The Wonderful World of Skullgirls

Valentine's Day Special (2022)

Poorman Apartments

April 15th

The Player laid in wake on the couch looking up to the ceiling and petting Butterscotch in his curled sleeping position. The phone sat beside him and a few newspapers spread on the table, all opened on the wanted ads. This was how he spent most of his day, it was rather unproductive.

A gentle knock on the wall caught his attention -- he looks up and sees Squigly.

"Hey." She entered the front room with a smile.

The Player tucked in his lips and smiled back as a mutual gesture. "What's up." He laid his head back down and continued petting the dog.

"Not much. Just checking on you."

"Same old, same old."

"Still no calls?" Leviathan asked.

"Nope."

"I'm sure something will turn up." Squigly walks to the back of the couch and reaches down to pet Butterscotch herself.

"Sure." The Player flatly responds, earning a look of disapproval from Squigly, which he noticed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to sound so rude, I'm just... I don't know. I'm trying to keep my head up, I am, but when stuff like this happens it's hard for me to be optimistic. There's just so much I have to worry about."

Squigly's disapproval subsides to a disheartened frown and she looks at him with more empathetic feelings.

"There's only so much left in the bank. If I don't find something soon... We really are going to be on the street. Or couch surfing, that's what Samson suggested we do if I can't make the rent. According to him, before we met, that's how he's been getting by. He knows people."

"Whoever would willingly associate themselves with that ingrate has to be bad news." Leviathan said in complete distrust of Samson's contacts.

"I don't think we're too bad." Squigly jokingly replied.

Leviathan looks down to Squigly and sees that she was teasing him by just barely sticking out her tongue. Leviathan rolled his eyes and gives her a dry, yet humored, smile.

"Whatever the case may be," the Player continued "Samson has the connections. If, or when, we get evicted we'll have to follow his lead. We'll have to make sure we pay back whoever was nice enough to lend us their place. Aaah. I really wish I could get away from all this."

"...Okay. Let's go!" Squigly stood upright with her hands on her hips.

"Huh?" The Player looked at her, confused by the sudden outburst.

"Let's get you away from all of this." She lifts her hand allowing her sleeve to roll down, revealing that she was holding a pair of tickets.

"What's that?"

"Two tickets for Luce Nell'oscurità! Ever been to the opera?"

"Opera? Uuh, no. I didn't even know New Meridian had an opera house."

"This one's in Canopolis!"

"Canopolis? Wait, where'd you get the tickets from?" The Player lifts up, careful to mind Butterscotch.

"Contest submission. There was a giveaway for free tickets to the show. Callers would call in, sing, and whoever they liked most got the tickets." Squigly was looking mighty proud with one hand on her hip as she fans herself with the tickets. "Pretty easy win."

"Naturally." Leviathan was also demonstrating pride in Squigly's win.

The Player actually found it in himself to smile seeing their reaction. "Can't say it was much of a competition. Not when your opponent is a famous singer."