JumpMan wakes up slowly, his hair and goggles flickering on with a quiet buzz. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rDsuhbO4t
He pulls himself from his charging station, yawning and stretching his arms and legs, reactivating his servos and joints. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXjfqtTlTr
And then performing a backflip. Just for good measure. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWD9IPhcVQ
"Alright. Time to start the day..." 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgyrn4BanYS
Friday is the only time where JumpMan can really lay back, a "fun day" full of school field trips and augmentation conferences. It's also the day he can wear his spiffy white outfit, the one he pulls out of his closet. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuPyMWUekL
He practically kicks opens his door, greeting the morning with another obnoxious yawn. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmd62g5y5M
Then he smells it. Ouro Corp's blood. The deep, earthy aroma of a freshly brewed pot of coffee. A clear sign that the building is up and already bustling. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkooSi2c6CD
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“Alright, what’s on the agenda today?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCytA89uoXz
The HUD in his goggles gives him a list of tasks. A group of kids from a local middle school wants to check out the Ouro Corp Science Center, and they specifically asked him to give them a tour. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa82cTNlaUQ
“Aw, I’m flattered,” he mutters to himself. Sometimes he forgets that he’s a local celebrity in the scientific world. Seriously. Ouro Corp puts him on everything. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmP4eTQyHI
He watches as students and chaperones walk through the front door, their mouths open in awe as they observe the sleek atrium. He smirks, already excited. He suddenly moves forward, fast, grinding along the rail of a nearby stairway. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBS3HHL5tLk
“I heard you guys asked for me?” he announced with a smirk, slowing down right in front of the group. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6wfDrpi8N
The kids basically scream when they see him. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWgcqNwjgm
“It’s JumpMan!”155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34ATTkwTcS
“He’s real!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZIXXTHB7r
“Welcome to the Ouro Corp Science Center, future scientists! I’m JumpMan, obviously, and I’ll be your guide for the day.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4pbwOCrlW
He points out the various labs and rooms around him. “Right now, you’re in the middle of the best tech lab in the business. We’ve got robots, scientists…” He points to himself cheekily. “Cyborgs! The whole shebang!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSTcMo9bno
He starts taking them to a darkened room with a large screen. “But first, let’s get through the boring stuff. We’ve got a short film to watch about the ‘history of the company’,” he puts in air quotes. “Take notes. I dunno if teachers test you for this kinda stuff.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWJZHD19DI
Everyone pours in, sits on the floor, and the video starts, the lights dimming just enough where his hair and goggles were the brightest thing in the room… 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwFnie81EF
“Ouroboros Corporation was founded in 1993 as Vyper Technologies, named after founder Anthony Vyper—” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXfmL2VAdM
JumpMan immediately tunes it out. He’s heard this hundreds of times before. Corporate buzzwords like “innovation” and “future” are being slung around like baseball. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJl3HGaYXts
The video drones on and on, going through the timeline, the discoveries, the achievements of Ouroboros up to present day. Afterwards, the lights hum back to life. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVArzTlXnkb
“Yeah, huge snoozefest,” JumpMan stretches obnoxiously. “Trust me, it just gets better from here. Now, how many of you wanna arm wrestle with a robot?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JUNKGTkHT
The entire class raises their hand almost instantly. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0NuHEGHHJ
“Yeah, thought so. C’mon! We’re going to the Science Center!”155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUswyDjSYs
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***155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKVX9px8Bd
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Afternoon hits, and the class hits the gift shop. It’s been a long day, teaching kids all about the importance of science. As they file out, picking up little plushies and pins, JumpMan slides off in the other direction. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgs2IgU1we
While today has been fun, a thought has been poking at his mind all morning. His files have been stolen by Aether Corporation. And he doesn’t know what for. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9I0kXdSgK
…Nah. King’s right. Aether doesn’t have the smarts to reverse engineer his schematics. Best in the business. That’s what he told the kids. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcY3pI7gh4d
JumpMan shakes his head. “I need a distraction,” he whispers to himself. He looks towards the entrance, the afternoon sun pooling out from the glass door. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPjO4gCg8t
Usually, JumpMan doesn’t leave the comfort of the chrome buildings of Ouroboros Corporation. The last thing he wants to hear is scolding about how scuffed and dented he got from the wilder side of the outdoors. But on a rare occasion… 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHclnZNt35S
He zooms through that door, welcoming the warm air. He leaves a transmission. “J.M.’s goin’ out. I’ll be back, naturally.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriML2wmnaw
Quantum Row hustles and bustles as JumpMan strides on the sidewalk, carefully dodging the other pedestrians. Some recognize him, some give him a weird look. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfHPT61Cfj
“What to do…?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNXjTKGmGm
He scans the street with his eyes, slowing down in a search for entertainment. Some vendors are selling street food. There’s plenty of holograms that are showing off music videos of top hits. But there’s one thing that catches his eye. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8v9FAD7sNM
A couple of skaters, holding onto their boards and laughing and interacting together. Skateboards? Here? Wouldn’t they get a fine for riding those around on the sidewalk? 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGVjHJpedt
More interestingly, one of them points their thumb in the opposite direction. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluobCWgNEm
“Let’s get outta here, man.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0KZrPXC5q
Then they hop onto their boards and fly off into a dark alleyway, disappearing into the darkness. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLY50jZzL5R
“And where are you guys going?” JumpMan mutters, watching them go. Now he’s curious. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNARYU4Nhp
He follows them through the damp alleyway, the sleek design of the city giving way to grungy apartments and flickering lights. And right in the middle is a skate park. Concrete, graffiti, and loud music blare from all angles. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHYndveslP
People move in all sorts of ways. Boards, skates, hovering and not. JumpMan snickers. “My kinda people…” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcBIVcLY3l
He pushes off into the bowl, dodging and doing some small tricks. A deep breath escapes him. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAVrm0UIR2
Until someone bumps into him, sending them flying while he’s pushed back just an inch or two. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprENdqJczG
“Ugh…!” A feminine voice gasps. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGsKTs6Tl1
JumpMan looks down, seeing a smaller, slimmer body. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zsAIvSphV
“Ah—sorry about that!…Didn’t…see you there…” He reaches out to assist, when a taller, more muscular girl stepped in front of him protectively, taking lollipop out of her mouth and sneering. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqk0h7eBuy
“Watch where you’re going, asshole!” The girl adjusts her helmet. “Almost gave me a damn concussion…” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWL0eZqpplu
JumpMan tries to defuse the situation with a signature smile. “Hey, I didn’t mean it, honest! I wasn’t paying attention, that’s on me…” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29JUKbSLcg
The girl he bumped into places her hands on her hips and cocks an eyebrow. Her deep brown skin was almost completely covered in vibrant, deep blue and neon colors and wrapped in skating gear. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQ05T6tNQ2
The girl with the lollipop sticks it back in her mouth, her eyebrows pinched. A Russian accent slips into her voice as she talks. “Are you okay, Jacks?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMBVmsr85M
“Yeah, I’m alright, Anya. I guess I didn’t hurt anything…” Jacks’ gaze cut into JumpMan like a knife. She jabs him in the chest. “But this guy, needs to look where he’s going—” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKa6XPhA7lV
The hardness of his chest almost doesn’t register at first. Jacks’ eyebrows turn downwards into confusion. She jabs him again, hearing the quiet clink as her painted nails make contact with his metallic plate. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKPXz1hPNW
“What?” she mutters in disbelief, before she instantly presses an ear against his chest. JumpMan’s pupils widen as this stranger gets up close and personal, listening for that faint heartbeat, and mechanical hum. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNOrPXDJRr
She stomps back, huffing audibly. “Oh, no wonder you ran into me! You’re a damn clank!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRUHLsJ4Xi
JumpMan sputters. “Clank?!” He exclaims. “Okay, step back! The term is cyborg, lady! I still have a fully functional human brain!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDp1F03ilw
“Well, you should use it and watch where you’re going!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGLTA1VY1T
The two glare at each other for a few seconds, when a third girl skates up, carrying bandages. “Jacks, are you okay? I saw you wipe out, and—…” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0u1JNYR00
There’s confusion and surprise on the girl’s face as she takes in JumpMan’s appearance. “Is…this a cosplay or something?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy31n7gL9Gz
Anya takes the lollipop out of her mouth to talk. “He’s…cyborg, Toye. Ouro Corp clank…” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUzwvE4w0e
“Oh…” Toye whispers. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7DrUYLdgv
“Name’s JumpMan…I’m the kinetic specialist at Ouroboros.” He holds out his hand. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Irab0doq3
Jacks looks down at his segmented hand, before flitting back up to his face. “Shuri Breezei. But everyone here calls me Jacks.” With her hand, she points at Anya and Toye. “These two are my besties. We’re a skating team…the name is still in progress.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmXCWKnPgb
JumpMan moves his hand to shake hers, but suddenly, she pulls back. “Hold it, clank,” she sneers, “before I decide to be all buddy-buddy with you, I need to see how you move. I can’t respect you right off the bat…” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTnSU64IND
He blinks twice incredulously. “…Huh?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywpUKwAxh8
“You and me. One lap around the park. You win, I’ll let you come back. I win…you’re paying for me and my girls’ smoothies today.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZME01FDnja
“…That’s it?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBXCZ12zV1
“We’re not going to convenience store, clank,” Anya adds in, “Neo-Nova. Downtown.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbL4sMgHp4e
JumpMan's UI pulls up the menu with pricing. And a simple smoothie costs… 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrsYcXHxde
“30 credits a smoothie?! That’s daylight robbery, it’s gotta be!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0kMkdfQVk
“Duh, they’re 30 credits. They’ve got real fruit and stuff. None of that processed crap they’re making us eat nowadays. Now, are you in, or not?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVspSMs11D
JumpMan rubs his chin with a finger, calculating the pros and cons. “So...if I win, I get to come back, whenever I want. And you stop calling me a ‘clank’.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOmpKzecQj
Jacks nods, “Uh-huh. Sure. And if you lose, you owe me a trip to Neo-Nova...and you agree that your stupid expensive augmentations don’t make you a real skater.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfPWpZqoqz
JumpMan hesitates for a minute. He really doesn’t want to spend money on someone he just met. But his pride…his ego would be bruised if he was “chickening out” from a simple race. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoXt5ZR9cn
His pupils shift into determined circles. “Alright, I’m in. Where’s the starting line?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZi5ebRJfu5
Anya points to a line, spray-painted a glow-in-the-dark neon blue. “All races start here.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXJ1UmuRlo
JumpMan takes his place behind the line, Jacks following right behind. Anya yells at the other skaters in Russian, telling them to make some space. “Отойдите! Move!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowoprJpnDr
Skaters immediately get the message pushing back and making a loose circle around the perimeter of the park. Cameras are recording, eyes are watching. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbc8l9zagx
“Damn,” JumpMan mutters, “Didn’t think they’d move that fast…” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15QMZzwrJw
Toye nods. “Well, Anya’s our muscle. She can be really scary when she wants to be. That’s why we’re so respected around here...” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Kz8tjVwJc
“And don’t think she won’t do anything to you either, clank...” Jacks says checking the wheels on her skates to see if they’re in prime condition. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSKAljDLgV
Anya takes position as referee. “Jacks said one lap. No dirty tactics or shortcuts, da? Only around the bowl.” She gives Jacks a dirty look. “I mean it. No cheating.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5GGyhpBWL
“Me? I would never…I just bend the rules, a bit.” Jacks grins cheekily, before getting in position next to JumpMan. “Don’t worry, I won’t need to cheat.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7x9kFLrp4t
Anya grumbles something, before starting to count down. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7vC453ZG2
“One!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuRItQVERt
“Two!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyeRkFcIuK
JumpMan and Jacks crouch down… 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjI48uUhG6Y
“Three!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0lLFTiaEU
Both racers speed off. Naturally, JumpMan starts off ahead, already calculating his movements for the next turn. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKyQ16Mpgo
30 degrees right. Curve it, don’t sharpen. Max Speed: 70 MPH. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4t3C4Rxju
JumpMan’s eyes sharpen even further, then leans towards the lip of the bowl as he drifts. The blue trail fades as quickly as it appears. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahR12EHcxf
“Good start,” he mutters to himself with a smile. “Easiest race of my life…” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54uUTydG0Y
JumpMan’s smug, until he hears the loud, rhythmic CLACK and roooll of Jack’s skates pushing her neck and neck with him. She’s putting her entire body into it. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcVOVPPFxS
JumpMan’s eyes widen almost comically, letting out a low whistle as he takes in the sweat blanketing her forehead. “Jeez—…you are determined to beat me…” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpatxLMFXf
“Shut up,” Jacks breathed out, “and keep skating…!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfKSpif0Yb
JumpMan shrugs his shoulders, focusing his attention back on the track. If she’s struggling to keep up with him now, all he needs to do is speed up a little and keep the lead for the rest of the race. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQ1WLGdsjg
His HUD flashes again. Next Max Speed: 82 MPH. Ready to engage. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeBEV5X62C
JumpMan calculates. If he’s too fast, he won’t be able to turn into the last leg of the race. And he’ll probably fly straight into the crowd. Too dangerous. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOs6p3YwdXl
THUMP! A rough shove shocks him out of his thoughts, almost knocking him over. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tcQDtLB18
“Hey—!” JumpMan eyes change into exclamation marks. “You can’t just shove!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡufZdthfvh9
Jacks sticks out her tongue at him. “Anya didn’t say I couldn’t shove. She said I couldn’t cheat.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnL3vA17Jx
“Shoving is cheating!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSqCs4AFCi
“Anya didn’t say anything. Not cheating!” She nudges him again, pushing him aside as she takes the lead. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJrq9hFLfa
“Ugh,” JumpMan grumbles. “Let’s get this over with.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1I5j17e8xb
He sets his max velocity to 75, just enough to close the gap. “I really could go faster if I wanted to, you know! You’re lucky I’m being fair!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LHRHnTJIR
“And why don’t you?!” Jacks yells back, panting. “Just go faster!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zE4RFrDCG
“And run into the crowd? You’ll never let me back for that!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuvfnqClB4
Both racers glide around the final curve. The last straight path. People are screaming and cheering, their phones held high over their heads. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdu66g3ToG
He looks beside him. Jacks is drenched in sweat, her wheels swiveling left to right as her body becomes fatigued. Slowly, she starts getting closer. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YDy71Pl52
Twenty meters left. Fifteen. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xOC1plBIB
Suddenly, HUD pops up again with an alert. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nxOPAFz2R
PROXIMITY ALERT. Engaging anti-crash system. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKea9vXp3X
“Wait. Wait, no—!” JumpMan exclaims, his eyes a mix of question and exclamation marks. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTNazMU7yw
CLACK! The electromagnetic stabilizers, located in his feet, were meant to keep JumpMan from leaning and crashing into walls and obstacles. But now, it’s working against him, connecting his feet with the metal axles of Jacks’ skates. Jacks yelps as she almost loses balance. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrt3mMRcczi
Jacks shrieks as she’s pulled sideways. “What are you doing?!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMJdDd4EZc
JumpMan tries to override the system. “It’s not me, not really! Anti-crash systems thought you were an obstacle! Gimme a sec, I’ll try and—” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtTWt30dzI
“Hurry up, before we both eat concrete!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgA1H9Wiv5i
JumpMan eyes change into a frustrated expression. “I’m trying! This stuff takes time, alright?!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPS7q6cq8Qi
At the last minute, stabilizers disengage, sending Jacks almost tumbling into the concrete. Almost. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGusuXKjAp
Instead of wiping out like JumpMan expects, she recovers, arcing around with her face close to the ground in an quick, graceful motion. JumpMan looks on in awe as she takes a knee. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMIcM1WKSw
Silence…then chaos from the crowd, people looking at each other’s footage, bets ready to be paid… 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtl5OTfcOd
“It was too close, man! I can’t tell!”155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2fAlEtVcO
“Replay the video!”155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzrx1UvzgM
“They gotta have another one!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF96f21QQow
“…You alright?” JumpMan asks, cocking his head to the side. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcmkVeiPlf
“Shut up!” Jacks snaps, “I swear, if your stupid shoes…skates—whatever they are made me lose, I swear to God!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIiBc8mKmU
Anya looks between them, biting down on the lollipop and crushing it between her teeth. In between chews, she mutters. “Tie.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyK7ZYQp3G
Both of their heads snap to her, eyes wide. but Jacks speaks up first, “Anya!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvNmGIOc76
“I saw video from Morales,” Anya states, pointing to one of the skaters in the crowd. “Crossed line at the same time. Tie.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJk3PdvSUz
Toye nods solemnly. “Sorry Jacks, you guys tied…” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eX4AQGjXT
“So…” JumpMan blinks twice. “Does this mean I can come back?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlq41WJetyn
Jacks huffs, turning her head away. She’s refusing to answer. Anya speaks for her. “I might convince her. But pay referee tax first.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJfNIZgFYZ
“Referee tax?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnctBd8KlD3
“I do not work for free. Neo-Nova for me.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvPv9zhHF0
Toye immediately raises her hand. “Oh, I helped, too!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfrcPd9NLQ
JumpMan face drops. “…We can’t be seriously extorting smoothies out of me right now.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgeuIa3NE5a
Anya and Toye speed off towards downtown in excitement. JumpMan didn’t even have time to say no. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkfs0sUQRa
Jacks tugs off her helmet and knee guards, muttering complaints and curses under her breath. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8y3FEld9pT
JumpMan drifts towards her. “You good?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvxrSAdE5u
Jacks doesn’t look up. “…Why do you skate like that?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbx2IJMV8RO
JumpMan quirks an eyebrow. “Like what?" 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudHKPBemWv
“Not once did I see you not looking at that stupid HUD thing you’ve got with you. Where’s your...passion?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkPrAvnFVY
“I literally do this for a living...skating. Moving. I have a passion for—” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2FY25CSZ0
Jacks jabs a finger into his chest. “Yeah, you can move. You’re the fastest thing I’ve raced. Ever. But you’re always calculating something...you doing math while you do it isn’t skating...” She turns away. “You can be fast. But as long as you skate like a clank, you’ll always be a clank.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfK88fkOPf
JumpMan’s optics flicker into something he can’t name. He doesn’t have a comeback. Jacks pulls off her skates, switching them for her normal sneakers. As she walks away, he calls out to her. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUGQgwTE2M
“Hey, uh…what flavor smoothie do you want?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ySnrxNK5D
Jacks stops, faltering for a minute. “...You’re paying?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUyT4ziAUt
JumpMan shrugs. “Might as well, it wouldn’t be fair to treat your friends and not you.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRmDLFH3t3
Jacks tucks her helmet under her arm. “...I’ll think about it on the way there.” Then she continues on her way. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegOm0DFq4V
He hesitates to catch up, just long enough to hear the crowd laughing about their tie. Or maybe they thought he was trying to charm Jacks. He can’t tell. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7p7QTUuPy2
He gives a sheepish shrug towards the skaters, before speeding off. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQesZGWvZuC
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JumpMan watches as the three girls giggle and sip on their smoothies. The TV in the corner is broadcasting the news. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkOuaiPXJS
“...Hey...you’re not going to get a smoothie?” Jacks quirks an eyebrow. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡadL6iV70hi
“Nah. Can’t eat.” He points to his chest. “I survive on nutrient paste to keep my human parts alive. Can’t eat solid food or it’ll mess up my cybernetics.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotgGuSZEJG
“Oh…eugh,” Jacks winces, “...I don’t know if I should be sympathetic or disgusted...sorry I asked, I guess.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsPpLx0op7
“It’s alright, kids ask me that question all the time.” JumpMan forces a grin. “They always get all weirded out that their favorite guy can’t eat like they can. Funniest thing ever.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgS44Dz57j5
Toye swallows the little bit of the “Blueberry Stardust” smoothie she has before putting the cup down. “...Does Ouro at least take care of you?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWNYpSMIVc
JumpMan answers quickly. “Oh yeah. I have my own room, I get repaired on demand…I even get my own skate rink, if you can believe it. It’s just...” He puts his chin in his hand. “It’s a little too sleek sometimes. Too...lonely.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKvzTLqqpL
…Silence. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxikLLqINx
The jingle for the local broadcast pulls them out of the conversation before it gets too personal. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1mBg9jTn6
JumpMan stares at the hologram, as a story gets his attention. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JjCWlYHVf
“Future-Pop Artist Ziaria will be partnering with Aether Corporation for Augmentation Reconstruction—" 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrS2tADnzZK
Anya’s eyes follow his. “It seems everyone wants to be clank these days.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv7GOBrTlRH
JumpMan sneers, his pupils downturned semi-circles. “Using Aether tech though...?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxwCodE08J
“In an interview conducted by our station, the pop idol states plans to use this opportunity as a way to improve her talent and connect with her augmented fans…” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFD67iaxeE
Ziara’s face pops onto the screen as she participates in the interview, virtue signaling about “connection” and “unification”. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7BDRDoSCs
Jacks rolls her eyes. “Yeah, right. We all know she’s doing it for the brand deal...” She leans over the back of her chair, taking a large slurp out of her smoothie. “She’s gonna regret this in a couple years, I’m betting on it.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AFm861R64
JumpMan snorts. “Yeah...people that willingly become cyborgs ‘because it looks cool’ usually change their minds in a few years or so...” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXO8bU1Lv8L
Anya puts down her cup, raising a blonde eyebrow. “Have you changed your mind yet?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YoVmPxIYP
JumpMan blinks before looking at her. “Who, me? Nah. I didn’t have a choice, really. The Ouro Corp reactor exploded five years ago and...you know, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time...” He nervously chuckles. He simulates an explosion with his fingers. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUj49Vorq1O
“Holy crap, you were in that?” Jacks perks up. “That explosion took people out! They shut Ouro Corp down for months because of it! And you still work with them? I would’ve sued their ass!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUs1X3m0V9
JumpMan nods. “Well, I guess their idea of an apology was saving my life...I’d probably be a dead man without them. And they spent millions on me, so I guess I got them back, yeah?” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSXXH3twdh
“JumpMan,” Toye calls, “you don’t need to stand up for them, you know? You don’t have to be loyal to them beyond their employment...” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38NoMpStcV
“I—...” JumpMan’s mouth opens, then closes. “Yeah, that’s true, but…where would I go? All this stuff is Ouro Corp tech, and only they can fix it.” He laughs, a soft, wistful sound. “...I’m just happy with the freedom they did give me. Don’t need much now.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrg7e1OaYT
Jacks picks up her skates and helmet. “…Thanks for the smoothies, J.M., but we’ve got a routine to finish up.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn60TWnQ9LY
“You’re welcome to come back though.” Toye offers with a gentle smile. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4CbpLIH7A
“Toye!” Jacks grinds out. “Stop being so—” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgvcln7MDM
“Sorry! I really thought—” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmSVqy5C7p
Jacks lightly pushes Toye out of the store, the two young women leaving together. Anya, however, stays behind. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwygEkdutWX
“...I don’t mind you coming back. Just one thing.” Her voice gets lower. “Jacks. Toye. They are family. Park is home. I find your corporation in home, hurting my family…?” She slams her palm flat onto the table. “They will find you in dumpster.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFt8OW3VLZ8
Anya picks up her half-empty cup, ready to join her friends. “Later, clank.” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCghpipeEH
The tap of her boots fade away. JumpMan lets out a breath he didn’t even feel himself holding. “What a scary lady…” He mutters to himself.155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUh9fvrhDN
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***155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDPSlXkSDT
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The walk (or drift) back to Ouro Corp is quiet. Peaceful. Despite the rocky start, he’s actually had fun with the girls today. The race especially. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlXL5C4wKR
And Jacks allowed him to come back, granted he has time and/or money to spend. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJ0YBmYUzL
…The technicians in the Repair Center are going to be pissed seeing him all scuffed up like this. He can almost hear the whining now. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWl3HsaUeYA
“JumpMan! This hover tech is super expensive!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrGcuTkgOX
“This is why we tell you not to skate on concrete, you’re all scratched up!” 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ562cwCtF0s
JumpMan chuckles, shaking his head. He’s about to push off, when… 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0UBv3GezL
“JumpMan. It’s so good to see you.” It’s a feminine voice, with a slight, song-lilt, almost robotic. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6qFXdDIJw
JumpMan rotates, his hovering technology activating with a soft purr. The first thing JumpMan catches was two large androids, suited in black and stepping forward. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTc402y1VOP
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Suddenly, in-between them, another figure steps out. 155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlU8CgfW0l3
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***155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6C9wlLZNM
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Author's Note: Sorry for the long chapter! There's just a lot of character build up in this chapter, with Jacks and the crew. I'll try and make the next chapter a little bit shorter so it's easier to consume...155Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwQZEhHqzP
and then Add to home screen.