[IC] - All the World's a Game

[wonderweiss]

Somewhere in Nevada; Otori

---

Shiki and I said at the same time, "Understood."

I walked towards Deimos and Sanford.

"Hey, ya guys got old Babe?"

[Koishi]

Somewhere in Nevada

---

"We have our standard equipment, and your equipment includes something special I whipped up for you." Deimos said, bringing out three black briefcases. The first had Sanford's equipment. A large hook, with a large thing of wire attached to it, along with a silenced Five-Seven, complete with a laser sight.

The second briefcase had Deimos's equipment, which was a silenced and laser sighted Glock, along with a scoped, laser sighted MP7.

[wonderweiss]

"I'm guessing the third one is mine."

I took the briefcase and opened it to reveal...

[Koishi]

Somewhere in Nevada

---

Inside the briefcase was a carbon bat, with a pearl handle.

"This is a little experiment I made for you, since you seem to like Baseball Bats. It's specially made, and has many functions." Deimos picked up the bat, and turned the bottom of the bat, holes appearing across the bat, with many spikes of steel coming out.

"This is the 'bash' mode." Deimos explained, turning the handle again, the spikes retreating, and being replaced with sharp blades coming along the length of every side of the bat.

"This is the 'slice' mode." Deimos turned the handle again, the bat returning to normal and putting it back in the case. Along with the bat was a silenced PPK.

[wonderweiss]

I just stared at it. It was amazing!

"Oh, f*ckin awesome!"

I hid the PPK in my coat.

"Alright. By the way, by stea-... Er, making use of your technology, I made this mask, makes me look like a grunt. Red sunglasses for the 1337's, a stealth camoflauge for my arms, ya know, floating arms, and these gloves. I already have the suit don. If anything, this disguise should at the very least make them think twice."

[Koishi]

Somewhere in Nevada

---

"Won't really be needed at the moment." Christoff said. "It is not an infiltration operation. It is a elimination operation. We need to kill everyone in both buildings, and detonate explosives on the devices powering the forcefield."

"Though it might be nice to look a little more like us, for, you know, AAHW not knowing you and such." Hank commented.

[wonderweiss]

"Ya got a good point."

I readied my bat.

"But ya know what? I'm keeping the sunglasses."

I put on the sunglasses.

"Because to you it may not be much. But in my world, I would be considered a badass. Now, let's go."

[Koishi]

Somewhere in Nevada

---

After a few minutes, the group of Deimos, Sanford, and Otori arrived at the first building. Two guards were at the front, both with assault weapons. Sanford swung his hook, grabbing one of the guards, then Sanford jumped, pulling himself to the guard, killing him, and knocking out the other in the process. Sanford then cut through the knocked out guard, killing him, and motioning for the others to come.

[Kristia]

Engie-con

Finally all the people was fine as Renamon healed them with her digivice, but im the other hand she was tired emotionaly for the fact that many of them looked them only as beasts

--Ok thats the last of them, now tell me John, what is troubling you?- sje asked the spartan

[S121]

Engie-con

"Spartans don't break... Let's hurry up and finish the mission. We still need Engineers, and so far we only have one or two.", John said as he stood up.

[wonderweiss]

Alright, my turn!

After the next wave came, I switched my bat to a normal mode. I jumped and smashed the head of an agent. Their heads break easy. One was shooting at me. I blocked it with the bat. I pulled out the PPK and shot at him. I switched my bat to bash mode and smashed one's head in. It went right through him and bashed the other one behind him. I feel like I'm already part of the gang. I then switched it to slice mode and hit the guy trying to sneak up on me and threw him at the guy in front of me.

"Geez, I've never spewed so much blood in my life and felt good about it!"

---

Vietnam; Snake

---

The voice of the Chrysalis inally spoke.

"WE HAVE REACHED OUR DESTINATION. SELECT A DESIGNATED LANDING AREA."

"We finally made it. So, Rengar, who are these friends of yours anyways?"

[Kristia]

Engie-con

Hearing the Spartan's monotone speech enraged the fox

She went in front of John and pulled him so they could be on the same eye level

--So now you decide to just follow objectives and finish missions? Ok, we will do it your way-- Renamon said taking off the spartan's helmet

--I order you to punch me on my chest-- the vixen said in a serious tone

[S121]

Engie-con

"So now you decide to just follow objectives and finish missions? Ok, we will do it your way.", Renamon said taking off John's helmet.

"I order you to punch me on my chest.", Renamon said in a serious tone.

John was surprised to see that reaction, but didn't show it on his face.

The situation reminded him of another time, when he was given an order to do something that he didn't want to do.

John was ordered to abandon his pursuit of the Didact, and abandon Cortana...

If orders didn't drive John, then what did?

Was it the missions that drove him? Was it the thrill of killing? Was it praise? Was it the respect that came with saving people?

No.

Perhaps it was because he was taught right from wrong, that he was made not just for killing, that he cared for those around him.

John thought about the time when he was being shown his own game, to show him that he was a Character.

...("Do you think the Spartans' lack of basic humanity helped?")

("Do you believe the Master Chief succeeded because he was, at his core, broken?")

John didn't know.

Was he broken? Did he have any humanity?

Perhaps John's mistake was that he saw himself as military hardware.

("Your mistake is seeing Spartans as military hardware. My Spartans are humanity's next step…")

Was he humanity's next step, as a species?

John didn't know.

All he knew was that his friend ordered him to punch her, to injure her.

Doing so would be a detriment to the mission, it would be wrong, but above all, he didn't want to cause harm to Renamon.

John looked Renamon in the eye and spoke.

"No.", John said in a solemn tone, refusing to hurt her, disobeying her orders.

[Kristia]

Engie-con

--Good-- the fox said and immediately put her paw on John's face quickly pushing him all the way to the floor

--The next time you lose yourself, I will order you to shoot me, so Start being yourself already-- she said looking at the spartan and walking towards the resort

[S121]

Engie-con

John simply sat there, confused.

("The next time you lose yourself, I will order you to shoot me, so start being yourself already.")

(But I am myself, always have been. What does she mean?), John thought to himself.

John stood up, put on his helmet, and continued recruiting Engineers.