Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Unfamiliar ceiling. I muttered staring up as I slowly woke up. The faint beeping of a heartbeat monitor and my own absolute weakness telling that something serious had happened. I didnt go to hospitals basically ever.

I blinked.

I could see the ceiling I wasnt wearing my glasses. I hadnt seen anything clearly past a foot from my face without my glasses in a decade.

Too many years of staring at a computer screen.

What? I asked, my throat raw and dry, but instantly, I was even more on edge than before.

That wasnt my voice.

I jerked upward only to realize I could barely move a shocked gasp escaping me causing the machine to start beeping, as my heart rate skyrocketed. Moments later a doctor wearing the strangest clothes I had ever seen entered and quickly went to work on me. My gasped questions were ignored with clinical detachment. Until suddenly I felt myself passing out. The Doctor He had drugged meeeee.

--

I had learned a few things since I woke up from a coma.

One. I wasnt me. Or I was a me that wasnt me. It got complicated so I stopped thinking about it. Im a me that was me. Good enough.

Second. This wasnt my earth. My home. My people.

The first time I had a doctor enter my room after I woke up for the second time but his entire right arm was a twitching monstrous looking limb full of needles and grabbers had me damn near jump out of bed from him.

I definitely didnt cry though. Fuck you.

Third. The thing that explained all of it. It was the year 2075. I wasnt in the United States. No this was the Free City of Night City. Something a doctor had explained gruffly after they all realized I had amnesia from my stint in a coma.

Night City though? That was something I knew about. Cyberpunk. I knew all about Night City. That alone scared the shit out of me more than anything, because that meant I was in danger. My body was worse than atrophied. The doctors refused to explain what had actually happened to me, simply telling me that my family would explain when they arrived.

That it wasnt their job.

It made me feel even more helpless. Realizing that these doctors taking care of me, they literally didnt care about me. Didnt even pretend to.

Thankfully my family arrived about four hours after I woke up for the second time.

I had been laying in my cramped little room fingers weakly picking at my neck where I had an actual USB style port into the back of my head.

It felt weird. But also kinda cool.

My eyes were also crazy good. Perfect vision, and the ability to telescope a bit. I spent most of the few hours laying in bed unable to raise myself into a sitting position playing with my vision.

Until the door suddenly burst open. The noise from the hallway suddenly reached in through the soundproofing.

Although I realized the soundproofing was probably meant more to keep the noise from inside the rooms from the outside rather than the other way around.

But a man entered the room practically pushing past one of the doctors, cursing at him in Japanese that my mind instantly translated into english without a thought.

Bastard! Get out of my face! Dont think I wont cut you down! He cursed as the doctor seemed to finally back off a bit. The man that entered, well the older teenager. I could still see the youth on his face, as he was trying to grow a pretty crappy beard.

But it was the outfit, the style. The fact he was wearing an Oni mask around his neck obviously having taken it off as he entered that twigged in my mind hard.

Tyger Claws? This guy was a ganger. A Japanese gang straight out of Akira.

Hell they even had the bikes

Imouto. He said his voice going a little soft as he noticed me staring.

I blinked, raising my hand up to point at my face. Me?

He blinked in return looking surprised. His hair which glowed in different colors as if made of fire kept catching my attention even as the boy turned to the doctor.

The fact he had a damn sword on his hip probably the reason the doctor quickly raised his hands. As I was trying to tell you before you entered. Your Sister seems to have short term amnesia from the Coma Or the circumstances that led her there. We didnt detect any brain damage from our scans. So she will likely recover.

Dammit! He cursed in Japanese which I instantly translated before he seemed to take his hand away from his Katana as he sauntered over to my bed.

Despite myself I felt a hint of fear at his glaring face and even flinched a bit as he drew near which caused him to slow his face blanking out as I took in the lines of metal that coated his cheeks making it look like he had a tigers fangs on his cheeks.

You You dont need to worry, Motoko. You are safe. I-Im sorry. He whispered as he took a seat and simply stared at me for a while as if expecting something.

Motoko? I asked. That was a new one. Is that me? I couldnt help but add on.

He stared at me in shock for a moment before reaching up and rubbing his face as he took a moment to try and recover from his surprise. Yeah. You are Kusanagi Motoko. My little sister Dont Dont fear Imouto. I made sure everything will be alright.

Motoko Kusanagi? Like Ghost in the Shell? I reached up weakly to check my hair. Black. Not purple. Dang. That would have been kinda cool. I nodded a little to him, what else was I supposed to do?

I guess this was my older brother? I mean, I didnt even know his name

Whats your name? I asked a little weakly mostly because I had a feeling it wasnt going to be taken well.

It wasnt the boy looked like I had just stabbed him for a moment.

Junichiro. Kusanagi Junichiro. Your elder brother.

Jun. I agreed instantly, which had him snort after I said it.

Say Jun-Nii, Im your brother.

Jun-Nii then. I agreed easily.

He frowned a little as I went quiet just sort of looking him over. He was antsy, foot tapping a rhythm and his hands never not moving. He was wearing a neon green jacket asian dragons on the shoulders every inch a japanese biker gang member. Tattoos on his chest that I could see under his armored vest? Yep he had those too.

This guy was straight out of Akira. If he started screaming Tetsuo I was out of here. I decided with a nod to myself which seemed to attract his attention as he had just been staring as I looked him over.

The people that took you are dead. They might have grabbed your Cyberware, but that can be replaced. Has been replaced. Mostly. Just hang in there imouto. You will be out of the hospital soon. He told me firmly, as he stood. Seemingly unable to sit still anymore he left the hospital room in a rush and as the door closed behind him, I could just make out his raised voice talking to the doctor before it shut closed and cut me off from the outside again.

How weird.

--

This is home.- He told me three days later when apparently the insurance I was on had decided that now that I was no longer in a coma they werent paying anymore.

Welcome to Night City.

He had picked me up in a weird car, and old Mahir Supron. I learned from the badge on the car. Basically a van. But the sort that was cheap as cheap could be.

I borrowed it from a neighbor. Your wheel chair wouldnt fit on my bike. He informed me, sounding embarrassed at driving the thing, but he had helped me inside, put my new wheelchair into the back and drove me out of the hospital parking lot and into the city.

The very crowded, smelly, and dangerous city.

A city where anyone can die at any time, and no one would care.

I shivered at the thought.

But then he pulled me from my fears by pulling into a parking garage. Honestly this part of the city was 80% trash and garbage piled up, and 20% neon signs.

It felt super surreal as Jun pushed me over the sidewalks glaring at anyone who dared take a second look at me as he pushed me down the street towards a building that looked like any other to me.

This is home. Do you remember it? He asked again. Prompting me from the moments of introspection I had been in.

No. It looks like everything else. I told him. Looking over my shoulder I could tell he was frowning. This has been our home for years, since Oka-san and Otou-san died. He tells me and I nod.

I guess I would have had parents then. I returned to looking forward as he wheels me into the entrance way. As we entered two older asian men were playing some board game in the corner to my left. And the lobby was dimly lit and a little smoky.

I wrinkled my nose a bit at the smell as well.

What a dump.

Jun brought us towards the elevator which to my surprise did work and he hit the button for the fifth floor.

The door to the left of the elevator was ours. He wheeled me inside and I couldnt help but look around in interest. It was a small apartment, full of lots of asian stuff. Posters for asian music groups. Knick knacks. A place to light incense directly in front of us as we entered.

It was an odd mix of modern, and future tech I noticed. The whole place. The apartment, the city it all felt like that.

Home. He spoke wheeling me around. The bedroom was on our right. A single large room with the weird bed emplacement that Night City seemed to like. Including though was a small closet like room that was apparently my own bedroom.

I blinked as I entered as the entire room was full of Tyger Claw memorabilia.

I really liked the Tyger Claws huh? I asked him, earning a laugh from Jun.

Of course! Our family has been part of the gang since Otou-san was your age. We have always been with them. You were You will join them too once you recover and get a little older. He assured me trying to sound sure of himself.

But I had caught the hesitation.

I had heard the doctors. They hadnt bothered trying to hide my circumstances during the three days of quiet.

Scavs. The sort of people that would be considered grave robbers in any other century. At least we would call them that, if they actually waited for someone to die first.

They were kidnappers. People that took those with Cyberware, or not off the street and scavenged the Cyberware or organs. Even if the person was still alive.

That is what happened to me. It was why my body was so fucked up after the coma. They hadnt bothered to be gentle when digging out the little cyberware I must have had. Even if apparently I had been rescued after.

I still dont know how. I hadnt had the heart to bring it up with Jun. Every mention of my circumstances would leave him glaring and looking as if he was ready to commit Well a murder.

Anyway between the Scavs, loss of Cyberware and the coma my body was fucked. Weak as a kitten. I couldnt even walk without assistance. Not that the hospital had seemed to care.

Luckily Jun had gotten most of the basic stuff replaced. My eyes were working after all.

I couldnt imagine waking up only to realize my tech eyes were literally just pieces of junk unable to work, after since the scavs had pulled the processors right out of my head.

Oh here. Jun offered putting a bag of stuff onto the table beside my small bed in my little closet bedroom. Your stuff everything you had on you when you entered the hospital. I dont know I dont know if it will help, but maybe something in there will jog your memory. Love you Toko. He said quietly pushing a kiss onto the top of my head as he seemed to once more get too antsy to stand around. He walked out of the room sort of stomping a bit.

Poor kid. His little sister gets kidnapped, put into a coma and wakes up with amnesia.

Rough.

Well I might as well. Maybe I can learn a bit about who I was. About Motoko.

Try not to watch that garbage. He told me flicking the channel with his cyberware seemingly overriding my control.

Man even in 2075 elder siblings stole the remote huh?

He ended up on a channel that was showing cartoons actually. Which satisfied me a little. I hadnt found this channel in my exploration of the channels earlier.

I grimaced a bit as I started raising my legs again. They were mostly recovered from a previous round.

Sure over exercising was bad. Normally. I had already done a few tests and it seemed my instant sleep really did fix any issues including overdoing it.

So I was forcing myself to exercise a lot. I couldnt do anything if I was stuck in a wheelchair.

Glad you are exercising. I was worried I would have to force you into it. You arent usually so quick to do what you are supposed to. Jun mentioned with a bit of a chuckle but it died when he realized I wasnt following his script.

Oh Am I usually bad at listening? I couldnt help but ask. Who was Motoko Kusanagi? What had she been like? It was honestly sort of Interesting?

It must have hit him then, that his little sister still didnt remember.

Yeah Youre a brat. Never listening, always getting into trouble. Going out with chooms who you shouldnt trust Just Be careful from now on. I dont want to He stopped not finishing his conversation. Jun was hotheaded I realized, quick to explode. His voice had risen just as he talked as he grew a little heated.

Okay. Ill be careful Jun-Nii. I tell him trying to sound cute which earned a chuckle from the older boy.

You sound like that whenever you are lying. He tells me with a soft grin on his face.

Of course it only made the fact he was grinning at me with such a gentle smile over an Oni face he wore while probably out gang banging.

Oh Jun-Nii. Do we have anything about Tech? Or Netrunning? There was a show about a netrunner and stuff and I wanted to learn about them. I asked, Since I was still stuck in a chair Netrunning could be a useful trick. Plus it was kinda cool. Like a Cyber wizard.

Oh jeez not this again. You gave up on netrunning last time, please dont try to do it again. It took months before you decided you werent any good at it. He groaned into his palms.

Huh. I guess Motoko had been a netrunner fan?

So I have stuff about it? Where? I ignored his complaints to focus on the important bit.

He sighed again. Fine. At least it will keep you busy. Ill go get your Netrunner junk out from storage. Just dont burn out the radio this time. He told me firmly and I blinked.

Yeah that would have been a big mess up.

Sure. I replied as I continued raising my legs up one at a time. It was getting easier to do.

--

After dinner Jun disappeared outside for a while before coming in with a dusty cardboard box.

Took me a while to dig this junk up. Dont ruin our radio Or our fridge. Or anything. He told me firmly and I nodded as he settled the box into my room and I could look through it.

It was well it was child stuff. The sort of thing little kids might get to learn some basic skills. But that was fine for me. A stack of old shards that after slotting a few turned out to be beginner lessons on Netrunning.

To my surprise they werent just some off the street vendor stuff. But something that the Tyger Claws had put together.

And the reason I had a set? Natasha Kusanagi was the Netrunner who created the training programs.

Natasha Kusanagi? Probably my mother.

Huh. Apparently Jun had been right. My family was in deep with the Tyger Claws and had been for at least a generation.

Weird.

Still it was interesting, and I listened to the recorded primer for a good while before I was pulled out of the recording by Jun trying to force me to eat.

*Breach Protocol Experience Gained.*

*Skill not unlocked, no XP gained.*

*Breach Protocol Unlocked.*

*100 Intelligence XP Gained*

I blinked at the alert as Jun dragged me to the table and pushed another burrito into my face.

I ate it slowly as my eyes flickered and I went to my stats screen.

Now when I hovered over intelligence a list appeared.

Breach Protocol.

I had my first skill. I chewed slowly as I checked it over. Right now it seems to be inactive. Nothing was really there. But that was because I noticed after a moment. It was currently at level 0.

I wondered what would happen when I leveled that up to 1?

Hey Jun-Nii. Thanks for pulling the netrunning stuff out of storage Natasha Kusanagi. Is that Mom? I asked and he seemed to jerk for a moment before nodding around his burrito.

Yeah I forgot Oka-san made that Netrunning guide. Damn. He muttered grumbling a bit.

So Mom.. Oka-San was a Netrunner?

Yeah. A good one too. Its how our parents met. Oka-san was a target on a job, but Oto-san couldnt zero her. Ended up helping her hide out and get away. She joined the Tyger Claws a few years later.

Huh. Oto-san was a Cyberpunk?

Yeah. He was good with a blade. Jun offered looking over to where his own Katana had been put up on a little stand near the incense holder.

Or I guess from the way he was looking. That was Oto-sans sword as well.

Jeeze.

Anyway. Thanks again for finding it. Its Interesting.

Thats not what you said last time. I believe you said it was too boring to finish. He retorted which had me shrug.

I wasnt the same as I was after all.

Well good, maybe it will keep you out of trouble Just dont try anything without letting me know. You can run into some ICE and get brain fried if you play around. He demanded. Although I was pretty sure since I wasnt connecting anything to my brain that wasnt likely.

I will. I offer with a nod. I was more looking for something to play with while I was stuck waiting for my own recovery.

With that we settled in to watch some garbage TV and I continued to push my body well beyond what I should.

H-hey! Toko! What are you doing, look at yourself? He grunted having been engrossed in a show as I continued my butterfly kicks for far longer than I should.

My breath was coming out heavily, and I was definitely sweating like a pig.

You shouldnt be pushing yourself that hard!

S-sorry. I offered tiredly before trying and failing to slide into my wheelchair. I really needed a good sleep.

Idiot! He cursed at me in Japanese which had me chuckle a little which certainly didnt help. But he picked me up and put me in my wheelchair and wheeled me to my bed.

Night Jun-Nii. I muttered tiredly before deciding I wanted to sleep and once again it was instant. My body shut down and I fell into a dreamless rest.

--

The routine set in. Wake up use the hour buff of extra experience to really hammer my physical training. Seeing those little alerts popping up felt super good.

*125 Body XP gained.*

I smiled as another one popped up. Especially since I finally figured out how to check the experience to the next level. It felt almost like it wasnt complete. The Gamer system that I was using was weird, but on my first stat gain. When my Body went from negative. To a big fat zero. I finally saw the XP bar. It just took me looking at my stat menu in a weird way.

Seriously, it was so frustrating! I needed to read an actual manual on these eyes. I had no idea how to get them to actually work.

But it was pretty standard. 1000XP from level 0 to level 1.

I nodded pleased to get that out of the way, especially since as I had reached out of the negative levels. I was finally able to stand, and actually walk.

Surprise. I said to Jun as he got home late that night startling the older boy as he saw me not sitting in my wheelchair but actually standing resting on the edge between living room and bedroom.

You're walking? He asked, sounding really quiet as he pulled down his Oni mask and threw it onto the couch before walking forward and pulling me into a tight hug.

Yep. My legs are feeling stronger. I might have pushed myself a bit too much sometimes, but Im definitely seeing some results. I say into his jacket, muffling my speech but he still heard me.

Good. Thats Thats really good. Maybe your memories will come back soon too. He said, sounding well he sounded like a teenager that was taking care of his kid sister with amnesia.

Damn Jun really did have it rough. I was gonna have to do something nice for him in exchange.

After hugging the life out of me, he seemed to remember he was hugging his sister and pulled away but slowly to make sure I was standing and not wobbling. I wasnt but it did take me a second to regain my feet.

Ugh. I cant wait until my body is back to where it should be.

We should celebrate. How about some noodles for dinner? He asked, looking excited. We can go down to Cherry Blossom Market and hit the noodle bar there.

Im not sure Im up for a long walk Jun. I cut him off. As much as I liked the idea of leaving the apartment Which I actually wasnt sure I liked at all now that I thought about it. But I was at the slow walking and movement stage. Not the walk down the block stage.

Oh. He offered before frowning glaring at himself. At least I hoped it wasnt at me. Ill go get some. Bring it home. You can rest and we will eat together. Just like Just like before. he said, almost demanding of the world for that to happen, and I nodded happily.

Noodles sound good. I told him causing him to relax and then hurry back out of the apartment.

Cherry Blossom Market. I remember it from the game. It was a little market place. There was that Samurai super fan down there too. Was it close?

So since dinner was coming to me I settled in to listen to some more of my Netrunners guide.

It wasnt perfect. Obviously mom had intended for there to be actual lessons on Netrunning interspersed with the guide. But it was still useful, and I could see my experience going up.

*100 Breach Protocol Experience Gained.*

I nodded pleased. It was slower than leveling Body. Probably because I wasnt actively doing anything, but it was still fascinating. If someone offered you a verbal and text primer on being able to access the net, being able to access nearly any device around you to control wouldnt you want to learn it?

Dinner! Jun called out as he came in carrying Ramen in a to-go carrier and placed both bowls on the table as he settled in and made sure I could reach everything.

I took one taste of it and actually smiled. Unlike the burritos this actually tasted good. I dug in with relish and Jun seemed to relax as we both enjoyed our dinner together.