"Tell me who hurt you so I can kill them," Tiffany said.

"They're already dead, it's okay Tiffany, I mean it," Max said.

Tiffany was doting on Max because she still worried that he would be anxious on his own. His face was still bruised from the adventure he went through in his nightmare, and it was clear he had lost the fight. Tiffany, Max, and their friends were at the entrance to the Vintro festival. Max was a nervous bundle in new places and even though he didn't want Tiffany believing he always needed a guardian, he still liked that she was near him.

Aster did not.

When he came to pick up Max at 11 AM for driving lessons, Tiffany and Seraphina tagged along. They were backseat drivers and made the entire lesson pointless. He was also upset he was not at the Vintro festival with only Max, and Max was the only one too oblivious to notice or understand why.

As they came closer to the festival, there were several lines, and without thinking, Max went to the line on the far end, in the back entrance, which was also the longest. Many of the people in the line were tired, and wearing older clothing but still tried to find their nicest to wear that day. Most did not wear jackets, and Max did not notice, but his friends did.

"What are you doing," Eric asked him.

"This is the line I should be in, I have to go through the back," Max explained.

He pointed to the large banner that had a symbol on it. It was a triangle with a slash through it, and those who knew their caste understood this was where they belonged.

"Don't be silly," Seraphina said. "You're not one of them! You're a good person!"

"Sera, shut up. Get in line," Tiffany said.

"What did I do," she asked. "I'm sorry!"

Seraphina and Tiffany squabbled in the line while the others paid them no mind. Long used to their fighting but never understood why they were friends and everyone started ignoring their fighting a very long time ago. The other people in line looked back to see what was happening, and when they looked at Tiffany and thought she was a Kuraga, they tried to be helpful.

An older woman with her child approached Tiffany and asked for permission to speak.

"You don't need permission," Tiffany said.

The woman still never looked her in the eyes when she politely informed her they were in the wrong line. That people such as themselves could go to the front entrance and possibly even cut to the front of the line.

"Let's go then," Seraphina said. "We're gonna miss all the cool performances if we're stuck out here!"

"It's the principal of the thing," Tiffany replied.

"I don't care," Seraphina whined.

"I feel bad whenever I don't do what I used to," Max told them. "You can go, but I'm staying. It's where I belong."

Seraphina did not like it but did not want to look like a horrible person. Aster did not like it because he was already in a bad mood but said nothing to impress Max, and Eric just did not care either way.

When they were finally at the top of the line, they were asked to pay 5,000 Aria. The price was not the same as promised, and the android at the service podium was increasingly confused.

"This is a scam," Seraphina complained. "The flyer said it was 1,000 Aria for students!"

"Oh! You're a student," the android replied. "Apologies! The fee is now 3,500 Aria!"

"That's still more than it's supposed to be!

"No, that is the price for those in this line. After you pay you must also take this short survey. It is mandatory or you cannot enter."

"What!?"

"Do not worry," the android assured her. "If you pay 7,000 Aria then the test is no longer mandatory!"

"What kind of racket is this," Eric asked.

Max did not argue with the customer service android. She was simply acting based on her programming, and arguing with her would probably get them kicked out. They were already holding up the line as it was, and the sidewalk where the line was wasn't heated unlike the rest of the festival, so it was getting ridiculously cold as well.

Max took out his card, paid the fee, and when a little pop-up screen came up, a short survey was given. The questions were confusing, as they were intended to be, but Max had taken many of these tests before and already knew his way around them.

Cross out the necessary number when making the number under one million. 1000000000

He crossed out the first number instead of multiple zeroes because the test would then claim that it was unnecessary to cross out more than the 1, even though the answer would still be correct. When the others decided they would rather pay more than take the test because the questions seemed so arbitrary, they simply did not want to be at the festival anymore.

All of them were given black plastic bracelets that they had to wear or else they would be unable to stay at the festival.

"I don't feel that was worth it," Aster complained.

"What do you mean," Max asked. "Usually the fee is a lot higher!"

"Let's just try a food stall," Tiffany said, trying to lighten the mood. "They're selling ruĝabeano pastelakvo!"

She pointed at a cute stall with little pictures of fish on its holoscreen banner. They all rushed toward the food stand and got out their cards to buy some pastelakvo, but when Max lifted his hand to pay for his, a plasma barrier went up between the food stall, and they were blocked.

"So sorry, but you do not have the right access level to the food stalls," the customer service android informed them.

"It's fine, I didn't plan on eating at a culture festival," Eric shouted at her. "I definitely did not skip breakfast!"

"Yes sir! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!"

Aster had to drag Eric away before he committed a crime by hurting the android, and they left to find a food stall that would serve them food. None did, but thankfully the vending machines did not require a higher access level.

It was already 4 PM, and they had arrived at the festival at 1, and as time passed their mood became more sour. Max however was no longer nervous and was having the time of his life. He found a bulletin board that showed which booths were allowed based on the color of their bracelets.

"This bulletin says we can't use any of the games in this section or go to any of the concerts," Seraphina complained. "We should take off our bracelets and just sneak in!"

"Wait, don't," Max shouted.

Seraphina ignored his warning, and with all her strength she pulled off the black bracelet. The moment she did, blank ink covered her jacket, boots, and hands.

"NO," she shouted. "I just bought these last week! NO!!"

"I tried warning you," Max mumbled.

"This is stupid! Waiting in line won't get rid of the stupid system," Seraphina shouted. "Your stupid 'principles' ruined my clothes, made me wait twice as long, pay TWICE as MUCH and-"

Tiffany gently placed her hand on Seraphina's shoulder and she stopped screaming. People were watching, glaring even, and a few started hissing. The hissing was one of the rudest insults someone could give in the Empire, and Seraphina started to feel scared. The other people at the festival did not want the things ruining their fun outing!

They were even in the wrong section! None of the stalls there could be used by them, and they were wasting their time being there!

How horrid!

"Just come to the bathroom with me," Tiffany told her. "Let's clean you up."

She said it gently, because she saw the fear on Seraphina's face, and noticed her hands trembling and tears forming.

"Okay," she replied quietly.

They slowly walked away, with eyes on them from the entire crowd, and tried to find a bathroom stall. After searching for two minutes, Tiffany and Seraphina found one, but they could not enter. There was no denied access to a bathroom because it was illegal of course, but the other women standing in line saw the black ink all over Tiffany's hands and Seraphina's body.

They did not want animals in their bathroom.

It was just not sanitary.

They stood outside, waiting until everyone was gone to finally have a chance to go inside. When they walked inside and finally had the chance to use the bathroom, it felt humiliating. When Tiffany was inside the stall, doing her business, a loud banging came from the door.

"Get out of there," a man's voice shouted.

"Eat my shit," Tiffany yelled.

The man yelled various slurs at her, and Tiffany took out her pocket knife from her purse and prepared to defend herself. The stall was shaking and rattling, and the lock was coming loose. She gripped her knife tighter and worried about Seraphina, because she wasn't as tough as she pretended to be.

The rattling on the door stopped, and another person entered the bathroom stall.

"I think you should leave," Max said.

The man walked right up to him and spat in his face.

Tiffany felt her back ache because the pressure dropped in the area. She opened the stall door slightly and saw Max glowing. He seemed to be breathing nothing but anger, even the electricity crackling around him was a dark red.

"I didn't get any sleep last night sir," Max said. "I'm very tired and impatient. I just want to have fun."

The bald man nodded rapidly, agreeing to whatever Max said so he would not be fried alive.

"It would be nice if you could leave," Max continued. "We're all having a rough day is all."

Max put his hand on the man's shoulder and gripped it hard. He grunted in pain, nodded rapidly, and then excused himself. He bolted right out the door and never looked back.

When he left, Max calmed down, and Tiffany came rushing out of the stall. Her smile lit up the room and she wasn't worried about Max being able to take care of himself.

"You're too sweet for this world," she said. "I was about to stab him in the eye."

"Please don't," Max replied.

Tiffany promised she would not stab him as long as he did not get within two inches of her. She washed her hands and was about to leave when Max asked her a question.

"Can I stay," Max asked.

"What do you mean," Tiffany asked.

Max turned red and started to sweat, and his chest ached, as every inner conflict made his anxious brain believe it was life or death.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

"I... still feel nervous about using the men's room," he admitted. "Can I pee in here please?"

A loud flush echoed in the bathroom and Seraphina was heard cackling from one of the stalls.

"I don't care what's in your pants, Max. Just wash your hands," Tiffany said with a sigh.

When they finished up, they all went outside, but there were now a crowd of angry women outside. They were complaining about how they had to wait for the restroom to be cleaned before they could use it again because animals went inside.

A Kuraga woman using a wooden cane, with green hair and red eyes pushed her way to the front of the crowd and smiled when she saw Max.

"I heard about a Weaver using electricity in the women's room," she giggled.

"Definitely not me," Max lied.

"I can see what others cannot," she said. "Your outer appearance has changed, but your soul is still the same. Just like me!"

"Guys, run," Max shouted.

"But why," Seraphina asked.

"Sera, please don't get us killed today," Tiffany pleaded.

Tiffany rolled her eyes, grabbed Seraphina by the arm, and took off with her. The Kuraga woman paid them no mind because they weren't her target.

"Please come with me," she asked Max. "I've heard so much about you."

"Nope."

He walked away and tried to meet up with the others near the bulletin board. When he arrived, he saw the same woman there, sitting on a nearby bench. She was talking to Aster, deep in conversation, and Max was thrown for a loop.

"You use a cane, how did you get here before me," Max asked.

"Don't worry about that," she replied. "Come with me I'd like you to meet my sisters!"

"She's not dangerous, don't worry," Aster replied.

"Aster, listen," Eric said. "The last time we went out a lady with magical powers followed us and tried to kidnap him. Get away from her now!"

"We were just talking about the injustice of everything you've suffered today," the woman said. "I invited Aster here to come join my social group of other people who want to fight to stop this horrible system."

Max did not trust her words. The way she said some of the words sounded very rehearsed like she had said it many times before. He shook his head, no, but the woman wouldn't listen to reason.

"If you ever change your mind, here is my card," she said.

She gave a purple card to Aster and he put it in his pocket. He was the only one who waved goodbye and didn't believe the others when they said she was dangerous.

"Don't join her cult," Eric warned him.

"It doesn't sound like a cult the way she described it," he replied.

"Oh, so it's an MLM scheme then," Eric laughed.

"Guys, take this seriously," Tiffany said. "What if she still follows us?"

"Don't worry about it, I can go walk in the direction she did, just to see if she's still there," Aster said.

He got up from the bench, and they anxiously waited for a few minutes. When he returned he was running, and his face had gone pale.

"Come with me," he shouted.

They ran with him, and he brought them to an alley. In the alley was a pile of clothes, the same sweater, sneakers, and pants the woman was wearing.

"Dude, gross," Eric said.

"Yeah I'm ready to go home now," Max agreed.

"A shame she's insane because she was really making a lot of sense earlier-"

Everyone groaned and this just solidified Aster's interest in the strange group the woman was talking about. They made their way out of the dark alley and finally started to leave the Vintro festival.

"You know guys, I never really understood until today how hard it is being uh....well I don't want to use the word," Aster said.

"Undesirable," Max said. "That's what we are."

"Yes! No! What I meant was that I didn't really get what you went through until today, and I'm so sorry Max."

"You didn't do anything."

"That's the problem," Aster agreed. "Being a bystander is being a part of the problem. I'm going to do something to help you."

Tiffany rolled her eyes and whispered to Seraphina.

"I bet you he's doing this to impress him," Tiffany whispered. "There is no way possible Max will fall for this."

He did.

"Oh...that's so nice of you Aster," Max replied. " I didn't know you cared that much about equal rights."

"Psh, of course I do! I even donate to charity!"

Eric snorted and shook his head.

Aster told Max all the plans he had to do something about the evil that was keeping good hardworking people down! It was their job, as defenders of Aria to root out evil, and change the system from the inside out! There was no way possible Aster's loyalist views of the Empire conflicted with what he was telling Max, of course. He told Max that all systems are naturally flawed and that switching to something evil like democracy would bring more problems than necessary.

Max was very gullible and believed many of the things he said. He was listening to Aster when he tripped in the crowd and fell flat on his face.

"Oh I am so sorry, I think I bumped into you," a man said.

"It's okay, it happens," Max replied.

The friendly man extended his hand, and helped Max get up, but did not let go of his hand.

"I'm sorry sir I don't-"

The man grabbed Max close and he tried to push him away. A large gust of wind propelled them into the air, and Max let out a high-pitched shriek. Everyone in the festival looked into the sky as a kidnapping occurred in broad daylight and panic ensued. Mothers clutched their children closer, and a rush for the exit was made.

Aster flew off into the sky to find Max but couldn't. He couldn't go as high as he wanted because his powers were weaker in the city. His panic made it worse, and he didn't stay in the air for very long. He landed near his car and met the others who were waiting for him.

"What do we do," Seraphina asked.

"Look, the police are here," Tiffany shouted. "We can ask them for help!"

Tiffany ran over to a police car and tried speaking with them for a few moments. She didn't spend very long and came back to Aster's car, shaking in anger.

"They didn't even listen. They think I'm an Undesirable because of this STUPID bracelet and ignored me," Tiffany shouted.

"So there's only one option left," Eric said. "We get him ourselves."

"That's right," Aster agreed. "No man left behind."