I do not own Xenoblade Chornicels X.

"Man, am I gald we pulled an assignment to the east of the city this time." Lin boasted as they walked out of the barracks. Elma holding the front with Lin and Fenrir being in the rear. "It'd be a long walk all the way back over to the west gate."

"Hold on…"

Elma stopped in her tracks and turned to Lin. "Are we even sure the east gate will be open? Last I heard it was still on lockdown form all the high-level indigen activity."

"It was, but they just lowered the threat level earlier today." Lin explained. "The gates are officially open for business."

She turned to Fenrir her cheery smile, "One of our teams must have gone out there and kicked some furry indigen butt, huh?"

Fenrir took his thinking pose. Closing his eyes he thought of who could have taken down something as big as those Grex things while he was dealing with Nagi.

"Hmmm…."

"This…is going to be a thing for him isn't it…" Lin sighed.

His mind's eye found a very stern looking woman and boyish young man.

"Irina and Gwen…" He said.

Elma agreed with him, "Wouldn't surprise me at all. Irina's team is one of our best."

"How does he know Irina and Gwin?" Lin asked, honestly surprised.

"We ran into them just before we met up with you." Elma said. "They were on their way out to an assignment."

"Then that settles it! It must have been them, right?" Lin sounded impressed but quickly groaned. Letting her age show.

"Maaaaaaan, forget this amateur-hour probe baloney-those guys are where the action's act."

Fenrir wanted to say something about girls needed to stay away from danger, but the massive Gatling gun on her back made him think otherwise.

"We'll try not to take that personally." Elma joked. "But that dose remind me…"

She gave the newbie a once over, looking at his choice of equipment.

"Are you sure you want to go out with such little equipment?" She deduced. "While there isn't much of threat anymore, there are still dangerous creatures out there like the ones we fought before."

Fenrir looked at himself. He is still wearing the black jacket and jeans given to him. His weapons are still the same knife he found and gun Elma gave him. He isn't really equipped for a fight with anything with teeth bigger than a blatta.

"Yeah she has a point." Lin agreed. "You do look good enough to eat. And out in Primordia, that's not a good thing."

"Here." Elma send him some credits through his comm device. "It's not much but it should be enough to get you better tools. Head to armour alley, and met us at the east gate when you're done."

"Good luck!" Lin waved him off as she and Elma left him to his own devices.

Fenrir rubbed the back of his head while he walked to the armory. He wondered if he should even use Elma's money with all the credits he has. But if he does their going to wonder where he got all the money. A question he couldn't answer even if wanted. With the limited money he started looking through the items, he tried to find something that would fit his style of combat.

Whatever that is.

He stayed away from things he didn't know about form the top of his head-Psycho launchers, cannons, and Gatling guns-doesn't seem to fit. His eyes strayed towards the spears and long swords, but he felt a two handed weapon isn't right either. During the fights he had, he could feel his right hand sometimes close as if it wanted to grip something. Maybe he duel welded swords, but the swords they have looked too heavy for his taste. And the dagger he has feels right, however its curved edge isn't good for stabbing.

"Hm?" He looked at one dagger that seemed to fit his tastes better. A single edge blade like a katana. He picked that up, now for his second blade.

His eyes glanced at the photon sabers. The flugs seemed to fit. They were just long enough for good reach, and the single edge is great for slashing through bodies-the beam energy meant it was great for cutting through anything. It's like the knife he brought but bigger.

He picked that one up too.

He also changed his assault rifle to a better one, although his eyes did linger on the duel guns. Feeling he has used something similar. Yet he decided to the leave them for later. While speed is important to him, he wanted to keep the fire power. But he took one handgun for insurance.

Satisfied with his weapon layout, he went to his armor only to find he's ok with the jacket and jeans. It was light, durable, and wouldn't get in the way of his movements. But they did have a point, it wouldn't protect him much. He picked out some black combat gloves and some under armor.

After changing he noticed that something is off. It isn't the placemeant of his weapons. The knife on his hip, the saber on the back of his hip, the handgun on his thigh and the assault rifle on his back felt as natural as breathing. The two fingerless combat gloves and the under armor plating is flexible and moveable enough. No it was…the setting he could say.

This, all these weapons, armor, him joining a military faction. It felt really off form him. But it still confused him more than his memory loss. Fighting is the first and only thing his sure off. And now even that has shaken him a little.

He growled loudly making a few passersby give him a weary glance. The more of Kentrao's words of not to worry about his memory the more bitter he got. These feelings aren't going to go away anytime soon unless he remembers just who he is.

"That's what you're going in?" Lin looked at Fenrir's weapon load out and armor noticing it the only difference is that he now has a better gun, a photon saber and some combat gloves. "Maybe you should have gone with him Elma. He still looks like some Simius's midnight lunch."

Elma looked him over. His load out is a little odd. She has seen people duel wield photon sabers before. But not with a knife. Everything else besides the jacket and jeans, seemed rather standard, yet plain. Like he doesn't want to standout.

"She has a point." Elma argued. "You should have gotten something more than just a few gloves."

Fenrir lifted his shirt to show the under armor he has own. Only proving Elma's thoughts.

Deception is his tact. She should have guessed really. While she would have to take him on herself to get a really good assessment of his skills, just by looking she can tell that light movement and flexibility are key to his style.

"Well," Elma concluded. "Some protection is better than no protection. I guess this fits with your style of combat right?"

Fenrir, while still unsure what his style is, nodded.

"Ok then." Elma started to lead them off. "Although we won't meet anything too dangerous. You should be fine."

"Yeah. For something's lunch." Lin mumbled. Honestly worried about Fenrir's lack of armor.

The plains of Primordia did not change as they walked out into them. There's a weird contradiction about Primordia, Fenrir thought. The grassy fields looked like the ones back on Earth. They were green and a little itchy when they touched his skin. They still moved the same when the wind blew them, yet it just feels…off. Maybe it's the few purple flowers he will never recognize, the giant alien wolves, or the dinosaurs who are the half the size of BLADE tower. He knows this is an alien planet, it looks like an alien planet but it doesn't feel like one. The sight are both familiar and an unknown.

"What…the…hell…happened…here?" Lin's sudden disturbed voice brought him out his thoughts.

Not that far from the city, four armed ape like monsters lay died. Some of them lost their arms others their heads.

A very close roar drew everyone's attention to the massive bug a good twenty yards away from them. The size of a building and built like a spiny tank, the monster shook itself clean of its recent kill. The near bronze color of its armor plating covered up most of its body but Fenrir could see the few red pieces of skin the peek out from under the armor that looks like very hard tree bark. It has sickles and spines everywhere, even its four legs are blade like.

"You don't think…that one Cinicula could have killed all these Simius?" Lin asked, still in disbelief.

"Unless…" Elma placed a hand on her chin to think. "This is bad…"

"What's bad? I am not fallowing you." Lin said, taking the words form Fenrir's mouth. He's more lost then any of them. And how could it get any worse then a bug the size of three house stacked on top of one another and spines that look like they could rip through skell armor?

"That Cinicula. It's a tyrant." Elma summed up, making Fenrir even more confused and worried.

"What's a tyrant?" He asked, he's eyes still on the beast.

"It's basically a designation for a more powerful indigen." Elma Explained. "Normally, the Simius are higher on the food chain. With two or three of them easily killing six or seven Cinicula. But the tables have turned in this case."

She shook her head grimly, "And I don't see any other Indigen in the area."

"Tyrants pose a special threat in one way or another." Lin said, once again soundly a lot older then her age suggests. "But that doesn't always mean raw strength-some tyrants will actually register as low-rank when you find them out in the field and engage them in combat."

Elma took over, "But don't let that fool. They tend to have one nasty ability or two and many high level BLADES have come back seriously injured racing them….if they come back at all."

Fenrir crossed his arms in thought. That sounded dangerous. They didn't even have to walk out a full mile to see a beast like this. If someone else came out here…

"We have to take it out." Fenrir affirmed himself. His hand rest on his photon saber. "We can't let stay this close to the city."

Elma and Lin were taken back for a moment at his eagerness. Although Lin more so then Elma since she's seen him in battle before.

"As long as you understand the risks involved." Elma's eyes showed that deep understanding as she looked at Lin.

"Count me in." Her eye's glowed. A blaze with fighting spirit. "The same goes for everyone in NLA, but. If we're going to settle here on this planet, we're gonna have to get used to dealing with Tyrants now and then."

Lin calls Fenrir an odd ball, but to him she truly his the odd one. She's young, bright, and filled with the future. Yet she risks her life like a true solider. Even he if could, he doesn't remember anyone so young being so risky. But then again, is it really so shocking? Earth is gone. Normal conventions, even normal mortalities of right and wrong maybe be tossed out the window for the sake of survival.

"Besides," Lin continued, and odd glint in her eyes. "I can always run away while it's busy chewing on one of you guys."

And once again, Fenrir made a mental note to be very wary of Lin. A cruel joke it maybe, but still cruel.

Elma on the other hand chuckled a little, "Fair enough."

"But don't push yourself you two."

Fenrir however disagreed with her, looking at the gaint beat they may have too. Maybe he should have gotten that gaint titanium sowrd.

"Ture." Elma placed a hand on her chin. Fallowing Fenrir's silent words. "This is going to be tougher-and bigger-than anything we've faced."

"Huh?" Lin was just generally lost in the 'conversation.'

"Got any ideas?" She asked them watching as Fenrir took his usually pose and stared to think.

He opened his eyes and nodded to them. "I'll go high. You guys go low." Then he raced off towards a cliff.

"Hey! What the heck is that supposed to mean!?" Lin yelled after him, only for her to be utterly ignored.

"Hmm. A sound strategy." Elma nodded and took out her blades. "Come on Lin."

"Wait!" Lin was completely lost. "In what dimension dose 'I'll go high. You guys go low' make a sound plan!?" Lin bellowed annoyed as she ran after Elma.

Elma and Lin ducked behind a bush a feet few away from the Cinicula as it lumbered around. Their weapons out and ready.

"So what are we waiting for again? And where is Fenrir?" Lin whispered. Her eyes never tearing away from the gaint bug tyrant.

"Sorry about that." Elma quietly explained. "Basically what he meant was he was going to attack form above to get its attention and we attack from below while it's districted."

Lin blinked. "Elma. How in the world did you get that?"

"I know I know." She sighed. Fenrir's mannerisms are as confusing as he is. It still takes her a while to compeltly understand him. "I'll have to teach him how to communicate better."

Lin's eyes watched the giant Cinicula stalk around the area. Getting impatience form only just staring at the beast.

"What are we waiting for anyway?"

Elma looked at the hill next to the tyrant. And to her credit she didn't sigh at the asudtry of the situation.

"That apparently."

Lin fallowed Elma's gaze on the hill, and she saw Fenrir sprinting towards the edge of the hill with his photon saber drawn. Right above the tyrant.

Lin quickly put two and two together. "He's not going to-"

Fenrir jumped and stabbed his blade in the neck of insect. The beast roared as purple blood spurted form it's neck.

"That's our cue!" Elma yelled as she dashed towards the beast legs.

"That's what we were waiting for!?" Lin shouted as she took out her Gatling gun and raced after Elma.

"Lin! Aim for it's under belly!" Elma yelled as she slashed at the monster's legs. Cursing when she only scratched the armor plating.

"You two so owe me lunch for this!" Lin let loose a barrage of missiles form her gun. They soared right under the beast's stomach. Exploding as they made contact, causing the Cinicula rise its legs. Yet it did not rupture the shell of its stomach.

Elma let a hell storm of her own bullets fire at its exposed tendons. It stomped back down, causing the earth to rumbled form its legs collieding with the ground. Elma rolled out of the way of the rocks and dirt that fired and baslted around her.

"Keh!" On the back of the monster, Fenrir stab his purple photon saber in the bug's neck. It's blood spraying out and splatter his new black jacket. The insect stomped and shook. Shaking and whipping Fenrir around at near break neck force. He gritted his teeth, holding on as the beast rampaged. Continually stabbing at its neck. He thought that bucking blatta was a pain but this hulking bug felt like it was going to break his back. Yet his plan is going well so far.

Until he saw giant needles starting to pop out of its back.

'Oh crap.'

He ducked his head as the spears fire in the air like rockets.

"Elma!" Lin screamed as she saw the spires fall from the sky. "Watch out!"

Elma looked up to see the spires dropping form the sky and cursed. She fired her guns at them popping a few of them while she ran for cover under the tyrant. They bombarded around her. Slamming into the ground and blasting into pieces, creating craters in Mira. She slid under the belly just before another detonated.

Lin ran, jumping side to side. Nearly avoiding the explosions just by a hair. A spear fell just a foot away from her as she dived and slammed her shield to the ground. The shockwave of rock roared over her barrier.

"Ok…" She grumbled. "Nasty special attack check." She peaked over her shield to look at the Cinicula as Elma continued to fire under it while Fenrir tried to wrangle it form above. "He's definitely a Tyrant." She jumped back into the fray with her Gatling gun.

Fenrir continued to stab at it's neck, trying his best to find the beast's carotid artery. Although in hindsight, the monster may not even have a carotid artery. He cursed when there was a particularly hard toss that jerked him to his left. He hung on to his blade's handle as he is flung around.

The Cinicula roared in pain. Shaking and stomping at the ants that bite at him. Fenrir raised his saber again yet was his launched into the sky by the Cinicula rising its claws up. Sprawling in the air until he crashed into the side of the cliff and plummeted to the ground.

"Fenrir!" Elma yelled out of concern for him as she jumped back form powerful stomp. But, in her concern she miss stepped and was knocked back herself by its front legs smashing the ground in front of her. The sudden tremor sent her airborne, gliding through the air and slamming into the base of a tree.

"Geh!?" She grunted in pain, swiftly regretting her mistake. She stood to strike back, but the tyrant was already on her. Its jaws raging at her to swallow her whole.

"Hey!" Lin came dashing in, bashing the cingula's face in with her shield with enough force to dent a tank. However it only infuriated the bug as it roared at her.

"Pick on someone your own size you over house bug!" As if taking her tanut, it bellowed and snapped at the tiny pray. Only for Lin to wallop it in the face again and again as it tried to eat her and Elma. When she saw the opening Elma surged past Lin and started blasting away at its exposed neck.

Quickly she switched to her blades and slashed at its neck while it battled Lin. It snarled and turned its attention to Elma. Opening its jaws widely to devour her.

"Ha!" Yet Lin interfered again, protecting Elma with her shield. Having the Tyrant snap its mandibles close around her shield. Lin struggled to keep her shield as the beast tugged and pulled at her. Yet instead of eating her, it shot its head up while Lin clung on to her shield for dear life.

"Whoa!" The young mechanic was toss around like rag doll in the mouth of crazed dog.

"Lin!" She nearly bit her tongue in frustration as she ran up the cliff to try help her comrade, reloading her guns and shooting away at the monster to release Lin. But the bullets only bounced off the hard shell and barely grazed its exposed flesh.

'Damnit! Not again!' Memories of a similar situation rushed through her head. The outcome being two dead teammates. And it looked like history was repeating itself. The rookie is nowhere to be seen and Lin is at death door.

Lin felt her body being thrown and tossed around like she was nothing. Her arm feeling like it was about to be ripped off. She was about to reseal her weapon and fall back to Mira, but when the tyrant reach the peak of one it's as it swung her around, it released it's jaws. Letting her go failing about in the air. Rapidly descending in its maw.

"Oh…" She looked into the inky blackness of its throat. "O-Oh crap!"

A black blur soared up the spine of the Cinicula. Waving through its spikes and flipping over its head, Fenrir aimed his assault rifle inside the beast's throat.

"Flame grenade!"

The blast hit its mark. Fire erupted form its mouth, sending the tyrant stumbling backwards with an ear splitting shriek. The backfire form his shot sent Fenrir right into Lin. Where her grabbed her, holding her tightly to his chest, guarding her as they hurtled into the cliff.

They rolled together for a moment, until they finally stopped. Both of them covered in cuts, by otherwise fine. Fenrir helped Lin up, holding her close so she wouldn't fall. Lin couldn't hide her blush well as he looked at her, eyes laced with deep concern.

She was starting to understand why Elma could speak to him so easily and without much words. Those green pools of his said so much yet so little. She couldn't dwell on the though much as the beast roaring in the background is their top priority.

"Uh thanks. I am fine." Fenrir nodded and let her go. Both of them stared at their target as it screamed and roared. Shaking its head to rid itself of the fire in its mouth. They both tried to think of plan to take it down. Fenrir unsheathed both knife and photon saber holding them both in a reverse grip. He looked ready to jump on the beasts back again, until Lin caught his arm.

"Wait!" She shouted, staring into those forest eyes again. Speaking to them, hoping that she can trust them like they trusted her.

"I need you to throw me." Lin sai-demaned form him.

Fenrir looked at the young girl. Seeing a storm brewing behind those midnight orbs. A violent un-relenting storm that made his own determination falter at how powerful it is.

Seeing this he nodded, sheathing his weapons and took off in a break neck run to the edge of cliff. Lin fallowing at an even greater speed. Ready to put their unspoken plan into play.

They both launched themselves off the cliff face, Primordia's grassy plains looking smaller form their vintage point in the air. Fenrir grabbed Lin's hand, spun, and threw her like an arrow.

"Go!" He yelled as she flew through the air. High above the tyrant as it shook off the effects of blaze in its stomach.

He landed on the ground with Elma with a roll. Reloading his gun and firing at the Cinicula.

"Fenrir!" Elma shouted at him, firing off her won rounds. "Where's Li-"

"She's going to finish it off! Keep its attention!" He replied, shooting off another grenade then rushing to the gaint bug.

Elma was at a lost for a short second, but deiced to trust him. She took out her blades and ran towards its legs, finally finding purchase as they stab and hit meat into the tyrants legs.

Fenrir fired clip after clip into the monster's belly. Dodging it's stamping and stomping as he blasted away. His shots bounced off its shell, but never faltered in his aim at the center of the stomach where a crack in its armor was showing.

An anguished roar was let out as it finally shattered and his bullets started to hit their mark.

'Come! Five more degrees to the right!' Lin's free falling in through the air is coming to a close. Fenrir had launched like iron out of a gun. She knows she didn't but she felt as if she had touched the sky.

With her body spread she tried to slow and adjust her decent to the Cinicula. She turned and banked just so to get the right angle.

'A little more…a little more…tow more-THERE!'

Getting her target, Lin aimed her body and shield straight down and she felt herself drop at a breath taking pace. Clenching her teeth at the strain being put on her body.

Like an arrow, Lin shot through the tyrant's neck. Through its armor, through its flesh, all the way through it body. She severed its neck like a sowrd as it gave on final roar before it collapsed. Elma and Fenrir watched as Lin pierced through the monster's neck and crippled its body for good.

"Lin!" Elma ran towards the body along with Fenrir in fear of Lin's safety.

"Ugh! Yuck!" Lin, however, is perfectly fine. Besides the monster blood all over her. "Well…that was nastier then I expected."

Elma gave a sigh of relief, however she still crossed her arms and prepared the scold Lin and Fenrir for their reckless behavior.

"Thanks for the asset back there Fenrir." Lin smiled at him, but the older young man shook his head in disagreement with her. It was her plan that dealt the final blow he wasn't much help.

"Are you kidding? Attacking that tyrant's weak point at its neck was perfect. A little crazy, but perfect!" Covered in blood, and just killed a gaint bug, Lin's energy still held up. "You can be a tad creepy sometimes but you're not half bad."

Elma wanted to sigh again. This is the problem with teaming up with Lin, or why she the only one who partners up with her. While the young genius is quick on witted and as brave as the come, she also has a quick tongue and isn't afraid to speak her mind. Which causes many people to pause, and even get into arguments with her. And Fenrir, while quite, she doesn't know how he'll handle a firecracker like her.

Fenrir rubbed the back of his head, "I am….creepy?"

"Well, more like you have this heavy air around you." She grinned. "Maybe you should smile more. Heck we all should be grinning like morons! We just took down a tyrant!"

Scratching his cheek, he took her suggestion to heart and tried to smile a little.

"Whoa!" Lin took a step back from the fangs he showed off. "Are trying to eat me!? That's way too much teeth!"

"Less teeth more lip. Like this." She put her finger to the sides of her mouth and pushed them up forming a smile.

Fenrir copied her movements, but without his fingers.

"That's it!" She giggled. "The ladies will be all over you with that!"

But to Elma's surprise, he is handling her pretty well. To be fair she maybe just worrying for nothing. Although she can't help. Her pervious team, was somewhat similar to this. And she can't help but compare the two. Can't help but wonder if the outcome with be the same. But looking at the two now, as Lin joked around with him, maybe she can put those worries aside for now.

"While its good Lin's giving you social lessons," Elma caught their attention. "But we have a probe to install."

"Oh right." Lin got back on topic, and look up to her partner. "Let's get this over with so I can take a shower."

Installing the probe took no less the five seconds. It was rather simple. Although Fenrir has a feeling that it won't be all that easy when the probing spot is surrounded by tyrants. They returned to the barracks with only a few scraps but not too worse for wear. Although Lin really needs that shower.

However Fenrir noticed the large man talking to Nagi in the briefing room is rather different. His sleeveless shirt showed off his muscle that looked to be as big as his head. He looked like professional wrestler or body builder that ate another professional wrestler or body builder. On his right arm is a fierce tattoo. His facial hair and square jaw made him look more bulldog than human along with his receding hair line.

"Commander Vanham." Lin greeted as they walked by the table.

"Well now," His voiced littler boomed across the room, almost sending tremors through the barracks. "Look what the cat dragged in…."

He gave Lin a good look over, noticing her dripping in blood. "And dragged is right! Damn kid, what indigen pissed you off?"

"Argh...yyeeah. Um before we debrief and all, can girl clean up a little?" Lin practically begged.

Nagi and Elma nodded their heads and allowed her to scamper off to the bathroom while Elma and Fenrir talked with Vanham and Nagi.

"Sorry we missed you last time." Said with a little humor in her voice. "We could have come to meet you at HQ, you know."

"Indeed." Nagi agreed. "I suggested as much."

The secretary looked at the gruff man, his eyes showing a small amount of competent.

"Twice."

"And we know how much I enjoy being told what to do." Vanham responses was quick and blunt. He turned to Fenrir with his pierces blue eyes.

"Anyway, I heard you dealt with a Tyrant WAY out of your league. On a training mission no less." The commander crossed his arms preparing to scold the new recruit. "That was reckless."

Then he suddenly gave him a smile that nearly split his mustache, "And god damn magnificent."

"Please don't encourage him." Elma chuckled. "I don't need him jumping on the back of every Tyrant."

Fenrir gave Elma a deadpanned look. It's not like he enjoys hopping on the backs of gaint beasts. Maybe.

"Sure sure." Elma crossed, taunting him with a cross of her arms and snarky grin. "And that Suid you decked in the face wasn't unnecessary."

He turned a little red at that, but it was a different circumstance. The beast was charging at him, and he didn't have time to reload. And a simple punch was enough to knock it out so there was really no problem.

"Maybe you should have just used you knife instead?"

He didn't really have a response to that.

"You two seem to get along well." Nagi observed the exchange.

"He has a good head on his shoulders." Elma spoke as if the topic wasn't in the room sending her a tiny glare. "A little bold, and isn't all that well at giving orders. But with a few days of training I think he could at least be decent."

That made him roll his green eyes at Elma's teasing. Vanham just laughed at the two however.

"Well under you, decent is a tyrant killing yahoo. Just what we need."

"Phew! That's better!" Lin rejoined the group after her quick shower. She wore a fresh pair of combat clothes, but looked all the better for it.

"What I miss?" She chirped.

Fenrir crossed his arms while looking at Elma with heated gaze form her teasing.

"Aw come on Elma!" Lin whined. "I thought it was my job to pick on him?"

"Don't worry. We'll alternate the duty." Elma's grin made Fenrir groan. Wondering if it's too late to change teams now.

Satisfied with her teammates teasing, she got back on topic. "So commander, to what to we owe the pleasure of your visit toady?"

"The large man shrugged, "Well I can't just ask Nagi to do everything for me. I'd be out of a job."

Nagi seemed to take offense to that, "Hey, I delivered you the new recruit, didn't I?"

Vanham rolled his eyes at the secretary, "Yeah, yeah. You won the bet. Don't worry about it, all right?"

He waved off the concerns with a smirk, "I'll settle up with you later-you know I'm good for it."

"The 'bet'?" Elma sounded like a mother catching two of her sons in act as she crossed her arms. Staring at the two grown men.

"I'm sure I'm needed elsewhere, if you'll all excuse me. Commander." Nagi spoke and moved faster than Fenrir ever thought the man could. Swiftly leaving the room and everyone else.

"Well, that wasn't obvious at all…." Lin, taking a page form Fenrir, and deadpanned her response.

Elma shook her head, "Heh. Look at you two. I swear, you're like two children excited about a new toy."

Fenrir was starting to wonder if Elma is married, or had some kids. She certainly acts like mother.

"Looks who's talking." Vanham threw he words right back at her. "I don't recall ever seeing you file a request to personally train a rescue before?"

"Is that so odd?" The way Elma said that meant she knows exactly what she was doing. Fenrir is starting to wonder what worse, dealing with indigen, or scary women like Lin and Elma.

"It is before we'd even asked him to become a BLADE, Little Miss Stick in the rear." Vanham bellowed, but not that far off the mark.

Elma just shrugged her shoulders with a cat's smile, "Usually, I ask when I don't get your slang expressions but something tells me to let that one go."

"Enough about that." It appears this Vanham let's most things just run off his large shoulders. "Where are your manners, anyway? I still haven't been introduced to our new recruit here."

Lin took on that role, "Commander Vanham is BLADE's top officer."

"In a past life, I was Chief Engineer on the White Whale. Same idea, basically-someone has a problem, I fix it. You follow?"

The air around this man is completely different form Nagi's or that Maurice. Unlike the other two he can't seem him in a political debate or some type of government office. It's oddly refreshing considering all the stuffed shirts his been meeting.

Fenrir merely crossed his arms and acknowledged Vanham with a nod of respect.

"Fenrir." He said simply.

"Hmph. Not much for conversation are ya?" Vanham scoffed.

"So you still haven't told us why you're here. Form the look of things, I'm guessing this isn't a social call." Elma deuced, getting the conversation back on track.

"You don't think?" Vanham snorted through his nose.

"No." The words came out so fast and so cold, an arrow of ice would have been warmer.

"So let's cut the crap and get down to business."

"Ha! Sounds like you're learning my expressions just fine, Elma." Vanham laughed.

"Anyway, first we need silent bob over to choose and division and pull an assignment."

"What's the job?" Fenrir crossed his arms as he was extremely blunt with his question.

"Straight to the point as usual." Lin chuckled.

"Whoa there ichy-tigger!" Vanham however stopped him cold. "I know you're just chaffin' at the bit to run out there and grab the world by its tail, but you need to choose a division first."

"Once that's all hashed out we, can get into detail about what your first assignment's gonna be."

Elma smirked a little, "I told you he can be a little brash."

She turned to Fenrir to explain, "Pretty much everyone in New LA works for BLADE, in one of several different fields."

It took a while but they explained all eight fields to him in detail.

The pathfinders mostly plant probes. While it sounded basic, Fenrir's only experience says otherwise. Even then, the importance of the job seemed to weigh above all others since it helps plot out Mira, gather information and gets everyone closer to finding the Lifehold.

Interceptors are the shield of New LA. Escorting, helping others, and helping around Mira and others who are in danger.

The Harries are the attackers. Hitting obvious enemies hard and fast before anyone could get there feet on the ground. This division interested him the most.

The Reclaimers are as their name sounds. They go out and retrieve pieces of the White Whale, down skells, items of sentimental value, even people. But their biggest job is, like everyone else's, to find the Lifehold.

Curators are like explores in the basic of terms. They are the first to forge ahead into unknown territory and studying the area for any signs of life or anything important.

Prospectors are miners. They find minerals, resources-things that can be used for everyday life. Not much to say for them, but gathering rock doesn't really seem like his deal.

Outfitters are the supporters. They help and support private arms manufactures with researchers and development of new weapons of the ground and for skells. Not much for combat, but they still are need to create the weapons for fighting.

Mediators are the police of NLA. Anything and everything the people need, they come to the mediators for help. Form getting their cat out of a tree to finding out who killed who in some kind of murder. Dealing with people. Not one of Fenrir's strong points right now.

All divisions are important in help life on Mira be successful. And he isn't really stuck to one. He could be a mediator and still work as Prospector if he wanted. And he could change his divisions as much as he he'd like so-

"Well? We're on pins and needles here." Vanham brought him out of his thoughts.

Fenrir blinked, wondering if he was talking to him for a moment.

"You sure he's all up there?" Vanham asked, giving the young man a wary glance.

"Hmmm. We're about thirty percent sure he's sane." In teased.

"Thirty? What about the other seventy percent?"

This is going to become a thing isn't it?

Sighing Fenrir deiced to go with the Interceptors.

"Alright! Thank god that's over…" Vanham huffed in relief.

"By the power invested in me, yadda yadda; you're officially a BLADE."

Apparently that was an introduction speech to their organization.

Lin and Elma congratulated him, and he simply nodded to them in thanks.

"Now for the job." Vanham stated to debrief them on their mission. "Let's get down to brass tracts."

"Nelson's team has gone missing. Last contact we had, they were installing a data probe out in eastern Primordia. Then nothing."

Elma place thoughtful hand on her chin. "Hmm, Nelson….pathfinders right?"

"Are we talking' indigens here or what?" Lin asked.

Fenrir was thinking the same thing. Besides the BLADE the indigens are the most dangerous thing on this planet. At least h hopes they are.

Vanham sighed, "Your guess is as good as mine. But they did have a skell with them."

"You'd think they could hold their own-or at least run away." The large man shook his head.

"Alright were on it." Elma nodded.

"Ready?" Fenrir asked Lin.

"Always!" The young girl beamed.

"Hmm, this doesn't look like any of the normal claw or bite marks." Lin observed the damage green skell. It's right completely broken off. The rest of the body is littered with holes, dents, and even brunt in a few places.

Night has fallen over Primordia. The aroura borealis shimmed in the cloudy black sky above them. They had traveled for a while, finding the dirt road where Nelson and his team disappeared. Lin looked over the skell while Elma and Fenrir examined the area around it.

"Hmm…" Fenrir noticed the scorched marks on the ground. They are fairly recent. Along with some foot prints. Human and…something else. They're not big enough for any indigen they've seen so far, but they are too big for any human.

"No signs of the team…" Elma noted. "If they were eaten, we'd know it. So did they walk away or were they taken?"

Judging by the foot prints and scorch marks, Fenrir guessed they were taken, or worse.

"Hold on you two- take a look at this." Lin's comm device beeped red as it caught a single. Turning north, she let the signal hone in. "I am picking up an Earth-based IFF signal coming form that direction. It's Pathfinder!"

The direction Lin is talking about is a tower like structure. A devilish tower with spikes pointing out at all ends. Behind are more eerie buildings. Their sliver buildings odd and out of place even for a planet like Mira. Rounded shaped spires, and more spike towers filled the area.

"That…doesn't look natural dose it?" Lin looked at the buildings, feeling un easy about the presence she felt form there.

Elma felt it too. Her blue eyes narrowing at them. "No. It doesn't. It looks like trouble."

Fenrir deduced that too. His hand hovering over his knife.

"I am picking up readings for other lifeforms too. Multiple signals, moving around inside the structure." Lin watched the dots blink on her screen with growing concern. "Elma, you don't think…?"

"We're not alone…." Fenrir said.

"You may just be right." That didn't make him feel any better. And he has a feeling she's talking about more than just his theory. "Those structures are manmade, and look nothing like any of the few ruins we encountered here so far. But the question remains, Are they natives or visitors?"

Lin came to the same conclusion Fenrir did when he met Nagi. "You think it's one of the forces that destroyed Earth?"

Elma dismissed the notion, but didn't reject it.

"Let's not jump to any conclusions. It's a big universe out there. But, like Fenrir said, it is a possibility."

Lin pocketed her device, her eyes filled with worry. "Should we call this in to HQ?"

"Yes, but-"

"Elma!"

Fenrir's sudden warning made everyone turn on their heels behind them. Their lower faces are covered by a masks that looked like some sort of rebreathers. They are huge at seven feet, but that only made their muscular build even more intimidating. Even their hands are big, twice the size of their heads. What few skin they could see under their high tech armor is a sickly white. Rough form combat or just their natural skin.

"You there! Drop your weapons!" They demanded. Pointing their guns at them.

Lin gasp while Fenrir dropped low to the ground ready to fight.

"Stay calm." Elma warned. "We don't want to provoke them."

Fenrir only growled in responses.

"Earth aliens!?" Said one of the five creatures. His voice slightly muffled by his mask. "Surrender! Now!"

"They know about Earth!?" Elma let out a whispering gasp. "Looks like you were right…"

If he was right, why doesn't Fenrir feel any better at the moment? It may just be the fact there are five hostiles pointing their guns at him. He placed his hand on his knife, ready to cut them in two.

"Stand down!" Elma whispered harshly. "Did you already forget what I said!?"

Staying heir blades. Right.

That works all well and good when their enemies don't have a threating aura around them and their guns armed.

Clicking his tongue at her relaxed his guard, if only a little. While she did have point that doesn't mean he's just going to roll over for them.

"They seem to speak our language. Let's try and negotiate with them." Elma turned to the armed aliens. Trying to ease the tension.

"We come in peace. And we're willing to negotiate. If you have any Earth alien prisoners, we'd ask the conditions for their-"

"No negotiations! No conditions!" They point their guns and Fenrir took out his blades. "We have our orders! Death to all Earth aliens."

And there's the bell.

"Damnit! Lin!" Elma cursed and took out her blades, ducking to avoid the alien's fire, while Lin let loose a hell storm of bullets.

"Raagh!" Fenrir rushed the aliens down through their onslaught of blasts form their guns. Strafing through their bullets, he closed in between them. His knife slashing upwards, lacerating him through his armor. He spun low, clipping the other and stabbed his head with his photon saber as he fell.

Another alien came at him from behind, rising his mace to bash in his head. Yet Lin came in was bursting into his side three times the force of a battering ram. She slammed her shield into him, his body flying like a rag doll through the air.

"Rah!" The last two grunted as they tried to swing their maces at Elma only to miss every strike. She danced and spun out of their range. She suddenly kneeled, slashing her blades low, tripping them then ramming them right through their spines in one swift motion.

"So much for the diplomatic approach…" Lin mumbled sarcastically, placing her shield on her back. Fenrir sheathed his blades, thinking he couldn't agree with her more.

"What's the deal with wanting us all dead anyway?" Lin asked Elma.

"Yeah...I wonder." Elma put her own weapons away. "They did mention they were following orders…"

"Maybe someone higher up their chain of command would be willing to negotiate."

Fenrir crossed his arms and shook his head. For a few reasons, five that are actually lying dead on the ground, he highly doubts that. They attacked them first. They didn't explain themselves. They didn't even hesitant. Even if they are just 'following orders' doesn't mean just theses five are the one bad apples in the bunch.

Looking into his eyes, Elma understood his words. "Ture but we can't rule out trying to reason with them first. We can't go on a rampage just because they attacked us. We have to be the better man."

It's hard to be the 'better man' when your head is blasted clean off.

"Elma." Fenrir demand her attention. "I understand we are the invaders here and we can't afford to go to war with even the indigens. But we can't 'stay our blades' when our hands are cut off. I get that you can't do that. But I am not going to die because I need to be a better man and turn the other cheek to someone that just wants me dead."

The brooding man let his dark green eyes glow. "I'll be the sowrd that you can't sheath, Elma. If you can't fight then I will. Whether you like it or not."

Elma sighed, but he does have point. If they are following orders who's to say that their leader isn't as blood thirsty? As much as she hated to admit, but he is right. They can't always be on the defensive. There will be times when fighting is their only option.

"Fine." She crossed her arms. Not fully agreeing with him, but she can't disagree either. Her blue eyes roaring at his own defiantly. "I'll take you on that offer. But you're still MY blade. Which means I use you not the other way around, understand?"

Fenrir didn't back down. "That's if you can handle me."

"Uh mom? Dad?" Lin tasted the waters of heavy air around the two. "If you two are done fighting we have a team to find."

Fenrir mentioned that they can't just walk through the front door. They're going to have to sneak their way in and find the leader of the base.

"Less chances of combat. Lowering the casualties. Good call." Elma nodded to Fenrir.

"So how are we going to do this?" Lin suggested. Looking at the cliff side shrouding them. "There doesn't look like a back entrance."

Fenrir looked around them seeing the cliff side surrounding the strange base.

"I'll take point. Guide you guys in." He said.

"Sure you can handle it?" Elma asked.

He didn't answer her. He only started climbing the cliff side. Although there wasn't that much climbing. It looked like he was running up the side, using the small rocks to quickly jump up and land over the cliff.

Lin and Elma watched amazed.

"Ok." Lin said, sounding a little unsure. "So he was like a ninja or something back on Earth."

"Well…he's definitely something." Elma had to agree. The way he acts, his fighting style, it all seemed to point towards the shadow warriors.

Their head communicators beeped and Fenrir's voice sounded off to them.

"Stay low. Don't make much noise. Filled with enemies."

"And there he goes with the barely a sentence advice." Lin rolled her eyes as her and Elma quietly sneaked into the base.

But his advice is spot on. As soon as the step foot in the base, a steel two legged machine turned its back to them to resume its patrol. It's an odd mechanical marvel with a large gun hanging under it and a tiny robot with blades for arms has its head. They ducked under some bushes and radio their look out.

"Got any ideas to take this out?" Elma asked, watching the robot walk around. Turning its head and scanning the area for any invaders.

None that are quite. There is a inching in the back of his mind that told him he could get rid of this thing if he has the right tools. But what those tools are he doesn't even know.

"Wait." Lin took out her comm device and started punching in some code with her thumb.

Elma looked at her a little off the beat. "Lin?"

Lin's fingers moved at a blinding place. Her deceive blazing through screens, images and numbers. "If these guys can track us then maybe I could use the single too-got it!"

Lin sneered at the walking alien tank, "Let's see how they like this!" She pressed a button and robot suddenly lurched and sparked. Its right leg spasming, its head spinning as smoke fumed out it until it finally fell over completely still.

"Alright!" Lin pumped her fist at her victory.

"Nice job Lin." Elma congregated her. "What did you do?"

"I just let him have a tasted of some Earth alien J-pop." Lin giggled.

Fenrir congratulated her, but remained them that their in enemy territory and should keep moving.

"Right. Come on Lin."

The base is filled with the same aliens that attacked them before and each of them are all heavily armed. Fenrir was skulking about. Telling Lin and Elma when to move past portals, when a guard was coming and basically was their shadow. Not once did the see him. The only time they could tell he was around was when they talked to him and when he had to take out a guard on a one way bridge by pulling him over it.

The base itself is filled with alien tech. Mechs were fixing the pointy architecture with leasers while the alien walked and patrolled around. Oddly enough there are suid in pens covered in deadly war armor similar to the aliens. Nothing about this place looked at all peaceful. Elma is starting be gald for her decision to trust Fenrir's judgement. All this weaponry and tech looked like they are ready to start a war.

"Hold it." Fenrir's voice stopped them by an archway. A few feet away from where Nelson's single is coming from. But two blade armed robots stood in there way.

"Damn." Elma cursed. The base is surrounded. Even with the two droids, there is still a guard and a bunch of suids.

"Even if I take out one of both them, there still the guard and his pets." Fenrir warned form whatever shadows he is hiding in.

"I know. Lin." She turned to the mechanic, who is already tapping away at her device. "Think you can hack into one of them?"

"Even if I could, I would probably only able to get one and let the other one hone in on us." Lin closed her device with a small curse of her own.

Elma turned back to the drones and guards. Her blues linger on the pig like creatures.

She placed a finger to her ear to contact Fenrir, "How many grenade shots do you have?"

He should have about three since he used two on the few indigen they ran across getting over here. One flame and two burst.

"Think you can shoot one in the pen? Don't kill them. Just to startled the pigs."

Fenrir quickly got message and turn his sights to the pin and fired off a round just a little off the side. It blew with a bang tossing a lot of the guards to the ground and sending the robots rushing towards the sound to investigate. Lin and Elma rushed to the side of the building.

"Ok." Lin said looked at the door. "Here's source of the single-gah!?"

Lin suddenly jump when Fenrir landed beside her. "Ok! I get it you're a ninja! Don't do that!" Lin hissed at her partner, trying to calm her heart that was about to burst out her chest.

Fenrir just shrugged. It's not like he could control how quite he can be. He thinks.

"Actually, I am going to need you to keep to the shadows." Elma said, surprising Fenrir a little. He thought she would want him for the 'negations'.

Elma shook her head, "We don't know if these guys are hostile or not. You said you're my blade right? Well I need you to be out and ready to strike if we need it."

He nodded and vanished behind the tower.

"Alright. Lin. You ready?"

Lin nodded, her eyes burning down the door, "Yeah. Let's do this."

Entering the room the met the backs of four heavily armed aliens.

And three dead humans. Bullets holes riddling their bodies.

"They're…" Elma's voice is strained. As if she was stabbed through her chest. "All…dead."

They turned, hearing Elma's voice. Their guns armed and aimed right at them. As she gritted her teeth.

"You killed them all…in cold blood…" Gone was her strained voice now it is replace with a controlled fury.

The leader of the group, the largest of the aliens with the biggest gun, reasoned back.

"Fortune did not smile upon them today." That isn't meant to be words of comfort, yet they held no real animosity towards them specifically. Yet it did its job.

It pissed Elma off.

"You filthy Earth aliens do not belong on this planet." He spoke about them like humans are a form of infestation.

"Judging by how fluent you are, you must be the leader?" Her hands twitched to her guns on her sides. "Right?"

Lin was silent but prepared herself for a fight. Holding her ground and staring the opposition in the eye. Even if they occasionally wavered to Nelson and his team's corpse.

The alien seemed to scoff at them, "I am called Glennar. I command this squad, Earth alien."

He pointed his large green blaster at Elma and Lin. His finger not even an inch away from the trigger.

"Now it is time for you to 'surrender.'"

Elma wasn't even fazed. If anything she smiled. It could be simple over confidence. The sense of death making her rather brave. Or eerie gleam of a blade in the shadows behind the aliens and dark green eyes pierced the darkness.

"Hello Glennar." The polite manner she spoke is anything but. She said his name as if it is bad wine. "If this planet is you home, we apologize for intruding."

Elma is a diplomat through and through. Even with the rage boiling inside her, she still optioned for peace. It is a noble quality of the highest regard. And also the most foolish.

Something Elma's intelligent blue eyes knows very well.

"We were hoping we could negotiate a peaceful settlement in exchange for our friends, but…" She looked at the dead bodies of her comrades. She didn't know Nelson much, even less about his team. Yet the senseless death.

He fist was so tight, her nails drew blood.

"It seems 'peace' isn't in your vocabulary."

"'Peaceful settlement'?" Glennar nearly laughed. His men chuckling with him. "Your words are wasted on us."

Lin looked at Elma. The tension in the room past its boiling point. Its cup is running over and pooling around their feet, threating to drown them.

"Your right…" Elma smirked. "Words can sometimes be a waste."

She raised her hand, her thumb and middle finger pushing up one another.

"So let's stop using them."

The snap of her fingers echoed.

"Guah!?" And so did the cries of Glennar's men.

Fenrir became visible like a ghost. Suddenly emerging out of the darkness and slashing the back of his enemies. While the alien crumbled, Fenrir took off the head with his photon saber, the red beam cleaning slicing through the armor, and flipped over the one that swung his mace down.

By the time the weapon hit air and then the ground, a knife had already cut through his neck and a heated blade piece through his chest. Green blood splashed and poured as Fenrir ripped the blade form his chest and turned to meet the barrel of a gun. Its ghost pale skinned owner sneering under his mask.

"Argh!?" That sneer became a smear on the wall form the un holy plethora of bullets that tore and ripped his body to shreds for Lin Gatling gun. The yellow chambers cascaded to the ground, clinking with glee as Lin unleashed her rage on the unknown enemy species. Her face, however, is calm as the many muzzled flashes lit it up in the dark room.

Her five barrels stopped spinning as smoke came off of them.

"Die!" Glennar brought his mace down in utter rage. Only for it to be stopped by Lin's shield as she brought it up to guard her. He bash and wailed and Lin met him blow for blow. Grunting as her arm stung form the powerful hits.

Fenrir moved to intercept, but was intercepted himself by Elma kicking Glennar twice in the face with flying kick that quickly turned into a flying round house. Landing she took out her blades, twirling them while the captain regained his ground. He charged her, firing his gun multiply times, but Elma was fast. Dodging the gun firing while quickly closing the distance between them.

Glennar noticed her closing and took a brutal overhead swipe at her with his mace. Yet only merely side stepped the attack, and sliced her blade up through his lowered arm then spun to cut off his head with the other blade. His limp body fell. His blood oozing out of its stump while the rest of his body still twitch with the small amounts of life it has in it.

She slashed her sowrd to wipe off the blood. Sheathing them, she looked at her team.

Fenrir was fine, wiping off his own weapon then sheathing it. Lin look no worse for wear either. It's odd. The tone, the spark around the three of them, is a happy one. Fenrir, while rather dark, takes Lin cheerful and quick personality with gentle strides. Lin seems to enjoy his own view of the world, and treats Elma more like a sister then a captain.

They all seemed like a family.

Yet, with the blood and violence she has committed and seen, this is a family with burdens. Lin's bright face is grim, a few specks of green blood splattered on her face. It didn't bother the thirteen year old.

Fenrir is practically drenched in it. His hands and parts of his jacket are dyed with the color green. His visage showed….nothing. More than usual, Elma saw nothing in those deep forest eyes.

She herself is not spared from being tainted. Her right hand is a little green, while the lower left side of her armor has a huge splotches of it.

War.

It is the same.

No matter what planet, not matter what time. Not matter what universe.

War is all ways the same.

She looked at the bodies of Nelson's team. Not a single one of them were breathing.

Walking back into the night air Lin spoke. Her voice heavy, but it is not form the fact that had to kill. It's heavy with worry and fear.

"I don't get it…" She turned to the people who would be considered the adults in all this. "Why would they be so bent on killing all humans?"

Elma shook her head, finding no answer to this. "Who can say?"

She quickly switched back to leader mode and started to break down what is there next move. "Whatever the reason, this is dire news. We should alert the others fast. Let's call it in and head back to HQ for a full debrief."

"Roger that." Lin sounded confident, but the sadness in her voice seemed to overtake that. "And here I'd just started to hope we'd final escaped all this…"

"Escape! Yes, escape! Tatsu also want escape!"

One of the alien boxes started to talk. Making them stop in their tracks.

"Friends! Friends not leave Tatsu trapped!"

Everyone went right back on edge. Lin and Elma dropping into fighting stances.

"More Xeno's!?" Lin cried not to happy to be greeted by more gaint aliens with guns.

Fenrir on the other hand tilted his head. That doesn't sound like an anger killing xeno.

He walked up to the crate.

"Careful Fenrir…" Elma warned, her hand on her sowrd.

He nodded to her, yet before he could full lift the lunched off the crate, it popped open. A bunch of odd looking foods bouncing out it. One of them looked a little green on its back.

Then it stood up to put on its glasses, then it starred to dance around.

"Finally! Dance of Freedom! Tatsu thanks you!"

Upon closer inspection, the 'talking potato' has fur and two gaint flappy ear that moves almost like hands. Unlike his arms which are rather small and a tad stubby. It has a large brown harried cow lick sticking out form its funny looking green cap that seemed to cover his whole body.

"Interesting…one of the vegetables is sentient." Fenrir honesty couldn't tell if Elma was joking or not.

"A talking potato…Wonder if it tastes different, too."

Ok now Lin has to be joking!

….Right?

Although to be fair it does look like something Fenrir would eat at a fancy restaurant. Like a nice fat turkey.

"I know what we're having for dinner tonight!" Lin almost licked her lips like a hungry lioness. "You don't know it yet, new guy, but I am a pretty mean cook."

"You ARE mean! Mean and cruel!" Countered the talking chicken. Hmm chicken based in rosemary…

"Tatsu definitely not potato! Tatsu explain this to dumb smelly Prone when they take Tatsu! But Prone not listen!" The little turnip started jumping up down in anger and on a rant. Hmm, vegetable stew dose sound good. "Prone never listen. All Nopon rue day Prone first set stinky feet on Mira! At this rate, entire Nopon race in danger! Yes! Nopon are endanger species!"

He turned smug, grinning like a cheap car sales men. "So really friends have a social responsibility to protect Tatsu form danger."

"Uh-huh." Lin looked beyond bored skeptical, then brighten with a suggestion. "Whatta ya think, Elma bake or fry?"

He could go for some bake duck right about now…

"Wait," Elma wasn't about to get caught up in their pace. "The beings who captured you-big brutes in armor? Little pointy ears?"

"Yes! Prone!" Replied the over grown apple desperately.

You know what he hasn't had in a while? Apple pie. Although what would be a while in his case? Dose he even know what apple pie is? Sure it's a pie but-

"And they're a more recent arrival here is that right?" Elma continued her detective work. "They're not native to this planet?"

"Not native! Recent!" Once again the little thing grew smug. Placing its hands on its hips grinning down or in this case up at them. "If friends want more details, friends must promise to protect Tatsu. Only then will Tatsu talk."

"Right." Lin huffed. "Elma you hold you, I'll peel."

Actually don't you have to peel apples before you bake them in a pie? Like peaches? Oh! Peach clobber sounds great! He's starting to wonder if he has a sweet tooth.

"Tatsu will talk! Tatsu will talk!" He bounced in fear, nearly begging for his skin. In their case literally. "F-Friends just not get Nopon humor as all! Oh-ho-ho-hoo!"

Elma then summed up everything she learn for the side dish. Speaking of, what would go good with bake zitt? Chicken? Beef?

Apparently the prone aren't the only ones who landed on this planet. They brought with even more aliens that have been terrorizing the natives, the Nopon, for a few months. The prone and the other alien's races seem to be hunting the Nopon to extinction for some reason.

"They all gang up on Nopon." Said the salad toping. Is he a salad person? Maybe…

"They do horrible, terrible things to Nopon. Someday Tatsu will turn tables and eat them for a change!"

Pork! Pork would go great with bakes ziti! How Fenrir knows that he doesn't know or care, since his stomach is starting to growl and his mouth start to water.

"T-Tatsu has seen those eyes before!" He shirked when his gaze fell on Fenrir. Who was in is one little food world. "Hungry eyes, like prone eyes! Tatsu is here to serve not be severed!"

"Yeah seriously!" Lin of all people scold him on his unfair treat of the little guy. "What kind of barbarian would want to eat this little guy, just like that?" She looked down at Tatsu with one her many evil smiles.

"We should take care of him. Wash and clean him. Season him." Normally Fenrir would make a snide comment about that last part of Lin's creepy sentence, but with the way his stomach was going, he is starting to agree with her.

"That's right!" The little dork agreed. "Take Tatsu to your village. Wash and clean Tatsu. Season Tatsu! Er, uh…wait."

Looks like the little chicken dumpling isn't as dumb as he sounds.

Damn. Chicken dumplings sound really good…

"Ugh…" Fenrir groaned. He really needed something in his stomach.

"What do you think Elma?" Lina asked. "Take this little guy and go before Fenrir starts taking out the hot sauce."

He is not going to eat a walking, hairy…Nopon!

...Maybe.

"He seems harmless enough. And he'd be a good source of Intel on Mira and the Prone." Elma agreed with the idea. "Alright. We can debrief him when we report to Commander Vanham. As long as he passes the quarantine scan, we can bring him back to New LA."

"Right…" Lin took out her comm device and scanned him. Finding nothing harmful, she said "All clear."

"Then Tatsu can join friends?" When Elma nodded Tatsu started dancing again. Hopping the on toe to toe the same way he has done before. "Dance of Joy! New friends are friendless friends ever!"

"Don't get too comfy spud." Lin warned. "You make one wrong move and well fed you to our world eating ninja hound dog."

She pointed at Fenrir who wanted to give her a deadpanned look and to tell her to stop her teasing, but his stomach growled too loud for him to even make words.

"And he hasn't eaten for a very long time."

"Meh!?"

On a bench in Deliverance Park, watching the dancing color of the northern lights swirled in the starry sky, Fenrir sat. It was late into the night. Ten thirty two, he had to guess. After the debriefing with Lin, Elma and Vanham, Elma had suggested everyone hit the sack since it has been a busy day. Lin, Elma and Tatsu are in their bed sleeping off today's stresses. However Fenrir isn't even remotely tired.

He had taken a shower, changing out his jacket and combat gear for a tank top and blue jeans. He still kept his knife, but his photon saber and gun are hanging over his bunk in the barracks.

The threats to NLA have just been piling up and it's rather hard to just relax his mind. From the Indigen to now these Prone and their friends. Friends that are the same ones who shot them down and forced them to land on Mira. The dangers seemed to surround them. Elma stressed as such when she reviewed with him while they ate.

Everyone's main goal is to find the Lifehold and to bring back the human race. It sounded simple at first finding a gaint tower, even with the Indigens roaming around, it shouldn't be much of problem. But with a whole species out for their hides, it turned into more of race to see who can get to it first. Then there is his personal problem of him not remember much of anything.

There are so many miss connecting dots he doesn't even know where to begin. All he can do is sum up is findings. He can fight very well, he may be rich, he knows a ton of languages, a thing or two about skells, and, form what Lin said, he's a ninja. All these things combined meant nothing to no one. Only he knew and yet the answer eludes him every time.

He lifted his hand up to stare at the silver charm bracelet. The wolf glowed, hungry in the starry night.

And then there's this thing.

After this whole day he still hasn't learned anything about this goody piece of jewelry. Not a name. Not a city. Not even a color. It's as madding as it was this morning when he first woke up fighting a gaint bug.

He leaned his head back against the board of the bench. A meteorite flew past. Its tail lingering in the sky line as it cut the through the stars. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine what, or who this bracelet could mean. Maybe, if he is blessed by some god, someone who knows his past could very well be right in NLA. Or even in the Lifehold.

He could only close his eyes and dream.

Footsteps soft and light echoed though his head. He recognized those steps and the other two pairs of footsteps that fallowed it. The firm steps and the quick pitter patter that tried to keep up with the other. What didn't bother him was the fact that Lin, Elma and Tatsu are up and awake, it's the fact he can't remember how he learn to memorize people by their footsteps or how he can hear them twenty feet away.

Something cold on his cheek made him flinch. Squinting one eye open to see Lin holding a wrapped ice cream bar and smile.

"Heh heh. Here. I hope you like vanilla." She giggled, Lin sat next to him. Wearing a blue tank top and pants, she took a small bite out sherbet her ice cream bar.

Elma sat down with him too in her white shirt and shorts taking a tinier bite of her raspberry ice cream.

Tatsu has as many ice bars as he could hold, which is four.

"Yum! Human sweets are SUPER tasty! Will sell for fortune on Nopon market!" The little alien bounced with glee. Taking a bite out each one of his bars, chocolate, blue berry, cherry, and green apple.

"Careful butterball." Lin warned. "Eat too much and-"

"Meehh!?" He suddenly screamed in pain. "Ahh! Why dose Tatsu's head hurt!?"

"Told ya~." Lin sing song.

"Mmm…" Elma sighed, relaxing on the park bench. "You really can't get a view like this Earth can you?" A cool wind played with their hair for a while

Lin smiled, "You could but…it wouldn't be as magical."

The night lights danced behind the ruby, sapphire, emerald sky. The aurora flowed like waves in the sea. Gentle and soothing almost in hypnotic manner.

Fenrir looked at his ice cream bar. This is probably the oddest feeling he's had all day. This togetherness with his team. This tightknit comradery felt with Elma and Lin, it's less of a team feeling it's more of a family. It's an odd feeling. Not a bad one, but it did make him feel…uneasy? There is nothing he really can compare it too. And it confused him.

Unwrapping the ice cream bar, he took a bite out it.

Huh.

It's good.

"I hope we aren't brothering you." Lin said, grinning unsurely at him. "I was going for a walk and so was Elma, and then Tatsu joined us."

"It's was Lin's idea to intrude on you." Elma said with a sneaky smile.

Lin puffed her cheeks "Wha-you were the one who started walking up to him first!"

"Hmm…odd how you made no move to stop me."

"Ack!?" Lin blushed and tired her head in embarrassment.

Elma chuckled, "Again sorry if we derailed your thoughts. You must have a lot on your mind."

Fenrir shook his head, as he looked on to another meteorite falling. They aren't really bothering. It is actually welcoming. And a bit off putting. It seems contradictions are going to be a theme here.

"I guess it is a bit of a pain huh? Not knowing who you are." Lin said carefully.

He only took another bit of his ice cream.

"Linly tell Tatsu that Fenrir lost marbles after waking up." Tatsu said, after recovering form his brain freeze. "Did Fenrir lose marbles before he crashed on Mira?"

Lin hit her forehead, "Memories not marbles! You weren't even listening were you?"

Well, the little creature isn't too far off.

"I guess, telling you 'not to worry about it' would be a little rude huh?" Elma said.

No, he sighed. He understands why he shouldn't worry about it. What he really should focus on is helping them find the Lifehold. Finding his memory is all well and good, but all that won't really matter if they can't save the rest of humanity. His problem doesn't compare to the worlds, so he may as well put it aside for now.

"Yeah but," Lin smiled. "That doesn't mean you have to stop trying."

Elma gave a reassuring smile, "You've got more than just us to help you out."

So that's what it is. Helping.

The thing that has always confused him and made him feel uneasy around them, is Elma's and Lin's willingness to asset him. It made him worry as to why. Is he just untrusting or just is there something about them that is just off putting about them?

He just took another bite of his ice cream. Thinking he is overcomplicating all this. Yet he couldn't help it. There are so many things going on in his 'life' right now, he really can't focus on a single topic.

"On step at a time…." He mumbled the words Lin did this morning.

"Yeah." Elma grinned, agreeing with him. "Just keep a steady pace and everything will come together."

"Hm." He nodded with the ice cream in his mouth.

"Maybe you'll find out if I am the right 'woman' for you~" Lin giggled when Fenrir croaked on his ice cream.

"Ugh…" He turned red, holding his head with a little shame. He'd had hoped she had forgotten that.

"Ha! Pay up Elma!" Lin snickered. "I told I could get him to blush too!"

Elma chuckled while he glared at the both of them. "Alright Lin. I guess I owe you a new frying pan."

"Alright!"

"Oh oh!" Tatsu sounded rather impressed. "Linly would make great Nopon haggler!"

The young man in the middle chuckled, it looks like he's going to be center of their teasing for a while. That is something he sure he isn't going to dislike.

Lin gave tiny yawn. "I am beat. Let's get back to barracks and finally get some sleep."

"Agreed." Elma said finishing her ice cream. "We all have a big day tomorrow."

Fenrir nodded, taking one last bite of his ice cream. Looking at the bear wooden stick, he noticed it said 'Loser'. He scoffed at how 'encouraging' that was before tossing it in the waste bin.

He stood up with a stretched with the others waiting for them to stand with him.

"Hey, Fenrir." Lin asked as they walked back to the barracks. Her hands playfully behind her back, while he looked at her with his hands in his pockets. "Think you'll have time to help me with so skell experiments?"

He tilted his head, wondering what these experiments are about.

"She basically mean she wants you to be her crash test dummy." Elma said off handedly.

Lin puffed her cheeks in protest. "You make sound like my test are dangerous."

"Are they?" He teased, watching the younger girl grow a little flustered.

"Ah well not really…"

He let out a small laugh into the night.

Past, present or future. His life here in New Los Angles looks to be a fun one.

YES! Done with this madness! Now I get just focus on Fenrir's back story and then I can just go crazy with stories ideas without screwing with people's heads! Although in hindsight I shouldn't have gave ten fuzz barriers and just put the dang thing out so I wouldn't have to write this crud.

Well whatever, either way I hope you enjoyed this!

Happy reading!