(Cue: This'll Be Rough- Hi-Fi Rush OST)
"Security Wing 2… and it looks like they locked us out." Chai noticed the quartet having arrived at the door to Security Wing 2, but it was locked.
"Then we have to force our way in!" Macaron said. "See anything?"
"There's an area nearby that's under construction, we could take that as an alternate path." Lysithea said.
"Nice thinkin', Lysithea!" Chai said as the four of them took the construction route inside. "No one will see us coming, as we sneak…" he was interrupted as they made their way through the dark, before the lights turned on to show them cornered by two ES-101s, a BRUT-1L, and an HG-0G. "Into this trap?"
The BRUT-1L struck first, the aspiring rockstar nearly avoiding its plasma saw as everyone drew their weapons and engaged their ambushers.
"Looks like we're going in swinging from the start!" Hilda said, smashing Freikugel against the HG-0Gs Z-Shielding to break it down.
Peppermint and Connor distracted the two ES-101s, allowing Lysithea to overwhelm them with her magics once they were bunched together, busting them apart. Hilda worked with Macaron to destroy the HG-0G, leaving Chai with the BRUT-1L as he made sure its optics were on him, damaging it with new moves and special attacks like Guitar Ride and Overdrive Slash, before countering the assault bots Spinning Slash to destroy it.
"Well, its safe to say they know you're all there," Peppermint said.
"Please, Mister Chai and his company are all under great pressure. Best not to apply any more." CNMN advised.
"C'mon, CNMN, we're not pressured. This is like a regular Tuesday for us." Hilda said.
"You got this, guys! Check out Construction for a back door." Macaron said.
"Positive reinforcement!" CNMN piped in.
So the group did as Macaron advised, going through the construction area to find another way in. Along the way, Korsica was heard over the PA System.
"Korsica here. While we do have more pressing matters, might there be anyone here who knows how to fix the coffee machine?" she asked. "It's only giving out decaf, and with this amount of documentation I need to get through—What? Firmware update? Why does the coffee machine need a firmware up–?" she was soon cut off.
"What's more important than catching us?" Chai asked.
"Maybe I actually got into her head while we had our one on one time." Connor theorized.
"Connor!" Lysithea said with flushed cheeks.
"It's just a joke Lysithea, geez!" Hilda said. "Connor meant that while Korsica was interrogating him, he told the truth about SPECTRA to her. Probably as a way to make her second guess her employment to Kale."
"O-Oh. Yes, I knew that…" Lysithea said, struggling a little to compose herself.
"All jokes aside, maybe Connor's plan worked?" Macaron asked.
"No way to know for now. Keep moving." Peppermint said.
The group did so, making their way up through the construction area before busting into Security Wing 2 through a Z-Shielded Wall.
"Alright, what's the plan to reach Korisca now?" Hilda asked.
"It's simple, we just go up," Connor said.
"Up?" Chai asked.
"Up," Peppermint repeated.
"That's it?" Chai asked.
"Korsica's office has gotta be on the top floor of this wing, so that's why it's a simple straight shot all the way up there," Connor said.
"There's gotta be a catch." Chai said as they got moving into Security Wing 2.
"Yeah, a big one. Korsica's got no Cybernetic Implants." Connor said. "Meaning she's Old-School. Types out and Memorizes her passwords like she's not even from the Future Universe."
"You'll need to get her to cooperate with us." Macaron said.
"What?! How are we supposed to do THAT?!" Chai asked.
"Persuasiveness is indeed not one of Mister Chai's strong suits." CNMN said.
"Hmm… CNMN's right, but we need her password to shut down SPECTRA." Peppermint said.
"Korsica doesn't seem too well connected with Kale. We could try and convince her to join our side if it's possible." Lysithea recommended.
"We'll keep that in mind, Lysithea. We'll brainstorm some other ideas too." Peppermint responded.
The group made their way through the halls until they found themselves in a room with lots of security nodes and a very tall tower that reached way up into the building.
"Cutting off elevator access," Korsica announces as an elevator was deactivated a destructive way.
"Ugh, going up is…very…up. And we just lost the quick way!" Chai said.
"It ain't easy trying to do the right thing. C'mon, we can get up the old-fashioned way." Connor said.
"Send any available security to capture them, or at least… stall them. I need quiet time right now." Korsica continued.
The group made their way to the tower in the center of the chamber and started making their way up.
"CNMN, give us a little more detail about Korsica. What's she all about?" Hilda asked.
"Let's see… Hardworking, demanding, lack of humor; all the perfect qualities of a boss!" CNMN said.
"However, she just joined Vandelay 6 months ago…" Macaron added.
"So she's newer on the block compared to the other department heads. I did catch that she was trying to prove herself to Kale." Connor said.
"That's pretty insecure for head of Security." Peppermint joked.
"Heheheh, a joke from Peppermint! Rare form!" Macaron said.
The group continued to work their way up the tower, platforming and fighting their way through Security bots, which included new models like the WA-ES-2, a Samurai-like bot that could counter any attacks when enraged. They soon came to another hallway as they made their way through.
"Okay, plan time– how are we getting that password?" Chai asked.
"We're still… thinking?" Peppermint replied.
"Think… better? We're running out of time!" Chai said.
"Well, I don't see you contributing!" Peppermint snapped back.
"Miss Peppermint, please don't confuse Mister Chai by implying that he is the brains behind the mission," CNMN said.
"Exactly! …Wait." Chai said.
"Ooh! Peppermint, see if you can mirror Korsica's screen!" Hilda said. "She's up in her office, maybe you can catch her using her password."
"Better than nothing. Try that!" Chai said.
The group continued on before coming to a large arena platform, where they had to fight off another wave of Security bots. After they fought off the ambushers, they were suddenly interrupted when Korsica came on screen, albeit her face was really close to the camera.
"You trying to hack into my computer? The head of Security?" Korsica asked.
"Busted..." Peppermint groaned.
"You broke my concentration. So how 'bout I break you?" Korsica asked.
Just then the shutter doors above them opened and leaping down was a red-painted lizard-like robot as it let out a roar.
This robot dubbed the KEM-0N0, was very fast and could strike in a number of different ways. From slashing with its claws, shooting plasma daggers, and jumping into the air for a big slam.
"This thing is too fast, I can't hit it!" Hilda said.
"Allow me then. I'll stop this robotic reptile dead in its tracks." Lysithea recommended.
Connor registered the Master Mage's recommendation and dodged another jumping slam before getting his eyes on it.
"Lysithea, work your magic!" Connor called.
"Watch closely. Banshee Theta!" Lysithea called as a swarm of dark orbs swirled around the robot, damaging and reducing its movement. With that done, it was easy for the others to gang up on the KEM-0N0 and junk it.
"Did you manage to catch Korsica, Peppermint?" Hilda asked.
"No, the mirroring worked, but only for a minute," Peppermint replied.
"But get this, guys: She was looking at SPECTRA files! The stuff about mind control!" Macaron said.
"She must have forced her way in there." Peppermint theorized.
"So maybe you really did get to her, Connor," Hilda said.
"Glad to know it worked, probably." the bounty hunter replied.
The group made their way into the next room and saw another tower making its way up, just like the previous room.
"Okay, same thing as last-" Chai started before the lights suddenly went out.
"Alright, I'm putting a stop to this," Korsica said.
Multiple security lasers were then activated on the tower.
"Eh, that's not bad…" Chai started… before security lasers activated all over, completely covering the entire tower from top to bottom as Chai appropriately reacted to this.
"Let me know when you all decide to give up." Korsica taunted.
"Great, fantastic! Can we get any more lasers?!" Chai asked.
"She's panicking." Macaron noted.
"I'M panicking! We don't have a plan!" Chai replied.
"Just give us a second!" Peppermint informed.
The group made their way up the laser-covered tower, and after destroying another security blockade, Chai got an idea.
"What if we… trick her?" Chai asked.
"Why the negative angle? Personally, I think we should go with Lysithea's plan and try to reason with her." Macaron recommended.
"The woman who's trying to KILL us with LASERS?!" Chai asked.
"Well, I…got a good feeling! How about that?" Macaron asked.
"I sense that Mister Chai does not share this uncalculatable *good feeling.*" CNMN said.
After climbing the tower, avoiding the lasers, and fighting off robots, the group finally reached the entrance to Korsica's office. The sign above her door said: 'Do not Disturb! Knock on my door and you're getting transferred!'
"'Do not disturb.' Sounds definitive." Chai said.
"She locked the doors, but I can still access these…" Peppermint said as the air duct next to the entrance popped open. "Heard you like air ducts. Go get dirty."
The group then made their way inside.
"So, I guess we're going with Lysithea's plan?" Chai asked.
"Yep. One of you is gonna have to wing it and talk to her." Peppermint said.
"This time, I'll do the talking. When Chai tried reasoning with that HG-0G, he paid for it." Connor said.
"Her demeanor is pragmatic, provided you do not escalate." CNMN said.
"Talk to her calmly. State the facts." Peppermint advised.
"Hopefully, that's Connor's specialty. And if things escalate?" Chai asked.
"Then bring her back here somehow? But, uh…please be nice about it." Macaron recommended.
(song fade)
The group then stopped in front of a vent on the floor as Chai peaked down.
"So, can you see her?" Hilda whispered.
"Oh man, she's right there! On her computer. And she's still looking at SPECTRA files!" Chai said.
"OK, that's good! She wants to know more; she'll listen to us." Macaron said.
"We're like chameleons…" Chai said.
"Mister Chai, are you listening?" CNMN asked.
"Waiting to strike…" Chai continued.
"Now, this is important…" Peppermint said through 808. "All you need is to subtly-"…
Before Peppermint could finish, the group didn't realize they were putting too much weight on the grate they were looking through, and their foothold gave in, causing them to drop down into the office, right onto Korsica!
"Ow…!" Hilda cried. "Note to self, don't pile on an air vent below as a floor…"
Korsica recovered fast as she sat up before the grate hit her on the head. "What the-?!" she said before growling as she hopped onto her desk with an angry expression before it turned dumbfounded as she saw 808 glomping onto Chai's face, with the others recovering.
"This isn't what it looks like!" Chai muffled out before pulling 808 off his face. "This isn't what it looks like!"
"Enough!" Korsica said before leaping into the air.
(Cue: Negotiation- Hi-Fi Rush OST)
In mid-air, Korsica drew her twin escrima sticks as each of them extended before she swung them back. She then landed on the ground as they activated, Chai a little scared.
"So what does it look like?" Korsica asked.
Connor stepped forward, being the one who Korsica captured in the first place. "Take it easy, Korsica. We just wanna have a little chat."
"I think all my defenses did my talking for me." Korsica said.
"All I heard was a whole lot of 'meh'." Chai cut in.
"Mister Chai, do not escalate!" CNMN warned.
"You are such an idiot!" Peppermint chided.
"Oh, this is bad…" Macaron said.
"I take pride in my work." Korsica said, readying herself before looking at Connor. "You're not slipping away this time." she said to the reincarnated bounty hunter, fixed on her target.
Connor knew there was no way to talk to Korsica as she was now, but there was no reason to fight. He adjusts his hat and relaxed his body before pulling his rifle and taking a cautious stance, Lysithea, Hilda and Chai watching as they began circling around.
Vs. Korsica
FIGHT!
"Connor… pretty sure she wants to kill you." Chai said.
"I know, but I'm not returning the feeling." Connor said.
"What're you gonna do?" Hilda asked.
"I'm gonna try pulling a Hibiki and see if I can reason with her while we face off," Connor replied, turning back to Korsica. "We saw you takin' a look at those files on SPECTRA, so it's a given I wasn't lying earlier."
"Assessing the problem is my job, I don't need you to tell me." Korsica said.
"Well, apparently he does, since you aren't getting it!" Chai said.
"Don't belittle me!" Korsica said.
"Connor, don't attack her! Protect yourself!" Macaron advised.
"(Gotta watch the timing on the tells before she strikes…)" Connor said as Korsica prepared to attack. He watched the tells of her strike. 1-2…3-4! She then leaped at Connor as he blocked every strike according to the order she gave, knocking her back.
"C'mon Korsica, chill for a second!" Connor tried to persuade.
"You and your friends broke into my office! You destroyed my security!" Korsica replied.
"To peacefully resolve this." Chai piped in again.
"Wow. Does he even listen to what he says?" Korsica asked.
"Sometimes I even wonder if he even thinks about his sentences…" Lysithea sighed.
"But Chai's half right, we're not here to fight. So, if you could just put your weapons down…" Connor said.
"Not a chance." Korsica declared. She then readied another attack. 1. 2-3. 4-5! She sprang to attack again, but Connor parried her attacks again, wearing her down a bit more.
"Yeah, clearly talking isn't working out right now…" Hilda said, reading the situation.
"No worries, Hilda. I've got a better idea. Let's get her REALLY mad." Chai said.
"Keep the attacks coming and wear her down… Chai, you're a genius!" Macaron said.
"Whoa, now. Let's calm down there." Peppermint said.
"Wear her down by pissing her off? I can do that." Connor said.
"Stop chatting! Put your guns where your mouth is!" Korsica directed Connor back to her.
Connor turned his attention back to Korsica and watched her preemptive movements again. 1-2-3…4-5-6! Connor parried all six strikes in accordance with the beat and timing,knocking her back as she faltered.
"You think you can strong-arm ME?" Korsica asked.
"Hey, you're the one who wanted to fight…" Connor corrected before noticing what Korsica did. "Hey, didn't take you for being a jokester."
"What? No! W-Whatever… Let's see how you handle this!" Korsica said as she clicked her escrima sticks together into a staff and launching a mini cyclone that knocked Connor off his feet when he tried to block it.
"Agh, what the…?" Connor asked in surprise.
"Caught you off guard." Korsica smugly remarked as Connor recovered.
"Ok, scratch Parrying everything." Peppermint said.
"Yeah, she's got an extra trick that I can't block. Didn't know she could summon cyclones." Connor said.
"Plus, shes totally lying about hating puns." Chai said.
"Just get out of the way! But don't give up!" Macaron said.
Connor refocused and registered that he'd have to watch for when Korisca used her cyclone attack, mixing and matching parries and dodges.
"Nice trick you pulled with that little windstorm. But I've taken hits way harder than that." Connor said.
"I'll make sure you stay down this time!" Korsica said.
Korsica prepped her next attack. Connor parried one blow, dodged a cyclone, and then parried two more strikes.
"Way to go, Connor!" Macaron praised as the room darkened.
"I can do this all day. Lemme know when you get tired." Connor said.
"Impressive. Mister Connor is surprisingly good at aggravating others!" CNMN complimented.
"He's full of surprises, CNMN," Lysithea said.
"How about this?" Korsica asked.
This time, Connor parried 4 strikes and dodged a cyclone at the end.
"You're doing great!" Macaron said.
"Is that a floating cat?" Korsica noticed 808. "Ugh, nothing about your whole group makes sense!"
Korisca prepped another attack routine, and Connor blocked a strike, dodged a cyclone, and then blocked three more attacks.
"You gotta admit, this is fun, isn't it?" Connor asked.
"You cocky LOSER!" Korsica growled.
Korsica charged in again, and Connor parried 4 rapid strikes. The head of security jumped back and prepped another set of attacks, though she was getting tired, as Connor blocked two strikes, dodged a slow-putting cyclone, and a final strike knocked Korsica down again.
"I worked hard for this job! I won't just give it up." Korsica declared. Seeing how tired she was, Connor took a chance to make his move.
"What are you even doin' this for? Kale?" Connor asked.
"What does it matter?" Korsica asked.
"I heard the way he was talking down to you in R&D. He doesn't care one bit about you. If he did, he wouldn't have restricted your access to all of SPECTRA's info." Connor noted.
"You don't know that." Korsica denied.
"But I DO know you're not like the other heads of this company, Korsica," Connor said. "You feel something's wrong around here!"
"Connor, you are…surprisingly convincing." Peppermint complimented in surprise.
"De-escalating… I think we may have a chance—" Macaron started, but then…
"Or are you just too OBLIVIOUS to figure that out?!" chai suddenly cut in once more, ruining Connors's appeal.
"Chai!" Hilda chided.
"You imbecile!" Lysithea insulted.
"Ohhh, COME ON!" Peppermint added.
"That's it! Now I'm mad!" Korsica declared, getting back up, reinvigorated by her anger at Chai's comment.
"Uh oh…!" Connor said as he dodged an oncoming cyclone before parrying 6 rapid Escrima strikes.
"In your own words: You really blew it, Mister Chai." CNMN said.
"Wait, what does 'oblivious' mean?" Chai asked.
"Not what you think it meant when you said it, buddy!" Connor said to Chai.
"Enough distractions! Fights over here, Connor!" Korisica declared.
Connor got ready for a big onslaught, then blocked a strike, then dodged a cylcone. Korsica reset, and then sent a cyclone again as Connor dodged that and parried two more attacks. And then for a third time, Connor blocked 4 rapid hits, wearing Korsica down a lot as she growled.
"Okay….hope you're ready to wrap this up soon. I got places to be, bosses to bash, and a plan to shut down." Connor smirked with confidence, having parried and dodged everything Korsica threw at him.
"You…are so…annoying!" Korsica growled.
Connor knew from the way Korsica was speaking, she was finally running on empty and had just one more attack left in her. Connor blocked her first strike, then dodged a cyclone, followed by parrying five more rapid strikes.
Korsica wasn't done, as she prepared another wave of attacks. She started off with a cyclone followed by two strikes, then a strike followed by two more cyclones and two strikes. After Connor blocked and dodged the latter half of her attack, she was overpowered and launched into the air, losing her weapons and falling down.
"Catch her, Connor!" Hilda called.
"I've got her…!" Connor assured, sliding on his knees and catching the head of Security in his arms just before she fell on the ground hard.
"Stupid…musical robot powers…" Korsica groaned before fainting.
(end song)
Connor stood up with Korsica in her arms before alarms started going off.
"Escape plan, now!" Chai said.
"CNMN! Give me the building schematics!" Macaron said.
"Right here." CNMN said, running over with blueprints in his hands as Macaron took it.
"Guys, her private elevator!" Macaron said.
"Chai, take Korsica and get out that way." Connor said, handing Korsica to Chai.
"Wait, why just me?" Chai asked.
"Kale wants to hand me over to the world government, and he likely thinks I'm still locked up till tomorrow." Connor said. "Don't worry, I'll make my way back to the hideout with Hilda and Lysithea, and then I'll figure out how to give Kale a pretty bonkers surprise."
"Okay, meet you three back there!" Chai nodded.
The quartet split up, Chai using Korsica's facial ID to get into her elevator, though he did bonk her head against a few things along the way. He rode the elevator all the way down to the bottom most level of the Security Wing.
"Her personal L.I.F.T. I'll reroute it to the hideout." Peppermint said as chai boarded it. He set Korsica down and started the L.I.F.T up, making it rev right towards the hideout. But it wasn't long before Korsica was back on her feet, confronting Chai with her weapons armed.
"Your friend was right about SPECTRA— but I'll handle it my own way." Korsica insisted.
"We don't have to fight! You can help us!" Chai insisted right back.
"Oh, Korsica… You're just not good at your job." the voice of Kale came as his hologram appeared right up by the controls.
"Kale?!" Korsica asked.
"Bypassing MY security to access secret SPECTRA files…big no-no." Kale said.
"Why would you hide the truth from me?" Korsica asked.
"I need people trusting my vision. You failed that test." Kale explained.
"What?!" Korsica asked.
"I won't let you build an army of mindless Vandelay soldiers!" Chai cut in, mostly taking a guess at what SPECTRA's use is for given its details already.
"What are you talking about? That's not my plan, it—" Kale sighed.
"Just drop it, Kale. We're coming after you." Chai declared.
"Actually, it's funny because, see, I'm coming after YOU. Literally." Kale replied.
Chai and Korsica went outside to the back of the L.I.F.T to see something big rolling their way.
"Youd never understand the potential of SPECTRA." Kales voice came from a giant robot. It looked strikingly similar to the QA-1ML model, but it was on wheels and was heavily modified with all sorts of weapons and defenses, even a different paint job, that being red. It soon caught up with the L.I.F.T. and slammed into it.
"What's the endgame?" Korsica asked.
"I'm securing our future. Please, even you can figure that out." Kale said, his voice coming through the CH-AS1R.
"By controlling the consumers?!" Korsica replied.
"It's not control! I'm FREEING them." Kale said.
"That's not how I see it." Chai cut in.
"I don't need to explain myself to a defect, all you do is hit things with a guitar." Kale said.
"But I'm REALLY good at it." Chai replied.
Kale groaned. "I'm over this. That cowboy's gonna be shipped off to the New World tomorrow, I'm gonna be a billion bucks richer, and you're not getting in my way any longer, kid."
The CH-AS1R then armed two plasma blaster hands on its shoulders.
"Forgot the password, Chai! Get outta there!" Peppermint called through 808.
"What?! No! Not after all this!" Chai insisted.
"Oh, and for you, Korsica? You're fired." Kale said, firing the plasma blasters right at Korsica.
"Korsica, watch out!" Chai called as she got her out of the way just before the blasters hit the lift and destroyed it, the two escaped, seemingly dead to kale.
"'You're fired'? …Oh, OH, should've used the flamethrower!" Kale realized. "All right, well, there's always next time."