Chapter 108

Chapter 108

I was sitting on the couch. Well laying on it more than anything. I probably should go kill those Scavs Or play some music to let the hobby do what it was supposed to and soothe out these kinds of emotional issues, but I was just so done.

Fuck today. I reminded myself and that was good enough.

Fuck today. Jun called out from his room, obviously hearing me.

Then I got a call.

Fuck.

*Hey Hiromi.* I answered. It wasnt that I didnt want to talk to my best choom. I just didnt want to talk to anyone right now.

*Motoko! Tell this fucking ugly gonk at the front of your building to let us up! Otherwise Hiromi is gonna whoop some fuckheads ass!*

I sighed.

Fuck today.

*Ill be right down.*

I climbed up and didnt so much put on my boots as I just threw them on my feet. So I wouldnt step on anything sharp lying around and headed downstairs.

I was so done with today I even used the elevator.

The door opened to arguing.

Move aside already! I dont know who you are, and you certainly dont have the right to keep us from seeing Motoko. Were Motokos gang! Her crew! Who the hell are you supposed to be?

The guard in charge bitch! No one bothers the Kusanagis! I dont care what crazy shit you say! Youre gonna get your ass knocked the fuck out if you dont-Motoko! Hey! Just getting rid of-

Hiromi, Ichi, Malcolm. Get in the elevator. I demanded, not ready to deal with this.

Ah! They are your chooms then? Had to stop them, and make sure you know? Cant let some weirdos bother you and your brother Motoko! Do you need anything? I-

Hurry it up you three. I called out and stepped back into the elevator.

Finally! Malcolm said obviously as irritated at the argument as I was. Hey Motoko. Howre you holding up? He asked, as the first one in the elevator.nôvel binz was the first platform to present this chapter.

Fuck today. I informed him and he just nodded along like I said something wise.

Its okay Motoko! Your chooms are here to make your day better! Hiromi called out smiling and Ichi passed me an apologetic smile.

She was determined to bring us all together today to see what we can do to help.

Ah. That explains Hiromis Hirominess. I offered, earning a protesting noise from the girl. I threw an arm over her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. Thanks for checking in on me. I guess I could use a break from all the stuff going on.

Right! If my Motoko needs some relaxation, thats what we are here for!

I thought we were here to make Motoko let us help kill Scavs. Malcolm said to Ichi in a faux whisper.

Hiromi of course kicked him and the two would have broken into a fight if the elevator didnt open.

Cmon. I called as I walked past the distracted HIromi with Ichi following.

Oh wow. Hiromi stalled out along with the boys when they got a look at the apartment. I mean there wasnt any glass left lying around, but there were still big holes in the walls and the barrier blinds.

Yeah its a little fucked up still. Jun and I need to call in an actual repair guy or something.

You are both gonks. I know someone. Ill call them in to get everything fixed up. Hiromi said and before I could stop her, her eyes flashed as she made a call and she turned and ignored me as I moved to stop her.

Heh. Thats Hiromi alright. Ichi said laughing as he ignored my ineffectual attempts to get Hiromi to stop.

She was stronger though! Did she get more chrome? I looked her over with narrowed eyes. Then I reached out.

Eep! Motoko!

When did you get muscles? I asked as my hands pulled away Hiromis casual clothes to let me check out her bicep, and then her stomach.

Yep those were muscles there.

I-its a Biotechnica upgrade package! Motoko!

Thats so Cool. I said I was going to say unfair, but really I had absolutely no room to talk there. Biotechnica huh?

That was neat. I hadnt thought much about Bioware since I kinda just wanted to go full borg eventually.

I shrugged and pulled my chrome hands free of Hiromis clothes realizing why Hiromi was wiggling and flushed at my exploration.

Ah! Sorry were my hands cold!? I quickly pulled them away and checked my chrome palm against my cheek for a second.

No it wasnt too bad. Maybe Hiromi just has a high body temperature? She was always looking flushed after all.

When did you get bioware work done? Malcolm asked curious, and Hiromi shushed him as she was still on the phone.

A few moments later she blinked and her eyes were back to normal and then she leapt on me.

Wha!

YOU! NOT WHEN IM ON A BUSINESS CALL YOU GONK! She shrieked as she pushed me down and tried to faux strangle me.

I couldnt help but start giggling, because while Hiromi was pretty strong, I was still stronger, and her response was great.

Sorry!

You arent sorry! She said struggling and I only giggled harder. Okay maybe today wasnt entirely awful.

Ah that explains the noise. Jun said as he poked his head out of his room and into the living room. Hey guys.

Jun!

Hey Jun. Malcolm and Ichi both greeted my brother while Hiromi focused on trying to stuff my face into the couch.

She was failing and it was definitely irritating her.

Relying too much on chrome, or mods is a bad idea Hiromi. Gotta have the skill to back it up, and my grappling perk made me pretty good at this.

Good.

Some things should just be kept between siblings.

--

Wow. Im totally impressed, Jun-nii! Truly this is the best place ever!

Your sarcasm isnt really necessary. He grumbled at me as we looked at the building.

Funnily enough, we were just down the street from the apartments that I cleared the other night. The same tutorial Scav den from the game. Just north, along the same road I had leapt over while escaping Jun was a bunch of apartment buildings all smashed together into a mess.

Of course the entrance was a big red Torri Gate. That and everything was covered in graffiti Tigers.

If you missed the fact this was Tyger Claw Territory.

Just come look at the apartments, okay? They are big. Bigger than our current place, and they are safe.

Im playing along for now, mostly because I love you, and want to spend time with you, but Im not interested. I informed him, which to my secret delight earned me a heavy hand ruffling my hair a little.

I swiped a punch at him in retaliation of course, but it was still nice.

Cmon lets see the place before anything else. You might like it. Well have neighbors that arent Ms. Kagura. He offered and I blinked before remembering the old lady that was our neighbor on our floor.

Oh right. I forgot about her.

Well there will be some kids our age here. So maybe someone you actually get along with. Someone to add to your little group?

Yeah sure Jun. I agreed without actually agreeing. If they lived here they would be TC brats Okay thats not a good excuse considering most of my friends were just that, but they were probably gonks.

My decision not to like the situation I was stuck in, had Jun rolling his eyes as I shot grumpy looks at him constantly.

We walked into the building from a side entrance through a shop into a hallway that led to a dozen closed doors. Jun led us to an elevator and then hit the twenty-seventh floor.

Finally we hit the floor, and I had to admit. The moment the doors opened I did have to quirk an eyebrow. The elevator entrance area was clean.

Like actually clean.

It was actually a surprise I was so used to the decaying squalor, I barely noticed it anymore.

Yet here, there were clean carpets. White walls which did have Tyger Claw stuff on it, but it was paintings, instead of just graffiti.

I told you Fujimura-sama owns this floor and rents it out to Tyger Claws. You think he would put up with a messy space?

I scoffed but followed Jun down the hall. I noticed the security without a thought. Ninjutsu and Netrunning meant I couldnt help but notice it.

Quality cameras, security features on every door. A hidden HMG turret in the roof inside the elevator entrance way.

Okay it was definitely more secure than our previous place.

There we only had security gates on the stairs which didnt do much since the elevators were still open access.

This is it. Jun said suddenly as he stopped in front of a room. 2704.Jun looked to me like he was expecting some interest, but I had literally been in plenty of apartments over the last few days.

Mostly killing Scavs, but the point stood.

He looked a little bummed that I was remaining disinterested as he opened the door.

The apartment was actually pretty big.

It opened into a large living room. Something we didnt really have in our place. It even had one of those round media couches indented into the floor in the corner.

There was a small inset nearby that had a fridge, and a pseudo kitchenette. Just without any of the normal stuff in a kitchen, because people dont cook in Cyberpunk.

More like they were pushed to not cook, but that wasnt something I was going to focus on right now.

The Bathroom still didnt have an actual door.

Fucking Cyberpunk. I swear to god doors on bathrooms were normal! Why did no one have a damn

I sighed letting the irritation go. I was still finding myself easily riled up since the attack. It was obvious the attack hadnt exactly left me my usual self. I took a deep breath and let it out, feeling arctic for a moment, as I steadied my heart and then breathed normally.

Jun was wandering around looking around the place with a happy smile on his face.

Dammit. Jun wanted to move didnt he?

The brush with returning Cyberpsychosis seemed to have washed off his back after everything. Which was good, but it did kind of piss me off, because it meant Jun was actually

Jun was actually happy looking around this apartment. It wasnt faked, or something he was trying to convince me.

This was something he wanted.

I forgot.

People in Night City cared about reputation. Reputation was important. And the way you showed off your rep was owning things.

Fast cars, fancy clothes, lots of chrome.

A big apartment.

Our place was kinda a shithole. I knew that. I just I had grown comfy. It was security. Safety like a blanket.

I was going to have to be the mature one. Jun deserved that. Jun deserved to be able to have a nice big apartment with room to actually move, and fancy stuff.

He was a teenager taking care of his kid sister. His kid sister that shouldnt be throwing a fucking tantrum like an actual teenager about moving into a bigger, fancier, more secure apartment.

Dammit. I hated when my face was rubbed in the negative effects of my own childishness. I mean I wasnt going to change, but at least I could acknowledge when it caused problems.

There actually was more than one room here. I guess I really would have my own room. Jun was distracted with checking out the entertainment system, acting like the teenager he was as I checked the rooms.

I call dibs on this one! I call out, knowing the reaction it would get.

Thats the bigger room! Jun yelped as he charged at me, and I broke the smile on my face before he could see it.

There would be a fight, I would likely be sat on for a while, and in the end Jun would earn his master bedroom. But it was better this way.

Because as much as I was focused on my own happiness. I wanted Jun the big gonk to be happy too, and maybe Maybe it was time to let him have that happiness without his needy, childish sister getting in the way.