~ ~ Kanzaki Sanada ~ ~
In the middle of a dark room a blinking cellphone interrupted someone's beauty sleep… And this certain someone wasn't any happy about it. Extending her hand over the huge bed's length to slam her palm onto the phone in an attempt to shut it up, Sanada ended up tapping it with the open hand multiple times before taking a deep breath onto her pillow, followed by a screech of rage. Finally giving up and sighing to the loud sounds of the phone, she raised her and hand to plant a finger onto the alarm's disable button.
"Well, goddamn great I'm already awake now… And it's not even time to go to college…" Sighing yet again, the moody girl gets off of her bed to open the door to her "office", a small area where most of her things are, except someone else is there already. A tiny figure tapped away at her computer's keyboard.
As she approached, she placed a hand behind the person on their shirt's collar and pulled them from the seat, turning the kid to face her.
"Shoichi… Who gave you the key to my room?" She asked with a raised eyebrow to her intrusive little brother. As if her bad mood wasn't enough, now she had to deal with the brat while in her pajamas. However, his expression of fear as he looked to her face made it all worth it.
"N-no one! I-I j-just needed to check m-my account o-on the PC and Sa--" Stammering and babbling off as she walked towards the door to her room on the farthest end, Sanada decided to not pay too much heed to the kid's words. As she neared the door, she pulled him to be face to face with her before speaking again. As soon as she did, the boy made the most nerve-wrecking hurt puppy face that one could possibly see in their lives. With Sanada's expression twisting, however, it was clear that she didn't buy it.
"Get the fuck out and don't enter my room again!!" She said as she threw him off of her room almost like throwing a sack of potatoes, though he was tough… He'd be fine.
"If I see you in my room again when I wake up, I'm going to hang you to the poles in the garden until dawn, you hear me?" She added before slamming the door shut.
Walking to her PC's table and a copy of the key to her room on top of the table, she was sure it had been Sarada. Hiding the key somewhere in her room, she prepares for the rest of her bored, programmed day.
A bath and a change of clothes later she was already at the kitchen for breakfast, and to her almighty great luck of today, her father was there. With her mind already set on her facade towards her family, she politely bows to her father before seating herself alone at the side of the table. With her father on one end, her mother not present and only her twin sister facing her, she thought again on how to make this situation to her favor.
"Good morning, father." Was all she said for the time being. Best not to pry at anything for the time being. Quickly, however, Sarada spoke up in interjection.
"Good morning to you, sleepyhead. You're still going through with that crazy gaming stuff you talked with father?" She asked in a teasing manner, a smirk on her face.
"Oh you mean Sojiro's project?" Says a man looking up from a tablet of some sort, wearing a fine cut suit, if not for the stylized flair of it, one might mistake him for one of Japan's many businessmen.
"Uncle Kamoshida is trustworthy with it. I expect results out of him, he's ran Sato Group well. Why do you ask?"
Her smirk ever present, Sarada watched as her sister opened her mouth to speak, but quickly butted in.
"Well, dad, turns out Sanada wanted to put those gaming skills she spends all day honing in her room to the test. She spoke to me one of these days that she planned to get in with Kamoshida-san's team to see just how well she'd do." With those words, she briefly glances at the older man by their side, with a wide grin. Sanada merely groans at her words. If there was anyone that managed to annoy her the most it was her sister. Sighing to regain her composure, she finally spoke up.
"Well, father, I believe this would make a fine test of skills for me and also an opportunity to help with the business. Aside from that… It'd be quite the thrill." With those last words, her smile contorts slightly but she remains composed.
Looking up from the device with a sigh, his two daughters were always like this, it was no surprise his son was as of yet so meek.
"As I told you before, I rather not either of you get involved with the business. I have sent you to school because of this..." Taking his time to consider the request, the man reaches for his phone, placing a call.
"Kanzaki, Sumio. Connect me with Kamoshida. Now... Huh that so? A few minutes won't hurt."
Turning his attention to Sanada, Sumio stares at his daughter pointely, studying her, or seeing what her true intentions might be.
"So you know, Sojiro-san has a few side projects running in this, and it's meant to be for profit..while it is a game, this tournament is a serious matter, are you sure you wish for me to ask of him a favor, to just satisfy your curiosity, or is this something you truly want, Sanada?"
There it was. The old man's sight was as sharp as she could ever believe. It was no wonder he was in this line of work. Still, it taught her a valuable lesson… Looking away sheepishly, she giggled.
"Come, now, father… I wouldn't be asking you to do it for me if I were to back-out midway. I want this. This'll be the biggest tournament since launch, and I don't want to miss it. If there's an opportunity to get profit out of it so that I can tune my bike or buy a new car, maybe pay another future tuition, I'm all for it, father." Be frank. If there was anything that her father wanted from his children was that they always be frank with him. He already had to deal with enough farce and fake business outside his house. Inside of it, sincerity was one thing the old man valued. While it was true Sanada's thrill-seeking inner-voice screamed at her to launch into it, she was being honest with her full intentions.
Sarada, on the other hand, scoffed at the display. Laying her back on the chair and crossing her arms, she spoke with a serious expression.
"You go, Sanada. Keep on playing games and studying, meanwhile I aim for the big fish and crush some skulls in the way." Throughout the phrase, a killer smirk surfaced. Sarada and Sanada were not so different from each other, the two just had differing focuses.
"I would rather you Crush Mochi. Both of you are too much at times. I would hope to see more tenacity out of your brother." Sighing a bit and shaking his head the man wasn't sure how to deal with his daughters, it had taken him great effort to keep them both out of trouble.
"...You might need to speak Kamoshida, or do you want me to handle all the arrangements? Though it's good for you to earn your own money... There are just a couple of special things happening with this project you need to be aware of."
As if to speak of the devil, the gruff man's face appeared on the phone screen, bowing his head lightly on the projector.
"Aniki Sumio… Young…" With a stiffening to his face, it was clear he thought anything but;
"... Ladies... I trust you are well? What is it that you require?"
Nodding his head, Sumio points towards Sanada.
"She would like to take part in the Tournament."
"Would she now?" The older man says, gazing at her from the projector.
As the projector turned on, both Sarada and Sanada bowed their heads in response as well, with Sarada waving her hand in an almost affectionate greeting to a member of family. Truth be told, the red-eyed twin had much more connection with her father's contacts than Sanada did.
After her bowing, however, Sanada was pointed by her father and quickly the old man turned to her.
"If you would have me, Uncle Kamoshida, I'd like to participate in the tournament as a member of your project. I am fully aware of the importance of this work, and I'll give it my all to see it done to perfection." Although curt, her words were laced with the sweet politeness only a girl could manage. Some would call her wholesome but those that knew her in the game would know that it is foolish to do so. She was simply being what her father sought from her.
Laughing from the projector, Kamoshida seemed amused by this at least, turning his attention back to Sumio.
"I see your Rose Garden is as lovely and dangerous as always... Very well. I needed one more... participant for the test. I do this for the relationship we share as sworn blood brothers and as a Junior to his Senior. I'll take... Special precautions in regards to my Niece, she will not be spared what we discussed earlier however."
"That's fine. I don't want her in needless danger, what did you have in mind?" With that the pair had a conversation cloaked in terms and leaving the two girls only partially in the loop, before coming to an agreement a few moments later.
"Very well, Sanada, you may join. I already have your account name, a woman by name of Okuu will be contacting you soon. When you meet her later do keep in mind she can be trusted…" Leaving his glare on the girls before bowing his head to their father, the call ends.
"Well, there you go, Kamoshida is as prickly as ever, that's how he's survived for so long."
With a smile from one side of her face to another, Sanada bowed deeply to her father.
"Thank you, father. I shall not squander this opportunity." She said before once more turning her face to the other side of the table. Her smirking sister seemed more than displeased, but her scoff was as enough encouragement as she would get from the girl.
"Dear sister… Aren't you late for college?" Sarada licked her lips after asking.
With a surprise coming from Sanada as she pulled her phone to look at the time, a yelp escaped her mouth.
"F-Forgive me, father but I must go now! Thank you again. " With rushed words, the girl quickly dashed out of the large hall and towards the garage to get her bike, leaving Sarada and Sumio alone.
With a dastardly smirk, Sarada laughed, pleased with her sister's distress.
"My… I do love seeing her squirm every now and then… Now, dad, may I follow you in your job today? I want to learn as much as I can… " The red-eyed girl asked
Shaking his head with a sigh, Sumio spreads his palms across the desk, closing his eyes in consideration.
"You siblings should learn to be happy with one another. The organization is family. And that family means much. Get your brother, he's doing nothing and needs to be toughened up, I guess you both can come observe the meeting. Though you should worry for your sister in this game."
--- A Week Later ---
As college passed by, Sanada was completely unfocused. Her mind being on when she would receive the message from the person Kamoshida mentioned, she was left with no amusement at school other than bossing others around and forcing them to do her work for her. Not that these weren't already daily activities for her, but given her mood grew worse the more time passed without her receiving any messages, those around her were given even worse treatment.
In time it all was done right for when she received the message with a meeting point. Pleased with it at last, Sanada now pushed others to finish their tasks quickly enough so she could leave.
When classes were over, the young white-haired, tiny figure sped with her bike home, probably getting another ticket in the way, but getting home in record time. As she plopped out of her bike and moved into the house, she didn't even bother to pay heed to her sister and mother, rushing into her room and greeting the PC screen at last. As soon as it lit up however, she caught glimpse of what her brother had been using her computer for…
"Market studies? Why the hell is Shoichi reading my books…?"
With a dumbfounded expression, Sanada just shrugged the whole issue away with a shake of her head. Closing the window and opening her FullDive drivers and checking for any updates. With the momentary reprieve, she quickly took off her clothes and changed into something more comfortable.
Seeing the systems on the clear, she quickly plopped onto bed and attached the FullDive visor…
Username: Ryder
Password: **********
At the corner of a desert on the edge of the map, Ryder smoked a single cigarette, watching the sunset go as she rested on her bike. Sighing to herself as she once more read the message she received, she threw the cig away before hopping onto the bike.
Checking her equipment one more time, she looked onto the map to check the distance as she expressed a defiant smirk. Starting the bike with a kick, the engines roared in response… Perfect.
"Right, now let's try to set a new record…" She mused as the bike took off in a powerful thundering. Leaving after her trails of dust and sand, Sanada made her way quite characteristically towards her target.
It didn't take long before she reached the fallen spaceship city and parked her bike off at the entrance, with a few touch of her fingers, the bike was added to a personal storage of hers made specifically for it. Now pulling up the hood of her cloak to stride into the city, it didn't take long for her to find the meeting point, the Iron Sentinel Bar. Asking for the Molotov Party and a whisky bottle, Sanada found herself entering the room only to meet at least half a dozen people already.
"Gods be damned I can't believe I wasn't the first one to arrive." She said out loud as she walked past almost everyone and towards a nearby table and got a cup for her, adding in the ice as she did. Taking a seat on the pool table, she turned towards the mass of people and brandished the whiskey bottle.
"Hope you don't mind that I brought my own drink…" She said before pouring it for herself, and then eyeing the whole group. Taking the cup to her mouth and drinking a long gulp before setting it back on the edge of the pool table, she crossed her legs and laid herself back as she questioned.
"So, who the fuck is the boss here? The Stormtrooper from Star World Wars 2, the eye-scarred Sephiroth, the Vocaloid babe or…" As she trailed off her sight fell onto Graf Spee and Okuu…
"Well, you two up the ante, you're so bland I can't even think of anything when I see you… Guess your names will suffice. What do I call you lot?" She asked as she raised her cup, pointing to each person she had already created a nickname for. Her finger, however, stopped at Okuu before she pulled her hand back to pour more of the whisky onto her cup.
"Anyone wants some?" She asked as she poured to herself.