Outrun - Chapter 360 (Patreon)

I tiredly sat in the chair of my workbench. It was… four in the morning? I didn’t sleep very well. Mira kept rubbing her face into my fur and biting my ears. Dunno what kind of dream she was having, but eventually I had enough and slipped out of her arms.

Which brought me here, to my speakeasy. I had stuff I needed to do, and I couldn’t just fall back asleep. Time was short, and felt like it was growing even shorter.

I picked up the graphene nanocoils I bought from the Constellation Night Market. They were a core component in finishing up the Knight’s Roughrider. Not the vehicle itself, but she specially requested I put on some kind of non-lethal cannon. 

Now, a beanbag gun was the obvious choice. They’d be easy to make, easier t o get ammo for, and wouldn’t require much maintenance to run. Not to mention it’d be a traditional projectile firearm. Everyone and their dog knew how to use one these days.

Beanbag guns were boring though. Not nearly enough of a challenge to make, not to mention they had their own drawbacks. Weight and ammo were the main ones. I wanted to make something different. Specifically, I wanted a tesla or shock cannon of some kind. It’d hit about as hard as a taser, so it wouldn’t fry someone. It would, however, stun and disrupt. At least, as long as the protections for it were enabled.

I’d been busy getting stuff ready to go the last several times I dropped by my speakeasy, so I already had all the parts and basic design set up. Basically, the entire cannon worked around a central coil and a specialty high-powered laser.

Electricity flowed through the path of least resistance. If I fired off a cannon with just the graphene coils and stuff, it would be strong, but it’d also be undirected and slam into the closest object… usually the one operating it. That, obviously, wasn’t great for a weapon.

That’s where the laser came in. Basically, the entire cannon worked around a one-two punch. The ‘one’ was the specialty laser creating a plasma path of ionized air. It incorporated an electromagnetic emission to hold the ionized path steady for a brief moment. The ‘two’ was the actual burst of electricity that’d then follow said ionized path. It basically worked off the same idea behind my improved kinetic abilities.

The laser itself barely took any time to put together. It required some special materials, all of which were taken care of by trading in fire crystals with Transmutation. After I finished it, my eyes snagged on a rykon crystal sitting around from the last Blinder module I slapped together.

Should I make some kind of directed radiation weapon? It… it probably wouldn’t be that hard? The hardest part would be ensuring I didn’t cook myself with it, but actually getting one to work wouldn’t be that bad. Could be cool? 

I tossed it onto the Shiro’s Fel Creations list that I might eventually get around to. Honestly, it wouldn’t be super useful. Like, I couldn’t think of any actual use cases outside of maybe against some kind of regenerative creature to give it cancer. It’d be one of those things that I made just because I thought it would be fun to make.

Anyway, back to my arc cannon. I modified a design and parts from a coil gun, and eventually got the firing mechanism set up. This was a big gun designed to be mounted on a vehicle, though. I didn’t have to hold back due to weight or concealment concerns like I usually did.

Before doing anything further, though, I made a temporary frame for the weapon and hooked up a power armor power cell to it. The power cell connected directly to a high-capacity capacitor array that’d store the electricity till it was ready to be fired off. Then the trigger assembly was as simple as linking the capacitor and laser.

Down in my firing range, I worked with the weapon over the course of an hour trying to get the timing right. The timing for the laser and then the discharge couldn’t be too slow or natural air instability would cause my ionized path to disrupt. Too fast, though, and the electric arc itself would grow unstable. I ended up hitting myself more than the target with it, which was… heart-warming, I guess.

Once I got it right, I headed back up and disassembled the entire thing. I shifted my design principle slightly and made eight more charging barrels as well as a rotary device. The barrels would rotate, and when they hit the perfect point, the circuit would complete itself and discharge a shot. Then it’d rotate and the next one would fire.  

It was probably unneeded, but it did increase my rate of fire, sounded intimidating as hell when it spun, and helped manage overheat issues. The rest of the overheating issues could be taken care of by building it around the thermoelectric engine in my bike to take advantage of AE3’s cold properties.

The rotary arc cannon had its own problem that I slowly worked through. Just as I was doing my final tests—

“Where’d you go, Shiro?” Mira sleepily called out through the pack heart link.

I dropped what I was doing and wiped sweat off my brow. “Uh—I went for breakfast. I’ll bring back donuts in a bit.”

”Really?” She yawned and her voice grew weaker. “Mmm… bring some coffee too. Wake me up when you get back.”

“‘Course, mikata.” I wiped my hands off and cleaned up my stuff. The cannon itself was ready. Or, about as ready as it could be. I’d need to test it some more once I actually incorporate it into a flyer, but other than that it was solid.

That’d be for another time. I left my speakeasy behind and headed back for my Roughrider parked nearby.

— - —

Mira sipped at her coffee and leaned forward on the bike to wrap her arm tighter around Shiro’s waist. They weren’t even going that fast, but it helped her to feel just a little more grounded.

Snow drifted down from the neon-lit sky. It melted on the streets of Aythryn City almost as soon as it touched down. Traffic crawled along the streets with red streaks of break lights and the reflections of ads above.

It would’ve been faster to fly. Everyone knew flying above traffic was quicker than going through it. Shiro knew that. And yet they were here, on the street level, flowing behind terrestrial vehicles.

Mira saw through her bestie’s intention as at a glance, ‘course. By driving on the roads instead of through the sky, they could get stuck in traffic and miss the appointment. It’d be such a shame if that happened.

Even now, it was 9:21. They were almost there, but it’d be just too late to arrive. Unfortunately, Shiro was a thousand years too early to face off against something she’d meticulously thought about again and again for weeks. The appointment was actually for 9:30.

Cold air slipped around them, making her skin feel unbearably tight. She barely managed to resist scratching where the chrome met her flesh. Barely managed to avoid ripping and tearing into her own—it was uncomfortable. Right, it was just a little uncomfortable.

”Are we there yet?” Mira asked. Her voice was deliberately light as she snuggled deeper into her poncho. It was probably one of the best gifts she’d received from Shiro.

Shiro huffed heavily and glanced over her shoulder. The silver streaks in her hair caught the light of a passing vehicle and shined brilliantly. “You a little kid?”

”You just now realizing that?” She snickered and snuggled up closer to that sweet warmth.

“Ugh.” Shiro sighed. Irritation tugged at her voice. “Almost.”

And, indeed, they were. The parking garage loomed just ahead. It was a connected prison that made Mira deeply uncomfortable, though she kept it to herself. Shiro guided the bike inside and set it down onto its landing gear with practiced ease.

Mira hopped off and stretched out. Her joints popped softly, and the metal bracketing and entwined into her bones creaked obnoxiously. She felt… better than usual. Still not nova, but better. She hadn’t woken up tangled in streets and choking for breath, nor had she clawed her way back to consciousness several times throughout the night with her heart hammering in her ribs.

Sleeping next to Shiro helped. She wasn’t quite sure what it was. Maybe Fox Shiro was just too cute for the fear to reach her. Or maybe it was that Perk of hers, Lethargic Presence. Or it could be something as simple as feeling safe around her. It didn’t really matter.

Shiro hopped off the bike and circled around to the saddlebag. Mira stepped closer and gently closed her hands over Shiro’s, stopping her just shy of pulling out her rifle. “Do you really need that? We’re in the Corporate Quarter.”

”I always need it.” The girl’s mismatched eyes twitched. Both were bloodshot and tinged with a half-feral vibe.

“Shiro…” Mira didn’t argue. It wasn’t a fight she could win head on. She just waited and tried to keep her expression as neutral as possible.

After a moment, the other girl exhaled sharply and slid the rifle back into the bag. Her hands lingered on the rifle longer before she pulled away. “Fine. Happy?”

”Yes.” Even though she knew for a fact her friend was loaded in more weapons than an armory, at least she put the rifle away. Mira squeezed her hand lightly before letting go. “Didn’t sleep well?”

”’Course I did.” Shiro brushed a silver strand out of her hair. The curtain bang fell back into place immediately after, perfectly framing her face. Her expression twisted into a small pout she likely didn’t realize she was making. “I always sleep well.”

Mira had her smile behind another sip of coffee. “Sure you do.”

”What’s that supposed to mean?” The adorable pout turned into a sharp glare. The feral, predatory tinge of her eyes returned with full force.

”Nothing, nothing…” 

They walked the short distance toward the building. The closer they went, the quieter Shiro got. By the time they stepped into the elevator, she was practically vibrating with barely restrained energy. Her fingers fidgeted, and electricity sparked off her shoes more than a couple times.

The elevator chimed. The elevators slid open. Mira stepped out—and then stopped just at the lip. She turned back and placed a hand on Shiro’s shoulder, causing the frazzled girl to focus. “Hey.”

Shiro blinked and her shoulders tightened. “What?”

Mira searched her face and really looked at her. She didn’t have her usual uncaring mask on. The confidence of a thief she wore like armor had vanished. There was just the girl underneath—tired, scared, more stubborn than a mule, and trying way too hard not to show any of it.

”If you don’t want to do this,” Mira’s voice came out softly, “you don’t have to.”

”Really?” Hope flared brightly in her eyes. It was raw enough it made Mira’s chest ache. The almost predatory tension that usually clung to her pupils eased. “Wh-what about you?”

“I’ll still go.” Mira didn’t even hesitate. “The Crusade’s specialists can help… I was gonna do that anyway.”

That part was true. She’d decided that weeks ago, back when she’d kept waking up shaking so badly she couldn’t hold a glass of water. Back when she realized functional didn’t equal fine. Their little deal had just been the last push she needed.

Counseling only worked if the person actually wanted help. Mira believed that whole heartedly. It’d be a waste of time and money otherwise. Likewise, dragging Shiro in kicking and screaming wouldn’t fix anything. It might even make it worse.

So, Mira had dragged. She walked beside her instead. She waited and watched full of hope until this final moment when Shiro needed to make the final decision herself. What was that saying? You could lead a camel to water, but you couldn’t force it to drink. Her bestie was far more stubborn than a camel.

Shrio stared at the floor with her jaw clenched. Mira should see the thought spinning through that pretty little head of hers. The promises made, time already spent, and effort to get here all filled her calculative, careful approach.

The sunk cost wasn’t something Mira wanted to weaponize. It was just… it was there. Something Shiro was particularly vulnerable to. At the end of the day, though, she needed to actually want this for it to work.

”I—I’ll go,” Shiro said without even lifting her head. “W-we’re already here, anyway.”

Mira let out a heavy breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Triumph didn’t surge through her. It wasn’t satisfying either. Something closer to… relief, almost.

”Okay.” Mira squeezed Shiro’s shoulder lightly. “Okay, I’ll be right here when you’re done.”

”Chek…” Shiro smiled. It was small and unsteady. Vulnerable in a way she almost never let herself be. And yet it lit up her entire face. “Th-thank you. For being with me.”

”’Course.” Mira ruffled her hair and dodged the reflexive swipe that followed. “You’re stuck with me.”

“Don’t remind me.” Shiro rolled her mismatched eyes and entered the office. 

Mira turned toward the waiting area and sunk into a plush chair. She cradled her cup of coffee between her hands, and let the warmth sink into her bones and the bits of metal tunneled under her skin.

Her reflection stared back at her from a nearby window. Tired eyes looked back with a tight smile. The halo bobbing over her head pulsed with light. And then there was the weight that always seemed to press down on her.

Mira did feel bad. It was impossible not to. After the argument last night… She analyzed all her actions. If her chrome was good for anything, it was over analyzing. She hated the idea of being someone controlling. It wouldn’t work with Shiro, anyway. The stubborn mule would just dig her heels in.

She’d watched Shiro burn for too long though. It was only a matter of time til she crashed. Watching her push pain aside like it was nothing and flinch away from help like it was a trap… it left Mira feeling sour every time.

She wasn’t trying to be controlling. She just wanted to keep her little sis alive. Sometimes being the older sister didn’t mean giving advice or silently supporting from behind. Sometimes it meant she needed to block the door and say, I know you’re scared and hurting, but you don’t get to disappear on me.

Mira stared at the steam curling away from her coffee. It blurred her vision slightly. “Tough love, huh?”

She hoped—really hoped—that it was actually love and not just selfish fear wearing a kinder mask.

— - —

AN: Woah, I thought this one would fall way short, but it’s actually way over my target word count. I’m still weighing over actaully righting the session, but I might just skip it. I think it’ll mean more if we don’t see what happens behind the closed doors. ‘Sides, doctor-patient confidentiality and all that. ^^

Ah, also, a slight tweak to the past couple dozen or so chapters. I meant for Shiro to go to a counselor, not a psychiatrist. Got those mixed up, but they’re definitely not the same thing.