Siblings Apartment.
05:27:15
“Oh, look,” Aether put down the half-empty meal box on the table. “Someone’s up early today.”
Mei stood at the entrance of her room with an awfully messy bedhead. She let out a long yawn and rubbed her sleepy eyes to wake them up.
“Morning, sleeping princess,” Aether greeted.
“Mhmm,” Mei half-heartedly nodded her head and sat down near the table.
“Do you have school today?”
“Mhm-mhm,” she shook her head. Today was the third weekend meaning no school.
“Are you going to stay home or go out?”
“Out,” replied Mei. She had planned to meet up with two of her classmates at the library for a group study session.
“Be careful then,” Aether succinctly replied, finishing his meal box. Getting up, he spoke while walking to the kitchen, “I have a full day’s work today, so I’ll be late as usual. Remember to eat your meals on time. I’ve already bought breakfast, so have it before you go out.” He pointed to the unopened metal meal box on the kitchen counter.
“Mhmm,” Mei nodded her head.
Sighing exaggeratedly, Aether saw the girl sleeping on the centre table and said, “If you are that sleepy, go inside and sleep on your bed for a few more hours. You’ll ruin your back, sleeping like this.”
“Mhmm.”
“This girl…” Aether rubbed his forehead in exasperation. Walking up and ruffling Mei’s bedhead, he spoke, “I’m off now. Remember to eat on time.”
Saying so, he then promptly left through the entrance. Lying on the centre table for a few more minutes, Mei then lifted her head, glared at the entrance, and muttered with a hushed breath, “... stupid brother.”
---
Sibling’s Apartment.
08:29:43
Standing in front of the full-size mirror inside her room, Mei held her hair band with her mouth while using her hands to gather her silky-smooth, long abyssal black hair.
Bunching it up at the back of her head, she held it with one hand while using the other to recover the hair band from her mouth. Wearing it around her hand, she tied up her hair in the style of a ponytail with practised ease.
Hair tied, she took a few glances of herself in the mirror to confirm her appearance. A plain white shirt and black knee-length skirt beautifully complimented her ivory-coloured skin. Skin-hugging black stockings that covered her long, bare legs. A simple ponytail framed her beautiful face. Mei’s attire was extremely simple but one with endless charm.
Upon confirming her appearance, Mei commented with a cute smile, “Perfect.” She then went to pack her study materials into her bag.
After having packed everything that she would need for the study session, Mei went into the kitchen, prepared her standard meal box, and sat down at the centre table to eat her breakfast. She reached into her skirt pocket to remove the button-like device which she then used to browse the internet.
Reading news, seeing memes, and watching the latest shorts, she finished her breakfast in the company of her handy communicator. Once she was done, she closed the metal meal box, went into the kitchen to recover Aether’s, put the two into her bag, and left the apartment after equipping her mask.
The doors to the decontamination unit opened, closed, and opened once again, after which Mei headed to the elevator after locking the apartment. Taking a short trip down the elevator, she arrived at the apartment’s mostly-deserted lobby and left the building.
[Please leave your trash here] A floating signage informed her of the trash disposal unit’s location. Heading over there, Mei removed the empty metal boxes from her bag and chucked them into the trash collector.
Finished with her household responsibilities for the morning, Mei headed towards the monorail station to leave for the library.
---
William’s Cross, North Borough.
09:24:46
[Mei: I’m standing underneath the clock tower. Where are you?]
After sending that message, she waited for a reply.
[Chloe: Sorry! We’re almost there! We’ll come and find you.]
Exhaling a quiet sigh, Mei closed the screen and put the button-like device back into her pocket. Having to wait for her friend's arrival, she looked around in boredom.
North Borough was one of the Four Great Subdivisions of the District 4 city. It was one of the nicer parts of the town with citizens of the upper-middle to middle-upper class populating it. Different from the cramped, haphazardly-built streets in the Slums, the roads here were built after proper planning.
Wide four-lane channels provided a sufficient area for land and aerial vehicles. A neat, well-maintained pedestrian walkway bordered the main roads. Parks with metal structures and artificial canopies provided recreational activities for the residents. There were even sculptures sculpted by local artisans dotting the area intermittently. Of course, the largest attraction in the Northern Borough was the clock tower underneath which Mei was waiting. It was the centrepiece of the borough.
The clock tower was an old-fashioned analogue type which kept time using gears and metal clock hands. It gave the North Borough ‘real’ character and charm, that kept it separate from the otherwise dull city.
Seeing the sights and immersing herself in its sounds, Mei quietly mumbled to herself, “This should be a good place to settle in after I promote and land a stable job. Brother will like the slow pace and quietness of this area.”
While it wasn’t the nicest residential area in District 4, it was among the top. Mei believed that it was possible for her to afford and support their livelihood should they move here.
Clenching her fists, she mentally chanted to herself. ‘Must work hard for a bright future!’
After passing a dozen or few minutes in boredom, Mei finally caught sight of her friends.
“Sorry! Sorry! We missed the first train causing the delay!” A short, lively, orange-haired girl rushed toward Mei and hugged her. Burying her head into Mei’s chest, she looked up, blinked her large cute eyes, and asked, “Did you wait for long, Mei?”
Pinching her fingers, Mei ruthlessly flicked at the girl’s forehead. “You’re not getting off by acting cute with me, Chloe. I’ve been waiting here for twenty minutes.”
“Ouch! Hey! That hurts,” Chloe disengaged herself from Mei and rubbed her reddened forehead. She then turned around, pointed at the other newcomer and sold out. “It was Eka who delayed us!”
“I delayed us?” The lovely brown-skinned young lady with dark hair and amber-coloured eyes, Eka, received her friend’s accusation and calmly replied, “Who here vehemently argued against me about the train leaving at 08:43 instead of 08:37, and even bet against me on it?”
“Not me!” Chloe righteously declared.
“Do you even have a sliver of shame?” Eka scoffed in question.
“Nope!” Chloe justly stated.
Eka stared at this shameless friend of hers radiating with positive righteousness and mirthlessly said, “You’re paying for our lunch, else, I will not share my notes with you today.”
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“Eka! That’s just plain blackmail!” Chloe cried out with injustice. She then tugged at Mei’s arms, pointed towards Eka and said, “Look, Mei! She’s bullying me again! Help me!”
“No. You deserve it, Chole,” Mei replied with a short laugh. She then walked forward and hugged Eka in greeting, “Good morning, Eka.”
“Good morning, Mei,” Eka responded in kind. A smile lit up her face.
Seeing her two best friends heartlessly betray her and even team up with each other, moisture filled Chloe’s doll-like eyes. “Y-you two! You two are no longer my friends! I’m going to run away!”
Eka soundlessly laughed and replied, “Sure. Let’s see how you pass the promotion exam without our tutoring, idiot.”
“Eka! Mei! I love you!” Completely backpedalling on her own threats, Chloe rushed into the two of them and pulled them into a group hug.
Having met and completed their greetings, the three of them proceeded toward the library while chatting.
---
Slither Rustaxe Grand Library, North Borough.
09:39:10
[Credentials?]
“Mei. Citizen Level 0. Student ID: SHWA400512.”
[Please wait a moment while your credentials are confirmed.]
While she waited for the computer to confirm her credentials, Mei saw her friends, Eka and Chloe, step up in the adjacent queues and announce their credentials.
“Chloe Ecart. Citizen Level 2. Student ID: SHWA362463.”
“Eka Sumine. Citizen Level 2. Student ID: SHWA118282.”
As the three of them waited, Mei’s robot attendant answered first. [Credentials Confirmed. Borrow Limit: 30. Additional Borrowings will be charged per minute.]
Thanking the robot attendant, Mei left the queue and entered the grand library. She was very shortly joined by her two companions.
Upon entering the library, the three students made their way through the richly-decorated main hall and headed towards the left wing. It was quieter and less populated over there making it an ideal study/discussion hall for students.
Making their way through the warmly coloured corridors, the three students arrived at their destination. After seeking a suitable table to make camp at, they headed over and sat down.
Unpacking their study materials, which consisted of a translucent tablet, an electronic pen, and a semi-circular device which was the main computer unit, the three began their discussion.
“What should we start with today?”
“Anything but Math! I don’t want to fall asleep right at the start of our study session.”
“You fall asleep during everything but Literature and Philosophy.”
“That’s because everything else is boring!~”
“Shall we brush up on History, then? We’ll begin from the ‘Great Separation’, then follow along to the ‘Establishment of District 4’.”
“That’s fine with me.”
“Aww~ Come on, you two! Why don’t we start with Literature? It’s fun!”
“It’s too easy and not an efficient use of our time.”
“I agree with Mei. We will begin with History.”
“Ughh! Fine! History, it is then.”
The devices before each of them flashed and screens detailing the history starting from the Great Separation filled the screen. The translucent tablets sprung to life with light as they began jotting down notes.
‘Great Separation… Year 1497… period of 33 years… division between the ‘Pure’ and the ‘Tainted’... social unrest and strife… death of the earth and blackening of the sky… establishment of sanctuary…’
Points filled Mei’s note. Every now and then, one amongst the three paused their writing and asked aloud their question. The others tried their best to answer it, and sometimes when it was beyond them, they accessed the library’s terminal on their table and sought relevant materials for help. As such, they continued to study.
“Say, what does this passage mean: ‘Blackened monsters, twisted and ugly, fell from the cracks of the sky and feasted upon the bodies and souls of man. Their conception as grotesque and ugly as their nature was conceived from the hubris of He-Who-Knew-It-All, and drove mankind down into the darkness.’” Chloe read from the screen in front of her.
“Records of the Final Survivor by Arther Nechwood, right?” Mei asked, recalling that passage from her memory. She then shook her head and said, “You can ignore that book. It’s a bunch of nonsense written by a madman.”
“Really?” Chloe looked at her screen with confusion. “That’s a big book for a lot of nonsense, huh?”
“Well, you can look at it as a verbose commentary on the human failures that resulted in the contamination and pollution of the world. ‘Blackened monster’ could correspond to the nuclear fallout that fell from the sky. There’s a lot of correspondence that can be done like that,” Eka explained. “You can read this book called ‘Historic Records of the First Winter by Richard Bluebabble.’ that one is a more unbiased and scientific outlook on the whole issue.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks for the assist, Eka!” Chloe flashed an honest smile and got back to studying.
The study session resumed.
---
“You know you can get something better than that, right?” said Chloe, shooting a look at the meal tray in Mei’s hands. “I am paying for you after all.”
“I’m fine. I like this,” Mei replied with a smile. Her tray consisted of a block of soft nutrition mixture, a fork, a spoon, and a 250ml cup of water. It was simple, bland and colourless.
“You don’t have to be a miser when you are with us, Mei. Learn to live a little,” Chloe urged.
“Why do you even bother advising her? You know she’s not going to listen to you,” inserted Eka, also carrying a tray like her two companions. The trays in Eka’s and Chloe’s hands looked much more appetising.
“It is my duty as Mei’s best friend and life coach to advise her!” Chloe heroically stated.
“You dare coach others on their lives while yours is in a mess?”
“Oh, shut up, Eka! It’s because of that sharp tongue of yours that you are still maidenless!”
“And which boyfriend are you currently on? 34? 35?”
“35. And we broke up the other day…” Chloe looked downhearted. She then instantly recovered and excitedly said, “On that topic, you should at least try and maintain an image like Mei here! Our school’s resident ‘Ice Queen’, long may she reign!”
“I told you not to mention those words in front of me, Chloe!” Mei glared at her friend. The only thing that could trigger her as much as Aether was those two words.
Chloe giggled at her threat, not taking it seriously. “Mei over here can land herself a partner whenever she wishes! You, on the other hand, have scared off every single suitor who dares approach you. You’ll die as an unsatisfied, old woman at this rate.”
“At least, I know that I won’t be alone. You’ll be right there with me,” Eka ruthlessly bit back. “Isn’t that right, Ms I-Can’t-Stay-Committed-For-More-Than-Two-Weeks?”
“Eka!!” Chloe pounced upon her and the usual shenanigans followed. The three then peacefully ate their lunches while engaging in conversation every now and then.
Just when they were almost done with their lunches, Chloe suddenly exclaimed, “Holy Lord! This team is good!”
Her exclamation drew the attention of her two friends, who peered into the screen floating before Chloe.
“This is that game you always play and talk about, right?” Mei asked unsurely. “Pathfinders Ascent?”
“I’m actually shocked that you remembered its name, Ms I-Don’t-Play-Videogames.”
“Only because I don’t have the time,” Mei shook her head, not minding her diss.
“Is it the Ascenders Cup?” asked Eka, who was also an avid player of the game. “Which round is this?”
“Round of 64,” Chloe answered. She then turned to Mei and explained, “And before you ask, ‘Ascenders Cup’ is the biggest tournament in the game. The final winning team receives an invitation into Eden!” Her eyes positively sparkled at the mention.
“Oh?” Mei curtly replied, her interest stoked at the mention of the reward.
The mysterious sanctuary of God, Mei would like to go there one day should the opportunity arrive.
“Which team are you watching?” asked Eka. “Kingdom’s Glory?”
“Nope, my idol’s match isn’t today,” Heart pupils appeared within Chloe’s eyes when she talked about her favourite pro player. Shaking her head, she said, “I was watching this team called ‘Fox and Friends’.”
“Fox and Friends? What an odd name?” commented Eka.
“It sounds cute,” Mei gave her opinion.
“Why were you watching this new team? Are they good?” questioned Eka, peering in closer.
“Good? They are CRACKED!! Especially this Brawler, OneFistMan. I just saw him 1v3 and barely lost out on the victory. He was so close to wiping the enemy team and securing the match!” Chloe showed them the replay of that live match that she just watched.
A PeaceKeeper, Cursemaster, and Virtual created a kill-box around a Brawler, Gunner, and Cursemaster, and wiped out the latter two. The Brawler, alone and out-advantaged by his opponents, seemed to suddenly powerup and performed some insane plays, wiping out the PeaceKeeper and the Virtual, and falling at the hands of the Cursemaster who only had slivers of his health remaining.
The fantastic playing enraptured both Eka and Mei drawing them into the game.
“He’s very good,” Mei gave out a rare praise. Oddly enough, she felt a strange familiarity with this Brawler’s fighting technique.
“Very good? My god, Mei, do you know how hard this game is? In that situation, just the stat suppression alone should’ve made him die before his two teammates. Not only did he manage to hold on as a frontline fighter, but he also took down two and was inches away from taking down the third!” Chloe sparkled with praise.
“What’s the score?” asked Eka.
“2-1. Fox and Friends are in the lead. Things seem to be grim though, their opponent seems to have figured out their weakness,” analysed Chloe. She then saw the prompt at the corner of her screen and excitedly yelled, “The next game is starting now! Hush!!”
The screen changed and the livestream of the next match began.
“Huh? New line-up from Fox and Friends? Gunner, Modder, and Virtual?”