The next morning, in the basement of the Vyxora highrise, Yuna stood over a sleeping Dante. He lay motionless above the covers of the bed, with a wire running from his neck into a wall port. A nibbled-at food tray sat upon a nearby table. She prodded him with a shove. No reaction. She then gave a few light taps to his cheek and again, no reaction. She wound up before slapping his cheek hard.
“Ou—!” Dante shouted. Yuna muffled his mouth with her other hand. She leaned in close as his eyes darted awake. They soon fell upon the tip of the familiar dagger that pressed against his cheek. He felt her oppressive gaze.
“Mom said you can stay here. Fine. She and Reina are always taking in strays. But I want you to know I don’t trust you,” Yuna said. “If you’re ever alone, assume I’m watching. If you have any ulterior motives, I will find out. And know that if you give me reason, any reason, to doubt you, I won’t hesitate to gut and flay you alive. Understood?”
“Mmhm.” Dante nodded.
“Good.” Yuna withdrew. As she did, she noticed how red Dante’s cheek had become. She licked her thumb and rubbed his cheek with it. “My bad, overdid the slap a bit. Wake up faster next time.”
‘Next time’? Dante thought.
Yuna approached the door, and it slid open to reveal Celeste about to knock, with a plate of breakfast in her other hand.
“Mom?” Yuna asked, startled.
“Yuna? What’re you doing?” Celeste asked.
“Nothing, just a friendly wake-up call. If you’ll excuse me, Reina’s waiting.” In haste, Yuna averted her gaze while attempting to slip past. As she did, Celeste gave her a light thwack on the back of the head.
“Ow, what was that for?” Yuna glanced back.
Celeste strode in, and as the door closed, spoke. “Don’t threaten our guests.”
“How does she always fuckin’ know?” Yuna swore under her breath as she rubbed her head.
“Yuna!” Reina called.
Meanwhile, Celeste approached Dante, who rubbed his cheek.
“That girl, I swear. Are you alright, hun?” Celeste placed the plate and her swift movement to Dante’s side startled him as she inspected his cheek. “What’d she do?”
“Uhhhh,” Dante mumbled.
“Not gonna tattle, hun? Even though, knowing her, she threatened your life?”
“I, uhm.”
“Hmm.” Celeste had a warm, gentle smile that caused Dante to fidget. “I see. Well, apologies for my daughter all the same. She’d do anything to protect Vyxora, as would I.” He felt a shiver as he met her gaze. “Oops, that sounded like a threat. Sorry, hun.” She chuckled as she withdrew. “Anyway. I see you barely touched your dinner?”
“Ah, yeah. What time is it?”
“Eight a.m.”
“Oh.”
“When you’d go to sleep?”
“Seven, maybe?”
“Oh my. Are you a night owl like my Reina?”
“I tend to sleep based around my raid times.”
“Yer what?”
“Er, nevermind. Very odd hours though, yes, I guess.”
“Hun, did ya pass out? Yer still plugged in.” Celeste gestured to the wire.
“Must have. Kinda fell down a rabbit hole.”
“You what?”
Dante sat up and unplugged the wire. It receded into his neck. “Research. When I get on the hunt for something, I can’t stop till I find something to scratch that itch.”
“Wait a minute, have you been researchin’ since—?”
“Since I left your home? Yeah, pretty much.”
“Yer not supposed to sacrifice your health for this, ya darn fool!”
“Huh? No, no. This is normal for me. Like I just said, once I get sifting through sites, forums, comments, posts, etcetera, I gotta keep going until I find what I’m looking for.” Dante noticed Celeste’s worried expression. It caused an unfamiliar sensation. “Really, I’m fine Mrs. Vy—. Celeste. I’m used to this.” He gestured with palms open, unsure of his own behavior.
“Hmm.” Celeste observed.
“Anyway, I have good and bad news.”
“Already? ‘Good and bad’, you say?”
“Yeah. Bad news is, there’s not enough money in it so no companies have made proper adapters. However, the good news is, several hobbyists have been able to retrofit ALTRs to work with similar situations.” Dante slipped into an enthusiastic jargon-filled tangent, explaining what he discovered. After a bit, Celeste stopped him.
“Hold it, hun. You’ve completely lost me.”
Dante noticed Celeste’s glazed look. “Ah, bad habit. To summarize, it’s possible. Though, some bad news I kind of forgot… I’m not really much of a tinkerer. I might’ve jumped the gun.”
“Whattya mean?”
“Kinda, maybe, ordered a bunch of equipment already. It’s dawning on me now that I’m not equipped for this. Especially with the risks involved.”
“‘Risks’? Are you sayin’ this could be dangerous for my Reina?”
“Well, of course. ALTR is pretty sophisticated tech that intercepts signals from the brain. It has several safeguards but—”
“Nevermind, hun. You can drop it.” Celeste shook her head.
“Wait, wait! I just meant I’m not capable.” Dante shifted his legs off the bed. “If we can find a skilled engineer of sorts, they can make the modifications with minimal risk.”
“I don’t know…” Celeste paced.
“Does Vyxora employ or work with any? What about whoever made that cat? They’d have the skills, for sure.”
“Oh. Of course. Them.” Celeste lingered.
“They should also be able to alleviate any of the doubts I just created, hopefully, assuming they’re familiar with ALTR.”
“Hmm, I suppose. They’re a right pain in the behind, though.”
“Like, troublesome to deal with?”
“Understatement, hun. Will they really be able to ensure Reina’s safety?”
“Well, I can’t guarantee, but shouldn’t you at least hear it from them instead of me?”
Celeste sighed. “Hmm. I s’pose. They do adore Reina, even viewing her as a granddaughter. They’d let me know, surely? But still…”
“It’s already too late to cancel the orders, but I can handle all the returning, if you decide not to. But, uh, like, oh! I know. You should see some testimonials from people in similar situations. Let me show you some comments and videos. Hold on.”
Celeste glanced at Dante as he hurriedly plugged back into the wall. “I know I put you up to this, hun, but I clearly didn’t give it enough thought. Nor did I think it’d happen so quick. I let myself get swept up in the excitement of finding something for my Reina. However.”
“Just chill. Er, I mean, hold that thought, alright? I bookmarked a bunch.” At a frantic pace, Dante’s eyes flickered as a paused video appeared on a nearby monitor. Additional windows popped up of social media and forum comments.
“Why’re you so gung-ho about this, hun?” Celeste approached.
“A day without ALTR is a wasted day.”
Celeste opened her mouth to speak but stopped as she watched more and more windows flood the screen. Is the boy just this passionate, or something else? He really must’ve been at it for nigh twenty hours.
Dante outlined many comments praising the effect ALTR had on similarly incapacitated individuals. After playing a heartfelt video, Celeste wiped her eyes and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Alright, you got me. You get some sleep now. I’ve got baking to do,” Celeste said.
Without another word, Celeste guided Dante with ease into his pillow, unplugged him, and tucked him into bed. By the time he registered what had happened, she stood at the door. The lights went out.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
“I’ll see you later.” Celeste exited.
“Is… feels... like… mother?” Dante mumbled as he drifted into sleep.
Meanwhile, in the adjacent room, Yuna did squats while the monitors changed in rapid succession above. Reina-cat sat in the chair. Celeste dashed past.
“Sorry Yuna, hun, no lunch today.” Celeste left the room.
“Huh? Mom was still here?” Yuna stopped and turned.
“Mama’s here?” Reina asked.
“She’s gone already.”
“Probably was discussing her project with Dante.”
“Her what?”
“After she told me she invited him to stay, she said he’d be helping her with some project. Wouldn’t tell me what it was and that it’s a ‘surprise.’“
“The hell’s she thinking? What could she want help with from him? Does she really not care he’s from those Legion clowns?”
“Did you forget how he helped us?”
“And what if that was all a scheme? His eyes are shifty and his behavior’s suspicious. I don’t trust him.”
“‘Shifty?’” Reina giggled. “You think everyone not-Vyxora is planning something. You watch too many shows and, more often than not, they’re just intimidated by you. Anyway, even if I have my doubts, you know no one can judge character better than Mama.”
“Yeah… still, I won’t let my guard down. Whatever. Why’re you up so early?”
“I got an alert from a broker. I’m trying to find out if anything else has leaked now.”
“You’ve been sleeping too little, Reina. How many hours have you even slept the last few days?”
“I know, I know. But you don’t get how crazy things are right now. The darknet’s filled with all kinds of insane speculation and rumors. Everything from a simple assassination to a world war inducing event.”
“A war? C’mon Reina, seriously? It’s just a dead gang leader.”
“It’s not as outlandish as you might think, Yuna. Sure, war hasn’t been profitable for decades, especially for major powers. But! If a corporation or government had a massive technological edge over their rivals? They might talk themselves into using it.”
“That’s…”
“Scary. However, it’s also highly improbable for a bunch of reasons. The least of being, there hasn’t even been another incident yet.”
“My brain’s not equipped for such talk.” Yuna rubbed her temple. “What’s so important that you’re sacrificing sleep?”
“Oh. Right, sorry, I didn’t say, did I? The other night, not long after you were there, the arena was attacked, and supposedly, something’s been found. Rumor is, it’s the weapon. So far it’s unconfirmed, though.”
“Are you telling me I could’ve seen some real action if I hadn’t kidnapped that guy?” Yuna lamented.
“And then what would’ve happened with Nero?” Reina chastised.
“Ah. Good point.”
Later that day, a groggy Dante followed Celeste out into the basement hall, past Reina’s empty terminal. They each held a sizable food container, those often used for sweets or casseroles.
“How far is it?” Dante stumbled along drowsily.
“Elevator. You’ve walked past it, hun,” Celeste said.
“There’s an elevator? What? To where?”
“Re-purposed underground parking lot. Only place for our most troublesome tenants. Hurry along now, there’s a prime time for this.”
“‘Prime time’? Huh?”
“The Nezins hold their daily competition soon. The best time to ask for a favor is after one wins. It’s a small window.” Celeste sighed. “They really are such pains. If we’re lucky, we’ll get there during the match.”
“I’m very lost.”
“It’ll make more sense soon.” They entered an elevator. “I s’pose I should prepare you a bit. Time’s short. To put it plainly, Elias and Sophia Nezin are geniuses. Temperamental, pain-in-the-behind and trouble-making, geniuses. Elias built Reina’s cat, while Sophia built the sparrow. They’re in a constant state of quarreling and a never-ending competition with each other, ever since they were kids. They made a wager on who could stack up five wins over the other first. That was fifty years ago, supposedly.”
“Uh. Wow.”
“Ridiculous. Very. It’s hard to believe, I know. Should give you an idea of who we’re dealing with. But long story short, their competition got themselves fired and eventually blackballed by most of the corps in Lyrsium. They ended up here. Admittedly, a fitting place for outcast geniuses.”
The elevator stopped, and as the doors opened, the pair witnessed a bizarre sight. A wall divided the area, except for an enormous glass cube embedded halfway. It appeared to be an arena of sorts, as two robotic creatures several feet high battled within. They looked like variants of the ancient Tyrannosaurus Rex. On the left side, an elderly man stood behind a blast shield with a controller. The man had a fastidious appearance, with a dapper suit and well-groomed hair. On the right, an identical sight for an elderly woman. She had a wild appearance in contrast, with a greased up jumpsuit and long gray hair flowing every which way.
A miniature missile battery unloaded from the back of the left T-Rex. The barrage of explosions inflicted severe damage on the right. As it fell, it chomped through the midsection of the left. Then, small humanoid figures ejected from the heads of the T-Rexes. They looked like simple toy action figures. After landing, the left pulled a bazooka from its back and fired a plastic-looking projectile. After traveling midway to the other, it exploded as a beam of energy cut through. The explosion obfuscated the entire cube while the beam incinerated the left figure. It had fired from the right’s chest. The man whipped his controller into the ground, smashing it into pieces.
“Okay, Sophia won. Which do I have?” Celeste peaked in her container. “Here.” She swapped containers with the stunned Dante. “Crazy sight, I know. They’re always competing in different ways. Fifty years is a long time. Move along now. Just politely give Elias those sweet treats, so he’s distracted while I give Sophia these salty ones.” She shoved him towards Elias, then moved toward Sophia at a brisk pace.
Dante stumbled and for the first time took in the rest of the area as he walked toward a wallowing Elias. It became obvious the parking area had long since been transformed into an extensive workshop. Tools, scraps, machinery, terminals, and countless half-finished projects littered the area, albeit in an organized manner. Elias shouted obscenities as he kicked the blast shield, then winced in pain.
“I should’ve known, old fool! Thought you’d get the jump on her, eh? Dumbass,” Elias grumbled. “How long you been hiding that tech, Soph! Damn you! I was so close!”
“No, ya weren’t, you old fart!” Sophia yelled. “You just got lucky the last few days. Another week and I’ll end this once and for all!” Above the cube, on both sides of the wall, a grand digital counter displayed the numbers ‘17,738 - 17,741’. The ‘17,738’ incremented to ‘17,739’.
“In your dreams, hag! Just you wait until tomorrow.”
“Ha! You—” Sophia stopped as she noticed Celeste only a short distance away. Her side of the workshop reflected Elias’, except in contrast, it had a chaotic and haphazard appearance. “Celeste? What’re you doing here? We fixed the ceiling and improved the arena as requested. You shouldn’t have heard anything. Are you here to rain on my triumph? Did you see, though? And all of Elias bellyachin’.” She laughed heartily.
“No, no, dearest Sophia. I saw, and I appreciate your efforts. Congratulations. Here, your favorites.” Celeste opened and presented the container to Sophia.
“Oh my, Celeste’s peanut brittle. Simply wicked.” Sophia broke a piece and bit into it. “Did you know of my victory beforehand?”
“Sure. Listen, Sophia, before you start on your next project, I have a favor to ask.”
“I appreciate the treats, Celeste. However, I’m quite busy and my preparations are already underway. Time’s of the essence. If you could just leave those over there, I’ll gladly use them for fuel.” Sophia snapped off another piece before scurrying away to the nearest workbench.
“It’s important, Sophia, for Reina.”
“Reina?” Sophia stopped and turned. “Reina… I haven’t seen her for a while, now that you mention her. Is she okay?”
“Oh, don’t worry, she’s perfectly fine. I just need your help.”
Meanwhile, Elias picked up the pieces of the broken controller with great care while grumbling. Dante went unnoticed as he nearly stood over Elias.
“Why’d that hag suddenly shut her trap?” Elias looked toward Sophia’s side. Dante stepped forward, offering the container.
“Elias, sir, uh, treats? For you?” Dante stammered.
“What? Who the hell’re you?” Elias looked at the disheveled Dante. “Nevermind, I don’t care. Get out of here, don’t want what you’re selling. How’d you get in here? Nevermind. Don’t care, I got work to do.” He picked up the last pieces of the controller.
“Oh, er, ah. Celeste. Celeste made these for you.” Dante opened the lid.
“Celeste? Oh-ho. Her brownies.” Elias stared and reached out, only to pull back. “Hold on, I’ve got to wash my hands.” Elias dashed away in haste. He placed the parts onto a workbench with care, then washed his hands in a nearby sink thoroughly. Dante watched in bewilderment all the while until he returned.
“Just the thing to get my juices flowing. Hold still now, lad.” To Dante’s visible surprise, Elias produced a collapsible plate from his jacket. He then pulled out a tool that morphed into a knife, while his other hand already held a fork. He excised a brownie precisely, then carefully cut into it on the plate.
“Finally!” Sophia yelled.
“Shh. Can you keep it down?” Celeste asked.
“Let’s see… where should I start? That stubborn girl refused me every time, not that I tried that hard to convince her, but still.” Sophia laughed heartily as she started shifting through a pile of parts.
“What’re you cackling about, crone?” Elias asked. He had walked through a seamless, now-open doorway next to the cube. A befuddled Dante followed behind, with the plated brownie atop the container in his arms.
“Nunya business, loser. Get outta my shop.”
“Celeste? What’s this about? You should know not to trust the crazy bat with anything important.” Elias confronted Celeste.
“Ha! She came to me because she knows I’m the best option possible. And faster.”
“Wait, Sophia. Let me be very clear. I don’t care about speed. Safety is the priority,” Celeste said.
“Of course, of course, Celeste. Don’t worry your pretty little head. Ah! Here it is.”
“That’s an ALTR module.” Elias shuffled to see. He looked back at Celeste. “You really want to trust her with such a delicate task, Celeste? Whatever it is.”
Celeste sighed. She glanced at Dante, who gave an apologetic look. I knew this wouldn’t go smoothly, but how do I avoid these pains competing over this like they did with the cat and bird? And countless other things. Gives me a headache just thinking about it.
“Are you two capable of modifying a Z8920 Elysium model ALTR to work well with Reina’s situation?” Dante asked.
“Aha! And don’t be ridiculous, lad,” Elias said.
“Child’s play, kid,” Sophia said.
“Heard of a little game called Branded—?” Elias and Sophia turned and spoke in unison.
“Merc?” Elias said.
“Hero?” Sophia said.
“Wait a minute.” Dante’s face lit up with excitement. “Are you saying you made the ‘Branded’ series? The innovations of those games were mind blowing! Those are in my S tier, easily.”
“Elite?” Dante glanced at Elias, who nodded.
“Sophistry?” Dante glanced at Sophia, who nodded.
“You literally changed how ALTRs were being made. Incredible. Am I dreaming?” Dante gave a passionate recounting of both games. The others couldn’t bring themselves to interrupt.
“Well, hot damn kid, you really know your stuff,” Sophia said.
“Few were able to appreciate those nuances. I’m impressed, lad,” Elias said.
“Who are you, anyway?” Elias and Sophia asked.
“Oh, my bad. Dante.”
A short time later, Celeste rode up in the elevator, alone.
“I can’t believe I convinced them to work together for once.” Celeste breathed a sigh of relief. “Harping about it being for Reina really helped, but that outburst of passion from Dante sure softened them up. Not that I understood any of it. Didn’t even know they made such things. Knowing them, must’ve been another contest.”
A week later, early morning, a haggard Dante drowsily exited the adjoining bathroom of his basement bedroom. Yuna stood in the doorway opposite, startling him.
“You.” Yuna pointed at Dante. By the time he took a single step backward on instinct, she lifted him off his feet in an embrace. He immediately found it difficult to breathe and tapped her shoulder with his fingertips.
Is this how I’m going to die? Dante thought.
“You’re an alright guy.” Yuna lessened her embrace.
Dante coughed as the breath returned to his lungs. “What?” Yuna continued to hold him aloft as she spoke near his ear.
“I can’t remember ever seeing Reina’s face like that. Just thinking of her bright smile and cheerful face sets my heart aflutter. She wouldn’t shut up about ALTR. It was wonderful. Magnificent. Splendorous. Using such big words isn’t like me. Yet even they don’t do it justice. Thanks.”
“Oh, uh, sure.” Dante coughed. “No problem. Thought you were maybe here to kill me?”
“Always a possibility. But. I’ll accept you. For now.” Yuna squeezed again, to which Dante tapped out. “It can always be arranged. Get me?” She released and lowered him to his feet.
“I think… something cracked.” Dante gasped.
“You’ll be fine.” Yuna slapped his shoulder with a chuckle. “Shouldn’t you be more grateful? Getting a hug from such a beauty?”
Dante recovered while rubbing his ribs. “Huh? I don’t really give much thought to physie girls. Though you smelled a lot better than expected.” He stopped, his face went pale as the words left his lips. He glanced at Yuna. To his great surprise, she had a toothy grin.
“Ha. You’re not the first to say that.”