Cyberpunk: Arasaka Secret Son

When we got home the first thing grandma told me to do was to take a bath, because according to her I smelled radioactive water.

When I finished bathing I put on clean clothes, some shorts, a t-shirt, and headed for the dining room where it seemed that Grandma Aoi had made dinner.

After everything that had happened today, I was starving.

"Itadakimasu!"

I sat down at the table and gave thanks for the food picking up my sticks, as if I didn't notice the piercing gaze of Grandpa, who was looking at me waiting for me to be the one to start talking, which I'm not going to do..... for me we have nothing to talk about....the questions I have I know he won't answer them.....

Focusing on the food in front of me without raising my head I started to eat my dinner without saying anything else until grandpa ran out of patience and...

"Sora... don't you think it's time for you to start talking?"

Uhmmmmmmmhm(full mouth noise).

"OK, grandpa I understand your concerns... I will NOT let Harvey get close to Grandma again.... I was worried about the look on that degenerate's face too!"

"Ara-ara, Musashi was that what you were worried about, I'm not interested in younger men, I didn't know you were the jealous type after all these years."

"..... Aoi" said my grandfather holding his head with his hands somewhat exasperated by Aoi-Obasan's comments following me joking tried to lower the tension grandfather had from everything that had happened today....

"Sora, you know how worried we were and your m-Tch...., about what foolish thing you did? How could you even think of doing something like that son...

Sora, I can't understand you and that worries me. You have the potential to succeed no matter what field you choose... but seeing your actions today..... what good is all that potential if you waste it... on THIS!!!"

As if he couldn't control his emotions anymore grandpa shouted as he turned on the Tv appearing NEWS 54 which was just covering the chase that had happened today, with images of me with my face covered by the mask with lights, while shooting water at the Ncpd cars and the images of me throwing the EMP grenades

"Hey grandpa ..."

Hhmmm "tell me Sora... "said grandpa as he sighed.

"Did you have it calculated?"

"What?"

"You know, your upping your pitch, putting in the right timing on the news and showing up just when they were counting the chase...."

"....GHmm!"

"No Grandpa, don't growl at me I'm serious, I thought it was amazing, I'm not saying it as a joke, I'm giving you my sincere kudos, I mean you timed yourself with the news, plus the rise in tone at the end..... has been... perfect.

Grandpa, you have reached almost an artistic level in your scoldings, I honestly when I realized it, I couldn't not say anything, to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, Grandpa!"

"FUfufuHaHaHaHaha!"

"Tch don't laugh grandma I wasn't kidding, now grandpa is going to think I was laughing at him....."

"SORA STOP IT! Don't you realize the consequences of your irresponsible actions, you know how close you came today that you would have ended up hurt or dead.... AND SO ARE YOU Aoi! if you're going to behave like this it's better that Sora and I continue this conversation in the training room with a bokken in our hands."

"Musashi, I'm behaving like this, just because of you, look how you are behaving, it looks like you are going to declare the fifth Corporation War!.... do you think with that tone you are going to get this boy to open up to us and tell us what is wrong with his head to behave as he has done....

So my dear ..... shut up sit down and eat.

Now that we have all calmed down and laughed too. Sora don't you think you have something to tell us?"

"I-I'm sorry for my comportment... I should have put on a hood."

BAAM!

"SORA!!!"

"WHAT!"

" Grandpa, Grandma, I love you!... That's why I'm not going to lie to you saying that I'm sorry and I won't do something like that ever again, because it's not true, I don't regret anything I've done, today I had a great time!!!, even at times when... I thought I was going to die, I do not regret anything.

"Ojii-san, Oba-san in the future... I want to be a MERC! this is how I want to live my life.... to do what I want when I want, free to live a life with my heart beating so hard it hurts in the process being a reminder of what it means to me to really live."

"NO!" shouted Aoi-Obasan with disapproval and fear in her voice and you found grandpa"....." Keeping silent as he stared at me.

"Today I had my first life-to-death combat.... I almost died because of the cop who found us after jumping off the bridge.... he had something going on I'm not going to tell you... and he ended up shooting me."

"...."

"Sora don't think I'm going to accept your wish to be a merc, but there are more important things now, what do you think happened to the policeman to make him end up shooting you and you don't want to tell us?"

"grandpas, who is my mother?" I said almost interrupting grandpa's question.

"So-Sora, like I told you; that's something I'm not-"

"..."

"What do I have in my body?"

"...."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Grandpas, if you are not able to be honest with me.... how do you expect me to be honest with you? I love you, that's why I'm not going to lie to you, but just like you don't tell me everything I do the same.

Ojii-san, you've never been good at lying, look at my damn nose...that was one of the reasons I broke it. It's healed now it's only been 1 hour.

I know you think that I'm not ready to know all those things and that by not knowing them you protect me.... but I know more than you think."

I said while I took off the adhesive bandage I had showing them my nose that just an hour ago I had broken and bloody. with the wounds of not having been able to dodge all the shots of the green eyes, I was unconscious and I do not know how long it took the wounds to close....

With what I said Aoi-Obasan also made a surprised face almost wanting to turn to grandfather and break his united forehead.

"When the cop shot us I thought I was going to die.....judy was going to die... with those thoughts something inside me shifted, saving me...NO!...saving us!, Ojii... that thing, it made me feel a hatred that almost consumed me.... but also.....(smile) I felt strong..... full of possibilities, it was a feeling almost intoxicating, when I moved with my sword almost attached to my body in a slow-motion world making some sword moves I had never seen, no swordsmanship you have taught me could compare to it, even your personal one Grandpa ..... they were subtle but fierce like streams of water..."

"

"Sora..... do you still remember those moves?

"What?"

"Answer.... do you still remember that `fierce swordsmanship like streams of water' that you're so full of?"

Leaving me a little surprised by my Ojiisan's unexpected question, I closed my eyes before answering so I could remember the moves I did when I felt semi-possessed... trying to remember the moves leaving everything else behind, just focusing on reliving all the moves I did along with the feeling my arms and legs had that when I remembered them and saw them in my mind seemed like I was dancing while following the holographic lines that guided each move....

Almost making me get lost in this feeling while I had my eyes closed repeating over and over again the sequence in my mind trying to reconstruct as much as I could that fencing unknown to me.

When I opened my eyes, my grandfather stared at me seriously without changing his expression, however, Aoi-Obasan ..... covered her mouth with her hands in surprise, almost shocked when she saw me.

I was distressed to see her react like that, my eyes burned, but not as much as the first time.... but I felt them...ignited/ON.

Snapping me out of my thoughts and making Oba-san react as well still a little scared. Grandpa stood up and said.

"Sora follow me and show me... show me that swordsmanship" said my grandfather as he grew a wild grin like I had never seen him.... the grin Grandpa made gave me a chill along with a sense of danger that reminded me of the one I felt in front of the green eyes.

But this time I didn't get scared.... this time this feeling of danger made my heart beat fast, fast enough to make my tired body and mind from all that had happened today, would also encouraging, making me form, like Grandpa, a wild smile, thrilled like a wild beast at the hunt.

"Let's have a duel/bet, with you it's silly to talk, if you win I'll tell you what's in your body, if you lose you have to tell me where you got the EMP grenades or where you built them, I know you have some secret place where you hide all the things you don't want us to know, along with what you think happened to the cop who shot you, what do you say Sora you won't be afraid will you?"

"HeHe came on old man! Finally, you make things interesting "I said as I too got up from the table excited by what Ojiisan was saying.

"You come too Aoi, if Sora wins you too will know what Sora's mother put in her son."

-

Following Grandpa we entered the training room, which was square in shape with a wall on which Grandpa's weapons were placed, leaving a clear room in the center with some table recessed against the walls, with most of the walls covered with a black padded cape that had a texture of triangles.

As I walked in I approached the wall where our wooden swords or Bokkens were hung, as I was picking one up, Grandpa stopped me.

"Sora come here.... for today's duel we are going to use real swords" he said as he reached for his personal sword from the wall of his weapons. His Kaneshige Koshirae that uses the black leather Gangimaki style wrapping on the tsuka/handle of the sword.

When he picked up his, he walked over to the weapon maintenance workbench and put a password on the integrated pad and one of the large drawers under the table opened automatically.

From the drawer, Grandpa took out a black case, with an emblem drawn of a dog or wolf in profile with its jaws open as if its fangs were going to bite a white circle that seemed to represent the moon.

When I saw it I knew instantly what the emblem meant, it reminded me of Grandma's lessons on Japanese history..... that emblem is the Aoi-Obasan family's emblem.... The Inuzuka

"Sora this is the famous sword Getsuga Tenshō (Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer) the heirloom of Aoi's family and you bear his family name. The Inuzuka."

Said my grandfather as he opened the case `How did he say it was called...FAMOUS? just that? NO, that sword is not just a famous sword ... it's a LEGENDARY SWORD!!.... GIVE ME! GIVE ME! GIVE ME! GIVE ME! GIVE ME! GIVE ME!'

"Your grandmother Aoi is the last member of the Inuzuka family, she decided that she wanted us to give it to you when you turn 18 as a protector of the family heirloom so that it won't fall into the wrong hands... Now it is yours. Use it."

With what grandpa had said I became serious and turned to grandma who since I felt my eyes light up I didn't look at her again, afraid that she would have a look of repulsion or scared at me....

When I looked at her, she was looking at me as usual as if her initial surprise had passed or maybe because the heat I felt in my eyes had already stopped, only leaving the usual expression with a gentle smile as she nodded contentedly affirming Grandpa's words,

"Wield it Sora, I'm sure the sword is also excited to meet you, it's been decades without anyone using it!"

When I saw and heard what Aoi-Obasan said, I calmed down, I thought I had scared her whatever it is that I have inside me... I have to win Ojii-San!..... I have to know what I have inside....how can there be a.....AI, although I have a theory ...`SON!´

With grandmother encouraging me..... I still had doubts for me to wield the sword of his family!....NO!, My family!, it is true that I do not carry her blood.... but I carry her family name and I will carry it with pride!.

Feeling nervous, but at the same time grateful that Grandma let me wield the Inazuma Relic.

I approached Grandpa and the case he had open, allowing me to see...a sword? I wondered in surprise at what was inside the case, at the fucking weird and somewhat anticlimactic shape of the sword and its sheath.

I stared at the supposed Getsuga Tenshō with not knowing exactly what expression to put... for the sword I had in front of me that didn't meet at all the expectations that created that AMAZING name...., which I didn't want to show because of the emotional moment it is, `the grandparents are giving me a sword that is the treasure of the Inazuma house' but what I had in front of me was...a stick...A FUCKING BLACK STICK or to be more exact....

A black rectangular stick, where you could barely differentiate the handle from the sheath without tsuba..... giving a rectangular black stick feel.

Seeing my puzzled expression.... for what I thought would be an ancient Katana as an Inuzuka family heirloom.

Grandpa went "HEHEHEHEHE, what surprises you?.... you see the last owner of the sword your grandmother Aoi's brother, Taishi Inuzuka the penultimate head of the Inuzuka family, upgraded the sword, he was also an engineering geek like you....he kept the original blade and discarded the rest rebuilding the sword to the shape it currently has.

Take it try it how it feels in your hand."

When I picked up one end of the sword that I might as well call a black cane....I felt something inside the scabbard...vibrate....what the fuck!

I had to hold the sword with both hands one on the scabbard and one on the hilt for a while until the sword stopped vibrating.... what the fuck was that!!, when I thought that, I turned to grandpa who was smiling at me in contrast to my puzzled expression.

I could hear how grandma Aoi was also happy about what had happened saying.

"Ara Sora you seem to have a talent for charming swords.... Son I hope it's only the swords Fufu."

"What are you talking about grandma, Ojii? I have no idea what happened?"

"Sora, Mhmm(sigh), You never listen to me what I say, do you?.... about how the weapons that are used these days are empty just being instruments of killing... the handmade swords, which have been made by master blacksmith who put his emotions behind his creation, which in turn if that same sword is used for a long time..... surpassing its simple role as a weapon and becoming something more than just a piece of sharp metal, these swords.... grow, Sora this kind of swords are special because they crossed with generation after generation using them their definition as a weapon, they became companions of their owner, protecting and harming people who try to hurt their bearer as a faithful companion protecting their master."

Said my grandfather as he shifted his gaze to Eco who had also followed us into the training room, returning to his usual energetic demeanor after I changed his batteries.

"Sora these types of swords choose their owner, it's not such a stretch to say that they wouldn't be wielded by those they don't recognize, but neither could they bring out the true potential of the sword.....Only an owner who makes the sword vibrate with emotion when wielded, can be recognized as the true master of this special type of swords" said my grandfather as he affectionately stroked the wielder of his Kaneshige Koshirae.

"And well you boy..... had to hold the sword with two hands in order to control how excited the sword was for you to wield it..... hence your grandmother's comment.....seems son that swords love you...Tch don't look at Kaneshige, I won't let her be unfaithful to me in life nor even if you are my grandson, I won't let her to you!"

Said my grandfather who upon hearing his comment about my innate attraction to swords I thought about whether it would be the same with grandfather's Kaneshige.

When I turned my attention to Getsuga I was surprised at first by its shape, but the more I look at it the more I like it.

The shape of the scabbard that attaches to the hilt making it hard to tell which is which, also camouflages the shape of the sword itself giving it a rectangular black stick feel.....

When I unsheathed the Blade.... I turned to surprise.... it almost didn't look like a katana as it barely had any curve to its blade almost making me mistake it for a Chokutō.

When I held it in my hand totally unsheathed I could appreciate an 75cm blade with a snow white edge and the opposite side changing one black as night separating each color by the hamon pattern of the sword looking like a wave separating the two colors that looked like they were chasing each other by the rippling of the Hamon.

Becoming entranced as I examined the blade..... something was shaking me..... it was the Getsuga sword itself, which was vibrating again, but this time gently, like a greeting instead of the first time it seemed like it was going to slip out of my hand, but you could also see with the naked eye how the blade was vibrating alone... making me feel that this sword was the most mysterious thing I had ever seen..... I LOVE IT!.

"Well Sora, are you ready, because let me warn you, I haven't forgotten anything you said before..... and maybe by giving you Getsuga it may seem like I've forgiven you.... but let me tell you something son....

I'm pissed OFF."

When Ojii said that I got nervous because of how intimidating looked..... very different from when we trained, it seems that the Old Man is serious because of the sense of danger I felt from him.

It was like the lighthearted atmosphere Grandpa gave when he gave me Getsuga were a lie.

Replace them with an angry and dangerous, just like the old man.

"Come on Ojii!, but are you sure you wanted to give me Getsuga before our duel, when I beat you don't make excuses saying it was just because of the sword" I said trying to sound calm, trying to mislead grandpa and also myself.

"HAHA" Ojii laughed as if he found what I had said absurd, to change to a serious one with sharp eyes looking at me like a prey.

"You know Sora?.... I think your mouth moves too much, so much that you can't take responsibility for what you say....." said my grandfather while he kept looking at me intently.

"Tch, we'll see whether or not I can take responsibility....OLDSTER!"

With that last shout I lunged towards Ojii trying to move like I did the first time I did the sword sequence trying to imagine the lines as I make my sword move following them....

Swish!

Howled the wind as our blades cut it.....

Clash!

It sounded when our swords clashed...

Hiss!

When the mental brushed against each other....

Filled the room with a cacophony of all 3 that mingled every second we swung and clashed our swords.

Swish Clash!, Clash!, Hiss!, Swish, Hiss!, Clash!, Swish, Hiss!, Clash!, Hiss!, Hiss!, Clash!,

As I kept concentrating trying to copy the moves I did... I got angry with myself..... THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE! .... when I did that sequence of moves.... they don't look like the ones I'm doing...Shit.

MORE! faster..... stronger..... MORE!

Swish, Clash, Clash, Hiss, Swish, Hiss, Hiss, Hiss, Clash! Swish, Hiss, Clash, Clash, Clash! Hiss, Hiss, Clash, Clash! Swish, Clash, Clash, Clash, Hiss, Swish, Hiss, Hiss, Hiss, Clash! Swish, Clash, Clash, Clash,

After squeezing everything I could to try to open a hole in Ojii's defense, I looked at Grandpa's face to see if I had managed to surprise him or make him nervous with my attacks..... but what I saw... made me cold.

Grandpa was calm I could almost describe him as bored as he blocked all my attacks without much or any difficulty, but for me the part that sunk me the most was that deep down his look I could almost see disappointment.....

Pulling all those thoughts out of me Grandpa .....

BAM!

he gave me a kick in the stomach that sent me against the padded wall at the end of the room and

PAAK(slamming me against the wall)

Making me...

BLUAAAAAAAAAAGH(throw up)

all the dinner I had eaten just a few minutes ago.

"MUSAHI!!!"

"DON'T GET INVOLVED AOI!"

"That's it all....?"

"This is what you wanted SORA....?"

"Why do you have to be like this...?"

"You think I enjoy doing this.....?"

"We try to do things peacefully and talk it out, but with you, there is no way...."

"YOU DON'T LISTEN!!"

"For you that's how it has to be done right?"

"What's wrong Sora... weren't you going to take responsibility for your words that come out of your mouth? That you don't stop talking and making jokes....."

"Tell me Sora did you have synchronized crashing into the wall and throwing up?"

"Has been perfect...."

"Or tell me now you would have liked to talk before starting dinner, don't you?"

BAAGH

Tch!, demon I thought as I finished throwing up everything I had eaten....realizing that.... this is going to be hard.