“Oh... Uh, hey Alice.” I greeted as I opened the door to see our neighbor.
“Hey, Motoko. So yeah. Umm, you had time to think about that offer?” She asked and I blinked and rubbed my head. I felt like I was still pulling blood out of my knuckles despite a shower.
“Yeah I thought about it. Yeah...” I said despite not having thought about it at all. I’d been focused on grinding skills this week, and then our scheduled Section 9 work.
“So, uh hey. We have a meeting tonight. Just to play some songs and get some things worked out for a gig. Figured I’d invite you.”
“Did your band figure out the problems you guys were having?”
“Not exactly.” She said and I looked her up and down and winced.
“I’m not exactly looking.”
“I know. Listen. Come play with us, some of our songs, some of yours? We’re looking for another, for the gig I mentioned, but it’s not a forced thing. Just come play. See if you fit?”
I ran my hand through my hair. It had been a stressful day. I had gotten shot after all. I really could use a distraction.
“Alright, fine, let me grab my guitar.”
“Nova!” She cheered out and I had a feeling she was banking on me for more than just a one night jam session.
I shrugged and grabbed my stuff, before meeting her at the door and following her down.
I ended up going with her, in her little van, which wasn’t the most comfortable ride, but I didn’t have room in the Quadra for her equipment and mine.
She made pretty shit small talk as she drove, mostly about Jun to my amusement. But I wasn’t really interested in that, so I decided to get to the point.
“So what’s the deal with your band?”
“You remember Carmen?”
“Nope.” I answered back, and she snorted.
“He was the lead Guitarist of VH. That gig we did to help him out with his NiCola song? Well afterwards he bailed on us. I’ve been trying to get him to stick around at least long enough to get a replacement, because we had gigs coming up and we need someone.”
“Ah, but he refused, and now you are desperate to find someone that can play.”
She was quiet for a while but as we stopped at a red light behind a few trucks, their brake lights lighting up the vans cab she turned to me.
“That’s right. I’ve dedicated everything to be a musician. To get VH going, to try and do something. So I’m willing to try anything... So please. Just, jam with us. See if you like it, and maybe do a gig or two? No contract shit, we’re street Rockers, but we need someone until we get a replacement.”
“I’m not really the band type.”
“Maybe not, but there are eddies in it, and more.” She offered and the light changed, so she focused on driving instead of answering my raised eyebrow, what was ‘more’ about being in a band?
—--
We didn’t go to Denny’s place. Which made me remember how expensive it was supposed to be... Had Hiromi tricked me into spending lots of eddies for something I didn’t really need?
I decided I would try to remember to ask her about that later, but we were meeting up in a storage unit of all things.
It was one similar to the Tyger Claw place we had used when we did the yacht gig. But closer to our current apartments.
I had a feeling it was something Fujimura, Alice’s Uncle, had set up for her.
But we parked and as I stepped out I noticed the unit was open, and I guess it was cold enough being winter, that it wasn’t that big a deal.
“Yo yo! I got us a temp!” Alice called out and I rolled my eyes at her as she called out waving her hands up in the air.
“Finally!”
“Hell yeah!” I looked at the other two. I recognized both men from when I saw VH play, and when we went to Denny’s for the first time, but I had never spoken to either of them. Р�
“Alright everyone, this is Motoko, she plays Guitar and?” Alice looked at me, and I just blinked.
“Anything really.” I confirmed and got a blank look but a nod from her at that.
“And can cover pretty much anything.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
“Yeah? Well I got some things that I could enjoy if I was off the drums.” One of the guys called out and then looked me over and I could see his lips quirk up.
“Well damn, Alice. Where’d you get this one? Some Animal convention?”
“Fuck off Klein, you ass. Be nice. Motoko does merc work.” Alice offered, but she glanced at me, and then down as well.
Unfortunately I wasn’t exactly blowing anyone away with my massive chest, so I knew it was my well defined abs stretching my Leotard. I hadn’t gone to get them updated again after hitting Body 10 so the leotards were a bit tight.
“I work out.” I offered blandly.
“Yeah no shit. You want to drum?”
“Sure I could use some stress relief.” I offered, and that was that. Sticks handed over and I spun them with the same dexterity I used while cutting gonks into pieces.
Yeah I could do this.
Hmm. I hadn’t done much drums, mostly sticking to electronics. What could I do...
Well I did like Dave Grohl.
I settled into the seat, and checked the equipment, as the band got together.
“You know our songs?” Klein asked, as he switched over to a guitar.
“Violent Hemmorage? I heard you guys live once.”
“Alright, then we definitely played Spilled Blood. You good?”
—--
*That’s amazing!* Hiromi cheered to me, as I informed her about the new update
*It’s okay. I’m mostly getting paid in an old guitar that I really didn’t need, but I figured it was... It was enough to make me do it.* It was hard to admit that I could have just turned around and bought a brand new guitar no problem for just 5 grand. But...
I was going to fix this guitar, it would be a good week project while I prepped for the gig, and... It was a good enough excuse.
Maybe I needed the excuse to get up on stage again. At least this time I was just playing some garbage songs, and not ones that I have any real emotional investment in.
*Hmm, that’s no good, make sure they are paying you eddies as well! I’ll talk to them if I have to, as your manager.*
*Thanks Hiromi, I know you got my back. Anyway, you have school right?*
*Yeah, I’m getting ready for it now.* She muttered darkly, and I looked out the window to see the bright california sun glaring down on us.
*Alright, how about we meet for lunch then?*
*Yes! I’ll see you then?*
*I’ll see you then.* I confirmed, and the call ended.
I guess I should go get this guitar fixed up then. I got dressed noting that Jun was still passed out, it was early for him though.
A quick stop on the way out to grab some food and I went looking for a shop.
The first place I stopped in was the shop I bought my original guitar from. It only took me pulling out the guitar before the old man took one look at it and shook his head.
“You can’t just go to some scop seller like this place for a DeLuze you gonk.” He said quietly but firmly glaring at me, over the top of the guitar. “Damaging a fucking DeLuze. Brats these days. That thing needs real replacement parts you won’t find in this sort of place.” He whispered, his face locked on me, but I could tell he was keeping his boss in his periphery.
“Any idea where I could go to get replacement parts?”
“Pfft. Course I do. Can’t tell you though.” He offered, and I smirked as I walked over and grabbed three shitty albums off the side of the wall.
“Course not, only paying customers am I right?”
“Heh.” He finally cracked a smile and he rang me up, and only as I was leaving did I get a message from the grumpy old man.
*Martin: Time Machine. Near Senate and Market, Glen.*
Well I guess I knew where to go.
A quick jump into the Quadra and I was across town, checking out Heywood and finally I found it. A corner store with a big neon strip going around the building. “Time Machine Huh?” I wondered, there was something familiar about this place. Was it a game location?
I honestly didn’t remember and so took a parking spot and stepped inside.
Oh wow. This was a high end shop. I glanced around and noticed that despite being a much more expensive sort of music shop, the guitars on the walls were... The same sort of scop I’d find in the other shop.
But he said I should come here?
I walked up to the counter and a moment later a woman with an unfortunate haircut noticed me and sauntered over.
“What can I get ya? Oh shit, who wrecked the DeLuze?”
“The former owner.” I answered her question as she was looking at the guitar I had settled onto the counter. “I’m looking for some replacement parts to fix her up. The Bridge is wrecked, and the-”
“Yeah I see it. Smashed it hard by the looks of it, the frets look good, the neck isn’t damaged.” She started to mutter and I relaxed, she knew what she was talking about. Going through the guitar and cataloging everything.
“It’s gonna be expensive to repair this. At least a month to do it, I’m backlogged.”
“I can do the repairs, just need the parts.” I answered and she looked at me like she wanted to argue.
“Yeah alright... Just don’t break it, if you think you can’t handle something just hand it over.”
“I can do it. Thanks though.” I answered back because I wasn’t going to take her concern about the expensive guitar against her.
“Alright, let me grab what you need. You got the eddies?”
“I have the eddies.” I waved her off, and she nodded. A few minutes later she came out of the backroom, which I noticed as she opened the door was full of much more expensive guitars than what was out here.
Now I understood. Sell the scop to normal rockers, and keep the expensive stuff safe.
I took the parts, checked them over, my Kiroshi scanning the parts confirmed they were good, and a few checks verified even that.
“Preem. Thanks Choom.”
“Sure kid. Remember! Bring it in if you can’t handle it! Those DeLuze are classics!”
“I waved her off and headed out of the shop.
—--
Pulling the bridge out of the guitar I winced at how much damage it had taken. Luckily, the internals were easy enough to fix, and I had the replacements. Slowly I started putting the expensive guitar back together. Piece by piece.
I laughed as almost instantly I got a Crafting Alert.
I hummed some old songs as I worked, using some tools making sure the internals still worked. With the bridge out, I started replacing the connectors that were broken, unscrewing the section, and then pulling out the two that were damaged, and putting the new ends on. Slowly it all came back together. A guitar no matter how expensive had nothing on the complicated internals of a Tachikoma.
And then I put the new bridge into place, and restrung the guitar.
Looking it over I nodded. It still looks a bit rough. The body was chipped, and the color was faded. Also it wasn’t a color I really liked.
I ran my fingers over it, the sensitive pads letting me feel all the indents and damage...
Repainting it wouldn’t be hard.
I sighed, and started dismantling the entire thing. I’d have to do a full restore on this thing.