Chapter 10 - Enter the Void 3

She was a dangerous woman.

That much was easy to tell just by looking at her. For a start, those mechanical eyes glowing with hearts were hardly a sign of sanity.

And that was far from all. Like Santa's, the cybernetic body that had replaced her entire flesh-and-blood frame gleamed even now. Her silver-chrome arms shone especially brightly.

Her outfit drew the eye as well. Advertisements for all manner of corporations flashed endlessly in luminous geometric patterns across a bodysuit that laid every curve bare.

Then there was her self-illuminating lavender hair, and even her legs, shaped into high heels.

Was this what Sanctum's splendor and chaos would look like if molded into human form? That was what Ash thought.

"Ta-da! Here comes your least favorite bitch!"

As she spoke, something flew in: small drones the size of baseballs. They circled her, casting multicolored beams like stage lights.

Watching everything from behind the rubble, Akina drew a sharp breath.

"Ifrit...!"

Ash turned toward her. Setting his volume as low as it would go, he spoke in a whisper.

"Do you know of this woman?"

"A little. She's a Pathfinder with Halloween Entertainment."

"Halloween?"

Ash rapidly read through the information in his internal database.

//*

Halloween Entertainment.

A megacorporation that controls every kind of media channel within Sanctum.

It breathes life into the enclosed city by providing citizens with dreams, hope, and a 'little' entertainment.

It calls its affiliated Pathfinders idols and spares no effort in vividly conveying their heroic exploits.

(Idols won't hesitate to do insane things for sensational content. Be very careful if you encounter one!)

*//

While Ash checked the information, the Pathfinder sitting on the floor with one leg gone shouted.

"Why! Why the fuck are you doing this?!"

The man, who had been moaning in pain, burst out yelling. His voice was remarkably piercing for someone whose face was twisted with pain and terror.

"What did we ever do wrong?!"

The flamboyant woman, Ifrit, broke into peals of laughter at his cries.

"How the hell should I know?"

"Wh-what...?"

"How would I know what you did wrong? You're dying because you're a REST-man. Nothing in this world pisses me off more than REST-men."

"You crazy bitch!"

The man drew the pistol strapped to his thigh.

But Ifrit was faster.

BOOM!

The pistol in her hand, clearly no ordinary weapon, spat fire. One of the man's arms shattered as well.

"Aaaaagh!!"

He rolled across the floor.

One of the drones filming her moved toward him, alternating between shots of his pain-contorted face and his blasted limb.

"Wow!"

Her eyes widening in apparent surprise, Ifrit grabbed a drone that was filming her and aimed it at the pistol in her hand.

"Did everyone see that? That incredible destructive power! Chaka Chaka Industries' latest model, the Bloody Heart Mk.7! A killer desi—"

"Aaaagh! Aaaaaagh!!"

The REST-man's screams rang out over her rapid-fire sales pitch. The woman frowned, evidently displeased.

Then she fired once more, straight at the REST-man's face.

BOOM!

The screams vanished with a violent report. Pleased with the silence, she winked at the drone, taking care to show off the pistol in her hand.

"... The Bloody Heart Mk.7! A killer design, right? And its performance is even deadlier! Buy yours now! Oh, and don't forget to put down 'Ifrit' as your referral! Make sure you get that five percent discount!"

Ifrit's bizarre antics continued. She grabbed the REST-man's half-blown-off face and posed for a photo with it, then played music through a drone and danced. At one point, she tripped over the corpse and gave a sheepish laugh.

After chattering away for quite some time, she suddenly put on a tearful expression.

"Everyone! I hate to go, but I need to recharge for a bit! You have to come back later! Okay? Promise! See you in an hour! This has been Ifrit!"

After blowing an enthusiastic kiss, Ifrit activated the cyberware in her shoulders.

The two drones that had been circling her all this time beeped to signal the end of recording, then returned to her shoulders and folded away without a trace. Apparently, that was how they charged.

With the broadcast over, silence finally settled over the ruins.

"Whew."

With a short, deep breath, her ever-present smile vanished, replaced by a slight frown.

"Ugh! How the hell am I supposed to use this thing?"

Ifrit tossed the pistol aside and rolled both shoulders. The recoil was so severe that it had strained her entire body.

"A handgun that fires large-caliber rounds? What idiot came up with that idea?! What, are my arms made of titanium? Those Chaka Chaka bastards really are out of their minds. Ugh! If it weren't for the contract..."

She abruptly stopped her irritated grumbling and stared at something.

"... Huh?"

Beside the pistol she had discarded lay a small, translucent wrapper.

[Energy Up! Super Sticks! - Strawberry Flavor♥]

"..."

Ifrit picked up both the pistol and the wrapper, then brought the wrapper's opening to her nose and sniffed.

A faint sweet smell remained. Proof that it had been opened recently.

Her gaze shifted to the corpse.

The fleeing REST-man had suddenly gotten hungry and stopped for an energy stick? Ridiculous.

Ifrit surveyed her surroundings. Until now, she had considered this just another spot in the Outer, but once she noticed something amiss, other unusual details stood out.

Footprints, for instance.

They were impressed in the thick layers of dust, leading toward a barrier of rubble.

"I know this is the Outer, but isn't it a little rude to leave your trash lying around?" Ifrit said.

No answer came.

"The banana ones taste better than strawberry, you know. You've got no taste."

Still no answer. So Ifrit followed the trail with her gun, aiming toward the rubble.

"Come out."

"..."

"I know you're there. Come out."

A heavy silence lingered.

"Don't want to? Then shall I come to you?"

Ifrit approached the rubble slowly, deliberately. As an indefinable tension began to build...

"That is far enough."

An electronic voice came from behind the rubble.

"Come no closer."

"... A humanoid?"

"What I am is of no consequence, is it? I concealed myself to avoid needless trouble. I would ask you to leave, lady warrior. I shall let your killing just now pass without question. That is all I have to say. Go."

For a moment, Ifrit felt dazed. It took her a while to process the situation.

A humanoid hiding behind the rubble was threatening her in lofty language without so much as showing its face.

After briefly pondering this, she suddenly thought, 'Why am I even thinking about this?'

"Cut the crap and show yourself."

"Must you insist?"

"Want me to shoot?"

"..."

A moment later, Ash emerged from the darkness, the steel blade still in his hand.

"You really are a humanoid."

Ash did not answer. He merely lowered his sword hand naturally to his side and took a few more steps forward.

When only about five paces separated them, he brought his hands together in a fist-and-palm salute, sword still in hand.

His etiquette flawless, his teal optical sensors shining, Ash spoke.

"Greetings. I am Ash Blade."

Startled by his archaic manners and imposing presence, Ifrit involuntarily stepped back.

"Oh, yes. How do you—"

She caught herself slipping into polite speech and shook her head.

"I'm Ifrit."

"I know."

"Good, then. You alone?"

"I am."

She held up the energy-stick wrapper.

"So you're the one who ate this?"

"I am."

Silence.

Ash and Ifrit stared at each other.

Ifrit spoke first, something cool in her voice replacing her earlier playfulness.

"Let me ask you again. You ate this? You, a humanoid?"

"I did."

"You're not alone, are you?"

"I am alone."

The coolness turned icy.

"I don't like liars."

Ash answered her.

"I do not like those who kill for amusement."

Neither yielded an inch, and the tension between them threatened to erupt at any moment. LED hearts and optical sensors glowed as they glared at each other.

Just then—

"W-wow! It's the Elementary Girls!"

Akina cautiously emerged from the rubble. Standing beside Ash—or rather, half hiding behind him—she continued.

"Woooow! Aren't you Ifrit from the Elementary Girls? I'm a huge fan! I even know your songs. Um, how did it go? Set your heart ablaze, fire in the hole! Yay!"

The girl awkwardly hummed a line. The tune, rhythm, and even the lyrics were wrong. It was a complete mess.

Watching her, Ash heaved a brief inward sigh. Akina was trying to salvage the situation in her own way.

When she even started dancing, he waved a hand.

"Young lady, I understand. That will be enou—"

"Pffthahaha!"

Ifrit, who had been watching Akina's antics with a dumbfounded expression, suddenly burst out laughing.

"Hey, kid. You've got it all wrong! And seriously, how old is that song? The Elementary Girls broke up ages ago."

Ifrit lowered her gun.

Ash was inwardly astonished.

'That actually worked?'

Having no way of knowing what fans meant to an artist, he could not make the slightest sense of the situation.

"Ah. Haven't laughed like that in a while."

Ifrit even holstered her pistol, looking from one of them to the other.

"You two a team? Out exploring?"

"Yes! We're here for mapping. What about you?"

"Enjoying my hobby."

Her hobby.

Those words carried a great deal of meaning.

"Oh. Ahaha..."

"I know what you're thinking, but don't worry. I only fuck up REST-men."

She shrugged as she said it, utterly nonchalant.

"Well, anyway. As long as you're not REST-men, we're good. Good luck with your mapping or whatever, kid. If things get dangerous, just hide like you did to—"

Ifrit reached to pat Akina's head, but Ash's hand blocked hers.

"I wish you well with your hobby too, lady warrior."

"... Guess I worried for nothing."

Ifrit slapped his hand aside and turned away.

"B-bye!"

"Yeah. Let's not meet again."

The woman waved a couple of times and disappeared into the darkness. A moment later, Akina let out a long sigh and sank to the floor.

"It feels like an ion storm just swept through here."

Ash had already retrieved the backpack. He took out a water bottle and handed it to her.

"You should not have intervened, young lady. That woman was truly dangerous. Physically and mentally."

Akina looked sulky.

"I know. That's why I stepped in. I thought you two were going to fight, Mister. Ifrit's a pretty famous idol, you know."

"Then you had all the more reason not to intervene."

Akina pouted at his stern, solemn, utterly serious words. Still, something must have pricked her conscience, for she soon conceded.

"... Okay. I'm sorry."

Without answering, Ash unscrewed the bottle cap for her and surveyed their surroundings.

"I see no reason to remain here. There has already been quite a commotion. It may attract other things."

Having quenched her thirst, Akina nodded.

"Shall we go now?"

"Let us."

After that brief exchange, they finished preparing to leave. Just as they were about to enter the darkness of the ruins again, Akina spoke.

"Wait a second."

She picked up the discarded energy-stick wrapper and stuffed it into her pocket. Since it had given them away, perhaps this was her way of resolving not to make the same mistake twice.

The two quietly made their way into the ruins, which had fallen so still again that the earlier commotion might never have happened.