5-24-2020
The mechanics Amata Gemoule is learning trade from take them to Molly’s gang for the first time ever. This specific piece of writing is now kind of outdated, I’d like to rewrite the idea some day.
Amata leaned forward in their seat. “What? Where are we going?”
Relax, they know what they’re doing. But how come they're driving back to the mines?
Detroit yawned and stretched, clearly taking his sweet time before answering, “We’re going to gang HQ, little stone. We need to help ‘em out today, I keep my promises and you’re one of us now.”
Amata winced at the idea of going back. “You know what? No. I don’t need this if I’m just going to be doing the same damn shit all the time. I-”
“Ah ah. Not mine work. Dirty clean work. We’re still fixing up cars like we said we would be. Remember? No mining, just fixer upping. And you know I trust you not to squeal on us because it’s not exactly legal. The money for catching these guys is up so high, you could live like a king three times over, but I have a feeling I can trust you, little stone.”
Amata was silent the entire time Detroit spoke, and so was Bonnie. “Wait. At least tell me what it is, you can’t just drive me out to the middle of nowhere without telling me what I’m getting into if I could get caught for this, that’s crazy!”
“Well, since you’ve been a good sport so far kid, It’s an operation run by floros for floros.
“Ugh,” Amata scoffed. “You’re doing business with the floros?”
“Ah ah, not THE floros,” Detroit corrected. “Just floros. Learn the distinction. They’re going through it rough. With the sun drought and all.”
“Drought? As if. It’s been raining nonstop for like a whole year. I should know, we’ve dealt with too many floods for me not to.”
“SUN drought. Distinction, little stone. Distinctly different and viciously bad.”
Amata slumped back in their seat, crossing their arms.
“Okay, so what is it.”
Detroit took a deep breath. “You and I are petraphines. I’m an artificial, but you’re an earther. We don’t care if the sun is out or not, but water sure gets to us. For the floros, they NEED sunlight for energy. They-”
“But they don’t really need energy from the sun. They’re always drinking Coka Co. That shit has enough sugar in it. I tried it once as a dare and I swear it was like chewing on pure sugar.”
Detroit waved his hands near his own face, patience clearly being tested.
“Yes. They have Coka Co. to drink. But that drink isn’t good for them.”
Amata tilted their head, relaxing their grip on either arm just a little
“They’ve got mental energy that the sun naturally gives them, too. You know when you haven’t taken a break for days in a row because you’re able to just keep working? Because you’re a petraphine. You’re so hardy, you don’t really need breaks the same way that the organics do. But it wears out your mind, right?”
“I guess. Yeah.”
“For the floros, they start developing a lot of different mental issues like depression, bipolar, uhh, I’m trying to remember… Anyways. It’s like they’re all going insane. Even the big wigs at the top. They can afford sun lighting indoors where they use good lightbulbs. But not everybody can afford those lamps. And the sun is vamoose. So the virals said okay fine. We’ll do SOMETHING about it. And so Hellfire and her team made-”
“Who’s Hellfire?”
“She’s the viral who works with us.”
Amata’s eye widened. A viral knows about this? “Wait, we’re working WITH virals? That’s crazy, what if she rats us out?”
Detroit clicked his tongue and shook his head. “Little stone, you gotta let me speak here.”
“Sorry, keep going. It’s just-”
“A lot to take in, I know. That’s why I didn’t tell you firsthand. Otherwise you wouldn’t go with us!”
“Gee, thanks”
Bonnie scratched his face briefly before butting in. “Detroit’s idea, not mine. Just to clarify.”
“ANYWAYS. AS I was saying. Hellfire is just a nickname that she hates hearing, but she knows she loves us anyways. Her name is Helga, but we call her Helly. She was the one who developed the sun drought drug. It helps with the mental issues before they turn into physical ones alongside the Coka Co. they keep drinking. All of the things they take to help them, even the things to make them look pretty and neat are bad for them in some way. All they needed was sun, but the mines and factories our people are always working at caused the sun to get blocked out with smoke and clouds, did you know that?”
Amata didn’t know what to say. “No, not really. I guess I had an idea, but I didn’t know that.”
As they pulled up into the entrance of an abandoned mine, Bonnie picked up on Amata’s discomfort. “Hey kiddo.”
“I’m not a kid, I’ve already told you.”
“Maybe not. But you’re acting like one. Listen. This isn’t easy to live with, and if you don’t want to be involved, you can stay in the truck while we work, alright?”
Amata’s gaze, previously fixated on their own boots tracing circles on the dirty floor beneath their seat, snapped to Bonnie’s face. “Are you kidding me? Yeah, you are, I guess. Whatever it is, it’s just working on cars, right? I can do that. I think I can. So. Yeah I guess I’ll be joining you guys.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Yeah I know.”
The two of them left the truck after Detroit hopped out to greet someone. She wore large chunky pearls around her neck, cradling her chest. She was a floro with a rather large purple flower blooming out the right side of her head like a hair pin, but it was a part of her body. She was robed in a baggy looking tweed men’s coat over her indigo dress that fell off her hips. The look was complete with dark blue heeled shoes that tapped and clicked as she approached the vehicle. Amata immediately noticed, however, that she had no eyes. Her face was devoid of features aside from her very plump, purple, lipsticked lips that curled up into a warm smile.
As Amata left the truck, the mystery woman came closer to them. “Hello?” They answered.
She stood in place, tilting her head. “I don’t think we’ve met before, angel. What’s your name?“
Taken aback by the sweetness in her voice, Amata managed to reply. “Amalia. I mean. It’s Amata. Uh. People used to call me Mali, but I don’t go by that anymore, I don’t think I-”
The woman let out a chuckle, covering her mouth with one hand. “I’m terribly sorry, do go on. I just thought it was funny how you used to go by my name. I’m Molly. Molly Mandrake. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amata. You must be the amethyst petraphine I’ve heard wonders about, correct?”
Amata looked quizzically at Molly, wondering if she could even see their confusion. “Yes, actually. They said good things about me?”
Detroit butted in. “Yeah, little stone! Of course! You’ve been decent so far, and I can’t say you haven’t showed us anything new.”
“It’s shown. Not showed, actually,” Amata corrected.
“See? Now come on, let’s get our junk outta the trunk and get our job done, yeah?” Detroit reached into the back of the pickup truck and began to lift his heaviest toolbox up.
Molly turned her direction to Detroit. “Oh, there’s no need to rush here, sweethearts. After all, dear Amata here hasn’t had a tour of HQ yet. I bet you all are worn down from the long drive here. We’ve got some mineral water for you if you’d take the time to relax before getting to your very important jobs. It’s the least I could do for you.”
Chuckling, Detroit set the box back down into the truck, a smile bleeding onto his face. “You’re driving a hard bargain here, sugar sweet. Okay, you got me. I’d really like to take up your offer there. And you too, Amata. You’re coming with us, you gotta see this place first before you can work for it.”
Amata tilted their head. “Yeah, I guess so. And I guess it’s been a long drive. I could stretch my legs out a little.”
The four of them stepped into the entrance of the abandoned mine, making the journey into the main room. It was a five minute walk with twists and turns, but Molly, Detroit, and Bonnie knew every bend and curve.
Molly broke the silence. “So, Amata, do you consider yourself a woman? A man? Neither?”
Taken aback, Amata blurted, “I don’t know? I mean, I know I don’t want to be a girl. I don’t know if I want to be a boy. I don’t think I feel like either of them, but I like when people think I’m a boy more?”
What was with these personal questions?
Amata supposed it made sense for Molly to know, but it still felt very intrusive. Still, they couldn’t help but answer every question that came their way. There was something very calming and trustworthy about the syrupy intonation in Molly’s voice, the cadence of her words. She was said to be trusted, and Amata couldn’t help but feel this was true, no matter what their past experiences told them. Still, they had a hard time shaking the feeling that this could lead into trouble. Their answers spilled with each inquisition regardless.
Molly laughed. “Don’t worry about being one or the other, dear Amata. I know somebody who isn’t one or the other as well. Their name is Alli. Alli Oops. I think you could learn a thing or two from them if you ever get the chance to meet.”
“That’s kind of a funny name to have,” Amata thought out loud.
“Yes, very funny name indeed! And a funny person, too. They’re a lot of fun, believe me. And if you’re interested, they teach exercise classes. I can only follow so much from hearing the instructions, but it’s a wonderful opportunity.”
Detroit butted in with, “Yeah, there’s a looot of interesting characters you’ll meet here. The ones you’ll see the most of are Sunshine, Dazey, Sakky, our lovely Molly here, Heliotrope, and all the nerds in the pharma team. Namely Helly. She’s the big dog I warned you about earlier.”
“Oh, Troit. Are you scaring our new addition with the idea of our dear Helly?” Molly interrupted.
“Ha, Amata wouldn’t be scared of her. Isn’t that right, kiddo?”
“Um, actually, I don’t know. I’ve never met her, how am I supposed to know?”
Molly tsk tsked Detroit. “Don’t be nervous. She’s not an easy pill to swallow for most, but she is certainly on our side, I assure you. She’s dedicated her whole life to this cause.”
Bonnie added, “She does it out of spite for the most part. But it’s a good reason as any other.”
“And we are here!” Molly chimed in.
The four of them reached a large red door. Molly fumbled in her coat pocket for a set of keys and unlocked the door, knocking on it four times before allowing them in. Amata was the last to enter, following Molly, Detroit, and Bonnie. The room they entered was surprisingly beautiful.
A large open floor living room with a circular arrangement of couches and a desk in the very middle. A kitchen to the left hand side. Amata’s eye was quickly caught by two floros peeking their heads up from behind on one of the couches. One of which turned his attention to the sound of the door opening. The floro’s head was adorned in large and long pink petals, their doe eyes swept with long flowing eye lashes. They were gorgeous. Until they spoke.
“Hey hey hey, who’s this? Molly, do you know this kid?” The floro objected in a grating voice.
They were… a he?
“No,” Molly replied, “But I will! Meet Amata, they’re working with Bonnie and Detroit. They’ll be helping us as well, Sakana. Be a dear, don’t be like that.”
The other floro turned his head to face the direction of the four. He had no eyes, just like Molly. But on his face he wore two thick eyebrows that furrowed into concern.
He said, “I knew you were bringing them here. I just didn’t know when. Good to meet you, Amata. Don’t mind Sakana. He’s got issues.”
“Right back at’cha, Hell Trooper,” Sakana sassed.
“Heliotrope is my name. Unless you’re a disrespectful brat who calls people Hellfire and Hell Trooper.”
“There’s only ‘nough room for one brat here and that’s me, kiddo.”
Amata protested, “I’m not a kid, why do people keep saying that?”
Detroit mouthed in with, “Guilty until proven innocent. Or the opposite, rather. You’re short AND you’re not experienced. Until you get real dirt under your nails, you’re not anything but a kid. Get a little used to it, small fry. Don’t think too hard about it, just go with it.”
“Alright, whatever.”
“See, that’s the spirit.” Bonnie added.
Molly continued her tour of the base, showing Amata to the kitchen across from the circular living room space. There, Detroit produced three ice cold bottles of mineral water from the refrigerator. It was decorated in many notes and magnets, along with some photos of people Amata did not yet recognize.
They must be members of this gang
The tour continued through the base, showing various rooms. Some empty and populated bedrooms beyond the living room, other unrenovated spaces that were works in progress, and finally, the lab.
It was a huge space, similar to the vast sweeping living room. This time, it was cluttered with tables, boxes, equipment, and various paperworks, and tools. Amata took note of the coat racks in the first corner of the space with lab coats and goggles hanging off it. There was embroidery on one of them that read “Iris.” Clutter filled the room. They also noticed large tubs on one of the stacked boxes filled to the brim with small red and blue pills.
“So… You guys are illegally making and selling drugs?”
Molly replied, “Guilty as charged. I’d love for you to meet our pharma team, but today is their off day, I’m afraid.”
“Who’s all in it? Are they in one of those pictures on the fridge earlier?” Amata found this entire situation to be so odd, but it seemed easier to swim with the current than to pull against the grain.
“A small handful. About six of them. Plus Pigeon Wing, who they’ve, well, taken under their wing.
“And how are you not getting caught doing this? I know this is the middle of nowhere, but this is so much happening here…” Amata began pacing the lab, looking up and down in awe of the inner workings of the room.
Detroit remarked, “We’re crafty like foxes, right Bonnie?”
Bonnie nodded in response.
“We’re very good at staying hushed, my dear. We all trust each other not to spill details or whereabouts. This lab has been in operation for years now.” Molly answered.
Impressive.