Sasquatch sighted in New Pittsburgh!
Who's Sasquatch?
Sasquatch is what the media and corpos call the Woodland Wraith.
Hold on, who the fuck you calling a corpo? I only read about him online. It was the only name given.
Wow, New Pittsburgh is having a real bad day. Antithesis AND Woodland Wraith.
Makes you wonder what that city did to upset the Demon Murphy.
You can't blame the Woodland Sasquatch Wraith on Demon Murphy and the city as a whole. It only takes a single corp to bring the Woodland Sasquatch Wraith out to play.
Thus is a Samurai named outside of their traditions. Woodland Sasquatch Wraith for the win.
WAIT HE'S A FUCKING SAMURAI NOW?!
R.I.P. New Pittsburgh
R.I.P.
New Pittsburgh R.I.P.
R.I.P.
A moment of silence for what used to be New Pittsburgh
A Woodland Wraith discussion forum 2056
A Woodland Sasquatch Wraith discussion forum 2056
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Woodland Sasquatch Wraith
We exited the building and found a Samurai, alongside a squad of men from Elizabeth's company, waiting.
"Hello, my name is Vortexia. It's a pleasure to meet you in person Woodland Sasquatch Wraith. I'm from a Samurai run corporation called the Family."
"I guess that's my name now." I replied. Vortexia looked at Elizabeth, caught sight of her gun, and squealed high pitched and quickly, all in one breath:
"OHHHH. Does she have a name yet? If she doesn't, I think she should go by Steampunk Shotgun Sally." This caused Elizabeth to facepalm and to start laughing. Haley started laughing as well.
"I think I'll take it. It's better than anything I've come up with so far." Elizabeth stated, once she stopped laughing.
Then one of the men from Elizabeth's company stepped forward and spoke up "If you don't mind, we'll take the girl someplace safe so you two can get back to Samurai business. Our bosses will make sure she gets any treatment she needs"
This caused Haley to hide behind Elizabeth. Elizabeth and I shared a look. I stepped in front of the soldier.
"It's fine I have a friend that has agreed to look after her. We'll take her there ourselves."
Voretexia looked like she was about to say something. I turned off the speakers of my armor.
"Mara, will you talk to her AI and have her get in a call with me. I'd like Elizabeth in this conversation as well."
Done.
"This is rather irregular, if you don't mind me saying. We're all standing here anyway." Voretexia grumped.
"That's true, but there are some fucking subjects I don't want to discuss in front of the kid. Who, in case you failed to notice, is terrified of the guys in uniform, which tracks, considering what she's been through."
"Woodland, please play nice. She's here to help, isn't she?"
"You're too kind for your own good, Sally. Voretexia you said your name was. Aren't you the one that can create tornadoes? So, are you here to stop me?"
"Yes, I can create tornadoes, and no, I'm not here to stop you. Not after I thoroughly reviewed the data that your AIs sent to the Family, anyway. I daresay that tornadoes would be quite helpful to you in terms of property destruction. But that is not what this conversation is about, if you don't want the girl to hear it."
The soldier in front of me stepped back, looking worried as he glanced between all three of us Samurai. The other two were looking at me.
"Sally and I are going to take the kid to a trusted friend of mine, that's all there is to it. If they or you want to offer a vehicle to speed the process up, then that's fine, but she is going with us."
"Woodland, please calm down. The eyes of your helmet have turned red again." Sally said.
I didn't know that was a thing. She had walked up next to me, Haley was now between us. Because all three of us were now a specific distance from the building, the charges I had set detonated and the building imploded. The look of relief and joy on Haley's face was worth it. The soldiers were the ones that looked terrified now.
"I seem to be missing something. What's the problem? These men are from the Bertarelli Foundation. The girl will be safe with them." It was Sally that responded to what Voretexia said this time.
"The problem is strange men in uniforms kidnapped and raped Haley, and you want to send her away with more strange men in uniforms. I know those men can be trusted. How do you explain that to her?"
"That was not in the information your AIs sent. Very well, we will arrange transportation." Voretexia was smart. If they had done that to Haley then... Her helmeted head turned to Sally. "Are you okay?"
"I have to be. I'll fall apart later, out of Haley's sight."
"Take whatever time you need. Once the transport gets here, I hope you don't mind if I get a head start on destroying LFC property. The Family wanted me to have you spare a few locations. With what I know now, that's not possible."
With that she exited the call, went over and talked to the soldiers. They moved further down the road. She looked my direction, walked halfway to me and stopped. I looked back and forth between Sally and Voretexia. Sally nodded and I walked over to Voretexia.
"What do you want from me?" I asked when I was close enough.
"I wanted to let you know that transport has been arranged. There are therapists on board to help the ladies in route to your friend's place, if you wanted to start tearing apart what's left of LFC right away."
"I appreciate the thought, but I don't think Sally is going to talk in front of Haley. So, any talking will be done at my friend's place, if she wants to talk about it yet. I'll be going anyway, to see if any of the guns and ammunition I normally ignore when I'm shopping, can give me any new or interesting ideas for hunting antis and destroying buildings."
"Wait, your friend is a guy that sells you guns and ammo? What makes you think he'll agree to this? Is it really a good idea for the girls to be staying with a man they don't know?"
"Yes. I think he'll agree because I already called him and asked about it. Don't worry about it, they both have met him before." I answered all her questions. I could tell she wanted to know how they both knew someone I knew. In Sally's case that would be her story to tell. In Haley's case her mother had asked me to watch her last year while I was in town and so I took her with me to Winston's.
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Fortunately, the transport showed up. Some ladies talked with Voretexia, then looked in my direction and scowled. Those must be the therapists. This was going to be a fun ride. Before everyone got on the transport, the ladies walked over to Sally and Haley, causing Haley to run and hide behind one of the legs of my power armor. I turned the speakers on so she could hear my voice.
"What's wrong, little one?"
"Lady wearing suit hurt me. Lady in suit hurt Sally, too." I knew she was referring to the bitch who had just been buried by the destroyed building behind me. I felt my rage spike again anyway. Not at Haley, but at myself for not getting to her sooner.
"So, you're afraid that these ladies are going to hurt you and Sally?" She nodded. "Do you see what Sally is wearing?" She nodded again.
"A dress like mine." She finally said. Well, she was partially right.
"No not a dress like yours, armor like yours. Sally didn't have her armor when the lady in the suit hurt her, did she? She has her armor now and now you're wearing armor too. They can't hurt you."
That got everyone looking at me. Shocked looks on every face except two. Their faces being covered, I couldn't actually be certain what their expressions were. From the way Sally was standing, I'd say I just did something that made her proud of me. Don't ask me what it was, I have no clue. I didn't care to know what Voretexia was thinking. I soon found out anyway.
"You bought a five-year-old armor with points?!"
"YES, I DID. I thought I was going to have fight through at least seven blocks of antis to get her to my friends place."
"You didn't think the Family or Foundation would show up?"
"Me speaking to you when we left the building was the first time I'd heard about the Family. As far as my line of thinking went, I figured I still owed the Foundation a favor for their help in New Harrisburg, not the other way round."
"But the info you had your Ai send-"
"I told her to broadcast my message to LFC and anyone else she thought should know. If she sent it your Family then she thought you all needed to know. I expected that if she informed other Samurai, they would try to stop me and be of no help at all. Seeing as your faces are all over the corpos ads."
"You are... They captured a newbie and did... and you thought we would help them?!" It seems Voretexia was in quite a state.
"Woodland, I told you to play nice. She even offered to start tearing LFC apart, while we get Haley safe." Sally said coming to the rescue. "Why don't we get going? We can call and talk to you later Voretexia, or you could call us."
Voretexia stayed silent for a moment or two, then agreed that was probably for the best.
We boarded the transport and finally headed to Winston's place. The women who had glared at me earlier, still shot angry glances at me occasionally. Within a few minutes we got out at Winston's. He was there to greet us, holding one of the Bertarelli shotguns he always tried to sell me. The 6'5" 60yr old man, who still had a full head of hair even if it was pure white, was wearing an urban camouflage pattern suit. An actual suit you know, dress shirt, tie, cuff links, and loafers. It was a sight to behold.
"Sounds, and looks, like you've had one hell of a bad day young man. Come in and sit for a spell, the turrets and such will keep us safe. I even have a lunch prepared for you and your two friends."
"Gun Guy!" Haley then proceeded to bull rush Winston, who tossed the shotgun to me and scooped her up into a hug.
"Hello, Haley thank you for coming to visit again." He turned to Sally and said with a smile. "You are always welcome here as well."
As we entered the building, he handed Haley to Sally saying,
"You know your way around the place. Why don't you take her in and help her get washed up." Once they had traveled further into the shop and out of earshot, he turned to the therapists.
"I don't know what your problem is with my young friend, but know that you were only allowed to enter because of him."
"Just because he is a Samurai doesn't mean he knows what's best for those two." One of them finally spoke up.
"You may be right. But he has known both of them longer than any of you, and he has done more to make them feel comfortable and safe then any of you have so far. He may be a bit rough and blunt around some edges, but he is doing the best he can with what he knows."
"How do you know that?" Another one spoke this time. Winston smiled again.
"I know that because Sally's Ai sent me a recording of what transpired before you all got in the transport." He focused his attention on me now. "Last I had heard you weren't a Samurai, boy, so, when did that happen?"
"Maybe three minutes after the incursion started."
"So less than five hours and you got yourself power armor and are at war with a corp." he smiled "Though I should be fair, you'd have been at war by now even without the incursion. You've done good, boy, now go get yourself cleaned up and get some food in your stomach so you're not running on pure spite, rage, and adrenaline."
I don't know what else he said to them after I left, but they no longer glared at me. They even started acting kind when they saw what I looked like out of the power armor. I overheard one say they thought I be older, considering New Harrisburg was three, almost four years ago. One of them asked Sally about my age. She told them it was public knowledge that the Woodland Wraith had been 16 at the time of the New Harrisburg Incident. I took a shower, bought an armored jumpsuit to make fitting in the power armor more comfortable, and ate some food. Before I climbed back in the power armor Sally and I spoke with Haley making sure she was okay with staying with "Gun Guy".
Her answer was. "Fur Man and Gear Girl come back?"
Sally and I looked at each other and responded with a simultaneous "Yes we'll be back."
We left Winston's shop. I set up a call between us so we could talk but remain quiet as we began our mission to hunt antis and destroy LFC.
"Before I forget, I have something to give you; a present from Voretexia." She handed me a device that could be clipped to my armor. "It's a reusable device that can lure in antis. We can make them come to us instead of going looking for them."
"Nice but wha-, oh, if we stand near a LFC building and turn it on, we can claim collateral damage from exterminating fucking antis. Mara, would you please point out the nearest LFC owned building."
Of course, it's fifteen blocks to the east and there is already a decent amount of antithesis in its vicinity.
Steampunk Shotgun Sally
During our short stay at my uncle's place, I had been able to call home and talk to my parents. Billy hadn't done so. My parents told me they would tell his that he was safe. I also called Aunt Millie. I'm sure Uncle Winston would tell her I was fine, but Aunt Millie would still worry until she talked to me herself. I had to promise to talk with her in more detail before I went home. The women who had traveled with us had changed into clothes that weren't suits and Haley slowly started warming up to them. Billy purchased a jumpsuit from his catalog and the armor he had been wearing disappeared somewhere. He looked tired. He ate some of the food my uncle had put out and drank two cups of coffee. After promising Haley we would be back, he climbed back into his power armor, and we set out to hunt antis and destroy LFC property. I was looking forward to that last part.
As we walked toward the marker on our displays. I looked over at Billy. Everyone had been fussing over Haley and me. They had neglected to figure out if Billy was doing alright. Granted, many must have thought that he must be fine; he was the Woodland Sasquatch Wraith after all. He had been 16 when he fought against a corp, and won by out-surviving them. Unfortunately, he wasn't the kind to ask for help even if he needed it, either. Mara was kind enough to make it so you could sort of tell his state of mind by the color of the eyes in the helmet. When there were others around there were only two colors yellow and red. Times like this with no one else around and no immediate anti threat nearby, there were other colors. Right now, the eyes were barely glowing blue. I'd have to ask Mara what the colors meant, sooner rather than later.
"Billy are you alright?" The eyes flashed white then turned yellow. Which hurt as I assumed that yellow meant he was wary and ready for a fight.
"I feel like maybe I should be the one asking you that, Liza. Honestly, I can't say that I'm okay, but I will be." The color of the eyes now reminded me of stainless steel.
"What do you mean you will be?"
"Once we destroy the damned LFC, I'll be okay, knowing they won't be able to pull this shit again. That, and it's nice spending time with you again."
Hearing him talk like that gave me hope. After almost four years away and still he liked spending time with me. That was when Reckoner decided to pull me back to reality.
The LFC building you are approaching is actually a shelter that was built by them. Unfortunately, they cut corners, and it was comprised by model 7s. All the people who were taken over by the 7s are still locked inside.
The eyes went red.
"Billy?"
"The signal from Haley's mother's augs are coming from inside!"
"Then I'll adopt her."
The eyes flashed white, then yellow, but returned to and stayed red
"That's not the fucking point." It was almost more of a growl than words
Reckoner has sent all data to Vanguard Matchbook. He has okayed the destruction of the shelter. He is already distributing the information directly to the public.
We both went into stealth, as setting up the explosives to demolish the shelter was something we didn't want to be interrupted while doing. For some reason Billy started laughing.
Reckoner has received a request from Vanguard Woodland Sasquatch Wraith to upgrade your weapons. Also, Mara and Reckoner are adding functions so that while in stealth the two of you will be able to see each other's positions.
This caused me to look down at my waist and while I could see through myself, my rapier in its sheath was seemingly just hanging in midair. I assumed the same was true of my Clockwork Blunderbuss on my back. I felt my cheeks warm so much I was glad no one, especially Billy, could see me right now.
"I'll allow it." I said quietly.
Billy laughed harder for a minute, but my rapier and gun disappeared. A video file showed up in my inbox from Mara. I opened it and watched a familiar M1911 just hovering in midair as it shot 3s and 4s. This caused me to chuckle and my cheeks to cool.
"Thank you, Mara. I needed that." I noticed a new option in my display for my rapier.
You're welcome and the new function of your sword is that a field of energy can coat the sharp edges and make it so there is very little it can't cut through. I feel that it is time to mention, that while collapsing the building will kill all the current hosts of the 7s, it will also make it so that all the 7s that were created but do not have hosts will be free to find hosts.