The desert wind howled softly, carrying dust and regret across the cracked earth. It wound through the skeletal remains of rusted-out vehicles and broken neon signs that marked the border between the city's madness and the endless, indifferent wasteland beyond. Lucy stood still, her silhouette sharp against the fading twilight, eyes locked on the trembling figure of Kiwi.
The old netrunner looked worse for wear—her skin burnt raw from sun and sand, the harsh desert light casting deep shadows over the lines etched into her face. Her jacket sleeve hung in tatters, stained and soaked with dark patches of dried blood. Beside her sat a beat-up, half-dead junker car coughing out a ragged plume of exhaust, its engine wheezing like it was fighting for its last breath.
Kiwi's gaze dropped to the dust-swirled ground, unable to meet Lucy's steady, piercing eyes.
"You gonna kill me?" Kiwi asked, voice rough and dry like the sand underfoot.
Lucy didn't flinch, didn't blink. The desert air held its breath between them.
"No."
Silence stretched out like the endless desert horizon, hot and unforgiving.
"I should," Lucy said after a long moment, her voice low and cold but carrying a hollow edge, a fracture beneath the surface. "After what you did to us… to me."
Kiwi didn't argue. There was no fight left in her, no spark of denial. Her shoulders sagged, collapsing like she'd already died long ago.
"But I'm not like you," Lucy continued, stepping forward with deliberate slow steps, the crunch of dry dirt under her boots the only sound breaking the stillness. "So you're going to live with it. Alone. Out here. Far from Night City. And if you ever come back—"
Kiwi's nod.
"I won't."
Lucy turned her back without another word. She walked away across the barren dirt, the sharp crunch of her footsteps fading behind her as the others waited silently by the van, engines idling in the cooling desert night. Kiwi said nothing, didn't call after her or look back. The door of the old junker slammed shut behind her, an echo swallowed by swirling dust and fading engine fumes.
She was gone—swallowed by the desert, by silence, by the ghosts of a past that no longer had a place here.
Rumors in the City
Back in Night City, the neon lights flickered and buzzed as if trying to hold the restless energy of the city together. But something had changed. The constant hum of chatter, the overlapping beats of street noise and sirens, carried an undercurrent of unease.
What happened at Arasaka Tower didn't hit the newsfeeds. Corpo PR buried the incident beneath a carefully crafted veil of lies—another "technical accident," they said, a failure in the building's power grid. The official story was quick and untraceable.
But the fixers knew.
Wakako Okada murmured about an unstoppable force, a silver-armed devil tearing through the floors like a storm. Padre caught whispers on the street—words slipping like smoke about a shadow that moved faster than bullets and stronger than steel. The name "8" began to surface in hushed conversations, a ghost whispered not on the Net, not in the official files, but in alleyways, in dive bars, and in backroom deals. Spoken carefully, with reverence and fear.
In a dark, hidden place far from the city's bright chaos, Faraday lay strapped down on a cold metal table. He couldn't move. His wrists and ankles bound with thick, unyielding restraints. His mouth was gagged, muffling the frantic screams trapped inside his throat. His wide eyes darted around the dimly lit room, panicked and desperate.
"Ohh, you're finally awake."
Faraday's head jerked to the side. Standing beside him was 8, his unsettling smile sharp and cold as a surgical blade.
"You should be honored," 8 said smoothly, voice calm and chilling. "You're going to be part of an experiment. You see, I've got all these healing items—but I've never had the chance to really push them to the limit. Lucky for us… you're here now."
Faraday thrashed against the bindings, the panic bleeding into raw terror.
A single harsh light flicked on overhead. A mirror stretched across the ceiling, reflecting every detail back to him—his restraints, his wide, terrified eyes, the gleaming tools lined up meticulously beside 8's calm figure.
"I saw a movie once," 8 said quietly, voice dropping to a near whisper. "A man torturing the guy who killed his family. The man didn't look scary. No cyberware. Just a father."
8's smile faded, replaced by a shadow that seemed to chill the room.
"And believe me… there's nothing scarier than a man who's lost the people he loves."
He leaned close, the air thick with menace.
"You tried to hurt my friends. So don't expect a single drop of mercy. God won't save you. Neither will the devil."
Faraday began to sob, his struggles growing more frantic, tears running down his face as 8 picked up the first tool.
Afterlife
8 leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching the team laughing and shouting around him. Rebecca downed something bubbling in a grimy glass—something that probably counted as poison. Lola barked excitedly, a bright, ridiculous party hat perched on her head, her tail wagging like a metronome set to chaos.
Lucy stood up, voice cutting through the noise and music.
"I need to say something."
The room quieted instantly, the weight of her words pulling the laughter and chatter into silence.
"All this time… I was killing netrunners."
No one spoke. Even the music stopped, leaving only the sound of breath and distant city noise.
"I didn't want to," she admitted, eyes drifting to David, vulnerable and raw. "But I had to. I wanted to protect you. Even if you didn't understand why."
David stood and gently wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"You don't have to explain anymore. You're here. That's enough."
Applause broke out, tentative at first, then growing louder, more genuine.
In the shadows, Rogue Amendiares watched the group celebrating, her face unreadable, her presence a quiet reminder of the dangerous world they all walked.
One Last Surprise
Later that night, I nudged David and Lucy aside.
"Come with me. I got something to show you two."
The ride was long and quiet, slipping past the edge of Night City, past the outskirts where the urban decay faded into rocky canyons and rolling sand dunes.
When we arrived, the stars glittered like distant fireflies in the clear night sky. Nestled in a ravine surrounded by jagged rocks and shifting sands was something that didn't belong here: a rocket ship.
David blinked, disbelief flickering across his face. "What the—"
Lucy's jaw dropped open. "Is this… real?"
I smirked. "Built it myself. Had some help. Stole parts from Militech. Maybe a few from Arasaka. You know—corporate donations."
The hatch hissed open with a breath of escaping air.
We climbed inside, but I wasn't about to pilot this thing.
"Woof."
[Ready?]
"Wait… Lola's flying this?" Lucy asked, incredulous.
I nodded solemnly. "Yeah. 'Cause I ain't flying it. I hate heights. Built the damn thing. You're lucky I'm even standing near it."
David grinned, excitement breaking through his usual calm.
"You're serious?"
"What do you think? I don't have fears?" I muttered, voice low. "Just shut up and enjoy the ride."
As the engines rumbled to life beneath us, Earth slowly shrank behind the window, the vibrant blue and white sphere fading into the vast blackness of space.
The Moon
Hours later, we landed on the gray, dusty surface. The ramp hissed open, releasing a cloud of lunar dust that drifted weightlessly in the low gravity.
Still holding hands, David and Lucy stepped out onto the barren landscape, their boots leaving prints on the unbroken powder of ancient rock.
For the first time in forever, Lucy's eyes welled up—not with pain, but with something rarer: peace.
She looked up, the infinite stars glittering cold and beautiful overhead, then back at David.
"We made it," she whispered.
"Yeah," he said, wrapping his arm around her, pulling her close. "We really did."
Above them, Earth hung in the sky like a fragile memory, a distant blue jewel encased in black.
They smiled—two souls standing under the stars, far from the city, far from everything… free.
End of Chapter.
I hope you all enjoy this chapter—thank you for everything! And I also hope it inspires you to create your own stories. Don't be afraid—believe me, I know the feeling. At first, I didn't want to write this fanfic because I was scared of criticism. English isn't my native language, and I had no writing experience (you can see that in the first few chapters).
But I'm here to tell you: don't be afraid. Sometimes, criticism can be a blessing. For example, someone once criticized my writing and recommended ChatGPT, and it turned out to be a huge help. Also, seeing people read my story and leave comments makes me genuinely happy.
Who knows? Maybe it'll inspire you to start your own story—and maybe one day, create something original. I believe a lot of people have that potential. Just look at the creators who entertain us on YouTube—like Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss, or SMG4. That guy started out making silly YouTube videos about Mario and his self-insert OC, and now he's behind Glitch Productions—the team that created Murder Drones and The Amazing Digital Circus. In a way, it all began with fan-made content. It's a miracle Nintendo didn't sue him for using Mario, but I'm glad they didn't.
So, in short: you can create a story too. Whether it's original, inspired by a movie, animation, book—or even fanfiction—it just takes one step to start. Just be mindful of what you write, because words can affect others.
Thank you so much for reading my story. Now, I just need to figure out what to write next!"
I've been considering some ideas:
Elden Ring Fanfic Same concept as my current story—using a modded character. I've seen a lot of cool mods people are using in the game, and since Elden Ring has a complete story, it helps a lot.
Monster Hunter Fanfic I haven't seen many fics about this series. Maybe because there's no clear villain—just powerful monsters and threats to eliminate. But that leaves room for creative freedom!
Sonic Fanfic Honestly, this one intimidates me—not because of the fans, but because there are so many characters!I do like the theme of nature vs. technology. I wish they had kept the Freedom Fighters. If I write this, I'll go for a cartoon-like tone—no cursing, no extreme violence.Also, full transparency: I've only played Sonic Mania.
Superhero Fanfic This would probably take the longest—multiverse crossovers, alien invasions, new villains, and so on. It's a big idea, but I'd like to try it someday.
Do you have any suggestions?I'll try to write the best I can without ruining the characters from their original game, movie, or show.
Feel free to drop your ideas or requests under these categories:
🎮 Games
🎬 Movies / Animation
📺 TV Shows / Cartoons
Support me on Patreon:
patreon.com/Green_Rabbit_8