Bzzt Bzzt. Nox’s phone buzzed in his pocket.

A call.

Nox swiped to answer.

“The hotline for handsome foxes speaking, who’s calling?”

A laugh crackled through the speaker. Zee.

“Oh? Then I must’ve dialed the wrong number, haha.”

Nox smirked, leaning against a lamppost.

The metal was cold against his back he tugged his scarf tighter.

“Ouch, Zee, you wound me. To what do I owe the honor of this call? Miss me already?”

Zee snorted as distant sirens wailed somewhere deep in the city.

“Hardly. I just wanted to make sure you’re not off getting yourself into trouble before we head to the station.

I’ll be ready soon—are you home?”

Nox glanced around the busy streets, playing with his scarf absentmindedly.

“Home? Not exactly. Let’s just say I’m on my way.”

Noxes ears twitched as he spotted Two enforcers in dark uniforms stood near a graffiti-covered wall, their helmets reflecting green neon lights from above as they casually observed the crowd.

“What, you don’t trust me to show up on time? I’m just around the corner. Give me two minutes.”

Zee chuckled.

“Trust you? Sure, when Coreline’s sky turns blue again. Hurry up, fox boy. I’ll be waiting outside.”

Nox sighed, slipping his phone back

" into his pocket. Fox boy, huh?

Alright, Zee, keep your fur on.

Two minutes—ugh, guess I gotta hurry then."

He quickened his pace.

As Nox approached the meeting spot, Zee’s voice rang out before he even saw her.

“Ah, look who finally decided to show up! Two minutes, you said? It’s been five minutes since those two minutes were over.”

She stood near the station entrance, arms crossed, a grin tugging at the corner of her lips.

The glow of an advertisement for a Noodle shop painted shifting colourful patterns over her fur.

Nox tilted his head, opening his arms for a hug.

“Hey, I’ve been a busy fox, alright? wanted all around the city—it’s not easy booking me for a whole evening.”

Zee rolled her eyes but stepped forward into the hug anyway.

“Wanted indeed, Haha... Well, Mr.

Popular, you’re lucky I managed to squeeze into your oh-so-packed schedule.”

As they started walking toward the Station, Nox nudged Zee with his elbow.

“So, what have you been up to? Programming another last-minute project again? Or are we hacking ourselves a few creds before heading to the Coaster?”

Zee rubbed the back of her neck, letting out a soft chuckle

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Haha- Oh, please. If I were hacking creds, we wouldn’t be taking the bus to the amusement park. Any yeah ive had a small project to do.”

Nox laughed.

“Fair point.”

they wrinkled their as they walked by a vendor shouting in the background, advertising fresh skewers, though the scent of burnt oil in the air suggested otherwise.

Zee glanced at Nox raised an eyebrow.

“What was that thing you wanted me to put in the bus earlier?”

For a second, he hesitated, glancing down at the uneven sidewalk. But he forced a grin, straightening his posture.

“H-hey Let’s not talk about work now—I gotta get in the mood for the Coaster!”

Zee didn’t answer right away. She just studied him, her green eyes narrowing slightly.

Then, with a knowing smirk, she said.

“Work? You call it that? I call it—”

Nox cut in with a cheeky chuckle.

“—a favor for a friend and by ‘friend,’ I mean me, obviously.”

Zee gave him a sideways glance looking over her round glasses with her sharp green eyes.

“You’re lucky I like you. And even luckier that we’re neighbors, Nox.

Otherwise, I’d start charging you for all these so-called favors.”

Nox smirked, adjusting his hat.

“Noted. I’ll pay you back… maybe with cotton candy or something. Sound good?”

Zee grinned.

“Sounds like a deal to me. But you gotta buy it—not hustle it for me, alright?”

As they continued through the station district, a tram whooshed past,

kicking up a gust of cold wind. Nox feigned a gasp, placing a paw over his chest.

“Me? Hustle cotton candy? Zee, how could I? I’m all about honest trades and fair deals. I even worked hard labor today to help out an otter in need.”

Zee raising an eyebrow as the cold wind brushed against her face.

“Honest? Sure. And I’m the queen of Coreline. How much did you rip off that poor otter?”

Nox waved a paw dismissively.

“Hey, hey, who said I ripped off anyone? He offered me five creds for my saving grace, and I only took four for my coffee, you know.”

Zee crossed her arms, smirking.

“So generous of you, Nox. A whole credit less. Truly, a saint among foxes.”

Nox shrugged.

“Hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?”

Zee chuckled, nudging him playfully with her elbow.

“Thoughts don’t pay for cotton candy.”

Nox’s ears flicked as he suddenly remembered something.

“Oh yeah, before I forget—we gotta stop by a bank ATM real quick. Gotta grab some creds if we want to eat anything tonight.”

Zee sighed, rolling her eyes.

“Of course, Mr. Big Spender. Lead the way. Let’s hope you don’t try to charm the ATM into giving you extra creds.”

As they reached the ATM, Zee leaned casually against the wall, watching as Nox withdrew a few notes.

“Anything interesting happened while you did your project today?”

Nox asked.

Zee grinned as she looked at Nox pocketing his money.

“Oh, you know, the usual—fixing broken code, writing new ones, and just doing a bunch of tech stuff you wouldn’ty understand.”

Nox gasped.

“Wouldn’t understand?! Okay, you are right.”

Zee let out a small giggle as her tail flickers behind her she adjusts her glasses

“I know, hehe.”

Nox patted his pocket where he just bunkered the money.

“Alright, creds secured.”

Zee grinned as she spotted a flickering billboard above them played a looping ad for CoreCo’s newest

~safe and reliable" transport system—conveniently omitting last week’s derailment~

“Just be sure you don’t hustle your way into getting us kicked out of the amusement park I trust you as much as this add up there hah- .Okay Ready to meet up with Chet?”

Nox nodded eyeing the ad above them smirking faintly.

“haa---haa—Funny, let’s get going. We’re almost there.”

As they neared the bus station, Nox practically bounced on his feet, his energy infectious and his tail happily wavering behind him.

Zee gave him a confused look.

“You seem way more hyped for this than usual. I thought you didn’t even like CoreCoaster?”

Nox shrugged, grinning as he playfully bumped in to her with his shoulder.

“Hey, I never said I didn’t like it. I just said it’s an overpriced scream machine for adrenaline junkies. Big difference.”

Zee chuckled.

“Uh-huh. Sure, Nox.”

She took a look around – eyeing a corner they were about to cut.

“Think Chet’s already there, or is he off cutting a few plants on the way?”

Nox smirked, eyes narrowing.

“We should be able to see him after that corner.”

As they rounded the corner, sure enough—

There was Chet, towering over a flower bed near the station.

And, just as predicted, he was enthusiastically talking to the plants.

Zee burst out laughing.

“Called it!”

Nox sighed, shaking his head.

“What did I tell you? The guy’s a gentle giant with a green thumb and a big heart.”

With a mischievous smirk, Nox cupped his hands around his mouth and called out—

“Chet! Before you keep teaching the plants to grow, could you spare some extra height for me?!”

Chet looked up, grinning.

“Nox! If you wanted to grow taller, buddy, you should’ve said so earlier! I could’ve brought some fox fertilizer for ya!”

Zee covered her mouth, trying not to burst out laughing.

“Fox fertilizer, huh? Sounds like just what you need, Nox.”

Nox rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. At least I don’t need to give pep talks to plants to feel tall, Chet.”

The three of them shared a hearty laugh, the sound echoing through the lively streets of Coreline.

And just as the bus rumbled into the station, the real fun was only just beginning.