Author: I apologise if this is not to your liking. It probably is a slow and boring start but it is always hard to write beginnings.
Your young five year old eyes open to see a bearded old man hovering over you.
Grandfather: Morning.
Your eyes trail from his scruffy beard to his lab coat. Then you look around to see white walls and white floors.
Y/N: Morning... Grandpa.
You rub your eyes before letting out a yawn.
Grandfather: Come on get up sleepyhead... We have a lot of tests to run this morning.
You follow your grandfather out of the room where he hands you an apple and a glass of milk. You swiftly drink the milk before taking a bite of the apple. You look as your grandfather fiddles about with his computer.
Grandfather: You still too young for any cybernetic implants and not quite strong enough for physical training... Looks like all we can do is work on your brain and fill it with knowledge.
Y/N: Okay.
You take another bite of the apple and your grandfather smiles at you as the apple's juice dribbles down your chin.
Grandfather: You got to clean up after yourself.
Your grandfather bends down and wipes your chin before lifting you up onto a chair close to his. You look at the desk filled with books.
Grandfather: I want you to read as much as you can before lunch.
Y/N: Okay.
Your grandfather watches you as you pick up a book on history. He smiles.
Grandfather Mind: It may not seem like fun... But this is all to help you.
(Timeskip - Eight years later)
You sit in your room using your grandfather's devices to 3D print a skull looking mask. You notice a call coming from your grandfather.
Y/N (Call): Grandpa... Everything okay?
Grandpa (Call): Yeah I got all the supplies we need to continue with your cybernetic upgrades and even got some new Cyberware for you to try.
Y/N (Call): That's good... What about the nanobot suit?
Grandpa (Call): I told you... You are not ready yet.
Y/N (Call): But I have been working out everyday... My body can handle it.
Grandpa (Call): That may be... But your mind can't.
Y/N (Call): You think I will go over the edge... You designed the nanobots as a way to improve my strength without concern of Cyberpsychosis.
Grandpa (Call): I am aware but the nanobots will be too much for your brain implants and you run the risk of them short circuiting your implants... Understood?
You hit your head on your workbench but not too hard.
Y/N (Call): Fine... What is another few more years of training with no clear goal.
Grandpa (Call):... I will explain everything when you are ready.
Y/N (Call): Yeah yeah... See you when you get to the lab.
You stare at the ceiling sighing quite loudly.
Y/N: So many questions... And barely any answers. Why can't I leave... Do I have parents... What is my purpose for living?
You examine your newly made mask with a blank expression.
Y/N: That's enough free time for today... Time for some more exercising... Then dinner.
You get down and start doing push ups slowly before speeding up more and more. You start doing push ups at inhuman speeds thanks to your body modifications.
(Timeskip - A couple hours later)
After a serious workout session you cool yourself some instant noodles and devour it pretty quickly.
Y/N: I really wish he would get more food... Having the same breakfast, lunch and dinner is getting rather boring real fast.
You hear the sound of the elevator in the centre of what you consider to be the living room. You munch on your food as you sit on the couch watching your grandfather descend.
Y/N Mind: The elevator goes pretty high... I wonder if it goes to space... Presuming that space isn't just some fairy tale. I can't tell if Grandpa never lets me leave.
He exits the elevator but as he walks out he coughs a lot. He drops to one knee even dropping the bag of supplies. He begins coughing loudly into his hand.
Y/N: Grandpa!
You rush over and help him up while also grabbing the bag of supplies.
Y/N: You haven't been taking your medicine have you?
Grandfather: I'm fine... And what did I tell you about rummaging through my stuff.
Y/N: You know I get bored easily being stuck down here... You had no right to keep me in the dark of your condition. Your cybernetic heart is failing... It's rejecting your body.
Grandfather: I said I'm fine!
He slightly pushes you back with what little strength he has remaining. You watch annoyed as he wobbles to the workshop room.
Grandfather: Come on... Your new cybernetics won't implant themselves.
You just watch him in silence before following him with a loud sigh.
Grandfather: Don't sigh.
Y/N: You are not okay.
Grandfather: I am... I promise.
(Timeskip - Seven years later)
You stand over your Grandfather in his deathbed for the last time. Nanobots swirl round you forming a smoke around you. You look at your dead Grandfather's face.
Y/N: Look Grandpa... I can know fully control the Nanobots and not just a couple of them... All of them.
You place your skull mask over your face and stop in front of the elevator.
Y/N: I'll fulfil my task... That I promise.
You enter the elevator for the first time ever and refusing to be excited take it up. You go all the way to the surface and shield your face from the shining sun.
Y/N: So... Warm. It was hot down in the labs... But this feels different. In a good way.
You look out to the horizon to see nothing but a wasteland and several colourful lights in the far distance.
Y/N: That must be where Night city is located... A new start.
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(Flashback - An hour ago)
You watched as your grandfather got closer and closer to his last breath. He looked up at you with a weak smile.
Grandfather: Go out... And start anew.
Y/N: Start anew? What does that mean?
Your grandfather laughs but quickly stops as he coughs violently spitting out blood.
Grandfather: You'll see... Remember what I told you.
(End)
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You look ahead and begin walking thinking about what a new start will mean for you.
Y/N: I will keep my promise... Grandpa. I will find myself. Who am I? I don't know but I can't wait to find out.
Closer and closer do you walk towards Night city when you hear loud sounds coming from far behind. You stop and look back to see a glint of something heading in your direction. The light shines brighter and brighter indicating it is closing in on your location.
Y/N: What is that?
You then notice several more sparkles of light not too far behind the first glint. You squint your eyes while holding a gloved hand over your eyes to shade them from the sun.
Y/N: Hey I think I read about those... Those are...
Four strangers all riding their own motorcycle rush past you at great speeds that you almost don't notice what they look like. They drive off towards Night city laughing like manaics.
Y/N: Bikes
Biker (1): Fuck off the road!
You watch as the one who you believe to be the leader flip you the bird while driving off.
Y/N: They don't seem friendly... I should probably take the hint and speed up otherwise walking will take too long.
Behind your mask your eyes temporarily turn a crimson red before returning to their normal colour. Several parts over your body open up slightly and the nanobots come to life and swarm around you like a smoke.
Y/N: Time for a test I guess.
You shoot through the air in a cloud of nanobots at far greater speeds then the motorcycles of the ones who drove past you earlier. They all stare at the smoke with shocked expressions not sure what they are looking at.
Biker (2): Was that a fucking cloud?!
Biker (1): Who gives a shit what it is... It is trying to outshine us!
Biker (3 and 4): Let's punch it!
Inside the nanobot swarm you gracefully spin round slowly examining your surroundings as you fly towards Night city. The bikers all activate boosters on their motorcycles causing them to propel forwards at greater speeds.
Biker (1): You wanna race us you?! Bring it!
You look as the bikers slowly gain on you. Under the mask you grin.
Y/N: I think I am going to enjoy a new start.
You charge the boosters in the nanobots and shoot through the air like a shooting star all the way to Night city escaping the sights of the bikers.
Bikers: No fucking way!
Biker (1): That's it boys... We're going to kill that bitch!
Biker (2,3 and 4): Yeah!
You fly high into the air and land on a tall building. The nanobots flow back inside your body and you stare down at Night city.
Y/N: This is Night city... So much to do but where do I start?
You walk around the roof's edge looking at everything. On one side you notice a few roads with people walking along the sides. On another you see an empty alleyway that leads to a door. You stop walking when you notice several people conversing outside a not too far building.
Y/N: I should probably ask for assistance on where to go.
You leap off the roof and descend very very quickly. You crack the ground a bit as you land and some people walk past giving you a brief glance. You walk towards the big crowd of people only to stop as four familiar individuals stop in your path.
Y/N Mind: They're the bikers from before.
Biker (1): Hey freak.
Y/N: My name isn't freak... It is Y/N.
The bikers all stare at you with annoyed looks.
Biker (2): You talking back to us?!
Y/N:... Isn't that how talking works? You spoke to me so I talked back to you.
Biker (3): This guy is wack.
Y/N: I'm... Wack? What does that mean?
Biker (2): Shut your stupid mouth up... You hear?!
You stare at them confused from behind the map.
Y/N: You just told me to shut up... Why are you asking me a question?
Biker (3): So wack.
Biker (4): I think this guy has lost his marbles yo.
Y/N: I left them at the lab... How did you know I had marbles?
Biker (1): Shut the fuck up! You think you are tough shit because you have a dumb mask?!
Y/N Mind: These guys are so hard to talk to... I mean does he want me to shut up or answer his questions?
You walk past the bikers causing them to all glare at you with rage.
Biker (2): Oi!
Biker (4): This bitch ignoring us!
Biker 3 shakes his head.
Biker (3): Very wack.
Y/N Mind: What does wack even mean? These guys must be on drugs or whatever they are called.
You continue walking when the bikers all surround you forcing you to stop. You feel something poking against the bike of your hooded head.
Biker (1): I'm already pissed after some dumb cloud chose to move faster than me... You want to spit on my face too you fuck?!
Y/N: Not really... Do people spit on people's face then... Do they enjoy that?
Biker (1): Shut the fuck up! Who the fuck do you think you are?!
A grin forms on your face as nanobots fly out of your arms and trail down them. They all merge forming two shotguns, one in each hand.
Biker (1): Now die!
You leap into the air causing the biker leader to accidentally blow biker 2's head off. Bikers 3 and 4 pull their guns out. You spin round mid air and aim one of your guns at biker 1's face. You notice his glare change to one of fear.
Y/N: Who am I?... I don't know yet.
The biker's leader flies backwards with pieces of his head flying everywhere. The last remaing bikers unleash bullet after bullet at you. Some people in the area flee or stay and watch in awe. You turn into smoke thanks to the nanobots and bullets pierce through you without doing any damage.
You land crouching between the two bikers who are aiming at the sky above them still. The nanobots return to under the surface of you body. You aim your shotguns at each biker.
Biker (3 and 4): Shit!
Their heads explode like every other of the biker's did.
Y/N: Looks like I understand the training now... Grandpa.
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(Flashback - Four years ago)
In the lab you stand in the middle of several holographic enemies.
Y/N: Grandpa... Why am I surrounded by enemies? I highly doubt enemies would surround me without just trying to kill me.
Grandfather: You fool... Not every enemy will be obvious and not every enemy confronts you in a battle. You must learn to survive in the harsh world that we live in.
Y/N: Whatever you say Grandpa.
Grandfather: You will understand one day.
(End)
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Before you can start walking again you notice there are less people about.
Y/N: Where did everyone go?
A window of a bar to your right smashes as a very muscular woman flies through it slamming into you. You both crash into a wall opposite the bar. You use your feet to push the woman off you with all your strength.
Y/N: I didn't... Expect people to fly at me.
You notice your fist is covered in blood. You look from your fist to the now dead woman laying right in front of you.
Y/N: I must have accidentally killed her when she slammed into me... Well that is what she gets for attacking me.
You see another woman this time holding a large gun with both hands. She jumps through the broken window of the bar. You hear shouting from inside the bar that sounds like complaints about the window being broken.
Woman: You bitch!
Y/N: What did I do?!
The woman is quite a bit shorter than the woman who crashed into you. She glares at you as you stand up and look back at her. She storms over to you and pushes you a bit with her gun. You look at the corpse and then back to the woman who is a bit shorter than you.
Y/N: I am guessing she was a friend of yours.
Woman: Fuck no!
Y/N: Then why are you angry at me?
Man: Rebecca... I told you to stop fighting in my bar!
The woman who you now know is Rebecca turns back.
Rebecca: She started it!
She points her gun at the dead woman.
Man: I don't care! One more time and your banned!
Rebecca: Fuck!
She turns back to you and once more points her gun at you.
Rebecca: This is all your fault.
Y/N: I doubt that.
Rebecca: You fuck... First you take my kill then you get the bartender angry at me.
You stare at her with a look of disbelief behind your mask. You sigh.
Y/N: Firstly that kill was an accident... Secondly I had nothing to do with the bar.
Rebecca stares at you with an unhappy face.
Rebecca: You still owe me.
Y/N: I am sorry I accidentally stole your kill.
Rebecca: I don't want a stupid apology... I want a drink!
Y/N: I don't have any drinks.
She puts her gun away and points to the bar with an unimpressed look.
Rebecca: You are buying me one.
She makes her way into the bar. You follow her into the bar and watch as she jumps onto a seat at the bar. She pats the seat next to her indicating she wants you to sit there. You reluctantly take a seat next to her.
Y/N: How does one obtain money these days? I don't have any.
Rebecca: Huh? Why the hell did you come in here without saying anything?
She stares at you with disbelief slamming a fist on the counter.
Man: What did I just tell you?!
Rebecca: I didn't break it!
Man: You could have... So quit it!
Rebecca sighs loudly in annoyance before turning to you.
Rebecca: Why don't you have any eddies?
Y/N: Who is Eddie?
Rebecca: No dumbass... I mean Eurodollars.
Y/N: Oh... Well my grandfather was the one who did all the things that required money. This is my first time in Night city so I am not really familiar with how it works.
Rebecca: For real?
She stares at you in surprise.
Y/N: But I did do as much research as I could.
Rebecca: It's not too rare to meet someone from outlands but to meet someone who has never been to Night city and have no eddies is weird. If you have no eddies then does that mean you don't work?
Y/N: No... I just spent my life training and learning about the world through books.
Rebecca: Books? Sounds like a lame way to get research done... Then again I think all research in general a snoozefest if you ask me.
You tilt your head slightly with a confused expression hidden behind your mask.
Y/N: But I didn't ask you though.
Rebecca: Don't be so literal!
Rebecca slams her fist down once more causing the bartender to look at her in annoyance.
Man: Rebecca!
Rebecca: I didn't break anything so hurry up and get me a drink already!
The man mumbles to himself while getting Rebecca a drink.
Y/N: You... Are very loud.
Rebecca: And you are poor. How do you plan to pay me for your kill stealing?
You give Rebecca your hand to which she stares at it confused.
Y/N: How about a handshake?
Rebecca stares at you with an irritated expression. She slaps your hand away before taking a swig of her drink.
Rebecca: No way... Why would I want a handshake?!
Y/N: I read that it is used to show an agreement of respect between two individuals.
Rebecca: Well a handshake isn't good enough you gonk.
Y/N:... Gonk?
She shakes her head deciding not to answer your question.
Rebecca: Well clearly you are too stupid to find a way yourself to pay me back...
Y/N: I'll still believe an apology should have been enough as it was accidental... Also calling it stealing just makes you petty.
Rebecca: I am not petty!
Y/N: Press f to doubt.
Rebecca: Shut it...
Rebecca drinks the rest of her drink annoyed at you before putting it down. She then stares at you seriously.
Rebecca: Do any research on Edgerunners?
Y/N: No... What is that?
Rebecca smirks.
Rebecca: An Edgerunner are basically mercenaries who do all kinds of jobs that aren't exactly liked by the NCPD... They go from small boring jobs to big great life-threatening jobs.
Y/N: Sounds like fun... Perhaps I should become an Edgerunner. Are you one?
Rebecca: Of course.
Y/N: How do I become one?
Rebecca: You think a gonk like you can hack it?
Y/N: Hack what? I have never done hacking before.
Rebecca karate chops your head but that does little to nothing to you.
Rebecca: Idiot... What did I say about taking things so literally?!
Y/N: Oh... Right.
Rebecca: You are one seriously annoying guy so I'll take you to someone who can make you an Edgerunner since I am nice... But I am looking after you as I ain't no babysitter.
Y/N: Is your brain malfunctioning? Why would you ever sit on a baby? That is just unhelpful.
Rebecca glares at you while raising her hands up in anger.
Rebecca: Stop being so literal!
Rebecca slams both hands against the bar causing the bartender to once again glare at her.
Man: That does it! Rebecca... You and your friend get out now!
Rebecca: He isn't my friend and I didn't break anything!
Man: I don't care... Get out!
Rebecca: Fuck!
(Timeskip - Fifteen minutes)
You follow Rebecca closely while looking around admiring your surroundings. Rebecca stops causing you to stop. She looks back at you with a disgusted look.
Rebecca: Why are you following me? You some sort of pervert?
Y/N: I don't know what that is... But you told me you are going to take me to someone to make me an Edgerunner?
Rebecca looks up to think for a moment.
Rebecca:... Oh yeah. I completely forgot about that after you got me kicked out of the bar.
Y/N: That was your own fault.
Rebecca: No it wasn't!
Y/N: Petty.
Rebecca: I am not!...
Rebecca shakes her head.
Rebecca: Let's just go.
(Timeskip - Half an hour later)
Rebecca kicks down a door to reveal several people sitting on a couch.
Rebecca: I brought a rookie for you!
Next part - 'The Test'