Chapter 8

That night laying on the couch without the will to do anything but stare at the ceiling with the radio playing quietly, I opened my stat menu and checked out my new perks.

I started with Street Brawler. Looking through plenty of options that didn’t interest me. Most of them were only useful for just fist fighting. If I was ever in a fist fight, I had screwed up. Bad. I would rather focus on more synergistic perks. So I kept scrolling.

Unfortunately, like Athletics, Street Brawler was pretty focused. All the perks were about fighting in some way better. So I started browsing through the grayed out perks, the ones that needed pre-reqs. Maybe I could find something there.

I did.

Gun-Fu. I blinked. You would think that would be under Handguns, but since it applied to all guns, it was in Street Brawler. I looked it over. Sighing in relief that it wasn’t flashy Gun-Fu, but actually useful stuff.

Gun-Fu. Use martial arts, and firearms as a coherent whole ensuring your bullets will hit their mark.

I needed two other perks for it though.

Grappling. Your hands and body lock your enemy into place.

Improvised Weapon. Sometimes in a brawl anything you can grab needs to be used, know the best way to fight with day to day items.

So I would need three perks in Street Brawler to get it. So far I only knew I got a perk at level 2. So I would just have to see where I ended up.

I took Grappling for now. That could be useful I guess. Instantly I knew how to do joint locks, or arm bars. And all sorts of other things.

Interesting.

Then I went over to driving, and while some of the perks were interesting. There was one that popped out instantly that I wanted.

Drive by. Shooting from a vehicle is an instinctual act. Leaving you capable of shooting and driving at the same time without issue.

That could be useful. I remember there were a few car chases in the game. I might not have a Jacky Wells to drive for me when it happens. Best if I know how to do both.

I closed my eyes after. Just for a few moments and then I felt that need. The burning desire, to be doing something. So I sat up from the couch unwilling to spend the night just feeling sorry for myself. Instead I grabbed the box of Netrunner stuff. The netrunning guide slotted in. There wasn’t much point in trying to exercise here at home. I wasn’t getting much XP from it, so I might as well do something productive.

I looked over at the radio that was playing some quiet music. My eyes shifted as I scanned and with a twitch of my mind I started breaching the system.

*100 Breach Protocol XP Gained.*

*100 Intelligence XP Gained*

—–

I was starting to get kinda pissed.

Jun wasn’t responding to me. I spent the morning at the Gym hammering out another level of Street Brawler on the punch machine, thankfully the increased difficulty settings let me keep the XP consistent.

But I would send him a text asking him how he was. Nothing. I tried calling. Didn’t pick up. Sent another text much more concerned.

Nothing.

The worst part? I didn’t know enough about Jun, about his friends, to even start hunting him down.

So I literally couldn’t go find my stupid brother who was doing something stupid.

So I was forced to putter around, not able to make any decisions on what I should do.

I was literally screaming into a pillow in frustration when I was interrupted.

*Ringing*

I looked at it in hope, but it wasn’t Jun.

*Hey Hiromi.* I answered with a sigh. She had popped back into contact the day before without much of an explanation, but I had at least told her about my Jun troubles.

*Hey! How’s things? Jun still missing?*

*Yeah. No word. Complete communication blackout.* I answered.

*Damn choom. Any way to find him?*

*No… I don’t really know who his friends are or anything… Dammit I should have tried to learn more about what Jun does outside the apartment. I don’t even know if he has friends.*

*Nah, it’s not like that. You told me Jun was busy. He probably wouldn’t have answered much anyways.* Hiromi said, actually trying to be comforting.

*Yeah. I guess.* I grumbled rolling over so I was staring at the ceiling again.

*It’ll be okay Motoko. Jun is a reliable guy, yeah?*

*He is also a hothead, and Maelstrom killed his choom.* The line was quiet for a while, just the two of us sitting on the phone together.

*I don’t know what to say Motoko.* Hiromi whispered sounding a little lost.

*I don’t either Hiromi. I don’t either.*

I needed something to occupy myself with. Something to do. That urge for quick power was knocking on the back of my mind again.

And it was so tempting. Go kill some scavs. Level up. Gain the power to do something.

Rushing in before I was ready is how I would die. I knew that.

So instead I pulled up my stat page. What skill should I focus on for a while. Something to take my mind off things.

I browsed through nothing jumping out at me, until I remembered who I was on the call with.

*Hey Hiromi. You are pretty good with a sword right?*

*Yeah? I go to a dojo and stuff.*

*Want to meet up and practice? I could use some sword work.*

*Wait, really? Okay. Sure! Why don’t you come on over. We have an exercise room at my place we can use, and my parents are both at work.*

*Perfect. On my way.* I jumped up. Something to do. Something to take my mind off my helplessness.

—–

“So you hold the sword like… Well like that.” Hiromi tells me as I grab the Bokken and face her.

“C’mon.” I tell her my Blades knowledge already giving me the basics.

“Huh. Not bad. Alright!” Hiromi chirped as she grinned at me, her Mohawk pointing towards me just like her own Bokken.

And I rushed her to see what she would do.

Casually she blocked, knocking my sword aside and striking forward.

I barely managed to avoid it by leaping back but now she was on me, and I struggled to get the blocks in place of her strikes.

Unlike her, I wasn’t able to knock her sword aside. Forced to keep using my strength to stop her blows.

“Not bad!” She chirped, but then she shifted and she moved even faster and a thrust slipped through my blocks hitting my stomach.

“Oof!” I grunted as I fell to the floor and looked up at the smiling girl.

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“Sorry! Didn’t mean to hit you so hard.” She said but I could tell her blood was up. Huh Hiromi was a bit of a hothead with her blade too huh.

“It’s fine.” and it was.

*100 Blades XP Gained.*

“Again.” I demanded as I rose, and she smiled happily as we went at it again. Hiromi hadn’t been kidding. She was definitely trained, and to my surprise she must be pretty consistent with her training. Because she was good.

Yet even as the XP alerts kept coming in. Even as she kept winning. The difference between the two of us became apparent.

“Tired?” I asked as she was left panting after our third bout resting on her bokken as she sweated and gasped for air.

“No fair. How are you still not tired?”

“I exercise every day.”

“Disgusting.” She muttered before waving me off and taking an actual seat. “Okay I’m done. Need a break.” She said and I chuckled as I put the bokken away and sat beside her.

“Thanks. For helping to distract me.” I tell her as I flash her a happy smile.

“Not for very long if you are talking about it again.” She said bluntly.

“Kinda hard not to. I think Jun is going to attack Maelstrom.”

“Yeah.” Himori added quietly. “But the Tygers will probably be planning an attack so he might be taking part in that.”

“I… I hope so.”

Hiromi threw an arm over my shoulder and we hung out for a minute before I sighed and decided I had to do something.

Just… Keep doing something.

“Want to show me what I was doing wrong?” I asked her wiggling the bokken.

“Hah. Sure!” She spent the next twenty minutes showing me some moves and how she kept knocking my sword away.

*100 Blades XP Gained.*

—–

*Jun-Nii: Sorry. Been busy. I’m fine. Everything alright? You need anything?*

I jerked awake when the text message came through from Jun. I had been sort of dozing on the couch unable to really sleep because I just didn’t want time to disappear through my fingers.

I instantly tried to call him but that was bounced just like all my attempts had been. So I sent him a message.

*I’m fine! Don’t be stupid! You can’t just stop responding to me for days! I thought you were dead! Where are you?*

*Jun-Nii: With the Claws. I’m all patched up. Had to take care of some stuff. Won’t be home for a while. You got enough eddies?*

*No! You don’t get to disappear. Details Jun! Or I will start jumping every Tyger Claw I can find to start tracking you down.*

*Jun-Nii: Sorry Motoko. I can’t. Security reasons. I had to talk them into even letting me do this. I’m fine. I’ll message you again as soon as I can.*

I kept messaging him after but no response came.

“Dammit!” I cursed smashing my pillow. I got up. Getting dressed as I headed out into the city on foot. I had to move. To do something. So I ran. I parkoured up buildings, I hid in dark shadow corners as people talked. I just… Did something. Anything to keep my brain from thinking.

Just moved. Until I was lost. Until I had no idea where I was, but that I knew I could keep going.