It took a few hours of groveling, but Jun was finally able to convince Motoko to return his arms and re-enable his comms. His legs are still locked up tight, but given everything… best not push. No need to give her any excuse to take his arms away again and let him experience once more the humiliation of being hand fed those surprisingly delicious burritos Motoko prepared on one of the strange contraptions now cluttering the apartment,
Still, from the sounds of it, his terrifying imotou stole him out of the forward base he was stationed at. Better let the boss know so they didn't think he was dead, or worse, a traitor.
He made the call.
His boss, Daichi, picked up immediately.
"Jun! You're alive! Where are you?! Are you safe?!"
"Boss. I'm at my apartment. I'm alright."
"That's… that's a relief. When the entire 40th got taken out yesterday—"
"WHAT!"
Was everyone okay! Were they attacked! They can't be dead. Please let them not be dead! He couldn't lose them too so soon after losing her.
"Calm down. No one got hurt—"
"Gorilla arms don't bend that way!"
"—much. They'll all make a full recovery. Physically at least. Got real worried when we found out you were gone. You sure you're okay? We still haven't found out who did it, but they took down thirty seven people without raising the alarms,"
His imotou did what? She only got out of a coma two months ago!
"And we still need to figure out who flatlined fourteen Maelstrom gangers down the street from the outpost! The higher ups are demanding answers, and they're—"
"Boss!" interrupted Jun. "Well… Uh… The one that broke into the base was probably my imotou. She said she got fed up with me ignoring her texts."
"Your sister?! Motoko did this?!"
"Yeah... I don't think I'll be in for a few days. Just letting you know."
"Jun, are you really okay?"
"I'm fine! Just need to convince my imotou to let me have my legs back. Just got her to return my arms."
"I-I see. Are you sure you don't need us to come over and—"
"She pulled my brain out through my chest!"
"—Never mind. Actually, take a week off. No! Take two! Do whatever you need to so I don't got to deal with more guys traumatized from finding robot spiders in their chrome!"
Daichi paused, the silence filled by disturbed muttering in the background.
"They're in my legs they're in my armsinmystuddinmychestinmyskull. I can hear them talking. Ourveryexistenceprovesspiritualenlightenmentonthemetaphysicalplane..."
"Just… don't piss off your scary sister this bad again, Jun. Please. I don't think we can survive another attack like this."
In all his years knowing Daichi, Jun had never heard him so defeated. What the fuck did his imotou do?
"...Are you alright, boss."
"Freaked out, but I'll live. Tell your sister I'll be making you take breaks to go home, okay! Be a good brother to her."
"You got it, boss."
"Later, Jun. Stay safe."
"You too, Daichi."