Chapter 2: Before the Storm
Kaneda slammed his fist down on the table and widened his mouth in disbelief and anger. "What do you mean you only accept U.S money now?! This is Japan you idiot!" He stood facing a very ugly and dirty mechanic, who swaggered and seemed to feed on Kaneda's anger. The ugly/dirty man gave a short, harsh laugh. "Listen, buddy. Do you seriously expect me to accept Yen when Japan is in this condition? In case you didn't notice, not only Neo-Tokyo is screwed up right now. All of Japan is. Having a countries' capital reduced to smoking rubble can do that to an economy. America, though, is perfectly stable right now. In fact, I'm planning on moving my business there as soon as I get the money. So unless you pay me five-hundred AMERICAN dollars, I'm keeping your bike as a souvenir when I leave." Kaneda slammed the grimy counter again then turned his back on the man, crossing his arms. "Fine, I'll get you your freaking money. Just don't pawn off my bike or anything." The ugly man smiled victoriously. "Ya' got a week." Kaneda cringed, then sighed. "Fine, a week."
He slammed through the front door muttering. I never should have gotten rid of that laser cannon, he thought sulkily as he stormed off into the dark alley beside the pawnshop. He walked to the back of the alley and pulled out what looked like a garbage can with two wheels on it. Its' only temporary. Just remember that its' only temporary. Kaneda sighed loudly as he rolled the scavenged motorcycle out of the alley and onto the road. He sat down on the miserable excuse for a bike and attempted to turn it on, but all it did was make a coughing, sputtering sound, then splatter a burst of thick, dark fluid onto the pavement. "Terrific. Just terrific. My day is going great already," Kaneda sighed to himself. He got off the bike once again, put the kickstand down, and stood back examining it. "Hmm. Maybe THIS will help!" Kaneda stormed as he solidly kicked the bike. He jumped in surprise when the bike started. "Wow, now that's more like-" Kaneda was interrupted as the bikes' gas tank fell to the ground. "." said Kaneda.
The gas tank lay on the ground leaking gas everywhere, as the bike fell over, the kickstand having fallen off, and the back wheel rolled off and bumped against a homeless person who promptly grabbed it and ran off. "." repeated Kaneda. He reached into his pocket, taking out a match. "Fine, you want a piece of me? Well let's see how playful you are when you're a BURNING PILE OF WRECKAGE!" Kaneda paused. "Umm... as opposed to a non-burning pile of wreckage that is..." Kaneda lit the match and tossed it onto the puddle of gasoline, backing away. The fire immediately ignited the gasoline, engulfing the entire remnants of the temporary bike Kaneda had been using. Kaneda laughed hysterically as the bike was consumed by the conflagration, its' paint melting off, and its' only remaining tire popping from the heat. As he laughed, the fire glinted in his eyes and illuminated him, making him look like some kind of tribal shaman performing a sacred ritual.
He was dancing around the engulfed bike, still laughing, when Koji and Sosuke pulled up on their bikes. "Umm. Hey, Kaneda.?" Sosuke ventured nervously. Kaneda immediately stopped jumping and laughing. "Uhh. Y-Yes?" Kaneda replied, turning around. "What, exactly, were you doing?" Koji asked him incredulously. Kaneda glanced back and the burning hunk of metal he had just been dancing around. "Oh, uhh, heheh. Just thought, umm, you know. We should lighten up a bit and have some fun." "By burning your bike?" asked Koji. "And speaking of bikes," put in Sosuke, "Where's your real bike anyway? I thought you had all the money you needed?" Kanedas' face flushed, and he got an angry look on his face. "Hey, lets' go beat the crap out of someone and take their money. How about the Eagles?" "What," Koji asked." That new American gang?" Kaneda smiled evilly. "Yes, that American gang." He hopped on Koji's bike. "Let's go then! Come on! Lets' go!" Kaneda shouted. Man, Kaneda sure is acting weird today. thought Sosuke and Koji simultaneously. They sped off.
In the shop, the ugly man went to the front of the store and looked into the street, seeing the burning bike. The man growled. Grr. I'll make him pay extra for that. He walked to the back of his store and picked up a dented and rusty fire extinguisher, and tried to find a shovel to push the rubble off the street in front of his store. As he was at the back of the store, he heard the bell ringing that signified someone coming into his store. "One second, I'll be right there," he called. No reply. The dirty/ugly man rolled his eyes. Could at least let me know you're not deaf. He thought angrily. Finally having everything he needed, the man turned around and went back to the counter. "What d'ya want?" The man asked. He looked at the other side of the counter to see a young man with wavy brown hair spiking up above his head, torn clothes, and an arm that seemed to be made completely of metal scraps.
What the. What is this? Thought the man confusedly. "What do you want?" Asked the man again. The person on the other side of the counter just smiled. "Some clothes would be nice," he said quietly. "Yeah, we-well I don't sell none here. And by the way, what's up with your arm? Is that the poor mans' version of a prosthetic arm?" Asked the barkeeper with a half-smile on his face. The man on the other side of the counter just smiled wider. "No, just the "special" man's prosthetic arm. And I see some clothes right over there." The ugly/dirty man got angry. He didn't have time for some homeless bums' chatter. "Listen punk, I don't have time for this crap. Why don't you go live your crappy life somewhere else?" The metal-armed man shook his head slowly back and forth. "Tsk tsk tsk. Not very nice of you. An interesting choice of last words too." The ugly/dirty man managed a confused look as the lights flickered, and then suddenly felt his throat tighten. It felt like his body had been gripped by hundreds of little arms and hands, and they were all pulling him in different directions. The shopkeeper was suddenly filled with shock as he struggled against the multiple tiny hands. Wait! I know who that is now! I remember the news broadcasts! "You-You're. T-Tetsuo!" gasped the man. Tetsuo nodded, smiling, and there was a ripping sound.
Kaneda slammed his fist down on the table and widened his mouth in disbelief and anger. "What do you mean you only accept U.S money now?! This is Japan you idiot!" He stood facing a very ugly and dirty mechanic, who swaggered and seemed to feed on Kaneda's anger. The ugly/dirty man gave a short, harsh laugh. "Listen, buddy. Do you seriously expect me to accept Yen when Japan is in this condition? In case you didn't notice, not only Neo-Tokyo is screwed up right now. All of Japan is. Having a countries' capital reduced to smoking rubble can do that to an economy. America, though, is perfectly stable right now. In fact, I'm planning on moving my business there as soon as I get the money. So unless you pay me five-hundred AMERICAN dollars, I'm keeping your bike as a souvenir when I leave." Kaneda slammed the grimy counter again then turned his back on the man, crossing his arms. "Fine, I'll get you your freaking money. Just don't pawn off my bike or anything." The ugly man smiled victoriously. "Ya' got a week." Kaneda cringed, then sighed. "Fine, a week."
He slammed through the front door muttering. I never should have gotten rid of that laser cannon, he thought sulkily as he stormed off into the dark alley beside the pawnshop. He walked to the back of the alley and pulled out what looked like a garbage can with two wheels on it. Its' only temporary. Just remember that its' only temporary. Kaneda sighed loudly as he rolled the scavenged motorcycle out of the alley and onto the road. He sat down on the miserable excuse for a bike and attempted to turn it on, but all it did was make a coughing, sputtering sound, then splatter a burst of thick, dark fluid onto the pavement. "Terrific. Just terrific. My day is going great already," Kaneda sighed to himself. He got off the bike once again, put the kickstand down, and stood back examining it. "Hmm. Maybe THIS will help!" Kaneda stormed as he solidly kicked the bike. He jumped in surprise when the bike started. "Wow, now that's more like-" Kaneda was interrupted as the bikes' gas tank fell to the ground. "." said Kaneda.
The gas tank lay on the ground leaking gas everywhere, as the bike fell over, the kickstand having fallen off, and the back wheel rolled off and bumped against a homeless person who promptly grabbed it and ran off. "." repeated Kaneda. He reached into his pocket, taking out a match. "Fine, you want a piece of me? Well let's see how playful you are when you're a BURNING PILE OF WRECKAGE!" Kaneda paused. "Umm... as opposed to a non-burning pile of wreckage that is..." Kaneda lit the match and tossed it onto the puddle of gasoline, backing away. The fire immediately ignited the gasoline, engulfing the entire remnants of the temporary bike Kaneda had been using. Kaneda laughed hysterically as the bike was consumed by the conflagration, its' paint melting off, and its' only remaining tire popping from the heat. As he laughed, the fire glinted in his eyes and illuminated him, making him look like some kind of tribal shaman performing a sacred ritual.
He was dancing around the engulfed bike, still laughing, when Koji and Sosuke pulled up on their bikes. "Umm. Hey, Kaneda.?" Sosuke ventured nervously. Kaneda immediately stopped jumping and laughing. "Uhh. Y-Yes?" Kaneda replied, turning around. "What, exactly, were you doing?" Koji asked him incredulously. Kaneda glanced back and the burning hunk of metal he had just been dancing around. "Oh, uhh, heheh. Just thought, umm, you know. We should lighten up a bit and have some fun." "By burning your bike?" asked Koji. "And speaking of bikes," put in Sosuke, "Where's your real bike anyway? I thought you had all the money you needed?" Kanedas' face flushed, and he got an angry look on his face. "Hey, lets' go beat the crap out of someone and take their money. How about the Eagles?" "What," Koji asked." That new American gang?" Kaneda smiled evilly. "Yes, that American gang." He hopped on Koji's bike. "Let's go then! Come on! Lets' go!" Kaneda shouted. Man, Kaneda sure is acting weird today. thought Sosuke and Koji simultaneously. They sped off.
In the shop, the ugly man went to the front of the store and looked into the street, seeing the burning bike. The man growled. Grr. I'll make him pay extra for that. He walked to the back of his store and picked up a dented and rusty fire extinguisher, and tried to find a shovel to push the rubble off the street in front of his store. As he was at the back of the store, he heard the bell ringing that signified someone coming into his store. "One second, I'll be right there," he called. No reply. The dirty/ugly man rolled his eyes. Could at least let me know you're not deaf. He thought angrily. Finally having everything he needed, the man turned around and went back to the counter. "What d'ya want?" The man asked. He looked at the other side of the counter to see a young man with wavy brown hair spiking up above his head, torn clothes, and an arm that seemed to be made completely of metal scraps.
What the. What is this? Thought the man confusedly. "What do you want?" Asked the man again. The person on the other side of the counter just smiled. "Some clothes would be nice," he said quietly. "Yeah, we-well I don't sell none here. And by the way, what's up with your arm? Is that the poor mans' version of a prosthetic arm?" Asked the barkeeper with a half-smile on his face. The man on the other side of the counter just smiled wider. "No, just the "special" man's prosthetic arm. And I see some clothes right over there." The ugly/dirty man got angry. He didn't have time for some homeless bums' chatter. "Listen punk, I don't have time for this crap. Why don't you go live your crappy life somewhere else?" The metal-armed man shook his head slowly back and forth. "Tsk tsk tsk. Not very nice of you. An interesting choice of last words too." The ugly/dirty man managed a confused look as the lights flickered, and then suddenly felt his throat tighten. It felt like his body had been gripped by hundreds of little arms and hands, and they were all pulling him in different directions. The shopkeeper was suddenly filled with shock as he struggled against the multiple tiny hands. Wait! I know who that is now! I remember the news broadcasts! "You-You're. T-Tetsuo!" gasped the man. Tetsuo nodded, smiling, and there was a ripping sound.