FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

I'd been shot, cut, blown up and stabbed before, so I'd sort of been down this road already. I'd grown used to the feeling of bullets ripping through me, however, getting something severed was a completely different ball game. I'm not sure I have words to describe exactly how it felt, but I'm sure we can all agree that it's not a feeling you want to know.

When I came to, I found myself in my room at the hotel, everyone of my friends were in the room with me and, excluding Chy and Alcatraz, they were all asleep. I wasn't sure what alerted Chy to my waking up, but she said.

"Hey Sky, how are you feeling?"

"Not sure", I said, "can't really feel anything right now."

"It's the Anesthesia", Alcatraz said, "everything should be normal soon."

"Everything will not be normal", I said, or more slurred, since half of my face was still asleep, "I' no longer have any arms!"

"Yes you do", Tyler said, having woken up, "your welcome."

This was about the time when I realized that, yes, I did in fact have feeling in my arms, so I looked down. What I saw were some really high dollar looking prosthetics that were styled with the common place bare metal and hydraulic looks. They weren't any bigger than my original arms, however, I knew that a hydraulic strut in place of tissue and bone would lend me a few favors in hand to hand combat. I had full control over my fingers and despite being drastically different from appearance wise, it felt as though nothing had changed, even the palms of my hands were covered with a material that felt like normal skin.

"Where the hell did you get these?", I asked, "these look like military versions."

"They are", Chy said, "bio augmentation was common place in the more developed parts of Calos, we made a special trip into town to get them from Ryu's guards, who spent 4 days searching for them for you."

"4 days?", I asked sitting up, "how long was I out?"

"About a week", Sarah said.

"A week?", I asked.

"Yep", Alcatraz said.

I sighed, "so how bad has the Supply Situation gotten since then?"

"It hasn't gotten worse, but it hasn't gotten better either", James said from the corner of the room, "it's slowly slipping away from us. We're doing what we can, but the Super Storm is keeping us from doing a whole lot because the Volatiles are out."

"And speaking of", I said looking to Chy, "reason for cutting my arm off please?"

"Would you rather have turned?", Chy asked, "it was either lose the arm or your life."

"Fair enough", I said, "but from now on, we all go together, no more of us splitting up, we take objectives as a team, Agreed?"

"Yes", Alcatraz said.

"Yeah", James said.

"Agreed", Allen answered.

"Yep", Mike said.

"And on that note", Alcatraz said standing up, "Ryu had a course set up so we can kill some time until the storm blows over. Let's go run it."

"Sounds like a plan to me", I said sitting up, "but gimme a few minutes to get the feeling in my limbs back."

"We'll meet you down there", Chy said.

"Okay", Alcatraz said stepping out of the room with the others behind him, James, the last one out, shut the door behind him. I sighed, starring at my new arms, not sure if I'd be able to adjust to them correctly, everything felt normal, but feeling cold steel where there should be Chitin wasn't sitting well, never mind the fact that I could feel a piece of metal coming off both my shoulders and eventually disappearing into the back of my neck. I'd heard too many stories about biology rejecting technology and what happened to people when it did. Chy leaned up against my back, putting her arms around me.

'What have you got on your mind?", she asked.

I shook my head, "I've heard too many horror stories about what happens when biology tells electronics "I don't want you here." Immune systems go crazy, people get brain dead, loose motor skills, I'm wondering if I may be one of those cases."

"Well", Chy said, "if Jacob, Tyler and Sarah did their jobs right, then no. I watched the entire thing, Tyler wrote the code for the chips specifically to match your DNA codes and brainwaves and even custom built the chips themselves to handle your acidic blood and Sarah and Jacob did a fantastic job with the integration, I even remember hearing Sarah say, "this is going to be an easy project."

I smiled, "shit, they went from Civilians in a lab on what I thought was just another job to the people helping me stave off an apocalypse. It's been one hell of a ride."

"And it isn't even close to over", Chy said, "come on, let's go join the others at the course."

Chy and I grabbed our equipment and headed down stairs, leaning against each other as we did. When we arrived at the course, I found everyone had not only rebuilt their weapons, but had gotten new gear. The base layer were jungle tech BDUs with foliage green plate carriers over them, hard shoulder, knee and elbow pads with blue Shemaghs, tactical sunglasses, green balaclavas and baseball caps with advanced hearing protection and communications headphones over them with a wire cluster looking like it belonged in an LCD display running into what looked like a Micro Thruster pack on their backs.

"Where'd you all get that shit?", I asked.

"Ryu had them made for us with his last few bits of Elite equipment", Alcatraz said, rocking a version that had been adapted to fit over his Exo, "he said "the best soldier's should have the best equipment", there's a set for you and Chy in that crate", he pointed to a military crate that had been left in the corner of the small room that opened into the course, which had been set up in a giant court yard. I opened up the crate and pulled out my uniform, since I wasn't dressed, I just slipped into it, it fit like a glove and I loved the way I looked in it, but the one thing I didn't like was the way the sleeves covered up my cybernetics, so I rolled them up.

"There", I said picking my Fal up from beside the wall and loading a magazine into it, "that looks a lot better."

"Accepted the fake arms so easily?", Magellan asked.

I shrugged, "still on the fence, but there's no denying that they look awesome."

"They do", Ryu said stepping in, "skyline, how are you feeling?"

"A little numb", I said, "and still a little on the fence about the augmentation, and kind of curious as to if they're compatible with my Gene Mods."

"This is understandable", Ryu said, "to that end, I have had this course set up where you can test these theories against several of my men who were bored, your weapons are loaded with simulation ammunition, so no one will be fatally injured, however, a hit from one of these rounds will cause great pain."

"I've used simunition before", I said, "I'm rather familiar with it."

"Good, good", Ryu said as a loud crack of thunder rolled overhead, shaking the entire dome.

"Holy hell", James said looking up, the rain was pouring on the glass room and there were streaks of lighting flying across the sky.

"Indeed", Ryu said, "indeed, I shall be in the observation area, you can start whenever your ready, as soon as you enter the room, my men will be notified."

Ryu vanished in a puff of smoke, appearing across the dome on a second story balcony.

"Let's do this", Alcatraz said racking his Remington.

"You've got point", I said, "James and Allen, your on his side, "Jacob and Magellan, behind James and Allen, Tyler and Sarah behind them and Chy and I will bring up the rear, stack up on that door."

We filed along side the door, "Alcatraz, toss a smoke grenade out there to cover our approach."

Alcatraz nodded to me and tossed a small white canister out the door. We waited for a tell tale, bottle popping sound and a low hiss before we funneled out into the larger area and almost immediately, I saw white arrows with varying weapon icons above outlines of people, through the smoke.

"What the hell?", I asked myself, "how the hell can I see those people?"

"Direct Neural Access", Alcatraz said over Coms, as if he could read my mind, "I've got one too, how I control my Exo and how you have full control over your augmentations. It's how I knew to answer, with a DNA chip, firearms may be your go to weapon, but your mind truly is your greatest weapon, let's do some damage, mark those targets for the others."

"Hell yes", I grinned, "count 16 hostiles 15 meters dead ahead!"

"Rodger I see them!", Magellan said, raising his M14.

"Moving up, cover me", James said checking the magazine on his USAS 12 and leaping over the barrier we were hiding behind.

"Allen, Alcatraz, Matt", I ordered, "give James covering fire, Shy, Sarah and Tyler, your with me, Let's back James up from the opposite end."

"Got ya", Chy said as I leaped over the barrier. As I did, one of Ryu's guys popped up and tried to nail me, but I was faster on the draw and had the shot off just as he put the laser on me. The rubber bullet smacked him in the forehead and made him recoil quite a bit.

"Fuck that hurt!", He shouted rubbing his forehead, "I'm out."

He picked up his weapon and kept his head down as he walked out of the room. His shitshow had now turned attention of James, who was about to jump out and hose them with that Automatic shotgun of his, and onto the four of us. Two of Ryu's guys packing SAW's managed to force us to keep our heads down, while a third was keeping James from moving in for the kill.

"I can't slip out and get a shot without getting nailed myself", I growled to the girls.

"Neither can we", Chy said attempting, and failing to peek out.

"Mike!", I said into the radio, "can you get a flash bang behind their barricade?!"

"On it!", Mike answered, out of the corner of my eye I could see him stand up, "firing M203!", he shouted. The low clunk of the launcher going off was followed by nine, deafening bangs. The girls and I slipped out from behind the sandbags we were hiding behind and opened up on Ryu's guys along with James. Those rubber bullets must have felt like a swarm of angry hornets, but I suppose it was better than using real lead. The guys in the trench dropped, playing dead while my friends emerged from cover.

"Clear", I said changing the magazine on my Fal.

"Clear", Mike said.

"Cle..", Alcatraz began, "hold up, I got a massive heat signature coming down the hall."

I turned and faced the doors, I could see a man about 7 feet tall, holding what looked like the outline of a mini gun in one hand and what was certainly a Riot Shield in the other.

"Cover!", I shouted as the man kicked the doors down, opening up on us with a SAU Minigun. The man was easily 7'10, damn near eight feet and wearing a massive steel plate on his chest with large pieces of titanium around his arms and legs. He had on a massive Exo and his helmet looked like it could take a .50 BMG at point blank range and absorb 100% of the force.

"That's a lot of fucking body armor!", Chy said hauling out her Barrett.

"It won't do any good", Alcatraz said, "it's a Warlord suit, nothing we can carry short of a 50mm Rocket even has a chance of braking through."

I looked up at Ryu, who was watching intently as his man sprayed the rubber projectiles at us, inching ever closer, his speed and mobility sapped by the heavy armor, but because of the Exo underneath it, attempting to go hand to hand was also a suicide mission.

I thought for a minute, our firearms were worthless, so were our melee attacks and since my Gene mods would likely result in the man's death, I could only think of one option.

"Tyler, could we take remote control of the Exo suit and force it to seize up?", I asked over the gun fire.

"If he's got a DNA chip then yes!", Tyler said, "we'd have to break through the encryption but it's worth a shot!"

"No need", Alcatraz said, "we can take direct control of the suit, Skyline, follow my lead, everyone else, get that fucker to keep his head down!"

We all popped up at once and began emptying our magazines in the Jugg's general direction. He let his weapon fall and raised the shield, standing behind a concrete planter as he did, shielding himself from our firearms, but leaving himself wide open to an attack on his electronics. Alcatraz pulled an EMP grenade from his vest, twisted it till it locked up tight, then tossed it. It landed at the Juggernaut's feet and he quickly reached down to pick it up, but it went off in his hand. He slumped to the ground as a puff of smoke went up from his exo, fighting against his own combat gear to try to stand.

"Now!", Alcatraz said holding his hand out. White lights on his Exo began to flash. I held out my left arm, finding that a blue pulse began to run from my elbow down to my wrist and then into my hand, where it was replaced by white lights. A semi circle appeared around the man with a red X through it followed by a "Accepted Target, clench fist to execute Sonic attack". So that's what I did. The man began to convulse and shake like he was having a seizure and at the same time, his Exo joints bent at 90 degree angles in the wrong directions, his helmet began to flash bright white as well. The attack lasted for maybe ten seconds, even though he was on his stomach after two. Quiet fell over the arena as the Ryu's other men rose, but the Juggernaut didn't. He just laid there, twitching like a spastic, like he'd been electrocuted.

"That doesn't look good", I said slinging my FAL over my shoulder and going, along with Alcatraz and a one of Ryu's Field medics, to the man's side. The three of us turned the man onto his back and managed to get his helmet off, discovering what ever it was Alcatraz and I had hit him with had made him bite a piece of his tongue off, as well as making the poor bastard puke inside his helmet, the man looked like he'd chosen the electric chair for his execution and survived.

"I feel sorry for any poor bastard on the receiving end of that", the guard laughed spitting out blood, "no one's ever taken me down that quickly before."

"To the best of my recollection", Ryu said appearing from a puff of black smoke, "no one has ever defeated you in this arena before."

The man spit out more blood, "maybe not this badly, but I've been knocked out my fair share of times...but, but I don't think I can walk, my entire body is numb. What was that you hit me with?"

"I hit you with sensory scramble", Alcatraz said, "Skyline hit you with an Upgraded version of that Sonic Anti Personal weapon fielded by Bespinite Rangers."

"Painful", Ryu said, "but not lethal, your feeling will return in a matter of hours, I shall help you to your quarters."

Ryu put his hand on the Juggernaut's shoulders and they both vanished in a puff of smoke.

"That teleportation is such a cool ass power", Chy said, "what mod is that?"

"Hellfire", I said.

"I'm gonna look into that when we get home", Chy smiled.

"Speaking of Mods", I said turning to Alcatraz, "how did you know what I hit that guy with?"

"Please", Alcatraz said, "we have the same Cyber Core. I know because I gave you my extra."

"Cyber Core?", I asked.

"A canister looking chip that adds combat or specialized abilities to your cybernetics", Alcatraz said, "Everyone who plans to actually use their augmentations has one."

"First I've heard of it", I said.

"Cyber Augmentation isn't really that big in this part of the confederacy", Alcatraz said, "I studied a lot on these kinds of things when I first got my Exo. I'm not surprised your just finding out about all of this now. Hell I went most of my life before I knew it even existed, but it's huge on other planets."

"So what kind of cores are there?", I asked looking down at my arms.

"Five", Alcatraz said, "Control, Chaos, Martial, Survival and Hard Wired."

"Hardwired?", Chy asked.

"It completely closes off your systems from the outside", Alcatraz said, "you get your own closed network, thick wires, chips and an EMP proof Cyber Core Counter system, but the trade off for being impervious to all other Cyber Core abilities is that you don't get any."

"Not one I'm willing to make", I said, "gotta have that Sonic AP weapon, already hooked on that shit."

Alcatraz grinned, "wait till you get into using the others, you'll eventually get so good with them they may replace your FAL. Just be aware, they don't come for free, it takes a while for the flow battery that powers them to recharge."

"Can I get better batteries for them?", I asked.

"I'm not sure", Alcatraz said, "never used mine heavily enough to want to look into it." "I'll be looking into that when we.....", I was interrupted as Ryu reappeared in front of us, making me recoil.

"Dude", I said, "don't do that."

"Apologies Skyline", Ryu said, "but something rather urgent has come up, follow me, your friends as well."

My friends and I exchanged glances before following Ryu up to his room, a room lit in such a way that it looked very expensive. The bed spread was styled in such a way you'd think it was thousands of years old, but in reality he probably bought it at Walmart for about 30 dollars. Ryu began pacing, his eyes closed as though he was deep in thought.

"I bear bad news", he said.

'What?", I asked.

Ryu sighed, "the water has been shut off, and since the Hotel has no emergency supply, this problem has to be dealt with immediately."

He sighed again.

"I feared to think of this, but I have no other option", he looked at me, "I'm sending you into town."