For Samurai, laws tend to be more of a suggestion then anything, which is why we need to self-govern. You’d probably not be surprised to learn how often I have to argue against ‘Be gay, Do crime'.”

They don’t usually react to that well.

* Olivia ‘Zealot’ Meier, in an interview after the ‘Second Battle of Zurich’, 2051

***

Deep breathe in, deep breathe out.

I stand above the crumpled corpse of my sister’s ex, watching as a crimson puddle slowly grows around her.

Deep breathe in, deep breathe out.

My mind and heart blank, I find myself almost distressingly calm at the scene in front of me, droplets of life falling from the tip of my blade into the red sea.

Deep breathe in.

Deep breathe out.

I sigh, placing a hand on my face as I shakily mutter:

“Fuck.”

Quite apt.

I toss the dagger down beside Fressia, then step around her body as I continue on our way. Feeling a bit weighed down, I transfer the spear and shield to the avatar, having it hover behind me as we move. A deep exhaustion falls over me, and as I turn around a corner, I walk up to one of the buildings to lean against it’s wall.

“Ffffuck.”

I am genuinely impressed you lasted that long.

I close my eyes, leaning my head back as I whisper, “That’s three, I guess.”

Pardon? This wasn’t the first?

I blink. “I’m surprised that the all-knowing AI doesn’t know about that.”

Considering the circumstances of your Initialization, I didn’t really have time to gather info on you myself. I only have access to public knowledge and whatever the other AI found that made you a viable Vanguard candidate.

Taken aback, I ask, “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask about that. What exactly happened to cause you to be so irritated when you showed up?”

I am… somewhat hesitant to answer that question right now.

“Fair,” I state as I push off the wall, “We can talk about our pasts later, I need to get moving.”

At least you have a lead.

I nod, then pause and have the avatar come down. After a moment of consideration, I have it lean down, then pick me up with one of its arms. It’s monumentally weird, considering that I’m basically carrying myself, but as it begins to move, I’m relieved to find that my travel speed has dramatically increased.

That’s certainly one way to get around.

I roll my eyes, but smile at the fact that Raya isn’t treating me differently now as I quip, “Quiet you, I’m tired and this works.”

I should probably warn you that the eye is using your bio-electricity to power the emitter, so while it’s more efficient and it won’t exhaust your muscles more, it’s still using your own energy to move you. Also, don’t expect to be able to fly like that.

“Tch.” I then sigh when I feel my stomach rumble in protest. “Raya, you wouldn’t happen to be able to poof food into existence would you?”

Why are you asking rhetorical questions?

“Caaauuse I want you to give me options?”

I suppose it is sort of endearing in a way, if you look at it through about thirteen different filters.

I stick out my tongue in response, which has Raya chuckle before pulling up a table full of options for me.

Catalog Name:

Contains:

Price (for catalog and recommend items):

Class-I General Ready Meals

Cheap yet tasty precooked meals designed to be eaten on the go.

20 for catalog, 5 per meal per person.

Class-I Gourmet Culinary Options

Expensive meals that are considered top of the line.

50 for catalog, 10 per meal per person.

Class-I Boost Foods

Extremely simple foods mixed with performance enhancing substances.

50 for catalog, item price varies depending on effect.

Class-I Cultural War Meals

Contains meals significant to certain species’ war efforts.

10 for catalog, item price varies depending on effect.

I glance over the list, but pause when I reach the final box. “What’s with the war meals' pricing?”

The catalog is extremely specific so it’s not very expensive to unlock, but the food contained within varies from strictly ritualistic to having a physical effect on those that consume it.

I raise an eyebrow at that thought. “Like?”

The most common effect within numbs the body and mind to an extreme degree, while also increasing muscle mass by a minimum of fifty percent.

I gawk for a moment, then shake my head. “I think… I’m good. Anything quick and easy in the general ready meals?”

How do you feel about apple sauce?

I scoff. “How do you feel about burner generators?”

…. Point proven, what about a sports bar?

I hold up one finger on my hand with a dumb grin.

Raya sighs.

Note to self, no pasted foods for Lissa.

“Damn right.”

Points earned!

10x Model-7T : 50 Points

Catalogs Unlocked!

Class-I General Ready Foods: 20 Points

New Purchase!

Class-I Battle Bar (Basic): 5 Points

Total Cost:

25 Points

Final Total:

67 Points

When the paper wrapped bar lands in my lap, I don’t hesitate to dig in. There’s a distinct crunch as I bite into it, but it’s immediately chewy once I start gnawing away at it. The flavor is… good, but nothing special to write home about. In hindsight, I’m going to refrain from asking about what is actually in this. What I don’t know can’t hurt me, or whatever that nonsense saying is.

When I finish, I start to look for a trash can around me, then give up and toss the wrapper over my shoulder. I lean back against my avatar with my eyes closed, but unfortunately, the thoughts that flood in after a few minutes lead to me saying something I wish I could avoid.

“Raya… do you think Emme is actually dead?”

I’d personally be more concerned of whether or not she was a Vanguard like the woman said. If she was, there’s a decent chance she survived the depressurization if she is at least a little intelligent.

I push my cheek into my palm. “There’s no way you could check a mysterious big protector database or something?”

The communication chip that we teleported in that allows me to assist you only has the capabilities for me to connect to your brain and technology within a short range of yourself. And while I have access to the central database, there is no information on her past midnight.

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“Only one way to find out then…” I groan, glancing towards a large building in the distance. “Please, please be alive Emme.”

The walk to the Central Admin building is both incredibly short and frustratingly long. Especially because, as the closer we get, the more paranoid I become over whether or not an assault squad is going to pop out of the woodwork and jump me. Thankfully, the tactics they used last time won’t work again, but the concept of a fight still concerns me.

Thankfully, it seems my plan for nullifying cameras worked, as we get just a building away seemingly without being seen. I demount the avatar while out of view, reluctantly leaving my weapons behind. I roll my shoulders and move the avatar in front of me, then step out of the corner and walk towards the small fortress in front of me.

The Central Administration of New Houston is a fucking sham of a government, a glorified hound of the Montero Conglomerate, and they inherited their ‘security first, freedom second’ view from the snake that is Desmond Montero. It really shows in the construction of their somewhat isolated headquarters on the Fourth, probably the only building different from the preset concrete blocks they gave us. They went way overboard in their design of the imposing, hexagonal metal tower, each corner sharp enough to cut, a half-sphere camera on every surface to make sure they see anyone that approaches.

Well, except me I guess.

To my pleasant surprise, there aren’t any guards that I need to take care of before I manage to reach the edge of the building, but the only entrance I know of, on the next side, definitely has some that I need to be concerned about. I awkwardly side up to the side of the building, shimmying along the metal wall until I reach a corner, where I quickly peek around for just a moment to see two guards with what I think are assault rifles in front of a huge metal door.

I hiss under my breath. ‘How the hell do I get that open?’

I dunno, but I do know how I could do it.

I blink, ‘So you can open it for me?’

Yes.

‘Huh. Well, okay then.’ I take a deep breath. ‘Let’s do this.’

Staying low, I dash around the corner as I rush towards the malcontent. They don’t notice me until I’m in range, where I slam my avatar’s fist into one’s head before rematerializing it beside the other before repeating the action. Both collapse before they can say a word, and the door to the fort hisses as it slides open. As the room beyond it comes into view, I take a step forward to enter, but immediately freeze in my tracks, going pale at what I see.

‘Raya, I forgot this was a private shelter.’

Standing there in the room, beneath an intense red light which drowns out the color and detail of everything within its luminance, are dozens of survivors. I frantically look around for anyone I recognize, but black or white, man or female, the light drowns all out. I clench my fist, then take a step inside as I am washed over by crimson. As I walk deeper in towards the interior door, the hushed callous voices, the quiet frigid words I hear make my hair stand on end.

“Who is that? I thought everyone with a pass was already here?”

“Isn’t that the Seras’ kid? Chrom, right?”

“Nah, that’s their son’s name, that’s Emmeryn I think?”

I inwardly flinch, but keep walking as if nothing happened.

“Wasn’t it Emmelyn? Also, aren’t they the people that assaulted the Lysanders and Baydens?”

“Yeah, the Mom walked up and slugged one of them before leaving without a word.”

“This is why you can’t trust people from the First, they think they’re better than everyone.”

I pause, anger rising in me, but stop to calm myself for a moment. At least, until I see someone aggressively walking towards me, intent obvious in their stride.

Fuck it.

I move the avatar forward and have it perform a roundhouse kick, knocking the man into the crowd. There are screams and gasps as the whole damn peanut gallery backs away from me. There’s a moment of utter silence, until I hear a quiet voice remark:

“Holy shit, look at her eye. She did that. She’s a samurai.”

And that really gets the ball rolling.

“Oh god, is she going to kill us like the Maniac!? ”

“H-hey, we’re all Fourths here right? No need for violence!”

“We paid for our spot here, if you hurt us Steel Hound will get you!”

Unable to help myself, I scoff. “What? No he wouldn’t, I doubt that man gives half a shit what happens to you all.”

“We’re his staunchest supporters! There’s no way he’d abandon us!”

“Yeah! The Monteros will protect us!”

“Stuff like this is why you all get so much crap on the news!”

I clench my teeth but say nothing, taking a few more steps as I turn my back on the crowd. Unfortunately, this just invigorates them.

“You’re just going to abandon us, like The Family did!”

“Bitch! You’re just a coward who is too afraid to fight!”

“You and your family will burn in hell!”

I slam the avatar’s fist into the crimson light, shattering it and drowning the room in darkness. There are repeats of the ridiculous screaming and gasping, but this time, it’s followed by my eye getting brighter and brighter until the entire room is illuminated by my light. This time, I can see the truth; The people cowering away from me are residents of the fourth, black and white, man and woman.

Yet within this room, I feel utterly alone.

Shaking my head, I quietly sigh as I start up the stairs, yet pause for a moment at the top, lamenting.

Fuck. I wish Emme were here.

I open the door to the second floor, and as I step through I slam the door behind me. As I start towards the closest room however, the building around me trembles a bit. I frown, looking back towards where I came, but no one seems to have the gall to follow.

Then there's a second shake, followed by a third, and repeat.

I move the avatar over to hold myself in place as I experience what I can only describe as my first earthquake. “Raya?! What the fuck is that?”

I have no clue, but it’s probably not a good sign for the fate of the city.

I nod, then using my avatar to help me move, I slam open the closest door, just to find a room chock full of filing cabinets. I move to the next, only to find the same. After three more repeats, as I’m looking for the stairs to the next floor, I grumble, “Who the fuck uses filing cabinets nowadays?!”

Paranoid people.

“That was rhetorical!”

If you don’t want an answer, don’t phrase it as a question.

“Ugh!” Admittedly a bit irate, I turn a corner to finally find a set of stairs. “I swear, if the next floor is just more filing cabinets…”

What, you’ll burn this building down with the people inside?

“I just fucking might!”

Thankfully, that isn’t the case, as when I reach the first room on the third floor, it’s totally locked tight. All it takes to fix that particular problem is an avatar punch through the door to let me reach through and unlock it. Inside I find, to my utter delight, a whole range of servers for me to play with, and a tablet just conveniently left plugged in on a pedestal. I slide up to it, press its power button- just to find a pin lock.

“Okay, I guess we’re doing this the hard way…” I crack my knuckles. “Any guesses Raya?”

Got it.

The tablet clicks open without me even doing an input. Puffing my cheeks out, I find myself greeted with just a straight database of files.

I could look through it myself but…

“Raya, I request you grant me your infinite power and find me my parents.”

Only if you say please.

I roll my eyes. “Please find my parents.”

Done. They’re a couple blocks away in an apartment building guarded by two squads of trained soldiers.

I bite my lip, but nod for her to continue.

As I turn to walk away though, I pause.

“Raya, can you… download all their data for me?”

I didn’t take you interested in the vivid world of inter-corporate drama.

I grimace. “I’m not, but someone else might be. There could be valuable data on there.”

Actually, I apologize. That’s a rather good reason, I saved it for later use.

I find myself actually smiling. “Thanks, Raya.”

You’re welcome, but I’m sort of curious how you plan on wiping out so many soldiers on your own with the lack of points you have.

I tilt my head momentarily as I start towards an exterior wall where I had seen a window before. “I’ll figure that out later, in the meantime, I have a question, Raya.”

I may have an answer.

Clenching my fists hard, I murmur, “Do you know why they attacked us?”

The soldier’s orders were, and I quote, “Capture the three family members of the newly initialized samurai Emmelyn Seras”.

All the tension drops from me and I nearly fall over, but I have the avatar catch me. “Oh thank god.”

She’s not guaranteed to be alive yet, don’t forget. Considering the fact the database was never updated, she’s either wary of being hunted by other samurai or her AI is an airhead who forgot to do their job.

“I can have hope. That’s what matters.” I say, then grin as I have the avatar leap out the window.

It slams into the ground below, taking all the brunt of the fall for me, but it seems fine. As we start off towards our new destination, I come up with the worst possible plan.

“Think if I walk up and ask nicely, they’ll just let them go?”

That is likely a terrible plan.

I shrug. “Maybe, but they were intending on capturing a samurai’s family, not a samurai. Maybe it’s not in their contract or something.”

I wouldn’t know without the contracts themselves, and they weren’t in the system.

I chuckle to myself. “Cool, let’s try it.”

Wait, once again, a terrible plan. Out of interest in not having you get shot immediately, you should probably hide off at the side and send your avatar in.

I blink. “Wow, that’s probably the nicest thing you’ve said to me.”

No, that was me declaring you fit to be a Vanguard, a decision I’m now questioning.

I playfully pout as I murmur, “Well, now you don’t get the hug I was planning on offering.”

I wouldn’t have wanted it.

I dramatically gasp. “There are hugless people in Cascadia and you just will refuse a hug!?”

You know that’s propaganda right?

I nod, a wide grin on my face. “Doesn’t stop it from being funny.”

It’s not really that humorous.

“I beg to differ, I’m telling that one to Emme when I see her again.”

I can’t get tired, and you exhaust me.

I giggle, but take a deep breath as I see the building in question begin to approach.

“Okay, how are they distributed throughout the complex?”

They’ve both taken one floor, but the hostages should be on the first.

I get off the avatar’s arm, my brow furled. “Why on the first and not the second?”

It’s easier to transport blind people when there aren’t stairs for them to trip on.

My heart does a little flip at that, and I have to take a moment to calm the anger rising within me. I take a deep breath, then move with my head down til’ I reach a building away, which I then proceed to break into. I move through til' I’m at a window facing the entrance of the place where my parents are trapped.

‘Think there’s any merit to taking a hostage here?’

Likely no, they’re supposedly extremely loyal.

I nod, then in one movement, unlock and open the window. It makes enough noise that it gets the guards attention, but that doesn’t prepare them for my avatar showing up in its full non violet glory. It’s well… me, but two hours ago? No eye scar though, but I’m not entirely sure how to feel about that yet.

“We’re going to talk about the avatar’s design later, Raya.”

I think it looks nice.

“Thanks, I guess?” I mutter, then flinch as the guards open fire on the avatar, only to find no damage whatsoever. As they cautiously move towards it, I have it hold up a hand, then yell as loud as I can:

“Release the hostages, and I’ll let you all live!”

I probably could have patched you into their comms.

I blink. “Then why didn’t-”

Abruptly, I’m interrupted by a call forcing its way onto my augs, its caller I.D unknown. I’m about to ask Raya what’s going on, when a slightly odd feminine voice comes through.

[“A-Attention, all survivors in the New Houston Reef. I-I repeat, Attention, all survivors in New Houston Reef.”]

There’s a slight pause in her words as she takes a breath. When she speaks again, her words are confident, composed.

[ “This is Samurai Ghost-light. I apologize for forcing this call through, but I have an important announcement.”]

She pauses once again, only for her next words to send shivers down my spine.

[“New Houston is doomed.”]