Chapter 179

I had finished the modifications on the holograms that night, before finally going to sleep and enjoying my eight hours of instant sleep. Waking up feeling refreshed, I knew I would need to get out of the apartment, or I would pick at the songs trying to fix them, when they were already great.

 

Feeling antsy, I knew that I needed something that would keep me moving.

 

Squats while holding dumbbells ended up being the exercise of choice. Hidden away in the TC gym downstairs in a corner, I was given some privacy so no one could see just how much effort I was putting into the work.

 

Dripping with sweat, my legs felt like they were butter, but I needed just a few more reps to be satisfied.

 

I didn’t exactly enjoy the exercise, but there was a knowledge that if I could just hit the next level, and then level 10, I wouldn’t need to do this ever again.

 

Perfect physical fitness for as long as I lived was a very tempting proposition to just keep pushing a few more.

 

I winced as I felt my leg finally give, unable to keep myself going.

 

I gently placed the weights down and took a second to stretch.

 

Then because muscle pain sucks, I pulled a MaxDoc out of my pocket, I took a second to huff it, and instantly felt a tingle go down my legs.

 

Muscles abused and at their utter limit, tingled as they were refreshed, feeling like I had just gotten up that morning.

 

Stretching my muscles I let myself get ready, and then picked up the weights again.

 

I had checked, and John, wasn’t around today and so behind the little corner, out of sight I went back to it. This time doing crunches.

 

Body 9. The plan was I would earn it today! I went at it. Inhaling and exhaling as I moved, abs hauling me up and down, the extra weight in my arms making it all the harder. Slowly my muscles refreshed from the MaxDoc started to burn, started to weaken and tire, but pain was temporary, especially when you can literally just take some medicine and feel fine a moment later.

 

There was something very freeing about knowing that any pain I had to deal with could end in moments.

 

Something that you knew would end, and end quickly had less fear to it.

 

What was my body besides just a machine? What was Motoko, but a girl in the shell?

 

I changed exercises, push ups were easier, as my arms were chrome, but they still worked the core, and some of the muscles in my back.

 

I was sweating, as I lowered myself to the concrete over and over. Drops falling down my nose, running over my eyes, but my Kiroshi didn’t sting from the sweat, so I ignored it, and just continued on, down and up. Up and down.

 

Muscles pushed to their limits and their limits ignored.

 

I was cool, frozen solid as I continued to work.

 

*100 Body XP Gained*

 

*Body Leveled up!*

 

Collapsing onto the concrete I lay there for a minute just breathing trying to catch my breath. I had done it.

 

Body 9.

 

I struggled for a few moments to pull another MaxDoc out of my pocket and huffed it down, and then I rose up and stretched feeling just fine.

 

Frowning at how sweaty I was, I decided it was time to get a shower…

 

I pressed a hand along my Leotard…

 

Gonna need to get this adjusted a bit. It was kinda tight all of a sudden.

 

—–

 

Spending the day getting my outfits adjusted to make sure it fit wasn’t what I had planned, but it kept me out of the apartment.

 

But only for so long. As I walked inside, I stared at the guitar sitting innocently against the living room table, and felt it creeping up my spine. The realization of what was coming.

 

I had agreed to go out on a stage and play songs for people. Living actual people.

 

People I didn’t know!

 

I walked over to the couch, fell to my knees, grabbed one of the cushions and slammed my face into the cushion as I screamed.

 

What was I doing!?

 

Only once I was done did I rise up gasping for air and then centering myself. I had agreed to do this. Hiromi was right, I was being such a gonk about it. There was nothing to be afraid of, and there was a part of me, that wanted to get up on stage and be a fucking rock star.

 

But that part was currently quivering behind a mental couch pretending it didn’t exist for getting me into this!

 

I shook it off. Slapping my cheeks with my cool chrome hands and breathing in and out. “I’m not fucking Bocchi.” I reminded myself. If that girl could do it, so can I! Totally ignoring Bocchi being a manga character!

 

It still counted!

 

“Shake it off.” I ordered myself. Having gone over all the songs already I had cleaned them up as much as I could. Each of the five tracks were ready, I was ready…

 

Well, the songs were ready anyways.

 

Stalking around the apartment a few minutes later I realized I was getting lost in my own head and I needed to do something.

 

I got up and walked straight out of the house. I didn’t want to bother Hiromi or the boys, they were supportive about this, but also a bit too close.

 

Jun was out too, because he couldn’t know! So who else could I go and chat with… Wakako?

 

The fact that thought had gone through my head told me how rattled this had made me. No, that was silly, but I did have someone else I could chat with.

 

Jumping into the Quadra I gunned it out of the garage, heading straight towards Kabuki.

 

—–

 

Lizzies was active, the start of their after work rush was just starting as I arrived, but I managed to slip into a spot without trouble and then went hunting.

 

Rita should be here… Well if not Rita, then Judy, but honestly Judy wasn’t one I would really go to for advice. Girl doesn’t exactly have her own shit together.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

 

She wasn’t the outdoor bouncer, and there wasn’t a line yet, so I was able to walk up to the woman at the entrance.

 

“Is Rita here tonight?” I asked, and the woman looked me up and down.

 

“Who wants to know?”

“Motoko! Rita’s a choom.”

 

“Hmm. If you say so. She’s inside, check the roof.”

 

“Thanks!” I called out rushing past and doing just that, hitting the stairs up and then bursting outside to see a basketball game going full blast, and Rita watching over the roof.

 

Why the Mox had someone up here keeping an eye on things didn’t make sense to me, but I wasn’t about to question my good luck.

 

“Rita!” I called out as I hurried over, she had been leaning up against one of the AC units just watching the game.

 

“Motoko? Haven’t seen you in a while kid.”

“Yeah it feels like it’s been forever. I haven’t really done gigs that work as BD’s so I haven’t stopped by for Judy in a bit… But um… You got a minute?”

Rita looked me over not seeing me injured or anything and she shrugged. “Sure, you want some privacy?” She offered and I waved her off. It was fine.

 

“No it’s nothing like that. So… I’ve been making some songs and stuff. One of them I made got the interest of Denny! The drummer from Samurai, it was Jazz and fun and stuck in my head, but she wanted to buy it, so I said yes.”

“That’s… Preem!” Rita offered perking up in surprise.

“Yeah, Hiromi did a great job getting a good deal too, but that’s not it… Hiromi talked to me, after hearing another song I was making a new one technically… She convinced me to… Well get up on stage. I have an actual gig scheduled and everything, but I’m totally freaking out about it!”

I turned to her, sort of looking for something, advice, wise words, anything!

 

Instead Rita started laughing at me.

 

“That’s amazing!” She said, offered out between giggles. Actual giggles.

 

“I was really hoping for more than that.” I pouted.

 

“I’m sorry! It’s not! You just look so freaked!” She continued to giggle and I pouted, and finally she managed to control herself wiping a chrome hand over her mouth to try and stop the smile across her lips. “Okay, I’m good. Sorry.”

“Mean.” I mumbled back.

 

“Oh come on, it’s funny! Motoko, I’ve heard you play before, you’re good. And if you already sold a song, that’s amazing. You have nothing to worry about, and hey, even if you fumble it, or make a mistake it’s fine! You’re a kid. You can only do well out there.” She offered, trying to sound mature, but the way she kept wanting to break into laughter wasn’t helping.