“Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. We interrupt your regular programming for an astonishing breaking news story out of Little Rock, Arkansas, where the unimaginable has just occurred. After seven dead and fifty-four injured, the A-rank dungeon that had mysteriously appeared downtown was cleared by an elite team of Awakeners.
Little Rock’s Guilds had been taken by surprise, as such powerful dungeons are not known to typically appear within human settlements, but Team Nightshade delved into the abyss and emerged victorious, defeating the Boss, a named [Lava Golem].
City officials say this miraculous intervention has averted a disaster that could have had apocalyptic consequences for Little Rock and perhaps even the entire state.
Tonight, the city rests easy, its skyline intact, its people safe - thanks to the efforts of the heroic Awakeners. We will mourn those we lost and look forward to a bright new day.
And for that, Little Rock is eternally grateful. Back to you.”
The presenter’s image faded away, the TV returning to its regular programming. Soon, soft classical music permeated the entirety of Brooklyn’s Home Depot again.
Everyone went about their business without a hitch, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
“Thank you for stopping by!” James called, waving at the retreating back of the newlywed couple. It wasn’t every day that he managed to bag such a big sale, and for it to also happen with two lovely people was just amazing.
“If you keep grinning like that, your face is gonna get stuck.” A feminine voice called from behind him. Turning, James felt his grin get even wider, if possible.
“Things just seem to go well for me today. What can I say, I was due some good luck.” He replied, winking at the girl.
Sally was the kind of beauty that you’d expect to see on the cover of a magazine, not working at a Home Depot next to Coney Island. Her long brown hair was let loose out of her usual braid. The barest hint of eyeliner made her big, brown eyes pop and gave her a doe-like look. She had evidently made some effort, and James’ cheeks warmed at the knowledge that it was for him.
Her smile could light up the room, and even though she never bothered to put on much makeup, she was by far the prettiest everywhere she went.
And she knows it. He thought, watching her sashay away with an impish smile.
The retail job was supposed to be a short-term deal for James, just a way to earn some cash while figuring out his life. His granddad hadn’t been happy about his decision to skip college, but he gave in, hoping James would make the right choice eventually.
The economy was a mess, had been since the world ended eleven years ago. Despite political promises of a bright future beyond the Mana Apocalypse, James knew better. Good jobs were out there, but mostly for Awakeners, and he hadn’t felt a hint of mana within him, no matter how much he wished otherwise.
That just leaves more manual labor, or things you need to be a genius for. And since I’m not one, no matter what grandma says, I needed to look reality in the face.
It always depressed him, considering his future. The world was a shitty place, and it didn’t hold nineteen year old young men in high regard.
Still, today was different. Not only had he managed quite the sale, enough to get him the money to pay for a new computer to replace his old, battered one that still ran entirely on electricity and circuits, but also enough to pay for the date that he would go on as soon as his shift ended.
Getting to go on a date with Sally sounded more like one of his daydreams if he was being honest with himself. Still, in a moment of courage, he had asked her out that morning, and after giving him a once over that felt more like an x-ray, she had agreed, on condition that she could choose the location.
Since that freed him of the burden of thinking about where to take her, James had readily agreed, and so he had spent the whole day almost bursting with excitement.
Finally, the clock struck five, the little jingle sounding almost solemn. The shop wouldn’t close for another five hours, but that was a problem for those suckers with the evening shift, and James was most certainly not one of them.
Changing out of his orange uniform felt like liberation, and James took the few minutes he knew he had - as Sally always needed at least ten before she was ready to come out of the locker room - to check how he looked in the slightly dirty mirror that hung over the fake porcelain sink.
Energetic green eyes stared back at him. His hand ran through his hair, mussing up the dark locks until they artfully fell over his forehead. His lips were plumper than normal because he had spent the whole day chewing on them, but he didn’t mind the look.
He knew he was a bit of a pretty boy, and though he had the hints of what would one day be a decent beard, he preferred shaving completely for the moment, as the scraggly mess that would otherwise grow was not flattering.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
His nose was straight, his teeth white, and his dimples lovely. Well, that’s what Miss Johnson says, but that woman will compliment a tree if you’d allow her. Not a good metric for what college girls like, unfortunately.
Still, he thought he made a decent sight. James was not one to put too much stock in his appearance, but he was well aware that it was an essential factor in any relationship. If he wanted to have a shot at having more than a singular date with Sally, he would need to make sure he was always presentable.
Reassured that he wouldn’t send the girl screaming, he put on his black and green jacket and exited the building, stopping below the big red sign that read ‘The Home Depot’ to wait for his date.
Not even five minutes later, she emerged from the backdoor, wearing an all black outfit of leggings and a tank top, complemented by a white ribbon that held her hair out of her forehead.
She wasn’t as dressed up as some of the other girls he had gone out with during high school, but to James, she was much better looking than them. Having a style of your own and rocking with it no matter the circumstance was much cooler than bowing to social pressure, after all.
“Well, I’m ready to follow you everywhere!” He exclaimed, making her laugh.
“Then shut up and walk, lucky boy.” She teased, passing him by and moving towards Cropsey Ave’s bridge. Coney Island’s Creek didn’t make for much of a romantic sight, but James didn’t mind as he jogged to catch up.
“So what do you have planned? Are you going to finally reveal that you are a serial killer and want to dispose of me?” He jokingly questioned. Sally stumbled, turning to look at him with a surprised look. Then she burst out laughing, holding her belly.
James stood there, bemused, as he didn’t really think that his lame joke was that funny. Well, a win is a win. If she’s laughing this hard now, things might be looking up even more than I thought.
Sally finally gathered herself, holding on to the bridge’s handrail. She was a bit flushed, with chuckles still occasionally shaking her frame, but to James, she had never been more beautiful.
“Man, that was funny.” She then caught his hand in hers and tugged him forward.
They walked for a few minutes, mainly discussing what classes Sally was thinking of taking the next semester at college and the latest gossip at work.
Neptune Ave wasn't James’s ideal date spot in New York due to its lack of allure, but its proximity to work and Sally's home weighed in for safety amid a world fraught with violence.
In a world rife with violent crime, women often had to be cautious, even with familiar faces, as harrowing news stories constantly reminded them.
When can they stop talking about Awakeners, monsters and the System anyway. I think they are important too, but it shouldn’t be all everyone can talk about.
Finally, they reached their first destination. Millennium Bodega was a classic spot in Coney Island, and its chopped cheese had few rivals. Though the place was dirty and greasy, no one could complain about its food, and these days, that kind of atmosphere was common almost everywhere, unless you ventured into the shiny side of Manhattan.
There, titanic high-rises were still being built, towering over the city like giants. They always looked jarringly out of place to James. As if they were a slap to the face to all those who were suffering thanks to the terrible conditions the human race had ended up in after the Mana Apocalypse, but he supposed that as long as there was money to be made, New York City would always funnel some of it in new construction.
The two didn’t stop at the Bodega, merely picking up a couple of sandwiches and drinks, and moved towards Kaiser Park. In the summer, it was little more than a few sports fields and dry grass, but that very same look made sure not many people were around, much more interested in the beach, giving them some privacy.
I’m not putting the cart before the horses here. She’s the one who chose this place, knowing how isolated it would be. It’s like she’s sending me signals that she’s down for some action!
For all his thoughts, James wasn’t actually that experienced in concluding dates, as most of his previous ones had ended with a kiss on the cheek after he accompanied the girls back home.
Still, he was determined not to fuck this up. Sally was beautiful, intelligent, and considering her Major choice - mana engineering was complex, especially for ordinary people! - she had a bright future ahead. If he could show her that he was a good guy and that he’d treasure and respect her, he might have a shot at an actual relationship.
“You’ve been quiet.” She commented, having finished her chopped cheese.
They were sitting on one of the cleaner benches, one of the few without middle parts to deter the homeless from sleeping on them, and James shook himself out of his thoughts, deciding that he could wait until he was back home to hyper-analyze his behavior.
“Sorry, I’m just really happy that you agreed to come on a date. It means a lot that you gave me a chance.” He explained, smiling as he looked at her.
Sally rolled her eyes “You are an idiot.” She stated, not elaborating further.
James blinked confusedly, not really understanding her meaning.
Seeing him make a very good impression of a stunned goldfish, the girl patted his cheek “You are lucky you are pretty. Not much going on up there, is it?”.
Deciding that it would be better for his chances to simply shut up and allow the very pretty lady to keep touching him, James just smiled.
“Yeah, that’s a good boy.”
Whelp, that did something to me.
----------------------------------------
Walking Sally back home turned out to be a more involved endeavor than he would have expected. They were taking side streets, twisting and turning through Coney Island in places that James hadn’t even known about.
“Sorry again about this. It’s just that those annoying guys from the Radiant Guild are patrolling the neighborhood and they take way too much pleasure in stopping every woman to ‘inspect’ them.” Sally explained, making suggestive air quotes when she got to the last part.
It was an unfortunate reality they all had to contend with that since there simply weren’t enough AA personnel to deal with every new dungeon that popped up, most of the supernatural security had to be given to private Guilds. That they usually abused that power surprised no one, but it was the price to pay to be safe from monsters.
“Radiant… Isn’t that the one your ex is from?” James asked, thinking about the blonde jock he had seen at the beginning of the year. He was a decently strong Awakener, if he remembered correctly, but also entirely insufferable.
“Yeah, he’s the reason why I’m making us take this whole convoluted path. He won’t directly acknowledge me, but he’ll make his mooks harass me if he sees me.” She explained grimacing.
James' blood boiled. To him, guilds were already leeches sucking life out of humanity. Seeing their members abuse their power for trivial nonsense made it all the more unbearable.
“Unfortunately” She continued “He’s actually pretty strong. E-rank in a few years, if I remember correctly, which means they definitely won’t do anything about it even if I were to report it.”
Any further discussion was interrupted by the screeching sound of a sewer cover being ripped open. The two looked at each other in dread and then slowly turned to where the sound had originated from.
There, an ugly, dirty creature was climbing out. It resembled a rat, in theory, if that rat was the size of a Rottweiler and ten times as aggressive. An oily substance covered its fur, and its eyes were pools of darkness. The sound it made when it noticed them was close to a roar, though more high-pitched.
James took a look at the beast and immediately grabbed Sally’s hand, pulling her away as quickly as he could “RUN!”