The morning following the chaos at Arasaka's facility was. . .different, or at least it was for V and Lia. On the one hand, Lia believed that her brother was more or less dead after what could be explained to those; a fiery exchange of insults and nearly turning into a fight. Siblings did tend to overplay the little things. However, in the case of V, that day held so many emotions that he was sure that his brain had tried its best to tune it out for the past decade. Yes, he was happy that Lia was not dead, strung out on drugs, tricked out, or. . .anything else under the sun.
''And what did you want to talk about?'' V asked Lia, who urged him to get up and to a place where they could talk. And time itself must have been a bit of a detriment to the younger sibling as V noted with her lack of care if Panam was woken up in the process. It was just past the first light, where the air was cool, the wind faintly whistled to and fro, and the slivers of the rising sun reached V's face as the closest smell to him was his cheap cologne.
''Yes, we do need to talk, brother,'' Lia materialized by a rock formation, leaned over it, and gazed at the dry, flat California landscape. A longing frown adorned her face before turning to face V. ''I understand this new development is something that neither me, you, or Panam may enjoy, but it may prove beneficial for you in the long term.'' Lia began to recall the duo's conversation inside the net, scrunching her face. Much was said and understood, but for Lia, the things that did not get communicated were at the forefront of her mind. Chief among them was having to live as symbiotically a part of her brother's brain and all that came with it. There was no other instance to use as a benchmark, save Johhny Silverhand.
But that was the current exception.
''Yeah, Panam herself isn't too keen on me having another occupant in my head, sister or not,'' V said, his eyes glued to the scenery before unfolding as he sat with his arms on his knees, feeling not quite content, but mildly pleased with how things panned out, at least up until this point. ''Got a feeling it might take some time for you and her to get along, even more so since you're not able to actually be here, at least not yet.'' V's tilted his head to the side, not being 100% in his convictions.
''Do you think so?'' Lia sat with her brother, looking deep into his eyes and using the opportunity to look deep into his eyes, nothing the near absolute focus he put on her since the both of them came out here. ''Panam does seem as expressive as I've seen through your memories, and yet I find it a wonder how you and her were able to truly connect and be together with such personalities.''
V hummed, paying what was essentially the lightest roast his sister could him no mind. ''Answered your own question, sis. The initial meeting was certainly something you'd read out of a crazy book, but things worked out,'' V shrugged, a faint smile coming across his face. ''Honestly didn't expect for us to end up an item, but I guess. . .I-'' The smallest hint of embarrassment brushed across his face as he blushed.
''-Saw a bit of yourself in her, which is why you went out of your way, time and time again.'' Lia finished, nodding her head in approval at the information. When V put it that way, she was not that surprised. ''And for whatever it may be worth, I am truly happy for you, V. I hope that you know about how lucky you are to have someone like Panam to care so much, The Aldecaldos included. Don't lose her,'' Lia flashed a content smile and sighed.
''Trust me, I won't,'' V said. He then rerouted the conversation back to her wanting to know if Panam could be trusted to know that she was the genuine article, and even more so able to accept her as a part of a family; to know love. ''Panam may be a bit rough around the edges, but she's able to tell friend from foe, at least a portion of the time,'' V chuckled, thinking about Nash. ''But for you, you just need time, and preferably an actual body so the two of you can do things together.''
''And what kind of things would t-that be? Being in the net for the last decade. . .and then some has dulled my senses on inter-personal r-relationships.'' Lia groaned as she slapped her arms to her sides in mock protest and sighed. Nearly on some kine digital instinct, she immediately stood back up, and all traces of expression vanished. V's concentration on her question enabled her to silently curse to herself and shake her head in protest. Good, she thought. He didn't see.
''Ya know, girl things,'' V replied, not entirely sure of what could entail of a day of relaxing between Panam and Lia. The idea of the two of them having a spa day or going shopping for clothes did bring a smile to his face.
''I think I speak for both me and Panam when I say that her doing anything resembling 'girly' would be comparable to asking for a miracle.'' Lia chuckled.
''True, but never know until you try, it's not like there's anything to lose out of it.'' V said.
Agreeing with the statement, Lia was sure that building a bond with Panam would be even more of a challenge than mending the one with V. Both had the human element removed, and that alone doubled to amount of work that would need to be done. ''I also do not believe that she thinks of me as anything other than an AI,'' Lia's voice was monotone, instantly drawing her back to the days of being in the net, where only she was the common factor and everything else changed, shifted; it was sad but true. ''Not that I would blame her. Who's to say Arasaka didn't alter me? To make me think that I'm human; to. . .implant me with feelings? Or something else,'' Lia muttered, her voice soon going quiet the longer she talked to V.
''Sis,'' V called, though she tuned him out, beginning to pace back and forth, wrapping her hands around the hat that adorned her head, only for her to take it off and for it to digitize away.
''And who is to say that maybe Arasaka pulled the strings all along to manipulate events? B-But, what. . .what is real anymore?'' Lia's voice strained. V could feel his sister's pain, it was hard not to. The question she asked herself came about making him rethink his own sanity at times. Dex shooting him point blank in the head, only for him to come back felt. . .wrong. ''I. . .don't understand.''
By all accounts, he had been real to everyone who talked to him. V still did what any normal person would have been able to do, and that proved enough to him that he was functional. But with Lia, there was merit in her words, as he did more or less take her at face value. And while one would say that family would know family, the idea that Arasaka may have put their greedy little claws into affairs branching from the past into future endeavors, regardless of the immediate payoff or not was not that far-fetched. A part of him hoped, wanted more than anything that that was not the case. His little sister didn't deserve that kind of fate. V wouldn't let the opportunity pass him by a second time. ''Whatever it is, you're here now. I'm here. We have Panam and The Aldecaldos, and they're our family now. If Arasaka wants to try and fuck around after the shit I pulled, they better come ready with all that they have, because I'm done losing.''
''V,'' Lia groaned, his steeled look of determination building a twinge of emotions that she neither had the patience to try and understand. If there was one thing that she could be sure of after all these years being gone, it was that when V had a goal in mind, little would stop him. ''How can you be so sure?''
Standing up, V turned and walked away, the rocks and dust crunching beneath his feet as Lia came into view ahead of him, frowning. ''One thing for sure, two things for certain; it's no problem to me to have you in my head, as long as we can get you taken care of. Panam and the fam will take time to adjust to you, and let me find out Arasaka did cross that line. . .again, consequences be damned.'' Lia clutched her fists at her brother's words. Lia figured that if he felt so strongly to want to take steps to mend the past, then she could at least do the same, to show V that she was willing to do what she would need to for their relationship to be mended.
The only question facing the siblings was what exactly would the best way to get said ball rolling down the street, in a place neither of them knew, and with no idea of what the future would hold.
''V, where are you? I woke up and you weren't there,'' Panam's voice sounded through to V and Lia and interrupting the conversation of the siblings. ''Is everything ok?'' Lia looked to V, silently asking if she wanted her to give the two of them space. What surprised her was that that he motioned for her to take the call in his place instead. If this was his idea of having her and Panam bond, it was in poor taste.
''What are you doing? Panam is calling you,'' Lia snipped to her brother, watching his reaction be that of a sly animal.
''This is your moment to shine, sis. Plus it's not like you'd have that much trouble on account of how much you talked her and Mitch's ear off back at the plant, so this shouldn't be too much,'' V almost wanted to laugh at the look of shock on his sister's face.''
Choosing to not let her brother anymore underneath her digital skin as is, Lia unmuted the call. ''Good morning, Panam. V is alright, him and me were just admiring the sunrise, is all. Did you have need of us?'' Lia's forced smile made V silently chuckle to himself.
Panam was never one to be too surprised at things, but her being two for two, and lunch had yet to come almost caused her head to spin. Part of V doing. . .well, V things also failed to make her feel any better. Out of nowhere, on their way to Arizona, was his sister whom he never bothered to bring up once. Did the two of them not have a bond? Were they. . .not as close? No, that couldn't be it. Maybe it was Lia. Granted, her being introduced into the picture was certainly the kind of variable that someone would have to do everything in their power to account for and handle accordingly, depending on the situation at hand.
Panam never really had the best of relationships when it came to dealing with AI, and that was only made even more clear to her and The Aldecaldos on the few occasions where they had to be dealt with. Never made a business deal go as smoothly as it it could have, charisma or otherwise to the side. The biggest source of that irritation was due in part to Arasaka.
And while Panam would be forever grateful to. . .Lia for going and saving V, one of the things she failed to be able to wrap her head around fully was the concept of one's life being taken and placed elsewhere went against what most people thought about when it came to life and death, and the pursuit of answers for it. Though, that also depended on the amount of money one had to be able to ask those kinds of questions proper.
Panam was not one of them, so all that could be done was for her to speculate about the moral absolutes, she called to talk to V, and was getting sidetracked in the process due to her own obsession with being stuck in her head at the smallest inconvenience. There would have to be work done for her and Lia to talk, sit down, and discuss brass tacks. ''I actually did; if V's listening, we need to get ready to pack up and leave, we're pushing the timeline up.''
Hearing a sound of confirmation come from Lia and a grunt from V, she paused or a second to hear any questions arise. When nothing after a few moments came, she pressed on. ''Given we'd be moving the dates up by 4 days, there will need to be changes made to patrols and convoy leads.''
''Of course, Panam. If there's anything within my power, I will do to assist you, you need only ask.'' Lia said, hoping her tone didn't communicate too pleading. There was so much she wanted to do for the sake of V and his newfound family, but she was also made aware of the fact that time would be one of the leading factors of a good, solid bond to be built. Her face frowned a bit, V gave her an encouraging thumbs up as a response.
''Well, given the Basilisk is in need of a software upgrade, along with some rudimentary hardware, and given we were able to procure some dated equipment, I thought best if-''
''-Say no more, Panam, I understand. I can get a start on it when V and myself get back to camp,'' Lia's tone of voice and nearly mile-wide smile, V was sure could be felt all the way back to camp. Now she only had one more question. ''Where are we heading from Bell Mountain?''
Author's Note:
Hey guys, long time, no read. Sorry bout that. If I knew being in the military would be the experience that it is, I would have opted to stay a civilian, at least for some aspects of it; namely having more time to be able to write, but it just boils down to time management, which I am still learning about. But enough about me, you were here for the story, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and the next upload I can say actually will probably come a bit quicker this time around given I will be going home to Detroit to visit family and friends, and to have some actual time to get to the nitty-gritty of the rest of my stories, Duality included.
If you want to check any of the other stories I have been writing over the years, I encourage you to go and visit if you are a Brony or Pegasister. Just look up the username Ultimus Pendragon, and you're off to the races. is Celestial Nyx Nova. Give those a read if you feel so inclined to.
But I do want to thank you for your patience and support and to tell you to look forward to other stories that I will be having in the making which I will be going more into depth about on before the next chapter. See you guys next time.