Chapter Text
(June 24th, 2019)
Sally laid down on her sleeping bag, waiting for herself to get tired like everyone else. It had been five days since they met with Colonel Granite and what he has dubbed 'The Freedom Fighters,' and so far their numbers had grown. In combiantion of the Acorn division they were in, they had rouge 36k troops, all now slowly heading towards one of the smaller cities in Sapin, Admir. As she looked up at the tarp ceiling over her, she heard movement and turned to see D'Coolette getting up. She spoke as she looked at him, "Can't sleep?" She asked.
"Not at all, princess. I'm just wondering why you aren't sleeping, you need your beauty sleep. Don't want the princess fighting for Mobian freedom on zhe frontlines to look disgraceful." He told and Bunni woke up before speaking, "Nah, let tha gal get some dirt and muck, makes er look tougher and more dangerous!" Bunni said and Sally rolled her eyes and reached for her phone. "Zhe princess, you do know zhat with connection gone, you can't do anything on zhat." He told and Sally spoke, "I can still look at pictures of me and friend," she replied and as she flicked through pictures of her and Nikki, her screen suddenly turned purple.
"What?" She asked and Bunni spoke, "You're phone up or something?" She asked and Sally nodded as she tried turning it off and on but all that remained was the purple screen. "Yeah, i don't know what caus-Woh!" She shouted as her phone began to spark with purple electricity. D'Coolette spoke as he scooted back, "Gah! What did you do?" He asked as all three of them looked at the phone, wondering what in the world was happening. That was until a giggle came from the phone and Sally spoke as she leaned in, "That sounded like-" she wasn't able to finish as she then felt two paws on her face and a set of lips on her mouth. Her eyes shot open and looked to see it was Nikki! But different!
Once they separated, Nikki spoke as Sally's face turned crimson red, "Oh I've been waiting so long for that! Gaia, it's good to see you again Sally!" She said and Sally felt like melting as she heard laughter from Bunni and D'Coolette. As Nikki smiled, Sally spoke as she finally recovered from what had just happened, "W-Nikki!? How-What? Wh-how did you get here?" She asked and Nikki spoke as she emerged from the phone fully, "Well, after my father merged me and Nicole, I was able to use the last active connection to the wider Internet to come through your phone! Thought I would visit you, make you feel better." Nikki told and D'Coolette spoke, "Now zhat is true love." He told.
"Merge you and Nicole? I thought you had an actual proper treatment lined up, what happened?" She asked and Nikki spoke, "Oh! An F-35 crashed into my hospital and killed me." She said casually and everyone stared at her and Sally spoke, "Wh-What?" She asked, and Nikki spoke as she waved her paw, "But, using advanced medicine and an ancient piece of technology, he was able to revive me and merge me with Nicole, thus making me able to travel between pieces of technology! Oh, and I can still interact with stuff, hence why I kissed you." She said and Sally nodded slowly. "I...wow, Ty-this is a lot to take in..." she told and Bunni spoke, "Nice outfit hun, definitely trying to earn the princesses's attention, eh?" She asked and Nikki nodded, causing Sally to blush harder.
Hours would pass and after fully introducing Nikki to the others, Sally would finally be able to get some shut eye, with Nikki going back into her phone to 'rest.' When the sun did rise, the entire company began to leave the town, with Sally once more riding in an APC alongside the others, now accompanied by Nikki. Nikki spoke as she sat next to Sally, inspecting one of the large weapons that the strange robots had dropped. "Fascinating, this is far more advanced than any energy based weapon on Mobius, at least, that I know of. The fact that this turned people into ash clearly shows that its power source is one that far exceeds that of our Laslocks." Nikki said as she studied the weapon.
"I can see where your Nicole part comes in." Sally noted and Nikki shrugged, "Able to connect to technology on a deeper level could easily allow us to understand whatever is thrown our way much better." She stated and D'Coolette spoke as he leaned back, "I doubt we will need a hyper advanced A.I. mixed with a dead kid, no offense but I doubt Sapin has much advanced tech, outside of those killing machines we fought back Odiar." He said and Bunni nudged him before speaking, "Well Hun, I think we'll greatly appreciate-" She wasn't able to finish as the APC began to shake and roll. "Everyone hold onto something!" Sally said as the APC seemingly launched into the air.
"Woooooohagagahahh!" Everyone screamed until they hit the ground, the light in the APC flickering on and off as everyone groaned. Sally unbuckled and fell next to Bunni and D'Coolette, the two also groaning in pain as well. "By my scans, all of you are okay, so it would be wise to get out of here and find out what happened." Nikki said and Sally nodded as she got up, helping both Bunni and D'Coolette out of their seats. Standing up, the three of them exited the APC, with Sally carrying her phone while Nicole floated next to her. They all stopped as they saw the outside world, their APC had landed in a forest, and far off laid a massive crater, the remnants of Acorn and Sapin vehicles resting around it, melted to slag.
"What happened?" Sally asked as they roamed around, finding scattered armored vehicles and trucks, with some survivors joining up with them. "It's like a nuke went off," Bunni said and Nikki spoke as Sally saw in the distance Colonel Granite on top of a ruined tank. "I'm not picking up any radiation signatures, so something else hit us." Nikki told and as they arrived to the ruin tank, Sally spoke, "Colonel Granite! What the heck happened?" She asked and Granite spoke, "How the hell should I know? One minute we're heading to Admir, the next minute a massive flash light evaporates most of us! We're gathering survivors, but it'll be awhile till we get mobile."
"A flash of light?" Sally asked and Granite nodded and spoke, "Yeah, just like some of the stories people told after The Balkan War. Either way, anyone not caught in the blast and survived the launch is probably good enough to continue marching. Admir needs to be taken, even if we have to head through the forests instead of the open terrain." Granite told and Sally nodded, with the group taking a seat near a ruined truck, waiting for whatever was left of the division and Freedom Fighters to regroup and move out. As they sat down, Nikki spoke, "When Knothole was attacked, Nicole had identified two types of IFFs, one belonging to an mercenary group, and unknown IFFs, ones flying aircraft we've never seen before."
"Why did they look like?" Sally asked as soon, Nikki's eyes projected recordinsg of aircraft with for-ward swept wings, taking down naval ships left and right before moving onto aircraft. "Zhose do not like normal cannons, what zhey firing?" D'Coolette asked as Sally was able to notice an emblem on one of the wings, an E surrounded by stars. "How did you get these?" Bunni asked and Nikki replied, "Nicole had access to all of the city's cameras, thus I was easily able to gather footage from all across the capital when the fighting began." She explained and once she was done showing the videos, Sally spoke, "I think these guys are a part of the people controlling Sapin."
"Controlling?"
"Sapin isn't in control, it never was. Some other force is controlling it, heck, maybe that's what happened here! This 'Force' attacked us with a powerful weapon, trying to stop us and Colonel Granite from possibly rallying more Sapin Forces to rebel." Sally told and D'Coolette nodded, "Well, it makes sense. Sapin wasn't Anti-Mobian until the war." He said as soon, they had begun to move into the thick forest surrounding them. Walking by a truck carrying the injured, Sally spoke as she saw an Sapin flag on a tank, now painted over with an Acorn and twin rifles, the symbol of The Freedom Fighters.
"I'm wondering, what happens once we win this war?" Bunni asked and Sally placed a paw on her snout before speaking, "Well, to win we would need to find out who's controlling Sapin, cause I doubt just capturing the Capital and destroying Sapin Resistance would be the end of it. Whoever is behind this will have a back up plan..." Sally told as the survivors seemingly approached an old and abandoned factory zone. "This is the Admir Prison Labor Center. Place has been abandoned for years, could be a good place to set up an FOB." D'Coolette said and Bunni spoke, "I feel like we're walking into an ambush..." She said and as the survivors entered the Labor Center, Sally grabbed her nose and spoke, "Gaia this place stinks, smells like a grave yard..." She told.
"Prisons tend to not smell good, trust me, my uncle got send to one of ours and even our rehab centers have the tendency to smell bad." Bunni said, "Huh? But our centers are always clean, you don't like the smell of lavender?" D'Coolette asked and Bunni shook his head, with Sally catching the coyote discreetly tossing away a spray bottle. While walking g through the center, Sally turned to look at a stack of machinery and saw multiple large combat robots, what seemed to be chain guns as arms and mortars resting on their back. "Those things seem pretty heavily armed for a prison center." Sally told and Nikki rubbed her snout before gasping. "They're active!" She screamed and everyone paused, vehicles having to be waved down as many of the survivors began to raise their weapons cautiously at the robots.
Sally grabbed a laslock from the truck they walked by, she aimed at the robots, with D'Coolette and Bunni doing the same. As the silence overcame the survivors and the center, Sally heard boots moving on metal grates and as a missile slammed into a Bradley, punching right through it. The robots suddenly woke up and opened fired, red lasers flying as everyone ducked for cover. Nikki spoke as she flew off, "I'll handle them!" She yelled, "Nikki! No!" Sally cried and as Nikki charged at them, one of the robots turned and Nikki pounced on it. She phased right into the robot, the robot going limp immediately afterward.
"Uhh, Sal, whatcha girlfriend doing?"
"Ruth-what's-She—I DON'T KNOW AND WE'RE NOT DATING...yet..." Sally blushed as the robot turned back on, the eye underneath its helmet now glowing purple. It smashed one of its arms into one of the other bots while aiming the other at the remaining one. The lasers slowly melted through the bot's armor while the one that was smashed began smashing back; engaging in a melee with Nikki. "Nice going Nikki!" Sally said as she ducked, a green ball of energy narrowly missing her as she looked and saw in multiple buildings Bone Company soldiers, all of them wielding odd energy weapons. "It's Bone Company!" Bunni shouted and D'Coolette followed, "Really it's the people behind this all!" He shouted and as a group of Freedom Fighters and Acorn Soldiers gathered at a brick wall, Sally heard the sound of heavy boots coming from the other side, the boots being masked by explosions of vehicles and screams of dying men and women.
"Move!" she shouted but too late as the wall exploded, bricks and people being sent flying as Sally's eyes widened. Rushing through were multiple giants, not as large as the robots they had fought, but still towering over them. They moved fast, faster than something that large should be able to move. One turned a Freedom Fighter into a gore puddle by just running into them while firing some sort of energy weapon, with another wielding a massive axe glowing with electricity.
One then turned her.
Narrowly dodging them, the giant rammed right into the truck, sending enough force to flip it onto its side. She fired her laslock into its armor but it simply raised its energy weapon, one glowing a violent green. She dodged out of the way and continued to do so, with the Giant getting better at shooting at her until her savior came in with a piece of rebar. While she aimed her laslock, Sally watched Bunni leap over her with a piece of rebar and using her cybernetic arm, she slammed it against the giant's head. The rebar bounced off and as the Bunni landed down, the Giant seemed confused.
Which would end up in its 'demise.'
"Fireball!" D'Coolette shouted as he chucked an incendiary grenade at the giant. The grenade detonated on direct impact, flame spreading over the giant's body and forcing it to kneel down. "Now! Charge it!" Sally shouted and as Bunni went to stab it in the neck with the rebar, it managed to use one of its hand to grab the rebar. Bunni let go of the rebar and simply punched it in the head, but before she could go in for the kill, its buddies joined the fight. Ducking under a swing from an axe, Sally shouted as she grabbed both Bunni and D'Coolette. "Nikki!" She shouted and the lynx popped out of the robot before speaking, "Coming!" She said and one of the giants tried to strike her down but this allowed her to jump into the armor. Sally turned her head and watched as Nikki used the armor to finish off the burning giant.
"Nice going Nikki!" Sally told and Nikki jumped out the armor, with the giant within crumbling to its knees as it held the body of its brother. "What now?" She asked and Sally replied as she saw General Granite ordering everyone to retreat. "Seems like we're running!" Sally told and she looked back at the truck that was flipped, the wounded sprawled out on the ground. "But not until they're out!" She said and let go of her friends before rushing off to get the wounded. Sliding over, she picked two up and spoke as Bunni, D'Coolette and Nikki did the same. As they got the wounded out, a Sapin Leopard supported them.
As they passed by the Leopard, she heard the cough of some sort of jet and saw multiple giants land upon the Leopard, their melee weapons cutting into it like it was nothing.
She continued onward, making sure to get the wounded out, and her friends out...
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(June 24th, 2345)
Noah advanced alongside Stevenson, plasma rifles firing into Mobian bodies as lasers and ballistic weaponry hit them, doing nothing to their armor. While advancing, Noah pulled out the empty cartridge of his plasma rifle and while reloading, switched to a plasma pistol and proton axe. He charged forward and with a single swipe, he cut a Mobian in half while turning another one into goo with his plasma pistol. "Death! Death!" Stevenson shouted as charged in as well, backhanding. A Mobian before kicking another one into a wall, splattering as the survivors fell back even further. "This is Colonel Smith! All forces, continue to push the attack! Do not let them escape!" Colonel Smith's voice came over the radio.
Obeying the order, the two of them continued to assault, eventually running into the PA Striketeam that was apart of The 18th. Slamming into cover, Noah spoke as he recognized Lieutenant Granite, "You get around," He joked and Granite spoke as stood from cover and fired into Mobians in an old factory, "My name does, the leader of the pitiful resistance is named Granite as well, funny, ain't it?" Granite told as they continued to fire into the builders, nailing mutants and taking not a single casualty.
The fight continued for a good few hours, the 18th unleashing all the fury they had held against the Mobians and finally using their technology at their disposal. It felt glorious, to finally fight like how they were supposed to fight, to fight like knights against the darkness!
During the battle, they had begun exiting the Labor Center and began to move deep into the forest, the 18th spreading out and separating from another, hunting the Mobian Survivors like wolves.
Noah was apart of one of the groups, supporting two infantry squads as they descended upon a group of Mobian's tending to their wounded. They descended upon them, guns roaring as he and Stevenson rushed them, their large forms taking the attention off their less armored brethren. When they slammed into them, Noah began to fall into a trance, hearing 'The Song,' once again. It was like a lullaby this time, lacking heavy beats and heavier instrumentals, and instead was far more soothing, relaxing. Allowing him to enter into a state where he more danced than fought. Of course they were picking off the wounded, picking off lone groups and hunting vehicles while hiding in the trees.
The Mobians had tried to push back, but finally having access to power armor and more sophisticated heavy weaponry allowed them to quickly set up killzones and repels any attacks that had been sent their way. The 'Battle' would carry for an extra hour, all Mobians confirmed having to have left the sector.
As the fighting ended, Noah spoke as he slammed a new plasma cartridge into his rifle, blasting one final shot into the back of Mobian, turning it to goo. As he heard the cheers and roars of his comrades, Noah smiled as Stevenson hefted his proton axe on his armor, "Victory...it smells sweet. The 10th is probably feeling something similar in the city." Stevenson told.
Noah nodded and spoke as he and Stevenson began walking back to the labor looking for Lee and the other members of the command squad, who had separated themselves to fight on different fronts of the center. While walking, Stevenson spoke as he moved passed Noah, "I need to check on the Medical Company, see if we lost anyone." He told and Noah chuckled before speaking, "Loss? These creatures can't break us, and surely not kill us." He told and Stevenson spoke, "Overconfidence gets one killed..." he said and Noah shrugged as Stevenson left.
It would be a few minutes later that Noah returned to the Center, and found Lee.
Noah saw Lee, and moved over to him, the chaplain standing next to an overturned truck, and as he did so, he saw a sight that stunned him. Laying on the ground was an PA soldier, their armor burned and broken, the body unmoving. And on his HUD appear three letters.
K.I.A.
Noah stood next to Lee, the Chaplain standing next to one of the members of a power armor fireteam. The soldier spoke as he looked down at the broken and charred armor of a 'Corporal Rose,' "One of the mutants, she...she possessed my armor, I she controlled it, she controlled me! I-I had no control over what I did, Charles, he tried to stop me but...by God...." The man said and Lee spoke as he looked at the body, "It is not your fault, Sergeant, you had no control over what had happened. We had no idea that these creatures could have a power like this..." Lee told and Noah spoke, "That thing also hacked into one of our sentry bots. I doubt it's a normal Mobian."
"Perhaps it's one of those super powered ones we've all heard about." Noah turned and saw Smith walking forward, a powered armored medic following him. The Medic knelt down and used a Plasma Cutter to began cut into Corporal Rose's head. "What are you doing?" The sergeant asked and Lee spoke, "Specialist Oak here is attempting to extract the brain of your brother in arms, if he is successful and fast enough, the brain can be implanted into a new body, whether that be one of flesh or steel." Lee explained and the medic spoke, "Do not worry Sergeant, you will be fighting with your brother in arms once more..." the Sergeant nodded and walked off.
Noah's eyes drifted to the Medic's wait, multiple reinforced containers hanging off of it, five of them having a green light on them, signifying that they also contained brains. "Six men lost..." Noah muttered and the Medic spoke, "Not lost. Just out of commission," He told as Noah watched the Medic pull the brain out out of the skull of the trooper before locking it in a container. "The casualties of the Mobians are far higher, over 750 dead in a single engagement and many vehicles were disable by this ambush." Smith told and as the Command Team began to discuss more and more, Noah laid against a wall, flicking up and down a lighter he had picked up from a dead Mobian.
It bore artwork of a blue hedgehog jumping through multiple rings, smiling confidently. Was it some kind of merchandise? If so, of who? What made this blue xeno so special? Noah thought as he continued to flip it up and down, with Owen walking over and taking off his helmet before fumbling with a small pouch on his waist. Eventually he pulled out a cigar and placed it in his mouth, "Would you kindly light it?" He asked and Noah nodded, flipping the lighter open and lighting the cigar on fire. As Owen smoked, he smiled and spoke, "You ever heard of what happened down in the South during The Campaign East?"
"The Kudzu Infection? I've read about it, I had to take a test on it. Got a B on it."
"A B? It's one of the most famous campaigns we ever partook, damn Youngblood." Owen said and Noah rolled his eyes underneath his armor. "I put down why the assault into the heart of the infection was so effective due to the fact that modified M52 Armadillos with their cannons modded to spit fire lead the charge." Noah stated and Owen took the cigar out of his mouth and laughed, "You idiot, it was because of the experimental Devil Hellfire unit deployed there, the armor made it so that they could essentially bath in lava and be fine. We burned the scum out and now a nice park sits there." Owen said and Noah nodded as he heard mighty roar, and following that, his compass began to light up with hostile blips.
"Colonel Smith..." Noah began and everyone heard the roars of unknown creatures. "It appears we're not alone," he said and soon, the entirety of the 18th had been gathered in the Labor Center once more, and as the hostile blips closed in, Smith spoke, standing on a pile of rubble while Noah kept his rifle leveled. "I have been told, that General Howe has taken the opportunity to destroy and remove all traces of this world's religion," He said and Lee replied as everyone prepared themselves, "Of course, it's a disgusting one, one that pales in comparison to the word of God..."
A roar followed that and Smith spoke, "The false god is angry, and it has sent its creatures against us. Steel yourselves, for we are about to face the demons of this world..." he told and soon, Noah laid eyes upon the 'demons.' They glowed like the sun, shined like gold, they radiated a warmth that would sooth any other, and their bodies varied from animals to strange golem like creatures. but in the presence of mankind?
They were disgusting.
Lasers, plasma and gauss began to rip through them. Golden smoke bled from them before they disappeared, with Chaplain Lee screaming as he fired a gauss pistol into the horde, "Let none survive! Tell their false god that ours is stronger! That we are stronger! In the name of The Lord, let none pass!" Lee shouted as both lightly armored and powered armored personnel fired into the oncoming horde. As they mowed down the beasts, napalm bombs from Owen and Ack, along with other demo-teams, rained down upon the demons. The substance melted them down, reducing them to smoky messes of gold before they disappeared.
"MOVING FORWARD," Noah heard the voice of sentry bots and stepped aside, allowing two sentry bots to move forward and unleash a hail of fire with their Gatling lasers, adding on to the already powerful beating that they were giving to them. Demon after demon, monster after monster, the horde slowly disappeared until all that was left was golden smoke and empty energy weapon cartridges. As everyone stood ready, just incase more came, Smith spoke as he walked forward, "All Officers and NCOs, tell the regiment we're moving out! I want to know where these beasts came from." He said and as everyone began to move, Noah looked over at Lee, who was slamming a fresh magazine home into his gauss pistol.
"Chaplain, these beasts...quite strange, aren't they?" He stated and Lee spoke as he saw one limping away, putting a gauss shot into its head.
"Yes...they are."
Hours would pass and Noah would find himself standing on the edge of a crater, looking down into it, a well of viscous, golden liquid and ancient ruins laid inside of it, alongside it was also various plants and pieces of fauna that did not seem native to this world. "I take it that's where the bastards came from. When we hit them with Station Regan's laser, we must have revealed it." Smith stated as the rest of the command team looked down upon it. "So do we hit it again?" Stevenson asked.
"Laser is recharging, that and if we keep using it, the outside world will know something is up if orbital laser strikes keep happening." Smith replied, "How are we keeping this under wraps? Sure the internet and connection to the outside world is severed but I still think an orbital laser is something one doesn't miss." Ack questioned and Lee spoke as he held his hammer, "A major war seems to be brewing between the other nations of the world, they'll ignore it." He told and Smith spoke over comms, "Shock Trooper Company, get over here." He ordered and soon, multiple soldiers carrying Fatmans moved over. "Aim." He ordered and Lee finished off once all of the company was in position.
"Fire!"
Multiple mini-nukes soon fell down into the crater, the iconic 'whistling,' filling Noah's helmet as the nukes soon slammed into the heretical ground. Noah's helmet automatically tuned down the light, making sure his eyes weren't hurt as he watched the explosion. Soon, the temple came crashing down into-
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Lee watched as a massive fiery bird rose up into the sky, his surroundings turned pure white as he locked eyes with the bird. The bird landed upon a rock in the endless void, and spoke as it looked down upon Lee, "Why do you hate me?" It asked and Lee spoke as he walked forward, grabbing his super sledge tightly and making it spark electricity. "You're a false god, a disgrace to the very word 'god.' You're nothing." Lee told as he looked up at the beast. "But I'm here...I help people, I try and make them better. Yet you claim I'm a disgrace? Your heart is the blackest heart I've ever seen, it would make Dark Gaia cry!"
"Blackest Heart? I am one of the purest men ever to grace this unholy land, beast." Lee spoke as he came closer to the bird, "You are nothing. You are a monster, a creature that feast upon man and Mobian alike. To me, you are so far below my God, that you closer to a figment of child's mind, a figment none take seriously." Lee told and the beast spoke as it looked down at him, "Who hurt you? Your black heart, your words, you were hurt, you were corrupted by something."
"Corrupted? Far from it. I've seen the truth, The Truth of God! You're just a creature, abusing the species of this world for your own gain." Lee stated, hatred filling his veins. "Abusing? You're the one putting them in labor camps!" It replied and Lee waved him off, "That's not abuse, we are simply placing the Mobians into the position they are supposed to have. That being laborers for mankind. You lie to them by telling a lie, that they can get along with mankind." Lee argued and the two would continue to argue, the beast constantly trying to tell Lee that he was wrong, that he had been corrupted, that he could be redeem.
But how could he redeem himself he had done nothing wrong? Every breathe he took every step he takes, ever word he spoke and every action he partook in was in the name of God! Not for himself, but for his fellow man and for his God. Eventually, enough was enough, and Lee raised his Gauss Pistol and spoke.
"Enough, creature. I have listened to you insult and be-little me and my God for long enough, tell me, why have you brought me here? Was it to try and teach me to be better? If so, than you failed, for I am already a better a man. A man that has accepted God and has done no wrong in life! I am a holy man! So by The Son, The Father, and The Soul. I banish you from here!" Lee shouted as he fired his gauss pistol into the creature's head, the head exploding in a cloud of gold and sunlight. As the body fell limp, he heard the beast's voice once more.
"Why..."
Lee spoke as the void disappeared, and he smiled as he the land around him once more.
"For it's in God's plan. That no false idol would ever take his plane. For now...
"And forever..."