Mirai Extended Story

## **Growing up**

Though Nikoliva Mirai was born outside of the Gray Zone's perimeters, fate forced her parents to move there in order to escape remnants of a certain mercenary association. Her mother was of Japanese origin while her father used to serve in Czechoslovakian before the old order collapsed, they both were quite old as well.

Regardless of the dangers found in the Gray Zone, Mirai's parents poured all of their love and hearts into the girl. Her father, Bonifacy, taught the girl how to shoot with his old hunting rifle and taught the girl importance of empathy. Her mother Seiko however shown the girl how to self express through music by teaching her how to play on the guitar. Mirai learned how to properly communicate by observing and talking to her almost opposite leaning parents, how their relationship ever worked is a mystery to her even today.

Unfortunately their happiness was short lived. Medical supplies were already scarce within the Gray Zone, for a family that recently came from outside such aid was non existent. Eventually, her parents got into a deadly fight. Though her father survived, Seiko succumbed to her injuries and left to wait for the others in another world.

Mirai kept practicing on her guitar despite her only mentor being gone. To her, keeping the passion going was the best way to immortalize her mother.

For another year, it seemed she was able to manage with her father even though his health was slowly deteriorating. They would occasionally scavenge the place around, sometimes get in a fight and trade well. One day, Bonifacy gave his daughter his old chest. It was filled to the brim with books and old military clothing, some spare bullets and a few letters at the bottom.

On the following day Mirai woke up at their old apartment all alone, the only thing left was a note left by her dad. It mentioned that Bonifacy left to look for medicine and asked the girl not to worry and move on with her life, he promised to come back at some point but provided no further details.

Mirai sincerely believed the promise her father made and started working on bettering herself, she started going through the books from her father's chest at rapid pace. It was no easy task for the girl as they were written in English, her third language. After a few weeks, she finally finished all the tomes her father provided. Though she didn't know this yet, the literature's influence combined with her parent's values have left a mark on the girl's mind that was soon to be released.

Finally, it was time for her to see the letters addressed to her father. Normally she wouldn't touch private correspondence even if she was allowed, but she was getting bored and dad wasn't coming back. Why wouldn't she?

Most of the letters were just old friendly correspondence between Bonifacy and his old friends, though, one letter in particular was of interest to the girl. Though steal sealed, Mirai broke it open with a nearby knife and read the insides. It was addressed to her father but the sender was nowhere to be found, it was written in a friendly manner and mentioned some weapon stash in the vicinity. Mirai looked through the local area's map and pinpointed it's location, such a lucky occurrence, all she had to do now was to extract the stash and all the useful supplies would be her. But one question came to her mind.

Considering father's past, it was probably a military box with some surplus supplies hidden in case of an emergency. Whatever was in the letter, it was definitely helpful to their family. Why didn't dad open the letter?

## **Shaping up**

Naturally, Nikoliva decided to take the stash for herself. She went outside dressed in her usual jacket as well as her father's military cap, her only weapon a dated bolt action rifle and a couple of bullets. In her bag, a shovel and some food as well as the keys to her old apartment.

When she arrived at her destination, she noticed there was a camp almost directly above the destination she marked on her map. How unlucky she was, upon closer inspection she realized that they were armed. They marked some wall with graffiti as she was watching, their colors matched. It was definitely some gang, although it seemed minor.

After a several hours of waiting, the gangsters went somewhere, leaving just one person on guard. Probably to fight someone, that's what they all do. After Mirai made sure nobody is going to come back any time soon, she took her chance and approached the camp. To put it simply, there was a few tents in front of a store at the edge of a street. The guard didn't care that much about his surroundings and sat in front of the campfire that stood in the middle of camp, warming themselves up in the fierce flames. Mirai put down her bags and decided to sneak up on the unexpecting gangbanger. She brought her rifle along with a shovel.

It was supposed to be a simple by-the-book sneak up on her side, however the woman suddenly stood up and walked in the shop's direction when she was standing behind him. They looked at each other in complete silence for a moment, then the gangster pulled his automatic rifle up at the same time as the girl attacked. He was hit in the face with the shovel's flat side, dropping the weapon. Mirai noticed the blood spurted on her shirt as well as the ground, she was shocked at first and needed a bit of a breather. Fortunately the gangster was knocked out.

Mirai grabbed woman's weapon and took a step back, when she looked around she realized there's no way she can dig through the concrete below. The stash must be located somewhere in the basement. As she entered the store, she noticed something odd. There were people inside, looking at her from across the room. Each one of them in shackles pinned to some pipe. Mirai knew that the Gray Zone was full of horrible things, but she didn't expect to come across human trafficking this quickly.

As she entered the basement, her worst fear was confirmed. The stash was already dug up and opened, she quickly made her way to the giant wooden box with star ornament on it's side. There was a few steel boxes still inside and about five rifles that looked like AK. If she went back for her bag now, she would be able to pack all the guns as well as ammunition within five minutes and escape in another ten.

Nikoliva put the AK she stole from the guard down and made her way to the ground floor again, she slowly approached the exit. Halfway through however, she heard voices outside. Someone calling out a name and asking if they're fine. She peeked through the window and noticed two men on the horizon and one quickly approaching the camp. Her operation was in jeopardy, she looked back to see what she can use to hide herself. She looked back at the slaves, her mind went back to the guard she knocked out earlier.

Something inside the girl's mind just flipped, as she looked at the approaching man she took aim and fired. Severing the man's neck, as he flipped the other man just stood in shock. Unsure what was happening, Mirai's second strike missed. She pulled the bolt back and forth and fire one more time at the farther away enemy. He dropped down. As the girl changed position, she noticed the victims watching her in silence. She was no longer fighting for herself, there was someone who was going to rely on her here.

She took a quick peek from the door frame, as she noticed the last enemy's barrel right in the corner of her eye she aimed again. She knew what she wanted to do, Mirai wanted to help these people to best of her ability. And that next shot was likely going to be the manifest of her new found will.

She dashed through the door frame and approached the stairs to the next floor, looking back over her shoulder she quickly loaded her remaining bullets into the rifle. As she peeked from the top floor, she noticed a head with a helmet on it moving very slowly upwards from behind an old car. She targeted the spot between the eyes and shot just as the forehead was about to show itself to her. Unfortunately, the helmet dropped. Gangster jumped from behind the cover and shot at her multiple times. Where it not for the girl's size and her quick reflexes, she'd have multiple holes in her chest by now.

The girl took a different approach, she came to the only window with glass still in tact and hid next to it. She took a quit glance at the outside, her enemy was not observing her spot. She betted it all on that one trick, she would shoot through the glass directly. The risk of getting herself hurt was nothing compared to the risk she would be taking from another place. As the gangbanger peeked from behind the car again, the girl fired right before hiding herself again.

Mirai pulled the bolt and took a quick peek, the gangbanger was down on the floor and there was spilled flesh coming out of his neck. The last gangbanger's corpse lied flat on the ground. Mirai sighed, the pent up stress erupted. Her cheeks and ears were burning hot. She wanted to cry, but thinking back of her mother helped her regain her spirits again. She was a bit scared of how easy the whole fight went for her, no glass shards cut her skin either - she felt so lucky.

Mirai went back to the first floor and started looking around, surprisingly the key to the victims' cuffs appeared to be on a shelf next to the basement. She helped two slaves before giving them the keys and saying that she has to check something. One of the slaves mentioned that it's always the three, more aggressive gangbangers, go outside and hunt for food and people to sell. With their numbers confirmed, Mirai went outside with a clear idea about her future.

The first guard she knocked out cold was on their knees, one hand on their forehead and the other on the ground. They clearly weren't in state to fight back anymore, especially with their gun out of the picture. She asked what Nikoliva was planning to do.

Mirai pointed her rifle at the gangster.

"Do you want to atone for your crimes?" said the girl with the most serious tone she could put out.

The woman looked down, her eyes hidden behind her woolly hair.

"What's with that voice of authority? If you want to make me a slave, just end me right here."

"No. I'm asking whether you want to join me and correct your wrongs."

"My wrongs...?"

"What's your name?" Mirai's voice changed to a more friendly tone.

Something changed in the gangbanger's heart, she felt as if the woman in front of her had some sort of luck by her side. Something that would let her live above her atrocious life as a dirty slaver.

"Eleonore," she answered.

And thus Mirai's gang was formed, though more a group of misfits focused on survival than typical gangsters. They still classified as that in the coldness of the Gray Zone. Their name was "Raj".

## **Setting up**

News spread quickly in the gray zone, the ever present Rascals suddenly stopped appearing around and kidnapping lone travellers. A certain other, much larger gang known as **Melodica** noticed the disappearance the most. As one of their cheap labour sources suddenly vanished without a word.

Mirai knew that her bold actions will have consequences, at one point someone was likely going to approach the old camp and see the massacre scene. Her newly formed gang trusted that her actions will be just no matter the circumstances, therefore the girl decided that Raj would bury the Rascals' corpses farther away from the battlefield. Naturally Eleonore was allowed to sit this one out.

As more people joined the gang in following weeks, Mirai decided to put her instructor books to practice and started up a training program in order to turn the loose band of misfits into a more professional force. Thought not as rich in manpower as nearby gangs, the newly acquired assets such as former slaves, mercenaries and gangsters proven themselves to be rather eager in protecting the newfound community. Though mostly focused on scavenging and trading goods, Raj was becoming sustainable.

   Raj did not initially branch out into fighters and non fighters like a usual gang would, even people responsible for trading and paperwork were expected to put on the mantle were the darkest hour to come. Yet, they had no mantle or home to speak of. Mirai knew it had to change or else the community could fall apart in a breeze.

The group repurposed an old cinema into their headquarters, though abandoned and a bit dirty it was a way better alternative than Mirai's ancient apartment. One of the members used to do a lot of graffiti as well, with her help Mirai finally came up with a flag for the tiny faction to bear.

After setting things up in the so called "Midnight Star" cinema, the group set up their newly founded symbol on the entrance along with the guard duty just before starting a celebration. Nobody knew that at a time but Mirai was still considered a Minor and refused to drink with her fellows, she quickly returned to her new office. There was still plenty of work to do when it came to the organisation of Raj.

*The girl did however have a Visitor.*

## Arming up

Raj was just barely sustainable. Although Nikoliva has contacted some weapon sellers, the Raj still missed supplies such as medicine or munitions. The group still had resources to trade, bullets, weapons, clothing, scavenged food and what not. But an increasingly growing concern was becoming more and more apparent, the Raj had no capital or investments. In fact, they owned nothing but the little cinema they took over. If they wanted to at least be able to protect themselves short term, they needed to produce something. Fortunately, an opportunity arose soon enough. Some minor gang harassed one of their patrols, wounding one of their guards on the outside of the cinema.

The fortune obviously came from the place the small group occupied. A relatively modern distillery named "ImperialiQ", judging from the outside it should have about 5-6 units inside. However, something weird has occurred once designated advance teams arrived at the scene. Though half as big of what was expected, the gang wished to join the Raj. The members were screened for their old activity and seemed to be good to go, once asked to explain the situation. It appeared that a bloodless coup occurred in their ranks, their old leader leaving to join another larger faction.

At the moment it didn't matter, Mirai and her growing office were quite happy that they only gained from this deal. Though the distillery surroundings were given more surveillance for the time being, just in case. Soon after, Raj started it's own alcohol line. Among some experimental drinks, one that got the most traction was called "Oak Envy". A slightly more bitter take on traditional vodka.

With the first source of reliable income secured, Raj needed to focus on expanding it's influence and making strong connections with the more friendly organizations in the Gray Zone.

As the first source of reliable income was secured, it was time for the Raj to expand it's connections. Fortunately there were plenty friendly or neutral gangs in the Gray Zone. One only needed to find them through extensive research and make contact. After booking a meeting, Mirai and Eleonore would come to the gang's headquarters in order to strike a deal.