The Reasons We Fight

Sempre Fi

A month and a half pass by and Niko, finally, is promoted to Soldier and he walks up to Garnet.

"So, I'm finally out the mail room," Niko said proudly. Garnet knew this to be some of Niko's office humor. "So what are my duties as a Soldier. So far all I get so far is I'm the last line of defense when the agents can't fulfill a certain task alone or at all. So what are my other duties?"

The soldiers at the Insurgency had been able to fend off the first two attacks that had been planned, and were making great success, as far as finding the Director went.

"Hold up, buddy, you aren't out of the mailroom yet," Garnet told Niko with a slight smirk. "You still have your regular duties, but Solider on top of that."

"Oh?" Niko asked "And what other duties do I have?"

Niko mumbles some indescribable words under his breath while he's cleaning an assault rifle. He couldn't believe he was promoted from taking inventory for cleaning the guns! This wasn't going how he wanted, but as always, he has to play by the rules if he's going to get anywhere. So, as he returned from the storage room cleaning guns, he decided he'd just go to sleep. However, that didn't last long, as he heard an explosion come from Sapphire's quarters.

"Oh no! SAPPHIRE!" Niko said running towards her quarters and see she's being attacked by X insurgents. He then runs towards them and stands in front of Sapphire and takes them on himself. After eliminating them all, Niko turns to Sapphire.

"You okay, Ma'am?" Niko asked. "It's okay don't move!"

Niko heals her wounds and sits her on her bed.

Sapphire doubled over and caught. "I would have been fine," she snarled as she pushed Niko away. And not gently either. She stood up and walked over to her desk where she planted her armored hand. "And, you of all people, DO NOT call me ma'am."

Suddenly, Garnet, Silver, and Gold burst in. Seeing that Niko had cleared up the X Insurgents, Gold and Silver rushed around to pick up the bodies and search for anything they might have left behind, Gold, like always, doing the heavy lifting, though Silver wanted to.

Garnet, however, rushed to Sapphire's side. He mumbled something, and then Sapphire yelled at him. "The attack was supposed to be FOUR hours from now, Garnet! They've already figured us out, so that means your calculations were WRONG!" She put her head down and let out a low groan. She turned around and left the office, leaving one message:

"THIS ONE'S ON YOU!"

Nevertheless, Garnet followed her anyways.

Niko began to wonder what happened and he eventually gets the idea...the data he presented either was messed up with or it was inaccurate. The Director must've found the data was missing and switched his strategy. Niko felt terrible. He didn't foresee this occurring and it did. Niko ran off to catch up to Sapphire but was hit in the back with a sniper round and fell to the ground and his body was picked up by a familiar green hedgehog who just laughed and disappeared right in front of Silver's eyes.

Gold, who wasn't too far behind Silver, rushed over to Niko. "Call the Meds," he ordered of Silver, who nodded and started talking in a hushed voice to someone over her communicator.

Garnet, who had heard the shot, turned around and hurried back over to Niko. Both him and Gold dropped to their knees and took deep breath, Garnet applying pressure to the shot wound and Gold trying to stop the bleeding with his own Psi abilities.

In Niko's subconscious is standing in front of a cloaked woman. She walks up to him and smiles warmly.

"Hello, Niko. My son." The woman says removing her cloak. She revealed herself to be Rosemary Prower. Niko falls to his knees and cries.

"Mother." Niko said tears falling down his face. "Please tell me what you were looking for."

"I was looking for a missing strand of your DNA where your true powers are hidden."

"Extra DNA?" Niko asked.

"A portion was taken by the Director so I went to retrieve it, but I was killed. Here, Niko. I may have been killed, but that didn't mean the DNA wasn't successfully stolen."

Rosemary kisses Niko on the cheek and suddenly he feels a surge of energy and he gains a sky blue visor and blue armor. Niko looked at his new armor and nodded.

"Thanks mom." Niko said. "It's the best birthday gift ever from you."

"Niko." Rosemary replied. "Do me a favor and put a bullet in the Director's nut sack for me, okay dear?"

Niko was taken aback by his mom's attitude, but nevertheless nodded.

"Niko I may be dead." She said. "But I'm always with you by your side. Niko. Remember...Sempra Fi."

Niko begins to glow a slight blue and a flash of blue light and Niko gains some blue armor with a sky blue visor and looks at Sapphire and smirks.

"Hey Sapphire." Niko said.

Niko had immediately been places in an emergency care center, and Sapphire wouldn't let anyone touch him. She had been trying to heal him, and, even though he had been shot, she punched him in the shoulder. She didn't give a fuck about his armor. if his was anything like her armor, it didn't keep out strong attacks. And Sapphire's punch was not gentle.

"Shut your fucking mouth!" she yelled, early stern. "And wipe that damn smirk off your face. You were just SHOT. You know why?! Because you tried to fucking help me! And look where that got you? Because of ME. What the hell were you thinking? I would have been FINE." Sapphire knew Niko's injury was her own fault, and that just made her more pissed. Unlucky for Niko, he was the one there for her to take it out on.

Niko looked at her angrily through his visor. Now it was his turn to get pissed.

"Why?" Niko asked. "YOU REALLY  WANNA KNOW WHY?! BECAUSE IT'S MY FAULT YOU GOT INTO THAT SITUATION IN THE FIRST PLACE! I DIDN'T SEE THE IDEA THAT THE DIRECTOR WOULD CHANGE HIS STRATEGY UP! I TOOK A BULLET SO YOU WOULDN'T DIE AND I GET IN TROUBLE FOR HAVING FALSE INFORMATION! YOU MAY BE MY BOSS NOW, SAPPHIRE, BUT YOU'RE STILL MY BEST FRIEND!"

Niko looked at Sapphire who was brought to tears by what he said. Remembering what his mother said, he looked at Sapphire and took off his visor.

"Sapph...look at me," Niko said lifting her head so she looked into his sky blue eyes. "Sempra Fi...no one left behind, no one suffers alone. I still love you, but like you said, this comes first. I'm gonna be there no matter what. I won't let a bullet hit if you if can be helped. Girlfriend of no, you're really precious to me and I live by the motto, 'If a friend wants me to be there, I'll be there...to help.' Oh and about being shot, I have quick healing abilities now so I'm fine now."

Niko get off the bed and walks up to Sapphire.

"I'm going back to my quarter." He said walking away and putting his hand on Sapphire's shoulder. "If you ever wanna talk, lemme know. By the way, it's my birthday today."

With this, Niko left.