Only Human (Goddess of Victory NIKKE SI)

[Jsebas19]

with the implication that in the game Anis is the Idol Pretty during Rapi's time before meeting Red Hood.

It means that here in OH Anis is another one whose story is different from that of the game, because in chapter 28 Siyuen mentioned that when she investigated Counters, she said that Anis is a Rejected Tetra Line Fashion Model.

So if confirmed, Anis would join Rapi and Cinderella in characters in OH whose story changed or differed from her game counterpart due to the presence of Joe.

and let's not forget what was seen in the current Mana event where apart from showing Siyuen's sister, there are indications that the MC of the game could be a clone of the legendary commander.
being another change in OH because Joe is THE legendary commander and since the MC of the game does not exist here. I have a theory that an attempt was made here to clone Joe but the program, unlike the game, was a failure due to Joe's condition of being an Isekai from another world since his blood and DNA would not be compatible with the test subjects.

and the circumstances that Joe could meet Jien would be different, either for Siyuen to try to get Wardress back or for Jien to take action on the matter when he sees how Joe intentionally ignores Siyuen.

This in summary would be the difference between Rapi from the game and Rapi from OH in terms of origin:

-Rapi of the game: Rapipi no Hapipi

-Rapi from OH: Rapipi yes Hapipi

 

[Xaldreca]

I do hope the mass produced Nikke get some time to shine.

They've all been set up at various points, but haven't actually gotten to do anything yet.

 

[BakaSmurf]

===
Chapter 72 - Raw Clown-to-Clown Communication
===

Joe finished polishing off the omurice that had been presented to them as though it were mana from the gods. It was… Fine. It would have been a lot better had it not had what seemed like an entire half a bottle of ketchup dumped on it, for sure.

Privaty finished forcing down her own plate—the sheer quantity of sweetened tomato sauce seeming to be a bit much for her as well.

Luckily, Cocoa hadn't stuck around to watch them eat, the other patrons needing to be tended to, so Joe didn't have to deal with Privaty probably getting mad at him for rightfully informing the little pinkette that sometimes, less is more.

Instead, after they'd finished and quietly exchanged some opinions on the meal they'd just shared, they were approached by a thoroughly put-upon Anis, all dolled up in her maid uniform.

On account of her typical mode of dress—that is to say, with her chest looking about ready to fall out of her frighteningly low-cut tank top, Joe would have expected Anis to be done up like a typical sexy anime maid.

Instead, she was wearing a dress that was little other than an even more plain version of what Ade wore. It was, honestly, nothing worth writing home about. Anis just looked like a normal, like, actual professional maid. Headband included.

"Uh," Anis started, making a point to not look directly at Joe. "So, uh, you done with that?" She lamely inquired as she pointed at the man's empty plate.

As Joe was about to respond, a girly cry of "Noooo! Aniiiis!" sounded out, followed by a series of loud, heeled footfalls-

And a crash that damn near took Anis down as well.

Shrieking as she barely caught herself atop the toes of a single foot—demonstrating the inhuman degree of control Nikkes had over their bodies in so doing—Anis balanced like a ballerina might mid-dance, with a leg outstretched to counter the weight of her torso being almost parallel to the ground, backwards.

Impressively, Anis was settled back atop both of her feet in a display that actually garnered claps from the other patrons. That, along with some lighthearted chuckling, and even coos of endearment at the tableau playing out before Joe and Privaty's table.

One might've expected a degree of concern, rather than amused laughter, given how hard the other girl just ate hard shit on the floor while Anis only just barely avoided joining her. Yet-

"Ohmygosh, are you okay!?" Privaty was quick to rise to her feet and stoop over, clearly aiming to help the yet-unidentified maid up.

"-Anis!" The new girl cried out as she inelegantly stumbled to her feet before Privaty could set hands on her, however. "You're supposed to say: 'hello Masters! I'm so happy you came to visit us today! Was your meal positively scrum-diddly-umptious? What would our beloved Masters like for dessert?'"

HOLY SWEET MOTHER OF ALL THAT IS GOOD AND HOLY.

The newest maid, in sharp contrast to Ade, Cocoa, and Anis was, shockingly, actually dressed in the skimpy anime maid dress Joe had low-key expected from Anis. This would have been noteworthy on its own, yes, but pretty girls were common enough in the Ark for such to have become a somewhat unremarkable sight.

She had long, flowing pale green hair—very nearly green-tinted platinum blonde it was so light—tied up in cute, messy loops atop a pair of streaming thin twintails.

Her crown was naturally adorned with a set of antennae-like ahoge whose tips intersected to form the outline of a cartoon heart over her brow. Said brow itself was accentuated by blunt, neatly-trimmed bangs.

Yet this was not the most noteworthy aspect of her appearance.

She had large, sweetly glimmering, downright arresting magenta eyes, framed with thick lashes which came to a gentle, downwards slope that presented a kindly air about the girl. Her fair-skinned, soft features only further impressed upon the observer the suggestion that she could only be a sweetheart of a lass.

This too, was far from the most striking thing about her looks. Rather, what stuck out about her most aside from her top-tier beauty…

Was the fact that, despite being about Privaty's diminutive height, her chest rivalled Rapunzel's in how each were the size of her head.

To say nothing of how her shirt was DANGEROUSLY low cut to the point where Joe was genuinely shocked that nothing was peeking out over the rim of the fabric, yet at the same time, it was clearly under-sized given how she wasn't just spilling out over the hem of the top, but the buttons, the poor two buttons holding what looked to be a button-down tube top shut were dying.

The strain, the strain on her buttons was ruinous. They were about to fail, they were visibly about to fail, Joe was about to watch this poor woman's top explode off of her and see her endowments just flop out in front of the entire goddamned establishment and how hadn't they already popped out just from that horrid crash to the floor?

She'd landed flat on her face—or as flatly as a woman as intensely well-endowed as she was could—that shirt shouldn't have been able to contain such an accident! How was it still holding up!? Holy shit-

"N-no!" Anis protested, grimacing as she continued to not look Joe's way. "H-He's-"

"Anis!"

The stacked and skimpily-dressed verdette leaned over in a motion which really should have defeated her minuscule and entirely unsupported top.

"Being a maid means always being considerate and welcoming to all our patrons! No matter who they are! You signed up for the job, you must have wanted to smile for customers and make their day, right?" She inquired with an innocent smile which so terribly ill-suited her manner of dress.

"B-But, Soda, he's my Commander!" Anis cried under her breath, her face rapidly turning the colour of the ketchup Cocoa had put way too much of on Joe and Privaty's omurice. "I-I live with him and have to see him every day and-"

"He's your-" The verdette, evidently and shockingly appropriately dubbed 'Soda' given Anis' possible interest started, turning to examine Joe for the first time. "Oh, oh! Oh wow! You weren't kidding! He really is handsome!" Soda declared.

While Anis looked like she wanted to die, Joe rather suddenly felt as though he were in danger. Yet, not seeming to sense the same peril, Soda simply continued on unabated.

"But you said he always looked kinda mean and scary even though he's 'actually super nice,' Anis! He just looks like a big ol' surprised lion! Like a big cartoon kitty cat!" Soda chortled cutely. "Well, if you're friends with him, that should mean you're already comfortable around him, right? So go ahead! It should be easy for you to be a proper maid for him!"

Joe could barely remember the last time he was compared to a lion in appearance. Was it the scowl? It was probably the scowl. It wasn't his fault his face was born like that! His resting bitch face was genetic, damn it!

She circled back around Anis, and gave the beleaguered blonde a light, encouraging push on the back, as if urging her onward.

Anis, for her part, very clearly rued the fact that Joe, of all people, was her first customer. Likely for a number of reasons. Including those relating to the fact that getting her to simply clean up after herself back at the Command Centre was akin to pulling teeth.

He was going to remember this the next time she tried to bitch and cry about tossing her empty cans in the trash, and not leaving her used socks draped out over the TV for some demented reason.

At any rate, Anis grimaced, even as she attempted to press it down and present a strained smile of pain to Joe and Privaty. She assumed a far more girly stance than was usual for her, bringing her knees together, heels apart, and keeping her elbows locked at her side as she lifted her hands, she…

"H-h-h-hello, M-Masters," She tried her best. "Y-you… Are you done with your meals?"

"Yes," Privaty declared for the both of them, having since returned to her seat. "If you'd please clear the table for us?" She asked quite prettily in a way that redoubled Joe's feeling of being in imminent danger.

"Y-yes, Masters," Anis shakily stuttered out, ears and cheeks tinged red with embarrassment as she scooped up the plates and rapidly about-faced to rush to the kitchen area—catching a stray encouraging thumbs-up from Soda as she did so. Soda was quick to follow the blonde, rapidly leaving Joe and Privaty alone again.

Privaty's head whipped around quickly enough that Joe was genuinely shocked the motion hadn't produced an audible 'snap.' Further, the glower she presented to him could melt steel.

"I-I didn'-t-" Joe started in a feeble attempt to defend himself, because, no, yeah, he'd just out-and-out stared, since, well, holy shit.

"Don't you dare act like you weren't looking hard enough to notice the beauty mark on her mondo sweater puppies!" Privaty immediately and furiously snapped at him under her breath.

-Wait, "Wha- there was a beauty mark-?" Joe started, genuinely surprised.

"I knew you were looking!" Privaty immediately snapped forward, setting her palms on the table as she shot daggers at the man with her big, golden eyes. "I knew it! You're all obsessed with big, bouncy, back-breaking badonkers to notice something like that, aren't you!?" She demanded of him, under her breath, of course, lest she make a scene.

Joe recoiled, leaning back, so pressed that it didn't occur to him to note that it was Privaty that had been looking closely enough to notice that. "I didn't even-!"

"Just admit it! Admit that you're a big boob lover! You... You milk cannon fanatic!" Privaty demanded of the man, her eyes having a… Some kind of glint to them he couldn't quite parse. "I bet you'd go nuts if you saw me dressed like that and I had big jello boulders ready to fall out of my top like that, wouldn't you!"

Did she just call them fucking 'milk cannons' and 'jello boulders' then just move on from that without missing a beat, what the fuck Privaty?

Immediately distracting him that from, however, the Commander was almost sure for a split second that the glint in Privaty's eye as she made that accusatory inquisition was one of almost desperate anticipation, but what kind of sense would that make?

"Why are you so fixated on this!?" Joe demanded of her in turn, leaning forward and straining to keep his voice low, even despite his mounting stress. "Would you chill? It's not my fault she's dressed so provocatively-!"

"So you do find that tiny skirt of hers provocative!" Privaty declared with wide eyes. "You admit it then! You'd kill to see me dressed like that with my big honkers- I mean my gazongers aren't big! I'm not hiding anything under my shirt! Shut up!" She demanded of him.

The twintailed blunette dropped back into her seat and, as though hiding something and with a scandalized expression, encircled her arms over her, again, visibly modest chest.

"Privaty what the fuck are you talking about!?" Joe, once again, demanded of her in turn.

"You're the one that suddenly brought up my chest!" Privaty cried in horror.

"No I- You did- What the fuck are you-!?"

"You were thinking about how big my jiggle-jogglers are! I mean they aren't big! I don't have anything to hide, stop looking!" Privaty commanded him, despite the fact that he wasn't.

"Privaty, what the fuck are you talking about!?"

The two's idiotic argument was cut short by Anis warily approaching the table again, clearly put-off by how the pair seemed to be bickering under their breath. This time, she was holding another plate, this one with a big, perfectly-formed scoop of decorated ice cream resting atop it.

Once more, Soda was following shortly behind her, giving her encouraging little back-taps and smiles.

"Uh-um, your Commander appreciation dessert…" Anis grumbled quietly.

"Anis!" Soda started with a whine. "You need to cast the magic spell on it!"

"Please God no…" Anis also whined, looking as though she'd been ordered to walk the plank.

"Aniiiis," Soda doubled down on the whine, lightly pushing on Anis' back, as though encouraging a nervous child to jump in a swimming pool for the first time.

Joe just stared at Anis.

Anis just stared at Joe.

After a moment, Anis braced herself, swallowed her pride and shame in equal measure, and-

"Become super delicious!" Anis suddenly struck a magical girl pose. "Coochie, woochie, coo!" She finished by holding her arms at their full extension, framing the ice cream scoop with her fingers encircled around it in the shape of a heart, her expression…

Was actually quite lovely. Anis, holy shit, actually had a really nice smile. Like, oh shit, wait, since when was she so pretty, what the Hell, where did Joe's weirdo girlsmell gremlin go, why was his heart skipping a beat seeing her eyes sparkle like that? Wha-

While Soda clapped excitedly and cheered Anis on, the blonde just covered her face, lightly cried in dismay into her hands, and spun on her heel to flee the scene of her own self-immolation.

Soda wiped out trying to go after her, but quickly recovered, somehow still not having popped out of her undersized and horribly strained top despite the hard tumble. She speedily continued off after Anis, trying to encourage her all the while.

After a few moments, Privaty took a shallow, bracing breath, and said: "...So, that's your subordinate?" She inquired.

"Uh," Joe shifted to refocus on the twintailed blunette. "Yeah."

There was a small pause before she continued. "She seems nice," Privaty noted with a little, appreciative smile.

"...Yeah, she can be pretty nice," Joe reflected on how Anis had made a point to wait for him to wake up, while he was out in the Northern Base after he got hurt. The understated way in which she established that she had his back, and would stick by his side if Rapi couldn't for some reason. "I know I can trust her when shit goes down, even if she can be a bit of a head-ass at times."

"Mm…" Privaty hummed in consideration of his point.

After a few moments, Joe noticed that she was focusing—intentionally or not—upon the ice cream. With a small smirk, he reached out, and pushed the dish closer to her.

The little lady's eyes went wide at the gesture, and Joe simply instructed her "Go on," he offered it to her.

"B-but it's for you," Privaty asserted, seemingly genuinely surprised. "Since you're a Commander…"

"And it'd make me happier to see you enjoy it than eating it myself," the man asserted honestly. He liked ice cream well enough, but he liked seeing pretty girls smile more.

There was a beat in which Privaty started to blush again, but, rather than get defensive or grumble or growl, she accepted the dessert with a small, strained 'thank you,' and dug into it with the tiny provided spoon.

Rather quickly, her expression brightened up, clearly enjoying the ice cream, Privaty wound up entirely absorbed in the sweet treat.

Today wasn't such a bad day, really.

---

Joe and Privaty parted ways once it was time for him to return to the Outpost. She seemed a little expectant of something, and annoyed for a moment when the man started off for the elevator.

She didn't press anything, and demanded that he not worry about it as she about-faced and started off on her own in an aggravated huff.

It was a fine outing at any rate, and Joe was becoming increasingly glad that he seemed to have a good friend in the little, somewhat temperamental and kind of endearingly dumb beauty.

Quickly enough, he found himself stepping back into the Outpost, and with his hands deposited into his pockets, he ambled on to the Command Centre.

He blinked in some small measure of surprise upon spotting an out-of-place white blob next to the front entrance. Then, upon getting closer, he was able to make out that it was Snow White. Kneeling next to the front doors, eyes firmly locked on the ground in front of her.

Joe blinked once more, this time quite owlishly… Then, he noticed the sign hanging around her neck declaring 'I acted inconsiderately of others circumstances and behaved the part of a mean-spirited, immature child despite my age.'

The Commander had stopped, and just stared blankly at the Nikke, who shamefully kept her gaze fixed on the ground, expression heavily strained in equal parts fear and dismay.

There was a beat before Joe just marched into the front doors, calling out: "What did she do!?" He immediately recalled a few specific moments from their past together aboard the Avenger, the few rare moments wherein Rapunzel got genuinely mad.

He noticed, but didn't acknowledge the way Snow White flinched at his words. Snow White was usually pretty cool, but when she fucked up, she had a tendency to fuck up.

He could only imagine what had happened to warrant Rapunzel going full pissed-off Italian Catholic nun on her.

 

[SuperPulp2789]

Tsundere with huge tits are a treasure, just make sure they're NOT mega bitches who assault the protagonist, otherwise the bitchiness will overshadow whatever cuteness there is

And yes, my avatar is Peter Griffin cosplaying as Privaty (Unkind Maid)

 

[palacesound]

The legendary Cleavage Crashout of XXXX.

 

[SKsniper128]

I don't know if it's just me, but the comedy sketch with Privaty for the past chapter or so just seems a little out of place.

Like, the poor guy just finished unloading his mental baggage on Snow White, he had to confront the fact that he shot the first person he made a connection with since waking up and then he's sitting in the maid cafe bantering with Privaty about how many euphemisms for tits she can come up with.

 

[Gato]

I'm calling it now. The harem wars once Dorothy shows up will be harsh and cruel. Many will suffer. But! They speak of a holy weapon to end it all, hidden and forgotten to time! When it is unsheathed, all will still for they see that they are not it's equal. Hear me and rejoice!

The Beach Episode!
The Beach Episode is REAL!!

Privaty chads keep winning! All day, every day! A man's hope, chest, will never die!

Also, yeah, the lore says she's a nikke, too, yet pretends to be human. Maybe she just wants to hide her job from others or maybe just wants to avoid the stigma? We don't really see her outside her these dates so chances are it's actually the central AI commandeering a nikke without a brain so she can get her hands on him. Evidence? I made it up. Cope.

In regards to the harem comments a while back, I think people just want it because a lot of girls are asking for affection and attention and no main girl has been called so every deep interaction, while platonic, is seen as something more. Also because a lot of them need a lot more healing from all the societal abuse they suffered. Right now, only three girls laid a claim on him with more to follow for sure so something concrete like kissing would seal the deal for most of these waifu wars.

Looking forward to the next chapter!

 

[BakaSmurf]

I don't know if it's just me, but the comedy sketch with Privaty for the past chapter or so just seems a little out of place.

Like, the poor guy just finished unloading his mental baggage on Snow White, he had to confront the fact that he shot the first person he made a connection with since waking up and then he's sitting in the maid cafe bantering with Privaty about how many euphemisms for tits she can come up with.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, kind of weird how that's wound up playing out and how Joe seems to have switched head spaces on a dime there, huh?

 

[Zam138]

Yeah, kind of weird how that's wound up playing out and how Joe seems to have switched head spaces on a dime there, huh?

Click to shrink...

To be fair, no matter what kind of headspace he's in no much can prepare someone for a tsundere with a breast obsession and in denial of it.
"Surely you noticed she has a beauty mark on her chest!" "She does?"
Tittie Terror Privaty is a menace and a natural disaster lmao

 

[SuperPulp2789]

To be fair, no matter what kind of headspace he's in no much can prepare someone for a tsundere with a breast obsession and in denial of it.
"Surely you noticed she has a beauty mark on her chest!" "She does?"
Tittie Terror Privaty is a menace and a natural disaster lmao

Click to shrink...

Most Tsundere's who are hard to like, tend to NOT have big boobs, from what I can tell

Privaty has big ones, why hide em?

 

[Xaldreca]

Most Tsundere's who are hard to like, tend to NOT have big boobs, from what I can tell

Privaty has big ones, why hide em?

Click to shrink...

. . . Presumably this part of the rant she went on last chapter.

"I'm not 'hyper-fixated' on her gazongers!" Privaty defensively asserted. "What's so good about big balloons anyways!? They're huge and at first you're proud of them but then they get in the way and you have to dress around them and you get picked on and called 'top heavy' and you get asked if they're going to cause you to fail this training operation too-!"

She stopped, mouth hanging open mid-rant before her eyes opened to their maximum and her pupils constricted to tiny little mortified pinpricks.

"N-N-Not that I'd know anything about all of that!"

Click to shrink...

 

[SuperPulp2789]

. . . Presumably this part of the rant she went on last chapter.

Click to shrink...

Thanks, I should have reread that bit

Maybe Privaty should ask how others deal with theirs

Like how do they avoid slipping in the middle of battle?

 

[Vicentehuerta777dragon]

My God ,privaty is such a dumbass ,I love her .

 

[Dasneaky]

He could only imagine what had happened to warrant Rapunzel going full pissed-off Italian Catholic nun on

Click to shrink...

As part Italian myself this statement could not be more true lol. Very hard to make me angry BUT oh boy when I do watch out lol

 

[Jsebas19]

The episode was a demonstration of Nikkes stupidity at its finest when it comes to tits.

Joe's reaction to Soda's breasts is just as I imagined, it seems to be right, and Joe still hasn't seen Noir, Soda and Alice in their golden coin rush bunny outfits because Joe will surely see them in those outfits. He would do the same when he met Cinderella.

That Anis works at Maid cafe is not something random. In reality, it would be a reference to Nikke Sweet Encount's manga where Anis occasionally appears working in the maid cafe.

With the new musan pro animation that is financed by shift up it would be revealed that Anis is the pretty tetra idol, which as I said here in OH I don't know how it would apply because Siyuen mentioned in the message to Joe that Anis is a fashion model rejected when I investigate them.

So I theorize that here it would be another effect of Joe's presence, in the game as OH Mustang was always in favor of the nikkes and defended them and is kind to them, in the game when nikkephobia was at its worst Mustang turned into Anis becomes an idol to try to reduce anti-Nikke sentiment.

But here in Oh how Joe and Red Hood killed a large part of the politicians and their entire police force, apart from the fact that the Footstep, walk, run protesters have not died and are still alive, it would cause the anti-Nike sentiment to not be so strong and Mustang would not turn Anis into an idol, and it was Anis who decided to be a model.

 

[SuperPulp2789]

The episode was a demonstration of Nikkes stupidity at its finest when it comes to tits.

Joe's reaction to Soda's breasts is just as I imagined, it seems to be right, and Joe still hasn't seen Noir, Soda and Alice in their golden coin rush bunny outfits because Joe will surely see them in those outfits. He would do the same when he met Cinderella.

That Anis works at Maid cafe is not something random. In reality, it would be a reference to Nikke Sweet Encount's manga where Anis occasionally appears working in the maid cafe.

With the new musan pro animation that is financed by shift up it would be revealed that Anis is the pretty tetra idol, which as I said here in OH I don't know how it would apply because Siyuen mentioned in the message to Joe that Anis is a fashion model rejected when I investigate them.

So I theorize that here it would be another effect of Joe's presence, in the game as OH Mustang was always in favor of the nikkes and defended them and is kind to them, in the game when nikkephobia was at its worst Mustang turned into Anis becomes an idol to try to reduce anti-Nikke sentiment.

But here in Oh how Joe and Red Hood killed a large part of the politicians and their entire police force, apart from the fact that the Footstep, walk, run protesters have not died and are still alive, it would cause the anti-Nike sentiment to not be so strong and Mustang would not turn Anis into an idol, and it was Anis who decided to be a model.

Click to shrink...

Pretty was mentioned to have been assassinated

I'm still not sure on Anis being pretty, she may have in her own words or similar, have not always been her current cynical self

But I wouldn't be surprised at her instead being an attempted replacement, when they were still trying for idols

If she was Pretty, then she may not have actually been a NIKKE at the time, seeing as NIKKE grade weapons are meant to be what kills them or the ones for Commanders specifically

 

[Jsebas19]

Pretty was mentioned to have been assassinated

I'm still not sure on Anis being pretty, she may have in her own words or similar, have not always been her current cynical self

But I wouldn't be surprised at her instead being an attempted replacement, when they were still trying for idols

If she was Pretty, then she may not have actually been a NIKKE at the time, seeing as NIKKE grade weapons are meant to be what kills them or the ones for Commanders specifically

Click to shrink...

Well, knowing shift up and their tendency to contradict themselves and Nikke's lore, I don't doubt that they will invent a cheap excuse about the death of pretty idol tetra and the origin of Anis.

I also think that Anis, when she was an idol Pretty, sympathized with the Nikkes, being a possible reason for her murder and her conversion to a Nikke.
and let's remember that Joe and red hood purged a large part of the central government and killed its police force, which because of that the pro-nikkes protesters and sympathizers would not be murdered and would prevent nikkephobia from being as strong as in the game, which Anis, when she was human, would possibly not become an idol and would choose modeling again, another effect due to Joe's presence, or that the circumstances of idol Pretty's death are different.

According to Baka in spacebattles, if the revelation that the MC of the game is his clone is adapted here, here in OH it would be revealed that an attempt was made to create super soldiers intended to be a male equivalent of Nikke, and subject No. 7 is the commander of the game He looked incredibly promising until he expired in the tube like all the other clones.
In short, the game commander in OH is already dead before Joe wakes up.

so in summary:
-in the game: *strongest, lucky 99+, more skill, love chemical, result.
Commander No. 7.

-in OH: Jien, Either and Mana are in front of a tombstone whose description is: "here rests commander No. 7"
while Mana laments that subject 7 who seemed promising died suddenly Jien and either can only ask angrily "But what went wrong?!"

 

[BakaSmurf]

===
Chapter 73 - Reassurance and Affirmation
===

Some time later, Joe was alone in his sparsely-decorated office, elbows set on his desk and face buried in his hands.

Though he had attempted to press for details on what exactly Snow White had done to warrant public shaming… Rapunzel categorically refused to spill the beans.

The statuesque blonde had asserted that it was ultimately Rapi's tale to tell, such as it was. Little surprise then, that Rapi instantly clammed up and refused to speak on the matter.

So, it was all Joe could do to assure Rapi that she could tell him anything, then return to his room to decompress and pointedly focus on other things.

As deeply annoyed as Joe was by all this interpersonal shit just continuing to not be straightforward, forcing things would probably not be wise.

Doubly so if even Rapunzel wasn't able to work things out before he got involved.

While Joe was quietly ruminating upon the fact that things had an uncomfortable amount of room for improvement, his phone started ringing, catching his attention at the reminder that he'd forgotten it earlier.

Rising from his swivelling office chair, the man power-walked into his generally starkly spartan bedroom, finding the device laying on the nightstand upon which his sword leaned; right next to Marian's ID tag, as was usual.

Given that it was flagged as a call from Elysion's CEO, he was quick to scoop the device up and answer.

"Ingrid," he acknowledged her by way of greeting.

"Syuen noticed that Wardress is gone, and is more than a little upset that you took them from her," the militaristic woman declared, cutting right to business.

"I've pointed out how she directly gave her permission for you to claim them, and cited previous deals made in the same vein—at her insistence—as precedent for it being a binding agreement. Needless to say: she is furious."

"As expected," Joe declared as he ambled over to the bedroom window, gazing out and looking over the Outpost, catching sight of Cinderella and Scarlet interacting with Liter's bright yellow and white robo-dog, Volt. "You think this could become a problem?"

"Yes and no," Ingrid asserted simply. "No, in that Syuen isn't going to do anything so overtly combative or antagonistic that it would warrant direct retribution from Elysion."

"Yes, in that Syuen will bend over backwards to cause a multitude of minor inconveniences and general difficulties for us in the long term."

"If she can't get her pound of flesh, she'll find a way to take it in slivers regardless?" Joe inquired as he popped an eyebrow at the sight of Cinderella lifting Scarlet's enormous conical hat off her head…

To throw said hat like a frisbee, which Volt—and Scarlet—immediately desperately dead-sprinted down the street in pursuit of.

"Absolutely," Ingrid said plainly. "She's felt more than a little slighted by having been ghosted by you as it was. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if she actually gets a little brazen about getting back at you over all of this."

"It would be best to avoid risking possible and serious fights with Missilis," Joe noted as he set his free hand in his pocket.

"An understandable concern," Ingrid replied. "I'm not entirely sure what you could do, short of returning Wardress to her, though."

Joe paused and considered that for a moment, his mind drifting back to the extensive number of text messages he'd received from Syuen after she'd attempted to entice him to work for her rather than Ingrid.

"What if I offered to do a job for her?" Joe suggested, watching Scarlet rush to catch a surprisingly slippery Volt, the robo-dog having caught and claimed her hat.

Impressive on Scarlet's part, really, considering the swordswoman was apparently quite hungover.

"Hm…" Ingrid audibly pondered the suggestion. "She did previously establish that she wanted you in her pocket. I trust you wouldn't be so foolish as to just blindly agree to whatever demands she might make of you?"

"I would demand nothing less than a full—meaning very in-depth—briefing before I actually agreed to do anything," the Commander declared.

The corners of his lips curled upwards as Volt tripped over Scarlet's hat and tumbled ass-over-teakettle.

This granted Scarlet the opportunity to snatch her hat back up, to which she immediately began to advance upon Cinderella.

The twintailed silverette took off the moment the show was over, Volt being hot on Scarlet's heels in turn, leaping up and nipping at the rim of her great hat all the while.

Two of the most powerful warriors to have ever lived in Earth's history. Peak performance at play down there.

"As long as we don't wind up with a repeat of the Chatterbox situation, then I'll officially clear you to extend an offer for another joint operation," Ingrid informed the displaced Canadian.

"Just keep your wits about you and don't be stupid."

"Like I said," Joe started, "I'm not setting anything in stone with her unless she sets all her cards on the table beforehand," he assured the stern brunette.

"I'll give you leave to handle that, then," Ingrid said. "We'll discuss team composition once we have details on the operation-to-be, assuming Syuen even agrees to it in the first place."

"Understood," Joe nodded as he backed away from the window, no longer seeing much else of particular note going on in the Outpost, apart from Cinderella and Scarlet's tomfoolery.

"Give me updates as they come, Commander." With that, Ingrid closed the line on her end, and Joe followed suit.

He stared at the device quietly, dreading the notion of opening contact with the CEO of Missilis again, but… It was as he said: best to avoid the risk of her getting vindictive and causing problems down the line.

So, Joe opened his text window with Syuen—And balked at the sheer fucking amount of texts he'd received from her since he'd muted her. Sweet mother of all that is good and holy, the scroll bar was minuscule.

Though he was tempted to scroll up and read through them all, something told Joe that there was nothing positive to gain in doing so. Especially considering how venomous even the most recent ones on-screen were.

Instead, he just unmuted the little twerp, and sent her a single message.

[Syuen.]

Closing his eyes and bracing himself, Joe wiped at his forehead with the back of his forearm, more as a calming motion than anything-

His phone rapidly chirped three alerts to him back-to-back as he stood there quietly.

After taking a moment to rue the life choices that led Joe to this moment, he lifted the phone to embrace his duty, such as it was.

[THE NERVE.]

[(MESSAGE REDACTED FOR EXCESSIVELY CRUDE LANGUAGE)]

[(MESSAGE REDACTED FOR EXCESSIVELY CRUDE LANGUAGE)]

Yeah, that figured. It was time for Joe to actually flex his mental muscles and put his brain to work.

[Given that you were generous enough to allow me to take command of Wardress after Ingrid relayed my request,] Joe opened with a considered fib, deliberately seeking to mislead and misdirect the immature little shit. [It would only be appropriate for me to formally extend an offer of cooperation to return your gesture of goodwill.]

Joe started back off for his office chair, passing through the open door into the main office space and dropping into his seat with a heavy sigh.

After a good minute, Syuen responded. [That's right, a show of gratitude would be appropriate given my magnanimity on this matter.]

Hook, line, and sinker.

Syuen continued. [So you've finally come to your senses and see the benefits of cooperating with Missilis. Excellent. Everybody always comes around eventually.]

Rolling his eyes, Joe responded. [I'm only extending an offer for one joint operation.]

Syuen's reply came quickly. [For now.]

Joe could hear the smug on her face as she typed that out, and boy howdy, was it grating on him. But, as it was, giving the little shit a win would be wise. [Do you have a mission you'd like to have done, then?]

[Yes,] the CEO of Missilis rapidly answered. [I'll give you the details in person, after you've signed an NDA, of course. Can't risk having one of Ingrid's favourites leaking Missilis secrets to her, after all.]

[Of course,] Joe allowed it with a small grimace. Basic OPSEC wasn't entirely lost on her, it seemed.

[I'll let you know when to come to Missilis HQ for your briefing,] Syuen noted with palpable smugness. [Except a call within the next few days.]

[Duly noted,] Joe responded, which seemed to be the end of that exchange.

Leaning back in his seat, the man groaned deeply as he covered his eyes and set his phone down. If it wasn't one thing, then it really was another in the steaming shithole that was the Ark.

With nothing else immediately claiming his time, Joe simply remained where he was seated… And sat there.

He didn't think. He didn't ponder. He didn't plan, or consider his recent interactions with anyone. He didn't think about playing video games. He didn't put on any music. He just sat there, in his silent room, doing absolutely nothing. Blankly staring into the aether, Joe just sat there.

The man remained in dead, oppressive silence for a good, long while. Until Rapi eventually ambled into the room, pausing to gaze upon the Commander with a degree of concern. "...Joe?" She started.

He remained silent, gaze unfocused, unresponsive.

With no small amount of concern, Rapi immediately started towards him, reaching out and repeating herself: "Joe?" She settled a hand on the transition between his neck and shoulder.

He jumped, eyes going wide and snapping to the blonde. "Ah-" Joe paused, blinking and rapidly shaking his head. "Y-yeah? What?" He seemingly attempted to brush off how he was just… Vegetating.

Rapi didn't know what to do about this. Clearly, something was bothering him. Severely. Yet, what was she supposed to do about that?

She couldn't talk to him, she was terrible at talking about things. She didn't know where to begin, how to speak with him, what to do…

So, after a few moments, she simply leaned over and drew him into a hug.

Holding him for a few moments, Rapi wasn't sure what else to do to comfort him, and so, she could only hope this would help him, somehow.

There was a beat in which nothing happened.

Anxiety spiked when Joe started to stand from his seat, despite Rapi having still been holding onto him.

At once, thoughts of him pushing her off, and being distant and cold because of what she'd done came to mind. Terror, the idea of rejection dug into her chest, and she almost started to panic as he rose too high for her to hold on-

Only for the man to encircle his arms around the little Nikke's shoulders. He reached up and settled a hand on the back of her head, as he held onto her himself.

Relief washed over Rapi like a wave, and after an instant of dumbstruck surprise, she wrapped her arms around his midsection to redouble the embrace. A shuddering sigh slipped past her lips, and she squeezed the much larger figure gently.

She, feeling an intense urge to, uttered, "Thank you," The return of affection, despite all she'd done wrong, hitting her in a deep way she couldn't quite place.

"You're precious, Rapi," Joe assured the little woman, sighing deeply as, despite everything, he knew that she clearly cared—despite how… Cold she could seem. She was awkward, clearly, but that just didn't matter compared to her making an effort to demonstrate concern. "You don't have to-"

"No…!" Rapi shook her head, burying her face into Joe's chest, some distant, deep-seated emotion with no clear memory associated with it triggered by the exchange, by everything that had just happened. "I- I-!"

Her breath hitched, and she began to tremble from head-to-toe.

"I- I- Joe…!" She grit her teeth, trying to fight down the emotions, the anxiety demanding that she just stop. It just made it worse.

It just made it worse when she tried to apologize. When she asked what she'd done wrong. It just made it worse when she asked what she could do. It just made it worse.

She just had to be better, she just had to do better. He'd hate her if she spoke, if she tried to apologize. If she showed her pain, if she cried, or even so much as sobbed.

She didn't know why. She just… Knew. She was certain. It had happened before: not with Joe, not with Goddess, but, it had happened. It was the truth. She couldn't remember how she knew, she just did.

But. Joe wasn't like that. He wasn't, he wouldn't be. How could she put that on him? How dare she?

So, Rapi fought the anxiety down, she assaulted and beat it into submission, as best she could. And, with terrible effort, finally… "…I'm… I-I-!" She grit her teeth, and with a great effort, she half-whispered, "...I'm sorry…!"

Joe could sense how intensely difficult saying that had been for Rapi. At once, he knew she must have been apologizing for Marian. What else would she have to apologize for?

Even as Red Hood, back aboard the Avenger, Rapi was horrendous at addressing things like this. She either didn't acknowledge it at all, or went way overboard and proceeded to fall into the metaphorical cake, so to speak.

So, she did realize how cruel it had been, to force him to be the one to shoot Marian, when Anis would have done it to spare him the pain.

She realized it, and, ultimately still being Red Hood at the end of the day, she remained herself and fucked it up. She should have said something, but avoided doing so, because…

Well, because she was an idiot.

Shit, was Rapi still an idiot, but just not an explosive one, as she used to be? That thought had never occurred to Joe, but, it would make sense, wouldn't it?

Or maybe Red Hood was smarter than she seemed, but never let it show, or was so id-driven that it completely suppressed her actual intelligence?

Well, regardless, in response, Joe simply drew Rapi in closer, and started to stroke her hair. "It's okay," he assured her.

Then, another thought occurred to him. From Joe's perspective, he didn't like saying 'I forgive you.'

Not because he didn't like forgiving people, but because it just felt… Arrogant. Just letting things slide, saying it was 'alright,' or that they 'were cool,' felt less holier-than-thou to the man's sensibilities.

But, given how unexpectedly strongly Rapi seemed to feel about this, it would probably be best to just say it for her sake.

"I forgive you, Rapi," he said in as soothing a tone as he could manage, holding onto her tightly for emphasis. "And, so much more importantly, never forget that I cherish you. Okay?"

Her breath hitching, Rapi's trembling intensified, and she let out a shuddering whine. She attempted to bury her face even deeper into Joe's chest, and she repeated herself with mounting desperation despite her continued whisper: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Joe felt like he was being stabbed in the heart. First, because of how pitifully vulnerable Rapi was coming across, despite being among the most powerful women to have ever lived in the world's history.

Secondly, because of how he'd mused on how Rapi had never apologized for what happened with Marian. For wondering, even if not directly, if she was even sorry in the first place.

He should have known better. Rapi wasn't heartless. She was just ruinously awkward and difficult to read. Too direct, overly harsh, but not cruel.

He would have apologized to Rapi in turn, right then and there, but he could tell that she was terribly overwhelmed as it was, and didn't need that added onto her current emotional load.

Besides, it wasn't as though he'd said anything about what happened with Marian directly. It was hardly as though he'd openly questioned her consideration for him to her. An apology from him would be more for his own sake than hers.

So, he'd let that sleeping dog lay. It didn't need to be stirred, Rapi didn't need to know that Joe had doubted her, for even a moment. He trusted her, he knew she'd always be there, right by his side, even if she would probably be a complete caveman about it sometimes.

Though, it wasn't as though the same couldn't be said about him, right? Joe knew himself well. There was a reason he got along with the Rapi of a century ago as he had. They were both kind of dumbasses, at the end of the day.

If nothing else, Joe had a far, far better handle on emotions and how to conduct oneself in regards to them compared to Rapi.

So, rather than freezing up, panicking, or otherwise losing his cool at Rapi's emotional outburst, he just leaned in, did all he could to draw her in closer, and continued to stroke her hair. Make it clear that she was wanted and adored with physical affection.

He wasn't entirely sure if it worked, but, he continued to quietly assure her regardless. "It's alright. It's okay, Rapi. It's okay."

The pair remained like that for some time, nothing demanding either of them for the rest of the day. Joe, in all honesty, wasn't at all bothered by comforting Rapi.

If anybody in the world deserved it, after all, it was her.

 

[Your Target]

Dad of the year!

 

[Sad Machine]

Oof the new ever really changed the way Rapi is portrayed

 

[Jsebas19]

another chapter and a good balance between the funny like Cinderella using Scarlet's hat as a Frisbee and the latter having a little "showdown" with Volt while Joe talks to Ingrid. Things like this are missing from the game.

and it seems that we are about to enter the territory of chapter 9-12. But this time Siyuen will have no reason to kidnap shifty and impersonate her since Rapi never kicked her in the ribs.

I thought that Jien would appear here trying to take matters into his own hands because of how Joe ignored Siyuen for a long time and also because he "robbed" Wardress or at least because Siyuen spoke privately with Jien.

Changing the subject, we witness Rapi's problems but the difference is noticeable and it is more personal with a person than with herself.
In summary it is:

-Rapi from the game: "I want to be like Red Hood"

-Rapi from OH: "I want to be the best nikke, which Joe deserves to have"

I realize that it is possible that in this timeline Red Hood was possibly never corrupted and the theory I have is that it had to do with Joe again, since remember that Andersen and Pioneer said that Joe destroyed a rapture tyrant. But what if that tyrant that Joe destroyed was the one that corrupted Red Hood in the game?
and since Joe destroyed it then it would be the reason why Red Hood was not corrupted and therefore he would have no reason to abandon Goddess.
But it would have consequences since Red Hood would never meet Oswald and the latter would not give him the motivational talk she needed, making his problems worse as we are seeing now that Rapi refuses to talk about his problems.

Now we need to know where Neon is because she is the only one still missing...

 

[Xaldreca]

I thought that Jien would appear here trying to take matters into his own hands because of how Joe ignored Siyuen for a long time and also because he "robbed" Wardress or at least because Siyuen spoke privately with Jien.

Click to shrink...

. . . Uh??????

Isn't she literally unable to leave her area? Why would a character that is just now showing up in Canon appear now with barely any cause.

On a different note though, it's interesting that things are moving along now, considering there was a month long timeskip at around this point in Canon.

 

[NJesus]

happy rapi is dealt with and the rest of pioneer is having fun

curious to see how the syuen job is gonna peer shaped , since lets be honest everything with her ends that way kek

since Rapi never kicked her in the ribs

Click to shrink...

sweet sweet catharsis , to bad that kick and Yuni's later "interaction" with her got butterflied away most likely kek

Now we need to know where Neon is

Click to shrink...

at the ultra firepower core duh

 

[Grim Dark Fantasy]

since lets be honest everything with her ends that way kek

Click to shrink...

Well, from what I've managed to hear, I can't say that her end just isn't fitting.
In the end, Suyen was converted into another Nikke.

 

[Jsebas19]

Well, from what I've managed to hear, I can't say that her end just isn't fitting.
In the end, Suyen was converted into another Nikke.

Click to shrink...

what you mean?

 

[NJesus]

Well, from what I've managed to hear, I can't say that her end just isn't fitting.
In the end, Suyen was converted into another Nikke.

Click to shrink...

sorry mate but at this point in time its still just a threat to get her compliant



so any bets how many failed Joe clones are in a missilis dump somewhere?kek

 

[SuperPulp2789]

Was Syuen really ever a scientist

Or was she just handling the scientists involved

I mean, the scientist businessman tends to be a thing in fiction, but most of the technocrats IRL are more businessman who has lots of science related employees and maybe knows how to give a good PowerPoint presentation themselves, rather than an actual scientist

It's like that Isaac Asimov book, in which one "scientist" steals all the glory from the many researchers, by virtue of being the one to explain the science behind things to everybody else….guy doesn't get his karma at the end

Syuen doesn't sound as if she's ever actually done any research herself or science stuff

I'm pretty sure even Mustang and Ingrid in canon, were more along the lines of overseeing scientists than science guys themselves

 

[Valthorix]

I love the little goobers that make up goddess squad so much. By the way, did the old tales squad exist in this universe? Is the commander ever going to meet Abe/Grave? Is R*d Shoes burning in the hell she deserves?

 

[SuperPulp2789]

If Marian loses her memory here, it'd be even more tragic because rather than one mission gone wrong, he knew her for longer

 

[palacesound]

Or maybe Red Hood was smarter than she seemed, but never let it show, or was so id-driven that it completely suppressed her actual intelligence?

Click to shrink...

10000 IQ, but the IQ is bandit-coded, so she's just really good at being a problem.