Chapter 53

So I may be taking the whole concept of getting a non combat hobby a little far. I had spent the entire night grind-I mean playing away. Although I had to practically whisper the words, it still counted as long as I kept playing the guitar until the song ended. So through the night I got little alerts, drip fed in.

 

I had even hacked into the radio to have it play through my agent so I wouldn’t wake Jun. That had only taken a few minutes to set up, and I had even gotten an intelligence alert from it!

 

Grinding Rockerboy actually went pretty quickly. With Rockerboy level 1, I was actually somewhat capable of keeping up with the music, and in fact had a pretty nice advantage.

 

My arms were chrome.

 

I didn’t get tired, my fingers didn’t get sore. I didn’t have to worry about my fingers needing calluses. I could simply strum the strings, play the chords, and keep hammering away at it through the night.

 

So I did, at first it wasn’t fun. I didn’t know enough modern music to play along with, as I wasn’t exactly a musician in either life. So I had to keep trying, working through songs that I didn’t know while doing my best to keep up. Thankfully I didn’t need to know the lyrics if I was strumming along. Or the chords if I was singing.

 

Until I finally leveled up.

 

Level 2 Rockerboy gave me a Perk option, and as I had learned, Perks? Perks were power.

 

As always there were a lot of interesting perks, including a perk that would improve my vocals. Siren song went on the list, but I needed something else first, something to solve the biggest grinding issue that made the whole thing a chore rather than fun.

 

And there was a perk that fit every criteria I needed. I had barely hesitated once I found it before choosing it as my level 2 perk.

 

Perfect Musical Memory: Any song you’ve heard once you’ll remember. Including the chords needed to replay it and the lyrics.

 

I had taken it thinking it would be useful going forward, maybe I could get away from using the radio as a crutch even. If I could just listen to a song and remember it enough to play it.

 

But, as always the perks were so much more powerful than that. The moment I had selected the perk in the middle of the night I had nearly yelped at how my mind exploded as the memories flooded in.

 

Rockerboy 2 had given me a firm basis on chords and pace, as well as the muscle memory to play the guitar at a point where I was actually playing. Well at least I wasn’t acting like the kid in first year music class anymore.

 

But now? I had heard thousands of songs in my life, no in both lives. Memories from a previous life coming in clutch! I took a moment to figure out what to play first, and decided on some childhood sounds, something that I hadn’t heard since waking up in a coma.

 

Something… Yeah.

 

The first strums of Nirvana’s Come as you are, flooded my head. I even knew the lyrics perfectly, like I had spent years memorizing them. I strummed and sang along. For the first time in my life, actually really playing a song for myself.

 

“No, I don’t have a gun! Memory… Memory…” I belted out. And honestly when I finished. The final note trailing off…

 

I felt good.

 

*100 Rockerboy XP Gained.*

 

An instant alert. I guess the system had liked me actually getting everything right… Mostly. I had slipped on a few chords, and my vocals were still bad. I had enough knowledge to know I sounded flat, without knowing how to fix it.

 

Stupid voice!

 

But I could actually judge myself now. I knew just where I needed to improve, and a constant reminder my voice needed work.

 

“What was that?” Jun’s voice suddenly interrupted me and I yelped, nearly falling off the couch. I had been so focused on the music in my ears and singing along that I hadn’t heard him come out from his room.

 

Jun! Stop being a ninja! That’s my job!

 

“Jun?” I asked, blinking a bit as I came out of the haze of making music, I popped the cord out of the bottom of the guitar letting it settle back in my neck.

“That song. What was it? Never heard it before.”

 

I opened my mouth and closed it. How in the world was I supposed to explain that I knew a song that didn’t exist.

 

Nirvana didn’t exist in this world. I guess America and its Seattle residents were a little too focused on the First Central American War that was happening during the time, for a grunge band to become popular. Or maybe they were drafted. I had no way of knowing.

 

In fact the only reason I even knew the war had been happening at the time was because I had looked up old bands on the the Intranet a while back while wanting to listen to something from my time.

 

“Just a song I heard once… I think.” I offered, deciding to just not admit to anything. “You should’ve told me you were standing there… It’s embarrassing!”

“I could hear you from my room. You were singing pretty loud Imouto.” I blinked. I guess I had been a little too into it. It had just been so nostalgic.

 

“Sorry?” I said, feeling my face flush a bit. I had been trying to keep my voice down, but I guess with the excitement of the perk I had forgotten.

“Don’t be. It’s okay.” He said but then to my embarrassment he didn’t leave either.

 

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m just standing here.” He said, lips quirking into a smirk.

 

“Fine. If you want a song, I’ll sing you one. Jerk.” I grumble but since I was already on a Nirvana kick.

 

“Smells like Teen Spirit.” I mumbled, before starting. The power chords were a little annoying. But I realized instantly I wasn’t getting the sound just right, I adjusted my fingers a few times repeating the intro refrain until I got it. The chord finally came out right, and I started into the song.

 

Rockerboy 2 gave me a lot, but I could still make a stupid mistakes.

 

“Load up on guns, bring your friends!” I started belting out, a bit more clearly than the honey mumbles of Cobain, and not nearly as sweet.

 

And I played the song. A few mistakes here and there, and without the drums and bass it wasn’t as good, but I played through it.

 

Another alert popped up as I finished.

 

“Huh.” Jun mumbled a bit as he seemed to take me in for a few moments.

 

“Well? Don’t just listen to the whole song and then huh me!”

 

“It was interesting. You could use some more practice though.” He told me, smirking.

 

Jerk ass older brothers!

 

Then suddenly he reached over and mussed my hair. Which, ow stupid chrome hands! “I’m proud of you Motoko. Do this instead of merc work. It’s safer.” He said firmly and I puffed some air to knock my bangs out of my eyes.

 

“Not a chance. I’ll just do both! Rita said I should get a hobby that was more spiritual instead of just death and murder you know? So I guess music works.”

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“Hmm.” He nodded. “A smart woman… Who’s Rita?”

“Oh Rita works as a bouncer at Lizzies. She’s nice. She talked to me about being chipped forcefully, and offered some advice.” I told him and Jun frowned at my words.

 

I guess it was still too soon for Jun to hear about the kidnapping.

“Be careful with the Mox… But I’m glad you had someone to talk to… Make sure you thank her next time you see her.” He told me and I snorted.

 

“Of course!” I said, rolling my eyes, like I wasn’t going to thank Rita for her advice!

 

Jun just chuckled at my reaction and then to my surprise started getting dressed up.

 

“You heading out?”

“Got a gig, they are calling me in. Kamikaze work.”

“You need a hand?” I offered, eyes narrowing at the idea of Jun going out to fight so late at night.

 

“No.” he said shaking his head and passing me a smile. “I just need to stand around and look scary. 6th St. are seeking a meeting to talk about ending hostilities with us.”

 

Of course by ‘us’ Jun meant Tyger Claws. I nodded. It made sense. Everyone had started fighting with the NCPD out of the picture, even if the TC had been focused on the Maelstrom, and a little on the Mox, that didn’t mean the other gangs didn’t exist.

 

“Be safe.”

 

“I will. Should pay well, maybe I’ll grab some more subdermal.” He mentioned tapping his plastic stomach bit.

 

“If you do, go to Viks! I know you haven’t had that check up yet! Moron!” I called out loudly so he couldn’t ignore me.

 

“Yeah yeah.” He mumbled but as he left I nodded. I looked out the window and sighed. It was the middle of the night. The people I would need to talk to… Well it would be best not to show up at three in the morning. So instead I figured a bit more music wouldn’t hurt.

 

So I spent the rest of the night playing through songs, some of which had never existed in this world. But I continued playing long after I would have gotten tired. Long after a normal person would have become exhausted and needed a break.

 

Long enough that Rockerboy 2, became Rockerboy 3.

 

Then 4.

 

My talent at music skyrocketed. I was no longer an amateur player. I was competent. I wasn’t amazing. I still made mistakes. Flubs, missed chords, but I always knew when I made a mistake, it was no longer someone struggling just to try, it was a practiced hand.

 

I liked it. Any song I wanted to hear, I could just start playing, or singing along.

 

My voice sounded better too, like I had some training on how to professionally sing. I wasn’t amazing, I wasn’t sure if I would need a perk, or just increased skill overall before my voice sounded good, but I did sound better. I could at least hit the right notes with my voice now.

 

I wasn’t tone deaf!

 

Humming to myself I looked out the window seeing the sun was high in the sky. It was time to stop.

 

As much as my fingers tingled to keep working on this new grind. This was supposed to be something other than a grind to weaponize it, but using it as an excuse to waste some time? That was fine. But now it was back to work.

 

So I set my guitar down, and instead geared up.

 

One of the things I had talked Saul into handing over to even the debt was information on Regina Jones.

 

I still had a Devil to kill after all.

 

—–

 

Regina Jones had an office in Watson. I just hadn’t known where until now. Saul himself didn’t have the information, but he did have a connection to the Nomad fixer Dakota Smith, who did.

 

Dakota had handed over the information, and Saul had handed it to me.

 

Of course Saul owed Dakota something now, but that was just how business worked in the Bad Lands.

 

So here I was. Yaiba Tower.