junkdnafiction
A single, silent tear ran down Mei's face. ***
| Shaking her head, TranS rolled toward Mei and put her arms around her. “Girl, you always welcome here.” |
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| “Faster than you think.” Mei looked up into the android's sensors. “I've fallen out of favor with Noris. Need a place to stay.” |
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| “You were feisty and smart. Fought like a wildcat when they came for you. Fought harder in the pits. But now... you running out of time.” ... |
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| TranS reached out, touching Mei's shoulders with both hands, “I've known you since you first stole in here to run from training. |
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| “Cost more than I thought.” A twinge of regret and defeat shot through Mei. “No, you got shafted for more than it was worth," TranS returned ... |
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| “I got modded.” Mei confessed. TranS wasn't convinced, “Brilliant. So what?” |
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| Mei bit her lip. The space between them fell silent; muffled, the inquisitive bleeps-donk-widdledaps of the games outside prodded them. |
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| “And I suppose you want to pay off my debt to Noris do you?” TranS whirled, “Girl, don't you have that cursed thing paid off yet?” |
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| “I don't see why you don't get out of the biz sooner.” Mei gave her friend a veiled look. |
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| TranS rolled into the gaming arcade office, a reasonably comfortable arrangement for entertaining guests and clients. |
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| The rules were fight or be fucked. It doesn't get any simpler. Everytime a brawler entered the pits, the odds were stacked against her. |
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| It wasn't officially condoned, but it was the truth. No brawler to date had a perfect record. Biz was biz. |
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| “Honestly, you know they occasionally toss ringers into the pits. Otherwise how they gonna keep in profits if you win consistently?” |
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| “Serves you right, I suppose. I told you to watch your ass.” Mei nodded, and waited for her friend to continue. |
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| TranS purposely gave Mei's nose a glancing touch. Mei winced. “I see they gave you something for the bruising, but not the pain. |
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| “So I see. I caught your last fight. If you could call it that.” Mei shrugged at the commentary. “Got yourself in a pretty fix obviously.” ... |
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| “Sucking it down.” Mei screwed up her face. |
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| “It's been nearly 3 months since I last saw you girl. Where have you been?” TranS made her rhetorical point, hands on 'hips'. |
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| Air burnt her lungs as it rushed back in to fill the vacuum. Mei coughed a thanks, and was offered a drink by a summoned Refreshment Bunny. |
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