The Reconstruction of Plaza [Crankshaft Rafflesian]

[ThreadLurkingComorant]

[image description: Dotty's point of view, standing in the middle of a abandoned tower at night. A full moon and other towers in the distance serve as a backdrop.]

The two of you raided the local convenience store, making it out with a sack of various sodas, hot dogs, and sweets. 

Was this really a errand? 

Jam: Got the bags tied nicely?

Dotty: Yeah.. where we heading with all this? 

Jam: Special place of mine.. 

The rabbit trailed off the usual paths into a area that was partially fenced off. 

Oil setups, abandoned construction, radio towers and endless horizon where skylines connected to nothing. 

Jam pointed to a surprisingly well lit tower, ladders intact against its orange steel frame.

You shot them a look. 

Jam: Sup?

Dotty: For real? 

Jam: Yeah. You don't trust me enough to do a little workout? 

Dotty: I trust you, but that thing..

Jam: I'll go up ahead then, prove it's safe.

They scurried up the ladder with a devil-may-care pace. 

You kept up with them, refusing to look down and prepping to make a life saving catch at any moment..

...but thankfully that never came, the two of you managing to scale to the higher floors without much issue.

Towers in the distance, relics of old history for this land many times refurbished. 

Dotty: Got some dangerous hobbies.. 

Jam: Just a little exploration, I'mm careful about it.

Dotty: Both of you do this? 
 
 Jam: Little bit. So, whatcha think of my secret  spot? 
 
 The dopple gestured for you to stay close. You clung to their arm.
 
 Dotty: You usually do this on your own..?
 
 Jam: Mmhmm! Both of us do. It's... kind of a nice spot to reflect on things, you know? Tower doesn't get any use anymore and nobody else bothers, so..
 
 Dotty: There's a good reason for that.. 
 
 The rabbit smirked at you. 
 
 Jam: You're scared of a little bit of height?
 
 Dotty: More the fall than anything. Don't think you'd appreciate a slip from here.. 
 
 Jam: I'm not worried like that... and you're a soldier or something, right? I got you to protect me.. 
 
Jam leaned directly against your shoulder. 

Dotty: Me? 

Jam: A combat robot with a mysterious past? There's an appeal. 

Dotty: Assuming I was a good person back then.. 

Jam: People love an atoner too.. 

Dotty: I guess.. these days I'm just breaking up fights.

Jam: Better timeline, folks like you get picked up as private duelists pretty quickly. 

Dotty: I know, got plenty of offers. It pays well apparently. 

Jam: And yet.. 

Dotty: Job has a lot of ick to it, know Mori's been trying to limit duels to sport and performance, asked me plenty if I wanted to join in.. 

Jam: Hard sell, tourist culture loves that shit. 

Dotty: Yeah. Monte really fucked downtown with the reconstruction deal. Operating with a knight to weaken their hold, get them to sell all that land back and dip.. shouldn't really be talking about all that though.. 

Jam: It's fine, gonna just pretend I didn't hear it. 

The rabbit gave you a playstyle smile, canines poking out and blue lipstick highlighting the differences between them and Lex. 

Dotty: Promise?

Jam: Mmhmm! I'll even share a secret of my own just to make it even, sound good?

Dotty: ...Yeah, alright. Gimme. 

Jam: Lex wiped her hands on the table cloth at a fancy BBQ place once. Maybe twice. 

Dotty: That's not really your secret to share.. 

Jam: I guess that's true.. 

Dotty: Try again. 

Jam: I once spent like 40 bucks on a gacha machine for a toy I wanted and then cried so hard into Kurt's shirt that I ruined it.

Dotty: Oh.. Uh.. 

Jam: It was pretty gross, think I bled out my nose a bit too. 

Dotty: What got you to drop that much money at all...?

Jam: Cute figure of a duck with a sword, still have it on my shelf.. rest ended up in a bucket somewhere. 

Dotty: I'm so sorry... 

Jam: Nah, it was worth it... granted Lex was confused where all her money went. Targe had to explain cause Spice and Kurt couldn't keep chill about it. 

Dotty: Mm... you got mostly guy friends from what I can tell?

Jam: Eh, nature of a lot of our life. But uh... yeah. Outside of the gang most of my people are online. Guess I haven't thought about it too much... You?

Dotty: Not much of anyone at all. 

Jam: Just means I can invite you after work more. 

Dotty: I wouldn't mind... for now? Let's start our little picnic, yeah?

The two of you sat down and tore into bags full of treats. 

Dotty: You just climb to weird spots and eat.. 

Jam: Makes it feel more earned, you know? Nobody's gonna pester you either.. just us and the stars 

Dotty: That's cute.. 

They were right though, cool ocean breeze under a nice moon, soda still cold.

Dotty: You do this with other folks at all? 

Jam: A few times, I got spots all over town like this for me. 

Dotty: Show me more of them.