Hiromi the next day marched me down to City Center. Practically buzzing with excitement, as she guided me towards a specific building into its garage, using an access code she supplied, to enter into the building's garage.

“Must be exciting. To be doing like a real business deal.” I offered to her, as we slipped into the elevator.

“I’ve done business deals before.” She replied semi distracted, but I could see her cheeks flushing.

“Yeah but that was on the street, this is like the real deal. Bet no one in your class has ever gotten even close to this sort of thing.” I whispered teasingly at the end.

“Definitely not. Those losers and over inflated egotists!” She chirped, pleased, and then focused up as the elevator ride ended, the doors opened onto a fancy upscale reception, carpeted and warmly lit. At the end of the hallway was a woman with tasteful cyberware, elegant and attractive sitting behind a desk.

The big company icon above her head was rather telling.

I followed along after Hiromi, who had shifted her face into a mask of confident arrogance.

Neither woman spoke up at first. Hiromi’s eyes flashing, and the womans did as well, before her cement-like smile broke.

“You are right on time Ms. Mitsunashi. Keiko will guide you to the conference room.” She replied and another woman dressed in the same way stepped out of a side door throwing a fake smile and bowing.

We both followed Hiromi staying confident and cool, but I could see the tension in how she walked from knowing her.

I was basically uninterested in the pageantry. I wouldn’t even be here if not for Hiromi asking me to.

I just didn’t need the eddies, or the fame, but if I could help out Hiromi’s dream by giving her access to the rich and powerful, I wasn’t going to deny her.

We were guided down the hall, Keiko smiling fakely, her voice chipper and happy as she talked up her company.

Blah blah blah. It all went in one ear and out the other.

I've heard enough corpo jargon in my life. I didn’t need more.

Finally the door was held open for us, and we walked into a brightly lit conference room. An entire side of the wall were open windows showing the towers of City Central.

But I was more interested in the other end of the table. The one man sitting. Expensive suit, and more expensive smile.

But it was the two standing behind him that caught my eye.

They looked like accountants. Standing behind him with tablets, and even some actual papers in their arms.

But I recognized the stance, the way they held their arms.

They were armed. Bodyguards?

I stopped behind Hiromi as she took a seat across from the man, earning a confused look from her as there was a chair beside her for me, but I was fully in bodyguard mode myself now.

“Ms. Mitsunashi. I am Sam Henson. It is a pleasure to see you face to face. Rarely do I get such riveting back and forth for something so simple as a small music deal.”

“Small or large, hardly matters. Not when it comes to who is asking for this deal.” Hiromi seemingly reposted, bringing up Denny in her first line.

Ah, if Hiromi had been getting back and forth, then likely the company was trying to screw me?

Heh.

“Our contract is welcomed by many up and coming artists.” He replied back, but Hiromi laughed fakely.

“Artists, am I right? They never know what they want. Or what they need.” She shrugged, and I actually almost looked at her myself, because that almost sounded like a bit of a dig towards me.

I’m sorry Hiromi, I just don’t like all the attention!

“Well, we’ve run your contract edits through legal, and they were denied of course.” He offered casually. “I’ve taken the liberty of going through the edits you desired and altering them into something that will work for us.”

Hiromi didn’t frown, she didn’t smile either. Simply waited, as the man's eyes went blue as he sent over a file to Hiromi.

I could practically see the file transfer over, but before Hiromi could open it I attacked.

Slipping into the network transfer to Hiromi, I popped up a small text file on her agent into her sight.

*Motoko: Give me a second. Checking the file.*

*Hiromi: Okay.*

“A moment then to look it over.” She replied verbally, and I checked over the file searching through it before deciding it was clean. Yoko was right, checking file transfers first was a good idea.

Hiromi nodded, popping it open, and I pulled out of her system leaving her to check it over.

The room was quiet as Hiromi’s eyes continued to glow telling everyone she was reading through a document.

I kept an eye on the other guards, but neither seemed to register me as an actual threat.

Which was kinda hilarious, but I just took it as a good thing and continued to stand guard as Hiromi browsed, finally she slapped a hand onto the table.

“Ridiculous.” She said instantly. “We are selling a song to Master-Space Records. Not selling the musicians rights. You want to be able to sell the song without giving attention to its songwriter. That doesn’t work for my client.”

“It's a standard part of our contracts Ms. Mitsunashi, we need to be able to sell the song without any issues from a musician's public stunts. The contract will make ‘Tank’ a full and complete ownership to Master-Space.”

“You want to have someone else ‘create’ the song and sell it as theirs.” Hiromi argued, and I was just following along not really seeing the issue.

Wasn’t that what selling the song to them meant? Hiromi, stop getting fiery!

“Correct. That is a standard in our business Ms. Mitsunashi, we understand that you are new to the music industry, and not properly licensed to deal in contract law, so we are being understanding of your limitations.”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Wow, what a great way to belittle someone. I was really starting to not like this guy.

“I have enough experience to see when my client is being taken advantage of. We are here at the request of your company, as you wish to purchase my client's work. If this is the best you can offer. I can reach out to other agencies. It honestly isn’t an issue for us.” Hiromi states plainly.

But Sam wasn’t seemingly intimidated.

“The door is behind you Ms. Mitsunashi.”

“Then I’ll leave explaining the situation to Denny to you.” Hiromi added, rising up, and there was a tension in the room, the two guards behind Sam shifted.

I didn’t move. Better to let them think I’m nothing in case I needed to move. If either of them reached for a weapon they would be dead before their hand touched it.

“Hold on Ms. Mitsunashi.” Sam demanded and Hiromi calmly finished rising to her feet.

“Do we have any further business Mr. Henson?”

“Allow me a few moments to make a call. It would be a shame to lose your client out of such a profitable enterprise.” He explained with a smile that was as fake as his attempted kindness.

“I can wait a few minutes.” Hiromi replied back drily, confidence in every inch of her. She had definitely won that exchange.

“Enjoy some snacks while we wait.” Sam offered. Pointing to a table that had…

I guess they were snacks? I don’t really get it. Hiromi nodded, and actually walked over. Grabbing a soda out of a mini fridge I hadn’t even realized was a fridge and then taking some of the weird… Wafers?

Rich people food was fucking weird.

She grabbed one and bit into it, and looked to me, but I just shook my head and remained standing in place.

I still didn't like the look of the guards.

Time stretched on and eventually Hiromi got sick of standing so she retook her seat.

And then Mr. Henson’s eyes finished glowing.

“We will acquiesce on the matter of copyright, Ms. Kusanagi’s name will be attached to the song. In regards to your second alteration which I know you will harp on. We will allow a royalty payment into the contract. Although the gross will drop significantly.” He replied with an unhappy smile.

“I will be happy to look over the contract again.”

Sam nodded and instantly Hiromi received another file. After checking it again, I allowed Hiromi access to it.

She looked it over for a good five minutes. Much longer than she had the first time.

“One minor alteration to line 140b.” She demanded, and the two played back and forth file sharing for a minute before Sam nodded.

“Master-Space records agrees to the alteration.” And then to my surprise an actual paper document was put forward by one of the guards onto the table and Hiromi, took it, looked it over and nodded.

“Sign here.” She told me, and I hesitated, looking it over for myself.

It was basically a paper sign of ‘You agree to the terms of the digital agreement.’ Seemed sort of extraneous to me, but I shrugged. Looking to Hiromi she nodded, looking pleased.

Alright.

I signed my name.

“Thank you ladies.” Sam said as he stood. “The deposit will be made promptly, Ms. Mitsunashi, the Royalty processing system will be opened to you and your client. Master-Space Records welcomes you both to a fruitful partnership.

There was a lot of back and forth between Hiromi and Sam after. They both made snide remarks hidden in flattery thing, but Hiromi was happy, and I didn’t think Denny was trying to play me.

And really in the end? If they did play me, I would either shrug and go on with my life because who cares, or decide to bomb their offices or something.

It’s kinda funny how little things like being stabbed in the back hardly mattered when you knew without a doubt you could murder everyone in the room without breaking a sweat.

In the end Hiromi accepted the lack of a congratulatory party as was the norm for these types of meetings. And we left the tower the same way we came in.

Hiromi was quiet all the way down the elevator and then into the car.

Only when the doors shut did she instantly start squealing and bouncing around.

“I did it! I did it! Motoko! We just made a huge deal! Oh my god! I have to tell my parents! I have to tell the school! I did it!” She cried out bouncing around all the tension in her leaving her a mess of over excited feelings.

I grinned and gunned it. Time to get out of here, and party. Section 9 style.

—--

“Whoa.” Malcolm offered, looking surprised. We were all at my apartment. Having called the boys on the way home, they were surprised at the sudden party until Hiromi had shyly explained what she had done.

“Damn.” Ichi exclaimed. “That’s big times for sure. Was it a lot of eddies?”

“It wasn’t as much as it could have been.” Hiromi responded. “But I got a royalty agreement, and they have to acknowledge Motoko as the original creator.” She looked pleased at this.

Honestly I didn’t care much. I still wasn’t sure if I even wanted to have my name out in the music sphere.

Seemed like a good way to get the wrong sort of attention, but I shrugged, it was good for Hiromi.

“Damn.” Ichi repeated, and I laughed at his shocked look.

“Here choom, have a drink, this is a party for Hiromi after all! Doing such a great job with her business deal!”

“What? No, Motoko you gonk, this is your party! You made a song and sold it to a major label! You, you!” She said, poking me in the cheek with an outstretched finger.

“Eh.” I responded with a shrug. “I think going through a contract and forcing a major label to accept the changes is more impressive.” I said, meeting her eyes and smiling. “So proud of you!”

“Hiromi flushed at the praise and looked away.

“That’s crazy. I mean, I know Motoko picked up the whole music thing. She’s played her songs for us a few times, but wow.” Malcolm added looking at me, and this time it was my turn to be a little shy. “Guess I know a future Rockerboy.”

“Not.” I denied crossing my arms in an X. “I just do songs sometimes. Being all famous and stuff would be awful. It would be so hard to go around and kill people for a living like that.” I offered, and Ichi instantly broke into a laugh, and then louder.

“Jesus Motoko, only you would turn down a nice gig making music being famous and everything so you can keep being a merc. You know some Rockerboys still act as mercs and stuff right?”

“Rarely, and that’s not what I mean… I just don’t like the idea of being famous.”

Ichi just shrugged. “You do you. But it’s preem regardless.”

“Thanks.” I said, happy that Ichi at least wasn’t going to keep poking.

We ended up partying all afternoon, and then Jun walked in, he came inside to the sight of us laughing hilariously at the stupid show that was on.

Well the others were laughing. I was mostly just groaning in horror at how terrible the jokes were.

“Jun!”

“What’s going on… You guys have another gig?” He asked as he pulled himself slowly out of his jacket and threw it on a table.

“We are celebrating. Tired?”

“Just a bit. Sensei called me in for slacking.” He replied and I nodded at that. Good. Jun needed the exercise.

“He said you should go in soon.” Jun said, and I slumped.

“I guess I can go in tomorrow…”

“So what are you celebrating? Oh, pass me those?” Jun asked as he slumped onto the couch and Malcolm handed over the carton of fried rice to Jun.

Well they called it fried rice anyways.

“Motoko sold a song to a record label today.”

“What?” Jun asked, looking up from the food, Rice falling from his chin in surprise.

“It’s not that big Jun. Remember when I met Denny at the recording place? You already knew I sold her the song, we just finalized it today. Hiromi helped me deal with all the contracts and corpo stuff. So we are celebrating her work.”

“You had to do like a contract and stuff? Why didn’t you just get the eddies?” He asked and Hiromi groaned.

“Jun! Business is more than just eddies swapping hands!”

He just shrugged. “I guess.”

“Don’t bother trying to argue with him Hiromi. Jun is a dummy.” I offered, knowing that I would get a reaction as Jun glared at me.

“Motoko.”

“Yes Jun-nii?” I chirped teasing and he glared before scoffing.

“Well it’s good. You going to try and write more songs to sell, or play? You should. Hiromi, get Motoko to put on a show or something.”

“Jun! Stop trying to make me a Rockerboy! I’m a mercenary!”

“Got it Hiromi?” Jun asked, ignoring me. I threw a pillow at him, but he just grinned ignoring my refusal.

“I’ll do my best Jun!”

“Hiromi!”

—--

The next morning as the sun rose, I changed into workout clothes and headed out for a jog. I had enjoyed the party with my chooms, but it was nice to have the whole selling the song thing not hanging over my head anymore.

Even if Hiromi refused to stop bugging me about it.

I jogged all the way down to the Sakura market, enjoying the early morning sounds of Night City. Once there I stopped for some breakfast, and then jogged back. Warmup complete. I hit the Gym area.

“Haven’t seen you in a while.” John found me an hour in, as I was using some free weights and squats.

“Been busy.”

“I see that. New chrome.”

“Yeah. Got. A. Sandy.” I told him in between squats.

“Heh. The kid’ll be happy to see that. Or she’ll be annoyed. You talked to Hayato recently?”

“Not. For. A. Bit.”

“You should call her up and set up another spar or something. She’d appreciate it.”

I heard what the real words were behind John's offer.

“I’ll. Text her. Now.” I offered and John smiled, nodding and moving away, letting me refocus.

A spar did sound nice.

*Motoko: You want to meet up for a spar?* I sent out, and nearly instantly got a response back.

*Hayato: That would be acceptable.*

I chuffed out a laugh. Hayato and her Keren were kinda funny to deal with.

*Motoko: Working out now, but I can head to the Dojo anytime.*

*Hayato: I’m already here for my morning workout. Do not keep me waiting.*

Nodding at that, I racked the weights, rose up and stretched. TIme to go play.