Psycho Pass: Out of Control

Coliseum, Round 4

 Kogami leaned against the door frame between the lounge and the family-changing room. Without the support, he wasn't certain that he could have remained standing at all. Despite the pain of his injury, fatigue, and desperation, he quietly watched Sachi with a smile on his face.

She was sitting at a changing station for infants with her arms propped up on pillows. Her head moved subtly from side to side as if she was tracking an elusive insect solely with her eyes. The Xbox Ultima headset that she wore glowed brilliantly in the dimness. Twin optical lenses flashed with an explosion of pixels that only she could see.

"Feeling better?"

"Mr. Kogami?" The golden optics went dark, and she turned to him with a smile. "Sorry, bad habit. When I'm stressed, I play video games."

"Don't be sorry. I'm used to it, remember?"

"Mr. Kagari? Yeah, he's a virtual reality OG."

Kogami entered the room, hands in his pockets, and stood beside her. "I'd rather have him chasing some fallen Elven god than pestering me in the office."

"Ah, Mr. Kogami, there's nothing wrong with those of us who play the champion in the digital world. It makes us feel special, if only for a few hours, so that we can cope in the real one." She grinned, tilting to her head to the side so that she could look up at him. "Not everyone can be a real hero like you."

Kogami frowned. "Not feeling much like a hero, Sachi."

The smile faded from her face. "I feel sorry for you, Mr. Kogami. It's like we're trapped in a badass boss raid gone bad, and almost everyone in the party is dead or so badly injured they can't risk the final fight." Sachi sighed, her eyes welling with tears. "Only in this boss fight, there's no heading back to the campfire to regroup after you die. This is real. It's permanent."

"Care to tell me how this thing works?" Kogami picked up Gin's headset and put it on his head. "Thought you needed a monitor for these gaming consoles."

"Not the Ultima Xbox. It doesn't really need a console of any kind. And it can hijack the nearest display, but it works best alone with its own built-in holo optics. I prefer it that way. Just opt out of an external display."

A second crystal optic emerged from the first lens and transformed the changing room into a spacious garage. As both optical lens lit up to create the illusion, Kogami looked around, feeling off balance and bumped into a bean bag chair at his feet.

"You better sit down before you hurt yourself, Mr. Kogami."

"Too late for that."

"This isn't not like interior holography. Depending on the game, you can really get yourself hurt just by walking around in an environment that doesn't match the one you are seeing. To interact with the environment, you'll need the game controller."

Kogami picked up the controller and looked around the garage, which was an elaborate mechanic's bay. It was accurate to the measure, complete with professional tool boxes and a hydraulic car jack in the center of the room. He reached out and tried to pick up a wrench. On a whim, he dropped it. The tool clattered noisily on the concrete floor, and the sound resonated in the speakers above his ears. Working the controls, Kogami retrieved it and put it back on the counter.

"Amazing. Sounded so real."

In the game, Sachi's avatar laughed and wrapped her arms about her torso. She was dressed in a black, leather racing suit that hugged every suggestive curve. Her face was hidden beneath a glossy mask that was attached to a black helmet. "The next big gaming innovation will be a direct, nerve gear connection. A full virtual dive that will give you all the senses: taste, smell, even touch. But until that becomes a reality, the Ultima Xbox is the next best thing. A quality product."