Prima Street, Geno City
Night
Akira would have went straight home after the celebration fest at Rockwell's but Cortez suggested the idea of themselves and Johnny going down to check out Lilith's since they're of the legal age to get accepted in plus to spend some time together. Manic and Little John left to go see how Sofiya's family been doing.
Seeing as he's got time and some mobiums to burn, he took him up on the offer. Thinking of it as a way to hang out with the pair by himself as well as satisfying his curiosity about the place by going to it.
"...When he made that eighteen minute long promo, I somehow sensed his run in the company was going to go down hill. The hyped-up rematch is beyond horrendous." Johnny was saying to Cortez and Akira. "Considering he never made another significant appearance until his Hall of Fame induction and his subsequent speech the following night before passing away hours later, that's a real black mark on his in-ring legacy. Even without that slam-piece documentary made against him prior to his induction."
"Doctor said the re-match was so dreadful that it's trash no matter what you did to change it." Akira said as the three were making their way over to their destination. "Dealing with that twin dilemma was less of a train wreak experience for him compared to watching that one live."
"Ouch. That's brutal mate."
Lilith's was a somewhat sizable building with neon lighting decorating the outside, the most prominent set of this being the large neon sign of a mobian mink with one leg extended upwards while posing seductively. The front entrance had a bouncer in front that was carding patrons, making sure they were of legal age. Johnny, Cortez and Akira showed the bouncer their ID cards. Seeing as they checked out, the three were allowed into the neon building.
Upon entry, they were treated to the sights and sounds of sexual deviancy and debauchery. A stage was in the middle of the club where strippers danced for patrons, there was a bar counter to the left of the stage, bathrooms in the back, rentable suites lining the back walls and the upper walkway where patrons could hire some of the dominatrixs or submissives of the club.
The DJ of the club was currently playing a tune over the club's speakers as the strippers danced. Yet somehow, it looked more respectable compared to the Hooligans' hideout. Not that it's a hard bar to cross.
"Ever gone to one of these places before?" Cortez asks Akira as they made their way over to the bar.
"You mean like this? Never." Akira replied as they reached the counter while neon lights glowed around the club. "You?"
"Gone to a few of them in the past..." Cortez said, glancing around. "I think."
The person manning the bar counter is a mobian lioness with short hair in a strawberry blonde undercut, a pair of crescent barbel piercings on her left eyebrow, wore a zebra-print tube top and a pair of tight denim jeans paired with fur-lined boots.
"You folks look a bit young..." She said to them, her tone surly; "Can I see some IDs kids?"
"We're as much like kids as Billy the Kid." Cortez replied back. The three giving her their ID cards to her where she looked the ID cards over with a scrutinizing gaze, narrowing her eyes as she did so.
"They look legit enough, so I'll let it slide." She responded, handing the cards back. "Just don't get slobbering blackout drunk like some of the other schmucks that come here. I swear, we get so many fucking sad-assed guys that come through here."
She sighed, then said; "So, what'll ya have? In case you were gonna ask; the specials tonight are the Atomic Kitty, the Mama Mia Margarita and the Hurricane Katalina. Weird names for specialized drinks I know but this club strives for class and taste as you can probably already tell."
"I'll take the Atomic Kitty." Johnny went first.
"I'll take the Mama Mia." Cortez went second.
"I'll take Ginger Pop." Akira went last. The other two looked at him strange.
"What?" They both said to him before Johnny added; "Since when you did started taking it?"
"I could ask the same in when did you trading numbers with Patty or why Cortez here can't get a date, even through a mail-in service." Akira retorted to both of them before looking back to the lioness. "Got any?"
"Yeah, I think we might have some. Lemme check the cooler fridge here..." The lioness went over to a fridge with a clear door and looked through it a moment. "We do have Ginger Beer and Diet Ginger Sodos, take your pick. Other than that, I'll get those drinks ready for you two."
"I'll take the first one please." Akira replied as the bartender goes to fetch the boys' drinks. They turned to each other.
"So, what prompted you to check this joint out?" Akira asks Cortez.
"Ever since it was first mentioned by one of you, I wanted to go check it out." The badger replied, leaning on the counter. "See what it's like."
"What about those other places like this one you went to? What happened in them?"
"Well—"
"He got hammered in one and woke up the next morning on a billboard, the rest devolved into bar brawls because of someone else." Johnny answered truthfully for the badger. "Bad Luck Cortez as I'd call him each time that happens."
The lioness bartender soon finished making Cortez and Johnny's drinks, sliding them over to the two as well as handing them a rental list. "Here's your drinks. Here are our doms and subs that are available tonight since I assume you lot are wanting to get in on that shit."
"Thank you." Akira said to the lioness as he and the other two took a scan of the rental list. Thinking a sip of his drink.
There were a lot of names on the list, many of them semi-generic dominatrix or submissive names but there was one in the dominatrix column that stuck out. That name was 'Big Mama', the one everyone seemed to be talking about a lot.
"Big Mama? Wasn't that the one those guys were on about?" Johnny looked to Akira.
"Apparently she's one of the newer ones..." Akira thought about it, recalling the details from memory. "For that matter, she's also one of those who doesn't offer sex for services according to them. Must be good at her job if she's being talked about by other people in spite of that."
"Big Mama, huh?" The bartender lioness spoke, having overheard them. "Another thing you should know about her is despite her being new, she is one of this clubs most kinky dominatrix's that excels at the domination and humiliation of her clients. She's good at what she does and is worth the amount she charges."
"How much?" Cortez asks.
"Twenty-five for domination, twenty for humiliation and thirty for both. I'd recommend the third option for the full experience."
"Is it just thirty for one person or for all?"
"Can be if you want~"
"Well, we're coming off from a celebratory high and it wouldn't hurt to check her out." Cortez gives the lioness thirty before Johnny or Akira had the chance to voice their objections. "We'll take her."
"An excellent choice." The bartender said with a smirk, then tapped away at a touch screen tablet on the counter and handed the three a trio of pink heart cards. "Your room is Suite 12 on the second floor. Show her these and she'll know what to do~"
"Will do." Cortez took the three cards and led the other two away from the bar with their drinks.
"What the hell Cortez?!" Johnny said to the badger. "You signed us up for something we didn't agree on!"
"Either you two were going to take all day or I book it for us." Cortez replied with a lazy wave of his hand while they went up to the second floor. "What's the harm in it?"
"Well, you signed us up with Big Mama. Without consulting us no less." Akira said in annoyance. "For all you know, one of us might have a flu or hepatitis-c."
"Look, I figured we'd punctuate our victory celebration with a little something on the adult side and we're adults after all." The blue badger says to the wolf. "Besides, you seem to be somebody to have a type for rabbits and that's why I picked her out of the list."
"Like how you have a type for being a blue streak." The wolf retorted quickly. "When this is over, we're having a looong talk afterwards."
"Let's just try to have a good bonding experience." The badger said to them as they met a red rabbit woman in the hall on their way towards Suite 12. "Are you Big Mama?"
"No but I can give her the cards if you want. She's just sorting out a call at the moment." The rabbit replied to him as Cortez hands her the pink cards. "What suite?"
"Number twelve." Cortez told she nodded and walked off to go find Big Mama, the badger turning to Akira and Johnny. "Okay. Let's go to our—"
Johnny's phone buzzed as he goes to answer it. "Hey, what's up? Okay. I'll be on over shortly."
"Who called?" Akira asked.
"Patty. Urgent business." The rabbit replied. "Wanna come?"
"One of us can go but the other has to stay." Cortez spoke up. "It's already been paid for and if we all leave now, then it's money wasted. Plus I think I've got some business to attend to tonight anyways. Akira has nothing else to do so he can go see Big Mama."
"Wow. What a way to put your friend on the spot..." Akira muttered with a head-shake, knowing where this is all going.
"We'd like to go see Big Mama too but unfortunately, duty calls." Cortez says to him. Having a little mischievous smile on him.
"I don't like to bail on you like this..." Johnny admitted with a guilty expression. "But based on that call, it sounds like something's seriously wrong on her end."
"That's okay Johnny." Akira assures him before pointing to Cortez. "You're not the impulsive doofus who booked us a session here on the spot and you should go see her if it's that serious."
"Okay if you say so..." Johnny nodded unsurely before him and Cortez took their hasty exit, leaving the glasses-less Akira alone in the hall towards Suite 12. Having left his pair in his pocket and forgetting to put them on.
"Why do I get the feeling that I've having a practical joke being played on me?" Akira says to Doctor Omega as they went over to the door marked with the number '12' on it and stepped inside it to be greeted by a room doused in red-tinted lighting. A heart-shaped bed with a pink box next to it, a black leather couch facing in the direction of the room entrance, two other doors that looks to go somewhere, a stripper pole, a metal-framed hanging BDSM rack and among other things one would find in a place such as Saddlesore.
"You'll know if that's the case later on." Doctor replied as the wolf went and sat down on the couch to wait on this Big Mama person to come to the suite. "Comfy sofa I say."
"Oh shut it Doctor..." Akira took a drink of his bottle before setting it down on the coffee table in front of him. "You're not the one suffering through this. I still can't believe I got myself looped into this..."
It was then that the door to the room opened as the 'lady of the night' entered the room. In came a adult rabbit clad in a full-body shiny black latex suit, paired with a pair of black rubber stiletto high heeled boots, a black domino masquerade mask, black lipstick, black eyeshadow and had a riding crop in one hand.
"Hello, sweetie~" She cooed and greeting him with a seductive smirk. "Big Mama is here to take care... Of... You~"
'She's the total babe package...' Johnson's words ran through Akira's thoughts, now seeing with his eyes that the second-hand accounts about this woman weren't lying after all. The wolf then averted his gaze.
Big Mama then closed the door behind herself, taking slow struts over to him. "So. How would a handsome young wolf like yourself wish to be dominated and humiliated tonight~?"
The wolf wasn't sure if his voice gave out of him, he's suffering a case of stage fright or he suddenly forgot to speak as he didn't respond to the rabbit's question.
"Hm? Ah, the shy silent type. I see~" The rabbit went over to a nearby dresser and got out a full-body latex dog-themed fetish suit complete with hand-enclosing paw mitts. "Put this on. We'll get right to your humiliation once you do~"
"...I'm going to wear a nice pair of boots tomorrow." Akira says to Doctor.
"Whatever for?"
"So I can kick Cortez's ass with them for getting me into this spot." The wolf didn't get up from his seat. Either he forgot to get up or suffering from sudden stage fright.
"Something the matter, sweetie?" Big Mama asked, sitting down next to Akira and massaging his shoulders. "Mmmh, you feel so tense... Perhaps a nice, quick massage will do you good~"
He flinched a bit from the contact but lets the rabbit do his shoulders while he keeps his gaze averted from Big Mama as she continued to massage Akira's shoulders, her touch gentle but soothing, almost like a mother's touch. "Feeling better?"
"Uhh, y-yeah..." Akira replied with a deeper register in his voice as Big Mama gently cups his chin to turn the wolf's head towards her, seeing the masked rabbit under the red lighting.
"Mmmm..." Big Mama cooed, looking over his features. "You look absolutely handsome~ Why not give Mama a kiss?~"
She leaned in close to kiss Akira on the lips. The wolf's cheeks felt warm as the rabbit's lips connected with his', feeling bashful from the compliment and finding her kiss intoxicating. Then he squinted his eyes at her under the red lighting.
At first, he thought he was simply just seeing things because of the lighting and Big Mama happening to remind him of someone he knows because they're from the same species. He then looked closer at Big Mama's eyes under the mask which he saw were a brown colour and listening to her voice very carefully, this rabbit up-close seemed very familiar to him... Then it dawned on him, he has seen this woman somewhere before. Quite a few times actually and recalls a certain rabbit saying she has a job in Geno City by the name of—
"Vanilla?!" Akira spoke with his normal voice, eyes widening upon the revelation.
"?!" Vanilla went wide-eyed as she recoiled away from Akira, blushing with embarrassment upon realising what she had done a few seconds ago and the fact she failed to notice it was him until just now. She was silent for a while, then looked down in shame before removing her domino eye mask with a sigh. "...I suppose the secret is out... Yes, I've been working as a dominatrix at this horrible, horrible place..."
"Was that why I met you at Perplex Street the—Oh..." Akira starts putting all the pieces from their previous meetings together, everything adding up from her choice of clothes that night to her having a job in Geno City despite living in Mobotropolis. "...How long has this been going on for?"
"...A while... Well, not too long but it has been going on for quite a bit... I got this job recently to help pay the bills back home... It's why I'm doing this."
"Are things really that dire where you had to take up a job at this joint?" Akira asks, calming down from the shock of Vanilla working a job that counters her motherly demeanour in daytime and the fact she even kissed him right on the mouth. "Actually, who else knows about what you do in here? I can't imagine that many knowing about it..."
"No one else knows thankfully. You're the first person who's found out..." Vanilla sighed, bringing her knees tightly together. "...I've been in debt for a while now. I had worked at least six other jobs just to get by... This job happens to be the seventh I've worked so far..."
"I had figured you were struggling from the previous times we spoke to each other but didn't think it was this bad..." The wolf scratches his neck, sitting back in his seat. "I'd have assumed that with your daughter apart of the Knothole Freedom Fighters would have gotten you some financial benefits unless that's not how it works or it's something else entirely..."
He looks to the rabbit. "What got you into debt in the first place if I may ask? I'm trying to make sense of how someone like you who lives in the capital city of Mobotropolis, the heart of the Acorn Republic could be struggling this much to make end's meet."
"In my younger days, I was a bit of a casino rabbit so to speak. I spent a lot of time gambling in casinos and partying. A lot of times I couldn't fully foot the bill, so I often took loans. Years passed by where I grew out of my casino-dwelling days, got married and had my darling Cream..." Vanilla replied as she disclosed a piece of her past to him. "Little did I know that my debts from back then would finally catch up with me. Now, I've had to work multiple jobs just to pay them off..."
"And thus, we're here tonight..." Akira said as it was now Vanilla's turn to focus the conversation on him.
"Yes. Listen, Akira... I... I would rather you not mention my job here to... Anyone really... And... I just want you to know that..." She looked over at Akira. "...You remind me of my late husband a bit. Even she says you're a lot like him too."
"Must have been a loving husband to you and a loving father to your daughter for you to make that comparison..." Akira said in a gentle voice, a little touched by the comment. Vanilla nodded.
"...I... I don't know if I could possibly go through with dominating or humiliating you in this room, knowing that you know what I do here... At least not without your consent..." She sighed, shaking her head. "I guess I feel it would be awkward for me if there wasn't more consent than what would normally be needed..."
"Well, I didn't exactly sign up for this willingly..." Akira sighs, pinching his brow. "You can thank an impulsive shitster for a friend in making this meeting possible and leaving me to hold the metaphorical bag while he bails on me. Part of me thinks this is a rib being pulled on me and if it is, I'm kicking the ass of whoever's behind it."
He'd shake his head. "We could just talk to pass the time maybe? You probably got some questions of your own."
"Yes, I think that would be appropriate." Vanilla replied, sitting up more ladylike on the couch. "So... How have you been lately, even? Is college going good for you?"
"I've been getting by fine there, making sure to not fall behind on my studies. A bunch of things happened to me over the last few days and they're crazy ones..." Akira wasn't sure where to start or what to tell her but figured he'd tell her something now that he knows her secret. "I assume you've heard about that fire from a few days ago and Anton's recent on-air confession yesterday?"
"Yes." Vanilla replied with a nod. "It was truly deplorable for what he did... Well, everything he did was deplorable. I can't imagine what his mother must be going through. That poor woman... In fact, I can't imagine how I'd feel if that ever happened to Cream..."
"Don't be feeling sorry for that woman, feel sorry for the father instead. Vera Veruca's the reason he turned out the way he did and same for most of her other children. Hud included." Akira said to the rabbit bluntly. "She also took DLA money from Tod like Anton did and she disowned her eldest son not because he did something really atrocious but because he made her look really bad as a member of the P.T.A. Her beastly daughter told me as such."
"I know... I guess it's because I'm a mother myself and tend to jump right to sympathizing with other mothers..." Vanilla looked down. "It's news stories like these that often make me worry for when Cream goes into her teen years... I often lay awake at night thinking 'how will she turn out?' or 'what will her friends be like?' or 'what will her grades be like?'... I just... I worry that she'll end up like I was during my teen and adolescent years... And that's the last thing I want for her..."
Vanilla put her hands in her lap in a ladylike fashion. "...I don't want her to become a casino girl... I want her to become a good girl... Better than I was... Not waist-deep in debt and wearing tight latex with a mask for her work uniform to work it off on top of other work that'll run her ragged..."
Akira let Vanilla get her words out and he listened to her, giving an ear to the mother rabbit. It'd be easy for someone else more well off to judge her for having such an inappropriate job while having a child. He can understand the hardships she's going through and with the knowledge of the problems in her life told to him by Fiona, he felt deep empathy for the single mother despite not being a parent himself. Someone as kind as her didn't deserve to be put through as much as she has.
He then scooted over to the rabbit, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "...For what it is worth coming from the prospective of a son, I think she'd more worried about disappointing you. About upsetting you by making mistakes that's easily avoidable. That daughter of Vera you met at the cafe along with her brother? Her mother sees her as an unwanted burden that eats away at her money and berates her as much as Anton berates Tod because she's never good enough for her while she hates her back, enough to want to try whatever it takes to publicly make her look bad out of pure spite."
"You worrying about what she'll become? That's your maternal instincts speaking." He'd add. "You want to do what's best for her and you want her to have a good life without the shadows of your past mistakes hanging over it. Cream? She'll not end up like those horror stories of children going wrong as teens because you made sure that she never goes there by being a good loving parent to act as a source of stability despite your own struggles. You wouldn't be doing this job right now if you saw her the way Vera sees Migu."
"...I suppose so..." Vanilla said, her gaze looking at Akira for a moment. "I suppose me taking this job means I'm willing to do whatever it takes to ensure my daughter a good life... No matter how low I need to sink to do it, I'll do it. I'll do whatever I need to in order to pay back all my debts and make life amazing for Cream."
"...Then I'll help you out." Akira gently tells her. "It's the least I can do for someone who's been going through enough crap in her life as is by herself. I know it's a lot coming from someone you've only known for a bit and from a college student no less but I can't just stand aside and not help out someone like yourself when they're shouldering the burdens on their own with no one else to lend theirs' to ease the load. Maybe back in Golden Bay City, I would have in my total apathy. Here after what I've witnessed? Not anymore."
"Thank you..." Vanilla said, giving a slight smile. "Thank you Akira... Any help from you is appreciated. I don't know how much longer I can only rely on standard domination at this job... Eventually, they will demand sex from me... And I dread the thought..."
"I recall hearing some guys say that if Big Mama were to offer such an option, they'd... You get the whole picture of what that entails." Akira winces at the thought. "To be honest with you, this... It doesn't suit you."
"I don't have much of a choice..." Vanilla replied, sighing to herself. "My previous bosses put bad marks on my resume... This was the only other option..."
"Bad marks?"
"...They said I was often late to shifts, unreliable in terms of punctuality and I sometimes fell asleep on the job... Of course, this is all because of me having to multitask in taking care of Cream while also working these ridiculous hours and their attempts at making me work overtime..."
"Geez... They'd think we're robots sometimes. Probably has workers that do far worse at their jobs but keeps them on for different reasons. Unfair reasons I'd think. Anyways, I intend to help you because... Well, you do remind me of my mother a bit..." Akira would say to Vanilla, deciding to tell her that himself. "Probably why I felt more pissed off at those two that day at the cafe, especially Hud Veruca when they verbally attacked you and your daughter than I would be if it was me they were targeting instead."
"...Thank you..." She said, giving him a small smile, happy to get some insight on his mindset that day. "I... I'm flattered to hear you say that..."
She sighed as she crossed one leg over the other while sitting more casually. "What time do you have?"
"Well, how long does a session with Big Mama usually lasts for?"
"Usually about an hour. Hour-thirty if you pay extra."
"My friend paid thirty mobiums for this. So, I've got whatever's left of an hour now."
"I suppose we could chat a little longer..." Vanilla said with a nod, smiling to him. "So, other than all this; how have things been?"
"Funny you should ask that..." Akira then thought of something; "Does the name Fiona ring any bells for you?"
"Fiona..." Vanilla said, thinking a moment. "Is she a crimson-furred vixen that usually wears a yellow ribbon in her hair?"
"She does."
"Oh, she happens to be a regular here."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, though she never rents me. Mostly comes in whenever she's finished her work or on night outs."
"Huh. She told me that she used to babysit for Cream."
"Yes, she did... But eventually, she stopped volunteering to do so. She's got her own life to live..."
"I see. Let me tell you of what transpired the day after I first met her on my first day at the campus..."
"...And the day after I helped get the files back, the confession happened." Akira gave her a quick and basic summary of what he was doing outside of college from his first encounter with the Verucas up to the day before the confession minus the Metaverse stuff. Deciding that was fair to let her in on considering he knows her secret and viewed her as someone trustworthy enough to tell her of his business.
He more or less gave her the main points of happened with him and giving her a better idea of the whole Hooligan affair than what the news can. Though, details like Fiona's involvement in Grady's disappearance were omitted for obvious reasons.
"I see..." Vanilla replied, having listened to his recounts patiently. "Sounds like you had quite the ordeal trying to get those files back plus rescuing those girls... Not to mention what they did to your friend Little John and that poor Jean... It's utterly monstrous what they've done and to think that I even met one of them the days prior... But I suppose in the end things worked out, didn't they?"
"Seems like it. I'm just glad that with him down, Geno City will be a much safer place." Akira scratches his chin. "Just hope that prick Hud and Mad joins him in jail along with the rest of that group and still have no idea on who is the name of that guy who saved me and Fiona in Hal Street. All I know is that he could do with better bedside manners."
"Well, we can only hope that they join their brother..." Vanilla agreed, relieved to be fortunate of never encountering either brother on her shift. "But I suppose if Anton's confessed, there's no doubt he'll name Hud and Mad as one of his accomplices or something of that sort..."
"Even if he doesn't, Jean would name them to Detective Keilee with some hints from Little John. Usually the rule of the streets is that you don't talk to the cops but Anton has long since broken that one himself and said detective was a person that Anton thought of as a potential target, probably due to his history with Captain Krouch."
Vanilla nodded, pressing her knees together again. "It's all over now, I suppose. Geno City no longer has to worry about Anton Veruca ruling over it..."
"Hopefully..." Akira glances up at the ceiling, then looks to her. "Hopefully he'll never destroy another life ever again. It won't undo the lives he's already destroyed but at least everyone else won't ever see the horror of his attempts to stay relevant. With the media attention he's getting, he finally gets his wish... We all want to be remembered, by our families or by the history books. Anton's story will be one of the phrase 'proving your worth to your doubters' taken to it's most twisted conclusion."
"Since we both know what we've been doing, I think we're both keeping each others' secrets from everyone else that isn't in the know..." The wolf said, the lack of the fake glasses allowed his real eyes to be seen by the mother rabbit. "If we're people who hated each other, this would be a stalemate with dirt on both sides. As familiar strangers, we somehow know something more about each other than the friends in our companies would. What's the benefit of a stranger knowing something about you over a friend knowing something about you?"
"I suppose it's that feeling of trust..." Vanilla answered, giving the answer some thought. "Trust to volunteer one's deepest secrets to the other as well as to keep those secrets in confidence. That... That is the trust between the two of us."
"Must be or else I'm doing a terrible job of keeping my activities quiet..." Akira said with a light grin. "Perhaps a mother like yourself is good at getting people to fess up something they wouldn't tell to a detective in an interrogation room. Perhaps you're a natural at getting someone like me to feel protective of you when somebody makes a threat against you... You could make a good babyface if you ever take up pro wrestling."
Vanilla giggled at the last part of his comment. "I couldn't possibly imagine myself in those tight pants and leotards while I say this as I'm wearing a tight black latex suit... Still, I get what you mean."
"Eh. I don't think it does you any justice like your morning dress does." Akira smiled. "It's a bit much if you ask me. The eyeshadow and lipstick doesn't look bad on you though."
"Oh, you flatter me~" Vanilla said with a laugh. "I guess one of the downsides to this latex suit is that sometimes it squeaks whenever I move like a mobini mouse."
"Doesn't it get warm sometime?"
"It doesn't exactly allow my skin to breath, so sometimes I have to take breaks and take it off for a bit to allow my skin some air. And on nights when I have to keep it on at all times, I often have to take water breaks. I'm dreading the nights where the temperatures will be warm."
"I imagine it would be dreadful to wear during the heatwave of summer..." The wolf shook his head and lightly grabs her hand, laying it out flat. "In any case, I'll make the effort to help you out in any way I can. Here..."
Akira gets out his wad of mobiums and puts it in her hand, then gently closing her fingers around it with his own. "One million. You can thank Little John's gift of the gab for this and you're free to check the notes whenever you'd like."
Vanilla went wide-eyed with surprise, looking the wad over multiple times and then asks in quiet disbelief; "...A-Akira, I... I don't know what to say... This... This is all for me? I d-don't know, you might need this more I do and it'd be unfair of me to take this from you."
"It's all yours Vanilla. Between the both of us, you need this more than I do. " Akira gave her a kind, sincere smile. Just as Manic and Farrell had done, he takes some wealth from a person who has it in abundance and give it to someone who truly needs it.
Vanilla was silent for a moment but before long, she went and suddenly hugged Akira with her gratitude as clear as day. "Thank you. Bless you... Bless you so much..."
"I am thou, thou art I. Thou hast acquired a new vow. It shall become the wings of rebellion that breakth thy chains of captivity. With the birth of the Empress Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that should lead to freedom and new power..."
The Empress: Rank 1
"You're welcome Vanilla..." Akira responded as he hugs her back, feeling the warmth of the kindness he's done for her. "Hope that helps you out with your debt."
"I'm certain it will do some dent into it." Vanilla kept the hug going for a moment before letting go. The hug reminding her of the ones she'd give to her husband.
"If you play smart, they'll think it's coming from your work salary." Akira said after she breaks the hug. "Like when Big Mama hustled one hundred and ten mobiums off a Hooligan named Ryder for a pet-play session. Heard him talk about it while I was disguised in case you're wondering how did I know about that one... As much as I'd like to forget it along with all the other rancid things I had to listen to at the hideout..."
"Ah yes, Ryder. Truly a more despicable regular and I know he's tried to grab at me while he thought I didn't notice... But he pays well... I guess me hustling more off of him than usual would be believable. The rest of this I could probably launder a bit into gradual but sizable payments over time."
"Besides, everyone will be having their eyes on Anton's ill-gotten finances when they start looking deeper into his case. How much he gets for the printings of counterfeit mobiums, drug distribution, extortion, favours for his associates and all that jazz. The only thing that's legal in his earnings is the DLA for Tod." The wolf remarks. "Anything that's left over can go towards Cream's savings, for a holiday or whatever else you can do with them. Plus, it's not laundering if the money's going to other people and legit causes."
"Of course." Vanilla replied, smiling a bit. "I suppose it's been a while since I went out and did something with Cream... Perhaps I could buy us tickets to Twinkle Park in Station Square one day..."
"That'll be nice to do for her." Akira then gets out his phone. "Should have asked this on that day at the cafe. Want to keep in touch?"
"Sure. Lucky for me, I have such a photographic memory when it comes to phone numbers." She then gave Akira her phone number as well as telling him times when she'd be available to take calls. Akira wrote her number down on his phone and he would give her his number in return by writing it down, showing the number to her for the mother rabbit to remember.
"If you hadn't specified the part about phone numbers, then I'd have questioned on how you didn't recognise me before I recognised you." The glasses-less Akira quipped to her. "Lest this red-tinted light made it hard to tell."
"Well, I suppose the lighting in here made things hard to tell who we both were and you weren't exactly wearing your glasses either." Vanilla said with a chuckle. "Well, I think our time is nearly up. I probably have clients waiting for me."
"I should get going anyhow. Having classes tomorrow and that." Akira got up from the couch. "Thanks for the session... Big Mama."
"Anytime sweetie~" Vanilla giggled before she puts her eye mask back on, cooing as she gives him a playful wink that made the wolf's heart skip a beat. "Be sure to come back anytime... Mama will take care of you~"
"Oh, I'm sure you will..." Akira played along as he was walking to the door, looking back at her with a smile. "I'm sure you'd take real good care of me~"
Then his smile was quickly replaced with an blushing, wide-eyed and embarrassed one after realising how that sounded out loud to her. "N-Not in that way!"
Vanilla giggled at the unintentional innuendo and subsequent reaction as she assures him like a caring mother would. "It's okay. I'll only do that if you give permission."
"R-Right, right..." Akira gave a little bashful smile. "I'll speak with you later. Bye."
The red wolf then took his leave from the suite, running a hand over his mouth where the rabbit had kissed him on earlier while on his way out of Lilith's. His cheeks went warm from recalling how tender Vanilla's lips felt on his' and still trying to properly process the moment in his head. Thankful that it didn't come up in the conversation or he'd be finding it hard to look at her in the eye.
Then again, his brain is trying to process seeing the mother rabbit in such a form-fitting attire that presented her figure well despite himself personally thinking it doesn't do her beauty justice. Probably the reason he forgot how to speak for a few moments. He was glad that Johnny and Cortez weren't there for it or else he'd have died from pure embarrassment if they were present for it.
With that all said, helping Vanilla out tonight is well worth the visit.
Vanilla sauntered out of the suite to the dressing room, quickly stashing the wad of mobium bills in her purse and also punching in Akira's phone number into her phone's contacts list; having remembered it to the exact digit. She knew how deeply she was in debt but hoped that the money Akira gave her would be enough to put a sizable dent in it and give her some much-needed breathing space.
She would have to be smart in how much she pays off at a time as well as what she'll tell the debtors in regard to how she got the cash. Luckily for her, she does have a few clients that often paid royally that she could pass off as the ones who give her the bonuses. Feeling grateful for the wolf she met only a few weeks ago in reaching out to her like that.
Akira would exit Lilith's and head off back towards home for the night, happy to not have to watch over his shoulder for any of Anton's goons. With 250,000 left for himself, he figured he could use it for practice purposes like refurbishing the apartment, getting some new threads, putting it towards his personals savings or use it to buy whatever's needed for their next target.
Coming into Cyber City then, he arrived with nothing. Nothing from his former home except his own belongings and old memories of home. Now, he's gained new bonds with new people and came out of this saga a stronger person than he had ever been in the last three years since the night that turned his whole life upside down...
Cyber City Police Department, Cyber City
Night
"...You have thirty minutes." A police officer escorts in Migu Veruca and Tod Veruca into the holding block before standing outside to wait on the two to do their visit with their brother.
"Anton." Migu greeted her older brother humourlessly. "How's the overnight stay?"
"..." Anton didn't reply. Instead, he stared at the floor and avoiding eye contact with them.
"What, no comebacks or nothing? Tch. Never thought I'd see the day where you'd finally keep your hole shut." Migu furrows her brows at him. "Was it all worth it in the end? Choosing the money, the power, the broads and the dope-pushing over family?"
"..."
"Answer me damn it!" Migu yells with a fist slam on the cell bars. "Was it worth murdering, raping and abusing other people for what you had!? Treating your little brother like garbage in the last few years whenever he displeases you!"
Anton dips his head down even further. "I-I'm so, so sorry—"
"You had plenty of opportunities in the past for that but it's too little, too late for that..." Tod cuts him off. "You never said sorry and mean it before you tried to have my head stomped in over a cup. You've spewed your venom at me for so long that I can't remember the last time you gave me a genuine compliment or said something nice to me whenever you climbed up the social ladder. I was your punching bag that you were stealing money from and that's not what big brothers do Anton... You used to care for us then but I guess that good side of yours died a long time ago..."
"Your so-called girlfriend has left you, most of your gang has abandoned you to save their skins, the money you earned is being seized, your territories are being taken by other gangs and best of all; you've been kicked out of the family by your own bitch of a mother..." Migu coldly told her older brother. "We're just here to let you know that you're no longer welcomed home anymore and to say you're on your own now. Hasn't been nice knowing you Anton... Enjoy your newfound fame..."
She looks to her twin Tod. "Come on Tod. We don't need this piece of garbage in our lives anymore."
"Okay sis."
"Tod, Migu!" Anton called out as Tod nodded with him and Migu proceeding to leave the cell, getting up to reach out to his younger siblings. "I'm sorry! I'M SORRY!"
He kept calling out to them repeatedly in his emotional plea but they both ignored him and removed themselves from his life for good, wanting nothing more to do with the one who fractured their entire family with his selfish actions. The lizard wailed loudly for them, yet their ignorance was all he ever got for a response.
With the realisation of Migu's words sinking in for him, Anton pathetically slums to his knees and started nosily bawling his eyes out as he curls up on the floor of the cell. Regret flooding in and seeing the consequences his own mistakes brought upon him. He always wanted to have thelast laugh on Manic for all the suffering he's caused him before putting him out of his misery... The want to win the non-existent contest with him. To play out his fantasy revenge of getting back at his childhood bullies who went on to have successful lives while his' went nowhere except only downwards.
In the end, the green hedgehog is the victor. Always has been and always will be over the pitiful creature that was Anton Veruca who now wishes to be put out of his misery after losing it all in favour of the fame he had sought out for himself since his mother told him years ago that he'd amount to nothing in life... This is now his Tartarus of Poverty.
Akira's Apartment, Cyber City
Night
Manic looked outside the window in the living room, looking up at the stars in the night skies near the moon with a wistful smile on his lips. Certain that he's looking at him from above.
"I've done it dad..." The green hedgehog said in a quiet voice as if his adopted father could hear him. "I've saved Geno City with the help of some new, cool friends and... I've also avenged your murder by bringing your killer to justice. You can rest easy on that now and your son will try to do you proud from here on..."
Wiping away a tear from his eye. "I'll do you real proud by helping others in need like you always would have... I just sometimes wish you were here to see me now... I still miss you dad, I miss you even now..."
Author's Note: Thus ends the Anton Veruca Saga and the birth of the new Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
It's quite a journey of ups and downs, highs and lows but we're finally here. There will be one more chapter to come but it is a miscellaneous bonus containing out of story information and something that can be skipped if you're only just interested in the story content. I'd like to thank Weapon X for helping out to create this epic and help see it to the finishing line.
I hope to do more stories for the Phantom Thieves of Mobius in the future and if you're eager to see more, then share it in your reviews. Name your five favourite moments from this arc, five favourite characters from this arc, favourite quotes, favourite deep cuts and so forth if you're inclined to rate the overall positives and negatives of this story.
If you want to write your own stories based on this universe, you're free to do so as long as you give credit and wouldn't even mind seeing your own takes on it. Let's make see what you can make and what your words can paint.
With all that said, I'll see you all another time... Take Your Time...