Chapter 6 - Abysmal Karma Starting Experience (Part III)

Akira Maximilian was almost free. 

However, there was still one big surprise in store for her in the fine print...

When she, along with the three remaining Cattle Squell, drew closer to the light at the end of the tunnel--what surely signalled an escape from this nightmare--as already she could feel the warmth of the sun on her face. Smell the fresh outside air, an aromatic scent telling of a pine forest undoubtedly nearby. 

She could also hear a crisp, clear sound of rushing water--

'Wait. That's actually getting kind of loud.'

The rushing water, as it turned out, was a course of river rapids snaking through a canyon, both fortunately and unfortunately situated at the bottom of a several yards high plummet which was all that awaited the fleeing runaways.

Fortunately: because the water could break their fall. Unfortunately: because even if it did, they could still get drowned or crushed to death anyway.

One of the Cattle Squell turned to the others, shaking her head with worry.

"No way are we surviving that. We hav--"

Before she could finish, there came a brief, barely audible FWIP of something travelling incredibly fast through the air, followed by that something--a crossbow bolt--being seen jutting out of the Cattle Squell's chest, her eyes turning wide with the realization.

The other two Squell Cattle gasped and started crying.

Akira merely went silent, gaping in shock.

Regardless, there was nothing to do but watch as the stricken squirrel-girl was stumbling around, unable to formulate words beyond a series of foul, choking grunts, before another volley of fired shots pushed her, crumpling, over the edge.

"Hurry! They're getting away!" A Nandi Soldier could be heard shouting, their hunkered forms mustering in a line to block the only way other than forward.

Akira had a decision to make, and it was a surprisingly easy one. 

Either to die, or to maybe not die.

'It really does feel like I was brought into this world with the intent of it being my executioner,' she pondered, while taking one last inspection of the turbulent white waters below and breathing deeply, preparing herself for the latest leg in this marathon of everything and everyone existing solely to maim and/or horribly torture and kill her.

Then again, a life on the edge and being constantly targeted wasn't all that new for the world's richest, youngest, cutthroat playboy billionaire CEO.

So Akira took the plunge, as did the other two Cattle Squell.

Having managed to veer herself clear of the rocks and a subsequent splattery demise in her descent, the impact of hitting the water still felt like it could break some bones if she hadn't managed to stick the landing just right.

From there, it was all up to the flow of destiny. Literally.

The river current was too strong for Akira to resist, other than to hold her head above the cool waters and bring up her arms to shield herself against the rocks.

One of the Cattle Squell was still with her, the other gone forever.

It began with six, now only they remained.

While clinging onto a drifting log momentarily, allowing herself and her companion a chance to catch their breaths, Akira did still have to wonder about the fate of one other.

She looked back, in the direction of a mountain range from whence the river had flown.

There, she glimpsed a side of what could immediately be described as a fortress, carved directly into the brown cliffside using crude tools, operated by crude hands, in service of a master with crude intentions.

Akira Maximilian may still have considered Lazuli's "heroic sacrifice" foolish, but it was also thanks to it that he had any chance at survival to begin with.

It was a debt he hoped to one day repay, if given the chance.

'I may not be a proper Hero…'

'Though I am still a businessman!'

'A cutthroat kind, but also one who never forgets to return favors.'

...

Eventually, Akira and the last Squell Cattle washed ashore unto a sandy bank in a peaceful forest, where the sun was shining and birds were chirping in the trees.

They walked for a while, until it felt safe, when Akira plopped down to rest.

"Woohoo!" She cheered, throwing her hands up in the air. "You've done it again, Akira Maximilian! Yet another crisis averted!"

The Squell Cattle sat vacantly staring, with her knees pressed against her face.

Akira looked back at her, concerned by the fact she hadn't said anything so far, with an entire demeanor like she was functioning on auto-pilot not fully paying attention to or caring about anything that was going on.

"I still haven't got your name," Akira said, trying to be friendly. Obviously taking pity on the poor girl, after all they'd just been through.

"Those were all...my friends," she murmured, in a daze.

"Your friends? You mean…" The others.

"We all woke up in the same forest together, like this one," she went on saying, wiping her arm across her eyes. "It's a virtual game world, we realized. So, we were going to all play and go on adventures together...in a party...but then…we went to sleep at our camp one night in the woods, and..."

She tilted her head down, breaking into light sobs, as Akira gave her an awkward pat on the shoulder.

"Uhh…" she wasn't sure what to say. But a simple 'get over it' probably wasn't the play. Akira personally couldn't relate to viewing people as anything but mere disposable pawns, and here was a case where said friends had--so far as Akira was concerned--served their purposes more than quite well!

Conversely, the Squell Cattle had plenty to say to Akira, when she suddenly raised her head with an angry look.

"What the fuck's the matter with you?"

Akira gave an anxious laugh. "It really depends who's asking…"

The Squell Cattle stood over Akira, furiously pointing into her face. "Are you some type of sociopath? Do you not have any value for others at all, other than to serve you?!"

Akira answered with a lovely smile, her cute pink lips raised and stretched across her face from ear-to-ear.

"Yes! That's why I'm rich, but you're not."

She gave a mocking laugh. "You mean you were rich! But guess what? Here--in this world--you're totally broke. And you're gonna need a party to make it anywhere."

Akira replied with a yawn, making a show of lying down.

"Idiot! What are you all relaxed for?"

"Eh. I just have to learn the way how to quit this dumb game, don't I?" Akira said, closing her eyes while drilling a pink finger in one fuzzy ear to clear the wax. "Then I'll get to ride on a private jet to Shanghai, while you're getting plowed by your 40-year old gym teacher in the broom closet."

"Smug bastard! You really don't have a clue, do you?"

Akira opened one eye to look at her. 

"Hm? About what, you annoying ungrateful little girl?"

Crossing her arms, Cattle Squell bore a smug grin. "Oho! Maybe I shouldn't tell you then. I should just let you learn the hard way, since you're so clever that you don't need others."

"I never said I didn't need people," Akira spat, looking away to conceal the evidence of her becoming frustrated, at the prospect of some juicy secret being kept from her. Then, giving way to a mischievous grin. "On the contrary, I make use of people all the time. 

She chuckled, turning back toward the Squell Cattle. 

"They're easily my most valuable as--"

She stopped, realizing she was suddenly alone.

She heard a laugh and some foliage rustling, glancing up just in time to see her disappearing into the brush at a barrelling pace.

"H-h-hey, wait!" Akira yelled after her.

"No way!" She shouted back. "I'm gonna find a real hero to protect me!"

Akira's ears could pick up on other presences chasing alongside them, with doglike huffs and growls and racing paws against dirt. Though too soon to say for certain, it was very unlikely to be a friendly pack of strays.

"Erm--Cattle Squell! It's dangerous!"

She briefly glanced back over shoulder, still scurrying fast as she could. "What the fuck did you just say to me, asshole?!"

Akira groaned. Video games.

She wasn't even going to bother trying to explain.

"I still don't know your name!"

The Squell Cattle made an abrupt stop, panting as she faced Akira with a smile.

"Oh! My name. It's actually--"

WHOOSH! A wolf lunged at her from out of a nearby bush, seizing her by the neck before she could finish and giving her a violent shake.

Akira, having lost Lazuli's knife during the river rapids ride, scoured the ground.

Until, her eyes fell upon--a rock!

She lifted it up, and then bashed it down onto the wolf's head, several times, until it released the Cattle Squell from its jaws with a pained squeal and retreated away.

Falling to her knees, Akira held the injured Cattle Squell in her arms.

Blood was pouring out all over her hands. Her eyelids were drooping,as she struggled to keep them open. Worst of all, the neck was bent at an odd, sideways angle.

However, the Cattle Squeal could still talk:

"Hah!" she said in a low, whispery murmur. "Maybe you are a Hero, after all..." 

"Cut it out with that shit," Akira shot back sharply. "If I were a 'real' Hero you wouldn't be dying right now." It was obvious she was trying too hard to come off as tough, when she was actually becoming emotional.

She lifted a finger, touching a freshly formed tear in Akira's eye.

"I managed to...make a rich man cry…"

Akira huffed. "Tell me, damn it! There's not much time."

Glancing up, she saw an entire pack of eight or so more wolves was drawing in from all sides, forming a circle: snarling, growling and snapping their jaws at them.

Yet the Cattle Squell gave a small giggle, summoning Akira's attention back to her.

"It's funny, I...don't know your name either, but...I hope you make friends in this world. And that you'll really, truly cherish them. Even if you'll never change your ways." She sighed, closing her eyes for the last time, with one final message being spoken:

'But maybe it's best that...you won't change…'

'Even if it's lonely…'

"Quit being dramatic, dumbass!" Akira pleaded.

But already, it was too late.

The entire species of Cattle Squell cage buddies had thus been eliminated--each done in by the terribly ironically harsh reality of this video game world.

All except for Akira Maximilian, with yet another cutthroat decision to make.

'Sorry, I have to use your body as bait.'

'Whatever your name is...I hope you still find peace.'

Because he would need the head start.