Arknights One Shots

Meeting (Sora x Texas)

A/N: So if you guys have read my other story The Untold Story of Texas and Lappland, then you've seen this before if you're caught up. I'll write another one of those two in the future most likely, not sure what it'll be about yet.

******

Sora was sitting in a limousine, the tinted glass letting in the sun without showing her off to the outside world. Her heels knocked against her seat. The manager sitting across from her droned on and on about the newest stadium she'd be performing in. This wasn't her first performance, but the butterflies she got each time were fluttering around freely inside her stomach. Her fingers drummed a ceaseless rhythm against the glass pane.

"So you understand everything right? Make sure you listen to Penguin Logistics." The manager —a tall Vulpo with fluffy red tails and slate gray eyes— said.

Sora paused in her tapping, the song in her head fading out. The cold blast of air conditioning was rousing to her senses. She knew Penguin Logistics was mainly a logistics group, it was in their name after all. But the Emperor is the boss of the organization, so they tend to have other areas of investment soon. It was strange to think the famed Columbian rapper had taken an interest in her career. While she was beginning to rise in the industry, Sora was still just a no name bunny girl who went unrecognized in most crowds. She had a ways to go before she reached Emperor's league. So why the interest? We don't even make the same genre of music, so a collaboration probably won't be in the cards. These were the thoughts that had been turning over in her head for the past several days.

"I, yes, I do Ryke."

Ryker, Ryke for short, nodded. One of his big tails rested in his lap like a fallen sash might. "Do you have any questions? I can tell when something's on your mind."

She appreciated his capacity to appear caring, but she knew the act for what it was. Niceties between a manager and singer rarely went beyond the professional realm, lest something bad result. Ryke was polite to her but nothing more. Apart of her wished there was more, seeing as the tour bus was awfully lonely sometimes.

"Why does Emperor want to run security for my performance?" She asked. It was one among the many questions she had.

"Don't know. Guess he's interested. Heard he and his employees like your music. Don't think there's more to it than that." Ryke dipped his head down to look at his phone. The fedora he wore hid his facial expression, though she figured he was frowning as he let out a grunt of discontent at whatever been texted to him.

"Oh. I guess that's nice."

"It is. So don't screw this up," Ryke said, meeting her gaze again. There was a sternness to his gray eyes, the freckles on his cheeks like specks of dust from a whirlwind.

Sora wanted to point out she in no way planned to mess this up in any rhyme or fashion, but doubted the effort was going to be beneficial. Holding her tongue from a less than pleasant retort, she went back to staring out the window. The small nod she gave him as the stadium came into view was suffice enough.

***

The screams and chants were loud enough to be heard even through her noise cancelling earbuds. Sora panted, the frigid air mixing with her raised body temperature. It was in the middle of winter. The only thing keeping her body warm was the energy she'd been exerting. The stage clothes did little to shield her from the flurrying snow. Her fingertips felt numb but she hardly cared, living off of the cheers of congratulations she heard. Throughout the performance, Sora had tried to eye the Penguin Logistics crew. She thought she might have spotted them once. Sometime past the opening act there had been a flicker of white-gold in her periphery like ah angel's wings. Unfortunately it had been gone quicker then she was able to turn her head.