Chapter Text
Lucy crept through the NCART carriage with a mouselike constraint, occasionally pausing to liberate a cred-chip from an unaware low level corpo or two.
Perhaps her behavior would have been more suspicious if she were older, however nobody gave a twelve year old girl any second glances.
As she snatched a shard from a burly looking corporate enforcer, the carriage lurched, sending her lithe frame crashing into the enforcer with the lightest of thuds.
"Watch it!" the man snarled, shoving back harshly.
Lucy tumbled to the ground, the cred-chip clattering to the ground. Several people who had their attention turned to the mountain of a man and the girl muttered, pointing at him and shooting dirty looks, though they did nothing to interfere.
"Hey- that's mine!" the man growled. Lucy yelped as the burly man grabbed her roughly. "What do you think you're doing with my cred-chip? Huh!? Explain yourself!"
Lucy tried to speak, to say anything in an attempt to defend herself. Facing down a physical manifestation corporation that had taken her early childhood from her, her throat closed up with fear.
"There you are, mija!" A warm, feminine voice called out as a gentle hand placed itself on Lucy's shoulder. "You can't go running off like that!"
Lucy and the corporate enforcer turned to face the new woman. She seemed fairly young, early thirties at most, her chestnut hair pulled into a bun and a bright yellow EMT jacket covering her dark shirt.
"You this brat's mother?" the enforcer asked. "I don't buy it, I don't see a resemblance."
"She takes after her father." the new woman said sharply, though she smiled, her eyes were cold and angry.
As the people in the carriage observed the exchange, they glared at the enforcer. Flustered, the man pressed on.
"Your girl stole my cred-chip!"
"You think a child's a skilled picksocket? Loco estúpido payaso!" Lucy had to give this woman her dues, either she was one of the best actors that she had ever seen... or she was genuinely angered at the way the man had treated a child. "She probably found it on the ground and was trying to give it back to you, isn't that right, mija?"
As she spoke, the older woman squeezed Lucy's shoulder gently. Even as divorced from social cues as she was, Lucy could understand the intention. Just go along with it.
"Y-yes." she stammered.
"Hey, buddy!" one of the suits Lucy had passed previously took a step forward, glaring as he clenched a clean shaven jaw. "If you have time to tarnish your corp's name like this, maybe you'll have time to give me your name! I'm sure your boss'd be very interested to see how his guards are representing him off the clock!"
At this provocation, several more corporate suits stepped forward. A darker skinned woman with a deep purple business suit, a sandy haired man whose cybernetic arm glimmered from under his coat's sleeve.
"Wait, I know him! He's Maxim Kuznetsov!"
"SovOil's new hire? Tsk, total loose cannon, looks like."
"I'll bet you anything he gets fired in less than a year..."
Glaring at the corporate men and women that had spoken up, the man- Maxim- turned his gaze back towards Lucy, who shrank under his stare.
"...Thank you for finding my cred-chip." he said reluctantly, Lucy handed over the shard, then retreated, cowering behind the older woman.
At that moment, the train hissed to a stop.
<<This Station is Arroyo, Wolleson Street.>> a canned voice declared.
"C'mon, kiddo." the older woman whispered, taking Lucy's hand.
Lucy let herself be led off the train carriage and onto the platform, where the older woman turned to face Lucy.
"T-thank you." Lucy said timidly, shifting on the spot.
"We were lucky the other suits stood up for us." the older woman smiled casually. "But where are your parents, niña?"
Lucy grimaced, averting her eyes.
If she found out that she had nowhere to go, what would this woman do with that information? Sure, she helped her initially but-
"Are you... an orphan?"
Lucy slowly, hesitantly met the older woman's gaze. Timidly, she nodded.
Her heart raced as she readied herself to run, to hide and disappear once more.
"Of course, this city..." the woman sighed, then she smiled. "If you don't have a place to stay, why don't you come back with me? You might have to share with my son, though."
Lucy frowned, what was this woman expecting in return?
"Ah soy tonta. It's almost 8! You must be starving, why don't you come back for dinner, at least."
"N-no I already ate-" Lucy was cut off by her stomach growling loudly. She flushed, in embarrassment both of her body betraying her as well as being caught in a lie.
The older woman quirked a brow at her.
"You sound hungry for someone that already ate."
"Well... maybe I am a little hungry..." Lucy admitted, swallowing as her cheeks burned with embarrassment.
"And do you have a place to stay?"
Lucy shook her head.
"Okay, it's settled, then. You come with me, okay? We'll get you something to eat and you can stay with us for as long as you want."
"D? I'm home! I brought pizza!"
Lucy took a step inside the apartment, moving to help the older woman with the pizza box.
"I'm fine, mija, why don't you get comfortable?" the older woman said, waving her off with a warm smile.
As Lucy turned her gaze towards the rest of the room, she saw a young boy observing her curiously. Lucy blushed under his gaze, realizing what he was doing, the boy looked away, a pink tinge on his cheeks as well.
"D, this girl's going to be staying with us for a while, okay?"
The boy nodded mutely, sneaking glances at Lucy.
"Ah! Where are my manners? I'm Gloria." the woman said as Lucy looked back towards her. "D, introduce yourself."
"I'm... I'm David." the boy said quietly, smiling shyly at her.
"Lucy." she smiled back, almost as shyly. "I'm Lucy."