Chapter Text
Ignis.
Ten years ago, Den City experienced a hostile takeover from these Ignis, a group of six sentient AIs. They shut down important technological items within the city, fought the humans with an army of what they called ‘Cyberses’, and practically took over the government within the city. Blocked off from the rest of the world, Den became a dome, encapsulating its inhabitants with the AI ruling it.
To keep things running, the Ignis set up a new government; one that prioritized them and treated humans as second-class. With the way they ran things, the organic life still within the dome began to die out - and with the plants, came the humans. Nowadays, it’s incredibly rare to find a human in Den City that hasn’t had any cybernetic implants or prosthetics given to them.
With everything the Ignis did, people in the city became more and more split over one simple question - did they want to harm, or did they want to help?
Because of this, many opposing views formed amidst the technological dystopia Den City had become. And in the middle of it all…?
SOL Technologies.
Or, to be more specific, Akira Zaizen and his raging headache.
Sat in the main security office, Akira was currently fighting off his second- third? Third migraine of the day. A pen in his hands, his eyes narrowed as he tried to focus, clicking the pen again and again.
…
Okay, maybe the pen wasn’t the best? It just kept on digging into his brain, click after click after-
“You okay?”
Akira looked up from the stack of paperwork on his desk, greeted by Queen - his coworker and annual (mind you, annual) pain in his ass. She sighed, shaking her head as she offered him a mug of-
“Coffee. You look like you’ve died inside.” She chuckled at her own joke, sitting down at the chair beside him. Begrudgingly, Akira sighed, picking up the mug and taking a deep gulp. As he lowered the mug and rubbed his forehead, Queen hummed, her lips thinning.
“That new eye of yours causing trouble?”
“..Yeah. Having migraines now.”
“It’s been months, Zaizen - you think the people who did the procedure fucked up?”
“They were trusted by Four.”
“Still…” Queen sighed, looking up at the dozens of screens in front of them. “Don’t want you losing your eyesight. It’s bad enough you had to get the implant in the first place - you’re one of the best on the team.”
“Wow, that says a lot.” Akira grumbled, huffing. “It’s nothing. If it keeps up, I’ll see a doctor.”
Queen crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. Delicate acrylic nails tapped against the table as she examined the screens, clicking her tongue quietly. “Blue Angel and Onizuka are coming back.”
Now that got Akira interested. His head whipped up, eyes locking onto one of the feeds showing the aforementioned two conversing with the android at the front desk.
Blue Angel and Go Onizuka..
Two of SOL Tech’s best officers, and two genetic anomalies - instead of the typical human, the two of them had genetic mutations (yes, like the X-Men).
Blue Angel, as per her name, had a pair of feathery, angelic wings protruding out of her shoulder blades - unfortunately, an accident had occurred during the Ignis takeover, and she was forced to get cybernetic implants to restrengthen them. Go, however, had some kind of ungodly strength to him - he was originally an undefeated underground wrestling ring champion before being scouted out by Akira. He had no need for implants or enhancements, making him the most ‘organic’ out of everyone in SOL.
Aside from that, they also had more special roles in SOL Tech. Instead of working amongst the typical authorities, Blue Angel and Go Onizuka were higher, more recognized peacekeepers. The two handled whatever crisis, attack, or crime that may come upon them in the city; robbers, kidnappers, the Hanoi-
Oh, yeah.
Hanoi.
Those assholes were an entirely different story.
A group of terrorists who plan to eliminate all sources of AI, despise technology, commit cyber-crimes, yada yada yada… He could care less about them right now. Currently, his attention was on Blue Angel, his sister, who looked to have gotten hurt in whatever they were doing this time.
Akira stood up, frowning. “I’ll go meet with them.”
“Well, wait for me! I have to debrief with them too!!”
It didn’t take long for Akira to catch up with the two. They were both in one of the small clinic rooms, a (thankfully) human medic looking over the bruises and cuts on his sister’s arm. This said sister’s eyes widened when she spotted Akira coming in the door, her feathery-yet-cybernetic wings puffing out. “Brother-” She started.
“What happened??” He interrupted her, panic overtaking his brain.
“I’m fine!” Blue Angel- Aoi yelped, standing straight. “I just got grazed by some metal, but I’m okay!”
“You have to be more careful, Aoi-”
“I know-!”
“Hey!” Queen shouted into the room. “I know you two are having your sibling moment, but three out of the five of us here are feeling very awkward. Save it for when you get home, Jesus..” She shook her head, rolling her eyes as the two siblings quieted and separated.
“Okay.. Onizuka, what happened? Gotta report to One.” Queen turned to Onizuka, who was dressing his own wounds.
“Hm? It was just a solo guy. Attacked us, screaming about ‘the end of the world’ or something. I swear, more people keep going insane…” He sighed, shaking his head.
Aoi ran a hand through her hair, beautiful blue shades cascading between her fingers. “He was throwing around some metal shrapnel, too. That hurt..”
“Yeah, I can tell.” Akira grumbled. Aoi shot her brother a look, pouting.
Queen clicked her tongue. “Honestly? This is all stressing me out. I need a break..”
“You just got here!”
“And? I saved all my breaks from yesterday.”
“That doesn’t count for toda-”
As Queen turned right back out the door, alarms came blaring through the halls - bright, red lights gleamed, a robotic voice shouting out a specific line of code Akira had long memorized.
Hanoi.
“Great.” Onizuka sighed, shaking his head. “Come on, Aoi - let’s crush this creep.”
“Hold it!” Akira butted in, frowning. “She stays behind.”
“Akira-”
“Not up for discussion, Aoi!”
Aoi huffed, crossing her arms. “Just go. I can catch up to you.”
Onizuka nodded, just barely avoiding a shouted ‘Like Hell you will!’ from Akira - sometimes that man freaked him the FUCK out.
Cracking his knuckles, Go turned a corner into Queen and Zaizen’s office, coming up next to the former to look at the feeds before going.
“It’s a strong one this time,” Queen commented, lips thin. “I’d recommend you stay careful, but… We all know you, Onizuka. Just do what you do best.”
Go sighed, squinting at the screen.
Bright blue flashes.
Hot pink sparks.
Glittering, purple electricity.
Go’s eyes widened, stepping back. “That’s..”
“Playmaker.” Queen finished his sentence, scoffing.
Playmaker.
Yet another infamous vigilante stuck in Den City with the rest of the madmen.
His abilities were undocumented, nobody knew where he got them from - no implants could cause such major blackouts and tech hijacks, and cybernetics didn’t quite have the capabilities to turn a live human into a volt of electricity, nor could they make someone glow like Playmaker.
Maybe he was born with it, like Aoi? But that wouldn’t make sense - those born with special gifts like Aoi’s once-flesh wings and Go’s enhanced strength were primitive in their powers, not as technological as the city itself.
Go didn’t understand it, didn’t understand him. And he really wanted to understand Playmaker - not in a weird, mad scientist way, no. Moreso a ‘I wish he were less of a threat so I could befriend him and get insane loredumps on his past’ way, cause come on, that guy’s gotta have some epic backstory to him!
...Jesus, I’m a nerd.
“That’s why I said ‘be careful’. We don’t yet understand his full capabilities - that’s why I have a new job for you.” Queen crossed her arms, a glint in her eye giving away her intentions - intentions any sane person could decipher.
Go glanced at Queen, raising an eyebrow before sucking in a breath. “Don’t tell me-”
“I want you to defeat Playmaker. Bring him over, as One usually demands, but before informing him, bring him to me. I want to take a… Closer look at him. You can do that, yes?” Queen smiled a dark smile, a sadistic twinge of mirth laced within. “Don’t disappoint me, Onizuka. I’ve always had high hopes for you.”
Go sucked in a breath, clenching and unclenching his fists - yet another person that freaked him the fuck out.
“Yeah.”
…
“Yeah, I can do that.”
Why did I agree to this?