Tales of Roze: Retail Days

Retail Days

It's a new year and Kerys is on a mission. After being affected by the alien attack and Trench splitting her followers in two, she's broke. With Felix being the only one bringing home the bacon, Kerys feels obligated to provide for herself and her friends. She had been handing around her CV to any job offers with little experience required. Door after door being closed on her, she's starting to lose hope. She's been getting threats from the police as well, who have a new batch of staff that got transferred from Great Britain. Mayor Billingsly had them brought over to replace the old staff for being 'feckless'.

Kerys walks through the streets wearing her trademark devil horned hoodie. She kicks a pebble across the road in hopelessness. A couple of police officers who are parked at the side of the road spot her and get out of their cars to confront her. They stop in front of her, and one holds their hand out to halt her. "Hold up there, Roze."

She scoffs asking, "What is it?"

"Is that how you talk to all officers?"

"Only the ones who bother me."

"Is that a threat?"

"Ugh. No. What is the problem?"

"The problem, Miss Roze, is you. You have terrorised this city for long enough."

"Hey, I've been good. I've done nothing wrong. I helped the government or whatever kill that giant alien last year! Doesn't that count for immunity?"

"Immunity? Do you seriously think you are safe? You have a broken gang and we're here now."

"Following."

"What?"

"It's a following. Not a gang. I didn't start it. There's a difference."

"It doesn't matter. Either way, you don't intimidate us. You may have scared the police force before, but if you just try to mess with us, you'll be thrown in supermax before tea-time."

"You don't have that jurisdiction. That's a VAAULT and SWAT privilege."

"You wanna try me?"

She sighs. "No. Look, I just wanna get home, okay. I'm having a tiresome day."

"Stressed? Feel like you need to let off some steam. Kill some kids?"

"I know what you're trying to do, and it's not going to work."

"Huh," the officer chaffs.

"Can I please go now?"

"Fine. Just remember, we're watching you, Roze."

Kerys walks off even more annoyed than she was before. A part of her would love to let Devil out and show them that she's to be feared, but deep down she knows that is wrong. She's been trying to turn over a new leaf. Though, something tells her that she hasn't seen those cops for the last time.

#

That same day, Felix is washing his clothes at a laundromat. He's wearing headphones, listening to music. He reaches his mineral arms into the washing machine to lift out the clean clothes and set them into a bag. He sighs and lifts the bag, turning into a woman. They both drop their clothes. He pulls his headphones back unveiling his hood from his head. "Aw shit. I'm so sorry."

"No, no, it's alright," she replies. As she looks at him, she realises who he is. "Say, you're that Phoenix guy, aren't you?"

"Ehh yeah, but please keep it on the DL. I'd rather avoid a bunch of people asking for autographs."

"Don't worry. I'll not make a scene of it." The woman was a bit taller than Felix with ice blue eyes and frizzy jet-black hair. She is wearing sportswear as if she had just been on a run.