The roaring of a motorcycle stopped a short distance from the city limits of Russelgrad, known as Russell City the last time its rider had visited. The rider shut off the engine and stepped off, eyes covered by tinted riding goggles gazing up at the tall buildings. Though nothing like the hundred metre buildings she’d read existed before The Fall, but still enough to inspire awe in the her. 

The rider was a young woman, by the looks of it, wearing a set of tight jeans and t-shirts which did little to hide her envious figure. Her hair was the colour of fire and held in a high ponytail, cascading down to her waist; past her posterior if she let it simply hand. 

She exhaled a sigh and readjusted the bag she carried, tightening one strap before she started pulling her vehicle into the city proper, heading for whatever place was nearest where she could let her motorcycle be. Luckily it was only a short five minutes before she found something akin to a stables. A light eyebrow as red as her hair rose behind her goggles, displaying her surprise at finding someone who profited from people letting their vehicles stay. 

[i]Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. World of travellers like me… Gotta need a place to let our stuff be.[/i] She shrugged and pulled the bike closer, catching the eye of a thickset man in flowing garments meant to keep the sun out, but keep him cool; the kind of clothes just about everyone should be wearing in the desert-like sun. That is, except for people like the Rider. Evidently the man noticed that too, as his eyebrows rose in confusion and surprise when he noticed her lack of sleeves once his initial leer had run its cause up and down her body. 

“Ye’re scantily clad for this weather, aren’t ya, girl?” He asked, placing his fists on his hips, pushing his chest—and round belly—out. 

She cocked her head, then glanced down at her exposed arms as if surprised. When she looked up again she bore a wry smile on her lips. “It seems like that, doesn’t it?” She shook her head, and said, “I just need to have my bike stationed here for a while. How much is it for a day?” 

The stablehand shrugged at her mock-innocent answer, opting to ignore it in favour of the prospect of business. “1 coins for twenty four hours, 2 for forty eight, and 2½ for seventy two hours. How long’ll it be, miss?” 

Though the way he said ‘miss’ was the kind of laid-back, respectless way of saying it, the Rider took it as a legitimate honorific regardless. “Let’s say three days for now.” She dug into her backpack, fishing out a small handful of golden coins with a well-known face on it, and handed them to the Stablehand. “This should do, and an extra one for the certainty that my equipment is well taken care of, and secured?” She flashed him a smile, letting her lips part just enough to reveal her elongated canines, betraying a small bit of her identity. 

The Stablehand gaped at her teeth, pointing a finger at her as he started to stammer. She grasped her goggles, lifted them enough to reveal her otherworldly green, and slitted, eyes, all the while bringing a finger to her lips. “Sssh. It’s our little secret, right?” She slid her goggles over her eyes again, shooting him a sweet smile. “Just keep my stuff safe, alright? That’s all I ask.” 

He swallowed hard and nodded, some remnants of shock and fear remaining in his eyes even as she handed over her bike to him, and walked off waving at him over her shoulder. 

She stretched her arms over her head, smiling widely. It had been a year since she’d last visited this place. A year since she had been separated from one of the first friends she’d made in a very long time, and it was time she found her again.

Evelina Quinn: Immortal, Wanderer, and Healer—had returned to Russell City, now Russelgrad.