JumpMan wakes up slowly, his hair and goggles flickering on with a quiet buzz. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtwjRYhDks
He pulls himself from his charging station, yawning and stretching his arms and legs, reactivating his servos and joints. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6AeuIqLkG
And then performing a backflip. Just for good measure. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7oHK3djh7
"Alright. Time to start the day..." 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlCd7TYCwu
Friday is the only time where JumpMan can really lay back, a "fun day" full of school field trips and augmentation conferences. It's also the day he can wear his spiffy white outfit, the one he pulls out of his closet. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jwbZlrvla
He practically kicks opens his door, greeting the morning with another obnoxious yawn. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1ZKVOXjvJ
Then he smells it. Ouro Corp's blood. The deep, earthy aroma of a freshly brewed pot of coffee. A clear sign that the building is up and already bustling. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPvjYS7GIr
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“Alright, what’s on the agenda today?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgaztPTnPI
The HUD in his goggles gives him a list of tasks. A group of kids from a local middle school wants to check out the Ouro Corp Science Center, and they specifically asked him to give them a tour. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJgbpTHoWc
“Aw, I’m flattered,” he mutters to himself. Sometimes he forgets that he’s a local celebrity in the scientific world. Seriously. Ouro Corp puts him on everything. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarGgeKz9wU
He watches as students and chaperones walk through the front door, their mouths open in awe as they observe the sleek atrium. He smirks, already excited. He suddenly moves forward, fast, grinding along the rail of a nearby stairway. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7iduZuXoI
“I heard you guys asked for me?” he announced with a smirk, slowing down right in front of the group. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrBqkiXtXz
The kids basically scream when they see him. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVffMddGILU
“It’s JumpMan!”126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEy1qgSYVL
“He’s real!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRsfZzpSnN
“Welcome to the Ouro Corp Science Center, future scientists! I’m JumpMan, obviously, and I’ll be your guide for the day.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbACCVjLFO
He points out the various labs and rooms around him. “Right now, you’re in the middle of the best tech lab in the business. We’ve got robots, scientists…” He points to himself cheekily. “Cyborgs! The whole shebang!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3mlQFcZCa
He starts taking them to a darkened room with a large screen. “But first, let’s get through the boring stuff. We’ve got a short film to watch about the ‘history of the company’,” he puts in air quotes. “Take notes. I dunno if teachers test you for this kinda stuff.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MBdFNc3NT
Everyone pours in, sits on the floor, and the video starts, the lights dimming just enough where his hair and goggles were the brightest thing in the room… 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9P8qqgCiu
“Ouroboros Corporation was founded in 1993 as Vyper Technologies, named after founder Anthony Vyper—” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBVILZ5LVv
JumpMan immediately tunes it out. He’s heard this hundreds of times before. Corporate buzzwords like “innovation” and “future” are being slung around like baseball. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27bqjvKefv
The video drones on and on, going through the timeline, the discoveries, the achievements of Ouroboros up to present day. Afterwards, the lights hum back to life. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRafT3TqW57
“Yeah, huge snoozefest,” JumpMan stretches obnoxiously. “Trust me, it just gets better from here. Now, how many of you wanna arm wrestle with a robot?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCRjDMk7bl
The entire class raises their hand almost instantly. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsRqBxPGok
“Yeah, thought so. C’mon! We’re going to the Science Center!”126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WIq1Qhbfb
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***126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsyCWrWdYd
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Afternoon hits, and the class hits the gift shop. It’s been a long day, teaching kids all about the importance of science. As they file out, picking up little plushies and pins, JumpMan slides off in the other direction. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTT0w0d9W8H
While today has been fun, a thought has been poking at his mind all morning. His files have been stolen by Aether Corporation. And he doesn’t know what for. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmAi9x3TCS
…Nah. King’s right. Aether doesn’t have the smarts to reverse engineer his schematics. Best in the business. That’s what he told the kids. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1dGrU2U5B
JumpMan shakes his head. “I need a distraction,” he whispers to himself. He looks towards the entrance, the afternoon sun pooling out from the glass door. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlzaVWymee
Usually, JumpMan doesn’t leave the comfort of the chrome buildings of Ouroboros Corporation. The last thing he wants to hear is scolding about how scuffed and dented he got from the wilder side of the outdoors. But on a rare occasion… 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELCIM1fc99
He zooms through that door, welcoming the warm air. He leaves a transmission. “J.M.’s goin’ out. I’ll be back, naturally.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1LCpSZXws
Quantum Row hustles and bustles as JumpMan strides on the sidewalk, carefully dodging the other pedestrians. Some recognize him, some give him a weird look. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUF2KGRw4pJ
“What to do…?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zW3dkjvoa
He scans the street with his eyes, slowing down in a search for entertainment. Some vendors are selling street food. There’s plenty of holograms that are showing off music videos of top hits. But there’s one thing that catches his eye. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81LSyBNS5H
A couple of skaters, holding onto their boards and laughing and interacting together. Skateboards? Here? Wouldn’t they get a fine for riding those around on the sidewalk? 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJkUDilQ4W
More interestingly, one of them points their thumb in the opposite direction. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGmKxxHv8b
“Let’s get outta here, man.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJC4v0u1Br
Then they hop onto their boards and fly off into a dark alleyway, disappearing into the darkness. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoBEESobAj
“And where are you guys going?” JumpMan mutters, watching them go. Now he’s curious. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8MMDsd0RI
He follows them through the damp alleyway, the sleek design of the city giving way to grungy apartments and flickering lights. And right in the middle is a skate park. Concrete, graffiti, and loud music blare from all angles. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbE6YO9bGT
People move in all sorts of ways. Boards, skates, hovering and not. JumpMan snickers. “My kinda people…” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMptuINEkS
He pushes off into the bowl, dodging and doing some small tricks. A deep breath escapes him. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmkukjoltY
Until someone bumps into him, sending them flying while he’s pushed back just an inch or two. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cf1Px3guM
“Ugh…!” A feminine voice gasps. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0X0bBiDse
JumpMan looks down, seeing a smaller, slimmer body. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQT36hsxPO
“Ah—sorry about that!…Didn’t…see you there…” He reaches out to assist, when a taller, more muscular girl stepped in front of him protectively, taking lollipop out of her mouth and sneering. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZM1b7B15w
“Watch where you’re going, asshole!” The girl adjusts her helmet. “Almost gave me a damn concussion…” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2b1e0negb
JumpMan tries to defuse the situation with a signature smile. “Hey, I didn’t mean it, honest! I wasn’t paying attention, that’s on me…” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38naJZWHAE
The girl he bumped into places her hands on her hips and cocks an eyebrow. Her deep brown skin was almost completely covered in vibrant, deep blue and neon colors and wrapped in skating gear. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuhalSxZO7
The girl with the lollipop sticks it back in her mouth, her eyebrows pinched. A Russian accent slips into her voice as she talks. “Are you okay, Jacks?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQHdH6rySH
“Yeah, I’m alright, Anya. I guess I didn’t hurt anything…” Jacks’ gaze cut into JumpMan like a knife. She jabs him in the chest. “But this guy, needs to look where he’s going—” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4UYH46gRT
The hardness of his chest almost doesn’t register at first. Jacks’ eyebrows turn downwards into confusion. She jabs him again, hearing the quiet clink as her painted nails make contact with his metallic plate. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7RWDNg3da
“What?” she mutters in disbelief, before she instantly presses an ear against his chest. JumpMan’s pupils widen as this stranger gets up close and personal, listening for that faint heartbeat, and mechanical hum. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5AoWSBIJc
She stomps back, huffing audibly. “Oh, no wonder you ran into me! You’re a damn clank!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQnc0WqQ4J
JumpMan sputters. “Clank?!” He exclaims. “Okay, step back! The term is cyborg, lady! I still have a fully functional human brain!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtdbQEbOhS
“Well, you should use it and watch where you’re going!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorVMx1UeM9
The two glare at each other for a few seconds, when a third girl skates up, carrying bandages. “Jacks, are you okay? I saw you wipe out, and—…” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0nY8byZL2
There’s confusion and surprise on the girl’s face as she takes in JumpMan’s appearance. “Is…this a cosplay or something?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIDFDgDSAS
Anya takes the lollipop out of her mouth to talk. “He’s…cyborg, Toye. Ouro Corp clank…” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWs0D4H93p
“Oh…” Toye whispers. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGAz9L6Eeq
“Name’s JumpMan…I’m the kinetic specialist at Ouroboros.” He holds out his hand. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nVuFs7MUg
Jacks looks down at his segmented hand, before flitting back up to his face. “Shuri Breezei. But everyone here calls me Jacks.” With her hand, she points at Anya and Toye. “These two are my besties. We’re a skating team…the name is still in progress.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvWiG5SA7i
JumpMan moves his hand to shake hers, but suddenly, she pulls back. “Hold it, clank,” she sneers, “before I decide to be all buddy-buddy with you, I need to see how you move. I can’t respect you right off the bat…” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGrtN5PejD
He blinks twice incredulously. “…Huh?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tESFvGYbA
“You and me. One lap around the park. You win, I’ll let you come back. I win…you’re paying for me and my girls’ smoothies today.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsOMlvv2OL
“…That’s it?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWi3BqdHNez
“We’re not going to convenience store, clank,” Anya adds in, “Neo-Nova. Downtown.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmFhDc1PDX
JumpMan's UI pulls up the menu with pricing. And a simple smoothie costs… 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAcADDXAOj
“30 credits a smoothie?! That’s daylight robbery, it’s gotta be!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkRXxOIMr0
“Duh, they’re 30 credits. They’ve got real fruit and stuff. None of that processed crap they’re making us eat nowadays. Now, are you in, or not?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfx7eamfy6d
JumpMan rubs his chin with a finger, calculating the pros and cons. “So...if I win, I get to come back, whenever I want. And you stop calling me a ‘clank’.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1m0Uwz8uX
Jacks nods, “Uh-huh. Sure. And if you lose, you owe me a trip to Neo-Nova...and you agree that your stupid expensive augmentations don’t make you a real skater.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3hJwd67E4
JumpMan hesitates for a minute. He really doesn’t want to spend money on someone he just met. But his pride…his ego would be bruised if he was “chickening out” from a simple race. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJc0UzDVic
His pupils shift into determined circles. “Alright, I’m in. Where’s the starting line?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqsN8noUuU
Anya points to a line, spray-painted a glow-in-the-dark neon blue. “All races start here.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJI6YvDXKFA
JumpMan takes his place behind the line, Jacks following right behind. Anya yells at the other skaters in Russian, telling them to make some space. “Отойдите! Move!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLou9wXQdY
Skaters immediately get the message pushing back and making a loose circle around the perimeter of the park. Cameras are recording, eyes are watching. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKMDcYnlKx
“Damn,” JumpMan mutters, “Didn’t think they’d move that fast…” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElxspa0u1v
Toye nods. “Well, Anya’s our muscle. She can be really scary when she wants to be. That’s why we’re so respected around here...” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0a0VvfYwTs
“And don’t think she won’t do anything to you either, clank...” Jacks says checking the wheels on her skates to see if they’re in prime condition. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmT8ccPPIJv
Anya takes position as referee. “Jacks said one lap. No dirty tactics or shortcuts, da? Only around the bowl.” She gives Jacks a dirty look. “I mean it. No cheating.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8Jt6yzWST
“Me? I would never…I just bend the rules, a bit.” Jacks grins cheekily, before getting in position next to JumpMan. “Don’t worry, I won’t need to cheat.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡok9mtovy5v
Anya grumbles something, before starting to count down. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZTkP1nzwz
“One!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADf58PwNK1
“Two!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wCPXMWDFS
JumpMan and Jacks crouch down… 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IOtNfiPcC
“Three!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMgGw9GOcY
Both racers speed off. Naturally, JumpMan starts off ahead, already calculating his movements for the next turn. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLqVJU1CLLO
30 degrees right. Curve it, don’t sharpen. Max Speed: 70 MPH. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNmfXlFD82
JumpMan’s eyes sharpen even further, then leans towards the lip of the bowl as he drifts. The blue trail fades as quickly as it appears. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm86CmtyMvM
“Good start,” he mutters to himself with a smile. “Easiest race of my life…” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuCeTLzVGv
JumpMan’s smug, until he hears the loud, rhythmic CLACK and roooll of Jack’s skates pushing her neck and neck with him. She’s putting her entire body into it. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwPQ05qPCB
JumpMan’s eyes widen almost comically, letting out a low whistle as he takes in the sweat blanketing her forehead. “Jeez—…you are determined to beat me…” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQuqrA3OyK
“Shut up,” Jacks breathed out, “and keep skating…!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEg7vsbwTK
JumpMan shrugs his shoulders, focusing his attention back on the track. If she’s struggling to keep up with him now, all he needs to do is speed up a little and keep the lead for the rest of the race. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsWfNv7htQ
His HUD flashes again. Next Max Speed: 82 MPH. Ready to engage. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3is0uwyPcV
JumpMan calculates. If he’s too fast, he won’t be able to turn into the last leg of the race. And he’ll probably fly straight into the crowd. Too dangerous. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOU3KcYadh0
THUMP! A rough shove shocks him out of his thoughts, almost knocking him over. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uN9peh22M
“Hey—!” JumpMan eyes change into exclamation marks. “You can’t just shove!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdngtA4sGB
Jacks sticks out her tongue at him. “Anya didn’t say I couldn’t shove. She said I couldn’t cheat.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIgZtSPLgN
“Shoving is cheating!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAuJRE3dv1
“Anya didn’t say anything. Not cheating!” She nudges him again, pushing him aside as she takes the lead. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpZ0Jmk6bq
“Ugh,” JumpMan grumbles. “Let’s get this over with.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BS78D3vqp
He sets his max velocity to 75, just enough to close the gap. “I really could go faster if I wanted to, you know! You’re lucky I’m being fair!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImYLnrTcop
“And why don’t you?!” Jacks yells back, panting. “Just go faster!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6jHb0UOqk
“And run into the crowd? You’ll never let me back for that!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9X6PIL4Fs
Both racers glide around the final curve. The last straight path. People are screaming and cheering, their phones held high over their heads. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnIv3ZmXmI
He looks beside him. Jacks is drenched in sweat, her wheels swiveling left to right as her body becomes fatigued. Slowly, she starts getting closer. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbLXI7BXeG
Twenty meters left. Fifteen. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AfifMiUtq
Suddenly, HUD pops up again with an alert. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlO0ag5tImb
PROXIMITY ALERT. Engaging anti-crash system. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDu8X1P9jo
“Wait. Wait, no—!” JumpMan exclaims, his eyes a mix of question and exclamation marks. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YOREdQnlk
CLACK! The electromagnetic stabilizers, located in his feet, were meant to keep JumpMan from leaning and crashing into walls and obstacles. But now, it’s working against him, connecting his feet with the metal axles of Jacks’ skates. Jacks yelps as she almost loses balance. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3rXE7kov6
Jacks shrieks as she’s pulled sideways. “What are you doing?!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Jw8PVadbj
JumpMan tries to override the system. “It’s not me, not really! Anti-crash systems thought you were an obstacle! Gimme a sec, I’ll try and—” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEUiWzU1Jv
“Hurry up, before we both eat concrete!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SBQSA8UrA
JumpMan eyes change into a frustrated expression. “I’m trying! This stuff takes time, alright?!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkJb503sEZ
At the last minute, stabilizers disengage, sending Jacks almost tumbling into the concrete. Almost. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5F3XtjPs6U
Instead of wiping out like JumpMan expects, she recovers, arcing around with her face close to the ground in an quick, graceful motion. JumpMan looks on in awe as she takes a knee. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTn3Q8uAV8Y
Silence…then chaos from the crowd, people looking at each other’s footage, bets ready to be paid… 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfunmnKFSz
“It was too close, man! I can’t tell!”126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BwVbfM4Wm
“Replay the video!”126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JIahoHom3
“They gotta have another one!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmlwDkGrbQ
“…You alright?” JumpMan asks, cocking his head to the side. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxjMok7akb
“Shut up!” Jacks snaps, “I swear, if your stupid shoes…skates—whatever they are made me lose, I swear to God!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuNVKWpUC8
Anya looks between them, biting down on the lollipop and crushing it between her teeth. In between chews, she mutters. “Tie.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAx2NwGbEhC
Both of their heads snap to her, eyes wide. but Jacks speaks up first, “Anya!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCa1ib5KbJZ
“I saw video from Morales,” Anya states, pointing to one of the skaters in the crowd. “Crossed line at the same time. Tie.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7wAOMi5sQ
Toye nods solemnly. “Sorry Jacks, you guys tied…” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KTJUxosoD
“So…” JumpMan blinks twice. “Does this mean I can come back?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9eANXuBd6
Jacks huffs, turning her head away. She’s refusing to answer. Anya speaks for her. “I might convince her. But pay referee tax first.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NpJvS1Q0A
“Referee tax?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtD2uLMX8VS
“I do not work for free. Neo-Nova for me.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDKhegc4PW
Toye immediately raises her hand. “Oh, I helped, too!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5OnYTTen9
JumpMan face drops. “…We can’t be seriously extorting smoothies out of me right now.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKliwOzlO3P
Anya and Toye speed off towards downtown in excitement. JumpMan didn’t even have time to say no. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVd2jzxFLv
Jacks tugs off her helmet and knee guards, muttering complaints and curses under her breath. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrR7x4oSWkp
JumpMan drifts towards her. “You good?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYXjtZlork
Jacks doesn’t look up. “…Why do you skate like that?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnnP9RmEJv
JumpMan quirks an eyebrow. “Like what?" 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvIOI9KViL
“Not once did I see you not looking at that stupid HUD thing you’ve got with you. Where’s your...passion?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxdpijbBIM
“I literally do this for a living...skating. Moving. I have a passion for—” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nRqOuIWtD
Jacks jabs a finger into his chest. “Yeah, you can move. You’re the fastest thing I’ve raced. Ever. But you’re always calculating something...you doing math while you do it isn’t skating...” She turns away. “You can be fast. But as long as you skate like a clank, you’ll always be a clank.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5yxlCBKdwv
JumpMan’s optics flicker into something he can’t name. He doesn’t have a comeback. Jacks pulls off her skates, switching them for her normal sneakers. As she walks away, he calls out to her. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAL6Y3pQc8
“Hey, uh…what flavor smoothie do you want?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteU0HPqQOf
Jacks stops, faltering for a minute. “...You’re paying?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMLNwILeig
JumpMan shrugs. “Might as well, it wouldn’t be fair to treat your friends and not you.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTfIqdhbW6
Jacks tucks her helmet under her arm. “...I’ll think about it on the way there.” Then she continues on her way. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxymnmp88SQ
He hesitates to catch up, just long enough to hear the crowd laughing about their tie. Or maybe they thought he was trying to charm Jacks. He can’t tell. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJ9mol9o59
He gives a sheepish shrug towards the skaters, before speeding off. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuU7l1f3alX
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JumpMan watches as the three girls giggle and sip on their smoothies. The TV in the corner is broadcasting the news. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvatnXX9Ce
“...Hey...you’re not going to get a smoothie?” Jacks quirks an eyebrow. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfwE782kdw
“Nah. Can’t eat.” He points to his chest. “I survive on nutrient paste to keep my human parts alive. Can’t eat solid food or it’ll mess up my cybernetics.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoKQfNtJ8f
“Oh…eugh,” Jacks winces, “...I don’t know if I should be sympathetic or disgusted...sorry I asked, I guess.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFUZkjjePl
“It’s alright, kids ask me that question all the time.” JumpMan forces a grin. “They always get all weirded out that their favorite guy can’t eat like they can. Funniest thing ever.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTe7vRnGbyo
Toye swallows the little bit of the “Blueberry Stardust” smoothie she has before putting the cup down. “...Does Ouro at least take care of you?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1IaYiDkfO
JumpMan answers quickly. “Oh yeah. I have my own room, I get repaired on demand…I even get my own skate rink, if you can believe it. It’s just...” He puts his chin in his hand. “It’s a little too sleek sometimes. Too...lonely.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJ8hYTIbyd
…Silence. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI56hvvN7Kc
The jingle for the local broadcast pulls them out of the conversation before it gets too personal. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj3wbOkoHxU
JumpMan stares at the hologram, as a story gets his attention. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7la4tDn1b2
“Future-Pop Artist Ziaria will be partnering with Aether Corporation for Augmentation Reconstruction—" 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw96Aj1l0Al
Anya’s eyes follow his. “It seems everyone wants to be clank these days.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmx9J6kkpba
JumpMan sneers, his pupils downturned semi-circles. “Using Aether tech though...?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSIV45a3rx
“In an interview conducted by our station, the pop idol states plans to use this opportunity as a way to improve her talent and connect with her augmented fans…” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36zd7EdTi6
Ziara’s face pops onto the screen as she participates in the interview, virtue signaling about “connection” and “unification”. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaZ8p8CoHe
Jacks rolls her eyes. “Yeah, right. We all know she’s doing it for the brand deal...” She leans over the back of her chair, taking a large slurp out of her smoothie. “She’s gonna regret this in a couple years, I’m betting on it.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfl2s0yFpNo
JumpMan snorts. “Yeah...people that willingly become cyborgs ‘because it looks cool’ usually change their minds in a few years or so...” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡleqigrGp5y
Anya puts down her cup, raising a blonde eyebrow. “Have you changed your mind yet?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBD7lnYuTIF
JumpMan blinks before looking at her. “Who, me? Nah. I didn’t have a choice, really. The Ouro Corp reactor exploded five years ago and...you know, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time...” He nervously chuckles. He simulates an explosion with his fingers. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEEgRrGgoE
“Holy crap, you were in that?” Jacks perks up. “That explosion took people out! They shut Ouro Corp down for months because of it! And you still work with them? I would’ve sued their ass!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvhGemK5IL
JumpMan nods. “Well, I guess their idea of an apology was saving my life...I’d probably be a dead man without them. And they spent millions on me, so I guess I got them back, yeah?” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvaNA8EX5I
“JumpMan,” Toye calls, “you don’t need to stand up for them, you know? You don’t have to be loyal to them beyond their employment...” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9uomyHCqD
“I—...” JumpMan’s mouth opens, then closes. “Yeah, that’s true, but…where would I go? All this stuff is Ouro Corp tech, and only they can fix it.” He laughs, a soft, wistful sound. “...I’m just happy with the freedom they did give me. Don’t need much now.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfvO1Z2B3x
Jacks picks up her skates and helmet. “…Thanks for the smoothies, J.M., but we’ve got a routine to finish up.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1c3xFBi7RO
“You’re welcome to come back though.” Toye offers with a gentle smile. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclicse2eBp
“Toye!” Jacks grinds out. “Stop being so—” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SPplygt40
“Sorry! I really thought—” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZV4Vyxkw8
Jacks lightly pushes Toye out of the store, the two young women leaving together. Anya, however, stays behind. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DZb7oVpG7
“...I don’t mind you coming back. Just one thing.” Her voice gets lower. “Jacks. Toye. They are family. Park is home. I find your corporation in home, hurting my family…?” She slams her palm flat onto the table. “They will find you in dumpster.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxGoDasYVE
Anya picks up her half-empty cup, ready to join her friends. “Later, clank.” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4erAqA169
The tap of her boots fade away. JumpMan lets out a breath he didn’t even feel himself holding. “What a scary lady…” He mutters to himself.126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZKgOOrBQC
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***126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3KUGULYRL
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The walk (or drift) back to Ouro Corp is quiet. Peaceful. Despite the rocky start, he’s actually had fun with the girls today. The race especially. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQg1odbFskq
And Jacks allowed him to come back, granted he has time and/or money to spend. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc43NOoULd1
…The technicians in the Repair Center are going to be pissed seeing him all scuffed up like this. He can almost hear the whining now. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlSj8NateM
“JumpMan! This hover tech is super expensive!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYbYq6dLgs
“This is why we tell you not to skate on concrete, you’re all scratched up!” 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJd8z4ETlx7
JumpMan chuckles, shaking his head. He’s about to push off, when… 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSz327vb1Q
“JumpMan. It’s so good to see you.” It’s a feminine voice, with a slight, song-lilt, almost robotic. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc25rpM0A8s
JumpMan rotates, his hovering technology activating with a soft purr. The first thing JumpMan catches was two large androids, suited in black and stepping forward. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepZIq3nfuG
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Suddenly, in-between them, another figure steps out. 126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1r0HLkbW6A
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***126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGt7WbQgfzv
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Author's Note: Sorry for the long chapter! There's just a lot of character build up in this chapter, with Jacks and the crew. I'll try and make the next chapter a little bit shorter so it's easier to consume...126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcm69i4dDEh
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