The sun was setting over the city of Retropolis, casting long shadows on the streets. Sandy stood outside a door, waiting for his friend Bibi to come out. He had agreed to accompany her on a mysterious errand, but he had no idea what it was. The door opened and Bibi stepped out, holding a baseball bat in her hand. She blew a bubble with her gum and popped it loudly.
"Hi there," she said cheerfully. "Hey," Sandy replied. "So, where are we going?" "You'll see," Bibi said, leading the way to the exit of the building. "Come on, we have to catch the bus."
Sandy followed her, wondering why she always carried her bat around. He knew she called it Mr. Bat, and that she never left home without it. He also knew that she had a tough life, growing up alone in Retropolis. But he didn't know much else about her, as she was always secretive and guarded, except when she was fighting or playing.
They reached the bus station and waited for a few minutes. When the bus arrived, they got on and looked for a seat. Sandy noticed that some people moved away from them, while others glared at them. Bibi didn't seem to care. She sat down confidently and put Mr. Bat on her lap. "Don't mind them," she said to Sandy. "They're just jealous of our style." Sandy smiled weakly and nodded. He wondered what kind of style they had: he wore a turban and a robe, while she wore a leather jacket and a skirt. Looking at Bibi, Sandy figured it probably was because she was carrying a bat on a public bus, thus appearing more menacing to others.
After 15 minutes, the bus stopped at their destination. They got off and walked into a dark alley.
"Where are we?" Sandy asked nervously. "This is my neighborhood," Bibi said. "Or at least, it used to be." She looked around with a sad expression on her face. "It's changed a lot since I was a kid," she continued. "It used to be more lively and friendly. But then everything went wrong."
She didn't elaborate, and Sandy didn't press her. He knew she was talking about the Starr Park incident, the tragic event that had changed their lives forever.
They walked past some rundown buildings and trash cans, until they reached an old apartment complex. It looked like it was about to collapse any minute.
"Is this where we're going?" Sandy asked. "Yup," Bibi said. "This is where I live." She walked up to a door and unlocked it with a key. "Come in," she said coldly. Sandy hesitated, but followed her inside.
The apartment was small and dirty, but it had some signs of life: a couch, a TV, a fridge, some posters on the wall. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
"Welcome to my place," Bibi said. "Do you live here alone?" Sandy asked. "Isn't it dangerous?" Bibi shrugged. "I can handle myself," she said. "I've been living here since I was a kid, after my dad died in Starr Park." Sandy gasped. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I didn't know." Bibi waved her hand dismissively. "It's okay," she said. "It's not your fault. It's the fault of those bastards who organized that stupid event."
She walked over to a drawer and pulled out two papers. She handed them to Sandy.
"Here, take a look," she said with a slightly broken voice.
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Sandy felt a lump in his throat as he read the article and the flyer.
"After Bull died, his diner died with him," Bibi said. "It was a place where everyone could meet and talk, it was wonderful. But then after this all happened, there was tension between everyone, and Retropolis became what it is today." Sandy didn't know what to say. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't know how.
Suddenly, his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Max.
"Hello?" he answered. "Hey Sandy!" Max said excitedly. "I was wondering if you would like to come to a sleepover tonight with me, Surge, Leon and Jessie!" Sandy glanced at Bibi, who looked down at her feet. "Umm, sure," he said hesitantly. "Even if I won't stay awake for a long time." He heard Max laugh. "Great!" he said. "We'll have a lot of fun, I promise!"
Sandy felt a pang of guilt. He wanted to go to the sleepover, but he also didn't want to leave Bibi alone.
"Max, can Bibi come too?" he blurted out. Bibi looked up at him, surprised. "Sure! Why not?" Max said. "We have an extra spot!" "Thanks!" Sandy said. "See you later!"
He hung up the phone and smiled at Bibi.
"Sorry, I just thought that you would like to come," he said apologetically. Bibi smiled back at him. "Thanks," she said. "That's actually the first someone ever invited me to hang out, so I think I'll come." Sandy felt relieved. He was glad that he could make her happy, even for a little while.
They got ready to leave the apartment, but Sandy had one more question.
"Wait, why did we come here in the first place?" he asked. Bibi chuckled. "Oh, I had to check if anyone stole anything," she said. "I come here every month to check." Sandy shook his head. "Okay, that makes sense," he said sarcastically.
They left the apartment and headed back to the bus station, hoping to have a better night ahead.
Yeah I felt like I needed to publish another chapter right away since the previous one was very short. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!
