I sat outside the pawnshop, fingers tracing the strings of the new acoustic guitar I'd just picked up. I'd splurged a little with my extra eddies, but it felt worth it. When my fingers strummed the strings, I felt that system gifted skill kick in, guiding my hands to play as if I'd known how all my life. It was surreal, hearing myself create something that actually sounded… beautiful.
I sat on the curb outside the shop, fingers idly strumming my new acoustic guitar. The strings vibrated under my touch, filling the air with a soft, mellow tune. The day had been quieter than usual, and I was content to let the notes carry me away, half-lost in thought.
Then I noticed them walking past, a older woman and a boy who looked close to my age. She was tall, her hair tied up in a messy bun, and wore a simple black shirt that hugged her shoulders and arms. A soft smile played on her lips, and a small scar marked her cheek, adding a rugged charm to her look. She was wearing a bright yellow jacket that contrasted against her worn blue jeans.
Beside her, the boy slouched slightly, hands stuffed in his pockets. His hair was short and a bit spiky, and he wore a black shirt with thin gold chains hanging around his neck. Bandages decorated one side of his face, giving him a bit of an edge. His expression was relaxed, almost bored, but there was a softness in his features.
I kept playing, not missing a beat. He looked at his mom, who gave him a small nod. With a quick motion, he pulled out a few eddies and stepped forward, dropping them into my guitar case. The coins clinked, and he flashed a small, shy smile.
I looked up, meeting his gaze with a smirk. "Thanks, dimples," I said, making sure he caught the hint of playfulness in my voice.
His dimples deepened as he tried to hide a grin, mumbling something before quickly retreating back to his mom's side. They continued down the street, and I watched them go for a moment, letting the interaction settle. It was just a quick exchange, but it made me smile wider as I picked up the tune again, my fingers dancing along the strings.
I mentally counted the eddies I had now, as I got up and stored the guitar in its case before walking off. Moving to a alley I stored it in my system before pulling out a cigarette as I lit it up and walked, it was warm between my fingers, a trail of smoke curling lazily into the air as I walked down the street toward Vick's clinic. I'd already stocked up on two fresh crates of smokes since I'd been running low. The eddies from my deliveries stacked up, sitting at a comfortable **3,500** now, and I had my mind set on getting those eye upgrades. I'd done my research, talked to Vick yesterday, and I knew exactly what I wanted.
Just as I rounded the corner and approached the clinic, I caught sight of Misty through the window, her head tilted as she leaned into a kiss with a guy I immediately recognized. He was big, tan, and built like a tank, covered in tattoos, with a solid jawline and a gold chain glinting around his neck. It was him, the guy who'd nearly scared the life out of me when I'd first arrived in this world. The same guy who'd called me *mocosa* in that half-amused, half-concerned tone.
A flicker of nerves stirred in me, but I pushed it down. He was with Misty now, laughing softly as she pulled away from him. She looked up just then and noticed me lingering by the door, raising her eyebrows in surprise.
"Hey there, Yumi," she called, her eyes quickly narrowing as they zeroed in on the cigarette between my fingers. "Are you serious? Smoking?"
I shrugged, taking one last drag before stubbing it out. "Just a habit," I muttered, trying not to roll my eyes. "It's not like one smoke's gonna kill me."
Jackie, who'd been watching me with a look of mild amusement, chimed in. "Mocosa," he said, his voice warm, as if he was picking up right where we left off. "You look like you're doing a little better than the last time I saw you. Finally got some meat on your bones."
"Yeah, a little cleaner too," I replied, a smirk tugging at my lips. I was wearing better clothes, ones that didnt smell. "No more dumpster dives."
He chuckled, his gaze softening as he looked me over. He wasn't judging, just… assessing, like he was making sure I wasn't hiding any bruises under my clothes. His concern was subtle, but it was there. He probably still saw the same scrawny, underfed girl he'd found sneaking around the street during that firefight. The look made me feel a little bit like I was back under my dad's watchful eye.
Before I could dwell on it, Misty looped her arm around Jackie's and nudged me toward the clinic door with a slight frown. "Still, those things aren't gonna do you any favors. You've gotta take care of yourself."
I shrugged again, stuffing my hands into my pockets as I turned to head inside. "I'm just here for the eyes."
"Yeah, yeah," she said, rolling her eyes, but there was a softness in her voice. "You're lucky Vick's got a soft spot for stubborn types like you."
Jackie raised an eyebrow, watching me with a lopsided grin. "You're the delivery girl misty was talking about, yeah? Making a name for yourself?"
"Something like that," I replied, smirking. "A girl's gotta make her eddies somehow."
Jackie laughed, shaking his head. "You remind me of someone," he said, almost to himself, and there was a warmth in his gaze that made me wonder who he was talking about was it V. But he didn't elaborate, and Misty nudged him again, her eyes still on me with a little exasperation.
"Yumi, maybe skip the cigs next time you're heading for an upgrade. I mean it," she said, her tone a mix of playful and serious.
I shrugged, grinning. "Sure, Mom. I'll cut back." I added sarcasticly.
As I walked past them into the clinic, I heard her mutter, "Honestly, these kids…" and Jackie's low laugh in response. It was weirdly comforting.
I stepped into Vick's clinic, trying to calm the jittery feeling running through me. Vick looked up from his workbench and immediately gave me a nod.
"Ah, Yumi," he said, setting down his tools. "Got everything ready for you. The Cat Kiroshi optics, just like we talked about. Should help you see a whole lot better, not to mention, they've got that feline look you were going for."
I nodded, but I could already feel the nervous tension building in my chest. This was my second implant, and even though I'd been through the process once before, the thought of having my eye pulled out of my skull was something else entirely. My palms were sweaty, my knees weak and arms felt heavy as I rubbed my hands on my sweat pants, trying to shake it off.
"Price is still 1,200 eddies," he added, leaning back in his chair. "And before you ask, yes, that's still the best deal in Night City."
I prettened to grab something from my pocket as I pulled out the eddies from my system and handed them over, and he counted them out quickly before tucking them away. "Alright, let's get you set up." He motioned for me to sit in the chair.
I hesitated, my mind already racing with the details of what was about to happen. I knew I was one of a kind but the process was still... Scary. I sank into the chair, my hands gripping the armrests.
Vick noticed my tension right away. "Nervous?" he asked, a small grin tugging at his lips. "Don't worry, kid. You're in good hands."
I forced a tight smile. "Yeah, I know. It's just—"
"The whole pulling your eye out thing," he finished for me. "Yeah, I get it. Happens more than you'd think. But this'll be smooth, I promise."
He pulled out a few tools and turned to a tray where the new cybernetic eye gleamed under the light. It was sleek, and looked like what a eye should but with that distinct cat-like design, slit pupil, the works.
"Okay, Yumi," Vick said, his tone softening as he got into his professional mode. "I'm gonna need you to relax. We're going to numb the area and put you under light anesthesia so you don't feel a thing. Sound good?"
I nodded, though my heart was still racing. "Yeah, okay."
He moved over with the mask, placing it over my mouth and nose. "Just breathe in, nice and easy. This'll only take a moment."
I focused on my breathing, feeling the cool rush of gas as the world around me started to blur. The anxiety clawed at me for a second, but then it began to fade. Everything slowed down, like I was sinking into a warm pool of nothingness.
When I came to, I wasn't groggy like last time. My vision was fuzzy, but I could already tell the surgery was over. My right eye felt… different. There was a dull ache, but no sharp pain. Vick was standing over me, adjusting something on a monitor as I blinked slowly, the world around me coming back into focus.
"How ya feeling?" Vick asked, his voice low and calm.
I lifted my hand, instinctively reaching for my face, but Vick gently pushed it down. "Hey, don't touch it just yet. It's still adjusting. Let the optics sync up first."
I nodded, trying to focus on my surroundings. Everything in my right eye was sharp, too sharp, like someone had turned up the contrast on the world. The edges of objects were crisper, clearer, and when I blinked, I could feel the new cybernetic kicking in. The pupil expanded and contracted like a cat's, responding to the light levels in the room.
I took a shaky breath. "That… feels weird."
Vick chuckled. "Yeah, it's always a trip, the first time. Your brain's gotta get used to the new hardware. But from the looks of it, your body's already accepting it, just like last time. Fastest I've seen, honestly."
I let out a slow breath, trying to push down the residual nerves. "Glad to hear that."
He stepped away for a moment and grabbed a MaxDoc inhaler from the counter, handing it to me. "Here, take a hit of this. It'll help speed up the healing process."
I took the inhaler, pressing it to my lips and breathing in. Instantly, a cool sensation spread through my body, the ache in my eye and face vanishing in less than thirty seconds. It was like I'd never even gone under the knife.
"Better?" Vick asked, watching me closely.
"Yeah, a lot better," I said, feeling the tension ease out of my shoulders.
He nodded, clearly satisfied with his work. "Good. Now, a little advice, don't go overboard with the cyberware, alright? I've seen people come in here one piece at a time and leave as a whole new person, and not always in a good way."
I nodded, but didn't say anything. Vick wasn't aware of my unique resistance to cyberpsychosis, and I wasn't about to tell him. Let him think I'd follow his advice for now.
As he moved to clean up, he asked, "So, how's that deck I sold you treating you?"
I smiled, feeling a bit more at ease now that the worst part was over. "It's been good. Helped me do what I needed to do."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly curious but didn't push for more details. "Good to hear. Just make sure you're keeping an eye on that too, no pun intended. It's old tech, after all."
"Yeah, I'll keep an eye on it," I replied, smirking a little at the unintended pun.
Vick chuckled and gave me a quick once-over before waving a hand. "Alright, kid, you're all set. Try not to get yourself into too much trouble, yeah?"
I grinned as I got up from the chair, flexing my fingers and feeling more normal by the second. "No promises, Vick. But I'll be back if I need anything else."
With that, I headed out of the clinic, feeling the cool night air hit me as I stepped onto the street. Now time to get that shard.
**Few hours later**
The sun had long dipped below the skyline, leaving the city veiled in shadow, punctuated by neon glows far below. I had spent a fair few eddies today. Between the Ingram shard, my new Kiroshi optic, and the mask perched on my face, I was now down to 1,500 eddies.
The mask was snug against my face, molded to look like the skull of a cat, complete with sharp cheekbones and a subtle snarl and ears. It added a certain edge to my look, concealing my identity and giving me a sense of anonymity as I clung to the dark alley while leaning against a wall. The mask and the cat-eye upgrade seemed almost too fitting, well I had planned it that way.
As I surveyed the building from my position, Kitrina's voice cut into my thoughts, amused and laced with a hint of sarcasm.
"Really, a cat mask? Trying to imitate me, or is this just some Gotham-themed style choice?"
I smirked behind the mask, my fingers gripping tightly to the rough, weathered bricks as I peaked. "Just figured a bit of flair wouldn't hurt," I muttered under my breath, careful to keep my voice low, though no one could hear me up here.
Mission: "Cutting the Tiger's Purse"
Objective: Infiltrate a Tiger Claws hangout and steal a stash of eddies they've recently collected from extortion payments. Tiger Claws are notorious for being ruthless, so prove you have the guts and skill to gain Kitrina respects.
Mission Details:
Location: A seedy, underground Tiger Claws gambling den hidden in the back of a noodle shop in Japantown. You know they've been stacking eddies from local businesses, and there's a safe in the manager's office.
Goal: Steal eddies from the Tiger Claws' safe and get out unnoticed.
Challenges: The den is guarded, and the gang members inside are armed. The security isn't top-tier, but the place is wired with cameras, and there's always a few thugs watching the front. You'll have to navigate through without raising suspicion.
The place I was scoping out a Tiger Claws' gambling den hidden in the back of a noodle shop, buzzed faintly with activity even this late. A few gang members moved in and out of the entrance below, heads lowered and shoulders hunched against the night's chill. None of them bothered to look up, assuming no one was crazy enough to scale the walls.
"Nice moves," Kitrina commented dryly as I started to ascend the wall again, inching my way closer to the skylight. "So you scale walls like this every day, huh? Gotta say, not bad for someone just starting out."
"It's nothing new. Just the only way I know to get to my apartment," I replied, pulling myself up another few feet. I wasn't about to let her know I felt a slight twinge in my arms; a long day of running around had left me feeling the burn. Still, I kept going.
She chuckled softly, the sound almost encouraging. "You better hope that wall-climbing practice pays off. Those guys down there wouldn't be too happy to see a new face poking around their territory."
I ignored the comment, focusing instead on my rhythm. Grip, pull, shift my foot up, and repeat. The bricks provided just enough of a hold, and soon enough, I was level with the skylight.
It was dirty and cracked in one corner, but still intact. I crouched low as I peered down through the grime-streaked glass. From here, I could make out a dimly lit room below, a scattering of tables surrounded by a handful of Tiger Claws lounging, clearly relaxed. A stack of eddies was casually tossed onto one table, along with an assortment of drinks and weapons.
Kitrina's voice broke through again, her tone instructive now. "Keep it low and quiet. No sudden moves. You start spooking them, and they'll have you shot in no time."
"I know what I'm doing," I muttered, trying to sound confident, though my heart was thudding louder than I'd like to admit. The city lights cast a dim glow through the glass, barely enough for me to see the path I'd need to take once inside.
"Sure you do," she replied, sarcasm thick. "Just don't go stepping on any glass or knocking anything over. These types look twitchy."
I breathed out slowly, letting her words sink in as I steadied myself. She was right; if I made one wrong move in there, it could be the end of this little trial. I flexed my fingers, feeling the familiar itch of adrenaline mixed with nerves. This was as real as it got—no do-overs, no quick escape plan if I failed.
"Ready to jump in, or are we waiting for an invitation?" Kitrina prodded.
I narrowed my eyes, scanning the room below one last time, then moved forward, settling into a position that would allow me to ease the skylight open. The window's hinges looked rusted but intact. If I could just lift it without a sound…
As I pushed up on the skylight, my movements steady and slow, Kitrina's voice echoed softly in my ear, her tone almost approving, "Alright, kitty, let's see if you can actually pull this off."
Her comment brought a slight grin to my face as I slipped through the narrow gap my patted socks touching the steel beam as I got in place making sure not to make any noise.