X094: Research District
In an abandoned concrete lot on the far end of the RD, a group of young, displaced women played roller derby around a makeshift roller rink. Punk rock blasted from an old boombox. The girls shouted and laughed as they shoved, punched, and skated circles around each other.
But the setting sun signaled to them to pack up. Nobody wanted to be caught out late on this side of town. That was just asking to be robbed, or worse.
19-year-old Bonnie ran a towel along her shorn head, wiping off the sweat from her workout. She shouted a goodbye to her friends over her shoulder before she skated off in the direction of home.
Along the way, she passed a long row of Mr. Vendys. Bonnie usually ignored the machines, as she hated Vendy snacks with a fiery passion.
But tonight, she skidded to a halt at the sight of a little kid standing by one of the Vendys, peering into the glass on tippy toes.
Bonnie looked around – where was their guardian? Didn’t they know it was dangerous in this neighborhood late at night? But there was nobody else around. She couldn’t just skate off and leave ‘em alone.
“Hey, kid!” she called out. “What are you doing?"
In an abandoned concrete lot on the far end of the RD, a group of young, displaced women played roller derby around a makeshift roller rink. Punk rock blasted from an old boombox. The girls shouted and laughed as they shoved, punched, and skated circles around each other.
But the setting sun signaled to them to pack up. Nobody wanted to be caught out late on this side of town. That was just asking to be robbed, or worse.
19-year-old Bonnie ran a towel along her shorn head, wiping off the sweat from her workout. She shouted a goodbye to her friends over her shoulder before she skated off in the direction of home.
Along the way, she passed a long row of Mr. Vendys. Bonnie usually ignored the machines, as she hated Vendy snacks with a fiery passion.
But tonight, she skidded to a halt at the sight of a little kid standing by one of the Vendys, peering into the glass on tippy toes.
Bonnie looked around – where was their guardian? Didn’t they know it was dangerous in this neighborhood late at night? But there was nobody else around. She couldn’t just skate off and leave ‘em alone.
“Hey, kid!” she called out. “What are you doing?"
The vendy stood high like a skyscraper to the small child before it, glistening with it’s bounty of beverages. Even in the mess and grime of this part of town. They couldn't be more than 5, standing with their face pressed to the machine. Dark hair that came to their ears, ended in twists and tangles sticking out from their head. Dark pink overalls worn and tied about as pants, pant legs strangely tucked into their socks.
Pressing every single button that they could reach until a strange voice addressed them. Looking over like they’d just been caught. “Uh- Trying to get a soda!!” An obviously child tone taken in retort.
“But I don’t haf any money so I’m trying to figure out if there is a secret passford.” Again, obviously. They struggle with a bit of a lisp that attempts to cut off their speech.
Pressing every single button that they could reach until a strange voice addressed them. Looking over like they’d just been caught. “Uh- Trying to get a soda!!” An obviously child tone taken in retort.
“But I don’t haf any money so I’m trying to figure out if there is a secret passford.” Again, obviously. They struggle with a bit of a lisp that attempts to cut off their speech.
"A soda, huh." Bonnie was still looking for a parent. In the alley across the street, she saw a shadowy figure shifting around. Could be nothing. Could be a Morris Dancer. She shook that fearful thought off, and skated straight up to the kid.
"No secrets here." She knocked a fist against the Vendy, earning a hollow thunk. "These things are indestructible." She knew this from experience, recalling a few nights ago when her very drunk buddy had taken a baseball bat to one of the machines.
She fished around in her pocket and pulled out a handful of coins, passing them over to the little guy. "Here."
"Look, is your mom around here? Or dad? Or... babysitter, or whatever?"
"No secrets here." She knocked a fist against the Vendy, earning a hollow thunk. "These things are indestructible." She knew this from experience, recalling a few nights ago when her very drunk buddy had taken a baseball bat to one of the machines.
She fished around in her pocket and pulled out a handful of coins, passing them over to the little guy. "Here."
"Look, is your mom around here? Or dad? Or... babysitter, or whatever?"
He wrinkled his nose at the indestructible comment. “That’s fery strong.” Wesper eagerly reaches for the coin with a head dip as thank you.
“No. She was shopping. My mom doesn’t let me have soda.” He plinks the coins in and smashes his hand into the button, getting onto the ground to wholly put his arm into the retrieval. He stands back up with his raspberry can and looks around at his surroundings as if to remember which direction he came from. Then gets distracted looking down at her feet.
“I like your shoes!”
“No. She was shopping. My mom doesn’t let me have soda.” He plinks the coins in and smashes his hand into the button, getting onto the ground to wholly put his arm into the retrieval. He stands back up with his raspberry can and looks around at his surroundings as if to remember which direction he came from. Then gets distracted looking down at her feet.
“I like your shoes!”
"No soda???" Bonnie makes a face of mock outrage at this news. "It'll be our little secret, then." She flashes the kid a playful wink as she fishes her phone out of her back pocket.
As the kid sips their soda, Bonnie sneaks a quick look at her maps app, confirming what she already suspected. The nearest shops were blocks and blocks away. Had this kid... walked all the way over here?!
"Hm? Oh, these?" Bonnie points one of her feet out towards him. Her beat-up old roller skates, adorned with neon pink-and-green laces. There were several holes patched over with duct tape. "Pretty cool, huh?"
She gently tries to steer the child's attention back to the matter at hand. "D'you know your mom's phone number...?"
As the kid sips their soda, Bonnie sneaks a quick look at her maps app, confirming what she already suspected. The nearest shops were blocks and blocks away. Had this kid... walked all the way over here?!
"Hm? Oh, these?" Bonnie points one of her feet out towards him. Her beat-up old roller skates, adorned with neon pink-and-green laces. There were several holes patched over with duct tape. "Pretty cool, huh?"
She gently tries to steer the child's attention back to the matter at hand. "D'you know your mom's phone number...?"
“Yeah! Cool and speedy.” He takes one long slurp before crinkling his face at the numbers question. He yoinks one of their overall straps up, a little tag with two numbers stitched into it. “Both… ” He looks a little sheepish and shuffles away from the teen to a recycle can.
“Want to see something cool I can do?”
“Want to see something cool I can do?”
Two phone numbers? Curious. Bonnie hurriedly copies the digits into her phone before the kid shuffles away. She is about to call before she realizes she doesn’t even know the child’s name. She’s about to ask-- before they ask her a question first.
“Yeah, show me!”
“Yeah, show me!”
Wesper stands a few feet from the recycle. Empty can in one hand- raising up both and clapping finger and thumb on the other. Folds and flaps his arms, does a little wiggle. Iconic chicken dance of course- and a pink fizzle and pop snaps the can out of his hand-
… and appears behind him. “Wait hold on…” He runs back to pick it off the ground and tries again. This time it appears off to the left. “Ah- sometimes I miss.” He instead runs to pick it up and put it in by hand.
… and appears behind him. “Wait hold on…” He runs back to pick it off the ground and tries again. This time it appears off to the left. “Ah- sometimes I miss.” He instead runs to pick it up and put it in by hand.
At the kid’s clumsy attempt to teleport the can, Bonnie whistles. So, this must be his Vibe.
“Very, very cool.” She crouches down to the kid’s level, extending a hand towards him for a high five. “What’s your name, cool guy? I’m Bonnie.”
“Can you teleport anything? Or just soda cans?”
“Very, very cool.” She crouches down to the kid’s level, extending a hand towards him for a high five. “What’s your name, cool guy? I’m Bonnie.”
“Can you teleport anything? Or just soda cans?”
Wesper does a soft pap of a high-five. “Yeah! I’m Wesper! I like the letter W… oh! I can teleport other things. Mostly small things. But when I’m bigger then I will teleport big fings.” He sounds certain.
"Very cool, Wesper. Just keep on practicing. I'm going to call your mom now, ok?"
Keeping one eye on the kid to make sure he doesn't run off, Bonnie punches in the phone number and hits the call button. She hopes that someone will pick up, even for an unknown number...
Keeping one eye on the kid to make sure he doesn't run off, Bonnie punches in the phone number and hits the call button. She hopes that someone will pick up, even for an unknown number...
The sheepishness returns as a very quiet musical jingle came from his own pockets. Having taken the cellphone to play games earlier.
...
Bonnie shoots Wesper the STINKIEST side-eye as she tries the other number.
Bonnie shoots Wesper the STINKIEST side-eye as she tries the other number.
The phone rings a moment before a woman’s voice answers with a professional air. “Darning Tailors, Rose speaking.”
Bonnie stands a little straighter, speaks in a slightly lower cadence, trying to sound like she's a bit older. An unconscious teenage habit.
"Uh-- hello, ma'am? I found your child... Wesper? Pink glasses, pink overalls...?"
After exchanging some words with the woman on the other end of the phone:
"Yeah-- yes. They're fine. I can bring them home, it's no problem... oh. My name is Bonnie, ma'am."
"...yeah. Here..."
She extends the phone out to Wesper, eyebrows raised. In sympathy or warning, perhaps. "Tell your mom what happened."
"Uh-- hello, ma'am? I found your child... Wesper? Pink glasses, pink overalls...?"
After exchanging some words with the woman on the other end of the phone:
"Yeah-- yes. They're fine. I can bring them home, it's no problem... oh. My name is Bonnie, ma'am."
"...yeah. Here..."
She extends the phone out to Wesper, eyebrows raised. In sympathy or warning, perhaps. "Tell your mom what happened."
Her tone quickly drops from professional to fussy.
Wesper hesitantly takes the phone from Bonnie. “Hi mom. . . I’m okay. I did. Sorry I should not haf taken it. I was bored so I opened it to play a game. I left the store. Yeah. I did use my vibe a couple times. ”
He sniffles a little at the tone she was taking but seems relatively okay all in all. Like this is normal. “M-hm… see you.” He passes the phone back to her so she can give an address.
Wesper hesitantly takes the phone from Bonnie. “Hi mom. . . I’m okay. I did. Sorry I should not haf taken it. I was bored so I opened it to play a game. I left the store. Yeah. I did use my vibe a couple times. ”
He sniffles a little at the tone she was taking but seems relatively okay all in all. Like this is normal. “M-hm… see you.” He passes the phone back to her so she can give an address.
After trading a few more words with the woman, Bonnie logs the address in her phone and hangs up. She fixes Wesper with a sympathetic look. Though he does seem rather blasé about his mother's scolding.
"Your mom got mad, huh." This was probably the moment where she should scold the child, tell them not to run off, to listen to their mother... but he'd probably get enough of that at home. "Well. It's a good thing you got that soda, mm?"
"Y'ready to go home?" She crouches down on the concrete on one knee, gesturing over her shoulder to her back. "I'll give you a ride!" She grins.
"Your mom got mad, huh." This was probably the moment where she should scold the child, tell them not to run off, to listen to their mother... but he'd probably get enough of that at home. "Well. It's a good thing you got that soda, mm?"
"Y'ready to go home?" She crouches down on the concrete on one knee, gesturing over her shoulder to her back. "I'll give you a ride!" She grins.
“Y-yeah. Fh-Thank you.” He digs the heel of his shoe into the ground.
Weper’s entire poster changes at the offer. “Yeah! Fast!” Lighting up and eagerly climbing up onto Bonnie’s back. Excited to roll with her.
Weper’s entire poster changes at the offer. “Yeah! Fast!” Lighting up and eagerly climbing up onto Bonnie’s back. Excited to roll with her.
Feeling his tiny arms and legs cling around her, Bonnie stands up. She wobbles only slightly, getting used to the extra weight on her back, before taking off in long strides. The night is cool, and she feels the relief of cold air against her face as she picks up speed.
Bonnie can't help but show off a bit. She doesn’t skate too fast - she doesn’t want the little guy to fall off. But she takes a few sharp turns, squatting into the momentum to pick up a bit more speed.
Bonnie can't help but show off a bit. She doesn’t skate too fast - she doesn’t want the little guy to fall off. But she takes a few sharp turns, squatting into the momentum to pick up a bit more speed.
Wesper is pretty quiet for the trip except for a single. “Can you teach me-?” When they are close to his home. The wind was nice and he enjoyed the trip and looking all around as things zoomed by.
Down the block a storefront with an apartment on top. Lights on and machines busy in the window construction garments. A figure inside, near the door silhouetted by the light waiting for him.
Down the block a storefront with an apartment on top. Lights on and machines busy in the window construction garments. A figure inside, near the door silhouetted by the light waiting for him.
Moderators: AJ_89 Steven (played by Robo-Craig) QnQ Hide Miyagawa (played by Monoclejack) Chroma (played by lewsey)
