ZZZ: Dawn of The Black Sun

Anby Demara isn't as heartless as she appears. Monotone, cold, calculating, yes. But really, she's just a softie who watched way too many movies and took things way too seriously. Almost chuuni, but not quite, almost kuudere, but not quite.

Regardless of how she appears, she's really just a dork.

"The narrator is being mean again," Anby spoke, a contemplating look on her face as she gazed upon the bustling streets of New Eridu. She took a large bite out of the burger, munching it slowly so she can savor the taste. Bready, Meaty, Vegetabley, Saucy, she wondered how can anyone think of anything less to this beautiful snack.

For a moment, it was peaceful.

"The Starlight Knights have returned!!!" a robotic voice echoes through the base, destroying the peace with concentrated fanboy energy. With a blur of red and black, the robot lay on the sofa next to her, turning on the TV to watch another re run of the Starlight Knights. The Starlight Knight theme song soon distracted her from the deep thought on culinary endeavors.

Anby took one final bite before setting herself on the sofa. "Good afternoon, Billy," she spoke. "Where is Nicole?"

"Anby!" Billy pat her back, bright orange eyes glowing with mirth. "Boss is out there, working hard to earn us another commission,"

"Or swindle another loan shark for cash," Anby added. "Let's just wait for the good news,"

Not a moment after she said that, the door burst open, revealing Nicole in all her sketchy glory. "I'm home~" she said, waving around her suitcase with that smug grin on her face. "Guess what everyone, mama's just got ya'll something amazing!"

Anby tilted her head. "Another loan?"

Nicole pouted. "Give me some credit Anby, your boss got you all some sweet, juicy commission this time! Just a small trip into the hollow, in and out, easy~" she did a twirl and sat right next to Anby. "Just another Tuesday for the Cunning Hares, don't you think?"

Hollow... That word bears an extra weight for Anby now. Not due to an incident nor the extra normal horrors lurking within, but simply because what that word reminded her of.

"Hollow, are we going to be relying on Carrot Data?" Anby asked.

Nicole shook her head. "Of course not! We're going to hire a very competent Proxy to help us," her smile falters for a bit. "I'm sure she's still available," she added.

Anby grabbed Nicole's hand the moment she took out her phone. "Are you going to ask Belle?"

"Yes, of course, she's the best..." she paused when Anby's grip tighten around her wrist. "Anby..."

Anby took a deep breath before letting go of her. "We've been avoiding to talk to her for a week and this is how you wish to contact her again?" she averted her gaze. "I didn't expect much, but you disappointed me anyway..."

Nicole's eyes narrowed for a moment before a tired sigh slipped her lips. "Look, Anby... I'm..." she clicked her tongue. "Listen, I suck at this sort of thing alright? And..." she looked between her and Billy, the latter had his eyes fixated on the Starlight show, trying his best to look like he's not listening. "And I have been... meaning to talk to Belle about something."

"About time,"

"Anby," Nicole gripped her phone. "I'm not in the mood for you guilt tripping me as if it's my fault Wise is dead," she glared at her. "If you have nothing useful to say then shut up,"

Anby flinched, she averted her gaze, her expression softened. "Sorry," she said finally. "I'm just, frustrated, that we can't do anything," she gripped the sofa and bit her lip. "We left Belle when she needed us the most."

Nicole looked back at her phone. "I'm doing the best I can, alright?" she already has Belle on speed dial and call up on her, playing with her nails nervously as the phone rang. She has no idea how Belle would react, or if she'll pick up the call at all.

'click'

"Oh hi, Nicole! What's up?" Belle's voice rang from the other side, sounding as cheerful and carefree as she remembered, as if nothing really happen.

"Hey bestie!" Nicole said, playing it cool. "Just checking up on my favorite proxy and..." she paused for a second. "I just got a good gig, you in?"

"A good gig? How good is good? Are we talking about, *cough* paying all your tabs *cough* sort of good?" Belle teased.

Nicole winced, though a smile spread across her face. "Ahaha... right, about that, uhhh," she bit her lip. "We'll split the payment later! What do you think? Fifty-fifty!"

"Hmmm~ Nope, sorry, I got a lot on my hands and..."

"Wait!" Nicole blurted out, she rummaged through her pocket and took out a piece of paper. "There's something else, hold on," she opened the paper, reading the notes she prepared earlier. "We're inviting you to join us, for a Permanent Partnership with the Cunning Hares. From this point on, the Cunning Hares will give you our services for free, given that the Phaethon were to do the same for us. All proceeds either of us makes will go straight to our mutually shared funds. Wh-what do you say?"

Anby could tell that Nicole practiced that, but then again, she didn't quite nail it. Of course, as someone who's devoted her life and skills on swindling people for cash, being genuine is the last thing she'll be good at. But for once, right at that last moment, Anby knew just how much she wants Belle to accept it. For her own selfish reason? For Belle's own good? She couldn't tell.

Belle's voice rang from the phone, sealing their fate.

"You know what? It's a deal! Consider all your debts absolved!"

"OH GOD YES!!!" Nicole half shouted, grinning brightly in excitement. "I'm so glad you think the same way bestie! Gosh you're the best~"

"Aww, thanks Nicole! See you at the video store then, I got some surprise for you~"

"Sure thing girl!"

Nicole hanged off and sighed in relief, a happy smile still plastered on her face. She then turned to Anby and her smile slowly turned back to that smug grin. "Ha! See? I told you it's fine!" she tossed an old pillow at Anby who let it hit her face, it's quite soft, and not as dusty as it looks.

"Sorry for ever doubting you leader," Anby replied calmly. "You're truly are the greatest con woman in New Eridu,"

"That's right! I..." Nicole paused, eyes narrowing. "Hey! I was not conning her!!"

"Seems to me you were doing that to avoid a debt,"

Nicole winced. "You're not wrong but..." she shook her head. "You know what, no, I'm not dying on that hill. I'll still do my best to pay back my debt, this has nothing to do with that," she huffed and pressed her phone against her chest. "Bear with me Anby, come on... I'm..." she closed her eyes. "I'm doing my best here..."

[LINE BREAK]

Anby gazed at the nostalgia packed building that is the Random Play Video Store, one of, if not the only, movie rental store in Sixth Street. Movie Posters were hanged on the window and the walls of the store, each one cheesier than the last. Sharknami, Bad Dreams in Ellen's Street, Starlight Knights the Movie, all the stuff she's seen and watched dozens of times.

Nicole walks by beside her, strolling into the Video Store with a skip in her steps. "Belle honey, I'm home~" Nicole said as she stepped through the store. It's not that packed, she only caught at least six confused glance from the patrons and two curious gaze. No. 18, an adorable Bangboo that help manage the store greeted her.

As they stepped through the store, Anby couldn't help but look around the store some more. There's something different about it, the movies on display, the layout, it's very subtle, just enough for her to notice it, but not enough for her to know what it is.

"37, 58, 96?" Billy muttered, a hint of surprise in his robotic voice. "How peculiar..." he leaned back, gazing at an array of different covers of Starlight Knights series.

"What is it, Billy?" Anby asked.

"No, these Starlight Knights episodes are all..." Billy's optics narrowed slightly. "No, must be a coincidence,"

Before Anby could pry further, the door to the staff room opened, revealing Belle, wearing a casual shirt and a skirt. "Hey guys! Welcome~" she waved her hand. "Been a while, what do you think about the place, not bad for a solo manager eh?"

Nicole grinned. "Bestie, hi~" she walked up to Belle and gave her a quick hug. "How are you hun?" she let go of her. "Sorry we couldn't visit, got some errands to do," she looked around. "And I have to say, you're doing a great job managing this place..." she paused for a bit, finding so strange to only see Belle in here. "Still, do tell us if you need some extra hands! My services are expensive, but it's on the house, just for you darling~"

Belle giggled a little. "Aww, thanks Nicole, I'll keep that in mind," she turned around. "Come on in, there's something I wanna show you guys!"

Anby lingered behind as Nicole and Billy followed Belle into the staff room. There's something that made her hesitate, something about common tropes, cliches, and all sorts of things she's seen in movies. It's not that she doesn't trust Belle, it just feels like that there's something... off about all this. She remembered how it was the last time they met, right after the news of her brother's death, it wasn't pretty, and for Belle to act so normal and cheerful after all that.

It just... Doesn't make sense narratively...

"Feels like a boss battle is coming up," Anby muttered, finally stepping into the staff room

What she saw in the Staff Room was somehow beyond what she expected. Not an interrogation chamber or strange ritual room, but... a treasure trove of High-End Hollow Exploration Equipment that probably rivals an entire department in Janus HQ.

We're talking entire shelves of Investigation Logs, Boxes of Ether Plating, Certification Seals, Piles of Priceless W-Engines, Dozens of Bangboo lazing about, and enough Dennies to pay off all the Cunning Hares debts twenty times over.

"Oh... My... God..." Nicole was speechless, as Anby expected. The pink haired girl fell on to her knees, crawling towards the briefcases full of dennies stacked in front of her. "Belle..." she hugged the briefcase. "The Cunning Hares is all yours~ Please command me master~"

"Manager! It looks like the Starlight Knights HQ's Armory!!!" Billy shouted, already jumping in towards the W-Engine Module. "My goodness! Starlight Engine Replica, tailored perfectly for my system?!" he grabbed the W-Engine, gazing at it with sparkles in his optics. "Manager this is amazing!!!"

This really does not feel like a bait. People don't fish mackerel using a whole tuna as a bait. So there's something else going around here, Anby noted.

"See anything you like Anby?" Belle put an arm around Anby's shoulder, a friendly grin on her face. "Come on, don't think too much about it, help yourself," she took Anby's hand and led her towards a green W-Engine. "How about this one? I think it really suits you Anby,"

Anby took a closer look at the W-Engine. "It is, this is perfect for me," she nodded gratefully. "You've always been so generous with us, Belle... But this..." she looked around. "I'm looking 200, nay, 800 million dennies worth of resources," she took a closer look at Belle. "You could give us just 1 percent of this and we'd be just as grateful."

Belle giggled softly. "Aww... Come on, you're all my best friends! Besides, ya'll gonna be Phaethon's permanent partners right? Don't you think it's logical for me to give my partners my full support?"

Anby nodded. "I suppose that's logical," she walked over to Nicole who's still counting all dennies. She picked up a few music discs, each one of them has an almost golden gleam on them. "I do not know Bardic Needle even have this in their collection,"

"Not to the public~" Belle replied in a sing song voice.

Anby attached them into her new W-Engine, each one of them increases nothing less but her Attack and Crit. She didn't even want to think how much Belle spend to tune and recycle these until she found the perfect one. These are resources that dennies can't buy and she's just giving it away to them?

"Belle," Anby spoke softly. "Are you alright? How are you holding up?"

The room fell silent. Nicole shot Anby a warning look. Billy put down the W-Engine and averted his gaze.

Belle smiled gently. "I'm doing fine Anby, really," she spoke. "You worry too much,"

Beside her, Nicole tried to pull her away, but she slapped her hand. "If you are okay, then tell me, what's your goal now Belle?" Anby asked calmly. "You have a Video Store and... all this, you can stop working and have enough for 3 generations," she stood up and walked towards Belle. "What is your goal, tell me,"

"Anby that's enough," Nicole tried to warn her, but it fell on deaf ears.

Belle took a step back and averted her gaze. "Anby, do you not trust me?"

"Far from it, Belle, I love you, you're my precious friend," Anby took Belle's hand. "And right now, I am worried about you, you are up to something," she gripped her hand and met her gaze. "If you can trust me with the truth, I will never doubt you ever again..."

"Nothing really get past you huh?" Belle's voice became cold, losing all cheerfulness from before. "Sure, let's talk business," she folded her arms. "My terms are the same as yours, I will help you with your commission and you will help me with my commission,"

"You're not preparing us for a commission, you're preparing us for a war," Anby stepped closer. "Why are we fighting for? Who are we fighting?"

The silence was deafening, not a sound was heard in the video store. All background noise, static, chatter outside, everything went to a standstill. Anby has always believed in the wisdom of trope and narrative and right now... she's at the precipice of something far bigger than she could imagine.

"Follow Me,"