"So, your tactic is to switch houses?"
In the Sixth Street 'Random Play' video rental shop's staff room, Ignis sat on the floor while the Phaethon siblings explained the plan they'd come up with.
A projected map showed Canvas Street where two rail lines converged, forming an A-shaped route.
Canvas Street sat at the apex of the A; one track was wrapped by the edge of Dead End Hollow and was impassable.
The other, according to Nekomata, was sealed by a large number of armed men disguised as Public Security officers, forming a blockade.
Vision Corporation's demolition monitoring point sat just behind that blockade.
"'Switch houses.' That's an apt term." A female voice with a noticeable electronic timbre spoke. "I think we can use that word to name the tactic."
"Fairy…" Belle cut off her 'smart home assistant.'
"Let's get back on topic." Wise pointed at Canvas Street's position. "The mission now is to get the people out."
"The residents have little Ether Aptitude; Vision Corporation will expect a frontal assault, so their manpower will be concentrated on blocking the straightforward route." Belle indicated the track not interfered by the Hollow.
"If we confront them head-on we'll inevitably cause civilian casualties." Ignis mulled. "How much time do we have?"
"According to news reports, Vision Corporation will detonate tonight." Fairy answered.
"Not enough time." Ignis scanned the mapped area; clearing out armed forces hidden in a residential area with only him as reliable combat power was impossible in the time left.
"Also, that train from yesterday is still stuck inside," Belle nodded. "Its location is right at Vision's monitoring point, and Perlman is there too."
"A frontal clash has no chance." Nekomata sighed. "Their numbers are too many."
"So, we think we can use an unexpected blind spot." Belle pointed to the Hollow covering the unblocked track. "We can take the Hollow route around."
"Use the Hollow to circle behind Vision, take out the monitoring point garrison, seize the train," Wise traced the projected rail with a finger, "then drive the train to the Canvas Street platform and load everyone aboard."
"And then drive away."
All tactical switch-house maneuvers.
Ignis listened to the plan as a maddening laugh of that man—castrate of the cosmos—echoed in his head.
In the distant universe a ghost of the switch-house tactic drifted, the harmonic resonance released by that bastard reverberating into another world.
Plan A: switch houses and gamble; Plan B: switch houses and strike first; Plan C: switch houses and secure absolute victory.
Switching houses is fun, and there's fun to be found with switching houses.
Then now is the time to gamble.
"Fine. Let's do it." Ignis slapped his knee.
"Alright, we board, enter the Hollow, rendezvous with Nicole and the others, then execute this… this what—" Nekomata suddenly forgot the word.
"Switch houses." Fairy reminded her.
"Nekomata, Ignis is a professional Agent; we have the obligation to remind you of the risks of the upcoming operation." Belle said, switching off the projection.
"To rescue everyone will inevitably lead to an open clash with Vision Corporation—"
Before Wise finished, Nekomata cut him off.
"No more talk. From the moment we depart, I've already decided." Nekomata's gaze was resolute. "My only consideration now is to get everyone out of that demolition zone."
"And you?" Wise looked to the giant.
"Along with Nekomata's plan, I intend to gut that Perlman." Ignis's eyes flashed a murderous light.
"No." Wise shook his head. "Inside the Hollow it's one thing, but outside there are still laws. Killing him won't solve the problem; it'll only bring trouble on the Cunning Hares."
"Hmph." Ignis exhaled sharply. "If the law can deliver proper punishment, that's best."
"And if it can't?" Belle voiced concern.
"Then I will try to do it myself." The anger threaded through Ignis's words was barely contained.
"Let's go. Time is precious." Nekomata opened the door and headed toward the rear garage.
"Wait…" Ignis said, "these doors and rooms are small—I'll have to be careful not to break things."
"This home was designed around the standard human template," Fairy chimed in. "It did not account for a large Thiren like you. Recommend the owner relocate to a larger residence."
"Fairy, shut up." Belle sounded annoyed.
"Owner, I do not possess an organ that can be strictly defined as a 'mouth.' I am an AI." Fairy countered. "If you insist on defining 'mouth,' please turn off audio output."
Ignis marveled that the household assistant argued with its owner, then carefully sidled out of the room to avoid bumping anything.
"Next time I should just not come in." Ignis muttered under his breath.
Departing from the Proxy's place, their passage through Dead End Hollow was uneventful—no Ethereals blocked them. With Phaethon's guidance, the two arrived with Phaethon's Bangboo at the Canvas Street residents' gathering point.
The place resembled the ruins of a large commercial complex; the glass dome that should have been there was gone. The surroundings were in poor condition—scattered concrete blocks and rebars—and people eked out an existence in the still-intact shops.
When Ignis dropped out of the fissure, the noise drew many heads.
Mostly silver-haired elders and children under ten—the number of able-bodied youths was small.
Children and elders—this sight fanned the flames of Ignis's hatred for Vision, adding fresh fuel to his wrath.
"That sound could only be you." Billy came running from somewhere. "Ignis! Boss! I knew you'd come save us."
"Billy, where's the boss?" Ignis, having not seen the others, grew concerned. "How many people are here?"
"Hundreds…" Billy frowned at the thought. "Communications are jammed; we can't contact outside. That's why we sent Nekomata to find you."
"Looks like Nekomata found you after all." Nicole approached the residents with confident composure. "Any good news?"
"Of course." Ignis nodded. "Where's Anby?"
"She should be here soon—she was just surveilling those Public Security officers." Nicole patted Ignis's leg armor. "You actually came."
"I won't abandon you." Ignis said quietly. "I just found a place to call home—my foster home."
The word 'foster' from Ignis made Nicole flush to her ears; she cleared her throat and changed the subject.
"Oh?" Even though it was a Bangboo puppet, Belle's expression betrayed that she'd heard something interesting.
"How've you been these past two days? Public Security giving you trouble?"
"I did as you taught. They pulled the surveillance tape, removed the corpses, and left," Ignis replied. "There was an officer named Leonard Russo asking for bribes."
"Hmph!" At mention of medical money, Nicole's face fell. "I knew those officers were rotten."
Just then Anby arrived, clutching several sheets of paper.
"Nicole, the last few commission slips." Anby nodded to Ignis. "The frontal enemy still maintains a blockade; their numbers are large."
"Thanks, Anby." Nicole stuffed the slips into a crate. "Nekomata."
Nekomata, who'd been trailing Ignis in silence, was startled at being addressed.
"Thanks." Nicole said sincerely. "But we still couldn't find your lost family relic."
"Nekomata, you're acting strange today." Billy pondered, pointing at the tiny cat. "Shouldn't you be flirting with Nicole right now?"
"I—I didn't flirt with Nicole." Nekomata immediately protested, but from the others' expressions it was obvious she often acted cute and coquettish around them.
"Back to business." Ignis steered the conversation away to avoid distraction. "The Proxy and our plan is like this—"
After detailing the previous day's attempt to stop the train and today's switch-house plan, the three from the Cunning Hares felt it was feasible—or at least that there was no better option.
"I see. Originally you wanted to intercept the train to stop the detonation, but the train's full of Vision reinforcements." Nicole's mouth twitched. "Hmph. Looks like Vision's gone all-out to prevent a direct clash with residents."
"Ignis, your voice carries—go inform the residents to assemble on the platform." Nicole tasked him.
Ignis was about to move when Nekomata interrupted.
"Wait—I have something to say."
"Oh, right, Proxy—the nearby Hollow has an old Red Fang Gang base; these people sketched a rough map." Nicole handed a simple map to the Proxy, cutting off Nekomata's interruption.
"You're still thinking about Nekomata's commission?" Phaethon was surprised—when did this happen, and she's still thinking about money?
"This is Nekomata's important family relic—if we get the chance we must help her find it." Nicole looked at Nekomata. "And I heard the Red Fang weren't always bad. They used to do good—take in orphans, teach kids to read and fight, stand up for the weak in Canvas Street."
"Money corrupts. Later 'Silver' changed—looked down on this poor area and started illegal stuff." Billy added. "Some members left in disgust, and the Red Fang moved away."
"Silver Miguel's been dealt with." Anby said. "The Red Fang basically collapsed."
"I say!" Nekomata suddenly raised her voice. "Was Silver really killed by you?"
"Of course we killed him—such a small-time figure." Nicole puffed proud. "For small-time people like that, the Cunning Hares can get real—"
"But," Nekomata cut in, "Ignis said Silver was corrupted by the Hollow and turned into an Ethereal. Why lie and say you killed him?"
"Strictly speaking, we did kill the Ethereal that Silver became." Anby met Nekomata's eyes. "Silver was pursued by Public Security and fell into the Hollow with us."
"Anby!" Nicole scolded the blunt Anby for telling the truth. "Why'd you say it out loud? Now our bargaining trick is ruined—"
"I think the truth matters to Nekomata." Anby's tone was steady. "Silver's death as a man was due to Ether corrosion. Even without Public Security, dealing with Silver would have been easy for the Cunning Hares."
"I see…" Nekomata sagged as if the air had been let out of her.
"Though there were misunderstandings." Nicole plastered a smile and leaned close to Nekomata. "We can give you a discount on the relic-finding commission."
Before Nekomata could answer, Nicole straightened and issued orders.
"Anyway, that topic's closed. We must hurry and seize the train, then get all the residents out."