Matuscarantos

  One of the things the game was bad about portraying was just how close knit, the communities get in pces like Heywood. Sure they say the words and all, but it was just surface level. It glossed over the things any V but the Street Kid version would've had to do to be accepted. Sure being close with Jackie helped, but that just gets your foot in the door. It also didn't show how much shit Street Kid V would've gotten for leaving and then coming back.

  When you walk into a pce like the Coyote for the first time you have to be aware of how they'll view you. To them you're a tourist, and they'll happily take your Eddies, but they won't put up with much else. You'll often even have a hard time getting basic courtesy. Ask the wrong questions and you're out, often on your ass. Or head first.

  To get in the accepted column, you have to prove yourself. Often doing crazy, dangerous, and certainly illegal shit.

  A friend of mine who was like a brother to me, starting running with bikers. If you were in, earned your cut, they were the best guys. If you weren't you might as well not exist. If you do, it's as a resource to exploit.

  I saw how that works. My friend cut all ties with me. That sucked. I never had so many friends that I could afford to lose one.

  Then the World ended, and they had a grand ole' time. Until I hunted them all down. People who don't agree on fundamental codes of behavior can't coexist for long. A shame I had to learn that the hard way.

  I wondered what I'd have to do for these people to get my "in"?

  The Probes would have to wait with the van. Walking around here with active drones could be taken as a prelude to a fight. Ryll however was sticking with me until I had time to train her, and who knows when that would be. I'd just have the put up with the looks and questions, deflect the suspicions, and break the hands of anyone trying to touch her.

  I reached up and gave her some scratches. She prumed, I didn't know what else to call it, like a cross between a purr and a hum. She was looking everywhere, especially at the crowds of the everyday citizens of Night City. A crazy looking bunch of people to be sure.

  People in NC thought to their core that chrome was the best way to not just get better at things, or gain skills, but for simple fashion. Hardly anyone looked fully human. And I'd bet you anything those people that did had some well hidden augments too.

  Most people didn't have a single bit of combat rated chrome, but they sure saved those ennies to look however the fuck they wanted. As if clothes weren't expensive enough.

  I had no problems with that. My problem was with the Corpos and Rippers that didn't make sure that shit was as safe as could be. No they hardly reguted anything, and then the city ends up with a bunch of cyberpsychos ruining people lives, not to mention their own.

  Ryll chirped getting my attention. Seeing she had gotten it she turned her head staring intently.

  "What's wrong?" Following her gaze, revealed she was looking at another vending machine. "Still hungry?"

  She grumbled agreement.

  I chuckled and walked over to see what was on offer. It seems little dragons needed a lot of food.

  Hmm, one was vending various noodles dishes. One was vending Sughter House jerky. The rest were for drinks. I had my doubts she was interested in Tangerine orange soda.

  She might like noodles, but she would certainly like jerky. I think?

  I got a bowl of simple buckwheat noodles, and a bag of jerky. I walked over to a bench, where we sat as I used the pstic fork that came with the noodles to sort of hack they into smaller pieces for Ryll. Then I tore up some of the jerky.

  She crawled off me to sniff at the bowl of noodles, she looked doubtfully at them and grabbed one small strand gobbling it down. She tilted her head seeming to think about it. She chirped and grabbed another strand. I wouldn't say she was enthusiastic about them but it would do. I offered her a small chunk of jerky.

  She took it gently from my fingers and chewed in that reptilian way. She gave a happier sound. I mixed some chunks of jerky into the noodles, and that seemed to confuse her for a second. Her head dove into the bowl again trying out this new combination dish.

  I heard someone walking over, because I didn't trust anyone in this town. I looked at them to see if I was about to have to do some violence.

  Fuck me, if it wasn't Jackie Welles.

  When he saw the look on my face, he hesitated. But it was Jackie Welles and he knew no fear. Or so he like to tell himself. I remember he really liked to seem brave.

  "Hey, El Morado, what's with the little lizard there? Where'd you find something like that?"

  I narrowed my eyes at him, I didn't know a lick of Spanish, so I had no idea what he just called me. I could use one of those nifty transtor function, subtitles thingies.

  Again, he seemed a little worried. But then his machismo kicked back in, and he took a step closer. Hmm.

  Was I going to have to gank Jackie? Because I had the sneaking suspicion that he was about to try and grab Ryll.

  I sighed.

  No, I'd have to let it py out. Otherwise, I'm just a dick that shot the shit out of a local.

  And maybe, I'm just a little, a teeny tiny bit, overprotective. Just a hair too much, possibly. Hard to say.

  He reached down and gave her pets. Like she was a dog. She trilled at him, before returning to her meal. He chuckled at that before sitting on the other side of her.

  "You have to be careful around here, Holmes. Lots of kids would grab it and try to run off it. Anything to make a quick Eddie." Thank fucking goodness he was just interested in petting her, that would have been a terrible start to my Night City adventures.

  "They might try, and even if they managed that much, they wouldn't get far." I gave him The Smile.

  He nodded, "Yo lo creo, El Morado." His face went grim for a second.

  He kept petting Ryll. She didn't seem to mind his touch. So I left it alone.

  "Do you know the bar here?" Master of the subject change, I am.

  "Do I know it? My Mama, she owns it." He puffed up a little, proud of his mother. there were worse traits to have. "It's a good pce, if you need a drink, maybe even an ear, eh."

  Fuck, I don't have a name. I've been holding off introducing myself, because what the hell am I going to say? Here's my Serial Number?

  I looked at my status sheet real quick... that might work.

  I held out my hand. He took it, and we shook hands. Despite my rger paw he had a firm grip.

  "Guy, or call me G, either way." It'll do, until I figured something else out.

  "órale, I'm Jackie Welles. I have a good feeling about you G, and I always trust my gut." Boisterous to a tee.

  "Really?" I gave him the eyebrow of questioning. I fail to see how he'd have lived this long, if his gut sent him to people like me.

  "Well, I might of had a brief doubt, for a second. You're one scary hombre." You try spending thirty years being chase by flesh eating Zombie, that mutate when they ate enough. Let's see if you come out the other end full of rainbows and candy.

  "I've seen a thing or three." I nodded.

  "So what did you need, a drink or an ear?" I hope he is actually as friendly as he seems. Trust is incredibly hard for me to extend, even if I already had an idea of who Jackie was.

  "I've just rolled into town, trying to get the y of the nd. And I'm looking for a few acquaintances. Failing the easy way, then I'm looking for a fixer that isn't going to eat my shirt."

  "Well, I know a few things. but better I know a few people that know a lot more than me. I can flick you some detes."

  I shook my head, "Won't work," I tapped the side of my head, "Au Naturel."

  "You got an agent?" He frowned thinking.

  "First order of business was to find a pawn shop, that wasn't going to screw me too hard on selling a few goods."

  "Traveling light, eh. Comprende, G. Let's see, I can show you a few pces. If you don't mind the company?"

  Despite my initial moment of distrust, Jackie was winning me over.

  "Sure, we can take my Van if it's far. Or walk if they're close."

  "Why are we still here then, let's go." Jackie got up and started walking. Doesn't like to sit still, that one.

  I snorted, it was a real trip to meet a game character in the flesh.

  He showed me to a pce just around the block, called Jackson's Pawn Shop. I sold 10 gold, 10 silver, and 10 copper for 26,567 Eddies. He was only going to give me 25,000 ft but I think barter kicked in. He didn't seem to notice and I wasn't going to point it out. Sadly, I might have gotten even more, but I wanted it all in script.

  However, Jackson sent me to a netrunning friend of his that sold off the books agents with "special features". Like a non-bank controlled credit wallets and encrypted transfers protocols. 5000 but I got it for 4768. My Barter went up to 2 after this transaction. Nice.

  Okay, I've completely revised my opinion of the Salesman Profession. Now if I could just figure out what Winning Smile did.

  Even Jackie looked impressed, "Remind me to let you do all my bargaining, G."

  "You looking to form a crew with me, Jackie?" I held out my fist.

  "Could be, could be. Let's see how the rest of the day goes first." He bumped it. We had a tentative agreement.

  Ryll and Jackie seemed to be getting along just fine. Which spoke well of him, and I was finally starting to rex. Even enjoy myself.

  We hit up three more pawn shops, all over town. I cashed in the same amount of coin each time. Now my new digital wallet held 89,374. A very good start. Now I could start thinking about renting a pce to hang my hat while I'm in town. Or I could just keep doing what I'm doing, and taking over abandoned pces.

  What I really needed was a boat, a really big boat. So we could ship things to and from the isnd. A shame the Probes couldn't build Nerazim tech. They were masters of stealth. Instead, I'll have to turtle up.

  Later, once my Probes had built a Gateway we should be able to teleport between Pylons. I'd have my very own fast travel system. If we could work our way towards Warp Prisms that's us having the ability to go anywhere nearly instantly.

  "Hey, G, you mind if we take a detour, so I can say hi to my girl?" Dear gods, he sounded shy. "It's kind of a new thing, and I want to make a good impression." The big lug was soft on his girl, yeah, that tracked.

  "Sure... " Wait a minute, his girl. Was he dating Misty yet? Was I about to meet Misty and Vik? Awesome. That might come in handy if I ever wanted to get chipped.

  "Tell you what, it's been a better day than I expected. I'll treat you guys to dinner." I'd like to see the two lovebirds have a good time. It would be nice to see... normal interaction between people for a change.

  "órale, you're alright, G."