The first door opened into a bedroom.
It held a king-sized platform bed with sheets that probably cost more than a month's rent. A walk-in closet was visible through an open door on the far wall. It was stuffed with clothes that still had tags attached. Designer labels, silk blouses, tailored pants, and dresses that looked like they required an assistant to put on.
Riri moved to the closet first and ran her hand along the hanging garments. She felt cashmere, silk, and leather softer than the jacket she was currently wearing. She checked the dresser next. Three drawers were dedicated to lace and silk, while a fourth was full of jewelry bundled in velvet pouches.
The bathroom sat through a second door off the bedroom. It was a cathedral of marble and chrome with a counter lined with high-end skincare products. She picked one up. It was an anti-aging serum, imported and limited edition.
The original Riri had been nineteen. She set the bottle down and didn't look at it again.
The kitchen was pristine. Expensive appliances sat there having never been switched on, and the counter was so clean it reflected the ceiling. She pulled open drawers and found utensils and serving spoons. A knife block held six blades, but each one was decorative and weighted incorrectly. They were designed for julienning vegetables instead of anything useful.
She tested one anyway. The handle was too light and the blade was too thin. It would snap on bone. She set it down and kept moving. She pulled the knife block apart properly, checking each blade with her new grip strength. Sharp edges, wrong weight, and decorative spines. The clatter when she put the last one down was loud in the empty apartment.
"System," she said. "Do I get a starter package? Anything useful?"
[Hmm! Standard Integration includes basic clothing and one week's worth of ration bars. However, Host's predecessor already consumed her rations during the Stasis Event. This unit apologizes for the oversight!]
"So I have nothing."
[Not nothing! You have a luxury penthouse, a fabulous wardrobe, and—]
"Decorative knives and silk pajamas." Riri's knuckles went white against the counter edge. "I'm supposed to fight monsters in thirty-six hours and I don't have a weapon that won't break on contact."
The interface dimmed at the edges. The cheerful gold flickered like a light bulb considering its options.
[Oh! Oh! Host, please return to the bedroom closet!]
"Why?"
[This unit just accessed the penthouse inventory logs! The previous Riri Lee had a delivery three days before Integration. Check behind the mink coat, far right corner!]
Riri made her way back. The closet stretched before her, a wall of untouched luxury. She pushed past the hanging garments until she found it: a full-length cream mink. It was the kind of coat that cost more than a car. She shoved it aside.
Behind it, mounted on the wall in a climate-controlled glass case, was a blade. It wasn't decorative or ornamental. It was a tactical combat knife with a matte black finish that absorbed light instead of reflecting it. The edge caught the overhead lighting at a wicked angle. Beside it sat a leather thigh holster.
Riri pressed her palm against the glass. "The original Riri bought a blade?"
[Apparently she wasn't completely unprepared! Shall we open it?]
There was no lock or keypad. She pressed her thumb against the corner seam and felt it give with a soft click. The case swung open. The knife was heavier than expected. It felt solid and well-balanced, the grip textured for stability. She turned it over and checked the edge. It was sharp enough to split paper. The spine was reinforced, built to take impact without snapping.
[Ooh! May this unit scan it?]
"Go ahead."
A pulse of gold light washed over the blade.
[Item Identified: Tactical Combat Knife] [Rarity: Common | Damage: 15-22 (Slashing) | Durability: 87/100] [Special Effect: None] [Note: Standard issue equipment. Reliable but unexceptional. Suitable for Level 1-5 encounters.]
It was common rarity with no special effects. However, it was sharp and it wouldn't shatter the first time she hit something solid. She strapped the thigh holster on, adjusted the buckles until it sat snug, and slid the knife into place. She drew it once. It was smooth. The weight felt right in her grip.
Then she registered she had no idea what to do with it beyond stabbing a monster. She'd never held a weapon before today. The closest she'd come to combat was aggressive copy-editing. She slid the knife back into its holster before she accidentally proved that point.
"System. Do you offer basic weapons training? Videos? Tutorials?"
[Hmm! This unit does not have integrated training modules. However...]
The interface shimmered.
[Host could access the old Earth internet archives! Would you like this unit to establish a connection?]
"You can use the internet?"
[Of course! All pre-Integration data was preserved during the Stasis Event. Think of it as a very extensive library!]
"The internet survived an apocalypse," Riri said.
[It did! Quite literally! ♡]
"Fine. Best beginner knife combat video. Practical fundamentals. Something field-tested."
[Searching now!]
The interface rippled. A video player materialized in her vision, frozen on a thumbnail of a man in tactical gear standing in a training gym.
["Tactical Knife Combat: Fundamentals for Survival Situations"] [Duration: 47 minutes | Instructor: Former Special Forces] [Highest rated for beginner-level instruction with practical application focus. Shall this unit play it?]
Riri looked around the penthouse. There was open floor space and marble that wouldn't scuff. No furniture sat close enough to accidentally stab. She drew the knife and let the grip settle into her palm.
"Play it."
The instructor's voice came through crisp and unhurried.
"First rule of knife fighting: don't get into a knife fight. Second rule: if you have to, end it fast."