Skye yawned as he stepped out from his new room. Good morning, Era. With no threat of death hovering over him, he had one of his most restful sleeps in ages. The robot crew had helped the siblings move their belongings into the new apartment before they left at dusk, and with beds already included in the suite, Skye and Cass unpacked only the bare essentials – non-perishables, dishes, and toiletries – before they'd gone to sleep.

He looked out from the apartment's trio of floor-to-ceiling windows. His eyes were greeted with a picturesque scene as the morning sun cast a gentle orange sheen on the towering, white cityscape. Morning traffic was beginning to emerge throughout the local boulevard, with robots and humans alike going for walks in the crisp dawn air. He couldn't help but notice the surprisingly even ratio between the two races – for every human, there was at least one robot, raising his hopes of including more bots in his life down the line.

Everything he could see was in pristine condition, including his new apartment; although there were still lots of boxes to unpack, the suite itself was something out of a high-end real estate ad. White walls, grey carpets and tiles, sleek high-tech appliances, a gorgeous view, and more than enough space for both the siblings to thrive in.

He hadn't seen a proper sunrise in years down in Lower Miyatama's crowded streets, especially with an entire city hovering above him at all times. It was beyond refreshing simply to be able to look at the sky, and for the first time in ages, he felt genuinely comfortable.

No more debt collectors. No more Zev. No longer did he have to fear for his – or Cassandra's – life. The rent was considerably higher than his squalid conditions in Miyatama, but he felt optimistic and confident after going through so much violence and tension in his old neighbourhood. If he could survive those ordeals, he could survive adding a few more srakna onto his monthly bill.

There was one major downside, though – his friends were no longer minutes away. It was a three hour round trip between Era and Miyatama, so seeing his friends on a whim would be significantly less convenient. At the very least, he still had internet access to hang out with his friends virtually.

Maybe I could try meeting new people, too.

And then his mind shifted to his project once again. Just when he was so close to making some sort of breakthrough with madeakelor's purpose or source or something, it was yanked away. He knew it was the right choice to make, but that knowledge didn't make it much easier. To ease his mind, he reminded himself that it'd be nigh unfeasible to continue working on it in Era, since its illicit nature combined with the city's rampant surveillance made for an impossible mission. He had a few other little projects to work on – his favourite custom lighter being one of them – but he worried about what he'd spend the majority of his time on now.

He squinted his eyes shut for a second, storing those thoughts in the back of his brain for later. Those were concerns for future Skye, not present Skye. For the moment, he just wanted to bask in his new peaceful, beautiful living situation.

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A door opened behind him, and he could see Cassandra walking out in the window's reflection, clad in pyjamas.

“Hey, Cass,” he greeted her.

“Good morning.” She rubbed her eyes and walked beside Skye, looking out at the gorgeous morning view with him.

“Sleep well?” Skye asked.

She hummed. “Not really. New place and all... I guess I'm just not used to it yet.”

“Aww, sorry. Yeah, it'll take a bit to get used to. But... god, I'm just so relieved. This place is so much safer and nicer than Miyatama. Things are going to be so much better now.”

“Yeah. I hated seeing you so sad and scared...”

“I'm so sorry you had to see all that. And... like I said a while ago, I'm sorry for keeping things from you. I just wanted you to feel comfortable and safe, but next time, I'll handle things better.”

“It's okay. I forgive you!” She beamed at Skye through the window's reflection, and he couldn't help but do the same.

“Thanks for being awesome, Cass.”

“You bet I am!”

The rest of the morning was just as comfy as the start. The two siblings each poured a bowl of sugary cereal to start their day, mostly devoid of conversation until the end of breakfast.

“This place is cool, but I already miss Kaori,” Cassandra mumbled.

“Ah, yeah. I do too. She's a real sweetheart. Maybe we can convince her to move out here too,” Skye joked.

“What kind of school will I have now?”

Skye rested his elbows on the table and made an exaggerated thinking face, realizing that was something he'd have to look into. Did Era have public schools? Would they have to find another private tutor? How expensive would it all be?

“I'm not sure, actually,” he answered. “We'll see what's available and weigh our options. So for now, I guess you could consider this week a mini holiday.”

“Nice!”

“But I'll need some help getting this place sorted out,” Skye continued, pointing at some of the living room's boxes with his spoon. “You're not totally off the hook!”

“Aww, fiiine.”

Something about the simple peace and tranquility of that moment filled Skye with glee. Breakfasts in Miyatama with his sister were usually just as cordial, but there was always a mountain of stress and fear tainting any happiness he might've felt. Today, though, he didn't have to force a smile – it just came naturally.

There was still some lingering guilt in the back of his mind, with thoughts of “I should have talked to dad sooner,” and, “how could I let pride keep Cass in danger for so long,” lumbering through his brain, but another quick squint filed those thoughts away for future Skye. He'd have more than enough time to process those feelings in the coming weeks.

Maybe I should look into counselling.

“Done?” Skye asked, bringing his empty bowl and spoon over to the dishwasher.

“Yep.” Cass slid her dishes across the table for Skye to put away. “I'm going to go play for a while.”

“Sure thing. I think I'm gonna go for a walk. I'll be like half an hour, maybe?”

“Okay!”

Then a new possibility occurred to him. “Hey... do you want to come too?”

“Mmm, no thanks. I just want to relax this morning.”

“Sounds good to me.” Simply being able to give her the choice further reinforced the idea that this move was the right decision.

Cassandra then scurried off to her room.

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Stepping outside the building's front door, the boulevard greeted Skye with the sight of orderly verdant shrubs on either side of the road, the smell of freshly cut grass from the field to the left, and the sensation of warmth and peace all throughout his body. He took a long, deep breath, taking in the fragrant air surrounding Aurora Complex.

We made it, he thought. We're free.