Day 18: Reporter

Day 18: Questions and Answers

Sabrina was having a not good evening. After getting her text from Ryan, she texted back that she went shopping, and not wanting to lie completely, she decided to go out shopping. About fifteen minutes in, she felt a presence following her, which leads to now.

"You're supposed to be dead," Sparks flew across Sabrina's fingertips, threatening to ignite. The person before her with an oddly familiar body figure. He wore a black zip-up jacket and black jeans. His hair was short and unruly, almost as if it hadn't been brushed in days. The figure dawned a familiar mask, but unlike Sabrina's mask which had a 4, Jack's mask which had a 3, or even Shade's mask that had a 1, this person had a giant 7 covering his mask.

"I guess you're right," The figure replied. "But since the universe has been treating my main man so badly, someone decided to bring me back around for me to lend a hand."

"If that's the case, what should I call you, since he adopted your name since your departure," Sabrina asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Feel free to call me Reporter," the figure replied.

"Okay, Reporter," Sabrina spat out the "name". "Since you either decided to come back from the dead or possess the body of my best friend, what message was so important that the doors of death couldn't keep you from delivering this news?"

"Just show up to KFP tomorrow," Reporter replied, turning his back to Sabrina. "Oh, and don't bring your mask, or he will have to get used to a lot of things real quick."

Sabrina opened her mouth to talk, but by the time she did, she was alone. "Well fuck."

-

"KIKKERIKIII~!!!" Kiara shouted through the phone.

"Morning, Tenchou," Ryan said, a smile creeping on his face.

"Are you feeling better?" Kiara asked.

"Yep!" Ryan tried his best to give a cheery response but cringed shortly after. Constantly deadpanning seemed to be a better mood for him.

"That's good!" Kiara's enthusiasm easily trumped his own. "Because I need you in! Some people have already showed up, and as the ever-so-nice manager, I decided to open up for them!"

"I don't-," Ryan stopped himself when he realized he was talking to himself. "Sure, Tenchou. I'll be there in 10."

"Good," Kiara chirped as she hung up the phone.

"That's weird," Ryan muttered to himself as he put on his hoodie. "I don't remember someone coming in early today. Then again, my memory has never been all too good anyways."

-

"Ryan!" Ryan was thoroughly shocked when a familiar girl barreled into him. Sabrina looked up at him, a huge smile on her face.

"Hey, Sabrina," Ryan said casually. It took a couple seconds to process what he just said. "Sabrina!"

Ryan crushed his old friend into a hug. "It's been so long! How have you been?!"

"So, you two know each other?" Kiara winked at Ryan.

"Teasing you for your relationships for my job," Ryan deadpanned.

"This is nice and all, but this isn't a social visit," Ryan looked to the other person in the room. The man looked exactly like him, or his body structure did. If he put on his clothes and a mask, Ryan would look exactly like the person before him. He noted that the mask was similar to Jack's and Brianna's, except there was a giant number 7 instead of a 3 or a 4. "Kind of."

"You still haven't told me the purpose of this, Reporter," Sabrina pulled away from Ryan to stare at the man, having an obvious disdain for the title.

"Well, I am named Reporter, so I'm here to do my job," Reporter, as he was named, shrugged.

"Well, let's get this over with," Sabrina pulled Ryan to the counter.

"Sabrina, I have to work," Ryan said.

"Let the man change," Reporter said. Ryan could almost feel the smirk behind Reporter's mask. "Maybe you can sneak a peek."

"I've been stalked and peeped on more than enough already, thank you very much," Ryan grumbled, conveniently not looking at Sabrina when she gasped, her face turning red.

"I would know," Reporter chuckled. The scary thing about this new world Ryan found himself in was that he didn't even know if Reporter was joking or not.

Whatever," Ryan cracked his back and went off to get dressed.

-

"So," Kiara, the store manager leaned over to Sabrina as Ryan closed the door. "You know Ryan, huh?"

"Yeah, we've been friends for a while," Sabrina said, not noticing the slight flush in her cheeks. "What about it?"

"Well, I've only known him for a few days," Kiara sighed. "He's an… interesting one to say the least. It feels like I've known him longer than I have, but at the same time, he feels like a complete stranger to me."

"I understand how you feel," Sabrina sighed, looking at the door to the break room. "Last time I saw him, he was a mess of anxiety and emotions, but now… he's just so calm… and what I've heard down the grape vine… I can hardly believe he's the same person anymore…"

"So, I guess we're on the same boat," Kiara sighed. "He seems nice, though. I hope he feels the same way, though."

-

Ryan opened the door to see Kiara and Sabrina deep in conversation and Reporter just tapping away at his phone. "Well, I see at least some of you are getting along," Ryan said, catching the attention of everybody in the room.

"Alright, I can finally get started," Reporter sighed. "Anyways, as much as I want to run around kicking names and taking ass, I have to abide by certain rules. The main purpose of gathering you all is to make you all aware that I'm alive or whatever. I've recently got into contact with some pataphysical beings and I'm kind of their messenger of sorts."

"Hold up," Ryan said. "What the hell is a pataphysical?"

"You really don't want to know unless you want your worldview changed," Reporter replied. "It really fucks you up once you know they exist."

"Alright, I guess I won't ask," Ryan sighed.

"Did you really call us here just so you can tell us you exist?" Sabrina asked.

"Well, there were a few bumps in the road, I think," Reporter scratched his head. "My contact hasn't gotten back to me, so there's not much I can do."

"What do they want from us?" Ryan asked.

"They just want to ask a few questions," Reporter said, looking at his phone. "Oh! I got to go. Also, my contact told me to tell you to turn on the TV."

"What?" Ryan asked, but when he turned to Reporter, he was gone.

"I hate it when he does that," Sabrina muttered.

"Do you want me to turn on the TV?" Kiara asked. The two turned to her as if they didn't even know she was there.

"Sure," Ryan sighed.

Kiara turned on the TV and Ryan was thoroughly shocked when he saw Amelia's face on the tv. He then read the headline.

Watson Construction denies deal with UN

CEO of Watson Construction Amelia Watson refuses to deal with United Nations' MILF branch

"It's quite plain and simple," Amelia said, her smug smile plastered on her face. "MILF is full of assholes."

"Are there any other reasons besides… that?" The reporter asked.

"Their moms were a lousy pound," Amelia shrugged, pulling out a pistol. "Because of that, they get to lose out on this."

"It has been brought to my attention that the weapon you are holding is part of your new branch of weapons manufacturing," The reporter said, a hint of fear in their voice. "Would you know why the United Nations is so eager to get their hands on such weapons?"

"Sure!" Amelia gave the reporter her signature gremlin laugh. "In fact, let me show you."

Without warning, she pointed her gun to the camera and pulled the trigger. With a loud crack, the screen went black.

"I think that's enough of that," Kiara sighed, turning off the TV. "Why does Ame need to pull of these stunts? She's going to blow our cover."

"They deserved it," Somehow in the span of time between the gunshot and now, Amelia found her way to the KFP. "At least I hope they got the message."

"I'm sure they got a message." Ryan sighed. "Whether or not they got the one you wanted to send is up for debate."

"Fair enough," Amelia chuckled before turning her attention to Sabrina. "So, you're the Sabrina I've heard so much about, am I right?"

"Yeah, and?" Sabrina asked, narrowing her eyes. Her expression only made Amelia's smirk widen.

"Can I have your mom's number?" Amelia asked.

"Ame, you're getting married," Ryan said. As if he spoke of the devil himself, the door busted open.

"Ame! I thought we talked about this!" Gura gabbed Ame by her coat and started to drag her off.

"How did you even know?!" Amelia shrieked as she skidded across the floor. Gura stopped and turned to Ryan.

"Thanks," she said.

"No problem," Ryan smirked. "I'm invited to the wedding, right?"

"You bet!" Gura shot her fist in the air, walking out of the restaurant while Amelia screamed about traitors or something like that. Ryan was too busy plugging his ears to determine.

"You've met an interesting bunch," Sabrina said to Ryan, who unplugged his ears after confirming that the couple was gone.

"Yeah," Ryan said. "And I wouldn't trade them for the world."