Part 7
May 5th 2513
Kate's eyes opened. She was moving, no, she was being moved. But that didn't feel right either.
There was also conversation, layering the coldness of the open air.
Her brain sent out a request to the vision department. There was a backlog in the hear department too, which was odd because she was pretty sure she could hear. It wasn't her hearing, the HOD complained. It was actually the brain department at fault.
The comprehension offices were quite literally empty. One random file with the words: 'Cold', 'Air', 'Outside' scribbled in crayon.
The pages were collected and a computer was turned on.
Outside, yes she was outside. Standing, yes, that was exactly why she was so confused. She was standing but moving, just not on her own.
She wasn't injured, no cuts, nothing like that.
She'd just been unconscious. Her toes scraped the icy ground.
That was enough to bring her right back to reality.
"Hey, what the hell is happening!" she yelled.
"You got a little bit shaken up. We got you checked. No brain damage, not even a concussion, okay not completely true. Just nothing that a shot to the eye couldn't fix. You're cleared to go." The joyful Gen said.
Warning. You have a concussion.
You are under an executive program.
Please maintain concussion protocol to achieve fast recovery request.
Please remember that you have yet to select your new insurance protocol.
Warning Blocked.
"You, sound too happy." Kate croaked.
"We won. Best of one." Gen exclaimed.
"There's a bench, we're sitting, we're sitting." Sakura said, pointing to a wide grey bench smothered in advertising sections. The centre was wide and metal which faded to reveal the alloy glass.
Good morning. Have you heard about the Happy Tug-
Skipped.
Pay to cancel sound and advertising on bench?
Already paid for.
Pay or heating?
Already paid for.
They backed up like their combined fat butts matched that of a lorry, Sakura's tittering matching a beep and they sunk into the benches and rested back as the pile of snow that had been there sizzled and vanished. Once warm, they weren't moving again.
"Come now, tilt your head up."
She had her eyes pried open due to Sakura's strawberry fingers. She blasted a liquid spray into both at the same time. Kate shuddered.
"She fell asleep the last time we did that." Gen said.
"Not same dose." Sakura said.
"How did we win?" Kate asked, waving them away.
She pinned shut her eyes and hated it because it put her a step closer to just falling asleep. Drowsiness tugged at her soul. She bled consciousness, but she needed those eyes closed.
Finally, after a few endless minutes she opened them, forcing consciousness onto her being.
It was all hands-on deck.
Sakura looked different. She wore a pink and white onesie with a hat that looked like it had been made of origami and loose on her wrists were big puffy gloves.
"Our time is up?" Kate asked.
"Almost." Sakura said with the kind of warm smile that suggested Kate was on hard. "But we have time to wait for your next person."
"Okay," Kate whispered. Sakura pressed her face against the side of Kate's in more of a moosh than any kind of kiss and it lingered.
"Why you sound like you dying?" Sakura asked.
"You're the one giving me the 'everything is going to be okay' smile!"
"I feel incredibly left out." Gen said with a sniff.
"I've got another cheek." Kate offered.
"I am not the same as Sakura." Gen said.
"Sakura?" Kate asked
"Yeah, she is not as... affectionate." Sakura sighed.
"Even to you?"
Sakura hummed playfully.
"She is really good at tajitsu."
"If I beat you on the mat, can I then get the affection I deserve?" Kate asked.
"It's not about beating me in a fight." Gen said with a sniff.
"I feel like you're scared of me." Kate hummed.
"I am never scared." Gen said.
"Wait, I see what you doing there. What kind of scared?" Sakura asked.
Kate smiled as she could physically feel Genevieve stiffen.
"What do you mean?" Gen asked.
"Swamp girl here, wants to know if you're scared of her fists or her love."
Genevieve scoffed.
"Tell me. Was she like this with you?" Gen asked.
"Not the same no." Sakura said.
"I don't know what that means." Kate laughed.
Kate pulled out an arm and tapped her shoulder. To her utter surprise, Gen skooched inwards and they were shoulder to shoulder. The move had the markers of success. Genevieve battled to be properly shoulder to shoulder with Kate. There was height to her. But she was still pretty thin. How strong could she be in that thick woolly winter style, with all its puffy ends.