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Digital Higanbana (Lycoris Recoil x Cyberpunk Quest)

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Kagoshima Move, Part 3
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    • [X] [Approach] Shinohara Securities
    [X] [Approach] Fixer ???

    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.

    Four hour moratorium to consider dealing​
     
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    • Kagoshima Move, Part 4
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    • [X] [Pauper] Walk away.

    "We'll pass. That information's too much for what we expected," You decided and rose up from your seat. "We'll figure out another way."

    "I see. Good luck then." The digital image flickered, then the screen turned off by itself. You rose up from the seat and left the library with Mitsu, slightly frustrated at how rather unfulfilling the meeting had been. The Secondborn Ronin enforcers outside leered, but did nothing when you departed without causing a mess.

    Mitsu waited for them to be truly out of earshot before making her complaints known. "What a charlatan!" She muttered and glanced back at the library. "I had thought Fixers to be the lords of the streets, seeking to serve the balance. Yet Pauper barley gave us the time of day, let alone provide aid against a shared enemy. What a miser."

    "To be fair, we probably didn't have a solid background to work off," You mentioned and explained when she gave you a confused look. "When we were dealing with Shinohara Securities, we used our government cover to give us an in to personally work an angle. But here, we very well just can't pull out a government ID to wedge our way in, not unless we want to call down the Fixer's entire security network on us."

    "They fear authority not of their making."

    "Maybe if we had a reputation behind just being a Fed, we could still squeeze in somehow. As it is, we're basically just two random girls who wandered off the street to demand information from a busy Fixer," You summarized with a sigh. "In short, Pauper has no reason to believe our capabilities or our story. For all they know, we very well could be working with the Scavs ourselves, or their rivals to cause a distraction from another affair."

    Mitsu grumbled at your logic but her expressions softened slightly, just a bit. "Maybe they do indeed have more pressing concerns," She conceded and crossed her arms with a huff. Then there was a dangerous light in her eyes when she glanced over to you with a sharp grin. "Then let us demonstrate they should see us as maybe a concern too. Two young petals, cleaning up a Scav Den by ourselves!"

    "It'll be just like the killing house back in Kyoto," You recalled with a quiet smile before growing serious. "But we should try to do our own research as well, try to stake out the spot before nightfall. Let's see if we can't spot a pattern or opening to them. Maybe even ask our future neighbors if they could offer some useful observations."

    "A sound plan! I will follow your lead!"

    (New Neighbors: 10 +15 (Empathy) +10 (Local Scavs) = 35)

    There was a ramen cart just down the street from your new home that served as a good enough stakeout location. You and Mitsu placed orders for some cheap synthetic noodles with heavy artificial flavoring, and then tried to nudge the owner into opening up a little bit about what he's seen. At first, he was reluctant to talk about them, until you revealed your connection to them. "Why, you're taking over the old cafe?" He asked, surprised. "Not sure why'd you want to do so. It's been pretty abandoned since the last owners closed up shop, at least until those folk moved in."

    "Surprised that nobody's done anything about it, honestly," You casually mentioned with a tilt of the head. "Do neither of the gangs round here care about them moving in on their territory?"

    "Much as they would love to care, especially if they start klepping members, the two here aren't exactly chooms." He looked around wildly before lowering his voice. "Word is that they're on the verge of having a big shootout with one another about something. Overheard it from some of my regulars, you see, even went to buy me some bulletproof curtains. See?"

    You winced slightly at the loud rattling from the metal shutters that he banged to make his point. "Might be an investment we'll have to look into."

    "Wish you the best of luck then, you're going to need if it you're going to convince Shinohara to come swooping in for you," He snorted and rummaged around before tossing something into your ramen bowl. "Have another boiled egg, on the house. You'll be needing it with how long you'll be waiting here."

    "Would you really complained about our extended patronage?" You lightly joked and he chuckled before returning to watching television on a little screen behind the counter. It was slightly disappointing that he couldn't offer much more information, especially given what your opticware was saying. Apparently gossiping was a talent, and to be honest, it nearly made up for how heavy the broth was.

    You turned your attention next to the building in question itself, giving it a long searching look. It did look a little more rundown from what the provided pictures had depicted, but you couldn't fault them for not keeping it constantly updated. Now though, seeing it physically on site, you gave it a long study with the appraising eye of a Cleaner.

    (Den Architecture: 95 +15 (Intelligence) +6 (Rank 3 Geology) = 116)

    Instantly, you spotted a few big things that clearly weren't on the original layout blueprints, but maybe have been added discretely and off the record over time. The first was a little side staircase that lead directly up from the street to the upstairs living area, carefully built with a slight warp to disguise it as a little hedge bush at casual glance. If you had to guess, this was likely a modification installed so that whoever lived in the shophouse didn't need to necessarily go through the downstairs every time they wanted to leave the place, or likewise if they wanted to go straight to relaxing without needing to trudge through a busy shop. Maybe in the past, it was used for personal family reasons for such privacy.

    Whatever it was, it was possible a security flaw, one you could perhaps seize upon to enter through the upstairs, if you so wished. That was your first thought, then you looked harder and noted the rather flimsy nature, likely not meant to support the weight of more than one person at the time. Given that you didn't have such privacy concerns, it could be best to tear it down after all was said and done.. It certainly looked like it hadn't seen proper maintenance for a while.

    The next thing you spotted was the odd foundation stonework. It looked fine from a regular eye, but to you, it looked disturbed, like somebody had adjusted them after they had been laid down. It wasn't that unusual, you saw it all the time while working as a Lycoris Cleaner. The big thing was that it strongly correlated with the presence of an underground space dug out after the initial construction project. It looked like your property had a little nice secret addition in the form of a basement, perhaps one built for more secretive purposes.

    You wondered if the Scavs knew of it, and decided to assume so. That meant in total, you had to consider three potential combat zones for the upcoming raid: the shop, the upstairs, and the basement. If you could clear out all three areas of enemy presence, then that would definitely be mission success. But you frowned, it surely couldn't be that simple.

    Then you saw it, in the torn up dirt front, and your eyes narrowed. It was getting a little harder to see now as daylight was fading, but you think you could make it out, a rather important detail

    (Stake Out: 51 +12 (Cool) +10 (Landscape Signs) = 73)

    "Mmh. Mmhhhhh?" Mitsu slurped down a mouthful of noodles and licked her lips. "My tally is at maybe two groups of Scavs infesting our rightful claim. A paltry fight, all things considered."

    "It's not two. It could very well be more," You muttered and flicked what you saw her way. "Look, over there. That's tire tracks. They have a vehicle, and they also have more room in the place than it seems. They could very well have three, maybe four groups."

    In response, Mitsu shrugged and swallowed. "Best we go in quietly then, or so as long as we can. Then when it gets loud, we get to work."

    "A sound enough plan."

    From behind the counter, the ramen cart owner overheard your last phrase and frowned. "Hold on, are you two actually thinking about storming the place? You're insane, you're just a pair of schoolgirls, aren't you? Come to think of it," He rubbed his chin and frowned. "Your accents...you're not from around here, are you? That explains why you can't just call for help from one of the gangs."

    "Nay, we hail from a land faraway!" Mitsu chirped while placing her empty bowl to the side.

    "We're from Kyoto," You added and popped the last egg in your mouth before pushing the leftovers away. "Thank you for your concern, but we'll be just fine."

    "From the flower city?" He muttered while the two customers strolled off. "Just what are they teaching those girls to do up there? To become gonks?"

    To become Lycoris. You answered in your head while dipping to a little side alleyway. Mitsu shared a nod with you, then, as one, you both flicked the side of your schoolbags open to reveal the hidden pistol holsters. You drew your trusty Towa 14 with practiced ease and idly checked the loaded magazine. It was full and you neatly slid it back in with a quiet click, not even needing to keep a thumb on an ejection port to not waste a bullet. Caseless was convenient like that.

    After a moment of thought, you reached your hand back and sent a prompt to your schoolbag. With a neat click, the bottom deployed a suppressor that you screwed onto your pistol to help keep it quiet. It would be useful for keeping other Scavs unaware of your presence so long as possible, but you would ditch it the moment things got loud.

    Across you in the alleyway, Mitsu was doing the same thing with her own service pistol. She also felt and made sure the bokken slung over her back was in easy reach and could be swiftly drawn without issue. She nodded happily and looked at you with an expectant look. "Orders?'

    You blinked, then frowned. "We're not in Lycoris anymore, so we don't have ranks. Plus, I don't have as much combat experience as you."

    "You still were an honored Second Lycoris with your abilities," She mentioned with a shake of the head. "Honor your calling, and tell me what to do," Mitsu insisted and you pressed your lips together with a sigh. She really was sometimes too stubborn for her own good.

    Now then, how best to channel that stubbornness?

    Choose an overalls strategy:
    -[ ] [Strategy] Stealth and Shadows. Keep quiet as long as possible, even hiding in the shadows if alarms are raised.

    -[ ] [Strategy] Stealth and Gunfire. Keep quiet as long as you can, but then don't hesitate to go loud when discovered.

    -[ ] [Strategy] Bullets and Gunfire. Kick in the doors for maximum effect on a surprise round, followed by an intense firefight to eliminate the opposition.

    Assign your starting combat zone locations:
    -[ ] [Zone] Anzai Yuuki
    --[ ] Upstairs Living Area
    --[ ] Ground Floor Shop

    -[ ] [Zone] Ryouji Mitsu
    --[ ] Upstairs Living Area
    --[ ] Ground Floor Shop

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​
    - There would normally be ammo expenditure and operative equipment (and costs) to take into account, but this is your first fight entirely. So both you and Mitsu will be heading in with just Towa 14 at full ammunition. She does have a wooden sword to whack people over the head if things get too close, but otherwise, she'll stick to gunplay as well.
    - The rooms are small enough that Minerva Optics will more than likely activate at such close ranges.

    Four hours to come up with a combat plan.​
     
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    • Scheduled vote count started by Celeshiro on Nov 25, 2023 at 2:13 AM, finished with 11 posts and 8 votes.
    • [X] Plan Thinning The Herd
      -[X] [Strategy] Stealth and Gunfire. Keep quiet as long as you can, but then don't hesitate to go loud when discovered.
      -[X] [Zone] Anzai Yuuki
      --[X] Ground Floor Shop
      -[X] [Zone] Ryouji Mitsu
      --[X] Upstairs Living Area
      [X] Plan Top-Down Tactical Espionage Action
      -[X] [Strategy] Stealth and Gunfire. Keep quiet as long as you can, but then don't hesitate to go loud when discovered.
      -[X] [Zone] Anzai Yuuki
      --[X] Upstairs Living Area
      -[X] [Zone] Ryouji Mitsu
    Click to expand...
     
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    • Kagoshima Move, Part 5
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    • [X] Plan Thinning The Herd
    -[X] [Strategy] Stealth and Gunfire. Keep quiet as long as you can, but then don't hesitate to go loud when discovered.
    -[X] [Zone] Anzai Yuuki
    --[X] Ground Floor Shop
    -[X] [Zone] Ryouji Mitsu
    --[X] Upstairs Living Area

    "We'll clear them out at the same time. Take the top floor through the stairs, I'll go at it from the shop itself. I'm thinking they probably haven't done much security for their place, so it shouldn't be too hard to find an entryway in. Don't be afraid to get messy if it's too complicated, we're prioritizing success over discretion."

    "They are thieves of the night, they are arrogant in confidence!" Mitsu agreed with a grin. There was a final nod shared between the two Lycoris, then you and she got to work with quiet runs to dart into cover around the property. Your partner approached the old stairs and quietly stepped up them, gingerly making sure to not accidentally put a foot through the floors.

    (Stair Stealth: 30 +10 (Mitsu) +10 (Stairs) = 50)
    (Noise Alert: 69 -10 (Light Creak) = 59)
    (Hiding: 21 +10 (Mitsu) = 31)

    She almost made the entire way up when the last step creaked and Mitsu's eyes grew wide when she heard an angry voice from inside complaining about cats. She tried to rush for the shadows, but there weren't any ledges on the small platform at the top of the stairs. The door right in her jiggled, then a grumpy looking Scav poked his head out to see the barrel of Mitsu's pistol. "What the-"

    (Towa 14 (Piercing 1): 7 +15 (Mitsu) +10 (Lycoris Graduate) +20 (Close Range) = 52)
    (Scavs (Armor 0): 17 -10 (Scav) -10 (Armor) -7 (Hit) = -10)
    (Alert: 9 -10 (Unsuspecting) -10 (Silent Takedown) = -11)

    Mitsu Towa 14 Ammo: 15/16

    Her pistol fired and pierced the Scav's chest, punching through his flimsy shirt and into his heart. He immediately collapsed, unable to warn his buddies. Mitsu's arm then shot forward and pulled the limp body backwards, shoving it off the side platform and letting it fall to the ground below. It landed with a thump as she caught her breath, eyes wide and ears straining to hear anybody getting suspicious. When nothing came of it, she grimly advanced and found her quarry sleeping in the rooms. It looked like the only one who had noticed her had been that one Scav.

    A few barks of the Lycoris' pistol made sure none of them would wake up.

    (Shop Stealth: 91 +12 (Cool) +10 (Shop Observed) = 113)

    While she had been climbing the stairs, you approached the shopfront and gingerly tested the front door. It pulled open with ease and you grimaced, making a mental note to perhaps install a digital lock for the future along with all the other restorations. Then you pushed in with a focused look, pistol raised while you swept the customer area.

    It was empty, but you could hear somebody chatting away in the adjacent service area. Slowly, you approached as close as you dared and counted three voices within, perhaps making food. You sucked in a deep breath, then swiveled in with the pistol leveled at their heads.

    (Towa 14 (Piercing 1): 90 +10 (Reflex) +12 (Rank 6 Pistol) +20 (Close Range) = 132)
    (Scavs (Armor 0): 34 -10 (Scav) -10 (Armor) -14 (Hit) = 0)

    Yuuki Towa 14 Ammo: 15/16

    Three heads snapped back with perfect holes drilled between their eyes, food still in their mouths while the bodies fell to the ground. You kicked your foot into the sides to make sure they weren't faking it, and pushed on. After a moment, you were sure that the shop was cleared and opened up a line to your partner. "Ground floor, clear."

    "Top floor, all enemies slain," Mitsu reported with a pleased note to her voice. "Twas a hair's length from disaster, but all worked well. Moving to you."

    "Got it." You blinked, then threw yourself to the side when you heard something open. "Hold it, basement coming up!"

    (Hiding: 20 +12 (Yuuki) = 32)

    In hindsight, there was no way you could have totally avoided being noticed, not when there were just three corpses laying right there on the kitchen floor. The Scav emerging from the basement caught sight of them across the room and yelped, clumsily drawing a pistol. "What the hell?!" She muttered and you carefully lined up a shot from the side.

    (Towa 14 (Piercing 1): 5 +10 (Reflex) +12 (Rank 6 Pistol) +10 (Short Range) = 37)

    Yuuki Towa 14 Ammo: 14/16

    Your shot missed and slammed into the wall next to her and you cursed. The Scav's head whipped around to see you and her eyes grew wide. "Holy-"

    Then Mitsu took her shot from the stairs.

    (Towa 14 (Piercing 1): 64 +15 (Mitsu) +10 (Lycoris Graduate) +10 (Short Range) = 99)
    (Scavs (Armor 0): 15 -10 (Scav) -10 (Armor) -14 (Hit) = -19)
    (Alarm: 23 +10 (Concerning Noise) -10 (Silent Takedown) = 23)

    Mitsu Towa 14 Ammo: 14/16

    Your missed shot had been the perfect distraction to turn the Scav's head, making it a wider profile so that your partner could nail her straight in the temple. She crumpled and dropped to the ground with a loud clatter and both Lyocris held their breaths. Then there was a shout from down in the basement. "Stop wasting time up there while I work! Honestly, you lot…" The voice trailed off and it didn't seem like whoever it was didn't want to come upstairs.

    You let out matching sighs of relief with Mitsu and shared nods. Then you frowned, catching something from the end of that sentence. "Work?" You mouthed to Mitsu, who blinked. Then pure panic and alarm came over her.

    "A Scav victim!" She hastily whispered back and you cursed while your partner quickly moved to enter the basement. You followed close behind her and noticed she was menacingly taking off her suppressor. Your emotion detection software calculated that she beyond furious, likely wanting to make an entrance and send a message.

    Which she did by kicking the basement door violently open and taking aim at the Scav bent over the operation table. It was a surprisingly large basement, filled with various crates and ice coolers scattered about. The walls were padded and you recognized them as soundproofing, making anything that happened down here silent to the outside world. But most distressingly, you noticed a familiar looking set of bags to the side and your expression hardened. Those were body bags.

    The Scav looked up from his current 'patient' with a displeased look. "Hey, I told you gonks to stop making that noise-" He cut off and his eyes widened at the sight of a furious Lycoris pointing a pistol at him.

    (Towa 14 (Piercing 1): 1 +15 (Mitsu) +10 (Lycoris Graduate) +10 (Short Range) +10 (Surprise) = 46)

    "You bastard!" Mitsu howled and tried to put a bullet in the Scav Surgeon's skull. But of all the times, her pistol jammed and she stared in shock, along with the Scav at somehow being alive.

    Mitsu Towa 14 Ammo: 13/16

    You attempted to remedy this and fired shots over your partner's shoulder.

    (Towa 14 (Piercing 1): 13 +10 (Reflex) +12 (Rank 6 Pistol) +10 (Short Range) +10 (Surprise) = 55)
    (Scavs (Armor 0): 15 -10 (Scav) -10 (Armor) -7 (Hit) = -12)

    Yuuki Towa 14 Ammo: 13/16

    It was a close thing but you managed to nail him in the inside and he toppled, crashing into his own surgery tools with a loud clatter. Without hesitation, Mitsu was already there and violently slamming her foot into his throat to make sure he didn't get up, for good. "Scum," She spat with vitriol, all the good cheer gone as she looked at you with intense hatred.

    You couldn't blame her, but you needed her to focus. "The victim, are they okay?"

    The flames disappeared from your partner's eyes and she spun around to frantically check. There was indeed a young woman being operated on, looking rather pale and clammy with nothing on her. Parts of her flesh had already been cut into, but her chest was still moving up and down. You anxiously waited for Mitsu's assessment while casting your own look from afar, more focused on keeping an eye out for any unwelcomed surprised.

    (Patient Status: 94 +15 (Intelligence) +5 (Mitsu) +10 (Clean Sweep) = 124)

    "Alive!" She called out with a relieved sigh. "Lots of cuts though, and some of the chrome has been removed already. I think she'll pull through though"

    You let out a matching exhale of relief. Even if there were bodies all about still, at least there was one less corpse tonight. "Good. Try to bandage her up best we can, then maybe I can call Azumi-"

    Both of you froze when there was a rumbling sound, like an engine drawing near, from above. "The other Scavs," You swore and quickly checked your magazine. Still enough bullets. "Stay here, clear your gun! Cover the victim until I give the all-clear."

    Mitsu nodded and quickly began to try and force the jammed pistol clear while you darted back upstairs. The rumbling grew closer and you realized they were parking in the front, at a fairly short distance away. You neatly pressed yourself to the side of a window and tried to listen in as they got out of their vehicle. You frowned when you picked up on the coughed chokes of the vehicle engine, which sounded like it was about to go out at any moment from mechanical failure. Already, it was evident there had been chaos, but not of your making.

    "Literally walked into a crossfire-"

    "Who the fuck thought it was a smart idea to take a right there-"

    "Bunch of stupid gonking students! I call bullshit!"

    "Shut up! They're closing on us, get in and hide it out! With any luck, those two idiots will blame each other!"

    Your eyes narrowed. It sounded like the Scavs were trying to slip between a gang conflict between the Vendetta and the Secondborn Ronin, with plans to use your new home as a place to lie low. Well, it was yours now, and you didn't accept their roommate application. Their footsteps drew nearer, closer, and you inhaled.

    Then you spun out of cover to fire away with barks of your pistol and punching through the already cracked shop windows. This time, you didn't bother with your suppressor, feeling that this had to be the last group of them. Your gunshots rang out and the Scavs were clearly taken by surprise from your attack.

    (Towa 14 (Piercing 1): 84 +10 (Reflex) +12 (Rank 6 Pistol) +20 (Close Range) +10 (Surprise) = 136)
    (Scavs (Armor 0): 95 -10 (Scav) -10 (Armor) -14 (Hit) = 61)

    Yuuki Towa 14 Ammo: 12/16

    Your shots landed among them and there were cries of surprise and pain. One dropped but the others, perhaps still riding an adrenaline high, managed to only get winged or glanced. They quickly scrambled back and dove into their van, intent on using the thing as cover. You frowned and dove back in cover, taking in a deep breath.

    It was fine. You still had better cover than them. To help center yourself, you ejected your pistol magazine and loaded in fresh one, wanting to have a full load for the firefight. Though could it really be called one if it was just you and a few others? That little joke helped put a grim smile on your face and you readied yourself for the draw.

    (Initiative (Yuuki vs Scavs): 82 +10 (Reflex) = 92 vs 73 )

    They may be still hyped on adrenaline, but they weren't cool and professional like you. You neatly slid out and fired before they could pull their pieces out on you. You fired through the van's windshield, trying to hit the ducking Scavs inside.

    (Towa 14 (Piercing 1): 63 +10 (Reflex) +12 (Rank 6 Pistol) +10 (Short Range) -10 (Low Cover) = 85)
    (Scavs (Armor 0): 24 -10 (Scav) -10 (Armor) -14 (Hit) = -10)

    Yuuki Towa 14 Ammo: 11/16

    Your Towa 14 barked in automatic mode and sprayed a narrow stream of bullets that punched through the van's dashboard and into the Scavs. They cried out before becoming limp, collapsing in the seats. You waited a moment and scanned the van, but it seemed like you got them all. You exhaled to let the tension exit your body while you lowered your pistol. "Mitsu. All enemies, taken care of."

    "Gah, just when I finished unjamming?" She complained, but she was obviously glad. "Good. I've tended our guest best I can, she'll need proper aid beyond what we can provide for more."

    "Very well." You frowned when there were shouts from afar with flashlights going about and you sent a message to your partner. "Hold on, keep your head down. Something's happening on the street."

    "Ah, do you need help?"

    "Keep on standby for now, I'm going to listen in." You darted through the door and behind the now-inert van engine. If you had to guess, those unhealthy sounds from earlier were from earlier bullets punching into the machine and now with your own, it had flatlined for good. It might be a bit complicated to fix, but you were relatively confident you could maybe do it.

    Then again, did you really want a cheap white van that used to be a tool for Scav kidnappings?

    You shook your thoughts out of your head as the two groups of voices drew near and risked a peak around the corners. On one side were a bunch of people wearing a mix of corporate wear and school uniforms, matching what you've seen of the Secondborn Ronin so far. Your identification software confirmed it so, with many of the young faces in the group recorded by the police as having strong ties to the gang. They were wielding an amalgamation of bats and pistols with very few real weapons among them. They looked determined, but your eyes could see the underlying nervousness and fear in the confrontation.

    On the other side was a group that couldn't have looked more different. They wore long trench coats over suits with fedoras in dark colors, almost like they had walked straight off a movie set in the dark alleys of Italy. The weapons they carried certainly weren't antiquated though and you had to restrain your inner Lycoris instinct to seize the very illegal weaponry they were carrying around. You observed how cool and collected they all were even in the face of this showdown, with an underlying hint of bloodlust beneath their focus visage.

    The one leading the Vendetta, you focused and scanned in particular. Or rather, you tried to, only to realize with slight shock you couldn't, because they were wearing a mask. An...interesting mask, one that resembled the hooked beak of some sort of avian. You recalled it being used historically for plagues or something like that. Your more pressing issue was that you didn't know who this was.

    Thankfully, you caught the whispers from the Secondborn Ronin that at least knew this one's moniker. "That's La Peste…"

    "The personal Ripperdoc of the Vendetta? No way."

    "What's with the getup?"

    "They say that he's scarred beyond belief from a botch cyberware installation, so he wears something to mask his face."

    "I've heard he can operate on a screaming assassin without anesthesia in a dumpster, if need be. He's good."

    "I do prefer my patients sedated and unfeeling to the procedure, and my preferred operating table is one that is sterile, thank you very much." The masked individual dryly called out and the corporate students tensed up. "Nevertheless, that is neither here or there. Tonight, I am here on personal business and to exact justice."

    "Justice?" One of the Secondborn Ronin came forward, carrying a portable projector akin to those seen in antiquated classrooms. Through the projector screen, the book with a human face that symbolized Pauper flickered to life, their voice echoing through the system. "You trespass on Secondborn Ronin lands with a large amount of killers. How can it be seen anything short of an attempted takeover by the Vendetta?"

    "They? They are simply my patients who've decided rather generously to accompany me tonight. I would have approached alone, with maybe one or two hired hands to help me out. But one thing led to another, and now I've got some of the best hands of the Vendetta here," La Peste smoothly replied and gestured. "But we're not here to take your territory. We're here for vengeance."

    That word seemed to rippled through the assembled Vendetta and there were more than a few eager grins. You gritted your teeth, remembering that despite how noble Mitsu thought of their code, the Vendetta really were in it for a way to sate their bloodlust and just needed the slightest of justifications to pull the trigger. You focused on Pauper and listened in on their response.

    "Vengeance? I am very much unaware of any serious grievances held against us by the Vendetta. If anything, I believe us to be generous." The icon flickered. "We have so gracefully allowed you to operate in the neighborhood on a case by case basis, purging corporate targets who you have taken contracts out on. We have done so despite us having every right to deny your pursuits and move to cooperate with the local security forces."

    "But you know that the moment you go to them, they'll come for you afterwards." The Ripper simply stated and Pauper stayed silent. "So let's not get them involved. Once again, this is a personal thing- I am after whoever klepped Vendetta members in the neighborhood. Simply turn them over, and this can all be nicely resolved."

    "Klepped?" The Fixer asked through the monitor, a hint of surprise leaking through. "You've lost members here too…?"

    La Peste tilted their head. "I see that this is a shared issue."

    "Yes, but as much as I've wanted to track them down, a certain gang's pressure on us has me rushing to focus on getting as metal as possible into the hands of my numerous clients," Pauper electronically growled. "So it seems we both can work together then. Stand down and let us search in our territory-"

    "No." The Vendetta member simply declared and behind him, their patients eagerly flicked safeties off. "We've lost enough here already and can abide no more losses. Let us hunt for the culprit ourselves. It will be much faster."

    "Absolutely not! Not in our lands!" Pauper barked and the students nervously flicked their own safeties off as well. The tension in the showdown was rapidly escalating now, and all it could take is one itchy trigger finger to set it all off.

    You noticed all this while frantically messaging Mitsu. "Quick, send me a picture of the victim we rescued. Also zip open those bags and crates, send me all the pictures!"

    "An odd request, but one I will do so." Moments later, the picture came through and you pushed it through your analytical software, comparing the picture to known profiles in the Kagoshima law database. Moments later, you had a match.

    Name: Futai Erika
    Job: Unemployed (Public)
    Affiliation: Vendetta
    Talent: Brawler

    That had to be one of the kidnapped Vendetta members. A few heartbeats later, then a series of gruesome images featuring a very displeased Mitsu came through. As expected, the bags were bodybags filled with dismembered limbs, heads and torsos. Facial recognition pinged them as a mix of both Vendetta and Secondborn Ronin identities. Then came the harvested cyberware, a mix of both legal and illegal augmentics of both street and corporate make. These also were undoubtedly from the gangs. A picture was being painted now, one that made too much sense.

    The Scavs were kidnapping members of both gangs in the neighborhood and trying to frame both sides. Given their soundproofed basement, there was no chance of them being discovered and the bodies were being properly disposed of through bodybags instead of throwing them in dumpsters to call a day. It was a slick and clever organization, one that set the two gangs at each others throats while the Scavs scored paydays.

    The question now was, did you want to take advantage of this dangerous situation to possibly eliminate one of the two? It'd likely end up being the Secondborn Ronin, but perhaps you could try for a flank of the Vendetta while their backs were turned. You could also call out and introduce yourselves, along with explaining how the entire situation came be. The immediate return of the victim Vendetta would likely immediately prove your story and defuse the situation, and perhaps an offer to return the harvested cyberware. That could earn you a bit of respect from both gangs, a show that you were being very open about your intentions.

    Or...you could tell Mitsu to keep that tucked away. It'd certainly make for a very nice sale under the table, if you could figure it out. After a moment, you sent a message to Mitsu with your decision.

    [ ] [Showdown] Let the two of them fight it out.
    --[ ] Take no sides
    --[ ] Take the side of the Secondborn Ronin
    --[ ] Take the side of the Vendetta

    [ ] [Showdown] Break up the fight with an explanation, and a return of Erika as proof.
    --[ ] Return the harvested chrome to the gangs
    --[ ] Keep the chrome to sell later

    [ ] [Showdown] Call them out and offer to sell them the solution to their situation...for a price.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​
    - Hm, the rolls do seem high, but that's mainly because it's very close range + surprise + Towa firearms are just very accurate guns. I might experiment a bit more, but I'm fine with mostly accurate pistols at closer ranges, especially with your service weapon. At most, maybe just tweak the range bonuses.

    Four hour moratorium to decide a showdown.​
     
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    • Kagoshima Move, Part 6
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    • [X] [Showdown] Break up the fight with an explanation, and a return of Erika as proof.
    --[X] Return the harvested chrome to the gangs

    The tension in the scene was about to reach its apex. On one side, the Secondborn Ronin shakily held onto their assortment of mismatched weapons, many of them perhaps having deep regrets in their eyes about this all. On the other side, the Vendetta coolly raised their weapons into a ready position, eyes narrowing in a mix of focus and anticipation for their lifelong craft. La Peste tugged at their cuffs to roll up the sleeves while Pauper's electronic display began to glow brighter.

    Then a voice called out that had heads snapping and weapons turning to point at the sudden interloper. "Good evening everybody," You calmly called out, holding your service pistol at the ready but pointed into the ground. "Might I have your attention please? Before you all decide to make a mess outside my new home."

    There was a moment of stunned silence, with both gangs exchanging bewildered looks. La Peste tilted their head, the mask concealing any emotion their face was showing while Pauper's digital avatar flickered in a rapid and unsure pattern. You took the opportunity to gingerly open one of the van doors, letting the lifeless Scav body tumble out. "Right here are the culprits for this entire misunderstanding," You quickly explained. "Scavs working in the cracks between you, trying to pin the blame of the missing members on each other. They've had a pretty smooth operation going on here, but we've taken care of that now. So let's put down the weapons and resolve this like mature adults."

    You held your breath, hoping that both sides would at least hear you out further now.

    (Defusing Showdown: 34 +15 (Empathy) +30 (Pointless Conflict) = 79)

    The Secondborn Ronin were first to lower their weapons, perhaps too hastily and gladly. The Vendetta soon followed, albeit with a reluctant and sullen tone to their actions. You let out a sigh of relief and holstered your pistol as a show of trust, tucking it back into your schoolbag. Then La Peste spoke, their mask's glossy eyes locked onto you. "Where are the missing victims?"

    "In the basement, but if you're a Ripper, you might have something better to occupy your attention with." Your eyes lit up and you flicked a message to Mitsu. Barely a few seconds later, then your partner blurred onto the scene, carrying the unconscious Erika in her arms, the faint glow from her spine dissipating with the conclusion of its enhancements.

    The response was immediate from La Peste. "Set her down!" Mitsu glanced your way and you gave a reassuring nod. The Lycoris obliged the Ripper's orders and quickly stepped back when the masked individual suddenly loomed over the former Scav victim. One of their hands split open to reveal an array of surgical tools that immediately got to work on the unconscious patient, prodding and injecting a variety of serums into the pale flesh.

    "Are there any other survivors?" Pauper flatly asked and you solemnly shook your head. There was perhaps something like an exhale into a microphone, but it faded quickly. "I would like to ask permission to enter and retrieve the remains of Secondborn Ronin within. We have a duty to at least inform the next of kin and return the body, or whatever is left."

    "Go ahead and," Your eyes flicked to Mitsu, who looked at you with an expectant look, "Take a look in the crates as well. The stolen cyberware's all there. It was yours in the first place, so go ahead and take them back."

    "...very well." Pauper called out names and some of the Secondborn Ronin stepped up to handle the grim task. They weren't alone.

    "We will also retrieve our stolen dead and our stolen chrome," La Peste declared without looking away from their treatment. A few of their colleagues stepped forward to accomplish the order. "I trust this is only fair."

    "If I can have your word that the Vendetta will cease aggressively pushing into our territories."

    "You have my personal word, though I cannot speak for individuals. I will try to speak to them at least about respecting your boundaries."

    Given how Pauper seemingly accepted response, you guessed that was probably the best answer the Fixer could probably get from the Ripper. The two groups of gangmembers passed you with surprisingly respectful nods and Mitsu handled leading them down to the basement. Soon, bodybags and crates were being carried out of the former Scav Den and returned to the rightful owners. You watched the process with a sense of nostalgia about it all, though there was a bit of regret in there as well. That was a lot of chrome you were returning, you could have sold that at a black market for a nice markup.

    Then you caught sight of Mitsu helping to comfort what appeared to be a grieving Secondborn Ronin and you shook your head. It had been all harvested cyberware, ripped from kidnapped victims of the Scavs. It was just as dirty as blood money. You couldn't in good conscience profit from such cruelty. You had to settle for giving the Scav bodies a look over to see if they had anything worth looting from them.

    (Scav Loot: 7)

    A bunch of chipshards with about a combined 800 eddies on them. That was all you found of value. You sighed, but added the funds to your account regardless. At least you'd likely put it to better use than what the Scavs probably intended to blow it all on.

    +800eb (28400 +800 = 29200)

    There was a prod at your side and you looked up to see Mitsu with a ghost of a satisfied grin. "Tis done. The displaced are home once more."

    La Peste rose with Erika in their arms, whose skin was starting to look much healthier now. "Indeed. Our vengeance is...sated. You have brought righteous justice in our place." There was a slight note of disappointment in it, but they still inclined their head to the two Lycoris. Then both you and Mitsu blinked when contact details popped up in your vision. "Should you ever require the consultation or service of a skilled physician, I am open to scheduling a visit, if you can provide payment. Farewell."

    The Vendetta departed without further delay, carrying their dead and their chrome back home. You watched them go and Mitsu beamed, looking quite pleased. "See? You have witnessed their honor, have you not?" She eagerly told you with an excited expression. "Perhaps it is buried beneath their bloodlust, but it is there!"

    "I suppose they do have a code of honor, bloody as it might be," You admitted, then turned to face the lingering Secondborn Ronin. "How about you all then? Anything you're waiting on?"

    "Only to finish crosschecking the identities against those missing," Pauper explained. After a minute, they were satisfied. "There All missing have now been accounted for. That's another worry off my chest now."

    "One that you wanted to charge us for," You idly reminded and there was a slight hitch in the Fixer's breathing, followed by a reluctant sigh.

    "Indeed, I...apologize for my brusque attitude with you two earlier. I had dismissed you as two idealist vigilantes at best, or reckless students at worst. For that, I am truly sorry." There was a moment of silence to let the words sink in. "It is clear now that I am dealing with two very capable mercenaries of considerable talent. I may have been distracted by the advancing Vendetta as of late, but I can now give you two the proper attention you deserve."

    "Hm." Mitsu's eyes narrowed. "You speak loftily, but with little substance. Your words must be backed with action."

    "I understand." Pauper hesitated for a moment, then made an observation. "You two are new to the city, and in dire need of contacts, business or otherwise. I can help you out there, and I'll introduce you to one for free for both of you. Just swing around the library when you can, tell me what you want, and I'll see what I can do."

    Your eyebrow raised. "That's...not insignificant." For all the shortcomings, Pauper certainly sounded like the type to know good business contacts in the area, maybe even corporate or otherwise. It definitely could be something that could give your dream shop a shot in the leg. "I'll have to think about mine. I don't know if Mitsu would accept the offer though."

    Your partner pressed her lips together, then looked at you.

    (Mitsu's Forgiveness: 12 -20 (Offended Honor) +60 (Partner Trust) = 52)

    Finally, she exhaled and looked at the projection of Pauper's avatar. "Very well! I do not wish to stir trouble in the neighborhood for Yuuki, so I will accept your apology. However, I will demand to use my favor now."

    "Very well. Name it, and I'll see what I can do-"

    "I wish to talk to a Vehicle Dealership of repute!" She slammed a hand on her thigh and nodded firmly. "I yearn for my own means of traveling about the city to deal justice, and it shall be a magnificent steed! Please introduce me to one, and you may consider my blade...available for the right price and duty."

    "A Vehicle Dealership? Hm, I'll talk to some of the Secondborn Ronin, I do believe one or two may have family ties to a good Dealership nearby. I'll send you the details as soon as I get that sorted," Pauper promised and Mitsu nodded, satisfied enough to consider a working relationship now. "If that is all for now, I wish you a good night."

    "Might be a long one with how we have to clean up our new place," You mentioned to your partner and she adopted a matching grimace. "Please tell me that you avoided shooting into where the Scavs were resting, or else we might not even have a futon."

    "At least the tatami is padded?" Mitsu weakly justified and you groaned, already feeling the sore back in the morning from sleeping on the floor without anything to cushion it.

    It was rather curious how you knew you'd get back pain from that instead of from dragging the Scav bodies into bodybags and zipping them up. Mitsu tried to help, but she was clearly uncomfortable with handling corpses compared to you. After watching her try awkwardly to pull a body from the van, you had mercy on her and sent her to just dispose of the ruined bedding. Now that she carried it out, you could see stains beneath the blood on the futons and strongly reconsidered your original plan of sleeping on those.

    That and a myriad of other thoughts ran through your head while you idly bagged the bodies. There was a certain poetic justice to using the bodybags the Scavs had been using for their victims to clean them up, but the question now was what you wanted to do with the bodies themselves. There was always the tried and true option of tossing them in the dumpster and praying nobody looked, but that seemed quite wasteful.

    You supposed you could also turn the bodies in to Shinohara Securities for proper disposal, thought it seemed more likely that said bodies would vanish to be used for Arasaka research projects. At least you'd likely be paid for the bodies then, through whatever cyberware they pulled from the corpses. But then there was a way you had been specifically taught in, a little odd lesson given to Lycoris cleaners as an emergency alternative to incineration.

    Corpse recycling. You could take a corpse, add in a very specific ratio of chemicals and other reagents, then let the mixture get to work. Organic mass would be broken down and turned into something akin to fertilizer, though cyberware would unfortunately be severely damaged in the process so you couldn't harvest those for profit any longer. It was a procedure you were trained in but didn't fully understand enough to tweak, at least not without pursuing studies in chemistry.

    Aside from the bodies, there was also the damaged shophouse in itself that needed repairs. You gave it a quick assessment and concluded it definitely need restoration work outside just patching up the bullet holes from tonight. The Scavs hadn't exactly kept the place in great condition and you needed to fix what they had either trashed or let fall into ruin. You'd have to do this before even thinking about opening a shop for customers, unless you were confident your product could convince others to ignore the very crude and obscene graffiti.

    Finally, there was the van that had been shot up. You peaked under the hood and nearly wanted to write it off entirely. It was a bleeding and leaking mess, and you'd have a lot of repair work to do if it was ever going to be running again. Perhaps it'd be better to just sell the entire thing for scrap now, though if you did manage to repair the engine and patch up the body damage, there would certainly be more value. Or you could keep it for yourself to help with your business, it'd certainly eliminate your public transit fares and replace it with fuel purchases.

    You closed the cover back with a shake of the head and paused. There was somebody standing awkwardly in front of your new home, a small mountain of futons and other assorted bedding covering their face. You approached slowly and raised your voice. "Hello?'

    "A-ah! Are you...Yuuki?" A bespectacled face poked her head around the cotton pile. "This is for you!"

    "For me?"

    "Y-yes. From Pauper." Your eyebrows shot up and you realized the Fixer may have overheard your remark to Mitsu about the ruined futons. "They...they said it's a welcoming gift. Er...do you want it?'

    You studied the gift and was immediately impressed. It was top shelf corporate products, looking damn-near immaculate and fluffy. Already, in your mind's eye, you could imagine Mitsu dive-bombing into one of these with a happy squeal. Though you paused and decided to quickly check through the stuff in detail, much to the girl's confusion.

    (Bug Hunting: 44 +14 (Tech) = 58)

    It was clean of any listening devices, so far as you could tell, and you let out a relieved sigh. "We'll take it," You declared and lifted it from her arms. "Pass Pauper our thanks."

    "N-no worries!" She sputtered and your facial software idly activated in your opticware.

    Name: Sawashiro Ayaka
    Job: Librarian Assistant
    Affiliation: Secondborn Ronin
    Talent: Actress

    Your lips twitched and you nodded. "Have a good night."

    "H-have a good night!" The unknowing unveiled Fixer replied and departed, leaving you to finally settle in to your new home and life beyond Lycoris.

    To be continued
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​
    - I'll have the continuation up soon, but seems fitting to cap off your little prologue. Hope everybody's ready to get into what the meat of the quest is going to be like, living week to week in this fun setting!
     
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    • April 1.0, 2080
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    • Darkness.

    That was all you saw after you shifted a body about and there was an ominous click.

    You knew you were awake and tried to open your eyes. You thought you did, but still, you saw nothing. Your body ached and burned all over, but it was the lack of vision that truly sent a chill down your spine. You could feel your hand moving about in panic, trying to grab a hold of something, anything-!

    A soft hand grasped yours and you let out a sharp gasp from a breath you didn't even know you had been holding. Finally, your lips vocalized the question that leapt to the front of your mind. "Where...where am I…?"

    "The medical ward back in Lycoris HQ," A young voice soothingly reassured and you felt the tension from your shoulders evaporate. "Please don't panic. You've just had shrapnel pulled out from all over your body."

    "A-ah. That body...it was bobby-trapped, wasn't it?" You shakily asked with a nervous laugh. "That was pretty dumb of me to not check."

    "Maybe, but it's not your fault. It's those who just want to do nothing but make others hurt." The unknown girl told, squeezing your hand. "You're fine, okay? Nothing's going to hurt you anymore."

    "Okay." You sucked in a deep breath, then asked the big question. "I can't see. My eyes, are they…?"

    "...I'm sorry. They couldn't save your eyes."

    "Oh." Your hand suddenly lost all strength and fell limp as you stared at...nothing. "I..I see. Or rather, I can't," You joked, but there was a slightly hysterical note to it, like you were standing on the edge of some great abyss that was a bottomless and you were going to fall-

    Suddenly your mind blossomed into a dizzying array of beautiful colors when something was abruptly shoved under your nose. Just a simple sniff and you felt at ease, the panic quickly dying down. You took in a deep breath and inhaled the floral scent. "This is…"

    "Just a normal daisy I plucked from outside. Sorry!" Whoever it was cheerfully replied and you couldn't help it. You smiled and let the aroma lift your up from a dark place. "Oh, is it that time already? Sorry, I have to get going, but I promise I'll bring you a better flower next time!"

    "I'm looking forward to it," The words tumbled from your lips and you could feel the radiant grin coming your way, like the sun. Then whoever it was left your side, leaving only the flower behind.

    You held it close and let the smells guide you back to a restful slumber….

    The smell of something greasy roused you from your sleep and you groggily blinked awake, feeling the muted rays from the sun warm your face. You sat up in the comfortable futon and rubbed at your opticware, letting the system reboot itself while you nimbly got dressed. The nightwear was tossed onto the futon as you lacked a dresser or hamper to store it in and you sighed, making a mental note to look into buying that and some other furniture for your room.

    Perhaps after you patched up the bullet holes in the walls of the former Scav Den.

    The smell of food was coming from downstairs and you trudged down to see your partner digging into what looked like a plate of takeout. She noticed your descent and waved a set of chopsticks at covered plate. "Morning!" Mitsu tried to say through a mouthful of food. "Breakfast!"

    "Good call. I don't try anything that's been in that fridge. In fact, we better throw the entire thing out, it doesn't look airtight." You grabbed a set of chopsticks and opened up your own serving. It was some heavy mix of sausages, potatoes, and bacon that you poked and nibbled at. "Tasty, but isn't it a bit too much for the morning? What even serves this sort of food around here?"

    Mitsu beamed and swallowed in one go to make sure you could hear her speak. "I traveled to experience an English pub! Twas a journey, but nothing a good jog can't fix!" She eagerly scooped up another portion to chew, likely famished from the aforementioned jog.

    You weren't so hungry on account of not having gone on such a run. You ate a few more courtesy bites before setting your chopsticks down and washing the oil down with some bottled juice. "Right then. Let's review what needs to be done."

    "Mmh!"

    "First of all, this place absolutely needs to be cleaned up." You glanced about and wrinkled your nose. "We are definitely not going to be living like Scavs. I can probably patch up most of this stuff with some time, then it's just a deep clean job. You can help me on that."

    Mitsu nodded, so you continued. "Next, we need furniture. The futons Pauper gave us were nice, but we need proper tables, seats, dressers, and whatever else. We'll have to go furniture shopping."

    "Oh Leave that to me!" Your partner spoke between vigorous chewing. "Found some intriguing merchants on my jog. I'll return to browse their wares."

    You considered it before nodding. "Fine. Could I trouble you to also grab some regular groceries? Not that there's anything wrong with takeout now and then, but we just can't splurge on every meal."

    "Very well! I shall collect a tithe of rice!'

    "Please don't stick up a supermarket," You dryly requested and sighed, chewing your lip. "Then I definitely have to think about what to do with the Scav bodies, they'll begin to rot soon enough in a week or so even with coolers. For that, maybe a visit to one of our new contacts would be a smart idea.

    "Then there's also looking into fixing up the van or scrapping it for parts, thinking about getting a business license, maybe hitting the books to learn something-" You let your head fall onto the counter with a quiet slam and sighed. "...being an adult is suddenly a lot of jobs and responsibilities."

    There was silence and you peaked to see Mitsu actually looking contemplative, having exhausted her plate of food. She thought on your words for a bit before nodding reassuringly. "One thing at a time, partner!" She told with a grin. "And it's freedom to do what you want, so if you don't want to do it, just do something else! You can always come back to it later if you really want."

    "Unless it's time-sensitive like the rotting bodies in the back," You reminded and Mitsu winced. But her talk did pep you up and you straightened yourself up, feeling a bit more determined now. "Even then, we can handle what comes our way, one thing at a time. We just can't waste too much time, or else our accounts will be zero before long!"

    "Agreed! We mustn't waste anything!" She cheered, then glanced at your mostly untouched plate of food. You rolled your eyes and pushed it to her with a smile. While Mitsu eagerly dug in, you began to make your plans on how you wanted to spend the first week of being an adult Lycoris Graduate.

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

    Shop Setup
    -[ ] [Shop Setup] Fix up the Shophouse: This place is an absolute mess, between the poor maintenance over time and the firefight to reclaim it. You'll need to put in some serious time to try and put things back together from the upstairs living area to the underground basement.

    -[ ] [Shop Setup] 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.

    -[ ] [Shop Setup] Install new Electronics: Whatever you plan on opening, it's going to require a complete overhaul of the service and customer areas. From installing new cooling systems to replacing broken television screens, it'll be a necessary expense with you spending some time wiring it all up.

    -[ ] [Shop Setup] Finalize Paperwork: If you want to have a business recognized by the city of Kagoshima, you'll need to fill out the appropriate applications and paperwork at the city hall. This likely will come with its own set of fees and other undisclosed expenses, including a monthly license upkeep tax. But it'll nail down exactly what your business is for sure.

    -[ ] [Shop Setup] Advertise Word: Go spreading fliers and putting up posters of your new venture 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.

    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.

    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 fresh faces or have magical encounters.

    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.

    -[ ] [Miscellaneous] Dump the Bodies: Forget doing anything with the bodies, they're a dead end. Toss them into the dumpster and let the city's disposal system take care of it for you.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​
    - Keep in mind that the timescale of a 'turn' is essentially a week. For simplification, every month is four weeks.
    - Mitsu is off doing her own thing while you do yours. She'll know to call you if trouble pops up that she can't handle, and you might see her if you happen to share an activity.

    Four hour moratorium to come up with a life plan.​
     
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    • Scheduled vote count started by Celeshiro on Nov 29, 2023 at 2:30 AM, finished with 9 posts and 6 votes.
    • [X] Plan Getting the Shop Set Up
      -[X] [Shop Setup] Fix up the Shophouse
      -[X] [Shop Setup] Install new Electronics
      -[X] [Shop Setup] Finalize Paperwork
      -[X] [Shinohara Securities] Visit the Office
      [X] Plan Settle In
      -[X] [Shop Setup] Fix up the Shophouse
      -[X] [Shop Setup] Install new Electronics
      -[X] [Shinohara Securities] Visit the Office
      -[X] [Secondborn Ronin] Visit the Pauper
      [X] Plan I Have No Money And I Must Work
    Click to expand...
     
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