Sasha retrieved a pot from her tent and resumed cooking over the portable stove in the center of the room. Slade watched her intently. She was an exact duplicate of the girl he knew, and her question about them having met reinforced his confusion. He chose not to ask more, instead standing up and walking toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Sasha asked.
"Neropolis. Unless you've got a better lead on where Selene is," Slade replied.
"Yeah… I'm heading to the ruins near Noz City. A local told me Selene has a hideout there. I'll leave after I eat," Sasha said.
"Hmm… that explains why she comes and goes from Neropolis. Alright then."
Slade turned around and sat back down, confusing Sasha.
"Why are you sitting down again? I thought you were leaving?" Sasha asked.
"How about we look for her together? I know those ruins—it's bandit territory," Slade offered.
"Hmph. I don't need your help. I paid you to grab her in Neropolis. Just do your job," Sasha shot back.
"You don't have to pay me. I'll give the money back once we're all at the Guild—you, me, Celes, and Selene," Slade countered.
"What's your angle? Why do you want to tag along?" Sasha asked suspiciously.
"Looks like it'll be profitable to work with you," Slade replied.
"Fine. Whatever. But you keep your word. When you get paid, the cash goes straight back to me," Sasha snapped, pointing the wooden spoon she was using to stir the soup right at his face.
"Deal. Don't worry about it," Slade assured her. "I need to figure out who she really is and if the other girl is my sister." Slade muttered to himself.
Slade's real reason was his burning need to know more about Sasha—he couldn't tell her she was in his photo—and to witness the inevitable confrontation between Sasha and Selene, the girl who looked like his twin sister. Sasha pulled two bowls from the tent, filled them with soup, and handed one to Slade.
"Here… eat," Sasha said.
"Thanks," Slade replied, taking the bowl.
"Sruup." Slade took a slurp. He glanced at Sasha, who was dipping a piece of bread into her soup.
"You turned into a tiger back there. That's the first time I've seen a Zoan shift into a tiger," Slade remarked.
"How do you know it was a tiger?" Sasha asked.
"My database. (Damn, close one. Would've been a mess if she knew I remember the past.)" Slade thought.
"Hmm… that's it. I'm the only one who can shift like that. I don't even know why. I just felt like I'd seen that animal before and tried it," Sasha admitted.
"No doubt about it, she's a ghost from the past, just like me. But I need more than a hunch." Slade thought this as he continued to eat his soup.
They ate in silence, and when they finished, Sasha packed up her gear—the stove, the tent—stuffing it all into her dimensional item backpack. Slade looked at her uniform.
"You still a mercenary?" Slade asked.
"Yeah, I'm a soldier. Always will be. I just needed the credits, so I took this job," Sasha answered.
"Got it. Alright, ready to go?" Slade asked.
"Let's roll," Sasha confirmed.
They climbed out of the viewing deck. Slade got on his bike and put on his shades, then looked over at Sasha.
"Hop on," Slade offered.
"No need," Sasha replied.
Sasha's lower body immediately shifted into a horse's body, like a centaur. She reared up on her hind legs, then took off across the desert. Slade shook his head and smiled. Sasha could turn into a horse? That animal was extinct, meaning she had to know what a horse was from a memory. He started his engine, speeding up to catch Sasha, riding alongside her.
"Hey… if you get tired, feel free to hitch a ride," Slade teased, smiling.
"Hah! Never," Sasha shot back.
They traveled at high speed toward Neropolis City. After a few hours crossing the wide, dry desert, they started seeing the ruins above Neropolis. Sasha suddenly veered east, and Slade followed, heading for the ruins close to the city. Soon, the sharp angles of ancient skyscrapers pierced the sand again.
Slade stopped his bike, dismounted, and pushed it into the ruins. Sasha shifted her lower half back into two human legs, walking beside him. They looked around nervously. This area was notorious for bandits, a magnet for anyone robbing people traveling from the Vorg capital to Neropolis. These outlaws weren't tied to any faction—they were a rogue mix from all three factions who refused to play ball, forming their own gangs.
As they walked, Slade's sensors picked up movement behind the wreckage. The hand holding his motorbike's handlebars shifted into a shotgun, ready for a fight. He saw Sasha was equally alert, despite her calm facade. Suddenly, a giant man with one arm replaced by a massive axe lumbered out to block their path. His face was grim, and he forced a greeting from his mouth.
"Yo," he boomed.
Slade dropped the bike's kickstand and walked forward, smiling, resting the shotgun on his shoulder.
"Yo, Jr.… how's it hanging?" Slade replied.
"You know him?" Sasha asked.
"Yeah… of course, I know him," Slade said.
"Bum!" Jr. swung the axe at Slade. Slade grabbed Sasha's shirt and leaped backward as Jr.'s axe slammed into the ground with a loud CRASH.
"Whoa, whoa, is that any way to greet an old pal?" Slade joked.
"Shut up! You killed my brother! Bring him back!" Jr. thundered, tears welling in his eyes.
"I thought you said you knew him?" Sasha called out.
"Yep… and that's why he's attacking me, haha," Slade replied.
"Who did you kill?" Sasha asked.
"His caretaker. High bounty on his head, haha," Slade explained.
"You're a piece of work, bounty hunter," Sasha muttered.
Jr. lifted his axe and swung again. Slade backed off, dodging it, then ran to the side. Jr. chased him. Slade intentionally led him away so Sasha wouldn't be caught in the fight, though he glanced back and saw her following.
Jr. kept coming, swinging the massive axe-hand. When they were far enough, Slade turned. "Klang!" Slade blocked the huge axe swing with his shotgun. His other hand transformed into a second shotgun, which he pressed under Jr.'s chin.
"Take it easy, Jr., or your head's gonna pop. I'm here on business today, and I don't want trouble with you," Slade warned.
"Grrrrr..... but you killed my brother," Jr. growled.
"Hey, your brother killed a lot of people, right? But you didn't. That's why I left you alone. So don't piss me off," Slade retorted.
"But… but… I'm all alone," Jr. whimpered.
"Hah, you still got your crew. And with a body that huge, no one's gonna mess with you. Now, be quiet," Slade ordered.
"Okay, I'll be quiet," Jr. agreed.
"Oooi… Slade!" Sasha yelled, running up to them.
"Relax, I'm fine," Slade said.
"No, you idiot. Some guys took your bike!" Sasha yelled back.
"What?! Which way did they take it?" Slade demanded.
"Follow me," Sasha said.
"And you, Jr., stay put," Slade turned to face the giant.
"Okay," Jr. replied.
Slade immediately ran after Sasha, leaving Jr. standing motionless, staring blankly as they sped away.