The secare nymph turned to avoid being seen. She shielded her body leaving only a developed back for the boy to look at. Her time swimming made her body stay in great shape, particularly developing her back.

The young man’s mouth seemed to move as an incomprehensible mumble echoed through the thick bubble. It seemed the bubble filtered out certain things from reaching the outside. Speech was one of them.

‘Come to think of it that radiant artificial sun looks relatively tame from out here…’ The nymph slightly cocked her head back, still hiding the front of her body. The sun's light was dim and it didn’t shine its signature orange color. Turning her attention to the boy… His back was now turned to face the girl. It seemed his earlier rumble had something to do with apologizing.

‘Is he going to report me?’ Surely, this rather… Extravagant, way of swimming was punishable. Lord please just forget about this!’ She placed her hands over her eyes momentarily. The girl wished for the algae to swallow her up now. Something she was so glad to have gone would have mostly prevented a situation like this from happening.

The girl, understanding that the boy would not turn around until given permission, decided to step into the bubble. As she made her way through the thick bubble, she felt the weight on her body slowly lift until she was back inside. The bubble had also dried her off, a convenient feature.

She calmly put her long white dress back on and shouted out to the boy. “You can turn around now.” Her voice didn’t sound hurried or distressed. A stark contrast to her inner conflict over the situation.

The boy turned around, his entire face was flush and he immediately bowed down. “I sincerely apologize! I was just walking by and then I saw you… And your flowing hair and just how graceful you were swimming…”

His face grew even more red as he turned around before facing the girl again. “Anyways. Please forgive me.”

‘But… I was in the wrong? At least I won’t get reported.’ The nymph walked closer to the boy. “Stand up straight, please. I was in the wrong. Nobody walks in this area of the city, I figured it would have been fine.

“Why are you walking around this area?” She examined the man and saw that he was around her age, maybe a couple years younger. His hair was a sandy blond color which matched his piercing eyes. They seemed as though they were cast of liquid gold.

His clothing was a little more important though… These weren’t the ramshackle clothing of an average citizen in outer Asanoch. The boy was also well kempt.

The boy looked extremely guilty and frantically turned left and right, making sure nobody else was watching. “I can tell you but it must remain a secret.”

‘Is this guy serious…’ Was he just a moron? There couldn’t have been a reason to head out to the outer ring in general, let alone one important enough to be kept secret.

“Sure.” The girl shook the boy’s hand. A slight smile formed on her lips as she thought. ‘How long has it been since I’ve spoken with someone my own age…’

“Alright.” The boy once again looked to his sides and then leaned in closer causing the nymph to stumble back a little. “Sorry, too close?”

The girl nodded slightly before shaking her head. “No it’s alright.” She stepped closer again.

Stolen story; please report.

“I’m from a-” The boy checked his sides again. “I’m part of a rather… wealthy family. They’ve never really let me see this part of the city. They were always insisting that Asanoch was a perfect place but no place is perfect of course. So I’m here to see just how imperfect the outer ring is.”

‘Shocker… Also isn’t this guy a little too paranoid…’ The girl criticized the boy inwardly. “And what imperfections have you seen so far?” Her face was straight, her voice even. Such a sheltered boy would probably vomit after setting a foot into the outer ring.

“It’s pretty vile. To be brutally honest.” The golden eyed boy scanned his surroundings. Even in an area so desolate as this, trash was littered across the floor and spots of dried blood stained the unpaved sand below.

“What’s your name?” The nymph inquired, extending a hand to the boy. If he spoke that sentence to the average citizen of the outer ring, they’d probably ostracize him. To criminals, the outer ring was perfect, a paradise to commit whatever crimes they wanted for the most part.

“Right! I’m sorry. My name is Clyde.” He smiled warmly, taking the pale, cold hand that was offered to him.

“Syllis.” The nymph returned a similar warm smile. “Our humble outer ring does give off that impression. Actually, it’s not an impression. This place is as vile as it gets. Criminals run rampant and drugs flood the street. Out of the hundreds of people I’ve seen out here, only one of them has been a good person. All the rest, as vile as it gets.”

Clyde’s face darkened at the thought. In inner Asanoch it was probably the other way around. One bad apple for every hundred upstanding citizens. Then again, any miscreants wealthy enough to live there could probably hide their nature pretty well.

“Syllis…” He mumbled slightly, it seemed he found the name interesting. “Well, I’ve seen my first good person in the outer ring. Do you live out here?”

“S-something like that…” Syllis couldn’t exactly say that she lived in the outer ring. She didn’t have a house, any belongings for the most part aside from random nicknacks. She also didn’t really live there. Sure every breath she took was of that rotten air and every step taken on the unpaved sand.

“Alright.” His golden eyes flickered as if pleading for more information. “Since I saw you… In a ‘vulnerable’ state. Let me make you dinner.”

‘This kind of situation seems like it should be setting off alarms in my head… But I haven’t had a meal in a while. And a good meal is even longer.’ Syllis had only eaten bread for the longest while. She wondered if she could have meat! Or even fruit! This guy was wealthy after all.

“Lead the way.” Syllis said calmly as she followed behind the young man. His slightly long hair wafted in the wind. ‘Please don’t tell me I’m going to have to explain what happened to his family.’

Suddenly she shuddered at the thought, she lost her rhythm of walking and slowed down abruptly before speeding back up again. ‘Is it too late to run away…’

“So where are we headed anyways?” Syllis asked, curious to know if she had heard of where he lived. The boy took a few moments before responding.

“I live in Aklilan.” Clyde spoke nonchalantly, looking back to the pathway in front of him.

Syllis slowed slightly. ‘What kind of a thing to say so casually.’ The outer ring was lawless for the most part. It was the parts of Asanoch that the government hadn’t managed to control and renovate yet.

They did end up starting though and it began with Aklilan. It was a large wedge of the outer ring that had its houses completely torn down. Naturally, wanting to get out of the rather crowded central Asanoch, the upper class had estates built way out by the wall of the great bubble. In only a couple of years, Aklilan managed to become one of the most upscale areas in Asanoch.

“You said you were wealthy, you didn’t say you were that wealthy.” Syllis turned towards Clyde which was an almost envious expression.

“Don’t worry it’s one of the smaller estates. We’re about as humble as the upper class gets.” Clyde spoke slightly quietly, they still weren’t out of the outer ring yet. There was always a chance for someone to be listening in.

‘I guess there is a more important topic…’ Syllis turned towards the boy again and asked. “How exactly are we going to get there?” It was a mostly fair question. They were pretty much going from the opposite end of Asanoch. It would take them at least eight hours of walking to make it to their destination.