Chapter 178

The next morning I was attacked first thing in the morning.

 

“Motokoooo!” Hiromi whined as she launched herself at me as soon as I opened the door. Swinging the Motoko seeking ballistic missile around to bleed off the momentum, I closed the door with a kick and settled the Door Shotgun back in place as I hugged Hiromi tight.

 

“Fun day! I demand it!” She said while her face was buried in my shoulder.

 

“Okay. What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know. You decide.” She responded back and I just laughed.

 

“Well I’m afraid I wasn’t planning on much today, I got the music bug and I was just recording some songs, but we can go-”

“Yes!” She demanded and rushed over to the couch to flop on it. “Serenade me!”

 

I scoffed at her demand but smiled regardless. “Okay, this is Come as you are.” I informed her and set up the song to play through the music box as I settled in, and then I started up that famous intro. The deep tones were good. Not perfect, I really needed something acoustic, if I wanted to really hit the best notes, but my guitar could fake it well enough.

 

Well enough for this anyways.

 

Then I opened my eyes, locked them onto Hiromi, and crooned. “Come, as you are, as you were, as I want you to be!”

 

The song ended with me letting the last note drift for a while, and then I smiled at Hiromi, because playing music like this was just… Fun.

 

It was fun.

 

“God Motoko.” She breathed and then shook herself off. “Okay that’s it! I’m done! That’s it!” She nearly screamed as she rose up and paced and I blinked, nearly stepping back in shock.

“What? Hiromi? What’s wrong?”

“The fact you don’t do this more! You… Motoko. You sold a song to Denny! To a major label! I mean… You should do this more! It’s amazing! Put a band together! Put on shows!”

“I don’t… I like music as my hobby, Hiromi, but I’m not really… Crowds and stuff you know?”

“Ughhhhhh.” She whined, smashing her face into the couch and screaming. “Why are you so…”

 

“You just gestured at all of me.” I joked, heh. Hiccup. Aw man, I haven’t seen that movie in… Well it’s gone now I think..

 

No, I shook it off, focus on Hiromi.

 

“I don’t know what to say Hiromi.”

“Don’t say anything just… Listen for a second? Put some songs together. Like just a few! And let me set up a gig for you. Pleeeease. If you have stage fright, we can work with that. But Motoko! You have so much talent here, it’s killing me to see you just not use it.” She pleaded and I looked away.

“Hiromi. I’m a merc, not a Rockerboy.”

“Be both!” She denied my argument instantly. “You like Silverhand! You can’t argue this. You like him!”

“Comparing me to Johnny Silverhand is pretty rude.” I muttered, but Hiromi wasn’t having my nonsense.

 

“Motoko, I’m serious. Please for me? As a super special present, let me put together a gig for you. A real one, on a stage somewhere. I’ll set it all up, all you have to do is prep the songs, and then I’ll do the rest.”

“Hiromi-”

“For my Birthday!” She demanded and I blinked. What?

 

“Wait, is your birthday coming up? Hiromi! You have to tell me these things, I don’t remember anything!”

 

“Yep that’s right! My birthday is coming up!.” She begged and I flinched because…

 

Super uncomfortable, Hiromi! This… I wasn’t comfortable with this!

 

She realized it at the same time, something on my face showed it and she slumped.

 

“Nevermind.”

“It’s not… I don’t…” I shut up, and actually considered it. I had started the music thing purely for myself, a hobby, and a remembrance of what I had… Lost.

 

And also as a way to return myself to who I should be. A reminder of the good things in life, and that I shouldn’t just drop into the endless void of chrome and combat.

 

It was great. I loved it…

 

But what was the reason I didn’t want to share? Guilt? None of the songs were really mine, but I was the only one that knew them. Was it worse to let them never be, or claim them as my own?

 

Difficult, but not really that hard for me in the end.

 

No, the real reason? It was because I was fucking scared. Me. Badass, Afterlife Merc. I’d gone toe to toe with borgs with a smile on my face, been shot and just glared or cussed out who had done it, but I was afraid of people listening to me play a song.

 

Hiromi, wasn’t being fair trying to push this either, but at the same time.

 

I knew Hiromi. She wasn’t doing this because of eddies, she really thought it would be good for me to do it. She was proud of me, and wanted to show the world. She was excited to be there.

 

Dammit.

 

“O-one gig.” I agreed, and suddenly Hiromi who had been looking dejected as she realized she had pushed too much jerked up.

 

“Really?”

“Yeah… I, I’m afraid, but it’s stupid fears, not real ones. You can set up a gig… I guess I need to figure out a set.”

“I’ll do it! You won’t regret this Motoko. I swear it. You’ll love it! The crowd and the music, and everything! Oh! I’m so excited! We need to figure out an outfit for you too!”

“What’s wrong with my outfit?” I asked, looking at my super cool tactical leotard, and jeans.

 

“Nothing, for merc work, but it’s not Rockerboy! Don’t worry I’ll help! No! I need to call the boys! They need to get in on this, and I’ll need their help as muscle! Eeeee!” Hiromi bounced around the room, and all I could think was that this was a mistake.

 

—–

 

The embarrassing level of excitement from everyone was getting to me. Malcolm had arrived not long after the call went out, but Ichi was working so it took him a while, but Malcolm had only thrown fuel on the fire of brazer Hiromi.

 

So now I was dealing with her absolutely freaking out, as I went through my list of recorded songs to make a playlist…

 

What songs should I pick?

 

I had made a pretty good selection by now. Rise was definitely going on the list, I really liked it.. Maybe This Fffire next? It was a very Cyberpunk song…

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

 

Let you Down. It had to be on the set. Probably towards the end was the best bet, then Nirvana after? I could start with Smells like Teen Spirt, and end with Come as you are?

 

No, I should do The Pretender… But where to put it? Just after This Fffire? No wait, Smells like Teen Spirit… I had to move it.

 

I groaned. Rockerboy was actually helping me here. Setlists, performance, was all part of the skill, but a part of it that I pretended didn’t exist most of the time.

 

Looking up from my Music box, I winced and looked away from Malcolm and Hiromi colluding, They were both standing close to each other with toothy smiles as they plotted.

 

This was my life now… Wasn’t it?

 

I sighed, and finalized the list.

 

Smells like Teen spirit, Rise, This Fffire, The Pretender, and Let you Down

 

Five songs that I could play together… Now I just had to psych myself up for an actual concert…

 

No, I should probably edit the songs, with better equipment. I could really bring a lot out of them with some real instruments.

 

“Hiromi.” I spoke up for the first time in a while. “I think I’m going to need a recording studio, to clean these songs up if I’m going to play them on stage, so-”

“Yes!” Hiromi cheered. “Okay! Let’s go! We can text Ichi the new meet up spot. C’mon!” She demanded pulling at me, and I sighed as Hiromi tugged me away.

 

“Do you even know of a recording studio we can use?” I asked, and Hiromi threw me a grin.

 

“Of course I do! Denny’s one! The one you wrote Tank at!”

“That place is expensive.” I muttered as Hiromi continued to drag me along Malcolm following along nothing but amused.

 

“It’s not that expensive, Motoko! Besides, you get a deal for use of the rooms. It was part of the contract I put together for Tank.”

“Wait, why don’t I know about this?”

“I sent you the contract Motoko.” Hiromi reminded me with a flat face, and I did my best not to look away awkwardly. I had read through it… A little. At least enough to know I wasn’t selling my soul.

 

“This is why I’m your manager.” She said and this time she said it with a happy smile. Hiromi was happiest, when she was showing off her skills after all.

 

“You know I’ll need my guitar and stuff.” I mentioned, as Hiromi had pulled me out of the apartment and down the hall by this point. She turned, realizing I didn’t have my instrument.

 

“Ah.”

 

—–

 

We drove through the city, finally reaching the parking spots near Denny’s recording studio, and I felt kinda awkward, carrying my equipment, down the alley way and into the same blank faced door. Somehow during the drive over Hiromi had already scheduled one of the studio’s for me, and so we had access. The door opened and we walked into the same long white hall.

 

“Room 1-16.” Hiromi called out as I headed that way, and slipped inside.

 

The studio was empty. Just for me. Staring at the space I felt myself actually warm up. Sure my Music box was good, but electronic simulation of different instruments was only so good.