Chapter 45

When I finally felt like doing something again I opened up my menu and made a call.

 

*Ringing*

 

*Hey hey! Motoko!*

 

*Hey Hiromi! How are you? With the NCPD back on the streets, did your parents lift the lockdown?*

 

*Ugh. Not just yet. But school is opening next week with normal classes so they have to by then. How about you? How are the TC reacting?*

 

*Not sure about most of them, but Kamikaze are spreading back out, the secret headquarters they were using is emptying out. Jun and I are actually back home.*

 

*Whoa, Nova. So it really is over then?*

 

*Looks like at least the gang war is over. Not the killing. Lot of the Kamikaze still looked ready to go hunt more Maelstrom… Jun among them, but it’s okay. I think everything is getting better with him. He seems more stable now.*

 

*That’s great! I know you were worried, but I knew Jun would be okay! He is too cute to Cyberpsycho.* She said and I could tell she was teasing me.

 

*Gag me with a spoon, Hiromi.* Her giggles were my only response for a while until finally they ended with her going quiet for a bit.

 

*So hey. Choom. Choomer. Choomiest?* Hiromi suddenly asked, sounding a little quiet.

 

*What do you need Hiromi?* I answered, trying to keep from laughing at her words.

 

*My bike is still wrecked… Can’t exactly drive it right now, and I’m gonna wait a bit to give an excuse to the ‘rents so they don’t freak on me… Mind giving me a ride to class and back?*

 

*Huh. You want your Street Punk Merc friend drive you right up to Arasaka Tower? I’m down.* I answered after a pause, making her laugh back at me.

 

*Thanks Choom. Just for a day or two? I can tell my parents I crashed after that, and get my bike fixed up.*

*No worries. I’ll act as a chauffeur. Will M’lady need anything dry cleaned as well? Or perhaps someone assassinated?* I asked, trying to sound as snooty as I could which caused Hiromi to break into giggles.

 

*You’re such a gonk!*

 

*Speaking of damaged vehicles though. I should probably take my Quadra into the shop.*

 

*Wait what? Why? What happened?*

 

*Didn’t I tell you? That night I hit the Maelstrom, the damn gonks side swiped me.*

 

*Oh that’s right… Is the damage bad? I know you were pretty pissed about it.*

 

*It’s not terrible, the car is armored, paint and dents mostly, I’ll just need t-* I stopped.

 

Wait.

 

Fuckin hold on a second.

 

I could fix it. Mechanic work was well within the bounds of all the knowledge dumps I had been getting from the System.

 

*Toko? Helloooo?*

 

*I’m here! I just realized I actually do know how to fix it. I think… I think I’ll go fix up my car. It’ll be a nice little grind session.* I said without thinking.

 

*Grind? Why would you need to grind your car?*

 

*Oh! Uhhh. No? No, grind like doing a task and keeping at it until it’s done.* I added, making up an excuse. Thank you Slang being so common in Night City.

 

*Alright. Let me know how it goes… Do you think you could fix my bike? I mean-*

 

*Probably! I’ll have to look it over, but I can do that for my choom!* Plus! If I could repair it that means more grinding! Motoko you’re a genius!

 

*Preem. If I don’t have to make an excuse for my ‘rents that would be best. They are fully up my ass still. How has it been out there? Is it… Better?*

 

*People are everywhere! More than usual, all the people that were hiding are out on the streets now. The TC knew the NCPD were coming and hid away, and so Maelstrom got hit hard, they are making peace even.*

 

*Wait! Maelstrom and Tyger Claws are making peace!? Why didn’t you tell me!*

 

*I just did though?*

 

*Ugh. Motoko!*

 

*Sorry! I didn’t think about it. Yeah the Kamikaze leader told everyone, apparently there is going to be an end to the TC-Strom war. At least officially.*

 

*Wow. That’s huge! I actually… I actually should let my ‘rents know. That might be useful to them. Listen, call me later? If not, see you Monday?*

 

*Sure! Chat with me later Hiromi!*

 

The call clicked off and I nodded, already jumping to my feet. I had some grinding to do!

 

I grabbed my toolbox from where Jun had dumped it on the floor of my bedroom, and rushed back out.

 

“Going out to the parking garage! Call me if you need me!” I called out to Jun who was now in the kitchen going through the fridge, and I was off clanking down the stairs as I carried the toolbox I ran across the street, although my head was swiveling, and my right hand free in order to quickdraw if I needed.

 

Not going to make that mistake again. Burya was in its holster and ready to go if needed.

 

But nothing happened. I ran into the garage and reached the car.

 

The side of my Quadra was still suffering from a nasty dent all along the side. The paint utterly ripped off.

 

Fucking Maelstrom.

 

But I knelt down, popping my tool box open. With a deftness I grabbed the needed tools, Instantly my hands went to work humming lightly as I slowly worked out the dents in the armored side. Honestly the fact it was armored made my job harder, but it just needed more force to even out, and the few places that some internal circuitry was crushed I simply spent a few minutes scanning and then remaking a replacement, a bit of testing to make sure it worked and I was set.

 

I hadn’t even known that one of my rear lights was out! That was so dangerous! What if someone rear ended me!

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

 

Well it was fixed now. I stood up, sure the paint was more trashed than it had been before, but with a few going over of a magnetic tool that let me smooth out the plate. It was done.

 

Now to check on all the spots that had been hit… And probably a carwash, I forgot about the whole blowing someone’s head off on the hood. The bits of gore still stuck on the hood was a little gnarly…

 

I probably should have taken that to a carwash before this… Ew.

 

I almost turned and walked all the way back inside when I remembered.

 

My eyes turned gold.

 

*Motoko? What’s wrong?* Jun responded nearly instantly.

 

*Nothing! Nothing. I’m okay. Just calling to let you know, I’m gonna need to hit a carwash… I uh. Forgot to clean up my poor Quadra after everything.*

 

*Oh… Thank you for telling me. Drive safe.*

 

*Will do!*

 

I slipped out into the heavy traffic of the city, easily winding a safe path through the city, enjoying the quiet ride.

Then I realized it didn’t have to be quiet. I turned on the radio, and instantly started nodding along to Body Heat Radio.

 

Listen… It had some good songs as long as that Pon pon shit wasn’t playing… Wait, wasn’t the song literally Ponpon shit? I meant Ponpon shit, shit. Because I hate that song. Luckily I don’t think it has been released yet. Body Heat was a pretty solid choice when I wasn’t in the mood for Samurai.

 

Anyway I found a nice carwash, went through and did my best to pretend there wasn’t a massive wave of red bloody water flowing off my car as I went through.

 

The one attendant that was sitting behind a bullet proof glass was doing his best not to notice. So I pretended it wasn’t happening too.

 

Best for everyone.

 

——

 

As I went through the car wash I had some time to think about what else I needed to do, which reminded me of a promise I had made.

 

But then I realized I had no idea where to go.

 

So I made a call.

 

*Motoko?* Ichi’s voice answered after a few moments, and he sounded sleepy.

 

*Ichi! Heya choom. How’s things? Did I wake you? Sorry about that. Also can you slip me Malcolms address? I want to stop by and check on him.*

 

*Oh yeah, you did say you were gonna do that… Sure Motoko.” He mumbled obviously groggy enough my rapid fire took him a minute to parse.

 

I got a text from Ichi a moment later.

 

*Thanks Choom… Maybe tonight we can all meet up again? I can probably get Hiromi free too. Omaeda too maybe? Are you working tonight?*

 

The line was quiet for a minute.

 

*Y-yeah… If you… If Malcolm is willing. I’m down. It’ll be nice… To just… Hang out again.*

 

*These last few weeks were rough on you huh Ichi?* I couldn’t help but ask. While he had said he wasn’t working with Malcolm anymore. The way he spoke…

 

They had a fight. Definitely.

 

*Heh. I guess I could say the same to you. If you can get Hiromi and Malcolm that would be great… Ho-oh Club?*

 

*Ugh. That place gives me a headache, but I get it. Sure we can hang there.* I answered, it was ‘our’ spot I guess… Actually I had no idea. Had we hung out there before the coma? Or just after?

 

*Alright… I’m gonna crash for a few more hours.*

 

*Sounds good! Cya!*