For Roxas and Albel, the beginning of the next day was spent as per usual. Each went through their boring lectures. Despite words and knowledge forcefully crammed in their heads by their professors, each could only imagine the antics the other of their trio must had been getting into at that moment in time.
Across town, Orion did his utmost best to duplicate the movement of spies in spy movies. First, he remembered exactly where his mother worked so that he may start from there. Next, was finding exactly which office in the building he just entered was.
This was where the challenge started.
Working on name alone, Orion floated over towards the front desk receptionist. Of course, he couldn’t just up and ask for directions. ‘Hello miss, may I know which floor a Mrs. Chase works on?’ That wouldn’t cut it.
Instead, he chose to park his butt on top of the receptionists desk and wait her out. Surely she would have to use the restroom or go on a break at some point?
A stroke of luck was delivered to him in the form of a rather well endowed delivery woman. Rather than just leaving the packages at the front desk, the receptionist took this chance to leave her post- absentmindedly leaving her computer on, and led the way. Anything to spend a couple minutes flirting. Orion couldn't blame her. He would have done the same had the delivery person been male and just his type.
Shaking his head, he shook off other thoughts and got back to business. Right! Sliding over, he let himself get comfortable affront the desktop.
Comfortable for him meant both legs up in the air as he rested on his stomach.
Cracking his knuckles, Orion got right down to business. He searched up the list of employees. Surprisingly, it was a lot easier to find than he thought. Perhaps he would have to leave a sticky note later with some advice. From then on, he searched by name, finding his mother. Floor 5 and somewhere from there. He couldn't quite understand what the numbers after meant with the offices and desk arrangements. He'd figure it out.
By this point in time, he had an audience forming around. It started with a janitor walking past, who could have sworn he was going senile. After getting closer, he realized it wasn't just him; the keys were really moving by themselves. A couple other passerbys joined at such a strange scene.
Was the computer so old it grew a mind of its own? Or perhaps a higher up took control of this computer specifically. Either way it was a sight to behold.
What really took the cake was the sudden movement of a pen scribbling a note of some sort onto a sticky note. Each member of Orion's audience blinked multiple times, even rubbed at their eyes to be absolutely sure it wasn't just their mind playing tricks on them.
Once finished, Orion slapped the note over the screen, bowed to his unsuspecting group and floated off towards the elevators.
Please rename the folders on your computer to less obvious things. Thank you
Perhaps therapy would be required for those poor people. That, or some good sleep.
His next stop along the way was an elevator. Nonchalantly, he pressed the button and waited.
And waited.
He had forgotten how busy these things were in office buildings and the like. Whistling to himself, he folded his arms behind his back and stood patiently.
Once the doors open, he floated right on in. As the doors were about to close, he noticed a figure running towards, arm stretched out while the other was full of papers. "Please wait!" Being the gentleghost he was, Orion pushed the 'open door' button, letting in the over exhausted man who looked as if he just ran a marathon.
"Thank y-" The office man started, but stopped once he noticed he was alone. As the doors closed again, he shivered as the '5' button was suddenly pressed. Quickly, he pressed the '7' button and hoped it was just a random sign of good luck.
Once dropped off at his floor, Orion exited the elevator and waved at his companion of the last minute or so. It made him giggle to watch his face as no one else entered or left before the doors closed again.
Now was the hard part. Finding which desk belonged to his mother.
Suddenly remembering again that he could float, Orion lifted off the ground towards the ceiling. Up here would be a lot easier!
To the left he could see a coffee station. A bunch of desks...but no mom.
To the right, even more desks...Aha! Catching the familiar sight of her hair in the distance, Orion floated on over.
Now for another tricky part. Stealing the credit card. Stealing was such a strong word. Borrowed Orion liked better.
Borrowing without giving back.
Settling on the floor beside her, he decided to wait her out. She always left her wallet in her coat. That part was easy enough to go for, he could at any time. Perhaps there was just a part of him that still felt compassion for his living relatives.
An hour passed and no sign of movement. Here and there, Orion felt a small tug pulling him towards the warmth of her being. Maybe she would hug him once more?
Shaking his head once again, he pulled himself over to the coat draped over her chair. If he stayed any longer, he'd never want to go. As always, the inner right pocket of the coat held her violet wallet. Snatching it, he gave one more look of longing before finding himself freezing stiff.
On the desk, inside of a little wooden frame sat a family photo. One he had never seen before, with someone he had never seen before. Both his parents, smiling ever so brightly, holding a small bundle in their arms. A baby.
His little sister.
His replacement…
Feeling a tug now at his chest, Orion held the wallet as close to him as he could and left the building with all the speed he could muster up.
The next destination was well, wherever had the nearest ATM. Darting his head from side to side as he floated, Orion smiled wide as he found one snug between a pair of motion sensor doors outside a department store. Rather than just passing through the doors, his being caused them to open and heads to turn in question. Yet when they closed just as normally, everyone went on with their business.
“I think I remember how to use these things, but I’m not sure...Well! As they say in memes these days, you only live once! Or rather in my case, an afterlife is included...Minor details!” Orion spoke to himself, his emotions a mess as always.
Where the machine said to insert card, he did so, following instructions until he was asked how much he wished to withdraw. There wasn’t exactly a number set for the amount he required, so his withdrawals were made in batches of 100’s.
By his fourth transaction, the ghost found himself yet again with an audience crowded around. No one was prepared to see an ATM start spitting out hundreds, followed by those hundred bills being folded away very neatly into the companion floating wallet.
As the last bill of money was slipped away, the crowd was so dumbfounded by this spectacle that no one made even the slightest move to snatch back said money. They all just watched as the wallet bounced along and Orion made his way to Roxas’ home to await the moment he could share his spoils.
Maybe he would remember to mail his mother’s wallet back too...That was a thought for another day.
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