S-social Link Go?

Nah, The Tower needs to be at a height in order to fall. The little princess is ambitious, but she's fairly stable in her position. Jotaro Shobo or Dexter DeShawn on the other hand.

Rank 4 (The Tower) - Dexter DeShawn

I openly grimaced as Dexter Deshawn chowed down on his synth sushi super platter with gusto. The fat bastard was perfectly aware that I was paying for everything and, far from moderating himself, instead went out of his way to order only the most expensive items on the menu out of sheer pettiness.

I knew that Dexter was capable of being charming when he wanted based on the beginning of Cyberpunk 2077, but unfortunately the Social Link we shared encouraged uncomfortable amounts of…honesty.

Dexter was certainly being honest with that piece of synth-salmon as he aggressively dunked it into the bowl of soy sauce and synth-wasabi.

"What, you got a problem with my appetite?" He sneered out when he caught me staring at him.

"...Not at all Mr. Deshawn. Go ahead and…enjoy yourself." I cooly replied with only a small level of lethal intent leaking.

"Well well, don't mind if I do." Dexter smugly answered as he gulped down a full can of soda.

I grimaced as the infamous fixer laughed at my reaction.

"You know what kid, when punkass brats, like you for example, try to lather men like me up for more lucrative gigs, they usually go strong for a while but eventually they take a hint and delta the fuck down when they don't get what they want." He paused to grab another soda from the nearby ice box.

"But you, well, you're something special, ain't ya. Two weeks of dealing with my, well, large personality…and yet you just keep on coming back for more. Makes a man curious."

Dexter leaned back against his chair with a calculating gaze. "I know my unique charm has its limits and you don't strike me as the masochistic type so…what do you want kid?"

At this point, I wasn't sure if trying to max out my Tower social link was worth it anymore.

In general, I liked my Persona powers. Truly, I did. The digital spirits I could summon were (mostly) super cute and grinding my social links was just as rewarding to me as killing gonks for XP. I have learned so many new facts about the people in my life that I otherwise would never have figured out and growing closer to my chooms was always super fun!

On the other hand, in the pursuit of gaining all the arcana buffs possible, I had established certain social links that many would consider…questionable. I formed relationships with people I otherwise would have avoided like the plague.

Like this assclown for instance.

"I'm not sure anymore Mr. Deshawn. Originally, I was trying to bribe you into giving me more gigs, but now…I guess I'm trying to…learn from you?" I almost gagged at that last part.

Dexter slowly raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You want to…learn from me? Is that right?"

"Because of all the fixers I know, you're the only one that doesn't…push me away when I complete a gig. You don't hide anything from me or try to coddle me. I like that…I've always been curious about how fixers do their job and...well…I think you're one of the better ones to follow if I ever go for a career change…"

'I cannot believe I just said that.' I thought to myself. Wakako was going to murder me if she ever found out about this conversation.

Dexter stared at me with a piercing gaze. "Out of all the fixers in Night City, it's little ol' me that you admire?"

"You were good Mr. Deshawn. One of the best. Sure, you eventually got too much heat on you after what happened in Pacifica and then you left NC…"

Dexter snarled silently but I continued. "But here's the thing…You came back. Most fixers would have pussied out and restarted their career in a new city, but not you. You're resetting shop in your home turf and you will start making waves again. Most fixers wouldn't and couldn't do that. I think anyone can admit that perseverance like that is admirable. There are absolutely things I can learn from you."

Yeah, like how not to be a complete moron.

His return was admirable? More like a sign of total desperation. Dex couldn't make it anywhere else so he came crawling back to Night City and tried to use V and Jackie as sacrificial pawns in an insane gig just so he could reestablish himself on the board.

What kind of raving lunatic would get involved in a plot to steal a relic from Saburo Arasaka himself?

Dex might have some genuine talent when it came to hiring people, but above all else he was a risk-taker and an idiot. The most remarkable thing about Dex was that he avoided meeting the grim reaper as long as he had.

And yet…I was pretty sure this was my new social powers manipulating my perception on things…I was only half-bullshitting with what I just said to Dex. A bizarre part of me…actually did admire Dex for coming back despite the blatant self serving nature of his return.

Initially, when I became aware of her Persona powers, I sometimes felt guilty because I felt like I was manipulating my chooms out of my greed for more power. But that guilt gradually went away when it became clear that my new abilities were actually a two-way street. Yeah sure, I was gaining a lot from bonding with my confidants, but my targets were not the only ones affected by my powers. Myself, and my perspectives on things, were also shifting.

I was starting to see things more from my target's point of view and was beginning to become more open minded on topics I hadn't realized I was close-minded on.

On one hand, this 'magical push' was probably needed for me to form these social links to begin with but it was also kinda scary if you think too hard on the implications.

And the really sad part was that Dex wasn't even the worst of the new problematic 'friendships' I formed recently…

Dex hummed and dropped his chopsticks before leaning back again to take a long whiff of his cigar. "You know kid, you're the first person that said that to me without being paid too. You really believe...I can come back to the game like before?" he eventually started wishfully.

Oh good, my powers were working their magic behind the scenes again. Dex actually took what I said seriously.

Even his bodyguard was giving both of us a weird look like he couldn't believe what was happening.

I know choom, the power of social links sometimes scare even me.

"You know what kid, you're right. You're fucking right! Why should I be scared of anyone? I ain't nobody's bitch! I'm Dexter motherfuckin' Deshawn! I was the fixer king of the city once, and I'll be king again!"

Oh oh, I think my silly pep talk gave him suicidal overconfidence now. Like, more so than usual. Calm the hell down Dex before you get us both killed!

RANK UP!
You have risen your rank with Dexter Deshawn (The Tower) to Lv. 5!
Dexter Deshawn now considers you to be a true friend!
Your Power to create Personas of the Tower Arcana has grown!

But hey, who said he was the only one benefiting from our group therapy sessions? Heyo!

An hour later, I finally managed to leave the restaurant with my wallet weeping all the way. Goodness, every step to level up the Tower arcana was more expensive than the last. It's like every time I offer to pay the tab for our 'business meetings' (which always takes place in restaurants), his gluttony completely takes over and any shred of common decency vanishes.

Seriously Dex, how about you stop taking advantage of the kindness of one of your loyal mercs who also happens to be a minor? Shouldn't the older person pay the tab of the younger? I mean, I know this is Night City where blatant financial abuse is the norm, but come on!

I sighed as I walked to my Quadra. Just as I sat on the driver's seat, I noticed that there were two unread messages on my heavily encrypted agent.

Two messages from two very recent additions to my list of peculiar 'chooms'. They were the reason I had to install new head chrome to keep some manner of privacy.

Arasaka Porcelain Doll: Hello again friend. I considered what you said earlier about my treatment of the symbolic analysis intelligences in my Hatashi servers. Initially we parted on bad terms, but lately I've been reconsidering some of my earlier opinions. Please contact me again when you have a chance. Despite my angry words, I wish to reiterate that I value your opinions Laughing Man.

I couldn't help but shiver every time I get a message from my Devil arcana confidant. Look, the entire Arasaka family was effed in the head. I knew it. Arasaka employees knew it. Every gonk in the street knew it. You don't become one of the big boys in the brutal capitalist world order of the Cyberpunk universe without having a few screws loose.

Hanako just did a better job of hiding her many issues from the rest of the world. Better being the root word here.

But unfortunately for her, I was aware of some of them. Look lady, I saw the 'Devil' ending - you can't fool me you Saburo stooge!

I was still only Rank 2 with my Devil confidant so our bond was still fairly weak. My opinions of her were still mostly negative, but I was already dreading what new 'insights' and 'sympathies' I would gain as our bond strengthened.

I know I was probably being too harsh towards her. It wasn't her fault that her father was one of the evilest men in the entire setting and some of that craziness rubbed off her.

We somehow met on a message board and have been having philosophical debates on AI treatment for the past week. I was pretty sure she didn't know my true identity yet, and I prayed nightly that it stayed that way.

The second message was far more relaxing by contrast.

King Death Murder: i saw your recorded gaming session on zigg. fucking pathetic. level up your vigor and fast before you even think of meeting me in combat shit-for-brains. If i catch you trying to use a dex build and that fucking bleed katana again i will go to your house and strangle you with your own neural cord i fucking swear to myself dont fucking try me.

Oh man, Adam was a sight for sore eyes! The scourge of cyberpunks everywhere might be terrifying in real life, but he was such a hilarious tryhard online that I had a hard time taking him seriously.

His furious rants just make me laugh so hard and I can't help it!

We met in a multiplayer match for Shadow Souls 3 and I honestly enjoy my gaming sessions more because of it. He was so angry all the time but also really helpful? He gave me some really good gear and helped me kill more bosses than I care to admit.

Was it bad that my Jester arcana social link was already at Rank 7 and I loved every minute of it? Am I a bad person for liking the company of a brutal mass murderer?

All I know is that things will get really awkward if I end up joining V (my Death arcana confidant) on her probable/eventual assault on Arasaka tower…

I took the idea of Dex being a cursed social link option for poor Motoko and the snippet grew from there. Obviously he has no idea that Motoko was the one that screwed him over early on in the story during her first stealth mission. Things could get delicate if he finds out...

In the Persona games, the magical forces of fate allows the main characters to form social links with some very strange people which include serial killers so I figured that Hanako Arasaka and Adam Smasher were fair game.