Life's Not a Fairy Tale (No Matter How Much I Want It To Be) Ch.6 (Patreon)

After David stormed out of the apartment and I assured Gloria I’d bring him back in one piece, I went looking for him. It wasn’t that hard to track him down, especially when I could see through any camera this world had to offer. I eventually tracked him down to an empty rooftop. He was sitting on the edge, looking out over the city. I took a seat beside him but didn’t say anything, letting him initiate conversation.

“I know I shouldn’t have run off like that…” David finally said after nearly a minute of silence.

I patted his shoulder, “Hey, none of that, my dude. We all need some space sometimes, even from loved ones, and this is a particularly trying situation. I don’t blame you at all and I’m sure your mom feels the same way.”

David breathed a hesitant sigh of relief, “You don’t think she’s mad at me? I know I’m being stupid right now. I just got so fed up with her not seeing things from my perspective…”

“You both got a little too heated,” I shrugged. “But despite what you think, storming off was one of the better things you could do at this point. You and your mom need some time apart to cool off. This conversation can wait until calmer heads prevail.”

“Yeah?…”

“Yeah. Here, let me tell you what. How about you use me as a sounding board to get your thoughts in order? I promise I’ll listen and I think I’m the best you two will get for a mediator right now.”

“… Okay, fine… Where do I even start?”

“What happened this morning is as good a place as any.”

David nodded, taking a deep breath to fortify himself, “Right… This morning… Y-You gotta understand something before that though. I’ve been getting… bullied.”

Admitting that was obviously hard for David so I just nodded and let him continue speaking at his pace, “Katsuo Tanaka. Some corpo kid and his goons. I’m pretty sure his dad is some big shot at Arasaka. He usually keeps it to weak shit though. Insults, spreading rumors, shit like that.

“This morning though… apparently he thought it was high time he stepped it up. He was waiting for me when I got to school. He snatched my wreath. Said there was no way a gonk like me could get the update legally. Acted like he was playing the good little vigilante. Then he just straight-up smashed it. I tried fighting back, but he whipped out his cyberware and some bullshit reflex chip.

“He kicked my ass… I couldn’t do anything. Couldn’t even get a punch in. All I could do was stand there and take it… Just like every other time. Like some stupid gonk! People didn’t even stay to watch. They just saw him kicking my shit in and ignored it like it was the natural way of the world!… Maybe it is…”

More than anything, David looked defeated by the end of his explanation. I doubt the bullying was what broke the future Night City Legend. It was more about the apathy and futility of his situation. He didn’t even want to be a corpo suit. But he wanted to make his mom proud. He’d taken all the abuse that school sent his way but there was only so much he could persevere when he didn’t want to do this in the first place.

I understood how he felt. I’d never been bullied to his extent, but I knew what it was like when the whole world was seemingly against you. I knew what it was like to be unable to live up to the expectations of the person you loved most in the world. It was this crushing pressure that consumed your every waking moment. And there was no easy cure.

“Yeah, I can see how that would make you want to quit,” I hummed.

David blinked and turned to me for the first time since I sat down, “That’s it? You’re not going to try and convince me to go back?”

I shook my head, “It’s not my place. That decision is yours to make. I know you want to make your mom proud, but even that has limits. You’ve got to be happy too. You’ve got to be able to make your own decisions in this life. If you don’t feel like that place is good for you, say that. Talk to your mom. Communicate. She’s on your side, dude. Have an actual conversation and tell her about your experiences and perspective. There aren’t many problems that can’t be solved by being completely open and honest with your loved ones. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished I could have another real conversation with my mom. You can. Take advantage of that.”

David didn’t look completely convinced so I kept talking, “Let me tell you something about making your parents proud. I barely even knew my sperm donor. He was a piece of shit that left me and my mom alone. For most of my life, she was all I had. And she never hesitated to tell me how proud of me she was.

“Then… she died. The last smile she gave me will forever be burned into my brain. She was so proud. She loved me so much. Her only regret in the world was having to leave me alone. That last smile told me she’d always be proud of me, no matter what. That I shouldn’t force myself to do something just because I think it would make her happy. It told me to be my own person because she’d never stop loving me.

“I tried to keep going to school after she died. Still tried to be the person I thought she would want me to be. But it wasn’t right. It was all just a lie for someone else’s sake. I eventually dropped out of school and ran away because it was all I could think to do in my grief. But it was still my decision. I know she would have been proud of me for being true to myself. I guess what I’m trying to say is this: there’s nothing wrong with trying to make your mom happy or proud, but there is something wrong with giving up who you are to do that. No one who truly loves you will want you to be someone else for them.”

I let silence reign after finishing my little spiel. That felt good to say. I needed to get all of that off my chest just as much as I wanted to convince David to follow his path. I hadn’t ever opened up about my mother to anyone else. After she died, I’d sectioned myself off from the world. I still interacted with people, but I was never close to anyone. Gloria and David were the closest I’d been to another person in nearly half a decade.

First’s mission to get David a happy ending had started out as a passing curiosity. I’d wanted to prove that happy endings were possible, but that wasn’t for David’s sake. It was for mine. So that the ember of hope deep within my heart would be kindled into a roaring bonfire.

But now I was invested. I wanted David to live happily ever after, even in this cyberpunk future. I would only let Gloria die over my dead body. They both deserved better than what happened in canon and I was going to make sure they got it. Then there was Lucy to worry about since she was also part of First’s mission, but I’d worry about her once we’d met.

“So you’re saying I should just give up on mom’s dream?” David eventually asked in a small voice.

I shook my head, “No. I’m saying that trying to be someone you’re not will make both of you unhappy. If you’re so worried about disparaging her hard work, convince her that there are better options for you than that school. She just wants what’s best for you after all.”

“Is it really that simple?”

“You won’t know until you try.”

David considered my words for a few more moments before he nodded, “Alright, I think I’m ready to have a real conversation now…”

“Let’s get you home then,” I said, standing up and helping David to his feet.

We made our way back to the apartment. When we got there, Gloria was pacing nervously while wringing her hands and staring out the window. She spun around when she heard us enter. Within an instant, she was wrapping David in a tight hug.

“We need to talk, mom…” David muttered into Gloria’s shoulder.

Gloria sent me a concerned look. I replied with a reassuring nod. This was up to them now. I wasn’t going to intrude on a personal family conversation like this. I was sure they’d figure it out.

“Go on,” I encouraged Gloria. “I’ll get out of your hair so you two can talk in private. I’ll just go take care of that other business we were talking about earlier.”

Gloria’s brows furrowed for a second before she realized I was talking about meeting with Maine, “Chico, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea…”

I waved her off, “I’ll be fine. This conversation is more important. Give me their number and I’ll just tell them you sent me. I should be able to take care of it by the time you two are done talking.”

She glanced between me and David a couple of times before conceding. She nodded her consent and sent me a ping with Maine’s contact information in it. Subtly collecting the Sandevistan back into my Pocket Space, I gave them both a wave and left the apartment. I made my way back to the roof David and I were just sitting on to make the call to Maine.

The line rang twice before Maine picked up, “Who the fuck is this?”

I didn’t let the gruff greeting faze me, “Romeo. Nice to meet you, Maine. I’m with Gloria. I believe we have something you want…”

“Shit,” Maine cursed. “Got any proof?”

“Gloria’s word not enough?” I said, raising an eyebrow even though Maine couldn’t see me.

“Nah, it is. It’s your word I don’t trust.”

“Then we’ll just be going in circles until you make up your mind. Look, man, you can decide to trust me now or wait until Gloria is done with figuring out her family situation. Either way, I’ll be there when the deal goes down. If it makes you feel better though, I can get Gloria to send you a quick text vouching for me.”

The line was quiet for a few seconds before Maine replied, “… Fine. Tell her to ping me and we can do business.”

“Good. I hope this is the start of a very profitable relationship for both of us.”

Maine grunted and hung up. I hummed as I thought about the short conversation. Maine was an interesting character. I liked him in the anime, but I doubted I’d be able to prevent his canon fate. He was on a downward spiral long before the anime. His ending, while sad, was quite typical for someone in his position. I’d do my best, but there was only so much I could do for a chrome junkie on the path of Cyberpsychosis.

I spoofed a text from Gloria instead of interrupting her conversation with David. She would have vouched for me anyway. It was just simpler this way. I received a text from Maine not long after, saying my story checked out like I knew it would. It was kind of funny how I was using subterfuge and being completely honest at the same time. The text also included an address in Heywood where Maine told me to meet him.

Confirmation was sent back to Maine and the meeting was set for within the hour. Then I just needed to decide if I wanted my arrival to make a statement or not. I could have easily stolen a car just to be flashy but quickly decided against it. I’d catch the train and walk. Showing up in some corpo bigshot’s car would only bring me unnecessary suspicion.

And so after a short train ride and walk, I found myself in front of a seemingly abandoned warehouse. The dusty lot out front of the place was filled with almost no signs of recent habitation. Just a table with a couple of chairs and a table with an umbrella. I recognized the place from the end of David’s first canon job and some of his talks with Maine.

I walked up and knocked on the door to the warehouse. A slot in the door slid open to reveal a monovision implant. The unnatural eyes scanned me up and down before a cyber hand reached through the slot. I batted the hand away before it could touch me and gave its owner my best glare.

“This the gonk with the chrome, Maine?” a nasally, annoying voice that could only belong to Pilar called behind him into the building.

“How the fuck should I know?” Maine’s gruff voice responded. “Did you ask ‘em?”

“Yeah, I’m with Gloria. Maine and I talked on the phone,” I said before Pilar could grace my ears with the sound of his voice again.

“Let him in, Pilar,” Maine said.

Pilar swung the door open to let me inside, “Alright… But I’ll be watching you…”

I snorted. Pilar was the comic relief of Maine’s crew. He had the same goofy attitude that he had in the anime. I followed the orangutan-looking guy inside. The inside of the warehouse looked much better than the outside. I assumed Maine kept the outside looking rundown as a sort of cover. The anime was never clear on if Maine’s crew had a main base, but they obviously spent enough time here to take care of this place.

Pilar led me into the backroom of the warehouse. The light there was kept just bright enough to see, but still dim enough to set the atmosphere. Everyone I expected was there. Maine’s enormous body occupied a couch against the back wall of the room, with buff mommy Dorio sitting beside him. Kiwi was leaning against a wall, smoking a cig. Even Lucy was there, casually sprawling herself across another couch and eying me with dismissive interest. There was one face I didn’t expect to see yet though.

“Choom!” Becca shouted when she saw me enter. “No way! What a coincidence! Whatcha doing here? Come to join Maine’s crew as I suggested?”

In the span of a second, Becca had crossed the room. I barely had time to react and by the time I realized what she was doing, I just decided not to. She wrapped me in a hug like we were old friends and then scrambled up my body. She perched herself with her surprisingly plump thighs on either side of my head like some sort of monkey-gremlin.

“Oooh~ Your hair’s soft, choom~ You feel good against my skin~,” she cooed, wiggling in her place and unintentionally grinding her crotch against the back of my neck.

“Becca, you know this fool?” Maine grunted.

“Yeah! He’s that netrunner I told you guys about. You know, the one who pulled me into his BD?”

That last sentence piqued the interest of both Kiwi and Lucy. Of course, the two other netrunners in the room would be interested in my patently impossible feats.

“That shit was nova! What’s Romeo doing here though?” Becca continued.

“I work with Gloria,” I explained. “I helped her get a special little bit of chrome and now I’m helping her sell it while she’s busy.”

Becca leaned forward so her head hung upside down in front of my face, “Aww, so you’re not here to join us?”

“That is yet to be seen… And it’s ultimately not up to me even if I do want to join.”

She turned her attention back to Maine, “Can’t we give him a shot, boss? I can vouch for him. He’s probably as good a netrunner as Kiwi and I bet he’s pretty handy in meat space as well.”

“We’ll see,” Maine snorted noncommittally. “We’ve got business to take care of first.”

“Right,” I nodded. “Don’t ask how we got our hands on this…”

Becca stayed in her place on my shoulders. Everyone in the room was looking at me curiously. I didn’t look like I was carrying anything, much less a bulky piece of cyberware. Deciding to practice my showmanship, I smirked.

“Nothing up my sleeves~,” I said, flourishing my hands like a magician.

Almost everyone in the room rolled their eyes or looked otherwise annoyed. At least Becca giggled at my antics. And I got a chuckle out of Pilar as well, but I didn’t really care about him. Maine waved for me to get on with it. I sighed and complied.

A simple thought pulled the Sandevistan from my Pocket Space. The smartmatter of my arm rippled as the cyberware grew from the limb. It looked a lot like something suddenly surfacing from still water. The artificial spine stayed rigid until it was fully materialized and then went limp as it dropped into my hand.

I ignored the quiet “woah” from Becca to address Maine, “One military-grade Sandevistan. It’s yours for the right price.”

Maine and the rest of his crew were looking at me differently after my little show. There was respect in Maine and Pilar’s gaze as they realized I was likely a fellow Chrome Jock and one with unknown cyberware at that. Kiwi and Dorio’s eyes were calculating like they were trying to visualize how I would fit into the crew. Lucy looked impressed but not all that interested in me beyond the impossible cyberware I was showing off. Which was good. I still needed to figure out how I was going to introduce David to her. They deserved to be together and I wasn’t about to break up a couple as cute as them.

“Shit, what was that, kid?” Maine asked.

“Just something I can do. It’s useful. Great for smuggling stuff too,” I shrugged.

“Maybe Becca’s right and we should give you a shot, choom…”

“I’ll consider it but right now we have something else to focus on.”

Maine shook his head, “You’re right, kid. I’ll give you 30 racks for it.”

“Bullshit. 50.”

“Heh, at least you’ve got the balls to say no,” Maine snorted. “40.”

“45.”

“Don’t push your luck. 43 and I’ll throw in an audition for you.”

I slowly nodded, “Fine… Deal. Just send it all to Gloria.”

Maine nodded and I felt like I just passed another unsaid test, “Good shit, kid. I like a guy who doesn’t forget his partner.”

“I’m mostly doing this for her anyway. I can find other ways to make Eddies. Gloria deserves this.”

“She does, doesn’t she,” Maine agreed with me as I handed the Sandevistan to him. “Tough lady, that Gloria.”

“Her son takes after her. David could tear up the Edge. He’s got what it takes to be a Legend.”

“Hmm, that so?”

“Yeah… Of course, Gloria would kill you if you got him involved in this shit,” I joked.

“No doubt about that, choom,” Maine laughed. “You still want that shot with us?”

“Ooh! Ooh! Can I be the one who gives him his trial gig?” Becca blurted out.

Maine raised an eyebrow at me over his shades, “You mind?”

I shrugged, “I guess not. Becca’s cool with me and I’m down for whatever really. If I don’t want to do it, I won’t.”

“I hope you’re ready to go loud,” Dorio chuckled.

The Overture revolver I’d looted from that junkie appeared in my hand. A casual flick of my wrist sent it spinning around my finger. With another casual flick, the weapon disappeared back into my Pocket Space.

“I think I’ll manage.”

Becca let out an almost demented giggle, “Heheheh~ Ooooh~ We’re going to have so much fun together!~”