Fire & Flame

Chapter 7 : Good ol' Times

Konnor just walked into the first aisle and pretended to be a patron in the store. He picked up a blue box and opened it. 

It was an empty box.

‘What a nice empty box.’

Konnor placed the box back to its original position. He continued walking down the aisle with his hands in his pocket. He casually strolls around the store until his eye catches an interesting thing.

A Pokémon card. An ultra-rare Pikachu Illustrator card.

Konnor immediately took it. ‘Oh my god, no way!’

Konnor contemplated whether or not to put it in his pocket and just exit the store. After all, he’s been wanting to complete his collection in a very long time.

“Hello, human. I see you have taken interest in this card.”

“Damn it,” Konnor mutters. The robot is here.

“Uh, yes. Yes, I am interested in this ultra-rare god-tiered card.”

Robot clapped his arms. ‘I see. I hope you realise you’re in the expensive aisle.”

Expensive aisle? Konnor looks up to the signboard above the aisle.

`Expensive aisle. Most things here are on the minimum discount we can offer.`

Konnor scoffs. “This is a thrift store! Why is there an expensive aisle, robot?”

“You’ve said it yourself, human. That card is ultra-rare and god-tiered. Most of the items here are equally rare and special.”

Konnor scrunched his nose in confusion. “Robot, I don't think you understand the concept of a thrift-”

Konnor wanted to argue, but he saw someone familiar.

‘The lady from the dumpster?’

She was acting suspicious. He knows when a person is up to something, also known as stealing. Konnor watched her swiftly taking a purse from another woman’s bag.

‘Didn’t she say she is President Hansen’s daughter?’

“Human, what were you saying?”

Konnor looks back at the robot. “Uh, yeah. You’re scamming people.”

“No, human. Like I explained…”

“Shush robot. No more from you. I’m leaving.” Konnor walks away from the robot and towards the front door.

“Human, please return the card.”

Konnor rolls his eyes. “Robot, what part of scamming people did you not understand?”

“Human, I am not-”

“Whatever!” Konnor threw the card to the robot and rushed out of the store. He saw the lady from the dumpster walking rather quickly. He follows her from behind discreetly.

Isabella took a quick turn into a nearby alley. Unbeknownst to her, Konnor did the same thing and rushed up behind her. Konnor tapped her left shoulder and Isabella stood frozen. She gulped nervously.

“Hello, lady from the dumpster.”

Isabella turned around and saw Konnor standing in front of her. At that second, Konnor immediately knew that Isabella is not a prestigious young lady. The woman was dressed in untold layers of fragmenting wool, her hair tied back but still clumped with grease. She shuffled, her head moving this way and that, unsteady like there was a personal earthquake beneath her inadequate shoes.

“Ah, the thief. You scared me.”

Konnor raised an eyebrow. “Scared you? Have you done something wrong, Isabella?”

“I don’t seem to understand what you are saying.”

Konnor carefully examines her facial expression. She had no hints of guilt, instead she had a firm expression. If Konnor hadn’t witnessed her action a few minutes ago, he would have believed her thoroughly.

“Really? Why do I think you’re lying?”

Isabella smirks. “Lying? Do you think I would stoop as low as that?”

“I wouldn’t be accusing you if I had no proof, sweetheart.”

“You’re just saying that because you think I’m scared of you.”

“Oh yeah?” Konnor answers tauntingly.

“Yes.”

Konnor grins as he reaches out for her pockets and casually pulls out a heart pink purse. He proceeds to unzip the purse and pulls out the identity card.

“Let’s see; I don’t suppose your name is Gabriela Deering? Or am I missing something?”

Isabella’s eyes twitched. How did he know about her pickpocketing another person?

“Okay, fine! You caught me! Now, what? Will you turn me into the authorities? Perhaps earn some brownie points so they’ll stop chasing after you?”

Konnor chuckles. “Kid, you’re an amateur in this. Why did you do it?”

“None of your business.”

Konnor looks at Isabella, shaking his head. “You literally have the most powerful last name around. If you walked into a random bank and just announced your arrival, they would have let you apply for a loan without hesitation.”

“Have you forgotten you met me in a dumpster?”

“I don’t have a memory of a goldfish, mind you. And that has nothing to do with the topic we’re discussing right now.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I was in the dumpster because I’m running away from my damned father.”

Konnor frowns. “Isabella, why would you choose to do that?”

“Because I hate him! Everyone says my father is the best leader anyone could ever ask for, but to me, he is nothing more than the person who donated his sperm to make me.”

“...You don’t expect me to believe that, right? I have seen how the president spoils his daughter very much, especially since he’s been trying really hard to conceive one.”

“Everyone has been blinded by him. The media portrays him as the best. Can’t you see he is manipulating all of you?”

“Kid, have you attended school before?”

Isabella sneers. “Why? Are you trying to call me uneducated?”

“No. If you had, even if you didn’t, you would be aware about how the media has nothing to do with politics. They made the law about 50 years ago since the riot.”

“You don’t have to bombard me with historical facts, Mr Smarty Pants. You think corruption goes away that easily?”

“Of course not! But I also don’t believe a single word you say.”

“My father thinks I am a spoiled brat, for your information. Even if you don’t believe me, it doesn’t change the fact that his annoying face is clouding your perceptions about good and evil.”