Deus Ex: Katawa Revolution (Complete)

[Kayo12]

I've seen a few crossovers where the Deus Ex and KS worlds are combined, but most of them are used humorously. I recently replayed Human Revolution and got this idea in my head. I wanted to take a serious look at the genre and see what the effect the technology of Deus Ex could have on the children of Yamaku.
H-h-here I go....!

Part 1/6
I flip through the pages of the magazine, the sides of the paper already beginning to rip from my constant thumbing, the ink worn through in small circles. It's a bit frayed around the edges from having been read so many times, rolled up and tucked into my back pocket or shoved in a folder along with my school work over the past week. I may not understand some of the technical terms and all of the medical jargon is completely lost on me, but the pictures and diagrams are what attract my attention the most. A few of the articles are very absorbing as well. I find myself fascinated by the intricacy and the ideas they present. I may not comprehend totally, but that only makes me all the more eager to learn.

Lilly looks up from her cup of tea, gently blowing the steam away from the porcelain rim, her lips pursed as I rustle the pages. “You seem to be very absorbed by whatever it is you're reading, Hisao. You haven't said a single thing since we arrived.“

I jump a little as the silence of the tea room is broken. Hanako sits next to me and I've seen her eyes linger on the magazine to see what it is I've been so preoccupied with for the past half hour.

“Um, yea, it's just...just a magazine, that's all.”

Lilly gives a little giggle, a hand over her mouth, a delicate eyebrow raised. “A magazine? My, my, I hope it's nothing improper!”

I choke and stammer a bit. “No! No, of course not! It's just a magazine Mutou let me borrow for an assignment, that's all! Nothing like that!“ I almost show Lilly the magazine to prove my innocence, but I stop myself before committing such a boneheaded move.

Hanako has a smile on her face at my flustered reaction as she looks down at the magazine, now laying flat on the table.
“I-is it some sort of s-science journal?”

“Yes,” I reply, “Mutou subscribes and thought I'd be interested in some of the articles. It's for the science club we started. He wants my opinion on the subject matter. I have to admit, I find it really fascinating.“

Hanako leans over my shoulder, her hair brushing my arm. I swallow a little nervously as she does.
At least she's comfortable being this close to me, I think.

Her eyes look up and down the page of the open article, taking in the detailed pictures and cross sections, her eyes wide and uncomprehending.
“I've n-never seen a m-magazine like th-this. It looks r-really complicated.“

“I admit, I don't understand half of it, but it's still amazing.“

“Well, Hisao, what is it about?”

I feel a little stupid now having rambled on about how interesting the subject is without informing Lilly what it actually was.

“Oh, sorry, Lilly! I guess I got a little carried away.”

My first impulse is to pass it to her, but then I set it the magazine down on the table, thankful I didn't do something as embarrassing as that.

I'm still getting used to Yamaku, I guess.
Get a hold of yourself, Nakai!

“It's 'The Augmentation Journel'. This month they're doing an article about the newest de-militarized augments that Tai-Yong Medical is releasing next month.“

Lilly's smile lessens and then disappears. “Oh! It's about human augmentation, then?”

I'm surprised by the tone she takes when she says it. “Well, yes. Like I said, Tai-Yong is starting to release military augments that have been retrofitted for civilian use.“

“I see.“ Lilly lays her hands over each other on the table in front of her, a disappointed frown on her lips. “I honestly didn't think you would be interested in that sort of thing, Hisao.“

“Well, why not?” I say eagerly. “Augmentation technology is the future. It combines engineering, chemistry, medical science and microtechnology in one scientific discipline! I've always liked science and this is such a wide field of study, it's going to be absolutely necessary for me to learn as much as I can about it! They're saying that soon human augmentation is going to become so common that everyone will be able to afford it, no matter what economic level they live in! Can you imagine it, Lilly? Soon everyone will be able to have access to whatever augments they want! The work that Sarif Industries alone has done has made augments more affordable and readily available to anyone who wants them!“

I may be getting carried away, and I admit I'm borrowing lines from the article, but I'm genuinely excited about the prospects that augmentation holds for the future.

Lilly doesn't look nearly as pleased as I am, her face becoming more reserved as I excitedly talk.
She takes a moment in silent thought before speaking again.
“And what about those people who don't want to be augmented, Hisao?“

I'm a little surprised by her reaction. “Well, no one is going to force people to get augments, Lilly. If someone doesn't want to be augmented, they don't have to be.“

“And what are those people supposed to do when everyone around them has augments which make them stronger and faster than them, better able to do the jobs those people once had? Are they supposed to be left behind while everyone else moves into their own version of the future?“

My eyes go wide a little. I've heard this argument presented before.
“Lilly...are you an anti-aug?”

Her eyebrows narrow. “I don't like that term, Hisao. I just think people have a right to be safe and happy.“

“I don't understand.”

Lilly rubs the tips of her fingers together, thinking on her words.

“How are we supposed to be safe when there are people out there who can smash walls with their bare hands or who can shrug off bullets? Or run faster than cars can drive? Augmentation makes people able to do things so far beyond the capabilities of the un-augmented, it's almost an unfair advantage. I just think certain augmentations would too dangerous in the wrong hands.“

I chuckle a little bit at Lilly's explanation. “Lilly, that sort of thing isn't nearly as common as the news makes it seem.“

“That's only because we live in Japan, Hisao. The laws here are very strict about human augmentation. But in America and China, augmentation is becoming so common that it's almost an epidemic. I've heard that it's so prevalent with criminals in those places, that police aren't able to keep up and stop them.“

“That's an extreme situation, Lilly,” I argue, “I'm not saying that augments should be handed to people on the street corner.“

Hanako's eyes dart back and forth between me and Lilly, her hands wrapped tightly around her tea cup.

Lilly shakes her head. “But that is exactly what is happening, Hisao. Laws are in place to prevent them, but people are still getting augmented, people who shouldn't have them, people who are using them to hurt other people! How are unaugmented individuals supposed to be safe when people like that are around?“

“If everyone had augments, that wouldn't be a problem,” I shoot back.

Lilly sighs. “Now we're back to the first point I made. Not everyone wants to be augmented, Hisao. Can't you understand that?“

I sigh, still not understanding Lilly's point. I turn towards Hanako. “What do you think about augmentation, Hanako?“

Hanako looks a bit on the spot, her eyes looking back and forth between me and Lilly, trying to determine if she should take one of our sides in the disagreement.
“Um... well, I th-think people should be able t-to do whatever they w-want. It's their own b-bodies, right?“

I nod, pleased I won a point.

“B-but...” Hanako continues, her eyes downcast, “Lilly is r-right too. Thinking about it m-makes me a little scared about what people can d-do with aug-augmentations. I think that p-people shouldn't be allowed to have wh-whatever augments they want. I m-mean, you can't drive without a l-license, why shouldn't you have one for augments?“

I'm a little disappointed Hanako doesn't agree with me on the matter. She must read my disapproval, because she looks away bashfully.
“I'm s-sorry.”

“No, no, it's okay, Hanako. That's your opinion, don't apologize for it. I don't want you to agree with me just because I'm the one saying it.“

She looks up and nods slightly.

“But wouldn't you....”
I'm about to open my mouth and ask Hanako if, given the chance, would she get augmentations. That leads to the obvious realization that some of Hanako's problems have nothing to do with what's physically wrong with her. On top of that, I know about skin augments that would make it as if her scars never existed and I'm sure she does too.
Then again, that's not something I should be talking about.
I see a stern look on Lilly's face, a warning line to her mouth and I back off on the subject, turning my question instead to Lilly.

“So, Lilly, you're saying that if you had the chance, you wouldn't get augmented?“

Her eyes open in surprise at my personal query, her cloudy blue eyes staring ahead. She must not have expected me to continue the conversation after Hanako seemed to agree with her. When she closes them again, she gives a long sigh, patiently dealing with my continued questioning. “I already have made that choice, Hisao.”

I'm floored by her answer. “You...you turned down augmentation?”

She nods. “Yes, I did. Does that surprise you?”

I have a whole slew of questions to ask Lilly now, but I don't feel very comfortable asking them.

“I would have thought....I mean, I imagined that if anyone would want....“

“To have their vision?” she finishes for me.

I hesitate. “Well, yeah.”

Lilly nods and sips at her cooled tea. “My father works for nProTech. I'm sure you've heard of them?“

I'm stunned. “He does? That's one of the largest augment firms in Europe! They're...they're cutting edge! Lilly, if your Father works for nProTech, why aren't you augmented?“ I quickly realize the questions was put too frankly and I curse myself for asking it.

Lilly smiles, setting her cup down, forgiving my bluntness. “I may not agree with my Father on many things, but one thing I am very grateful for is that he did not have me augmented when I was born. I grew up being unable to see, but several years ago on my birthday, he and I talked about having me undergo augmentation surgery. Both he and Mother encouraged me while Akira was satisfied with whatever decision I came to on my own. I decided against being augmented.“

“So then, Akira works for nProTech as well?”

Lilly nods. “Yes. And to be perfectly honest, she's been augmented much like my Father.“

I'm surprised by that bit of news. “But I never saw anything that suggested Akira was an augment.“
Lilly smiles slightly. “Well...Akira may not want me to say this, but she has a vain streak to her that she tries to hide. All of her augments are internalized and very subtle. She has an infolink and augments to her hand eye coordination and reaction time. Have you never noticed how fast she drives?“

“Well, yeah, but I though that was just her style. Driving fast sounds like something Akira would do normally”

Lilly giggles. “Well, it was, but it only got worse after she had the surgery. In fact, Akira has a C.A.S.I.E. augment as well for her job.“

I'm amazed that Akira would have such a high end augment. The Computer Assisted Social Interaction Enhancer is something not everyone can get their hands on and is highly controlled, even in countries with more lenient laws on augmentation than Japan. Then again, it makes sense Akira would have such an augment, her being a lawyer. It would give her a clear advantage in legal matters.

If Akira has such top of the line augments, it makes me even more surprised that Lilly would turn down the opportunity to have her sight. All she would have to do is go through one or two simple operations and she'd be able to see!

I blink several times, trying to wrap my head around her choice.
“Lilly, if your sister has augments like that and your Father does as well, why don't you? Why wouldn't you want to have your vision?“

Lily laces her hands together in front of her. “Because I am perfectly fine without it and I wouldn't want it at the cost that augments would bring. I believe augmentation is wrong, Hisao. To manipulate the way we were born, to change to such a drastic degree the circumstances of our birth. The idea scares me and it frightens me to think that people are so willing to tamper with life itself. There are some things humans just weren't meant to do and shouldn't be capable of! Besides, I don't need to see, Hisao, to live a full life. I am more than capable of taking care of myself and I do not need to be augmented to be anyone's idea of 'normal'!“

I'm a little pissed with her reasoning. “But shouldn't everyone have the opportunity to be augmented if they want? Not everyone has the advantages you and Akira do, Lilly! Their family's aren't rich like yours is! How many students here at Yamaku would jump at the opportunity you went and threw away!?“

Lilly is silent for some time, her hands clasped in front of her, her cheeks reddened and mouth tightly drawn. I realize my volume and that I'm leaning forward in my chair. I lean back, embarrassed and ashamed by the raised tone I took with her.

Next to me, Hanako stirs nervously. “P-please...please, don't argue....”

I look at Hanako sitting next to me, hunched down in her chair, eyes moving back and forth between me and Lilly.

Both me and Lilly hesitate and take a moment to collect ourselves.

I feel like a real tool for a few minutes before I speak.
“I'm sorry, Lilly. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that.“

Lilly nods, relaxing her tensed shoulders and clenched fingers. “I am...sorry as well, Hisao. And I'm sorry to you, Hanako,” Lilly says quietly, “I didn't mean to lose my temper, either.”

“Yeah,” I reply, putting a hand over Hanako's, “I'm sorry, I got carried away.”

Hanako flinches slightly at the touch of my fingers, but then she grips my hand and gives it a squeeze, smiling at the two of us.

“I'm sorry, Hisao,” Lilly continues after a moment, “I'm very close to this issue. I'm used to having to defend my opinions very vigorously to my Father.“

“Same here, Lilly. I shouldn't have said what I did.“

Lilly hesitates, her hands nervously dancing in front of her, slightly adjusting the placement of her teacup. “Hisao...you seem to have a personal investment in the matter. If you don't mind me asking, and please don't if you're not comfortable with it, do you...do you wish you had been augmented?“

I take my teacup in both of my hands, sipping so I don't have to answer at first, holding the comforting warmth in my palm.
“I'm...I'm not sure. When I....”
I stop for a minute, trying to gather my words in a proper order.
“When I had my heart attack, the doctors said that I was perfectly suited for heart and pericardium implant augmentation. They told me that I would only need a few surgeries and a couple weeks of recovery and I'd be back on my feet. They said the augment would be even better than a normal, healthy heart. That I'd be able to run for miles without any training, that my heart would never grow old or weak. I thought about it a lot and I was looking forward to it. It meant that I'd get to go back to my old school and see all my friends again.“

And Iwanoko.
I choke back the bitterness in my throat.

“But my parents....”

I feel a spike of anger towards them drive though my chest.

“They turned it down. They told the doctors they didn't want their son to be augmented. My Father is really old fashioned that way and he doesn't like human augmentation. So instead of a couple weeks of rest and then going back to my old school, they made me recover for four months in a hospital all by myself, forcing me to leave everything I had before and come here to Yamaku.“

Lilly and Hanako are silent for a while, Lilly in deep sympathy and Hanako looking at me sadly.

“So yea, I guess I do have a personal involvement. I was...angry with them. Pissed, even. For a while I hated them for doing that to me, They made me give up everything I had before because of their own narrow minded beliefs without any concern about what I thought. That's not what I wanted. It wasn't my choice.“

I look down into my tea and sigh.
“I never asked for this.”

Lilly and Hanako don't say anything to me for a while. They quietly sip their tea and remain silent.
Then, Hanako looks up and gently places her hand on my arm. “Th-there's one good thing a-about you not being aug-augmented.“

I look at Hanako and she's smiling at me.

“Y-you never would have m-met us!” she says cheerfully.

My cheeks turn red, my sleeve doing nothing to separate the feeling of her fingers against my arm.
Lilly smiles and puts her cup down. “That is very true, Hanako. You may not agree, Hisao, but I'm glad for one your parents chose Yamaku over augmentation. It gave me the opportunity to meet you, and I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.“

I tear my eyes away from Hanako's hand and look at Lilly as she smiles at me, her honesty touching me. I smile back and nod.
“Yeah, I guess you're right. I wouldn't want to miss out on that either.”

We finish our tea in silence, but I can't help but think what other people at Yamaku think of human augmentation or what my real feelings on the subject really are.

----------------------------------------

[Brogurt]

For authenticity, you should make all the text an ugly piss-gold color. Kind of like this.

Anyway, it was by all means enjoyable, but there was a part that said Sereph Industries; are you sure you didn't mean to say Sarif?

[Bi-Polar Hernandez]

I look down into my tea and sigh.
“I never asked for this.”

Oh u.

So does this mean Hisao is going to be thrown through a glass pane and forced into augmentation and discovering a vast conspiracy before traveling all across the world just so he can find Megan Lilly?

[Brogurt]

So does this mean Hisao is going to be thrown through a glass pane and forced into augmentation and discovering a vast conspiracy before traveling all across the world just so he can find Megan Lilly?

Who happens to have developed Stockholm Syndrome and actually fallen in love with the husband of her arranged marriage back in Scotland.

[Roamin12]

I was considering doing either serious Dues Ex/Katawa Shoujo cross-over or a different cross-over, looks like I'll be doing the other one since you already did this. Wait I just thought about three more story ideas. Damn you mind!
But I do like this, though six parts doesn't seem like much to explore the Dues Ex universe for maximum effect, unless the other five chapter are going to be long as hell.

I look down into my tea and sigh.
“I never asked for this.”

Oh u.

So does this mean Hisao is going to be thrown through a glass pane and forced into augmentation and discovering a vast conspiracy before traveling all across the world just so he can find Megan Lilly?

And then get hired as the head security guard for Sarif Industries? And then have Malik Hanako as his pilot?

[Kayo12]

>These comments

Adam Jensen = Hisao
Megan Reed = Lilly
David Sarif = Mutou
Faridah Malik = Hanako
Francis Pritchard = Kenji
Hugh Darrow = Nomiya
Yelena Fedorova = Miki

Can't think of any others.
Why would you do this? I am not up too rewriting all of Deus Ex:HR.

[Mirage_GSM]

Your story contradicts itself in some places. At one point you say, Japan has very strict regulations about augmentation, later they are lenient.
Lilly never actually says why she is against augmentation. She mentions a vague cost, but never explains what it is. So she comes across as - at best - bitchy and stubborn.
Hisao's parents are even worse. It is not just about the hospital and Yamaku. Hisao's condition could kill him, and his parents are denying him a potentially lifesaving cure. They remind me of some religious fanatics who rather watch their children die than agree to a blood transfusion.

[Doomish]

Hisao's parents are even worse. It is not just about the hospital and Yamaku. Hisao's condition could kill him, and his parents are denying him a potentially lifesaving cure. They remind me of some religious fanatics who rather watch their children die than agree to a blood transfusion.

This is actually something that comes up once in Deus Ex: HR. I don't remember when, but there are purists who decide they don't want to get life-saving augs just because they are augs.

[BobBobberson]

Hah, I never asked for this crossover! It does seem kind of odd though seeing Hisao, Hanako, and Lilly, and hell even the concept of Yamaku existing during Deus Ex: HR. I'd bet a donut that hella students would vote to get augmented if they had the chance.

[Mirage_GSM]

Bob's right. The existence of augmentations would more or less make Yamaku obsolete. Emi kind of uses augmentations already, so there's absolutely no need for her to be there. Shizune probably wouldn't be there either, if her father doesn't forbid her to get implants - not likely considering his attitude towards her disability. Overall probably more than half the students wouldn't be there in the first place.
Inventing some strange reason, why they all don't want or cannot get augmentations would probably stretch credibility a lot.
Not a good crossover scenario...

[nemz]

Lilly never actually says why she is against augmentation. She mentions a vague cost, but never explains what it is. So she comes across as - at best - bitchy and stubborn.

I would imagine it might very well be a religious sentiment on her part as you mention, something along the lines of "tampering with god's plan" or such.

[Kayo12]

Your story contradicts itself in some places. At one point you say, Japan has very strict regulations about augmentation, later they are lenient.

I looked and couldn't find my mistake. Could you point it out for me?

Lilly never actually says why she is against augmentation. She mentions a vague cost, but never explains what it is. So she comes across as - at best - bitchy and stubborn.

Nemz got this. I didn't think Lilly should start preaching at Hisao. Add in the cross she wears and her 'old world manner', I thought that would be explanation enough for her disapproval concerning human augmentation.
I'll add a line to make her reasons more clear.

As for the cost she mentions, that will be referenced as the story goes, but in short it involves the drug Neuropozyn if you know what that is in the Deus Ex world.

Hisao's parents are even worse. It is not just about the hospital and Yamaku. Hisao's condition could kill him, and his parents are denying him a potentially lifesaving cure. They remind me of some religious fanatics who rather watch their children die than agree to a blood transfusion.

Doomish answered this one perfectly.

Bob's right. The existence of augmentations would more or less make Yamaku obsolete. Emi kind of uses augmentations already, so there's absolutely no need for her to be there. Shizune probably wouldn't be there either, if her father doesn't forbid her to get implants - not likely considering his attitude towards her disability. Overall probably more than half the students wouldn't be there in the first place.
Inventing some strange reason, why they all don't want or cannot get augmentations would probably stretch credibility a lot.
Not a good crossover scenario...

Not everyone can afford augmentation or have it as a choice in the Deus Ex world. Again, Japan has more strict laws making a place like Yamaku necessary. If I can get my contradiction pointed out, I'll fix it. Concerning Emi and Shizune, further chapters will explain their issues.

[Mirage_GSM]

The contradiction was something I apparently misread in the sentence about Akira's implants.
Sorry about that.

[Roamin12]

>These comments

Adam Jensen = Hisao
Megan Reed = Lilly
David Sarif = Mutou
Faridah Malik = Hanako
Francis Pritchard = Kenji
Hugh Darrow = Nomiya
Yelena Fedorova = Miki

Can't think of any others.
Why would you do this? I am not up too rewriting all of Deus Ex:HR.

We were making jokes, that's all, or at least I was.

Hisao's parents are even worse. It is not just about the hospital and Yamaku. Hisao's condition could kill him, and his parents are denying him a potentially lifesaving cure. They remind me of some religious fanatics who rather watch their children die than agree to a blood transfusion.

This is actually something that comes up once in Deus Ex: HR. I don't remember when, but there are purists who decide they don't want to get life-saving augs just because they are augs.

I actually remember that from the game, it was a very good example on just how "pure" some people want to be, it definitely has an amazing impact on the story and how some people in real life would definitely react to augmentation.

Bob's right. The existence of augmentations would more or less make Yamaku obsolete. Emi kind of uses augmentations already, so there's absolutely no need for her to be there. Shizune probably wouldn't be there either, if her father doesn't forbid her to get implants - not likely considering his attitude towards her disability. Overall probably more than half the students wouldn't be there in the first place.
Inventing some strange reason, why they all don't want or cannot get augmentations would probably stretch credibility a lot.
Not a good crossover scenario...

Not everyone can afford augmentation or have it as a choice in the Deus Ex world. Again, Japan has more strict laws making a place like Yamaku necessary. If I can get my contradiction pointed out, I'll fix it. Concerning Emi and Shizune, further chapters will explain their issues.

Kayo's right, that was a major part of the controversy, the drug required if you have augments is very expensive and if you don't have it, your body will reject the augments, and if I remember correctly, it will kill you as a result.

[Mirage_GSM]

I can see how that might be a problem in the US. I don't know about Japan, but in most European countries the cost would be coveed by insurance if the augmentations were medicinically neccessary. Like in Hisao's case.