After Iker finished the Spiderland dance, an obvious question became apparent. Even though he no longer apparently believed in anything, why did he blindly trust his own past, present, and future platoon members?
Well, one direly important reason would be to mitigate esper shenanigans, but that would be besides the point.
However, was it possible to always make an informed decision?
Iker did not verify whether a hacker poisoned the self-driving AI on the lambda earlier; he blindly trusted its security protocols. Or how about the times he took a public magnetic bus? He did not request that the talking animal or human driver present their licenses each time; he just assumed they possessed it. Now that Iker thought about it, he was sure that talking animals were getting banned from guiding vehicles again.
There was a couple of times Iker did not check his own parachute during paratrooper training. Even before he mastered Kaya form; which could now help him survive a fall from high up in the sky and could prevent his body from burning up from travelling too fast. Was there enough time in the world to never trust anything blindly ever again? Was it possible to attain all the knowledge needed to make an informed decision each time? One had to eventually trust things in life to have time to actually enjoy it, but what does a being do when a magic system they trusted could hurt them or even kill them? Especially when it was a magic system they had no hope in understanding?
At least Iker made it to eighteen years of age – not something many denizens from No Man's Land could boast. And as the simulation manifested and 2 platoon walked with him into a massive nightclub crowd of humans and talking animals chanting over a long catwalk, Iker was fine trusting them as he kept on living.
And as the simulation manifested and 2 platoon walked with him into a massive nightclub crowd of humans and talking animals chanting over a long catwalk, Iker was fine trusting them as he kept on living [https://img.wattpad.com/d22d695ea37d9ece8bb661091250e6d8c2ddde73/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f45377152774a4e6e4d462d4b79673d3d2d313339333236383231302e313739323161613063663264356631623134393039383239353330372e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Even to this day, Iker knew straight guys were only comfortable walking two categories.
Body and cybernetics. And of course, any categories where the whole house walks and they can show off as being the patriarch of such house.
Bastian was the only cool straight guy that would walk all of them. Iker held him back once from walking a category that was for cis women, but Bastian only tried it because Iker said that thought out loud.
O, the joys of being shit stirrers.
Jodería.
Iker may have been four years older due to time shenanigans, but brotherhood was forever.
Well, with the shapeshifting going on, their bodies were different ages again.
Don't answer this question if it's dangerous for me to know, but it's emotionally bothering me, Iker said as he swirled his Manhattan cocktail. He was shapeshifted into one of his ancestors to mitigate some of the dysphoria shapeshifting brought. The ability was not explained to him, so it was fair to deduce that shapeshifting was a guarded holy grail he was not supposed to know about. So he looked similar and his skin tone was darker as whoever he currently was had yet to be mixed with any Italian heritage.
Iker was staring at Bastian, maybe hoping to ask him the question with a facial expression. Bastian's appearance was also changed; his wide jaw was even more chiseled than usual. As he smiled back at Iker... Bastian already knew what he was going to ask didn't he?
I know he's the reason your parents are gone Bastian. Are you ok with saving him?
Nobody said anything back in the Uzi's mindlink, but Bastian nodded back.
So it must not have been Dominic that did it. I guess I didn't know anything.
This was not the first temporal mission Iker was on, so he knew speculating as to why and how Dominic killed Bastian's parents could be a recipe for madness. Clearly the platoon would have explained things if they could, but they chose not to.
Fatima was across from Iker on the catwalk, giving him an acknowledging nod.
In this simulation Fatima really went for it. Even among all the eccentrically dressed people and talking animals cheering around her, Fatima still stood out.
The bronze dress with a halter cut Fatima had on looked splendid on her. She went for big luscious curly hair, diamond earrings, and cat-like eye makeup with each eye having a glued diamond of their own.
Actually, as a house beat played and the MC asked for scores from the judges to finish the current competition on the catwalk, Iker realized he may have the same makeup too. The side of his small nasal bridge was a little itchy, but something told him to rub the spot gently. He rubbed off a smudge of black makeup on his index finger. Maybe the "something" that told him to rub gently was his eyelids feeling more moisturized than usual.
It seemed the rest of the platoon was at the bar getting their own drinks. Wait, where was Uzi?
My body is uploaded elsewhere, Uzi said. My mind is with you all.
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Iker could come up with an endless list of reasons as to how it was not Dominic that murdered Bastian's parents, but Iker limited himself to three. He had failed past missions due to his overthinking, so he was trying to avoid engaging in it again.
1. Dominic could have been controlled by an esper the whole time.
2. Bastian could have been fooled by a deepfake or a hologram when he saw his parents being killed.
3. Someone could have shapeshifted into a body, cloned, or made a robot that resembled Dominic and they killed Bastian's parents.
4. Someone could have planted a fake memory in Bastian's mind.
Alright, that was four possibilities. Iker limited himself to three earlier, so he brought himself back to focus on the task at hand. Monica and Uzi were in charge for this mission, so Iker awaited instructions.
A few days from now Dominic will get captured by 1 platoon, Uzi said. We should be able to capture Pager as soon as we create a simulation for Dominic.
I killed Pager's carbon body four years ago, Iker said. Are you sure it's not a different esper? Is his mind somewhere in the omniverse?
You mean four years ago based on your lived experience, Uzi said. Pager's mind is somewhere else. Iker, you already did the hard part by killing his carbon body. I will have his mind taken care of.
Iker remembered that Uzi did control Pager at the last second before he casted his paralyzing illusion on Iker by tapping him on the head.
Stop overthinking damn it.
With how discreet his platoon was being, it was obvious that Iker should not overthinking things.
When you get the urge to overthink or speculate, just be sincere instead, Iker remembered Mami saying a long time ago.
Uzi, I think we can do the same thing we did with Monica, Iker said. Not because Pager deserves redemption, but because he would be a powerful ally.
You're aware of what he currently believes in right? Fatima said.
As the MC with the microphone kept walking back and forth on the catwalk in between them, Iker glanced forward to lock eyes with Fatima. Her stare was gentle. She should be more upset at the idea of saving Pager, or at least that is what Iker thought. She seemed just fine.
Was it that one or more of the enemy espers were able to receive the words exchanged in the simulation? The body language and faces of 2 platoon did not match the words that was being said on the mindlink at all. Bastian should be way more furious than that night he left Pueblo with Iker. And Fatima was way too relaxed at the idea of Iker forgiving a young edgy nazi.
Was Iker supposed to propose the idea of saving Pager on his own without any interference? Were Bastian and Fatima playing stupid?
It seemed Fatima knew what was going through Iker's mind, as she gave him a small smile.
Yea. I saw the ape jokes and the furnace jokes, Iker said. He was not much older than me when his carbon body died. I just think he is a shit stirrer like us at heart. If I can convince him that there is more fun to be had triggering our enemies, he could join our side.
Or he could pretend to play along with the idea, Bastian said. Just know you are dancing with the devil Iker.
Isn't that what trolling is all about? Dancing with the devil? Iker asked. He glanced at Bastian as he was slapping the stage praising the winner of the femme queen category; he was definitely not upset at Iker's proposal either. More clues that the platoon was playing stupid.
It seemed that Iker had to propose the idea on his own.
As the crowd clapped for the contestants, Bastian gave Iker an upnod before joining in on the applause.
Yea, Bastian is definitely playing stupid.
Iker's platoon was speaking in code.
Alright, I'll play the series of games required to capture Pager, Iker said.
It might be many, Uzi said. You at least have Bastian, Hunter, Monica, and an ally waiting for you.
An excited and shapeshifted Gabe barged in between Iker and Bastian, but it wasn't going to be him as he was not part of the felixboys asset on the MWAOS terminal. Iker deduced that his future cadet just started his tutorial on playing stupid as Gabe raised his nearly empty glass of beer.
"Cheers," Gabe said, clinking his glass with Iker's Manhattan martini glass.
"You're supposed to do that with a fuller glass," Iker said.
"Why?" Gabe asked.
"Study its history."
If anyone knew Iker, he obviously took a sip of his drink right after saying that. Gabe shook his head in a friendly response, raising his own glass to his lips.
I bet three r0cbytes it's his brother, Iker guessed as he stared into Gabe's eyes as they finished their drinks quickly.
"Now for what we have all been here for, because frankly half of you do not show up here if there aren't two houses fighting," the MC yelled over the microphone.
The crowd response was polarizing. Clearly the half that showed up every weekend cheered the MC on while the ones that felt called out moaned and kissed their teeth.
"You know it's true. Why you think I antagonize you when rent is due?" the MC melodically asked on the beat, now winning the whole crowd with a reluctant laugh.
As the MC raised his hand to the DJ and the house beat flooded the catwalk, he began chanting.
🎶House of Felix, House of Seraphis, House of Felix...🎶
Since I know none of you paid attention to the category, Uzi said. It's cybernetic realness. Iker you should take off your shirt to show off your prosthetic arm.
Uzi is starting to appreciate the human form and getting a human's sense of humor, Bastian joked. Iker glanced behind him as he jumped on the catwalk to share a snorty laugh with Bastian.
Haha, very funny, Uzi said with a monotone voice.
You say that as if I wasn't gonna show off this body Uzi, Iker said.
And indeed, the shapeshifted supersoldier took off his shirt, already getting cheers before twirling his prosthetic and flesh arm at the wrists. He glanced over at his new arm. This time it was indeed cybernetic; it was now a recently polished titanium arm that glittered under the lights reflecting off the disco ball.
Just tap Dominic on the head, Uzi said. You can use either arm since I am lending you my esper abilities. Do you understand what lending is? Meaning I am taking it back—
Yea yea. Ya, carajo, Iker said.
Fatima, Bastian, and Gabe joined the stage with cybernetic augments of their own. Fireflies and holograms of beams and explosions surrounded them, competing against the holographic stars that danced around House of Seraphis.
"Renée! Alice!"
After those names were shouted, two women who kissed each other earlier stopped holding hands and rolled elegantly to the beat to join House of Seraphis. Iker rolled into their vicinity as well into a shablam, getting the crowd on his side with their arms dropping with him.
Dominic was marching to the bass, perfectly acceptable for the patriarch of the house. His body had synthetic material instead of just metal this time around; the skin tone of his cybernetic body was an Egyptian blue under the star holograms that followed House of Seraphis.
As Iker stood back up on the foot he laid in while keeping his other leg raised, he kept spinning his arms, stopping them at perpendicular angles at each percussion hit from the DJ.
Iker, while also playing stupid, "accidentally" twirled a hand too far and tapped Dominic on the forehead.
The simulation ended before Iker felt guilty enough to stop voguing entirely and apologize.