Enter the Tough Girl
The next day, Aelita woke up and saw the sun shining through the windows in the warehouse. She stretched and yawned before she put her jacket back on, picked up her bag, and left the warehouse. After the goodnights sleep in the warehouse, Aelita felt ready for just about anything the world could through at her.
After she left the warehouse, Aelita walked through the alley until she came out to the sidewalk. She figured that if she hung around the sidewalk, she might be able to get some food somewhere or someone could give her some money to buy food. She did seem to be having much luck at first getting any money or food. At one point, Aelita heard rap music and looked to see a young man carrying a boom box and dancing as he walked down the street.
After a while, Aelita decided to check out the bakery to see if it had any pastries she could "liberate" as she put it. Just as she was getting ready to cross the street, however, Aelita was almost hit by a car. Luckily, she got away in time and ran back to the sidewalk. Suddenly, she heard a man yelling something.
"No soup for you!" the man's voice shouted.
Aelita looked and saw a man leaving a small shop with a frown on his face. She also noticed the line outside. Upon closer inspection, Aelita could see that this was a soup stand. The man inside had a big bushy mustache and had very scary look on his face. He also seemed to be making everyone uncomfortable.
She walked up to a man who was waiting in line and asked, "What's with the line? Is the soup here that good?"
The man looked at her and said, "Best in the city!"
"Great!" said Aelita, then she rushed inside and looked at all of the soups inside. She smiled and sniffed the soup. Suddenly, she heard the owner shouting at her.
"Hey! You are cutting in my line? Nobody cuts in my line!"
Aelita snapped out of her trance, and then said, "Sorry, sir, I was just so hungry I didn't think."
"No soup for you!" he yelled, "Get out!"
Aelita only glared at the man and said, "Make me,"
While Aelita was busy with the soup man, something big was going down in the next alley over. In the next alley over, several people were watching a street fight between a grown man and a teenage girl. The girl had dark skin, shirt brown hair, and green eyes. She was dressed in a green jump suit with the top tied around d her waist, an aqua tank top, and sneakers.
As it turns out, the people were betting on who would win the street fight. Several of them bet on the man because he was older and more muscular then the girl. However, it seemed as though they made a mistake, because the girl was overpowering him with her kung Fu. Just as the man was looking tired, the girl used a strong kick and knocked him to the ground, declaring her victory.
"Alright, people, pay up," said the girl, and the people begrudgingly handed over the money they bet on the fight. "Thanks a bunch. It was nice being here. See ya."
As the girl left the alley, she smiled proudly at her latest victory. "Typical. They always bet on the big guy. When will they learn not to judge a fighter based his size?" she asked herself, "Then again, if they did, I wouldn't earn a dime."
Street was a regular activity of hers. This girl was always seen street fighting around the city and made a lot of money doing so. She had a good reason for doing so, but no one knew that. Like Aelita, this girl was also homeless and an orphan, but unlike Aelita, she had other kids to help take care of, so she needed the money. She would normally have preferred to work for a living, but was unable to find any job that would hire her.
She was just about to leave that street when she heard shouting and looked to see the soup man trying to force Aelita out of the door. Aelita was resisting bit holding onto the frame.
"Well, what do you know, the Soup Nazi got himself a new costumer," said the teenage girl. Then she smirked and said, "I think it's about time someone put that jerk in his place."
The girl ran into a nearby alley, while the man continued to try to force Aelita out of the door. Aelita was unwilling to give her chance at food up, but the man was unwilling to let her have any. Finally, he Aelita out the door, and she landed flat on the ground.
"Please, I'm hungry!" she pleaded.
Unfortunately, this had no effect on the man. "Not my problem! Go away!" he yelled.
Aelita got up and ran into the alley nearby to get away from the man. She turned corner into an alley, leaned against the wall, and panted. Then she sighed and slumped to the ground. She was just about ready to admit defeat when she heard a new voice speaking to her.
"You know, that guy is the wrong person to try to get soup from," said the new voice. Aelita looked up and saw the street fighting girl leaning lazily against the wall. "If you ask me, he's the best and the worst."
Aelita screamed and backed away from the girl and said, "Stay away from me!"
The teenager laughed and said, "Calm down, kid, I'm not a mugger. I don't even pick on kids. What's your name, by the way?"
"Aelita," said the pink haired girl, "What's your name?"
"Name's Elizabeth Ricarro, but everyone calls me Liz," said the older girl, Liz, "And I think I can help you out."
"Help me out?" Aelita asked.
"Yeah," said Liz, "How about helping me make that guy change his mind about sharing some of that soup?"
"No way," said Aelita, "I've had enough of that guy. I'm not going in there again."
Aelita got up off the ground and turned to leave when Liz grabbed her arm and said, "Hey, come on, it'll be alright. Just follow my directions."
"Well, okay," said Aelita, still unsure about the older girl.
"Alright," said Liz, she then pointed to the man that Aelita was fighting and explained, "The man in charge there is named Yev Kassem, but he's secretly referred to as the Soup Nazi."
"Why's that?" Aelita asked.
"Because if you do something that bugs him, he yells and you don't get your soup even if you are a paying customer," Liz explained, "Now, all you have to do is distract him while I get a few soups."
"Okay," said Aelita.
"I'll make the sign for 'Okay' when I'm done, then you catch up to me outside. Got it?" Liz asked. Aelita nodded her head yes, and Liz said, "Alright, Let's do it."
"Okay," said Aelita, and she went inside again.
Once inside, Aelita waited for the current customer to leave before she smiled at him and said, "Hello."
"You? You think you can get soup?" the Soup Nazi asked, "Please, you're wasting everyone's time."
"I don't want soup," said Aelita, "I'm just here for a little payback." Then she punched the soup Nazi in the face and laughed.
The Soup Nazi was angry at this, so he jumped over the soups and started attacking Aelita. The Soup Nazi tried to punch Aelita back, but punched another customer instead, which resulted in that one punching another when aiming for the Soup Nazi, this turned into and all out brawl. While the customers and the owner were fighting, Liz snuck by and took some containers.
Liz filled each container up with a different soup, topped them, and labeled them each with someone's name. Once she was done, Liz gave Aelita the 'okay' sign and ran outside.
Aelita saw Liz make the sign and snuck out through the fighting crowd. She ran out of the soup place and turned a corner into an alley. She panted heavily and waited for Liz to show up. For a moment, Aelita thought that Liz had abandoned her. However, she was reassured when she heard Liz's voice behind her.
"Great job, kid," said Liz. Aelita turned around and saw Liz standing behind her with containers of soup. Liz took one and gave it to Aelita as she said, "Here, this is yours."
"Thank you," said Aelita, as she took the soup from Liz.
"You're welcome," said Liz, "You know we'll have to do this again sometime."
"You're right," said Aelita.
"Tell you what, I'll pick you up at your place next time," said Liz, "Where do you live?"
At the question, Aelita's face turned sad and she looked away and said, "Nowhere. I don't have a home."
"Really?" Liz asked, and Aelita nodded her head 'yes'. Liz now felt bad for the girl; this girl should not be alone with no home. Then she got an idea, "Hey, Aelita, how about you come to my place stay with me and my family?"
Aelita looked at the older girl in surprise and asked, "Can I?"
"Sure," said Liz, "They'll love you."
"But, I don't want to impose," said Aelita, "What if there's no room?"
"Nonsense," said Liz, "In my family, there's always room for one more."
"Are you sure?" Aelita asked.
"Yeah," said Liz, "Come on, let's go."
Aelita smiled brightly and said, "Okay!" then she picked up the other soups and said, "I'll carry some of these."
"Thanks," said Liz, then she and Aelita started walking down the street. "Just you wait, Aelita, you're gonna love my family."
"And you're sure they'll be okay with me staying there?" Aelita asked.
"Trust me, you'll fit right in," said Liz.
And with that, Aelita followed Liz downtown. The whole time, Aelita was feeling hopeful; finally, she might just have a home.