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He opens the door to his door and walks in. Mister N had already fallen asleep. As per protocol, dinner is to be skipped if today's earnings weren't enough. What? It's not like he's not used to this life.
What wasn't normal however was that it's been a good 3 - 4 days since a client phoned in. Doing the odd chore didn't pay enough for the amount of labor he had to put in, and asking for money from his connects just doesn't sit right with him, partly due to 90% of his connections being either terrible people or just really absent.
When he opens the fridge, he sighs yet again. It was warm. Rent was due. Him and the landlord aren't even on speaking terms anymore, due to the excessive amount of begging he had to do. As any other person would, they would get tired of begging.
Alright. Fuck it.
He opens his phone and scrolls down the contact list. Anyone could do. He needs this money bad.
Boothill? Nope.
Rappa? Does she even have money? Half of the time she just does things out of her own volition.
Sparxie? Too risky. If it does pan out, getting swarmed by Sparxie fans is the last place where he wants to be.
Jade? Too business-minded. It's the dead of the night and doing labor now would not be worth it.
Himeko? Too far away. Picking up money miles away is too inconvenient.
Sigh. It's all bollocks anyways.
Being friends with crooks is starting to bite him in the arse now. And then his eye stumbles upon something, something he in hindsight would regret.
It was the number of Pearl, one of the members of the prestigious group known as the Ten Stonehearts. They've worked together several times when Pearl thinks it's inconvenient to get her hands dirty.
She's just about the kindest person he knows that doesn't live in the Astral Express and the richest person that if she donated half of her wealth to the folks on Ahatopia it would implode the planet's economy.
Yes. Okay. She's the one.
But then his finger hovered above the bright green call button. This is strange behavior. If it came to money he would usually never hesitate.
It felt wrong to exploit Pearl. Sure; rich and irresponsible folks are the majority in the demographics he hates pie chart, but Pearl felt absolutely different. She never gave back to people, yeah, but well, she's like really pretty.
What?
It's not everyday that someone as talented and intelligent and bold and so admirable but yet is pretty. You're really only supposed to be one and not the other, but wow, Pearl's special.
Blimey. This isn't a tad bit normal at all!
"Yeah, wait." He shakes his head, "That's not any good." He gives his head one more shake before finally tapping on the phone. Maybe the money can offset his.. well, unorthodox feelings for her.
It rang for a while until someone picked up at the end of the call. "..Ashveil?" Her voice as drowsy as it can get, she definitely just woke up. "What's the purpose of you calling this late?"
"Do Stonehearts always sleep this early?" He jokes, "I thought pretty Intellitrons were the exception?"
Wow. He gasped in awe at himself.
If that was an attempt to ease his chances of getting the money, then that's just miserable.
"Yes, we do." She replies not letting those words affect her, "But I know that's not the reason why you called me. Quit trying to use your handsome face and annoyingly immodest voice and tell me so I can go back to sleep." Her tone was just as pissed as a fit bird like her could get.
He chuckled, much to Pearl's dismay.
"5000 credits."
"…For what?"
"I dunno-" a noticable delay, "Dinner?" Yet another noticable one, "And if you want, you can be my special guest. Tomorrow 9 PM at-"
What a shite attempt that was, by the way. Sending a shot like that and you'd think Ashveil plays a ball game.
Ashveil could telepathically feel that Pearl was pinching her forehead in disgruntlement. What's the point of inviting someone for dinner if you're not going to pay?
"Okay. Fine. Only this time."
He punched the air in joy, it actually worked! "Great! Thank you!" Before he hangs up, he tries one last stunt, "And.. dinner?"
"…" Oh, could you believe it? That was just about the loudest silence he's ever heard.
"Sure. Alright. I'll choose since it's going to be my money anyways. You'll receive your money tomorrow."
She then hangs up abruptly. He couldn't care how abrupt that was, money was his! Yay!
"Ashveil. Wake up." Something tugs at his pants, "Ashveil. Wake up." He jolts awake at the request. He sees one Mister N with a strangely panicked face.
"Mate, you just lost me some good sleep. And I was having a good dream too." He shakes his head, "What's wrong?"
"What have you done?" The monkey gives a curious face, "What enemies did you make last night?"
What a strange question. It was kind of off-putting. "I don't recall making enemies in any recent nights."
"Strange; you might want to see what's behind the door then." He wakes up, stretches for a little while before walking to the door.
"Why? What's behind?"
"It's your wildest dreams. Something you always want."
Well, if it's Pearl behind that door, then that's going to be true. But most likely it's going to be a bag full of bundled up credits.
"I sincerely hope you're not making fun of me. I have a date with someone and if what you're trying to say is any kind of truth then she'd be behind that door."
The monkey's expression grew even more confused. "What does that even mean you homeless plonker?"
When he twists the handle he is suddenly overwhelmed by a large wave of blue objects, sinking among them as it all collapses on him. He wakes up like a diver in the ocean and takes a closed look. The whole floor of the building was filled with what seemed to be credits. There even was a note;
You wanted 5000 credits, so you ask and you shall receive. Sorry. I think my phone broke or something, so it's going to have to come like this. Regardless, your stupid late-night call had me feeling weak and I couldn't concentrate at all in a meeting this morning. Well, dinners still on, that is if you can clean up this mess in time however. Toodles. From: That pretty Intellitron.
Oh, what a petty woman Pearl was. This sign of affection really made him wonder if he really meant it when she said his voice annoyingly immodest. As in erotic or stingy? Whatever.
"Well. Let's clean up."
When Pearl did that the 0.7% pettiness in her emotion-controlling part took over everything in her body. Not a single ounce of regret was felt. That changed when he turned up at her place, hands extremely bruised from cleaning up the mess she made, but undoubtedly ready for their dinner date. That smug smile on Ashveil's face really did numbers on her perspective on him.