Liter/Story

Spoilers!*"Your greatest villain Drake shall warn you, SPOILERS AHEAD!"*The following article or section contain **spoilers!** Viewer discretion is advised.

Overview**Story**VoicelinesGallery

## Behind the Scenes

###

Choi Jeong-yoon

###

Lisa Reimold

###

Yuka Iguchi

## Profile

The leader of Mighty Tools, a "squad" specialized in architecture and construction jobs throughout the Ark. Despite her diminutive size, Liter tends to talk like an elderly lady, owing to the long life she's lived as a Nikke. She's almost always seen with her robotic dog companion Bolt (sometimes spelled as Volt), and has a pet peeve for things being unclean and disorderly.

### Nikke Backstory

The leader of Mighty Tools. Contrary to her appearance, she has already lived a long life. At present, no other Nikke can surpass her when it comes to construction.

## Personality

Despite her size and demeanor resembling that of a child, Liter speaks like an old woman being matured than her looks, growing tired and highly critical of the younger ones.

## Story

### Background

Before the events of the game, Liter was a Nikke under the command of Josh Hummett. She herself cared little about her life and future, but that changed when her commander died while trying to save a Nikke from Raptures. Seeing how his reputation since was either forgotten at best and embellished at worst, Liter wants to build a legacy for herself before she passes.

### Event Story

#### Bow-Wow Paradise

Whilst walking Bolt, Liter finds a dog just standing in the park by himself. Though odd, she sees no problem in playing with the dog, especially as he's getting along with Bolt quite nicely.

After some shenanigans involving the protagonist and Biscuit trying to catch the dog, Liter takes the two up on their request to construct a better shelter for the dogs of Happy Zoo.

#### Blue Water Island

As part of a composite squad on a resource reconnaissance mission, Liter is deployed to install analytical devices that will scan the island for resource deposits. Despite being one of the most work-oriented members of the group, not even Liter can resist the idea of donning a swimsuit so she can ~~catch the protagonist's eye~~ enjoy the beach with Bolt.

#### Sea, You, Again

Along with the other from the Blue Water Island expedition group, Liter and the others returned to the island to investigate some strange signals.

### Character Story

#### Episode 1 - Cleaning War

For some reason, Liter is going around the Outpost dorms, looking around, running her fingers along surfaces, and making displeased expressions and noises all the while. Eventually, she calls for a meeting with Counters and the protagonist, and displays the finger she just ran along a windowsill. After some brief cheek from Anis, Liter clarifies what she's talking about by demonstrating the dust layering her finger.

The Mighty Tools leader finds the cleanliness of the Outpost (or lack thereof) to be appalling, despite none of the squad seeing the issue. In her eyes, anyone who can't even bother with the little things like cleaning a windowsill can't be relied on for bigger, more important things. To that end, she asks when the last thorough cleaning of the dorms was, and the answer from Anis and Neon is that...nobody's cleaned it. At all.

Absolutely disgusted with the state of the dorms **and** the negligence of its inhabitants, Liter declares a mass cleanup and orders everyone to grab a broom and rag. She very nearly rips Rapi's head off for seeming disobedience, but the Counters leaders clarifies that the Outpost doesn't *have* any brooms or rags. The idea that the Outpost is so destitute that it even lacks basic cleaning utensils causes Liter to mentally face fault.

Some time later, Liter is overseeing Counters' efforts to clean the dorm, demanding they treat the brooms and rags given to them as heirlooms. Off to the side, Centi remarks that *she's* the one who brought the brooms and rags, so Liter corrects herself. Anis declares that her cleaning is finished, only for Liter to notice the floor's still dusty and starts grilling her for it. As ever, the Tetra Line Nikke lets her irreverence fly, seeing little point in further busying herself when she's just going to wile away her days fighting on the surface. The ensuing argument eventually results in Liter losing her cool, and at Rapi's behest, Anis reluctantly returns to cleaning.

Finally the dorm is clean enough to meet Liter's lofty standards. She takes a few deep breaths to take in the fresh smell of a clean room...only for both herself and Bolt to note a hint of limescale in the air. Counters freezes in horror as Liter opens the shower to find it absolutely filthy, and the architect asks if anyone's cleaned the showers before. Counters' attempt to plead the fifth is ineffective, and Liter declares another major cleanup.

#### Episode 2 - The Chief Culprit

Anis and Neon immediately protest the cleaning of the shower by complaining that the ceiling is too high to reach. In response, Liter flexes her muscles as the leader of Mighty Tools and cobbles together a ladder in minutes.

After the shower, Liter has dragged Counters out to one of the construction areas in the Outpost to tidy it up. Her concerns that any materials left out will be stolen or corroded are gainsaid by Anis clarifying that neither rain nor thieves ever grace the barren Outpost. In response, Liter points out a random barrel and asks Anis to tell her what's inside. When the snarky Nikke fails to reply, Liter answers that it contains volatile liquid fuel. Her concern is that while not frequent, Raptures occasionally attack this part of the Outpost, and if a stray shot or spark were to hit the barrel...well, the Nikkes might be able to get away with some hair or clothing scorched, but the protagonist would go from rare to well-done. This argument serves to convince Anis to (reluctantly) sort out the materials, but then Neon and Rapi note that most of the machinery and tools scattered about are too heavy to move without equipment. Liter sighs, and decides to do something about it.

Cut to a few minutes later, and Counters stares stupefied at the fully-functional forklift Liter has whipped up. Anis ponders why Liter doesn't just make some cleaning robots when she can make a complete forklift, but the Mighty Tools leader explains that there are patents that she can't infringe on regarding cleaning robots, and she's vehemently rejects Anis' idea of skirting the law. Anis continues to grumble as Liter takes the wheel of the forklift.

Later, in the Armory. Liter is disgusted at all the grease buildup that threatens to compromise the weapons stored here, ordering Counters to clean it all up.

Later again, in the Canteen. Liter looks over the rotten food in the storage and tells Counters to clean it up, as a place of eating needs to be kept to a higher standard of sanitation. She notices a green substance in one of the pots and thinks people dumped the waste oil in it, but Rapi corrects her with an equally-unpleasant answer. It's cream soup...cooked by *Emma*.

Yet again later, in the Commander's Room. Liter decides that since everyone's here, they might as well clean the place. Anis has an excuse ready, claiming that the process might dig up some of the protagonist's...physical relief materials. As the protagonist ~~stiffens in realization~~ asserts he has no such materials. With Rapi also stating her disagreement, Liter compromises by letting the protagonist clean the room himself. But while Liter is giving him the details of how this will work, Anis decides she's had enough.

Anis questions Liter's fixation on cleanliness, and sees the Mighty Tools' leaders actions as trying to force it on Counters. While Neon is chiding Anis over going overboard with her temper, Liter decides that this is enough cleaning for today...and fingers out Anis as the chief culprit.

Liter elaborates to a confused Counters; every single place she had them clean, the vast majority, if not entirety of the mess, was all *Anis'* belongings. Underwear, soda bottles, tools, socks. If it was taking up space, it was most likely Anis. Anis herself tries to play dump, only for Liter to offload a mountain of objects and invite the protagonist to check it for ownership. With the prospect of the protagonist getting an eyeful of various unmentionable articles, Anis sheepishly admits to owning the items and asks Liter to put them away.

While picking up the scattered articles, Liter takes the chance to lecture Anis on the "dump effect", or the idea that one person littering a place sets a mental precedent to anyone who notices, until even the cleanest of places becomes a trash heap. It's the entire reason she pointed to Anis as the "chief culprit", and is making it clear she'll be supervising her to prevent a resurgence of untidiness in the Outpost. Anis herself is almost welcoming the challenge, believing Liter's decades of experience have nothing on her ability to go at her own pace.

Off to the side, Rapi asks the protagonist if he shouldn't intervene. The man himself says ~~it's too interesting to disrupt~~ that Liter can handle it. Rapi reluctantly accepts the laissez faire approach.

#### Episode 3 - Like a Human

Content Warning*"All **salacious** and **impure** thoughts have been swirling in my mind!"*The following article or section depicts a **disturbing** or **suggestive** content! Viewer discretion is advised.
Anis is about ready to lay down for a nap when something beans her in the face. It turns out to be a pair of socks she'd left on the windowsill, which Liter found and tossed at her so she could put it back *properly*. While Liter chides Anis over thinking she could hide anything from herself or Volt, Anis simply chortles.

She reveals she left *more* socks in the cracking patterns of the window, which seemingly slipped by Liter's senses. Anis crows over her victory, only for Liter to toss more socks while chiding the younger Nikke over her premature celebration. Off to the side, the protagonist and the rest of Counters watch and keep score, giving this round to Liter.

Later, at the canteen. Liter is getting some treats for Volt from the cabinet, scoffing at Anis' half-baked taping of socks to the top shelf. Volt barks out a warning for Liter, but she notices it too late. Anis pops out from nowhere, preening at her devious trick; the socks are infused with Emma's cooking, elevating them from merely dirty to borderline biohazard. Off to the side, Counters gives this round to Anis, with Rapi becoming increasingly concerned with the escalation. The protagonist continues to keep to the side ~~because this is entertaining.~~

Cut to later in the dorms, where things have gotten to the point where neither Anis nor Liter are keeping pretenses, electing to straight-up toss objects and substances at each other. With the "game" no longer being mere horseplay, Rapi offers to stop the scuffle, which the protagonist agrees to.

Good news, Anis and Liter have stopped getting physical. Bad news, it's because their argument is going into some vicious territory. Anis claims Liter has no right or business whether she makes a mess in the Outpost or dies on the surface fighting Raptures. In response, Liter claims the cleaning is part of her efforts to ensure Anis lives a fulfilling life beyond being a lay-about or dead, becoming like a human. These words trigger Anis' cynicism like nothing else, going on a tirade about how nothing she does or doesn't do will matter once she's dead and gone.

Liter's insistence on trying to live a full life further trigger Anis. To her, someone who leads a construction "squad" like Mighty Tools wouldn't know a thing about fighting, dying, and losing comrades on the surface. The argument only gets more and more heated until Neon knocks Anis out with a hit to the chin. While Counters drags their cynical comrade off, Liter shrugs off Centi's assurances to sulk away, leaving the latter to stand with the protagonist in awkward silence.

#### Episode 4 - Don't Forget

Some time has passed since the big fight between Liter and Anis. The protagonist asks the rest of Counters for the latter's status, who has yet to get out of bed. It would seem the fight was draining enough that all Anis wants to do is lie down. Rapi and the protagonist discuss the situation, acknowledging that both Anis and Liter have a good point, but the tension won't dissolve until the two finally understand each other. To that end, the protagonist decides to contact Liter to get her side of things, in hopes that it will serve as a foundation to convince Anis.

The protagonist tries to message Liter, but gets a garbled response. The trio are at a loss until Centi comes in and explains the message says Liter is at the park. After an awkward silence, the protagonist heads out to talk to Liter, Centi offering her well wishes.

At the park, Liter is consoling a whimpering Bolt until the dog notices the protagonist's presence and barks. The protagonist asks to sit next to Liter, and she allows him.

Liter is first to break the awkward silence, admitting that she's gone too far this time in her usual thing of lecturing other Nikkes in living a humanlike life. But she can't stop, not when young people like Anis walk around with heads hung low and shoulders slumped with soul-deep exhaustion. Rather, age has nothing to do with it. Young, old, or anything in between. Only those who keep moving forward and hoping for something better will be able to go out without any regrets. That's what Liter believes in.

Seeing and hearing the protagonist's confusion, Liter points to a building with a red roof. It was something she built, her very first project as an architect. The glass-walled one opposite to that is the first building she made with Centi. The store next to those? The first building her teammates made without her. To Liter, those buildings will be there long after she and the rest of Mighty Tools are dust in the wind.

To Liter, being an architect and the leader of Mighty Tools is one of the best jobs she could ever ask for. Between the works she erects and training up Centi to surpass, there'll be no shortage of traces she'll leave behind of her existence. To the protagonist, it almost sounds like Liter is preparing to die...

Liter herself admits such is the case. She doesn't buy into that spiel of Nikkes living forever, given how her brain will decay even if her body doesn't. Ergo, she wouldn't be surprised if she were to keel over any moment after the long life she's lived, though she hopes she'd be remembered both in her works and in the people whose lives she touched. A peaceful, painless passing without regrets. That's what Liter wishes for herself and those around her.

It's part of why she's so hard on Anis. A good life precedes a good death, and she can't stand the idea of someone so afraid of life's ephemerality that they just sink into the mire without doing or wishing for anything. An empty life leading to an empty death, without a single proof to her existence or anyone who'd remember her.

The protagonist wonders why Liter doesn't share such thoughts with Anis, which she'd be more than happy to if she thought the younger Nikke would listen. Liter bolts upright, realizing the protagonist came all this way to solve a spat between two Nikkes, and decides that such earnest goodwill must be responded to in kind. Ergo, she will go tell Anis what she believes.

#### Episode 5 - Death Without Regrets

Liter and the protagonist return to the dorm, where the rest of Counters report Anis is still sulking in bed. Liter almost reconsiders going through with this heart-to-heart, but manages to stand her ground and step into the room.

Anis is laying in bed with her back to the door, not even responding to the protagonist's presence. Liter chides the Tetra Counters over her lack of manners, then tells her to look up the name "Josh Humett" and tell her what comes up. Anis is confused, but decides to play ball. The results return that of a commander who was KIA 15 years ago...and that's it. Anis initially thinks Liter is insinuating she'll end up dead like this commander, but Liter asserts it'll be worse than that; it won't just be death. It will be an unremarkable death, with no addendums, footnotes, or comments beyond a name and status indicator. Just like Josh Humett, her *previous commander*.

Liter decides to elaborate on this story. Even in the past, incompetent commanders who only knew how to ineffectually blitzkrieg with Nikkes were a dime a dozen. Josh was an exception, having the character and skill of a proper commander, though he was reckless and lived only in the moment. Back then, Liter was much the same as Anis, deeming the future irrelevant when not even the present is guaranteed. In the end, Josh Humett died saving a Nikke from a Rapture.

Seeing the satisfied smile on Josh's posthumous face, one would think he'd met a good end. But Liter didn't see it that way, especially with what happened after his death. The Central Government sent people to look over Josh's belongings, and one of them offhandedly remarked that nothing Josh did was something worth putting on an epitaph. That's why a search of his name only turns up a brief obituary. A detached, almost clinical descriptor that tells the reader nothing about what Josh was like in life, what he liked, how he acted. Liter is the only one who remembers the *real* Josh, especially after people spread rumors of him sexually harassing Nikkes or embezzling funds.

Anis doesn't see the issue with people talking ill of a dead man, but Liter clarifies that it's the living who suffer from it. She'd tried over and over to tell people Josh wasn't anything like the rumors said, but with only one Nikke saying so about a no-name commander, her words went unacknowledged. By that metric, she can't say Josh lived a fulfilled life. Anis realizes that Liter is preparing for death, to which the Mighty Tools leader airs out her thoughts. By living a fulfilled life, doing your best to move forward while hoping and striving for something greater, you will naturally make your mark on the world and the people around you. Your story, unadulterated and untarnished, will be remembered and told without you having to do a thing. Your death, even if it may be sudden, will not seem like this terrifying phantom dangling a sword over your head.

Liter ends her monologue by admitting Anis is a nice person, and that's why she wishes she'd live a fulfilling life. After a moment's silence, Anis slowly rises, and admits that there's still so much to do. Liter assents to that statement, since there's still...cleaning to do?

An awkward silence ensues as Anis realizes Liter is *still* going to push her to clean up her messes. It takes a little back-and-forth, but eventually Anis realizes the cleaning is training to move forward and live a fulfilling life. Anis asks to use the bathroom, which Liter allows...only for her to tell Bolt to wait by the window outside. The architect can already tell Anis is planning to make a break for it, and is already planning for the planning...

4 hours later, Anis and Liter finish cleaning the Outpost. The protagonist thanks Liter for her work, but the Nikke asserts it was Anis that did the heavy lifting. It might take time for Anis' perspective to shift, but time is something Nikkes have a lot of. To that end, she asks the protagonist to protect Anis until she can change her mindset, and to make sure he himself stays alive. As much as she talks about a good death, Liter knows staying alive is preferable.

Before Liter can take her leave, the protagonist has one last question; what kind of image does Liter want to leave behind? Liter herself keeps her silence, instead telling the protagonist to simply see what is left in her wake. That which remains even after she falls, will tell him how she lived, and how she wants to be remembered.

## References

Notes

References
1. ↑ Liter's character story."