Chapter 207

“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.

 

“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.”

“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?”

“Should be.” I said with faux casualness, and before they could even start playing the first strings I started in on the drum intro much to their surprise.

I had to play it twice before they caught up and started playing. And then I just lost myself in the tune. I remember the rhythm, had it memorized in my brain thanks to Perfect Musical Memory.

 

It wasn’t exactly a thrilling song to play, but I kept it going even when the other band mates flubbed things, or Alice made me cringe from her singing.

 

It was alright. It was… Therapeutic to smash the drums. I was even getting into it, before the other guy suddenly stopped with a curse.

 

“Fucking hell Jared? Why’d you stop?”

“Cause you keep fucking it up!” He yelled at Alice who cursed him right back, and I relaxed and settled back a bit. Looking around I noticed a SCSM across the way, and I was thirsty. I headed over and no one noticed me, and then got back while they were still arguing.

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Friction in the band huh.

 

That’s fair, but I wasn’t here to fucking listen to it. Hmm, I could play some Nirvana, but I had done most of those myself.

 

Then I remembered another band that I liked.

 

Heh, that could work.

 

The song started in my head, and I just took on the drummer. Dave was a legend, and I was just a copy cat, but hopefully I could make the sound right.

 

No One Knows, was a Queens of the Stone Age song. Definitely a fun band, and the song was a really interesting rock song.

 

So I waited and ignoring the gonks arguing about stupid shit, I just started. Feeling a smile come over my face, as I let myself enjoy the song in my head.

 

I hadn’t heard it in over a year after all, but as I played it was like listening to it back.

 

Only when I finished did I pay any attention to the band, who to my surprise had picked up their instruments and played along.

 

Badly, but they had tried their own additions to the beat.

“Nice.” Klein offered me as the song finished. “Okay, you’re the better drummer. What was that beat?”

“Here I’ll show you. I have no idea what the official name of it would be. It’s a three beat with a delayed fourth. Here.” I showed it slowed down to the drummer, and soon we swapped spots as he started tinkering with it…

 

Well if he was going to try and drum it.

 

“Mind if I sing?” I asked Alice and she blinked before hesitating and shaking her head.

 

“This an actual song?”

“Yeah, It’s called No One Knows. I mean, unless you guys want to play something else?”

“Nah fuck that. I’m sick of our shit anyways. Let’s hear it.” Jared called as he grabbed his bass and I nodded. Alice picked up a Guitar and I grabbed mine, and I started.

 

“Yeah, follow this beat for the first half.” I instructed Jared, and then walked to Alice. “Can you do this?” I offered, and she nodded with a bit of hesitation.

 

And then once I got them all synced up I started singing.