“Kade, dear…are you alright?” his mother asked, she seemed…the same, just younger, and a bit shorter, still having that curly, fluffy red hair, and piercing green eyes, and that same work suit she wears. A red dress shirt, white dress jacket, and white dress pants. Like she never changed.
“A-Ah, yes, I am fine, of course” he spoke, his own voice sounded unfamiliar, it was higher pitched, like a…child. For reasons beyond him, he hadn’t noticed he had shrunk significantly, the size of a 5 year old, and missing all that belonged to him, instead wearing similarly fancy but comfortable wear, which was similar to his father. And he looked as much as he could…remember.
Sleek, black hair, a little messy but there was no mistaking it. Blue eyes that could see through you, a fancy black suit he always wore to look his best. But Kade never remembered these details. Why does he know, what the hell is happening, is this an attack? Knowledge? He was clueless as his father spoke up, catching his immediate attention.
“Kade…if something is of the matter, you can tell us. Feeling homesick already? Or mayhaps the train rocking is getting to your stomach…” he said. His voice was as Celeste described to him. Cold. Expressionless. But not heartless. In fact, it was full of heart, genuine care. As he was described to him before.
“Oh, no no, I’m f-fine, just a little nervous…”
“Unsurprising. We are on our way to meet a powerful set of groups who invited us for discussions of the future between our world down under and the world above.”
“John, love, Kade is only 5 years old, I don’t think he’d understand” Celeste said, a soft giggle. His mother felt wrong, she seemed different. Where were the crazy antics? The strange speech manners, the insanity of her suggestions and imagination?
“Well, I did at his age, so who knows,” John said with a deep chuckle of his own before another voice spoke to him, but it came from nowhere, except inside his head.
“I’m…sorry. Impatient. Can't wait anymore. Couldn’t watch in silence anymore. Kade. Must know your truth. Your history. The Good Men will return soon. Listen. Witness. Remember.” the voice spoke, it was a strict speech pattern. No mention of the self, pausing after most sentences, or just singular words, and a very feminine, child’s voice, but before he could ask back, it disappeared as Kade blinked, and then…he was back in the hallway. Like nothing had happened. He was at the door, his stuff was with him like they never left, and all he could think was one thing…
Why did it sound like Silvia spoke to him?
-
For her, the sounds of the city always calmed her. Passing machinery, they remind her of him. Of her husband. Those endless gadgets and engines, made to help people. She always loved to listen to the soft gears turning, the tinkering…
Celeste found herself daydreaming again as she stared out the window, sighing as she closed a journal she was writing in. She was in her office bedroom again, as always, as she sighs. Alone, in this room, she was as sad as anyone would be to lose their love. Even after years. And then, a knock at her door as the familiar crazy smile returned to her face, and with it, her voice. “Yes, coming!” she stood up, looking at herself in the mirror, still wearing her pajamas since morning, not having changed yet, or anything at all. Silvia was still asleep as far as she knew, and everyone else was busy, so she saw no need for today. A vacation, she is her own boss afterall. Celeste would walk over to the door, opening it to see Lizzy as she tilted her head a bit to the side. “Lizzy, dear, is something going on?” she asks as Lizzy nods.
“Ah, yes, there’s someone at the front desk who asked you, a police officer girl, did you do something again?” Lizzy said with a mischievous smile as Celeste gasped dramatically.
“Lizzy! You wound me! I would do no such things again, I haven’t since…uh, that thing, and when Kade started his investigation and since Silvia got here, so I have no clue why an officer is here…could you send them to my office? I’ll happily indulge them” she asked as Lizzy nodded. “Of course, Celeste” before turning around. Celeste would close the door as she sighs. “Did…I do something again? No, impossible, I was almost only in the building this week, must be something else” And as she wondered, the door received another set of knocking as Celeste sat down on one of her chairs, pulling another for her sudden guest. “The door is open, sweetie!” as it does open. A girl would walk through, she looked to be in her 20’s as she closed the door behind her, doing an almost mechanical bow towards Celeste before coming over, sitting down on the provided seat. Celeste already knew what was going on but decided to, as she said, ‘indulge them’.
“Hello, officer, is something wrong, or has something happened?” Celeste asked as the officer’s eyes dim a little at first before returning.
“Information from now on is private and to be kept between us. I cannot enforce this rule, only trust you, Celeste, so do as you will. I was sent by Vincent Loncehart of 18 Seconds as an enforcer agent for the protection of 1 Silvia, The Korpse of Lake Child. Do you recognize the reasoning and names?” she asked as Celeste scoffs a bit as she looks away out of the window. “Of course I do…my husband was a part of why you androids exist now. But has Vincent maybe…not considered my emotions?” Celeste asked, she sounded a bit pissed now as the android officer shrugs. “Answer: He knew. And he took the risk to send me. Do as you will. Deny me or accept me. Maybe destroy me. But I am here for the child and her protection. Your Shooting Stars will not work for long.”
“Hmph…do you have a name?” Celeste asks as the android stands up, doing a small salute. “Assigned Code, Silvernail%Code%Blue~Identity#Police, nickname, Olivia, Android Type Null and 1. At your service”
Celeste would think for a few moments as she sighs, still staring out the window. “Do as you’ve been told…but lay a hand on her for the purpose to hurt and you will find yourself a real korpse…” she said, that act of hers drops, her voice now bitter and uncaring, a complete difference to her usual self, but there is never a fault in more assistance…but why a constant reminder of her only love…of his love of these mechanical beings.
“Requests have been observed. The child will not suffer pain again. I swear upon it on my code, Ms. Steel” Olivia proclaims, a small salute as Celeste looks towards it, a very small smile formed on her face. “I can’t hate you for too long anyways…it’s what he would’ve wanted…” she said as she got up, walking towards the android and…giving it a hug. She did not know why. She simply knew she had to. And Olivia hugs back. And then she cried. She cried for minutes, holding onto the machine who could not understand why. And she couldn’t stop.
-
The empty streets of the city always creeped her, what was once beautiful, timeless architecture now broken down, rusted and rotted like nothing. But she had a purpose up here.
Sugar would sneak around the streets of The Timeless City, her body as cold as winter as she traveled, avoiding some of more known paths some of the normal Living Machines patrol on, but the dangerous ones would be the 3 Living Angels, who have no such path, only objectives, so she kept herself to the shadows, to prolong her stay on the surface before Gorge spots her eventually through other means.
“Come on, where are you, damnit…”
Sugar was looking for a specific old machine in the city, one of the towns needed some specific parts from it that aren't being produced, and it's proving more and more difficult as more of them get scrapped up. And finally, some hope.
An unoccupied workshop that looked well left alone as she approaches it, opening the door as she gets in, closing it behind her before looking around the workshop.
But it was no longer a workshop now. A familiar train cart was where she was now. People sat and talked to each other, but none of them had faces, just blanks.
"No. No no no no!" She quickly tried to open the door she came from but there was no door, only thick windows in the shape of doors, and from what she could see on the other side were endless carts, no sign of the engine car, and what appeared to be…a Living Angel rapidly approaching through each window. Tailor. And he was fast.
Sugar immediately turned around, seeing the other side of the train cart had doors as she quickly went through it, only appearing back in the same cart, with the same faceless people as whispers began infecting her thoughts. Soft words spoken by deep voices. A single sentence.
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'You did this'
Sugar kept running through each door, but no matter how many she ran through, she kept ending up in the same damn train cart, with the same faceless people who now 'watched' as Tailor only kept getting closer and closer no matter how hard she ran. She began to use her Knowledge, opening and closing doors with the winds, but it proved to be fruitless, as Tailor was one cart away from her, and he stopped in his path. Staring at Sugar as she backed up to the door, trying to open it, but it was a mirror instead as Tailor walks through the window door, still staring, as do the faceless people, as Sugar could only watch in fear. And before she could react…she falls. A hole in her chest as Tailor's arm pulls back. And they were at the workshop.
"Sally has been eliminated. Awaiting commands, sir" he spoke deeply as a voice echoes in the room, for Sugar to hear in her final moments.
"Return to watch duty. The Living Failure shall reward you later…" the voice spoke as he left the workshop, closing the door behind him as Sugar sat there. Alone. Bleeding. As all she had was a single sigh. And a few choice words.
"Fuck you too…"
And as fast as one could blink, her body turns to ash.
-
The room lights blinked in Kade's room, waking up Silvia as she slowly got up, opening her eyes only to be slightly startled by the familiar yellow stars staring back at her as she got up, sighing once she realized it was only Pippy.
"P-Pippy…" she said softly as Pippy nodded, looking out the window, it was still day time as she looked back at her. "Morning. Good sleep? Bad sleep?" Pippy asks as Silvia nods. "I had…a good sleep…" she said as she yawned, Pippy nodded as she looked back outside.
"I…had a dream…about Kade…I saw him on a train and stuff…but I woke up before it finished…" she said as Pippy shakes her head.
"Not a dream." Pippy answered as Silvia tilted her head. "W-What?"
"Dreams. Can see thoughts. Can see eyes. Can hear them. That is what Pippy do. But Pippy no like. Stay as dreams. Hurts Pippy when Pippy does it." she explains as Silvia gets up from the bed, approaching Pippy as she looks at her.
"Can…you show me?" Silvia asks as Pippy shakes her head, looking away and crossing her arms, possibly pouting as well if she had facial expression.
"No. Hurts Pippy. Pippy doesn't like mirroring. Makes pain." she continued as Silvia suddenly gave her a hug.
"Please, Pippy…I wanna know if mister Kade is okay…" she asks kindly as Pippy tries her mightiest to resist…but just couldn't help it.
"Fine. Once. Pippy will do. No more." she said as Silvia smiles, nodding, letting her go as Pippy breathes in for a moment. Slowly, her starry form shapes up, turning taller, as the form slowly changes to smaller details until eventually…she looks just like Kade, only quite starry
"Watch. Listen. Witness. Of Kade Wonder." she closes her eyes as Silvia closes her eyes with her, and soon…she was looking through the eyes of Kade, he seemed to be looking around a hallway confused as he scratched the top of his head.
'What in the stars was that? Was…I down here before? And who spoke to me? Was that…Silvia's voice?' his thoughts conveyed to Silvia's mind as Pippy speaks up.
"Pippy tired of other Starry People. Pippy wants Kade to remember. Kade was here before. And Pippy showed. Kade must remember. Remember all of us. The other stars." she explained to Silvia, her voice sounded deeper and more like Kade’s as she nodded mentally.
"B-But…wouldn't you get in trouble…?"
"Pippy does not care anymore."
Kade would open one of the doors in the hallway, appearing back out in Polar Growth town as he kept walking, his eyes darting around the town, it was unfamiliar to him, yet some of the people were like figures in his dreams. Dreams, he tried to remember the vivid dreams he had, and the nightmares he had woken up from, comparing his imagination to reality, and it was never too far off. Some real imagination here and there but there was no doubt to it any longer…
‘Those dreams weren’t dreams, were they?’ he thought to himself, hoping for an answer from…someone. And someone does answer. “And what makes you say that?” A singular Good Man asked back.
‘Give me the truth, voices in my head…have I been here before?’
“...”
And it never answers back, Kade sighs outwardly as he walks on over to the old elevator, looking back to the town, no longer an astounding curiosity and appreciation, but a melancholic nostalgia. Was his family from down here? Questions, a lot of questions, but no time to answer, he has only 3 days to find Ria Allthoughts, more than enough, he hopes.
Slowly his vision fades as Silvia opens her eyes, seeing Pippy slowly morph back into her own shape, like Silvia’s, as Pippy slowly dissipates. ‘Tired. Pippy sleep. Good night.’ Pippy spoked softly in her head as Silvia can feel this second presence disappear momentarily from her mind as she nods.
“Good night..Pippy…” she whispers as the chime of the elevator door echoes down the hallway. Silvia would go over to the door, opening it and peeking her head out down the hallway, spotting Kade walking over to his room as he waves over to Silvia. She waves back softly, opening the door for him as he comes inside, and as she closes the door, Kade falls onto his bed.
“Silvia…I feel tired already” he said, his voice muffled by the pillow he laid face front on before he rolled over a bit to not suffocate himself. “But it’s…well, I don’t think I’ll bother with time anymore at this rate, too much effort, I’m going to care only if it’s day, night, or day again but brighter, or was that just summer? Who cares! Silvia!” he gets right back up, all this having gone on for just a few seconds, as he looks over with a courageous smile. “Wanna go on an adventure up here? I’ve got a vampire to find, and I’m sure you don’t want to be stuck in this old building forever now, do you?”
Silvia’s eyes sparkle a little as she nods, Kade nods back as he goes to his closet, opening it and playing with what appears to be a small vault. “And how about some clothes shopping too? Fuck it, maybe just shopping in general, let’s take this opportunity to get you used to the city, and dress like it too! I’ve saved up a lot for this exact moment…maybe not the exact moment, but I had a feeling at some point I’d have to take care of someone…okay, to be honest, it was mom’s idea, BUT STILL” as he begins to pull out some physical cash and his credit card, before locking the vault up again and putting both away into his wallet, which goes straight into his pocket as he holds a hand out to Silvia, who grabs onto it as he nods.
“We’ve got to get you something that screams you, Silvia” he said with a big smile as she nodded before he headed right out.
And they did as Kade promised. Taking the car out and traveling the many Avenues of Raiden City. “How about I explain to you about the city, Silvia?” he asks while he drives. “Sure, Kade…” she’d respond as he nodded.
“So, the whole thing about Raiden City is that…if you are either a poor man or a rich man, you can still live just as comfortably as you need to live, and just need to work, you know? So the city is split among two kinds of areas. The Rich’s Ring, which is the big circle of buildings and such in the north where the high middle class and whatever live in, and the south area, the rest of the city, is The People’s Avenue. Right now, Steel Rooks Agency is in Red Ring Avenue, the mixing part of the city where both live fine with each other, mostly. Although a lot of the shops are here, I want to go to Boring Avenue first, it’s where all the strange stuff is, which I’m sure would be more familiar for you I guess, and I’m interested if any of the shops there have something of interest.” Kade explains, Silvia would listen closely as Kade continues
“Near Boring Avenue would be Blue Ring Avenue and Green Ring Avenue, you sensing a pattern in the names? Anyways, Blue Ring Avenue might be next for something fancier to keep at hand, it’s where all the real deal luxury are, though it’ll just have to be a single outfit from there…ahem, and Green Ring Avenue is where all the rich people live in and stuff. But…that’s not to say the city doesn’t have its Avenue. People can live comfortably, yes, but there is still envy growing, like Tour Ends Avenue, where all the very cheap stuff is, like apartments, or the abandoned Daring Avenue, where the truly unfortunate took advantage to take shelter there. You probably won’t be kidnapped, but I can’t say the same for being robbed. As for the normal people, I suppose, they live out in Goring Avenue, do remember all of this, it’ll be on your homework next week…just kidding! I hated school anyways”
“What’s a school”
“It’s boring, not the Avenue, continuing on with our little history lesson of the city, Frostbite Avenue is your regular kinda free space of the city, I suppose, and close to it, Portstar Avenue and Hot Tail Avenue” Kade stops the car at a light, watching people going by as he smiles.
“Portstar is just where all the big and family restaurants and businesses decided to go to, it’s a small Avenue compared to the others, and conveniently in the way of Hot Tail Avenue, which has a really big tourist attraction there, a worn down office building no one’s bothered to fix because every time they send in someone to do that, they keep going…missing. No one dares to try and fix it now, so it’s now just a hot spot for visitors. And finally, the remaining Avenues, Pouring Lead and Heartache, where all the important buildings for a city are. Obviously, stuff like hospitals, police stations, and firefighters are settled around the city, the main ones are there in Pouring Lead Avenue, and for Heartache is where the main bases of Firefighters are…and also courthouses, I suppose, simply for convenience's sake. Did you catch all of this, dear” he began to drive again once the light changed, looking over to Silvia to see her looking at him as she nodded with a smile. “I did, sir, I did!”
“Please, just call me Kade, dear, no need for formalities again. Everyone’s somewhat kind here, try as they might…oh…and…you’d probably never be able to visit this part of the city but…New Alex Ring, the very center of the Rich’s Ring, it’s where all the very important people live…always hearing rumors about it, but not like anyone ever confirms them. Just like any elite rich would be like, aye? You could imagine it like the Clock Tower, but less Living Machines and more like…mean people, with a very few nice” he was finally done explaining as they finally rich Boring Avenue. Kade parks somewhere that’s close to Blue Ring Avenue as well as they get out, holding his hand out again for Silvia as she grabs onto it, smiling ever so brightly, her eyes shined brighter than any light he could think of as Kade smiled back.
And so they have begun to walk.