Watson, January 2077
With Jackie being out on a date with Misty today and business with gigs being pretty quiet, V decided to take some time to kick back and just relax. He wasn't too eager to just spend the day in his apartment though, it was coming along nicely at least but he needed some time out.
So he found a nice little joint out in Watson named "Tom's Diner" where he decided to sit at a booth and order something simple. It was during this time he looked outside, remembering something that always popped into his head during the winter: it never seemed to snow in Night City. And given that V had grown up here his whole life he never got to experience it for himself, nor did he really know what people did on snowy days… he always imagined it was nice though.
Through the window he then caught someone else's face in the reflection, a blonde wearing a mask over her mouth that V determined was sitting at a stool over at the counter. He had a sneaking suspicion that she seemed familiar… he then turned over and said to her "Hey, sorry if I was late. Too much to ask if you come over here?" Which prompted the masked woman to close her eyes frustratedly before getting up and sitting down across from him with her drink "Thought you seemed familiar… V." V suspecting that someone he was now beginning to recognize caught him through his voice, something he did as well when he said in response "Remember you from before on the holo… appreciate you recommending T-Bug, she's damn good at what she does and she's not bad to have around." Still remembering some of their sessions together when V first got his hands on a cyberdeck to assist with netrunning, his particular choice was a Stephenson Tech Mark 3. And now that the mercenary had a look at Kiwi face to face, he could tell she was professional and definitely acted like it. But something about her seemed… on edge. Kiwi then spoke up, disrupting his thoughts "Just didn't want to waste my time, 'sides which I figured she wouldn't mind." To which V just responded with "Heh, 'didn't want to waste my time'? That make you one of those types who just gets in, gets paid, and gets out?" V being vaguely familiar with the type in terms of solos, the kind who prefers to handle their business and cut their ties to avoid catching trouble from problems that aren't theirs… or possibly cut their losses and get the hell out of NC should the situation get dicey. Kiwi then spoke while staring him down "If that's judgment I'm hearing, spare me." To which V responded while not being intimidated "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Depends on who I'm dealing with." Which actually provoked a look of curiosity from the netrunner's eyes.
Personally V wasn't the type who was quick to dismiss the sort of solos who preferred to not let anyone else's problems become their own, it all depended on the sort of mercenary they were. He didn't normally look at people black and white, but the way V understood it was that there were two kinds of mercenaries who operated that way. The first kind was someone who just wanted to keep themselves afloat and avoid drawing too much attention, which he could understand.
And then there was the kind V didn't approve of, the sorts who were only out for themselves and had no issue throwing people to the wolves that were known as corpos or selfish fixers or indecent gangsters if it meant making extra eddies or just kept them out of trouble. Kiwi then simply says "Someone who understands how this city works." With a look in her eye that gave V his answer, and he just responded with a half smirk "Hmm… ok, think I know where you get the attitude from. Can't trust anyone in Night City, you'll get yourself killed if you do, only one worth watching out for is yourself in the end… different story out in Heywood." Which prompted Kiwi to quietly chuckle "Oh really, and what story is that?" To which V responded "Either you stay strong together or die alone, and you die slowly if you cross a line or turn your back on the people who call you 'choom'. Like a certain rainbow-haired netrunner." Kiwi going a little wide-eyed before glaring at him "For your information Lucy's a good kid, got potential. Now stop pretending like you know me, street kid." And she proceeds to get up and head over to the other side of the diner with her drink, V just shaking his head before he took a sip out of his own drink while thinking to himself (Doesn't seem like a bad type… but you cross that line Kiwi, and you're just gonna get yourself killed.)
Author's note: Yep, back with a new chapter after taking some time to figure out what was next. Am I posting a chapter like this to give an introduction between V and Kiwi for a reason? Maybe, maybe not, you'll have to see ;)
Does this deviate a little bit from the sort of direction Road to Night City's been going so far? Honestly maybe a little, but I don't classify this as an interlude nor a bonus chapter because it doesn't deviate so far that it's just completely off-base. Regardless, this particular phase of the story is where I'm intending to focus a little less on background development and more on actually moving things along. This does not mean I'm going to start rushing things forward, but I'm going to at least try and not make this feel halted. Until next time chooms.