The Red Hand

Chapter 93 – A Chat with the President and a Sweet Moment.

Aoi left the room, leaving only the interpreter and Akagi.

"So, has Hikari been keeping you on your toes?" Akagi laughed. "She can be quite a capricious little scamp."

"Yes, well." President Rosewood sighed. "Let's just say the Secret Service has been having an aneurysm with her popping in and out of places." She's had quite a few angry phone calls from members of the CIA, FBI and the NSA about the spy was walking freely around D.C. though by this point, Rosewood had given up on trying to stop her or the other ninja.

"Just give up. If the Empire couldn't counter my agents you have no chance." Akagi smiled. “Hikari is easily one of the best agents I have in terms of stealth and intel gathering, so even if you had anti-magic capabilities you'd probably still fail to deal with her.”

"Getting past the fact that you have spies within the highest levels of my government. I'd like to ask you about something regarding those ninja." President Rosewood turned serious. "Hikari told me that she was one of the NPCs within the game you were all trapped within, but she seems far too life-like for that. I know A.I. can be advanced but...." President Rosewood had her own issues with AI, since many people believed she was actually one in disguise.

"Let's just say things with FWO are anything but normal. I mean, what game can trap people inside and grant them powers upon returning?" Akagi laughed.

"I take it that means you know more about what happened then?" President Rosewood picked up on the fact that Akagi wasn't telling her everything she knew.

"Yes, I do. But I will keep that to myself for now," Akagi was planning on unveiling Mizumi to the world at some point, but not today. "But just understand this for now. FWO was anything but a game, not only were our lives at stake every day, but those who inhabited the game were are real as you or me. If anything, perhaps comparing them to you wouldn't be inaccurate as they are basically artificially created forms of life. Though in the case of the FWO NPCs, they are far more advanced and made from a bit more complex techniques than what created you." She was referring to the artificial process by which the President was born.

"So, what your saying is that I should consider the NPCs of FWO people. Something akin to lab grown humans or those born via artificial methods, like me?" President Rosewood said. 

"In a way, yes." Akagi nodded. "They're a little bit different because they were programs at first. But due to some intervention, they are now anything but AI scripts. And now that they're in our world, they're no different than anyone else. Their bodies are made of flesh and blood and you'd find no difference between one of the human members of my family and a human of this world."

President Rosewood remained silent as she processed all that information. She was open to the idea of A.I. co-existence with humans, and was more receptive to calls for ethical treatment of such creations. But she understood that there was a large difference between her understand of A.I. and what these former NPCs are and wanted clarification. "Did they act like this in the game? The NPCs I mean. Could you talk to them like normal people? Did they act any differently during the time within the game versus after they left?" President Rosewood was curious.

"Yep." Akagi nodded. "All the NPCs, except for certain bosses and scripted quest givers were able to act fully independently and lived their own lives. Yumi lived in a village with her family for two years, Marshal was a leading general in the Imperial army and went on several missions before he was expelled. Heck the NPCs could even marry and have children between them."

"I see. That is quite an unexpected turn of events." President Rosewood mused. “I was never informed of something like this, and as far as I know the company who made that game has denied their AI being sentient.”

{Were they lying? Or is their truly something more at work here? Something about the words Akagi used is telling me that there's a whole lot more to this situation than meets the eye.} (President Rosewood)

"Trust me. It was just as strange for me when I realized it. We were all told beforehand that the A.I. would be cutting edge and nearly lifelike. But once we got in the game, it was like we'd gone to an entirely different world rather than into a VR game." Akagi gave a wry smile. “My people are very real and I will not tolerate anyone trying to de-person them. As to those devs, they're probably just trying to cover their asses.”

“I see,” President Rosewood thought. “Based on what you've told me and my interactions with them, I see no reason why we should treat them as anything other than people. I've interacted enough with Hikari to see that she's not something a program could create.”

{She says she knows more. So perhaps she found who caused that whole event and got answers?} President Rosewood thought. {But then why wouldn't she publicize that information?} 

She decided to put that issue aside and have her intel agencies look into it more. "Let's switch topics." President Rosewood's eyes snapped onto Akagi. "What are your goals? What do you hope to accomplish? You say that you're a Demon that kills people, so why shouldn't I consider you a threat?" She went into a more serious President mode. "Should I not consider you a risk to, not just Japan, but also to the United States and take action against you?"

"You should view me as a threat. Though I'd advise not doing anything stupid like attempting to kill me or kidnaping my sister and her friends." Akagi laughed. "I'd like to think you're smart enough to not do something so suicidal." Akagi's answer was not what President Rosewood expected. She'd anticipated a plea of innocence and some platitudes, so the President was momentarily shocked when Akagi straight up told her she was a threat to the United States. "Though, I'd say that rather than a threat to just Japan and the United States, I am a threat to all humanity." Akagi gave a terrible smile. "However, that lies more in the possibility of me taking action, rather than any plans on my part as of right now." Akagi waved her hand dismissively. "As I told our little vampire friend before I came here, just because I have the power to destroy the world, doesn't mean I will. It just means that I could. And whether or not I do, well, that's up to how the rest of the world acts toward me."

President Rosewood snapped out of her surprise. "And what if you decided to change you're mind?" President Rosewood asked. "You say that you don't wish for war right now but what's stopping that in the future? What guarantee do we have that you don't become an enemy?" It was a good question and one that needed to be asked. Just because Akagi didn't want to destroy the world today, doesn't mean she wouldn't later. 

{Also, does that mean you're effectively telling the entire world to just let you do as you please under threat of annihilation?} She held that question back for now.

"If that day comes and I need to go to war with either just the United States or all of humanity." Akagi took a deep breath as she leaned forward. "There is nothing you can do to stop me, and your best bet is to pray it never happens rather than try and come up with some method of defeating me." Akagi smirked upon seeing Rosewood's shocked expression. This was the second time today the President had been stunned. "What? Did you expect a different answer? Expect me to play nice and tell you that I'd never do something like that? That my human nature wouldn't allow me to act like that?" Akagi laughed. "Listen, it's only a matter of time until I shed what's left of my humanity, so I can tell you that it won't save you."

After composing herself, President Rosewood spoke. "I don't know if I should be impressed or annoyed that you're so honest with me. Kind of strange to see a Demon being much more upfront with their intentions than members of Congress." She gave a dry laugh. 

"Listen compared to them. I'm small potatoes. Those guys are the real demons." Akagi let out a laugh, and her joke got a chuckle out of the President.

"At least you can tell a joke." President Rosewood continued. "Let me ask you this, and be honest with me. If you went to war against my government today. Could you beat us?" She decided to just ask the question she had on her mind. Something about Akagi made her just want to be frank with her.

"Yes," Akagi didn't even hesitate. "Even with my current power restrictions. I could easily wipe out not just you but every country on Earth." Akagi had run some tests with her power and based on what she'd seen, plus what she estimated was still dormant, the annihilation of humanity was well within her power. "If I wanted, the entire world would either burn or become my slaves."

"No hesitation?" President Rosewood didn't expect such an instant and unflinching answer. "How can you be so sure? I mean, you can't tell me a nuclear weapon wouldn't hurt you. And humanities military might is no joke, we've even managed to kill other returnees with our forces. So perhaps you should reconsider your assessment of your chances." President Rosewood had no idea why she was being so forward with Akagi, but decided against questioning it.

"Are you not aware?" Akagi tilted her head.

"Aware of what?" President Rosewood asked.

Akagi allowed her form to dissipate into a black shadow blob in the chair she was sitting in, causing both President Rosewood and the translator to jump in surprise.

"Sorry for startling the both of you, but I figured a demonstration would be better than words." Akagi laughed. "The body you normally see is little more than an illusion that I use to speak with people." Akagi laughed. "My real form is a living shadow like you see here, and I can manipulate it freely to create a body if I so desire."

"I-I see. That was not included in any of my intelligence briefings." She looked annoyed. "So what does that mean? Since you're showing it to me, I presume its not just an interesting party trick."

"It means that conventional weapons cannot harm me," Akagi had tested all sorts of weapons, even shooting herself with every type of explosive and bullet imaginable, all to no effect. "I haven't had a nuke dropped on me just yet, but I have ample reason to believe that it will do nothing." Akagi's real body could only be damaged by extremely powerful energy based weapons. Technically a nuke would cause a large burst of energy, but she calculated it wouldn't be enough. Likely, the only effective way of doing harm to her was through high intensity radiant magical attacks.

"T-that is hard to believe." President Rosewood was trying to keep a flat expression but was failing. "If even our world's most powerful weapons cannot hurt you, then that would make you....." She trailed off not wanting to finish that line of thought. "As far as I'm aware the other returnees are not so tough, so what makes you different?"

"They can be harmed with conventional weapons of a high enough potency. So don't worry about that." Akagi returned to her usual appearance. She knew that one of Libra was killed via a drone strike so defeating them conventionally was possible, albeit difficult. "As for me, well I'll leave it up to your imagination. No reason to give a potential enemy info." She winked. "Just understand that I am much different than the others."

"Fair enough." President Rosewood sighed. "It's funny, the first time I saw you, I was reminded of a Demon Lord from a T.V. show I watched when I was a kid. Now I'm regretting that comparison."

"Demon Lord..." Something inside Akagi stirred when she heard that term. "I like it." She muttered under her breath.

"Just please wait to do your invasion of the world until after my second term is over." She joked. "I'd rather not be in charge when that happens."

"Darn." Akagi snapped her fingers in jest. "Now my plans have to be delayed." she laughed.

"Well, I have another meeting to get to. However, please allow me to thank you for your time. And know that I do not intend to stop Japan if they agree to your terms. I feel that losing a few empty mountains is a worthwhile price to pay for saving the country." She gave a tired smile. "I would like to meet you in person at some point in the future. I feel like we have a lot we could discuss."

"I would love to meet you." Akagi nodded. "Perhaps we can arrange something once this whole mess with Libra is dealt with?"

"I'll have to convince a few members of Congress that inviting a Demon to the White House isn't an impeachable offense first." She laughed. "Have a nice day."

"You too," Akagi replied, and President Rosewood disconnected.

{I see that she's another one of those few very capable people. I wonder if she'd come to work for me after she's done?} Akagi thought for a moment. She had an eye for capable people and those who excelled at their jobs. She'd recruited most members of her family because they were capable people who could do things she couldn't, and now, President Rosewood caught her eye.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Akagi returned to her home a little while later with Hishya in toe. The dragon girl had some things to discuss with Kana, and asked Akagi to bring her along.

"Onee-chan, you're back already?" Kana was sitting at the kitchen table studying. School was temporarily closed due to Libra's attacks, but the girl wasn't going to just lay around and had been doing additional studying on her own time to keep sharp.

"Yup, and I brought one Hishya." Akagi pointed to the dragon girl. "She wanted to talk to you, so you kids have fun. And don't be too loud tonight!" Akagi zipped into the other room as Kana's pencil cracked in half in her hand from anger.

"I'm sorry about that," Kana said as Hishya took a seat across from her. "She's always a pain and does that kind of stuff just to rile me up."

"Yeah, it's fine." Hishya sighed. "She does the same thing to me. So I'm quite used to it by now."

The two let out loud sighs, they'd both taken enough abuse from Akagi over the years.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Kana asked.

"Err... ummm." Hishya fumbled. "It's more that I wanted to see if you were ok with me...."

"???" Kana tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean... I don't really know how to put this." Hishya struggled to find the right words. "You saw how I acted at Nagoya, and you know just what kind of person I can be under all this... So I was worried you wouldn't want to be around me anymore." Hishya was a little embarrassed. She'd shared her past history in full with Kana a few nights before the battle at Nagoya, including the full tale of the Battle of Hassan. She hadn't spoken to her since then, and she thought Kana was upset with her, something that gave the possessive dragon massive anxiety.

Kana closed the book in front of her and sighed. "Onee-chan did tell me just what kind of person you used to be before she "damaged you." But you've been trying to be a better person since then. Have you not?" Kana asked.

"I mean, I guess I have?" Hishya posed the statement as a question. "Prior to Hassan I was a terrible person, and looking back, I'm embarrassed and angry at myself for what I did. So many people are dead because I knocked people out of the Assault Team to make myself look better." Hishya clenched her fists. "You asked me about what happened in Hassan, and I told you everything. I told you that we ignored the Imperial armies suggestions, that we sacrificed NPCs to buy time and I told you how we killed the soldiers to make the fight easier. But their was one more thing I didn't tell you."

"And what was that?" Kana asked.

"The one who gave that final order. The one who made the call to sacrifice all those NPCs to slow the army down was me. I decided to sacrifice them to save the other players." Hishya's face turned dark. "I'm no better than Libra, Kana. I'm just as selfish and petulant as them. Even if I try and act better than someone like Herlex, at the end of the day, I was more than happy to drag others down to build myself up."

"No." Kana shook her head. "You're not the same. Not one bit."

"And how is that?" Hishya asked, nearly crying. "I got all those people killed! I didn't even see them as people! And not just that, but my vanity and ego ended up getting who knows how many other players killed! You heard how I treated Alice! I thought she was annoying because she hogged my spotlight, and I was more than happy to drive her away so people would focus on me!"

"You sacrificed the lives of the NPCs because you were trying to save the lives of players, weren't you?" Kana asked. "And I think it unfair to judge you just because you didn't understand that the NPCs in the game were alive, since almost no one did. So you're not the same in that respect, Hishya. You didn't sacrifice them because you wanted to kill them. You did it to save those important to you. It might seem cruel, but I think most people would do the same thing." Kana smiled. Akagi was the same way, she'd gladly let entire cities burn if it meant keeping her people alive. "Did you know?" Kana moved over and hugged her. "Everyday, when I saw the total number of living players go down, I'd check to see if Onee-chan was still alive and be glad that someone else died instead of her." Kana hugged her tight.

"Every single day, I would rejoice that someone I didn't know died just so that she would live." Kana smiled. "I told that to Onee-chan and do you know what she said? She said that wishing for those you care about to live was natural and normal and that I was no worse of a person for doing so."

Kana looked into Hishya's watery eyes. "So you're not a bad person for prioritizing saving your friends and those you cared about. Even if it cost the lives of so many others. After all, you're only human." Kana's smile made Hishya's heart flutter.

“I won't say who you were in the past doesn't matter, since that's not true. You're actions against other players competing with you for attention and praise is definitely not something that can be ignored or overlooked.” Kana continued. “You acted terribly, you might have even gotten people killed because of your vanity. But, you changed. Even if it did take a Demon putting the fear of god in you to break through that thick head of yours. What matters now is who you'll be in the future. That doesn't mean we can just forget the past, since that wouldn't be good either. But don't let it define you. Instead use it as a reminder of who you once were and allow it to aide you in becoming better." Kana continued.

"You told me you want to be a better person, and from what I've seen, that's exactly what you're doing. You're on the right path Hishya, so don't worry. Compared to Onee-chan, you don't have much nearly as much baggage and you're repentant.” Kana laughed as she hugged the dragon girl. “So yes, I still want you around. I'd be... sad without you. Because... well... you're important to me.” She gave an awkward smile.

{I love you, Kana.} Hishya hugged her back. Happy to know the girl she loved accepted her, faults and all.