MOVECITY MISSION.

1777, APRIL 11th, MONDAY 10:03am.

Noche awoke to drool running down her chin and bleary eyes. She sat up and moved her mess of hair out of the way before pulling out her phone and checking the time. It was April eleventh at ten o three am. Monday.

She blinked. She had slept for twelve hours. Twelve whole hours. Noche wiped her face and yawned. How long had it been since she got a full night's rest? A peaceful night's rest? One without any nightmares, waking up from physical pain, or any form of disturbance? Probably not since before the war, maybe not even before that.

So two years. She hadn't slept so comfortably for over two years. That would explain why this feeling felt so unfamiliar, distant, and forgotten. Yet sooooooo good. Fuck, she was going to have to do this again. Getting a full night's sleep was amazing.

Tempting as it was to lay back down, there was no rest for the wicked. Creeps, Edward, and DeathTech were on the move. She had to get up and find Medusa. Getting up and stretching for a bit, Noche opened her door and walked out into the hall.

As she made her way to the president's office her mind wandered across the layout of this place. All the times she made her way to Rust's classroom, the vending machine that laid nearby, and Cherries's room. She stopped and paused to stare in the direction of her old friend's abode before moving on.

Sunlight reflected off the distance mountain range just outside the windows to her left. Noche passed the VR room and turned into eh hallway that led to Medusa's office. It was a short trip, but walking down memory lane made it feel so much longer. Once she was outside the door she paused.

"The hopes of the multiverse is on my shoulders and only a handful of people even know about it," Noche let out a long, deep breath. "Gotta beat Creeps, gotta destroy the POE's seal before fear consumes everything in existence. Easy enough. Just gotta go to a city in the middle of a desert first. The desert I almost died in. That desert. No biggie."

Her fists were trembling as she stood there. Noche shook her head, took in another deep breath, and knocked before nerves got the better of her.

"Come in."

The blonde did so and found Medusa face down on a pile of papers. Hundreds more surrounded her all across her desk.

"End my misery," the president said.

Noche snickered and Medusa's head rose. Her eyes widened when they locked with the gold ones before her.

"Noche? I wasn't expecting you. I thought you were Dreg."

"Sorry to disappoint," she smiled. "I take it things aren't going well?"

Medusa let out a little groan. "No, they are not. Cross is overwhelmed with fighting DeathTech."

"How bad is it?"

"It's only been a week since I got back. In that time I've learned the Grave brothers have done the bare minimum in fighting against Edward's monsters. In the few battles Cross has done, we've sent hundreds to fight a handful, and every time we either lose or the casualties are so great that the victory isn't worth it."

"Compared to the average Cross soldier, those flesh-warping abominations are ludicrously powerful."

"We lost three hundred Cross soldiers to twenty DeathTech soldiers in Ingland! Three hundred!"

"I still can't believe the power gap sometimes... What's the most Edward has ever used in a single battle?"

"Sixty in Las Angelos. He's never sent more than the double digits. Yet he keeps winning with such small numbers. Each soldier is that strong."

"They are nigh unkillable, flesh-fusing, super soldiers after all. Even if they can't use create, they're still monsters."

"That's true... But that's not why you're here, is it?"

"No, it's not. I take it Trio gave you an idea of why I'm here?"

"She did."

"I'm going to MoveCity. It's complicated, but if we're to defeat DeathTech, I need to deal with that potential civil war. I'd prefer to go there on your authority. As a mission."

Medusa brought both her hands together, placed her elbows on the table, and rested her chin on the connected fists. She stared at Noche and her red eyes were intense. Almost like a bird of prey staring down its meal. In the past, it might have unsettled the blonde, but those days were long gone. Noche locked eyes with the woman and met that glare.

"You've gotten stronger," the president commented.

"I've had to suffer for this power," Noche replied.

"Isn't that the truth for all of us?" The room fell silent for a moment. "Alright. Cross needs more recruits. MoveCity would be the perfect place to get more soldiers. However, Raptorman despises Cross. He won't make it easy for us."

"I can deal with him."

"Besides that, because of the Grave Brothers and this war, the world is watching Cross more closely than ever. The United Government, the humane world, the Planet Lance Cult. All are on edge and will not hesitate to destroy us."

Noche nodded.

"All it would take is for one incident, then they'd descend upon us like wolves. If that happened, then every Create user alive would be in danger."

"I am going either way. I'd prefer it to be with your blessing."

Medusa paused and continued to stare. "Very well. I have conditions."

Noche raised an eyebrow.

"Condition one, corruption is forbidden. It nearly destroyed the world once before. People are so terrified of it that the Planet Lance Cult was formed. If the world found out Cross had someone who could use the stuff, it might push everyone over the edge."

"Makes sense. If you want to earn everyone's trust back, you can't be seen wielding something so dangerous."

"I'll make it perfectly clear. If it gets out you're a corruption user, Cross will have to discharge you to save face. You will no longer be a part of this military. We will have to cut all ties with you."

That made Noche's eyes widen a little, but she got control of herself quickly and nodded.

"Alright. I understand," the blonde said. "I'll refrain from using corruption unless it's absolutely necessary."

"The second condition, if you're going to stop the civil war in MoveCity, you're going to do it without slaughtering one side."

"Slaughtering – is that what you think of me?"

"I saw the recording of what you did in that courtroom. You snapped and stopped caring about the means, you were only focused on the end. That is not how I operate. If you're working for me, you are going to control yourself. I will not have innocent blood shed because you said damn the consequences."

"So I'm supposed to get the two factions to, what... Come to a peaceful agreement?"

"Yes. Dharma and Raptorman are both stubborn and passionate, but they care about MoveCity and its citizens. I'm sure there's a way to find common ground between the two."

"Maybe if Cherries was here and we had time to talk things out," Noche grumbled. "But we're on a time limit. It won't be long before Edward makes his next move."

"That's true, but that doesn't change my conditions. I want as little bloodshed as possible. If you can't even try to do that, then you're wasting my time. No corruption, no slaughtering. Have I made myself clear?"

"Crystal."

"Very well. Gather whatever you need. Resources, a team, anything that you feel will help."

"Understood."

With that, Noche turned and walked out the door.

"Negotiate peacefully... Not my strong suit," she muttered. "How am I supposed to do that?"

As she was talking to herself, the blonde almost bumped into a familiar face. Mary looked up at her and stared for a moment before her eyes went wide.

"Noche?! Is that you! Your arm – your eye!"

"Hey Mary, been a minute huh?" She chuckled. "Yeah, so remember how I resurrect when I die?"

The dark-skinned girl grimaced and crossed her arms. "Yes."

"Well, apparently, when I come back I decide the condition my body is in. Up until now, I've been subconsciously keeping my injuries. Now that I've mastered my Limbo powers, I can control how my body looks."

Mary's mouth became a tight line. She didn't say anything for a moment.

"I'm so happy for you," she stated.

"T-Thanks?" Noche replied.

Mary let out a frustrated sigh. "Anyways. I have something for you."

Noche tilted her head to the side as Mary reached into her pocket and pulled out a card. It was a pumpkin with a little clock in its center. The blonde took it and opened it up. Gold eyes went wide when they read the contents.

"You're getting married!"

Mary beamed. "Yep! I finally proposed to Alice."

"That's wonderful! Congratulations!" Noche paused, and her face lost a little of its brightness. "And... You want me there?"

"Bruh, of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"

Violent images ripped their way across Noche's mind. Her beating Hectare's face into a bloody pulp, killing that mother and daughter, stopping Boots from sacrificing himself to save his sister, massacring all those Cross soldiers in the courtroom, using corruption on the Red Grave brother.

"N-No reason," her eyes returned to the card. "So, it's taking place at a carnival?"

"Yep. The one near Honeyville. They're in town this time of year."

"It sounds wonderful. I'll be there."

Noche waved and the two girls walked away.