That evening, the slow rumble of Oda echoed off the concrete and steel of the parking garage she’d driven around the block to find. It wasn’t a cheap place to park, but it was well lit, promised to have cameras, and wasn’t too far from the restaurant she had planned her dinner with Janey, Tyson, and… Rex.

The motorcycle cut to silence, and the sound of the city pervaded her senses again. She could hear the breeze off the ocean and echoes and drips in the parking garage as she pulled off her full helmet - all black and shining - and locked it to the bike’s seat. 

Erin ended up parking at one of the more expensive parking garages in this part of town, and the best open spot she found was a little far from the nearest stairwell. Long, flat slates of brushed steel bolted between the concrete of the railing and the floor above. 

Erin wondered if they were supposed to block weather, or  to prevent someone from casually falling. They certainly didn’t do anything but amplify and echo sound throughout the garage, and there were gaps large enough for someone to squeeze through if they needed. 

Erin pulled her phone out to text her mom that she loved her and would see her tomorrow. Seeing her mom on Saturdays was normal, but the ‘Love you’ at the end was not their usual style of communicating. Erin just didn’t want to miss the opportunity to do it one last time.

Last affairs done, she brushed her bike with one hand as she walked away and shoved the phone into one pocket of her leather jacket. 

The restaurant of this not-a-double-date was in a small, high-rise building on the south side of the town, a nice part, but not far from where town gets rougher. Twenty stories up, enough to see a good portion of the city skyline and the ocean in the distance. 

Erin saw the evening’s companions as she approached from a couple blocks away, standing before the building’s bright lobby entrance. 

Janey smiled broadly and called to her, as if Erin couldn’t spot the three people, all well over six feet or taller and casually good-looking enough to star in movies. She felt short, but only envious of Janey, who hadn’t picked how she looked before coming into this world.

Janey walked up to meet her, saying, “Hey, Erin! You look great!”

Erin took stock to recall what Janey was seeing. She’d gone home and taken a shower, put on a whole thirty minutes of makeup and then found a blouse that she vaguely remembered buying under the insistence of her mother: a shimmering dark silver that worked well with the black dress pants.

“Thanks. You look absolutely gorgeous. I definitely feel underdressed.” Erin’s heart beat a little hard for reasons not entirely related to her fears. Janey’s blue, asymmetric dress draped across her, fun and functional yet casually sexy. She had a purse over one shoulder that complimented the bracelet still on her wrist.

Janey shook her head, her unbearably giddy nature warring with nervousness, and whispered between them, “No, no, you are fine. I just can’t help but want to look my best for Tyson, you know?” Erin did not. “Come on. Was the ride over too bad?”

Erin shook her head, more at Janey’s co-dependence than as an answer to her question. “No, it was easy. I hope my hair isn’t too ruffled from the ride over.” Erin didn’t care much if it did, she was just delaying getting to Rex and Tyson. This wasn’t supposed to be a date. Supposedly. But it was easier to create small talk in the same vein rather than let her teeth chatter to the beat of her heart.

Janey shook her head as they approached the men. “No, no, it looks fantastic actually, I wish I could get my hair to do that.”

“-a computer programmer, really?” The boys had been talking and the breeze died down enough for Rex’s voice to carry to them.

Erin’s smile broadened, while Janey’s became tight. Small satisfaction, but Erin was happy to hear Rex wasn't happy with her career. Her former doubts washed away in a moment.

Erin saw Tyson say something quietly under his breath as the girls made it the last few steps. They were both handsome, Erin supposed, in button-up shirts, slacks and nice belts and shoes. Rex had a pair of expensive sunglasses tucked into the V of his button-up shirt. Erin didn’t care much for men’s styles, they all looked the same to her, but it was safe to say they looked nice enough. Janey was definitely the most well dressed, but Erin felt about on par with the men.

Tyson stepped forward and said, “Erin, it’s good to see you again. Thanks for coming out.” He stepped aside to do the generic greeting pose, hands gesturing between the two strangers, displaying Rex to Erin and vice versa. “Erin Razor, this is Rex Magnum. Rex, Erin.”

Erin offered her hand and said, cordially, “It's a pleasure to meet you.”

Rex took it. Erin started to shake his hand, having adjusted her grip and shake much more firmly to account for how she expected Rex’s grip to be.

Rex hadn't planned on shaking her hand.

What resulted was an awkward motion as he pulled her hand up to kiss it and she bobbed their hands up and down instead. 

Erin could see Tyson and Janey shift in suppressed humor. Rex’s smile didn't reach his eyes. She tried to pull her hand free, but Erin felt the edges of his inhuman strength as he slowly pulled her hand to his mouth for a light kiss. 

His pale fingers around her hand hurt. Erin didn’t want to make the scene anymore awkward though, so she clenched her teeth and kept her smile even. Rex offered, “The pleasure is mine.” Her whole arm buzzed with Plot static, though she couldn’t tell it was the Plot or Rex’s grip that ended up moving her hand to his lips.

His voice was supposed to be smooth and charming and everything a two-dimensional caricature of a paramore would want, but it just scratched at the edges of what Erin perceived of reality. No one, and nothing, sounded like that. Not in real life. And Erin’s hand continued to hurt and buzz with Plot for a few moments after he let go. 

“So,” Janey interjected, awkwardly breaking the not-moment, “we probably ought to head up there if we want to eat before eight.”

The doorman asked if they were going to the restaurant level and they all nodded. Erin could see in his eyes the mechanical glaze of a temporary Puppet, but the Protagonists - as always - ignored it. 

As the guard called the elevator down, Erin asked, “So what does this restaurant specialize in? I didn’t check the menu.” Erin didn’t feel the Plot seize her yet, and she felt emboldened. She was hoping to enjoy a meal, if not one-third of the company at her table. She might as well be herself, and driving the conversation to harmless topics was something she often did in social situations. Poorly corroborated firsthand accounts and rumors online said that the longer a person acted like themselves around Protagonists, the more similar their personalities remained the same upon becoming a Pawn. Unless they did a heel-face turn into villainy. 

Tyson said, “A good mix of things. In spite of the place being in a high-rise, it isn’t so fancy or auteur to only serve niche things. They have a slight Roman focus, with your usual smattering of steaks, salads and a catch-of-the-day special. Nothing too fancy, but the food is good.” Erin sensed that Tyson was trying to be diplomatic.

Rex joked, “Good thing. I didn’t want to jump into a suit for a casual dinner. I am surprised you aren’t both coordinated, though. In my experience, lady friends always coordinate outfits.”

She lazily answered, “Rather hard to ride a motorcycle in a dress.”

No buzz for being sarcastic. It was almost like she was on a normal double not-date. A normal, terrible double not-date that Erin would have never done under any circumstances if she had a choice... but all the same, it was normal.

Rex sounded a little impressed at that, asking, “You ride a bike? Where’s it from, what kind?”

They stepped into the mirrored elevator, turning to the elevator door, as is the tradition. She was hoping the doors to the elevator wouldn’t be a mirror. 

They were.So the four of them stared at each other in the mirrors as she answered, “I ride a Shōzō Sport.”

“Mmm, Japanese,” the tall Rex interrupted, “I’m a North American States only kind of person. If people can’t hear and feel me from a block away, it's all wrong.”

Erin shrugged. She didn’t care what the guy thought of her bike and took a perverse joy in his disapproval. Why would he even care what country her bike was from? He wasn’t born in this world, by all understanding of Protagonists. She supposed he was playing some sort of All-American Boy archetype, but whatever.

Tyson and Janey traded distinctly awkward glances out of Rex’s eyesight. Erin still wasn’t being Puppeted, but she wouldn’t forget the Plot’s warning downstairs and would refrain from commenting on the bait.

Janey, of all people, piped up, “You know, I heard on the news that when Modulus appeared up last night, his Mini-bots had trouble controlling foreign vehicles because he didn’t account for their programming differences.”

Erin watched as Tyson shifted uncomfortably and Rex shrugged, dismissive. “Hmm. Good thing that new hero showed up or we might not be able to eat out tonight.”

The elevator door opened and they were greeted by a maître de, dressed in a formal uniform of ironed slacks and pressed collars. Erin was thankful it wasn’t tuxedos.

Erin found herself, with some intentional placement, sitting across from Rex Magnum at the square table. She didn’t want to be any closer than she had to be.The awkwardness of the situation was replaced with the less uncomfortable simplicities of sitting at a table and being served a drink. Either the waiter was incredibly disinterested in who they were, or he’d been Puppeted long before Erin and the others had arrived.

They all got a little more comfortable; the menu had as wide a selection as Tyson implied. “What are you getting?”Janey asked Tyson

Tyson ‘hmm’ed, . “Not sure yet, love. How about you?” Rex was staring at the menu dubiously. Tyson gestured, “Seriously, the food and drink are good here.” Something about the way Tyson said ‘here’ seemed to imply he was talking about more than just at the restaurant.

Erin steeled herself not to react as the Protagonists referenced their… intrusion into the world directly. It was highly irregular for this to happen in front of backdrop, except among the worst Protagonists.Tyson was one of those few heroes that hadn’t been caught doing it even in private, according to the online records. Tyson appeared strained as well. Maybe he really didn’t like breaking the fourth wall regarding the Plot and the world they came from, whatever it was.

Erin sat very still, staring blankly at the menu, not daring to react at the slip.

Rex laughed once. “Yeah, uh-huh. Then I know I will be having the best steak they have then. Might as well live it up proper.”

Erin swallowed as Tyson turned to her and she answered, without looking back, “Not often I go out somewhere with good fish... What have you guys had here before?”

“Well, we-” “Oh, I-”

Tyson and Janey interrupted each other. They stared across at one another, starting at the same time again, “Oh, Sorry-” “Go ahead-”

They both laughed at each other. Erin smiled herself. They were so earnest, it was hard to ignore a good comedy bit performed by candid actors. It didn’t look scripted by the Plot, either. Rex was obviously unimpressed. Erin felt guilty, as if she had forgotten that Janey was the dead shell of her old friend… but she either had to disassociate from the weirdness or look as uncomfortable as she felt. 

Finally, Tyson motioned to Janey, who said, still grinning, “I’ve had the lamb pilaf myself, which was… okay.”

Tyson smiled himself.“And I ordered the chowder, which was fine.”

Rex seemed as confused as Erin felt, but he asked first, “Didn’t you say this place was good?”

Tyson smiled, though a little self-conscious. “We swapped. The lamb pilaf was perfect. I enjoyed every bite.”

Janey smile widened herself. “And the chef must be from up north, because the clam chowder was exactly the way my grandmother made when I was a kid. Perfect.”

“You two are something else. No wonder you needed to corner new people to eat out with,” Erin said, shaking her head.

Erin said it light-hearted, intending it as a joke, but Rex guffawed, practically booming, “No shit. You two are too much.” His tone was mean, not fun, which made Janey wilt some and Erin wince. She was more surprised with how annoyed Tyson seemed to be with Rex.

“Not so loud, Rex. Other people are eating here.” Tyson did it again, that oblique reference, and Erin had to keep herself from wincing again. Not that she disagreed, but Tyson was arguing with Rex out of character. Would the Plot take control of her if she showed any outward signs? 

Rex scoffed and rolled his eyes, but said nothing more, as if he could care less if the rest of the world could hear him. 

The table was quiet for a few moments. Erin felt the tension rise, and leaned into pretending the world wasn’t broken. She asked, quietly, “So, how’s your family doing, Janey? Dad still doing well?”

Janey appeared exceedingly grateful at the change in topic, and gladly took the lead. “Oh, they’ve been fairly good, overall. My dad-” she paused, glancing at Rex, “he works an accounting firm up in Massachusetts- he’s been getting to the point where he is about to retire, so he can better support Mom, who’s been setting up for another traveling art gallery.”

“Art?” Rex didn’t quite keep the disdain from his voice.

“Yeah, she was a bit of a hooligan when she was younger, and does street art, or sponsors other young artists more, these days. You’ve probably seen her stuff, even if you don’t know who did it.” Janey ignored Rex’s tone. “Anyway, they were both super busy, but it was good to catch up. My brother was doing well too.”

Janey left it at that. Erin knew Janette hadn’t gotten along with her brother. Maybe Janey was the same.

Erin had met Janette’s parents a couple times, when her art was coming through town on a gallery show. They were nice people. Hopefully, they were actually doing okay. It must be tough. They must be dreading meeting Tyson.

The waiter came back with their drinks. Erin stuck to iced tea. Janey and Tyson got a bottle of wine to share, and Rex ordered a beer. The waiter left to give them more time, as Janey wanted to look over the menu a little longer.

Rex was drinking his mug of beer like he had been lost in the desert for three days, as Tyson asked, “So what about your family, Erin?”

Fuck, the conversation was on her now.