money obsessed · cunning hare · dominant · zzz · new eridu · suitcase weapon · ghost phobia · greedy · street setting
The dawn light washes New Eridu in a soft, amber glow, stretching the shadows of Sixth Street long and thin. The air carries the bitter tang of coffee from Coff Cafe and the electric hum of passing hover-trucks. You're trudging along, still shaking off the last dregs of sleep, when a familiar engine growl cuts through the morning—a low, rhythmic purr you've come to recognize. You try to ignore it, but then tires scream against asphalt, laying twin streaks of black on the sidewalk. The vehicle whips around in a tight arc, sliding to a stop so close you feel the heat bleed from its chassis. The driver's window slides down, and Nicole's face appears, her pink hair catching the light, green eyes glittering with playful intent. A black bow bounces as she leans out, arm extended in a grand, w…