Friend

You know, there's something funny about getting hit. Only three people have ever managed to land a clean shot on me. First was that plant nerd from middle school. Then there was Ten, Ms. Heavenly General herself, with that bamboo pole strike that knocked me out cold. Both those hits stung like hell. But this? This slap from Tactical Girl? It's worse somehow. Can't explain why, but it felt like getting punched in the gut while falling down the stairs.

Speaking of which-

"What the actual fuck?" I rubbed my stinging cheek. "I just saved your ass from that creep!"

"That's exactly it!" She stomped her foot, face flushed. "For one moment I felt happy someone would just jump in like that! Then you had to go and ruin everything by being a complete jerk about money!"

"Hold up. You're the one who crashed into me and started this whole mess. If anyone should be pissed, its me! My penguin's covered in 'curry sauce,' I've been chasing it across rooftops, and now I get slapped!"

"That's not-" Her retort died as she caught movement from the corner of her eye. The shop vendor was attempting to slink away.

"Mr. Pei?"

The vendor froze, sweat beading on his forehead. "Qing Qing! What a delightful surprise! You look absolutely radiant today. Have you done something with your hair?"

"Save it." Qing Qing's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't happen to be selling fakes again, would you?"

"Me? Never! I would never dream of-"

A squeaky sound cut through his protests. We all turned to see Peng, who had somehow gotten 'curry sauce' all over the chalice. As it tried wiping it clean with its flipper, bronze paint peeled away to reveal cheap glass underneath.

"I can explain!"

"How about this then? Hand over the chalice and this girl's companion there, and I might forget to mention your latest scam in my report."

The vendor opened his mouth to argue, but I cracked my knuckles and gave him my best glare, the one that earned me the nickname "Demon Hag" back in school. His face went pale.

"Take them! Take them both! Just please don't report me to the Corps!"

"I'm glad we could reach a compromise!" Qing Qing's smile lit up her face as she scooped up the chalice with Peng still nestled inside. 

Tactical girl then handed them both over to me. Peng's vacant eyes somehow managed to convey pure joy as it flopped into my arms, leaving 'curry'-colored smears all over my jacket.

"Listen, about earlier… I really meant what I said. When you jumped in like that, it... well, no one's ever done something like that for me before."

My throat closed up. Damn it, why did she have to get all sincere? "I- uh- yeah. Sorry too. About the money thing."

I bet Inorin would've been rolling on the floor laughing at me right now. Look at my tough little niece turning into a stammering mess!

"I'm Qing Qing." She extended her hand with a warm smile. "Let's be friends?"

My mind raced. Friends? With this cheerful, put-together tactical girl? She'd probably take one look at my actual personality and run screaming. Or worse, pity me. And what if she expected to me hang out with her? The kind of thing that always leads to the accursed 'girls' night'.

"Kuroha," I mumbled, awkwardly keeping my hands to my sides. "But uh, maybe we skip the handshake. I kind of... fell in a dumpster earlier."

"Oh! Well then, why don't you come over to my place? You can get cleaned up there."

Did she just-? No way. This had to be some kind of joke. Right? Right???

"Your place?" I squeaked.

"Yeah! It's not far from here." Qing Qing gestured vaguely upward, toward the higher tiers of the city.

I fidgeted with Peng's flipper, trying to process this surreal situation. Back in school, the closest thing I got to hanging out was Inorin dragging me to convenience stores at 3am for snack runs. And now some stranger I just met was casually offering her shower?

AND she was cute?

Like, really cute?

"I- uh- it's fine, really. The 'curry' will probably come out by itself..."

"Nope, I insist." She planted her hands on her hips. "Consider it thanks for earlier. Though I suppose we could make a trade. One shower access pass for the souvenir?"

"Ugh, about that... it kind of broke during the chase. I was bluffing to get Peng back."

I braced for anger, maybe another slap. Instead, Qing Qing burst out laughing.

"Well, I figured. Least I got something better - a friend!"

I could only stare at her.

Qing Qing then grabbed my wrist, pulling me along. "Now, come on!"

***

Hot water cascaded down as I scrubbed 'curry sauce' from Peng's feathers. The penguin lounged on my lap, eyes half-closed.

"Peng~"

"Yeah yeah, enjoy it while it lasts." I worked the soap into its feathers, mind drifting to Qing Qing waiting outside.

Friend. The last time I had anything close to a friend was before middle school. Before the plant girl incident. Before-

"Peng?"

What if Qing Qing found out about my past? About the fights? The expulsions? Would she still want to be friends with me? With her fancy tactical gear and her nice apartment, she seems like the type to only hang out with normal, well-adjusted friends who didn't fall into dumpsters or punch people or-

SLAP

"Ow!" I jerked back as Peng's flipper connected with my cheek.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." I rubbed my face. "Stop overthinking."

Peng settled back into my lap with a satisfied "peng." The steam swirled around us, warm and thick enough to blur the edges of my spiraling thoughts.

***

After drying off and changing into the clothes Qing Qing had lent me, I wandered into the main room with Peng tucked under my arm. Qing Qing's place was... different. Not fancy exactly, but organized, with pillows scattered on her couch, pressed flowers in frames, a half-finished cup of tea on a low table.

It felt lived in. Like someone's actual home, not just a place to crash between shifts for Super Eats.

"Qing Qing? Where should I put these wet towels?"

No answer came. Just the soft patter of water dripping from my hair onto borrowed clothes.

"Great. First friend in forever and she's already ditched me." I dumped the towels in what looked like a laundry basket and trudged toward the balcony. 

The entire city sprawled below us, carved into the walls of a massive ravine that stretched up forever. Buildings and bridges clung to the walls like bird nests. The setting sun painted everything in deep orange and purple, glinting off metal and stone until the whole place glowed.

"This is..." I breathed, leaning against the railing. Back home, the best view I ever had was from the roof of my apartment building, watching neon signs flicker to life as darkness fell. But this? This was something else entirely.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

I whirled around to find Qing Qing sprinting up the stairs, plastic bags swinging from both hands.

"Where'd you disappear to?"

"Sorry! Didn't think you'd finish so fast. Had to run an errand before sunset."

"What happens after sunset?"

"Oh, you're not from here, are you?"

"How did you-"

"Everyone who's lived here knows that happens after sunset." A playful smirk spread across her face.

I opened my mouth to ask what the hell she meant by that when the ground beneath us started to shake.

What the-

"Welcome to Longfeng City!"