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“You don’t happen to sell cat food here, do you?”
“Does this look like a pet store?”
…
“Do you plan on selling cat food?”
…
“Tell you what, how about I give you this gear polish, 5% off?”
“…Wow.”
“…Does that sound good?”
“Yes. That sounds very good.”
“‘Kay,” Zuka turned his head, “Rocket!” Zuka called over his shoulder.
“Yeah?” Rocket emerged from behind. Looked like he was stocking shelves.
“Get me some gear polish”
“What scent?”
Zuka turned to Hyperlaser, “you want a scent?”
Hyperlaser shook his head, “no, thank you” his nose (or what was left of it) was too sensitive for an artificial berry, almond, or fruit scent.
Zuka turned back around to Rocket, “none” he said. Rocket nodded and retreated back behind the shelf he had popped out of. He returned with an unscented gear polish. Rocket handed it to his dad before the customer caught his eye.
Rocket’s face lit up, “oh! Hey Hyperlaser!”
Hyperlaser nodded at Rocket in acknowledgement, “hey Rocket”
“You know each other?” Zuka’s hand typed away at the cash register.
“Yeah, I met him when Venom caused that zombie apocalypse”
Zuka looked Hyperlaser up and down, “you protected my boy?”
“Don’t call me that-!” Rocket flushed with embarrassment.
Hyperlaser froze up for a second, “uh- he handled himself just fine,” he stuttered out.
Zuka looked between Rocket and Hyperlaser. “He’s being humble, he saved my ass a couple times” Rocket leaned against the counter after regaining his composure.
“We helped each other out when we needed it” Hyperlaser’s hand went to the back of his neck.
Zuka handed Hyperlaser the gear polish, “well, thanks”
Hyperlaser walked away with a small wave. He was glad for his helmet for once, nobody could see the embarrassment on his face (or the giddiness).
“You’ve got some odd friends Rocket,” Zuka watched Hyperlaser walk away.
“I do not” Rocket huffed.
That was a lie, Sword was his own enigma, Vine Staff had gifted Rocket an inphernal eating plant in a pot from Thieves Den, Hyperlaser was an odd fellow, and Boombox… well, he was actually pretty normal all things considered. Just a starving artist, Zuka could relate when he first started his business.
Zuka shook his head, “get back to stocking”
Rocket groaned as he walked back to the back of the store.
—
The phone ringed, “Rocket!”
Rocket was sitting in the backroom, trying to look busy so he didn’t get more work. He groaned, “coming!”
Rocket dragged himself up and walked over to the phone. Zuka was in the front with a couple customers.
“This is Zuka’s stop n’ shop, what can I help you with?” Rocket didn’t bother with a customer service voice, only regulars called usually. And regulars knew the deal by now.
“Hey! It’s Slingshot! I’ve got bit of an odd request. I know you normally deal in artificial gears, but Vine Staff said to call you” Slingshot’s chipper voice came through the phone.
Rocket had met Vine Staff’s siblings once or twice, “well, what am I working with?” Rocket inquired.
“We’ve got a broken oven, I’m not too sure what’s broken about it… maybe something’s clogging it up? But it’s smoking like crazy…” Slingshot explained.
Rocket nodded along, “is it an electric or gas oven?”
“Electric”
“Hm, could be the coils need replacing. How old is this oven?”
“Haven’t got a clue, it was here when I bought the place” Slingshot replied.
Rocket pushed himself off the counter, “alright, I’ll come take a look. Thieves Rest, right?”
“Mhm! Second ring” Slingshot said enthusiastically.
“Be there in 20” Rocket said before hanging up.
Zuka looked over his shoulder, “who was it?”
“That little cat cafe has a broken oven” Rocket said.
Zuka raised an eyebrow, “we aren’t mechanics”
“We fixed Ghostdeeri’s rusty door hinge, and Vine Staff told them to call. plus, they always give free pastries after” Rocket offered.
Zuka huffed and turned back around, “get me something” he said gruffly.
Rocket grinned as he headed for the backroom where their tool box was. He walked back out and past Zuka. “Cinnamon muffin?” Rocket didn’t need to ask, but he did anyways. He knew his dad’s favorite pastry. Zuka’s sharp nod with a small smile made Rocket’s face light up with subtle pride.
Rocket headed for the closest monorail. It wasn’t a particularly long walk, but Crossroads was overpopulated as hell. Thankfully the toolbox on Rocket’s person made most people get out of the way. He looked like he actually had places to be, unlike most inphernals who roamed the streets. He did take a pit stop to get the supplies needed to fix a broken oven coil. They didn’t exactly have that lying around Zuka’s shop.
Vine Staff greeted Rocket at the door. “Rocket!” She greeted him with a big bear hug.
“Hey, Vine” Rocket said, muffled against her large frame, “how have you been?”
“Very good! Until Slingy’s oven broke… very smoky…” Vine Staff said.
“I’ll get it fixed in no time,” Rocket said, “don’t sweat it”
Vine Staff led Rocket back to the kitchen. Slingshot and Shuriken were trying to waft the smoke away from the fire detectors. It was a miracle they hadn’t gone off yet.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Rocket huffed, of course he jinxed it. They all winced at the ear piercing beeping.
“At least we know they work?” Shuriken offered a very overwhelmed Slingshot. Slingshot nodded somberly, Vine Staff and Shuriken led her outside to get some fresh air. Leaving Rocket alone with the malfunctioning oven.
Rocket almost pulled something in his back trying to pull the oven away from wall. He should’ve made Vine Staff help him. She was buff for a support gear. Then again, Rocket was scrawny for a ranged gear.
By the time Rocket had finished, he had breathed in more smoke than his dad does with his cigarettes. His suspicion was right though. A busted up heating coil caused the oven to burn the plastic around it, and causing all the smoke.
Rocket was lightheaded, he ignored it and pushed the oven back against the wall. He packed up his tool box and walked out front where the trio of siblings were.
“The smoke alarm stopped, did you fix it?” Shuriken asked.
Rocket coughed out the smoke in his lungs, “yeah, fixed it. Just a broken coil”
Vine Staff frowned, “you okay?” She put her hand on his shoulder.
Rocket dusted himself off, “yeah, I’m fine”
“How much do we owe you?” Shuriken asked.
Rocket thought for a moment, “250” he did the math in his head. Not enough to pay for the lung replacement he was gonna need in due time from all that smoke.
Slingshot headed back inside and to the cash register. She came back out with the money and a bag full of pastries, “thank you so much, Rocket”
Rocket felt himself flush at the praise, he shrugged it off. “Just doin’ my job”
Rocket waved goodbye to the three siblings goodbye before he headed for home. Slingshot had thankfully included a cinnamon muffin in the pastry bag, as much as Zuka would deny it. He was practically a regular at Thieves Rest, he had a sweet tooth he kept hidden. Vine Staff must’ve mentioned that Rocket and Zuka were parent and child.
Rocket was lost in thought on his way home. He walked past a pet store, it reminded him of the interaction his dad and Hyperlaser had earlier today.
Hyperlaser had a cat, Princess was her name. Rocket almost died laughing when Hyperlaser revealed that. Such an intimidating Inphernal had a cat named Princess, and got nervous around Zuka.
Rocket walked into the pet store. Rocket had never owned any pets, at most he babysat Sisyphus for a day or two while Sword and Venomshank were busy with whatever. But that bird is like… freakishly sentient. So really it was like having a very small roommate instead of a pet.
Rocket took a gander at the cat isle. He had no idea there were so many options of food, toys, and cat trees. He pulled out his phone and pulled up his chat with Hyperlaser.
Yo
—
Hyperlaser responded quickly
—
Hey Rocket
?What kind of cat food does Princess eat
Feline Inphernal, the chicken flavor. Why do you ask?
Stop by Zuka’s shop later
Okay?
Thanks
—
Rocket closed his phone. He bought a big bag of cat food. He paid and left. He was tempted to use the money he just got from Slingshot, but Zuka already wouldn’t approve of this. He shouldn’t use company money on this one time gag.
Rocket was glad for his prosthetic arm for once, it took most of the load off him. When he got back to Zuka’s shop, Zuka immediately noticed the big bag of cat food in his arms.
“The hell is that for?” Zuka asked.
Rocket grinned and placed it on an empty shelf, “Hyperlaser, if we wanna build rapport with our customers, we gotta sell what they’re buying”
Zuka rolled his eyes, “this is a one time thing”
Rocket grinned. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the money Slingshot gave him. He put it into the register before handing Zuka his cinnamon muffin from Thieves Rest.
Zuka took it with a quiet thanks. “There’s like 3 more pastries in here, I’ll go put them in the fridge” Rocket said.
“Wash the soot off yourself while you’re there” Zuka said.
Rocket looked down at himself, he was indeed covered in soot. “You got it, boss” Rocket winked.
Zuka waved him off. Rocket headed up the stairs next to Zuka’s shop and into their apartment.
Rocket put the pastries in the fridge and took a quick shower. He rejoined his father downstairs in the shop until closing.
—
Hyperlaser did not return for a few days, everytime a customer asked about the cat food, Zuka would just point to Rocket. Rocket would just shrug.
Eventually though, Hyperlaser did return. He seemed to be fidgeting with his gloves as he walked up.
Zuka greeted him with a nod, “Rocket got you something” Zuka gestured over to the cat food with his head.
Hyperlaser’s little helmet antenna turned downwards. It was kind of cute— Zuka cut off that train of thought quickly.
“Thank you…” Hyperlaser said earnestly.
“Thank Rocket,” Zuka said he watched as Hyperlaser’s antenna twitched, seemingly with amusement.
Rocket was stocking in the back, once he noticed Hyperlaser was here he ran up with a grin.
“Did I get the right kind?” He asked.
“You did” Hyperlaser’s voice was lighter than usual. Rocket had never seen him like this.
Rocket grabbed the cat food for him and put it on the counter.
Zuka guessed the price, he probably under balled. But he didn’t care that much. They weren’t struggling financially, they were doing just fine.
“Next time bring Princess with you!” Rocket called out to Hyperlaser as he left.
—
Once that bag ran out, Rocket had another waiting for Hyperlaser at Zuka’s shop. Princess didn’t like strangers, but she did like going outside. So Hyperlaser returned with Princess on her leash.
“You leash trained them?” Zuka watched as Princess hopped up on the counter and sniffed him.
Hyperlaser nodded.
Rocket was mopping the floors when Hyperlaser returned. Rocket was practically bouncing off the walls, he loved cats.
Rocket crouched down so he was eye level with Princess. He cooed as Princess sniffed him with suspicion.
Zuka turned back to Hyperlaser. “You live around here?” He made conversation.
Hyperlaser nodded, “my job has me all over the place though”
Zuka nodded, “Blackrock?”
Hyperlaser’s antenna lowered slightly as he nodded. Neither of them had to say anything. They both knew the truth of Blackrock.
“You were quite starstuck when you first came here, am I still that popular around Blackrock?” Zuka asked.
“Very” Hyperlaser, “you’re like a deity to them”
Zuka shook his head with a laugh, “I’m gonna get murdered by every sword for that”
Hyperlaser chuckled.
“They’d hate what I’m doing now, I’m sure” Zuka said.
“I wish I had the luxury of freedom,” Hyperlaser said, “but I owe them everything, unfortunately”
Zuka nodded solemnly, “whatever’s under that helmet I assume?”
Hyperlaser nodded. Zuka didn’t pry.
Hyperlaser looked over at Rocket. He was barely holding himself still as Princess rubbed up against him. He didn’t want to scare her away.
“Did you spawn him?” Hyperlaser asked, “he looks just like you”
Zuka shook his head, “he just carves his horns to look like mine, found him half dead in Craterdust”
Hyperlaser’s antenna lowered further, he was probably frowning under that helmet. “Ah…” he said quietly, “Splintered Skies?”
Zuka nodded. “Lost his arm trying to summon his gear, compartment syndrome from the landing took his leg.”
Hyperlaser looked at Rocket, who was bathing Princess in attention. She was eating it up.
“He’s lucky to have you” Hyperlaser said.
Zuka felt his face get hot, “it’s the least I could do for him”
They all fell into a comfortable silence.
“Say, you wanna stay for dinner?” Zuka asked.
Hyperlaser’s antenna shot up. Zuka cracked a small smile, “looks like a yes to me” he teased lightly.
Hyperlaser nodded, “I’d love to”