Radiant Falcon Presents
Virtua Republic
Since it's only the third chapter, I guess I ought to explain what's going on in this story. Remember that old In Ideal Roles story I did once? This is a bigger better version of that. It's a slice of life action-humor epic that is set in a completely different world than, say, Anthony Bault's Heroes of Arcadia. Oh, and there won't be any OCs. I'm saving that for the sequel, lolololol. Also, you may have noticed that the title bit at the beginning of chapter two said Redshirt Falcon rather than Radiant Falcon. Do not be alarmed, that's still me.
SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTER
A 12-year-old dataroid named Saria goes missing in River City. In response, the crime fighters of the Shadowlaw Cartel investigate. What will they discover?
on tap: vector act one
"river city ransom"
-=VR=-
As I have mentioned, the Virtua Republic is a large country, with the three provinces that comprise it about equal in size. Raster is in the north, Vekkuto in the east, and Edgedi (rhymes with HD) in the south, with the Livestream[1] river separating the three provinces. Of the three, Raster has the most populous cities, Edgedi is the most advanced in technology (G-Diffusion was invented there, and there was even rumors of a space program), and Vekkuto has more zones than any other province. It is one city, on the Livestream river that borders Vekkuto and Raster, that is our focus. It is River City, estimated population around 93,000. Since it lies on the river, it has a lot of waterways. An easy way to get from place to place in River City is to take a gondola; an easier way to walk on bridges, and the easiest way to get around is to get yourself kidnapped.
I probably should have mentioned. River City has the highest rate of reported criminal acts anywhere in Vekkuto. The law enforcement agencies are doing everything they can, but there's too few of them in a city like this. And no city is completely without crime. But they do have help: A beastman eidolon calling himself Viral -just Viral- took it upon himself to create a volunteer crime fighting force to bring the perps to justice. That force is a foundation called the Shadowlaw Cartel[2], a close-knit team that has chapters in Jump City[3] in Edgedi and Shikigami in Raster. Some anima say they do a better job than the police. Some more anima say they are the police. However, as Viral once told a reporter in Raster City, "We're not the police. We're just volunteers who want to keep the peace."
Some of the more notable volunteers include Shadow the Hedgehog, a hybrid dataroid who went on to become a detective in the VRPD[4]; Domon Kasshu, a human eidolon calling himself "The King of Hearts", and Rufus Shinra, who would later establish a Midgar branch in Vekkuto. Of course, this makes Viral a very connected crime fighter...
Z/'''
January 21, F2C Year 2050, 8'35 AM
Shadowlaw HQ; 1 Tramiel Plaza, River City, Vekkuto
...though not a particularly busy one, as right now there wasn't a whole lot of things going on. Either that, or they were being reported to the police. While Shadowlaw and the VRPD do work together for the most part, sometimes they have contests to see who can solve the cases first. The score so far was Shadowlaw 2, VRPD 4. This was possibly due to the actual cops' highly advanced crime lab, or maybe the people who work there are fast. Either way, they needed an ace in the hole, a trump card to even the score with the cops.
The Shadowlaw HQ itself was at Tramiel Plaza[5], which was a business complex off of the edge of one of the many waterways in River City. When Shadowlaw volunteers, or SCVs[6], as they call themselves, give directions, it's usually 'look for the black-and-gold brick building at Tramiel Plaza; you can't miss it.' Inside the black-and-gold brick building that was the Shadowlaw HQ, the place was a bit of a mess, but that was because some SCVs make it their home, including Viral. Viral never was one of the tidiest people you'd meet. His hair was often long and messy, like most beastmen[7], and his shirt, bearing the golden winged S that was the Shadowlaw emblem, had some tiny holes in it. The SCVs who lived with him did not make the Shadowlaw HQ's living conditions any better. It's not like they were behind on the rent or anything; as a matter of fact the Vekkuto province's government gave a grant to Viral for the foundation's continued operation. It's just that the place was a mess.
Inside, Viral was awake, but none of his tenants were. He usually was the one to wake his fellow SCVs up. It wasn't long after he got dressed that the Big Red Phone[8] in the center of his room rang. So the beastman casually drifted to the Big Red Phone, which the anima at the other line asked "is this Shadowlaw?" It was a male voice, possibly sounding like a Cast. Viral, whose regular routine did not involve getting reports from strangers at 8'35 in the morning, queried "who's asking?"
"TOM-Williams[9], Level 6[10] teacher at Tam Junior High[11]. One of my students, Saria Kokiri, hasn't shown up for class in the past week."
Viral did not know a TOM-Williams, but that metallic voice sounded just like a Normal-chassis[12] Cast. On the other hand, he probably just started teaching at Tam Junior High. So Viral responded "I see. Mr. Williams, when was the last time this Saria Kokiri attended your school?"
"She was last in class exactly one week ago on January 14th."
"And have you contacted the VRPD?"
"I have, and they referred me to you."
"I see. Do Saria's parents or classmates know where she is?"
TOM's voice dropped in pitch by an octave at this point, as Normal Casts are wont to do when in a puzzled state. "Saria has no parents, and her classmates haven't seen her either."
"Then it would be safe to say that she's been kidnapped."
"There's a 65% chance you're wrong and that she's merely sick, but I'd like you to investigate anyway. Her address is 220 Ocarina Circle"
"I'll be there."
ten minutes later
Saria's House; 220 Ocarina Circle, River City, Vekkuto
The house at 220 Ocarina Circle, a short ten minutes away from Tramiel Plaza and an easy two minutes from Tam Junior High, was a bit of a mess given its twelve-year-old occupant. It normally was at least tolerable to the average parent, but when Viral and two dataroid SCVs – Yang Lee, younger twin brother of pro skateboarder[13] Yun Lee, and the Aura Pokemon Lucario - arrived, the place was ransacked. Shelves were strewn everywhere; their contents spilled on the floor. There were what appeared to be mud tracks on the floor, and there was a TV stand, with no TV. "Looks like someone wanted something real bad." Yang noted. "Yes, and I have a feeling whoever broke into this house already has it," Lucario agreed. "but we are supposed to be looking for Saria, not investigating a robbery."
"I dunno, Luc; sometimes a criminal would steal the things and leave the person[14]. Hear of that happening, boss?"
Viral, who this time was wearing the black jacket with the golden winged S emblem, wasn't listening. He had found a strange instrument near one of the fallen shelves; appearing like a large inflamed flute with four holes along its rim. What struck Viral the most was that it was sapphire-colored, or perhaps made out of sapphire, you could never tell with strange woodwind instruments.
"Uh, V.? Is that an ocarina?", Yang queried, "What is a twelve year old doing with that?" Lucario realized the significance of it, and said "Yang, this is River City. There are some famous blues musicians here, and some of them tend to play such things." he then turned to Viral. Before he could ask a question, however, Viral had a plan in mind. "Okay, guys. Lucario, search Saria's bedroom and the closets. If she's still in the house, then that's where she'll be. Yang, keep looking for calling cards of any known criminal organization, and call me if you find anything."
"where you headin', boss?"
"I'm going to school."
January 21, F2C Year 2050, 8'47 AM
Tam Junior High School, room 07A; 2002 Firefly Lane, River City, Vekkuto
By the time Viral arrived at the nearby Tam Junior High School, class had not started yet. At least, not for the man he was seeing. TOM-Williams, indeed a Normal-chassis Cast, taught Level 6 Physical Science, Level 8 English Composition, and was the after-school music teacher[15] for students who've finished their work for the day. "and that is what I'm programmed to do here, Mr. Viral.", TOM finished explaining his job description. "Now, I'm told you have not found Saria yet?"
"We're working on it. If she's within a few blocks, we'll know it. I do have a Psion[16] on my team, you know."
"I'd like to meet this Psion. The only Psions I've met are all in the loony bin[17]. Anyway, what have you found so far?"
"Right now, we've learned that miss Kokiri's house was broken into and torn apart in the search for something valuable, but then that's how it goes these days. I don't think they found anything, though."
"What makes you say that?"
"Because I found it first."
Viral pulled out the sapphire ocarina out from out of his jacket Pocket[18] "what do you make of this?" he asked the teacher.
"That's Saria's ocarina. She usually brings it to science class with her."
"Why would a twelve-year-old kid bring a musical instrument to science class?"
"That's not the point. The point is that if you found that ocarina in her house, then..."
"Then Saria is indeed missing."
"30 go to 10[19]."
At that point, Viral's codec[20] started beeping. "hold on, let me take this call. Hello?"
on the other end of the line was Yang, who seemed to have found something "It's Yang. I've found a joker playing card on Saria's kitchen table."
"A joker? Please tell me it's the big one."
"No, it's a small round one."
Viral then knew exactly what he was up against: the criminal jester known as Joka. Joka had ties to the infamous Ghadius, a well-known evildoer round these parts. (the big joker card was the calling card of Casey[21] Latham, also known as Kid Chameleon, who was not a criminal but rather a vigilante, not associated with the VRPD, nor the Shadowlaw Cartel)
"I'll be right there."
-=VR=-
1] The Livestream river is a pure source of AF energy. Some say it is how all refractor pylons get their power. Others say it's just water. Obviously based on the Lifestream from Final Fantasy VII.
2] That's the Shadowlaw Cartel, not to be confused with Street Fighter's Shadaloo Syndicate in this story.
3] Jump City will eventually be in this story, but those Teen Titans probably won't.
4] Virtua Republic Police Department, aka the Virtua Cops.
5] RIP Jack Tramiel, that magnificent bastard who founded Commodore and changed the computer industry FOREVUH
6] yes, this is a direct reference to StarCraft. No, actual SCVs will not appear in this story.
7] you know, the villains from the first half of Gurren Lagaan.
8] Every crime fighter needs a good hotline. In this case, the Big Red Phone
9] TOM-Williams, the TOONAMI OPERATIONS MODULE from Williams Street. While technically not a cartoon or anime character, TOM is still classified as an eidolon. I can't wait 'til he meets Spike Spiegel.
10] In Virtua Republic school terms, Level 1 is 1st grade, Level 2 is 2nd grade, and so on up to high school; which uses the Japanese school grade level terms (freshman is first year, sophomore is second year, junior is third year, and senior is fourth year.)
11] no, the people from Firefly will not make appearances in this story, as they are not cartoon, anime, nor video game characters.
12] Normal-chassis Casts essentially look like they do in Phantasy Star Online, though in TOM's case he looks like the most recent iteration of his character.
13] hooray for skateboarders!
14] What? It can happen. A lot sooner than you'd think, too.
15] Since Toonami is filled with all kinds of Phat Beats, it makes sense that its host would teach music.
16] Psions are basicallly like psychics. They can read minds.
17] However, Psions have a tendency to go insane due to all the thoughts that invade their heads. You know, personal stuff.
18] Everyone in the Virtua Republic, be they eidolons or dataroids, has a literal pocketspace where they keep stuff. Usually it's in their pockets.
19] Cast-speak for "you got it" or "bingo". The origin of 30 go to 10 is in the BASIC programming language.
20] The Shadowlaw Cartel uses civilian codec frequencies, such as 141.52[20a], as opposed to the VRPD, which uses the frequency used in the military.
20a] If you have played Metal Gear Solid, this is Hal Emmerich's frequency. Naturally, ol' Otacon will be making an appearance later on.
21] for our UK readers, remember that Kid Chameleon comic in Sonic the Comic? Casey's name is from there.
Next up: edgedi act one
"quartet"