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Chapter 9 - Akari, V, and Maki

Sami stared at the familiar girl and her strange, metal-limbed Shiba Inu, uncertain of who they were. But more than that, he was bewildered by the fact that this petite, almost innocent-looking girl had taken down three armed men in less than a few seconds.

While he was still struggling to process what had just happened, the girl walked up to him, still breathing heavily from exertion. Without hesitation, she slung an arm casually around his shoulder, leaning on him as if they had known each other for years, and said with a bright, reckless cheerfulness, "What's up, V?"

'V? Is that short for Vel?' Sami's lips parted, his confusion only deepening, but before he could even form a word, the girl reached up and tugged at his cheeks with both hands. Her grin widened, almost triumphant, as she added, "I know you're surprised to see me and Maki here, right?"

Sami's brows drew together as he swallowed hard, his thoughts tumbling over themselves. 'Of course I'm surprised. Hell, I've been surprised by everything that's happened to me in the last few hours. And now I'm even more surprised by how close you are to me.'

He slipped out from under her arm and took a wary step back. The girl was too close to him, unbearably close that it made uncomfortable for a moment. 'Who is she? She acts like she knows me. Maybe… a friend of Vel?'

At that moment, the dog, Maki, lunged at Sami with its tail wagging furiously. The sudden rush made Sami's eyes go wide. "Ah, shibal!" he yelped, stumbling back until he lost his footing and crashed onto the pavement. The metal-limbed dog then loomed over him, barking playfully before smothering his face with wet licks.

Upon seeing Sami sprawled on the pavement, the girl doubled over with laughter, clutching her stomach. "Looks like Maki missed you too."

She crouched by his head, resting her elbows on her knees and propping her chin in her hands as she asked playfully, "Say, say… how did you end up running into those guys?" She nodded toward the three men sprawled unconscious a few meters away.

Sami finally managed to free himself from Maki, then sat upright and wiped the slobber from his face. 'Ugh… this dog better stay away from me or I'm seriously going to end up with cynophobia.'

He turned to the girl. Now that he was sitting upright while she crouched at his side, he could really study her. Her skin was smooth and ivory, with striking green eyes behind her glasses. There was a tiny tattoo in the shape of a heart on her cheek just before her left eye. Not only did she look innocent: completely different from everyone Sami had seen since he woke up in this world, she also smelled so, so… good.

'Was Vel actually friends with this beauty? How do I figure out who she is without letting on that I'm not really Vel? 

…Wait, why the hell is my blood boiling just from staring at her?' Sami's eyes narrowed as his thoughts continued to race.

After a moment, the girl's brow furrowed. She tilted her head and asked, "Why are you staring holes into my face, V? Is there something on it?"

Sami blinked, suddenly realizing he was staring a bit too long. He leaned back slightly, rubbed the back of his neck, then raised a hand and said sheepishly, "Ah no, sorry. I just…"

He paused, his mind going blank. 'What do I even say here?'

In that instant, a dull throb started pressing against the back of his skull.

'Huh?'

"Ah—!" Sami grunted, snapping his gaze away from the girl and clutching his hair with his left hand as the ache sharpened into a searing migraine, pounding so hard he couldn't even make out her voice when she leaned closer, asking if he was alright. 

The pain built and built until it was unbearable… then, just as suddenly as it came, it began to ebb. His breathing steadied as the pressure lifted, but in its place, more of Vel's memory fragments began to appear and settle in Sami's mind. Not just memories this time, but emotions too… emotions tied to the girl and her strange, metal-limbed dog.

The girl's name is Akari and she was Vel's only friend. Like him, she is an orphan and also a resident of sector 9. For as long as Vel could remember, they have always supported and depended on each other to survive this hellish sector, together with Maki, who had always been their third companion and was as much a part of their bond as anything else.

As the memories stirred, Sami gritted his teeth. 'Aissshh! Why the hell do I have to suffer like this every damn time I remember something from Vel?!'

He blinked as his senses returned… then he heard Akari's worried voice:

"What's wrong V? Say something!"

By his left side, he could also hear Maki whimpering.

Sami exhaled loudly, then dragged a hand through his face and across his hair, and muttered, "I'm fine. Just… tired, that's all."

Akari tilted her head and her brows knitted further. "You sure? You looked like you were quite in a lot of pain."

"I'm okay. Really," Sami replied as he pushed himself up from the ground.

Then he looked toward where the unconscious men lay. "I don't even know these bastards. I was just coming out of a noodle store at, uh… uhm…" His eyes narrowed as it clicked. "…Rust Town! Yeah. Rust town. I was leaving a store there when they suddenly jumped me." 

He began walking towards one of them. 

Akari then stepped closer to him and said, "Those guys are part of the Iron Vultures gang. They've been disturbing this sector and a few more up. I heard they usually target people they think have money… then chop off the part of their victim's body that carries their serial numbers, and after that… they drain every vey the victim had."

Sami froze mid-step and turned to face her. His face paled as he swallowed hard. 'Geez.'

When he looked back down at the man on the floor, his eyes widened. Now that the cap that veiled his face had fallen away, he could see a familiar face.

'Ah… this guy?'

It was the same beggar he had seen at the trading center.

'Did he target me because he heard me say I needed to trade that aberrant core?'

Sami rubbed his right wrist, then gritted his teeth and kicked the man in the gut twice. "How dare you try to rob me, you son of a bitch!" Then he shouted inwardly, 'I just got here, dammit.'

Meanwhile, Akari chuckled at his vindictive behavior.

Then Sami turned toward the man in the gas mask, who was probably dead now after Akari had struck his neck with the switchblade. He immediately looked away. It was his first time seeing a dead body, and he couldn't stomach it.

'Damn… Akari really killed him, and yet she acts like it was no big deal.'

Sami exhaled. He wasn't really worried the cops might come after them for killing this guy. People died every day in the lower sectors and the authorities didn't really care much about the lives of poor people, much less about gang members like this.

Though, there was one thing Sami was now worried about. Since these people were part of the Iron Vultures gang, the others might come looking for retribution.

Sami sighed and scratched his head. 'What a pain.' He straightened, and his eyes widened slightly. 'By the way… how did she know I was in danger? It looked like she ran all the way here to help me. Almost like she already knew they would attack me. How is that—?'

Just then, one of the two unconscious men groaned and began to stir, breaking Sami from his thoughts.

He immediately stepped back cautiously, but at that moment Akari grabbed his wrist and said, "Let's get out of here, V, before they wake up or before others come."

She spun around and began to run, pulling Sami with her. He yelped at first from the sudden tug, then quickly kept pace, Maki following close behind.

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