Rockaburger City

Morning 2 of the Moonlight Festival

I limped outside and let the cool morning light greet my tired face. The streets were already bursting with energy, vendors shouting over each other as they set up their stalls. A little too loud for a Tuesday morning. But one particular business didn't need to set up a stall, its bright, obnoxiously colorful exterior showed no need to: ROCKABURGER CITY.

The man from yesterday limped out of the door. A crutch under one arm and a stiff-looking neck brace around his throat, he looked more ridiculous than injured. If anything I should probably be using a crutch, as my legs are bruised all over from a car accident I had last night. The one he caused.

"Here you go." He tossed some costume at me... an ugly, oversized hotdog suit.

I caught it, glaring down at the fabric in disbelief. "You're a con artist."

He smirked, leaning casually on his crutch like he owned the world. "Yeah, a con artist with damage to my vehicle and about fifty witnesses who can attest it was your fault, Shiori."

A chill went down my spine. I wasn't surprised that he found out my name... but in less than 12 hours? He had everything he needed to ruin me. One phone call, and I'd be on Cirque's Bounty List, hunted for unpaid debts.

"So what's the job?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady even though my hands were trembling.

He glared down at me, "Your job is to redirect traffic to the restaurant. Do a little dance, sing a little song. You know how to talk to humans, right?"

He scowled down at me. "Your job is to bring in customers. Dance, sing, wave the sign. You know how to talk, right?"

I raised an eyebrow. "And I'll need a chair, considering I got hit by a car yesterday. Remember that?"

"Doctor's note," he shot back, already walking off.

I glared at his retreating back, tightening my new set of chains. At least prisoners get three meals a day.

⟡ ⟡ ⟡

8:00 AM.

An hour in, and my legs were already staging a rebellion. Whoever thought of this job probably hated humanity. Or just me.

⟡ ⟡ ⟡

10:00 AM.

The streets bustled with festival-goers, all too busy with their lives to notice the human disaster sweating in a hotdog costume. I raised my sign halfheartedly and yelled, "COME EAT AT ROCKABURGER CITY! WHERE THE FOOD ROCKS!"

A deer beastman passed by, handing me a bottle of water. "Thanks," I said, startled. But before I could ask why she didn't just eat here, she vanished back into the crowd.

⟡ ⟡ ⟡

12:00 PM.

"THREE MOONS IN THE SKY, AND THREE ENTRÉE DEALS FOR 30 SEEDS!"

The sun was relentless. My throat felt like sandpaper, but when I tried sneaking inside for a drink, the owner intercepted me. He threw a burger on the ground like I was a stray. "Lunch."

I stared at it for a second. "Wow. Gourmet service."

⟡ ⟡ ⟡

3:00 PM.

"TONIGHT, HISTORY WILL BE MADE… AND SO WILL OUR BURGERS!"

A group of women burst into laughter as I shouted. I wanted to say something witty, but honestly? They had a point.

Through the restaurant window, a cat beastwoman in an apron watched me. Her tail swayed lazily, her pink eyes narrowing like she was sizing me up for a fight; or laughing at me internally. Probably both.

⟡ ⟡ ⟡

6:00 PM.

The crowd grew, the festival energy crackling in the air. Someone bumped into me, nearly knocking me over.

"ONE LAST HOUR!" I croaked, barely clinging to consciousness. My vision swam, my legs wobbled, and the sun finally dipped below the horizon, casting a glow over the Moonlight Festival.

7:00 PM.

Finally, the end of my shift. My vision blurred, exhaustion creeping in as the adrenaline I was using to keep me standing was finally over. I felt someone grab me right before I fell to the ground.

I turned to thank whoever was helping me, but before I could process what was happening, the arms tightened.

In one swift motion, I was flipped over and slammed backwards onto the concrete.

Pain flared across my back as I groaned, twisting to look up at my attacker. The cat girl from earlier stood overhead, staring down at me like I was her next meal.

The crowd around us carried on as if nothing had happened; It was just a cat fighting a hotdog, after all.

She crouched a few feet away, sniffing the air like a stray cat. Her well-tailored outfit looked as if she was a part of some noble household, but the heart-shaped sticker on her cheek threw off the aesthetic. A hat sat on her head, accentuating her cat ears.

She smelled faintly of fish (oddly pleasant) and her pink, catlike eyes stared daggers at me.

"What was that for?!" I snapped, "Are you crazy?!"

Her eyes widened in genuine confusion. She pointed her claw, and crouched down, her tail swaying behind her:

"The hotdog monster is talking," she whispered dramatically.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Does me talking, bother you!"

She nodded her head, "It does."

"Well your voice isn't exactly music to my ears!"

"Hmpf! I'm told my voice is heavenly and pure. Even babies stop crying when I talk."

"Liar."

She looked offended by that comment, and retorted "Angels don't lie!"

I leaned against the brick wall, finally letting myself take a much-needed break. "Pfft. If you're an angel, then there really is no god in this world."

She pouted, like I had personally offended her. "Listen, I'm an angel, and one of my jobs is to slay villains such as yourself."

"The only villain here is you!"

She blinked, processing my response. Then, she exclaims, "If you're not a villain, care to explain why you've been out here yelling at strangers!"

"I WORK HERE! IT'S CALLED ADVERTISING!"

She blinked again, this time with a small blush creeping onto her face. Ignoring my response, she hopped onto a nearby box, striking a dramatic pose.

"My name is Korraline Belle, Angel of the Luna Library, but you may call me Korra! I come from a town in that general—"

"Aren't you going to apologize!"

 She scratched the back of her head and darted her eyes back and forth. With a small sigh, she looked at me mentally prepared, "I-I-I'm... sorry for attacking you... But I'm a c-c-cat angel! You have to understand, I was protecting humans. Let me give you my backstory! It all started—"

"STOP. I get it, I get it. You're some holy angel working minimum wage at a crappy fast-food restaurant. Next time you stand on a box, use it to step out of that delusion you're living in."

"Nyehe... nye," she started to snicker, softly at first, then louder and louder. "Nya... nyaha... NyahahaHAHAHAHA!"

Watching her laugh, I couldn't help but crack a smile myself. "Can I go back to suffering in peace now?"

"Not yet~ You haven't even told me your name."

"Should I stand on the box for that, or is it reserved for angels only?"

She twirled backwards as she plopped herself onto the box, grinning cheekily. "Reserved~!"

I shook my head, still smiling. "Sukafu Shiori. Rockaburger City's mascot, and I'm from North Cirque."