MOTOKO

I blinked my optics open, and stretched.

Sleeping for eight hours and having magic, black box nanites heal everything was cool. Most importantly, it was instant awareness with no morning haze, or lingering aches. So damn cool. If only there was something to avoid morning breath, ah well. I rolled off my bed, checked on the Tachikoma, and the lathes that had been printing armour pieces all night. Baby Tachi was getting there in the months since its inception, since I'd finally stopped trying to reinvent the wheel, and just used a SAAI as a baseline as I should have from the start.

Damn Motoko-brain, focused more on brrrrs, and always forgetting things. I even felt like I was forgetting something right now. Something important?

I idly patted my little helper, and checked its work. It had fed the 3D printer overnight, and removed the completed pieces too. Good, this was good. I'd have Lucy's new armoured leotard ready soon, complete with armoured leggings. I made sure the printer's instructions were updated for the day, gave baby Tachi one final pat, and left it with instructions to clean.

Maybe I could go liberate Nibbles, so that they had chooms. I think I remembered the formula for his cat food preference too: prescrip catscop with tofu'd tuna, mash it up a bit and then stick it in the zapper for exactly 17.5 seconds and if he still doesn't eat it then add a little splash of nicola but not too much, or he just barfs it right back up. And most importantly, don't forget the pspspspsps.

My mind was a metamaterial'd chrome trap. Absolutely nothing forgotten. Just like Rache's NETdeck - that was a nuclear weapon to store in your inventory and never, ever touch.

Jun was already awake, eating a gross breakfast burrito while watching the morning news. I tried to ignore him, as I got myself a bowl of human food: cereal. The most important meal of the day, as told to the educated masses by AllFoods. It certainly wasn't because they were the only source of synth-milk and edible grains on the continent, no siree.

I finished chewing my Adam-O's and swallowed, "Mornin' Jun."

He grunted at me in that bishōnen way of his, hair a bleary dark colour somewhere between blue and brown as he took a sip mermaid branded of soy-presso.

I tried again, "Did I mention something to you last night? Birthday maybe? Important gig? Package delivery?"

Jun just shrugged, eyes glued to the big screen, "You told me to watch the news in the morning, been doing it for the past week."

I glanced at it, but it was just some report about a shooting in the City Centre, "Anything good?"

He drained the last of his coffee, "No, you know how it is. I'm not up this early usually, so you better make it worth my while." He stretched, hair flaring to life through a variety of colours, "I was thinking... a subscription to Burrito XXL? Maybe get a SCSM for the kitchen?" He blinked at me, "They just released a new flavour." He groaned in a gross way, "Just thinkin' about it makes me hungry." He stood up, going to get his jacket, and strapping on his iron, "You want anything? I think I'm gonna grab one now."

I made a face, as I experience a full body shudder of gross. XXL, ugh, "No, none for me. Wait, get some junk food, no bugs." I flicked him a wad of eddies, "Keep the change, you filthy animal."

He rolled his eyes and walked out the door, "I'm a Tyger, not an Animal. Jeez Motoko, get it together..." His voice faded as he kept complaining, deep into the elevator.

Gonk, a tiger was an animal, but I guess that said more about the sorry state of public education (nonexistant) than anything else. Finally, just had to turn the TV off and I'd have blessed peace to do some cultivation. I picked up my bowl, and went to turn off the TV. The bright yellow jacket of an EMT, and the bright red hair of the woman in it caused me to pause.

Huh, that was Gloria Martinez on TV. Why was she on TV? She wasn't on TV until she scraped that cyberpsycho off the pavement. The one that had David's... Sandy.

Damn it. I looked down at the floor, where I'd dropped my breakfast. Double damn it. Jun, you had once job! We couldn't let Gloria flatline! Except... he didn't know Gloria, damn. And David, think of David! You wanted him to grow up without a mother? Except Jun had left, and I had nobody to yell my frustrations at.

Now I had to figure out how to get that Sandy. I didn't have Gloria's number, but Maine did. Except I didn't have the best relationship with Maine. Maybe Hiromi could get David to klep it for me? If this was the morning after Gloria had scavved it, maybe I could give one of them a holo? He was supposed to have that mishap at school, right? Not even time for a slice of synth-toast, I had to get moving!

I grabbed my gear and went for the door. Was I forgetting something? Nah, iff it was important, I woulda remembered.

If I'd stayed a minute longer, I woulda seen Tachikoma peer out of my room, looking to run .

When I came back, crisis averted, it was to a conapt with a sticky floor, and an angry Jun.