Krolik/Profile

Krolik

Story

Profile

Quotes

"I can't sleep yet, I still have work to do..."

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Record 1

Krolik was originally a civilian Doll that worked in a White Zone, but she was modified into a tactical Doll after she fell into the rings of the underground Doll fighting arena in the Green Zone. During the government-led crackdown operation, she managed to escape with the help of Peritya but lost contact with the others, and she ended up wandering in the contamination zones alone. In an unexpected turn of events, she was captured by the Commander while she was on the search for Peritya, and she ultimately decided to stay with the Elmo crew.

Her bunny headgear may seem cute, but Krolik is quite hot-tempered in contrast. With the unusual choice of a melee weapon and an aggressive combat style, one can be forgiven for expecting her to be likewise reckless and cocky. In reality, she is far more dependable than most realize, to the point of serving as Nemesis' exclusive translator. Even though she doesn't concern herself with her peers' compliments (or at least pretending as such), her stubborn refusal while going "Enough with the flattery, just tell me what has to be done!" is also a part of her charm.

While straightforward and no-nonsense at first glance, Krolik also harbors secrets that she never voices: the process of her forced modification, the trauma of the arena, and that damned selfish Doll who saved her then vanished without a word... The nightmares of the past may seem left behind, but she continues her pursuit, unafraid to confront and overcome them. Maybe that's why she chose to stay with the Commander, as birds of a feather.

Whatever the future holds, one thing is certain—Krolik will stand by the Commander's side, marching forward with unwavering resolve.

Record 2

"You? Standing in my way?"

As a streak of metallic light followed her slash, the ELID before Krolik collapsed to the ground.

As the vanguard on the battlefield, her pair of bright red bunny ears always stood out in unmistakable defiance. With an aggressive combat style that inspired insurmountable dread in her enemies, her fondness for melee weapons only amplified that overbearing presence. With a blade in hand, Krolik's determination to claim victory was second to none.

Unbeknownst to most, however, her choice of weapon was not a personal one. Fitted with a fire-control core optimized for bladed weapons, she was forced to charge headfirst into oncoming fire just so she could engage in combat with other Dolls—all designed to magnify the risks and make the spectacle more exciting in the arena. To survive, Krolik had to learn to strike with ruthless efficiency. With time, her peculiar and perilous combat style earned her notoriety within the arena, which dragged her deeper into the abyss.

Now free from the arena's shackles, she had come to accept, perhaps even enjoy, her blade as her weapon of choice. Keen, sharp, and tempered, just like herself. After all, what could be more exhilarating than slicing up her foes in a close and personal manner?

When the chilling blade meets her searing will, Krolik finds her moment of triumph.

Record 3

"Krolik? Pretty please~" Colphne beamed with an exaggerated smile.

Krolik glanced at Nemesis, who was standing next to Colphne with an unperturbed expression, and let out a sigh of annoyance.

"Tsk. Me again? What happened to Mayling's translator?"

"She said it's not fully calibrated yet, so you're the only one I can ask... I mean, you ARE the only one onboard who can even understand Nemesis to begin with~"

Colphne inched closer with a grin, "All I want is to understand what Nemesis' divinations are about. I'm sure it won't take much of your time~"

From the moment she boarded the Elmo and discovered that she could understand Nemesis' cryptic speech, Krolik was forcibly assigned the full-time role of a translator. She had no idea why she was the only one who could understand Nemesis. Somehow, her neural cloud automatically converted those strange, obscure phrases into plain sentences.

"The hell? All that cryptic mumbo jumbo only for her to mean something like 'Nice weather today'?"

Although Krolik found Nemesis' antics completely unbearable, she had no choice but to stomach her complaints when faced with the pleading looks of others on board the Elmo.

"Fine, fine. Tell me, what's the result?" Krolik gestured at Nemesis.

"...Morning mist, spills over ocean tide... dissolving... Ripple shrouded screams..."

"What did she say?"

"Tsk. She said you're going to trip at some point today."

"Eh? But I wasn't asking about today! Nemesis? Hey—wait a second!"

Colphne, in her attempt to catch up to Nemesis who had already walked off, tripped over something and dove face-first into the ground. Krolik raised an eyebrow while Nemesis turned around slightly—the faintest hint of a smile seemed to linger on her lips.

"I told you she was unbearable!"

Record 4

No one expected Krolik to be good with children, but ever since Helena joined the Elmo crew, Krolik took it upon herself to look after her, much to the surprise of everyone else.

Although she occasionally voiced her complaints, they were always directed at rather unexpected things—

"Tsk. Can't someone fix these damn tables? What if Helena bumped into one of these sharp corners and got hurt?"

...

"Hah? Why isn't it possible? We're just heading to the top deck to stargaze. Yes, I WILL be keeping my eyes on her."

...

"Pathetic! You can't even manage something like this? Even Helena thinks you're weak!"

As a matter of fact, her "care" extended beyond just Helena. Anyone deemed shorter, weaker, less daring, or less persistent than herself automatically fell under her protection. However, her "care" wasn't always welcomed—

"Ahh, I told you I'm fine! Put me down already—!"

"What?! You're the one who said you needed those meds on the top of the shelf! Just stay put and stop squirming if you're too short to reach it!"

"Uppies, Colphne! Helena wants uppies too!"

To those smaller or weaker than her—be it human or Doll—Krolik always offered her assistance without a second thought. Her experiences in the brutal and merciless pit of the arena may have shaped her instincts, but who said she needed a reason to safeguard the weak and powerless?

Krolik smirked smugly and lifted Helena into the air as well."

Record 5

Krolik had another dream. Dolls weren't supposed to dream of electric sheep.

The damp, frigid air clung heavily... The dim, messy lights danced around as the feverish shouts intertwined with screams of terror... Fragment by fragment, the puzzle of memories reassembled itself into a patchwork of her past neural records, playing unbidden in her mind.

"N-no! Please, no!"

Her trembling opponent's tears failed to garner the crowd's sympathy, and Krolik couldn't be allowed to stop her strike.

"What are you waiting for, kill 'em! I bet everything I had on you!"

Thunderous howls engulfed them both, without any intentions to cheer her on.

"The victory belongs to—Krolik!"

She could still feel the ghastly warmth left by the referee's hand, gripping onto her wrist to raise her arm high in triumph. She could still see the thick, ultramarine fluid slowly dripping down from the tip of her blade.

"Tsk. That's it? That's the end of it? What a letdown. I was expecting a few more rounds!"

Their mocking and judgmental gaze scorched her, as if she was nothing more than a plaything for their amusement. She screamed. She fought back. Yet, it was all in vain. In those endlessly dark days, that cat-eared figure was the only one who reached out to her. The same figure who later helped her escape that purgatory, only to vanish without a trace after covering her retreat...

Krolik jolted awake. Never again will she be anyone's pawn. The next time they met, she would've become stronger—strong enough to protect everything and everyone important to her. With that resolve burning in her chest, Krolik looked toward the ops room.

"I will prove it, no matter what," Krolik silently vowed.

Record 6

I happened to pass by Krolik while walking down the hallway. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a book with an illustrated cover in her hand.

"What are you reading?" I asked curiously.

"Tsk. Nothing in particular. Just taking a look." She quickly tucked the book to her chest and paced away—a reaction that clearly betrayed her statement.

The next day, I passed by the lounge and—somewhat surprisingly—saw Krolik reading the book by the window. I quietly observed her from a distance and managed to discern the title on the cover: "Fairy Tale Collection".

"Eh? Vepley never asked Krolik to borrow any books for me," Vepley said, all puzzled. But I already had my answer.

On the third evening, as Krolik returned to her room, I was already seated inside and waiting for her.

"Uwah! Why are you—My book!" She snatched the fairy tale collection from my hands. Her expression shifted through a range of emotions so quickly that I couldn't help but chuckle.

"My bad. I've been too busy to catch up with you lately. I didn't know you were into this kind of thing."

"Tsk. I-I mean—What are you even doing here? Why haven't you gone to bed by now?"

"Like I said, I'm just checking in on you after not having done so for a while."

I sat down on the bed, patting the spot beside me for her to sit.

"It's part of my duty as the Commander to be aware of everyone's well-being on board."

She frowned and sat down beside me, keeping the book out of my reach.

"Hmph. You could've asked me any other time. Why now, in the middle of the night? Just look at those bags under your eyes. What are you even thinking?"

"I figured, since you enjoy fairy tales so much, maybe I can read you some before bed? You know, like a bedtime story. Or, we can chat a bit. But since you insist that I should get some rest—" I stood up and pretended to leave.

"...Wait." As expected, she grabbed onto my hand and passed the fairy tale collection back to me.

"Well... Since you're here already... I guess it's fine, then. Thanks."

She reacted quickly and already lay down on her bed and gazed at me expectantly. I shook my head, sat back down, and opened the book.

"A long, long time ago..."

Record 7

"Hey! Don't touch— Oh, it's you, Commander." Krolik frowned slightly before slowly turning away from me.

From time to time, I couldn't help but reach out and touch Krolik's bunny ears, and she would always respond uncomfortably. Yet, through persistent pestering, she reluctantly came to accept my "offenses", but she still only allowed me to touch them for a brief moment. Even now, I had no idea what purpose those ears served. She once claimed they were necessary combat equipment—an explanation she knew I wouldn't buy, but still refused to elaborate further.

To be honest, I was happy to leave it at that; after all, I was already the only one on the Elmo with the privilege to touch her ears. Just as that thought crossed my mind, my fingers began to itch again.

Almost as if she sensed it telepathically, Krolik walked into the ops room.

"Here." She stepped forward and handed me a small bag. I opened it—there was a bright red bunny ear headband inside.

"Just something I made for fun," she said casually, but her foot tapped against the floor in a discrete rhythm.

"Now we can be the same, and you can stop coming after mine all the time."

"The same... What do you mean?" I ran my fingers along the headband. The ears were made by wrapping red cloth around metal wires; even though it wasn't the best craftsmanship, they were still firm enough to stand upright and even sway slightly with movement. There's a surprising liveliness to them.

"Just put it on already!"

I did as she said then observed myself through the reflection on the terminal screen, looking a little silly.

"Now what?"

"Now what? Now we're the same kind since we both have bunny ears! Tsk, still don't get it? On board the Elmo, the only one I—Anyway, there's only you!"

Whenever Krolik tried to put on an impatient look, her left ear would twitch ever so slightly. It's quite amusing.

"Does that mean... if I don't wear it, we're no longer the same?"

"Hah? What are you—That's not how it works, you idiot!"

"Well, since this is a token of your recognition, something this important shouldn't be worn too often. I should keep it somewhere safe—"

"Hah?! Y-y-you—Tsk. Whatever!" She stomped around and stormed out of the room, leaving me behind.

I quietly chuckled. Teasing her every now and then didn't seem like that bad of an idea.

Record 8

In my hand was a small device with a button on top of it. It was adorned with a crudely drawn, angry-looking bunny.

According to Krolik, it's a remote that could be used to "summon" her whenever her presence was needed.

"I'm usually very busy, so don't get any funny ideas!" She reminded me again after instructing me to retrieve it from the central hub.

This girl... Couldn't she have just handed it to me herself? Why jump through all these hoops...? Was that her way of saying I should only use it when I find myself in hot water? I inspected the small gadget thoughtfully, then slipped it into my pocket.

During the days that followed, I never really found a situation that called for its use. Krolik was by my side almost 24/7, and the Elmo as a whole enjoyed a rare period of tranquility. There simply wasn't a circumstance that warranted the usage of the button, and I eventually forgot it was even a thing. Though, I still carried it on me out of habit.

I was only reminded of its existence when Krolik came one day to question why I hadn't used the device even a single time. It wasn't until then that I thought to give it a check, only to discover it now had a chipped corner from a bump or something—it was no longer functioning.

"How could you just leave it broken like that! What if you got into actual danger?!" Krolik looked genuinely pissed.

"Sorry... I figured that things have been quiet lately, so I didn't bother to fix it right away..." I scratched my head, a little guilty of my excuse.

"Just because it's been quiet these days doesn't mean you can't use it! Or is it that you don't need me anymore?"

"Didn't you say you're usually very busy?"

"I meant—Tsk. Forget about it."

"Really? Then I'll just keep holding onto it as it is?"

"You...! Why don't you get it... What I meant was—even if I'm busy, I made this for you, so—"

She fell silent again, her red cheeks puffed up out of frustration in an oddly endearing way.

"It's atypical of you to beat around the bush like this."

"Hmph." She snatched the device from my hand.

"I'll get it fixed and bring it back later. Just remember—use it when you need to! Even if... even if I'm busy!"

With that, she turned around sharply and stormed off, perhaps to prevent me from noticing the blush on her face.

So... Did she mean to say no matter how busy she is, she'll make time just for me? Well, if that's the case, I needed to properly compliment her once she returned with the remote.

Memories

How To Tame Your Rabbit, Volume 1

The Commander enters the training room to brush up on their close combat skills and finds Krolik beating up training dummies there. The Commander asks her to be their instructor in melee combat, and she agrees, putting on an air of reluctance. As they spar with training blades, the Commander asks Krolik to show them a move to strike the opponent's hand. Krolik guides their arm to teach them and gets embarrassed when she realizes their bodies got too close. The Commander praises Krolik's abilities and she agrees to become the Commander's personal instructor, on the condition they don't try to have her teach the whole Elmo.

How To Tame Your Rabbit, Volume 2

Krolik returns wounded by Varjagers from a regular supply run she handled alone, since the Commander expected the route to be safe. Krolik allows the Commander to soothe her wound while Mayling prepares the repairs, and Krolik tries to take responsibility for getting wounded but the Commander asks her to rely on them and not shoulder everything alone. Krolik points out the Commander does the same by working overnight and agrees not to try and get revenge on the Varjagers on the condition that the Commander stops pulling all-nighters. The Commander corrects her, saying they don't intend to let the Varjagers off the hook, and Krolik is glad they're of the same mind.

How To Tame Your Rabbit, Volume 3

Krolik got teased by Nemesis into demonstrating her dexterity by sewing a pair of bunny ears Helena requested from her. The tasks proves difficult for her and she secretly asks the Commander for help. The Commander demonstrates how to sew, and Krolik overreacts when they prick their finger with the needle. The Commander asks Krolik why she asked them for help instead of Colphne or Centaureissi, and Krolik admits it's because she trusts the Commander more than anyone else.

How To Tame Your Rabbit, Volume 4

A day where only Krolik is free on the Elmo, the Commander works up the courage to ask for her help with paperwork. To their surprise, she doesn't complain to be asked to help with a boring task, and later doesn't complain either when asked to make tea. The Commander tests Krolik once more by asking to touch her mechanical bunny ears, which she normally never allows anyone to do, but she agrees. The Commander asks why she acts so restrained, and Krolik admits she's trying to tone down her temper because Colphne told her she would get the Commander to like her more this way. Krolik is embarrassed when the Commander says that they don't mind her usual bluntness. The Commander teases her a bit more and she admits how important the Commander has become in her life.

Private Meeting Logs

Krolik

Commander? Come here! Did my funding request go through?

That Frankenstein of a rabbit you made me look after just keeps growing. We need to put it in a new cage again—

We need to be responsible if we're to take care of it. Commander, you'll take responsibility, right?

Nice! I already got my eyes on the right cage, I'll order it from the broker right now!