13 Moon Goddess Yue (1/2)
Various trucks were gathered once again in front of the service counter at Mama Shanty's Truck Stop.
”Seriously, can't we do something about them? I can't get any enjoyment from this anymore, if they keep taking them!”
For once, Shade had been awake and vocal about the recent events. The targets that she had were taken from her, leaving her without an outlet to vent her pent-up frustrations.
”I'm not sure that's a good reason to be sending people to the other world,” laughed Jester. ”But it has become quite the issue. It seems like the new method is starting to spread and encroach everywhere. Thoughts, Vera?”
Vera blew some air through her grill, causing her tie to float gently in front.
”A dang goose interrupted and sent off the wrong person to the other world. I wanted an Uke to compliment the domineering guy that was waiting for him there! Now, it's just going to be two tough jerks who are just going to butt heads and not get anywhere for the entire plot! Though come to think of it… Would that BL ship work?”
A bead of cold sweat dripped down Diesel's side. He couldn't understand the appeal of her tastes, but whatever it was, she had been quite irritated.
For Diesel himself, he was only bothered by the fact that he wasn't gaining karma as quickly, but for the others, it had impacted their enjoyment and style. The geese had essentially trampled upon their reasons for being Truck-kuns to begin with.
He looked around at the circle of trucks that had gathered to express their complaints and vent over a drink of food-infused gasoline. A few unfamiliar faces were there that Diesel hadn't met before.
There was a truck that preferred to call herself 'Insidious,' mainly because she boasted how she liked to roast her targets on occasion. When asked how that was done, she showed off her front grill, which had an emblem of a small horse on the front.
'Strange. I wasn't aware that Mustang made trucks…'
Diesel's thoughts were soon interrupted by a puff of fire that came out of the emblem where he had been staring. Rolling quickly back in surprise at the sudden flame, Diesel realized that he overreacted because the fiery puff soon dissipated. The heat from the fire hardly singed his antenna, and it appeared to be a shallow form of intimidation, rather than a real threat.
”Oh, come on Sid. Stop teasing the newcomer. We all know that your 'roasting' is just empty threats,” Mama Shanty chided her.
”Bah, you're no fun!”
Next to Diesel was another unfamiliar face. Unlike the others, this one had the design of a food truck, complete with a well-stocked mini-kitchen and preparation area. The scent of roasted meat lingered from him, driving Diesel absolutely nuts from hunger. He would have to settle for the burger-flavored gasoline he had ordered.
”I'm going to run out of supplies if I don't gain some karma back. This shawarma isn't going to magically restock itself when I run low!” He cried.
Apparently, this truck, named Somad, had the hobby of providing food to the general public. He was a charitable person in his past life, so his motivation for gaining karma had been his hobby of spreading joy in the form of tasty food to the humans he met. Obviously, the food had to come from somewhere, so he had devoted his karma into magically stocking his truck with it.
”Hey Somad, we'll order something in exchange for karma!” Shade called out to him.
”Oh? Sure, but why? What would you even want?” He looked questionably at the trucks, since they couldn't consume human food.
”Cheese.”
”Cheese.”
”Cheese.”
They collectively asked.
”Why the hell would I have cheese?! Look at my menu, right here! It says, 'Somad's Shawarma and Eats'! What gives you the idea that I would have any cheese?! Cheese doesn't belong in this cuisine!”
While Somad yelled in fury, rattling the kitchen utensils and shelves inside, Diesel tilted his body in confusion. It must've been some kind of running joke that he didn't understand. He simply shrugged it off and took another sip of gasoline.
Suddenly, Diesel had a thought.
”Hey guys, they are just geese, right? If they cause too much trouble, then won't they get like, uh… I dunno… filleted?”
In his mind, he couldn't see the geese as threatening. Annoying, yes, but who would be afraid of a small, white bird that requires the element of surprise to pull off their requests? They'd soon have pitchforks and torches coming after them. At least, it wouldn't make sense for the humans to try attacking a truck.
”My my. I find those thoughts quite unpleasant if you are referring to my darlings.” A new female voice popped up out of nowhere. A hand tapped gently against Diesel's side.
”Moon Goddess Yue! What are you doing here!?” The other trucks backed up in surprise, as if they had seen a ghost.