Laura look at herself in the reflection of the glass window of a flower shop that has just opened business around a week ago. Her hair still matted black, her eyes still dark red.
"So Desire Mani-Easy Love did evolved, huh. Neat." Laura thought to herself, she had heard of Martial Arts evolving but didn't think Mia's power could evolve any further. To Laura, it was already kinda busted. Easy Love was just hampered by how much energy it consumed.
"Of course manifesting one person is easy, but when the clients started to get more...creative. Well that when the energy drinks started to come into play, shit mia was going through five a day at one point. It amazing her liver still functions." Laura thought with a uneasy grin, first things first when they get away from this shitty town. Doctor Appointment.
The now black haired woman took a look at her old stomping grounds. Mikhali sent her to work here
"Alrighty, Here we are. Sweet Cream. What a pleasant name!" Mickey said with a smile that was quickly dropped as the smell of burnt flesh wafted through the air, the rain doing nothing to wash it out. The front window of the establishment was now covered with a blue tarp.
"I wonder did the Slayer already leave?" Laura thought in concern. She can still see they were maids still in the building and went to the door and knocked.
"We're closed for repairs." Said a raspy and sly voice from behind the door that Laura knew too well.
"Hey Juri, You mind letting a old friend in?" Laura asked.
Silence.
"Laura? The hell you doing here? Last i heard you were on the run from Mikhali." Juri quietly asked, very confused and kinda concerned that Laura would just go to enemy territory like this.
"Then again she never did have the makings of being the smart friend...nether did Mia for that matter." Juri thought to herself with a chuckle.
"Still am, did a friend of mine came by? Covered in purple and gold armor? Probably saved your butts?"
"Oh you mean the scary knight that helped us killed our boss and took the rap so we wouldn't get in trouble?(Both Laura and Mickey was shocked at this.) Yeah he was here, hold on let me open the door. Ay Soda guess who came back?!"
The door opened and the few maids that were still there was pleasantly surprised by the return of Laura.
"OMG LAURA?! Gurl what the hell, i thought you was dead?!" Juri exclaimed in shock.
"Oh believe me, Mikhali tried but he failed horribly." Laura stated with a cocky grin to hide the anxiety she felt, after all she and Mickey was practically in enemy's territory.
"At least i can take solace in the fact that the girls here are trustworthy, they always look out for each other." Laura thought as she went into her previous place of employment. Some of the girls rushed other to greet Laura. Although Bola at first was jealous of Laura being hand-picked by Mikhali to be the face of the establishment for a time, she realize that Laura took the brunt of the more...less than ideal customers. Protecting the rest of the girls from getting kidnapped or having a nail bomb sent to them.
Why the hell would you want to kill the person you love so much anyways?
Mickey look around the area, it was very pleasant to him. The girls wearing rather scandalous uniforms that didn't leave much to the imagination.
"If My Michelle wore something like that..." Mickey started to steam up and his face turned red.
"Ha! Gotta love these toony guys." Soda said with a grin as she watched Mickey have his innocent eyes throttled by these beautiful ladies.
"So what brings you two here?" Bola asked, if Laura was willing to come back here after allegedly beating the shit out of Mikhali, then she must have been really desperate.
"I come to cash in a favor." Laura said proudly, Bola was confused. Laura turns to Juri.
"Remember when i covered for you when you had a hangover and couldn't be bothered to work and you said you owe me a favor?" Laura asked Juri with a cute and infectious smile.
"Oh yeah i vaguely do remember that. If it money you want, we kinda cleared out the register and tip jar before you got here. However we are still working on that vault in the bitch's office-"
A loud boom was heard and Kam was sent flying through the air, stopped for just a moment to take a sip of cranberry wine cooler she been nursing since the death of Cisernos and then landed in a heap on the dirty floors. (Not like there was much incentive to clean them now.) They all rushed over to Kam.
"That dirty bitch..."Kam muttered as she was helped up by Bola and Soda and the duo of Mickey and Lauren.
"Are you hurt Kam?!" Soda asked frantically as Juri brought out the medkit, they had a surplus in stock after blackmailing one of the head doctors from Bliss Hospital. He...was really into diapers as Soda found out one disturbing evening.
"Yeah, luckily i was halfway expecting it so i jumped out of the way in the nick of time." Kam responded with a cocky grin to hide the fact that she peed herself.
Juri sighed and turn back to the surprised Laura. "So yeah, money definitely out of the question. Sorry."
"Nah it ok, listen. It about his wife (Laura gestured to Mickey who in a rather tense conversation with Bola about men in golden masks.) You wouldn't happen to have any second hand information about Mikhali bringing in a new woman?" She asked of Juri who pondered this. It was a long shot but any information they could get would be helpful.
"Come to think of it, i did overhear Cisernos on the phone with Mikhali, she seemed to be very interested in this little gift that he was going to give her tomorrow at the Midnight Express."
"Seriously? Any idea on what this gift may be?" Laura inquired, a sinking feeling in her empty gut, she made a note to herself to eat something, anything.
"Well judging by past conversations i ease dropped on the gift got to be a new girl, but how the hell did Mikhali get a hold of the esteemed boat captain's wife?" Juri asked, she knew that Mickey wasn't from around here, and last time she checked Mikhali didn't have teleportation powers unless The Icon of Lust Veju gave it to him.
"Which is not likely, teleporting is not something you can make sexy, well i mean you can but it doesn't seem like something that would be in Veju's wheelhouse like weapon summoning is basically second nature for any one who believes in FAALVAV, the Titan of War." Juri pondered.
Mickey's eyes begin to dilatate. Bola began to fan him with a laminated menu.
"Hey Mickey? You alright? Breathe slowly." Bola said worried.
Laura's heart dropped to her stomach. "Mikhali capture Mickey's Martial Art and his martial art basically acts as a portal to his house." She slowly explained to the group.
Juri, Soda, Bola, and Kam all collectively gasped. Juri cursed under her breath.
She look over to Mickey who was now visibly sweating, his clothes visibly soaked, he took off his hat and wrung it, pools of water fell onto the floor. Which no one cared to clean up, they wasn't getting paid anymore.
"Um we have to go quickly!" Laura stated as she and Mickey was about to bumrush the exit.
Bola stopped in front of the hurrying duo and held out two to-go bags.
"Don't worry added a extra sandwich for Mia's hungry ass." Bola said with a cheeky grin as she gave them the takeout bags.
"Bola you're so freaking cool." Laura said in appreciation of her former co-worker.
Laura teared up. Mickey thanks Bola with a generous tip.
Juri handed Laura her number.
"Just...keep me updated. I can't promise i come and help but you know.." Juri trailed off.
"No no, i get it, it for your peace of mind. Don't worry i'll keep in touch." Laura responded as she and Mickey neared the exit.
Lauren and Mickey left Sweet Cream, Mickey with a newfound and deep festering fear and Lauren with pure utter determination. One way or another, they was going to get his wife back.
And also beat the fuck out of Mikhali.