Skiv didn't trust sleeping in beds. Sure, being beside Eric most nights was pleasant, but she'd spent most of her life sleeping on the floor or in garbage piles for comfort. Places that the bunny had adapted to for survival. Beds were too soft, too easy to sink into and lose oneself in. And Skiv wasn't ready to lose herself in this world, despite how much she implied otherwise to Eric.
With a yawn, she rose up from the corner near the sleeping maid sleeping pods, stretching her arms and cracking her back while they opened. Mallory stepped out first, rising from the white little coffin as some sort of creature, only her headfur was a mess. Jennifer awakened next, her cybernetic arms strapped together to avoid toying with herself in the evening. At first Skiv figured they were cruel to do so, but after hearing just how loud the bat could be behind the apparent soundproofed pods, she stopped being sympathetic.
The raccoon ignored Skiv's yawns, stepping to the washroom to prep herself for the day. Jennifer smiled, waving when the time lock on her arms disengaged. ``Morning, sister.''
``Stop calling me that.'' Skiv said, too tired to snarl, ``We ain't blood-related.''
``But we are family are we not? After all, we are both properties of the Karbon estate.'' The bat said. Mallory scoffed at the association but said nothing else, preferring to keep quiet as they stepped inside the shared bathroom. The showers were already running, with a silhouette of the large badger Leif washing himself off. Skiv kept a mental note to stay clear of him, ever since that little match they were forced to have. Not because she was afraid, but of how creepy she felt around him. The bastard didn't seem to harbor any ill-will towards her, even thanking her for his cybereye.
Back home, she'd seen people disemboweled for much less.
``So, sister,'' Jennifer asked, reaching for her toothbrush, ``Why is it that you refuse to sleep in a pod?''
``What's it to you?'' Skiv said, brushing her teeth with the stingy minty taste of the strange paste. Used to hurt a whole lot more, but now it just felt like it tasted. Minty.
``Curiosity mostly. As envious as I am of you staying so many nights with your master, I am confused as to why you'd avoid the comforts of a pod. Surely the floor is detrimental to your health, and if you are not healthy you are not useful to the family. Right, Mistress Mallory?''
Mallory nodded and slapped the bat upside her head. Spitting out her morning brushing, she turned with cold eyes and said, ``It is just Mallory or Head Maid. I may be your superior but I am not worthy of the title of `mistress'.'' Though judging from Jennifer's smile, the bat hoped the raccoon would do that.
Passing Leif with barely a nod, the three took to the showers. Hot water was something Skiv took too much joy in. If she could, she'd lie against the tiled floor and sleep against the stream pouring down upon her. Each girl rinsed their own fur, with Skiv taking special care to flop her cock around when washing. Not that either Jennifer or the coon bitch showed any interest, which, in its own way, was freeing.
Mallory finished first, drying off quickly and giving the two girls time for idle chat now, and a chastising later for being so slow. ``Is it the cameras?'' Jennifer asked, drying her fur with a combination of a towel and a built in air dryer in one of her limbs. The amount of small gadgets those arms had in them still surprised Skiv. From enhanced strength, to a built in sewing needle, the bat seemed ready for almost any task requested of her.
``Cameras?''
She nodded. ``Yes. Each pod records our sleep while scanning our vitals. To make sure we are making the full use of them. And...'' Jennifer blushed, eyes drifting off in the distance, ``Well, the thought of Mistress Harriet watching me slumber just makes me...'' she shuddered, closing her legs together as she suppressed her delighted and annoying squeal. Skiv hadn't even considered the pods had cameras, though knowing it didn't shock her. Crazy first classers had to be a paranoid lot to keep all they had. Hell, she had her fair share of paranoia back home.
If she could have had cameras, she would have used them.
``It's not that.'' Skiv said, ``It's...I'd ask you not to tell Mallory but you're too much of an ass kisser to say no.'' Jennifer's smile and nod with that statement didn't fill the bunny with much hope. Sighing, Skiv figured she might as well divulge this information. They'd find out eventually or at least Mallory knew it already. ``I just...I don't do well in tight spaces, ok?''
``Oh...like you're claustrophobic?''
``What?'' She blinked, ``No. I just can't stand being in really tiny spaces.''
``Yeah, that's claustrophobia.''
``Clastrofoia?'' The word twisted Skiv's tongue. ``The fack does that mean?''
``A situational phobia triggered by an irrational and intense fear of tight or crowded spaces.'' Jennifer sounded off robotically, ``Though, I'm a bit confused. Didn't you live in a shipping container before this? I've heard that's common amongst the classless living in the outskirts.''
``Aye,'' Skiv nodded, ``But it was my home. I had four walls, a roof and a floor, plus space to move around and breath. It's just...well tight spaces are hard to move around in, and hard to defend yerself.'' She said, slipping back into an accent at the memory of her days in the lawless world. Back where all she needed to settle disputes was a knife. She missed that simpler process.
``And crowds?'' Jennifer asked, strapping on her maid attire for the day. The frilly outfits still looked ridiculous to Skiv, making her all the more thankful that the head bitch gave up on trying to put her in one.
``I could always weave through crowds.'' Skiv answered. Adjusting her bowtie, the rabbit looked calmly into the blue eyed black bun reflecting back at her. With how dark her fur was, she never considered how filthy she used to be. Now it almost gleamed in the light, smooth to the touch wherever she ran her paws through it. Her headfur no longer looked scraggy, but she settled for a more pronounced little tuff that looked, as Eric would describe it, like a fauxhawk, whatever that was. Clothes weren't as itchy as her old rags, but they felt more confined. Probably the price of lined armor, a price she was comfortable with if it meant having to protect Eric. Though judging from her bitch's usual gallery of enemies, she had her doubts it would ever be needed.
``If you two are done prattling on,'' Mallory said with the most restrained sense of distaste Skiv had heard from her, ``Then it is time to get to work.'' The racoon handed each girl a printed breakfast bar. Skiv was in the process of unwrapping while Mallory gave their orders, barely paying attention despite eyes dead set on her `boss' as it were. She knew the day to day already, wake up, go make sure the `master' is up, and attend to their needs until they don't need you, then report back to Mallory for more work. Being more of a bodyguard than an actual maid, Skiv had the pleasure of being by Eric even when she wasn't needed. And if he really needed privacy, Mallory just sent her to the lower levels to train in whatever skill she might have been lacking. That or just to keep her away from the antiques, still not trusting the rabbit with anything fragile.
With a forced smile and nod, she took a bite of her breakfast and headed up to the main floor, preferring the stairs over the lift. The bar was bland, but better to taste nothing than something that she had to fight to keep down. Skiv couldn't deny that the smell of printed eggs and bacon did have a special allure, but she did her best to pay them no mind. She'd grown soft enough on classer living.
Two feet into Eric's room and she found him, laying about in his bed with the covers ruffled and unturned, as though he crashed through the roof and landed haphazardly. Didn't surprise her. Skiv had slept with the fox enough to know that he was a restless sleeper without someone holding him down. Smiling, she crawled over his hapless form, wedging herself against his back and locking her arms around his waist. Crotch against his back, she leaned into his ears and whispered, ``Wake up, bitch.''
He stirred, legs kicking unconsciously. She reached down to his crotch, sliding underneath the boy's boxer's to wrap her hands around his caged cock. It had been about three months since she'd put this on him. Three months he hadn't been able to get hard or even orgasm, aside from the dry one he had not too long ago. Eventually she'd have to swipe the key and let him out, but Skiv figured he could go another month before she told him she didn't have it. After all, he went three months without telling her he was a first classer, and it seemed only fair she returned the favor. Besides, she preferred making him squirm with his prostate. ``I said,'' her fingers wrapped around his balls and squeezed slowly, ``Wake up, bitch.''
His eyes shot open, his mouth opening to shout only for Skiv to hold it close. She smiled, kissing his neck, ``Maybe I should make this your wake up call instead? Seems to work wonders.''
``N-no fair, Skiv.'' He silently cried out, struggling in her grasp.
Rolling her eyes, she let go and rolled out of the bed, ``It's plenty fair. After all, I'm the one trapped in this house. People in captivity usually find targets to take their aggression out on.''
``Since when did you become an expert on prison life?''
``You think the classless don't have prisons?'' She said, smirking at the disbelief in his face. ``Some communities have laws, and punishments with them. It's another reason I didn't like staying with them. Until...'' Her finger trailed up his stomach, stopping at the chin she tilted toward her, ``I met a scared fox with a few wet spots on his crotch.''
He turned away, blushing as he got out of bed. ``So...why are you in the butler outfit?''
``Cause it's my uniform, dumbass. The bowtie is annoying, but at least it isn't no frilly maid outfit.''
He chuckled, ``I wouldn't mind seeing you in-'' Eric didn't finish his sentence, on account of the death glare Skiv gave him. ``A-anyway, we can't have you in that uniform all the time.''
``Pretty sure the head bitch-''
``Mallory.'' He corrected her.
``Head bitch,'' She continued, ``disagrees.''
``Well, she can disagree all she wants. It doesn't matter to me.'' Eric said, stripping down as his private bathroom door slid open, ``That's the beauty of her being my servant.''
``And she loves every second of it, even when she hates it.'' The rabbit scoffed, tired of the raccoon's blind servitude.
``Yeah, yeah. But ignoring that, it's time we expand your wardrobe.''
Her ear twitched at the thought, ``With what? Some skimpy bra and panties to wear in a special strip show for ya?''
``That's an idea, but I was thinking real clothes.''
***
She stuck close to the window the entire ride to `downtown' as Eric called it, her eyes focused on all the movement outside their vehicle. It was just the two of them, with the fox opting for an A.I. controlled car that he could alter with a few simple commands. Skiv still had trouble believing how packed the city was, with classers just walking about without worry about getting stabbed or stolen from.
``You can relax,'' Eric said, patting his leg for her to come over. ``Nothing bad is gonna happen in this district.''
``I'm supposed to make sure of that,'' She argued, not moving from her spot. Only reason she agreed with Eric's stupid request to leave the house was so that she could avoid Mallory's stuffy gaze for a few hours. That and being in that house, no matter how big it was, felt suffocating after a while. Their ride parked beside a grey building, not unlike what she'd seen on the outskirts only not falling apart. The sight of it made her remember some theories she'd heard in the Outskirts, about how their area used to be a civilized place, but was forgotten.
Guess there was some truth to that.
She stepped out first, looking left then right before giving Eric the clear. ``Skiv, we're in a mercantile district,'' Eric said, having already stepped out of the car from his end and walked around back to her. Hands in his pockets, he gave a smug little smile, ``No one?s gonna try anything here. You can relax.''
Scowling, she said nothing and followed him into the store. Holograms of outfits and furs in them littered the establishment, with furs of various ages sorting through them. A gecko pressed some AR button, and a set of clothes popped from the wall in a neat package. ``So what, you classers get clothes for free or something?''
``No, obviously we pay for it,'' Eric said, stopping at a kiosk, ``Nothing is free.''
``I don't know, you classers seem to share a lot of stuff,'' Skiv argued, hands at her sides and watching all around them. Her ears twitched, noting every step coming to and from them. The fox ignored her comment, cycling through the holoscreen for a minute or so.
``Hmm...Skiv, how about you look?'' He asked, stepping away for her, ``Find something you like.''
``Why?'' She asked, holding her hands outfront and focusing on her peripheral gaze, ``I already have clothes. Annoying ones, but they don't smell. `Sides, wouldn't Head Bitch get angry if I came around with extra clothes?''
``Except that uniform has you stand out like a sore thumb. And Mallory can't take away things given to you by a Karbon. So, come on,'' He patted the kiosk, ``Pick out some clothes or outfits you'd like. It's on me. Not like I've been using my allowance for much of anything.''
Figuring he won't take no for an answer, Skiv rolled her eyes and got to work sorting through the outfits. A lot of them looked too impractical. Skirts that were too short, thin threads that offered no protection, shirts with symbols she didn't understand even after learning how to read. ``What's an allowance?'' The rabbit asked, still sorting through different clothes.
``It's kind of like...a limited fund my parents give me. So I can buy stuff I'd like rather than ask them.''
``What'd ya do for it?'' Skiv stopped at a black jacket. Looked to be made of leather, or some alternative to it. Seemed like it could withstand a blow or two, probably not like her armor laced uniform but it didn't look to `stand out' as much.
``I...'' Eric held his tongue, scratching his chin as he pondered his next few words. ``Well...I've kind of always had it. I've been told it's a reward for good grades, but I never saw it drop even when my grades slipped a little.''
``So you just got it because your parents are rich? Excitin'.''
He doesn't answer, biting his tongue to hold himself back. By now Skiv had picked out some sets of clothes, preferring things that were practical over anything else. She did stop at a few girly or even revealing outfits, sneaking a peek at Eric and imagining how they'd fit on the fox. ``Ok, so now what?''
``Now,'' He smiled, grabbing her hand, ``We try them out.'' Dragged across the store, they stopped in a small and cameraless room. The clothes shifted from slits in the walls, latching onto hooks all around them. Playing along, Skiv tried them out, finding some of her outfits too tight, and others a bit loose. Eric's eyes lit up at the jacket, and she had to admit it felt rather comforting. ``I think we hit a jackpot with you.'' Eric said, his smile turning to a frown when several pairs of panties came through. Picking one dainty thong up, he stretched it between his hands. ``I don't think these can hold your cock.''
``It's not meant to.'' She said, standing over him with a sly grin, ``Put it on.'' Blushing, the fox stripped off his tan shorts and white undies, revealing that precum dripping cage. ``Well, ain't you a wet boy.''
``I can't help it.'' He argued, slipping on the pink thin thong that cradled his nuts, ``You haven't let me out. If I wasn't taking an arousal suppressor I'd be going insane.''
``You're taking what?''
He blinked, looking up to her like she caught him stealing her rations, ``I...uh...well...''
``Who said you could take anything?'' She grabbed his shoulders, pushing him against the wall, ``I didn't.''
``S-Skiv, be reasonable. I can't focus if I'm horny all the time. And if I can't focus then I can't catch up with classes.''
``Didn't you catch up?''
``I mean, I'm only a paper or two behind now, but-''
She held his maw closed, ``But nothing, bitch,'' The bunny growled, her knee pressing against his cage, ``I already made you cum with that little cage on, and I'm more than happy to continue that until you've earned out of it.'' Letting go, Skiv let him sink to the floor. Crossing her arms, she bit her lip while pondering how to steal the key without notice. Despite what she said, there might be consequences to him being stuck in that cage, and she didn't want to hurt him.
That much anyway.
Picking himself up, nodded and grabbed several clothes from the floor. ``Well, outside of that I think this went well.''
``So we can head back ho...to your house, right?''
He shook his head, ``Nope. I got one more stop to try out before heading back.''
``And what's that?''
``The mall.''
***
Being back in this crowded clusterfuck of an area did little to sweeten her mood. The last time Skiv had entered this `mall' as everyone called it, she'd been beaten by security and thrown in some holding cell across town. Sure, she'd stolen clothes, threatened to kill someone, and destroyed property, all things Mallory told her in the report of her arrest. But that was justified.
Anything's justified when you're escaping to freedom.
She stayed two feet behind Eric, one hand gripping the unignited hardlight khopesh handle in her pocket, the other lazily held out in case she needed to grab him. The fox had a funny little pep in his step, no doubt from the pair of panties she had him wearing. If the bunny looked closely, she could see the pink fabric ride up his butt, something her fox boy kept trying to tug his shirt over.
``So, why are we here?'' She asked, growing tired of being a watchful eye scanning the crowd.
``Well, call it corny but I've always thought the mall made a good spot for a date. Lots of stuff to do, food court in between it all. That and...well,'' Arching his head, the fox's ears drooped, ``Well it's embarrassing, but I never had anyone to come to the mall with.''
``The fack is a date?''
He stopped for a second, then smiled. ``Right, I guess that's not really a thing on the outskirts.'' Eric shook his head and kept walking, peering over his shoulder as he explained. ``Basically it's when two people who really like each other just sort of hang out somewhere.''
``Like what we did on the outskirts?'' She asked. The fox's ears drooped at the thought, but said nothing. ``What about at your house? Wouldn't we be dating there?''
``No, because that's my house. You don't do dates in houses.''
``Why not?''
``Because...you hungry?'' He asked, swiftly changing the subject and pointing out to a familiar stand off in the distance. Following him close, she smelled the buttery flavor of the golden brown knots rotating around in their glass tower. Mouth salivating, Skiv held her posture and searched for a distraction. Anything to keep her from thinking about her last run in here.
A green haired vole greeted Eric at the front. ``Welcome to Auntie Alice. How may I...I...'' her indigo eyes went wide in Skiv's direction.The bunny looked behind herself, thinking the vole saw something behind her. There was something about the vole that seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it.
``I'll have two regular pretzels with a lemonade each, please.'' Eric said, swiping through an AR display for payment. The vole stood rigid, nodding in silence and heading to the back of her kiosk. Racking her brain, Skiv had the memory on the tip of her tongue when she felt a hand grip her shoulder.
``Just what are you doing here?''
Skiv looked up, keeping her cool as a tall pig woman in a security uniform stared down at her. Old bruises flared up in her presence, and she found herself gripping her maser khopesh all the tighter. ``What's it to ya, bootlicker?''
A rageful sneer crossed the pig's lips. In a few seconds, Skiv would turn it to a scream after removing the bitch's arm. Eric stepped in before that could happen, ``Hello, officer.'' He said, wide smiled and cheery, ``What seems to be the matter?''
``The matter is that psycho is back!'' The vole cried out from her counter, hiding under it as Skiv eyed over to her. ``I lost my job because of her. And almost lost my life. Shouldn't she be on a leash or something?''
``Sir, is this rabbit your property?'' The officer asked, still holding Skiv's shoulder tight. The rabbit took a deep breath, mentally counting out to ten so she didn't rip the pig's arm off for her choice of words.
Eric didn't seem fond of answering, pausing and shifting his eyes to her before sighing and answering. ``Yes. She is my property. I am aware of the damage she caused last time, but my family apologized and paid for damages.''
``I still lost my job.'' The vole complained, ``All because of some runaway-'' She stopped, holding her breath at the pig woman's glare. For a moment, Skiv swore she saw a hint of blush on the cashier's cheeks.
``Formal apologies and payments don't permanently heal wounds, sir.'' She let go, putting her hands against her sides as she reprimanded Eric, ``She's in our databases as a troublemaker. So, as a warning, I suggest you tread carefully in this place if you aren't willing to leash her.''
``Is this ancient Terra, officer? I wasn't aware people still used leashes for anything other than slave fashion.'' The fox chimed, hooking his arm under Skiv's, ``But if you would like another apology, she would be more than welcome to give it. Right, Sarah?''
Returning his words with an icy glare, Skiv took a deep breath and bowed her head before the pig. ``I am sorry for the mess I caused earlier.'' Leaving out her desire to have another round with the hog woman. The silence between them was murmured by the chatty crowd of mall goers, scratching at the rabbit's skull as she waited.
``It's not me you need to apologize for.'' She said, pointing over to the cowering vole at the counter, ``It's her.''
The punky little vole raised her hands, ``Hrist-I mean, officer, I don't think that's-'' A quick glare from the pig shut her up. With reluctance, Skiv bowed her head to the cashier and offered the same apology word for word. ``I...I...'' The vole struggled to find the right words. In haste, she grabbed the pretzel and drink's from the counter, ``It's no problem. You can have these free of charge.''
Eric blinked, ``What?''
``Amy...'' Hrist sighed, rubbing her temple, ``Do not give your boss reason to fire you.''
``Yeah,'' the fox said, taking the offerings regardless, ``Besides, I already paid. But are we all good.''
``Yep!'' The vole shouted anxiously. ``Fine. Great. Please go enjoy your day.'' Even Skiv could tell the vole wasn't alright, but she kept her mouth shut as they walked off. The black rabbit kept her eyes on the two as Eric handed her the fresh and buttery pretzel, more interested in how the pig was comforting her than anything else.
Then she figured it out.
``Huh...so that explains it,'' She said.
Eric grit his teeth, ``The facking nerve of them, really,'' He argued, biting into the pretzel, ``I mean seriously, we already paid for the damages, and had you apologize. Can't they leave us alone after that?''
``Considering they're in bed together and the green haired vermin is still in shock, I'd say your money didn't mean much for the people caught in it. Just the stuff they worked for,'' Skiv said, taking a bite from the twisted golden brown knot. Her eyes lit up, the buttery flavor dancing on her tongue with the salt mixing in perfectly upon the soft bite. She stuffed it into her mouth without restraint, ravenously devouring the morsel. She slurped through the straw to help the baked good down her throat, only to be hit by the sudden sweet and tartness of the so-called lemonade. ``The fack is this stuff?''
``It's lemonade and a pretzel,'' Eric said, eyeing her curiously for a second before his face softened at the realization. Food like this didn't exist in the outskirts, and he certainly never brought anything cooked down there in his `foraging'. ``What do you mean they're in bed together?''
``Just the way they look at each other,'' Skiv said, swiping a strip of his pretzel away and consuming it, ``Piggy over there is probably looking at me like I did that hippo.''
``You were smiling.''
``Not on the inside. Anyway, you should know this. On the outskirts if you facked with someone, they fack with you. A simple apology or trade doesn't really change feelings, unless it wasn't really that important to you.''
``But this isn't the outskirts, Skiv. This is society.''
She nodded, taking another sip from her drink, ``Yeah. And it looks like some things are universal.''
***
The rest of their hanging out was just that. Walking from store to store, looking at things Skiv never imagined could exist, and her watching for any dangers coming their way. Sometimes that was difficult with the AR displays Eric pushed her to see, like the beasts of legends flying through the empty space, or the little fairies spreading news about discounts in shops.
As much as she didn't want to get comfy with these first class comforts, one thing that drew her attention was something called ice cream. A hard and cold paste like substance that chilled her teeth while tasting sweet on her tongue. Against Eric's direction, she consumed it quickly, and gained a sharp headache as a result.
``Why the fack would it do this?''
``Well, it could be a metaphor for taking things slow. But frankly, I don't know. Never felt like looking it up.'' He said, taking a bite out of his brown colored ice cream. The lights dimmered a few floors down, reminding Skiv of the outskirts for a brief moment before remembering all the fat and lazy shoppers all around her. ``This next place is one of my favorite stores.''
She looked up, reading a neon sign that she sounded out, ``The Den of Plunder?'' The fox nodded, dragging her by the hand inside. Neon lights and shag carpeting filled her vision, with big blocky terminals lined up against the walls and in the middle of the showroom, stretching out as far as she could see. A metal structure with ropes and ziplines towered throughout the store, with furs climbing up and swinging down it like some restrained alternative to walking.
``It's a pretty retro place all things considered. But that's why I like it.'' Eric swiped his hand through the air before a terminal. Two armbands popped out. Before she knew it, he strapped one to her arm. ``These track your credits. Most places have you set up an account, but like I said, this place is retro.''
``Retro? Am I supposed to know what that means?''
``No, I guess not,'' He said, scratching the back of his head while carrying a goofy grin, ``It's like...old but cool I guess? Most games nowadays you can find on the net, either built for the net or run on an emulator. Most of the culture behind arcade gaming is dead unless you do virtual hang outs, but Dop offers the old arcade experience and acts as a hobby and game shop as well. They even stock up early on new `Battlers of Elysium' expansions if you?re into that sort of thing. Personally I'm not big into those kinds of games. I don't like commanding things to do stuff.''
The confusion on her face did not change. Arcade, Battlers of Elysium, Dops? These weren't words to her, least not words she'd been taught. She followed him deeper regardless, keeping an eye out for any dangers like she'd been taught to. Limited visibility with the store's chosen spectrum of light provided good camo to anyone that wanted to dip in and out in a crowd. Though judging the average customer here, she just had to watch for anyone that didn't look like they'd trip over their own feet.
``And here we are.'' Eric stopped her, his hand extended out to two seats in front of a large terminal with helmets hanging over them. Plastered on top of the screen was a picture of a hyena woman dressed in rags and holding a shoddy gun. It took her a few seconds for Skiv to guess that the woman in question might have been classless, and the name `Bandit Queen' under her helped with that association.
``Beware the Bandit Queen?'' The lapine sounded out the title.
``Yeah, one of my favorite old school sim games,'' The fox said, taking a seat and pulling down the helm. ``It doesn't have a lot of modern features. Frankly, it's more of a relic. But the world they build up is pretty immersive, even if you can't really move off it. But that's railroad shooters for ya.'' Skiv tuned out his rambling, not understanding half the terms he was using anyway, and focused more on the smiling yeen woman staring down in that picture. It didn't make sense that she was classless. Maybe a pirate or something, since getting a cyberlimb in the slums was pretty much impossible. Her headfur was too nice also, sporting a green mohawk. Not a lot of ways to change hair or fur color back home, or stick it up for very long. Is this what first classers saw them as?
``Skiv?'' Eric snapped her back into reality with the question, ``You ready?'' Handing her the other helm and pointing to the seat next to him. She blinked, holding the helmet in her hand and looking at the seat, then staring around the arcade.
``Then who's gonna watch you?''
He smiled, ``It's fine. I used to come down here all the time before checking out lower level hobby shops. This place isn't nearly as sketchy as `Shields of Rust'.''
``I don't know what that is.''
``It's another shop,'' Eric said, rolling his eyes, ``Look just strap in and join me ok? This is supposed to be fun and you're walking around like you got a stick up your ass. And I know you're not into putting stuff up there.''
Seeing no reason to argue, she sat against the hard plastic lounge chair and stuffed her head into the helmet, letting her ears flop out. The screen before her eyes depicted an endless road across a barren wasteland. No water, no vegetation, just dirt, rocks, and black asphalt. It took her a moment to get used to it, having only seen the ever expanding ocean and the ruins of lower city buildings throughout most of her life.
``And start,'' Eric said. Engines revved from behind her as the start screen vanished. She blinked, turning her head to find herself inside an armored hovercraft, only judging from the stats screen in the corner of her HUD, it had wheels instead of a propulsion system. ``Hey, check me out.'' Eric said, taking the form of some bigger fur dressed in a black bodysuit with spiked shoulders and a face covering helm. He raised his right hand, extending his index and pinky as he folded his middle and ring finger, ``Pretty cool huh?'' Black leather gloves covered her hands. She stared at them for a moment, moving each finger and feeling none of the fabric against her fur. ``It's a SIM, Skiv. Short for simulation. Anyway, game is about to start.''
Loud cackling echoed from the speakers. A video played before them both, with the hyena woman on the title screen smiling down at them. ``Hello new victims. I'm the Bandit Queen, and you are holding something I want. Normally I'd ask you to hand it over, but me and the boys are feeling bloodthirsty today. So hope you all like pain.''
More wheeled vehicles rode up to their sides as the video closed. A targeting reticle displayed in her HUD and two joysticks materialized in front of the rabbit. ``Aim at the bandits,'' Eric said, turning the turret in his hand, ``Right button is a machine gun. Left is grenades. Go nuts.''
She turned, aiming out towards the so-called bandits. Furs dressed in rags and mismatched armor hoisted guns from their seats or rode along the backs of trucks, wildly firing at her. Didn't make sense to Skiv, not even distractions get this close to a target unless they were suicidal. The gatling gun roared with the press of a button, littering the targeted area with archaic lead and tearing through the cars and furs like paper. More came, driving into her rate of fire without self preservation. Not even warning shots scared them off.
The Bandit Queen's smiling maw appeared on screen again, ``You bootlickers got some firepower don't ya? Well, I ain't one to come empty handed.'' Drones filled their fields of vision, lopping bombs that their targeting arrays pointed out to shoot. Skiv didn't, confused as to why the bandits wouldn't just start with explosives unless the cargo was that valuable. And if it was, why the distraction? They'd accomplish more if they snuck on board.
``Eric, what's the point of-'' A blaring siren cut her off. The bombing run had ended, and the bandit queen appeared again. Skiv looked past her, eyeing her fox across the seat and seeing his gaze dead set on the yeen woman.
``Guess I really need to bring the big guns on worthless maggots like you.'' She growled. Rocket thrusters thundered from above. Skiv looked up, finding a massive flying fortress overhead. ``You'll never take me alive, corpos!''
``Why didn't she use that first?'' She asked, but Eric didn't answer. He was too busy firing away at the ship, all while the so called bandit queen taunted and egged them on. Her own men were jumping from it, wearing bomb filled vests and demanding to be targeted out for extra points.
Was this how classers saw classless? Just mindless fools waiting to run into them with no concept of protection? Then there was this stupid queen, taunting and looking down on them while wearing skimpy clothes more fit for a classless street walker than a bandit. Skiv pulled off her helmet and tossed it, letting it swing from its wires while she got up and grabbed some soda she found leftover from someone else. Enough was enough.
``Hey you can't just-'' Skiv walloped the aardvark who's drink she'd stolen, giving him a black eye and paying no one else attention as she stormed out. It didn't matter what they thought, they were classers who just assumed they were better. None of them would last a day in her home. They'd be lucky if anyone wanted to use their holes for stress relief, let alone send waves after waves of other starving classless to steal something.
It took a minute before Eric chased after her. ``H-Hey!'' The fox shouted, reaching for her shoulder. Skiv brushed him off, looking at him with enough anger to make his fur stand on end. ``What's the matter?''
``You really need to ask?''
He nodded, ``I mean, you just kind of left without saying anything. And stole some kid's drink. We really shouldn't be making a scene or anything like that or-''
``Or what?'' Skiv stepped up to him, her face into his, ``The mallcops gonna come down and beat my ass again? Throw me in a cell with someone that'll try to rape me? Bet you'd love to see me kill them, prove how wild and untamable I am.''
``Skiv...'' Eric blinked, confused at her outburst, ``I don't get what you mean here.''
She pointed back to `Den of Plunder' ``That game is a bunch of bulldrek. Sure, classless do raids, but we don't just send a bunch of our own to die in droves. Nor do we have that kind of firepower to waste against one shipment. We're not stupid like you think.''
``I never thought-''
``And I'm not some kind of bandit queen!'' She grabbed his shirt collar, shoving him up against a nearby pillar. His scared face normally made her blush, but it only added to her rage, ``I'm not some rebellious outlaw to be tamed by you or your family. No matter how much I act like I follow your stupid rules, know that this drek is temporary. I'm not some facking house slave, or some brainwashed doll thankful for their position kissing your shoes. I'm not your facking outlaw fantasy that you used to jack to every night, and don't act like you didn't because we both know how much of a perverted freak you are.'' The next words started to hurt when she spoke, her hands shaking and throat tightening with each sentence. ``It's all too good here. The food, the beds, the central heating. Everyone here is so soft and weak, protected so well that they need to make up enemies to overcome and feel proud of. You're all sick, meanwhile I've seen furs literally coughing blood. But at least they understood how unfair life is. You...you facking think it's all for your own amusement!''
She let go, hands balled into fists against his chest, ``I'm not your bandit queen, Drips. I'm not some super outlaw that leads a bunch of bandits, waiting to capture you and bring you to a lair or something. I'm not your fetish...I'm a person and I'm...'' The bunny couldn't finish. She didn't know how to end it. Was she afraid? Sad? The emotions swelled within her, unable to simplify into words she could express.
Eric held her hand gently, ``Skiv...I did see you as that when I first saw you.'' His face twisted as he spoke, struggling to admit his feelings, ``My clothes were torn after falling down a storm drain, and I thought I was going to die. But when I saw you, holding your knife in confidence, some sick twisted part of me hoped for something like the games. But I don't see you as that anymore.'' Grabbing her face, the fox forced her to stare at his baggy eyes, ``Look at me. See how tired I am? That's because I spent the last three months studying my ass off to pass my classes. Caged might I add. All because my father put your safety on the line. I wouldn't do that for some `fetish' Skiv, and frankly I'm insulted that you'd even think that. Did I do something to make you lose faith.'' Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her in and whispered, ``I love you, Skiv.''
``Then release me.'' She asked, not even thinking why until she said it. He didn't answer, not even as she broke away and looked at him with a stern eye. ``Well, do it.''
``I...it's not-''
``You don't want to.'' Tears formed in her eyes at the revelation. ``You knew I'd hate this. But some part of you believed I'd grow to love wearing this metaphorical collar, didn't you?'' He said nothing. Instead, Eric eyed the floor as his answer. ``You...miserable sack of drek...you want me to be your slave forever don't you? To be your precious dominant pet? You're no better than that hippo.''
``I am nothing like him!''
``Then release me!''
``I can't!''
``Because?''
``Because I-?? Something hit him in the neck. His hand shot up, covering whatever wound it made. Skiv didn't see blood, nor did she smell it. Her ears twitched as movement built up behind them. Drawing her maser blade to ignition, she turned to face three furs dressed casually with weapons drawn. Her inner voice railed at her for not noticing them sooner, but the rabbit wasn't on proper terms with being a bodyguard right now. Reflexes took over and she reached for her asset to get him out of harm?s way. Two shots fired, and, like she'd been trained, Skiv put herself between them and the fox.
The thickness of her synthleather jacket absorbed the needles. A wolf lunged forward, catching her blade between his cybernetic fingers and losing several as he took her to the ground. ``Run!'' She shouted, struggling against the wolf's weight. He pulled out a medical syringe with a pistol grip, jamming it against her throat. The world fuzzled, and darkness came with a bag over her head.
And all she could think about, was if Drips got to safety.
