Chapter 283: A Bar Filled Conversation
Chapter 283: A Bar Filled Conversation
Jade thought to herself, they did a great info dump for me, so a lot of it is weird now that I recall. Even Ash had some type of watch that let her teleport, but she was more secretive about it.
Rosa stated as they walked down the hall, "I'm sure that's related to the fact you were still an unknown even to her, so she was being cautious."
"I suppose," Jade replied as they came along a series of doors, a far stretch down from where the rooms were. As Rosa nonchalantly pushed the door open, there were some bracelets with a blue gem at the center.
"Almost like what Ash was wearing," Jade thought to herself. Rosa, putting it on, remarked, "It's a bit bulky but it works getting to and from here."
As Jade put her own bracelet on, she asked, "So how do we even decide where we go? The crosses we use, those are somewhat predetermined, right?"
Rosa snapped her fingers and explained, "These are pretty much just like that, but you use a GPS-coordinated location that falls within the machine's range to teleport. Though, it only allows certain waypoints; otherwise, you could accidentally teleport into someone's house."
Jade nodded, understanding the concept, as Rosa spent the next ten minutes demonstrating how to use the watch's touchscreen feature and how to sync it up with her energy waypoint.
After the discussion, Jade remarked in awe, "Wow, so someone who can't use their energy shouldn't be able to use this, right?"
Rosa shook her head and clarified, "Well, usually no, unless someone channels the energy through the watch and them. Then, yes, but just for that one instance." As Rosa tapped the side of the watch, she announced, "See you in a few seconds," before she dematerialized from Jade's view.
Jade sighed as she looked at the watch's screen, which was beeping with a location near New York. She hit the button on it, initiating teleportation. Her vision went black for a few seconds before she felt herself being reconstructed seconds later in a standard-looking room, except it was bare of anything, with a single door leading out.
Rosa stretched and stated, "Let's get some drinks and wind down, my body is aching!"
Jade nodded, a bit confused by the surroundings. As they walked out, a sudden surge of fear ran through her. She rushed after Rosa, the snow outside lightly falling, and grabbed her sleeve. "What about your ears and fur?!" she blurted out.
Jade, not realizing how loud she had gotten, had caught the attention of a few passersby. They looked over, whispering under their breath.
Jade watched in awe as Rosa yanked her sleeve free and pulled her hood down, revealing hair of darkened red and ears as fluffy as ever. Before Jade could voice her confusion, Rosa explained, "Told you before, humans can't even perceive the energy inside of themselves while it is locked away, much less physically see it. So, I simply mask it with my own energy, and they can't see them."
"Ah, I guess that makes sense. I had forgotten that bit, sorry," Jade replied, feeling a little sheepish.
Rosa waved off the apology with a brisk, "Don't worry about it," just as their watches chimed together, indicating it was 9:00 PM.
With a cheerful grin spreading across her face, Rosa suggested, "Come on, let's go get some drinks and relax for a bit. Maybe dance and find some cute boys to dance with also." Her energy seemed to light up the evening even more than the neon glow of the city around them.
Top of Form
"Yeah, I'm cool with a glass of wine, no dancing though," Jade affirmed.
Without missing a beat, Rosa grabbed her hand, leading her to a charming bar where retro jazz music filled the air, mingling with the sounds of lively chatter and clinking glasses, the patrons absorbed in their own worlds.
At the bar, a bartender approached them with an easy smile. "I'm Jace. What can I get you two started with tonight?" he asked.
Rosa ordered, "I'll take a Mimosa with strawberries, and my friend will get a Margarita, lightened."
Jade, interjecting quickly, said, "I told you I just wanted wine. Ugh, but a Margarita does sound nice, so I can't complain too much."
Jace returned with their drinks, and after about ten minutes of sipping and conversation, Jade grew curious. Leaning in, she asked Rosa, "So, what was your childhood like, and how did you even come to be in a place like this?"
Rosa, with her third Mimosa in hand, began her tale. "Well, it's nothing out of the ordinary. I had both my parents who worked full-time jobs up in Arkansas, and everything was perfectly normal until I was 16."
A somber shadow passed over her face as she continued, "I went to the bank with my family, and it ended up getting shot up by some bank robbers. After seeing one of my friends get shot, I kind of snapped. I had grabbed a broken shard of glass from a window or something and charged at one of the robbers, placing it in his neck."
She paused, her expression turning distant. "After getting hit in the head by another robber, I blacked out and woke up in a hospital. There was an agent from an organization speaking with my parents. They worked out a deal to cover all of my hospital bills, and in return, I would attend their training program."
Rosa gave a wry chuckle, the memory seemingly distant yet vivid in her mind. "One thing led to the next, and I've been here ever since," she finished, setting down the empty glass of her third Mimosa.
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Jade, caught up in the story, leaned in closer and asked, "Oh wow, how did your parents handle the news about you being 'killed'?" The air hung heavy with the weight of the question, the lively sounds of the bar fading into the background.
Rosa raised an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement crossing her face. "Killed? They think I'm some fancy Account Executive for an undisclosed client. Why would they think I was killed?"
Jade, her confusion apparent, replied, "Huh, I could have sworn Master Ash said they were going to tell my parents that I died."