I wasted some time at the Ramen bar eating and watching the news on the TV there, but eventually I paid and slipped out, heading home, actually walking back to the apartment just to enjoy being able to go outside again.

Jeez it made me remember just how long it had been since I was able to just go on the street for a walk.

Since the kidnapping.

As I walked through the horde of people walking through the market I felt paranoia slowly amping up. It wasn’t like I was far from where it had happened. The crowd was thick. I would have trouble escaping if someone attacked me. I had my Burya, but what if I didn’t bring enough ammo? What if I didn’t have enough Max-Doc’s?

What if?

But no.

I wasn’t going to live like that. Morgan Blackhand had mentioned paranoia was a good thing for a solo. There was literally a segment in his guide about constantly moving, sleeping in different locations, and never falling into habits that someone could use against you.

Good advice, but also a good way to spend your entire life living in utter fear. Or sleeping in cardboard boxes in alleys just to throw people off your trail.

No thanks.

I let a drop of cold blood wash away the paranoia. I was in control of myself, and I wasn’t about to let my fear control my life like that. I would just have to get so amazing in everything that I could build a doom fortress or something.

Seriously Morgan, your advice is good, but also kind spastic.

So instead I pushed my shoulders back, my head up and started stalking. I wasn’t tall enough to cause the crowd to break around me, and while I was armed, so was everyone else, but it made me feel better. Made me confident as I walked home.

No Maelstrom jumped out of the shadows to attack me, no one even noticed me.

It made me scoff at my own paranoia.

I made it home without anything happening. A reminder that in the grand scheme of things I wasn’t some super important character.

I was just Motoko, and I wasn’t that important. Yet.

I raced up the stairs of the apartment enjoying how easy it was to run up the four flights of stairs. As I slipped into the apartment I could hear the quiet snoring of Jun still coming from his room.

Silly Jun. But I guess I had literally kept him up all night on my hunt for that killer.

I made sure to keep quiet as I settled in. I had a few hours until Hiromi was free from school, so I set an alarm in my hud and grabbed my ICE laptop.

Let’s do some casual grinding while I wait.

—--

I was waiting in front of the Arasaka building when Hiromi came out. Sure I had gotten some weird looks, and Arasaka security looked like they were keeping a close eye on my all black ride, but I didn’t care.

I wasn’t doing anything nefarious.

Finally the crowd of teenagers headed out, almost all of them heading to private vehicles, a few of the truly rich didn’t even leave the front of the building instead getting into AV’s and disappearing into the sky of Night City. A place only the ultra rich and powerful were welcome to.

Hiromi though stalked out of the building practically stomping on her way out. Her direct path towards my car was interesting as some people had to literally get out of the way as she stomped up to the car and flopped in.

“I hate morons.” She said practically growling as I nodded along with her. Hiromi was super mad, I wasn’t about to start poking her until she was ready. I pulled out into traffic and started heading for her home. A minute later she finally spoke.

“That fuckin gonk Tomaru. He pulled some shit, tried his stupid power play shit again. Fucker.” Hiromi ranted glaring out the window as I just nodded along.

“Want me to kill him?”

The silence in the car stretched on for a moment before Hiromi chuckled. “No. It would certainly make my life easier.” She admitted actually breaking through her anger and chuckling a bit. “Sorry, I should have said thanks for picking me up Choom.”

“It’s fine. School is the worst!” I offered earning a snort from Hiromi.

“Motoko you literally never went to school. I bet everything you know about school comes from some cartoon or something.” Hiromi teased, and the fact I couldn’t just argue against that, my ‘amnesia’ and past life made anything I could say come out wrong.

So I just flushed and tried to ignore the way Hiromi’s smile was turning shark like.

“When we stop at your place, how about I work on your bike? I can probably fix it up tonight.” I interrupted whatever teasing Hiromi was about to do, trying to avoid my chooms assault.

“Fiiiine. I’ll let you change the subject. That would be great, do you like, need anything?”

“Nah. I have my toolbox in the trunk, should be everything I need. Hang out with me while I do it?”

“Definitely!”

—--

Hiromi’s Kusanagi was in rough shape. She hadn’t damaged the frame or anything, Kusanagi, even the stupid Mizuchi with all the modifications going into it, that she owned. Most of it was just panel damage, although one of the magnetic brake calipers on the front wheel was bent a bit. I ended up needing to disassemble the front brake array, and with a bit of work with my auto fab and a bit of time I had a new brake caliper re-attached and the front wheel spinning as it should instead of grinding and stuck.

“You’re way better at this than I thought.” Hiromi muttered beside me. We had been out here for a few hours and Hiromi had gone from standing around, to sitting to lazily laying against her bike after I had put it on its side to fix the brakes.

“I’ve been practicing with tinkering and stuff! Did I show you my gadget?” I asked perking up a bit when Hiromi shook her head. Despite my hands full with one of her side panels actively undenting the piece of metal, I reached into my hip pouch and pulled out my distance mic.

“What is it?” Hiromi asked curiously as I passed it over, she figured out the earpiece quickly enough but I had to reach over and tug on the actual microphone before she realized the wires were set into a little assembly.

I tugged it out and let it go watching as it was pulled back inside. A moment of fiddling and she had it extended out. The microphone I had to instruct her to tie around her finger with the little strap on the end.

“Point it at me.” I said as my hands continued on their task of fixing the dented plate. Only once she did so did I start humming quietly, purposefully keeping the tone low.

“Oh! It’s a directional mic!” Hiromi chirped, figuring it out. After all, for her this wasn’t some weird tech that is rarely used, it’s tuesday, it’s normal. I’ve seen plenty of TV shows, and even cartoons mention gadgets like this all the time. Hiromi had grown up in a world where technology was easily accessible, and practically skewed towards corporate espionage.

“Yeah. I ran into a problem at one of my gigs, the Maelstrom were having a conversation and I couldn’t hear what they were saying. That right there is step one on fixing the problem. I uh… Still need to go into some programming for it. I want it to be able to focus on a conversation and ignore music or something.”

“Hmm. Arasaka has a Cyberware that does that.” Hiromi said tapping at her lips.

“I suppose I could find a piece and see what the programming is like, but I kinda want to do this all on my own. To see just what I can do… You know?”

Hiromi just gave me a smile as I admitted this was more of a challenge to myself than something I needed right then. “I’m sure it’ll be great Motoko. It’s way more than I could make already. You’re making me look bad over here.” She told me poking me with her shoe as she teased me.

“Eh. It’s just time and work. You have school, and ‘rents, and stuff to deal with.”

“Yeah cause you don’t have Gigs, Jun, and all sorts of crazy stuff you are doing. I’m waaaay lazy compared to you.”

I just huffed. “Maybe, but you’re still my best choom. I wouldn’t want anyone else at my side.” I told her flashing a smile before going back to my work.

I never noticed her flush at my compliment.

“Done!” I called out suddenly as I pulled the newly repaired side panel off the floor looking it over. The paint was still ruined, but that was a much easier fix than the massive dents in the thing.

“Really? Already?”

“Sure. Easy peasy. Help me re-install it?” I prompted Hiromi who jumped to help, and with her helping to hold it in place, I was able to use a small power tool to put it back together and pull her bike back onto its wheels.

“Ugh. Done!” I grunted as the bike was righted. “Want to give it a drive around the block?”

“Yeees! C’mon Motoko!” Hiromi said, jumping onto the bike and patting behind her.

“Nooo way Choom.” I denied holding my arms up in an X. “I have to clean up my tools, and I don’t want to be anywhere near you driving if I can help it.”

“Moootooookooooo!” Hiromi whined at me eyes wet and lip puffy. Hiromi used Puppy Dog Face. It’s super effective.

“Fiiine.” I grumbled, taking a minute to grab my tool box and load it into the Quadra to make sure it was secure, before climbing in behind Hiromi.

The screech of wheels going way too fast had me gripping my choom a bit tight but thankfully Hiromi didn’t complain.

Despite just needing a ride around the block to make sure everything was working, Hiromi headed out into the city seemingly just happy to have her freedom again.

While stopped at a red light, which I will admit I’m shocked Hiromi actually stopped at. The first two times Hiromi had just blown through them without a care.

Maybe it was my screaming in her ear the entire time? If someone had been standing at the crosswalk as we passed by they would have been treated to my doppler effect scream as she raced through.

Seriously my heart was pounding more right now than it did when I was in a fight for my life!

Hiromi: More dangerous than a gun fight!

While paused at the light I finally pulled away from the death grip I had on my choom. “Where are we going?” I finally asked, for the first time since we started racing through the streets I could actually hear a response.

“Nowhere! I just wanted to get out… You know? Stuck at home for so long I just needed to go!” She called back and I nodded. Before stilling.

“Hey Hiromi? What are you doing tomorrow night? I know you have school and stuff, but I had an offer from some Nomads I’m friends with to go to a barbeque. Want to come?” I offered. If Hiromi needed to get out, away from her apartment that she had been trapped in for weeks…

Then the badlands were super far away!

“Wha? Nomads!? Motoko? What are you talking about?”

“Oh last night I was hunting down-Green Light!” I called out startling Hiromi, when I realized we had both been distracted and hadn’t noticed the light change, grumbling she started off, but instead of rushing down the street she found a parking spot and settled in even hitting the kick stand so we were properly parked.

“Now say that again?” She demanded and I nodded.

“Last night I was hunting down this serial killer guy. Total creep factor. Anyway, one of the farms Jun and I hit had a bunch of Raffen… I mean they were right there? So I took them out.” I shrugged Miming a stabbing motion to get my point across. it really had been an easy spot of murder. The Raffen had literally been asleep on the job.

“Shit! You went out on a gig last night? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I told you just now.” I offered rolling my eyes.

“Ugh! You’re still a gonk. But c’mon deets!”

“Nuh-uh. I recorded it, you can see it for yourself… Eventually. I’ll need to see Judy and drop them off… Anyway, all the Raffen had a bunch of wheels. So I called up some Aldecaldos buddies, remember Scorpion? I told you about him when I went and did that gig? I called him and they picked them up, but the Aldecaldos boss feels he owes me one, and I got an invite to a barbeque and a meeting… So want to come?”

“Shit Motoko, your life is so crazy. You bet I’m in! One hundred percent!”

“Cool… Umm will your ‘rents be okay with that? We’ll likely be gone all night… Maybe all day even?”

“I’ll convince them… I can just tell them it’s an in for me with the nomads as a work connection or something.” She mumbled the last bit, starting to nibble on her bottom lip as she thought about it.

“Cool.” I said smiling. Honestly it was a long drive out to the Aldecaldos camp. It would be nice to have a travel buddy!

Hiromi was practically buzzing after, swiftly shaking off her thoughts of convincing her parents, and instead taking us back into the streets.

Hiromi! Red means stop!

—--

After Hiromi finally got the need to drive around out of her system we headed home. She needed to try and convince her parents to let her leave the city, and I wanted to go see Judy and Nox.

I did have the Raffen assault to offer up now, although I wasn’t going to share the one where I killed the Meat Man. I wasn’t sure how many people would end up knowing about his death, and while I wasn’t exactly worried about people knowing it was me that did it, there really wasn’t much on that gig worth keeping, especially since I had failed to hack the mines…

It wasn’t like I was going to destroy that recording just because it showed me try and fail to hack the mines over and over!

It was because it was boring! Definitely!

Sliding into a parking spot at Lizzies I was really surprised when as I walked up to the door Rita actually walked out and matched my pace, to my surprise she threw an arm over my shoulder and was giving me a smile.

“Hey kid.”

“Oh, Uh hey Rita!”

“Wanna talk with you. Come with?” She asked, and it was definitely a question she wasn’t pushing me along, or anything just giving me a minute to decide.

“Sure? I just needed to drop off something with Judy, but I’m not in a rush.”

“Preem. C’mon Kid.” She said smiling as she guided me inside. Nobody really paid us any attention other than the door bouncer that was replacing Rita, who just gave Rita a quirked eyebrow before sliding into her position. Then Rita walked me into Lizzies, towards the back, and into one of the private booths.

I might have been a bit uncomfortable about the whole thing if Rita was chattering away about something Judy had done a month or so ago when she had tried to spend three days working while staying awake drinking her crazy caffeine soda.

Apparently Judy had a bit of a wild side after three days without sleep.

“So that’s why we don’t let her have those things anymore. Replacing the tables cost a pretty penny. Suzie wasn’t happy about it, but Judy is too good at what she does to really punish.” Rita ended the story causing both of us to laugh at Judy’s antics.

“So what’s going on Rita?” I asked breaking up the funny stories.“Well kid… No, I should do this right. Motoko, I wanted to make sure… Listen. I’m not great at this sort of thing. There’s a reason I’m the bouncer and not one of the touchy feely types… I watched that BD you had Judy do, she showed it to me that night, and I just wanted to say…” Rita to my surprise looked uncomfortable as she sort of toyed with her bangs.

“Rita?”

“If you ever need to talk to someone? If you just want to hang out, with someone that gets it? That understands? I’m here. The Mox are here. We aren’t… Well Judy and some of the older girls try to keep the spirit alive, but we don’t go out and try to help people as much as we used to, but I still… Fuck I’m rambling.” The older woman said, sighing as she looked around and found a bottle of… Something alcoholic laying around the booth. She took a second to check it and then popped the glass stopper and took a swish of it down.

I just kept staring because I had no idea what was going on.

“Okay I can do this. C’mon Rita.” She said pepping herself up before she focused on me again.

“Listen, Motoko… This stuff. Killing, chrome, Night City, it’s not easy, but if you need something. I’m… I get it. I went through similar shit when I was a kid too. Forced chrome, fighting, killing because if I didn’t I would be the one dead. The whole reason we all came together as the Mox was to help people like us. If you need help getting away from the TC, if you just… Want to stop killing or being chipped. I’ll be here, someone to talk to, or back you up if you need it. Fuck I’m not good at being the sponsor.” She muttered, turning away from me, and it was only because of how she had shifted that I saw the bits of her face that wasn’t chrome was actually blushing.

How cute!

“Thanks Rita.” I said I couldn’t help it, I was smiling at her obvious distress because it really showed how much this meant to her. “I mean, I don’t really think I’m in any trouble. I mostly just work with the TC to watch my brother, and other than these arms, which was Maelstrom. I barely have any other chrome. But I get it… Thank you. For reaching out? It’s really sweet.”

“Don’t call me sweet.” Rita groaned, the top of her face flushed as she did her best to look away from me the bottle of alcohol clutched in her hands as if it was a lifeline.

“But you are! I’m not in any trouble, honest. The gigs I take the people I kill, it’s my choice, and I kiiiinda, like it.” I admitted as I settled onto the couch beside her so we could chat easier. “I found I have a talent for it, and it’s… Exciting. Thrilling even!”

“Oh… Fuck. Ugh. I’m such a gonk. Stupid Rita, Real stupid.” She muttered to herself, but I wasn’t about to let Rita who was being an absolute sweetheart trying to help me escape what she must have thought was some Tyger Claw work force. I guess if you saw me killing Maelstrom at the side of TC when I kept saying I wasn’t with them, it could be interpreted that way.

I reached out before she could berate herself anymore and pulled her into a hug. My arms wrapping around her own as I practically pinned her arms to her sides to give her the strongest hug I could.

I nearly giggled as she went still for a moment. “Thanks Rita. Really. It’s nice to know that one more person in this city is looking out for me… Honestly not enough people do that.”

“It’s what the Mox are supposed to do.” She said quietly, sounding a little uncomfortable at the contact. So I pulled away.

“I mean, there is a reason I think the Mox are the best gang in the city.”

“We used to be even better.” She muttered but shook it away as she finally seemed to focus on me. “You’re a real monster kid. That BD, some of the stuff I saw, that wasn’t normal. Wasn’t something you see on a teenager, even the ones with a history like me… You sure you’re okay someone isn’t forcing you?”

“Yeah. I’m okay. I promise. Well I mean. I’m still recovering from the whole Maelstrom kidnapping, but I’m feeling a lot better.”

She frowned, nodding a bit at my response before seeming to come to a decision. “I know what it’s like to be forcefully chipped. I lost my arms the same way. Motoko, do you… Do you do anything creative with your hands?” She asked suddenly and I stilled before nodding.

“Yeah? I started tinkering. I even made a distance microphone the other day! From scratch!” I said pulling it out and showing Rita. Once more showing off my baby!

She smiled, but shook her head a bit. “Not what I meant exactly. Sorry I’m not great at this, I mean like… Spiritually creative? Art? Or something? After I got out, after I realized I was stuck with these arms. I didn’t handle it well. Took me a long time to get over that they were a piece of me and not just some monster attached to my meat. I started… Just don’t tell anyone okay? I started sculpting, it's something I did as a kid, and I came back to it. I make little figurines… Animals, just things that can’t talk back, or push boundaries. Every time I see them now, I’m reminded that they were created with these hands of mine. That my arms aren’t just weapons. That they can do good things too. So just… It helps me… Try finding something, anything. Whatever suits you, and maybe… Maybe it will help?”

She went quiet after that looking extremely uncomfortable, which is saying something when most of her face was chrome.

Wow. Rita was really trying hard to help. I didn’t know what to say, what to do, so I just did what felt natural, I reached out and grabbed her hand. And gave her a squeeze.

It was a quiet minute between us. Two women that had been assaulted and ripped apart. I felt myself eventually falling into a goofy smile as I took in Rita and what she had tried to do.

Eventually with no more words said we split apart, Rita obviously having hit her maximum amount of emotional baggage for the day. I went to drop off the Raffen BD with Judy who took it with some interest.

But I didn’t stick around. I’ll admit I hadn’t thought about it.

Rita was right though. Everything I did since I got the system revolved around getting stronger for combat, for murder. Even my tech interests. It was like I was reacting to the fear of living in Night City. Trying to get strong enough to protect myself.

But did I actually have any hobbies that didn’t involve grinding? Did I do anything for fun that wasn’t just the feedback loop towards combat?

I ended up sitting in the Quadra for a while just staring out at the people walking by as I was forced to consider the fact that I might have, just been a little teensy tiny bit too obsessed with this whole Merc thing.

What exactly did Motoko Kusanagi do for her mental wellbeing, other than rely on Cold Blood? What hobbies did she have that didn’t involve fighting?

This would need further thought.