Chapter 196

My breath in my ears was all I could hear as I moved. Up and down, over and across. I raced across the city. Legs pumping, and arms pushing and pulling as no obstacle slowed me.

 

I had felt constricted after everything. Between the Tygers bullshit, and now 6th Street trying to frame me?

 

So once everyone had split up I had headed outside and just started running. I wasn’t sure why I had selected Athletics as my grind for the day, but maybe I hadn’t. Maybe I just needed to get away.

 

So I ran. Heading through the dense urban jungle with no direction in mind. I simply let Parkour guide me over all obstacles..

 

There were a lot of people I suddenly wanted to kill. I still needed to flatline the stupid old man that thought kidnapping me was acceptable. But I had told Wakako I would let it go.

 

I needed to kill the gonk fuck that had tried to frame me for killing 6th Street gangoons. Not that I wouldn’t have killed them, but I didn’t like the fact it seemed planned. Someone had wanted a war between the two gangs, and had done a lot to set it up.

 

Yuto. Then framing the merc that killed him.

 

And I had to consider how much I wanted to get involved.

 

I paused breathing heavily, sweat streaming down my forehead as I leaned against a wall for a moment. So much trouble because some gonk wanted to kill another.

 

So much trouble for something I didn’t care about, and wasn’t even involved with. I wiped my forehead and stalked around a bit, cooling down my muscles as I considered.

 

I hadn’t heard anything about the 6th Street and TC thing yet. I would have to stop by Wakako in the morning to find out if everything was back to normal, or if the TC were planning to retaliate back as well.

 

This could easily turn into another gang war.

 

I shook it off. It would become whatever it would become.

 

Wandering over to a few SCSM’s I started browning. I could use something to drink.

 

“Hey Chika.” A voice called out grabbing my attention. A tino teenager was sauntering up to me, a few of his boys that had been sitting on a pile of tables in front of a small food place were sauntering up. “Never saw your chrome down this way before.” He offered with a smile that made me realize he was trying to be charming.

 

“Sorry, choom. Not interested.” I offered clearly and went back to picking a drink. Ugh. Most of these tasted like cough syrup. Stupid NiCola. I’d kill for just a Coke, or a Dr. Pepper or something.

 

“Hey c’mon Herman-URK!” He choked out, his reaching hand had grabbed my shoulder, so I grabbed his throat. With a shift of my hips I slammed him into the SCSM I was looking through and held him in place.

 

I decided on a Grape NiCola. Yuck, and fished out the drink as it came through still holding the boy against the SCSM.

 

He was scrabbling a bit, but I let him breathe at least.

 

“I’m not interested, and don’t touch me.” I told him as I slammed my thumb through the top of the can and started drinking, chugging it down I crushed the can and forced it into his hand. “Throw that away for me, and next time take a no.”

 

Idly I noticed his boys were rushing over, but they weren’t a threat. I shifted back, turned away and then leapt.

 

Backflipping onto the SCSM I let the force push me even higher and jumped upwards again.

 

Hands reaching out and grabbing the guard rail of a street that ran over the area. With a quick flip I was standing on the guard rail a dozen feet above the boys and looking down on them.

 

I spun and with a bounce of my ankles to start up, I started jogging up the rail.

 

And out of sight, ignoring the calls of surprise from the teenaged boys.

 

I leapt up, jumping nearly on top of a light pole that was lower than me, and hefted myself up, then I took a few running steps and leapt.

 

The street below me might be filled with cars, but for a moment I felt utterly alone in the entire city.

 

Then I landed, slipped a little as the light poles weren’t designed for people to run on then, and ended up spinning down the entire pole to keep myself from falling.

 

I stepped off, and I realized I was actually in City Center.

 

Damn. That was a hell of a run. I looked around at the Corpo suits that were staring at me in surprise as I had appeared from nowhere.

 

Deciding I had run enough for now, I called for my Kusanagi, and walked over to a bench and took a seat.

 

What a day.

 

Since I had nothing else to do, I went ahead and sent out some texts.

 

*Motoko: Hey Wakako, you know how the 6th Street, and Tyger Claw thing is going?*

 

I sent the text and sat back expecting to be waiting for a while, but Wakako responded back pretty quickly actually.

 

*Wakako: There has been a meeting called between bosses. Cease Fire has been called until that is over. You should avoid their territory, but neither side truly wishes for a conflict. Well done.*

 

*Motoko: Didn’t do much.*

*Wakako: You were targeted by a gang, and stood in front of the leader of that gang. You did much. Speak to Hayato in the morning. She was worried.*

 

I laughed at the last bit and couldn’t help but respond.

 

*Motoko: Are you trying to set up a playdate with your granddaughter? You know I didn’t know she was your Granddaughter.*

 

*Wakako: I’m aware. It is why I allowed your continued contact. Don’t disappoint me.*

 

I blinked because that was definitely a threat. I wisely dropped the conversation there.

 

My bike pulled up a while later and I rose up, sliding onto the seat and throttling the engine I grinned. It had been a while since I took my Kusanagi out for a spin.

 

I gunned the engine and let the front wheel kick a bit as I took off, quickly blurring into the traffic and enjoying the feeling of the motorcycle cycling gears as I slipped through the City Center traffic.

 

I let my body act without thought as I weaved through traffic. I still felt like moving. I didn’t head home. Instead cycling up and heading north out of the corporate district and into Watson. Traffic got worse, but for once I wasn’t following laws.

 

I weaved in and out, jumping onto the sidewalk when I needed, I kept moving. Ignoring the press of traffic around me. To my surprise I got an alert.

 

*100 Reflex XP Gained*

 

That was handy, and I was smiling happily as I finally made it to a more open area. My engine whined and roared as I raced through the emptier streets of Northside. Up and down ramps, through mostly empty streets. I just felt… constricted and irritated.

 

I finally slowed and parked on the side of a road overlooking the area.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

 

Neon lights in the distance, and farther City Central in the far distance sending lights into the night.

 

It was Lucy that thought the lights looked like a prison.

 

I scoffed as I stepped off the bike and jumped up onto the concrete barrier.

 

This place didn’t look like a prison to me. It looked like…

 

Opportunity.

 

The thought made me nod, and I nodded again as I realized it was the truth. Lazy. I was lazy, always had been. But it was time to get some shit sorted.

 

I plotted as I looked over the city until the plan in my mind was at least a plan and not just a thought.

 

—–

 

The next morning I sent a text out to my chooms asking if everyone minded meeting up for dinner tonight.

 

We had been running around so much together, I wanted to give them some personal time, but I think this was important enough to need a real meeting.

 

I got an agreement and it was settled.

 

But first in the morning I reached out, and set up a meeting like Wakako asked. To my slight discomfort the meeting place was the Dojo once again.

 

Hayato had agreed to a meeting and so I headed over.

 

I pulled my Kusanagi up onto the sidewalk in front of the Dojo, noticing there were plenty of other bikes parked together.

 

I stepped out and adjusted my holster. Mostly just to make sure my guns and knife were still in place.

 

As I walked in I glanced at the spot where Musashi had died, but not even a blood stain remained. Stepping inside, I found no trouble which I had almost expected but as I entered the main room, I did see Hayato, but before that I saw Sensei.

 

His focus shot to me the moment I stepped inside, and there was something in his eyes. For once, he didn’t just point and demand, but actually walked over and approached me as I entered.