Dystopian Paradise

"porcelain superman"

Aero stepped back outside and alerted his many companions in the Orange Stallion to ready their bikes. Pix was just about to join them but was stopped by a strange man.

Pix's arm was grabbed by the man as he was walking out of the bar.

The man wore a red scarf, a dark hat, and a vest as odd-looking cards were stacked neatly by his drink, at his booth.

"Sorry, but I don't have any money for a reading." Pix said assuming the man was a fortune teller.

"It's free of charge." The man said suggestively holding a card in his hand. Judging off of Pix's exterior one wouldn't know it, but he was always superstitious.

He glanced at the deck, then at the man, before finally sitting down. The man shuffled his deck of cards, at a fast pace for a seemingly longer time than necessary.

Finally, the man pulled a card from the top of the deck and revealed it to Pix.

"The Wounded Lion." He said before flipping the card into Pix's face revealing a detailed illustration of a large lion with arrows in its stomach.

"This card symbolizes the strength in one's soul becoming their own undoing. Eventually tragedy will fall upon the prideful." The man explained.

The man shuffled the card back into his deck, and set them aside, before pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

"That's it?" Pix asked.
"Got a special someone?" The man asked.
"No." Pix answered.
"Then that's it." Responded the man as he lit his cigarette.

Pix then got up from the booth and walked outside to his Orange Stallion companions.

"Sorry for the wait gentlemen." Pix said as he mounted his bike and started the engine.
"Let's go slay some dragons." He continued.

Meanwhile at the Red Scallop, Asher and the rest of his Paradise Club friends all shared dinner together.

"So Roxxy what'd you do all day?" I asked trying to make conversation.
"Nothing really. I was at my dad's job helping for the majority of my morning, and then we went to go visit my grandmother at the hospital." She answered.

That's when I remembered, Roxxy's grandmother has always been in and out of the hospital. And also that she worked at her dad's job as a sort of side hustle. Her main source of income wasn't exactly on the legal side of things.

Roxxy who noticed that the energy had shifted at the table then quickly changed the subject.

"So Jexxa, Joey, how's our car coming along? I heard you guys have been up all day and night working on it." Roxxy asked.

Being around Roxxy for as long as I have, I always knew when she would throw on a smile to cover up her frown. I could also tell she was thinking about her mom as Jexxa and Joey discussed the Paradise Coupe with her.

The restaurant's bar section was broadcasting the presidential debate for Dystopia CP— which caught Joey's attention.

"Excuse me mister, can you turn that up please?" Joey asked. The bartender turned up the television and on it were, the two individuals fighting for title of president of Dystopia:

Kai Anders and Jazzly Rayina.

The two on screen gave birth to a heated discussion at our table causing Joey, Jexxa, and Roxxy to take sides on who they wanted to win. Up until Xav broke it up.

"Why does it matter which one wins? Neither will help this god-forsaken land in the long run. Politics, just like everything else in this world, is rigged and controlled. No use wasting energy on it." Xav said as he drunk his water.

Everyone at the table including me, paused for awhile, and then we all laughed it off.

"Ok but no seriously. F politics." Xav said cleaning his glasses.
"Sounds like a toast to me." Jexxa said raising her glass.
"F politics!" We all said clanging our glasses together.

Suddenly we all heard the door to the restaurant bust open and in came the always energized artist of our clique.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry I'm late guys. There was this art show, and then I bought this really cool painting, and then the-" Bentley's monologue was then interrupted by Roxxy.

"Bentley, breathe." Roxxy said chuckling at Bentley's exuberant energy.
"Right right sorry." Bentley apologized with a smile. Bentley then sat by a nervous Xav as we all ordered our food.