[IC] - All the World's a Game

[Koishi]

Human Village

---

"We'll talk about this later. Don't you have a world to save?" The Higher Power then disappeared.

[S121]

Human Village

John stepped back a little as the Higher Power disappeared.

(I suppose I do.), John thought to himself as he looked at Mimi, then put her back onto his magnetic holster.

John looked around him and saw all of the Youkai getting ready, getting ready to protect not only their home, but the world. He then switched his gaze over to Renamon, Nera, X, Axl, Zero, and Rumia.

(Damn... This is really it.), John thought as he leaned up against one of the building walls.

John never really thought about it, but there was a very real possibility that he wouldn't make it out of this mission alive. John had gone on a mission that was almost completely identical to this one. Instead of blowing up the Extractor, John had to stop the Didact from destroying humanity by blowing up The Composer with a HAVOK nuclear bomb. They were so similar, but unlike his previous suicide mission, Cortana was no longer there to protect him. She was no longer there to protect him against the raw power of a nuclear bomb. He knew that once he set off Mimi, there was a very good chance that he would be destroyed along with the Extractor.

John simply looked off into the stars and regretted that possibility.

(Damn. I'm going to miss them. They showed me that perhaps I have something more than I thought I did. Perhaps I still do have some sort of humanity, even after all that's happened to me. Now that I think about it, the only people I truly know are Renamon and X. I never really took the time to try and get to know the others. Yea, we shared some fun moments, but I never really learned much about them, about their past. Heck, I never really got to know Yukari. How is it that I have feelings for someone I don't really know?... Perhaps for the same reason she has feelings for me, despite her knowledge of me......... Now that I think about it, there are so many things I've left unresolved. What about HM? Should I leave him in the dark? He seems happy that way, but it isn't right, is it? What will he do if I tell him? How will he react? If I survive this, I should probably tell him. It's the right thing to do. Not only do I have to tell HM about my part in the destruction of Base 3, I also have to take care of so many other things. There are so many that I don't even know where to start... Perhaps I should start now, by at least resolving and settling things with my teammates, my friends.)

John stopped leaning against the wall and looked out at the crowd, only it wasn't the crowd he had seen before. For some reason, John was seeing Nucleoids instead of Youkai.

"No, this can't be right.", John said to himself as he shook his head.

That's when John remembered it. He had this same problem when he rescued the decoy Ran. Instead of seeing Ran, he saw a nucleoid.

(Ansem.), John thought.

There was no real proof that Ansem was the one responsible, but John just knew. Ansem was able to create hallucinations earlier, so what was to say that he wasn't responsible for this episode.

John walked through the hallucinated crowd and walked over to where he last saw Renamon and X.

"Guys? I think there's something very wrong.", John said to Renamon and X.

[NeoFox]

Human Village
________________

X turned to John who was looking quite worried. "What is it John?" Replied X as he looks at John. Axl is too busy chatting with some random passerby youkai. Zero on the other hand is too busy meditating before the battle.

[S121]

Human Village

John saw a nucleoid standing in front of him, but heard X's voice.

"What is it John?", X asked.

"Ansem is messing with my senses. Right now, everyone looks like Nucleoids.", John said.

[Kristia]

Human Village

"If you let me, I can get inside your mind" the fox suggested

[S121]

Human Village

John turned over to Renamon's voice and nodded.

"We probably don't have enough time to get rid of him, but we could at least suppress him.", John said.

[WriggleRid3r]

Human Village

---

"What are you guys doing, standing there and gawking like that?" A blue-haired girl with peach-adorned hat asked annoyedly. "Come on. Yukari wants to give a 'speech.'"

[S121]

Human Village

Before Renamon could start suppressing Ansem, a girl with blue hair called them over for a speech from Yukari.

(Damn. I'll just have to suppress it myself.), John thought to himself as he focused his light aura inward and mimicked what he had done in the past, to suppress Ansem.

A bright light coursed around John as he made a slight grunt of exertion.

Once he finished, John then followed the blue-haired girl.

[WriggleRid3r]

Human Village

---

"God I hate her so much." The peach-hat girl grumbled to herself and left to her spot as Yukari was floating in front of all Youkai in the Union. The scene looked majestic, as if they were the 300 spartans against Xerxes' army... Except far smaller number and far more enemies.

"Listen up." Yukari began. She still looked as if she was going to fall over. "We stand here, not as haters but as sisters in arm. Not as competitors for power but as protectors of our home. Not as enemies, as friends."

"It has been... A genuine pleasure. Even though the enemy came a lot sooner than expected, we held, without any casualties. I want to acknowledge and thank all Youkais who stood up and fought with their mortal enemies... I want to thank the outsiders for ensuring great help; without them we would not have succeeded up to this point..."

"We have, in front of us, a battle where not all of us will remain. But remember, that it will not be all in vain. Remember that even if we shall fail... We will never be forgotten. Even if the last of us perishes into the storm of eternity, our passion will remain forever, encarved on the enemy's heart."

"We march, now."

[S121]

Human Village

John listened to the speech and thought to himself.

(Yes, we will lose some people, but I'll make sure that we won't fail. I'll make sure that there will be as little casualties as possible.), John thought to himself as he thought of himself detonating Mimi inside of the reactor core.

After the speech was over and everyone started dispersing, John walked up to Yukari and spoke.

"Is there anything else I need to do before the Extractor?", John asked Yukari.

[WriggleRid3r]

Human Village

---

"No, you're to get to the Extractor as fast as possible. The defense is going to be tight, but you can handle it, right?" Yukari answered.
"Yukari, one moment." Yuuka asked.
"Yeah, hold on." Yukari nodded, and turned to John. "We're heading now. If you're ready..."
The Youkais began marching, followed by fairies... First by hundreds... Then by the thousads... Until it was clear that their number reached the millions. It was a marvel to behold.

[S121]

Human Village

"I wouldn't be a Spartan if I couldn't handle it.", John said in a slightly joking, yet calm tone.

John saw all of the fairies and Youkai marching towards the Extractor. John honestly couldn't believe so many people lived in Gensokyo. Perhaps it was just that he hadn't explored all of it, so he wouldn't know the size of the land.

Right before leaving, John turned back over to Yukari and spoke.

"Hey Yukari? I... Good luck.", John said, not quite wanting to say goodbye if he actually died.

John then began to look for Byakuren, Patchouli, and Mima, so that they could put their heat protection spells on him. He would need them if he even had a hope of surviving inside of the reactor.

[Koishi]

Human Village

---

In the skies above the youkai, the Borealis began to move, and the large fsturistic ship known as the Probability Space Hypervessel moved along side it, Several more ships of considerable size also appeared, having the mark of the Inventory on their sides.

"The Inventory Defense Force is reporting for duty!" came Koishi's voice from the largest of the ships.

[WriggleRid3r]

Battle of Gensokyo

---

"Koishi!" Flandre shouted from the sky. "How'd you get hold of all this? It's incredible!"

---

"What is it?" Yukari asked.
"You..." Yuuka hesitated. "You realize... That we will not be able to see each other any more, right?"
"...yes." Yukari nodded somberly.
"Listen, I-" Yuuka began.
"If you want to apologize, it is fine." Yukari sighed and smiled. "I knew."
"About that man you loved-"
"Yes."
"And about the Lunar Invasion-"
"Yes."
"And-"
"Yes, yes, yes, I forgave you." Yukari interrupted. "Even the fact that you had a crush on John, too."
Yuuka was silent. She didn't know... She thought all the grudge... But Yukari, she forgave...
"I... I'm sorry."
"It's ok."
"Yeah..." Yuuka sobbed as she left. "See you on the other side of the living."
"See you there."

[Koishi]

Battle of Gensokyo

---

"Winslow is a nice guy with a lot of resources!" Koishi shouted back.