CONTENT WARNING: This chapter contains the usage of drugs. Don't do drugs, kids. It's bad. You want a chance to experience escapism? Buy a book. It can be just has addictive and will also leave your wallet empty. That's why I'm big brain 'cause I read fanfiction. It's even more addictive but also free on the net.
Sidestory: A short reunion
"Oi."
"Hey, Aisha." Taylor looks up from her papers. She is still in the prop room, drinking a new amber liquid. Her purple eyes glint, shine and sparkle like amethysts in the sun. A look of contentment on her face. She slowly puts her reading material on the desk. Her hand goes to the few drawers there. "Where did I put the thing?" One drawer close, another opens. "Aha!" From the drawer comes a miniature Arab waterpipe, empty and clean. Ready for use.
"Here. Yesterday I messed around with a few extra components for fun. I was thinking of imitating tobacco in liquid form. Like one of those e-cigars or whatever from Earth Aleph? Well, it worked really well! But then I thought why not mix with Shimmer? Want to see the result?"
"Sure." You think you need a bit of a distraction right now.
You sit down on her lap; her protest muffled a bit by the sudden drop of weight on her. She takes two vials from her inner coat pocket. One is transparent, the other the usual purple of Shimmer. She drops the entirety of the first vial inside, and then uncorks the other. With a careful hand she lets a single drop go down into the waterpipe. There's a sudden almost silent crack of sound and the contents of the first liquid, which was once transparent, now seem to shine with glitter. Taylor takes from the drawer two pipes and their tubes and connects them to the Arab looking waterpipe. On the bottom of the vent she puts a small block of something black. Another rummage through the drawer and a lit lighter is pushed to the block, that starts burning.
"Coal. It will warm 'till it boils. We'll smoke the fumes."
She responds to your inquisitive look.
After the first few puffs you feel energized, like you just drank a cup of black coffee. The taste is the same as tobacco from the cigars you tried to smoke once, but that taste is also accompanied by the sweet and spicy flavour you have come to associate with Shimmer. The smoke you exhale is a vague pinkish grey.
"You should go to your brother."
"What?"
"It's bothering you. I can tell."
"I… we just had a fight."
"I can tell that too."
"Yeah? You can tell a lot of things, can't you?"
"No matter how short this meeting was, it will have repercussions that will affect everything. I took everything in consideration."
"It was pretty short." You unscrew one of the waterpipe tubes and seal it. With a swift movement you steal Taylor's pipe and take a puff. You also move yourself to straddle on top of her, your legs on the side of each of her hips. She doesn't outwardly react. Your objective of cracking her façade is a failure… for now.
"It was short because the outcome was already decided. It was a simple formality. They were dependent on Coil, now that he's gone, they'll be dependent on his replacement. After Brian found out that you were already there, in that new gang? That was really just... well you can either see it as sweetening the deal or the last nail in the coffin."
"Your perspective is too cold. I wonder sometimes." She takes the pipe and inhales. She exhales right on your face. You breathe the fumes.
"Wonder what?"
"Wonder if your heart still beats red and not purple."
Silence.
"I wonder that too."
You drop your head on the crook of her neck.
"You should still go see your brother. He'll be waiting for you. Restless. He's not the type to let something like this slide. He means well."
"Does he? Weren't you the one who ranted a lot about that topic?"
"I never disagreed on the fact he cared. I just disagreed on his methods of showing it… Kinda like I disliked how my father and I distanced ourselves after mom died. There are a lot of things I miss about him, Aisha. And I wished I could talk to him now. Family is important."
You take another puff. She huffs in annoyance. Both her hands go to hold your cheeks and makes you look her in the eyes.
"Family is everything. Right now? You are all that I have left. Family can be more than just blood shared; you and I are proof of that. But you still have other family. Go enjoy them while you can."
"I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry for, my little imp."
You get up from the chair and your concentration falters. Your power unchains itself. The boss looks slightly confused. She sees the extra tube lying on the desk and frowns a bit, a look of curiosity. She puts the pipe in her mouth and takes a deep breath. The large exhale is a pinkish grey.
You turn around and head out.
It's time to go home.
