>(2/3)

You are lost and hungry.

Various metahuman faces scrunch and turn away at your passing.

The urge to rip their throats out rises but is quelled with some simple relaxation.

All of them are too pathetic to even tell you off, much less scratch you.

"Lost, kid?"

Swaying your head to the right, a man in bulky armor with the letters 'KE' on a herald over its chest piece leans on a pristine building wall.

You keep walking, having seen what you wanted to see from this place.

"Hey, kid! You stupid and SINless or just SINless!?"

Whether it's at the border with Redmond or in Bellevue itself, the rent-a-cops are still idiots.

You keep walking while armored boots clank against the ground behind you until the officer gets close enough for you to pivot on your left foot, burn some energy into your right arm, and elbow him in the throat before he can put a hand on your shoulder.

Rubbing your stomach with your other hand, you return to your stroll as the would-be policeman collapses.

A few people scream and go for their commlinks, but you're already up on a rooftop hopping from one to the other until you see a familiar sign in the distance.

"Stu...ffer Shack."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You are an awesome boss ass bitch.

The BTL-esque reality of the Matrix forms

"I just don't get it," an inferior midget says. "Why do you do jobs? You're the richest person I know! You can actually afford a cyberdeck at full price!"

"Because, my techno abomination acquintance, being rich is boring."

"...What?"

You raise an elegant, divine elf finger. "Doing nothing while having everything provided to you is also the most boring thing in this wretched existence. If you weren't a dwarf, I'd say I'd much rather be you."

"Sure, always being in fear of getting disected like a lab rat is so much better than being rich and getting to live, like, two lifetimes."

You shake your avatar head.

The small-brained metainferiors are always so pathetic and envious.

"I have tolerated enough of your lesser presence. Begone for I will return to the space of meat from whence I came!" You declare, raising your godly hand for emphasis

The submetanotelf glares at your excellence. "I'm actually gonna brick your shit for once now."

"You're welcome to enjoy the biofeedback, bitch." Flipping the bird, you jack out back into the real world.

Matrix neglect hits your body as hard as it always does.

You whine.

Other than feeling dead tired, you're hungry and thirsty.

You rise to your wavering feet before making your way out of your modest, lavishly decorated apartment to your garage van.

The rich don't stay rich by buying only expensive things.

"Basedkaf, basedkaf, basedkaf, basedkaf! ...And maybe a snack or two."

>(3/3)

And so the three 'heroes' enter the same Stuffer Shack. The Prodigal Son sticks himself in the cameras' blind spot between the basedburrito and basedtaco sections first, stealing and munching one of each; the Noble Demon enters second to examine the many artificially flavored basedburgers, and the Spoiled Bitch finally arrives to check out the refigorated basedkafs.

Other than a few bystanders, the group, and the young elven check-out girl, the Stuffer Shack is rather barren.

Then a cyberarmed human woman, a troll, and a submachine-gun toting dwarf swagger in.

"Alright, alright! This is a robbery! Everyone line up, hand over whatever credsticks you have, take off any shiny or chrome shit, and keep calm if you won't wanna get kneecapped!" Her synthetic fingertips part to pop chrome claws at the face-palming counterwoman. "And you, dollie, em—"

"No... Just no."

The razor girl glares at the elf. "The hell you say, omae!?"

"First those Nova Rich brats trash the place and hold me hostage for cheap thrills... And now this." She slides her hand down her face before lifting up her glowing other. "Fuck all of this!"

Two of the three tense as the most unbecoming laughs.

Never a simple or dull moment in the Sixth World.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSHVRHa2g2Y&ab_channel=SoundsOfGrooving

([Character Name] or All three means options that an individual or the team as a whole can do)

>[ ] Try and diffuse the situation, Knight Errant is the last thing any of you need on your asses regardless of occupation or beef. (Aoki)
>[ ] Use a spell, they are about to start slinging and it's been some time since you've had a good fight. (Azzie)
>[ ] Pull out your Ares Predator and take a shot, three against one is unfair. (Aoki. Can call a shot)
>[ ] Call in your lynxes, nothing you can do in meatspace. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Go in for the Razor Girl, she's the bitch. (Azzie or Aoki)
>[ ] Blitz the Dwarf, he's got the gun. (Azzie or Aoki)
>[ ] Tackle the Troll, he's the muscle. (Azzie or Aoki)
>[ ] Run the hell away. (All three cowards)
>[ ] Do nothing, it's not your problem. (All three)
>[ ] Write In.

Ah, s o y is autocorrected to based. Guess I'll use soi from now on. I don't think I'd stop laughing if it kept coming up as based.

>>4467003
Woah, what?

>>4467005
Fungi, buddy, are we playing one person or the whole team?

>>4467060
Basedburgers, man. S o y burgers.
>>4467064
Whole team. One is the team leader though.

File: Aoki.jpg (25 KB, 212x278)

25 KB JPG

To give you all an idea on how your team looks like, have some portraits I took from the HBS games and some fanart I found on the internet.

File: Azzie.jpg (18 KB, 212x281)

18 KB JPG

Best I could find. Scraggy-looking enough.

File: AI-AR.png (92 KB, 212x278)

92 KB PNG

This one was absolutely perfect.

>>4467003
>[ ] Try and diffuse the situation, Knight Errant is the last thing any of you need on your asses regardless of occupation or beef. (Aoki)

>>4467003
>[ ] Write In. (Azzie)
Ask them if this is the smartest move they can think of. Because robing a god damn Stuffer Shack like a bunch of assholes sounds like the best life chooses they could be making. If they mouth off and call us shit we can ask them to just make an order and we will pay for it so they don't make any more trouble. So we can get back to our own food and this places does not get robed and trashed for who knows how many times this week. If we have to can we cast a spell to calm these assholes minds so there anger will not get in the way of them listening to us. If not obeying us out right?

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>[ ] Face does what Face does best.

>[ ] The literal Murderhobo defuses the situation with macho gangbanger understanding

>[X] "Robbing a Stuffer Shack in one of the most secured neighborhoods in Seattle? What the hell were you thinking, new blood?" (Azzie Gang Etiquette)

It's the exact opposite of you to step in the way of a potential blood bath, but you're in no mood to have your lunch interrupted.

You bite into your burrito and stroll to the counter, blocking the mage of her required line of sight. "Robbing a Stuffer Shack in one of the most secured neighborhoods in Seattle. What the hell were you thinking, new blood?"

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Someone who knows better than to hold up a shop like this: one tap of a panic button and Kay-Eee will surround the place. This isn't Snohomish or Renton or wherever you came from. You should've done the job fast and quiet. Now, you can't finish without attracting attention."

The dwarf levels his gun at you while the troll huffs.

Razor girl walks up to you and stares you down. "Do you have any idea who I am, Azzie?"

If you hadn't already heard that same line countless times before, you'd bother to sigh.

>[ ] Examine them, you can tell them all exactly who they are and just how out of their league this situation is for them, much less you. No need to get your hands dirty.
>[ ] Use a spell, they are about to start slinging and it's been some time since you've had a good fight (Shot can be called if non-area and combat).
>[ ] Grab her in a clinch, she won't be able to stop you from crushing her bones or kneeing her squishy abdomen like this.
>[ ] Punch her, only an idiot gets this close to a potential enemy (Can call a shot).
>[ ] Activate Killing Hands, she brought this on herself.


Other character actions

>[ ] Try and diffuse the situation, Knight Errant is the last thing any of you need on your asses regardless of occupation or beef. (Aoki)
>[ ] Pull out your Ares Predator and take a shot, three against one is unfair. (Aoki. Can call a shot)
>[ ] Call in your lynxes, nothing you can do in meatspace. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Go in for the Razor Girl, she's the bitch. (Aoki)
>[ ] Blitz the Dwarf, he's got the gun. (Aoki)
>[ ] Tackle the Troll, he's the muscle. (Aoki)
>[ ] Run the hell away. (AI-AR, Aoki)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4467687
>[ ] Examine them, you can tell them all exactly who they are and just how out of their league this situation is for them, much less you. No need to get your hands dirty.
Tell them how it is and that tiny fish should stay in there tiny ponds like good boys and girls.
>[ ] Write In.(AI-AR)
Bluff by saying we just got a warning on our rig that Knight Errant will be here at any time and they have the punks faces on surveillance camera. Tell these kids if they do not want to do hard time they need to bail and go underground until the heat dies off.
>[ ] Write In. (Aoki)
Lean up to a window facing the street and look like you are waiting for the Knight Errant. When the pucks ask you what you are doing you tell them you are waiting for the fun to start. As shits like you make such funny sounds when the cops start beating you guys to death with night sticks. You know to really scare them into running for there lives.

>Will Test
A 1d8 as per Azzie's Will stat please.
>Perceiving Test
A 1d10 as per Azzie's effective perceiving skill

>Persuasion/Manipulation Test
1d3 as AI-AR has no real skill manipulating or persuading but is naturally charismatic as it goes with elves. -1 skill default penalty for a minor lie.


>Persuasion/Manipulation Test
1d13 as per Aoki's effective skill.

I'll take the first roll for each, just to help speed things along and refrain from letting you guys have a good chance to succeed all the time

Rolled 1 (1d10)

>>4467871

Rolling done, writing now.
>>4468009
I get the sneaky feeling that this is going to happen a lot throughout the quest. Going to be so fun

>[X] Examine them, you can tell them all exactly who they are and just how out of their league this situation is for them, much less you. No need to get your hands dirty.
>Will Test
>Sadism agitation ???
>Rolled 1
>Critical Glitch

You're not going to let this all happen without someone getting hurt. That's half the reasons why you leave Redmond to the land of the softies: they have no idea how to take pain.

Smiling, you leer into the street trash.

"Getting fresh with me now? Don't even think about it," Razor girl says before spitting down at your feet.

And that's your cue.

>[ ] Use a spell, they are about to start slinging and it's been some time since you've had a good fight (Shot can be called if non-area and combat).
>[ ] Grab her in a clinch, she won't be able to stop you from crushing her bones or kneeing her squishy abdomen like this.
>[ ] Punch her, only an idiot gets this close to a potential enemy (Can call a shot).
>[ ] Activate Killing Hands, she brought this on herself.


Other character actions

>[ ] Call in your lynxes armed with super loud cannons, nothing you can do in meatspace except indirectly call the cops. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Pull out your Ares Predator and take a shot, three against one is unfair. (Aoki. Can call a shot)
>[ ] Go in for the Razor Girl, she's the bitch. (Aoki)
>[ ] Blitz the Dwarf, he's got the gun. (Aoki)
>[ ] Tackle the Troll, he's the muscle. (Aoki)
>[ ] Run the hell away. (AI-AR, Aoki)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4468026
your name is familiar. what quests have you ran?

>[ ] Grab her in a clinch, she won't be able to stop you from crushing her bones or kneeing her squishy abdomen like this.
>[ ] Grab some ass too while you're at it

>>4468047
New Mutant Quest and a Star Wars quest with an overly long name I completely regret naming but not running.

>write in
anon, keep your dick in your pants, please, now is not the time

Azzie's in love with violence, not women.

>>4468049
>anon, keep your dick in your pants, please, now is not the time
I am now realizing how ironic this is considering the alarming amount of sexual content I include in my quests.

Voting closed; writing now.

Nigga limit yourself to 3 choices max.
Wtf is this shit.

>[X] Grab her in a clinch, she won't be able to stop you from crushing her bones or kneeing her squishy abdomen like this.
>[X] Grab some ass too while you're at it.

No better way to piss a woman off than groping her. You've witnessed far worse happen to them in the Barrens though. The impotent rage she'll feel will be a brief reprieve from the agony of her ribs impaling her vital organs.

You wrap your arms around the woman's lax ones alongside her torso, one hand resting on her upper back and the other on her average-sized ass.

She tenses and yells.

The other two robbers focus completely on their grappled leader.

Laughing, you lift your groping hand up and give the Razor Girl's jeans-covered ass a painful smack for them to witness.

You'd be in a far more advantageous position if you had some allies, not that you need them, but it seems you're the one in control of the situation now.

--------------------------------

You see the rookie gang members distracted by their leader's predicament.

Maybe you could've spared them all this humiliation if you were the first to approach. It wouldn't have taught them anything like this will, but it'd have ended peacefully. Good thing no one has called Knight Errant yet.

A panicked customer raises his commlink in the corner of your eye.

Damn your jinxed luck.

--------------------------------

This is just too hilarious.

You giggle into your hand.

If you had AR shades, you could've recorded this and sent it to your contacts for some shared laughs.

Some of the hostages half-hidden in the aisles start tip-toeing towards the exit.

Now might be time to get your own fine squishy ass out.

Azzie Current Possible Actions
>[ ] Use a spell, you've got line of sight over the woman's shoulder and can shoot spells so long as you've got hands. (Shot can be called if non-area and combat).
>[ ] Activate Killing Hands, she brought this on herself (Boosts unarmed damage further by 4, letting you do 13 physical or stun damage if you so choose).
>[ ] Knee her, only an idiot gets this close to a potential enemy (Can call a shot between lower abdomen and groin).
>[ ] Hold her real tight, let her know just how strong you are.
>[ ] "Hey, Countergirl, you wanna lend a magical hand now?"

Other Character Actions
>[ ] Try and defuse the situation so this doesn't get any further out of hand, no one needs to die over a godforsaken Stuffer Shack. (Aoki)
>[ ] Call in your lynxes armed with super loud cannons, nothing you can do in meatspace except indirectly call the cops. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Pull out your Ares Predator and take a shot, three against one is unfair. (Aoki. Can call a shot)
>[ ] Stop the guy before calls in the last elements you all need for a clusterfuck. (Aoki)
>[ ] Blitz the Dwarf, he's got the gun. (Aoki)
>[ ] Tackle the Troll, he's the muscle. (Aoki)
>[ ] Run the hell away. (AI-AR, Aoki)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4468091
They're not all mutually excusive. Besides, wouldn't you want to know all the things you're capable of?

>>4468105
>[ ] "Hey, Countergirl, you wanna lend a magical hand now?"

>[ ] Call in your lynxes armed with super loud cannons, nothing you can do in meatspace except indirectly call the cops. (AI-AR)

>[ ] Tackle the Troll, he's the muscle. (Aoki)

>Initiative Roll
1d6 with a modifier of 12 as per quickness + int

Rolled 5, 5, 3 = 13 (3d6)

>>4468128
Rolling once for each character. You can take only the first one if you meant otherwise.

Rolled 1 + 5 (1d3 + 5)

>>4468138
Only the first for Aoki. Azzie is in a sort of free combat zone, having a restrained hostage and everything.

Now for me to roll for the big troll.

Rolling done, writing now.

>>4468141
Meant to roll a d6 but fuck it, I'll let it pass. It's a critical failure/glitch anyway.

>[X] "Hey, Countergirl, you wanna lend a magical hand now?"
>[X] Call in your lynxes armed with super loud cannons, nothing you can do in meatspace except indirectly call the cops. (AI-AR)
>[X] Tackle the Troll, he's the muscle. (Aoki)

Actually, you do have a pissed off mage waiting on the side-lines. No sense in hogging all the opportunities to cause some damage.

"Hey, Countergirl, you wanna lend a magical hand now?"

She nods before thrusting her hand out to the gun-toting thug.

The dwarf turns just in time to catch a blast-yellow stunbolt to the face.

You chuckle as the poor bastard falls back, blood oozing out his nose and eyes.

Another trip to Bellevue proves its worth.

--------------------------------

They're going to make a bystander call Knight Errant if they pop off, but they'd annihilate that impure, dysgenic trog. If the dwarf somehow gets shot and dies, they'd be putting him out of his short misery.

You lift up you commlink, tap into its connection to your van, and wirelessly open the back doors before extending the ramp for your two precious command drones to roll down.

Lucky for you the Azzie and the mage stopped the two idiots most capable of scratching their well-crafted chassis.

Glaring at the troll, you scoff.

Now someone needs to correct one of God's many mistakes.

--------------------------------

Fuck it. You're not going stop that man unless you show him there's no reason to involve the police. A group of rookie street scum is nothing to someone who's been through what you have. No need to use a gun when your fists will just as easily do.

You run down the aisle, pivot at the end that opens up to the counter line, and tackle the troll to the ground while he's distracted by the dwarf's takedown.

His eyes are wide in surprise while you mount him in a ground-fighting position.

Grinning, you pull your arm back.

Rookies have to learn their place the hard way, always.

Three actions allow Aoki to attack three times or attempt to completely subdue the troll with a complex(2 actions taking) action. The mounted position gives a +2 bonus to die.
>[ ] Punch him in the head, you don't knock a motherfucker out by working his ribs (Aoki, -4 Modifier).
>[ ] Punch him in the upper torso, broken ribs do hurt like a fucking bitch however (Aoki).

Other Character Actions
>[ ] Activate Killing Hands, she brought this on herself (Azzie. Boosts unarmed damage further by 4, letting you do 13 physical or stun damage if you so choose).
>[ ] Knee her, only an idiot gets this close to a potential enemy (Azzie. Can call a shot for the groin or just knee the abdomen by default).
>[ ] Cheer them on, it's always fun when trogs fight each other. (Azzie, AI-AR)
>[ ] Hold Razor Girl tight, let her know just how strong you are (Azzie).
>[ ] Send your Lynxes back, looks like you don't need them. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4468192
Forgot to add in the subdue action despite specifically mentioning it, you can try to do that too.

Beyond late/super early where I'm at and I'm feeling it. Will close voting and update when I can.

Any thoughts or questions before I black out?

>>4468192
>Punch him in the head, you don't knock a motherfucker out by working his ribs (Aoki, -4 Modifier).
Let's just try and get him out of the way asap
>Knee her, only an idiot gets this close to a potential enemy (Azzie. Can call a shot for the groin or just knee the abdomen by default).
Let's giver her something nonlethal but plenty painful

>>4468192
>[ ] Punch him in the head, you don't knock a motherfucker out by working his ribs (Aoki, -4 Modifier).
>[ ] Activate Killing Hands, she brought this on herself (Azzie. Boosts unarmed damage further by 4, letting you do 13 physical or stun damage if you so choose).

>Unarmed Combat Roll
1d8 as per your effective skill at this time. I'm assuming you're rolling to headpunch three times so feel free to roll a 3d8

Rolled 4, 1, 2 = 7 (3d8)

>>4468699

Rolled 1, 2, 3 = 6 (3d3)

Rolling for troll dodge at this disadvantageous position.

You hit only one.

4-1 = 3, giving you an extra damage bonus of 3 to your natural 6 stun damage punches times 3 is 27.

Troll has a natural body of 5 and 1 will because street trash led by a girl with no ass, letting him resist 3 stun damage thereby reducing it to 24. He only has a stun capacity of six so he's stunned for 4 turns.

Since the first hit stuns him, the rest automatically land with the exception of the critical glitch/failure.

Nice.

Calculating done; Writing now.

>[X] Punch him in the head, you don't knock a motherfucker out by working his ribs (Aoki, -4 Modifier).
>[X] Activate Killing Hands, she brought this on herself (Azzie. Boosts unarmed damage further by 4, letting you do 13 physical or stun damage if you so choose).
>[X] Knee her, only an idiot gets this close to a potential enemy (Azzie. Can call a shot for the groin or just knee the abdomen by default).

>(1/3)

Trolls may be born or goblinize with the strongest physiques, but that doesn't mean a man who's worked his ass off like you can't beat the shit out of one. As you thought earlier, this is nothing short of humiliating for them.

You bring your dark blue fist down on to the man's chin and pull back your other hand.

His head thumps against the floor and falls limp, eyes staring blank at the ceiling.

Grunting, you aim to cave in his nose but misjudge your left fist's trajectory in an epic level of failure. The familiar agony of your delicate finger bones crunching against a more durable object sends shivers up your arm. You power through, pull back your injured fist, and hammer your right into the troll's face again.

That could've gone better, but your luck is always shit like that: hurting you even when you do manage to hurt someone else.

--------------------------------

Slapping a girl's ass hard enough to bruise just doesn't do it for you. She needs to know real pain, the kind that makes people wish they were dead or makes them submit themselves totally to their abuser's will.

You breathe in and channel your inner magical energy into your muscles.

The Razor Girl grunts in your strengthened, now-heated grip.

Stepping your leg back, you bring your knee up into her stomach.

A choked gasp wheezes by your ear before the thug leader falls limp.

Now all three are out of it. You'd love to keep working this bitch but some stupid bystander is likely going to call the cops if they see what you have in mind; people outside the Barrens are strange like that, sympathizing with people that literally just held them hostage a minute or two ago. With any luck, life might bring you together again someday.

You change your grip back to Razor Girl's sides, move so you're stepping past her, and use your full upper body strength to imprint the bitch into the ground.

>(2/3)

Wincing at the pain in your left hand and the sound of a body crashing into something it shouldn't, you shoot the disoriented troll beneath you an apologetic look.

A chokehold would be appropriate and normally painless, but you just fucked up your hand, so this is only going to be painful for him.

You jab him in the throat, pull back your hand for a quick elbow to his collarbone, and lift him up with your good arm by the back of his head, slipping him into a guillotine choke.

He lasts for all of four seconds before you feel him fall limp.

Letting him go, you rise to give the counter girl a smile and a thumbs up.

She blushes. "...Thanks." Turning to the other would-be hero, she grimaces at the sight of his unconscious opponent. "Is she even alive?"

He kicks the gang leader on to her back.

"I don't think that..." Trailing off, she shakes her head. "Nevermind, fuck her."

"That's the spirit," he cheers.

A clap draws your attention back to the saved civilians.

One other woman brings her hands together, compelling a young man to join in. It accelerates and spreads quickly into a moderate applause.

You bow.

At least something good happened today.

--------------------------------

You clap your hands like everyone else at the noble trog and wild Azzie.

It's a tragedy you couldn't record it all go on though.

A lenses' light reflection in the ceiling corner above the counter girl draws your eye.

Would you look at that.

Pulling up your commlink, you send orders for your lynxes to return to your van.

--------------------------------

"Guys, I don't mean to ruin your moment, but the cameras captured everything," the elf says, pointing up at the nearest one behind her.

The counter girl gapes. "Oh no, I used my ma— None of you called the police, right?!"

Everyone in the crowd shakes their heads.

"Okay, okay, everything's okay. I'm going to have to ask you all to leave: it's company policy we close up after a robbery to assess damages and clear space for local security forces to receive our report and investigate the crime scene." She looks from the blue oni to the coffee-skinned human. "You two can stay though. I need some muscle to keep these three street scum down."

"I'd rather not be here when Knight Errant arrives," Aoki says, shrugging. "Sorry."

"Me either."

"I said 'local' security forces... It's perfectly fine."

>(3/3)

They shoot a look at each other before focusing back on the magical elf.

"Alright, I'll stay."

"Sure, I could use some more to eat from here."

"Good." She looks at the last of the fleeing civillians. "One of you wouldn't happen to have some hacking skills, would you?"

The milk chocolate brown elf steps out from behind one of the aisles. "I do. Can I keep the footage? I really want to show it to some of my friends."

"How did yo—"

"It's obvious you wouldn't want Knight Errant here, potentially with a mage to sense the astral signature you just left behind the counter. Since you're magically active but working in a freaking Stuffer Shack, I can guess you don't have a license, which makes your use of magic to own that midget there illegal. Am I right?"

She nods.

"Damn right. Do I need a deck at all for this? I know this is just a Stuffer Shack, but I don't want to walk all the way to the security room just to have to go back to my car and back again."

Aoki raises an eyebrow. "Shouldn't there be a guard if there's a security room?"

"This is a Stuffer Shack: at most, there's a person manning the counter and a few people in the back to move around inventory." The counter girl sighs. "If there's a robbery, we're perfectly expendable. We don't even know who our manager is and they alone have the passwords for our security."

"I don't know why I expected more from a subsidiary of Aztechnology."

"We're owned by who now?"

"Never mind that," the other elf interjects, "do I need a deck or not?"

"No, this is a Stuffer Shack."

"Good."

And so the group is coming together.

>[ ] "...Wait, we don't actually have to do anything if the manager alone has access to security. Let's just dump these three assholes somewhere." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Who are you? I don't mean just your name, I mean how are you working in Bellevue of all places at a Stuffer Shack while magically active?" (Aoki)
>[ ] "I saw the way you threw that stunbolt. You have training and experience from somewhere." (Azzie, Aoki)
>[ ] "Back off boys, I need to be escorted to the security room by a noble elf." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Is there anything you can give us since we saved your ass?" (Azzie)
>[ ] "You said something earlier about the Nova Rich?" (Aoki)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4469167
>[ ] "...Wait, we don't actually have to do anything if the manager alone has access to security. Let's just dump these three assholes somewhere." (AI-AR)

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "...Wait, we don't actually have to do anything if the manager alone has access to security. Let's just dump these three assholes somewhere." (AI-AR)

In the elf's mind, recordings offer no danger if they give little to no clue as to who they are. The manager and no one else would see them anyway so long as the authorities remain uninvolved. Everything is fine in her self-perceived genius intellect.

"...Wait, we don't actually have to do anything if the manager alone has access to security. Let's just dump these three assholes somewhere."

The other elf's face scrunches. "Yeah, about that... I might have some close connections with a certain criminal organization."

Azzie chuckles.

"Let me guess." Aoki sighs. "The Finnigan Family?"

"Not directly. How the hell do you know?"

"Because of course you would be connected to them of all outfits. I suppose it could've been worse, like the Yellow Lotus, but they're a bunch of petty thugs shaking chump-change out of Redmond."

"Those sunflowers get picked apart past Touristville. It's the natives, orks they cater to, that do most of the shaking down," the resident Redmond rat informs.

AI-AR glances at the two men before focusing back on her fellow kind. "What's your in with the Finnigans?"

"Big enough that you should leave be and just erase the footage." She crosses her arms.

The hacker clucks her tongue.

No job or incident is going to be easy or simple in this life.

>[ ] "Tell you what, I'll get rid of the footage and get the muscle to handle these chucklefucks if you tell us what your connect is and how we'll benefit at all from further saving your magical ass." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "I think she just told us she's worth a pretty penny as a hostage. I don't need or care for cash, but I'm down if I get to one-up a white collar poser." (Azzie)
>[ ] Convince her everything is pefectly fine, someone seems like they'll say something they regret in the next five seconds. (Aoki)
>[ ] "You still haven't answered how we'll get rid of these two idiots and the disgusting trog; no offense, blue." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Why are you working in a Stuffer Shack? This Stuffer Shack that has already been robbed before apparentlly?" (Aoki)
>[ ] "Just tell us. We saved your life, you ungrateful slim onions-jim." (Azzie)
>[ ] "Fine, I'll do it. Sheesh, kid." (AI-AR)
>[ ] Convince her everything is pefectly fine, someone seems like they'll say something they regret in the next five seconds. (Aoki)
>[ ] Write In.

Whoops, left the same choice in twice.

Already late where I am so I'll close voting and update when I can if there are any votes when I wake up.

Any thoughts or questions while I'm still lucid?
>>4469746
>onions-jim
so the word filter is randomized, how s o y boyish

>>4469746
Stick finger inbetween...

>>4469772
I don't know if my mind should jump to something lewd when 'stick' and 'inbetween' come so close together.

anon, you're not being lewd (possibly again) are you?

>>4469777
my first post in the thread
If i wanted it lewd i coulda said stick finger inbetween an album cover.

>>4469746
>[ ] "Just tell us. We saved your life, you ungrateful slim onions-jim." (Azzie)

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Just tell us. We saved your life, you ungrateful slim onions-jim." (Azzie)

Patience is one of many virtues the Prodigal Son lacks.

"Just tell us. We saved your life, you ungrateful slim based-jim."

Aoki plants a hand on his shoulder. "Easy, vaquero. You have no idea who she's really connected with or who'll come looking for you if they take issue with your attitude towards her."

"I don't give a fuck."

"That's exactly why I'm telling you to slow down."

"He's right," the counter girl speaks up before taking a moment to sigh. "My name is Angela, I'm the daughter of Saturn and Venus."

Azzie laughs. "What kind of codenames are those?"

"Roman Mythology, the kind Merlyns use. Her father has the ear of the don, or the donna in this case." Aoki furrows his brow. "Why are you working here?"

Groaning, Angela shifts into an overly feminine pose. "My sweet baby Angel, you can't work in the family business. You're too innocent, gentle, and kind!" She puffs out her chest. "Ay, princess. We taught you those spells to defend yeself, not to ice a chummer. We want a better life for you, love."

"You slipped into an English accent at the end there."

"The point is my parents are a bunch of well-meaning idiots who don't get that the life of a wageslave isn't for me. I get them but a Stuffer Shack? Are you fucking kidding me? The closest to a good thing about this job is getting held hostage by people that remind you life is supposed to be something else than selling fucking NERPS people will never see again next week."

AI-AR holds up a fist. "Preach sister!"

"I would, but I've said my piece. Will you help me out now or not?"

The choice remains theirs.

>[ ] "I think she just told us she's worth a pretty penny as a hostage. I don't need or care for cash, but I'm down if I get to one-up a white collar poser." (Azzie)
>[ ] "You still haven't answered how we'll get rid of these two idiots and the disgusting trog; no offense, blue." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "You said something about the Nova Rich? They're a thrill gang, right?" (Aoki)
>[ ] "Fine, I'll do it. Give us your number though, kid. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Write In.

from now on, s o y will be replaced by based, just for no more random word replaces

>>4467005
SR world could use more basedness.

>[ ] "You said something about the Nova Rich? They're a thrill gang, right?" (Aoki)
>[ ] "Fine, I'll do it. Give us your number though, kid. (AI-AR)

>Hacking Roll
1d16 as per AI-AR's effective hacking skill.

To give a clearer idea of your characters' abilities for those who're new to Shadowrun, have this:
http://adragon202.no-ip.org/Shadowrun/index.php/SR5:Skill_List

It goes well with stats too, which are normally capped at 10 but never really reached. Should tell you a lot about the two main guys. There's bigger fish out there though.

Rolled 4, 5, 5, 4, 4, 6, 2, 4, 4, 6, 5 = 49 (11d6)

>>4471185
1d16 or 11d6?

>>4471188
1d16.

them 4s tho

Rolled 8 (1d16)

>>4471190

Rolling done; writing now.

It's late where I'm at so I might end up nodding off while writing.

>>4471191
More than enough for a Stuffer Shack.

>[X] "You said something about the Nova Rich? They're a thrill gang, right?" (Aoki)
>[X] "Fine, I'll do it. Give us your number though, kid. (AI-AR)

>(1/2)

The noble demon knows full well the commodity of information.

"You said something about the Nova Rich? They're a thrill gang, right?"

"A gang of rich kids with nothing better to do than waste daddy and mommy's money, yeah."

"So they buy top-of-the-line weapons and armor to run the streets with?" Azzie asks.

Angela shakes her head. "They beat the shit out of people, trash places, rob joints like this, and hold people they shouldn't hostage to get bailed out by their parents. It's for the rush of being a ganger, but that's what happens."

"...I'm not following."

"They're wannabe gangers who do stupid street jobs, like these three, so they can feel like a bunch of badasses when they'd get taken out, again like these three, if their parents didn't pull strings," Aoki clarifies.

"Oh, they're posers."

"Yeah, they're that or whatever that means to you."

"Not my fault you 'civilized' people have retarded crap like 'bail' and police that don't police: you're not sure of my meaning, and I'm not sure of yours because your world's lost all of it."

"...Redmond?"

"Redmond."

"While I appreciate the fact you two are learning more about one another and bantering, there's camera footage of me slinging an illegal stunbolt into a dwarf's head in need of some deletion," Angela says in a purposely sweet tone.

"Fine, I'll do it." AI-AR walks up to the counter. "Give us your number though, kid."

"Only after the job is done."

"Alright, magic mob princess. Lead the way."

Rolling her eyes, the elf leads her fellow kind away from the men and into the security room.

--------------------------------

You tilt your head at the live scene of big blue chilling beside Charlie Brown on one of the monitors.

It wouldn't kill Stuffer Shack to have someone manning this room, but they'd be useless unless armed, which would cost Stuffer Shack more money than just letting Knight Errant handle it.

Angela pats the one monitor built into the security desk. "This is it. Work your magic and get rid of all evidence of mine."

You crack your hands, grimace at the somewhat painful sensation, and get to work.

Three minutes is all it takes for you to bypass the admin password with an old command prompt trick, find the security system program, delete all of today's footage, and disable the security system for the next several hours.

"Aaand done."

"Really?!"

>(2/2)

"Really." You flourish your cloak. "My genius was too much for the paltry security system you have in place. It's customary to applaud."

"Easy there. You hacked a Stuffer Shack, not a Thor Shot station."

"Anyone ever tell you that you have some unreasonable standards?"

"Fat and skinny douchebags who wear meme shirts unironically and in public."

"...Eww!"

"I know, right!?"

--------------------------------

The elves return to the store floor.

"I erased the footage and took the security system offline." AI-AR bows. "You may applaud."

"No."

"Yeah, no: you hacked into a Stuffer Shack," Aoki says, his face twisted with disgust at her delusions of grandeur.

"...Everyone's a critic today."

"Do you guys want my contact info or is this the part we split ways and never see each other again?"

AI-AR digs three commlinks out of her clothes, setting each on the counter. "They're disposables I built from scrap myself: keep them on me just in case. Put your info in each, and I'll hand the other two to these burly gentlemen. They already have each other's numbers on them."

Angela sighs before fulfilling her end of the bargain.

The hacker elf pockets one and gives her surprise companions the other two.

Aoki slips his in one of his many jacket pockets while Azzie ties it around his wrist and fiddles with the fancy tech.

The robbing troll stirs from his slumber and begins picking himself off the floor.

Azzie doesn't look away from his new toy as he walks past Aoki, kicking the troll's chin.

The three watch three stomps land on the criminal's stomach, ribs, and throat.

"...Jesus fucking Christ."

"Yes?" Azzie asks, stomping down a final time on the unconsious muscle-man's face.

Aoki grimaces. "Don't you think that's a bit much?"

"He's still breathing, isn't he?" He looks down at his victim. "Is he?"

"My dad was probably going to kill him anyway, it's okay," Angela waves it off.

"I don't actually care."

"Good." She raises and looks down at her own commlink. "I'm going to make an emergency call to a few 'family friends.' You guys should clear out: they're protective of me for obvious reasons."

The three nod, collect free based food products on the house, and leave the Stuffer Shack of clusterfucks.

A prologue to a journey begins.

>[ ] "Fuck you guys, I'm going home where the world makes sense and there's no retarded 'bail' to save you from your actions." (Azzie)
>[ ] "Come to think of it, what are your names?" (Aoki)
>[ ] "Do you guys want to celebrate?" (AI-AR)
>[ ] Split, nothing left for you all here.
>[ ] Write In.

Going to my birthday dinner. See you guys later.

>>4471859

>[X] "Come to think of it, what are your names?" (Aoki)
>[X] Split, nothing left for you all here.

Aoki might try to get the names of the others, but Azzie for sure is going to fuck off as quick as he can. AI-AR also probably doesn't feel like dealing with Aoki too much, since he's a bit too trog for her liking.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Come to think of it, what are your names?" (Aoki)
>[X] Split, nothing left for you all here.

>(1/3)

When it comes to information as a commodity, identities and names are some of the most valuable. Even aliases used by multiple people have their worth. The Noble Demon seeks theirs not for nefarious purposes.

"Come to think of it, what are your names?"

The young Aztlan man plants a foot on the Stuffer Shack's glass wall without so much as a squeak from his shoes before rushing up to the building's roof. "Names are for friends, so I don't need one; call me what you will."

"Daaamn." AI-AR's eyes widen at the Mystic Adept soaring through the air with grace unlike his personality. "Homeboy can jump."

"Had him figured for an adept. I swear, every one of them's a freaking ninja."

"Later, big blue, I got places to be too," AI-AR says, taking the first few steps towards her van.

"I go by Aoki, what's yours? It doesn't have to be your actual name."

The elf waves him goodbye. "Sorry, I still don't know you enough to tell you. Thanks for telling me yours though; you're one of the good ones!"

Waving back, the Oni smiles as the right of his brow furrows.

Her meaning is somewhat lost on him for all of three seconds.

"...Oh, fucking knife-ear."

All in all, it was a pleasant meeting.

--------------------------------

You are really fucking bored.

Kip-upping to your feet, you walk to the edge of the rooftop and look out at your wonderful urban sprawl.

Glow City is just a block or two over. You'd go in to kill some mutant trogs, but the pollution would fuck with your magic. The Rusted Stilettos unfortunately lost their balls after the first year you showed up, so there's no chance of getting them to come to you.

"I can't believe I actually miss that old midget anarchist. Old man's fucking dead by now though."

The Stuffer Shack food fight wasn't that bad now that you look back on it. You got to hurt someone who didn't immediately try to run away after realizing they were outmatched. A shame the razor girl's probably dead. Might've been fun to dump her in Redmond and see how long she'd last.

Unfamiliar vibrations buzz beside and from your hand.

Squinting, you lift your new toy into your line of sight.

"An..gela Bosco. Answer, dec..line." You tap answer.

A light Irish-accented voice emerges from the comm's speakers, "Is this one of the 'heroes' who saved my darling angel?"

"Not intentionally or for free but yeah, if you mean Angela," you answer, taking a look around the barren Barrens. "I thought we had her number and she didn't have ours though."

"Really should've kept an eye on her, lad. She looked at your numbers while she was writing hers. Turns out she had something clever in mind, something that involved you three folks doing something for some pay. Aren't you curious what it is?"

>(2/3)


You shrug. "Kind of: I don't really give a fuck about money."

"Stomping on some trogs is more your style, huh?"

"More anyone worth stomping on but trogs are fun with that natural strength chip they have on their shoulders."

"How you feel about stomping on some rich trogs with two kinds of chips on they shoulders?"

"...Go on."

"Sending coordinates to your comm. See you there in two hours."

A grin spreads across your face.

Well, it looks like you've got something fun to do outside of the Barrens again.

--------------------------------

You are still dead broke and fucking lost.

Sighing, you shake your head.

Everything in your savings is gone, every last nuyen. All you had to do was let things go down the way they normally would. You would've retired and spent the rest of your life in moderate luxury if you just once did the right thing: do nothing.

A muffled upbeat tune snaps you out of your thoughts.

You look to your workspace desk and roll your wheeled lounge chair over. The drawer take a little effort for even you to open as it always does to reveal the touchspace-down buzzing new commlink you got the other day. Lifting it up, you squint at the caller ID before poking accept.

"Hello, heroic stranger! In any other circumstance, I'd owe you a favor for what you did for my darling angel, but this call is already that and then some. No doubt you already know who I am, which means you know what I can do for you or to you if you play ball or don't."

"I have no choice in the matter?"

"No, my bad: you practically don't, seeing as how you'd be missing out on quite a lot of opportunities if you say no. So, whatcha say?"

"...Yes."

"Not sure at all why you hesitated there but alright. I can see how you'd be on the fence when I haven't even sprung or mentioned a proposal. We'll talk about it more at the coordinates I'm sending you. Be there in two hours."

You rise from your chair and walk over to your gear wardrobe.

Back into the shadows it is.

--------------------------------

You are a boss ass novahot decker bitch with no actual team to run with, which is why you're currently bored of your usual pastime of pissing people off on the Matrix.

A buzzing from an electronical device you never actually expected to be contacted draws your eyes, if they weren't obscured by a full AR headset. Taking off the techie version of astral perception, you whirl your chair over in a fun circle to your desk. You pick up the disposable comm, blink at the name, and tap accept.

"I've proposed a meeting with two men, which means you're the girlie of the group, the hacker. Am I right?"

>(3/3)

"...Yeah, how did yo— Oh that sneaky little bitch!"

"Watch what you say about my Angel. I know how girls your age are, but that doesn't mean you can disrespect my baby girl."

You wince. "Sorry, Mr. Bosco."

"Apology accepted. Your mates have accepted or expressed interest in going to these coordinates I'm sending over. Get here in two hours, don't be late but don't be early either."

Humming, you raise a hand to your chin.

This isn't at all how you wanted your freelance Shadowrunner career to go, but the best things in life aren't the things you'd expect, as a certain someone who's very disappointed in you would say.

--------------------------------

And so the three arrive early in areas by the coordinates in Bellevue, narrowly miss each other as they individually scout out the meet before the scheduled time, and enter the somewhat guarded chopshop as a group.

One pale-skinned human applauds their entrance beside an out-of-uniform Angela.

"Congratulations! The three of you proved you weren't really a team of rookies by putting in a little legwork. Good on you for having some coordination with each other!"

They each share a look with one another before looking in confusion at the man who is undoubtedly Saturn.

"...So you really were just three runners who conveniently helped my daughter with three thugs?"

Aoki raises an eyebrow. "Do you really think we'd stage such a half-assed robbery and stop it to get close to you?"

"Big guy, you wouldn't believe half of the shit people do to try and impress us." He sighs. "Well, I called you all here for an opportunity but first..." Saturn's being becomes dual-natured, something only Azzie notices. "Let me take a look," His eyes focus entirely on the Prodigal Son. "Jesus fucking Christ."

"Yes?" Azzie asks, grinning.

"Who taught you?"

"It was a what."

"Why didn't it eat you?"

"Got bored of hunting so it taught me."

"Where the fuck are you from?"

"Redmond."

"Why are you still there?"

He shrugs.

"Dad?" Angela's own being becomes dual-natured. "What's th— The fuck is that!?"

The non-awakened in the room stare at the three.

None but the two Boscos could assense Azzie's aura.

>[ ] "I've encountered a handful of other mages in my life. Can you clarify something to me? Are you all so... weak? I have twice the potency of your daughter." (Azzie)
>[ ] "Oh goddammit, he's toxic, isn't he? The whole reason why he doesn't look like a mutant is because he's got some illusion spell quickened, right?" (Aoki)
>[ ] "Are you going to tell us the proposal or are you just going to ogle my aura all day?" (Azzie)
>[ ] "You mind filling us in or?" (AI-AR)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4472465
>[ ] "You mind filling us in or?" (AI-AR)
>[ ] Do an equivalent of striking a Jojo pose with the aura (Azzie)

Voting closed; writing now.

>>4472503
I see you will bring many memes and odd moments in this quest.

i like you already

>>4472526
I didn't really intend to, but now...

>>4472528
Just don't get carried away.

File: perfection.png (1.27 MB, 716x770)

1.27 MB PNG

>[X] "You mind filling us in or?" (AI-AR)
>[X] Do an equivalent of striking a Jojo pose with the aura (Azzie)

The wise pay for the mistakes of the foolish. The fools don't know they're fools however. Some are too young to realize it and stay fools forever, the taint of one mistake marking them for the rest of their lives.

"You mind filling us in or?" AI-AR asks, giving the Prodigal Son a side-eye.

"Either something is wrong with his astral signature or wrong with him magically," Aoki answers. "From what I've heard and learned about magic, almost anything can have an effect on you if you're magically active: thoughts, health, mentalities, religion, self-image, other magically active people, pollution, and disease. 'Homeboy' lives in Redmond, so it can be all of the above. What he said doesn't sound like any one of those though."

Saturn shuts off his mind's eye and sighs. "Want to tell them or should I? They're going to find out sooner or later. I'm surprised you function well enough as is."

Azzie pops his hip out to the side, holds out his right arm, keeps his left arm close to his side, and clenches his right hand into a claw.

"...That's not really an answer, lad."

Laughing, he brings his left hand up to his chest. "They'll figure it out when they need to. I don't think I'll get the chance to show them what I'm really capable of anytime soon."

"Whatever. Just learn to mask your signature or get a masking foci as soon as you can. If a mage sees it, they'll call in the big guns for crazy fucks like you."

"Now you make me not want to learn or get any of those things."

"Your funeral."

"I mean no disrespect when I say this, can we move on to why you called us here?" Aoki asks.

"Of course." Saturn claps his hands. "My daughter has already informed you all of how she was taken captive by the Nova Rich, that gang of spoiled brats. I called you here to give these nuisances a dose of reality. You don't have to kill anyone, considering the risks in doing so, but I wouldn't mind if you made it look like an accident if it happened." He grins. "What I want you to do is turn child against parent and/or vice-versa. Turn 'brother in arms' against 'brother in arms.' Make it so the Nova Rich can never feel safe doing what they will ever again."

The three injest the wizzer gang boss' request in silence.

Quite a tall task for a first job.

>[ ] "Oh boy! Get me some footage of them and recordings of their voices. I know some pervs online that'd make sex vids of every last one of them for free." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Anyone want to take a few scrubs on a field trip to Redmond? I think I just had the craziest idea." (Azzie)
>[ ] "Why do you want this other than revenge? Why the hell are the Merlyns operating outside of Downtown?" (Aoki)
>[ ] "Angela, you got any names from your time in captivity? (Aoki, AI-AR)
>[ ] "Let's discuss payment, then we'll go and do this for you." (Aoki)
>[ ] Write In.

Oh yeah, you can decline too but say goodbye to any hook-ups the Merlyns could give you, which is a lot.

>>4472552
>"Why do you want this other than revenge? Why the hell are the Merlyns operating outside of Downtown?" (Aoki)

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Why do you want this other than revenge? Why the hell are the Merlyns operating outside of Downtown?" (Aoki)

Politics are complicated, needfully and needlessly so. One can only safely advance when another is in retreat without restrictions or complications of which there are always plenty. Sowing seeds in ripe, contested land is unswise when your efforts beared much fruit and still do elsewhere as the Noble Demon knows.

"Why do you want this other than revenge? Why the hell are the Merlyns operating outside of Downtown?"

"Because." Saturn looks around. "Have you ever heard of...nunya?"

"Oh goddammit."

Angela rolls her eyes. "I have. They're mentioned whenever a little girl tries to learn anything about her parents' work."

"You ruined it, baby girl, but I forgive you."

"Nunya?" Azzie repeats, scrunching his brow.

"Nunya Bidness," AI-AR clarifies. "They're big. Fucking huge! And no one knows a single thing about them. They're like the Black Lodge on steroids."

"...Oh, I don't understand you people at all."

"Look, my business is my business. Unless you want to get wrapped in my business for the rest of your short lives, I recommend you stay out of it except for the times I specifically hire you to help with it, no questions beyond neccesary asked. Understand?"

"I've been in the game before, you don't need to tell me twice."

Mr. Bosco scoffs. "Yet I had to remind you. Now are you in or are you out of this specific slice of my business I need you in for now?"

The three share looks with each other.

>[ ] "Get me some footage of the Nova Rich and recordings of their voices. I know some pervs online that'd make sex vids of every last one of them for free." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Can we have some assistance from your group? Maybe we can bring your daughter along? She knows them more than we do." (Aoki)
>[ ] "Anyone want to take a few scrubs on a field trip to Redmond? I think I just had the craziest idea." (Azzie)
>[ ] "Angela, you got any names from your time in captivity? (Aoki, AI-AR)
>[ ] "Let's discuss payment, then we'll go and do this for you." (Aoki)
>[ ] "No thanks." (All three)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4472612
>[ ] "Get me some footage of the Nova Rich and recordings of their voices. I know some pervs online that'd make sex vids of every last one of them for free." (AI-AR)

>>4472612
>[ ] "Let's discuss payment, then we'll go and do this for you." (Aoki)

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>[ ] Reverse Honeypot Proposal

>[ ] Cash first, as god intended

>>4472663
Y not both?

>[X] "Let's discuss payment, then we'll go and do this for you." (Aoki)

While discussing strategies with your employer can lead to success, you're better off first deciding on payment if you haven't discussed it yet. There is almost nothing worse than solving a problem someone is looking to pay you to before they even offer it, especially in criminal mercenary work. You end up a loose end in a way.

"Let's discuss payment, then we'll go and do this for you."

"¥15,000."

"Try harder: that's not even in the range of a typical run."

"Shadowrunning maybe, but this is street work."

Aoki laughs. "Targeting highly connected corper families? The biggest job any street scum trash would ever run in their life is one with the risk this has. It's easily a mid-tier Shadowrun. ¥50,000."

"¥30,000."

"¥42,000."

"Are you late on rent or just busting my balls?"

"...Yes."

Mr. Bosco crosses his arms. "Tell you what, I'll offer ¥30,000 and put in a good word with the rest of the family. You don't want good rep, I'll pay you ¥48,000 because it's the closest to the number you want and divisible by three. Don't expect to ever work for me again though."

AI-AR strokes her chin while Azzie fiddles with his commlink.

Whether he intended to take the role or not, Aoki is the team leader by virtue of being the only one really qualified for the position.

>[ ] "Deal for the ¥30,000. Never thought I'd ever end up working for the Finnnigans again." (Aoki)
>[ ] "What do you... think, elf? Mr. Redmond doesn't seem to care at all about this." (Aoki)
>[ ] "¥48,000 it is. I hate being an indentured servant in all but name." (Aoki)
>[ ] "No deal." (All three)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4472711
Beginning paragraph answers your question, weirdly enough.

>>4472740
>[ ] "What do you... think, elf? Mr. Redmond doesn't seem to care at all about this." (Aoki)

Been awake since yesterday, finally feeling sleep pulling me back into black.

thots or questions?

How much of the world of Shadowrun do you know? It's good I gauge that because I've already included a lot that will fly over people's heads.

>>4472813
I've read the 4e corebook long ago and played the CRPGs. So I know the basics but not what the Black Lodge is, for example.

>>4472813
As for thoughts, are you sure the combat system isn't too discrete for a quest format? If every action takes hours to wait for votes and rolls and write out, combat will take an eternity.

>>4472740

>[ ] "Deal for the ¥30,000. Never thought I'd ever end up working for the Finnnigans again." (Aoki

Voting closed; writing now.

>>4472823
You can work for the Black Lodge in Dragonfall, where you learn it's a huge conspiracy. It's actually one of the bigger things in the setting to do with the meta plot. They were exposed as real in the Great Dragon Civil war when they fucked up Lofwyr with ritual magic before he could kill his brother, Alamais. The dragons as a whole agreed to the wipe them out.

Good luck to them though, their core actual membership is heavily implied to be immortal humans/dragon-kin humans from Earthdawn (the Fourth World) They're presumably led by the Outcast Dragon Denairastas who created dragon-kin humans once.

>>4472827
Accepting one roll per test actually makes combat quicker than my D20 best by three quests.

>[X] "What do you... think, elf? Mr. Redmond doesn't seem to care at all about this." (Aoki)
>[X] "Deal for the ¥30,000. Never thought I'd ever end up working for the Finnnigans again." (Aoki)

A leader doesn't lead by forgetting the people he's guiding. Back and forth is necessary to prevent alienating your men if you make a decision they don't like or wanted a say in having. Even if one of his best men seemingly has no interest, he must pry for any just in case.

"What do you... think, elf?" Aoki glances at Azzie. "Mr. Redmond doesn't seem to care at all about this."

"Mr. Redmond? That's a new one. I prefer Red Hands and Jesus Fucking Christ though."

AI-AR shakes her head. "People are going to know you're an adept if you go with Red Hands. I mean, my street name gives me away as a hacker, but it's not like it's obvious unless I type it for you."

"Never did give me your name."

"I'll tell you when I want to; I think we should take the deal for some good word in the Finnigan family. Jobs only find you if you're really good or have a reputation for getting jobs done good and quick."

"Red?"

Azzie scowls as he turns away from his commlink. "Don't call me that. Only the Spiders can call me that, and that's when I'm in a good mood to not be dealing with their paranoid bullshit!"

"Okay, okay! ...Jesus."

"That's better; I don't really give a fuck what we get so long as I get to do something to someone, painful or humiliating."

"...Do you not know the value of nuyen? Hell, do you have any idea what you can get with money?"

"I can keep anything I take: money is worthless to me. Keep my share or let me burn or destroy it. I've seen enough idiots die over shit that's not even there."

"Oh god." Aoki grimaces. "You are hardcore hobo."

"Don't know what that means, but I can guess it's something to do with how this 'civilized' world of yours turns you all into a bunch of fucking pussies."

Shaking his head, the Oni turns back to an amused Saturn. "Deal for the ¥30,000. Never thought I'd ever end up working for the Finnnigans again."

"Oh really?" the wizzer boss asks, holding out a hand.

"Really."

The two men shake hands and part.

Aoki runs the shadows again beside a spoiled brat and a fiend.

>[ ] "Get me some footage of the Nova Rich and recordings of their voices. I know some pervs online that'd make sex vids of every last one of them for free." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Can we have some assistance from your group? Maybe we can bring your daughter along? She knows them more than we do." (Aoki)
>[ ] "Anyone want to take a few scrubs on a field trip to Redmond? I think I just had the craziest idea." (Azzie)
>[ ] "Angela, you got any names from your time in captivity? (Aoki, AI-AR)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4473331

>[ ] "Get me some footage of the Nova Rich and recordings of their voices. I know some pervs online that'd make sex vids of every last one of them for free." (AI-AR)

Big red can still fuck with them a bit.

>>4473331
>"Get me some footage of the Nova Rich and recordings of their voices. I know some pervs online that'd make sex vids of every last one of them for free." (AI-AR)

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Get me some footage of the Nova Rich and recordings of their voices. I know some pervs online that'd make sex vids of every last one of them for free." (AI-AR)

Passions can be used against others, whether real or perceived. In an age where it's expected and even lauded to share them, few realize the risk. Entire lives lived or broadcasted on the matrix for everyone to see have the greatest of them all.

"Get me some footage of the Nova Rich and recordings of their voices. I know some pervs online that'd make sex vids of every last one of them for free."

Saturn chuckles. "If some deepfaked sex vids were all it took to bring someone down, the Finnigans would be running the entire UCAS by now. Good thinking though, lass. Find someone more connected than the rest in the group who'll cave with some blackmail of that fake smut."

"Ah, damn."

"We need someone on the inside or info on who is." Aoki speaks up. "If we can play important members against each other, we won't have to do much but watch them tear each other apart. The corpers will have to either reign in their children from ever doing any thrill ganger shit again or wage a corp favor war with each other over the actions of their kids.

"Booooring," Azzzie says, laying on the ground now.

"Do you have a better plan that satifies your murderboner without fucking us over?"

He kip-ups to his feet. "I Control Thoughts their leader into getting them into Redmond, have them go into 162 territory, and laugh while I watch them become ghoul food; I know one of you's about to bring up astral signatures, so I could also just walk up to them, call them out on their bullshit, prove myself by dodging their bullets, and lead them into Touristville to get gangbanged by the rest of the bitch ass posers there."

Everyone in hearing distance of the mystic adept wear expressions of shock, disbelief, and amazement to varying degrees.

"..Lad, there are so many ways you can fuck this up for all of us if you meet face-to-face with the bastards."

"What? Are we seriously going to spy on them from down the street, waiting for the one weak link to show themselves?"

Aoki laughs. "You just described a large amount of what legwork entails."

The young man groans.

Life in the shadows requires adaption. Those who adapt quicker and excel, if wise, get out before they get killed. Beyond wealth, here's more than enough blood in the shadows for everyone.

>[ ] "Fine, I'll just Control Thoughts the leader and have him punch his number two in the dick. Maybe even grope his girl if he has one or his boy if he's one of those people." (Azzie)
>[ ] "Can we have some assistance from your group? Maybe we can bring your daughter along? She knows them more than we do." (Aoki)
>[ ] "Angela, you got any names from your time in captivity? (Aoki, AI-AR)
>[ ] "Let's head out, best we start working as soon as possible. (Aoki)'
>[ ] Run a Matrix search on the Nova Rich, something should pop up. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4473746
>[ ] "Fine, I'll just Control Thoughts the leader and have him punch his number two in the dick. Maybe even grope his girl if he has one

>>4473746
>[ ] Run a Matrix search on the Nova Rich, something should pop up. (AI-AR)
There's NO way they don't fill social networks with their escapades.

>>4473763
True true il back this as long as some one gets there dick hit or cunt punted in the end.

>>4473746
>[ ] Run a Matrix search on the Nova Rich, something should pop up. (AI-AR)
Chnaged to this.

Voting closed; writing now.

>>4473765
I can write both.

>[X] "Fine, I'll just Control Thoughts the leader and have him punch his number two in the dick. Maybe even grope his girl if he has one." (Azzie)
>[X] Run a Matrix search on the Nova Rich, something should pop up. (AI-AR)

When your first idea fails, it's best your next is more substantial, even a little can be enough. Too much familiarity with a bad one could lead to disaster however. Fate should only be tempted once.

"Fine, I'll just Control Thoughts the leader and have him punch his number two in the dick. Maybe even grope his girl if he has one."

AI-AR bursts into laughter. "Oh my god! Are you technically making him gay if it turns out the number two has a guy?"

"Yes, yes he is," Saturn answers with a smile.

"And if he resists, is he running away from it?" Angela asks, giggling into proper laughs.

Aoki and Azzie join the rest of the group and a few grunts in their fit of amusement. "Oh man, it's amazing how scary you mages can be!" The oni blinks. "Wait, you're a mystic adept?"

Red nods.

"Fucking hell, you're rare."

Angela sighs, weary of her laughter and of something else. "It's such a shame."

The other elf lifts up her commlink before typing Nova Rich in the basic Matrix search service. She breezes past the news article links in favor for social networking sites. Four seconds pass until she finds a hierarchical chart of the crew made by their nerdy-looking social media rep.

How horribly stupid and convenient.

"Don't you think we should know what's up with him if we're going to be doing work for you?" Aoki asks.

Saturn shrugs. "To tell the truth, this is probably the only job I'll ever have you do. The family will have more requests if you don't choose to work under our fixer. You'll know it when you need to; should be some good idea in your head about what it is already."

The oni groans.

What he had in hs mind wasn't something he wanted at all, no matter how powerful it'd be.

>[ ] "Can we have some assistance from your group? Maybe we can bring your daughter along? She knows them more than we do." (Aoki)
>[ ] "None of you need to worry about me. I can hold myself back when I need to... But mostly when I want to." (Azzie)
>[ ] "Angela, you got any names from your time in captivity? Overhear anything?" (Aoki, AI-AR)
>[ ] "Let's head out, best we start working as soon as possible." (Aoki)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4473856
>[ ] "None of you need to worry about me. I can hold myself back when I need to... But mostly when I want to." (Azzie)
>[ ] "Angela, you got any names from your time in captivity? Overhear anything?" (Aoki, AI-AR)

>>4473856
>[ ] "Let's head out, best we start working as soon as possible." (Aoki

>[ ] "None of you need to worry about me. I can hold myself back when I need to... But mostly when I want to." (Azzie

I'm up.

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "None of you need to worry about me. I can hold myself back when I need to... But mostly when I want to." (Azzie)
>[X] "Angela, you got any names from your time in captivity? Overhear anything?" (AI-AR)
>[X] "Let's head out, best we start working as soon as possible." (Aoki)

Coordination is the key to a team's performance. Everyone must play their role as best they can without treading on each other's toes. The team is still fresh, so it will take some time for them to work in tandem.

"None of you need to worry about me. I can hold myself back when I need to... But mostly when I want to."

Aoki's blank face bears his faith in that statement. "Do you ever want to?"

"Sometimes. Even I get bored of wrecking people's shit, though it usually takes a lot of that in a short time frame."

"...Just don't fuck this up."

"I won't."

AI-AR shakes her head before looking to her fellow elf. "Angela, you got any names from your time in captivity? Overhear anything?"

"They're led by Chad Bradford and..." She rolls her eyes. "Terry 'King of the Ring' Jackson, an ork fuckboy who cannot shut the fuck up about himself or his dad he says partied with brosferatu Satan."

"What?"

"Don't ask: he'll never shut up."

"Okaaay, did you hear anything else?"

"Berkiwitz, their rat-looking rep guy, has a thing for Bliss. Chad Brad can't keep his dick in his pants, Terry obviously talks a lot, no one who held up the store seemed magically active, and some of them have augs, mostly bio.

AI-AR raises an eyebrow. "How can you tell?"

"Their aura gives it away, like yours. Bioware isn't natural and still tampers with your body, just less so than cyberware. Anyone with astral perception can see implants."

"Yeah," Azzie chimes in, "you're more or less amputating the closest thing you have to a soul with cyber or bioware. It's a lot like seeing an amputation too." He shakes his head. "Pathetic if you ask me."

"Not all of us are born with superpowers." AI-AR frowns.

"It's almost as if life isn't fair."

"Let's head out," Aoki says, stepping inbetween the two, "best we start working as soon as possible."

They nod at the big blue man and follow him out under the smog-filled sky.

And so the job begins.

>[ ] "Alright, I'll get in my van and wait for one of those idiots to post their current location. High-school should be out by now." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "We should ask around nightclubs. I heard those idiots like to throw their weight around with their cash." (Aoki)
>[ ] "I'll start looking around. This is place is new to me, and I'm likely to end up running into them." (Azzie)
>[ ] "Wait, I still don't know your names. Guess I'll say mine again first, I'm Aoki." (Aoki)
>[ ] "First, let's all get something to eat. I'm hungry." (Aoki)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4474890
>[ ] "Alright, I'll get in my van and wait for one of those idiots to post their current location. High-school should be out by now." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "We should ask around nightclubs. I heard those idiots like to throw their weight around with their cash." (Aoki)

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Alright, I'll get in my van and wait for one of those idiots to post their current location. High-school should be out by now." (AI-AR)
>[X] "We should ask around nightclubs. I heard those idiots like to throw their weight around with their cash." (Aoki)

The first move in any plan or game is the most important. Anything too direct will let your target know your moves. Moves too indirect will get you nowhere if you keep them up. Balanced approaches are often best, though you have to actually know where your would-be opponent is first.

"Alright, I'll get in my van and wait for one of those idiots to post their current location. High-school should be out by now."

Aoki nods. "We should ask around nightclubs. I heard those idiots like to throw their weight around with their cash."

"Yeah, let's go to a nightclub at 3PM," AI-AR says in a dull tone, "that's when it's all the rage."

"Of course I didn't mean right now. We don't even know if they will be going out tonight."

"Uh-huh... This job might take a while."

Azzie yawns deliberately.

"We'll get you something to do. Just hold out long enough and you'll have more fun than you could ever need courtesy of the Finnigans."

"I can control myself so long as they don't tempt me if I somehow get near them. Just because I like hurting and fucking with people doesn't mean I'm some kind of wildcard... I think."

Aoki shoots the young man a look. "How can you not know that?"

"I've stayed alive and made numerous names for myself in the Barrens by doing what I do. This sit and wait shit is what gangers that think they're smart pull before someone wipes them." He clucks his tongue. "Someone should know them, a local. It shouldn't be that hard to find out where they live since they have no reason to hide or move away."

"Direct contact's a no-go, but we could snoop around their places. Suburbs are definitely gated and secured though, possibly magic security too."

"That won't be a problem."

"Just don't kill anyone unless you really have to: bodies bring unwelcome attention, especially when corps or corpers are involved."

"I've got it, blue man."

Taking a deep breath, Aoki shakes his head.

Strangers don't make for good teammates, though none of them knew anyone else and had already made their choice.

>[ ] "Rep guy Angela mentioned actually has a chart of their full membership up on the Matrix. It's a dozen people at best, so it shouldn't be that hard to look into all of them. We can decide which clubs to checkout judging by the photos they posted." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Holy shit, I'm a genius! All I have to do is find out what schools they're enrolled in, hack their systems, and get their addresses!" (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Since you're connected, shouldn't you know someone here who knows them, blue?" (Azzie)
>[ ] "Who's up for killing time? I could use something to eat." (Aoki)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4475395
>[ ] "Rep guy Angela mentioned actually has a chart of their full membership up on the Matrix. It's a dozen people at best, so it shouldn't be that hard to look into all of them. We can decide which clubs to checkout judging by the photos they posted." (AI-AR)
Home addressess are less useful because they are bound to have security there.

Voting closed; writing now.

>>4475437
A question of vital importance: does Angela have the 80's hair?

>>4475443
Eh >>4467126

Maybe if it were fluffier and less combed.

>[X] "Rep guy Angela mentioned actually has a chart of their full membership up on the Matrix. It's a dozen people at best, so it shouldn't be that hard to look into all of them. We can decide which clubs to checkout judging by the photos they posted." (AI-AR)

Though some solutions can be tedious, they can produce good results.

"Rep guy Angela mentioned actually has a chart of their full membership up on the Matrix. It's a dozen people at best, so it shouldn't be that hard to look into all of them. We can decide which clubs to checkout judging by the photos they posted."

"Nice!" Aoki claps his hands. "Jackson is definitely the type to post his life on the Matrix. Try him first."

Nodding, the elf wakes her commlink from sleep mode. "Dumbass rich boy is going to regret everything." She pulls up its Matrix app, finds one of the ork's many website profiles, and taps on the 'Media' tab. "Four thousand and seven hundred ninety-two photos and videos... This is going to take a while."

"We should probably do this somewhere else before we attract attention or bother the workers here."

AI-AR walks towards her van, gesturing for the two men to follow her. "Come on, I've got enough room for you two."

The three stroll to the woman's van, open the unlocked doors, and sit down in the rather nice seats.

Aoki runs his hands over the carseat's armrests. "Is this some kind of memory foam?"

"I might sacrifice fashion for safety, but I refuse to ride like a peasant."

"...I don't like it," Azzie whispers, mostly to himself. "This isn't real, this is some kind of synthesized trash made because someone couldn't stand how basic fabric under them."

"Fuck you too, buddy. You want to lay in an alley, there's dozens every block in this neighborhood."

"Normally would, but there's always a chance I might anger a nest of devil rats. Not like I'm scared of 'em, a low Force fireball's usually enough for a nest, but their bites are instant golf-ball sized swelling infections."

AI-AR shushes as boisterous laughter erupts from her commlink.

"Oh man! Oh man! Oh fucking man! I'm here at the Succubus getting it the fuck ooooon! WOOOH!"

The three grimace before the elf pauses the recording.

"Let's hope they're all give what we need as easily and as short as this." She raises looks up at the shotgun-riding ork. "Take notes and maybe help out a bit: comb through Chad the Brad's thousands of media posts."

Nodding, Aoki lifts his commlink and gets to work.

Azzie grumbles to himself.

The impatient and wanting always have something they're unwilling to do to get what they want.

>[ ] "Since you're connected, shouldn't you know someone here who knows them, blue?" (Azzie)
>[ ] "We could get some takeout right now, just to hold us over until we're done." (Aoki)
>[ ] "You gonna help out, Azzie?" (AI-AR)
>[ ] Go to sleep, it's going to take a while. (Azzie)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4475461
>[ ] "We could get some takeout right now, just to hold us over until we're done." (Aoki)

>>4475461
>[ ] "We could get some takeout right now, just to hold us over until we're done." (Aoki)

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "We could get some takeout right now, just to hold us over until we're done." (Aoki)

No one should ever let themselves go without food and water for too long or during a job where your life is potentially on the line. One misstep is enough to doom you or ensure it won't go down smoothly. Caution is, in the end, the better part of valor.

"We could get some takeout right now, just to hold us over until we're done."

AI-AR hums. "It would be nice. Azzie, you feel up for getting some since you're doing nothing right now?"

"Sure, why not?" He shrugs. "What do you guys want?"

"Well, if you have an issue with it, you ca—" Raising her head, AI-AR looks back at the adept and blinks.

"You gonna sit there or tell me what you want?"

"...Are you fucking with me?"

Azzie scoffs. "No."

"You're... You're planning on stealing it, aren't you?"

"How else do you expect me to get it? You heard me say how little money means to me; what makes you think I have any cash?"

"Let me take the wheel," Aoki says, taking a break from his own rich boy nonsense reading, "I'll pay and save us the risk of having homeboy jack food from whatever place he picks."

"Fine, so long as it's coming out of your pocket, and I get to kill you if you trash my ride," AI-AR, popping open her door, says.

"Deal."

Aoki opens his door, swaps seats with AI-AR, drives to one of many local fast food places, and finds a nice cosy parking spot for them to enjoy their basedburgers and krill tacos while wading through rich teen bullshit.

The Aztlan young man lays on the floor, somewhat content not having to go through the nonsense himself.

>[ ] "Since you're connected, shouldn't you know someone here who knows them, blue?" (Azzie)
>[ ] "You gonna help out or what, Azzie?" (AI-AR)
>[ ] Go to sleep, it's going to take a while. (Azzie)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4476115
>[ ] Go to sleep, it's going to take a while. (Azzie)

>>4476115
[ ] Go to sleep, it's going to take a while. (Azzie

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] Go to sleep, it's going to take a while. (Azzie)

>(1/2)

While it is selfish to rest as everyone else does work, there's little a person can do when they still have no real electronic know-how, especially Matrix-wise.

Azzie lays himself out on the back seats, grumbling at their discomforting comfort.

The two more responsible members of the team slave away as their mage falls into a dreamless sleep, disturbed occasionally by cries of 'FUCK YEAH, BOOOOI!'"

Three or so hours pass with the relatively normal people of the team exhausted and half-mad from listening, reading, and seeing all the meaningless hedonism teenagers born into money drown in.

"No more... I can't keep up this shit," Aoki almost cries out. "It's like watching a rich man give a starving child in Africa a commlink so they can order themselves food while he fucks their stacked mother..repeatedly."

"I don't remmember being this much of a douchebag back in Tir Tairngire. Must be a UCAS thing: only you guys can be this loud about how good you have it."

The oni shakes his head. "I'm not from here either."

"Well, it's nearing prime time for most clubs. Let's work off what we've got." AI-AR claps her hands. "...You did take notes, didn't you?"

"No need; the Nova Rich frequent The Succubus, Bounce, Delirium, Frenzy, and Tempest. I was expecting more fancy clubs, I'm actually surprised by the amount of trashy clubs in this neigborhood, but I should've figured they wouldn't tolerate that try-hard ganger shtick. They don't eat out much together because it's somehow lame to them."

"Eh, you can have five-star cuisine with real food delivered to you nowadays if you have the money: I can see where they're coming from."

"Yeah you would," Aoki says, looking back to check on a slumbering Azzie. "Should we let Prince Charming in on the news or let him sit this one out?"

>(2/2)

"He might try something if we run into them by chance, but we also might need his mind control spells to tear the gang apart."

"We could bring up or remind them about how Sasha's big Russian tits used to be Bradford's first."

AI-AR shrugs. "I don't know, man, Chad was a Chad throughout that entire thing. Berkiwitiz's vid of their make-up hug was a thing of beauty."

"You don't know men." The ork shakes his head. "We don't know how to let go of women. Even if they fuck us over or use us, we can't help but feel like we should care about them, especially if we've been in a relationship."

"...Okaaay, then should we go after Sasha to break them apart?" AI-AR looks back at the slumbering mystic Adept as well. "She did end up with Jackson's big ork dick because she liked bad boys."

"Do you seriously think he could do that?"

"I mean, if we feed him enough romantic lines through a mic, bitch's somehow a sucker for that shit. His attitude does scream alpha, he has definitely killed before if those moves back at the Suffer Shack meant anything, and I just can't see him as a virgin."

"Can you see any potential sexual encounters he's had as consensual?"

"No, but that can actually work here and does for a lot of women."

"..Eww."

"I think the same thing when they look at trolls and most of your kind; we just need to freshen him up a bit and get him out of those cholo clothes."

Aoki raises a hand to his chin.

There are so many ways this could end badly, but they have little to no option that erases risk entirely.

>[ ] "Hold up, I'm going to hack Sasha's shit and send some nudes she definitely has on profile Bradford's way." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "We are going to regret this so much. Azzie, wake up! We've gotta make you look presentable." (Aoki)
>[ ] "Let's just ask around the clubs. This is a bad idea when I think about it. (AI-AR)
>[ ] "...Actually, couldn't you split them apart by attracting them both?" (Aoki)
>[ ] Wait, all you can do safely now. (All Three, technically)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4476480

>[X] "We are going to regret this so much. Azzie, wake up! We've gotta make you look presentable." (Aoki)
>[X] "Let's just ask around the clubs. This is a bad idea when I think about it. (AI-AR)

Let's send the Hobo with a Shotgun into a club to hit on the ganger's gals/female members. What can possibly go wrong?:^)

Voting closed; writing now.

>>4476569
A lot, for the Nova Rich I mean.

It's more like Hobo with Force 16 Fireballs, which can more or less one-shot anything with the rules I set up.

Mage's are fucking broken and scary in-setting. Azzie's Magic Rating puts him above most living mages already. He's literally two points away from having the same spell force output as a lesser dragon. Problem is he'll suffer from drain more than a dragon would, which would deal significant health damage if fucking up high force spell rolls. Draconic Tradition/True Magic is broken.

>>4476480
>[ ] "We are going to regret this so much. Azzie, wake up! We've gotta make you look presentable." (Aoki

>[X] "We are going to regret this so much. Azzie, wake up! We've gotta make you look presentable." (Aoki)
>[X] "Let's just ask around the clubs. This is a bad idea when I think about it." (AI-AR)

Sometimes, the most bizarre and hole-filled plans can work, though this is likely not one of those times.

"We are going to regret this so much. Azzie, wake up! We've gotta make you look presentable."

The coffee-skinned man rises, brown eyes somewhat red. "Next time you wake me up... Actually, just call me by name again, only less loud. Pretty sure I killed the last person who shook me awake."

"Yeah, you adepts tend to have a habit of that: ninja reflexes, murderous ninja reflexes and all."

"What was all that about presenting me?" He furrows his brow. "I'm not wearing a monkey suit even if it's to save my life."

AI-AR, groaning, shakes her head. "Let's just ask around the clubs. This is a bad idea when I think about it."

"Are you telling me you woke me up for nothing?"

"To be fair, that was probably going to happen when we started driving," Aoki says.

"Don't really give a fuck, big blue."

"Speaking of fuck, have you ever gotten laid?" AI-AR asks, a curious finger on her chin.

"Of course I have, I'm... old enough I think. Happens early in life in Redmond from what I've seen, whether you're working a corner, walking into an alley, or vibing well with someone. Why? You coming on to me?" He looks the elf up and down from what he can see in his current position. "Girls with your looks aren't my type unless you've got a few notches in your belt or a thing for pain."

"...By notches do you mean lays or kills?"

"Kills, what else would I mean? Just because you've fucked a few times doesn't say anything about how you perform."

Aoki grimaces. "What the fuck is even happening right now? Why are you two having this conversation?"

"Personal curiosity." AI-AR shrugs. "And, all things considered, wouldn't you want to see this guy try to steal away a rich girl?"

"Maybe in different circumstances but not in one that could get me bullets in my head."

"Fair enough."

It is wise to reconsider, even if one could forever wonder 'what if?'

>[ ] "Angela mentioned the snotty-looking ratfuck of theirs has a bliss addiction, right? Let's see what we can get out of him with some blackmail. You people don't handle that kind of thing getting out well." (Azzie)
>[ ] "Hold up, I'm going to hack Sasha's shit and send some nudes she definitely has on profile Bradford's way." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Fuck it, let's do it. I have literally nothing better to do because of all this downlow shit." (Azzie)
>[ ] "...Actually, couldn't you split them apart by attracting them both?" (Aoki)
>[ ] "Get driving, blue. We've got places to hit up. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Wait, all you can do safely now. (All Three)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4476824
>[ ] "Fuck it, let's do it. I have literally nothing better to do because of all this downlow shit." (Azzie

>>4476824
>[ ] "Hold up, I'm going to hack Sasha's shit and send some nudes she definitely has on profile Bradford's way." (AI-AR)

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>[ ] Yolo Swagguh up in this bitch

>[ ] Hacker does what hacker does best, without the yoloism

>Hacking Test
1d19, from the effective skill of 16 in hacking and the tech bonus of your high-tech commlink (Transys Avalon), which can be used for light hacking but anything actually secure to anyone with knowhow more or less requires a cyberdeck not that you wouldn't be able to hack it with your super min-maxed skill

Rolled 4 (1d19)

>>4476968

Rolled 2 (1d6)

Now rolling for the expertise used to craft the social website's security system

Rolling done; writing now.

>>4476973
>>4476985
Both rather low rolls all things considered. Neither the security system or AI-AR did well, though one succeeded

>[X] "Hold up, I'm going to hack Sasha's shit and send some nudes she definitely has on profile Bradford's way." (AI-AR)

>(1/2)

Wisdom often finds itself to those without it when it comes to self-preservation.

"Hold up, I'm going to hack Sasha's shit and send some nudes she definitely has on profile Bradford's way."

"Good thinking!" Aoki smiles. "I completely forgot you were a hacker for a second."

"So do I sometimes." Parting her hair with one hand, AI-AR digs her fingers into a coin-shaped slot in the side of her skull. She pulls out the DNI(Direct Neural Interface) cord of the datajack composing part of her headware and inputs it into her fancy commlink.

--------------------------------

You grin as you assume an anyonymous avatar in the swirl of artifical reality known as the Matrix.

Social media sites are horribly protected considering how vital the information posted on them can be. It comes in hand with the corporations running them being greedy and cheap. Every one of them sells their user data to other corporations, like Horizon and really any invested in media. In return, they get good advertisement investments as well as some clout depending on who they give the better deal.

Cracking your brain-coded fingers, you walk up to the image of Sasha's profile page currently displayed on your commlink.

Websites and the like can appear differently in the Matrix. Some are the same as their displayed pages, some have their own Matrix chatrooms where you can talk in your avatars, and some of the fancier ones simulate meatspace for some godforsaken reason. Variety is the spice of life, but that last one just isn't for you.

You reach out and get blocked by a code of text.

SASHA IGNATOV AVATAR = UNREGISTERED

UNKNOWN AVATAR ACCESS ATTEMPT = DENIED

>(2/2)

Rolling your eyes, you reach out with your hand again and let your awesome brain breach through the security system with some assistance from your commlink's processor. Numerous hidden erotic photos of the underage Russian-American Canadian breeze past your neural vision.

You've hit the jackpot, time to light the powder keg.

The most risque are piled up into a text-less message with the subject line reading 'Only for you, baby, I'll always be yours' courtesy of you before being sent to Chad the Brad.

If only you could see his stupid, horny fuckboy face.

--------------------------------

Aoki pats AI-AR on the shoulder as her eyes regain focus on the real world.

Brushing off his touch, the elf shakes her head. "That should get a reaction out of him. If he's smart, he'll try and resolve it in person, but he's a stupid fuckboy: not as much of a fuckboy as the ork, but still a fuckboy."

"If he does decide to settle it in person, we could use Azzie's Control Thoughts spell on her to say she did send those pictures. Maybe we can complete this job if we arrange for Jackson to be there when it happens."

"The other two should be just as easy as this one to hack. If I can do that, I can hack their commlinks when they access their accounts to know where they are."

"Good, we can wait for lover boy to respond and set a meet or do that just in case."

AI-AR raises her eyebrows into a smug look. "And by we, you mean me?"

"Yes. We're a team."

Azzie laughs.

It will take time, but they likely will get there.

>[ ] "Angela mentioned the snotty-looking ratfuck of theirs has a bliss addiction, right? Let's see what we can get out of him with some blackmail while we're at it. You people don't handle that kind of thing getting out well." (Azzie)
>[ ] "I guess that's fair: we don't even know each other's names. Care to share now?" (Aoki)
>[ ] "Alright, time to put my skills in action...again." (AI-AR)
>[ ] Wait, all you can do safely now. (All Three)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4477139
>[ ] "Angela mentioned the snotty-looking ratfuck of theirs has a bliss addiction, right? Let's see what we can get out of him with some blackmail while we're at it. You people don't handle that kind of thing getting out well." (Azzie

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "Angela mentioned the snotty-looking ratfuck of theirs has a bliss addiction, right? Let's see what we can get out of him with some blackmail while we're at it. You people don't handle that kind of thing getting out well."

Obvious weaknesses should be targeted. If a weakness is too obvious, a person is likely to have a defense for it.

"Angela mentioned the snotty-looking ratfuck of theirs has a bliss addiction, right?" Azzie asks, sitting upright. "Let's see what we can get out of him with some blackmail while we're at it. You people don't handle that kind of thing getting out well."

"He probably does know a lot of the other members' business. A lot of his posts are defusing tensions between them," AI-AR says before raising a hand to stroke her chin.

Aoki tilts his head from side to side. "Maybe, if we hadn't already triggered plan Soviet Sabotage."

"She was born here, her father's the Russian." AI-AR scoffs. "And the Soviet Union's been dead longer than we've been alive."

"Or maybe that's exactly what they want you to think."

"Is this Sovee-et Union one of those Nunya Bidness Black Lodge things?" Azzie yawns.

"Called a joke, bud. You probably know about them but have entirely different, twisted standards as for what counts as one. Don't worry your little murderous don't-give-a-fuck mind," AI-AR, smiling, says in her usual condescending tone.

"...I don't think I'll ever understand you people, not that I want to."

"Pretty sure if you fully understood the modern reality of metahuman civilian life, you'd kill a lot of people and call it mercy," Aoki joins in, looking back at the Azzie with a wide eye.

"The false reality you live in doesn't concern me. Real things exist beyond this plane, things you should really be worried about." He shakes his head. "I'd tell you, but you wouldn't believe me, and it's impossible for the unawakened to see it, at least for now. We'll probably all be dead by the time they come but even that might not save us."

AI-AR's lips thin into a line. "Well...that's fucking ominous."

"Let's stick to the present siutation instead of mage horror stories; has Chad responded to the images?"

The elf shakes her head, making the oni cluck his tongue.

It's possible the plan's already astray, not that it was solid-proof to begin with.

>[ ] "You sure you just weren't seeing things, Azzie? Redmond's a shitty place. Could've lost your mind in it." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Whatever, just do it anyway. Who ever said you can't have several plots going on simultaneously?" (Azzie)
>[ ] Hack 'em all, let nothing be up to chance. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Wait, all you can do safely now. (All Three)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4477411
>[ ] "Whatever, just do it anyway. Who ever said you can't have several plots going on simultaneously?" (Azzie

>>4477411
>"Whatever, just do it anyway. Who ever said you can't have several plots going on simultaneously?" (Azzie)

Voting closed; writing now.

getting pretty sleepy, will probably nod off in this update so if you've got any questions, feel free to ask

>[X] "Whatever, just do it anyway. Who ever said you can't have several plots going on simultaneously?" (Azzie)

Entwined webs can be strong if weaved right and well enough. The crack in the Nova Rich's leadership has no doubt been reopened, but that won't be enough if one of the two doesn't split it entirely. More leverage coudn't hurt, so long as it doesn't get stuck.

"Whatever, just do it anyway. Who ever said you can't have several plots going on simultaneously?"

AI-AR nods. "You're right let me just fix up a sockpuppet."

"A sock would make a horrible puppet beyond being completely useless for this situation."

"I'd hate you luddites if you weren't so adorable sometimes." The sets up a random profile in a manner of minutes. "And now to send Berkiwitz our little tidbit of personal information."

Azzie lifts himself up and pokes his head out from the back seats of the van. "Tell that little shit we know he's a bliss bitch, and that we'll tell all his friends and family how he takes trog cock for it."

"Why did you add that last bit?" Aoki asks, eyebrow raised.

"Do you know any humans who deal drugs?" AI-AR giggles. "Tranquilizers at least."

"Literally dozens."

"Blue, don't take it personally, like a bitch. If we're really rolling together, you can't be a thin-skinned, big bruised pussy," Azzie says.

"I get it, but what the hell?"

"Tusked big man on little smooth man is fucking hilarious and humiliating, for the human I mean."

AI-AR groans and scrunches her face. "It's also really disgusting. That should make him sing all their secrets to us." She begins writing the message.

The oni limps in his seat.

"And done." The Spoiled Bitch taps 'send' on her commlink screen.

All they can hope for is the web to hold to catch whatever may land.

>[ ] "About before, you sure you just weren't seeing things, Azzie? Redmond's a shitty place. Could've lost your mind in it." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "I still don't know your street names. I'm Aoki. Don't leave me hanging. (Aoki)
>[ ] Hack 'em all, let nothing be up to chance. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Wait, all you can do safely now. (All Three)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4478222
] Wait, all you can do safely now. (All Three

>>4478222
>[ ] "I still don't know your street names. I'm Aoki. Don't leave me hanging. (Aoki)

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "I still don't know your street names. I'm Aoki. Don't leave me hanging." (Aoki)
>[X] Wait, all you can do safely now. (All Three)

A person can only really begin to know someone else when they have a name to call them by. Even a nickname or a street name will do. Until then, they can never be sure who they are.

"I still don't know your street names. I'm Aoki. Don't leave me hanging."

'Mr. Redmond' shrugs. "Like I said before, names are for friends. Call me whatever, like everyone else."

"Azzie it is."

"That is what you are and what you deserve for being an edgy douchebag of many names he's not willing to part with, for doing so would make you less of an edgy douchebag," AI-AR proclams.

"Please, it's safer to live without a concerete name. I'm several different people in Redmond, as far as anyone knows. They whisper to me all about the things I've apparentally done and what I'm capable of without knowing it's me. It's hard to keep myself from laughing throughout all of it."

"So you're the boogeyman of Seattle's shitheap? Big deal."

"It actually kind of is, if he's really telling the truth," Aoki says. "Redmond has toxic spirits, roaming awakened critters, and constant gang warfare. Besides, he's not the only one: barrens have been the resting grounds of up&coming street scum, special forces gone rogue, and lord only knows what the fuck else since they've existed. When people whisper your name there, it means something...but this guy doesn't go by a name he chooses so eh."

Azzie looks to the last unnamed member of the team. "So who're you, elf? We've got names, which just leaves you now."

"AI-AR."

"AR? You don't even have a pistol on you," the oni says.

"It's pronounced like AR, but it's spelled A-I dash A-R."

"Artificial Intelligence Assault Rifle?"

"Artificial Intelligence; Augmented Reality."

"Odd."

Azzie's face scrunches in confusion. "I have no idea what either of those things are."

"There, there, Luddite. Don't worry your little mind."

The young man rolls his eyes before laying himself back down on the memory foam seats.

Several minutes of relative silence pass until a commlink buzz rustles the elf.

"Chad Thaddy ass Brad replied with, 'I thought we weren't doing this anymore.' They've fucked behind Terry's back!"

"What horny assholes, what glorious horny assholes!"

And so a strand of the web bears fruit.

>[ ] "Has anyone ever told you two it's weird to be so excited over finding out two rich kids are still fucking each other behind their fuckbuddy's backs?" (Azzie)
>[ ] "Oh god, what the fuck are we doing with our lives? We spent an eighth of a whole day going through rich teenager mind waste on the Matrix." (Aoki)
>[ ] "Time to let Jackson know his Russian whore's still pining for her old Chad rather than big ork dick." (AI-AR)
>[ ] Hack into fuckboy's account, you can get inside his commlink while he's still connected. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4478502
>Hack into fuckboy's account, you can get inside his commlink while he's still connected. (AI-AR)

One advantage of the quest format is that the "whole team twiddling thumbs while the decker is fucking around" stuff isn't annoying when you're both the team and the decker.

>>4478507
Yeah, I thought that'd be a noticeable change from an actual Shadowrun session

>>4478502

>[ ] "Has anyone ever told you two it's weird to be so excited over finding out two rich kids are still fucking each other behind their fuckbuddy's backs?" (Azzie

>Hacking Test
1d19 as before please.

Rolled 6 (1d19)

>>4479185

Rolling for security system

Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>4479353
goddammit

>Hacking Test #2
You know what to do.

Rolled 16 (1d19)

>>4479356

Rolled 2 (1d3)

Rolling for laughable commlink security

>>4479430
dam sun

Rolling done; writing now

>>4479430
Sweet 16 baby doll.

>[X] "Has anyone ever told you two it's weird to be so excited over finding out two rich kids are still fucking each other behind their fuckbuddy's backs?" (Azzie)
>[X] Hack into fuckboy's account, you can get inside his commlink while he's still connected. (AI-AR)

>(1/2)

It's wise to take and make every advantage you can get. Not everyone will leave themselves open. Sometimes, it's also wise to keep your words to yourself rather than antagonize your allies, but not everyone has volution to do so.

"Has anyone ever told you two it's weird to be so excited over finding out two rich kids are still fucking each other behind their fuckbuddy's backs?"

Aoki glares back at the resting young man. "You don't get to say that after dosing off while we did all the work."

"I just did." Azzie lifts his upper body up. "Gonna do anything about it?"

"Wave dicks later, I'm going to hack Chad's commlink," AI-AR says, taking out her DNI cord and inputting it into her commlink's jack.

--------------------------------

The neon-blue circruity of the Matrix runs past your nueral vision and permeates quite lierally everything.

You, adjusting to the electronic reality, shake your avatar's head.

Easy pickings like this can only be ruined by meatspace interference. There is the nonexistent chance of you somehow fucking this up, which is still very much nonexistent and will remain so as long as you exist. Only every other decker to have ever been combining into one super decker can stop you. Fast Jack or whatever edgy self-fellating douchebag hacker who earned the special boy points to be on Jackpoint can go fuck themselves.

Once again, you crack your digital fingers before walking into Chad Thaddy Brad's profile projection.

The warning words of the website appear and distort as you mind fuck it.

>(2/2)

CHAD BR#$D#@$^%$ @!$T1! A D*RPZ@#$(9D

329 @M%ODA%DSADF SM(#(*@ #)@)(I$K@$@$

You feel the security system give way, letting you clearly see the other device currently accessing the account in the form of a string of streaming data. Zooming to the side of the displayed profile, you grab on to it. The exspensive device's security, being designed unwisely with style over substance rather than great amounts of both, lasts barely three seconds against your big-brained mind.

Chad Bradford's profile disappears as you zoom across the matrix to a neatly, automatically arranged representation of his commlink's various applications and functions.

If there was any doubt in your mind, you'd feel far more good about yourself than you already do.

--------------------------------

"And fuck boy's commlink is mine in all but physical ownership." AI-AR taps on a device tracker app and follows the arrow up to a blue marker labeled 'The Chad.' "Motherfucker can't hide from us now."

"Nice!" Aoki cheers, slapping his arm against his armrest.

Azzie shakes his head. "Why do you keep this shit around if people can track you through them?"

"Benefits outweigh the downsides, luddite," AI-AR says.

The truth to that statement could be debated until the end of time.

>[ ] "And now we send the ork dickpics, say sorry, tell them they weren't for him, and make him think some shit is up." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Time to let Jackson know his Russian whore's still pining for her old Chad rather than big ork dick." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "We should wait until ratfuck asks us what we want." (Azzie)
>[ ] Hack 'em all, let nothing be up to chance. (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Can you control multiple people, Azzie?" (Aoki)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4479768
>Hack 'em all, let nothing be up to chance. (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Can you control multiple people, Azzie?" (Aoki)

>Hacking Test
Give me your best shot(s)

Rolled 11 (1d16)

>>4479797

Alright

>>4479813
goddammit

>>4479801
Actually beyond anything the security system can roll so

>Hacking Test #2

Rolled 6 (1d16)

>>4479814

Rolled 5 (1d6)

i'll be surprised if the security system wins one

Rolling done; Writing now

>>4479834
That was close

>[X] "Can you control multiple people, Azzie?" (Aoki)
>[X] Hack 'em all, let nothing be up to chance. (AI-AR)

These advantages are still not enough. They must be absolutely sure they control the four key figures to their scheme. It's a quarter of the group and their entire leadership, which will be more than enough to cripple the thrill gang if they aren't all turned against each other.

"Can you control multiple people, Azzie?" The oni asks.

Said Azzie nods. "It's a spell I need to sustain but yeah. Second will be harder than the first, third will be harder than the second, and you already know what'll happen if I keep going."

"But how many can you control maximum?"

"About five, but the last person I cast the spell on has to be pretty weak willed."

"That won't be a problem." Aoki chuckles. "We're dealing with people who'd have a mental breakdown from having their commlinks taken away from them."

"You people on the outside are so patheic I can't even enjoy your suffering, it's not even real pain." Azzie gags, shaking his head.

"...Anyone ever tell you you're fucked in the mind?"

"Deeper than that depending on who you ask, but I've heard several times."

"What?"

AI-AR clears her throat. "While you guys bond, I'm going to hack Berkiwitz and Jackson just in case. See you in a minute max." For the umpteenth time, the elf jacks into her commlink.

--------------------------------

You return to the Matrix once again, searching for Berkiwitz and immediately getting to work.

The warning code flares up for a few seconds but disperses at your mighty godlike mind's sheer genius.

Terry 'King of Fuckboys' Jackson's profile lasts a somewhat worrying longer while before falling to your greatness.

Humming an old song about being the best around, you jack out of the matrix.

--------------------------------

"Every single member of the group worth a damn is now hacked. We can monitor the situation at our leisure, so long as the last three log in through their commlinks," AI-AR, rising from her DNI daze, announces.

"Nice!" Aoki slaps down on his arm rest again. "Now we wait."

The Azzie closes his eyes, willing himself into a meditative state.

Patience, again, is a precious virtue to have, especially for the competent.

>[ ] "...Oh god, what the fuck are we doing with our lives? We've spent more than eighth of a whole day going through rich teenager mind waste on the Matrix." (Aoki)
>[ ] "And now we send the ork dickpics, say sorry, tell them they weren't for him, and make him think some shit is up." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Time to let Jackson know his Russian whore's still pining for her old Chad rather than big ork dick." (AI-AR)
>[ ] Wait for someone else to log on, best make a move when all advantages are in. (All three, technically)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4481253
>"And now we send the ork dickpics, say sorry, tell them they weren't for him, and make him think some shit is up." (AI-AR)

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "And now we send the ork dickpics, say sorry, tell them they weren't for him, and make him think some shit is up." (AI-AR)

>(1/2)

As direct this action is, there's a good chance it'll pay off thanks to one of the two leaders' personality flaws.

"And now we send the ork dickpics, say sorry, tell them they weren't for him, and make him think some shit is up."

Aoki raises an eyebrow. "Would he? Chad's inability to keep his dick in his pants is well known, especially to Jackson. For all we know, he's already done something like that."

"Good point." AI-AR laughs. "Let's do it anyway."

"Sure, what the hell?" Aoki joins in on the laughter.

The elf logs into Bradford's profile, compiles a few pictures of his genitals he has on hand, and sends them to his best friend under the subject line 'I know it, baby. Forever yours.' "Aaand it's sent. Enjoy your medium-sized erect human dick, Terry."

"I'd feel bad if he didn't pay bums to beat the shit out of them; 'King of the Ring' my ass."

"Yeah, trog needs to find a better way to relax and feel like a big man, like actually taking up boxing. Fat fucking chance of that though: boy was born spoiled with those trog muscles. "

"Uh, right."

"Money's one thing but that raw power and potential? Are you kidding me? It'd only be worse if he was awakened too."

"...Azzie back here's awakened, what about him?"

>(2/2)

AI-AR waves it off. "What about him?"

"I don't know if you've noticed this, but he held a woman with cyberarms in place." The oni glances back at him. "He didn't have her in a chokehold; he bearhugged her chrome arms to her body. Sure, a troll could easily do that and so would an ork if he's bothered working out but a human?" He turns back to an unconvinced elf. "I don't know if it's some magic or adept ability, but he'd have to be on something to pull that off or buffer than he looks underneath those clothes. If it's the latter, I have no idea where he'd be getting the protein from in Redmond of all places."

"And this has anything to do with Jackson's lucky ass how?"

"Nothing, just food for thought."

AI-AR shrugs. "Homeboy's fucked, awakened or not: he hates money, hates technology, and thinks we're living in fairy tale land because he's lived in a living hell all his life... It's actually kind of sad when you think about it. Oh well, world's filled with broken people like him."

"Unfortunately."

They sit in silence for a minute or two when AI-AR's commlink rumbles.

She raises and looks down on it. "Terry says, 'WOAH, home boi! No homo, your dick's seen better days. I know yo'd never sends me pics o yo dick, so as recompunse for yo no homo homo acciduntly sent my way, tell me who you be lovin & fucking now, booooi.'"

"I'd say you're exaggerating if I hadn't seen more than enough of his PicBook posts to know that's exactly how he'd respond."

The trap is set.

>[ ] "Oh man, Brad's still on! He just has to see the post and he'll start getting nervous! If he fucks up, Terry will realize what we wanted him to! This gonna be goood!" (AI-AR)
>[ ] Kick out Bradford's comm from his account, he'll get some idea of what's going on if he sees the post you sent as him. (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Time to let Jackson know his Russian whore's still pining for her old Chad rather than big ork dick." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "You know I'm not actually sleeping, right? I heard you." (Azzie)
>[ ] Hack his comm, he is connected now so you may as well. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Wait, best let things stew for a while. (All Three)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4481432
>[ ] Kick out Bradford's comm from his account, he'll get some idea of what's going on if he sees the post you sent as him. (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Time to let Jackson know his Russian whore's still pining for her old Chad rather than big ork dick." (AI-AR)

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] Kick out Bradford's comm from his account, he'll get some idea of what's going on if he sees the post you sent as him. (AI-AR)
>[X] "Time to let Jackson know his Russian whore's still pining for her old Chad rather than big ork dick." (AI-AR)

Things will be too much up to chance if Bradford communicates with Jackson. Better they confess as him than he accidently steer the conversation a different way. Further direct action like this ensures they'll have to use their mage's mind manipulation magic however.

AI-AR switches tabs from the matrix to Brad's commlink and logs him out. "Time to let Jackson know his Russian whore's still pining for her old Chad rather than big ork dick."

"We're telling him?" Aoki asks.

"Yup, homeboy can mind control Chad the Brad if they contront in person."

"But then we'd have to do the same to Sasha."

"No problem for homeboy, right?"

'Homeboy' opens his eyes. "Right."

"See?" AI-AR looks back down at her commlink. "Now, how would he..." She snaps her fingers. "Ahem, 'Oh fuck, homie, didn't mean to send those to you. Listen, man, I need to tell you somethin you don't wanna hear, but I have to tell you anyway. Me and Sasha been fucking again, behind your back. I know it's shitty of us and we're awful people, but you have the right to know. We've always loved each other, and we still love you.'"

Azzie scrunches his face in disgust. "How could you make stealing another man's woman sound so castrated?"

"They're childhood friends," Aoki says, "it wouldn't be natural if she outright sent, 'Fuck you, I cucked you.'"

"Ah, 'friends.' What you said is still better than what she did."

"Jackson wouldn't have bought it."

"We'll see." The young man shrugs. "Trog sounds stupid enough to believe anything we tell him."

AI-AR's commlink buzzes.

"He responded with, 'Boi, don't be fuxin with me like dis. Aint funny. I aughta beat yo ass and smack Sasha's along with dem tittays to get some sense into yo brain. Just fo dat, i'mma fucka real hard next time we alone.'"

"Sounds like we have to send him some real proof. Should we or just wait for them to get together again, so Jackson can confront the adulterers?" Aoki, raising a hand to his chin, asks. "We won't have to use magic if Terry goes in looking for a fight or figures out what's been happening behind his back before Chad can tell him he didn't send the dickpics."

The prey can use some bait, though it may alert them of the trap they've set.

>[ ] "...Oh god, what the fuck are we doing with our lives? We've spent more than eighth of a whole day going through rich teenager mind waste on the Matrix." (Aoki)
>[ ] "Blue, you seem to have experience with this kind of stuff more than we do. Who are you?" (Azzie)
>[ ] Send him Sasha's nudes, that'll set him off if he sees Brad again. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Hack his comm, he is connected now so you may as well. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Wait, best let things stew for a while. (All Three)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4482513
>[ ] "...Oh god, what the fuck are we doing with our lives? We've spent more than eighth of a whole day going through rich teenager mind waste on the Matrix." (Aoki)
>[ ] "Blue, you seem to have experience with this kind of stuff more than we do. Who are you?" (Azzie

Voting closed; writing now.

>[X] "...Oh god, what the fuck are we doing with our lives? We've spent more than eighth of a whole day going through rich teenager mind waste on the Matrix." (Aoki)
>[X] "Blue, you seem to have experience with this kind of stuff more than we do. Who are you?" (Azzie)

>(1/2)

Sometimes the reality of a person's actions can be lost on them completely until a sufficient enough time has past.

"...Oh god, what the fuck are we doing with our lives?" The Oni raises his hand to his forehead and shakes his full head. "We've spent more than eighth of a whole day going through rich teenager mind waste on the Matrix."

"There, there, big blue. We're getting a cool ten-thou for this," AI-AR says, smile gleaming with perfect teeth.

"I know it's a lot but still: this our lives, and we're wading through shit to live a relatively average lifestyle all things considered."

"Meh, better than being a wageslave."

"Yeah but is it really worth it?"

Azzie laughs. "See? That money of yours is nothing but an illusion that binds you."

"Oh shut up," AI-AR says. Rolling her eyes, she looks back at the lad. "You haven't done a single good thing for this job but recommend we blackmail Berkiwitz, which we were probably going to do anyway once either of us remembered the bliss thing."

"I was going to take a bullet for the team by maybe dodging one and dressing up like a fucking monkey, but someone had a better plan apparently."

"Now that I think about it, you have been doing most of the work. Want the Azzie's share?" Aoki asks.

The elf hums before shaking her head. "Eh, I'd rather show him what money can really do, so I can rub it in his face."

"Good plan, I'll help you with that."

"Oh fuck the both of you."

The two normal-in-comparison, would-be runners share a laugh.

Silence fills the air again for a good minute or two until the coffee-skinned young man rises from the memory foam backseats. "Blue, you seem to have experience with this kind of stuff more than we do. Who are you?"

>(2/2)

"A Shadowrunner." The oni sighs. "I've been around and done a lot to the point I'm good at pretty much everything but hacking. Don't have any ware: they're nuyen sinks and doctors say my body doesn't mesh well with foreign material, which means my essence especially doesn't for whatever reason."

"The body is the vessel for the 'soul.' Chop parts off of you, it won't be affected. Replace those chopped parts with chrome connected to the rest of your body and it'll start to dissapear." Azzie begins. "I said it was mutilating yourself back at the chopshop, which it still is, but it's more like you've taken bits of brain out your skull. You can still live, but a part of yourself is missing unless somehow those bits of brain grow back; never seen it happen though. People who get auged are easy prey to Shadow Spirits, Blood Spirits, and Shedim Spirits."

"Shedim Spirits?" AI-AR asks, looking back at the Azzie. "Heard rumors about them, but you've seen them with your own eyes?"

He nods. "I've seen a lot of things. Those zombies are something else though: pack a punch like a toxic spirit. Definitely worse things bumping the astral, but those corpses are a foreign kind of abomination, kind of like insect spirits. Spiders hunt them like they do insects though, if they can even find them or take them on."

"How do you know all this?" Aoki laughs. "You're asking me questions when you know a lot more about shit someone from Redmond couldn't even dream of."

"Astral Perception lets me see a lot. You'd be surprised by the amount of shit haunting in Redmond. I fucking hate goo-goo-eyed Succubi, child diddling Nightmares I see pop back to the astral as painfully as I can make them, and even those little bastard Muses show up once in a while to feed off graffiti artists. Shades are kind of pathetic, but we're somewhat related. Wraiths are fun to be around and more my style."

"...You're talking about soul-eating Shadow Spirits."

"Uh-huh. As much as they are nuisances, I can't fault them for adhering to their existential nature. Nightmares can eat as much searing mana I can blast at them though: they actively choose to target children, the pathetic pieces of shit."

"Well, it's nice to know you have some form of morality."

The only expensive commlink in the car buzzes.

AI-AR looks down at her fancy wrist phone. "Ah, now Berkiwitz is online."

More pawns are handing themselves over to the other board.

>[ ] "If this works, we need to celebrate after. We deserve it and to stuff money down this luddite's throat." (Aoki)
>[ ] "Little bitch boy, give us all your dirt on the Nova Rich or forever be branded a bliss bitch." (AI-AR)
>[ ] Send Terry Sasha's nudes, that'll set him off if he sees Brad again. (AI-AR)
>[ ] "You know, you haven't really answered my question, blue." (Azzie)
>[ ] Hack Terry's commlink, let no pawn go untracked. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Hack his commlink, he's online so may as well. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4483060
>[ ] "Little bitch boy, give us all your dirt on the Nova Rich or forever be branded a bliss bitch." (AI-AR)
>[ ] Send Terry Sasha's nudes, that'll set him off if he sees Brad again. (AI-AR

Voting closed; writing now.

How are you guys doing, if you don't mind me asking? Been on an odd schedule as of late. Am I info dumping too much or is it tolerable? I tend to go overboard with that kind of thing.

>>4483175
Honestly, I'm not having much fun, though I can't put my finger on why. Also, most of the characters are unlikable.

>>4483235
Probably has to do with the fact you've been stuck in a car for a while now letting the Hacker do most of everything, but that happens sometimes.

I understand about the characters. I've hardly let you know them and only one of them can be thought of as a half-decent person. I'd ask you to give it time, but that'd be too much. My job to make them more appealing to you.

>>4483246
Its not so bad if anything its making me fill how the char are having to go though all this fuck boy bulllshit.
Hope that once thisnvan life is over we can start having more "fun".

>[X] "Little bitch boy, give us all your dirt on the Nova Rich or forever be branded a bliss bitch." (AI-AR)
>[X] Send Terry Sasha's nudes, that'll set him off if he sees Brad again. (AI-AR)

>(1/2)

Satisfying the mob boss' idea of dismantlement could take more than just the heads feuding. The entire group needs to be torn apart and/or set against each other. Factions will form naturally with various grievances towards the other. If it escalates, their parents may get involved with their connections, engaging in a cold war between them that will sour Bellevue's rich kid environment for a long time.

AI-AR types down her lines as she goes along. "Little bitch boy, give us all your dirt on the Nova Rich or forever be branded a bliss bitch." Sending the blackmail message, she snaps her fingers.

"Now that's an effective message," Azzie, applauding, smiles.

"I don't know whether you're being sarcastic or not, but thank you anyway; maybe next time you can send all the blackmail messages."

"Well, it'll give me something to do if we're stuck in this van again."

"Don't worry about that. This is probably the only time I'll ever let you two in here...unless you fuck up on a job or go loud, and I have to play getaway driver: driving, boating, and piloting sims are favorites of mine, so I could use the real world experience."

"No." Aoki furrows his brow at the elf and shakes his head. "We are not putting our lives in the hands of your video game experience."

AI-AR laughs. "Relax, blue, I'm like top ten in the whole world."

"Do you even hear yourself right now?"

"Trust me, man. Matrix sims are super realistic."

"You could die. I could die. The entire team could die, and it'd be your fault. You'd have to live the rest of your life knowing that if you manage to escape your pursuers in spite of it."

>(2/2)

"...I'm going to send Terry his cheating girl's nudes now." AI-AR points to her commlink. "You cool down in the driver's seat knowing I'm not the one behind the wheel at the moment."

"Sound advice, I'll take it; thank you." Aoki turns to stare out the windshield.

The elf sends the incriminating photos to who would feel like their rightful owner. "And now we wait fo—" Her commlink buzzes with the alert. "Well shit, 'Chad, I'mma beat yo ass fo dis! Yo dead, omae!' He types fast! You'd think those fingers would make him misppell something but no!"

"Oh yeah, are we finally going to get the hell out of this van to watch some rich shits throw down?" Azzie asks, punching into his own open fist.

"He has to find him first," Aoki says, "and we might need you to control Chad or Sasha, if she's there, into admitting it or provoking him."

"Well, fuck it! What are we waiting for? Let's tail Chad and watch the trog beat the shit out of him."

"You don't actually possess him, right?"

Azzie scoffs. "Do I look like a spirit? No. I just make him think things, and he acts by them."

"How does that work exactly?" AI-AR asks.

"Do you want me to explain the various complications that exist in magic, or do you want me to make a rich kid throw down with another rich kid?"

"Yes."

The young man stares at the back of the woman's seat.

"We don't have time for this; let's decide our next move."

Many roads lay ahead now that the bait has been taken.

>[ ] "We should wait. Until we know where our key patsies are, this plan can still fail. If Jackson confronts Chad too soon, only the leadership can get crippled if Berkiwitz decides to bite the bliss pill." (Aoki)
>[ ] "You guys monitor this Matrix shit from here. Send me what's-his-face's location to my wrist toy, and I'll tail him from the rooftops." (Azzie)
>[ ] "I'll let Jackson know where Brad is. We'll have to get there first to make sure there's no complications though." (AI-AR)
>[ ] Hack Berkiwitz's commlink, he's online so may as well. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Hack Terry's commlink, let no pawn go untracked. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4483336
>"You guys monitor this Matrix shit from here. Send me what's-his-face's location to my wrist toy, and I'll tail him from the rooftops." (Azzie)
>Hack Berkiwitz's commlink, he's online so may as well. (AI-AR)

Voting closed; writing now.

Feeling tired, so I'll probably nod off midway through this. See you all a couple hours later

oh goddammit, i blame sleep deprivation for this

>Hacking Test
1d19 as before

Rolled 4 (1d19)

>>4483430

Rolled 5 (1d9)

rolling for Berkiwitz's comm security

Rolling done; actual writing now.

>[X] "You guys monitor this Matrix shit from here. Send me what's-his-face's location to my wrist toy, and I'll tail him from the rooftops." (Azzie)
>[X] Hack Berkiwitz's commlink, he's online so may as well. (AI-AR)

>(1/2)

A team isn't always strong when they're together. Each member has their own strengths that can be used in unison, but outliers exist in some people whose abilities are only held down by others. Unfortunately, the all-but-official wildcard of the team is such a person.

"You guys monitor this Matrix shit from here. Send me what's-his-face's location to my wrist toy, and I'll tail him from the rooftops."

"I will if you promise not to do anything stupid," AI-AR says.

"We both know you won't believe me if I do."

"You're not as stupid as you dress."

Azzie raises an eyebrow before popping open the nearest door. "Just send me his location, and I'll keep an eye on him. He won't tell Jackson shit if he gets confronted, I'll make sure of it." Easing himself out, he slides the car door shut.

AI-AR turns to Aoki. "Do you think he can keep his hands to himself?"

"You don't survive the Barrens by just killing everyone who could kill you."

"That still doesn't work in his favor."

The oni shrugs. "We'll see. For now, we monitor the situation."

"Oh yeah, speaking of which." AI-AR jacks into her commlink.

--------------------------------

You get to work as soon as possible after sending live tracking data of The Brad to Azzie, going straight to Berkiwitz's profile and linking yourself to his commlink's stream.

The opposing device's security code is easy to bypass with your super genius brain before you feel it complex its data.

Backing off before the device can properly define you as an intruding entity, you jack out.

--------------------------------

"...I can't believe it."

Aoki turns to a distraught elf. "What?"

>(2/2)

"Some unmodded cut-rate rich shit's commlink security actually made me back off."

"Did it get a trace on you?" The oni leans in. "Does Berkiwitz know someone's hacking commlinks?""

"No, no! Calm down, big blue. I fucked up, but I didn't fuck up completely."

Aoki lays back in the driver's seat. "Good, just a minor setback nothing serious. Hope Azzie doesn't do anything now."

--------------------------------

The air breezes past you as you cut through it. You go from rooftop to rooftop, building wall to rooftop, and building wall to building wall above the heads and sight of Bellevue's passerbys. Glancing at the glowing marks on your commlink, you confirm you're on the right track.

So many things make no sense in this world: the rich act as if they're poor, socialites wish they were thugs, and the people in positions of power have no idea what power is.

You cluck your tongue as you jump up a three-story building's wall to its roof.

Maybe it was a mistake staying in Redmond for so long. There's plenty of suffering to bask in and create, though you don't know if the residents deserve it when you compare these assholes to them. Sure, you're seeing what the spawn of the richest members of the population act like and not the rest, but it makes you want to show everyone here what real suffering is. It'd help expand their measly perspectives.

Inwardly shrugging off your thoguhts, you keep up your pace and stop when you reach a building across from the moving Chad.

Now you have to wait.

>[ ] "I'll let Jackson know where Brad is. We'll have to get there first to make sure there's no complications though." (AI-AR)
>[ ] "Let's wait. The more we tamper with things, the less they'll fall into the places we want them to." (Aoki)
>[ ] Hop down, someone or something's going to spot you up here eventually despite the vantage point. (Azzie)
>[ ] Hack Berkiwitz's commlink again, you're not getting fucked by an inferior non-sentient. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Hack Terry's commlink, let no pawn go untracked. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4484519
>[ ] Hack Berkiwitz's commlink again, you're not getting fucked by an inferior non-sentient. (AI-AR)
I feel it'd be in character.

Otherwise I don't feel a strong preference for any of the options. I literally can't see why I should or shouldn't select them.
Like the "hop down" option. From the available information, I can't in any way evaluate the probability of getting spotted versus the utility of staying up there.

>>4484539
You're in a precarious position. Lots of things can go wrong, so not every choice is something to be sure about.

You have the choice to hop down to be amongst the common people of Bellevue rather than look down on them like ants. Flavor, I know, but flavor can go a long way.

>>4484559
Just understanding that things can go wrong isn't enough for a meaningful choice.

>>4484564
I see where you're coming from. Feel like writing something in? Got a few minutes until I close voting.

>Hacking Test
You know what to do

>>4484567
pff, i keep forgetting about rolls

Rolled 3 (1d19)

>>4484567
There's just not enough information for me to do a write-in.

>>4484593
My rolls are just steadily getting worse.

Rolled 9 (1d9)

only what is effectively my luck failing will save you

Rolling done; writing now.

>>4484600
Well fuck, I never new I was so lucky. My bad, guys.

>[X] Hack Berkiwitz's commlink again, you're not getting fucked by an inferior non-sentient. (AI-AR)

>(1/2)

It is better to let go of some things than cling on to them, even if the matter is close to a person's heart.

"No..I'm not going to take this laying down." AI-AR pulls out her DNI cord again.

Aoki grimaces. "Are you sure about this?"

"More than anything in my life."

"Please, don't do anything stupid or fail spectacularly. My luck's been shit enough as is lately."

The elf rolls her eyes before jacking into her commlink to soothe her bruised ego.

--------------------------------

You go straight for Berkiwitz's commlink stream. It repeats its complication code, pissing you off. Clenching hard on the river of data, you grit your nonexistant persona teeth.

There is no way in hell you're going to just give up again because it got a lucky win.

Berikiwitz's commlink security complexes again, throwing you off just as you adapted to the previous one. If you were in meatspace, you'd be banging your head against your glove compartment, but you're stuck seething in cyberspace. It advances again before you've finished adapting and forces you out.

Widening your eyes of code, you realize you just fucked up.

--------------------------------

"...So about failing spectacularly."

>(2/2)

"Oh goddammit!" Aoki's brow furrows. "Should I expect a Knight Errant detachment or tell homeboy he's not the fuck up of the team before I tell him to watch out for any rat-looking rich kids?"

"First of all, hurtful. Second, we're safe so long as I don't try anything like that again."

"Never, for your own sake."

The elf looks down on herself. "I won't, not when I'm pissed at least... An unmodded commlink, what the fuck? I can't cast magic, and now I can't even do the one thing auntie taught me."

"What?"

"Nevermind." AI-AR lifts up her commlink "I'll text Azzie." She does so, ommiting a few key details and sending a picture of nerdy Berkiwitz over.

--------------------------------

You raise an eyebrow as your wrist toy buzzes. Look down at it, you click on the pop-up mail icon. "It's me, your glor...ious hacker, AI-AR. Ratfuck knows a hacker is brow...sing his profile and comm. Watch out for this..." You squint. "Frea..kshow."

An image of a pale-faced thin teenager pops up on your commlink.

"Not even big enough for fingersnacks, much less a rack of ribs."

Chad moves further down the road.

You jump to the next building over and run your eyes over the various signs displayed on the buildings opposite yours. "I need to learn how to read better. Shit's everywhere out here."

New complications arise.

>[ ] "Berkiwitz probably isn't going to send the blackmail info now. May as well spring the news on his parents, shouldn't we? That should stall him." (Aoki)
>[ ] "I'll let Jackson know where Brad is. We have to make this happen before Berkiwitz can tell anyone and make them doubt what we've sent." (AI-AR)
>[ ] Astrally Perceive for potential threats, you might not be the only awakened around and that could further complicate things. (Azzie)
>[ ] "Do you have any contacts in Bellevue that could help us with this?" (AI-AR)
>[ ] Hack Terry's commlink, let no pawn go untracked. (AI-AR)
>[ ] Write In.

>>4484782
>Astrally Perceive for potential threats, you might not be the only awakened around and that could further complicate things. (Azzie)
> "Berkiwitz probably isn't going to send the blackmail info now. May as well spring the news on his parents, shouldn't we? That should stall him." (Aoki)

>>4484782

>[ ] "Berkiwitz probably isn't going to send the blackmail info now. May as well spring the news on his parents, shouldn't we? That should stall him." (Aoki

>[ ] Astrally Perceive for potential threats, you might not be the only awakened around and that could further complicate things. (Azzie

>Perceiving Test
1d10 please

>>4484852
Someone please roll instead of me. My luck has proven itself to be horrible.

>>4484896
Go anyway, anon. I believe in you.

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>4484852
Get rolled

>Assensing Test
1d11

took a nap, my bad

Rolled 4 (1d11)

>>4485326

Rolling done; writing now.