New Norm

Both of them finished their lunch and split up. Ray went to the waiting area to see if the water was still on. Yuki, on the other hand, went to the shopping area to scavenge new clothes and other necessary stuff. 

As Ray entered the waiting zone, he was welcomed by another two ants. Ray sighed. He put his bag down and said as he took out two knives from the back, "Just give me a break already." 

Ray took a knife in his hand in reverse grip and channelled spirit energy through it as he ran towards the ants. 

The ants heard him coming and looked his way. They screeched and ran towards Ray. Just as Ray and the ants came close, the ants simultaneously swinged their hands in order to hit Ray. But Ray dodged the attack by sliding down through under them. He quickly got up and turned around. Before the ants could turn around; he stabbed one in the back and, with a swing, split its top part in half. 

By that time, the other ant had turned around. It tried to bite Ray, but Ray quickly jumped a few feet away. Ray took out his other knife and channelled spirit energy through it. 

The ant jumped on him, but Ray moved to the side, and just as it landed, Ray cut its head clean off of its body. 

Ray threw away the broken knife and headed back to his bag as he said, "Life is cruel. Making a disabled person fight so much." 

Ray picked up his bag and wore it. He went to the restroom and started going through all the taps in search of an active one. After a few tries, he found a sink tap working. It was giving clear water that didn't stink. 

Ray's face lit up with a wide smile. He ran outside and started looking around. After looking for a while, he found himself a big crate. He pulled it to the restroom and covered it with polethene. Then he took out a hose from his bag, attached it to the working tap, and filled the crate up, creating a makeshift bathtub. 

After a quick soak in the bathtub and taking a shower, he got out and put on a pair of new clothes. A half-sleeved t-shirt with a pair of jeans. 

He then went back to the food court to meet back with Yuki. 

As he reached there, he saw Yuki sitting on a table with a trolley full of clothes, dry food and other necessary stuff. He got close to the table and took a look at the trolley. 

Ray patted Yuki's head and said, "Looks like you did a good job."

 Yuki purred. 

Yuki asked as Ray stopped patting her, "So what's next?" 

Ray took a good look at Yuki and said, "What's next is that you're going to take a shower. You look filthy." 

Yuki tried to run away the moment she heard the word shower, but Ray grabbed her by her nape. 

He said, "Nah, uh. You're going nowhere." 

Yuki said, "Please, master. You know I don't like water. Cats and water aren't a good match." 

"No. You're going to take a shower, and that's an order. Come with me."

Ray took Yuki to the restroom as Yuki hanged with a sulky face.

Ray put Yuki down next to the sink with the working tap and said, "Now stay put as I bathe you. No meat for you if you act up."

Yuki put her face down and said, "Yes, master." 

Her voice was so low that she was almost whispering. 

Ray bathed Yuki and cleaned her thoroughly as Yuki actually stayed put. Ray was smiling as he knew telling her no meat would be enough for her to touch water, even when she hated taking a shower the most. 

After they were done, they came back to the food court. Yuki was still sulking. Seeing this, Ray went to his bag and took out a piece of beef jerky. She threw it to Yuki, and Yuki jumped and caught it with her mouth. Ray chuckled as he saw a sulky Yuki turn into a happy Yuki in a second. 

Yuki finished eating the jerky and asked, "So? Where will we sleep?"

Sohel said, "Let's clean these bags up first."

The two of them go to the trolley and start packing up the bag again. All the clothes, knives and everything else.

While putting knives in Yuki asked, "How many do you have left?"

Ray started counting as he put them in the bag one by one.

"........twelve, Thirteen. I only have thirteen remaining. Shite, all these fighting's eating through my arsenal like nothing."

Yuki says, "Let me do most of the fighting from now on. It will be a big problem if you get further injured."

"But....."

"No Buts. You need to believe me."

Ray stayed silent for a while and said, "Okay. But only when it's not many enemies. I'll jump if I see you in trouble."

Yuki smiled. She said, "Just what I wanted to hear."

Both of them finished packing, and Yuki asked, "So? Tell me now. Where are we sleeping? I don't see you bringing out the sleeping bag."

Ray said with a smug look, "Cause we won't be sleeping in a sleeping back today."

Yuki asked, "Then?"

Ray said while still keeping on with the smug look, "Come with me."

Saying that Ray picked up the bag and started walking. Yuki followed.

Ray and Yuki entered the waiting area again.

Ray opened a double door on the far side of the room. Yuki jumped on Ray's shoulder to get a better look. Her eyes lit up as he saw two rows of luxury sleeping pods.

Yuki asked, "Are they still working?"

Ray didn't talk. He just went to a pod and pressed a button on the side. In a moment, the pod lit up and it opened.

Yuki jumped in the pod at once and snuggled up next to the headrest. Ray chuckled as he put his bag down.