Misread? Certainly. Yet it didn’t keep a smile and a little off Highwire’s face. Nor did it keep a little chuckle away, no. She didn’t explain herself right away. Instead simply retrieving her iron from her hip and inspecting it off to the side of them both. “Ya know, I’d . . .

💖🦊K i m i k o 🦊💖@FOXGUNSNHEARTSOct 27

“Puppy dog eyes?—” That one had some disgust in it, who did she think Kimiko was? Some lowly begging dog? She may have misread that look, it definitely wasn’t one of pleading or begging. “Firstly I’m not talking in code, and I’m not asking you to protect Me,

119

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 27, 2026 · 8:18 PM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 27

grumble about you not taking a joke, but ain’t heard anyone come challenge me to my face in so long. Damn, do I miss that feeling. Maybe we’re both due for a reminder then. I’ll remind you just how effective my talents really are and you like to keep your neck in for all . . .

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 27, 2026 · 8:18 PM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 27

the silly affairs us mortals call a day that ends in ‘y’.” She laughed audibly then. That little motivator seemed to put some pep in her step and an eagerness to her trigger finger for the unfortunate one she’d hunt down and find.

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 27, 2026 · 8:03 PM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 27

“I can do both, you dork.” Ruffling her hair. She’s already got them for her arm.

ᅠᅠᅠ ͟͟͞͞ᅠᅠℒ𝐞𝙭a҉ᅠ ᅠ🗡ᅠᅠ@HUNTAGAlNOct 27

ᅠ ᅠᅠ❝ᅠ For now bandages will helpᅠ ...ᅠPleaseᅠ ... ᅠ

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 27, 2026 · 7:52 PM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 27

“Do I need to fetch the bandages and throw in another batch of nuggets for ya?”

ᅠᅠᅠ ͟͟͞͞ᅠᅠℒ𝐞𝙭a҉ᅠ ᅠ🗡ᅠᅠ@HUNTAGAlNOct 27

ᅠ ᅠᅠ❝ᅠ It hurts bossᅠ ... ᅠ

Image from ᅠᅠᅠ ͟͟͞͞ᅠᅠℒ𝐞𝙭a҉ᅠ ᅠ🗡ᅠᅠ (@HUNTAGAlN)

ᅠᅠV̳ · Feb 21, 2026 · 9:10 PM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー retweeted

ᅠᅠV̳@WlLLNEVERFADEFeb 21

* 𝑵𝑰𝑮𝑯𝑻 𝑪𝑰𝑻𝒀 𝑫𝑶𝑵'𝑻 𝑳𝑬𝑻 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑪𝑯𝑶𝑶𝑺𝑬 .

ᅠᅠV̳@WlLLNEVERFADEFeb 21

❛ 𝚈ou're either 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 or you fizzle out into 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 ..

166

174

9,849

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 27, 2026 · 7:45 PM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 27

“She gets to leaking like a faucet every time I turn my back. Ah, silly girl.”

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 27, 2026 · 7:42 PM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 27

“Acting like I can’t talk on business too. Damn puppy eyes…” A soft sigh pushed out her lips. The weight of her stance shifted off one hip to the other. “Crew feels whatever work I’ve been up to is just losing my edge and going soft. Would rather me be blowing something . . .

💖🦊K i m i k o 🦊💖@FOXGUNSNHEARTSOct 27

“Oh we are Far beyond just acquaintances at this point, you should know that or were Our previous encounters nothing more than a Fling for you too?” She held no malice, nor disgust in her tone when she brought up the last time the two had spoken directly to each other,

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 27, 2026 · 7:42 PM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 27

up anyway. So fine, I’ll send some sorry chump back to the lobby. And so you don’t think I’m running off on your ‘protection’, if we’re going code talk on that, you’re coming with.”

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 27, 2026 · 7:32 PM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 27

She’d like nothing more than something to push her limits. Most hardly offer a challenge where she’s from. Some simply far eclipse her and she’s far from stupid enough to be ignorant of that. But a place like this, so many talents abound, is definitely a positive.

𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛@NETCOPEXILEOct 26

Can't knock it until you try it. In a world as ruined as the one they find themselves in, you need to be able to adapt. Not many consider the nonstop action to be a plus. Chances are She'll come across them soon.

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 27, 2026 · 7:27 PM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 27

“I guess there’s a bit of something like that on my resume. I do a lot of things. Why you ask?”

——𝐕@ChromatizedVOct 25

Replying to @ChromatizedV

@IMVXTAL “You a Netrunner?”

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 25, 2026 · 7:18 AM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 25

Pulling her in close, rubbing her upper back. “I have a hunch I shouldn’t ask. But maybe we can set it up to help stabilize you back in this reality…Assuming you still have it, right?”

ᅠᅠᅠ ͟͟͞͞ᅠᅠℒ𝐞𝙭a҉ᅠ ᅠ🗡ᅠᅠ@HUNTAGAlNOct 25

ᅠ ᅠᅠ❝ ... Too much .. Use of my Rift-o-gun ... —— * Glitching, shaking her head. Hand reaching towards Highwire. && ᅠᅠ❝ I want to be close to you .. ᅠ

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 25, 2026 · 7:13 AM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 25

“Lex, what kinda hiccups have you gotten into this time?”

ᅠᅠᅠ ͟͟͞͞ᅠᅠℒ𝐞𝙭a҉ᅠ ᅠ🗡ᅠᅠ@HUNTAGAlNOct 25

ᅠ ᅠᅠ❝ 𝑩𝑶—— * Running towards her .ᐟ ... Glitching like crazy .. ᅠ

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 25, 2026 · 6:53 AM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 25

Standing there-

ᅠᅠᅠ ͟͟͞͞ᅠᅠℒ𝐞𝙭a҉ᅠ ᅠ🗡ᅠᅠ@HUNTAGAlNOct 25

ᅠ ᅠᅠ❝ Miss my boss ... ᅠ

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 25, 2026 · 6:52 AM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 25

A pizza like that? Vile may be a compliment…Seems like anyone here would be at a loss for words at anything even mediocre on their menus. At least this city has some good other distractions. And near constant action. Both she would call the highlights.

𝚆𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛@NETCOPEXILEOct 25

All in all? A pretty vile place to end up. Yet more and more show up to buy the scam it sells. The food may be bad but he's always been partial to locust pepperoni pizza. He'd highly recommend.

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 25, 2026 · 6:47 AM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 25

“When someone else has more capacity for figuring out the coding on that machine, and an AI to help that out, I’m sure you’d come help yourself too. See me as an enemy for doing so if you want. But you’re smart enough to know where all our attention should be focused.”

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗖𝗬 .@SEVENSPROPHETOct 24

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀❛ I was going to get that ... what / are / you doing here anyway ? ❜ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 25, 2026 · 6:40 AM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 25

And I expect that you expect I persisted to it, huh?” Soft mutter under her breath. “Dammit, you’d think I’d learn well enough to keep untangled from the Fox Clan from being around Stray. Just don’t start thinking I’m your lap dog. We’ll agree this is a favor and nothing . . .

💖🦊K i m i k o 🦊💖@FOXGUNSNHEARTSOct 23

“I’m paying you Well enough, in fact far better than any of the other Shmucks on this island, You’re otherwise obligated to,” Kimiko firmly retorts, snapping around on her heel, back in the direction of the chaotic woman. “And as if I don’t make sure that your means of Chaos

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー · Oct 25, 2026 · 6:40 AM UTC

ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℝ𝔼 || ハイワイヤー@IMVXTALOct 25

more than that.” Her hands tuck neatly at her hips, knowing the stare she was getting would stifle those with far less bravado than herself. “There won’t be any surprises down the line when the favor is returned that way.”