{ Start song now: The Way I Are – Timbaland }
From the pitch black sky, we slowly spiral down the neon Night Cityscape…. focusing in on a district bustling with life. Headlights and brake lights crawl the streets as neon skyscrapers flicker in the dense darkness.
The beat pounds the hot walls of a high energy night club… events passing by in a blink:
Lifelong friends clink glasses:
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIIIITCH!!!! WOOO!!!!"
Two street crews in a corner booth cut a deal on some chrome:
"Some preem shit-"
"-Told ya choomba. Only the best wit me."
Two big, burly gonks held back by their beautiful ladies chirp back and forth during a de-escalation:
"That's right, sit the fuck down-"
"-tch.. no idea how lucky you are choom-"
"-Sit the fuck down."
A petite woman rakes her short hair back in the center of a packed dancefloor... She owns the space as confident energy radiates off her high level dance moves drawing countless eyes. The vibrant colors present throughout the nightclub are overwhelming… fashionware you've never seen before dawned by infamous trendsetters and fashionistas.
Little does the woman know, she has a particular pair of kiroshis trained on her from a barside table not too far away. The gazing onlooker finishes their glass, admiring the woman shining bright from a far. It was as if... she was the only thing he could see in that ocean of Night City glamour. Something about her moves… her getup… clearly she wasn't there just to look good. His side choom returns to the table with fresh drinks... the choom leans over toward him with a shout, barely audible over the music.
"How many's she up to now?"
A brief pause.
"Four."
His side choom scoffs in disbelief, shaking his head.
"Dunno choom… don't really get it. Chick's got a circ loose or somethin'. Place's filled with a whose who of culture hounds n' fashionistas. Tellin' me its like this everytime...? She just… turns down gonk after gonk till you roll up? No words?"
No response. Instead tying up his blonde viking braids tightly… his gaze locked on the woman with focus. His choom continues.
"Needless to say… gotta think about it. True stranger. Even up to this point? Gotta make ya curious right? I mean… what game's she playin'? More importantly... how long ya gonna put up with it?
The viking slams his fresh drink and plants the glass on the table… he B-Lines through the crowd, across the dancefloor right to her.
He spins her around and the pair immediately connect. Matching each other's pace as their bodies move together effortlessly. The kinetic energy of their confidence and presence radiates off them with each movement they execute together. The grace and intensity of their dance moves creates space on the packed dance floor… drawing the eyes of the crowd living in the moment. The crowd's shouts and cheers dress the moment in an atmosphere you wouldn't really find anywhere else. With their dance… they own the moment together in a sea of stylistic flair and finesse. Their focus... pressed on each other alone... as if everything else around them no longer existed. Their wants and worries… thoughts of yesterday and tomorrow…. gone.
As the tempo of the song shifts, they shift with it… the inspired crowd collapses on the dance floor melding their energy with the pair. Their bodies connect… they spin in embrace... the weight of the world around them no longer there. Where her weight shifts, he meets it… a whirlwind of passion and unspoken connection courses through them unimpeded. The moment is pure… no other thoughts present… just mutual desire being fulfilled… in ways neither of them have ever found before. A pocket of true bliss in an environment that just wasn't built for it. Their bodies connected… face to face… their silent connection finally has words.
"What's your name." He whispers in desire
"Stop… please." She whispers back
She spins again gracefully in his grasp… their eyes meet.
He lightly chuckles with a smile. "Not askin' for your hand in marriage.... just a name." he squints.
She hesitates… choked up in the moment.
"I…. I gotta go."
She turns to quickly walk away… he catches her wrist...… she looks back at him.
"You don't." He whispers leaning in. "…...You don't."
Her eyes meet his…
His eyes meet hers…
She turns to walk away…
He puts his hands on his head… watching her in disbelief as she deltas. He can't believe it.
"Shit." His side choom mutters to himself at a distance... having kept an eye on them. He slams his drink and waves over two more. Fading to black
A sharp gasp suddenly awakes the woman the next morning.
Laid flat on her back... tucked away in her warm bed, she stares up at the dark ceiling. She glances at the time… two minutes till' alarm as usual. Her body's got some extra fatigue... soreness from last night out. She doesn't give a shit though… today's sparring day… she sees the faces of the various savages in her gym just waiting for her to get there tonight. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slow.
"Fuck."
*BEEP!! BEE-* She shuts the alarm off as suddenly as it starts… like she has it timed. The montage of her morning routine begins.
{Start Song Now: Chapter 89 - Syberware Youtube channel}
She slowly sits up in bed… rotating her neck slowly in circular motions.
She rolls out onto the carpeted floor… immediately into a set of pushups. Her room is cold with a bite… just how she likes it. The goosebumps on her smooth skin are short lived as her morning routine slowly warms her body.
With the murky morning fog just outside her shaded window, she transitions into various yoga poses between sets…
Resting in the cow pose before slowly raising to scorpion... her toes nearly touching the top of her head… condensation billowing slowly from her mouth from steady, controlled breath work.
The therapy light wraps around her body, coating it in red... intensifying the shadows around her.
On her back and deep into a set of sit ups.. the darkness of the room shrouds her in shadows. She breathes heavy with effort one rep after the other… sweat accumulating as her body heat warms the room.
She arches back into king pigeon… her spine curving like a crescent moon as she firmly grips her toes. Being sure to switch and hold each leg for equal time.
Several text notifications ping her phone on the carpeted floor as she walks past it barefoot. A quick glimpse of the screen shows one from her coach reading: "Blades" the next one below it by a choom from the prior night reads: "wya?? did you delta with him??"
Her hands reverse grip the pullup bar tightly… her petite body making each rep look effortless as she steadily raises and lowers herself. The look on her face one of discipline… a steady, no nonsense glare forward in focus.
Shower steam wafts from her bare body to the low ceiling… the palms of her hands posted firmly as water drips steadily.
The travel kit she has prepared for the day rests near the front door of her megabuilding apartment. Her white and black backpack has her work lunch in a plastic bag sticking out.. her laptop case laid beside it. The wet glossy finish of her lavender Aikuchi katana resting between the straps of the backpack… ready for another day in Night City.
She finds stillness in bhairavasana… each leg for equal time... the intense pose creates strain on her face… looking more like a release as she gently gazes upward toward the ceiling with eyes closed.
The whirs and whines of the Ncart metro hum mellowly during morning commute... white collars sit next to dirt kids on their way to school. Rockerboys stir awake in their own debauchery after passing out during last night's ride home.
"Next stop… Charter Hill." The automated voice of the Ncart metro announces warmly. A woman's voice ingrained deep in the brains of the locals... stemming all the way back to childhood. With her lavender katana lashed across her back she slowly rotates her neck again.. mentally preparing for the day. She glances at her regulars… the commuters she sees daily… same train car… same time of morning. Her only vague acquaintance to them being this two stop ride… regardless… those faces to her are trusted… without ever a word spoken between them… they know they've got each other's back.
She overhears a convo between two low level corpo rats bickering about conference strategy. "Not gonna work unless you will it to work ya gonk." One sneers to the other in his tattered suit, days overdue for a wash. "I know, I know… that's why the bitch is punching her last clock today. Should be fireworks."
"Arriving at… Charter Hill. Stand clear of the doors"
Her nosy nature... hyper alertness keys her in on another convo between two streetpunks down on their luck. "Told my mom not to get that fuckin' upgrade… said she had no choice though… all kinda chip fiends gunnin' for her position at the factory these days. Now she can't cut it on the maintenance… company told her there's no path to reduce spec on it safely either."
"The use of combat cyberware on this train is strictly prohibited." The train reiterates.
"Soo... what ya gonna do about it choom?"
"Well… been meanin' to ask ya... Sykes still got that giggy comin' up?"
"Next stop… Megabuilding H-Seven"
The woman hears her stop coming soon and gathers her pack and belongings… adjusting the strap on her katana sheath a few times… ready to get up and move. A gutter rat sat a few seats away takes a huge whiff of a laced inhaler.. lazily blowing it toward the ceiling, causing the woman to glance over briefly.
"Dunno choomba… can ask for ya but… found out through Nix this one's probably a one-way... figured you should know before just... tryna take to the edge. Cards really stackin' up on this one." He mutters somberly
"Beware of pick-sockets. Please ensure all neuro-ports and shards are protected and secured." The train advises.
"Not lookin' like I got mucha choice choom… gotta try n' get ahead of this while my chrome's still preem-wave. Whatever it is… I'm in." The punk nods as the train's whirs slow to a halt.
"Now at… Megabuilding H-Seven… Stand clear of the doors... Final stop… Please disembark"
She clutches her katana as she gets up... headed to work.
A ceramic coffee mug crashes to linoleum floor causing everyone in the opulent break room to jolt and look over, including our woman. She looks over to see a young lady, in her office attire, on her hands and knees frantically trying to pick up the mug pieces through scolding hot, spilled coffee. She squeaks trying to fight through the pain before suddenly being kicked hard in the ribs. The thump on impact knocks the wind out of her as she grunts... dropping to the floor over the coffee puddle. Some look away in discomfort while others simply carry on their conversations.
"I!! FUCKING!! TOLD YOU!!... YOU STUPID BITCH!!! ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE ME LOOK!! FUCKING!!-" The burly business suit punts the frail young lady again in the stomach, making her squeal... causing our witness to turn and storm away… she just can't be near it. As she quickly flees the area toward an office in the distance, she hears the roars of the man fade "Is this what you want!? Is THIS WHAT YOU FUCKING!! WANT!!!"
She opens the door to the office and firmly slides it closed with the shortest breath of relief. The commotion outside is replaced by the loud, obnoxious laughs of her boss on the phone, at the end of a conversation with a client. He notices her and hangs up.
"Hey- hey, I gotta go. Take care of it. Talk later." He says hanging up.. his krioshis stop glowing orange as he smiles. "Gee-Geeee!! Good to see you sweetheart! How ya doin'?"
He quickly notices her unnerved state and matches the tone.. lowering his eyebrows.
"Gina?... What's going on? Everything alright?" He asks seriously.
With the muffled roars outside the room seeming to have subsided.. she picks up.
"Just… that... fuckin'…" She trails off looking down... her boss glances out the spotless office window briefly.. getting a feint listen of the subsiding roars of rage.
"What? That Dawson out there? Ahh fuck him… don't worry about him." He shoos his hand dismissively. "Listen, if he ever so much as looks at you the wrong way you let me know alright? I'll stretch that motherfucker out faster than he can say Arasaka… understand me Gina? I'm serious. Fuck him… forget about that alright?"
Gina breaks eye contact in discomfort. He continues.
"So how'd that procurement thing go? Is that confirmation meeting scheduled and locked in?"
"As far as I know, yeah… I mean, I've yet to have a client wave away an Arasaka deal… even when its not in their favor." She replies flatly… no eye contact.
"Hey.. what's the matter GeeGee… talk to me."
She doesn't respond... crossing her arms and posting her back against a wall.
He takes a deep breath and leans back into his chair before continuing.
"When's the last time you talked to your father?"
She scoffs.
"I mean, I know he's a floor or two above in the saka chain but fuck all of that… you've earned your place in this park Gina... nothing he can say is-"
"-Speaking of the park… you never told me why you ended up choosing to ditch saka tower? Someone your classification can make moves all throughout the company if you wanted to. Why just settle over here at the industrial park..?"
He catches her question and holds it with a warm smile as he looks down at his desk… thinking deeply of the past. His response soft and sincere.
"…Because sometimes Gina…. Sometimes you just know what the right move is to make… whether its positive or negative… right or wrong… painful or unsatisfying… the things you want are rarely aligned with the things you need. In this life… it's on you to make the things you need… the things you want."
Gina looks up at her boss as they exchange a sincere smile… that office working like a walled garden surrounded by a restless pit of corporate dismay.
"Thanks Hiroshi." Gina's soft voice lets out. A statement she's found herself saying more times than she can count at this point.
"Its still early... go ahead and take the rest of the day… I'll see you tomorrow." He says as he flips his laptop back open. Gina makes for the exit... the door sliding open.
Hiroshi raises his voice as she leaves.
"And make sure you shoulder check Dawson on the way out… i'm praying he says something to you."
The quiet stillness of a late evening settles in Japantown. Up in megabuilding H-Eight, a beautiful view of the glowing city center across the bay peaks in through Gina's apartment window. Shes high up and away from most of the commotion of Night City… aside from the stray spat she hears through the walls from the occasional neighbor or two. That damn window view… acting as an unwavering lure of temptation… beautifully presenting itself right next to her computer desk… a lure she's grown truly tired of over time.
However… she doesn't dare… never a thought to ever… curtain that window.
Gina sits at her desk in the pitch black darkness of her room, steadily typing away at the keyboard. The feint glow of light from the screen illuminates her face as she sits in deep focus. She brings up a webpage housing an advertisement that shes had saved for a while now.
The header reads: "The Lotus" presenting a beautiful, sheathed, white katana. The animation pops the katana off the bottom of a green lotus flower like it was the stem before spinning and presenting itself in larger, greater detail. She gazes at that coke white sheath… the wet, glossy glimmer shines.. catching the stage light as it slowly rotates. The small, emerald jewel in the shape of a lotus flower sits just below the koiguchi… being the only design present on the otherwise smooth as glass finish. This is the first Aikuchi model Kendachi has made as far as she knows.
Gina hears a subtle rustling in the darkness behind her… she glances back over her shoulder briefly… assuming its a neighbor stumbling through the hall outside. She focuses back in on the goods… glancing down at the release date of this blade she desperately desires… not too far away. She silently reads the production specs and feature list of the tool.
"Latest refined Mono-molecular blade edged model presented in lotus green. Reinforced polyurethane glossed sheath in lotus white, dripping wet with a sleek glimmer that'll last a lifetime! Small and heavy caliber arms resistant with a BESS score of fifteen! Proprietary, biometric secured sheath for exclusive ownership… the blade will only ever have ONE wielder! A collectors delight…? Or the chosen edge of the next legendary street samurai. YOU DECIDE!! – Exclusive Kendachi-Elite Manufacturing – LIMITED MINT - FIVE BLADES ONLY!"
She hovers her mouse over and clicks on the katana… the animation triggers, unsheathing the blade with that uniquely sharp, unforgettable sound licking the holster… the katana's handle and sheath briefly protrude thick, green lotus like spikes, matching the color of the blade's edge perfectly... making her grin as its presented.
She reluctantly glances down at the price.
- Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand eurodollars – Available Now for Pre-Order -
It wipes the grin off her face as she plops back into the chair with a sigh.
Suddenly, a mechanical screech rings out behind her as she feels the heavy weight of cold steel quickly wrap around her neck. The weight of the pounce yanks her forward, nearly slamming her face against the computer screen.
"JEEESUS CHRIST!!" She shouts in a whisper… immediately feeling the sensation of a series of small legs tap across her neck as its kissed and rubbed.
"TuckTuck… god damnit! You scared the SHIT outta me." She whispers with a giggle gritting teeth.
She grabs the little terror from her neck and holds it out in front of her. The shiny, chrome plated rollie-pollie flails and wiggles about in her grasp… overjoyed with it's perfectly executed sneak attack. His cybernetic squeaks and peeps combine with his hyper positive energy... infecting Gina without fail every time.
"Gahh well… guess you're just doing what I've been teaching you huh boy?" She calmly mutters, cradling a frantic TuckTuck wriggling and sniffing around everywhere in her arms. Hes heavy… about the size of a large house cat with chrome plating as smooth as glass.
His cute little bug-eyed LEDs shine a neon green as she drops him down to the carpet and stands up. He raises up on his little back legs... tilting his head and bent antennas to the side, looking up at Gina with his cybernetic cheeps and squeaks.
She watches him rummage around restlessly, occasionally looking up at her.
She glances at the time. Its late.
"Guess its about perfect time to get some of your training in huh boy? What'dya say?"
He quickly tucks his little body into a ball and rolls around the apartment at high speed with the zoomies squeaking with excitement… making Gina laugh hysterically.
Gina makes her way up to the Megabuilding H-eight rooftop with her house hoodie and yoga pants on, cradling a balled up TuckTuck. His chrome carapace catching the dim light, making it shine as they head up the tattered, trash ridden staircase past unconscious bums. With access to the roof completely restricted, she removes a loosely placed chunk of plywood from a shattered window.
TuckTuck grips her upper back as she scales the side of the building a short way up through high altitude wind and building management's spiked climbing deterrents... she takes a brief look down at certain death. TuckTuck hops onto the roof as she grips the ledge and lifts herself the rest of the way.
As he sniffs about, she gazes around at the flat, dark opening… much bigger than a basketball court but not quite the size of a football field. Steam gently wafts from the countless roof systems into the night sky while lights from distant buildings blink and flicker. Up here has a view people pay a pretty enny for and still don't get quite as high… she's looking down at multi-million eurodollar penthouses… having their views beat with a simple lawn chair. No wonder it takes a daring climb to access… and a sight those propping it up can't even afford to see.
The high altitude breeze settles in as Gina and TuckTuck stand across from each other, face to face.
He's locked in and ready to go, watching closely and awaiting Gina's next move... whether it be a command or a motion in her that he recognizes.
"Alright you little booger…" She exhales with a smile. "Ready?"
TuckTuck raises up on his back legs and tilts his little head to the side with a cybernetic squeak.
"Nee-Que!" Gina shouts as she takes off up the side of the roof. TuckTuck quickly follows after her rolled into a ball. They duck behind an old pallet stacked with unused floor tiles.. she peeks her head out halfway with TuckTuck on her shoulder. They glare at a metal mannequin Gina took the time to lug up there days ago, stood still in the center of the roof, with its arms out for a hug.
"Alright boy, go get em!" She whispers. TuckTuck hops off her shoulder and speed crawls up to the mannequin.
"Big-Bug!" Gina shouts coming out from behind cover.
TuckTuck raises onto his back legs and fans out… making his little body look as big as it can as he cybernetic growls at the mannequin with a mean look.
"Sai-Ketch!"
TuckTuck's little legs retract into his body briefly then protract back out with prongs at their tips. They pop and crackle loudly like police tasers as sparks shoot out. He tucks his body into a ball, leaping into the air and slamming against the mannequin hard, caving in it's blank face. As it slams to the ground, TuckTuck pierces all of his prongs into the thing causing excessive lightning like sparks to fly, lighting up the dark roof.
As she watches the little terror grunt and strain in his work, she prepares for the next command… almost hesitant… the look on her face serious with anticipation.
"Sai-Rahk!"
TuckTuck's bug-eyed LEDs suddenly glow a bright red… his legs retract the prongs and this time protract thick, scalpel like blades replacing his legs. His cute little cybernetic roar rings out on the rooftop as he begins to tear the thick metaled mannequin to shreds. Sending chunks flying as he frantically rips into the thing like a demon possessed.
"Ar-Goss." Gina commands as hot, metal chunks skid across the rooftop and over its edge.
TuckTuck ignores her as his tasmanian frenzy reaches its peak… the mannequin now more or less a hollow pile of scrap.
"AR-GOSS!!!" She screams... a tone unmistakable to TuckTuck. It scares him as he immediately stops in his tracks.
"Ar-Oss…" She commands sternly... a lowered tone.
TuckTuck frantically hurries back to her... he looks up into Gina's eyes staring down at him condemning. He rummages around her shoes with a little cry and whimper... he knows he messed up.
"Thay-Thay... Thay-Thay" She utters softly with a high pitch, lowering to her knees to pet him… calming him down.
He raises up on his back legs as Gina stands back up, watching her closely for another command.
"Ma-Ma!" She grunts with a smile as she opens her arms for a hug.
TuckTuck squeaks and quickly leaps into her chest.. frantically kissing Gina all over her face and neck as she laughs.
Pure joy tends to be found in life when its not convenient... during those times you just don't have time for.
"Cmon. Again." She mutters seriously as she sets him down.
Some time later, Gina sits with her legs dangled off the edge of the Megabuilding rooftop… a sleeping TuckTuck curled up in her lap, finally tuckered out from training. She looks out into the neon expanse… a glowing sea of beauty laid to bare in front of her. The distant sirens… the engines of freeway whitenoise... hold her in a stillness you'll only find in Night City. There's company in the loneliness… there's warmth in the cold breeze… there's peace… in the chaos.