Chapter 30

“You aren’t leaving.” Jun said, the first words we had spoken since we had been put in time out. We had just finished walking into the apartment hours later after being forced to meditate on our mistakes.

“Not yet. But soon.” I told him as I flopped onto the couch before facing him.

“You didn’t defeat me.” He grumbled from the door.

“You didn’t defeat me either. The deal was if you beat me I would shut up and stay. Jun… I know what I’m trying to do is dangerous. I know it sounds crazy! I know. But I can do it. I can do this and come home every night. I have the skill.”

“You don’t! You just got out of the hospital! You lost your memory!” Jun practically ranted as he waved his arms above his head.

“I’ve killed more than twenty people. Scavs. Raffen. Maelstrom. Normal and Borgs.” I said practically punching him in the face with what I have done.

“You are my little sister! You don’t have to kill anyone! I will do it for you! Stay here! Where it is safe, I’ll… I’ll put you into a school! I can even do Arasaka Academy! You can go to school with Hiromi where it is safe! Where you don’t have to stain your hands with blood! Where you don’t have to worry about-”

I stood up at his rant and pulled him into a strong hug. Burying my face into his chest as I held him tight.

“I love you too Jun.” I told him, cutting off whatever he was trying to desperately say. Then I pulled away so he could see me. “But I like killing. I’m not going to stop.” I watched as he tried to process that for a moment and as he opened his mouth I reached up and poked his lips. “No. Listen.” I demanded as I stepped away and dragged him to the couch.

I waited until he settled in as I sat on the little table so we could face each other.

“I really like killing, fighting. I like doing jobs. I like sneaking through a Valentino chopshop to steal information. I like going out as a bodyguard for a Nomad who ends up being a pretty cool guy. I liked when we got chased by Raffen. I liked grabbing my HMG and firing it watching big tough Raffen scream in terror as they get turned into a splatter in the desert. I loved that after, when they left me for dead. When I chased them through the desert, and snuck into their camp. I have never had more fun in my life! Then when I was slowly hunting them through their camp. I killed every man in the camp without any of them managing to call for help or even cry out. I loved when I had their leader at my mercy at the end and I stole his car. And then I shot him.”

I was quiet at that, watching as Jun’s eyes had widened massively as I spoke as I revealed just a bit of what I had been up to.

“How?” He finally asked quietly, looking a little shook. “How did you do that? How did you survive? You were never that good with a Katana.”

“I learned.” I answered simply, it was true in a way. “Killing someone is easy. The trick is just surviving long enough that you learn how to do it better. And a bit of luck.” I added with a casual shrug. “I know you worry. I worry about you too… but I can’t stop you from going out there to hunt Maelstrom in revenge. Just like you can’t stop me from doing the same.”

I stared into his face as emotions roiled over him, his fists clenching over and over as he tried to fight back his own instincts.

“Come out with me.” I told him then, cutting off his inner battle with himself. “Let me show you what I can do. That you don’t have to be afraid. I want you to be part of my life Jun-Nii, and I want to be part of yours. But you’ll have to let me go make my own mistakes. Or my own glory.”

“You can die!”

“I can also die walking down the street, or be gunned down in the middle of a gangwar while driving down the freeway. I’m not gonna be safe if I hide Jun. But, at least I can have some safety if I prove I have the ability to kill any gonk stupid enough to try.” I kind of fluttered my legs a bit as I sat on the table wondering what else I could say.

What else could I do to prove to Jun that I was able to walk in the same circles that he did. That just as he had done plenty of raids against Maelstrom, I could do that too.

“Tomorrow night.” He said finally quietly. “Kamikaze are going to hit a few Maelstrom dens, If… I will ask if they will allow you to come. If you… If you prove to me you are capable after… I’ll…”

“Okay.” I told him he didn’t have to finish, he was struggling to let me go, which wasn’t a surprise. Jun was pretty stubborn after all. So instead of any more tense conversations I pulled Jun into a big warm hug.

Seriously gotta get that Real Skinn, Jun. Your arms are very unhuggable right now.

—–

Apparently the one in charge of the Kamikaze approved of me joining them for an outing, although from the way Jun phrased it, it was less that I could come, and more that they simply didn’t care if I died trying.

Jokes on them. I have no intention of dying. Not until I’ve murdered every spider eyed asshole in this city. It was a shame. I liked spiders….

Wait! If I killed all of them, that means I could take their symbol for myself right? “I’ll become the Black Widow… wait I’m already Motoko.” I muttered to myself as I finished loading my Burya.

My lovely perfect Burya that I was never going anywhere without… That thought struck me and I realized I probably needed a shower gun now too… I’m sure I could put a carnage in there. That thing doesn’t care if it gets rusty.

I nodded at that. Shower Shotgun sounds perfect.

Stupid Night city.

I pulled her into my shoulder holster and stretched. It felt good to be back in my gear again. Even if the feel of the Lexington in my back holster wasn’t quite the same as my Unity.

I miss that gun.

At least I still had my knife. I patted my hip where it rested. That thing had kept me alive in the pit. It was nice that one of the borgs in Kamikaze had grabbed it while looting.

“Motoko.”
“Jun-Nii. All set?” I asked as I turned to him, noticing the weird look on his face.

“Oh this is the first time Jun has seen my work clothes huh?” I asked him as I did a little pirouette that would make a ballerina nod at how good it was.

Thank you Athletics.

“What are you wearing? Put a real jacket on and a shirt.” Then without waiting he turns and walks out.

“F-fuckin’ jerk!” I yelled back at him utterly shocked at how instantly he had cut down my cute Motoko cospl-Outfit. My outfit!

I chased after him, and it was only as I entered the main room of the apartment that I caught the slight smirk on his face.

Oh! Jun was being an asshole big brother.

Jerk!

“Idiot!” I yelled at him as I made a move to brush past him.

His arm wrapping me up in a hug pulling me off my feet stopped that. Then with the casualness of a big brother he walked me back to the bedroom and plopped me on the bed.

“I have something for you.” He said after a moment as I glared at him for carrying me around. Just because he had stupid gorilla arms, and I wasn’t heavy enough to stop him!

It wasn’t fair!

“What?” I demanded a little petulantly, which probably didn’t help my case of trying to get Jun to trust me as a professional, but he was being stupid. So there.

“I want you to be safe.” He said simply as he headed into the closet in the bedroom, something I hadn’t messed with.

I honestly didn’t think anything was actually in there.

But there was, in fact. It was an armory.

“Ooh Goodies!” I chirped only to be denied instantly with an outstretched hand.

“My stuff. Don’t touch.” He said in that exact older sibling voice that told me I had probably snuck into his stuff too many times to count.

Yeah that’s fair.

I settled down as he went back in and pulled something out that I perked up at.

“It’s my spare… Please do not ruin it. They are expensive.” He tells me as he pulls out a fucking Katana.

Oooh man. I was gonna weeb these Maelstroms to death… wait that sounds wrong.

I shook that stupid thought out as I stood up and took the Katana Jun was holding out for me. The same military style as the one he had. I popped it out of the sheath just an inch seeing the incredibly sharp blade before nodding. Luckily it had a belt on the sheath, so after a moment I had it wrapped around my hips.

I was starting to have a few too many straps on me, Shoulder holster, rear holster and now sword belt.

It’s fine though.

Cause it looked fuckin badass.

“Thanks Jun.”

“It’s a thermal Katana like you wanted. The button is on the side. Don’t cut off a limb, or burn yourself… Or a building down. Better yet, just don’t use it.” He said moving to take it away which I promptly slapped his hand and then he was mushing his hand into my face and I was kicking at his dumb stupid plastic abs.

We finally broke away a few minutes later after Jun put me in a headlock, which I hip tossed him over my shoulder for daring and the loud thump as he almost crashed into the living room table startled us both.

“Truce.” I demanded, and Jun huffed a quiet laugh before he agreed as we split up and straightened up.

Jun had mussed my hair. The jerk. After a quick stop in the bathroom to reorder my hair we both left the apartment down into the parking garage.

There the rest of Kamikaze were already waiting. Although I noticed they weren’t hanging around their own rides, or vehicles that looked like something the Tyger Claws would drive.

Unmarked vans, and cars were idling waiting.

Luckily we weren’t the last to show up. “Jun. Good, still waiting on a few stragglers.” The borg I had met in the Ripper doc said as Jun approached. This time the man wasn’t heading into a ripper. He was armed and armored up.

The flak jacket he wore was actually open showing off his chest, and holographic neon tattoos. I was pretty sure the jacket was less defense than the obvious subdermal armor meaning it was more for looks than utility.

“Hai. Fujimura-Sama.” Jun offered with a bow. Ah that was the Borg’s name. Right, the doctor said that as well.

“The girl will be your responsibility.” He added nodding to me, and Jun simply bowed lower in agreement.

I nodded to Jun. I wasn’t about to cause any problems. We all had Maelstrom to kill.

The wait was mostly quiet, most of the Kamikaze were heavily borged, and none of them seemed sociable. Mostly they just hung around, checked their gear.

Or stared into nothing.

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Yeah. This was definitely the Psychos of the Tyger Claws.

Dammit Jun. I wasn’t going to let you fall prey to that.

So we ended up settling in, Jun was driving another one of the inconspicuous cars and I was sitting in the back despite no one else in the car.

“Why do I have to sit back here? I called shotgun.” I grumbled at my brother who was starting to stare into nothing as time went by.

So I was using sisterly petulance to distract him.

“Akari makes me drive. Don’t bother her when she gets here.” Jun replied with a tired sigh.

But it was emotion. It wasn’t that coolness that took over his voice at times.

“Finally.” Akari suddenly uttered as she swung the passenger door open and flopped in. The woman looked more like a plastic robot than a human. She was even wearing a mask to hide away what little flesh there was left on her face. All bright red and white plastic, despite knowing it was actually as strong as steel it still made her look fragile. “You’re so slow Jun-kun, making me wait. Well let’s go. Don’t want to piss off Fujimura-Sama anymore than you already have.” She said as she leaned back arms behind her head.

“You are the one that is late, and the one Fujimura-Sama is angry with Akari… Again.” He offered as he started driving out of the garage following a few of the other vehicles. Although once out on the street everyone began driving in different directions.

Sneaky. If everyone had a different route there was less chance of a whole cavalcade being spotted.

“That’s just what you like to believe, Jun.” Akari offered nodding her doll-like head before she turned around in her seat. “How about that? You actually brought your little killer. Fujimura-Sama allowed that?”

“He did. Motoko is allowed to come today. As a test.”

“Hah! She doesn’t have the chrome to join Kamikaze.”

“I’m not really planning on joining. Jun just needs reassurance, I know how to fight.” I cut in. I wanted to make sure these crazy psychos didn’t think I was one of them. That would be terrible if they thought I was as crazy as them!

I was just here to murder people.

“Oh she just needs to reassure her Oniiiii-chaaan.” Akari teased as she looked to Jun. “Despite getting his butt whooped?”

“She did not whoop my butt.” Jun muttered, but I wasn’t going to pick a fight right now.

So I let it pass even as Akari continued teasing Jun.

I looked out the window instead, watching the city go by. My hands slowly opened and closed as I warmed up my joints. I was really looking forward to killing some Strom tonight, ripping them apart, and getting just an ounce of the payment they owed me back.

The drive didn’t take very long. Slowly we pulled into a garage, parking deep into the structure that already had a few of the other Kamikaze’s vehicles parked and empty. I followed Jun as he followed Akari who led us around the structure, Akari was quiet and focused for once, Jun and I followed her lead. Although I wasn’t going cool, I let my footsteps quiet until they practically disappeared.