Juniper and Emery sat inside a small, underpopulated diner–The kind that leaned heavily into the retro futuristic aspect. Complete with the overemphasis of drowning the customer with neon, and cheaply fabricated hologram displays. Machine waiters patrolled the dining space, from the front end to the back of the kitchen, one human coordinator was working in the back, and by the looks of it, he wasn’t in charge around here.

  A massive sign was glowing overhead, “A Taste Of The Future.” It was oversaturated with brightness, and light. If she was in a distressing mood, she’d blow it up herself.

  If this is the future, I hope they ban neon from human eyesight. It’s jarring.

  A mutual agreement between her and her little assistant was that Sys-chan would ‘hibernate’ for the majority of the day, so Juniper could get a little mental clarity. She hoped it would last.

  The place was recommended by Emery, Juniper would have preferred a more secluded spot, but at least there weren’t many people present. She was skeptical at first, but gave in, Emery had a tight window, and she couldn’t be everywhere at once. This was just a convenient spot.

  “This place is kinda weird about portion sizes. Some guy once ordered a large and got a tray bigger than his torso.” So I think it’s good value wise at least.

  “I’m sure you’re exaggerating, no establishment would willingly dip out free meals for the hell of it.” Juniper jested. “But… talking, that’s why we’re here, right?”

  Juniper observed the human coordinator moving in the back, he was calibrating the machines directly on their backs. A little touchpad resided there on its rear end. She assumed he was redirecting them. The machine waiters weren’t state of the art or advanced robotics, their torso was fairly humanoid bar, their lower half, which was monowheel clamped with what she assumed was hydraulics and pistons. They seem to zoom around the store, she wondered how many in-building accidents they may have caused, call it an off-road crash.

  Juniper shook her head, tuning out the armada of machines, and turned her attention to Emery.

  She looked very tomboyish today, well-put together, casual, wearing something unexpectedly refreshing for Juniper’s eyes. Plaid shirt, loose shorts, mismatch socks she was sure were by accident and black sneakers. Her glasses, and short black hair however looked cute on her, really cute for Juniper’s taste.

  Nope. Don’t even think, or start this way, Juniper. Just no.

  “Sooo~Are we doing this mute?” Emery asked, dragging her out of her haze.

  “What?” Juniper asked.

  “The speaking thing, you’ve been as–close–to–quiet–as–possible, since we sat down.” Emery said, disappointment crossing her face.

  Oh, sorry, I got…distracted,” Juniper lowered her head and looked up at her friend. “I guess, I just need to someone to talk to one-on-one, no obligations. You’re the closest thing at the moment, that isn’t family.”

  “We might end up stuck with each other more than you’d think” Emery made a half-smirk, it was genuine for once, she didn’t have to force herself, like she sometimes did. “Honestly, okay, If you want to vent, then let it out, but if it turns into a therapy session, I’m charging you by the second.”

  Juniper giggled shyly. Self-conscious about laughing in a public space.

  Stuck with each other? No. She didn’t mean it that way, Juniper, stop with these thoughts. Bad gay, bad thoughts. Am I that touched starved? She already expressed her dissatisfaction before about this. I need to get it together. I need only one person on my mind.

  Juniper, dropped her hands on the table. It was hard to get it out, she didn’t know where to start. She started tapping anxiously.

  “Ok, I’ll start then, you’re clearly bothered by something.” Emery took the initiative. “I heard you took down the big cult leader himself, and like a reckless, but valiant noob you thwarted his plans.”

  Juniper hesitated, Evelyn had told her to keep information tight until after the hearing, true or not, not everyone needed to know everything. Emery helped her out, she was trustworthy for Juniper at least. “It’s kind of true, but please don’t relay this information.”

  Emery motioned to her mouth, making a zipped sign across her lips. “It’s closed.”

  It clearly was not.

  “Truth is, we tracked his one of his Vans down, the SCRA took the others. We stopped the last of their transports, there was nothing inside except a threat. He threatened me on call, threats to my family, walked right off into his base, used me like live bait. Held a gun to my neck, threatened to sell me, kidnapped me, Van went off-road, and skidded upside down, I had a quick Idea to summon the military, they showed up, but I lived only thanks to my ‘partner’”

  “Partner?” Emery perked up.

  “Voidwaltzer, you know her, you’ve met each other in combat.”

  Emery nodded in dissatisfaction. “She’s not all pleasant, like at all, I have nothing good to say or think. But keep talking, Jun.”

  Jun. the first time, emery had called her a nickname.

  “Anyway, I owe her, without her help… I, I’d be worse off, either gone mad or I would be dead. I don’t know what I would do if…”

  “It’s okay, you got thought.” Emery grabbed her hand, held it firmly. Juniper found it comforting but refrained from moving it, but felt incredibly awkward. “The first few years, of Caping, it’s going to be shit. In which case well done, you lived through a horrible day, you’re a real one now.”

  Juniper felt comforted by her hand. She felt frustrated about mentioning the event of how her siblings were put at leverage, even as vaguely and briefly as she did it. Every time she brought it up, it felt like reliving her worst nightmare

  “None of it feels real, like a long bad dream.” Juniper complained.

  Emery shook her head. “Eventually, Juniper, the dream will end, and you’ll find that reality ain't so cold.”

  “Speaking of, Juniper, let me give you a heads-up,” she started ominously, her eyes locked on Juniper, unblinking. “They're speaking about you, the big heads, the big eight, the SCRA, they're going to ask you a lot of questions next week, you’re lucky they postponed the event.

  “And I don’t even know where to begin with that,” Juniper mutters. “I rather climb into a little tree hole.”

  “If it helps, I’ll be there, I’ll vouch for you if it gets too heated.” Juniper pulled away, Emery’s hand.

  “Thanks, I guess.” Her eyes staring at the table.

  Emery smiled wide. “No problem.”

  Juniper, a little awkward, decided to tear into unexplored territory. “Emery… Are we friends now? Like proper friends. I know you don’t have time for such silly things in your life.”

  Emery didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, you’ve grown on me a quite a bit but through unique circumstances, but look, we got to keep it Platonic.”

  Juniper bobbed in her seat. “What?”

  “Don’t give me that look, I know how you feel about girls, I felt it too, through that totally not weird-connection thing of yours. I don’t mind if you’re glancing at me or staring too long, but I got to make it clear, I have no need or plans for any of that in my life, not anytime soon anyway, and probably much less girls.”

  Juniper blushed, shaking her head. A part of her felt hurt, why she felt this way, she couldn’t explain. There was still Kanako. And if Kanako didn’t want her, well… she’d always have her visual novels. “O-of course. Sorry for putting you in that position.”

  “It’s not a problem, but let’s keep things sensible.”

  Juniper veered her head a bit away, anything to ease, the cringe of the brought up the topic up. She turned towards loud television, a masked villain on display, was interviewed by a reporter. The cape was making a daring proclamation, declaring 28th district its own sovereign nation.

  She stared at it, a bit too long, how much time until something it becomes another crisis, if every criminal and cape declared themselves holy and regal.

  “That’s a dude who calls himself, dirtgod, he blasts sand and dust for a living. This is his third time trying this year. I’m honestly getting sick of his appearances.” Emery expressed her dissatisfaction. “He’s failed every time he’s pulled this stunt. I wish they’d just keep him in a cell permanently. Instead, the media feeds off it with sensationalization.”

  I don’t have the energy for this, why am I paying attention to some superficial cape. No cape shit, Juniper, no cape shit. Vent instead, vent to your friend.

  Juniper eyes went hollow and she just stopped thinking.

  Emery waved a napkin in front of Juniper’s face, “Hey, I can see your overthinking, we’re going to eat soon, look up.”

  Juniper turned, breaking out of her blank stare, caught off guard. “What?”

  The robot waiter rolls up. “Processing order… Processing… Calculating optimal serving size” It’s voice buzzed and made Juniper shiver with electronic tingles.

  Emery put the menu down, staring at the machine waiter. “I’ll have a Retro Burger Meal, large size.”

  “Affirmative, human.” It told Emery, she didn’t seem to care.

  That human, sounded awfully uncanny.

  “Um…” Juniper looked through the menu, still indecisive. The machine turned, and spun around its own axis. “Um…”

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  It grew increasingly impatient, it’s started jumbling and spinning faster.” Hurry up, human, other customers are waiting!”

  Talk about aggressively rude.

  “Uhh…” Juniper hummed anxiously. Then sighed, she honestly didn’t care about the food. “I’ll just have what she’s having.”

  Juniper stammers.

  “What drinks would you like with that organics.” It asked suspiciously, like something ready to dissect them.

  Emery didn’t wait. “Chocolate milkshake, thick and plain, no extra glitter and shit.”

  “Affirmative, huu~man.” It turned to Juniper, “And you, Miss, I can’t calculate the trajectory of my life based on the miniscule decision of you being unable to order simple food in diner.”

  Juniper frowned. Emery shouted at the machine, pointing dramatically at it.. “Hey, watch it, bolt bucket!”

  “Said the Meat bag.” It shot back.

  Was this part of the experience too? Are service bots meant to be this hostile? It was certainly eccentric. And, he wasn’t wrong, she didn’t know what trajectory she wanted to go in.

  “Drinks.” It chirped in mechanical rhythm.

  “Black coffee, a couple of sugars,” Emery said.

  Juniper, overwhelmed and unsure, observed the absurd drink menu in front of her, her nerves were teetering on the deep end. Her finger’s twitch rapidly on the plastic menu. “Um, I'll take the Zero-G floater?” She blurted. Unsure herself.

  It was the only Thing that stood out on the menu, everything else just seemed like premium and expensive. This seemed gimmicky, she was partly curious, like a child that saw an advert. Maybe it was a stupid item, maybe she’ll regret it, but she wanted it in her mouth.

  The machine chirped. 'Order confirmed. Relaying to kitchen unit.

  “Credits, Card or crypto?” It beeped.

  “Card, I'll pay.” Juniper said.

  “I’ll pay.” Emery butted in. “It’s least I can do for you Juniper?”

  “No, I’ll pay. I owe you.”

  “I said I’ll pay—”

  “Why are you like this—”

  “You were broke like a week ago, girl-”

  Their insistence on being the one to pay for it. Rattled the machine, and it started whirring its wheels loudly, drawing stares towards them. A worker peeked out, took one look at them, and noped back into the kitchen, shaking his head

  Juniper won the match by nearly shouting over it, she held her hand over her mouth, realizing she caused a minor scene. Juniper caught the eyes of surrounding customers, her face went red, and then she ducked her head under the table, clamping her mouth shut.

  “ No one cares. You can stop hiding now.” Emery complained. “We could’ve just split the bill but okay.”

  Juniper stayed there for a while, then slowly crawled out, whilst the impatient machine started lagging. As juniper was swiping with her card, mid-process. The thing sped away on its motor wheel. Nearly crashing into another customer.

  “Dude, they need to put a speed limiter on that thing…”

  “ Y-yeah,” Juniper peeped.

  At that moment, Juniper notices something bizarre on The counter. A Warning Sign Stating “Management is not responsible for meal-based injuries. Orders are final. No refunds.”

  Not ominous at all.

  Emery flicked air at her, and raised a brow. “Didn’t know you were loaded.”

  Juniper, vaguely replied, “Hazard pay. It's excellent.” Juniper shrugged, she knew it wasn’t great at all. It came with a side dish of death.

  Emery, smirking, teased her. “Uh-huh. And your taxes, you figured that out yet?”

  Juniper choked on the air. She never thought about it, another dumb thing to ask Evelyn.

  “Yeah, you don’t want to receive a tax letter from the government, they’ll come for anyone.”

  “Scary…”

  A brief moment of silence washed by.

  “ Ok, juniper, I don't believe that was all.” Emery said. “So, tell me what's wrong? Why did you call me?”

  Juniper doesn't answer straightaway. She fidgets, played with fingers, her foot tapped anxiously against the table pillar. She started focusing on the wrong things, the drink menu, the portions sizes of the other folks, the TV playing hogwash and nonsense.

  “Juniper, talk to me?”

  What could she say to her, what couldn't she say. She couldn't mention Sys-chan, it would cause more problems. She couldn't speak about the traveler, about Quixis about the alien dog ape she killed last night. She couldn’t tell her a little boy ripped apart from her brain defunct, that she had dreams about creepy aliens ladies.

  She was backed into a corner, she wanted to vent, now she’s shut.

  “I'm stuck,” she leaned back, sliding down again. “I don't exactly know what my work expects from me. It doesn’t see like traditional vigilantism, more like mercenary work. I've had weird dreams since the fire crisis, I'm tired. I have to pick up my sister from school and afterward. Not only that, but I have an even bigger issue that I won't express.

  “You’re halfway there!” Emery encouraged her, “Let it out.”

  Juniper gritted her teeth, settling down. “There's someone I really like, we hit off good, I formally met her when I have was stuck in the hospital. I'm pretty sure she's corporate rich. But that all that buildup went to hell, when those fires broke out.”

  Emery listened attentively, nodding.

  “She's ghosting me, and after I lost my old phone, in the crossfire, I can't contact her or rather I got an email at least, she doesn’t want me to contact her yet.”

  “Is that it?” Emery stared. “She dazzled you, and now you're feeling frustrated because she pulled a Houdini?”

  “No~, it's the implications of why she disappeared, I got outed.” She blurted, her face steering away with shame. “My identity.”

  Emery stated with remorse, and a bit of disappointment. “ That sucks, happened to me a few times, did she blackmail you or something? It’s nothing a little visit from a few spooks can’t fix.”

  Juniper shook her head. “No, she wouldn’t do that, and even then it would be better than leaving me hanging on a thread.”

  Emery probed her. “You absolutely sure, if she’s holding you hostage, you speak to your boss.”

  “Yes, she’s not a bad person, she didn’t threaten me or anything.” Juniper moaned with growing frustration. “And I’m pretty sure, they’d put her in a torture chamber if that was the case, at least two people I’m working with are crazy enough.”

  Emery gave her, I’m not surprised, look. As if you’d expect to hear more heinous things from OBB.

  “I'm just scared it ended before it even started.” She whispered, voice low.

  Emery rolled her tongue against her teeth

  “You came to the worst person for this…” She said. “But I’ll bite”

  “Y-you know Hollowhand? Team new hope?” Emery appeared to be forcing the words out of her mouth. Like she was going to regret saying it.

  Juniper nodded. Who didn't

  “We used to date.” she said, her jaw clenched and she glanced away.

  Juniper looked genuinely surprised her mouth hung open, “hollow, ‘I say awkward things to make people uncomfortable’ hand” had a relationship with whom?

  Emery noticed her expression, coughing in her hand. “He’s a nice guy, off duty. Anyway, when his family found out how I looked without the wig, they forced him to drop him, something about sullying their bloodline.”

  Juniper couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She felt a tinge of disgust. She grabbed emery by their arms, and started shaking her. “Are they fucking stupid. You're a literal sun goddess.”

  “ Your flattery is unneeded, Juniper, but yeah, all because I'm not naturally blond. And apparently being Half blind makes me a cripple.

  “ Did they say that?”

  “Not explicitly…no, but it was in their face. Murmuring about the genetic inferiorities of seeing double. Eh.”

  “So…what happened, did he concede?”

  “Yeah, the fucking coward caved. But it's cool. I’m over his dumbass” She stomped the table with her fists. “I'm still kicking. But look, Juniper, don't leave it up to chance, or you'll never know.”

  Juniper settled down, taking the advice inwards.

  “When you get in contact with her… Ask her For her honesty If she’s hiding for a reason, figure out why.”

  “If it’s over, it’s over. But don’t let it eat at you.”

  Could I live with that, don’t be ridiculous, of course I can? It would hurt, though.

  Juniper settled down. Maybe she’ll actually do that. The moment she gets to speak to her again, she’d ask her properly. They did make a collective promises to tell each other their secret, Kanako was hiding who she really was. Juniper’s came out at the wrong time.

  The robot buzzed and beeped in their direction, perfectly balanced in his hands were two large trays. The sound of metal on metal, grated her ears, like Swiss cheese. The food had arrived.

  It puts it down, It’s absolutely massive, like absurdly massive. The machine rolled up with a tray of strange stuff. Fries, onion rings, two different salads, a mini burger, “free water”.

  “What the hell,” Juniper flips through her phone, checking her bank account. 129 CPD missing, which was absurdly expensive for two meals, but she shut up. She offered dot to pay. She never paid attention to the prices

  The retroburger itself was an absurd creation. Crisp bun with glowing cheese and sauce,there was a small. Amount of red pickles and blue tomatoes on it, it looks like something out of a TV show.

  “Excuse, me, what's in this?”

  The robot switch up its monotonous and dead tone. “ I'm glad you asked, this is the retroburger, the one you ordered, it had an ai-optimized synthetic beef burger, with bioengineered but perfectly edible synthetic cheese. The crispness of the bun was fine-tuned with a micro rail gun. Everything else, like the veggies, were grown on one of of the latest hydroponic farms.”

  Emery and Juniper just stared at it, then at each other.

  “Emery…?”

  Emery, trying to hold back laughter. Apparently she saw it differently, to Juniper this was a conundrum. Synthetic food didn’t bother her, but the excessive amounts were mind-numbing, this would have to be her last unhealthy meal for the week.

  “Yeah?”

  Juniper, deadpan, “What did we order exactly?

  “Order Verified: the retroburger is now AI Enhanced.”

  Juniper stared at the drink. The most disappointment she felt in a long, long time. Liquid spheres hovered in and out of her drink causing the contents to shift like a tidal wave but very slowly.

  She takes a sip– failing to get it into her throat, to It. The drink nearly slips. A bit of it spills on her shirt. She puts it down. She tries wiping it off with a napkin, but it ended up floating into the air, condensing into a foamy bubble substance…

  Then she stared at it, taken aback. She panics trying to catch it with her mouth. Accidentally shoving it into the air and onto Emery’s sleeve. Emery wiped it away with a napkin.

  The robot watches, panicking.

  “ERROR DETECTED. STUPID HUMAN, YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO USE THE METAL STRAW…”

  Juniper grabs the drink as the machine tried to demonstrate, the action. “Get lost, tin can. I paid, I want my privacy…” she shouted

  It did leave her alone. But the interaction left her stunned and embarrassed, Emery was laughing. And started digging in. “… Yup. Totally Normal hangout.” She echoed, her mouthful of food.

  Some people were staring at them. Juniper wanted to sink under the earth. Surprisingly, the food wasn't terrible, just terribly expensive. She dug into the burger, it didn't taste strange, bar something that lingered on her tongue vaguely tasting like electricity.

  “Alright enough ‘futuristic shenanigans’, you got any plans for today? Emery asked.

  Juniper, moping: “Medical exams at 11. Power testing at 12. Obstacles course at 13. Picking up my sister at 15.”

  “Cool, they're testing you, I remember my first test day, the needles, and the butt pinching and the people who'd come stare at your naked body and don't even get me started about the venom test.”

  Juniper grimaced. “The what pinching?!”

  The SCRA conducted these tests, which meant she'd bear the same thing, did all capes bear this?

  Emery giggled. Relax, I'm joking.” they'll probably just draw blood, give you an isolated room to test some powers on some energy scale, rate you and leave.

  She relaxed.

  “ So, where's my suit.”

  “Uh…” Juniper panicked. “I forgot about, I'll bring it around when I have the chance, it's–” She stopped herself, how would Emery feel if she found out it was lodged in their R&D department, possibly being analyzed and altered. “It’s at home.”

  Emery titled her head, “I hope it isn’t in some rival org’s lair.”

  Juniper swallowed. “Don't worry, I'm sure I just forgot to bring it around, no altercations or reverse engineering experts at work.”

  Emery gave her a side eye. Then dug into her food. Half it has already gone, she didn't seem to get full.

  “You don’t get full?”

  “I barely even need to eat, I’m like a plant, mostly need water, but sunlight gives me most everything.”

  Her eyes lit up. “That’s neat! You’d survive any apocalypse as long as you have a sliver of sunlight.”

  “Eh, I miss the days I grew hungry. Still the taste of food, is still enjoyable.”

  Juniper was curious, could she test that, if she misused the [solar-powered-Sentinel] Could she be finitely full? Or was it exclusive to Emery’s biology. Did she need to drive up her skill to excessive levels?

  Emery’s phone started vibrating. She read a few lines. “Shit, I'm sorry”

  “Duty calls?” Juniper asked

  “Yeah hostage situation in the northern Outskirts, can't speak anything else, without getting a slap on the wrist…”

  Juniper hesitant didn’t want to let go of this new attachment, she was forming. “ Could we do something later this week, Maybe a training exercise. I’m kinda hitting a plateau and need some help? I can also cook for us?”

  “Hmm,” Emery hummed gave her a long look then smiles,” yeah, why not. We’ll figure it out.”

  Emery got up, grabbed what was left of her plate and stuffed it in her mouth, chomping like an alligator. She waved then ran out the store. The human worker, came to peak. Juniper guessed he was making sure it wasn’t a dine and dash?

  The robot strolled by as she ate alone. Then mocked her as it did a drive by. “That’s right, meat bag. Keep grinding those molars.”

  She gave it a stare. And flipped it off. Her eyes darting left and right, hoping people would leave her alone, and not peer at her from a distance.

  Weird.

  Juniper watches emery flee, She Continues to eat awkwardly. She starts eating as much as she could stomach. She really needed to eat more, all the weight she was losing had to be unhealthy.

  One small Comfort before they probe her.