Chiyoko winced, clenching her head and mumbling gibberish, she stumbled forwards.

"Oi..." Void placed his arm in the way, catching her before the fall.

Obsidian hovered closer, "Uh oh...I think she needs to sober up."

Void stepped clear of the vomit, as he placed Chiyoko on the chair, "Check the room for some water."

Scanning the room, Obsidian found a few water bottles in the mini-fridge, "It's quite well stocked in here. Did she prepare for this?"

"Maybe, alcoholics are deranged anyway." Void leaned over and grabbed a bottle. He sprinkled a few drops on her face, and her eyes twitched.

"Wake up."

Chiyoko groaned, her face scrunched up.

Void sighed, "I guess we're trying the direct way." Squaring his palm against her face, he grabbed her shoulder, landing a crisp slap on her face.

Chiyoko jolted, "Ughg?"

Instantly, Void swung with his back hand.

"Wh~" Chiyoko eyes widened.

Another slap resounded.

"Wait, I am awa~"

Her words were futile, another crisp slap echoed.

"I AM AWAKE." Chiyoko wrestled Void's grip.

But before her words could reach him, his hands twitched slapped her in the face.

A stinging pain pulsed through cheeks, Chiyoko's eyes welled up with tears.

"I said....I am awake..."

Obsidian side eyed Void, "That last one was a bit personal."

"....maybe."

Void felt slightly guilty as he heard her sob. Nothing a few minutes of consolation couldn't fix. The two calmed her down, and explained the situation, although Chiyoko was annoyed at first, she did eventually express her thanks for helping her regain consciousness, albeit she didn't seem all that grateful about it.

"So what brings you to the workshop?"

Chiyoko rubbed her face and sipped some water, mulling over her recent work. But a notable anomaly had presented itself. Of course, she was just a tad bit curious to know why, or more so, how this lone hunter had managed to come down here.

Void immediately whipped out a bag full of Ahamkara bones, tossing it to her feet. At first, he thought about being coy with it. But then again, he was sure being subtle wasn't exactly this woman's forte.

"I want a full armor set. Stealth compatible. Oxygen filters, heat erasure, scent erasure. Infra-red blockers. I want everything, the whole package. You know what to do."

Looking through the bag, Chiyoko's eyes widened. She inspected the materials and sure enough, the bones were of the highest quality. The quantity alone was astounding. Being in the business so long, she was certain that only a real bigshot could source these.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

But stealing a quick glance at Void. She ruled out that possibility.

"You must be one of those crazies, we don't take custom orders. Vanguard armoury only, that's the policy. But I will do you a favour, get these off your hands, fair price. 400,000."

Void almost lost his composure. He could smell the stench of greed. Well, practically, he could see it gather around her, buzzing fruit flies hovering over her head.

"Not happening, Try hustling someone else."

He snatched the bag out of her hands and turned to leave.

"Wait wait, ok 600,000."

Void scoffed, the gall of this woman was unbelievable. He walked towards the door and twisted the knob.

"Ok, I can do 750, but that's the max." Chiyoko tugged on his arms, unwilling to let such a fat sheep wander off.

Her eyes flashed a subtle shade of green, indicative of her lie. Void jerked his arm away, and set one foot outside the room.

"Lady, you can try scamming someone else. It's either I get an armour, or I leave. I am not selling you these bones."

Chiyoko's face turned wretched, she struggled to form words to reply, but eventually gave up.

"It's not that simple. The Vanguard's really particular about it. We can't just work for every other guardian. Only ones allowed were the factions, but now the city's clamping down on that too."

Void seemed unconvinced and unbothered, his eyes rolled as if to say, 'is that so?' He started walking away as she chased after him.

"Wait, stop. Ok just listen, we can work something out. Daito's the oldest one around, we can't just go around breaking rules. I got a reputation to uphold. I will do you a favor, you sell me half of those bones, and I will still pay 750,000."

Her voice quivered, she was practically drooling the moment she set eyes on the bones. Void understood her impatience, but he wasn't willing to part with them either. It wasn't everyday that you slaughtered an entire species.

"One last time so you get it through your skull. I want, an armor set."

"Listen, I am telling you, it's not that simple. There are rules."

Void sighed, "I will pay you the glimmer upfront."

"Ok."

He clicked his tongue and repeated, "Like I said, I am not selling yo-" Void furled his brows, certain that his hearing had somehow deceived him.

"What did you say?"

"I said ok."

Void wasn't exactly a stickler for regulations, but he found that switch quite suspicious to say the least.

"What happened to your rules?"

Chiyoko cleared her throat, red-faced as she averted her gaze.

"I mean, they're more like suggestions anyway."

"Uh-huh. Sounds like you're strapped for cash."

Void handed her the bag as he recounted all the features he wanted incorporated in his armour set. Being a one-time purchase, there were many things to add.

"That's a tall order, but there's one condition. I want 20% of the bones."

Void rolled his eyes as he reached for the bag.

"Ok, wait 10%, let's do 10%"

Fed up with her begging, he decided to agree, although Void did include his own twist on it.

"Not 10%, but 10 bones, no more, no less. But I want a discount, 40% off, and I will only pay half the glimmer up front. Otherwise no deal."

Chiyoko almost lost her breath as she listened to his cut-throat demands. There was a limit to haggling, and Void had jumped over the line.

"You.....Ok, fine"

She was quick to accept his demands, in her opinion, the bones were far more worth compared to losing out on some glimmer.

"Great, you can forward the account to my ghost. How much is the total anyway."

"Well, considering everything you've asked for, probably 1.2 million with the discount."

Void sucked in a cold breath, the prices were absolutely revolting. Without the discount he wouldn't even be able to make the first payment. He quickly sorted the financials and turned to leave. There wasn't much benefit in sticking around.

But just before he did, Void glanced back, audibly speaking to Chiyoko.

"I'll warn you only once, take more than ten and I will know. I am quite perceptive, and I promise, you will never see me coming."

His words left a chill down her spine, the moment he uttered them, Void disappeared, vanishing into the shadows.

He quickly made his way back to the hangar. Sneaking through the goons lined along the halls. Reaching his ship, Void travelled to SkyWatch.

The new plan? Naturally, to pickup some bounties. Now that he had lost 80% of his saved glimmer, Void could only go farm 600,000 more. Suffice to say he wasn't going to be enjoying this "vacation" for long.

He hastily added a few scouting mission to his ledger too. Quite frankly, Void tried adding all the bounties and missions he could, some would say he went a bit crazy in the mission room, others would call him a glimmer hungry goblin.

But of course everybody in SkyWatch had already gotten used to his antics. Without much to say, Void rushed out to the Cosmodrome, landing near the steppes.

Wide horizons, a myriad of mountains and jagged cliffs surrounded him. But the feeling of breathing fresh air on a mission was unparalleled.

"Feels like home."