Chapter Three

"Ah, that feels nice." Masa gleefully exclaimed whilst the steamy mist showered her body. Jacron was rather hasty, having to use the second shower, which had no hot water. After only five minutes, Jacron was done, feeling fresh and more than a little chilly. Masa took nearly an hour, clearly enjoying the hot water.

Even when she got out, they still needed to wait another hour for their clothes to get done with cleaning. They both sat in the laundry room, in towels waiting for their apparel to be useable. A noticeably awkward silence followed as they wait, both not knowing what to say to the other because they were both close to nude.

Finally, the drying unit buzzed and their clothes were released. Masa shooed Jacron into the hallway whilst she got dressed. "No peeping, perv." She mocked from the inside. "Oh ha-ha. Like I'm going to do something like that." Jacron sarcastically said while jokingly opening the door a crack. "Hey! What did I just say?" Masa quirked. Jacron let out a devilish giggle and closed the door. After a minute, she walked out and was looking back to normal.

They exchanged glances for a second before she let Jacron in with an awkward side-step, as to not touch the towel. Jacron didn't bother to close the door all the way, leaving enough open for Masa to peek through. After a second of serious, mindful consideration, Masa wanted to peek, if only a quick one. She went towards the door just as Jacron opened it. Their eyes met and Jacron let up a smirk.

Masa's face turned very red as she managed to mutter out, "Y-yes, well... It took you long enough! L-let's get going before it's too late out."

By the time they had it all said and done, it was night. Lights were still going in the distance, but much less than before. "I guess there's no point now." Masa sighed. "Yeah, looks like all the fun is over... Whelp! I'll see you later then!" Jacron said, obviously sad that all those workers had their lives ruined. "Well, since you've no place to stay and my parents are out on vacation, I guess it'd be fine if you stayed here-" Masa was cut short. "No thanks, I don't wanna cause you no trouble and it causes me less stress to worry you with just me. I've got a place just up the street that I sleep."

"You have a place? With what money?"

"Well, it's not really mine, but it's a dumpster unit behind that one restaurant that I've cleaned to my liking and if I leave it be, by morning it'll be covered in trash again. So long as I'm in there, the garbage people just pass me by. I think they're too lazy to tell me to leave and plus it's probly less work for them anyway." "Alright..." Masa groaned, she had feelings for Jacron, but didn't know how to go about them. "But here!" She blurted out, giving Jacron a small package. "Food? For me? Aww, thanks Massy!" Jacron said before giving her a hug and waving goodbye.

Morning came fast, both were sore from all the falling they did the other day. Jacron showed up at Masa's house very early and rang the doorbell. Masa walked down her stairs and opened the door to see nobody standing there. "Real nice place in the day, wouldn't you say?" Jacron said, sipping a cup of tea in a chair around the corner, just out of Masa's sight. She

looked back at the open door and noticed the large stone and glass on the floor of her living room and gave Jacron a dirty look. "...What?" Jacron said, taking another sip. Masa motioned to the wreck in her living room with much exaggeration. "Oh please, it isn't that bad of damage, plus you shouldn't have so many keys to your windows just lying around."

Masa let out a loud groan before pushing the 'In Case of Jacron, Push Button' button. The windows re-aligned themselves and fixed any damage that was previously there. The walls fell and replaced themselves and a replacement ceiling rolled in above them, matching the original layout to the tee. "Sucks that your parents installed that button. I can't get you in trouble anymore, now can I?" "No, you can't, sorry." Masa said angrily, but somehow holding back a small giggle. Jacron motioned with his tea, "Best part is; though, is that if I can't get you in trouble, you look for it anyway." Masa giggled again, but a bit more out loud. "Hey, let’s go see what became of that factory place." She said, showing a sudden flow of seriousness that Jacron followed up with a nod, mid-sip.

They strolled down the road and noticed that several blocks were cut off around the factory. Just then, Jacron remembered the note he had earlier. He ran back to Masa's house and picked it up off the table where he left it. It still reeked of sewage and the edges were frayed from light soakage. Instead of taking the putrid thing along, he unwrinkled it, careful not to get it too close and not rip it. The note was ruined, but the name was still legible. "Floyd Burden...?" Jacron muttered to himself before torching the note and leaving the ashes on Masa's

carpet. She was outside, so she didn't even know. Jacron laughed to himself, even if the Waiter Maids would be around to clean it up before they got back.

He walked outside to meet Masa. "So, I guess we could look for a 'Floyd Burden' if nothing turns up. I mean, why not?"

"He might have something to do with those things in the sewer the other day. Anywho, shouldn't we tell the police about that whole thing? Seems like they have the military right now to kill whatever those things are, but I'm pretty sure they'd like a word or two with the guy who caused the whole thing, don't you?"

"Hey... Do you wonder what Markey was going to do with those things anyway? It looked like he was training them or something. Like, pets or attack animals or what?"

Masa looked puzzled for a second. "Maybe, but he doesn't have access to that kind of lab tech to make these things, does he?" Jacron shook his head. "No... He's not smart enough for that kind of thing. Probably. We could ask the police if they know of any correlation between the two." "Nah," Masa disagreed, "Let's not let the government have all the fun. This can be our little adventure mystery." Masa fantasized, waving her arms in a rhythmic pattern in front of her, like she was laying it out in her mind's eye.

They approached the tape and saw the factory was just outside it. Sharing confused looks, they both looked to the local police officer for an answer. "Area's off limits to the public." He said. "What's happening in there?" Masa questioned. "Found some more of Floyd's Abominations. Police are taking care of the situation, so go home, but before you go take this," He held out a wanted poster to both of them, "That's Floyd Burden. It's a long shot, but he's been on the run for a while, so you might run into him here. He's normally in District 14, which is why, but you never know. If you see anything or know anything, give us a call." He said before nodding them away.

"So, we have a Floyd from the 14th District, who made these guys. Guess he was selling them?" Jacron asked to Masa before they both shrugged. "Well, since we I don't have a job and your Military induction isn't for another five months, let’s go check it out! We got nothing better to do anyway and money for our family is of no issue. We just have to tell my parents we're leaving and where we're going."

"And if they disapprove?"

"Don't worry, I'm using my own cash to get us there and it's not like they can baby me forever, right?"

"I guess." Jacron said before they embarked back to Masa's house.

When they arrived back there, her parents still weren't home. "Oh, right." Masa said, bopping her forehead, clearly remembering something. "They're gone all month, not just that night." As Jacron gave her an all-too-knowing shake of the head with accompanying eye roll. "You're really something." He smirked.

"Here, I'll just write a letter for them." Masa said before going into the house and getting a pen and paper to write it down. She ripped it off and placed it on the table, not noticing the ash which hasn't been cleaned quite just yet. "Now they won't be wondering!" Masa noted before grabbing her purse and heading past Jacron, who was still marveling at the fact she didn't notice the pile of powder remnants of the poopy-paper.

They both arrived at the Tele-Train Station and Masa paid for both to get to 14. "Careful," Warned the conductor, "I hear Floyd's abominations run a little more rampant on that district, you sure you can handle yourselves?" He asked, showing actual concern. "Yeah, we're good." Jacron bragged, brandishing his grad-degree from Cleric's Combat school with the top-class stamp in the top right.

Impressed, the conductor allowed them on the Tele-Train and they found a seat. The entire train was empty, save for some people who were obviously home to the 14th. "Alright," The conductor said over the speakers on the Tele-Train, "The knockout masks are about to be deployed, as standard for every ride. Just put it around your mouth and breathe deeply and close your eyes. If you're wondering why we do this, refer to Tele-Train guide found under each of your seats." After he finished, the masks dropped, and the Tele-Trains doors closed. Jacron grabbed his and put it on, breathing deeply while closing his eyes as instructed. A strap of syringes wrapped around his forearms and injected a fluid Jacron couldn’t feel, but it was making him go under much faster. "Alright, takeoff in five. Four... Three... Two...-"