I've come to realise that the text message sections of this story get ruined by this website's formatting. If you wanna see it in its intended form, you can check out the Ao3 version here: Built Different - Chapter 1 - Logar3 - Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (Anime) [Archive of Our Own]


Maine sighed, leaning back into the chair he was sitting on underneath an umbrella, which was keeping the worst of the sun off him.

"Was really hoping that Wakako woulda had more for you than just the one courier gig for you right now. I was hoping to check out what you can do in a bunch of different gigs, but I guess that's not gonna be an option."

David just nodded as he sat on the other side of the makeshift table that Maine had set up, not really knowing what to say to that. He didn't want to be disrespectful and agree with him wholeheartedly… but he did agree, very wholeheartedly.

So he just stayed silent as Maine hummed to himself before shrugging. The large man reached down to the side of his chair and rummaged his way through a bag that was leaned up against it, before throwing something towards David. "I guess that gives us some time to prep you, though."

The thing Maine threw at him was moving pretty quickly, thanks to the man's Gorilla Arms being strong as fuck, and David had to activate his Sandevistan for an instant to have enough speed to actually catch it.

Sitting in the green-tinged world for a moment after catching the item, David gave it a once over, realising that it was a pistol, specifically a Lexington, and a pretty banged-up one at that.

He deactivated his Sandevistan, and the world sped back up again, and he saw Maine start to chuckle. "Man, if someone told me that I'd see someone using a Sandevistan for something as simple as catching something, I'd have punched them for bullshitting me."

David just laughed awkwardly at that, before nodding his head at the pistol. "What's with the Iron?"

Maine coughed, clearing his throat, and grinned. "With Gloria for a mum, I feel safe to assume you've never Zero'd anyone before. Likely never even fired a gun before, either, is that right?"

David nodded at that, and Maine's smile grew slightly. "Well, we can't just find a volunteer to let you zero them, that'll just come from experience and time, but what I can do is have Rebecca bring you along the next time she goes to a range and show you the basics."

David opened his mouth, about to interrupt, but Maine held up a hand at him. "I know you're about to try and say that you don't need one because of the Sandevistan, but trust me. Even if you don't end up keeping a rifle or something on you, an Edgerunner should always have some emergency Iron."

David's mouth shut closed at that, and he felt his head nod almost on autopilot. It was true that he'd never shot a gun before, but that was because he had never needed to. The feeling of not needing to was seemingly still with him at the moment, but Maine was right. In a life where every job could have you in a fight within moments, he would likely need a gun on him.

There was also the fact that the 'Level Up' system from his Sandevistan put a lot of emphasis on weaponry. He should probably use this chance to figure out what kind would suit him best, and help him think of where to put his perk points.

His mouth formed a thin line, and he moved to shove the Lexington into the same inner pocket that he'd put the box from his courier job yesterday, only for it to seemingly vanish into thin air as he tried to put it away.

[+1 Militech M-10AF Lexington (Worn)]

David's eyes widened at the message, patting himself down for the weapon. Had the Sandevistan just absorbed the pistol somehow? He glanced at Maine and sighed when he realised the man hadn't seen the pistol vanish.

Maine stood up suddenly, stretching out his back. "Glad to see you looking so determined, kid. I'll send over your contact to Rebecca and she'll contact you with a time and a place for your shooting practice. Oh, and one more thing."

David cocked his head at Maine, who had turned his head back to look at him. "I can tell that you're absolutely itching for some more work. Trust me, I was the same way when I started out, but don't be bugging me 24/7, alright? Some people are too old to be pulling all-nighters like you kids anymore."

David laughed, purposely ignoring the fact that he had actually spent most of last night after finishing his run with Lucy trying to build up the courage to outright text Maine and ask for more jobs. "Of course not, I wouldn't dream of bugging you."

Maine hit David with a look that told him the man didn't believe him before he strode off into the warehouse. David watched him enter, before promptly jumping to his feet as he exited his line of sight, patting himself down.

'Shit, how the fuck do I get the gun back out!?'


Beep beep!

David was still trying to get the Lexington back out of where the Sandevistan had taken it when he received a message from an unknown number. He'd at least headed home in the meantime, taking a break from his attempts while on the NCART, and was currently lying on the couch.

Appreciating the distraction from the worry that was worming into his gut about potentially losing the Lexington Maine had given him, he brought up the messaging function on his HUD, clicking on the recent message.


Hey hey, Davey!

Surely Maine told you I'd be contacting you, right?

This is Rebecca, right?

'Cause if so, then yea he did.

Boo!

Call me Becca!

Alright, Becca then.

Where are we headed, choom?

I'll send you the coords in a sec

It's this really nice gun range over in Megabuilding H10

Wait, the range is-is in a Megabuilding?

Is that safe?

Yep-yep sure is!

Actually built properly, so-so the walls in there can tank low-yield nades!

I know the guy who owns the shop, not-not the type to skimp on safety.

Which is rare in NC, y'know?

Oh-oh yea, I know.

You can literally get-get into my apartment through the vent because they didn't buy vent covers for the hallways when they built the building.

So I know-know exactly what you're talking about.

HA!

Must have-have had to crawl your way through 'em before if you know that.

Well, Davey? Ever broken into-into your own house?

Only once-once.

Was just a couple of days ago actually.

Had to break in-in cause the landlord hadn't received the rent and locked me out.

Wow-wow!

Not paying your rent AND-AND breaking and entering!

Heh, maybe you-you were born to be an edgerunner!

Anyway, I gotta bounce, for now, but I'll catch 'ya later for shooting practice!

See-see ya later, choom!

5 pm today, Megabuilding H10.

Remember that!

[Unknown] ended the call


David couldn't help the smile on his face after Becca ended the call. Tapping at his HUD he quickly put the contact down under [Becca] and closed the call section altogether. A few moments later, a text message came through, showing him the travel details on how to get to the '2nd Amendmant' store in Megabuilding H10.

As he mentally calculated what time he should leave and hop on an NCART to get over to it, he half-heartedly noted that it was fairly close to Corpo Plaza, and therefore Arasaka Academy, which in turn reminded him of something he'd been ignoring for the last few days.

Pulling up his message logs from [Arasaka Academy], he sighed as he noticed they messaged him twice after he blocked them the first time.

Without even listening to the two most recent messages, he put together a message that he hoped clearly got across his message of 'Fuck You and your school' and sent it through, before blocking the contact again and closing it before he got a reply.

The first one had been them offering to talk about what he did and potentially not expel him if he apologised for his actions against Katsuo after he'd chipped the Sandevistan, but he had no intention of ever seeing Katsuo again, let alone apologising to the gonkhead.

He was surprised to feel a sense of closure as the message to Arasaka Academy went through, but he kind of understood why it was there. His enrollment in Arasaka Academy had technically still been active and would have only cut out once they didn't get his tuition payment the next month.

So in a way, his enrollment was the last thing that was keeping him attached to his old life. His eyes drifted towards the urn that his mother's ashes were in, just sitting on the table, and for the first time since it happened, he was in a spot where it was able to really hit him.

His mum was dead and cremated, sitting in front of him.

His continued enrollment at Arasaka Academy was over, ended with his own message.

His old life was over.

It all hit David at once. He'd been pushing it down for the last few days, trying to keep busy and stay ahead of it, but now that he had the chance to… he broke down.

He felt his side hit the couch as his vision blurred with tears. His mother's face flashed before him. Every time she had scolded him for using bootleg tech or software, every time she'd almost cried in happiness seeing another 'A' on his report card, the sheer exhaustion she worked herself to, all to make sure he would be successful…

'God, I'm gonna fucking miss you, mum.'