Act 2 - Imperial Code

  What a wild week that was, huh…

  I turned into… whatever this is.

  Got chased by a twink.

  Went to a dusty building.

  Fought a kaiju and lost a friend in it.

  Bickered with my sister.

  Pressured that same twink to make a truce.

  Went to another building accompanied by a lesbian.

  Got betrayed by the twink.

  Beat the crap out of a maniac.

  And I came home vomiting after going to the bar.

  What a life…

  It's still pitch black outside and I can't get a second of sleep — not that I really need it, I can't be considered entirely human anymore, but it would do me good.

  My head is throbbing, yesterday felt like hell on Earth, but that's nothing compared to what could still happen. But I don't even want to start thinking about that.

  Why can't I do like that bum Saul and sit on my ass playing games all day? Actually, what's stopping me? Nobody's forcing me to save the world or anything like that! I 'm going to turn on my console and play King of Gears online until I have to eat! If there's one characteristic of being a Cog that’ll help me here, it's definitely my reflexes.

  Normally I'd play as Sol — the character who just rushes in and presses buttons, but I wanted to play something different this time, maybe something more technical… How about Jonah? Stylish, smooth… he even reminds me of Leona, he's just missing the part where he's a woman.

  And as I was thinking about that, my phone rang. I picked it up and… speak of the devil—it was Leona calling.

  When I picked up the phone, I heard that same old smug voice:

  “How's it going, sweetie?”

  "I couldn't even sleep." I grunted, my voice slurred.

  "Can imagine, been a tough day." She seemed a little worried. "Listen, could you pop over here for a second?"

  “What do you want?”

  “I have some concerns and I would like you to come here.”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “It's about the Order.”

  The mere mention of that name was enough to reignite my flame.

  “I'm on my way!”

  And in a flash, I quit the game and jumped out the window towards the Brigade's base. The way Kassidy was talking about the Order, it can only be something worrying.

  I arrived at the base in just five minutes, and my legs were burning with pent-up energy. Leona was lying on a hammock with her legs up in the air.

  “Wow, you arrived quickly!”

  “So it hasn't even been a day and Kassidy is already doing shit?”

  "Calm down, it's not that big of a deal." She chuckled slightly. "Are you that worried about your dearest? In any case, what I have is more of a suspicion than news."

  “Then just say it already.” I'm getting impatient with her.

  "Seriously, calm down a bit, hothead." She warned sternly. "Here's the thing: the Order's leadership has been volatile lately. They may have a general; Aaron, but the commander is the one who really calls the shots most of the time."

  She rolled around in the hammock:

  “Kassidy wasn't exactly welcome, and Tsundora is making a convincing case for promotion; it's only a matter of time before things get ugly over there.”

  “Where are you going with this?”

  Leona sat down in the hammock, now serious:

  “I need to see what's going on over there, and I think you'd be interested... you'd make a good bodyguard too.”

  “Why don't you bring Kenji?”

  “He doesn't deserve to get involved in this. This spy business is a burden for me and no one else.”

  “If I am found and pursued, it will be entirely your fault.”

  "As it should be." She nodded. "Anyway, let's take a walk around the Order's headquarters before the sun comes back up. I personally would have gone to Facility Omega, but this is more urgent... and personal."

  “What do you mean by ‘personal?’”

  “A former student who’s abandoning my teachings in favor of ambition. But we don't have time to tell the whole story, the clock is ticking.” And she didn't even wait for a response, she just disappeared down the street.

  A former student… who would have the balls to abandon someone as… honorable as Leona? She clearly cares deeply about her students and what they are taught.

  Leona moved like a ghost through the shadows of the night, completely undetectable. Meanwhile, my body warmed up, grew stronger, faster, like a car that had just received a new engine.

  Former student… someone whose ambition made her leave the Brigade, which is small compared to the Order; a place with ranks, recognition, and purpose.

  Ambition… who do I know who's ambitious? Certainly not Lotus and Steel; their golden years are long gone. Kassidy has been rethinking several things lately, but he wants to relinquish his rank, not get promoted. That leaves me with… Tsundora!

  "Just out of curiosity," I asked Leona, "could this 'former student' be Tsundora?"

  She turned to me with a smirk on her face:

  “You're clever, huh. She really wasn't content with my more relaxed and reactive style. She wanted formal recognition of her abilities. Anyway, now we're getting close to our destination, and it's best we stay quiet.”

  And indeed, even in the dead of night, the headquarters of the Order of Prevalence bathed the streets in a light similar to moonlight—I pity those who live near here, it must be hell to sleep.

  As we approached, Leona put her arm in front of me to stop me, and I quickly took refuge in the shade of a nearby building.

  Looking at the entrance, it was spotless as always, and not a sound came from it. It's quiet, very quiet.

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  "Strange, I don't see any commotion," I commented. "Do you really think there's something going on over there?"

  "That's the thing about the Order, nobody really cares about what happens there besides orders, even if it's a fight between two important figures. We need to go inside."

  “And which way are we going? It seems well guarded.”

  “Just follow me, don't ask questions.”

  And with that, she grabbed my wrist and started pulling me around with a surprising ease, as if I were a sheet of paper. It must be some technique, since she never seemed strong. She leaped through the shadows, performing insane and even unnecessary acrobatics, all without us being detected even once.

  "Excuse me for asking," I whispered, stumbling during one of her somersaults, "but what exactly is our destination?"

  "We'll have to climb up to the roof to get into Kassidy's quarters. He always leaves a crack in the window to let in some air. But I'm sure the fight will break out in the hallways; there won't be much danger since most people are asleep at this hour."

  “You sure they won't see us at the window?”

  “Obviously; the field soldiers didn't have security training, that's the only way someone like Kassidy could leave the window slightly open. Now watch your feet!”

  She said this as she threw me onto the roof—I almost slipped. Leona quickly found the window and climbed in—the room must be empty.

  As I entered the room, I could already hear a commotion coming from downstairs, and it seemed Leona could hear it too, because she had already gestured for me to follow her down the stairs.

  With each step we descended, we could decipher the noise more and more—one sophisticated and powerful voice shouting, and the other delicate, but worn, defending itself.

  "Alright, at least they're not fighting yet." Leona assured me.

  And when we arrived on the ground floor, we could see Kassidy and Tsundora, one with a rigid and irreverent posture, while the other remained firm:

  "We haven't made any real progress while you have been fixated on those Cogs!" Tsundora shouted. "Especially the maniac and the rogue! We should be focusing on the progenitor of those things; Machina Research!"

  "Even on that I agree," Kassidy gasped, "but I don't understand why you plan to lead a hunt on Cacto as your first action as commander!"

  “I have told you this countless times, Commander; Cacto poses the most immediate danger! Machina Research's new project will take a long time to complete, while she is active!”

  “None of her actions were malicious! They were solely for her own defense and the good of all!”

  “We have several instances of Cogs not behaving as expected; Hideaki's descent into madness, Divine's rebelliousness, the volatile nature of mass-produced Cogs, and even the savagery of the animals! Some can even be ignored, like most of the mass-produced ones, since they are unaware of what they are capable of, either through ignorance or premature death.”

  Tsundora struck the ground with the shaft of her spear.

  “Machina released them like weapons without an operation manual, hoping no one would get hurt. Some get lost before they can even understand, others use them like clubs, and only a few learn every detail and become elite soldiers.”

  I must congratulate her. She doesn't act solely on emotion like the commander; she considers data, statistics, and tendencies before deciding what to do.

  But her analytical way of thinking... it's arguably worse than the blind hatred Kassidy allowed himself to be guided by; at least he acknowledges us.

  Meanwhile, Tsundora disregards us.

  That's when I felt Leona's hand on my shoulder.

  "Calm down, she's always been impersonal." She whispered.

  It might not be personal to Tsundora, but I'm hating her more by the second.

  “Your analogy isn’t entirely accurate,” Kassidy sighed, “while the animals and Divine truly had no choice, everyone else decided to become a Cog, all with their own intentions. Cacto… Aubrey always wanted only one thing; for us to be okay. Hideaki himself also had no choice about his madness; he was vulnerable and scared, all while the entire world turned against him.”

  That can't be. Did Kassidy just defend me? I suppose he was lost this whole time and now he's found his way.

  "You are really stubborn." It was already clear she was losing her patience. "You worry too much about emotions and empathy to really focus on what matters: targets, risks, probabilities, and tactics."

  "That's enough!" Kassidy finally unsheathed his sword, gleaming with the warmth of his heart. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into and the foolishness of what you're doing! One more challenge and you'll remember why I became commander."

  "Listen," I said, turning to Leona, "I don't like this tension. Shouldn't we intervene?"

  "No," she replied hesitantly, “whether we like it or not, it's her choice, and I have no right to interfere. Unless she comes to us."

  “Well, I already have evidence of misconduct, disobedience, and if you continue, aggression.”

  "You scum!!" Kassidy shouted as he ran towards her with his sword pointed at her.

  Tsundora then brandished her spear and effortlessly brought him down in the blink of an eye.

  Damn it! She made him fall without even looking at him! I can't let this go unnoticed!

  "Cacto, don’t!" Leona pulled me by the arm before I could be noticed.

  “I can't let this go unpunished! Kassidy is on his knees!”

  “Hold it! She just wants to humiliate you. She might even arrest him later, but none of my students will kill anyone!”

  "Farewell, Lieutenant!" She dismissed him. But she suddenly stopped... and fixed her gaze on us.

  "Cacto, Leona, I know you're there." My body froze when her eyes met ours. "Cacto, you have until dawn to turn yourself in. Leona, stop meddling where you don't belong! Your place is in the Brigade!"

  My blood was already boiling, I couldn't take it anymore. So I lunged out of the shadows towards her:

  “I would never give myself up so easily! You're lucky I have a sense of self-preservation, otherwise you'd already be having a taste of all the marble in here!”

  "Then prepare to become a top priority target for the Order of Prevalence. Until then, I wish you luck in escaping unscathed." She threatened before heading to the general's quarters.

  Seeing Kassidy humiliated on the ground, I had to at least try to rescue him…

  "Don't even think about it." She turned, pointing her spear at me. "Take one more step and you'll be arrested along with him."

  There was nothing to be done. Just looking at her, I knew I didn't stand a chance; her spear hardly trembled, and her slanted eyes didn't even blink.

  I would love to give her the beatdown she deserves, but for now, I can only retread.

  Defeated, I signaled for Leona to come out of hiding so we could leave HQ.

  We walked toward the gate in silence. Looking back, I could see Kassidy looking at me, not with an expression of betrayal, but with relief, as if to say, "Please, escape while you can." Even when handcuffed, he didn't resist.

  As we returned to the streets, a blue streak had already appeared along the horizon; the dawn of a new conflict.

  "Cacto," Leona turned to me, "I'm surprised you didn't attack her; I was barely holding back from teaching her a lesson myself."

  “Still, I really wish it hadn't ended like this. I doubt I'll see Kassidy again anytime soon. And to make matters worse, I have a target on my head.”

  “It could be worse; you could be a public enemy, not just the Order’s. And it will still take a while before the hunt begins; promotions can take up to a day to happen there.”

  “And what will we do until then?”

  “We’ll find a hiding place and hope they'll give up soon.”

  I gave her a stern look.

  “Seriously? Is that the best you can do? Disappear like a coward and pray that something happens?”

  "It's the safest choice." She shrugged.

  "Then you still don't know me very well." I clenched my fists. "If it's war they want, then I will fight back with full force!"

  "Alright, I'm going back to my base. If you want advice, I'm always willing to help. Until then, I wish you luck on your journey," she said before disappearing into the shadows again.

  “Okay, see you later.”

  So that's it. I do have some helplines available, but at the moment, I'm effectively on my own. I can't take refuge anywhere I know. Home? They'll find me easily and take Lotus as a bonus. Bar? They'll interrogate Steel and every other soul there. Brigade? Poor Kenji. They might even suspect Divine. There's only one place left that I haven't visited... for about six years.

  It was the rooftop of a small coffee shop (at least by the city’s standards, it was about two hundred meters high). I used to spend sunsets there with Thomas—we'd climb the stairs next to it and tell jokes, watch the pedestrians, and do boyfriend-girlfriend things.

  Climbing to the roof, it wasn't the same anymore, but it was still peaceful. As the sun began to rise, the wind whipped against my face, ruffling my hair. A final moment of peace before the real chaos begins.

  That's when I felt something appear beside me. Looking to my left… Lotus was there.