So I may be taking the whole concept of getting a non combat hobby a little far. I had spent the entire night grind-I mean playing away. Although I had to practically whisper the words, it still counted as long as I kept playing the guitar until the song ended. So through the night I got little alerts, drip fed in.

I had even hacked into the radio to have it play through my agent so I wouldn’t wake Jun. That had only taken a few minutes to set up, and I had even gotten an intelligence alert from it!

Grinding Rockerboy actually went pretty quickly. With Rockerboy level 1, I was actually somewhat capable of keeping up with the music, and in fact had a pretty nice advantage.

My arms were chrome.

I didn’t get tired, my fingers didn’t get sore. I didn’t have to worry about my fingers needing calluses. I could simply strum the strings, play the chords, and keep hammering away at it through the night.

So I did, at first it wasn’t fun. I didn’t know enough modern music to play along with, as I wasn’t exactly a musician in either life. So I had to keep trying, working through songs that I didn’t know while doing my best to keep up. Thankfully I didn’t need to know the lyrics if I was strumming along. Or the chords if I was singing.

Until I finally leveled up.

Level 2 Rockerboy gave me a Perk option, and as I had learned, Perks? Perks were power.

As always there were a lot of interesting perks, including a perk that would improve my vocals. Siren song went on the list, but I needed something else first, something to solve the biggest grinding issue that made the whole thing a chore rather than fun.

And there was a perk that fit every criteria I needed. I had barely hesitated once I found it before choosing it as my level 2 perk.

Perfect Musical Memory: Any song you’ve heard once you’ll remember. Including the chords needed to replay it and the lyrics.

I had taken it thinking it would be useful going forward, maybe I could get away from using the radio as a crutch even. If I could just listen to a song and remember it enough to play it.

But, as always the perks were so much more powerful than that. The moment I had selected the perk in the middle of the night I had nearly yelped at how my mind exploded as the memories flooded in.

Rockerboy 2 had given me a firm basis on chords and pace, as well as the muscle memory to play the guitar at a point where I was actually playing. Well at least I wasn’t acting like the kid in first year music class anymore.

But now? I had heard thousands of songs in my life, no in both lives. Memories from a previous life coming in clutch! I took a moment to figure out what to play first, and decided on some childhood sounds, something that I hadn’t heard since waking up in a coma.

Something… Yeah.

The first strums of Nirvana’s Come as you are, flooded my head. I even knew the lyrics perfectly, like I had spent years memorizing them. I strummed and sang along. For the first time in my life, actually really playing a song for myself.

“No, I don’t have a gun! Memory… Memory…” I belted out. And honestly when I finished. The final note trailing off…

I felt good.

*100 Rockerboy XP Gained.*

An instant alert. I guess the system had liked me actually getting everything right… Mostly. I had slipped on a few chords, and my vocals were still bad. I had enough knowledge to know I sounded flat, without knowing how to fix it.

Stupid voice!

But I could actually judge myself now. I knew just where I needed to improve, and a constant reminder my voice needed work.

“What was that?” Jun’s voice suddenly interrupted me and I yelped, nearly falling off the couch. I had been so focused on the music in my ears and singing along that I hadn’t heard him come out from his room.

Jun! Stop being a ninja! That’s my job!

“Jun?” I asked, blinking a bit as I came out of the haze of making music, I popped the cord out of the bottom of the guitar letting it settle back in my neck.

“That song. What was it? Never heard it before.”

I opened my mouth and closed it. How in the world was I supposed to explain that I knew a song that didn’t exist.

Nirvana didn’t exist in this world. I guess America and its Seattle residents were a little too focused on the First Central American War that was happening during the time, for a grunge band to become popular. Or maybe they were drafted. I had no way of knowing.

In fact the only reason I even knew the war had been happening at the time was because I had looked up old bands on the the Intranet a while back while wanting to listen to something from my time.

“Just a song I heard once… I think.” I offered, deciding to just not admit to anything. “You should’ve told me you were standing there… It’s embarrassing!”

“I could hear you from my room. You were singing pretty loud Imouto.” I blinked. I guess I had been a little too into it. It had just been so nostalgic.

“Sorry?” I said, feeling my face flush a bit. I had been trying to keep my voice down, but I guess with the excitement of the perk I had forgotten.

“Don’t be. It’s okay.” He said but then to my embarrassment he didn’t leave either.

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m just standing here.” He said, lips quirking into a smirk.

“Fine. If you want a song, I’ll sing you one. Jerk.” I grumble but since I was already on a Nirvana kick.

“Smells like Teen Spirit.” I mumbled, before starting. The power chords were a little annoying. But I realized instantly I wasn’t getting the sound just right, I adjusted my fingers a few times repeating the intro refrain until I got it. The chord finally came out right, and I started into the song.

Rockerboy 2 gave me a lot, but I could still make a stupid mistakes.

“Load up on guns, bring your friends!” I started belting out, a bit more clearly than the honey mumbles of Cobain, and not nearly as sweet.

And I played the song. A few mistakes here and there, and without the drums and bass it wasn’t as good, but I played through it.

Another alert popped up as I finished.

“Huh.” Jun mumbled a bit as he seemed to take me in for a few moments.

“Well? Don’t just listen to the whole song and then huh me!”

“It was interesting. You could use some more practice though.” He told me, smirking.

Jerk ass older brothers!

Then suddenly he reached over and mussed my hair. Which, ow stupid chrome hands! “I’m proud of you Motoko. Do this instead of merc work. It’s safer.” He said firmly and I puffed some air to knock my bangs out of my eyes.

“Not a chance. I’ll just do both! Rita said I should get a hobby that was more spiritual instead of just death and murder you know? So I guess music works.”

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Hmm.” He nodded. “A smart woman… Who’s Rita?”

“Oh Rita works as a bouncer at Lizzies. She’s nice. She talked to me about being chipped forcefully, and offered some advice.” I told him and Jun frowned at my words.

I guess it was still too soon for Jun to hear about the kidnapping.

“Be careful with the Mox… But I’m glad you had someone to talk to… Make sure you thank her next time you see her.” He told me and I snorted.

“Of course!” I said, rolling my eyes, like I wasn’t going to thank Rita for her advice!

Jun just chuckled at my reaction and then to my surprise started getting dressed up.

“You heading out?”

“Got a gig, they are calling me in. Kamikaze work.”

“You need a hand?” I offered, eyes narrowing at the idea of Jun going out to fight so late at night.

“No.” he said shaking his head and passing me a smile. “I just need to stand around and look scary. 6th St. are seeking a meeting to talk about ending hostilities with us.”

Of course by ‘us’ Jun meant Tyger Claws. I nodded. It made sense. Everyone had started fighting with the NCPD out of the picture, even if the TC had been focused on the Maelstrom, and a little on the Mox, that didn’t mean the other gangs didn’t exist.

“Be safe.”

“I will. Should pay well, maybe I’ll grab some more subdermal.” He mentioned tapping his plastic stomach bit.

“If you do, go to Viks! I know you haven’t had that check up yet! Moron!” I called out loudly so he couldn’t ignore me.

“Yeah yeah.” He mumbled but as he left I nodded. I looked out the window and sighed. It was the middle of the night. The people I would need to talk to… Well it would be best not to show up at three in the morning. So instead I figured a bit more music wouldn’t hurt.

So I spent the rest of the night playing through songs, some of which had never existed in this world. But I continued playing long after I would have gotten tired. Long after a normal person would have become exhausted and needed a break.

Long enough that Rockerboy 2, became Rockerboy 3.

Then 4.

My talent at music skyrocketed. I was no longer an amateur player. I was competent. I wasn’t amazing. I still made mistakes. Flubs, missed chords, but I always knew when I made a mistake, it was no longer someone struggling just to try, it was a practiced hand.

I liked it. Any song I wanted to hear, I could just start playing, or singing along.

My voice sounded better too, like I had some training on how to professionally sing. I wasn’t amazing, I wasn’t sure if I would need a perk, or just increased skill overall before my voice sounded good, but I did sound better. I could at least hit the right notes with my voice now.

I wasn’t tone deaf!

Humming to myself I looked out the window seeing the sun was high in the sky. It was time to stop.

As much as my fingers tingled to keep working on this new grind. This was supposed to be something other than a grind to weaponize it, but using it as an excuse to waste some time? That was fine. But now it was back to work.

So I set my guitar down, and instead geared up.

One of the things I had talked Saul into handing over to even the debt was information on Regina Jones.

I still had a Devil to kill after all.

—--

Regina Jones had an office in Watson. I just hadn’t known where until now. Saul himself didn’t have the information, but he did have a connection to the Nomad fixer Dakota Smith, who did.

Dakota had handed over the information, and Saul had handed it to me.

Of course Saul owed Dakota something now, but that was just how business worked in the Bad Lands.

So here I was. Yaiba Tower.

Which was annoying because it was literally down the street from Lizzies bar. I sighed as I walked up to the Tower, not through the main entrance which had the bottom rooms all rented out and used by business or pleasure.

No, there was a side elevator that went up directly to the top floors. The private floors.

There at the very top, Regina Jones had her base. She owned the whole tower apparently renting out floors to others.

The elevator was actually in a small room that was pretty secure. A camera watched over the little room, and the elevator was secured, only someone with permission could use it.

Which meant I needed to get it.

I hit options on the little electronic pad next to the elevator until I found the call button for the top floor, and pushed it. Then I waited.

A minute passed by before I got a response.

“Whatever it is, we aren’t interested.” The voice on the line was a man, so it wasn’t Regina which made this more difficult.

“I’m just here to speak to Ms. Jones about a gig.”

“Listen kid. I don’t know you, so we aren’t interested.” The voice popped back on, and I was getting a little annoyed. At least hear me out first you dickbag! I had already put off murdering that devil for long enough. I wasn’t waiting any longer.

“No you listen! I need to— You hung up.” I noticed the talk notification was gone, fuckers!

I considered what I should do here. One part of me said walk away, I could build up some reputation and then smash my skill over this jerk wads head another time…

But that was the reasonable part of me. The unreasonable part said I should infiltrate this building and find Regina Jones…

I sighed, that would be extremely difficult if not impossible. I had no idea what her security was like, but I would put money she had a netrunner on retainer so it wasn’t like I could just hack in.

Fine. Operation be fucking annoying was a go.

I went out to the alley, grabbed a piece of trash I could sit on and carried it inside.

Then I started hitting the call button.

A lot.

—--

“FUCK OFF!” The response came through again, but I was ready for it. The last few times he had cursed me out he had instantly hung up on me again.

So I just kept pushing the button.

“Listen kid, if you don’t fuck off, I’m gonna come down there and fucking end you.” Ah he was still talking this time.

“I need to speak to Regina.”

“Regina doesn’t chat with punk kids. You push that button again and I’m coming do-”

So I pushed the button.

“Fuck this.” He yelled and the call ended, but this time the elevator was coming down.

Hmm. This could be dangerous… I considered just staying where I was, but people in Night City were kinda trigger happy…

I looked around looking for a good advantage, but when I finally realized the best place wasn’t on the floor.

I looked up.

Yeah. That would work.

—--

Ian McKellan

Ian was not having a good day. Sure he could just turn off the elevator alert, but Regina would murder him if someone important came by, and they couldn’t be reached.

He wasn’t supposed to go down like this. Regina had told him before not to do it.

But it was just one kid. The outer doors were locked. He had locked them from above, and the camera in the room meant he knew there was only one person inside.

He would beat the kid a little bit, maybe a bullet hole or two, and then head back up.

Only as the elevator reached the bottom the kid wasn’t there.

“The fuck?” He crept out, his Lexington at the ready as he looked around. This was wrong. Regina was right, coming down like this was a mistake.

He had that thought a moment too late. A second later something dropped on him from above and in a flurry of motion which he tried to resist, but it was just too much force dropping down on him from above, he lost his Lexington. Ripped out of his hands and was thrown to the ground as the fuckin ninja pinned him to the ground.

Had she just spun around his neck to smash him into the ground?

He was dazed trying to resist when he felt his own gun press against his temple. He finally managed to realize what position he was in. His arms were pinned by a chromed out arm and a pair of legs while his own gun was about to take his life.

“Fuck.”

“You say that a lot.” She said completely calm. As if she hadn’t just attacked and completely neutralized him. He wondered if he could get a quick hack out fast enough before she blew his brains over the entrance way.

“Listen buddy. I’m just here to talk to Regina about a gig. Let’s call this whole unfortunate experience just a mistake and move on… Okay?” She asked the last bit offered with a wide smile and slight nudge of the gun up against his head.

“Y-yeah… Just a mistake.”

“Cool! Why don’t you call your boss? Let her know she has a merc looking to meet up? Whenever it’s convenient. I’m not looking to annoy her.” She said and Ian took that for the lie it was, considering she had just spent the last hour annoying the shit out of him.

“Fine.” He pulled up his agent and found Regina’s number.

Regina was never going to let this go.

*Ian. What is it? Where are you?*

*Hey Regina, downstairs, mind checking the cam? But basically I got knocked down by a fucking ninja. She’s looking to talk to you… Wouldn’t mind a bit of hurry, the gun against my temple is a little uncomfortable.*

*Ian you dumbass, I told you not to go down if there was anyone out there. People are looking to kill us!*

*Maybe talk to her soon so she won’t?*

Suddenly Regina’s voice came over the comm unit.

“Alright, you have one of my people at gunpoint. Not happy about it. Talk.”

“Sorry sorry! Hi I’m Motoko Kusanagi, I’m a merc, although I usually work with Wakako. I’m here about a gig or rather setting up a gig? It’s a little complicated and definitely a sensitive topic.” The ninja still held him down acting as if Ian wasn’t even there.

Bitch.

“How about first you stop holding a gun against the head of my people.”

“Sure, I mean he started it.” She said as she suddenly untangled herself from him and stepped away.

She even held out the gun for Ian to take back.

Definitely a bitch.

He took it anyway.

“So can we talk?” Motoko the girl asked and as Ian rose up he realized just how short the girl was compared to him.

She was a fucking teenager. He was never living this down.

“Listen kid-”

“No wait, don’t listen kid me. That’s such bullshit. You definitely haven’t heard of me, I get it. But I’m a merc, and I’m good at what I do. So I’m here… It has to do with the Devil of Kabuki.” She said and Ian stilled.

Jotaro. That fuckin’ monster.

“Can I come up so we can talk about this… I’m not sure this is the most secure-” The girl started talking but Regina cut her off. Sounding much more serious about this whole interaction.

“What about him?”

“I want to kill him.” The teenager said with a calm surety, and Ian knew this day was going to go bad. A kid with too much balls and not enough brains to realize the danger of Jotaro Shobo. Especially since she was a pretty enough girl.

“You?”

“Sure. I’m good at assassinations. It’s sorta my thing. Jotaro’s a piece of shit… But he decided to be a fucking gonk and threaten me and my chooms… So he has to die. I figured some Fixer somewhere would have a gig to kill him.” she said, and Regina was quiet for a minute as if processing what the girl was saying...

“A few of us probably do, but it’s not as easy as you say. Jotaro keeps a low profile he isn’t easy to track down.”

“He spends a lot of time at his club, the Ho-oh club actually. The top floor is his residence… And his BD studio.” The girl said dropping some very valuable knowledge out of the blue.

And also her voice went so cold there at the end despite the fact Ian was gripping his gun, he was feeling uncomfortable. A momentary knowledge that the crazy ninja girl that had just taken him down in a second, wasn’t just some teenager.

The girl was dangerous. It struck him then, she could very likely be some crazy edgerunner that just liked to look like a teen. It wouldn’t be the weirdest thing he had ever seen.

A reminder to not underestimate someone ran through his head as he inched away from her.

“You can do it?” Regina questioned her digging a little.

“Can I kill him? Yes. Can I do it without anyone knowing? Yeah probably. That’s my goal on this one… My brother is a member of the TC, so I kinda need this to be a below the table sort of thing. Hence why Wakako doesn’t want to touch it. And why I’m here.”

“I see.” Regina went quiet. “Alright Kid. I do have an offer to kill him that’s been gaining dust. You take him out. I’ll consider the gig closed, and I’ll take care of the details.”

“Deal.”