XCOM: Ranger

by Wanderer D


Chapter 122: Fantasy

Ranger

Chapter 122: Fantasy

By Wanderer D

From the rooftop of Canterlot High, two figures watched the imminent departure of Twilight Sparkle.

"So, I guess she was an alien after all," Fei "Ember" Yeung said. She was sitting on the edge of the roof, on the west wing of what was left of the building, feet dangling on the edge, not worried at all about a potential fall.

Next to her, leaning on the same roof edge, was Omiata "Deadwood" Kiba, sniper rifle within easy reach. "Guess so." He watched Twilight pull Sunset to the side, where the pair sat down on a bench and talked. "Didn't they say that Sunset came from the same place? She's been an alien all along too. I guess that explains a lot of things."

The young chinese woman snorted. "You mean her freaky ability to see through walls? Or the fact that she's been mauled in ways that would have killed any one of us and she's still made it?"

Deadwood chuckled at that. "Yes. And saving Jane. From all accounts she should also be dead."

"Still," Ember turned to look down at the talking pair. "Not infallible. She couldn't save Mox."

"No, not infallible," Deadwood acknowledged, following her eyes. "It used to be that I thought we were really alone, you know? That every single non-human was a threat. Before I heard about the Skirmishers… before I even knew that a Viper could make their own choices when they're not under direct mental control… ten years ago, I used to just shoot them all. Never imagined I'd end up respecting them."

Ember remained quiet, but her head was tilted in such a way that he knew she was listening, so he continued, "I don't remember much from before the aliens… just like most of the others. I was about… six years old when they arrived. I remember, vaguely, watching TV in a small white apartment… my family is from Tokyo… it started on TV and then it continued just outside my window.

"I remember grabbing my Gundam action figure, while my dad turned off all the lights and moved the furniture to block the door. He closed the curtains and took us into the inner rooms. We stayed there until the next morning hearing shouts, distant explosions… strange wails and weird noises. At one point the building shook and the fire alarm went off. I spent the whole night waiting for Kamen Rider, or Ultraman or even Godzilla to come and stop them… I remember, my granddad used to love those Gamera movies, so I prayed that he'd come too... but none of them came, and it was only the screams of people that kept us company that night.

"My mom covered my mouth with her hand to stop me from screaming one time, when we heard really loud stomping above us and a deafening crunch… then blood started seeping down the wall." He trialed off, eyes haunted by the memory. Finally, he shook his head. "But we all survived. Eventually, the police came through, they broke down the door and ran in, weapons ready. When they only found us, they guided us out." He sighed, turning his back on the rail and leaning back on it to look up at the sky.

"My mom, she… she tried to cover my eyes, but I saw. Our neighbors had been massacred… the ones that had tried to escape or run had been burnt, or torn to shreds. Part of Mr. Nakamura's apartment was nothing but a giant hole.

"I promised then that all aliens would pay for it. For scaring me. For making my mom cry. For killing my schoolmate, Kioko." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Made good on it too. Once I was old enough, I joined a pirate crew that attacked a lot of seaside towns controlled by ADVENT, before eventually doing a delivery to a certain submarine, where I met Dr. Shen senior.

"But even after all this time, a part of me that still believed, wanted there to be some good ones out there, you know? And I thought I had found them when the Skirmishers appeared, or when Angel joined Menace. And yet, the fact is that there was at least one alien working with us all this time, and she wasn't an exception, but rather a representative of a whole other species. And we didn't know."

"I get the feeling that some of the older XCOM generation did," Ember replied, absently scratching a decal on her shoulder, showing the XCOM logo, Vigilo Confido. "My dad… he was a member of the Triad. I never really knew him… I remember moving from Hong Kong to the old XCOM base.

"I met Lily then, you know? We were not only the only two little girls in the base, but we were both Chinese. I saw my dad once. He knelt in front of me and smiled, placing his hand on my shoulder. It was a little time before the base was attacked. He said to me, "The life you had before is gone now, but you are alive. Perhaps we will become a family again after all, little Yújìn.""

Ember chuckled. "He was scary. Large and scarred… his hands were huge! But gentle. Even though my mother changed her name early on after discovering he was a Triad member… even though she tried to hide from him, his instinct was to protect us. When she found out he wasn't a criminal anymore… and that he still cared enough to take us to where he thought we would be safe... I have never seen her so happy." She licked her lips. "I never saw him again. But there was one thing I do remember as well… when he kissed my mother goodbye, he said that Lieutenant Shimmer needed him for one last mission."

"I remember, that day, as I waited for my father to return, I fantasized about what sort of life we would have. How he would defeat the monsters. How he would remarry my mother and I would take up his name."

The pair were silent for a moment. "I always thought… Sunset was that person's daughter or something. That she was like Lily or me. When I asked Galahad about it, he said it was classified. I guess they knew."

"Looks like they're starting," Deadwood said, watching in amusement as the Skirmisher going with Twilight had to talk herself into it. Even at this distance it was clear she was getting cold feet. "And there goes Acevedo. I'll miss her, she's a great shot, and spunky. Even after what happened, she had the courage to continue."

"Hm." Ember kept her thoughts to herself as the Skirmisher followed suit.

"And I guess it's the Princess' turn now," he joked, "You know, I always thought that was just a nickname. From what I heard from Rainbow Dash, however, she's an actual honest to god princess. Who would've thunk?"

Below them, Twilight Sparkle had turned to address the small crowd of senior staff, engineers and scientists before jumping into the statue.

"And so, little Twilight Sparkle, Scientist Squaddie extraordinaire is gone." After a moment Deadwood smirked. "Can you imagine… being an alien and knowing that everyone around you would most likely kill you rather than let you explain yourself? Your friends, your teammates? I can imagine Sunset taking it in stride, but… Twilight?"

"I hope she has the common sense to stay home, this time," Ember replied, her tone grim. "She might be tougher than she looks, but she's kind and good in ways that… that I've never felt like myself.

"This is not a world for that sort of purity. This world is not for princesses." She looked down with almost bitter certainty at the gathered scientists as they fiddled with equipment and discussed things with Sunset. "This is a world of monsters from outer space that kill and enslave whole civilizations… and of the witches, dragons and wolves that hunt them."

o.0.o End Chapter 122 o.0.o