Chapter 14- The Fundamentals

"For fucks sake kid, keep your hands up!"

Viks usually comforting and gentle tone was completely absent in the gym which he had learned recently was called Stallion Boxing. Something about an old movie? Like before the first corporate war old movie. Regardless, his nature almost immediately changed once David entered the ring. He'd learned enough of the basics and had kept up with the conditioning that he was at least passible to begin his training.

"Alright kid take a breather."

With those golden words ringing, David had to fight every instinct in him to just drop to the ground, desperate to get more oxygen.

He'd begun sparring with Vik but the doc had said he was looking into trying to find a better sparring partner. Someone who could take a bit more punishment, and didn't have to worry about taking enough damage to the head to make their hands shaky which of course would be a death sentence as a ripper.

Raising his arms above his head, he scanned the gym. Once more it was full with mostly 'ganic types. Not that there was anything stopping someone with a lot more chipped in of course. But there wasn't really anything that would appeal to more chipped in folks. No super reinforced punching bags, no 1000+ pound dumbbells or power racks that were reinforced to hold absurd amounts of weight.

But that was ok. It was all he needed. He didn't need more chrome. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

Sure…

He didn't even respond this time.

Looking over at Vik who was reading his scans from earlier, David took a breath again, and leaned against a wall nearby.

"So… Vik. What do you think? Am I just crazy? Or Is there something there?"

Vik hummed quietly as he finished going over the results. Earlier, before his practice with Vik, he'd told the Ripperdoc about the weird sensations when he had a few thoughts during the Scav job. Vik had taken him at his word, and went over the scans, having him think about those things he had before and registering when he said he felt the same sensations.

"Ok…. So remember kid, this is prototype tech. Stuff I've never even dreamed could hit the testing phase, much less an actual workable model. But from what I'm reading here, you aren't just imagining shit. I need you to be calm for a moment, ok?"

David of course was not calm. Any time someone asked a person to be calm before hearing them out, that almost IMMEDIATELY made it impossible to be calm.

But he tried his damnedest.

"Ok…. What is it, Vik?"

Vik looked down at the young cyberpunk, and sighed.

"I think your Sandevistan has an AI attached to it. And I think it likes you."

What?

"What??"

That was all he could really manage to utter at that point. An AI??? In his Sandy?

But…

"But it's a Sandevistan. Where does it have the processing power to handle a fucking AI as well as the ridiculous fucking power it had?"

Vik threw his hands up in complete exasperation.

"Kid, if I knew that, I'd tell you. Ya gotta remember, that piece of chrome you're carrying is something beyond anything else I've seen. And I've seen a LOT. But as far as I can tell, and after taking a look at some old scans of some of the more higher end AI processing networks...and this thing isn't quite there."

Relaxing just a touch, David took a deep breath. Ok… ok. Good. No AI taking over his body.

He felt what almost felt like emotional hurt radiating quietly through him. Oh dammit. Now he felt bad.

It wasn't like he really thought the tech was going to take him over. He was just… terrified of not being in control of his own actions.

He felt a… quiet acceptance then.

"So… a mid tier AI Is in my Sandy?"

"Mm… no. This thing is definitely one of the highest complexity synaptic processors I've ever seen with the examples on hand." Vik shook his head as he rolled his shoulder.

"Luckily, I managed to find buried in the data, scans of what the Sandevistan looked like when I first helped put you back together. I'm sending you the deets now."

Viktors eyes lit up briefly and David accepted the file transfer, and began looking.

Huh… ok. Kinda looked like a… raggedy spiderweb there.

"What am I looking at Vik?"

"You're looking at the initial AI processing when you first got the cables and everything synched up with your physique properly. Low tier AI. Has enough processing power to understand your preferences and attempt to make them easier to access and perform routine maintenance on the software. But this… this is what I found just a few hours ago when we did your usual checkup."

He said sending over the next file.

And…. Huh…. That's… way more complex. If the earlier one was a raggedy spiderweb, this was a fresh one with intricate webbing.

".... Vik… are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"That that piece of tech appears to be growing in complexity with you? Yes. That is exactly what I'm saying. Hell, maybe someday in the future you'll talk with it proper. But for now… it seems to really like you. So just keep taking care of it, and maybe you'll have yourself a synthetic Choom."

…. Seriously?

"... Vik are you fucking with me?"

Vik shrugged.

"Maybe a little. But kid… all I can tell you is that this thing is smart. And it's learning. So unless you want to get rid of it, and get yourself a medical grade spine to replace it I don't really have other options for you."

A feeling of sheer panic and sadness flooded his brain so strongly that he actually stumbled physically.

Viktor was by his side in an instant, his warm eyes concerned as he placed a hand on David's shoulder.

"David. David! You ok kid? What was that?"

He couldn't even say anything. The feeling of sadness and longing was too strong.

Hey… hey! It's ok. I'm not gonna get rid of you. I'm just… I'm just scared.

The feeling eased off… but with it… almost an imprint in his brain was left behind.

(Stay)

Woah…. Damn… Vik was right. It was smart.

It seemed to preen almost at the compliment, and David couldn't help but laugh a little.

"David if you don't respond I'm gonna knock your ass out, give you a system reset."

David pulled himself together and breathed in, a little bewildered and overwhelmed.

"I'm ok Vik. I'm ok. Just… guess Sandy here didn't like that idea. At all."

(Affirmation)

Vik blinked and sighed before smacking David on the back of the head.

"Fucking hell you Gonk. Terrify your output not me. Alright, enough of this fucking weird tech shit. We're here to teach you to box. Back in the ring."

David rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he did just that. But before they could get back into the sparring, he heard a familiar voice ring out.

"Hey! So this is where you've been going, Dawg?"

David turned in confusion to see Maine and Dorio in the building, Maine giving him a cheeky little grin with Dorio gazing with her steady eyes and small smile.

"Maine! Dorio! What are you guys doing here?"

Dorio smacked Maine's chest hard enough with the back of her reinforced hands to make Maine's chromed up dermal armor clang and Maine just chuckle.

"This Gonk here wanted to make sure that you were taking your training seriously. And I was curious to see how you were handling boxing as I like to hit the ring myself every now and then."

David could see what she was getting at. He was still pretty new, but he didn't get the feeling that they didn't think he could handle himself. He had proven that with the Scav Job. But when he wasn't using Sandy… well. He wasn't exactly Morgan Blackhand reborn. That was why lessons like these were so important.

He should probably also get back to the gun range and practice more. He'd ask Becca if she wanted to go. That gremlin always liked shooting the shit. Heh. Literally shooting.

But then you'd have to think about her… and what you've been avoiding…

He grimaced silently and pushed that away. Not today. Not...not right now. He needed to focus.

"Well, I don't really know. I've just been letting Vik guide me with everything. Vik what do you think?"

It was only then that David realized that Vik was staring at Maine with that analytic gaze mixed with frustration.

"..... Your newest recruit is doing well Nelson. He's a good student. Good patient too."

That last sentence seemed to be aimed rather sharply at Maine and the big man glowered back Darkly.

"I'll tell you what I told ya last time Vik, ain't nobody know my body like I do!"

"Then I'd love to know why you're not listening to it when it says you need a damn tune-up. I'm looking at at least 4 different manufacturers as is."

Viktor eventually just shook his head and turned back to David.

"I need to get back to the kid's training. It's good to see you two, but if there's nothing else…."

Maine scoffed and looked at David.

"When you chrome up and put some weight on your frame come see me. I'll get you to a proper gym with some real weight to it. You coming, Dorio?"

The amazonian-like blonde looked steadily at David for a moment before looking back at her Input.

"Mm… not yet babe. I'll catch up. Ok?"

Maine raised an eyebrow, before looking at David and giving the young man a cheeky grin.

"Sure babe. You have fun. I'm gonna go get my tuneup."

He said with a pointed glare at Viktor before waving his goodbyes, walking out of the 'ganic gym. The other gym members had either been not pleased that someone so chromed up had been dissing their gym, or they just didn't care and were focusing on their own gains.

Viktor meanwhile just raised an eyebrow.

"And what can I help you with Ms. Levinya?"

She gave him a raised eyebrow, and a displeased expression.

"Vik…. Come on."

He just stared at her for a moment before sighing and waving her over.

"Alright then come on over Dorio. Seriously though, what do ya want? The kids got another couple rounds to go before we're done. And you've got a date don't ya David?"

He blushed and nodded.

It wasn't anything special, but he wanted to take Lucy out to eat. Despite the general state of Night City, there WERE a few places out there that while inexpensive still served decent food and had a good ambience.

Dorio just gave Viktor a little grin.

"So who's the kid's sparring partner? It's not you is it? You're always saying you don't want to run the risk of getting your bell rung too many times."

Viktor gave her a wry glare before relenting and nodding.

"Yeah it's been me. I've been trying to find a good partner for him, but I'm not looking to give him a proper boxing partner. I'm looking to get him used to fighting a street fighter without losing the fundamentals of boxing. Unfortunately that's harder to find then you'd think, and Jackie hasn't been around lately. I think he's in Mexico right now."

Dorio nodded understandingly as David frowned looking at Vik.

"Who's Jackie?"

Viktor grinned.

"Jackie Welles. Big motherfucker, Latino like you but built like a bull. Man managed to knock my ass out in one punch. I figure he's probably the best bet I could put you up against. I get you to the point where you can hold him off, or hell, even beat him? Then your training will be complete. I'll just need you to keep up the drills. But that's a ways off. "

Dorio hummed as she moved closer, her eyes steady, and… gazing at him occasionally. The large blond was always somewhat inscrutable… so he couldn't really figure out what was in her eyes. Eventually however she looked over at Vik.

"Why don't you put me in the ring with him? I'll turn off the actuators in my Gorilla Arms so I don't accidentally punch his head off."

David's eyes widened in alarm. He still remembered very well that last time around one of her uppercuts was good enough to launch the bag up to the fucking ceiling.

He looked at Vik hoping that he would speak some sense into the situation, but his stomach sank as his traitorous Ripperdoc seemed to like the idea. He was already heading over to the equipment wall, and picked up a pair of gloves, throwing them to Dorio.

"Yeah alright. But start him off easy. He's only been doing this for about a week, and I'm not trying to beat him down. Just push him. Think you can do that Dorio?"

She chuckled as she tightened her mitts, and rolled her shoulders, removing her jacket. She only wore a chromed bra to keep her tits in place and despite her muscled form? She had PLENTY of curves up top that it… well.

David had eyes.

"Yeah Vik… no worries. I don't have any plans to beat him into a pulp… I wanna see how far he can go before I take him on seriously."

Something about what she said twigged David's brain. He didn't know why… but there was something there that wasn't being said. And he didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Vik also looked at her sharply, his expression a mix of surprise, Incredulity, and…. Amusement?

"Seriously?"

Dorio just gave the old Ripper a smirk.

"Remains to be seen."

David just looked between them.

"Um…."

"Don't worry about it David. Not right now at least."

Vik said, shaking his head with a little smile, and gesturing for him to square up. It was a bit… nerve-wracking admittedly. The last time around, he'd never once actually set foot in a ring with Dorio, ready to actually face her in a spar.

She seemed to get that, and relaxed a touch, lowering her mitts.

"Hey… you don't want to do this, you don't gotta. I get it's weird stepping up to someone not your trainer."

The warmth and steady understanding coming from the middle aged blond woman actually kind of settled him down. His heart stopped doing a fucking Samba and his gloves stopped the shaking that he only just realized he was experiencing.

He didn't even really know why he was nervous.

It wasn't like something bad was going to happen.

For a moment the last time he saw her flashed through his brain..

S̸h̵e̷ ̵w̵a̷s̴n̶'̶t̴ ̷m̸o̶v̴i̴n̶g̴.̸ ̵W̵h̶y̵ ̶w̵a̸s̶n̷'̷t̸ ̵s̴h̷e̵ ̴m̸o̷v̴i̶n̸g̴?̸

̵̪̫̿͆͐D̵̛̺o̴͙̓̅̽r̶̫̤̉̌i̶̍͜ͅo̸̢̭͔̎̎̕?̷̘̲͋̔ ̶͈͎̺̎̅͘D̶̪͒̒̽ò̵̧͍͍͗ṟ̵̨͔͛̈́͠i̷͙͕̠̿̓ȍ̷̖̖̂̇ ̸͙̹́y̴̥̅o̵͚̒̓ȗ̴̝̞͉̚ ̸̡͙̼̚h̸̪̙̮͝ã̸̢͖̣̓v̸̬̥͆͊́e̷̢̼̋ ̵̠̝̍̂t̷̼͌̀ǫ̶͙̠̈́͋ ̵̮̯͂g̶͓̈́̍ē̴̟̗̠͒͝t̷̥͚̦̉͠ ̵͚̹͚̌͆͛ǘ̴̖̦̆͜p̵̘̳͈͒͝!̴͈̺͛

̸̭̦̑M̸̳͉̠̒ḁ̴̀̌̿ḯ̶͚̂͜n̸͈̦͂͌e̷̢͔̜͛͋̌'̴̘̳̒ͅś̴͚̕ͅ ̵̪̗͂n̸̹̘͓̚ö̶͉̰̯̎͒t̸̛̪̦ ̵͔̬͗d̶͉̎͜o̷̪͆̀ī̸̬̝̓͝ṋ̸̰̺̃ģ̵̳̼͑̽ ̶͙̠͙͝w̶͓̔͊̑ē̷̢̳ͅļ̷̱̮̈́l̴̼͂̄͝ ̷̦̊̇̚a̶̮̭͉̅n̷̳̻͉̑͝d̸̃ͅ…̸̦̙͍̐͐

n̷̢̧̪̣̖̗̹͈̰̫͉̟͍̼̟̫͕͇͔̤̦̤͑͜͜ͅó̴̢̨̝̫̭̬͚̹̫̮̘̲̥̙̲̣͔̣̠͚̮̔̒̑̈̈̅̌͊͊̓̆̃̌̅̂̔́̌͗̕͜͜͝…̸̢̧̧̛͖̬̞̠̠̠̱̝͙̱̻̭̭̊̾̓̈́̍̑͌͜ ̶̢͉̣͔̜͔͕͚̮̬͍͎͓̰̦̮̼͙̲̤̜̝̘͖͔̩͈̲̣͌̈́̆̀̓̇̈́͐͛͛̔̍̏͗̇̿̋̓̾͋͠͝ờ̷̡̻̫͍̟̞̱̠̙̟̱̻̲̖͕̰̱̭̯̭̪̻̈̾͑́̀̀͂̊̏̽́͌̀̔͂̚͘͜͝ĥ̴̡̛͍̥̘͈̾̽̒͂̄̉̽̀̌̊̈̃̈̅̎̅̅̉̓̏̂̀̄͘͝͝͝͝ ̵̨̧͈͔̙͙̼͍̗̞͎̘̰͓̬̖̥͚̮͉̙̤̯͎͉̥̹̒̕ͅͅg̵̢̪͚̲̩̳̥̣͕͕̖̃̿̄̽͊̈͛͑͋̿̈́̌̿̋̀̌͂̀̂̈̆͒̕͠ͅơ̵̬̦̼̟̹̎̈̇̌̎͛̂̿̾͑́̏̀̈́̉̀̾̀̊̓̇̀̕͘͝͝d̵̨̛͇͕̟̲̜̟̞̗̺̪̦̩̱̘͕͗̎̔̍̓̇̈́͑̾̐̄̄͛̀͑́̎̚͜͝͝͝ ̷̡̛̟̇̉̈́̍͝n̷̛̛̯͗̾͂̾̉̏̍̿͗̔̏͂̍̑͊̀̿̿͗͘̕͝ờ̸̢̛̗̦̺̲͇̂̀̓̀͊̄̎͑́͂̂̔͋͆͊̉̃̋̐͘̚̚.̴̧̡̫̫͙̲̯̲͇̫̼̫̱̪̮͓̮͖̦̳̫̈́ͅ

"David?"

He inhaled deeply, his throat tight, as he forced himself to raise his mitts.

"I'm ok. Let's do this."

He had to be ready.

__

Dorio Levinya had always been a physical woman growing up in night city. Fighting. Fucking. Foraging. As a girl, her father had been a low level Corporate employee, while her mother was a Joytoy. Independent for as long as she could make it last before some 6th Street gangers made it clear that she'd have to have a… manager, if she wanted to work her corner.

Soon enough, Papa had taken the fall for some bullshit that upper management had done, and they'd… terminated him. In all senses of the word. Mama basically just shut down afterwards, losing herself in drugs and debauchery.

Dorio never blamed her mama for losing herself. But she did blame her for leaving her all alone in a city that cared for no one. Some women would have become Joytoys. Maybe become a Mox if they were lucky. But while she held no disdain for women who did so, Dorio was a fighter.

So within a few months of punching and beating down anyone who thought the scrawny blond Russian teen was easy pickings, she'd met Sylvia. A hulking mass of a woman, with a torso more like a man's with only one the woman's massive tits belying some femininity.

Sylvia had been part of the Animals, and they prescribed to a different line of thought than most of night city. Instead of getting huge with Chrome… they got huge with hormones. Steroids. More and more tailored chemical injections.

So when she recruited Dorio…. Well. There were good times and there were bad. For what it was worth, she liked her body now. She was big. Strong. And had tits like watermelons and thighs that could crush a man's head even chromed.

Well. She had before she'd had her injury. But regardless…

She was happy. She had a good mainline who kept her satisfied, he was just like her in her willingness to look outward for romance or sex occasionally. She had a good squad.

She had good Chooms.

And now… heh…. As she was leading the spar against the newbie, she realized she might have herself a new target. David wasn't a natural at boxing it was obvious. But what he was good at… was taking instruction… and then expanding upon it. He didn't need to be told what to do or how to do it every single time.

And as she let him get a couple shots at her torso, she grunted in approval that he seemed to be gaining physical strength as well. Not enough to knock her down… but give him time…

Was she seriously considering pursuing something with their newest member? Whether that be just a romp in the hay, or seeing how he felt about something more substantial?

… yeah. She thinks she might just do that. Something about him gave her a good impression. That she could trust him. That he had a spine of steel.

Well… all of that was up in the air anyway. She'd worry about it when he knocked her down or out.

For now, she already had one Gonk to worry about in her life…

…. Maine was starting to shake. And it was starting to worry her.

D̸̝̯̍ȁ̴͉̙ḿ̶̱͐͜n̶͍͇͝ ̴̨̕i̵̹͝t̴̝͔̋,̵̟̠̈́ ̷͓͈́y̵̙͐o̵̧̬͆̿ṷ̸̃'̶̘̄͝r̸̠̆̑e̷͔̍́ ̷͖̠̋͠s̸̤̦͐̎ȟ̴̘̲̈́a̶̛̤͎k̸͚̞̆i̴̊̓͜n̴̓ͅg̴͖̳͒̒.̷̧̦͑̇ ̴̧́Ḁ̶̌̕ͅl̸͎̋̕l̷̩͝ ̵͙͙̔͊t̶̫͔̒h̷̨̰́̏a̶͈̍t̴͎̓͜ ̷̗͌c̸̬̦̆͐h̴̤̥̎͠r̷̨̙̀̀ǫ̷̟̋̎m̸̰̬̿e̷̦͘'̶̨̣̑s̴͖̑̕ ̸͖̺̋m̴̮̍͂ě̷̻͆s̸͉̎s̶̘̊̎i̸̹̙̅͋n̴͉̗̉̂g̴̩͙͘ ̶̻͐͠w̵͕̘̌̏i̴̡̜͋͝t̴̥̐h̸̬̠͗̄ ̵̬̄̊y̵̘͉͂̚ō̸̼͐u̴͈̚r̴̩̂ ̸̡̾n̷̰͎̐e̶̝̿͆r̴͍͇͌̊v̸̘̍̍è̴̡̃ş̷̎̃.̷͗̐͜

̷̗̖̅̚

̵̛̙̜I̶̩̠̕ẗ̷̰́ ̶̘͔̈́͝s̵̺͙̋h̶̝̀̌o̴̱̊u̷̯̳̒̊l̷̦̽̿d̷̲̰̀'̷̭̇͆v̶̭̇e̴̩̪̐͛ ̷͚͍̋n̷̢̔ê̶̬̝̾ṿ̶̡́ë̶̟̯r̸̃ͅ ̷͕̠̄̊ẖ̴̾̀a̵͓͆͆v̵̡̳̋e̶͚͊ ̷̣̽t̴̝͛̚ö̵̺̊ ̸͊͝ͅc̵̣̒o̵͚̘̾̃m̷̹̜̀e̸̙͝ ̸̣̪͆͊ṫ̸̩̪o̷̹̱͋̕ ̸̳͋̋ṯ̷̓h̶͎͗i̶̱͒͝s̷̢̝͘͠.̶̢̀͑

̶̈́̈́ͅ

̶̱̝͆̍T̷̫̋ḥ̶͒̈á̷̹t̴̠̜̚ ̴͖̚f̸̗͈̈́ụ̶̫̂ç̴̲̈́k̶̢̟̈́̍ḯ̶̩n̷̜̘̉g̵̝̳͆͊ ̴̬̔́G̵̜̠͒͝ǫ̷̀n̶̘̲̐͂k̵̘̎!̴̟̈́

She blinked and found Viktor calling a time out.

"Alright you two, that's going too far for a spar. Let's call it for the day. Dorio? Remember I said ease him In. Kid? Let's go ice you down."

She cursed quietly at the sight of David looking far more bruised than she'd meant to leave him.

"Hey don't worry about it. No pain no gain right?"

David said, giving her that bright little smile with those warm… warm eyes.

That cute little shit…

She smirked as she unlaced her mitts, letting her hand trail down her torso, briefly cupping a tit.

"Thanks Davey…. Till next time choom."

His face just flushed a bright red and she cackled to herself as she turned to leave.

She still had it.