"I'm never going to get used to that."

Albert sighed as we crossed over the drawbridge that connected the academy to the rest of the city.

"Yeah, me neither."

Kaleidoscope Tower - the tallest man-made structure in the world, the central hub and administrative heart of the largest city on the planet - rose above the skyline ahead of us. The city stretched as far as the eye could see, an endless sprawl of skyscrapers, parks, roads and highways, residential neighborhoods, and everything else imaginable. Kaleidoscope City's skyline was famous, and had been used countless times as inspiration for artists and architects.

It'd been founded by the Dutch nearly 400 years ago as the colonial town of New Rotterdam, a trading and port city on the Manahata River. After a couple decades of prosperity and expansion it had come to the attention of a young English immigrant and budding Pioneer, a young noblewoman by the name of Elizabeth Anne Von Rached.

She and her husband took control of the town through means of diplomacy and trade, and the Dutch eventually ceded the territory's control to England. With the couple's combined talents, the city's growth quickly exploded, and became known as a central hub for innovation and technology. With whispers of freedom, riches, and knowledge beyond all comprehension

A hundred years after the town was founded, it had miraculously surpassed London in size, and had been the most prosperous city in the entire New World.

Naturally, King George had been livid when his beloved colonial port city had broken free from England, and the Revolutionary War was a long, brutal war that saw countless Pioneers and Heroes, soldiers, and innocents alike slain in the fighting. The nation's independence had only been guaranteed with a decisive victory by a man who had risen through the ranks to become the commander in chief of the Revolutionary Army: Benedict Arnold. The same Benedict Arnold that had been elected the first president of the United States.

By the turn of the nineteenth century, New Rotterdam had been the most important city in the western hemisphere for over a hundred years. The invention of the kaleidoscope by a Scottish immigrant had given the city a new name, Kaleidoscope City, which stuck.

The Kaleidoscope Tower had been constructed at the end the twentieth century, to celebrate the new millennium and to be used as a monument of peace and a monument to those who had died during the Fourth Great War. And since then it had stood, and it had never once been damaged in all its time standing.

Undamaged until the day of my arrival at the Academy, anyway. All the flying monsters that'd poured out of the portals in the city and swarmed around the city's tallest structure, rending it on multiple levels, had certainly left a mark. They had torn into the tower's top floors and destroyed the entire observation deck at the summit, falling down onto the streets below. That was only a month ago.

Now, the tower stood tall once more, scaffolding and cranes and drones all clustered around the tower's upper levels. The entire top section of the tower had to be rebuilt. But despite that, it still stood proudly above all else. It was an awe-inspiring sight.

We rounded the corner to an above-ground subway station and hopped onto the platform.

The trains here ran all over the city, and were cheap and efficient. And they had priority access through the city streets, so we wouldn't have to worry about traffic jams. Service had only resumed around orientation, and several lines were still down since the Cataclysm.

"Where to, guys?" I asked, turning towards Stella, Albert, and Ichigo.

"Howard and 13th street, right?" Albert said.

"Yes indeed! There are a couple of big department stores there," Stella nodded.

"Eh, works for me," Ichigo agreed, nodding along. "Most of those shop owners probably still haven't opened back up since the Cataclysm. But, eh. Worth a shot."

The world had bounced back shockingly quick for the raw devastation the sudden invasion had brought down on the world. Even now, the sheer destruction caused was being felt all around the globe. Hundreds of millions dead, cities wiped off the map. Most cities weren't fully operational even a month later. It had taken that long for the reconstruction and clearing out the rubble.

However, Kaleidoscope City, the city at the center of the nation, had bounced back almost overnight thanks to the government's resources, the military's assistance, and the help of countless Pioneers and superheroes. The city was mostly up and running, and the country had arguably been the least affected.

It was still bad.

There were too many funerals. Too many families broken apart. It'd be decades until we were anywhere close to fully recovering as a country, much less a world. But, we had managed to pull ourselves up and get back on our feet. We were still standing.

We flashed our student cards up to the scanner to cross the turnstiles, and hopped onto a waiting train. It wasn't crowded, thankfully, and the ride would be smooth. No delays. The four of us took a seat at the back, near the exit. The trains had famously always run on time, and they still did, but there was an extra emphasis on efficiency, punctuality, and reliability.

"Alright." Ichigo sighed. "So... Albert needs a phone, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. So that means electronics store first. Any other errands? Groceries? Clothes? Books? Anything like that?" she asked.

I shrugged.

"I'm all good, I guess," I answered. "I don't really need much. I don't think I have any errands to do. God knows I have enough food now."

I turned towards Stella and Al, raising an eyebrow at them.

Stella nodded elegantly. "Oh, I'm perfectly content. Thank you so much for your consideration, Ichigo."

"Oh." Ichigo's eyes widened a little. "Um. Yeah, of course."

She seemed a bit taken aback. Stella was very well-spoken, polite and eloquent, and she knew it, and she still seemed to tread around on eggshells.

If she only knew how much of a degenerate gamer dork Stella could be, or just what kind of lovable eccentric weirdo she was at times. But Stella already tipped that hand a bit...

I glanced at Al.

He seemed to be in his own world, lost in thought. He looked at me and smiled.

I chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you need more than a cell phone, don't you?"

"Um." He paused for a second before shrugging. "Yeah. I could always use more clothes. Or maybe a book or two to pass the time. But, no. I don't really have any pressing errands, I think. I was just a dumbass with my toilet bowl and my phone."

Ichigo and I both snickered as he frowned. "It's reaaally not that funny."

"I'm sorry," I said. "You've got to admit, it's at least a bit funny."

"I guess," he grumbled. He looked up at me, his brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed in mock annoyance.

I laughed at the sight of him, his cheeks puffed out like a little kid's. "Okay, fine, fine. Not that funny."

"Damn right," he agreed.

Stella and Ichigo both laughed along with me. Ichigo, especially, seemed to appreciate it, her shoulders relaxing a little. I was glad she felt more at ease, and I knew Al would be too. Al loved putting people at ease, and he knew what to do and what to say to make someone feel comfortable. I just wish he didn't tend to self-deprecate as much as he did, or deflect as often as he did. It made him a bit frustrating sometimes. He always put others before himself, even when he was struggling.

I sighed inwardly, shaking my head slightly.

Sometimes, he was too much of a bleeding heart for his own good. But that was one of his best traits.

The train ride was only twenty minutes, but we spent most of it talking, and the rest was spent watching the city roll by. The buildings and streets outside the windows were still torn up from the battle, but there wasn't much else to look at, so we just watched. Even the wealthy Academic District hadn't escaped unscathed. There was debris, craters, scorch marks, and even a few crashed helicopters littering the area.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

There were also the piles of rubble where buildings had fallen over. I knew there were more buildings that had been destroyed than even during Professor Lunatrix's attack on the city a decade earlier. And that was just in our neighborhood. We'd gotten off relatively easy. Other places, like uptown and the suburbs across the river, hadn't been so fortunate.

We were lucky. Many hadn't been. I was reminded of the widespread destruction caused when I looked out the window. And that had just been in one city, in one part of the country.

It had happened all over the world, simultaneously, and it was a miracle that humanity had managed to fight back as well as it did. The Guardians supposedly contracted Magical Knights before the attack based on a combination of positive emotions, idealist attitudes, and the combined potential someone's soul would display, so unfortunately, wealthier parts of the world had more knights on hand. The old structure of their World System had also rewarded magical knights with accelerated power increases for bringing justice and living their values.

As such, poorer areas had been disproportionately targeted. The knights were weaker as a whole, while the monsters were not.

It wasn't fair, and there wasn't anything to do about it. But we were still here, and that's what mattered in the end. Not that it would be any comfort to the countless dead and displaced. I knew many of the heroes and villains alike had joined hands and died in the fight, as did many magical knights.

It was hard not to let that weight sink into the pit of your stomach and settle in. This wasn't the movies or some fantasy novel. It wasn't a video game or a cartoon or some comic book. It wasn't fake.

The scars, the pain, the loss, the devastation... It was real.

I sighed, looking down. I saw Albert look away too. He was just as bothered by it all as I was.

Sure, the stores and businesses that remained standing had opened their doors. The traffic continued, even if it was light, and people continued on with their daily routines. However, it there was an unshakable air of sadness, of anxiety, that filled the air.

But life had to go on, didn't it?

Ichigo stared at us curiously, tilting her head. I forced a smile and shook my head. She nodded slowly, looking back at the scenery passing by the window while biting her lips.

It didn't take long until we arrived at the stop at the garment district, the 13th street station. Freshly replaced LED screens embedded in buildings flashed by, advertising various products and services, and colorful posters adorned the walls all over the city streets. However, the iconic video billboards were gone, and the advertisements had been replaced with public service announcements, calls for aid and charity, and information on missing persons and emergency shelters. There was even an announcement that a vigil for those who'd lost their lives during the invasion was being planned next weekend, and that the memorial would be attended by the president.

The four of us stepped off the subway car, heading down the steps and onto the sidewalk.

Immediately, I felt something was off.

The streets were busy around this time, but it still felt a bit emptier than usual. It was a sort of uncanny valley of activity, even for someone like me who'd only come to the city for school. I knew it would get better as time went on, though, as people returned to normal. The infrastructure had stayed surprisingly intact, despite the visible damage.

"Okay," Ichigo said. "Where to, then? Any particular place?"

We glanced around, looking for a place that had some decent and affordable phones for sale. I frowned, feeling the hairs at the end of my neck stick up.

I couldn't put my finger on it, but there was something bothering me about this area.

"Ah, well," Albert said, "maybe we should head over there?"

A compact multi-story shopping mall stood directly ahead — it was a market-style store, with rows upon rows of different shops, ranging from clothing boutiques to jewelry stores, tech shops to phone booths. Clearance signs were posted in the windows and on the doors of the main entrance. A large sign was hung across the front entrance that read 'Grand Re-Opening Sale!' in bold letters.

Ichigo perked up, staring at one of the signs. "Huh! Protein powder and energy bars for half off? I could go for that."

Albert raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah." She shrugged, blushing. "I... uh, do train a lot. It helps keep the edge off."

"Ah. Makes sense."

Stella giggled and looked around, scanning the storefronts for something that caught her fancy as she stepped away rom the group. "Hm... Oh. Hey."

"What's up?" I asked, following her and leaning in close. "See something interesting?"

"Not quite. I already made a run the night before the exercise to get you some erm, you know..." she murmured. "A small wardrobe expansion. But I think if you're trying to take training seriously, I'd like to get you some vitamins, non-essential amino acids, and electrolytes if Ichigo wants to stop for a bit."

She looked up at me. "What do you think?"

"Uh...?" I replied, my eyes wandering away as I thought about the idea of getting vitamins and whatever. My eyes drifted, looking at the signs.

Suddenly, I felt a strange tugging sensation in my gut, drawing my gaze to the side.

I snapped my head over, seeing a flash of movement in my periphery. I frowned, blinking as I tried to spot whatever had caught my attention.

There was a dark shadow darting across the street. I stared at it, watching as the shadow quickly disappeared between two parked cars and slipped out of sight. The feeling in my gut faded, but not before a chill ran up my spine. I blinked, shaking my head.

What was that?

I didn't see anything. It was probably just a rat or something.

Deep breaths, Sienna.

Stella looked at me expectantly. I frowned, before whispering back to her. "Honestly it's been a bit much. I feel bad about the gifts. I wouldn't ever be able to afford that stuff for myself."

She nodded. "Yeah. That's the point. I want to make up for lost time."

"Ah?" I responded.

"Please, Sienna," she insisted, gently grabbing onto my arm. "You're way too thin. It's like a stiff wind would knock you over. Your mother should never have had to go into hiding, and she shouldn't have had to raise you that way either. We can afford to get you some proper supplements. And a nice, healthy, diet."

I stared at her, blinking.

How did she know my mother went into hiding? Then again, when I thought about it, that was probably why she'd set up shop at Pewterstone City for the last couple of years as Dark Princess Eris. Stella must have somehow figured out my mother had wound up there. Or Nightingale did, at least.

I shrugged, and Stella let out a small, relieved sigh.

"Okay. That sounds... fine by me. Thank you."

She smiled softly at me. "It's the least I can do for you. Alright? I want to spoil my baby sister a bit. You deserve to be healthy. I'm not gonna force you to, though."

I chuckled. "C'mon, I'm like a year younger than you. Maybe, if even."

Stella just giggled again in response.

I looked back towards the other two, and they both glanced over to us curiously as we stood to the side whispering. Stella and I made our way back to the group and I smiled at them both. "Alright," I said. "I guess we've got a plan. Guess Stella and I are gonna check out the health store with you."

Ichigo nodded, her lips quirking up slightly. "Sounds good. Let's head on over then."

With that settled, we walked forward as a group, and made our way inside.

----------------------------------------

Unbeknownst to the group at the time, a curious pair of golden eyes had followed them all the way from campus.

A small shadow, barely a foot and a half tall, poked its head around the corner of the building, staring at the complex's entrance.

Then, it quickly darted out of sight again, emerging on the roof of the building across from the marketplace only a few seconds later.

Unbeknownst to its beneficiaries, a mysterious, hooded figure had been shadowing them since their arrival.

He was a youth, with skin kissed by the sun, a pair of strikingly beautiful dark eyes that gleamed in the dim light, and a small scar on the bridge of his nose. His clothes were loose and inconspicuous. A plain navy hoodie over a white shirt and a pair of jeans.

The boy was wearing a hood, a cowl over his head, frowning.

For he was not the only one shadowing the group.

The shadow stretched with a yawn, settling into a lazy, resting posture, its black tail swishing back and forth as it surveyed the street below.

The youth, blending with the crowd, weaved through the people and buildings. He glanced around nervously.

There were too many people on the streets today. Way too many. Even with the ongoing repairs, people had returned to their routines and the city had resumed its normal activity.

He had recognized the girls the second he saw them.

One, who was famed as the heiress of Matsudaira Corp.

The other was his companion for a brief but pivotal time.

And then, there were two more. One girl who he did not recognize, of course, and another he'd helped rescue that fateful day. But that didn't matter to him.

The youth glanced up, spotting the man with the white streak of hair that had been trailing behind the group since the subway station. And beside him, there was another girl around his age.

The other girl was wearing a hoodie similar to the youth, and the boy could just make out a long blonde ponytail sticking out from her hood.

They both had their hoods pulled up, obscuring most of their features, but those calling cards were unmistakable to him.

The shadow's ears perked up as the boy tensed. His heart beat a little faster, and he looked at them in surprise.

What were they doing?

Why were they tailing the Matsudaira girl?

And how should he approach this? Was this his responsibility?

A most amusing dilemma. How much the youth's heart had changed in such a short period of time from his brother's influence.

The shadow looked on, its golden gaze lingering on the boy for a few seconds before shifting back towards the group. It licked its lips, enjoying the show, its eyes glinting mischievously as it watched.

The boy slipped his hand in his hoodie pocket and pulled out a phone, dialing a number and holding it up to his ear.

"Hello? Yeah. Listen, I'm gonna be late, but..."

The shadow smiled, licking its lips again as it settled in to watch.

This was sure to be entertaining.