Seesaw

by MintLynx

7: Trust

The nightclub would be searched thoroughly by Sector Four units, with a large multitude of the ponies and zebras inside kept for questioning, while the hackers still alive were detained for questioning. Owl would be tasked with questioning the mare, being a major discovery she was given she was officially marked dead in the Citizen Records Database (CRD) by a mugging. Owl was very suspicious given these circumstances, wondering if she had faked her death to escape records, which was strongly illegal in royal law. He wanted to have the harmony council, Golden Belle especially, to be informed of this as soon as possible. For now, however, he would simply be questioning this mare to see what he could learn about her.

All the while Anomaly tried to choose her words carefully, considering spilling the beans toward this Royal Government Agent about her woes but noting the risks of sounding crazy. She had a strong feeling her sister would pull some strings with her place in power to have her recaptured, while EQUE-TECH simply paid away any criminal charges with ease. This in mind her trust in Royal personnel was limited as she spoke to this one pony, hoping to possibly get him on her side.

"Why are you marked as being dead on the CRD? I know you are aware that is illegal." Owl said sternly, accompanied Data and Night. He suspected she may have turned to a lawless hacker life and somehow faked her death to escape the CRD's records and tracking. The answer he got instead was perplexing.

"EQUE-TECH, or more precisely Myriad Heartstrings had my death faked, Officer...." Anomaly simply replied. "She did so that she would be able to use me as a lab rat for their testing."

"If EQUE-TECH are 'using you' then why are you here seemingly used by the cyberterrorists? Doesn't quite add up unless you're claiming they are involved with the Freedom Fighters, which is unlikely given they're not morons." Night Vision would say, whispering to Owl. "She might be of the Digital Hoof type of hacker."

"If she is it would be quite the twist given she's the sister of an element bearer," Owl whispered back, then looked back to Anomaly as he said. "You're claiming that EQUE-TECH tried to 'use you' and faked your death for testing. What testing would EQUE-TECH break the law for just to use a pony on?"

"Brain Augmentations, advanced ones functioning basically as a computer installed in the brain..." Anomaly could frankly care less about the secrecy of the project. She would spill a whole bag of beans, even if it fell on deaf soon to be corporately manipulated ears. "I was part of the project, willingly up until they forced me into some stasis with disregard for my say!" the mare then said boldly. Owl was taken aback by this, she didn't seem like she was lying but the fact she was here made him suspect she would accuse CEO Heartstrings of involvement with the freedom fighters. That is until she looked to Night and said: "I will not accuse EQUE-TECH of involvement with these ponies, I was kidnapped by them after escaping EQUE-TECH HQ."

"So you were kidnapped by these ponies, presumably to be after your brain augmentations no?" Asked Vision, lessening the stern tone and deciding to keep it nicer to try to get more information from her.

Anomaly would nod and consider revealing something she discovered during her capture at this place. While hooked up in physical and digital captivity she found that her brain augmentations were primarily being used for the development of a 'supervirus' akin and a possible modified version of the one given to her by Freemane. She would neglect to mention Freemane and GOUSSE of course as she felt it be unjust to do so after they helped her. Ultimately Anomaly would say "I can tell you some things about the Freedom Fighters however, they are not just your usual hackers using standard tools. Theirs are state of the art, like nothing the CyberGuard have a disposal and a likely explanation for their inability to stop them without my assistance."

Owl nodded "And for that, we thank you, any technically illegal tampering with the CCS done will be pardoned for your assistance. Our Chief, in fact, wants you to assist us in dealing with these Cyberterrorists. We ask that you assist us further in dealing with this threat while providing any information that you might have."

"Seems logical that you would seek my assistance given how ineffective your CyberGuard seems to be against these hackers. From what I have seen their tools and programs are superior to what your personnel has. Given I don't exactly support these chaotic CCS hackers I...." she contemplated her decision, knowing she would likely be monitored by them. "....will help you under condition." the three would look to her and await her 'condition'. Anomaly would take the silence as a way of them saying 'well what is it?' and follow with. "...I will ask that you don't let EQUE-TECH try to retake me. I would rather stay out of a stasis tank, permanently."

Owl looked at his friends and said. "Quite some claims you have of them, know that we get a lot of unfounded accusations against Corporations. We'll have to see what we can learn-"

"Anything you do will likely be closely regulated in some way, whether higher personnel are bribed or evidence is manipulated." Anomaly cut in, deciding to try and spill the beans some more, cause in her mind 'Buck Myriad and Buck EQUE-TECH'. The mare had some hopes that she might get these ponies to at least have some suspicion of EQUE-TECH, after all, it wasn't like the corporation totally ran the government.

Owl was suspicious, this was quite the accusation and not an uncommon one toward Corporations. He strongly suspected Anomaly to be a potential level 5-7 hacking threat akin to Digital Hoof ponies. He was well trained to identify different kinds of potential threats based on interrogation. Fortunately, she would most definitely not be brought to EQUE-TECH, but he would try to make sure she was monitored. He appreciated her help in dealing with the terrorists at the mall immensely but wasn't going to rule her out as a potential threat. "Your accusations against EQUE-TECH will be considered and reviewed, but for now we need your help and any information on the 'Freedom Fighters'."

"I know they have plans to develop a sort of computer based virus, something made with such advanced tools I mentioned. They also seemed to have used programs based on ones used in my Brain Augmentations."

"Corporately developed programs?" Vision asked.

"Yes." she lied, once again not wanting to rat out GOUSSE. "But heavily modified, and made to be quite advanced."

Data said "If these crazy sicko hackers got some seriously advanced programming we need to acquire some of it so we can develop countermeasures. You seem to be able to fight them, how about you try to catch and copy pieces of what you can find so we can copy and develop based on them. Our defenses are clearly paper against them, and the sooner we build them to steel the better. So please miss pretty computer headed dame, won't you help us?"

"I have no objections to assisting you, so consider that fact a yes," Anomaly said. Unlike EQUE-TECH Cyber Security they didn't have programs specialized for monitoring her not experience in doing so. Thus she felt she might be able to circumvent most of the inevitable surveillance. "Will you take me to the RLG facility or something?"

"We're operating in Everfree since that seems like a primary hotspot for these cyberterrorists. You'll likely be given a room in whatever inn or other temporary places we might be staying at." Owl replied. "Cooperate and you'll have no trouble with us, it's that simple." Anomaly nodded to this and said.

"In terms of dealing with these 'Freedom Fighters' and preventing unnecessary harm and damage I will be very cooperative." Anomaly replied simply. Date smile and put a hoof on her shoulder as she replied.

"Well, then we'll get along just fine then~ Whoop those hackers like your ancestor helped whoop evildoers long ago."

________________________________________________________________________________________

Security personnel would be aiming stun rifles at Golden Belle as she had Myriad pushed her into a wall. "What made you think trying to transport Anomaly beyond this facility was a good idea????"

"Her location here was compromised, I thought it necessary to take her some place these hackers couldn't find her."

"So what they knew she was here??? What did you think they were going to partake in a full-scale urban siege of this facility!? There are over 500 armed guards here with at least 300 equipped with bionics! You really think a few hacker's fixer thugs armed with submachine guns would pose a threat??" Golden slapped Myriad who then ordered her guards to stand down, sighing.

"I was afraid they might to bring some exposure to us...but I'll admit that was foolish thinking as simply keeping the public informed that such sources are not trustworthy would have worked better. Curse me, I do not usually make impractical decisions...though there is one definite problem with having her here if we do recapture her."

"And what in Celestia's name could that be!?"

"Anomaly used the central systems of the facility to turn this facility upside down, making the lights go crazy through the power grid and making the computers go nuts."

Golden sighed, letting Myriad go as she said. "It seems stasis was redundant in trying to keep her from causing trouble to us....might as well offer to take her in with a promise to never put her in stasis again."

"The whole reason she was put into stasis was to keep her out of trouble in case she resisted, but now it seems that is not an option. Promising to give her at least freedom to walk around, try to gain some trust from her."

"You forget she's been holding increasing moral issue with this corporation."

"Well, we'll let her know some of the 'moral' good we've done for Equestria. Providing means for ponies everywhere to communicate any distance, developing a number of technologies which maintain and improve the quality of life, giving bright young minds like her's opportunities for jobs. The poverty rate is at near zero and that is surely partly due to such opportunities. Whatever we do that may be considered 'immoral' is a small price to pay compared to the bigger and greater good we do."

Suddenly Golden Belle would get a call on her wrist computer, looking she saw it was from the RLG Chief and with that she answered it quickly. "Chief Vest? What is it?"

"Aware that your sister is alive, was captured by the Freedom Fighter group, and is accusing EQUE-TECH of a whole lot?"

Golden gasped as she asked eagerly. "Did you find her?? I can explain but please keep things under wraps, I'll make sure you're compensated well if you bring her back to us here at the facility."

"You're corporate marefriend will have to compensate, if she did fake miss Anomaly's death that will warrant a fine for Surveillance Violation Code 3. As for taking her 'back' to this facility, we cannot do that as she's a necessary asset. Particularly in efforts to quell a level 13 terrorist threat which at the moment only SHE can help us online with."

Golden sighed as she said to the Chief. "I understand, but can I at least meet her?"

Kevlar said in a more upbeat voice. "Since she'll be working on the field with our Sector 2 personnel you'll have the opportunity to. You can come along right now if you so wish, just don't make yourself obvious and well guarded cause we don't want you targeted."

Golden nodded. "Understood, I shall be coming along there very soon, can you give me a waypoint?" Kevlar obliged and sent one to her wrist computer the waypoint to the Inn and Out.

"I warn and Myriad you to be wary of her, my agents have identified her as a potential level 5-7 cyber threat based on her questioning. She may try to cause trouble for you online." Kevlar said affirmatively. "Would be nice if you can lower that to a 1-3 at least by talking to her."

"I will most certainly try to do that, I can promise you that for sure." Golden Belle replied.

"Good, cause we don't this asset turning into another threat, Anomaly is at the waypoint while my agents interrogate captured suspects."

"Alright, thank you Chief Vest." thus the call would close and Myriad would go to Golden and say.

"I think I might have an opportunity to help earn some trust from her, instead of imprisoning her here we should let her go freely to places while keeping a digital eye on her. If she's taking on cyberterrorists this could make for an ultimate test of the Anomaly Project's capability's in terms of computing, what harder test than the infamous hack fight."

"I'm worried....what if it makes her brain 'crash' in such an encounter with hackers? That could...."

"The software is advanced and well optimized to prevent crashing, plus if necessary we could develop and send her updates. That could help give her some more trust toward us." Myriad smiled, following. "We could have her be tested, and improve software all while recovering some trust. Might not go perfectly as planned but it seems like a plan that could potentially benefit us, along with that she could be our key to learning from these cyberterrorists and possibly gaining some new software. If these hackers beat the CyberGuard they surely have some fancy tools."

Golden nodded, saying. "As concerned for Anomaly's risks that seem....like the best plan you could possibly have. Maybe your mishap isn't quite so disastrous after all." she smiled a bit to Myriad.

"I try to be practical and pragmatic with my decision making, you have to when you run a megacorporation." Myriad chuckled a bit, inciting Golden to chuckle as well. Taking the elevator and accompanying personal guard units Golden Belle would enter her autocarriage, a more luxury car with an immense amount of fancy bells and whistles. Memory Foam seats covered in reinforced silk, windows capable of changing their tint and even projecting various information from her wrist computer, and seats capable of massage and heating were but a few features.

Golden sat in the back while the 'driver' input the waypoint into the vehicle's computer before it connected to the CCS and started rolling on its way. A couple of sport utility autocarriages would follow along to make sure she was safe as she made her trip through the grids of asphalt and concrete. Long ago hanging lights were used to guide traffic through intersections, now in the age of self-driving autocarriages and the CCS, they were rendered obsolete. Golden looked out the window at the various projection boards and neon lights, smiling at what she viewed as the beauty of the modern megacity.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Anomaly lay back in the room she was given at the Inn and Out, looking up at the ceiling as she explored her newfound abilities. She knew she was watched by the CyberGuard but was able to keep her activities largely private and under the guise of normal InterNet browsing. The night carried on slowly as within the Inn basement the suspects were interrogated by Owl, Data, and Night Vision. Eventually, Anomaly would grow tired and fall asleep, only to discover even as her body slept her connection to the web was not severed if but for a short time as her brain switched to a sort of 'in sleep' mode. As she entered this she pondered what it would be like for ponies to have brain augmentations like hers sometime in the distant future. Ponies able to access the internet anywhere, anyplace, anytime, even in sleep. It seemed that this was likely what her sister and Myriad wanted, for the technology to spread and to render computers obsolete one day.

"Would it be such a bad thing for everypony to have something like this? It is a wonderful technology, with such amazing potential even minus GOUSSE's upgrades to it. It could have such a number of uses, a brain that is also a computer could be enhanced in ways similar to a computer. Ponies could learn things by merely downloading files, access and operate things even while asleep, the wonders seemed endless. And then it hit her, in a society of brain computers it would likely be easier to monitor and control for those seeking control. In fact whose to say ponies couldn't just be manipulated just like coding in computers, particularly those not smart with coding.

Memories and even personality could be changed and manipulated by who those in power see fit. She imagined corporations fighting to hack ponies minds to chose their products, government propaganda on a whole new level, and even common hackers messing with pony's minds. Would a pony's individual identity mean anything, or would it just be a modular code that could be changed in any way possible? Was there even a 'brain' part of the brain-computer or was it just a computer implanted into the skull and replacing the brain. The scenario and questions played out in her head as she took the time to think and wonder.

Soon enough she would be suddenly contacted by one with a username marked 'Tazen_high' who sent a link and access code. Anomaly was very suspicious and careful about this and inspected to find the link led to a type of network known as an 'Onion Networks'. Onion Similar and similar others were part of a part of the InterNet known by many names, Shadownet, Underground Net, Black web, and most commonly the 'UnderNet'. The UnderNet was very much the internet of the Underground where illicit business, hacktivism, and the hosting of normally illegal types of entertainment websites occurred. It first came about in the early Cyber Era as multiple types of search engines designed to allow one to browse anonymously.

The working of such search engines made tracking the user difficult, and in the age of increasing surveillance, such engines were eventually outlawed. This, of course, did not kill the onion networks as the underground's hacking community started to make their own illegal networks. All these illegal networks soon blended and connected to create what some would call an 'InterInterNet'. An InterNet of many pieces hidden beneath the standard InterNet, word online claimed it was over ten times the size of the regular InterNet beyond it, claims the royal government stated officially as being false. Hera had heard much about this mysterious place on the Internet, claimed publically as a hub for all things bad on the InterNet ranging from weapon and Drug trafficking, pedophilic image sites, malicious hackers ready to steal from your computer or worse. This was the public stereotype of the UnderNet which was spread via the Princess' and Harmony council's propaganda machine to keep support for the band of such networks.

Curiously but cautiously Hera followed the link and soon found herself in the digital equivalent of Everfree's most wild and partying streets. Colorful websites with cyberculture art as backgrounds sold various things strangely akin to common online stores only with added digital products of the kind hackers would find useful. One site was a sort of 'wanted board' offering various bounties in digibits for taking down 'filly porn' websites. Another seemed to offer downloads of various custom pieces of electronic music. Anomaly was astonished as she looked around to see, at least in this server, it wasn't the least bit scary or shady. Eventually, she would get a message from Tazen_high...

"Hello there, thanks for the Data and Dirt on EQUE-TECH. It's not much but it definitely helps, if it was you that released it that is." Anomaly quickly surmised this mare discovered the files she scattered along the InterNet and asked in text.

"You found the data and files I sent out?"

"You betcha, I was wanting to look for you but you seemed to have gone missing. Eventually, I was able to find that unique kind of OS you have running after looking outside EQUE-TECH's servers. I'll assume that you are the insider who sent out that data judging by your reaction."

"Who are you?"

"Call me by the username, as for why I was after your data well to put it simply I'm part of Digital Hoof. You know of us I'm pretty sure, princesses and their buddies can't censor knowledge of our existence much as they would probably like to."

"I speculated that given the flashy cyberculture style of everything in this server, gonna try and recruit me to your cause?"

"Would be nice, you could be useful with those hacking skills and that nice new OS. Say you wouldn't be that hacker who stopped the Freedom Fighter's lockdown at the mall would you?"

Anomaly answered "I am, and I can do a lot more now that I'm freed of EQUE-TECH. I'm concerned however given how after my capture by the Freedom Fighters I was rescued by personnel of the Lunar Guard."

"'Freedom Fighters' name like that shows they feel righteous in stirring things up, pretentiously self-righteous name if you ask me. As for your situation, I'm not sure how to help you, but I am sure of a way you could help us."

"Going to ask me to hack into the Royal Guard mainframe?"

"Sharp as a nano-sharpened razor I see, you some sort of psychic?"

"Those are normally scams, future seeing isn't exactly something you'd find in common circles."

"Anyway yes, we would like you to try to enter the database."

"What makes you trust that I can do this?" Anomaly asked Tazen_high, wondering why they might trust a random though previously helpful hacker.

"Hello! You're the code-cracker who beat hackers who practically gang raped the Cyberguard like they were mere script kiddies. If you can beat those bunch of lunatics I'm sure any security will be mere paper walls to your skills."

"True, good point you have there. There is one issue, however, why should I take the risk be it small to take action against the Royal Guard? How do you trust I will side with you and support your cause? I never said I was joining it, you might want to be careful who you trust." Anomaly asked, though skeptical and she did not exactly hold a hostile view of the royal government and its policies. She waited a couple minutes passed before a reply came, presumably Tazen thinking up a reply to that question

"Well don't tell me you're one of those bucking types who is overly trusting of the government. See if they even get you retribution for being used as a corporate toy, likely won't. The whole system is corrupt and reliant on its propaganda and the reputation of its occupants, Celestia and luna aren't the perfect rulers they once were. At best they have the naivety of children, and at worse, they lie and manipulate the populace. One of the members of the harmony council is pretty much a corporate puppet while the rest do jack but make and produce their 'Public Service Announcements' and occasionally legislate. It's a bucked up system, good ponies are in it and have good intentions but as a whole, it's a mess that keeps lots of secrets. Here's the deal, take a look at their system and see what you can find. If you seem it not enough to incriminate them, then just let it be. But if don't like what you see in that, we'll gladly help make sure ponies know. Ultimately, I trust your capability and have some faith you'll see the light of things. You'll have a choice, in the end, trust those who open or trust those who try to cover them. Any more questions?"

Anomaly took some time to ponder what was told to her, thinking it over and considering her options. There was a risk at play, but she was curious what she could find in the deeper database of the Royal Guard facilities. What could be found there, uncovered if anything of note? She considered the option of entering and taking a look while taking extreme precautions in doing so. Her ultimate reply would be...

"I will consider taking a look to see what I find in that database should I have success entering and time to enter."

"Good to hear, or rather read since this is in text, hehe. Anything else you might like to chat about? Maybe have a tour around this network cause I'll be happy to show you around."

"Maybe some other time, I feel it best to take advantage of the free time I have to take that look at the Database. I've seen a bit of it already, including that little wanted-board."

"Keeping sick buckers from posting and receiving kiddie porn on the UnderNet, contracted clean up jobs to clean the scum off. If you're ever bored you can take some contracts and smash a few sites. Bonus if find their identity and post it publicly online with all their evidence."

"As much as I appreciate and applaud such efforts I'll likely not have that free time anytime soon. It was interesting speaking with you, but I feel like the sooner I take the opportunity to satiate my curiosity the better."

"You go on that then, I have faith you'll see who you should trust. Little fact quick, only around one out of every 10,000 kiddy porn sites get busted by the Cyberguard, while we meanwhile smash a thousand a day. Just a little fact to maybe crack whatever trust you might have in the royal powers."

"I'll keep that in mind....." Anomaly said, not properly typing out the shock and disbelief she had. "I guess I shall be off this server then, was an interesting if short stay."

"Good luck, meanwhile we might put some focus on investigating these 'Freedom Fighter' crazies. Ba-bye~"

With that Anomaly exited the server and decided better now than later to see what she could find if she could access. However, she would soon enough discover and track a familiar wrist computer approaching her door. Panicking she quickly put her systems out of their mode for sleep and awakened before going to and locking up the door. The knocking came from it as Anomaly went silent, not saying a word and hoping Golden would think she wasn't present and leave. A sigh came from Golden's lips as she clarified to her sister in case she was there...

"Anomaly, I'm not here to try and take you back, I swear on my life. Please open up, I want to talk to you, I'm worried about you and want to make sure you're okay," said Golden in a sincere and sympathetic tone. Anomaly would open the door only upon detecting any guards Golden brought were outside and judging by the surveillance camera footage were mostly lounging.

"What do you want to talk about, if it's your usual attempts to get me to see the 'good' in my imprisonment then shut up," Anomaly said bluntly. "We've had that conversation countless times and frankly it doesn't take a hyper-intelligent mind to realize when a mare has her mind set."

"I'm not here to tell that same argument, I'm here to offer a deal with you," Golden replied to her. "I'm here to inform you that Myriad has other plans."

"What other plans does she have? And what is this deal?"

"Well you see, Myriad has decided to use this current situation as an opportunity. You see I've been called and informed by the RLG Chief of your discovery and rescue by personnel of his, and that they intend to use you against this coming threat."

"What does that have to do with Myriad's 'plan'?"

"Given you will likely be taking on hackers, very advanced ones at that, she feels it an opportunity to truly test your brain augmentations. Testing the performance and capabilities, I will admit I carry some worry especially hearing of your apparent capture by terrorists. Regardless I think it is a good plan, better than trying to keep you contained."

"So Myriad basically intends to exploit this terrorist threat as a testing bed for the new product."

"It's more than just a 'product' you know that. It's a revolution in computing and brain augmentation technology."

"Well, it's rather fitting that such a potentially destructive threat will be merely exploited by her for the sake of corporate interest."

"What do you suggest that EQUE-TECH fight it themselves? Or refuse to take this opportunity? It's better for you than you being in stasis."

"I didn't say I had a problem with it did I? Though I do wonder, why not try and put me back there?" Anomaly asked Golden, who would proceed to reply.

"Because it's clear that trying to deal with any potential threat you pose in that manner will only amplify it. Instead, we will go through other methods to ensure you don't cause any trouble."

Anomaly then wondered if they knew about her little data breach, given her sister hadn't mentioned it to her there seemed a possibility that it was mostly if not unnoticed. Golden Belle then pulled out something from her jacket, it was the portable receiver that was used to connect her to the InterNet. "Here, I'm sure you know what this is," said Golden as Anomaly took it. She didn't need it anymore but kept that fact secret not only to cover up her 'upgrade' but also to keep her sister from changing mind. If it was known new tech was put in her head she would likely have an attempted capture of her just to see such upgrades. That in mind Anomaly simply said...

"Thank you."

"You are welcome, oh and if necessary we will assist you. Software updates based on your performance can be transmitted to you, provided you don't hinder our monitoring too much." Golden replied. "I hope that we can gain some trust back from you, gain forgiveness from you and future cooperation."

Anomaly thought in her head. "She's so ignorant of the things I've heard and read of EQUE-TECH....even if I do cooperate chances are I will be the one to just be using THEM!" looking up to Golden Belle she said. "It is nice and all for you to give me this back, and to not try to put be back in that cursed tube. I have one question, however, once this terrorist situation is solved what will you do with me then?"

"A good question, for now, we haven't planned up to that point. We will in time, right now we will have current plans in priority. Just know that we aren't planning to attempt stasis containment on you again, as once again it does nothing but magnifies any threat you might have."

"Maybe you should consider that a lesson in NOT trying to decide things for me. Maybe let me take my own path for once in my life." Anomaly said with a scowl, before asking Golden. "Anything else you have to say?"

"Maybe we could just talk, talk other things....? Maybe just talk sister to sister, take our mind off this for a while? We haven't really talked as sisters in so long and I was hoping-"

"No thanks, I'm not exactly 'sisterly' with you anymore. If you wanted to just 'talk sister to sister' you should have tried that back before you tried to make me a lab rat." Anomaly said simply and pointed to the door. "If you don't have anything more important to say then I don't see the point in you sticking around." Golen looked somewhat somber as she heard this, resulting in Anomaly saying "What? You didn't expect me to say that? Ignorant moron, seems you're only smart when it relates to business and occasionally running things in Canterlot."

"Anomaly I.."

"Leave, now, you're wasting my time," Anomaly said with another scowl, resulting in Golden sighing and walking out, though not before saying.

"I still love you as a sister, and don't think of you as just a lab-"

"OUT!" Anomaly said using her magic to shut the door after Golden left. Snorting she lay back on the bed and started to get to work. Entering into the network of the Royal Guard was like navigating a maze of code littered with traps and patrolled by armored guards, certainly not an easy task. Anomaly, however, wasn't stressed in the slightest and after her rather heated end of conversation cracking into and manipulating code was quite the therapy. Stimulating the gears of her mind into work, taking her mind off her sister, and instead focusing it on working the code.

Like digital lockpicking by a master thief Anomaly bypassed and unraveled the security measures with surprising ease, while slipping by CyberGuard like a spy with an invisibility spell. Seems Tazen was correct, given Anomaly had the ability to beat hackers who defeated the CyberGuard, the CyberGuard themselves were not quite so hard to defeat. Interfaced to her mind her work with the code was lightning quick, unmatchable even by the fastest unicorn typer with a keyboard. Though starting at a steady pace, like a racing autocarriage speeding from the start Anomaly's speed with her code-cracking accelerated. She learned her way through the brain interfaced systems, mastering the very new art of simply thinking to hack.

As if simply thinking her hacks wasn't fast enough the brain augmentations, especially with GOUSSE's upgrades increased her thinking time to inequine levels. She cracked the complex code so fast yet stealthily it was nearly impossible for her to detect her, she was like a silent supersonic bullet in the network. Anomaly took slight wonder in her ability, before putting herself back on full-focus-overdrive. Soon enough she would be close to the database, only to discover that just one CyberGuard managed to detect her. Preparing to take actions she would soon discover that, though not unstoppable, this CyberGuard was very much a cut above the rest and even a major hindrance.

Anomaly prepared herself for what would possibly be her very first of what the UnderNet knew a legendary duel of code cracking skill, the Hack Fight.

Author's Note:

Another nice collection of music I listened to while typing this. Admittedly some songs seem better than others.

Little note: Terms like 'Transequinism' and 'inequine' are in-universe versions of terms such as 'Transhumanism' and 'inhuman'