ARTEMIA: the rise of generation nova

CHP. 03 - AN ALLY

Krixia's pov:

i woke up early today, it's for sure the first time for me, because i never woke up this early before

i went outside to ride my board, and checked it's gas

"yep, low on gas" i mumble to myself as i remembered that i used it all up last night

"i better get going to check on fern"

as i arrived, i saw ruscos and rosa checking the stores before us, i sneak through the back door and changed to my working attire

"hey fern" i whispered at fern's ear causing him to jump from his seat

"why are you whispering so close!"

"nothing"

"weirdo" he said rolling his eyes

"aren't you gonna change and go home?" i asked as i saw him with no sign of clocking out

"i'm gonna wait for them" he said confidently

"don't act like that, it doesn't suit you" i mumble in disgust

"what you mean acting? this is the normal me" he really can't act

"whatever you say"

i started my routine by checking expired foods and throwing it in the garbage dump outside the store

"meow" i saw a cat sitting on top of one of the garbage can, it's the same cat that jumped at me yesterday

"hey, you little creature" i said as i point at it

"meow"  the cat replied

"you're weird, those eyes, they're so uncanny" her eyes where so dark i don't think it has pupils in it, it's like staring into nothingness

i noticed a collar on it's neck, it's color green

"k, o, l, a, i, hmmmm, so kolai is your name" the name is kinda cute

the cat runs at the end of the alley when it heard a whistle, i saw a silhouette of a man standing, must be the owner, i didn't take a closer look to who the man is, i just went back to the store

when i went inside ruscos and rosa is already there at the counter interogating fern, i almost burst out laughing, the look on his face is priceless

"oh hey fern! do you know them? are they costumers or nah?" i asked fern acting like it's my first time seeing them and to lessen the mood

"they're are asking about an elder man" he said looking at me, he's not blinking

ruscos went up to me, he's so tall and buffed that he's towering over me, what a big guy

"are you the dumb employee who charged an elderly with 30 million just for a pack of cigarettes?" his voice is so low i can't barely understand what he's saying

"oh, that's not me, nor us, we've never done that and we'll never do that" i denied confidently

"hey ruscos, she's a bit suspicious don't you think?" rosa whispered at ruscos ear making it sound loud as if she's intentionally doing it for me to hear

"y-you can check our accounts and transaction for the past weeks" fern said stuttering as he turned the monitor to face them

"let's see..." rosa said as she typed on the keyboard, and ruscos is keeping a close watch

i looked at fern and his fingers are crossed behind his back, this dude is a scaredy cat

"hah! what's this?" rosa shouted pointing at the monitor