Jasper let the man hang from his shoulder, bright lights from the Vegas Strip dancing around them.
"Jasper… you're the bestest... friend in the world…" The man drunkenly mumbled as Jasper practically dragged him.
Jasper let out a half laugh, half sigh at the words. "Is that right buddy? C'mon, one foot in front of the other."
The man focused slightly for a few steps before leaning back onto Jasper's shoulder.
Jasper just shook his head, already resigned to fate.
By the time Jasper had gotten the man to his hotel room, they had stuffed a large roll of bills into Jasper's pocket.
"Thank you… for making me look good in front of those guys…"
Jasper's face lightened into a smile. "Hey, you did most of the work yourself, you just needed someone to believe in you."
The man had tears in his eyes. "I know I paid you to be my friend… but you're too good a guy…"
"Think nothing of it, you got your money's worth, and next time? I won't even charge."
The man drunkenly hugged Jasper. "Thanks for being a real friend."
"Hey hey! You're gonna ruin the fit!" Jasper joked as he patted the man's back.
"Go to sleep, send me a text in the morning. Let's make your last day in Vegas a wild one, yeah?"
The man laughed and nodded his head. "Yeah… Sleep. That sounds good right now."
They stumbled into the room leaving Jasper at the doorway.
Jasper shook his head as he closed the door, already half turned towards the elevator.
What a poor schmuck. He's friendly, but way too trusting. Probably got burned in the past and his confidence is low.
In the elevator Jasper patted his pocket where the man had put the roll of bills.
A decent chunk of change too, best not to spend it all because it's a drunk tip. Too many clients leaving angry messages for that.
Jasper reached his inner jacket pocket, getting a cigarette as the elevator doors opened.
Stepping into the lobby, he let the cigarette dangle from his lips as he fished for his lighter in his pants pocket.
Though… It feels large. The guy casually spent a few thousand tonight just to party.
Stepping onto the street, he lit his cigarette, taking a long drag.
Man, that hits the spot. Couldn't smoke at all with that guy. Asthma apparently.
Walking down the street, he reached into the pocket with the roll of bills taking it out.
Oh? The outer bill is a hundred.
Unrolling the bill, Jasper's eyes widened.
27… 28… 29… 30?! A 3k tip? Jesus Christ!
From the corner of his eye, blue and red flashed but Jasper was too busy smiling internally at the cash.
Then his world spun.
Then settled sideways.
Eh? Why am I…
Then pain. Legs, back, chest, neck. All at once causing him to lock up.
Jesus CHRIST!!!!
The red and blue settled in his view. Pain ringing in his ears.
Fuck! Fuck! I got hit by a car? Is that an ambulance? A police car?!?
Voices were heard, talking. To him? He couldn't tell.
He saw one of the officers having to look away from him, covering their mouths.
Fuck. It's bad. The pain. The damage. Fuck!!!
He closed his eyes, letting himself just stop. Sorry mom. Sorry dad. Your boy never got to give you that surprise.
Jasper slowly felt his hearing stop, then nothing.
Suddenly, Jasper heard a beep.
Then another.
What…?
He opened his eyes and he was no longer on the street in Vegas.
Light walls. Calming colors. Then the beep.
Looking over, Jasper saw a heart monitor but written in a different language. Then the language made sense.
Japanese? I don't know Japanese.
He reached out, half expecting pain, half expecting not to move.
But he froze once he saw his outstretched hand.
"What the fuck…?" (English)
His hand was small. Way too small. Like a child's.
Jasper felt over his entire body. Small. Way too small.
Then he realized he felt no pain. No lingering scars or torn skin.
Am I dreaming? Right before I die? Or did I just get reincarnated?
But that's when he heard other voices. One masculine, but not overtly deep. The other seemed feminine but in distress.
The language barrier hit him again, then cleared like remembering to ride a bike.
"...There seems to be no brain activity ma'am. I suggest that you prepare for the worst."
"No! It can't be…"
Jasper felt his heart clenched at the voice of the woman, instinctively feeling that this was the mother of his new body.
Wait… how do I know that? Better yet, why do I know that?
Before he could think further, the door opened.
The two adults froze, seeing him up and looking back at them.
The woman spoke first, her voice quiet. "Junya?"
Then she launched herself at him. "Junya!"
Jasper was hugged hard. "Mom…?" (Japanese)
The Japanese words felt weird in his mouth.
"Yes, it's mom!" The woman, now his mom, squeezed tighter.
"Ma'am… I advise you to let the child breathe. After all, he just woke up."
Mom(?) looked towards the doctor, letting go of Jasper (Junya?), wiping her tears. "Right… just… after what you said…"
"I understand Ma'am. But now that he's awake, we need to do tests to make sure he stays awake. Overworking his quirk might have more serious implications even after recovery."
Jasper barely clocked it. Quirk? Like… quirk quirk?
"Uh… What's a quirk?"
Both the doctor and his mom looked at him in surprise.
"I was afraid of this, Ma'am, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"But…"
"Not for long, just until the tests are done."
Mom nodded and let herself out.
The doctor looked back and then the serious questions began.
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Welcome to my new novel that probably winning second place on my p*treon poll. Theres still time to vote!
p*treon.com/Alex_DLC0000