Chapter 12
The casino lights faded behind her as she walked off its exit . Alison shoved her hands deep into her coat pockets,fingers brushing the thick wad of Jenny she'd taken off that Rummy table and machines .
stepping off the cracked curb and into the cold Lowtown night , The street stank of cheap liquor .
She squinted down the block. A yellow cab idled half a block away, steam curling from its exhaust. The driver inside looked half-asleep, head bobbing to a beat only he could hear.
Alison jogged over and tapped on the passenger window. The guy flinched, then rolled it down with a groan and a look that said "Don't waste my time."
"Got any fuel and a license?" she asked.
"Yeah," he grunted. "Where to?"
"Anywhere not crawling with addicts and slot zombies. I need a clean town , drive me to a Motel or something. "
He eyed her up and down . " do you even have money ? "
Alicia pulled out a folded Jenny bill and waved it once. His eyebrows twitched.
"Get in."
The back seat smelled like fried food and old cigars but She didn't care. The doors locked with a hard click, and the cab peeled away from the sidewalk like it owed someone money.
They passed neon signs, shuttered storefronts, a drunk guy punching a vending machine. Lowtown faded behind them, piece by piece. Twenty minutes later, they hit a road with trees on both sides. Real ones. Not the plastic kind they used to decorate bars.
"You got a place in mind?" the driver asked, eyes flicking to the mirror.
"No. Just drop me somewhere that doesn't smell like piss and regret."
He chuckled like she'd just told the best joke of his week.
Thirty more minutes, and the road widened into something resembling civilization. A small town blinked into view with signs in a better condition, people actually walking around like they had places to be in .
"Rivertown," the cabbie said. "Not much, but it's decent. Got motels, coffee, normal human beings. Is it good enough?"
She simply nodded. "Perfect."
He pulled up beside a squat building with chipped paint but working lights. A glowing sign above the door read: Blue Pine Motel – Vacancy.
The fare was steep, but she paid in cash without blinking. When she stepped out, the wind was lighter, the air cleaner. Still cold, but it didn't bite as hard.
"Need a ride out later?" the driver called through the open window.
turning around, she smirked "No. I've got wings."
He didn't get it, but he drove off anyway.
She pushed the massive door open to reveal the morel's lobby.
It was smaller than other fancy hotels but it held a warm atmosphere . A fake pine tree sat in the corner. The guy at the front desk didn't look much older than Alicia. He had shaggy brown hair and the bored look of someone who'd seen way too many tourists.
She approached the desk and dropped her bag with a soft thud.
"Room for one" she said.
He blinked. "Okay... sure. One night?"
"Two. Maybe three. I'll let you know."
He tapped at the computer, then slid over a form. "Name?"
Alison hesitated a half-second. "Lena."
No one needed to know the real one, especially not here.
"ID?"
She smiled tightly. "sadly I have lost it while I was boarding a train but I've got cash so what do you think ?"
He frowned, but the sight of neatly folded Jenny was apparently more persuasive than policy. He grabbed a keycard and passed it over.
"Room 112. Down the hall, the second one to the left."
Alison took it, grabbed her bag, and walked without further delay .
The hallway smelled like lemon cleaner and old socks, but it beat Lowtown any day of the week.
The room was plain. Beige walls. Thin sheets. A small TV bolted to the dresser. But the lock clicked, the heater worked, and the mattress didn't crunch when she sat on it. That was all she needed.
She dumped her coat on the chair, kicked off her boots, and flopped backward onto the bed, arms out.
Comfortable silence engulfed her and she exhaled for what felt like the first time in weeks.
" finally I can rest in peace, *sigh* what I went through these six months is totally unbelievable . Like how did I manage to survive all that time ? but I guess being a reincarnated person gives you some sort of plot armor or something "
The next morning, she woke up to weak sunlight through half-drawn curtains and the sound of her stomach complaining.
She jumped in the shower to freshen up real quick , did a basic stretch exercise , and ate a stolen granola bar from the lobby's breakfast tray. It tasted like sawdust, but it did the job.
With her stomach full , she exited the hotel. Her first stop was a local corner shop where she bought toothpaste, a burner phone, and then stopped at a thrift store where she got a half-decent coat to replace the cigarette-scented one from Lowtown. Then she found a tiny internet café wedged between a laundromat and a diner.
The place was nearly empty. A kid was playing some fantasy MMO in the corner, headset on, completely unaware of the world. Alison took the seat farthest from him and paid the clerk for an hour of access.
She turned on the computer and got to work " let's see , let's see " she hummed.
Airship bookings – East Side Ports – Heavens Arena Route
It wasn't cheap. Nothing to do with the arena ever was. But she had enough from the casino winnings, vouchers and the payment from her Lowtown job.
She scrolled through the options: basic transport, luxury seats, overnight sleep cabins.
She picked the middle one — decent seat, no frills, quick flight. Paid under the name Lena Tsuki. Departure: tomorrow, 9:45 AM.
The confirmation pinged in her inbox. She printed it, folded it, and slipped it into her jacket satisfied.
Back at the motel, she spent the evening cleaning her knife and rechecking her bag . And the next morning came fast.
She checked out early , dropped the keycard and left the motel with her backpack slung over one shoulder and the ticket confirmation in hand.
After a long walk she got to the airport which was on the edge of town.
The terminal wasn't that crowded considering the early hour . The building was shaped like a glass molar, all curved white walls and high ceilings. Alison's sneakers squeaked on the polished floor as she cut through the quiet space like a needle through silk.
"Thank you for flying Skyrail express." droned a uniformed girl behind the counter. She smiled with an air of dead-eyed corporate cheer.
' hehh, I bet she said this at least ten times since she started her shift '
Alison nodded towards her.
Her hands moved automatically as she handed Alison a slim boarding pass and gestured toward the terminal gate.
Alison took it , muttering a small thanks. Her boots echoed softly on the polished floor as she made her way past rows of vending machines and blinking departure screens.
She found a seat near the back, dropped her coat over the armrest, and slouched. The buzz of overhead lights was almost enough to lull her to sleep . But her mind was still sharp, ticking over the last few hours.
The intercom clicked to life.
"Skyrail Express to Heavens Arena boarding in ten minutes at Gate 4A."
Alison looked down at the stub in her hand. 4A. Right.
She stood, adjusted the strap on her shoulder bag, and started walking.
Upon arriving at the gate, she was met with colossal airships , giant floating beasts of metal .
One of them bore the bold, blue logo: SkyRail Express – Destination: Heavens Arena.
Alison showed her boarding pass to the attendant. They scanned it, barely glanced at her ID alias, and pointed her toward the boarding ramp.
"Gate 4. You're in Section B."
She nodded and climbed the stairs, the metal clanking under her boots.
The ship's interior was a blend of utilitarian and slick. Narrow halls, small compartments, and rows of seats with just enough cushion to feign comfort. Her section was three rows from the middle, window seat.
" No neighbors, thankfully. " she breathed out.
She tossed her bag in the overhead bin and sat, stretching her legs out and leaning back.