Author's Preface
Akane Kisaragi woke up to the soft orange glow of her stress light nodes, still dimmed for nighttime.
A familiar ceiling. Gentle off-white, with hexagonal designs. A window slowly opened just smidge as she pressed a button on the wall.
“Yaawwn… it should be about time,” she whispered to herself. She pulled out her phone - a long paper thin rectangle, almost transparent. It lit up with a single tap to the screen.
5:01 am. Alongside a photo of herself alongside three others, smiling and posing in different ways.
An old man with messy grey hair and circular glasses, his eyes shining with warm excitement, on one side. On the other side, an old woman with a neat grey bob cut, a more muted yet still proud smile on her face.
In the middle, a neat, sharp face with long silky black hair and pretty blue eyes stared right back at itself.
Akane stopped to smile at the photo for a second… but rested her phone on the bedside table for now.
The bathroom lights automatically flickered on as she stepped inside. Her automated toothbrush went to work on its own. Then some ZedOxi mist - The Only Sunscreen Replacement You’ll EVER Need! - and she was ready.
“Mmm. Simple. Light… I’ll probably come home before heading to class,” Akane murmured, now idling in front of her antique wooden closet. She mused for a bit more - before picking out a light blue half-zip hoodie and black biker shorts. Tied her hair into a loose ponytail. And headed down the stairs.
“Mom…?” Akane called out briefly, walking out into a dark living room. She briefly looked around.
No other lights on. No one sitting in their favorite heated recliner chair. And no one sitting at the kitchen island, an old-fashioned newspaper in hand.
The young woman made sure to slowly tiptoe out of the house - closing the door quietly behind her.
“Miki, start the run timer and breath analysis,” Akane called out softly.
“Yes, Miss Akane! FIGHT ONNNN~! Break your records today! COOOL~!” responded a cute chibi voice, squeaking out of the phone kept securely in place at her hip.
Akane let out a soft giggle, and then… stepped into motion.
Leaving her homely three bedroom apartment behind, and out into the city.
Soft breaths, measured and efficient. Head up straight. Elbows at an exact 90 degree position. A slight forward lean. And eyes that kept straight ahead.
Her photopolymer resin sneakers tapped against the synthetic concrete. The cool breeze brushing past. Heavy air in her lungs. Her own pulse slowly rising. It was… a good burn.
“Hmm… I can pick up the pace more,” Akane thought to herself - and immediately increased her strides and effort.
“... Do crystal flies breed asexually? They don’t have sexual organs, I think. But there’s always so many in the summer.” Akane lightly swatted a few away. “Ah, it’s so hot outside… should’ve worn a sports bra…”
At her easy yet fast pace, Akane passed few storefronts and glowing ads across the buildings.
“Hmm. Those cute kohler bears,” she thought to herself - spotting the giant fuzzy creatures on a zoo advertisement. “ … I wonder if they get too hot in the summer… must be like a furnace…”
Meanwhile, the morning in Ostia City was peaceful.
Barely any other person was also inhabiting the streets, giving Akane plenty of room to jog as she liked.
A small delivery droid rolled past on tiny wheels, his headlights blinking “H-E-L-L-O” on loop.
One Myr businessman was idly strolling by, his fungal three-fingered hand clutching a matte pink briefcase.
“Hello. Greetings. Good run,” he droned, still managing to sound polite and just a little friendly.
Akane flashed him a brief smile - but sped on ahead, her jog increasing in speed.
“Miss Akane, GO GO! Almost done! You are a superstar! GO GO! You are amazing! GO GO-”
She pressed a single button and drowned out Miki for now… as she broke into a run.
Heart pumping in her ears. Speeding down the streets, past the highrise buildings, past the local park.
…
A nearby officelady sitting in her hovercar was humming along, just a few feet above ground. Taking it relatively easy, a comfy 25 mph. A morning commute route for those taking their time, while the early speedsters zoomed along in the highway airspace above.
“So, if I arrive at five forty five, I’ll have time to- whoa!!!”
The lady’s eyes widened as she witnessed some black haired high schooler outpacing her by almost double that speed.
“That’s gotta be one of them Flux-gifted folk…!”
…
“ Faster. Faster. Faster…!”
The world in front of her blurred. Akane could barely comprehend the storeowners setting up shops, glancing at the black blur running past them.
“ Freedom… this speed, this cool air…this is the second best high…!”
She held it for another stretch of the road. The wind whipping at her skin, ponytail flying around everywhere - until the big city junction opened up, up in the near distance.
The buildings became recognizable again… and Akane’s lungs slowed down. That beating in her ears became louder. And her legs became less of a blur.
“Hah… hah… how was that, Miki…?” Akane panted, already wiping the sweat from her brow. She was bent over, hands on her knees, catching her breath for a good moment.
“... Miki? Oh. Right. I muted you.”
Once the high of the superspeed run had calmed down, Akane stood up, leaning back against a nearby Burger Planet.
The city slowly came to life. By now, the low thrum of traffic was already settling in. More and more hovercars were visible just in front, occupying both the high-speed lanes and the commute lanes. Pedestrians were more common. And all the dim streetlamps turned off entirely.
With her back against the wall, Akane took her holophone off her hip. Started to unlock it, and scan… when something caught her eye.
There.
Right there, a bit high above ground level. Slowly scrolling across a billboard on a high-rise building, was an ad.
A group of individuals in formal, high-collared, baby blue military uniforms, saluting. The latest military-grade spaceships behind them, with an image of a frontier planet
“Chart the Unknown. Walk the Frontier. Hold the Line,” Akane muttered. She held that stare for a while, seemingly lost in even more thought.
But her moment of introspection was interrupted by the buzzing of her phone.
“Ah?” Akane unlocked her phone and checked the notification… and the corners of her lips shifted into a soft smile.
“Yeah. Don’t worry,” she murmured, sending a voice memo to the one who’d just texted her. “Let’s meet up after school ends, Rinne. It’s only a half-day, after all.”
And Akane’s slow, cooldown walk back home began.
The large courtyard was already warm by mid-morning, sunlight pooling gold across the green field. Two young women - clad in the high school uniforms of the nearby Remuria High - sat on a realistic stone bench, the faint hums of hovercraft transport in the background.
A digital bell rang out three times, slow and measured between each sound. School had ended early for the day.
“So you’re like, deadset on Horizon Aegis? But… you got like, accepted to every other uni. And I hear Aegis is dead last in terms of partying.”
“That’s not the point of college, Rinne.”
“... but like, are you sure?”
“Yeah. Some people care about their futures.”
“But I doooo! Ugh, I’m already thinking about what to eat for lunch today… and which planet I wanna visit this summer~”
Akane groaned - crossing her arms, blowing her raven-black bangs out of her eyes. “Rinne. Please. Didn't you say you wanted to go to the same Academy as me? It’s been our dream for years…” her eyes softened at the end, her bottom lip quivering. “I can’t handle college without my best friend. You know how much I’ve wanted Aegis.”
“S-stop it, ‘Kane! Shit. You know when you get all totally genuine, I just…” a flush of red came across warm brown skin. Rinne’s soft green eyes trembled out of emotion, red-black hair falling loose from its half-tie as she ducked her head.
She dug into her pocket, digi-acrylic nails flashing as she yanked out her holo-phone and started stabbing at the screen like it personally owed her money.
“You know what? Here, dammit!” Rinne huffed, strands of hair covering her face as she spun away, fingers idly playing at the collar of her uniform - the same cotton-twill blue as Akane’s, just more wrinkled.
“Hm…? What’s this?”
Akane’s calloused fingers closed around the phone before Rinne could snatch it back. She unlocked it quickly - 0221, same as always - and then scanned the screen.
“Let’s see,” she murmured, scrolling up to the top of the page first, right past the female pop idol lockscreen. “Dear Rinne Panganiban… we are delighted to inform you… that you have been accepted to Aegis Horizon?!?!”
Akane’s jaw literally dropped.
The morning sun caught the edge of her sharp profile, turning her into the exact kind of serious porcelain doll Rinne loved to poke until it cracked.
But that doll almost jumped forward, pulling Rinne into a warm embrace.
“Rinnne Panganiban!!! Y-you can’t just drop this on me out of nowhere!”
Rinne chuckled sheepishly, resting her head atop Akane’s lean shoulder. Her hands came up slowly, gently rubbing small circles across Akane’s back, the faint smell of jasmine soap clinging to her hair.
“S-sorry, girlie!” she mumbled sheepishly. “Just in case I didn’t get in, I didn’t wanna, ya know… get your hopes up or nothin’. But yeah. I’m a badass.”
“Mmm… I guess so,” Akane mumbled. “Still. I was worried about your future. Someone has to. So it’s a huge relief, Rinne…”
She sighed, the hug only tightening. No letting go, not even for a second.
“Jeez… you never really get physical until you’re emotional… it’s nice, hehe…” Rinne’s lips curled into a soft, lazy grin. “I really should get on your good side more, less teasing~”
Akane huffed - leaning back, her hands gently at Rinne’s waist now. “Yeah, maybe you should. But anyways, I’m still surprised! Let’s focus on the good news.”
Her excited expression lessened. Instead, the serious young woman had one dark eyebrow raised.
“... actually no. Wait. You didn’t cheat, right? Do I have to ask Kairn to hack the databanks again, or-”
“AKANEEEE! Ugh, be so for REAL right now! I worked hard in secretttt!” Rinne rolled her eyes, doing her best to seem mad.
For once, Akane’s soft pink lips curled into a little grin. “See? I can joke too,” she said lightheartedly. “I’m not as funny as those OmniTube podcasters or comedians, but… I’m funny when I want to be. Right?”
She then stepped back to pose with one hand on each hip, puffing out her chest just a bit.
… the very sight made Rinne burst out with laughter, the sound carrying across the courtyard, drawing a few glances from students filing toward the transit lifts.
“Laaaaame! Oh my god! ‘Kane, what even is that pose? You’re like, one of those Super Sentai Warriors that my lil bro watches, from the old civilization!”
Akane’s lips formed a small, involuntary pout. “... they’re not cool? I thought they still were.” She shifted a bit - and a small Sentai Warriors sticker on her shoulder bag went hidden.
Rinne’s laughter slowly stopped… and she shook her head, her lips settling into a small, content smile.
“Soooo cute,” she thought internally.
“Uh. I mean. If you say so, loser. Let’s just call it… nostalgic? Retro? Camp? Whatever - come on! Let’s dip. Time to celebraaaaate~”
From the courtyard to the inside of the school wasn’t very far. Just a swipe of Rinne’s keycard - and they stepped into cool, aerated, halls with light blue coloration on the bio-composite walls.
The number repeated on various panels along the sides. Information was on repeat.
A news broadcast on one side. A rerun of the Remuria High Broncos basketball game last night. Test scores. And the current rank of who had the most detentions racked up.
“So, how are we celebrating? Karaoke, movie time, orrrr that rooftop cafe?” Rinne asked, shutting her password-encrypted locker with a slight thud. .
Akane hummed, leading the way to the lift at the end of the hall. Her gait was a bit faster, a bit efficient. Little wasted movement.
“Definitely rooftop cafe. It has the best views. And… they don’t care if you smoke.”
“Awww!” Rinne moved right next to her best friend, shoulder to shoulder. Nudging her slightly, with a cheeky grin. “You’re like, such a softie today. Super soft.”
Just then - something mischievous gleamed in those bright green eyes.
Her gloved hand poked right against Akane’s cheek, and then her stomach - only for Rinne’s expression to shift.
“D-dude! You’re like, even fitter than last time?!? Is that a six pack?” She gushed. “How did I not even know? It’s like a… meat grinder?”
Soon enough, she was rubbing her hand over Akane’s stomach.
… Akane’s pale cheeks flushed. She didn’t dare look at Rinne right now - instead, her head was turned, eyes focused on other things.
The soft blue glittery sparks of Flux, common in energy dense areas like schools or laboratories. The sliding doors of the lift ahead, two freshman meekly exiting. The smell of Rinne’s coconut scented shampoo, oh so close…
Focus, Akane.
“Um… yeah. In preparation for the Academy and all,” she murmured sheepishly. “Horizon is more exploration and sciences focused, but it’s still a military university, so…”
“So you’re all prepped up for combat, huh?”
“Mhm… speaking of which, wanna-”
Rinne groaned, already stepping onto the lift. “Nope, definitely not, girliepop. You’d still beat my ass in a fight, even if I’ve been secretly training. You got accepted into Aegis easy for a reason. Duh.”
“Does that mean you shouldn’t get stronger?”.
Rinne rolled her eyes, right as they exited the building, “Uh, I didn’t say that. I meant like, you’re so strong that training with you sucks for both of us. You should really-“
“Gossiping as always… typical.”
Before the sleek sliding doors could close, a young man stepped inside the lift with them.
Short. A bit pudgy. Mussy brown hair with thick glasses. Freckled cheeks. His shirt was tucked, collar perfect. Always with lacquered rings on his fingers, and a small silver necklace around his neck. And…
A perpetual scowl.
“Oh! Glasses, heyyyy!” Rinne grinned and waved, before patting his shoulder. “We’re jettin’ out too. Totally gonna celebrate.”
“Mhm,” Akane affirmed, giving him a small nod. “Good to see you too, Kairn. Today might be one of the last days we see each other.”
“Yeah yeah…” the short hacker grumbled, already tapping the holoscreen for ground level. “Not so good to see you two as well. Definitely won’t miss the two of you.”
He huffed, crossing his arms… but staring straight ahead at the sliding doors.
A bit of red dotting his cheeks.
Akane and Rinne gave each other a small knowing look, just giggling to themselves with little smiles, and gazed ahead too.
The lift thrummed quietly, descending down at a gentle pace. Outside, they had a perfect view of Ostia City’s main city hub. Restaurants, hover-train stations, and digital arcades… all that a student really needed.
"... Aegis Horizon Academy is the real deal," Kairn suddenly remarked, fiddling with the square-shaped device on his wrist. "I mean that in the worst ways. Bureaucracy, this shitty world, a never ending cycle of helping people…"
There was a slight pause.
But Akane's expression didn't falter. Instead, she kept that small, easy smile.
"I'm well aware, Kairn," she stated softly. "It's been my dream, but I’m not naive. I've done my research. I know about the… rumors others talk about."
Kairn's jaw tightened, just slightly. He still wasn't looking at her.
"Yeah, well. Rumors don't stop people from disappearing out there." A beat. "Not trying to scare you or whatever. Just-"
The hacker exhaled, sharp through his nose, like the sentence cost him something.
"You'll be fine. You're always fine. Annoyingly fine." His grip on the wrist-device tightened. "...Just. Don't be stupid out there, alright? Whatever 'out there' ends up being."
Rinne, watching the exchange with poorly-hidden delight, opened her mouth - probably to tease Kairn - but Akane beat her to it.
"I won't," Akane declared firmly. Her hand resting on Kairn’s shoulder.
Kairn finally glanced over, just for a second. Whatever he saw in her face seemed to satisfy something in him, because he grunted and looked away again, ears a little red.
"...Good. Whatever. Don't need Rinne crying to me about it if something happens to you."
"HEY," Rinne protested, swatting his arm. "I do NOT cry that easy - "
"You cried during the noodle shop's going-out-of-business sale."
"That's DIFFERENT, that place had the BEST - "
The lift doors slid open. Ground level. Ostia City’s morning traffic hummed on, indifferent, endless, and unknowing about whatever high school banter occurred within.