"A bit late to be doing your Christmas shopping, isn't it?" Yohane asked, waving a greeting, pulling her coat tightly around herself.
It was snowing in the aerial city of Olympia. Not a huge surprise at this time of year as it cruised over the Atlantic Ocean, on the last leg of a voyage to spend Christmas Day hovering near New York City. The city was as busy as any other during the holiday season, people of all shapes and sizes and origins hustling around, if only to take advantage of the usual sales. Chris Yukine nodded at her one-time roommate as she exited the subway terminal, just another leg in a long trip from Tennessee.
"I already shopped for you, so you have nothing to fear," Chris countered, giving Yohane a gentle slap on the back. "Besides, I'm not looking for anything unique, just something I can buy in a good quantity."
"Sweets?" Yohane asked, smirking.
"Sweets," Chris confirmed. "Molly invited me to Christmas with her family. Despite repeatedly being told I don't need to bring anything except a crossbow for her aunt, I felt I should at least bring SOMETHING. It feels polite."
Yohane nodded as the duo began to walk out into the great, big city. The snow was falling quite gently, creating a peaceful atmosphere that was amenable to people actually going out and finishing up their Christmas preparations. The Fallen Angel was right to be concerned about late shopping though; the two were hardly the only people out roaming the city for tokens of familiar affection, every specialty store from top to bottom seemingly stuffed with shoppers in need of last minute stocking stuffers. Only the crossbow store was devoid of a throng of shoppers. Shocking, I know. At least Chris didn't seem deterred by many of the city's offerings being light on the 'local' variety, content to buy things like fancy Dr. Pepper varieties and Japanese Kit-Kat bars, things that were at least unique to Earth still. The Fallen Angel at her side couldn't help but glance over though, noticing Chris was pointedly carrying everything - doing everything, when she thought about it - with her left hand.
"I thought you had IT replaced?" she asked carefully.
Chris looked to her right and shrugged. "I'd make a joke about something costing an arm and a leg, but I still have my legs. No, I had a loaner for a bit, but it's Echolux property and I didn't feel like taking it out of the country. Xiulan's making me a replacement anyway."
Yohane nodded, a gesture to give her time to respond. "You getting a new power armor too?"
"We'll see. You're not the first person to ask about that. That doctor from Tennessee offered to stick a Radiance in me, but I've coached enough people who got them on how to calm down to want one casually. I've got the Asterisk if I need it, but-"
A loud click suddenly interrupted the conversation as a masked figure stepped to the mouth of an alleyway, a pistol held in their hands. Yohane yelped and jumped behind Chris, her sides protuding by an inch or so. Chris turned her head slowly, looking at the mugger carefully, watching their grip as they motioned for the two women to step into the alley. Begrudgingly, Chris obliged, stepping away from the street.
"Money, now," a young-sounding voice demanded. "Get it out or I'll get it from you."
Chris wiggled the stump of her right arm. "I'm down an arm. Take it easy."
The mugger's grip twitched slightly as Chris gently set her bags down, including the crossbow, and reached across her stomach towards her wallet. "You sure you want to do this? You'll have to live with the consequences if you do something rash."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll cry myself to sleep," the gunman grunted. Yohane was reaching for her own purse, where she kept a taser, but Chris gently shook her head.
"I don't mean because you're doing a crime," Chris continued. "Your grip's sloppy and you're holding a Beretta Nano. The way you hold it, it might pop out of your hand and hit you in the nose."
"Shut the fuck up! It's a GUN and I'M holding it-"
"Poorly. Did you even take the safety off? Did you even remember to load it?"
"I SAID-"
The gun trembled for only a moment, but that was long enough for Chris to pull her wallet out and fling it like a shuriken. The would-be crook raised an arm protectively, caught by surprise. Suddenly, Chris and Yohane didn't have a gun pointed at them. A moment later, Chris even had a new gun, slapping it out of their assailant's hand and plucking it from the air by the barrel. She paused to look at it while the Fallen Angel finally got her taser out, holding it protectively while the bandit realized the tables had turned, and the gun with it.
"No and no," Chris said, looking at the small pistol as she held it. "Have you ever held this thing before today?"
"...no," the would-be crook muttered, trembling slightly.
"Where'd you get it?"
"Grandpa's drawer...I need money..."
Chris sighed and looked the small gun over again before handing it back. The robber - and Yohane - looked at it in shock. The one-armed woman sighed and held it out more forcefully, trying to return it. Reluctantly, the hooded kid took it back, voice trembling in confusion.
"What's the deal? Grandpa sick? You owe someone money?"
The kid nodded, nearly taking off their mask before deciding against it. The gun was put away though, at least, the terrified menace draining out of them slowly as Chris picked up her wallet, tucking it away before getting out her phone, shooting off a message to someone who would send off another message before they replied to Chris with an address. Satisfied, she looked back at her former assailant, holding up her phone.
"See this address? You're going to go there and tell them your story," she ordered.
"Is it a precinct?" the kid asked.
"No, it's a charity. Whatever you problems are - and probably your Grandpa's too - I can't fix them. I could break someone's bones or go threaten someone, but that's not a solution. You need someone who is here and can actually help get to the bottom of things," Chris explained, reaching for her bags. "And for God's sake, if you're going to wave a pop gun around, at least learn how to hold it right. Okay?"
"Y-yes...yes, ma'am. Thank you ma'am." The bandit pocketed their pistol and turned to flee. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas to you too," Chris answered, watching them go. Yohane let out a sigh of relief as they exited the alley, getting back to their shopping after the brief delay.
The rest of the shopping excursion was uneventful. Chris was able to locate some sufficiently-interest treats to take to Mysidia and Yohane was able to...help Chris carry it back to her apartment. Dan the Cat meowed curiously as the meatball-headed master and her friend entered the domain of the tiny creature, enduring a thorough interrogation as the black-furred menace welcomed them. The bags were taken to the living room and Chris began to organize everything as Yohane started to cook some actual Italian food, a hearty lasagna and garlic bread. As the warm aroma wafted through the apartment, Chris leaned back and sighed, glancing out the window.
"Hey, Yohane?"
"Yeah?"
"You asked if I was going to replace Ichaival," Chris said, looking over her shoulder. "The answer is...not yet. Not when I can still find solutions with who I am and what I've got. Maybe there'll be a day when I need to blow up a small moon, but that's definitely not Christmas."
Yohane smiled and gave a more genuine nod this time around. "Good enough for me. Merry Christmas, gremline."
"Merry Christmas, Meatball."
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