Every character is above eighteen.
Originally, I didn't plan to make this chapter but I kept thinking about Zara's night with the girls. Now I plan to make some chapters like this where we can see Zara interacting with her fellow hunters outside of the course. I can't promise that whenever Zara gets a new friend I will make a chapter about them like this. But I definitely want her to interact with her friends more before the Pupil story arc ends.
A little spoiler: I put this chapter into the nonhuman category as well, because Zara is the nonhuman in this chapter. I count her more of a monster compared to the other augmented hunters. Plus I can keep this chapter in the same category as the others so it won't trigger my OCD. Spoiler ends!
Also, this chapter will be followed by a "training" chapter because I want to submit a chapter with some of my Halloween-themed monster ideas this month.
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"It was fun to be with you girls before they kicked us out," Zara spoke to Akemi and Bambi. They were in the car once again.
"Sorry, girls," Akemi sighed, "They advertised the club with a serious discount to monster hunters. Last time I was there even the in-training hunters could get a discount but now they switched to the licensed hunters only."
"Well, I'm a licensed hunter, although I was only licensed as a normal one, not an augmented one," Zara pointed out, "Anyway, it was nice to hang out with you girls. Maybe we could do it a few weeks later or something, " she added. She didn't mind the party's premature ending. Going out with others felt stressful and awkward even though she liked what she was doing.
"Nah, it's not even midnight. We could still go somewhere," Bambi suggested her voice a sugary purr.
"Most places are probably full at this time," Zara replied.
"Then just go for a little house party or sleepover with one of you girls," Bambi tried again, "I told my parents that I won't be back before morning. They are probably fucking through the entire night. They are old but hornier than a couple of teens."
"There's no way my parents would allow some strangers to enter our home," Akemi answered.
"What about your place, Zara?" Bambi looked at her.
"It's...um...not big enough to have a party, or a sleepover" Zara stammered.
"Miss Cromwell," they suddenly heard the driver speaking to them, rolling down the partition, "We've arrived at your destination."
They stopped in front of a huge old apartment building. "Hunter Lodge" is written on a large sign above the entrance.
"Whoa! You're living in a Hunter Lodge?" Akemi gasped.
"Yep," Zara replied timidly.
"But that's not a lodge, that's an apartment building," Bambi said, her eyes wide with surprise.
"It's just a name, Bam. A Hunter Lodge is an apartment owned by the HSA. They use this to house hunters who have...issues," Zara explained.
"It's an insane asylum for crazy hunters?" Bambi asked.
"No. The issues I was talking about are financial," Zara clarified.
"Ah! So it's a homeless shelter," Bambi said with the subtlety of a sledgehammer.
"Yeah. Technically that's what it is. A home for broke and homeless monster hunters," Zara said, looking down, she didn't want to face the girls.
"Oh, let's go inside," Bambi replied, stepping out of the car.
"What? Are you sure?" Zara blinked.
"Yes," Bambi nodded, "I don't want to spend the rest of the night in the car."
"What about you, Aki?" Zara looked at her.
"I have no issues with that," Akemi nodded.
Bambi talked to the driver, telling him approximately when he should come back for her and Akemi, and then he left the apartment's parking lot.
They entered the building and followed Zara to the elevator and then stopped somewhere in the upper half of the building.
"Are you sure you don't want to go home or something? My little home probably won't be enough big for us," Zara said as she stopped in front of her door.
"Oh, come on, Zara, you don't need to be ashamed of your small home. It's nothing shameful about being broke," Bambi said as subtly as a foghorn. Akemi glared at Bambi for that, but Zara didn't mind it, she knew Bambi didn't mean to offend her.
Zara finally opened the door to reveal her ultra-small home.
"Oh...it's cozy," Bambi said.
"To say the least," Zara chuckled, "It's technically just three rooms. A normal-sized living room expanded with a kitchenette in the corner, a bedroom, and a small bathroom. It would be unacceptable even for a smaller family, but for someone like me, who lives alone, it's enough."
They sat down at Zara's couch who switched on her small TV for them and then went to her kitchenette.
"I have some drinks my relatives gave me for my birthday and some snacks," Zara brought them something to eat and drink.
"Oh, you don't need to empty your fridge for us," Akemi opposed while Bambi opened a can of Pringles with her golden nails.
"Actually, I only keep this stuff here in case someone comes here. If I want to eat or drink something, I buy it fresh," Zara shrugged and sat down beside them on the couch, and they began to talk.
"So, you are the first in your family to do monster hunting?" Akemi asked Zara.
"Not the first, but it's not a usual job in my family," Zara responded.
"And your family is okay with that?" came Akemi's next question.
"I never knew my father, and my mother is...gone," Zara replied, "The rest of my family had no issues with me staying here in Crowsend. They didn't want another hungry mouth to feed. Sometimes they drop by to check if I'm still alive, and to wish me a happy birthday or new year and stuff like this."
