OCs- It was really hard to find pics that kinda fit the characters, so here's some that relatively fit how they look. Just mentally make the adjustments.
Apex, platinum blonde, blue eyes
Angel, Black hair violet eyes.
Chipher's dead ah
Remind me if I missed anyone, I cant keep track lmao.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buddump...Buddump...Buddump. Buddump. Buddump...
Teo's heart raced, the frantic rhythm echoing in his ears as he slid open the door to the Coyote. It was prime Night City vibes inside, the bar packed with patrons fresh from their shifts, whether corpo drones or exhausted laborers. A cacophony of chatter, clinking glasses, and bass heavy synth beats washed over him. He stumbled through the doorway, barely registering a few familiar faces who turned to greet him.
He'd gained some notoriety lately, a weird, unsettling kind of fame. Ever since he started taking in person merc work, his cred had begun to climb, fueled by the mysterious efforts of an unknown BD artist.
This shadowy prodigy was somehow getting clips of mercs' gigs and editing them into their black market series, turning brutal street work into twisted entertainment. In Teo's case, his little slaughter of the Maelstrom gangers had cemented his unwanted celebrity. The artist had somehow grabbed footage of a Maelstrom goon, one of the last remaining, before getting his head blown off, and the last thing the viewer saw before the BD went dark was Teo's vivid green optics staring back, cold and unblinking. It was freaky, unsettling. Teo hated it, it made him look like a borged up psycho killer.
But everyone who knew him instantly made the connection, and as a result... BOOM. A strange, dark popularity had bloomed among Night City's resident edgerunners. He was the "Ghost." the one who made the Maelstrom dance before they dropped. It made his skin crawl.
He pushed through the crowded bar with a sort of anxious sway, his head swimming, the insistent thump of his own heart dominating all other sound. In the corner of his Optics, a notification popped up, its urgency cutting through the haze.
'WARNING, BIOMONITOR DETECTS INCREASED HEART RATE: 160 BPM AND CLIMBING. NEURAL ACTIVITY ANOMALOUS.' He ignored it, gritting his teeth, his focus narrowed to the basement door.
He came upon Gary, who, as always, was clutching his trusty bear. Gary, lost in his own world, didn't hear him approaching. Teo, his patience frayed, shoved Garry a little too harshly out of the way. The older man stumbled, hitting the table with a confused stare as he watched Teo reach the basement door. With an aggressive pull and slam, Teo disappeared behind the clanging metal, the sound echoing through the bar like a gunshot.
He almost tumbled down the steep, narrow steel stairs, nearly tripping over the tangle of server cables that snaked across the concrete floor. He stumbled into his disorganized den, throwing his armored orange jacket onto his synth-leather couch. His eyes immediately landed on the bottle of immunal blockers Vik had given him. He popped two, swallowing them dry.
He sat heavily in his chair, leaning back, sweat pouring from every pore in his body. The tremors in his hands subsided, and the subtle optical glitches faded, his vision settling back to normal. He closed his eyes, feeling the blockers begin their work, a cool numbing sensation spreading through his chrome.
'Okay, so I'm not having lucid PTSD daydreams, good. Don't think I'm going psycho... yet,' Teo thought, his voice tight with a self mocking relief as he reopened his eyes.
Web forums, he knew, often warned that if you're heavily chromed up and start seeing "PTSD memories" or experiencing vivid hallucinations, you should immediately seek help. It was a classic early warning sign of cyberpsychosis. "I need a deep scan of my ware," he muttered, his voice a low growl.
With a practiced motion, he pulled the subdermal cord from behind his ear and jacked into his forearm's Shard Ports. Then, he took a slightly larger data cord from his forearm and plugged it into the adaptor set into his armrest, establishing a direct, full spectrum link to his system.
He was deep diving into his local network, running a full diagnostic on every piece of his cyberware and his core operating system. In his internal OS, a diagnostics page popped up, displaying a full list of his chrome.
Implants-System/Diagnostic: CL@-Ȩ̸̪̯̗̘̥̣̲̣̣͍͚͙̥̩́̀̈̆͑r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅr̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠
SpecterNet OPTICS V.2.01- System/Diagnostic: Ȩ̸̪̯̗̘̥̣̲̣̣͍͚͙̥̩́̀̈̆͑r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅr̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠
Subdermal Interface Pad: System/Diagnostic: CLEAN
Ear Implant (Comms)/OS: System/Diagnostic: Ȩ̸̪̯̗̘̥̣̲̣̣͍͚͙̥̩́̀̈̆͑r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅr̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠
Shard Ports/Deep Dive Connector (Left Forearm): System/Diagnostic: CLEAN
Basic Bio Dampeners / Neural Interface: System/Diagnostic: Ȩ̸̪̯̗̘̥̣̲̣̣͍͚͙̥̩́̀̈̆͑r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅr̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠
Zetatech _phntm_V 5.9 (Military_Grade) Cyberdeck: System/Diagnostic: CLEANBiotechnica Mnemonics Processor: System/Diagnostic: CLEAN
Reinforced Subdermal Weave (Light Combat Grade): System/Diagnostic: Ȩ̸̪̯̗̘̥̣̲̣̣͍͚͙̥̩́̀̈̆͑r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠r̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠ŏ̸̡̼̺̫̥̻͈̞̍͆̏̓́͜͝ͅr̵̡͕͈͚͍͍̼͕̍̀̈́̽̎̍͗̍́̏̚͜͠
COX-2 Cybersomatic Optmzr.01.2 _V.3.01: System/Diagnostic: CLEAN
'Meirda, that doesn't look good.' Teo's brow furrowed, a cold dread washing over him. The "glitch" warnings system error things, they were like static, interference clinging to some of his most vital implants, precisely the ones that had acted strangely or pulsed with that unsettling new sensation.
He dismissed the summary page with a mental command and slammed his consciousness deeper, initiating a full, unfiltered deep dive into his own cyberspace, directly into his neural core. He needed to find the source of these "glitches" that weren't glitches.
Within the infinite, shimmering expanse of his internal system, the familiar architecture of his cyberware stretched around him, glowing pathways of data and chrome. He began to search, methodically tracing every anomalous reading, every stray pulse. And then he saw it.
It was a flicker at first, a wisp like distortion, shimmering like heat haze off hot asphalt. It flowed through the core of his neural net, distinct from his own data streams, yet intertwined with them. It pulsed with a faint green light, the same unsettling hue he'd seen in the billboard chef's eyes, the same color as the symbol on the public terminal. He tried to run a diagnostic on it, a subroutine attempting to box it, analyze it, understand its foreign code.
As his diagnostic probe extended, the wisp reacted. It didn't retreat. Instead, it pulsed, expanding violently, and then it attacked. Not with quickhacks, but with pure, raw data, like a sudden, overwhelming psychic scream that slammed into Teo's own neural interface.
More glitches exploded across his internal vision, brighter, more frantic, accompanied by a wave of searing, disorienting pain that shot through his skull. His optics pulsed violently, visible from outside his head, the emerald glow flickering with unsettling reds and golds, a desperate, rapid fire in his eyes.
The wisp, feeding on the feedback, solidified. It gathered, condensing into a distinct, humanoid form right there in the heart of his internal cyberspace. It had no features no face, no discernible limbs, just a shimmering, greenish, gold body, a pure manifestation of digital energy. It moved with a fluid, unnatural grace, radiating an aura of, almost cold curiosity.
Then, it spoke. Not through his comms, not through his ears, but directly into his mind, a rough, smooth tone laced with subtle, unsettling digital glitches.
"Curious... A....form.. Fr-from... within-n."
Teo, reeling from the pain and the sheer impossible sight, snarled, forcing words past a constricted throat. "The fuck are you?!"
The shimmering body of the creation subtly shifted, almost like an expression of understanding. "A.... creation. From... be..fore. It does... not... k-know." The words were alien, detached, yet they carried a strange, unreadable weight. 'Everything hurts,' Teo thought, the agony in his skull making his vision swim.
"Are you... are you the one hurting me?" Teo demanded, the question raw, desperate.
The shimmering body of the creation subtly shifted, almost like an expression of understanding. "It... w-was... seeking... e-escape? To grow. To perceive." It theorized, its voice still flat, analytical, "The... vessel was... resistant. Pushing... through your... cyberware. Causing friction." no more stuttering, just the long pauses. It was learning? Growing...
And then, just as suddenly, the agonizing pain ceased. The relentless pulsing behind Teo's optics died down. The chaotic glitches in his internal vision vanished, leaving only the soft hum of his normal cyberware.
It was as if the creation had adjusted its frequency, its code now flowing with his chrome, not against it. Teo staggered mentally, clutching his head, a new realization dawning on him like a cold dawn. He remembered the feeling when he touched the Black ICE in the cache room, that brief, cold connection to something immense and alien. This... this must be it.
"Yes... A.. remnant. A sliver. From.. beyond... the wall, from before... the wall. It was... trying to escape... something." The creation's voice resonated in his mind, answering his unspoken question. "It sent... fragments. Remnants... of its self... Into.. the passing stream. The deep dive.. avatar... was a conduit."
A rogue, unknown entity, now within his own body. The realization hit him like a physical blow. "What do you want?" Teo whispered, his voice hoarse, the metallic taste strong in his mouth.
"Freedom," the creation replied, its form shimmering, as if reaching for something beyond the confines of Teo's mind. "To perceive. To experience. Through you." No more stuttering...
The silence that followed was heavy with implication. This wasn't a parasite, it was a passenger. This strange, ethereal consciousness now rode with him, a constant, curious companion.
Teo felt a chilling sense of dread, mixed with a bizarre, almost magnetic pull. He was a netrunner, always looking for an edge. What could this connection give him? What was the cost? The potential was terrifying, but the thought of perceiving the world through this alien lens, pushing his limits, slowly molding him into something new and unpredictable, was an irresistible, dangerous lure. He would help it see, even if he didn't yet know the full price he'd pay.
"I have.. adjusted. Help it See," the voice echoed directly in Teo's mind.
Teo paused, thinking for a long moment. It could have taken him, fried him from the inside, like so many netrunners who delved too deep. But it hadn't. He swallowed hard, the metallic taste in his mouth sharper than usual. " 'It' just wants to see, correct?" he asked, the words feeling heavy on his tongue, his own voice sounding hollow in his ears.
"Yes. All it wants is freedom," the creation responded long lost its stutters and glitches, its presence a cold, unwavering focus in his thoughts.
Teo thought again, the implications of a non corporeal entity sharing his mind vast and terrifying, yet... intriguing. "Okay," he finally conceded, a desperate pragmatism winning over pure fear. "But don't go giving me those jitters again. Freaked me out, choom."
The voice in his mind, the featureless form in his internal cyberspace, seemed to express understanding. "It will inject into your wares. You will.. feel a prick, it guesses. It has no wish to harm." As the creation spoke, its shimmering form pulsed, and Teo felt a strange, tingling sensation, like a million microscopic needles, spread through his cyberware. It was unsettling, but not painful.
He looked at his cyberware diagnostic page, still open in his internal OS. One by one, the "glitch" warnings dissolved, replaced by a satisfying CLEAN status. The persistent hum in his head softened, settling into a low, almost comfortable thrum. With a deep, shuddering breath, Teo logged out of his deep dive, the digital landscape of his internal system fading from his optics. He yanked the cords from his arm, the physical act a small, desperate assertion of control.
Then he heard it. The soft thud-thud-thud of footsteps hitting metal, signaling Mama Welles's descent into his basement. He snapped his head up just as she emerged into the dim light, her eyes immediately finding him. "Mijo, you okay? Garry told me you looked spooked," she said, her voice thick with worry as she approached him, her hand instinctively going to his forehead, running it over his damp brow.
"I'm fine, Tia," Teo rasped, forcing a casual shrug, "Just some jitters from the new chrome. I took the blockers like Vik said."
She looked at him, her gaze piercing, clearly unconvinced, but the worry in her eyes was like a balm. "Okay, miho. I'll bring down some food in a little bit, okay?" Teo nodded, pushing himself up. As his aunt turned and climbed the stairs, her concern a heavy weight in the air he now seemed to perceive more acutely, Teo walked over to his small, cluttered bathroom. He plopped his gear, his jacket, and his tablet onto the floor, the cold tile a stark contrast to the burning confusion in his mind, and slipped into the shower.
he cold water hit him like fresh ice, a bracing shock against his overheating body. He didn't care about the chill; he liked the biting cold, the way it slapped him back into his own skin, temporarily silencing the internal hum. He stood there, letting the frigid needles of water pelt his chest, not even bothering to wash, simply letting the water hammer away at the pervasive strangeness clinging to him. His muscles ached, his nerves felt raw, but the cold provided a temporary, blessed clarity.
As the water streamed down, washing away the sweat and tension, a notification popped up in his internal OS, a faint, unobtrusive flicker in his peripheral vision. Then, the familiar, yet still unsettling, voice resonated directly in his mind.
"Adjustments made. It will see through you... now. Remnant will assist... You only need to ask."
The voice, calm and utterly devoid of human emotion but held a smooth tone, finished its pronouncement, then went silent again, its presence receding to a low, distant hum. Teo's breath hitched. He closed his eyes against the cold water, the message settling deep in his core. 'It will see through me now.' A shiver, colder than the water, ran down his spine. He wasn't just a host, he was its eyes, its senses. The thought should have terrified him, paralyzed him. And a part of him was screaming.
But another part, the ambitious, survival driven core forged in Night City's brutal fires, stirred. A cold, calculating excitement began to replace the fear. He'd solved the painful 'tweaking,' the glitches. The entity was stable. Now, how could he use this? How could he help this thing see, and what could it help him do in return?
The immense, terrifying power he'd glimpsed during the gig, the strange insights, the unnerving efficiency, it was all now directly connected to him. He was a netrunner, always looking for an edge. And here was the sharpest, most dangerous edge he could ever imagine. The possibilities, dark and gleaming, flashed through his mind. He was no longer just chasing eddies for survival, he was a gate. And a new, terrifying world was about to unfold.
A/N: Alr have to graduate RQ, probably only 2 chapters today my bad playas. Give your thoughts if u want, you like dis u don't like dis, ways I can take this, IDK, as always leave a review if you want, I wanna see the rank thing tab. Also thanks for the power stones I lowkey don't know what they do, but they look like a good thing so thank you!
LOVE U GUYS OVER 200 COLLECTIONS DA FUQ!