26 Hey you... You're finally awake

Maine gripped his head as he slowly sat up, feeling like he had gotten his bell rung multiple times in the course of a few days, which wasn't wrong.

As his eyes opened up he noticed everyone around him, and the look Dorio was giving him explained two things.

She was ready to punch him, and she was upset. He's loved her long enough to understand that look, seems he fucked up somehow.

David's voice is what brought him to look away from Dorio, seeing how serious he was despite the usual cheerful appearance and happiness he showed was a blow, it seemed he did a bit more than fuck up something.

''Hey... You're finally awake... What do you remember?'' David asked, his now blue eyes were... Unnerving to say the least, looks like the kid got new optics.

''Uh... The last I remember was Rebecca winning a race...'' Maine flinched a bit as he gripped at his head.

''Yeah, and then in celebration, and to show off your new tech finally, you decided to activate your Sandy... Which brought you over the load Choom, you went psycho on everyone, we were lucky it was still the starting stages because you didn't use any of your other chrome to deal damage, just your fist. Took Dorio, Pilar, Falco, and I to bring you down so that I could inject you with something to put you under.''

Maine's mouth became dry, and David set a glass of water down in front of him, which he took and took drank, surprised at how good it tasted. It actually felt like it was a healthy alternative.

''So... What's the play then? Should I get to a doc and start shutting everything down?'' Maine asked, reluctant to stop... Not when he was so far ahead now.

''You don't have to.'' Dorio said, her elbows on her knee's as a lot of energy seemed to leave her, releasing a slow sigh.

''David broke into Arasaka Tower, got some experimental drug to prevent Cyberpsychosis... For now, you're fine. But you can't get any more chrome, and you need to be careful... If you start showing signs or ever feel weird, you tell us so we can help... I was... I was preparing to put you down, Maine... For the safety of others.''

''David... David broke into Arasaka?'' He turned to look at David, no wonder the kid wasn't joking. No, he's not a kid no longer. Even his once innocent-looking brown eyes are gone, focused with sharpness and an unsettling blue that went well with his appearance.

''I did, but it was a lie that I found an 'Experimental Drug.' ''

Everyone turned to look at him at once, Dorio was rapidly rising in anger, ready to punch David.

''I made it.'' That stopped everyone, everyone drawing blanks, the only ones who didn't were Lucy and Rebecca, Lucy standing to the side in case a fistfight broke out, and Rebecca was directly in his lap.

''Straight A's, Mother's a Trauma team nurse working on becoming a biologist. Almost a full Scholar Ship into Arasaka Academy, a school known to train 'the best'.'' David continued, none of it was a lie, but he wasn't revealing the biggest part of the truth.

''Maine was never going to dive too deep into it, the first one I injected into him was the serum...''

Dorio grit her teeth, her hands flexing as she tried to understand the rapid amount of emotions, and blows coming at once. ''So why did you... Did you even raid Arasaka?!''

''He did, he didn't grab any experimental medicine, but he did raid them... As to the biggest question 'Why not tell us.' .'' Lucy said from across the room.

''If you had a way to completely stop Cyberpsychosis... What's the first thing you would do?''

Kiwi connected the dots faster than anyone. ''You'd get iced.''

Dorio stopped, thinking about the 'Why' you'd get iced for having such a thing before it quickly made itself apparent in everyone's mind.

That kind of power... To be able to chrome up as much as you want, and stay sane? You'd become the next Adam Smasher, and Corpos would not let that fly, you'd be hunted, executed, and most likely never know how.

Everyone in the room got hit with the hard truth.

''Why tell us?'' Kiwi asked first, everyone getting interested in the answer.

''Because you guys are the last thing I have left, could you turn around, shoot me in the back or wait for me to grow in popularity, grow my bounty then ice me for a nice profit? You could. But what about it? I've been living on borrowed time since the moment my Mom died. What's stopping me from putting a crusher round into Maine's throat at any point? His bounty is almost 1.5 mil. I take that and I could live pretty damn comfortably. Hell, even if I didn't want to live some cushy life, that's enough money to get some serious chrome, and boost myself to be a proper badass.''

''Trust... It can be earned, or lost, but it won't save me from a bullet, it might save a few bullets from coming my way, but that's just it. 'Might'. We live in a world where at any point, someone on the street could lose their life, no matter how strong you think you are, or how chromed out you are. We all got reminded of that when we almost lost Pilar.''

David chuckled a bit, shaking his head. ''Either way, if I do get to get iced? Even if I do get to die? At least if it was by someone here, I would know who it was. Come back and haunt y'alls asses or something.''

That got a snicker from Falco and Maine.

There was silence for a long moment before Maine spoke up. ''I owe you my life, David... Just like you now, I'm on borrowed time, everything mine is yours... You were already like a little brother to me, but now? Now I know you are.''

Another, more comfortable silence, David's lips turning up as he slowly grinned. ''Does that mean I get to take Dorio for a spin-.'' He suddenly leaned back as Dorio's fist flew past his jaw.

''Alright you little shit, I was thinking about punching you, now I know I'm going to punch you, get your ass over here!''

David moved Rebecca off his lap as he kicked the ground, causing the chair he was in to fall backward as she hooked towards his face once more.

Able to roll away and stand up, fists up. ''Come at me you big beautiful bitch, going to show you what white meat can do!''

Maine burst into laughter as Dorio with a savage grin launched herself at him.

Falco was laughing as he had to pull his beer from the table just as David crashed through it, Pilar was already trying to place bets.

Lucy sighed heavily, not even surprised at it turning into a slugfest between the two.

Rebecca was cheering David on, even when Dorio sent him through the wall. It was rare Dorio could actually go all out like this and be able to know David would be fine, he was a great punching bag.

Kiwi looked... Conflicted as she watched the fight.