Circulatory Flora (EEE X Wedge) NSFW IMAGES

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

@Wedge

Year 3037​

Neon lights made the city seem to have its own pulse. The hum of electricity filled the air more than natural wildlife which most people thought were legends since any natural occurring animals never crossed the city limits. Nothing but tales in the textbooks especially to Luna Morita.
Most in the city or ones that were smart or privileged enough worked for a Corps. Lina was the former and her skills at a net runner got her noticed when she hacked into BioTechnotics. Not own did she manage to slip through intense firewalls without getting caught Luna got cocky and broke through numerous times as a university student.

Was it for fame? Money? Power? None of that mattered she was doing it for fun. Setting off alarm bells until she slipped up leaving a trace of her escapades behind and Biotech finally caught up with her. Most who did things like this were swiftly dealt with by punishments and imprisonment and even death, but instead of erasing Luna from existence they saw potential in this youthful netrunner known as ‘Smoke’.

They saw potential in this skilled hacker especially since she hacked into their mainframe undetected so many times they couldn’t let this talent be discovered by anyone else. Once she graduated she ended up taking a position to strengthen their systems. Luna was one of the youngest recruits. They were more than happy to get her on their team and she earned her keep by making sure to keep them secure and in their place of power she would even trade other recruits especially since she was a success story for other net runners trying to make a living.

Working for biotech was lucrative and good all is well until she started getting sick and she wasn’t sure why. Even though she had healthcare she was scared to find out what it was but her boss has noticed that she was getting weaker and having trouble with your job and they got her into an appointment finding out she had a blood-borne disease and it was genetic and there was nothing much they could do with it but with the company she was working with once they tested her they realized she had the same blood type as one of the CEOs but didn’t tell her that I decided to offer her a chance to try something that was not on the market and untested to help prolong her life.Even though she had healthcare she was scared to find out what it was but her bosses noticed that she was getting weaker and having trouble with her job and they got her into an appointment finding out she had a blood-borne disease and it was genetic and there was nothing much they could do with it but with the company she was working with once they tested her they realized she had the same blood type as one of the CEOs but didn’t tell her that I decided to offer her a chance to try something that was not on the market and untested to help prolong her life. She normally wouldn’t trust them with such a big decision but she wasn’t ready to expired that soon so she took the chance and they just said it was just blood circulation and getting her replacement blood what they didn’t tell her was it was a classified nano bots experiment and when she signed the release even though she read the fine print they went ahead and did what they wanted anyway.

The first few times was just changing her blood out for new blood and it made her feel a lot better and she could continue working and months she did this and it wasn’t until around the six month mark they decided to inject her with experimental nano bots. Luna felt wonderful! She felt better than she ever had before. During one of their appointments when she was testing out how she would work during one of her hacking practices to make sure her body was fine she didn’t realize that she was becoming attached to her computer the nano bots were sinking with whatever she was doing and she began panicking as she typed away hacking and she was licking her self to the net with her own blood this was a great breakthrough for the corpsDuring one of their appointments when she was testing out how she would work during one of her hacking practices to make sure her body was fine she didn’t realize that she was becoming attached to her computer the nano bots were sinking with whatever she was doing and she began panicking as she typed away hacking and she was licking her self to the net with her own blood this was a great breakthrough for the corps! For Luna this was terrifying this was not something she signed up for the higher-ups or try to calm her down and this time they wouldn’t let her leave!

Luna what argue and fight but there’s nothing she could do they kept her they’re lying to everyone else who is looking for her saying that she was on sickleave as they started watching how her body reacted learning how these nano bots worked and no matter how many people they tried with she was the only person that survived this process and did not die a horrible death with the name on the bots exploding through them.

What they fail to realize that Luna was not one to lay down and do it they said she was plotting her escape already in the dark of the night they were dumb enough to forget that she was a net runner who could do a lot and break through the system she has done before and with the nano bots she could do it again even more stealthy that she had ever been using this to her advantage she broke out. Managing to elude all the alarms she’d get out of the ivory tower she was locked in with just the clothes on her back and whatever her belongings she could scrounge up but before she would hit the proper streets she would find a place to load up her card with credits she knew she couldn’t survive without any of those. She wore the clothes she managed to find which were some of the ones he was checked in with. Tying up her hair she took to the streets and she have to stay to the shadows. Someone like her on the streets it wasn’t safe but what else can she do she couldn’t go home they would look for her there and now she was a fugitive from biotech. The streets of the neon city were unforgiving and even though she was out she had to watch her back there were thugs and thieves and she looked ripe for the picking. She was no shrinking violet but she wasn’t built like a strong man and just as luck would have it her own lock was running out when she was stopped by a couple of thugs demanding credits and anything of value she had on her.

Luna was not going to go down without a fight and she would defend her self even though two against one was not very good odds but there was no way she was gonna go back to biotech or die out here. She would give them to a run for their money And they couldn’t get her that easily but what she wasn’t expecting was when she went to punch them instead of learning a punch she shot blood from the tips of her fingers and instead of just shooting blood at them it wrapped around the thugs neck like red wire and she kept him there she wasn’t expecting herself to go into survival mode or the nano bots but they had a mind of their own and they are protecting her the other thug wasn’t sure what to do other than trying to smack her or throw things at her. Sadly this kind of situation wasn’t ideal to be fighting in the back of an alley and if anyone walked in on her doing this it would be the end for her and she would be sent back but what else could she do she was stuck in the situation and she was running out of ways to escape all she was doing was holding them off and hoping for the best…..

 

[Wedge]

@EtherealElvenEmpress
At times you could forget what time it was in the city. Forget the HUD, forget the constant notifications and advertisements being shoved in your face. The hustle and bustle would not stop flowing as evident by the movment of bodies, vehicles, and drones. Time was money, and you did not want to be some useless gonk. If you wanted to actually make something out of yourself , and afford more than the bare necessities, then you needed to find your wat in this neon city. One ambitious netrunner caught in the current flow of hustle was wondering if he actually might have been shooting too far, and he regretted what happened at his current place of work. Well current might be generous, he might see himself unemployed by the end of the day. Such was the life of Verne Rossi.

This netrunner had worked in a pod of other netrunners for years now. Sure the jobs were mostly basic. Retrieve information about person whoever. Build a profile and see if anything stuck out. It was the digital equivalent to a assembly line almost, with one person handling a certain part of the process before handing it off. Sometimes it was nothing or you had a corpo spy. It paid well and there were some benefits eveb if the work was repetitive. It gave minor protection from the Obsidian Group who ran the pod of netrunners. Also it guaranteed decent pay that would make one slightly comfortable. But getting to the point, this netrunner had decided enough was enough. He busted his ass and took charge of his pod. He was an asset. No one could deny. Yet the poor netrunner called "RedSun" had unfortunately stepped on the wrong toes of his pod manager. Now his pod manager ,Kim, was making his life hell. Rhey were given projects with unattainable deadlines, and the worst work in the pod sent to him. His performance had dropped so much on the charts that they might tell him to go delta and not come back.

Money? Fame? Power? That all seemed out of reach. Only something a corpo could ever have, and Verne was far from that. Maybe one day he could reach the same heights of them. Be one of then staring down at this patchwork of a city from their glass castles in the sky. But not today. He was reminded of that as he trudged through an alley. His foot crushed some squishy object under foot with a small screech. He paused and raised his foot to look at the remains of a rat sticking to his shoe. He sighed and shook his foot back and forth, flinging what he could on the ground. Yeah he was far from that corpo life he thought. He closed his eyes and ran a hand through his short hair. The neon stream of data flowing down his arm, lighting his face with a blue glow. He silently stared into a puddle of water on the ground, looking at a annoyed face sneering back at him.


He gave himself a grin then stomped in the puddle as he continued home with a bag in hand.

Atleast he would have some good dinner tonight, he had decided to treat himself. A nice flavorful meal from Pepper and Spice, which was not just tasty but also had low chances of getting him sick. He could not wait to eat those dumplings. Yet those thoughts quickly left his mind as he heard the smash of glass and a cry of pain. Turning his head to look to the side, he was exposed to the third mugging he has witnessed today. Honestly, it was bound to happen in this area at night. Look weak enough and someone would take a crack at you. And by the sight of the woman currently being advanced upon, she did not get the memo. Maybe she was a recent addition to the local homeless gonks? Who knows, but Verne was just going to let things play out and head his own way when suddenly the woman shot some kind of wire from her hand. Verne blinked in surprise and narrowed his eyes as he tried to look at the aug, his eyes flashing a light cyan. But.. he was picking up nothing. Nothing visible either. Damn, looks like this girl had some high end stuff on her..Verne wondered how much it is worth. Maybe it was a ripperdoc testing something new. Something new was untapped information, and could be valuable to someone. Maybe he could get a payday out of this. And he was not some gone to let a opportunity slip away like this. Not when it was so simple.

Verne placed down his bag of dumpling down gently ontop of a nearby box. It would be a shame for that to become a casualty in the next few moments. All the while hearing cursing and the sounds of a scuffle. The bang of something on something fleshy. More cursing. He made his way to the not so wrapped up thug. His eyes meeting Luna's and he gives her a thumbs up hoping that she realizes he was on her team for now. He rolled his shoulders as he picked a brick off the ground and slammed it down upon the thug assaulting Luna. The sudden force causing the man to crumple to the ground. A stream of red flowing from the back of his head to the ground.

As for the man currently wrapped up in the blood red wire. Verne simply walked up to the man as he struggled in a fucked up game of tug of war with the woman. The thug struggling for breath and swinging. his arms wildly. Verne would look at Luna and would be silent for a moment like he was waiting for something before asking in a gruff voice " Is that all you can do with that? Just choke him out?... Hmm still looks nova I guess." He would grab the man by his collar and would then start to bash a fist repeatedly into his face. The struggles of the thug escalating for a moment before his struggling became weak and pathetic.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

Luna was not used to being on the outside like this she let a privileged life even if she got her self to some bad situation nothing was this bad! She kept herself out of trouble as much as she could but she couldn’t help but trying to break into things and luckily what she did had got her a job so that Job had left her with some extra goods that she wasn’t used to using. Still dresses in the black outfit of her corps company she very much looked out of place on the streets.

With her well kept looks like she just got lost but anyone seeing the situation would most likely ignore it since muggings happened so much in the city. Even the cops weren’t helpful. It wasn’t worth helping a vagrant especially if that vagrant had modifications that were illegal. What Verne had stumbled upon was pure gold. What he was saying was not a trick and she was at least holding off one of her assailants. The other one was trying so hard to get her to let go of his friends and just as luck would have it Verne came just in the nick of time!

That loud bang startled her and she started choking the first attack or even tighter drawing blood from his neck with her Nanobots. Luna damn near panic when she met his eyes but he gave her thumbs up signaling her and she almost turned her hand to him in a claw like state. He was so lucky she did not see him as a threat at least not yet. Luna didn’t think that she should let him go all she was doing was panicking and the only thing that broke her concentration was the stranger asking if that was the only thing she could do and without thinking she would let him go letting the blood red wire return to the depths of her body from which it came. The struggling stud fell to the ground and she looked like a deer in the headlights.

Her heart was racing so fast she could hear it ringing in her ears and she locked eyes with this newcomer who had just helped her and she was frozen in the position like she was ready to attack and where the red wires met her fingertips she had droplets of blood and if he looked at they they were being drawn back into her body. The strange women was silent before lowering her hands watching the street here and silent like a cat got het tongue.

“I….I don’t know….I…they protected me. I don’t know how they knew but I’m glad they did…thanks for the help….” She was obviously trying not to say to much since even the most sheltered in the city of neon dreams knew not to overshare. Frozen and watching she had no idea what to say. Her hero was strong and punching her attacker in the face making sure she was safe though she knew maybe she should run but shock kept her standing in place before she got an idea and figuring name dropping could keep her safe at least until she could make a proper move.

“It’s my fault I got lost. I’m from BioTechnotics I guess this isn’t where I’m supposed to be. Thank you.” She figured mentioning her company most would not touch someone linked to a well known corps. Luna at least looked at the part. She was too formal to be someone from the outside. Too put together, but she wasn’t dumb just lacked street smarts. “Name your price. You helped me and I appreciate it what can I do for you?” She at least knew the etiquette and was going to offer something perhaps he would ask for credits which most people on the streets would want any credits were not a problem for her she cleaned out her get them out of her account and had a good amount on her persons she was willing to part with it if he would let her go to find a safe haven. There was no way she would let him know she was on the run from BioTechnotics. For now they were not searching for her at least not telling people why they needed her she knew time was of the essence and she needed to go into hiding. Once they would start showing her picture she knew the end would be approaching since they would not let her go easily especially with the new technology that she was now synced with.

They would want her back and would do anything to get her back but they were smart about it she at least knew she had some time to get off the radar even though this was not her strong suit she needs to figure out what to do about Verne first.

 

[Wedge]

@EtherealElvenEmpress
Seems like that was all she could do, as the thug was released to the ground. Verne would pause in the beatdown to look at Luna and her hands, the strange red wires reentering her. "You don't know your own augs? Shit, what dirty shit you got in you. And they? I don't see any chooms following you. Pretty sure only one person just saved your ass. Me." Verne would say before going back to smashing the face of the last poor gonk in. Verne had two main thoughts occupying his mind. Her peculiar agument, and of course. He also wondered if the dumplings would still be hot when he got home. Multitasking was the norm, and he hated the idea of food going to waste. Especially food from Pepper and Spice. With the motivation of earning some credbits and eating a good meal, he got to work. He would rise form the ground after pummeling the man good, his eyes looking at Luna as she seemed to just stand there wide eyed. He put his hands up slightly and stayed where he was. Showing he was unarmed and that he meant no harm. He of course hoped she ignored the blood covering his fists.

Luna looked more like a feral animal than some corpo from BioTechnotics. But you could not deny the uniform. Made of some synthetic weave that made her stand out, almost made her look high class. Definitely leagues better than any joytoy in the vicinity. But she didn't need that attention now, attention seemed to be the last thing she needed right now. "Your welcome. Biotechnotics eh? Prem stuff. Heard their skin designers are next to none there. But doesn't explain why a corpo would be in this area. No security either." He looked her over and then made a point to look behind him and then turn in a circle looking around in the alley. Stepping on the thug that was on the floor in the process, and making him give a weak groan. Verne's blue eyes would eventually settle on hers and he would say "Maybe you stole that uniform, maybe you got shafted eh?"

Verne would be quiet for a moment as he waited for Luna to say something, anything. He figured he was dealing with a corpo that got burned. Happens all the time. Products in the machine, and once you served your purpose. Well you became a legacy system. Whether you fucked up long enough, or the politics of the business forced them a shitty hand. Yet if she had the credits, no problem in refusing them. Money talked."Name my price? 5,000 credbits. Chump change in exchange for saving a life. Maybe you can give me some data and we can lower that..like tell me. What kinf of aug was that? It from Biotechnotics?" His eyes took a curious glint in their eyes and a slight hungry look. It was the reason Verne was good at his job. Digging for information was interesting to him. Actually going below the surface and figuring someone out. And before him was a unique mystery. Strange augs, corpo uniform, and definitely not a corpo field agent. This girl did not have that cool and calm, too easily rattled. More questions were entering Verne's mind then answers. Time to take action.

Verne took a few steps back forward and leaned forward with a grin. "And after you give me something. I suppose I can respond in kind, because you look like a piece of prem chrome in a rusty junkyard. You don't belong here...What can I do for you?" He chuckled at the end. In his mind thinking of what Luna was seeing. This trashy man in a leather jacket that had a neon blue desert with a red sun on the back, sporting cloths that she could have probably bought with her lunch money. "Need some directions? Looking for a place to sleep the night? Because I would strongly recommend you don't hoof it in these alleys. You would probably wake up with nothing, or not wake up at all. Can help you out. Not for free of course. But I am worth it. Think I check some boxes." He pointed back at the thugs that were still on the ground.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

It truly was no fault of her own that that she had no idea how to use the aug she was given. Normally she’d be snippy especially at his comment, but Luna was still in a bit of shock. Not only had she strangled a thug but she left a trail of injuries escaping BioTechnotics. Silence filled the air before staring at the blood on his fists and his comment shook her back into reality. Most normal people would be screaming bloody murder at the sight, but not Luna.

“You’re right. You did save my ass and I owe you for that big time. No good deed goes unpaid.” She spoke softly but she at least understood business even if she was scared of herself. “No chooms at least not yet…” that sounded ominous as she looked around then back at Verne. Biotech wasn’t a corps that would just let her walk away scott free. Luna was watching Verne’s every move and when he held his hands up to show he wasn’t going to hurt her he could see her body language relax a bit though not fully. At least he wouldn’t feel her wrath anytime soon.

With her black synthetic weave uniform she stood out like a sore thumb or like a gazelle before a pride of hungry lions. There was no time to change when she ran off. It didn’t phase her when Verne named his price. She had that and then some. “8,000 credibits.” She upped his own demand before making hers. “If you get me a place to sleep, change of clothing and a way to lay low I’ll add more. Pretend I’m a shadow.” That was her offer. Even with him asking for info on her aug she was purposely ignoring it by flashing more credibits. Luna was smart enough to draw all of her savings on cards and reached into her pocket and pulled out one card offering it to him between her fingers. “This should have 10, 000 credibits. I’m paying for your help, your troubles, your silence and no questions. I think that’s a more than generous offer.” No normal person had that much disposable credibits meaning she’d be giving him more questions than answers. Luna worried if he would accept it or not.

“This piece of prime chrome is paying you for your discretion. If you do a good job I’ll add more. “ even if she was acting tough she was still scared. Life on the outside was something she was not used to a privileged enough to not experience. “Credibits talk and I need help. You offered and I’m paying. Shake on it and we have a deal.” With the card of credibits in hand she wondered if he would accept her terms and conditions. Luna wanted silence and no questions asked raising more questions about that mysterious aug in her blood. She knew it was experimental. They told her that. She had no idea how badly they wanted and needed her back since she was the first human to survive this sync. The less Verne knew the better off he was.

Looking over at the thugs she would agree to most of what this helpful stranger wanted as long as it wasn’t BioTechnotics sensitive information….

 

[Wedge]

@EtherealElvenEmpress
Verne cracked his neck and spread his arms giving a grin "Yeah I am fucking nova. Glad to meet someone that can see that." He looks down at his hands and shakes them in the air, shaking off the blood before reaching down and wiping his hands with the jacket of one of the thugs on the ground. He turned his back on the woman as he did so. Showing both trust as well as unconcern. Trust to show his back to her, but also showing that she did not worry him at all. Which was true to be honest. When Verne looked at Luna he didn't see no wild animal or a analyzing predator. She seemed the type of person to always be working for others. She was a pet or project to someone likely he thought. Taken care of and pampered. He snorted and shook his head as he thought of such before rising and facing her with a stoic face. Yet that stoic facade was quickly broken as she offered more than what he asked for. Verne liked credits like any other guy. And the mention of more credits..man even being handed double that. Alarm bells soon died out as the sweet sounds of digits rising in his bank account seemed very possible. "Oh.Well shit." He said very eloquently. Seems like greed caused his brain to lag for a moment.

It took him a moment to realize she was listing alot of demands. It was alot more than he was expecting, and he couldn't help but be filled by questions. Yet it was easy to beat down roaring questions down the the sweet though of MONEY! Verne would grin and spread his arms "I can do all that and more. Looks like you and I are in business. You got no chooms? Well I am your choom starting ass" He grabbed her hand and shook it, making sure to take ahold of the card in that moment. "Of now." He looked her in the eyes and nodded at her "RedSun. you can call me Red." As they shook the neon stream of data on his had pulsed and moved. If she had any wireless devices she would get a packet of contact information sent to her. The digital business cards of the day shared over in barely a second. "There it is official."

After sharing his information Verne let go of her hand, using the close proximity to sneak a glance at her hands. But still nothing he could recognize or see. He hummed and turned his thoughts off her augs and onto the job at hand. Taking care of this strange ass corpo. He would look at her outfit and motion to her "Sure I got a place we can head to. But you have to hide well..all this." He turns to the thugs on the ground and would manhandle one, stripping them of their dirty hoodie. A maroon hoodie with the image of some band on the front. A picture of a metallic flower bursting into flames on the back. He would toss that at Luna and say "Cover yourself up before someone thinks you are a high class joytoy. We don't need the attention."

He would then walk away from her to grab his bag of dumplings that was safe and sound. Slightly warm still. He hummed and said over his shoulder "Hurry up. Your in a rush it seems. and that makes me worried that we might run into some more gonks." He would lean against a dumpster as he looked inside his bag and closed it. After all of this his appetite was almost gone now. He had a bad feeling about all of this. This girl had more money then he anticipated..is she somebody actually? He figured she was noone, but the way she was throwing creds was not the norm. It meant either she was scared, desperate, or had enough money to not be concerned about it. Hell might as well ride it out, he can try and search for shit on her at his place. Well one of his places. In his line of work it was always good to have a backup place to crash. Sure it cost alottt, but hey when shit hits the fan and he is burned he can run to his backup safehouse.

He would wave at her and start to head off "Keep up, I'm not looking to brawl every gonk in the district over your ass. Would hate to lose these credits." He made sure to kick one of the thugs that was starting to rise as they exited. The kick sending the man back into the ground with a thud. A small grin on his face as he was the one dealing pain instead of taking it at the moment. He chuckled and would move on down the alley.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

Luna knew that credibits were king anywhere. She did not have to worry about money with her lineage on her skills so the amount she offered her was literally chump change to her. She had no idea who he was but he was willing to help her and if she would keep him with the credits that was something that she was willing to do. That was more than enough to make sure they didn’t find her again. When he turn his back to her she realize he was giving the benefit of the doubt but she didn’t really make the connection that he didn’t really worry about her hurting him. To be honest she should be scared of him but she wasn’t he helped her and when he would finally turn around after shaking the blood off of his fists. He wiped his hands on the guy who attacked her which was strange but she said nothing especially since she was completely out of her element.

Credits or credits no matter who was giving them out and this deal was something she desperately needed. He wasn’t going to ask her too many questions which she really didn’t want to answer anymore or give too much about herself. Her attention was fully on him and even though she should’ve been paying attention to her surroundings it was easy to see that she wasn’t used to having to do that. She at least noticed his stoic façade changed when she offered more. That was something she would file away for later especially if she needed any more help.

Verne knew the price of getting that many credits. Her secrecy talk much about her without saying anything at all. this woman wanted to remain unknown. His excitement was a good sign and when he opened his arms and said he could do that anymore she knew she was going to go with him. He was now her choom and when he took her hand to accept her offer she wasn’t expecting it to be so friendly and she stiffened up completely and shook his hand and giving him the credits on the card with the only strings attached was her secrecy.

“Red? I can remember that. To you just call me Smoke.” That seemed to make it official as she stood straight up with her hair tied back in a very official bun she would make eye contact and make note of his face especially since she be saying it a lot more often. There was no way she was going to give him her real name and even if she gave him her handle he could look up that name and she was all over the net but her normal face was not connected. He was learned that there was a net runner name smoke who is good at what they did but he probably would not put two into together considering she worked for corps. At least not yet.

With the handshake Luna’s Devices would vibrate taking his information but she wouldn’t send anything back. It was confirmed and now official. She was now his problem. He was able to get a good look at her hands and there was nothing distinguishing about them that was one good thing about this net runner she was literally smoke. Untraceable and hard to catch. The company would have a hard time finding her now that she was out and being a troublemaker and smart to boot she also had different ways to get her stashed credits.

When he turned to the thugs on the ground And told her that she would also have to hide she understood that but she wasn’t expecting him to suggest her put on one of their jackets! “ can’t I just buy some thing that’s filthy and disgusting.” Now that spoiled princess attitude was starting to show. “A joy toy?” Luna scoffed at the thought before complaining a bit more. “I get hiding but that? Fine…this is only temporary and for the record even high class joytoys can’t afford this brand.” Luna was not happy a the filthy jacket with terrible imagery tossed at her but put it on and followed with tapping of her matching black stilettos that she had no issues walking in.

He was right she was in a rush and she at least made a point to keep up once he got his dumplings. Even in a rush every so often she’d stop and look around since this area was a place she’d never been too even in her university days. When Verne kicked the guy again the fancy dressed escapee winced but said nothing since she didn’t feel bad for him since he did try to hurt her. At least with the jacket on she looked more like a red light districting worker following her pimp.

“Where do we go from here? Keep me safe and you’ll be paid handsomely for it. I’ve never been down here before so do get pick a hotel or rent a room?” She was showing she had no idea how it worked when someone hires a choom which most likely gave him some insight on just how privileged his new customer was. Eventually he’d learn exactly what kind of trouble he’d taken it but at least her credibits were just as good as anyone else’s.

 

[Wedge]

With a shake the partnership had begun. Sure this girl was like a ghost, but hey she was panicing or running off after what just happened. She had some steel in her, even if it looked like she would complain alot. Verne felt his eye twitch at her comments. He hoped that this was not some stuck up daughter of a corpo..well actually that would mean she might have alot more credbits. He frowned internally as he wish he had more info to work with. But hey, he was on the clock for her. Might as well get started.

And Verne was wasting no time. He stided through the crowd. His face set in a scowl, and his fists clenched into fists. He looked pissed and the guy that would not take shift from anyone at the moment. As they walked Verne made sure to stay in fron of Luna, but not outpace her. He would idly talk back to her as they moved. Verne would say "Chooms call me Red. Since you just made me 10,000 credbits richer, I will give you that. And no need to tell me twice Smoke, I am not some gonk. I plan to keep you safe." As he said her name, it sounded like he was testing it out. His mind going over handles but hers was too generic. Simple, and easy to forget. Guess he would have to really dig later to learn anything about her. Maybe he wouldn't, huh could be playing with a half assed grenade here.

Verne would tilit his head at the woman as he continues "Want to get a hotel or room in this area?" He raised a eyebrow at her and let out a breath as he laughed. "Let me just say that your cloths would probably be the cleanest thing in the room. Even with that jacket we borrowed. Plus the walls are thin. People would hear what you say, and you would hear the sounds they would make. So if you want privacy and safety we are going to a..safehouse. Yeah." He thought of the apartment he got just for a bad situation, and remembered that there was one bed. He hoped Smoke did not mind sleeping on the couch. He was starting to get a feeling that would be something she would bitch about. It was becoming crystal clear the high standards this girl had.

Verne would look around them, stopping as a red hologram flashed in front of them at a crosswalk. Traffic shooting past, with the sounds of engines filling the air. He would see a clothing store across the street and would think about her cloths. She did mention buying something. So. that meant she had even more credits. And it sounded like she cared about high quality stuff compared to the jacket. Too Verne the jacket was fine, hell it had no holes in it. What was her problem? "We are not stopping anywhere by the way. So get used to that jacket for now." He would give a tug on her jacket "Less people that see you, the more smoke and mirrors we have to work with. You paid for discretion. Your getting it. Plus last thing we need is you throwing money around in a shop, which I have a feeling you would do. I don't think you are the type of girl to get the shit in clearance..since you are wearing a brand that not even a high class joytoy could afford." He rolled his eyes as he repeated her words back at her.

Eventually the lred hologram turned green and Verne walked across the street. As they moved, they would eventually enter a nearby district. Still shanty and not easy on the eyes. Honestly the one difference between this district was the marking and holographic tags of a sharp metallic ore everywhere. Verne would relax as they enter Obsidian Group territory. He could already see the lookouts on the corners giving him a onceover, and stopping at the sight of a emblem on the right shoulder of his jacket.

The Obsidian Group were known mostly for two things, protection and transportation. It was easy to spot a member. Most of the time they were near one of their bikes, as most of the members were ex-nomads or bikers. Verne himself was a member, but only because his pod was assimilated by the Obsidian Group. They were fun to roll with, and if they saw one of theirs in trouble they would jump in without hesitation. Loyalty was everything to these guys. Traitors were not tolerated. There were some main rules to the group. But one of the main ones was the rule of omerta. Nobody snitched on a fellow member or what the group did. If you did, well you would likely not last the week. These guys were ruthless. So it was comforting to walk into their territory knowing that they had some discretion. Still, it was good to just look like he was with a joytoy than escorting a corpo. Verne would put a arm around Luna and whisper into her ear "Suck your pride and just hang off my arm for a bit, almost there." As they entered this district, it become clear that things were taken care of here. The streets were more clean, and businesses had more business. There were even a few eating spots where some people were sitting outside. Some laughter and shouting could be heard coming from a nearby bar.

They slowed down their pace, as Verne looked at Luna. He wondered why she seemed so curious about everything. She had stopped so many times on their stroll through the city. Did she never get out? Were places like this even on her radar? It was a little cute how she looked at everything, and a little concerning. He would give a small grin and say to her "Welcome to the the Synapse District."

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

If Verne knew the reason she was running he might understand why she was trying to get away. there was no way she was going to get that information to him in the first place but for now with that handshake they were now joined as partners. She might be a pain in the ass but at least she be paying him and he would have to deal with her being a pain in the ass. Luna was not used to this life but it seem like luck was on her side when Verne found her.

He wasted no time taking her through the streets and she couldn’t help but look around she was so curious about everything especially since she never got out and slummed it like most people. The neon lights were gorgeous but she didn’t really have time to enjoy looking up though she wouldn’t notice stores and stuff every so often to take in clothing stores. Too busy looking around she didn’t notice the scale or how he clenches his fist as he walked ahead of her and she stayed as close as she could making sure he was her watchdog. When he called her name she snapped out of the trance she was in and pay more attention to him. If he was testing to see how she reacted she reacted right away to being called that. Little did he know that was her name and had been for a while and most people knew the netrunner called smoke. The thing was no one would put the two and two together since she kept her personality and smoke completely separate only biotech knew it. At least he wouldn’t know it now but later if he looked up that name he would find a good amount about smoke they were good and even though they weren’t as active these days the legend was alive. At least the grenade he was playing with was at least loaded with credibits.

When he mentioned about getting a hotel in the area and started describing it she winced and shook her head no. “Seriously? So there aren’t any good hotels around here? I’ll take your word on that especially since you know more than I do out here. I’m putting my trust in you and I have a feeling you’re a loyal for the right amount. And I plan on keeping you loyal.” she at least knew her business and how to keep clients though this was not a client she had ever dealt with before but this time she was the client. He had already figured her out that she would probably argue about not having a bed but what choice did she have he would find out just how much of a pain in the ass she would be when they got there.

He didn’t notice her looking at shops and when he told her don’t even think about it she started pouting which is some thing she didn’t mean to do it just came naturally. The tug on the jacket made her cross her arms underneath her small bust and huff. “what If I didn’t go in but you did I think I wear a size 2 or three if you just bought me a jacket it wouldn’t set off any alarm bells wouldn’t it?” she was pushing her luck but she really couldn’t help it if he said she couldn’t get in or go shopping what was stopping him? The lost corpo prize was getting a bit frustrated but there was not much she could do. “Fine. I will deal with this hideous jacket for now but I won’t keep it forever I’m sure I’ll figure something out don’t you guys have delivery for clothing out here?” they both came from very different worlds and it was starting to show especially since he was assuming things will be delivered and fixed or bought. Even Verne could be bought so that was just proving hey point! “it’s just one shop Red…. can you just slip it and buy me one jacket pretty please?” figuring she could probably sweet talk him like she did anyone else she figured her charms would easily make him weak and do what she wanted even though he had such a gruff exterior all men were the same weren’t they? Figuring she was pretty enough and that she was paying him he had to do what she wanted but maybe he might knock her down a peg or several because she needed it.

It was amazing how she kept up with his pace in those heels of hers and when they started getting closer to a new area he could see that she was getting nervous and with that it made her more silent. Her brown eyes went wide as she looked at the symbols and the place that looked not as bad as the outside but still not perfection. The emblem in her sight made her look nervous not because she knew what it was but she would get close enough to Verne to whisper something. “I Think I saw that symbol in my textbooks…. you sure this is safe to use them?” this poor sweet summer child knew enough but was still so naïve. She didn’t even notice the emblem on his old jacket that was how oblivious she was!

Everyone knew of them but she never worked with them or got close enough to know who any of them were especially from where her ivory tower stood. Luna was going to say more before he told her to suck in her pride and leave her arm with his and believe it or not she actually listened! “Don’t you dare get the wrong idea about me putting my arm with yours.” whispering to him just to make sure she made everything was clear. That was all she managed to say before her attention was drawn to everything and when he introduced it at the synapse district her eyes went completely wide. Even though she was the one who told him not to try anything she clung to him tighter well they walked further in. “We have to get something to eat here! I heard they have good food at least I read about it this place actually does exist how do you just walk in like that?” Luna kept her voice low but he could tell she was excitable and she was looking at different restaurants at least now her mine was off the jacket and more on food. “ I didn’t even know people can visit this I thought you had to have special clearance. I still can’t believe this is real!” For a moment Luna forgot that she was actually on the run and really should pay attention to everything but for now she was excited about seeing something that’s the only read about on the net. Verne was at least seeing how sheltered she was with her life especially being a place like this all she wanted to do was run around and look at things and luckily for him she still kept her arm linked with his because she was too scared to walk off on her own.

 

[Wedge]

@EtherealElvenEmpress
Verne would raises a eyebrow at the pouty Smoke before him. He didn't see the problem with the jacket. Sure it smelled, but it was hiding her outfit decently. Plus the logo on the back was of a band that was not that bad. She should be lucky she found such a thing. As the woman complained about her jacket, he glanced at her at her figure. Sure she was turning out to be a annoying brat, but her looks made it worthwhile he guessed. Even with the fight in the alley, and whatever else she has been through. She still looked sharply cut and refined. Almost designed in a way. Sure she was petite as he towered over her, noticing as she crossed her arms her small bust became noticeably. But after being around meatheads all the time, large muscular woman have lost their appeal to Verne. She looked nova, but he wouldn't admit. Last thing he needed was a inflation of her ego. Hell the way she said she planned on keeping him loyal..sounds like something you would say to a dog. A mental image of Luna throwing credbits at Verne, and then saying 'Good boy!' filled his mind and he frowned. he had mixed feelings about that.

As Luna relented to the jacket, but instead tried to backpedal one more time on getting one, Verne raised a eyebrow at her and nodded his head. He said "Delivery? What the...You know what? I hear what you are saying. And you are the Boss. It is just one shop. I-I guess we ca-" He stutters at the end before he snorts and looks at her in the eyes "Yeah no. I go in and leave you out here with the gonks? Just use the jacket for a bit, you look fine. Like any other street trash..Just way cleaner. You can toss the jacket literally tonight. I will get you cloths later." He would shake his head and steer her away from the bright shop that had some punk and colorful apparel inside of it. A bell sounding as someone left the shop with a bag of cloths.

As they walked through the Synapse District, Verne said back to her "Safe to use them? Yeah. Think of it as a advertisement..or a warning. in this area. You got nothing to worry about though. Your trust is in me right?" He rolled his eyes and was surprised she gave in so easily of giving him her arm. As her arm clung tighter to him Verne looked over at Luna. He grunted at her and her wide eyes "Relax, just pretend your out enjoying the city. Your going to catch some eyes with how your head whipping about hah. And what idea should I be getting?" he teased back at her. "I'm just escorting my boss through a rough district, right?"

As the two walked through Synapse, the street would be lively. Bars would be populated by the large meatheads of the Obsidian Group, the rocky emblem on their jackets visible. Even with such a crowd, people were just going about their day. The synapse district was called as such because of its closeness to the port of the city. Most of what came in had to do through that district. Almost like a buffer zone, and this caused alot of traffic. Couriers, trucks, even the occasional transport chopper. You could hear the groaning of the cranes in the port as well from here faintly. The large monstrosities giving metallic moans as they moved containers. Quiet did not exist here, whether morning or night. Due to the large amount of workers and immigrants, plenty of restaurants have opened close to the port. A good variety too, with the immigrants trying to make their living not far from the boats they came on.

"Just depends on who you are, certain groups are not allowed. But plenty of normal people visit, the more bodies means the more people spending money.You want something to eat?..You know what, yeah. I see no problem with that. Come on." He would look around, but it seemed like he was not looking at the restaurants and looking for something else. Leading her not to a restaurant, but to a bright yellow truck set up on a corner. It looked like a fortified beast, jury rigged from various parts and junks. Something a nomad would have. There was a few people eating nearby. Sitting on the steps that led to some apartments or just leaning against a wall. Verne would raise his hand into a fist and call out to the man working inside the truck. "ANDY! Wassup Choom?"

A muscular nomad would look his way. A durag tied around his head and his face almost hidden by a heavy beard. He would raise metallic arms up at Verne and say "Ahhhh brother, good to see you!" Andy would be wearing a red shirt with the image of some foreign structure of the past on his shirt. On his neck would be a tattoo of the emblem of the Obsidian Group. "What you need brother? What can I-- WHY YOU GO TO PEPPER AND SPICE HUH?! The FUCK! What you doing bringing that here?!" Andy smile would turn to a frown as he motions exaggeratedly at Verne's bag of dumplings that sported the logo of the restaurant. Verne would shrug at the man and say "I need a break ever now and then man..look I am going to order. Uhh..Smoke come here and order something." From the smell it was obvious to see that this food truck was serving Middle Eastern Cuisine. The sizzle of rice, and the smell of herbs and spices for the falafel filling the air.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

This was not an act she just could not help but be pouty and a bit spoiled especially when she wanted new clothing she never had to want for anything and this jacket she had no idea who the band was and she hated that it was just off of some guy not even a boyfriend. Even boyfriends would have different taste in music but she had no idea who this band could be. He could tell she was being stubborn but she was at least keeping her trap shut for now. The jacket itself hid how fancy she looked Which meant it was doing its job the way Verne wanted it to. If she had any say in it she would’ve picked a half crop jacket and probably stood out even more he was at least lucky she was relenting for now. This would not be the end of it. As she held onto Verne she’s noticed how tall he was and bigger than her he was. She had seen Joytoys whine surfing net but she didn’t realize how much right now she looked exactly like. A high class one at that. Obviously she didn’t realize how she sounded when she told him she would keep him loyal by using credibits. It was something she couldn’t help most women or men who are higher up in the ranking figured that those credibits would talk and make people do what they want and this was the first time she was actually implying that power outside of her ivory tower.

Luna would perk up when she finally saw Verne seemingly understand exactly what she wanted. She mentioned delivery and getting new clothing and for a moment she looked smug as she would smile like she had just won a prize at a party. “I’m really happy and seeing everything my way…. delivery and one shop and yes I am the boss I’m glad you’re finally seeing things the proper way because…”That thought would not be able to finish when he shot it down mercilessly and she looked outright shocked and her jaw dropped. “But Fine boss and whatever I say goes…”even though that was a powerful line she sounded like she was questioning it and even though she was used to having power she could tell she wasn’t used to using it to her advantage to throw around just like most the cronies up in the ivory tower she was slightly different and by different she wasn’t barking orders at him mercilessly she was actually questioning why he wasn’t following instead of throwing her weight around and making him do exactly what she wanted. On be outside she was no one of power even though she tried to throw it around. Being as scary as a mini robot was not doing anything to her advantage and Verne could probably tell she might have relied on her connections and looks though that was not going to work or cut it out on the streets. The one thing that made her go silent was when he said he she looked like street trash but cleaner. “I really need new clothing if I look like straight trash is this dress out of season already?” Asking him like he knew exactly what the trends were it made her self-conscious as she looked down at what she was wearing she knew the dress was new but fashion changed so quickly! The worried look on her face dissipated when he mentioned getting her clothing later and that made her smile like she won the war. “I’ll hold you to that word because your word is very important we are going shopping once things die down not just for me but for you too.” Now she was getting what she wanted at least not in the moment but soon especially since now she was confirming it and she would never forget that he offered and he probably had an idea that she would not let us go.



The way she was looking around she couldn’t help it everything was new to her. It was like she was in an android shop trying to pick a new companion friend. Wide brown eyes looked around in shock that this place was even real. “ I can’t help it look at all of this! I’ll try but the lights are so bright. I can’t believe this is a thing…. there’s so many shops here do you think they’re thousands or millions? Do you think androids run some shops? This is so much better than my textbook!” Luna was at least trying but she couldn’t help but still look like a tourist in a place that she stood out as she clung tighter to Verne though she would loosen your grip just a little bit and try to look normal even though it was hard for her to do so. When he mention if she trusted him she nodded yes. “I’m putting all of my trust in you. I have a good feeling about you especially since you saved me. You are the best boy.” it still sounded like she was talking about a dog but she just couldn’t help the way she spoke and he probably had a feeling it was because of her upbringing. The fact that he was teasing her light in the mood as she looked around not sure what they could eat around here. “is there a way I could try one of everything?” That was an interesting request for such a petite woman. He would be very shocked to see that she could eat and after all the running she did she was starving. Every so often the metallic moans made her jump and clean to him tighter he could tell she wasn’t used to being outside and someplace so wild but even if it scared her she was still a trooper and walking through and looking at everything but trying not to make eye contact with anyone.

At least when he started talking about politics her focus was more on him and he could see how she was turned to him and watching him while he talked about the groups and how things worked. She was the type of person that would remember such information. “So anyone is welcome here. That I did not know they told us that in order to come here you have to have a connection or I have done something bad but you’re saying it’s just a play for connections kind of like a port it’s not all that bad when you say it like that.” What kind of life has she been leading? Her misconceptions on this place were out of this world literally! The moment he told her to come on she would follow especially since she was linked with him arm and arm and her stomach was now starting to growl a little. She looked down sheepishly afraid that he heard it but over the moans of the machinery he probably didn’t or if he did he wouldn’t say anything but then again maybe he would she had no idea.

He could easily lead her but when he let her to a food truck she would look curiously at it and hopefully his friend wouldn’t notice that she looked enthralled and captivated by such an amazing looking thing. Hopefully his friend did not notice how she was looking at the truck like she had never seen one in real life before and honestly she never did. For now she did not even say anything but she was looking at the truck but now at the bag of dumplings he had even more curious about how they tasted but she wouldn’t ask for one yet and her concentration was too broken when he asked her to come over and order something. Like a fish her mouth opened and closed before looking over at her protector. Without saying anything out loud she leaned in and stood on her tiptoes to try and reach his ear and whisper something. “I… I don’t know what to order pick something I’ve never eaten something like this before. Do I just order one of everything?”Luna had no idea what to order and she had no idea what the food was but it smelled amazing and even at looking at she had no idea what to pick! Verne should know something and she would take take anything. “ I have no allergies. I’ll eat pretty much anything do you think I have wine?” Now this was going to be intersting! She had no idea how to order something simple or order at all she was used to placing orders via the net not in person! The smells of the spices and nostrils making her stomach want that. “I want whatever smells that good!” she would point at the she had no idea what to call it but it seems like she at least made up her mind.

 

[Wedge]

Was life at the top really that different? The way that Luna acted and reacted to well..everything was concerning. Where Verne saw some beaten down stalls and some people trying to scam you, she saw little wonders it seemed. And best boy? His word being important? She put more stock into him then he thought she should. Verne thought corpos needed to be ruthless, shadowy figures and enforcers of the corporations that ran the city. But Luna just seemed..innocent. What had she experienced and what had she only read about? He couldn't help but see her as puppy being taken out on a walk...he could probably take the credits and run. She would not be able to find him again. Somethign didn't feel right about this...but he took the money. It was a job at the end of the day, and she wasn't the worst boss. So he ansered her questions and kept close to her. She clung tightly to his arm and sometimes they would press against each other in the crowd. "My gosh you are like a tourist...yeah some androids run shops for their owners. And no you can not try one of everything." But he could tell she was lookign at the restaurants with some longing and holdign her stomach a bit..so here they were at a food truck. And she kept surprising him.

Verne would crosses his arms as he would wait for Luna to order something. As she opened and closed her mouth, Verne was baffled. Has she never ordered food before? He was pulled from his thoughts as she leaned in close, standing on her tippie toes and her breath washing over his face. He leaned his head down and would bob his head as he learned more about this sheltered shorty. He would hum and then whisper back to her "..Food is food, I mean..wait have you ordered one of everything from a restaurant before? Why do you keep asking for that? How loaded are you?!" He shook his head and turned his head to look at Andy. Hoping Andy did not hear her say 'One of everything.' The guy would sink his teeth into such a suggestion. Verne would scratch at his head and turn his head "What smells good? Okay.." He would wrap a arm around her and grin at Andy "She a little shy Andy, but she would like a Bassi Combo."

"One Combo? Alright one combo for the woman! Who is she by the way brother? Haven't seen her around here before." Andy got to work into the food truck, walking int he confined space and gathering some items into a container. He would comment idly as he says "She looks way above your paygrade brother hahahah!" Verne would snort and raises a eyebrow "Make more than you think Andy. She is just some girl I found at the bar. She has not deltaed yet, so seeing where it goes." No need to give Andy any details, just some random hookup for his eyes. Andy would nod and look at Luna, giving her a onceover and then saying "Well he is feeding you? Must like you. He does not usually do this...Hmm, well if you get tired of him, let me know!" Andy would wink at her and laugh "HAHA here you go. Enjoy! Close enough to my mama's! Enjoy!" Andy would hand Luna a plastic container that was hot to the touch. He would nod his head and then focus on the next customer in line.

Verne would quickly guide them out of there, shaking his head and chuckling "That gonk..but he does make decent food." And he was trustworthy. One of the few people that Verne considered a actual choom. Andy was a collector, one of the guys who collected taxes for the Obsisian Group. Members of Obsidian Group were expected to give in a cut of what they made to the group. Since most of the work came from the Obsidian Group anyway, most had no issue with this. So when ordering a meal at his truck, someone could slip him the extra creds of what they owed. Anyone caught lying about what they make..well the group did not look kindly on that. And those extra credits you earned would be going to your hospital bills. Verne reminded himself to drop by sometime int he next couple days. He had to give a cut of what Luna was paying him.

But for now they would soon make it to the complex where the safehouse was. As they ride the elevator up, Verne got a couple looks from some others smoking or just idling about. Some even giving him a few thumps ups..which he responded with a middle finger and grin. Seemed like Luna was drawing more attention form her looks than he expected. As he looked at her petitie body he could understand the interest. He thinks the word others would use is..fun size? Maybe. Her large eyes were memorizing, and the look of curiousity on her face..shit he was getting carried away. Verne would huff and guide them to the apartment, unlocked the door with a wave of his arm, and then entering a pin on a keypad on the door.

Inside..well the apartment was small. A large circular window in the living room, let light come in to make everything visible. It Only consisting of three rooms. A small kitchen, with only a few cabinets. The appliances old and beat up, but they worked..he hoped. The living room where here was a few pieces of furniture and his bed close by. And last of all..the bathroom. Now that shit was't even electric. Knobs for the sink and for the shower. Yet it got the job done. "Alright welcome to your hideaway, pretty cozy."

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

Life at the top was nothing like life down here this world was so new to her everything was fantastic. The way her brown eyes took in everything it was like she was saying something real for the first time. Higher level elite never saw the dregs of humanity and here she was walking with them and exploring the regular streets. For Luna and her family Word was important and most of the higher elites knew that from the Morita family. She had no idea who she was right now but when he would find out he would probably understand why she wants the way she was. She was from a very well-known cybernetics family with connections in that would most likely explain her bright eyed and bushy tailed views on the world. The majority of corpo were Ruthless and cold hearted and she was a product of one that actually trying to be different and we’re actually succeeding though where she was working was a whole different story. This heiress herself had protections on her and a part of her didn’t even realize how important they were. It was really ironic that she saw him at the dog and he saw her as a puppy they both had interesting views on each other. If she had a cybernetic tail she would be wagging it like crazy right now as she watched the city through eyes that never saw them this close up. Verne could’ve easily abandon her and left her in the city taking her credibits, but he didn’t. He just letting this play out and it would get only crazier and more interesting by the second. When he mentioned how she was like a tourist it made her laugh and bring her free hand to her lips to hide the fact that she was chuckling it was such a Muir action that most joytoys would not do something that adorable. Leading closer she would whisper without thinking: “ This is the first time I was ever able to be a tourist without a guide or keepers. If I knew it was this fun I would’ve done it long ago.” that was a very big truth bomb that she didn’t even think that she should’ve kept herself. Just the fact that she was out here on her own probably constituted as a massive red flag, that and her order one of everything mentality. “why not? One of everything is always a good thing especially if you don’t know what you’re going to like. Even if you don’t finish it you've at least tried it. Live for the experiences.” it was wet her mother always said and she lived by that manta. The only thing that was confusing her with how to order she always used a system or had her servants do it for her. now when it actually came to ordering she looked completely stumped.

She was like a fish out of water as she stared at the food truck holding her flat belly. Completely confused Luna would look up at Verne. He easily took the hint of her confusion and told the truck vendor she was shy and he ordered something for her and while he didn’t look at her right away he could feel how her hand on his arm relaxed as he ordered. Even though with him she talked but he could feel her get nervous when Andy would address her and she kept silent. Truth be told she never interacted with anyone beneath her status who lived on the outside. When he mentioned she was above his paygrade it was impossible not to see her blush a deep Crimson red and now she cursed the fact that her hair was back in a bun. If her long hair at least hit underneath it. She wanted to tell him that she wasn’t what he thought she was, but luckily she kept her trap shut. When he said he must like her she chuckled and looked down and clung harder to Verne. He was her protector and she was letting him do his job especially since he had no idea how to talk to anyone out here except for him sort of. Andy mentioned if she got tired of Verne to let him know And that was when she looked up at him and letting him deal with the food she made a decision to finally say something before she still on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on Verne’s cheek. It was nothing spectacular but it was very chased. “That all depends on how he performs tonight. I’m sure it will be a wonderful meal will eat it while it’s hot and save some for after let’s hope his performance is good it’s his talk.” Luna had some balls on her to say that to the food truck guy but she figured maybe if she was too quiet it would look suspicious. Now poor Verne would be a questioned about what would happen later when he came back for more food. That didn’t matter to her he could make something up if he wanted. When the left she let out a sigh of relief aunt kept quiet about her comment. It was up to him to break the ice after that. When he spoke about the food she said nothing about her comment but she noted that she didn’t notice people giving him thumbs up before shooting him on telltale look. “A part of me wants to ask how many women you bring home but then again that’s none of my business. I’m gonna guess a lot.” Luna was indeed fun sized and as she walked the clicking her heels filled the streets. His reaction was cute when he shot the middle finger but she ignored them like a proper lady. Letting him lead the way to his apartment. Even along the way she didn’t care about the stairs she was just looking at the area it was still amazing even though it wasn’t the best area it was still something she never seen before.

when they found his apartment and went up she didn’t notice when he punched in the keypad but when he let her in she would take the first step in the first place she went was the circular window to sit on the side of it and stare outside like a curious kitten. Taking off that jacket and once as comfortable as she could be she reached up and undid her tight bun in her hair leading in long Raven tendrils topple down and pool where she was sitting. Luna had long hair way down her back and then some to spare as it pulled right behind her it most likely went past her rear end as she sat staring at the neon lights of the synapse district. The light from this district reflected on her porcelain skin as she watched and took an everything as if it was a movie or a VR program being streamed just for her.

“This is so retro! I never thought I’d see one of these places was it hard to get? Is it expensive to get one of these? How do you maintain it? Do you have any android servants?”
Now this curious visitor was asking him all sorts of questions even though she should be worried about herself and BioTechnotics but right now she was safe and no one was looking for her…yet. Normally her family left her alone since she was doing her own thing and her brother who is the one taking over Morita Cybernetics was is keeping her father busy She was in the wind and she was hoping maybe they would forget about her but right now she was occupied and eventually she would have to deal with her reality and what was in her blood that would make sure no one would forget about her anytime soon; especially BioTechnotics.

 

[Wedge]

@EtherealElvenEmpress
She had money, and she was use to having it. Those were the words that were going through Verne's mind as she retorted. As she answered his questions. Which made him even question why she was in out here. Why was she even in that alley? None of it made sense. But hey, the credbits were real enough. She proabbly just saw him as a tool, or a means to a end. He was still trying to figure out if these signs of innocence were just a act. Something the corpo just does to make herself look harmless. Too soon to tell honestly. But he will play along. "Some people can not afford one of everything, plus that sounds like a waste of food. Just get one thing and enjoy it. Or not. Like a surprise." Yet as Verne ordered her food, he though maybe she got one of everything because she never had to decide. Maybe she just always got whatever and never needed to make a choice...Maybe she was a runaway. Corpo parents and she is just decided to delta. He would nod to himself as that seemed to be the most plausible explanation.

He was taken out of his thoughts by a wet sensation on his cheek. He noticed the lack of distance between them and how Luna clung to him tightly. Her head lowering quickly as she got off her tippie toes. Verne took a moment to look at the smaller woman, and he thought for a moment what it would be like to see her without the jacket and her skin tight suit on.He would hum and look at Andy giving him a wink "Well sorry brother, your shit out of luck!" Reaching over he would smack her rear lightly and laugh. If she was messing around, he could too. He would ignore her reaction with a cheeky grin, and quickly grab the food and make off. Answering her other questions later, thinking of the other women he has been with. "You would guess right. Nothing like a quick bang, someone calling you prem. But don't get jealous. Your a star above the rest..and that is not because you paid me 10,000 credits. Of course." He drawls those last two words out with a grin. As they walked he couldn't help but notice how comfortable he was with this girl. She was no gonk, just a mysterious ass corpo.



As they entered the apartment, Verne would be the first one in. Heading to the couch and flopping on it, setting the food down and opening his bag of dumplings. "Come eat. Also Hard? Yeah. Made a deal with the owner of the building, did some work for him. And no servants or droids to maintain it, all me..but you are free to try your hand at it as you will be staying here." As he looked up he watched as the she stared out the window. Her hair flowing behind her and her perfect skin glowing from the neon lights of the city. hmm he could get use to this sight. But time to get to business. As he opened his bag he would say "Alright some ground rules. First, you paid me. But this place is still mine. No messes, and make sure to not break anything." As he grabs a dumpling with a fork and pops it into his mouth. He chews and swallows quickly. "Second, no wandering off. You know nothing about the area, and it is easy to just end up as a body in the bay for any pyscho. Want to go somewhere? Either we head out together or I get whatever. Alright." He points at the rooms "Kitchen, bathroom, and this is the living room we are in. And that setup there is one of my rigs. Nothing special. But do not jack into my shit." He waves a utensil at her as he says the last part seriously. "MY bed is right behind you, and that is where I am sleeping for the night. You, as a guest, get this nice comfortable couch." He pats the polyester couch he is sitting as he chuckles and looks at her. Daring her to say something. He figured she might complain or whatever. But hey this was his place, and he deserved a good rest. Had to be in prime condition for taking care of this nepo baby.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

The reasons behind why she was out here would eventually come though for now he was getting bits and pieces of her massive mysterious puzzle. “Oh…I thought it was normal to just try one of everything. My mother always did it I just thought everyone did.” it was a bit of a rude awakening to know not everyone lived like that. “I never wasted it. I got in so much trouble taking it with me. I love food too much to not have snacks after the party.” It would eventuality come as a surprise when he’d see her eat she could handle food and being as tiny and petite as she was anyone would be shocked that she could handle it even if she spent hours nibbling. “Did you know some things taste better on the second or third day?” now he was getting her to loosen up a bit! It was true she never really had to decide for anything just get what she wanted so she just got everything but out here she would have to learn to live differently and when he mentioned things being surprise she was shocked to even hear that explanation.

The kiss on his cheek was pure improve though when he playfully smacked that perky tight ass of hers he managed to get an adorable squeak out of her and even a playful jump. Luna blushed making het lights brighter than the glow of the red light district. “RED!!!“the way her voice called out his name as she puffed out her cheeks protesting cutely as her brown eyes looked up at him and I’d he looked long enough he’d see how they had specs added to them to make it look like he was looking into a mini galaxy. For now she looked fully untouched by cybernetics but truthfully she had little tweaks and additions that normal people could only dream of. To answer her question the more he told her about the company he kept made her beautiful brown eyes go wide and when he mentioned she was a cut above the rest her blush did not leave her face.
“I would never make you do anything like that….I’ve never paid for intimacy and I wouldn’t insult you like that even if you’re pretty stellar yourself…..”Luna quickly averted her gaze too embarrassed to really take his compliment and feeling more self continuous about admitting he was nice to look at. They didn’t make men like him in her elite circle.


With that she fell silent not sure of what to say next and thinking she probably embarrassed herself. She was a woman who had men falling all over her not just because of her looks, but her bloodline and here was this rando she hired treating her the most normal age ever had in her life. Well, she did pay him maybe that was how it worked….

Already making herself at home sitting at his window a part of her forgot about her hunger as she let het eyes take in this neon jungle right before her. What he would notice that in the lights of the synapse district and his apartment her raven black hair wasn’t fully black it was a mix of deep purple but the upgrades she had made it look natural. It had to be natural right?

Luna looked like a doll sitting there watching the city come to life for a few long moments before he called her over to eat. Standing up she walk over and instead of joining him on the couch the petite doll like corpo nepo baby chose to kneel on the opposite side of the table looking like a deer in headlights not sure how to serve herself since she didn’t know of Red had any rules but he was eating so she reached over and copied him. Though without a fork she felt silly using het hand to swipe a dumpling and popped it into her mouth. “OH MY STARS! That’s amazing!!” she exclaimed after chewing a few bites and covering her lips in a dainty manner to not be rude. The food down here was nothing like what she had in her privileged life. Chewing a bit more and swallowing she would finally acknowledge his words about his place. “Don’t worry. I was raised properly. I’ll behave. So think of it as a resort. If I break something that means my dad buys it. I got it.” what she didn’t realize was that some of her answers were just autopilot since she was used to not having any consequences for her actions at all.

When he began pointing she’d follow his finger and took mental notes until he mentioned the sleeping arrangement and that’s when she started to pout again. “Fine. Couch it is but I get extra pillows and an extra blanket. I run a bit cold at night.” now that was rare for her not to argue or complain but she did give him a list of demands. “I know I don’t get the bet but can I at least play with the rig? I know how to use it. Trust me. Or maybe I can pull rank as your boss.” Luna teased but was obviously pushing her luck. “Can I take a bath first? It’s the least you can do since I get the couch. I could really use a bubble bath right now. Can I have another one of what you’re eating? Those taste so good. What are they called?” first his rig now his dumplings nothing was sacred to her but now she had her eyes on his dumplings, but at least his bed was safe….for now….

 

[Wedge]

@EtherealElvenEmpress
Verne paused in his eating, chewing halting immediately as he watched Luna take a dumpling and pop it into her mouth. He looked at her, then at the food they got from andy's, then at his food, back at here, at his own food. he would swallow and then he swallowed his food and said "You were raised properly? Right. so some other rude little woman took my food huh?" He then would lean forward anf flick her in the forehead "Stop eating my food, ordered you a plate and you havent even taken a bit of it! Making me feel like a gonk!" Forgotten were the words she spoken of him being stellar. Of the sight of her in the neon light with her hair down. He raises a finger at her and wagged it "And no breaking shit. Even if you can afford it. We suppose to be hiding yeah? Calling your daddy to come fix your problems kills the point. Don't make trouble in the first place." He shakes his head and rolls his eyes. noting down that info though. Her father must be a corpo too, and still kicking...if she was fine with contacting her father, was she a runaway? He frowned and then realized what else she said, his eyes going wide.

"And you can not touch my rig! Just met you, and you want access to that? Not for any amount of money. And don't care about your status, bossss. You push on that, well will gladly show you the door. No matter how prem you look and how many creds you flash." He looked at her incredulously. A rig to a netrunner was everything. Bought or built custom, every single one had their own touch. Just asking to use someone's rig was aking to giving them your bank account. "Only way you would ever get access to that is if I stopped kicking." He crossed his arms and glared at her. Irritated at how this brat seemed to picking at the things he cared about most now. She did not seem to understand limits. Even though she hired him that did not mean everything was just hers to use as she saw fit. He rubbed his eyes and looked at her. He then said softly "Look, respect my stuff. And my privacy a bit. Not everything is yours that is in sight. You hired me..but you don't own me and everything I got girl."

He looked at his dumplings, losing his appetite a bit and rethinking the job. But the weight of that 10,000 credbit in his jacket reminded him that he needed to play nice. He sighed and leaned back on the couch. "You can have the extra blanket and pillows..Go take your shower, have no bath here." He motioned to the bathroom and stood up, going to a closet next to his rig and pulling it open. Putting his jacket inside and taking his shirt off. "Just don't use all the hot water. I had a long day." As he exposes his torso, she would get a nice view of his back. Broad shouldered, and scarred. A large tatt covering the whole of his back pulsing a blue light. A circle with a tree inside, the roots from the bottom closing around it.

He needed to do a check on this girl. Her handle, see if any corpo were missing a daughter. He needed information. Too blind in this whole thing, and he hated running in the dark.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

Luna had no idea the war she was about to cause over a dumpling! It tasted really good but when she took his food she didn’t even notice that his mood changed until he decided to scold her. The comment about her being raised properly she nodded in agreement that she was raised properly and before she could speak he continued. “I…I….I didn’t Think it would be a problem and it’s just food….”Luna was trying to defend herself until he kept talking. Those brown eyes of hers went so wide like a small doe in the face of a hunters gun.

The waggling of his finger made her look like she was about to start crying. Luna felt like she was a little girl again dealing with her father. “I had no idea you would get this upset and angry! You’re just like Leon. It Didn’t have your name on it! How did I know you weren’t sharing it!” This time she raised her voice he was going to start crying and cracked with a bit of emotion. It will probably leave him with questions about who Leon was. Now with him upset so was she. The thought of food left her mind as he laid down the rules even harder. The name she accidentally dropped was rare enough that not many would probably have it and if he did a search he could probably pick up some things about her real identity if he made the connection.

“I’m sorry….I won’t touch anything I didn’t mean to make you mad….I really didn’t mean too…” Luna did sound remorseful but she wasn’t taking well to being scolded and that was a testament up her gilded life. “I didn’t mean it…please don’t call my father…he won’t understand anything…it’s a force of habit….I’ll be good…I won’t touch anything just…I can’t go back to them….I just can’t…” stopping before fully elaborating as her fear bubbles up to the surface making her actually think of her behavior.

He stopped eating just like she did as he went over and took off his jacket putting it away and showing off his elaborate tattoo. That at least distracted her for a moment she had never seen a tattoo like that and it was beautiful but she couldn’t even complement it especially since she felt horrible. He had a very nice body and it wasn’t typical to see men in her league that looked like him let alone someone with a tattoo that elaborate. The upper echelon did not really keep too many tattoos and if they did it was hidden or something to do with family insignia. This was something she did not see on anyone and even though it brought her curiosity bubbling to the top it was not the time or place to pester him about the glowing tattoo on his muscular back. Her protector had scars that she was curious about but after the dumpling incident as she would remember it she would be too afraid to even ask about anything. At least when he exploded and knock some sense into her at least for now.

For the first time Luna was quiet as she watched his tattoo and stood up making her way to the bathroom without so much as a peep. Leaving him to behind he would hear her go in the bathroom and start fussing with things. Sniffling would be heard but no water as she would strip first before getting completely lost trying to turn on the shower and being confused along with nude she had no idea what to do other than start crying. For a moment it was long silences and her crying but there was no water running. With her dress folded neatly to the side she would finally called out for help without realizing she was completely nude and no idea how to use a manual shower.

“It won’t work! It doesn’t turn on! It doesn’t respond to vocal commands!” was all she shouted back stuck in this odd quagmire without any water bending over the retro shower handles not knowing what to do. If he came in to see what help she needed he would find her pale as moonlight form, nude and bend over looking the handles but on her back so telling. She had a tattoo of the moon cycle. Even though she wasn’t tall she had legs for days on her petite form. Her rear end was round and shapely. Luna was fit bit not full of muscle. She had what one would call a dancers body. Small waist and thin. She had no visible scars only on her long nape of the neck down to her rear end she had high end spinal ink. With her hair over her pale shoulders it was in full view once she stood up placing a hand on her svelte waist cocked to the side looking at this retro disaster. How was she ever going to shower? Truth be told she looked like a premium doll with how her form looked and she’d look even more like once when he’d eventually get her to turn around but for now he was only treated to her Greek goddess like backside and long flowing raven violet hair way past her knees which was a very identifying feature and with hair that long a lady has to have the funds and lifestyle to keep it luxurious and full.

The full moon had a circle of glowing pink if he decided to help her out but if he decided to look up her Alias first he would find out it had beef around for quite sometime though had been the most active in the last 5 years with a history of successful infiltrations of many corpo mainframes with a history of not getting caught or even stopped. Literally smoke. There wasn’t much on who smoke was with her true identity but what she was searching for as smoke was highly classified info on genetic diseases and how to cure them or at least extend life and quality but they all focused on blood-borne illnesses in what could be done to help them.

At least for now there was no search going on got Luna Morita and no missing elites since BioTechnotics wasn’t ready to turn up the heat for her yet. Though her device she left on the window that had location and tracing turned off though if he decided to look she was getting messages from someone non stop and it was up to him if he left her device alone or looked as who was incessantly messaging her begging her to come back and saying how sorry they were and how they’d make it up to her if she’d just give it another chance….

With her away from her device it just kept buzzing and buzzing and whoever was trying to get in contact with her was having no luck even though it was on silent it was the same person trying to get her attention. That meant at least one person was looking for her but Verne had no idea there relationship between them yet other than whoever was on the other end was desperate to get her to talk to them.

 

[Wedge]

@EtherealElvenEmpress
Verne was prepared for many things. Rage, anger, arrogance. But he was not prepared for the waterfall of tears from Luna. He was wide eyed for a moment before frowning at her. "Who the fuck is Leon?!" He then narrows his eyes and puts his hands in the air "He your father? How would I have his number?! You make no sense!" He shakes his head and rubs at his eyes as the girl bawls before him. He just wanted to set some rules and set the law down. Not have her freaking out and crying over everything. He huffs and just motions her to the shower as he turns and gets into something more comfortable. A pair of white shorts and nothing else, his torso exposed and on display. Quickly grabbing a pack of something off a shelf and lighting himself a cigarette

During her sniffling in the shower, Verne decided enough was enough. Research time. He quickly powered up his rig. The holographic monitors coming to life with a blue glow. He gave a sigh as he sat in his chair and jacked in. Quickly entering his system and beginning the groundwork. Creating a new directory for this job and starting to populate folders into it, with what information he had currently. Her name Smoke, the name Leon. Any news concerning a missing brat that steals DUMP-. But the cry of a voice would pull him back to reality. He would set his rig into standby mode and then process what he just heard "Vocal commands? What the..have you never worked a old shower before?!" He shook his head as he made his way to the bathroom. Leaning in the doorway, he would be welcome to the show that was her body.

His eyes trailed over her small frame. Inspecting the roundness of her rear, and how..sculpted she looked. Not in a muscular way but as if she was crafted to look too perfect. Her hair looked as smooth as silk, and he wondered how much she paid for that..How much did her family pay to have her look like that actually? Maybe she was one of those special kids that were designed in the womb by some genetics doc. Yet for now he enjoyed the moon on her back, and the full moon of her rear. He would grunt and then move forward, possibly being treated to a show of her front. He brushed against her in the tight bathroom as he made his way inside. "You grab ahold of the left one and turn it counter clockwise..to make the water cold." He turns it back and forth. Blasting water on her if she was in the shower. And then he would grab the right handle "And this one, you turn clockwise to make the water warm."He turns the right handle back and forth. Blasting her with warm water if she was still in the shower.

"There easy, you got this." He would turn to leave, but seeing her tear eyed face, he would relent a lttle. He would sigh and look her in the eyes instead of the other nice looking parts she was sporting. "Stop crying already..your a grown ass prem looking woman. You got this, beleve in ya...But If you do not have this..well guess you will smell like the street for the night." He would smirk at her and then stride out of the bathroom, leaving her to figure the rest of it out.

He paused as he heard a device bussing. Making his way over to the window and finding a small communicator. He would frown and glance towards the bathroom...before grabbing the device and watching as it pinged and pinged. He was tempted to open it..but he remembered how mad he got at her taking his dumplings..this job needed more respect and trust beween the two of them..He took the communicator and jacked into his rig as he started looking for information on her. He played the communicator right next to him in the open. He planned to get soem more answers from her when she was done.

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

Luna was too busy sniffling to really answer anything he asked of her even about Leon or why he would know anything about her father. She just did not take well to being yelled at or just scolded and to be honest he wasn’t yelling at her at all just a very firm. The shower was at least an escape and when she went in there she figured she would just take a nice hot shower and relax. That was not going to happen considering she had never used a manual shower before!

Luna didn’t even realize that she was hovering over the knobs nude as day she was born. Having no idea he was setting up she called out to him again. “RED! It’s not working I think it needs your voice!” she called out between sniffles. When he would come in she’d turn around with her sparkly brown eyes wet with tears. Turning around not realizing she gave him a full frontal with her perky breasts slightly obscured by her long silly hair. When Verne asked if she ever worked an older shower she shook her head no. “They still exist? I’ve never seen one before.”this time her voice was soft and a bit reserved with hints of embarrassment though when she finally noticed he was shirtless she couldn’t help but stare at him. Luckily when he came in at first she had no idea he had checked her form out but she was already in a mood and at home it wasn’t like the servants and keepers didn’t see her nude at one time or another. Even when he brushed against her smooth skin felt good against his and he even managed to give her goosebumps. The moment he began to explain he could see how she focused on him and watched his actions memorizing how to use this older technology. Luna was a quick learner though when the water came in she did jump back with a bit of a shock. This shower was more noisy than she was used to but after Verne helped her he finally got a very genuine: “Thank you Red. I understand it even if it’s a bit chaotic…. I appreciate the help.” his current job has calmed enough to at least handle the shower. She was still sniffling and crying but when told her to stop crying she sniffled loudly trying to stop. “What’s a prem?” she finally managed to squeak out. Over the years she was called many things but this one eluded her as she looked at him for an answer but would let it slide for now since she desperately wanted that shower. He would get the chance for privacy once she got in the shower and took her time. Luckily she would not use all the hot water but she would take a hot shower and then turn it to be cold to cool her self down. And even when she was finished he knew she would take a while with that long hair of hers drying it and relaxing in the bathroom where she would grab a shirt of his that would be oversized on her tiny body.

When he went back to his dive he would find information about Leon. Upon his search type in his name would pop up:

Do you mean Leon Morita?

Son of Jin and Rinon Morita?


​

Heir and heiress of Morita cybernetics.
Sixth child if the Morita family.
Twin of the seventh child Luna Morita.
​

Verne would soon start getting articles and photos on the family and both her and her brother would pop up. Articles from years ago stating how they were some of the youngest members to enroll into our Arasaka Academy 15 years ago making his nepo baby 21. Her brother was a whiz at cybernetics and she was gifted with android technology with a focus on making android dolls.
He would be flooded with pictures of them with their keepers and caretakers at the Academy with their accomplishments and finding out they graduated really young. With a family like they had they were able to explore so many things that normal people would never be able to do.

If he decided to dive more he’d find out that the twins were “miracle babies” for the cybernetic mogul and wife that and Luna was the only daughter among the brood. It seemed like her mother really wanted her own daughter and she finally got her but the fact that they labeled the twins miracles and hit a lot of the facts about their birth probably would leave Verne wondering just how far the mother went to get her daughter.

There was nothing on them from birth other than an announcement they were debuted and suddenly thrusted into that prestigious academy and graduating with flying colors. Luna would have so much to explain if he pressed her about her upbringing.

Smoke on the other hand didn’t have a presence on net until Luna was around 16 and was stealthy about it. Diving places she should have never been and digging up things she had no business being involved in. Smoke was literally a ghost in the machine and was gifted so looking at both it might be hard to believe Luna and smoke were the same person looking at how she was normally.

When she would eventually emerged from the shower she would be wearing a T-shirt with a towel wrapped around her long hair as she would dry standing in one place. The question would be would he yell at her for taking a T-shirt or would he start interrogating her about the information that he needed to know about her and her family and why she was on the run.

​

 

[Wedge]

@EtherealElvenEmpress

"Prem? Premium? When you got a state of the art rig, or some wicked chrome. It is Prem. Means uh..the best. Top of the line. " He would shrug as he made his way out of the bathroom. "For example, I am fucking prem at kicking ass." He would laugh and close the door as he got to work on the mystery that was Smoke. As her communicator pinged and pinged, he stopped focusing that and went into the dive. His datagram s going out seeking information. First, he looked in his own files. The profiles he ahd built on the past on a couple corpos. He looked at associates, trying to see if there was any recent news on one..But then he remembered he had a first name atleast. Leon. Not a handle, but a actual first name. Was he her girlfriend? Family? He took his time and looked for corpos with that name..and then decided to narrow that search for men near Luna's age. And that is when he struck chrome. Leon Morita. And he had a twin sibling. They were children of..the founders of Morita cybernetics.

"...FUCKKKKKKKKKKK." Verne said after a moment of looking at a picture of Luna. Very similar to the girl he had just saw naked in his bathroom. She was a prodigy it seemed, but so far he had not really seen that. Just a scared, naive girl...maybe it was a act. She must be living a double life. And he found nothing concerning her handle. There was a obscure reference about Smoke, but no way Luna was that person. Why would she be here? Wait a moment, what was she going to wear when she came out? His question was answered by the pitter patter of feet. He swiveled around, dejacking from his rig and slowly coming off the Net. He blinked as he saw her in his tshirt, her legs and her ass on display. He would grunt and rub at his throat before saying first "Huh..well shit you got nothing. We will get you cloths in the morning." He shook his head. At least she wasn't going around the place naked. She did not seem to mind others seeing her nude...hmmm well he could get to the sight of her pale slender legs. He felt a sense of pressure in his pants and a small hint of heat. He would shift his legs and before he looked up at Luna.

"..You got someone messaging you." He would nod his head at the communicator. "That can't be tracked right? Because I am wondering how discreet and secretive you want everything to be. Since well..your the daughter or Morita Cybernetics." He would cross his arms and turn, taping away at something. His holoscreens showing pictures of her family and of Luna Morita. "Now I usually don't question my clients. But for this..I have the daughter of a couple of corpos. Corpos that found a corporation." He looked at the pictures and then at. Luna. "So I am wondering why are you here and not with your family..because they must have more resources. More bodies...What shit have you gotten into? Because that shit may roll my way now. Should I be preparing for shit to come knocking on that door? The cops? A corpo kill team that thinks I abducted your little ass?"

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

“OH! We usually call that platinum. Prem…. I like that….” that was all she would say to his terminologies but she will make sure to get her shower and clean up and when she came out all she had was this T-shirt since she had nothing else with her besides her communicator, clothing on her back and glasses. Luna was smart enough to cover her tracks as smoke since she knew that would blow so many people out of the water to know they were the same person especially since smoke was doing things that someone of her status should not be doing it all searching other corpos and deep diving sensitive information.

Luna had no idea that Red was actually searching her and here she thought she was paying him off to keep her information secret. He was too smart to just take her in blindly. When she made her presence known with the pitter patter of her feet he would swivel in his rig to take a look at her but not before adjusting himself though she didn’t even notice. “I hope you don’t mind… I can give it back if you want but I have nothing else to put on…. i’m still sorry about your dumpling…”he could tell that the scolding about his food got to her and she was worried about wearing his shirt but at least he was going to allow her to keep it or else she would be nude in his hidden apartment. “…yea…. that was also the other reason I wanted to go shopping I don’t have anything to sleep in I can wait until morning.”at least she wasn’t being argumentative.

The calm on her face with soon vanishwhen he mentioned that someone was pinging her on her device and he could see her go pale; well even paler than she already was. “No. tracking is disabled trust me I’m not that stupid.” Her sweet voice went completely monotone as she turned to stare at her device. Luna knew exactly who it was but she did not want to deal with him. That pale look on her face and vanished when he mentioned her name and information about her that was something she was expecting Red to even bring up. “What did you just say?”it was an actually more of a shock when he mentioned her family name and more information about her that she never told him. “Why are you even looking me up? I just need you to keep me out of the public eye for a while you don’t need to worry about my family. How much will it cost me to get you to forget what you looked up?” now she was not throwing her family name around like most corpo linked legacies. Luna was going to argue but he pulled up pictures of her and her family and with no uncertainty it was her. Photos from the past and current events but he really had no idea why she was running and she wasn’t sure if she was ready to tell him why.

it was rare to have her quiet as her eyes went completely wide looking at what he was showing her and it was easy to see if she was trying to think of the right response or how to craft it to talk to him. “Why do you think it’s my fault? I am not just a name I am a person. I can’t go to my family. Not right now that’s why I’m here. Can’t you just take my word?”that was a big ask from someone who was so secretive. Someone who wouldn’t tell him why she was on the run or who was pinging her like crazy.

The more he talked it was making her shake her head no but she had no idea how to answer him or what she should tell him but at least this time when she was finally open her mouth again she would give him at least some answers. “No cops or kill team and no they won’t think you abducted me. I’m always running off and doing something stupid but this time I’m not. They won’t call a kill team or any cops on me. That would be the most stupid things they could do. At least I have a reputation for running and vanishing for a few days or months they won’t be looking your way for a little while.”Luna wasn’t sure how much she should tell him but at least she was giving him some answers. “I no you won’t believe me but it wasn’t me who started the shit this time someone threw me into the shit. Even if I tell you you won’t believe me…..”he could tell she was trying so hard not to cry as she put her bottom lip to hold back the emotion that she was trying to keep from coming through and her shaky voice. She had to get him to trust her and that was going to be a tough sell considering how they met and how little he knew about her and what he found about her on the net.

“Ask away…. I sadly don’t have my rig with me I can’t do anything right now. Do you need collateral? If you’re curious about who is pinging me it’s my ex fiancé from biotechnologists and he’s an ex for a reason. Trust me he won’t alert any authorities because if he does he is in hot water for what he did. I don’t know how much I can tell you or how much you’re gonna believe can I trust you? I don’t know anyone else I can turn to…. You're the only one who helped me out there… The last thing I want to do is bring trouble to your door I just need help at least until I can figure out what I need to do or how to handle what they….he did to me…”Luna would look down then over at her pinging device once again she really did not want to pick it up or see what he had to say but at least Red was getting some answers vague as they were….

 

[Wedge]

@EtherealElvenEmpress
Verne would turn to look back at his holoscreens. "Daughter of the founders of Morita cybernetics. A leading firm in the medical field especially. Some of their shit is affordable too, civilian grade." He would turn to face her "I am doing some prep for my job. But the thing is..know nothing about you. Know nothing much about what is coming your way, and what your delaing with." He shrugged "I needed to to know what to do with before I made my next move." He looked at the screens for a moment before turning to her and saying " I take my work seriously, but you know what? I have to make sure I am good. No surprises for myself. You raised too many questions and not enough answers. I ain't no gonk blinded by the money or the sight of some ass." He grabs the communicator and looks it over in his hands. Looking at the name of the caller but not the messages. He frowned as he hoped she was right about it not being tracked. But she was a prodigy from what he had seen and read. She knew her tech, so he would take her word for it. Well for now.

"Never said it was your fault. Asking what shit you got into. Cause it has to be something. I wanted to know the field." He rose form the chair and started to power down his rig. the holoscreens turning off. "I can keep you out of the public eye, and if you want me to forget. I can. I CURRENTLY am working for you. I think knowing this is better for both of us." Even though he was not planning to tell anyone anyway he made sure to stress the currently. Maybe he could get her to fork more creds in the future. He didn't need that heat or attention right now. He watched her as she got quiet, it was ineresting to see her mind processing, as the shaking of her head increased he rose up and walked over to her "Look relax.." He handed the communicator out to her. "I just wanted to know if I was going to get burned...but I can still work for ya."

Whether she take sit or not, he would continue. "You have a reputation for running and hiding? Who would have thought. Good, so not many people will come looking for you...though you probably just ran to a hotel or one of your many apartments." He shrugged "I assume you do since your rich, Im guessing..five? Six?" He would joke with a small grin, ven though internally he was shaken. This may be a little more over his head, but this girl was a walking bank. He never had a client so prestigious and rich. The rational part of him was telling him to kick her out, and head to his other place. But the greedy part of his heart yearned for those credbits. Plus the sad sight of the woman from earlier. She honestly did need some help, she did not seem the one to betray others. He had a gut feeling.

"..I believe someone threw you into shit. I don't think you started it. " He sighed and went to a closet next to his bed. Opening it and tkaing out a few blankets and a pillow. He makes his way to the couch and tosses them on it. He motions to the couch and sits on the edge of it on the armrest. "We just met .You don't have to give me the story. You don'y know me..I still don't know much about you rather than some stuff I just looked up." He leaned in "You can trust me to do my job...so if you think anything dangerous is coming your way say it. It is coming my way too...We can trust each other to work for our own safety...but your ex? He won't alert the authorities but he will look for you right? How many resources he got?"

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

She couldn’t help but stare at the holloscreens Red had up. He found her so easily and yet it didn’t occur to her that she had used her brothers name and he was easily able to find information about her just by that. Her mind was all over the place after what Hunter did to her. Luna felt so betrayed and used especially since she actually cared for him and she was wondering if he actually cared for her or was just using her. Right now she had no idea let alone any answers but for now she had to deal with her new gun for hire. Verne was listing off all of the things her family’s company was and it was no surprise that they made civilian grade cybernetics. They were one of the few corpos that cared. When most per out trying to get as much credibits as possible Morita was one of the few that was known for values and trying to help the common man even though they were still one of the top ranking cybernetics corporations out there.

“My Father price himself I’m a civilian grade items. It was a very important I’m not surprised you found that. He’s very proud of what we do for others.”it was almost like when I was trying to change the subject but she was just talking to make sure she didn’t cry. It was something she didn’t mind hiding especially since now he knew her name and where she was from but that was very far from a story that would eventually come out. She could tell by how the way she was fidgeting with her fingers bouncing each one tapping against her thumb and she kept herself distracted when he told her why he had to know about her especially now that she was his boss and she was employing him he had a right to go in without being blinded or having too many secrets.

Luna listened and nodded when he mentioned how he wouldn’t be swayed by money or ass she chuckled weakly. “You got me there. At least on the money part I would never use my ass to sway anyone. Believe it or not I’m not that type of woman even if I don’t mind if you seeing me naked.” at least now she was trying to explain and when she chose to sit down she adjusted his T-shirt and crossed her legs trying to be as modest as she could possibly be with some thing that still shows skin. “Your argument inderd fair. It’s my fault for trying to send you into this blindly I had a feeling if you didn’t know who I was…. if you didn’t have a name for my face it would be easier for you to help me. But nonetheless you are right and I shouldn’t of kept so much from you but I had no idea what you would do knowing who I was…” at least now she was finally talking and giving away more at least her side of why she didn’t want him to know anything. Crossing her arms underneath her small chest and took a deep breath and let out a very almost relieved to say that she didn’t have to hide her information since he managed to pull it up.

The moment he said that he didn’t think it was her fault he could see her almost tear up and start crying but she bit her bottom lip to hide the fact that she wants to just burst in the tears because he believed her. Just that small bit of acknowledgment was helping. “I need you. I want you to keep working for me and I’ll make it worth your while just keep my name out of the public eye and why I’m running out of any news I can be secretive when I want to be. I am the only daughter of Morita Cybernetics and arguably my father’s favorite they’re not gonna throw any shit your way as long as I’m alive.”that would probably bring some music to his ears at least from her family though the other threat was her ex fiancé. When he started talking about her many apartments and mentioned number five or six that was when she actually started laughing and she would have to bring her hand back to her lips and cover it. “Six on record but three under Smoke. Nine total. I guess you know more about me than I thought you would but that was a good guess. I could run off to any one of them but I can’t go to them especially in the situation but the other three are scattered about I just have to lay low and I can get you access to one of them for now at least until I can trust you fully. If we get to that point we have choices.” now he was getting somewhere good. He probably never had a client like her but she was full of surprises and at least her secret identity seem to be very good at keeping secrets.

“Someone did throw me into shit into a proverbial black hole that I have no idea how to get out of I’m normally good at solving problems but this I need so much help with and I had no idea where to start I’m sorry I got you into this but if I’d let you in and tell you everything you’ll probably be stuck with me for a while…”Luna really needed his help him into this he would be stuck with her for quite some time and she at least had to warn him since he didn’t wanna get stuck in some other crazy ass shit. The sparkling brown ice followed him as he went to the closet and grabbed the blanket and pillows tossing it on the sofa which she wasn’t going to complain about anymore. He was kind enough to give her that nonstop as in communicator of hers as she flipped it over to look at the nonstop messages coming through. Opening her device she lifted it to her face letting it do a Retna scan before a full face recognition instead of a finger print she was at least being safe and thorough. Once she got through her security with her phone as she started rapidly pressing buttons. “I can’t be tracked don’t worry and this device is safe I always keep a safe device. As for my ex….”She would start to talk in trail off as she had a few more buttons. Her phone had its own holo as she pulled up a photo of her ex.

“I have a feeling you might not like the answer I’m about to give. This is Hunter Lewis; the second and middle son of BioTechnotics. He has resources, but let’s face it he’s the middle child. He has looks.” Luna did not hold back with what she was saying about him and it was true he was connected but compared to Luna they both had different resources and even if he was another corpo brat compared to the one in his apartment Verne held the upper hand. “Hunter it’s a fire cracker and what he did is not going to go well and trust me there’s no way he’s going to call any authorities especially with me missing.” when she said the word missing she lived up her freehand and made air quotation marks since she had just vanished but it was nothing new for someone like her to runoff and do her own thing even though she did have a job it was just keeping her busy especially with her own bloodline being well connected she didn’t want for anything at least that’s what it looked like from the outside looking in. There was so much she wasn’t telling him but for now she didn’t want to lay it all out.

“It’s a long story. A story I’m not willing to say every fine detail until I know you’re not gonna get rid of me.” letting the holo linger before closing it she would finally go for the food he bought her after sitting her device down. Picking up het food and digging in daintily since now after that much needed shower Luna’s appetite had returned full force. “We need to trust each other….”chewing and swallowing she got an idea, but had no idea how Red would take it. “We need to go shopping tomorrow. How about we discuss this over breakfast somewhere? After all I’m now your client. We need a proper debriefing don’t we? If I have your official word I will keep nothing from you. I will also let you choose if you want to help me. If not…help me find someone who can….I can’t get out of this situation on my own. If I could I wouldn’t be out here. I know it won’t be a cheap ask. If you stick with me I’ll make sure you are compensated handsomely. Is that a fair enough offer? Sleep on it I’ll respect whatever answer you’ll give me.” at least Luna was finally being open with him since she truly needed his help. At least now he had her ex’s name when she would go to sleep he could learn even more. For now his dumplings were safe now that she was eating her own food and for such a tiny thing she could eat since she was leaving nothing behind!

 

[Wedge]

@EtherealElvenEmpress

It was refreshing for someone to actually give some details rather than hide behind smoke and mirrors all the time. He gave a small grin at the thought but quickly worked his expression into a grin as he snorted at her comment about ass and being naked "So a benefit with the job then? Well that is a point to making this long term." His eyes scanned over her as she crossed her arms and tried to deal with him professionally. Hard to do with a shirt that had some stain on it and no pants..but he gave no comments. He tilted hsi head as he thought over her words of not knowing what he would do if had found out. He wasn't so sure himself. But as she started to cry again he sighed internally and wondered if this would be a common thing. He was not use to women crying in front of him. He would walk over and put a hand on her shoulder "

When she said she needed him, he leaned forward." I will keep working for you. Stop worrying about that. We agreed to be discreet. We will be..Smoke." He ruffled her hair as he said her name that she gave, deciding to stick to that and not her actual name. Better get used to it to, last thing he needed was to have a mixup and call her Luna in public. He nodded at her "Make stuff worth my while and you got me for anything. I will just call you Smoke from now on..and I will delete my history of my digging on you. I am your guy." Long as stuff does not get too screwed up..Nah we should be good. As she corrected him on the numebr fo apartment he raises a eyebrow and says "Well excuse me, forgot that I should guess higher when it comes to corpos. Especially with someone that orders everything from a menu...And get to that point? Hope this gets solved quickly honestly. I get paid quicker then...and less chance of trouble."

As she showed a picture of his ex, he took a very good long look. The guy seemd to be crafted as well. Verne frowned as he looked at the picture of the man. Trying to find a physical fault with him and finding none. He huffed and then said "Looks like a gonk...but from what you say..he probably will hire someone to look for ya. Doesn't seem liek the one to just let something...or someone go. He looks like a problem to me." He made a mental note to look. as much as he can into him. Not tonight though, time to get some sleep. He went to his bed as Smoke started to eat, throwing himself ontop and giving a sigh. He looked up and sat up on the bed as she began to speak of trust. He looked at her eating her food and just shrugged "You are hitting all the right buttons. Your a little credbit bank aren't ya...Fine we can get cloths. Planned to do that tomorrow anyway. Once we get you in something that blends in, we cna go eat. Fill me in or not. We can decide what to do then. But if anything, you get tonight here. You get cloths tomorrow. A little something for the 10,000 credbits. Spoiling you rotten, I know." He laid back down and closed his eyes, as the city outside the window went about moving. the occasional neon lights coming through the window. He stretched on the bed and would slowly drift off to sleep. "

 

[EtherealElvenEmpress]

Luna could not help but stare at him shirtless it was something she had to work on but she would make sure not to linger too long on him and look down. The grin he gave made her chuckle and it was something she needed to break the fact that she was about to cry again. There was so much going on in her world and it felt like everything was crashing down and Hunter who she thought she could trust turned out to be the worst. For now Red had no idea the backstory between the pair, but she would eventually fill him in. Luna was trying her best to deal with him professionally with her arms folded under her small chest but wearing such a small T-shirt that was out of the ordinary for her with no pants was hard for anyone to take her seriously at least he was trying!

Luckily for him the crying would not be a normal occurrence right now her emotions are running high especially since he was on the run right now. “Long term is good. I have no idea where any of this is going to go all I know is everything I thought I knew it’s fucked.”it was probably strange to hear her swear like that but she was just worked up and stressed out. When he placed his hand on her shoulder he could feel when she let out a big breath of relief that he said to not worry and he would still work for her. It was even more of a relief when he called her Smoke. That was a good thing because if he used her name in public people might turn their heads especially with how she looked they might put two into together. At least with Smoke anyone out there would not think that she was one of the same. The ruffling of her hair made her blush and she couldn’t help that since he was just being kind and that kind of affection always made her blush no matter who did it to her. It was a nice form of praise and she tried not to turn to red but she felt her face heating up making her cheeks stand out even more on her porcelain skin. “I know why you had to look me up And I appreciate you deleting it but don’t worry I’ll tell you everything you need to know and how to look me up if you really need to. I have nothing to hide…mostly.” corpo kinda always had something to hide it was just the fact of what she was really hiding and what she really tell him the full truth or her truth. “Trust me. I would love to get this sorted out as quickly as possible this is not exactly how I want to spend my free time.”Luna chuckled nervously. At least for now she looked more relaxed.

When Red said her ex looked like a gonk that actually sent her into a small fit of laughter. “On better days I would’ve told you you were wrong but right now you are completely right he does doesn’t he?” she looked up at him with her sparkly brown eyes as she couldn’t help but to laugh more. “Hunter rarely gets his hands dirty but this time he got his hands way too dirty he could be a problem but trust me I’ll help you handle him and when the time comes I want to ruin him.” with the way she spoke about him it was no longer loving there was anger in her voice along with vengeance she must’ve done something really horrible to her but she wasn’t saying exactly what. Going back to eating she would finish all of her food as she watched Red get into bed. It was very good that he was not kicking her out and at least tonight she was safe and hidden. “Don’t tease me with a good time if you’re going to spoil me you have no idea what you’re getting into but I understand. I definitely need some clothes because this T-shirt does nothing from a figure.” thank God she wasn’t crying anymore at least she was a bit happy but also now that she was eating in her belly was full she felt much better.

When Red climbed into his bed she finished up the last bit of her food and she was about to complain about not having a toothbrush but thought better of it before putting her trash aside and climbing onto the sofa and getting herself comfortable while he slept so he will probably hear her cry to herself as she started listening to old holos of her and her ex on het device.

“You’re the absolute worst I trusted you…. I chose the wrong brother…. Did you even care about me?” her voice was soft as she was speaking to herself as he could hear her replay of fun and happy memory from her device listening to his voice telling her how much he meant to him and how they were supposed to be together but Luna just felt her heart break into a million shards. She kept her voice down so she wouldn’t wake Red up so she had no idea if he would hear her or not but eventually he would cry herself to sleep as she turned off her device giving up on listening to happier times and knowing that from tomorrow her ex was now her enemy and she wondered how she would even fill him in about everything that was going on and the shit storm that would follow….