Hey there, readers! I just wanted to say that the rewritten prologue I have been working on has been released. That's why it took me so long to write this chapter, but you now you can go and check out the updated chapter. Please tell me if you like it.

Interdimensional RED-Coded Contract

Interlude: Dark and Red

I lost track of how much time has passed.

Seconds, hours, centuries? It could be anything.

Am I dead? Am I alive?

Is this what Hell looks like?

For how long will this go on?

Will I stay like this forever? Where am I? How did I get here?

Anyone? Hello?

I want out, seriously. Let me out!

Let me out!

Falcom screams, but no sound reached her ears, nor did anything leave her nonexistent throat.

She tried to grip her hair in frustration, but she had no arms to move, nor any hair to grip.

Help! Somebody! Anybody! Get me out of here!

PlEaSe!

HeLP!

OuT!

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANT OUUUUUUUUUUUUUT ! ! !

PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAASEEEEEEEEEEEE!

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!

AAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNYYYYYYYYOOOOOONNNNEEEEE ! ! ! ? ? ?

LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET MEEEEEEEEEEEEE OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT ! ! !

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Falcom opened her eyes, finally ending her nightmare. Her eyelids felt heavy, as if made out of solid lead. The light broke away the dark void that surrounded her, and replaced it with the pleasant blue color of the sky.

She was alive...

This was neither heaven nor hell, she was simply in too much pain for her to be anywhere but in good ol' Gamindustri.

It wasn't anything like soreness or fatigue, rather she could feel cuts and bruises all over herself. Legs, arms, face and torso. Her assailants probably weren't aiming at anything in particular, as long it injured her. She didn't even bother to raise her head and check, she instinctively knew that none of them were life-threatening. Her experience told her that.

Strangely enough, she felt no emotions, no fear or anger, or happiness. She felt... neutral, despite the countless wounds caused by the blade, and the cold sweat left by the void.

"So Angela kicked me out of castle." She mumbled to herself. "Why she did that, I dunno…"

The adventurer didn't move an inch, opting to lie on the ground (or was it grass?) and stare at the mildly cloudy sky. The sun seems to be rising, which means that either Falcom was unconscious for only a few hours, or a few days.

The same question repeated inside her mind, which the adventurer naturally began to ponder.

Why did Angela react in such a way? What happened to her that a mere mention of Histoire's mercenaries got her this violent?

Did they kill someone close to her?

The mercs aren't the most harmless people in the world, and most likely never will be. She could take a safe guess that they have harmed (killed) someone close to the Dark Magician during one of their assaults.

But would that be really enough to dedicate oneself entirely just for revenge? Falcom never actually lost anyone, so she can't really understand Angela's pain.

"Finally woken up?"

"Yeah, Duke Eyelander."

Falcom speaks grudgingly, fittingly of a person who just woken up. She finally raised her head and saw the possessed sword safely tucked into its sheath, lying on the grass by her leg.

'So Angela kicked him out too.' Was what Falcom thought once she saw him.

"For the love of- do you remember what happened?"

Growling like an angry animal, the sword sighs and asked the question. Not a shred of concern was heard behind his words, a mere neutral tone people often use when talking to strangers.

Yet again Falcom rests her head on the grass, frowning as she recollects the past events. "Yeah, I kinda do. Angela got mad, for some reason, then her servants surrounded us… and then… I don't remember what happened next."

No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't remember. After that point she was trapped in the nothingness, and there was nothing to remember actually. It was a truly terrifying experience, being devoid of all senses…

She once heard from Spy, that the most effective form of torture is simply stripping a person from their senses. If they can't see, hear and even feel anything, they'll eventually confess everything...

Today Falcom just went through the same thing, All of her senses were shut down. There was no mistaking or sugarcoating it…

It's hell. Period.

No person should ever have to go through that…

She couldn't even feel how long it took, was she there for minutes? Days? Years? It could be anything.

The Eyelander didn't know about Falcom's worries, nor could he see her face. The ghost was completely oblivious to the kind of psychological torture Falcom just experienced. "Angela cast another one of her spells on you, which left you blinded or maybe paralyzed, I dunno. You dropped me pretty much the moment the smoke engulfed you. Then her servants had a field day beating the crap out of you."

Falcom winces a little, finally knowing a reason why her body hurts so much. "That… kinda sounds painful."

"It also looked the part." Agrees the Eyelander. "You should check your phone, someone was ringing the whole time and it started being irritating."

"Huh?" Falcom reached for her pocket, and fished out her surprisingly untouched phone. "Erm… Duke Eyelander? How long was I out?" The adventurer sucked some air through her teeth.

She missed 7 calls from IF, 5 from Histoire, 4 from Nepgear AND 2 from Compa, and also had an 11 unread texts. When. The hell. Did that happen?

"A whole day. You were unconscious for a whole day."

Okay, that explains it.

"Sheesh, they really roughed me up."

"Yes, and you're going to go back in there to stop Angela."

Falcom raises her head again and looks at the sword with perplexed expression. "Uhh… why? Why do we need to stop her?"

She didn't know exactly why, but the adventurer imagined the ghost to be smirking as he stated the reason. "Maybe because Nepgear, and every other CPU, are going to be in danger if we don't?"

Those words hit her like a metaphorical bucket of water, snapping her entire torso upwards (the pain wasn't THAT bad after all) and looking at the sword with eyes wide as dinner plates. "W-What!? What do you mean by that!?

What could also be interpreted as shocking, was the way the Eyelander laughed - chuckled actually. This was literally the first time Falcom ever saw him laughing. Literally! "Hehehehehe. What I mean, is that me and her have much more in common than I initially thought. Get comfortable and listen, this is what happened right after you got wasted."

The smoke, black as the pupil of an eye, slowly dispersed and revealed the body of Falcom. She was unconscious, bruised and cut all over her body, the servants weren't holding back in their assault, but they didn't want to kill her either.

Standing over her beaten body was Angela, the orb of Black Hole still existing at the edge of her staff.

All she needed to do was wave her staff, and Falcom would die.

A quick, painless death. The very least thing Angela could provide to her enemy's friend.

Just… launch the Black Hole… and finish this.

The undead backed away, watching their contractor's next move with anticipation.

The dark magician grit her teeth, stopping them from chattering. At the same time, her hand holding her weapon quivered.

It's just one motion, that's all.

Her first significant step in achieving her revenge, she can deal a heavy blow to that CPU...

All she needs to do is let Black Hole do it, and her revenge will be in motion.

…

She can't-

She can't do it.

Just- "Go away!" Angela swings her staff and let the dark sphere fly, but it wasn't aimed at Falcom. Rather, the Black Hole hit the wall far ahead in the hallway. The spell exploded and broke a part of the wall, at the same time the darkness returned where it was stolen from, but the recently-placed torches ensured that the hallway remained illuminated.

Angela fell to her knees and let her tears run freely.

She can't kill her.

It's just impossible for her to kill another person.

Why? Why can't she just do it!?

"Aren't you looking just pathetic?"

A voice, very amused and familiar one at that, began to taunt her. "The Eyelander?" Angela turned her head towards the sword, who seems to take amusement in her torment.

"For a moment there I thought that both of us were done for, but then you spare the woman and collapse crying. So what did you mean by that?"

The dark magician grew confused and raised her brow. "By what?"

"'The whole cause of your suffering'." The ghost quoted. "What was that about?"

The undead servants looked at each other, shrugging one by one and deciding that idleness was the best course of action. Meanwhile Angela heavily pondered if she should tell him or not… It's not like this spirit actually cared about her mental state or the traumas she went through. In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if her torment amused him.

But on the other side… he's a few hundred- or maybe even thousand years old. He's much wiser than she is.

"Do you know how it feels to have your whole life crumbling down all at once? Literally your whole life."

The dark magician wiped her tears away and moved herself closer to the possessed sword, crossing her legs to sit more comfortably. She felt very confused right now and, while the chance for it to work was small, an audience with someone much older and more experienced may be something that she really needed…

Of course, Angela just attacked his vessel and almost murdered her. There's a chance he may deny giving her any advice.

"I do, in fact."

But he didn't, instead he gave her a heartful answer. "Believe it or not, but I met my demise by being betrayed by my own men. The men that I vowed to protect and lead to the Golden Age. In a single moment my entire life crumbled into pieces for their own gain."

"And what happened to those men?"

"I decapitated each and every single one as my body slowly shut down from poison."

The dark magician stared awkwardly at the battered claymore. He just could not sound more innocent and cheerful when he just confessed to committing mass murder in mortal vengeance. Then again, all malevolent spirits either had some tragic past or did some unspeakable things. Things like murderers or slavery were common in the early ages.

She can't understand how some people can kill others so easily… Her legs almost gave way by just attempting to murder the adventurer.

"W-Well… I'm in kind of a similar situation, without being poisoned though."

"Oh?"

'...Could you not sound like a child interested in hearing a bedtime story?' Were Angela's thoughts.

"Y-yeah… I had pretty simple life until then. I was practicing magic back at home in Lastation, my older sister was a recruit in the army, and my parents were an adventurers. They often shared their stories with us, or trained my older sister in swordsmanship. B-But then-"

"-Then they died, didn't they?" The Eyelander cuts in, sounding incredibly interested in hearing her tragic story, even though Angela's voice was on the verge of breaking.

"Y-Yeah." Nods the dark magician. "M-Mom and dad went to do some Guild quests and got themselves killed, a-and all me and my sister got was this stupid, cookie-cutter apology! No help or justice! Just this stupid apology!"

She punched the floor, doing no damage to the marble or her knuckles, but she does that again and again in anger. The Eyelander watched her cry without her realizing with sickened interest.

"Go on."

"We were heartbroken, I didn't know what to do, my sister didn't know what to do." She realized that her tears again leaked, and stopped them. "She eventually took me to Planeptune, where we tried to sort our lives but-"

"-She died as well, is that right?" Finished the ghost, almost as if he knew the story.

"Thanks to those damn warehouses!" Roared Angela, confirming Eyelander's words. "She was just resting at home after a hard day of work, when suddenly a piece of wall struck our building. I came back from school to find my home burnt down and my sister in hospital. She d-didn't make it."

For the 3rd or 4th time (the Eyelander didn't bother to count), Angela broke down crying. The poor woman won't last much longer, but the Eyelander won't let her rest just yet. "And your boyfriend? He died too, yes?"

Angela shot him a glare. "You just want me to spill everything so you can laugh at my suffering, right?" She vengefully accused. Days of her suffering, of the loneliness she experienced after everyone close to her died, her entire reason to just keep living. He expects her to just spill it entirely so he can laugh at it?

The magician's anger renewed, finding a new target to unleash it all. At the same time, the sword chuckled right in her face. It was a cheery, mocking laugh that sent Angela's blood boiling. "What else did you expect? I'm a malevolent spirit after all. Your suffering is my amusement."

"Why did I even talk to you? What did I hope to accomplish?"

Angela huffed and turned her back towards him. But Eyelander's next words took her a little by surprise. "You wanted to hear my advice or an opinion on what you should do, am I wrong? Actually I must say that I'm shocked. It seems that there are a few things we have in common."

The brunette turned her head back towards the sword, completely puzzled by his confession. "What?"

"You and I were both betrayed by those we trusted, me by my servants - and you by your government. You DID put at least some faith in those… CPUs, before this happened, right?"

Angela stopped to think for a moment while the Eyelander continued.

"I sought revenge by killing my soon-to-be murderers, while you're still seeking revenge at the government who refused to help you during those hard times, and their work indirectly killed your sister as well."

"Where are you going with this!?" The Eyelander fell silent as Angela impatiently demanded. He was annoyed when she rudely cut in, if she wanted to hear his opinion she shouldn't interrupt him when he's talking.

"I am going to say this only once, Angela, the Dark Magician. Listen carefully."

…

…

…

…

…

"I am rooting for you, but I will also stop you"

"Eh?"

Angela wasn't prepared for these words, staring down at the sword in surprise for some explanation.

He's rooting for her? And he'll stop her as well?

So he wants her to succeed? But also for her to… not succeed?

"I'm interested in how far you'll go, as you're walking on a similar path as me. However, my current owner is employed by the one you want to kill. Because of that, we shall meet next as foes."

"So, you want to see me succeed and kill the CPUs. But because of your owner, you're forced to stand against me."

"That's what I just said, yes. As my gift to you, I'll tell you something about the Gehaburn."

Her anger dispersed once more, just like when she tried to kill Falcom. Angela patiently listened to Eyelander's next words.

"The Gehaburn is awake, and she has already denied your wish."

"The Gehaburn denied her wish? Why?"

Until this very moment, Falcom was listening quietly and chewed on some Healing Grass, which the adventurer was conveniently lying on. It wasn't much, but it helped by numbing the pain a little and making the wounds heal quicker.

The entire grass around her was actually the healing herb just growing freely, mostly untouched by the civilization. That's both convenient and amazing.

Anyway, this was what confused Falcom. Why has the Gehaburn denied Angela's wish? Don't they share the same goal?

"Because The Gehaburn judged her as unworthy. When Angela spared you, a friend of a CPU, she has shown that she's unfit of becoming her vessel. A vessel of a sword possessed by a spirit who hates the goddesses."

"So… we don't need to fear anything? If she can't wield it, Nepgear and the others are safe, right?"

Falcom shrugged as she said this. That was at least how she understood this whole thing. If the spirit possessing the sword doesn't want to be wielded, then they're all good. The bad guys (just one woman) can't use it.

And the Eyelander agreed with that, only part of it though.

"For some time, yes. I don't think the Gehaburn will allow Angela to get close to her, but that won't fix the problem."

Spitting out the green pulp, Falcom's eyebrows burrowed. "It won't fix it? Why?"

"Just because the Gehaburn rejected Angela, it doesn't actually mean anything. Angela can simply force her way in and, with enough determination, take control of the Gehaburn and wield it. She's used to dealing with ghosts after all."

"Uhhh…" You lost me, was what Falcom tried to say. She doesn't understand how that would work. Forcing yourself onto a spirit and controlling it? Isn't this supposed to be in reverse? "I'm confused." The redhead scratches her head.

The sword sighs, and Falcom suddenly felt a cold, hostile presence behind her, like there was a mass murderer behind her and she could instinctively pick up on that.

"Let me say it like this. When I take a control of your limbs, you try to resist it, it's an involuntary movement. In your case, it doesn't do much, because you're inexperienced compared to me, but you're still trying and it manages to slow me down. But if Angela were to hold me, I wouldn't be able to do much without her consent, because she's already knowledgeable about darkness, spirits, and other things of the occult. She'll just know how to resist possession more effectively than you."

So, all of that comes down to experience with spirits, which Falcom obviously lacks.

"So, what would the Gehaburn do if I were to… umm… wield her?"

She shyly asked that, but Falcom feels like this was a good question. What would happen if she were to grab the sword? Would that be even safe for her? Will she fall into a whirlpool of delusions if the adventurer were to touch it? She needs every bit of intel she can get her hands on.

The ghost paused, thinking about a good answer for her question. It took quite a while, Falcom grew even unnerved after 10 seconds of total silence has passed.

"Um, Duke Eye-?"

"-Shut up." The former monarch snapped at Falcom. "If you were to attempt to take the blade, the Gehaburn would replace your soul with her own. She would seal your consciousness deep inside you as she uses your own body to carry out her revenge."

Falcom started at the Eyelander, who calmly delivered those worrisome words to her, with shock. Her two eyes, harmlessly orange colored, widened and bore imaginary holes into the rusted claymore.

By just holding the Gehaburn she can completely lose control of her body?

"At least that's what I think would happen. So yeah, don't touch it." The Eyelander casually added.

"...D-Duly noted."

Then the ghosts are possessing humans? Or the humans are the ones who possess ghosts? This conversation got confusing and very alarming, at least for Falcom.

"S-So." The adventurer began. The possibility of losing her body left her a little shaken. "Are the spirits possessing humans, or humans are possessing spirits? I got a little confused here, sorry."

She was kind of afraid of what could happen if she pushes the Eyelander too far. And just like she predicted she felt her left hand rising, it wasn't her who controlled the limb, and with that possessed limb Falcom was forced to slap herself in the face. "Ow! Hey!"

"The ghosts are the ones possessing humans, not vice versa. However certain individuals, like Angela for example, can resist the possession and in turn wield the possessed object without problem. You understand that now!?"

"Ohhh, yeah yeah. Thanks."

Falcom nodded while rubbing her cheek, he didn't need to put that much strength into that.

So the humans can't take control of the dead spirits, but the spirits can take control of them, with an exception of certain individuals because of their spiritual knowledge. She finally understood it completely (and now she kicked herself for getting it so late, it was simple in hindsight.)

Can a spirit and human coexist together in a single body? There are those undead butlers and maids who are under contract with Angela, and there's her and the Eyelander. But both of those are spirits and mortals living separately…

"Is it possible for 2 souls to live inside the same body?"

This was just her curiosity asking things now. She never thought she'll find interest in some paranormal stuff, but after seeing what she could do with the Eyelander's help, the speed she achieved, the toughness, this 'sixth sense' that he granted her...

Would it be possible, to make those things permanent by putting 2 spirits into the same body?

"...In theory, yes, it would be possible. But that's impractical."

"Why?"

"Because the mind and the body can't be controlled by more than 1 soul at the same time. There would be a lot of confusion. You could bypass that by making 1 soul control the arms while the other controls the legs, but you're basically telling 2 humans to cooperate. Conflicts will surely arise. The best possible way for 2 souls, or even more, is to take turns and let only 1 soul take the control of everything for a given period of time. You're with me, so far?"

"Yes. I see…"

So combining souls would only spell trouble. But then how did she achieve all of those inhuman feats? She doesn't have any bionic enhancements like Nepgear, nor could she actually do anything like that with her own skills, SP and even the EXE-Drive.

Honestly, who thought of this? Why does the Eyelander even know about this?

Will she learn all about the spirit world once she dies?

"Great, now get up. We have wasted enough time chatting, it's time to save your friend from the Dark Magician."

"W-Wait!" Yelled Falcom. "If 2 souls inside a single body is so impractical? Then how am I so powerful when wielding you? Is it something else?"

"Yes. But I'll explain as we walk, we have wasted enough time already. Get up."

The adventurer stands up as told, and kicks the sword up into the air to catch it. She took a moment to examine the damage on the blade. The edge was blunt and even chipped in a few places, it was stained by dried blood, but it still served her, and Demoman, well. "You're pretty determined to stop her." Said Falcom.

"And you don't want to stop her from killing your friend?"

"...I do, but I don't want to kill Angela either."

She truthfully doesn't want to. Yes, partially because she's afraid of killing an another human being, there's no denying that. But she liked that shy, kinda-chunni, girl. It's a shame she was through so much.

But on the other hand, she can't let her kill Nepgear either. Also, kinda because that would be killing a ruler of Planeptune. But she has grown to liking Nepgear, she's a cheerful and friendly girl who's also very determined to save the CPUs and Gamindustri at large.

Maybe if they talk it out, they could settle things without fighting?

"If that's what you want, then it must be you and only you. Don't call for help and ignore the phone if it rings." Suggested Eyelander.

"Is it because of the mercs?"

If she had called anyone, then the worried Histoire would surely send someone, even if Falcom would be against it. And that someone would be a band of bloodthirsty mercenaries who would spell doom for her plan of peaceful resolution. Especially once they hear about what Angela is planning.

"Bravo, you can actually understand something on your own."

Falcom would not dignify this insult with a response. The Eyelander has insulted her to get a reaction, so she'll give him nothing. Instead she'll change the topic.

"Is the main gate open?"

"I'm not sure, go ahead and try it."

Interdimensional RED-Coded Contract

Interlude: Dark and Red

And so Angela's motive, and the consequences of Mercenaries' actions have been revealed. Who would have thought that one small group can screw up a person's life, without even realizing, so badly?

Yes, everything that happened to Angela, even her parent's death, was caused by most of the actions that Mercenaries has took in Prologue and Arc 1. The only reason why Falcom isn't dead yet is because of Angela's own weakness, she's emotionally too weak to kill a person.

You know. Murdering someone isn't an easy choice.

However everything may change once she gets her hands on the Gehaburn, who may or may not take control of her body. Good thing Falcom is there to try to stop the Dark Magician from unleashing the conquest ending.

Or is it?

Maybe the conquest ending IS the way to go?

...Nah, I already told you I'm not going conquest.

That doesn't mean I can't pick even worse ending.

Responses:

FourElemental:

I also don't know why you're writing this. Pies are obviously delicious, even the burnt ones!

- Harmless Orange