Factory

"Hey, it's good to see you," Max greeted Factory with her usual giant smile. "How ya been? Didn't see you yesterday."

"All right," Factory answered quietly. "Could I maybe have something to eat?"

"Of course! You know you can always grab a bite here!"

Max sat a bell in front of Factory and tapped it twice, letting Misty know that Factory "needed her attention," as she put it.

"Hello, there," Misty greeted Factory, coming over quickly. "It's great to see you. What would you like to eat?"

"Um," Factory thought.

"How about I just surprise you then?" Misty suggested, smiling warmly.

With a simple nod from her quiet friend, Misty took the bell and walked happily through a door to their kitchen, her long ponytail bouncing about. Knowing no one ever bothered her at the bar, Factory laid her head down between her crossed arms and tried to catch a nap. The busy noise of the establishment didn't bother her, both due to her being used to it and her fatigue. She felt calm and safe in her little corner, sitting on a stool no one else could sit in, soon to eat as the only one ever served food. Factory enjoyed special treatment as Max and Misty's friend, but was too shy to properly convey how appreciative she was.

Being careful not to startle her out of her nap, Misty returned to Factory with a plate of pasta cooked to the perfect temperature. Misty was a chef of unbridled talent. Factory always believed she could have opened her own restaurant with her talents, but Misty would always insist she only wanted to cook for her friends.

"Wake up, sleepy head," Misty said, lightly rubbing Factory's head through her hat.

Factory's tired eyes blinked slowly as she brought the food into focus and then yawned powerfully.

"You look so tired," Misty said with a frown. "Why don't you take a nap in the back? After you've eaten?"

"I'm okay," Factory replied. "Thank you very much for the food."

"You're welcome. Just let me know if you need anything else!"

Misty smiled and went back to her customers while taking periodic glances at Factory. The pasta was delicious, just as all of Misty's creations were. The flavors were balanced and not too overpowering, not that Factory had much culinary experience. Max brought her a glass of water and many napkins while she enjoyed the meal. Being especially smooth through practice, Factory slipped the little bag of Power into a napkin and set it aside before continuing to eat. Max then came by and replaced the hidden bag with money, completing their secret transaction.

Factory had met Max and Misty by chance not long after she awoke with no memory. They had filled her in about what she carried on her back and thus became her distributors out of friendship. Factory would never be able to sell it on her own due to her very reserved nature and was happy they were helping her. They continuously told her she could leave that life and live with them, but Factory was afraid to give up the backpack, feeling it might hold some clue as to who she really was and why she ended up the way she did.

Finishing up her meal, Factory happily wiped her mouth clean of sauce and thought about what Misty had offered. The thought of a nice bed was tempting, but she knew she had to decline no matter how much she'd love to fall face first into one. With a smiling wave, Factory left the bar and headed back to her quiet abandoned apartment.

"There she goes again," Max said with a heavy sigh.

"I wish she would accept our offer," Misty said, staring at the front door. "I worry about her."

Factory was too tired. The walk out of the black market mall was slow and hindered by an occasional stumble. She knew she couldn't put off sleep any longer, lest she collapse from weakness. Factory was never very tough or formidable, making sleep a worthy opponent. In an evil twist of fate, Factory stepped outside the front entrance to the black market and spotted danger across the street.

A group of local gang members called the "Hoodz" were looking her way. They all wore hooded jackets of red color, concealing their faces in darkness. Factory stood motionless, unsure of what she should do. She had a gut feeling that they wanted something from her and it was an easy guess as to what. She couldn't believe she had been found out. That her secret had somehow reached the ears of those who would harm her. Things had gone relatively smooth in her new life so far. She had been trying to avoid her current situation with all her might, but the information still slipped out somehow. It was easy to tell that going back to the apartment was a bad idea.