"I can't believe it's closed."
On a suburban highway, the two drove to the mentioned Silver Screen Drive-In Cinema.
But unfortunately.
The open ground was overgrown with weeds, and the rolling gate for cars was rusty, covered in layers of graffiti, showing its rich history.
Not to mention there wasn't a soul in sight; the place was completely abandoned.
"It's been decades, after all. It's a miracle this place hasn't been torn down."
Listening to Rogue's words, Johnny was unconvinced.
She had come all this way, she couldn't leave empty-handed.
She absolutely had to watch this movie today.
"I'll go check it out. I don't believe I can't fix it."
Johnny opened the car door, jumped out, and walked towards the guardhouse.
The guardhouse doors and windows were locked, but these things only deter gentlemen, not scoundrels.
Sure enough, Johnny raised her leg, tilted her head to aim for a moment, then kicked precisely, sending the doorknob clattering to the ground. She pushed, and the door successfully opened.
Among a pile of junk inside, Johnny rummaged through the control panel and was pleasantly surprised to find that these old things still had power.
"Alright, let me see."
She pressed the open button, then kicked the Chassis twice, and the sealed rolling gate finally loosened, shedding dust as it began to open.
Rogue drove into the parking lot, greeted by the large white screen standing by the side. Decades had passed, and it was fortunate that the screen hadn't even a single tear.
Johnny made her way up to the second-floor projection room and whistled in surprise at the cassette in the projector.
"Bushido X: Lost in Darkness, good stuff."
A typical violent and explicit action film, a must-see for taking a Girl out.
Fights, explosions, and a bit of skin, it would definitely get people's blood pumping.
"Come up, I found you a good spot."
As the projector began to work, the movie scene appeared on the white screen, and exciting music blared. Rogue was already sitting on the hood of the car, patting the empty seat beside her for Johnny, who was walking over.
The male protagonist and the cyborg villain in the movie were fighting intensely, accompanied by changing scenes and constantly exploding sound effects, which were very eye-catching. But at the moment, neither of them was focused on the movie.
The movie was just for background noise, to avoid the awkwardness of silence.
"Hehehe..."
Rogue turned her head to look at Johnny, whose face was illuminated by the colorful movie light, and suddenly laughed.
"What's so funny?"
Johnny rested her hands on the car hood, looking curiously at Rogue, wondering why she was laughing.
"Nothing, I just didn't expect you to adapt so well to this Chassis."
"I thought you'd throw a fit and swear up a storm."
Rogue added at the end.
Some of Johnny's behavior since her resurrection had indeed exceeded her expectations.
"Hmph, it's not so bad."
"Having a new body also allows me to see myself from another perspective."
Johnny raised her hand, examining her fair, small hands, free of calluses and wrinkles.
"I just realized how much I missed before."
"I thought rebellion and defiance were the attitudes to life, but now I realize how much I missed because of them."
After Johnny finished speaking, both fell silent.
"Are you talking about me, Johnny?"
"Mm..."
Rogue shook her head, feeling a little dazed, unable to believe Johnny would say such words.
Rogue turned her gaze back to the movie playing on the screen.
"I always believed that if we just went out and watched a movie, everything between us would be different."
"Otherwise, we'd still pretend it's 2015, we just met, and I'd have no idea what a jerk you are."
"But I like the 2077 Rogue."
"Heh, an old and faded Rogue."
Listening to Johnny's reply, Rogue scoffed.
The movie was in full swing, and Rogue's gaze towards Johnny gradually became serious.
"Okay, if it were 2015 now, if we could do it all over again, would you change your mind? Is there anything you regret?"
Johnny paused for a long while before looking back at Rogue seriously and saying earnestly,
"As long as I can be with you, I'm willing to do anything."
"Johnny, I…"
Rogue was finally moved, turning her head, her voice strained.
"Rogue…"
Johnny reached out and cupped Rogue's face, making her look at herself, just as she had done decades ago.
With emotions running high, amidst the explosion sound effects of an R-rated gore film, the two leaned in and kissed.
"Rogue…"
Johnny struggled to lift her head, expressing her longing and melancholy through her actions.
Having died once, she finally realized that in the face of the entire world, there were more important things worth pursuing.
But things didn't go according to Johnny's plan.
Just as she was removing Rogue's jacket, Rogue frowned and pushed Johnny away.
"Rogue?"
"I'm sorry, Johnny, I can't."
Rogue desperately tried not to look at Johnny's face, afraid that she would soften under the other's gaze and abandon the resolve she had so painstakingly built.
"It's not fair to you."
"I desperately pretended that nothing had changed, pretended I was still the Rogue you knew."
"For a while, even I believed it."
"But in the end, I walked out of it myself."
Rogue took a deep breath, picked up her jacket, and was about to get out of the car and leave.
"Rogue!"
Johnny called out to stop her, but the other party was resolute in her actions and didn't listen at all.
What on earth was Rogue thinking?
So unromantic.
If it were the old Johnny, he would have thought the same and then left without looking back to find another woman.
But now, Johnny had no intention of letting go again.
She rushed forward, forcefully grabbed Rogue's hand, and stopped her from leaving.
"Rogue, I'm so sorry, but I won't let go this time."
"I've given up too many times; this time, I absolutely will not give up!"
Chassis cannot shed tears, but the sadness on Johnny's face was almost overflowing; when Rogue was forced to turn back, seeing this made her head buzz, almost dizzy.
The thought of leaving vanished completely in that single gaze.
Although the voice was different and the appearance was different, Rogue still knew that the person in front of her was Johnny.
In Johnny's surprised gaze, Rogue actively cupped Johnny's face and kissed her.
And this time, the action was rough and undeniable, almost as if she wanted to melt Johnny into her own body.
Joy immediately welled up in Johnny's eyes, and she actively hugged back.
Two bodies of different heights and different materials thus embraced in the open-air cinema, completely lost in the moment… "Your armor is ready. Want to test it out?"
In the Hive Bar, Berry's casual remark greatly stirred Wells' emotions.
To be precise, he was so excited he was almost jumping.
"Of course, is that even a question? Hurry up and take me to see that good stuff. Gosh, I'm almost dying of envy for V's mech, I can't wait!"
"Alright, alright, let's go now."
Startled by his excited reaction, Berry rubbed her forehead with a darkened expression and agreed to take the guy to see it.
Although they were fellow enthusiasts of mechs, why couldn't she feel happy?
She could only blame Wells' performance for being too embarrassing.
Berry didn't want to admit this guy was a fellow enthusiast.
Just then, the door opened, and Johnny, with her eyes curved and a smile brighter than flowers, walked in with her hands in her pockets, her twin ponytails swaying, happier than her owner.
"Johnny, want to go blow up some cars for fun?"
Berry casually called out, preparing to take Johnny to see the world.
But she received a very unexpected refusal.
"No, I'm not interested in fighting and killing right now."
Berry stood frozen in place, watching Johnny go upstairs.
Seriously, Jiaoni Silverarm, who fears no chaos and is suspected of having cyclothymia and bipolar disorder, actually doesn't like going out to cause destruction? Am I dreaming?
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"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"