Ken woke up from the incessant buzzing from his holo device.
For someone sleeping for a little over 12 hours, he had the dazed look of someone waking up from a month long coma.
The holo screen popped up.
The long list of calls and messages were probably the first for him in years.
The first few calls were from the ripperdoc. Likely something he missed when he zoned inside the bathroom. Ken didn’t bother to get back to him. The fucker probably wanted him to sell some new XBDs, with no idea how much Ken wished to gut him.
The next one on the list was an email from the meat wagon (hospital). The attached file contained Gloria’s death certificate.
“It was real, huh...” Ken murmured. Despite such a long sleep, his body felt heavier than ever before.
Right after that came two missed calls from the principal of Arasaka Academy and a voicemail.
“Student Ken Martinez, I’m sorry to hear about your mother. My condolences.
“I’m sure your financial situation is not the best currently, however, rules are rules. We have received a quote for repair to our system. As agreed, the management team has sent you the invoice. If you had the time to think and have changed your mind, we will help you with transferring to another institution.
“Either way, please pay the full amount before your suspension ends, otherwise, you will have to be expelled for good.”
Ken could imagine the weird principal getting eager to banish him.
It seemed the distaste towards street rats wasn’t limited amongst the students.
“You want me out of the academy that much, huh?” Ken slid down from the sofa and stood before the window. Even the garbage dump called Santo Domingo wasn’t spared from the neon light of this cyber world.
“...prove them wrong, and they won’t have any reason to not accept you.” Gloria’s voice rang in his mind.
A part of him vehemently rejected the idea of going anywhere near Arasaka Academy since the limiter called Gloria vanished.
But another part of him wanted to prove the ‘sakas wrong for both Gloria and himself.
“Which one is David and which one is Ken...” he slightly wondered. It... in a way did not matter.
Ken Martinez had realized it as those thoughts had consumed him before sleep.
He caught himself thinking in two roads of memory at once—Ken’s fear of eviction, David’s flat certainty that money was never really the problem. He couldn’t tell anymore which fear belonged to which name.
Like a smoothie of two different fruits. You could still name the colors. You just couldn't get them back out.
And reasons do not always work.
He did try.
He had made the effort to separate them but when your existence blends, your memory is not the best trustworthy weapon you might have.
Ken went through his mother’s bank account.
After submitting her death certificate and verifying with his biometric data, the account was quickly transferred to him, after fees.
7211 eddies.
That was probably from her EMT job.
Ken checked the email from the academy’s management tab.
A grand total of 24,000 eddies.
“No way it’s that expensive!” an exasperated voice left Ken. He had pulled off his wreath the moment he noticed the error in the system. The damage had been minimal.
Ken checked again, the invoice included fines for the system recovery, damage reparations for the students wreath, and even a fine for using illegal software on the school grounds.
“Seriously? Why not ask for a fine on the psychological traumas I’ve caused.”
He was lacking a whole 17,000 eddies. A sum impossible for him to gather in less than five days.
“Right, her Shard might have some. She did say only her main job’s income goes to the bank account, the rest is in her shard.”
Ken picked up the black bag he received from the meatwagon doctor.
The first thing that caught his attention was the EMT jacket...
Ken’s gaze went slack as he mechanically put it on.
The shard was also in there.
Only 422 eddies.
Yeah, he was thoroughly on the road.
“I have the option to not pay...” but not the path he wanted to take. “Haha, even mom’s jacket feels heavy.”
Ken humored himself, but maybe a bit too heavy. Something even poked him on the neck.
Turning it over, he found a silver snake-like metallic spine taped along the collar. There was even a thin strip of neuralport.
“This... doesn’t look like your everyday cyberware.”
Ken had seen hundreds of cyberwares in the same old ripperdoc’s place but not even new gears moved with the slickness of this spine.
“At least top-tier, no, even military grade.”
Ken’s head started to spin and several options popped up in front of him.
Selling, had not popped up at first, but seemed like the most logical way for him.
But where to sell was a problem.
As a street kid of Santo Domingo, he had contacts, even several. However, like all others, they went cold due to spending all his time on the ripperdocs and academy.
“I can sell it to the ripper...” that didn’t seem like an option either.
That psycho had scammed his regulars–whom he called chooms. Operated without anesthetics if they lacked even a small amount of eddies.
And selling it through a regular shop... “That'll definitely get me jailed.”
Ken connected the cyberware to his battered Arasaka SecureBook. The diagnostic software recognized the hardware, but most of the fields came back empty.
“A Sandevistan, huh?”
Model: –––––
Manufacturer: –––––
Serial Number: –––––
His brows slowly furrowed.
“...”
He had done his history lessons.
Military cyberware normally kept its manufacturer information under layers of encryption so they could not be edited or erased. Even if someone stole it, the corporation could still authenticate ownership and reclaim classified equipment.
This implant was different.
Someone hadn’t merely destroyed the data.
It was friggin cleared.
That only meant one thing.
They didn’t want this implant being traced back to them.
“This is at least military-grade!”
Ken’s adam’s apple bobbed. His throat felt perched. He could be flatlined for even holding something of this caliber but the earlier thought spread crazily and took over his whole head.
Why not put this implant on himself? With spec as crazy as this one his dream of becoming an edgerunner was not a dream!
Selling something like this was definitely not possible for him, not with his connection.
But putting it in himself...
“If Doc was even worth half his junk I could get him to chip it in for me... but,” if he met the bitch he might even throw in a punch.
However, it was not like he had great options.
After thinking carefully, Ken took a picture of half the spine from an angle. Made the picture resolution really blurry, as if taken from a great distance. Then edited the timestamp and copy pasted the metadata of the original picture to erase the edited record.
And holocalled, the call connected almost immediately and a gruff voice came.
<Doc: Yo, Ken. What’ve been up to–>
<Ken: “Doc, you bastard! Do you know what I am going through because of your useless crack–>
<Doc: “Relax, choom. Now don’t get so hot-headed. Crackwares are like that, if some work some don’t. Not like I had better options. You couldn’t get me a server to test on.>
Ken gritted his teeth. If this bastard had mentioned it might tear a hole in the system, he would have never used it.
Gloria wouldn’t be called to the school.
Then she... she wouldn’t!
Ken released the breath he was holding.
No.
He was not going to blame someone else.
While Doc offered, Ken had indeed made the decision himself to crack it with illegal software.
He would never push the reason for Gloria’s death towards someone else even if they asked for it.
<Ken: “You received the picture I sent? That one is... military chrome, right?>
<Doc: “What’s there to doubt? So, why are you asking anyway?>
<Ken: “I was thinking how much are these going for?>
<Doc: “You selling? 13,000 eddies.>
<Ken: “What?! You taking me for a gonk? How can it be that cheap! Anyway I’m not selling, just got curious. I think they were fighting over it, who knows where it is now.>
<Doc: “Hm? Tell me in detail.>
<Ken: “Sure, how much are you paying?>
<Doc: “Ken, are you asking for money now? We are chooms, don’t we go wayyy back?>
<Ken: “I’m cutting the call. Also, don’t bother asking for my help to sell your BD’s in school. Who knows, maybe I’ll have to drop out after everything that happened, hmph!>
<Doc: “Alright, alright, 300 eddies.>
<Ken: “2,000.>
<Doc: “Oe, you robbing? For information that might or might not even be useful, who would pay 3,000?! 500, take it or leave it.>
<Ken: “Tch.>
Ken considered. If he said that Gloria died, it might be possible to increase the price to at least 1,000 eddies... but–<500 it is, but don’t involve me in the waters.>
<Doc: “You have my promise.>
<Ken: “You heard of Animals going wild yesterday? Well, we kind of got dragged into the firing and had an accident. I wasn’t in my right mind and captured the image because they seemed to be fighting over it. I passed out soon after that so that’s all I know.>
<Doc: “That’s all?>
<Ken: “What do you expect?>
Ken cut the line and packed the Sandevistan securely in an unassuming corner.
Just as he had closed the diagnostic software a banking icon caught his attention.
It looked different from the earlier bank account.
Because there was only one laptop in the house, Gloria sometimes used his school laptop. Honestly, he thought it was her bank account so he had always ignored.
Ken opened the application and only a box to enter password popped open.
“If it is her password... Glory and my birth date, oh, it opened–”
The balance gave Ken a shock.
31,046 eddies.
That was 31K!
Well, to the high-ranking corpos that might even be a hand change but for Ken, who was worrying about school fines and fees for the next month, that was a fortune right there.
Unfortunately, it was a secure bank. Meaning no history of transactions.
“Why would she even save this much? Is it for my tuition? No, that’s still earlier than usual. How did she even save that much? Unless...”
Ken suddenly understood.
He pulled the news feed that highlighted the cyberpsycho incident, paused the screen where Gloria pushed the cart with said cyberpsycho’s corpse inside a meatwagon vehicle. He had seen the same scene yesterday at the place of the incident.
The Sandevistan hiding in the compartment most likely came from that same cyberpsycho.
And it was likely Gloria had done similar things to pay for his tuition and expenses.
But looking from the timeline, she most likely hadn’t had the chance to sell this implant yet. What other sacrifices she had to go through, Ken could only try to imagine.
His fingers dug through keyboards like he was pressing lead keys.
The balance was transferred to the other bank account.
38,257 eddies
And 695 eddies in two shards.
Almost 39K!
Even if he paid the academy’s fine, he would manage.
Only for a very limited time, but yeah, manage.
Even after her death, Gloria was still taking care of him.
Grru~
Ken touched his stomach. He had not eaten or drank since yesterday.
“Just worrying will get me nowhere.”
He tried the refrigerator.
Cheap syn-milk, and 2/3rd portion of noodles. It was not there last morning...
Ken could almost see Gloria cleaning the house, and just as she started eating, a call came. She hurriedly rushed out, not even eating properly after two straight shifts.
He savored the noodles numbly. They smelled stale, but somehow tasted the same as always.
Like home.
Was this the last home-cooked meal from Gloria? He rinsed the bowl carefully and placed it upside down to dry.
Ken ran away from the apartment, using the same vent duct. He had to change the room and get something cheaper, if that was even possible.
As the NCART moved, Ken checked the rest of the holo call history.
Two missed calls from Katsuo.
Weird, that prick never called him outside of classes. Something about pride and whatnot. Did he also get the news of Gloria’s death and wanted to chew him?
Skipped.
Next came Danner’s Crematorium, they collected Gloria’s Urn and kept it on Aisle G221. They asked for a picture and he was allowed to visit once a week.
Maybe Danner’s Crematorium would be a great next stop, but Ken found himself on the Corpo Plaza. It was his usual place to pass time. He looked around and a colorful rainbow pastel hair caught his eye. His expression visibly brightened and Ken rushed to the second floor.
Unfortunately, by the time he arrived, she had already disappeared.
When did it start?
Ken wasn’t quite sure.
He would often find the rainbow pastel haired girl, on the second floor of the Corpo Plaza, leaning on one side of the railings and smoking with the poise of a lazy cat.
Her eyes, they never stayed in the city.
They always swam across the sky. Maybe the moon.
He wasn’t quite sure, was it the inferiority complex of the boy from Santo Domingo, or the shy heart of a young man? He had never been able to gather up the courage to talk to her.
He could only see other guys try to woo her only to be shoo’d away or violently kicked in the groins of more forceful ones.
He considered himself to be more courageous though...
Like when he took the courage to talk to Ayase Momo.
Saying ridiculous things such as her liking him. It was misleading in that situation. Misleading but intentional.
A part of him wondered, if she was doing well, did she try to search for him?
Or he wasn’t worth the trouble...
“Look at me, getting all depressing by mysel–” a hand blocked his way. “Hey, look at where... tsk. Fuck.” The blocker was Monkey King Katsuo himself.
In a matter of seconds, Ken found himself in a dark alley of the Corpo Plaza. All around them were garbage bins and homeless people scavenging for leftovers. He had no idea there was a place like this beside Corpo Plaza.
“Take a hint, Ken Martinez. Take my advice and drop off of the academy.” Katsuo opened his mouth and started a war.
“Hint about?” Honestly, Ken was not calm. He was exhausted.
Exhausted enough to not even feel anger.
“Of course that you’re an eyesore for everyone in the class. You’re not welcome here.”
“Look, if it was about yesterday, about server–”
“Who said anything about yesterday?”
“Huh?” Ken seriously wondered, what else did he do?
“You probably think I give you a hard time due to our rich and poor differences, right? Actually, no. In fact, I even consider myself rather charitable.
“And it is not your fault that you were born poor.
“Even the school rulebook doesn’t say a street rat can’t attend the Academy. Of course, if they can pay the tuition, that is. What cracks me is a different matter entirely. Do you know what that is...?”
At Katsuo’s long speech, Ken’s internal world got more and more vibrant.
‘So, you do realize you’re giving me a hard time? Wait, you’re actually such a good guy?! Then what am I?’ and it irritated him. Doesn’t that make him the bad guy? He got bullied, used illegal software, lost his mother, and then became the villain of the story? Seriously?
Ken looked at the trio.
And tried, tried really hard to look at them like they were humans and not monkeys, or even demons who spewed garbage from their mouth all the time.
Ken took a deep breath and focused.
Important question: Does oxygen clear your mechanical eyes?
Right. Not the time.
Katsuo, well, he looked “OK” and human. His two lackeys? Well, one looked like a fat leecher and the other a malnourished blonde, thin, and short thug appearing in netori hentai. Don’t ask why he knows.
“Why are you not saying anything?!” Katsuo Tanaka raged at the unusual silence. Didn’t his calmness make him look like a raging monkey?
“Ah, sorry. I was thinking.” Ken made an excuse, not that it was wrong.
“Thinking? You?” he sounded doubting.
“Yeah. What actually cracks you up enough to give me a hard time when you could be chilling with your pals.”
Ken’s reply silenced the trio for a few seconds, then Katsuo opened his mouth, “...You. For real?”
“Yeah?”
“I heard about your mother,” Katsuo said and Ken’s eyes narrowed slightly. Ready to throw a punch if this bitch said anything bad about Gloria. “She must’ve worked hard to afford your tuition for the Arasaka Academy. Now that she is no longer here you’re probably lost. However, all is not lost, if you can be on your best behavior you can receive the Scholarship of Excellence. I can already see the seed of change in you.”
While Ken prepared himself for another round of trash talk from Katsuo, the unusual content threw him off. “Scholarship of Excellence? If I’m right, that offers a full scholarship from the tuition fees.”
He knew about it, but some of the requirements were not so clear, and ‘being on your best behavior’ happened to be one of them.
“That is right. My father is a director of Arasaka, and one day, I’ll inherit that position. Do you know what that means? I might be your superior one day. You’re our precious workforce! Why would I make your life difficult? What benefits do I have in it?”
Katsuo nodded smugly. He spoke with the tone of a superior looking down on his inferior, but his tone changed from there. “Studywise, you’re excellent. However, your behavior! That impatient attitude toward others, casually dismissing your superiors! Is that suitable for someone on the level of Arasaka Corporation?!”
Once again exhausted, Ken had no response, but he did think.
Indeed, students of Arasaka Academy were just obnoxious.
Even if they made small talk, they spoke in roundabout ways. For someone like Ken Martinez–who had never been involved in a political situation–their roundabout way of speaking felt like trash talk to his inferiority complex ego.
However, Ken was not completely ignorant on this matter.
While he had no idea whether his behavior had been less than perfect. From his part-time job of working at book stores and newspaper delivery, he did have some experience in social life.
Basically, they wanted him to fall in line with their own social order.
“So, if I just follow the rules and act on my position, you will make way for the Scholarship of Excellence?”
Ken’s reply caught the trio off-guard. They looked at each other before Katsuo Tanaka laughed out loud. “Hahaha! You don’t seem to realize but you already qualify for the scholarship. It’s your behavior that held you back for so long.”
Katsuo closed the gap between them and raised his hand.
Ken instinctively blocked.
“Hm?” Katsuo tilted his chin up, his left brow raised.
“Ah, you know, I just got in a car accident and had a few concussions–”
Katsuo pushed his hand away and patted his cheek. The force of the hand was so overwhelming that his own hand might even be jelly.
“Ken Martinez, I’m glad that I could show you the proper path. You were not as unredeemable as we had initially thought. Keep up the good work,” with that the trio turned back. Katsuo swaggered away as he added, “Ah, and being all organic, that won’t do. Try to at least get some good arms, hahaha.”
{Alternative Titles: Remnants; Legacy; Contraband; Another Name; Fragment; One Last Gift; Proper Path; Rainbow-haired girl; The Proper Path; Corpo Kids;}