
Hans seems to shouting something as he takes aim, however the situation was too sudden and shocking to be able to hear his words, Marissa turns away from Feroscu’s lifeless body, back to the figure that resembles her friend, Akko. The figure’s expression never changed, it was still smiling at her. The longer she looks at it, the more uneasy she felt.
Sakamoto and the others were already firing at it, every felt so slowly to Marissa as she continues to stare at the mysterious figure. One by one, operatives were killed by its mutated extensions, the screams did not bother her at all. All she cares about is what’s in front of her. The more she thinks about it, the stranger it seems. Could all this have been a bad dream? The reality must be ‘that’ which is waiting in front of her. Slowly walking toward the figure, Sakamoto taking cover on the ground called out to her, however she wasn’t able to hear it, she was too focused in her own world.
She fails to notice how Hans was killed nor how Feroscu cries after losing both of his legs. To her this is all too horrifying to real. To her, a 21 year timeskip seems too absurd to be real. She, her friends and the doctors were only in the party an hour ago.
“Marissa!”
Sakamoto shouted, he grabbed onto her leg from the ground as he covers his wound on his shoulder. Waking up from her delusional thoughts, as splatter of fluids spilled onto her cheek.
A sharp spear like mass passed by her eye before she could react, hurting her mutated feline ear. Pain could only be felt moments later.
“It hurts.”
She cried, covering her ear as she leaned onto the generator. The moment, the figure stopped the attack, all the biological mass in the room stopped moving and dries up quickly. Noticing the unusual behavior of the mass, Marissa raise her head and look back at the figure, the replica of her friend. The Replica was no longer smiling, if anything, it was as if the replica was feeling sorrow.
The replica slowly melts into the biomass on the floor of the hallway.
“Wait!”
Marissa called as her vision somehow starting to blur out, perhaps an infection from the attack.
“Marissa!”

Before Marissa realizes it, she was standing in a clean bright hallway, with monitors displaying the surface on the sides. Crayon drawings on the side of the walls. Doctors with blurry faces were passing by, as if her existence was ignored.
“This is…”
Noticing a display nearby, she decides to walk over it.
It was a news broadcast about the upcoming election, they seem to call it the first step of democraziation. The election was the first Chancellor Fuhrer for the United Kingdom.
The date is Jan 4th 1999.
“I knew it, it has to be a dream-”
Just before she could finish, she realizes the blood stain on her face was still there from the reflection of the display.
“I guess not.”
Turning away from the display, three girls slightly younger than her passed by, they seemed to be playing tag.
“Let’s race to the party room!”
One of them shouted energetically.
“There’s no way I’m gonna lose, Akko!”
Another one response.
“Sigh… Wait!”
The last one with who had feline features, failing to catch up.
There was no doubt, she was viewing the past from a third person perspective.
“Hey now! No running in the hallway.”
A familiar voice said.
Turning on the opposite side of the hallway, Dr. Reinhold could be seen with the girl covered in bandages and wounds.
“Come on now, Shinozaki, don’t be shy.”
The Doctor said to the girl who was clinging to him.

Marissa follows them silently as she looks around the recreated scenery. She tried to touch the handrails, however her hand would just go right through. She was a spectator.
“Eh? This isn’t the party room…”
Marissa muttered after noticing Dr. Reinhold told a nurse to guide the girl he was with to the party room with the rest of the children.
Dr. Reinhold, went into one of the ‘restricted’ rooms that the kids were never allowed in.
Following her curiosity, she went through the door like a ghost.

“Dr. Mendelson?”
Simon Mendelson was there with Dr. Reinhold. On the other side of the reinforced glass, there was a boy around her age tied to a bed.
“I’m always against this method of yours, Mendelson.”
Reinhold said as he gave the data to his boss.
“You know very well aware that these children are still here is due to the mercy of the state, don’t you? Reinhold?”
“Of course we’re using the PGRI to protect them from the Omoikane Clan Purge as an excuse again.”
“Do I need to file a report to the Pupa council on you? Reinhold?”
“There’s no need for that, boss.”
“Good.”
“...”
“Did you know that boy over there volunteered himself, Reinhold?”
“Huh?”
“He said he wanted to save people.”
“Save people? How?”
Without replying to Reinhold, Mendelson finishes reading the data, he then walked over to the operators on the other side of the room.
“Prepare the miraculum cell injection experiment.”
He ordered.

Not before long, a mechanical arm with a needle of a transparent solution moves toward the boy on the bed, and injecting the substances into him.
“You do know risks of injecting that stuff into a child, don’t you?”
Reinhold questions his boss, who is currently standing close to the reinforced glass.
“We’ve already done countless experiments with human embryos. Only a few of them seems to be able to survive and develop immunities with a natural human embryo, Reinhold. We won’t know, if we don’t try.”
“Among the kids currently inside the party room, only Shinozaki Haru’s immunity is developed from a natural embryo base. You remember that the other kids immunities are from the modified genetics based on specific mammals. And now we’re going to do what? Blindly injecting these stuff into children, yes?”
The tension becomes heated between the doctors as the conversation goes on, the operators and nurses within the room stays silent.
“You’re going to weaponize the miraculum cell aren’t you?”
Reinhold stares into Mendelson’s eye, grabbing tight onto his folder.
“Like I said Reinhold, we’re going to treat cancer-”
“The miraculum cell is able to treat lung cancer is because we want it to. That report on engineered miraculum cell was total trash, the cell would just recover to its initial state, and develops however it wants. How do you explain the bone structure and contents of those kids back in the party room? I’ll be honest with you, boss. We don’t know a damn thing about those miraculum cell we dig found in the alien(Vril) tomb.”

Dr. Reinhold angrily stomped out of the room as Mendelson looks at him.
Not sure what she just witnessed, Marissa decides to continue following Reinhold out of the room.

Following the doctor, they arrived at the party room she remembers from her memories.
She sees her younger self and her friends were cleaning up the drawings they drew earlier.
The nurses then hands them on the wall as they kids passes the drawers to her.
Those were drawings of the surface, a wide grassland that goes all the way to the horizon.
“Come to think of it, we’ve not seen the surface, not even once did we?”
Marissa muttered as she walks over to see those drawings of the surface they imagined.

“We should sing happy birthday together!”
Luka suggested.
“Sing?”
Shinozaki asked as she seems very confused.
“That’s right, Shinozaki, the birthday song.”
Himeko, one of Marissa’s friends replied kindly.

“Happy birthday Akko, go ahead and make your wish.”
One of the doctors said with a gentle smile.
“I wish we will be cured and see the surface together!”
Akko declared happily, and blew out the candles.
“Shouldn't be more of a promise?”
Luka asked Akko with a smile. Akko pasued for a moment, looks at young Marissa who also responded with a nod.
“It’s promise then.”

“So that’s what she wished for… silly Akko.”
Marissa look at the party from afar as a spectator. She was sitting over there at the table once, however she is now a spectator who could only watch from afar.

“I guess it’s about time I should wak-”
Before Marissa could finish, something shook the facility, the doctors rushed outside to inspect the situation as the nurses tries to comfort the kids. Dr. Reinhold receives a phone call, and he picked up the call quickly. More listening than talking, Dr. Reinhold hung up and quickly walked over to Shinozaki.
“Listen Haru, we need to leave, right now.”
He told Shinozaki as he grabbed her hand and walks over to the door.
“Hey, where are you going?”
The younger Marissa asked.
“I’m sorry.”
Reinhold replied as he rushed out of the room with Shinozaki.

Moments later, a red biomass engulfs half of the room, killing and assimilating everyone who touched it.
Young Marissa and Akko were guided by the nurses to leave the area as the mass continues to expand.
Marissa quickly followed them to the hallway, where she realizes her younger self’s left leg is wounded, and infected.
Moments later, her leg mutates rapidly and connects to the mass back in the room as her upper body slowly being consumed into it.
Her younger self continues to resist and calls out to Dr. Reinhold and Shinozaki who could be seen running away, followed by Akko in the distance.
.
.
(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l2WU3j9V_0)
Everything went black the next second. A flesh and fluid covered facility could be seen, judging from the blood on the leftover lab coats, a few weeks, months, or perhaps years has passed since the incident.
“If I died back then… then…What am I?”
Unable to get that thought out of her head, she takes her first toward the hallway covered with veins and flesh.
She walks pass an opened cold sleep capsule. However she think much of it.
“This is…”
The sources of the veins were all concentrated and centered at the room where the two doctors talked earlier. The door was blocked by thick mass, so are the glass and vent.
Ignoring all that, Marissa walked through the walls to see what’s behind the cause of this disaster.
“Eh?”
Akko was in there with a flashlight, walking toward what appears to be the source of this monstrosity. At the epicenter, a three of organs was supporting a giant heart of sort, serving as the main circulation system. Below that, there was the boy, who is now a part of the system, attached to the tree.
Akko approaches the boy calmly as she puts down her bag of survival equipment.
“How tragic, you wished to save everyone yet you’ve became the monster.”
Akko said the boy in coma within the tree, showing now reaction.
“Your wished to become a hero. The miraculum cells has granted that wish of yours didn’t it? By becoming an infinite supply of spare organ for those who needed an organ transplant. However, infinity supply doesn’t solve the rejection of transplanted organ by local immune system. So you went to collect samples.”
Akko approaches the boy, and embraced him.
“And in order to acquire those samples, you went on a rampage and killed everyone despite the fact you didn’t want to.”
Akko then takes out a pistol from her pocket.
“For all these years, you’ve suffered enough. It’s time for you to rest. I’ll take your wish and the miraculum cells with me”
Akko pulled the trigger and fired, killing the boy in coma. The moment the boy fell gets detaches and fell to the ground, the body returns to a pile of flesh and absorbed into the ground.
“Now… there’s still something I have to do…”
Akko muttered as her breath gets shorter. Blood vessel became visible through her skin as she resisted the mutation from the miraculum cells within her. She stood up and punches through the tree’s exterior, reaching into the interior. Moments later, she starts pulling, something about her size.
The exterior splits open as a blood red replica of an older Marissa could be seen being pulled out from the core of mutations.
“There there… I guess it worked.”
Akko smiled, looking upon the replica.

Unable to react to the vision, Marissa who was in third person perspective was speechless, standing from afar looking at her dying friend carrying herself, a replica out off the epicenter heading for the cold sleep room.

Carefully laying the replica down onto the bed before sealing the capsule.
“Promise to find me when you wake up.”
Akko said to the replica before sealing off the airlock of the room where she will be found by the Sphinx division in 4 years later.

The year was 2016.

“Marissa!”
Opening her eyes from Sakamoto calling her.
The ceiling was again flesh covered. Looking forward, glass tanks of sorts could be seen.
Turning over to the right, an open airlock could be seen. That’s right, that’s where they were hours ago, when Sphinx division found her.
“We’re back here?”
Marissa asked with a faint voice as she sits up leaning against a wall.
“Well, we somehow made it back here.”
Sakamoto answered with a bandage on his head.
“Where is everyone else?”
Marissa asks after looking around, only seeing Sakamoto and Blaney.
“They didn’t make it.”
Blaney answered, looking onto the ground, depressed.
Looking at the other end of the hallway, a corpse of a SSS operative was covered by an old lab coat.
“That’s Konan, he was knocked out off the stairs back there..”
Sakamoto said after noticing Marissa staring at it.
“We’ve tried looking for a way out, however the gate to the underground highway and the ruins has collapsed. We’re just sitting ducks, waiting for that monster to kill us.”
Blaney said, laying on the ground, giving up on all hopes.
“There’s a way.”
Marissa stood up, holding tight to Akko’s ID bracelet on her.
Despite how optimistic she is, there wasn’t a response from Blaney nor Sakamoto.
“I’ll talk to it.”
“Hey, catgirl, have you gone mad?”
Blaney asks, still lying on the ground like someone who’s drunk.
“No I have not.”
“How do you plan to talk to that thing!?”
Now even Sakamoto disagrees with her.
Marissa ignores the two operative’s advice and took Sakamoto’s rifle and a A² ammo belt, she quickly puts the belt on and rushed out of the room.
“Hey! Marissa!”
Sakamoto’s called could be heard from behind as she marches toward the mutation core room she saw in her dream. Using the flashlight attach onto the G36 rifle, she ran passes the lobby and towards the toward side of the facility where the old orphanage was located.
Pass the crayon drawing on walls.
Pass the dormitory where they stayed up till 3 in the morning without getting caught.
Pass the classrooms where they never paid any attention.
Pass the party room, where they had the party.
Pass the cold sleep capsule where Akko woke from.
And she’s finally here, the pulse on the flesh could be seen as the hallway gets more narrow due to the biomass around the hallway gets dense as she continues toward the heart.
Just like the situation in her dream.
“Wait for me.”
(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7IxKLLJ2LM)
Marissa pulled the trigger, firing A² chemical poison rounds directly into the biomass. The mass falls away and dissolves the affected parts before the poison gets into the circulation system, making way for Marissa down the hallway.
“I’m coming over to meet you now!”

Firing at the overgrown blockade, the flesh that covered the door withers away and turns into ash. Taking a few steps backward, she then burst and crack the rusty door with her weapon.
On the other side of the door was beautiful yet gory red garden. With a giant tree supporting a heart-like massive organ at the center.
Stunned by the scenery, she took a long look at the otherworldly structure before her, just like the one in her dreams, it the tree continues to serve as a spare organ producer.
Remembering the location of the host below the tree, she starts to walk toward it. The moment she took a second, she felt something was pulling her down. Looking down on her leg, a red root was holding onto her leg, preventing her to move forward.
She fired at the root, freeing herself as more rises from the ground. The biomass of the room began to change, a blockade to the tree slowly forms as Marissa began to run toward it. As if the miraculum cells are sentient and are aware of the situation.
“Get. Out. Of. My. Way.”
She shouted as she kept firing at the blockade to slow down its growth. However it was not fast enough, the poisoned parts of the flesh are ejected quicker than she could fire those rounds into it. It was then she noticed Akko body was still attached to it. She helplessly watches the pathway to the tree getting thinner and thinner as the blockade grows, cutting the room into two. So close yet so far.
“We’ll take it from here.”
A familiar voice shouted from behind followed by gunshots.
Sakamoto and Blaney followed her down the hallway, and made it to the room she where she was as she began concentrating their firepower to the small opening in the blockade, keeping it open.
“Go.”
Blaney said coldly, reloading his rifle.
Taking up the offer, Marissa nodded and ran toward the small opening as it closes. Barely making it to the otherside.

“We finally meet.”
Marissa said as she approached Akko who still attached to the tree of organs.
Dropping her rifle, placing her hand on Akko’s cheek, it was warm.
“I’m glad.”
Warm tears overflow her eyes as she embraces Akko. The ground began to shake as the giant heart above becomes unstable, grown spare organs are thrown to the ground. The biomass surround them goes berserk as the two have their moment.
“After all this.. I won’t let go of you again.”
Marissa whispered as her blood vessels began to become visible on her hands, slowly showing signs of miraculum cell mutation within her.
.
.
.
“I definitely can’t let happen…”
Akko whispered back to Marissa as she slowly opens her eyes, lifting her face up to Marissa. Crying harder than ever, Marissa insists on staying with her, embracing her even harder to accelerate the mutation.
“Now.. now.. Don’t be a crybaby…”
Akko reaches out to Marissa, comforting her.
“A world 20 years later, everyone we knew aren’t here anymore… Please… let stay with you, let us continue that dream earlier.”
Marissa cried, still pushing the two deeper into the tree.
“Marissa… didn’t we promised to see the surface?”
“Huh..?”
“Marissa… the miraculum cells are just like a child, they’ll feel lonely if I leave.”
“Even so! We can still be here tog-”
“Marissa… I’m glad that you’ve made some friends in this new world you’ve found yourself in.”
Akko reminded her, pointing at the direction of the sound of gunshots.
“I’m sure this world is just as wonderful as the one we’ve been in, Marissa. But this time, you’re free to feel it on the surface.”
“But Akko, we promised to see the surface together, didn’t we?”
“Yes we did.”
Akko replied with a gentle smile, moments later the giant heart stopped beating as the flesh and organs around them slowly turns green. The blockade falls apart as it turns from bright red flesh to some sort of green fiber.
“Marissa!”
Sakamoto shouted as he began to rush toward her.
“Did you know? The word miracle originates from miraculum?”
Akko asked as she gently removes Marissa’s hand from her shoulder.
“Don’t make your new friends worry, and good luck in this new world. I’m sure you’ll find happiness.”
Akko finally pushes Marissa away from her, as she herself shed tears in this farewell.
“Thank you for finding me, Marissa. And Goodbye.”
Akko whispered, slowly goes back to coma again despite the fact Marissa kept calling her name.
“Marissa! Snap out of it. She has made her choice.”
Sakamoto shouted as he carries her away from the collapsing room.

“Now, let’s prepare the surface for my dear friend will you? You spoiled child.”
Akko whispered to the mirculum cells within the epicenter.
The next moment, a bright light engulfs the entire facility.

Epilogue
The Serpentuem government and the United Kingdom signed a truce they next few days, focusing on reconstruction on both nations. Ending the one year war.
Edokyuuria is currently being rebuilt around the remains of Senate Terminal under the guidance of the recovering Chancellor Mashiro Fuyuki. The former head of state, and war hero Shinozaki Haru is revealed to the media to be alive and well. Despite being offered to be the next Minister of defense, she refused. Stating she will be working as an investigator within Hexagon in the near future. (CVN)DDR-421, Admiral Inaban and first officer Akima’s second ship is currently under construction. To honor their former vessel the Taihou, or Great Phoenix, their new vessel is named Hakuhou, White Phoenix, as a reference to the upcoming Mashiro(white) era.
Graf Hawk resigned from the special forces to take care of Tatiana as his adoptive daughter, who suffered from complete loss of emotion and memory.

“So I suppose that’s it?”
Shinozaki asks the Kaiser they share a table at the balcony at the imperial palace in Kanatoro.
“1997, Mendelson and the PGRI began their experimentation on the Miraculum cell they found what later turns out to be a Vril tomb. Project-044 started to test animal immunity to it, ending up finding stronger resistance in certain feline. Those children, 44-Akko, 44-Marissa, 44-Luka, etc were the prototypes. An incident occured in 04/01/1999, I suppose you were there at that time with Dr. Reinhold yes?”
The Kaiser asks Shinozaki like an old friend.
“Yes, everyone except me and Reinhold were supposed to be dead. Except Mendelson survived. And caused the coup, and civil war later in early 2019.”
Shinozaki replied as she puts a few cubes of sugar into the tea.
“How does it feel to be the last PGRI wmd alive, Shinozaki?”
“Last? Tatiana and Marissa are still around here somewhere.”
Shinozaki replied, calling something from the inside to come out.
“Now that’s an unexpected guest.”
“Greetings, your highness.”
Marissa dressed in suits walked over to join the conversation holding onto a report on the miraculum cell.
“Tatiana was created sometime in 2012 to be the complete the miraculum cell soldier. I guess Doctor Mendelson did weaponize the cells in the end.”
Marissa added to the conversation as she takes a seat.
“In the end, it’s this miraculum cell thing that drove the United Kingdom into chaos for the past 25 years or so? What are the chances the tomb raiding angered those Vrils to come back?”
Shinozaki asks sarcastically as she took a biscuit from the plate.
“Speaking of the devil, Marissa. You better hide those cat ears on you when we get to New Edokyuuria-III. The weebs there will think you’re a cosplayer…. Also don’t show them to Mashiro.”
Shinozaki said to her new partner in the intelligence department as they take their leave.
“Well, come visit again.”
The Kaiser gently said as she turns over to the green scenery, to the massive spiral tree over on the horizon under the bright blue sky.

The End.
Complete Miotia-Candor Saga 2018-2020