大作

The place wasn’t packed or empty. Like something out of a forgotten era, it was full in the way a smaller establishment would be. Due to its size to account for the normally high amount of patronage, many seats were still left empty, even though the place still had a pleasantly medium buzz of conversation to it, one where no table could make out the words of any other and yet no sensitive ears would be harmed under the light chatter.

Katie convinced Nate to fill out a kid’s menu with her while Frankie listened to everyone’s conversation, trying not to feel too nervous around Miyano. It was easier, when Arrow was here. He brought something out of her that felt less like the depressed director she knew and once parasocially loved, and more like any other imperfect person she’d met on her impromptu trip across the globe.

“I went here with Arrow, when we met.” Tara was explaining. “He filled my belly with chicken to calm me down… and you know what, it kinda worked.”

“Don’t suppose I’ve given you an unhealthy propensity for trusting old men on the streets, have I?” Joseph played with his food. 

“You gave me robot claws for hands, what would be the harm?”

“If you don’t mind me speculating, sir-“ Genkei cleared his throat. “You were behind the merchandised trickery market here in Rogue, weren’t you?”

“…Right.” Admitted the inventor. “Don’t hold it against me, I had no idea what it’d become. I didn’t ask to be credited anyway.”

“It was the company’s fault for using it the way they did. Marketing that stuff to kids.” Tala leered at the animator at the table, eyeing her like an animal.

“You’re a kid too, don’t forget that. Wish you’d stop bringing it up… I don’t feel great about it either, but… if it funds my magnum opus one day, I’ll gladly sell whatever I have to sell to get ahead.”

“You… haven’t made your opus already, then?” Frankie jumped in. She already knew the answer.

“No. And sometimes… well, I worry I never will.”

“You’re not proud of Die Rangers or anything you’ve made in all your time. Just how long have you been working now?”

“More than a real human should…” she sipped a beer, watching her reflection on the well-kept shiny wooden table. “I’m no Kidney… but with science, I’ve already extended my body’s time on this Earth just in the hope it’ll be enough to complete what I wanna complete.”

“You think you will complete it? A dream that big?” Frankie asked, this time with honesty. She earnestly… truly wanted to know, if not for Miyano’s sake.

“How can I know until I complete it…?” Hiromaki-San proverbially murdered-ended the entire conversation tree, putting a bullet in its brain deep within a dark alleyway nobody’d think to look in. The table was more or less silent for a minute spare the children playing with their coloring sheet that the far inside end.

“…I can’t thank you enough for everything, Joseph.” Tara spoke up again. “I never blamed you for how this place became… and even if I thought you’d never come back, I always held out hope you would. Thank you. Thank you so much for lifting me back up when I couldn’t figure out what I was supposed to do.”

Arrow snorted.

“Don’t go getting sentimental on me, I’m no good with people…”

“Did you really retire? Why come back?”

“Actually… it’s more like… I was fired.”

Katie and Nate glanced up from their worksheet. 

Dr. Joseph Arrow then began to explain to everyone the setting sun that was looming atop the table, unbeknownst to all but him.