When the light finally dimmed and coalesced, Su Yan froze.
A monochrome colour scheme.
A short black dress. Thigh-high boots. Pale hair beneath a dark visor.
Two white blades hovered behind her back, suspended within two glowing yellow rings.
And just behind her shoulder, a small machine floated silently in the air.
Pod 042.
Su Yan's mind stalled.
It was 2B, from NieR:Automata.
But Su Yan could not understand.
He had originally thought Gatekeeper would only pull from the Nikke summon pool.
Then a thought came to mind.
The collaboration events.
As far as he could remember, those characters had been treated as part of the playable roster, and the events themselves had been folded into the game's story.
So that meant Gatekeeper was not only drawing from original Nikke units.
It was drawing from the entire Nikke-recognized roster.
Collaboration units included.
Su Yan couldn't help but get excited about that.
A2.
Rem and Emilia from Re:Zero.
Eve from Stellar Blade.
And so many more.
It meant there was a real possibility of meeting those characters.
But then Su Yan's thoughts turned cold as one particular collaboration surfaced in his mind.
One character.
Makima.
Oh god. If she were summoned, Su Yan was pretty sure he would be sold off and still somehow end up helping her count the money.
He absolutely did not want to summon her.
As alluring as she was, Su Yan was certain he would not be able to handle her. Not at this age. Not with his current experience. Maybe not ever.
As his thoughts continued to spiral, he was brought back by Pod 042 floating directly in front of his face.
A faint line of light swept down Su Yan's face.
"Analysis: subject displays approximately ninety percent structural resemblance to registered Nikke Commander profile."
Su Yan blinked.
"Query: are you the Commander's progeny?"
It took a few seconds before Su Yan finally spoke.
"No. Definitely not."
He paused, then exhaled.
"I'm the Commander. Just not in the body your records remember."
Pod 042 bobbed up and down once.
"Affirmative. Commander signal and structural profile are consistent within acceptable variance. Biological age remains outside expected parameters."
"Additional information: Unit 2B retains memories of the D-WAVE incident. This unit has access to associated records."
2B stood a few steps away, silent and still, letting Pod 042 handle the first exchange while her covered gaze remained fixed on Su Yan.
Her posture remained relaxed, but her attention never drifted from the exchange between Su Yan and Pod.
Su Yan took a slow breath.
"Speaking of that, what do you last remember before being summoned here?"
Pod 042 turned slightly toward 2B before answering.
"Information: YoRHa detected an anomaly signature identical to the previous D-WAVE incident, during which Unit 2B and Unit 9S disappeared."
The small machine hovered in place.
"Unit 2B and this unit were dispatched to investigate. Upon reaching the signal source, spatial displacement occurred."
"Query: where is the Rapture designated 'Gatekeeper'? Previous records indicate its destruction was required to enable return."
Su Yan thought for a moment before answering.
"This time is a little different from last time. Technically, I'm the one who summoned you."
Pod 042 hovered in place for a moment before scanning Su Yan from head to toe once again.
"Analysis: faint D-WAVE signal detected from the Commander's body. Signal strength is rapidly weakening."
"Proposal: Unit 2B should immediately destroy the signal source before dissipation is complete."
Su Yan stiffened.
From the side, Nihilister's eyes lit with open amusement.
"Negative, Pod. We are not killing the Commander."
2B spoke firmly.
"Report: D-WAVE signal continues to weaken. Previous data indicates that destruction of the signal source enabled displaced matter to return to its original coordinates."
Su Yan swallowed.
"And what happens if the signal disappears?"
Pod 042 hovered in place.
"Unknown. Speculation: Unit 2B and this unit may become stranded at the current location."
2B looked at Su Yan.
"Commander, do you have a way for us to return?"
Su Yan looked down.
"I… I don't currently have a way."
The answer settled over the clearing. For a moment, even Pod 042 made no sound.
2B stared at Su Yan for a long moment.
Su Yan could not tell whether she was genuinely considering Pod's suggestion.
"Pod. We are still not killing the Commander."
Pod 042 bobbed in the air.
"Confirmation: elimination of the Commander is prohibited."
"Alert: D-WAVE signal has completely ceased."
"Proposal: Unit 2B and this unit should temporarily join the Commander's squad until a method of return is found."
Su Yan felt a little whiplash from how quickly Pod changed tracks. But considering what it had just said, he turned hopeful eyes toward 2B.
2B did not answer immediately. Her gaze stayed on him, still and unreadable. Then, as if reaching a decision, she stepped forward.
She walked toward Su Yan and stopped in front of him.
"I'll be temporarily joining your squad again, Commander."
She gave a quick salute.
"2B here, at your service."
Su Yan's heart soared.
Then an amused voice cut in from the side.
"Hah. You lot are an absolute riot."
Nihilister's eyes gleamed as she looked between 2B, Pod, and Su Yan.
Su Yan narrowed his eyes at her.
"I would have liked some more support there, you know."
Nihilister let out a low laugh.
"You looked like you had it well enough in hand."
Her eyes flicked briefly toward 2B.
"And would you look at that? Everything resolved with no bloodshed."
Su Yan's stare flattened.
"Pod suggested killing me."
"And if either of them had actually moved to do it, I would have stopped them," Nihilister said, still smiling. "But they didn't."
Her mouth curved, sharp and pleased.
"Besides, if I stepped in too soon, I would have missed such an amusing scene."
She pushed herself up from the rock she had been lounging on and strode toward 2B.
Su Yan's expression tightened.
"Nihilister…"
She ignored him, stopping in front of 2B with lazy confidence.
"You look like you can fight."
2B remained still.
"I can."
"Good." Nihilister's smile showed teeth. "Then let's see how well."
"No," Su Yan said immediately.
Nihilister glanced back at him. "I wasn't asking you."
2B turned her gaze toward him. "A controlled engagement may be beneficial."
Su Yan stared at her.
"Not you too."
2B kept her attention fixed on Nihilister.
"I do not believe she will let this go without one."
Nihilister's grin widened.
"You know me so well already. You and I will get along famously."
She turned and started moving toward a clearing a little way off, 2B following after her with silent steps.
When Su Yan moved to follow, Nihilister stopped and glanced back.
"You stay here."
"Why?"
"Because you'll just get in the way and fuss the whole time."
Su Yan frowned.
"Nihilister, 2B is with us now. If I stay here, promise me you won't take this too far."
Nihilister huffed.
"I'm testing her, not tearing her apart."
"That is not a promise."
Nihilister bared a hint of teeth.
"Fine. I'll be gentle."
2B turned her head slightly toward Su Yan.
"I will avoid causing serious damage."
Nihilister gave a dismissive snort.
"Ha. As if those little blades of yours could actually hurt me."
Su Yan sighed.
That was probably the best he was getting out of Nihilister.
Pod 042 floated past him, following after 2B and Nihilister as they headed toward the clearing.
Su Yan watched them go.
He wanted to follow them. He really did.
But 2B had agreed, Nihilister had given something close enough to a promise, and if he tried to supervise them the entire time, Nihilister would be even less likely to listen.
So he forced himself to stay where he was.
He would trust them.
Or, at the very least, he would trust 2B not to let Nihilister turn this into an actual disaster.
When they disappeared beyond the trees, Su Yan exhaled and turned back toward the corpse of the mutated Wind Spirit Wolf.
He crouched beside the corpse, his eyes narrowing.
A normal Wind Spirit Wolf should not have been able to breathe fire.
The flames, the dark red scales hidden beneath its fur, and the faint heat still clinging to the gem in its chest were all wrong.
Su Yan's fingers hovered near the still-warm gem.
Whether the gem was the cause or just another part of the mutation, he could not say yet.
But it was the most obvious place to start.
After a moment, he drew his knife and carefully worked the blade around the gem, cutting beneath the scales as he tried to pry it free.
It was harder than he expected.
The scales resisted the edge, and the flesh beneath had become dense and tough, almost like cured leather.
Eventually, the gem shifted loose.
Then Su Yan froze.
Hot blood welled up around the gem, steaming faintly in the cold air.
Thin, dark-red strands clung to the back of the gem, stretching from the gem into the wolf's chest like blood vessels.
It had not simply been stuck there.
It had been connected.
Before Su Yan could inspect it further, a heavy crash tore through the forest from the direction of the clearing.
His hand jerked.
The gem came free with a wet snap.
For a moment, Su Yan forgot about the crash entirely.
The blood vessels attached to the gem writhed once, then went still.
The faint red glow beneath the wolf's scales began to dim.
Su Yan watched as the bright red scales along the corpse's chest slowly dulled, their colour sinking into a muted grey-red. The heat leaking from the body faded with it, and the dense flesh around the wound seemed to slacken, aging in front of his eyes.
His grip tightened around the gem.
Whatever this thing was, it had not merely mutated the Wind Spirit Wolf.
It had been sustaining the mutation as well.
Another crash came from the clearing.
Su Yan's head snapped up.
Past the trees, one of the towering trunks began to tilt before collapsing with a groan of splintering wood.
A heartbeat later, the sharp clash of metal rang through the forest again.
After the tree collapsed, Su Yan took one step toward the clearing.
Then another crash rang out, loud enough to make the ground tremble.
He stopped.
If he rushed over now, he would not be helping. With how fierce the spar sounded, he would only give them one more thing to avoid hitting.
Another impact shook the forest.
A second tree came down.
Su Yan stared in that direction for a long moment.
"…Yeah. I'm staying here."
Su Yan sat down on a rock and began inspecting the red gem in earnest.
With the connecting tissue torn away, he could finally make out its true shape. It was not some random lump. Its shape was surprisingly regular, almost like a frozen drop of water.
He held it up toward the light.
The gem caught the sun and scattered it in a clear red shimmer. It was beautiful, almost flawless.
Almost.
At the centre of the gem, a cloudy mass remained suspended within the red glow, like an imperfection trapped beneath glass.
Su Yan clicked his tongue softly.
"What a shame."
Whatever this thing was, it would probably have looked even better if that cloudy patch was not there.
He stored the gem away and continued to wait.
Another fifteen minutes passed before his worries started creeping back up again. He was just about to reconsider going to the clearing himself when the sounds of combat finally stopped.
Five minutes later, Nihilister, 2B, and Pod 042 returned.
Nihilister looked faintly irritated, though there was too much satisfaction in her eyes for Su Yan to believe she was actually annoyed.
2B did not seem hurt, but her outfit was covered in patches of dust and dirt, as if she had spent the entire fight dodging through broken ground and falling debris.
Nihilister, on the other hand, looked almost untouched at first glance.
Then Su Yan noticed the thin white marks crisscrossing her dragon-headed appendages.
There were dozens of them.
Most were already shrinking, the pale lines closing beneath a faint red glow as Nihilister's regeneration went to work.
When Nihilister caught Su Yan staring, she clicked her tongue.
"Just scratches."
Su Yan looked from the marks, to 2B, then back to Nihilister.
"Those are a lot of scratches."
Nihilister's eyes narrowed, but the corner of her mouth still curled upward.
"She is slippery."
2B stood silently beside Pod 042, her stance calm and relaxed.
"Your defences are durable."
Nihilister crossed her arms and gave a dismissive snort.
"And your little blades are annoying."
A smile still tugged at her mouth.
"I still won, though."
"Correction: result is inconclusive."
Pod 042 cut in.
Nihilister narrowed her eyes at the Pod.
"I was holding back. I hadn't even used my fire."
"Affirmative," Pod replied. "Unit 2B also avoided strikes to critical components."
Nihilister huffed, no longer bothering to argue with it.
Then her eyes shifted back to Su Yan.
She stepped closer.
Su Yan stiffened slightly.
"What are you doing?"
"Checking something."
"For what?"
Nihilister studied him for a moment, then gave a low, considering hum.
"Trying to figure out what changed."
"With me?"
"With us."
She lifted one hand and curled it into a fist. The air around her knuckles gave a sharp little pop.
"I got stronger after you absorbed that second ring."
Su Yan blinked.
Nihilister glanced down at her own hand, her expression thoughtful despite the faint satisfaction in her eyes.
"Not recovered. Nothing that convenient. The damage is still there."
Her fist tightened again.
"But my upper output climbed."
Su Yan's gaze sharpened.
"So me getting stronger made you stronger too?"
"Seems that way." Nihilister's mouth curved into a genuine smile. "When I said Nikkes got stronger around you, I didn't think it would be so literal."