Chapter 2 - That's not a jingle Bells I

[PS: (Feb-24) After some consideration, the longer episodes [previous] are divided to parts to fit the web standards and to be easier for reader to enjoy.]

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The suspicious (cat-girl?) woman in party dress, drag the protagonist up to the stairs until they reach and pass the last top stair and final door. The moment they pass this doorway, the difference between inside and outside air; slaps the man on cheek in (Wake up!) manner. It take him second or two to adjust to the atmosphere around and his eyes into (daylight?). The air was cold to the point, that those two were making those white puffs as they were breathing. The (day?) sky was covered whit fluffy clouds whose hang (to low?). The cloud cover was so thick that was hardly to suggest day time because it was constantly darker that normal. Additionally to that; snowflakes were failing there and there, to the point that a white powder was spread on the pavement. They passed around some machinery like ventilation and communication equipment. Even walk through a small rest up garden with a bench for the business employee to chill out with coffee in they hand. The man instantly got suspicious about why the bushes are still full of green leaves when there is a snow falling. From simple look around at the (silent?) city; it was clear that they were indeed, on the roof of the building.

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She was leading him toward a certain corner where was certain another guy. Still few meters away, they only stop to be in safe distance from the short wall on roof edge. Unaffected by the chill she just coldly announced they arrival as she finally let the protagonist hand while making somehow a melancholy like pose: "We are here."

This certain someone was a muscular man in (military?/ mercenary?) full body outfit without a helmet. [bullet proof combat suit?] On first glance he look like an elite soldier or some military maniac. Or someone who take a soft air gun game to much passionately. The sole amount of tossed out used gadgets and empty weapons (not just guns), spread around his corner of (camp spot), lots of empty shells and magazines, plus flatted [empty] weapon bag; suggest that he is almost out of toys to play whit. But even now he was camping on the corner of the building roof, looking through his assault rifle scope for next suitable target. Without looking back, in that nearly surreal scene, he make his statement whit a serious and dry voice. "Finally!-- I start to think that you two will never show up, like a supply drops for a stranded man behind the enemy lines. But dam! What the fook?!-- That yours time off together,-- it take more time, that I will expect from the two of you. I doubt that it was the case when a second round turn into a third one. Had you two got into an argument over a position preferences in passionate squabble? Or yours delay had something to do when; (You make him spell out possible names, because...), but nothing he come up was good enough for you. So, in the end; after (Realizing that he suck at giving names.), you let him of the hook, for the next go? Because I can sense in that voice that (someone) was in so much disappointed that a rematch is required."

There was so much of second meaning in that speech of this mercenary guy, that make the protagonist to state an objection: "Wait for a moment! What is wrong whit this promotion of violence against me? Why I have a sudden feeling that is kinda normal for a too attractive woman; to be allowed to assault man's whit her fists on her whim as much she wish? But when that man tried to defeated himself by any means, it will only justify her aggression. Even now, I having a feeling that I am not allowed to say any opinion to that?"

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Similar to woman reaction before, the muscular man stops all he was doing, because this answer was not something he was expecting to hear. As he let it go through his head; after second-- two, or three-- he instantly give up on anything he was focused on, and turn to them whit total (WTF!) [What the fook?!!] sour expression splashed over his face. "He????" [What?] In any high tense battle, this error behavior can lead to a critical mistake on his side which will allow the other side to open the fire at his position. But instead of taking a bullet whit his name engraved to it; he was dealing whit a brain freeze who stuck only on processing what the other guy said. "Wait!-- Are you saying: That's instead of (She hitting on you.), she has literally (Hit you!)? And it was not the case of (You, hitting on her.), but she desired to just (Beat the shit out of you.)?"

The cat like woman leaned itself to this discussion whit bored expression. "Weird, right?" With this line, she emphasized the peculiarity of this discussion.

But the protagonist was the most skeptic. "Who are you people anyway?" As he asked, he get from the two only silent stares.

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Of course like the woman first interaction whit the protagonist even this muscular man got confused because this was definitely not something he will expect to hear from him. So, he abandon his defending post to walk over to those two into close discussion. He, give the other guy a deep stare until he face the woman whit a serious tone in his voice. No, it was more like a haggling or friendly intervention toward a friend who lost a way. "Listen… I knew you are a beast… but, seriously!-- What the heck you done to him, that he ended up (Such sucked up.) to this level?" But as the female give him a deep (That's an insult!) stare, he press the point even more. "Don't give me that look! None of us are perfect, but we agree that we are professionals in our specific fields. And as such, I am actually impressed of yours (Good killer skills). So, you can tell me that without any embarrassment. And don't worry I don't desire to copy yours technique's."

Once again the cat attitude was colder that the surrounding temperature. "Its way past the matting season, so I was not in the mood."

The protagonist only now notice: that the woman here is the only one whose clothing dint match the cold weather, but she doesn't seems to have a goosebumps. For a moment its seemed that the weather dint have any effect on her or she just don't pay any attention to it. He, on other hand feel so off the topic that he turned his head around, looking at the suspiciously silent city from the top of that building. Of course there were some taller buildings that this one but the absence of the city activity, his noises like people, cars and such was disrupting. Whats more the suspicious thick cloud sky was so low, that he for a moment though that he can see in distance a (wall of mist?) around the city. But what more to this unnatural feelings, something inside him dint like this nearly unnatural winter? "What is wrong whit this winter seasons? Its nearly feel like a disgusting joke."

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The duo look at him unbelievably and then exchanged a short silent glance as if they were checking whit each other if they heard correctly what this guy said as if that was some kind of encrypted message. But as they stay there without a word, they turn they faces toward fourth member of this unusual party.

The protagonist notice that presence too, and he turn around to see who is this person…

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It was a lilliputian woman whit a rascal uwu smile and a lab coat that was like two sizes bigger that it shall have been. If she was wearing a round optic glasses and riding something like a personally made electric scooter or hoverboard; (the image of crazy genius scientist whose inventions will hardly win any safety first competition); will be complete.

Whit that smile she approached him. "Oh common, like you can't wait that few days for this local winter to pass out and release the spring from his chains to its rightful place. What more you had been the most angry of us when the greedy ones push too much on (Charge collector power plant). A green energy solution to the overheating of our planet and the always hungry demand for more electricity. But they ignored the limits for this tech, overloading it capacity, bypassing the safety limits and in the end it blow up. The safety pin dropped on this town a freezing winter, banishing the spring out. The authorities made a quick evacuation of the citizens from the ground zero as they call this to move everyone out when the reports of supernatural Espers phenomenons [Super powers and abilities] starts to coming out. But some smart-asses and morons from underground and such, saw a rare opportunity in the fact that the air is so full of electric charge that is like an anti-computers spell. In short it caused a no fly zone without WiFi and delicate electronic without EMP shielding like smart phones or comps don't work. Ironically that make civilian cars unusable. Not that to mentioned that the radio waves also don't work. So, someone got a ridiculous idea to not send troops and cops to subjugate the no law outburst until communication and satellite observation will be back. Instead they just build a solid blockade around effected area and ask a certain guild to fix the problem because they come whit the sole idea of charge collectors."

She shake her head in denying gesture and then she spread her hands to side in (But we don't care about that!) style. "The grand master dint like the mockery whit this frozen potato: Because they don't expect us to do anything more than just to drag attention. The idea behind this joke job is to isolate the ground zero and then after the sky clean itself, send an elite commando in; to spectacularly clean up the mess. When the smoked rats will tried to run from this city; they will met an army like trenches, barricades, traps and checkpoint. It's more like they deliberately let them in to loot here freely. But we aged to claim all the credits from this incident by solving it on our own when nobody from outside have chance to interfere. I mean… It was your idea anyway…"

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As this lilliputian woman or girl just invite herself to his personal space; the protagonist felt that he must keep a safe distance from her and make a step back. But as if it was an old habit encoded into the muscle memory of his body he dint make that step back and hold its ground against this invader, even if his face probably said else.

So, this girl bend from side to side observing him as if he was some kind of stature or rare specimen, staring at his face with utter interest. Then her voice, her attitude become more flirty if not directly mocking. "Hey, hey, senpai kun…" [Senpai – older classmate, co-worker or companion. Kun – used to address a close male friends.] "It is possible… that you have a memory window?" At this moment she practically lean on him and as she stare at his face, she got even more flirting- seducing and starts drawing whit her finger a circle on his torso. "It's not like you wanted a hero story ark once in a while or something like that... Or is it actually true?... That you have a complete amnesia?... Otherwise you will say something to me for that outrageous amount of obvious (BS) nonsense. [Bull shits – lies, fraud] That I used for a lore to feed you like an unaware baby waiting for a story before a bed..." Her voice nearly went melodic. "...Senpa~ai ku~un." This lilliputian woman eyes got puppy wide to the point that one can see the imaginary stars or cloudless night sky full of stars. It was as if this person found a treasure chest full of opportunities; ready for her, to open it and explore. But that mischief intention was clearly obvious, as if she will try to lure him to be her unsafe research test guinea pig.

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[Notes]

-Uwu is an emoticon depicting a cute face. It is used to express various warm, happy, or affectionate feelings. A closely related emoticon is owo, which can more specifically show surprise and excitement. There are many variations of uwu and owo, including and OwO, UwU, and OwU, among others.

-In Japan, senpai (senior) and kōhai (junior) represent an informal hierarchical interpersonal relationship found in organizations, associations, clubs, businesses, and schools. The concept has its roots in Confucian teaching, but it has developed a distinguished Japanese style, ultimately becoming part of Japanese culture.

-Kun: in Japan is used to address their close male friends. Depending on how it used, it can actually means four different means and it can be even used as a name. Chan on other hand is used for a close female friend.

-"Beat the shit out of (one)" - To physically attack one, as with punches and other blows, such that they suffer significant injury. This phrase can be used both literally and hyperbolically. [exaggerated]