***

“A’ight, Good Avo, my Beauty mates!”

She was bound in a movie explorer costume, practically miniature on her. The cargo shorts stopped at her thighs, the explorer vest, despite being open to reveal a dark green sharing the same fate—was stretched across her bosom, the shirt in turn was ridding up so much it exposed her midriff. White, stripe less tube socks were dragged up to “compliment” her black boots. The fake hat was fixed on her chopper haired head by the kiddie strings tied under her chin.

But nothing was less authentic was the cheerful smile draped across her face. Eyes shut, grin wide as she waved away.

“We sure had a bloody sick time together! Learnin’ about creature of our ol’ Mother Earth! Defo happy day for all! Fair Dinkum!” All with an exaggerated accent, but it wasn’t as if the public knew.

She stood in the entrance funnel, a long but wide tunnel that simulates the various animal cries that they will be seeing that day, complete with terrain shifting apart of the narrative. Rainforest into deserts, jungles into tundras—until the outside.

The Zoo of Davenport prided itself on its “technorganic” approach. It was a lightly dusty field, the exhibits surrounded with sharp, tall ridges with mini biomes to suit each animal and creature. While trying to be as native as possible, the hang-ups with such a direction was covered with state-of-the-art technology, seamlessly integrated. The place was a sprawl, branching out and offering all sorts of experiences.

The sun was fading, leaving an orange hue across the terrain. Creating these long, thin shadows that cut through the solid color.

As the night daze settled within the air, A-J was finally was allowed to be herself.

And as always, be disgusted with herself.

“why,” she said under her breath, her natural accent now normal, despite knowing that she’s alone. “why have I done this to myself…?”

She forced the hat down her hair, letting the fingers comb through her hair, as she raised her head in disgust.

“‘Fair Dinkum’?!” she yelled not second later. She then moved her hands in a frenzy, making her hair wild.

But after that minor, contained freak out, another sighed emerged from her lips.

“You did think that this was an easy enough job…” she talked to herself. “And it is… But fuck me running, it’s wearing me down… But you know there’s a balance, A-J. You give, they take, you live.”

The young woman groaned, still. Rubbing the side of her neck as her eyes were closed.

“This is a side thing anyways. I just have to deal. I just have to deal.”

With a final roll of her head, A-J walked back into the main plaza, and ended up shaking her head—with a “‘Beauty mates’, really?!”

She put her hands into her small pockets, as she swanked across the plain. Working against the shorts that nearly-hugged at her full hips.

But her eyes were still closed. As she walked, she wobbled, strayed from the path at times, before uncannily centering herself again.

“Could be worse, A-J,” she continued to monologue with herself. “Way worse, and you know it… I will say that the idea of showing everything off to lowlifes is somehow more dignified than being forced to put on a get-up primarily for sex appeal and lying through the teeth about ‘company’ image…”

She strayed, moving to the left until she was faced with a fenced off garden/bench rest spot.

siVis crept up along the right side of her in a flash, causing her to effortlessly dodge away from the site, all without opening her eyes.

“But what kind of company would hire freaks like me…?” A-J mused with a smirk. “Definitely have skellies in the closet.”

She rolled her head again, before slumping a bit again. “I do wonder… I’m sure I’d figure out the deal. Maybe an ex-employee who gained it recently—needed me to fight them whenever they come back… Heh, it’d be funny if one of the members were one of those hidden motherfuckers that moved and shaped everything long ago… Simple job, compared to all that, gives them a taste of that power they’re addicted to…”

She walked up to the door, her siVis hardening her legs briefly to help with the full stop.

Patting herself down, all over her chest and hips, before grumbling and furrowing her brow. She was sure that she left the keys inside of the office.

“I’m getting just like them… Getting too used to siVis…”

She grabbed the handle.

As she moved, her hand and arm tugged in various ways, as siVis accented the motion. As if she was using her strength to pry open the door, but that wasn’t what was truly going on…

“No Shift protection anything, just because you wanted to create an air of freedom or some bollocks like that… When even a newly awakened newbie can figure out how to use it to jank a door open.”

As if she planned it, she opened the door, sort of lifting up the door a tad as she moved backwards.

Finally opening her blue eyes, she leaned into her office, toggling the light switch on the side.

There was nothing to it. Yellow paint job on the walls, white accents with everything else like doors, and frames.

Small table that barely has inches from the floor, a big black couch against the wall, a snack bar mini frdge in the corner of it. There was a desk that was against the wall where the door was, wrapped across the front of the room as tainted windows showed the plaza of the park and all of it’s glory.

She slammed the door, falling into the folded chair with her arms crossed.

“Either way… I don’t need the extra attention I can’t… Manage right now. Not when that bastard is all into this new world order that people are rushing into. It’d be a target on my back, all for him to stab…”

A-J sighed again, smearing her hand across her forehead. “Even thinking about possible ultra-violence is wiping me out…”

She rose up from the seat, making her way into the mini fridge, opening it and swiping a full bar of blue-green taffy-like material.

“You can’t rush this, A-J… You just can’t. Go with the motions, as you’re hanging on the driftwood. The moment you think you can take a wave, it’s the moment you die.”

The woman broke a segment off, looking down at it with a forlorn expression.

“A job’s a job, after all… And you’re still you.”

She lobbed that piece into her mouth, starting to chew as vapor started to drift out of her nose—building up into a light wisp.

She exhaled through her nose, causing the mist to shoot out. A-J walked back to her chair, arms crossed, eyes closed.

                                                                                                                  ***

“Holy shit, Jackson—you look like some rich lady’s kid that thinks they’re the second coming of Mozart.”

Jackie turned towards a Maddie, grinning, as she made her way over.

“…You’re getting creative with your insults—”

“Hey! I called you a second-hand Mozart, that’s like—still great!”

“Yeah, on name recognition: but if you knew what he was like—” Jackie said.

Jackie heard the infamous recreation of the man’s supposed laugh behind her, turning to see a River approaching.

“…Y’know, I never pegged you watching that movie—” Jackie was a tad surprised on her make-up covered face.

“Hey, I’d watch anything, as long as I get a reference out of it,” River quipped dryly.

“And yet you chewed me out over referencing that Star Trek thing—and man, I took in the fact that I am doing that, screw you guys, you’re tainting me—”

“Oh my god,” Aiko shouted as she made her way. “Are you people fighting again?”

All three just stared at what they were taking in. Only Maddie’s cackle broke the silence.

“Holy shit! Like—your mother definitely dressed your ass up, like fuck!”

“Yeah, don’t remind me…” Aiko shook her head, her bun bobbling.

“Guys, I didn’t sign up for all of you getting hot during this mission…” River faux-scoffed. “How am I gonna contrate while you all just decide to act out most of my unlisted folder--?”

“I love how you’re so meek and shit with anything else but your porn, Brooke—” Maddie comically sneered.

River shrugged, “The only honest part about myself is the fact that I’m a disgusting perv-gremlin, so there’s nothing to have angst about because I’ll have or harm no one—”

“That was 5.67 seconds there, Brooke,” Maddie patted her side. “A new world record in someone beating the shit outta themselves—”

“Is River denying herself of natural human want again…?” Tracy walked up in her heels, lightly rising her dress from the ground.

“And here’s Goodwin dressing like she’s stepping outta a limo—” Maddie gestured out towards her. “The fuck.”

“…I’m so jaded by you that I don’t know if you’re making fun or not,” Tracy squinted.

Maddie smirked. “Good~”

Tracy rolled her eyes, along with her head to the right. She saw River looking straight to the asphalt.

“River darling…” Tracy looked at her with sympathy. “You’re allowed to look at me…”

River shook her head, “I’ll only… I’ll only just make you disgusted. In fact, that’s just my secondary siVis ability—being able to shoot physical disgust into people around me—”

“Like the girl who can shoot those rubber rays from the Mall?” Aiko sounded innocent enough that one could make the case she didn’t get the sarcasm. “You think she’ll be there, Jackie? That would be baaaaad, that’s a whole enclosed place she can trap everyone in…”

Jackie cupped her chin, raking her thumb softly under her lips. “It’s a possibility. Everything is. That’s what makes this whole thing hard…”

“B-but there is a plan, right…?” Tracy questioned, sounding worried. “Hopefully a really good one, so that we don’t ruin all of these lovely clothes we’re wearing! Hahahahaha--!”

“you really just said, ‘Hahahahaha’—” Maddie questioned her.

“That’s the thing…” Jackie began. She could briefly hear the small reactions, but decided to push through. “We don’t know anything. What could go down. Who’s going to show up. Nothing… And acting like we would, creating a scenario where surely, THIS is going to happen… That’s just not gonna work. What we have to do, is to just wait and be ready for a reaction.”

“A-and how can we do this…?” Tracy asked.

Jackie lifted up her phone. “There’s a stupid function that got thankfully phased out with Aether devices…There’s a flash option, when you get a message. Whenever your phone flickers with light, lift it up like this, scan around to see where each of us are, and read the message I send you all. When we act on it, we group up regardless of everything, and get far away as possible from the main chaos.”

Tracy paused, and then nodded, “Okay…”

“After that? It’s a forward V-formation into the fray. We can separate, and as soon as we do, we have to call each other and stay on the line. That way, we’ll meet right back. We keep doing this, and we’ll see what gotta be done when we get there.”

“Pretty simple,” Maddie crossed her arms. “I’m down.”

“It’s sad that we never got to practice or anything…” Jackie said, rubbing the back of her neck. “That’s the worst bit… I think that’s going to be problem #1, trying to keep this going as insanity breaks everything else down.”

“You said it,” River, still looking down at the street. “We’ll get there when we’ll get there. We just have to keep the structure.”

“Okay… Okay!” Tracy sounded excited. “I have faith in that! That sounds pretty good! Maybe this won’t be a dumpster fire after all!”

“Remember, we’ll get there when we’ll get there…” Aiko forewarned.

“Yeah,” Jackie nodded. “No expectations. No egos… It fucked us before and it’ll continue to do so if we let it. Even-headed wins the day.”

Tracy nodded in agreement. “O-of course, of course…” Her face shifted a bit, laced with worry. “Uh… How are we getting there, by the way…?”

“Okay, so, that’s going to be the reckless thing—” Jackie tried to muffle her nervous laughter.

“Fuck man—” Maddie looked at her. “Be careful with throwing your other shoe at people you’re trying to help.”

“See, you’re getting creative and I’m getting more calm!” Jackie joked. “We’re slowly changing our ways!”

“T-the reckless thing…?” Tracy asked, firmly, to keep the conversation from going.

“…We use the Terminsys residue to teleport to the Grounder—” Jackie said in a rush.

“You mean the parts where reality’s still fucked up that we personally avoided getting here, Jackson--?” Maddie said wide eyed. “Are you fucking high--?!”

“It’s a gamble!” Jackie rose her hands in defense. “And it’s a gamble that even if we draw sort, we can reroll again!”

“… Do we have to go PSA on you on the dangers of thinking that way with gambling--?” River quipped.

“I’d say let’s go for it--!” Aiko chirped.

“Look, look, look, look, girls,” Jackie waved her hands. “If we end up at the wrong place, then we just back up into it and we’ll end up here oooor we teleport again!”

“I---” Maddie just sighed. “Whatever… Shit’s not on until a few hours. We’ll get our usual dumb shit outta the way in this case.”

“… That is true…” Tracy put a hand on her cheek.

“I’m just going with what you guys want,” River said, staring away from everyone.

“In that case, it’s settled~” Jackie smiled. “Let’s go, girls.”

Jackie walked forward, and as she glanced from right to left, everyone followed.

They walked down the empty streets of the Allies District, walking towards the visible cracks within the air, that lead into further cracks on the street, sidewalks, and lawns.

She wanted to say something else, to assure everyone the last time. But she already said what she said, and on what could be a great line for the team.

Steadily, they walked into the broken area, and was spirited away.

Each of them landing, on a dusty yet firm ground in the night air.

Maddie looked around. “Well, we’re at the Zoo. Thanks Jackson—”

“How far are we…?” Jackie asked.

“…” Maddie paused, thinking. “…Actually. We’re not that far off.”

Jackie made a giddy expression.

“So we got a good place on the first try--?!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Maddie waved her hand. “Still did a stupid thing, but we’re actually rewarded for once, so I guess that’s a win. Especially in your book.”

“I agree with the first bit, at least.”

The duo instantly turned on their heels, seeing the others with their arms raised. They too did the same, and looked forward.

“What the hell are you doing here?” A-J questioned, the girls taking in her rather questionable attire.

“We’re cool, we just—y’know, we just got stuck in a place and we were trying to sneak out to hide the little dignity we had left,” Maddie lied through her teeth effortlessly.

“Don’t bullshit me—” A-J said, sternly. “This isn’t about me getting mad because you stole shit or something. You’re in danger right now.”

“We’re siVis users, we can handle it—!” Aiko ignored the violent waving of arms by her friends as they all respectively sighed out in frustration.

“Yeah, same, and we’re still fucked!” A-J shouted. “But I can still get you out, you just have to be truthful with--!”

Jackie saw something out of the corner of her sight, and instantly looked down.

She wished she hadn’t.

A clear green sludge began to flush across the ground, getting under their shoes.

“IT’S FUCKING NULGARRT GOOP--!” Tracy shrieked with true fear.

“Not a-fucking-gain—” Maddie said, in honest disbelief. “Not a-fucking-gain—I nearly died last fucking time--!”

Their screams were cut short, by the cry of whatever could be that awaited them.