The shapeshifting seems interesting to me and I want to see the different options that will come from it. Do we get to decide what we turn into or is it something that will be decided beforehand?
I'm not sure how physical damage is gonna translate in GGO and is not really that important I think, and we do have Putana for physical damage with the same amount of dice and less SP cost at the moment of writting this. I mean, the thing is so unique (oh, look a shinie) that I believe that we could be able to do things to progress the story in ways the other Personas can't, afreaknamedpete did say this one was more usefull narratively. Could it be because this Persona is not being given by either of the Gods? If I understood correctly, of course. Either way, I don't want to miss out on an opportunity such as this.
GGO Meta is currently(well in canon) Physical, mainly Pierce based, covering all the ammunition guns. However, laser weapons exist and probably inflict Fire damage, they aren't as good in PvP due to shield generators granting laser resist. Some guns can rock explosive or other special effect rounds, though GGO human HP isn't high enough to really make them significant.
Grenades come in all the usual flavors they do, so theres probably fragmentation, concussion and incendiary.
TLDR - Pierce Resist would drive the meta slaves insane.
I think there will be some sort of neutral standard damage type for weapons since is with our Persona powers that we will get different versions of proyectiles if I remmember correctly.
Gah, Invigorate 2 alone makes it so tempting to pick Urmetazoan. Adding the shapeshifting on top of that...
But on the other tentacle, Khodumodumo was a monster. An all devouring beast that invoked a sense of terror whenever we unleashed its full power. And Shoggoth sticks closer to that theme.
I think there will be some sort of neutral standard damage type for weapons since is with our Persona powers that we will get different versions of proyectiles if I remmember correctly.
It did show up on the canon shop menu that theres a bunch of specialty ammo types, but avatars are mostly squishy so other than PvE you're usually better off just getting higher caliber/rate of fire since you can kill anyone with a few hits, and its just not worth spending extra on them.
E: If you're hunting some kind of big chonky mob you might find the special ammos more useful, but like...it doesn't much matter if you hit a player in the head with an explosive round or a regular bullet, they're just as dead and the explosive round costs more.
It did show up on the canon shop menu that theres a bunch of specialty ammo types, but avatars are mostly squishy so other than PvE you're usually better off just getting higher caliber/rate of fire since you can kill anyone with a few hits, and its just not worth spending extra on them.
But on the other tentacle, Khodumodumo was a monster. An all devouring beast that invoked a sense of terror whenever we unleashed its full power. And Shoggoth sticks closer to that theme.
I understand, but we most likely will have allies that can deal the same damage type.
I just think the comment about being narrative usefull makes the mutant chicken worth it than the physical DPS.
Besides, Urmetazoan may be a tank, but is quite a powerful one at that specially with it's resistances and abilities.
It's a shame because Thaba Bosiu is really cute and fits with the resolution that Hiyori made in the OBERON fight (plus dunking on the GGO meta players). But Shoggoth fits the evolution of the all devouring god/monster more.
Urmetazoan...sure, we lose Khodumodumo absurd power, but get a nearly unkillable machine in exchange, and his narrative power is pretty damn good. Besides that, its also a Persona not associated with Nyarlo or Philemon, which Im honestly interested in.
It's a shame because Thaba Bosiu is really cute and fits with the resolution that Hiyori made in the OBERON fight (plus dunking on the GGO meta players). But Shoggoth fits the evolution of the all devouring god/monster more.
In the interest of heading off any future time paradoxes - these should be May 23rd (the threadmark is correct.) Well, the Velvet Room might exist in some weird time abyss but it's probably the 23rd there too.
[X] Helena
[X] Urmetazoan
Shoggoth is probably better in actual combat but shapeshifting seems like too much fun. Not sure what form it would take in GGO but it could be a cool scouting option if we're part of a team - become idk a crow or something. ETTEILLA winning the philosophy arguments this time around, IMO but my votes aren't based on that.
Scouting/stealthing with Urmetazoan seems really valuable, especially as a crow/fly or other nondescript animal, and that Invigorate 2 & Regen 2 is really tempting. I'm thinking pretty slow right now, but does Shifting Body + Wall mean that we could be targeted by pierce damage and give our entire team pierce resistance for a time?
Either way I'm sold by just the shapeshifting potential.
"This is pretty good," you admit to some surprise, taking another bite of the pizza. "Though it's kinda greasy."
Agil grins a bit from behind the counter. "That's how it's supposed to taste! Let me tell you, my patrons love the stuff."
It is pretty good, better than the cardboard you'd get from some chain. It's a reminder that two whole months have passed since you met Agil, and he hasn't been standing still. His cooking is better day by day, and more often than not you've had to sneak in through the back entrance instead of boldly walking through an empty bar.
It's not a party, far from it, with just a handful of people close to you in attendance. One day, when the specter of SAO is well and truly lifted, when everyone is home... then Agil plans on holding a real party. For everyone, the clearers, the survivors, everyone.
You hope that day will come soon.
"Is Hosaka coming?" you ask, glancing around the room. The girl behind Argo the Rat was nowhere to be found. You wouldn't go as far as to say she was unwelcome but... Bleh, glad the rat's staying in her hole.
"She said, and I quote: 'Not much of a party to crash'. So nothing for you to worry about," Agil says, grabbing a rag to start wiping down the grease stains over his counter. "I take it things haven't exactly been... peaceful between the two of you?"
"She's hard to talk to," You find yourself puffing out your cheeks in annoyance. "And... I don't like being reminded of that time."
There's a pregnant pause, and you take another bite of the pizza. This was a celebration... but it was also the first time since the assault of the World Tree that you've had a chance to sit down and talk with everyone. Consider what Sugou found out about you and...
Laughing Coffin.
"Hiyori, there's no more secrets for you to keep anymore."
"..."
"Take this chance. Don't let things go unsaid. And... don't spend this whole party talking to me. I'm just the host! You're the star of the show, Hiyori. It won't exorcise any demons, but maybe it'll bring you some measure of peace."
Agil moves to the back room, giving you a moment alone at the counter.
You turn and glance back at the group you're with. Nijika, Shirogane, Meimi, and the duo from the hospital, despite being unable to attend in person. When you were planning the raid it seemed like so many people... but standing in the near empty bar, there weren't even people here to fill a single table.
Maybe he's right. It might not exorcise any demons, but... you should extend some trust, too.
"So... do you have any other clothes to wear..."
Rain, or rather Karatachi Nijika, sits in a booth dabbing the grease off her pizza with a napkin. She's still in her maid uniform, which implies she just came in from work. Here's a depressing but far more realistic conclusion: she just thinks she looks good in an apron.
"Of course I do!" Nijika states, defensively. "I've just been picking up more shifts here and there. I've got to stay on my manager's good side thanks to someone." She shoots a half hearted pout at you, though it doesn't quite have the intended effect.
"You're never going to let me live it down..."
"Nope," Nijika cheerily admits. "It's a sin you'll have to take with you to the grave."
...
"Ehk. Poor choice of words."
Nijika catches you recoiling in on yourself and leans forward, putting her hand on your shoulder. "Sorry, too soon. Argh, I'm no good at this but I can see it's eating at you."
You glance over at her. Her smile is still there, but it's lacking the snark she usually sports. "What's there to tell? You saw everything when Sugou exposed me."
There's a morbid part of you that wants to tell her everything, dump every horrible thing that happened to you, that you did to others. To drag her in part into your nightmares, even when you know it won't help.
"I was... surprised." Nijika admits. "I knew you had your secrets, but..."
"But you didn't expect me to lie to you."
Nijika frowns. "No, no, that's not it. I hope you don't get the wrong idea, but our relationship started fairly... transactional. You helped me rescue Arsha. Would I have liked to know you were a Red? Sure, but I also recognize that it was your secret to tell and your business, not mine. In SAO I didn't just... lay around the «Town of Beginnings». Sometimes I had to do things I wasn't... proud of."
Things one had to do to... survive.
"But those are my secrets to tell, ones I prefer buried nice and deep. Take it from one liar to another... everyone has things they'd rather not talk about." Nijika leans back and folds her arms in thought. "Hiyori. You don't owe anybody an accounting of your actions in SAO, just I don't owe you mine. Lies, secrets... it's hypocritical of me to say this, but I don't think there's anything wrong or evil about keeping secrets. Even if it's not the unvarnished truth, we reserve the right to present ourselves the way we want to be seen. And Hiyori..."
You yelp in surprise as Nijika pulls you in for a hug, patting you on the back.
"I don't care who you were. To me, you're the annoying little busybody who... saved my sister. And that's enough for me."
You lean into the hug, sniffling. "T-thank you. For taking a chance with me... for trusting me..."
"It's not about trusting your words, Hiyori. I'm not sure I ever trusted them, words are how we lie to one another. But I trust you, the person behind the words."
Trust, truth. They weren't absolutes. And to Nijika they weren't even a given. But... even so, her words help to steady you, to help you breathe easier.
"Just promise me one thing?" Nijika asks, pulling away from you. "From one survivor to another, please stay safe. Call it the intuition of ALO's strongest player, but there's no way you're gonna be living the quiet life. Just remember to look out for yourself. I won't be around to save your butt anymore!"
You nod.
"Good. And Hiyori? If you ever need to talk... you know how to reach me."
"I... think I might take you up on that. Though the time zones might make things awkward."
Nijika laughs, "Arsha even pulled some strings and got my school to authorize it as a foreign exchange program, but I won't be out for long. You won't get rid of me that easy! Once I get back if you're still blowing up worlds, I'll come find you... kay?"
You wipe your eyes and nod. "It's a promise."
Nijika flashes you a wicked grin. "Now I hear you've been working a buncha part-time jobs? Now there's a perfect place I know of that just lost its star employee. If you're looking to pick up some shifts..."
"Hmm... you could probably pull off a maid outfit. Just saying."
Shirogane and Meimi sit across from you. Meimi was polishing off her third slice, something about having to get her body weight back, but you suspect it was more petty revenge from her controlled home diet.
"I'm already a maid in one café," you sigh, sinking into the cushion. "I've had enough of needy customers for one lifetime."
"Say, Meimi, should you be here by yourself?" Shirogane asks, looking down at the heiress sitting next to him. "Aren't you a VIP?"
"Oh, don't you worry about that! I'm perfectly safe here, I'm always guarded!" Meimi chirps, munching on her pizza.
Shirogane raises an eyebrow and starts scanning the room. Oh, he must be trying to find the ninjas. Meimi told you that was a bad idea.
"Glasses, stop trying. It just encourages them!" Meimi complains, pouting a bit. "It's considered very rude to point them out! Like how you shouldn't point out when someone's fly is down! Just pretend they aren't there!"
"They're here!?" Shirogane asks, eyes bouncing around the café with growing panic.
"So Shirogane..." you start slowly, trying to steer the conversation away from a topic that would see your friend turned into a shuriken pincushion. "You knew the whole time?"
"About your past? Yes, Argo was quick to warn me, but I didn't even have a half second to worry about that before I had much bigger problems..."
"Bigger problems than potentially working with... well, me?"
Shirogane sighs in exasperation, adjusting his glasses. "Hiyori... do you not see it? Set aside Kayaba Akihiko, Sugou, the SEED, VR Psychosis, Laughing Coffin even. I can... explain those. Sugou, to oversimplify, was stretching the known capabilities of «Cognitive Psience» to near breaking. Yet it was still within the realm of what might be possible. Our actions can still be conceptualized as manipulation of known principles of FullDive technology."
"Wake me up when the lecture's over," Meimi whines, leaving the booth to grab another slice.
Shirogane ignores her and continues. "But what can't I explain? Even in the realm of what might be possible, there's one thing that stands out, even amongst the rest. And Hiyori, that's you. Or more specifically..."
The Persona.
This power that was just... given to you. One you're assured isn't even unique to you.
"When I pulled through my Elder Tale avatar... I did that with the power of my belief. It's something I knew, and was a deliberate effort to allow my cognition to change the world. An extreme case but not unfathomable in the realm of «Cognitive Psience». But the power you call on, that wasn't from a game you once played or even a faint memory."
You consider your Personas. For every figure you recognized from sheer cultural osmosis, there were many more you couldn't recognize. Indian mythology, African folklore, figures that were less myth and more philosophical allegories... you weren't drawing them from your memories.
Manifesting personal beliefs was... what Yuuki was doing. But manifesting collective belief? Creating a spirit from history itself, drawing upon figures you've never even heard of, that went beyond personal cognition.
Shirogane shakes his head. "I don't want to admit it as some supernatural phenomenon. That's one step too far for me. But even so... it's a mystery I'd like to unravel, had I the time for it. How does this... Persona work? What is it pulling from? And how does it tie into these incidents, one way or another?"
"Do you... think the Persona is dangerous, then?"
He crosses his arms. "You destroyed a world. Sugou was using it to create a new world."
You look at Shirogane in horror.
"Hiyori, this is not something I can help you understand. I'm just a... engineering student who spent too much of his childhood playing video games. I'm not suggesting you ignore your power. But don't stop looking. Everything has a source, and even the fantastical must follow a strange logic. Keep your eyes open, Hiyori, and maybe you'll see it. A thread, a lead, something..."
An answer. It'd be nice to have one of those instead of a thousand more burning questions.
<Wooooowwww! So this is what a bar is like... but it's so clean! And nobody's passed out on the floor!>
It took you a few minutes to fiddle with the settings, but after some assistance from Shirogane you've gotten the Augma set up. There's finally enough infrastructure for you to maintain a solid connection with Yokohama General Hospital.
"That's cause you all reserved the bar. And it's the middle of the day," Agil corrects Yuuki, her voice being projected from the speaker of your Augma. "But I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about drunkards on the floor..."
"Uh, Yuuki, this is Agil. He runs this bar. This is... Yuuki," you say, tapping the Augma at the side of your head, feeling like an idiot in the process.
<Hi! Pleasure to meet you! Hiyori says your pizza is very tasty!>
You did not, but at least she's being friendly.
"Haha, well, I'll be sure to save a pie for you. Just come by when you're older, and I'll serve it up with a cold beer, free of charge."
<Thank you! I'll look forward to it!>
You relax in your chair, listening to Yuuki exchange small talk with the rest of your group. Despite being confined in bed, the Augma allows her to feel like she's here with everyone. You... would've liked to have her help. A sick part of your mind says that, out of everyone here, Yuuki has nearly unlimited free time on her hands. If anyone could help you...
<Uh... Lux! There's someone who wants to talk to you! Can I put her on?>
Yuuki is stumbling over her words, and you hear the faintest hint of anxiety sneak into her bubbly demeanor.
"Cayna getting on your case?" You ask, trying not to roll your eyes. You wanted to talk with Cayna, so this was as good of an opportunity as any other.
<Uh... no. It's not Cayna. It's uh... haha...> Fuck, it's her isn't it? Just hang up now. Or rip off the Augma, however the hell this works.
"Yuuki... this better not be who I think it is..."
<Hey, hey, hear me out! She's super cool, we've been hanging out every day! Did you know she's already walking!? I mean next week she'll be doing cartwheels! Like, she's been asking to speak to you, so she just wants to make up! I think! I mean, she's still really mad, but you two have so much in common!>
"T-that's sweet of you Yuuki, but I think—"
<Toooo late! Asuna, ASUNA! Come quick, I've got Lux on the line!>
Was she in there with her!? It sounded like she was in the same room as Yuuki! Er, same virtual room, whatever! You scramble to find the disconnect button but before you can find it you hear the blip of another connection... "Asuna. How, uh, are you doing...?" you say, already dreading this conversation.
Silence.
"Listen... I couldn't let you throw your life away. Not after we all risked our souls saving you."
More silence.
"...I don't blame you if you hate me, but Yuuki says you want to talk?"
...
"Asuna...?"
<LUUUUXXXX! SAAAAVVVEEE MEEEEE!>
Yuuki's panicked scream sends you reeling from the Augma, and it's accompanied by the muffled sound of something being knocked over, followed by a dull thunk. "Y-Yuuki? What's going on!?" you ask, shooting out of your seat. "Are you alright!? Did Asuna do something to you!?"
<Yuuki, dear. Please go to time out. NOW.>
You recognize the voice. Calm, assured, and very, very annoyed. Cayna, back to lay down the law.
"Ah... Cayna?" You were wondering where she was. Wrangling Yuuki as always, it seems.
<Sorry. Yuuki is a bit... overzealous as usual, so I took the liberty of interrupting the connection. Trust me when I say that bringing Asuna here would create more problems than it would solve...>
<CAYNA! YOU RUINED THE SURPRISE!>
<Yuuki. Time. Out.>
You sink back into your chair. Bullet dodged. "So... I'm guessing she's pretty mad at me?"
<If it's any consolation she's downright furious with me. I have to deal with her inquiries into RATH on an almost daily basis. I'd prefer to just ignore her but considering how she and Yuuki are glued to the hip, it's been proving impossible.>
<You can't stop me Cayna! Yuuki and Yuuki, together forever!>
In hindsight, it was quite inevitable. Asuna awakens in the same hospital Yuuki and Cayna were holed up in, so it stands to reason they would be the first people Asuna would approach for answers. From how Cayna tells it, Yuuki was the one who demanded to see Asuna first, something about getting the meet the princess properly. She's probably the first person Asuna woke up to. Sounds like they were best of friends already. So we got two sword brains bouncing off each other. What a joy.
"That... sounds like a headache."
<You have no idea. I'm a funder of RATH and... affiliated, sure, but I didn't know about Kirito's status. Asuna's badgering me for answers I don't have.>
"Maybe I can talk to her?"
You hear a sharp intake of breath from the other end of your connection.
<NO! Please. The last thing Asuna needs is... additional fuel. She reminds me of, well, of myself. When I learned of my parent's death I... wasted years on a pointless crusade, consumed with revenge against some assassin. What Asuna needs now isn't some problem to bash her head against. She needs to just spend some time recovering. Learn to enjoy the life she has.>
"That's... that's easier said than done." You know from experience. "But Cayna, I have questions too. RATH, all this time, was holding Kirito?"
<I've asked what I can. RATH keeps things close to their chest, and it seems they weren't actively suppressing the information. Just making it hard to find. Yuuki is technically the second test subject, I was distantly aware of a first, but his identity never struck me as something worth investigating until now.>
"Cayna, Yuuki's told you about how we met Kayaba Akihiko. This whole thing she's involved in, this whole VR afterlife plan. It's dangerous, especially if it's using his technology. Can you trust RATH after they've hidden the truth?"
<I trusted you, didn't I?>
You resist the urge to flinch. "Ah... this is about Laughing Coffin..."
<I'm an adult, Lux. I wasn't in SAO, and I have no intention of casting judgment on how you chose to survive. But I would ask that you extend that same courtesy to RATH. You didn't tell us about your past because it was irrelevant to the mission and frankly an unneeded distraction. I believe RATH withheld the details of Kirito for the same reason. And it's not as if he was kidnapped, he was plugged in with the best of intentions.>
"Like with Yuuki? To become a valuable test subject?"
<If one were to tally up your actions, past and present, what kind of a light would it paint? Laughing Coffin, unauthorized VR investigator, World Ender. Asuna, going only by what she believes is the truth, considers you dangerous. Because she doesn't know you, doesn't trust you. Lux, can't you see you're doing the same thing? You see what RATH is doing and assume the absolute worst. You doubt and scrutinize their every action. Everything, good or bad, points to some ulterior motive.>
"Cayna... setting aside intentions they're playing with fire. World-ending fire. There's too many unknowns."
<Then don't trust RATH. But consider trusting me. I know the people in charge of RATH. I've met them, and spoken with them. They're good people, Lux. All they want to do is to help... Yuuki, Kirito, the world itself. And if you're worried about general competence... don't be. They're geniuses. The best in the field. A bunch of dreamers and thinkers. That's the kind of place RATH is.>
An organization developing some... VR afterlife. One that Kirito is plugged into, one that Yuuki was going to be plugged into unless you could convince her otherwise. The grandest undertaking humanity has ever seen, with untold potential... and you're supposed to just trust it to a tech company?
"I hope you're right. For Yuuki's sake, at the very least."
<She's important to me, Lux. After... everything we've been through, I won't let her get hurt. But I can't help you anymore. Not directly. RATH's testing is ramping up, and I need to get Yuuki prepared. There's going to be a lot of moving parts, and it'll be hard for us to talk regularly...>
"That's fine, Cayna. Thanks for helping me with Sugou, we couldn't have done it without you."
<Of course! I know we weren't exactly instant best friends, but I want you to know that I'm grateful you took a chance with me. I believe there's a happy ending for all of us. So take care, okay? Yuuki, say goodbye to Lux!>
<BYYYYEEEEE, LUXXX! And don't listen to that spoilsport, Asuna totally still wants to tal—>
And the line goes silent, disconnected from the other end. Thank god Cayna screened Asuna, you didn't want to spend the party arguing with her about what what-ifs.
The small gathering goes on for half an hour more, but it's apparent everyone had places to be, yourself included. You take one final look around the room. Today was the last day of your little conspiracy, and everyone was off to their respective lives. Nijika was leaving with her sister. Shirogane was going to be swamped with work. Meimi at least would be with you all the way.
And Cayna and Yuuki...
You'll just have to entrust them to RATH. For now.
You try to suppress the anxiety creeping up in your chest. No. Everything will work out fine. You have to believe that. RATH may or may not be evil. But what was it that Cayna said?
Geniuses. Best in the field.
At least you won't be entrusting Yuuki and Kirito's souls to a bunch of buffoons.
SATURDAY - May 24, 2025
Afternoon
It's the first weekend after the longest week of your life. The first weekend after defeating Sugou. And you were spending it here. With him. At least the tarts are amazing.
"So there I was, bottle in hand, sitting in my apartment wondering what should I do with it. I mean, I spent my entire bonus getting an authentic bottle shipped in from China, so I couldn't just throw it out. But where could I drink it? Everyone in the apartment would smell it!"
You see what the man is doing. For all his joviality, he's frustrated. Angry that you've been dodging him for months and forcing him to shell out for the most expensive sweets in the city just to talk.
"Do you know how they make it? It's quite amazing! They take about... a dozen or so mice— newborn of course, so there's no hair. You find the highest-grade rice wine there is, and submerge the mice in it... the secret is the mice have to be alive..."
He's trying to take revenge on your stomach. But you tune him out. This grape tart? Pizzutello Bianco wine grapes, peeled, quartered, and hand-arranged on a bed of vanilla cream...
"...and then you ferment the whole mixture, for two whole years! So the flesh of the mice gelatinizes, mixes with the already fragrant rice-wine..."
Blackberry compote under a thick layer of sliced plums, candied dates with powdered sugar...
"...the fragrance, the flavor! With age, it turns a deep amber color. The taste of fire in a bottle..."
The house specialty. Thirty in-season fruits, held together in a thick coating of honey...
"They say drinking it gives you eternal life. Ah, if I could die and be reborn again, just so I can experience that wine for the first time once more..."
White strawberry slices in strawberry coulis over fresh cream, ¥7000 for a slice the size of your finger but oh so worth it...
"And the best part is the aftertaste, it's— uh... is that White Strawberry!? D-do you know how expensive those are!?"
You take a fork and bring it to your lips. Bit less sweet than regular strawberries, but the sweet coulis helps balance the tartness. As you take another forkful, you watch the man sitting across from you visibly sweat.
"C-can I have a bite?"
You grab the remains of the tart by hand, holding the back third of the tart by the crust. You slowly, carefully, remove the last two strawberries from the bed of cream and plot them into your mouth. As you chew, slowly enjoying the rich flavors, you reach over and drop the half-eaten remainder of the tart on the man's plate.
...
"Haha, you, uh, seem mad at me, Hiyori-chan!"
Kikuoka Seijirou. Argo's boss, and indirectly, your boss. The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs' «Virtual Division» and ostensibly the man in charge of the government's response to the new explosion of VR-adjacent tech. You're loosely familiar with the man, even faintly recalling his face during your SAO exit interview.
To find him chasing after you in the aftermath of Sugou's arrest... that was one rather unwelcome surprise. So yes, you were mad at him.
"Is this about the mochi? See, I'm making up for it! Eat your fill! Just, uh, mind the national budget..."
The plain-faced salaryman in the poorly ironed suit nurses his complimentary water and ¥500 fruit bowl while he stares at the five fruit tart spread laid out in front of you. You see him silently judging you, watching in envy as you plow through another slice.
"Hiyori-chan, you do realize that's going to add a few centimeters to your waistline? Empty calories are quite dangerous."
It's fruit and fruit is healthy! You won't break that easily!
"I came hungry. In fact, I think I could go for another," you say, slowly reaching for another tart.
"P-please don't! I maxed out my expense budget...!"
"I find it hard to believe you can't afford to treat me to some dessert, what with all the tax dollars funding your division." You cut into your last tart. Orange chiboust over peach pudding...
"Now, Hiyori-chan... I thought we were on the same side! The VR Division is the future of Japan's economic strength; once we get the «Social Security Surveillance Camera» up and running I'll have a budget big enough to treat you to tarts every day."
You've taken the liberty of investigating the «Virtual Division» in anticipation of your meeting. You thought they were just the ones in charge of SAO but their footprint was getting wider and wider. The entire infrastructure for the Augma was a series of high-tech cameras and drones developed between «Kamura» and the «Virtual Division». You've heard wild claims that eventually even things like traffic lights and self-driving cars would work using that system.
"Kikuoaka-san, if this is about ALO, I've told you all that I care to. I sent you a report, so I'm not even sure why you wanted to meet so badly..."
"Well, who wouldn't be curious about you? I've heard so many different things about you Hiyori-chan, why don't you tell me which is true? The SAO survivor? The hero who stopped Sugou?" He spears a slice of honeydew, all hints of joviality melting away as he becomes serious. "Or perhaps you prefer spy of «Laughing Coffin»?"
And now your appetite is gone.
"Is this going to be Argo all over again? Threatening me for another favor?"
"Oh, no, that's hardly my intention." He leans forward, scrutinizing you behind his thin spectacles. "Surely you must realize how ridiculous such an undertaking would be, don't you? It's not as if we don't have our suspicions of who PK'd and who didn't. But do you think we would've ever let murderers free if we had the means of prosecuting them? Extenuating circumstances, no physical evidence, entrapment... the prosecution has wisely decided against opening that Pandora's Box."
Murderer. You can't tell if he thinks that term applies to you. You can't tell much of anything from his expression.
You cross your arms and glare at him through another mouthful of fruit tart. "If not, then what do you want?"
"Not one for small talk, are you? But let us not dither, there is one thing that I would like your help with..." And... here it comes...
He reaches behind his bag, pulls out a tablet computer, and turns the screen towards you. You're already getting flashbacks to Argo, doing the same thing to you. But instead of a scrolling list of thousands of survivors, it's a much more modest one.
You take one look at the gruff, Rambo-esque man on the screen in open confusion. It's no one you recognize, and if the bandana and firearm were any indication he was some kind of soldier or mercenary.
"Who is this?"
"Furuya Takeshi. He's a player of a VRMMO called «Gun Gale Online». Have you heard of it?"
Your fork drops from your fingers.
"GGO!?" you shoot out of your chair, drawing uncomfortable stares from the bystanders. GGO again!? The same one Shino was involved in! What the hell was going on with that game?
Kikuoka raises an eyebrow. "I see you've heard of it. Good, this will save time. Now Takeshi-san was known in-game as «Usujio Tarako»— don't ask me about the name. I'm not familiar with how GGO ranks its players, but in our preliminary research his name shows up often in both online discussions and «This Week in Winners» as a high-level player. He also runs a very popular «Squadron», GGO's guild equivalent."
You scroll down the tablet, your food forgotten. Articles from GGO enthusiast websites, tournament rankings. The 2nd «Bullet of Bullets», 6th place, leader of a large Squadron...
"What... happened to him? Did he succumb to «VR Psychosis»?"
"Oh? An interesting assumption. The reason I came was because I wanted to utilize your... insight into these matters. Why did you jump to VR Psychosis?"
Because Shino was suffering from it, but you don't dare bring that up here. He's talking circles around you.
You're breaking the cardinal rule of spy work. You're revealing more than he is, and you need to stop.
"...there were a spate of cases last year. Suicides, people quitting jobs to play games full time, it's all over the media. I just assumed..."
Kikuoaka's eyes bore into yours. You take another bite of fruit tart in order to hide your face.
"You're right, of course. Takeshi-san's parents were trying to get him treated for VR Psychosis... but that's hardly unusual. See, two days ago his friends reported him missing. It didn't take long for us to find him— he was dead. Had been so for at least 24 hours since we found him."
You gulp. You do not like the sound of this. "I'm sorry to hear that, and I hope his family brings his killer to justice. But what do I have to do with this? Is the government incapable of investigating a simple murder?"
"Normally? Yes, that would be the case. Deaths from excessive gaming, dehydration, and overstimulated hearts— rare, but not unheard of. And people getting murdered over online spats is a tale as old as the internet itself. Unfortunately, in my line of work, murder is quite routine. What makes this case special, is how he was murdered."
Kikuoka pulls up an image on the tablet. It's of a gruff unkept man slumped over a desk. He's dressed in a T-shirt and underwear, his arm dangling off the table. There's a frayed wire draped across his shoulders, running across the desk into a VR headset, splayed sideways across the table like spilled wine.
The fruit in your stomach threatens to come back up. You reach for Kikuoka's water, downing it in long gulps, trying to keep the nausea down.
You recognize that wire.
You recognize the way his hair is matted down.
You recognize...
"N-Nerve... Gear..."
Kikuoka gauges your reaction, giving little indication of what he felt about the complication. "Yes. «Usujio Tarako» was found dead in his apartment, a NerveGear on his head—"
"—E-even then that's impossible! Even if he was using a NerveGear where did he get it!?" you shout, eyes glued to that ugly device that served as your warden for two years.
Kikuoka blows past your questions. "Set that aside. In your opinion, is it possible for a player to die from a NerveGear while playing another game? This is why I came to you— you're our contact with the most direct experience in this matter."
"Even if he died in game it shouldn't matter! This isn't SAO, you can't die just from dying in a game!"
Yuuki killed you in your NerveGear. It wasn't a death sentence just to wear one, you know from personal experience. But Kikuoka keeps staring as if he knows you're withholding something. As if he can catch you lying.
"I-if..." you hesitate to even consider. "If h-he wanted to die. If he was wearing a NerveGear. If he believed it would kill him, then..."
"So... it's possible."
You have no words, so you just quietly nod.
"That's good to know. This does expand the possibilities... now... while it's true Takeshi-san died wearing a NerveGear, its role in his death is still unclear. I know how the NerveGear kills people, I've witnessed it firsthand. It is an unpleasant thing to see— the victim is cooked in their own juices, the NerveGear slagged around their heads..."
This time your dessert does come back up. Kikuoka slides a napkin over, and you take it, wiping the spittle and half-digested fruit from your lips. Fucker did that on purpose.
"Takeshi-san's head was singed, and parts of the NerveGear were damaged. By external view it appears as if it's fired... but it didn't look right to me. I know what a man dying of the NerveGear looks like, and this... seems ingenuine. Too clean... almost planted."
"What are you even suggesting? That he died from something other than the NerveGear?"
"I don't know. His room was in such a horrid condition from his lifestyle I can't even tell if it was ransacked. His lock was an old-generation model with known security flaws. The man himself was known to go for days without eating. There are thousands of things that could've killed him, but his murderer picked him out: a known winner who effectively led a guild. Not some loner, but a minor in-game celebrity. A person whose disappearance is guaranteed to be noticed..."
Almost... almost as if...
"Someone wanted to... send a message. That if you die in GGO, you die in... real life?"
Rumor to reality.
Incarnation.
If... if you could trick the SEED into destroying itself...
Kikuoka nods gravely, taking the tablet back from your trembling hands. He calmly, coldly, loads another file. "My thoughts exactly. I've read your reports, of course. Rumors affecting reality, the SEED changing its parameters in response to player expectations... of course, I thought it was a coincidence at first but then..."
Another name. Another victim.
"His family has asked me to keep his name private so I am unfortunately not at liberty to reveal it to you. In-game he goes by the rather nondescript «David», a professional full-time GGO player and a known Squadron leader. Not exactly famous by GGO standards but he was a known menace in the tournament scene and placed well in the «Squad Jam» tournament. He too was found with a NerveGear on his head in a run-down apartment, no signs of entry."
"Was he also—"
"Again, a half-broken NerveGear and burn marks on his head. A similar condition to Takeshi-san. This time, I managed to get to him before my higher-ups did and sent his body to a coroner I trust. And do you know what I found?"
Kikuoka puts on another photo. A literal dissected brain on a metal tray. Yeah, on fucking purpose.
"His brain was clean. Just burns on the skin. The coroner's diagnosis was 'sudden cardiopulmonary failure', without signs of trauma. Somehow the man's heart just... gave out."
You have no words, and this time your mouth is not the only one agape. The NerveGear was killing people by... stopping their hearts? Or someone wants people to think the NerveGear is killing people again...
"The media will find out about this, sooner or later. There's going to be a mass panic..."
Kikuoka nods. "My intuition is telling me that whoever the culprit of these murders is, he or she wants this to happen. They're outright advertising that the NerveGear killed them. I'm doing all I can to suppress this news because I believe releasing this information only serves their ends. But if any more deaths occur, even I won't be able to stop the media."
It can't be a coincidence. First SAO, then ALO, and now GGO? This is... this is insane...
You pound the table, taking no heed of the stares. "Kikuoaka, how!? How are they even getting NerveGears, didn't you confiscate all of them!?"
Kikuoaka stares you down. You can feel your nerves fray and snap one by one as his eyes bore into your own. Tch, he knows.
"I wonder. It appears in the post-SAO chaos some people took their NerveGears home. Perhaps you would know something about that? It is, of course, an understandable reflex. One we at the «Virtual Division» have chosen to turn a blind eye to." Yup. He definitely knows.
"The NerveGear was produced for mass distribution. There are far more than the mere 10,000 used in SAO. And though we've taken great pains to track down every last one, the NerveGear is... irreplaceable technology, despite its ubiquity. There are labs all across the world researching it, and many companies have successfully applied for grants to be given access to it."
The excuses keep piling up, but you're too busy holding your stomach to notice.
"In the end, we cannot hope to recover every last NerveGear in the world. There's also a noticeable black market for the machines: NerveGears are notably higher fidelity than Amuspheres, and they're cross-compatible with SEED games. People do occasionally dive in NerveGears, GGO is even somewhat known for it... and the only people who have died to a NerveGear have been SAO victims—"
"Till now."
"Allegedly."
"A-at least tell me what the damage is. How many NerveGears are unaccounted for?"
Kikuoka blankly stares at you. "In full disclosure, we've noted some... coordinated thefts on labs containing NerveGears in recent months. Add that to the ones that went missing immediately after SAO it's a few..."
Okay... workable...
"A few hundred."
...
Ah, government in action.
A few...
HUNDRED!?
"Are you kidding me!? What are the police doing!?"
Your shout makes Kikuoka jump, and suddenly he's cognizant of the fact that you were in a public café. You see his calm demeanor melt away, and then once again he's the bumbling pencil pusher he claims to be, glancing around like he's afraid of his own shadow.
"H-hey now, simmer down, let's not cast blame unjustly shall we? The police have been... understaffed and somewhat unpopular of late. That's why the «Social Security Surveillance Camera» is being developed, we anticipate being able to cut the police force in half once it's up and running."
"WHY!? This should be the police's job!"
Kikuoka's hands raise in supplication. "W-well a series of unfortunate coincidences has eroded public confidence in the police..."
Coincidences? You try to wrack your brain about any recent controversies involving the police...
Kikuoka starts counting off on his fingers. "First we had that, uh, serial killer out in the boonies. The one with the telephone poles? Turned out he was a police officer! Hahaha..."
Y... you only vaguely remember that one. Wasn't that decades old?
"Next was the Detective Prince fiasco. We had that guy all over talk shows. Boy was it awkward when he turned out to be some kinda super assassin. I mean, two serial murderer police officers? W-what were the chances, haha..."
Oh my god were the police useless!? This whole time!?
"Later the same year it turns out the whole Tokyo Special Investigation Unit was supporting that fascist takeover plot from a few years back. So like, that was easily a couple hundred officers implicated in the fallout of that mess..."
You're just realizing that now?
"And as a cherry on top 6000 people died in SAO and the police still haven't caught Kayaba Akihiko yet!" Kikuoka rubs the back of his head. "A-anyways, as you can see it's just been one bad coincidence after the other! I have faith in the police of course, they're, uh... trying. Their best. But it hasn't exactly been a shining moment for law enforcement..."
Your urge to slam your head into the table is rising with every second. First, your locks don't work and now you've learned the police can't do anything except commit crimes.
"S-so that's where you come in! It's like... contract work! Gig work! We need someone to investigate this case from the virtual side, find out who these people were, what exactly happened to them in game, and if it has anything to do with their deaths IRL. And when I think of resourceful people who can get info quickly, people who have connections to the VRMMO world..."
You want to refuse. You should refuse. An assassination plot against high-level GGO players? NerveGears missing all over Tokyo? And this sneaking suspicion deep in your chest. Something big was going on. That this was all serving some final objective, one you can't even begin to fathom. Don't you dare refuse! GGO was next on the chopping block.
"Alright... alright fine..." you mutter. You knew meeting Kikuoka was a bad idea, your intuition was all but screaming at you to stay away. And now you finally know why.
"Excellent Hiyori-chan, I knew I could count on you! Now if I were you, I'd start by checking out the next «Bullet of Bullets». If the culprit is trying to send a message, I suspect they'll make a play during the next tournament. And all the victims so far have been high-level players..."
"Hold on. That's all well and good, but you're forgetting one very important thing, Kikuoka-san..."
"Oh?"
You stare him down. Just because you have bigger problems to deal with doesn't mean you can afford to ignore the smaller ones.
"What's my pay?"
AN: It's time to negotiate your contract! Vote for as many options as you want, but in PLAN format! Again, this vote is in PLAN format!
STARTING CONTRACT: ¥300,000 for cracking the case!
[ ] Nothing. I mean... that's a lot of money. Like, four whole air conditioning units money.
[ ] You must be truly desperate to come to me for help... [You have enough MASK for this option] Play hardball. He's asking you for a huge favor, of a high schooler no less, has he no shame!?
>Add ¥50,000 to final salary!
>Kikuoka will be sad!
[ ] You know, I used to be a journalist... [You have enough GRIT for this option] Sit there and threaten him with blackmail. Government? Phff, you're not scared. They don't even have good police officers anymore!
>Add ¥50,000 to final salary!
>Kikuoka will be sad!
[ ] Look. I'm gonna need an advance on this... Negotiate an advance payment!
>Get 33% of your negotiated contract up front!
>Subtract ¥50,000 from your final salary!
[ ] I'm an employee. Shouldn't I get a salary!? No sense in spending it all in one place! So why not get a heads-up on your future?
>Get 15% of your negotiated contract per week, until you reach 100%!
>Subtract ¥50,000 from your final salary!
[ ] Uh... I don't have my account anymore, so I'm gonna need to buy power... so if you could do a buddy of mine an itsy-bitsy favor... Remember your ol' buddy $MISTCOIN$? Wouldn't it help her if you got the Cyber Police to... turn a blind eye? Just for a while... >Subtract ¥75,000 from your final salary!
>$MISTCOIN$ will give you 10 MISTCOIN to start off your GGO journey!
[ ] GGO's all about guns, right? See, I don't have any idea how guns work... Kikuoka will hook you up with free gun training lessons! By free I mean prepaid.
>Immediate access to high-efficiency stat boosting services in GGO. >Subtract ¥75,000 from your final salary!
[ ] Can you talk to my school? What, no, school's more useless than the police... Kikuoka will give you an excuse to leave school early! Yay for the government!
>Subtract ¥100,000 from your final salary!
>Two free Minor Actions per Schoolweek!
[ ] I want a favor. There's this organization I want to investigate... RATH? Kikuoka's can't be expected to keep track of every new tech startup! But uh, if you're sure...
>Subtract ¥100,000 from your final salary!
>He'll promise to 'find' an in for you at RATH... >Kikuoka will be sad!
[ ] So, uh, can I commit some crimes? Just some small ones! Get Kikuoka to cover up a misdemeanor-level crime! Yup, he can do that!
>Want to commit some breaking and entering? He won't give you a warrant but he'll give you the next best thing: government corruption! >Subtract ¥100,000 from your final salary!
[ ] What? I'm not criminal. Duh. I want you to do the crime part! Kikuoka knows a guy who knows a guy who owes a guy a favor and well...
>A goon will be available for ONE favor (breaking into a person's house, shaking down a suspicious person, staking out a site, etc), at no risk to yourself. >Subtract ¥100,000 from your final salary!
[ ] I WANT A GUN! Kikuoka will not do this for you. But he'll give you a license to carry a taser or pepper spray, items typically banned by the Swords and Firearms Control Law, and special dispensation for use in self-defense as an agent of the law.
>You can now buy IRL weapons! Might be useful? >Subtract ¥100,000 from your final salary! [You still have to buy the weapons yourself]
[X] Plan: Leveraged Contract
-[X] You must be truly desperate to come to me for help... [You have enough MASK for this option]
-[X] I'm an employee. Shouldn't I get a salary!?
-[X] GGO's all about guns, right? See, I don't have any idea how guns work...
-[X] Can you talk to my school? What, no, school's more useless than the police...
Results in 125,000 at 15% a week... which doesn't nicely add up to a 100% value, but uh 12,500~ish a week is pretty good. Money is useful now and helps buffer our overall plans.
Only 1 'makes him sad' option should be fine.
Get some Gun Training GGO actions for faster power leveling (saving time) and +2 Minor Actions per school week is great and worth the trade off. MORE ACTIONS MORE POWER.
Kinda wish to get the goon to do 1 thing for us but... doesn't fit in the budget, and we do have friends who have ninja guards... we can if we need to do something illegal figure it out again.
[X] Don't push our luck
-[X] You must be truly desperate to come to me for help...
-[X] Uh... I don't have my account anymore, so I'm gonna need to buy power... so if you could do a buddy of mine an itsy-bitsy favor...
Keeping it simple. Hopefully this will also make $Mistcoin$ happy with us, and make it easier to advance her SL in the future.
