Chapter 211

“She’s okay.” Hiromi assured everyone as I sat face down on the table in the back of the club. The cool towel over the back of my head helped, but…

 

AAAAAAAAAAAAH!

 

What had I just done!?

 

“Well, normally I don’t let randoms steal my stage, but damn if that wasn’t an act. Hell, pretty funny to be playing some amateurs songs only for her to be there.” The owner of the club mentioned laughing a bit.

 

“Well if she’s on the radio, and she sent your club pounding, she’s not an amateur is she?” Hiromi argued a bit hotly.

“Heh, maybe, maybe not. Solo act didn’t do her any favors, but she at least knows how to play and sing. Wish I could say the same for most of the live bands I pull in.”

“Well maybe we can talk about another gig, say next friday night?”

“Hmm. I might be tempted.”

“Hiromi.” I said rising up and rubbing the damp towel over my head. “Leave it.”

“Okay Motoko, but think about it.” She needled just a little and I nodded…

 

Honestly other than the embarrassment, and the desire to curl up in a ball and scream… I felt better than I did after finishing with Violent Hemorrhage. At least, at least I could admit I felt some pride from the songs now. And not just a bitter boredom.

 

“I liked the new song.” Malcolm offered, as I took in the fact both boys were sitting across from me. The first time I realized they were even here. Jeez. I’d really been freaking when I finished up.

 

“Yeah it’s… Well I played a more acoustic version, but it’s a rock song actually.” I stood up. “I’m gonna head out. I’m tired.” I decided, and Malcolm and Ichi sort of checked each other before shaking their heads .

“I think I’m going to stay for a bit.”

“Me too.” Both boys confirmed, and there was definitely a hint of excitement.

 

“Don’t get robbed or worse.” I ordered and then picked up my equipment, and headed for the back door.

 

“Hey wait up!” Hiromi called out and I hummed as she held the door open for me which did help out.

 

The parking lot was half full, people hanging out doing drugs that would get them kicked out, or just saying goodbyes, but I ignored that and popped the trunk on the Quadra to throw my equipment inside.

 

“Hey, Motoko.” Alice called out, the boys with her just outside of her little van as they both walked over as they saw me.

 

“Jesus what is all that?” Jared asked as he looked into the trunk and saw my ordinance.

“Work equipment.” I answered jokingly, as I threw everything inside and closed up. “What’s up Alice?”

“Fuck, just… Let us work with you.” She asked, begged, and kinda demanded. All of it was there. A need.

 

“What?”

“You need a band, you’ve got the songs, you got the talent, but solo acts aren’t gonna get you what you need. We got a drummer, a Bass, and I play guitar… You can sing. Better than me, I’m fucking done playing… I want to be more than just some scop no life band. We’re all dedicated, we all play.” I realized that these three were serious.

 

“Listen that-” I started off uncomfortable at the idea of what Alice was saying.

“We can talk about it, but now isn’t the best time.” Hiromi called out saving me like usual. “Here’s my number. I’m Hiromi Mitsunashi, Motoko’s Manager. I’m sure we can have a few practice sessions, see if you’re a good fit for Motoko’s songs and style before we lock anything in.”

 

I turned to look at my corpo, and couldn’t help but relax a bit.

 

Of course Hiromi would see the situation and just hammer through it in her most corpo style.

 

“Ah.” Alice muttered as she reached out and took the card.

 

“Preem. I’m getting out of here.” I decided and started to do just that. Heading straight for the driver seat. I wanted to get far away from this club.

 

“I’m coming too!” Hiromi called out and I just shrugged as she climbed in.

 

“I’m not really heading home, want me to drop you off?”

“No way!” She cheered, smiling and I just shrugged. “Wherever you’re going is fine with me!”

 

Alright, I guess… Yeah that works.

 

—–

 

“When you said you were tired, I wasn’t expecting this.” Hiromi muttered.

 

“I am tired, but I feel… Too wired to really relax, so I’m doing this.” Then I struck and she deflected the blow and retaliated.

 

I’d ended up at the dojo, figuring that swinging a stick around for a while would help me calm down.

 

Hiromi had followed me inside, and now I was facing her with shinai in both our hands.

 

It had been a long time since I’ve seen her really use a sword.

 

I struck out a few testing pokes, and she retaliated, and then responded in kind, the clack of the shinai filling the empty dojo as only a few people were still around exercising at this time of night.

 

Hiromi responded competently, but I recognized quickly that despite her practice with a blade, she wasn’t a Musashi. She was competent enough though, and so I decided to enjoy the motion of my body. I felt my shoulders relaxing from the tension I’d had on them, and my face broke into a smile.

 

“Don’t smile like that while whooping my ass Motoko, it’s making things difficult!” Hiromi eventually gasped out, and I chuckled as we stopped clashing.

 

“You’re doing fine. When’s the last time you really practiced?”

“It’s been a while. Too long obviously, if you can beat me now. Ugh.”

 

“That was fun, thanks Hiromi.”

“Yeah yeah, you seem better… Want to talk about it?”

“I-” I started only to stop so I ran my fingers through my hair scratching at my scalp. “I don’t know. It was unexpected. Jumping up onto that stage, no time to plan and just playing…

 

It felt good. Better than playing for VH. Better than playing some boring song that had no soul. Eh. I was being a bit toxic, the VH songs were still songs, still written by a bunch of young musicians wanting to play through soul out.

 

It just kinda wasn’t good.

 

Ugh, I felt like some stuck up asshole. Maybe I just wasn’t into whatever genre VH played.

 

“You were amazing up on stage you know?” Hiromi offered and I just… It was nice to hear. I liked being good at things, but it felt so weird to do musician stuff.

 

“Thanks.” I decided to say but then held out my Shinai. “But you need some practice.”

Hiromi looked from me to the Shinai and her shoulders slumped.

 

“Go easy on me.”

“Never!” I cheered and we began again. The movement and action, carefully tracking Hiromi’s attempts to bat my shinai away from poking her continuously, was quite fun.

 

It… Was a nice stress relief. I could be good at this without the feeling of anxiety. I could just let my body move, my brain didn’t need to worry.

 

I saw it, Hiromi was tricky. She lashed out with her blade below my vision, well it would be if not for my Kiroshi, and I tapped it twice, once on the top to knock it away and then another lower done causing her to stumble.

 

Then tapped my blade on top of her head.

 

“Boop.”

I laughed at her stupified look as she glared at me for a moment.

 

And then I stilled.

 

*100 Reflex XP Gained*

 

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*Reflex Leveled up!*

 

I felt my muscles tense and relax, a shift in how I held myself, and Hiromi seeing me stalled out for a second lashing out.

 

I bent backward almost casually, and then stepped past her, my shinai not even raised as I spun with her as she tried to swing down on me, Another duck to the side and the blade went past without even ruffling my hair.

 

And then again.

 

“Okay, now you’re just being mean.” Hiromi huffed out as she stopped swinging. I reached out before she could react and lifted her up and spun around.

 

“Hahaha!” I cheered happily ignoring Hiromi’s squeak of surprise before setting her back on the ground. “Hiromi, you’re the best.” I told her.

 

Reflex 10 was… Huge. I’d finally done it! I could grind out Handguns, or Blades! And all the other skills!

 

Maybe I’d finally take the time to grind out Driving as well, that skill had been on the back burner for a while…

 

Hmm Blades first.

“Again?” I asked eagerly as I took a few steps back and held my shinai out, but Hiromi just huffed and hugged herself. Her face was a bit red, did I surprise her that much? Was she angry because I had beaten her?

 

“I’m good for now Motoko. You seem to have cheered up.” She said, and I blinked…

 

I guess I had.

 

—–

 

We left the Dojo not long after and I drove Hiromi around to grab some food and we just ate it while parked laughing at drunk people stumbling out of clubs and puking all over the sidewalk ruining any hope of them being cool.

 

“Look at that one!” I cheered as a lady completely bent over in half, her massive stilt heels keeping her upright and she puked basically backwards through her own legs.

 

“Gross!” Hiromi cackled as she stuffed some fries in her mouth.

 

I grabbed some and joined her, both of us laughing at the disaster people.

 

“Thanks Hiromi.” I said after a while as we ate.

“What?”

“For saving me when Alice asked to join ‘my’ band. I don’t even have a band!”

“I thought you wanted to be called Stand Alone Complex?”

“That’s!” I looked away. I had said that. “It’s different when it’s just like a solo band name, and an actual band name.”

“Honestly Motoko I don’t really get your discomfort. I mean it’s funny, and cute, but you have nothing to be embarrassed about. You rock.”