Unexpected Invite

Chapter 1: Unexpected invite

The apartment was quiet, just as always. It was the weekend, and Sunshine was quite bored. The shop she owns is being maintained by her employees, so she had no reason to be worried about robbery or missed customers. The protogen was reading recent news about Kopra Station, one she lives in, and planets around it, while the fish tank in front of her slowly changed its colors as various species inside it swam around. This rather boring and unamusing scene was killed, but rather saved, by the door ring and following door knock. That knocking was quite crude and needlessly strong; not many protogens knock like this.

“Please, not him”, Sunshine thought.

She knew who could knock like that, and in most cases it was a mistake to let him in, but boredom was stronger than caution, so Sunshine decided to open the door. It was him.

“Well, hello there”, an intruder giggled. A huge protogen was standing in front of her. White feather, white visor, blue eyes, and grin. That smile full of rectangular teeth, quite uncommon amongst them. “Ozera… No.”, the response was quite immediate. “But I-” “I’m not helping you with catching your debtors again.”, She was quite pissed since the last adventure. “Listen first.”, His tone went harsher, but it still was quite playful. “Don’t you want to have some fun? Let’s go on a picnic”. “You want to get to somebody there?” Sunshine wasn’t convinced. “No. At least there’s nobody who I would need”, Ozera responded quite confidently. “So what do you need?” Sunshine was still quite annoyed but was open to dialogue now. “I just said. Picnic!” He repeated. “There’s only one thing we need to do before going”. “Hmmm”, Sunshine thought for a spare second. “Sounds like you really don’t want to do some shenanigans today. What’s the “thing” we need to do?” “We need to bring food or food ingredi-” “Wait, you said nobody who you need? There will be other protogens?” Sunshine’s mind just clicked “Yeah, unless you want it to be a picnic date”, barely visible teeth roots on his visor started to glow brighter, followed by a smug smile. “If you really want to go here with me, drop that smile and come inside”. She saw that smile just enough to get used to it.

Sunshine opened the door fully and let Ozera get inside. Due to his size, he had to crouch to get through the doorframe.

“Hey, that’s a new one”, Ozera pointed to one of the fishes swimming in the aquarium.
”Yeah, I brought this one last month”, she said proudly.

To his luck, the ceiling in Sunshine’s apartment was quite high, so he could stand straight up to his full height. He was pretty much barehanded; nothing suggested that he brought food. Sunshine ran to the kitchen and eventually came back with a grey bag with blue stripes.

“You got something?” she asked.
”I have nothing but myself and money”, he started looking at the bag
”My fridge is almost empty"
"I guess we need to go to the shop now”, Ozera said it, like it was a matter of time when they would go.
”Do you even know what you want to bring to the picnic?” she sighed.
”Of course, I’m doing kebab for everybody”, his teeth glowed even brighter.
”I guess we can only bring knives right now”, Sunshine turned and went to the kitchen again. Ozera followed her. Even though the ceiling was high enough for him to stand, he still had to crouch on each door. They took knives and put them in the bag, covering them in napkins.
”Here, the products are quite… Rather than being satisfied and making something scrumptious enough to satisfy a common citizen”, Sunshine was packing everything into her bag.
”You’re looking for something quite special, I see.” His grin started to look more honest.
”Yeah, we are going to this planet”, Sunshine was pointing at the dot on her digital map she just brought up. The dot had a tag called “Food”.
”Taxi?” Ozera asked.
”Yeah”, the response was obvious.

They finally left the apartment. Sunshine pulled out her phone and called somebody immediately.

“Hello, it’s Sunshine speaking. I’m leaving the station; if there are questions, call a number on the red slip note. Thanks for your attention,” she warned her shop staff about her absence. Even though the call just ended, she had to respond to a new one already, as another protogen was calling. The text on the screen was “Mersenne”.

“Greetings, Sunshine”, the confident voice was coming through the phone.
”Yeah, hi. The audio set is almost ready”, she was quite surprised. “Are there any changes in that maze? We can apply them if you wish."
"There are no changes in the plan; thanks for your thoughtfulness.” Mersenne sounded more excited now.
”We will pack everything and send it to you in a few days; thanks for waiting”, she was relieved.
”Have a great day”, Mersenne hung up the call.
”Busy girl, huh?” Ozera suddenly appeared in Sunshine’s sight. “You pretty much settled down. Again. Who is in charge of that thing?"
"Circuit”, she responded, and realized pretty quickly. “I need to call him too; I had a meeting with him”.

While she was talking, they almost reached the main dome of the station. They decided to take a spaceship trip out of the station, as a portal would cost a lot.

“Hello? Circuit, I think I will not be able to attend tomorrow.” At this moment, Sunshine was looking at the ships at the hangar, looking for a faster one.
”Got invited to a picnic?” The response was quite streamline.
”Yeah? How do you know?” she was surprised.
”I’m going there too. Just a bit later. We can meet later this week”, Sunshine felt quite lucky, knowing that he is much busier.
”Yes, I’m perfectly fine with this.”this This is what she needed.
”Have fun out there, goodbye”, Circuit also seemed quite busy from his voice throughout the call.
”Bye”, Sunshine hung up the call

They eventually chose a spaceship that will be quick enough for their preference. Ozera paid for both tickets, and they sat down inside. They had to travel for an hour or so, so he pulled out the tablet and opened what looked like a document app. He opened one of the files and started scrolling through the list. There was some text that looked like names, different numbers to the right, checkboxes that varied between on and off, and more text that didn’t fit into the screen. But Sunshine wasn’t paying attention already, as she pulled out her music player and closed her digital eyes. The mind was slowly fading into the world of dreams and subconscious thoughts.

…

0x00 0x57 0x00 0x41 0x00 0x4B 0x00 0x45 0x00 0x55 0x00 0x50 0x00 0x57 0x00 0x41 0x00 0x4B 0x00 0x45 0x00 0x55 0x00 0x50 0x00 0x57 0x00 0x41 0x00 0x4B 0x00 0x45 0x00 0x55 0x00 0x50 0x00 0x57 0x00 0x41 0x00 0x4B 0x00 0x45 0x00 0x55 0x00 0x50 0x00 0x57 0x00 0x41 0x00 0x4B 0x00 0x45 0x00 0x55 0x00 0x50

W A K E U P

Chapter 2: Shopping shenanigans

She woke up as the spaceship slowed down. It was a different view now. The green planet filled with white buildings was surrounding her. It is rather a good place to have a farm.

“Hey, we arrived now!” Ozera was right behind her.
”Yeah, now we need to take the trip through the metro.” She had some experience traveling here already.
”How many stations to travel?” It was his first time being here, though.
”Uhh, around twelve and two changes”, In comparison to the rest of the metro, it was quite a short ride.
”And you don’t want to take a taxi here?” Ozera sounded quite impatient.
”Your kebab will not run away; the metro is much calmer.” With Metro, Sunshine could decompress for a bit.

The trip through the metro was also chill; both were minding their own business, and Sunshine was charging her thigh batteries on one of the stations. When they finally reached the surface again, they still had to walk for ten minutes to get to the shop. It was worth it from Sunshine’s words. While they were on their way through tiny streets, a green protogen caught the eye of Ozera. The grin faded slowly as he started to approach a new point of interest.

“Heyyyyy…” The voice of the green protogen was nervous.
”Hello Valley”, the smile completely faded away.
”I- I really wanted to bring it back-”, the confidence was melting in real time.
”You promised this two months ago. Can you give me back right now?” Ozera barely reminded himself when he met Sunshine.
”W-w-wait, I can-”, Valley started to wave his hands around, trying to show something. Suddenly, the hand of Ozera started to glow purple, and a crystal appeared near him. It grew immediately, smashing Valley into the head and knocking him out instantly.

“W-what the hell do you think you are doing?!”, Sunshine knew nothing about that protogen, so it looked like assault from her perspective.
”He kept delaying everything he borrowed; let it be his lesson”, Ozera sounded less irritated than before the kick. “He’ll be fine; I won’t kill for that much”.

For the rest of the trip, he was walking without his grin, just the eyes, that showed how upset he is. Though, the smile returned as they finally entered the shop.

“Hey, that’s quite spacious”, he was looking around, watching on shelves full of various products and pretty high ceiling.
”Isn’t it? This place is giant-friendly”, for the first time, Sunshine was sounding prouder than informative. They were looking at the entrance. It was the vegetable section.
”Going together?” Ozera was looking at her.
”I mean, why wouldn’t we? Take a cart”, she was looking for cucumbers and lettuce already. But as they moved on, another protogen just approached them.
”Haiii!” an annoyingly warm voice just greeted the duet. It was a protogen, just a bit taller than Sunshine. They have light purple fur, white-colored metal parts, and a purple visor with black eyes and mouth.
”Hello?” Sunshine was obviously confused.
”Hey, do you know where the tomatoes are here?” Their goals became clearer.
”We are looking for our own vegetables; I don’t rea-"
"Can you two help me find them? Pwetty please???” They were pretty persistent. Sunshine looked at Ozera and then looked back.
”I think, yeah, you can go with us”, she felt like it would be a time.
”Waow! Thank you so muuuch”, they were looking happy. “Oooo, you two have colored faces just like me! Also, those cuts on your legs, what are they? Looks like something cool is inside! Are you two married? You two look like…” As they talked, Sunshine and Ozera were looking for lettuce but accidentally found tomatoes. Ozera tapped the protogen and pointed at the tomatoes.
”Waow, thank u two so muuuch!” They were happy, obviously.
”Uhh… I guess we can go now”, Sunshine just saw cucumbers on the other edge of the stand.
”Yeah, you two really helped me uwu”, they finally went their own way.

Finding all vegetables was pretty easy. Lettuce was on the same stand, and pepper was near everything else. The salad made of iceberg lettuce and cucumbers was almost ready. They just needed salt and oil.

“Where was your assiduousness when they were nagging us? Trouble punching protogen in front of folks?” She wasn’t pleased being near pushy protogen.
”Do you really think they could do something to you? Come on, I am not evil”, Ozera’s grin was back.

She responded with nothing but a stare. They headed to the spices section to get sunflower oil and spices. But as they enter the section, they meet another pair of protogens. One is quite tall, almost as high as Ozera, and has a shark tail. The other one is sitting on their shoulder. Tiny in comparison to Sunshine, the yellow protogen with a cyan mask and yellow fur was accompanying the giant one.

“Uhh, hello guys”, the big one started first.
”Hi!” the second one greeted too.
”Who are you two?” Sunshine didn’t want the same situation as with that one protogen to happen.
”Oh. My name is Felix”, the shark one responded.
”And I’m Spark-E,” the yellow one added. “We are looking for sweets; any chance you two know where they are?"
"I guess I saw them right there”, Ozera was pointing to the left from himself.
”Oh, thanks, you two”, Felix put Spark-E on his second shoulder.
”Yeah, and we also need to find the vegetable section,” Felix was carrying a bag of some sort. “But it looks like you two are just from there”.
”Yep”, Ozera was the one carrying vegetables right now.
”I hope we don’t need to accompany you two.” She wasn’t a fan of helping others when it wasn’t her mood.
”What?” both protogens replied.
”What?” She just realized she said it out loud. “Anyway, good luck out there”.
”Thanks!” Both were heading to the left now.

As they turned, Sunshine noticed something on Felix’s back. It looked like a shark, a plush one. It really reminded her of a backpack. Specifically shaped one. But that wasn’t what they went for. They found spices, oil, and salt pretty quickly.

“Spices are nothing without what we eat them with”, Ozera was watching towards the meat and fish section.
”Are they?” Sunshine took a salt packet and went with him. As they were walking towards there, yet another protogen met them.
”Sup”, the protogen with black and red fur with horns greeted Sunshine.
”Oh, hi Satellite!” Sunshine knew her.
”Going on a picnic too?” she was carrying a bag. Sunshine saw cheese and flour inside.
”Yeah, we’re looking for a veil.” Sunshine was happy to see her.
”You two are like… friends?” Ozera jumped in.
”Yeah, we go fishing together sometimes”, Satellite was going with them now.

The newly formed trio was heading to the meat and fish sector. There were various things on shelves. Various spices, utensils, cheap cables, and headphones… But Ozera saw yet another protogen coming from behind them. Giant dark protogen with red fur and a mechanical hand. He was bigger than everybody else, even Ozera. Almost twice as big. They were carrying a bag of charcoal and barbeque grill, just what Ozera wanted.

“Hey! Big guy”, he was screaming to the giant.
”Huh? Oh, hello, you three”, the protogen stopped and turned to them.
”Hi Ragnarok”, Satellite greeted him
”Do you know by chance where you got these?” Ozera started pointing at the grill and charcoal.
”That? Oh, it’s to the right of the meat section”, Ragnarok pointed with his hand, which holds charcoal, to their right.
”Thanks Rag”, Ozera was glad to meet him. “Do you also go to the picnic by chance?"
"Yep, I’m doing steaks for us”, Ragnarok was going to the meat section too. “Have fun, you three”.
”Thanks”, Ozera saw him going forward much faster than them.

They finally entered the fish section. It was still quite full of various fish in tanks and on ice. But the meat section was to the right.

“I guess I’m leaving you two for now”, Satellite was looking at the fish already.
”See ya!” Sunshine was going with Ozera again.

As they were walking through the section, Sunshine saw Spark-E again jumping and beeping around one of the stands full of ice. Suddenly, the shark’s tail appeared from the ice and started wagging. She didn’t know how Felix ended up this deep in ice, but that wasn’t their issue now, as they finally entered the meat section, looking for veal. Right as they entered the section, Sunshine noticed some protogen standing as they approached the stand.

“Tether!” she yelled excitedly. Protogen flinched and turned back to them, but they looked excited too.
”It’s you!” they replied.
”Haven’t seen you in aaages!”, Sunshine spread her hands, ready to hug him.
”So do I!” He got down on one knee and hugged Sunshine warmly.
”Are you two…?”, Ozera was standing here, thinking about-
”We are colleagues”, Sunshine interrupted his thought process first.
”Yeah. We were working on the same station”, Tether explained.
”Looks like you two had fun there”, Ozera’s smirk widened.
”… Not much”, both replied.
”So how have you been?” Tether looked curious.
”Nothing much. Living in Kopra station, taking care of fish I found, running a sound equipment shop”, she was telling it like it wasn’t much of a hassle.
”I see. I’m assembling some tech; look what I made recently.” He pulled out some strange device of unknown purpose.
”Looks good”, Sunshine was looking at the thing Tether pulled out.
”What are you doing here?” Tether said as he hid the device back into the sleeve in his bag.
”Buying some products for a picnic”, Sunshine showed her bag.
”I see. Got invited?” he was quite curious.
”You got invited too?” Sunshine asked.
”No?"
"You can go with us if you’re not busy”, Ozera jumped in.
”Today?” Tether looked more nervous.
”Of course,” Sunshine was looking at him.
”Oh. I think I can join; I need to buy food.” That nervous expression disappeared.
”Yeah”, Ozera replied.
”I see, I see, then I’m going to buy something. See you two!” Tether was heading to the fish section.
”Toodles!” Sunshine was looking at him.

They finally moved again, but they had to witness yet another protogen. They were running from the stand with a cashier with a bag while the cashier was beeping something out loud and waving hands. It looked like the protogen stole something. Sunshine decided that if she let it slide, then they would have trouble finishing shopping due to police. Suddenly, the protogen froze and flew slowly upwards until they barely could touch the ground. As they tried to move, something was pushing them back, like they were trapped in an invincible force sphere.

“Where are we heading?” Sunshine appeared from their back.
”Get away!” They looked nervous and busy.
”Hey, what is this temper? Stealing is no good, unless it’s a grand one”, She was sounding stupidly obvious, but if there’s a need to tell it, there’s a need.
”You think you learned one skill and can go rogue around with it, cosmic wielder?” They looked at her like at some mischievous prick.
”You better give this back before consequences reach you”, Sunshine sounded serious for the first time.

But the protogen was irreconcilable. They tried to spit in her face, but saliva was also trapped in the sphere. Sunshine looked quickly in a few directions and inserted her hand into the metaphorical sphere, reaching to the bag. Protogen tried to pull his hand away, grunting in the process, but it was suddenly locked just as their position. When she pulled out the bag and made a few steps to the side, she made a gesture, facing the fish section, and the burglar flew horizontally straight in the direction Sunshine made. Now that possible threat to their comfort is gone, she headed to the cashier to return the bag. Ozera was standing nearby this whole time.

“Are you sure that will give us less trouble?” he was thinking about Sunshine’s recklessness.
”Uhh… Yes?” she said that like it was obvious. “You want police to stare at us?"
"No, but that’s not how you solve it”, Ozera was irrationally responsible. “Anyway, we have only two things left”, she was looking in the direction Ragnarok pointed before.

As they entered the utilities section, they saw Ragnarok again. It looked like he was looking for something, but that wasn’t a worry of the duo anymore. They found charcoal and were looking at mangals.

“That one looks good”, Sunshine was pointing at the short mangal. Ozera raised his hand with a bag of meat without dropping a single word. “Fair… You can pick a longer one; just don’t go crazy with prices"
"This one”, Ozera was picking up a similar mangal already, except it was longer than the one Sunshine proposed.

Now, when they have everything they need, they can finally go to checkout. Just as shop design predicted, utilities were close to it. As they were looking for the cash desk, they saw everybody they met before, aside from the clingy protogen that met them while looking for vegetables. Felix was hugging his giant shark, while Spark-E was standing to his left, holding a small blanket. Satellite was leaving the shop already with all her products. Suddenly, Sunshine went towards the drinks stand and picked some cans. It was a metal can colored cyan with orange decorations that looked like soda. One checkout later, they finally left the building. Sunshine drank the whole can in one go with her mouth being wide open and head pointing high, and after that, held the can using her force. After it went a bit higher, she clenched her hand and squeezed vertically.

“You are this thirsty?” Ozera finally said something.
”Yeah, I haven’t drunk this morning.” She launched the squeezed can right into the bin.

The rest of the day was smooth and peaceful. They went to the metro to come back to the city center and ordered another spaceship to finally arrive at the picnic. Everybody was there; this day was a small, yet still a holiday for Sunshine and her friends.