Death Seeker woke up the next morning bright and early, humming as he brushed his teeth and ate a full meal before getting into Reality Dive. He stood up from his bed, stretching out as  he waited, and soon a guard arrived to lead him to the meeting spot. Ultima and Gareth were already waiting there, so it was just waiting for the others. He greeted both, Gareth nodded at him and said hello back while Ultima just stared ahead, only making a glance to him as he said hello. He shrugged it off as just Ultima being Ultima, standing in a line.

Amber soon arrived, yawning as she stood by Death Seeker, but making herself stand up straight. She didn't respond to him saying hello, scoffing and looking away while avoiding Ultima's gaze, though he wasn't looking at her. Lapis arrived last, his stream abuzz, he still vividly recalled last the emotions he felt come from Ultima last night, and seeing how calm he was, he felt pity. It was overwhelming, how was he holding it all in? Was it just a product of being hypnotized like Amber said?

Gareth clapped his hands to catch everyone's attention. He directed everyone to follow him in a march, walking to a prepared and registered car they would be using to leave HQ outside. Ultima sat down beside him quietly and continued to look ahead without a word. 

The car started up as all three players sat in the backseat, talking amongst themselves as the car drove out of the woods where HQ was, soon reaching a small town. Many viewers of Lapis' stream began to talk and badger him to ask questions, which he did, Gareth responded to them all, talking and giving some background as he asked. The small town was known as Arcarus, and it was the place where The Ark Organization started. Despite the lawful evil reputation of the faction, most citizens on the street seemed happy. Talking amongst one another and buying things from the morning market.

Ultima showed no interest as Gareth talked, actually closing his eyes and drifting off, but he still seemed tense, though no one noticed this. Not even Lapis' chat. It wasn't long before they got out of the car and into a simple speed boat, which once everyone was sitting on pulled off from the shore. "It will be about three hours until we make landfall next" Gareth said, prompting all the players to be quiet, most of them said they would sleep then. Gareth knew waking them up would be impossible, but he hopes they'll just wake up on time like they usually do.

Several minutes passed in silence before Gareth sighed and looked at Ultima "Okay, what's going on, you haven't said a single word since we left" he asked Ultima.

Ultima responded dryly "Nothing" he said, not even looking at Gareth when he talked, and just staring out across the blue ocean they were rushing through. "Nothing important sir" he clarified, but remained totally neutral.

"I'm calling your bluff Ultima, I order you to tell me what's going on with you" Gareth said, not buying what Ultima said.

Ultima bit his lip turned away from Gareth, the status pushed against his mind, trying to make him talk, he really didn't want to say it. He quickly thought up a response "I'm, just tired sir" he said, which was true.

"Just tired?" Gareth asked "Did you not sleep well? I order you to tell me why you didn't sleep well then" he said, noticing that it was really just dodging the question. 

Ultima gripped the boat "I...I was thinking a lot sir, more than I should" he said calmly and without any emotion, but he was gripping the boat so hard his knuckles were turning white.

"Then what were you thinking about, tell me, and stop dodging the questions" Gareth said, staring at the normally blank soldier. He watched as Ultima began to shake.

"Amber is scared of me, all the Lightforms are scared of me now, and while I don't care what they think. Amber is, she is more than scared. Nothing gets past me, I can see the signs of night terrors, even if as ever she seems perfectly fine appearance wise" Ultima said, he said, his voice cracking, a semblance of emotion coming through his tone.

"What are you going to do about it then?" Gareth asked him, looking over at Ultima as he put the boat into cruise, turning to look at him. Gareth continued his staring contest after asking Ultima that question.

"I don't know" Ultima said,  looking away still "I don't know, I screwed up so badly, that I just don't know how to fix things. Making things better is never easy, right?" he sighed, but his hand wasn't unloosening from the boat.

"Ultima, I think you'll figure out a way to fix things. I'm not sure how, but you will. I can tell, you are really are an opportunist. You're not dull or compliant like the higher ups think. Sometimes that scares me, but more than anything, I ask myself how in hell you keep staying calm all the time" Gareth said, turning to look ahead again.

Ultima took a deep breath, looking across the ocean. When did him being neutral become who he actually was? He, was a reincarnator, just like how those three were players. He was a human, not an NPC. What was an NPC though? Gareth literally just had a heart to heart with him, Arron was his 'creator' in a way. 

Ultima, when did he become Ultima, and not Alexander? That name seemed forgotten to him now, he never once used it he thinks since he was ordered not to. Alexander wasn't just a name, it was who he was, so who was he? Why were these thoughts only coming up now?

Ultima...Alexander took another deep breath, closing his cloudy eyes as he smelled the ocean waves, the salt in the air. He could hear the motor spinning, and if he listened over that he could even hear the sounds of fish scattering underneath the water as the boat barreled above the surface. 

"Gareth, do you know who I was?" he asked suddenly, still keeping his eyes closed as he spoke, and Gareth didn't fail to realize that his tone was impossibly melancholy. 

"No Ultima, I don't really know who you were" he said, looking at him "Who were you?" he asked, and he was surprised as Ultima chuckled softly. 

"I wish I knew that myself...I wish...I did" he said, his eyes opening up and becoming a vibrant blue. He looked over at Gareth, they turned into a bright and sunny yellow as his eyes met his "My name...my name was Alexander I think, I know that much" he said.

Gareth nodded "Ulti-....Alexander, your eyes are changing color, do, you know that?" he asked the now smiling soldier.

Alexander clicked his tongue "I know, I know, do you want to order me to stop?" he asked his officer while letting out a strange to hear chuckle again.

"No you, can keep doing it. If it makes you happy to do it" Gareth said, having never really given an order like that to, the soldier, Alexander. "Alexander is a bit long, what about calling you Alex?" he asked.

He watched as the shorter man tilted his head, and he saw that he was looking at his fingers "Alex? That's alright, sure, because you're my friend Gareth" he smiled and looked at him. This felt so surreal to Gareth.

Gareth nodded "Alex it is then" he said, turning back to the front while, Alex, hummed and look out across the ocean.

Time passed, and even Gareth was asleep by now as Alexander continued to watch the ocean, but really he was staring at a dual notification he received. 

Alexander hummed, not minding these two increases, and while he wasn't notified, he appreciated the fact his status changed just slightly

Alex hummed, and leaned back as he waited for land to arrive.