No feelings. That was one of the first things they taught us.
No connections. No feelings. Only trust through mutual interests.
I didn’t have the heart to tell Judy off. Though I’m not sure if I could. Not because her plan was crap and I didn't have the heart to say so, but because of what the plan represented.
As I got out of my car, a thought occurred to me. I remembered back to about 2067, being told to help instruct a group of Indies. People from the Vegas Plex, volunteers. Kids, mostly. Myself included, to be blunt about it. They were trying to train up a militia in the style of the old American Minutemen, and they turned to Arasaka, of all corps, to help train them. 'God Bless the Free,' their motto was… We used to joke it was actually 'God Help the Free."
It’s just a few months, they said. They’ll bump you from corporal to sergeant, they said… Of course, about a year later, I got word that the entire garrison was wiped out in a single carpet bombing.
Six months, it was. Not a few. And for all that effort, not a single one of them got to so much as see a transport to the front line, much less fire a round in anger. It was, quite literally, nothing more than a massive waste of time.
Then again with Jackie… I tried. Tried to see him through to the finish line, but I couldn't do that, either…
Fuck it…
In a way, I guess I’m afraid that’ll happen again now. Judy says she wants to take over Clouds. Alright, fine, that’s not what worries me. What worries me is what’ll happen should she succeed. Without the Mox’s direct involvement, these dolls will be slaughtered wholesale for this. The Tyger Claws may be just a bunch of Yakuza LARPers, but they won’t hesitate to remove someone’s head in the name of ‘honor.’
“All feelin’s aside, V, you gotta admit that this plan’s got more holes in it than Jig-Jig Street,” Johnny said as I headed inside.
“I’m aware, Johnny.”
“Then why bother helpin’ out at all?” he scorned, “Just leave ‘em to their fate. Take Judy with you, but the rest, nah, lost causes.”
“Because, all personal feelings aside, they’re gonna do it with me or without me. At least if I’m there, it just might give them all a better chance.”
These people better be ready… I suppose I’ll get my answer soon.
“Hey, V,” a guy answered the door after I knocked, “It’s me, Tom. ‘Member? VIP booth?”
“Tom… Oh, right,” it took me a minute, “You’re the one up by that bar at Clouds, I think?”
“Mhm, what you did that day woke a lot of us up,” he spoke sincerely, “Figured we’d make ourselves useful. C’mon, pizza’s gettin’ cold.”
Alright, that’s a good start. A motivated crew is certainly important.
“V, glad you came,” Judy smiled at me as I rounded the corner, “Take a seat, help yourself. Oh, this is Roxanne, by the way. She’s worked at Clouds longer than any of us.”
“Pleasure,” I greeted her, taking a seat on her left, “I’m V, nice to meet you.”
“Man, Judy told us so much about you,” she exclaimed, “What you did at Clouds… I wish I wasn’t off that day.” Great, an idealist…
“Just eat the free pizza and we’re outta here, okay?” Johnny shouted from the back of the room.
“You and Evelyn were close?” I asked Roxanne, eating a slice in almost a single bite immediately after.
“Mm, She was supposed to be long-gone. The one who got away. But when she showed up back at Clouds… I was kind of glad to see her back,” she murmured, “That make me a gonk?”
“No, I think it just makes you caring,” I smiled at her, “What about you, Tom? How’re things going?”
“Going okay, I guess… But ya know, sad as hell…”
“I know.” It’s only been a month, the wounds are still sore. Poor guys. I definitely know the feeling…
“Maiko?” I called out, startled by the bathroom door opening and revealing that classy fur blazer-clad woman walking out. Fuck, I forgot about her…
“You’ll never get rid of the stench of the corpse…” Maiko callously mulled before looking at me, “You drop a lot of ‘em, don’t you? What’s your secret?”
“It’s just that, a secret,” I grinned back at her, “But if you come real close, I’ll plant it in your ear.”
“Ahem,” Judy interjected, “If we’re all done sayin’ hello to each other, revolution won’t plan itself.” She shot a deep, long glare at Maiko, one she wore since Maiko uttered the word ‘corpse.’ I could hardly blame her. Maiko was clearly just riling Judy up on purpose. Hopefully she has more brains than tact; I could sense that Judy was closer to sucker-punching her otherwise.
“So tell us the plan then, genius,” Maiko shot back at her ex.
“Hmph…” Judy groaned, taking center-stage at the table, “I’ve modified the behavioral chip. It can equip any doll with a motor reflex system – in other words, make the doll move and fight like a preem-tier solo.”
“Mm, fascinating, isn’t it?” Maiko uttered sarcastically while lighting up a cigarette, “What one can learn while tuning fake orgasms for the Mox.”
“Mind steppin’ outside?” Judy scowled, “Can’t smoke in here.”
Maiko just rolled her eyes, as if Judy’s words were so ridiculous that some fucking kid said them as a joke. “You’ll air it out later.” Judy didn’t budge, simply standing her ground with her jaw trembling. “Fine… I’ll go sit by the window.”
Judy brushed her off, subtly flipping her off as she walked over to the couch on the far side of the room. “The body’ll react as if it’s executing a well-trained series of movements. Already tested it on Tom. Chip’s impulses supplant any natural reflexes, so it’ll feel like the user’s experiencing cyberpsychosis.”
“But it’s basically the same as when we activate ourselves for a client,” Tom elaborated.
“And you did this… how?” I asked Judy.
“Learned how the behavioral chip worked at Clouds. Kinda surprised it didn’t occur to me ‘til now.”
“Be glad you didn’t,” Maiko interjected, “Tyger Claws would remove ‘em with screwdrivers before they let an idea like this catch on.”
“Hm… And this tech has no downsides at all? I don’t buy it,” I said critically.
“Well, there is one…” Judy mulled, “Combat mode initiates whenever it perceives a threat… And there’s no way to turn it off. Can’t find a workaround.”
“Wait, so what, they’d attack some kid…?” I paused, “That can’t be all there is to it.”
“I can work out the bugs, but that’ll take months of research and test subjects, we just don’t have that kinda time,” Judy said frankly, “You killin’ Woodman put Clouds on the back foot. We got no choice but to capitalize on that.”
“Alright, well, you want me to be up-front with you, Jude?”
“Course, ‘s why I brought you here,” she half-smiled at me.
“I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but this will only get you so far. Technique is just one part of it. You need to learn to read an opponent’s body language, think two steps ahead of them. All you’ve done is taught their bodies how to react, but not their minds to think about how to react. There’s gonna be a disconnect there.”
“Alright, so, whatcha think we can do about that?” Judy shrugged, “I told ya, we just don’t have the time.”
“Hmmh…” I hummed to myself, “Well, let’s see what you got first, Tom.”
“What, like a spar?” he asked me, standing up and walking to the other side of the table.
“Yes. If you can floor me, I’ll apologize and retract any more questions. Deal?”
“Heh, alriiiight…” he smiled, doing a few warmup stretches and loosening his knuckles a little. Good start, won’t break his hand or fingers that way. The odd-colored lighting cast him in neon colors, accentuating the brights of his eyes in the blacklight. On the surface he seemed quite comfortable. But that was only skin-deep.
Interesting… Stance he took seemed straight out of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Tight fingers but a more closed grip on the palms. He’ll be expecting a head-on assault, judging by his posture. Leaning back slightly, away from the fight. He was cocky and scared.
“Just don’t fuck up my pad,” Judy insisted as I stalked Tom, “I gotta live here when you’re gone.”
–
“さあ、トム [Come on, Tom],” V muttered as she gently probed his defenses, opening with a feint right-hook that immediately brought his arms up. “くすぐったいか [Aw, are you ticklish]?” She taunted, keeping her palms open and ready to catch any follow-up attack.
“Only on weekends,” he laughed it off. Tom’s brain was racing at a million miles a minute. Before him stood a woman who single-handedly cut down Woodman like the trash he was, and he knew first-hand how formidable that sick bastard could be. How hard he could hit. And after he wandered into Woodman’s office and found his corpse, entrails and limbs scattered all over the place, he couldn’t help but be awestruck and utterly terrified all at once. A feeling which resurfaced here as well.
Another attack in the exact same place – and yet another feint. He easily countered it by shifting his body weight to his left leg, prepping for a grab on a fist that never came. She just seemed so calm by all this… Jaded, perhaps?
Tom threw the first real punch, trying his best to make it before V could get a hold of him. With his weight over his left foot, he was able to provide good power behind it as well, his muscles’ natural inhibitors removed by the dollchip in his brain. Any faster and he knew he’d risk tearing.
Yet he hit nothing but air. How?
It’s… it’s like her arms moved unnaturally fast. She definitely had some wicked cyberware, Tom thought to himself. Which was only appropriate, certainly given her stature and how much Judy hyped her up. If she was holding her sword, his head would’ve been on the floor from that move. Then he’ll have to adjust his strategy to account for her speed…
V could see his attacks coming before he even put his plan into motion. In that instant, she was more concerned with how to teach him versus how to show off. There’s no point in that – the Tyger Claws would’ve been far more ruthless. She couldn’t dial herself down one drop, otherwise what would be the point of someone like Tom fighting? Yet she couldn’t just sucker-punch him and lay him out, either, otherwise his whole team would be demoralized.
No, she had another idea.
Tom was liable to throw a follow-up left, so she countered by pursuing his right fist back with her left, bringing his arms up close. But by the time he went to block, it was already too late. Her fist had struck his chin so quickly that his brain didn’t even register that there was an incoming strike. The dollchip tried its best to compensate for her speed, but it was not quick enough with adjusting stances on the fly.
–
The shock of the unprotected impact immediately sent Tom to the ground despite me going easy on him. I didn’t want to hurt him, of course. “That’s your weakness,” I explained as he rubbed his chin and checked to make sure all his teeth were still in-place, “Your technique is fine. But you’re too slow to adapt to an unexpected move. Are you okay?”
“Yeah… foo… yeah,” he muttered.
“Good,” I smiled before turning back around and facing Judy, “Look, I know what you’re trying to do here. But the simple fact is that you cannot teach this stuff in a single night. Tyger Claws won’t be coming at you with fists. They’ll come with firearms and swords, in force and significant numbers. This isn't a pizza party. You have to train every single day, do you understand me?”
Stolen story; please report.
“Yeah…” Tom shook his head and sat up, “I’m good… Let’s go again! Gotta learn this sometime, right?”
“You sure?” I furrowed my brow, extending a hand to help him up off the ground.
“Mm, think I got this…” he accepted my courtesy and pulled himself up using me as an anchor, “Let’s go again!”
“Alright…” I grinned.
Try and go for the left feint attack this time– Oh! Oh, nice… He’d already started moving his hand before I’d even committed to it, so by the time mine was in position, he had already grabbed my bicep and heaved me over. I could’ve countered by reeling myself in and giving him a swift punch to the temple, but I figured I’d let him have this one, build up his confidence.
Tom tucked himself inside of me and grabbed my right arm, pulling me to the right using his body as a fulcrum before shoving me onto the couch, slamming the back of my head into the wall. Impressive technique – if he commits to learning the fundamentals, he’ll actually be quite good with that chip of his.
“You alright, V?” Judy came rushing over to me, kneeling down in front of me like a concerned sibling.
“Mm, I gotta say that I’m impressed, Judy,” I smiled, “A deal’s a deal, then. I apologize.”
“Nah, you don’t gotta apologize for anythin,” she shook her head, “We need you to help us out. Can you teach us the basics?”
“Yeah, V,” Tom said worriedly, itching the back of his head where he fell down, “Think it’s a good idea to be as prepped as we can.”
“Mhm, agreed,” Roxanne nodded from my left, Johnny appearing and resting himself on the wall beside her.
“Don’t tell me you’re gonna put yourself through that for these whores, not after your little speech,” Johnny fired back, “Fuck, you are, aren’t you…”
“Alright, then Judy – you got a helluva team. Chick with a big-ass sword, two muscleheads, and a techie. What’s next?” Maiko chimed in.
Judy sat on the coffee table, taking one more look at me as if she was seeking my approval or something. “Guards and Tyger Claws we’ll overpower. V can help tune the chip, send out a soft package to ‘em usin’ Tom’s telemetry. Then they take down and escort the guards out, Clouds’ll be ours. Give the bosses an ultimatum – a cut of the proceeds in exchange for never showin’ their faces at the club again. And no say in how we run it.”
“Mmh, just as I thought, a half-baked, insane plan,” Maiko criticized, “Could never see more than an inch ahead of you. You know V’s right? Claws’ll just take it right back. You need to go after Hiromi Sato.”
“Hiromi Sato?” I interrupted, “Who’s that?”
Maiko took a puff of her smoke and dipped the ashes on Judy’s floor. “Clouds’ real boss. He rarely shows his face. But you can’t so much as sneeze without him findin’ out. Clouds trust him, respect his opinion. We can try and convince him but… it’s doubtful. Do better by injectin’ a dose of fear.”
A dose of fear… I can certainly do that. “Alright, where is he?”
“His apartment is the penthouse of Megatower H8. Topmost floor. Almost never steps outside its glass walls.” Then I know where I’m going…
“Hm…” I thought out-loud, “This just might work. Especially if we intimidate him in his own home. Means there’s nowhere safe from the Mox’s reach. And he’ll know we mean business.”
“My my, a flickerin’ in that sponge of yours after all,” Maiko grinned.
“So how ‘bout it, everyone?” Judy raised her voice a little, “Opinions? Tom? Roxanne?”
“I… I need to think about it,” Roxanne confessed, “Never wasted anyone before…” Certainly something to be proud of in this city.
“I’m in it all the way,” Tom said cheerfully, “I’ll be in the bathroom. But when I come out, it’s round three, alright, V?”
“Alright…” I sighed.
“V?” Judy looked toward me… Fuck… headache…
“A promise is a promise, Judy,” I smiled at her, “I said I’d help, and I will.”
“Thanks,” Judy said sincerely as Maiko got up off the couch and tossed the cigarette butt out the window, phasing through Johnny by mistake.
“Save the gratitude for later,” she mumbled, walking towards the door, “I’ll set up the meet with Hiromi. Should be a couple days. Suggest you four spend it training.”
“Maiko, hold up, gimme a lift?…” Roxanne shouted, running out the door after her… Ugh… headache’s getting worse…
“Hooo shit… I’m scared, V…” Judy said under her breath in case Tom was listening, “Hey, uh… you okay?”
“Mm… It’s the Relic,” I groaned, “Tell Tom to come back in the morning.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure…” she quickly got up and knocked on the bathroom door as my head suddenly started screaming… just… screaming…
“...I hurt her?” I heard Tom’s voice…
“No, no… just… needs a rest… Can come… tomorrow…”
“…kay, I’ll… back later…”
“Scream…”
Jackie…? Jackie, it’s happening again…
I… I can’t hear you anymore, Jackie…
“V?!” Judy’s voice rang like a bell, “V, look at me, what do you need? What can I do?!”
“It’s… it’s the Relic…” I muttered… “I t-told you it’s k-killing m-me…”
“And this is what’s happening?!”
“Yeah…”
“Fuck…” she looked around frantically before sitting next to me, “We– We need to get you to, uh– to a hospital, or a ripper, somethin’…”
“Tried it already…” I panted heavily, “It’s passing already… I’m okay…”
“Like shit you are,” Judy shot back, “I know that look in someone’s eyes… Fuck, did we do this…”
“No, nothing like that,” I reassured her, sitting back up, “See? Already getting better…”
“V…” she reached out for my hand… I wasn’t… Should… Should I… “V, it’s okay… Here, lay down on the couch and get some sleep, okay? You’re tired as hell… I’ll bring a blanket…”
She gently caressed my head, lowering me slowly onto a pillow. “Mm…” I moaned… she felt so warm…
“I’m gonna take your sword and move it, is that okay?” she whispered as I closed my eyes. All I could do was nod… “Okay… It’ll be in the bedroom when you wake up, on my makeup desk…”
I definitely needed more Judy in my life, that’s for sure… No matter how this turned out, this was sincere… She saw that I was dying… Yet she’s still letting me sleep in her home…
Mom… Dad… I miss you guys…
–
“Mmuurrggghh…” The room kept on spinning… Where… Where am… oh… Judy’s place… “Judy…?”
No answer…?
Hmph… Oh, she texted me…
“Mornin, sleepin beauty! Hope you got enough rest. Had to run and pick up Tom so I made you some coffee and breakfast, eat up”
…Okay, yeah, I’m calling it now, I’m marrying this woman.
Alright, let’s do some stretching…Or, better yet… I never actually got a very good look at the rest of her apartment. Last time I was here was the… well, with Evelyn and… yeah.
“Here, check this shit out,” Johnny called my attention over to a desk resting against the far wall, chock full of old computer parts and a half-built drone. “Chick’s got taste, that’s for sure. Place looks like a fuckin’ antique museum.”
“Heh, guess you’ll fit right at home here.”
“Or you,” he replied, “Seems like you’re makin’ yourself right at home with her, huh?”
“I don’t remember you making me breakfast…” I scoffed back. Speaking of which…
Aww, isn’t that adorable, a ham and cheese sandwich with a black coffee… She certainly knows how to make a girl feel special. And it’s not bad, either… Fresh coffee always hits the spot in the morning. Wonder what else she has in here, anyway…
“Oh…?” I muttered out-loud to myself, eyeballing some diving equipment tucked away in the bedroom. “Interesting…”
“Don’t need to be an expert to tell the gear’s pro,” Johnny remarked, “Check it out. Air tanks, sealed suits, chick means biz.”
“Mm…” I pondered, “Wonder what she’s looking for…?”
There wasn’t exactly much to see around here. Go diving in the bay and the only items you’re liable to find are old tires and scuttled boats. Maybe she’s one of those urban explorer types…? Nah, plenty of that to go around above sea level. Well, I haven’t got a clue…Pretty cool regardless, though.
“What’re your thoughts on this whole debacle?” I asked him as I headed off to the bathroom.
“Short answer or the full deets?”
“Please, Johnny, you know me well enough by now…”
“Alright,” he nodded, “I think this is a big-ass waste of our fuckin’ time. We wanted Evelyn cause she was supposed to help us with the Relic. Pinched that pretty fuckin’ good. And we got Hellman and look how that shit turned out. We’re runnin’ out of options and instead of doin’ your job, you’re sat on Judy’s toilet ponderin’ how best to fleece some fuckin’ rent-a-mobster. Shit’s a fuckin’ side gig at best. And you’re gonna help these people try and get good at fighting? That’s a joke and you know it.”
“Yeah, I can’t really disagree with you…” I silently conceded.
“Then why bother even doin’ it? At the very least, we should be gettin’ more gigs left, right, and center cause you never know when the next opportunity’s gonna strike, and we need every advantage we can get.”
“Maybe so…” I considered his words carefully, “But I owe Judy this much, at least.”
“Why? Sure, you could make the argument for Panam, but Judy did you no favors.”
“I dunno… I like her,” I shrugged flatly, “And I’m sick and tired of not making any sort of difference in people’s lives. If I can do–”
“Please, not make a difference?” he harshly shot back at me, “Look around you. This world fuckin’ sucks. It’s uncaring, brutal, and violent. And you won’t make a fuckin’ dent in it by playin’ nice.”
“So what’s your alternative, then? Plant another bomb or something?”
“Nah, my alternative’s just to stop livin’ on some fuckin’ fantasy island where good deeds triumph over evil. It’s so full of crap and you know it. You know what triumphs over evil, is a Malorian in one hand and a middle finger raised up on the other.”
“And how’d that work out for you, genius? Or did you forget that your handcannon didn’t so much as dent Smasher’s armor?”
“And a sword is better?” he retorted, pacing around the room like a frantic tiger, “You know that shit’ll just bounce off him too. No matter how fancy you make your sword, his armor’ll be fancier.”
“Yeah, well, that’s a far way off anyway,” I groaned, “Unless he decides to break into Judy’s apartment, he’s not my problem.”
“He will be once he sees you gunnin’ for Mikoshi.”
“Johnny, I already told you, I’m not going for Mikoshi because I’m not interested in being soulkilled.”
“Might not have a choice. Cause I’m willin’ to bet you every ed you have that Hanako’s gonna recommend you to get soulkilled anyway. And where’ll that leave you.”
“Right, well, I’m gonna go grab the rest of my coffee,” I grumbled, standing up and flushing the toilet, “Can you do me a favor and just not bitch to me about dying for a little bit? I’m trying to be in a better mood before they come over.”
“Whatever, not like you’re gonna listen anyway…” he said curtly before disappearing as I washed my hands and headed outside… Fuck. Guess I did ask him for his opinion. In retrospect that was probably a bad idea. Although the Relic’s not exactly the easiest thing in the world to ignore. Blah… Let’s just go get some fresh air before Judy comes back…
“Sorry, Johnny,” I muttered as I leaned up on the fire escape railing, “I guess I’m just pissed because… Well let’s face it, you’re right, we’re running out of options.”
“Mm,” he thought to himself, “Anything else?”
I sighed and took a second to collect myself a little. “Yeah… I guess I’m just not looking forward to instructing these people. Because you and I both know they’ll just be mowed down by machine gun fire in seconds. I’m just not capable of doing enough, not in this timeframe…”
“But that’s not your responsibility, it’s Judy’s. Her idea,” he stated plainly.
I could feel my whole body tensing up like a taut rubber band. “It feels like mine… just… that I’ll be the one training them, and it won’t be enough…”
“Hmph, fuck me, that’s selfish,” he grunted, all irritated at my remark.
“What? Why?”
“Because you’re shoulderin’ every little thing they do yourself. As if they can’t think or act on their own without you bein’ there to help ‘em out.”
“No, that’s… that’s not what I meant–”
“Fuck off with that,” he interrupted, “Now I dunno what the fuck corpo life taught you but the way the world works is that you wanna get on stage, you gotta face the music. These people don’t need your pity, they just need your advice. Fuck me, no wonder you were a shit instructor…”
He’s an asshole. But he’s right… I can’t be this emotional about all this crap. They’re grown-ass people, they can make whatever decisions they want…
Heh. Speak of the devil, look who’s pulling into the parking lot… Alright, V, you got this… Just relax and give them honest, valuable input… Fuck me, it’s been a while since I’ve done anything like this…
“You even know what you’re doin’?” Johnny asked me with an eyebrow raised.
That part is simple enough. “Yeah, I just do the exact opposite of what my mother did when she was instructing me… Easy.”
–
“Faster.”
“Mom… I can’t feel my shoulder…”
“Mmh…” she grunted, pressing her hand deep into my right shoulder and loosening the tense muscle fibers, “You did not stretch adequately.”
“I’m sorry…”
“No,” she said sternly, “You know better than to apologize to me. Apologize to yourself. You are better than this. You know it, and I know it. Either do what you take pride in, or stop wasting your own time.”
“I–” I stopped myself from apologizing again, silently grabbing the bokutō and presenting it in front of me…
…
…Was she really that bad, or am I misremembering… I can’t even remember her voice… I can’t remember the training I did for years at a time… My body knows it implicitly, but my brain…?
…
“You are fifteen years old. You know this.”
“Mom…”
“No. Tell me why you choose to fight.”
“Because… B-Because…”
“Don’t think.”
“It makes me… who I am. Happy…”
“It does not.”
“I’m sorry… I…”
“S***.”
“I… I don’t… I don’t know what I want anymore…”
“And that is why you are considering going to Arasaka?”
“What?! H-how–”
“No.”
“Mom, please, I–”
“Stop it, S******.” She leveled her odachi at my head, the massive sword taller than me by nearly a full shaku. “Get up.”
“Mom… I…”
“Speak.”
“I… I don’t k-know what to say anymore…”
“Hmph…” she grunted again, hiking the odachi up and fluidly sliding it into its sheath, “Meet me inside.”
“Mom–”
“And take that armor off. It is unbecoming of someone within Arasaka’s ranks.”
Unbecoming…
“Earn it…”
…
I’m sorry, Mom, Dad… I tried. I did what I could to make a difference. But it feels like, no matter how much I push myself, it just…
I tried so hard…
“Scream…”
Mom…?
“Scream until you are heard…”
…
“I’m scared…”
“S**********, look at me.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing anymore…”
“I know. But you will honor your commitments.”
“What…? But you said–”
“I know what I said.”
“Then why do you–”
“Because you have made a commitment. And I did not raise you to forego such actions with wanton disgrace.”
“But I– you hated Arasa–”
“I do. That has not changed.”
“Then… Why?”
“I will not repeat myself again, S****.”
“Mom–”
“Enough. What you do needn’t require my approval. Only yours. If you wish to leave, then leave. If you wish to dance, dance. If you fight, then fight to the death. Burn the wick, do not let it smoulder. Scream until you are heard. And do not stop, do not come back, until you are satisfied…”
“Mom, please, I–”
“Get out of my house.”
…
I can’t remember your voice, your face…
Why can’t I remember…?
-
Day 60. First day of training.
Funny, here I am thinking it would be easy. But after the first day of work, my body was sore and my throat parched. I suppose I should give my instructors more credit. Or, perhaps I'm just rusty. I never much cared for this sort of attention, being the one in charge. Perhaps I'm being too pessimistic at the moment. After my last attack, I'm finding it more and more difficult to remain singularly focused, and these people deserve better than that.
No. Quit complaining and do your job. You made a commitment, act like it. Judy deserves you at your best. Put out work that you can be proud of, not work that is merely 'good enough.' That's all well and good when you have all the time and resources in the world, but within a two-day timeframe, you better bust your fucking ass.
-
Day 61. Second day of training.
Well, credit where it's due. They have shown substantial improvement, though I'm not sure it'll be enough. They know how to dismantle numerous firearms by heart, how to counter blows from almost any angle, and how to precision drive. They know how to push their bodies to the point where they put so much strength into a punch that it tears their muscles. But it won't be enough. Nevertheless, it will have to be 'good enough.'
I wonder what my mother and father would say if they could see me now. If they even care. Well, it's easy with my father, he would probably just dismiss my work as 'childish antics' and bat me away from his office. My mother would simply grunt, as she always does. I do wonder what kind of a grunt it would be, though…
-
"Alright, V," Judy told me as she headed down from the roof, "Maiko set up the meet. 3PM today."
"Hmph…" I grunted, "Alright, let's get it done."
"And V?" she asked as I headed into the bathroom to freshen up.
"Hm?"
"Thanks for helping. I know you usually get paid for this-"
"Jude, please," I interrupted her, "After what we've been through, you think I'm gonna charge you?"
"Look, I know you just wanna help, but I feel bad that-"
"No, no, I'll hear no more of this," I demanded with a smile, heading out to go put on the rest of my clothes, "I deal with cyberpsychos as a side gig. I'm flush, Judy. Really, it's okay… The rest of my stuff's in your room, sorry."
"Oh, uh, yeah, excuse me," she stammered before quickly retreating out of my way.
Aww, now she's the one who's flustered… That's so adorable. I wonder if I laid it on a bit too thick, though. I mean, we've only really known each other for like a couple months now. Was I being too trusting? No, no, stop second-guessing yourself all the time, it's unbecoming of you. Remember, you deserve happiness. Even if it's for only a short timeframe. You worked hard, you earned it. Take it when it comes.
"You sure…?" Judy repeated as I headed out of her room.
"Positive," I said reassuringly, giving her a warm hug, "It's been my pleasure."
"Alright, well if you ever need anything…"
"I know, Jude," I broke it off and saw the warmest, most sincere expression ever… God, she was so cute… "Now c'mon, we're gonna be late."
---
The 1990s proved to be one of the most economically destructive times in American history, if not the most. While it looked good for a time, the Collapse officially began in 1994 with the global stock market crash. This was following a series of hacks by the American government to make the country appear more solvent than it actually was, plummeting the value of the USD and giving rise to the Eurodollar in its place. Three years later, the Mideast Meltdown occurs and a series of devastating nuclear explosions glasses most of the Middle East, rendering half of the world's oil reserves unusable for hundreds of years due to radioactivity levels.
