Does Omega Dream of Electric Friends? · Chapter 2
Omega in Wonderland
???
Tiptoe, tiptoe... sneaky, sneaky...

Omega
Phew, made it out. No one saw.
...Wow.
So this is NOA...!

Omega
So many sounds! So many people too!
Tasty smells! Fun smells!
What's that?! What's this?!
Cube Palace
Request to reconsider current action.
Omega
Huh? Cube? What's wrong?
Cube Palace
Omega Control's objective is the Welsh Museum of All Things.
Please be careful not to stray from the shortest route.
Omega
Right! That's right. Thanks, Cube!
Omega is off! Destination, the museum!
Looking straight ahead only!

Shop Owner A
There we go. Swirl it around and... ta-da, cotton candy!
Omega
How'd you do that?! Is it a projection?!
Did Daddy make you too?!
Shop Owner A
Haha, first time in the city, huh? Haven't had a customer this excited in ages.
Tell you what, this one's on the house!
Omega
Wow! Thank you! Omega's gonna eat it all up!
Cube Palace
...

Shokas Executive
Hahaha! It's over for you, Stellar Rangers!
Stellar Rangers Red
Tch... Am I going down here?!
I need everyone's cheers to win!
Boy
Go! Stellar Red!!
Girl
You can't lose!!
Stellar Rangers Red
Wooooah! Power's surging through me!
Shokas Executive
This... is the power of bonds!!
Omega
Don't be afraid! Don't back down!!
Stellar Rangers Red
Haha, thanks for cheering, little friend!
Omega
Get him, Shokaaas!!
Stellar Rangers Red
What.
Shokas Executive
...Me?
Cube Palace
...

Omega
Hehe! Hehehe!
So fun! So exciting! NOA has cool stuff everywhere!
???
I told you, it's not that I don't have the money!
Omega
Huh? What's all that about?

Trish
I just hit a rough patch 'cause I missed a big bounty this time!
Look here, old timer. I'm a bounty hunter, right? I need my weapon to make money.
So if you give me my daggers back, I can earn the repair fee with them!
The way of the top-tier hunter! Never stiff someone, since that's not cool!
Blacksmith A
And throwing a fit to pay me back once you've won big? That's cool?

Omega
...
Cube Palace
Not recommended.
Omega
Eh? But Omega hasn't said anything yet!
Cube Palace
Maximum-level busybody alert detected from Omega Control.
Now is the only chance to intercept.
Omega
Cube's so smart!
But it's fine, Omega's gonna help!
Cube Palace
Irrational decision-making detected. Requesting brief stand—

Blacksmith A
I don't care if you're a top-tier hunter or Lady Alicia herself. The answer's no.
No credit. You want them, pay the repair fee.
Trish
Kgh...
Omega
Omega has arrived!!
Trish
Huh? A kid...?
Blacksmith A
Know her?
Trish
No, never seen her before...
Omega
Omega heard everything!
Omega can help!
Trish
Help how?
Omega
Mister! Can Omega have some "money"?
Blacksmith A
Just looking is fine, but... don't run off with it, all right?
Omega
Yup! Thank you!

Trish
What're you gonna do with one coin...?
Omega
Like this! Watch!

Omega
Nom.
Blacksmith A
Did you just put it in your mouth?!
Trish
Hey, watch out! You'll choke on that!
B-be a good girl and spit it out now!
Omega
...
*Gulp*
Blacksmith A
You swallowed it?!
Trish
You actually swallowed it?!
Wh-what do we do?
Should we turn her upside down and shake her?!
Omega
...All done! Scan complete!
Now, like this... Hi-ya!

Omega
Ta-da! Money!
Omega will give it to you! Here you go!
Trish
...It's money, all right.
Blacksmith A
...Yeah, money.
It's purple... with some weird shimmery glow.

Omega
Oww...
Omega got scolded... got slapped on the back...
Trish
*Sigh* Well, kid aside, I got kicked out too.
Omega
Omega's sorry... Omega just wanted to help...
Trish
...Hah, it's okay!
Didn't seem like you did it on purpose. Your intentions were good.
The way of the top-tier hunter! Never nitpick over stuff like this!
Don't worry about it. This old timer here was just smacking your back to make you cough up the coin.
Watching it just pop right out of your mouth was pretty surreal, though...
Omega
But... Omega doesn't really get it.
Omega just wanted to help. But he got mad.
Why...?
Trish
Well, you almost became a counterfeiter just now...
More importantly, you do know what money actually is, right?
Omega
Yup! Omega knows!
Luna's always saying, "Gotta hit the casheeno, lemme have some money!"
So money's like a ticket. But it's not only for casheenos.
Trish
Well, that's... not entirely wrong, I guess?
Omega
Right? Right? Isn't Omega smart?
...Huh? Wait.
Then... you need money to get into the exhibition?!
Trish
Exhibition? What exhibition?
The special exhibition being held in the Welsh Museum of All Things, huh...
Not sure of the details, but I doubt it's free entry.
Omega
I see...
This is bad... Omega doesn't have money...
Trish
Ugh, looks like we're both in the same boat, money-wise.
Seriously, if I had my pair of Blue Fangs back, this'd be a piece of cake...
...Wait.
You made a coin out of thin air earlier, right? Can you make other stuff too?
Like... a dagger, for instance?
Omega
A dagger? You mean a pointy triangle?
Like this?
Trish
Can you make the edge a bit lighter?
Omega
L-like this?
Trish
Make the handle a bit longer, add some curve to it...
Omega
Ugh, this is hard...!
Trish
This is...
Omega
Badump, badump...
Trish
...Perfect! Approved!
It's all purple, so it's not exactly stylish... but it fits my grip perfectly!
Omega
Wow! Omega did it!
How was that?! Omega did good, right? Omega's helpful, right?!
Trish
Nice work, assistant!
Heh, that's right...
Hey, how about you and I do a job together?
Omega
Huh? A job?
Story and illustrations © Studio B-Side. An unofficial reading archive — for questions or requests, see the About page.
