#you can take the soldier out of Arasaka but you just can't take the Arasaka out of the soldier

[merge-conflict]

thinking about Goro ever leaving Arasaka is such a fun but heartbreaking thing to think about because like– what would truly make him leave? what would destroy his faith and his loyalty so utterly that he'd walk away from his identity? because it's not just a job, being a soldier is who he is, and he's specifically an Arasaka soldier. when he expresses any doubt about the life he's had or what he really wants it's always with an air of inevitability that Arasaka will exist and continue to exist. what's the alternative? he asks V, because he truly doesn't believe there can be one. he can't believe it, or if he does he has to believe it's not worth the cost, because otherwise what has his life been in service of?

but while he's stubborn and loyal, he isn't stupid. he'll deflect v or get angry when they dismiss corporations entirely not because he thinks they're shining forces of good but because he sees fighting against them as naivety. the world is hard, but that's how it is, and fighting against it will only cause more suffering.

and yet. and yet. he is blind in a particular way, that I think comes from his success and the reward for his hard work. certainly there are plenty of people like him, who were smart and worked hard and came from nothing but were never rewarded for that because they didn't do it in quite the right way, or they weren't liked, or they were simply one among hundreds and thousands, just a number on a spreadsheet– they were never someone noticed personally by Saburo Arasaka. he's absolutely conditioned to believe that the system works because it worked for him.

so to come back around to the question– what could shake his faith in that so entirely that he can start to see the lie he's pledged himself to? that this empire, this corporation is truly no better than any other, and is just as disgustingly hypocritical and pathetic when threatened as any other power?

I can see a lot of possible answers to the question, and though I'm a romantic I can't say the answer is just love– he could deny himself that, I'm sure, and any personal sort of happiness. he could tell himself anyone he loved deserves someone who can give their full attention (and how could he ever give Arasaka less than everything he has? even for his suicidal revenge he means it as a warning, a rallying cry, for Arasaka to save itself from those who would destroy it).

but! the thing about corporations is that they will tell you the rules, and their ideals, and they will enforce them. and you at some point will become a representative of that corp and make promises according to those ideals, and the corp will make a liar of you. whatever trust you've built, whatever standards you hold yourself to in order to maintain your reputation? meaningless. and that more than anything is something I think that Goro would be unable to accept, that something that was his responsibility and his promise was broken without remorse or even consultation. perhaps he could counsel himself through that doubt, and remain in the fold, but it would be one of those moments where he is truly vulnerable to break away, and certainly a reason to shake his faith.

even then– even then I don't think he could see it all at once. he's in too deep, and he wants to believe that Arasaka can work so badly, that he's blind to the reality of its existence. so even if he does break free, then what? and I think the answer to that is that he will always want to believe that if juuust a few things were fixed Arasaka would be on the right path, or would be redeemed.

and that deprogramming will take forever to undo, if he ever lived long enough to try it.

anyway I started writing this post because I'm writing that initial break from his pov where he's struggling with it and internally he's just thinking: Maybe if I kill myself righting this wrong Saburo will understand and Arasaka will go back to being something I can feel proud of! and I want to chew through the drywall why doesn't he get it (I know why)

[streetkid-named-desire]

Through the Years: Batsheva "Bea" Cohen

template by @arcandoria

Bea was a Nomad with the Cohen clan, born and raised in the Badlands give or take a Cali border until 14 when she klepped an HJKE Yukimura from a shipment her family was transporting for the corp. Being unable to pay the corp back, her parents agreed to Arasaka's offer to "work off the balance". Of course, that never happens, it was never about paying for one gun, that was a negligible write off.

She works at Doll Parts for extra eddies while doings gigs as a Solo working undercover for Arasaka. She does the jobs they can't be caught doing.

Until she meets V. And their fates become entangled with each other. (I just finished act 1 of their fic you can check my pinned post to find the master post)

Some more details and the photos under the cut.

2066, 14 yo; Cohen clan Nomad, Badlands

2068, 16 yo; Arasaka Academy/Arasaka Training Facility

Still trying to hang onto any individuality she can. Bea would flaunt the rules every chance she got, no matter the consequences.

2071, 19 yo; Arasaka Training Facility

Final combat training before heading to NC for her first job for Arasaka where she had to murder a party of Kang Tao executives at a night club. Easy peasy. And, you can see that while she was a good soldier, she fought hard to keep the final scraps of individuality.

2077, 25 yo; Doll Parts, Night City

After a few years at other clubs and as private corpo dancers, she finally got a gig at the strip club Doll Parts. Under the table, they could perform extra "services" for extra eddies. Arasaka essentially chipped her, trained her, kicked her out and said ganbatte. The only help she gets is any special arms or preparation required for jobs they send her on.