The Labors of V

In the streets of Night City, transportation in some shape or form is always needed. A sprawling megacity with blocks containing entire social pyramids, one must be able to get around the city. Public transportation only goes so far when the overall city held together by crushed dreams contains back alleys infested with gang activity. No taxi driver would risk life and limb for a small and shoddy tip from a passenger who might end up dead on arrival. One wrong step off the beaten path would lead to a scuffle with the NCPD or whichever gang controlled that slice of land for the day. Many a gangster had fast and pretty cars, but a well-placed hand grenade would destroy thousands of credits in seconds, as V had learned quickly in his first forays as a mercenary. His best friend Jacky preferred a motorbike like the maniac he was, and while his low profile kept him safe from bullets, one wrong turn would send him flying and fast-track his bike to the repair shop after every escapade.

Fortunately, V had a trusty car to take him on all his adventures. His car, the Archer, was a classic beast off the factory line for those with little and less to to invest. While his car could take a beating, it just didn't hold the same level of appeal a fresh new roadster would carry zooming down the highways at top speed. Could his car handle a shootout and high speed chase? Yes, but the body could only withstand so much firepower before V had to take off, and while the top speeds in a straight lane were decent, it was near impossible for V to make a sharp turn without spinning out. He knew that one day these deficiencies would cost him his life. V needed a vehicle that could not only withstand sustained firefights, but be able to easily navigate the traffic and tight corners of Night City. Along with all these requirements, it simply needed to be a beautiful car, one that would allow him to make a statement on arrival. And so, V set off on a quest to find a car that truly captivated him, zooming off in his Archer for one last ride in the vehicle that had protected him on all his adventures.

V longed for a vehicle carrying not only the latest engine and armor modifications, but combat modifications that few if any other mercenaries had outfitted on their own rides. Coming up in the world of mercenaries meant he would expose himself to the latest myths and legends of all sorts, and an AI-operated car was the latest tale of the month. Word on the street spoke of a taxi service operated by an AI named "Delamain," blessed with a program known as the "Excelsior package," built to protect their occupants automatically while delivering them safely and in style to their destination, all the while leaving the passenger free to conduct business. Delamain was known to be a fine driver during high-speed shootouts when certain clients angered other denizens of Night City. Unfortunately, the AI had limited clientele, and it was near impossible to join the ranks of the elite without a recommendation from those already blessed by the protection of the car, or by finding the main unit and receiving access by completing a difficult task.

Author's Note: My story above is based off the Japanese tale of The Labors of Yamato: The Grotto of Love, from an anthology called Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917). I turned the story from one of love to one of wonder, making the key objects cars instead of pretty women. Rather than hunt for true love in a beautiful woman, the hero is hunting for a fancy car suited to all his tastes. V already has a car that has been by his side through many adventures, and while it is a reliable car, there are no exciting features about it that make him enjoy using it anymore. With his adventures being dangerous and requiring him to always be prepared for anything, having a stronger method of transport becomes more and more appealing as time goes on. As the story is set in a dystopic future, I used the exclusivity of those who could ride in the Delamain car as this writing's version of a legend, making it a rare vehicle amongst the underground. I chose to leave the ending open to a follow up story and let the reader imagine where V goes from here.

Bibliography: The Labors of Yamato - The Grotto of Love, from Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney. Web source.