To Be Human: Volume One

Four

Location: City of Haven, Nightclub

Date: April 27th, 2037

Time: 21:40

   Hatsu and Riley watched the bartender talk with some albino boy.. "He's taking so long. I wanted another one of these." Hatsu said, holding up her empty margarita glass.

  "You and me both." Riley said, holding her own empty glass. "That weird looking kid must be involved with him somehow. They're ding something fishy."

  "You're just paranoid. Cheer up! Wouldn't kill you to have fun for once!"

   Riley was going to counter but noticed that Hatsu's attention had already landed on someone else. Down the bar was a lone boy with soft features and long blonde hair. He sat in a crop top and black skirt and was drinking a shirley temple. Hatsu had found a target.

   In what seemed an instant, she was sitting next to him and leaned in close. "Hey there, cutie." She said, giving him a wink and a finger gun. She wasn't able to stop the hiccup that came afterward. She was clearly drunk. She had come into the club drunk, and the margarita was keeping her up there. 

   For such a large woman, her lack of limbs meant she had much less biological structure and less blood than a normal person. Even though her cybernetics gave her the appearance of someone who could handle her liquor, she was in fact the opposite. A light weight did not even begin to describe how susceptible she was to alcohol.

  "Um, hi." The boy managed, his face a little red as his eyes darted away from her. He was clearly uncomfortable, unsure what to say. His shyness only made her more excited.

  "What brings you here, you got a name?" She asked.

  "I'm, Jasper." He managed, taking an uncomfortable sip from his drink and trying to look away to disassociate.

  "Aw, that's an adorable name, just like you! What do you say I buy you another drink?" She asked, leaning on the counter and looking over it. She had forgotten the bar tender was busy and was staring at just a bottle rack with a vacant floor. In her attempt to look cool, she failed.

  "Um.," The boy started.

   Hatsu sighed. "He's over there. I forgot. When he get's back then!" She said excitedly and leaned back in close. The boy was no taller than five foot six. He was a thin, frail looking boy with soft features and yellow eyes that matched his hair. Hatsu was fighting the urge to comment on how pretty they were but didn't want to sound creepy. "What are you doing here alone? Why don't you come back to my place with-"

   She was slapped on the back of her head and stopped mid sentence with a yelp. She tirned to see Riley standing behind her with an annoyed look.

  "Owww!" Hatsu complained, rubbing her head where it hurt. "What was that for?"

  "Stop scaring the poor boy, you're being really forward and aggressive."

  "I didn't mean to, he's just so cute!" She argued back. Riley slapped her upside the head again, but heard the boy speak up before she could scold her partner more.

  "Um, who are you guys?" He asked.

  "Sorry kid. This is-"

  "I'm Hatsu!" Hatsu interrupted. "And that's Riley, we're partners!" She said before feeling another slap on the back of her head. "What now?" She protested, turning back to Riley. Riley was being especially brutal with it, and she was not pleased.

  "Don't interrupt me." Riley scolded.

  "You guys are together? Then why are you flirting with me?" The boy asked meekly. They were both huge and scary looking. They looked like gangsters, one with robotic limbs and the other covered in piercings and tattered clothes, not dressed at all for the club, or any social event.