Wednesday - June 15th
V had joked before that Buck-a-Slice pizza always tasted like styrofoam.
Compared to the food she had experienced on Lynn's side of the Metaverse, saying that now was like an insult to styrofoam. The bland, rubbery cheese stretched from V's mouth, refusing to let go of the drab slice of syn-pepperoni pizza. She glared at the strands as if her gaze alone could cut through it.
After another tug, she was free.
At least the booze helped make the meal bearable.
Once everyone had their fill - which amusingly was only a single slice each - V cleaned up and disposed of the trash. Despite several other, weeks-old takeout containers still littering the kitchen counters.
"Alright, so, like I said on the hollo, we might have a way to track down this Kuroi thing." V started off the conversation.
"Hank Parker, right?" Panam asked and swigged from her beer.
"Yeah. The fucker's supposedly the one who discovered the Metaverse using Mikoshi. How he did that is anyone's fuckin' guess." V sighed in frustration. She scratched her neck and furrowed her brow. "That's partly why I want to get my hands on this Kuroi's data. If we can figure out how they got in, maybe we can find a way to keep them out."
"So how does Hank come into this? This… isn't going to be like Hellman, is it?"
"Fuck no. We're going to get into his Palace and dig up Kuroi's location as well as anything else useful. The gonk's mind must be a trove of Corpo secrets."
Panam still looked lost, but at the very least, she knew what Palaces were. She shrugged and leaned back on the couch. "Alright. Hijack a gonk's brain and find the location of some top secret data vault that may or may not even exist. Sounds about right." She raised her beer in a sort of salute and laughed. Laying it out like that, V could see the ludicrousness of it all.
"Before we can do that," River started, "we need his keywords. Location and Distortion, right?"
"Come again?" Panam perked up a brow.
Judy thankfully provided an answer. "We need to know where Hank's Palace is and what he thinks it is to him." She tapped her chin, thinking back to their experiences. "V's Palace was the Afterlife and looked like a giant ass secret volcano lair. Pretty fuckin' intense, honestly. Seein' her like… that was pretty…" she trailed off and shot V a saddened glance.
Although hazy, V remembered seeing her other self. A monstrous dragon fueled by rage and destruction.
"I get it. Thanks, Jude." Panam smiled. She had been told the story already. "Anyway, how would we get these keywords?"
"We could always throw out some guesses. Worked for my Palace." V looked to River. "You still got any friends in blue?" River's expression briefly twisted with confusion before he caught on to what she was asking. He scratched his chin and thought for a moment.
"I got a few."
"Think you could pull some intel on our target?" To V's request, he gave a single nod. She grinned with silent appreciation. "Preem. Screamsheets too. Might pick up some decent shit. I'll get in touch with Regina." Both Judy and Panam each gave her an expectant look. "You two are working on that side project, right?" They nodded. "Nova." She gave them a toothy grin. "Final order of business; what'll your codename be, Pam?"
Judy and River each shared a curious glance and looked at Panam. She was - of course - lost again. "When we're in the Metaverse, we use aliases. Mine's Mox, V's is Merc and River's is Badges."
"Oh, about that, I'm thinking of changing mine." V's grin turned sharp as a certain presence brushed against the edges of her mind. Her three comrades gave her confused glances. "Samurai!"
"Of fuckin' course…" River smirked.
"I guess… Nomad?" Panam tilted her head. It was in line with what the others had chosen. It would do for now.
At least until something else came along.
Thursday - June 16th
"Most of this shit paints him as some gift from god. Barf…" Judy grunted. She turned the pages of the screamsheet records in front of her.
A quick visit to Regina pointed V in the direction of a local municipal library. They had archives reaching back almost a century. It was a small mercy V and Judy didn't need to go back that far. However, even a couple of decades was still a massive undertaking. "Anything useful?" V asked. Judy examined another article mentioning Hank Parker. They had only been at it for two hours, but bags were already forming under both their eyes.
"Just basics. Child prodigy. Doctrets out the ass. Hopped from corp to corp until he landed at Night Corp. From there, intel gets a bit foggy. Most shit's redacted. Fuckin' Night Corp is as Night Corp does."
V read through much the same kind of things as Judy. Public record was useful to a degree, but it only went so far.
Hank Parker. Night Corp's foremost expert in an up and coming new subject called Cognitive Psience. The details of which were kept strictly classified. Grumbling, V just hoped River had some more luck.
On cue, V's holo buzzed.
"Hey River. Any news?"
"Some." He sounded just as tired as she was. His tone, however, held a distinct optimism. "Couldn't get much in the ways of actual intel… but I have managed to get a hold of a particular itinerary."
"... Alright?"
"Our target's listed as an attendee for a charity gala tomorrow. A bunch of Corpo bigwigs are going to be there. Live music, free bar, donation drives, all the fun high-society bullshit. The NCPD is providing a few officers for security."
It sounded like this 'charity' gala was just going to be like any other in this city. The money raised would just land in the pocket of whoever organised the event.
However, one thing stood out to V.
"Live music? Who's playing?"
"Kerry Eurodyne and… Us Cracks. Why?"
"Because I have a high society gala to prepare for." V grinned maliciously. "Thanks, River, you're a fuckin' legend." Without another word, V hung up and revelled in the sheer perfection of it all. Only for the slow realisation to kick in. She wasn't exactly the picture of high-society. That could be fixed later.
"I know that look, V. You're thinkin' of doin' somethin' gonk again, aren't you?"
V placed a delicate hand over her heart and scoffed in playful offence. "Me? Gonk? Never!" Judy was unimpressed. "Don't worry babe. We just need to get to know him a little bit. This is our best shot." Her words did little to ease Judy's worries. Either way, she dialled another number on her holo. A few rings later, Kerry answered.
"Shit V! It's barely past noon. Ugh… still sleepin' off last night's party." Sounds of clinking bottles came through the holo. V smirked.
"Ever the rocker." She mused, earning an irritated grunt. "I got some intel you're playing a show tomorrow night."
"I am? Oh… yeah. Fuckin'... right. Almost forgot. What was it… fuckin' Save the Turtles? Ah who gives a shit." He coughed and gulped something straight from a bottle. Knowing Kerry, it was likely the hair of the dog that bit him. "Why?"
"I need an in to that gala. Need a lead guitarist?"
There were a few moments of stunned silence. Eventually, Kerry cackled. "You and me on stage together again? Fuck, I'd kill for that chance. Actually… I'm out a guitarist. He broke his arm durin' our last show. Crowd surf went wrong. Nasty biz." She winced at the thought. "I'll pull some strings. Swing some favours. Do I even want to know why you're asking this?"
"I need intel on an attendee. Best way is to just talk to him. I don't plan on shootin' the place up if that's what you're worried about."
"That'd at least make things more interestin'. These stuffy Corpo gigs are always so fuckin' boring it hurts!" Kerry laughed. "The free booze helps, though. The 'ganic buffet ain't too shabby either."
With that sorted out, V was satisfied. It was good to have so many connections.
They bid each other goodbye and Kerry sent through the set list. The music data flowed through her Kiroshis and it took little more than a minute to absorb it. She would need to run through it on her guitar at home, but for now, things were going smoothly.
Friday - June 17th
"V! You're just in time!" Kerry grinned and waved the merc over.
Backstage looked nothing like the fancy main hall. Stage crew rushed around, going about their jobs. Sound equipment lined a small office space. Cables crawled across the floor, workplace safety all but ignored. The lingering memories Johnny had of his various gigs fluttered across V's mind. The nostalgia that followed felt foreign. It wasn't her own.
She shrugged it off and gave Kerry a hearty greeting. "We're on in about a half hour. Hope you brought your A Game, V." The rocker boy smirked. He was tuning one of the several guitars. More specifically, it was Johnny's old axe. Looking devilishly badass as usual.
"I don't know anything other than my A Game." V replied with a grin.
"Oh, by the way," Kerry perked up and tilted his head with curiosity, "what happened to that piece of art I gave you?"
Sheepishly, V chuckled. "It's… probably still in an abusive asshole's art studio. Either that… or in some evidence locker."
"Well now I'm even more curious."
"It's a looooong story."
For now, Kerry dropped it. They had more prep to do before the opening act. V strummed a few last minute practice chords and double checked her equipment. Everything was in perfect shape. Despite Kerry's boisterous and laid back nature, he knew what he was doing. One didn't become a music juggernaut through luck and charm alone.
Just before the stage curtain rose, V felt Johnny inch around the edges of her subconscious.
He was grinning like a little kid in a candy store.
The anticipation just before the big show. He thrived on it. The adrenaline started to pump through V's body and they hadn't even started yet.
Kerry and V locked eyes and shared a grin.
"Please welcome to the stage, performing his new hit single; Kerry Eurodyne!" The announcer called. Velvet red fabric unfolded to reveal the gala hall. It was a sea of lavish indulgence. Suits, dresses, glasses of champagne, and several miniature bars scattered across the floor. Looking up, the mezzanine balcony was much the same.
The first chord rumbled through the hall.
Building on it, the drummer picked up a beat. Each thump was felt deep in the soul. V began the opening riff and with a powerful burst of sound, Kerry launched into the first verse.
It was the same song he had performed during that Braindance he had V review.
Flowers in the Fall.
The melody flew from V's fingers as if it were natural. As if she had spent her whole life mastering the instrument. Energy thrummed through the stage and as the song picked up in tempo, V felt herself get swept away in the music.
Looking out over the crowd, it was clear that this kind of act really didn't fit the venue.
That said, Kerry's uncanny stage presence and natural talent cut through the social stigmas and by the second verse, a vast majority of the gathered guests were cheering and howling.
The set flowed on until it was time to hand off to Us Cracks.
Now resting in the green room, V was panting and grinning like a madwoman. Kerry shared the same energy and they slammed hands together. "Oh fuck me, V! You got the gift! That felt fucking fantastic! Like I was with…" His ellation trailed off and his expression flattened. "Ah, don't mind me. Gettin' sentimental in my old age or some shit."
"I have a feeling Johnny enjoyed that as much as I did." V smiled and clapped a hand on the rocker's shoulder.
"Thanks, V. Our next set is in two hours. Go do your… merc thing."
V strode into the main event hall as if she belonged there. No one gave her a second glance. Despite her attire definitely not blending in.
Making her way to one of the numerous bars dotting the first floor, she made some gestures to the bartender. Quickly and efficiently, the man poured out a glass of tequila. She sipped her drink and turned to scan the gathered guests. Her Kiroshis picked up quite a few interesting characters. Mainly Corpo higher-ups.
Millitech's head of Robotics Research. Biotechnica's public relations branch, some Arasaka executives and many more. So much corporate influence all stuffed into a single room.
However, a single sweep didn't pick up her target.
"There's a face I didn't think I'd see here." The familiar voice caught V's attention. Jefferson Paralez took his spot next to her, leaning against the bar as if he owned the place. Which - in all likely hood - he probably did. "How have you been, V?"
"Better than ever, Mayor Paralez." V smirked and tapped her glass against his. He frowned, but chuckled.
"How many times, you can call me Jeff."
"But teasing you is way more fun!"
The mayor was largely unimpressed. Still he let himself relax and chuckled. V felt somewhat guilty. They shared a camaraderie, sure, but hidden beneath the mask, she knew Jefferson was a paranoid mess. Part of her regretted divulging the truth about Night Corp's conspiracy. However, it was too late to change anything now. Despite that, Jeff was actually doing well in his own way.
"So why are you here? Hope you're not going to shoot anyone."
"Why is that the first thing everyone thinks of when they see me!?"
"Do I even need to answer that?" They both laughed like old friends. After a brief moment, V finished off her glass and gently placed it back on the bar.
"Hank Parker - know anything about him?" Her tone instantly shifted to business mode. Jeff caught on and quickly glanced around. He leaned in closer so that it would be harder to listen in on them. His tone was not a very happy one.
"He's a pretty big player. Night Corp scientist. Probably a part of that AI project you uncovered. But you probably already knew that." V nodded. "He's here tonight. Again, you probably knew that too." Again, V nodded. "Hmm, I can introduce you if you want? Provided you're not here to flatline him. Don't get me wrong, I'd love for any of those bastards to get put in the morgue, but… you know how it is. Politics."
"Trust me, I'm not here to zero anyone." Besides, she hadn't even brought any iron. Not that she needed any to begin with. "I'll owe you one if you can get me in a convo with him."
He looked around once again. Gesturing for V to follow, he wandered into the crowd.
Just as they made their way to the mezzanine, the stage's curtain opened once again, revealing the three members of Us Cracks. Again, the music really didn't fit the venue. The energetic girls jumped around on the stage and tried to get the crowd excited. To very little effect. Unlike Kerry's radiant charisma, Us Cracks still had a lot to learn about stage presence. "Hey, Jeff, what's with the set list tonight, anyway?"
"The gonk who's hosting really loves this shit. Just noise to me, though."
V couldn't help but feel a little insulted. Had he not seen her on stage? She shrugged and let it go for now.
As Us Cracks got on with their set, it was only another minute when Jefferson gestured to a tall, ageing man surrounded by younger individuals who seemed to hang on his every word. Hank Parker looked like what anyone would expect from a seasoned scientist. Dressed up in a black suit lined with gold pinstripes, his wizened face was accented by numerous cybernetics. Delicately cupping a tall champagne glass was a cybernetic hand decorated with fine filigree and intricate engraved patterns. It was unclear if the chrome served any purpose or if it was simply a vanity piece. Either way, the man knew how to present himself.
He grinned with a sly glint in his eye as those around him laughed at whatever joke he had just told.
Recognition sparked as he locked eyes with Jefferson. "Ah! Mayor! I was wondering where you were hiding. Come! Come join our little posse! Would you like a drink? Of course you would. I won't take no for an answer! Excuse me, you, get this man a drink." He snapped the fingers on his 'ganic hand at V. She glared at him with folded arms.
"Want to try that again, asshole?" Her harsh tone seemed to grow a hand and slap him in the face.
Jeff laughed with barely restrained panic. He glanced toward V with a pointed expression. "Sorry about that. This is V, she's a close friend of mine."
As if a switch had flipped, Hank's offence turned back into a refined smirk. He held out a hand and held solid eye contact. "Oh, I see. Then the apologies are mine. It's a pleasure to meet you… uh… V? Just V?"
"Just V." Swallowing her irritation, she took the hand and shook it.
As she did so, she hailed Judy over the Holo. The act went by completely unnoticed. Judy picked up and was ready to listen.
"So, what do you do, V? I noticed you were on stage with Mr. Eurodyne. Are you a musician?"
"Freelancer. Kerry's a choom so I offered to fill in for his usual guitarist." Hank nodded, faking his interest. "I've read about you, Dr. Parker. Some preem shit. Your work on Cyberpsychosis treatments is pretty fuckin' impressive."
"Mmm. Yes. 'preem shit'." His tone was trying to be subtle with its mockery. Tittering laughter rolled over the gathered group. "I'm surprised you're acquainted with my work at all."
V really didn't like this guy.
"Sure I am! I think it's all pretty fascinating. Where are you based?"
Hank perked up a brow. He studied V for a few seconds. "My main lab is at Night Corp Headquarters. Do you frequent City Centre? It might be a little out of your class." Did he really need to litter every statement with an insult? V caught an apologetic glance from Jeff out of the corner of her eye.
"Got a hit with Night Corp HQ." Judy spoke into the holo.
That was the easy part.
"Your own lab, huh? Must be a playground, right?"
"To a simpleton, yes, but to me, my work and my lab are much more than a mere 'playground'." The very thought seemed to offend him. The others surrounding them pierced V with strange expressions. Confusion among them. "I can't imagine most people would understand. The wonders of discovery, the nuance of it all. I must say… I would liken it to a paradise!"
"Holy fuck, that's a hit! We got him, V!"
That was a little too easy.
"You're clearly passionate about your work." V tried to keep her expression neutral. "Oh, I think I'm needed back on stage soon. It was a pleasure talking to you, Dr. Parker. Nice to see you again, Jeff."
As quickly as she could, she turned on her heel and left.
"That guy's slimier than a fuckin' scop dog." Judy muttered. "We have his keywords now, though."
"We'll head in tomorrow. Update the others." V risked a glance back toward Hank. The other attendees surrounding him were talking among themselves, but Hank himself was leaning into the ear of a wide, muscular individual. Stone-like jaw, blacked out glasses, steel grey suit. He reminded her of Marcus, Padre's muscle. It filled her with a certain dread.
Surely Hank hadn't gotten suspicious.
As soon as Kerry's next set was over, she would need to delta. Quickly.
"Thanks again, V. I'd be in trouble without you." Kerry grinned.
Now that the gig was over and most of the guests had left, there wasn't much else to do. V tried to leave almost immediately, but Kerry was having none of it. He forced her to sit down and have some beers with the band. She reluctantly obliged, but couldn't help but feel tense. Like something bad was going to happen at any moment.
"Hey, favour for a favour. I should be thanking you." They bumped fists. The green room was now empty aside from herself and Kerry. With the other band members and Us Cracks gone, V was getting ready to leave.
Even still, she couldn't shake the feeling of tension, no matter how hard she tried.
"Did you get what you needed?"
"Yeah. Hey, don't suppose you have any heat with you."
Kerry's expression hardened. He froze and glared directly into V's eyes. She kept herself stone-faced, but it was clear she too was tense.
Just outside the paper-thin walls of the green room, she could hear boots. Several pairs. She tapped against her thigh to count. Over a dozen. So Hank did suspect something. Either that, or this was something else completely unrelated.
Nevertheless, Kerry glanced over to one of the guitar cases. The only one that hadn't been opened all night.
It held a single Igla shotgun and two Liberty pistols. As well as a small stockpile of ammunition. She cursed under her breath for not bringing her own. Still, she would have to make do with what she had. She tossed one of the pistols to Kerry, grabbed the shotgun for herself and wedged the other pistol into an inner pocket on her jacket.
"Stay behind cover, Kerry." There was no longer any playfulness in her voice. Whoever these people were, they had surrounded her.
"Right. Hey, I thought you weren't going to shoot up the place!"
"You think I planned for this shit? Fuck me, just stay the fuck down."
Moments later, the door to the green room burst open. The lead attacker rushed in with his rifle ready to fire. V was quicker than the eye could see. She dashed forward, grabbed the first soldier's gun barrel, forced it to point into the ceiling and allowed the soldier to fire a couple of rounds harmlessly into the air.
She then brought the Igla to bare and pulled one of the triggers.
The centre of the poor soldier's torso was blown to pieces.
The walls of the green room exploded with fibreglass and plywood. Two other breachers flooded in. Kerry shot at one, the low calibre bullets harmlessly bouncing off the security armour. "Shit! Piece of fucking junk!" He cried and kicked a folding chair at the soldier.
The soldier stumbled over it, yelling and accidentally pulling the trigger on his AJAX. The rapid volley pierced a pipe running across the ceiling and with a hiss, steam flooded the room. Followed closely by sprinkler water. V unloaded the second shell into another advancing attacker. This time, it was aimed at the leg. Chrome fluids and blood soaked the ground and the soldier howled in agony.
"Kerry, follow me!" V ordered and launched a powerful kick into the face of the man she had just knee-capped.
They darted into the corridor and looked on in shock. Soldiers had all but flooded backstage. Weapons trained on her. "Fuck, V! What the fuck did you do to piss 'em off so much!?" Kerry tried to yell, but V ignored him. She looked around. If she were alone, it wouldn't have been an issue to take them all on. However, Kerry was not a fighter.
Ducking behind a stack of sound equipment cases, V reloaded the Igla. Bullets sparked and popped against her cover.
As she did, she also sent a message to Judy using Thought Command. "Change of plan. Meet us at the theatre attic."
She risked a peek out from the alcove. The soldiers were wearing standard issue riot security gear. It reeked of Night Corp despite no actual branding anywhere on the armour. Just slate black and well armed.
A heavy round pierced through V's side. It grazed against the subdermal armour but the wound forced out a yell of pain. She lashed out with her Monowire and allowed it to coil around another exposed pipe. With a pulse of electricity and a hard tug, the pipe broke free and let steam flood the corridor. The advancing soldiers were caught up in the spray. It gave her an opening to dash down the corridor with Kerry hot on her heels.
They rounded a corner. Another group of soldiers were ready and waiting. V drew the pistol and fired at them. Suppressive fire at best. She fired up at the sprinkler system and allowed the corridor to be filled with a heavy deluge of water.
Electrified Monowire sliced the water and lashed out at the soldiers. It zapped them and sliced cleanly through unarmored spots.
V kicked open a door just beside her. It was a staff door that led to the main event hall. "Keep fucking close!" She ordered. Kerry was in no position to argue. They ran into the hall and within seconds, they were pursued by the security forces they hadn't taken care of. "Over there. Get to the other side!" She pointed to another staff door that led into the kitchens.
As they bolted for it, V turned, aimed upwards and shot the mechanism holding up a grand chandelier.
Whining rope spiralled and the light fixture crashed to the ground.
It flattened a good number of pursuers. V was just glad there weren't any guests left in the building. The chaos caused by the chandelier gave them the opportunity to get into the kitchens.
There was a storage closet just a few metres away.
She kicked a trolley carrying equipment over to block the doorway. Then slammed against the closet door. She shoved Kerry inside, pushed herself against him, forcing him against the inside wall and closed the door.
"V, what the fuck are you doing? You trying to get us killed? They're just going to fill this closet with lead!"
"Just shut up, Kerry."
Her phone slid free from a hidden pocket on the inside of her Samurai jacket and with nimble - if not slightly shaking fingers - opened up the MetaNav. Reality warped around them and Kerry looked like he was about to throw up.
Seconds later, they were no longer inside a storage closet about to be filled with new holes. They were at the entrance to Tokyo's Mementos.
"What… the… fuck?"
Kerry's eyes were like saucers. He gaped around at the new surroundings. Crimson-hued sky, hollow shells of buildings. Stagnant air and the strange, sinister whispers that seemed omnipresent.
V felt her heart slow and the adrenaline fade.
"So… welcome to the Metaverse." V sheepishly grinned. Not that her comment made Kerry's mounting panic any better.
"Am I fuckin' high!? I don't remember taking anything… what the fuck, V? Where the fuck are we?"
"I'll explain everything later, for now, just know we're safe." However, as if to contradict her reassurance, Kerry began to cough and grip his head. Odd. It took V and the others at least a few hours before things got dicey. She put a hand on his back, but he batted it away.
"I'm ok… I'm… fuck it's hard to breathe…"
[He needs to join our contract or he'll die! What a weak human. Ha! The nerve.] V groaned as Pixie appeared from thin air. The tiny girl sat on V's shoulder as if it were her personal throne. [Who is this whelp?]
All Kerry could do was blankly stare at the tiny fairy.
"Uh… please tell me you can see… whatever the fuck that is on your shoulder."
[How dare you! So rude! Slave, punish this whelp! I command thee!]
The subtle clicking of the Igla shotgun's safety shut her up. Her forehead suddenly drenched in sweat. "Her name's Pixie and she's a huge fucking pain in the ass. She's right, though. This place is lethal to humans without protection." V grumbled. In the heat of the moment, she brought him to the Metaverse all but forgetting the dangers.
[It's faster acting for this whelp because of his age and… I guess stress? Gee, get over it, gramps.] Pixie snorted. The rocker might not have looked like it, but he was old. Likely in his seventies. V didn't pry for the actual number. The wonders of cybernetics could do almost anything. [I give him about an hour.]
"Alright… no fucking idea what the fuck's goin' on but at this point, all in. Miniature fairy creatures and all!" A small trickle of blood leaked from the corner of his lips as he spoke.
As if it was natural instinct, V allowed a flow of power to connect them both. It swelled and gave way to the ever so familiar sensation.
I am thou, thou art I
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Tower Persona, thou hast attained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power.
Instantly, Kerry's strained breathing smoothed out and relief washed over his tightened expression.
Before V could say anything else, she winced at a twinge of sharp pain. The wound she got from the firefight pulsed with a dull ache. "Fuck, Pixie, if you would." She gestured to her side. Blood was slowly pooling and staining her shirt. Pixie looked like she was about to say something stupid again, however, a motion to lean the shotgun over her other shoulder silenced any objection. The fairy lifted herself up from V's shoulder and with a gentle flapping of wings, she fluttered down toward the wound.
Kerry watched as green light danced from Pixie's fingers. It fluttered onto the exposed wound, causing it to glow with ethereal light. The gash then knitted itself back together leaving an incredibly faint scar. Almost unnoticeable.
"Huh… holy shit, magic is real too?" He squatted down and poked at where the wound used to be.
"Do you fucking mind, Kerry?"
"Oh, sorry." He snatched away his hand and straightened himself out. "So… you mentioned the Metaverse? The fuck is that? Sounds like some gonk attempt at rebranding a social media corp."
"It's… essentially a dimension created from human cognition. Y'know… subconscious shit." V shooed Pixie away. The tiny girl squealed with offence. However, she eventually let herself disappear. "It's all a complete cluster fuck, but… it saved my life, so I ain't going to complain." A brief thought of summoning Johnny crossed her mind, but perhaps now wasn't the best time. Despite the rockerboy's restless scratching at the edges of her mind.
Plus, it was about to get a lot weirder for him.
She clicked the Meta Nav again and the same rippling of reality warped around them.
The streets immediately came to life with everyday citizens. The red sky was now a clear night dotted with stars. Buildings were no longer hollow shells. Kerry looked around in awe, confusion and a healthy amount of fear. "This… ain't Night City."
"Nope. We're in Tokyo. Shibuya to be exact."
"Tokyo? Fuckin' Japan!? You mean we teleported to the other side of the fucking planet?"
"Technically yes." V scratched her nose. Then noticed that she was still holding the shotgun. "Oh fuck…" She plunged it under her jacket and held it tightly against her body. Thankfully, no one had noticed. "Hide the iron." She nodded to the pistol in Kerry's hand. He gave her a look as if she had just asked him to turn into a spaceship. Still, he complied and slipped the Liberty into a pocket on the inside of his leather jacket.
"V, what the hell is goin' on?"
"Just follow me and don't talk to anyone."
They didn't need to walk for long.
As they entered the underground station, two familiar faces exited a train that just arrived. It was Lynn and Ryuji. As well as Morgana perched on Lynn's shoulder. "Convenient…" V muttered with a grin. She gave a wave and Morgana tapped Lynn's cheek. The kid beamed and waved back. "Hey kiddo!" V smiled. She turned to Ryuji and bumped fists with him.
"V! Back from home so soon? Wait… is that Eurodyne with you!?" The boy's eyes widened in awe. "Rockin'!"
"Oh… ain't you from that group'a kids that was with V?" Kerry received a hesitant nod from Lynn. V shot her a glance as if to apologise for the sudden appearance. "Ah, fuck that, right now I wanna know what the fuck's goin' on! Why do we have to hide the iron?"
"Oh, about that, Morgana, I need you to stash this." V slightly opened her jacket so that the cat could peek at the shotgun. Morgana's eyes went wide and he frantically looked around. No civilians were paying them any mind. In fact, Kerry's rather boisterous and loud aesthetic seemingly provided a camouflage. People were avoiding looking at him and speeding up their walking.
Lynn's eyes also widened. Mona hurried back into the confines of the bag. As inconspicuous as they could, V and Lynn slowly slid the shotgun and pistols into her bag - in extension, Morgana's stash.
All the while, Kerry was looking absolutely lost.
In his perspective, the Igla more or less disappeared into a bag that couldn't possibly fit it.
He muttered under his breath many colourful expletives.
"Look, I'll explain everything later. First, I need to regroup with the others." V massaged her forehead. Now the firearms were safely hidden away, she let out a long exhale. She then glanced at Lynn. "You and Sparky goin' to Yongen Jaya?"
"I am. Ryuji doesn't live far from here. We were just about to part ways."
After bidding farewell, Ryuji did just that, heading off towards wherever he called home.
One awkward train journey later - reminding V of the first time she and the others arrived on Lynn's side of the Metaverse - the trio was in the streets of Yongen Jaya. For now, V thought it best to leave Lynn and Morgana out of this mess. However, when Lynn objected, V made the promise to bring her into the fold later. That appeared to satisfy her and once more, the group split in two.
River, Judy and Panam were already in the attic.
Panam looked just as out of place as Kerry. Judy and River immediately glared at V when they saw Kerry following her like a lost puppy. "So… things happened…" V tried her best at a disarming smile.
It didn't seem to work.
"Clearly." Judy motioned for V to explain. As well as prompting Kerry to sit on one of the theatre seats. "We're gonna need lots of tequila…" she muttered and dove into one of the cabinets. Bottles clinked together and after a few seconds, she emerged with three entire bottles of the stuff.
"We didn't just teleport across the world, Kerry. We're… in a completely different timeline."
"I'm about ready to have you committed, V." Kerry blinked. "Or… if not you, then my-fuckin'-self." His brow tightened and he winced in pain. A headache was blasting against his skull, no doubt.
"V, what happened? I thought we were clear!" Judy tried getting back on track.
So much had happened in a short few hours. V took a minute to gather her thoughts and gulp a full glass of liquor. The burn in her throat helped to focus on the details.
"Well, we managed to get Hank's keywords. I guess he must have suspected something was off because it looks like he ordered his whole security force to drop me. Kerry just happened to get caught in the crossfire." She gulped a second glass. "I didn't want the whole venue to get dragged into a pointless firefight, so I decided to delta the fuck out. Only option at the time was the Metaverse."
"I guess that makes sense…" River huffed. As inconvenient as this whole thing was, Kerry really didn't deserve to be shot up because of a mistake V had made. "You were just talking to Hank, right? I wonder what tipped him off…"
"Who the fuck knows."
"Alright, back up," Kerry had gone through double the amount of liquor V had in the same amount of time. He was shaking, causing his many pieces of jewellery to tinkle and tap against each other. "Who the hell is Hank and what are you talkin' about 'keywords' for?"
V, River and Judy shared glances. Panam - although in the know about the larger plan - still seemed lost. V shrugged. "We'll start from the beginning. For Kerry's benefit."
So, for the next hour, the three of them explained what had happened. How they came upon the Metaverse, what the Metaverse actually was, how they became involved with the Phantom Thieves and so on. There was a lot to get through and by the time V was finished, all three bottles of tequila had been emptied. Most of which by Kerry and Panam.
"Wait… so, that Braindance I had you look at. It wasn't fucked up chrome?"
"No." Judy shook her head. "Why exactly Night Corp forced a bunch of metalheads to have mental shutdowns is still a mystery. Our runnin' theory is it was some kind'a experiment. Shady shit."
"No kidding…" Kerry trailed off and ran a finger round the rim of his empty glass. "Huh… y'know… Samurai would be just gaining its popularity right about now. Weird. We never even existed in this world? No 'Saka, Millitech… fuckin' Biotechnica, either?" There was a moment of silence before he laughed. A slightly crazed, hoarse cackle. "What a fuckin' concept."
"This place still has its bullshit. Sadistic fucks, political corruption, Corpo greed. All alive and well."
"Figured it was too good to be true." Kerry pondered for a moment. "So those kids. They fixed you up for good?" He glanced up at V. She nodded with a genuine smile. "Well, that's preem. Jesus… when you called yesterday, this was not what I thought would happen."
The less said about the fact V planned on not telling him about all this, the better.
"I can take you back to Night City. You got contracts and shit, right?"
"Yeah… I do…"
"And I have a Nomad clan to keep together." Panam spoke up for the first time tonight. Although, her tone sounded unsure. As did Kerry's. "Buuuut… you have done so much for the Aldecaldos, V. You pretty much saved all of us. So I would be pretty fucking scummy if I left you in the dust. I will figure something out, V."
"Thanks, Pam."
"That gig we just did was gonna mark the start of a short break. So… I guess I'm conveniently on vacation." Kerry smirked. Anything to subtly flip off his Corpo keepers. "So… what's the plan? Smash up this gonk's brain in hopes of diggin' up some intel?"
"For now… yeah. We'll know more once we're in. Just remember, Hank Parker knows about the Metaverse and is probably aware of his own Palace." V cupped her chin and scowled. "Plus it's possible he knows he's being targeted."
"Meaning he's probably ready for us…" River muttered. "Is Kuroi really worth it?"
His question gave V a moment of pause. "If we can find out how Hank managed to use Mikoshi, then we might figure out a way to stop this bullshit. Just changing Hank's heart won't do shit."
"Somethin' else is botherin' me." Judy was looking off into the distance, her face tightening. "Almost every lead we've gotten has involved this… 'Radiant Blue One'. Azazeal said it was gettin' stronger with each Persona Night Corp makes."
"Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good." Replied Panam.
"Kind'a sounds like a kick ass party drug." Kerry added. Everyone rolled their eyes.
Just as the conversation slowed, V's phone pinged. It was Lynn. "Huh, the kid can't sleep. Again. I'm getting worried about her."
"Who knew the infamous V had a maternal side to her!" Kerry smirked and fired off a few finger guns. She replied with a death glare that could burn a hole through his chest. He waved a placating hand and laughed it off.
V had to admit, he was taking everything pretty well.
Granted, he eagerly accepted that his old best friend was slowly possessing a 'jumped up joytoy' all those months ago.
"Whatever, I'll be back. Don't clear our liquor cabinet out, Kerry."
Going from the tension of the theatre attic to the tension of Leblanc, V had to admit she was starting to feel the stress.
Lynn sat at Leblanc's counter, tapping a finger against the wood. The remnants of a decaf cup of coffee still rested just to the side of her. She looked up when V opened the door and looked to force a smile. "Hey, V. Sorry, I hope I didn't wake you up."
"It's only just gone past midnight." V smirked. Although it probably wasn't something to be proud of. "So, what's on your mind, kid?"
"A lot has happened while you were away." The girl began to play with a rogue sugar cube. Flicking it gently across the counter top. "We got a name for the Inoshishi's boss… but we also got trapped in some blackmail. A girl from school managed to get a recording of Ryuji and I talking. Long story short, she wants us to change the boss's heart or she'll report us."
"Ah. Well fuck…" V felt for the kid. It sucked getting caught in a situation like that. However, there was at least some good news. "What's the asshole's name?"
"Junya Kaneshiro."
"Easy way to take care of hi-"
"We're not killing him, V. We won't ever kill anyone." Lynn's eyes glinted with silver anger. As quick as the fury came, it vanished. The girl sighed. "Sorry, I know you mean well."
"This girl- what does she get out of the deal? Seems a little gonk to up and blackmail you out of nowhere."
"That's the million dollar question." Lynn huffed and picked up the sugar cube. She squeezed it between her thumb and index finger. "It's obvious she's desperate about something. It's like she's silently begging for someone to help her." She squeezed tighter causing small specs of sugar to fall into the mug below. "I just hope she's not in a similar situation to Yusuke. She wants to help, she wants to break free from something, but she's so insistent on making herself the villain, it just… annoys the hell out of me."
Finally, the cube crumbled and burst into a miniature deluge of sweet powder.
"Sounds like a certain troubled transfer student with a bad rep slapped on her."
Lynn sat bolt upright. Her eyes widened and she glared at V. However, after a moment, she hung her head and let her shoulders relax. "You have a point, I guess."
"I ain't the one who usually gives advice, but… sounds like this girl wants a choom. Uh… friend."
A myriad of emotions crossed Lynn's face. Many of which V couldn't read. For a few moments, they sat in silence. The dim light of a lamp and the glow from V's jacket collar served as the only sources of light.
"It seems a little weird to be worried about someone who is actively trying to blackmail me." Lynn finally broke the silence and let out a chuckle.
She certainly had a point. However, V gently clapped a hand on Lynn's back. "Let me tell you how I met a choom of mine." She began, her thoughts turning to Takemura. Lynn's brow perked and she turned her attention fully to V. "It was on one of the worst days of my life. A shitty heist gone fucked up beyond recognition. All because some rich kid decided to bump off his own dad. I've mentioned Jackie before. He flatlined next to me. Bleeding out in the backseat of a taxi. Not long after; bang," she poked a spot near the top of her forehead. The scar still lingered. "Fuck knows how long I was out. Clawed my way out of a garbage dump, only to be picked up by Goro Takemura. Arasaka security. Fuckin' asshole."
"This was only one of the worst days?"
V winked with a sorrow filled smirk. "He originally picked me up, stuffed me in his ride and intended on forcing me to confess to his boss's murder. Probably zero me afterwards. But, a twist of fuckin' fate. 'Saka ninjas to be exact. Takemura was already deemed a traitor. So the situation changed. He needed me, I needed him. After that, we actually grew to like each other. Fuck, I even saved his ass when Arasaka tried levelling a building with us inside."
"Holy crap, V. How are you still alive!?"
"You know… I have no fuckin' idea." V laughed. "My point is, even if a relationship starts off hostile, it doesn't always stay that way."
"I guess you're right." Lynn dragged herself up from her stool and slowly went to wash the mug and equipment she used. "So… what happened to Takemura?" Lynn asked casually. V felt a slight tightness in her chest. Luckily, if she showed it, Lynn didn't see.
"We had a difference of opinion. He was still loyal to the assholes that tried killing him, I managed to crippled those same assholes with a bit of light domestic terrorism."
"Yeah… that'd certainly kill any friendship."
"Actually, we're cool. Had a convo with him a few days ago. Gave me a lead on Night Corp."
Lynn halted part way through her dish washing. She looked over at V with what looked like utter bafflement. It made V giggle a little. "You have the weirdest relationships…"
"You don't even know the half of it."
It was then that V decided to let Lynn know what had happened over the past week. As far as the average week in V's life went, it wasn't all that eventful. That said, they had what they needed and they could continue their investigation.
Hank Parker. Night Corp Headquarters. Paradise.
If they couldn't find what they needed in his Palace, V had no idea where to go next.
Still, when V glanced at the old clock in Leblanc, she noted to Lynn that it was already 2am. As such, the kid all but kicked V out of the cafe and locked the door behind her. At least Lynn seemed a little better after that talk.
A thunderous gunshot jolted V awake.
Instincts kicked in and she ducked low, levelling a pistol to eye level. She wasn't in her bed in the attic any more. The dull blue hue coating her surroundings filled her with an icy feeling of familiarity.
Another gunshot.
It was directly beside her. V whipped her head to see a woman. A deep blue netrunner suit clung to her figure. The sleeves of which were missing, revealing porcelain skin. V recognised the white hair and blazing gold eyes instantly. It was Celine. Felix's Attendant. The woman fired for a third time. The recoil barely registered on her tight grip. They were back in the firing range. Or the Velvet Room as Felix called it.
Notably, both Felix and Bandit were absent.
"Where's your Input?"
"Busy." Celine replied without breaking her stance and without looking from her target. She fired a fourth time. A huff escaped her lips. "It's been a while, Edgerunner." Although she still wasn't looking at V, she smirked with a mischievous glint in her eye.
V straightened herself out and looked down range. Celine's target was impressive. Out of the four shots she had taken, only one of them was slightly off the centre of the head.
It was obvious the woman knew how to shoot.
"Why am I here if he's busy?"
"No small talk? Shame." Celine ejected the pistol's magazine and placed the piece safely down on the counter top. "You've gathered a number of allies now. You'll need more contracts with Shadows. Felix and I can help with that." Now, Celine turned her full attention to V. The wry grin on her face bewitched V without her even realising it. "Well… that's technically not true. We just facilitate the necessities."
"Could you get to the point?"
"So pushy! You're lucky I like pushy." She winked. V resisted the tight feeling of a budding blush. Instead, she opted to force a stern, annoyed expression. "Fine, fine. Look at the iron in your hands."
V did just that.
It was a Nue. However, it definitely wasn't normal. A faint glow surrounding the metal thrummed and pulsed like a heartbeat. The iron itself gleamed with dizzying clarity. Like it was made of pure starlight. She ejected the magazine. It was empty. "It's a preem piece, sure."
"Now look at your booth at the range." There was a wooden box laying on the countertop. Peering inside, V let a curious hum escape. Bullets lined the bottom of the box. Each with a different colour and markings along the casing. "Those are your bonds given a solid form and focus." V picked one up. A red cased bullet with the engraving of a horned beast etched into the side. "The Devil. The bond of the bar owner. It's pretty weak right now. I doubt it'd attract anything powerful."
"What do you mean by 'attract'?" V turned the bullet over in her fingers. It felt warm and if V concentrated, she could feel a small pulse of energy.
"Well, why not load it up and… give it a shot?" Celine grinned wider. She waved a hand over toward the range.
Reacting to her motions, a ghostly blue figure materialised further down V's range. A translucent humanoid shape. It stood, motionless without any features. Like it was another target. It gave V the creeps. Nevertheless, it was obvious what Celine was asking her to do. V pressed the bullet into the mag, loaded it up and took aim.
The crack of the shot shook V's whole body and a burst of red energy pierced the air.
It struck the target figure square in the chest and with a rippling burst, blinding light consumed the range for a brief few seconds.
As quick as it came, the light dissipated and a thump sent a shockwave through V's chest. Where the translucent blue figure once stood, there was now a small red skinned creature. Its jaw twisted in an unchanging toothy grin. A long, sharp tail flicked through the air, its end forming a grizzly looking stinger. It unfurled bat-like wings and let out an ear piercing cackle.
[I thought I felt the call! Nyahahaha! Well, you're certainly a fine one!] A lecherous look overtook its bulbous eyes. It stalked closer to the booth, giggling and chuckling to itself. V could feel a certain dread bubble in her stomach. [I can be your partner! Nyahaha! Incubus is the name, the souls of gorgeous babes is the game!] As he crawled over the counter like a horrible creature, he eyed V up and down.
Was he drooling?"
"Absolutely fucking not!"
"I don't blame you." Celine muttered. With a sigh, and an incredibly quick motion, she put a bullet through the Incubus' large skull. It screamed as it was sent back to the bowles of wherever the hell it crawled out from. "Absolutely disgusting." As if nothing had happened at all, V's booth was as clean as it was before the impish creature appeared.
All traces of its existence had been wiped away.
After all was said and done, however, V did notice that the red bullet reappeared in the ammo box. As if it had never been fired.
"If you cultivate the Devil, you'll be able to attract more powerful and… pleasant… Shadows. Why not try another of your bonds?"
"In for an enny, in for an eddie."
V picked up another one at random. However, this bullet sent waves of intense energy up her arm. It thrummed in her palm, glowing with a brilliant light. The casing was a calming shade of blue with the image of a person holding a staff engraved on it.
"Oh! The Magician! I believe that is the strongest I've ever seen it. You've got one hell of a deep connection with the Mox girl."
"She is my fiance."
Once again, the blue faceless figure appeared down range. V loaded up the bullet and took the shot.
The Devil bullet had a slight kick to it. This one, however, was on a whole other level. The burst of azure energy filled V with a surge of excitement. It felt amazing, like electricity was caressing her whole body, sending shivers of pleasure across her skin.
The blue target figure vanished and in its place, a woman stood. Her hair was tied up into two large, messy buns. Colourful and vibrant strands swirled into the buns, all placed on a platinum blonde base. Piercing, multi-coloured eyes bore into V with a deep study. Thick mascara ran down her cheeks as if she had been crying, but there was no puffiness or other signs of the act. On her left cheek, there was a tattoo of the number 13. Her clothes looked right at home in Night City. Especially with the Mox. Loud colours, lots of exposed skin and not a single fuck to give.
However, aside from all that, the one thing that really caught V's eye was the huge double edged axe resting over her shoulders. It crackled with lightning and promised a grizzly end to anyone that pissed her off.
[I like you. Name's Elizabeth, but if you call me that, I'll flay you alive. It's Lizzie.]
"The Lizzie Borden? Hah! You're practically a legend."
[Yeah yeah, I know. Legends are real, honey. I came because your soul looked pretty. Things should be fun if I hang with you. Let's be chooms!] Lizzie lurched forward and dragged her axe along the ground. It kicked up sparks as the metal scraped on stone. Once she was close, standing on the other side of the counter, she held out a hand. Licks of lightning coiling around it.
Eagerly, V shook it and with a brilliant light, Lizzie's whole being was absorbed into V's soul. The dazzling power of a Night City legend was now at her fingertips. She snapped her fingers and created a small spark of electricity. It danced in place for a few seconds before popping like a miniature firework.
"A contract formed! With a pretty powerful Shadow. Well, that's all I was told to do, so… if you don't mind, go away." Celine weirdly turned cold and dismissed V with a handwave.
She then went back to firing down range.
"Wait! I have so many fucking questions!" V scrambled, but it was too late. Her consciousness faded and before she knew it, she woke up in her bed next to Judy. The early morning sun peeking through the drapes.
She huffed. It was five in the morning. And now, she was wide awake.
"Fuckin' fantastic…" she mumbled and dragged herself out of bed.