"Hey, Kerry, long time no see!" V raised a glass of 'Blue Fairy' from the couch, smiling at Kerry, who had just stepped out of the bathroom, a towel barely clinging to his waist.
Kerry froze mid-step, eyes narrowing as he spotted the figure in his living room. "Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?!"
V chuckled, picked up a beat-up Lexington from the table, and tossed it toward him. "Relax. What are you going to do with this old thing? The safety's jammed."
Kerry caught the gun, scowled, and set it aside. "Is this how you greet someone in their own home?"
"Is that how you greet an old friend?" V leaned back, sipping lazily from the drink.
There was something familiar—something in the voice, the posture, the cocky smirk.
Kerry's eyes widened. "Wait... no way. Johnny? Johnny Silverhand? You're alive?!"
"What kind of nonsense is that?" V—no, Johnny—grinned. "I wouldn't be dead if you're still around, right?"
Kerry stared in disbelief. His friend was back—but in a woman's body? "Shit… You really are Johnny. That attitude hasn't changed one bit."
Johnny shrugged, crossing his legs. "So, looks like you're living the good life now."
"Not bad," Kerry said, heading over to the bar. He poured himself a drink, then turned around with a smirk. "At least I've got food, booze, and a decent bed."
Johnny eyed him, amused. "When did you head to Thailand? The doc did a good job. Cute, too."
Kerry choked on his drink. "Don't tell me you're actually—"
"Don't even start," Johnny groaned. "Ask Rogue if you want the full story. I'm tired of explaining this every damn time. They couldn't at least give me a male body?"
Kerry laughed, setting the glass down. "So you're back in touch with Rogue? What, planning to rekindle the old flame?"
Johnny rolled his eyes. "Please. I've got bigger things on my mind."
"Bigger things, huh? Still chasing those explosions?"
"Maybe."
"Well," Kerry said, walking over with a nostalgic smile, "before you start blowing stuff up, how about reforming Samurai for one last show? A real reunion. Just for fun."
Johnny hesitated. The idea tugged at something deep inside, a sliver of the past he still missed. But the present—his mission—was bigger. "We'll see. Got a lot on my plate right now."
Kerry shrugged. "The offer stands."
Ding-a-ling~ Ding-a-ling~
The phone on the table rang. Kerry glanced at Johnny. "You don't mind?"
"Go ahead," Johnny said, uninterested. "Not like I'm worried about you calling backup."
Kerry answered the call. His relaxed face quickly turned grim. After a few seconds, he ended it and looked at Johnny. "Nancy's in trouble."
Johnny's demeanor shifted instantly. He stood. "Where?"
"The Dance of Death. Vortex Gang's turf."
Johnny grabbed the green pistol off the table and checked the chamber. "Fucking psychos. I'm on it. Wait for my signal."
He was out the door before Kerry could say another word.
---
Arasaka Academy.
David stood in front of one of the faculty lounges, staring at the woman across from him.
"Is there something you need, Ms. Fox?"
Lena Fox, a top-tier teacher at Arasaka Academy and the mother of Lily Cross, smiled at him with a file in hand.
"You've been doing well, David. Ever thought about joining the Graduating Class?"
David blinked. "Graduating class? But… I don't have enough points."
Arasaka's education system didn't use typical grades. Instead, students were divided into four stages: Junior, Middle, Senior, and Graduating. To advance, students had to earn points by completing academy-assigned tasks—everything from data recovery missions to facility maintenance.
Points could be exchanged for gear, credits, access to knowledge, and more. Advancement required a set number of points plus a qualification exam.
David had only just made it to the Senior level. He was nowhere near ready—at least by standard metrics.
"Those standards apply to normal students," Lena said, closing the file. "But you're exceptional. And I'm the one recommending you."
Coming from anyone else, it would've sounded like flattery. But Lena wasn't just any teacher—she was one of Arasaka's elite, and her husband was a senior engineer at the tower. Her words carried real weight.
"I should talk to my mother about it first," David said cautiously. Advancing would mean significantly higher tuition fees, and his mother was already under enough stress.
"If it's a financial issue, I can apply for a scholarship on your behalf," Lena said. "More importantly, the graduating class allows students to participate in real missions—and you'll be paid for them."
David's eyes flickered.
Paid missions. Legitimate outings.
With Lucy's help, he had managed to sneak out of the academy at night for personal operations—but that wasn't sustainable. One mistake and everything would collapse.
But if he was officially allowed to leave…
"Alright. I accept," David said firmly.
Lena stood, extending her hand with a faint smile. "I'll see you in the graduating class next week."
David shook her hand. He understood what this meant. He wasn't just accepting a promotion—he was choosing a side.
But so what?
After he left the building, Lena whispered under her breath, "He really is something."
A soft chuckle came from the comm line.
"Heh~ Leon Black's instincts are rarely wrong," said Mike Taylor, a retired war veteran and Arasaka strategist.
"But David's choice also paints a target on his back," Lena said, sighing. "The academy isn't just about education. Competition, bullying, suppression—it all exists. Arasaka doesn't stop it; they encourage it. They don't want flowers. They want survivors."
---
Outside the academy, David found a quiet corner and looked around.
"Status?" he asked softly.
In an apartment across the city, Lucy sat at a terminal surrounded by monitors, chewing on a red lollipop.
"She was connected during your meeting," Lucy said, fingers flying over the keyboard.
Getting through Arasaka Tower's security was a nightmare. But Arasaka Academy? Child's play by comparison.
"As expected…" David muttered.
He never believed Lena's offer came from pure admiration. In Arasaka, nothing was free.
"You want to track the connection?" Lucy asked. "The signal leads back to Arasaka Tower. But if I dig further, we could be flagged."
David shook his head. "Don't. I'm not risking your cover. It's enough to know the source."
"You think it's Leon Black?"
"Could be."
Lucy wiped the logs and closed the tap. "Whatever happens, stay sharp."
David nodded, gaze narrowing.
He knew now—this wasn't about school anymore.
It was war.
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