I didnt go ho.
With eddies cos Potential. First step was to finally get an outfit that I could be happy with. It was a little embarrassing to show up to a gig and face Wakako wearing an old ratty T-shirt and scuffed jeans.
First I called Hiromi, but unfortunately she was still out of contact again. It would have been nice to go on a shopping spree with her, but probably for the best that I didnt. So I started hitting clothing stores.
Boots. New pants. And sothing special that I had been thinking about for a while.
Boots were easy. Combat boots could be found all over the place, although finding a pair that fit my feet werent as easy. They didnt usually make them in fourteen year old girl size.
I found a set eventually way out in 6th St. territory. Turns out the military aesthetic ant there was interest for girls too.
I even grabbed a pair of tight jeans there. Slim and tight, but they were military weave. The sort of clothing that stretched when needed so the tightness was a benefit not a negative.
I even grabbed a few strap on pockets for extra loot potential. Super tight jeans werent great for pockets anyways.
The last piece was more difficult.
I headed to the Kabuki market. It was the only place that I knew for sure there was a Netrunner shop.
Parking Juns bike and finding the store took forever. It was a maze of a circular design and I had to walk around the whole thing twice before I found the shop I was looking for.
The Dewdrop Inn. Hence why I didnt check it out at first. It was a Netrunner shop. It even had two Netrunner stations in the back, but I was here for info.
Nice to et, you. Im Motoko. I greeted the older woman standing behind the counter.
Yoko. Your nas not a familiar one.
No it wouldnt be. I just have a few questions, and maybe make so purchases?
The Japanese woman looked over a bit before shrugging. Well, go on.
Do you know where I can buy a Netrunner suit?
Hoh. I see. Alright. Yeah kid, I know so sellers. Since they are always looking for business I dont mind handing it over. Her eyes went yellow and I received a text a mont later with a few different locations.
I gave her a smile. I couldn't help it. I had been looking for a netrunner suit for a while.
Preem. Thank you.
Its nothing. You lookin to buy?
Maybe. Im looking for a starter setup. Sothing to learn off. Im uh. Not much of a Netrunner myself, but I want to pick up so basics. For now. Eventually I would be a Bartmoss. But that was in the future.
You want a netrun suit but arent a Netrunner? Interesting. But alright. Sure kid I can get you setup. You got the eddies?
I have so, but I have no idea what the cost would be. Dont stiff too hard? I asked, and it earned a genuine laugh from the older woman. She even took down her circular glasses and rubbed at her eyes as she regained control.
Alright. Ill go easy on you. Listen Im obviously not a ripper, so anything I hand over will need to be chipped in. Lucky for you, I actually have an old deck, not the best, but its cheap. Ill hand it over for Four-thousand five. She reached under her desk and pulled out a case, sort of like a shard case but a bit larger, and after wiping it off from a bit of dust she opened it.
Militech Paraline. Its cheap. About all that can be said about it, but if you want to learn how to run the net, its a solid starting point.
Okay. I agreed. It was a lot of money. But I needed to take the next step on my path as a rc. I needed to be able to hack stuff. My eyes went blue as I sent the money over.
Well, alright, well let get you set up. Ill even throw in so freebies. Funny kid. Netrunner suit and a basic deck. Alright. She said with a chuckle.
Thank you. I said again. Despite spending so much cash at once. I really did need this. If I had been a Netrunner I could have shut down the Cara on the last job without all the fuss. It would have made it easier on for sure.
Also here is a Program. Its just Ping, the basics of the basics. Should give you sowhere to start. She said, handing a shard.
Oh! Thank you very much!
Go on then kid. Happy running.
I thanked her again as I headed out. I would have to reach out to the Netrunner suit people. See if they have what I am looking for.
But first? I needed to see a Ripper.
-
As much as I would have liked to stop and see Viktor. I already had a Ripper that I thought was good enough right behind my house.
So an hour later I walked into the Ripper of Japantown, the sa one that had helped fix my optics.
Welco, how can we help you? The receptionist. A different girl this ti I noted asked as she looked up from her desktop computer.
Im here to have a Cyberdeck installed. I already have the deck.
Excellent. I will inform the Doctor. Paynt is here. She said handing over an actual data pad for a mont which I noticed had all the little fees and such.
I sighed, but put my hand on the pad and accepted the transfer.
There goes another couple grand.
Alright, the Doctor will see you now.
I shrugged and walked into the Doctor's Ripper room.
Oh you again. Good. Co get settled in. What are we doing today?
Cyberdeck. I inform her holding up the case and she nods takes it from my hands. Her right hand already covered in equipnt pulls the deck out and seems to be scanning it over.
Old but in good condition. Alright. Here are the options, let's get everything picked out before we start ripping. She told pushing a screen over infront of . I made a few selections and asked her if sothing else was possible for one but in the end I got what I wanted.
Settle in, and let put in the anesthesia.
I settled into the chair and rested back as she gave a quick injection and I started falling asleep.
-
I settled onto the couch. Now with sothing a bit better than baby's first netdeck, and got to work actually ssing around. So there was still one problem that I would have to deal with for now. My optics werent Kiroshi I didnt have a scan mode nearly as powerful, in fact mine was pretty much useless. Cyberdecks worked with a combination of optic scans to find the wireless connection port which opened up the device for the hack.
So since my scan was so weak, it wasnt exactly fast.
But I could at least do it. I did have one more alteration that I had talked to the Ripper about. It cost a couple hundred extra eddies on my surgery but I didnt have the normal cord that anyone with a cyberdeck had. The one attached to the wrist.
I always thought it was kinda stupid to lose access to a hand in order to breach a system.
Especially since I already had a better idea. I reached behind my head and felt the semi hidden cord port on the back of my neck.
It felt super weird whenever I pulled the cord out, but hey. I could now start breaching a system manually without losing access to one of my hands.
Plus it made feel like the Major.
Now that I was ho though? It was ti to do so grinding.
First I looked over to the radio. And after just a minute I was in. That was a lot easier compared to the hour it had taken with the external netdeck.
*100 Breach Protocol XP Gained.*
*100 Intelligence XP Gained*
I grinned at that. This was so much easier! Easy peasy. I turned from the Radio to the TV doing the sa thing. Breaching its firmware in a minute.
*100 Breach Protocol XP Gained.*
Perfect! Despite my worry over Jun. Despite the loneliness that had started creeping in now that he wasnt coming ho. Despite my worry about my unearthed murderous desire. I had fun. It was hacking. Of course it was fun! I giggled as I got the TV to change channels. I even peeked my head out the door and started hacking into the Burrito vendor.
I was gonna make that thing stop giving Jun burritos if he was going to pull this shit.
This ti it took so real work. The security on the thing wasnt Great? At least I didnt think it would be, but it was still more secure than my TV or Radio. Sitting up against the door of the apartnt when I realized it was gonna take a few minutes as I stared at the vending machine. My eyes only seeing code, was Fun. Weird but fun.
Finally I managed to get in. Breaching its security.
*100 Breach Protocol XP Gained.*
*Breach Protocol skill level up!*
*100 Intelligence XP Gained*
I was a bit distracted though. I had to shake my head just to get it to calm down. Breach Protocol information was Dense. Not just instinct on how to do it. But general knowledge of how to Breach systems. The protocols and common tricks, yet more. Knowledge about tons of different electronic systems. Their security. How good it would be. It was the first ti as well that I could instantly know what I didn't know. So things I could think about like vehicles. I had no idea how to Breach. The knowledge wasnt there, but it would be.
I knew.
Wow. I am hackerman. I blinked at my own stupid statent looked around and was really glad no one was here.
I really need to stop spending so much ti alone. I mutter. Idly standing up and leaving the poor vending machine alone as I head inside, Turning on the tv and setting it to a news channel just to have so noise.
I crashed on the couch and closed down the Cyberdeck connection. In essence turning it off for now.
I sighed and closed my eyes.
Sleep.
--
My eyes opened in shock when the door opened. I was on my knees in front of the couch Unity drawn and aid as I was ready to blow so holes in whoever had just tried to break in. The man that entered was
Jun? I asked in surprise. It was Jun. But not.
Hey Imouto. He grumbled the sa as always as he stopped at the entranceway looking at my reaction for a minute.
Jun What happened!? I gasped in horror, dropping the Unity, because Juns arms. Both of them all the way up to his shoulders were no longer natural. Sure they still had patches of his real skin, and those patches were covered in tattoos. But it was obvious he had Cyberarms now.
Got chipped. he said simply showing off the arms a bit. He wasnt wearing a shirt, showing that the tattoos now covered even more of his chest and his back too.
I see that you gonk! Why? I said rising up and pulling him into a hug. Idiot. I said, whispering it into his chest.
Sorry I got a promotion in the claws. We hit Maelstrom. I did a good job, so the bosses got chipped. So of it is from the Maelstrom I killed. He said, sounding
Well vengeful.
Im glad you're safe. You You should have told what you were doing! I could have co. I could have helped, watched your back!
I wouldnt want you anywhere near Maelstrom Imouto. He denied instantly patting on the head.
It felt different. The hand on my head. I sighed. Jun you idiot.
Im glad youre ho. I said instead. Tugging him towards the couch. You arent disappearing again are you?
No. Our response against Maelstrom is over. He said but I could tell instantly he wasnt happy about it. That whatever burning hatred had grown in his chest over the loss of his choom. It wasnt satiated yet.
There will be more. There always is, and I am sure when Maelstrom does sothing stupid again, the Tyger Claws will respond, or maybe they will attack first next ti. Just Dont go off on your own. Maelstrom are scary despite everything.
Jun just gave a shrug as he sat up patted on the head, and then headed towards the bathroom.
A shower started not long after.
Im gonna have to do sothing.
--
So Jun is back?
Yeah. All chrod up too. He I think he wants to go after more Maelstrom though. Im worried he will try to head off alone. I told Hiromi the next day. She finally appeared again that morning riding up onto the curb while I was doing my morning jog as if she hadnt disappeared for days.
I had slipped onto the back of her Kusanagi and given her a tight hug as I explained everything that was happening.
Well you just have to keep an eye on him, yeah? Jun is reliable.
I dont know. He is really angry. I can tell. Sothing about the way he is acting makes think he is not doing well. I tell her as she just sort of drives around the block. Even driving slowly and gently for Hiromi.
Damn. She muttered, eventually sighing. What are you gonna do?
Dunno Beco reliable myself maybe? Maybe if I get good enough Jun will actually rely on . I just dont want him to bite off more than he can chew and die in so Strom hangout without ever knowing.
Yeah. She muttered. Sorry. She eventually said.
For what?
You were dealin with so issues, but I I vanished like a gonk. Sorry.
Its fine. I tell her hugging her tight for a second. Its just your thing.
My thing?
Yeah you get out of touch for a while every week. Its sothing Im used to.
Its school. She tells finally. Quietly like admitting sothing shaful. I go to Arasaka Academy. My parents cut completely off from my Comm if I dont go, and they keep it cut until I go at least a little. I end up going for a few days so I can ditch the rest.
Oh. Thats cool. Super hard, but a good education. That's basically all I know about it. I say, Im proud of you Hiromi. Going to a school and stuff.
Stupid. I dont I hate it. Its Corpo bullshit stuff. Not even worth the ti. She growled.
Pfft. Nah. See, education is important! Just use them for the education and when all is said and done bail if you want. But its a preem skill to have. I dont go to school.
I know. I wish I didnt have to. She grumbled.
Its okay. It just ans we have to do stuff while you arent at school.
Just dont tell anyone. Everyone else thinks I disappear while doing odd jobs or sothing.
I chuckled a little at her hiding her schooling from the other Street kids. Sure. Your secret is safe with . I told her chuckling as she nodded and then she hit the gas.
Cmon I want to see Juns new Chro! She called out as she revved the engine and drove way too fast back to the apartnt.
Slow down!
--
With Juns return I was a little distracted for the rest of the day, ending up sleeping the night away not long after he went to bed. He was being very quiet about anything that had happened, was going to happen, or what plans he had.
It was very annoying.
I had a feeling that the Tyger Claws hadnt chipped him just for looks. They probably intended on turning him into an enforcer now.
Which made my stomach turn because I didnt want Jun to end up dead.
So in the morning to get away from the anxiety of worrying about my brother going into dangerous situations, I settled in to do so more netrunning training. There wasnt any point in playing with Breach as I was limited by Intelligence, but Quickhacks were another skill entirely.
And I actually did have a program for one thanks to Yoko. So I loaded it up into the Netdeck, and tried to use Ping on my radio.
It didnt go well. I ended up having to pull my mothers Netrunner guide out and listened to the section about quickhacks before I figured it out and got the program to ping the radio.
*Quick Hacks Experience Gained.*
*Skill not unlocked, no XP gained.*
*Quick Hacks Unlocked.*
I grinned, that was another skill to work with!
I relaxed back onto the couch feeling pretty good. With Jun back at ho and not out of touch. I was starting to feel less anxious, more like I had before. So instead of freaking out or spending the day spiraling I continued to try and ping everything around with a Quick Hack. TV. Vending machine. I could even ping lights since many of them had wireless connections.
Grinning as I kept doing it until I got a little alert.
*100 Quick Hacks XP Gained.*
I even got an Intelligence alert as well!
*100 Intelligence XP Gained*
When Jun ca out of his room looking tired he noticed sitting on the couch and basically just pinging the TV over and over.
I dont want to know. He eventually decided moving past to the fridge to grab sothing to drink and then to my surprise he grabbed a paper bag out of the fridge and pulled out an injector. Injecting his leg.
You okay? I asked. Sure I had my own small ds to take, but a Cyberdeck installation was practically normal compared to losing two arms.
Just the stuff I have to take while I adjust to the chro. He says throwing the injector away as he walks over and settles in on the couch. Im on leave for at least a week while I adjust. Doc's orders. He grumbled and I nodded at least whoever had chipped him had so basic healthcare concerns.
Good. Take it easy and no more chro for a while. I ordered poking his cheek lightly which he twitched at before waving my hand away.
Was thinking of getting my legs done. Be able to move around a bit faster. He argues.
No way. You just had a big change. Let yourself get used to it, Jun-Nii. Going too fast and not letting yourself adjust is how Cyberpsychos happen. Dont want you to end up like that, drooling and muttering to yourself as you murder everyone around you. Nasty shit. I say staring at him as firmly as I can.
Ill think about it. He sidestepped my argunt completely and took a swig of whatever he was drinking.
Whatever then. I grumbled realizing he was going to be stubborn about it. Youre not telling anything Jun-Nii Im worried. I decided to say instead. He really was being stubborn.
Dont be. Im stronger now than I was. He reached over and patted my head.
Ill worry even if you were Adam Smasher. I told him, causing him to snort lightly.
Youve been using my bike. He said changing the topic much to my irritation.
Yeah. You left and disappeared. Ive been filling up the tank.
You have. Ill need it back. Sorry Imouto.
Its fine. Ill just be back on the train. I guess its for the best. I hate that stupid swoop seat anyway. I tell him as I pop the shard out and hand it back over.
Whats wrong with the seat? He demanded suddenly sounding a little offended.
Its so dumb. The Kusanagi has so really aweso lines, but the Tyger Claws remove the front guard, and put on the stupid swoop seat. Its awful. I answered honestly, almost ranting about how much I hated the Tyger Claw alterations to such a beautiful motorcycle.
I think its preem. He grunted actually pouting a bit at my words.
Yeah but you also have yakuza tattoos now. So your taste is a little Suspect. I teased him, earning a shocked look before scowling at .
They arent Yakuza Tattoos! And they are cool. They show that I have earned the respect of the Tyger Claws!
That Tiger on your bicep has a goofy face. I think the artist ssed up and didnt want to admit it. I said lying, but well Jun still reacted.
What? No it doesnt! He almost shrieked as he checked on his tattoos to see what I was pointing at. Which is when I poked his nose.
Made you look. I told him breaking into giggles, which lasted until his hand wrapped around my ankle.
Thats cheating. I told him dead serious as he suddenly lifted up making shriek as he stood and adjusted until I was dangling from his arm.
Cheating!
There are no rules here. He says just as seriously before his other hand reaches down and starts tickling !
N-No s-stop! Your bike is still stupid! Your tattoos make you look dumb! I won-t surrender! I scread as he showed no rcy. Only when I was close to pissing myself did he finally stop and let run to the bathroom.
His cruelty will not go unpunished.
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