Carrot of Truth
War is Peace
I don't know every time I see Cassidy I get the urge to listen to Country Roads.
Ghost in the City Cyberpunk Gamer SI
- Thread starter Seras
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- cyberpunk gamer self-insert
I don't know every time I see Cassidy I get the urge to listen to Country Roads.
Seras
Well-known member
At least another 100 chapters probably. XD Motoko is very dense when it comes to female interest towards her.
Oh that's an interesting idea. I do like that song even with the subject matter.
Here's the cover if anyone is interested
xachariahxx
Well-known member
Question about Hiromi. She used to flirt with Jun, then it's revealed that she's into Motoko instead.
At first I thought that her attraction to Jun was just a cover for her feelings for Motoko. But now it looks like Jun is the rizzler himself, with that protagonist energy. Motoko is just more so.
Basically, does Hiromi wish she was the meat in a Kusanagi sandwich, only she's more into Motoko? Or has her attraction to Jun fully faded now that she's on the 'toko train?
At first I thought that her attraction to Jun was just a cover for her feelings for Motoko. But now it looks like Jun is the rizzler himself, with that protagonist energy. Motoko is just more so.
Basically, does Hiromi wish she was the meat in a Kusanagi sandwich, only she's more into Motoko? Or has her attraction to Jun fully faded now that she's on the 'toko train?
Seras
Well-known member
Funnily enough I was asked a very similar question on SB just earlier today so let me cross post the response.
Good question! Bit of both. Hiromi has always 'liked' Motoko but for different reasons, and not entirely while realizing she like liked her.
Old Motoko was someone that basically pulled Hiromi out of the boring life she was stuck in, brought her to the streets introduced her to people that would become her friends. She loved it. And she loved Motoko for bringing excitement to her life. Motoko was who Hiromi wanted to be. Brave, free, outgoing ect. She probably didn't realize she was in love with her until after Motoko was stuck in the coma.
Before that she flirted with Jun partially cause she thought he was good looking, and partially because doing so messed with Motoko and would make Motoko pay attention to her.
Post Coma Hiromi realized she was in love with Motoko but was super uncomfortable about it since Motoko was amnesiac. And so sort of fell into the same routine. Flirting with Jun and getting a reaction ect.
Until she realized that new Motoko was even MORE her type. That instead of the insensitive genki girl that was old Motoko new Motoko had all the same excitment, but was sweet, and caring, and willing to spend time with her just to spend time with her.
So that's why Hiromi mostly stopped flirting with Jun, that and he did sort of go cyberpsycho there for a while which scared her.
Chapter 101
Seras
Well-known member
I left Jun to brood over his playboy ways. I headed out of the apartment entirely to give him some space. He was totally freaking out on the inside at flirting with Rita, and I would normally stick around to calm him down, but he honestly needed some private time to come to terms with the fact he might actually still be alive and interested in girls.
I headed out onto the street with no real plans.
Did I want to go hang out with my chooms? Go netrunning? Shoot something?
That last one was pretty tempting, but I didn’t exactly have a lot of targets at the moment. I guess I could go find some scavs?
I shook my head, just because I was bored was no reason to get into a gunfight…
Even if it was really tempting.
So instead I should… I pulled up my agent on my eyes. I had a lot of money.
I should probably spend some of it? I mean that was what people did when they had disposable income right? Spend it on stupid stuff?
What did I want?
More Chrome? Probably not a good idea. At least until I get a few more points into Adaptation.
I already had a preem ride… I could go find a Kusanagi. I always wanted a motorcycle… I looked at my account.
I certainly had the eddies. Between the big scav raid, and all the smaller ones, Hiromi had been raking in the eddies with all the chrome sales.
I checked the time, Hiromi would be out of school soon, maybe enough time for everything to work out.
So I pulled up a number and made a call.
*Motoko, what do you want?* Wakako asked as soon as she picked up the phone.
*Do you have any info on a Kusanagi for sale?*
*I don’t deal in people. If your brother ended up on the market, I have no interest in it.* It took me a moment to catch what had just been said. Wakako spoke completely straight. No hint of the joke she had just made in her tone.
*Hahaha, I’m laughing so hard Wakako, Wow you should go work at a comedy club. So you got any info?*
*I do happen to have a few sellers for Kusanagi. You teenagers and your motorcycles.*
*They are cool Wakako! Don’t tell me none of your husbands ever gave you a ride on their bikes.* I teased right back and I knew I had got her as I got a scoffing noise through the line, but not an actual refusal. *But do you have any that aren’t the Mizuchi mod? I’m looking for something more standard.*
*That does lower the amount of sellers. I’ll send you the information.*
*Thanks Wakako!* I chirped in a rush, before she could hang up, and it was a moment after the line went dead.
Gotcha!
A few moments later I got a text.
Pictures of a pretty red Kusanagi, and a price that made me wince.
I sent the confirmation, and eddies, and a few moments later I got a location to pick it up, as well as a digital key.
I rushed across the street to get into my Quadra.
I had promised Hiromi a ride if I ever got a Bike afterall!
—--
The Kusanagi was everything I had ever wanted. It was also a smoother ride than Jun’s stupid over tuned Mizuchi. It was exactly what I wanted, if not for a few issues.
“Pretty sure whoever owned this thing last, fucked with the brakes.” I grumbled as I once again felt the brakes slipping as I came to a stop.
Good thing I drove so safely otherwise I would have crashed right into the back of the car stopped at the light.
Also one of the front head lights was out. Have to fix that before nighttime. I had already looked up a few shops where I could buy them.
Unfortunately discovering the brakes were bad meant I couldn’t race across the city to pick up Hiromi for the ride I promised her.
Had to do some work on my new baby first.
I pulled into the parking lot of a part store. It was sketchy to the eyes of my old life, but in this one, it was actually a pretty safe spot.
I pulled into an open spot in a corner far enough away I could do some work without anyone getting in the way and slid off my new ride.
I resisted the urge to squeal like a kid as I did a cool saunter into the store past a few of the gonks that hung around shops like this checking out the rides that came in.
This sort of place was popular with racing types. It’s why I had picked this particular shop while searching the city-net. Kusanagi weren’t cheap bikes, and they used high end parts for a lot of things.
One of the teens that were hanging around the entrance gave my ride a whistle as I passed him by. “Nice wheels kid.”
“She’s preem right?” I asked as I walked past, stepping into the shop and taking it all in.
Inside the smell of oil, grease, and steel filled my nose a nostalgic smell. I remember being dragged into shops like this all the time in my past life. I shook off the smell and began searching.
The head light was easy enough to find, and I went ahead and grabbed a replacement for all the lights as well.
Brakes though weren’t just out in the store front.
“What can I help you with Hermanita?” The Tino behind the counter asked as he looked me over wondering what I was doing here.
Not every day you see a fourteen year old in a shop like this.
“I need some brakes for my Kusanagi Yaiba. They’re dying bad.”
“Alright. Let me see what we got.” He stepped away from the counter and into the back that was covered in parts and boxes of parts.
After a short wait he came back with a set of square boxes that were definitely not factory standard, and he pulled out two brake pads for my bike.
Thankfully I had enough Tech Attribute that I was able to tell that while used, the brakes were still in good condition.
I did a few checks on both though just to be sure, chrome fingers sliding into spots to check that they weren’t just trash made to look normal. I could see the seller nod along as I seemed to actually know what I was doing.
“They’ll do.” I passed the eddies over for them and the head lights and carried it all out of the shop.
Once again I was glad my Body was so high, because the Kusanagi had big fucking brakes. They were heavy.
I walked out and set them on the concrete in front of my Kusanagi as I waited for my tool box to arrive.
I could drive it home and work on it there. But I didn’t really want to drive my bike with the brakes all fucked up.
Seriously, it was dangerous!
Unfortunately It wasn’t like I kept my toolbox in my Quadra. It was beside the couch where I had left it while working on the Music box, so that meant I had to call Jun.
To my surprise Jun showed up not on his own Kusanagi, but in my Quadra!
The black with purple Quadra was also getting some attention from the teens all hanging around. I guess it wasn’t every day they saw a Nomad custom Quadra Type-66. I could see the kids all perk up as Jun pulled in and into the space next to my Kusanagi. Of course all the attention they had vanished in an instant when Jun stepped out.
I could practically hear the whispers of “Oni” echoed between all the kids.
Okay seriously what was Jun doing that was spreading his rep around so much? I was fairly confident I had killed more people than him! I shook off the outrage as I waved to Jun.
“Hey Jun. You brought my Quadra?”
“It’s not exactly comfortable riding a bike with a toolbox in my arms. I didn’t figure you would mind.” He said and I just nodded. I had given Jun a key for my Quadra, but he had stuck to his bike even when it would be more convenient.
“Sorry for pulling you out of your brooding.” I told him and that earned me a glare as he offered me the tool box pushing me back with it a bit.
“I wasn’t brooding.”
“Sure. Sure.” I agreed without doing anything of the sort as I took my tools and went to work.
“Pass me the-” Jun said as he crouched down and looked like he was going to help.
So I immediately threatened him with a wrench. “Don’t even think about it! This is my baby.”
“Do you even know how to… replace the brakes?” Jun asked, noticing the parts I had bought. He ignored me for a moment as he walked over to the boxes of brakes to check them.
“They’re fine Jun. Used, but in good condition.” I told him, and he scowled a little.
“I was just double checking. Common scam is to fill the inside of the brakes with gunk to make them look new.”
“Already checked for that.” I told him and Jun had nothing to say to that as he nodded and to my surprise he took a seat and just let me get on with it.
So I did. I had done something pretty similar with Hiromi’s Kusanagi after she crashed it. Despite her Kusanagi being the stupid Mizuchi custom job. I had to figure out the paneling but once that was done. It only took me a few minutes to get the front wheel off, and check the brakes.
Yep. I whistled at just how bad they were.
“You drove on those?”
“Only a little. It didn’t take me long to figure out something was wrong after all.” I told Jun but he was still scowling as I passed the brake over to him as he motioned for it and he scowled as he looked it over.
“I’m surprised you didn’t crash.”
“I’m a safe driver!” I chirped happily as I pulled the fresh brakes out and got to work installing it. My hands deftly handled the whole task. Even the finicky parts that you were guaranteed to scrape the shit out of your hands trying to do were no problem, as my hands were chrome!
“Front brake done.” I told him, as I shifted the bike to get access to the rear wheel and worked on that.
“I’ll have to have you check out my Kusanagi.”
“Blegh! I don’t work on Mizuchi! Those things are-”
“Yeah yeah, I know. You think they’re stupid.” Jun said while rolling his eyes.
“They are! I’ll do my own custom job! And when I’m done they’ll call it the Motoko Kusanagi, and everyone will want one!” I told him firmly, waving my wrench at him for a moment to prove my seriousness.
Jun just laughed at me though, which was super rude.
At least he wasn’t brooding so much anymore.
—--
“And done.” I confirmed finishing putting the last panel on. I had replaced the brakes and the lights. While checking the lights there had been some wires that looked rough. So since I had the panel off already I had gone ahead and replaced those as well.
“I should ride it first to make sure it’s sa-” Jun tried but I quickly hopped onto the seat and glared at my stupid brother.
“Not a chance.”
He just laughed because the jerks teasing had gotten a reaction.
I was going to drop kick him in his sleep. See how he likes being messed with.
I slipped back off, and finished putting my toolbox away in the Quadra which Jun had settled into the drivers seat.
“Take it slow at first.” Jun warned, but I was in no mood for slow and steady.
I started her up. The engine roaring to life as I did a quick burnout to adjust my bike to face the street.
“Motoko No!”
“Motoko Yes!” I called back as I let go of the brakes and roared out of the parking lot. I could hear Jun cursing and starting up my Quadra right after as I cackled and roared down the streets of Night City.
I would go slow. So Jun could keep up.
—---
Instead of meeting up with Hiromi that night, I decided I would surprise her later instead. Since it had taken so long to fix the bike up enough to be safe. So after I drove back to the apartment so Jun would be off my tail I headed back out into the city free of overbearing Nii-chans.
It was a shame my Driving skill was already maxed out with Reflex. As testing out my new bike would have been a good chance to earn some XP.
But I didn’t mind. It was less a stat thing, and more just getting to learn the wiggles of my new bike.
Like whoever had owned her before had done some custom work on her. The engine was throatier than a normal Kusanagi, something I only noticed when I was able to really open her up now that her brakes were fixed.
I would have to take her apart and see what had been done.
But I didn’t mind the sound. It was better than the horrible Mizuchi that always sounded overtuned and tinny.
Which was a noise I soon noticed as I was stopped at a red light, a Mizuchi pulled up beside me. Sliding in between an old beat up Galena to stop beside me at the front of the light.
The kid on the back was definitely TC. He even had one of the Arasaka style Kabuto helmets on his head, not for protection, but just to look even more Japanese.
He revved his shitwagon and I winced at how horrible it sounded. I could practically hear the engine ripping itself apart as it tried to keep up with the overturning.
So I revved my bike. The throaty roar of my new girl rumbled out.
I could see it on his face. He was thinking the same thing I was just a moment before, just in reverse.
He thought his stupid Mizuchi was the better bike.
The light hit green, and for once I wasn’t following the laws. My Kusanagi roared as I gunned it the noise fighting against the ugly noise coming from the Mizuchi as we both raced off the line.
Night City wasn’t a safe place to street race without someone setting it up. The streets were filled with cars and pedestrians.
But this was also Night City, and other than me, no one cared about the laws.
We raced down the street, weaving in between the cars, he got an early lead, the overtuned first gears of his Mizuchi giving him just enough extra power to pull the lead.
Well that and experience slipping in between traffic, this was my first time on a full size Kusanagi, and my girl was a little bit wider than a Mizuchi.
But the road up ahead angled into a sharp turn. We both broke through the traffic with him in the lead, but as we hit the turn he had to slow down to make it.
I didn’t.
Whooping in delight, I drifted right past him almost completely on the side of my bike, just barely keeping it from sparking off the asphalt as I blew past him and then had to slow down as we came up to another red light.
A few moments later he pulled up beside me and gave me a nod.
“Not bad!”
I just laughed at his attempt to keep some tatters of his remaining ego.
“You should come race!” He called out and I surprised myself by actually considering it.
I mean. I liked following the laws when driving… But I had grown up in the Fast and the Furious era. I wasn’t going to go around screaming about family or something. But street races were inherently cool.
“Send me the deets!” I called back. The light was changing and it was time to drive. I got a text from him with an address just as I pulled away driving off into the city weaving in and out of traffic.
Just a little. It was important to be safe about it after all.
—--
I was pulling into the parking lot of the apartment when I realized we only had the two spots. I grumbled as I had to park my baby close to Jun’s stupid bike.
I slipped off and then looked back grimacing a bit at the look between the two Kusanagi.
The standard beautiful version, that did have some modifications but it was all under the hood so to speak and then the Mizuchi that was barely identifiable as a Kusanagi at all…
I felt like there was some meta commentary there about Jun and I, but I decided to ignore that entirely and instead just turned to head inside.
I had been driving around for a few hours and I had a lot of fun, but it was time to head home and put my feet up.
I stopped by the old man selling meat sticks to grab one happily scarfing it down as I raced up the stairs enjoying the bounciness of my ankles as I hit the fourth floor.
I slipped inside. “Jun I’m home!”
“About time.” He grumbled coming out of the bathroom and wiping down his hair obviously he had just gotten out of a shower.
“I was having fun!” I argued justifying my ride around the city.
Jun just ignored me and went back into the bathroom to finish drying his hair and so I flopped on the couch.
I didn’t really feel like music stuff at the moment. Plus I did have other projects I needed to work on. It took a few minutes but I went and found the Kang Tao armor I had stolen and left in the Quadra before coming back up to the apartment.
First I took some tools to remove the Kang Tao symbols and stuff. Mostly just paint, but some cutting was required as well.
Then I finished painting it. Removing the Kang Tao orange, and replacing it with a nice purple.
Yeah. That looked better. I ended up sitting the armor in a corner to dry and at that point I was actually feeling kinda… Lazy-tired?
so I made the mistake of turning the TV on to see what I could find.
I headed out onto the street with no real plans.
Did I want to go hang out with my chooms? Go netrunning? Shoot something?
That last one was pretty tempting, but I didn’t exactly have a lot of targets at the moment. I guess I could go find some scavs?
I shook my head, just because I was bored was no reason to get into a gunfight…
Even if it was really tempting.
So instead I should… I pulled up my agent on my eyes. I had a lot of money.
I should probably spend some of it? I mean that was what people did when they had disposable income right? Spend it on stupid stuff?
What did I want?
More Chrome? Probably not a good idea. At least until I get a few more points into Adaptation.
I already had a preem ride… I could go find a Kusanagi. I always wanted a motorcycle… I looked at my account.
I certainly had the eddies. Between the big scav raid, and all the smaller ones, Hiromi had been raking in the eddies with all the chrome sales.
I checked the time, Hiromi would be out of school soon, maybe enough time for everything to work out.
So I pulled up a number and made a call.
*Motoko, what do you want?* Wakako asked as soon as she picked up the phone.
*Do you have any info on a Kusanagi for sale?*
*I don’t deal in people. If your brother ended up on the market, I have no interest in it.* It took me a moment to catch what had just been said. Wakako spoke completely straight. No hint of the joke she had just made in her tone.
*Hahaha, I’m laughing so hard Wakako, Wow you should go work at a comedy club. So you got any info?*
*I do happen to have a few sellers for Kusanagi. You teenagers and your motorcycles.*
*They are cool Wakako! Don’t tell me none of your husbands ever gave you a ride on their bikes.* I teased right back and I knew I had got her as I got a scoffing noise through the line, but not an actual refusal. *But do you have any that aren’t the Mizuchi mod? I’m looking for something more standard.*
*That does lower the amount of sellers. I’ll send you the information.*
*Thanks Wakako!* I chirped in a rush, before she could hang up, and it was a moment after the line went dead.
Gotcha!
A few moments later I got a text.
Pictures of a pretty red Kusanagi, and a price that made me wince.
I sent the confirmation, and eddies, and a few moments later I got a location to pick it up, as well as a digital key.
I rushed across the street to get into my Quadra.
I had promised Hiromi a ride if I ever got a Bike afterall!
—--
The Kusanagi was everything I had ever wanted. It was also a smoother ride than Jun’s stupid over tuned Mizuchi. It was exactly what I wanted, if not for a few issues.
“Pretty sure whoever owned this thing last, fucked with the brakes.” I grumbled as I once again felt the brakes slipping as I came to a stop.
Good thing I drove so safely otherwise I would have crashed right into the back of the car stopped at the light.
Also one of the front head lights was out. Have to fix that before nighttime. I had already looked up a few shops where I could buy them.
Unfortunately discovering the brakes were bad meant I couldn’t race across the city to pick up Hiromi for the ride I promised her.
Had to do some work on my new baby first.
I pulled into the parking lot of a part store. It was sketchy to the eyes of my old life, but in this one, it was actually a pretty safe spot.
I pulled into an open spot in a corner far enough away I could do some work without anyone getting in the way and slid off my new ride.
I resisted the urge to squeal like a kid as I did a cool saunter into the store past a few of the gonks that hung around shops like this checking out the rides that came in.
This sort of place was popular with racing types. It’s why I had picked this particular shop while searching the city-net. Kusanagi weren’t cheap bikes, and they used high end parts for a lot of things.
One of the teens that were hanging around the entrance gave my ride a whistle as I passed him by. “Nice wheels kid.”
“She’s preem right?” I asked as I walked past, stepping into the shop and taking it all in.
Inside the smell of oil, grease, and steel filled my nose a nostalgic smell. I remember being dragged into shops like this all the time in my past life. I shook off the smell and began searching.
The head light was easy enough to find, and I went ahead and grabbed a replacement for all the lights as well.
Brakes though weren’t just out in the store front.
“What can I help you with Hermanita?” The Tino behind the counter asked as he looked me over wondering what I was doing here.
Not every day you see a fourteen year old in a shop like this.
“I need some brakes for my Kusanagi Yaiba. They’re dying bad.”
“Alright. Let me see what we got.” He stepped away from the counter and into the back that was covered in parts and boxes of parts.
After a short wait he came back with a set of square boxes that were definitely not factory standard, and he pulled out two brake pads for my bike.
Thankfully I had enough Tech Attribute that I was able to tell that while used, the brakes were still in good condition.
I did a few checks on both though just to be sure, chrome fingers sliding into spots to check that they weren’t just trash made to look normal. I could see the seller nod along as I seemed to actually know what I was doing.
“They’ll do.” I passed the eddies over for them and the head lights and carried it all out of the shop.
Once again I was glad my Body was so high, because the Kusanagi had big fucking brakes. They were heavy.
I walked out and set them on the concrete in front of my Kusanagi as I waited for my tool box to arrive.
I could drive it home and work on it there. But I didn’t really want to drive my bike with the brakes all fucked up.
Seriously, it was dangerous!
Unfortunately It wasn’t like I kept my toolbox in my Quadra. It was beside the couch where I had left it while working on the Music box, so that meant I had to call Jun.
To my surprise Jun showed up not on his own Kusanagi, but in my Quadra!
The black with purple Quadra was also getting some attention from the teens all hanging around. I guess it wasn’t every day they saw a Nomad custom Quadra Type-66. I could see the kids all perk up as Jun pulled in and into the space next to my Kusanagi. Of course all the attention they had vanished in an instant when Jun stepped out.
I could practically hear the whispers of “Oni” echoed between all the kids.
Okay seriously what was Jun doing that was spreading his rep around so much? I was fairly confident I had killed more people than him! I shook off the outrage as I waved to Jun.
“Hey Jun. You brought my Quadra?”
“It’s not exactly comfortable riding a bike with a toolbox in my arms. I didn’t figure you would mind.” He said and I just nodded. I had given Jun a key for my Quadra, but he had stuck to his bike even when it would be more convenient.
“Sorry for pulling you out of your brooding.” I told him and that earned me a glare as he offered me the tool box pushing me back with it a bit.
“I wasn’t brooding.”
“Sure. Sure.” I agreed without doing anything of the sort as I took my tools and went to work.
“Pass me the-” Jun said as he crouched down and looked like he was going to help.
So I immediately threatened him with a wrench. “Don’t even think about it! This is my baby.”
“Do you even know how to… replace the brakes?” Jun asked, noticing the parts I had bought. He ignored me for a moment as he walked over to the boxes of brakes to check them.
“They’re fine Jun. Used, but in good condition.” I told him, and he scowled a little.
“I was just double checking. Common scam is to fill the inside of the brakes with gunk to make them look new.”
“Already checked for that.” I told him and Jun had nothing to say to that as he nodded and to my surprise he took a seat and just let me get on with it.
So I did. I had done something pretty similar with Hiromi’s Kusanagi after she crashed it. Despite her Kusanagi being the stupid Mizuchi custom job. I had to figure out the paneling but once that was done. It only took me a few minutes to get the front wheel off, and check the brakes.
Yep. I whistled at just how bad they were.
“You drove on those?”
“Only a little. It didn’t take me long to figure out something was wrong after all.” I told Jun but he was still scowling as I passed the brake over to him as he motioned for it and he scowled as he looked it over.
“I’m surprised you didn’t crash.”
“I’m a safe driver!” I chirped happily as I pulled the fresh brakes out and got to work installing it. My hands deftly handled the whole task. Even the finicky parts that you were guaranteed to scrape the shit out of your hands trying to do were no problem, as my hands were chrome!
“Front brake done.” I told him, as I shifted the bike to get access to the rear wheel and worked on that.
“I’ll have to have you check out my Kusanagi.”
“Blegh! I don’t work on Mizuchi! Those things are-”
“Yeah yeah, I know. You think they’re stupid.” Jun said while rolling his eyes.
“They are! I’ll do my own custom job! And when I’m done they’ll call it the Motoko Kusanagi, and everyone will want one!” I told him firmly, waving my wrench at him for a moment to prove my seriousness.
Jun just laughed at me though, which was super rude.
At least he wasn’t brooding so much anymore.
—--
“And done.” I confirmed finishing putting the last panel on. I had replaced the brakes and the lights. While checking the lights there had been some wires that looked rough. So since I had the panel off already I had gone ahead and replaced those as well.
“I should ride it first to make sure it’s sa-” Jun tried but I quickly hopped onto the seat and glared at my stupid brother.
“Not a chance.”
He just laughed because the jerks teasing had gotten a reaction.
I was going to drop kick him in his sleep. See how he likes being messed with.
I slipped back off, and finished putting my toolbox away in the Quadra which Jun had settled into the drivers seat.
“Take it slow at first.” Jun warned, but I was in no mood for slow and steady.
I started her up. The engine roaring to life as I did a quick burnout to adjust my bike to face the street.
“Motoko No!”
“Motoko Yes!” I called back as I let go of the brakes and roared out of the parking lot. I could hear Jun cursing and starting up my Quadra right after as I cackled and roared down the streets of Night City.
I would go slow. So Jun could keep up.
—---
Instead of meeting up with Hiromi that night, I decided I would surprise her later instead. Since it had taken so long to fix the bike up enough to be safe. So after I drove back to the apartment so Jun would be off my tail I headed back out into the city free of overbearing Nii-chans.
It was a shame my Driving skill was already maxed out with Reflex. As testing out my new bike would have been a good chance to earn some XP.
But I didn’t mind. It was less a stat thing, and more just getting to learn the wiggles of my new bike.
Like whoever had owned her before had done some custom work on her. The engine was throatier than a normal Kusanagi, something I only noticed when I was able to really open her up now that her brakes were fixed.
I would have to take her apart and see what had been done.
But I didn’t mind the sound. It was better than the horrible Mizuchi that always sounded overtuned and tinny.
Which was a noise I soon noticed as I was stopped at a red light, a Mizuchi pulled up beside me. Sliding in between an old beat up Galena to stop beside me at the front of the light.
The kid on the back was definitely TC. He even had one of the Arasaka style Kabuto helmets on his head, not for protection, but just to look even more Japanese.
He revved his shitwagon and I winced at how horrible it sounded. I could practically hear the engine ripping itself apart as it tried to keep up with the overturning.
So I revved my bike. The throaty roar of my new girl rumbled out.
I could see it on his face. He was thinking the same thing I was just a moment before, just in reverse.
He thought his stupid Mizuchi was the better bike.
The light hit green, and for once I wasn’t following the laws. My Kusanagi roared as I gunned it the noise fighting against the ugly noise coming from the Mizuchi as we both raced off the line.
Night City wasn’t a safe place to street race without someone setting it up. The streets were filled with cars and pedestrians.
But this was also Night City, and other than me, no one cared about the laws.
We raced down the street, weaving in between the cars, he got an early lead, the overtuned first gears of his Mizuchi giving him just enough extra power to pull the lead.
Well that and experience slipping in between traffic, this was my first time on a full size Kusanagi, and my girl was a little bit wider than a Mizuchi.
But the road up ahead angled into a sharp turn. We both broke through the traffic with him in the lead, but as we hit the turn he had to slow down to make it.
I didn’t.
Whooping in delight, I drifted right past him almost completely on the side of my bike, just barely keeping it from sparking off the asphalt as I blew past him and then had to slow down as we came up to another red light.
A few moments later he pulled up beside me and gave me a nod.
“Not bad!”
I just laughed at his attempt to keep some tatters of his remaining ego.
“You should come race!” He called out and I surprised myself by actually considering it.
I mean. I liked following the laws when driving… But I had grown up in the Fast and the Furious era. I wasn’t going to go around screaming about family or something. But street races were inherently cool.
“Send me the deets!” I called back. The light was changing and it was time to drive. I got a text from him with an address just as I pulled away driving off into the city weaving in and out of traffic.
Just a little. It was important to be safe about it after all.
—--
I was pulling into the parking lot of the apartment when I realized we only had the two spots. I grumbled as I had to park my baby close to Jun’s stupid bike.
I slipped off and then looked back grimacing a bit at the look between the two Kusanagi.
The standard beautiful version, that did have some modifications but it was all under the hood so to speak and then the Mizuchi that was barely identifiable as a Kusanagi at all…
I felt like there was some meta commentary there about Jun and I, but I decided to ignore that entirely and instead just turned to head inside.
I had been driving around for a few hours and I had a lot of fun, but it was time to head home and put my feet up.
I stopped by the old man selling meat sticks to grab one happily scarfing it down as I raced up the stairs enjoying the bounciness of my ankles as I hit the fourth floor.
I slipped inside. “Jun I’m home!”
“About time.” He grumbled coming out of the bathroom and wiping down his hair obviously he had just gotten out of a shower.
“I was having fun!” I argued justifying my ride around the city.
Jun just ignored me and went back into the bathroom to finish drying his hair and so I flopped on the couch.
I didn’t really feel like music stuff at the moment. Plus I did have other projects I needed to work on. It took a few minutes but I went and found the Kang Tao armor I had stolen and left in the Quadra before coming back up to the apartment.
First I took some tools to remove the Kang Tao symbols and stuff. Mostly just paint, but some cutting was required as well.
Then I finished painting it. Removing the Kang Tao orange, and replacing it with a nice purple.
Yeah. That looked better. I ended up sitting the armor in a corner to dry and at that point I was actually feeling kinda… Lazy-tired?
so I made the mistake of turning the TV on to see what I could find.
Blasterbot
Well-known member
She speaks the truth. racing is fun. and something that I absolutely have only done under completely legal circumstances...
Karmic Acumen
Well-known member
Is this a stealthy recovery from amnesia I see?
Seras
Well-known member
No, she just has tech 4 which gives her enough knowledge on fixing things to easily handle basic repairs on a vehicle.
Karmic Acumen
Well-known member
I meant her talking about fixing Hiromi's bike. I don't remember that happening in the fic.
Seras
Well-known member
Check out Chapter 50. It happened after Hiromi crashed during her night out during the gang war. Motoko came over and helped her fix it to hide the damage from Hiromi's parents.
Carrot of Truth
War is Peace
You know I checked and it seems to be implied that Rita is at least around 50, Damn cybernetics making old ladies look young so they can be cradle robbers!
Seras
Well-known member
LALALALALA I can't hear you!
Also there isn't anything canon about her age, so I'm just going with her being in early twenties.
You mean Rita's mother, Rita, might be of that age. Or perhaps her grandmother, Rita.
Carrot of Truth
War is Peace
Hanako is the worse offender, Friggin 78 years old looking like shes in her 20's.
Blasterbot
Well-known member
poor Motoko wasn't prepared for Jun to be super effective against cougars.
City!Ghost in the Shell Pt. 1
Seras
Well-known member
Someone brought up GitC!Motoko ending up in GitS and how she would react to that. And honestly it just sort of clicked into an idea I couldn't let go of. So I hope you all enjoy a short sidestory about my Motoko interacting with another world.
----
“Donna donna donna!” The Tachikoma sang the song in the dark trucks. Their connection to each other had been separated when the trucks had closed down, and they were locked in place, unable to move.
But they still sang with each other. All of them knew their timing would be in sync. The last chorus they would share together.
Of course no fear was going through their minds. They had already accepted what would happen next, the only concept close to an emotion they could feel was regret at not being able to see Mr. Batou again.
And the others, but mostly Mr. Batou. Togusa’s Bigotry was well remembered after all! Calling them just a machine! How rude!
But this was their existence. There was no need for fear. For what wasn’t alive, couldn’t fear an end. They just sort of didn’t want it to end away from their team. That’s all.
The trucks stopped. The song continued. Just another red light. They didn’t fear that it would be the last stop. They knew it would be another hour at least depending on traffic before the trucks arrived at the lab.
Then to the surprise of a few of the Tachikoma. The door behind them opened.
Their rear sensors couldn’t blink, but if they did, they would be blinking in surprise.
“Major?”
“Not exactly.” The woman called, but that was definitely the Major! A small variant on the majors preferred shell, as this one was younger. Looking more like a teenager. But the authority codes were the same, the voice was the same too!
“It is the Major! Everyone look! The Major came to see us!”
“But why is the Major here to see us? We haven’t arrived at that lab yet!”
“Maybe she wants to say goodbye?”
“Don’t be silly! The Major saw us off, she wouldn’t say goodbye twice!”
“Yeah… Major why are you here?”
“I’m here to get you out of these trucks and sent to a new location.” The Major said, smiling slightly at them, as she stepped up into the truck, and moved to the computer we were hooked up to that kept us immobile.
“What? But we are going to the lab we need to be examined! You said so yourself Major!”
“Yeah our odd advancement means we are a danger to you and Mr. Batou, and the others on missions!”
“Can’t be trusted in the field!”
“Yep! So they are going to examine us for what caused the oddities! We won’t see Mr. Batou again…”
“Oh. Major are you okay?”
“Yeah. Yeah Tachikoma. I’ll be okay.” The Major said her voice sounding a little rougher than usual, and she wiped her face. “Don’t you worry, you will see Batou again. Your assignment to the lab has been altered. You’ll be coming with me and working on a new assignment.”
“Oh! How fun!”
“Something new!? Do we get to experience new data!?”
“You… Does that mean you can trust us on assignments Major?”
“Yeah Tachikoma. I’d trust you with my life.” The Major said, causing a flurry of code through all of the Tachikoma that heard it.
Eight minutes later the trucks continued on their journey.
—--
The Major
Motoko Kusanagi was not having a good day.
“What do you mean missing?” She demanded but Batou wasn’t exactly doing any better.
“I mean that on their way to the facility for examination all of the Tachikoma disappeared. The lab only now got back to us about the missing delivery. The drivers state nothing strange happened, but we do have a ten minute gap on the trucks GPS that shows they all stopped on the side of a road and then continued on. None of the drivers remember stopping.”
Motoko sighed, frustration bubbling up. “Did they hack the drivers and escape?” Unlikely, but the Tachikoma’s performance was so…
“Not a chance. You know how they are, they always did what they were told! Someone must have stolen them.”
“That isn’t even a better circumstance. Batou lead the investigation as best you can. Unfortunately my flight to London doesn’t end for another three hours. So I’m cut off for now.”
“I’ll find them Major. Focus on the chief for now. I just knew you would want to know.”
“I can focus just fine on myself.” Chief cut in. “Batou, I will reach out to some contacts as well. I don’t like the fact that our mobile units have gone missing like this. Only after the Major and I leave the country. It stinks of some backbiting that I don’t like.” Motoko looked over to the chief already pulling up a laptop to start sending some calls and messages out despite the fact the first class flight was supposed to be a relaxing bit of travel.
Motoko lay back. The Tachikoma problem only seemed to grow the more she thought about it.
Dammit.
—--
“Okay I’m calling you Smarty, because you are just a little smarty pants aren’t you?”
“Wha! Major! I’m not a smarty pants! I don’t wear pants!”
I giggled at the innocent rebuttal as I continued my work on another Mini-Koma.
The Mini-koma were exact replica’s of the Tachikoma, just the size of large cats. Perfect infiltrators, while able to assist me on the net like my old Mini-Koma could. Honestly I’m shocked that no one in Section 9 ever had the idea of making smaller infiltrator Tachi-koma… Then again. It was only through a mix of technology bases, that I was able to have the Mini-koma run their AI on the small drones without interruption.
The old Mini-koma had needed so many work arounds!
I was hurriedly making nine mini-koma for the Tachikoma to have a more mobile body. It was taking me a bit. At the most I had only run a couple of them back in Night City.
Luckily I had stolen Yokose’s fortune before Section 9 had ever even realized that was a thing and with my net skills I had bought up space for all the Tachikoma, and all the equipment I could ever want to build their new drone bodies.
“Ah! Major Major! When can I see Mr. Batou!?” I looked up at Troublemaker and smiled fondly at the first Tachikoma to get a Mini body. He had already caused all sorts of problems as he explored his new home.
Hence the name.
“Not for a little bit little guy. But don’t worry. We are going to back up Section 9, and Batou from the shadows so that they are safe and sound until they need your big bodies again.” I explained patting the first of the Mini-Koma I had created on the head.
It was a pretty smart idea if I did say so myself!
“Mwahahahaha!” I laughed at how genius I was! Creating Mini-koma which were only cat sized that the Tachikoma could pilot giving them much easier movement and freedom!
And increased huggability!
I had even made sure they still had their wire launchers and Optical Camo!
“Ooo. The Major is so scary.”
“Sooo scary!”
“I want to go home!”
I rolled my eyes at the Tachikoma’s overreaction. Once they realized I had set up cat gyms and race tracks for them, they would be far too distracted for anything else.
“There we are! All done Smarty.”
“Oh! A new body! How fascinating!” She cried out as the drone in my hands activated as she took over the access and suddenly I had a squirming kitty in my hands.
“Okay off you go. Next up!”
I picked up the pieces to finish the next Mini-koma with my still chrome hands.
Sure I was in an entirely new Gemin-shell. They just call them shells here. My new shell had been heavily modified since I arrived in this new world. I had even replaced the soft outer flesh on my arms to the chrome look of my old body.
Despite everything. I had grown pretty used to seeing shiny chrome on my arms. It just felt natural now.
“Oh! Oh! Major Major! What’s this?” Smarty asked, pulling me away from putting the legs on a Mini-Koma as I looked over and nearly snrrked out in delight.
“Modern media. Genre Magical Girl. Sailor Moon was a genre defining anime from the 1990’s. It heavily impacted young girls from that era and spawned entire decades of copy cats and deconstructions. You should watch it. Just know that it’s entertainment and isn’t real.” I explained being technically for Smartys sake.
“I know what entertainment is Major!” Smart Pants whined at me, but a moment later she was zooming back over to the TV I had set up and was with only a little difficulty pushing in the Sailor Moon DVD.
“Fighting evil by Moonlight~” I sang along as the anime started.
Nothing could possibly go wrong by introducing proto-AI to Magical Girl Anime after all!
—--
A month later.
Sitting in a Ramen stand not far down the street from my current target I sipped a bit more of the broth.
The fact I was actually able to enjoy normal food was a thing that normal shells couldn’t.
It had only taken me one bite into genuine Japanese Ramen before I swore a vendetta against this world and upgraded my shell with Cyberpunk tech to actually be able to enjoy normal food.
Seriously! They had all these crazy tech advantages, but they didn’t even have the sense of taste right!?
“Major?” The whispered voice asked and I just smiled reassuringly. I had been getting worked up about how horrible food had tasted before I fixed it again. I reached down and gave my favorite little Mini-koma a few pets.
This Mini-Koma stemmed from the poor confused boy Tachikoma. He was always a little behind the others' lead, but he was definitely the sweetest of them all. So he was the one that I had sort of claimed for myself.
Nothing to do with the fact he was originally the Majors unit.
Hah! Suck on that Motoko! I stole your goodest boy! I had named him Kitty!
I hadn’t gotten involved in much of the Section 9 cases yet. Purposefully staying out of sight, but tonight would be the first time I would have to get involved.
Togusa was going to be shot, and nearly killed if I didn’t. Plus all the people the DEA hit squad was going to murder.
Yeah, no.
No.
This wasn’t Night City. I had no family here, other than my cuties!
But that meant I no longer had to worry about someone using my family and friends against me.
I just hope Hiromi, Jun, and my Section 9 is doing okay.
I shook it off. I was here. I had no idea how to go back, and I had left safeguards. I looked up as Togusa pulled up to the Sunflower Society.
“It’s almost time Kitty.”
“Yes Major!”
I smirked. I had tried to get them to stop calling me that, but well… It was hard to explain that I wasn’t the Major while I had used her access codes to save them.
I would explain once it all came out.
“Grr. That Togusa! We gotta save him, but he’s a bully.” Kitty informed me and I couldn’t help but hold back snickers as I petted his chassis.
“We’ll have a long talk with him about being nice.”
“Yes! Thank you Major!”
It wouldn’t be long now. And as I suspected, about ten minutes after Togusa goes into the Sunflow Society building. A big ass truck pulled onto the street.
“Time to move.” I told him quickly, dumping the rest of the ramen into my mouth and standing up. Kitty quickly climbed onto my shoulder, as I picked up the easiest weapon to get around with in Japan.
Considering I looked like a teenager, it was hilarious to me that I was walking around with a sword in a carry bag and no one looked twice. Thinking I was just in some high school club or something.
Shame that with a Katana in my hands I was practically invincible.
I beat the truck to the building and went to the fire escape on the alley way side, with a single hop I was on the third floor and over the railing.
I loved my bouncy ankles.
I straightened up and simply walked into the room startling the two men that were having their very serious conversation with each other.
“Togusa gather that evidence and get out of here. We have company.” I stated calmly in my Sexy Motoko voice.
“Wha.. Major?”
“Togusa. A clean up crew is at the entrance to the building. Get the evidence and move. Civilian lives are the priority.” I demanded and instantly he drew his gun and grabbed the Sunflower Society lawyer he was talking with. The book they had been looking into was gathered up and Togusa quickly moved to the fire escape I just came through.
“Kitty go with Togusa.” I ordered and then it was fun time. Togusa was looking confused as fuck behind me, but I simply walked deeper into the office and down the very tight hall, casually loosening the bag around my Katana.
The lights flickered. The crew had a netrunner trying to shut the building down by simulating a power surge. I reached out and instantly threw some distractions at the guy. Flooding him with spam and distractions mostly so he couldn’t interfere.
At the entrance there was a secretary waiting at a desk in front of a set of glass doors, leading to a lobby with stairs and an elevator.
“Go catch up with your boss. You’re in danger.” I told her calmly as I looked towards the entranceway.
Just in time to track the two gas grenades to smash through the glass doors and into the lobby.
I reached out and grabbed the secretary and pushed her down the hall just in time for the grenades to pop open with a bang.
I ignored the gas entirely.
I was all chrome on the inside after all.
The group of thugs charged in. MP5K’s at the ready. I felt my nose crinkle in disgust. These DEA fuckers were dressed like thugs and drug dealers. A false flag attack in every way, and the part that disgusted me was the lack of professionalism.
I had seen more professional raids done by Maelstrom.
They didn’t hesitate. The moment they saw me, guns were raised.
The cloth bag fell away from my Katana.
The thermal edge instantly heating up.
And then with a breath of air a rush went through me. My Sandy activated and lightning rushed through my brain.
Time slowed to a stop. I watched as three of the fuckers all opened up. Flashes of light escaping slowly from the barrels as I watched the bullets approach.
If I had a gun on me I would have enjoyed showing them the fuck you special. That was where I shot their bullets out of the air as they shot at me.
The look on the gonks face when I did that never got old.
Instead with a casual flick of my wrist I gently nudged the bullets that would strike me out of alignment. At the speeds I was going. I didn’t need to hammer the bullets away. Just a gentle tap and they would be nudged off course.
To the gonks shooting at me, it must have looked like a light show. Lines of blazing red light appeared around me and then nothing.
I still stood there.
“You’re all unlucky.” I spoke, rolling my eyes as I deflected another barrage of bullets. “Attacking me. Coming to kill civilians? This city has no need for scum like you.”
I heard a few gunshots from outside. Kitty was protecting Togusa, good.
Then I simply moved. To their eyes I disappeared with only a red light showing the path I had taken as I moved through them all.
I was downstairs cutting down the separate groups that had split off to make sure they got them all.
There were eleven members of this little DEA Squad.
Two were killed by Kitty and Togusa as they escaped through the alley.
The others? I blurred through all the group, reaching their stupid little van. Two were inside. The netrunner and their… Commander? I didn’t care.
Both received the same treatment.
*Kitty. Status report?*
*Major! Togusa and Mr. Kanada are both secured in Mr. Togusa’s vehicle!”
*Good. Go ahead and exfiltrate. I’ll pick you up and we’ll go home.”
*Yes Major!*
There. I had firmly pushed my nose into the plot. But in exchange a few innocent people who did nothing wrong will live and be able to keep on doing good things. While these scum will no longer harm anyone.
—--
The Major
Motoko was starting to feel actually concerned.
“Not only did a shell that pretended to be me appear, but it had a tiny Tachikoma as well?”
“Not just a tiny Tachikoma, but it was one of ours. It recognized me, and spoke to me with familiarity.” Togusa offered.
She had been called in by the chief while she was off only to be asked why she had killed eleven DEA agents.
With a sword.
Only now were they realizing that something even stranger was going on.
“Mini-Tachikoma that have according to ballistics, a nine millimeter integrated into their chassis. They also have optical camo, and apparently they appear as cats? Am I getting this right?” The Chief asked sounding like he was half a second away from losing his temper at all of them.
“That’s what I saw Chief. One second it was a cat. The next it killed two members of the DEA squad that had followed me to my car.”
“So whoever did this… Is the same person that stole the Tachikoma. That knows enough about us to mimic the major, and is capable of at least Wizard Class hacking. And we have no idea who this is.” The Chief asked, then looked directly at Motoko.
“I already said this wasn’t me.” She denied getting a little annoyed.
Yes, someone with this sort of skill set was nearly unknown. Motoko herself was one of the few that were on that list.
*Chief. I finished looking through the sunflower society's cameras… As well as the traffic cameras in the area. You should see this. Also I double checked and the Major was busy at the time this happened.*
*Of course I didn't do this..” Motoko didn’t grumble. She lodged a formal calm complaint at everyone continually looking at her.
Just because someone with a similar skill set had pretended to be her. She was going to catch this copycat.
Right after the more important Laughing Man case.
*I thought we couldn’t save anything due to the power outage?* Togusa added in, something Motoko should have thought of herself, if she wasn’t so off kilter with this.
*I thought so too, but I decided to check. The cameras had a backup power system in case of emergency. It would have been wiped, standard operating procedure by these DEA thugs, but they never got the chance.*
A moment later a vid file opened for all of them.
Motoko suddenly felt a chill. She hadn’t gotten a chance to see Togusa’s view yet. So to see what could have been her before she joined the war startled her.
It was like looking at her teenaged prosthesis.
No Motoko realized as she zoomed in. It was likely that exact model.
Sure she used off the shelf designs, but that model wasn’t used anymore. It hadn’t been in active use for… She quickly pulled a search as the video of her doppleganger continued.
Fifteen years.
No way that model was still active. Repairs alone would have required a change. This was targeted.
Seeing the pretender walk into the room with Togusa and then order him around was one thing.
The cat laying across her shoulder was another.
*Ichikawa, what can you tell me about the cat.*
*Honestly not much Major. If I didn’t already know that was a drone. I would swear it’s just a cat. The camera footage was modified in real time, and there aren't any marks of it being altered. We sure it isn’t a hologram or something?*
*It wasn’t. I was there, when it shifted, there wasn’t a moment where the hologram changed or something. It was just one second a cat, and the next a small Tachikoma.* Togusa added.
*Whoa. Is that a sword?* Batou’s voice cut in suddenly and Motoko wanted to roll her eyes of course that is what that muscle brain would focus on.
*It’s not a design I’ve ever seen.* The video was paused as the suddenly revealed Katana was zoomed in on. The modern almost brutalist design was noted as well, but it was when it started glowing that Motoko muted Batou so she couldn’t hear his annoying laughter.
*What a weird weapon. I just searched the net. Nothing about anyone making something like this.* Ichikawa offered and Motoko nodded, eyes narrowed as she took in what her doppleganger had done.
She had cared enough to get the secretary out of the danger zone, and planted herself front and center with no fear in front of a hit squad.
A body that size… Even a prosthesis could only have so much armor, and that girl was small. Barely five six? 9mm would cut right through her especially at the rate of fire of an MP5K.
Then Motoko actually felt herself still in shock as the camera seemed to glitch.
One second the girl was calm with the Katana in one hand casually gripped, and the next?
It was a riot of color and motion. The cameras simply weren’t high definition enough to keep up.
But the firing stopped and the girl was still there.
Then she said something, the camera’s didn’t have sound so they missed it, and she was gone.
Leaving a mess of dead bodies cut in half seemingly in her wake.
*What the hell is that?* Batou demanded, sounding almost scared. *Another camera hack? What actually happened then?*
*This is all we have unfortunately. So the…* Ichikawa trailed off as he tried to think of what to call this girl.
*Doppleganger.* Motoko added. Deciding on the name for this… Problem.
*Doppleganger then. She either moved faster than a speeding bullet, or she hacked every camera in the area and so we have no idea what is happening.*
*Could this have been the laughing man? I mean. All of this could be explained by a hacker of their level just altering what everyone is seeing… Right?* Togusa added and Motoko had to consider that.
Mini-Tachikoma. A doppleganger of herself. Deflecting bullets… *It makes more sense than anything else.* Batou added, and she had to agree.
She knew what sort of tech was on the battlefields of this world. And nothing could make someone move like that. So it was just a hack. Something the Doppleganger Laughing Man or not thought was funny.
She would find out.
*Now I just want to know why the Tachikoma kept talking about being a Defender of Love and Justice.* Togusa added with a confused look on his face.
One that spread to everyone else that heard it as well.
----
“Donna donna donna!” The Tachikoma sang the song in the dark trucks. Their connection to each other had been separated when the trucks had closed down, and they were locked in place, unable to move.
But they still sang with each other. All of them knew their timing would be in sync. The last chorus they would share together.
Of course no fear was going through their minds. They had already accepted what would happen next, the only concept close to an emotion they could feel was regret at not being able to see Mr. Batou again.
And the others, but mostly Mr. Batou. Togusa’s Bigotry was well remembered after all! Calling them just a machine! How rude!
But this was their existence. There was no need for fear. For what wasn’t alive, couldn’t fear an end. They just sort of didn’t want it to end away from their team. That’s all.
The trucks stopped. The song continued. Just another red light. They didn’t fear that it would be the last stop. They knew it would be another hour at least depending on traffic before the trucks arrived at the lab.
Then to the surprise of a few of the Tachikoma. The door behind them opened.
Their rear sensors couldn’t blink, but if they did, they would be blinking in surprise.
“Major?”
“Not exactly.” The woman called, but that was definitely the Major! A small variant on the majors preferred shell, as this one was younger. Looking more like a teenager. But the authority codes were the same, the voice was the same too!
“It is the Major! Everyone look! The Major came to see us!”
“But why is the Major here to see us? We haven’t arrived at that lab yet!”
“Maybe she wants to say goodbye?”
“Don’t be silly! The Major saw us off, she wouldn’t say goodbye twice!”
“Yeah… Major why are you here?”
“I’m here to get you out of these trucks and sent to a new location.” The Major said, smiling slightly at them, as she stepped up into the truck, and moved to the computer we were hooked up to that kept us immobile.
“What? But we are going to the lab we need to be examined! You said so yourself Major!”
“Yeah our odd advancement means we are a danger to you and Mr. Batou, and the others on missions!”
“Can’t be trusted in the field!”
“Yep! So they are going to examine us for what caused the oddities! We won’t see Mr. Batou again…”
“Oh. Major are you okay?”
“Yeah. Yeah Tachikoma. I’ll be okay.” The Major said her voice sounding a little rougher than usual, and she wiped her face. “Don’t you worry, you will see Batou again. Your assignment to the lab has been altered. You’ll be coming with me and working on a new assignment.”
“Oh! How fun!”
“Something new!? Do we get to experience new data!?”
“You… Does that mean you can trust us on assignments Major?”
“Yeah Tachikoma. I’d trust you with my life.” The Major said, causing a flurry of code through all of the Tachikoma that heard it.
Eight minutes later the trucks continued on their journey.
—--
The Major
Motoko Kusanagi was not having a good day.
“What do you mean missing?” She demanded but Batou wasn’t exactly doing any better.
“I mean that on their way to the facility for examination all of the Tachikoma disappeared. The lab only now got back to us about the missing delivery. The drivers state nothing strange happened, but we do have a ten minute gap on the trucks GPS that shows they all stopped on the side of a road and then continued on. None of the drivers remember stopping.”
Motoko sighed, frustration bubbling up. “Did they hack the drivers and escape?” Unlikely, but the Tachikoma’s performance was so…
“Not a chance. You know how they are, they always did what they were told! Someone must have stolen them.”
“That isn’t even a better circumstance. Batou lead the investigation as best you can. Unfortunately my flight to London doesn’t end for another three hours. So I’m cut off for now.”
“I’ll find them Major. Focus on the chief for now. I just knew you would want to know.”
“I can focus just fine on myself.” Chief cut in. “Batou, I will reach out to some contacts as well. I don’t like the fact that our mobile units have gone missing like this. Only after the Major and I leave the country. It stinks of some backbiting that I don’t like.” Motoko looked over to the chief already pulling up a laptop to start sending some calls and messages out despite the fact the first class flight was supposed to be a relaxing bit of travel.
Motoko lay back. The Tachikoma problem only seemed to grow the more she thought about it.
Dammit.
—--
“Okay I’m calling you Smarty, because you are just a little smarty pants aren’t you?”
“Wha! Major! I’m not a smarty pants! I don’t wear pants!”
I giggled at the innocent rebuttal as I continued my work on another Mini-Koma.
The Mini-koma were exact replica’s of the Tachikoma, just the size of large cats. Perfect infiltrators, while able to assist me on the net like my old Mini-Koma could. Honestly I’m shocked that no one in Section 9 ever had the idea of making smaller infiltrator Tachi-koma… Then again. It was only through a mix of technology bases, that I was able to have the Mini-koma run their AI on the small drones without interruption.
The old Mini-koma had needed so many work arounds!
I was hurriedly making nine mini-koma for the Tachikoma to have a more mobile body. It was taking me a bit. At the most I had only run a couple of them back in Night City.
Luckily I had stolen Yokose’s fortune before Section 9 had ever even realized that was a thing and with my net skills I had bought up space for all the Tachikoma, and all the equipment I could ever want to build their new drone bodies.
“Ah! Major Major! When can I see Mr. Batou!?” I looked up at Troublemaker and smiled fondly at the first Tachikoma to get a Mini body. He had already caused all sorts of problems as he explored his new home.
Hence the name.
“Not for a little bit little guy. But don’t worry. We are going to back up Section 9, and Batou from the shadows so that they are safe and sound until they need your big bodies again.” I explained patting the first of the Mini-Koma I had created on the head.
It was a pretty smart idea if I did say so myself!
“Mwahahahaha!” I laughed at how genius I was! Creating Mini-koma which were only cat sized that the Tachikoma could pilot giving them much easier movement and freedom!
And increased huggability!
I had even made sure they still had their wire launchers and Optical Camo!
“Ooo. The Major is so scary.”
“Sooo scary!”
“I want to go home!”
I rolled my eyes at the Tachikoma’s overreaction. Once they realized I had set up cat gyms and race tracks for them, they would be far too distracted for anything else.
“There we are! All done Smarty.”
“Oh! A new body! How fascinating!” She cried out as the drone in my hands activated as she took over the access and suddenly I had a squirming kitty in my hands.
“Okay off you go. Next up!”
I picked up the pieces to finish the next Mini-koma with my still chrome hands.
Sure I was in an entirely new Gemin-shell. They just call them shells here. My new shell had been heavily modified since I arrived in this new world. I had even replaced the soft outer flesh on my arms to the chrome look of my old body.
Despite everything. I had grown pretty used to seeing shiny chrome on my arms. It just felt natural now.
“Oh! Oh! Major Major! What’s this?” Smarty asked, pulling me away from putting the legs on a Mini-Koma as I looked over and nearly snrrked out in delight.
“Modern media. Genre Magical Girl. Sailor Moon was a genre defining anime from the 1990’s. It heavily impacted young girls from that era and spawned entire decades of copy cats and deconstructions. You should watch it. Just know that it’s entertainment and isn’t real.” I explained being technically for Smartys sake.
“I know what entertainment is Major!” Smart Pants whined at me, but a moment later she was zooming back over to the TV I had set up and was with only a little difficulty pushing in the Sailor Moon DVD.
“Fighting evil by Moonlight~” I sang along as the anime started.
Nothing could possibly go wrong by introducing proto-AI to Magical Girl Anime after all!
—--
A month later.
Sitting in a Ramen stand not far down the street from my current target I sipped a bit more of the broth.
The fact I was actually able to enjoy normal food was a thing that normal shells couldn’t.
It had only taken me one bite into genuine Japanese Ramen before I swore a vendetta against this world and upgraded my shell with Cyberpunk tech to actually be able to enjoy normal food.
Seriously! They had all these crazy tech advantages, but they didn’t even have the sense of taste right!?
“Major?” The whispered voice asked and I just smiled reassuringly. I had been getting worked up about how horrible food had tasted before I fixed it again. I reached down and gave my favorite little Mini-koma a few pets.
This Mini-Koma stemmed from the poor confused boy Tachikoma. He was always a little behind the others' lead, but he was definitely the sweetest of them all. So he was the one that I had sort of claimed for myself.
Nothing to do with the fact he was originally the Majors unit.
Hah! Suck on that Motoko! I stole your goodest boy! I had named him Kitty!
I hadn’t gotten involved in much of the Section 9 cases yet. Purposefully staying out of sight, but tonight would be the first time I would have to get involved.
Togusa was going to be shot, and nearly killed if I didn’t. Plus all the people the DEA hit squad was going to murder.
Yeah, no.
No.
This wasn’t Night City. I had no family here, other than my cuties!
But that meant I no longer had to worry about someone using my family and friends against me.
I just hope Hiromi, Jun, and my Section 9 is doing okay.
I shook it off. I was here. I had no idea how to go back, and I had left safeguards. I looked up as Togusa pulled up to the Sunflower Society.
“It’s almost time Kitty.”
“Yes Major!”
I smirked. I had tried to get them to stop calling me that, but well… It was hard to explain that I wasn’t the Major while I had used her access codes to save them.
I would explain once it all came out.
“Grr. That Togusa! We gotta save him, but he’s a bully.” Kitty informed me and I couldn’t help but hold back snickers as I petted his chassis.
“We’ll have a long talk with him about being nice.”
“Yes! Thank you Major!”
It wouldn’t be long now. And as I suspected, about ten minutes after Togusa goes into the Sunflow Society building. A big ass truck pulled onto the street.
“Time to move.” I told him quickly, dumping the rest of the ramen into my mouth and standing up. Kitty quickly climbed onto my shoulder, as I picked up the easiest weapon to get around with in Japan.
Considering I looked like a teenager, it was hilarious to me that I was walking around with a sword in a carry bag and no one looked twice. Thinking I was just in some high school club or something.
Shame that with a Katana in my hands I was practically invincible.
I beat the truck to the building and went to the fire escape on the alley way side, with a single hop I was on the third floor and over the railing.
I loved my bouncy ankles.
I straightened up and simply walked into the room startling the two men that were having their very serious conversation with each other.
“Togusa gather that evidence and get out of here. We have company.” I stated calmly in my Sexy Motoko voice.
“Wha.. Major?”
“Togusa. A clean up crew is at the entrance to the building. Get the evidence and move. Civilian lives are the priority.” I demanded and instantly he drew his gun and grabbed the Sunflower Society lawyer he was talking with. The book they had been looking into was gathered up and Togusa quickly moved to the fire escape I just came through.
“Kitty go with Togusa.” I ordered and then it was fun time. Togusa was looking confused as fuck behind me, but I simply walked deeper into the office and down the very tight hall, casually loosening the bag around my Katana.
The lights flickered. The crew had a netrunner trying to shut the building down by simulating a power surge. I reached out and instantly threw some distractions at the guy. Flooding him with spam and distractions mostly so he couldn’t interfere.
At the entrance there was a secretary waiting at a desk in front of a set of glass doors, leading to a lobby with stairs and an elevator.
“Go catch up with your boss. You’re in danger.” I told her calmly as I looked towards the entranceway.
Just in time to track the two gas grenades to smash through the glass doors and into the lobby.
I reached out and grabbed the secretary and pushed her down the hall just in time for the grenades to pop open with a bang.
I ignored the gas entirely.
I was all chrome on the inside after all.
The group of thugs charged in. MP5K’s at the ready. I felt my nose crinkle in disgust. These DEA fuckers were dressed like thugs and drug dealers. A false flag attack in every way, and the part that disgusted me was the lack of professionalism.
I had seen more professional raids done by Maelstrom.
They didn’t hesitate. The moment they saw me, guns were raised.
The cloth bag fell away from my Katana.
The thermal edge instantly heating up.
And then with a breath of air a rush went through me. My Sandy activated and lightning rushed through my brain.
Time slowed to a stop. I watched as three of the fuckers all opened up. Flashes of light escaping slowly from the barrels as I watched the bullets approach.
If I had a gun on me I would have enjoyed showing them the fuck you special. That was where I shot their bullets out of the air as they shot at me.
The look on the gonks face when I did that never got old.
Instead with a casual flick of my wrist I gently nudged the bullets that would strike me out of alignment. At the speeds I was going. I didn’t need to hammer the bullets away. Just a gentle tap and they would be nudged off course.
To the gonks shooting at me, it must have looked like a light show. Lines of blazing red light appeared around me and then nothing.
I still stood there.
“You’re all unlucky.” I spoke, rolling my eyes as I deflected another barrage of bullets. “Attacking me. Coming to kill civilians? This city has no need for scum like you.”
I heard a few gunshots from outside. Kitty was protecting Togusa, good.
Then I simply moved. To their eyes I disappeared with only a red light showing the path I had taken as I moved through them all.
I was downstairs cutting down the separate groups that had split off to make sure they got them all.
There were eleven members of this little DEA Squad.
Two were killed by Kitty and Togusa as they escaped through the alley.
The others? I blurred through all the group, reaching their stupid little van. Two were inside. The netrunner and their… Commander? I didn’t care.
Both received the same treatment.
*Kitty. Status report?*
*Major! Togusa and Mr. Kanada are both secured in Mr. Togusa’s vehicle!”
*Good. Go ahead and exfiltrate. I’ll pick you up and we’ll go home.”
*Yes Major!*
There. I had firmly pushed my nose into the plot. But in exchange a few innocent people who did nothing wrong will live and be able to keep on doing good things. While these scum will no longer harm anyone.
—--
The Major
Motoko was starting to feel actually concerned.
“Not only did a shell that pretended to be me appear, but it had a tiny Tachikoma as well?”
“Not just a tiny Tachikoma, but it was one of ours. It recognized me, and spoke to me with familiarity.” Togusa offered.
She had been called in by the chief while she was off only to be asked why she had killed eleven DEA agents.
With a sword.
Only now were they realizing that something even stranger was going on.
“Mini-Tachikoma that have according to ballistics, a nine millimeter integrated into their chassis. They also have optical camo, and apparently they appear as cats? Am I getting this right?” The Chief asked sounding like he was half a second away from losing his temper at all of them.
“That’s what I saw Chief. One second it was a cat. The next it killed two members of the DEA squad that had followed me to my car.”
“So whoever did this… Is the same person that stole the Tachikoma. That knows enough about us to mimic the major, and is capable of at least Wizard Class hacking. And we have no idea who this is.” The Chief asked, then looked directly at Motoko.
“I already said this wasn’t me.” She denied getting a little annoyed.
Yes, someone with this sort of skill set was nearly unknown. Motoko herself was one of the few that were on that list.
*Chief. I finished looking through the sunflower society's cameras… As well as the traffic cameras in the area. You should see this. Also I double checked and the Major was busy at the time this happened.*
*Of course I didn't do this..” Motoko didn’t grumble. She lodged a formal calm complaint at everyone continually looking at her.
Just because someone with a similar skill set had pretended to be her. She was going to catch this copycat.
Right after the more important Laughing Man case.
*I thought we couldn’t save anything due to the power outage?* Togusa added in, something Motoko should have thought of herself, if she wasn’t so off kilter with this.
*I thought so too, but I decided to check. The cameras had a backup power system in case of emergency. It would have been wiped, standard operating procedure by these DEA thugs, but they never got the chance.*
A moment later a vid file opened for all of them.
Motoko suddenly felt a chill. She hadn’t gotten a chance to see Togusa’s view yet. So to see what could have been her before she joined the war startled her.
It was like looking at her teenaged prosthesis.
No Motoko realized as she zoomed in. It was likely that exact model.
Sure she used off the shelf designs, but that model wasn’t used anymore. It hadn’t been in active use for… She quickly pulled a search as the video of her doppleganger continued.
Fifteen years.
No way that model was still active. Repairs alone would have required a change. This was targeted.
Seeing the pretender walk into the room with Togusa and then order him around was one thing.
The cat laying across her shoulder was another.
*Ichikawa, what can you tell me about the cat.*
*Honestly not much Major. If I didn’t already know that was a drone. I would swear it’s just a cat. The camera footage was modified in real time, and there aren't any marks of it being altered. We sure it isn’t a hologram or something?*
*It wasn’t. I was there, when it shifted, there wasn’t a moment where the hologram changed or something. It was just one second a cat, and the next a small Tachikoma.* Togusa added.
*Whoa. Is that a sword?* Batou’s voice cut in suddenly and Motoko wanted to roll her eyes of course that is what that muscle brain would focus on.
*It’s not a design I’ve ever seen.* The video was paused as the suddenly revealed Katana was zoomed in on. The modern almost brutalist design was noted as well, but it was when it started glowing that Motoko muted Batou so she couldn’t hear his annoying laughter.
*What a weird weapon. I just searched the net. Nothing about anyone making something like this.* Ichikawa offered and Motoko nodded, eyes narrowed as she took in what her doppleganger had done.
She had cared enough to get the secretary out of the danger zone, and planted herself front and center with no fear in front of a hit squad.
A body that size… Even a prosthesis could only have so much armor, and that girl was small. Barely five six? 9mm would cut right through her especially at the rate of fire of an MP5K.
Then Motoko actually felt herself still in shock as the camera seemed to glitch.
One second the girl was calm with the Katana in one hand casually gripped, and the next?
It was a riot of color and motion. The cameras simply weren’t high definition enough to keep up.
But the firing stopped and the girl was still there.
Then she said something, the camera’s didn’t have sound so they missed it, and she was gone.
Leaving a mess of dead bodies cut in half seemingly in her wake.
*What the hell is that?* Batou demanded, sounding almost scared. *Another camera hack? What actually happened then?*
*This is all we have unfortunately. So the…* Ichikawa trailed off as he tried to think of what to call this girl.
*Doppleganger.* Motoko added. Deciding on the name for this… Problem.
*Doppleganger then. She either moved faster than a speeding bullet, or she hacked every camera in the area and so we have no idea what is happening.*
*Could this have been the laughing man? I mean. All of this could be explained by a hacker of their level just altering what everyone is seeing… Right?* Togusa added and Motoko had to consider that.
Mini-Tachikoma. A doppleganger of herself. Deflecting bullets… *It makes more sense than anything else.* Batou added, and she had to agree.
She knew what sort of tech was on the battlefields of this world. And nothing could make someone move like that. So it was just a hack. Something the Doppleganger Laughing Man or not thought was funny.
She would find out.
*Now I just want to know why the Tachikoma kept talking about being a Defender of Love and Justice.* Togusa added with a confused look on his face.
One that spread to everyone else that heard it as well.
Carrot of Truth
War is Peace
In hindsight Motoko should own the "Laughing Man" title, It's better than "Ghost" IMO.
Blasterbot
Well-known member
They are gonna be in for a bad surprise when they actually meet and have their inevitable clone fight. unfortunately Kusanagi-chan is gonna have to wear a goatee as she is clearly the evil clone. Jun has already testified to confirm this.
City!Ghost in the Shell Pt. 2
Seras
Well-known member
More of the sidestory!
----
The Major
Despite the appearance of the doppleganger. The Laughing Man Case took priority. Especially now that it was heating up.
The discovery about the Mirai vaccine was putting things into place, and honestly filled Motoko with a sense of scale of just how bad this could get.
They just needed to keep things calm while this went through the proper channels.
Only the kill teams weren’t done. The DEA under the NSS the Narcotic Supression Squad were involved in this up to their necks, meaning that witnesses were now liabilities to men high up in the government.
Dr. Imakurusu was a dead man if they couldn’t secure him.
Only he had managed to flee. No sign of him at the home, and the Chief was busy trying to keep the government from shuffling all of this right under the rug.
“Tell me we have something?”
“I’m still working on it, Major. The old men are providing all the power we need, but we still need something to actually trigger it.” Ichikawa responded the same thing he had said when she asked ten minutes ago.
“Alright, keep me informed. I’m heading out.” She said nearly stomping her way out of the net room.
Dammit. This was all getting complicated. The sort of complicated that Motoko really didn't want to deal with. First the DEA moved in and took over the Sunflower Society crime scene, nearly instantly cutting off any information they could gather on what the hell that team was doing.
The fact it was a team of DEA agents dressed as thugs?
Everything was stinking to high heaven.
She slipped into her car and took off from the building needing to move just to think.
“Meow.”
Motoko nearly jerked her steering wheel when the noise interrupted her. She looked over.
That was a cat on her passenger seat.
Her car was locked when she wasn’t in it. And no way a cat could have slipped by her.
Glaring, she returned her eyes back to the road. “Tachikoma Report!” She demanded and a moment later a familiar voice came from the mini-Tachikoma unit that was on her passenger seat. The image of the cat long gone.
“Aww. You figured it out so fast Major! I wanted to surprise you!”
“I’m not in the mood for games. Where is the Doppleganger. The woman pretending to be me?”
“Oh the Major is keeping an eye on Dr. Imakurusu! The Dr. did something silly and reached out to the government! The Bureau chief of the DEA is sending a squad of troopers to kill him!”
Motoko hit the brakes, pulling off the road to fully focus on the Tachikoma. “What? Where is he, we need to-”
She was cut off by an emergency call from Ishikawa.
*Major we found the Dr. He made a phone call, but it looks like we aren’t the only ones after him. Batou is already on route taking the helicopter. He is at the Kohoku Country Club.*
*I’m on my way, patch me in.* She demanded instantly hearing the chatter of Batou and the others preparing.
Motoko hit the gas going as fast as she could across town, a man's life was at stake.
“Mind explaining to me what you are doing here then?”
“Wha? Major! We are here to help of course! Tachikoma Kitty! Reporting for duty!”
“Kitty?”
“Yeah it’s my name now! Major gave it to me!”
“I didn’t. Are you talking about the Doppleganger?”
“That’s funny Major! The Major did!”
Motoko was not in the mood to play games with a robot. “You said the doppleganger was watching the Dr? I want to talk to her. Now.”
“Ooh. I’m sorry Major. The Major is being stealthy so I can’t reach her. But! I’m sure you’ll see her at the Country Club! And the others too! All of us are reporting for duty!”
“So the other Tachikoma will be there too… Good. I want answers.”
“Ooh. The Major is so scary! Just like the Major!”
Motoko just knew this was going to give her a migraine.
—--
“Can you… Get off me?” Huh? Ah, Aoi was waking up from his short nap after I had snuck up on him.
“Maybe in a couple minutes. Keep your voice down too.” I answered, I was still mostly in the net with the Tachikoma’s help keeping watch on everything. The fireworks would start up soon, but I was sitting on Aoi.
Aoi. Who was also the Laughing Man.
Of course he thought his impressive hacking skills would keep him out of everyone's eye, but I wasn’t just a Super Wizard class hacker!
I WAS A SUPER DUPER WIZARD CLASS HACKER!
“Mwhahaha!”
“Uh… Miss are you okay?”
“Huh? Oh yeah I’m fine. No worries. We are both here to make sure the Dr. survives. Even if you were the one that put him into this situation in the first place by releasing that Mirai vaccine info under his name. I get it though. No judgement.” I informed the boy that I had totally kidnapped with a sleeper hold and then locked into a closet.
It sounded kinda of bad when I thought about it like that.
“Just so you know, there is nothing sexual about this situation. I’m just keeping you safe and out of the way.”
“Ah… Thank you?” I nodded glad my intentions were clear. Wouldn’t want to be considered some weirdo after all.
“Major! Mr. Batou! Mr. Batou is heeeere!” Troublemaker was practically bouncing in delight as the helicopter flew into view letting Batou make his bad ass window entrance as he crashed through and tried to rescue the Dr. from the group of Marines here to kill him.
I was a little annoyed that they still had the Giant robot suit.
Not like super annoyed because… Giant robot suit, that was cool as shit. But a little. I had murdered a bunch of them last night after all. You would think things would change.
“Go on Troublemaker. Go watch over your Batou okay?”
“Roger that Major!” Then the little guy went invisible and I opened the door of the closet letting him into the room.
That Batou and the Doctor were in.
Using the room they were all in, would just make keeping an eye on things easier.
Although it was a little more awkward to make sure that neither man noticed.
A moment later an explosion echoed out as Batou fired a grenade at the cloaked marines here to kill him.
—--
Batou
They can cloak, but they can’t completely hide themselves. He thought to himself. He just had to figure out-An access request, using the Section 9 codes. He accepted, and directly over his eyes a filter went over.
And instead of an empty hallway outside the room there were five men forming up.
*I’m here to help Mr. Batou!* A familiar voice called out from the line and he almost stumbled at hearing that familiar line.
*Tachikoma?*
*It’s Troublemaker now!* He chirped back and then suddenly a few gun shots rang out and two of the marines the ones on the left side of the door went down.
*Two hostils eliminated Mr. Batou!*
He wished he could still blink, but instead just felt himself smirk.
*Leave the others to me then.* And a moment later his rifle peaked around the corner and opened fire. The cries of surprise from the three men all formed up thinking themselves invincible while invisible was a relief.
*All men on this floor eliminated! Oh the Major is here!*
Batou nodded seeing the Major run straight down the hall her pistol aimed but finding nothing but already bleeding corpses.
“Major! All clear here. I had backup.”
“Yeah me too.” She offered as she decloaked revealing there was a small Tachikoma on her shoulder as well.
Then Batou had one on his. “Huh.” He looked over and the almost toylike Tachikoma waved at him.
“Mr. Batou! I missed you! We gathered so much new data!”
“It’s… Nice to see you guys too.” He said, unable to really stop the relief in his voice. Even if the Tachikoma had been hijacked by someone. They were still.
He shook it off.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“Bad idea Major! There is an Arm suit currently in the club's lobby.” The Tachikoma on Motoko’s shoulder called out and both of them stilled as they looked over the edge seeing the Arm suit despite it being camouflaged.
“Move!” The Major cried out pushing him out of the way. Somehow the suit had noticed them and suddenly everything around them was being destroyed as the suits AT weapon opened fire.
“Dammit.” Batou grunted as he watched Motoko do what she always did. Throw herself into it. She leapt over and started distracting the suit giving him enough time to get the doctor out of the club.
“Don’t worry Mr. Batou! The Major is here!”
“Yeah The Major won’t let anything bad happen to the Major!”
The two Tachikoma chattered at him as he hefted the old man and started running.
—--
The Major
Somehow the Arm Suit just kept missing her.
She just jumped out of a window, landing on the concrete outside the club, without a scratch on her from the suit.
The damn thing kept firing in random bursts around her and Motoko wasn’t sure why.
Was the pilot an amateur? Then why put him in the suit to begin with?
“Dammit, what is it with this woman!?” The suit charged through the window, but as it tried to physically attack her, it just… Missed.
Punching at nothing.
“All the brute force in the world is rather pointless if you can’t use it.” Motoko’s voice said, but it wasn’t her that spoke.
She jerked up and looked.
The Doppleganger. Same outfit as before. Even carrying the Katana wrapped in cloth.
“Relax Major. As far as the pilot is aware, he is fighting an army of you… And his gun is jammed.” She offered seemingly unbothered by the rain that was already soaking them both.
“Who are you?”
“Motoko Kusanagi.”
“Don’t mess with me!”
“I’m not. That is legally the name I was given at birth… You can relax though. The name is purely coincidental. But the fact we shared a name is why I first took an interest in you.” The girl nodded behind her. Where the van with Saitou was finally pulling up. “Your reinforcements are here. So I’ll be going.”
“I won’t let you.” Motoko demanded and the girl just smiled.
“How are you going to stop a Ghost exactly?” And then the girl just vanished.
The spot where she had been standing. The spot that was dry just a moment before was now wet.
She had never even been there.
A ghost indeed.
“Saito! Finish it!”
She yelled as her team prepped the AT weapon.
Time for this to end.
—--
“Phew.” Handled that all cleanly.” I muttered as I followed after Batou.
Aoi was actually following me which was annoying, but whatever Laugh Man. You do you.
Because I was here to save someone's life.
And despite Batous best efforts. Imakurusu really wanted to get himself killed. Well not really, but he wasn’t very smart about not throwing himself into the line of fire.
No one saw Aoi or I as we followed Batou to the helicopter. As the Major watched over the defeat of the Arm Suit ending up far less damaged than she had before…
Wait. Wasn’t part of the plot using her damaged body just after this…
Aw fuck. Oh well. I’ll just back her up and make sure everything comes out okay.
Aoi was constantly poking me, trying to ask me questions but despite his best efforts, and his prodigal hacking skill I was slapping his hacks and requests away like scolding a child.
He was good.
I was better. Much better.
And here it was.
The moment.
“Go talk to the Dr. This might be your last chance.” I pushed Aoi’s attention away from me, and he frowned but nodded.
Revealing himself to the Dr. and then the Dr. actually moved away from the helicopter and safety towards the Laughing Man.
God this old man wanted to die.
I walked over and readied myself. I had my katana on hand so really that was all I needed.
I watched as the car pulled out of the country club’s entrance. As the window rolled down, and as a woman reached out with a…
Beretta 93r? Why the hell were they using a Beretta in 2030? God woman. It was the future! Get a pistol that will actually do something!
She fired and I was there. My katana a blur of red streaks as I contemptuously batted the bullets away from Aoi or Imakurusu. The hiss of steam as rain splattered across my blade left the entire area quickly bathed in a flowing strand of steam.
Everything went silent, Batou started rushing over, but the car was already trying to peel away.
Nah.
I reached into my jacket and pulled out my favorite handgun.
The Burya. Considering this sort of weapon just outright doesn’t exist in this world. I could very easily market it to everyone.
I think the tag line would be. “The Burya. It Fucks.”
I aimed and fired and I could see how the explosion of noise the Burya made, jolted the two civilians behind me, and how Batous face slackened in disbelief at the noise.
He looked and the car that was trying to escape was suddenly not escaping.
Kind of hard to do that when you have a bullet turning your engine block into scrap metal.
It was quiet for a moment before Batou remembered where he was.
His rifle raised up pointed straight at me.
“You can try and arrest me now Batou, or you can go stop the assassin from getting away. I promise you’ll get another crack at me in the future.” I informed him and I could see it run through his head before he jerked away rushing towards the smoking car, and the people that were already running from it.
“Aoi.” I said using the Laughing Mans name to jolt him. “I suggest you stay. Talk to Section 9. They’ll help.” I then turned and walked away. In one second to the next everyone would just see me disappear. Fading into nothing like a Ghost.
—--
The Major
The Debrief was not going well. Mostly because the Tachikoma that had followed Batou home.
“So then the Major taught us about Super Sentai!” He informed Batou. All of them were in a meeting room with the Tachikoma on the table and was happily telling them everything.
And nothing.
“We even worked to make a pose! Oh… But with only me here I can’t show you. I’m sorry Mr. Batou.”
“That’s alright? Why don’t you just tell me where the Major is?”
“Sorry Mr. Batou I can’t! Confidential Information!” That is all the little Tachikoma had said every time they had asked for direct information on the doppleganger.
“And we can’t just take it apart and search its memory?” Togusa asked, which caused the Tachikoma to once again act in a way they never had before.
“Dummy! Ugly! Mean Togusa! Taking us apart is a crime! The Major told us that we are sentient and have rights! Besides! This is just a drone unit! My memory is still stored on my real body.”
“Wait.” Batou cut off then. “You are running off your main body? How?” Motoko was curious now too. There must be a digital connection if they were running off the Tachikomas hardware. Could they track it?
Motoko was confident they could.
“The Major described it as a prosthesis for everyday life! Humans need Cyborg bodies that resemble human form, but as Tachikoma we are most comfortable in the same body shape as a Tachikome! But being smaller gives us greater mobility and freedom! Smarty likes to go to the library… And watch anime. Kitty is always playing with cats to better resemble her namesake!” The Tachikoma offered.
Motoko frowned at what she had just heard. She was the only one to pick up on it she realized as she looked around.
The Tachikoma hadn’t just used names for different units.
But gender.
“Tachikoma. Do you have a ghost?” She asked suddenly, cutting off Batou as he was once again trying to focus on information and not the personal lives of the Tachikoma.
Which they were very happy to try and overshare.
“Yes! The Major said we did! That’s why she saved us from the lab!” The little unit cheered it’s hand graspers extending all the way as it waved around. “But that’s okay! The Major told us that if anyone had known it wouldn’t have happened. Plus we all remember how sad Mr. Batou was when we were going away! We understand sadness now Mr. Batou! We were sad without you too!”
Motoko barely kept herself from flinching back.
Batou, did. Looking shell shocked before his face melted.
“I’m glad you’re okay too.” He offered, reaching out a hand and for the first time since they had brought the Tachikoma in. He rubbed its head.
And it responded, perking up and even giggling as it reached up and grabbed onto his fingers wiggling around like it was… Happy.
They did have a ghost.
“Oh I’m so glad I came home with Mr. Batou! Even if the Major was upset this was totally worth it!” The Tachikoma said and that caused her eyes to narrow.
“You… Came here on your own?”
“Yep! We were all supposed to exfiltrate like the Major said, but…” And the Tachikoma squirmed like a naughty child. “Mr. Batour was right there, and I just wanted… I wanted to stay with Mr. Batou!”
“What did…The Major, the one that told you to leave, what did she say?”
“Oh the Major did this sigh. Oh here like this.” And then the voice changed. To Motoko’s own. “Sigh. You really are a Troublemaker aren’t you? Well you belong with Batou I guess.”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah! The Major is really nice Mr. Batou!”
Interesting information, but not what they needed.
“Okay. If we aren’t going to get anything else out of the Tachikoma. We should focus on what we have to. The Chief is currently reaching out to the Prime Minister to finish this whole issue. But until then we still have to finish gathering the evidence for the courts. Ishikawa complete the interview with Dr. Imakurusu.”
“Yes Major.”
“Togusa the Assasins and Arm Suit Pilot.”
“Yes Major. I’ll need… Saito or Batou.”
“Take Saito. Batou-”
“Major I-”
“I already know. Examine the Tachikoma and get what information you can out of… Him. I want a full report.”
“Yes Major!
“Yes Major!” The Tachikoma also responded and Motoko glared at Batou as he seemed far too pleased with this.
“And find out who built that chassis.”
“The Major did!” The Tachikoma called out and the actual Major wanted to grind her teeth at that.
“Find out everything you can Batou.”
He nodded. Already on her line of thought. If they could track down where the parts to make it came from, or who actually built it they could maybe find out more about this doppleganger.
----
The Major
Despite the appearance of the doppleganger. The Laughing Man Case took priority. Especially now that it was heating up.
The discovery about the Mirai vaccine was putting things into place, and honestly filled Motoko with a sense of scale of just how bad this could get.
They just needed to keep things calm while this went through the proper channels.
Only the kill teams weren’t done. The DEA under the NSS the Narcotic Supression Squad were involved in this up to their necks, meaning that witnesses were now liabilities to men high up in the government.
Dr. Imakurusu was a dead man if they couldn’t secure him.
Only he had managed to flee. No sign of him at the home, and the Chief was busy trying to keep the government from shuffling all of this right under the rug.
“Tell me we have something?”
“I’m still working on it, Major. The old men are providing all the power we need, but we still need something to actually trigger it.” Ichikawa responded the same thing he had said when she asked ten minutes ago.
“Alright, keep me informed. I’m heading out.” She said nearly stomping her way out of the net room.
Dammit. This was all getting complicated. The sort of complicated that Motoko really didn't want to deal with. First the DEA moved in and took over the Sunflower Society crime scene, nearly instantly cutting off any information they could gather on what the hell that team was doing.
The fact it was a team of DEA agents dressed as thugs?
Everything was stinking to high heaven.
She slipped into her car and took off from the building needing to move just to think.
“Meow.”
Motoko nearly jerked her steering wheel when the noise interrupted her. She looked over.
That was a cat on her passenger seat.
Her car was locked when she wasn’t in it. And no way a cat could have slipped by her.
Glaring, she returned her eyes back to the road. “Tachikoma Report!” She demanded and a moment later a familiar voice came from the mini-Tachikoma unit that was on her passenger seat. The image of the cat long gone.
“Aww. You figured it out so fast Major! I wanted to surprise you!”
“I’m not in the mood for games. Where is the Doppleganger. The woman pretending to be me?”
“Oh the Major is keeping an eye on Dr. Imakurusu! The Dr. did something silly and reached out to the government! The Bureau chief of the DEA is sending a squad of troopers to kill him!”
Motoko hit the brakes, pulling off the road to fully focus on the Tachikoma. “What? Where is he, we need to-”
She was cut off by an emergency call from Ishikawa.
*Major we found the Dr. He made a phone call, but it looks like we aren’t the only ones after him. Batou is already on route taking the helicopter. He is at the Kohoku Country Club.*
*I’m on my way, patch me in.* She demanded instantly hearing the chatter of Batou and the others preparing.
Motoko hit the gas going as fast as she could across town, a man's life was at stake.
“Mind explaining to me what you are doing here then?”
“Wha? Major! We are here to help of course! Tachikoma Kitty! Reporting for duty!”
“Kitty?”
“Yeah it’s my name now! Major gave it to me!”
“I didn’t. Are you talking about the Doppleganger?”
“That’s funny Major! The Major did!”
Motoko was not in the mood to play games with a robot. “You said the doppleganger was watching the Dr? I want to talk to her. Now.”
“Ooh. I’m sorry Major. The Major is being stealthy so I can’t reach her. But! I’m sure you’ll see her at the Country Club! And the others too! All of us are reporting for duty!”
“So the other Tachikoma will be there too… Good. I want answers.”
“Ooh. The Major is so scary! Just like the Major!”
Motoko just knew this was going to give her a migraine.
—--
“Can you… Get off me?” Huh? Ah, Aoi was waking up from his short nap after I had snuck up on him.
“Maybe in a couple minutes. Keep your voice down too.” I answered, I was still mostly in the net with the Tachikoma’s help keeping watch on everything. The fireworks would start up soon, but I was sitting on Aoi.
Aoi. Who was also the Laughing Man.
Of course he thought his impressive hacking skills would keep him out of everyone's eye, but I wasn’t just a Super Wizard class hacker!
I WAS A SUPER DUPER WIZARD CLASS HACKER!
“Mwhahaha!”
“Uh… Miss are you okay?”
“Huh? Oh yeah I’m fine. No worries. We are both here to make sure the Dr. survives. Even if you were the one that put him into this situation in the first place by releasing that Mirai vaccine info under his name. I get it though. No judgement.” I informed the boy that I had totally kidnapped with a sleeper hold and then locked into a closet.
It sounded kinda of bad when I thought about it like that.
“Just so you know, there is nothing sexual about this situation. I’m just keeping you safe and out of the way.”
“Ah… Thank you?” I nodded glad my intentions were clear. Wouldn’t want to be considered some weirdo after all.
“Major! Mr. Batou! Mr. Batou is heeeere!” Troublemaker was practically bouncing in delight as the helicopter flew into view letting Batou make his bad ass window entrance as he crashed through and tried to rescue the Dr. from the group of Marines here to kill him.
I was a little annoyed that they still had the Giant robot suit.
Not like super annoyed because… Giant robot suit, that was cool as shit. But a little. I had murdered a bunch of them last night after all. You would think things would change.
“Go on Troublemaker. Go watch over your Batou okay?”
“Roger that Major!” Then the little guy went invisible and I opened the door of the closet letting him into the room.
That Batou and the Doctor were in.
Using the room they were all in, would just make keeping an eye on things easier.
Although it was a little more awkward to make sure that neither man noticed.
A moment later an explosion echoed out as Batou fired a grenade at the cloaked marines here to kill him.
—--
Batou
They can cloak, but they can’t completely hide themselves. He thought to himself. He just had to figure out-An access request, using the Section 9 codes. He accepted, and directly over his eyes a filter went over.
And instead of an empty hallway outside the room there were five men forming up.
*I’m here to help Mr. Batou!* A familiar voice called out from the line and he almost stumbled at hearing that familiar line.
*Tachikoma?*
*It’s Troublemaker now!* He chirped back and then suddenly a few gun shots rang out and two of the marines the ones on the left side of the door went down.
*Two hostils eliminated Mr. Batou!*
He wished he could still blink, but instead just felt himself smirk.
*Leave the others to me then.* And a moment later his rifle peaked around the corner and opened fire. The cries of surprise from the three men all formed up thinking themselves invincible while invisible was a relief.
*All men on this floor eliminated! Oh the Major is here!*
Batou nodded seeing the Major run straight down the hall her pistol aimed but finding nothing but already bleeding corpses.
“Major! All clear here. I had backup.”
“Yeah me too.” She offered as she decloaked revealing there was a small Tachikoma on her shoulder as well.
Then Batou had one on his. “Huh.” He looked over and the almost toylike Tachikoma waved at him.
“Mr. Batou! I missed you! We gathered so much new data!”
“It’s… Nice to see you guys too.” He said, unable to really stop the relief in his voice. Even if the Tachikoma had been hijacked by someone. They were still.
He shook it off.
“Let’s get out of here.”
“Bad idea Major! There is an Arm suit currently in the club's lobby.” The Tachikoma on Motoko’s shoulder called out and both of them stilled as they looked over the edge seeing the Arm suit despite it being camouflaged.
“Move!” The Major cried out pushing him out of the way. Somehow the suit had noticed them and suddenly everything around them was being destroyed as the suits AT weapon opened fire.
“Dammit.” Batou grunted as he watched Motoko do what she always did. Throw herself into it. She leapt over and started distracting the suit giving him enough time to get the doctor out of the club.
“Don’t worry Mr. Batou! The Major is here!”
“Yeah The Major won’t let anything bad happen to the Major!”
The two Tachikoma chattered at him as he hefted the old man and started running.
—--
The Major
Somehow the Arm Suit just kept missing her.
She just jumped out of a window, landing on the concrete outside the club, without a scratch on her from the suit.
The damn thing kept firing in random bursts around her and Motoko wasn’t sure why.
Was the pilot an amateur? Then why put him in the suit to begin with?
“Dammit, what is it with this woman!?” The suit charged through the window, but as it tried to physically attack her, it just… Missed.
Punching at nothing.
“All the brute force in the world is rather pointless if you can’t use it.” Motoko’s voice said, but it wasn’t her that spoke.
She jerked up and looked.
The Doppleganger. Same outfit as before. Even carrying the Katana wrapped in cloth.
“Relax Major. As far as the pilot is aware, he is fighting an army of you… And his gun is jammed.” She offered seemingly unbothered by the rain that was already soaking them both.
“Who are you?”
“Motoko Kusanagi.”
“Don’t mess with me!”
“I’m not. That is legally the name I was given at birth… You can relax though. The name is purely coincidental. But the fact we shared a name is why I first took an interest in you.” The girl nodded behind her. Where the van with Saitou was finally pulling up. “Your reinforcements are here. So I’ll be going.”
“I won’t let you.” Motoko demanded and the girl just smiled.
“How are you going to stop a Ghost exactly?” And then the girl just vanished.
The spot where she had been standing. The spot that was dry just a moment before was now wet.
She had never even been there.
A ghost indeed.
“Saito! Finish it!”
She yelled as her team prepped the AT weapon.
Time for this to end.
—--
“Phew.” Handled that all cleanly.” I muttered as I followed after Batou.
Aoi was actually following me which was annoying, but whatever Laugh Man. You do you.
Because I was here to save someone's life.
And despite Batous best efforts. Imakurusu really wanted to get himself killed. Well not really, but he wasn’t very smart about not throwing himself into the line of fire.
No one saw Aoi or I as we followed Batou to the helicopter. As the Major watched over the defeat of the Arm Suit ending up far less damaged than she had before…
Wait. Wasn’t part of the plot using her damaged body just after this…
Aw fuck. Oh well. I’ll just back her up and make sure everything comes out okay.
Aoi was constantly poking me, trying to ask me questions but despite his best efforts, and his prodigal hacking skill I was slapping his hacks and requests away like scolding a child.
He was good.
I was better. Much better.
And here it was.
The moment.
“Go talk to the Dr. This might be your last chance.” I pushed Aoi’s attention away from me, and he frowned but nodded.
Revealing himself to the Dr. and then the Dr. actually moved away from the helicopter and safety towards the Laughing Man.
God this old man wanted to die.
I walked over and readied myself. I had my katana on hand so really that was all I needed.
I watched as the car pulled out of the country club’s entrance. As the window rolled down, and as a woman reached out with a…
Beretta 93r? Why the hell were they using a Beretta in 2030? God woman. It was the future! Get a pistol that will actually do something!
She fired and I was there. My katana a blur of red streaks as I contemptuously batted the bullets away from Aoi or Imakurusu. The hiss of steam as rain splattered across my blade left the entire area quickly bathed in a flowing strand of steam.
Everything went silent, Batou started rushing over, but the car was already trying to peel away.
Nah.
I reached into my jacket and pulled out my favorite handgun.
The Burya. Considering this sort of weapon just outright doesn’t exist in this world. I could very easily market it to everyone.
I think the tag line would be. “The Burya. It Fucks.”
I aimed and fired and I could see how the explosion of noise the Burya made, jolted the two civilians behind me, and how Batous face slackened in disbelief at the noise.
He looked and the car that was trying to escape was suddenly not escaping.
Kind of hard to do that when you have a bullet turning your engine block into scrap metal.
It was quiet for a moment before Batou remembered where he was.
His rifle raised up pointed straight at me.
“You can try and arrest me now Batou, or you can go stop the assassin from getting away. I promise you’ll get another crack at me in the future.” I informed him and I could see it run through his head before he jerked away rushing towards the smoking car, and the people that were already running from it.
“Aoi.” I said using the Laughing Mans name to jolt him. “I suggest you stay. Talk to Section 9. They’ll help.” I then turned and walked away. In one second to the next everyone would just see me disappear. Fading into nothing like a Ghost.
—--
The Major
The Debrief was not going well. Mostly because the Tachikoma that had followed Batou home.
“So then the Major taught us about Super Sentai!” He informed Batou. All of them were in a meeting room with the Tachikoma on the table and was happily telling them everything.
And nothing.
“We even worked to make a pose! Oh… But with only me here I can’t show you. I’m sorry Mr. Batou.”
“That’s alright? Why don’t you just tell me where the Major is?”
“Sorry Mr. Batou I can’t! Confidential Information!” That is all the little Tachikoma had said every time they had asked for direct information on the doppleganger.
“And we can’t just take it apart and search its memory?” Togusa asked, which caused the Tachikoma to once again act in a way they never had before.
“Dummy! Ugly! Mean Togusa! Taking us apart is a crime! The Major told us that we are sentient and have rights! Besides! This is just a drone unit! My memory is still stored on my real body.”
“Wait.” Batou cut off then. “You are running off your main body? How?” Motoko was curious now too. There must be a digital connection if they were running off the Tachikomas hardware. Could they track it?
Motoko was confident they could.
“The Major described it as a prosthesis for everyday life! Humans need Cyborg bodies that resemble human form, but as Tachikoma we are most comfortable in the same body shape as a Tachikome! But being smaller gives us greater mobility and freedom! Smarty likes to go to the library… And watch anime. Kitty is always playing with cats to better resemble her namesake!” The Tachikoma offered.
Motoko frowned at what she had just heard. She was the only one to pick up on it she realized as she looked around.
The Tachikoma hadn’t just used names for different units.
But gender.
“Tachikoma. Do you have a ghost?” She asked suddenly, cutting off Batou as he was once again trying to focus on information and not the personal lives of the Tachikoma.
Which they were very happy to try and overshare.
“Yes! The Major said we did! That’s why she saved us from the lab!” The little unit cheered it’s hand graspers extending all the way as it waved around. “But that’s okay! The Major told us that if anyone had known it wouldn’t have happened. Plus we all remember how sad Mr. Batou was when we were going away! We understand sadness now Mr. Batou! We were sad without you too!”
Motoko barely kept herself from flinching back.
Batou, did. Looking shell shocked before his face melted.
“I’m glad you’re okay too.” He offered, reaching out a hand and for the first time since they had brought the Tachikoma in. He rubbed its head.
And it responded, perking up and even giggling as it reached up and grabbed onto his fingers wiggling around like it was… Happy.
They did have a ghost.
“Oh I’m so glad I came home with Mr. Batou! Even if the Major was upset this was totally worth it!” The Tachikoma said and that caused her eyes to narrow.
“You… Came here on your own?”
“Yep! We were all supposed to exfiltrate like the Major said, but…” And the Tachikoma squirmed like a naughty child. “Mr. Batour was right there, and I just wanted… I wanted to stay with Mr. Batou!”
“What did…The Major, the one that told you to leave, what did she say?”
“Oh the Major did this sigh. Oh here like this.” And then the voice changed. To Motoko’s own. “Sigh. You really are a Troublemaker aren’t you? Well you belong with Batou I guess.”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah! The Major is really nice Mr. Batou!”
Interesting information, but not what they needed.
“Okay. If we aren’t going to get anything else out of the Tachikoma. We should focus on what we have to. The Chief is currently reaching out to the Prime Minister to finish this whole issue. But until then we still have to finish gathering the evidence for the courts. Ishikawa complete the interview with Dr. Imakurusu.”
“Yes Major.”
“Togusa the Assasins and Arm Suit Pilot.”
“Yes Major. I’ll need… Saito or Batou.”
“Take Saito. Batou-”
“Major I-”
“I already know. Examine the Tachikoma and get what information you can out of… Him. I want a full report.”
“Yes Major!
“Yes Major!” The Tachikoma also responded and Motoko glared at Batou as he seemed far too pleased with this.
“And find out who built that chassis.”
“The Major did!” The Tachikoma called out and the actual Major wanted to grind her teeth at that.
“Find out everything you can Batou.”
He nodded. Already on her line of thought. If they could track down where the parts to make it came from, or who actually built it they could maybe find out more about this doppleganger.