Deck: J0KER

By Chronic Guardian

Game X: 52 pickup

Rules:

Preferably executed after a new game has been called for or at the end of an evening, the dealer must take the full deck of 52 cards and ask if the rules to 52 pickup are known. If any answer no, grin like an idiot. Or an evil genius. Whichever feels more fitting.

Proceed to disperse the deck across the room in whatever fashion you feel is most satisfying. Players are then free to grumble at the poor joke as they gather together the wantonly scattered cards. The game is over when every lost card has been returned to the deck, or when the players lose patience and quit, leaving the task to the "dealer".

Variations of this game include naming it something else so as to throw off accurately cast suspicion, scoring different cards (such as face cards) higher than others, or, perhaps asking if there are any Jokers in the deck. After all, any more cards than the standard 52 and the name simply doesn't apply anymore, right?

-J0KER, October 2104, Direct Retrievable Audio Wave #352: Transmission between members Two and Director as follows:

"Collin? Hello? How's the mission?"

"Director! Man, am I ever glad to hear your voice. The mission's… well, I'm pretty sure we've done pretty much all we can do."

"And the lost members?"

"Well... we got most of them safe 'n sound..."

"And Sho?"

"..."

"….I see."

"...Sorry. I know, he's the one you were really—"

"It's… it's alright, Collin. I'm glad we were at least partially successful. Were there any casualties?"

"Still getting a head count on that one sir. Most of the team reported in. We're just missing… Yutsui."

"Yutsui will be fine."

"Yeah?"

"She's too stubborn to die now. Besides, she's a King, I'm sure she'll find one way or another to defy fate."

"… Um… well, okay. Gotcha. We'll keep looking, I guess."

"Good. Oh, and Collin?"

"Yeah, Director?"

"How's Leo doing?"

"He made it. I don't know how, but you were right: he had what it took. He really took the bull by the horns in the last few minutes, so I guess all that 'freerunner's confidence' stuff he told Ayane back at base wasn't just talk. Right now he's mostly just worried about the Zetta Kids."

"Really? Hmm… I think we might be able to use this. When will you be back at base?"

"I'm leaving as soon as Mr. Tanaka finishes some business in the basements and the scouting parties come back in. We should be able to make it back by early afternoon at the latest."

"That will work… make sure to tell everyone to drop by my office for a final debrief."

"Coffee provided?"

"Haha, of course! Why do you ask?"

"Just something a few old friends of yours were asking about. Anyway, I should be getting the ship prepped for… oh my… I'll be rolled in molasses..."

"Collin?"

"I… I'm gonna get back to you. See you soon, Director!"

"Alright, good luck then!"

-Close(DRAW#352)-

-J-

After retrieving one of the new targets, a guy around in his late teens with a bandana and lots of tattoos, Leo and Reagan made their way back to the TRUMP and settled in as the rest of the team trickled back. There was a warm meal waiting for them and Leo gratefully ate his fill before turning in for the night. When he woke up in the morning, everyone was back and breakfast was being distributed. He changed into a fresh uniform, put his signature black hoodie on over it, and joined them. From what he gathered at the table, The Zetta Squad was being held in stasis by Ayane, one of the members not present in the briefing room where they were eating. Nobody had seen the King around, but the Ten had taken Ayumu and Reagan before daybreak to investigate something in the basements. With any luck, they'd be able to find her there.

Over breakfast he became acquainted with Reiko and Amber, two strays they'd picked up along the way who were former J0KER, same as Dai. Well… Reiko anyway. Amber seemed to be more current. Reiko didn't say what she used to do, but she was a great conversationalist and Leo got to being fast friends with her. Apparently she and Izo had set off the thing last night that wiped out the Noise. She was polite but forward, cordial but not stuffy. The sort of person who seemed like she could connect to anyone. Answering her various questions, Leo couldn't help but grin as he munched on the omelet and tofu he'd been served and reflected back on the events of the previous day. Whatever they'd done, it had worked. There weren't any Noise in the facility anymore and apparently the Zetta Squad was still alive. Some of them had gotten kinda banged up along the way, but each one registered a pulse so there was still hope. It was almost surreal, like making a jump that visually didn't seem like it could be done. No matter what else happened now, Leo believed things would be all right.

Well, for the most part. Leo felt his eyes drift towards the upperdeck where Ayane and the Zetta Squad members were. What would happen to them now? They hadn't actually done much yet, had they? Something about the way they'd talked about the whole Noise Infection Status made it seem like the sort of thing that would get them blacklisted, but if they were being kept alive now then there had to be a purpose, right?

His thoughts were interrupted as the Two, a young man with a curly ponytail bounding behind his head, rushed through the room, giving a tight smile and a two-finger salute along with a string of apologies on his way to the lowerdeck boarding area. The room went quiet for a moment before Pokoni emphatically cleared his throat and gave Leo a pointed look. Leo stared back for a moment before realizing they were waiting on him for a signal of some sort.

"Ah!" Leo put his breakfast aside and worked his way to his feet. "Umm… wanna check it out?"

"DYHTA?" Arisa sighed, shaking her head and leading the way. "C'mon! Maybe that Tanaka guy's back."

"Which means we get to leave..." Pokoni added, sounding more than ready to get going.

Reiko gave a soft smile and arched an eyebrow in Leo's direction. "Well, Mr. Parker?"

"Sure, might as well!' He returned the expression and started off between her and Kya. A short distance later and they were meeting Tanaka's party, assisted by the Two, as they carried someone unconscious onto the ship.

Leo realized a moment later that someone was Yutsui.

The light atmosphere of the morning seemed to drain out of the room as they gently brought the fallen King into one of the rooms while the gathered crowd bunched outside in a mass of murmurs and craning necks. Leo hadn't gotten a good look at her, but her skin seemed paler than it should be. Reaching out with his senses, he tried to see if her O-Genes would still respond, confirming life signs by proxy.

A dim, murky soup emanated from her direction. Leo wondered what element it would manifest as if he used it, but was satisfied to know she at least wasn't totally gone. Still… she felt pretty fragile if her O-Gene was any indication. Compared to Pokoni…

Leo shifted a glance to the redheaded boy who was looking onward with an uncharacteristically grave expression. Reaching, out, the Ace brushed against the fiery flow and frowned when it fell duller than yesterday. Was it anxiety? Or was it something about Leo himself? Whatever the case, now didn't seem like the right time to ask. The Two was soon shooing them out of the room and the group, minus Tanaka, quietly found their way back to their abandoned plates.

A couple minutes later and they were in the air. Leo watched Hokkuro drift away into the distance with Dai and Reagan's partner, the sunken-eyed guy with silver hair. Trying to lift spirits, Leo proposed a high-five to their accomplishment. He was met with tired smiles and a few semi-solid hits to his palm. It seemed like everyone was in recovery mode now that the mission was over even if they'd had the entire morning to recoup.

"You should rest too," Reiko said as she joined them. "You did a good job out there. We'll get this all sorted out when we arrive back in Tokyo. Yuu still has his headquarters there, correct?"

"Heh, I'll be a crab-apple's uncle if he don't," Dai smirked. "Minamimacho ain't the type to drift around like us. Even if the deck gets thrown to a double dyke wind, that don't mean there ain't a place it should be. It'd take more than hell turnin' over twice to get Yuu to move."

"Ah… so he's making himself easy to find," Reiko noted, cradling her chin with one hand as her eyes traced clouds. "Well… that's nice of him."

"Was it not always like that?" Leo asked, trying to figure out what Reiko had been expecting. Given his general lack of experience with the group, he didn't really know how things usually went down. Maybe changing bases every few years was normal…

"No, that's definitely Yuu for you," Reiko admitted, waving it off and giving a tired smile. "I've just… been away for a very long time. It's a rather refreshing change of pace to belong somewhere again."

"Even if that somewhere is in the midst of… well, chaos?" Reagan's apprentice buddy asked dubiously.

Leo laughed, causing the sunken-eyed man to raise an eyebrow in his direction. "Sorry, just… I think I know how she feels," The free runner offered, still grinning up at the silver-haired man. "It's nice to know there's something you're coming back to, people you belong with."

"Lion-boy's right," Dai added, punching the Six in the arm. "J0KERs ain't quite so plain 'n simple as the other suits, but we still don't mean nothin' till we gots a deck to play with."

"That's funny," Reagan murmured from the table without looking their way. Leo could almost hear the unsaid "Coming from you" following, even if her mouth had stopped moving.

Dai jerked back as if he'd been hit. "Wazzat, Gingy?!"

"Well, you kinda come off as stand-offish," She explained, boldly making eye contact with the offended older male. "I wouldn't really peg you as someone who likes to admit they need other people."

"Pfft… Yeah?" the eye-patched blond twitched his mouth and stuck a thumb to his chest. "Check my powerset. You all may be a buncha cramwhackers widdout me, but widdout you, I'm stuck in the same puddin'. See!?"

"Daisuke's right," Reiko affirmed without pointing out the man's paradoxical pride. "An unstable O-Gene relies on others in order to take a form. Without surrounding O-Genes to communicate with, I'm afraid a conduit like him simply becomes a normal human."

Pokoni snorted and rubbed a finger under his nose. "Not sure if you could ever call the big guy normal, but… well… it's good to know he ain't goin' nowhere without us. Tha's why you came back, right?"

"Came back?" Leo tilted his head at the seven. When had this happened? Dai had stuck with them ever since they'd met up, hadn't he?

"Well, he used to be part 'a J0KER before us, right?" Pokoni asserted. "But when I joined up, he wasn't there. So he musta quit at some point 'n then come back to join Double-Junior's stuff 'cuz life wasn't enough fun er sumthin'!"

"Eh…" Dai slipped a half-hearted grimace and scratched his short, spiky hair, but let it be. "Somethin' like that."

"I getcha, Great-grand-sempai," Leo assured him with a smile. "J0KERs gotta stick together, same as everyone else."

Reiko's matured gaze lit up as she nodded back. "Glad you understand us, Mr. Parker. I'd expect nothing less from an Ace."

"Oh! Yeah, I got a question about that." Leo scratched behind his head as he tried to come up with a good way to articulate himself. "Umm… you were the old Ace, right?"

"I suppose I was, yes," She returned curtly without changing expression. "I prefer to avoid the ceremony most take with the title though… mostly I just let Ren run things and I kept everyone on track. We were an interesting bunch back in the day, weren't we, Dai?"

"Interestin' don't cover half the jalopy," Dai grunted, rolling his good eye.

"You see what I mean?" Reiko went on, waving a finger in the air like a child reciting an old maxim. "Anyway, you were going to ask if I would take over as Ace now that I'm back in action, right?"

Leo blinked. "Uh… yeah." How had she guessed that?

The corners of her mouth tugged up, but she shook her head. "I think it's best that J0KER gets an Ace that understands the world it operates in," she told him. "If it comes down to it, I'd rather serve under you than bumble my way through a party I'm over a decade late for. Besides, it's not like I'll be around forever; might as well get the replacement trained up now, right?"

"Yeah, but you have more experience with how J0KER is actually supposed to work," Reagan threw in, still watching from her place at the table, arms crossed and elbows resting on the table's surface. "No offense, but we're all still kinda new at this, him included."

Reiko shrugged, undeterred. "J0KER is supposed to be whatever the world happens to need. I may be able to teach him some things, but the most important qualities of leadership, seeing the big picture and understanding how to use the strengths of a team, I believe Mr. Parker already understands. Perhaps he will prove me wrong, but he has all of you to help him back to the right path in case he ever loses his way. You need the whole deck to play the game right, after all."

Leo laughed at the compliment to shake off some of the gravity. "Well thanks! Speaking of the 'whole deck', though..." he again looked towards the upperdeck as he shifted the subject. "Those Zetta Squad guys… they'll be okay, right?"

"Frankly, I can't say," Reiko said calmly, apparently unconcerned by the subject. "I'm not really an Ace anymore, I'm just someone else until I get officially reinstated. While I'm sure the Director has his own opinions on the matter, I think the most important thing right now is to believe a recovery is possible and plan accordingly. The world does not often change without being led there, Mr. Parker; that's why we wildcards are so important to the mix of things. It's only those who commit their whole beings to breaking the cycle that can ever succeed in bringing us forward. I'll say what I can on your behalf, but really, I believe most of this battle is up to you."

"Me?" Leo pointed at himself as the full realization of his Ace-hood and its associated responsibilities finally started sinking into place.

"What, havin' second thoughts, lion-boy?" Dai guffawed. "An' here I thought you was gonna be all cramrods and rocketboosts to the finish!"

"Gotta agree with the big guy on that one," Reagan seconded. "You don't seem like the type to back down."

"Heh! Parky'd never dream of givin' up," Pokoni boasted on Leo's behalf, taking a wide stance with hands on hips. "He's gotta do his sempai proud!"

"H-hey!" Leo looked between each of them, trying to find a moment to get a word in. "I didn't—!'

"Looks like you don't have a choice," Ayumu threw in, sounding amused as he joined the group. The blind blond threw him a quiet grin and nodded. "Don't worry, we'll be there to back you up."

"Sorta how J0KER works..." Amber sighed from her position with the Eight leaning against the wall. "I guess you're stuck with 'em then. Make the most of it, 'kay?"

Waiting a moment to see if anyone else would interrupt, Leo looked around the room and grinned. "… Alright! That's all settled then, huh?"

"Like you said, 'All in'," Reagan answered wryly, offering a hand while remaining sitting. "No point in leaving a job half-finished, right?"

Leo stepped forward and shook it. "Right!"

-J-

Izo flexed his fingers, straining to find whatever intuitive mental muscles he'd employed previously. He was once again disappointed when all he managed was a light misting.

His powers felt weaker than yesterday; somehow his connection to the ice flow seemed dimmer, numbed, as if he were looking at it and forgotten his glasses somewhere along the way.

The other members seemed to have similar ailments. The Hanekoma girl suggested it had something to do with the Eden Field cutting off their A-Genes, but Izo didn't care to decipher her babble. Apparently the coup-de-grace had somehow reset their abilities' growth, that was all that really mattered.

"In a way, you can think of it as a green light," Hanekoma said, attempting to be cheery. "You're practically normal again. If you wanna cut and run, now's the time to do it."

"Feh." Izo wasn't exactly charmed by their collective company, but he didn't actually feel like leaving just yet. Perhaps he was simply delusional after the antics with Reiko, but he was now finding that he very much enjoyed having powers, being able to assert himself and actively molding his destiny. That wasn't to say he wouldn't mind parting with the acronym addicted Five or the sickly sweet Three, not to mention the inveterately incorrigible Eight or his obtusely obtrusive brother; simply that the situation seemed too complex for anyone to reasonably expect a yes or no on the matter just yet.

Getting home to Tokyo didn't change things much. Izo felt as one waking from a dream to be returning to normalcy after having grappled with the Noise. Rikamizu talked about four other divisions of Deck that kept things tranquil in the city, but Izo had trouble imagining the monstrosities anywhere outside of Hokkuro. When they got back to the Minamimoto MATH Corp. Tower, Izo picked up a debriefing packet and went straight to his room to sleep it all off and see if he'd wake up the same.

He slumbered long and deep. It was early the next morning when he awoke. The sun hadn't risen yet and the hallways were wrapped in an azure chrysalis of silence. His CARD was floating close by, lackadaisically flashing a green "New Features Unlocked!" message in muted tones. What else could he do at this point? He didn't really feel like exploring the compound. Might as well just check the CARD...

He slipped on his glasses and tapped the screen. Immediately, a patch list deployed, highlighting the latest technological capabilities he'd acquired. He couldn't help but scowl when most of them seemed like a passive aggressive push to keep him tied to the organization, despite the Queen's assurance that he would be free to go after the first mission. Still, others had their uses.

City Pass –Connect to TokyoNet and use various city functions, such as railways, for free! Also grants access to certain areas for missions.

Mission Board – Check out available missions and status within your area. Links to Deck Profiles to gauge compatibility, urgency, and more. Send and receive assist requests to make sure you never have to go it alone when things get tough!

CARD PAC(Personal Association Codex) – Keep track of your connections inside and outside of Deck. Log favorite retail chains, follow local trends, and keep in touch with who you meet along the way!

Personal Profile – Keep track of your own O-Gene growth, mission experience, and other statistics as you develop your capabilities and advance your Deck career.

DRAW Tangent Manager – Collect and listen to DRAWs authorized to your profile to keep an ear on what's going on inside and outside of Deck. Linked to Deck's international DRAW databases in partnership with INSTEP, don't miss out on the quick, easy, and accessible information drops to catch your bearings in a complex situation.

CARD Credit Manager – Manage your assets quickly and easily, giving you a direct line into your Deck Member Checking Account, extra financial assistance straight from MATH Corp. and financial advising on your own terms.

Calling CARD – Place and receive audio/visual calls from your CARD. Also supports Holographic data sharing androuting. Compatible with most network protocols excluding 8211-hb4 and other military channels unless authorized.

Izo snorted. Feh… attempting to suffuse inveiglement won't further your aspirations, he silently scolded whoever was trying to win him over with the feature pack. Still, as long as he had the features he wasn't opposed to trying them out.

Gingerly tapping the "Calling CARD" function, Izo found a new message already waiting in his inbox titled "Residence?". The Sender had Graves' user tag, so it had a fair chance of being relevant. The Two was odd, certainly, but he kept closer to his assigned tasks than some in the organization. After fighting down a brief bout of reluctance, Izo selected the Message.

The screen remained static while audio played. Apparently, Graves didn't think the additional visual dimension was necessary. Izo could respect that. Most people he'd known, Rei in particular, became like a child in a candy shop when offered extra features. A certain amount of austerity showed self-restraint and, more importantly, an implicit preference towards keeping things simple and straightforward.

"Hello, Mr. Shuito!" Graves' voice began with all the cheerful professionalism of a call center service worker. "First and foremost, congratulations on finishing your first mission and thanks for saving our collective behinds back in Hokkuro. We notice you've turned in early, so the Director had me put together your post-mission career debrief. As per our agreement, you are free to leave Deck if you wish on condition of a non-disclosure agreement or memory wipe and O-Gene deactivation. Alternatively, the Director would like to offer you a satellite post as a 'freelance' Deck Agent. In either case, we've prepared a list of available residence possibilities in the area for your selection in addition to a healthy severance package or salary agreement to keep you going until you can find satisfactory employment."

Accompanying the statement, a map of Tokyo appeared on the screen with various markers, most of them in the central Shiroi District where he'd been living prior to joining Deck. Izo felt his eyebrows raise slightly. He had scouted the area for housing once already while getting ready to eventually move out; unless pricing had shifted dramatically in his absence, it appeared Deck was prepared to be rather generous with a few of its proposals.

"If you choose to remain as a satellite agent though, there are a few things you should know," Graves continued. "As some of the members already suspected, the Eden Field seems to have reverted the A-Gene mutations to their original state. Until we can re-synthesize the serum and verify its safe use, remaining operatives will have to deal and develop like any other Deck member. You can always drop by the MATH Tower to train in our simulation room as well as the other Deck Bases in the city once we've gotten J0KER integrated into the network to stretch your legs and exercise those abilities. Just between you and me though, suits can get kinda cliquey, so you should probably stick to using our simulation room or the one at C.A.T. headquarters in 104.

"Once you're back to decent strength, you'll be able to participate in missions voluntarily, although occasionally we might send a mandatory one if things really get out of hand. These will be mostly support missions for the four main suits, although Leo's group might call one in too eventually. In the meantime, you'd be free to enjoy your salary and live life as you see fit. So long as you keep the whole Deck thing under your hat, you'll have free license to do whatever whenever. Assuming it's legal, of course.

"Let us know what you think. We'll give you a week to think it over if you want, but feel free to answer sooner than that. Whichever way it falls, thanks again for the assist back in Hokkuro. You did good, kid. Talk to you soon!"

- Message End -

Izo let the ensuing taciturnity stretch as he considered the offer. Part of him didn't want to listen or choose, just sit, wait, and stop dealing with it all. On the other hand, he'd been doing that most of his life and up until joining Deck it hadn't really yielded results sans periel.

He sighed and scratched irritably at his head. So what then? Was he really going along with this? They'd nearly killed him back at the Hokkuro complex, hadn't they? He would have to be a pidgeon-toed-twit to think pursuing this path wouldn't lead to further peril.

Of course, they had also given him the O-Gene and allies to help him fight every step of the way. Whether or not he stayed with them didn't change whether or not the Noise existed, just who had the power to oppose them.

Pursing his lips, Izo decided to do something he knew he would regret and talk to someone about it. He was tired of all this, and he wanted some easy, quick opinions to disagree with. Punching in a number he'd only memorized for emergency purposes, he impatiently tapped through five rings before Rei picked up.

"It's SIX-THIRTY in the MORNING, who are you and what do you want?!" his foster sister growled, sounding not-quite-awake.

Izo sighed and tried to reorganize his thoughts into presentable form. Rei tended to make a habit of keeping them as disturbed as possible. "Listen, Tyke, I just need you to cease for one moment and—"

"Fos-bro?!" Izo winced as her tone went shrill with excitement. "Hey! How's the secret agent stuff? Having fun yet? Oh, did you get me a souvenir? I hope it's shiny. Do you want me to get mom and dad, or—"

Izo then did one thing he would normally never be bothered to do and raised his voice. "JUST BE PAISIBLE AND LISTEN!"

Rei seemed shocked into silence by the abrupt thundering, so Izo huffed and continued. "Look… the sortie's terminé and I'm being released. I can either return to my origins or remain in abstracted thrall with benefits."

"So… you're calling me why?"

"Because I don't know what to do!" Izo hissed, upset that he'd been forced to say it.

To make matters worse, Rei burst into giggles.

"And just what is so facetious, Tyke?"

"Fos-bro… you actually care?" she managed in between fits.

Izo was incensed. "Feh! Is my future truly so trivial that I shan't pay it mind?"

"No, not that. You're actually asking what someone else thinks," his foster-sister pointed out gleefully. "Don't you get it? You're getting social!"

The blue-haired teen cringed. Social?! Was it true? No, it couldn't be. He wasn't ensnared just yet, he could still withdraw and…

No… he slowly realized with a cold fear that the game was already up. Either he withdrew from Deck and relied on Rei, like he was now, or he withdrew from his old life and embraced the new one with Deck. He was connected, and there was nothing he could do about it now.

"So did you make any friends then? That Ribbons lady isn't still hitting on you, right? That was just sooo weird…. Ugh. Anyway, when do I get to meet everyone? Are you bringing any of them home?"

"I'm not coming home!" Izo bit out, still trying to organize his thoughts.

"Oh… So I can have whatever stuff you left?"

Izo bit back on a curse and glared at the CARD. "Don't touch my erstwhile property," he commanded with slow venom. "I shall pick it up dans l'après-midi."

"All of it? By yourself?" A smirk was working its way into Rei's voice. "I dunno… you've got a LOT of junk lying around. Can I take what you leave?"

"I'm not forsaking anything, Tyke, I'll bring a colleague."

"A friend, you mean?"

"No! A colleague," Izo insisted, trying to think of who would be a suitable choice for the task. Most of the members seemed far too loquacious to pass as adequate traveling companions. Perhaps the Six…

"Whatever, Fos-bro, I know whatcha mean," Rei sniggered, eliciting a fresh scowl on Izo's face. "Anyway, I guess I'll just say hi and get your address whenever you drop by. See you soon?"

"And what makes you think I would share that, twitty?"

"Meh, doesn't matter. I can just ask your 'colleague'."

Izo grit his teeth and exhaled slowly in protest. "...Feh."

"Miss you too, Fos-bro. Keep in touch."

Izo ended the call and rubbed his face with his hands. What was this nonsense? Why was he so inextricably bound to everyone else? Was his destiny to be endlessly encumbered with personal relationships? Why couldn't he show them he didn't need them?

Because you do need them.

Izo stopped short and considered it. Either way it fell, he would not have made it far without Deck. They were a risk, but they were also an opportunity. Some seemed only there to trammel his efforts, but others had helped him unleash his full potential. When it came down to it, Deck helped him grow beyond what he was individually capable of.

Still… being a satellite agent would be nice. Izo preferred his peace and quiet. Rei would probably find him again eventually, even if he didn't tell her where he was going, but that didn't mean he'd have to put up with her on a day-to-day basis. Besides, deep down inside, he was strangely anticipating being able to shoo her out come curfew. His curfew.

At the end of the day, despite everything else, Izo accepted that he would never be alone again. And while there would be plenty to complain about along the way, part of him also knew it didn't always have to be such a bad thing.

Taking off his glasses once more, he settled down and dozed until the sun rose to greet him.

-J-

It was a few days later when everything started to settle. The first Zetta Squad member to recover, Median, woke up that morning. Seven others plus Koizumi had been recovered, but none of them were showing any signs of waking up soon. Still, one of them awaking was enough to buoy spirits and bring about a small celebration on base.

Coincidentally, it was also the same day that Getotsu and Neliel received their ranger licenses. Master Tanaka had validated the Hokkuro incident as a field exam and their following review (and connection to Minamimoto MATH Corp) had won them instant recognition in INSTEP. The Director delivered the news, and their certificates, in his office and offered Master Tanaka's congratulations by proxy. The man had rarely left the comatose King's side since their return and showed no intention of changing the habit in the near future.

"As with all our new members, I'll give you a choice now," The Director said over a cup of coffee. True to reports from other members, the man brewed a fantastic cup-of-joe. "You can stop working for me and join INSTEP or whatever it is you want, or you can stay here and keep running missions against the Noise."

"Which is what Parker chose?" Getotsu asked, lifting his mug with the inquiry.

The Director smiled to himself as his eyes went distant for a moment. "Yes, Leo's agreed to looking after the Zetta Squad. A good thing too, they need someone they feel they can trust and he's new blood, a fresh start. I have great hopes for his efforts, especially since there is yet one last loose end that still needs tying up."

"And what would that be?" Nel asked. She had curled up in her chair and was cradling her cup close to her chest. The position vaguely reminded Getotsu of a cat. In the days following the mission she'd made herself right at home in Deck and Getotsu had no doubt that she would have stayed even if she didn't know what was being proposed just yet.

"Sho," The Director answered simply, returning his gaze to them. "My grandson is still out there somewhere in the Noise Realm. I know it sounds… well, reckless, but if Reiko survived then there's still a chance Sho will hang on to his original self even in that state. Once Leo has a good portion of the Zetta Squad stabilized, I would like you all to investigate and see if you can't pick up the trail somehow."

Neliel's eyes lit up at the offer, but she still shared a sidelong look with Getotsu, as if checking to make sure he'd join in too. Not expecting the gesture, Getotsu stared back for a moment before nodding minutely.

"We're in," Nel said for both of them. "We'll be trained back up to snuff by the time Leo gets those Zetta guys up and running."

"Thank you," the Director gave them a relieved smile and reached across the desk to shake either hand. "I appreciate it. Things haven't been easy for you, I know, but I hope I can make it up to you someday."

Getotsu let Neliel laugh and wave it off. He smiled back at the Director and shook when it was his turn, but otherwise remained quiet until the meeting was over. Getotsu's strengths had never been in public relations and, despite her quirks, Reagan could probably articulate what needed to be said better anyway.

The Director proceeded to brief them on continued life at Deck, including mission responsibilities and daily training. Much to her delight, Nel was granted access to the engineering lab. She didn't say so, but Getotsu already knew she would be spending a few long nights in development there whenever she got the chance.

Once they were safely out of the office, Getotsu let out a sigh and looked towards the ceiling. It was a perfect situation for her, and for that he was happy. But still…

"Alright, seriously, what's eating you?" Nel asked, poking his arm. The heavy doors of the office had closed behind them and the hallway was empty, they could talk in relative privacy here. "I was hoping you'd come along, but if you really don't want to, then you should just say so. I'm not gonna force you."

"Thank you, Nel," Getotsu gave a halfhearted smile and rested his hands in his coat pockets. "I'm sorry, I'm just… not sure I belong here."

Nel gave him a skeptical look and crossed her arms. "Yeah? Wanna run that one by me?"

He waited until they'd drifted towards one of the windows looking out towards the bay in the Midori district before inhaling slowly and organizing his thoughts. "Out there in the field, all I did was get pushed about, barely keeping my team together," he explained patiently. "I survived, yes, but… well, I don't know how much help I'll be in the long run."

For whatever reason, Nel thought it was funny enough to warrant a laugh. Getotsu blinked and tilted his head at his old partner as she raised a hand for patience until the chuckles subsided.

"Sorry," She said, still grinning up at him as she rested her hands on her knees. "Just… you're such a perfectionist, Getotsu. I read your reports, you know. According to the Queen, you did a lot more than just getting 'pushed about' when it came down to it."

Getotsu suppressed a cynical grimace. "Well… she's kind of—"

"Optimistic? Yeah, I read her forum posts, I know," Nel finished, shaking her head as she straightened up. "But her report was nice and detailed to back it up. Unless she was lying about your support maneuvers and how you saved the Three, there's not much room to argue."

"Yes, but compared to you..."

"To me?" Nel gave him a tilted look and pointed to herself. "What is this? Getotsu, you aren't… jealous, right?"

"Apologies," he offered with another attempted smile. "It must sound petty, but it's just..."

"What? Not what you're used to? Oh, come on Tezano, we both know I was always better at freerunning."

"You are," Getotsu agreed, scratching at his head as he tried to sort out the feelings. "You also know how to keep calm, controlled, disciplined—"

"And you don't?" She countered. "Sounds like you're jumping at shadows to me. You should give yourself more credit. Besides, if you're not good enough for Deck, what makes you think you'd be good enough for INSTEP? If you're running into trouble now, you oughta work through it with us, not give up. Besides..." she trailed off and shook her head.

He raised an eyebrow and prompted her, "Besides?"

"Well..." She looked out the window as something flickered across her face. "Now probably isn't the best time to say it… but I'm gonna need a good partner to stick with when things get rough here. Plus, no one else really seems to get the whole tech thing besides the Two, and he probably won't be out in the field with us." She turned back to him and gave a hopeful look. "I know you're on the fence about it, but you'd really be doing me a huge favor if you stayed."

"You might regret that later..."

"Trust me, I'll deal," Nel assured him. "Just having someone to talk to will make up for whatever hell you drag me through."

"You can't talk to Leo?"

"Leo?" She shifted a baffled look. "Well… he's a nice guy, but I kinda doubt he'd be able to keep up."

"Hmm..." Getotsu let his hand drift to his chin as he mulled it over. "I'll think about it then."

"Alright… well, when you feel like saying 'yes,' I'll be waiting in the training room testing out the simulators. Bring your 'A' game, we'll be training hard."

"'If I'm half as bad as I say I am, I'll need it', right?" Getotsu answered, finally cracking a small smile in answer.

"Exactly," Nel said, nodding and turning to go. "See you there, partner?"

Getotsu dipped his head. "...I won't let you down."

"That's what I'm counting on."

Returning his eyes to the city below, Getotsu took a moment to enjoy the noonday sun breaking through the clouds. Maybe he was just one more cog in the grand machine of things, but Neliel was right: support members still had a purpose. Even if she had a better solo performance, that didn't mean they didn't need him.

Getotsu took a moment to send a message to Master Tanaka about his decision before following after Nel once again. After all, the man had trained them to work together. It would be a shame to slip on that teaching now.

-J-

The MATH Tower convalescence bay was kept quiet and cool. Most of the daily tasks were handled by machines, but Ayane made it a point to regularly visit and check on the members that had yet to awake. They were making steady progress. Following Median, Cato and Yuzuki had soon recovered and joined Leo's group. Once the squad was big enough, Yuu declared them to be J0KER Division II and placed the rest of the department under Reiko's direction. Mode and Mean recuperated soon after and were placed into corrective custody with Division II.

Degree was the latest addition to make the recovery list. He wouldn't leave his brother's side though. Ren saw the boy most days working with a CARD, but never moving from the bay unless absolutely necessary. He'd declined the invitation into Division II until Radian was awake and fully aware. The older member of the duo had taken some disfiguring injuries from Yutsui's attack, leaving his arms and legs twisted at odd angles, so in a way it was best he continued to rest. Arisa was supposedly reading up on anatomy and would one day transmute his body back to full functionality if it didn't heal right, but until then there was nothing to do but wait.

The same could be said for the final two members still locked in sleep. The first had been identified as Range. He was tall, dark skinned, and in better days had probably been well muscled. Now he was wasted away to almost nothing and hovering between life and death, but still producing a heartbeat if nothing else. While it had been thought that Amber killed him when she deployed her unaltered Eden field, apparently there were yet layers to the Noise Realm the prevented a total annihilation. Something still lived on and was brought back to the normal dimension when the True Eden Field had been deployed.

Lastly, there was Yutsui. She looked serene in her endless slumber, hands folded gracefully on her stomach, brows set in carefree neutrality, auburn curls spilling over her pillow. Her body was still struggling for life, but her brainwaves had gone silent, reduced to reflexive functions. A soft-set smile had taken up residence on her customarily downturned lips. They had found her like that exactly three weeks ago now. Either the Noise Realm had an unsettling sense of humor, or she truly had been at peace when she'd been pulled back from the other side.

Whichever it was, Ren was determined to see her through to the end. She'd missed him for thirteen years, even if he had to spend the rest of his life waiting for her to open her eyes again he'd make certain he repaid his debt this time.

He spent his days at her bedside, holding her hand, feeling her weak pulse slowly strengthen in his grasp but never break into full consciousness. He told her stories to pass the time of his adventures away from Deck as well as reports about Divisions I and II. She kept sleeping, but Ayane swore her life signs ran smoother on the monitors at the sound of his voice.

With his free hand, Ren ran his fingers over his rose pocket watch, feeling its cold metallic surface warm in his grip as he talked. After the Hokkuro operation had finished, he'd used the resequencer to return to his original powerset. In a way, his heightened senses only served to highlight and confirm Yutsui's lack of progress, but his loyalty was greater than his empirical sense. She hadn't woken up yet, but she would someday. She had to. She would come back to him. There was still so much to repair, so much to talk about.

And yet, reality remained deaf to his pleas.

Yuu made an offer for Ren to rejoin field operations on the condition that he would be notified at the slightest change in Yutsui's condition, but the former King refused. Reiko and Dai also made a few attempts to draw him out, but they soon came to the same conclusion: a King's place was with his Queen. They needed eachother more than ever now.

Finally, one day after recounting the story of how he'd gotten the pocket watch, Ren flicked open the cover and withdrew the ring inside. No matter how he wished it wasn't so, some things needed to be said eventually, even if she couldn't hear him.

"You know, I can't understand why you gave this to me, Yutsui," he told her slowly, holding it up to the soft lights of the bay. The silver banding shimmered as he turned the interweaving circle slightly. Naturally, she didn't respond. Still, he went on. "I've been across the world twice over since we parted and still I never found anyone worth giving it to. I have seen great pain and suffering, mourned with those who mourned and rejoiced with those who rejoiced. There were many towns that welcomed me and many men and women who now know me as their friend. And yet… there is no one who shares my loneliness. I thought by running I could find what was missing after we ended CHECKMATE, I thought I needed something new to replace that which we had lost. What a fool I was, Yutsui. This broken world is already born and there is nothing new under the sun. I needed not birth, but rebirth, to reform that which had been broken.

"I'm sorry, old friend. Thank you for seeing what I was not wise enough to see; thank you for holding fast where I was weak. I hope to see you again in this world, but I'll be all right if you wait for me in the next. Until then… I believe this has always belonged to you."

He gently placed the ring in her hand before curling her fingers around it. He firmly held his hands around hers for a moment like that, just wishing he had returned sooner, but also finding peace in the thought that they were once again restored to grace.

In his grasp, he felt her fingers tighten minutely, affirming her tender grip on the ring as her smile settled ever so slightly deeper.

The next beat across the monitor wasn't strong, but it was still there, and that was enough for Ren. No matter which direction it went, he knew in his heart that she really had heard him that time. Something inside that had been broken clicked back into place and the wandering wildcard finally knew he was once again home with his mate.

No matter what else came between them, they were two Jokers and they would always return to eachother, with or without the Deck.

-End Game-

***Author's Note***

You know… I think this may just be my first stand alone long story that I've ever finished ever. It's… kinda surreal to be ending it here. I mean, I really like this ending, and I had it planned for a while. I don't care if it's cliché in any way, shape, or form, because let's be honest: this is what needed to happen. I know this isn't always the most popular way to end a story (Fullmetal Alchemist sure got a lot of flak for pulling something similar) but I hope things were tied up enough that you were satisfied. There may be a spin-off sequel someday (J0KER ReDRAW has a nice ring to it…) but for now, this is it.

Not to get political, but given the current run of presidential candidates in the U.S, I kinda wish I hadn't named the Transport Carrier a TRUMP. I mean, I can't change it now but… still… it felt awkward every time I had to write it.

I know this is kind of late, but it's better to finish strong than to finish sloppy-but-on-time, right? Thank you for being patient with me. HUGE thank yous go out to EeveeGen9988, Aviantei, Hyoxjnn, and my little sister "Twin2A" for joining me along the way. Other thank yous are of course in order for everyone I borrowed from (I cannot stress enough how honored I am to have gotten to work with your OCs!). To anyone else who reads or reviews in the future, thanks to you too. I'm glad you enjoyed this crazy ride. Please leave a review to commemorate your reading more than 100k words of this stuff.

Finally, I would like to dedicate this story to my parents, two God-fearing hippies with Master's Degrees that gave me a lot of artistic genes(A-Genes!), many creative siblings to conspire with, and have stuck together for over 30 years. In addition to teaching me that art should aspire to elevate its audience, they instilled in me an unquenchable love of redemption and stories that deal with broken things being restored. They are in no way orthodox cookie cutters and taught me the value of a good Joker in the mix now and then. I love you, mom and dad. Thanks for everything.

With that, I believe our tale is done. Enjoy the extras! And may the jokes be worth the play.

-CG 10/MAR/2016

***Secret Report: Rankings***

I know Yutsui mentioned J0KER rankings may not always be exactly what they seem, so… yeah, let's explore that, shall we?

Leo Parker – Ace: Both the highest and lowest, this rank reflects Leo's "forward leader" attitude that isn't afraid to lead by serving and becoming humble before his squad. (Theme: "The Sun Also Rises" – Brave Saint Saturn )

Collin Graves – Two: Collin fills a dual role as operative and tech officer. Also, like a two in a multiplication table, he's a baseline factor to many more complex equations. (Theme: "Fool's Paradise" – Tsuneo Imahora/Trigun: The First Donuts)

Kyasako – Three: Three is a magic number! It also reflects non-romantic connection (she's so platonic with EVERYONE!), a steadying presence, and, ironically respect (-san?) throwing a wry smile at her rather informal mannerisms. (Theme: "LocoRoco no Uta – All Styles" – LocoRoco Allstars)

Izo Shuito – Four: (disclaimer: this is all based on not very professional linguistic wordplay/theoretics that a certain Japanese Greek Australian will probably blow out of the water. Just Sayin'...)Four may be pronounced "Shi", doubling up with the base on'yomi pronunciation of "Death" in Chinese/Japanese, paying homage to Izo's cold and ruthless demeanor early in the game. However, Shi also factors into the kun'yomi reading for "New" such as in "Newspaper" ("Shinbun") and other less foreboding things in "combined" readings. This sort of reflects how on Izo's own he's isolated and moribund, but once he opens up to others his potential becomes limitless. Right? Of course! Because CG ALWAYS knows what he's doing (Disclaimer: not actually true, depending on who you ask). (Theme: "Bland Logo~Title Back" – Hitoshi Sakimoto/Final Fantasy Tactics OST)

Arisa Yumekawa – Five: Go! Arisa is always on the go. Five is also a nice easy factor that builds off itself very easily, sort of like how carbon chains endlessly. This reflects Arisa's expansive personality that, while internally orderly, can really shift and change on a common core while still maintaining self-consistency. (Theme: "Provincial Town" – Catboss/Materia: Final Fantasy VII Remixed)

Getotsu Tezano – Six: Ah… Six. Depending on who you ask, this might be a really unlucky number. It's also the number of my favorite Final Fantasy game. Why did Getotsu get a six? Heck if I know, the slot was open. Sorry kids, this one doesn't actually have much reason behind it. Like Getotsu, it's just kinda there… but it works. (Theme: "Masked Like the Night" – Rael Jones, Michael Price/Valiant Hearts: The Great War OST)

Pokoni – Seven: As discussed in-story: it's 'cuz he's lucky. (Theme: "Tank!" – Yoko Kanno & The Seatbelts/Cowboy Bebop OST 1)

Rueban – Eight: This is sort of a play on "Crazy Eights" because Rueban's personal agenda makes him something of a wildcard in this instance. It's also because August is the eighth month and one of my favorite sisters who is very Rueban-like was born then. (Theme: "Theme of Crisis Core: To the New Appointment" – Takeharu Ishimoto/Crisi Core: Final Fantasy VII OST)

Neliel Reagan – Nine: Why nine? Because 999 is very complex and near and dear to the heart of her creator: X. It's also a play on her compound "tri-directional thinking" technique displayed in X Days. (Theme: "The Man With the Machine Gun" – Koji Hajima, Nobuo Uematsu/ Final Fantasy VIII: Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec)

Renkuko Tanaka – Ten: Ren rhymes with Ten, 'nuff said.

...Just kidding. Ten is the highest number in a card deck before running into the court. This sort of reflects Ren's potent nature: he's sort of fallen from grace, but there's still a lot of power left in the guy. (Theme: "Prayer" – Douglass Sills/The Scarlet Pimpernel)

Ayumu – Jack: Jacks (sometimes called knaves) are sort of "adopted" into the court because they don't actually share an explicit relation to the King or Queen. This kind of reflects how Ayumu is Yutsui's adopted heir. (Theme: "Missing Persons 1 & 2" – OneRepublic)

Ayane Tajima – Queen: Kings need someone to confide in! Ayane is Yutsui's closest ally in Ren's absence and thus acts in this capacity more as a show of proximity of power than suggesting something more personal. It's also very regal, which I think fits Ayane well when she's not missing her Entry Fee. (Theme: "Wishes" – Kotaro Nakagawa/Planetes OST 2)

Yutsui Koizumi – King: Yutsui acts as the highest authority in J0KER sort of as a matter of "inheritance", alluding to monarchial "right by birth" philosophies. Also, on a rather sexist and probably offensive note, you'll notice that Yutsui isn't entirely comfortable with the role, even if she's competent with it. This sort of comes back to the idea that Ren was originally the King and Yutsui the Queen, matching more closely with traditional gender associations of the titles. Even if Yutsui can act as King, she prefers to be Queen. (Theme: "Theme of Elfe(Devil)" – Takeharu Ishimoto/BEFORE CRISIS & LAST ORDER OST)

Amber Hanekoma – Joker: Amber is the perfect analogous partner and, as an imprint conduit, can really act in any capacity that J0KER needs her to. As the ideal extra set of hands for any task, Amber is thus the wildcard that ignores rank and fits whatever role is currently most convenient. Also, with Rueban as the "Crazy Eights" wildcard, this is just one more subtle shipping note. Y'know, for those who are into that thing. (Theme: "Hybrid -New Born-" – Nulie Nurly/Subarashiki Kono Sekai [plus] The World Ends With You)

Daisuke Bito – Former Joker: This one should be pretty obvious. Dai has a volatile powerset and thus can be anything, everything, or nothing depending on the circumstances. Not to mention his personality… (Theme: "Escape from Reason" – The O.C. Supertones)

Reiko Rikamizu – Former Ace: See the reasons for Leo. Although Reiko is possibly one of the most powerful players on the field, she isn't opposed to letting others have the spotlight. (Theme: "Forbidden Friendship" – John Powell/How to Train Your Dragon OST)

***Secret Report: Chapter Names***

So… you've probably noticed the whole chapter naming scheme is after Card Games. What's probably a little more obscure is how the games relate to the chapter.

I – Go Fish

As a game of matching, this chapter focused on finding new members who would fit in with J0KER. Because Rueban ends the game by finding a two pair (Getotsu and Neliel), Getotsu gets to start the next game, interrupting the usual flow of play (Leo}Izo}Getotsu}Ren).

II – Mow

Mow is a game of guessing and making rules. While Getotsu and Nel are in the dark, Ren is playing with a pre-existing knowledge and understands that although it's the same game, the rules may change depending on who's in-charge. Because new rules are made by whoever ends the Game, ending the section with Leo also foreshadows his position as Ace and eventual leadership of Deck away from the standard variation.

III – Pyramid

Pyramid was one of my favorite solitaire games when I was younger. It was chosen both for the idea of reduction and guessing as a foreshadow to how the mission will go down. Every game of Pyramid starts with a large base, but it takes a lot of practice/luck to get to the summit as well as an understanding of how pairs work. Additionally, because Kings are the only cards that can take themselves out and Aces actually count as "one"s in this game, I felt it was a fitting foreshadow for both Yutsui and Leo.

IV – Rummy

This one was my favorite parallel. In the first part of the game, Leo's group "picks up" Dai; in the second phase, Izo gets "played" by Ayane, who uses his powerset; and in the third phase, Getotsu gets "Discarded, ultimately just mimicking the three part turn order used in Rummy.

V – Old Maid

Old Maid features many characters getting separated and left out. In Ren and Yutsui's section, we run across Mode, who has been separated from her mate, Range; in Leo's section, the inclusion of Dai in the group makes for an odd number and it isn't until Ayumu leaves that the hand is again even; and in Izo's section, Izo is just the odd man out in the group and also gets pulled from the hand, mimicking play of the actual game.

VI – Scum

This one is probably the loosest parallel. The ante begins with Kya and Getotsu (3 & 6) before being passed to Ren and Yutsui who foolishly forgo playing the Eight and instead climb higher with 10 and K. Leo's section is thus left high and dry with only the A and Joker to play before the cycle is finished. Also, the whole theme of over ambitious players sometimes ending up as scum next round, definitely that too. Just don't forget that it also implies those who have fallen may rise again!

VII – Hearts

Hearts is a game of strategy and holding onto your dangerous cards until the opportune moment to strike. Izo being a Four means he won't be much of a nuisance to the current hand, especially with the high-end Jack and Joker. This equates to temporary immunity in a tight situation. Getotsu and Kya are thrown off balance, but a game of Hearts really isn't over until the last hand is played. Even if they accrue a few points (for which read: "Bullet wounds") this round, they can still win. Also note that they get passed members from Izo's old hand, Ayane and Arisa. Similarly, the next section is about Ren and Rue, who was passed out of Izo's hand, and being a Ten with an Eight, this is a fairly perilous situation depending on what gets thrown at them. Then again, high cards can help when you're trying to shoot the moon.

VIII – War

This chapter centers around themes of arbitrary conflict as well as some of the rules of war (such as the Yutsui showdown, wherein Yutsui's hand held more members than the imposter, thus breaking the stalemate). Also this is a war within the Deck as both J0KER and the Zetta Squad are rooted in Deck and therefore are actually just two sides of the same coin. Finally, as various characters note, the only way to change the outcome is to 1: shuffle the deck and try something new as well as 2: actually see it through to the end, as no war is over until it is good and truly over.

IX – Poker

Poker has to do with self confidence and being dealt the right hand. While certain variations of poker allow you to change out one card in the hand (as Ren changes his O-Ability in the opening), this is usually restricted to the first round before play commences. Being an Ace, Leo has an automatic advantage in this game, especially when paired with Dai (giving him an a "two pair" hand at the end, very basic, but better than nothing). Leo plays straight through without folding and uses his ingenuity to bluff through Median's self-preservation instincts to strengthen his scattered hand and use it to the fullest. Of course, it isn't until Izo's chapter that it is good and truly over. This is because Izo plays a "straight flush" hand (Ace(Reiko), Two(Collin), Three(Kya), Four(Izo), and Five(Arisa) of J0KER), one of the most powerful in the game, even with low cards. Because he has faith in his hand and doesn't fold despite being a four, he breaks through the last gambit and wins the jackpot (the Eden Field) for his team by working with others.

X – 52 Pickup

Isn't it obvious? Tying up Loose Ends

Problem is, Jokers aren't always included in that nice even 52...

***Secret Report: Reiko Rikamizu***

In her original iteration, Reiko is the Producer who worked with Joshua before Mr. H. She makes some appearances in Hybrid, but the meat of her "development" is scheduled for (You guessed it!) From The Underground Up. She's sort of like a girl version of Sanae and plays a funny mix of dainty, cordial, and feigned innocence without coming off as deceptive. She tends to be very forward in conversation but not always open (she likes to play ditzy when she can), a trait that eventually cost her her post as Producer. As an idealistic remnant of the past with ties to Ren and Yutsui, she felt like a fair choice to put as their old Ace.

Now that I look at it though, Reiko seems like a clone of Ayane in some respects. Hmm… I suppose I'll have to be more careful with my character creation…

***Secret Report: Collin Graves***

Collin Graves is a psuedo self-insert. His initials (CG) mimic my screen name and most of his mannerisms were purposefully written to match up with my own. Essentially, I approached this character from the stand point of "What if I did a self-insert who doesn't try to steal the show at all and actually ends up with almost no screentime because he's a support character that isn't essential to most of the plot?" In that respect, he was a great expositional tool in the DRAWs and (I hope) was interesting in his own right. I mean, I actually really like side-characters myself, so I hope I made a good one!

***Secret Report: Yuu Minamimoto***

Yuu shows up as a major side character in the Streets of Shibuya series by BugziiEpicJamSandwich. He's a lot more mellow than his grandson and comes across as a really warm and caring person. He also plays some interesting lines of intervention with those he cares about. His showing up here is linked both to his friendship with Sanae (a C.A.T. Executive in the Deckverese) as well as his connection to Sho, leader of the Zetta Squad. That, and I just really wanted to write something to show how much I appreciated this little Sanae-centric story. Seriously, go encourage Jam to finish it off someday.

***Secret Report: Arisa's Acronym Dictionary***

Confused by the Five's constant use of randomly strung together letters or (perhaps even more pressingly) all the text-talking kids who don't know how to write in complete sentences these days? So am I! That's why for this parting chapter we bring you an alphabetical listing of all the acronyms used by Arisa in this story. Which one's your favorite?

An Extremely Valid Point(AEVP)

At the Moment(ATM)

Battling it Out Like Champs(BIOLC)

Can We Talk For a Sec(CWTFaS)

Cover Your Ignorance(CYI)

Do You Have to Ask(DYHTA)

For The Love Of Happy Donuts(FTLOHD)

Half Baked Corn Muffin(HBCM)

How Do You Figure(HDYF)

How Super Special Awesome(HSSA)

Let's Haul Butt(LHB)

Mark My Words(MMW)

Not As Far As I Know(NAFAIK)

Only if Nothing Counts(OiNC)

One More Nagging Question(OMNQ)

Over The Line(OTL)

Present and Accounted For(PaAF)

Slow Down, Rewind, and Freeze(SDRaF)

So Not Fair(SNF)

Show Them What You Got(STWYG)

See what the new plan of action is(SWtNPoAi)

See You on the Far Side(SYotFS)

Terminated and Put to Pasture (TAPP)

That's Gotta Suck(TGS)

That's Just Mean(TJM)

There's No Point In Arguing Now(TNPIAN)

This Should be Good(TSBG)

Totally Un-Appreciated Gesture(TUAG)

That's What I Figure (TWIF)

This Will Only Be a Moment(TWOBaM)

Truer Words Were Never Spoken (TWWNS)

Undress, Disinfect, and Recover(UDaR)

Under Total Control(UTC)

What Are You Talking About(WAYTA)

Whatever Floats Your Boat(WFYB)

What Goes Around Comes Around(WGACA)

Who Knows the Future(WKtF)

Won't That Be Something(WTBS)

What the Freakin' Heck(WTFH)

What's the Plan of Action(WtPoA)

Worse Than Rotten Tomato Soup(WTRTS)

What You're Saying Is(WYSI)

You've Got Mail(YGM)

Your Point Being(YPB)

Your Wish is My Command(YWiMC)

}The Inside Joke{

\\ So what's Amber and Rueban's relationship status this time around? (AviAlmighty)

- Well, it's not physical physical, if that's what you're wondering. (2little2late)

- Whoa… OTL, Pokoni. (ari3)

- What? They don't even hold hands! (2little2late)

- Not true. I can personally attest to at least two distinct instances of hand holding. (}+REvanantCG+{)

- Whaaaat? Rue-kun is dating? Like, when did this happen? Ayu-kun, do you know anything? (Kyaaa)

- I'm staying out of this. (Ayumu)

- But I wanna knooooow! (Kyaaa)

- Dating. I can say with a fair amount of confidence it is happening. (3=^-.-^=San)

- How sweet! =D Send them my congratulations. (-Sentence-)

- Oh, for the love of… look: I like Rueban and he likes me back, okay? Can we do that without the whole world making a fuss about it? (AllTheHype)

- Nicely put, dear partner. Get on with your lives, and I promise I won't persuade a certain Deuce of Hearts to give you nightmares. (RueTheDay)

- Pffft… You're bluffing. NOBODY can get that guy to do squat. (2little2late)

- I don't know, Poko-kun… maybe we should just drop it… (Kyaaa)

- ...I love you, Rue. (AllTheHype)

- I KNEW IT! (2little2late)

- In other news, Pokoni has anonymously been selected for mop duty. (}+UberkindCG+{)

- ! NO! YOU RIGGED THIS! You can't make me! (2little2late)

- Thank you, Amber. I love you too. (RueTheDay)

\\ Did Izo have any fun? (AviAlmighty)

- Feh… incorrigible lackwit! (iZOlation)

- Sorry about that, he's a little… obtuse some times. Whether or not he did enjoy himself at all, he's probably taking that secret to the grave. (}+REvanantCG+{)

- TWWNS… (ari3)

-...Truer Words Were Never Spoken. (ari3)

- Thanks, Ari-chan! (Kyaaa)

- Twitties, one and All! I forfeit… (iZOlation)

-Wait, Izo! Come back! NUUUUUUUU! (Kyaaa)

\\ What was Reiko's part of being a cat? (AviAlmighty)

- It was lovely! I've always had a certain fondness for cats, and having fur was quite nice given the temperatures. (3=^-.-^=Nya)

- ...Perhaps they meant "how", rather than your personal feelings on the matter. (R3N)

- Oh! Silly me! Sorry, about that. I gained the shape shifting from that girl with the lip piercings. Mode, I think. After that I mostly tried to not attract attention until I was able to retreat to the TRUMP to bide my time and exert my influence through the channels I'd set up with that Range fellow. Is that more on track? (3=^-.-^=Nya)

- I believe so. Thank you, ma'am. (R3N)

\\ Who's taking care of the Zetta kids now? (AviAlmighty)

- Thanks to the efforts of Leo Parker, the former members of the Zetta Squad are being contained and rehabilitated directly under his jurisdiction. INSTEP has agreed to deploy both Neliel Reagan and Getotsu Tezano to aid him in the task of redirecting their skills and experience towards constructive means. (YuuMeAndAMocha)

- How's that workin' out, Parky? (2little2late)

- Good! Once I can get them all back to normal, there's a ton of stuff these guys can accomplish! (XMaybexImxAxLionX)

- Uh huh… And how long is that part gonna take? (ari3)

- We'll see. It could be a while. No need to rush though. We've seen longer waits. (GhettoSoup)

- Agreed. No worries here, we're in for the long haul. (N31!31)

\\Now that Reiko is in her true form, will she get Collin a new cat? (Twin2A)

- ^ This. (}+REvanantCG+{)

- Hey! Why does only Collin get a cat?! Like, SNF! (ari3)

- I wouldn't be opposed. (-Sentence-)

- Umm… Why does Queenie care? (XMaybexImxAxLionX)

- She'll probably end up being the one taking care of it most of the time. (RueTheDay)

- Ouch. C'mon, Rue-kun, you know that's not true. (}+REvanantCG+{)

- Well, it will probably like her the most. I mean, she /does/ have that special touch. (Ayumu)

- Gah! Quit tag teaming! (}+REvanantCG+{)

- A cat sounds fun! I'll look into it. (3=^-.-^=Nya)

- BTW, shouldn't you change that user tag? (ari3)

- Whatever for? Cat faces are adorable. (3=^-.-^=Nya)

- Master Tanaka, was she always like this? (N31!31)

- Yes. (R3N)

- Well… it would seem some Jokers never change. (GhettoSoup)

- As paradoxical as that conundrum is… yes, it would seem so. (iZOlation)

\\Is Reiko going to replace Yutsui?(89EeveE98)

- Replace? You mean as leader? I suppose I may for the time being. J0KER Aces aren't quite like regular Aces, we're considered both the highest and the lowest in the suit. While I do have final say over my detachment, I think that lovely young woman with the ribbons will be doing more of the actual leading until Yutsui recovers. (3=^-.-^=Nya)

\\Is Yutsui going to return or is she going to stay Erased?(89EeveE98)

- And by "Erased" you mean…? (}+REvanantCG+{)

- I think she means the after effects of being in the Noise Realm, especially since an Erasure tends to leave traces there, like what we saw with Range. (AllThe Hype)

- She'll be back, don't worry. Right, Ren? (Ayumu)

- I believe she will, yes. Until then, I'll stay with her. (R3N)

- Awww… like, so sweet! ='] (Kyaaa)

- Great, we're countin' on you, birdboy. (R0LLIN'die)

\\What's going to happen to Izo!? Is the something *winks* going to happen to Izo that you sort of leaked out and mentioned you did? Is Izo going to return home or stay living with J0KER? Does Izo even want to leave J0KER?(89EeveE98)

- Something? What something? What's so special about Izo? (ari3)

- How about that he totally saved our pasty bacon back in Hokkuro? (2little2late)

- Whatever the case, it seems someone has a fan… (GhettoSoup)

- Perhaps it would be best if Mr. Shuito himself answered? (-Sentence-)

- No good, he's too freaked out by all the attention. (}+RevanantCG+{)

- I think I can answer most of this. Izo has decided to stay as a satellite agent to J0KER. He's still in the city, just a block away, and drops by the base to get practice in. This way he doesn't have to deal with most of us but still gets all the privileges of a full member, like a salary. So… I guess you could say he hasn't gotten that tired of us yet. (Ayumu)

- Pfft… Why would he wanna deal with his crazy "sister" instead of us? (2little2late)

- So long as we're talking crazy, I don't think a group named J0KER is in much of a position to bargain...(RueTheDay)

- Wh-? HEY! (2little2late)

\\Will Dai live with the rest of the J0KER gang?(89EeveE98)

- Heh! Are bacon cheeseburgers better with soy sauce? (R0LLIN'die)

- He means "yes". Currently, Mr. Biito serves as the Joker in Division II. (-Sentence-)

- Ayane, you are seriously one of the smartest people-persons I know. Want to help me out with a translation patch for the forums?(}+REvanantCG+{)

- Thank you, Collin, I would be honored. (-Sentence-)

\\Will Ayumu get a new user tag in the forums? Does Ayumu even LIKE his current user tag?(89EeveE98)

- ...What's wrong with my user tag? (Ayumu)

- Meh… Ayumu's a pretty straightforward guy. Besides, what's the point in adding visual jokes and flair when you're blind? (}+REvanantCG+{)

- That, and Collin's voicepack doesn't get encumbered with user tags: it just says our names instead. Believe me, I checked. (RueTheDay)

- Really? What name does it use for Reiko? (N31!31)

- San-Nya. I guess that might need changing...(Ayumu)

- Well… I don't mind too much, but I suppose it might get confusing for some. (3=^-.-^=Nya)

- Okay, okay! I'm on it. ...Yeesh. (}+REvanantCG+{)

\\Will a new shuffle occur? Is Izo going to stay as a Four?(89EeveE98)

- A new shuffle is indeed in order very soon. While I can't say for certain what rank Mr. Shuito will be assigned, it would seem he's earned some stripes so to speak. (YuuMeAndAMocha)

- What about me? Do I get stripes? (2little2late)

- You'll see. (Ayumu)

- You already know, don't you? TJM… (ari3)

\\Will Reiko stay with J0KER? Is Reiko going to be the new King?(89EeveE98)
- Actually, I think she prefers the whole Ace thing. Especially since Leo's got his own branch going now, I'm pretty sure she'll take over for the primary detachment until Ren and Yutsui get back. (}+REvanantCG+{)

- Wow! Exactly what I was going to say! Do I get to keep this guy, Yuu? (3=^-.-^=Nya)

- Of course! Make sure to work him hard. (YuuMeAndAMocha)

- Umm… thank you, sir? (}+REvanantCG+{)

\\Does Ayumu have the Noise Infection?(89EeveE98)

- Haha, looks like Shuito's not the only one with a fan! Ayu-kun should be just fine. After the Eden Field washed through the facility we all got purified from all that stuff. (AllTheHype)

- Yes, almost too convenient. (Ayumu)

- Agreed, if it hadn't ended that way think of all the loose ends we'd have to tie up (RueTheDay)

- You guys are paranoid. Sometimes life just works like this. (}+REvanantCG+{)

- Sure… (AllTheHype)

\\Does Ayumu have the A-Gene or the O-Gene?(89EeveE98)

- Because I was working with Yutsui during the A-Gene's test phase, I volunteered as an early adopter with her. Same with Ayane. However, the A-Gene is just a modified O-Gene, and after the Eden Field it seems like our A-Genes have changed back to that state. (Ayumu)

- Loquacious rambler… why not simply say 'both'? (iZOlation)

- Eh… Izo's got a point. Complicated explanations just mess stuff up. (2little2late)

- You did a good job, Ayumu. I think you clarified very well. (-Sentence-)

- Is Miss Tajima ever not positive? (GhettoSoup)

- Umm… NAFAIK. (ari3)

- Take that as a 'no'. (RueTheDay)

- Man, I'm so glad you're here, Rue. (AllTheHype)

- Hey! Rue-kun can understand Ari-san? Will you join my translation team too?. (}+REvanantCG+{)

- Sorry, I got first dibs. It's been a while. (AllTheHype)

- You know I'd love to, Collin, but as Amber said, I have a previous engagement. (RueTheDay)

- Rats… (}+REvanantCG+{)

\\What was Median's obsession with Ayumu about? What did Median want with Ayumu?(89EeveE98)

- That one's my fault. I sorta talked about Ayumu, Rue, and Yutsui when I was with the Zetta guys, y'know just telling 'em who I hung out with back at home. Median even did a database search with me to check up on all of them once. I guess they figured if they were anything like me, they'd be bad news. Sorry, Ayu-kun… (AllTheHype)

- Don't worry. I'm still here, right? (Ayumu)

- ='] A real trooper! (Kyaaa)

\\Who was Median's partner that was tracking Ayumu? What happened to Median's partner?(89EeveE98)

- That would be Mean(as in average). Of course, when she couldn't find Ayumu, she settled for attacking me to break up the connection with the TRUMP. *Shudders* She was weird… Anyway, she was knocked out by the Eden Field before she thawed out all the way. As with the rest of the Zetta Squad, she's under Mr. Parker's jurisdiction now. (}+REvanantCG+{)

- Good luck, Leo! (-Sentence-)

- Y'know, if it were anyone else saying this, I'd think they were being sarcastic… (ari3)

\\How does Rueban and Ayumu interact with each other?(89EeveE98)

- Umm… wierdly? Like, it's almost like they're twins, even if they're not! (ari3)

- That explains literally nothing. (2little2late)

- They're not as close as they were, but they're still pretty close. Sometimes I feel like Rueban's the only one Ayumu really talks to besides Yutsui. (-Sentence-)

- Well, they're not really sure which one's older, but most of the time it seems like Ayumu's the responsible one and Rue-kun's off getting into trouble. (}+REvanantCG+{)

- And by "trouble" you mean: keeping you in check, right Mr. Graves? (RueTheDay)

- Y'know… Rueban's a good guy, but he really doesn't hesitate to strike back, does he? (XMaybexImxAxLionX)

- Yeaaaah… No, not really. (ari3)

- Feh. You don't know the half of it… (IZOlation)

\\What happened to make Deckverse Izo anti-social?(89EeveE98)

- Deckverse? (AllTheHype)

- I think it's mostly his foster sister's influence. I could be wrong… (-Sentence-)

- You could also be right. Very right. (2little2late)

- An' you could also be three arms short of a barrel of monkeys, so maybe you oughta step off an' leave her alone. (R0LLIN'die)

- Whoa there, Dai! Hostile much? (ari3)

- Potshots are whack. Ain't no way I'm lettin' this rum jug get away wit' that. (R0LLIN'die)

- Well… somebody might want to take a look at their personal record… (N31!31)

- Wazzat, Gingy? (R0LLIN'die)

- Just reflecting on the universal and fair enforcement of how to treat others behind their backs. Ignore me. (N31!31)

- Nel… What happened out there? (GhettoSoup)

- Daisuke was acting his usual self. Am I correct? (R3N)

- Pretty much. (N31!31)

- Hey, I'm right here! (R0LLIN'die)

-Which is why this doesn't count as a potshot: be more aware of those around you, Daisuke. (R3N)

- ….A'ight. You gots it, Kingsly. (R0LLIN'die)

\\Will Izo remember what happened when Noise attacked him 8 years ago?(89EeveE98)

- That all depends on whether or not he actually wants to remember. If he does, I think I could help him with it. (-Sentence-)

- No, thank you. Stay out of my cranium, conjurer. (iZOlation)

- If you REALLY want to know, I'm sure we've a got a brief on it somewhere. (}+REvanantCG+{)

- Feh, why not explicate so earlier? Hounding miscreants...(iZOlation)

- Um… You're welcome? (}+REvanantCG+{)

#WildcardShuffle – Current Song – So Far(Five Iron Frenzy)

Next Song – Between the Pavement and the Stars(Five Iron Frenzy)