Ghost in the City

I left Jun to brood over his playboy ways. I headed out of the apartment entirely to give him some space. He was totally freaking out on the inside at flirting with Rita, and I would normally stick around to calm him down, but he honestly needed some private time to come to terms with the fact he might actually still be alive and interested in girls.

I headed out onto the street with no real plans.

Did I want to go hang out with my chooms? Go netrunning? Shoot something?

That last one was pretty tempting, but I didn’t exactly have a lot of targets at the moment. I guess I could go find some scavs?

I shook my head, just because I was bored was no reason to get into a gunfight…

Even if it was really tempting.

So instead I should… I pulled up my agent on my eyes. I had a lot of money.

I should probably spend some of it? I mean that was what people did when they had disposable income right? Spend it on stupid stuff?

What did I want?

I already had a preem ride… I could go find a Kusanagi. I always wanted a motorcycle… I looked at my account.

I certainly had the eddies. Between the big scav raid, and all the smaller ones, Hiromi had been raking in the eddies with all the chrome sales.

I checked the time, Hiromi would be out of school soon, maybe enough time for everything to work out.

So I pulled up a number and made a call.

*Motoko, what do you want?* Wakako asked as soon as she picked up the phone.

*Do you have any info on a Kusanagi for sale?*

*I don’t deal in people. If your brother ended up on the market, I have no interest in it.* It took me a moment to catch what had just been said. Wakako spoke completely straight. No hint of the joke she had just made in her tone.

*Hahaha, I’m laughing so hard Wakako, Wow you should go work at a comedy club. So you got any info?*

*I do happen to have a few sellers for Kusanagi. You teenagers and your motorcycles.*

*They are cool Wakako! Don’t tell me none of your husbands ever gave you a ride on their bikes.* I teased right back and I knew I had got her as I got a scoffing noise through the line, but not an actual refusal. *But do you have any that aren’t the Mizuchi mod? I’m looking for something more standard.*

*That does lower the amount of sellers. I’ll send you the information.*

*Thanks Wakako!* I chirped in a rush, before she could hang up, and it was a moment after the line went dead.

Gotcha!

A few moments later I got a text.

Pictures of a pretty red Kusanagi, and a price that made me wince.

I sent the confirmation, and eddies, and a few moments later I got a location to pick it up, as well as a digital key.

I rushed across the street to get into my Quadra.

I had promised Hiromi a ride if I ever got a Bike afterall!

—--

The Kusanagi was everything I had ever wanted. It was also a smoother ride than Jun’s stupid over tuned Mizuchi. It was exactly what I wanted, if not for a few issues.

“Pretty sure whoever owned this thing last, fucked with the brakes.” I grumbled as I once again felt the brakes slipping as I came to a stop.

Good thing I drove so safely otherwise I would have crashed right into the back of the car stopped at the light.

Also one of the front head lights was out. Have to fix that before nighttime. I had already looked up a few shops where I could buy them.

Unfortunately discovering the brakes were bad meant I couldn’t race across the city to pick up Hiromi for the ride I promised her.

Had to do some work on my new baby first.

I pulled into the parking lot of a part store. It was sketchy to the eyes of my old life, but in this one, it was actually a pretty safe spot.

I pulled into an open spot in a corner far enough away I could do some work without anyone getting in the way and slid off my new ride.

I resisted the urge to squeal like a kid as I did a cool saunter into the store past a few of the gonks that hung around shops like this checking out the rides that came in.

This sort of place was popular with racing types. It’s why I had picked this particular shop while searching the city-net. Kusanagi weren’t cheap bikes, and they used high end parts for a lot of things.

One of the teens that were hanging around the entrance gave my ride a whistle as I passed him by. “Nice wheels kid.”

“She’s preem right?” I asked as I walked past, stepping into the shop and taking it all in.

Inside the smell of oil, grease, and steel filled my nose a nostalgic smell. I remember being dragged into shops like this all the time in my past life. I shook off the smell and began searching.

The head light was easy enough to find, and I went ahead and grabbed a replacement for all the lights as well.

Brakes though weren’t just out in the store front.

“What can I help you with Hermanita?” The Tino behind the counter asked as he looked me over wondering what I was doing here.

Not every day you see a fourteen year old in a shop like this.

“I need some brakes for my Kusanagi Yaiba. They’re dying bad.”

“Alright. Let me see what we got.” He stepped away from the counter and into the back that was covered in parts and boxes of parts.

After a short wait he came back with a set of square boxes that were definitely not factory standard, and he pulled out two brake pads for my bike.

Thankfully I had enough Tech Attribute that I was able to tell that while used, the brakes were still in good condition.

I did a few checks on both though just to be sure, chrome fingers sliding into spots to check that they weren’t just trash made to look normal. I could see the seller nod along as I seemed to actually know what I was doing.

“They’ll do.” I passed the eddies over for them and the head lights and carried it all out of the shop.

Once again I was glad my Body was so high, because the Kusanagi had big fucking brakes. They were heavy.

I walked out and set them on the concrete in front of my Kusanagi as I waited for my tool box to arrive.

I could drive it home and work on it there. But I didn’t really want to drive my bike with the brakes all fucked up.

Seriously, it was dangerous!

Unfortunately It wasn’t like I kept my toolbox in my Quadra. It was beside the couch where I had left it while working on the Music box, so that meant I had to call Jun.

To my surprise Jun showed up not on his own Kusanagi, but in my Quadra!

The black with purple Quadra was also getting some attention from the teens all hanging around. I guess it wasn’t every day they saw a Nomad custom Quadra Type-66. I could see the kids all perk up as Jun pulled in and into the space next to my Kusanagi. Of course all the attention they had vanished in an instant when Jun stepped out.

I could practically hear the whispers of “Oni” echoed between all the kids.

Okay seriously what was Jun doing that was spreading his rep around so much? I was fairly confident I had killed more people than him! I shook off the outrage as I waved to Jun.

“Hey Jun. You brought my Quadra?”

“It’s not exactly comfortable riding a bike with a toolbox in my arms. I didn’t figure you would mind.” He said and I just nodded. I had given Jun a key for my Quadra, but he had stuck to his bike even when it would be more convenient.

“Sorry for pulling you out of your brooding.” I told him and that earned me a glare as he offered me the tool box pushing me back with it a bit.

“I wasn’t brooding.”

“Sure. Sure.” I agreed without doing anything of the sort as I took my tools and went to work.

“Pass me the-” Jun said as he crouched down and looked like he was going to help.

So I immediately threatened him with a wrench. “Don’t even think about it! This is my baby.”

“Do you even know how to… replace the brakes?” Jun asked, noticing the parts I had bought. He ignored me for a moment as he walked over to the boxes of brakes to check them.

“They’re fine Jun. Used, but in good condition.” I told him, and he scowled a little.

“I was just double checking. Common scam is to fill the inside of the brakes with gunk to make them look new.”

“Already checked for that.” I told him and Jun had nothing to say to that as he nodded and to my surprise he took a seat and just let me get on with it.

So I did. I had done something pretty similar with Hiromi’s Kusanagi after she crashed it. Despite her Kusanagi being the stupid Mizuchi custom job. I had to figure out the paneling but once that was done. It only took me a few minutes to get the front wheel off, and check the brakes.

Yep. I whistled at just how bad they were.

“You drove on those?”

“Only a little. It didn’t take me long to figure out something was wrong after all.” I told Jun but he was still scowling as I passed the brake over to him as he motioned for it and he scowled as he looked it over.

“I’m surprised you didn’t crash.”

“I’m a safe driver!” I chirped happily as I pulled the fresh brakes out and got to work installing it. My hands deftly handled the whole task. Even the finicky parts that you were guaranteed to scrape the shit out of your hands trying to do were no problem, as my hands were chrome!

“Front brake done.” I told him, as I shifted the bike to get access to the rear wheel and worked on that.

“I’ll have to have you check out my Kusanagi.”

“Blegh! I don’t work on Mizuchi! Those things are-”

“Yeah yeah, I know. You think they’re stupid.” Jun said while rolling his eyes.

“They are! I’ll do my own custom job! And when I’m done they’ll call it the Motoko Kusanagi, and everyone will want one!” I told him firmly, waving my wrench at him for a moment to prove my seriousness.

Jun just laughed at me though, which was super rude.

At least he wasn’t brooding so much anymore.

—--

“And done.” I confirmed finishing putting the last panel on. I had replaced the brakes and the lights. While checking the lights there had been some wires that looked rough. So since I had the panel off already I had gone ahead and replaced those as well.

“I should ride it first to make sure it’s sa-” Jun tried but I quickly hopped onto the seat and glared at my stupid brother.

“Not a chance.”

He just laughed because the jerks teasing had gotten a reaction.

I was going to drop kick him in his sleep. See how he likes being messed with.

I slipped back off, and finished putting my toolbox away in the Quadra which Jun had settled into the drivers seat.

“Take it slow at first.” Jun warned, but I was in no mood for slow and steady.

I started her up. The engine roaring to life as I did a quick burnout to adjust my bike to face the street.

“Motoko No!”

“Motoko Yes!” I called back as I let go of the brakes and roared out of the parking lot. I could hear Jun cursing and starting up my Quadra right after as I cackled and roared down the streets of Night City.

I would go slow. So Jun could keep up.

—---

Instead of meeting up with Hiromi that night, I decided I would surprise her later instead. Since it had taken so long to fix the bike up enough to be safe. So after I drove back to the apartment so Jun would be off my tail I headed back out into the city free of overbearing Nii-chans.

It was a shame my Driving skill was already maxed out with Reflex. As testing out my new bike would have been a good chance to earn some XP.

But I didn’t mind. It was less a stat thing, and more just getting to learn the wiggles of my new bike.

Like whoever had owned her before had done some custom work on her. The engine was throatier than a normal Kusanagi, something I only noticed when I was able to really open her up now that her brakes were fixed.

I would have to take her apart and see what had been done.

But I didn’t mind the sound. It was better than the horrible Mizuchi that always sounded overtuned and tinny.

Which was a noise I soon noticed as I was stopped at a red light, a Mizuchi pulled up beside me. Sliding in between an old beat up Galena to stop beside me at the front of the light.

The kid on the back was definitely TC. He even had one of the Arasaka style Kabuto helmets on his head, not for protection, but just to look even more Japanese.

He revved his shitwagon and I winced at how horrible it sounded. I could practically hear the engine ripping itself apart as it tried to keep up with the overturning.

So I revved my bike. The throaty roar of my new girl rumbled out.

I could see it on his face. He was thinking the same thing I was just a moment before, just in reverse.

He thought his stupid Mizuchi was the better bike.

The light hit green, and for once I wasn’t following the laws. My Kusanagi roared as I gunned it the noise fighting against the ugly noise coming from the Mizuchi as we both raced off the line.

Night City wasn’t a safe place to street race without someone setting it up. The streets were filled with cars and pedestrians.

But this was also Night City, and other than me, no one cared about the laws.

We raced down the street, weaving in between the cars, he got an early lead, the overtuned first gears of his Mizuchi giving him just enough extra power to pull the lead.

Well that and experience slipping in between traffic, this was my first time on a full size Kusanagi, and my girl was a little bit wider than a Mizuchi.

But the road up ahead angled into a sharp turn. We both broke through the traffic with him in the lead, but as we hit the turn he had to slow down to make it.

I didn’t.

Whooping in delight, I drifted right past him almost completely on the side of my bike, just barely keeping it from sparking off the asphalt as I blew past him and then had to slow down as we came up to another red light.

A few moments later he pulled up beside me and gave me a nod.

“Not bad!”

I just laughed at his attempt to keep some tatters of his remaining ego.

“You should come race!” He called out and I surprised myself by actually considering it.

I mean. I liked following the laws when driving… But I had grown up in the Fast and the Furious era. I wasn’t going to go around screaming about family or something. But street races were inherently cool.

“Send me the deets!” I called back. The light was changing and it was time to drive. I got a text from him with an address just as I pulled away driving off into the city weaving in and out of traffic.

Just a little. It was important to be safe about it after all.

—--

I was pulling into the parking lot of the apartment when I realized we only had the two spots. I grumbled as I had to park my baby close to Jun’s stupid bike.

I slipped off and then looked back grimacing a bit at the look between the two Kusanagi.

The standard beautiful version, that did have some modifications but it was all under the hood so to speak and then the Mizuchi that was barely identifiable as a Kusanagi at all…

I felt like there was some meta commentary there about Jun and I, but I decided to ignore that entirely and instead just turned to head inside.

I had been driving around for a few hours and I had a lot of fun, but it was time to head home and put my feet up.

I stopped by the old man selling meat sticks to grab one happily scarfing it down as I raced up the stairs enjoying the bounciness of my ankles as I hit the fourth floor.

I slipped inside. “Jun I’m home!”

“About time.” He grumbled coming out of the bathroom and wiping down his hair obviously he had just gotten out of a shower.

“I was having fun!” I argued justifying my ride around the city.

Jun just ignored me and went back into the bathroom to finish drying his hair and so I flopped on the couch.

I didn’t really feel like music stuff at the moment. Plus I did have other projects I needed to work on. It took a few minutes but I went and found the Kang Tao armor I had stolen and left in the Quadra before coming back up to the apartment.

First I took some tools to remove the Kang Tao symbols and stuff. Mostly just paint, but some cutting was required as well.

Then I finished painting it. Removing the Kang Tao orange, and replacing it with a nice purple.

Yeah. That looked better. I ended up sitting the armor in a corner to dry and at that point I was actually feeling kinda… Lazy-tired?

so I made the mistake of turning the TV on to see what I could find.

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