"Didn't I tell you to get that upgrade?"
Eyes snapped open, breathing ragged and heart running a mile a minute.
'Where the fuck am I?!' Trembling fingers reach up into soft hair, eyes darting around but seeing nothing.
'Last thing I remember is.. Is;' Fear gripped his heart in a cold stranglehold. 'Why can't I remember? WHAT WAS THE LAST THING I REMEMBER?! WHY CAN'T I REMEMBER?!'
"Doc's fault, he gave me a busted drive.."
'Wait..' Gray eyes snapped forward and beheld something that should NOT exist.
'Is that.?'
"You tried to outsmart the system-" He wasn't listening anymore, too preoccupied with controlling his breathing so as to not alert the two that he was back there and his quickly deteriorating mental state.
'Thats Gloria and David fucking Martinez! There's no way! THERES NO WAY IM IN FUCKING CYBERPUNK?!' The young man was beginning to hyperventilate. This kind of shit just didn't happen, there's no way! He had to be in some weird dream.
No, this isn't a dream and yes, you are in "cyberpunk". You thought you could do so much better in this world? Make everything better? Get everyone in this world a happy ending right? Then prove it. Make it better, or you can kiss your memories and your home world goodbye. You were so sure of yourself before, talking all big and proud. Well now it's time to step up. Put your money where your mouth is and prove it. Good luck CHOOM.
His eyes stilled, his heart slowed and his pupils shrank into pinpricks. A voice was in his head, that wasn't his own. He did the only thing one could when hearing slightly patronizing and weird voices in their head.
He yelled at it.
'What..? You- How- WHAT?! WHO ARE YOU?! GIVE ME BACK MY MEMORIES YOU FUCKING COWARD COME BACK! WHAT EVEN IS MY NAME DAMN IT?!'
There was no response because of course there wouldn't be. And that just cemented a slowly growing worry in his gut. He was stuck, stuck in a world of pain and suffering. Where anguish was the main course and death the just desserts. He looked out of the window and saw his reflection in the window of a passing van and was slightly surprised by what he saw. Dirty blonde hair that was just the epitome of free form and desperately needing a brush. Gray eyes with a small ring of orange around the iris set in a pale complexion and the barest hints of facial hair coming through, like a fresh stubble hours after a shave. A painful lurch in his heart hit him like a bus.
'I have mom's eyes..' His breath hitched as he grasped the area above his heart, lips curling into a pained snarl. He could remember his mothers eye's but not her name, or what the rest of her looked like. Then his brain grasped a wayward thought, he didn't forget everything, there was one thing, a scattered conversation in his head and whispers too quiet to pin down but;
'The only other thing I can remember is that.. She wanted to name me-'
"-and get to the top of the Arasaka Tower! I know you got it in you, Dee."
'Reinhardt..' And just like that the now named Reinhardt's eyes opened quickly and he finally took in the color of the van that he'd used to check his reflection. Fucking pink. His eyes snapped forward and saw that Dee or David had just noticed the van as well with that bright yellow HMG sticking out of it.
"You wanted me to fix things? Fine then motherfucker I'll get right to work." Reinhardt whispered to himself. Although not quiet enough apparently as Gloria seemed to have heard him and looked into the rearview to make eye contact.
"Did you say something Rein? I'm sorry for excluding you in the conversation but-"
"Hit the brakes." His eyes never once left the van. Gloria however was slightly startled by his tense voice.
"Huh? Rein what do you mean hon-'' She didn't get a chance to finish as both Dee and Rein saw the overly muscled goon pull back the charging handle. Dee was petrified and Rein was running out of time so he quickly abandoned the gentle approach.
"GLORIA HIT THE FUCKING BRAKES RIGHT NOW OR WE'RE GONNA BE TURNED INTO SLAG!" So startled by the outburst from him Gloria obeyed without even thinking and just slammed the brake pedal with enough force to almost punch it through the floor.
And not a moment too soon.
Seconds later the HMG roared to life, pelting the limo that had been on their left with enough rounds to take out a small building. He knew they weren't out of the woods yet though and kept up the instructions as the van pulled in front of them and a man he hadn't noticed readied what was obviously a rocket launcher.
"VEER LEFT! GET IN THE LEFT LANE AND KEEP BEHIND THE VAN DAMN IT!" Gloria was in the same state as her son though and had frozen up, unable to comprehend how close to death theyd been at the hands of the Animal's heavy weaponry. Seeing this Rein sighed and pushed himself forward into the cramped front.
"I dont have fucking time for this damn it." He uttered as he gripped the wheel and began a slow turn into the left lane behind the obnoxiously pink vehicle. The man on top having just fired his payload at the fleeing limo.
"Keep your foot on the gas Glo or I'm not gonna be able to keep us safe you read?" He looked to his left and one of his eyes bored into hers. She was silent for a moment but then nodded, albeit shakily, relinquishing the wheel to the young man as he guided their car. Tilting his head and looking out of the very corner of eyes to the right this time, he made eye contact with David. Seeing the guy so spooked he decided to add a bit of levity into the situation to hopefully help ground him. Smirking, he gave him a quick upward tilt of his head and laughed a little.
"Afternoon Dee, enjoying the ride? Seat ok?" David only managed a brief and shaky nod that quickly turned into a fevered left to right shake as the street erupted in smoke and a bright flash barely even fifty meters ahead of them. The gangers were hooting and hollering in their vehicle after the fireball but he didn't have time to care for them. Reasserting his head forward to make sure he got this right he gripped the wheel harder and started turning left a bit more to absolutely make sure he got them through this. He was gonna prove that voice he'd heard earlier wrong and maybe get back at him for fucking up canon enough to make sure he was good and annoyed. Was he being petty? Not in his eyes he wasn't. Now though it was time to concentrate and not daydream, because without even realizing it he was holding his breath. He wasn't blinking either as he waited for the smoke to clear and reveal the last known obstacle between them and their safety.
'Bingo!' He saw the damn limo finally, stood up on its front end scraping the pavement as it drained momentum, throwing sparks every and making a horrid screech sound as it hurtled right into their previous path. He knew how canon went, he hadn't watched everything but he knew how this part went perfectly clear, but this time? Things had changed. And they were gonna keep changing as long as he drew breath. He wasn't gonna let Gloria die or let David go down that oil slicked road straight into cyberpsychosis. His face erupted into a vicious smirk without him even realizing it. Why you ask? Because the limo was already passing them on their right as they exited the smoke created from the rocket's explosion. No longer caring for the destroyed vehicle he looked ahead again and quickly snapped the wheel to the right causing both David and Gloria to scream at the sudden jerk.
"FUCKING ROIDED OUT BASTARDS!" He roared as the animals had slammed on their own brakes to get at the downed corpo, not caring a single lick that they'd have plowed over their humble family sedan. His evasive maneuvering wasn't without consequences though, because cars that had been behind them in traffic were rapidly trying to pass the downed vehicle, and the Animals van full of trigger happy psychos. Which also meant they were speeding past THEIR vehicle as well, and Rein's rapid shift in direction meant that there was zero chance for other drivers to avoid them in their mad dash for safety.
"Oh youve gotta be fucking with me.." He bit out as they began a rapid tailspin courtesy of a car bigger than them by three times that had rammed into their right rear tire and sent them spinning down the exit ramp.
'FUCKING BASTARD- wait. An exit ramp?' He didn't remember that being there in the show. And that's when the world suddenly slowed immensely to his eyes as they spun down the exit, tires screaming the whole way as he wrestled the wheel to try and get them straight.
You're an angry man, and I'll admit, you surprised me. Of all the people I've sent here to entertain me and try their hand at "fixing" things. You, my dear boy have impressed me. So I thought a small gift would be in order. You've done well so far to keep Gloria alive, but this is only the beginning. Your coming trials will be MUCH harder than this. Keep me entertained boy and maybe when this is all over I'll feel inclined to send you back. Now get going, you have a rendezvous with destiny.
With those final words the voice once again disappeared and Reinhardt grit his teeth as a quick memory flashed through his brain, the head of a white eagle on a black background letting out a loud screech. Reinhardt shook his head as time started to resume and the car steadied out on its own, obviously a little helping hand from whoever that voice was.
'Too easy, CHOOM.' Reinhardt thought bitingly after handing back the wheel to Gloria's trembling hands and settling back in his seat, he thought he heard the sound of a deep laugh but didn't care enough to put more thought into it then that. Looking back forward he saw David staring at him with his mouth agape while Gloria kept her vision forward on the road. Seeing this he let out a wry chuckle, the last of his adrenaline flowing out in that laugh, leaning his head back he looked at the ceiling before closing his eyes. What a damn day. Not even a minute later a cough in front of him brought his attention to the front again. In the rearview Gloria was once again holding his gaze but when he looked down he saw her hand holding a pack of what he assumed were cigarettes and a faded blue lighter. Raising his eyebrow at Gloria in confusion she just shook her head at the young man and looked ahead once more before throwing the items into his lap.
"You look like you need it more than I will. Just dont think I'll be getting you another Rein. And we'll talk about what all that was later, but for now;' At this her gaze returned to his and her eyes grew softer while a thankful smile grew on her lips. 'Thanks for saving us." David was still speechless, even more so seeing his mom with a pack of smokes, he gave a thankful nod nonetheless and then sank into his chair. Reinhardt couldn't help but laugh softly and tip his imaginary hat to Gloria.
"You're more than welcome, ma'am sorry for the scare earlier." She didn't respond but just shook her head fondly as she looked ahead once more. Reaching down she flipped on the radio once more and let the music begin to try and help them settle their nerves. Anything was better than silence after that catastrophe. Rein looked away outside again before grabbing the pack of cigarettes, they were incredibly faded and had no visible name. Opening the pack he saw there was only a single one left, upside down at that. Smiling a little wider he pulled his prize out and rolled the window down a smidge to let the acrid smoke out. Lighting the tobacco he took a drag and was surprised to feel it not scratch at his throat on the way down, how was it so smooth?
'Maybe they fixed that nasty cancer part of em? Eh, who cares, mystery for another time..' He thought and let the nicotine soothe his frazzled brain, it had seriously been a day. Letting the smoke out he closed his eyes and let the music wash over him as they drove home.
"This ain't no place for no hero. This ain't no place for no, better maaaan! This ain't no place for no hero, to call home."
