Nikke: Nullable Type

Snow White looked at Rapi with a calm smile. "So you're the reason that Red Hood managed to come back."

Rapi handed Snow White a soda and said, "I wouldn't say that. If anything, Red Hood is the one who kept me alive." She looked at Red Hood, standing next to Snow White and said, "Right?"

Red Hood laughed and raised her beer to Rapi. "I'll drink to that. Maaan. Do you know how terrible this girl was when I met her, Snow? She couldn't even shoot and slide to cover."

Snow White looked amused and said, "I think the fact that anyone learned how to fight like you did is a miracle in itself, Red Hood."

Red Hood draped an arm around Snow White's shoulders and said, "Come on, Snow. Just call me Red! We're all adults now, right?" She booped Snow's nose and said, "You don't have an excuse now that you've got a bigger body AND you're decades older."

Snow White immediately started to move, getting a bad feeling. But before she could-

"Got ya!"

-Red Hood pulled Snow White into a half-nelsen, wrapping her arm around Snow White's neck.

"Gah! Red! Quit it!"

"Nope~! Can't believe you still fall for it!"

"Gr...! I hate you!"

"Liar~"

Rapi watched the two interact, cracking open a melon soda. As she sipped it, she smiled and said, "It's funny. I don't think any of us realized it... but Commander's squad has a pretty similar dynamic to the Goddess Squad."

Red Hood finally let Snow White go and said, "I've been trying to tell you, Rapi. Lil Boss is basically just Boss 2.0 with a bit of Lilith sprinkled in. And you guys are basically the same as us. Like, Marian's kind of like Lilith with how kind but scary she is. You're like me. Neon is definitely like Snow used to be. Anis is like Rapunzel before she was down bad... Endless is kind of like Dorothy. And... Huh. I guess you don't have anyone like Scarlet."

Rapi sipped on her soda and said, "Well, we eventually found Rose. So I think it counts. Scarlet joined later too, didn't she?"

"That's right!" Red Hood snapped her fingers and said, "You guys ARE us! But like, version two!"

Snow White massaged her neck. "Ugh... Still stupid strong even with a robotic body." She looked at Red Hood, marveling over the sleek metal that looked like flesh at a first glance. "...I'm still impressed at how the Commander made that. It's not a Nikke body at all, right? Just a metallic robot frame?"

"Yep!" Red Hood flexed. "I didn't get the full explanation, but it's basically just wires, steel, and fancy paint! And even better... if this goes boom, I just print a new one! I'm technically not even in here, you know? It's like one of your VR games."

"Really?" Snow White looked intrigued. "...And what are the specs exactly?"

Rapi chuckled. "Yep. Definitely like Neon."

"Did someone say firepower?!" Neon dashed over and grinned. "I'm here- Oh! Miss Snow!" Neon gave Snow White a thumbs up and said, "Your tips last time were super helpful! It helped me achieve ultimate firepower!"

"...Ultimate firepower?" Snow White tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Rapi's eyes widened. "Neon. Neon, no-"

"This!" Neon clapped her hands and made a swirling white plasma orb appear. "Behold, the ultimate firepower of spatial collapse! ...Just kidding. But it looks cool, right-"

"NEON!" Commander Hoopa's voice cut through the noise from all the way across the room. "I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU BLOW UP THIS BUILDING I WILL USE THE RAIL CANNON TO THROW YOU TO SOLO THE RAPTURE QUEEN!"

"Eek!" Neon quickly extinguished it and said, "Nope! Not doing anything, Commander! Promise!"

Rapi sighed. "Thank heavens..."

Snow White rubbed her chin. "Interesting... Was that the same principles as an anti-airship rifle but condensed into an internal channel to form as a plasma ball?"

Neon's eyes lit up. "YES! That's what Sophia said! It was super hard since it requires like REALLY strong materials! But my healthy body can take a pounding!"

Rapi's cheeks blushed. "Neon, phrasing-"

"Take a pounding, huh~?" Red Hood grinned. "Ooh, I bet you'd love to test that out with your commander."

Neon gasped and said, "I SHOULD! I wanna see Master try to pound me until I'm exhausted!"

Snow White blushed. "N-Neon, I think you should be careful about how you phrase things..."

Neon blinked. "Huh? I just said I wanted Master to try and test the limits of my body."

Red Hood's crimson eyes sparkled. "Ooh, testing the limits, huh? Like how flexible you are?"

Snow White gasped. "R-Red Hood! NO!"

Neon nodded. "Yeah! We could do that! Ooh, and we could see if I could handle his sword too-"

"Okay." Rapi immediatley cut Neon off. "We're done with this conversation."

"Huh?" Neon blinked. "But why, Rapi?"

"...Anyway. Snow White." Rapi looked at Snow White. "I take it that you and the rest of the Goddess Squad will be officially returning to the Ark?"

Snow White paused. "...I'm not sure. Commander is going to return to the Ark first with Dorothy to discuss things. He's a Deputy Chief, after all. But there was that big mess with the Heretics and Absolute being corrupted. He needs to be there to fix it."

Rapi frowned. "...Right. Do you think he can actually heal them?"

Red Hood laughed. "What are you so worried about, Rapi? If Boss can't fix them, Lil Boss definitely can, right?"

Neon's eyes lit up. "Ooh! That's right! Master is great at logic bombs! He'll overwrite the corruption in no time!"

Rapi sighed. "That's what I'm worried about. Commander doesn't actually 'cure' corruption. He just... re-corrupts them. And in the process he tends to make the women he cures very affectionate..."

Neon tilted her head. "Is that a bad thing?"

Rapi paused. "...Not necessarily. But-"

"Ooh~" Red Hood grinned. "Is our Rapi jealous?"

Rapi blushed. "I-I'm not jealous."

Neon gasped. "You totally are! Is it because Mari has Master's babies!?"

Rapi was quiet. But her lack of a response was more telling than any words she could have said.

Neon giggled. "Rapi wants Master's babies~"

"Sh-Shut up! So what if I do!" Rapi huffed. "A girl has needs. And I'm getting fed up of not getting alone time with Commander, okay? I haven't even... you know, once yet! And Endless apparently did it that much to have three babies frozen in waiting for the right chance... it's not fair."

Red Hood grinned. "Damned straight it's not fair! So... We jumping him?"

Snow White groaned. "Red Hood. Do NOT encourage-"

Neon clapped her hands and said, "I can totally convince Master to come help me with some weapon design later and lock you in with him, Rapi!"

Rapi paused to seriously consider it.

Snow White sighed, massaging her temple. "You realize you could just ask the guy. Unlike OUR Commander, yours is straightforward when it comes to love, right?"

Red Hood laughed. "That's true. It took Boss pansying around a whole year just to ask Lilith out on a date."

Rapi blinked. "...You know what? You're right." She immediately stood up. Snatching the beer out of Red Hood's hand, she chugged it and stomped off towards Commander Hoopa.

Snow White groaned. "This is a disaster..."

Red Hood cackled. "This is amazing!"

Neon pulled out her phone, already recording. "This is history!"

And as for Rapi...

"Commander! I want sex! Now!"

...She threw away all her shame.

Commander Hoopa blinked. Then he said, "Uh, you'll have to ask-"

Anis immediately tugged Hoopa up and said, "You know what? Rapi's got a point! Yeah! Sex, now!"

"W-Wait a minute-"

Marian giggled. "Fiiine. Sophia said it's not safe for me to do it right now, so you two have to keep him satisfied~"

Snow White covered her face. "I can't believe this is happening."

Red Hood cackled. "I can!"

===

From the corner of the room where Matis, Sophia, Chatterbox (now fully into being Demon Lord Vanitas) and Syuen (via tablet) were sitting.

Maxwell looked over, amused, and said, "I guess that's one way to ask."

Laplace blushed, placing her hands over her cheeks, giggling as she watched Rapi and Anis drag their commander up the stairs to his room. "They're actually going to...?"

Drake cackled and said, "Of course! The commander of true villains like us would undoubtedly be a man among men!"

Vanitas swirled a glass of wine that he procured from somewhere and sipped it. "Yes... spreading the progeny is the mark of a true king."

Syuen sighed on her tablet. "...I can't believe he's my partner. The one guy in my life I decide to trust and he's like this..."

Maxwell looked amused and said, "Well, he's everything your father said was impossible. So it makes sense."

Syuen froze. Then her eyes widened as if the realization just struck her.

Maxwell chuckled and said, "Don't tell me you didn't realize that, Syuen."

"Sh-Shut up! I've been busy!"

Sophia nibbled on a cookie and marveled at the sweetness. "So this is the difference between analogue and discretized senses... interesting."

Maxwell looked over and said, "...That's right. You were originally just bits and binaries. How's being alive for you?"

Sophia sipped on a soda, enjoying the bubbling acidity. Then she said, "It's intriguing." She ran her hand across the smooth surface of the table and said, "I've learned there are things that cannot be expressed with words or numbers. Only 'feel.'"

Vanitas sipped his wine and nodded. "Indeed. Chief among those is the loyalty to the King."

Maxwell sighed. "...Is everyone here running a concept?"

Sophia smiled. "Well, we do each have our role to play."

Syuen rolled her eyes. "Enough chitchat. Since we're all here... Wait. Where's Mihara and Yuni?"

"Here, Syuen." Mihara walked over, holding a box filled with chocolate strawberries.

Yuni skipped over, carrying a tray filled with crushed walnuts. "We're back! I've got crushed walnuts!"

Maxwell glanced at the walnuts and said, "...Do I want to ask?"

Mihara chuckled and said, "Yuni was getting a bit restless. And it's not good for us to do our usual thing with so many around."

"..." Maxwell gave a pointed look at Syuen.

Syuen blushed and said, "I-It's not my fault they ended up this way!"

Maxwell slowly said, "Syuen. The reason Laplace is a hero is because you were going through a hero phase. The fact that Mihara and Yuni are like that..." She let out a teasing smile and said, "Is there something you want to share about your preferences?"

Laplace sat up straight at hearing her name called. But then she paused, a teasing smile on her face. "Ooooh! Syuen! Are you into-"

"EVEN IF I AM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE! Next question!"

===

Huddled over in the kitchen, Shifty sighed, sipping on a rootbeer float. "...At least there are yummy snacks here."

Liberalio reached out to pat Shifty's shoulder. "There, there, Miss Shifty. Father will make sure you are safe. And even if he cannot, we will. You are family, yes?"

Nihilister looked amused and said, "You're like a scared little rabbit."

Shifty huffed and said, "Of course I'm scared! I'm just human! And I know enough to where the Central Government will either turn me into a Nikke or scan my brain! And THEN turn me into a Nikke!"

Nihilister raised an eyebrow. "...I don't think you're 'just' human. Didn't you use those weapons in the Ark?"

Shifty nodded. "I did!" She flexed her arms and said, "Adrenaline is amazing!"

Liberalio shared a look with Nihilister.

Shifty noticed the look and looked at both of them. "H-Hey! What's with that expression?!"

"Nothing, Miss Shifty." Liberalio smiled. "But here." She handed over a plate with sliced pieces of cheesecake. "Enjoy some snacks and relax."

Shifty's eyes lit up and she took the plate. "Thank you! You're amazing, um...?"

"Liberalio." Liberalio smiled. "And that there is my sister, Nihilister. You can call her Nile... because she's in denial."

"Oi!" Nihilister's ears turned red. "I'm not in denial about anything!"

"You adore Father. But you refuse to say so."

Nihilister pursed her lips shut but didn't deny it.

Liberalio giggled. "See? You won't admit that you enjoy having a parent who's that powerful."

"Sh-Shut up. So what if I do, huh?" Nihilister fidgeted.

Shifty gave her a blank stare. Then she murmured, "Oh my god. Heretics have daddy issues."

Nihilister immediately snapped her head up to glare at Shifty.

Shifty squeaked and kept eating her cheesecake.

Liberalio hummed and said, "But speaking of Father... Nile. Do you think that Fake Mother will act soon?"

Nihilister pursed her lips and said, "...Yeah. I think she's figured out that Pops has been corrupting the little ones. She's probably going to either send bigger units out, or more like the ones in the Ark that can resist him." She cracked her neck, causing her crimson hair to shift.

Shifty looked torn between escaping and listening. But after a bit of thinking, she sighed and decided to stay.

'After all, I'm already in this deep...'

The commander was right.

Shifty was doomed the moment she made her call sign Persephone.

Commander Hoopa was CLEARLY Hades and she'd already bitten off more than she could chew from his accursed pomegranates...

So, after finishing up another cheesecake bite, Shifty focused. Taking up her professionalism as an operator, she looked at Nihilister and said, "What's the situation again, Nile?"

"Hm? Well..."