~•Flatlined•~ [Female V + Judy]

[XXIX]_{NE:VƏR_FªD/E_@WAƳ}_[29]

Epilogue

2 Years Later.....

Cracking my knuckles, I breathed in the fresh morning air as the sun barely peaked over the horizon.

"Today's the day, Silver," Judy tossed over Valarie's old Aldecaldos jacket. Despite suffering some fire damage and casual wear and tear, it still looked as good as the day she first wore it. "You think ya finally got what it takes?" I scoffed as I dusted off the sleeves, now adorned with patches of war heroics and bravery.

"I don't think, I know." I smirked.

"Don't get killed now, ya hear. It's your turn cleaning off V," as if on cue, the camp's newest recruit, a rottweilier puppy covered in sand, strutted towards me.

"Awe, you're such a cutie, V." I petted behind her ears and she panted before licking my face. "Valarie would've adored you." I could sense Judy whincing at the mention of Valarie. "I, um-"

"It's fine. Really. Healing just takes....a long fucking time, ya know." I nodded. "So, how ya feeling after the new chrome?"

"Fucking sore. Don't know how anyone lives with every inch of them being chromed." Judy chuckled. "The Sandevi is nice though, I'll admit that. V had some smart ideas with the chrome."

"She really liked her mantis blades, like alot. Tried to chop up some vegetables for a salad, almost destroyed my kitchen in the progress." We both laughed at the story. It's been getting easier to talk about Valarie but the pain of it all still lingers.

"I remember the kid once used the Sandevi to grab a burrito she dropped. Must've forgot we shared one body 'cuz that nauseating feeling of using Sandevi was god awful, just projectiled puked everywhere."

"Did she get the burrito though?" I snorted at Judy's question.

"She did, puked and then ate the rest of the burrito maybe a half hour later." Judy chuckled and shook her head.

"She was something else," Judy sighed before picking up V. "Make sure you fuckin win today. Do it for her....and for her," Judy held up the pup who squeaked before wiggling out of Judy's grasp.

"How many eddies you put on me?" I asked as I popped a handful of painkillers and antipyschotics.

"Lets just say, if ya lose, I think I need to become a private dancer at Clouds to pay off the bet."

"You've grown to be quite the risk taker, I'm impressed." Judy shrugged.

"What is there left to lose in the city of broken dreams." She spoke with a mixture of grief and nonchalantness.

"Pacifica, right?" She nodded.

"Pacifica, Old Abbandoned Mall at 4 pm." I nodded.

"Are they coming too?" I asked as I cracked my knuckles.

"Of course. They wouldn't miss it for the world." I exhailed as I headed towards my tent. "Hey. You're a Marksmyth now, Silver. They're gonna be there. All of them." I nodded and entered my tent. Staring at the cracked mirror, I saw V, well me. Her freckled face adorned with scars old and new as the miscoloured eyes that were Valarie's signature idenitifier became silvery-grey, almost like eyes of the living undead from early 2000's tv shows. Grey dreadlocks hung partially in my face as vibrant gold cyberwear engrains itself into my throat, a new voice mod so I didn't sound like Val, so I wasn't living as her anymore. Staring into the psuedo flesh of my hands, I sighed and accepted this was my life now. I was given a second chance and I'm not wasting it. Taking a swig of water from my nightstand, I took one last look in the mirror before heading off back into N.C.