Ghost in the City: Early chapter 236 (Patreon)

“I can explain.”“Do it then!” He whisper-hissed at me as he tugged my shoulder away from the crowd and towards a quieter section of the room. 

I noticed Hayato was following, looking a little irritated at the interruption, but I sent her an apologetic shrug around Jun’s stupid fat. 

“What are you doing here?”“I was invited.”“Yeah I figured! How? Why?” He whispered and I threw a hand at Hayato, who Jun noticed and instantly stood up straight. Offering her a bow. “Nakagawa-Sama.”“Kusanagi… We have not had a chance to speak before.” Hayato offered, and Jun bowed even lower. “I have never had that honor.”

“Your sister did not tell you she was coming?”“She did not.”“Oops.” I replied airily it wasn’t like it mattered. Jun shot me a look telling me it did.

“Motoko… You should inform your brother about these things.” Hayato argued and Jun sent me a smug look that I really wanted to wipe off his dumb face. 

“I just forgot!”“You forgot to mention this!?” He hissed and I pointedly ignored him. It was his fault that he didn’t know, and I wouldn’t accept any other fact. I nodded smugly, and Jun’s eyes narrowed as if he was reading my mind.

Get out of my head Jun!

“Ow!” I hissed as he bonked me on the head, struggling to fight against the desire to rub my head as that would mess up my hair. I sent him a glare. 

“Pfft.” The noise could only be one thing and I turned to shoot Hayato a look, as she hid her face behind the edge of her sleeve.

“Don’t laugh.”“I’m not.” She said in a rush, the words coming out in a blur. Heh. She had totally laughed. “I just did not expect your relationship with your brother to be so… physical.”“I beat Jun’s ass-Ow! Stop that!” I hissed and Jun just sent me a glare back. 

“Don’t talk shit then.” He said before stilling as he realized he cursed, and looked at Hayato.

She didn’t mind. She had a potty mouth anyways when she was surprised.

“I can’t beat your ass in this fancy dress, the lady that sold it to me will kill me if I mess it up!”“Then stop trying to start a fight!” He growled back and then we both shifted and looked away. His voice had been loud enough that lots of the party goers were looking at us now.

Quick Motoko you have lots of powerful people all watching you make a fool of yourself, do something smart.

“Snacks?” I asked, and Jun nodded. Hayato just sent the two of us a look as Jun cleared a path for the snack table. “You coming?” I asked Hayato, and she rolled her eyes, but did follow.

“You are unbelievable.” She finally said as we walked across the room.

“What?”“Ah Nakagawa-Sama! You are looking as beautiful as ever, is that a new Kerenzikov?” A man asked, stopping us half way, and Hayato, shook her head. 

“Only some new connectors I had installed this year, ah, Kuzo, have you met Night City’s newest Kensai? Motoko Kusanagi, her work under my employ should be known to you.”“Haha! I have not had the pleasure, but I have heard of her. Kanada Tsukimura’s death was quite the talk. A legacy that overstepped himself. The dishonor the boy laid upon his fathers name.” The man shook his head.“Tsukimura-Ojisan was a good man, his death when Kanada was a boy is the cause of his failures. He is not at fault.” Hayato offered sternly, and the older man, Kuzo smiled at Hayato’s words. 

“Indeed. So the young Kensai, acting under our Heir? Hmm. It is good you gather strong people to yourself Hayato-Sama.”“I must, if I am to lead us Kuzo.” She said firmly, and the old man smiled in response. I kept glancing towards the snack table though.

Jun was already pigging out, and he was sending me smug looks all the while!

Asshole!

But I remained by Hayato’s side and did my guard duty routine as I waited for her to finish up so I could escape to the snacks. When the conversation finally ended I got one step towards the table with Hayato when someone else interrupted and called out to her.

Oh no.

But snacks!

—--

There was a lot of attention on me throughout the party, but standing next to Hayato actually ended up protecting me.

Everyone that walked up was required to talk to her first, and usually give her far more attention, the fact she was introducing me as in her employ also seemed to shoo some of the interested men away.

I wasn’t really sure why they were so interested in me, a Kensei was cool I guess, but it wasn’t like these guys didn’t have hired guns numbering in the dozens or hundreds. 

Finally Hayato managed to get me to the snack table and as I was scarfing down she told me. 

“It’s simple.” Hayato said to me looking at me like I was an idiot. Which was a bit rude. “They are not concerned with you as an assassin, or a hired killer. They simply want the reputation of having a Kensei working under them.”“Ah.” I said then stuffed my mouth with a sushi roll. So it had nothing to do with competence, but just looks.

Face culture stuff.

Whatever then. Thankfully I had Hayato to cover for me, and while I chewed my sushi down I sent her a smile.

She looked a little irritated at me in turn, which was weird! I was trying to convey my thanks, you know?

But as things continued… I was just an interesting bauble, and Hayato covered everything else.

The party was… Normal? Like I kept expecting a raid of Edgerunners or something to crash in.

It just never happened.

But what did happen was just as deadly, but not my problem at all.

A gong was rung, and Hayato urged me away from the snack table.

My sweets! I’ll come back for you!

We crossed the hall, and she settled me into a cushion in the side of the room, while she moved onward up to the front, where her father was already standing. Only now he had a Katana on his hip.

Okay, the way he was holding himself? The way everyone in the room was suddenly quiet?

Things had just gotten spicy. 

“This year… Has been a success.” He called out, and there was a hush of relief over the room as a few even clapped. “Income streams, and even our numbers have risen despite the wars we have fought… The Tyger Claws, grow.”He looked to his other side, and a man that was wearing a suit, looking more like an accountant than a Gang member walked over and offered a small stack of papers.

“This is the list of income from all businesses this year…” He held them up, and I noticed a few of the tough looking bosses looked… Scared. 

“Although some have come in below their target… None have done so without acceptable reasoning. Let me state now. None tonight shall lose their head… Tonight.” He repeated, almost snapped the last word, and more than a few men flinched.

Uh-oh, some people had been bad gang bosses. 

Whatever. 

He shifted looking at the list, and in that husky sex-smoke voice he listed off a name. 

The man called forward, stepped out of the crowd and bowed before Nakagawa Shinobu, and to my surprise Hayato picked up a lacquered box and opened it offering it to her father who took out a red envelope.

“You have done well.” The biggest boss of the Tygers said and offered the envelope. Which was taken with both hands head bowed, and the man backed off to his seat, hiding the envelope in his clothes.

Huh. What was the envelope, and what was this all about?

I watched on, an outsider seeing something I only understood through context clues. “Fujimura.” was called up a while in, and I perked up. Jun’s Boss rose up and did just like all the others. A deep bow, basically a kowtow, and taking the red envelope before returning to his seat.

Jun sitting on Fujimura’s right kept glancing over but he didn’t say or do anything.

So Jun was interested in what was in the envelope as well?

Neat.

It took a while for the envelope thing to finish up, and then when it was over everyone clapped for each other, like they had just scored a major victory or something.

I just shrugged, nothing I could do about all this. Right after Hayato was pulled away by her father, and Jun was surrounded by goons talking to Fujimura, so I decided I needed a new cover.

I got up and headed away and then up. 

“Scared of the big bad Tygers?” Wakako asked, tapping her cigarette in an ash tray as she continued to watch on.

“Only scared of listening to them.” I told her honestly as I walked over. Her little seat didn’t have any other chairs, which was a bit of a statement, so I just sat up against the bannister. 

Wakako didn’t laugh, or make a sound, but I could see she was amused anyways.

“So what’s up with the red envelopes?”“They are rewards for good work.”“So not money, they seemed bigger than that.”“No. Property, territory, responsibilities. Each envelope can be a grand reward, a fully working business, or a punishment. A failing business that must be fixed, but still an opportunity for those capable.”“Huh. Why the Envelopes and stuff then?”“Christmas spirit.” Wakako joked, and I snorted, but she hadn’t really answered but I guess that was intentional.

“So… I got a label deal.”“I heard. MSM.” Wakako said bluntly, and I pouted as I sent her a look. 

“It’s not fair when you already know everything.”“Hmph. Will this be the end of our work? A new career will take up much of your time.”“No.” I said firmly, without any hesitation. “I’ll always be a merc. I think I’d get bored if I didn’t go out and get into a gun fight or something from time to time.”“A waste. You risk your life for something you don’t need.”

I looked at Wakako and scoffed. Was she trying to tell me to stop being a merc? That I should go do a ‘safe’ job. “Are you worried about me Wakako?”She sent me a look that I couldn’t help but laugh at. “A merc that only does it as a side job is useless. You will overestimate yourself and die. Failing a gig that can impact my own work.”“Nah. The Merc stuff is the main gig, the Rockerboy stuff is the side gig.” I assured her and she sent me a look and I sent one right back. “Do you think I’m wrong?”“We will see when the eddies begin following.”“Pfft. I make plenty of eddies, the only change will be how much I can blow on my next upgrade.” I told her pointing a thumb back at my chest. “You make nothing, compared to what you will make.” She puffed a drag from her cigarette and nodded towards the area below. Where men wearing fancy clothes all spoke and talked to each other. “I have watched over these fools for decades. I have seen what eddies will do.”“Yeah fair.” I agreed with a nod. Money makes people crazy. Which is why I didn’t ever look at my bank account unless I was buying Chrome. That way I would never think about it! 

I’m such a genius!

I laughed a bit until Wakako shot me a withering look and I slinked away, hands raised. Hopefully this party will be over soon.

—--

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” Jun roared as we walked into the apartment. 

I rolled my eyes at his reaction. He had kept it pretty well as he waited for me to enter fully into the apartment.

“I forgot! It’s not that big a deal!”“It is you moron!” “Don’t call me a moron, stupid face!”“Hey!” He snapped out, before going very calm, and tiling his head up showing off his jawline. “My face is great.” 

I just fake gagged and he raised a fist but I brought mine up in surrender. “Sorry sorry. No fighting while I wear the very expensive dress.”“Where did you even get that thing?”

“Hiromi dragged me to a store when I told her about the invite.”“Hiromi knew and not me!?”“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you! Okay!?”

“And the Kensei thing! When!? What!?”“Sensei said it! I showed off, and he dragged me to the shrine. I met a couple of old borgs and they talked with me for a little and said I was a Kensei.”“That’s such bullshit. You aren’t even that good with a sword.”“Better than you.” I mumbled under my breath. Which earned me a harsh glare. 

“I’ll make you eat those words.”“Hehe! Not with my super special Kensei sword!” I said and patted the second blade on my hip. Jun’s cheeks puffed out and I stared at my brother… “Are you pouting?”“I’m not!” He growled and stomped off into his room. His own fancy clothes were already starting to be pulled off as he walked. “Stupid Motoko. Stupid Kensei.”“Don’t be jealous!... I’ll give you some spars to help you improve!” I called after his back and then rushed into my room as Jun turned around menacingly, intending on throwing me around before stopping and grumbling.

Jeeze what a grumpy guy.

He should be proud of his kid sister! 

Ah well… I probably should have mentioned it before now. I headed inside my room and sighed in relief, it felt… Normal. Tachikoma was wandering around and just… All the stress of leading up to this party was gone. It was done. I could get back to doing fun stuff, like the Militech gig I still needed to plan!

Of course then I remembered I still had Rockerboy stuff to do. There was a meeting tomorrow with the whole band where we would go over our set list for an album, then work on the songs with a studio producer to fancy them up.

I wasn’t looking forward to it.

I slowly disrobed, carefully folding the kimono on my bed as I pulled myself free from the strict layers. 

Then once that was down I put my new Kensei Katana on the sword rack I had along with my other two blades. 

The brutal Thermal Katana, the overly fancy Musashi blade, and my Kensei Katana. 

I shook it off, pulled the silly pins out of my hair and finally just returned to Motoko.

A fresh Leotard slipped into one leg at a time, and a quick zip up, and once again I felt like me and not a doll. 

… It was late, but I didn’t feel like sleeping. I had a busy day scheduled for tomorrow, and honestly I just wanted to be free for a while.

I grabbed my pants, and my jacket, tied on my boots and checked my hair to make sure the styling that had been done wasn’t giving me a weird hairdo without the pins, and then I grabbed my guns, slipped everything into my holsters.

Walking back into the living room Jun was already out, his hair slightly damp from where he had washed out the gel he’d used to slick his hair back.

“Motoko? It’s late.”“I know, going on a midnight drive. Just feeling antsy… Sorry.” I said as I walked up behind him and threw my arms around his neck in a hug. “I really did just sort of forget, I didn’t mean to keep everything from you… I’ll try to remember to share better.”“Pfft. I know. You’re an idiot.” He offered, patting my arm. 

“Jerk.” I said and then kissed his cheek earning a moan of disgust as I stood up and headed for the door. “Don’t wait up for me. I don’t know how long I’ll be out.”“Be careful.”“Always… Besides, I’m not in danger Jun! I’m the danger.” I said darkly, smiling sinisterly as I left the apartment cackling evilly.

“Idiot!” I heard faintly behind me as I closed the door.

“Jerk!”

—---

The noise of Night City quieted a bit this late at night, but never silent.

The rumble of my Kusanagi between my legs wiped away all the other sounds though. I drove through the streets just moving, enjoying the ebb and flow of the traffic.

I wasn’t going anywhere in particular. I honestly had considered going and just raiding some gonks, but…

It wasn’t right for that. I was looking for a fight, and yet not.

I’d done… So much talking over the last few weeks. Alice and the Band, the MSM producers. The Tyger Claws, and their party. 

I was just…

I wanted to move. Eventually I found myself pulling into a familiar space.

Right across the street was the old apartment. It was weird how weird it felt. Jun had… Somehow, been right. I would never admit that of course. This place just didn’t feel like home anymore even though it had been the only home I’d known in Night City for the longest time. 

It felt okay to move on.

I slipped off the Kusanagi and headed down the street into the Cherry Blossom Market. The Market was if anything more active at night. As I walked down the stairs into the market area, I was in a crowd.

Just another face. 

I slipped through the crowd towards the Ramen Joint, despite just filling up on expensive sushi, I was kinda hungry again. 

Taking one of the few empty seats, I flipped a hand, and the owner nodded already knowing my order.

I breathed in, and exhaled, relaxing. 

I could find a fight another night. Tonight, I was going to calm down with some warm noodles, and a peaceful evening. 

—---

“I should have just gone on a killing spree.” I whispered to myself as I sat in a recording booth. Stand Alone Complex were all eager beavers, listening to what the weird guy in the studio was telling us, but the more I was hearing the more unhappy I was becoming. 

“Okay we’re going to add some reverb on that note!” He called out, and I frowned even more. Yes I knew that music in 2077 was… Industrialized, heavily produced and manufactured, most of it wasn’t just someone playing, but a thousand other things. 

That sound had its place, but it wasn’t meant for everything. 

I just took a breath, as I listened through the headset as the producer messed with the note, added it back into the track we were working on and played it for us.

I instantly scowled. 

“No. That reverb doesn’t work.” I said, and instantly the whole room groaned. 

“C’mon Motoko. Just let him do his work.” Alice asked in a whisper and I shook my head. 

“If he wants to heavily edit the song, he can do all he wants, but it’ll go as an alternate version, and not the main.” I said, and the producer in the booth once again took his headset off and started yelling at the poor aide. The guy was absolutely arrogant, and did not like that unlike most musicians that came in here, I had control over my songs. 

Thank you Hiromi. 

Of course I still had to allow them to produce as they wanted, but official tracks were mine. They could and likely would butcher the songs I offered, but those would only ever be listed as an alternate, or remake. 

But it was seriously getting on my nerves, it was like the guy couldn’t help but want to alter every verse in some way. A need to put his fingers over every note. 

Seriously, it’s not like I even refused everything. Sometimes his offerings were better, technology let you do a lot of things a musician in 1990 wouldn’t have dreamed of. 

It also taught me a lot.

He just couldn’t leave well enough alone.

I looked at Alice who was just totally begging me to let it go. She was firmly in the mindset of letting the ‘professionals’ do what they were here for.

The fact I didn’t agree, at all. Was causing some frustration.

“Let’s go without the reverb for now. You can try to show it to me after we finish the rest of the track, maybe I’ll agree then.” I offered as a happy medium, but the producer wasn’t even listening. Yelling at his aide who was just quailing at the man's temper.

Greaaaat.

I really should have just killed someone last night, at least if I had a level up, I’d have something to ponder while we waited.