Only Human (Goddess of Victory NIKKE SI)

[Vicentehuerta777dragon]

Peak

 

[Vicentehuerta777dragon]

That mucht at least should be exceedingly easy. Just bang Cinderella like a screen door in a hurricane and mission is accomplished.

In all seriousness... fuck. I mean Cinderella missing Joe for a whole century, thinking he is dead and all the while believing that she fucked up every interaction she had with him is pretty messed up, poor girl.



Motherf-

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Cinderella has to suffer a little in exchange for not being anachiro

 

[Dasneaky]

Keeping cooking baka I eagerly awaited your next meal.

 

[NJesus]

All because Andersen just had to do what he did best, and ruin something for her at the first opportunity he received

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fuck anderson

Red Shoes? Crow? the fucking Rapture Queen? those ladies are saints compared to that monster anderson

may he burn in hell I hope he gets hit with testicular torsion every day for the rest of his life

Mica and Belorta

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fuck those two for always dropping when I want to roll pilgrims

nice cindy section, as a part time cindy simp I say every chapter should have a Cindy section


kek Joe's status is gonna be the worst kept secret around

 

[Nehef]

With that, Joe returned the phone to his pocket, just blankly staring at Mica and Belorta. They, in turn, wore expressions of mixed horror and dismay. Belorta in particular looking the part of a chastised puppy, her large, glimmering eyes becoming equal parts watery and pitiable.

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DAMN BRAT!

It wasn't enough to keep showing on the Pilgrim Molds now she's spilling confidential data?

Correction is needed!

 

[Jsebas19]

I honestly thought it would be Neon who would reveal to everyone that Joe is the legendary commander and that Rapi is Red Hood. because we know that Neon can't keep her mouth shut without shouting that she's a spy...
although they surely heard it from Neon at some point or Mustang told them.

Damn, Cinderella's confession and words hurt and are more shocking remembering that in the game she couldn't achieve her dreams because of red shoes.
But here, yes, he could be the beacon of hope that he so wanted to be, because of Joe's presence. Let's face it, Joe not only fulfilled his dreams, but also avoided Cinderella's tragic fate of becoming Anachiro.
Which if we see it in terms of stories, Joe is the prince who rescued Cinderella from the evil stepmother who is Red Shoes.

When Ellie said "fairy godmother" I'm sure she was referring to Abe/Grave because she created Cinderella.

But I wonder what it will be like with Red Shoes, because Joe took Cinderella before he corrupted her into Anachiro.
which theorized that Red Shoes in his desperation was reckless causing Oswald or Abe to discover her and kill her.

 

[NJesus]

Oswald or Abe to discover her and kill her.

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lets hope so

also since Oswald probably pulled the biggest Face turn ever did you fill your apology form already?

Spoiler: apology form link since qq doesnt load the image for some reason

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=ht...bp&s=36c07ece923d7d885860968c34f49d0d27087dfa

 

[Least Devotee]

also since Oswald probably pulled the biggest Face turn ever did you fill your apology form already?

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Nope, my introduction to him was Red Ash so while he was one sus looking mf he was that awesome sus looking mf.

 

[TheScottishlad]

Belorta be like:

In all seriousness, how the hell does she know joe and red hood? Whatever the case, shits funny af and I can't wait to see what becomes of it.

 

[Least Devotee]

In all seriousness, how the hell does she know joe and red hood? Whatever the case, shits funny af and I can't wait to see what becomes of it.

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I'm starting to suspect white hair is Nikke code for old as hell among the Ark Nikke. Cause both the Nikke who recognized Joe had white hair and one was confirmed to have been alive before the Ark was sealed.

 

[Gato]

Quick reminder that, when they talked about Joe and Red Hood doing a Silverhand to the CG; Mustang kept his flair. When they got reunited earlier after a century, he kept his flair. The man is more dedicated to the act than that chuuni Anderson!

It took these girls roughly ten seconds to break his groove. He spoke with the resignation of a 9-5 office worker having to skip lunch the 4th time this week to fix some stupid mistake. Mans soul cracked faster than me when no SSR.

They are done. I don't know their history or what they've done to my boy Mustang but I demand no mercy. Let them feel true fear.

Anis. Eat their snacks for the next week.

Also the idolls are low-key my favorite designs so yay for seeing them again!

 

[TheScottishlad]

I'm starting to suspect white hair is Nikke code for old as hell among the Ark Nikke. Cause both the Nikke who recognized Joe had white hair and one was confirmed to have been alive before the Ark was sealed.

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Yeah that was my initial thoughts, that this was another ludmilla case but I'unno. There's a couple of discrepancies with that. My other assumptions were she learned of it unintentionally through Mustang or she found some old form of media which depicted both red hood and joe. Maybe some old form of propaganda or campaigning stuff from the initial rapture conflict? I know the CG tried to stamp down on information pertaining to goddess Squad and it's commander, but through its sheer incompetency and how long ago it was, surely some information or is hidden out there.

 

[Your Target]

Were all the Idolls in the room when she said that?

 

[Least Devotee]

Were all the Idolls in the room when she said that?

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All three under Joe's command.

 

[Your Target]

Oh that is absolute solid gold.

 

[AldariSiradla]

The Carronades!
Belorta and Mica are a treat for R-Nikke.

Looks like a heart-to-heart has been made.
Between the Princess and her Perfect Prince.
How fortuitous since I pulled her in the recent banner.
Now we just need to see Grave here and it's complete!

Ah, shenanigans.
The rank and file, for Tetra Line that is, now know of some secrets.
Since the iDolls are Mass Produced and all.
Pretty funny, oh yes~

 

[JamesAsmodeus]

Nobody bought it, and the sloshed swordswoman was forced to instead simply use her comically massive conical hat as a makeshift tent on the floor instead. Scarlet was small enough for this to actually work, notably. So long as she propped one side up with a pillow and balled up under it, at least.

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Oh God, it's that big? The fact that it can be used as a tent is hilarious lmao. Anywho, Joe's probably going to have to clear that up with Cinderella, their moment was weet and beautiful, but it's inevitable that Joe's going to have to clarify it's her dad being the reason why they weren't breaking the beast all night LMAO.

Or maybe don't, the man has suffered enough.

Also, DAMN! Nikkes are gonna recognize him and Rapi huh? It's gonna be more exciting and hilarious if more and more just show up, knowing who he is.

 

[Fragment of Serenity]

They are done. I don't know their history or what they've done to my boy Mustang but I demand no mercy. Let them feel true fear.

Anis. Eat their snacks for the next week.

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...jesus christ man, we need them alive! How are they to redeem themselves if you pull that out on first blush!?!

 

[Ace of Scarabs]

I have no clue who the Carronades and Idolss are

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Carronades are Mica and Belorta, a pair of SR Nikkes from Tetra Line who have a lot of Canon-relevant presence in their backstories, although they're more infamous for being pranksters and eating up the player's Manufacturer Molds.

iDolls are the mass-production Nikkes made by Tetra Line (Elysion makes Soldier-class nikkes and Missilis makes Product Numbers series).

how the hell does she know joe and red hood?

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As revealed by their backstories from their Bond Stories and the Winter Hot Springs sidestory, the two of them predate the Ark itself, having died as orphans from malnutrition and abuse before being converted into Nikke. (BTW their deaths were part of the reason why Ludmilla cut her family ties and volunteered to become a Nikke despite her noble background, as she was also a Goddess Squad fangirl herself)

Therefore, all three of them predating the Ark and being roughly contemporary with the Invasion Era means they would have almost certainly known Goddess Squad. Heck, Ludmilla ALWAYS refers to the Pioneers as Goddess Squad and NEVER as Pilgrims.

As far as I can tell, Mustang always sorties them together as a 'family', and Belorta has a reputation for pranking Commanders, with the pranks getting more vicious the more cruel the Commanders were.

 

[Jsebas19]

Carronades are Mica and Belorta, a pair of SR Nikkes from Tetra Line who have a lot of Canon-relevant presence in their backstories, although they're more infamous for being pranksters and eating up the player's Manufacturer Molds.

iDolls are the mass-production Nikkes made by Tetra Line (Elysion makes Soldier-class nikkes and Missilis makes Product Numbers series).



As revealed by their backstories from their Bond Stories and the Winter Hot Springs sidestory, the two of them predate the Ark itself, having died as orphans from malnutrition and abuse before being converted into Nikke. (BTW their deaths were part of the reason why Ludmilla cut her family ties and volunteered to become a Nikke despite her noble background, as she was also a Goddess Squad fangirl herself)

Therefore, all three of them predating the Ark and being roughly contemporary with the Invasion Era means they would have almost certainly known Goddess Squad. Heck, Ludmilla ALWAYS refers to the Pioneers as Goddess Squad and NEVER as Pilgrims.

As far as I can tell, Mustang always sorties them together as a 'family', and Belorta has a reputation for pranking Commanders, with the pranks getting more vicious the more cruel the Commanders were.

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Yes, but I think Bakasmurf himself said earlier that Ludmilla's hot springs saying that he met the Goddess in the game is illogical because when Mica and Belorta happened the ark was sealed and Pioneer never approached the ARK at that time.

Not to mention that previously the author changed that and decided to make it more faithful to OG Ludmilla's story, fixing that inconsistency by having Ludmilla meet Joe and the goddess during the first rapture invasion.
If Rapi and Red Hood are the same person here instead of two separate people or if Mustang is a male NIKKE, I don't doubt that Mica and Belorta's story will change and that their deaths will be different.
Like I don't know... that they died of a terminal illness.

Now that I got to thinking when I saw the space battle posts about how Joe literally made Cinderella dodge a bullet the size of Anachiro you can see that Only Human is the NIKKE version of Fire Emblem Three Hopes. Because of how two people who are "anomalies" (Shez and Joe) with their simple presence managed to change history and prevent the suffering of several characters.

You also saw that Nikke's TV Tropes has its "recommended fanfic" page but Only Human is not there and the latter doesn't even have its own page, which for me is an injustice to this great story.

and Where Anis and Neon?

 

[Lurkwaffle]

Having read the latest chapter, and hearing Ellie talk about how her dad banned her from becoming a Nikke, I am suddenly struck by a realization and/or tinfoil hat theory.

In canon at least, Dorothy is designated the second Grimms model after Liliweiss the prototype was made. Red Ash's Lost Relics reveal that there was a Grimms #1 who died because the manufacturers had no idea what they were doing and f'ed up her adjustments.

What if, at least in this timeline...that Grimms 1 who died trying to become a Nikke was actually Andersen's wife/Ellie's mother? It would explain why Andersen had a stick up his ass about putting his daughter through the same until Lilith softens him to Nikkes in general and Joe punches him into changing his mind!

 

[Megaolix]

@Jsebas19

I noticed some posts. Take your random derails that happen now and then and take them elsewhere. or else.

 

[EbonyBoss]

Just so I'm not making stuff up in my head, Joe and Red have done the horizontal tango? Confirmed?

 

[BakaSmurf]

Just so I'm not making stuff up in my head, Joe and Red have done the horizontal tango? Confirmed?

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Joe and Red Hood have explicitly done the nasty in the pasty, yes. Often enough for Snow White to have labelled them as perverts and hold it against them to the modern day, in fact.

Rapi still isn't quite sure how she feels about this fact just yet.

 

[Jsebas19]

Joe and Red Hood have explicitly done the nasty in the pasty, yes. Often enough for Snow White to have labelled them as perverts and hold it against them to the modern day, in fact.

Rapi still isn't quite sure how she feels about this fact just yet.

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I imagine Cinderella and Rapunzel tried something similar with Joe in the past to frustrate Snow White so much for being perverted, right?

 

[Lurkwaffle]

I imagine Cinderella and Rapunzel tried something similar with Joe in the past to frustrate Snow White so much for being perverted, right?

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I mean, Cinderella was obvious given how forward she's been both in flashbacks and in present.
As for Rapunzel, well...the most I've seen so far is a VERY HEAVY implication from Andersen way back in Ch27.

You being as knowledgeable as you were about the Bible went a long way to helping her feel comfortable around you… which… in a way, became somewhat problematic after Red Hood went and…" Andersen sucked in no small amount of air through his teeth, looking as though he was bracing against some terrible unseen force.

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Tl;dr, no confirmation if anything actually happened with Rapunzel. Either way, blame Red Hood.

 

[Jsebas19]

I mean, Cinderella was obvious given how forward she's been both in flashbacks and in present.
As for Rapunzel, well...the most I've seen so far is a VERY HEAVY implication from Andersen way back in Ch27.

Tl;dr, no confirmation if anything actually happened with Rapunzel. Either way, blame Red Hood.

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Rapunzel was always a pervert so I don't rule out that she tried something with Joe in a more discreet way.

The only exceptions would be Dorothy because she wanted her relationship with Joe to be more... "elegant", Scarlet just wanted to fight, Smol White was small and was probably trying to protect Joe from Red Hood and his perverted things, and Lilith had Andersen .

As I said, I still believe that Rose was corrupted by a random rapture because I doubt that Red Shoes knows where Rose's body was, not to mention that the latter did not have a core, according to Scarlet's words, she used her core to strengthen or build her sword.

 

[BakaSmurf]

===
Chapter 67 - All the Depth of the Ocean
===

Mustang quietly, lacking even a vague semblance of his usual flamboyance, circled the sofa upon which Belorta and Mica sat. The iDolls too—after having had their phones confiscated—set in a central location so that the CEO of Tetra Line might loom dangerously over the group; like a bear upon its hind legs might threaten a troublesome hound.

In this instance, it was a firm reminder that, immediately nonthreatening as a panda may be, it was still a bear, and bears did what bears did when one fucked around.

Joe and Rapi stood at the entrance to the barracks common room, having confirmed that the iDolls and the Carronades were the only groups present in the Command Centre apart from himself and his XO.

"...My apologies, Commander," Mustang started, his voice lacking any of the pomp typical of the towering, muscle-bound man. "I committed a grave oversight in assigning the Carronades to you, without considering the fact that they were converted into Nikkes but two decades after the Ark was sealed…"

The Adonis tilted his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose past the rim of his aviators.

"But of course they would recognize you two, given that they were around well before the Central Government started their suppression campaign…"

Joe took a deep breath, furrowing his brow heavily as he let out a deep sigh. "Something of an oversight, yes."

The iDolls all shared a deeply disconcerted look between the three of them, visibly unsure of what to make of this ongoing development.

Mustang, regardless, continued on. "Well, with this particular issue having been revealed perhaps a tad early… What would you have done, Commander?" He inquired as he adjusted his sunglasses.

"What do you mean?" Joe asked, idly tapping his bicep as the situation unfolded.

"Commander, please," Mustang started, giving the far more modestly dressed man a dubious look. "Your identities," he motioned lightly towards Rapi, "have been revealed to the iDolls. This is not nothing—it is, in fact, rather potentially disastrous. We have been subtle about your return for a reason, after all—"

"Could you stop with this idiocy?" Sunny interjected somewhat forcefully, lips down curling heavily. "As if anybody's buying this-"

With a quickness which borderlined on supernatural, Mustang snapped forward. At once, Sunny's large, sapphire eyes were locked with the CEO's. Mustang's steely silver irises uncomfortably close to the Nikke's, her dainty little chin firmly secured between the man's thumb and his hooked forefinger. "You are accusing me of lying, little Doll?" he inquired in a low, borderline guttural tone so terribly unlike him.

Flower and Mia both skirted away from their fellow, rather understandably more than a little spooked by Mustang's uncharacteristic shift in attitude. Belorta and Mica, for their part, remained rooted where they'd been made to sit, too visibly terrified to risk moving in the first place.

"A- I-I-I-" Sunny's voice audibly cracked as she started to tremble. "B-Boss, I-I didn't mean- J-Just… P-Please, the Legendary Commander? Seriously-?"

"Seriously," Mustang drew Sunny in closer, jerking her head up by her jaw to emphasize his point with a smidgen of deliberate inflicted discomfort, given how the Nikke jumped and was lifted slightly off the sofa by the motion—or, rather, she didn't resist Mustang's motion for obvious reasons. He wouldn't be stupid enough to do anything to suggest he was capable of lifting a 800lbs/363kg Nikke outright.

Sweat was rapidly forming on her brow, and Joe was getting agitated by the obvious intimidation play being done on her.

Mustang, if he noticed Joe's distaste for the way Sunny was being handled, didn't let it stop him from maintaining course. "You think I would come all this way for a joke? You think I would confiscate your phones on a lark? You think we would have had the premises swept and cleared of other potential information leaks as a laugh? You think Mica and Belorta would look like they were awaiting a death sentence if they were not genuinely in fear for their lives on account of the gravity of their thoughtless mistake?"

Sunny's chin was jerked yet further upwards, Mustang deliberately forcing her into an unnatural, uncomfortable position as he loomed in an increasingly exaggerated manner for effect.

"This situation is intensely serious, little Sun. And for as much as I cherish all of my little idols, for as much as I will forever give all of you the praise you deserve for the sacrifices you make towards mankind's salvation…" He stared darkly into her eyes, expression incredibly intense. "This particular situation relates to mankind's future, towards the possibility of us actually one day retaking the surface, or going extinct in a fetid hole in the ground. This situation is serious, and you will treat it as seriously as it warrants."

Sunny's eyes were as wide as dinner plates, her breath firmly hitched in her throat. Mustang never talked to his girls like this, loomed over them in such a nakedly threatening manner. Whatever doubts she must have been harbouring towards the notion of this situation being very real, then, were clearly rapidly dissolving beneath the weight of one of the most powerful individuals in the Ark stopping just short of pressing a weapon against her skull.

"Mustang," Joe, at that point, felt the need to step in, approaching the pair with a displeased expression on his features. "You've made your point. Dial it back a notch," he instructed the man pointedly.

Mustang didn't immediately acknowledge the order, continuing to stare into a decidedly terrified Sunny's eyes. When he did reply, it was still directed towards her, rather than at Joe. "A common Commander, having the sheer gall to give an order to one of the Big Three of the Ark, so brazenly, so confidently, in defence of one of his Nikkes? Curious, that, hm, little Sun?" He suggested as he finally leaned back, making a point to continue holding onto Sunny's chin even with his arm fully extended, only finally releasing it with a small flourish.

The twintailed blonde heavily fell fully back into her seat with a quiet, shuddering whine, clearly incredibly shaken by the CEO's uncharacteristic display.

At that, Mustang leaned back, settling his palm upon his chin with a hum. "You just had the Legendary Commander himself step up to protect you, little Sun. How many Nikkes have fantasized about just such a scenario happening to them? The answer is many! I have read the fanfiction that gets posted on the Ark's internet!" The man leaned back, laughing heartily despite the seriousness of the situation as it was.

Joe felt an ice cube run down his spine. He had never once pondered the notion of fanfiction existing of Goddess, and he'd rather go back to a time when the thought had never occurred to him. But, that wasn't this timeline, to the Commander's dismay.

Regardless, the displaced Canadian crossed his arms over his chest with a huff, making no attempt to hide how put-off he was by Mustang's conduct.

"That being said," the flamboyant man built like a Greek God started, turning back to face Joe as he did so. "To bring it back to my original question: what would you have done about this development, Commander? These girls may be Tetra Line, but they are also, moreover, your direct subordinates. They know enough for it to be a direct danger to our plans. Would you trust them regardless?"

The Nikkes all presented wide eyes (presumably, in Mia's case) to Joe, save for a mostly inquisitive Rapi. Belorta and Mica's expressions were pleading, while Mia, Sunny, and Flower all gazed up at the man with mounting dread. For his part, it was an easy decision to make. "Full disclosure," the Commander declared as he looked over the gathered super soldiers. "The more they understand, the more likely they are to treat everything as seriously as they should."

"Oh?" Mustang started, a bit of his typical pomp filtering back into his voice. "You would tell them everything, Commander?"

"Everything," Joe pointedly declared. "They're going to be putting their lives on the line to fulfill our long term-plan, so it's only right that they know as much as the others do too." He refocused on Mustang. "Besides, your girls can be trusted, right?"

"But of course!" Mustang asserted cheerfully. "They only needed to understand the gravité of the situation, to know to not treat it as a petit tableau épicé for evening gossip! If you would inform the Carronades and the iDolls of everything, well, I believe they can be trusted. Doubly so considering who you are!"

He turned back to face the girls, lowering his glasses to peer over the rim at them keenly.

"None of you would be the Nikkes that betrayed the confidence of the Legendary Commander himself, would you?"

"N-no!" Mica and Belorta cried out in unison, the two's big 'ol eyes glimmering and watery.

"...Nobody would ever betray the Legendary Commander," Flower asserted warily, the redhead's gaze drifting aside to give Joe a deeply uncertain stare. "But… How could the Commander possibly be… Him?"

It was Mia that spoke up next. "It's been a hundred years since he disappeared, after the Ark was sealed… Commander Pholus doesn't look old enough to be him."

"I've been in cryogenic stasis since immediately after the Ark was sealed," Joe stated outright and with no aplomb.

All five girls blinked (presumably, again, regarding Mia) owlishly at that, replying with a collective "Oh."

"That… Actually explains a lot," Flower noted dryly. "Suddenly just being… Gone. Nowhere to be found… But, why? All these years, the Ark has needed you. Why would you only come back now? Why would you go into stasis in the first place?"

"Because I needed to be sealed away until medical technology advanced enough to save my life," Joe, again, flatly answered.

That, needless to say, caught all of the girls off-guard, no small amount of concern showing on their faces, even as Rapi grew visibly uncomfortable in the background.

"You… Were you hurt when Goddess was sealing the Ark?" Mia asked nervously.

To that, a particular tension sprung up between Joe, Mustang, and Rapi. The three exchanging swift glances of their own discomfort.

Joe did say full disclosure. "Goddess didn't seal the Ark," he declared outright. "They were locked outside of it when the Central Government betrayed us."

That caused the girls to react as though they'd been struck across their faces with a fish, to say the very least. "W-what!?" They cried out collectively.

"I can, and do, attest to the reality of this betrayal against our saviours," Mustang added, taking a hold of his own photogenically stubbled chin as he did so. "Goddess did not sacrifice themselves. They were tricked and abandoned to die, after Commander Pholus was manipulated away from their side by the treacherous vipers of the Central Government."

"The Central Government, at the time, were hardline fascists seeking to consolidate all power into their own hands, and eliminate any and all potential threats to their rule in doing so," Joe began, just opting to explain the entire situation as it was. "Goddess was a threat to them. Goddess would never have gone along with their wretched plan to turn the Ark into the Central Government's personal slave colony. So they were removed from the equation."

Stepping aside, Joe approached the window overlooking a small, empty lot set to be built into a park, so that the Nikkes living in the Command Centre's barracks could at least have a pleasant view out of the common room's window.

Joe laid out the facts as they were to the iDolls and Carronades, relaying events as he recalled them, the words the Central Government had used, how even Enikk had supported them in their attempt to eliminate the Central Government right then and there. How the Central Government's plan would have led to mankind going extinct ninety years ago.

They were visibly overwhelmed, to say the absolute least.

Yet, moreover…

"...O-one of Goddess Squad… Was there with you?" Sunny found the will to speak up again. "There's… A Goddess in the Ark? There has been, this entire time?"

"W-who?" Mia leaned forward. "Who is it? Who's the Goddess that's been secretly in the Ark this whole time? Is it someone in Matis? O-or Absolute? You said her name was 'Red Hood-'"

Flower and Sunny's eyes both snapped opened to their maximum, with all three iDoll's faces whipping around to keenly focus on Rapi.

Poor Rapi damn near wilted under the sudden scrutiny, firmly averting her gaze and pursing her lips in discomfort.

"No way…" Sunny started, her voice wispy and awe-struck.

"It can't be…!" Flower's voice was caught in her throat, pupils seeming to dilate at the onset realization of just who Rapi might be.

"She's always been so much better than everyone around her…" Mia noted, leaning forward in her seat to get a better look at Rapi from around her fellows. "But… Could that possibly mean…?"

"Rapi is indeed Little Red Riding Hood of Goddess Squad, just as the Commander is the Commandant Légendaire," Mustang asserted, reaching up to run his fingertips along the shaved sides of his head. "As petit Belorta and Mica can attest based on their expériences personnelles."

"Mica had a Legendary Commander backpack, before they took it away from her!" Belorta declared with a degree of sudden onset cheer.

Mica, at that, cried out as her entire face turned beet red, betrayal writ large on her features as she covered her face and turned away from Joe. "Y-you had a dress-up Red Hood action figure!" She shot back, as if attempting to embarrass her partner in turn.

"It was so cool!" Not that it seemed to work, given Belorta's rather excited response. "Her hair would actually turn red and glow when her batteries were charged, and she had changeable face plates to change her expression and everything down to articulated fingers and toes, and even thighs that squished if you put thigh-highs on her!"

The silver-haired Nikke's tone shifted to an affronted, deep-seated and long-burning anger.

"I had her set up in a super cool sentai pose with her gun and everything! It was so cool! Then those jerks just came in and grabbed it and tossed it in a bag along with all of my posters and stuff like it was trash and didn't even compensate me for it even though she was really expensive! I knew they were evil from that moment on!" the little golden-eyed Nikke asserted with a childish huff.

Mustang, in reply, leaned back as he let out a pained whine of his own. "The Action Goddess line was my fierté et joie! Oh, I will ne jamais pardonner them since they gathered up and détruit all of those objets de collection classiques…!"

"Ah!" Belorta suddenly leaned forward, pointing firmly at Rapi, or rather, more specifically, at her- "You see! You see Mica!? You said that it was unrealistic how my Red Hood doll's thighs squished when wearing thigh highs! But look! Look! She's wearing thigh-highs right now! Look at how they squish on the real Red Hood too!"

Rapi immediately looked like she wanted to die, actually starting to turn away from the group as a whole to hide her intense blush and contemplating retreating from the room entirely. Joe could not blame her, Jesus Christ almighty.

"Mustang, what the fuck," Joe declared, giving the CEO a deeply dubious look of horror, because why would he make posable figures of women he actually knew with absurd details like squishy thighs?

"The Goddesses deserve nothing less than représentation parfaite! They are, all of them, des beautés parfaites et sans défaut! Any recreation of them must honour their splendeur de haut en bas in turn!"

…Suddenly, Joe was deeply, deeply dreading the moment Mustang and Cinderella were in the same room together.

He didn't let himself get caught up on that, however, instead refocusing on the issue at hand.

The iDolls seemed more keen on keeping the discussion going seriously as well, given Mia's next words. "...This… This is real?" She inquired, audibly awed by the apparent revelations they were subject to. "They… They're really…?"

"Yes," Mustang interjected. "The Legendary Commander, and a member of Goddess Squad."

"And," Sunny piped up next. "They… They've been in hiding, this entire time, because… Because the Central Government…"

"Would see them killed," Mustang replied again. "The Central Government has no actual intention of reclaiming the surface. The Legendary Commander and Goddess do. This makes them threats to their ironclad rule."

"...The Central Government would betray everything Goddess fought for? Everything we exist for?" Flower spoke up next, her voice warbling in frustration and anger. "They… They would forsake the surface!?"

"They already have, little Flower," Mustang noted mournfully. "One-hundred years ago. All signs to the contrary since, have been but circus to placate the masses. Surely, you have all wondered, why the common Commander is so very intensely incompetent?"

"...They aren't supposed to win against the Raptures," Belorta spoke, her expression too, falling into a small grimace of intense distaste. "I knew it…"

"...Yeah," Mica whined, just looking utterly defeated at the confirmation, directly from the mouth of one of the Big Three CEO's themselves.

Joe decided to touch on a particular sore spot next. "It's also the reason Nikkes are treated the way they are, in the Ark," he began with a heavy grimace and intense disgust etched across his features. "Our Goddesses of Victory, each and every one of you… Treated like tools, like trash by actual, worthless maggots that dare to think themselves your betters, when they do so very little, when they actively demonstrate that they are traitors, enemies of mankind."

"This isn't what we fought for. This isn't what we bled and suffered for. Nikkes, regardless of whether you are mass-produced or not, are heroes. Among the greatest this world has ever known. For all the sacrifices you make, for all the Hell you throw yourselves into, so that an ungrateful, and unworthy Ark can live another day under the authoritarian thumb of the Central Government…"

Speaking in a deep, guttural growl, Joe made no attempt to mask his intense contempt for the Central Government, and the culture it had cultivated in order to prop up its own rule.

"You are human beings, it doesn't matter how much metal is in your bodies. You are people. You feel, you hurt, you bleed, you cry and love and deserve nothing but love in turn. For all that you do, for all the battles you fight in our name, to give our species another day on a world no longer our own, you all deserve nothing but the utmost love and adoration. You have given us everything, and the Central Government deserves nothing more than to burn for daring to demand even more, while offering you less than nothing in return."

The room had grown silent, the iDolls and Carronades staring up at Joe in dumbstruck shock. He decided to cap it off with a hammer to nail the point home.

"The Central Government does not deserve your loyalty. The Central Government are traitors to humanity and defilers of our hope and legacy. Mica, Belorta, Sunny, Mia, Flower… Will you take my hand, and join us, in our journey to overthrow the corrupt, hedonistic fascists that have usurped the place of a worthy, just administration set to lead us all into the future, as rightful equals?" He extended his hand for effect. "Will-"

Mica and Belorta immediately lunged from their seats to firmly latch onto the man's hand, despite him having intended it more as a symbolic gesture than anything. That caught him off-guard, to say the least. Doubly so when, though with some hesitation, Mia, Sunny, and Flower followed suit.

Looking down upon the sight, Joe remarked, "...Shocking, how despite Nikkes all being supposedly untouchable, cold, unfeeling and soulless machines, I feel naught but the warmth and softness one would expect of a woman's touch through your palms, though your delicate, soft fingers. The touch of my fellow human beings. Not the empty cold of a weapon."

Shifting his focus up, he caught their gaze, the large, bright stares of the girls that had gone through so damn much.

"'Disposable weapons' my ass," the man declared, looking deeply into the eyes of the quint of girls. "Look at these eyes… Look at how soulful these eyes are, with all the depth of the ocean…"

Speaking of oceans, save for…

"...Mia," Joe started, "Please, take off your mask."

The platinum blonde jumped, looking very much put on the spot, almost seeming to wilt at the request. Lips becoming a quavering line, she tensed up and almost looked as though she wanted to retreat.

"...It's okay," Belorta spoke up next, having turned to face Mia and talking in a gentle voice. "It's the Legendary Commander. He's not like those other mean Ark Commanders. You can trust him," she assured her fellow with deceptive kindness.

"Y-yeah," Mica backed up Belorta's word. "Everyone knew how good and nice he was—is to Nikkes. Everyone."

Flower whispered something to Mia, doubtlessly also words of encouragement, while Sunny looked… As though she was in over her head. Not everyone was good at comforting and assuring others. Regardless, after a few moments, with a shaky hand, Mia started to reach up, her fingers settling on her face-obscuring headset. With a grimace, her hand began to shake even harder, and continued to shake for some time.

Until, with a gasp indicating that she'd been holding her breath, she let her hand fall, headgear remaining unmoved in place. "I-I'm sorry…" She apologized pitifully, all but whimpering. "I-I can't, i-it's too… I can't…!"

After a few moments, as the other Nikkes gazed upon Mia with open pity. Joe let out a low sigh, declaring, "It's a good thing you're not alone any more, and have us to help you with this sort of thing now," he said as he reached out with his free hand, taking a hold of her visor.

Mia gasped, going as still as a statue. The man had the presence of mind to not just tear it off, instead, gently, slowly lifting the armoured mask. The Nikke's expression twisted in rising fright and anxiety, and soon enough, her entire face was wholly exposed.

It went without saying that she was beautiful.

Otherwise, of course, she had clenched her eyes shut as hard as she could, trembling pitifully as she tried to continue hiding her oculars from view.

Joe quietly set the visor aside on a table, and with that same hand, reached out again, this time, gently cupping her cheek in a comforting manner. Mia's breath came out in a shocked shudder, her trembling intensifying at the contact.

He waited. Content to give Mia as much time as she needed to find the inner strength to overcome this trauma, take the first step to learning that he wasn't like every other Commander she'd been accosted by. She was safe, and appreciated here.

Eventually, with the other Nikkes gently encouraging her, Mia relented. Her eyes gently, gradually, slowly opening, fervently meeting Joe's own in naked terror.

To that, he could only smile. "'Ocean' really was an appropriate designation, with how shockingly deep, swelling with life these big seafoam green jewels are," he gently asserted. "How bereft of empathy and humanity somebody would have to be, to feel anything but wonder and adoration upon meeting such soulful eyes…"

Mia, at once, let out a long, shuddering whine, tears immediately welling up, relief, gratefulness, joy visibly overwhelming her. "C-Commander…!" She hiccuped, immediately prompting her red-headed comrade to draw her into a one-armed hug. "I-I… I…! T-thank you…! Thank you…!"

Basic empathy. Such a simple display of appreciation, consideration, kindness. That is all it took to get such an intense reaction out of this Nikke. That fact was heartbreaking and infuriating in equal measure. Only emphasizing how utterly bereft of worth the Commander Corps was, to thoughtlessly, shamelessly, heartlessly hurt these women like this.

All the more reason for Joe to do better, and make these girls feel adored, as they damn well deserved.

As everyone was quiet, aside from Mia's silent crying, a high-pitched keening sound slowly made itself known to everyone in the room.

To Joe's horror, it was Mustang. The comically muscular man craning backwards, balanced precariously upon the balls of his feet as he took in the sight of Joe surrounded by the iDolls and Carronades. "This! This! Magnifique! Belle! Resplendissant! Nikkes, being given hope for the first time in so long! Seeing la lumière, spotting the bright couper dans l'obscurité!"

"This is it! This is precisely what we, the Ark, have needed! C'est pourquoi vous êtes légendaire! This is why we will win this war! Le Commandant Légendaire Joseph Pholus! The shepherd to guide us to victoire promise!" He then continued to squee, as he, still craned over backwards at a seemingly impossible angle, started bouncing on the balls of his feet in an alternating motion akin to running in place.

While Rapi looked just as mortified as Joe… The Tetra Line Nikkes, on the other hand, didn't so much as blink at the display. Meaning that they were just used to this sort of thing.

Jesus Christ, how horrifying.

At any rate, the Nikkes gathered around Joe continued to focus on him, all smiles, all happy and hopeful, likely for the first time in a very long time. And it came so easily. The only thing he had to do was show them empathy, make them feel seen and appreciated for all of their bitter sacrifices made for humanity's sake.

These beautiful, heart-rending smiles only reemphasized another point firmly home into Joe's very soul.

For their crimes against their Goddesses of Victory, the Central Government would burn.

 

[TimelordLucario]

The legendary rizzmander in his natural habitat.
The man who maxed his charisma score.
You love to see it.

 

[AldariSiradla]

When a regime has forgotten...
That they exist at the pleasure of the people.
That they have power from those that defend it.
When a regime grows rotten...
It is only fitting that it must burn to the ground.
Heralded by the defiant roars of a Legendary Commander and the Goddesses of Victory by His side.