LucyKitsune

  How do you deal with all the bullshit that comes with being a Vanguard? Personally, I don’t. I just try not to think about it and go do stupid shit because it’s fun. Do note that I do not recommend this however.

  Foxfire, 2032

  Luna?

  I had managed to climb the bird and was now perched on top of it, contempting where to go from here.

  “Yes?”

  Why are you on the bird?

  I eventually decided the simplest pn was probably the best and dug three sets of titanium-cws into the alien beneath me to hold on. I used my right hand to ssh at it with my monofiment cws.

  “I am in melee range.”

  As if to confirm my pn's effectiveness, the right wing ripped off, leaving my unwilling mount unable to sustain the altitude.

  You are aware you do not have a parachute?

  “I am. Are you aware I should have enough points to buy one from you?”

  For the first time since she teleported that chip in my head, Lyona paused. It wasn’t for long, but I would celebrate the achievement anyways.

  So you have put some thought into this. That is good and honestly what I should have expected considering your intelligence.

  “Look, just because I like sipping dumb bitch juice doesn’t mean I can’t be smart about approaching problems in the dumbest way.” I shook my head and finished cutting/ripping off the other wing.

  I was very grateful to learn that big alien birds make good wind-shields, because judging by how fast we were already losing height, the wind should be much worse than it was.

  “So I’m sure you have about half a dozen thousand options for me to nd safely, but which one would you recommend for style-points? Also cost-effectiveness.”

  I would recommend the Speed Neutralizing Overall-Wingsuit mk. 3 in combination with the Precision Impact-dampening Leg-protecting Energy-absorber mk.6.

  I rolled my eyes at the acronym, as I reached for my railgun, to finish off the bird, only to have my fingers grip air. Did I lose my pistol?

  I quickly decided that was a problem for future-me to figure out. I did kind of want to finish off this bird, before reaching terminal velocity.

  I grabbed the neck of the bird with my left hand, disengaged my cws and swung forward, using the bird's neck as a fulcrum.

  “Alright, I guess we're putting down a snowpile for me to pounce into. Also, can you lock down my railgun remotely? I kinda lost it and don't want anyone getting hurt.”

  I dug my monofiment cws into the head, hopefully penetrating the brain, before butting off the neck with my left hand's cws for good measure.

  I cannot lock down your gun, at this distance, but it is impossible to fire it without connecting it to some form of AR-impnt. I estimate that anyone having such an impnt would be a Vanguard who most certainly has access to far more destructive gear regardless.

  New Purchase!

  SNOW mk. 3 - 50 points

  PILE mk. 6 - 100 points

  Field install - 5 points

  Model 11 x1 - 100 points

  New point total: 2354 points, 1 token

  I blinked after seeing the purchase-report.

  “Lyona what's a token and why do I have one?”

  Tokens are awarded for extraordinary achievements. I awarded it to you for intending to and setting into motion pns to save hundreds of civilians as well as taking out your first double-digit Antithesis.

  You can use tokens to unlock catalogues of Csses II and up. I would suggest unlocking the Css II Snow Pouncer Bionics Catalogue for 500 points and a token, as this will allow you to actually purchase the brain upgrade you are going for. It will also allow you to purchase a set of ears that will outperform any ears purchased from a Css I catalogue by a significant margin.

  I spread the wings of the suit, slowly to ensure neither it nor myself would get ripped up due to a sudden change in wind-resistance.

  “Let me guess,” I had to fight the urge to yell over the wind, as Lyona would be able to understand me regardless, “That means I'll need more points?”

  Not quite. I had always pnned to go for Css II bionics. Originally I would have awarded you a token for saving civilians, however you were interrupted before you could see the job through.

  More points do have the potential, however, to drastically decrease the time spent on repcing your brain. Now there is some duration that is non negotiable, unlike with limb repcements or just about anything that isn't the brain.

  Just about everything else can be - effectively - plugged out and switched for something else. With the right amount of points anyways. The problem with the brain is that it cannot just be swapped like that. Repcements are best done gradual. Which takes time.

  That and you're going to need some dream-learning to handle your new hearing.

  Hmm..

  I had never thought about it that way. It all made sense though.

  But wait…

  “If the brain has to be repced gradually, why do I have to be asleep for that though?”

  Mostly because you should take a break soon. The new brain may give you a refresher on mental fatigue, but no amount of brain repcements will get rid of your physical fatigue.

  I heard a whistling sound as some kind of projectile impacted the remains of the model 11 and tore it to shreds.

  “Please tell me that was fired from someone else like me!” I more or less pleaded.

  As much as I hate to disappoint you, that was most likely a model 15. I am unsure why it targeted the model 11 carcass over you, but be gd it did, because this buys you time to realize you need to dodge.

  Shall I engage the bullet-time?

  What the fuck is a model 15? And why do these numbers keep getting higher? How many models did these aliens have anyways?

  “Yeah sure, go ahead. But before you do that, can you get me something that will let me move my muscles at least somewhat as fast as my neurons are firing while the nanites do their thing?

  “Also is the projectile smart or guided in any way or will randomly changing direction after it’s been fired be enough?”

  The projectile does behave like any other thrown object, you are good on that front. For muscle-enhancements, it would make sense to get something from the bionics catalogue you were going to need for your brain anyways and I would suggest the High Speed Combat Muscle Mk. 9 in particur.

  It would - including field install and Catalogue - cost you 1500 points and your token, which will put you out of range of the brain, but I suspect there are plenty of points to be made down there.

  Also you should dodge.

  I took a second to process that st statement, before rolling myself up into a ball as fast as I could and hoping that the reduced air resistance would be enough to move me out of the path of whatever the alien down below was firing.

  I felt a rush of air, but fortunately not much more than that. I wasn’t sure if a grazing shot would just hurt or be fatal, but I figured that was a thing I didn’t need to experimentally test.

  “Sounds good. Also please turn on the nanites now!”

  New purchase!

  Css II Snow Pouncer Bionics Catalogue - 1 token, 500 points

  HSCM mk.9 - 500 points

  Field install - 500 points

  New point total: 854 points

  I felt a weird, tingling, almost electric sensation all over my body.

  Then time seemingly slowed down again and I was pleased to find I could move normally this way now. I then spotted an Antithesis that was very unlike any I had seen before.

  That must be the 15.

  I could see what looked like another projectile being readied, before the alien turned and shot at where I was going to be.

  It was a good thing I had two and a half spatial dimensions to move in, because that rate of fire was concerning, even to my heightened processing power and move-speed.