Bang Bang Bang. The Reinforced plastic door shuddered under the weight of unceasing pounding.
Feng really didn’t want to do this, but a bet was a bet. He made sure to warm up his throat using some of the singing lessons the kid Sebastian showed him.
“Pizza Delivery!” He made sure to sound as whiny and nasally as possible, god if anyone woke him up at 6am like that he’d be pissed too.
“FUCK off! I didn’t order any DAMN PIZZA!” A voice boomed out, howling her words in anger.
“But m-ma’am! It says here, 48-50 Can Giuoc Street, 13th Ward!” Feng dismissed the way his juniors were holding back their giggling. He’d make them pay later.
“WHAT?!” The door swung open, a woman in her 30s emerged, eyes bloodshot and hair dishevelled, probably high on Joy. Still, Feng could see it in real-time, the way anger displaced into fear. His chrome tends to do that on first impressions… shame really. He thought it was cool. Made him feel like a metal shark… and that was hella metal.
Before she could grab the Armsmaster 9mm on the coat hanger, two pairs of arms restrained her, roughly taping her onto a wooden chair. The big one stood outside making sure no one got nosy. Routine as usual.
Good job Juniors, maybe I will forgive you after all.
“Greetings Ms. Dupont, oh! And please do not make this harder than it needs to be! Our decker here made things nice and private” He gestured to a lanky looking figure, hood hiding their face. He couldn’t help being smug.
“THE FUCK DO YOU WANT CUNT!?”
Ow ow, that was very loud.
“Shut up. Just a few questions here and there… specifically, who hired you within the past 3 months?”
She tried spitting. He kicked her right in the guts.
Sigh.
Shame… he tried being nice.
----------------------------------------
Inhale…
in the strange magical energy…
Exhale…
out the very strange magical energy…
I tried to play around with my breath, still trying to expel it from my larynx… or something like that.
Yet, it was hard to concentrate. I didn’t exactly know how to feel about the events of last week. Did I get carried away? Probably. Should I have known better? Yeah.
Ever had that feeling where you bought something because in the heat of the moment it seemed like a good idea at the time? Yeah. That.
I wanted to bury myself in a ditch somewhere.
But! That was how the game was played and what could I do? They wanted my head. I still don’t know why, I couldn’t take it lying down. I didn’t necessarily have to go tooth for tooth, but being clawless meant you were a target… and I was already an easy target.
A legacy is a corporation personified, made and tuned to have uttermost loyalty towards the company, its shareholders and interests. Raised solely for the functions of commerce and lax corporate regulations.
But what if that corp failed? Their makers scattered in the wind?
I thought bitterly. Hoping the hood adequately covered my more exotic features.
Company Birth. Company Schooling. Company Weddings. Company Death.
There were… supposed to be rules! 明洋 [Honor] amongst the S-110s!
Okay… maybe thinking the five of them were smart was my mistake. Still- if they dared, there was no telling whether others wouldn’t break the rules covertly. I didn’t want to end up like the Yuen Milk exec who lost her fortune and mind after a ‘gang’ kidnapping.
The old man no doubt made plenty of enemies and even then plenty may be understating it. There were billions of reasons to target me so asking why some people did the things they did. It didn’t help.
I suppose thinking that way, Huang was right. Yes he would stand to benefit, but the way I see it, it wasn’t like I didn’t benefit either. Plus, it was either adapt or die. The Mai-Vy Corporation is no more, but I needn't sink along with it.
« Investment Payment is secure » Huang pinged. The plan was in motion. I would rely on the morally grey gangers for the time being. By the end of next week I would be the owner of a reputable large business back in the game and the Lotus Claw should be able to complete their portfolio and pivot from there to being more ‘legit’, who knows? Maybe even sell their off-brand ‘Rinsulin’ on the market legally now. Win-win and from there we go our separate ways.
I paid a quick glance at the money I had transferred. Not a small sum? I think? I guess? It was about 1/7th of the money I still had in my account.
It was strange. Having to make sure you did not use too much money at once, asking yourself whether you really needed something or not. I didn’t like it. Though, I suppose I had no right to complain. Not when I still had enough to buy half the district.
5:30 in the morning, so, not much traffic, not like there were many working vehicles left.
Bags - Check
Mask? - Check
All the self-defence gear I’d ever need?- Doubly Check.
Without looking back I stepped into the sunlight out onto the street, walking wherever the road took me- just mindlessly walking. If there was anything that was good about living in the Arcologies- District 7, it’d be the climate. Controlled and breezy. Almost worth the monthly climate fee saddled on the electricity costs.
Today’s schedule? Aside from waiting on the results?
Honestly? Nothing. Dojo was 6pm tonight and perhaps a meet up with my ‘Samurai’ but other than that… no current pressing matters since the next semester was still 3 months away.
Still, I just didn’t like being cooped up at home, considering the bus system was still being repaired from the Krash and the trains still on hold due to the strikes, unless I took a ride-share I’d be walking which I didn’t particularly mind. Besides, I read that taking a walk helps soothe the soul and I wanted to try it out anyhow.
As I walked, I made a game of walking through the magical golden lines wherever I could- discounting the floating ones of course. It felt like drinking from a basin of red bulls each time I did that, furthermore my breathing felt even and clear like unclogging a blocked nose. The pneuma became much like dough to play with.
It was a block, then three, then five when I was starting to admit I was rather enjoying the stroll, where I noticed a cordoned off area with Glasgow-Yard officers trying to push a throng of reporters away below an overpass, the smell of blood heavy.
“Officer- would you say this is related to the “Fish Monster” incidents and many disappearances occurring earlier this month?” The news-hawks were threatening to spill past the hologram markers, shoving and pushing, desperate for a hook and a spot for today’s highest ratings.
“Stay away from the line!” A few of the troopers started to shove the reporters back. Roughly.
“W-what will Glasgow-Yard’s stance be on such an act of murder? Within GYSS jurisdiction?” Unrelenting, a corporate reporter with peacock-like exotic-ware pushed back. Drone capturing the event.
“「無法者法」は容疑者にも適用されますか？[Will the ‘Outlaw’ code be enacted on the purporator?]” One of the reporters asked in full Japanese, auto-translator barely making out the questions.
Another trooper stepped up, trying to defuse the hunger in the crowd. “The GYSS will answer your questions later today in a press conference, please! You are disturbing an ongoing investigation.”
As for me, I was less interested in the scene and potential cadaver… than… with visuals clearer than any flagship optics, specks of gold and silver Pneuma that drew my attention.
The sight of monsters.
Bodies lithe and small, human-like but… not, the uncanny valley twisting my stomach in knots. Fear, slowly gripping my senses.
I could at least spot more than a handful of… these… ‘pixies’ watching the events, sometimes sitting on shoulders of troopers, sometimes floating in the air drifting on golden lattices, eyeing the scene with glee visible on their faces- maw wide open, laughing.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
This was a mistake. Turn back!
Hey you.
I could feel my heart stop. As if the world slowed to a crawl. The eyes were all on me. I was now the object of their interest.
-retty~ pretty eyes~ like ours~
The blood pulsing in my ear made it hard to concentrate. My legs threatened to give out underneath me. Effortlessly, they skated in the air around me. Giggling, laughing, whispering.
Are you listening?
I-I couldn’t move. b-breathe damn you!
Fae-touched kin?
W-who? Where? WHERE? They giggled right into my ear. Breathe chilling.
Charming~ pretty eyes~
Thank us~
This time the voices sung in chorus. They shoved and pushed each other like children. Hands small, like needles, prickling, poking- caressing my eyes. They were too close. Too many. Stop. No. No more.
“P-please. S-st-sto-p.” I pleaded, whispering, scared to open my mouth. Forcing my mind to shut up and just focus.
But it’s so pretty~ pretty things must be touched!
“P-please.” Firmer, yet my heart kept pounding and even as I tunnel visioned into what needed to be said, try as I might, I couldn’t help but hate my inability to not slur out the words drunkenly. “Sh-stop.”
Boring one. No play…
More Drake than Fae this one is!
C’mon! Let's leave! This place stinks of fish anyways!
They hooked onto the golden lines floating in the air and as if surfing upward, away with only the faint shimmer of gold and silver indicating they had existed.
I couldn’t hold it in and let loose my breakfast right there on the pavement.
“STEP BACK FROM THE SCENE!”
----------------------------------------
“Normally I’d be happy with the amount you’re spending on my food, especially the special big red banh canh dish too, but this is like watching a fish drown.”
Am I going crazy? I feel like I’m going crazy. No but I’m not crazy. Variance for an error birth is practically impossible. Not genetic then. Continuing. Eyes say otherwise. Not originally mine. Should I-
“OI!”
“Ow!” Fuck! That hurt, someone that old should not be hit that hard!
“For the record! I’m not that old!” Auntie Kon took to polishing another big red bowl. Huffing angrily.
Damn I said that out loud. “Sorry! Sorry…” I continued to inhale the noodles.
“Slow-down! If you get a heart attack, damn Claws will bust down my door and then I’ll have to pay them to get another door! Again!”
Squeak Squeak.
“Ith honewthly not’hing.” I murmured my mouth full, making sure to slurp the noodles and chug down the soup together as you’re supposed to… at least that's what ‘Cho-lon market vagrants vol.2’ said.
“‘Nothing’ doesn't sound like coming into my place and sitting here staring at a brick wall with a thousand-yard stare” I couldn’t tell whether she was annoyed by the slurping or the fact I did the actions aforementioned.
Sigh “Maybe.” My eyes turned to the TV on the wall.
“At 5:20 today, on Nguyen Van Linh road, a horrific murder has occurred within District 7. The victim was identified to be 33 year old Mr Kim Haneul and his secretary 26 year old Mr Park Sanghoon. ” As if tracing my eyes, Auntie Kon too, turned and honed in on the broadcast.
The camera gave an overhead view of the cordoned off area I couldn’t see fully.
“These horrific murders are believed to be linked with the recent disappearances and last week’s train murder. It is unclear the motive of such events, however Glasgow-Yard security services and the Saigon Guard Police Department have announced a joint investigation into the case.” Auntie Kon scoffed. I kept on chowing down my mi xao noodles.
The view changed again, this time a closer look at the cadaver and the scene, uncensored, the kids looked unbothered, preferring to go back to their cramming.
“Furthermore, both departments have recently announced and addressed that section C-19-”
At the mention of section C-19, the restaurant went silent. All were now focused on the news.
The shot changed to a hardy woman in a trooper outfit on a podium, lights flashing, accompanied by telltale sounds of shutters.
“-while drastic, both the GYSS and the SGPD are in agreement that section C-19, a case ‘Outlaw’ is on the table. A serial killer like this cannot roam our streets-”
“Fuck. A case outlaw? That’s intense.” Auntie Kon murmured, once again her eyes glazed back like how older folks tend to do when recalling a long distant memory.
“-In other news, strange rings of mushrooms have been appearing in parks, streets even in homes-” She swapped to a different channel “Enough of that nonsense. Now-”
She was right. Enough of the nonsense, fuck it, no use thinking about it. Next time, I’m just gonna run and not look back, with these eyes I could at least see them from faraway. I think. Motes of gold and silver pneuma manifest, committing that to memory.
“Thanks for the meal Auntie Kon, I gotta get going” I said with a faint cheer, hoping to at least cheer her elderly heart, table wiped clean and bowls stacked in a pile.
“Damn kid!”
“Sorry!” feeling a bit guilty as I left the retro restaurant.
The gangers were no longer on the stairs watching, instead, tags were scrubbed off the walls and replaced with a newly painted mural of a skyline of some city.
“Not mine, it was Yana who drew it.” Dressed almost like a knight prepared for war, my ‘samurai’ bodyguard called out from the doorway.
“Do you know where?”
“Singapore.” Though her face showed no expressions. There was an air of sadness, yet the Pneuma hinted with licks of anger and violence barely licking the surface.
“Glad to meet you again Camille, I just came by for a light meal” I smiled slightly bowing, even without reading ’Susan M. 2073, The OilTexa Guide’ it was just proper courtesy.
“I am glad for the opportunity to find myself employment nevertheless.” Like wearing a mask of a professional. She bowed in return, passive- cold even, yet never offensive if anything perfect in execution.
“Not the Arena?”
“An excuse, the farther from the Lotus Claws the better. Specifically the Claw elements.”
Heh? I found myself a bit gobsmacked… wasn’t she a part of the Gang?
As if my expressions did the talking for me she plainly added “Master Huang found me and so did the Oyabun and Sensei, but that is where my loyalty ends. Honestly, I suspect our current arrangements are for this very reason by Master Huang.”
That's… very utilitarian? I did not expect such an answer so plainly given, if her Pneuma didn’t tell me how indifferent she felt about it- i’d have called her a liar.
“So… I'm heading to the dojo now?” Not sure how to describe the 空気 [Atmosphere].
“Lead the way then… ‘Peps’” The name of a company who tended to hire from the best Troubleshooting outfit ‘the Samurais’ in the 50s corporate war who- wait.
“Was that a joke?”
----------------------------------------
I shouldn’t have eaten all that earlier. I felt like I wanted to throw up… again. I couldn’t even lift up my legs to do a leg check without feeling my lunch trying to reign free.
Bleghhh. Bloated.
N-IO. Google Query -> How long after eating wait till Exercise?
Oh. OH. I… see. One hour thirty. Yeah, I definitely shouldn’t have eaten all that.
“Everyone, we are doing drills” Alvarez sensei’s voice boomed. He then eyed me from across the room. “Those who ate too much don’t push yourself!” That got a few laughs. The floor was sure to be interesting. Mmm… authentic hardwood.
“Follow my movements closely.”
Like in Karate, Sensei took a wide horse stance with his hands at the hip. Slowing his breathing, then, sucking in the air and the Pneuma- I see it. Twisting it into a yarn ball of energy before suddenly-
“HIYA!” He punched out, so fast I bet even high end optics would have trouble seeing it.
Though…
That was it. I swear I could see it! the way the air threatened to slice apart in the trajectory of his punch. It was Pneuma. No doubt.
“Alright! Work on that everybody!”
What could the answer be? How to release? It was much too fluid, like catching water with bare hands. I would need time to ponder on this. Maybe experiment too.
As I was thinking more about this, trying to get my own energy to recreate what happened. Metal Jaw- Feng i’d learnt, rushed past me making a beeline for Sensei. Curious.
“What?!”
We all turned to Sensei, even Camille stopped her combos on the sandbags. We all saw how his face turned pale. It was not good news.
“Class dismissed! The children will stay behind and a guardian will come for pick-up. If they are unavailable, we will go together as a group to drop-off the children one by one safely.” Sensei rushed off with Feng whilst the assistants corralled the curious kids. I blinked in confusion and looked to Camille for any clues. She shook her head, frowning before walking to the lockers. Arming up.
N-IO -> Call Request from: Highlight. -> Yes/No?
I mentally hit yes. Already processing payment for the fastest connection.
« What’s happening Highlight? »
« With Yana and some kids who said they know you right now, at Auntie Kon’s. It’s bad boss. »
« What do you mean? » I took a seat. The Dojo was abuzz with activity, Pneuma laden with urgency. I even saw a flash of a pistol being holstered. Calm down. Focus.
« FUCK! Districts 7, 2 and 1 are all under lockdown right now Boss! No one in or out. We’re all trapped! shit! FUCK! »
« Focus. Breathe. What happened? »
I glanced at Camille, fully kitted and ready for war, helmet by her side whilst she was in N-comms. She turned to look at me, iris still yellow, likely still on comms. Her face though? Grim.
« Boss. Three blocks down. There’s been a massacre. »