The noise of morning traffic sounded hypnotizing, keeping me in place behind the cash register as I waited for customers in this dilapidated convenience store.
It sounded like hell at first.
But I got used to it quicker than I thought.
A steady income, an almost nonexistent boss, and hardly any customers meant I barely had to work.
Sure, there's a good chance I'll need to find another job once this store inevitably closes.
But while it's still here, I sure as hell would enjoy it as much as I can.
CLING!
"Oh... a customer?"
I stopped looking at my phone and looked up.
The person who entered was peculiar, to say the least.
Black hoodie, black pants—actually, scratch that. He was dressed entirely in black.
'Wearing something like that in the scorching heat? Eh, not my business.'
I shrugged and returned to my phone. Working in this line of work, you'd eventually learn not to question every person who enters.
All I needed to do was wait until he approached the register and confirmed his purchase.
Nothing more, nothing less.
"Excuse me, what's this?"
The figure in black finally approached the register, placing a simple green soda can on the counter.
"What do you mean...? It's soda."
"I-I see..."
The figure's voice was feminine, so it was a she...
"Are you asking about the brand?"
"Brand...? What's that?"
What kind of question was that? First, she asked about what a soda is, and now she doesn't even know what a brand is?
I stared at her for a second longer than polite, then sighed.
"It's just… who makes it," I said. "Company name. Doesn't matter."
"Oh." She nodded quickly, like she was filing the information away somewhere important. "Then this one will do."
Her gloved fingers hovered over the can, hesitant. Like it might bite her.
"Uh, that'll be one fifty," I added.
"One… fifty?" she repeated carefully.
"Yes."
Another pause.
Slowly, she reached into her pocket and pulled out something that clinked when it hit the counter.
Not bills.
Not coins I recognized either.
They were thin, oval-shaped pieces of silver metal, etched with patterns that definitely weren't legal tender. They caught the fluorescent light in a way that made my eyes hurt if I stared too long.
"…We don't take those."
Her shoulders stiffened.
"I was told this place exchanged necessities," she said, voice quieter now. "For currency."
"Yeah, this currency." I tapped the register, taking out a bill. "Paper."
She looked genuinely lost. Maybe she was a foreigner instead? That was the only explanation considering the strange currency she handed.
For a moment, I thought she might argue, or even just straight up leave.
Instead, she exhaled slowly, like someone forcing themselves to stay calm.
"I see. Then… may I ask one more thing?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Sure."
She lifted the can slightly. "Is this safe for... consumption?"
That got my attention.
"…Yeah," I said slowly. "Last I checked."
Her shoulders relaxed instantly, tension draining out of her body. "Good."
She reached back into her pocket, this time producing a crumpled bill, creased, old, but real. It looked like it had been found on the streets.
But... it worked, I guess.
I took it, rang her up, and slid the can across the counter.
"Here you go."
"Thank you," she said, bowing her head just a little too formally.
As she turned to leave, the hood shifted.
Just for a split second.
I caught a glimpse of something pale and pointed tucked beneath her hair before the fabric fell back into place.
…Huh.
The door chimed again as she stepped outside.
I frowned, staring after her. Was that... a pointed ear?
No, even her skin itself... it looked pale, as pale as snow itself, I don't even think people from the north were that pale... or had ears like that even.
"What in the—"
BOOM!
Didn't even get to finish my sentence when a powerful explosion suddenly rang out from the streets, strong enough to break the convenience store's glass.
I ducked under the register immediately, the shards of glass barely missing my skin as I managed to take cover just in time.
But that wasn't the only issue, because after the explosion, what came next were screams and gunfire ringing out from the outside.
I stood up, seeing what was going on.
I really wish I hadn't. The thing outside looked like an animal; the only difference was that it was something that didn't really exist.
Was it like a lion? No, a tiger? Not that, also, more like a combination of the two, while being as huge as an elephant.
"Shit...!"
It spotted me from a distance.
Its huge body charging, planning to ram headfirst into the store!
"Wait! Let's talk about this!"
Talk about this...? Was that really the best words I could have chosen in a scenario like this?
Ah... damn it all, I wasn't the best when it came to stressful situations.
BANG!
Before the strange abomination managed to reach the store, a sudden wall of ice arrived first, cleaving the store in half and barely missing my face.
But at least it was enough to block the thing from eating me alive.
Now, the only problem was that the exit was blocked by a massive wall of ice and a literal animal hybrid!
"What in the actual fuck is happening!?"
I tried stepping back, but instead I fell backwards, tripping on a rogue can of tuna that flew from its shelf due to the force of the ice wall.
THUD!
The back of my head hit the wall hard, and well... knocked me out instantly.