9 Otherworld Truck Stop 2 (1/2)
Diesel followed Tanaka around the truck stop, where he was led to what appeared to be a service counter. In front of that counter was a bell hanging on the wall, which Tanaka drove into to make it ring.
”Just a minute…Hey there boys, how's it going? Welcome to Mama Shanty's Truck Stop.” This time, a purplish-pink truck came out from the back. On the side of her trailer was a picture of a tall glass of foaming liquid.
”Is that beer?” That was what it looked like to Diesel.
”No, that's gasoline. Wrong type of alcohol. It's a special blend. Do you want to try it?” Mama Shanty seemed to glow with pride.
”Uhh…sure?”
”That'll be one karma.”
”Ehh???” Diesel hadn't expected to have to pay in karma. Though he wasn't trying to be stingy, he didn't see the point of spending money on gasoline that he could get for free with Kami-sama's help.
”From your reaction, you must be new here. It's really not that expensive. Got to earn some wages for myself, you know.”
Tanaka jumped in to fill Diesel in on the situation.
”Yep, just 'graduated.' Mama Shanty here runs this truck stop to make a bit of karma on the side. She used to specialize in sending intellectual people to other worlds to have them solve important mysteries. Quite the task, if I do say so myself, since it takes a keen eye to discern the right people that can work through the complexities of the systems in different worlds.”
”Don't forget. I also send over potential villains that create convoluted plots for the heroes to test themselves against. Can't make them too hard though, or else, the heroes won't be able to grow and adapt.” Mama Shanty paused for a moment and sighed. ”But lately, it seems like I keep getting requests only for arrogant young masters who get one-shotted. Things have changed a lot since cultivation powers came into play. Why do I even bother when battles of intellect are on the decline?”
”It will make her happy if you came by occasionally for a refill,” Tanaka said in a light-hearted tone, trying to change the subject.
”Alright, I guess I'll have a cup then.” Diesel relented. It was only one karma after all, hardly worth the appearance of being a penny pincher.
”Coming right up!” Magically, a hose dropped down, and the nozzle made its way to the opening of Diesel's gas tank.
As liquid started pouring into the tank, Diesel was immediately hit with a unique flavor. Aside from the normal taste of gasoline, there was a hint of…tea?
”That feeling of confusion emitting from you is all I need to know. This must be your first taste of food-blended gasoline,” Mama Shanty chuckled at Diesel's confusion.
”Yes…but how?”
Diesel definitely missed the taste of human food, but he wondered how it was even possible for gasoline to taste anything at all like that.
”All of us are in the same boat. Trucks with memories of being a human. Of course, we miss some of the pleasures of our past lives. Kami-sama knew that and thought of a way to make it easier on us. Hence, food-grade gasoline, which comes in a variety of flavors.”
To begin with, it seemed rather strange that any normal human would end up being turned into a truck. In Diesel's case, it had been an unfortunate mistake, but that couldn't have been the case for everyone here. A truck stop dedicated to comforting those that had ended up as such implied that there was a sizable population of Truck-kuns in existence.
”Some of us ended up like this due to bad karma in our past lives. When one doesn't live a proper life, they can end up in a strange location in the reincarnation system. Though, there are a few out there that seemingly chose to be this way. Thought it would be cool.” Tanaka laughed.
The sound of more engines rumbled in the distance. Turning around, a few more trucks made their way towards the truck stop. As they approached, Tanaka told Diesel about them.
Jester, a brightly decorated truck that looked like it had a run-in with a circus, had been around for many years. Normally, he went after targets that liked to stir up trouble and controversy. His favorite time to perform the service was at night, when the paint job glowed in the dark.
Though very approachable during the day, the glow-in-the-dark design had been carefully disguised within the normal pattern to create a menacing presence.
He loved to charge in and scare his targets senseless to teach them a lesson before doing the deed. He was an unexpected terror, created through a mental gap when something seemingly friendly was put in an out-of-place environment. It reminded him of a clown sitting alone in a movie theater or something.