Mika Dominance III 

• Vomit. Episode 7.

• Talk of pregnancy and birth. She asks Solo to give her children. Episode 8.

In a room with a panoramic view of the neon lit city, the high pitched voice of a girl echoes across the fantastical space.

“Dandy! What’s going on!?”

“H-Hang on, let me check the control system… D-Don’t shake me…”

Dandy holds back Mika with one hand as she approaches, quickly grasping the current circumstances of the city.

“The assailants are a party of Machines and Paragons!”

“N-No way!?”

“No way… What do you mean!?”

Mika was the first to react to the young white haired boy’s words after he blurted them out unintentionally. She runs to where he is seated and pulls out a gun, pointing it right at his head.

“Solo!!” everyone cried his name in unison.

“Don’t move!! You stupid brat!!!” As Mika yells, the entire room falls silent, “Spit it out! Tell me everything you know! Unless you want me to blow your [bleep]ing brains out.”

Faced with Mika’s brutality, and knowing she could pull the trigger at any moment, Solo calmly explains the situation—fully understanding the disadvantage it put him in.

“—Pfft, hahaha!! So that’s how it is. I never would have imagined the child we welcomed into our home was such a blight!” 

“Now isn’t the time for this! We’re in this fight together, so–”

“–Shut up.”

—Bang.

The sound of a gunshot rings out.

—Let’s step back in time. To when the light of a lone combat ship shines through the darkness of the Caspian Rift Valley.

“Damn it. We finally managed to destroy that Machine ship and move north… Where did these guys come from?”

“I told ya’ so, didn’t I, Solo? The valley is full of drifters.”

“Still… You wouldn’t expect something like that to happen, right?”

Despite knowing the danger, Solo’s crew had decided to pass through the Caspian Rift Valley. Sure enough, they were ambushed by an unidentified armed group that had been hiding within.

“At any rate, we need to find a place to hide before the sun sets. Mithra, can you continue watching the rear for enemies and keep an eye out for a safe zone?”

“Okie dokie! …Hey, Zephyr, are you doing okay?”

“Huh?”

“You seem kinda down.”

“No… I’m the same as always."

“Really? Well, if it ever gets too tough, just let me know!”

“Hehe, thank you.”

When the communication was cut off, Zephyr opened the ship’s console to check on the damage. None of the damage was fatal, but continuing to sail when a surprise attack could be lurking just around the corner did nothing but make her uneasy.

“Ahh, we should think of a plan in case there’s an emergency.”

“Don’t jinx it. When Joachim says stuff like that, it always seems like something happens when it shouldn’t, right?”

“Hey, that’s on you, buddy.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Gagh, you really don’t get it? Those words come from the heart. From a survivor of the shithole battlefield. If you fire off Barakiel, you’d never sit there all ‘oh, did we win?’”

“―Zephyr! Behind you! Behind you! Hurry and turn around!”

“Shuuut UP!!” Solo pressed the switch on the communicator, lashing out explosively at Mithra. “What are you rambling about, you bitch? Say it normal—”

“Zephyr, turn back now!” Mithra continued, unfazed by Solo’s verbal abuse.

“Uh… What’s going on?” Zephyr asked, ignoring Solo as he continued to complain.

“It was only for a sec, but I saw something at the bottom of the valley! It’s gotta be a colony, no doubt about it!”

“Huh? But nothing is showing on radar?”

“It’s definitely there! So let’s turn back around!”

Mithra sounded strangely confident, but it was clear just by looking at Solo that he was unhappy despite not voicing it. Mithra continued to yell her suggestion, only getting louder. Joachim was the first to respond.

“If the young lady says so, maybe it’s true after all.”

“What do you think, Solo?”

“It’s not like we have a choice. She’s been weird the whole time.” Solo was quiet after that. Although he wouldn’t say it out loud, he trusted Mithra’s “sight” to some degree after the battle with the Viamaris.

“Understood. Alright everyone, hold on to something!” With that, Zephyr reversed their course and turned back in the direction Mithra pointed to.

They were after a ray of light in the depths of a deep, dark abyss.

—Meanwhile, at the same time, there was someone casting curious glances at a monitor installed in a dimly lit room, among several other devices. The monitor showed the combat ship Solo and his companions were aboard.

“I-It seems like they’ve noticed us. What do you think, Mika?” The man speaking turned around to face a young woman perched in a gaudy chair.

“Doesn’t matter either way. We have a special guest, so let’s make sure to give them a warm welcome, shall we? My paradise rejects no one, no matter the reason.” Mika’s lips twist into a smile as she crosses her legs with a flourish. “But if they try to leave me… Hehe.”

She sticks out her long, blue tongue, wagging it back and forth as if it were a lure leading the living straight to hell.

Following Mithra’s guidance as she called to them from the rear deck, the combat ship descended towards the vast expanse of land at the bottom of the Caspian Rift Valley. It was said that the valley floor was heavily polluted, and the ship’s monitor displayed warning markers even after the end of the descent.

“Hey, is there really a colony in a place like this? It’s hard to believe it.”

“Uh… If you were to somehow step foot into a place with this level of contamination, you’d never be able to return from it, right?”

“Is everyone ready?” Mithra asked as she reached for the switch to close the hatch, but Joachim moved to intervene. “Why are you stopping me?”

“Even if our landing was relatively safe, that doesn’t change the fact this area is dangerous! But hey, be my guest if you feel like dying, girlie!”

“We won’t know for sure unless we see for ourselves, right?”

“Wll, maybe you’re okay with it, but… H-Hey! Don’t book it just because there’s an opening!”

As Joachim tried to restrain her, Solo spoke with Zephyr, who was staring at the monitor with a furrowed brow.

“What is it, Zephyr?”

“I checked the surrounding area for any environmental discrepancies, but… I don’t think there’s anything like what Mithra was describing.”

The setting sun made it impossible to see with their own eyes, but the data showed only the remains of something that had long lost its original form, as well as a reef that indicated this place had once been a lake.

“Damn it, we were stupid to believe her.”

“What do you mean ‘stupid’? There was a hazy light at the bottom, wasn’t there?”

“D-Don’t just barge in! And d-don’t touch my head! Figures… Geez, why are you acting so defenseless?"

“Huh? I’m not doing anything.”

Solo adjusted his hair, it having been ruffled from the weight of Mithra leaning on top of him, and continued, “So if your light exists, what’s it supposed to mean?”

“It was bouncing between purple and pink. It’s a really pretty light!”

Solo groaned at Mithra’s irrelevant response, “It’s probably just some kind of contaminant. That ‘colony’ you saw was probably just a refraction of the light or something...”

Just when it seemed like the fruitless exchange would carry on, lively music echoed throughout their surroundings. It was an out of place fanfare, like it was a celebration for a traveler arriving to paradise.

“Ha! Welcome to Eden for the exiled!” as the voice called out to them, the air before Solo and the others seemed as if it were rippling.

“What…!?”

The empty space had vanished in an instant, and a gigantic city took its place. Its whimsical lights hang bright in the twilight sky.

“...Who the hell sets up such a large scale optical camouflage in the middle of nowhere?”

“I wonder if this is a dream?”

“It’s so beautiful!”

The sight before them was a city so large they couldn’t even begin to imagine it. It was all lights, lights, and more lights, the flood of them so intense it was nearly blinding. The haze it creates in the sky emits a pale blue glow, and below pink and purple neon lights were scattered everywhere. As the lights mix together in the air, they create an even more wondrous sight. It was as if they were on the very boundary between dream and reality.

“What the… That’s…”

“Hey, Solo! Let’s go and see!”

“Ah… Wait, no! How can you say that in this situation!?”

Thud.

As the two of them were becoming restless, a sound like heavy objects scraping against each other echoed from above the hull of the ship.

“What is it now?”

The metal scraping continued, and the group was suddenly overcome by a feeling of floating. Solo moved towards the window to see where the sound was coming from, finding a massive metallic pillar lined up with the side of the ship. An orange light was leaking from between the pillar and the ship, flickering on and off constantly. Solo slowly raises his gaze, trying to identify the pillar. It seemed to stretch on forever, and he soon realized the massive scale of what it extended from.

“Is that… a ship…?”

The pillar was the arm of a gigantic ship that far surpassed the size of their own combat ship. Solo realized they were being transported somewhere and began to shout.

“Zephyr, can’t you get us out of here!? If that massive thing sinks into one of the contaminated areas…”

“I-It’s no use! It’s not reacting when I try to move it!”

“Shit, at this rate–!”

“Ha! Calm down, you guys. The tractor ship is just an escort. Besides, I can shoot down a dinky ship like that any time, couldn’t I?”

――

――――

While being carried by the tractor ship, Solo and the others pass over the city with pulsing blue light. In the heart of the city were three towers, and the perimeter was surrounded by other large, towering structures. The light runs through everything like veins.

“This city… It’s like it’s alive…” Solo muttered to no one in particular. As he continued staring out towards their destination, he wondered just how far they would be taken.

At the same time, the tractor ship came to a dead stop a short distance from a tower. As Solo looks downward, he notices a gaping, rectangular hole in a section of the city. Red lights extend upwards from the four corners of the hole, coiling around and surrounding the ship. Eventually, the ship began to slowly descend, and the tractor ship began to vibrate, flying elsewhere within the hole as they seemed to reach the bottom.

“...”

Solo, who had been intently observing the entire process, suddenly felt someone else’s gaze beside him. He turned around, and there stood Mithra beaming from ear to ear. Realizing what that means, Solo hurriedly opens his mouth.

“What the hell!”

“You couldn’t tear yourself away from the window, Solo. Just like a kid!”

“Huuh!? Who are you calling a kid!?” Solo repeatedly pushes away Mithra’s hands as she tries to pet him on the head.

As though now content from the play, Mithra pulls away her hand and speaks with a soft voice, “See? It was real after all, wasn’t it?”

“Hmph… Ah, sorry for doubting you, I guess.” Solo turned away, his cheeks seeming slightly flushed.

Zephyr and Joachim, watching from a distance, couldn’t help but smile.

“Hehe, he’s not being honest about his feelings.”

“Even so, there’s no doubt the winds are shifting, don’t you think?”

“The winds?”

“Yeah. I feel like with that girl around, his future won’t look so pessimistic.”

“Ah… That’s true, isn’t it?”

A little. Just a little bit. Zephyr felt a jumble of emotions swell up within her that she didn’t understand. As she let her gaze wander, unable to piece it together, she noticed the communication indicator button was flashing.

“A transmission… from the city?”

The communication line opened and displayed on the monitor. On screen was a man and a woman, surrounded by machines with old-fashioned designs with no sense of unity, reminiscent of toys. Standing stunned by the group that looked entirely out of place in the city’s atmosphere, she continued to watch as the machines began to play off key tunes of their own accord.

“Uh… What do you suppose this is…?”

“Okay, okay! Welcome to the Eden of Exiles!”

“Kyaa!”

A man in formal attire approached the screen, filling it up entirely so that only his eyes were visible.

“Thiiiis is Feige City! The bustling city of pleasure in our colony, New Nemea! For those of you who dislike dark nights, and for those who can’t stand the agony of being alone! Please, rest assured! Here in our sleepless city, even your smallest of worries will melt away—!?

“Come on, you always drag it out. It makes the guests uncomfortable, you know?”

The man was pushed off screen by a girl in a black dress.

“Hiiiii, my little shooting stars!” 

The girl waves at them with an elegant, sweet smile, and Zephyr couldn’t help but wave back.

“Ah… Who are you?”

“I’m Mika. The one prattling on earlier is Dandy. We’re the Machines that manage this long forgotten colony.”

The girl takes the ends of her dress and curtsies. Dandy, who was now somehow standing behind her, suddenly began to dance with a cane in one hand. The other machines followed suit, joining in on the racket.

Solo couldn’t help but sigh as things seemed to be getting out of hand, “Hey, maybe this is just a dream after all?”

Deep within the Caspian Rift Valley, Solo and his companions arrived at a fantastical colony. Waiting for them there were machines who claimed to be the city Supervisors.

“Come along, my precious little stars!”

“Even if she says it like that, no normal person would just go, right?”

“It’s not like we have much of a choice, considering the situation.”

“Well, I guess… What about you little la– Wait, where’d she go?”

“Mithra’s… over there.”

Zephyr points to the monitor. There, they can see Mithra dancing along in a circle with Dandy and the others, blending seamlessly into the scene.

“Come on, everybody! Hurry up!”

“Are you serious? She’s acting way too freely… Ah, well. I guess there’s no point in staying here, so we might as well follow her.”

“Haaah, so this is how it ends.”

After confirming the other three had joined up with Mithra, Dandy bowed reverently with a flourish of his cane.

“Well then, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to invite you to our dazzling paradise!”

――

――――

The group traveled through a skyway directly connected to the dock, heading for Feige City, a city block within the colony of New Nemea.

"–So, you see the tallest tower over there? That’s my and Mika’s castle. Isn't it lovely?”

Three towers stand tall in the center of the city. Blue lights shine from the top, illuminating the entire city below.

“It’s beautiful… I wonder if this is what it’s like to be under the sea…”

“Hm? There’s something streaming from the top.”

“That apparatus is what supplies power throughout the entire colony. That light reaches every last corner of the city—allowing our city to remain one that never sleeps.”

“So if there’s an attack on that thing, you’re done for?”

“The–?” Mithra’s out of left field question freezes Dandy in place, eyes wide as if time itself had stopped.

“Huh, did he break?”

“...Sooo, anyway. You know, Mika and I have spent a long, long time building this city.”

“So this guy just ignores things when they’re inconvenient, huh?”

“W-Well, since they’re going through the trouble to show us around, we shouldn’t put a damper on it.”

Mika and Dandy took them to various places. There was a race course below the skyway, an arcade lined with machines where players moved their hands to a rhythm, and all sorts of other things that would never be seen on the surface.

“We modified the information terminals left behind in the colony, and over the course of many years, we used that information to recreate the many wonderful things created during the Golden Age. It took an incredibly long time, spanning several generations of Paragons, you see.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“A reasonable question. Please, have a look at them.” 

Mika points to a group of people walking on the other side of the corridor. It was a group of Paragons and Machines, walking and talking alongside one another.

“How… The Paragons and Machines aren’t killing each other?"

“That’s why the surface is so toxic… Isn’t it nice? Their missions, roles, tasks… it’s all whatever! They were freed from the constraints of a pointless system and can live without being branded as useless. When that happens, our relationship with each other changes. Just like them, you understand? Everyone says it… this place is paradise. Haha, it’s only natural, right? This is exactly the way the world should be.”

“...”

“Seems like you can’t believe it, right? All the children that come here have the same reaction at first. But once they discover the wonders of this paradise, they all forget. See! Everyone looks so happy, don’t they?”

It seemed like everyone was enjoying the moment, all of them laughing and smiling at one another. It was like a dream, a world entirely foreign to the one Solo had traversed. It was…

“Is this… my…?”

Dandy gently placed his hand on Mika's shoulder as she made a show of crying, and the two of them pretended to wipe their tears with a handkerchief that seemed to appear out of thin air.

“I didn’t know Machines could cry…”

“These are tears of the heart!”

“Oopsies, we’ve gotten a bit off topic, haven’t we? We intend to welcome you as children of this city. Please feel free to make yourselves at home, would you?”

Joachim, who hadn't been involved in the conversation up until now, interrupts Dandy's suggestion, “Thanks for the offer, but we’re kind of in a hurry. We’ve got places to be. I’ll cover the cost of repairing the ship, so–”

“There’s no need to rush, is there? Night has already fallen. You should rest and recover from your travels.”

"And besides..." Dandy looked up at the tower with a pompous look, then turned back to say, "Are you really going to take her on a trip in that condition?"

“Huh?”

“–Zephyr?!”

Solo and Joachim looked behind them. The cry of Mithra’s voice came at almost the same time Zephyr lost consciousness and collapsed.

Solo and the others were brought to a tower at the center of the urban district of the city, where they decided to rest in the living space set up within the tower.

“It seems like Zephyr will be fine if we just let her rest.”

“I see. I’m glad it wasn’t an emergency.”

“Yeah, seriously. But still, you noticed it earlier, didn’t you? That’s pretty impressive, girlie.”

“Uh, I guess so. It just had a feeling.”

Zephyr was breathing gently in her sleep. According to Mika’s examination, she had simply overworked herself. It seemed there was nothing else to be done except for allowing Zephyr to rest until she felt well again.

“...”  

Solo stood near Zephyr’s bed with eyes cast downwards, and Joachim placed his hand gently on his shoulder, “Solo, I’m not saying you shouldn’t worry, but you need to take care of yourself, got it?”

“Mm… Uh huh.”

“In one ear and out the other, it seems,” Joachim replied, turning to walk away from the bed.

“Joachim, where are you going?”

“To do whatever I can. Oh, by the way, little lady, I’d appreciate it if you could help me out a bit. How about you tag along?”

Mithra’s face lit up as if Joachim’s suggestion had given her a realization. Without waiting for Solo’s reply, she left the room with Joachim.

“...”

With the two of them gone, the room fell silent. With every faint breath of Zephyr’s, Solo felt his chest tighten. 

“I’m always such a burden for you… I’m sorry I didn’t notice anything…” Solo’s voice trembled as he forced out the words.

――

――――

Time passed, and everything came suddenly. They had received a written invitation from Dandy, reading:

“To celebrate our meeting, we’ve arranged for us to share a modest dinner together.”

The four of them took the elevator to the highest floors of the central tower where the meeting would take place.

“...Hey, Zephyr, are you sure you don’t want to rest back in our room? You were groaning in your sleep…”

“I’ll be alright. I’m thankful for all their help, and it would be rude to turn down an invitation, wouldn’t it?”

“Well, I guess it’s better to stick together than to be alone.”

“...I guess so.”

“We’re almost there! What kinda food do you think they’ll have?”

Eventually, the elevator came to a stop—so high up that they could get a panoramic view of the city.

“Ha! Perfect timing. Come along, this way now.”

With a warm welcome, Mika and Dandy led everyone to a large, circular table set up in the center of the spacious dining hall. After making sure everyone was seated with equal distance between one another, Dandy clapped his hands together. A door suddenly opened in the corner of the room, and mechanical soldiers brought out plates of food one after another.

“Haha, I hope it’s to your liking.”

“W-What in the world is this…?”

"The food I'm serving you all is a reproduction of cuisine from the Golden Age."

The dazzling things laid out on the table were all in colors that made it hard to imagine they were meant to be food. It was entirely unclear what “Golden Age” era the reproductions were meant to be from.

“How do you like it? Beautiful, don’t you think? These dishes are made by spraying nutrient paste in different sections to solidify them. I suppose the shape still has room for improvement, but the taste should be perfect!”

“H-Hey… Is this actually edible?”

“I-I wonder…”

“...”

“Uh, Joachim?”

Joachim silently returns his plate to Dandy.

“Huh? You’re not going to eat?”

“No, I’ll pass. I’m not really hungry–”

“It looks delicious! Let’s eat!”

“Huh!?”

Ignoring the other’s hesitation, Mithra reached for her food, chewing and swallowing in nearly an instant, “Hmm, the taste is a little strange, but it’s good.” 

As Mithra spoke, she moved on to the next plate. Watching her so effortlessly devour the food, Zephyr made up her mind and dug into a particularly colorful, glittering dish.

“Ah, uh, surprisingly… Ngh, hg–!?” Zephyr’s body stiffened instantly, not moving so much as a muscle.”

“Oh my, have you been so moved that you’re at a loss for words?”

“No, no matter how you look at it, it’s disgusting…”

“Huh!? Surely you don’t mean to suggest you find fault in me? What an unruly brat! Does a lady have to [bleep]ing handle you ill mannered [bleep]ers herself!?”

A loud clang echoed through the hall as Mika kicked over a chair. All eyes had fallen on her, now shaking with anger.

Dandy’s voice broke the silence, “Pardon me, were you startled? I apologize on Mika’s behalf. Her generation is more antique than my own, you see, and so she angers easily when things upset her. But don’t worry, her programming censors all sensitive remarks, so you’ll never hear it if she uses any nasty or colorful language. It’s incredibly charming, don’t you think?”

With everyone unable to move in front of the raging Mika, Dandy clapped his hands as if to start everything over, “Now then, let us all behave properly this time–”

At the exact same moment, a violent vibration shook the tower.

The dinner had been interrupted in a way no one expected. A massive vibration had struck the central tower, caused by something colliding with the optical camouflage that acted as a barrier between the city and the outside world.

“W-What’s going on!?”

Alerts began rushing in like waves, indicating things were anything but normal.

“Dan! What’s going on!?”

“H-Hang on, let me check the control system… D-Don’t shake me…”

Dandy holds back Mika with one hand as she approaches, quickly grasping the current circumstances of the city.

“The assailants are a party of Machines and Paragons!”

“N-No way!?”

“No way… What do you mean!?”

Mika was the first to react to Solo’s words after he blurted them out unintentionally. She runs to where he is seated and pulls out a gun, pointing it right at his head.

“Solo!!” everyone cried his name in unison.

“Don’t move!! You stupid brat!!!” As Mika yells, the entire room falls silent, “Spit it out! Tell me everything you know! Unless you want me to blow your brains out and fill your head with [bleep].”

Faced with Mika’s brutality, and knowing she could pull the trigger at any moment, Solo calmly explains the situation—fully understanding the disadvantage it put him in.

“—Pfft, hahaha!! So that’s how it is. I never would have imagined the child we welcomed into our home was such a blight!” 

“This isn’t the time for this! We’re in this fight together, so–”

“–Shut up.”

—Bang.

The sound of a gunshot rings out.

“...”

“You’ve got the nerve to glare back at me, you little brat?” 

Warm blood trickles down Solo’s cheek, the bullet having just grazed him and instead piercing the wall.

“But it’s pointless! Fighting? Together? Don’t screw with me!” Mika laughs, the sound distorted and sinister like an out of tune instrument, “You think you can just walk away like it was nothing after bringing conflict into my paradise? Such a shame!”

Mika smirked, ordering the robotic soldiers standing in wait to detain everyone, “Your future has already been decided, you [bleep]ers. Isn’t that right, Dan?”

“Yeah. We had the opportunity to come to deeply understand one another, and yet… How disappointing.”

“Good grief, talk about a change of heart. You’ve got some nerve. You just accept whatever she does?” Joachim spits, throwing his weapon aside.

Mithra and Zephyr had already been disarmed and detained.

“Ha! A wise choice.” Dandy spun around, raising his cane high, “Guards! Escort our guests to the dock.”

“W-We’ve still got time! We–”

“This beepbeepbeep [bleep] is annoying. Hurry up and go! Get out!”

“L-Let go of me– Hhggh!?” Zephyr desperately tried to resist, but a kick from Mika hit her deep in the stomach.

“Zephyr!”

“Sooo sorry. Did you want to play? I’ve got some bad habits, so if you make me too upset, we might end up with a big red flower garden all over this [bleep]’s white hair, you understand?”

“Kch...”

“It’s a shame things turned out this way… But your noble sacrifice will protect our colony… Well then, bon voyage!”

“Damn it, some freedom! In the end, you’re no different then the everyone else–”

Mika dragged Solo into the elevator as he continued to talk back. The tower began shaking even more violently, war closing in on them. Everyone left the hall, Dandy seeing them off.

As smoke was rising all throughout the blue city, Mika and her soldiers were escorting Solo and the others to the dock via skyway.

“Aah… My paradise… my children…”

The once beautiful paradise lay in ruins, a mere shadow of its former self. The screams of the residents amidst the roaring explosions mercilessly scrape away at Mika’s remaining sense of reason.

“Don’t waste any time! Just hurry and go!”

“Hey, Mika, you see it, don’t you? I know that you love and cherish all of the people in the colony, so…”

“Sh… Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up shut up!! What do you know!?”

As she witnesses the worsening scene before her, Mika’s behavior becomes increasingly more dangerous. However, they couldn’t just let Mika do whatever she wanted. They were close to reaching the gate to the dock, so they needed to resolve the current situation before walking into the unknown there.

“I don’t know all of the hardships you’ve been through, but I do know one thing for certain, and that’s–” 

Just as Zephyr was about to finish, a ray of light streaked across the sky. The torrent of light pierced the central tower, causing it to collapse. Shortly after, the blue light that illuminated the city went dark.

“D-Dan!?!”

“Now!”

While Mika was shaken, Joachim and Mithra snatched weapons from the surrounding mechanical soldiers, quickly kicking them away.

“Solo, this way!”

“Wh–!? You think I’d just let you escape!?”

Finally understanding the situation, Mika swings her chain whip at Solo. Just as the iron mass was about to strike Solo’s head, Zephyr jumped in from the side to block it.

“I’ll keep you safe, Solo!”

“This [bleep]... Get out of my WAY!!”

Mika furiously rushes Zephyr. No matter how physically capable a Paragon was, they were no match for a Machine. But perhaps with the strength of her desire to protect Solo, Zephyr takes Mika’s attack head on and holds her ground.

“Hand over the brat! I have to protect my city and my children!!”

“Just as you have something you won’t give up, I have something I absolutely refuse to give up! I’ll never back down!”

“AAGGH! If that’s the case, then I’ll just [bleep]ing kill you!”

As the others take on the surrounding mechanical soldiers, Zephyr and Mika engage in fierce hand to hand combat, their tremendous convictions clashing.

“Ggh… W-What is this… Why won’t you back down…?”

“I vowed to protect Solo! I swore I’d watch over him forever!”

“Hmph! How dare a Paragon act like a mother when you can’t even have children! I’m protecting everyone in the city. There’s a big difference between just one and many!!”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s just ‘one’ or ‘many’ when you have something to protect!”

Zephyr despite Mika’s small stature and mechanical body, Zephyr refuses to back down and unleashes a powerful blow.

“Wh–!” it’s solid…”

It seemed like Mika’s stomach had taken a direct hit, but apart from a slight waver, her metallic body didn’t even flinch. Zephyr took a few steps back, guarding her injured fist, but Mika’s roar of laughter rubbed salt into the wound.

“Enough already. Just drop dead, will you?”

“...!”

The situation was changing fast. Unfamiliar with hand to hand combat and still not in top physical condition, Zephyr fought with sheer willpower. The longer things went on, the difference in strength became more and more apparent. She was being pushed back, and the moment she lost her balance, a chain struck her stomach.

“Ggh!!”

The chains feel like a violent jolt deep within her organs, the pain so intense it threatens to render Zephyr unconscious.

“What a nice face! Come on, cry harder!” 

Mika grabbed Zephyr and hoisted her up into the air.

“...Gh… Hgh…”

“Ahahaha! There’s no way some Paragon like you could stand against the likes of me! So die!!!” 

“–Ugh.”

Just as Mika began to dig in her fingers, a liquid began to trickle down her arm. It was similar to the color of the replicated food from the Golden Age–

“Huh!?!” the liquid rains down on Mika’s face with powerful force, “NYAAGH!?”

Temporarily blinded by vomit, Mika lets go of Zephyr in her surprise. She swung her chain in a  frenzy, stopping to check her surroundings when her vision managed to clear. Zephyr was curled up at her feet, unable to move.

“Found you! Now die, woman!!”

Just as Mika raises her arm to slam down the chain, something moves in her peripheral vision—Mithra holding Mitron, and Solo pulling the trigger on Barakiel.

"Mitron!" 

"Barakiel!"

Two bright beams of light fire in Mika’s direction.

“Don’t you– screw with– me.”

Consumed by the massive swell, Mika fell down to the lower levels of the corridor.

“Ugh…” Zephyr coughed.

“Zephyr, are you okay!?”

“S-Solo… I’ll be alright. My body hurts, but… for some reason, I feel a huge weight off my shoulders.”

Ignoring the pain in her body, Zephyr hugged Solo. Her precious child wasn’t going anywhere.

“Hey, stop it! T-This is embarrassing!”

“It’s okay once in a while, right?”

“That’s right! It’s a reward for all your hard work, isn’t it?”

Solo struggled in Zephyr’s arms, but she wouldn’t even budge. Amazed by her strength, he swore to himself he would never do anything to seriously upset Zephyr in the future.

――

――――

After taking down the mechanical soldiers guarding the passageway, the group made it to the dock where their combat ship was stored. They had prepared themselves for battle, but the dock was empty. It seemed that the other ships had been called into battle.

“Alright, let’s escape while we can–”

Despite all they had overcome, a new challenge was fast approaching. A combat ship rushed through the open gate, landing to block their path. It was a familiar looking ship, resembling the one Mithra had been riding.

“Damn it, it’s a Machine!”

“GYAHAHA! SOLO MONIAAAA!!” The owner of the familiar voice booming across the dock leapt headlong from the combat ship, landing in front of the group. 

Despite being bent over and on his knees, his presence was overwhelming. With a body far larger than any human and four arms made of steel, his existence alone felt like the embrace of despair. The Machine general, Isaac, stood in their way.

“I’ve been sick of waiting for this moment! I haven’t forgotten the taste of suffering you caused me!!”

“Augh, I don’t have time for this! Barakiel!”

“Not on my watch!”

Light gathered at the muzzle of Barakiel, but Isaac reacted quickly—sending Solo’s entire body flying with a swipe from one of his arms.

“Solo!”

“...Ghh!”

Isaac paid no attention to Mithra or the others, walking directly towards Solo.

“–Lord Isaac, please wait!” A sudden voice came from behind Isaac. Appearing with disheveled light blue hair was Mithra’s childhood friend.

“Ah, it’s Nia!”

“Mithra, now isn’t the time for me to deal with you.”

“–Found yo-u-u-u-u!!!!” A horrible sound burst through the entrance to the dock. Just as things had gone from bad to worse, another problem added itself to the situation. The dock fell completely silent.

Zephyr turned toward the sound and spoke softly, “Mika… She’s still alive…”

The Machine woman they had fought to the death on the skywalk was standing there, a look of rage plastered across her face.

"Ugh… cough, what… happened...?"

The area was filled with flames and smoke, making it difficult to see. Solo shook his head and tried to pull at the threads of his hazy memories. Two Machines appeared in quick succession, the dock had been attacked, and then…

“That’s right, where is everyone!?” When he called out their names, he immediately heard a reply. Zephyr, Mithra, and Joachim had miraculously escaped unscathed in the sudden explosion.

"Alright, now is the time to escape!"

"Yes, let's get out of here!"

"Wait, we have to find Nia!" As Mithra tried to climb the pile of rubble, Joachim quickly stopped her.

"I'm sure that Nia will be fine! I saw that Machine general protecting her right before the explosion."

"Hey, hurry up!"

"Ah... right!"

Mithra’s combat ship had escaped damage thanks to being in the back of the dock, and the group quickly boarded through the rear hatch and prepared for takeoff.

“It’s not completely unscathed, but it should be good enough to fly!”

“See you later, Nia.”

“Zephyr, go!”

“Right!”

The combat ship rises and departs through the open hatch. Just as everyone was about to burst into exhausted and relieved smiles, a sudden impact ran through the hull.

“...!?”

Something had crashed into the ship at high speed. It moved around on top of the ship, making an unpleasant metal scraping noise. When the ship’s rise became unstable, the thing took the opportunity to break through the window and enter.

Unfortunately, that was right in front of Solo, who was sitting at the back.

“Where do you think you’re going? I-I won’t let you– escape…!”

"You've got to be kidding me... How are you still alive in that state!?"

The thing that had crashed into them was Mika, having completely lost all semblance of humanity with almost everything except her face burned away.

“Solo! Get away!”

Joachim and Mithra immediately drew their weapons, but Mika moved to put Solo in their line of fire to prevent them from shooting.

“He’s precious, right?”

“Tch!”

The two tried to run over, but it was already too late. Mika embraced Solo with remarkable speed despite her decimated body, and whispered in a rough, staticky voice.

“Come on– we go… together…”

Mika jumped off the ship with Solo in her arms. Joachim and Mithra quickly checked below, but the entrance to the dock was obscured by the smoke and flames that covered the city. They couldn’t see anything.

“God damn it! How could I let this happen!?”

Joachim's cries echoed in vain throughout the ship.

――

――――

Mika landed on the dock, rolling on top of Solo as he resisted in her arms, and pinned him to the ground. Barakiel, his last hope, was back inside the combat ship. Restrained with his hands above his head like a prisoner, there was no way he could possibly fight back.

“Ggh… L-Let me go!”

“Ha– Haha, can you– give me… my children?”

“D-Don’t screw with me! Your goal is to hand me over to the Machines, right? What do children have to do with this!?”

“I’ve lost… everything… Dan, my children…! So I… need to… give birth…”

“There’s no way!”

“I can, I can…!” Mika said, close enough that their noses were touching, “If there’s… an artificial womb… in the colony, I-I-I can put something— of mine inside it.”

Solo’s thoughts jump forward, forgetting the situation as he asks, “Why are you so hung up on that!? Why are you doing this? What’s the point–”

“Yes… There’s…”

Mika placed her broken arm over her stomach, rubbing it as if she was soothing a child growing inside of her.

“It’s always negative. I want to give birth. My one… my only child…!”

“Wh…”

“I want to– know the pain…! The world– beyond! Aah… Aaaaah! My consciousness data… that woman–”

"--If you want pain, I'll teach you what it feels like, alright?"

--A gunshot rang out.

"Ahh--"

A large hole appeared in Mika's chest. Before she could even realize what had happened to her body, she collapsed on top of Solo.

“How does the pain feel— You already died? A–ha, weeeell, doesn’t matter♪”

"W-Who's there!?"

Pushing Mika aside, Solo turned towards the voice, but he couldn't see anyone due to the rising smoke.

All he could hear was the echo of an awfully cheerful whistle.

"~~♪"

"Damn it, show yourself!"

“—How awful. This is ruining our deeply moving, emotional reunion!”

“Ggh!”

A voice tickled at his earlobe.  Solo turned around, feeling a small pain in his neck.

“Wh…What…?”

“Ooh, you’re full of energy, aren’t you? Well, why don’tcha take a rest in my arms for a while?”

With those words, Solo realized he had been administered some kind of drug, but his vision became blurred as he was overcome with an irresistible drowsiness. Then, in the man's arms, he sank into a deep slumber.

“Nighty-night, cute prince~♪"

(I can… hear singing…)

In his hazy consciousness, Solo vaguely saw the figure of a man with an eyepatch, his crimson hair swaying.

“Today was the best day ever, wasn’t it, little Solo?”

The redhead with the eyepatch, Lotto, holds the peacefully sleeping boy up in the air and laughs innocently, like a child who has just received a precious treasure.