Mission 6b - Let's get ready to rumble!!!

Sun stares a million-yard stare, trying to process all this information. Eventually, he asks: "So we HAVE to use the guns? What if we don't, and we decide to do indirect damage to our opponents, for example by having a ceiling crash on them?"

Why would anyone play this game? Pretti asks herself.

Aloud, she asks, “Am I a scout or a banger? Or what do you predict I’m be, if that’s your coach’s call?

“Oh… and is there any rule against wearing this?” Pretti points out her religious charm. For 20,000¥, she hopes there’s no rule against it. She’s gonna need the gods’ help surviving in what she can only think of as a war zone.

"Oh, and what about this?" Sun waves his oni mask.

Pretti says, “Scout sounds fine. I suppose lighter armor means I can move faster.

“I do have some thoughts on the investigation, now that Sun mentions it, but did you want us to keep our heads in the game for the next week? Or are we supposed to investigate before the big game?”

Having asked that gives Pretti another thought—“And would there even be a big game if the other finalists were behind… well… I would call it murder. Attempted in your case.” Or not.

Sun puts on a solemn face and slowly strokes his beard.
"What can you tell us about this most heinous of actions you want us to investigate? A big troll shot your legs out? And what do you know about each member of the opposing team, and its management?"

Pretti asks Setsuko, “Do you think the troll that hurt you intentionally spared your life? He’s still an asshole, but… I reviewed the film twice now. Only thing is I wouldn’t know the face of a killer from a game-face, as you likely would.

“My only frame of reference is seeing the video of myself being severed in half. In that case, the two men fighting were in the heat of battle. I don’t even know if they were aware that they almost killed me, or if they were… indifferent. But I suspect they were, at least when the camera was still on them.”

She dwells on that experience a little longer than intended. Maybe only a second or two really… just enough for the pause to show.

“I guess that’s what I’m asking. Did the troll enjoy hurting you? Or was it a job? And did he really want to go through with it while you were lying there?

“I’ll understand if this isn’t a moment you care to relive. I know how it was to watch my own loss of legs, and more, but everyone deals with this sorta thing in her own way, as Three-Pi-Oh put it.”

She sticks one hand in her jacket pocket as Setsuko is finally given an opportunity to reply. Her hand finds the card she means to give Setsuko. But first, she lets the poor girl just get a word in.

As Pretti opens up the list, Sun looks over her shoulder. He sees 7 casualties in there, 3 of which are done by the team Matsu Butchers, and 2 by another team called Yuri Youkai. Focusing on the big chunks first, he turns to Setsuko.

"These Matsu Butchers, with Ryoko Hamadate in particular, and the Yuri Youkai, what reputation do they have?"

Pretti cringes at the casualty list. This sport seems needlessly suicidal in a world where video game competitions can fulfill that gladiatorial fetish. But then, maybe the normalization of virtual violence only feeds that craving for the real deal.

She keeps that thought to herself, as she neither wants to offend Setsuko nor back out of a job for Emiko’s friend. What she says is, “It seems like the oni-troll tactics are likely to result in …tragedy.

“But I wouldn’t rule out foul play. The idea of fixing a game is to do so without arousing suspicion. Could be that the tigers wanted to both weaken you and avoid having to face the deadly team themselves.

“Could you send me all of the casualty lists for 3010? I mean not just the ones involving your team.”

She says to Sun, “If the Butchers were deadlier than usual, or the Dragons took a bulk of the casualties this year, then I think we might have a case.”

During a free moment in Setsuko's bootcamp, Sun finds Pretti and asks her to call his prison buddy Minamoto.

Pretti isn’t sure why he needs help, but replies, “Oh, I have people I can call too.” She says to Sam and Setsuko, “I ran a job for a friend last week, and she’s the sort who can probably help me find a fan-made list that displays all of the casualties.

“And then there’s Three-Pie-Oh… he’s the guy who created these legs. I don’t know what your budget is, Setsuko, and I won’t ask, but if you would like me to, I can make an introduction.”

Pretti hands Setsuko PR3π0’s business card, and then takes a look at Sun’s device so she can help call the friend.

Pretti smiles, and doesn’t comment at all on the state of the comm link. She looks up the name, and if Sun would like, she begins the call.

Sun gratefully takes his commlink.

"Hey, Minamoto! Sun here. Remember me? The punchy dwarf from prison? Yeah, I was wondering if you know any rumors or gossip of Urban Brawl, specifically of the Matsu Butchers or Yuri Youkai, or their players."

"A pleasure to meet you, and sorry about those who were killed. I am honestly very excited to be a part of this opportunity, even though I could stand to do without all the unnecessary killing"

She walks in and leans herself on a wall "From what I can tell of the rules, this will be like a day in the Sheriff Slaughterhouse. So what did I miss?"

Sun looks over at the oni.
"I'm sure you haven't missed as much as we have," he says, as he tosses Megumi the gun Setsuko handed him.
"I'm Sun Dashou, by the way. Pleased to meet you."