It was terribly dark in this city, the streets felt cold, and unwelcoming the neon signs curled at their edges into sinister smiles. I don't think I'm cut out for this the young blue haired girl thought to herself though she knew there were no other options than to traverse the city in hopes of finding safety. She had spent the last week selling her body to make pocket change since she was turned away by every business, nobody here had the money or the time to accept a new girl with no particular skills into their circles. She clenches her fist knowing this is really the only time she's felt truly miserable…truly empty…a month spent grasping at straws can really bring you down she frowned at this thought.
She'd also been an optimist but having to give yourself away for some cash that will only get stolen off of you was starting to destroy her outlook on life and her ability to stay grounded. The blue haired girl had become quite vigilant, she could she shadows upon shadows moving, shaking, suffering…like she was…hungry like she was…she decided to look for any empty stands that weren't crowded with filthy men looking to have her this late at night.
Soon enough her eyes caught a small hole in the wall bar down the alley the writing was…Chinese? She was surprised to see the words of such an ancient language, she thought other languages were banned since humanity started colonizing other planets, but here thinking about trivial laws, she was getting ahead of herself! Her feet were moving towards the smell before anything else could register.
She ducked into the empty yellow lit shop focused completely on the smell of real food…none of the gel pouches and liquid packets of multicolored nutrients. "Oh, uh, we're closing up soon." Said the cyborg server behind the counter.
The server looked at the girl with scrutiny "Are you…hungry?" she nodded dumbly not sure how to control her body around the smell, all the pain her body was experiencing suddenly shot through her stomach with huge force. "Why don't I grab some leftovers for you, you don't look very…uh…never mind."
Before she knew it she was stuffing her face at break neck speed her mother's soft but commanding face came to mind "swallow your sadness." She smiled knowing if she couldn't do it figuratively she could do it literally. A soft voice mumbled behind the noise of shoveling food but she paid it no mind there was no room for anything else.
It grew louder.
"Hey!"
The blue eyed beauty realized she wasn't eating anymore, she was…on the floor? "Are you okay?! What's going on" The cyborg shook her, no-
She puked. Everything disappeared for what felt like an instant.
She awoke with a start in a bed, she groaned hoping it wasn't true but upon examination the bed wasn't dirty or warm it was…just her…I met up with a couple buyers yesterday…started looking for shelter at eight and…found-The tiny bar! She moved to get up but her body screamed at the movement. She yelped and recoiled back into the pillows.
"Ah! You're awake!" The cyborg smiled at her nervously skirting around the room to push a glass of water towards her then went back to standing in the doorway.
"You, uh-"
"I know it's-it's-just thank you, I appreciate your hospitality…I was just hungry and there was so much I-I" She began to stammer When was the last time I slept in a warm room? She grew quiet at that thought.
The girl began to inch closer "I'm Miki I work here but my uh-my boss, she's out of town so I had you stay. What's your nam-"
"Miku! I'm Miku…" It felt good to say that after using so many fake names for so many fake personalities.
"Oh we're so close!" She laughed "Do you want me to escort you home? Once you can stand anyway, I'd be happy to give you a coupon too."
I don't have one…but to say that… "No, I'm fine." She winced as she stood "What time is it? I probably have to go to work." Partially true.
"Oh it's midday by the looks of it, but you don't look so good…" Miki grimaced at the girl's dreadful attempt to walk to the door "Can I at least get you some food before you go? You won't be of much use to anyone in a state like that."
"Sure." Miku grumbled following the red-headed cyborg I'm not much use in the first place a voice akin to her own giggled in the back of her head. The cyborg began to ramble on about how the sleep cycles of 100% biological bodies are so "fascinating" Miku tuned out until there was a bowl of food in front of her, she ate slower this time remembering not to let the thick smell overwhelm her.
It was nothing like she'd eaten before it made her feel as though her body wasn't empty for just a second before her mind bit away the joy with its constant reminders of what she should be doing instead of eating. The girl interrupted her thoughts "How'd you find this place…? You must have connections."
Miku shook her head "No, no, no." She chided through her stuffed cheeks before swallowing "I was looking for a place to eat and saw your lights on." Miki looked as though she couldn't believe it.
"Oh…you really were just hungry." She pushed her face right up to the girl's bright blue eyes.
"Uh…look you're new here aren't you?" The red head said tugging at her collar pensively.
"Yeah, what of it?"
The cyborg leaned in even closer "Well…" she whispered "You've seen the "gangs" right? It's weird to call them that…They feel more threatening…anyway this is a trading post, for information, not a restaurant that's just a front…"
"…eh?" Miku was a bit dumbfounded she'd been staying out of their territory this whole time just how to she end up on this side of town! "I see…then I suppose I should be even more grateful for your kindness."
Miki giggled "Think nothing of it, we're not all heartless!"
The cyborgs face began to frown "When my boss comes back you can't come back here no matter what, It's too dangerous. I'm sorry…I want to help you but…"
"But I think I know someone who can help you!" She surprised herself with the enthusiasm that came from that statement, she hopped out of her chair. "Go about your day as you would but I'll meet you outside the club down the street at nightfall, be discreet tie up that hair it's too recognizable."
Miku zoned out again as she had begun cleaning the counters and chattering excitedly about what good ideas she was capable of. It was the first time Miku got a good look at her savior, she had long red hair with eyes to match and was wearing a clean white jump suit with a navy apron. Upon examination there was notable difference between the skin tones of her legs, arms, and hands along with different serial numbers and logos plastered onto them…a caring Frankenstein…
"I'll get going then." Miku said with a smile cutting her off, it felt shockingly genuine, the idea of sleeping comfortably tonight was enough to put the worrying voice in the back of her head at bay. Miki waved quickly and continued tiding up happily.
The blue haired girl began to tiredly walk back to the other side of the city navigating the slums and back roads as best she could to avoid attention. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, how could she mooch customers off a club when all she could think about was a warm bed and maybe clean water…She didn't want to crush this innocent hope after a month of becoming blind to faith, my innocence is gone already there's nothing I can do. Somehow the voice in her head felt like a lie trying to drag her back, maybe the misery…the emptiness didn't have to be forever…
She found herself in the alley way behind the "Love Club" but with no heart to go into the grimy place she sat staring into the wall of the building next door…everything was so tightly packed in this city, attached by webs of walk ways and outdoor elevators the people of these slums crawled about like ants in a hill of tunnels. Some people even vowed the buildings went beyond the clouds and that the wealthiest lived up there…but it was hard to see an inch in front of your nose with all this factory smoke…much less the sky. Through the dense fog traveled tinny voices, the television shop down the alley.
Miku lazily got to her feet and scooped herself up, her mind nagged her to get to work but the hopes in her heart wanted to spend this day flippantly. A quiet trot down the alley led her to a pack of children crowding around the TV stand…it was ridiculous really…the human race had such advanced tech but this planet had been overtaken for intergalactic tourism as an example of what Earth really was like hence old fashioned historical replicas…It didn't last long until it was conquered by industry apparently.
These children weren't bothered at all "ignorance is bliss" as her mother would've said. Cheering erupted as a choppy green haired girl with a sleazy smile appeared on screen it was captioned with…"Panada Hero" How silly she thought to herself probably a small scale criminal built up for media buzz. The screen flashed to a stern looking strawberry blonde…maybe just strawberry actually.
"-In other words the "Panda Hero" must be apprehended at all costs, notorious for her violent behavior and constant humiliation of officers in our city she's committed many unspeakable acts that- that can't even be mentioned!" The woman grew tense and the children laughed as though it was a gag
"It she is turned into the police there will be a handsome reward, you'll be able to obtain eternal beauty with the money we have to offer to someone how catches her." The woman brushed her hair out of her face to reveal steely eyes "We will bring her to justice." Miku's eyes widened as she realized she was the chief of the police force…the horribly corrupt police force…as much as she wanted that money she couldn't turn anyone into a clan of drug addicted fat cats. The television cut out at her last statement and switch to the over played nonsensical soaps that played all day every day. The kids scattered talking amongst themselves about the "Panda Hero."
The name was so familiar…even though Miku had never seen a picture or listened long enough it was a name whispered in crowds that rose to the ceiling to sit in everyone's minds…there was no escaping that name in this city. I wonder who she could be she sat down and began toying with her hair not like it matters or anything…it's not important to me… This new found hope was making her attached to silly urban legends and thinking about the sky.
Her hair suddenly became much more interesting than her mind and she absorbed herself into playing with it, the dark alley was her couch for the next few hours, she relaxed quietly listening to the overplayed on screen drama in the background as time passed by.
She noticed shadows had begun growing longer as people walked past, It must be time for the suns to set…she stood finally satisfied with the hours of braiding and shrinking her hair to fit under a simplistic wrap. As she began walking back across town the ache in her feet didn't distract her one bit as she was so hopeful that maybe tomorrow…I won't ever let anyone dictate whether or not I'm fed…No one will ever touch me again…
The nervousness set in after she realized these thoughts must be too good to be true. Never the less she kept moving ahead keeping to herself until she reached the small bar, she looked around for the pink neon of the club across the street. The light cast onto her body was bright and inviting the big screens of animated beauties and the neon signs of leggy girls all emanated fuchsia…now where was Miki?
"Ah-Uh, over here!" A wispy voice called from the street corner "O-okay your hair looks great just as I said…but you'll stand out in there in those clothes…"
"We're going inside!?" What kind of plan is this?
"Well…it's the easiest way sort of…well I-Do you have something to wear?" Miki said as Miku realized the cyborg had applied a face full of makeup and was uncomfortably pulling on a mini skirt.
"Yeah…am I just going to change here it's so cramped…and out in the open…"
"Change fast there's no more choices, and we're going to be late any minute now."
The blue eyed girl eyed the alleyway nervously as she shed her layers in exchange for her "work wear" a tiny black dress that fit like a glove and left her lacy camisole exposed.
Miki watched her intently "Do you mind?" Miku huffed embarrassed being seen in this when she wasn't trying to show herself "No I just-Uh, let's go you won't need make up…barely anyone down here can afford it anyway…" She started yammering to herself this time while taking the nervous girl to the door by the hand.
The bouncer immediately recognized Miki from the back of the line and gestured for her to come forward "Luo's little servant, amirite?" He said gruffly.
"Yes sir." She spat through grit teeth.
The man leaned against the door frame smugly looking them up in down "You gals do a lot for me and the boy's y'know" he hummed "but I can't go around trusting you to bring strangers into my club, so why don't you tell me who this chick is?"
The cyborgs face fell she had thought her pretty face and their history would've done the trick…But she underestimated him. Miku had to act fast…
"I'm Lulu~" the blue eyes darkened as her face shifted to someone entirely new "I'm sure you've heard of me from your friends haven't you…?"
"Oh don't tell me you don't know…" She said coyly. His face twisted "Well if you must know Miki here is escorting me to 'the boy's' to relay some information, I didn't wanna be up front about it you know how secrets are…" He's not buying it…all out I guess…
"If you stay quiet though there's a surprise for you later~" His eyes lit up at that.
"You-You could've just said so! Come right in." The bouncer practically shoved them inside to get to the next people in line.
Miki was positively dumbfounded "Wow that was-"
"Disgustingly easy." Miku's face had returned to it's normal state of expression…"What a brute." If unfocused and unbothered counted as an expression.
"rriggghhttt…" the red head took her hand one again and they weave their way through the smoky pink room, the smells were overwhelming. Soon her eyes began to burn and the cacophony numbed her ears, there were no eyes on her because in this room appearance meant nothing if you had to navigate with all of your other senses. "They're in the backroom…" She muttered though her voice would not travel in the stifling environment anyway.
Suddenly they broke free from the wall of bodies, smoke, smells, and light. They were swallowed by the darkness "Third room." Miki said audibly this time blindly stumbling around feeling for doorknobs. "Ah…it's this one." The cyborg took a deep breath as if she was the nervous one and plastered a smile onto her face.
They quickly shuffled the calm and poorly lit velvet coated room a shadow in the corner moved amongst the smoky haze.
"Yo." A pleasant voice chuckled.
"H-Hello, Hero…it's me…" The poor girl stammered through the smile unable to keep her cool. Hero…Hiro? Miku wondered or maybe…
The voice revealed herself…choppy green hair, a sleazy smile, and panda eyes? "P-Panda Hero!?" She gasped her blue eyes widened the girl on TV!? No way!?
"The one and only." Her mouth curled "Now let's get down to business, 'me'." She lounged back in her seat swinging her arm up casually into the backs of the cushions.
"I K-Know you're indebted to Luo." Miki blurt out "She's my boss and I mean if you don't wanna take care of this without money-"
"You could help out this homeless girl, couldn't you? For me? She's been begging around for over a month the whole neighborhood knows her face by now…" the cyborg looked up in earnest "I wanna help but she's as good as dead anywhere near Luo's work"
"Your empathy will be your downfall If you continue feeding random strangers, 'me'" The Panda Hero scoffed "What makes you think I have time for babysitting?"
She's so…unpleasant…didn't she learn basic manners!?
Miki began to chatter to frazzled to make sense of the situation, Miku put a hand on her shoulder and gently nudged her aside to look straight into the droopy eyes of the Panda Hero.
Her expression is so infuriating! What makes her think I have time to be babysat!?
"What makes you think I have time to be babysat, huh!?" Oh shit, did I say that out loud? "You're a hero aren't you? You're wanted by the chief aren't you?" might as well run with it since I'm going to die if this doesn't work out anyway…
"What have you got to loose!?" It's not like I'm worth anything outside of sex these days…but what else can I strive for?
The Panda Hero didn't even make eye contact she simply turned to Miki "Is this really how you expect to win my favor?" She cooed with that stupid grin.
"Um-umm-m, I-I just, well-" She took a deep breath in "I had a conversation with Luo this afternoon about this little exchange, I…I was hoping I could keep the details to myself and your good will as a 'hero' would've taken root."
"I see now that that is not the case here." She said softly.
"Luo is willing to offer a complete overhaul of your debt and donations of allies to your cause, if you take this girl off our hands." She finished with a proud smile, though her mechanical parts were practically steaming.
The Hero took a long sip from a multi colored glass before smacking her lips contemplatively "What's in it for her?" How rude why does she care!? Miku pouted visibly.
"Luo? She just likes to see me happy." The red head giggled as this notion was apparently rather funny to her.
The green haired girl let the corners of her lips fall "Honestly…I believe you." She laughed again "Of course Luo is so simple minded, that love-struck idiot." The last part was nearly inaudible but cyborg ears do hear everything.
"Love…? With who!?" Miki scooted down the bench curiously.
"No one, No one, she'll tell you what I mean when you're older."
"I'll babysit your neighborhood beggar as long as the help keeps coming. I know that Luo is always interested in supporting a good cause." She snuffed out the end of the pipe and stood up. "Meet me outside, kid." She pat Miku on the shoulder as she passed. Kid!? Who's immature here!?
The door closed behind them with a click and all the tension in Miki's body washed away as she sunk into the couch. "Whew…That went way better than I'd hoped…I totally thought she was gunna kill you back there."
Better than you'd hoped!?
"Look…Miki I know the phrase 'beggars can't be choosers' but I was kind of expecting a kind old lady on the outskirts of town…who would cook me food and tuck me in at night…" Miku sighed of course even the "nice" people in this city are weirdos.
Miki laughed so hard it became just hacking "Really!?" she said breathlessly trying to calm herself down. "Haha, I-I-whoa, Um-Luo. Luo my boss." Yeah? What about it "She, uh, She lived with "The Panda Hero" when they were just kids…She was just like you; a beggar hiding in alleyways." She looked the blue haired girl up and down "She never had to resort to selling herself though...um anyway…"
"I trust the cities hero even if you don't."
"You'll be safe with her for sure!" She smiled bouncing her long hair with it "Oh but before you go, take this." A business card? "Luo's Lounge: A taste of Earth's finest cuisine!" There was a number crossed out and a new one scrawled under it.
"Thank you, Miki…" Miku frown contemplatively, the antics of the day suddenly rushing in all at once.
"I-I don't think your empathy will be your downfall. I'm glad you decided to help me even though you have no reason to trust me…"
"I have plenty of reasons to trust you, Miku! Luo's been keeping an eye on a "New addition" for this whole month I had a feeling it was you as you're appearance is rather striking." While she smiled saying that Miku couldn't help but feel the surveillance was a bit unsettling.
The room grew quiet this strange one-in-a-million moment growing more apparent by the second It took a month to find someone to help me, so why does this feel so fast?
"Thanks…I suppose, I should go now." The cyborg waved goodbye as the blue haired girl made her way to the back door.
Her hand was on the door knob but…how did I get into this situation? Was her only thought.
Miku squeezed her mouth and eyes shut, here we go, she thought shakily thrusting open the back door. "Ah, there you are." The so-called "Hero" declared.
She tossed the girl with wide blue eyes a rough helmet and straddled a crude looking machine "Hop on!" She said with a pat. She obeyed…reluctantly, She wants me to ride this metal death trap!? I'm gonna die…The seat was the same foreign material as the hat and so small she was pressed against the other girl's (strangely warm) body.
"Hold on tight, kid."
With that the city became a blurry mess, the artificial lights coming from the towering buildings above them danced in the wildest of ways. I wanna puke, The machine was the only thing the road, as usual, people tended to stay out of the open. She's just too brash! Miku wanted to huff but she feared she would fly back if she opened her mouth.
The ride was oddly calming…the lights, the engine noise, and the feeling of another human being that…wanted to help you. It felt like too much in one moment to fully understand, but nevertheless she was…grateful her situation had come to this…even if it was weird. To be surrounded by danger she had been so persistently avoiding but for it to appear only as a pretty array of colors, was comforting in one way and disconcerting in another. She began to notice other things around her slowly as the initial rush wore off, first off she was gripping to the other girl tight enough to leave nail indents, The dust was definitely up her nose, and her skirt did not stay down for the duration of the ride.
Embarrassing…not that there's really any reason to care…but…
Embarrassing.
In what felt like just a few moments they had arrived at…she wasn't sure…she sat staring confusedly at it and the clothes in a vast array scattered about the windows…
"The entrance is through here, makes a great cover doesn't it?" The hero chuckled.
"Um, what…is it?" Miku asked while hesitantly unsticking herself from the bike and fixing her dress to cover the necessities.
"A tailor? They fix clothes."
Why would they need that? "Y'know there's such a thing as indestructible fabric right?"
She pushed her bike into the alleyway behind the shop brushing dust off of it "You should know better than anyone that this planet doesn't get a lot of outside contact."
"Ah…yeah…" She actually didn't know as her arrival on this planet was nothing she was particularly looking forward too. She doesn't know the flight schedules of the ships that come and go but it wouldn't matter if she did because stowaways are as good as dead.
A perfectly bear like grunt came from the hero as she tugged the smaller girl into the low lit shop, she nodded to an irritated blonde working away at the front desk how eyed her grouchily wiggling the pins in her mouth. The hero led Miku through a mess of backroom corridors that slowly sloped down with many doors and branching corridors with miniscule labels on either side…it ended in a long stair case who's walls were decorated with PSAs, News paper articles, and all sorts of pictures collected from around the city. Don't tell me that there's a whole city underground city to in the back doors of tiny shops…
"My neighbors a bit of a hoarder…likes conspiracies and stuff…" The girl said with a genuine smile running her hand over the tacked down paper.
"I can't even imagine where all the paper comes from to facilitate this…" Miku gawked, of course she had seen paper but holos, glasses, even your brain being wired into the universe's web was more common on her home planet even if the rich could only engage in the latter.
Another grunt. Descending the stairs Miku noticed that her caretaker was taking glances at her often and pretending to be looking at the wall behind her, so shameless. She coughed and glared in response to these looks.
"This is it…last door on the right, the neighbors are good people. They'll be happy to help as long as you're not an asshole."
She scratched the green hair on the back of her neck awkwardly "Uh if you're going to be living here, the names Gumi." Gumi…strangely fitting…The blue haired girl hummed in approval.
"I'm Miku, Miku Hatsune." She said sticking her hand out in front of her, Gumi took it gingerly and shook. "Now you don't have to call me 'kid.'"
Gumi began unlocking the lock on the door, Sooooooo slooowwww…"I dunno about that, kid." She said with the sleazy smile returning to her face, ugh.
The door swung open and they both walked into the big messy room, a well-stocked kitchen to the left and a bathroom to the right. The main room was covered in gaudy wall paper and an array of pictures and posters, It was overwhelmingly colorful. On the concrete floor was a mess of dirty rugs and clothes a bit pile of fabric was in the corner (Miku was hesitant to call it a bed), the walls were lined with crudely nailed baseball bats and 'secret compartments' except they weren't very secret since they were open.
As she looked around the atrocious smell hit her, the floor was drowned in food wrappers and stained clothing…was that?
"Is that blood!?" She squealed jumping away at the sight of it.
An affirmative grunt, "If you don't like it clean it up yourself, it's a part of the environment by now."
How could she be so stupid!? "You'll get sick and die living like this!"
"mmhm." Gumi said pulling off some goggles from a shelf, "I gotta go out tonight. We probably won't be seeing each other often, which is why I agreed to this."
"So as long as you don't touch anything you'll be fine, foods in the fridge and what not."
She ignored me! Ugh…Why couldn't it have been a kind old lady…I mean I'm grateful but…wait "food?" Miku said excitedly.
"Yeah, water from the tap is good too." The green eyed girl said nonchalantly before opening the door once again "If you take anything, you won't wanna know what's coming, kid." And with that she was gone…but wait, there was a click, did she just lock me in!? She can't take my word for it…how cowardly!
She stomped around the room irritated at this breach of manners, half of her however was completely understanding, which made the whole situation even more infuriating. "Just who does she think she is?" She trudged into the kitchen to grab a glass only to find the smell wasn't just coming from the rest of the apartment…the sink looked like death itself calling to Miku from the other side.
"She's haughty, thinks she's ALL that, she's a slob, hardly a selfless hero!" She rummaged through the cupboards with her dress pulled up like a mask "And on top of that she's wanted by the police! I should just turn the idiot in and buy my own place, take up that whole eternal beauty thing!" She said muffled by her clothes (which honestly didn't smell any better than the rest of the apartment.)
She was hopeful and excited for just a moment before realizing that was a terrible idea…ratting out Gumi wouldn't give her any reward…They just say that to trick you then they give you half of they offered to get you hooked on everything you need but leave you to floundering in debt. So bad idea, so what? There's plenty more where that came from.
She made sure to catch every drop from the tap, she worried that watering the monster in the sink would only make it smell worse, before turning to the dreaded refrigerator…What evil concoction would this hold…she sniffed it a reasonable distance before opening it to reveal….
Regular edible food, she heaved a sigh of relief tempted to grab and eat everything before her. "This…This looks good…" She held up a package containing normal nutrient jelly but it was some sort of flavor long forgotten by the other planets…"Ch-Chair-ee…Cherry." Sounds sweet…Does the demon on the motorcycle like sweets? How sensible. She made a cat like face riddled with mischief before downing the huge packet in one go, she tossed back the water, it felt so good to be full again and so soon after the last time. She rubbed her tummy contently noticing how disgusting the fabric felt…I've been wearing the same two pairs of clothes for a month…gross.
She was so full and the room was warm…but she wanted to clean so bad…It was atrocious. But the blanket pile looked so enticing, it was the only thing in the room remotely uncontaminated, she tip toed across the room taking a minute to figure out how to turn off the primitive light fixture. Miku flopped down pulling off the clothes and undoing her intricate hair style while snugging into the blankets, it felt so comforting to be safe…Even if Gumi locked her in the room to be trapped and she'd die in here…at least the first night would be nice.
Night night.