Cyberpunk 2077 - The Ballad of Lost Souls

V wakes up in a field near an old tree. The sun is shining in the sky, while the grass is pinching his back. He slowly gets up, looking at his arms, he quickly realizes that he is in his old body.

V: What's this place?!

V slowly gets up, seeing an old, wooden country house with a porch and a wind turbine behind it. He starts walking to it, carefully opening the door. V finds himself in a lovely home, with wooden walls, lighted up with big windows. He passes the small corridor, arriving in a big living room with a fireplace.

V: Hello?!

Panam: Honey! Is that you?

Panam rushes to meet V, she's got long black hair, she's wearing a large blue apron on top of a white shirt and jeans. She's cooking something in the kitchen near the living room.

V: Pan?! What's this?!

Panam: It's Sunday you sleepyhead! Don't you remember? You invited your chooms over for lunch!

V: My…chooms?! Who?!

Panam: Jackie, Misty, Johnny and Rogue.

V reaches for Panam's check and starts caressing it.

V: But Pan, that's impossible…

Panam smiles.

Panam: Look, here they are!

Johnny opens up the door along with Rogue, holding her left hand. He's wearing a black suit and a pair of jeans. She is wearing a black long dress.

Johnny: Hellloo guys!

Johnny removes his sunglasses, looking around the living room.

Johnny: Nice place! It just oozes personality.

Rogue: I bought something. Hope you like it.

Rogue hands V a bottle of Champaign.

Rogue: This is straight out from the Afterlife's canteen.

Johnny kisses Panam's cheeks

Johnny: You look fine as always Pan. Can't wait to get a taste of the meat.

Rogue: Be careful there cowboy, or I'll cut your hands.

Johnny: Okok, fine. I'll sit down!

Panam smiles.

Johnny: V! Why don't you open the bottle?

Rogue: Don't be rude Johnny! Let's wait for the others.

V sits down on the table and grabs a glass, looking at it baffled. The door suddenly opens, revealing Jackie and Misty. V quickly stands up, causing the chair to fall.

Jackie: Hey Chooms!

Misty: Hi, Vee!

Jackie gets near V, placing a hand on his shoulder. He is wearing a brown sweater, while Misty is wearing a white shirt and a pair of jeans.

Jackie: V, are you ok?! Seems like you've seen a ghost!

Misty put both of her hands on V's checks.

Misty: You look pale, V. I think work is stressing you out too much.

Panam: Honey sits down, the launch is almost ready.

Everybody sits down around the table, except for Panam who is still cooking. Jackie sits near V.

Jackie: Hey, Johnny! How's work goin'?

Johnny: Fine. Working on a little project with Eurodyne. Song about a lone wanderer that finally finds freedom. Gonna be a massive hit.

Misty: I could read your future Johnny, but there is no need with you!

Rogue: My Johnny is always overconfident.

Panam comes near V and serves him a portion of meat, then serves everybody else, until she finally sits in front of him, on the opposite side of the table.

Jackie: C'mon V…How is it?

V slowly starts eating while looking at Panam.

Panam: You love it V, don't you?

V smiles.

V: I love you, Pan.

Panam: Then why did you leave me?

Everybody starts looking at V, who freezes in place.

V: What?!

Suddenly, drops of blood start coming down from Panam's eyes and nose, tainting the white tablecloth with red.

Panam: I said… Why… Did you leave me?

V suddenly drops the fork on the table. Panam stands up and violently slams both of her fists on it. She is completely covered in blood and bruises.

Panam: FUCKING LOOK AT ME, VINCENT!

V tries to stand up, reaching for Panam. Jackie stops him, holding his arm tight.

V: Panam… no…

Panam: YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DID TO ME? THEY MADE ME SCREAM YOUR NAME WHILE THEY CUT ME OPEN! And you… you didn't come.

V turns to Jackie who is completely white, like a cadavere. V stares at him with wide open eyes.

Jackie: It was supposed to be a simple job, V…in and out. But you managed to fuck it up. You left me dead in that taxi.

V: NO JACKIE! It wasn't like that and you know it!

Rogue pours herself some Champaign and starts drinking, while looking at V.

Rogue: Poor Jackie… But that's what you do with your friends right?! You use 'em and then you throw 'em away. I know everything about you. I've seen your eyes. You said you did it for Johnny, but you enjoyed eeeevery bit of it.

Rogue starts holding V by the other arm, while Johnny puts his legs over the table.

Johnny: V, hearing these things truly breaks my heart. I thought we were friends. You left me in the Mikoshi though, you could've stopped her but you didn't. 

Johnny lights up a cigarette, then sits back down looking at V.

Johnny: You know how it is?! To be consumed? Piece by piece? And then being brought back to life again, only to go through the same thing over and over? It's hell, V.

Misty: Don't worry, V! It won't last long, look!

Misty shows his arm to V. It's almost black, full of bruises and holes.

V: Jesus Misty! What have you done?!

Misty: You left Night City and I didn't have anybody to talk to. Don't worry, the pain lasted very little. Viktor helped me not to suffer too much, he's a real sweetheart.

V: No…MISTY! NOOOO!

Panam's skin begins to split open, as if covered with a thousand cuts, while her face begins to lose color, becoming whiter and whiter. She gets closer to V, sitting on his legs, slowly coming closer to his face, touching it with her hand and staining him with blood.

Panam: They abused me for days, V… and Santiago watched laughing. You took everything from me, and he took what remains. After days I finally understood V. I was good, really good. He showed me what I was really born for.

V closes his eyes in deep pain and starts crying profusely, gasping for air.

V: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Jesus Christ… Noooooo! 

V opens his eyes back again, seeing only himself sitting on a chair, surrounded by a black endless void.

Stranger: Hi there, Vincent!

V: Who are you?

Stranger: Somebody, nobody…an old friend…Do you care?

V:…

Stranger: Did you like it?! It's your personal hall of failures. I've seen sooo many low level scums in my career. But you, my friend! You beat them all.

V: Fuck you.

Stranger: Nothing else to say? 

V: No.

Stranger: You and your friend are just parasites. You put your personal goals in front of everything, without caring how many lives you eventually end up destroyin'. You think of yourself as the main character…In reality you are just another selfish, low level, son of bitches.

V: Did you finish?!

Stranger: Yeah. I have no more time left. You know, I have one last piece of advice for you…If you want to save her, you should open your eyes.

V: Tzeh. Who are you?! My personal guardian angel?

Stranger: Far from it. But everybody likes a happy ending.