TranS lifted Mei in her arms, its faux female flaming baritone positively squealing as the machine gripped her in a bear hug.
"Oh the eGods be blessed! I thought perhaps I was dreaming when I saw the bill request ticker across my left eye!"
Crushed in polymer arms, Mei was running out of air. "TranS..." she managed to gasp. "Down..." TranS complied.
Air burnt her lungs as it rushed back in to fill the vacuum. Mei coughed a thanks, and was offered a drink by a summoned Refreshment Bunny.
"It's been nearly three months since I last saw you girl. Where have you been?" Never been one to mince words, TranS made her point.
"Brawling."
"So I see. I caught your last fight. If you could call it that." Mei shrugged at the commentary. "Got yourself in a pretty fix obviously."
TranS purposely gave Mei's nose a glancing touch. Mei winced. "I see they gave you something for the bruising, but not the pain."
"Serves you right, I suppose. I told you to watch your ass." Mei nodded, and waited for her friend to continue.
"Honestly, you know they occasionally toss ringers into the pits. Otherwise how they gonna keep in profits if you win consistently?"
It wasn't officially condoned, but Mei didn't doubt it. No brawler to date had a perfect record. And they were property after all.
The rules were fight or be fucked. It doesn't get any simpler. Everytime a brawler entered the pits, she had a 50-50 chance.
TranS rolled into the gaming arcade office, a reasonably comfortable arrangement meant to entertain guests.
"I don't see why you don't get out of the biz sooner." Mei gave her friend a veiled look.
"And I suppose you want to pay off my debt to Noris do you?"
"Girl, don't you have that damn thing paid off yet?"
Mei bit her lip. The space between them fell silent; muffled, the inquisitive bleeps-donk-widdledaps of the games outside prodded them.
"I got modded."
"Brilliant. So what?"
"Cost more than I thought."
"No, you got shafted for more than it was worth."