"The civilization and traditions that went extinct really were interesting. I am grateful for the information you have given me, regardless of their personal usage for me. I can clearly see the reasoning behind your acting and the reason for your understanding in both Terna's case and why you chose to follow up with us. However, as circumstances change, you must realize that adapting to a different environment is key to being universally accepted by those surrounding you."

Tiki chuckled, "Nah...I'll disagree with you on that, Luna. My thinking is that the way I act and talk is the way that it comes out naturally. It's me. I swear a lot, so what? I'm young like that! It's easy to pass me off as some moronic bozo but, I don't really care. I pass by people every day, and they will all judge me for what I do and say on the surface. If I really will change, it'll be because I really am ready to, not because of this. It's not business. No offence, but because you are emotionally blocked by whatever shit you got inside that brain, you won't realize it now...but really, for the first time in years I...I've got what I like to consider friends. Because like Izuko, I guess we both found comfort in each other's lack of liking for others to hang out with us. Weird sounding, isn't it? If the ones I'm together with now won't accept me for who I am, the way I act and talk, what's the point? Like they did with me back then...hmm. And this short fuse of mine always gets me riled up about the most basic shit, but hey, what can I say, I sometimes do enjoy it myself. Guess 'sorry' takes a little more power to say than starting a new fight to cover the last one, huh?", Tiki laughed softly, "I can try to be a little more considerate, but I always liked brutal honesty. That's me...though I always will have that fear festering inside me, with the choices I made for myself."

"Hmm? What fear may be festering inside you? You said you've seen it all."

"Well, doesn't stop me from putting more things in the meaning of 'all'. I guess philosophy from someone like me, with my attitude and age is highly unjustified, but that fear...I just hope I won't be left to fend off alone again. If that's the case, then god dammit, I'd rather die."

"I will surely stick by your side. We all will...but please, do try to show that side to others a little bit more."

"Hmm...No. I'll let my rival know where I'm coming from...mind doing the same, anyway? C'mon, it's obviously a bonding moment, don't ruin it! Get those memory chips rolling," Tiki sipped her drink.

"Fairly enough, Lina always enticed me to learn more about others. She said it will help with building good 'bonds'. But most of my memories are uninteresting days gone by. Will you mind?"

"Not at all. If anything, I think it'll be extremely interesting. Hell, I've got a hybrid super soldier in front of me, how uninteresting can this get? Shoot away!" Tiki encouraged Luna.

"My memories take me a certain distance back. Unfortunately, most of them are being purposely held back in a certain part of my H.I.V.E. It's an acronym that was described to me as 'Holographic Intelligence Virtual Environment', that most Augmented are connected with. Its main function is to withhold certain aspects of character, such as emotions and memories from the user, in order to enhance combat performance." she sipped her coffee.

"Woah, slow down. Hold back memories, you say?"

"Precisely. It was recently brought to my attention that Drima is a culprit of this device and more than likely, an incomplete prototype was used on Dante to hold back his memories as well. However, it being an incomplete version, it's highly likely that Dante did not have the same complete effects such as me. That being an emotional block."

"Holy shit...Drima was in on it?!"

"Unlikely. Though he is surely to blame for the creation of the invasive technology and probable surgery for its application, he expressed clear remorse for his creation, thus removing him from direct correlation with the activities inflicted on me and my little sister."

"Hmm...Ok. Sounds legit." Tiki softly nodded.

"Are you not going to investigate it further, or even judge him further?"

"Nah...For once, I'll empathize with the nerd. Didn't see his reaction live, but when he wanted to talk to you at the training area, I quickly realized that it wasn't going to be pretty. And I can totally understand where he's coming from. I've seen a lot of times where something created for another purpose gets used for something else, or something used for what was intended gets completely derailed to the extreme."

"Today's conversation is indeed...enlightening. Now for my memories, I only remember me and Lina at the orphanage, passing every day. I had my target set on completely protecting her from the outside world and its many dark realities, while additionally fending off several members of the renowned group 'Chaos Sect' that called themselves the 'Abyssal Assassins'. I had recently settled with our life as it was, but upon realizing that there was a chance for my main directive to be complete I could no longer stand by and watch."

"Yeah, I remember those freaks...so two questions. Why did they want you? And what the hell is that 'main directive'?"

"The assassins were sent after us by an unknown source, their core objective to eliminate both me and Lina. Reasons for that remain unknown, as their faith in their cause, along with what I believe to be rigorous counter-interrogation training."

"You interrogated them? Damn, that sounds hella interesting. They taught you that as well?"

"Affirmative. I was trained in every single form of combat and war-related necessities, like interrogations. Despite my best and most brutal efforts, however, I ended up eliminating them in the process, in fear of Lina finding out what was really happening."

"That's not good, y'know. Raising the kid in such big a bubble honestly does show why she's so overly curious about everything."

"There was no alternative. If she were to be eliminated because of my inability to eliminate the threats hunting her down, my existence would cease of meaning."

"I mean...you do realize there's more to the world than just your little sister, right? Not saying you shouldn't protect her, by all means, do so, but you need to remember that besides all of your mechanical parts and everything, you're still alive. That's why, you need to live too."

"Negative. I, like you, believe is something different. And my beliefs are in direct correlation with my little sister's well-being."

"Then why can I bet my ass right now, she tells you to do the same? Because the way she pushed you out of the room were telltale signs of that."

Luna paused for a brief moment, taking a long sip of her coffee before continuing, "Disregarding that, about my main directive. Augmented was created as part human, part machine hybrids like demi-humans, with the fusion of demon-based DNA from Corosta. The objective was to create the perfect Obsulyte users to counter all known threats while they were under control. Partially succeeding, our main directive was then revealed as 'protecting humanity'. A weapon in masses, designed to eliminate all forms of beings that threatened humanity in any way, shape, or form. I believe...I believe that if I complete the task that was assigned to me, which is to kill the beings we call Gods, I can then break free of the imposed restraints that cause me severe neurological damage. If the main directive is complete, then maybe, H.I.V.E. in its entirety can begin to collapse from the sheer lack of users, thus shutting down after its innate directive that correlates with mine is forth filled."

"This is some...pretty sensitive stuff. Are you sure you want to share that with me?", Tiki asked.

"I simply wish to return the gesture, seeing as you invited me in a normal activity and opened up in similar ways. Friendship, though emotional, must also be supported by give-and-take actions to further strengthen bonds as well as cement them for years to come."

"You stripped that straight out the internet somewhere, I'm sure.", Tiki sighed, "I won't stop you then. Just don't kill me about it later."

Luna went back into explaining, "Currently, because of my sister's experimental state, I remain the only known H.I.V.E. user to date. The graves of the orphans before the orphanage were failed experiments that were either eliminated or simply could not survive the procedures to become augmented. Those such as myself who came close to success were held as such successes and were put on the training program that finalized our combative capabilities. My sister, despite her age, underwent extreme surgeries in order to see how low could the push of the age gap bar for those that were to be turned into Augmented. However successful the experiment might have been held, judging from the sheer strength of my little sister, it severely compromised her metabolism, because of her young age and the fact that she had experienced her growth period around that time. In general, we were instructed that the capable age for someone to undergo that surgery was around the teenage years. Later down the line, my sister was deemed a failed experiment, after she suffered multiple seizures during the last surgical procedure that was supposed to ingrain her in the H.I.V.E. and under complete mental and emotional control. It was deemed that the upper limit was the age of 12, for the lowest amount of years that a transformation could be deemed successful. Later down the line, there were supposed to be pushed further back, so younger orphans, as low as the age of 6 were brought for surgeries."

Stolen novel; please report.

"Uh...Luna. What are...what are the numbers on that?", Tiki prepared herself.

"Approximately 248 orphans, excluding me and my sister, which was the maximum legally allowed limit of orphans underwent the procedures."

"Holy...oh my god...", Tiki was frightened for the first time.

"Of those 248, around 230 were collected and buried by me after the 'incident'. It was the day my sister and I escaped under unknown circumstances. H.I.V.E. currently holds all data from the incident and renders me unable to be reminded of the full events. However, a faint image of some sort of warrior comes to mind. Perhaps the Wandering Phoenix, which was referenced by my little sister, when she was practicing her martial arts potency. For around 5 years, our only objective remained survival. The entire field in the back of the orphanage was replanted flowers and flower seeds planted by Lina out of the sheer abundance of time, as well as honing combat capabilities. It turned from a grim cemetery for those fallen before us to a field of remembrance for their innocence when they were taken early from this world." she finished her coffee.

"The term 'legal' surely doesn't fit for shit here...hell. Didn't even realize that the field we saw was indeed the kid's work...man. But wait, what about the other orphans? You buried 230, and it was another 18, plus you two."

"They were sent to an unknown location, supposedly finishing their transition as Augmented and deployed for service."

"Look, you've gotta give this info to Drima. He's gonna have a hell of a time processing them, but he can help you."

"Negative. Drima has been brought to my attention as a hostile entity that must be avoided, if not eliminated." Luna seemed to show anger.

Tiki finished her drink, "Hah...this isn't pretty. Luna, you can't hold all of that in. The more you do, the worse it's gonna get. Trust me on that. Sometimes, holding out on important information can be devastating when they come out delayed later on."

"Your suggestion is noted, but our situations are dissimilar, allowing for my personal objection. If so, at least for the time being, they will only be documented and not acted upon."

"I can't force you to do anything, honestly. I'll stand by you, but if shit goes south, expect me to get in the way. Now...what other questions are there...more like 'where to start', but...hmm." Tiki thought.

"I suppose that we can-", Luna paused, dropping her cup and cramping up.

Tiki jolted, "Hey! Are you ok? Luna?"

Luna then leaned back, gasping for air, her entire body suddenly going numb.

"Luna! Snap out of it!" Tiki started shaking her.

Luna then jolted back up, gasping all the air she could, "What the-" she coughed, "Hell?!"

Tiki paused in surprise, "Wait, what? Say that again!"

Luna then sat back up and calmly pushed Tiki away, regaining full consciousness. She panted as she recovered from her shock. When she started looking around, behind Tiki were a dozen sets of eyes, pinned directly on their table.

"I apologize. It seems my operating system has been severely compromised. My H.I.V.E. seems to also be compromised. I do not know the reason behind my sudden actions. However, it must be noted that I have a severe headache, which is most unusual given the functionalities of my system. The comfortability of the situation also appears to be severely compromised, as you can see behind you from the coming onlookers."

"Yeah...right. I don't give a shit. More so...I'd say that their reaction is justified but...hang on a minute." Tiki turned around to the people looking at them, "Yo, bozos! She's fine! Eyes off or I'll rip them off!"

With another demonstration of her extravagant communication skills, Tiki made every single bystander and staff member look away at lightning speed.

"That's that. Now, come on, let's get outta here. Been a good hour or so anyway.", Tiki dropped the money on the table, tip included, "Look...I don't know what the hell that was but surely, we must check up on it. Can you walk?"

"My movement capabilities do not seem compromised."

"And how do we take a look at what the hell just happened? Because this isn't exactly a common cold situation."

"There's a direct access unit located at the occipital lobe of the brain with a system extending from the main nerve tract to the thalamus. An access point should be available and the base of the neck, near the trapezius. However, my knowledge of the subject runs dry, as I have not been properly tutored around the inner workings of the system that affects me. My training was cut short after the incident."

"Screw it, we must give it a shot anyway. If something like this happens again, chances are it'll return even stronger so best act now. Please...let me help you."

"I both thank you for the assistance and entrust you with resolving the situation."

"Good, let's go then."

The two of them left at a fast pace, beam lining directly for their newfound headquarters. Coming down the elevator, Tiki quickly guided Luna to the operation room and sat her on the nearby chair.

"Hell of a ride that was. Now keep in mind, that despite my basic knowledge of medicine because of our war school, it's a public education system so...fingers crossed. Otherwise, I can try to drag Drima-"

"I would advise against his summoning. Please, proceed as you see fit. I am unable to properly maintain myself due to the lack of expertise and available machinery, but I will entrust you with the procedure."

"Wait, what about Lina, doesn't she know anything about these mechanical parts of yours?"

"Negative, she has been transformed at a young age, and like me, she has yet to fully understand maintenance procedures."

Tiki finished putting on her rubber gloves, "Don't blame me if shit goes south. Now relax a bit." she grabbed a small scanner and flashed it on her neck, "Partial X-ray is...is this it, Luna?"

Luna looked at the X-ray Tiki took, "Affirmative. That is the access point."

"Inches above the trapezius...this will sting. Can I apply for anaesthesia or something? Maybe localize it?"

"Negative. I am unaffected by any form of chemical, dangerous or otherwise, but it should not cause a problem. My nerve fibres, spinal cord and brainstem have all been compromised one after the other to ensure complete pain-related immunity. While it may cause issues in daily life, it maximizes combative capabilities."

"I'll...take your word on that one. Now, sit still for a moment."

Tiki took Luna to an operating chair and started tying her up, rendering her completely immobile.

"Metallic Thema class restraints...huh. No idea if he has these because he's that kind of pervert or just a criminal mastermind. These should hold you tightly. Now don't try to move either...I have never done this before, obviously."

She then grabbed a scalper and slowly placed her hand on the base of Luna's neck and began to try and do a small incision.

"Come on..." she got frustrated.

"Is there a problem?"

"I can't make an incision."

"How so?"

"I dunno Luna, you tell me.", she kept trying, "It feels like I'm using a shitty pizza cutter over here, and the slices don't even separate if I start stabbing the thing with it!"

"Impossible. Studies based on Obsulyte users which were shown to actively harden themselves and their defensive capabilities as soon as they please when they enter combat were used for the experiment. While not in battle, my hardened exterior should not be as prevalent."

"Well, it obviously is."

"That must mean that the main operating system must be compromised and my defences activated. You will have to increase forced use."

Tiki tried and tried for sever anxious minutes, increasing the size of the blade constantly, eventually reaching out for a few large knifes outside the operation room.

"For the love of-hragh!" Tiki began trying to stab Luna in the back of the neck.

While maniacally trying to stab Luna, the knife broke and sent the blade flying pinning it to the wall.

Tiki slammed the table next to her, "Alright, that's it!"

She ran out of the room and left Luna chained. She simply wondered in her thoughts while hearing a ton of metal clinging sounds behind her back. She saw a water bottle placed on the table, and from its subtle reflection saw Tiki coming into the room with what appeared to be a chainsaw twice her size.

"Screw messing around with some mediocre knives.", she yanked the zip backwards and turned on the chainsaw, "I'm cracking this bitch wide open!"

Luna seemed to be worried, "I would probably advice against attempted assault and decapitation-", Tiki ignored her.

"Hayah!" Tiki jumped at Luna.

Perfectly aligning the back of her neck with the massive-looking chainsaw, Tiki began to perform her warrior's cry, using her strength to cut through Luna's neck. Steam and sparks flew around the room as Tiki kept pressing on and on, not letting go for a moment. Slowly after the steam started to clear up, Tiki was dumbfounded to see that besides everything, it was the chainsaw that received maximum damage, her staying in a flawless state.

"What. The. Shit.", Tiki stood there in surprise, "This was literally Obsulyte infused, Pantheon class metal. Literally could cut Dante in half. How?"

"I seem to have also underestimated my defensive capabilities."

Tiki tossed the chainsaw aside, exhaling and thinking for a moment, "Alright. Be right back."

Again leaving Luna alone, this time Tiki was quick to return with her giant axe at hand.

"You are...kidding. Right?" Luna nervously said.

"You have any better ideas, I'm all ears. Literally, the only thing left in the arsenal that might be capable of damaging your thick ass neck."

"I...will trust you. I believe." Luna started to doubt.

"Batter up."

Tiki stood beside Luna, softly tapping her axe on the ground and widening her stance, bringing it above her shoulder like a baseball bat. Just then, like a miracle from the heavens, Dante opened the door and entered the room, rubbing his eyes with a face painted with annoyance.

"You guys do realize that every time I fail to sleep I get hyperactive and can't try to fall asleep right after, right?" he finished rubbing his eyes.

His eyes met with Tiki's as he paused from the sheer weirdness of the sight before him.

"The what?", he looked at them both.

"Yo, meatbag. Do me a favor. Grab onto Luna's chair so that I don't send her flying."

Dante kept looking at Tiki with an awkward look, "I think I'm entitled to ask 'What are you doing?'"

"Surgery.", Tiki promptly answered.

"Since when was surgery a sport for you to prepare for a home run?", he sarcastically said.

"Look, will you help or not? I'll reward you."

"What am I, a dog?"

"No that's Anya's job now that she's a furry. You're more of a...thing."

"A thing?"

"Look, help me with this and I'll let you have a ton of training rounds with me. I know you love a good battle, so don't deny it."

"The only thing I wanna beat the shit out of right now is Hikari's D.I.D."

"What's that?"

"Dissociative Identity Disorder.", Luna answered, still worried and chained up.

"That.", Dante pointed at Luna, "Also, did she not get a say in this bullshit?"

"She gave me the ok, so we're cool."

"She did?" Dante looked back at Luna.

"I did." Luna regrettably said.

Dante still looked at them both, stuck in his disbelief about the situation.