Neon Cogs [Cyberpunk 2077/Warhammer 40k Arasaka SI]

[SirBearington]

Prologue

If someone told Rebecca yesterday that she was going to be a hero and save some exec's kid from some random gangbangers, she would have asked them if they were high on Glitter or some other shit cause no way that'll ever happen to her. The chance for that was absolutely zero, zilch, nada but life had a funny habit of making jokes. She wouldn't have known that today was the day that the unlikely happened.

She started her day with the sun high up the sky. She overslept and her bro decided to ditch her instead of waking her up. Then again, she would have kicked him in the nads but she was still pissed! It was totally irresponsible on his part plus she probably missed that debriefing Maine said he was going to do so that means she doesn't get to join the next gig. Son of a bitch wanted her to beg him for cash. Well she said screw him.

So there she was walking around, minding her biz, when she heard a commotion over in the distance. People started walking faster after glancing at an alleyway. "What the hell?" She whispered under her breath as curiosity got the better of her. She headed to the alley to see what the fuss was all about.

There in the alley, she'd find some gonks surrounding a kid with a stuffed toy. She could just walk away but like hell if she was letting some random shit fuck around in Mox territory. She had some iron on her hips and she was going to use it.

So there she went, charging in without hesitation, with her guns ready to save a random kid. At a closer glance, They weren't even from the bigger gangs like Maelstrom or something. She wasn't even sure who they were affiliated to and even if they were, she wasn't going to let that shit fly here.

"Who the hell do you think you are marching on our turf!?" She shouted as she fired a shot up in the air.

"Oh shit, it's a Mox! Run!" The streetscums shouted as they bolted away. She made sure to shoot some of them in the leg to remind them to never come back here. Seeing them limp as blood came pouring out of their ass was extremely therapeutic for her. She's adding that on the bucket list on how to kill her bro later.

With that dealt with, she could finally check on the kid and see what his problem was. "Hey gonks for brains, what's the deal, huh? Walking in an alley of all things, are you blind or something?" She shouted at the white haired kid who looked at her all wide doe eyed.

Looking up and down at him, she pegged him for some rich kid; probably a tourist or something based on his clothing which looked way too expensive for a Beave or even a Mover. It looked far too neo militaristic but with a gothic flair. All monochrome with no noticeable branding. Whatever he was wearing, it was preem shit. He was also carrying this weird toy. A bit creepy with the half skull and half metal face hidden beneath a cloak of red but who was she to judge. Overall, he looked just like a harmless kid, a cute one but maybe a bit of a gonk.

The boy pouted as he replied "Hey! I brought protection ok. It might be the first time I've stepped outside Westbrook but I came prepared."

She gave the boy a sly grin as she asked in turn, "So bought some condoms?"

She let out a loud laugh as the boy turned a bright red. "I walked myself right into that didn't I?" He asked as she gave the boy a pat on the back. The fact that he didn't flinch away from the touch already made her see him in a better light.

"Right you are on that one. Now, there's the matter of payment for my service!" She had to remind the kid that nothing was free down below. The boy took it in stride as he just nodded along. He truly was a rich kid.

"Will this do?" He asked as he sent her some eddies. She almost did a spit take when the numbers started rolling up and up and up. Did the boy just send her 6 digits? She had to double check but the numbers remained the same. She knew he looked loaded but she didn't know he was this loaded.

"Oh by the way, here's a gun as well." he then said as she handed him a plastic looking ray gun toy. She still took it nonetheless. She wasn't going to refuse the kids' generosity. A bit bulky but her jacket has more than enough space to fit the gun in.

'Fuck you Pilar! I hit the jackpot!' She thought to herself as she slung her arms around the slightly taller boy.

"It's more than enough, Choom! In fact, why don't I show you around the city? You obviously need some protection and a guide and it just so happens that I'm free today so what do you say?" She said as the boy got a bit redder. He was adorable and she might just keep him. Still, she kinda feels bad about the kid. He was so clueless and innocent it was almost painful. No wonder some gonks tried robbing him for all he was worth.

"I'd like that very much… choom." He replied as he smiled. She felt her own cheeks heat up but ignored it as she grinned back and led him onwards.

"Oh wait, before we go, I just need to call my bodyguard." He said as he stopped on his tracks. She turned towards him and gave him a questioning stare.

"You had a bodyguard all this time! Where the fuck is he?" She shouted. She should really not be blowing up on the kid but she can't help it when his guard was risking this kid's life by getting him all surrounded.

He had the gall to look sheepish of all things as he scratched the back of his head and replied "He's in the shadows… whenever he shows up, people always scream so I had him hide most of the time." This only made her question his choice of bodyguard even more.

"Wait, calling him now. Hey, she's cool. Yes I know. You can go back home, you know. You sure you want to keep watching?" He then said as he started talking to his bodyguard. She tapped her foot impatiently as he kept talking to the guard on the other end of the line before he finally finished.

"What's the name of this mysterious bodyguard of yours anyways?" She then asked as he walked towards her.

"Adam." He replied nonchalantly as they continued their walk.

"Like Adam Smasher?" She asked jokingly. The Arasaka boogeyman was as real as they can get and she dreads having to meet him out in the street. Thankfully, he doesn't do bodyguard missions.

"Oh hey you know his name. I thought people didn't talk about him in this part of town." He replied like he was just talking about the weather. She couldn't help but laugh at his joke. Man, she thought to herself, this kid was funny.

"Hah! You know kid, I like you." She then said as they left the alley and back to civilized space. "Yeah, your bodyguards Adam fucking Smasher." She snorted. The more she thinks about it, the funnier it gets and she can't help it.

"Hey, I'm not a kid. I'm 20, you know." He replied with a pout.

"Heh. That makes us kindred spirits! I would toast to that but bouncers usually shoo me away if I'm not with my brother." She answered back.

"Well, darn. I actually wanted to see if I could visit the Afterlife." He then said dreamily.

"Hold on to your pedal there mister. No one can just enter Afterlife. You have to have a certain amount of street cred before they allow you in. Even I can't quite go in there just yet." She admitted. Yes Maine was an up and comer but they still need a bit more cred before they can enter. The crestfallen look on his face was almost too much to bear. Damn puppies eyes were past her defenses.

"Kid, it's not the end of the world we can't go there. Besides there's tons of other places we can go with all the eddies you gave me." She replied truthfully. With the eddies she had now, she could splurge a bit on some of the preem stuff. "Btw, what's your name? Can't keep calling you kid, mine's Rebecca by the way but my chooms call me Becca."

"Hiro and well… you can call me Hiro." He replied as she nodded in approval. He does have some brains up there.

"Well Hiro, I think this is the start of a wonderful friendship." She then said as they headed out to town.
She had the time of her life. She almost wanted to kiss Pilar right now for not waking her up, almost cause Pilar was still a disgusting piece of shit who needs to get shot preferably by her own two hands. With a cup of fancy coffee in one hand, made with real 100% coffee beans she might add as she saw the whole process, and the other around Hiro, they walked down the empty street. They traveled around as much as they could and it was already late by the time she was heading back home. Even Pilar sent some messages her way but a simple shout got him to shut up.

"That was fucking Nova Choom! Fucking Nova. Your parent's must be high up the Saka ladder if you made that Corpo shiver and grovel like that. Nice touch on the Japanese by the way." She said.

"I'm not really from around her. Just came here a year ago." He admitted.

"So wait, you're from overseas?" She asked.

"Yup. All the way from the land of the rising sun. Had to convince my grandfather that I could handle Night City before he gave me his blessing. I had to make him a nice sword just to get him to agree." He answered, making her whistle.

"So you're some Techie kid or some shit?" She asked once more as she got more and more curious about him. Who was this kid exactly, she asked herself.

"I'd what you call a ripperdoc and a techie package. I also dabble in netrunning but my Aunt's way better than I'll ever be." The kid replied.

"Oh man, you're not lying are you?" She then said.

"Yup. I have my license and everything. Here." He said as he sent her a pic of his license. The name was a bit blurred but there it was, a true ripperdoc in the flesh. "If you ever need medical assistance, you can hit me up."

"Well damn Hiro, I wouldn't mind that at all" She said. There was awkward silence between them as they walked down the road before Hiro suddenly asked her something.

"Hey Becca, want to do this again sometime? Maybe I could take you Westbrook. I know a lot of places in Japantown." he offered. She had to grin at that.

"Oh? Asking me out on a date already~?" She asked in a teasing tone.

"And what if I am?" He asked with a terrible blush in his face. Kitty has some bite in him. She had to admit but he was merely a novice against a master.

"Well, I wouldn't say no to a cutie like you." She answered, making him turn into a tomato. He was way too adorable for his own good. "Here, let me give you my number." She then added as she sent him her info.

After exchanging info and walking a bit more, they finally got to her apartment. She wasn't going to leave him outside without protection because of his shitty bodyguard. If he was going to be calling a ride back home, best he does it while in a safer place.

"So here we are, my apartment. Make yourself at home while you wait for your ride home." She said as she opened the door.

"Hey bro, we have company! Make yourself decent or I will!" She shouted, making his brother flail around his side of the room. Even with his side hidden by a divider, she still knew that he was up to some creepy shit.

"What the fuck Becca! I told you no guests!" Pilar shouted as he peered out from his "room" and glared at them.

"Shut the fuck up Pilar. This kid is Hiro and he's just staying here for a while till his ride comes by to pick him up". She replied as she glared at him in turn. Pilar was about to say something when Hiro intervened.

"I could order some food?" Hiro offered, making Pilar look at him considerately as he stroked his chin like he was deep in thought.

"What kind of food are we talking about here?" Pilar asked, making her groan out as she slapped her palm against her face.

"Some Ramen from Bleu?" Hiro replied with a casual shrug.

"You shitting me?" Pilar replied as he gave them a disbelieving look.

"Nope! Also, shut your filthy trap. Kids way too pure for the likes of you" She answered. She had no time with his shit but Pilar had to do his thing however as he came bolting out of his room.

"Chooom! My man, sorry about earlier. Make yourself at home!" Pilar shouted happily as he did a total 180 on Hiro. From annoyance to honored guest. Even Hiro was repulsed by Pilar as he talked the kids' ears out.

'Feel my pain' She mouthed at him with a smirk before she sauntered off to get a bath. "Hey Hiro, keep Pilar busy for a while will ya? Just need to take a bath." She said as she dropped her jacket on the floor and walked off.

"Umm can I invite my bodyguard in? He's been following us all this time and he could use seat." Hiro asked from behind her.

"No worries! A friend of my sister is a friend of mine so invite him in!" Pilar replied cheerfully, making her snort. No guests, huh? She asked herself as she inserted some coins in the vending machine to get some shampoo and hot water ready.

She took her merry time in the bath as she just topped up the water. She had money and she was damn well going to enjoy it. She finished relaxed and refreshed, smelling like roses. She might have splurged a bit on the shampoo but a girl had to take care of her hair.

She took a sniff at the air and noticed the smell of food coming from outside. The smell of real food was truly something else. She honestly believed that she might have some trouble eating even SCOP after this, much less kibble. Still, Hiro did offer a date so she might just have a second taste.

Drying her body and putting some clothes on, she got out of the bath as she dried her hair with her towel. "Hey Hiro, Pilar didn't cause… you…" She said before trailing off as she finally caught a glimpse of Hiro's body guard. Ice filled her veins as the inhumane gaze of the full borg straight right into her and bored into her very soul.

The being in front of her could barely even be called a human any more with all the chrome he had on him. The only visible flesh in his body was his face and even then she wasn't even sure if it was actual flesh or synth skin. He wasn't just chromed up the gills but armed to the teeth with a missile launcher pod right atop his shoulder and that's not even talking about what he could have hidden in his body. There was no denying it, it was Arasaka's very own Boogeyman. There, Sitting in her sofa with her brother and Hiro was Adam Smasher, in the flesh.

"Ah yes the meatbag. I'd like to thank you for entertaining my charge. He is extremely… happy." He growled out with barely restrained impatience making her take a step back.

"Now, now Adam, be nice. You know how close it is till we start field testing the Arasaka Heavy Bolter and you don't want us finding any other tester do you?" Hiro replied, casually scolding the beast wrapped in chrome.

Adam growled as he nodded. "Forgive me Hiro… and Rebecca."

Rebecca was now extremely confused. She wasn't even sure anymore if she accidently used up one of Pillars pick me up or if this was just a fever dream. Even Pilar looked scared and confused right now as he didn't even dare touch the piping hot food in front of him.

Seeing her all confused, Hiro smiled as he started explaining. "You're probably confused about all this. Well, let me introduce myself properly this time around."

Standing up, he bowed as he made his introduction. "My name is Hiro Arasaka, son of Yorunobu Arasaka. Thank you for showing me around Night City."

The sound of an AV landing nearby along with the sounds of boots touching down on the ground quickly drowned out all conversation. "Well Becca, seems like my ride finally arrived. I'll be in touch with you but for now, I'll have to leave."

With that, Adam stood up as he followed his master away leaving her stupefied what the hell had just happened. It took a minute before the silence was broken with Pilar asking her a question. "Hey sis… did we really have Adam Smasher and some Exec's kid at our house?"

"Yeah… it seems like we did." Rebecca answered as she walked over to their table and plopped down on one of the seats. She didn't even mind the dent made by Adam's weight on one of the chairs as she started eating while taking some of the good meat cuts from Pillars untouched Ramen.

"H-hey! That's mine!" He shouted as he made a grab for his bowl.

"Fuck you! I need this!" She shouted as she started eating in earnest. Yes she was stress eating but today was just way too much excitement once she realized who she was with. Oddly enough though, despite all of it… she kinda hoped that Hiro would call her. He owed her a date now for scaring her god damn it!

A/N:

My beta pointed me at this site and so here I am. So this is the Cyberpunk idea I had been brewing in my mind for a while and was voted by my patrons. The SI is born an Arasaka and now they're in Night City. I'd probably start writing more about the changes this SI has made so far but let's just say that they might be wild.

Anyways, I'd like to thank @Vyor. because no matter what, I know I can rely on you. Also, I'd like to thank my patrons:

Spoiler: Patrons

Rashomon, Anon, victor a lopez-barron, Nick, Philip Nguyen, Alex Wierzbicki, cailk, Lapiver, Just_a_Knight, Alexander Cullison, Biigoh, WorkForFood, Alex, Logan Williams, Brody McDermott, Nicolaas Van Der Wath, Baron_Dio, thefrobro, Zach, Aea, Derp king, GWSwift, Sammy88, John Michael Funelas Bueno, BigBee, Boris Bondar, Nathan White, scott murray, Darion Smith, Jorge Benedicto, Thordur hrafn, Klever Kilvanya, sam thomas, xedex, Lurker number 5, Fernandes, Alina, Laurence wu, Gabriel, Edwin Rodriguez, asdo, Adam Maslowski, Jeff Abozne, Weise, Christopher LaFerney, Sharp, Ruben Melchor, Dao, Fool, Sandy Ruiz, Invalid, Drain, Hyrdro4C, Harpy81, taylor smith, Tjark Niehues, Jmatt890, Adrian Kopyt, Auke86, Sover_Invic, UnlimitedLikes, Maelstrom232, Matthew Moore, Eredhel, anthony turner, Daniel King, Germayne Martinez, ethan maloney, Jonald Theodore Cuyos, Just Graham, kenni nielsen, Joshua Guderian, Andreyebidu, Andrew Roberts, toxic badger, TheForgottenKing, Christopher Osborne, HyperionTheWatcher, ShyGuy42, Legion_13, Austin Fisher, Yobikir

As always, from here on out, I'd like to remind you that I have a patreon page! You guys are bringing me closer to being able to literally live off my passion. You guys rock!. also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star. There's also this discord page. I should stream my WoT play... even as horrible as it is. The Soviet grind is easy.

 

[SirBearington]

Chapter 1

Rebecca liked to believe she was just a simple girl. All she wanted in life was some good iron and an input to call hers. What can she say? Nothing gets her blood running hotter than violence and a good lay. That was how she liked it and it’s what she’s good at. She’ll probably die guns blazing with her man but now… she wasn’t so sure as things got a whole lot more complicated.

She stared down at the bowl of kibbles in front of her, prodding it with her spoon as she kept thinking about the day before. The brown mass of rehydrated food stuff slowly swirling inside a bowl as she kept on thinking about the night before. She normally would be chowing down right now but was too preoccupied to eat right now. Even Pilar, the slob that he usually is, was taking it slow today.

“You haven’t touched your food” Pilar pointed out as he chewed on his food. She sighed as she gently pushed her bowl away.

“Not hungry.” Rebecca replied as she slumped down on the table and stared off into the distance.

“Want me to buy you something good?” Pillar asked as he shoveled another spoonful of kibble into his mouth. At least he still had his appetite, she thought to herself as she turned and stared back at her brother.

With a wry grin spreading across her face, she then teased her brother “You? Buying me something good? I should be the one asking you that.”

“Still thinking about last night?” Pilar asked once more. He was getting annoyed with all the questions he was making but she can’t really deny it.

“Is it really that obvious?” Rebecca turned face down before letting out a groan of frustration. She couldn’t help but think about those stupid puppy eyes. How could she have missed something so obvious. Was it because he gave her such a great time?

“God damn he got you good. Usually, you would be shouting at me or somethin.” Pilar replied as she heard him shovel food down his mouth.

“Why me though?” She asked him. Yes she was pretty but he probably had a ton of girls after him. She couldn’t wrap her head around this idea that she was someone special. She couldn’t help but feel her cheeks heat up at the thought.

Pilar quirked an eyebrow at her before shouting in response, “Why not you? Someone calling my sister ugly cause I’ll rip them to shreds!”

She turned her head towards his brother with a stupefied look on her face “Who are you and what did you do to my brother” she asked.

Pilar merely rolled his eyes as he pressed forward without pause. “Ok. Let me ask you this then. Did he look at any girl when you were around him?” he asked.

She frowned but entertained his question anyway, “No… it’s actually quite funny that he kept following me around like a lost puppy.” He remembered he had this goofy smile with him and he looked so goddamn happy when they hit the gun shop and fired at the range.

“Did he say anything about your clothes?” He asked again.

“No, not even once.” She remembered as her frown got even deeper as she recalled that time when she bumped into a Corpo, “Not even when we went to this high class restaurant. He just barreled right in and gave this look to the waiters. I remembered bumping into this Arasaka Corp and fucker called me a whore and everything. Kept shouting about my clothes but Hiro just stood up and gave him a dressing down.”

“Did he ask you about what you like? Maybe he was fishing for a gift to give you” Pillar then asked as he stroked his chin. Suddenly, the gun in her pocket felt so warm now. Reaching down, she pulled out the toy-like gun and looked at it in both horror and elation.

“Fuck…” She breathed out as Pilar nodded “Does he have a crush on me!?” she shouted as she laid down the gun and stood straight up from her seat.

Scraping the last bit of sauce from the meal, Pilar finished it with a loud burping as he answered her question, “See? He likes you so stop being gonk about it. Stop thinking too much about it. Just do things. Go with the flow and live the moment. He could be playing with you or he could be not. Either way, I’ll shoot him even if it means dying, if he ever breaks your heart then so be it.”

“Stop making so much fucking sense!” Rebecca shouted as she leaned close and hammered her fist down on his crappy mohawk. Still, she couldn’t help but feel just a bit more relaxed now. Going with the flow sounded like a good idea for her.

“Ow-! God damn it Becca, Not the hair! Chill!” Pilar shouted as he shielded his head and leaned away. Before she could jump at him and strangle him, both receive a message from Maine along with the sound of knocking from the door.

“Hey Choom, open up.” Messaged Maine as they stopped on their tracks. Glaring at her brother, she huffed as she went on to answer the door.

Opening the door, she quickly found out that it wasn’t just Maine that dropped by. The gang's all here. The main man himself Maine towered over the motley ensemble with his girlfriend Dorio beside him. Besides the two were, there was also their net runner Kiwi along with Lucy. They were a sight for sore eyes and she felt touched that they all sported a look of concern. Even Kiwi looked uncharacteristically emotive without the usually detached and cold look she often sported.

Looking up at them, she asked her crew “So… I see you’ve heard about last night?” . It seems everyone and their mother heard what happened least.

“Yeah, we heard plenty enough. Heard Arasaka’s mad dog dropped by your house.” Maine replied with a shrug. Of course they heard so might so she might as well tell them everything.

Rebecca sighed as she reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose before gesturing for them to come in. “Best you guys get settled in because I promise you this is a long story.” She said as she turned around and walked towards the couch.

-x-x-x-

“So let me get this straight. You saved this kid from some random muggers then you took him out on a date and you didn’t know who he was till his bodyguard dropped by?” Maine asked as he leaned forward with an amused smile plastered across his face. She suddenly felt that his face was just a tad bit more punchable right now.

“It was not a date ok! I took him out on tour cause the gonk obviously needed someone to show him around!” She defended herself as Kiwi snorted.

“So, the date at a high end restaurant, the shooting range gunplay and the gift giving isn’t a date. Some high standards you have there Becca.” Kiwi snarked as she took a huff from her cigarette.

“Oh shut up will you!” She shouted as she threw her hands up in frustration.

“And here we thought you pissed off an Arasaka Exec, instead we found out that our little gunslinger charmed one instead.” Maine chuckled as she growled at him warningly while her cheeks burned from indignation. She had had enough teasing for the day damn it all!

“Who knew her aggressive go-getter attitude would catch someone's attention for once.” Kiwi added as she sent them all snippets of various news articles, All of them showing Hiro. The articles were wide and varied but all told the same thing, Hiro was one of the forces behind Arasaka's rise back to prominence.

“Grandson of Saburo Arasaka and son of Yorinobu to an unknown edgerunner from around here. Graduated and finished his studies at age 12. Became the youngest Arasaka board member at age 14 and earned his PhD in Theoretical Physics at age 16.” Kiwi started listing off the accomplishments under Hiro’s belt.

“The amount of patents in his name frankly boggles the mind. Physics, Material Science, and Biology to name a few of the fields he specializes in. Kid’s a polymath and polyglot and wouldn’t you know it, he’s a licensed doctor as well. Talk about an overachiever. In short, he’s Arasaka’s golden goose and you now have him wrapped around your fingers, congratulations.” Kiwi finished off before looking at the gun over on top of Rebecca’s lap warily. She wasn’t sure why everyone kept looking at the gun. It looks cool and all with its black matte finish and the green highlights but like it’s not like it.

Everyone stared at Kiwi as they digested what she just said before they turned their attention on her. Maine and Dorio nodded as they gave her both thumbs up while Lucy had this look she couldn’t quite decipher. She shrugged it off as Kiwi added “You know… Militech would pay a king's ransom for any information about the kid and having someone, a close confidant or even an input that could tattle to them… I can’t even think of how much they’re going to be paying”

“Hey! Don’t you there even suggest something like that!” She shouted as she aimed her toy gun at Kiwi. Kiwi raised her hand in surrender as Pilar pulled her back.

“Becca, Chill. Kiwi, not cool. This Hiro kid’s Becca input.” Maine scolded their netrunner as the woman nodded.

“Just saying is all. Besides, with Becca being this kid's output, we could probably get some corporate immunity if we play nice” Kiwi replied.

She huffed as she crossed her arms and leaned back against her couch. “He ain’t my input… yet” She muttered as she felt her cheeks heat up.

“You know, all this talk about input and output got me thinking…” Dorio wondered as she looked at her contemplatively, “What if the Emperor finds out?”

“Oh shit you're right. I could still feel my back hurting from that time when I first proposed to you. Your old man almost broke my back!” Maine winced at the memories Dorio accidentally pulled up.

Rebecca couldn’t help but gulp in nervousness. The Emperor was infamous for his natioanalistic tendencies and his pride. If he did find out she practically dated his grandson, she’ll definitely be under his radar and wasn’t that something to be worried about.

“Fuck.” Rebecca breathed out as she ran her hand across her hair before she started playing with the toy gun Hiro gave her. It had some heft to it and it did feel good in her hands.

“You think the kid gave you an experimental gun?” Maine jokingly asked. She snorted in amusement at the thought. It wasn’t so far fetched but prototypes were one of a kind and expensive. No way she’s holding one right now.

She stopped spinning the gun and looked down on it. Inspecting every detail of the faux firearm, she did find It had everything a gun had but it could be some sort of fancy gel gun for all she knew. Aiming at the window and right at one the passing skull like Arasaka Delivery drone, she then replied “This? Nah, probably not. Here let me show you.”

She squeezed the trigger and all hell broke loose. She squeaked in surprise from the gun bucking against her hands as it shot an arc of green lightning straight at the window. The electrical arc ate through the window, the delivery drone and a water tower which exploded in a giant cloud of green tinted steam. What’s worse was that the shot left some sort of corrosive effect which ate through the stuff that it passed through.

They all stared wide eyed and gaped at the carnage caused by the shot as the shouts of alarm and cries of panic could be heard outside. Rebecca looked down at the very real and very dangerous gun in her hand before slowly setting it down on the table.

“Becca… what the fuck was that!” Lucy shouted as the normally unflappable girl shouted, echoing the thoughts of everyone in the room.

“Hiro’s gift…” She replied honestly.

“And you said he’s not your input? Yeah, I’m not buying it.” Kiwi deadpanned as she approached her apartment's surprise balcony as the green corrosion faded away. She made sure to avoid even touching anything as she peered down to inspect what she assumed was the drone.

“You know… I always thought the view would be nice if I had a balcony there.” Pilar whispered before covering his face.”Our land lord's going to fuck tan my hide.” He lamented. They really can’t hide something this big and they might be visited by the NCPD later.

“I’ll handle it.” She replied as he gently patted his brother on the back. This was her fuck up. Hopefully it would be cheap but she could already feel her wallet getting a bit lighter.

Thankfully or unfortunately, Hiro decided it was the best time to call her. She jumped in surprise as she stared at the number in front of her and she kept staring at it and wondering if it’s a good idea to answer it right now.

“I’m going to take a guess and say that’s this Hiro kid calling.” Maine asked as she nodded a little too fast. She bit her lips as indecision took hold.

“Oh come on Becca! Didn’t I just tell you to just do it!” Pillar shouted which steeled her mind.

“Ok fine! I’m going to respond so shut the fuck up! She shouted in turn as she answered the call. Gathering her thoughts, she greeted Hiro happily “Hey Choom! How’s it hanging?”

Maine covered his face as his shoulders started shaking while Dorio couldn’t help herself as she squealed out in delight. She flipped the two the bird before turning her attention back to the call. “Hey Becca, open the news channel right now.”

“Open the news channel now, why?” She asked, confused at Hiro’s sudden request.

“Just do it. It’s a surprise.~” Hiro said and before she could even reply, Pilar was already on it as he ran towards their TV and turned it on. She along with everyone else huddled around the tiny screen as Pilar turned it to the right channel.

There standing in front of a speech conference was Hiro making a speech for the journalist and the camera. Whatever it was that he was speaking about, they already missed most of it. Still, they were there to hear the end of his speech. “And I would like to conclude the opening ceremony for the Arasaka Mechanicus Lab by greeting a special someone I met while exploring this city. Hi Becca!-”

She quickly turned the channel much to the dismay of the others. “Hey what gives! The kid’s definitely going to say something else! How can I prepare my shovel talk now damn it.” Pilar shouted as she kept turning the channel. Her heart was racing while her ears burned and she hated it damn it all. She should be the one teasing him, not the other way around!

Finally, she settled on a nice boring channel. The ones with the useless 24 hour talk shows and away from Hiro’s little stunt. “Today at Night City’s Morning Brew, Who is Becca? More after these messages from our corporate sponsors!”

She couldn’t help but groan as she sunk into her knees and covered her face. She didn’t need anyone telling her that she was blushing like some Corpo school girl on her first night out in Lizzie’s bar. She hated Hiro for turning things around. She tucked herself into a tiny ball and hoped everyone went away.

“Got to say nice catch.” Kiwi said appreciatively as she felt the old hag gently stroking her hair. It wasn’t fair that Hiro could mess her up like this.

“Why the hell did you guys drop by anyways?” She whined as she looked up at them.

Maine shrugged as he said “Heard you were in trouble and well, Gloria’s getting out of the biz so I wanted to throw a farewell party for her and I can’t have that party without everyone there.”

“Wait, she’s actually quitting the gig?” Rebecca asked, genuinely surprised that Gloria of all people finally got lucky enough to quit. The gal kept them supplied with some good chrome and it’s a shame that she wouldn’t do it anymore but at least someone’s having a good time.

-x-x-x-

David Martinez was just your average kid from the mean streets of Santo Domingo. Everyone knows him in their apartment block as the corpo school kid, the lucky kid that’s living the dream but he kinda resented it a bit. Still, he kept going to him and made sure that he was up to par with the other kids. They can’t sling that much shit if the only thing they can sling is where he came from and his status in life. It gets stale fast after all.

He knew they were dirt poor and he had this feeling that no matter how hard he tried, the stains these kids perceived on him would never go away but today was weird… really weird. As he walked past the gate of his school, he felt something was already off. People were looking at him differently. While they used to look at him like he was some sort of shit stuck beneath their shoes, now… it was as if they regarded him like a cut of meat to eat and devour.

“Hey Martinez! Looking good!” Called one of them out.

“Yo David my man. We need another man on the team and I heard from someone that you’re just the man we need.” Offered the usually aloft Soccer team lead.

“Hey, wanna hang out later? The girls and I know a good place in the Kubuki district. You should totally come with us.~” called another, this time a couple of cute girls who were giving him looks which was freaking him out.

“Yeah… I’m kinda busy right now but maybe later!” He replied as he bravely ran away from them. What the hell was happening right now? Did he finally lose it and go psycho? Was he using some tainted BD right now?

Before he could even think about that any further, his train of thought was delayed as he bumped into the one person he hated meeting in his day to day school.

“Hey! Watch-...” Shouted Tanaka before he slowly trailed off. For a second, he thought he saw some fear in Tanaka’s eyes but that can’t be right can it? “Sorry about that.” Tanaka quickly muttered as he walked away, practically darting off to wherever he was going.

“What in the world is going on?” As if on cue to answer him, his mother came calling. He quickly answered it without hesitation.

“Hey mom. Anything happened at work?” He asked a bit bewildered at the time she was calling. She’s supposed to be at work right now? He knew she probably just arrived at work and the asses there hated people calling while on the clock.

“Hey kiddo, just want to tell you that I got a promotion… Yay?” His mother replied with an equally confused tone as he was. It seems that it wasn’t him that was experiencing strange shit.

“... so you too mom?” He hazard a guess to which his mother replied.

“Wait, that fast? Anyways, I just wanted to tell you to come home early. Going to be borrowing your uncle’s old butane burner. I’m going to cook something my abuela once cooked for me. Stay safe ok? Love you!” With that, the call ended leaving even him more confused.

“Did I die?” He asked as he walked off in a daze. If he died, he shrugged, might as well make the most out of the strange scenario he found himself in.

A/N:

As always, from here on out, I'd like to remind you that I have a patreon page! You guys are bringing me closer to being able to literally live off my passion. You guys rock!. also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star. There's also this discord page. I should stream my WoT play... even as horrible as it is. The Soviet grind is easy.

 

[SirBearington]

Chapter 2

Hiro didn’t give her a chance to process what just happened at all as he called right after his big damn speech. She jolted in surprise as she saw the caller. She crossed her arms and huffed in annoyance as she stared at the number. She had half a mind to ignore him and his stupidly cute voice but she forgot that her crew was there with her.

Squatting beside her with a stupid grin on his face, Maine started poking her cheeks as he said “Hey, hey, is that who I think who it is?”. She looked away in annoyance, refusing to make eye contact with Maine even when he redoubled his effort in poking her.

Even Dorio joined in as the bigger woman ruffled her hair. She swatted the woman's hand away in annoyance but Dorio only cooed in response. “Oh come Bee, just give the boy a chance. You know what they say about people in love~?” She then added

Recca reluctantly looked up to the other woman before asking “What?”

“Love makes a fool out of us all.~” Maine replied as Dorio pulled the gonk in for a kiss. Rebecca screamed out in frustration as she pulled at her own hair.

“Fine! Fine! I’ll go answer the stupid call” She shouted as she finally accepted Hiro’s call. She felt her face was on fire by the time she answered the phone but she powered on as she wished to give Hiro a piece of her mind.

“What the fuck was that choom!?” She practically screamed at the line as she fumed and huffed. Hiro was getting under her skin like no one else and it was throwing her off her game. She should be the one getting him all hot under the collar, not her!

“Just some light teasing Becca.” Hiro casually replied with a hint of amusement in his voice.

She stood up and paced around and practically growled in both annoyance and embarrassment. Maine and Dorio wisely gave her some space as she moved back to sit on the sofa. The only consolation prize she had was the look of surprise on Maine as he flailed around as he sat on the spot where Smasher destroyed their sofa. Heh, no one in the city could boast that they have a cast of Smasher’s ass. “Oh light teasing he says. You practically called me out to everyone in the city!” She shouted in reply.

“I might have gotten a bit hasty. I just miss you is all.” Hiro replied and sounded like a kicked puppy. Oh now he’s starting to make her feel bad. She hated how sincere he sounded. She really couldn’t hate a puppy dog like him for too long.

“Fucking… fuck.” She cursed as she rested her forearm against the wall before leaning against it. She gave in as she replied, “Fine! Fine! Your gun’s good, terrifying even, but it’s not enough to make up for your gonk ass stunt, got it!?”

Yes, she was letting him off the hook but she was going to make it as ugly as she could. She was feeling a bit petty right now. She heard him chuckle nervously on the other line as he admitted, “Ok, I fucked up hard on this one. I’ll pay you back, I promise. Say, I did offer to take you out on a date right?” Hiro admitted his mistake and tried to own up to it.

Which only made Becca blush all the harder as she replied, “Y-yeah, What about it? It’s not like I’m interested or anything, ok!?” She quickly added on the end just to set things clear between them. Yes, she totally didn’t want to give him a head pat or anything.

“My grandfather's throwing a party in my honor. Just something he wanted to do after I set up my lab here in the States. So, wanna come to the party at Arasaka tower?” Hiro offered which left her even more flabbergasted and confused than ever before.

“Eh!? But I don’t have a proper dress!” She shouted in panic making Kiwi quirk an eyebrow at her while Dorio and Maine waited eagerly in the sideline. Pilar on the other hand was muttering under his breath as he crossed his arms across his chest.

“I could send my driver to your apartment?” Hiro offered and she could already hear him offering her how he could buy her a dress for the occasion.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, she replied placatingly, “No need Hiro. What’s the dress code though?” She might have to ask some of the Mox for help but she won’t be taking any more of Hiro’s money. Anymore and she’ll be practically indebted to him and she really didn’t want that to happen. It’d just sour everyones opinion in her opinion.

“It’s freestyle. Just go with whatever you like.” Hiro replied reassuringly, which eased Becca’s mind. Still, it seems like she’ll have to make some call with her old buddies back in Lizzie’s bar. She might have an idea on what to wear just for the occasion and she had the eddies to have it made. “Oh by the way, you can bring up to… four other people with you. Just show them this pass. Wait, I need to talk to some people. I’ll be looking forward to you coming in later. See you then!” He then suddenly dropped on her.

“H-hey! You just can’t… leave like that.” She tried calling out only to trail out before sagging in disappointment.

“So, how was the lovers spat?” Kiwi asked as she flicked the spent cigarette butt right out of the gaping hole in their apartment and fished out a new one to smoke. Odd, Kiwi’s using way more cigarettes than normal. She shrugged it off as she flipped the bird at their netrunner.

“Oh fuck off, will you?” She replied without any heat as she pulled away from the wall and plopped down on one of the seats. “So… he called me out on a date? Goddamn impulsive gonk actually asked me out!” She then added as she felt all riled up again. She kept staring at the tickets now on her inbox and she still couldn’t quite believe they were there.

“Pay up.” Maine said to Dorio who responded by rolling her eyes. Becca was often jealous of how Dorio and Maine were. They were real partners in crime. What was she with Hiro? She still wasn’t sure.

“Sounds like a pain. Good luck on that. Come on Lucy, let’s blow this joint.” Kiwi waved as she walked out toward the door.

“Oh no no no, Hiro didn’t just invite me, he also gave me enough tickets to invite all of you! You're all coming with me whether you like it or not!” She shouted. She wasn’t going alone on this one, she was going to bring the entire crew with her. If she was going to share the pain of having to deal with corpos with them.

“And what makes you think you can force me to go with you?” Kiwi asked as she looked back at her with an amused look on her face.

She grinned back as she replied, “Everyone important in Arasaka will probably be there. It’s the best place to network.”. It wasn’t a secret to everyone that Kiwi wanted money, a lot of it, and she banked on her being greedy and she was right about it. Kiwi’s eyes widened as she realized how big this was.

“Fuck… I don’t have a good dress.” Kiwi replied as she gave in. Her grin grew all the wider as she turned to the others.

She then pointed at the others as she started firing off reasons why they should back her up on this particular dinner party. “Maine, the party is for Hiro’s lab. He has all the chrome. Dorio, Maine needs a tard wrangler.”

Maine blinked as he shouted “Oh come on! I’m not that bad! Dorio, babe, back me up.”

Dorio pat his back before giving her a thumbs up. Maine gave her a look of betrayal. Rebecca continued on with her brother and Lucy, “Pilar, there’s a lot of girls there and Lucy… You’ll be left out if you don’t go. Also, sisterly solidarity?” She really wasn’t that close with Lucy if she was going to be honest. She was Kiwi’s responsibility and Kiwi, as unlikely as it seems, was a great mom to raise Lucy.

“We’re all going ok! Yes, even you Pilar… just behave.” She announced, to which everyone cursed about their lack of formal wear; all except Dorio.

“Finally I can wear that dress my mother gave me!” Cheered the amazon. Maine and Pilar meanwhile grumbled about their suits not fitting anymore.

“I’ll be skipping on this one.” Lucy replied without hesitation. She nodded at that. She could respect that, and it’s not like she has anything that Lucy would probably like. That and the fact she always kept targeting Arasaka might have a hand in that. The possibility of someone recognizing her there would probably be too much. Who knows just how many eddies she filched from the Saka corpse? She’s definitely on some watchlist by now. “It’s cool Luz.” she said.

“As for you gonks, You guys will be fine. Don’t sweat on it too much.~” She waved off their concern. It’s not like the party had a strict dress code. Besides, they’re all kitsch. Loath as she admits it, even her brother was also kitsch to a certain degree. He’s the only one she knew that could sport that gangly look with his extremely long limbs and that ridiculous mohawk without looking like a fool.

“Anyways, I need to make some calls and go places because the party’s tonight. Be here before six or I will be coming for your ass.” She shouted as she sauntered off to the door. “I’ll be at Lizzie’s bar if you need me.” she added before going off to her old watering hole.

-x-x-x-

“You sure we won’t get blocked in the entrance?” Rebecca asked as she fidgeted in her seat. She tugged at the custom made dress she had ordered from an old friend of hers. It was amazing but she just wasn’t used to wearing it. It was both freeing and, at the same time, restrictive. She’d rather have her jacket any day of the week, but she wanted to get back at Hiro right now.

“Don’t worry Becca, I made sure of it. Just show them the badge if they don’t budge, I’ll call Adam.” Hiro replied over the line.

“Please don’t.” She begged him. She still shivered at the memory of the infamous borg.

“Fine, but seriously. Just call when you get here ok? I have to talk to some investors now. Bye!” He said then as the line cut off. She felt their ride started to slow down. Falco was nice enough to be their chaperone after Lucy declined her offer. It was her loss as Falco was going to be hanging out with her and the crew. There was also the fact that he might just be the only guy they could trust with a rented limo.

Maine was dozing off before the party with Dorio leaning against him. The two were quite the pair with the stunning red dress Dorio had, which showed off her figure and muscles together, while Maine had a red suit with the sleeves ripped off. Not a bad look for the big man. Meanwhile, Kiwi was wearing a flapper dress in her usual color, though this time around she was bringing a long cigarette holder for her smoke. As for her big brother… he was just wearing his usual outfit. He might have brought out his more expensive clothing but it was still the same.

“Really bro?” She asked as she glared at him. Here they were, the whole crew all dressed up and Pilar went with a Neo Kitsch look. Her disappointment for him was immeasurable for how he was rolling in with literal streetwear.

“What? It’s boga alright? Chicks dig the biker look! Just you wait.” He laughed out confidently as she leaned against the seat of the car.

“Whatever. Just do your thing away from prying eyes.” She reminded him off as she crossed her arms and looked at the crowd of vultures outside the packed entrance of the Arasaka tower. There were a lot of newscasters and paparazzi parked right around the red carpet and each of them baying and shouting for attention to get that perfect shot to sell and peddle to the masses.

The line of cars and aerodynes ahead slowly shrank until it was their turn. The moment she and the crew stepped out of the car, they were immediately bombarded with photographs and requests for an interview. It was quite jarring being in the receiving of these, supposed, people instead of being one of the ones watching them sell their wares on TV.

She was half tempted to pull her pistol at them, but she stayed her hands as she gestured for Maine and the others to follow her lead. She walked ahead, strutting like she owned the place and pushing people aside when they got in her way. The bitch she nudged aside turned and glared at them as she stumbled in front of the camera’s. Rebecca can’t help it, she was hogging the entire carpet and blocking everyone else and her patience was already frayed.

“Excuse me! Who the fuck do you think you are?” Shouted the harpy as Rebecca ignored her.

“Fuck off, I don’t have time for this.” She succinctly replied but all it did was enraged the diva.

“You fucking proles bitch! Think a nobody like you can walk in here!? Guards!” She shouted, calling the attention of the Arasaka guards. They looked angry and armed. Maine was about to pull his gun on them but Rebecca gave him a look that she had this handled. She kept her cool as she simply pulled out the digital badge that Hiro sent her way.

The way the guards choked as they backpedaled and apologized was simply cathartic. “Our apologies miss. We did not realize you were the young master's guest. Please, let us escort you.” The guards said as they bowed deeply in front of her.

“No need? I just want to get to the party.” She waved them off. She ignored the further cries of outrage as she saw the woman getting dragged away.

“Understood. Right this way, miss.” The guards said as they guided her and the group inside the tower. Leaving the flashing lights and sound behind them, they finally entered the belly of the beast. The tower from a distance was a monolithic structure of neo gothic architecture. It was foreboding from a distance and now inside it, she couldn’t help but feel dwarfed by the huge vaulted ceiling and sharp architecture. It was both old yet new with all the tubes of metal running across the walls along with the lights keeping the place lit. It felt more like she was in a church or castle rather than the heart of the Arasaka operation in Night City and America.

“Damn impressive.” Whispered Maine as the guards led them to the elevator. One of the guards called for an attendant who quickly rushed to their side.

“Take them to the party and don’t let anyone stop them.” One of their guards said before walking off back to the entrance. The receptionist bowed at them before guiding them inside the elevator. Without command, she punched in the floor where Rebecca thought that the party was being held, and took them to their destination.

One boring elevator ride after, they arrived. The receptionist took them down a long hallway before leading them to a large decorated double door. Pushing them open, Rebecca and the crew would find themselves atop a flight of stairs leading down to a crowd of the wealthy and the elite. From famous celebrities to influential movers, to even powerful execs from not only Arasaka but from various other corpos who are aligned with the huge mega corporation. There was even Kerry Eurodyne in the distance, though he might be a tad bit drunk with how he was being helped by one of the waiters. These were the elite of the elite and they were all here mingling and talking to each other.

“That’s a whole lot of eddies right there. Think we should nab- oof!” Pilar absentmindedly said before she silenced him with an elbow to the stomach.

“We’re here to party, so shut it!” She whispered harshly to her brother. It would look bad if they were escorted out of the building if Pilar stole something or maybe even worse like getting shot on site. “Please, just behave for once?” She begged him.

Pilar gaped at her request before nodding and crossed his heart. She rolled her eyes at his childish display but still accepted it nonetheless as she walked down the stairs. Eyes turned towards their group as they descended down the stairs. They were newcomers afterall, fresh meat in their leering and judging eyes but she refused to let any of them affect her as she held her head up high and walked with pride.

“Becca!” Shouted a familiar voice as Hiro came running to her direction. He was happy as a clam with that huge smile on his face and she couldn’t help but crack a smile.

“Hiro! Looking sharp there.” Rebecca replied as she looked up and down at Hiro’s choice of outfit. She didn’t peg him for someone who loved the classics. He was wearing a simple three piece suit. He might be hiding a kevlar vest under his coat and he certainly came in armed with an iron hidden on his belt.

“So, I take it that you’re Becca’s crewmates?” Hiro asked as he looked up at them. Maine gave him one of his winning smiles while Dorio gave him a polite smile. Pilar stood behind Maine trying to act all tough while Kiwi made herself scarce as she gave Hiro an acknowledging nod.

“Right there you are. Name’s Maine and Becca’s part of my crew.” Maine replied as he extended a hand over to Hiro.

“Hiro, Hiro Arasaka.” Hiro replied as he took his hands without hesitation and gave him a firm shake. Rebecca could see the slight flex on Maine’s hand but Hiro didn’t even twitch.

Letting go of Hiro’s hand, Maine then said, “We heard a lot about you from Becca over here. She might be a foul mouthed and violent girl but don’t let that fool you. There’s a golden heart beneath all those shell casings and guns.” She didn’t know if she was going to punch Maine for that or give him a hug because that was one of the nicest things he’d said in a while.

“It’s one of the reasons why I like her.” Hiro responded. He shocked her and was about to say something before Pilar suddenly barged in between her and Hiro.

Pilar stared at the boy and she was about to pull him away before Pilar said, “Hurt my sister and I'll hurt you even if I die trying.” There was a certain finality in his tone, a certainty that he would do as promised.

“I’ll protect her. Even if I have to protect her from myself.” Hiro replied as he met her brother's gaze. Pilar nodded in satisfaction before he returned to his usual self.

“Well that settles it then! Take care of her for me while I~ go get myself a date!” He laughed as he walked away from the group. For a second there, she almost liked him but he had to ruin it for her by being himself.

Hiro broke her out of her musing as she grabbed on to her hands and dragged her away. “Come on Becca. I want you to meet my Aunt!” He shouted as he eagerly dragged her away. A small smile spreads across her face as she lets herself get dragged along. He really was just an adorable and well meaning gonk.

-x-x-x-

David stared down at the steaming bowl of chicken mole before him. Beside it were two steamed corn cobs. No matter how much he poked it or stirred it, it didn’t fade away like some dream. It was as real as it could get as the savory scent of the dish filled his lungs and it wasn’t just some tiny serving people usually got from a high end restaurant but a full bowl enough for second servings and some more as well as enough rice for both of them.

“Well, what do you think?” His mother asked as she gave him a large serving. “The last time I cooked was when I was still a little girl. My abuela was adamant we learned the old ways even if we couldn’t afford it. She would come back all dusty after capturing some gophers. It was…fun.” His mom trailed off as she smiled fondly at the memory. “But I Iearned! Hopefully I’m not that rusty. I also didn’t get to buy all the ingredients at such a short notice and I had to use some stop gaps for the missing ones but this is as authentic as you can get!” She then added, adamant about her claims.

“Wow…” He whispered as he looked down on the meal before them. “Mom, you didn’t have to cook this much. I know we're a little tight on the budget but real food? Like how much of our savings did you-” He said before his mom stood up and cut him off.

“David, you deserve this ok.” She whispered as he reached out to him, resting her hands on his shoulder before smiling at him even as tears started forming from her eyes. “I… I’ve been a bad mom. I should have been able to give you this but I couldn't but now… now I can finally-!” she whispered as tears welled in her eyes.

She wiped her eyes as more tears flowed down her cheeks. He couldn't help but feel a bit misty eyed as well as he was now on the verge of crying. “God damn it mom. Please don’t cry because if you do… you’re going to make me as well.” he replied as he tried to keep it all in and stay strong for her.

“It’s just, I’ve been working so hard and I can’t even give you what you need but now that I got hired at Arasaka…” His mother let out an ugly crying laugh as she pulled back and sat back down on her seat. “Just, just enjoy this with me David ok?” she asked with a wide happy smile across her face.

Grabbing the serving spoon, he poured some of the mole over the peeled corn cob and let it swim in the meaty sauce. He allowed himself to be generous just to see his mother smile. Grabbing the cob, he lifted it up to his mouth and took a bite. He could taste the burnt garlic and the large amount of spice overwhelming his taste but it was the best meal he ever had. He kept on eating even as tears started dripping down on his food.

“N-now you’re the one making me cry here.” Her mother claimed as she laughed and cried at the same time. Both of them cried and laughed as for once, they didn’t have any worry in the world. It was a feeling that David would never forget."

A/N:

As always, from here on out, I'd like to remind you that I have a patreon page! You guys are bringing me closer to being able to literally live off my passion. You guys rock!. also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star. There's also this discord page. I should stream my WoT play... even as horrible as it is. The Soviet grind is easy.

 

[SirBearington]

Chapter 3

As soon Hiro started dragging her away, everyone in the group started to make excuses to get away. She knew damn well what they were doing and she appreciated it despite how heavy handed they were being. Kiwi was the first to break away from them.

“If anyone needs me, I’ll be at the bar. Later.” The flapper said as she sauntered off to get herself a drink. With how many people were drinking at the bar, Rebecca had a feeling that the drinks were free. Still, she wouldn’t go anywhere near that bar with the dark brooding figure of the boogeyman there.

“Ummm… uh, wait. Hey Dorio, is that who I think it is?” Maine floundered a bit as he scrambled for an excuse before his eyes spotted someone in the room. She turned to where he was looking and found a full borg currently escorting a white haired beauty sporting a wide brimmed hat. She was giving the borg looks as she glanced at her wrist watch from time to time.

“Well I’ll be damned. Hey Bee, we're just going to say hi to an old friend of ours.” Dorio excused herself and Maine as the couple headed for the fullborg. The tin man looked as happy as a fullborg could be with how he seemed to loosen up as her crew’s leader greeted him loudly.

“Ahriman you son of a bitch, I thought you were dead! Haven't seen you since the war." Maine shouted as he and the borg shook hands before bumping chest. The woman with the other man was not happy and if Rebecca had to guess, Dorio and Maine just clam jammed the hell out of her.

“That was the plan.” Ahriman casually replied as he, Maine, and Dorio started to chat, much to the displeasure of the rich girl Ahriman was with.

Even Falco was in on the fun after he missed everything else by arriving last. The lonesome cowboy tipped his hat to her as he walked off to a nearby balcony. He really didn’t look like the type to socialize in these types of things anyway and he only came for the food.

“So, that just leaves the two of us huh?” Hiro said as they watched the others do their things. They might not be the best crew out there but they were still her crew damn it and she’ll still love them even if they were being gonks about things.

“Nah, it’s fine. Those guy’s been bugging me ever since your little broadcast stunt mister big shot.” She replied as she gave him a playful punch in the shoulder. He took it in good nature as he smiled with her. Keeping hold of her hand, he led her through the crowd.

“Sorry about the short notice. Should have probably picked you up as well but things have been hectic to say the least…” Hiro apologized as they walked past the various movers and celebrities that called Night City their home. It was a colorful ensemble of different styles and personalities, each trying to be the center of attention as they dined and drank the night away.

“Nah it's cool Hiro. At least I got to have a friend make me a new dress.” She replied with a grin. She paid handsomely for it and seeing how it caught Hiro’s eyes made it all worth it. He was still a boy after all and her charms could still work on him. She caught him sneaking glances at her and boy did it stroke her bruised ego.

“She’s certainly talented. I think she’ll appreciate having higher paying clientele after the news network picks up who made your dress… Becca?” He replied before trailing off as she choked and realized she just made a horrible mistake. She slapped her forehead with the palm of her hands and let out a groan.

“God fucking damn… she’s going to kill me.” She cursed herself for forgetting the one thing she should have done down below at the red carpet. It was the one thing she could have done aside from paying her friend twice her rate and she somehow forgot it.

“Wait, why?” Hiro asked as he tilted his head at her.

“I shrugged off all the reporters trying to talk to me?” She replied with a pained smile making Hiro wince. She sagged and deflated when the realization hit home. She could have given her friend a much needed advertisement for her work if she was a little more friendly with the blood sucking parasites called paparazzis.

“Ohhhh.” Hiro replied before he reached out and gave her a pat on the head. She would have snapped normally but she felt too ashamed right now for letting her friend down. “Don’t worry Becca. You know, I think some fashion reporters are already on the case trying to find your mysterious tailor.” He then added.

She let out a sigh of relief as before letting out a laugh. “Oh thank fuck. I thought I would have to hide from her whenever I visit Lizzie’s.” she replied as she wiped an imaginary sweat from her forehead. Those journo’s were often worse and more cut-throat than informants in many ways. They’d definitely be on the case in trying to figure out who made her dress.

“Hiro? There you are!” A young woman’s voice then called out, making Hiro turn towards them. She peered out from behind Hiro to see who dared interrupt. Pushing past the crowd of people was a short haired Japanese woman wearing a sharp looking suit. She didn’t look a day older than 30 but in spite of that, and the lack of the foreign features Hiro sported, the resemblance she had to Hiro was unmistakable.

“Sorry Auntie Michiko. I just wanted to greet Rebecca. Rebecca, Aunt Michiko. Aunt Michiko, Rebecca.” Hiro introduced Rebecca to another Arasaka. She felt like this was going to be the norm from here on out, but she was an edgerunner. She just had to roll with the punches as they came her way.

Putting on her best smile, she extended her hand to the woman. “Yo! Glad to meet you. Name’s Rebecca but my friends call me Becca.” She introduced herself. She suddenly felt a bit nervous when Hiro’s aunt eyed her up and down but she relaxed as the other woman broke out into a smile and shook her hand.

“So, you must be this Becca that Hiro kept talking about.” The woman replied, making Hiro sputter out and turn red in embarrassment. “I can see why he couldn’t stop thinking about you.
You definitely have some moxie.” she then said, making Rebecca snort out in amusement.

“Auntie!” Hiro cried out in embarrassment which Rebecca couldn’t help but cackle at with how red faced he was. Seeing him on the receiving end of the teasing was cathartic in a good way.

“Now now, you know all too well what was going to happen when you brought her to me. After all, it’s not every day I get to meet my favorite nephew’s special ‘friend’.” Michiko then said and it was now Rebecca’s turn to blush. Hiro tried to reply but he just stuttered away and averted from her gaze and that of his aunt. He was obvious as hell but hearing it from his aunt was something else.

“Yes, you just took off all of a sudden for a ‘friend’.” Michiko teasingly said as she watched both of them squirm under her gaze. “Here I thought there was an emergency in your lab but it seems that it’s a different kind of emergency.” Hiro’s aunt chuckled as she ruffled the boy's hair who only got redder. She was definitely his aunt as she was just as much of a tease as Hiro was, if not even more so.

“Oh hey! Are those tempura I see at the buffet table?” Hiro mechanically replied as he pointed at the table on the other end of the room. “Why don’t I go grab some! Becca, take care of my aunt for now will you?” he said as he ran away with his ears burning from the weapon grade teasing they just received. She couldn’t blame him but now… now she was all alone with his Aunt.

“We’ll be at my table, ok?” Michiko called out before she shook her head in wry amusement. “This has been the most expressive I've seen him in ages around another person, you know that?” She then said as she turned towards her. Rebecca raised a brow at that revelation. Hiro? Not expressive? Well, wasn’t that an oxymoron.

“Oh? He’s quite animated last time I checked. I’d know since I’ve been on the receiving end of his teasing.” She replied to Michiko. Pouting, her thoughts soon drifted to that gonk. Hiro wore his heart on his sleeve and it was easy for her to read his mood. It’s what makes it so jarring to interact with him. He was just so honest at times her instincts were telling her that she must be lying.

“Believe me. Last time I saw him this hopeful, a girl broke his fragile heart. After that, he started wearing masks to hide it away. I wonder what he saw in you that made him open up?” Michiko replied as she gestured for her to follow her.

“Maybe because I’m not a bitch.” Rebecca fired back. She did not take kindly to that backhanded comment. Michiko's smile turned to a genuine grin as she let out a laugh.

“Hah, here I thought you were merely a whore.” Michiko then said.

“This whore has more class than the girls in this party.” Rebecca snorted as she took a glance at the dance floor. All the fake laughter as girls hung on to every word of their partner. It was frankly disgusting with how much they debased themselves. She’d rather be in Lizzie’s bar right now because at least there, people were a bit more genuine about things.

Michiko gave her an approving nod as they finally got to table away from all the party goers. “He is weak to strong women.”

“He has good taste then.” Rebecca couldn’t help but answer.

Away from the crowd, Rebecca would soon find herself seated with another mover inside the Arasaka’s power structure. Some would kill for a chance to talk to them but for Rebecca, this was just some private girl talk. Peeling away all the glitz and glamor of their name, Rebecca would still see them as what they were, humans just like everyone else.

“He wears his heart on his sleeves. It’s hard to see him keeping his emotions in check.” Rebecca commented as she sat down and leaned against her seat.

Michiko merely smiled as she grabbed a flute of sparkling liquid from one of those weird servants with their choppy and mechanical movement. For a brief second, she thought they were human but a casual observation showed they were merely robots. Strangely, Michiko seemed to give them a look she couldn’t quite decipher. Before she could think about it any further, the other woman handed her a drink which she happily accepted. “Oh you can be surprised by how proficient he can be at that. One moment he can be smiling and laughing with you, the next thing you know he has his butcher all over you.” The older woman said.

Mulling over Michiko’s word, Rebecca stared ahead and watched as Hiro had to stop and socialize with people. She let her feelings go for once and actually looked and observed. For the first time, she got to see a side that Hiro had kept from her. As he kept getting blocked on his way back with people calling for his attention, she couldn’t help but feel a bit shocked at how he could easily pick up a mask. A smile here, a genuine sounding laugh at a crappy joke, and a cheerful greeting yet her eyes could see the truth in his eyes. No matter how good his mask was, he still couldn’t hide what was beneath.

“Yeah, I might not truly know him yet… but I choose to trust him. He’s a well meaning gonk underneath that infuriating smile of his and he has yet to show me otherwise.” Rebecca answered as a soft smile spread across her face. It might just be the boy's charms but she’d take the risk. What’s an edgerunner’s life without some pain after all.

“Has anyone told you just how brutally honest you can be?” Michiko asked amusedly.

“Got a problem with that?” Rebecca asked with a smug smile on her face. She’s been told that once or twice before and she takes it as a compliment. Life’s too short for being an obtuse ass.

“No. I actually like it. It’s a breath of fresh air from the snake pit above.” Michiko replied, making Rebecca give her a look of surprise. She was caught off guard with the venom that Michiko had. Michiko merely rolled her eyes at her looks as she added, “Oh don’t give me that look. You know well enough from the rumors alone. Let me give you a hint. Take what you imagine and crank it all the way up to eleven. I had to shield Hiro from all those snakes when he was first brought to his grandfather.” Michiko grimaced as she downed her entire flute of alcohol. “My bastard of an uncle wouldn’t even protect his own son.” She then said as she glared at a particular direction.

“Wait, I thought you were his aunt?” Rebecca said in surprise. She thought Michiko was a bit older with the way she talked and how Hiro treated her but she was wrong.

“Oh that. He keeps calling me auntie as a way to tease me about my age. He’s a little shit like that but I basically raised him as my own.” Michiko replied with a self deprecating smile.

“Well, at least I know why he’s a little shit.” Rebecca smiled with her, making Michiko chuckle.

“You know Rebecca, since you’ve been so honest with me, let me be honest with you.” Michiko replied as she set down her glass and looked at her. The way the amusement melted away to be replaced with such a serious look would have made any other girl flinch away but not her. Rebecca liked to think she was made of sterner stuff. “I don’t really like you and I think you’ll be a bad influence on Hiro but I can’t stop him. He’s old enough to make his own decisions, experience love and heartbreaks and live the life he wants.” The older woman admitted. There was no bullshit, just two girls being honest with each other.

Rebecca stared back, unflinching, refusing to back down from Michiko’s challenge. What was Hiro truly to her? Will he just fling or something else. She still wasn’t quite sure yet but one thing for certain, whatever it is, she’ll be the best damn girl to ever do so for Hiro.“Maybe I’ll just have to be the best damn input then.” She replied. Maybe it was spite or maybe it was pride but no one can look down on her.

“Now, wasn’t that easy? At least now you’re no longer just honest to me.” Michiko replied as a smug smile spread across her face. Rebecca’s brow twitched as she flipped her the bird before she reached for her forehead to massage the growing headache she had. Truly, Corpo’s had a nasty habit of fucking with people, even if it’s light hearted fun and teasing.

Michiko laughed as she slowly set her glass beside her. Glancing at Rebecca, the older woman then warned her “I just have to warn you that this would be no fairy tale. Whatever notion you have of an easy life, throw that all away at the window because you will be ruffling some feathers. The whole family has been talking when our little Hiro fell in love again. Do you know how long our grandfather’s been trying to play matchmaker? He will not be happy.”

Rebecca snorted as she gave toast to that. It’s not like anyone had any love for the Emperor as even his own blood seemed to hate him. Before she could reply, Michiko’s eyes lit up before she turned her head away. “Excuse me for a second, my assistant’s calling. Sasha? What seems to be the problem?” She replied as she got up and walked away from the seat.

Hiro would then come back with plates on hand stacked with food aplenty. He was frowning abit but he kept his frustration hidden with a smile. “Hey, sorry about that. Some people couldn’t take the hint that I was a bit busy. Anything I missed?” He apologized as he let out a nervous chuckle.

Rebecca smiled back as she shook her head and waved off his concerns. “Nothing much. Just had some girl on girl talk with your aunt. She’s talking to her assistant by the way.” She replied as she gestured towards the other woman who was looking more and more concerned as she talked to the other person in the line.

The woman let out a string of curse as she ended the call. Walking back to them, Michiko excused herself from the party “Hiro, I'll have to go. There’s a situation over at Danger Gal. Some girl found a rogue netrunner and let’s just say this particular runner is not happy being found.”

With the way Hiro sucked in his breath and how he shook his head in dismay, she had a good idea what happened and it smelled of a scrambled egg head. “Do you need Adam or?” Hiro offered.

Michiko’s eyes widened as she frantically waved her hand in front of her. “Oh no no no, nothing of that sort. I think we can handle this. I’m really sorry Hiro but I have to go.” She said before walking off the exit. Before she left, Rebecca swore she heard her whisper something along the lines of, “Fucking Hanako.”

The two were left on their own and thankfully, none of the other vultures that stalked Hiro from earlier dared come their way. She could now finally have some time with Hiro on his lonesome and maybe actually make a move. First things first, she needed to taste what he brought with him.

“This is some of the best cricket tempura I had. Didn’t know they grew tails though. Are these some river crickets?” Rebecca asked as she chewed on the Tempura. It was pure meat with little to no kibble extenders. The lack of shell was always amazing as she could just chew away until she hit the tail. This must have been one of those super crickets she'd been hearing about.

Hiro snorted and almost choked on his drink as he laughed at that. She pouted but kept eating as it simply was too good to pass up. Shaking his head, he then said “Nah, they’re not crickets but shrimps. Still, I’ve heard that crickets taste like shrimp so I couldn't blame you for mistaking that.”

“Wait no shit?” She said in surprise as she lifted up another shrimp and inspected it before gobbling it all up. Without the head, she didn’t notice it was the real deal. Focusing on just the shrimp, she quickly ate through the remaining ones before quickly jabbing her fork on Hiro’s pile

“Yeah-! Hey! Those are mine!” Hiro shouted as he lifted up his plate but not before she could get another one for herself!

“Hah, you snooze, you lose.” She teased him as she happily munched away at the tasty crustacean. She downed it with the glass of bubbly alcohol Michiko gave her. Fine food and better booze lifted up her spirits like no other.

Hiro pouted to which she started laughing until both of them laughed together. Away from the people, she finds spending time with him extremely entertaining. She couldn’t get enough of him at times with that dangerous smile of his. That smile however would fade away and be replaced with a hollow one as one of the human servers came to their seat.

“Excuse me Hiro-sama, a gentleman from the Militech Company wants to talk to you.” The woman stated as she bowed her head low. Rebecca could practically hear the groans of frustration Hiro had inside his head as he started frowning once more.

All these interruptions were getting to Rebecca and she just couldn’t take it anymore. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe she was genuinely upset with how people here couldn’t seem to treat this as a simple party but one thing clear, they would keep getting interrupted no matter what. “You know what, enough of this. Hey Hiro, let’s get out of here!” She shouted as she sat up. Some people were staring at them now, but she did not care one bit.

“Wait, why? I thought you were having a good time? The dance hasn’t started yet as well.“ Hiro replied as he looked at her with confusion. Yes, the food and company were nice but everything else sucked. This was more of a meeting with a celebratory air to mask it than a real one.

“And you're not, you gonk. You’ve been frowning ever since you came back from the buffet table and these people won’t stop till they have a bit of your time. The problem is that there’s hundreds of them and only one of you.” She said in turn as she reached for his hand and started dragging him away.

“But it’s just a few seconds…” He protested but he didn't resist as he stood up and followed after her. She stomped ahead and headed for the door, passing by the surprised Militech corpo who only gaped as he was ignored.

“No buts. Let’s just go.” She replied. She wanted to take a breather away from the place even if only for a little bit.

“Where though?” He then asked as they were about to ascend the stairs. That stopped her dead in her tracks. She really didn’t know where to go but her mind was clear on what she wanted and what would be good for either of them.

“Anywhere but here. I’m not really vibing with this place. It makes my trigger finger itchy.” She replied as she shook her head. The black gun given to her suddenly felt a lot heavier while it was strapped to her thighs.

Hiro hummed for a bit before perking up with a smile as he asked her. “Well, I did promise to get you out on a date. Hey Becca, wanna go out for a ride?”.

That caught her attention instantly as she gestured for him to keep going “I’m interested…what’s the deets?”

Hiro’s smile turned to a grin as he replied “Well, I have an idea where we might have some fun but first, we need to borrow a certain car!” It was now Rebecca’s turn to be dragged along as she was dragged to a towering black figure sitting in the bar.

“Hey Adam! I need to borrow your car.” Hiro shouted, making Rebecca and everyone nearby choke. Kiwi in particular gagged and would have spat all over the bartender if it wasn’t for her chrome. The netrunner gave Hiro and Rebecca a look before she slowly got off her seat and slid down as if she was going to take cover.

Adam slowly turned towards Hiro and Rebecca and gave them the flattest and most unamused look he could give and for a full borg that was saying something, he really showed his displeasure as he kept staring at them. Hiro was unfazed as he simply stared back at the man. Adam narrowed his eyes as he asked “Why?”

“Me and Becca are going out on a sunday drive by out in Pacifica.” Hiro casually replied. The borg let out a sigh and rolled his eyes before he reached for his back and pulled out a key which he promptly gave to Hiro.

“... If I don’t see any blood, I swear.” The borg replied with a shake of his head as he turned back to enjoy his bottle of vodka and jar of pickles.

With keys in hand, he led her up the stairs. He was certainly in better spirits now as they practically ran away from the party. “Let’s go! We’ll need more weapons for this trip.” He excitedly replied and she could only whoop out joyfully. Things were certainly getting spicier tonight.

A/N:

As always, from here on out, I'd like to remind you that I have a patreon page! You guys are bringing me closer to being able to literally live off my passion. You guys rock!. also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star. There's also this discord page. I should stream my WoT play... even as horrible as it is. The Soviet grind is easy.

 

[SirBearington]

Chapter 4

When Hiro said they needed to stock up before going on a run, she expected them to raid one of the armories inside the building. She did not expect to be dragged straight into Hiro’s personal workshop. The workshop wasn’t what Rebecca expected to be. It wasn’t some heavily defended room on the top of the tower or a secret room which could only be accessed through a hidden passageway, but rather was some out of the way nondescript room with an equally bland door. She would have missed it even if she knew which floor the room was with how all the doors looked alike. The only difference she found was how ridiculously thick the door was when it slid open. It honestly looked more at home in a bank than for a random room.

“Sorry about the mess, I haven’t cleaned up yet.” Hiro said as he led her inside. She could feel her eyes twitch at the mess she found herself in. It was a small room, barely any bigger than her own apartment but it was stuffed to the gills with all the tools and materials anyone would need in making weapons and chrome and a couple more that she couldn’t figure out the use for.

There were literal rocks, strange black rocks mind you, but there were rocks sitting there on one of the desks. She was confused at that. Even the doll of the weird hooded skull face borg and the black dragon looked reasonable but rocks? She couldn’t guess on what it was for.

“Hiro… remind me one day to drag your ass here and clean up with you.” She replied with a low growl. Yes, Her brother would kill for the chance to have access to half the tools and materials just laying around here but he’d also be as likely to shoot Hiro for not arranging things properly.

“Yeah, hah. Really sorry about this. Just let me find my tools before we go. You can take whatever gun you want from here.” Hiro then said as he headed for a corner hidden behind one of the shelves stock to the brim with more chrome than the shelves of a back alley ripper doc or a techie.

That got her grinning like a loon. Given pretty much free reign to take what she wanted, she looked around trying to find something that suits her. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately to some, there were no guns similar to the one she had on her but there were other guns that caught her attention.

She let out a small gasp in surprise as she found not one, but several Lasguns inside a bin like some cheap gun in a Budget Arms shop. “You have these here!?” She asked excitedly as she fished one out and held it in her arms. She thought she’d never get her hands on one of these. It was a weapon that took Night City and the rest of the world by storm.

Relatively lightweight, extremely durable and quite powerful with a decent rate of fire, few came close to offering what the Arasaka managed to squeeze into the frame of the Lasgun. Sure you could buy an LMG but those were heavy and you can use a lighter rifle but those lack the punch the Lasgun could throw. There was her gun which was strapped to her thigh, but that was one weapon she wouldn’t compare to anything. Everyone she knew wanted one of these with how reliable they were. She didn’t know how his people figured out a way to scale things down from a backpack down to a small brick but she had to give props to them for doing what was once considered impossible. Rumor had it that you could toss them in a fire and it’d charge the battery, but those were just rumors right?

“Which one? You have to be specific here cause there’s a lot of stuff in here!” Hiro shouted back before cursing as she heard the sound of something metallic hitting the ground.

“The top shelf stuff Arasaka sells in... Oh wait, Forgot who you are for a brief second.” She palmed her face as she remembered who she was with. Of course he’d have dozens of these just laying around like some common firearm.

“Huh, I thought the Bolter hadn’t been released… wait, why are you holding that paper weight?” Hiro replied as he came back wearing a large heavy bag. He looked at the gun in her hands in confusion. She gasped in shock and stared right back at him in disbelief at what he just called the Queen of the Streets as she hugged the gun close to her chest.

“Paper weight!? These are Lasguns. Literal laser guns with enough power to put most guns out on the street to shame and one that doesn’t require you to lug around a power pack. How can you call this paperweight?” She asked in bafflement as the literal top shelf stuff Arasaka gun shops had, which were usually under lock and key, was looked upon like it was some cheap disposable Slaught-O-Matic.

“Eh, they’re nothing special.” Hiro replied dismissively as a mechanized tentacle reached out from behind him and grabbed another gun from one of the shelves.“Sure they’re rugged as hell and easy on the logistics but they’re nothing special? Like, the gauss pistol I gave you is a literal work of art…Lasguns though… bottom of the barrel.” He explained before offering the bulky gun to her.

She looked at the gun in his hands and the one she was holding before sighing as she slung the lasgun over her shoulder before taking what was offered to her. It was big and had a bit of heft to it, but the large bore as well as the equally brutally large bullets inside the magazine were something she approved of. “You know… I shouldn’t be surprised at this point. I’m still taking this one.” She said as she spun the heavy gun and aimed at an armor stand in the corner holding a half finished armor clearly meant for a girl. Hey, if they were bottom of the barrel, she was going to take one.

Hiro snorted out in amusement and shook his head before replying.“Sure. You can take as many as you want. As for the bolter, you won’t be disappointed! Adam loves this a lot with all the bullet mods you can have loaded here. We’ll be releasing this to the public by Monday next week.”

“You know, I’m not sure if should be excited or horrified that Adam fucking Smasher loves this gun.” She replied with a chuckle. Her life truly had become an absurd comedy, but she wasn’t going to complain right now. She was saving up for one of the heavier guns she’d found in a Budget Arms store and kitting it up but now, she was far more armed than even seasoned solo. Truly Hiro was a man after her own heart.

“So, ready to kill some stray Scavs, Maelstrom, and Voodoo Boys?” Hiro asked as more mechanized tentacles slipped out of his back, each tipped with an assortment of weapons. She grinned as she cocked the bolter in her hands. She was going to enjoy this. It was her civic duty to rid the streets of those scum after all. Maelstroms were psychos, the Voodoo Boys doomed a venture that could have helped the city, and the Scavs, well she was going to make sure that she aimed to make them suffer.

“Oh before that, can you wear this, by the way?” Hiro asked as he offered her a bracelet made of dark stones. She felt her cheeks heat up again as she looked at the jewelry before looking up at him. It looked vaguely ancient Egyptian in a theme with green glowing rune and a weird ankh with four side prongs and a horn atop it.

“Guns and Jewelry? You certainly know how to spoil a girl but, I’ll have to say no on this one.” She replied with a smirk. She was honestly feeling overwhelmed with all the gifts here. She felt she was taking advantage of him and she didn’t want to come out as a gold digger.

“It’s a nondescript Trauma Team beacon. If it ever senses something on your vitals or if it’s taken from you, it’ll call in every single Trauma team to your location.” Hiro explained as he bashfully looked away. She bit her lips as she mulled over the choice. A trauma team pick up was valuable, life was precious and a literal second chance was something most fixers offer up as a reward. Against her pride, she gave in.

“Ok fine. I’ll take it but not because it looks pretty or anything.” She replied as she reached out for the bracelet. The moment she put it on, however, things started going weird. Vertigo hit her like a truck as her senses suddenly felt sharper. She could taste colors, hear objects, and see sound. “Hey Hiro, you sure this isn’t a BD to give you synesthesia?” She asked.

Hiro blinked as he said, “Let me check that… must have added something.” He replied as he took apart the thing with the mechanical arms before putting it back together after replacing one bead out of it. “Here, try this.” He said as he gave it back to her. She was a bit leery at it now, but she took the risk anyway and wore it. Thankfully, she didn’t start feeling weird again.

“Hey Hiro, you know if you wanted to fuck, you could have just asked instead of trying to put something weird in there.” She teased him to see his intentions. The way he turned red and blustered in embarrassment was an amusing and relieving sign.

“Becca! Don’t say it like that!” He replied all flustered and hot about it. Well, that was certainly a surprise to her. She pegged him for someone a bit more free when it comes to sex but to think that he was a shy one? Things might get freaky once she cracked that shell open.

“Hey, I’m not the one that kept sneaking glances on my ass and chest.~” She replied as she sauntered past Hiro, making sure to give a bit more sway in her walk as she did so. Leaning against the open door, she then said, “Hah, you are adorable. As much as I like a good lay, that’ll have to come later because I’m itching to pulp some Scav’s head with these babies.~”

“Y-yeah. Follow me, the garage is this way.” Hiro replied with a gulp before he led her out of the room. She took note of how he walked a bit faster. Someone was certainly excited about things.

Becca smirked as she skipped along while following him. It was all too easy now that it was her turn to do the teasing. She was going to have some much fun teasing him now that she knew how easy it was to get him hot in the collar. Adorable and horny, almost like a bunny really. She just had to ask Susanna if he had any spare male joytoy costumes in the back.

-x-x-x-

One elevator ride later, Rebecca would find herself in the parking lot housing all the cars of various high ranking execs and important people for Arasaka. There were a lot of high end sports cars around with their sleek design and flashy yet tasteful looks that employed gold, but not to the level of tackiness that the Valentinos had, and then there was the ever so classic Chevillon Emperor that looked powerful with its big boxy design and heavy set of wheels.

“So, where’s Adam’s tank? Or does he use an APC?” Rebecca wondered as she looked around. She wasn’t seeing any heavily armed vehicle. No guns, no visible missiles, no nothing. She didn’t see anything that vaguely resembled what she thought Adam Smasher would take out on a ride.

“It’s here somewhere. Let me just…” Hiro raised the keys of Adam’s car and pressed the remote key. The sound of a car unlocking nearby made her turn and what she found completely baffled her.

She expected a tank, or a gun on wheels, not an old fashioned muscle car. Despite being a normal car, it fit its owner to a T. It was large, imposing and powerful with the large engine block she knew was sitting behind that hood. Its large boxy appearance made it look like it could take a beating before it even got scratched. The missile launcher visible beneath the light was the only tell tale sign that this was something that Adam would definitely ride in.

“Wait, that’s Adam’s car?” She asked as she walked around the beast. There was a humanoid robot attending to it, washing it diligently… and it looked like it had just finished washing away the last traces of blood off the car.

“Damn it. Shoo! Bad bot! Go back to the maintenance closest.” Hiro cursed out as he scolded the robot who froze before straightening up and walking away. “I don’t know why but that Servitor keeps washing Adam’s car…” He shook his head in dismay. Ah, that certainly explained why Adam wanted them to run over someone.

“Anyways, yeah. Surprising isn’t it? Modified this beauty for him. You know, I half expected him to bring a tank hull when he said he wanted his ride repaired, not this.” He laughed out as he opened the door and hopped in. It was obviously modified to allow Adam to fit inside, which made Hiro look even smaller in the seat but he had his tentacles to hold the wheels and operate the car.

“Surprising? Yeah, nah. I’m at a loss for words here. Like wow, it looks good.” She said as she traced her hands around the car. She might not know cars, unlike her brother, but she could appreciate one well enough.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s go!” He asked as he opened the other door for her. She didn’t have to be told twice as she followed his suit and the two were off without any more delays. They blasted off the exit at the side of Arasaka’s tower and headed straight for the main highways.

They were certainly well beyond the speed limit as Hiro recklessly drove past the other cars on the street with almost manic glee. To the other cars, they were merely a blur as Hiro just floored it. She laughed in glee as they headed straight for Pacifica. The unfinished towers and its surroundings in the distance slowly getting larger

“Hey Becca, man the turrets. We’re going in guns blazing!” Hiro shouted as they neared one of the entrances to Pacifica. A panel flipped open in front and she was greeted with the weapons system of the war rig. She plugged herself in and found herself in control of every weapon in the vehicle. There were guns aplenty, missile launchers, chain swords and something called a phosphex thrower. She didn’t know what it was, but she'd find out soon enough.

“Fuck yeah!” She shouted as she armed the machine guns in front of them. The windows in front of Hiro adjusted to show the street ahead even as the guns obstructed parts of their vision. Up ahead, there were a couple of cops barring the entrance and they were already pointing their weapons at them. Hiro only smiled as their car went faster.

The pigs scattered as they recognized which car was heading their way. “Becca! Activate the chain swords!” He shouted as he aimed their ride straight towards the opened gates of Pacifica.

She cackled as she deployed the swords hidden behind the bumpers. They slipped out of their hidden compartments and lined themselves in front of them like a demented cow catcher. The roar of the saw blades could be heard over the sound of their car and the howling wind and sound they produced when they touched the cars in front of them was indescribable. They smashed through the cars and shredded them, metal tearing and parts flying as they sliced through without pause or slowing down. Nothing could stop them.

Pacifica was the most dangerous place in Night City. It was the home of the most hardened criminals Night City had to offer. Gangs vied for dominance over the area, but the Voodoo boys were firmly entrenched inside. The tall buildings and the central stadium served as bastions for them. They controlled this part of town and they did not take lightly to outsiders.

Their entrance didn’t go unnoticed as the various gangsters in the middle of a fire fight started turning their weapons on them instead of their rivals. Rebbecca made sure to answer accordingly as she opened fire. Gyro rockets started blasting out of the turret in front, pepperring them with explosive fire. Hiro swerved around, catching various Voodoo boys in his chainsword bumpers, shredding them in a crimson shower of gore and offals. Blood sprayed everywhere as they were sliced and diced into ribbons by the spinning saw blades in front of the car.

Even amidst the carnage, Rebecca couldn’t help but roll down the window and add her own fire to the mix. She laughed out loudly as she fired her Bolter pistol and Lasgun in tandem. The Bolter gun kicked like a mule but the sound, oh the sound was glorious. The heavy thundering bangs followed by the subsequent explosions of what sounded like cluster grenade mixed in with the loud of crack of the very air itself flash fried echoed across the street mixe

Hiro spun them around, letting her fire at everyone and everything before her clips ran empty and her gun ran too hot to fire anymore. “More! I want more!” She shouted as they painted the streets red. Hiro whooped out with her as he nodded and headed deeper inside the combat zone.

It wasn’t just Voodoo boys that they found in the Zone. While the gang ruled the area, that didn't stop others from trying to make temporary enclaves inside. While she and Hiro were slaughtering people left and right, they still picked who they targeted. Maelstrom gangs were rendered down to scrap metal as they passed by. The ever so opportunistic Scavs who flocked around the dead and dying like vultures became giblets under the heavy firepower of her ride. The Voodoo boys, on the other hand, became the main target of Hiro in his quest to paint their car red.

Heavy ordinance was leveled against them, but Adam’s car kept on giving out surprises. She wasn’t going to deny that she screamed when she saw someone firing a rocket at them, but the car merely shrugged it off as the unscratched hull glowed a brief green. “Iron Halo bitch!” Hiro shouted as he turned their ride and rammed the bastard against a wall.

The man was torn in half as the car’s bumper started eating through flesh and the concrete wall behind it. The brutality was a nice touch but she wanted a bit more boom rather than slash. “Hey Hiro, what’s this phosphex thrower here?” She asked as Hiro pulled back and drove straight for the central plaza.

Hiro’s grin sent shivers of excitement up her spine. “It’s a surprise! Don’t fire till I say go and when you do, don’t stop!” He shouted as he sped through the road. Barricades? Blown up cars? Nothing could stop their rampage as they tore through them like they were rice paper.

The central towers loomed up ahead as the amount of lead aimed at them kept ramping up to the point that the Iron Halo flickered and the glass cracked, yet it held. The damage was merely cosmetic and the surprise they had from suddenly bursting onto the scene without so much as a warning was helping sow confusion and fear amongst the ranks of these bastards.

Slamming his foot down hard on the pedal, Hiro started his loop around the central district where the gunfire was at its heaviest. “Becca now!” Hiro shouted and Becca slammed her metaphorical fingers on the trigger. White flame washed around them as everything started to burn. Men, guns, the road itself burnt as they passed through like a comet of destruction.

She felt like she came a bit as she kept firing even as her view was obstructed by the sea of fire. She held no mercy for anyone out in the road now, especially past midnight. No civilian in their right mind would ever venture out in the open inside the Combat Zone, so she fired away without pause. She laughed at the carnage as they looped around the central area before zooming off.

-x-x-x-

After that, things started to die down as they ran out of targets and ran dangerously low on ammunition. Fuel, however, was not an issue with the backup battery inside the car. “Fucking Nova, no fucking amazing” She whispered out in a hoarse voice. She screamed her voice out in her excitement. She’d racked up more bodies today than in the last few months combined.

“Hah yeah… I need to make a BD of that. I might just use that for a game I’d been meaning to get published.” Hiro replied as they cruised through the highway in Night City. They’d just left Pacifica an hour ago and were just going wherever. They were up all night killing people left and now the first crack of dawn peaked from the horizon.

“Hey Hiro, can we go to the Badlands? I want to show you something.” Becca then said as she watched the light of dawn reach up the night sky. With how fast they were going, they still had some time to get to the place before the sun rose. Hiro nodded as he took the next exit and headed for the outskirts of the city.

They left the city soon after and now they were out in the wild. The car handled the rough terrain as well as any road. “There, right at that hill. I wanna show you something!” She pointed excitedly at a nearby hill. Hiro drove off the road and headed straight for the hill.

They were just on time for the sunrise when they got to the top. “Come on, it’s almost starting!” She shouted as rushed out of the car with Hiro in town.

“H-hey! What’s with the hurry- Oh…” Hiro asked out as the sun started rising up the sky. The plains below were soon illuminated by the sun’s light. The dark sky slowly changed colors and soon the light blue sky of dawn dominated above.

“I know right? Best view you’ll ever get around here. Bro used to take me out here when I was younger.” She said as sat down on a particular boulder. It was nice and flat, just perfect to sit on for two people while watching the sun rise.

“Used to?” Hiro asked, concern or maybe confusion evident in his voice.

“Hadn’t had time since… well, forever. Just been too busy in the endless rat race.” She replied as she basked in the feeling of the rays of the sun against her stark white skin. It was peaceful out here, away from everything. There was just her, Hiro, and the wilderness.

They watched the sunrise together in peace and quiet, occasionally making small talk as they sat there. They’d had a wild night and this was a nice way to destress and cool off. “Hey Becca?” Hiro then asked as Rebecca took a peek at him.

“Yeah?” She asked as she kicked her feet.

“What’s your dream?” Hiro asked out while he stared out at the horizon.

“What’s with all the sappy stuff all of a sudden~?“ She snorted in amusement as she turned towards him.

“Come on, just humor me here.” Hiro answered back with a soft smile on his face.

She hummed for a bit, thinking if she should tell him before nodding. “Ok, I’ll tell you. Don’t laugh ok?” She made him promise as she looked at him seriously.

“I won’t.” Hiro turned towards her with a nod.

“I want to be a mother. I want to settle down with someone and raise children. Shooting things is fun and all but you have to stop once in a while and a family sounds like a good way to remind me that I have more to live for than simple violence.” Rebecca replied, letting it all out and telling him her innermost desire. The other Mox kept saying it was adorable and she just hated all the cooing’s and aww’s she received from them.

Hiro suddenly burst in a fit of giggle making her brow twitch. “Damn it you gonk! I told you not to laugh!” She shouted as she punched him lightly on the shoulder.

“Sorry sorry, I didn’t expect it at all.” Hiro replied as he raised his hands in self defense. “I just didn’t expect something like that. I thought you’d go with a comfortable life or something.”

Rebecca snorted at that. “A comfortable life is boring. I want some action and hardship in my life along with the joy and laughs. There’s no ups if there’s no downs you know? Do you know how much of a pain it is raising someone? Yeah, having to cook for Pilar and the others is a pain in the ass but it’s fun, fulfilling even.” She admitted. Cooking Eezy Beef was an art she wanted to keep honing.

“It’s a nice dream.” Hiro replied and she raised her fist once more. “No really, I swear! It’s cute, kinda like you really.” he added as he slowly lowered his hands.

She blushed as she looked away with a huff. “You better mean that, mister.” She growled threateningly at him. Was having a family that funny of a dream?

“Well since you shared yours, I’ll share you mine” Hiro then said. That got her to turn back towards him. She waited for him to answer only for him to point up at the sky. She looked up a bit and wondered what he meant about it.

“You… want to go to space? Don’t you go there like every holiday or something?” She asked. He was certainly wealthy enough for the ride up there.

“No, I want to explore space.” Hiro explained and things made a whole lot more sense to her now. “To explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before!” he then quoted unashamedly.

It was now Rebecca’s turn to laugh. “Really, Star Trek?” She asked as she wiped a false tear off her eyes.

“Hey it’s a classic for a reason. Oh yeah, forgot to add that I want to shoot some aliens in the face if I ever find that they’re like the Cardassians.” Hiro then added with a nod.

“Yeah, Fuck those guys. If you ever find some baddies out there, I’m sure turning them inside out would be fun.” Rebecca agreed to that. There was certainly going to be conflict up there and it’s best to be armed to the teeth when they meet them. Can’t have them thinking that humanity was just easy prey that would roll over the moment adversity faced them.

“Well. It would be more fun if I had someone with me.” Hiro then said as he stared back at her. She rolled her eyes before she suddenly reached out to the back of Hiro’s head and pulled the lovable idiot in for a kiss. There was some hesitation at first but slowly he relented and allowed her to lead as she locked lips with the boy.

After a long and passionate kiss, Rebecca pulled back with a grin as she left him breathless and flushed from arousal. She certainly still had it in her. “Well, exploring space and raising a family sounds like it could work well together.” She whispered into his ears while her hands danced down below. She certainly liked what she was feeling down below but she had enough fun for the day. She was far too exhausted to have any more excitement and teasing the hell out of him was way too fun. She was definitely going to ride him, but that would be for another time.

She stretched a bit to work out her sore shoulders. Firing those guns certainly was a hard task and she’d need a good long rest. Her bed called her she wanted to know if her brother suddenly choked on a spoon or something. This was the longest she’d left him all alone. He’s probably starving by now.

“Hey lover boy, let’s go. Don’t want to be caught out here when the heat starts ramping up.” She called out as she sauntered back to their blood-caked ride. The gore coating the hull of the war wagon remained fresh despite how long it had been since they killed all those people and Rebecca did not want to know how that was a thing.

The ride back home was an uneventful ride and she liked it that way. She’d had enough excitement for the day. ”Hey Hiro, I had a great time. Think we can have a repeat of this… next week?” She asked as she thinked long and hard about when they could do this again. They both had lives to live and she did not want to get him in trouble for the fun they had. He was an uptown boy, she was a downtown girl, but they could certainly make this work.

“I’m going to look forward to that. Getting to stretch my legs after being cooped up in my lab for so long is refreshing.” Hiro replied with a smile. Hiro getting a taste of the Solo lifestyle? Well that was certainly something Rebecca thought as she shook her head and chuckled.

Rebecca stepped out the car and immediately felt something was off as she heard strange sounds coming from the tarp covered hole where her apartment was. She frowned as she headed for her apartment and the closer she got, the more she wished she did not go back home.

“More daddy~! More!” A female voice screamed out through the door as Rebecca stood there frozen in shock. Was her brother with another woman in the house?

“Oh god! It’s so deep! Right there! Keep hitting me there!” Another female voice called out making Rebecca gag. He was with two girls?! She ran out of the apartment but not before she heard her brother’s voice.

“Yeah hehe,~ Pilar’s right here for you girls!” Pilar’s obnoxious voice shouted before it faded as she burst through the exit of her apartment.

Thankfully, Hiro was still there and was talking to someone. She walked up to the car and knocked hurriedly. Hiro canceled the call as he turned towards her in confusion. He unlocked the door for her and she jumped right back in as she sat down and covered her face. “Did… something happen? Should I call trauma team?” he asked before she waved him off.

“Take me anywhere, just anywhere.” She groaned in mortification and horror.

Hiro quickly caught on to what happened and he howled out in laughter as he drove off back to the tower. She slept in Hiro’s room that day before she came back to her apartment. For days after that incident, she couldn’t look at Pilar’s eyes.

-x-x-x-

Kiwi woke up with a scream as she flailed around the silken bed she found herself in. She pulled at the first thing she found, a fluffy pillow, and covered herself as she looked around the luxurious apartment she found herself in. She didn’t know where she was or what happened. The last thing she remembered was how she got smashed enough to start flirting with Adam…

She groaned as she flopped back on her, or rather Adam’s bed, and covered her face. The memories of the night hit along with a headache from a nasty hangover like a freight train for her poor brain. It wasn’t just her brain that she found aching but the general area between her legs.

“Fuck… did I just get fucked by Adam Smasher?” She laughed out half hysterically as a blinking message in her interface caught her eye. They were the typical messages from her crew and people she knew but two stood out from the rest. One was from Adam Smasher while the other was from her ward, Lucy. She opened Adam’s message first.

‘Foods in the fridge and the bath’s behind the stairs. Don’t get locked out, not my apartment. Burrowed it from some Arasaka corpo.’ It read. She scoffed at that as she rolled to the side of the bed and tried getting off but found her legs were made of jello.

“Fucking pig. If the sex wasn’t worth I’d have half the mind to leave something nasty here.” She growled out as she limped towards the bath to get cleaned up. She might be pissed off, but she was satisfied. Adam certainly had experience in spades.

It took ages to reach the bathroom but it was well worth it as she helped herself to as much water as she could. She let out a sigh in relief as steam filled the bath. She felt her aches melt away as enjoyed every drop under the shower.

Turning her attention to Lucy’s message and ignoring everyone else's message for now, she started reading it. The large amount of eddies suddenly deposited in her account started worrying her as she kept reading the message over and over again.

“To Kiwi,

It’s inevitable that we would soon part ways but I didn’t know it would be this soon. I’m sorry I didn’t get to say a proper goodbye to you. You were my mentor, and more importantly my mother, for the longest time and it hurts for me to leave now but I really have to go. Thank you for everything that you taught me. I wished we had more time together. I’m leaving you a fraction of the egg nest I built up as a thank you and as a request to not pursue me. Please, for my sake and your safety, don’t. Good bye.

From your loving daughter, Lucy”

Kiwi took in a deep breath as she leaned against the wall before slowly sliding down. Looking up at the light above her, she cursed out “Damn it Lucy… We could have worked something out with Arasaka so you’d no longer have to run from your past…We’re this close to corpo immunity.”

A/N:

As always, from here on out, I'd like to remind you that I have a patreon page! You guys are bringing me closer to being able to literally live off my passion. You guys rock!. also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star. There's also this discord page. I should stream my WoT play... even as horrible as it is. The Soviet grind is easy.

 

[SirBearington]

Chapter 5

Life had surprisingly stayed pretty much the same after that night for Rebecca. Oh sure there was the fact that she was dating royalty but she was still a Solo and Hiro was still the head of the Arasaka R&D. She expected there to be compromises as she was a downtown girl and Hiro was an uptown boy but she did not expect her input to be so extremely supportive of her career as a Solo.

There was no talk of her moving in, well there were some but it was just a thing he brought up once or twice, or stopping her career. In fact, he encouraged it and even supplied her crew with weapons. Oh sure she was basically one of his guinea pigs when it came to testing out weapons but it was a dream come true. Testing guns and murdering assholes? Yes please. It was honestly quite sweet in her opinion, as she got to support her input as well in her own tiny ways.

Speaking of her life as Solo, here she was doing what she loved best, murder. Her crew was contacted for a simple job, it was just to clear out a suspected Voodoo Boy Netrunner hideout. Things didn’t pan out so well, especially when the den they were going to hit just so happened to be the current hideout of a Voudo priest of all things and not just some random initiate trying to prove himself.

‘So, you two really didn’t do it?’ Asked Kiwi over the net as Rebecca and Maine searched the building for the ganger netrunner. Kiwi couldn’t find him so they had to do it the manual way, search every last room.

‘Yeah yeah, is it so hard to believe?’ She replied. The whole job was a fucking slog. It was just a few guys but they had taken over a whole apartment building and were using the defenses that were supposed to defend the occupants to great effect.

Speaking of which, she elbowed Maine and shouted just as she heard a panel open up behind them, “Turret!” As a turret popped out from the ceiling and started peppering the walls around them with lead forcing; them to jump into one of the rooms they’d just cleared.

“Fuckign hell, how many turrets does this building have?!” Maine shouted as he tried peering from the door frame only to jerk back as metal sparked just inches away from where his face was just moments ago.

‘Well considering it's you we’re talking about, it kinda is.’ Kiwi snarked back in reply.

Rebecca rolled her eyes as she fired back, ‘Said the woman that Adam smashed and a turret on Floor 5, we need it down now.’ She reached inside the bandolier she wore only to find that she was out of smoke grenades.

‘Touche and give me a sec.’ Kiwi replied.

‘Kinda wish Lucy- Oh shit, sorry about that’ She answered only to apologize for the faux paus. Lucy leaving had been a surprise for most of the group. Sure she wasn’t the friendliest or most sociable but she was a good front line netrunner with her quick hacks. Without her though, Kiwi had to pick up the slack and Kiwi was better as a backline support.

‘No, it’s ok. Also, they’re free for the picking in three…’ Kiwi said with a sigh. She reminded herself to ask the woman for some girls' night out even if it was only Kiwi, Dorio, and her to drink their problems away. What was with it with Netrunners leaving their crew? First it was Sasha and now it’s Lucy?

“So the bitch who burnt down our homes is here. You think you’ll get out of here alive?!” Spoke the priest through the speaker underneath a turret as it spat hot lead in her direction before it was cut off and short circuited thanks to Kiwi. She made sure to shut it up real quick as her gun’s high explosive microjets slammed into the gun turret and turned it into scrap metal. Burning down parts of Pacifica on her date gave her quite the boost on her street cred but with fame came the complications attached with it.

“Oh come on! That was like a week ago. Won’t you forgive a cutie like me?” She shouted to the priest knowing full well that he could hear her. She probably boasted the biggest bounty from the Voodoo boys just next to that of Hiro. She couldn’t blame them as the fire kept burning for days and one of the towers actually collapsed on the last day of the fire.

“Easy on the taunts there Bee, we still have a floor to clear. We still haven’t seen everything this guy has under his sleeve.” Reminded Maine as he led the assault. He was the first to get out of cover and Rebecca soon followed close by, walking side by side with him so she could get into the action as well. “Taunting is after we’re sure we can make holes in their skulls, so eyes open and stay with me ok? Don’t want a repeat of last time.” He added as they walked up a flight of stairs slowly.

“It was one time and don’t worry about it, big guy. We can handle this.” She replied reassuringly. There were barely any bodies blocking their way. There were just an obnoxious amount of drones and turrets instead. It was honestly grating on her nerves.

The next floor was by far the hardest floor they encountered, the moment Maine blasted their barricade away the gangers made to block their progress; they were soon pelted with fire from actual people instead of bots and turrets. “Fucking finally! I thought you guys would never come out and play!” She shouted as she dashed out of cover and rushed at the men. She was god damn frustrated with how slow things were and there were just a few men blocking their way to their quarry.

The Arasaka Bolter Mk.1 was proving to be her favorite gun thus far. Sure the Laspitol had it beat when it comes to the amount of shots she could fire but the Bolter just had that satisfying kick to it and of course its anti material capability. What were her bullets tipped with? Diamonds? Whatever it was, it was ripping through the heavily armed men like hot knives through butter.

“God damn it, Bee!” She was so engrossed with shooting people up that she almost missed the shadow rushing towards her. Time seemed to slow down as she turned her head ever so slowly to see a woman leaping at her with claws dripping with some unknown liquid. Her heart hammered inside her head as she tried bringing her guns to bear but she was far too slow.

The woman, however, wouldn’t be able to touch her as her upper body exploded in an explosion of gore after Maine shot the would be assassin with his arm cannon. Rebecca cursed as she finally turned around and started shooting the corpse. “Fuck fuck fuck!” The corpse twitched and flailed as it was reduced to an unrecognizable mush. She stood there panting as blood dripped from her face and her jacket. She’d need a new one after this with all the gunk covering her.

“Damn it, what the hell did I tell you?” Maine replied as he finally caught up. He looked at her in concern and anger as he scolded him. She looked away, refusing to look him in the eye after she almost died to a rookie's mistake.

“Y-Yeah, fuck. Should have not done that.” She admitted as she pulled out the magazine of her gun and reloaded. The turrets were destroyed, the men and women dead and all that’s left was the skinny ass of the netrunner hiding behind a barricaded door.

“Don’t come any closer! I have this room rigged to explode!” The Vodou priest threatened, making her and Maine cuss out. He could be bluffing, he could be not. Best to have Kiwi handle this before they make a move or they might fly sky high.

‘No he doesn’t, I just fried his detonator. Shoot him in between the legs for me. Gave me quite the hard time even with my new stuff.’ Kiwi then said to both of them as she would hear cursing behind the closed door.

“Copy that!” Rebecca answered as she holstered her bolter before she pulled out her black gun; She wasn’t feeling like giving any mercy today.

Maine merely shook his head as he reloaded his arm cannon before checking the ammo of his shotgun. “I swear, you almost got your ass flatlined. You need to get that bloodlust under control or it’s gonna bite your ass one of these days.” he lectured as he tapped the butt of his shotgun on the door. The hollow sounding ring of cheap aluminum was a reassuring sound.

She threw up her hands in surrender as she sighed out. “Ok ok, I get it. Can we just go and kill the guy behind the door?” She asked as she just wanted to finish this job before it further sours her mood.

“Yeah. Let’s get this over with.” Maine replied as he aimed his shotgun on the door handle, pressing the muzzle firmly where the lock meets the doorframe. “On my command!” He shouted as Rebecca aimed her gun at the door.

“Now!” The Big Man fired, breaching the door before kicking the door open and Rebecca started blasting; There was nothing left afterwards.

-x-x-x-

Rebecca might have been sulking when the Arasaka affiliated fixer’s car left Maine’s turf. Sure they were paid well for their trouble given the current war between Arasaka and the Voodoo boys after that incident, that still didn’t change the fact that maybe she was getting in way over her head and now here she was sitting in front of Maine as he grilled her about the job they just finished. She just nodded along, not really feeling it right at that moment and the midday heat wasn’t helping.

“Rebecca, we’re scaling back on the Voodoo Boy jobs for a bit.” Maine then said, making her snap out of her funk. She gaped at the big man as she stared her down before she exploded on his face. He was just going to drop this bomb on her?

“Wait what?! But that’s our current biggest earner. We’re also getting a lot of street cred from that!” Rebecca shouted as she stood up from her turned over box/seat. They were raking in far more than they ever had and they got to shoot people. They were having fun and Maine had to be a killjoy about it.

“That is exactly why we're not going.” Mained answered back, making her flinch as he stood up to his full height. He loomed over her, daring her to answer back, as he tapped the side of his head and added “You're not thinking straight and as much as I hate to admit it, we can’t do those jobs without our heaviest hitter.”

She blinked, frowning as he processed those words before she looked up at Maine in shock and betrayal. “Wait wait wait, you didn’t mean it like that right? You’re not actually going to actually bench me are you?” She asked with a strained smile.

Maine shook his head sadly. “Missy, you need a time out starting now. No combat missions, no nothing. We’ll find some easier jobs or just go spend some time with your Input.” He answered, making Rebecca rage even more.

“Oh come on Maine! You can’t do this to me. Back me up here Kiwi, I still did good didn’t I?” She shouted, fuming at how Maine was treating her. She wasn’t some doll, she was an experienced and seasoned solo; she could handle it.

“I can and I will for your sake. When I accepted those jobs from Douglas, I thought you were ready with all the firepower we can bring to bear. Turns out, that got into your head. You’ve been far too reckless these past few weeks.” Maine explained and she tried to reason something, anything but she found nothing as she choked on her answer.

“The big man got a point. You’ve been acting like you're immortal with those big guns of yours” Kiwi pointed out as she gestured at that gun strapped to her thighs. She looked at the woman in betrayal but the older woman did not budge with her point. She was sticking with Maine and there was nothing Rebecca could do to convince her otherwise.

Even Pilar was against her as he piped up from the side. “Sis, you really need to chill. Like holy hell and here I thought Maine was bad when he got his cannon the first time around and I tell you he was a very trigger happy camper back when he got that baby.”

“But I need-” She replied in a panic only to be cut off by Maine.

“And don’t go telling me you're strapped for cash. You're still going to get your fair share even if you’re not going on missions with us. You need to cool down. End of discussion.” Maine replied with a sense of finality as he judged her unfit to keep fighting. She stood there, staring at her crew as emotions roiled inside her chest.

“Fuck this and fuck you!” She shouted as she threw her arms up and walked away. She didn’t want to hear any more of this. She needed to get away for a bit and find some way to cool down before she does anything drastic.

“Come on Bee, it’s not that bad. We can still do courier missions as well as stake outs like we used to.” Dorio said soothingly but it didn’t help her calm down one bit. Those jobs were boring as hell and she hated having to do those. It was one of the reasons she was eager to prove that she could handle things but they aren’t seeing it that way.

“Why don’t you talk to Hiro. Maybe he’ll talk some sense to you.” Maine called out as she decided to take the train to Watson.

“Maybe I will!” She shouted back and flipped him off as she walked off on her own so she could have her time off. She grumbled as she sent out a call for Hiro so she could have someone to vent to. Hiro would definitely side with her on this one, right?

-x-x-x-

One phone call, a train ride, and a taxi later; Rebecca would find herself in Watson. It took her a bit longer to get there than usual as she decided to drop by Lizzie’s for a change of clothes. Getting a spare Arasaka Academy uniform her size was well worth the eddies, especially with the looks she was getting. Sure the cops were glaring at her but they just glared and kept to themselves like good little guard dogs.

“Hey Becca! Glad you made it.” Hiro said before he took one glance at her before snorting in amusement. The tell tale brief glow of his eyes told her that he took a photo of her. “Really?” He asked with a grin as she clung to his arms.

“Well, since we’re going on a date, I thought I might as well wear something eye-catching and it worked, didn’t it~?” She asked as she pressed her chest against his forearms. The light dusting of pink on his cheeks was all the answer she needed. “Now share that pic! I wanna see.” She badgered him as Hiro led her to the ice cream shop he was talking about.

Hiro shook his head and laughed as he ruffled her hair before he slung his arms around her shoulders. “Can’t say no to a cutie like you.” He replied as Rebecca felt her stomach go aflutter from just being near him. All her worries seemed to go away now that she was with him and the bold neon sign of the ice cream parlor was a sight for sore eyes.

After a few sweet words, and a bit of arm twisting on who got to pay for the ice cream, she and Hiro shared a seat as they ate their ice cream in peace. She sat atop his lap while he leaned against her and wrapped his arms around his waist. “Well, that wasn’t that hard, was it?”

“You didn’t have to twist my arms literally, you know.” Hiro pouted as he rested his chin on top of her shoulder. She merely preened as she took a large bite out of her chocolate ice cream. Feeling the frozen treat melt on her tongue had her moaning in pleasure. The smooth texture, and lack of ice chunks was an absolute treat.

“How else was I going to convince you otherwise?” She asked as a group of Arasaka school girl’s looked at her all scandalized and confused on who she was. She snickered at how they kept sneaking glances at her before talking among themselves. She had to admit, fucking with people’s heads was way funnier than she expected.

“Point.” Hiro replied as he dug in their shared cup of ice cream and took a bite of his own but not before he filched another wafer. She pouted at that because she was saving that one for the end but he could have it, especially since she was the one treating him. If it was the other way around, she’d eat all the sprinkles and toppings first. “So, what made you look all glum and annoyed?” He asked as he poked her cheeks.

She sighed and replied, “Is it really that obvious?” She was going to have some fun with him before she told him about her problems but that plan was dead in the water since he sniffed it out. She took another bite of the sweet delectable treat and sucked on the golden spoon for a bit.

“Well, you look way too tense, more so than usual.” HIro replied as he pressed his chin on her shoulder. That had her blinking as she hadn’t even noticed that. “Here let me just…” He whispered as he pulled away, his hands moving to her shoulders before she felt all the kinks and knots melt away. She crossed her legs as she felt her eyes roll up their sockets.

“Mmmm fuck, this is amazing.” She replied as she closed her eyes and leaned against his touch. Feeling his cool hands against her neck and shoulders and having them work their magic was something she could get addicted too.

“With how my Aunt’s constantly stressed out, I learned how to give a good back rub.” He explained as his hands slowly trailed downwards. The only regret she had right now was that she was wearing an oversized sweater but maybe that was a blessing as she might have just pulled her uniform off to get a better experience otherwise.

“You’re going to give this to me every single day from now on, got it?” She demanded as she let out a satisfied sigh. An input that supported her career and gave good backrubs? She definitely hit the jackpot here and she wasn’t going to let go.

“Hah. I knew you'd say that.” He replied as he pulled back his hands. She whined out a bit but she knew she could just get more later, the more obvious kinks were already worked on anyways. There was no need for her to be that demanding. “So, what’s on your mind?” He then asked as his arms once again wrapped around her stomach.

She nodded as she snuggled up against him and started explaining how Maine basically grounded her from taking some of the more exciting jobs. “Well… had a mission with one of your fixers and it almost went titsup…” She started to explain as Hiro lent an ear to her problem.

She only gave him an abridged version of what happened but she did not hold back on the details. She told him everything even if she sounded dumb when she started telling it out loud. As painful as it was, she didn’t want to lie or sugar coat what she did.

Hiro hummed for a bit before he truthfully answered “You know… after hearing that. Yeah, I have to agree with Maine on this one.” Damn did the truth hurt a lot especially when it came from her special somebody.

“Oh come on! Not you too!” She shouted without much heat in her voice. In retrospect, and after a pint of ice cream, she realized that she acted like a fucking brat. She felt her cheeks burn a bit at that. She should have known better but she let her emotions get the best of her there; she was still upset though.

“Come on Becca, think about it.” Hiro answered as he started to gently stroke her hair, letting his fingers massage her scalp. “How many times have you nearly been flatlined this week?” He then asked. She looked down on the empty cup of ice cream as she started thinking about it.

“Two…?” She answered slowly but the raised eyebrow that Hiro gave her made her give in pretty quickly. “Ok, fine, it was three.” She confessed, as she had a lot of close calls this week and it made her uncomfortable once she started thinking about it. Was she really that reckless?

“... Maybe you need a less gungho job, and I might just have something that will pique your interest. It’s still something up your alley but less violent and hey I actually need to be on the ground for this one.” Hiro then said, catching her attention pretty quickly.

“Oh? What do you have in mind?” She asked with interest before the last part caused her to turn to him in surprise, “And you want to do what now? Did you just say you actually want to join in? Like boots on the ground?” She added in surprise. She knew he was interested in it but she didn’t expect him to act on it.

“Yup,~ I just need you guys to help me retrieve something that’s been stolen from me. As for the deets, that’ll have to wait as it’s some pretty sensitive information. The only thing I’ll say for now is that it’s sensitive enough that I need to be there to make sure that it doesn’t explode.” Hiro replied with a bright smile on his face.

“For a guy that got his package stolen, you sound a bit too happy.” She replied as she poked the cheeks of her input. Things being stolen was a norm in Night City. The only question was if what’s stolen was worth being taken back. Hiring solos for that job wasn’t really out of the norm and Rebecca already had some guesses on what it might have been.

“Oh I’m pissed but it also means I might get to shoot people with my girlfriend.~” Hiro replied as he held her tightly before burying his face against her hair. She let out a sigh of contentment as she held his arms.

“Old fashioned much?” She teased him as she leaned against his hold while she basked at the warmth of her input. “Well, can’t say I’m not interested. Is this just you trying to make an excuse to spend time with me?” She then asked. Hiro had the full might of the Arasaka megacorporation backing him. He could get his own people doing his dirty work, hell even Adam alone would be enough but he was specifically offering this job to her? Yeah, he’s definitely looking for excuses here.

“What if it is?” Hiro brazenly answered, making her giggle out as her cheeks turned a rosy pink. Pulling his hands off her stomach and turning around to straddle him, she then wrapped her legs around his waist.

“Awww, come here.” She answered as she held the side of his head, cupping his cheeks, before pulling him close for a kiss. They locked lips away and the scandalized gasp from the side only made it all the sweeter. Was she shameless? Oh hell yes, especially when it came with her input. The fact that it turned her on was just the cherry on top.

Unfortunately, their kiss had to end as they pulled away gasping for air. She smiled smugly as she rested her head against the crook of his neck. They stayed there for a while, just enjoying one another's company and making some small talk but eventually they had to get out. Stretching her legs before and walking around, sightseeing around Corpo Plaza. All the large gothic buildings with their pointed spires and flying buttresses made it feel like she was in some fantasy city.

“About that job, I’m going to call a special fixer for this. You guys will need all the information you can get about the target location and there's no better fixer in Night City than her." He then said as they walked around while holding hands.

“Hah. Special Fixer? Sounds like you’re describing Rogue Amendiares” She said, snorting in amusement at the image of the legendary fixer giving her crew the deets on their target. Thinking about it, was Hiro banned from even entering the Afterlife? She also wanted to know if Adam could enter, though did the Borg even want to go there? The smug smile that started stretching across Hiro's face however made it look like he was really going to try and get the service of Rogue. “Nooo, come on Hiro, stop teasing me here! You know I’m her biggest fan.” She said in surprise as she swatted his shoulder only for him to keep on smiling and even chuckle.

"You'll see, you'll see." Hiro replied ever so enigmatically, making her huff out. Alright then, he could keep his secrets.

"I swear you're just getting my hopes up." She replied as they stepped in the large shadow of the biggest building of them all. Arasaka's main tower loomed ahead with its large arched doorway and its thick reinforced walls. The large door honestly looked more like a door fit for a giant rather than a normal human yet Hiro assured her that those doors could be opened.

"Anyways, I kinda need to get back to work. Doing some maintenance on Adam's body. Want to watch?" Hiro turned to her, looking hopeful. While wet work wasn’t something that interested her, seeing all the weapons Adam Smasher had hidden in his body was something she’d be very interested in seeing.

"You know what… yeah sure, why not?" She smiled as she smiled back at him. Hey, she had nothing better to do and any excuse to spend time with him was well worth it in her opinion.

-x-x-x-

Life for Gloria Martinez was great. She didn't have to worry about bills and payments anymore thanks to her high paying job and her son's future was all but assured thanks to who she was working for. Yes, her recruitment to Arasaka's R&D as a Medical technician was a bit unorthodox, but Arasaka made their point when they kicked in the door at her old job and all but forced their contract on her. Maybe she should have answered those “spam messages” she’d been getting all those months ago. Now here she was, assisting one of the potential heirs to the Arasaka fortune as he operated on Adam Smasher.

“So, I heard your son’s doing well in school. Joined the football team and is still keeping his grades up.” Hiro said as he checked on the vitals of Adam’s Smashers organs inside the man’s biopod. The legendary solo was suspended midair by heavy chains as they worked on ensuring the connection between his biological and mechanical parts was as seamless as possible. Today, they were replacing some of the old copper wiring he still had inside him with a special silver alloy.

“Oh yes, Mr. Arasaka. He’s doing quite well. He complains about fatigue from the strenuous regime his captain has him perform but he looks happy about it.” She replied as she handed him the spool of said precious metal as the boy's mechadendrites did the delicate procedure with ease. As gruesome as the procedure was, the Borg looked more bored than in discomfort.

“You know you’re making me feel old here, didn’t I tell you to just call me Hiro?” Hiro pouted, making Gloria chuckle. As talented and powerful Hiro was, he was still a young man at heart. At first, she thought she was only hired as eye candy but now with all the medical procedures she was participating in, she kinda wished she was just hired as eye candy. She had to perform twice as hard as everyone else to make sure she wasn’t replaced.

“O-of course… Hiro.” She replied as she took a glance on the monitor. Her eyes glanced at the untouched vial of anesthetics hooked to the mix.

“Must have been expensive to give him all the good upgrades.” Hiro then commented, making her smile as she shook her head in negative.

“Oh no, it’s all on his own really. We’re too poor to get some of the limb enhancements, much less any brain implants. It’s amazing how good he can be when he puts his mind into it.” She responded with a hint of pride in her voice. The fact that she didn’t need to embellish on the facts about her son's achievements always filled her with joy.

“Wait seriously? Why didn’t you tell me then. We could set him up with some of the good stuff. Hey, maybe he could be a recipient for the Cogitator Neural Implant.” Hiro then offered as he gestured at the bundle of gold, silver and other non-reactive exotic metals on one of the shelves in the medical theater. She blanched at how nonchalant he was with his offer as that implant might be worth well more than she was several times over on the black market.

“There’s no need for that Hiro. I don’t really want to impose and I’ll eventually save up for implants.” She hurriedly replied. Her boss was extremely generous to those whom he deemed worth his time. She felt like she’d be taking advantage of that generosity if she accepted, and it wasn’t like second hand implants that were compatible with her son would be hard to come by.

“Come on Gloria, think of it as an early christmas bonus. It doesn’t have to be a limb or extra organs if you don’t like it being so overt, the neural implants would be plenty good enough. Hey Adam, back me up here.” The boy insisted as he turned to the very much awake and lucid Borg. Said borg turned towards her with those baleful red eyes of his.

“All I see is wasted potential. Take the offer woman, do not think of the cost now. If you're so worried about it, I’ll even foot the bill so you don’t have to worry about any future payment that may creep up. Chrome would do the boy good.” The cyborg said with a sense of finality in his voice. Gloria couldn’t help but nod along at that because he had a point. Having no chrome was putting her son at a disadvantage and against her better judgment, she needed this for him.

“If you insist… but just the neural implants please.” She relented but insisted on that. Her boy didn’t need those physical implants yet, or ever if she could help it. Implants that could help his sharp mind, however? She’d gladly take those. Her thoughts drifted off to that of her boy. She wondered what he was doing right now.

-x-x-x-

Not too far away on a train back home, David Martinez sighed as he had his ears talked off by his hangerons? His fangirls? He wasn’t quite sure but they followed him and hung onto his every word. It got worse after he actually accepted the football captain’s offer and tested out.

Yes, they found out that he had talent, but he didn’t have the chrome so they started building up his strength. He still felt sore but he was getting better, more muscular even, after his captain employed tough love on him. Damn bastard looked smug when he scored a goal against another club.

So now, he had a permanent flock of girls around him and what’s worse was that he found out that these girls lived near his new apartment. It’s not like he’s complaining though as they were nice eye candy but could they stop gossiping for one minute? Even small talk was better than what they were saying right now.

“So, did you hear about that Mox girl kissing a guy in Corpo Place? Like wow, why wasn’t she kicked off the plaza?“ One of his hanger ons said. A Mox in Corpo Plaza, well wouldn’t that be a sight.

“I know right? Wearing our uniform and ruining our reputation. The nerve of that girl.” Another replied. Well, maybe not all of their gossip was inane crap.

He just let them talk, tuning them out whenever things got too boring. It was then that he saw a flash of rainbow hair in the window of the train. The image he saw was hazy but he couldn’t help but be transfixed at the sight of the woman that walked behind them. He turned around to find no one.

“Hey David, is something wrong?” One of the girls, Denice if remembered correctly, asked.

“Yeah, it was nothing Denice. Just thought I saw something.” He replied as he shook his head. Heh, what a joke. Here he was turning at the sight of a pretty girl like he’s some horn dog.

“You’re way too stressed David. You should chill out especially with how hard you’re going in the field. Why don’t we drop by the noodle shop?” The other girl then said.

“Yeah, that actually sounds good.” He nodded along. He was hungry and his captain did say to eat a bit more. It would only be later than he’d find out that he was pickpocketed, much to the amusement of his hangers on until they found out that they were also pickpocketed. Thankfully, he had a spare data chip of cash hidden in his shoes.

A/N:

As always, from here on out, I'd like to remind you that I have a patreon page! I also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star.

 

[SirBearington]

Chapter 6


Rebecca couldn’t help but fidget in excitement as she held on to Hiro’s hands as she and the crew descended down a flight of stairs. Maine walked ahead as he led the crew and Hiro to the bar up ahead. The dark crummy hallway with steam leaking from overhead pipes, the loud punk music emanating from up ahead, the gruff bouncer guarding the entrance, and the large neon sign above was all she needed to know they were in the right place. They were going to enter the Afterlife.


“Getting cold feet, Bee?” Maine asked teasingly as he walked ahead confidently. He had Pilar and Dorio flanking him while she and Hiro were in the middle with Kiwi trailing behind. They were getting some curious glances, especially Hiro, but they remained just looks and she ignored them in turn. This was neutral ground after all, plus nobody wanted to get banned from the most exclusive bar in the city.


“I’m just excited! It’s not everyday we get to go here, you know.” She replied a bit giddily. She couldn’t help having her emotions color her voice. It was almost overwhelming even but she kept her cool. Best not to act like a spaz or worst, a fangirl.


“It’s been a week since you bugged Maine about this job. Thought you’d already burnt out all that energy of yours after all that time” Kiwi commented as she let out a puff of smoke from her rebreather.


“Aren’t you excited? This is the Afterlife we’re going to!” Rebecca asked as she looked back at the woman. She could gesture at almost any other guys and gals walking in and out of the bar and they’d probably have a story worth telling. After all, you need to be somebody to get in and while Hiro pulled some strings, Maine and crew pulled their own weight.


She pouted a bit, remembering all the begging she had to do as well as the week-long wait she had to do without doing anything. At least she got to spend more time with Hiro but that could only take her so far. She was left restless rather than calmed with all the pent up energy she had now.


“Oh I am, just a bit better at hiding it.” Kiwi replied as her eyes lit with amusement and a bit of smugness with how she held her head up high. She might still sport the best poker face around but her eyes betrayed her emotions and there was that look that had Rebecca grinning and what she was wearing right now made that smile all the wider. Her eyes trailed up the netrunners fancy wide brimmed hat. She had to hand it to the old girl, she could make almost anything work and look stylish while doing so.

“So, a gift from your boyfriend~?” She then asked as she poked the older woman on the side. Kiwi merely rolled her eyes but she made no move to deny it.

“You should have seen what happened when Adam walked in Jinguji.” Hiro whispered into her ears making her giggle out as she covered her mouth and looked away.


“Shut it you.” She fired back without any heat making Rebecca laugh out loud. It looked like she wasn’t the only one that had a complicated love life now. All three of the girls in the team had their inputs. Girls night out would be better than ever with all the juicy topics they can talk about now.


Their little banter had to wait for now as they had a bouncer to deal with. “And here comes another crew of schmucks. Got any names on ya? Maybe some ID’s for the kiddies there?” The bouncer said as he eyed them like they were some cockroaches he accidentally stepped on, making her clench her fist a bit but she took a breath and she merely leveled a glare at him. Hiro’s hands squeezing hers was more than enough to remind her to calm down.


Maine merely smiled as he introduced the crew. “Name’s Maine and this here’s my crew. ” He said as he gestured at them. She could feel the eyes of some people on the back of her neck at the name and it had her smiling once more. She had her reasons to be smug after all.


“Is that supposed to ring any bells?” The bouncer asked unimpressed but he squared up and seemed tense. She could see his hands itching to reach for the gun in his waist but he kept cool about it. She had to give respect to that level of professionalism even if she hated him for being a massive prick.


“We’re here to see a certain special lady. Purely business.” her leader replied casually. They were here to meet a special someone indeed with the job they were going to do today.


The bouncer cracked a smile, amused at their apparent gall, as he turned to the side and reached for his ear. “Hey Boss, some punks here to see ya?” He called out before listening intently to the woman on the other line. He frowned a bit before blinking and looking at them in disbelief. “Seriously? Well, I’ll be damned. Got it, telling them now,” he added as walked to the side to allow them in.


“Boss Lady say’s to give her a second, just finishing some personal matters. Get right in, get yourself some drinks on the house.” The buff man said as he gave them a nod.


Maine nodded back as he walked right in with the rest of the gang. She and Hiro were about to go in when the man placed a hand on Hiro’s shoulder. She looked at him with murder in her eyes and a hand reachign for her gun but the serious look instead of the patronizing one she expected was the one that greeted her which made her stay her hands for now to let him say what he wanted.


“Word of advice kid, you got balls for coming here but you better be packing some heat since this ain’t no playground.” The muscle bound man suggested to which Hiro smile appreciatively.


Hiro simply slung his arms around her shoulder before replying “I’m not too worried about that. After all, I have someone to back me up when things get rough.”. Rebecca didn’t know if she wanted to punch him on the shoulder or kiss him as the man grinned with a nod before letting them through.


“Heh, kids these days I swear. Getting em younger and younger.” She heard him whisper, making her turn and flip the bird at him.


“I’m 24 you asshat!” She shouted as Hiro dragged her away but the disbelieving look that the bouncer made only made her furious. “Let me at em! Fucker needs to die!” She growled out as Hiro slipped his arms underneath her armpit and pulled her away.


Denied the chance to shove her gun where the sun doesn’t shine, she sat there in one of the bar stools as she fumed and brooded while Hiro rubbed her back soothingly. Nothing ticked her off more than being called a little girl. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it, Becca. You know how I feel about this as well.” he said. It was one of the things they shared, their youthful looks both a blessing and curse.

“Fuck that guy. I want a strong drink now.” She grumbled out as she slumped on the bar top. She kicked her legs against the stile of the bar as her legs were too short to use the foot rail below.

Her prayer was, thankfully, answered as the smiling visage of the bartender attended to them. “I might have something that can help you with that. So, what’ll it be?” the woman said as she leaned against the top. Rebecca looked up at her and found only a genuine smile of someone looking to ask them for a drink. “Sorry about Em over there. He can be quite…” she replied as she looked up and quirked her lips while she tried to find a proper word.


“An ass?” She snarked out and the woman let out a chuckle.


“I’d use insufferable but, yeah. Anyways, back to that drink. I’m sure you and your input could use one.“ The woman answered back as she leaned against the bar top. Rebecca hummed in response as her mind wandered on what to order. She could order a Johnny Silver hand but that was too basic plus kinda ironic to buy with who she was with. She wouldn’t have to think for long however as it seems that Hiro had something in mind.


“Hey Becca, mind if we try out a drink my mother used to drink?” Hiro said, making her turn her head to her input. That certainly caught her attention. Never once did she hear him talk about his family aside from Michiko and she had yet to see his mother. For all intent and purposes, Hiro’s mom was a mystery that she had yet to see.


“Oh, a former patron eh? Let's see what you got.” The bartender said as she crossed her arms across her chest and waited for him to reply.


“Add 1 oz lemon vodka, 1 oz cranberry vodka, and 1.5 oz Grenadine. Stir and strain over ice into a highball glass then top it with some Sprite.” Hiro replied easily. The woman nodded and was about to reach for a pair of coupe glasses behind her before she froze on her spot. She slowly turned and looked at Hiro with this questioning look on her face.


The woman frowned as she stopped reaching for the glassware and leaned closely to inspect Hiro’s face. Hiro blinked in surprise as he looked back at her. There was a flash of recognition in her eyes as she whispered in surprise “Wait, you’re A2’s boy? Oh shit, you are. How could I’ve missed those eyes and hair? Here I thought you were just some punk trying to rock her look and here we are.”


“A2? You know her?” Rebecca asked as she perked up and stood up straight on her seat. She was in the dark here and the fact that Hiro’s mom was famous enough for the bartender of the Afterlife to remember her was something. Just when she thought she had Hiro figured out, here come these curve balls out of nowhere. Just who was Hiro’s mother?


“I didn’t really know her but the previous bartender knew her quite well. Also, Should I or…?” The bartender asked as she looked at Hiro while she reached for a bottle of Grenadine nearby.


“By all means.” Hiro replied, gesturing for the woman to go ahead. The woman nodded as she reached for the other bottles to finish the drink. With the bottles in hand, she started mixing up the drink as she regaled them with the tale of another Solo from the past. Rebecca was practically on the edge of her seat as she leaned in close to hear every detail of this.


Cleaning her throat, the woman started while she started pouring them their drinks. “Ok. A2’s a bit of a legend. She was an infamous netrunner back in the day at the tail end of the Time of the Red. She’s not as famous as Spider Murphy or Bartmoss but she’s up there alright. She can quick hack you just as fast as she can swing her sword and god did she have a bit of a temper on her. You don’t want to be on her wrong side cause she got that sword of hers that just dices people up and she knows how to wield it, let me tell you.” Hiro smiled softly at that as the woman traced her fingers across a certain part of the bar top. She looked down and noticed the almost invincible cut on the metal table top. Her eye followed the line and found that it went all the way down to the stone floor.


“Anyways, she rode with the Steel Dragons and rumors, or rather facts have it that she’s Yorunobu Arasaka’s girl. She and Yorunobu were a couple unlike any other. Any job that involved fucking over the corps, call them and you have your crew.” Rebecca couldn’t help but snort at that. Yorunobu Arasaka, a solo who hated corpos? Despite how well known Yorunobu’s past was, she still couldn’t quite see him as the corpo hating legend he once was. The image he had right now couldn’t be further away from his old self with how entrenched he was in Arasaka. He was the face of Arasaka in Night City as the poster pinned to a dart board could attest to.


“Just don’t be caught being affiliated with a corpo else you become another body in the bloody path they left in their wake. They were on top of the world. Then one day, A2 suddenly disappeared and a husk of a man took the reins of Arasaka. We don’t know what happened, there was no body, no nothing. They took one mission against an Arasaka data fortress and that’s the last thing we heard about old A2 and who your dad used to be. He’s still there… but there’s something missing in those eyes of his.” The woman said with sadness tingeing her voice as she stirred both their drinks.


Hiro snorted as he sported a wry smile “Yeah, kinda sounds like dad alright. Stubborn fucking ass. Nothing can get past that thick head of his.” He vented as he let out an annoyed sigh. Rebecca reached out for his hands and he squeezed her hands as he started frowning. Rebecca reminded herself to give Hiro’s father a punch right to the face. Sounded like the guy needed something to remind him about things.


“The only guys in the know last I heard are him, ole Michiko, Rogue, and well you. They keep saying that she’s alive but she hasn’t been seen in decades…” the woman trailed off as she looked down on the pink drink.


“Yeah… she’s alive but I wouldn’t call it living.” Hiro admitted and Rebecca couldn’t help but wince at that. A mysterious disappearance and a data fortress? Yeah, she didn’t have to think that hard to have a fuzzy picture of what happened. It was one of the dangers of being a netrunner and one that made her swore off at that


“My condolences.” the woman apologized.


Hiro waved it off as he replied, “It’s fine. It’s ancient history by now. Still, kinda one of the reasons why I want to go here.“ His voice and smile might tell him he was fine but he still looked hurt. He couldn’t hide it all, she knew the feeling of reminiscing about the past all too well.


“Well, you won’t be disappointed. Your mom’s a bit of a sweet tooth, so be careful with her drink. I’ve seen some people underestimate it kinda like how people underestimated her.” The woman replied, smiling brightly as she pushed the drink towards the two. “Hah, no wonder she loved this.” She chuckled as she gave them a nod before taking her leave to attend to the other customers waiting for their drinks.


“Thank you.” Hiro said as he grabbed the drink. Their little party however would be interrupted as Pilar waved at them from across the bar. He gestured at the room behind him as the others were already parting in. She sighed as she grabbed her drink, just when things were starting but then again this was what they came for.


“One last drink before we hit the road?” He asked with a joking smile as he raised his coupe glass. She giggled as she raised her own drink and toasted with him.


“This is our only drink for the road, silly.” She answered as she downed the drink as fast as she could. She found that it agreed with her as the sweetness of the cocktail overwhelmed the unusually strong drink. It went down fast but she could already feel her cheeks heating up as it settled in her stomach.


“Huh, holy shit she wasn’t kidding when she said this was sweet. Almost couldn’t taste the alcohol here.” She replied, pleasantly surprised at the drink before she glanced at Hiro. She snickered as he grimaced and shook his head after downing the drink. “Heh, going for a strong drink even when you know you're a lightweight?”


“I just wanted a taste.” Hiro pouted in reply as he got off his seat. She got off hers as well as she led them to the meeting place. They were the only one left and best not to keep them waiting.


“Then you should have drunk it all.” Rebecca replied, scolding her input for his fool hardy decision. He might be smart but his wisdom could be lacking at times.


“Don’t like wasting stuff.” Hiro answered back as his cheeks burned from the alcohol and embarrassment. She shook her head at that as she wrapped her arms around his shoulder and ruffled his hair.


Passing by a rough looking bodyguard, both of them would find themselves face to face with the legendary fixer herself, Rogue Amendiares. The silver haired vixen lounged on her seat as she held a glass of whiskey on the rocks. To her right was a dark skinned man who was taking a nap. She looked at them with amusement as she placed down her drink before she commented “You two are giving me quite the sense of deja vu. Last time I saw an Arasaka in the hands of a girl was 20 years ago.”


Shifting on her seat and gesturing to one of the empty seats besides Pilar, she then added, “Well, it took you long enough and here I thought I was the one making you wait.” The others were already seated and were waiting for them. Maine had his arms around Dorio while Kiwi was as far away as possible from Pilar who was chomping on a bag of chips as loud as possible. In front of them was a table full of snacks and some beer bottles which her brother was also helping himself with. She grumbled as she and Hiro sat down with her brother. At least the meeting wasn’t so tense already. It felt more like a casual meeting between friends rather than business; there was booze, food and good music.


“Just had to try something out. It was sweet.“ Hiro replied as he leaned back on his seat while she had his arms around his shoulder. Both of them settled in, getting themselves comfortable for a night of business. Rebecca had to be mindful of her legs to avoid it from tapping. This was their first meeting with the famed fixer. She did not want to give a bad impression on her.


“Heh. Thought your pops would be too busy drinking himself to death to teach you that,” The older woman then said. Hiro grimaced at the mention of his father.


With a shake of his head, he answered back “Not him, learned it from Aunt Michiko.” There was a clear tone of distaste in his voice.


Rogue snorted at that. “Yup, sounds about right,” she replied.


“You know his parents?” Dorio piped up, curious at the casual conversation the two were having. They talked as if Rogue was just a close family friend, a surprising fact given the history between her and the Arasaka’s. Everyone was curious as she and her crew looked at the fixer for answers but she merely grinned at them.

“Oh I know his parents, especially his mom, and rather intimately at that.” She replied as she waggled her eyebrows at Hiro who blanched and turned away, trying to cover his ears from hearing anything further. Her brother gagged on his drink as he started coughing and pounding at his chest. Maine looked the most amused of all as he leaned closer to hear the juicy details while Dorio just pinched the bridge of her nose. “The only regret I have is knowing your dad but your mom, mhmm. Hottest piece of ass I’ve seen.” She added making Kiwi look at the woman in disgust. Well, that is certainly one way to know them.


“I wished I didn’t know that.” Hiro groaned out as he covered his face in mortification. She gave him a pat on the back as the elderly woman laughed her heart out. No one should know the sex life of their relatives, much less their own parents.


Wiping a stray tear from her eyes, she cleared her throat as she gestured for her body to close the door behind them. “Enough small talk then, let’s get down to business. Squama, Nix, if anyone tries snooping around, you know what to do.” She said as the man beside her and the guard nodded. The door closed and immediately the music coming from outside was silenced.


Things got a whole lot more serious as Rogue’s eyes gained this hard glint. They were still sharp and her body nimble despite her age. Pillar took one long swig from his bottle before setting it down while Maine straightened up and squared his shoulder. It was now time for business.


“Before you tell them about the target, mind if I get everyone up to speed? I just need everyone to know the gravity of this situation.” Hiro then said. When he offered this job to Maine, he kept his lips sealed about the details about the things that were stolen from him, just that he needed it retrieved. The mission was simple after all, retrieve what was stolen, don’t get caught and they could get a nice bounty for a job well done.


The fixer shrugged as she replied, “I don’t see a problem in that. Nix, hand out the chips.” The man beside her pulled out a box containing several data chips, enough for the entire crew. She stared down on the memory chip before sighing as she inserted the thing to the slot near the back of her ears. She blinked at the static as the data started to load.


Down on the table was an augmented video of a hijacking of a nondescript delivery truck just as it left the gates of the port area. It wasn’t the usual roving band of Maelstrom, what attacked the heavily armed and armored vehicle was a professional fighting force wearing tactical gear and a whole lot of american flag bandanas.


They hit hard and fast, ramming the truck on the side with a large modified Chevilion Emperor with a large cow catcher strapped in front of its big blocky hood. The truck didn’t stand a chance as it rolled on top of the vehicle before flipping to its back and preventing the turret from popping. Motorcycles came screeching out of the alleys to distract the port authority from responding while the Chevilion disgorged its occupants and leading them was a man wearing a green beret, a bit pretentious in her opinion.


The men were quick to attach an explosive charge on the back of the truck, not even bothering to use a netrunner, to crack the thing wide open. They stormed inside, blasting away before coming out with a large heavy box the size of a man. With their target secured, they loaded it up to the same armored car they used before slipping away. In and out in under a few minutes. They didn’t even take anything else, just that single box.

The video ended just as the port authorities finally came to the rescue as they shot down some opportunistic Scav trying to take some of the cargo that was scattered from the heist. It was clear as day on what this really was. This wasn’t your normal robbery, this was premeditated and planned for. Several more photos popped up on the edge of her vision. One was the news coverage of the event where a one armed Arasaka corpo could be seen being dragged from the van, the other was a render of the stolen box, and finally was the close up of the leader of the group that raided the truck.


“Two weeks ago, a couple of assholes affiliated with the 6th Streets hit an anonymous convoy containing a shipment of extremely sensitive equipment that I had delivered from Japan to Night City, marking the last time I’ll ever have something shipped by Revere Courier Service; ‘Your package is sacred’ my ass, they allowed some Voodoo boys on their servers.” He grumbled as he played back the video just as everyone from the 6th Street gang was in view. There they could see their gear, a mismatch of Militech and other NUSA branded guns but all of them were high end. Even their gear was, as they weren’t just LARPing as paramilitary this time around.


Pillar stroked his chin as he leaned forward to give the frozen image a better look before he brought something up. “Why didn’t you just have it sent via Hitashi? They’re not as famous but they’re just as good. Currently waiting for them to deliver some chrome I bought online and they pride themselves on secrecy.” He did have a great point, Hitashi has always played second fiddle compared to the multinational company but what they can’t give in in volume and cheapness was the sheer reliability they recently had.


Hiro shook his head at that as he replied, “Aunt Hanako owns that company and let’s just say that we don’t have the best of relationships after I kept siphoning funds from her projects,” She nodded in understanding. From what she heard from Michiko and Hiro, Hanako was focused more on the netrunning activities and projects of the company. With all the stuff Hiro has been pumping out, there was little room in the budget for those projects.


He raised his finger before he lowered it down. “Ohhh… shutting up now.” he said as leaned back on his seat.


Hiro nodded as the image of the crime scene disappeared as a three dimensional miniature of the stolen box replaced it. It was heavy looking with more locks on it than a paranoid tinfoil hatter’s apartment. The box unlocked and there inside was a large selection of pistols labeled “Plasma Pistol X1.” They looked far more advanced than her own Laspistol and Bolter but they seemed rather fragile with all the ceramics in their construction.

It looked bad enough but it got even worse as the bottom panel was revealed and out came a small crystalline object surrounded by a sphere of black colored stone. Kiwi quickly paled as their vision was drowned out by the same green baleful glow of her prized pistol. Rebecca could feel every hair on her body rise up as her throat suddenly felt dry and parched.


“As for what they stole, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. They stole what’s effectively a nuclear bomb and they don’t know it because they’re too busy playing with the guns I shipped with it.“ Hiro then revealed and Rogue reached up for her half forgotten glass and downed it in one go.


“A bomb?!” She half shrieked and half whispered hysterically as Maine’s face tightened. The risks just got a whole lot higher now and a whole lot of people might die if they fucked up. She glared lightly at Hiro as she felt her brow twitch. When he said that this mission would make her not rely too much on guns, she didn’t expect to be saddled with a mission this sensitive. For good measure, she punched his shoulder and he took it.


“I deserved that.” He replied as rubbed his shoulder. She was going to have a good long talk on proper communication later but for now, she had to sit through this meeting. “Also, it’s not exactly a bomb, it’s more a power source. I’ve been meaning to set up a power plant here in Night City but most of my speciality tools are still in Tokyo. I couldn’t set up the most critical component here so I had to have it made back there before shipping it over.” He added. Rebecca reached up and massaged her temple. She sorely wished that Hiro’s dump stat was strength rather than wisdom.


“What do you intend to power with something strong enough to level multiple city blocks…“ Maine asked as he crossed his arms across his massive chest. He was looking for an explanation and so was she now.


“The whole city and then some. I have a project that requires a strong power source and I found that I could also give power to almost everyone else while doing so.” She sucked in a breath before sighing. Now there was the lovable idiot she fell for. He had his heart in the right place but he did not think this through.


Rogue gave Hiro a deadpan look before shaking his head. “How altruistic of you. Too bad it could plunge the city to a second age of the red.” She reminded everyone and Dorio grimaced at that. The age of the blood colored sky was yet to be forgotten when its survivors still lived. Even if she didn’t live through it, she’d heard enough about it.


Hiro nodded as he looked at Rogue. “Well, that’s why I asked for your service. There’s no one more in the know than you, after all. If there’s any person that knows what the target's favorite lunch is then it would be you.” He replied confidently and she nodded in agreement. The network Rogue built up from her long life and her skills as both a former solo and a fixer was damn impressive and only she knew just how far that rabbit hole goes down too.


“Also, don’t worry about it. So long as they don’t use it as some form of target practice, it won’t go boom. Easy peasy.” He added reassuringly with a self assured smile. She scoffed at that, easy peasy her ass. They likely had to infiltrate a 6th Street stronghold and getting past the neighborhood they’re located in would be a huge pain.


“You came to the right person then.” Rogue replied as she reached out and swiped right, pushing the box away as the close up of one of the perpetrators was brought up. The man was turned to face them before it was compared to a group picture of the higher ups of the 6th Street. The unmistakable white brimmed cowboy hat and well trimmed beard with that smug thousand white smile of his was unmistakable but it was the man to his right that was highlighted. Everyone else was cropped out and his image was compared to that of the man in the attack. The cheekbones, ears and nose ship all matched up. All that was missing was a green beret and they had their man.


“This is the man that stole your tech. He’s a high ranking officer in the 6th Street who goes by the name of Pablo Silva. As for why they stole from you? It’s purely business really, nothing more and nothing else.” Rogue started as the guys file was brought up. Father of three, Gunrunner, Drugpedller, as well as a human trafficked, pretty standard stuff for a gang member of his rank.


“Your little war with the Voodoo’s gave these patriotic hypocrites a lot of customers but words have it they themselves are running out of stock. Your package just so happens to arrive at an unfortunate time with the Voodoo boys sending any information they can gather outside of your data fortress to anyone that’s willing to take a bite.Those Plasma Pistols of yours, well, that piqued the interest of ole Pablo here.” More photos were brought up showing teh 6th Street handing weapons to the Voodoo boys. They must have paid them quite a lot to stop the 6th Street from shooting them and stringing them up.


“Fortunately for you, he did not hide your product in his house. He had it hidden in a warehouse just near the outskirts of the 6th Street Heartlands. It’s where his particular group conduct their operations, from gun running to human trafficking.” The image of the dealings was then replaced by a heavily fortified warehouse. It was brimming with gun emplacements and men guarding its perimeter. Most of the defense was in the form of gun turrets which was actually an advantage.


“Kiwi, think you can hack those?” Maine asked as he turned to their seasoned Netrunner.


Kiwi gave it some thought as she hummed before nodding “Give me an hour and I can give you some extra time,” she replied confidently. Those guns looked bigger and beefier than the ones available for the civilian market so that was a welcomed answer.


“The warehouse boasts quite the number of troopers guarding and you wouldn’t want to mess with them, no offense. You’ll be facing a wall of guns if you decide to go in guns blazing.” Rogue commented to which she and the rest of the crew nodded. They were armed, heavily so, but even that was a ridiculous number of guns facing back at them. They’d be made out of lead if all those guns start firing.

“Normally, you wouldn’t be able to crack this unless you want to risk an all out war on two fronts, She said, directing that comment to Hiro who grumbled at that ”Thankfully for you, you have a crew that could possibly pull this off and you just happen to have a short window of opportunity to take advantage of.”


The image of the warehouse was set aside for now as a picture of Pablo Silva and who she assumed were his loyal friends and coworkers standing there in a baseball pitch behind a line up of kids in old fashioned baseball uniforms. She had to suppress an aww with how adorable they looked in their little get up. “You see, the 6th Street’s annual Little League Baseball tournament is heating up and Pablo’s and his men’s kids are all in the running for the championship.”


“The match is set after sundown so the little kiddies won't get skin cancer. He’ll be taking most of his men with him leaving the warehouse practically unguarded. Miss this date and your job will get a whole lot harder.” The image of the warehouse came back with the men reduced to a more manageable level. It was practically a skeleton crew at this point but they still had a shit ton of gun turrets.


“Get in, knock out anyone that might see us, get the stolen product, then get out.” Maine listed out the steps they’ll take to get the job. Despite the nature of the thing they needed to retrieve, the job was really straightforward and with the details they had, it was just a matter of memorizing where the people patrol and which areas are a death sentence to be caught in.


“Piece of cake.” Pillar said cockily as he grinned widely.


Dorio stroked her chin as she looked down upon the details of the location before asking her own input “It’s harder than I expected but we can do this right Maine?”


Maine smiled back confidently as he nodded. “Yeah. We need to be careful, but we have this in the bag,” he said with a nod


The octogenarian grinned at them as she then said, “Well, seems like you guys are pretty confident with this job so how about this, Interested in doing another job on top of that?” That got everyone turning their heads to her. That was unexpected, though nothing out of the ordinary.


“What do you have in mind?” Maine asked as he leaned forward.


“Normally, I wouldn't do this but a friend of mine asked and your job just so happens to be in the same place where his daughter is being kept. Rescue her and let’s just say that you have someone that can whisper to the ears of the Orto’s.” Rogue replied as another photo popped up in their vision. It was the group photo of Valentino’s gang members with the head honcho himself, Campo Orto himself with his big bushy mustache and scared face. They stood there with their flashy cars and equally gaudy jewelry but amidst all the men was a single smug looking teenage girl with purple highlights. She wasn’t a girl of one of them but a family member considering she also sported the same jewelry and type of guns these guys carried with them.


A second photo was soon shown where the Latina was smiling widely as she and her friends partied under the strobing lights of a rave party. “She and her friends were having a joyride until they made a wrong turn. Wandered off too far from home and she and her friends are quite the lookers. You know how things usually go,” Rebecca snarled a bit at that.


“There is of course the usual fee. My friend’s twisting my arm here but at least he’s paying with an arm and a leg. So, what do you say?” She added, sweetening the pot a bit. She quickly glanced over to the big guy hoping he said yes. Adding more goals for a job was risky as is but she couldn’t let this go. The girl needed help and she'd be damned if she couldn’t help her when they could do it. Hiro looked at her and both of them nodded, agreeing that this was something worth doing.


“She’s held in the same location?” Dorio asked as she looked at the silver haired woman. Kiwi looked a bit unsure about it but she didn’t voice any objections. Pilar looked like he was rearing for a fight. Even if her brother’s reasoning was impure, he still had his heart in the right place.


Dorio paused for a bit, thinking about it long and hard before she finally nodded. “Consider it done.”


The elderly fixer grinned as she continued with the details of the mission.“Excellent. Now, for the route’s you can take…” She went one while Rebecca listened intently. This was a job that just got a whole lot more interesting. She couldn’t fuck this up.

A/N:

As always, from here on out, I'd like to remind you that I have a patreon page! I also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star.

 

[SirBearington]

Chapter 7-1

Rebecca had never felt so naked up until now. Without the reassuring weight of her heavier guns, she felt under armed. She neither had her bolters nor did she have her black gun on her person, she didn’t even have her normal guns; All she had right now was her laspistol and that was it. “I knew we had to be quiet but did that have to mean we’re only armed with peashooters?” She complained with a pout.


Kiwi scoffed at her comment. “Who’d have guessed that the gun nut would call las pistols peashooters,” the blonde snarked while she was hooking herself up to the modified chair they had installed in the crew’s car. Rebecca couldn’t help but curse that even with her short legs, her knees were still pressed up against its hard surface.


“Bite me!” She answered back as she crossed her arms across her chest. The womans seat was armored and bolted down and she’d be dumb to kick the base.


“Knock it off you two. They’re finally leaving, look alive people!” Maine called out as he turned away from the window before reaching out for the door.


“Finally! I thought they’d never leave,” Rebecca cheered as sat up and climbed on top of the disgruntled netrunner so she could take a look. She made to dig her knees on the woman's stomach as she watched the armored cars of Pablo Silva and his goons drive off.


“Can you not?” Kiwi hissed out. Rebecca was a merciful queen so she got off the woman but not before she flashed her with a smirk. Maine merely sighed as he got off before he started stretching. They’d been waiting inside for quite some time and with Kiwi’s rig, it was quite cramped, so finally getting out was a relief. Hidden behind the rocks out in the badlands, they were safe from prying eyes.


It was a bit chilly today in the desert but nothing her jacket could handle. She rubbed her hands together while the others limbered up. Turning her attention to her boyfriend, she watched as he made the adorable way to psyche himself up by slapping his cheeks after he slung a much slimmer pack over his back. She tossed her arms around his shoulder making him stumble a bit as she teased him. “Sure you can take it Hiro~? You know things could get ugly.”


Hiro smiled back reassuringly as he replied cheekily “Don’t worry, It’s not my first time.” She let out a laugh as he winked back at her. Well that certainly got her in the mood now.


Wrapping herself against her arms, she leaned up against his reddened ears before whispering to him, “Once we complete both jobs, I’ll make sure to give you a ride you’ll never forget.~” She chuckled as she felt himself tense up and turned an interesting shade of red just before she pulled away.


“I heard that!” Pillar growled in protest as he peered out of their getaway vehicle waving her black pistol. She flipped a bird at him as she started stretching as well.


Before they headed for the warehouse, Maine pulled her aside to give her a talk. She stared up at the bigger man as he crossed his arms across his chest. There was no hint of joviality nor frustration in his face, just a calm and almost serene look. “I think I don’t have to remind you that Hiro’s life is in your hands. Don’t mess up,” He simply told him as he turned his attention to the boy trying to defend himself from Dorio’s attempt at a head pat.

This was the first time that Hiro would get a taste of her line of work and no manner of talking could dissuade him from not taking part. He trusted her whole heartedly that it almost hurt at times. “Yeah, understood,” she replied before she turned back to Maine. Was this what Maine felt whenever he took Dorio out on a job with him?


Maine nodded with a smile before he reached out and ruffled her hair. She cringed back as she attempted to fight it off but it was no use with all the mass he had had in his big meaty fist. “Just remember your first time and stop him from doing that and you’ll do fine. Kid’s raw but he has a good head up there,” he said, making her groan out at the memory.


“Damn it Maine, do you really have to remind me of that?” She asked out with a pout as she fixed her hair clips. Getting them right was always a pain and he had to mess them up.


“I do and I will keep reminding you now, go knock them out.” Miane replied as he gently pushed her towards Hiro. She rolled his eyes as she walked up to her input so she could get him before Dorio broke something.


-x-x-x-


They hid behind the outcrop they parked their car in while Kiwi did her work. The man was paranoid, she had to give him that with all the camera’s dotting the building, but she couldn’t fault him for it because of who he’d messed with. She would have praised his balls if it weren’t her boyfriend's stuff he stole. She looked to her right to see Dorio and Maine while to her left was Hiro. Falco was on the wheels while Pillar was sitting shotgun with him while they protected Kiwi.


“The cameras are all down. You have a half an hour till their netrunner figures out something’s wrong. Make it count. Fucking sloppy…” Kiwi muttered out. One Netrunner’s mistake was theirs to take advantage of. Peering up from their cover, Maine made the call and they made the mad dash for the fence surrounding the warehouse.


Without their boss around, security was noticeably lax. Even from down below, she knew the guard in the spot they picked to enter had dozed off. It made things easier as the desert shrubbery made for poor cover. They quickly made it to the chain link fence and this was where Hiro did his magic.

The familiar but slimmer mechanical tentacles slid out of his pack which snipped through the metallic fence with ease with their clawed tips. A Maine sized hole in the fence was quickly made and they filtered through. Hiding amongst the boxes as they heard the footsteps of the rotating guards scheduled to start just right now, Rebecca held her breath as she heard the man’s heavy footsteps plodding towards their position before he made a stop.

“Don’t you dare leave me here John. You know I can’t stand Rodrick and his constant yapping!” Another guard called out as the sound of a heavy door being opened could be heard from their covers.


“Yeah yeah sure.” Their guard waved off their concern before he muttered out to himself, “As if I’ll stay here while the boss is away. Time to make my escape.” They heard him walk past their position but before he could even get a chance to see the entrance they made, Hiro made sure he would never speak of it.


He didn’t have any chance to scream as Hiro’s tendril lashed out to his neck. He didn’t get a chance to scream as the tentacles clamped down on his neck before he was pulled into their cover. The slackened form of the man and rapidly staining pants was all Rebecca needed to know as Hiro pulled back his tentacle revealing a 12 inch spike coated with some shards of bones and brain matter. She felt a bit sickened at the gaping triangular hole left in the man's neck but it was a clean death.


She wasn’t given any more time to think as Dorio gestured that the coast was clear. They jumped out of their cover and made a dash for the fire exit. With their back against the wall, Hiro went back to work. Getting the door open was an easy affair even with the lack of an electronic lock when you had access to high powered lasers to simply melt the door’s latch.

Maine was the first one into the now permanently opened door and they followed in. Maine stopped her and Hiro just as they were about to bolt off down to the stairs leading down to the basement. “You know the plan. Get the target and book it.” He reminded them with a stern look while keeping his voice quiet.


Rebecca nodded as she answered back, “Yeah, in and out in 5 minutes.” There was little room for mistakes here. They were in the core territories of the 6th street, any fuck up could have them swarmed and subsequently lynched.


“Good luck,” Mained said as he turned towards his and Dorio’s target which was located in the offices in the front of the building.


“Yeah, and bring back Dorio in one piece, ok?” She called out to him.


Maine merely grinned back as he gave them a salute before he and Dorio headed for the direction of the offices in the front of the warehouse. They stuck to the shadows and it didn't take long for them to disappear through one of the many alleys of the large storage racks leaving her alone with Hiro. Turning to her partner, she gestured for him to follow her as they headed to the other direction. Right up ahead of them was a flight of stairs leading to the basement below.


The inside of the warehouse was much more cramped than the usual one’s she had to fight in. Despite their reputation as nothing more than gun toting cowboys, the 6th Street were smarter than they looked. The dimly lit corridor lined with turrets was a sight she did not like one bit even if they’re effectively blind with the camera’s on the end of the corridor slumped over.


“This will take forever. Hey Kiwi, need some help here.” She called out to Kiwi over the coms. She could already hear Kiwi grumbling all the way here as she finally picked up their call.


“Give me a sec, I just finished dealing with Maine’s problem. Disabling the turrets so stay put.” The precious minutes they had to stay put in the stairs felt almost like an eternity but, finally, the turrets sagged and went into standby mode. She could finally breathe out a sigh of relief. “There. Go straight ahead and turn right at the last corridor. You’ll find the engineering room there and that’s where she’s being kept.”


She didn’t need to be told twice as she bolted for the corridor while keeping her feet light on the floor. Hiro was hot behind her heels, keeping an eye on their back as they headed for the room where the hostage was taken. The place was as empty as it can get and the only thing she could hear was the constant hum of the nearby machinery. It was almost too easy but, as though the universe was listening, the lights above their heads suddenly turned on.


“Damn it, Hide. Multiple Guards coming down the basement. Take the supply closet to your right!” Kiwi shouted in warning, Rebecca pulling Hiro into the corridor they were going to take.


Rebecca could barely stop herself from cursing out loud as she heard footsteps echo down the empty hallway. The door at the end of the hallway was taunting them, mocking them for how close they were but how short they came. They could make a dash for the engineering room but she doubted they could kill all the guards before one of them sounded the alarm. She had a good aim but she wasn’t that good. She grabbed Hiro and quickly pushed him in the closet before squeezing himself in.

As compromising and suggestive their current situation was now with her body pressed up against his, they still had people to deal with. She heard them pass by and Kiwi fed them their conversation as they headed straight for the engineering room.


“Damn it Rodrick. You’re really going for it huh? You know the boss is going to chop your dick off right?” One of the voices called out in amusement.


“Damn bitch thinks she’s better than me, I’ll show her. Heh, I bet she’ll be begging for more after I’m done with her.'' Slurred out who she assumed was Rodrick. She felt her fist clench in rage and only Hiro’s hands kept her from doing drastic right now


“Heh, with your pencil dick? As if.” Taunted another voice. She could hear something sloshing before the sound of a bottle crashing against the door filled her coms. She felt her shake in anger as she tried to contain herself. Their target was all alone in a room with a drunk and his friends. Her mind raced on how she could put a cap on each of their heads. There were five heads to pop and just one of her.


“Well it’s your dick on the chopping block. Send us the BD after you're done with her.” Called out a third voice as the sound of a creaky door echoed in the corridor.

“Fine now, fuck off, let Mr Swabe here have his way with the whore.” Shouted the drunkard at the others. They were going to be leaving from the sound of it as she heard two of them pass by their location.

“Go choke on a dick and die you brave son of a bitch,” Shouted as fourth as he left the man to his own devices.

“Is he really lucky if the boss finds out?” Asked the third as they passed by the closet she was hiding in.

“If.” Laughed out the fourth as their footsteps got fainter.


Each word spoken only added fuel to the proverbial fire in Rebecca’s heart right now. She tried breathing deeply to calm herself down but all she could see was red right now. She clenched her fist tightly around the grip of her laspistol as she felt her fingers itch to pull the trigger. Someone was going to die and they will die like an animal.


“Damn it! damn it! Fuck!” She cursed out through a clenched jaw as she felt Hiro trying to pull her back and face him.


“Becca, Becca! I know this is fucked up but calm down before we go shank him.” Hiro tried to reason but she had no time to calm down. She was going to kill this mother fucker and with the lights turning off, he had no friends to back him up. All it’d take was one shot and she’d calm down. She quickly opened the door and slipped out of Hiro’s grasp as he scrambled for her. “Becca! Wait!” she heard him but by then she was already at the door.


“Rebecca! No!” Shouted Kiwi but she had her mind already set at this point.


With her laspistol in hand, she kicked the door open and there she saw the fucker with a surprised look on his face as he pulling their target’s shorts off. She wasted no time as she aimed that gun right at his ugly mug before squeezing down on the trigger. There was no lag between the laser firing off the focusing lens and the man’s head. The practically instantaneous beam speared through his skull, drilling through bone, flesh and gore and flash broiled everything it passed through. There was no resistance and flesh parted before her shot and there obstructed by his body was a tall tank of propane leaning against the wall.


She had no time to scream, there was just a blinding flash of light as her shot melted through the tank. Fire bloomed from the container as the pressure wave hit her but not before she felt herself dragged back and shielded from the blast by her lover. He shielded him with his body as she felt herself deafened by the resounding bang of the explosion. She was blinded as all she could see was indistinct shapes that slowly came back to focus and deafened as liquid dripped down her ears.

She stared dumbly at Hiro as he shook her, his mouth moving but all she heard was ringing. Her vision came back soon as she saw the room bathed in flashing red lights. She tried answering back but no sound was coming out of her mouth. She bit back a curse as she finally heard something. “Rebecca! Answer me! What the fuck did you do!” The netrunner shouted in anger. “The whole fucking neighborhood’s awake and I’m now trying to fend off dozens of half awake netrunners!”


“Plan’s derailed. We shot one of the guards but accidentally hit a propane tank. Targets fine though.” Hiro called back to their shared comms as he got off her. Scrambling on to her feet, she grabbed on to Hiro, who looked at her in confusion, and checked his back. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she found no holes or signs of bleeding.


“What? I’m fine but we need to get out of her fast.” Hiro reassured her as he talked through their comms.


“I fucked up. I fucked up. I’m sorry!” She cried out in panic. Her heart was racing as she felt a bit faint at just how royal screwed they were right now but Hiro was not having any of it. Hiro grabbed her and slapped her, snapping her out of her spiraling panic before pulling her in for a kiss. She felt her fears melt away as he held him there in his hands before he pulled away.


Pressing his forehead against her, he answered back. “We fucked up. I shouldn’t have held you back and followed you there. I could have killed him just as quickly but I didn’t. I was talking when I should have acted.”


“As sweet as you two sound, we still have a huge problem. The guy’s came back and I'm trying my best not to get you two peppered by turret gunfire here.” Kiwi reminded them urgently.


Rebecca wiped away a stray tear as she tore her eyes away from Hiro and towards their target. The burnt corpse of the fucker was drapped over the latina, shielding her from most of the blast even if she was a bit singed. Hiro nodded as he went over to push the body aside and started checking on her. Hiro’s sigh of relief was a welcome sight with all the fuck up that happened in the past few minutes.


“Is there any other exit?” Hiro asked as he fixed the girl’s clothes, making sure she was decent now.


“No.” Kiwi replied and that haunting word filled her with ice, light panic following as she saw four heavily armed and pissed 6th street gangers. Rebecca quickly grabbed the door and closed it, thanking the fact that it was enough to stop whatever bullets they were using from passing through but they were now effectively trapped here in this room like rats.



“Fuck, we’re trapped here… damn it. Damn it! I should have stopped and thought things through.” She shouted as he leaned up against the barren concrete wall before sliding down. Running her fingers across her, her eyes were drawn to Hiro’s bracelet. She scoffed at the idea that Trauma Team would be enough to put down the pissed off hornet’s nest she kicked.


“You have to fight your way out. Maine’s going to try and get you but there’s no guarantee. Everyone in the building’s heading down to the basement. I’m sorry.” Kiwi added morosely as the coms on her end cut off with cursing. Kiwi was a decent netrunner but even she couldn’t fight off dozens of netrunners at once.


“Shit… there really is no way huh.” Hiro replied as he started rummaging through his pack and pulling out black glossy rocks of all things. He sat down and started carving it, chipping away at the material with his clawed tentacles.


“Fuck, what the hell are we going to do!?” She shouted in despair as she looked down at the lone laspistol she had. Hiro had his tentacles but they had limited range and the ordinance the men trying to break down their door was way heavier and longer in range.

“Rebecca, do you trust me?” Hiro then asked as he stared down at the octagonal onyx crystal he had in his hands. Gone was the rough and raw surface of the rock and came the glossy and almost glass like sheen to it.

“What? Of course I do but Hiro, this is not the time.” Rebecca shouted half hysterically.

“Rebecca, I’ve been keeping a secret from you.” Hiro suddenly said as he knelt before her. He grabbed her hands, making her freeze in place in confusion. He had secrets but what secrets did he want to tell her that needed to be told now of all things? “I've been keeping this from you to protect you and I wished I didn’t have to tell you this right now but there’s no choice.”

“What the hell?” She mouthed in confusion as he unclasped the bracelet he gave her before pressing the carved stone on to her hands and held on them tightly. The same sensation she felt the first time touched the bracelet came roaring back but this time, it was far stronger. She felt color washing over everything as a sense of vertigo overtook her senses. She felt like she was floating atop a rocky ocean of colors but it wasn’t the sensations that took her words away but the ghostly flame that flickered to life atop their clasped fingers.

“What did… you do…” she breathed out as she stared at the ethereal fire in an almost hypnotic trance. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from it as Hiro had her holding on to the stone while the fire spread down to her hands. She should have panicked when it spread, but the flame calmed her. She felt no fear as she played with the fire which responded to her call like it was a part of her. She looked back at Hiro as four shadows stretched behind him. Despite looking all the same, she felt that all four of them were different. She didn’t know why but she knew who those shadows were. Hiro’s own shadow was flanked by the visionary, the blacksmith, and that of the dragon.

Hiro sighed as he looked up to her with a sad smile. “Rebecca, you are what is called a Latent Psyker.” He answered her. She didn’t know why he looked so downcast but she knew one thing she could do. She’d burn this place to the ground till he smiled once again.

A/N:

As always, from here on out, I'd like to remind you that I have a patreon page! I also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star.

 

[SirBearington]

Chapter 7-2


Rebecca stared down at her burning fist as the kaleidoscopic flame danced to her will. She unclasped her hand and guided the fire to pool at the center of her palm, molding it to a molten star in her hand. A manic giggle bubbled out of her chest as she looked down on the stone in her other hand; she could definitely use this. They definitely had the firepower to fight their way out of this situation. They had a chance and like hell she’d fail when she had a warehouse to burn.


She glanced at Hiro who tried igniting his own fire but his flame sputtered out into sparks like a lighter that ran out of her fuel. She could feel the ebb and flow of the sea being sucked into his very being, like something was eating away at it. “Becca, I need you to make me a promise now.” Hiro asked with a sigh as he looked back at her.

She nodded as she snuffed out the fire and pocketed the stone in her jacket’s pocket. She could still feel the sea at the back of her mind even if was a bit fainter. “Is it something about being a Pysker?” She asked. She had read enough novels to know that there’d be a catch to such powers. Nothing in this world comes for free after all.


“Yes. You feel the sea right?” Hiro asked as the sound of one of the turrets protecting the engineering room exploded outside. To think that this ocean of energy was there around them all this time. Hiro opened her eyes and he knew about this sea long before she was even aware of it. She damn well knew she needed to listen.


“Whatever you do, don’t dig in too deep. The Sea is alive and there are things lurking beneath.” Hiro warned her and the sheer disgust he had at the mere mention of whatever lay hidden in the depths had her shiver in fear. “They’re weaker now but they’re still dangerous. Don’t listen to them, promise?” he begged her with fear tinging his tone and she listened to him.

“Don’t stare into the void, got it.” She nodded, shuddering at that thought at whatever lurked out there. Hiro smiled at her reassuringly as he leaned up to her and kissed her once more. She pulled him in, needing the comfort of his lips right now; he tasted like plums and flowers.


“I’m going to get addicted to this and it’s all your fault,” She growled out without any heat as she reluctantly pulled away and faced the door as the final turret finally gave way. Hiro smirked as he picked up the hostage. It was now or never and their window for escape narrowed the longer they waited.


“I believe in you.” He whispered to her and even if her own ears couldn’t hear those words the Sea did, they filled her with hope as she ignited her fire once more and started feeding it, drawing in as much as she dared from the sea up until she felt the deep end. The fire grew until she could barely contain it anymore and just in time as their enemies were at the gates. She could hear them outside and the blast of their shotgun reduced the hinges to scrap metal.

“I know.” She replied with a smirk as the door was kicked down revealing the four guards from earlier. She roared out as she finally let loose, letting out a wave of fire in front of them. They burned, reduced to a crisp as the sea roiled and their very souls were pushed into its depths. Despite being deafened from the earlier blast, she could still hear their cries of agony. She drowned out their screams as she ran up ahead, reducing those that stood in their way to molten slag and ashes.


Men, Women, Borgs, or Androids, her flames cared not as they burnt all the same. She laughed as she left a trail of fire and destruction. She cleared the way up ahead as she bathed everything with her flames. She kept her pace slow so Hiro could keep up and so he could cover her back and fire at everything she missed.

Walking up the stairs, they came face to face with a warehouse full of angry gangoons. She tossed a fireball at a charging LARPer who screamed as her ethereal fire consumed his form before ducking as retaliatory fire came their way. “How many are there!” Rebecca asked as she saw flashes of light up ahead. Maine and Dorio were trying to fight their way to them but they were bogged down.


Hiro’s tentacle peered out from cover before a live feed of the firefight on the ground floor. “Becca, hit those jerry cans!” Hiro pointed as another tentacle peeked up and started firing suppressing fire.


She peeked out of cover and threw a lance of fire at the pile of jerry cans. The resulting fireball was just as impressive as her flamethrower earlier. Jumping out of the stairwell, they charged ahead, burning and blasting away with almost reckless abandon. They fought their way through disoriented and confused guards until they finally saw Dorio and Maine walking down a flight of stairs while blasting away with the advance prototype Plasma Pistols.She almost felt jealous at the sight but she quickly cheered up as she immolated a poor schmuck who had back turned away from her.


Dorio shouted at them as Maine fired at the soldiers who aimed their guns at Dorio. Maine had the large coffin sized box strapped to his back, protecting it with his body, but this reduced his movement to a crawl. “I can’t hear you!” She shouted as she forced fire down the throat of a surprised ganger who ran into her.


Dorio nodded as she gestured at the entrance. The tell tale glow of her black gun flashed from the windows before Dorio told her where safety was. With renewed effort and a clear goal in mind, both of them beelined for the entrance but that task was made all harder as the 6th Street reinforcement came in droves. Her little stunt earlier definitely kicked the hornets nest as they made it a slog but eventually they met up with the two.


Dorio was banged up while Maine had a gaping hole in his side but he was holding up. The corridor leading to the entrance was littered with corpses as Kiwi held the door of their getaway vehicle wide open. Pillar had the 6th Street pinned down as he fired erratically, reducing both people and their cover to dust but he was slowing down. They wouldn’t be able to keep this up any longer, but they had the hostage and the package; all they needed to do now was get out and they needed out now.


She grabbed Hiro’s hands to drag him away but he pulled back. She turned around, giving him a confused look until he gestured at the stacks of barrels that were marked with 9mm rounds. “Becca, burn everything. This place is loaded with enough ammunition for an Anchorage. That’ll distract them,” She might not know what happened in Anchorage but lighting everything on fire sounded like a good idea. She always wanted to do a cookoff.


The fireballs she made definitely drew attention as her crewmates stared at its flame before she threw it at one of the flammable looking pallets. She kept throwing, backing away as she did so with the rest booking it to the getaway car, until she was sure that this place was going to be reduced to a smoking crater once the fire hit the various ammunitions stored inside the warehouse.


With the building now on fire, she jumped inside their car as Falco floored it. She pulled the door closed with Kiwi and Maine as gunfire peppered their armored vehicle. She slumped against Hiro as it was now finally over. The sounds of gunfire hitting their vehicle became few and far in between. After all, the 6th Street had a lot more to deal with and, as if right on cue, there was a flash before the back of their car was lifted up and came crashing back down.


Away from danger and in the arms of her lover, she finally felt safe and with it came the crash. She felt her adrenaline drain away as a weariness settled upon her. She ached all over and it was as if her very soul was screaming at the strain she put herself in. She was dead tired with her vision wavering and her consciousness tethering at the edge.

Before she slipped into unconsciousness, she looked up at Maine as he being patched up by Dorio and whispered, “I fucked up. I’m sorry.” With those words, her body gave up and she blacked out. There in Hiro’s arms, she dreamed of the past and the future ahead. She dreamed of star gods with their soulless hordes, of ancient and venerable beings with their orcish and elven host, of a golden man made from the souls of the shamans and priest old, of the laughter of cruel gods as they were born, and of a galaxy that only knew war.


-x-x-x-


Things were a blur after the events of yesterday but it was over and now they had to deal with the fall out of what they did. They sat there in Rogue’s booth inside the Afterlife drinking with her as Maine recounted the story of what happened during that night. It was heavily edited with the big man leaving out how she could throw around fire and chalking it up to a far more plausible excuse.


Fooling Rogue, however, was a futile exercise of words. She had been in the business longer than Rebecca had been alive and she knew that they were hiding something, but she remained quiet as she took a sip from her glass of whisky. Setting down the now empty glass, shen then said, “So let me get this straight, things were going fine until your friend here shot a guard and accidentally set off a petrochem tank.”


“I couldn’t hear shit until Hiro patched me up.” Rebecca commented as she rubbed the gauze covering her ears. Getting her eardrums repaired was far faster than she had expected but then again, Hiro had a whole operating theater up there in the Arasaka Tower. She could still hear the ringing from yesterday but it was getting softer by the day. That’d be the last time she’d accidentally, or intentionally for that matter, blow up a tank inside an enclosed room.


Rogue nodded along before she continued, dissecting their stories for any flaws as she laid it out for them to hear, “That alerted the guards and you had to fight your way out of the basement. A fire fight ensued which ended up with the warehouse getting set ablaze when you used those plasma pistols. This fire ended up in a cookoff which ended up breaking windows as far as Watsons…”

Rebecca looked away after but Maine remained as cool as a cucumber as he merely shrugged at her accusations and replied, “That’s what happened.” He stood by his words and he wasn’t taking them back. Besides, it actually sounded more plausible than what amounted to witchcraft.


Rogue gave them a flat look of disbelief but Maine stared back unashamedly, challenging the woman to call his shit out. There was a tense stand off between them as Rogue’s eyes narrowed marginally but she was the one that blinked first as she groaned out and reached for her temples. She massaged her temples before she held out her hands to Hiro who promptly reached for his pack and pulled out a plain ceramic bottle with a cork stopper for her.


She grabbed the bottle of expensive booze and was about to pour it in her glass but she decided otherwise. She simply opened it up and drank it straight from the bottle. She felt ashamed they had to make her deal with their shit but this was the life of a fixer and she’s here to vet for their story so they can claim their rewards from Campo Orto.


Setting down the bottle, she wiped her lips before scratching her head. “You know what, I’m honestly impressed that you fucked things up so bad but somehow managed to succeed in both jobs. The last time I’ve seen something like this was when Johnny was still around.” She admitted with a shake of her head and Rebecca wasn’t sure if she’d take that as a compliment or an insult.


The older woman sighed out before she snapped her fingers and her pet netrunner pulled out two boxes from his coat. “Still, a job done is still a job done despite the collateral damage you managed to cause. The 6th Streets took a big hit and now the Tyger Claws and Maelstrom are nipping at their borders. Still, the current gang wars slowly spiraling out into a full blown civil war within Night City is better than a second nuclear holocaust I suppose.” She said as she pushed one box to Maine while the other was specifically given to her. Rebecca stared down at the box and opened to to see a plain unmarked data chip

“Here’s your crew pay Maine, The Valentino’s send their regards.” Maine nodded as he slipped the box inside his coat before Rogue turned her gaze towards Rebecca. “As for your little bonus, that’s Campo Orto’s contact info.” The fixer said with a grin, making Rebecca blink in surprise. She looked down on the chip before looking up at the other woman.


“No shit?” She whispered out in surprise. It wasn’t every day that you got to have direct contact with the head of one of the major gangs in the city.


“Let’s just say your stunt definitely caught people’s eyes, Little Firebird. That’s all for now so if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to have my privacy with this beautiful lady over here.” Rebecca had to contain herself from screaming in joy there and then. She held the box close to her chest as she followed her crew and Hiro away from the booth so the Fixer could enjoy her booze.


They rented out one of the sound proof booths to celebrate their success. They might have fucked up but it was a job done. Rebecca leaned against Hiro’s shoulder while she stared at the bottle of beer she shared with Hiro.


“I’d have to admit, that wasn’t as convincing of a story as when we first thought it up.” Dorio hummed out as she had her arm slung around Maine’s shoulder as the big man nursed his bandaged sides. He was a big ball of bruises and bandages but he was hale and well.


“What are they going to do? Say that something’s fishy with the story when we made a smoking crater right at the edge of the 6th Street’s turf?” Pillar snorted out as he took a long good swig from his bottle of booze.


“There will be survivors” Kiwi commented and Rebecca nodded. She doubted she killed them all. As shitty as the 6th Street was to others, they were still soldiers at heart. No man left behind even if it means diving into a burning ammo dump.


“But no one would believe them or they’re more likely to chalk it up to some advanced form of cyberware.” Hiro then said to which everyone nodded. News of Arasaka’s experimental plasma pistol leaked into the public and if plasma were on the table, couldn’t some form of fireball thrower be reasonable?


“Speaking of ‘cyberware’, have you always known Bee could do that?” Dorio asked curiously Hiro as the buff woman gestured at her. Rebecca played with the stone turned amulet before Pillar reached out with a cigarette in hand. She sighed as she snapped her fingers and did that party trick she practiced doing in private. She had to light Kiwi’s cigarette as well.

Hiro shook his head as he honestly replied. “No, I had some inklings but I didn’t know she’d register on the scale until that night I took her out in Pacifica.” There was a scale to being a psyker and she was on the lower end of it? Now she wanted to know what one on the upper end would be like.


“So, what’s it like?” Dorio then asked, looking a bit awe struck at the pretty flame dancing atop Rebecca's finger.


Snuffing the fire out, she snuggled up a bit closer to Hiro as she answered. “It's hard to describe. In the back of my head, I knew I could always feel it but I didn’t realize it was there until Hiro showed me the Sea of Souls. Honestly, the best I could describe it is some form of psychic phenomenon or magic.”


“So you’re a witch and a bitch.” Kiwi jokingly replied making her snicker in amusement.


“Damn right I am. I should get a witch hat one of these days.” She fired back. She liked being a psyker even if there was danger. It was almost like cyberpsychosis from what Hiro explained but way worse. She just had to live with that and besides, she had Hiro to rely on.


“Ok, Little Bee could do some freaky stuff. That’s settled so now let’s talk about your fuck up.” Maine then spoke up and her jovial mood melted away as it was replaced with a more somber sadness. She was afraid to talk about it but she had to face this.


She reluctantly pulled away from Hiro and stood up. All eyes were now on her and Maine waited for her to give her explanation. Clearing her throat, she spoke without sugarcoating things, “Yeah, I fucked up big time. Like holy hell could it have gone way worse than it did.” It hurt to admit it but that was the truth. Maine had warned her that this would bite her in the ass but she chose not to internalize it until now when it almost cost her everything. “I acted before I could think and not only did I almost cost my own and my boyfriend's life but also that of the crew. I should have stopped and listened but I let my emotions get the best of me. I… I’m a danger to the crew and I don’t deserve to have you. If you’d let me go, I’d understand.” She added with great pain. Maine’s crew was like family to her and to be let go would be devastating but if it was what it’d take for them to forgive her, then so be it.


She closed her eyes, waiting for those heavy words but all she felt was the large hands patting her comfortingly. She opened her eyes to see Maine and the rest of the crew smiling at her. “I forgive you.” She felt tears threatening to spill down her cheeks but she held it back with a shaky smile. “Besides, I'd be a bad leader if I didn’t see that you learned your lesson. It might have been a painful lesson for all of us, but the good thing is that it’s over.”


“Come on Bee, you know we won’t do that?” Dorio asked her.


“Rebecca, you are the least annoying of the bunch. I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to if you left.” Kiwi replied with an impassive tone but she could see that smile in her eyes.


“You’d be dead without me protecting you 24/7!” Pillar then piped up making her laugh out loud.

“Fuck you Pillar.” She chuckled out as she wiped the tears away. She loved these gonks and she wouldn’t trade the world for them. Maine then leaned in close and whispered conspiratorially to her. “Just between you and me, I got pampered a lot by Dorio after that firefight so I think we’re even- Dorio! God damn it woman, that hurts,” His whisper wasn’t left unheard as Dorio heard plenty enough based on the pissed off smile she sported after she punched him in the shoulders.

“Weren't you looking to get pampered, Maine~? I’m just showing you my love here,” Dorio replied as she cracked her knuckles.


“I kid! I kid!” Maine replied as he raised his hands in surrender.


She laughed harder at the hilarious sight as the worries she had earlier melted away. Things were looking good now and everyone was having a good time. Right now seemed like a good time to make her request. “Hey Maine, mind if I take a month off? I kinda need it to cool off. I think I had enough combat for this year and I’m looking to spend more time with Hiro.” She asked, making Maine look at her in surprise.

“Who the fuck are you and what did you do to my sister?!” Pillar shouted as he waved his bottle at her.

She flipped him off before latching onto Hiro. “Oh fuck off Pillar. You’d have the apartment all for yourself because I’ll be taking some lessons from Hiro and that means I’ll be staying with him,~” She answered back with a wide grin. She could throw fireballs but there was more to it than just fire and she couldn’t wait to have a fraction of that. Maybe she could make her own version of Ball Lightning!


“I… am extremely conflicted right now. On one hand, I can finally spend some of my hard earned eddies on some joy toys and not have you bitch about it but on the other hand, my little sister will be all alone with a boy…” Pillar replied as he stroked his chin.


“I wouldn’t be bitching if you weren’t seducing my friends!” She fired back a bit heatedly. It was one thing for him to hire an escort but did it have to her friends specifically?


“That’s the problem! Almost every good Joy Toy in the Mox territory is your friend! Like what gives!? Do you have some secret book meeting or something?” He asked in outrage, making her gape at him with Dorio and Kiwi coughing with her.

“I refuse to comment on that.” She chose to answer, making Pillar throw up his arms in frustration.


“I might have something that can help change your mind.” Hiro then said as he pulled out a package from his pack. He glanced at the pack wondering how much it could carry despite its size but he chose not to comment as Hiro handed it to the older man.


“I’ll be the judge of that.” Pillar grabbed the box and took a peek inside before a shit eating grin spread across his face. He quickly closed the box as he laughed out in excitement “Oh, oh! Holy shit! My man! When’s the wedding?”

Rebecca bit back a curse as before she face palmed, “God damn it Pillar.” Sometimes he was a good brother but most of the time he was just this. She wondered if there was a place where he could trade him in for a new one.


-x-x-x-


David tapped his heels as he waited in the operating room while his mom fret over him. “Are you sure you're ok, David? We can reschedule this.” Her mother asked him, making him sigh out as he uncrossed his arms and leaned back against the surprisingly comfortable operating table.


“I’m ok mom. Besides, it’s just brain surgery!” He jokingly said but he probably shouldn’t have said that as his mom redoubled her efforts to dissuade him. He was kinda amused because it felt like she was the one chipping in rather than him. Still, the sight of the funky looking brain implant over at the table was intimidating. There were so many wires and it looked so fragile.


Thankfully, his mother quickly stopped as the sound of a door opening from behind him filled the room. “Sir! How was your day?” her mother replied happily as she greeted who he assumed was his mom’s boss. He turned around to see just what they looked like and he was confused to say that least.

“It’s just Hiro, Gloria. You know it sounds so weird when you call me sir.” David did not expect him to sound so young and look like he was barely out of middle school. Her mom’s boss looked like he was a kid cosplaying as a doctor, especially with the pack he had strapped to himself.

“So… you’re the boss? I thought you’d be a bit… older?” David commented, making her mother gasp out in horror.


“David!” She scolded before bowing lowly to the boy. “I’m sorry about that sir. Please forgive him,” She apologized for him, making him frown a bit but his anger fizzled out when the boy just chuckled and waved it off.

“Yeah, curse of being short and babyfaced I suppose.” The boy replied as he held out his hand towards David. “Hiro Arasaka, but you can just call me Hiro. I’ve heard great things from your mother and your scholastic and athletic achievements speak for themselves.”

David stared down at the offered hand before he reached out and gave him his best hand shake, “David Martinez. Thank you for the opportunity you gave my mother, I’m in your debt.”

“Oh no, nothing of that David. Gloria’s a wonderful assistant to have and I owe it to her for keeping me organized, though I have to remind her from time to time that her shift has ended.” Hiro replied, making him snort in amusement. That definitely sounded like his mom. She was always a hard worker.


Hiro then gestured for him to lay down on the table so they could begin. He almost freaked out when tentacles came out of the pack but he calmed down when he saw them preparing the tools the young doctor needed in operating with his skull.


“So David, interested in becoming a corpo mercenary? It’s rare to have a combination of good grades and athletics. You definitely have the talent to pursue it or anything else really,” The Arasaka heir asked jokingly with David’s mother pouting at it.

David had been tempted to take on that line of work as he didn’t have to deal with the likes of Tanaka but his mother would disapprove. There was little advancement there and it’s a very dangerous line of work, “Can’t say I’m not interested but I’d rather stick to the cubicle.”

“Well, if you ever change your mind, I’ll hook you up with Adam.” David quirked a brow as he felt the clamps hold his head in place. Adam? That name sounded very familiar but he just shrugged it off. The Arasaka was probably just joking around anyways, it’s not like he’s seriously considering him for such a job.

A/N:

As always, from here on out, I'd like to remind you that I have a patreon page! I also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star.

 

[SirBearington]

Chapter 8


Rebecca had faced down gangers armed to the teeth, seasoned solos with better equipment, and even cyberpsychos with more chrome than sense; but nothing could have ever prepared her for what she was dealing with right now. There she was, seated inside one Arasaka Tower, with Hiro beside her as they tried to deal with a highly irate and livid Michiko. They squirmed in their seats, afraid to even look up and meet the woman's eyes, as she scolded them.


“What the fuck were you two thinking! You think going out on a mission is a joke!?” the woman shouted as videos of their escape from a burning warehouse played in a loop behind her. “You really had to do it when Adam was busy guarding your other shipment. Of all the hair brained schemes you’ve had over the years, this might be far the most boneheaded and suicidal of them all!” She added as he threw her arms up in the air as she paced in front of them.


“I’m sorry…” Hiro whispered only to flinch back as the older Arasaka gave him a wide eyed glare.

“I thought I raised you better than this! If you really wanted to go out in the streets, you should have waited till Adam was done with his job for our faction and Revere.” Michiko growled out as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Sorry wouldn’t be enough to bring you back if you had been hurt that night!” The older woman really wasn’t holding back her words.

Rebecca raised her hand to catch the woman's attention. “In his defense, it’s kinda my fault for not warning him enough.” She tried reasoning. She had been far too caught up with the possibility of showing Hiro the fun that she experienced in a firefight and didn’t consider how green he was.

“There’s no need to cover for your input Rebecca when you’re in hot water as well. I just have to drive this lesson into my wayward charge’s head before I move on to you.” The woman calmly replied, making Rebecca glance away from the intense look of disappointment and anger that came down on her. Gone was the easy going woman she met at the party, now standing before them was one of the board members to the prestigious and cutthroat Arasaka company.


“I’ve called your grandfather and he wants to have a talk.” The woman then said, making Hiro jump up his seat with a look of wide eyed horror and hurt from his aunt’s apparent betrayal.


“What! No! You can’t do this-” He shouted only for Michiko to hush him, stopping him right on his tracks.


“I can and I will. As your direct superior, I believe it is in your best interest that you meet with your grandfather. If my subordinate won’t listen to my words of wisdom then maybe his grandfather can get through his thick skull.” She fired back, putting her proverbial foot down, as she leaned in close. Hiro glared at her yet Michiko did not flinch. Instead, it would be Hiro that backed down first as he looked away, a grimace on his lips.


“He heard everything about your little escapade. He has some choice words about your actions and he wants you to come back to Japan as soon as possible. You will have to deal with the old man. You dug this grave, now go lie on it.” Michiko hissed out as Hiro backed away and plopped down on his seat with his forehead resting against his palm.


With Hiro pacified and cowed, Michiko now turned her attention to Rebeccea; who found it even more unpleasant as she broke into cold sweat. It felt like she was in the presence of a tiger who found a foolish human wandering into her territory. She was a dead meat and she knew it and now it was her turn to face the music.


“As for you my little solo, oh I have so much I want to say.” Rebecca jumped slightly and tensed as she felt the older Arasaka’s hands resting on her shoulder like the clawed talons of an eagle clutching its prey. Her hands felt clammy while her throat tightened. Instincts flared as she felt the need to get up and run but it was far too late now.


“Did you know just how much danger you placed my precious nephew in? Do you?” She asked as she leaned in close and whispered into her ears.

Rebecca clenched her fist as she shook her head. She was angry, yes, but not at Michiko but at herself. “No, I didn’t think it through.” She admitted with a heavy heart. She had been god damn stupid in that fight and even if nothing bad happened in the end, something almost did and it all fell squarely upon her shoulders.


“Exactly, you didn’t think and that’s the problem. You’re just as bad as his father. You think with your crotch, damned the consequence!” Rebecca sucked in a breath as she took it all, letting the other woman speak out her mind.


Hiro took offense at that as he spoke up “Auntie-!”


But Michiko was firm with her stance, refusing to even budge a bit. “No Hiro, she needs to hear this.” She rebuked him. He looked conflicted but Rebecca had him back down after she gave him a soft smile and gentle shake of her head. This was her punishment and she was going to take it, even if it hurt.


“I thought I found someone that he could rely on, a close confidant to keep him from doing something stupid, a lover to ground him but instead I have a bitch that only brought out the worst in both of you.” Rebecca nodded, gritting her teeth as she forced herself to listen. She was frustrated, she knew that she fucked up, yet those words hurt a lot.

“Where was the cocky girl that promised that she’d be the best output huh? Was that all just bravado? You forgot that this isn’t all fun and games girl, and you're playing with my boy's heart and life.” Michiko asked pointedly, reminding her of the promise she made and how she had failed her in that regard.

“I thought you were the one but then you brought my boy into a god damn friday night firefight. Rebecca, I’m fucking disappointed.” Of all the words she threw so far, that one stung the most. She couldn't help but look down and clutched the hem of her jacket as an overwhelming sense of shame bubbled up from her chest.


“Lucky for you, however, I’m a merciful woman and I know a girl who learnt her lesson when I see one. Disappoint me once more, I'll be putting a bullet between your eyes.” Michiko replied as she pulled away from Rebecca. She could only nod slowly as she accepted what little mercy she was given. Words would be meaningless right now and all she could do moving forward was to show that she really did learn.


The two sat there silently after their scolding. She wanted nothing more than to leave now and sulk a bit with Hiro but Michiko was far from over with them as she dropped one last bombshell before she left them. The older Arasaka prepared herself a glass of scotch before suddenly saying, “Oh and one more thing, your Grandfather wants to meet your output so good luck you two.~ Now if you’ll excuse me, I have other business to attend to.”


They were left gobsmacked as the woman drank her scotch before leaving them without so much another word. “Fuck,” Hiro ever so eloquently put it, echoing her sentiments to the situation.


“Shit… what the fuck are we going to do?!” She asked in mild panic. She wasn’t prepared for any of this to happen just yet. Meeting the emperor was the last thing she wanted to do now of all things.


“She didn’t give us a date so I can reasonably delay it if work gets involved.” He reasoned out, allowing her to breathe out a sigh of relief.


“For a second there, I thought we have to meet the emperor now.” She replied as she sank into her comfortable seat. The plush bean bag in the modern looking office was a good send for her frayed nerves. She felt like she could just sink in and forget about everything.

Hiro hummed as he got up and paced around, “We can make this work. All you need is to impress him enough; so that would mean learning to be the ideal japanese woman which involves learning the language, simple etiquette, as well as get you a proper dress for the occasion which would be the easiest funnily enough.” He then said as he listed out the things that they needed to work on. She would have been elated with the chance to try on new clothes for Hiro if not for the spectre of what was to come.


“Yup, seems easy enough. I just have to learn a whole nother language as well as a whole new set of societal norms in one month… fuck this is going to be a tough month isn’t it?” Rebecca groaned out as she rolled on to her belly and stared down at the polished floor. It wasn’t impossible per say with all the language chips they could use to have her learn the language, but remembering to use it while acting as immaculately as possible under that kind of pressure was just something else.

“There’s no other way,” Hiro replied with a shake of his head. Scratching the back of his head, he then confessed to her, “I’m going to be honest with you… grandpa is racist but he’s getting better?” The forced smile he had stretching across his face wasn’t a good sign by any measure.

“Why does that not fill me with confidence...” She noted, feeling even more uneasy, “And I’ve seen enough Arasaka adverts to know your grandfather's backstory. He’s fucking ancient and his values are as well. No need to sugar coat it for me,” She then pointed out, gesturing at the large image of his grandfather on one of the rolling adverts beaming up to the very heavens.

“Ok I admit it, he’s still a raging asshole, especially if you offend him which you can easily do with how critical he can be to those who he does not see as one of his people, but he’s not unreasonable. He can be made to see the other way. Just look at me.” He conceded before gesturing at himself. He really wasn’t the most stereotypically japanese of people with how he looked more in place in Night City itself rather than Tokyo. There’s a chance but it was a slim one at best


“At least we know that he can be reasoned with, right? I just have not to fuck this up. No pressure.” She chuckled out with a shake of her head. The odds were stacked against her but it had always been so anyways, so why worry now? Getting up from her seat, she then rolled her shoulders as she looked at the advert ahead, “So, when do we start?” She asked, ready to face the challenge up ahead.


-x-x-x-


“I’m really sorry choom, but I’m going to have to extend my leave for a bit. I’m kinda being forced to meet the Emperor?” Rebecca explained, trying not to squirm as the tailor measured her. It was all so formal in this shop that it’s stifling. She had rattled off her measurements because she damn well knew that was it for her but nope, this had to be perfect so the seamstress had to take her measurement the old fashioned way.

“Holy shit, you’re really going to meet your in-laws this early?” Maine asked on the other end of the line with shock coloring his tone.

“Yeah, that's what I thought and marriage is still not yet on the table.” She corrected him, pouting as his teasing yet blushing at the image his words invoked. She shook her head, earning her a light swat by the stuffy old seamstress. It was far too early for her to think about wearing a bridal gown.


“Well, good fucking luck on that one. The guys fucking ancient and so’s his values. He’d probably be scandalized if he saw your ankle.” Maine jested making her roll her eyes.

“Hardy harr harr,” She replied, unamused by his usual antics, “But yeah, that's why I need to prepare as much as I can. I’m even getting a kimono just so I can get used to moving around in it!” She half-shouted. Was all of this really necessary?


“I’ll need all of this done by the week after this.” Hiro ordered casually as an Arasaka representative talked with the cashier about the payment for her rushed custom order.


“Girl has thick birthing hips. Pay extra.” The seamstress replied in broken yet understandable english. She did not know if she should take that as a compliment or an insult especially with all the looks she had been getting from the other girls getting their own kimono fitted. Did they think she was fat?


“I can speak Japanese?” She replied even as her tongue prosted at the unfamiliar language. She winced at the look of disgust the woman gave her.

“You say things right but you sound wrong. You used language chip. Practice more!” The woman shouted at her, scolding her for butchering the language.


“Done.” And just like that, an extra hundred eddies were exchanged between Hiro’s aide and the shop’s cashier.


Maybe it was her jet lag addled mind talking but taking a direct flight from Night City to Kyoto to get her size for some custom kimono seemed a bit excessive and she hasn’t even talked about how she had to pick 4 patterns for each season or rather 5 since outer space isn’t considered a season but apparently there’s a right color and design choice for going to space. All in all, she was getting a wardrobe’s worth as she’d get 5 formal pairs as well as 5 casual pairs for other occasions.


“Say no more. Besides, the crew does need a break. Might actually put some of the chrome down as well to spend some time with Dorio.” Maine’s voice proved to be a worthwhile distraction as she tried hard not to think too much about her current situation. That way lies the path to madness.

“You taking off your chrome? Damn choomba, what the hell did you eat?” She laughed, wiping away a tear as she smiled softly. “You don’t have to do this for me Maine but… yeah, thanks. I really appreciate this” she then added. It had been quite a year for them already. From just some random solo team off the street to one funded and equipped by a corpo. Yes, they sold out in a sense but hey, they were living the dream. She sucked in her breath as she felt the tailor's tape measure dig into her ribs. Yup, definitely living the dream here.


“Hey, this is long overdue, and it’s not like we’re in the rat race here. We can have our downtime whenever we want and wherever we want.” He reasoned out and she couldn’t find any fault in that. They were as free as someone could get, which was one of the allures of being a solo.


“Hope you two have a good time. Send a postcard will you?” She asked playfully as she let out a breath of relief as the hag finally loosened up the tape measure as she wrote it all down on paper. She knew this was an old shop but did they have to be this old fashioned?


“I should be the one saying that to you!” He barked out in laughter. “Before I forget, our crew finally got another netrunner. You’ll definitely like having her around.” He then said which had her grinning out like a loon.


“Fucking hell, finally and another girl? I can’t wait to come back.” She exclaimed out loud, earning her another swat from the old bitch. Oh sue her, she had reason to celebrate especially with that piece of news. Not having a netrunner on the field with them was a handicap.


“Heh. Anyway, that's all I have for now. Good luck.” With those words, the line finally cut leaving her without distraction. Thankfully, her seamstress was done with her as well.

“Did we have to fly here?” She asked. Yes, feeling real silk against her skin was a different experience altogether but this was something else. “I mean, your grandfather will probably have heard about this.” She pointed out in japanese. Well, the seamstress did say she needed to practice so might as well keep at it.


“Oh he knows, but I’m officially on business here.” He replied with a smug smile on his face. Hiro was more than happy to help her along as he responded in kind. The translation package that was bundled with the language chip was coming in handy.


“We only flew here to buy formal wear…” She deadpanned as she stared at him.

He kept smiling as he nodded at that. “Exactly, purely business there! This is his favorite shop. From what I’ve heard from Aunt Michiko, Grandma used to frequent this place.” He replied and she could see the logic behind his actions now.


“Best model!” The seamstress suddenly shouted from her work station as she started working on the fabrics she had chosen. Both of them laughed at the woman's outburst as they walked out of the hole in a wall shop. Hidden in one of the many streets of the ancient city of Kyoto. Stepping into the street outside felt like she was stepping into a portal to another time.

While Night City was a city that screamed of modernity and progress, Kyoto was a stark contrast to it as its architecture and street layout harkened to an age long forgotten, an age before the corporations and even modern technology. Sure there were street lights and electric poles, but it didn’t take away from the rustic charm the city possessed.

Then there was the air. She didn’t notice it when they landed here, but the more she breathed it in, the more she noticed how her lungs didn’t clog up with phlegm and how easy it was to just… keep breathing. “Well, this is certainly a nice change of pace from the smog and acid rain.” She noted as she watched a pair of hannya mask wearing delivery drones fly by above them. Well, people here certainly doubled down on the mythological aspect of their aesthetic.


“Cleaning up Japan was definitely worth it. We still have to deal with acid rain, especially when the westerlies are blowing, but for the most part we have clean air and clear skies.” He said, making her look up to see the blue sky up above with large fluffy clouds as he led her down the busy streets. People were giving her looks, but she ignored them. It wasn’t like she’s the only one with the wild hair color around; there’s a girl with bubblegum pink hair walking just a few feet from them!


“I have plans to clean up China, which is where most of the pollution is coming from, but any effort I make would be for nothing with the local megacorps fucking things over. At Least Korea is not a lost cause with Arasaka’s partner there.” He explained further as she nodded along. She wasn’t in the know for corpo stuff, but it sounded Arasaka was doing well.


Looking around, she observed just how clean everything was. It wasn’t just a facade that people brought up to hide the shittiness festering underneath but a genuine look. People looked more curious of her than afraid while they walked with their heads up high. They didn’t look like they were on guard most of the time and some were even oblivious to their surroundings as they bumped into each other. There weren’t any pigs around either, which was really weird. Maybe this was just the Arasaka part of town but there were also other megacorps around so why weren’t they warring against each other? It was all so utterly alien but in a good way.


She watched as a group of kids chatted with each other as they carried trash to a designated trash collection point. Well, that’s something you wouldn’t see in Night City, “Will Night City ever have a turn?” She asked jokingly as she looked back at Hiro.

He hummed, frowning in concentration as if he was seriously considering the question before he nonchalantly answered, “Within next year once the cleanup of Pacifica is finished.”

She gaped at him for how he sounded while answering her. It was as if he was talking about fixing a broken door or cleaning the air filters of an apartment, “You’re kinda making it sound like you have plans to take over Night City. Besides, we did rile up the Voodoo boys badly over in Pacifica; I’m not sure they’re going anywhere, anytime soon.” She recalled, remembering that night pretty well and the Voodoo Boys showed why they weren’t something you could mess with casually. They were like rats and cockroaches, evading the Arasaka strike teams and picking their fights. It was a game of cat and mouse between the gang and the megacorp with the city as the Arena. Sooner or later, she swore those guys were going to cause a lot of trouble.


“I wouldn’t be much of an Arasaka Scion if I did not, would I~?” he questioned her teasingly, making her chuckle. He got her there, he was still an Arasaka, after all, and there was something about Night City that drew them in.

“You know, having you at the helm wouldn’t be half bad.” She speculated, wondering what it would be like. He was by far the most relaxed and easy going corpo she knew. She knew Gloria was having a fun time working for him, even if the woman was stressed out from the uncharacteristic kindness Hiro showed, but he did have other subordinates that were definitely unsavory.


Her attention was caught by a nearby news bulletin blasting from an old ham radio inside a food stall, “Tommorows weather will be rainy due to westerly winds so morning commuters are advised to take precaution. Rain will be mild with a slight breeze so commuters are advised to bring their raincoat with them to avoid acid burns. This reminder is brought to you by our partners in the Arasaka Weather Station, Stay Safe! Now back to more news on Nippon Daily…” the reporter declared. It didn’t sound right but she couldn’t put her finger on why. That was until she noticed the word the woman used.


“Wait… did that news reporter say that there would be rain tomorrow? Shouldn’t it be a chance of rain?” She pointed out, wondering why the hell were they confident with the weather of all things.

“Oh she definitely said there will be rain. Oh hey, they’re selling Ikayaki here! Two please!” He confirmed before his attention was caught by what the food stall was selling. He walked up to the borg manning the stall who pulled out two squid skewered on a stick and roasted them over open fire.


Well, she was definitely hungry and not even the tentacles were going to stop her from eating! It was times like this that she wanted to experience the most with Hiro. Yes, she was away from the action but this was a nice change of pace. It was definitely relaxing at the very least.


“So, ready for your tea ceremony lessons once we come back home?” Hiro then asked her, making her let out a disgruntled groan. And just like that, her peace and quiet was gone.


“Damn it, I thought you forgot about that.” She moaned out in despair. Why did they have to make such a simple ceremony be so complicated? Why didn’t they put sugar in such a strong tea? It was almost unpalatable for her and it was a wonder why Hiro enjoyed the ones she made, “You’re a sadist, you know that?” She pouted, making him laugh out loud. The things she did for love.


-x-x-x-


Halfway across the world, back in Night City, a certain David Martinez was facing a whole different problem. The boy sighed as his hangers on kept following him even as he took the train back home. His thought of using the train to shake them off might have been a curse as more of his classmates joined him just to experience it. Were they really this far removed from normal life that he had to guide them step by step?


“Like oh my god Martinez, how long have you been keeping this from us? Who thought traveling home could be fun. Sure I could talk to Suzan through the net but talking with her in person is far better am I right?” one of his groupies prattle on, fraying what little patience he had.

Still, it wasn’t all bad when his old “friend” Tanaka was roped in as well. He grinned at him as the other boy gave him a glare. Of all the new friends he had, who knew that he’d miss having someone honest around. At least he knew that the guy still hated his guts. Turning away, he yawned as he closed his eyes and let time slow down around.

Things came to a crawl as movement felt like he was trying to swim through molasses. People slowed down to a barely coherent drawl while everything went into stand still. He let out a breath, feeling the control his new augment gave him. It wasn’t the flashiest of augments but damn was it powerful. While most chrome enhanced the body, his chrome enhanced the mind and with it came what his mother boss calls “Bullet Time.” He was definitely in bullet time alright.


+Mental Acceleration at 28%. Stable,+ droned out his voice inside his head.


Getting used to the VI, or machine spirit, or whatever you called it, took him some time but it was godsend once he started using it. It felt like he could have two instances of his mind at once but not quite. At least it wouldn’t be quiet while he had a little break from them. The brief time he had in the confines of his mind allowed him to center his mind and relax so he could deal with them once it was done.


+Danger! Danger!+ Shouted his machine spirit in warning as he noticed something on the edge of his vision. He turned towards the direction where his chrome was pointing at him and his eyes widened as the highlighted outline of a gun and a vest full of bombs could be seen strapped to an angry goon.


He cursed as the man raised his gun up in the air and started shooting, “Get down on the ground now!” He shouted as the people inside the train screamed and shouted in terror. “Nobody moves and nobody gets shot!” More gangers pulled out their guns as things quickly devolved into a hostage situation.


Some people tried to fight back only for them to scream out in pain as they were paralyzed by netrunners and then subsequently shot in the head. He pulled down his classmates as he shielded them from the sight of the ganger.


His heart hammered inside the chest as he noticed the unmistakable tattoo of the Voodoo boys on the man's neck. He was now in a hijacking situation and their captors just so happened to be in the gang who was at war with his school's parent corporation. “Fuck…” He breathed out as his mind raced for answers with his augment giving him the details of what he was facing up against. The weapons specs, path of danger along with predictions of a few seconds in the future was overlaid in his vision.

The bloody picture painted by his mind when the Voodoo boys finally noticed them only made him worry even more. “Oho? What do we have here? A bunch of little corpos away from their bodyguards. Seems like our intel was right.”


“Boys, round them up. Don’t rough them up… too much.” The man laughed as he and his classmates were rounded up.

Forced to kneel in front of a camera with their hands behind the back of their head, the gangers made their intentions clear. They were to be the bargaining chips for a deal they were trying to broker with Arasaka. There was a lot of bad blood as Tanaka was beaten to a bloody pulp. He was the first one to be taken in front of the camera.


He knelt there as he kept running simulations, trying to find a way out of this situation. The more data he gathered, the more accurate his simulation became and soon a path became clear for him. The gangers were confident, not even bothering to tie them up after taking their guns. They merely surrounded them with guns, trying to cow them in fear but that would be the last mistake they’d ever commit.

He was at the back of the group but, unfortunately for him, he had a gun against his head. There were three other guards and a lone netrunner with them. All of them of haitian descent and they were drugged up to the gills with their dilated eyes and their lack of fear. They were ready to die today.


“You took from us our comrades, our fellow soldiers, widowed our friends and made orphans of their children. Now, you shall all feel our pain.” The man declared as he leveled his gun at the broken Tanaka. He could just not act, let him fire and just end the boy’s life so he’d only be facing 4 other guns that were ready to fire… but he was not that kind of person. Fuck the low chances that his mind was throwing at him. He just had to make those low chances a reality.


+Mental Acceleration at 200% Overclock initiated. Impulse acceleration initiated. Countdown before permanent damage: 5 seconds,+ Warned his implant as things became blue tinted. Those five seconds were all he needed.


He forced his hands to move as his heartbeat raced to his chest. Every last fiber in his body screamed as he moved faster than he could normally do. In the first second, he moved his head to the line of fire before grabbing the man's hands. He guided the man's hand as he panic-fired, spraying bullets but missing every last one of his classmates before he shot one of his friends.


As he pulled down, he drove his elbows to the man's armpits, deadening the man's grip as allowing him to use the man as cover for the subsequent shot. He felt burning in his thighs as he was shot but there was no damage to any major blood vessels. He powered through the pain as he pushed the man forward so he could make a grab for the pistol that was falling down his slackened grip.


His hands gripped the Budget Arms Slaught-O-Matic and felt the weight it had, 20 rounds from his estimate. More than enough. With the dead man falling over a shrieking classmate of his, he was now open for fire but so were they.


He aimed at their heads before pulling the trigger. One bullet each but the disposable gun had more than enough firepower to kill them before they could even process it all. The last thing they’d see was his gun as he fired at them. He shot them one by one, feeling the recoil of the gun with each pull of the trigger. Each shot warped the barrel further, forcing him to take aim at them and ensure he killed them all. For a brief instance, as he aimed at the last one standing, he hesitated. He almost did not shoot the netrunner until his augment highlighted her fingers going for the pin of a grenade. He had to shoot. He let his chrome guide him, forcing him to relax his stance as he fired off the last shot ending the life of the last hostage taker. It was all over in 5 seconds and time went back to normal.


+Overlock Ended. Seek Medical Attention Immediately,+ Reminded his chrome just as color returned to the world around him.

The heads of the remaining goons exploded, showering them all in a rain of gore and brain matter. His grips slackend as the after effects of his acceleration came into effect. He fell down screaming as his muscles had literally torn themselves apart to allow him to move at such speeds. His body felt like one giant bruise while his mind felt like it was on fire but he was ok, he knew he was ok.


“Call Trauma team! Now!” Shouted Tanaka of all people as his world became pain. He wished he was knocked out but his mind kept him lucid, he’d be awake long enough to see the Trauma team burst through the train's windows to take him away. The pain was horrible but it was worth it. Nobody was going to die on him so long as he could have a say.


While his heroic act of bravery would catch the eyes of the city, a particular Borg found something more in him. He had just finished escorting the transfer of manufacturing equipment necessary for the production of his advanced weaponry when a call for him to save some brats was sent out. He was preparing for a slaughter, aching to finally stretch his limbs after weeks of monotonous work, only for his job to be called off by the most unexpected of things.


The large metallic man watched the video over and over again, seeing how utterly ruthless the boy was with his action. This boy’s movement was fluid and seamless as no ounce of force was wasted in useless flourishes. It was cold, calculated and executed with machine-like ability. “Interesting” growled out the borg as he stood up from his desk. Who would have known that his little act of “charity” would bear fruit so soon.

A/N:

As always, from here on out, I'd like to remind you that I have a patreon page! I also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star.

 

[SirBearington]

Chapter 9

Rebecca adjusted her obi for what felt like the hundredth time and it didn’t help with how stuffy and heavy it all was. She couldn’t help it as she needed to be absolutely immaculate on this specific day because this was the day she meets Hiro’s grandfather, who was none other than Subaro Arasaka. To say the man was legendary in night city would be an understatement for only a man of supreme will could hold the titanic empire that was Arasaka together.

“Come on Rebecca, just breathe.” Hiro whispered to her ears as he gave her hands a reassuring squeeze. There, they sat inside an Aerodyne as it cruised through the sky. Their destination was just ahead, a massive walled compound sitting atop a small hill. This was the true heart of Arasaka’s operation, they were heading for the Arasaka Family Compound.

“Easy for you to say when you’re not swaddled in what feels like a dozen layers of silk,” She fired back as she leaned back against the luxurious leather seat. Not even the chocolates that were provided nor the small sip of wine she had could help calm her frayed nerves.

“Heh. Still though, you got this. I believe in you. This will just be another practice run.” He reminded her. She smiled before a yawn overtook her. Rubbing her tired eyes, she stared down at the compound down below as their ride started to descend among one of many Aerodynes landing and flying off from the small airport attached to the compound.

“Yes, just another practice run. Nothing more, nothing less.” She whispered to herself, doing her best to psyche herself up now that they were finally there.

The rows of immaculately dressed maids with their black and white uniforms with more oriental sleeves was quite the sight. They stood there in attention as they came to greet them along with a whole entourage of guards. They were not the ones that caught Rebecca’s attention however but it was the man overseeing it all. There, standing ahead of everyone else was an Englishman with graying black hair combed back without nary a stray hair in sight wearing a suit that was pressed to a perfection.

“Good morning, young master.” The man greeted in japanese as her input brightened up at the sight of the man. “And my my, it seems that he has brought a lady friend home,” he then added as his gaze landed on her. Rebecca stared back with a soft smile, waiting for him to say anything else.

“Walter! How’s my favorite butler doing? I hope grandfather didn't give you too much trouble while I was away,” Hiro greeted as he walked up to the man and gave him a hug. The butlers sighed out as he rolled his eyes and gave Hiro a pat on the head.

“On the contrary, the estate had never experienced such peace in almost 15 years. I believe that might be due to the fact that there haven't been any explosions since you left. Strange, but a welcome change of pace,” The taller man snarked out as Hiro pulled away from him. Rebecca had to look away and hide her lips with her sleeves just to avoid laughing. She liked this man.

“You're so funny, Walter,” Hiro snorted out at the man's joking remark as he turned toward her and introduced her to the family's butler, “Anyway, I would like you to meet my girlfriend. Rebecca, meet Walter. Walter, meet Rebecca.”

“Walter Dornez at your service,” The man greeted as he forwent the usual japanese way of greeting for a kiss on her hand. Her brow twitched at the man's attempt to flirt but chose to hide it behind a strained smile of her own.

“Charmed,” She replied as she did her best not to throttle the man.

“Quite a fiery one are you? Well, the master does have a distaste for those of weak will so no wonder he picked you,” The man then said as a rather cheeky smile stretched across his face before gesturing for them as the sea of maids and guards parted before him, “Now, if you’d follow me?”

The gate of the compound was just as impressive as everything else with each of the doors looking like they were made from one massive tree. It wasn’t just them that arrived either, but a whole host of people as well. She watched as a pair of businessmen entered through the compound before she specifically was barred by the guard stationed at the gate. She took in a short breath as she turned to look at the butler who in turn was glaring at the man before them.

“The master's orders,” The man intoned as he refused to budge one bit even as Hiro was waiting on the other side.

“I’m quite sorry but we’ll have to do a quick search before you enter the estate. Normal procedure, I assure you,” The butler gritted out through his strained smile. Rebecca smiled back and shook her head. There was no need to be offended for her when this was to be expected. That was why she and Hiro made sure to give quite the impression.

“There’s no need. Besides, I’ve been meaning to find a place to put all my guns down,” She laughed out softly as she started unloading her arsenal. Her elegant clothing served well to hide everything as she dropped the bolters she had hidden in her sleeves. That made everyone pause as they turned and watched her start pulling out other weapons. Lasguns, grenades, knives, even an LMG version of the Bolter was handed over to the poor man who was now trying his best to carry everything. Finally, she lifted up the side of her kimono and pulled her favorite black gun.

“Please take care of them alright?~” She sang out in a teasing tone as she watched the man stagger off to find a place to drop it all down. She had packed her most expensive weaponry and the man knew damn well not to scratch her belongings. Was it petty having him carry it all when he was merely following orders? Yes. Was it entertaining to watch? Most certainly it was.

“I’ll repeat, isn’t she a fiery one. The master doesn’t half ass things when it comes to choosing his woman, just as much when he attempts to break the laws of physics themselves.” The butler reiterated with an amused tone of his own as they were finally allowed through after a brief search by a female guard.

She smiled as she walked with Hiro confidently. She was ready for the challenges that Hiro’s grandfather posed, the question now would be if his grandfather was ready for her?

-x-x-x-

“Mr. Fujimoto,Tokyo around this time of the year is rather pleasant. Why don’t you and your entourage take a tour of the city? Kyoto has its charms but I assure you that Tokyo has character equal to the old capital.” Saburo Arasaka, the true head of the Arasaka Corporation, said as he waved off another petitioner as he held court.

There the man sat as the door leading to a balcony overlooking the massive enclosed forest with Mount Fuji in the background remained open. The cool fresh air of the morning flowed in but that couldn’t stop the man before them from sweating. Goro Takamura watched it all as he stood there in attention, ready to cut down anyone that tried thinking of anything funny.

“B-but Mr. Arasaka, please, just give me anoth-” The man stuttered, getting on his knees and crawling up to the elderly Arasala, begging his master only for the old man to frown. The fool had just signed his death warrant.

“Good day Mr. Fujimoto. I hope your visit has been pleasant.” The Arasaka head chided the blubbering fool who hastily made a bow and scampered off to whatever hole he came from. His master reached up for his forehead and sighed out in frustration. He sympathized with him for the flood of sycophants and asskissers was never ending.

The frown however quickly gave way as word of the young master's arrival came. There was still a frown on the older man's face at the mention of the girl but that gave way to a bemused look as tales of the arsenal of weapons disgorged at one of the poor guards. Goro made sure to remember to have a table placed nearby.

It didn’t take long for his former ward to arrive with the girl he had taken fancy in tow. Her pale face, her immaculately done hair and her tidy dress spoke of a cultured woman but those striking and fierce red eyes of hers said otherwise. She might look like a pretty flower but this one had thorns.

“When I heard that she’s always armed, I did not expect that she’d bring enough to arm a whole squad of soldiers.” The old master commented with wry amusement tinged his tone. He might have remained impassive but the way he relaxed on his seat was a good sign.

“Good afternoon, grandfather.” The young master respectfully bowed along with his lover. The two bowed together, with the girl bowing a bit lower. He gave the girl an approving nod.

“So, this is the gaijin girl then. I expected someone… taller,” The elderly Arasaka sneered at the girl. Only the girl's soft frown was any sign that she was affected by it. As the master's personal guard, he had studied the girl in front of her. The girl was going to fight an uphill battle with her upbringing and he couldn’t help but root for her, but the girl was doing good so far.

“What can I say, grandfather? The best things often come in small packages,” Hiro replied for her, defending her before his grandfather.

The old man snorted as he slowly stood up from his seat. With Goro assisting him and making sure he didn't fall over, the man got up to his feet and made his way up to inspect the young master's lover. He walked close, getting well within the striking distance of the girl as he stared at her with those cold weathered eyes that remain sharp despite his extremely advanced age. There was a stand off between the two with the girl refusing to budge.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the old man nodded as he introduced himself, “You may know me already but it’s best that I introduce myself. I am Arasaka Saburo, Hiro’s grandfather. With what name shall I call you?” The master said as he looked at the girl appraisingly, trying to find any flaw but she wore her dress with the dignity of a proper japanese woman; a feat all on its own.

“My name is Rebecca Hall. It’s an honor to meet you,” The young woman demurely replied. Her tone was controlled and her speech slower almost imperceptibly.

“Hall. I believe I’m unfamiliar with such a family in all my dealings in the US but no matter. Come, sit. The servants will bring the tea set shortly,” The old man quipped, sending another barb towards the girl's way but all he ever got when he turned away was a soft, yet challenging, smile.

Walter and another maid would soon come to the room bringing with them some of the older pieces of ceramic. They were priceless works of art made during the time of the shoguns. Their worn appearance showed their age well and the girl gulped ever so softly at the sight. Emboldened in the front of the cups was a raging wave like texture, an imperfection on the otherwise perfect piece of ceramic yet it was strangely beautiful in its own way.

“Why don’t you prepare us some tea while I discuss with my grandson on his recent escapade.” The master requested, though anyone that was familiar with him knew it was an order. She was to be the host of the ceremony and she took it in stride as she made a gentle bow from her seiza.

“Please, allow me,” She replied as she slowly sat up and walked over to start.

Using the offered basin, she washed her hands, cleansing them before even making a move to touch the tools. She gave proper reverence to the tools as she cleaned them with the linen provided for her with the whisk being cleaned with the hot water served she had scooped from the hot kettle. Scooping the right amount of matcha, she prepared a suitably thick tea for the master. Everything was done with a deliberate pace, neither slow nor hurried, as she made sure that it was well mixed. With the wave on the teacup facing her, she offered it to the elderly man.

Everything was almost done to the prescribed procedures but Goro couldn’t help but shake his head; the key word was almost. Still, the master took the offered tea and gave a small bow of gratitude before taking a sip. The old man savored the tea as Rebecca made another cup for the young master.

“Hiro, do you know why I’ve called you here?” The man then asked as he looked up from his steaming drink.

“To judge my actions, grandfather, as well as meet the woman that has caught my eye,” The young master answered with a solemn tone.

“Indeed,” The man nodded as he finished his tea. Setting the cup aside, the young woman asked if he wanted another cup to which the elderly Arasaka shook his head. Hiro would soon receive his tea cup with the wave of his cup facing him. He bowed as he received the cup before turning his cup clockwise twice so that the front faced away from him.

“When I sent you to America, I thought you were ready to handle our branch in Night City. Everything was going smoothly, investment was steady, and the confidence the markets had in our stock was at an all time high. Your lab had just been set up and the latest release of your newest weapons system has been a resounding success,” the elderly Arasaka started, praising Hiro’s effort so far before his frown deepened as he leveled a small glare at his grandson.

“Your actions involving your private life, however, leaves me wanting,” The man then scolded, laying before the boy all that he had found him lacking, “Starting a fling with a courtesan and practically screaming it out to the world in a press conference, starting a war with the gaijin’s pawns when you’re still scrambling to get your manufacturing equipment to the country and then, to top it all off, you decided to get involved in a fire fight,” The girl’s hands clenched yet she stayed her hand and remained quiet as she allowed her man to fight his own battle.

“Grandfather, I’d like to apologize for the fire fight. I thought I was ready-” The boy apologized only to be cut off.

“But clearly you aren’t. You didn’t have to get your hands dirty when your executioner could have handled it but you didn’t let him. Has your lover clouded your mind that much? What you have done was foolish.” The almost bicentennial man growled out, questioning the wisdom that the young master showed.

“My choice of timing left much to be desired,” The younger of the two lamely replied making the old man sneer as he turned his attention to the girl who had remained quiet all this time. Her shoulders were squared, her posture tense yet she did her best to remain calm under fire.

“Speaking of your lover… a commoner of all things and a foreigner at that. You are the scion of the house of Arasaka and your future wife should match your station. Almost every prominent family in Japan has offered the hands of their daughters or close relatives to you and far more that I have to reject due to their current situation. You could have anyone and we could have made it work, even a seat beside the chrysanthemum throne is on the table and is still, I would have even contented myself with that Korean whore you had for your sports team as her family is from a more respectable sort but you choose her, why?” The man questioned.

There was a pause as the young woman took deep calming breaths while the two stared off against one another. The young master himself was frowning now as he grounded out, “Because she is my choice and she has yet to make me regret it. I accepted your choice once, grandfather, and she did not live up to my expectations.”

The older man glanced away, turning to the beautiful scenery to the side. For a minute, they remained silent before the older man broke the silence, “And so she did.” He whispered out.

Hiro nodded before he bowed down to his grandfather, pressing his forehead down on the tatami mat, “Grandfather, I take full responsibility for my actions. Whatever you decide today, I shall follow,” the boy intoned, laying his fate before his elder. He had wronged in the older man's eyes and the younger man accepted his faults.

The man closed his eyes as he let out a deep seated sigh before he gestured for Goro to help him, “I’m feeling the need for some fresh air. We’ll decide your punishment after we have a round out in the field.” The man declared as he motioned for them to follow him.

-x-x-x-

“First time on a shooting range, Miss Hall?” Walter asked as he observed the young woman before her. She might try to hide it but the wide eyed stare of awe at the rolling fields of grass and the various sporting equipment was truly a sight to behold. Seeing her origins, she might not have had the luxury to enjoy it.

“No, not at all Mr. Dornez it’s just the first time I’ve been in such a wide and open one,” The girl admitted as she walked up the table where a pair of preloaded pump action shotguns were set aside.They were old things, hailing from a time before the rise of corporations but they were well kept even if their grip had been worn from all the use. The young lady looked over to the young master, giving him questioning looks to which the man shrugged.

“Well, you're in for a treat then,” The butler smiled as the elderly Arasaka grabbed one of the guns and inspected them, loading them with bird shots from a nearby box. Walter gestured for the maids to man the clay pigeon machine.

“So Miss Hall, I heard from my grandson that you’re quite a sharp shooter,” The old master quarried as he gazed towards the young lady.

The woman blinked, surprised by the question, but she remained poised as she answered without missing a beat, “The use of one’s gun is essential for my profession. Nothing beats combat in improving one’s shot knowing that a miss can cause one’s death.”

“Indeed. As much as a soldier is trained for the battlefield, nothing can truly replicate the experience of a real fight,” The elderly Arasaka reminisced as he gazed up in the sky.

“I couldn’t agree more,” The girl nodded in agreement.

“Miss Hall, would you care for a shooting contest? While using a gun out in the field is relaxing, having a friendly competition can spice things up,” The old man then asked as he gave the girl one of his ever so rare smiles.

“I’ll be more than happy too,” The younger girl accepted as she almost grinned from ear to ear until she noticed it and toned down her excitement. The girl was showing cracks from her immaculate appearance but they showed steel of a warrior rather than the softness of a conniving worm; interesting. He made sure to watch her closely as he walked over to the maids manning the machine.

“Walter, prepare the Clay Pigeons,” Their master ordered and Walter was more than happy to set the stage for a match.

There was enough ground in the training field of the Arasaka compound to house a clay pigeon shooting range among various other firearm related courses and Walter made sure that everything was ready at a moment's notice. “Miss Hall, your weapons have been prepared. Best of luck. The old master is quite the proficient shooter,” He warned the young girl.

“Thank you,” The young woman replied as he held comfortably, her hands gripping the stock as she tested the iron sights of the ancient weapon. She nodded appreciatively as she watched the old man start off the competition. There were three machines loaded with the clay targets and one by one they fired. The old man was deft with his hands as he quickly tracked the target and shot them out of them but missed the last as it was far too close to the ground.

“I believe that you’re a Night City native, Miss Hall?” The man asked before turning to Walter to order the machines to fire.

“Yes, born and raised in the streets of Watson. Night City is an unforgiving place especially for those that were orphaned, but we survived,” The girl casually replied even as she shot them from the most awkward of angles; she held the gun around her waist.

“I can see why,” The man replied as the next course started. Two machines now started firing in pairs but in random order, “Any hobbies that you find enjoyable?” The man then asked as he shot down the first pair without any problem.

“I find shooting to be far more relaxing than most forms of mindless entertainment, at least it has practicality,” The woman replied as she fired once more from her awkward shooting angle, hitting her targets head on, “I also find enjoyment by reading through classical fiction. Reading provides a different perspective to one's own and can serve well to sharpen the mind.”

“A balance of mind and body. Many would tend to ignore one and favor the other, yet they do not see how both are one and the same,” The man agreed, praising her for her hobbies. That got his brow rising. Was she of all people getting through the old master?

The next pair were quickly fired at the sky but with varying speed. The older man shot down the low lying and slow moving target first before targeting the other. “You have overcome challenges and now you have achieved lofty heights that many are often not worthy of achieving. What do you intend to do moving forward?” The man pressed on, grilling the girls with ever harder questions.

“I intend to remain by my lover's side, even if it means that I’ll have to face a whole new set of hardships. To give up on him would be a betrayal of the trust that he has placed upon me and I aspire to be worthy of the love he gives,” The girl declared with a look of grim determination as shot the twin targets in quick succession.

“Loyalty, even if it's blind or senseless, is praiseworthy. A bucket of crabs is all I have most of the time, but to find one that would remain by one's side through all the trials and tribulations of life is exceedingly rare and often elusive especially in this day and age,” The older man lamented as the last pair was flung to the air. He waited a bit, letting them fly to the peak of their ark before shooting them down.

“People often get blinded by their own hubris,” The young woman replied, sympathizing as Walter prepared a surprise for her for the next round.

“Do you intend to remain in Night City?” The man questioned as the final clay shots were fired in the air.

“Given the chance and if Hiro were to ask me? I would choose to move out and never look back,” She answered truthfully as she shot the pair down without so much a blink. Her eyes widened however as five more clay targets were sent flying in the air.

“Is it not where you were born? Is it your home?” The old man asked as the girl took aim and squeezed the trigger only to find that her shotgun had run out of shells. She grabbed four more, two shells paired with each other as she performed a pitch perfect speed load. She shot down three of the lower flying ones before raising her gun for the final pair. With her head slightly tilted to the stock of the gun, she aimed carefully before making her shot. The slug ripped through the last two targets in quick succession. Her audience clapped and he too joined in at the display.

Wiping the sweat off her forehead, she gently set her firearm to the table before making her reply, “Yes, it is where I was born but it is merely a place where I live. It is where I live but it is a hostile place, an unforgiving place, a place not suitable for any child to grow up in.”

Turning to the older Arasaka, she continued, “It is cold, it is uncaring, and a blight on this world,” She smiled softly, before adding, “You can say that it is a hive of scum and villainy.”

Walter had to clench his jaw to avoid bursting out laughing. This girl, he now knew exactly why this girl of all things captured the heart of his former ward. Hiro was a lucky man to have a girl like this by his side. It’s a shame that she was not one of the old masters' picks.

“But it would not be for long,” The old man nodded gravely before turning to his grandson. “I’ve finally reached a decision. I will not be asking you to come back to Japan. Our operation in Night City is still a top priority and I need you there to oversee it with Michiko.”

The boy visibly deflated just as his master turned his attention to the young firebrand, “As for you, Miss Hall, the estate is for you to explore. Walter will be your guide. Might I suggest the pond next to the shrine? I have yet to feed the ducks with how busy I have been this morning and they might be hungry,” The man suggested with a soft smile on his face. The girl brightened up noticeably as she gave the man a smile that reached up to her eyes before nodding eagerly.

“Of course. By your leave?” The girl requested to which his master nodded and gestured for her to go. She did not need to be told twice.

“Right this way, Miss Hall.” Walter motioned for her to follow. She earned this small tour inside the compound. He made sure that she wouldn’t be bothered by any of the other staff. After all, it would be rather dangerous if anyone from the staff decided to mess with the young master’s mistress.

-x-x-x-

Saburo Araska had enough excitement for the day and sent off any would-be petitioners for the day home as he led his grandson to his personal office. Any important meeting would have been sent through to his youngest daughter and he trusted her well enough to handle it. Now, he simply wanted to spend time with his grandson.

Reaching his room, his faithful retainer opened the door leading to his study for him. His aching bones reminded him that he needs to check his personal physician once more. Heading inside, he motioned for Goro to stand guard as he locked the door behind him. There, inside the relatively privacy of the study, they could finally talk.

This room had once been the office of his father and he remembered the time he spent playing here. It was a more western styled office than he would have liked, but the memories this room held were far too precious for him to destroy. He stepped across the burnt part of the rug, remembering how he almost burned the whole office down when he knocked down a candle, before sitting down on one of the comfortable Edwardian Couch that his father imported and patting the seat beside him.

They sat together in silence for a while as his grandson stretched his tired legs, “I would like to say that I was rather disappointed when I first learned of her through Michiko. I thought you made a mistake in choosing her, but now that I’ve met her and judged her, I find that I’m the one that’s mistaken,” He admitted, feeling a bit of deja vu as he was forced to admit that he was wrong in judging a book by its cover. He looked over to his grandson, a union of his rebellious son and a princess from a far off land. He was every bit his father's son, even if there was a rift between the two.

“Make no mistake, however, as fine a woman she is, she is not suitable to be your main wife. Yes, she has a good head on her shoulders and she showed that she can learn and adapt to our customs, but her educational attainment is lacking. She is rather emotional as well, despite how well she held herself back,” Just like his father, he had fallen for someone not of his choice. He grimaced as the memories of confronting his son came rushing back. The shouting, the punches thrown, such a foolish boy.

“Simply put, the realities of your situation require you to marry for the sake of the company and the family first and foremost if Arasaka is to survive this century and the ones afterwards. Your wife needs to cover for your weaknesses when it comes to dealing with business,” He explained, laying his objections to any official union they might have.

“And unfortunately in your eyes, Rebecca will not be able to meet the challenge,” The boy deduced, making him frown. Still, his grandson proved himself to be far different when he saw through the wisdom of his words as he heard his resigned sigh.

“Regrettably, yes. Love and Duty often come at odds, but that does not mean you can’t choose both.” He comforted him, making his grandson perk up. Cruel he might be to his enemies, he was not one to his own blood.

“She might not be a good candidate to be your wife but she is a good retainer as well as a lover, if this is your taste. If your future wife can get through her and your heart, then all the better but it might not be the case. Best to have her around to ease things out for you and your future wife’s sake,” He added, acknowledging that the girl might not be perfect but she still was good enough to stand by his grandson’s side. Maybe not as a wife, but a lover to warm his bed and calm the emotions he had inside his heart. The girl was also good with firearms, terrifyingly so.

“Thank you grandfather,” The boy replied.

“Do not think that you're out of hot water just yet, young man. There are still the consequences of your ill thought out actions,” He reminded him. He had been less than pleased with his actions to say the very least. “As for your punishment, you have long denied my attempts to give you a proper body guard, even going so far as to recruit your butcher. I have held my hand but no longer,” He declared, leaving no room for questioning. This was his ultimatum and all that he asked of him. His grandson might value his freedom but he valued his life even more.

“I’ll… provide accommodations for Jubei,” The boy relented with a bit of reluctance to his voice. He laughed at the boy for his assumption. No, he had learned his lesson when it came to choosing his grandson's retainers as well as potential suitors.

“Who said it would be Jubei? You may come out now,” He replied before signaling his shadows to descend from their hiding spot. A panel on the roof opened up as the grandfather and daughter duo descended down and knelt before them. The Kamori clan might not be as famous as the Hattori but they had been in the Arasaka’s service since time immemorial.

“Finally, you guys should really get someone to clean up there. If I wasn’t wearing a mask, I would have sneezed my nose off,” The young scion of the Kamori clan mouthed off but was instantly cuffed on the back of the head by her grandfather.

“Kiriko! Not the time. Master, please forgive my wayward daughter,” Jubei growled out before forcing his daughter to bow down. The girl tried to fight back but Jubei showed why he was still the head of the clan.

“No need for that my old friend. Besides, she would be Hiro’s retainer from here on out?” he replied as he gestured for them to rise up.

“Wait really? Sweet! I won’t let you down,” The young excitable girl piped up as she gave them both a salute. He and Jubei sucked in a breath before sighing out. Were grandchildren really this much of a handful?

“Well, she’s certainly lively,” Hiro slowly drew out as he looked at the young kunoichi with apprehension and uncertainty.

“Isn’t she not to your tastes?” He questioned with a frown. It was by sheer luck that his shinobi retainer had a granddaughter that was only a few years older than his grandson.

“I did not expect you to drop the subtlety of your actions so soon, father,” He deadpanned, making him chuckle softly.

“When a sword can’t cut it, it’s best to start using a club,” He replied with a shrug. Yes, it was crude but his intentions were clear as day.

“She will do,” The boy sighed, making the girl gush out in excitement. The girl was certainly a handful but she would be Hiro’s problem from now on. He allowed the girl to settle down first and remember who she was standing before sending them off.

“With that out of the way, let’s talk about your other actions as well, shall we?” He asked as he leveled the boy a more serious and questioning look. The boy had been rather hasty these past few months. He had waited an entire year before he acted and the results of his actions had been rather explosive.

The boy merely smiled enigmatically as he clarified, “Everything has been going as planned.”

“Is it really necessary to play the part of a fool? Starting the war so early with the enemy when you're in the middle of preparing your fortress and factories?” He asked, wondering why he was acting as such. There was a method to the boy's madness, there always had been. Even the explosions in the villa had been a showcase of his technology's potency, even if they were earthshaking.

“People do severely underestimate the fool. Besides, I now know my enemies as well as those who I can’t trust,” The boy casually answered with a shrug. A bit wasteful in his opinion but Night City was his grandson’s theater. The boy needed to learn even if it meant a scrape or two on his knees. It did show who his grandson couldn’t trust as well as finding new pieces that were more than willing to play along.

“The cat’s paw has decided to stay its hand when the company is in need of their action. They have grown fat and lazy,” He scoffed in disgust. It only took two generations before the successors of his son's pet ronin decided that they would not act until called upon. Where was the initiative? The loyalty?

“They are disposable assets in the end. They can be replaced, especially when the public can be swayed to our cause instead. Fear is a useful tool, but it can only get us so far. Being loved is far better.” His grandson pointed out.

“And your move to court a shipping company by letting them handle such delicate equipment?” He then questioned. Why had he relied upon the help of outsiders when he had his aunt to call upon for help.

“Equipment I black boxed and would be useless if not assembled properly, grandfather, but to put it simply? Asset denial,” The boy answered. That he could understand. Arasaka had stood alone in the last war and look at what that cost them. They had no friends to back them up and they paid for it in blood when their reputation was tarnished by the very bomb used against them. His blood boiled at the very memory of that day, that day when everything went horribly wrong.

“And so the pieces are now set and all that’s needed is for me to set things in motion. Not even Militech and NUSA’s honeyed words can’t sway the public once I’m done with Pacifica. Night City shall serve as quite the forward base for another Corporate War don’t you agree, grandfather?” His grandson then asked.

“Indeed, but be careful there.” He reminded him. He already lost one heir to the enemies across the ocean, he dared not think what he would do he would lose another.

“Of course grandfather. By the way, about the other project?” His grandson then asked, making his groan out in frustration.

“The answer remains no, Hiro. You have far too many balls in the air to handle that as well. Let your Aunt have it,” He scolded the boy as he shook his head. He needed to learn to rely on his blood and not just on him and his cousin.

“If you say so,” the boy muttered. He swore out inside the privacy of his head, the friction between his descendants would cost him his life if things got out of hand.


A/N:

Finally got this out. Sorry there was a delay, Real life stuff happened. Anywho, Rebecca made her first impression for Grandpa. He's a racist asshole but he can respect someone who knows their way with a gun. Also yes, he does have a soft spot for his grandkids. You might notice that I didn't have a post chapter ender this time around cause I'm throwing it for next chapter which would be interlude. I'm trying to compile a list of perspective that would be fun to write about as things are shifting. Rebecca's arc is sort of done so now, it's her inputs arc time to begin. Hope to see you guys when I write that.

With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for keeping me from doing some stupid stuff :V. I'd also want to thank my Patrons once again. You guys are the best! Consider dropping by my Patreon page and became a patron today to support me so I can keep on making these types of fics. It means a lot to me to keep on working on my fics. I also have also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star for those who do not like Patreon.

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[SirBearington]

Adversary or Friend?
David stared up at the white washed ceiling while the sound of the news droned on in the background. There, he lay in a comfortable bed while his former bully, Tanaka, sat beside it. There was silence between them as Tanaka just sat there, hunched over and staring down at the floor while his feet tapped upon it while he on the other hand contented himself just listening to the news. It was just him, Tanaka, and the other boys foot tapping

The rhythmic tapping had David frowning as it kept going and even the volume of the news couldn’t mask it. His frown deepened as he slowly got up with Tanaka ignoring. “Hey, Tanaka,” He called out, making the other boy look up.

The rich kid would see David’s fist cocked back before it slammed into his jaw. The boy shouted in surprise and anger as he was knocked off his seat. Tanaka glared daggers while he clutched his mouth at him as David shook his hand before checking for any sunken knuckles, “God damn your jaw’s harder than I imagined it to be,” he muttered as he found that he had not broken anything.

“What the hell was that for?!” The boy shouted in protest, fuming mad with his teeth barred out at David. Surprisingly, not a single tooth was knocked out.

“Just knocking the stupid out of you,” David casually replied, which made Tanaka sputter out before looking at him in disbelief. He glared at the other boy as he did not like the look the other boy was giving him.

“Bwah-! I can’t even.” Tanaka shouted as he threw his hands up in disbelief before he started pacing around. “Just what the actual hell. You’re fucking insane,” The boy accused him which only earned him a flat look.

“Says the one that visits twice a day for the last three days,” David pointed out making the boy stop as he looked at him and met his glare. There was a lot of anger in those eyes, anger and confusion? Shaking his head, he then asked, “Like, what the hell man? Why do you insist on visiting me when we’re not even close?”

Tanaka looked away and David scratched the back of his head. He was honestly confused here and he did not know the boy’s deal was; he just didn’t get it. Back then, he kept on riding him about how he didn’t fit then he suddenly stopped and now, he was the only one that visited him?

“Because I’m looking to see if you're alright! There, happy?” the boy all but exploded as he sucked in his breath before letting out an annoyed huff.

“Fucking finally. I thought you were going to ask me to pay or something. This is on my plan by the way so you don’t have to worry,” David blew him off, not wanting to deal with a potential debt collector as he had enough of that with his old landlord. As for his current situation, this was currently covered by his plan. Being a guinea pig did come with perks, extremely expensive and worthwhile perks.

The other boy stared at him, mouth opening and closing akin to that of a fish before he asked him, “... Do you think of me that lowly that you thought I was going to ask you to pay some form of debt?”

“Yes,” he answered, to which Tanaka winced as if struck once more.

Tanaka scratched the back of his head as he plopped back on his seat before he nodded, “I…Yeah, I deserved that,” his classmate acknowledged his fault as he deflated on his seat.

“That you fucking do, choom,” David huffed out as things returned to the original awkward silence. David would have been content with just letting things stay that way but his trouble with Tanaka was still not over just yet.

“You held back on your punch,” Tanaka remarked as he rubbed the bruise forming on his jaw.

“Yeah, what about it?” David asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Why?” Tanaka asked simply.

David looked at Tanaka, squinting at him as he gave him a confused shake of the head “Why what?” he echoed back which pissed the guy off.
“Don’t fucking play dumb with me! I made your life hell in school. I made sure not a single person talked to you. I kept telling you, you didn’t belong there and I rubbed the fact that I was richer than you every single day so why, why didn’t you hit me harder?” The boy asked as he looked at him with questioning eyes.

“If you have a masochist fetish, please do not get me involved in your weirdness.” David joked with a shit eating grin before adding, “Plus, if you call that hell, best to step up cause the streets of Night City have you beat in that regard,” Night City was an unforgiving mistress who simply did not care for its citizens. It’s a dog eat dog world out there and he was lucky to be sheltered in the corpo school.

“You bastard-!” His former bully shouted as he stood up before David cut his outburst off.

“And to answer your question, because I don’t see the point,” David interrupted as explained in as simple of an answer as he could.

“You don’t see the point? You think you’re better than me?” The boy asked and David couldn’t help but snort out at that. There was the old Tanaka that he knew and he was strangely happy to see it back again. At least now it wasn’t as if he was walking on eggshells.

David shook his head in the negative as he said, “No, seriously. I just don’t see the point of getting revenge. I kick your ass then what? I’d get satisfaction but that’s it. I don’t learn anything from it and don’t get anything worthwhile from it. All it would get me is your family hating me. I’m learning to become a corpo here and besides, we’re sorta even.” He just simply didn’t see the point of going out of his way to put somebody down when he could be clawing his way further up in the world.

His classmate looked at him in disbelief before he started laughing. Now it was David’s turn to stare at him as the chuckle turned into a full blown laughter as he held onto his stomach. David’s fist twitched as the boy looked like he had just been told the funniest joke in the world. He raised his fist and was about to cock it back before he held back and lowered in back as he took in deep calming breath.

David raised both hands up as he growled out through gritted teeth, “Look man, I saved your ass and you were the first one that snapped into action and called an ambulance.”

“That has to be the dumbest fucking thing I’ve ever heard. That’s not even close to even David, not even close. If you do become a corpo, they’ll fucking eat you alive,” Tanaka declared as he wiped the tear off his eyes.
David huffed as a sardonic smile stretched across his face. “I’d like to see them try,” he told him. He might not be the best fit for being a corpo like his mom dreamed him of becoming but he damn would try his best to be the greatest there ever was.

Tanaka shocked his head in disbelief and amusement before looking up at him, “You are insufferable David. Tell you what, since I owe you for saving my life, I’ll be kind enough to show you the ropes on becoming a real corpo. Every little trick in the book, the hierarchy, and who answers to who, sound good?” he offered with a cocky smile on his face.

David chuckled as a smile stretched across his own face. The damn bastard had balls, he had to give him that, “You offered this, not me but who am I to say no. So long as we’re even,” David accepted. He really wasn’t going to get rid of him unless he relented and it was no skin off his back.

Both of them laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation until every last hair in his body stood up. Their laughter was cut off as David noticed a large looming figure behind Tanaka. The boy froze as the roughest and coldest voice he had ever had the pleasure of hearing called out, “It’d be a shame if you become nothing more than a pencil pusher boy.”

There was no anger in that voice, no hate, no nothing. It was just simply a machine talking to them in the guise of a human shaped borg. David slowly looked up and emotionless pits of red stared back at him. He couldn’t help but shiver at the thing before him kept staring.

Tanaka finally turned and it was as if he saw death itself as he jumped off his seat and back away before placing himself between him and the borg. “W-wha-! S-smasher! No, s-stay back! Whatever my father did, we’re not involved in any of it, I swear!” Tanaka squawked out in fear as he stretched his hands out in surrender. Just who the hell was this Smasher?

“Cease your useless meat hole flapping or I will.” The borg commanded and all David heard afterward was the audible click of teeth against one another. He frowned as his hands slowly reached for anything to arm himself. When he overlaid his combat vision over this Borg, all he saw was red. It was as if every last part of the man was jammed chock full of weapons.

“Who the fuck are you supposed to be? Visitation only for close friends and family.” David asked heatedly as his hands balled up into fists. He was already sending out distress signals to the nurses who were hurrying on their way.

“D-David, I know you're brave but please, for once, do not antagonize this man.” Tanaka tried to reason but David did not see any reason for him not to antagonize the man. He simply barged into his room unannounced as if he owned the place. If he knew any better, he might be dealing with a cyberpsycho.

“Ah, but I am. You can say that I know your mother well.” The borg drawled out making David’s hackles rise at that. Tanaka let out a choking sound as his shaking legs finally gave way.

“Is that a fucking threat?” David growled out warningly. People can treat him like dirt, he had worse, they could threaten him, but to threaten his mother? That simply would not stand.

“No. I’m simply stating the facts.” The borg stated. David snorted as his implant was letting him know that he might not be lying or at least believe he was not lying.

“What’s the deal, choom?” David asked, humoring him for a bit to buy him and Tanaka some time.

“Ah yes, cutting to the chase. Refreshing.” The borg droned out before he answered him,“My goals here are simple, I’m here to offer you an apprenticeship.” That got his eyebrow rising. Did he save someone important enough that they have a trained killer as a retainer? The borg was kitted out and every single read out was telling him that there was nothing cheap or low calibre in this person's arsenal.

“Tell your master that if they want to make a deal with me, I’m here to listen.” David waved it off, without outright dismissing him. The offer was mighty tempting but he wanted any deal he was being offered to be done not through proxy. He simply could not trust someone who hid behind a wall.

“David, please-!” Tanaka piped up before he whimpered as the man pulled out an Arasaka Bolter, correction, a double barreled bolter, and cocked its hammer. He then tossed it between his legs which confused the hell out of David. Why did the man give him a gun of all things?

“You misunderstand, boy. I’m the one offering you the apprenticeship.” The borg stated. David cocked his head as the man pulled out a rather thick looking stack of paper before offering it to him. His day had just gotten a whole lot weirder.

-x-x-x-

The Scorned Man

Faraday stared down at the slowly melting ice in his glass of whiskey while he sat in the comfortable chair of his safehouse. He grimaced as he pulled the crystalline cup to his lips and tipped back, downing the burning liquid before slamming it down on the ebony coffee table he had by his side. The decanter barely shook as he fumed in his seat, gritting his teeth as he leaned back to try and gain some comfort. He glanced down and noticed that he had just scratched the thing but snorted as he saw the countless other markings on the table. It had seen better days and so had he.

“You know, you shouldn’t really be destroying your property when you can pawn it off.” A woman’s voice pointed out as he heard from behind him. Before he could even react, the white haired girl grabbed his decanter and poured herself a generous serving in the shot glass she borrowed from his kitchen.

Faraday’s frown deepened but he refused to get up as he was far too tired right now, “Lucyna, Shouldn’t you be out there helping the Voodoo’s like I ordered?” he pointedly questioned as he ran his hands across his hair before looking down on his open palm. He clenched his fist around the strands of hair that stuck to his palm.

“The cell I was contracted to was wiped out. More specifically, they decided to wipe themselves out. Almost got caught myself but I managed to steal something from the team that was sent to capture me.” His contracted edgerunner replied as she tossed the severed head of one of those servitors that Arasaka always brought around with them at his feet.

He let out a frustrated groan as oil seeped down to the tiles below. He hated having to deal with these things. While people would see them as nothing more than advanced drones, those in the know knew them for what they were. His nose wrinkled as he carefully kicked the thing away. As important as they were in accessing parts of Arasaka’s nigh unbreakable Data Fortress, he could barely stomach the sight of them at times.

“I expected them to last longer.” He grumbled out as he held out his empty glass save for the half melted ice inside. Lucyna smiled at him beatifically as she poured him of what remained of his decanter. There was still more than enough for him to enjoy this last glass.

“And didn’t that smug self assured self of yours landed you in hot water with Arasaka.” The petulant girl teased him with a smug smile as she sat down opposite him.

“Why are you here anyways? Can’t you see that I’m busy.” He asked as he took a sip from his glass. He clenched his teeth as the girl opened the news and made it so that it was playing the advertisement of that blasted kid. He glared at the girl who merely shrugged at that. He had lost almost everything the moment that kid met with his crew he had as retainers.

He did not know what he did but everything went down the drain when Maine stopped taking his job. His contact with Arasaka practically ceased and his contact on the streets avoided him like the plague. He wasn’t even allowed back in the Afterlife to find another crew to serve under him. The only saving graces in all of this was how Maine’s pet cat burglar landed directly into his awaiting lap. He earned himself quite the netrunner and he could not afford to have her run off.

“Busy drinking yourself to death I see. Wasn’t I supposed to report to my boss after every job?” The girl purred out as she leaned forward. Sometimes, he wondered if it was even worth keeping her as his contracted Netrunner.

“Fine. You made your report so you can go now.” Faraday waved her off, hoping she’d get bored of tormenting him. This was still his house and she was only there at his convenience. She had her own home, she could live there.

“And leave before I can give you the offer I had from a certain rival of Arasaka?” The girl then asked.

He paused before slowly setting his drink down; he’d had enough whiskey for the day. “...Go on” he coaxed her on as he was intrigued by what she had just stumbled upon. The girl gestured to his side and there, leaning against his seat was a lone briefcase. It wasn’t your cheap mass produced plastic apparel but an exquisitely made full grained leather briefcase sporting chestnut brown color.

“They only gave me that to contact them. Don’t worry, I double checked that it’s not bugged and I can vouch for them not being an Arasaka agent.” The girl confidently declared as his hands ran against the fine grain of the leather case; this was made of horsehide.

“How can you tell?” He asked, wondering how she could consistently pick out Arasaka agents even if they hadn’t spoken at all. It saved him countless times especially after he started dealing with the Voodoo Boys and the Sixth Street.

“A girl has the right to keep her secrets after all,~” The girl smugly replied as she downed her drinks before she got up.

“Fine. Let’s see what they have to offer.” He muttered out but before he opened the case, he motioned for her to stop. The girl looked at him, asking him silently why. He ordered her, “No, you stay here with me.”

“Oh?” The girl asked with a raised brow.

He merely smiled as he answered, “After all, you are my business partner. Best to keep you in the know.” He also did not truly trust her. While their arrangement was mutually beneficial and it was for them to keep each other happy, best to verify if she was still

“Whatever you say, boss.” the girl replied. He did not miss how she rolled her eyes at him but he chose not to comment as the white haired girl crossed her arms and rested them upon the backseat of his chair. Overlooking him, he finally opened the device and found himself face to face with quite the old fashion tech. The pixelated screen that lit up and the almost garbled voice emanating from the speakers spoke of how analogue the device was. This was just a two way communication device, nothing more nothing less.

There in the screen was the image of a plain faced bespectacled man who could meld into a crowd and he would be none the wiser. The man smiled as he greeted him warmly, “Ahh, Mr. Faraday, it’s good to finally see you. I wanted to reach out to you earlier but the situation in Night City had become rather volatile as of late.”

He quirked a brow at that as he replied, “If you call a fight between four gangs and a major corporation merely volatile, then I’d like to see what you call an explosive situation.” Things were getting more tense by the day and now 3 gangs were in the fray. All that was left was for Maelstrom, Tyger Claws, The Animals, and the Mox to join in and things would get really spicy.

The man grinned as he answered back, “Think bigger Mr. Faraday, much bigger.” Well, this was certainly more than he had expected but, of course, they were the most likely to see his talents.

He reached up and fixed his slightly disheveled suit and crooked tie as he gazed back at the man. “So, what can I do for a representative of Militech?” he probed inquisitively.

“Was it really that obvious?” The man chuckled out with an empty laugh.

Faraday snorted as he leaned forward with steepled hands before answering him, “Let’s see the facts here shall we? Why would someone specifically ask for me when there are hundreds of other Fixers around? You specifically called me, someone that has grown to hate Arasaka lately, someone that used to be in touch with Arasaka until a certain brat came into play.” It was childs play for him to figure it all out.

The mans eyeglass glinted as he chortled out, “I see that your reputation precedes you Mr. Faraday. ”

“I’m merely stating the obvious. Now, let’s get down to business. Is there something I could help you with?” He inquired, cutting to the chase. He wasn’t a simpering fool that would fall for false praises. They asked for his time, now he was giving it to them as he pleased. He still held a bit of pride for himself, best not to look too desperate.

“You see, we at Militech find the current state of things in Night City to be untenable… There are undesirable elements currently working against our interest inside the city, elements that we would like to keep Night City from joining the greater union.” The man explained, hinting upon a certain someone, a certain someone that had his blood boiling.

“I’m listening.” he growled out softly as he struggled to keep his emotions in check.

“We are in need of eyes and ears on the ground and who better to look for help than a man that used to work with the very element we desire to see removed… or maybe eliminated.” The man inquired and to that, Faraday couldn’t help but smile.

“I think you just found the right man for the job but, of course, my service comes at a price.” He replied smoothly as he felt elated at the chance he had just been given. He might just have found the rope to drag himself out of the hole that Arasaka dug and tossed him in. They tossed him out with no real explanation, now he could have his revenge.

“Naturally. So shall we get down to the details of the task that we require?” The man confirmed as the haggling for his service began. So engrossed was he that he did not notice his companion slipping off to walk to the balcony and stare up at the moon.

“He’s in way over his head.” Lucyna whispered as she stared down to the gothic tower leaning in the distance, a tower that threatened to eat the moon with its clawed spire.

-x-x-x-

A Promise

Yorunobo Arasaka sat beside his wife with nothing but his thoughts and the constant beeping from the health monitor she was hooked up to. She laid there, motionless, as perfect as the day she was taken from him. Cryogenic technology did wonders to slow down her metabolism to a point that it looked like she never aged. As cold as the room was, he remained there in his vigil.

“I shouldn’t have accepted that job. We had enough money, we could have just ran away and lived in the desert but I had to do one last job to spit at my fathers face and for what?” He whispered in despair. His hands were already hurting but he needed to be with his wife.
“We could have been a happy family. Just you, me and our son but now… I don’t think we’ll ever have that after my grandfather sunk his claws in him.” He lamented, speaking to her even if she was deep in her sleep. He hated his father, he hated the company, and he hated how it twisted his own son into something unrecognizable.

He was the same bright eyed boy as before but now, he was looking forward to being part of the company that took his mother away. His son gave Arasaka the tools to rule the world and now it would only be a matter of time till it comes to fruition. He could feel it in his bones, even far away from the streets, he knew that trouble was already brewing and it would be only a matter of time before a 5th war came this way and Araska would not be made to bow this time around.

He shook his head of such negative thoughts as he reached out to touch the glass canopy separating him from his wife. He then happily announced, “Hanako is making great progress with the Relic project. They had just tested a new subject and they lasted a whole month longer this time around. Just a few more months and the product would be made but Hanako’s been experiencing problems with our son.” His brief smile turned to that of sadness at that and the taste of bitter bile rose up to his throat.

He chuckled bitterly at the thought of his son whose green eyes haunted him, “Unfortunately, our son's projects have been siphoning every last eddy available for any R&D projects. Oh how I wish our boy grew away from Arasaka. With the wonders he created, he could have made a name of his own without the stain of the Arasaka name but now…I fear that he may become just like his grandfather.” He mourned out with a heavy heart. Without his guiding light, he was now lost.

“Please, please Asuka, just wake up. I don’t know what to do without you.” He begged her but she remained silent and as still as a corpse. He clenched his fist as he rested his forehead against the glass of her pod. He closed his eyes as he held back the tears while he forced himself to calm down.

After a while, his aching heart stilled as he pulled away and sat up. Gazing to his wife, he made her the promise he made to her all those years ago, “Somebody, we’ll be together again and when that day comes, we’ll have a city to burn.” He whispered before he turned and left, leaving her all alone in the confines of a room beneath the towering behemoth that was the Arasaka tower.

-x-x-x-

Office Gossips

A day in the life of an Arasaka employee was not as glamorous as one would imagine, especially those attached to the office held by Hiro Arasaka. Vincent yawned as he chowed down on the instant noodles before him. He had packed some vegetables to go with the noodles and now, he was savoring the meaty taste of the broth while chewing on the spring onions he had tossed in.

“So, did you notice the new Servitor we have in the office, Vanessa?” Asked one Viktor, his buddy from Accounting to Vanessa, a mutual friend of theirs from PR. He on the other hand was from IT and together they made quite the eclectic group.

“Yeah, what about it, Victor?” The woman asked as she placed down her Buritto XXL. For a woman that’s as skinny as a rail and a head shorter than most people, she could eat like no one's business.

“You know, it has the same height and shape of old Vlad…” the man speculated, making Vanessa groan out as she cut him off before he spoke any further.

“Oh come on, you honestly believe that crap how Servitors are just reprocessed workers?” The girl scolded his coworker and Vincent couldn’t help but nod along. It was just some harmful rumor being spread around by people detracting their company.

“I mean, think about it. Whenever a new servitor shows up to replace an old one that’s being reassigned, a coworker of ours dies. There’s also that weird clause in our contracts about how we can offer up our bodies for science.” The man raved on but Vaness was not having any of it

“A clause that would provide the family of those that volunteered a lump sum that adjusts itself to inflation. Like, come on choom, just be happy about the money your wife could have.” The girl pointed out. Yes, it was morbid but it was a reasonable exchange. The lump sum was big, more than enough to help their loved ones if they ever died.

“Say Vincent, what do you think about this?” The man turned, looking for someone to back him up.

“Honestly? I don’t care either way. I have a high paying job, I have a good boss that can randomly give you rewards if you do well enough, and I have coworkers that wouldn’t toss me under the bus.” VIncent threw in his two cents into the matter. Even if he was to become a servitor, at least his body would still be useful.

“Aw shucks, thanks man.” The other man smiled at him. They had been through thick and thin and even if they had disagreements, things were pleasant in this part of the corporation. It was an island of stability.

“You know, nobody’s a blue falcon in our office cause the last time that happened… well… Our boss’s pet cyborgs blended him. Probably drank him as a protein shake afterwards.” The girl reminded their coworkers of the fate of those who tried to climb over others. Those crabs did not stand a chance. The girl shivered as she swore, “Brrr!, fucking hell, I’d rather jump off the building than ever meet that guy again.”

“Amen to that.” Both he and Vic wholeheartedly agreed. How such a sweet boy such as their boss could keep a monster like Adam in check was beyond him and quite frankly, way above his pay check already.

“Ok, let’s talk about other less gruesome news. I’m eating damn it,” Vanessa begged them with a shake of her head. Vincent looked down on his bowl before shrugging as he started wolfing things down so that he didn’t have to hear those things while eating.

“Yeah, yeah. Did you see the boss’s girl?” Viktor then asked with a lecherous grin. He rolled at the dirty old man in the form of a young man in his prime.

“The Mox girl?” Vanessa replied while she took a large bite out of her burrito.

“No, I mean, the Boss is probably seeing her but I meant the Med Tech he has around.” Viktor ever so sneakily pointed towards the women eating by her lonesome. She wasn’t horrible but people were far too afraid to even interact with her as she was headhunted, not promoted to her position.

“Damn it Vic, your wife’s going to skin you alive if she finds out.” Vanessa growled out warningly as she stood up to cuff the man for his gal.

The man simply leaned back and allowed the shorter girl's hand to sail past his face. “If my wife finds out, she’d probably want to join me because god damn she’s fine for a single mother.” he waggled his eyebrow at them.

“You did say she might be the boss’s girl. You do know what might happen if the boss got mad with you.” Vanessa then mentioned as the gears in Victor's head turned.

It took a while but eventually, the poor man paled as he mouthed out, “Oh…”

“Oh fucking yes you dumbass.” Vanessa scolded him once more.

As he finished his ramen bowl, he then tried to change the subject. “Speaking of a single mother, isn’t her son that hero kid? The one that saved a whole train's worth of people.” he asked, bringing up the woman's son. The boy was all over his news and the fact that that boy was a rag to riches story with top grades and a spot in the varsity team was just icing on the cake. He wouldn’t be surprised if he got a show of his own.

“Yeah. Kid was ice cold I tell you. He didn’t move like a normal human when he put a cap on their heads,” Victor went on before he vividly described how the kid just went on to kill several armed and experienced gangers.

Vanessa chuckled as she then said, “That’s because the kid received the boss’s extremely rare implants. All of those are hand made last I checked.”

Both her and Vicktor turned towards the woman as Vic then asked, “How do you know about that?”

“Part of the PR team, durr.” The girl pointed out with an eye roll before she then complained, “We’ve been working overtime to advertise the boss’s product but it's not like we need to cause the results speak for themselves.” Boredom was often the enemy in this part of the corporation, not the competition to the top.

“Right right.” Vicktor nodded before their group returned to a lull as they sat there, enjoying their hour-long paid break with no supervisors screaming behind their backs because said supervisors were having a loud conversation just several tables away.

As there was nothing to do, he then prodded Vicktor for more gossip, “Hey Vic, I know you have ears on the ground. What do you think’s going to happen now that the Voodoo targeted some pretty rich kids.” he asked him, wondering what he was hearing in the streets. Vic was from the rougher part of Watson as his wife refused to move out and just opted to buy more guns. Something about the rent rate being grandfathered from before the corpo wars.

The man looked somber down on his meal before he replied, “Well, that’s easy. Blood’s going to run in the street though, I’m surprised that the Valentino’s are on our side, but that might be because a niece of some higher up got captured by the Sixth Street. Nasty business I tell you.”,

“Whatever the results are, Arasaka’s going to be on top! To Arasaka!” Vanessa then shouted as she cheered for the company. Almost everyone in the lunch room, except those way too engrossed listening to their music, raised their drinks to that.

“To Araska” He chuckled as he lowered his drink.

“The company’s really been shaping up after this Hiro kid came into the scene. All those pictures of Seoul and Kyoto make me want to see the day that Arasaka finally kicks every other Megacorp in the city.” Vanessa dreamily wished.

“That’ll take ages though.” Vicktor complained before the office beauty sauntered in the room with her lunch in hand. The red head beauty was quite the looker as she had heads turning as she passed and of course, Vicktor tried his luck with her. “Heya Valerie, want to join us? The V Club always has another seat.” He called out, offering the seat beside them but the girl ignored them.

Vincent pinched the bridge of his nose. The fact that a sizable chunk of the workforce had V in their first name did not mean anything. Vanessa did not take their group being made into a laughing stock kindly. “Oh fuck off with that weird nickname for our lunch group.” She hissed out as she pelted the man's shoulder with punches.

Vincent snorted at the sight. Truely, nothing really amazing or sinister happened over at Arasaka; It’s just people doing their jobs. He really didn’t get why people hated them so much. Hopefully, things changed when the bossman's secret net project rolled out.

A/N:

Oh boy it's been a while. Sorry for the delay in my posting. Real life thing happens and when it hits you, you just have to deal with in and roll with the punches. Anyways, lets get back to this little interlude. Funny about this one cause when I made chapter 10, yes it's alreayd in my patreon, I realized that this should be the chapter after 10... so yeah, when Chapter 10 drops, this should be the chapter after and I'll be rearranging it when the time comes. I'll try to answer as fast as I can but I do have the Warboss Fic that needs to be finished so see you later.

With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for keeping me from doing some stupid stuff . I'd also want to thank my Patrons once again. You guys are the best! Consider dropping by my Patreon page and became a patron today to support me so I can keep on making these types of fics. It means a lot to me to keep on working on my fics. I also have also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star for those who do not like Patreon.

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Hmmm...on one hand, I want to make a JLU story where the Atlantean MC pairs up with Diane (and it could be even encouraged between the two people as an alliance between Amazons and Atlanteans would be very beneficial) but on the other hand... I want an Arknights SI story where the MC gives Frostnova the happy ending she deserves. There's now another voice telling me to make another Cyberpunk fic with an SI being mentored by old man Blackhand (with Hugh Jackman as faceclaim :V) that might take alot of inspiration from the Ballad of Buster Scruggs

 

[SirBearington]

Chapter 10

The meeting with the in-laws was finally over and Rebecca couldn’t help but slump over; disheartened with worry creeping her chest. She had been sent away with nary a thought and now she waited here in the gardens after the asshat of a butler dropped her off to get her some coffee. She was left with nothing but her thoughts and a paper bag full of fresh peas. She was tempted to throw the bag away but decided on not wasting perfectly good food.

Now, she sat on one of the large round stones beneath a tree with overhanging branches, a wisteria tree from what she’d studied, as she gazed in the pond before her and reflected on her fuck ups. She idly reached down and munched away at the peas, enjoying the sweet, earthy and slightly savory taste of it to pass her time as her mind drifted to the events that had just taken place.

The way she handled the tea ceremony, how she could barely hold her emotions in check, the clay pigeon shooting, she fucked up in every single one. Not even the lovely grove of trees and flowers around her could lift her mood, “You’re overthinking it. Saburo would have had me killed by that scary samurai if I fucked up that badly!” She slapped her cheeks and shook her head to rid as she reassured herself.

“Quack!”

Her line of thoughts were quickly derailed as a parade of ducks passed by her seat. They waddled on with purpose as they gathered around her, jostling each other for a spot closer to her as they surrounded her from all corners. She quickly found what they were after as one particularly brave duck lunged for her bag of peas.

“No, get your own peas! These are my peas. Shoo!” She shouted as she tried warding off the birds but they were persistent as they quacked and honked at her for food. She nearly jumped off her seat when one of the fowl beasts decided to climb up her lap. Seeing no choice, she reached inside, grabbed a handful before tossing a fistfull of peas at the water.

Immediately, the horde of poultry descended upon the waters edge and dove for peas scattered in the pond's surface. She snorted out in amusement at the frantic pace at which the ducks gobbled up her bait. The ducks dunk their heads down on the water to get just one before rearing up and swallowing everything whole. She giggled as tossed more into the pond just to watch the feeding frenzy unfold before her.

She tossed more and more until she eventually reached inside the bag and found no more. She sighed out with a smile on her face as she watched the birds frolick around now that there was no more food in hand. Her grumbling stomach did not like it one bit, however. Maybe she should have eaten something in the car but she felt like she was going to puke in the back seat. She simply wouldn’t have been able to hold anything down.

Still, the sight before her was well worth it and she’d be lying if she said she didn’t find the plump and fluffy looking water birds before her with wild coloration of browns, greens, oranges, yellow, and even some pure white ones and their rounded beaks to be adorable. She crumbled up the bag and slipped it in her sleeve before she returned to watching the pond but now it had ducks.

“Quack!”

Rebecca turned to her side and stared down at the pure white creature before her as it looked up at her with those small adorable round eyes and with those curved yellow beaks. The duck stared up at her as it sat there, observing her like how she did so to them, “I’m sorry little one but I’m all out of food,” She said as she pulled out the bag and shook it to show that she was out of peas.

“Quack!” The duck cried out once more as it sat there and shook its head. It then puffed out its chest, fluffed itself while wagging its tail and Rebecca’s heart just melted at the sight.

“Awww.~ Come here you!” she cooed as she reached out for the fowl, grabbing it gently by the side and lifted it up close to her. It’s cute little webbed feet, which looked more like boots than the feet of an animal, waddling about as it looked at her with curiosity brimming in those deceptively and adorably dumb looking button eyes.

She squealed out happily, heedless of anyone hearing her out, as she pulled the ducks close to her and hugged it. It was then that the duck protested as it started biting at her hair and ear but she paid it no mind as she was rewarded with the chance to hug the softest and fluffiest creature she had ever had the chance of hugging. The dolls and stuffed toys couldn’t give the real thing justice with how warm and huggable the bird was.

“You're so cute I want to bite you!” she gushed out as she nuzzled the duck even if the pecking was getting close to her eyebrows, “I just want to take you away from this place and take you back to my apartment in Night city. We’ll have so much fun together! I’d feed you, clean you, pamper you and just pet you so much! We’re going to be best friends!” she giggled as clutched the bird close to her chest, making sure to lean back as it tried to peck at her chin. She wasn’t sure about the pet laws as the tax for pets was enormous but she had some plan on how to get the money for her little ducky.

“You’re a feisty little one aren’t you! I know what I should name you then!” She declared as she sat up and spun her new friend around. “I’m going to name you Subaru because you're mean and grumpy when you're angry and I can’t name you Saburo!” She laughed out, snickering to herself at her own joke.

There was a snort of laughter behind her and that had her jumping out in surprise. She almost leapt out of her own skin as she spun around, holding her friend protectively close to her chest, only to find no Arasaka agent waiting for her. There was merely her boyfriend and a rather busty kunoichi who wore a lot of fox motifs on her person.

“I’m not sure if my grandfather would laugh at that joke or would be very angry,” Hiro commented out with a wide smile all the while he tried to reign in his laughter. The red and white clad girl with dark green hair was snickering as well. Rebecca turned red as she slowly sat the duck down. The bird merely pecked at her leg in warning before plopping down beside her like a loyal pet.

“You know, Subaru is still a pretty nice name regardless,” The mysterious girl pointed out even as she wiped a stray tear from her eyes. Rebecca eyed the girl suspiciously before shaking her fist at her.

“If you tell this to anyone else, I swear I’ll ram my fist up your pretty little ass!” Rebecca threatened her even if her face was burning up. She hated the embarrassing and potentially deadly situation she found herself in. She was fine with Hiro knowing about this but this girl was an unknown and she had with her were her own two fists.

“My mouth’s sealed!” The girl raised her hands in promise before zipping up her mouth. She looked over to her input who nodded at her. It was only then that Rebecca’s shoulder sagged down as she sighed out.

Pouting at the two, she walked up to her input and pressed her forehead against the crook of his neck. She pressed against him as she felt his hands wrapping around her. The new girl would only look at them with an amused smile on her face.

“So… how did the meeting go? Also, who’s tall, curvy, and busty over here?” She asked before gesturing to the taller girl before them. She was definitely armed with that kunai she had on her obi along with the tanto poking out of the back of her waist. She looked more like she’s part of the security of the compound but she was out here in the open with Hiro.

“It went better than I had expected. Grandfather likes you and that’s saying something, Becca.” Hiro whispered to her happily, making her hold on to him tightly. For a brief minute there,she thought she was going to lose him because of her mistake. He gave her a pat on the head as he held onto her for a bit more.

Finally, after she loosened up her grip on the boy, Hiro then gestured to the women that he had brought along with him, “Rebecca, meet my new bodyguard slash retainer Kiriko. Kiriko, meet my girlfriend and future wife, Rebecca.” He introduced her as Rebecca further melted into his hold as he rubbed her back.

“So you're the young mistress that caused quite the steer at the gate. You definitely came in prepared, huh?” Kiriko noted as she hovered behind them. Rebecca kept her gaze on her as she pulled away from Hiro and circled around the girl.

“A girl needs her guns,” Rebecca answered back easily as she hummed while she gave her a quick once-over. She stood straight but her stance was relaxed. She was armed but not overly so with the handles of her tools being well worn and her hands being quite calloused. There was also her clothing which, while being pretty, would not hinder her movement in any way.

“Like I said earlier, Kiriko over here is now going to be my personal bodyguard.” Hiro repeated as Kiriko gave her a playful look despite how Rebecca made sure that her glances weren’t so subtle.

“I'm going to be the young master's bodyguard and retainer from here on out. Not only will I be tasked in protecting his body but I shall be with him at all times. I’ll be his shadow, his sword and whatever he might need me to be,” The girl proudly declared. Rebecca blinked but nodded appreciatively at the dedication the girl was showing so far.

“Wait, why do you need a bodyguard, no offense, when you already have Adam on call?” Rebecca then asked as she looked at her input with a raised brow. Adam was by definition, a walking tank. Large, powerful and surprisingly fast and agile when he wanted to be. He was the perfect killing machine.

“My grandfather insisted on it and Adam is technically not my bodyguard. I just have him on speed dial but he does have other duties to the company that would leave him unable to guard me 24/7.” Hiro explained, sighing out in a long suffering manner as he looked at Kiriko with a confused and conflicted glance.

“Hmmm…” Rebecca hummed out as she squinted at Hiro before she made a grab for the girl's chest from behind. She gave them a good squeeze just before she found herself touching nothing but air while the girl she just groped was standing up there in the tree’s covering her breast.

“Eh!?” Kiriko sputtered out as Rebecca squeezed her hands, remembering the softness that she just felt.

She grinned as she leered up at the girl who only turned beet red from the attention, “Oh wow, those are natural! They’re so soft but quite firm, something that most synth breasts can’t quite replicate. Trust me, I know. I have to hand it to your old man, he definitely knows how to pick ‘em.” She barked out laughing as the girl above muttered expletives that were far too far away for her to pick up on.

“I know you might have experience but can you please not touch like that? Are all Night City girls like this?!” The kunoichi stammered out while Rebecca started looking for any long hanging branches she could grab on to.

“Heh, you haven’t seen half of it lady,~” She snickered out as she simply content on gazing up at the girl from below. Her smug smile might have clued the girl out as she sat down, blocking the glorious view she just had.

“So lewd…” The girl whispered as she stayed up there away from Rebecca.

“Hey, if you’re supposed to be my boyfriend's bodyguard, you’re definitely going to be seeing a lot of fun things and I’m more than open to have you join in,~” Rebecca pressed on, winking at the girl to clue her in. The girl made quite the interesting sound as she turned bright red.

“Rebecca… Please stop teasing my bodyguard,” Hiro asked her as he wrapped his arms around her shoulder and leaned on her.

“Who says I’m just teasing here?” Rebecca fired back as she waggled her eyebrow at him. Hiro snorted but Kiriko was already on her feet before she could even blink.

“PleaseExcuseMeForASecond!” The girl excused herself before she disappeared into a burst of blue light. She was in so much of a hurry that she left behind a slipper which clattered down to the base of the tree. Rebecca laughed out as she leaned against her input’s hold.

“Did you really have to scare her off like that?” Hiro poked her side as he questioned her.

“Hey, your grandfather’s playing games here,” Rebecca pointed out as Hiro reluctantly nodded at that, “A sexy bodyguard and not a grizzled veteran like that guy watching over your grandfather like a damn hawk? Yeah, he definitely wants you to bang her but unfortunately for him, she’s just exactly my type! I’m just staking my claim on her already but that’s not stopping you from joining in,~” She then added, Kiriko was quite pleasing to the eyes and added that to her general bubbly disposition, Rebecca had to admit that she was definitely looking forward to getting to know her a bit more.

“Oh god I’m in a harem,” Hiro groaned as he slumped against her.

“Damn right you are!” She giggled out as she reached for him and pulled her closer. With her lips close to his ears, she whispered to him, “And I’m planning on making sure she knows that she’s in it now for the long haul later tonight.~ I did promise to give you a good time after that job didn’t I? A bit belated but it’s going to be so much more fun now that we have an audience.” She enjoyed the way her boyfriend turned just as red as Kiriko from earlier.

Their peace alone together would soon be disturbed as the butler came back holding a tray of coffee and some cookies with him. He quirked an eyebrow at how red Hiro was along with the lonely geta left behind by Kiriko in her haste to get away, “Did I miss something? Also, here’s your double espresso shot and some biscuits, miss.” He asked before offering Rebecca the drink and snacks she had been promised.

Reluctantly, she pried herself off Hiro as she grabbed the small glass and a handful of cookies to munch on before answering, “Oh nothing. Just me having fun with my boyfriend and his new bodyguard.~”

She chewed on the sweet treats, enjoying the crisps crust hiding away the chewy interior. The sweet, smooth taste of the large chocolate chunks only enhanced the cookie. She made sure Hiro had a taste as she pressed one up against his lips. He all too happily chomped on one and chewed away as she finally took a sip of her coffee. It might have been a bad idea as she was immediately assaulted by the strong bitter taste of it. She winced as any tiredness in her eyes quickly melted away as soon as the sip she had hit her stomach. She dared take more sips and each time she found it more and more agreeable. There was the lack of that sour taste she usually tasted in her can of coffee and there was nothing but the smoothness and richness of the black gold that now filled her mouth.

All the while, Walter merely gave them a flat look before a knowing smile stretched across his face. Collecting her cup and giving her the rest of the cookies in a silken pouch, he left them to their own devices but not before leaving a parting comment for them, “... Please don’t forget to stay hydrated, young master,”

“Walter!” Hiro shouted out as he gave the man a scandalized look but that only served to make the smirk that the older man sported all the wider.

“You’re a fucking ass, but I like you!” Rebecca snorted out as slipped the bag of cookies she had in her sleeve.

“I get that a lot, miss. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll arrange your room at a nearby hotel. I’m sure the master would appreciate the peace and quiet later tonight,” The man snarked out as he gestured towards the estate just as he slipped out of view.

“Make sure that’s a room for three if you will, Jeeves.” Rebecca made sure to add as they weren’t going to be alone. Kiriko was going to be Hiro’s shadow after all and she was going to put that to the test with what she had stored for his input tonight.

Rebecca pulled on her input, eager to get away from the place so she could have some privacy with him but not before she picked up her newest companion.

Hiro gave her a surprised look before asking, “Wait, you’re really going to take the duck?”

“Why would I leave Subaru behind?” She asked back as the duck quacked happily as it got itself comfortable in her hands.

Of course, they had to leave Subaru in the care of a pet caretaker as the hotel that Walter reserved for them was not pet friendly but, once they had their newest pet properly taken care of, the couple along with Kiriko would find themselves in a large private suite. There, things got a whole lot steamier and she got to know just how dedicated Kiriko was to shadowing Hiro.

-x-x-x

The sun had set in Tokyo City but Rebecca’s day had only begun as she sauntered up to her boyfriend. He fidgeted there on the edge of the bed while he was clad with nothing more than a pair of boxers. She licked her lips as she stalked forward, her gaze firmly upon his lean form. He gulped as she got right in front of him, his eyes locked on to her form as his member pitched a tent on his tight shorts. With her prey having no place to run, she loosened up her obi and let her kimono slide down her shoulder till it was barely held in place.

She smirked as stepped on the edge of the bed, her feet right in between his legs. With her thighs parting the skirt of her Kimino, she allowed him a tentative glimpse down below, “I’ve been waiting for this all month long,~” She whispered before she pushed him down on the soft sheets of their bed.

She clambered atop him, hands pressed atop her chest before she slowly traced down. She breathed out as she grabbed on to the hem of his shorts, her gaze landing on the large shape just hidden beneath the thin fabric. Biting her lip, she pulled down and gasped as she went face to face with a veiny monster.

She grinned as reached up to the shaft and marveled at how she couldn’t fully grasp her boyfriend's member. She gave it a squeeze before gently stroking it, feeling nothing but hot rigid flesh beneath her grasp, “My my~ Why have you been hiding this from me? Must have taken you a while to give it a natural shape.” She giggled out as his precum dribbled down its length.

“The only enhancements I have are within,” He groaned out as the member in her hands bucked like a wild animal. Indeed, there was not a trace of chrome visible outside nor any scars along her toy's length. It was only when she cupped his heavy stones did she feel any.

“A breeder, huh? I’m going to enjoy this.” She whispered back as she ran his tongue across the length of his cock, tracing the veins before kissing the very tip of the swollen head. She licked her lips and enjoyed the sweet taste and allowed the slimy precum to coat her tongue. Generous dollops of the liquid quickly coated her hands as she stroked its length while teasing the tip.

Inch by inch, she pressed forward. Her lips wrapped around the tip of his cock as she took his length in. Her tongue swirled around the tip as she opened wide for his length. Pulling her hands away from his length, she then grabbed onto his thighs. With one smooth motion, she pushed down, swallowing as much of his cock as she could.

Her eyes watered and she almost gagged at how his huge length hit the back of her throat but she soldiered on, purring as she pulled back before pushing down further. With precum coating her mouth and throat, she pressed on. She moaned as she felt her throat stretch out for his length.

Hiro let out a groan of pleasure as she bobbed up and down his length, licking and sucking on every last inch. She gazed up at him, smirking around his length before upping up the ante. The wet sound of slurping and sucking filled the room as Rebecca stroked herself. The heady feeling along with the feminine moans coming from above pushing her and Hiro to the edge. His cock was throbbing like crazy as she drank every last bit of precum flowing out of his cock. She felt his cock bulge and his body tensing as he finally pushed him over the edge.

She pressed down, kissing the base of his cock as a veritable deluge of cum came pouring down her throat. She held on as she audibly gulped down his spunk and enjoyed every last drop of it as it filled her stomach with its warmth. It went on for a solid minute until it finally abated.

Slowly, she pulled away as she made sure to scrape off every last drop of his cum with her tongue. She came off with a pop as she covered her mouth while she licked her lips clean. “Thank you for the meal,~” She complimented her partner as she left him panting and red faced.

Still, his cock remained erect and she had an itch just waiting to be scratched. She climbed atop him, straddling him as she started grinding against his length. Her dripping wet slit pressed against his length and it jumped up in need, “Someone’s certainly excited,” She said as she bit down on her lip.

Getting up, she lined herself up the tip of his length as it stood in full mast. It stood erect as it pressed up the lips of her pussy, jumping and throbbing at every movement she made. Still, she kept on teasing him, stopping herself just short of taking him in. “Beg for it Hiro,~ show me just how much you want it,” She ordered him as she leaned down and grabbed on to his wrist.

“Please! Please let me fill you up,~” He groaned as his eyes gazed up to her in need.

“Good boy,~” She praised him before she suddenly slammed her hips down. She took in a sharp breath as he felt his cock rip through her pussy and batter the entrance of her womb. Her legs felt like jelly at the sudden jolt of pleasure but she quickly found her stride.

She bit back a moan as she pulled up; the large bulbous head dragging along the walls of her pussy and sending thrills of pleasure up her core before it came rushing back in as she pushed back down. She gasped out as his cock pressed up her womb while she sat atop him.

She started out slow, but took his length in hard. His cock rocked her core each time she moved. Each thrust spurred her on, each world shaking bounce that had her seeing double had her upping the pace. She leaned down on his wrists and held on to him for her dear life as her steady pace turned to that of a frantic and hurried one.

She moaned out loudly as he started thrusting up at her, meeting her hips and matching her pace. She panted as her arms shakily held back his hands to no avail. He fought back and now it was her turn to be restrained as he broke free of his grasp and held her hands up above her head. Her protests would quickly be silenced as he pressed his lips against hers, drowning out her thoughts as both of them were pulled into a hot searing kiss.

They held onto each other tightly as they fucked each other other with his cock making her see stars as he stretched her to her very limit. She pulled away from her grip and wrapped her hands around his chest before biting down to muffle out her screams of pleasure.

He thrusted harder, slamming his cock in as deep as he could and Rebecca’s eyes up as he had her gushing out like a leaking faucet. She seized up as blinding white pleasure ripped through her body. Like electricity, it spread out from her core to the very tip of her toe. She orgasmed hard and Hiro came with her.

She clamped down, squeezing his cock for all he was worth as it slammed deeply inside her. She clawed at his back as thick fat ropes of cum came rushing in her womb. Hot sticky cum quickly filled her as the tip of his cock pressed hard against her cervix. She could feel him unloading everything, quickly filling her until there was no more room inside her womb.

They held onto each, panting and gasping for air at their shared orgasm while refusing to pull away from each other. Their own voice was shared by another, more restrained but far needier one behind them, “You know, you can join in,” Rebecca teased the girl behind them as she heard her squeak.

“I know you’ve been hiding there all this time. You are my boyfriend's shadow after all.” Rebecca added, letting their voyeur in on the secret. There was some silence as Hiro looked around until his gaze locked on to someone. She then turned around and found herself face to face with a sweaty and needy Kunoichi.

“I-I’m sorry. I can’t go away,” The girl finally showed up and she was practically soaking in her own sweat. Even in the dark, she could still see how the girl's fingers glistend while a small pool of the girl's own orgasm dripped down on the marvel floor. Kiriko kept stealing glances at them even as she tried to look away.

“Aww, you don’t have to be shy,~” Rebecca cooed out as she turned back to her boyfriend. “Hiro, do you want her to join in? You are her master after all and all you have to say is yes,” she reminded him. Even when the girl could have bolted away, she remained there rooted as her gaze turned towards them. There was confusion in her eyes but, more importantly, she was hot and bothered with her nipples poking her tight outfit.

Hiro bit his lips, looking conflicted at the girl but eventually, he gave in. “Yes. Kiriko, would you like to join us?” He asked her and the girl nodded all too eagerly.

“Why don’t you help me clean my boyfriend up~?” She asked her as she got off Hiro’s cock. Long strings of cum poured out of pussy and right at his cock. Turning around and sitting atop him with her pussy sandwiching her cock, she gazed up at the girl and invited her in for a closer taste.

Kiriko didn’t need to be told twice as she got on top of the bed and crawled up to them. The girl shakily leaned down to Hiro’s cock and started licking him clean. There was uncertainty as she fumbled around but she was eager in lapping up every last bit of their orgasm.

“There you go,~ swallow it all.” She egged her on, encouraging her as the last bit of cum was licked from his length before she moved onto her. She bit back a moan as the girl licked her clit before she started gulping down the cum inside her.

“Easy there,~ now, I want you to lay down.” Rebecca said as she pulled the girl away as the kunoichi looked up to her with glazed eyes. Reluctantly, the girl pulled away and laid down and Rebecca grabbed onto her thighs. “Open up.” She commanded her as the girl spread her legs wide, showing off her dexterity in a perfect split.

She tore the girl’s tights and opened up a hole, exposing her down below. The girl's clean shaven pussy was a sight to behold as it glistened and dripped with need. Rebecca didn’t waste any more time as she dove down and started eating her out. The girl's beautiful moans joined Rebecca’s own as Hiro plowed her from behind.

Rebecca had Kiriko writhing beneath her as she ate her out. Her tongue swirling around and darting deep inside before slipping out to tease her clit. Kiriko was moaning loudly, letting her voice be heard by all. Rebecca enjoyed every last cry she made.

Just as Hiro was about to thrust back in, Rebecca stopped him, earning her some questioning looks. She merely smiled as she pulled off and slid behind Kiriko. Holding the girl upland spreading her legs wide. “She’s ready,~” She replied as she reached down and parted thet girls snatch for him. Kiriko let out a throaty moan as Rebecca’s finger dipped and made sure she was ready for Hiro.

Kiriko cried out loudly as Hiro plowed her. Rebecca pulled her man close, locking lips with him as Kiriko writhe between them, “Come on Hiro,~ harder!” She encouraged him as he plowed the bustier girl. Rebecca pulled the girls top down, showing off the generous chest she had hidden beneath and knead them.

“He’s splitting me apart!” The girl panted out as Rebecca pulled away from Hiro and kissed Kiriko with equal passion. She felt the girl seize up beneath Hiro as her legs failed around but Hiro kept on going.

She made the girl turn around, making her bend over as Hiro grabbed onto the girl's shapely rear, before forcing her mouth inside her cum filled pussy. Rebecca bit her lips as she watched her man fuck the girl between them into a stupor. The girl whimpered as Hiro slammed his cock in deep, pressing hard against the girl's ass. The woman's eyes rolled up their sockets as cum leaked from between their legs.

Rebecca chuckled as she waited for Hiro to finish inside before pulling the girl away. “Come on,~ don’t tell me you're giving up. We still have a long night to go!” Rebecca purred out as she threw herself at her man while she allowed the girl to recover.

They kept going, swapping between each other as they milked Hiro of every last drop of cum. His implants showed their worth as Hiro only needed to top on some drinks and he was back in the game. It wouldn’t be until much later that they stopped and by then Rebecca was more than satisfied.

Rebecca leaned against the headrest of the large king sized bed as she basked in the afterglow of their love making. To her right was Hiro who had passed out earlier and to her left was a very disheveled looking and wide eyed Kiriko as she clutched the blanket to preserve what little dignity she had left. She snorted in amusement at how red the girl's cheeks were despite how she had acted earlier, “Oh come on, it wasn’t that bad was it?” She prodded her, turning to the girl with a smirk on her face.

“W-was I supposed to join in?” The girl asked, bewildered at what had just happened. The girl was still shaking and the smell of cum clearly clung to him but despite that, she still looked confused.

“Honey, I’m not sure what his grandfather told you but just considered it a job well done,~” Rebecca gave the girl a pat before she plopped down. As ravenous was her sexual appetite, Hiro kept up and wore her out. She wanted nothing more than to sleep.

“I was asked to seduce him if possible but I didn’t expect it to end like this!” The girl admitted, exclaiming at the state she had found herself.

Rebecca snorted as she gave her a once over once more. The girl was glistening with sweat with sexual fluids clinging to the girl's toned body. The wet spot on the sheets between where the other girl's legs were and the smell of cum had her core burning once more. She was worn out but a midnight snack wouldn’t hurt.

“Like I said, I’m more than happy to have you in bed. Now, how about I give you something back in return?~” Rebecca whispered as she slipped beneath the covers as grabbed onto the girl.

“There’s no need for that Becca, I assure youuuuuu! Oh my god! Oh fuck~” The woman cried out as Rebecca latched on to her and enjoyed the sweet taste of Hiro’s cum coating her tongue.

It would be late in the night before Rebecca would find some sleep, but not before she had two very tired partners cling to her as they laid together in bed. With a satisfied grin on her face, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. She just had the most stressful of days and most wonderful of nights. She believed that she had the right to a good night's sleep and so she drifted off the land of dreams.

-x-x-x-

It was the day after a night of fun and now Rebecca would find herself sandwiched between two clingy cuddle bugs as the light of day made itself known with a beam of light shining from the nearby window. For a second, she debated on just staying in bed. The feeling of the silken sheets along with the arms of Hiro and Kirko around her bare form almost made her eyelids shut close and lull her back to sleep but her parched throat and grumbling stomach made itself known to her.

Carefully, she slid down from between her two partners and out of the bed. She winced a bit at the feeling of the cold air against her bare feet, but she shouldered on and soon she was free from the grasp of the two. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she looked back and watched as the two shifted closer to each other now that she was away. She smirked as she watched Kiriko pull Hiro close to her and bury him face first between her chest.

“My job here is done,~” She whispered as she jumped off their shared bed to get started for the day. Grabbing the half empty energy drink she left by the night stand, she navigated around the tangle of clothes they left behind on the floor as she made her way to the bathroom. A quick rinse of hot water was all she needed to freshen up and now all she wanted to do was eat.

“Now, where the hells the vending machine?” she muttered out as she tied her bathrobe to keep herself decent. She made a beeline for the nearby kitchenette attached to the small dining area of their large suite in search of something to eat. The fridge only yielded some snacks and a whole lot of fresh, but raw, ingredients for her to use but no pre-prepared and packed meals. “I could use an XXL Burrito right now but I doubt they have that stocked here,” she grumbled out as she continued her search.

She eventually found herself a touch screen panel attached to the kitchen counter. Tapping the device, it lit up showing her a selection of services that the hotel offered. It was a rather intuitive but old school display showing what they had in store. From cleaning, laundry down to valet and even cooking. She quietly debated on whether or not it was worth having people over but the rumbling of her stomach won out in the end.

Pressing the button, she jumped back in surprise at a panel in the roof of the kitchenette. She grabbed a bread knife and pointed it at the turret that popped down but it turned out to be nothing more than a round bot with a pair of mechanical hands. Moving around through the rail guides atop the room, it went about gathering ingredients before chopping them up with an impressive display of dexterity and speed.
She sat down, watching transfixed to the machine as it tossed rice in a large steel wok while it cooked over a jet burner. The sizzling of meats, vegetables and rice filled the air with its savory scent. It was one thing to watch someone cook things and it’s another to see it in person. She jumped a bit in surprise as she felt hands wrap around her stomach.

She turned around and found Hiro hugging her while Kiriko made tea for two while she started grinding up some roasted coffee beans, “I would have whipped something up but the bot beat me to the punch,” he mumbled out sleepily even when his hair was still wet and smelt of flowers.

“How do you like your coffee? Espresso, Americano, Latte?” Kiriko asked as she scooped up the coffee powder and loaded it up to a machine.

“What’s the difference?” Rebecca yawned out. In the end, it was just coffee. It was going to wake her up one way or another.

“Well, it’s just a choice of what you want to add to an Espresso shot. Do you want to water it down, add in milk, add chocolate, add in milk foam and things like that.” Kiriko helpfully explained and Rebecca’s expression twisted to that of disgust at the thought of further watering down coffee with water. She had enough cheap, watery coffee from the vending machines, thank you very much!

“Well, give me the strongest you've got. I think that’s what Walter gave me.” She requested as her mouth watered at the thought of the strong coffee. It was bitter as hell but it grew on her and all she wanted to do was drink more of it.

“Double Shot Espresso it is then!” Kiriko chimed out as she prepared the coffee but not before handing Hiro his cup of black tea mixed in with a generous helping of milk and nothing else. With how dark it was, Rebecca would have mistaken it for some coffee blend if not for the lack of the distinct aromatic scent that all coffee drinks had regardless of quality.

“You really love your boiled tea leaves don’t you?” Rebecca lightly heartedly jabbed at Hiro as he savored his hot drink.

“I can say the same to your roasted bean soup,” Hiro quipped back as Kiriko offered her that espresso she so desperately needed before she sat down with them. There, around the kitchen counter, they enjoyed each other's company as they relished the flavor and scent of their respective drinks while the bot started serving their breakfast.

They made small talk, nothing too serious, while Rebecca chewed on her food, her mind drifting back to yesterday’s meeting, “Did your grandfather really approve of me?” She then asked, wondering just how the old man approved of her. So swept up was she with the relief she felt from yesterday and her meeting with Kiriko that she hadn’t really inquired more about what happened behind closed doors.

Rebecca frowned as Hiro sighed out. Setting down his fork, he then admitted, “No, he approved of you being a mistress but not a wife,” Rebecca’s eyebrow rose up as the weight that had settled on her shoulder was lifted as soon as it came.

“Eh, I’m fine with that,” Rebecca waved off his concern as she gave him a quick peck on the lips.

He kissed back, still frowning and absorbed in his own melancholy as he continued, “But it’s not like I’m going to marry anyone in the-! Wait, what?” He looked at her with shock clearly painted over his face. She rolled her eyes at his bewildered look before she glanced over to Kiriko.

“Kiriko, give our input here a reminder on why I don’t care?” Rebecca commanded and Kiriko happily complied as he gave the boy a kiss on the cheeks. Hiro looked at Kiriko before looking back at Rebecca as she gave Kiriko a pat on the head. There was a hierarchy in this relationship and she had established it pretty clearly.

“Heh, remember who’s harem this is and I doubt your grandfather would let anyone short of drop dead gorgeous near you as little miss kunoichi and I could attest. Like damn, you can bounce a bullet on that ass,” She reminded Hiro before giving Kiriko a slap on the ass. The girl straightened up before lightly glaring at her.

“Even after I slept with you, I still can’t get over how brazen you are,” The girl huffed out as she turned her nose up and away from her while a light dusting of pink colored her cheeks.

“Heh. Get used to it cupcake,~” She cackled, thoroughly enjoying herself now that she was surrounded by those that she loved.

“But-” Her well meaning but rather pig headed input tried to protest but she shut him up before he would spiral down.

“No buts. It’s as if I need a piece of paper telling me that my boyfriend is my other half.” She scoffed out. All she needed was Kiriko and Hiro and she was fine. In the end, the things written on those papers served as a way to formalize things but she could go without it.

He looked over to Kiriko before back to her in bafflement but that quickly gave in to bemusement as he chuckled out and shook his head. She glanced over to Kiriko and the girl looked back and they both laughed out loud. The man they both shared could be quite the worrywart.

“Now that it's pretty much confirmed your old man’s not going to be breathing down on my shoulder anytime soon, I think we can even be more explicit with how we love each other,” She purred out as she nuzzled up against him.

“I doubt that anything’s going to top how you had your way with both of us at the same time if I might add,” He stressed out, making sure that he knew damn well how she had fun with both of them and she just grinned back in response.

“You’ve seen nothing yet,~ besides, aren’t you interested in having a few more bodies warming the bed?” Rebecca offered, giving him a tantalizing view of what he could have. She was quite familiar with the dreams of men given her role models were joytoy’s and she couldn’t fault them as she too dreamed of it.

“When we get back to Night City, please don't drag all the girls that catch your fancy into our bed. Kiriko is one thing but eventually, it’ll be too much of a handful,” The boy relented and Rebecca cheered as it was all but official.

“I’m not making any promises,~ don’t worry though, I’m a bit picky. Now, tell me about this Korean girl you had in your sports team,~” She teased him.

“...Damn it. Why do I have a feeling you’ll eventually drag someone in our bed whom we just had a fire fight with?” He mused out loudly. Rebecca merely giggled as she pressed herself against him. She had the best boyfriend in the world and she promised to herself once more that she was going to be damn sure that he’d feel love. With their eventual return back to Night City, she could think of a few ways like supporting his dream but for now, she just wants to chat and further connect with their new girlfriend.

-x-x-x-

Back in night city, a certain blonde would find herself waking up to the cold and spartan apartment of her current lover. She grimaced as she got from her seat and grabbed a nearby towel. Even while wearing some state of the art suit to vent all the excess heat, she still worked up quite the sweat.

“Here,” Growled out her lover's mechanical voice as she found a bottle of sports drinked offered to her. She gazed up at her monstrous lover who gazed at her with those cold red eyes that never failed to send shivers of fear down her spine.

“You’re oddly sweet when you want to be, you know that?” She commented as she extended the straw and connected it to her mouth piece. Still, despite how cold and distant he was, he could act human. It was all an illusion but a sweet illusion she can lose herself in.

“I aim to please,” The man snarked, making her snort out in amusement.

“In more than one way,” She added as she walked up to him and sat down on his lap.

She leaned up against him, feeling his hard metal body against her own. At first, she felt afraid but now she found comfort in his hold. She felt like she was surrounded by living metal, ready to rip and tear apart at anything that might get near. She had to admit, it also felt akin to having one’s head inside the jaw of a dangerous beast but it only made the thrill of the moment all the sweeter.

“She keeps running away,” She vented, letting Smasher of all people hear her woes.

“And she’s going to keep running away. Your brat’s afraid,” The man listened and he answered. She sighed out as he leaned against his arms, holding on to them and finding comfort in the hard cables of artificial muscle serving as his biceps. Like she said, he can be sweet in his own little way.

“I know, I know but it’s just so frustrating seeing her throw her life away just because she’s afraid,” She complained.

“So long as my ward keeps me away from her, she'll live,” Her man replied coldly, making her scoff as she pulled her hands away and crossed her arms across her chest.

“You're such a horrible monster you know that?” She pointed as she glared up at him.

“Yet you still keep coming back,” He answered back with what she could only assume was with sadistic glee. She growled as she turned around and straddled him with her legs wrapping around his hips.

“Just shut up and fuck me already. I swear, you have some chrome that keeps getting me all hot and bothered. You're lucky that I can’t just stop wanting you.” She growled out as she reached up and pulled him down to her. He grabbed on her ass as he stood up and pressed her against the wall. She bit back a scream as he grabbed her hands and roughly held them above her head. She shivered as he leaned close to her with the points in his jaw running against her neck. Her legs felt like jelly yet her core ached with need.

“So you say.” He whispered to her as she let him have his way. She hated how much she needed him but with the hole in her heart, she clung to anything that kept her busy even if it was the monster that everyone feared.

A/N:

Finally got the chance to write that lewd and it's a threesome at that! The journey here might have been a bit rough but finally got to the part that made me want to write this story. Truly, Becca is best girl as she is the harem protagonist of this story. I'll be updating the looks of characters soon cause I've been lazing about that. Really need to show you guys the cuteness of Kiriko and the updated look of the other characters. With Rebecca's romance arc finished, it's finally time to move to the next phase. Who's ready to see a city burn?

With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for keeping me inspired as I really can't do ideas well if I don't have someone to soundboard it. I'd also want to thank my Patrons once again. You guys are the best! Consider dropping by my Patreon page and became a patron today to support me so I can keep on making these types of fics. It means a lot to me to keep on working on my fics. I also have also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star for those who do not like Patreon.

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[SirBearington]

Act 2 Chapter 1

If somebody told Rebecca 3 months ago that she’d be both the personal executioner and mistress of a big shot in Arasaka, she would have shot them in the head and burned their bodies for good measure for insulting her. It was supposed to be an impossibility, yet life had a funny way of turning people’s expectations upside down. Just a few months ago, she was just another solo from the mean streets of Night City but things took a turn for the better when she met her boyfriend.

She let out a whoop of joy as she sailed through the air. Her hair whipped around her as she passed by some aerodyne before she landed against the side of a building. The gauntlet of her armor clamped down on a ledge before she launched herself to another building. The Gothic structures dominating the city skyline helped her move around as she leapt from one building to another with the grace of a big cat on the prowl without leaving neither mark or crack upon the stone masonry even with the heavy armor she wore.

The experimental power armor she wore was bulky, with large ceramite plates hugging her figure. The large pauldrons and the solid chest plate that might have given her a few more inches in the bust made her look more like a knight of old, or maybe a crusader with the halo behind her head, but it suited her just fine as she’d never felt so powerful in her life. She could feel every little tactile detail as she moved with but a thought. This armor was just as much a part of her now, with it being hooked up to her spine, as her limbs were. The rush of flying through the air was intense, enough that she could almost lose herself in the motion; it was almost perfect.

“Oye chiquita, hurry your fat ass over here. We don’t have all night!” But someone had to ruin her good mood as her old crew’s newest Netrunner made herself known through the coms just as she landed on the rooftop of the building beside her target tonight.

The large blocky building across the street stood in stark contrast to the newer buildings around it. The old dilapidated apartment looked like it had seen better days and could use a whole new coat of paint, but thanks to its proximity to the industrial complex of Santo Domingo and the hell hole that was Pacifica it stood there abandoned and left to rot. The building she was on was only half as tall as the old megablock in front of her, but it suited her just fine as she had a great vantage point to observe the floors before her.

“Yeah, yeah, just got here. Don’t get your panties all in a twist.” She grumbled as she hid in the shadows while she snuck towards the side of the building and peered down on the alley below. There she’d find the car of the crew with a certain young latina and her distinct purple highlights sitting atop, twirling her submachine gun. Noticing her, Sombra looked up and blew raspberries at her. Rebecca rolled her eyes as she flipped the bird at the girl; to think that she saved this bitch.

“So unprofessional. To think your input could have chosen a better mistress,~” The girl scathingly sniped at her which had her gritting her teeth. What’s worse was this girl was interested in her man. Who knew that changing the gender of a Valentino didn’t change how they acted.

“Oh fuck off you bitch,” She growled out warningly. She pulled off the heavy bolter on her back and rested it up against her shoulder as she glared daggers at the teen.

“Knock it off you two, we have a job to do. Becca, easy on the newbie. Sombra, show some respect. Becca’s here cause we need the firepower and I don’t want you mouthing off on her when you damn well know what she’s packing,” Maine scolded them as he reminded them why they were there. As tempting as shooting Sombra was, she was still the groups new Netrunner, and their only netrunner tonight with Kiwi being busy with her boytoy. She shuddered at the thought of all the things Kiwi could be doing; all the hand holding and petting did not fit Adam’s image one bit.

“Sheesh, I’m only joking,” The brat replied petulantly. “You know we can do this on our own. Don’t know why you insist on having her tag along,” She complained which made Rebecca’s eyes twitch.

“Just a gut feeling,” Maine answered laconically. Rebecca turned as her eyes caught the sight of the large man hiding in the alley beside the abandoned complex along with Dorio, Pilar and some of the newer kids that they pulled into the gang while she was away. The building in front of them might have appeared harmless at first glance, but there were dozens of guards peering from the windows and balconies of the building.

“Fine, it’s not like I have the time to argue when our targets are already here,” The girl muttered as Rebecca saw three cars roll up to the entrance of the building. She squinted as her chrome focused on the people that got out of the car. With their old fashioned desert camo and tactical gear, the unmistakable goons of the 6th street were out in force, though it wasn’t their presence that caught her eyes but rather the large coffin like boxes with the marks of Arasaka printed on their surface that they were lugging inside.

“Remember, our job here is to retrieve the stolen cargo. The 6th street has just stolen another cargo right from under Arasaka’s noses. We don’t know how they managed to acquire the schedule of those trucks, but we’re here to correct that little issue. Let the in-house investigators do their job,” Maine stated, reminding them of why they were here.

“We need eyes inside, Sombra.” Maine then ordered as Rebecca waited for the girl to do her job. As much as her trigger finger itched and the desire to give in to the urge just start shooting the fuckers they were after rose, it was best not to spook them and have them scatter like rats. “We need to kill every last one of these fuckers,” Maine emphasized.

“Just point me at them and I’ll take care of it,” Rebecca replied, grinning as she started settling up her gun. She lifted up the large heavy belt into the feed before resting it on an old air conditioning unit. Using the block as both cover and a platform, she waited for their netrunner to give them a readout.

“Sorry chief, the place is as analog as you can get, but I got them all in my Ping,” Sombra reported as the outline of the guards filled her vision. The Valentina whistled at the amount of warm bodies filling the building. There was one on every floor. They were quite spread out as well; hiding in rooms and around the corners of the building.

“Man, they're not kidding around here,” The girl murmured as the whole gang seemed to be there before she added, “All of them are packing heat though, some of them are armed with low tech stuff… like AK-74’s? Like who the hell still uses those?” The girl asked, confused and incredulous about the choice of weapon those inside had.
“Hey, don’t diss the classics. There's a reason why those are still around,” Pillar piped up through the channel as Rebecca watched him pull out something from his bag. Maine motioned for Dorio before she took off deeper in the alley with some of the fresh meat.

The netrunner scoffed but didn’t argue any further as she continued, “We have some runners on each floor supporting these fuckers. Isn’t this a lovely little hornet nest we happened upon? Something doesn’t feel right though, there’s not enough guards around,” Rebecca nodded at that. The way that they were sparsely spaced out felt fishy as well.

She took in a deep breath as she closed her eyes before she dipped into the immaterium. She felt herself slip off her body as she took a short dip in the sea of souls. She stared into the hazy warp as she watched the entire building lit up like a christmas tree; there they were. Pushing herself back in, she said, “There’s twice as many people there than what the scan showed. Probably some netrunners hiding the signatures of people inside.”

“Shit, they know we’re here,” Sombra cursed out.

“I don’t like the sound of that. This is sounding more like a trap than a weapon’s deal,” Dorio grumbled.

“Should we call it off?” One of the newbies suggested. A failed job is far better than having more holes than they started off but…

“Trap or not, those Bolters I’m seeing here are very real. Besides, I think I can handle it,” Rebecca replied confidently as her enhanced vision saw the outline of the heavy weaponry being pulled out of one of the coffins as the weapon deal was starting in one of the floors above the weapons platform. Thankfully, she could see them inside the room through the window facing her.

She pursed her lips as she watched them inspect the guns from her vantage point. Some weapons were starting to go missing in certain deliveries and it was getting worrying. At least now they know where some of them were heading.

“Rebecca, Pillar, think you two can make a distraction?” Maine asked them, which had Rebecca grinning out like a loon.

“Do you have to ask?” Pilar answered, mirroring her sentiment. Her smile didn’t lessen as she aimed her sights at the weapons platform. There was several feet of cheap concrete and sheet metal between her and her targets. It was plenty enough cover for most guns, but not for her baby right here.

“Just give the signal and I’ll light them up,” She purred out as she caressed the trigger, just waiting for the right time. Her blood sang at the prospect of violence but she stayed her hands for now, not wanting to ruin the trap just yet.

“Pilar, get those krakk grenades ready, we’re going in hot.” Maine ordered. Pilar cackled as he pulled out a bundle of the explosives that was held together with duct tape. It was an ugly thing, yet it was more than enough for what they needed.

“This’ll blow them sky high!” Pilar laughed as he pulled the pin of the bundle he made. With a mighty throw, he had it arc across the air before it landed atop one of the cars. It landed with a loud clang as it dented the top of the car before it rolled off to the side.

“Fuck, take co-” One of the men guarding the entrance shouted before he was drowned out by a resounding boom. The three cars were quickly reduced to burning wrecks as Maine and Pilar rushed out of their cover and headed for the entrance guns blazing. Even Sombra was in on the fun as she rushed out and sent debilitating quick hacks at the disoriented guards on the balconies.

“Go go go!” Maine shouted as he bodied the door open and started firing at the people inside.
Rebecca laughed as she laid down suppressing fire. Her gun barked loudly as the 1.00 caliber rounds came roaring out of the barrel of her gun and punched through the building. Old concrete and cheap steel were shredded as the bullets exploded in a shower of fragments. The red mist that came with each shot had her giggling as she cleared as much of the opposition as she could.

She might have been a bit mean as she focused on the people that Sombra was crippling, “Oy! Quit kill stealing!” The girl shouted as Rebecca rained hell on the enemies ahead of the girl.

“Well sorry, It’s not my fault that you’re way too slow,” She snickered out as she helped Maine and the others the best that she could. Their enemies were starting to wise up as they headed as far away from the windows as they could, but it only delayed the inevitable. Eventually, however, she’d run out of rounds and that’s just when she saw an aerodyne heading towards them. It wasn’t a police vehicle nor Arasaka backup. She cursed as they landed out of her sight. With the crates being hauled up stairs, she had to think quickly.

“They’re going to escape! Heading inside,” Rebecca shouted as she set her weapon down. She stood up and backed away from the ledge as she prepared herself, psyching herself up and checking all her chrome before she pulled out two bolters. Systems were green and ready for action and her guns were locked and loaded.

“You got this Bee, we’ll keep them tied up here!” Shouted Dorio amidst the sound of gun fire.

She could feel the power plant attached to her back whir to life as she knelt down to a runner’s start. The roof beneath her cracked as she started sprinting, dashing across the rooftop as fast as she could. The gap between her vantage point and the building was vast, as far as a 4 lane highway, yet she pressed on, grinning as the edge quickly came into view once more.
She bent her legs low, letting the motors of her armor push her off the roof with an explosion of concrete. Rebecca jumped and sailed through the air. Shielding her eyes, she crashed into the glass window before she rolled to a stop. Surrounded by heavily armed goons with surprise painted across their face, she grinned as she whipped out her Bolters and aimed.

“Surprise~!” She laughed out as she squeezed the trigger and fired indiscriminately, the deep heavy booms of her gun echoing through the room before it was joined by cries of pain and the sound of splattering gore across the walls. With no one left alive she rushed for the door.

She kicked the heavy metal door off its hinges, squishing a goon dead, before a grenade rolled up to her, but her armor was quick enough to kick it away back to the sender. She savored their look of horror as she aimed her gun at the grenade before firing, sending up a dust cloud and obscuring her vision.

“Is that all you got!?” She shouted with a feral grin stretched across her face before she was answered by a staccato of high caliber gunfire. Light flashed in front of her as the Halo she had on her back lit up with a crackle of electric arcs. She walked through the dust cloud as her armor took all the gun fire heading her way. The system shrugged off both gun and cannon fire, allowing her to reload without worry.

“Should have brought something bigger!” Rebecca shouted as she continued her carnage. She dashed along the corridor, firing rounds after round at the people ahead of her. One shot was more than enough even for the toughest of goons. She only paused when Maine cried out in pain.

“Maine! Fucking hell, why the hell are they packing Microwave guns! This isn’t MaxTac!” Pilar shouted while the crack of lasguns filled the background.The pained cries of their lead distracted her long enough that a goon rushed up to her with his rifle butt heading straight for her face.

She grit her teeth as she sidestepped before jamming the barrel of her gun against his face and firing, “Fuck, you need back up!?” She shouted as she glanced over to the stairwell up ahead.

“Finish the job, I have Maine covered!” Dorio shouted over the coms.

With the sound of the aerodyne firing up, she had no time to lose. Bursting into the rooftop, she found herself pelted by heavy machine gun fire. The loud roar of the gun mixed in with the flashes obscured her vision making it hard to aim. She roared out as she headed straight for the car. The panicked cries were drowned out as fire enveloped her form.

Without a second of hesitation, she flung herself at the airborne car. There was a loud explosion before her ride came crashing down. Tearing through the side of the car, she laughed before bracing herself. They landed with a loud bang and screech as the car dragged along the street; aside from her fellow occupants everything inside was all in one piece by the time the vehicle stopped rolling and destroying itself on the pavement, which thankfully included the package. She might have gone a bit overboard, but the job was finished.

“Package secured,” She sighed out in relief as the warning alarms of a Trauma Team came blaring outside.

“Alright, keep the package secure while we load Maine in the ambulance,” Dorio ordered as Rebecca pulled herself out of the wreckage and watched the modified Arasaka Arvus Lighter land on the ground. She shook her head as she watched Maine get carried off to the armed transport ship before he was flown off. She had to talk to Hiro about this.
-x-x-x-

“How the hell did netrunners bypass our system? Isn’t it supposed to be impenetrable?!” Shouted one executive as the room descended into anarchy. Rebecca could only grimace as she stood in the shadows behind Hiro while she observed two warring factions at each other's throat. Kiriko wasn’t taking it well as she grimaced at how much shouting was happening inside the dimly lit room.

There were accusations and name calling as the matter of how some of Araska’s most prized weapons were getting in the hands of the gang they were trying to stamp out. Hiro was silent but the way he tapped on the table had her worried.

Sitting beside him was his close cousin, Michiko, who was trying her best to pacify the two factions, “Is this boardroom a place of reason or some schoolyard play area?” The woman admonished them, making even the more vocal ones back down.
“For clarification, it was just the work of one lone netrunner and be reassured that the fault in the system has been fixed. Hanako-senpie patched the issue herself,” An executive sitting opposite to the first one gritted out with a plastic smile.

Sitting beside him was the brooding figure of Hiro’s aunt, Hanako Arasaka. The woman was your typical japanese beauty, long black hair and a demure look yet hiding beneath that facade was the sharpened steel. The woman might have looked serene, but she was anything but with the way she was glaring at Hiro.
There was another Arasaka in the room but he sat by Hanako’s side. The head of security himself and Hiro’s father, Yorinobu Arasaka, were there as well. Rebecca couldn’t help but glare at the man whenever her gaze landed on him as he just sat there, watching and not saying even a single word.

“Just a lone netrunner? Is this the best the Kiji can offer for the company?” Scoffed another causing those from Hanako’s side to bluster.

“Typical of the Hato to shift attention when they have their own shortcomings. How’s the audit for our budget going? Has more been siphoned over to the young master’s black projects?” One particular executive hissed out as the room returned to anarchy. Michiko could only pinch the bridge of her nose as more shouting ensued.

Further accusations of failing on both sides with Hanako’s side claiming mishandling of funds, sabotages in PR performed by those of the Kiji, to name just a few while Hiro’s side shouted accusations of failure to protect R&D members from attacks, more data breaches and even more failings. It seemed like everything bad that could happen was happening and Arasaka was just boiling beneath the surface.

Thankfully for everyone's sake, the meeting had to be cut short as they were getting nowhere and people were getting louder. Finally; she, Hiro, and Kiriko could rest. She plopped down on Hiro’s thigh as he stroked her hair while listening to her complaints while Kiriko brewed some drinks for all of them, “Hiro, something weird is going on,” She muttered as Hiro paused with his petting. She pouted and Hiro snorted as he went back to petting her.

“Weird is an understatement,” Hiro replied as he frowned. They were currently huddled in the breakroom of the Mechanicus’s workshop. The spacious area had more than enough room for them to have their own little corner while the others gave them space to talk in private. With the large window overlooking the city behind them, it was a place to de-stress and relax.

While he did have his own personal workshops, the company’s R&D division had one for large scale work and upscaling. Currently, some of the engineers were fiddling with her armor. The place was packed with people testing all sorts of designs. From household appliances to strange wonderful things like that large electric bubble in the distance. Hooked up to the glowing green core at the center of it all, the bubble hovered there as people threw stuff at it. Rebecca still couldn’t understand how Hiro made something to transfer stuff from the real world to the sea of souls.

“There’s just way too many problems cropping up this month,” Hiro sighed out in frustration. Rebecca looked up to him in concern. Things had been piling up on his end and he could only do so much.

“Way too convenient I tell you, feels like someone’s trying to stir shit but who? Could it be your evil aunt Hanako?” She ranted, wondering if anything about this could be linked to his aunt. Still, there were a lot of things they didn't know and she’d rather not say that out loud where anyone could hear.

“No, or so I think. This is far too hamfisted for her. As much as she loves usings cat’s paws to do her bidding, she values control a lot. The actors in play don't look like they’re dancing to her tune,” Hiro muttered as Kiriko brought them a cup of tea and coffee respectively. Sitting up, she thanked the other girl as all three of them enjoyed their hot drinks. “Hopefully, things on your end aren’t getting weird?” He then asked.

“I wish. Maine got clipped by a microwave gun. Got him pretty bad,” Rebecca replied, shaking her head at that incident. Those things were no joke.

“Huh, never heard a gang packing them. They’re mostly MaxTech’s weaponry,” Hiro remarked. Microwaves were quite the rare tech weapon to find. She didn’t even own one!

“That’s the thing. It’s as if they were expecting him. No one carries those around unless they’re gunning for someone in particular, someone packing quite a lot of chrome,” Rebecca mused. There is Smasher but the guy’s hardened against such weapons… he’s hardened to almost all weapons come to think of it. The goons were also packing some heavy firepower themselves, but that could just be the 6th Street being cautious with Arasaka personnel. “Far too many coincidences. Think this could be related to your situation in the company?” She added as he looked over to him. It was bugging the hell out of her.

“We’ll have to look at this matter more closely…” Hiro hummed out as he took a sip from his cup.

“I do have to warn you both that correlation does not imply causation,” Kiriko then reminded them and Rebecca nodded at that. It could all just be coincidences in the end but she needed some damn answers.

“Still, something is bugging me here,” She answered before she then asked Hiro, “Hey Hiro, I’m going to do some snooping around the other side. It should get my mind off the weirdness of my last job. I also have a gut feeling that whatever is causing all these problems in Arasaka is connected to the Kiji.”

“You know I don’t have the clearance to do any investigations. My father’s the one handling that and while my faction is getting audited and investigated, I can’t say the same of the other factions with him dragging his feet,” Her boyfriend frowned as he was reminded of having to deal with his father.

Rebecca grinned as she replied, “Oh no, I’m not doing a formal investigation. I’m thinking of going to the street, asking around and seeing what’s up. Plus, I do know of a good place to start asking around.~”

“Oh?” Hiro raised an eyebrow as he looked at her inquisitively.

Rebecca smirked as she let them in on a piece of news she had from one of her friends, “Word from my old friends is that Lizzie’s bar is getting quite popular among Arasaka’s middle management and their wives all thanks to that one red carpet walk,” While she didn’t name dropped her friend, all those journo’s snooping around linked the dress she wore back to Lizzie’s bar.

“Maybe I should drop by to give my gal pal some hugs. It’s been a while since I last visited them,” She stated as she looked over to the city behind her. The advertisements of Lizzie’s bar flashing across one of the holographic displays filled her with a sense of pride. If there were any group of people she can turn to to ask for information then it would be Lizzie’s. After all, who else knew more about the city’s secret aside from its sex workers.
-x-x-x-

The sound of gunfire filled the air as David weaved through the street. His chromed up limbs and spine allowing him to move with almost unnatural grace as his bolter barked. Scores of men, hardened Militech agents, died as he and his mentor cleared out a cell that was just recently found.

He gritted his teeth as he hid behind cover and forced his lung to take in large gulps of air. “Fucking hell man! Can’t we just use the training drones in the lab?!” David shouted as he peeked out of his cover and blasted away.

“No. It's best to develop on the battlefield. Anywhere else would lead to you developing bad habits,” The man coldly replied as he passed by him. The scream of the the poor fuckers ahead mixed in with the roar of the borg's chainsaw... He tried his best to drown out the screams before he made his move.
David jumped out of cover as soon as he could, not wanting to be chewed out by his mentor only to freeze up as the gun of a turret came pointing his way. He screamed inside his head as he forced his body to move before the turrets seized up and went slack. He breathed out a sigh of relief as he rushed to where the sound of the fighting was at its loudest.

“You’re doing fine kid, don’t sweat it but be a little more aware,” Adam’s pet netrunner, Kiwi, scolded him.

A little annoyed with how she babied him and told him how cute he was, much to his chagrin especially when Adam glared at him, “Y-yeah, I’ll keep that in-!” He tried to reply only for him to trip on a wire. He screamed in terror as the bomb flashed brightly before his vision turned white and ringing filled his ears.

He was in a daze as he found himself rolling on the floor. He blinked as he noticed his pulped body just a few feet away before he rolled to a stop by his mentor's head. He gulped as Adam picked him up and growled out, “Just when I was having fun. You and I might be built differently but we are not invincible. Don’t worry boy, they can still put you back together.”

He panicked as his vision slowly faded away, darkness clawing at his vision. He reached out for the light, refusing to go down and he screamed. He jolted up right from the chair he was on and patted his body, feeling his chromed up but still very much intact body beneath his neck.

“Martinez! Martinez!” Screamed out a voice as he found himself back in reality with Tanaka shaking him in worry.

“Mr. Martinez, are you alright? Your heart rate suddenly shot up in the middle of the meditation period before this outburst,” The calming voice of his electronic teacher asked him as his classmates looked at him in confusion and concern.

“I-it’s fine, I just had a dream about my internship,” He waved their concern off as he chuckled nervously. He could still feel his heart against his throat but his chrome helped him ease up, rolling back the dial cranking out the adrenaline. He took deep calming breaths just like the program taught him and his heart soon settled down.

“Good, unfortunately the meditation is going to be cut short as it is lunch time. Please gather your things and head for the cafeteria. I heard that they are serving chamomile tea today,” The program announced as class was dismissed. David sighed as he ran his hands across the scar over his scalp, a habit he found himself doing more and more these days as he headed for the door. Some of his usual hanger-ons tried to get him to sit with them but today he wasn’t really feeling like it. Besides, he had some lessons from Tanaka.

“God damn it Martinez, you knew damn well what that internship of yours would entail,” The boy chastised him, criticizing him for his choice of actually taking in Adam fucking Smasher’s offer.

“It’s ok, really. Besides, my grade’s haven't slipped and I’m still alive,” David replied with a reassuring grin as both of them walked down the hallway.

“And here you said I was a masochist. You’re really going for the complete package, huh?” Tanaka asked with a wry grin as the boy slipped his hands on his pockets.

“Best shot I have to the very top,” David answered with a shrug. He was just being a bit realistic here. The road to the top could be very bloody and he’d rather do the dirty deeds than have someone else do it. As dumb as it sounded, he’d rather have things be personal than cold and detached.

“Only you, Martinez, would choose torture training. Only you.” Tanaka scoffed to which David only replied with a grin. As tortuous as it was, he could take it. Besides, just like what his trainer said, he was built different.

A/N:

Errr.... fuck, I knew I forgot something. I'm really sorry about the delay. This kinda got pushed back with all the things I had to do. This chapter also fought me every step of the way (had to rewrite this 3 times just to get it write) had been a pain. I'm really sorry. I'll be posting the next chapter tommorow once I get some proper sleep.

With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for helping me stay positive. I'd also want to thank my Patrons once again. You guys are the best! Please consider dropping by my Patreon page and became a patron today to support me. It means a lot to me if I can keep on working on my fics. I also have also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star for those who do not like Patreon.

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[SirBearington]

Interlude 2

A Day in Night City

Life in Night City wasn’t like what it used to be. It was different, radically so, but in a good way for most. This was the reality that John woke up within in his clean spacious apartment located right inside Watson. Even after all the times he’d peered out of his apartment window while he prepared for the day, he still couldn't believe the change that had happened in the city.

There before him was the same vibrant city that he grew up with; with its neon colored advertisements beaming up to the sky and the never ending stream of vehicles that clogged its streets, but there was a different air to it. Gone were the brutalist buildings of old as the sharp and angular buildings on the Arasaka’s and other corporations dominated the skyline. Some would say that it was the same old Night City with a newer coat of paint, but he digressed.

For a brief second, he closed his eyes as he tried to hear the bark of gunfire in the distance but all he heard was the soft music in his apartment and the whistling of his water kettle. He jumped from his seat as he grabbed the cord of the half forgotten appliance. He really should stop believing this was all just a dream.

“Really John? Still going with that habit?” His roommate chuckled as they grabbed a glass of water and filled it up at the faucet. The big burly man looked more like he’d be at home at an Animal bloodpit with all the scars, but he was far from a roided out junkie, not with how well groomed his beard remained even after a night's sleep. Far too refined, that man is.

“Old habits die hard, Mel, and hey, it helps the environment,” He joked as Arasaka's catchy jingle played in the background. He shook his head as he opened up a cup of instant noodles, added a bit of seaweed along with some freeze dried shrimp. He was still weirded out by the symbol of Arasaka on anything other than weapons.

“Yeah yeah. Arasaka provides free electricity, free water, and free fares at certain times. It’s so weird man. I don’t like it. Why are they giving so much free stuff?” The man waved him off as he grabbed a vendo meal. He scooted a bit away from his roommate and friend as he chomped down on the meaty and saucy Slaughter Jerky.

“I don’t know Mel, I’m just loving all of it,” He replied as he dug in on his own food as well. He had a long day at the office today and he’d rather not go there with an empty fuel tank.

“Aren’t you a bit scared?” Mel then asked as he looked up from his meal. John rolled his eyes at the man, the worrywart. Still, some would say that Arasaka’s just trying to butter people up but this was just too much work for that. Not when it took serious eddies to fund everything.

“Eh, I’ll deal with the consequences once they come. For now, I’ll enjoy what I can get.” He shrugged as he savored the salt taste of the rehydrated seaweed, “Let’s meet up in the soup kitchen like usual? I heard they’re using guinea pig in it today,” he then asked as he opened up the tv to catch the bit of news before he went to work.

He smiled while he ate as images of the slaughtered 6th Street gangers could be seen being wiped off the street. To think that it was Arasaka that’s fixing this city of all things. Arasaka had changed and it all started around 10 years ago? All he knows is ever since the old building got torn down and the new cathedral, he refused to call it anything other than that due to how it looked, was built they became the good guys. He was starting to root for them, especially after that story about who planted the god damn bombed surfaced, fucking Militech.

“I’d love to, but I need to do some overtime. I really want to buy that ticket for the game,” Mel apologized as he wiped juices off his lips. John rolled his eyes as he gazed towards the large poster of Hana Song plastered across a sizable part of the wall of their shared living space.

“You and your Esports,” He shook his head in amusement as he lifted up his ramen cup and downed the flavorful broth. As he cleaned up his side of the table, he glanced up to his room and reminded him, “Don’t burn yourself out, ok? It’d suck if you got injured or something,” Mel was a close friend but he really didn’t want to take care of him if he accidentally broke his leg or had his legs broken.

“Hey, it’s part of the job of being a Combat Cab driver,” The man replied simply. Sometimes, he wished he had the nonchalant attitude Mel had with life and work.

With their breakfast done, They soon parted ways and he headed for work while Mel watched more TV while he waited for his shift. He hurriedly passed by the cleaner bot deployed by Arasaka but not before grabbing some of the acorns dropped by the trees lining the road. Catching the metro was no easy task when he had to fight against the tide of humanity.

Still, he welcomed the struggle as it broke up the monotony that was his life. He absorbed every sight and sound as he headed for the one place that sucked out the joy in his life. As soon as he got to work, he strapped himself to his work station and went into the Net to troubleshoot for the customers.

His mind felt like it was melting as soon as he serviced the first customer, and the fact that he had to troubleshoot Militech made software only made it more annoying. With his boss riding on his shoulder, he had to be thorough and on script. It was mind numbing work as he helped them along, yet the pay was good so he did not complain. He merely endured it as he waited for the clock to tick down to the end of the day.

The shift seemed to stretch out for what felt like an eternity but, eventually, he was released from his prison. He practically ran out of the building as he headed straight for the metro once more so he could get to the soup kitchens near his apartment. There were other soup kitchens in the city, and he passed by one near his work, but he liked the one near his home better.

As he waited in the line to the kitchen, he looked up as he watched the large screen attached to the Arasaka owned building near his apartment. While there were tons of advertisements flashing across the screen, he was rewarded with a glimpse of the news.

“With the push of Arasaka forces inside Pacifica, the war against the Voodoo Boys will soon be over,” The newscaster announced as Arasaka forces rounded up the unarmed along with those that surrendered and shepherded them up buses that transported them to internment camps built out near the border walls.

“Good riddance,” A female voice said, making him nod. Seeing a gang brought low was quite the good news to hear.

“You can say that- Holy fucking hell!” He cursed out as he turned around and went face to face with the heavily armored and heavily armed visage of the Anti-Cyberpsycho Squad of the city. He reached out for his hips out of habit only to find an empty holster. He forgot his gun.

“... What?” The unmasked woman before him asked as she glared at him. He gulped as he raised his hands in surrender. He did not want to pick a fight with her, and not just because he was unarmed.

“N-nothing. Just surprised, that's all. Not everyday you get to see someone from MaxTac,” He explained as he kept his eyes on her. He wasn’t quite sure on what to make of her but given that he wasn’t chunky salsa, he was still doing well. Still, it was weird to see one behind him in the soup kitchen lines.

“Fair enough,” The woman huffed as she turned away and continued watching the news. Arasaka was announcing the grand opening of an aviary with the main feature being a Dodo? What the hell was a Dodo? Couldn’t they have featured a Pidgeon or something?

Slowly the line moved and an uncomfortable silence soon grew. He tapped his feet as he peered out and took a peek on what’s happening in the front of the line. They were also giving out bread. Talk about bread and circuses, cause his situation felt like a comedy. A citizen and a maxtac officer walked up to a soup kitchen…

“Slow day I assume?” He asked as he attempted to make small talk. He could have just opened up a show in his ocular implants or just shut up but he felt like talking right now. Hell, he could have talked to the oddly calm and definitely maelstrom gang member with his arachnid eye implant in front of him but he chose to talk to her.

“Yeah… There's really nothing to do in this part of town,” The woman replied wistfully as she kept her attention at the screen above. Now that he wasn’t afraid, he finally got to appreciate how she looked. Without her visor, he could actually see she was quite beautiful with her sharp symmetrical features and electric blue eyes.

“I get ya. Watson isn’t really a place where much excitement happens. Sure you have Kabuki Town and Lizzie's Bar but that’s about it,” He replied with a shrug. Aside from some muggings and clashes between Tyger Claws and the Moxx, it was a pretty chill part of the city. He then prodded, “Speaking of this place, what brings you to this part of town?”

With how there seemed to be almost no cyberpsychos around Watson, it was rare to see their hunters around here. The incredulous look she gave him made him pause as she answered, “I live here?” He felt heat rise up his cheek as he tried to respond but she cut him off, “But if you're asking why I’m here, I need to eat,”

He scratched the back of his head as he looked up to her sheepishly. “That was dumb of me to ask,” he admitted before he apologized to her, “I’m really sorry about that. It was insensitive of me.”

The woman merely sighed as she waved it off, “It’s fine. I’m used to it,” He winced at the bitterness and sadness that tinged the woman's voice. He really dun goofed on this one. He should really give her more than an apology and he just knows exactly what he could offer.

“Say, why don’t I treat you to a few rounds at Lizzie’s? My treat,” He offered. A couple of cold ones there wouldn’t break the bank. Yeah, the place wasn’t exactly the place you bring people over to, but it was a nice place; it had a nice atmosphere all around.

The woman stared at him in surprise and he started to sweat as he wondered what he just said wrong. He merely offered to buy her some booze, nothing more right? “Are… are you asking me out on a date?” The woman asked, making him blink as the cogs inside his head started to grind against each other. Almost immediately, he regretted ever opening his mouth as he realized what he just did.

He thought he was a dead man walking but then she started laughing, “You got balls, citizen,” She commented as she gave him an appraising look. He gulped as he found himself on the hot seat, so he did the only reasonable thing he could think of in that instant.

“Is that a yes?” He cautioned out as his mind screamed for him to stop.

“I would like that,” The woman replied and he almost whooped out in joy but the celebration of his continued existence was quite short as he was grabbed by the collar and pulled in close. He gulped as he found that he found his feet dangling beneath him while they were practically nose to nose with each other. She grinned at him before she challenged him, “I do have to warn you that you’re playing with fire. Think you can handle the heat?”

All he could now was nod and that was how he found himself on a date with a MaxTac elite. Maybe he should have thought things through instead of waiting for the consequence of his actions… but then this was more interesting than what he had been planning to do, so maybe it wasn’t all bad.

Militech Board Meeting.

While on paper Militech’s headquarters was located in Washington DC, the truth was far more complicated than that. The building that stood proudly and shone as a beacon for the dying city was merely a front, an entrance to the true building; for everything important was deep underground.

Deep beneath the earth, under a kilometer of hard bedrock, was the true headquarters. Once the bunker of the old government, it now served as the data fortress and main office of the prosperous Megacorp. A fitting place given how NUSA was Militech and Militech was NUSA. They were merely two sides of the same coin and in this new age, their purpose was one in the same.

Safe from possible attacks from even the most devastating conventional weapons of mass destruction, the board meeting discussing the direction of the country and the company was held. Not only was Lucas Harford, the current CEO of Militech present, but also Rosalina Myers as well. Everyone was present because, after all, the topic at hand was of great national and corporate interest.

“Which research facility exploded this time?” Harford suddenly asked, catching the head of the R&D off guard. His daughter laughed as she watched from the shadow with her guard. Sometimes, he felt like his hair would go whiter with her around.

“P-pardon?” The bespectacled man blabbered out as he blinked at him like a deer caught on a headlight. Harford’s brow twitched at how clueless the man was.

“You heard me. Which one?” He asked once more as he stood up from his seat. Spreading his arms wide and gesturing to his audience, he then said, “All of us here damn well know that every single time we meet to discuss about Arasaka, the board is informed of one of our black sites going up in smokes after one numbskull opens up a Lasgun battery so cough it up.” Maybe he was being hard on the man, as it was not his fault that the infernal and maybe even magical technology which allowed Arasaka to perform such physics breaking feats with their batteries, but he needed to vent.

“U-um well, we actually cracked open a battery without exploding? One of our interns figured it out,” The man replied as he pushed his glasses up. Everyone in the room turned to the man as he just announced what was once the impossible.

“Wait what?” He said in surprise before a smile stretched across his face. “Finally! Some god damn progress! Who’s the brilliant young mind that cracked it? I want him with a facility of his own. I want him to lead the team in reverse engineering that tech!” he cheerfully commanded. New like this was exactly what he wanted even if he needed to hear all the bad news attached to it.

“Er about that, he’s currently recovering in the country's best psychiatric facility after his nervous breakdown. He did not react well to seeing what was inside,” The man replied apologetically.

Hartford sucked in his breath before sighing out as he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Of course there’s more fuckery inside the demented battery. “Ok, ok, give him some time. Send him some fruit baskets and make sure to give him the good bananas, the Lakatan ones.” He replied as he wished the boy a speedy recovery.

“How’s our mole in this ‘Adeptus Mechanicus’?” He then asked as he desperately changed the subject. He’d have to go back to hearing about the misadventures of the Militech R&D department later.

“They’re dead, sir. Even the Janitors we sent there are… reprocessed,” One of his staff answered him, making him grit his teeth. Sometimes, he wondered what cruelty one must possess to make such machines.

“Keep throwing something, we’ll crack it eventually. Also, make sure our contact in Night City is well funded. Getting to see their defenses is invaluable for our future operations.” He ordered. As painful as it was to send bodies straight into the meat grinder, having an eye inside the R&D department would be far more valuable than the lives of a thousand agents, especially when this lab was where that boy was doing his miracles. The fact that his men failed when a 3rd party contractor managed to slip through the Great Firewall made his blood boil. Then there were their eyes and ears in Night City and even those were getting hazy.

“Now, any other progress in the Fungal Program we have with Biotechnica?” He inquired, wondering if their little program with their allies was convenient.
“You mean the Bioinformatic Neural Simulation Program? There has been some progress but nothing too solid right now,” His R&D Head answered.

“Keep sending them money. While I don’t trust Biotechnica, I do trust them enough that they’re still loyal to the state,” He gritted out. It was expensive but any edge right now was well worth it. They might be practically grasping at straws at this point but they still had a lot to throw around.

As his mind wondered about the various projects they had funded, a board member from the financial end of the company raised his hand to call for his attention. He motioned for him to go on as a secretary passed by and give him some files on Arasaka’s golden child, “If I may be so bold, don’t you think this is an excessive amount of money being poured into countering Arasaka? I know we need the R&D, but this is getting ridiculous and we haven’t even touched our funds in trying to break into Night City?” The man asked before a hush fell upon the room.

Hartfords fist clenched around the edge of the folder he was reading before he gently placed the files down as he sat down. “Excessive? Yes? Reasonable? No, because I’m fucking underfunding our R&D by all accounts.” He replied as reached down from beneath the chair and pulled out an innocuous bolter round he had laying around from the last meeting they had.

“Do you know what this is?” He asked the man as he brought a bucket load of the bullets up, before picking one up and letting the diamond-like substance at the tip glint from the light illuminating their table.

The man looked at him quizzically as he replied, “An Araska Bolter round?”

“This isn’t merely a bolter round, this is an Armor Piercing High Explosive Gyro-stabilized Gyrojet Round. When this comes out of the barrel, it’s going as fast as one of our sniper rifles and it hasn’t even used up its rockets,” He replied as he pressed the disarmed bullet against the steel table before dragging the tip across its surface. Everyone winced as the bullet created a large rent across the surface. Good, he had everyone's attention.

“From Preliminary testing, a clip of this in the hands of a right soldier can effectively mission kill a power armored soldier. While we could produce something like this easily, Arasaka solved something we had yet to actually solve back when we developed something similar back in the 20’s, and you know what it was?” He lectured them before quizzing the man on the history of their company. By all accounts, their old product was a success and could go toe to toe with the base model of the bolters, but it had one drawback that doomed it in the market.

“What?” The man asked, still not getting it.

Hartford tossed the bullet across the table, letting it bounce before it rolled to a stop. It left a series of dents along the way while still as sharp as ever. “Cost. A box of this, which contains 50 bullets, costs around 100 EB,” He answered, letting the fact sink in before he pressed on, “Even with their most ‘primitive’ weapon, they still have us beat. They’re light years ahead of us now.”

It was an unfortunate reality that they woke up too. One moment they were peers, now they were far behind, “Our lasers? We’re using the lenses and jury rigged batteries of Lasgun because it's that much cheaper. The low price of food stuff in the market? Arasaka’s sea farms are starting to outstrip our farms in Alaska. The precision parts of our most advanced manufacturing tools? From Arasaka. The funny thing is, we're actually using the defective parts,” He fired off a list of the places that Arasaka was simply beating them. Their mastery of physics, biology, and material sciences had him on edge and those were the things he had just listed off.

Militech, the goliath of a megacorp, was in trouble. Profits had taken a slow but steady decline ever since Arasaka’s golden child arrived in Night City. Once, they were on top of the world with Arasaka humbled, but now the tables had turned and what’s worse was their rival didn’t even have to lift a single finger. Left behind and made to bite the dust, they now had to catch up to their bitter enemy else they would sink and be torn apart.

“All it took was 15 years and they’ve surpassed us technologically and economically. The point I’m making is, if we keep going down this path, the more Arasaka can sink its tendrils in our country,” He pointed out as he turned around and walked towards a large display showing the map of the New United States of America. One by one the independent states were pulled back but Night City remained a large blemish in the almost perfect map before him.

“There’s no hiding it, we’re fucked if we can’t catch up to Arasaka. The longer this peace lasts, the better equipped Arasaka will become. Eventually, they’ll surpass everyone, but before that we have to pull that trigger.” He warned them as he glared at the icon glowing atop that cursed city.

“As much as I want them to be brought down, a war with them now that they’re still intact and solid would be disastrous. We need to bide our time and wait. Eventually, our efforts will show and cracks will form,” He cautioned as he stared at the super power across the ocean.

“But if that time never comes?” Rosalina then asked, finally speaking out after staying quiet for most of the meeting.

He looked back and grinned as he answered her, “Then we do the unthinkable,.” If an opportunity didn’t come, they’d just have to tough out the odds.

Rogue’s New Reality

Rogue took a deep breath before sighing as she stared at the symbol of Militech spinning across the screen. Another month and another debriefing she had to do to keep her “masters” over in Washington happy. She shook her head as she unplugged a cord hooking her briefcase laptop to the creepy servitor Hiro made.

She grimaced at the face of one of Militech’s agents staring at her. “Go on, go back to your master. Your job here’s done,” She ordered the droid who nodded in a facsimile of human gesture before walking off and disappearing in a flash of light.

She groaned as she reached for her bottle of booze but her hand flinched away from it as an alarm rang off. Her eyes drifted to her calendar as she was reminded of what today was. Today was the day Arasaka opened up a public Aviary of all things inside Night City. The fact that they were showcasing an animal that had just come back from the jaws of extinction through the power of modern science was just pure showboating at this point.

She needed her booze but… her son needed her more on her best behavior. Besides, it wouldn’t do her reputation any good if she were to vomit all over an Arasaka employee at their event. With great struggle, she pulled herself off her comfortable seat as she marched out of her private booth.

“Squama, get the Aerodyne ready,” Rogue ordered her trusty bodyguard as she walked past all her usual patrons before heading straight for her car. If there’s anyone she could trust to do his job without fail, it was Squama as the man had her ride flying in just a few minutes.

She lounged against the luxurious leather seats of her car as she chomped on an apple while staring down at the streets below. To think that all it took was 15 years to change the very face of the city. If Johnny was here, he’d probably think that this was just a fever dream. The city? Greener and a bit classier with all the buildings, public monuments and trees now dotting it all; this was not the same neon colored trash heap she once called home. She could only dream of the day he came back, but for now she watched as the city transformed before her very eyes.

With Arasaka firmly in hold of the city, there was order but at what cost? The city was still the nest of snakes she knew, but slowly Arasaka was strangling their competition in the city. The burning and half demolished wreck of Pacifica was all she needed to see, yet it was all doom and gloom.

There in the harbor were the floating farms for Arasaka, large aquatic farms that not only supplied the city with fresh food but also kept its waters clean. The sparkling blue waters of the bay along with the stretches of the rehabilitated beach front with all the people milling around it was all she needed to know that yes, this part of the ocean was clean, even if said ocean was walled off.

Turning back to the city, she sighed as she observed the extent of Arasaka’s control. It was no longer a hodgepodge of architectural styles as Arasaka’s aesthetics flourished. Even the new factories being built in the remnants of Pacifica followed the style, even if it only added flourishes and nothing of value to the factory. She did have to admit that at least it didn’t look like an eyesore.

As her ride flew closer to her destination, her mind wandered off to where it all went wrong. Should she have allied herself to the child of her old friend and lover? He was just so different, so… weird. It was often hard to see him as their child. He did have the bone headed stubbornness of the two, yet he took far more from his grandfather in her opinion.

That boy was a monster in sheep's clothing, yet the monster she knew had a heart and it cared for those it held dear with as much passion as it hated its enemies and fortunately for this city, Hiro loved it as much as he loved that poor girl. She snorted at the memory of the little firebrand. It wasn’t that surprising that it took a rough girl from the streets to tame that boy given his mother.

Oftentimes, she wondered if it was worth it, was it worth it selling out to Arasaka? Was it worth partnering with the devil to bring the gangs of the city to heel and install a foreign entity in control? Was she really going to help Arasaka take over this city?

Her musing was cut short as they finally arrived at their destination. The large glass dome was much a castle of glass as it was a marvel to behold. With the fully climate controlled aviary open to the public, another site within the city opened up for illicit dealings and meetings as much as it served as a park for the families and children of Night City.

Stepping off her ride, she walked past the crowd that had gathered in the entrance of the building. What she saw inside left her speechless as she paused and looked around in wonder with mouth agape. When she heard that her son wanted to see the aviary, she didn't expect it to have an entire forest inside it.

Colorful birds flew overhead while Parrots milled around and harassed park goers for the seeds sold in tiny bags in many of the automatic kiosks. Her eyes shifted to the moving shapes above the tree and there she found squirrels, real live squirrels milling about as they gorged themselves on the endless bounty before them.

While the park had paved parts, it was certainly brimming with life as the sound of insects mixed in with the songs of birds. She found herself lost in the wonderful sight and for a moment, that voice asking her if it was worth it quite down as a sparrow landed on her shoulder. It looked up at her inquisitively, hoping about before flying off to join its friends in the sky.

Maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t so bad after all. If Arasaka would devote just a fraction of the effort they placed in tending these gardens to the city as a whole, then maybe it would be worth it. “Mom? There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you,” A voice called out as she turned to find her son’s smiling visage gazing upon her. Only that wonderful smile gave her joy these days, and if the only way to keep that smile in her son's face was to sell this city then so be it.

A/N:

After writing the first chapter of Act 2, realized that I need way more interludes to show the effects of Hiro's effort. With Rebecca's view, it had been contained so it was a breath of fresh air to write these. I especially love the first one as it was jam packed with tiny little changes which just looks so sweet if you're quite familiar with the world. I originally wanted to make a 4th POV involving a splinter group of technopiles that realllllyyy appreciates Hiro's work but kinda ran out of time and it got buried. Will try to squeeze it out one of these days.

With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for reminding me that I should sleep :V but I really want to finish chapters once I get going... I'd also want to thank my Patrons once again. You guys are the best! Please consider dropping by my Patreon page and became a patron today to support me. It means a lot to me if I can keep on working on my fics. I also have also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star for those who do not like Patreon.

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[SirBearington]

Act 2 Chapter 2

---

Rebecca grinned as she stared up the glowing blue and pink neon signs before her. With the bright and stylized font of the bar's name along with the strutting outline of a skull-faced whore, she’d found her once more in her old stomping ground. “Lizzie’s bar,” She whispered with a grin on her face as she walked up to the line that had formed at the entrance to the bar.

With all the excitement she experienced in the past few months, she certainly missed quite a lot. There had been some renovations as the bar expanded and took over the adjacent buildings, a necessity with all the customers flooding in to experience one of the best bars in the cities. It wasn’t just your typical punk looking for a fun time with the braindance offered inside but also some posh looking corpos mingling in with the crowd, “Things have certainly changed,” She said out loud as she walked past the line in front and headed for the door.

“Oh come on, there’s a line here lady-!” Shouted one gal stuck in the line only to choke out as she stared at Rebecca. She flipped her the bird as she strutted up to the bouncers guarding the front.

The two bouncers that were alerted to the commotion she caused lightened up and relaxed as they saw her, “Business is certainly booming today. Still got room for an old friend?” She asked as she looked up at the sensual amazonesses before her. Even dressed in such revealing clothes that left barely anything to the imagination they were formidable sights to behold with the heat they were packing.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t little Becca.~ It’s been a while, pipsqueak,” Her friend greeted her as the girl slung the bolter she was armed with over her shoulder.

“Can say the same, tits for brains,” She replied as she hugged the girl and gave her ass an appreciative squeeze. Being a shortie wasn’t all that bad, it had its perks, “I missed you so much Rita,” She whispered as her friend held her. Pulling back, she had to fend off hands that wished to pet her; that was only for Hiro and Kiriko(for now).

“So, what brings you to this part of town? Got kicked out by your input~?” Her other friend asked as the blunetter turned to the crowd and had them back off, a ‘request’ that was easily followed when the girl brandished her weapon.

“You wish Janet, and can’t I say hi to my old friends?” She fired back at the dark skinned beauty.

“Well, you certainly came at the right time cause we have a party going. Come on in,” Janet replied as she gestured at the door. With the muffled sound of the music from behind the closed door, she could certainly feel it all the way there.

As soon as she walked past the entrance and stepped through those beaded curtains, the lights and sounds assaulted her senses. The heavy bass of the music reverberated across the room while the strobing lights of the dance floor shone down on the crowd. She breathed in the scent of sex and alcohol while her eyes beheld a party only a few could compare to. She was finally home.

There were some minor additions to the bar like the expanded dance floor, more booths for the braindance customers, and even some exotic additions like overhanging cages where some of the girls danced; but it more or less stayed the same. This was still the Mox bar she grew up in while Pilar was busy with his studies even if there were a lot more new faces around. Certainly not a place where normal people would leave their siblings, but Rebecca liked to believe that she grew up fine; and it’s not like the place was a sex shop anymore.

Yes, the bar was technically no longer a brothel, but that didn’t stop any of the girls and boys working in the bar from having some fun with the customers. She could see them hiding in the shadows, joy toys having fun with their clients. Of course, it had to be kept at a reasonable level as one rather pushy corpo would find himself mobbed by an angry group of Mox enforcers. Lizzies bar was a haven for any sexual deviant so long as no one got hurt and it was consensual. Break the rules and, well, that corpo was certainly feeling it.

Slipping past the people on the dance floor, squeezing through the grinding and writhing crowd, she headed straight for the bar. Unlike the dance floor and the booths, it was yet to be filled, but that suited her just fine as she plopped down on one of the empty seats and greeted the bartender, “Yo! Mateo, how’s it been?”

“Becca! It’s good to see you’re still in one piece,” The man exclaimed, a teasing smile across his face making her snort in amusement. Turning to a young girl cleaning some glass, he then said, “Hey Courteny, man the bar for a bit. Just need to catch up with an old friend.” The girl looked like she was about to complain only to freeze up as she caught a glimpse of Rebecca.

“Oh my gosh! It’s really you! I’m your biggest fan! Can you sign my chest?” The teenager skipped over to Rebecca before opening her top. While she was surprised by the sudden request, she certainly couldn’t say no; especially with a pair of good reasons in front of her. Mateo could only roll his eyes at them as Rebecca signed the junior bartender's chest.

“Lots of new faces huh?” Rebecca observed as the giddy teen went off to cover for Mateo.

“What can I say, you inspired a lot of people with your exploits. A modern day Joan of Arc tearing through the scum of this city?” The man complimented her as he brought up her exploits, “Of course, the extra publicity from your debut at the Arasaka ball helped a lot, but I do love to believe that you helped bring some friendly attention to our little corner.”

“Oh stop it you,~ you’re making me blush here.” She laughed back as she grinned at the bartender. She’d been rather busy these last few months. With the 6th Street and the Voodoo fighting tooth and nail, she had to make sure that every last one of those fuckers died before the fighting spilled over to the civilian part of the city like the initial wave of fighting.

“Hey, just being honest here. You might want to avoid Sussie for a while though, I’m not sure if she wants to kiss you or throttle you with all the things you’ve done. Still, business is booming so what can you say?” He warned her as he pointed over at Sussie’s little corner at the other end of the dance floor.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Rebecca nodded before she asked, “So, anything I miss?” With all the jobs she was taking from Arasaka and all the time she spent with Hiro to hone her skills, she had little time to go out and socialize. It felt good to finally stretch her legs, even if it was due to a job.

“Aside from the Tyger Claws backing down thanks to all the guns we have? Nothing much,” He answered as he pulled out a pair of cold ones for them to enjoy.

“Ha! Fuck ‘em,” She laughed as she cracked one open and down its content. It was cheap swill but it reminded her of the time that it was the only thing she could afford.

“You didn’t promise anything to your input though, right? You know the Mox isn’t anyone's cat’s paws, that's the Tyger Claw’s shtick,” Mateo reminded her as he gave her a questioning look. It was understandable given how close her ties now were to Arasaka though. She might as well be part of it considering Hiro’s position.

“Hey, a Mox looks out for their own. A few guns isn’t going to break the bank for my input,” She replied. She might not be that active in participating in some of the Mox’s business but she was still a Mox and she’d be damned if she left them hanging and not even given them a taste of what fortune she had.

“A few guns she says, it’s not an armory she says. I ain’t complaining though.” She chuckled as she was reminded of just how many guns were sent her friends' way. When she asked Hiro about sending some guns to the Mox, he didn’t pull his punches and went all in. Now, every last Mox in the bar was armed with Lasguns with some even sporting bolters just like Rita at the entrance, “Still, coming all the way down here from your palace. Trouble in paradise?” He asked, looking all concerned as he opened his own can.

“Oh nah, we’re doing great! Got to see gramps and he approved,” She boasted with a wide smirk.

“No shit,” He replied with wide eyed amazement.

“Yup! Want to see a photo?” She offered as her eyes flashed brightly while she sent him the pic that Hiro took before they slipped away from the Villa. It was Hiro with his arms slung around his grandfather who looked all stoic while she stood beside them. She looked all demure and proper there, even when she tried not to laugh at how the great and powerful Emperor looked so human.

“Well I’ll be damned,” He whistled out as he received the photo.

She sighed as she then slumped against the counter, “While we’re doing great, I have to admit, things ain’t doing so well with the company,” She then said as she swirled her half empty can before taking another sip, “There’s trouble and I need some help… any lounge open?”
After some arm twisting, she managed to rent a lounge for her and Mateo. In the privacy of the room, they could now freely talk without anyone eavesdropping, “So, what seems to be the problem?” Mateo questioned her as he leaned against the wall.

Plopping herself down on the comfortable seat, she leaned back and lifted up her legs on the table as she answered over the light buzzing sound of a privacy screen, “I can’t say much, but trouble’s brewing underneath. People are at each other's throats and I feel like my friends and I are getting dragged into it,” As helpful as it would be if she could brief her friends about what’s happening, this was technically under the purview of company matters. Arasaka needed to look strong, especially with how rough things were getting beneath the surface.

“Well that explains the split in the crowd,” He grunted out to which she nodded. The crowd outside could clearly be divided into two sides. One looked far more stylish with their tailored suits and expensive jewelry while the other were far more wild with their vibrant clothes. The two factions did not like each other and did not want to mingle with one another.

“There’s a rat in the ship and well,” She growled out as she glared at some of the minions of Hanako Arasaka, before she continued, “I’m here to ask if any of the girls heard something. You know how it is when alcohol and sex is involved,” In a place where they could relax, most people would let their guards down. It was what made sex workers the best at gathering information. Disarming people so they can relax is part of the job and hearing something one wasn’t supposed to was often the consequence of that.

“Are you familiar with the factions of Arasaka?” She quizzed him, checking if he was up to speed with how Arasaka was divided.

“Yeah, Kiji and Hato right?” Good, she didn’t have to waste anymore time explaining how things were.

“Yup. Kinda snooping around the Kiji. I have a gut feeling that they’re the ones causing all the trouble, but I can't quite prove it. All the red tape in the Cathedral is frustrating the hell out of me and my input so I decided to head here and see if you got anything. Heard anything or noticed something unusual from those guys?” She prodded, hoping she was on the right track. With all the Arasaka employees out there, there must be something she could find. If there wasn’t any, the Cloud was an option but she’d need to get in touch with people who knew people over there to get anything.

“Your input’s company is surprisingly tight lipped but… there is someone fishy and he’s part of the security team even from what I’ve heard,” Mateo muttered out as he stroked his chin.

“Oh? Is he meeting someone?” She asked further as she inwardly celebrated; she was on the right track.

“Yup, as tight lipped some Corpos can get, they can vent a lot, especially when they have a shoulder to lean on. Word is that he’s complaining about this one guy he’s working with but the thing is… I’m pretty sure that guy’s working for a certain disgraced Fixer. You’ve probably heard about Faraday and his fall from grace?” Mateo told her as she leaned in close. With all her crew's history with the fixer, she was at the front row seat of the man's meltdown. From a well respected man to a recluse in Santo Domingo.

“Yeah, my Input might be involved in that one. He hates him for some reason. Was pretty explicit about making the guys life a living hell,” She recalled, remembering how she found out why Faraday was banned from the Afterlife.

“Remind me to never get on your input’s bad side.” Mateo shivered before he said, “Anyways, I still kinda find it weird that the guy’s complaining about meeting with someone your Input hates. There might be something to that.” She nodded as she thought about it. With the Arasaka corp being part of the security, she could feel vindicated knowing that the Kiji might be part of this little rabbit hole she found.

“So, got anything for me about this guy? Any names?” She inquired.

“Unfortunately, nothing much. He doesn’t touch the girls nor partake in any of the braindance. He just likes to chill out, and drink a lot. A little weird but he probably just likes the vibes.” Mateo shook his head, making her curse out.

“Damn it.” She growled out. Finding someone with their face in the Arasaka database wasn’t impossible but it was very tedious especially with how many she’d have to go through.

Mateo's playful grin quickly clued her in to the good news he had for her, “Luckily for you, he’s a regular here. He frequently drops by and complains about something before going off somewhere. If you wait a bit, you might actually catch him,” He then said which gave her quite the relief.

“At least I have something. Thought I’d have to go look around and ask more before I get a lead,” She sighed out as she avoided a week's worth of headache.

“You’ve always been lucky with your hunches, Becca, and glad to be of help. Now, I should probably go back to the bar before Sussie tans my hide,” He then said as he gestured to the bar where a struggling teen was busy showing off her acquisition to some of her friends. She laughed out as she shooed him away.

Before he left, however, she called out, “Here's something for your trouble by the way. Maybe ask Sussie for a day off tomorrow,” She made sure to give him quite the generous tip. Grinning at the sputtering bartender, she quickly cut him off before he could even protest, “And no take backs! Just take it, and don’t ask questions. Consider it repayment for helping my brother with me.”

---

Rebecca had to hold herself back as the guy she was looking finally came into the bar. It wasn’t because she wanted to kill him, though she would admit it was partly the reason, but more that she wanted to throttle him right then and there as he kept on moaning and drinking. She was currently hiding beneath the bar counter and was forced to listen through all the crap the man spouted.

“Fucking assholes secretive and cryptic. Makes me go all over the city for meetings when we’re heading to the same place every damn time,” The man complained as he drank his gin straight from the bottle like some animal without even a grimace or wince, “At least I’ll get to eat something today at the guys house. Something about a celebration of sorts.”

“Must be rough buddy. Here’s one in the house, but don’t tell anyone,” Mateo comforted the man while he served some drinks to other customers

“Yeah, sorry for venting a bit. You know how it is with unreasonable clients and bosses,” The man apologized before he lifted up his bottle and downed it, drinking every last drop before setting it down with a self satisfied sigh, “Well, that’s one more before I hit the road. Anymore and I might crash into someone,” With how much he’d consumed, it’d be a miracle if he didn’t crash into anything even now. There was enough alcohol in those drinks to kill an elephant.

“Take it easy buddy. You know liver transplants are costly. Your filter can only take so much before you have to replace them,” Mateo warned as he started cleaning the stack of gin the man went through. What kind of chrome did this man have?

“Ha! That’s what money is for. What’s the point of having it if you don't use it to enjoy yourself?” The man laughed, making her look up and stare at the man through the lit up counter with a look of disbelief.

After what seemed to be an eternity of the man drinking himself to death, he finally got off his seat and waddled off outside. She followed him closely, keeping distance as she trailed him back to the parking lot. She found him boarding your typical Chevillon Thrax, a popular choice with security guys given how it was built like a tank, which only made her task of following him all the easier.

Sneaking up to the back of the car, she reached into her jacket and pulled out one of Hiro’s latest creations. It was a small, nail sized, silver scarab that woke up as she gave it a command. “Burrow into this vehicle and keep track of where it's going,” She ordered as the tiny little thing jumped off her palm and dug into solid metal like it was digging through sand.

With her tracking device in place, she slunk back to her car and waited. She wished she brought her armor but it was way too conspicuous. Thankfully, Hiro let her borrow one of his cars that was perfect for her current task, an Archer Hella EC-D i360. It was your middle of the road sedan that’s not too shabby with its rugged looks, but not too eye-catching with its drab colors and slightly beat up appearance.

She waited in her car and listened to the radio while she watched where her target was going. WIth the help of Arasaka’s extensive satellite system, she could track the car to quite an accurate degree. Exiting Watson, her quarry quickly entered Santo Domingo. After threading through some winding paths and making looping treks to lose any would-be followers, he made his way to a particular complex. Surprisingly, she found no road violations on the man’s record even after all those drinks.

With a location to head to, she made her way to where her target was. While Watson and the City Center was dominated by Arasaka’s architecture, Santo Domingo was not. There were new cathedrals popping up but they were interspersed between the old blocky buildings of a bygone era. Relatively untouched by the last corporate war, there was little need for new construction.

As she got near her target, she parked and headed for a nearby alley. She found the car she was tracking parked in front of a small, yet luxurious, apartment complex. It was as if each floor was its own house and they were merely stacked on top of each other. At the top of the building, she found lights and music as what looked like a party was at full swing up stairs. It was then that she’d run into her first problem.

Blocking the entrance were two roided up Animals. As bored as they looked, they were quite diligent in checking if any of the guests filtering in had invitations. Even those that just went out for a breath of fresh air were checked once more; paranoid much? She bit her lip as she weighed her decision.

It wasn’t all bad. She could just let her scarab get in and do the work for her, but the bug didn’t have the best sensors and she might miss out on details or… she could call someone that might be able to help her in. If anyone could help her make a fake invitation and bring in a few distractions, it’d be her. Sighing, she dialed up her annoying little junior for some backup.

“Hey Chequita, funny you called. I was just thinking about your boyfriend and thinking of dropping by his house,~” Sombra answered with her ever so grating and condescending voice. She swore the girl was doing everything in her power to get her as riled up as possible. What was even her problem?

“Yeah yeah, I need your help,” She growled out as she waited for her gloating.

Right on cue, the girl laughed as she replied, “Oh? What's this? The great Firebird asking for my help?” If it wasn’t for the fact that she didn’t know a lot of Netrunners then she wouldn’t have asked. There was her sister in law’s firm, but she would rather not go to Michiko for help considering how annoyed the woman was with her. She doubted that the woman would even send a low ranking netrunner to help her.

“God damn it, just listen. I need someone to help me get into a party in Santo Domingo. Sneaking in isn’t really my forte,” She hissed back as she tapped her foot impatiently. It was close to midnight and she was in Santo Domingo. The closest person she could contact just so happened to be the Valentina.

“I could help but you know that’s going to cost you~?” Sombra purred out, which had her clenching her jaw.

“I could call Kiwi you know?” She growled out, threatening the girl. Yes, she needed help but she wasn’t so desperate that she’d follow Sombra’s every demand. She still had Kiwi to call on and she had some favors she could collect. Yes, she was going to call her fellow Solo when the woman was probably deep asleep but she was dealing with Sombra so her friend wouldn’t be too pissed about it.

“Busy. Have a look,~” The girl replied before a video was sent to her. She gagged as she saw the camera feed of Adam Smasher’s apartment locked on to Kiwi while she was being pounded by the much bigger borg. Her screams and the way she bent had her quickly closing the video and deleting it on her end. She knew that the two were an item but she didn’t have to see that with her own two eyes damn it! She’d need some time with Hiro to scrub off the mental image now.

Throwing her hands up in frustration, she finally admitted defeat, “Ok fine! You want a payment? Here’s something you can’t say no too. I’ll set up a dinner where you can join me and Kiriko,” She shouted. She didn’t have any more time to argue and she’d rather not waste anymore time. She just wanted to know if this lead she was following would show her what she’s looking for.

“I was just going to ask for some videos but this is way better.~ No take backsies,~” The girl crowed out in victory as Rebecca found herself paying more than she should have.

“Fucking damn it,” She cursed once more but what’s done was done and she’d just have to deal with the consequence later.

“Just tell me where, along with all the details you have, and I’ll come by so I can get you in. I want to see what got you all worked up enough to call me,” The girl then said, Rebecca could only sigh as she got the girl up to speed but omitted some details; like how bad the situation was behind closed doors. As much as she trusted her, she was still an outsider to Arasaka and a damn teen to boot. Some degree of caution was warranted.

It only took half an hour before Sombra arrived at their agreed meeting place. She had relocated a bit further away as she expected the Valentina to arrive with something flashy, but she might have judged her too harshly as the girl arrived in a MaiMai of all things, a violet MaiMai but still.
“Took you long enough,” Rebecca huffed out as she sat on the hood of her ride.

Stepping out of the car, she found herself looking at the younger girl's well toned body that showed off her curves. The girl certainly rocked those daisy dukes and her checkered top. Tipping her cowboy hat up, she fired, “Hey, if you need to sneak in with a forged invitation, you have to prepare for the part. Got any spare clothes in your trunk?”

Rebecca glared at the young girl as she remembered that her usual outfit, while comfortable to wear, was getting quite iconic. She was sneaking in so she would need a disguise. What use was her snooping around when people recognized her and immediately be on guard.

“Does it look like I didn't come prepared?” She asked as she hopped off the hood of her ride and opened the trunk to reveal some extra clothes she had prepared just in case her outfit got covered in blood.

The girl hummed as she stared at her before barging in and rifling through her extra clothes. “Hmmm, yes. Now, let’s see if I can whip something up to disguise you.”

---

In the end, they had to give up on picking a disguise. Her exotic looks and tattoo’s were just too much, so they went the other way around. They just doubled down on it and made it look like she was some poser trying to emulate her idol but trying to improve the image. Tossing her jacket, she picked up a classic bunny girl outfit; complete with the bunny ears and heels. In the end, she looked like a sexier version of herself if she had to be honest. She still had her jacket wrapped around her waist to hide her guns.

As they walked up to the guards at the entrance, her distinct look earned quite the look. The guards quirked an eyebrow but didn’t comment as they held out their hands and asked, “Invitations?”

“For two,~” Sombra replied as she sent the forged invitation. They had to wait for some other girls to come in but Sombra was nothing if not quick with how fast she whipped those up. It was good enough that the man nodded and opened the door for her.

As they were about to enter, one of them stopped. “Wait, before you go…” She was about to pull out her gun and paint the wall with their brains when the man grinned and complimented, “Props for giving the Firebird look a twist. I thought all you posers liked to get everything down to the last detail but man, you proved me wrong. You nailed the look and improved upon it.”

She blinked as she thanked two, “I’ll take that as a compliment?”

“Is she really a poser though if she’s not trying to look as close as her idol? Then again, the girl's outfit can be quite revealing and you know how some businesses and their outdated old fashioned dress codes are, so it's understandable she goes with something more conservative,” The other mused out, making both her and Sombra stare at the rather eloquent and well spoken Animal.

He was cuffed in the back of his head for trouble as the first one shook his head before he gestured at the door, “Don’t mind us, just a pair of Animals having a bit of banter. Enjoy the party,” He beckoned them inside.

Rebecca could only give a sigh of relief as they got past the weird pair and slipped inside without much trouble. She wasn’t quite sure how to take the fact that she was famous enough to get her own posers, but it was part of the package of being famous she supposed, “Head down low Chequita, don’t want to attract any more attention,” Her companion reminded her as she pulled up her hoodie.

The party was in full swing by the time they got there. For a disgraced Fixer, Faraday was still living the life of luxury as copious amounts of expensive alcohol, drugs and dolls were present at the party. The man himself was laughing uproariously as he was surrounded by his close confidants. Rebecca couldn’t help but feel something odd about this given how he had been barred from doing business in the city with both Rogue and Hiro blocking him off from various illegal and legal sources of income.

“So, found your target?” Sombra asked through the comms as they searched the building for her target. They blended in quite well with all the other posers around, copying the looks of both the living and dead celebrities alike. She wouldn't be surprised if a member of the Willow Sisterhood was part of the crowd.

“Let me just feel him out,” Rebecca replied as she breathed in deep before dipping her hands into the sea of souls. She was quick, refusing to dwell any longer than was needed in its depths as she got a feel of everyone around her. The flavor of alcohol and greed quickly tipped her off where he was and there he was with Faraday, drinking once more, “Found him.”

“Just like that?” Sombra asked, surprised at the swiftness of their search.

“Just think of it as magic,” She replied cryptically. Technically, it was but it also wasn’t as being a psyker was closer to being an esper than a magician.

With her mystery man found, she made a beeline to him to see just what he was up to. He was talking to the fixer, but there were plenty of spots for her to hide in and mingle with the crowd. She only needed to get close enough to hear things. Before she could set her plan into motion, she bumped into the most unlikely of faces.

“Rebecca?” Lucy mouthed as their eyes locked in. What the hell was she doing here? Unfortunately for her, her question had to wait as Faraday’s eyes soon locked on to them. The way the man's visage quickly twisted into a sneer told her that her fragile cover was blown. What’s worse was how Lucy’s own look of confusion hardened as she started backing away.

Her senses screamed as Faraday stood up from his seat. Grabbing on to Sombra, she ducked low as the former Fixer of her gang pulled out a gun and opened fire. Pandemonium soon followed as the guests scattered leaving her and Sombra alone in the room, surrounded by the men of her enemy, “Can’t a girl enjoy a party?” She asked jokingly as various guns were aimed in her direction.

“It seems that an agent of Arasaka found our little operation. To think that the one they sent was Rebecca herself,” Faraday replied as he leveled a glare at them. She could only watch her former friend walk up to the man threatening them. She glared back as she slowly got up and dusted herself off.

“While I’m quite flattered that you know me and I would love to have some drinks, it seems that I’m not welcome. Now if you’d just let us go, I’ll be more than happy to forget all about this,” She offered as she tried to bluff her way out of the situation. She clenched her fists as she started counting the people around her. Discounting Lucy and Faraday, there were only twelve other men, each armed with some of Militech’s heaviest weaponry.

“Oh no, you’re quite welcome to stay. In fact, I insist,” Faraday grinned as he cocked his gun once more and leveled the barrel right at her head, “Don’t take this personally, I just don’t like it when someone gets to know information they ought not have known in the first place,” As much as it unnerved her to have a gun pointed right at her head, she did her best to to calm down as she called upon the Warp once more.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you but, it’s not like you can keep me here. You know why? You shouldn’t choose decor that catches fire easily,” She replied, earning her some looks of confusion.

As the fire in her fist hit a critical, she threw it down and allowed the fire to consume everything surrounding her and Sombra. The warp fire roared into life as it was forced into reality, burning everything it touched, “Shoot her!” Shouted Faraday through the roaring blaze.

Pulling out their own guns, they fired back with only the fire helping them. Away from the luxury and opulence of the Arasaka tower, the city was quickly reminded that It was still the cold unforgiving mistress that it was. Lucy might have been her friend once, but things can change at the drop of a hat and now Rebecca would find herself at the crosshairs of a once close acquaintance. Surrounded by foes with only Sombra as her back up, it was either fight or die and she wasn’t so eager to die right now.

---

A/N:

It was fun writing Rebecca's little trip back to Lizzie's Bar and things have changed since she last dropped by. Hey, if you advertised your friends dress at such an event like one of Arasaka's party, you bet there's going to be some changes. They're far more heavily armed this time around, enough that their neighbors are keeping their distance Also, hey~ Looks who's back? Oh boy are things going to get messy on her end. How she'll come out of this? Well, let's just see how the story devolves.

With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for always being there to cheer me up. I'd also want to thank my Patrons once again. You guys are the best! Please consider dropping by my Patreon page and became a patron today to support me. It means a lot to me if I can keep on working on my fics. I also have also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star for those who do not like Patreon.

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[SirBearington]

Act 2 Chapter 3

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Rebecca didn't waste any time as she reached for the guns hidden in her jacket and whipped them out. With a small laspistol in one hand and her black gun on the other, she had all the firepower she needed for this fight. Loud cracks filled the air with the barking of guns as lead was answered by laser fire. She fired blindly, raining suppressing fire as Sombra pulled out her own weapon.

"Fuck! We'll be breathing through new holes if we don't get out of here!" Sombra shouted as she fired her gun all the while sending out quick hacks that had the guns of those firing at them exploding in their faces.

She responded by pouring everything she had into the fire surrounding them. The blaze roared into a raging inferno, making their assailants rear back and giving them time as it spread outwards. Before she could even speak, however, a body was pushed into the wall of fire; opening it for just the briefest of moments as a certain snow haired netrunner came jumping in.

"Sombra!" She shouted in warning, but Lucy was terrifyingly quick with her wire. Sombra screamed as the glowing monofilament wire wrapped around the latina's hand and gun before it squeezed. Chunks of flesh and metal came flying everywhere as Rebecca's former comrade turned on them.

"Lucy you bitch!" She screamed in anger as she placed herself between the bleeding Valentina who was desperately trying to stem the bleeding and opened fire at her former friend only for the girl to dodge her shot with ease. At least the shooting had stopped now she was there inside the ring of fire with them.

"You shouldn't throw rocks when you live in a glass house Bee," Lucy taunted as she circled around them, her monofilament wire lashing around creating deep gouges on the floor.

Rebecca was not having any of her quips right at that moment as she decided to respond with the most effective language known to man, violence. As soon as she saw Lucy about to pass by the window overlooking the street, that was when she knew when to strike. She raised her black gun at the girl's face, making the traitor's eyes widen in fear. The baleful green glow of her gun was all the warning they'll ever have as she opened fire and those before her ceased to exist. The furniture, the goons, their guns and even the very fire of the warp itself seemed to flicker out in the direction of the blast.

Lucy managed to dodge as the woman threw herself to the side and right at the warp fire itself. As much as she wanted to make sure that the woman was dead, she had a girl bleeding out and there were more hostiles flooding into the room. She had to make her escape now else she'd be surrounded and gunned down.

Taking advantage of the momentary surprise her attack caused, she grabbed Sombra, tossing the surprisingly light girl over her shoulder, before she made a mad dash to the gaping hole where a wall once stood. Without a moment of hesitation she jumped out of the street and landed atop a car's roof.

Rebecca grit her teeth at the impact, but she managed to pull herself up on the crumpled roof as she ran for her care with a slight limp to herself, "Note to self, car roofs aren't made of fabric anymore!" She hissed before she winced as she felt bullets whiz by her.

She could hear the frantic shouts of Faraday, but she was far too much in pain to focus on it. Her mission was a bust so the best course of action was to just run. To stay and fight was just a fool's errand even if she could do it. She forced herself to move, zigzagging through the streets until she got to their car.

Tossing the uncomfortably cold and pale Sombra on the driver's seat, she jumped in the car and booked it out of there. Slamming her foot on the pedal, she drove as fast and hard as she could through the narrow and winding road.

Turning to her companion, she ordered her frantically, "Sombra, I need you to give me your stump, now!" There was little time to lose after she took such a grievous wound. She only noticed now just how soaked her outfit was with blood now that they weren't being actively fired at. The only silver lining she had was that monofilament wires always cut cleanly.

With some hesitation, the girl held up the stump that used to be her right hand. She winced as Rebecca grabbed on to it before she pulled on the warp. It was dangerous, and she was untrained, but she had almost no other options. The woman screamed out through gritted teeth as flesh and bones warped, but in the end all that was left was a mangled looking but no longer bleeding stump.

"Oh don't be such a baby, at least I didn't cauterize it," Rebecca joked as pulled back before reaching down for the glovebox where she was sure she kept some MaxDoc. The sigh of relief from the girl as she took a shot of the almost miraculous concoction of painkillers and whatever else was in there gave her enough peace of mind to focus on the road. The highway was just up ahead and if they were lucky, they wouldn't be chased down.

"I would have shot you if you did," Sombra groaned out as she slumped against her seat. She still looked pale but blood no longer pooled down on the floor of the car.

She was about to snark back when she saw the headbeams of a car reflected upon her rear view mirror. Her eyes widened as she saw Lucy on the passenger seat but her attention was soon called to another as the roof of the car behind them popped up as a heavily muscle goon peered out with a light machine gun in hand, "Duck!" She shouted in warning as she pulled the girl down for cover.

Glass rained down on them while bullets whizzed past over head. Looking back up, she could only curse out as she saw the veritable convoy chasing after them. They were hot on their heels, heavily armed goons with assault rifles and shotguns peering out of the windows of their cars and they were just peppering their car with gunfire.

Her car was a workhorse, but even it had its limits when it came to being fired at. She was starting to regret her choice of vehicle but it was far too late for that. She needed to deal with this before they popped a tire or pierced a fuel line.

Making a sharp turn as they reached the highway and joined the outgoing traffic, she pulled Sombra over to her seat. "Sombra grab the wheel!" She barked out before she clambered over to the back. The girl might have only one hand but that was plenty enough when the only thing they needed was to get as fast and far away as possible from their pursuers.

"Wha-?!" The girl sputtered out groggily before the girl cursed out. The slight swerve before their ride corrected itself told Rebecca plenty enough that the netrunner still had enough presence of mind to drive.

"Eat shit and die Lucy!" Rebecca roared out as she started blasting while she desperately searched for the latch. Green bolts of energy shot out and exploded, melting any unfortunate car that she aimed at. She had to be careful else she hit something unintended. There were just far too many civilians around in danger of getting caught by such a powerful blast. It's one thing to kill a bastard and it's another to have innocent blood on her hands while doing so. She also would rather not bring down a bridge if she could help it.

Thankfully their pursuers started swerving around, doing their best to avoid her shots, just in time for her to pull down the latch. Slipping her gun back to its holster, she reached down and pulled out a far more reasonable ordinance, that of her heavy bolter.

Clearing the glass off the broken rear windshield, she plopped her gun down and took aim. She laughed as her gun let out its deadly melody, filling her world with fire and the barking of 1.00 caliber rounds. Feeling the gun's bucking in her hold, it was now her turn to fire back. At such close range, her shots hit through with the rounds chewing through engine blocks and people alike. She kept firing, keeping them pinned down, unable to fire back until she finally ran out of bullets.

She cursed as she reached down to reload her weapon only to be nearly thrown off her seat when she found their car ramming against the side of another vehicle. The screaming and shouts of terror of the passengers filled her heart with terror as she turned to her companion in panic, "Sombra! Are you ok!" She called out, worried that the girl had been hit only to find the netrunner's eyes wide in terror.

"Better buckle up cause their netrunner's gone crazy!" She screamed back as Rebecca slammed against the soft foam of the seat. She winced at feeling her nose slam against it, but that was quickly forgotten at the sight of all the cars heading their way. Both of them screamed out in terror when a car suddenly landed beside from the bridge above as drivers suddenly found themselves fighting against their own vehicle's steering wheel.

"Lucy, what the fuck?!" She shouted just as a bus almost crashed against them. Thankfully, it seemed like she could only see a couple of vehicles at a time and their chase would soon attract the vultures that were the media helicopters, "You shoot, I drive!" She barked out as she barged into the girls seat as their situation became a whole lot more serious. Trying to figure out which vehicle Lucy was going to take control next was next to impossible, so best to just limit the number of cars around them.

As she made a turn on a nearby overpass she dialed Hiro's number. She gritted her teeth as she swerved around a car that suddenly stopped. Thankfully, it didn't take long for Hiro to answer, "Rebecca?" he asked out groggily before he let out a loud yawn.

"Hiro, big trouble, need back up!" She hastily explained as she felt her heart pounding in her chest. There were far fewer cars but the space was far narrower. Each car sent her way had her pursuers gaining ground. Sombra's efforts at trying to ward them off could only get so far as they remained persistent in their chase.

"Where are you right now?" he asked, far more alert now with the sound of gunfire and car tire squealing filling the background.

"Downtown Santo Domingo. Heading straight for the plaza," She shouted before her forehead slammed against the steering wheel after a sedan crashed to their side. Shaking her head to get the spots in her vision to disappear, she added, "Trying to shake off my targeted goons. Fucking Faraday and Lucy!"

Here she was, expecting this was just going to be an info gathering mission only for her to stumble upon her team's former netrunner shucking up with the broker that Hiro absolutely hated for some reason. Who could have guessed that she was going to meet up with someone that would be able to recognize her. Fucking snake, she'd gut her if she could, but she was far too busy trying not to die.

"We could use some help over here, papi!" Sombra shouted as some color returned to her cheeks. Rebecca had to duck as a motorcycle psycho caught up to them and sprayed them with their SMG only to be shot in the face by an irate and angry Sombra wielding a shotgun. The girl cursed and shouted as the gun flew out of her hand, but it did its job well enough.

She tossed the girl another MaxDoc to keep her going just in case. If either one of them passed out, it was game over, "There's a panic button in the dashboard. I need you to find the car cigarette lighter and press on it for five seconds or until you hear a message," Hiro then instructed before he started barking out instructions angrily on another line.

"Got it!" Rebecca didn't need to be told twice as she pressed the seemingly innocuous trinket before the radio lit up on its own.

+This is an automated reply. The nearest Arasaka agent is 13 minutes away and has just been contacted. Help is on the way. Please stay inside the vehicle. Thank you.+ Came the monotone voice of the car. If it had a face, she would have kissed it right then as things were really getting hairy.

"Don't you dare die on me or I swear I'll be very angry at you once I piece you back together!" Hiro shouted as panic colored his tone, but she couldn't help but giggle at how just silly it all was. She didn't doubt one second that he'd find a way to make a miracle, he somehow just did it without a second thought.

"Hah! As if something like this could kill me. They'll have to bring heavier ordinance if they want a chance!" She shouted confidently with a grin on her face before she closed the line. As much as she wanted to keep hearing his voice, she didn't want him to hear her if things really went south. At least help was on the way and she simply needed to survive till then, easy enough she supposed. Now, how was she going to get out of this situation?

The answer soon came into view as she saw some construction workers surveying the damage to the guard rails of the bridge. The grin on her face got wider as she slammed her foot down on the pedal, their car's engine roaring as the speed dial kept going up, "Sombra, buckle up! I'm going to do something crazy!" She laughed out as she headed straight for the gap in the guard rails.

Sombra turned to her in confusion but it was quickly replaced with that of horror, "Oh you have to be kidding me!" She screamed out as she dove back to the front seat and grabbed the seat belt, "Rebecca, I swear if we die, I'll haunt your ass in the afterlife!" She shouted in equal parts anger and terror as she held onto the grab handle for her dear life.

The construction workers scattered as their car and Faraday's goons came into view. It was dumb, it was dangerous, but it just might work. With her knuckles white with how hard she was gripping the steering wheel she made a turn and drove off the bridge.

For a brief moment, she felt weightless. Their screams drowned out by the roaring in her ear as their ride slowly tipped forward. It then came to a jarring and sudden stop as bits of the hood and the front wheels met the asphalt of the bridge just below the overpass they were on. She winced at the crunching sound their car made when it fully landed, but by the skin of their teeth the car kept on going as it rocketed forward and met traffic.

They'd landed in the wrong lane and the steering wheel became stiff, but she managed to wrestle her car to a sharp turn as she corrected herself. The cars following her came to a screeching halt only for the lead one to be pushed over by the cars behind it. Unfortunately the car that met its fiery death didn't have Lucy as the bitch looked at them gobsmacked from the car that had just pushed the other one over.
She flipped the bird at her as they made their merry way, escaping their captors after a long and grueling chase. Eventually, the cars trying to smash into them returned to simple drivers ramming them for being slow as they slowly limped toward the nearest Arasaka building. Unfortunately, it wasn't just the the steering that was fucked up but the engine as well, which started to rattle and squeal.

"I don't like the sound of that," Sombra muttered as she took her third MaxDoc. She looked a bit cut up, but for a woman who just had her hand mutilated she was holding up surprisingly well.

"That's enough of that, you'll get addicted I swear," She scolded the girl as she slammed the glovebox closed. The girl glared at her, but she just sighed as she slumped back in her seat.

As they made their way down back to the main road, their car finally gave up as it sputtered and lost all power. Their car had made a valiant effort, but it had more holes than a body the scavs got their hands on and she just drove off a bridge and somehow survived in one piece. It was a miracle that it got this far. She only wished that the Cathedral wasn't a stone's throw away from where they were.

"Welp, all we can do now is wait," Rebecca sighed as she unhooked her seat belt and reclined her chair. Leaning back and getting herself comfortable, she then said, "Wake me up when backup arrives," She'd already had way too much excitement for the day, a small nap wouldn't hurt.

Not even a minute into her short nap, she felt Sombra already shaking her awake, "Um Becca, I think we should run. Like right now," the latina frantically told her, causing her to jolt awake. She bolted up and there heading towards them was the group chasing after them. She quickly turned around and not only was their way forward blocked, so too was their way back. It wasn't like they could drive away either as well as their car was busted, the hood smoking.

She leaned back down, hiding with Sombra as she pulled out her gun. They were fucking trapped and the timer on the radio's screen didn't bode to well on their chances, "Shit, still 5 minutes away," She gritted out. As much as she wanted to run, running would only hasten their deaths and make it painful. The fact of the matter was, the car was their beacon for help and they had to stay there.

"Fuck, Fuck, what are we going to do now?" Sombra frantically asked as she clutched a laspistol close to her chest. Rebecca couldn't answer her as she peered out of their cover and she saw how many more of them were still around. The broker really threw everything along with the kitchen sink at her. They were fucked and both of them knew it.

They were quickly surrounded with men lining up around them. Rebecca's hands clutched her black pistol as she waited patiently, thinking of a way to buy them some time. She could take out quite a lot of them, but with the amount of guns pointed at them one of them was bound to get lucky and land a fatal shot.

As the guns lined up their shots, Faraday stepped forward holding his hand up to stop his men from spraying them full of lead, "It seems that your luck finally ran out, Firebird," The man taunted them with a smirk as he gestured at the men and women he brought along, "As much as I want to simply rain lead all over your ride till all that remains is a flaming wreck, cooler heads must prevail," he offered coolly as Lucy stepped out behind him.

"If you come out now, I'll promise you that you'll remain alive," The man so ever so generously offered as he pulled out a gun, "Be grateful. If it wasn't for my pet runner over here you'd already be dead," he added as he leveled the gun at them before aiming at the fuel tank.

"Surrender now or die, the choice is yours. You only have three seconds," The four eyed freak threatened them. Was this it? Was this the end of the road for her? Surrender now and she'd not only hurt her input emotionally but she could also potentially compromise him in the company. There would be hell to pay, but she had no doubt things were going to get ugly while she was in captivity. She couldn't even promise Sombra was going to be ok if they surrendered.

"Wait! Let's talk this out shall we? I have a friend over here. I want to make sure she's still in one piece if I surrender!" She bargained, hoping that he'd waste some time by taking her bait. There were still 2 minutes on the clock and time wasn't ticking down faster.

"Three," The man started counting down, ignoring his plea for a bargain

If she didn't surrender, there's only one clear answer to what'll happen next and that was death. She would be dead and that was the end of it. They'd probably make sure she was far too gone for Trauma Team to patch her up. They could even drag her body out and scatter her to spite Hiro.

"Two," the former broker cocked his gun as his goons raised their guns. There were just far too many of them and too little time. She had no choice, with shaky hands, she was about to raise her hands but she was quickly cut off as a harsh spotlight suddenly beamed down on their position.

"On-!" Before Faraday could finish his countdown, a dark shape suddenly slammed into him kicking up dust and debris everywhere. She and Sombra gawked as the dust settled revealing a heavily armored man standing over the pulped remains of the broker. He stood there menacingly, heavy bolter slung over his shoulder and held in one hand while the other held onto a chainsword as the logo of Arasaka was emblazoned on his back. Lucy scrambled away, a gibbering mess as the man stepped forward but that menacing image quickly shattered when they spoke.

"God damn, owww," The man, no, the teen hissed out as he clutched his knees, "How does that old bastard keep doing this? I swear I might have to replace my knees if I keep doing this," he grumbled as he stretched and shook his legs. This was their backup?

Turning towards them, the face of a youth barely out of highschool stared back at them while sporting an easy going grin, "Hey, sorry for being late. These guys bothering you?" He asked as he gestured at them. She was about to scream out in warning when a goon leveled their gun at him but she was quickly silenced as the youth merely leaned to the side and casually dodged the shot.

"Oyy! I'm talking here," The boy shouted only to be met with more shots. The boy just sighed as he danced around the gun fire, parrying some shots he couldn't with the roaring blade he wielded. The goons quickly emptied their magazine leaving them all panicking as they did their best to reload.

The youth smirked at this as he unslung his gun and aimed his sword at them, "So that's how you want to play, huh?! Well come get some you sons of bitches!" He roared out as he launched himself at them, a whirling dervish of swords and gun fire as guns and limbs were chopped up with some receiving new holes to breathe through. It was over in a flash with the men surrounding them a groaning and broken pile of flesh while Lucy stared at the boy in unbridled terror.

"Now, what am I going to do with you?" He asked as he walked over to the girl before her eyes flashed. The boy merely snorted as he shook her head and added, "Sorry, won't work."

The girl slumped in defeat against the wall of the building behind her, finally ending the little chase they had. Getting out of the car and stomping over to the traitorous cunt, she shouted at her, "Lucy you bitch, why the hell did you shoot me!? Also, you owe her a new hand!" She then gestured toward an irate Sombra.

Yes, she shot at them but she was their prisoner now. She was her friend once, so she was going to give her the chance to explain herself. The fact that she was also working with the guy that the suspicious Arasaka worker was meeting helped a lot in staying her hands and just shooting her there and then.

"Like hell she does!" Sombra growled out as she raised her stump of a hand and shook it in anger, "Let me at her so I can give her a piece of my mind!" Rebecca had to hold the girl back lest she actually kicked the girl's teeth in. She gave the latina a pleading look, just asking her to give them some time. Thankfully, the girl relented. What she didn't understand was what Lucy then said.

"You don't understand. I had to get away! You left me no choice!" Lucy gibbered out, eyes frantic and pleading as she stared back at her, which caught her entirely by surprise. She had seen people panic before but not quite to a level like this and she hadn't even placed the barrel of her black gun against her forehead.

"You two know each other?" Their backup asked as he looked at them.

Rebecca sighed and nodded before reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose, "Yup. We used to be friends. Emphasis on used to," She muttered out. Why the hell was she so afraid right now? Yes, she was a cat thief who specifically targeted Arasaka personnel, but to be so afraid that she was having a full blown panic attack… it was simply too fucked up, "Also, what the hell are you yammering on about? Do you know how much Kiwi got worried sick about you?" She questioned her, trying to figure out what the hell was missing here. Did she have some history with Arasaka beyond what she knew?

"Wait, she knows Kiwi? Huh, so you're that daughter she kept talking about. Can't see the resemblance, but I've seen stranger things. Congratulations on getting a new step dad by the way. Scary guy but he does his best," The boy joked as he chuckled, making Rebecca stare at him in disbelief. This boy…

"You know what, I'm way too tired for this," Rebecca groaned out as she massaged her aching head, "I want to shoot you right now, but like you said earlier, cooler heads have to prevail. Besides, I have a whole lot of questions for you to answer," She admitted, hoping that she'd at least listen to some reason.

"No! Stay back! Please don't take me back!" She shrieked out as she pulled out a gun and aimed at them. She could only pity the girl as with how much her hands were shaking, she wouldn't be able to hit them much less the broad side of a barn.

"Oh for fuck's sake, what ever twisted fantasy you have inside that skull ain't gonna happen as long as I'm around. Don't you remember my input?" Rebecca tried to reason with her. It would all be for naught however as Sombra suddenly pushed her down.

"Becca, Look out!" She warned her and her eyes widened as she saw a car heading straight for them.

"Wha-! Oh fuck!" The boy cursed out as he threw his weapon to the side and slammed both hands down on the hood of the car. The car buckled under his strike as the rear lifted up before crashing down.

"Jesus Christ, who throws a car at someone when there's still people inside?" He asked, bewildered at just what happened, "Hey ma'am, are you ok? Do you need medical assistance?" he called out as the airbag deflated revealing a shocked but very much alive driver.

Rebecca sighed as she thought she was a goner only to remember Lucy. As she turned around, she found no sign of the girl. She could only curse as more Arasaka vehicles streamed into the scene. Faraday was dead and Lucy got away but at least they still have some prisoners to interrogate, though she doubted that they know the full picture. At least now she had a target to find. Why Lucy of all people was involved in this plot she did not know, but she'd get to the bottom of this one way or another.

-x-x-x-

Lucy staggered into her safe house, far away from Faraday's apartment, before shakily closing the door behind her. As soon as she was in the safety of her home, she felt her knees give out beneath her. Her lungs burned while her knees were shaking as sweat covered her form. She pressed her back against the door, her mind telling her it wouldn't be of any use if they came knocking but what else could she do? She couldn't just sit there, hoping things would work out, hoping that nothing bad would happen; she had to do something!

So there she waited, dreading what was to come… but it never came. No extraction team came bursting through her window nor did that borg's apprentice come barging through her door. They didn't chase after her and now she… got away. She quickly shook her head, refusing to believe such a fantasy. They'd always come after her, she has to get away.

She ran away… like she always did. She was tired, so tired of running away, but it was all she could ever do. The road had no end in sight and she could simply stop, but what awaited her back there was no way to live. She couldn't go back, she couldn't turn back else their eyes would stare back at her. She just wanted to be free, free to pursue what she wanted and as far away from Arasaka.

She pulled her knees close as tears fell down from her face. She ran away and found freedom, but at what cost? She was alone again, just like at the facility. Just like when she lost Kiwi. Just like now. Maybe she should have stayed with Kiwi and waited things out. Maybe she should have trusted Rebecca, but that was a road far too gone to think about. She made herself enemies she shouldn't have when she sided with Faraday, a costly mistake but all she could do now was deal with it.

Forcing herself up she made her way to the kitchen. Her apartment was by no means like Faraday's home, but it was secluded, safe, it was her one and only bastion of privacy. She might be in their city but there was still a way out. Thanks to Faraday's death, she could finally siphon off enough money from the dead man's account to fund her life on the moon. All she needed to do was get out.

Grabbing herself an energy drink she quickly downed its contents as she made her way to her room. With her fight with Rebecca she had landed herself in way too much hot water. She simply couldn't stay and wait them out. If only Rebecca hadn't stumbled on her so soon, she could have switched sides.

She grabbed her clothes and quickly stuffed them in a suitcase. Guns, medicine, physical money, she grabbed whatever she could. As she ransacked her room, she stumbled upon the letter from Militech. She grimaced as she stared at it, her hands about to crumple when a voice called out that had her shaken to her core.

"Ahh, Ms Kushinada, just the woman we need," a man spoke, making her look up. She felt ice fill her veins as the black armored figure with the symbol of Militech emblazoned upon their chest stood inside her bedroom. He was unarmed, yet her heart raced as she tried to look for a way out.

"It's unfortunate Mr. Faraday expired, but without his help and his insider we wouldn't have our strike team inserted," The man added as he pulled out a fashion electronic pad only to pause as his gaze locked on her bag, "You weren't thinking of running away weren't you?"He asked her as he looked up while her own reflection stared back at her on those blackened visors.

"Don't you remember my employers deal with you? Just help us with this job and you can have your own home in Alaska, far away from Night City and free from Arasaka control. You know that was a generous offer right? You can't simply back away from such a deal now that it falls unto you to fulfill it," He reminded her, his voice even yet the message was clear; either continue working or die.

Her fist clenched, her hands shaking before she unclenched them as she schooled her features. "N-no… I was merely moving to another safe house. I've stayed here for far too long," She whispered back as she found herself forced into a decision not of her own once more.

"Good, let us worry about the funds necessary for such a move. After all, Militech cares for its own," The man magnanimously replied. She wanted to run, but it seemed that the road was cutting off soon and there would be nowhere else to go.

---

A/N:

Well that was quite a long rest. Sorry about not getting to post this earlier, I kinda forgot? I actually have another chapter I'm going to post for another fic but that's for tommorow. Really sorry about this but hoped you like the chase sequence I made. As for why Lucy couldn't control Rebecca's car, it's company car. It has its upgrades. Next chapters up already btw so go check it out!

With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor who is the reason why my shit is readable . I'd also want to thank my Patrons once again. You guys are the best! Please consider dropping by my Patreon page and became a patron today to support me. It means a lot to me if I can keep on working on my fics. I also have also have a Ko-Fi page and a Subscribe Star for those who do not like Patreon.

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[SirBearington]

Act 2 Chapter 4

---

"Mmm~ Right there," Sombra moaned out while Rebecca was forced to watch. She could have simply gotten up and walked away at any time, as Kiriko was watching as well, but she just couldn't look away when this bitch was flaunting everything she had at her input! Her shapely body, her bigger chest, and her devilishly good looks, this girl just pissed her off so much. She was determined to get Hiro so here she was, sitting there all throughout as Hiro's Mechandrite got inside the Latina, making her moan out even louder.

"Ms. Sombra, as lovely as your voice is, I do have to ask you to quiet down. I am working on your chrome and any distraction could prove to be quite dangerous," her input lightly scolded the Valentina as she squirmed on the operating table while Hiro's mechanical tentacles were inside her chest cavity, attaching wires to her spine. It was a grizzly sight and, within the cramped space of Hiro's own lab, it made it look more like a back alley operation than a custom fitting.

"Just shut up Sombra so we can get this over with!" She growled out, wishing the girl could just stop with the teasing and the moaning for one second. Oftentimes, she wondered if Sombra really actually wanted Hiro or if she's looking to get a rise out of her to get her attention. Either way, she was just too… insufferable and immature.

The younger girl blew raspberries at her before firing back, "Well, I wouldn't be in this operating table if a certain someone didn't get us both in trouble," Yes, it was technically her fault, but there was a certain danger to every job and a girl like her should be familiar with it. Her eyes soon wandered over the girl's scratched up body.

While Sombra's injuries were easily patched up by Trauma Team once they'd arrived at the scene, there was still the matter of Sombra's now missing hand as well the things she saw. With the desperate situation they were in, Rebecca had to do some stuff she shouldn't have shown, so now they were bribing her.

She gets a whole new arm and some chrome while she remains quiet about all the stuff about her messing with her hand. She had to give props to the girl for choosing to remain awake throughout the operation. All that was keeping her from screaming in pain were some pain meds that Hiro brewed up, but this smelled way too much of machismo… or would it be marianismo but wouldn't her being manly be quite opposite that of being feminine? She shook her head as she glared at the girl.

"I saved your life twice already! You wouldn't even be here if I didn't heal your stump," she reminded the girl. With her hand lopped off, she was bleeding a lot. She had to act quickly else she'd lost far too much blood. Trauma Team is good, but they're not miracle workers.

"Ah yes, that little fun thing where you mangled my stump," She hissed out as she gave her a glare of her own. Rebecca rolled her eyes at the girl for whining about a little pain, "God damn, that hurts you know. From how it looks, we're just back at how we started off," the girl then argued.

"I know you two have your differences, but maybe now is not the best time…" Kiriko said diplomatically, clearly hoping to ease tension but Sombra started it in Rebecca's eyes and she would have her peace!

"Oh come on babe,~ a little bit of horseplay wouldn't hur- ow!" the girl winced as Hiro's tentacle suddenly jerked lightly, probably hitting something quite important there, as Sombra pouted. "Ok, jeez, you didn't have to poke me that hard Doc," she mumbled as she settled down.

Rebecca sighed in relief as the loud mouthed Valentina finally shut up. Without all the distractions, Hiro could finally do his magic as his mechanical tentacles worked in concert, each doing their job from slicing through flesh and attaching new chrome. Old implants were pulled out as new ones took their place.

It wasn't just her hands getting upgraded either, as almost every aspect of her was improved straight from Hiro's pocket. It was a fair deal for what she was getting and what she had to hide. She and Hiro really didn't want such knowledge popping up, especially with what lurked underneath. While humanity now had yet to develop sensitivity to the warp, all it took was one fool diving in too deep and they'd have a cult somewhere popping up; preparing humanity for the slaughter. With all the psychos around, it'd be hard separating the insane from the possessed.

As she was getting pieced back together, Sombra then piped up which gave Rebecca some pause, "So, you're really a witch huh? Who would have known."

Well, she couldn't exactly fault her for calling her a witch as her powers were kinda freaky. With a snap of her fingers, flames danced atop her finger. Without armor or any visible chrome on hand and away from the heat of battle, she could clearly see the flame appearing seemingly from thin air.

"Yeah yeah, It's how I burn people," she answered her truthfully. It's not like showing more would hurt as they already have a deal.

The girl's eyes widened at the open display of power before averting her eyes, "Remind me to never touch your fire ever again, cause I swear I hear screams whenever I stare at them," She told them as she did her best not to look at the open flame.

Rebecca quickly snuffed the fire before she glanced over to Hiro, wondering if Sombra was also sensitive, as unlikely as it was. Thankfully he shook his head in negative which had her sighing in relief. It was one thing to teach the girl the ins and outs of being an edgerunner and another to teach her about being a psyker. It's not like she knows it well enough and Hiro, while knowledgeable about it, did not have experience nor the ability to gain said experience with his weird soul.

"Is there a way to make someone into a Psyker or do you have to be born as one?" Sombra prodded, probably wondering if she could get it. It was a shiny new gun but it wasn't… something Rebecca wanted to rely on.

"While the power of one seems tempting, it's for the best that you're not a psyker," Hiro warned Sombra which made the girl look at her. She shook her head, agreeing with Hiro that such powers were not something they should meddle in.

"Trust me on this one Sombra. I enjoy the power, but god damn are the consequences of slipping up horrible," Rebecca replied as a shiver of fright ran up her spine. As calm as the sea of souls were, it had its dangers; which was partly why she stuck to her party tricks. They were easy to use and didn't require her to dig in too deep and too often, "Ever watched that ancient film called Event Horizon?" She then asked as the film came to mind.

The girl blanched at that as she replied, "Forget I ever asked," Rebecca nodded in appreciation. The girl at least had good taste in movies.

It was pretty quiet after that, with small talk interspersed throughout the operation just to stave off the boredom. While her upgrades were extensive, it didn't take long for her operation to finish. As the last connection was placed, the latina's new hands finally moved.

Purple circuits glowed as they were turned on to full power for the first time. A shiver ran up the girl's body as she stood up and tested out her new chrome. As her eyes glowed, some of the mechandrites attached to the operating table twitched before they fell slack again but despite the failed attempt, she was already grinning ear to ear.

"I see that you like new upgrades," Hiro replied with a smile as he washed his hands while Kiriko along with some Servitors packed up the tools and wiped away what little blood was spilled in the room. "Any tightness and discomfort in your movements, Sombra? It's best we get it sorted now rather than later," he told her as he walked behind her, ignoring her nakedness, and poked at her back.

"Ohhh, I like this. I like this alot," Sombra purred as she stood there, unconcerned with her lack of clothing as she marveled at the chrome that was now part of her body. Rebecca had to admit, purple suited her well, far better than the default red that most Arasaka tech used or the green that her own personalized tech used, "It's perfect. I feel like a whole new me!"

"Well, this has been a rather fun playdate, but I still have some places to go," Sombra replied as she started picking up her clothing to get herself decent. She wasn't too surprised that the girl went commando under what little clothing she wore. Turning to Hiro, she then asked, "So stud, any meds I need to take or anything you need to remind me about my new chrome?"

"Oh nothing of that sort, your chrome is quite biocompatible. There's no risk of rejection unless I seriously messed up," Hiro replied confidently as he stretched, popping the joints in his back. "You might start to feel a bit sore and heavy once the localized anesthesia wears off, but it shouldn't last for too long," He then added.

"Oho? You know, maybe I should recommend my relatives to you. I was awake the entire time but I barely felt a thing!" The Valentina replied, complimenting Hiro for his work.

"While flattering, I'm not sure they can afford my rates," Hiro replied with an easy smile while Rebecca snickered.

"Try me," The girl challenged as she stared back confidently. Hiro gave Rebecca an amused look before nodding as he sent her the itemized list of all the things placed inside the girl. She couldn't help but whistle as her eyes scanned the list, "What? I know it's expensive but it shouldn't be that expensive," the latina asked.
Rebecca leaned in and whispered to her the grand total which had the girl choking as she looked back at her in surprise, "T-that much?" She asked her, eyes pleading to tell her it was all some kind of joke but Rebecca only shook her head. The girl winced as the cost of her operation/bribe sank in. If she were to renege on the deal, she might find the support that Hiro provided for her chrome to suddenly not be available, and with it being a custom fit she'd be hard pressed to find someone to work with it.

As much of a bribe it was, it was quite the effective leash as well. Of course, Hiro's creations were of high quality and wouldn't break down to simple use, but in a high risk environment that most Edgerunners tread through physical damage caused by gunfire or melee weapons was unavoidable. If she were to break the deal, she had to give up her life as a mercenary; something she'd never do if she were just as much of an Edgerunner as Rebecca was.

"Well, I'll be off then! Bye!" The girl all too hastily replied as she slipped her shoes on before, struggling to get them on as she hopped out of the room. Just as she left, she peeked from the entrance and shouted, "Oh, before I forget, all three of you still owe me a date!"

With those parting words, she finally left, leaving her with Hiro and Kiriko. Rebecca sighed as she looked away, pouting as she sat by Hiro. There was an uncomfortable silence between them as Kiriko excused herself to get some coffee and tea, leaving her there as she tried to work up the courage to talk to Hiro about her little job.

Finally mustering the courage, she started, "Sorry about what happened… I kinda fucked up there." Admitting she fucked up was uncomfortable but it was the truth. Even if the job's intended job was supposed to be easy and not too dangerous, she still somehow got herself into a firefight, which ended up making her call upon him for help, "I shouldn't have been so hasty and maybe I should have backed away instead of heading straight in, but the answers were just there and I couldn't help it."

Even if it was a job that was finished, It still dragged the company's eyes on the situation. She could have easily backed away but she had to stay, she had to finish what was started. She got too hasty and well, it almost landed her in some deep shit, "Yes, I captured some of the people involved but was it really worth all the danger I placed myself through?" She asked herself, pointing out her mistake as she sighed out.

"Sorry about the dinner date as well, I kinda promised that in the heat of the moment," She then said as she pulled her knees in close. Hiro kept quiet, which had Rebecca's stomach turn as she shrunk into herself only for her to squeak in surprise as she found his hands wrapping around her, pulling her into a tight hug. The words he told her next eased her of all her worries and doubts.

"I'm just glad you're ok," He whispered to her and she felt relief as she let out the breath she didn't know she was holding and clung to Hiro for support. "It doesn't matter if you stumble a thousand times. So long as I'm around, I'll be there to help you up," he reassured her as she sagged against his hold.

She then felt a hand atop her head as Kiriko gazed down upon her with a warm smile, "You worry too much Rebecca-san," she told her, making her blush as the bubbly but surprisingly mature Kunoichi joined in with them after she placed down their drinks at a nearby table, "From the report young Martinez gave, you managed to uproot quite the malignant weed that had started to take root in the organization. As of now, the head of security is personally interrogating them."

"Unfortunately…" Rebecca muttered darkly as she was reminded of what happened after Arasaka got there. Adam's apprentice was surprisingly restrained and merely crippled them, providing quite a lot of people to interrogate. Unfortunately, Faraday was far too smashed up to piece back together.

"It would have been easier if they just gave us these people and had Kiwi root inside their minds but nooo, Asshole had to butt into our business and take them all. Would've been way faster with all the upgrades she's gotten and it's extremely suspicious, especially when it's one of theirs involved," She complained.

As it was company matters, Yorinobu and his faction decided to swoop in and take over the investigation. All those people were gathered up by their men and, with the little hold that Hiro's faction had in the security division, they simply couldn't out politic.

"It couldn't be helped. They have the authority to seize them and perform the interrogation for the company," Kiriko then said in dismay. This was exactly why Rebecca wanted this to be off the record, but things went south so fast that it just couldn't be helped.

"As much as I hate it, Kiriko is correct. The fact of the matter is, this isn't personal business anymore. It has become a company matter," Hiro sighed as he leaned against her.

"Which means ass covering time," Rebecca grumbled as she remembered who she was spying on was affiliated to. It rankled her that Yorinobu could just take the prisoners, but that was how things were inside the company. Hiro might have some political capital to throw around, but so did that man as well. It was wrong on so many levels, yet there really were few things she could do.

"As crude as that sounds, yes," Hiro said as he yawned loudly before he closed his. It was a long day and they could use some rest. As she was about to get up, she noticed that her input had fallen asleep on her shoulders.

Smiling softly as she watched over her man, she then whispered, "Hopefully, they won't bungle it up too much," Afterall, it was all she could do now as Hiro's side fought for them. As confident as she was in the streets, the corporate snake pit was not a field of battle she was familiar with. She had to rely on those far more experienced than her, so she hoped and prayed that things would work out.

---

Unfortunately for Rebecca, it seemed that the universe decided to spit upon her efforts as soon as Yorinobu Arasaka started speaking, "We didn't find anything," The man replied unflappably, causing the normally already quiet board meeting to a much deeper silence. Even Hanako looked at her stone faced sibling. Rebecca had to hold herself back lest he actually shoot the man.

"Can you repeat that? Maybe I just misheard it but did the head of the security division say that they have investigated themselves and found nothing wrong?" Michiko questioned him, glaring at him for such a brazen attempt at lying. His employee was caught red handed, there must've been something, but he claimed that he found nothing.
The man sneered as he gestured for his assistant to distribute physical copies of his report on the matter to the various board members. Seeing the pale looks of some of the board members, it didn't take a genius to realize that the man brutalized his captives. She gritted her teeth as she saw the state of some of the men. They wouldn't be able to talk even if they wanted to.

"The actions of the individual affiliated with the company caught in Ms Rebecca's impromptu raid are but the actions of a rogue element. Nothing more, nothing less," The man insisted as he leaned back against his seat, "Before you are the logs of everything we found. We made sure that they're bled dry of any information that could be remotely linked to the company."

"Bullshit!"

Harsher words were thrown around as what was supposed to be information that could help nail who was truly responsible for the debacles that company recently experienced only caused more division. Rebecca couldn't help but feel bitter about it, but that was how things were in this situation. They were simply unable to do anything despite the obvious horse play involved. They could call them out but from all the data that they'd released, even as rough as the netrunners and investigators were with their interrogation, all were within company policy.

"Thankfully, we did manage to find out exactly who's responsible for the leaks made so far. While we don't know the methods they're using, we now have a face to our problems," the man then said as the image of Lucy appeared before her eyes.

"Kushinada, Lucyna. Age 21. From what little we could gather, she's effectively a ghost inside Night City. Little contact, scrubs her traces well and a recluse in all but name, despite her edgerunning gig. She's a woman who likes to hide many things, but one thing she can't hide is her involvement in Project Deep Dive," The man said as he started breaking down everything they knew and what they could gather about her former comrade.

Project Deep Dive? Was Lucy involved with Arasaka in more ways than a simple grudge? As Yorinubo gave those within the boardroom a quick rundown on information, she began to see a tiny glimpse on what pushed Lucy to act so irrationally. She couldn't help but grit her teeth at the reminder of how brutal and callous Corporations could be. As much Hiro did his best to change things now, it doesn't really change what happened in the past.

"So a skeleton from your closet came haunting us in the present. How fitting, don't you think, Auntie?" Michiko spat out as the room got heated once more.

Rebecca simply tuned out the shouting match soon after as she gritted her teeth in frustration. While she now understood Lucy a bit more, she still couldn't quite forgive the girl. Why didn't she trust them? She spat upon the bond of their group, all because she was afraid. Kiwi would not like this one bit.

By the end of the meeting, one thing was decided: Lucy was far too dangerous out on the streets. A dangerous net runner capable of breaking into Arasaka and even disabling some of their defenses, it was all too much for the giant to ignore. It didn't take long for her face to be plastered everywhere. She was a dead woman walking as a bounty was now placed upon her head for anyone to take.

"That stupid bitch. If you didn't run, things wouldn't have been this way. Now your head's forfeit. I swear I'll get Kiwi to spank her ass once I get my hands on that girl," Rebecca growled as she followed Hiro back to their room.

-x-x-x-

"Huh?! You want me to go where!?" Rebecca shouted in outrage as her input rightfully cowered before her. She gritted her teeth as she narrowed her eyes at Hiro who held up his hands diplomatically. She was actually looking forward to hunting down Lucy, but now Hiro threw her this spanner seemingly out of nowhere.

"J-Japan but I really need this Becca. I really do!" Hiro replied diplomatically but she was not having any of it. Yes she fucked up, but pulling her and her team off the street and to the other side of the world? "Things are moving faster than I anticipated and I might need some extra firepower when things come to blows. Besides, it shouldn't take more than a week or two," he reasoned.
"If somebody's going to drag that bitches ass back here then it'll be either me or one of the crew!" She fumed as she looked away and crossed her arm, "I swear, if you're doing this to push me out of danger…" She mumbled with a pout but Hiro's hands soon wrapped around her and it was getting harder and harder to stay mad.

"I'm not. Rebecca, please listen," He begged her, making her pause as she reluctantly looked back at him. Taking a deep breath, she sighed as she lent him her ears.

"As much as you know about Lucy, there are things far more important that we need to deal with before we continue our pursuit," He started as he held her closely. She could feel her tense shoulders relaxing under his hold as he continued, "I… I don't like this as well, Rebecca, but as much as we need to react, we need to be proactive with our actions. This shipment could be essential to finally taking pacifica and breaking the two gangs. Without them, our enemies can't use them as a guise to hide their movement.

Rebecca's frown deepened once as she was quickly reminded of the war between Arasaka and two unruly gangs. As much bluster as the gangs had, they were quickly being placed on the back foot, but that didn't mean they couldn't bounce back. If Arasaka were to falter, the infection that were these gangs could spread once more. They could scatter and lick their wounds.

"Also, as much as I hate to admit it. I feel like Arasaka's conflict will boil over," Hiro admitted as sighed out in frustration, "My father's seriously messing things up. He's behind all this, I can feel it, but like what happened earlier he's good at covering his tracks," he complained.

"With Arasaka being stretched thin, there's not enough scrutiny on my father. The war as it is is far too much smoke screen for covert action, and it's a blunder on my part so I best remove it entirely from the equation," Hiro reasoned.

Rebecca sucked in a deep breath before shaking her head and sighing, "I hate it when you make a good point," She admitted, relenting to his reasoning, "Fine, I'll guard that shipment since we obviously can't trust your father's side with anything. That man really needs to go," she grumbled.

"We still don't have any direct proof yet," Hiro reminded her as his hands reached up to shoulders and massaged them, making her groan out in pleasure. Hiro did really know how to get on her good side when he wanted to, "But don't worry about it. Everything will be alright," he reassured her

"I'm really going to miss sleeping by your side," She whispered. She could scarcely imagine being away from him for so long, but he needed this done so she would make sure he got this shipment, whatever it took.

"I'll miss you too," He whispered back with a kiss to her cheeks, "As much as I need this shipment, if things go badly, I want you to let it go. I'd rather have to deal with things under armed than lose you," he instructed her, making her smile as she leaned up to capture his lips.
Pulling back, she whispered, "I love you too."

---

Kiwi liked to believe she wasn't a sentimental person, but as she stood there, watching Rebecca and the others board a private plane, it seemed more and more that she was lying to herself. She could go with them, leave this place for a bit and join them, but out there in the city was someone she was supposed to be responsible for. She couldn't go with them, not when her stupid daughter was still out there causing so much trouble. That girl, causing her so much grief, sometimes Kiwi wondered what kept pulling her back to her.

"Are you really staying, Kiwi?" Rebecca asked, breaking her out of her reverie as the world came into focus once more. She gazed down at the shorter girl wearing such formal clothing, a kimono of all things. She sure had gotten far hadn't she? "I don't want to butt in, but is this about…?" The girl prodded before trailing off, hesitating near the end.

Kiwi simply nodded as she answered honestly, "Yes, it's about Lucy, and I don't really mind. She dug her own grave, but I'd rather have it by my hands that she gets placed there," She basically raised her into this world, she couldn't let someone else have her now that she's actively being hunted down.

Kiwi didn't even get a chance to react before all of a sudden, a warm set of hands wrapped around her waist and held her tightly. She blinked, realizing how tense she was as her shoulders sagged in defeat, "... God damn it. You know I hate this mushy touchy stuff," She mumbled but the young Mox didn't really listen to reason not her own.

"Screw that, you need a hug," She fired back as she stubbornly clung to her, so much like how Lucy did when she first tried to rob her. She simply shook her head as she gave the smaller girl a pat on the head, "Spank Lucy for me, will ya?" Rebecca then asked her as she pulled away.

"Oh you bet I will. She's been way too unruly these past few months. Somebody has to discipline her," Kiwi replied before gesturing at the plane whose engine started to ramp, "Now go on before the plane leaves you. I think they're about to take off," She shooed, making the girl panic as she noticed her ride moving.

"Huh-! O-oy! I'm still here!" She shouted, doing her best to call their attention despite how loud the engines were. Thankfully, they really weren't going to leave her.

Kiwi shook her head as she watched the girl board the large jet before its engine pivoted as it pushed itself off the ground and went flying off into the setting sun. She stood there, seeing them become naught but a speck in the distance until they disappeared on the horizon. By then, it was already quite dark in the private airfield.

Sighing, she looked at her back to see the imposing form of her input in all his chrome'd up glory. The way he stared at her with those red unblinking eyes should have made her run, but after all this time all she felt was a strange sense of comfort. As he walked up to her, his footsteps a mere pitter patter despite his large size, she spoke up, "If you want to scare me, you better step up your game, big man."
She swore she heard him snort as he reached up to her before suddenly placing his hands upon her shoulder. A shiver ran up her spine as she locked up, her body tensing as heart started to beat faster before heat bloomed inside her core. She grimaced as she looked away as she lost their little game again.

She hated how he toyed with her, but she learned well enough that the beast could show affection, as twisted as it is. She was his pet, a woman wrapped around his hands, dreading the day he'd turn against her. This could have been Lucy's fate, scared of what's to come, but unlike her daughter, she'd learned that she can work within these bonds and thrive in them. If only she just stayed…

"Your daughter, the Company wants her head," He growled out, reminding of what she needed to do.

"I know. I tried my best but I failed. I couldn't save her," She admitted as she reached for her pocket and pulled out a cigarette. Lighting it up and taking a long drag, she added, "Don't worry about what happens next. I won't hesitate when the time comes."

"I will take her alive," Adam then added, making her pause as she processed what the man just said. His voice remained grating, mechanical, but it didn't have the menace it usually held. There was no blood lust in his tone, there was only annoyance, a far cry to his usual mood when out on a hunt.

Kiwi looked up at him in disbelief but Adam was not one to joke, "Thank you…" she choked out in reply as a sense of elation filled her veins. Lucy didn't need to die, she could live, which meant she could slap her until she's satisfied.

"Don't thank me. The young master simply wants the girl alive," With those words, her input walked away, gesturing for her to follow. The sound of a car's alarm switching in the distance told her he came there to pick her up. As she walked up to catch up to him, she wondered if he really did care. He probably didn't… but it didn't hurt to hope, especially when she sat atop his lap.

---

A/N:

Lucy is a dead woman walking or at least about to be if the wrong people catches her. Meanwhile in Arasaka's board room, things are definitely heating up and looks like Hiro might need to get some stuff prepared for what's to come. Next chapter will be fun cause I might introduce another character, I character that I've hidden in one of the Interludes and well, she's a handful lol.

With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for all the help he's been with these. I'd also like to thank my Patrons who keep me going. You guys are the best! Please consider dropping by my Patreon page and became a patron today to support me as well. It means a lot to me if I can keep on working on my fics. I also have also have a paypal tip jar you can directly toss money in if you just want to give something without having to subscribe it my patreon.

 

[SirBearington]

Act 2 Chapter 5

---

As an Edgerunner, Rebecca had to develop a thick skin just to get by; even more so once she started dating Hiro. Oh sure she had quite the temper, but she had learned to deal with it and she was pretty confident that it took quite a lot to get under her skin these days… or so she thought. She wasn't quite prepared for what she was about to face as her plane finally landed at the Incheon International Airport.

"So we're just here to go meet the Song Heavy Industry, Arasaka, and Reviere Courier Representatives before we go do our mission, right?" Dorio asked with a yawn as she rubbed her eyes.

"That's what the big man said. Just some babysitting job really, nothing too special aside from crossing the ocean on a cargo ship. We'll be back in no time," Maine replied with a grunt as he stretched and shook his legs awake.

Rebecca smiled tiredly seeing that she wasn't the only one that chose to stay awake so they didn't have to deal with jetlag. When they left California, the sun had just set and when they arrived in Korea it was still dark. 12 hours of flight and the moon remained high up in the sky.

She couldn't help but find herself yawning as well once they walked out of her plane amidst much fanfare. The Arasaka representatives of Korea gathered in force to welcome her and her crew as they greeted them warmly while shepherding them to their ride, a much appreciated gesture considering her state right now. She was tired, eyes drooping from the restless trip, and the Aerodyne transport prepared for her was a sight for sore eyes.

The non-stop flight took its toll and every last one of them, even the normally upbeat Sombra, was down and ready for a long nap.The only person that chose sleep throughout the flight was Pilar who grinned smugly as he stuttered ahead. Everything seemed to be going smoothly and they were about to board their ride when trouble arrived.

"Make way! We demanded a meeting with the representative our beloved has sent and we shall have it now!" Came the grating voice of a young girl as the security detail tried to intercept whoever it was, but they would prove unsuccessful when a young woman her age pushed through the crowd before glaring at Rebecca. She certainly caught her attention with the way she dressed, wearing something akin to a kimono but clearly not.

Raising a brow, she turned to the main Arasaka representative who bowed profusely at her before turning to the girl, "Miss Song, they've just arrived from a long trip. There's plenty of time for you to meet them at the meeting so please, reconsider," The corporate executive tried reasoning to this girl but he was brushed off as the teen strutted up to her with all the confidence in the world. They spoke in rapid fire succession in a language she was unfamiliar with so she could not keep up, much to her annoyance.

"Woah there missy. If you want an autograph, you'll have to wait," Pilar greeted the girl only for her to brush him off, pushing his much taller frame aside with an annoyed grunt, "H-hey!"
She snickered at her brother's misfortune up until she found herself blocked by the very same girl who glared at her as she stood there. She raised a brow at the girl before shrugging as she tried to walk around her but the girl followed her, stopping her and refusing to go away. Rebecca's eyes narrowed as she felt the girl's eyes on her, giving her a once over before scoffing.

Glaring up at the slightly taller girl, she growled warningly, "Oy! What's the big idea?" She gave her all the chance in the world to back away, doing her best not to be too confrontational, but the girl merely raised a brow at her. Gritting her teeth, she then added, "I don't care who you think you are or what the fuck you want but back off."

This girl was just looking for trouble; she could feel it as both of them locked eyes. Normally, she would have brushed it off and ignored the girl afterwards, but there was something about the way this girl held herself which ticked her off. It was as if she owned the place and everyone were just servants to her. The fact that the welcoming party intended for her and crew did little to stop her, or rather could not do much against this woman, infuriated her further.

Maybe it was just the lack of good sleep or maybe it was the girl but she was not in the good mood at the slightest and this girl seemed determined to piss her off even more. She did not have time for this kind of bullshit.

"So, you're the mistress that my beloved has taken interest in," The girl started, walking forward up until they were face to face. Rebecca stood her ground, refusing to be cowed as she faced off with this princess that looked like she hadn't lifted a single finger her entire life. The girl then sneered at her in disgust as she added, "Just as I expected. Mere eye candy, nothing more. You don't even know who I am, do you?"

"Quite brave of you to say that to my face while you're in stabbing distance, bitch," She snarled back at her through gritted teeth. She clenched her fist as she did her best to stop herself from taking a swing at the girl's pretty little face and breaking something, but before things got heated both of them were pushed away from each other as their security detail finally intervened.

Pilar made a lunge for the girl but was quickly held back by Maine who grabbed him by the scuff of the shirt while the rest of the security mobbed him, "What the hell did you just call me my sister you two bit bimbo?!" Her brother shouted.

"Oy! Back away, princess, if you know what's good for you," Sombra warned the girl as she rested her hands on her SMG.

"Pilar, knock it off. It ain't worth it," Miane called out, using his bulky arms to trap Pilar's gangly frame.

Pilar, however, was not so easily dissuaded as he bared his teeth at the girl, "You think you can just walk up to my sister and insult her?" Pilar shouted while he tried to free himself from the security's grasp, veins popping while spittle flew out of his mouth, "Let me at em Maine! I'll show them how we treat people like her in Night City! "

The girl remained unphased, remaining stone faced and seemingly unimpressed about everything. She stirred shit up to cause a scene and she got it but thankfully, cooler heads prevailed, "Damn it, we're not in Night City!" Dorio scolded him as she placed her hands on Rebecca, shaking her head before pulling her back. Rebecca backed off, crossing her arms as she glared at their useless security detail.

"Mister Hall, we apologize for the inconvenience but please calm down. This is not the time for violence," The Arasaka representative told them, bowing lowly in apology before turning to the girl and started scolding her, "Also, Young Mistress, this is highly unbecoming of you. You represent the face of Song Heavy Industries, not some school girl looking for a school yard scuffle."

The girl scoffed before she flicked her hair as she looked away while Rebecca's eyes widened. She was the Song Heavy Industry Representative? Why was she here? Her realization didn't go unnoticed as the girl smirked at them.

"Oh, so you do know me, but in case anyone missed the memo, allow me to introduce myself,~" The slightly taller girl purred out, looking down at her with her chin held high and her arms crossed beneath her chest to emphasize the part where Rebecca was quite lacking. Extending a hand to her, she then introduced herself, "My name is Hana Song, Song Heavy Industry Representative, nice to meet you."

Rebecca's eyes twitched but she forced herself to return the greeting. Grabbing the girl's hands, she gave it a squeeze, making the girl wince slightly, but she hid her pain well even as she felt bone creaking under her grip, "Rebecca Hall, Hiro Arasaka's representative, and this is Maine, the leader of my crew," She greeted back with a feral grin, watching as the girl pulled back her hand a bit too hastily.

Giving them a fake plastic smile, shen then fired back, "I'm glad that we can finally meet each other. I've heard many great things from my beloved and I say, I expected something more… and maybe someone a bit taller."

Rebecca sucked in a breath, about to cock her arm back before a sudden message appeared over her vision. She then smirked as she opened it up to see Hiro asking if she had arrived. Ignoring her for a bit, she then looked back at her before asking, "Hmmm? What's that? I was kind of busy reading a message from Hiro." It seemed to have struck a nerve in the girl as the girl's teeth bared her teeth. Grinning widely, she pushed in the knife further and relished at her anger, "Oh, you don't get those often? Bless your heart.~"

The girl was not one to be outdone, replying, "Oh that's cute. As much as I want to keep talking, I still have far better things to do. It's just your typical stuff like running a company and making sure my beloved's operation here in Korea runs smoothly, just the type of thing that's perfectly suited for a future wife. No big deal.~"

Rebecca remained quiet, glaring defiantly back at the girl and refusing to give her any more reactions. This girl tested her nerves, showing off everything that she had that Rebecca didn't, all to show her up to Hiro; who wasn't even present. She had enough. Leaning close to her, she then whispered, "You're just as fierce as Hiro described you and I like that.~ I'm looking forward having you on your knees calling me mistress when the time comes.~"

With those parting words, she turned around and left, barking orders in Korean as she strutted off, leaving Rebecca standing there with a blush on her face, unsure on how to process those words. Did she just insult her and hit on her at the same time? She was one confusing girl, that's for sure.

"What a bitch…" Sombra piped up as she watched the girl get escorted away.

"Fucking hell Rebecca, we're supposed to coordinate with that bitch on this delivery?" Pilar asked as Maine finally let him go once the Corporate girl was well away and out of their hair.

"Unfortunately," Rebecca sighed as she scratched the back of her head. They had a shitty boss, just standard stuff. There's nothing that she should be angry about, she reminded herself, "Let's just get this over with so we can get this delivery started."

"This is going to be a long trip I swear," Pilar then said before he threw his hands up. "Fuck it, I wanted to get more sleep but might as well enjoy myself before I get stuck on a boat for weeks on end with that one. Going to cool off for a bit, just grab a Combat Taxi for me if I don't come back!" He shouted as she walked away from the group, fully intent on enjoying himself despite being far away from home.

She honestly couldn't blame her brother for it, finding herself tempted as well, but she had someone to come back too at home and a job to do, "This shouldn't take too long right?" She silently whispered as she boarded their ride.

-x-x-x-

Rebecca groaned silently in frustration as she sat there, forced to watch a presentation given by none other than Hana Song herself. Gone was the bratty bitch she met at the airport and, in her place there, standing confidently before her and representatives from three companies was the heiress of a local megacorporation. Was she surprised? No, given how two faced most corpo's were with the cut throat environment they operated in. One moment she was dealing with the bitch, the next she's dealing with a deadly monster in sheep's clothing. It's just a matter of finding out which one was the mask under all that bullcrap.

Leaning back, she watched as the girl stood there confidently in her sharp suit and scandalously short pencil skirt while she debriefed them on the planned shipment route, along with what Hiro had intended for them to guard. At least she wasn't alone, she thought as she glanced over to her crew mates. Maybe Kiwi had the right idea about staying back home. She held back her tongue as she watched Pillar nodding on and off to the side.

Thankfully, they were in the back and away from prying eyes else she'd have knocked some sense into the man, especially with who was present. Corpo's from not only Arasaka but Song Heavy Industries and Revere Courier Service as well sat in attendance both in person and as in holograms. Even Hiro and, most surprisingly of all, Saburo Arasaka were present for the meeting.

Sending a message to Hiro, she grinned at him before waving as his gaze shifted to her. Seeing him smile helped her pass the time as the woman started, dimming the lights until she was the only one visible in the darkness, "Once upon a time, before the war that ravaged our world, we mastered the seas, tamed the monsters that lurked on the edges of mariners maps, and made it our playground. Shipping cargo crossed the ocean at breakneck speed, connecting us in ways long thought impossible,"

A globe then lit up behind her, the holographic model spinning slow as oversized boats crisscrossed the oceans, trailing shipping routes. It was a peaceful image right up until red areas started popping up; with ships getting sunk and bombed, lanes getting mined, and ships seized. Slowly, the number of ships at sea dwindled until all that was left were airplanes flying overhead.

"Those days, however, have long since passed," The girl then said as she gestured at one of the red areas where images of underwater drones and unexploded mines were shown off, "The oceans are littered with mines and patrolled by rogue autonomous drones, our once free ocean becoming the same hostile oceans that our ancestors once faced. Prices since then have risen as we grew disparate, our economies linked through fragile trade lines, restricted by rail and air, suffered as a result. Globalization has become a pipe dream, but what if we can take back that dream? What if…"

While she listened, she noticed Dorio trying to shake Maine and call to his attention to no avail. Frowning, she poked the man's side making him jump as he looked around in confusion. Frowning, she asked him silently, "Hey Maine, you doing good? You've been staring off quite a bit."

"Mmm? Huh, yeah. I'm good. Just still a bit tired from the trip," Maine replied as he yawned but Rebecca wasn't convinced. Something was off about him right now, but she couldn't quite figure out why.

"You know, you didn't have to come with us since everyones still being paid regardless of participation. Besides, hasn't it just been a week or two since you got shot?" She whispered, reminding him how Kiwi was getting a cut as well, despite staying back to hunt for Lucy. Given how nasty the microwave blast was for those with chrome she half expected Maine to back out but here he was, standing with them for another job as if nothing had happened.
"As if this bone head would listen," Dorio muttered as she crossed her arm and glanced away.

Maine leaned in closely, wrapping his arms around his input only for her to shrug him off, "Oh come on, don't be like that. I'm good, seriously. Besides, what'll I do back home without my girl?" he whispered to her, making Dorio blush despite the tough act she put up.

"Awww," Rebecca cooed out silently, as she fought back the smile creeping up her face. She wished she had Hiro to hug there with her…

Her attention would soon be called on once more as the large, imposing figure of a ship replaced the slide show of dangers that filled the seas, "Introducing the Arasaka Heavy Freighters, a ship designed to withstand even the harshest weather and the most hostile oceans. Designed by Arasaka's best and brightest and manufactured by Song Heavy Industries, this ship is designed to navigate the dangerous waters of the Northern Pacific. Thanks to its adamantine hull…" The girl stated, gazing up at the model with pride as she listed off all its features.

"This looks like a floating castle," She noted, Sombra nodding in agreement. The numbers seemed… big. At nearly half a kilometer long, this thing looked like a stretched out city block as much as it's a cargo ship.

"It does but I feel like it's more like they took a chunk out of the docks and made it float," Sombra replied as the ship was animated to take several hits from rockets, "Makes you think though, what are they going to carry? A whole city?" She joked, but her answer would prove to not be too far off as the image of a factory complex being hollowed out was shown off.

"While the ship has some serious cargo limitations, given the armor required for it, it has more than enough capacity to carry out the task in hand, the transport of one of the manufacturing plants for Arasaka's weaponry. The ship will also be tasked to carry a large shipment of arms and servitor legions for the pacification of the construction site…"

Rebecca shifted in her seat and leaned closely as she watched in keen interest. A whole factory to be set up in Night City? While nothing too out of the ordinary, to see it occupying the former Pacifica Territory even in just a presentation definitely caught her attention. He was definitely going to end the war once nothing was left, "I expected a weapon or super robot of sorts but an entire factory and an army? Man, your input doesn't half ass things huh?" Sombra whistled

"Let's see if NUSA kicks up a stink about Arasaka opening up another factory in Night City." Oh sure the Servitor Legions being shown off on screen were concerning, but they were a drop in the bucket of soldiers Arasaka already had in Night City. The factory, meanwhile, would need people and that meant it would pull from the streets and, given a choice between being pacified through force or through peace, would they really continue fighting if an out was offered?

"You know… I wonder if there'd be a job opening for security," Maine mused out as he leaned closer, rubbing his chin as he stared at the mega complex that would soon dominate the ocean view.

Rebecca turned to Maine in surprise before grinning, "Are you seriously considering retirement, Maine? You know that'll jinx ya?" She asked the man with a bit of apprehension. Retirement was often seen as a harbinger of bad things to come and not something to be talked about lightly.

Maine shook his head as he kissed Dorio's forehead who now snuggled up to him, "Me? Naw. Think of it as a lateral promotion of sorts. A man needs to think about the future after all."

"But you don't want to continue fighting in the streets huh?" Becca whispered with a sad smile across her lips. It really did seem that Maine wanted an out, just like the people on the street. She couldn't blame him as, after all, people died all the time in their line of work. Not everyone could become a Night City Legend, some just faded away or found a way out, and it seemed that Maine found his.

Maine just nodded as he hugged Dorio tighter, "... Yeah, I had my time Becca. I thought I'd keep on running until the road stopped but, for once in my life, I think there's a home waiting for me at the end," He whispered before grinning back at her, "Still, a few eurodollars more wouldn't hurt so don't think I'm going to away just yet. You'll still see this ugly mug for a bit."

Rebecca chuckled before she turned her attention back to the presentation at hand to get her mind off the subject, "We'll also be accompanied by a detachment of Arasaka's own fleet along with some of their best to protect us in our journey…" Still, her mind did wander off as the future of the group was starting to look uncertain. Lucy went rogue, Maine was looking for a way out, and Kiwi was starting to drift away. Everything eventually ended, but she didn't think it'd be this soon. What was she going to do? Did she really want to keep fighting?

"Despite all the the precautions we've taken, all the time and effort designing and constructing these cargo freighters, all the ships we armed for the flotilla and all the men and women tasked in guarding our precious cargo, the journey would still be impossible without the Revere Courier Service," The polite applause that followed helped cleared her mind or a bit as she as the answer stared right at her in the face, "Thanks to their effort, we now have on our hand the most complete map of every last mine, autonomous drone, and hostile pirate basse of the entire pacific rim,"

Yes, she wanted to keep fighting because she could still fight the good fight. She could help make a better future even if all she knew was blasting whoever was on the other end of a barrel. Besides, it wasn't like she was going to have a big family anytime soon. She still wasn't ready to settle down, not when she still got all excited for the prospect of a fight.

"With these tools we will open the norther pacific passage and provide a volume of trade unheard of in our post Corporate War world. If, no, once we succeed, we will bring a new age of prosperity to the Pacific Rim Alliance as well as clear some of the waters that have long been deemed too dangerous to venture into." Rebecca nodded, she still had a long way to go but since her friend's time was drawing to a close she wanted to make sure she enjoyed it every step of the way.

She winced as the lights finally turned back on revealing Hana Song smiling at the audience, "And that concludes my presentation. Now, any questions?"

Rebecca chose to stay silent as the corpo's in the room made their rounds of questions mostly involving the profits and feasibility of the project. While she wasn't that knowledgeable in such topics, she did see just why such a project would be questioned quite heavily. The danger was just too great but, for her, the reward was just enough that she saw why Hiro was willing to risk a lot in this venture. The fact that more jobs were going to be opened up for Night City made this venture that she had vested interest in.

As the questioning finally started to taper off, she now had her time, "What's the expected time of delivery?" She asked Song, wondering how long this job was going to take.

"We're projecting a time table of 3-4 weeks, a week extra on the historical route given that we're skirting around Hawaii and Midway," Hana explained, making her wince a bit. Damn, she really was going to be out at sea for a month.

"Damn it, this is going to be one boring trip. Are we just supposed to sit on our thumbs and wait for something to happen?" Pilar then groggily piped up making her cheeks burn as she turned to his brother and glared at him.

"Pilar!" She scolded him, wishing the earth to swallow him there and then.

Hana smiled as she replied, "Oh, on the contrary, I say it would not." Rebecca paused, turning to the woman as she started showcasing some amenities for the ship, "Given the protection afforded to us by the thin Adamantium Hull, we've managed to free up enough space that we can afford to give some luxuries and entertainment for the ship's crew. These facilities include a gym, swimming pool, and a gaming room among other things.

There was murmuring in the crowd, but the woman was quick to pacify them as she said, "While more cargo would mean more profit, a happy crew is essential in keeping the ship running. These are dangerous waters they're threading, after all, and the profits from the journey alone should more than make up for those invested back into the people manning the ship."

Rebecca nodded appreciatively at the girl's unorthodox actions. Those same amenities would serve to attract mariners. It wasn't everyday you could get a crew that's willing to brave the waves in such drone infested waters. Hiro definitely included those in, but she had to give props to the girl for going through with it even if it meant she had to fight for it.

As she stared at the ship, she started to think that maybe this trip wouldn't be that bad after all. At the very least, it wouldn't be mind numbingly boring.

---

It was one thing to see a ship in pictures but it was another matter to see it in person. Rebecca whistled as she watched the massive ship, named the Maguro Maru, getting loaded up with containers from a veritable mountain piled up just beside the beach. It was a truly impressive sight; with the ship's structure jutting out like a castle sitting atop its fortress-like hull. It wasn't just one ship being loaded up either, with three more barges ready, each occupying an entire area in the docks.

"Now, those are some big ships," Rebecca whistled, watching them from the edge of the pier. Her friends had already boarded it and she was the only one left on the docks where she stood with the most unexpected of guests, "They're like half a kilometer long, right?" She asked as she turned towards Hana.

Hana snorted as she proudly replied, "More or less. They're the first of their class and they're unlike anything this world has yet to see. The fact that Hiro decided that they're going to be produced here fills me with pride."

Gone was the sharp suit she wore in the meeting and stuffy dress she wore in the airport, instead she wore a tight fitting flight suit that left little to the imagination; a perfect dress for combat, Rebecca noted, "You're really going to come with us, huh? Don't you have a business to run?" She asked.
"Why of course, how can our investors trust the products we make if I myself am not willing to ride the ships my beloved designed?" Hana replied.

Rebecca smirked as she fired back, "You just want to meet Hiro don't you?~"

The girl became a blushing mess as she stuttered out, "W-why that's simply just a coincidence, nothing more."

Rebecca snickered before she schooled her feature and gazed out to the fleet gathering to escort the ships, "Hey Hana, let me ask you something… Why do you really want to pursue Hiro? Is it because your company need Arasaka money or-"

Before she could finish her question, Hana quickly cut her off with a growl, "Don't you dare imply I'm just after his money," Rebecca took pause as she looked at the girl curiously, her interest now piqued, "Hiro's more than just one of the scions of Arasaka. He cares about people, he cares about the future and he wants to build that future. Whenever he talks about his dreams, his passion, he just…" She declared passionately before she started trailing off, catching herself.

Rebecca smiled softly as she finished her sentence, "Hiro does have a way of taking the breath away from you."

She watched Hana hesitate, eyes shifting before she sighed as she nodded, "He… he truly does and that's why he deserves only the best."

"You truly love him huh?" Rebecca noted before grinning and crossing her arms behind her head, "Well, that clears up a lot of things," She declared, finally seeing just why this girl felt so strongly about her. It was no wonder she was a bitch. Hana turned her head away, refusing to comment any further, which just answered Rebecca's suspicion.

"Hey Hana, I know we didn't have the best of starts, and I can't say that I'm looking forward to spending this voyage with you, but for the sake of the person we love let's work together to get this done," Rebecca then offered as she extended her hand out.

Hana looked at her offered hand in suspicion for a bit before she reluctantly reached out and shook it, "Let's see where this voyage takes us then," Hana replied as she gave her a firm shake before declaring, "But don't expect me to give up on pursuing my beloved so easily. I will get his hand eventually,"

Rebecca grinned back at the declaration of challenge as she then said, "Hiro does love a girl with a bit of heat in them, so you're definitely on the right path," She hated the girl, but she respected her for fighting for what she wanted. She was willing to give her a chance at the very least.

---

The first night out at sea was spent in the recreation area, specifically the indoor bar that served alcohol. While the mechanical bartender wasn't much to look out for, the selection of drinks they sold was decent enough. Most of the crew were watching one of the combat sport matches so they had the whole bar to themselves. Everyone was enjoying their time, well, almost everyone as Rebecca did her best to ignore an ongoing fight between Dorio and Maine.

"God damn it Maine, how many times do I have to tell you that it's not too much to ask for help from Becca with your chrome?" Doroi hissed out not too quietly. It was a bit awkward hearing her name being called, but she elected to ignore it to continue drinking with Sombra, "Also, how many times have I told you that you need to get rid of that thing? It's so old and outdated that you're burning money maintaining it!"

"Dorio, bae, we've been through this a hundred times, I can't afford the upgrade and, before you go on about that offer for better chrome, I already took her offer with getting my stuff fixed; isn't that enough?" Maine replied as he held his arm close to his chest, "Also, why try to change it if it still ain't broke?"

Doroi pinched the bridge of her nose as she then said, "Why are you so against getting free stuff? Becca's been with him and he has yet to mess with us. He's not adding strings to his offers, he's just being nice."

"I don't want us to depend on her for everything. We can do things on our own and I'd rather not go to her everytime we need something," Maine fired back, remaining adamant with his choices.

"It's just your chrome Maine," Doroi then said, starting the whole cycle all over again. Rebecca groaned, her mood slightly dampened by the two's fighting. She respected Maine but, man, could he be stubborn at times.

"Trouble in paradise huh?" Sombra whispered as she nursed a glass of lime and tequila.

"Yeah, Maine's being a dumbass. Prideful son of a bitch," Rebecca shook her head as she then muttered, "Offering any help would only make him double down on his stupidity so I just stayed away. Only Dorio can get through his thick skull by bashing it in with her own stubbornness, but that causes some friction,"

"No shit," Sombra snickered as she glanced over Dorio who stormed off leaving a fuming Maine all alone.

"Don't worry though. Maine will eventually come to his senses and they'll make up," She replied and, right on cue, Maine stood up to follow.

Rebecca sighed as she slumped down on the bartop, groaning as she presse the cold bottle up against her cheeks but she found the bottle too small to hug and nuzzle up against. Not having someone to cuddle up to was taking a bit to get used to.

"Miss him already huh?" Sombra asked.

Rebecca turned to glare at the grinning Latina, "Is it that obvious? Fuck, I miss my cuddles and Mr. Subaru. I want my dick and my duck!" She exclaimed as she threw up her hands in frustration before knocking her drink to drown out her frustration.

Sombra looked at her in confusion as she asked, "What's this about a duck and your grandfather?"

She choked laughing, almost blowing alcohol out her nose, as she swallowed before replying, "No, you're thinking about Saburo. My pet duck is named Subaru. Totally not named after the stubborn old goat."

"You named a duck Subaru?" Sombra asked to which she nodded in confirmation earning a laugh from her, "Chica, have I told you how crazy you are? Naming your pet so closely to your in-laws… Only you Becca, only you."

Rebecca just nodded, moping about as silence descended once more, with only Pilar playing darts to serve as distraction now that Dorio and Maine were away. She was content to drink away and wait for the next time she could call Hiro without sounding too needy when Sombra offered, "Say, I heard they have an entire arcade on the ship? Why don't we go check it out. A friendly competition perhaps? We can toss in a few eddies to spice things up."

Rebecca gave her a look before replying, "And go up against someone with a functional cyberspine?"

"So what? It's not like you can't wear that armor of yours in there," Sombra fired back, at which Rebecca frowned. She could use her armor like that, among other things, now that she had some time to think about it, "Oh don't give me that look. That thing's definitely helping you in combat so it can help with a lot of other shit."

"You know… I hadn't thought about that," She admitted. Maybe she could use that to rearrange her neglected apartment, move some things out as well as pack things up. It'd definitely help speed things up.

"Wait, you haven't used that in bed? All those moves you can pull off dominating your input?" Sombra then asked, making Rebecca pause, mouth hanging open as she realized something. Was the boob plate more than just for show? "Fucking hell, and here I thought you're the hornier one between the two of us."

"S-shut up! I was going to think about that, eventually!" Rebecca sputtered out.

"How about you make me then~?" Sombra purred out even as she growled at her warningly. "What? It's just a game after all? Are you really going to chicken out cause you know you're going to lose?" She taunted.

"Ok, fine. Let's play," She shouted back. As much as she hated to admit it, Sombra had a way to get under her skin, "Just don't go crying once I beat you to a pulp!"

"This is definitely going to be fun,~" Sombra replied as she grabbed her by the hand and pulled her out of the bar.

---

A/N:

Rebecca meets another corporate heir and things got a little spicy between them. I do hope that didn't made her too much of a bitch cause I wanted a spicy character to add for the harem :V. Also, hey, I do like Hana Song and if you know who she is an expy off well you know. I just like the idea of a ojou-sama for the group.

With that out of the way, I'd like to thank @Vyor for not getting tired of hearing my ideas. I swear they breed like orks. I'd also like to thank my Patrons who keep me going. You guys are the best! Please consider dropping by my Patreon page and became a patron today to support me as well. It means a lot to me if I can keep on working on my fics. I also have also have a paypal tip jar you can directly toss money in if you just want to give something without having to subscribe it my patreon.