January, Saturday 9th. 32XX

Business District, Cyber City

Morning

Seeing that as it's the weekends; the wolf decided to take a dander around Cyber City out and about, he'd see Fiona at a gelato stand at one of the Cyber City's high-end shopping streets.

She was clad in a cheetah-print fur jacket, ultra-skintight tiger-print leggings, black leather high-heeled boots with fur lining, white designer gloves and a pair of oversized round-framed sunglasses. Her entire outfit even with her signature yellow ribbon just screams 'disposable income'.

'Just the person I was looking for...' Akira thought to himself upon finding her. 'Clothes' a little loud though.'

"Morning." The wolf greeted the vixen. "Wearing your new threads?"

"Some of them. Most of this I've worn before."

"You're really going for that nocturnal after hours look with what you've got on." Akira takes a seat across the table from her in his casual blue letterman jacket, white shirt, blue jeans and sneakers attire. "Making me think of someone I met the other night that wore a similar style."

"Is that so? Whoever it is probably shopped at some of the same places I shop."

"She mentioned she shopes at Tri-Kihk."

"Ah, I shop there on occasion."

"Told me her boss gifted those items to her."

"Is that so? He's probably flirting with her then."

"Probably either unaware that she's got a child or does know about her current marital status and doing it anyways. Her name's Vanilla. Actually first met her and her child on the train before I arrived here."

"Vanilla... Sounds kinda familiar."

"Her daughter's called Cream. Plus they have two Chao; Cheese and Chocola. You've probably seen her around the city as she says she works during the day and evening. Know her?"

"Perhaps... Depends on if it's who I think it is." Fiona said vaguely. Seemingly recognising the names but didn't seem to click for her yet or something else entirely.

"She's a nice lady or at least well-adjusted enough to raise a good child. Say, would childcare be something you've thought of doing as a doctor-in-training like that nun?"

"I've thought about it. Though, I never really see myself as being a mother..." Fiona replied offhandedly. "The thought of me going through a pregnancy cycle and being the one to experience the agony of childbirth skeeves me out. I wouldn't know what it's like being in the shoes of those who have but the screams tells me everything I need to know about it."

"Childbirth is like passing a kidney stone. Painful when it happens but once it passes, it's a huge relief that washes over." Akira leans an elbow on the table. "I don't see myself as being a father either. Raising a child is a huge responsibility. Not just that, having a child can changes everything about your life..."

Scratching his forehead. "I'm still not sure on where I'll be in a few years. Never mind going into fatherhood like my own father did and he was once told by a doctor at a young age that he wouldn't live past age twenty-one because of some medical diagnosis he had but lived past his expiration date anyways. Guess it must be a generational thing."

"At least you knew your father..." Fiona said a little sombrely. "I never knew my own parents that well. They're pretty much strangers to me."

"In absence of parents, surrogates and fosters usually answers the call. In some cases, they make for better parents than the real ones."

Fiona looked down at her gelato sundae that she'd been eating. "...I've grown fond of this place... This shop... Well, not just of this but Cyber City in general... It's pretty much become my home."

"Home is what we make of it. I wasn't too fond of Golden Bay City myself when me and my family first moved to it but I learned to get over it in time..." The wolf then shook his head. "Though, I suppose it'd easy for me to say that as someone who grew up over in Eurish as oppose to Northamer and not having to worry about a few Swatbots coming to your door over asinine laws. For those who had to live through his tyranny, home for a lot of people were probably spelled with asterisks around them before he got overthrown..."

Fiona nodded in agreement, her expression downcast. "Some more than most..."

"...People often say home is where the heart is. You hear that saying a lot." Akira lets a barely audible sigh through while running a hand down the side of his face, gaze half-closed. "Enough times to take it apart and question it's meaning. Home's either a physical hell... Or a place of painful reminders and heartache. As long as this world have existed for and the advancements in technology have been made, we're still well behind on how to actually cure the emotional ills of the heart..."

Then he opens the eyes fully again to look to her. "At least you've found a place to belong and call it home. It remains to be seen if I'll ever find mine here or anywhere here..."

"Aye..." Fiona took another bite of her gelato, "At least this gelato is good. The folks who run this place are nice too. The guy who usually runs the orders always gives me discounts because I look pretty."

"Pretty? I would never have guessed it with you. Must be the crimson coat and blue eyes that he finds pretty about you. That or it's the yellow bow."

"Perhaps it's all three~?" Fiona said with a wry smile.

"Nah. You must really be a sorceress from a nameless zone to keep getting consistent discounts on gelato like that and he's actually under your spell the whole time." Fiona giggles at his joke with a toothy smile, radiating good energy today. "You're a funny guy Akira."

"Wouldn't consider myself a funny guy. Not if I am to be building up something great before making it anti-climatic to let everyone down and go on my day remarking how the earth prefers pink salt to smoked salt through observation of the phrase salting the earth." Akira added to his jest. "That or stealing forty cakes when no one's looking. That's as many as four tens and that's simply terrible."

Fiona giggled at that as well, feeling more uplifted through the wolf's wit after such a heavy topic. "Well, I'll say this; you're much more pleasant to be around than most guys I've known around here."

"Nice to know that I'm at least tolerable to be around with for you. I suppose just talking to you like a normal person probably has that effect."

"Trust me when I say you're one of the first around here to treat me like an actual person and not as a hot piece of ass."

"Aside from your other friends that is. We've only known each other for a few days now and unless hectic events make things crazier, we're not pouring everything out to each other." The wolf straightens himself up in his chair. "Time can gradually reveal pieces of ourselves and that includes the not-so good ones too. I could be like this because of personal experiences that made me be more mindful of others and know how to read the room or I could be as Anton puts it, being a "nice guy" with ulterior motives that you should be very wary of."

"That is true except for the last part because it's Anton we're talking about here. Besides, we go to the same college. There'll be plenty more opportunities for us to hang out more. Getting to know each other."

"Including picking up on the personalities that may clash with each other..."

"Exactly. We got plenty of time for that."

"Mmm..." Akira nodded before what he'd been meaning to approach her about since yesterday, leaning in a bit and speaking in a lower toned voice. "This'll seem out of the blue but remember that conversation we had the other day after I brought up Migu's lie?"

"I think so... Why do you ask?"

"Before I give an answer to why I asked that, I need to know if these people you know are willing to do something against Anton Veruca. Something like handling an associate of theirs' non-lethally and keeping them out of sight for a while." Akira states. "Just so there's no conflict of interest going on."

"I could arrange something like that but you gotta understand you'll owe me a favor for it. Quid pro quo y'know?"

"It'd foolish of me to go into this looking at the deal as a oneway street and taking it lightly." Akira replied in understanding, knowing beforehand that this was going to come up. "Very well, I owe you a future favour."

"Good." Fiona said with a nod and smiling at his response. "And remember, future favors from me will require future favors from you. Can't get something for nothing after all. Mutual exchange."

"Crystal." Akira proceeds to explain his reason for requesting the favour; "As for my reason for taking up on your offer now, I'll keep it short; me and my friends over the border have been conducting an investigation into the recent extortions that you've been hearing other students talk about at the campus. We've recently learned the Hooligans are the ones responsible."

"Is that so?" Fiona mused, raising one brow. "Sounds pretty risky. You guys sure you'll be able to handle any sort of retaliation or backlash?"

"We've already managed to gather most of the information on the gang involved and who they've been targeting so far. We even found out they've got a policeman in their pockets to cover for them and we have reasons to believe some of the arrests of those from rival gangs are because of him. You already know their leader from the other day."

"I see. If you are gonna do that, I would recommend being careful with it. Recklessness is the last thing to be doing when handling a case like this."

"It's better to stop him now before he gets the chance to do me or my friends away with. We've got most of what we need to hopefully have him taken off the streets but we've currently hit a brick wall and the only way we can deal with it is to go behind enemy lines." He would let Fiona in on the plan. "We send in a friend of ours' who isn't already known to him nor aware of their ties with us as a new "prospect" interested in joining his gang while one of us accompanies him as support by masquerading as one of their guys, gathering intel and the rest doing their respective parts. The one pretending to be a newcomer is at a greater risk than the one pretending to be one of them."

"Huh..." Fiona said with a nod. "Seems like a solid plan on such a short notice."

"It's about the only option we have at the moment... Especially when I'm the one doing the masquerade once your people removes the person I'll be assuming the identity of and making them disappear for a while. It could easily go horribly wrong for us."

"A lot of variables can pop up and you've have to respond accordingly."

"We wouldn't be doing if not for the fact it's our best shit at further progress and..." Akira hesitated for a moment before offering some transparency with her. "There's someone who's life may be at stake. Not mortally but from we've found out about the gang's activities, death would be more preferable than being sold to a brothel as "compensation" for missed payments from their family who sees the collectors for the two-bit thugs they are. The sooner their leader is put away, the better it can be prevented and his gang's reign of terror ends."

"Sounds childish, right? A city newcomer and a bunch of guys from the other side playing hero to takedown someone powerful like him." The wolf remarks cooly about it like a realist but steadfast on his stance like an idealist. "But I'll be damned if I choose to stand aside and do nothing while somebody have their lives destroyed by some greedy piece of shit punk."

Fiona was silent as she took that in, taken aback by the conviction he's carrying. Finally, she spoke; "...That's a hella noble notion Akira. Admirable even."

"I'd say it's dangerous going into a lion's den where the lions has us surrounded..." Akira said before nodding with a smile. "But hearing that is reassuring to know it'll be worth it when all's said and done."

"What can I say? I aim to please~" Fiona said with with a smile.

Akira then says; "Plus if it all goes well and Anton gets put away for good, Migu will end up on the receiving end of the gossips herself and her mother will be forced to resign from the P.T.A over it. His gang would be rounded up by the law or by rival gangs looking payback and even taking down a corrupt policeman too if we're lucky."

"How absolutely devious~" Fiona said with a grin. The way he's pitching the idea has got her interested; the prospect of seeing Anton getting taken down too great to pass up on. What domino effect his fall would set off something she can get behind.

"More like shedding a spotlight on the fakers who blinds us all with lies and making the world take notice of him. It's what he lusts for after all..."

"All that and more. Heh, I love it~"

"You'll have helped those people he terrorises over in Geno City more than Mayor Fumfer ever has since he took the office." The red wolf said, looking to her eyes as he tips down his glasses for her to meet his real eyes. "The conversation we had from yesterday was another reason I came to you about this. Maybe people will recognise your contribution, maybe they won't but it'll still wholly be your choice to remember regardless... What do you think?"

Fiona sat up straighter, knowing her answer. "I'm in. You can consider it done. Nothing would please me more than seeing that dick get his comeuppance."

"Then together, we can make a difference." Akira offers his hand to her. Either his awakening has given him the strength of character or becoming more than another social zombie, the vixen was taken in by his words.

Fiona took Akira's hand in her own, blushing and smiling bashfully; ever the more fascinated by this new student. "Let's change the world. Together."

"I am thou, thou art I. Thou hast acquired a new vow. It shall become the wings of rebellion that breakth thy chains of captivity. With the birth of the Death Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that should lead to freedom and new power..."

Death: Rank 1

"I'll even help you out in your quest to become a certified doctor if you want me to. Could make for first-hand experience for yourself in your studies plus I get to learn first-aid from the experienced."

"I would love nothing more." Fiona said with a smile. One that compliments her radiance well.

"Just give me a call—Wait, we haven't gotten each other's phone numbers." Akira stopped himself as he cracks out his phone and types down his number before showing it to Fiona. "Here's my number."

Fiona entered Akira's number into her phone, then showed Akira her own. "This one's my number."

Akira nodded and enters Fiona's number into his own, the vixen catching a glimpse of the red eye app on his phone screen when he switched over to the contact app. "Annnd done."

"Cool. By the way, what's that weird app on your phone I just saw?"

"Some new app I got recently. Can't recall exactly when I got it though." Akira answered, having to cook up a cover story. "Looks spooky, doesn't it?"

"I'm not gonna lie, it looks like something out of some weird app-based horror movie. You sure it isn't giving you a virus?"

"Ran a scanning software on it and had it looked at. Doesn't appear to be a malware app. Just weird looking." Akira made up his plausible-sounding story, knowing the truth would open a whole box of questions he wouldn't have time for. "Could be some promotional app for a movie or a localised release of a JRPG from studios like Lapetus Games. Usual stylish marketing tactic."

"Hm. Just be careful with it."

"I will." The wolf assures her. 'Too bad this Metaverse Navigation app didn't have the decency to give me a heads up before it flung me to the Metaverse to meet with Asshole Vercua's Shadow in that stupid expensive suit...'

Akira then proceeds to send Fiona an image to her phone. "By the way, here's a picture of the guy I'll be masquerading as. Grady O'Wolf is his name. I believe he's a prominent member of Anton's Hooligans and rather high up in it too. Used to be from another gang before ending up with them."

Fiona looked at the picture of the guy, immediately seeing the similarities between him and Akira side by side. "...You choose your disguise well. Lucky for you; I know where he hangs out and I can send my guys to go grab him. Heard some sordid things about him."

"From Manic has told me about him, he used to be one of his homies and says he's got an arrogant complex going on. A real tosser of a guy all around. Real perfect for the Hooligans."

"All the more reason to humble this guy, y'know? You want my guys to rough him up a little bit? There's plenty of us eager to get at Anton and his cronies."

"I just need him out of the way for a while. Your guys can do whatever they want with him except killing him and not letting themselves be ID'ed by him when we're done."

"They won't kill him buuut I could prolly have them rough him up a bit. Maybe lob his ear off with a razor or a good camel-clutch."

"I'd rather acts of humiliation inflicted upon him. The other idea would only make him pissed off when he'd get dumped back onto the streets."

"Humiliation, huh?" Fiona smirks to that. "I got a few ideas for that~"

"I'll leave all that to you and your guys to go over. How soon can your guys do it?"

"We can have it done tonight if you want."

"I'll give you the go ahead once we get our guy in to be able to have an appointment with Anton and getting myself all dressed up as Grady. Just make sure his temporary leave of absence doesn't set off his colleagues' alarm bells whenever I step in." Akira leans back in his chair. "And with that settled, we're about as good as gold. Though I must say, it's quite a look when your cheeks are matching your coat."

"Well, heh, I uh... Yeah, I guess it is kinda cute, huh?" Fiona said with a nervous chuckle. A little caught off-guard by him commenting on it.

"It can be sometimes depending on the context and cause. Other times, it'd just be the heat." Akira scratches one side of his right ear. 'And then there's the fact you've blushed over a handshake of all things...'

"Yeah, that is true." Fiona replied, then checked the time and said; "Alright, I gotta head out and take care of something. Just give me the signal on when to nab that guy."

"I'll send it in a text. Time and tide melts the snowman is what it'll say." Akira told her. "Have a nice day."

"I will." Fiona stood up from her seat. "Remember: I do this for you, you do something for me no matter what it is and no questions asked."

"The worth and value of a handshake should not or ever be underestimated. If I go back on it, I'd render it worthless." The wolf said back in response. "Same applies to you."

"Of course." Fiona said with a nod, smiling as she put her sunglasses back on. "Slán~"

She then left, her hips swaying side to side in a sultry but dignified feminine manner with the vixen's tail moving alongside them as she walked which Akira would notice while watching her head off.

"She seems like a fun one!" Pixie says to Akira. "Playful too!"

"To you maybe..." Akira said back to her before checking his phone, looking up his reminders.

"Whatever's the case young lad, you've finally extended your greater trust out to her." Gnome, one of his newer acquired Personas with an Earth affinity spoke up. "You wouldn't have taken such a risk with her if you weren't willing to try."

"Someone's life in danger and calculating risks is good and all but action has to be taken before it's too late. As far as I'm concerned, she's trustworthy. Just have to hope she shares the same sentiment..." Akira would soon get a text from Manic and he goes to check it out.

Manic: Yo. Listen, I know we got shit to prepare for, but there's this new VR tank game that they added to the arcade over at a strip mall on my side, and I was wondering if you wanted to check it out with me.

Akira: Where you at?

Manic: The hideout. Little John and I had made some lunch for Jean earlier, so other than that, my mid-day has been pretty boring.

Akira: I'll head on over and meet you there.

Manic: Cool!

He added an excited smiley face emoji at the end of that text. Akira got up and puts his phone away before heading off to Geno City.

Manic and Little John's Hideout, Geno City

Lunchtime

Once Akira arrived at Manic's hideout, he'd see Manic in the process of looking at clothes online while Jean sat on the couch watching TV, having been watching the news.

"Morning Akira." Little John greeted him.

"Morning guys." Akira greeted back as he went into the hideout.

"Morning Akira." Jean greeted with a smile.

"Yo." Manic greeted with a grin.

"How are you doing today Jean?" The wolf asks her.

"I'm good. I've been sober all day so far."

"That's good. Keep at it and you've got us to help you out."

"It's a struggle but I'll continue to keep being sober."

"It won't be done overnight but we've got you." Akira then turns his head to Manic. "You ready?"

"Yeah." Manic closes the laptop he had open. "I just ordered some clothes for Jean which will arrive in a few days at the post office box Little John and I rent at the local post office branch."

"He coming along?" Akira gestures to Little John.

"I'm gonna have him stay back and keep an eye on Jean. Just to make sure she doesn't relapse. You guys go on ahead. If Johnny or Cortez comes up today and one of them takes over, I could join up with you later." Little John said to Akira and Manic. "Whatever's the case, you two go have fun."

"We will." Manic said with a nod. Both Akira and Manic then heads off down to a strip mall.

The strip mall in question is a small-scale strip mall consisting of a couple of stores around a parking lot with one of them being a video arcade called 'Clover Arcades'. Among the other stores there was a small flea market, a small grocery store, a discount electronics store, a housewares store, a burger joint and a small toy store.

They head over to Clover Arcades together. The inside of the arcade was rather modest for an inner-city arcade; various arcade games old and new dotted the interior, many of the more classic consoles arranged in aisles and lines while a few newer additions were arranged along the walls or in clusters. There was even skee ball lanes, basketball hoop games, and coin pusher games. All of which awarded tickets that could be exchanged for various prizes at the prize counter.

"Come down here often?" Akira looks to him as they stood in front of the entrance after coming through it. A few folks playing some of the machines in the arcade.

"I'd often come here with Little John on some of our off hours."

"What would you two usually play in here?"

"Tomatopotomus The Fighters, Like A Dragon, The Phantom Strikers, Defender of the Future, Polybius 2, Journey Into Dreams, The Silent Fury and a bunch of other cabinets around here."

"They got the Goro Akechi arcade machine in here?"

"I think so. I think it was recently added."

"The arcade I would have gone to in Golden Bay City had one of those as well. I think I remember a controversy that surrounded the game itself when it was coming out over it's depiction of police procedures and making it a shooting game based on the equally controversial second Detective Prince's life."

"I mean it's a video game, so they're bound to take creative liberties."

"Aye. So..." Akira glances around. "Where's this new VR game at?"

"It's over by the newer games." Manic led Akira along. "It was just added a few days ago and I've been wanting to try it since."

"Too busy meeting Palm and her five sisters more like."

Manic laughed at that. "You're funny, man. But no, I've been busy otherwise; thieving and whatnot."

"Including one for Sofiya's sake."

"Yeah, pretty much."

"You go up to the Dynamo Galleria yourself sometime?"

"Not often. Stuff there is expensive man."

"Certainly the place of excess. The student I gone there with was able to afford buying stuff there."

"She must be pretty well-off then..."

"She says she works a job that pays well and she's studying to become a doctor too, so there's that also."

"A doctor, huh? She could do us a lot of good with that."

"Uh-huh, she definitely could be good help to us and herself. Oh and by the way, I've got the thing with you know who taking a temporary "vacation" ready to go." Akira told him in a hushed whisper. "Just have to send a message once we're ready and I'm in."

"Awesome~" Manic said in an excited whisper. "I think I know how to send him a message too."

"Let's just leave it to those people. He doesn't need to know just yet." Akira shot down the idea. Not wanting miscommunication to send everything into chaos.

"Right, right." Manic replied as they approached the VR Tank game in question. It was called 'Tankors', a truly complex, sightly console which had a seat with a VR headset fixed to an overhang in front of it, set of buttons and knobs in front of it and it seemed to resemble an arcade version of the old Tank Battalion controllers.

"Is this the one?"

"Yup. That's the one."

"Let's see wha—" Someone rudely brushes past the two and went over to the VR machine to go on it.

"What the hell?" Manic looked over at the pguy who brushed past them. "Hey, a fucking excuse me is in order dickweed!"

"Blow it out of your ass." The gum-chewing asshole with a thuggish appearance retorted, flipping the pair off without looking at them as he puts the VR headset on. "Now go and get lost."

"We were here first." Akira argued.

"So? It ain't my problem four eyes."

"It will be in a second if you don't get off that machine and apologize to my friend here." Manic growled, jaws tight.

"How about the pair of you faggots go and fuck off elsewhere?" The thug chews his gum with a dirty glare.

"How 'bout you go fuck right off first?"

"If you don't get lost now, then I'll make you get lost myself and then some little rat."

"Come on. There's no point in trying to reason with him." Akira says to Manic. "We can go at it another time."

"See? Even Four-Eyes there has the bright idea and he's probably from a worthless family like yo—" Suddenly, the thug felt the VR headset torn off him and greeted by the stern face of Akira.

"Care to repeat that pal?" The wolf said in a dangerously neutral tone, eyes slightly narrowed. "The worthless part."

"I take back what I said earlier..." The thug straightened up and got right in his face, eye to eye with him. "Your dad must have knocked up a dumb bitch on the sidewalks for them to be able to produce a half-sighted mutt like you."

The wolf stared wordlessly at him with a focused and steely gaze, one that made the guy feel a little uncomfortable in how unwavering it is. Trying not to lose his cool on the worthless piece of garbage.

He stopped Manic with a simple gesture. Manic was silent, though gave the thug a follow-up glare of his own to let him know they both meant business.

"...Care to repeat that one more time?" Akira asks. Maintaining the same neutral tone with a few of the other patrons taking notice of their exchange.

"I'll reiterate in case you didn't get me. Your worthless specimen of a father must have knocked up a dumb, retarded whore of a bitch on the sidewalks for them both to be able to produce a half-sighted dog like you." The asshole thug growled. "As dumb as the bitch that produced your friend there. That clear enough for you dickhead?"

"...And I supposed your family must sooo great themselves that you have the right to talk shit like that with such boldness." Akira says to him, releasing the thug and thinking better than to throw hands in public. "Too busy acting like a big-shot with a big mouth to see how pathetic you are for threatening people half your age but I guess it helps you feel good about yourself if you got someone else to trash on. It's tough being who being you are, isn't it?"

"You!" The thug threw a punch at Akira and the latter is quick to dodge it along with dodging a few more while not throwing any punches back.

After throwing what seems to be the eighth one with it being his strongest, the wolf steps aside and the thug misses him as he overshot himself forwards onto the floor face-first that produced a quiet unpleasant sound accompanied by a pained shriek. Manic gave a mocking smirk as he saw it happen to a deserving person.

"Not so tough now, huh?" He said, standing over the thug with a shit-eating grin.

"Vay thad to ma fece yoo fastard!" The thug growled as he lifted his face off the floor with a bleeding mouth. Missing a tooth or two.

"Oh, shit!" Manic taunted, laughing at the thug's misfortune, "Now, aren't you sorry you cut past us like that? Now you're gonna need to go to the dentist wearing that stupid jacket and shoes. How's it feel? Oh, and give the Tooth Fairy a call some time for some cash!"

A grimacing Akira suddenly stomps on the guy's left arm. Manic's mocking smile soon faltered a bit. "Eheheh... Alright Akira, you can stop now..."

"He had a knife in his hand tucked up his sleeve..." Akira twists his foot on the arm a bit to force the thug to drop a hidden blade from his hand that the hedgehog didn't notice he was holding til it hit the floor with a thud. "And just low enough to have gotten your ankle with it if I hadn't noticed it."

"What a sore loser this guy is over a VR set..."

"Now... Go on and get out of here." Akira ordered the thug, releasing his arm after kicking away the knife with his other foot. "I'll only ask you this once."

"Yer both wa pay fer tis!" Said the thug as he got up off the floor and quickly leaves the arcade.

"That's right, you better run Gappy!" Manic shouted after the thug. "Crying over a game like a bitch!"

Akira watches him run off before turning to Manic. "Who was he there?"

"Hell if I know. Prolly just some rando jerk. There's plenty like him around the city."

"A jerk that could have easily hospitalise you or worse with how that was turning out."

"Yeah but he didn't have to cut us off like that."

"I'd have thought you of all people would know better than to aggravate someone who ain't in the mood for reasoning."

"This guy was being a total jerk y'know?"

"No shit."

Manic sighs, glad to have the drama over. "At least the console is free but what was that about? You were looking ready to open a can of whoopass on him."

"He was trashing my family and incidentally being a racist too that's what. Not sure if this machine is really worth getting stabbed over..." Akira said before the two went over to the machine. Ready to forget that encounter.

"You want first up?" Manic swiftly changes the topic.

"Uh, sure." Akira went up and puts the VR headset on upon taking off his glasses before taking control of the machine.

The screen would show the game's title Tankor in a striking logo, then would show a demo of gameplay with the text 'Insert Tokens' over it; signifying Akira would need to insert tokens before playing. The wolf inserts the coins and got to playing it for a few minutes once he has a grasp on what to do.

The game was very easy to learn how to play; you would start by choosing your tank from three categories, light, medium, or heavy as well as choosing which nation's military you choose the tank from. In Akira's case, he had chosen the Japanese Type 61 medium tank as it reminded him of his childhood die-cast tank model. After doing that, you would choose which map to start on and then you would begin the game.

The objective is simple; destroy all enemy tanks and capture the enemy base to win. The wolf would eventually stop playing and passing the turn onto Manic. When Manic played, he chose the Swedish Lansen C medium tank and chose a desert map. He did quite well while playing, though ended up getting his tank destroyed a few times.

The two would continue playing with the machine for a while whenever they traded a turn until eventually a father and son pair came over to the machine with the father asking; "Excuse me, are you two finished with it yet?"

"Yeah, just about." Manic answered him. "I'm on my last life and am about to die anyway, so it'll be all yours in a second."

"Okay." The badger nodded before looking to Akira. "You a regular here?"

"First time here. Came down to try out the new VR machine today."

"My son wants to try it out too." The father patted his beaming son on the head with a smile. "Been wanting to while he's at school and I happen to have the day off to take him here."

"A good old father and son bonding time."

"Pretty much. Ever spent time with yours' at an arcade?" The badger ask.

The wolf nearly blindsided by the question. "...The last time I went to one with my old man was when I used to be a little pup during a summer holiday. Think I won a claw machine prize once and even got the photos for it. Good times were had that day."

Manic soon got off the machine breathing a contented sight. "Alright, all yours kiddo."

"Thanks!" The young badger said before he excitably puts the VR headset on.

Manic smiled at this, then looked to the older badger. "Are you guys from around here?"

"We're from near the border. I work a job over in Cyber City. Mainly as an I.T clerk."

"Ah, I see. Must be hectic, huh?"

"I do what I can to support my family."

"That's a completely admirable notion."

"Beats being on the streets any day." The older badger said before asking; "You from around here too?"

"I was pretty much raised on these mad streets, y'know?"

"Mmm." The adult badger then looks to Akira. "What about yourself?"

"I've only moved in a few days ago and been getting to know the city since. I live over on the other side of the border actually."

"I used to be living on that side of the city myself but circumstances forced me to move here. Had owned a family business til it went bust."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Eh. I've gotten over it a few years ago and held my head high since."

"Good for you."

"Takes a loss like that to remember what truly matters in life. In hindsight, I'm more happy to have lost the business instead of losing someone."

"Hey dad, you want to go next!?" The younger badger asks his father.

"Whenever you want to give me a go." The older badger replied, then looking to the pair. "Excuse me."

He'd go over to join his son's side, the two watching him cheering his boy on in his play and being there for him like the supportive father he is. Manic watched them for a moment, then smiled.

"This is what I fight for every day." He said to Akira in a low voice.

"...Did he ever take you down to the arcade like that when you were young?" The wolf would utter the question to him in reply as they let the pair enjoy their fun-time together in peace and moved themselves elsewhere in the arcade establishment.

"Yeah, sometimes..."

"Some good memories with him?"

"Plenty. I miss him so much..." Manic's gaze held a sad one when he said those words.

"What was he like as a person?"

"Easygoing, lax but very wise and knowledgeable. Taught me everything I know."

"That I could tell." Akira adjusts his glasses. "Was he as much a man of the people as you are?"

"Very much was. More-so than I am because people looked up to him and respected him a lot."

"I can imagine he so if Krouch's not fond of him. By the way, I met him the other night. Caught him being two-faced with an elderly man and calling him an old bastard whenever he went out of earshot. He acted like a friendly, helpful officer when he saw me coming past him. Probably doesn't know we're associated yet."

"I would hope not..." Manic replied, rubbing his neck. "You know about the real Krouch..."

"Knowing that Anton has him in his pockets, I'd say he'll be profiling me in time once he puts two and two together." Akira glanced back at the father and son pair. "But we'll deal with him once we deal with Anton first."

"He'll get his comeuppance. We'll make sure of that."

"For sure. Heh. What do you think your old man would have thought of this whole week if he were here now?"

"He'd probably be very proud of me." Manic replied with a smile.

10 Years Ago...

The then-eight year old Manic went down to the arcade with his adopted father Farrell. A large insect Mobian that's got antennas which could almost be mistaken for antlers.

He had recently pawned off a few items belonging to a tax-avoiding upperclassman and scored himself a decent profit. Most going to his neighbourhood while he pockets the remainders, using it to treat his adopted son today. Manic was thrilled at the prospect of being able to go to the arcade that day, deciding to play a coin pusher game first in order to win tickets.

Farrell accompanied him throughout the day, lending him a few coins or so whenever he needed it. Eventually after playing countless rounds of coin pusher games and skee-ball, Manic had amassed a ton of tickets. He quickly directed Farrell to the prize counter to see what he could afford to exchange tickets for.

"Which ones are you looking for?" Farrell asks, holding Manic's tickets.

"Hm…" The young Manic said as he looks at the prize selection, then pointed at a wrist-worn portable AM/FM radio on display. "That one!"

"That the one you want? Then let's get it." Farrell smiled as he looks to the employee behind the counter. "How much tickets is it for that radio?"

"Two-hundred and fifty." The mobian dog working the prize counter said. Manic had a little over the exact amount to get it.

"Then we'll take it if you so please." Farrell hands him the tickets. The mobian at the counter nodded, putting the tickets through a counting machine and then taking out one of the wrist-worn radios in it's package; handing it to Farrell.

Farrell accepted it and turns to Manic with it, holding the boxed wrist-worn radio to him. Smiling to him. "Here you go. Your hard-earned prize."

"Cool!" Manic looks the wrist-worn radio over in it's box. "Thanks, dad!"

"You're welcome my little dude." Farrell gently ruffles little Manic's mohawk with his hand, smiling down to him. "Come on, let's head on down to Rockwell's. I don't have to guess on what's your favourite item on the menu..."

"...Who says that he wasn't always proud of you? Everything else would just be cherries on a cake." Akira would say to Manic before noticing his gaze. "Manic?"

Manic's right hand hovered over the same wrist-worn radio he wore on his left hand next to his left-hand spiked punk bracelet, silently reminiscing. He then blinked as he realized Akira was talking to him, then looked over. "...What?"

"Your mind was preoccupied with something there when I was mentioning how your father was probably always proud of you, even for the mundane things you'd do."

"Oh well, yeah... I guess no matter what; he's always watching me and is always proud of me..."

"And you wish to honour him by carrying on his legacy. Metaverse or not."

"Yep."

"Keep at it then." Akira tells him.

"You wanna do anything else, ol' buddy pal?"

"Play more games here?"

"We could do that for a while longer."

"Sure." Akira smiles. "I want go see what else this place has to offer besides that VR machine."

"Well..." Manic grins as he beckons the wolf to follow. "Let me show you over to the House of the Dead machine over here."

He led Akira over to a House of the Dead machine, complete with a large screen that showed choppy 64-bit 3D graphics. Coming complete with a pair of light guns themed after Glock 17 pistols, one done in fire engine red and the other in bright blue.

"I remember this. You're in a house with these undeads and you gotta blast 'em as they come at you. I know there's similar game to this where you type in a word with a keyboard to blast them."

"Yup. It's a total classic of any arcade."

"Then let's play it. I bet I can score higher than yours'."

"You really think so? We'll see about that~"

Akira and Manic both grabs a plastic Glock-17 each. The wolf eager to get a high score on the game with the hedgehog and having more points than him. He will smoke him at this game or die trying...

'...We played the game til we decided it was time for us to leave the arcade...'

To Be Continued...