Accelerated growth.

  What in the fuck is that suppposed to mean for her?

  She’s got muscular dystrophy, her whole problem is that whatever muscle she builds gets eaten up before she’d even notice they were there in the first place. What is she supposed to do? outrun her genetics?

  If only this were some sort of prank, if only she could find the fucking source code, then she could just tell baba and get someone from the gang to deal with it. Instead she gets to question her sanity, or have an existential crisis, either works.

  Hell, why not both!

  But she’s already decided, she’s going to act like this shit is real even if it so obviously isn’t. Because she needs to believe she isn’t developing another condition, no matter how delusional this is. So she’s going to act as though there’s a god and that they’ve got a sense of humor instead of taking a trip to the psychologist. Which of course means it’s entirely reasonable to…well not rush, more like hobble up and down the stairs?

  She’s simply testing her theory! Like a good scientist should. Not that she’s a scientist, but the point still stands. If she’s supposed to build muscle at a rate that surpasses human capabilities then surely she’d see some results before her body decides to fuck her over. Gidou Rakim and tita Jania are completely misunderstanding her cocktail of desperation mixed with spite as some kind of burst of motivation, cheering for her like the supportive geriatrics they are.

  “Go go go!” Tita Jania cheers beside her with enthusiasm that belies her age. “Fuck those stairs, they ain’t got shit on you girl!”

  Alex just replies with a pained pant, which gets a chuckle out of her grandparents as they follow her up another cursed step with frustrating ease. Her legs hurt so bad, like so bad. Everything she could possibly need is on the first floor so she doesn’t normally have to deal with this absolute bullshit of architectural design. Ramps are superior, all day every day, but some dickheads are too impatient so she has to deal with steeper inclines.

  Eventually she reaches the top of the fifteen step staircase for the…third time today? That sounds about right, she’s too busy holding in her dinner to really tell. Hands on her wobbling knees as she takes in gulps of air, vision shaky as she stares at the synthetic wood flooring.

  “Good job, AliAli,” gidou says while patting her on the back which almost takes her past the edge from nausea into vomiting. “You’re making progress! Soon we’ll laugh in those idiotic maestros' faces with their silly little diagnoses.”

  “Thanks,” she barely manages, still trying to regain control of her breathing. Damn did she push hard, stupid ass stairs.

  Tita takes her hand and guides her to a couch stationed behind the railing “Take a seat dear, you deserve some rest after kicking so much ass! Haven’t seen you so pumped in a long time. Something nice must’ve happened, hm~?”

  “Tita,I’m not-” a pant “-getting into any relationships, that shits stupid. Besides, who’d want to date someone who can barely walk? What’d we do, play games on the VirtuBoy? Sounds fucking lame.”

  “Just an observation,” she raises her arms in surrender, but the sly smile on her face suggests to Alex that she hasn’t entirely given up on the prospect. “Besides! You’ll get through this eventually, my intuition is sure of it.”

  Gidou snorts, “Your intuition is shot to hell, remember when you thought Sayyid would be a damned corpo?”

  “He had so much potential for it!”

  “Sure, About as much potential as your koshari has at being any good.”

  “It’s not my fault you’ve got shit taste you old codger.”

  Alex has to hold back a giggle at their bickering, they always manage to get off topic somehow. Though it does give her some time to recover before she walks down those steps again. Because yes, she’s going to keep going.

  Who gives a damn if her vision’s getting a bit blurry!

  Well, she probably should. It doesn’t happen often because she doesn’t usually push so hard, but she is prone to passing out. That’s fine though, she’s at home, and her grandparents will catch her if she ends up falling, so it’s as safe as can be!

  Not the best way to approach her health, but if she were a fucking pussy she’d stay at home all day and do stupid shit like studying. Though…what she’s doing is futile, just pushing a boulder up a never ending mountain. She’ll never really be able to move like a normal person, not even with society's advancements in cybernetics. Her dad got her tested, her tolerance isn’t high enough to handle more than her eyes before she’d start getting signs of psychosis. Tolerance increases with time but it’s so fucking slow it might as well be stagnant.

  The only other option is what the cunt at Jain’s Healing Rain mentioned, full body muscle reconstruction surgery. That kind of operation costs money, and a lot of it, more than her baba could ever hope to scrounge together. So instead she does this, just moving, if only to keep her family's hopes for recovery afloat.

  Which is why to go insane would be just too cruel.

  -

  Alex regrets everything.

  She lies on a couch on the first floor watching some lazer-boy and space-girl, trying her best to let the asinine show overtake her screaming muscles. It’s pretty meh, something about a cyborg and an alien finding true love after a bunch of random shenanigans over the course of five seasons. Ended its run a while ago, couldn’t keep the animators with all the budget cuts. Fucking corpo’s, ruining everything with their attempt at a Meidas touch. She knows what that is because there are too many fucking shows referencing it. Honestly, no self-awareness. Still, it’s not enough to distract from the pain in her legs, crawling up into her soul like a malevolent spirit.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  Gidou and Tita decided to give her some space considering her grouchiness, going out on their own errands and visiting their fellow geriatrics in the Raisin complex, like the goddamn socialites they are. So she’s blessedly alone with the pain and some stupid ass show, that is until her interface notifies her that someone’s at the door. Alex grumbles as she connects to the doors camera, revealing a girl with caramel skin and long black bangs carrying a bag in one hand and an infant in another.

  “The fuck do you want? I’m busy being in pain.”

  “Aleeex, don’t be a bitchie bitch!” Sasha says over the intercom. “open the door, Mimi’s heavy!”

  the infant chuckles, “Me Mimi!”

  “Yes, I know habibit mama,” Sasha whispers while hiking the girl up a bit.

  Alex grumbles but acquiesce, unlocking the door. It takes a bit, Alex hears Sasha struggle to keep Mimi still to take off her shoes. But eventually she emerges from the hallway with a grand smile on her face, and an infant by her side.

  “C’mon!” Sasha says. “Go on over to auntie Alex, c’mon, that’s it!”

  Mimi slaps the ground like it owes her money as she crawls her way over to where Alex is laying. She grabs the edges of the couch, picks herself up, and smacks Alex right in the face.

  “Auntie!”

  “Hey Miriam, can you call your mom a bitch for me?”

  “MAMA!” Mimi turns-

  “Do that and you won’t be getting any chocolates for a week.”

  The infant looks positively scandalized looking between Alex and Sasha, contemplating the grand decision before her. To swear or not to swear? Truly one of life's greatest conundrums, Alex would send her thoughts and prayers but she doesn’t really believe in a god. Eventually the mongrel pouts and keeps her mouth shut.

  “So what is it this time, you pass math or some shit?” Alex says, turning her attention to Sasha with more than a bit of disappointment laced in her voice.

  “Oh don’t be sour, and no actually, haven’t got the results back yet”

  “Really? Then what? you come all this way just to say hello?”

  “No,” she scratches the back of her head guiltily. “Look I um, I need you to look after Mimi for a bit for me. I got this gig, it’s paying crazy good, but I won’t be able to care for the gremlin here and work at the same time.”

  Alex raises a brow, then limply flops her arm, “You realize I'd be shoving that shit onto my grandparents right? I’m not exactly fit enough to take care of a menace to society.”

  “You mean children?”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “Heh,” Sasha chuckles. “Funny, but yeah I...know, and I’m sorry. But like I said the moneys too good, I can’t just not take it.”

  “Woe is me to have a friend in need. Yeah don’t worry about it, it’s cool, they love Mimi.”

  Sasha beams a smile, “Great! Thank you so much bestie, I swear I’ll pay you back.”

  “In crèpes,” Alex nods. “It’s the only currency I acknowledge.”

  Sasha smiles wide and knowing as she shakes the bag in her hand.

  “You have been promoted to best bestie.”

  “That’s not how it works,” Sasha snorts.

  -

  Tutoring Sasha’s always a treat.

  Alex isn’t exactly smart, but Sasha’s a whole ass year behind in the Common Education Program. So Alex gets to flex the only muscle she has that’s worth a damn pretty regularly, metaphorically, since the brain isn’t a muscle. Mostly they practice history, because Arthas has a fucking convoluted one. Started as a corpo city, and it still technically is, if you really squint.

  Federal government blah blah blah, something something regulations. She gets passing grades so who really gives a damn how accurate her knowledge is? Not like she’s gonna give tours around the city. She’s decent at math though, alongside physics. Not exactly a prodigy but good enough where she might have a future in the field.

  Which isn’t a bad thing, she does find it mildly interesting…she’d just prefer something more exciting, like merc work. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t envious, Sasha gets to have fun in the madhouse while Alex struggles with basic motion. But that’s just the way the cookie crumbles, all Alex can do is shrug her shoulders and move on. Coming to terms with the shit life forces you to swallow is just a part of growing, no need to let it sour friendships.

  “Babaaa, pass the nachos.”

  A towering man of chrome arms glances over at Alex, his four crimson eyes searing through her being. He takes a nacho, covered in melted cheese and jalapeno slices, and bites into it with a satisfying crunch. The whole time he maintains eerie eye contact.

  Alex glares at the behemoth and has the audacity to pout, “C’mon! I’m weak and helpless, don’t do this to meeeee.”

  He ignores her and keeps watching his show.

  “Grumpy bum,” Alex grumbles.

  “Maybe I wouldn’t be so grumpy if you actually asked before promising to take care of Miriam,” he grunts, taking another nacho into his maw. “What if mama weh baba were planning something huh? Did you consider they might have their own shit going on?”

  Gidou Rakim chuckles from his spot next to Alex as tita Jania guides helps Mimi walk with both physical and mental support a few feet away, “It’s fine son, Mimi’s a treasure, me and Jania don’t mind the extra work. If anything It’s a nice refresher for this old bag of bones.”

  Alex just points triumphantly at her gidou.

  “That’s not the point,” baba grumbles. “She can’t just make decisions that affect others like this without at least asking first.”

  “Oh please, you made us care for Alex all the time when she was growing up.”

  “That’s different, wildly different.”

  “Is it? Sarah needs someone to care for her daughter while she goes out to make some creds, sounds pretty similar to me.”

  Sayyid lets out a huff, “she’s not family.”

  “As part of the family, I overrule this decision,” Alex says. “All in favor!”

  Gidou puts up a hand with a chuckle, and Tita Jania lets go of one of Miriam’s arms to do the same. Baba just looks at them and lets out an annoyed groan, clearly whatever lesson he was trying to treach was lost in his parents' insistence on not giving a shit. Alex knew it would go this way, because Alex is a fucking genuise!

  Baba relents and hands Alex the bowl of nachos, to which she begins voraciously devouring. She’s oddly hungry, and the only thing that’ll save her from the depths of starvation is the almighty nacho!

  She can hear small gears whir as her father’s metallic hand lands on her head and nudges her over, causing her to flop on the couch. The man lets out a snicker when Alex gives him a look of aghast disbelief, then straight up laughs when she throws a nacho at him in righteous fury. Chaos ensues for a few minutes, with Alex launching nachos at her fathers face as he tries to catch them with his teeth.

  “You two seem to be having fun,” tita says as she carries over Miriam. “Weren’t you just worried about overworking us Sayyid? Now you encourage the goblin to make a mess of the place, shame on you.”

  “Sorry mama,” says the eight foot steel behemoth.

  Jania rolls her eyes so hard Alex worries they’ll pop out of her skull, “I was joking dumbass.”

  Index:

  Tita: Grandma

  Habibit mama: mom’s sweetheart (female)

  Habib mama: mom’s sweetheart (male)