Chapter 4 - Concussion

Another day, another six hours I had to spend taking orders from pompous customers.

Yeah. Alright. So a little about me and my job. It does pay as badly as I make it out to be. And while I keep saying it's minimum wage, it's not. It just feels like it.

Turns out four digits at the end of a month can quickly turn into two digits if you don't look out. Life is expensive… Why didn't anyone tell me!?

Jokes aside… Yes. I have quite a handful of fixed charges. Rent. Food. Heat. Water. Electricity. Heck, even things as small as soap and cleaning degens are added to that list. Seriously, how do they expect anyone to live with all of this crap on their plate?

Regardless, I'm done for today and I've kicked my monthly salary up by a few numbers again. I get paid by the hour, after all.

Wandering home in my work clothes (I was late, so I dressed myself in my waiter uniform to spare myself some extra time), I pass another alley on my way.

From within the alley, a girlish voice shout: "Found her! Get over here, everyone!"

"What the-..." I utter before slowly wandering into the alley. Usually I try not to get involved with this stuff. But I'm curious to see whether this is a cop chase or a straight up beating.

…

In hindsight, if it were the latter, I'd probably risk getting the same treatment if they spotted me. Why didn't I think of that before turning the corner.

Looking down the deadend, I spot numerous things. For starters, a brunette with a long blue coat with her back to me, facing the back wall. Second, Vampy. Cornered-Animal-Vampy-Eh. CAVE for short… Couldn't find something for the E, so 'Eh' it is.

Finally… Is that a knife or something? The girl in blue has not one, but two knives of some sort. And from the way they look and the way she's wielding them… I can only conclude she's a Guild Agent.

Those pests. Always playing hero and trying to do the work of the cops. Their job description inclines taking on quests. Gathering or killing. Not capturing outlaws. That's a bounty hunter…

While I'm having my exposition, I am brought back to reality by a quick yell from Vampy. "Damn it… Alright, you broad. You wanna do this the hard way then!? I'll smash that pretty face of your into a pulp!"

Vampy pulls a lead pipe from behind her back. She rests it over her shoulder and takes a more aggressive stance.

Shit. Someone could get hurt here if I don't do something…

I mean, I don't care for the agent. But I don't want Vampy ending up beaten by her and then ending up in jail.

My eyes glance down and search the ground. An old, loose brick rests beside my left foot. Without even thinking twice, I pick it up and weigh it in my hand. I look back at the brunette and Vampy.

Welp. Let's see if I still got it.

I pull my brick back and with full force, I toss it at the back of the brunette's head.

"Alright. Let's g—"

THUD

The brunette spasms and drops to the concrete floor face first. Huh. Yeah. Guess dodgeball really is like riding a bike like coach used to say. You never forget how to throw a ball… or a brick, for that matter.

Vampy's crimson eyes meet mine with clear surprise. Before she can say anything, I speak up. "What is it with you and needing me to pull your sorry ass out of the shitter every single time!?"

"B-Face!?"

"Vampy!"

She looks down at the brunette with disdain. When she passes her, she kicks her in the ribs twice before looking back to me. Ouch…

"The hell are you doing here? I didn't need your help, y'know!?"

"You're fucking welcome," I spat before looking over my shoulder. "Forget it. Let's get out of here before more show up. She didn't shout for help if there weren't more of those pests around."

She clicks her tongue and looks back to the body of the Guild Agent. "You live nearby? Don't have any good hiding places around this part of town."

Grunting as I respond, I put a hand in my apron's pocket. "Just down the street. Motel NMH. Some guy with a knock-off lightsaber runs it… Heard he's a ranked assassin."

"Didn't you just say we should hurry the hell out of here?"

Vampy's stern gaze catches me off-guard. Right. Less talking, more running. "Alright, alright. C'mon. This way."

One final audible grunt is heard from the Agent as Vampy and I make our escape.

Out of the alley and back on the street, Vampy peeks around the corner as she raises an arm to stop me. "Wait…"

She looks both ways before lowering her arm again. "Alright. All clear. Hurry and take the lead."

Subconsciously I argue between shaking my head for having her order me around or nodding slowly to confirm her words. I end up awkwardly twisting my head in a random motion. Let's not think of that one for too long…

The two of us move down the street at a decent pace. Not thinking twice, I ask "so who did you piss off to get a Guild Agent to come after you?"

Her eyes shoot me a quick look. She shushes me before looking around. "Not here," she states under her breath. "Back at the motel."

Shrugging back at her, I decide to leave it at that and shut up. No need to push if she already plans on telling me.

Not even ten minutes later, we come to a lousy-looking motel. Ah yes. The NMH Motel. The neon sign barely flickers alive as the letter O in motel is simply dead.

As we move through the abandoned parking lot, we pass by a heap of litter—Vampy catches a wrapping on her shoe's sole and has to take it off by hand—and approach the front door of the 'cosy' motel room.

You know… Now that I actually brought someone along, I just realised how… unwelcoming this place is. Graffiti stains the walls which paint has long started to decay. The place reeks of whatever a slum smells like.

…

Welcome home, B-Face.

My door unlocks with a twist of my key and together we step into the darkened room. Not for long. I flip the light switch and with a two-second delay, the light sparks lazily to life.

Ah yes. My room. Two doors in the back leading to either the bedroom or the bathroom. A couch standing before a TV with two consoles wired to it… And yeah. That's about it. Sure, there's a kitchen and a small dining table with three chairs, but… Yeah. This place is just depressing.

Vampy takes a few steps forward, not even wiping her feet on the doormat. Instantly, she makes herself comfortable and plofs down on the couch.

Huh. Feels nice not having someone call this place an awful excuse for a home for once. Despite the small, clear stains of rot and-... Let's just stop there.

Sighing loudly, Vampy takes her hoodie off and grunts. I can't help but stare… Something she is quick to notice.

"What are you looking at?"

"How much for a night?" I mockingly ask.

That hateful gaze she shoots me makes me regret my taunt. I try to laugh it off with a forced chuckle, but end up looking the other way out of embarrassment. "Err…. Hungry?"

She raises an eyebrow at me. "I thought you said you had to skip food for a few days. And now you're sharing?"

"That… was two weeks ago…" I dejectedly correct.

Now she's the one looking away… I don't like the air between us. Probably should try lighten it up a little.

Once more, I ask "So want anything or what? I got some leftovers. Soup from the place I work at. They let me have it for a ridiculous discount at the end of the day."

"You're giving me two-day-old soup?"

"Three days old…" I correct quietly… I already regret my honesty. She doesn't look sad. Or insulted. Or even angered… Just disappointed.

Despite this, she quietly asks me "you gonna get me a bowl or what?"

Despite my best efforts, a sad smile forces itself upon my face. I open the fridge and take a steel pot with the near-expired leek soup in it.

As crappy as this place is, at least it has a stove. On which I place the pot.

Well… This might take some time to heat up… Might as well start asking about-... You know.

"So why were they chasing you, Vampy? I can't imagine a girl like you getting in trouble over something small. Especially not when there's a Guild Agent involved. Gotta be big."

Vampy sighs audibly. "Rub it in, will you?" Her irritated tone shifts to a more quiet speech. "I already told you I used to be part of ASIC."

A spoon in hand used to stir the soup, I turn back to the girl with a raised eyebrow. "What? You weren't some small-time grunt?"

She shakes her head. "Would an underling be on the Guild's wanted list?"

"For real!?" I exclaim with a tone of disbelief. "Wanted list? Shit…" I look back at the soup… "Yeah…. No, now you just gotta tell me how deep you got involved with those punks."

"Punks, huh?"

"N-No offense…"

A short pause before she continues with a somewhat reluctant tone. "When all the big guys above you fall, you'll become the right hand eventually. I was in charge of a lot of 'punks' for a really short time, y'know. Until they killed… my boss…"

The soup bubbles. I take the spoon and stick the tip of my tongue into it… Still a little cold… "CPUs. It was all over the news about how you lot tried to revive some demonic… Well. Thing. And then the CPUs were like 'no no ASIC, you can't do that' and they basically stopped you all… Right?"

Vampy falls quiet again… I wait, but ultimately turn to check on her. She's just deadpanning at me. With a shrug, I say: "What? It's true, ain't it?"

"Every time you say it, you sound like you're mocking me. Knock it off!"

Defensively, I raise my hands. I wasn't trying to mock her or anything. Really, I just think ASIC is taking the whole 'dropout' thing too far. Heck. I got tangled up with a few ASIC goons some time ago. Got out of there as soon as I could. You could smell the bad vibes coming from them from a mile away… So, yes. I may be judging Vampy a little for getting so high up in the ranks. Just a little. We don't judge at housé d'B-face. That's French for 'house of B-face.'

"Right, right, sorry. Anyway… I think you've said enough. Why don't you enjoy some cheap leek soup."

While I was talking, I had poured her a cup of the soup. For some reason, I don't have any bowls.

She gratefully takes the food I offer and takes an experimental sip… "Well at least it's edible… Thanks…" she said with a nod. I pour myself another cup for myself and nod back.

"Hm. So. How long you plan on sticking around?" I ask in a serious tone. Priorities. I doubt she'll stay the night. But it's worth asking.

"I'm staying the night," she says nonchalantly.

Well shit.

"What was that?"

"I said I'm staying the night. No way I'm getting out with those broads roaming the street. And I ain't paying for a room for one night when I can just take your couch."

My teeth shown, I suck some air through them before responding in a high-pitched voice, trying to imitate her voice as best as I can. "Geez, B-face, thanks for the food and shelter. Do you mind if I also sleep on your couch for one night, pretty please?" I clear my throat and talk in my normal voice again. "Respect your homies, you goon."

Vampy just shrugs and gives me a cold look. "You got a girl sleeping on your couch. That's the closest thing you'll get to a girlfriend."

I—

That's—

Damn.

That was just uncalled for. I mean, it's true! But uncalled for.

"... Just the night. Then you're getting kicked out," I tell her with my eyes narrowed.

She nods again before looking at the TV… I can faintly hear a quiet 'thanks', despite our previous interaction…

Slowly, I take a seat beside her.

Another silence… Yep. Still that awkward air. Still got that distance between us. Not that I mind it… It's more that I feel kind of awkward when it gets awkward… Wait, what did I just say?

Before I can think more about it, she asks me "So wanna watch TV?"

I just nod and shrug. "Eh. Sure. Gonna be a cold day in hell, anyway."

Again with that questioning look. While looking at me, she retrieves the remote and turns the TV on. I have no idea why she's looking at me like that. It is going to be a cold day in hell… Right?

Hey, I did say I'd upload this when I wanted... Still... I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but this one just blew up and (believe it or not) that actually discouraged me from uploading... Because this was supposed to be something mindless and small. And I actually realised about three hours ago that I probably shouldn't let the popularity put pressure on me. No promises, but I'll try to be a little more regular with the uploads on this one again... I say that because I know I've been sitting on this chapter 80% done for the past... I dunno. When did the last chapter come out?

Well, anyway. Enjoy this chapter. Chapter 5 coming next August, probably. Laters!

Update (literally 3 hours after release): Fixed the chicken soup magically turning into leek soup... Err... Yeah.