High [Boy X Boy]

1 - The Skinned Rabbit

(Song Recommendation: None)

"First time on city watch, huh Rookie?" A colleague asked Link with a chuckle and slapped a hand on his shoulder. The sudden contact frightened him a little and a nervous laugh is all he could choke out.

"Yeah..." Link adjusted his clothes, glancing around the forbidden area. "Don't get yourself into any trouble and remember! Don't come back to the entrance. No one can see you come in, no one can see you come out. Got that?" The colleague continued rambling on about the rules around the city. "G-Got it."

"Fucking great. Bring back some good loot, kid." A thick envelope was given to Link and he received a slap to the ass. A pink flush ruined the pale colour on his face as his colleague jogged away with a snigger, calling out to one of their friends.

Link shoved the envelope into his shoulder bag and nervously walked up the staircase. He had been taken out into the city before by his colleagues to grab some good exercise and trade drugs with an allied gang. He had never been out by himself.

Technically, the other four rookies didn't count considering he wouldn't be hanging around with them the whole time.

There was no real aim to city-watching either. It reminded Link of a game that didn't have an ending (or it didn't let you see it anyway.)

A demo.

He would purchase several items listed to him (even if they were incredibly expensive.) Any leftover cash could be used for the benefits of the city watcher or could be given back to the gang leader for the next wave of city watchers. Five city watchers were sent out of Skinned Rabbit every day. The other "groups" amount of city watchers sent out each day of the week was unknown.

City watching only became a danger when five Skinned Rabbit rookies exited the underground and four came back.

Four Skinned Rabbit rookies. One "Liquid Vulture" apprentice.

The top of the staircase was approaching quickly. It wouldn't be long before he was walking out into the city.

The idea of walking through the city streets was unbearable.

Such nerve-wrecking experiences and stories had come from those who dared to stay out in the city for a night to engage in trade.

Link's idea of "city watching" wasn't that of a good one. He could only imagine being grabbed by the arm and dragged into the clutches of another group to be used as their slave or maid. Besides, it wouldn't be different to his position now and perhaps that was the upside?

He refused to question it.

His feet soon reached the surface. A land of rain and silence stood before him. The underground's exit led to an alleyway, one blocked off by several gates and a large amount of debris as a matter of fact.

Link, with a shake of his head, climbed over the gates and debris to make eye contact with a dead security camera. It lay on the ground, wires streaming from the back like blood from a deceased body. Curiosity pulled at his tongue as his foot collided with the bunched up device. He nudged it, kicked it and became a little too revolved around it for the next three minutes.

Only the sound of car tyres skidding and glass shattering made an appearance outside the alleyway which then slapped Link back into reality. He tightened his grip on his bag and escaped the street sneakily, running off to find the main town (which was incredibly difficult to find due to this part of New York acting as some sort of ghost town.)

One kick of a coca-cola can and a jog down the next two blocks later, Link found himself at the heart of "the town." It wasn't busy, like how everyone had told him. It wasn't loud, like how everyone had told him. It wasn't bright, like how everyone had told him either.