The Family We Make (CasualVelociraptor x Alisa_Perne)

[CasualVelociraptor]

There were many vices to be had in the North Atlantic IceBurgh. It was true that the Bummock (the neighborhood of the underground Metro world just below the water’s surface) wore its sins on its sleeve: under the table gambling, prostitution, and trafficking in cheap, usually sexually focused augmentations, to name a few. Meanwhile, however, on the surface its overly glossy skyscrapers reached to the heavens as the arrogant cities of old had, in the same old scramble for money and status.

Had being the operative word, before the world was finally shaken into action by the Great Fire of 2033. The UN chartered the IceBurgh Housing Corporation to desperately resettle millions stateless refugees here and in other such massive projects, with the goal of constantly refrigerating and reinforcing icebergs and other glaciers to keep the world’s temperature increase from rising above 2 C.

Even in the shadow of the glass and steel monuments to excess erected by the NAI division of the Resort Council, and the specter of Resort Security keeping the poorest and most undesirable people and cultures out of sight of tourists in the Metro from Bummock to UnderBurgh, lust, the oldest of sins, was still accessible to those of all means at Prime Eight, the hottest gentleperson's club in the Japantown district. That area was otherwise the home of snooty ex-pat Japanese investors (who fled here after the Evacuation of Tokyo in 2049) and their overpriced private schools.

Part of it was because they'd finally gotten real chicken wings and other natural food at the buffet that didn't taste like rubber like the printed stuff. A lot of why the owner, named Beetle after the multiple cameras on his face that replaced his eyes, had been able to get the money to do so without charging an arm and a leg was because it was a loss leader to get people to spend most of their money on drinks at the bar and a new batch of strippers. It was a team effort from the men, women and others who danced here, but one new name in particular had been coming up a lot these past three months.

Brona.

The Irish girl with the curious silver hair (which almost appeared to glow purple from the lights of the club), perky B-cups, athletic build and cybernetic right arm was dancing to Work B*tch topless. She was also really working the pole like every penis haver in the establishment wanted their pole to be worked, and according to the bookie was available to be booked for private dances at a rate of 10,000 BurghBucks an hour. But on this day, Brona was about to make an exception for someone about to walk in, who would change her life forever…

 

[Alisa_Perne]

Connie, formerly known as Connor walked into the establishment. She had wiggled her way out from under the grasp of her mother Yasmine. Who was in fact a very prominent figure in the Burgh, mostly known for her violent tendencies and ruling with an iron fist. Though she was very soft on Connie and doing her best to accept the gap between them. Connie had came out to her mother a few years ago, despite the fact that Yasmine claimed to be supportive of this decision that Connie had made that she felt she was not born in the right body, Yasmine had in fact tightened the noose. She looked around the place quickly for any of her mother's goons. She had slipped away unnoticed thanks to her slim figure and natural acrobatic abilities but she was always wary of the fact that her mother has eyes and ears everywhere. Not seeing any men dressed in suits or people trying to fit in that obviously did not she breathed a sigh of relief. It was then that everything hit her, the sights, the smells, the sounds. Then she saw Brona, had this been a cartoon her jaw would have hit the floor, her eyes would have bugged out of her head and her heart would be pounding through her chest, thankfully this was not and Connie had mastered the art of a poker face, mostly thanks to her mother. She took a seat right in front of where Brona was dancing and watched, shifted uncomfortably in her chair, hiding something, she kept watching.