Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I jogged into the apartment after hitting the gym.

Unfortunately while I got a few body XP alerts while pumping iron. I didnt get anything for an hour of using the punching bag. I think I was running into the end of the diminishing returns for that particular grind.

The idea of finding a fighting pit was getting more and more tempting

I shook that off and decided to check my stats.

Motoko Kusanagi

Level 2

Body 5

-Athletics 5

-Street Brawler 3

Reflex 3

-Blades 2

-Handguns 3

-Assault 2

-Driving 2

Intelligence 2

-Breach Protocol 2

-Quick Hacks 2

Cool 2

-Ninjutsu 2

-Cold Blood 2

Technical attribute 1

2 Stat point.

2 Skill point.

Perks.

Ambidextrous Blades 2

Quickdraw Handguns 2

Gun Nut Assault 2

Parkour Athletics 2

Grappling Street Brawler 2

Drive By Driver 2

Cat-like Athletics 5

Cool Nerves Cold Blood 2

Danger Sense Ninjutstu 2

Wall Breaking Breach Protocol 2

Cyber Security Quick Hack 2

That Technical attribute was looking real low But I also knew that it was going to be an expensive stat to train. I didnt have a lot of junk stuff I could mess with, and without a car its not like I could drive out to the dump to grab scrap.

So I pushed it to the side for now. Soon. Very soon I would set some time down to do some crafting. Cause crafting is broken.

Instead I refocused on my other stats Body was high because it was easy to just exercise.

Reflex was high-ish, but mostly because It had a lot of skills. But it was also not moving a lot.

Intelligence was the same, but it had less skills So far. Although I had noticed it would pop when I had studied the Netrunner guide. So studying would help that felt really boring though.

Cool. I shivered the only time it went up was when I killed. I wasnt sure what its deal was. But I had a way of grinding it. I just refused to do it.

For now.

Then there at the bottom I saw something I had been pretending didnt exist.

Stat and Skill points.

I could level a stat and skill twice. They were just sitting there. My initial thought was to balance out my skills, but that was a trap. Specialization at low levels, jack of all trades at the end.

I could level Cool. I told myself. The idea of increasing my stealth was Appealing. It was one of the biggest force multipliers I had. Dont have to worry about getting shot if they never knew you were there.

But was it the right choice? Intelligence might be better. It was hard to level in a way. More time intensive at least. And I could upgrade my Netrunning. That appealing future where I walk into a group of enemies and they kill themselves without me having to lift a finger was tempting.

Or I could increase my Reflex. Since I had so many skills under that stat it would give me a lot to grind. Not that I wasnt already able to grind most of it.

Ughhhh. I groaned as I rolled over and put my head into a couch cushion and groaned as loud as I could.

Ive always been terrible about deciding. I reminded myself. Hoarding items or stat points in games until long after I should.

I shook it off. I shouldnt be getting lost in my own head. I have lots of things to keep grinding. I reminded myself even if my XP was slowing down.

I need a job. Something to get me out of my head. I spoke up to the empty room. I think I was past the point of hiding in my apartment and grinding basic skills. I think it was time to start acting like a real Street Kid.

I sent a message to Wakako, and Ichi.

*Got any Gigs lined up?*

Then I rose up and started doing some Knife training. I probably wont get much from it, but I wasnt going to sit around doing nothing.

--

An hour later I got a message from Ichi, saying he had nothing currently.

Then I got a response from Wakako about a Gig. I had practically cheered jumping up and down for a moment in the apartment, as I rushed to get dressed in my gear before I checked the message and deflated.

It was a courier run.

I sighed. Slapped my cheeks a bit to focus myself, and stepped out of the apartment.

Until I turned and shot a round of his own shotgun over his head. He hastily dropped back down and the boys were all freaking out.

You really did this? You turned a simple fuckin job into a shootout. Well congrats, you are now outgunned and disarmed. The rest of you put those pipes and knives down or else. I growled looking around as the boys were all hesitating and not looking great. The youngest looked like he was gonna piss himself since I had pointed a handgun at him.

I reached down not taking my eyes off them, and picked up my Unity reholstering it and then grabbing the Lexington I realized the moment I picked it up that the kid had.

Alright. All of you shut up. Stop your moaning. Now before anything else. You Gonk brain. Give me the ring. I demanded waving the shotgun at the leader who looked at me like I was crazy.

I wasnt crazy! I didnt fuck up a perfectly easy ransom deal because I got greedy! That was crazy!

Cmon stop looking at me, Does it look like I have the ring? No! Hand it over! I yelled to startle the group.

Fwuck you. He grumbled as he looked around checking his hands and then his pockets before he realized he didnt know where it was.

Oh Choom. Dont you tell me you dropped the ring and now you lost it. If its gone I will flatline you just to deal with my frustration so you better find my target quick fast. I say absolutely level as I cocked the shotgun again, not caring that I sent a shell flying.

I just wanted the noise.

It worked. The teen hurriedly looked around his feet his chooms were nervously looking around but mostly just staring at me.

Finally he found it and wiped it down a bit. I checked it snatched it out of his hand and stuffed it into one of my leg pouches just to make sure it wouldnt disappear again.

Then because I felt like being that sort of bad bitch. I sent the rest of the money. Next time remember you will just get zeroed if people cant trust you to keep to your word. Now. One last thing you owe me for this bullshit. Lady's car you klepped. Where is it?

Downt got it. He mumbled and I rolled my eyes at his words.

I didnt ask if you had it. I asked where it is.

Donnys. The second oldest said from where he was sitting rubbing his head from where I had donked him. Chop shop run by 6th St. We sell our cars there.

Transfer the deets. I demanded and the teens all sort of wavered before his eyes shifted into a yellow and I got a text.

Alright. Now learning experience here chooms. You make a deal that earns you some Eddies? Follow through, dont turn a simple thing into a mess. Or people die. Be glad I dont like killing kids. I said before simply turning and walking down the street.

Gotta wait for the fuckin bus. So embarrassing. I settled in near the bus stop across the street and literally watched as the kids picked themselves up and sort of limped out of the parking lot and back home.

What a bunch of gonks.

--

The ring got left in a dropbox, the deets about where the car was sent to Wakako. Wakako sent a confirmation not long after. Couple more Ennys in my pocket, but not nearly enough to cover dealing with such a massive shit show.

At least I had a shotgun now.

I had gotten an alert during the fight but hadnt checked it.

*Annihilation Experience Gained.*

*Skill not unlocked, no XP gained.*

*Annihilation Unlocked.*

Cool. This skill covered Shotguns, and Machine guns. I really needed to hit that gun range again. Jun had been quiet ever since he came back chromed up. Right now he was out of the apartment. I hadnt seen him in two days. My messages at least were getting a response back, but it was usually something like.

*Busy.*

*Cant talk now.*

*Here is some eddies for food.*

Stuff like that. I was growing frustrated by it all. The Worst thing was I knew exactly what he was doing. The Maelstrom-Tyger Claw gang war was heating up. Tyger Claws attacking Maelstrom back had only pissed off the other gang instead of ending it.

Apparently Maelstrom wanted more territory in Kabuki.

Tyger Claws took offense to that.

It was getting nasty. Not quit at the level of total war on the streets. But gang hangouts or fronts on both sides were getting hit daily.

It was even on the news.

I walked into the apartment after a long awkward ride on public transit. Having everyone staring at me and my new shotgun was super awkward. I had even pretended to make a call so my eyes were glowing yellow just so I could pretend I wasnt paying attention to them.

I walked into the apartment and sighed setting the shotgun on the table and flopping onto the couch.

My anxiety was rising up again. Jun was being a butt. I was tempted to head out and hunt him down and stick to him on his little raids. Watch his back.

But I sighed. I didnt even have a vehicle. It would be stupidly easy for Jun to lose me even if the Tyger Claws would help.

Which I had a feeling they wouldnt. Mid gang war they werent going to let a kid chase after her brother.

Which meant I had two options. Sit here and spiral into my own mind. Or get up and do some grinding, and maybe be ready to do something when Jun does get in trouble.

The problem is speed. I had been happy slowly grinding up some stats and skills. Enjoying just living. But Jun was forcing me to escalate.

I was looking at the shotgun. Fingers tapping. Foot bouncing. That niggling feeling surging up.

What was more valuable to me? Juns life? Or the lives of a couple Scavs?

That was the thought that convinced me. That crystalized my resolve. The Solos guide had said to decide on the reasons that would force you to kill. For Jun? To be able to help him? To save him? Yeah I would kill. I would kill a lot.

I was calm. Decided. I needed more stat points, and to use the stat points I already had.

My hands stopped fidgeting. My foot stopped tapping, and I could feel my eyes narrow. I owed Jun. And in a way I owed the Scavs too. I had been afraid, unsure if I could do it. If I could even survive an assault on a Scav den.

If that was the worry? Then I would just have to make sure I would. I didnt need stats alone to ensure a victory. Surprise, overwhelming firepower, and a few tricks would suit me just fine.

It would be nice if I had a couple grenades dont ya think? I muttered, an old movie reference that I loved, that probably didnt exist in this world. I did know where the gun shop was And I had some eddies in my pocket thanks to my jobs for Wakako.

I stood up halfway out the door when I remembered something else. A quick detour to pick up that stupid Burya and I was back out the door.

Still needed ammo and a holster for that monster. Just in case I run into some Borg.

--

I walked out of the gun shop pocket light on eddies, but full of fun.

Ammo and a shoulder holster for the Burya meant it was secure and hidden under my little jacket. The holster even had a few spots to hold the grenades I had bought.

I was ready. I slipped onto the train and the whole way I was calm. I thought my hands would start shaking or my stomach would do flips, but they just didnt.

It was time to kill some scavs.

Idly I pulled up my stat menu. It was time.

Two points went into Cool. And the two skill points went into Ninjutsu. Bringing them both to level 4. As much as it burned, I was once again maxing out the skill. I needed stealth if this was going to work.

I exhaled as the information slipped into my mind. My body adjusting. A few simple shifts in the way I was sitting. The way I held myself. To better move silently. To better keep my movements from being picked up by the eyes all around me.

To more easily reach for a weapon if someone did notice.

Yeah. I was ready.