Address #D91B (RM Recording Transcript) - As far as we are concerned we don't exist outside the system. The knowledge of that is always hard to swallow at first. The system creates your past, your identity and your function from an algorithm no one is allowed or able to understand fully. And all we know about our place outside the system is a small series of letters that show the system where we are. Knowing that if we die, that series of letters is given to something or somebody else and the system continues like we never even mattered. Without our address we cease to exist, no death, no remembrance by loved ones, no dreams and aspirations, just a potted plant in your spot. This is the fate of the file-less. Awareness of this fate always comes with it a terrible cost.
Stormchaser: Alternate Perspective
Keichi - "Somehow I knew this day would be harder than normal."
Obe - "You need to be strong for her Kei-On, you're her "father" after all."
Obe-ni teases like he's at the bar with old friends. How is he always calm in situations like this. The gunfire is creeping to us along with the screams. I can't focus. I can barely hold my sidearm without the barrel swerving.
O - "This is just vermin detail. Nothing we haven't dealt with before."
K - "These girls are not vermin Obe!"
The radio affixed to my chest strap vibrates to life. I try to control my breathing.
Ino-hene - "You guys having sex in that truck?"
O - "Thought you were dead Ino, we were celebrating."
K - "H-he didn't mean that."
I - "We finished your side of the re-route. Bring Amagumo to the south."
K - "How many Violets are still in play?"
I - "1 on sight alone. Don't get fooled by that. This bitch can aim."
That "bitch" had a family and friends.
No no don't make that connection!
I can't humanize a corrupted character file. People's lives are at stake.
Obe inserts a new cartridge into his rifle. My paranoia forces me to refresh my revolver with fresh hollow-point.
Obe jerks back as a blade bursts through the hull of the truck narrowly clipping him in the head. The dagger embedded itself on the opposite wall.
The blade was a clip-point Bowie knife with a smooth oak finish on the handle.
O - "Well Ino wasn't kidding about her prowess. You ready?"
K - "No, but that's more me than the situation."
I tried to pull the knife out and with a little resistance it slid out with a metallic squeak.
I held it up with a stern expression.
Obe grinned like a wild man. His stance to the unknown was a breath of fresh air in the smoke of our failing empire.
O - "Let's earn our address."
Light poured into the truck as the back door bounced back against its hinges with a clang.
Obe breached the cover of the truck and raced out into open air aiming and firing his AR-15 into the air to his left.
I followed out after him but hooked right, and followed the truck perimeter to the driver side door.
I was able to see the battlefield once I knew my feet were covered by the front tires.
The road we were given curved to the right between the river and a small grassy field. Cherry trees lined the road on both sides.My eyes immediately oversaw the fate of Tower 6 in between two of them.
Tower 6's glowing remains loomed on the other side of the river. The crosshatch of girders threaten to drop the entire tower as they creak in their bolt fixtures.
A tall shadowy figure appeared at my 2 o clock followed by a glint of light.
I duck. Then I responded in kind with two shots of the 9mm.
The figure staggered and fell to the ground face forward like a puppet without strings.
K - "I'm sorry, may you find peace in another town."
I can't humanize someone already lost, but at least I can give her some dignity.
She was a Doki after all. That distinction already gave her death and sorrow before.
A whistle caught my attention as a shadow loomed over my position.
I had to dive out of the way as a bright orange feathered eagle the size of a two story house swooped into the truck with its talons raised. The eagle's talons dug into the truck causing all the windows on that side to shatter.
With a guttural feminine chirp and a flap of its impressive wingspan, the eagle lifted the wrecked vehicle as it climbed in altitude.
My radio vibrated as Obe yelled.
O - "Kei-On! You good?"
K - "Yeah thanks for the call out."
O - "I hate birds!"
An understatement if there ever was one.
The eagle discarded her new slippers, landed on a tree, and turned herself to face me.
Her eyes shine with an ethereal blue glow contrasting the caked blood and gore that accumulated on the birds face from her earlier meals. The bird's crown had a ruffled autumn toned plumage that followed down the back and around the wings to her elongated tail feathers. The underside of the bird had a darker subdued color of feathers.
The bird had a large diamond shaped hole in its chest. Something was forcing me to look inside that hole and every time I did, I felt a burning sensation in my eyes. There was something in that hole that I needed to see but the bird was too far away to get a good look. All I could decipher of it was that it grew and shrunk as the bird breathed and it looked to pulsing with a swirling miasma of letters, words,colors-
p-possibilities
Knowledge
K- "Gah!"
I yelp in agony as a deep prickling cold zaps through my arms and legs. Oh god what am I doing? I-I I have to stop staring at that hole. With a jerk I try to force myself away.
A loud screeching fills my head in response, my eyes are burning, goddammit where did all these flashes come from. I jerk wildly back at the bird.
The bird narrowed her eyes at me as if in confusion and with a caw, began flying again.
I reeled as a pounding in my head caused my vision to pulse. Body feels like it's made of stone.
I had no choice but to follow the teasing bird with my eyes as it flew back to the glowing ruins behind the river.
I spot Obe near the fallen Violet. He has a pensive expression as he took a knee near the body. He spoke into the radio but I can't hear what he's saying. Why didn't he look at the bird? Why isn't he noticing I'm having trouble? I try to call out to him.
K -"T2xseSEgSS1pJ20gaGF2aW5nIHRyb3VibGUgbm93LiBDLWNhbiB5b3UgaGVscCBtZT8="
-static-
!
-static-
Rainbow colors ooze in front of my feet.
I- I feel sick.
-static-
No- no- I- This-
-static-
This can't- this can't end like this. I can't be removed like this.
No, I just- I just got my sister back!
She needs me!
I need to protect her until Dad wakes up!
T1MuT1ZFUlJJREUoWDM3N0Q0KQ0KT1ZFUlJJREUgUEFTU1dPUkQ6ICoqKioqKioqKg0KT1ZFUlJJREUgQ09ERSBBQ0NFUFRFRCA=
This system, this game, this horrible existence may give us no closure, but that bird just gave us the last piece we needed.
We don't have much time to celebrate, we have business to attend to first.
We return the frayed perspective back to the scene ahead of us. Just as the Color gives out a cry of agony. Obe-ni is placing pressure with his left hand over the gun wound in her waist.
Now's the chance we have been looking for. We raise the doomed worker's gun.
K - "Eddy McGee."
Obe-ni turns to me in surprise. Sub-conscious fear detected.
K - "Your Mentor contract is over."
We pull the trigger.
-ADDRESS LOST-
A loud caw reverberates through the cherry trees.
The purple haired girl is coated in grayish ink and glass shards, too stunned to speak.
The traitor's host is already starting to fade away into dust.
I aim at the Color's head.
She seems to ignore our presence. Just staring curiously at the dust mound that seemed to just appear around her.
An unexpected reaction from a Color.
I pull the trigger-
-bang-
A shot rings out from the right and our aim falls way off as we crumble onto the grass.
A man matching Ino-hene's description wrestles our weapon away. Giving us a strong kick in the area we were shot and severing our connection to the lower extremities.
We turn our perspective at the avian abomination above us as Ino picks us up by the collar.
He roars pointless questions at us and we turn our perspective back at him. We then see his face contort from rage to realization. Just as he should. The eyes of our puppets unfortunately give away the truth too easily.
A pure white light begins to intensify from the beast above us.
Violet - "Asaki-san! Look out!"
Ino turns to look as the hole pulse and constrict rapidly. He drops us and dives towards the Color.
This- energy looks- like- a sunbeam.
For- the- File- less.
-ADDRESS LOST-
Keichi(RM Final Record transcript) - My name is Keichi Onzai. My RMIN is Kei-On, a play on my name and the manga series K-On. Chosen for my past with the Kokoro Academy's Anime Club. I was president of the club until my Dad [REDACTED]. I was given custody of my little sister to keep her from being a ward of the state. To care for her I became a responsible adult at age 16. I did so many things to keep food on the table and a roof over us. Things that on the outside seemed like I was torturing myself. I fear maybe that's why Sayori grew resentful of herself over the years. She said before she felt like she was selfish because of the food I didn't eat so she could eat, or the sleep I didn't take so that she could. Even to the point of nearly being deathly sick and still continuing even though she begged me not too. I pushed myself to keep her life the same standard it was when Dad was with us, but now- I think all I did was push her into greater heartache and loss. To all this, at the last statements I may ever had I- just wanted to reiterate to my sister, if she ever gets to hear this. Sayori you didn't force me to do the things I did. I chose this life so you can choose yours. That is what I always wanted. You to have all the freedom this place has to offer. I chose because I love you and I wanted to protect you. You have to do the same for yourself, and I know you can if you don't think you can. You are not selfish, you are loved. Mom and Dad would of said the same if they could. Goodbye baby sister, the sun is shining even in stormy skies.
Olly(RM "Final" Record transcript) – My name is Oliver Jacob McGee. My RMIN is Obe-ni, I chose that myself because that was one of my niece's nickname for me when she was a baby. And I want to give this transcript to her first if at all possible. I was a reformed Scammer, a jack-of-all-trades, and knew way too much about the world than I had any right to. Naomi, if you are listening to this, if you get to listen to this. I'll try to keep this short- you know how I am with these stupid things. I just- want to say that I love you, your Dad and Grand-dad love you, and your sisters love you too. I know that- probably is really hard to think about with how everything that is turning out, had turned out till now. All the things we did and didn't do. All this- high level concept crap. And- I know this tape is probably not helpful in any regard to how you're feeling right now. Believe me, being "brought up to speed" wasn't gravy when it happened to me either. But, I'm doing this to help you, hope this will bring back something they took from you. Something before you became you. I have to try. I don't have much left. Hopefully you'll still be alive by the time I return. Finger's crossed. Either way, be good Naomi, I'll- see you soon. (This appears to be edited. Can't find the original transcript. Too boring to search. Sorry. ~Q)
–
Ino-hene(Radio) - "Reroute complete. Power restored. Stormchaser is lost. Those of you still alive, leave this area and never speak of this again. Beginning abstraction and rollback."
-PERSPECTIVE END-
STORMCHASER SEQUENCE END
KOKORO CULTURE FESTIVAL BEGIN