Night City Aliens: The Wandering Planet

Ch 9: A New Normal, Part 2

V ran the electric clippers along her scalp, cutting her hair short. She had yet to shape up her hair in the two months since she arrived on Earth, and her mohawk was starting to disappear into the mess on her head. She wasn't going to shave her scalp clean like she used to, but she did want a well-defined punk look. Within a few minutes, her experienced hands had buzzed down the hair on the sides of her head. Grabbing a pair of scissors, she started to shape up her mohawk. Trimming it back to her shoulder, V did her best to make it appear neat and full once again. The bits of hair that she lost in The World Eater explosion were starting to grow back, but it would be a while before she could replicate her old look.

Once she was done with her hair, she painted black tears under her left eye. She didn't bother with the right eye, as she always wore a bandage over the empty socket. Instead, she decided to drape her mohawk over the eye, obscuring the bandage. With a nod to her reflection, she turned away from the sink and suited up.

V once again found herself without a bulletproof vest, but she didn't worry about it too much. She could move faster without one. She instead focused on making sure all her guns were loaded. A standard Militech 10AF Lexington pistol was holstered at her hip and a Malorian Overture double-action revolver rested under her jacket for when she needed something bigger. On her left side was her machete resting in its sheathe right next to her ECM loaded with the best ICE-breakers she could afford. And on her back was a messenger bag with all the spare ammo she and Jackie could ask for. Just for good measure, she also threw a couple shock grenades and flash bangs in there.

The job was supposed to be simple, but if V had learned anything in Night City, it's that things can go from simple to dangerously complicated in a millisecond. This was also Jackie's first edgerunner gig. Hell, it was his first job since getting shot three times in the chest. He went to the shooting range to shake off the rust, but V didn't want to chance it. Any signs of trouble and the grenades go flying.

Making her way done the stairs, she was stopped by Mama on her way out.

"Just a minute, V," Mama said, standing up from the couch.

"Hm?"

"I need you to promise me something."

"Promise?" V asked, unsure of where Mama was wanting.

"Please keep my Jackie safe," Mama pleaded. "I know I can't stop either of you from continuing down this path you have chosen, but I can't bear the thought of mi hijo dying. Not after what happened last time. Please, V. Don't let Jackie get himself killed."

V took a moment to process Mama's request. She responded with a soft smile and a nod.

"I promise, Mama," she said. V was about to leave but was once again caught off guard by Mama hugging her. It was a bit awkward for the alien, as the height different essentially meant that Mama's head rested on her breast. But Mama didn't seem to notice, so V returned the hug.

"You be careful, too chica," Mama smiled as she let go of V. "Just because you're El Diablo, doesn't mean you are bulletproof."

"I know. I know," V chuckled before turning to the door. "Don't wait up."

---

"Hey," V greeted as she stepped into Jackie's garage.

"Hey, Hermana," Jackie said. "Give me a second. Almost done getting the new seat on."

V sat on Jackie's weight bench and waited for him to finish the minor modification to his bike. She still didn't have her own vehicle, despite trying to steal one on multiple occasions. She had been focusing most of her efforts on learning English and understanding Earth's unusual computer systems. Between that, running gigs, and helping Mama at the bar, she had yet to learn how to hotwire a car. Getting a ride from anyone else was becoming more difficult, so Jackie decided to change the seat on his motorcycle to a 2-up.