Digital Higanbana (Lycoris Recoil x Cyberpunk Quest)

You let the call ring a few more times before sighing and begrudgingly hanging up when nobody picked up again. "That's annoying," You muttered and at your side, Mitsu raised her eyebrow in a silent question. "Just trying to call a possible employee candidate, but I'm not getting through to them."

"Perhaps you should attempt again later?" She suggested and you frowned.

"I've been trying to for the last few days, but nobody keeps picking up. Though it doesn't even go to voicemail or any automated rejection message," You mentioned with a hum. "It just keeps ringing until I hang up."

"An oddity, for certain." Your partner subtly glanced your way, a slightly concerned gaze on your arm holding onto the train handrail. "How do you fare? Any soreness?"

"None whatsoever." To show, you had your new cyberware arm twist about to show off unimpeded and regular movement without any sort of discomfort whatsoever. "You shouldn't worry so, the MedTechs said that it's very rare for connection issues to surface after the initial observation period and test trials. So you really don't have to fret over me so, like when you insisted we take the public transit instead of your motorcycle. I'm pretty sure I could handle more than a few rough turns now."

"A fair judgment I cannot go against," She finally admitted with a slightly relaxed shrug. "Tis your body, your understanding. I simply wish to be there in case aid is required."

"Then be sure to pick up when I call then, unlike Miss Erika right now." You paused, then shook your head. "No, that's a bit unfair, she simply could be out of range, that can happen when you live on the outskirts of Kagoshima."

"Erika, the Vendetta right?" Mitsu considered with a frown. "They do house themselves out in Kanoya District, where the reception can be scattered time to time. So surely, she doesn't mean ill to waste your time, but it is more a circumstance of misfortune that shall surely be overcome!"

You turned and stared at your partner with a deadpan expression, looking straight into those twinkling and energetic eyes. "Maybe Arisu really was onto something about making that translation software. I suppose that's the real reason why she told us she was going to hang out at a Netrunner cafe for a bit. Likely to ask around to see if somebody had some lines to help her get jumpstarted on making it."

Mitsu sputtered in the face of your brutal tale, clutching at her chest. "I speak like the warriors of eld who fought for justice!" She squeaked loudly, drawing more than a few pointed looks from other train passengers. You motioned with your hand and instantly, she lowered her voice to a more appropriately level, one that still radiated an indignant tone. "It is a manner of affection to our cultural heritage, one that I am sure others shall respect upon hearing it so! Why, just the other day, a fellow complimented me so while I was driving about in La Panama!"

"La Panama?" You quickly reviewed a digital map in your eyes and raised an eyebrow. "That's Jetstream Clan territory. Aren't they just one step away from becoming a samurai poser gang?"

The resulting sound that left Mitsu's lips was like that of a deflating balloon, the air escaping in a noisy flapping of the lips while she slumped down. "You mimic the Commander now, always making me write 'modern' lines and insisting it would trouble me so later," She mumbled, almost a bit embarrassingly. "I do possess the ability to speak regularly, but to do so feels...off."

You couldn't take it anymore and pulled her into a one-armed hug, dully feeling her shoulder with your replacement arm. "I'm just teasing," You gently reassured with a smile. "Speak however you like, dress whatever you like, be whoever you want. You know I'll support you in all these aspects, no matter what."

"...my gratitude," Mitsu quietly thanked after a moment, good cheer returning to her expression. You patted her shoulder one more time, then immediately swapped back onto the holding handrail just in time for the train to begin to slow and pull into a stop in Kamoh Gardnes. Your stop.

A few minutes later, and together both Lycoris Graduates stepped out of the transit station to finish the journey home on foot. Hanging around outside said station was a few Secondborn Ronin, who surprisingly gave you respectful nods when you passed by. You frowned, then recalled Arisu's mention of the battle footage going all over the net. So the fact that you showed off that you could not only just handle a gun skillfully, but had the appropriate combat skills to match up to it was likely going to make you just a little bit respected on the streets.

It was an...interesting feeling. Lycoris rarely were acknowledged so due to the organization's nature. You weren't quite sure if you preferred it that way, or if you wanted to preen a little bit at all the attention. The thought occupied you for a while on the way home, meaning that you didn't notice anything off until Mitsu spoke aloud. "Odd. I don't recall purchasing two motorcycles."

That got you to snap back in focus and you spotted what your roommate was talking about. There was Mitsu's Ashigaru parked in the little driveway area of the shophouse, but then there also was a rather rustic Western-looking motorbike resting directly outside on the street. It wasn't quite blocking anybody in, but it was enough to definitely warrant a second look.

You blinked, then on a hunch, you looked about while activating your opticware. Your facial identification system began to light up in your vision, highlighting persons of interests and tagging police briefs for review. You idly noticed that Mitsu's profile was seemingly updated with an affiliation tag- Kagoshima Fragrance- then your eyes zeroed in on a familiar profile tagged to somebody eagerly slurping noodles at the ramen cart down the street.

Well, this could be prove interesting. "Go on without me. I think I'll be occupied a little," You told Mitsu and began to walk over to confirm your suspicions. The Lycoris Samurai hesitated a bit before acknowledging your point and heading inside Kaori with a worried, but encouraging glance your way. It seemed that she had finally recognized you definitely could handle yourself in spite of your loss and could confidently return back to living her own life now.

Just like you.

The ramen cart owner noticed your approach and gave a friendly wave in greeting. You reciprocated in kind and silently held up a finger, indicating you wanted a simple bowl. He nodded and got to work preparing your first meal after being discharged from a medical ward while you casually slid onto a seat next to the other occupant, a very familiar young looking woman eagerly wolfing down her own meal like it was going to be her last one.

You paused, then mentally winced when you recalled the last time you had seen her, she could have very well been on her deathbed if you hadn't intervened. Looking at it now, she definitely had many reasons to enjoy life after that close brush with death, and wouldn't begrudge her for it. At least she looked healthier now.

With a loud slurp, she finished off a last bite before holding to bowl out to the cart owner. "Seconds please," She quietly asked and he began to get to work preparing another serving. That was when she finally noticed your focus on her and she turned to face you with a curious look. "Er, can I help you?"

You blinked and swiftly realized she really didn't know who you were. Understandably, given that the last time you met face to face, she had been unconscious and was definitely out of it. Let's see how far I can go with this. "Oh, just waiting for my meal," You idly told and the ramen chef proved he had great timing when a full bowl of noodles was placed in front of you. "Ah, thank you very much."

"I see," She said hesitatingly before looking away, pointedly staring in the direction of Kagoshima Fragrance. "Say, um, do you live around here?"

"Maybe," You naturally answered while taking your first bite. "Why?"

"Well, it's kind of a long story, but I'm looking for someone. Somebody who saved my life," The Vendetta quietly told, completely unaware of your role in that story. "I've only just finally recovered from a rather bad run-in with Scavs in this neighborhood so I couldn't contact them before, then I heard that the one who rescued me got into a really bad accident.

"I was so scared that I wouldn't get the chance to at least express my genuine gratitude for being saved, but then when the job posting for the flower cafe just over there popped up, it was proof that they were still alive. It was such a relief, and an opportunity as well to finally find an appropriate way to get to talk to them," Erika sighed and took the refilled noodle bowl with both gloved hands. "Once I finally was given the go-ahead to leave the bed after all my faulty chrome was replaced, I started hanging out here in hopes of catching them...maybe."

All you could respond with was a considering hum, placing down your chopsticks for a moment to drum your fingers against the wood. "So was that really all you wanted? Not a job, but a chance to talk to the one who saved you?"

"Yes and no, I guess," She responded after taking a minute to consider. "I did want to somehow manage to have a chat with them, but I was also serious about applying for a job. Eddies' getting a bit tight and I need something to help get me a little bit every payday if I can. I actually do have some alright cooking skills from working around the vineyards and I thought I could help bring some of that here if so offered. Not to mention, I'm good with my legs!"

You pulled up the police database now, remembering about that little mention when you had initially scanned her. Indeed, Erika was noted to be incredibly athletic, almost unnaturally so even before she likely began to chrome herself up. Many security complaints and reports indicate how she was able to not just handle herself in a firefight if it got to it, but keep mobile all the while to remain elusive.

The perfect sort of fighter that knew how to delta even while under pressure. It made you wonder just how she was finally klepped by the Scavs, then you realized her capture was definitely not something she'd open up about easily. Perhaps in time, but definitely not now with how rather recent it had been.

There was one final sort of question you had on your immediate mind. "So have they gotten back to you at all about the job?" You innocently asked between bites of your food. "A text, a call…?"

Erika immediately perked up with an excited look that so reminded you of Mitsu. "Oh, I did get a text saying I was going to be interviewed! I was so excited when I got it, so much so that I've been camping out here all day waiting for a call! I wanted to show that I could even come in right now if they wanted the interview in person."

"So you did get a text, but no phone calls?" You questioned, brow furrowing. "Are you connected to the service tower?"

"Huh?" She blinked and frowned, eyes lighting up when she checked her settings. "I should be, it's automatic right...oh, oh crap!" The young Vendetta whimpered, realizing something.

You inclined your head wordlessly in question and Erika slumped in her seat. "My settings are back to default as set to my...affiliates' preferences," She muttered and a finger twitched. "That includes a bit where, if out on the field, all callers from unknown numbers are immediately put on a switch hold to review later. Looking now, I'm seeing...oh god, I've missed so many calls! I must look like a real jerk gonk now!" She wailed and burrowed her head in her arms.

Ah. That explained the curious ringtone hold. You couldn't blame her for not realizing her replacement chrome had reset all her settings, especially when such an occurrence was so rare that it likely should've already been caught during the post-surgery observation period. You hummed and looked at the last bit of noodles sitting in the plastic bowl, wondering if now was a good time to make a call for a prospective employee. Or perhaps you just had to oblige her little request and leave it at that.

[ ] [Erika] Make the call.

[ ] [Erika] Reveal yourself directly.

[ ] [Erika] Walk away.

- Choosing to call her is an indication that you'd want to look into taking Erika on as an employee, while just directly revealing yourself would be limiting to her expressing gratitude but keeping her at a distance. Walking away though would be completely leaving her out, a sign that you just aren't interested in what she has to say anymore.

All it took was a simple blink for your opticware interface to pop up and you mentally indicated you wanted to redial a number. You stifled a small giggle when the call began to ring and Erika to your side immediately perked up. "Dio mio!" She gasped in Italian and nearly dropped her chopsticks. "Forgive me, but I must take this call!"

"Go ahead and do what you need," You told with a knowing grin. "I definitely won't mind."

Erika sucked in a deep breath to calm herself, and suddenly it was like she was a totally different person. She smoothed out her Vendetta attire and crossed her legs, obviously trying to project some sort of refined hitman atmosphere when she picked up the call. "This is Futai. Who do you want zeroed?" She greeted in a deeper tone, facing away from you for a semblance of privacy.

You almost blew it right there and then with how your side shook, but you managed to hold it in to get in a little more blackmail first. The video connection usually took a few seconds to establish after the call connected, so you had precious few scant moments to act. "Hello Miss Erika," You opened, holding a hand over your mouth and speaking quietly into your fingers. Notably, you too shifted your voice, trying on a matching deeper voice. "I've been trying to reach you for a while about your application to Kagoshima Fragrance. I do apologize for the incessant calling, but you simply weren't picking up."

"Ah, I was on a job, you see," Erika calmly informed with a slight tilt of the head the only seeming apology. "Rest assured, it will not happen again. Communication will be prompt if I am available."

"I'm glad to hear." The loading symbol for the screen connection finished cycling and you dropped the pitched voice, speaking normally now with a wide smile when a video of Erika finally popped up, one that featured her jaw dropping when she saw you on her end. "Let's test that."

You hung up, then turned about with a cackle to face the shocked and rapidly reddening Vendetta. "So are you available to talk now?" You lightly teased with a giggle. "Sorry, I couldn't help it! You also don't need to put up such a tough front around me."

Her head mechanically turned to face you with an open jaw and wide eyes, taking you in for the first time. After a minute, the first words that left her lips seemed to be her unfiltered reaction, one that Erika seemed to immediately regret the moment she said them. "I'd thought you'd be older."

You silently raised your eyebrows and noted she looked about the same age as you. Though in hindsight, you supposed that explained just why she was putting up such a mature front as well. "I actually only turned 18 a few weeks ago," You clarified with a shrug. "Make of that what you will."

"But...but…" Her mind seemed to short-circuit and she slumped in her chair, eyes practically swirling in a mix of confusion, embarrassment, and shock. "But La Peste said! You took out all the Scavs yourself!"

"I had my partner with me."

"Then he mentioned you went up against EGO Security!"

"Again, with my partner."

"Then the EGO offices were attacked!"

"…was that my partner?" You mumbled with a frown. Then you shrugged. "It wasn't me either way, so don't put me on a pedestal or anything. Hell, I got my arm blown off just now." You raised said left arm to emphasize the point.

Erika finally lifted her head and locked her eyes on said cyberlimb, before the pupils slowly trailed to you. It seemed she had finally calmed down, especially with how soft her voice came out now. "It doesn't matter. You were the one who saved my life," The Vendetta stated and you acknowledged the truth with a nod of the head. "Then...I owe you a life-debt, no matter what. If you need an assassin of any kind, don't be afraid to reach out to me."

"I see. Unfortunately, at the moment, I don't really need somebody with such a skillset." Especially when I am one myself, and that I don't really plan on poking danger anytime soon for now. You watched her face fall and waited a moment before adding to your answer. "But I do need somebody who can help me run a flower cafe, and perhaps a little side business as well. If you're interested in a cut, that is."

Immediately, the energy returned to Erika and her face turned back to look at your with a hopeful expression. You smiled and took your time to interview her properly now. There was no more false fronts or masks, only what she really could bring to your possible businesses. What she mentioned was very promising.

As a Vendetta, even a rather low-ranking one according to herself, Erika was no stranger to the darker aspects of life. If anything, she had chosen said path when she was recruited into the gang through her family, though it had been when she was older compared to the average Lycoris. She now had a couple years of experience in this lifestyle, a dutiful adherent to the code of the Vendetta that preached that one should only kill in an act of vengeance, personal or paid. Never bystanders if it could be helped, and never those innocent uninvolved.

Her primary specialty was, as previously revealed by your scan, how mobile she was in any firefight. It almost reminded you of Mitsu in some aspects, but instead of relying on a spinal implant, Erika had cyberware designed around rapid repositioning. In that regard, her preferred weapon of choice were sniper rifles, being able to fire and then suddenly be away before her target's bodyguards could trace the shot. She mentioned decent proficiency in both submachine guns and handguns as well, though those were more emergency weapons for her in creating a hasty exit from a job.

You took that all in with an interested expression, already imagining how having a very fast sniper could open up many avenues. There had been a few trained in the role back in Lycoris, but those were certainly far and few in-between. It was a support role that didn't utilize the primary advantage of disguising in plain sight, so other auxiliary personnel could fulfill the role if needed. Those few Lycoris were also likely trained in another discipline like Quick Hacks for maximum presence on the battlefield.

That little thought had you ask, only to receive a shake of the head from Erika. "I actually don't think many Vendetta care for electronic warfare," She mentioned with a thoughtful look. "There's some Netrunners that I've met, but it's mostly grabbing deets for hits instead of anything offensive. I heard it was something to do with how most Netrunners would prefer to do the job themselves if they encounter each other.."

"Interesting." Might be something that you could look into talking with Arisu about if you were ever interested in the etiquette of the net. "Moving on, do you have any other skills?"

"I suppose I do know how to do a drive-by, they practice this a lot in the gang-"

"Aside from fighting." You gestured to the shophouse just down the street. "I want to know what else you can bring to Kaori, like I said. Any experience related to botany or cooking?"

"Oh!" Erika blinked, then quickly thought to herself. "I did work with adults in a vineyard growing up, helping to grow grapes and make wine, but I'll admit it's been a while. I'm probably a bit rusty on those skills and I was only a kid when I learned them."

She talked more about them and you got a good grasp that she was likely at the level of an enthusiastic dabbler for both fields. If you had to compare, she likely had half the skill of your excellent gardening and perhaps half the skill of Hinata as well. It was like she was a mix of you both, but lesser in that aspect. Still, the fact she had a decent hand in the field was better than your very amateur brews at the moment. Perhaps she could even bring an adult palette with alcoholic beverages, if you ever had a hankering to update your license so.

Then you blinked and checked her application. "It says here that you're my age, give or take a few months."

"The deets are correct."

"And you're already drinking alcohol?" You asked with a deadpan expression. "The legal drinking age is 20, right?"

"Pfft." Erika rolled her eyes and waved a hand. "Legal age for fancy businesses. Private drinks between the familia have no such limits."

You stared at her, and wondered if it was worth getting your entire business busted if they ever discovered you had an underaged woman serving alcohol. Hell, technically you were too! Maybe in a few years, or now if you really just didn't care. Now that you thought about it, nobody probably did.

Not when there were definitely more serious crimes on the streets at times.

You shook it off and decided to wrap up the interview there, having a very good idea of what Erika could bring now. "I think that's all I have to ask you for now. Do you have any questions for me then?" You asked and she nervously drummed her fingers against the wood of the noodle cart.

"I guess I have two," She finally decided and turned to you with a curious look. "First of all, you're so...nova. Preem. How can I be like you?"

Become orphaned at a young age, become a ward of the local government, and become a cold-blooded enforcer of peace. "I don't think you should be like me," You delicately phrased with a shake of the head. "Be your own person. We all are."

She seemed confused, but took it in stride. "Right. Then my other question is er, well...did I get the job?"

You pressed your lips together. "I need some time to think on it. Keep an eye on both your email and cell. Don't ignore the call this time, okay?"

"Oh shit, I'm not ever going to live that down, am I?" Erika whimpered and you chuckled. But she stood up from her chair with a new skip to her step, giving you a genuinely thankful expression regardless. "But I'm serious, believe it or not. I owe you, and the Vendetta treat these sort of attachments seriously. So don't hesitate to reach out if you ever need something from them, and me."

"I will," You promised and raised a hand in farewell. She mirrored the gestured and walked off, back to her little electric scooter to perhaps go home. You watched her depart and leaned your head against your elbow pressing up on the wood in thought. I definitely have some real interesting people trying to work under me, huh?

Before you could mull it over any further, there was a gentle prod and you turned to see the ramen owner grumpily handing you the digital bill. You reluctantly took it and sighed, realizing the rather dire status of your finances at the moment. While you paid it regardless, a part of you wondered if you could make use of that life-debt to get some eddies.

Probably, but owing money to a group that definitely was inspired by the mob was definitely not the smartest idea. Instead, you began to try and plan around what you needed to do before rent was due.

Choose up to four (4) actions you'll carry out through the week

Kagoshima Fragrance (Kaori)
-[ ] [Kagoshima Fragrance] Fix the Van: The Scavs had a cheap utility van that's gotten shot up pretty badly, but you think you could maybe fix it back up. It could be handy for either an infusion of cash to your new business or an asset for the business itself. Try your hand at being a mechanic for a bit.

-[ ] [Kagoshima Fragrance] Grand Opening: All the preparations are finished, and you're ready! Formally open the doors to your newest venture and behold the results of your labors. Then get to work to try and begin making some revenue.

-[ ] [Kagoshima Fragrance] Candidate Interview: Make some calls and try to arrange for a good time to sit down with a potential employee candidate to get an idea of what they could bring to help out.
-[ ] The student, Osaka Hatate

[ ] [Kagoshima Fragrance] Hire Employee: Send a message and finalize the paperwork for hiring a new cafe employee!
-[ ] The unemployed, Morales Hinata
-[ ] The Vendetta, Futai Erika

-[ ] [Kagoshima Fragrance] Advertise Word: Go spreading fliers and putting up posters of the soon-to-be-opened Kagoshima Fragrance around the neighborhood to try and drum up interest for the eventual grand opening. The more buzz you create, the more attention could be drawn to the big moment.

-[ ] [Kagoshima Fragrance] International Standard: To provide high quality authentic coffee, you've turned to rely on purchasing your beverage ingredients from a well-known corporation that specializes in imports. They surely should have an expert when it comes to picking specific ingredients, so pay them a visit to see if you can perhaps improve your blends.

Flower Cultivation
-[ ] [Flower Cultivation] Ocha Plantation: A tea plantation that supplies your cafe with seasonal flowers in bulk, one of your shop's main products. Take a visit to see if you can buy some new flower seeds from them.

-[ ] [Flower Cultivation] Sow Seeds: You've got your hands on some seeds that you want to begin growing! Take some time to till the soil, plant the gardens, and watch new life being to sprout.
--[ ] You currently have no seeds.

[ ] [Flower Cultivation] Tend to Gardens: Devote a part of your week entirely to making sure you tend to the gardens as diligently as possible, plucking out weeds and making sure each sprout gets just the right amount of water and conditions to grow splendidly.


Shinohara Securities
-[ ] [Shinohara Securities] Visit the Office: You've made a contact in the form of Security Chief Azumi, the leader of an elite corporate police task force. Pay her a visit to chat and see what opportunities she can offer you.

-[ ] [Shinohara Securities] Part-Time Patrol: As Shinohara Securities was perpetually shorthanded, they didn't have enough security patrols going around to keep the neighborhood safe. They've offered to pay you a fair sum to do so in their place. It'd be like a Lycoris patrol, but this time, you get paid!

Secondborn Ronin
-[ ] [Secondborn Ronin] Visit the Pauper: The Pauper is the Fixer of the Secondborn Ronin and is a bridge between the corporate world and streets. Go to the public library to chat with them about what opportunities they can offer you.

The Vendetta
-[ ] [The Vendetta] Schedule a Ripper: La Peste is a mysterious but talented RipperDoc who has offered their expertise if you wish to see them for a health checkup or discrete cyberware surgery. See if they have an opening in their schedule to meet them.

Lycoris Graduate
-[ ] [Lycoris Graduate] Call a Lycoris: There's times where you miss the organization, as unbelievable as that might sound given their grim task. You certainly don't hold it against any of the other Lycoris and want to have a chat with them to see how they're doing.
--[ ] The Commander
--[ ] Misaki Arisu
--[ ] Nakaiji Momiji

Living Life
-[ ] [Living Life] Browse the Library: The public library in your neighborhood has a wide selection of information datashards covering a variety of topics. You can read them to your heart's content in the facility, or you could pay a fee to make a copy and take it home to study.

-[ ] [Living Life] Find a Black Market: As so many things are restricted from sale or possession in Japan, you can only find these prohibited items at a black market somewhere. They're surprisingly common enough if you know where to look, though having some caution about the quality of their myriad of wares is a smart idea.

-[ ] [Living Life] Go Clubbing: Risk the nightlife of the city and visit one of the many neon hangouts around the city to experience something new, maybe even meet some new folks or have magical encounters.

-[ ] [Living Life] The Way: Mitsu's offered to take some time out of her week to help train you in the sword and by extension, other melee weapons. You even had a great dojo to practice in, so it was time to spar to your heart's content.

Miscellaneous
-[ ] [Miscellaneous] Scrap the Van: It's not worth your time or effort to patch it up. Rip it apart and find a seller for the parts.

- Back to regular turns! Huzzah, I really hadn't intended for your first patrol to be so...intense. I would've liked a bit more time for building up your base, but eh. Dice are gonna dice.
- Calling Arisu will just mean having a chat and hangout with her.
- Your Lycoris flowers will bloom at the start of next turn, and there'll be a quality roll to see how well they turned out.