Tanya knew exactly how this day would go. She collected up her tattooing supplies into the stained, red leather handbag she'd taken on a scavenging trip. At Ishita's, Ishita would request some huge tattoo—that was something Tanya was sure of. Ishita never did anything in halves. If she wanted a tattoo, it would be something that pushed Tanya.

Maybe they'd chat some more. The thought made her excited but nervous. If Mrs Eceer's message about Ishita being close to a fix for the Pact, then maybe Ishita would even have it fixed or have found some tattoo Tanya could make to fix it.

Fuck, I really hope it's that.

A chance to redeem herself and finally feel like she could talk to Ishita normally again. She still felt like she was missing something without Ishita in her life. Sometimes she'd wake up, and the flicker she'd remember would be introducing her apocalypse friends to Maria or her family. Ishita was always there.

She thought about it the most when peeling the foil off of one of Ishita's dishes with Olena and Mrs Eceer, knowing that just across the road, Ishita was doing the same.

This time, Tanya tried to turn the ache into productive energy. She slid a bunch of snacks into her bag from the sideboard in the back tattooing room. At some point while she was out, Marcy and the Tesco lot had dropped off a gift bag to thank them for the electricity deal.

"Wow, that is so much food!" Olena's chirpy voice came from the doorway.

Tanya grinned. "Gotta keep me strength up. I have a feelin' I'm doin' a big tattoo today."

"Oooo, who for? Me?"

Tanya swatted her with a hand. "You and Boris'll be soon."

Olena fainted onto the tattoo chair behind her. "Noooo the majestyyyy."

"Do you mean travesty?"

Olena opened one eye. "Probably."

Tanya laughed. "It's Ishita. She wanted this tattoo in return for her bein' there for me with Marcy. She said come first thing."

Olena sat up and squealed. "This so much better than me gettin' tattoo. I want allll my friends eating in same room."

"Me too," Tanya smiled. She put on her jacket and boots.

"What do you think will be?" Olena asked. "Maybe huge weapon to match with Fahad or—OOoo she could have second prosthetic hand that shoot lasers!"

"Olena, she only has one missing hand."

Olena sniffed. "You aren't missing either hand, and you still have."

"...Touche."

Olena flopped again. "I wish I had cool mission."

Tanya turned to her. "You don't have anythin' to do? What about your mech suit? How's that comin' along?"

Olena grumbled, sliding further into the seat and crossing her arms. "It not take monster core power and I don't know why. Keep frying wires and driving me crazyyyy. AGhhhhhh."

"Ah, yeah, I get you. I was brainstorming how to get this damn tiger off of Amy last night. I'm hopin' I can level up me Passin' the Mark ability to do it, but I don't even fully know how it works yet." She looked at Olena's scrunched-up face. "Looks like you just need a break too. Wanna help me with somethin'."

Olena's eyes lit up. "What is?"

"I realised last night that I'm not that far off the Customer amount for levelin' the shop. Look at the shop tab of me Interface."

• • •

Quests to Level 2

Increase Defences

Choose one area of the current Defences and improve its craftsmanship.

Shopkeeping

Serve 5 happy customers.

Marcy (Mixing Console)

Marcy (Resonance Cannon)

Ian (Superdad)

Amy (Cage)

TBC

• • •

"So after Ishita today all needs is increase defences!" Olena exclaimed. She nodded like a bobblehead. "Will be done by the time you are home."

"You're the best, Olena."

Olena wriggled her shoulders. "Yes, I am." She scratched her chin, opening the Interface and beginning her usual under-breath mumble through what her process would be.

Tanya walked to leave but faltered at the door, hands clenching tighter to her bag straps.

"I've got it! We make roof strong like bear in spring. WOOoooo. Oh—you leaving Tanya? Go get final customer. Force world to be your oyster!!"

Tanya smiled back at her. It was the push she needed to face it.

It's just Ishita.

She held her hand up to knock on the door, and it opened before she touched it.

"I saw you coming over," Ishita started in a rush. She shut the door behind herself, locking it. That's when Tanya noticed the backpack. "I was hoping you'd want to come today. It's a good day for it. This gang near the Tesco did a levelling sweep yesterday, I heard from Philip. It means the streets should be clear."

Ishita turned and started to walk. Tanya gawped first at the shut door and then Ishita marching down the pavement like a woman on a mission. Ishita looked over her shoulder. "Are you coming?"

That's the moment Tanya realised her very anticipated day was nothing like she'd expected.

"Uh, yes." Tanya pushed herself onward. It took her a moment to form the question, watching the way Ishita's boots thudded against the concrete. She'd never seen her in boots before now. "I assume this means I'm not givin' you some epic tattoo today then?"

Ishita stopped. "Oh, did I not say?" She tucked her outgrown fringe behind her ears, then began walking again. "We are going to meet a man called Sebastian Salvatore."

"Fancy name," Tanya said. "Why?"

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It came out friendly enough, but Tanya could see the change in Ishita's posture—feel the robotic tone in her voice.

"I arranged to meet him after I heard he had a System Lawyer Class."

Tanya winced, her stomach sinking. It was still Ishita, but the tone was slightly off. She guessed this was her new Concentration. She could tell Ishita noticed too.

"I—sorry."

Ishita crossed her arms. It seemed more of a defensive reflex than anger. "It's okay. Maybe today we can end this."

Tanya nodded. The churning in her stomach made her feel sick. "Right."

This time, she thought more. "Would you be able to tell me anythin' 'bout today?"

Ishita flashed her a weak smile. "I found out about him from Marjorie. He's her ex's best friend and a nasty piece of work." She sighed. "But with a Class like System Lawyer…" She turned to Tanya. "He orchestrated a lot of bad Pacts early on and has now opened a business to 'help them' escape them. Marjorie said he's not faced a single monster since this started. He's had debts owed since so early. Fucking despicable."

"And you think we should go an' get in this guy's debt?" Tanya said, wincing.

"System Lawyer," Ishita said.

"No, you're right. That's perfect." Tanya raked her hands through her hair. "An' lemme guess—"

Ishita's mouth tensed, as if against her will. Her body stiffened.

"Sorry, uh, ignore that last instruction." Tanya ran her hands down her face. "Fuck."

"It's okay," Ishita said again.

"It's not—it really fuckin'—" Tanya sighed again. "I was gunna guess that the reason you wanted it to be the first thing is to give him a tattoo."

"Yes, and when he says no, we can barter by me using my Ability to give you more Vitality for a stronger tattoo," Ishita added.

Tanya's head whipped round. "You can't be serious. You know what happened last time."

This time Ishita's smile was genuine. "Tanya, you don't think that was the last time I did that, right?" She placed a hand on Tanya's shoulder. Tanya focused on it and could feel the coldness through her leather jacket. It was still so alien to her.

"Oh, I guess not," Tanya said.

Ishita's voice softened further. "You haven't been looking at my Interface, have you?"

Tanya chuckled awkwardly. "I didn't realise 'til yesterday that everyone else seems to be doin' that a bunch."

Ishita's eyes stared into Tanya's. It felt like Ishita could see right through her.

"It's because you still feel like it's overstepping. You still crave the moment of connection when someone gets to tell you they levelled and what they chose. Some of it is guilt too, from me, I guess."

Ishita's words knocked all of the wind out of her. Tanya didn't know what to say.

"Check it now," Ishita said.

So Tanya did.

• • •

Information

Name: Ishita Priya Sharma

Number: 146,567,398

Class: Martyr

Subclass: [Redacted]

Level: 10

Attributes

Strength: 17

Dexterity: 8

Vitality: 37

Concentration: 12

Will: 26

• • •

Abilities

Penance Unleashed Level 15 You may draw wounds, poisons, emotions and afflictions into yourself from any number of allies within range, redistributing them across your own body. Absorbed harm can now include physical, elemental, and lingering effects such as disease or curses. The contained damage scales with your Will and can be held longer with reduced toll.

You may still unleash the stored pain as damage through a reversal of your healing ability, but at this level you may choose to divide the release between multiple targets or convert part of it into restorative energy instead. The more pain you take on, the greater the burden upon yourself—but your capacity to bear and channel it has grown beyond mortal limits.

Sacrificial Rebirth

Level 7

Upon death, you may choose to return to life, but at a cost. You revive with your Attributes all at full and temporary Attributes equal to your current pool of contained damage, but one Attribute of your choice is reduced and must be earned again. The toll increases with each resurrection.

Grace in Suffering Level 8 Unlocked from Achievement: A Mother's Love

You turn your own loss into strength for others. Whenever you sacrifice Vitality, you trigger Grace. This gives your loss to your allies as a buff.

Sacred Binding Level 2 Unlocked from Achievement: Still Here You bind yourself spiritually to an ally. For as long as your Concentration allows, damage taken by your ally is shared with you. Both you and your ally receive half of the original damage's effect.

Soul Resonance Level 7 You sense the Attributes, feelings, and intent of those around you. Your awareness sharpens whenever there is a sharp change to any of those things, although it is only directional.

Veil of Compassion Level 3 You emanate a calming presence that softens aggression and fear. Hostile creatures may hesitate or lower their guard when under your influence.

• • •

Achievements

Worthy

You were deemed worthy of The System's care. You have been given a class and access to The Interface.

A Mother's Love

You gave everything for the one you loved. You gain a 200% effectiveness in using your powers to help Number 57,987,420 (Fahad Sharma) while he is a child under your protection.

The Burden of the Worthy

It is not always the eager hand that seizes greatness. You bore the weight of what was unlocked, and in overcoming your resistance, proved yourself anew.

Achievement Boon: 5 points split between any Attributes you choose. More choice is coming, I promise.

The Threshold Breaker Level barriers exist for a reason. You shattered them with agony and will. Three class levels gained in one act. Three echoes that still follow you.

Achievement Boon: Your will gain an extra Subclass option at Level 10.

Still Here Someone who should have died lived because of you. They took another breath. You took the cost.

Achievement Boon: The cost of Sacrificial Rebirth is halved when used to save another's life.

The Mercy Beyond Reason You reached for what others called unredeemable — and it reached back. By drawing the emotional pain of a monster bound by rage, you quieted its hunger and stilled its hand. For a moment, the monster remembered what it was programmed to do before it was made to hunt. Achievement Boon: Your pain transference effects can now extend to emotional or programmed pain.

The Quiet Between Heartbeats You held the breath of battle in your hands — and chose silence instead. Through sheer focus and restraint, you stabilised multiple dying allies at once without a word or spell, your will alone keeping their hearts from stopping. Achievement Boon: 10% increase to Abilities used on multiple targets at once.

• • •

Name: Prosthesis Wielder: Ishita Priya Sharma Type: Tool Level: 6

Attributes Efficiency: 23 Absorption: 36 Resilience: 10

Abilities

Somatic Link Prosthesis synchronises well with Wielder's nervous system and mind. This allows for superhuman tactile sensation, motor precision, and reflexes.

Vital Wellspring Stores 15 surplus Vitality gathered during recovery periods. Though recovery speed remains unchanged, accumulated Vitality can be reinfused into Wielder's system to replenish drain within Vitality maximum.

Limbbound Surge You may channel raw Vitality stored within Prosthesis to empower all motor functions to superhuman levels for as long as Vitality allows.

Phantom Reach By extending its sensory field a short distance beyond its physical form, the Prosthesis can interact with or manipulate objects within arm's length without direct contact. Range scales with Concentration.

Boons

Bonded Ability Greater Boon – The Blink of an Eye Gain access to an Ability whilst Prosthesis is summoned.

Ability Buff Minor Boon – Mnemonic Etching Somatic Link has gained the ability for the Wielder to anticipate Prosthesis' movements.

• • •

First, Tanya noticed the new breadth of her core skills. Not only could she help with pain now, but even emotions or disease.

Then, Tanya noticed the way her Class had been changing toward the later Abilities—just as she remembered The System had promised her. It didn't feel just like pain anymore. Ishita was using emotional resonance, even to affect monsters.

Her Prosthetic was so much more precise now, to the point of being labelled superhuman, and the Achievement that she'd gotten from Tanya's death with the Portal had actually given her an Ability that comforted Tanya.

However, what truly struck her was just how much time had passed. One of the Achievements was saving multiple people at once. Tanya hadn't even heard of that happening and had no idea who it was. Somehow, between parting and now, Ishita had outlevelled Tanya—she wasn't even able to see what the Subclass was and knew Ishita couldn't tell her even if she asked.

"I'm proud of you," Tanya said, though her throat felt tight.

"Thank you," Ishita said. "I've been watching your progress too—the tattoos you've been giving people are really changing lives."

Tanya blinked, unsure what to say. "That's different."

"Different," Ishita agreed, "but still something worth being proud of."

Tanya looked back at Ishita's Interface. It was so strange getting this showing in black and white, what Tanya could sense but couldn't work on over their last couple of meetings. Neither Tanya nor Ishita were the people that they used to be. Tanya was so glad to see how Ishita was flourishing, but she felt empty at the thought that the Ishita she'd been missing didn't exist anymore.

Tanya didn't have long to dwell on it.

(The something made way to…)

"I think it's around this next turning?" Ishita said.

"Do you know what building we are looking for?" Tanya asked. Places were so wrecked now that it could be hard to even recognise places she'd been every day before.

They turned the corner, and any concerns about not seeing it vanished on the spot. Not only did the office block have a glowing sign saying 'Salvatore's System Control Headquarters', but the queue wrapped around the block.

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