AUTHORS NOTE: I've gotten a heads up from a few friends that use this platform about leaving messages for readers, apparently, the authors notes are often bypassed.
I just want to thank you all for taking your time to read my Fanfiction/Jumpchain. You guys are great.
Also, I will be doing my best to release a chapter every week on Mondays, I usually work full time and do the family thing so sometimes I'm pressed for time, if there is an issue I will let you all know, and not leave you hanging.
Finally, March_Rain, a really cool guy and the author of the awesome TLM Fanfic: Triple Six has given my Fic a shoutout in a recent chapter of his. So you all should go give his book a read if you haven't. Its really awesome and the MC has a really cool ability. Lots of slice of life!
Now, on with the scheduled programming! Enjoy!
...
Seeing that Max was taking a long time to answer, the blonde beauty didn't seem surprised or impatient at all. She kept talking.
"Well? Was that a lie, or is this not the 'Action Now! Comics' I heard about? Hmm, maybe I'm being rude, asking so many questions while you're trying to close up for the day. Where are my manners? My name is Vespera, and I'm in town on business. I might be here longer than I thought, evaluating a potential project, and I was hoping to pick up a few graphic novels."
Max focused, the situation feeling increasingly strange. He managed to calm his racing heartbeat and gradually steady his breathing. Shaking his head slightly to clear the fog, he noticed that the strange woman calling herself Vespera now wore a slightly different look. Her smile had shifted from interested to something more... satisfied?
"Uh, yeah... I'm Max. And yeah, you've got the right place." Max raised a hand and pointed a finger upward. The building's neon sign wasn't lit up anymore, but it was still clearly visible. "As far as being the owner goes? I'm more like a manager here, but I pretty much run the show. Come back in the morning around nine—you won't be disappointed in the graphic novels. That's actually pretty awesome that someone's been saying good things about the ol' comic shop online. We do our best to satisfy everyone's needs."
"Not bad... wonderful, actually. I'll see you again soon then, Maxie."
Vespera's eyes lingered on him a moment longer. She offered one more small, enigmatic smile. Without another word, she turned and slowly disappeared into the night, leaving behind a faint scent of perfume Max couldn't quite describe—like all the best smells rolled together. It further left a lingering sense of something being just a little off.
Max exhaled slowly, lowering his shoulders as the tension eased slightly. Despite feeling like he was in love with the strange woman for a few seconds there, he had been tense and ready for a fight at the same time.
He looked down at Levi, who had been quiet the entire time—much more than he usually was.
Levi was usually polite and eager to chat, but tonight, he kept silent except when directly addressed by Vespera, his eyes wide as he watched the woman disappear into the night. It seemed like the kid had an extreme case of 'stranger danger.'
Max ran a hand through his hair, still feeling an odd flutter of unease himself. This weird 'Vespera' woman's words, her mannerisms, and most unnervingly, her direct quoting of him from Discord—suspicious!
She had not only managed to make Max feel strongly attracted to her out of nowhere, something that was unusual for him, but also made him feel deeply threatened, as if she could devour both him and Levi in an instant if she chose to. He imagined it was the same feeling as standing naked in front of a hungry bear. (The threatening feeling, that is, not the love!)
Now, that feeling of 'love'? He hadn't felt like that in a long time... actually, he had never quite felt like that before... it felt like he was missing something important, or maybe that being near Vespera would be the only thing that could complete him?
"Come on, kid," he said softly, his voice low but steady. "Let's get you home."
Levi hesitated for a moment, then nodded and started walking beside Max, grabbing at his jacket sleeve and glancing back at the shop as they headed into the quiet street.
Max kept his eyes on the dark horizon, feeling the weight of the encounter settle in his chest. Whatever that woman was, she wasn't exactly ordinary.
And he had an uncanny feeling that this would certainly not be the last time he dealt with her. At the very least, he would see her tomorrow at 9!
...
Max and Levi strolled through the dimly lit streets, their footsteps echoing softly on the cracked pavement. It was getting late, and the quiet hum of the city settled into a lull, broken only by distant cars and the occasional flicker of streetlights.
This was one of the last main streets they had to traverse, a little more active than the last they had been down, with a convenience store on the corner and a pub present as well.
As they approached the corner they needed to make a turn at, to head towards their apartment, a sudden, jarring sight caught Max's eye.
From seemingly nowhere, a semi-truck roared into view—its headlights piercing the darkness with unnatural brightness. There was no preceding rumble of a diesel engine, just a sudden burst of sound and light!
Max's eyes narrowed; he instinctively moved, already alert—this wasn't ordinary.
The truck barreled directly toward them.
Max reacted instantly the moment the truck appeared, wrapping an arm around Levi and yanking him hard out of the way. Not falling into shock—the seconds it had saved truly made the difference here!
They tumbled toward the sidewalk just as the massive vehicle swerved past.
Levi's red cap flew off his head from the strong, adrenaline-filled pull via Max. The truck screeched to a halt as the hat flew underneath a tire, brakes squealing loudly. The airbrake hissed, filling the night with a sharp, metallic scent.
Bang!
One of the buildings adjacent to the sidewalk, within feet of where Max and Levi tumbled, was hit as the truck stopped, collapsing a small portion of the bricks and blowing out the storefront window.
Smoke, dust, and debris were everywhere, raining down on the cab of the truck, as well as on top of Max and Levi. Max did his best to shield Levi from the small bits of rubble.
The Asian driver stumbled out of the cab, disoriented, blinking in confusion, his expression somewhat blank. He didn't seem to know where he was or what he had just been doing at all.
After a few moments, his eyes cleared, and he started speaking hurriedly in a language Max didn't understand, stumbling around and growing more and more agitated as he realized what had happened—yet he seemed completely lost.
Max's gaze flicked to the side and caught sight of the company logo—Japanese characters emblazoned across the side. He looked back at the driver, concern flickering with suspicion.
A fair number of people had poured out of the small pub and corner store, drawn to the loud commotion, with several rushing to help the truck driver, and a couple coming over to see if Max and Levi were alright, having witnessed the accident.
The rest just made comments amongst themselves, with some of the more intoxicated pub patrons even starting to make jokes.
"What the hell happened?"
"That was weird, that truck came out of nowhere!"
"Are you alright, mister? Damn, I sure hope you have insurance!"
"Hey!... You can't park there!"
One old man who had been outside the pub having a cigarette had also witnessed the accident.
He walked up to Max and Levi, clapped Max on the shoulder with one hand, and said, "That was quick thinking, young man! You should be proud of yourself! Are you and this young fella alright?"
Max looked down at the still-shaking Levi. He was definitely shaken up, but the kid had a big smile on his face.
"Yeah, I'm good. How about you, Levi? You alright, buddy?"
Levi quickly nodded up and down several times. "I'm okay, Max, thank you!" The chubby little face turned down to look at the box in his hands, then up at the old man and Max.
"I didn't drop the comics, Max!"
"Hahaha!"
Max chuckled while the old man looked quizzically down at the box clutched in Levi's fingers, wondering what kind of comics were in there and how much they must be worth to be so concerned about them—especially after nearly getting crushed by an 18-wheeler!
Seeing the old fellow take interest—clearly wanting to know the details—Max just simply said, "Inside joke."
"Ah, I see... The name's Jeff. I'd like to shake your hand—saving this kid like that... Hey, you look a little shaken up yourself. Need a smoke partner?"
A pack of cigarettes was produced from the man's leather coat pocket, and he flicked the bottom of it, causing one of the smokes to shoot up further than the others while gesturing with the pack. It was a slick way of offering a smoke indeed!
"Yah, you know what? Why the hell not? Thanks, Jeff. My name's Max... Thanks for the dart."
Max accepted the offered cigarette after shaking the old man's free hand, taking a slight inhale as the old man then held out a freshly lit match, bringing it to the tip of the smoke resting between Max's lips.
It was going to be a few minutes before the police arrived on scene, and they probably wanted a statement. So Max decided he might as well enjoy a smoke to calm himself down a little.
Smoking wasn't something he usually did—only on occasion, when he was having a drink or two during a closed D&D session at the comic shop, or the rare times he would agree to go to the bar himself— a social smoker.
Levi sat down on the curb nearby the chatting Max, and the police finally arrived.
Upon understanding the general story via a handful of statements, with Max receiving another pat on the back for saving Levi, the police finally let them go and turned their attention to the still confused driver.
The cops would need a translator to deal with him and were especially baffled by the Japanese plates on the truck and trailer.
Suddenly, amidst the slowly dispersing crowd, Max's eyes caught her—Vespera. Smiling like she had been waiting for him to notice her.
She was already breaking away from the edge of the crowd, graceful and deliberate. For a moment, their eyes met, and Max felt a strange jolt—once again, it was both magnetic and threatening. She slipped into an alleyway, her silhouette dissolving into the shadows.
Max shook his head, trying to dismiss the instant unease that started gnawing at him. "Just a weird coincidence, right?" he muttered under his breath, voice tense. Even though he said it, he didn't believe it was a coincidence at all!
Levi tugged at his sleeve, while Max's eyes were still fixed on the alley. Max noticed Levi wasn't wearing his cap still and was about to look for it but quickly dismissed the idea—they needed to move, he was getting paranoid about Vespera at this point.
"Come on, kid," Max said softly, his voice steady but low.
"Let's go home."
They hurried down the street, Max's mind racing. That woman—Vespera—had left an impression, one that refused to fade. The way she looked, the scent of that perfume lingering in the air... and suddenly popping up right after that truck nearly turned the two of them into pancakes?—something was really off, something he couldn't put his finger on.
There was a lingering suspicion bouncing around in his head involving the truck now too, but the chances of what max thought might be happening were quickly disregarded, this was real life after all!
...
The two finally reached the apartment building, and only after punching in the outside code on the door, entering, and closing it behind them.
Only then did Max feel somewhat safe.