The hallways in the city hall were a bright white, contrasting to the dark, shiny glass on the building's exterior, reflecting the neon blue lights of the city. Rim walked purposefully through these hallways, peering at the many displays in on the walls. Two of their soldiers walked a little behind, as if trying to shielding their Rao's shoulders. But it wasn't a shield rim needed. 

The building was all but dead at this late hour, apart from the odd guard patrolling the hallways. Rim didn't care if anyone saw them, only that they stayed out of their way. Eventually The Rao and their soldiers reached a sleek white elevator, guarded by two heavily armed sentries. Rim dismissed these soldiers, and with a slightly confused expression, they shuffled away. 

"You two stay here. Make sure no one comes down, no matter how much shit they give you" They commanded to their own corporals before stepping into the open doors of the elevator. They slid shut as Rim pressed the lowest button on the panel.

The doors opened to a much darker hallway. It lead down, becoming grayer and darked as it continued. The last guard gave the Rao a Merian salute as they saw them, and they nodded back as they hastened past. Finally the doors of the Heart's Room were opened.

The Hearts room was large, illuminated with blue light from the large glowing heart in the middle. Ten'noshima's heart was a neon blue, with purples and pinks flowing through it like a river. It was hanging from wires that seemed to disappear into the darkness above while supported underneath with a metal beam. The heart did not beat, but instead pulsed irregularly, like a great beast breathing calmly. As it's skin stretched you could see the wires and technology within. 

"Rao Rimeram," it spoke in a calm and ethereal voice, but you could hear the artificial tin behind its words. "This is a strange time to come down here, but I welcome you non the less. May I ask what brings you here?"

Rim walked slowly and carefully towards the heart, so as not to alarm it. "I think the rule of AI over this city is coming to an end," The Rao echoed, their words repeated by the vastness of the room. The heart flowed pink for a second, before gushing back to it's regular blue. "Rao Rimeram, you and your army have helped this city grow, you have defended it from foreign enemy's both down here and up there. Why do you turn your back on us now?" The Heart queried with a slight sadness in it's tone. "Ten'noshima is not my enemy and it never will be, which is precisely why I'm doing this,"

Rim unsheathed both their swords from on their back. They glowed a bright golden, competing with the intense blue light. The Heart immediately revealed two sleek machine guns, one on either side. They both locked onto the Rao. 

"I do not wish to hurt you, Rao,"

"I wish I didn't have to either," Rim's tail flickered slowly, "But as I said to your friend, you are holding this city back,"

"Rim.."

Rim turned and ran around the heart, the machine-guns firing at them, but the torrent of bullets couldn't keep up with the speed of a dintral. The shine of their sword confused the firearms, making it easier for Rim to evade them. The Rao jumped up onto the Heart's pulsating body, and the gunfire stopped. It couldn't fire at itself. Rim launched themself towards a group of wires slashing them with their blades. They did this for the all the other wires, pouncing and slicing until all the wires went limp. They landed on top of the Heart's slumped body. It was pulsating much faster, almost mimicking a real heartbeat. The Rao knelt on the heart gently, before plunging the glowing swords into its almost lifeless body.

.

.

.

Liquid poured out of the tear in the skin, seeping onto the floor below. Rim breathed heavily, taking a second to regain their strength. They then slashed and pierced the remainder of the heart, making sure every wire was split, every internal computer destroyed. The Rao stood up, wobbling slightly before limping out of the now damp room. A few of the bullets had caught their leg, but that didn't matter, not until now anyway.  

The Sentry outside heard gunshots from the heart's room and rushed to the door. Realising it was locked, they started shouting and banging on the door. They radioed over some guards from the surface, but it would be a long while before they got down, and who knew how many soldiers that alien cat had with them. The guard kept banging and screaming, even trying to shoot the doors open, practically begging the doors to open. 

And They Did

Rim stood in the doorway, caught off guard by the sentry in front of them. They looked rough, their clothes ripped and their armour wet, one of their legs bleeding. "M-"

"The threat is neutralised," the Rao interrupted, "Everything is under control," They turned and walked past the guard, still limping slightly. The sentry felt more at ease, maybe they were wrong to jump to conclusions. They edged open the limp door of the room. Suddenly they fell to the ground, in shock at what lay inside. Sparks flying from hanging wires, liquid spilling out with a chemical stench, and a lifeless mound of blue skin and wires, flickering slightly like a soul leaving a body. The guard turned to the Rao who was still striding up the elevator. "What did you do!?-" the sentry screamed "What have you done- what have you done to the Heart!?-" 

The Rim turned their head, looking at the guard with their golden eyes. 

"I said the threat was neutralised, I wasn't lying," the Rao said simply. 

"You-,"

At that moment, a squadron of Merian soldiers gushed out the elevator and saluted the Rao. Rim gestured towards the sentry still on the floor, crying abuse at them. The soldiers took the arms of the struggling guard and the Rao dissapeared into the sleek white elevator once again.