Out To Lunch

There’s gonna be some time before the next scheduled client and as great as pussy tastes it doesn’t quite stick to the bones.

It takes a moment to get dressed, Josie’s hair slowly changing back to its preferred bubblegum pink.

The door gives a hydraulic hiss as it opens, breaking the soundproof seal that isolates it from the outside world.

Stepping into the hall she can spot the various members of The Amazons, a local gang that’s more or less staked claim over the building after a recent turf war ended in their favor.

Lotsa blood was shed that day but the dolls were left untouched, after all you can’t have a joyhouse without the talent.

The dolls and the gangoons run in different circles even in such a close proximity, sure every once in a while they’ll sample the merchandise but that’s where the socialization ends.

D also managed to get by unscathed, apparently she cut a deal with The Amazons, promising them discounts on her bottom bitch in exchange for keeping her head, it’s a bit bullshit but what’s Josie supposed to do? Go against her boss? Against a gang? That’s how you get disappeared.

At the end of the hall just before the elevator is D who's chatting up one of the amazons.

The woman in question likes to style herself after the pimps of old, bright purple fur coat, floppy hat and blinged out teeth that’s been filed down to teeth similar to a sharks.

Just as Josie passes she feels a hand wrap around her wrist, stopping her in her tracks, she don’t need to turn to see who it is but it’s more so a matter of respect.

“Damn bitch, where is it your hurrying off to~? You ain’t got no house calls today..” her tone is friendly, but her grip certainly doesn’t reflect that.

“Just grabbing some chow mommy, no need to worry..” Josie says hoping to deescalate things but to no avail.

“Nuh uh, I’ll decide what needs worrying like for example, what’s this I be hearing about a scuffle with a client yesterday?” She asks, her voice probing but not accusatory yet.

“Woah, that’s not on me, she broke house rules and I called security, that’s all” there are precious few rules in an establishment such as this but laying hands on a doll isn’t kosher, a busted face plate means less creds, for the doll and their pimp.

She glances at the gangoon who’s quick to corroborate Josie’s story with a small nod.

“Bitch got out of line, simple as” at this her posture softens and she releases Josie’s wrist, cupping her chin instead making her lock eyes.

“Ok baby, you know momma gets testy when her livelihood is threatened” she gives Josie a small peck on the forehead before releasing her entirely.

“You get yourself something nice for me baby, my special girl deserves it~” she says before dismissing the girl who’s quick to take her cue, hopping into the lift and riding down the many floor of the megaplex.

The ride is always long so she glances towards the screens that adorn the walls of the elevator which currently is host to a local news channel.

“-which is a blatant slap in the face to the families of the victims, just how long must we wait before justice is served?!”

Another haywire event, that’s the forth one in the last couple days by Josie’s reckoning; nobody knows if it’s a fault of the manufacturer or some malicious third party but sometimes the heavily modded just lose it.

Josie actually had the misfortune of seeing one up close before, some lady, spikes coming out of her body in every direction like a porcupine, her movements were stunted and jerky like she was being puppeted around, luckily the clunkers showed up before she could do any real damage, just before they put her down she froze up, as if she managed to pull herself together.

A soft melody plays in her ears pulling Josie from her memories as her HUD flashes, showing an incoming call from Kimmy, a local Brain Candi peddler who’s avatar depicts some aztec god from way back when with a bird head.

She accepts and the avatar enlarges, taking up space in the elevator across from her, arms crossed, leaning back against the railing as a gentle shimmer effect ripples through their body.

“Hoya chika, got a proposition for ya, the vid game is gettin big, new talent is in demand and you’re just the doll the people want, you game?”

Josie was contacted by Kimmy a little while ago, presumably a satisfied client referred Josie to her and ever sense Kimmy hasn’t stopped trying to pitch the idea of Josie getting into the vid industry.

“Mmmmhm, you’re not gonna tell me about my partner..? The story..? Fuck me, tell me there’s a story…”

“Eeeeeh that’s not really the important part but if you MUST know, your partner is just right for you… you HAVE taken BBC before… right..?”

“I take it there’s no story…”

“Hey, I will have you know I worked on this story for days..!”

She says before beginning to pace back and forth as she relays her masterpiece.

“So, check it, the story is about this girl who thinks she wants to date some dude BUT her friends mom shows her what she REALLY wants is a big buff mommy to treat her right, good yeah?” She says clearly pleased with herself as her avatar rests her hands on her waist.

“Uh huh.. and what’s the pay lookin like…?” Josie says, eyes narrowed as she eyes the bird woman skeptically.

“Weeeeeeeell… seeing as the vid ain’t out yet I can’t pay you up front BUUUUUT you give it some time and I can pay you 10% the profits..!”

“The fuck..? You mean to tell me that you NEED me on this project, you can’t pay me upfront and I’m STILL only getting 10% the profits?!”

“Ay, relax lil momma, these productions have CRAZY overhead, I gotta pay a techie to rig up the recorder, I gotta pay the other talent, I gotta arrange space for the vid, there’s a lot goin on, besides you’re partners only getting 5% each if it makes you feel any better…”

“Look.. just think about it alright..? Shooting is still a few days out, if you can’t do it I can find someone else but.. this could be big for you, ya know..?” And with that the call drops and the avatar vanishes within the blink of an eyes.

The lift dings as the doors slide open, Josie’s not at ground level, that would take too long but she was able to descend down to a small residential block that hosts some food stands.

Every megaplex is like this, thousands of residential and commercial units smashed together into a chaotic mess that only those living there or one with a map can properly understand.

The few things that can’t be found in megaplexes are municipal buildings, factories and financial centers.

She steps out of the lift and navigates the atrium area of the megaplex, occasionally wading through the bustle of other citizens, all rushing to destinations unknown.

Finally her goal is in sight, a small food cart, unremarkable other than the sign which in broken English reads “best Noodles”

Drumming his fingers on the cart is a young man of Japanese descent, completely zoned out until Josie plops down on one of the cheap stools set out near the cart.

Shaken from his internal melody, he cracks a smile at the familiar face.

“Food time?” He asks, clearly excited at his first customer today, placing his hands flat along the small counter section.

“You know it, friendo” Josie replies, sliding her coat off her shoulders and down to the too small back rest on the stool.

He sets to work, already knowing the order, not attempting to make small talk, and that’s what makes Shiro so great.

Kids virtually mute, it’s rare to get any kind of dialogue going other than placing an order.

It gives a girl time to think, to zen out a little and mentally unpack the days events, a taste of solitude that Josie can’t really get outside of her room at the dollhouse.

This solitude is of course cut off too soon, as footsteps grow closer, she can see Shiro freeze like a deer in headlights as he spots the visitor.

“Shiro… you’ve been running late on your payments, you’ve not been holding out on me have you…?” Josie knows that tone, friendly voice with something malicious hiding just beneath the surface.

Turning her head, Josie takes the woman in, it’s clear she’s on hormone, rippling muscle lay just beneath her caramel skin that could only come from juice.

Her black hair is braided and hangs over her shoulder, traditional of the Amazons that rule the megaplex.

“I… I uh…. I not get lotta customer..!” That’s more words than Josie’s ever heard come out of Shiros mouth.

“He’s not wrong, I’m the first gal to come in all day, prolly be the last too..” it’s unfortunate but it is the truth and Shiro’s always done right by her, only fair to speak up.

“I ain’t talking to you, doll” she states coldly before turning her head back to shiro.

“You got til the end of the day to get me what’s owed or I’m taking your ass as payment!” She says before storming off.

Shiro gulps and with shaky hands continues with his work, bottom lip quivering as he tries to make peace with his fate.

“Hey, who the hell was that…?”

“Sh… she Goliath, she run the floor, I owe her big money for stand…”

It’s then that Josie gets a horrible idea, one that might be able to get Goliath off Shiro’s back indefinitely.

She is the hottest doll in the building after all…

“Hey.. what if I talked to her..? Worked somethin out…?” She says causing Shiro to look at her in bewilderment.

“Wha… why..? I don’t got money to pay you…” he says, slowly sliding a bowl across the counter to her.

“Uh, yeah, I heard, just call it a favor, yeah?” Josie says, taking a pair of chopsticks, and digging into her meal.

They both settle back into their quiet state, Shiro looking through his biocomp as Josie ate, mid meal she’s once more interrupted, the notification displaying an avatar that’s a stereotypical yellow emoji with arms and legs.

There’s exactly one person in the whole of city level 23 who would use an avatar that stupid and so Josie accepts the call.

“Heh moooahm…” she says through a mouthful of noodles, the emoji enlarging and taking up the stool next to her.

“God, Josie you’re not on the clock right now are you…?” She says causing her daughter to **** violently on her food.

“Jesus, ma…! No..! I’m on break.. eating.. whadaya want?”

“I don’t know… it’s just been a little while sense you’ve been over and… you know… empty nest..”

Josies father had passed years ago and even now her mother has no idea what to do with herself, it’s occurred to Josie more then once that she should set her mom up with someone, at least then a little bit of that mom energy would go someplace else.

“Alright look… I might be able to stop by after work, ok…?” Josie says hoping to end the convo before she gets the chance to launch into one of her rants.

“Mmm… ok… I’ll get dinner started then..” The emoji says, interpreting her mothers tone and turning it into an appropriate action, gently kicking its legs back and forth in the stool like a child at the doctors office.

“Alright ma… see you then..” and with that the call drops and the avatar vanishes in the blink of an eye.

With her meal finished Josie departs, heading back to her room to prepare for her next client, reaching her room just in time to check her work slate, dictating her next appointment.