Narrator:Now let's continue after they escaped into the elevator, and see what will happen to Nikolai next.

*Nikolai and Rapi got out of the elevator. A group of armed military men aimed their guns at Nikolai and Rapi*

Nikolai:"Ah! I'm sorry! It was an accident, I didn't know what this elevator did."

Man:"Get down now! Grab the girl, and ID her."

*Another military man grabbed Rapi's hand, and forced her to take her fingerprints*

Rapi:"Ugh!"

Nikolai:"Hey, don't hurt her!"

Man:"Why would you care? That's a Nikke, you fool."

Nikolai:"Just don't hurt her, please."

*The man finished ID-ing Rapi, and pushed her away*

Man 2:"Sir, this Nikke was originally assigned to Orlando Travis. This kid doesn't look like Travis to me."

Man:"What happened to him, Nikke?"

Rapi:"He...was killed in action."

Man:"Tch, you failed to protect your commander. HQ will have to decide what to do with you when we get back. As for you, boy, you're under arrest for trespassing on military property."

Rapi:"..."

*Rapi opened her mouth to say something but closed her mouth instead*

Man:"Now help me with these two."

Man 2:"Yes sir, I've got the Nikke."

*Nikolai and Rapi were handcuffed, and taken into a military vehicle, as the men drove off*

Nikolai:"Are you ok, Rapi?"

Rapi:"I'm fine, but keep your voice down."

Nikolai:"I'm sorry, this is my fault. I never should've gone into that elevator."

Rapi:"It's not your fault, they are just misunderstanding what happened."

Nikolai(mind):They know I'm aware of the surface above the sky. What are they going to do with me?

Nikolai:"They didn't seem very happy with you either, Rapi. What's going to happen to you?"

Rapi:"I'll probably be shut down, which will kill me, or be rebooted, which will erase all my memories."

Nikolai:"Seriously?! Both of those options are awful."

Nikolai(mind):I don't want that to happen to her. Think! Maybe we can get out of this somehow?

*Nikolai frantically looked around to a way to escape*

Rapi:"Nikolai, it's fine. Nikke's can be easily replaced, so it doesn't matter what happens to me."

Nikolai:"That's even worse to hear. I'm tired of you being so easy to accept death. You must have something left to strive for, right?!"

Rapi:"...I do, but-"

Nikolai:"Then stay alive. Whatever this goal is, dying won't help with it. Unless your goal is to die, then that's just a terrible goal."

Rapi:"You...you may be right, but what good does it make now?"

Nikolai:"Then I'll do whatever I can to make sure you stay alive."

Rapi:"..."

*Nikolai and Rapi arrived at the HQ, and Nikolai is forced into a room with a round table in the center*

Nikolai(mind):Whoa, what is this?

*Nikolai was shoved into the center, with the table surrounding him*

???:"State your name, boy."

Nikolai:"Um...Nikolai Rolan. That's my name."

???:"Really?! This guy sneaked into the elevator? He wouldn't have the ball to do that, hahaha!"

Nikolai(mind):Huh? That's a different voice than the one who asked for my name, who am I talking to?

???:"Ladies, ladies. It is incredibly dark, can we get some light in here?"

*The lights shine down on three people on the outside of the round table*

???:"Ah, magnifique! Now we can introduce ourselves. Ladies first."

???:"I'll start first!"

*The smaller girl speaks up*

???:"If you haven't heard of me already you must some lowly commoner who's been living under a rock for the past century. I'm Syuen, the leading mind of Nikke research, and the CEO of Missilis Industry!"

Nikolai(mind):This kid is the best Nikke researcher? I've never even heard of her name, but I have heard of Missilis Industry. I'm pretty sure they are one of the three head companies that primarily creates Nikkes.

Syuen:"There, I've introduced myself. Happy now?"

???:"Ugh...that makes me next. My name is Ingrid, I'm the CEO of Elysion.

Nikolai(mind):Wait, Elysion is another company that makes Nikkes...don't tell me this last one is also a CEO?!

Ingrid:"That leaves you."

???:"Eeenntertainment! I'm Mustang, the CEO of the Tetra Line."

Nikolai(mind):I was right! Tetra Line, Elysion, Missilis...they are the big three companies that priorities in Nikke manufacture. I never expected the CEO's to look like...this.

Ingrid:"Now, regarding the matter at hand. Nikolai Rolan, you are being charged for trespassing on military property. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Nikolai:"I'm really grateful towards Rapi, the girl who saved me."

Syuen:"Huh? Are you talking about the same Rapi that let her commander die in battle? Why should you be grateful to her?"

Nikolai:"She saved me. That's all, is it wrong to thank someone for saving my life?"

Ingrid:"...Sadly, the Rapi you're speaking of is heading to get her memory wiped."

Nikolai:"What?! No, please! I beg you, spare her!"

Syuen:"Why do you care about a mere object so much? It's not like it'll do the same for you."

Nikolai:"I refuse to let Rapi die or get her memory wiped, I'll do anything to get her back!"

Syuen:"Tch, you really think these things are worth preserving? Listen here, that useless weapon failed to protect her commander, so she's getting the boot. You're a naive fool for thinking anything about her."

Nikolai(mind):Why? Why does she hate Nikke so much?! I don't understand!

Nikolai:"I cared so much for her, I risked my damn life to save her! I saved her, just as she saved me!"

Syuen:"Erg...why you little-"

Mustang:"My, my, my. It seems we have quite the interesting individual on our hands. You said you saved her? What exactly happened out there?"

Nikolai:"I...I was attacked by a robot creature. Rapi destroyed it, only to find out a bigger one appeared. As Rapi was ready to risk her life so that I can escape into the elevator, I saved her, and took her into the elevator with me."

*All three went silent*

Mustang:"A civilian rescuing a Nikke...you are something spécial."

Ingrid:"That's better than the majority of the commanders we have."

Nikolai:"Huh?"

Syuen:"Hey, wait a minute. You two can't be thinking about..."

Ingrid:"Young man, would you like to work as a commander for the military?"

Mustang:"Jeune homme, join us. It would be most splendid to have you on the team!"

Syuen:"No! I refuse! You can't ask someone, who's being convicted of crime, to join our military!"

Ingrid:"You think the commanders we have are any better?"

Syuen:"Erg..."

Ingrid:"Think of it as community service. Most commanders refuse to go back up to the surface anyway, but you can be a commander specifically for that."

Nikolai:"H-Huh?!"

Ingrid:"All those in favor?"

*Ingrid and Mustang both raised their hands*

Syuen:"Grr, you can't do this! I should count as three votes since I'm the most important figure here."

Ingrid:"There are no unfairness among the Big Three. You especially don't deserve to have more votes."

Syuen:"Erg...damn you, Ingrid!"

Ingrid:"Stop acting like a child, Syuen."

Syuen:"You wanna go, Ingrid! Nobody talks down to me like that!"

*Ingrid holds back Syuen with one hand*

Mustang:"Anywho, you've now been accepted into our ranks, Nikolai Rolan."

Nikolai:"S-Seriously?"

Nikolai(mind):How the hell did it end up with me becoming part of the military?

Mustang:"Now, as part of tradition, we allow  commanders to have up to 5 Nikke with him 24/7. Who would you like to have?"

Nikolai:"Uh...I don't know much about Nikke. However, if I can get Rapi back before they wipe her memory, please?"

Mustang:"No problème. Ingrid would have to work that out. Also, if a Nikke wants to become part of your team, they would need to ask one of us for their contract."

Nikolai:"So you need a contract to have a Nikke?"

Mustang:"Precisely, it's like a gun certificate."

Nikolai(mind):Or a marriage certificate.

Nikolai:"T-Thank you so much for this opportunity."

Mustang:"Nonsense, you are doing us a huge favor. Now, let's bring you the selection of Nikke."

Nikolai(mind):I don't care who else I end up with, as long as I have Rapi.

Narrator:Who will Nikolai pick as his secretary Nikke? Find out in the next episode!

Hey bros, it's me, the author! I have made a goal to try and make this story a weekly upload thing...I'm just gonna have to remember. Hopefully next chapter doesn't take too long to me. Anyway, here's another meme I found on the Nikke Reddit:

Male Nikke should be as dummy-thicc as the female Nikke. Thank you for coming to my TED talk.