The Royal University of Manehattan is the oldest and most prestigious academic institution the city has to offer, established by the Princess Celestia’s own royal charter. With an acceptance rate of 5.8%, it is the third most selective university in all of Equestria and the second most selective university in the Crown League, with a reputation, carefully cultivated, for being the repose of the social upper classes in the city.
It rests upon forty acres of land in the center of Manehattan, a tiny academic fortress in and of itself, comprised of soaring Gothic architecture with ivy-covered, stout grey stone walls and forbidding grey spires.
In one of the university’s many courtyards, two students - a blue-maned, white-coated Unicorn mare and a red-maned, pink-coated Earth pony mare - are bitterly fighting, amidst a small audience; the Earth pony mare has her opponent pinned between her slender thighs, while she rains a furious flurry of punches at the Unicorn mare’s muzzle; the Unicorn mare hits her with a blast of bright blue magic, stunning her, filling the air with a deep, resonant sound that is more felt than heard - a low, concussive note, a shockwave, like that of a distant explosion.
WHOOM.
The Earth pony mare is thrown back onto the ground, actually skidding a few feet back from the sheer force of the Unicorn mare’s assault. The Unicorn mare bounces back up to her hooves, taking arm at her rival. Her horn sizzles, crackles with force.
WHOOM.
The Unicorn mare hits her opponent with a burst of clear purple magic. The air fills with an electric charge and the scent of lilacs. The ponies gathered there collectively draw in their breath as one, feeling their skin prickling.
WHOOM. WHOOM. WHOOM. WHOOM.
A blue ray, then a yellow, and a red, and a gold one, in rapid succession, all aimed at the Earth pony mare’s sensitive belly. The sheer force of the magical attacks throw her about, her limp body jerking convulsively; the Unicorn mare advances on her with bared teeth, her eyes glowing with killing intent -
“Stop this! Stop this at once!”
A harsh, commanding, feminine voice; the voice of a veteran academic, echoing through the square like the tone of a bell; the order is given with such intensity that the Unicorn mare pauses briefly, glancing upward to see who has spoken, as do the the other students gathered around.
Striding towards the combatants is a young Pegasus mare.
She has a bright silver mane, tied up into a very severe-looking bun. Her features are refined, elegant, yet stern, with bright, sharp, piercing red eyes that are utterly unyielding, bordered by feathery black lashes and soft, plush pink lips, rosy cheeks done up with the faintest tinge of red blush. Perched on the tip of her nose are steel-framed, round spectacles.
She is wearing a white dress shirt, the buttons straining around the large golden globes of her breasts, with a tan blazer, accentuated by a red necktie, her slender, beautiful neck left bare, exposing the shallow curves of her collarbones. Her shoulders are narrow, her arms slim and ladylike, with small, elegant hands and thin fingers.
She has a trim waist and a flat, muscular belly, with wide hips and strong, thick, muscular thighs. She has chosen a very sensible, calf-high tan dress, unobtrusive and loose enough for her to walk or run as necessary. On her hooves are leather boots.
The Pegasus mare stamps over to the Unicorn mare and snatches her up with her bare hands, heedless of the sizzling, crackling rays of magic the Unicorn is shooting in every direction. She shakes the Unicorn mare roughly, addressing her in rough tones.
“That’s enough, Irina! If you want to fight, leave this University. The Royal Guards could always use more dumb, brainless fools to fill their ranks! This is a place of learning, and your actions bring shame to this institution!”
Her fingers dig into Irina’s soft white coat. She is actually lifting Irina up in her hands, a testament to her strength.
“Let go of me, Professor!” Irina shrieks, her face covered in sweat, her mane sticking to her head. She flails about, kicking her legs, straining her arms, struggling to free herself, but the Professor is much taller and stronger. The Professor responds by tucking her arms under Irina’s own, pinning Irina’s arms behind her back.
Irina throws her head back, casting a gaze full of hatred at the Professor’s face. “My father is an Empire Province Representative! He’ll hear about this!”
“Tell him. Tell him about what I’ve done, personally, and then invite him to speak to me in private about your behavior. Does he know you torture smaller ponies with your magic?”
The Professor’s eyes gleam with triumph as Irina’s hateful look is replaced by that of fear. “I thought so. I am merciful, so I’ll let you go this once. Don’t do this again. If I hear you’ve assaulted another student with your magic, I shall speak to your parents at once.”
She throws Irina to the ground, wiping her hands down the front of her blazer as though she’d just finished holding a particularly dirty object. “Get out of here. You offend me,” she says shortly.
Irina struggles to her hooves, and runs away without further comment.
The Professor rounds on the rest of the students. “You lot! Get Menrva to the infirmary! She’s probably very badly hurt.” She points to the limp form of the Earth pony mare lying nearby.
The students gathered around hasten to do her bidding, some running to tell the infirmary staff, others picking up Menrva’s burnt, bruised body and carefully bearing her away. The Professor chases them away, waving them off furiously.
“Off you pop. Don’t you have work to do, instead of standing around, gawking?”
“Yes, Professor…”
“We will, Professor…”
Shame-facedly, mumbling in embarrassment, the students begin filing off back to their respective duties.
The Professor checks one student before she can leave, taking her by the hand much more gently.
“Not you, Shizuka.”
This student is a teenaged Human girl, with smooth, straight, long silky black hair, gelled in sharp spikes about her head. Her almond-shaped eyes are large and expressive, and seem to be perpetually worried; she has a small nose and soft pink lips, and milky-white skin.
She is wearing the Royal University uniform - a navy-blue blouse with a golden sailor-style collar, a pleated blue skirt with a thin golden stripe running around the bottom, reaching up to mid-thigh. She has a slender, delicate body with thin arms and legs, soft, small breasts, narrow shoulders, a thin waist, and small hips. Knee-socks and leather Oxford shoes complete her ensemble. She is clutching her schoolbag protectively before her in her other hand.
Pinned to the chest of her blouse is a photo ID with her full name: NADESHIKO, SHIZUKA.
Shizuka cringes away from the Professor. “Y-yes, Professor? How can I help?”
“Come to my office. I’d like to speak to you.”
Shizuka looks even more nervous, running her soft pink tongue along her lips. “Why? Am I in trouble?”
The Professor heaves a deep sigh, and shakes her silver-maned head. “No. I’d just like to talk to you.”
---
The Professor’s office is a small, cramped room that seems even smaller thanks to the staggering array of books stuffed in floor-to-ceiling shelves lining almost every wall. Her desk is a tough oak affair with a globe resting on the far right-hand corner, covered in papers, files, pens, pencils, rulers, an inbox and an outbox, a laptop computer, a white metal desk lamp,and a word-of-the-day calendar. There is a tiny painting of an Equestrian Royal Guard hanging on the wall next to the small, pointed window. There are two chairs in front of the desk, and a worn leather office chair behind the desk.
Upon the desk is a lacquered wooden nameplate with golden letters reading “PROF. DEBORAH BOWES-STANFORD”.
Professor Deborah takes a seat in her well-worn office chair, gesturing with one hand at the chairs before her. “Why don’t you sit down, Shizuka?”
Shizuka does so, nervously settling into one of chairs, still clutching her bag to herself. “Thank you.”
The Professor plants her elbows on her desk, steepling her fingers before her muzzle, glaring at Shizuka, who jumps slightly, and looks downward.
“I want to ask you a question, Shizuka.”
“Yes, Professor?”
“Why didn’t you do anything?”
Shizuka looks surprised, her mouth opening. “I was scared! I didn’t want Irina to hurt me! You saw how she gets…”
“Shizuka, all that is necessary for evil to prosper is for good citizens to sit back and do nothing. Look.”
The Professor extends her hands; there are visible burn marks on her skin from Irina’s magical blows.
Shizuka recoils from this display, her eyes wide. “Your hands…!”
“It’s nothing,” the Professor says, settling back in her chair, smiling at Shizuka’s worried look. “Please, don’t worry about me. Goodness, one would think you’re my mother.”
“But your fingers are all burned…”
“I’ve had worse. That’s not the point. You must not be afraid to defend the weak, the disadvantaged, those who have been victimized by the strong forces that threaten our daily existence. The fabric of our society, the very things that make our life possible, all of these are at risk of being destroyed by these forces, and the only way we can defend ourselves against them is to learn as much as we can about the world around us, and the true nature of reality, and to use this knowledge to help others. Our obligations to others are precisely what ensure our survival, for if we do not help others, we cannot expect anyone to help us when we are attacked by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, suffer, and cannot defend ourselves.”
The Professor has become so infused with emotion while speaking that she has bunched her hands into fists, her wings actually spreading wide, with a strong breeze, setting the papers on her desk fluttering; they would have escaped were it not for the paperweights pinning them down.
“A long time ago, the Pegasus tribe to which I belong faced its worst peril, in no small part because others were afraid to tell our attackers, “No, this is where you stop. Not a further step forward. We have conceded enough to you; this is where it ends.” Everypony knew the danger that we were in, saw the enormities our attackers were capable of visiting upon those that incurred their wrath, and still, until the last possible moment, there were those who wished to give our enemies a platform with which to speak.”
The Professor drew in a deep breath, and shook her head. “Never mind that now. It’s quite a long story in and of itself, and I’m sure you didn’t come here just to hear me speak about myself at length. What about you? Are you enjoying your time here, studying in Equestria?”
“Yes, Professor! Only…”
“Only what?”
“Well…” Shizuka rubbed her hands together nervously, staring at the ground. “I wish I hadn’t chosen Manehattan. I didn’t think it was going to be so violent and hateful, really I didn’t. I thought it was going to be glamorous and exciting.”
“In a way, it’s exciting, all right,” the Professor said, darkly.
There was a soft rap on the door.
“Enter,” the Professor said, looking up at the new arrival; a Human-looking girl with long silver Equine ears.
She has a fine, long head of hair reaching down to her thighs, and soft, smooth white skin. Her eyes are gunmetal grey. She has a faintly angular face that conveys a sense of impatience, with silvery brows, a small nose, and plush lips, bearing a hint of earth-toned lipstick.
She has a lissome, athletic body with a flat, muscular belly, narrow shoulders, a trim waist, small, round breasts, and lush, wide hips. Her thighs are full and curvy yet firm and strong. Her arms are thin and delicate-seeming, with small hands, and long, slender fingers.
She is wearing tight leather shorts, a leather tank top, leather boots, and a leather collar. At her side hangs a dueling rapier.
This new girl is bearing a tray with an electric kettle, cups, saucers, napkins, and all the other necessary accoutrements one might need to serve tea. She places the tray on the Professor’s desk, then stands aside.
Shizuka perks up as soon as she lays eyes on the girl. “Oh! It’s one of those Yorha androids! What model, what model?”
“Well, I’m glad to see you cheered up a little,” the Professor says, with a gentle smile. “Yes, that is my personal Yorha Type 2, Model D. Just call her 2D, although, or Dimension.”
“She’s so pretty!”
“That’s very nice of you, Shizuka. She’s an older model android, so most people don’t pay much attention to her.”
“Really?”
“Quite. She performs her duties adequately enough. Are you hungry?”
“A little,” Shizuka admitted, reddening slightly.
“Would you like some tea?”
Shizuka leaps to her feet, clutching her school bag. “Professor! May I make it for you? I brought some sencha…”
The Professor gives her Android a sideways look, pursing her lips. “I wouldn’t say no to that, although you may cause poor 2D to feel as though she’s sliding further into obsolescence.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll show her how to do it,” Shizuka burbles happily.
She takes 2D’s hand in her own.
2D turns to look at her intently, staring at her with wide eyes, and Shizuka finds herself looking into the android’s steady gaze, drawn by the liquid warmth of 2D’s eyes, like two pools. 2D wordlessly laces her fingers between Shizuka’s, squeezing her hand, pressing her palm against that of the other.
Shizuka’s lips part slightly, her breath quickening, a deeper color rising to her lily-white cheeks.
The Professor watches this with some amusement, a tiny smile playing about the corners of her lips.
“Her skin is so warm…” Shizuka murmurs, still gazing into 2D’s eyes
“Indeed. I’m surprised at you, Shizuka…”
Shizuka abruptly seems to realize she was holding hands with 2D, and hastens to let go. 2D does nothing to prevent her, retaining her typical expressionless look. Androids are supposedly incapable of feeling anything, not having the capability to develop emotions, but, for a brief moment, the merest trace of what could be called disappointment is visible upon 2D’s face.
“Eh? Why’s that, Professor?” Shizuka says, busying herself with the task of preparing the tea, in an obvious attempt to conceal her earlier embarrassment. She puts a spoon in 2D’s hand; the android looks at it curiously, then at her. “Here. Use two scoops, please, 2D, then pour in the water.”
Shizuka produces a tiny red lacquered wooden tea box, opening it to let 2D get at the fragrant green leaves. 2D closes her fingers around the spoon, looking resolute and determined, pressing her lips together, her eyes narrowing. Then she takes a single scoop out, followed by another.
Watching this, the Professor cannot help but laugh.
“There’s a terrifying unmanned weapons system, if ever I’ve seen one. Looks like you two are getting along nicely. Haven’t you seen an android up close before?”
“No, I haven’t. In fact, this is my first time.” Shizuka catches the Professor’s eye as she says this, and reddens further, covering her mouth with her hands.
“That’s quite strange. Your country is spearheading the international initiative to develop androids, I would have thought you would have seen at least one or two at close range before.”
“Oh, yes, I heard about that,” Shizuka says, as she unwraps a bundle of onigiri, placing it on the Professor’s desk; these are soft, delicate white rice balls, covered in seaweed, just about the size of a handful. “I never actually saw any of it happening in my hometown. It all sounded very exciting, but for us, the chance of seeing an android up close was about as likely as seeing a rocket or a warship. Most of the people in my town worked in the fishing industry or farming.”
“So you lived in a rural village?”
“You could say that,” Shizuka admitted. “We took pride in maintaining the traditional atmosphere of Nishinoshima. My father ran the largest ryokan in the village. That was how I learned to cook, by helping my mother in the kitchen with the food. Tourists would come to stay so they could enjoy the fresh ocean breeze, the sight of the bright blue waters around the rolling green hills surrounding our village, the white spray of the waves crashing on the rocky shores of our islands, the taste of salt in the air. They would also come to our shrine. It’s very quiet in Nishinoshima, not all the noise and grit and dust around here in Manehattan.”
A note of longing entered her voice.
“It sounds wonderfully picturesque,” the Professor said. “You miss your old home?”
“Yes.” Shizuka sat down in the chair before the Professor’s desk. “It’s funny, really. I wanted nothing more than to go to the city and experience all the latest culture. My family was so excited! They were all hoping I would return with ideas to make our little fishing village more progressive and up to date with modern society, so that tourists from overseas would visit.”
“What is...fishing?” 2D said, placing her hands on her knees and bending down to bring her face closer to Shizuka’s, staring at her intently
Shizuka went red upon feeling 2D’s warm breath upon her skin.
2D gazed back at her with a very serious look, her steely eyes wide.
“Um...well…” A tiny drop of perspiration beaded upon Shizuka’s cheek. She swallowed. “First...first you need a good, strong fishing boat, one that can handle choppy water. Many trainees leave because they get seasick and can’t handle the rough waters.”
2D looks thoughtful. “Ha...an ocean adventure…”
Shizuka nods. “Yes, it’s tough. Then you must join a fleet of other fishing boats, and sail out into the waters where the fish are gathering. You must have a sharp eye and quick reflexes to spot the shoals, then you’ve got to let out your net. When you’ve surrounded the entire shoal, then you draw up the net and you’ve got your fish!”
“I want to try fishing,” 2D said.
The Professor spread her hands wide, like a magician revealing her trick. “There you have it, then. Androids could revitalize your local fishing industry. Truly, I can see no reason why your Prime Minister should not approve the legislation necessary to build android factories in your hometown.”
“He doesn’t care about rural fishing villages like ours,” Shizuka says, a note of bitterness creeping into her voice. She closed her hands into fists. “Abe-san is completely corrupt, all he cares about is propping up the corporations in the big cities and funnelling money into their projects, while letting small villages slowly die out. Our village prides itself on being a nice vacation spot, but Abe-san’s insistence on keeping foreigners out has only destroyed our livelihood. The prefecture my village is located in is slowly dying. It’s like walking around a ghost town. When I was a little girl, Nishinoshima had little enough villagers as it was, and as I got only, it only grew worse. Many of my friends moved away to Osaka or Kyoto to find a better life. Yes, I heard all about the android factories being built in Kobe, and we waited patiently for Abe-san to approve the laying down of factories in our prefecture, in the hopes that it would revitalize our village, that people would want to live and work here, but it was all for nothing.”
2D began pouring two cups of tea, setting one down next to the Professor, another next to Shizuka. The Professor selects one of the onigiri, biting down gratefully on the soft, glutinous white race, and chewing. “Delicious,” she said, taking a sip of tea. “This is filled with salmon, isn’t it?”
“Yes! I made them myself.”
“Truly, one of the things that makes Equestria great is the contribution of immigrants like you, Shizuka. Never forget that this nation was founded by immigrants who left their homes in search of a better tomorrow. What’s more, this is a diverse and multethnic nation comprised of citizens from every race. That ugly display you saw in the courtyard today is not who we are. I hope that when you return to Japan you will encourage your friends to visit us…”
“I will! Only...I’m afraid that my village might collapse entirely if more people leave,” Shizuka confessed, taking a careful sip of her tea.
2D sat down next to her, folding her hands in her lap, and crossing one leg over the other, elegantly.
“And well you should,” the Professor declares, thumping her desk for emphasis. “You are caught in the teeth of a war, which, I might add, you and your villagers are losing. The effects you have seen on your village are all the cause of the upper classes fighting against you. The Nation of Japan is their field of battle, they’ve already encircled your castle, even now their agents have their blades at your throats, and you are entirely at their mercy. The same war is being fought right now in the Empire Province of Equestria, due to Princess Celestia’s woeful oversight in allowing the mercantile industry and the venture capitalists to run rampant here. The androids, which would free your villagers from the yoke of the corporate powers, are being jealously guarded by the Japanese capitalists. Automation, which should have been used to make your life better, is repurposed as a weapon to force you into poverty and submission. Can you, with a clear conscience, justify the use of androids in frivolous tasks such as the service industry, when they could farm, fish, and raise livestock for us?”
“Then how can we save ourselves?” Shizuka cried.
“You must fight back,” the Professor said. She rose from her chair, planting her hands palm-down upon her desk, bringing her muzzle closer to Shizuka’s face. “Reclaim what is rightfully yours. Those androids, those means of production, they are all rightfully those of the people. Even now, I have formed a Revolutionary Army to throw down the capitalists in this city and reclaim our freedom. Revolution, armed revolution, is the only thing the capitalists understand; I mean to give it to them. I shall free the citizens of the Empire Province, or die in the attempt.”
“Professor! Let me join your Revolutionary Army!” Shizuka said, leaping to her feet.
“You’re too young, Shizuka. What would your family say? You don’t realize the nature of the enemy you’re about to engage. Not even Princess Celestia realizes it, or she would not have let the capitalists in the Empire Province to do as they wish. You cannot know how powerful and evil they are! They would let a million foals or babies die if it made their indexes on the stock market rise a single tick. These capitalists will eat your flesh, crack open your bones and suck the marrow from them, and then pick their teeth with the shards.”
“Actually, my family would be very proud of me,” Shizuka said, with a note of pleasure.
“Why is that?” the Professor asked.
“My ancestors fought against the Oda clan in the wars of the Sengoku period. Rebellion is in our blood. I can trace my lineage back through my mother’s family to the great warlord Uesugi Kenshin, who dared to openly oppose Oda Nobunaga and struck back at him. Despite overwhelming odds, outnumbered by the Oda clan’s forces, my glorious ancestor bloodied Nobunaga so badly he was forced to retreat.” Shizuka knelt down before the Professor. “Let me fight with you! I’m not afraid of the Capitalists!”
“That’s very brave of you, Shizuka, but I fear you will soon realize how dangerous an enemy you are facing. Nevertheless…” The Professor grinned, and sat back down in her chair. “If you won’t be dissuaded, then you can join us.”
“Thank you, Professor!” Shizuka said, rising to her feet.
“You are most welcome. You are right, we should not be afraid. How wise of you, Shizuka! What a clever girl you are!”
Shizuka blushed. “Really?”
“Yes! Even I had forgotten, for a moment, that we are destined to succeed. History is on our side. Let the upper classes shake with fear in the face of our Revolution! We have everything to gain and nothing to lose, and if we should die, then we become heroic martyrs.”
The Professor, who had been growing more and more passionate as she spoke, her voice trembling with conviction, her face reddening, sweat rolling down her face in thin rivulets, her wings upraised, her eyes flashing, stood up and gazed at her student.
“Isn’t it exciting, Shizuka? If we win, we get our own lives back.”
“How can I help, Professor?”
“Well, I’ll have to refer you to my most trusted commander. Even now he is leading the vanguard assault on one of the most deeply entrenched, influential capitalists in Manehattan: Jane Morgan, the owner of the financial corporation J.P. Morgan. He will know how best we can use your strength in our fight against the capitalists.”
The Professor strides over to her bookshelf, rummaging about among the books. “Where did I put that file...ah, yes. Here.”
She draws out a manila folder, seating herself before her desk, and taking a set of documents out from within.
“The commander of my liberation army: Leo, a human much like yourself. We don’t discriminate against others in this unit. Nor have I singled out non-equines for the sake of optics. We met by mere chance.”
“Just like I did!” Shizuka says, brightly.
The Professor’s coral-pink lips quirk ever so slightly as she stifles a grin. “Indeed. He is resourceful and intelligent. He is full of rage, but I feel this is an admirable trait. Grip your anger firmly, Shizuka. Do not allow others to extinguish it. Your emotions are what complete you.”
Shizuka picks up Leo’s sheet, examining it; a grim-faced young, darkly handsome Human man with short, raven-black hair glared back at her from the front.
“He has a very high attack power rating, excelling at close range combat. He is armed with a red crystal, further augmenting his base attack with a variety of offensive powers. His crystal also improves his defensive ability; he can take a great deal of damage without suffering any ill effects. Prior to joining my revolutionary army, he owned and operated a private security company, or, as we would traditionally call them, a mercenary army. He is an expert strategist, a veteran campaigner.”
“And this one?” Shizuka took out another sheet, this one bearing a young black-coated Pegasus colt with red stripes like slashes of blood, a confident grin upon his muzzle. “ I see he uses a Nihonto. I wonder where he got it from?”
“Perhaps, when you join their ranks, you can ask him yourself. He’s quite a skilled blademaster, and quite proficient at air combat, as well. He could become a Wonderbolt when he grows up. Like most Pegasids, he can attack from the sky with a devastating air-to-ground attack at high speed. You don’t want to get caught underneath him. He may be small, yet he is nimble and fast.”
“Wait a minute. He’s just a colt!”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“But you said I was too young to fight in your army! What makes him different from me?”
“You’re a promising student from overseas. He is a native-born citizen of Equestria. I had little wish to involve foreign nationals in my operation unless it were absolutely necessary, and if I did, I did not wish to involve the young.”
The Professor laced her fingers together, placing her elbows on the desk, her silvery-grey eyebrows furrowing, her lips pressed together in a stern line.
“This is a highly personal matter, Shizuka.”
“I understand, Professor,” Shizuka said, bowing her head.
“Still, since you won’t be dissuaded, I suppose you may enlist in our battle. I must admit, I’m excited to see your combat rating.”
The Professor takes out the last datasheet, placing it on the table. Shizuka takes the sheet, giving it a cursory glance. A white-and-black Zebra mare, her face obscured by a black niqab decorated with red and green pinstripes, gazes back up at her.
“That’s Alsvid,” the Professor says. “She’s the primary ground infantry soldier of this outfit. Ranged weapons are her specialty. She has some knowledge of close-quarters hand to hand combat, as well. No one can handle a car better than her.”
The Professor frowns slightly, grinding her jaws together, her mouth tightening.
“You seem upset, Professor,” Shizuka said, putting the sheet down.
“You’ll want to be careful around her,” the Professor said. “She’s fiercely defensive of her comrades, but she’s also unpredictable. One minute she’s the sweetest, nicest mare you could know, next minute she wants to kill someone in cold blood over a perceived slight.”
“She sounds fun.”
“She isn’t, and she’s a danger to herself and others. Honestly, sometimes I wonder why I enlisted her. Leo seems capable of keeping her in check, however.”
The Professor opened her laptop, taking out a USB-C cord. She plugged one end into her laptop, after a few failed attempts (swearing quietly under her breath all the while), then she beckons 2D over.
2D walks over to the table, brushing her hair back from her neck.
The Professor pushes a slat at the back of 2D’s neck, which retracts to show another USB port. She plugs the cord into 2D’s port; 2D’s eyes widen briefly, her body shivering.
“But soft,” the Professor whispers. “Let us now observe our heroic revolutionaries.”
The Professor’s fingers fly over her laptop’s keyboard, the keys clicking rapidly. Then she unplugs her android from her laptop.
“2D, go. Maintain your distance; I don’t want anyone to discover your true purpose.”
2D nods. “As you command.”
2D walks over to the window, throwing it open; she clambers out onto the windowsill. With a soft, whirring noise, a pair of sleek grey wings paired with tiny jet engines extend from her back.
2D leaps from the windowsill, propelling herself into the air with her powerful legs. She soars into the sky; her engines spool up with a low thrum, and she gradually gains altitude, ascending almost vertically, before soaring towards the southern part of the city, disappearing over the horizon.
“She can fly, too?” Shizuka’s voice carries a note of surprise as she watches 2D’s ascent.
“That’s right. I customized her with a special aerial package to improve her surveillance capabilities. She can maintain flight for 36 hours in order to loiter over a target area.”
The Professor turns her laptop so that Shizuka can see it; the screen shows the skyline of Manehattan, skyscrapers flashing past in blurs of silver, with a HUD display showing information such as airspeed, altitude, position coordinates, compass heading, waypoint location, and target information.
“Now we can see what 2D sees. I’ve programmed her to reconnoiter the area where my army will make their landing. Let’s watch this, shall we? It should prove exciting,” the Professor purrs, lacing her fingers together and gazing at the screen. Her dark red eyes glitter.
“Professor…”
“Yes, Shizuka, what is it?”
“Are you sure that Leo can do this?”
“Absolutely.”
The Professor gives Shizuka a very sharp look. Shizuka cannot help but tremble slightly at the sheer force in the Professor’s gaze; it feels as though the Professor’s red eyes are cutting her to the bone.
“I am confident in his ability to secure for me a victory. He will not fail. Of this I am certain.”