akudamax | FINAL WEEK

FINAL WEEK

Starting Saturday, the layer of clouds in the sky is more solid than ever. Overcast, reflecting the neon light of the city. By Sunday, you'll see more colors than ever, as several new areas are added to the span of your probation. And some areas aren't, but might see an approach anyway. Do the pods containing six weeks of treatment daunt you in the slightest now that judgment awaits at the end of the fourth week? Though faithful treatment participants only experience flashes on the upper third of their bodies now, their counterparts will experience occasional waves of isolating existential coldness. Does your physically present overseer have anything to say for herself? Just remember one thing: Kanto is watching and waiting.

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If you truly care as much about justice as you claim, then I'll make you a deal: join us, and help us dismantle the system that you voted against. You've seen what we're capable of, so this is your chance to stand up for what you believe in.

Or is all of that just for show?

[For a moment, the Populist is completely stunned. Then, her visor glows a dull gray, and you hear a completely unfamiliar voice. Distorted heavily by digital transmission, but compared to your little buddies, more clearly human. A woman around the same age as Populist, just duller. Drier.]

If you think you'll be able to put on a show for the people, you have no idea who you're really dealing with. But I'm listening.

[Gai's eyebrows go up, and for a moment he too is taken totally off-guard.

So she's nothing more than a puppet too, is that it?

It's both a surprise and not all at once. Suddenly he feels so much more tired, more existentially exhausted... but at the same time, this is almost more than he could have hoped for in its own strange way.]

We want to put an end to the systems that are oppressing all of the people of Kansai. I think we can do it, but it will be much easier if we have help from someone who knows exactly what we're up against.

All of the people... Some of your friends have a funny definition of that. [There's a lot of contempt to unpack. That said, in the end, it suffices to treat Gai on his own merits.] Hmph. Then maybe you are talking to the right person. But there isn't much time. The Shinkansen ribbon cutting ceremony is in just a few days.

[The Populist and her visor are tense for a few seconds, before the visor's voice resumes.]

Nothing would please me more than deleting you all from the face of this earth. And every mention of your mischief, too. But that was never an option. When Kanto gives you a doll to play with, you don't get to throw it out.

I had no involvement with that. I trust you're already aware of that much.

[And it's the truth-- he didn't even know it was going to happen until the entire thing had already taken place. As to whether or not he agrees with it... well, even he isn't entirely sure about that part just yet.]

And I think you also know that none of us ever asked to be here in the first place. We have no ties to this world, unlike you. But that doesn't mean we're just going to sit back and let the government do what it wants with us, or with anyone else here.

That may have been more prudent than you knew. Adding you to the rioters' number may well have been enough to doom Loyalist's proposal.

[The visor needs to think about the problem of the unmoored ones.]

As easy as your friends' actions make it to believe the interdimensional demon narrative... My research forces me to consider agreeing with you. That your arrival was catalyzed in some way. Cardinal's servers couldn't get enough of Chiyozaki Computer Complex's uptime when you all first appeared. [Aside:] I was forced to censor your obviously popular names just to reduce the number of total post interactions. [Aha! So this is Cardinal user admin display name Technocrat then!]

I've eventually managed to trace the rerouted activity to some kind of outland Factory.

Let's just put it this way: I couldn't exactly decide to come here of my own free will when the last thing I remember from my world is dying.

[Because as far as he knows? That's exactly what happened to him.]

Do you have access to it? The computer complex. I'm assuming the factory is another story.

...condolences.

[But that is not relevant to the visor voice's interests. The complex is:]

I am access to it. Of course, the Factory is much more complicated. Setting aside traveling that far in the first place when it's assumed X-Class Akudama decay outside the city center. You'd need to be in a place where you could transmit communications beyond Kansai, and have a channel in mind, to have a guarantee of meaningful access when you reached the Factory's physical location. I also imagine you'd need to know quite a bit about the hardware and software for whatever apparatus it is to be of any use... that said, it's relevant to the research my partner and I have been doing.

Perhaps a meeting at the complex after the ribbon-cutting ceremony would suffice. After all, it's in territory where you could be made to regret any funny business that occurred beforehand.

Then I'd like to get inside that complex. As far as the factory goes...

[Something dawns on him.]

Would we be able to reach it via the Shinkansen? Or are we going to have to add more crimes to our sentences by stealing a vehicle?

[He's probably joking about that. Probably.

... maybe not.]

Can't believe we won and we're still committing treason...

[Populist finally mutters behind her visor, though she's smirking a little.]

I know a blimp you can steal at the ribbon cutting.

[Oh, he likes this already.]

Sounds like a plan to me. We'll make the ceremony one for the history books.

But one last question... what do you know about the mind control in the broadcasts?

[Populist scratches her chin at that one, which may already suggest 'not much', but it's clear this is a tedious question to her.]

Hmm... We know Bunny and Shark have always been that kind of "educational" program, but the effects do seem a lot stronger when it's related to you X-Classes. You can almost tune out the reports about the other tiers of Akudama by comparison. Made campaigning a pain in the ass this year.

[This new truce could be a pain in the ass too, but she supposes she can deal with that as it comes. She'd say it's better than being dead, but. Honestly she is feeling petty enough about all this she's just going to tip her visor down and actually look him in the eye.]

I could have taken you, for the record.

[There's a flicker of something lighting up under her clothes, and a hiss as she literally lets off steam.

Cyborg? Cyborg!!]

[That gives him a starting point, at least-- he'll relay that information to Damian in light of the conversation they'd had earlier. Now to figure out how to go about taking it out... but one step at a time.]

Maybe... and maybe not.

[And here he lets the flute slide out of his sleeve just slightly, enough to be visible. He's no fool; no way was he going to confront anyone without having it within easy reach.]

But since we're being honest here, I'll give you a heads up: I plan on trying to access the computer complex. You can either give me the codes now or wait for my DM.

[Because her visor was lowered, he'll be able to note from her expression that this flute is more interesting to her than he might have guessed...!! But she lets it pass without comment, pushing them back on. The visor flashes with its usual colors, no longer grey... but he may have some insight into what's happening when it does that as she replies.]

Understood. My partner, Technocrat, will be in touch.

[... she recognizes the flute. Interesting. He'd ask about that, but he's got higher priorities at the moment, and given that she isn't mentioning it on her own, he gets the sense she might not be willing to share anyway.]

I appreciate it. I look forward to working with you, and I'll make sure the others don't interfere.

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FINAL WEEK

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