Club_0, Lower Northbridge,

Africa Dome

Peppermint danced. Hands flung over her head, eyes shut, she danced. Her hips gyrated in time to the pulsating rhythm of the mash-tech track blaring through her earbuds. Rocking her shoulders, she granted the music full control of her body and abandoned her limbs to its every wanton demand.

Fingers grasped her wrist. Peppermint jerked, her eyes flashing open. She smiled as she focused on Nick. He grinned back and slid against her. They settled into a new rhythm, their hips grinding together with the quickening tempo. Her eyes locked on his and she matched him move for move, their pace accelerating as the track soared. 

The break came. Peppermint evaporated. The hands on her hips were only things keeping her atoms from scattering into oblivion. Nick gripped both her wrists and tugged at her and tapped her earlobe, lifting his eyebrows. Her feet relented and came to a rest. 

Peppermint's thumb slid across the tips of her index fingers. Her broad Cerberus ring reflected a red strobe light as she lowered the volume in her earbuds. 

Her ears were ringing. "What?" she said, too loudly. 

"Maple's in the bass room," Nick replied. 

His voice was deep and melodic in the sudden silence. He cocked his head, sliding his fingers between hers and tugging at her hand until she followed. 

"But I like it here," Peppermint's words muffled as her teeth clenched. 

Nick stopped and turned back to her. "She wants you there, P." She shivered as his hand brushed her bare arm. "Come."

Multi-coloured strobe lights speared the room and illuminated the billows of smoke pouring from the ceiling — mint flavoured, tonight. Club Zero pumped, its massive main dance floor packed with hundreds of denizens. Their bodies jerked in time to an inaudible beat as they travelled through the rainbow fog. Shuffling feet and laboured breathing were the only sounds in the room. 

Nick's finger traced her collarbone. "Still peaking?"

She convulsed at his touch and his lips lifted in a small, satisfied smile. 

He shook his head at her, his smile turning fond. "Looks like it to me." 

It must have been hours since her dose of jOy had kicked in. The peak usually lasted an hour or two, but she was still definitely in danger of leaving the planet. 

Peppermint touched her thumb to the tip of her index finger and peered at the hologram that appeared beside Nick. Her eyes shuddered as she attempted to focus on the glowing pink icons of the weConnect program console. Half past two. She'd been dancing for three hours.

"Let's go." She upped her volume just enough to hear the current mash-tech track. Her head started to bob. 

Nick's fingers tightened around hers and he led her through the shifting crowd. The people parted around him. He was a mesobuild denizen — rangy with wide shoulders and a slim waist. Peppermint clutched his hand for fear of being separated. 

Unlike him, Phoenix had decided she should be an ectobuild. She came to Nick's chest, and had slender limbs. Where denizens rebounded from him they crashed into her, tossing her around until her head spun.

A dark rectangle emerged from the chaotic tangle of dancing bodies. Vibrations thrilled into her feet as they approached. They descended a ramp, each step taking them deeper into a pulsing bass. Even here, the music was just in her earbuds. She winced as it switched from mash-tech to thrash-dub.

As Peppermint's eyes flashed through the crowd, holographic panels appeared around each denizen's head, snapping off when her gaze moved. Disorientation flooded her. She pulled back on Nick's hand and swooned against the wall. Her naked back cringed from its chill touch.

"What's wrong?" Nick dipped his head down beside her as he stared into her eyes. 

"Can't... too much—" 

Words abandoned her. Nick held up her hand and knocked their Cerberus rings together. Then he pressed the tip of her pinkie finger. The holograms disappeared. He bent, eyebrows lifting as he peered into her eyes. She nodded and grinned up at him. 

He led her forward and they stepped into the subterranean pit that was the bass room. More denizens danced here. Their bodies squeezed together, forming a solid mass of sweaty, heaving flesh. Nick kept her to the circumference of the crowd. He tugged her into one of the many alcoves carved into the wall around the dance floor. 

Maple sat in the pale vinyl booth. Her eyes were closed and a stranger massaged her neck and shoulders. Nick slid in beside her, tugging Peppermint until she followed. The man glanced over at them and exchanged a nod with Nick. 

"Want something to drink?" Nick asked. 

He drew her hand into his lap, his fingers tightening around hers, dragging through and entwining again. It was delicious, and she trembled. 

"P?"

"Huh?" She snapped back from the velvety darkness she'd been lost in.

"You want something to drink?" Nick asked. 

"Go." 

"Flavour?"

"Strawberry coffee," she said.

He pushed past her, disappearing into the throng of bodies. Peppermint brushed her thumb over her fingertips and music flooded into her ears. She gasped as a hand clutched her shoulder. Her eyes flashed open, settling on a grinning Maple. The woman grinned at her, sliding over the vinyl bench until their thighs slapped together. Peppermint lowered the volume on her earbuds.

"Hey." Maple's blond curls bounced as she struggled to arrange her clothing. 

How could she wear such a skin tight slasher dress? It was made from a reflective, silvery fabric that wrapped around her in thin strips, revealing slits of her shiny underwear with every shift of her body. 

"Hey," Peppermint managed, her eyes fixing to Maple's dress for the longest time as she struggled to comprehend how the woman got into the it.

"Funning it up?" Maple asked.

Peppermint managed to unglue her eyes from Maple's dress, only to have them stick to the woman's lips. 

"Yeah," Peppermint replied, her voice soft and distracted. She lifted her hand, making a circle around her mouth as she stared in awe at Maple's lips. 

"It's new. You like it?" Maple asked. 

Her lipstick was fascinating, yet disturbing. Her lips coruscated in a rainbow of colours as she spoke. Maple gripped the back of Peppermint's head, pulling her in for a kiss. When Peppermint's eyes snapped open again, her clustermate was grinning impishly at her. 

"There, now you have some, too." 

Peppermint reached up, touching her lips and staring down at her fingers in amazement. The strange substance coated her fingertips. She lost at least fifteen minutes staring at her wriggling fingers. 

"DJ's thrashing it," Maple said, and Peppermint peered up at her again, nodding in agreement even though she couldn't hear a thing. 

She turned up her volume just enough to make out the track. Data! The DJ was thrashing it! Maybe she could learn to like thrash-dub. Her head bobbed, and she turned back to the crowd, searching for Nick. Why was he taking so long? Her mouth was glued shut from thirst.

"Hey, Titan here gives amazical massages. You want?" 

She shook her head at Maple and the motion turned into a gentle rocking, syncing with the music.

As if his name had been an invitation, Titan slipped past Maple and sat beside her.

"Hey, Peppermint," he said.

Peppermint glanced up at him. Ugh, another mesobuild. Her neck was aching already. And what was up with his tan? His skin was bronze, the muscles on his arms in danger of ripping his white t-shirt. 

"Hey, Titan." Her fingers moved unbidden to tap on her pinkie finger, and a hologram appeared around the man's face. 

Titanium 3487AF

Age: 26

Relationship Status: In a cluster with Holly, Sativa, Indica, Feldspar 

Residing: East Northbridge. 

"Hey, you like Manic Depressors, too?" she said, recognising the name of one of his favourite bands.

"They're the best," he agreed, teeth flashing in a smile. 

He was gorgeous, just like everyone else in the dome, but when he moved closer and their bodies connected she flinched. "You okay?" 

"I'm just... not—" Her words died away as she gestured. 

He slid away, shrugging. Maple's hand slid over Peppermint's shoulder, pulling her close. She got a whole lot of Maple-scent up her nose; oranges and vanilla and something spicy.

"Where's Nick?" Peppermint asked. "He'd been gone forever."

"Went to fetch drinks, P." 

"That's why I hate it here." Peppermint pushed Maple's hair out of her face. 

"Where, Zero?" 

"The bass room. There's no bar here." 

Titan had decided to stay. He gazed at them with undisguised interest, his fingers twitching as he no doubt went through their social profiles. Nick's hand closed over the man's shoulder. Titan turned around, eyes widening. Nick smiled at him, cocking his head to the side. 

"Move over bud," he said, his voice resonating with amicability. 

Titan nodded and slid aside, letting Nick in beside Peppermint. He handed them each a bottle of Go before turning back to Titan. 

"See you like Manic Depressors. Peppermint loves them." 

"Yeah I know," Titan replied dismissively. He glanced at them and then back at Nick. "You guys leaving soon?" 

"Probably," Nick said, his hand slipping around Peppermint's waist.

She shifted until her head rested on his shoulder instead of Maple's — she'd had enough of blond curls in her face for now. Nick's hand caressed her back before delving into her hair. He drew it over her face, twining the sleek purple strands around his fingers. Her eyes fluttered closed at his touch, electric veins of energy spearing through her and rendering her incapacitated. 

"Why, you wanna hook up?" Nick prompted when Titan didn't respond. 

Peppermint sighed. Mmmm, home. Warm bed, coffee, pyjamas. Nick's hand tightened in her hair, dragging her back to reality. She opened her eyes and saw he was smiling down at her, his face radiating a love so intense her spine melted. 

"Yeah, I think she's done for tonight. What you think, M?" Peppermint turned her head, jerking up. Maple was gone. 

Nick gripped the back of her neck and turned her head until she was facing Maple. The woman stood a few meters away on the edge of the bass room's dance floor. Her body undulated to the music, her hands in her hair. Peppermint realised she was zoning out watching her dance and pushed herself away from Nick. She twisted open the bottle of Go and chugged down most of it. 

"Maple," Peppermint called out. 

Maple must have turned her volume up all the way, because she wasn't paying them any attention. Nick gave Peppermint a small push, and she rose to her feet, the ground spongy beneath her as she made her way to Maple. 

"Nick says we have to go." She paused and then nodded. "Yeah, we have to go." 

"One more track!" Maple whined, reaching out and gripping her hips. 

Peppermint tried glancing back at Nick, but Maple pulled her close, grasping her hand and clicking their rings together. Maple drew her finger over Peppermint's fingertips. Music washed over her again, and she surrendered herself to it. 

"I have a surprise for you," Nick whispered into her ear.

Peppermint's eyes flashed open. She started in surprise. Her heart hammered in her throat. She was in Nick's lap, his arms around her waist. Maple sat beside them, receiving yet another massage from Titan. 

"Hey, is your volume down?" Nick asked and she nodded, willing her heart to steady. 

"Zoned out," she managed through numb lips. 

"Don't you want to know what it is?" 

"What?" 

"Your surprise?" 

"Oh. Yes. What? What is it?" 

Nick removed her hand from his leg, holding it up and tapping his ring against hers. He stared at her, biting his bottom lip with anticipation. She peered up at him, lost in his warm brown eyes. 

His contact lenses were visible as a pale line around his irises. She leaned closer, focusing on the network of tiny circuits spanning the circumference of each lens. As he stared back at her, his eyes shifted. Light caught the section of the lens covering his pupil, refracting in a quick yellow glow.

Nick's breath stirred her lips. She was less than a centimeter from him, having lost herself in his tech. His hands slid up her back. Their lips met. Peppermint disappeared into a world filled with strawberry coffee, spicy aftershave and Nick's sweet tasting mouth. When she reared back from him, her head spun. Her teeth clamped together. A massive grin parted Nick's now rainbow-sprinkled lips. 

"Did I just make you peak again?" 

"You scuzzy," she muttered.

He shook her wrist and she remembered his surprise. Her fingers fumbled, opening Nick's weConnect profile instead of her own. 

Nickel 3894AF

Age: 26

Relationship Status: In a cluster with Maple, Peppermint, Rose

Residing: Upper Southbridge. 

Peppermint glared at him "Hey, why's Rose still on your profile?" 

Nick's shoulders slumped at the question. He sighed, both hands grabbing her arms. 

"I haven't had time to—" 

"She was deleted more than four weeks ago, Nick," Maple said, startling Peppermint with her unexpected input into their private conversation.

"Look, I'll do it now, okay?"

Peppermint shook her head at him. She gripped his face between her hands, forcing him to stare down at her. 

"We all miss her, Nick. But she's gone," Peppermint whispered. 

Nick's eyes flitted away from her and a frown formed between his brows, but she leaned in until he had no choice but to look at her. 

"Keeping her on your profile just makes every stage of grief take longer get through." 

"Pepper's right," Maple said, touching his neck. "You have to take her off your profile." 

"It's already—look—she's been greyed out," Nick protested. "And when you go in, it says she's deleted." 

Maple drew them both into a hug. Peppermint inhaled a deep breath that carried their combined scent to her in a warm, familiar aroma. Tears pricked at her eyes. 

Titan cleared his throat. "You guys still leaving?"

They turned to stare at him. Peppermint caught Nick's eye, and he smiled up at her. 

"As soon as Peppermint opens her surprise," Nick said.

Peppermint straightened her back, nodding as she selected her own weConnect profile. 

"Open your inbox," Nick said. It took her a moment to figure out what he'd given her. When she did, her hand pressed against her mouth. 

"No. You didn't." 

"I wasn't going to use it." 

"But—" she shook her head, glancing between him and the holographic projection of a level five virtual reality coupon. "I can't, Nick, I can't—" 

"Take it. It's going to expire in two days. You might as well—" He didn't get any further. 

Peppermint launched herself at him. "Thank you!" she said, speaking against his lips. 

She felt him smile. "Anything for you, P," he whispered. 

When she drew back Maple's face was set in a stormy expression. 

Her clustermate crossed her arms over her chest. "Why'd she get a coupon?" 

"It's almost her inception day, M. Come on."

"But I wanted it." 

"You won a voucher like four days ago. Stop being such a pluck." Maple pouted, and Peppermint  stuck her tongue out at Maple, transforming her pout into a frown. 

"Hey you two, Titan's about ready to burst a seam. We can sort this out at Peppermint's place." 

"Why my house?"

"M's is a total dive, you know that, and I'm all the way in Southbridge. Unless—" Nick turned to Titan, but the man shook his head quickly.

"My clustermates kicked me and Feldspar to the curb. Said they wanted a girl's night."

"He coming with us?" Nick asked. 

 Peppermint cringed. More people?

"Nah, he went to Club One," Titan replied. "Say's the music's better there." 

"P? You fine with this?" Nick asked. 

It was impossible to deny him anything. "Fine, whatever," Peppermint said. 

Pajamas, coffee, bed. Not necessarily in that order, but the coffee was a pre-requisite.

. . .

Hi everyone,

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Have a sunny day,

Ronel