Aliapanacea

  New Houston had been crumbling before our eyes,

  Despite that her me nor her,

  Were ready for the moment of its demise.

  The only thi was true horror.

  Untitled, Prism, 2056

  ***

  As I fidget with my very floopy fin, I anxiously gowards the exterior door, waiting for the iable hiss.

  Prism, are you okay?

  Biting my lower lip, I g Emme as she mindlessly taps her foot, then simply intone, ‘Anxious. Not really a reason for it though.’

  …I have my doubts about that.

  Puffing out my cheeks, I squish Nyvi a bit, then flinch when there is a loud k from the edge of the ship. Emme immediately jumps to her feet, rushing towards the edge of the room as the bst door slides open. Scratg her neck while muttering something I don’t catch, who I assume is Lissa steps into the room, only to be caught and yanked up into a spinning hug by my partner. A rge, extremely fit figure walks into the room behind them, carrying someohat’s of simir size and build on their shoulder like they don’t weigh much at all.

  Yet, as what's undeniably a picturesque reunioween a temporarily separated family begins, I find myself uo force my attention to stay on them nor their versation. The cruel artist in my brain, as is usually, has taken the liberty to mar the joyous emotion with muddled blurs in pces of faces, for reasons I ’t possibly prehend.

  A pound sludge of emotions begins to drip onto my heart, slowly c it in a sticky ooze I have no hope of sing. I take a deep breath and y ag eyes, fog on the slight amount of white noise produced by some mae in the room.

  Family.

  Humanity is… iing. While we have a tendency to bond deeply with those reted to us, it also makes it all the more devastating when that e shatters. Lost in the wilderness of life, no support to be seen, no way to narrohat dire to head in to reach safety. At least, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it’d be…

  No, that’s not true.

  It really doesn’t seem like much right now, but the things I’ve gohrough today… I don’t think I’d wish on anyone. Initialization may be the best thing that’s ever happeo me, but in hindsight, I was ready for it to happen, perhaps more than anyone really should be. It makes me a bit sick, but Grandfather truly is the reason I’m alive at the moment. Not that it gives him a pass, after what we’ve seen today. If I ever enter him again, I’m going to do anything I to get a shot in on him.

  Bastard deserves it.

  I sigh, shifting a bit in my seat. I suppose he’s not unique in that. Anyone I share blood with probably deserves to burn at the stake. I’m not even sure if I’m not included in that.

  Lissa’s words from earlier echo in my mind. What did I actually do while I was ihrall?

  ly much, I guess. The most was business iations, and that never really went well. I suppose I was a footman at times though.

  Still, was the little work I did for them enough to make me a terrible person?

  No, I guess not. If it did, Emme would be bad as well, and that’s obviously not true. The woman is a radiant fug bea in a incredibly murky sea. If she’s a vilin, I don’t want to be a good guy.

  I suppose it’d be prudent for me to work to the world up anyway. I don’t think it’d be very difficult to get Emme and Lissa on board with that, if we’re going to go around wiping out the remnants of the Monteros. Actually, and the Wisterias I suppose.

  They’ll be more difficult though. There’s a reason old money is still around even now.

  Either way, doing this might bring us into flict with other samurai or corporations, especially ohat work in biology reted fields… Nonsanto is one I know had deep ties to Wisteria, sihey colborated on several crops and animals, but who knows if they worked on more secretive stuff in the meantime. I seem to remember them w with a European corp on something a while back…

  Wait, fuck. Cascadia.

  Ugh, I knoere there for business reasons and ended up making a deal with Tanaka Corporation to build something? All I seem to remember is the stupid marriage meeting with the CEO’s daughter and the aftermath… Yup. I’m just going to leave that one for ter. I o thank her for waking me up eventually anyway, but expining everything sounds like a pain.

  Oh shit, weren’t they w on rebuildile right now? Um… Hm.

  I suppose that’s urgent? I o look into the details of what happehere first.

  Groaning, I lean bad put my fato my hands.

  This is so fug plicated. I suppose it’ll be cathartic to burn the Wisteria manor to the ground though. Wish I could do the same to the Montero manor but I doubt I’ll get the bsp;

  “Yoink.”

  I squeak as Emme’s arms suddenly around my midse and pull me into her p. Face heating up, I wiggle a bit to try and escape, but am uo find even a bit of actual strength to put behind it. Doing my best to ignore Emme’s giggling at my movements, I look up to see Lissa taking a seat across from us, and for the first time I get a good look at her. More petite and darker skihan her sister, the girl’s bloodstained exercise clothes really make it obvious how different these two are.

  “So…” Lissa sighs out as she crosses her legs, “You’re Prism, hm? Good to meet you in person.”

  “I-I um.” Panig at my sudden ck of words, I bring Nyvi up and sink my fato her back. “M-Mhm.”

  Lissa snorts before she mutters, “I take what I said earlier back, this girl couldn’t hurt a fly.”

  Emme clicks her tongue and wags her fi her sister. “You’d be surprised, you should have seen her earlier! She beat a Model Thirteen with her bare hands!”

  Face heating up again, I stutter out, “W-Where did your parents go? Are they okay?”

  “I had Achys go guide them to one of the bedrooms, they need rest. We all need rest.” As she expins, I flinch as Emme’s hand brushes against my upper back. “Sorry, was that too-”

  “N-No, it’s fine! I-I just…” Looking up at the s pying footage of the battle outside, I softly smile. “I-I wasn’t prepared for it. I-It should be fine now.”

  Ever so gently, Emme’s palm presses against my upper back, then begins to slowly circle. I get chills.

  “Anyways…” I hear a heaping of amusement in Lissa’s tone. “Hoeople are left to evacuate?”

  Nyvi hums for a moment, then states, [“Just one more floor. There hasn’t been anything too crazy in the crowd, but we’re keeping our eyes open.”]

  I sigh, then lean my head against Emme. “I-I want a drink…”

  “Huh.” Emme’s chest vibrates as she speaks. “What’s your poison?”

  “N-Nothing to.” I wring my hands a bit. “A-And whiskey makes me want to cry. I-I like fruity stuff.”

  “Good taste.” Emme taps her fingers against my upper back. “Okay, here.”

  Catalog Unlocked!

  Css-I Alcoholic Beverages: 25 points

  New Purchase!

  Six-Bottle Pack of Sevehousand Berry Punch x2: 12 Points

  Total Cost:

  37 Points

  Final Total:

  4004 Points

  A small box with a dozen beverage bottoms covered in ice appears on the coffee table, and Emme reaches arouo grab two gss bottles. I wat awe, trying not to think about how soft she is, as she casually pops them open together and pces oo my hands. She ks her bottle against mihen joyfully decres: “Cheers!”

  I echo it in respoheantly take a sip. To my surprise, it’s actually incredibly pleasant, a delightful mix of indistinct berry fvor hiding the taste of the fermentation. I take a sed sip, then quietly mutter, “Is good…”

  “What, you’re not even going to throw me one Emme?” Lissa chuckles, then says, “Fine py favorites. I don’t eveo get up.”

  I blink as a bottle lifts up seemingly by itself, then flies over and plops down into Lissa’s hand. The cap magically pops off as well, and the girl takes a sip. Emme seems as fused as I am as she straight up blurts, “What the fuck?”

  Snickering to herself, Lissa takes a rge sip, hums in appreciation of the taste, then does a little fake burp. “The evil spirit. The spirit brought it to me, Sister.”

  Emme groans, then puts her onto my head. “Don’t just quote Jojo, what was that?”

  Lissa points at us as she smugly expins, “My stand.”

  Out of the loop, I whisper, “I-I have no idea what that is.”

  “Fine, I’ll show you then.” Lissa snaps her fingers and to my surprise, a figure is floating silently behind her. “Meet my avatar! It’s basically a ghost my eye makes that I trol with my mind.”

  Emme pulls me a bit closer, making my stomach do a little flip. “Hah, like a shadow puppet.”

  “Nooope.” Lissa gives her sister a thumbs down. “It’s the opposite, it’s made of light.”

  I take a sip, then shrug. “T-Teically, so are shadows.”

  Obviously a little annoyed, Lissa puts her drink down. “No, it’s not the same thing! My eye projects an ultraviolet hard light struct that I trol! Shadow puppets are just that, made of shadow! ”

  “I mean they’re both being made by light so…” Emme pauses as her sister loudly humphs at that. “Oh shit. Hey, Lissa, do you know the tradition about samurai names?”

  “Uh.” The girl shifts her legs up onto the couderh her. “Not off the top of my head?”

  “T-The first samurai you work with gives you a name.” I reach up and poke Emme’s cheek. “W-We exged names cause we entered each other when we were both new, but normally a more experienced samurai gives the name.”

  Lissa takes a moment, then gasps. “You wouldn’t.”

  I just hear the sheer smug energy in Emme’s voice as she says. “I would. Prism, what do you think about naming her Shadow Puppet?”

  I grin and give a thumbs up before I take another sip. Lissa groans as she flops onto the couch, murmuring, “I shoulda’ known you two would gang up on me like this. Stupid lesbians…”

  My face goes afme, and Emme coughs before she expins, “We’re business partners Lissa, not… Y’know.”

  “Uh…” I feel the girls gaze on me, and I move my head away. “Right. Tooootally. Sorry, I guess.”

  There’s an aause as the versation goes silent, until Emme suddenly brings her bottle up, chugs what's left, then throws the bottle across the room. It sms into the ground, but to my surprise, the gss doesn’t break. I might save these bottles for ter…

  [“Sorry to interrupt such a riveting versation, you three.”] Nyvi’s voice is a wele one, so I hug her orca body close. [“The final floor has been evacuated, and we’re now ready to depart whenever you give the order.”]

  “Great, fantastic.” Emme brings her arm up, pointing at nothing. “Starchaser, set off for safety!”

  Getting into the role, Nyvi responds with a, [“Aye Captain!”]

  I wat rapt awe as the camera feed shifts to aerior view of the Starchaser, dispying the view of what I assume is one of the SADS. The ship and its shelter sub sibliach from the reef, pulling away as the hordes rush at us like moths to an inferno. Thankfully, they don’t really make much headway, with the big guns and little dog drones Emme bought doing more than enough work in keeping them at bay.

  After a couple tense minutes of swimming through the depths, we surface a bit away from the city, breaking out into the m air. The sun hasn’t yet risehe sunrise is btantly immi from the color of the sky. We all release a small breath of relief, though the hordes tio force the guns to fire otom of the ship. As I take an the s though, I squint and look a bit closer.

  “N-Nyvi, is there something messing with the drone?”

  [“No, that’s just how the o looks at the moment.”]

  Emme hisses through her teeth as she spits our, “It’s ing! Brapact!”

  There are a couple things that happen all at once. Lissa’s avatar floats down and hugs her as Emme’s arms tighten arouhere’s an incredible crack that we hear even through the soundproofing of the ship. And finally, the monster finally appears.

  In one short, yet seemingly infinite moment, the cra the ground bursts open, sending an explosion of red hot magma throughout the water, but that’s only the prelude. There’s a distinct sed explosion as the tentacle-covered head of a colossal antithesis, covered in that same burning molten rock, unches out into view, a long worm-like body stretg out far behind it. As the alien stretches out of the crad begins to itself around the reef, it quickly bees clear that this pnt is far, far rger than anything I have ever seen, seemingly dwarfing even New Houston itself.

  A veritable Kaiju.

  The camera view ges to one on the ship itself, revealing as the head of the Kaiju worm breaks through the surface as well, quickly enveloping the ey of the tral tower as well. The liquid crust upon its body has cooled siderably, turning bato a solid form, yet the worm is almost more menag with the added bulk of the stone draped over its body like armor. The monster’s maw swings down to the tral ptform, where I watch as it slurps the disgusting Model Twenty-Seven I saw earlier up, eating what I had sidered a siderable foe like it didn’t even matter.

  There’s only ohing I say.

  “F-Fuck.”

  A fn, unknown feminine voice chuckles as she responds:

  [“Apt.”]

  I feel Emme tense beh me before she cautiously asks, “Who is this?”

  [“The oo up a idiot’s mess.”]

  The camera shifts to a group of small shuttles far above us, where we barely see a incredibly spicuous woman sitting fidently upon a floating chair. She raises her hand and snaps, and a small sun appears atop her pointer fihe woman grins, then flicks her finger downwards, sending the small ball of fme flying at the city. As the tiny sun approaches it, the worm begins to strict, crushing the steel of New Houstoween itself like a nutcracker. There’s a blinding burst as the woman’s attack explodes, but in the moment that light is, being an all enpassing darkhat fills every crevi my view with a deeply disturbing chill that I feel. As the anomalous effect fades, it bees clear why that is the case.

  The Atntic O has bee an iceberg.

  As far as we see, including surrounding the ship, every single drop of water has shifted to a thick sheet of ice. In the ter of a rge pit, the shards of what was onew Houston sits frozen in the grasp of the great worm.

  [“Tch, it’s not dead.”]

  The kaiju, albeit slowly at first as it breaks free from the ice, begins to retract at a highly accelerated speed, and ihan a mi’s pletely gohe woman shakes her head, then looks dht at the camera.

  [“Hey, e out on the deck of your ship. We wanna talk.”]

  I nervously shift, having an idea of who this is, then mutter, “O-Okay, we will.”

  The woman winks at us, then turns her chair aers the shuttle. Emme and Lissa don’t say anything as they stand up, but I know that I ’t go out there in Emme’s arms. Not when I might be fag the Starfall.

  She’s not someone I risk disrespeg.

  ‘Nyvi, I need something to move around on my own.’

  May I suggest a gravity maniputor belt, to enable you to swim through the air as if it were water?

  I blink. ‘That sounds hat please.’

  New Purchase!

  Aether Nimbus Anti-Gravity Belt: 1000 Points

  Total Cost:

  1000 Points

  Final Total:

  8008 Points

  As the belt appears in my p, I immediately take it and put it on, then somewhat relutly, forcibly wiggle my way out of Emme’s arms. I plht onto the ground, wiggling like a drowning fish. As my two friends giggle above me, with a burning face I find a button on the belt and turn it on, finding that it feels once again like I’m uer.

  It’s surprisingly fortable.

  I swim up, put my hands on my hips, then slither my way through the air towards the bst door. The girls follow in my wake, and as we sit in the airlock waiting for it to cycle, I wring my hands a bit. I don’t kly who the fuck we’re about to meet, and that makes it a bit difficult to know how I’m supposed to go into this. I know I’m supposed to be respectful if it’s Starfall, but the other members of the Family sort of… weren’t talked about very mubsp;

  Knowing Grandfather, he probably has a grudge.

  The exterior door of the airlock clicks open, and I gasp as the crisp m air filters into my nostrils. We exit into the quickly brightening m to find three separate shuttles docked beside us. The crew of dogs stand on guard against the fn vessels, but I don’t uand why until I see a far, far too familiar figure step out onto our ship.

  I immediately shoot forward, throwing a punch at the face of the man I hate the most at the moment. He chuckles as he casually blocks the blow with his arm, but I’m not done. I bring my sed fist up, only for him to block that too with little effort. Then, I swing my tail, spping him hard across the cheek with my fin.

  He stumbles back a step, and I spit on the ground in front of him.

  “Y-You deserve to die, Desmond Montero.”

  Aliapanacea