Digital Higanbana (Lycoris Recoil x Cyberpunk Quest)

You shielded your eyes instinctively, but it was of little help when the full scope of Kagoshima's subtropical climate washed over you the moment you stepped off the dirigible. It was intensely warm, just about as hot as Kyoto's hottest days despite it just being only the start of spring in the country. You grimaced and made a mental note to reevaluate your wardrobe to make sure you could adapt to this new environment. Perhaps a hat wasn't such a bad idea-

Almost immediately, you felt something gently pop over your hair and blinked at the sudden nice cool shade. You reached up and felt the large plain straw hat, then turned to see Mitsu sporting a matching set. She grinned and pointed to a shop selling them right in the airport terminal itself, at a markup that made you wince. Your partner noticed and simply shrugged. "Tis likely the price will be likewise throughout the city. The merchant knows their value and their customer, and strikes in manner befitting their station.."

"That they do," You sighed and made to open a connection to send over some of your money. Mitsu frowned and denied the request, shaking her head. "What? I'm paying for my hat."

"A gift!" She insisted and grasped your wrists, bringing them up to meet her hands. "A token of our partnership, I insist!"

You stared into her amber eyes and blinked, taken aback by the gesture. It was a...strange feeling, to be gifted something so casually. Perhaps it was the fact that as a Cleaner, you usually worked more with corpses than the living, even with your squad. You looked away and coughed awkwardly, not sure what to say. Then out of the corner of your eye, you spied something approaching you.

Mitsu noticed as well and your clasped hands were broken to face the robot with corporate branding. "Identification: Anzai Yuuki. Ryouji Mitsu. Playing greeting message…Welcome to Kagoshima!" The machine threw up its hands in what you supposed was a welcoming manner. "Thank you for renting with Satsuma Properties! We appreciate your choice of business and wish you a pleasant stay. Awaiting deposit."

You shared a look with Mitsu and nodded, eyes lighting up as you both wired the first and last month's rent for your new home.

-1600 eb (30000 -1600 = 28400 eb)

"Deposit received! Now presenting: Unit 622." A portion of the robot's midsection suddenly extended out and a tray slid out, with a set of keys and datashards. "Please claim your unit package."

You gingerly took the keys and one of the shards while Mitsu claimed the other. Once the items had been removed from the tray, the robot blankly nodded, then stiffly marched to the next person getting off the dirigible to repeat the message. The datashared looked cleaned enough and you slotted it into your neck, letting it connect with your cyberware.

After a moment of loading, information began to flow quickly through your head and you grimaced, feeling the effects of too much coming through at once. You paused the dump of data and glanced over to Mitsu, who was similarly massaging her head with similar symptoms. "A welcomed brief, but an aching one," She complained and you nodded in agreement.

Then you spied a cafe from the corner of your eye and gestured. "Let's go and have a cup of tea to relax. We can sit down and review it all in leisure. My treat, to make up for the hats."

She brightened up at your offer. "A splendid idea! I'll take chai!"

There actually wasn't any sitting room left, as all the tables were occupied already by a mix of people. In fact, there wasn't a seat anywhere in the airport, all the options occupied by an eclectic amount of people. Corporate suits growled and barked in private phone calls while casual travelers slumbered away next to them. People wearing braindance wreaths sat slumped next to folk who seemed more metal than flesh, poorly concealed firearms poking through heavy leather. In the end, you and Mitsu settled for leaning up against a structural pillar outside the airport, steaming hot drinks in hand.

You sipped at yours and frowned at its artificial flavoring. Mitsu seemed to hardly care and relished the taste while you took the opportunity to browse the information on the datashards. "It's all about the neighborhood we're moving into," You commented, your vision flicking through various images and pictures. "Kamoh Gardens, a low-end middle class area. The very low end of corporate suits, but impressive enough for the folks on the streets. It's considered a suburban residential area."

"A former lord's abode in the past, only to be churned and converted into housing for the masses," Mitsu mentioned from her own study. "Masses then. Luxurious today."

"The fact that we have more than two rooms to our name is something for sure," You agreed and reviewed the building's recent history. "Seems like before the Scavs decided to take it over, the place was actually a private cafe with private living space above. Something that's honestly somewhat traditional and outdated these days, but could suit a certain lifestyle well enough."

"Oh! It even has a private front and rear gardens!" Your partner eagerly noticed. "We can even decorate or repurpose as we see fit! A training space, excellent!"

"Or for a garden," You mumbled and focused more on the interior details. "A large customer space below, along with a service counter. A private service area. A simple storage room. Then stairs leading up-"

"We have a second floor?!"

"We have a second floor, and that's the living area. Five blank rooms that we can fill with for anything. Bathroom included." You were slightly taken aback by how seemingly perfect this location was for your needs. Maybe a little too perfect. You suspected that had the Scavs not taken it over, it likely would've already been rented off the market. That got you to frown when a thought surfaced, one that had your eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Why had the Scavs chosen this place to be their den? It was far from urban centers where they normally would work their foul business, kidnapping one of many off the streets with nary a notice. In this suburb area though, wouldn't the police notice and immediately take action? It felt off, and you searched deeper, eyes flashing through local tidbits.

(Den Suspicions: 8 +15 (Intelligence) = 23)

In the end, you couldn't find anything, even on local news sites. It felt like they had suddenly appeared out of nowhere to take this building over and you shook your head. "It feels a bit odd that the Scavs would break into this place and stick around," You suggested to Mitsu who tilted her head in consideration. "I would've thought somewhere else would've been a better hit."

"Tis the logic of the insane, but one must be insane to walk their path," She darkly mentioned with a growl. Clearly their lifestyle offended her sense of righteousness. "Must we justify our strike? Tis a public service, clearly."

"A public service that might get us busted by local law enforcement," You reminded with a raised eyebrow. "This isn't Kyoto where we have channels to whisper to the locals to not panic. We're unknown here, and gunshots will definitely draw attention."

Mitsu grinned and patted the wrapped bamboo sword on her back. "Then we don't use guns. Come, I'll teach you the Way!"

"Maybe another time, but not before we get settled in." You pursued your lips in thought and leafed through the datashard, focusing on local highlights. "Local police is...oh. Oh dear."

"What ails you?"

"The entire district is outsourced to Corporate Police," You groaned and your fellow Lycoris let her head tilt back to hit the pillar in exasperation. You felt like copying the gesture and stared at who was in charge. "Shinohara Securities, a subsidiary of Arasaka. Kami."

"Law enforcement that speaks only in coin!" Mitsu whined. "Not justice, but coin! What perversion!"

"It means that our government permits will only protect us from getting arrested for possession, but likely do nothing for accessing their armories." You clucked your tongue and filed that information away. "Guess that actually explains why they wouldn't care about Scavs in a middle-class neighborhood, they're not paid enough to care. Only thing that'll move them is if we toss enough money their way to 'persuade' them to look our way."

"Or hope for justice to shine through in hearts," Mitsu weakly suggested, but even she sounded very unsure about that. You sighed, then realized with a bitter bite that your police assessment system wouldn't be working until you got a backdoor to their servers, somehow. Perhaps at a massive 'fee,' because Corporate Police were like that. That was going to be a pain. You noted that down and moved on to alternative sources that could prove of aid.

"At least it means that if we go guns shooting, they probably wouldn't respond. Probably. Let's look for what could help with that." You rubbed your chin at an interesting mention about the area. "Looks like the neighborhood is 'claimed' by the Secondborn Ronin, with even what is speculated to be their headquarters in the area. We could try to approach them to see if they could lend some of their help."

"Secondborn Ronin...meh," Mitsu decided with a shake of the head. "They are ronin in name only, for they show little honor. Ah, but the Vendettas-!"

"Portray themselves as honorable, but seem to just enjoy killing if the coin's right," You bluntly retorted, earning a sniff from your partner. "They've been trying to push into the area to expand their operations area, which means they'll probably leave more bodies in their wake than the local gang."

"They have a code that matters," Mitsu grumbled, clearly favoring them more. Then she lit up with an idea. "Ah, but we could balance them both! Let us seek out an individual who offers a special service, a Fixer I believe!"

"A Fixer? That could help," You considered with a nod. "One in the neighborhood would probably have ties to the Secondborn Ronin, but still be independent enough to take contracts from anywhere. If there's a gig out on the Scavs, they might be able to task us with it in return for their favor."

"Or we do it as a greeting gift to them!" The Lycoris ronin proposed with a grin. "A show of our intent to them!"

"Yes, we gift them a bloody bouquet," You dryly quipped and hummed, checking the time. You did want to clear out the Scavs before the end of the day to have someplace to sleep, so there was time to maybe approach some, but not all of your options. That is, if you wanted to approach anybody at all- a show of independence while taking care of the issue would certainly be quite the statement. After a moment, you told Mitsu who you wanted to approach.

Pick up to two options:

[ ] [Approach] Shinohara Securities

[ ] [Approach] Secondborn Ronin

[ ] [Approach] The Vendetta

[ ] [Approach] Fixer ???

[ ] [Approach] None.

- I'll say that once you get a backdoor somehow, it'll be a permanent restoration of your linked assessment system because officially, it can't exist. Your access will be a grey area that can never be patched out once you're in.
- Remember to consider what the gangs are known for/what they can offer if you approach them.
- I'll update the faction sheet on them later, but for now, the dice are saying that Sinohara Securities is a very small, but super elite security unit. They can't cover everywhere all at once, but if they come, it's the full Arasaka subsidiary hammer that makes C-SWAT blush. Fits the neighborhood, actually.
- The two highest votes will be considered. 'None' will only be taken if it is the most popular vote.

Mitsu's nose bumped against the train window as she tried to get a better look at the passing surroundings. "Tis nothing like Kyoto!" She eagerly mentioned and squished her cheek against the glass to get another angle of the massive skyscrapers and megastructures. "They reach for the sky, a tower to the heavens themselves! Never before have I borne witness to such engineering!"

"Kyoto does have building limits to keep it mostly traditional," You explained and pointed at how so many of the aforementioned buildings had company logos. "Even Arasaka itself had to concede and respect the ancient city's history over emphasizing their grandeur. It's probably the only city in Japan limited in such manner, and we're finally seeing what it's like elsewhere."

"Hm, there is indeed a serene and quiet beauty to Kyoto that resonates so strongly. But here too, I see beauty in its own right!" Your partner gestured to the bustling streets below the rail network. "A concrete jungle has too its own flowers, strange and off-putting as they may be. If the towers are towering trees, then those that grow between are what rises up in aspiration to reach such lofty heights. The attempt may be futile, but it is in purpose they discover themselves for what they are."

You blinked and tilted your head, not quite understanding her flowery manner. But you supposed that perhaps Mitsu knew all too well that in the shadow of corporations, one either declared themselves sated and lived forward in darkness...or broke free and tried to blaze forward to glory, even if it meant their death. 'Edgerunners' they were called, and they often were agents of the chaos that Lycoris was created to silence.

You supposed though that now, it wasn't your job to go after them. Not unless you had good reason or in self-defense. That was a refreshing thought, as said persons were often classified as the highest danger level owing to unpredictable tactics and cyberware to achieve results. It almost was a direct opposite of how Lycoris often had standardized implants and training to fulfill their duties.

Maybe that was why you were so much more comfortable with approaching corporate security for aid. It was only a short walk from the train station to the massive skyscraper bearing the Arasaka logo. If your local brief was correct, the offices of Shinohara Securities were among the top floors for easy AV access. That meant though you'd have to be let in if you wanted to have a meeting.

Almost immediately upon stepping into the building's lobby, your eyes flicked about and noticed how a lot of security turrets suddenly swiveled to face your way, tracking your every step to the greeting receptionist. You guessed that the building security was just a little bit twitchy, and ironically, they'd be right given the skill of a Lycoris operative in their element. But you were being above board today and let Mitsu speak when the carefully sculpted receptionist finish her greeting.

"We seek an audience with Shinohara Securities!" She declared and crossed her arms. "There is injustice that must be addressed!"

"Do you have an appointment?" The receptionist calmly intoned, as if reciting from a script. Her next sentence all but confirmed it. "If you do not, then you will need to make one through the proper channels first. Otherwise, I cannot let you in if you do not have the prerequisite entry pass."

You shared a nod with your partner, then both sets of eyes glowed as both she and you digitally flashed your government identification. "This should suffice as to our entry pass," You told and watched her reaction.

(Shinohara Impressions: 71 +15 (Empathy) -10 (Corporate Interests) = 76)

What was likely a fake plastic smile melted quickly into genuine surprise and shock when the receptionist ran your credentials and they all came up clean. "I...I will need to make a call. Excuse me." Her own eyes lit up and yours did as well as you idly engaged your opticware. You could see the minute traces of panic in her facial expressions, clearly not knowing what to do when presented with 'authentic' government authorizations.

Finally, she shakily got up and bowed at you while gesturing with a hand. "Please, the elevator! Shinohara Securities will be waiting for you!"

"Most excellent!" Mitsu trumpeted and took the lead. You stayed behind a moment to give a friendly nod to the awestruck receptionist and followed in your partner's wake. Soon, a small metal box containing two Lycoris agents was skyrocketing up to the top floors of the Arasaka skyscraper, a feat that many Edgerunners would have died trying to do.

The doors slid open with a quiet ding and welcoming you on the destined floor was a grumpy looking woman in a mix of a suit and combat gear. "Out with it," She immediately barked the moment you stepped out into the offices. "What the hell are you gonks doing here? I sure as shit wasn't expecting government agents to stroll up so brazenly today! You looking for trouble?"

"So quick to get to business?" Mitsu lightly teased, then struck lightning quick before her joke infuriated the clearly stressed corporate security member. "We are present to talk about many things, from purchasing spare ammunition to tackling on a Scav Den. Could we mayhaps have a chat with your Security Chief?"

You nodded in agreement, still slightly annoyed at your lack of profiling ability. You just needed a moment to jack into the right server, then you'd be connected to the greater Kagoshima police databases. It would make it so much easier to figure out who you were talking to, if they even had pull to call for their boss-

"You're looking at her!" Security Chief Azumi growled. Both Mitsu and you started at the revelation while the leader of Shinohara Securities glared at the two young women. "So spit it out, and if you're wasting my time, I'll throw you in our interrogation room to weasel out who sent you."

"A-ah." Mitsu cleared her throat. "Very well." Quickly, she outlined what you were here to do, from seeking the opportunity to purchase spare armory supplies to cleaning out the Scavs that infested your new home. She made sure to throw in a casual mention for database access for you, and you helped make sure she didn't slip up and mention Lycoris in any way.

When she was finished, Azumi tapped her foot and frowned. Her eyes lit up as she seemingly made a call to somebody, perhaps whoever in the primary body of Arasaka she reported to. You could only hope she was asking for permission to grant your requests.

(Shinohara Aid: 64 +10 (Verified Credentials) = 74)

After what felt like a small eternity, the glow from her eyes faded and Azumi studied the two of you. "...you really aren't pencil pushers, that's for sure," She finally decided and pressed for an easy test. "You two seem like you know your way around iron. Care to prove it?"

With matching casual flicks to shake your schoolbags open, you and Mitsu drew your matching pistols with perfected precision, keeping the barrels safely pointed low to the ground. Azumi whistled and gestured for you two to follow. "I've seen enough. You two are the real deal, and my bosses aren't willingly to piss off the feds when your IDs came up clean."

"So our requests shall be honored?" Mitsu eagerly asked while tucking away her piece. "We will have all we need?"

"You'll have what I can spare and what you're allowed to have, at the very least." You passed on by some others who were wearing the same formal combat attire, who gave curious stares at your passage and escort by their leader. "Let's see. First of all, something that's definitely not an issue. We rarely use up all of our allocated light pistol ammunition, and I can frame you buying some of it as a partial return on expenditure. If it's just for your Towa 14, we can probably just provide it at regular price."

"That sounds agreeable," You told and she nodded before moving onto something you also happened to really want.

"Now then, it says you need access to the profiling database. That honestly isn't an issue, given that you already have the necessary credentials. It's not even connected to the main Arasaka servers, only the regional police ones, so it's not like you can sneak a demon in to fry our systems. There's an access port in the armory, so you'll just need to jack in there."

You grinned, quite satisfied with that. And you didn't even have to pay a bribe? It seemed that Shinohara Securities wasn't so daunting as initially thought. Azumi in particular seemed to be treating you with kid gloves, and you had a good idea why.

So did your partner. "This is most generous of you!" Mitsu excitedly mentioned with a tilt of the head. "Almost too much so, like a honeyed trap meant to stick us together."

"Is it that obvious?" Azumi mentioned with a snort. "You have skill, you are listed as being freelancers. If I could interest you two in at least showing up for half our ops or even doing street patrol duty, we'd have better reach over Kamoh Gardens. Keep telling upper management that, but they keep denying my damn requests."

"An interesting proposal," You neutrally replied, then pushed a little harder. "Is that all you wanted?"

(Azumi's Reasons: 97 +15 (Empathy) +4 (Rank 2 Body Language) = 116

Azumi became quiet when the group reached the armory and she let the scanners verify her identity. While it did so, she finally spoke up with a hint of anger. "That place, that cafe...I used to be a regular when I was younger. Friends with the old owners before we drifted apart due to my job. Always wondered what happened to it, hoped they were doing well. Promised myself I'd visit one day, have a cup of coffee to catch up.

"Then you come in and tell me the first bit of news I've heard in years about it, and that it's been taken over by Scavs." The armory door slid open and the Security Chief stomped in, clear rage and fury coursing through her form. "Taken over by bakas who probably don't appreciate what a good cup can do after a long shift keeping the streets safe. Who probably only just get their sick jollies and kicks from ripping chrome from unfortunate souls in the area.

"So yeah, I want something else. And I'm willing to give you database access for free, if it makes it easier for you to do just a little thing for me." She reached into the access port and nearly ripped the cable out while offering it to you with shaking hands. "I want you to zero the fucking Scavs. Show no mercy."

You smiled and took the cable, plugging it into your interface port and letting your Lycoris credentials slip into the system. "I think we can do that." It wasn't even a moment later before your vision finally felt complete with your profiling system in full effect. A quick check of your host confirmed it so.

Name: Shinohara Azumi
Job: Security Chief
Affiliation: Shinohara Securities (Arasaka Corporation)
Talent: Street Cop

"Good. Now take what you need, and get to work. If you can get rid of them all, I'll talk to my superiors about opening up our armories to further purchases. Oh, and don't worry about making a spectacle of it- we'll make sure it'll just be filed under noise complaints."


"That went splendidly!" Mitsu chirped when you two strolled out of the building. "We have our first ally of justice!"

"One who has a personal grudge against the Scavs, no less," You agreed with a nod. "What fortune. We've also secured armory access for our pistols if nothing else, with possible future purchases if we do well. As much as we like to mock them, Arasaka does have some good equipment."

"Especially their blades," Your partner drooled. "All those beautiful swords, right there...it took all in me to just not take one there and then! Oh, to wield one of them as an agent of justice-!"

You let out a small giggle and patted her back. "Maybe they'll sell you one after we pull this off. For now, we should focus back on what we have to do next."

"Ah yes, we must seek out the service of that who they call a Fixer!" Mitsu paused, then looked to you with a sheepish expression. "Er, would you happen to know how so?"

You pressed your lips together and shook your head. "We'll just have to head to the area and see if we can possibly pick up on the information from the streets. I'm thinking we ask around, a Fixer often doesn't need to hide their street reputation if people are looking for them. You can't service people who've never heard of you, after all."

"A wise strategy! Let us carry it without further delay."

(Fixer Hunt: 66 +12 (Cool) = 78)

You immediately got results right away when you began to casually approach a few in student uniforms on the trains to the Kamoh Gardens. From what you knew of Secondborn Ronin, they were a surprisingly mild street gang in comparison to many others and were more like petty educated thieves than anything. So all you had to do was ask politely, weather their searching look with a patient smile, and they'd finally tell you that there was indeed a good Fixer in the area if you needed one. You knew it was the real thing when you approached multiple different groups and they all had the same answer.

If you need something taken care of, ask for 'Pauper' at the public library in Kamoh Gardens. A Fixer affiliated with the Secondborn Ronin who was notoriously face-shy, but reliable.

Mitsu met with you and confirmed she had heard the same thing, so that was your destination now. The public library was a modestly sized building in the neighborhood, built with the intended audience of students and families in mind. There were a few rougher looking individuals hanging about outside, but they seemed to actually be part of the Secondborn Ronin with more lax uniforms compared to the rest. You gave them a searching look and your cyberware helpfully noted that they were delinquents of a more physical sort. The gang muscle enforcement perhaps, on loan to the fixer.

The group noticed your stare and gave a single warning nod in return, perhaps a reminder to watch your behavior inside. You had little doubt that the Fixer already knew you were looking for them, with how you hardly disguised your approach. That was fine, as you were sure that most Fixers had very little love for Scavs. Few in general did, and they were those who worked with Scavs for vile acts.

The library on the inside was like many of the era, filled with shelf after shelf of datashards and data terminals to jack into for more immersed sessions. Small children were wearing braindance wreaths to experience comic books through their mind while a few student groups were all entirely linked to one another via a data terminal, comatose to the world while participating in a private study session. You idly wondered that were you a few years young and not a Lycoris, would you have been like one of them? Jacked into a terminal along with Mitsu, Arisu, and Momiji, sharing a mind to study for exams? Perhaps that was what Arisu was actually doing now to prepare for her college exams.

You shook your head from that idea and turned to an assistant librarian manning a help booth. "We're here to see 'Pauper,' I believe."

(Meeting Pauper: 26 +12 (Empathy) +10 (Linked Assessment) = 48)

The assistant librarian frowned confusedly. "'Pauper?' Who's that?"

"Somebody who could provide us a service we need!" Mitsu chimed in, but still, the assistant librarian looked befuddled.

"I mean, can't you just call whoever your friend is?" She asked and looked between you two with growing wariness. "Sorry, I can't help you more than that. Maybe have a seat and see if they show up, whoever it is?"

You and Mitsu looked at each other before you sighed and took the initiative. "Fine. We'll sit around and wait for them."

The assistant librarian once again apologized she couldn't be of more help and you waved it off. You two wandered over to a random empty table and sat down, not sure where to go from here. "Tis difficult to get in touch with somebody whose existence is here, but not here," Mitsu complained and you shrugged.

"Maybe we should've tried to approach the Secondborn Ronin directly instead of this. But there has to be some method that this 'Pauper' works off if everybody refers us to here," You reasoned. "Besides, they wouldn't turn away potential customers, would they?"

"That very depends on what sort of customers you are." A heavily distorted voice suddenly called out and the data terminal at your table suddenly turned on, showing the simple visage of a book with an eerie face etched into the cover. Both you and Mitsu flinched at the unexpected sight, hands nearly instinctively reaching for your guns. "Please keep your voices down while we do business. That is the protocol here."

"I...see. 'Pauper,' right?" You cautiously asked. "You're a Fixer?"

"I have been called so. I provide services that one can pay for. Sometimes, the role is reversed and I pay for services. Which do you seek today?"

Quickly, you explained the issue about the Scav Den in the area. But when you finished, you could feel it, the lack of interest in the affair. The Fixer's words confirmed it. "Scavs are a constant annoyance that hardly warrants my attention. If you are asking if there is a gig out on them, I do not have one. Sorry to disappoint."

"Then we'll do it as a gift to you!" Mitsu proposed, only to deflate at the response.

"Were you not listening? Again, they hardly warrant my attention. Should you get rid of them, should you leave them be, it is of little matter to me. I have much more that warrant my focus."

"Like what?" You tried to push, hoping to press something out of stone. "Maybe it's something we could look into and trade favors for."

(Pauper Interests: 24 -10 (Scav Annoyance) = 14)

"It does not concern you." The Fixer flatly told and the screen flickered for a moment. "All that I have to offer to you is information about the Scavs, if that is what you wish. Details about their numbers, their arms, their defenses. The upfront cost is 2500 eddies. Non-negotiable."

You winced. You could afford it, but that wasn't cheap. You turned to Mitsu, hoping to split the price, but she had a sour expression on her face that didn't bode well. "We come in and offer a gift, and you spit in our face?" She sniffed and turned up her nose. "I refuse to stain my blade to deal with this affront. Expect nothing forthcoming from me, 'Pauper.'"

"That would require expectation on my part," They drawled. "Take it or leave it. Final offer."

[ ] [Pauper] Pay for information.

[ ] [Pauper] Intimidate for information.

[ ] [Pauper] Walk away.

- All your luck went into corporate schmoozing, then you got kicked hard on the streets. Interesting.