Rumors

"You look stressed.".

Royal Blue narrowed her optics behinde her visor and folded her arms. Crossing her arms over her chest, she fixated her gaze at the persone across from her, asking "What´s up?".

Swindle sighed quietly, rolling his optics before answering "Nothing.". She narrowed her optics even more, leaning foward again. "You know, that you can´t and also shouldn´t lie to me." she said strictly. Swindle groaned quietly in annoyance, but didn´t say anything. Instead he just continued tiping on his compter. "What is it, Swindle. I know, that it´s not "nothing".".

"Business." he answered flatly.

"Business and?" she could tell, that wasn´t everything that disturbed him.

"And business.".

Royal Blue sighed and stood up. "Swindle, stop that shit!" she said angrily "I know that there´s something that borders you. Now, just tell me and stop being so.... I dont know- just stop being you!".

He sighed and stoped tiping, knowing that she wouldn´t stop unless he told her. Looking up at her, he said "Sit down.". She didn´t at first and just crossed her arms over her chest. He groaned in annyoance and said "Come on, do what I say, Blue. Unless you might storm out the very second I finished my sentence and go kill someone. Now, sit down!". Royal Blue narrowed her optics in slight mistrust, but did as she was told.

Swindle turned away from his computer and looked at her. "Good, fine. Now, you need to promise me, that you won´t just jump up, ran out of the room and go on a warpath the second I told you." he said. She narrowed her optics, asking with audible mistrust in her voice "Where is this going, Swindle?". "Don´t ask, just promise me." he shot back, leaving no room for arguments. Royal Blue sighed and lifted her servos in surrender "Okay, okay. Fine, I promise.".

"Good." he said and leaned back in his seat, folding his servos "You know the times are hard, Blue. You know, what´s happening in this city, what Kaon is like. If you have money, you need to be very careful so that you can keep it.". "Yeah, I know." she replied, still not liking where this conversation could end "But why bother? You´re good at keeping your money.".

He smirked, saying "Oh, please. I´m not just good, I am the best at keeping my money. And at getting more of it every day.". His smile disappeared again and a serious look crossed his features again. "But also the best does make mistakes from time to time." he said seriously "Yesterday, I met someone at the northern space port to settle a deal. It was a rather big deal, should have brought me a bounch of credits. But, well, it didn´t. Because I wasn´t careful enough. I ordered to deliver the goods even if I didn´t knew the costumer and hadn´t gotten paid until then. Payment should have been at the space port.".

Swindle paused shortly before continuing with surpressed fury "Well, things didn´t work out well for me since that damn asshole didn´t show up!". Royal Blue rose a brow "That´s it?". "Yeah." Swindle replied "Yeah, that´s it. I lost money, Blue. I lost MUCH money and you know how much I HATE loosing money.".

Royal Blue chuckled ad leaned forward "Yes, I know how much you hate loosing money. But I need to tell you that it´s really your own fault. I mean, you have reasons why you never deliver the goods before being payed. This is one of those reasons. You´re such a smart bot, Swindle. Why have you been that stupid in this case?".

He narrowed his optics angrily at her. "Don´t tell me, that I´m stupid!" he hissed before he sighed "But I have to admit, that this wasn´t the best... course of action this time.". Royal Blue nodded, saying amused "Yeah, I think we can agree on that. But seriously, Swindle... this was really stupid. Should have been clear to you that something like this woud happen that way.". Swindle just grunted furiously at this.

She leaned forward then, saying "But I could solve that problem for you, you know that.". Swindle sighed, unfolding his arms again. "Yeah, I know that." he replied "But everytime you "solve" a problem, someone gets killed. And I don´t want to have that this time.". Royal Blue shrugged "Why not? One dead mech more or less shouldn´t bother you.".

"You are right, it shouldn´t border me. And one dead mech more or less really doesn´t matter to me." he said before lifting his optics to hers again "But a dead son of a senator does bother me indeed.".

"Oh..." she said "Yeah, that does change things...". "See?" Swindle said "That is the reason why you needed to promise me to not storm out and go kill him.". "Yeah, I understand." she said "Wow, Swindle. The son of a senator. This time you really screwed up.". He sighed and shook his head "I know. If he dies and they are able to chase it back to me, I´m ruined. Totally, full on RUINED! Furthermore, the whole planet would get a panic-attack. If the other business of those corrupt senators get´s public, Kaon will go down. you know how much is depening on the senators. Just imagine what would happen, if someone else would take their position. Someone who is not corrupt, someone of the "good guys".".

He said that with as much sarcasm as possible before continuing seriously "They would do things, you know. Things to stop what is going on in this city. Most possibly, they would arrest half of the city, including you and me.". He paused, passing a hand over his tired optics "They would destroy everything we build up here.". He fixated his optics at her again "So, you can´t kill him. You know how important it is for both of us, even the whole city, that the corruption of those stupid politicans stays as hidden as it is. Otherwise we will all be dead.".

Royal Blue nodded "I know." Then a small smirk trailed up her lips "Unless it is an accident.".

Swindle just looked at her for a few seconds, before leaning back in his seat, asking "What do you mean exactly?". Her smirk became wider and she leaned forward, replying "I mean, what if he gets killed through an accident? Of course it wouldn´t be an accident at all, it would just look like one. Then nobody would be able to draw conclusions to either the corruption or your business. Nobody would know one little thing why this happened and nobody would question it since, well, accidents happen, you know. Just some bad luck.".

He couldn´t surpress the smile that crossed his features. "Hm, I like where this is going." he said "But you know how impotant it is that nobody can draw a conection between us and the... accident.". Her optics blazed and she smiled innocently "Don´t worry. I´m good in blurring my tracks.".

Swindle smiled back and said "Yeah, you are the best.".

***************
***************
***************
***************

2 hours later,  north of Kaon City....

Royal Blue went up the stairs to the second floor of the appartment hous. She had to prepare a few things for the next day so she had went home early after she had discussed the "accident" with Swindle. They had a plan and tomorrow she was the one who would look after the conduction of that plan.

She stoped infront of her door and unsubspaced her keys. Just when she was about to open the door, suddenly another door in the corridor opened.

"Blue." a familiar voice called her name and Royal Blue turned towards the femme who went towards her. She smiled and said "Hello, Aquamarine. How are you?".

The aquamarine colored femme smiled back and stoped next to her. "Good, fine. Everything´s fine. But how are you? Haven´t seen you for a while." she said. Royal Blue sighed "Don´t ask". Aquamarine lifted her hands in defense "Don´t worry, I wasn´t going to. Honestly, I don´t even want to know where you have been or what you have been doing. Just keep that to yourself.". "Didn´t plan anything else to do." Royal Blue replied "But for the other question. I´m fine, thanks.".

"Really?" Aquamarine asked. She nodded "Yeah, really.". Aquamarine shook her head "Sorry, but I can never tell with you.". "It´s allright." Royal Blue said and opened her door "I appreciate that you are actually asking, I really do.". The other femme chuckled "This is what friends do.".

"Ah, yeah, right. Friends." Royal Blue murmured "Sorry, but you know I´m not good with other people... more kind of a loner.". Aquamarine smiled "Yes, I know. Don´t worry, it´s fine. You will learn it one day.". Royal Blue shrugged "I´m not so sure of this...". "Aww, you will, trust me." the other femme said "How about you practice right this evening. There´s a streetcar racing in the south and I thought you might would like to go and watch it with me. Whaddayasay?".

Royal Blue bit her lip and shook her head "Sorry, but I can´t. Work, you know.". Aquamarine groaned quietly "Aww, come on. You can work later. Just have some fun, Blue. You are far too often busy with work. Go out and enjoy your life.". She took a step inside her appartment and shook her head again "No.".

"Really? But streetcar racings are cool and you would finally meet some people, maybe even a handsome mech and for the record: I don´t count Swindle for that. He isn´t even your lover, so he doesn´t count. Come with me, please.". she said and looked up to Royal Blue with begging optics.

Roya Blue´s optics diped to the floor "No, too crowded. I don´t like crowds.". But Aquamarine didn´t give up. "There won´t be that many people. Trust me, it will be cool. Please come with me. Please." she begged. "No, Aqua, I really have to-" but Royal Blue couldn´t finish her sentence.

"Please, Blue. Please. PLEEEEAAAASE.".

She bit her lip. It was really hard to say no, if Aquamarine was like that. She knew how to convince her. Then Royal Blue sighed "Okay, fine. I will go with you.".

"YES!" Auamarine squealed happily, beaming up at the taller femme. "I will get you this evening and no excuses anymore. You have already agreed, now nothing can save you anymore." the aquamarine colored femme said while going back to her flat "I expect you to be happy and buzzing with enthusiasm. Is that clear?".

Royal Blue chuckled and couldn´t surpress a smile "Yeah, that is clear.". Aquamarine grinned "Fine. See you this evening then.". Then she went back to her flat. Royal Blue waited in the corridor until the door was closed again. Smiling, she shook her head and entered her own appartment.

Aquamarine is a nice person. A really nice person. I met her shortly I moved here and, well, she is the only person I like around here. And she is the only one that likes me. So, yeah, I couldn´t really say no to her request. And maybe she is right.

Maybe it will be cool.

*************
*************
*************
*************

Six hours later, South of the city....

I can´t believe, that I agreed to come here!

Royal Blue stood in the middle of big crowd of people. Next to her stood Aquamarine who was beaming happily like it was the best day of her life. "It´s awesome, isn´t it?" she asked, needing to raise her voice over all the noises. "No." Royal Blue answered flatly, defensively crossing her arms over her chest.

"Aw, come on, Blue." Aquamarine said "You promised me to give it a chance.". "I did." Royal Blue shot back "And I don´t like it. It´s crowded, it´s noisy, people everywhere. Those are three things I hate in one evening. I don´t like it!".

"Not even a tiny, little bit?" the aquamarine collored femme asked. "No." Royal Blue grunted "I should better go home and work, you know, doing something useful.". She was about to leave the place, but Aquamarine gripped her hand, preventing her from going away. "Oh no, you don´t!" she said strictly "You can work later! Now, we will get you a good drink. Everything is much better with a good drink.".

Royal Blue groaned in annoyance on the inside, but let herself being pulled towards the bar. "Sit down." Aquamarine ordered her when they reached the counter. She sighed but did as her friend told her, sitting down at the counter. "I´m not having you sit the whole evening here with a face like a furneral and-Oh!" she didn´t finish her sentence and suddenly just starred right past Royal Blue.

She frowned at the aquamarine collored femme, asking "What is it?". "Oh, just someone I gotta meet. I will be right back." she replied and quickly added "Don´t move!". Royal Blue looked after her as she headed off towards a big crowd of people. Shaking her head, Royal Blue turned to the counter and ordered a drink.

The barkeeper put her drink down on the counter and she paied immediately. Picking the glass up, she took a small sip and was pleased with the taste. She hated bad drinks. Leaning back in her seat, Royal Blue let her gaze wander over the people around the counter. Many stood in crowds talking and laughing with eachother. She would never understand how some people like the company of others that much. She liked to be alone defenetily more than any company in the world.

I know, that many find it strange, but I really don´t like being in company. Especaily company who I don´t know. Aquamarne is fine. Swindle is fine, too. But that´s it already. I like to be alone most of my time. Others are just distrubing me... just taking my mind off things. Off important things. They are just preventing me from doing my work.

In my job, you are almost allways alone. And it is good the way it is. There is no such thing like "teamwork". You look out for yourself and only yourself. Especially in a city like Kaon. As long as you are alone, you are fine. Because of this, I like being alone more than anything else.

That´s my thing.

Being alone.

Her gaze passed over the people again. They almost all looked the same. The only thing that seemed to catch anyone´s attention was the shining red paintjob of a mech who was surrounded by several young femmes who were all swooning at him. Royal Blue just shook her head at this, unable to understand what those femmes were seeing in a mech like him, or in mechs in general. Of course, she had had fun with some from time to time. But only just for one night each time. If she met someone in a bar or somewhere else, she let him have her for one night and in the morning, she would just leave and they would never see eachother again.

I don´t do "relationships". Relationships are dangerous in a city like Kaon. Here, they will most certainly get you killed and besides that, I will never ever in my entire life do "love".

Love is a lie. It doesn´t exist. I have learned that well enough in the past. One time, I have done "love"- and it had been the worst mistake in my entire life.

Back then, I have realized that love doesn´t exist and I have sworn to myself, I would never make that mistake again. Never.

"Hi.".

Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice that suddenly appeared behinde her. She turned around and met a pair of bright shining, crimson optics. It was the mech with the red paintjob she had seen surrounded by a bounch of femmes a few moments ago.

"What does a femme like you do in a place like this?" he asked and a grinn crossed his features as he added casually "All alone?". Her optics narrowed behinde her visor. That was really the last thing she needed now. His grin became wider and he leaned a bit closer, purring "Oh, don´t be so shy, my beauty. I just want to have a little conversation with you.".

Royal Blue narrowed her optics even more and answered coldly "I am not shy.". Then she pushed him back, saying more agressively "And I am most certainly not your beauty!".

A surprised look crossed his featues for the brief of a second. But in the next second his smug grin was already back again. "Then why are you so cold, sunshine?" he asked provocatively. Her expression didn´t change. "Because I don´t want anything to do with you." she answered coldly.

"Aww, come on. This isn´t very nice." he said, playing insulted before he purred suggestively "A femme like you... a mech like me... just imagine what could all happen in this night... what I could do to that beautiful body of yours...". With those words, he reached a servo towards her, his long fingers brushing her knee.

"If I were you, I wouldn´t touch me.".

He rose a brow at her and let his fingertips pass up her tigh, asking challenging "And why not?".

A small click brought his attention to her right servo. "Because I will blow your head off if you touch me again." she said coldly, pointing her gun upwards and right at his head. He slowly pulled his hand away again, slightly lifting both of his servos in surrender. "Okay, I surrender. You´ve won." he said, not as confident as a few moments ago. "Fine." she said flatly and put her gun away again. She was about to leave the counter when he suddenly stood right infront of her again.

"Hey, hey, hey, wait a second." he said, not touching her but despite preventing her from leaving "You can´t just point a gun at me and just leave afterwards." he said, his confidence already back again. The cold expression remained at her face as she asked flatly "And why not?". A smirk trailed up his lips "Because that´s not how things work around here.".

At this she slightly rose a brow at him. He sighed quietly, saying "Look, yeah, you are right. I shouldn´t have touched you like this without your permission.". He paused, but when her expression didn´t change, he continued, his smirk getting a bit wider "And because of that, it just appeals right to me that I buy you a drink. As an excuse, you know. So that things between us are fine again, you know?".

"No, thanks." she replied coldly and wanted to shove him to the side so she could finally leave. But he jumped in her way again, not giving up easily. "Hey, really now." he said, the smugness and cocky attitude in his voice almost completly gone now "Seriously, I made a mistake and I am sorry for that.". He paused briefly before asking "So, are we cool again?".

If you leave me alone, yes.

"Okay." she replied without any emotion in her voice, again trying to find a way to get past him. But he wouldn´t let her get away that easily. "Good." his smug grin already back again "So, now that we are cool again, we can get back to the interessting part of this conversation, right?".

Primus, help me....

A slightly angry look crossed her features for the brief of a second. Her optics drifted briefly to the side, immediately spotting the group of femmes who had been swooning at him a few minutes before he came over and started getting on her nerves. "Aren´t you missed?" she asked flatly, meeting his gaze again. He just shrugged and answered casually "They can wait.". His optics blazed slightly as he rested them on her again "But obviously you can´t. Until the race begins, I have plenty of time to spend with someone who really caught my attention.".

He paused, before adding proudly "Before you ask, yes, I am one of the participants of the race.". Her expression remained as cold as it was "I wasn´t going to ask.". "Well, but now you know who you are talking to." he said, an proud grin on his features. She didn´t reply anything at this. "Huh, usually the femmes are impressed when I tell them, that I am a streetracer." he said.

"Yeah, usually." she snaped back, crossing her arms over her chest. He chuckled at this and leaned a bit forward, saying "Well, tell you what. Since it seems like you won´t go out with me, how about a little bet?".

"Damn good instinct; yeah, I DON`T want to go out with you." she replied flatly.

"So you accept the bet?".

"Depends on it.".

His smirk widened in triumph. "Well, then." he said "If I win the race, you have to go out with me.". Her expression didn´t change as she just asked "And if you loose?".

He grinned proudly at her, answering confidently "Don´t worry, that won´t happen. I never loose.".

They just looked at each for a few moments. "So, what do you say?" he asked then "Deal?". She didn´t answer immediately. But then she let a sweet smile cross her features. His grin became wider at her reaction. She leaned a bit towards him, saying "Oh, of course we can bet.".

Within seconds, she had unsubspaced her gun and her cold expression was back again. Before he could say anything, she had pushed him back roughly, saying treateningly "Over your dead body.".

She didn´t wait for an answer and just turned around and left the counter, leaving the completely shocked and confused mech behinde without turning around once.

What an idiot!

"Blue!" Aquamarine came running towards her and stoped before her. "I´ve seen you." she said, a wide brin on her face. "What do you mean?" Royal Blue asked without any emotion in her voice. "Oh, come on." Aquamarine said and inched closer "You know exactly what I mean.". She slightly gestured to the red mech who was now surrounded by other femmes again.

Royal Blue just rolled her optics and groaned quietly "Oh, primus. I´m glade that I´ve finally got rid of that idiot.". "What?!" Aquamarine starred at her, before saying "Do you actualy know who that is?!". Royal Blue rose a brow "You know him?".

"Of course I know who he is!" the aquamarine collored femme said and threw her hands up in the air "EVERBODY knows who he is! Well, everybody except you.". "Ugh, then I don´t even want to know." Royal Blue said, but Aquamarine just shook her head at this. "Of course you want to." she said "That is Knock Out. He is one of the best streetracers in the whole city.". A dreamy smile crossed her features, as she added "And defenetily one of the most handsome ones, too. I´m absolutely sure, he will win the race.".

Royal Blue rolled her optics and muttered "Thank God, I didn´t bet with him.". Aquamarine´s attention snapped back to her again "Oh, what was that? He wanted to bet with you? About what? Tell me, tell me!!!". "He wanted to bet with me about the race." Royal Blue answered "He said, if he wold win the race, I would have to go out with him.".

Aquamarine almost squeaked in excitement at this. "I didn´t take the bet." Royal Blue said flatly. "What the- Blue, are you nuts?" Aquamarine asked "Do you know how many femmes would die for just having him TALK with them, yet alone ask them to GO OUT with him?!?". "No," she answered "I don´t.".

"Very, VERY many, I can tell you." her friend answered. "Obvisouly, you too." Royal Blue said completely unimpressed. "Of course me too." Aquamarine said, still not able to understand how her friend could be that cold "I think, I would have passed out if he would have flirted with me like that. I mean- look at him. He is everything a femme can dream of. He is cool, charasmatic and unbelievable goodlooking. Why are you so cold?".

"Because he is an aft." Royal Blue muttered. An utterly shocked expression crossed Aquamarine´s features. Then she just shook her head "You are unbelievable, Blue. Really, unbelievable!". Then she grabbed her hand pulled her in the direction where most of the people were going. "But now, come. The race begins in the next minutes and I want good positions to watch." she said while pulling Royal Blue after her who just rolled her optics.

***************
***************
***************
***************

Royal Blue´s appartment, 4 hours later...

Royal Blue entered her appartment and closed the door behinde her. She made sure, that everything was locked savely before she went down the corridor to her berthroom. Groaning tiredly, she let herself fall on her berth. Going with Aquamarine to the streetrace had been much more strenuous than she had thought it would be.

Aquamarine hasn´t left the race with her. She had met a mech and had been with him after Royal Blue left. Most certainly, she would spent the night with him and Royal Blue hadn´t had much interessted in just sitting next to them and watching them flirt with eachother. So, she had just went home.

Alone.

Like she allways did.

Nobody except Swindle had ever entered her appartment. Also not Aquamarine. If she met a mech she wanted to spent the night with, it allways happened at his place. Never at hers. Never. She wasn´t going to let anyone in here.

This was the place where she lived.

No, it was more than this. It was her place to be free. It was her prison. It was everything and it was nothing. It was the only place, where she felt save.

It was her home.

She shook her head at this, trying to expel those thoughts.

No, it is not.

I don´t have a "home". I don´t need one. In my past, I had one. But I had been forced to leave. Someone forced me to leave and when I came back, it had been gone. Now, I don´t have one anymore.

She sighed and closed her optics.

A home distracts you. In my job, you don´t need distractions. I think, I wouldn´t even recognize a home if I would have one. My heart is owned by my work, not by a doormat. I knew people, who had a family and a life... those people don´t live long. Especially not around here.

You are better off alone.

I learned that from someone who only ignored this rule once. Had been the first and the last time.

She opened her optics again.

 I won´t make the same mistake. I promised to never make the same mistake.

Reaching to the side, she switched off the light, laying there in complete darkness.

And I allways keep my promises. Especially promises like this.