Considerations
Akun, the new assistant, is strange.
Dead-looking face and has the fashion-sense of a corpo-scum. Carries around blades and some explosives-armed guns.
Debt-slave who has been round. Kei told me Sato got him cheap from his previous employer and then the whole company sank under some flesh pit.
Is tall like me and clearly prefer bio-ware than chrome cause chrome since he is always staring at our aug-lines. Think he can identify with the serial and is a white collar. Ain’t bad in a fight and still has the dead look on his face.
Glassy lightless eyes always. Gave him a sword and he used it till it ain’t looking good. Not bad in a fight. Barely fights when it ain’t concern, but Kei’s fine with him. I know we hire him because he has experience in sorting shit out. Kei told me he can take care of documents and paperwork. He set up macros and shortcuts and made sheets for us. I sometimes fill the database up – but most of the time it’s just him now.
Akun isn’t his real name. We call him Assistant and A for shits and giggles. He doesn’t care. He does his job and sometimes does overtime to pay some debt or something.
Professional slave. Workaholic who seems to relish working ‘cause he has nothing going on other than doing work and going back home. His expenses vary only with groceries and maintenance kit.
Kei likes him as an employee and he ain’t too bad ‘cause he listens and never really does anything. Set up boundaries and so far the month’s been good. He earned our trust and it’s not bad to have someone who can survive a demon encounter around. Got our back too when Ji Ceng fucks was trying to hustle on our turf. Too bad about asking favors from Vaun though. Then was Kei’s old connections to the Upper Changye scum. Von-Abel’s Kei’s old thing and I rather not connect with them cold-blooded scum again. But running an anomaly business is a one way ticket to hell. Could tell we was going to be fucked no matter so it’s better not think hard.
Lately I've been thinking about El-El. Hard to think she’s gone because of the undead plague. Of all the shit she endured and all fights she won and survived. She died because she got wounded by some undead shits. Some inquisitor smashed her head in and left her contacts to Kei – not me. Feel like she doesn't even care about what we have. I thought she did, but looking back, maybe she did it so I don’t become a mess.
My head’s hurting like a bitch. Couldn’t take it and I didn’t want to end up like her so I got myself upgraded. Got most of myself replaced and the only thing left is my brain floating on the juices inside my head. I look the same. My torso’s still around, but it’s been regenerated and stitched up with sub-dermal and weave armor for extra defense. Can fight faster and harder but I don’t feel human sometimes. I ain’t human. I’m half-machine now and maybe I regret doing it.
Causes a lot to do so and I feel like Sato wanted it. Sato’s been good for us but he is a businessman looking for scores. He was taking some of our cases and training others while we found new shit to fill the database. Not too bad since we get our compensation for any info used as agreed. Sato only agrees because Kei had offered the Von-Abel some of the info for cheap and now they are collaborating as long as Kei’s breathing and standing and handling the business. She did the Von-Abel a favor and she’s doing them a favor in return.
It’s a complicated deal and Kei tells me to fuck off when I try to get involve about it. I don’t blame her ‘cause it was something that saved her and no one in their right minds would get involved with the Von-Abel without thinking hard.
Sato doesn’t like them obviously, but it’s for Kei to decide who she’d associate with and who she doesn’t. Slow business days had me racking up and it was a while ago we got a newbie because Kei wants a four-man crew instead of just three. Marv’s a family man with a wife and a kid coming. He’s a spellblade and his record is not bad. Did some work for the OB and the TCU and got out clean without taint. Not too bad with his spells and can fight up close as well. Don’t know why we got reserved men around. But he’s a professional too and sometimes it becomes irritating when you’re surrounded by four people with dead-faces. Kei does ask me if I’m alright. Tell me we can share a drink once in a while, but I was not feeling right. El’s stuck in my head like a looping video of her with a cheap song playing.
Then it came to me one truth I’ve been refusing. I think I still loved her despite abandoning us. She left us. I hated her for it, but I think I loved her. Even when we were trapped in quarantine she never did hate me. She does tease me, but it’s how El always is.
Can’t believe she was a goner now. Cause some inquisitor didn’t want to help and she’s gone. It’s fuck up. I hate this city so much and yet there’s no place outside of Changye where it’s safe and good.
This city takes everything from you until you have nothing left. I felt like I was going to burst. Implode and explode until nothing left other than me slaying my two-hander. Couldn’t even bring my weapon outside, just carried my spare iron and left for the Neon Quarters where I got girls who were willing to show me some good time. Don’t mind boys, but I’d prefer a woman’s warmth right now.
Met the girl we were contacted with. She’s a Kurogane now. Smart girl with street smarts beyond her age. Guess she has a hard time too. She invited me to their place. Met Jasmine, Alexia, Scarlett, Chloe, Rae.
Jasmine and Scar’s good with their tongue while Chloe and Rae know how to make themselves feel good. Good kissers and since they had slots. We slotted in and shared our senses. We were in heaven and all I could feel was my legs squirming and my hips going weak. I was artificial mostly, but my privates were working and I needed this.
It was a trip to heaven. To paradise where I get to have girls who’ll pretend to love me and not leave me.
I was paying high for them. And I know I was staying too long in heaven. They were notifying me of my neural implants. Didn’t care and continued but they called Kei on me. Thought Kei would come and care for me, but she sent Akun’s icy face instead. Wearing his usual suit and coat while carrying swords like he’d die if he parts with them.
Told him to fuck off and he did. Told me he doesn’t really care since I was grown up. Didn’t even know how to play while I was young. All I know is that my seniors always go whoring or gambling or drinking when nothing’s done.
The girls didn’t want me to leave so I didn’t leave. I was finished after I got them girls squirming. Picked it up after El and now I’m the only one who knows how best now. She’s gone isn’t she. She’s dead and gone and I’m never going to forgive her or speak with her.
I wanna cry. I did. The girls can’t hear me. No one can. I cleaned myself up and dressed up. I was about to go out when I heard Akun talking about his past work in a bordello. He was a mystery to Kei sometimes. He’s been doing all kinds of jobs and been running around this shithole as some debt-slave.
Probably didn’t stop me because he couldn’t be bothered. He always got a dull look on his face and looking back he just got out of that system. He’s a freeman and he’s spending time trying to make sure a grown adult doesn’t put herself into some pseudo-slavery because she spent too much time on expensive and high-class girls.
I Felt like shit before and now I’m feeling extra shit. Glad he’s making me feel shit by letting me realize how much coin I lost fucking five girls at once. I expected some smug-looking face, but he’s just there with a cup of coffee with Mai on the side looking like she was taking the time to speak to Akun. Don’t know if the girl wants to fuck him or just wants to spend time fucking away from Kurogane business. I’m betting she wants to get away. I think she’s smart enough to know and Akun’s face doesn’t look like he was trying to get under her pants. All the moans and groans here and not a single damn tent on his pants. Is it preference? Doubt it since I know he checks Kei out once in a while.
“Quite the party.”
“Yeah. Had to relieve myself.”
“Hope you saved up your augs.”
“I’m not that dumb. Fucking Kei had to send someone to babysit me.”
“Not really. You still did what you wanted.”
“For someone who got paid you didn’t do shit.”
“It’s rude to ruin someone’s fun.”
He really means it. Hard to tell because of his blank face most of the time, but I know he means. He could have tried something there, but he didn’t.
“Can’t figure you out still.”
“Nothing to figure out.”
“Bullshit. Hard to understand why you have to be in our office. Just tell me one thing and one thing only. Are you our friend?”
“I think so. You ain't bad. Kei’s not bad either. Marv’s not an asshole and quite a family man. Actually, now I’m thinking about it. I lucked out.”
Composed and collected. Always looking somewhere like a spectator watching everything. He ain’t here. He’s just going through whatever the fuck’s going on in his head and speaking them out.
We stopped to buy some hot drinks. It’s his third coffee that night and it was my first one. My eyes are fucking falling and yet here I was trying to keep myself up. Those girls are monsters despite what I did. Guess I was being too arrogant. I could take on professionals who does it for a living.
“You a fag, Akun?”
“Not really.”
His dead face tells me he didn’t care at all. He said it with certainty and confidence.
“Then why?”
“I’m on a job. And I had enough when working on a bordello once. You don’t mix pleasure and profession. Unless you work in the night service industry.”
“Oh, you were a fuckboy?”
“No.”
One word. Knew he wasn’t going to bite anymore. But I heard them talking already about what he did so I didn’t do any.
“Thanks for not ruining my fun.”
“It’s your choice. You decide what’s best for you.”
“You are an awful friend.”
“Sometimes you have to learn your lessons the hard way.”
“Or could be a better friend and try harder.”
“I doubt you’d listen.”
“I won’t. You could have tried at least.”
“But I did try. That’s the beauty of it. I said my piece and you made your choice. And like I said, it’s your choice and will always be your choice, Eta.”
I blinked as he looked to the side. I threw a punch at him and he raised his left arm to block it.
Bastard shook his left arm and then growled.
“Hey, you’re mostly steel now. That hurts.”
“I put my back on it, you know?”
“Even worse. At least try not to punch me in the face, okay?”
“You’re not a bad friend, Akun.”
He stopped yapping and nodded.
“Sure, if you say so.”
I looked at the sun finally breaking the damn night. Drizzle is pouring and the blurry landscape of this city made me confess sincerely.
“I really fucking hate this city.”
“Yeah. I know.”
Knowing that. I was sure he’s a friend of mine. No friend of mine would ever fucking like this city.
Considerations
Akun, the new assistant, is strange.
Dead-looking face and has the fashion-sense of a corpo-scum. Carries around blades and some explosives-armed guns.
Debt-slave who has been round. Kei told me Sato got him cheap from his previous employer and then the whole company sank under some flesh pit.
Is tall like me and clearly prefer bio-ware than chrome cause chrome since he is always staring at our aug-lines. Think he can identify with the serial and is a white collar. Ain’t bad in a fight and still has the dead look on his face.
Glassy lightless eyes always. Gave him a sword and he used it till it ain’t looking good. Not bad in a fight. Barely fights when it ain’t concern, but Kei’s fine with him. I know we hire him because he has experience in sorting shit out. Kei told me he can take care of documents and paperwork. He set up macros and shortcuts and made sheets for us. I sometimes fill the database up – but most of the time it’s just him now.
Akun isn’t his real name. We call him Assistant and A for shits and giggles. He doesn’t care. He does his job and sometimes does overtime to pay some debt or something.
Professional slave. Workaholic who seems to relish working ‘cause he has nothing going on other than doing work and going back home. His expenses vary only with groceries and maintenance kit.
Kei likes him as an employee and he ain’t too bad ‘cause he listens and never really does anything. Set up boundaries and so far the month’s been good. He earned our trust and it’s not bad to have someone who can survive a demon encounter around. Got our back too when Ji Ceng fucks was trying to hustle on our turf. Too bad about asking favors from Vaun though. Then was Kei’s old connections to the Upper Changye scum. Von-Abel’s Kei’s old thing and I rather not connect with them cold-blooded scum again. But running an anomaly business is a one way ticket to hell. Could tell we was going to be fucked no matter so it’s better not think hard.
Lately I've been thinking about El-El. Hard to think she’s gone because of the undead plague. Of all the shit she endured and all fights she won and survived. She died because she got wounded by some undead shits. Some inquisitor smashed her head in and left her contacts to Kei – not me. Feel like she doesn't even care about what we have. I thought she did, but looking back, maybe she did it so I don’t become a mess.
My head’s hurting like a bitch. Couldn’t take it and I didn’t want to end up like her so I got myself upgraded. Got most of myself replaced and the only thing left is my brain floating on the juices inside my head. I look the same. My torso’s still around, but it’s been regenerated and stitched up with sub-dermal and weave armor for extra defense. Can fight faster and harder but I don’t feel human sometimes. I ain’t human. I’m half-machine now and maybe I regret doing it.
Causes a lot to do so and I feel like Sato wanted it. Sato’s been good for us but he is a businessman looking for scores. He was taking some of our cases and training others while we found new shit to fill the database. Not too bad since we get our compensation for any info used as agreed. Sato only agrees because Kei had offered the Von-Abel some of the info for cheap and now they are collaborating as long as Kei’s breathing and standing and handling the business. She did the Von-Abel a favor and she’s doing them a favor in return.
It’s a complicated deal and Kei tells me to fuck off when I try to get involve about it. I don’t blame her ‘cause it was something that saved her and no one in their right minds would get involved with the Von-Abel without thinking hard.
Sato doesn’t like them obviously, but it’s for Kei to decide who she’d associate with and who she doesn’t. Slow business days had me racking up and it was a while ago we got a newbie because Kei wants a four-man crew instead of just three. Marv’s a family man with a wife and a kid coming. He’s a spellblade and his record is not bad. Did some work for the OB and the TCU and got out clean without taint. Not too bad with his spells and can fight up close as well. Don’t know why we got reserved men around. But he’s a professional too and sometimes it becomes irritating when you’re surrounded by four people with dead-faces. Kei does ask me if I’m alright. Tell me we can share a drink once in a while, but I was not feeling right. El’s stuck in my head like a looping video of her with a cheap song playing.
Then it came to me one truth I’ve been refusing. I think I still loved her despite abandoning us. She left us. I hated her for it, but I think I loved her. Even when we were trapped in quarantine she never did hate me. She does tease me, but it’s how El always is.
Can’t believe she was a goner now. Cause some inquisitor didn’t want to help and she’s gone. It’s fuck up. I hate this city so much and yet there’s no place outside of Changye where it’s safe and good.
This city takes everything from you until you have nothing left. I felt like I was going to burst. Implode and explode until nothing left other than me slaying my two-hander. Couldn’t even bring my weapon outside, just carried my spare iron and left for the Neon Quarters where I got girls who were willing to show me some good time. Don’t mind boys, but I’d prefer a woman’s warmth right now.
Met the girl we were contacted with. She’s a Kurogane now. Smart girl with street smarts beyond her age. Guess she has a hard time too. She invited me to their place. Met Jasmine, Alexia, Scarlett, Chloe, Rae.
Jasmine and Scar’s good with their tongue while Chloe and Rae know how to make themselves feel good. Good kissers and since they had slots. We slotted in and shared our senses. We were in heaven and all I could feel was my legs squirming and my hips going weak. I was artificial mostly, but my privates were working and I needed this.
It was a trip to heaven. To paradise where I get to have girls who’ll pretend to love me and not leave me.
I was paying high for them. And I know I was staying too long in heaven. They were notifying me of my neural implants. Didn’t care and continued but they called Kei on me. Thought Kei would come and care for me, but she sent Akun’s icy face instead. Wearing his usual suit and coat while carrying swords like he’d die if he parts with them.
Told him to fuck off and he did. Told me he doesn’t really care since I was grown up. Didn’t even know how to play while I was young. All I know is that my seniors always go whoring or gambling or drinking when nothing’s done.
The girls didn’t want me to leave so I didn’t leave. I was finished after I got them girls squirming. Picked it up after El and now I’m the only one who knows how best now. She’s gone isn’t she. She’s dead and gone and I’m never going to forgive her or speak with her.
I wanna cry. I did. The girls can’t hear me. No one can. I cleaned myself up and dressed up. I was about to go out when I heard Akun talking about his past work in a bordello. He was a mystery to Kei sometimes. He’s been doing all kinds of jobs and been running around this shithole as some debt-slave.
Probably didn’t stop me because he couldn’t be bothered. He always got a dull look on his face and looking back he just got out of that system. He’s a freeman and he’s spending time trying to make sure a grown adult doesn’t put herself into some pseudo-slavery because she spent too much time on expensive and high-class girls.
I Felt like shit before and now I’m feeling extra shit. Glad he’s making me feel shit by letting me realize how much coin I lost fucking five girls at once. I expected some smug-looking face, but he’s just there with a cup of coffee with Mai on the side looking like she was taking the time to speak to Akun. Don’t know if the girl wants to fuck him or just wants to spend time fucking away from Kurogane business. I’m betting she wants to get away. I think she’s smart enough to know and Akun’s face doesn’t look like he was trying to get under her pants. All the moans and groans here and not a single damn tent on his pants. Is it preference? Doubt it since I know he checks Kei out once in a while.
“Quite the party.”
“Yeah. Had to relieve myself.”
“Hope you saved up your augs.”
“I’m not that dumb. Fucking Kei had to send someone to babysit me.”
“Not really. You still did what you wanted.”
“For someone who got paid you didn’t do shit.”
“It’s rude to ruin someone’s fun.”
He really means it. Hard to tell because of his blank face most of the time, but I know he means. He could have tried something there, but he didn’t.
“Can’t figure you out still.”
“Nothing to figure out.”
“Bullshit. Hard to understand why you have to be in our office. Just tell me one thing and one thing only. Are you our friend?”
“I think so. You ain't bad. Kei’s not bad either. Marv’s not an asshole and quite a family man. Actually, now I’m thinking about it. I lucked out.”
Composed and collected. Always looking somewhere like a spectator watching everything. He ain’t here. He’s just going through whatever the fuck’s going on in his head and speaking them out.
We stopped to buy some hot drinks. It’s his third coffee that night and it was my first one. My eyes are fucking falling and yet here I was trying to keep myself up. Those girls are monsters despite what I did. Guess I was being too arrogant. I could take on professionals who does it for a living.
“You a fag, Akun?”
“Not really.”
His dead face tells me he didn’t care at all. He said it with certainty and confidence.
“Then why?”
“I’m on a job. And I had enough when working on a bordello once. You don’t mix pleasure and profession. Unless you work in the night service industry.”
“Oh, you were a fuckboy?”
“No.”
One word. Knew he wasn’t going to bite anymore. But I heard them talking already about what he did so I didn’t do any.
“Thanks for not ruining my fun.”
“It’s your choice. You decide what’s best for you.”
“You are an awful friend.”
“Sometimes you have to learn your lessons the hard way.”
“Or could be a better friend and try harder.”
“I doubt you’d listen.”
“I won’t. You could have tried at least.”
“But I did try. That’s the beauty of it. I said my piece and you made your choice. And like I said, it’s your choice and will always be your choice, Eta.”
I blinked as he looked to the side. I threw a punch at him and he raised his left arm to block it.
Bastard shook his left arm and then growled.
“Hey, you’re mostly steel now. That hurts.”
“I put my back on it, you know?”
“Even worse. At least try not to punch me in the face, okay?”
“You’re not a bad friend, Akun.”
He stopped yapping and nodded.
“Sure, if you say so.”
I looked at the sun finally breaking the damn night. Drizzle is pouring and the blurry landscape of this city made me confess sincerely.
“I really fucking hate this city.”
“Yeah. I know.”
Knowing that. I was sure he’s a friend of mine. No friend of mine would ever fucking like this city.
