Chapter 81: Date Night

Chapter 81: Date Night

Jack rested at the entrance of the participant district, leaning against the side of the open gate. He wore a dark blue buttoned shirttaut over his wide shoulders and bulging musclesand light brown pants, while his hair was tidy and his shoes polishednot by him; hed just found them in a cupboard.

He simply stood there with his arms crossed, gazing at the setting sun and letting his mind wander.

I dont have a cellphone, he realized. Wow. I can juststand here and do nothing. What a wondrous feeling. Its so much better than being buried in a screen.

Idle time was necessary for the mind to relax and think. If a person was constantly busying themselves with one thing or another, and if their downtime was occupied by mindless scrolling, when would they think about their lives, realize what they were missing, and set a direction for themselves? They would just be drones.The initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B11n.

Hey, a gentle voice distracted him from his thoughts. Hope you didnt wait long.

Only fifteen minutes, Jack replied with a smile. Barely a blink.

Vivi smiled back. She was radiant. A red dress hugged her body and reached to her flat shoes, while her hair was done in a ponytail that fell between her shoulders. She wore no makeup that Jack could see.

You look good, he said.

Thanks. You too, she replied. Thank God neither of us has to carry a weapon. It would ruin the look.

Jack chuckled, leaning off the gate. Shall we?

We shall.

They walked into the city side-by-side, drawing many looks. Merchants stared at them, and the humans of the city gave them side-glances. Whispers spread where they passed.

Who do you think theyre looking at? Vivi asked, smiling. You, or me?

Both, probably. Youre beautiful, and Im a superstar. He cursed inwardly the moment he finished speaking, understanding what hed said. Vivi gave him a slightly disappointed look.

I dont think thats the only reason theyre staring at me

I know. I didnt mean it that way; sorry. I just wanted to pay a compliment.

She took the comment in stride.

You are a superstar, she said, her expression unreadable. First, you spank Earths best, then you punch a scion, dominate the auction, and openly antagonize the baddest person around. And then you punch the same scion again, but harder. Her eyes smiled a bit at the last part. I didnt expect you to be the brutal type, by the way.

You know I follow the Dao of the Fist, right? What else could I be?

I thought you were a big kind softie under your macho look. You know, the type that would show mercy and only use his fists to protect himself and others. Guess I was wrong.

Jack considered it for a moment, then shrugged. This is no place for games. The world is hard, and so is my fist.

She paused and gave him an amused look, unable to hide the smirk on her lips. Jack smiled back, raising a brow. Its too early to reply to that, Jack Rust, she finally said, resuming her walk. However, I have to admit that your understanding of the world is a relief. As odd as it may sound, many people here dont understand the gravity of the situation. We have been plunged into an eat-or-be eaten world; if we dont eat others, we will be eaten ourselves.

Tell me about it, Jack replied with a frown. To be honest, I was a bit harsh on that fish because I had frustration to vent. Do you know that the Animal Kingdom are tyrants who will oppress and exploit us to no end? At least, so Ive heard. After my stunt in the auction, they will probably massacre my faction as an example.

Ive heard the same from multiple reliable sources, Vivi replied casually. Its not the end of the world. You can run away before the grace period ends. The teleporter is open.

But many of my people will have to stay behind.

You said it yourself, Jack; the world is harsh. And unfortunately, we are too weak to do anything about it right now. Maybe your people will be spared.

He looked at her. Her lips were clenched, and her large brown eyes stared right ahead.

Whats your plan? he asked.

What choice do I have? I must protect my people. I will do my best in this tournament, then submit fully to the scions. Anything else would be a death sentence.

And what if there was another way? he asked seriously.

She met his stare. I would fight to my last breath...but youll need to convince me its doable, Jack Rust. I wont risk my peoples lives for nothing.

Yeah. I see, he replied. Now wasnt the time to talk about this. First hed decide on his path, then ask others to join him.

They lapsed into silence for a while. The colorful town passed by them, with its white walls and blue window shutters. The night breeze was chilly, though their high stats kept them warm, and the stars overhead were beautiful, only slightly obscured by the Integration Citys night lights.

Many people walked around them. Some were alien merchants: djinns, lycans, ifrits, kovans. It still amazed Jack that he walked past people with four arms and hopping on one leg like it was normal.

However, most of the passer-bys were human. They walked in small groups, all dressed sharply and talking excitedly. The novelty of an alien town hadnt worn off even after two weeks, giving everyone the energy to explore it fully. The only thing holding them back were the exorbitant prices of the nightlife here, where a simple drink could go for ten credits, but that was only a constraint for the relatively poor.

What do you think about this place? Jack asked, motioning with his head at a seaside bar. It was placed directly on the edge of the island, where the platform dropped nine feet into the sea, and wooden walls shielded it from the towns noise and lights.

It was simply called Night Sea.

You buy, Mister. You can choose any place you want, Vivi replied coyly, and Jack nodded as he walked into the bar with her behind him.

Inside the Night Sea, the illumination was discreetmostly candlesand the music was low and calm. One entire wall was missing, giving way to the sea, and only one in every five tables was occupied. Jack surveyed the place, taking in the slightly crowded bar before spotting a small round table right by the sea. He immediately headed over, then waited for Vivi to take a seat before he did.

Charming, she commented.

Always.

She glanced at him sideways. Wise words, she said, smirking.

Always. But really; the world is a mess, and nobody is perfect. We just improvise all the time and do our best. Everyone makes mistakes; you just dont see it from the outside.

Do you think they will ever forgive me? she asked, her voice suddenly softening. All those people who died because I messed up All the warriors who fought under me and watched me fail Do you think they will ever see past that? Or do they all pity me in silence and wish I would just leave? Are they simply settling for me until a real leader comes along?

You are a real leader, Vivi, Jack said, grabbing her hand on the table. One of the best on the planet. You are brilliant, and you did great. You won the war. And if anyone judges you, know they they would have fucked up ten times as hard.

She looked up at him with wide eyes, then smiled playfully. Hard this, hard that Does everything have to be hard with you, Jack Rust?

Well see. He laughed, squeezing her hand softly before pulling back.

Thank you, she said. I needed to hear that.

Yeah Me too.

They smiled at each other, locking eyes. The night passed quickly. Their conversation lightened after that, exchanging stories from their childhoods and anecdotes about their System daysthey had more of the latter than the former.

The moon rose in the sky. Their drinks were emptied and refilled as conversation flowed freely. They laughed a lot, teased each other at every opportunity, and their legs kept accidentally brushing under the table.

You are a fascinating man, Jack Rust, Vivi said, crossing her arms and leaning forward. The waning candlelight danced on her dark cooper skin, her wide smile was carefree, and her cleavage was supported on her forearms.

Jack met her gaze and smiled. He noticed that the music had gotten slightly louder as most people had left the bar. Wanna dance? he suddenly asked.

She smiled back. Sure!

They left their drinks aside and stood next to their table, slowly moving left and right. Jack wrapped his arms around her waist. Vivi wrapped hers around his neck, touching the back of his hair. Their fiery gazes interlocked.

The minutes bled together.

Do you kiss as well as you dance? he finally asked.

She smiled. Even better.

Jack pulled her closer and locked his lips with hers.

He hadnt kissed someone in half a year. It was far better than he remembered; was the System amplifying his senses, or did he and Vivi have chemistry?

He didnt know and didnt care. He let himself sink into the kiss, savoring every moment. They lost track of time. When they recovered, the bar was empty, and only the Kovan bartender was left, wiping clean glasses behind the counter.

Vivi chuckled. Jack said, Sorry man, time flew. Well get going.

Not a problem, the Kovan replied. Take your time.

You know You do kiss pretty well, Vivi said, leaning on his arm as he paid the tabnot because he was the man, but because hed promised her a treat after the auction accident.

Heh. So do you.

So. Your house or mine?

He looked into her playful eyes from up-close. You do know Im an expert spanker, right?

Oh, trust me, I do. Thats how you got me in the first place. She winked.

Jack laughed. Guess all that practice wont go to waste after all!

My house is difficult. I have a monkey and a ghost, he said.

I have three nosy war veterans.

Well I guess the monkey and ghost can have an overnight work-out in the basement. Im sure theyll love it.

She smiled sweetly. Im so glad we dont need sleep anymore.

Lets just hope we dont fight each other tomorrow, he replied, planting a lip on her lips.

She giggled. Id kick your ass, she taunted playfully.

You wish. Id spank yours.

A spanking wont take me down, Mister.

Clarification: Id meteor punch the shit out of your pretty face.

She feigned shock. Youd punch a frail little woman?

Id punch anyone. Im an equal-opportunity ass-whooper, and youre neither frail nor little. Youre the most amazonian-looking woman I have ever seen.

She giggled again, leaning closer to his ear. Wait until you see me without clothes, she whispered.

Jack grinned. I cant wait.