[IC] - All the World's a Game

"Alrighty then. Death it is."

I searched his body, and it had it's perks in arrogance. But... I also sense...

I twitched back a bit.

"You... What the hell happened to you? I sense agony... Pain... Insanity... Paranoia... What's wrong with you?!"

I could control him, but all those conflicting feelings... It's weird!

Battle of Gensokyo

"Like I said, I've seen some sh*t, sh*t that would make half of your Generals piss themselves in fear.", Isaac said in a matter-of-fact tone, as if it was nothing.

Isaac was ready for the very moment that the General would attack. Isaac wasn't going to attack first, that would only take away Isaac's element of surprise.

"Psh. Half of our men are the nightmares. Makes me want to puke."

I raised my sword.

"No matter. Even if your emotions conflict with your arrogance, I will still rid of you. That is, unless you decide to join us. We're taking worlds' life sources because we need to sustain the life on our ship. It's the only thing big enough to contain all of the lost aliens. No planet can support us, so we have to take the life of others. We are creating a haven for all creatures of all planets. Please, help us all. First we make it a haven. Then... a paradise."

Hmph...

I love this little lie I'm making.

---

Me and Shikieiki had let go.

"So how's the battle?"

"... not well on either end. So much conflict, so much death."

"I understand... but if we don't, more people -- innocent people -- will die."

"... I know. I just hope we can get through this quickly. Two of our men died today. One of them a robot, and the other one a man. He had white hair and golden eyes."

This caught my attention.

"... who was it?"

"I couldn't tell, but I think I heard the initials... HM."

"What?!?!?"

I started pacing, frustrated.

"Otori, what's the matter?!"

"What the hell is HM doing here?! Gah!"

I stopped. "... damn it... HM... but he was... "

Then, I heard a voice.

"... hold up..."

I rush to the voice. Shikieiki was following me.

"What is it Oto-"

That's when we both saw it. It was...

"HM!!!"

---

While I was awaiting Daiyousei's answer, I heard a voice calling out to me. I turn around and I saw... Otori!

"Otori, you're here! But how?"

"Psh, hell if I knew. I've been kinda everywhere lately. I've been to Nevada for one."

"Hot, wasn't it?"

"Yea, it was. I pity your expedition there. Thing is, it was a game Nevada. Then, I've been to guess what? Purgatory."

"Ha. Don't even go there with me. I've been there twice and back.

"Yea. Speaking of which, how are you even here? You were stationed at Hawaii to retrieve any mechs."

"I was. Though our favorite green giant kinda stopped that little experiment."

""Green giant? He isn't even animated, he's just some giant on vegetable cans."

"Hahaha. No, no I mean John."

"Oooh. But I thought you hated him."

"I did. And I did get the chance to take him on myself. Guess how that went."

"Not too well. Is that how you died?"

"Yea. Then some guy -- get ready for this -- took my heart and computerized it. So guess what that means."

"... no... way... so your wish finally came true."

"Yup. I got a new suit he gave me and I fought John like that. But then again, he was kind of a robot himself. It was the darkness that killed me. Long story."

"I can tell. But if you became a manually inpu-"

"MIHI. I like that name better."

"Oh. Well still how are you even here in your own body?"

"Aha, that's the thing. Do you remember our friends in TISF?"

"Oh, yea, they hated us."

"Well, I took one of their best toys, the 'War Ender.'"

"No way! That's like the best one on earth, it hasn't even been perfected yet!"

"Yes. Only I could perfect it. Anyways, I don't quite know what this thing has. But so far, I've learned shape-shifting, laser firing, handgun rapid-firing, and concealable swordsmanship."

"Nice. And here I am, failed to get a one-up, died, and resurrected in hell just to become some guy's servant. Damn, bad luck Brian, eh?"

"Sounds bad... hey, let's take this inside. There's a guy in there you would love to meet."

"Is that so? Alright. Hey Shikieiki, ya coming?"

"... well, I'll be there. I've got something to do."

"We'll be in the technological advances tent."

I walked to the tent, Otori following.

---

I stood behind. I saw Daiyousei... but this is not what she's like. I walk up to her.

"Daiyousei, it's been a while, hasn't it? How are you feeling right now?"

---

Meanwhile, over west Russia...

"Damn! Won't this guy die already?!"

"Volgin, stop the AI. I'll try to get a shot in from the ground to air lock-on rocket, just try not to make too much movement, but make sure we aren't hurt!"

Volgin deactivated the AI. I grabbed the rocked and aimed at the attacker.

"Sorry, but your time is up."

I fired the guided rocket.

---

Meanwhile, in northern California...

At last, I finally reached it...

my humble abode. I had my dolls reconstruct it with an antique look. It looks so beautiful...

I headed inside. The dolls did a wonderful job. That means...

I went to the basement and found my haven. My lab. I felt sane here.

"Brings back memories, eh, Marie?"

She gave a faint little nod. Actually, there is one place that I've yet to check.

I went to my little paradise: the dolls room. Everything was there... all except for one little doll.

Aya.

"Hehehehe... I will find you... Aya."

I cackled into the night.

---

God, that hedgehog dude was scary. I set that emerald down somewhere else. If he finds it, good for him. If not, too bad.

That's when I came upon a mansion.

"... hey, Phantom, look. It's an old mansion. Quite possibly contains antiques. Quite possibly be haunted."

I turn to him.

"Wanna check it out?"

---

Meanwhile, in London...

I backed up, my wound hurting. But I ignore it.

"... why... why are you doing this?"

I pull out my second sword.

"Why would you endanger not only the characters, but the innocent as well?!"

Battle of Gensokyo

"Yea, a paradise of war hungry grunts, while every planet we'd go to would be destroyed, killing all life on it, making it a desolate wasteland covered in bodies. Do you honestly think I want to be a part of a group that destroys peoples' planets, peoples' homes!? F*ck that! F*ck you, and f*ck your ship! I'd rather die than work for monsters like you!", Isaac angrily said.

Isaac then began to hover a couple inches off the ground, thanks to his thrusters.

"I have survived THREE Necromorph outbreaks! I've come too far to die now! You on the other hand, hahaha! Well, let's just say that you'll see how dangerous an engineer truly is.", Isaac said.

California-???
_________________

Phantom came to a stop as he looked up at the mansion, dusting himself off he turns to Ocelot.

"What is a mansion even doing out here? Whatever the case though I think we should go in. I feel something... calling out to me." He said as he quickly and easily scales the outer walls of the mansion. As he grabs onto a windowsill he tries to push the window on the 2nd floor open quietly...

((Wonder you decide if Phantom could open the window. I imagine the front door to be locked.))

"... hehehehehehe, hahahahahahaha, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Oh, you're a tough one. Alrighty then. Since you've already seen half of my true form, I might as well kill you with it."

The purple aura began glowing again. my nails and teeth sharpened and my eye became snake-like.

"You'll see... my power is far greater than yours!"

I quickly lunged at Isaac. with the sword.

---

"Oh, come on. Who needs to open up through the windows anyways. Look at how old this is, the door hinges will come right off."

I try to kick the door open, but ended in failure.

"AH, F*CK!... alright, window it is."

I follow Phantom to the window.

Battle of Gensokyo

(Bad move buddy, bad move...), Isaac thought.

As soon as Zenmari got within range, Isaac primed the grenade, let it go, and flew up with his thrusters, leaving Zenmari face-to-face with a live Pulse Rifle grenade.

The grenade exploded on contact.

Isaac looked down to see if he had killed the General. He doubted it, but he was at least hoping.

I stood in the smoke, my arm covering my face. It was extremely burnt. So in other words... no harm done.

I put my arm down. "Is that really the best you can do? Disappointing. Really."

I swung my sword to Isaac and made a purple blade that followed him at speeds that could rival a race car.

Battle of Gensokyo

Acting on reflex, Isaac grabbed the blade with his Kenesis Module and fired it back down at Zenmari, only much faster than it was originally going.

He then readied his Pulse Rifle and fired a barrage of hyper-sonic rounds at his opponent.

Volley ball, huh? Alright. I'll play.

With a swing of my hand, I fired the blade back, now near the speed of sound.

Then came the bullets. Obviously I couldn't dodge. My aura, however, melted half of them. The other half, well...

"Gah! You... I'll make sure you die!"

I jump after the blade.