Sleeping peacefully in a bundled mess, Infirmus, lets out soft snores. Her face scrunches up slightly as she mumbles. Morning light bleeds through her curtains.

  "No... Watermelon good..."

  She then rolls over to the right edge of her bed, before she finally wakes up. Her eyes register a blurry figure right in front of her, after adjusting for a moment. She sees Chauntao's bright blue eyes right in front of her.

  "BWAH!" Infirmus screams as she jumps backwards, and falling off the other side of her rge bed, the tip of her tail twitches in annoyance as she stands up. "Chauntao, what are you doing?! How many times have I told you not to do that?!"

  Chauntao stares at Infirmus from her kneeling position beside the bed; and nonotonely responds. "You have been sleeping for 6 hours and 3 minutes, and its time for you to wake up. And you have told me approximately..." She looks down for a second as she thinks. "...89 times." She stands up, wearing some blue casual clothes. "Now that I have succeeded in waking you, I will prepare breakfast for you."

  Chauntao then leaves the room without skipping a beat, leaving the dumbfounded Infirmus behind. The dragon thiren's oversized shirt slightly falls down her shoulder as she just keeps staring. She then sighs as her head droops.

  "Why does she have to keep being weird?" Infirmus throws her bnkets back onto her bed, not even bothering to make it look nice. 'Well, she's been like that since I took her in, I guess somethings never change.'

  Infirmus gets ready for the day, and puts on some simple clothes, a gold T-shirt and blue jeans. She doesn't bother with her socks, and just goes barefoot.

  She stretches a bit before exiting her room, seeing Byzan and Fernando over in the living room watching TV and talking. She then looks towards the dinner table, which the bedroom doors are in the dinning room, and sees a rge pte of waffles, with small pieces of watermelon.

  She smiles and sits down at the table, and starts eating. Chauntao walks over and sets a gss of juice down.

  "You need to intake 4,000 calories a day for a Female Dragon Thiren. And recently you've been only getting 2,000, so I've provided a slightly fattening breakfast for you."

  Chauntao then walks away, and back into the kitchen. Infirmus stares towards the kitchen with a questioning look.

  'I'm trying to lose some weight, okay!' Infirmus frowns as she munches quickly down on her waffles, before stuffing her face with the watermelon and downing her orange juice.

  She brings her pte to the kitchen and quickly cleans it in the sink, before heading into the living room. Dragonboo sits on the floor beside Chauntao, right in front of the tv. They both stare up at the TV, seemingly in a trance as they watch cartoons.

  She sits down in a chair, beside the couch where Fernando and Byzan are sitting. Byzan looks over to Infirmus as she pulls out her phone and pys her gacha games.

  "The Cunning Hare's failed a commission over in King's hallow." Byzan informs. "They destroyed a data chip they were transporting, and now the client wants us to redo the job."

  Infirmus sighs and shakes her head. "How Nichole manages to keep her business afloat, will always be a miracle to me. King's Hallow... that's the one over near the Draconis Bank, right?"

  Byzan nods. "But it'll just be you and Chu-Chu today, me and Fernando got some pns."

  "What pns?" Infirmus raises an eyebrow.

  Fernando then speaks up. "Lies of Card: Bleeding Heart, releases in theaters today. It's the fifth installment of the series, and I heard it's gonna be the best. They even got Astra Yao, making an appearance and singing the opening titles."

  Infirmus groans in annoyance. "You're really gonna go see it?"

  "What's wrong with the series?" Byzan asks as he tilts his head. "Is it because the Twins, are the lead actors."

  Infirmus just grunts and crosses her arms as she looks away. Byzan stares at her for a few moments.

  'Does she really have that bad of a retionship with her whole family?' Byzan questions in thought.

  Infirmus speaks up with a frown. "They may be the middle siblings, but they always act like they're better then the rest of us. They're the ones that started the nickname, 'Runt'. And they're only 3 years older then me!" She throws her arms up in anger.

  Fernando and Byzan stare at her for a few moments, before gncing at each other.

  "Oookay...." Byzan mutters. "Well, don't forget to take Dragonboo with you today."

  They all look over to Dragonboo, only to see a low power symbol fsh on his visor as he falls backwards. Chauntao gnces down at him, before looking back at the TV.

  Fernando and Infirmus gre at Byzan, while he blinks in surprise a few times.

  "Oh, I knew I forgot to do something st night..." He mutters, and gnces at Infirmus and gives her a nervous smile. "And is this also a bad time to say we can't afford a Proxy?"

  "Why?!" Infirmus yells at the cat, and he deadpans at her.

  "Because someone spent most of our money on trying to pull for characters."

  Infirmus' cheeks gain a hint of red. "Oh... uh..." She sighs and leans back in her chair. "Ugh, fine, we'll handle it without a Bangboo. This'll be pretty annoying."

  Infirmus stands up and stretches out, before looking over to Chauntao.

  "Come on, Chauntao, let's go."

  Chauntao leans her head back and stares at Infirmus for a few moments. "Okay..."

  Infirmus heads towards her room.

  Half an hour alter Infirmus and Chauntao are in a parking garage. They're wearing their regur "Work" clothes. Their weapons in hand, they stroll past dozens of fancy looking cars.

  Until they reach a more unique looking car. It's a Nissan GT-R with a red wrapping and with a Pink dragon on both sides of the car. Infirmus smiles as she unlocks the car and they both set their weapons in the back seat.

  The Dragon Thiren then get into the driver seat, looking at the modified car with a manual transmission. She starts up the far and it comes to life with a deep rumble, she grips the wheel in delight as she reeves the car.

  Chauntao stares at her for a few moments, before grabbing the seat belt and clicking it in. Infirmus steps on the gas and the car shoots out of its parking spot and down and out of the underground parking space.

  .

  .

  A little while ter Infirmus and Chauntao stands outside King's Hallow. They both got on grey masks that cover most of their face, only leavening their eyes exposed.

  "Are you ready?" Infirmus' voice has a deeper tone to it from the mask.

  "Yes." Chauntao's voice also is modified to be deeper.

  Infirmus looks up to the Hallow, and her eyes gain a tinge of purple in them as her pupils go slit. She then readies her weapon and enters the Hallow, Chauntao follows closely behind.

  A little while ter Infirmus stabs her Give into the core of a Tyrfing, and it dissipates. Chauntao sms her shield into a Hoplitai, stunning it, then sshing its core with her sword, destroying it. The Hoplitai dissipates.

  Infirmus jumps back as another Tyrfing tries to hit her. She presses a button on her give, and it suddenly transforms into a shotgun. she then jumps forward and aims her shotgun directly at the core and fires, sending fming pellets into the core and destroying the Ethereal.

  Infirmus transforms her shotgun back into a give and looks around, everything's gone quiet. Chauntao puts her sword back into her shield, and colpses it into a smaller version of it.

  Infirmus' eyes gnce around, before walking to an open space. She stares at the open air for a few seconds, before a Fissure opens up. Chauntao walks over and looks at the Fissure.

  "Should we go through it?" The robot asks.

  Infirmus hums for a few seconds, her amber eyes with a tinge of purple, stare into the fissure.

  "I have a feeling this could be a short-cut to the exit... But it could also lead us to our death. But I got a good feelin'."

  "Okay." Chauntao, without skipping a beat, jumps into the fissure.

  "Chauntao!" Infirmus jumps into the fissure.

  The scenery abruptly change as the two nd on top of a rge truck. Infirmus looks around, before hopping onto the empty road, Chauntao nds beside her.

  "Are we near an exit?" Chauntao asks.

  Infirmus looks around as her tail lightly sways. "I think, as long we don't run into any fissure or get turned around. I think we can make it."

  Infirmus' eyes slightly burn and she rubs them with a groan. Then she feels something wet coming from her nose and she brings up her fingers and finds her nose bleeding.

  "We should hurry." Chauntao says in a slightly urgent tone.

  "I'll be fine, but the sooner we get out, the better." Infirmus rubs the blood away.

  They get ready to move out, but then they hear voices nearby. They quickly jump behind the truck they're next to and peer around it. They see Pubsec soldiers wearing Anti-corruption armor.

  "Pubsec?" Infirmus questions. "What are they doing here, I thought they stopped exploring this Hallow?"

  "Maybe it's a routine inspection?" Chauntao suggests, and Infirmus just hums.

  But the a new figure appears, making Infirmus' eyes narrow. She slightly fiddles with her rings as her anxiety starts to rise.

  The new figure has short red hair with pink tips. He's got a set of straight horns that point backwards. He has slightly pointy ears, his right ear is enclosed with blue metal and a tiny antenna. He's got pink eyes with hints of red and gold. He's wearing PubSec coat with it unzipped, showing a blue padded colred-shirt underneath. But his right sleeve is ripped off, showing a metal prosthetic that starts at his shoulder. There's a golden badge on the right side of his coat.

  Blue lights shine from the prosthetic arm, as the N.E.P.S symbol is etched into the shoulder. He's wearing bck pants with metal pting on the legs, and blue and white boots. He's got a small pack on the back of right hip, and some rope and tip-ties on his left.

  He's got a long tail behind him, that's covered in blue and white armor. On his back there's a shotgun and a lever action rifle, they are pce in an X. He stands at 5'1'' (181 cm).

  Honestus talks to the PubSec soldiers that arrived in the area. Chauntao eyes stare at the new figure.

  "Honestus Damocles..." Chauntao mutters.

  "Do you remember him?" Infirmus asks as she looks down at her.

  "...No, all I know is that he was someone really important." She then grips Infirmus' shirt tightly. "Do you think if he recognizes me, he'll take me away?"

  Infirmus shakes her head. "I won't let that happen."

  A small smile forms on Chauntao's face, happy at her friends response. Infirmus then pulls herself and Chauntao back as Honestus looks over.

  "Shit... did he see?" Infirmus whispers.

  Honestus takes a few steps away from the soldiers, and narrows his eyes towards the truck.

  "Sir?" A soldier calls out. "Something wrong?"

  Honestus takes one st look at the truck, before turning away. "No, it's nothing. We better get moving before Ethereals show up. Come on, it's over here."

  "Yes, sir."

  Honestus leads the soldiers away and after they leave the area. Chauntao and Infirmus step out of their hiding spot.

  "We should leave." Chauntao suggest.

  "Agreed." Infirmus nods and the to head in the opposite dirrection.

  After a few minutes the two finally get out of the Hallow. Infirmus sighs in relief as her eyes take back they regur look, Amber with hints of red and gold.

  "Let's hope the Client will be happy with the data." Chauntao holds up a simple bck chip.

  Infirmus takes it from her, and puts it in a small case. "They better, we got lucky the King wasn't around. But let's get out of here."

  Infirmus and Chauntao quickly make their way away from the Hallow, and into an alleyway where they stored their vehicle. Chauntao enters the passenger seat and stretches. Infirmus tosses her weapon in the back and gets ready to climb into the driver seat, when a bck car suddenly pulls up behind them.

  Infirmus tenses up as it comes to a stop a little way behind them. Chauntao looks in the side mirror. From the driver seat outsteps a Female Dragon Thiren.

  She has wavy auburn hair and a twisted brown horn on the right side of her head, and slightly pointy ears. Her green eyes bare into Infirmus. She's wearing a green suit with a blue tie, with a few blue accessories. A aquatic blue dragon tail sways behind her.

  "Ahhh, Infirmus." The girl smiles as several rge guards step out of her vehicle.

  "Piscium." Infirmus says in an indifferent tone.

  'Piscium Elmas, the Leader of the Sages of the East. A gang the controls a rge portion of the East side of New Eridu... I wonder if she's still angry about me taking her st job?'

  "You know, Infirmus, you have caused me to lose a lot of money recently. Now, as I don't want any bad blood between out groups, I do suggest you hand over that Carrot, you got."

  Infirmus pats the case in her pocket containing the data. "And if I don't?"

  Piscium frowns as she pulls out a pistol, and aims it at Infirmus. "I'd rather it not get to that."

  Infirmus gnces at Chauntao inside the car, who puts on her seat belt. Then she nods to Infirmus, and the dragon smirks and looks over to the other dragon.

  "You know, I think I have other pns."

  "Huh?"

  Infirmus quickly jumps into her car and starts it up, with Chauntao hitting a couple buttons. The car's windows gain a heavy tint as the engine rumbles louder, and her license pte gets covered up.

  "Shit!" Piscium climbs back into her car as the guards do as well.

  Infirmus ughs as her eyes dite. "I was growing rather bored!" She grabs the stick and changes gears.

  Baxterbro

  Infirmus sms her foot on the gas and the car speeds out of the alleyway and drifts onto the street, making several civilians jump back onto the sidewalk.

  The car takes off down the street as Piscium's car drifts out of the ally and follows after Infirmus. Several other bck cars form up behind Piscium.

  Infirmus ughs as she changes gears and swerves through traffic. Piscium slowly catching up, but Infirmus smiles as she notices a short cut. She turns to the right hard and flies through a construction barricade. Piscium's car barley makes the turn, but the other following fail to make it and one crashes into a steel beam.

  Infirmus drifts through the construction site, going around concrete pilrs and construction equipment. She then spins her car under a crane pulling up some steel beams, before flying out of the construction sight by taking a makeshift ramp.

  Piscium's car crashes through a chain-link fence and back onto the road, trying to keep up with Infirmus.

  Chauntao looks out her side mirror and notices red and blue fshing lights, in the distance behind them. She then looks over to Infirmus.

  "The cops are here."

  Infirmus looks in the rearview and sees the fshing lights. "That was rather quick."

  "PubSec as a quick response time."

  Infirmus continues to bob-and-weave through traffic, Piscium and one other car are slowly closing in, with the cops not far behind. Infirmus changes gears and spins into an alleyway, and zooms down it. She manages to not hit the walls of the small space.

  Piscium spins into the alleyway, her car hitting the edges of the small space. The other car blows past the alleyway, with a few cops chasing them, as the other go down the alleyway.

  Infirmus exits with a drift through traffic and down another alleyway. Piscium's car nearly hits a couple other cars, with her just scraping one, but she still close behind Infirmus. A couple cops crash, but the other pair still manage to follow.

  Infirmus grumbles as she looks in her rearview mirror. "Man, she really has it out for us. This data ain't that valuable anyway, so what's with her?"

  "You did make her looks about 500,000 Dennies just st month." Chauntao states as she looks in her mirror.

  "Eh, I guess that'd be it."

  Infirmus turns back onto the street and almost hits a pair of students, a shark thiren with red eyes and a fox thiren with orange fur and orange eyes.

  "Oops..." Infirmus mutters as she zooms down the street.

  Piscium's car gets out of the alleyway, but sms into another car head on, completely smashing the front. Piscium climbs out of her car, blood dripping down her head. She yells in anger as she stares at the red car in the distance.

  A pair of cop cars stop behind her and the they climb out, aiming their guns at her.

  "Put your hands up!" An officer shouts.

  Piscium grits her teeth in anger and complies. "Fucking, bitch." She mumbles.

  With Infirmus she's ughing her but off. "She should know better to cross the Red Dragons!"

  Infirmus starts taking backroads and they reach their client's drop off location

  .

  .

  Infirmus and Chauntao arrive back home, with the robot counting the Dennies they received.

  "35,000 Dennies." Chauntao hands the money to Infirmus.

  "Ugh, should've been more with the trouble we went through." Infirmus compins as they exit the elevator.

  Byzan pokes his head out from the kitchen. "Seems like you two had a busy day."

  "We broke 35 ws today." Chauntao informs. "We could be sentenced to Prison for 35 to life."

  "But did you have fun?"

  Chauntao remains quiet for a few moments. "...Yes."

  Infirmus heads over to the living room, where Fernando is ying on the couch. "At least we got enough money to pay off the bills." She sits down in her chair.

  "Next time you decide to race across the city, please don't take the company car." Fernando gnces over to her.

  Infirmus pulls out her phone. "Well, I didn't want to, but Piscium forced my hand."

  Fernando sits up and raises an eyebrow. "Piscium was after you? What did you do this time?"

  "Oh, lots of things, but none of them worth mentioning. How was the movie?"

  Fernando gives a small smile. "It was pretty good, my favorite of the series so far. I think you should see it."

  Infirmus frowns as she rests her chin on her first. "Heck, no. I'd rather be in a Hallow."

  "...Okay then." Fernando looks back to the TV.

  "Dinners ready!" Byzan calls out.

  Infirmus shoots up. "I hope it's Turkey... and watermelon."

  Everyone sits at the dinner table, and Byzan speaks up.

  "So, tell me about the day."

  "Well..." Infirmus starts.

  .

  .

  Infirmus is taking a hot bath in her rge bathtub, in her private washroom. She's leaning back on the tub, with her eyes closed, they're a little sore after her time in the Hallow.

  She slides down a little more, hiding her breasts below the water. She then sets her arms on the sides of the tub as she smiles. Well, until she hears something beside her.

  She opens her eyes to see Chauntao standing beside her tub, wearing nothing but a towel. Infirmus jumps slightly as she stares at her friend.

  "What are you doing in here?!"

  "I have come to help you wash, you seemed fatigued, so I will help you." Chauntao states in her regur monotone voice.

  Infirmus sighs as she slides to the front of the tub, Chauntao drops her towel as steam covers her important parts. She enters the tub and starts to wash Infirmus' back. Infirmus brings her tail in front of her.

  Infirmus closes her eyes again, as Chauntao then starts to message her back.

  'She's always been weirdly clingy, but I guess I can't bme her. Not with the state I found her. She's honestly the most unique Intelligent Machine I've ever met.'

  Chauntao then hugs Infirmus from behind and rests her head on her back.

  "Chauntao?" Infirmus gnces back.

  "They won't take me away, right?" Chauntao asks in a soft tone.

  "I told you, I won't let them."

  Chauntao hums. "I think I remember a few things."

  "Really, like what?" Infirmus grows intrigued.

  "I know I worked with another Intelligent Machine. I don't remember her name thought, but she was like a sister. There was another girl, but I can't remember what she looked like or her name. But I just mainly remember that pain..."

  Chauntao hugs Infirmus tighter. The Dragon coils her tail around Chauntao.

  "Don't worry, Chauntao." Infirmus smiles as she looks back. "You're like a sister to me, so I promise to take care of you."

  Chauntao smiles. "Thank you..."

  The two then remain in silence for a little longer, before they finish they're bath. Everyone then heads to bed, and Infirmus stares up to her ceiling.

  "Why do I have a feeling everything's about to get a little more chaotic?"

  She sighs and closes her eyes. Letting sleep swiftly take her.

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  05-07-2025

  3500 words.