Young Writers Society

The Beginning:

The year is 3051 and everything has changed. What is our duty? Our duty is to continue the growth of our world.
For the longest time sickness, famine, pollution, war, and poverty has plagued the planet towards an early grave. It wasn't until the world was at its breaking point that it finally came together to solve these issues. A treaty was signed in 2052 bringing an era of peace amongst all of the world's greatest land masses after the end of the third World War. In honor of the new era, the founders built a city to be the center of the new revolution. They named the city Columba, and from its foundations grew the council.
The council is made up of all the Union leaders, and the elected Commander. Under this rule, wars are no longer catastrophic, and instead there is order.
Columba takes pride in being the world center for all kinds of people. It calls to great minds all around the world with its amazing education and technological opportunities.
That is where you come in. The future is inspiring its new generation of leaders, and the World Center Academy wants you! Young elites come from all over the world to receive their education at this school, and you have just received your letter. Its up to you whether you accept or decline your invitation.

Just remember. Peace does not last forever, and the future is full of more opportunities than you think

This story will build with age. And with every building you must start with the foundation.
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The Letter:

July 14th 3051
(Chosen Student name)
(Colony and Union Name)

To Whom It May Concern,

Congratulations. We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for admission in our prestigious institution to the World Center Academy 6 year (11th grade to Senior in College) Program based on your merit in recent written examinations, and academic performance. You are aware that admission to the World Center Academy is an achievement for a meritorious student who aspires for a distinguished career. We are people who believe in practical teaching and making the student socially viable and useful.

Your original certificates are kept with the administration department and you have to report for admission with the select requisite fee for the first year through a demand draft in favor of your directors. The last date for reporting for admission is August 20th 3051, and in case of failure to report on that date , the offer will be cancelled and adjusted for the next eligible candidate.

Your first year at the World Center Academy will be spent determining if you have the skills to maintain a position in our elite system. With our 1000 year anniversary approaching, it is imperative that our school be at its finest. We hope to see you in August.

With all Best Wishes,

Madame Bolshevik

Director of the World Center Academy

Columba

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Getting started:

All the info you need to know is below the template!

Your job is to create your characters case file for the school records.

Template:

Code: Select all

[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age: (Between 16-24)[/b]
[b]Description(Include Picture if possible)[/b]
[b]Origin Colony and Union(Make up colony name)[/b]
[b]Family references:[/b]
[b]History:[/b]
[b]Main Field of Study(Examples below)[/b]
[b]Skills:[/b]
[b]Weaknesses:[/b]
[b]Hobbies:[/b]
[b]Other:[/b]

Occupation Examples:
Police Force
Professional Hacker
Medical Field
Pilot
Mechanic or Inventor
Political Advisor (Going into leadership and law)
Technical Analyst
Bioengineering
Historian
Cuisine Studies
Etc.

If you want to add or recommend a different occupation just PM me!!

Note** The school is not very Arts related so if you choose an occupation like that be aware that I may not accept it. Although I do have an open mind!


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Concept Photos below to get a feel of the world

New World Borders:

or the link
http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/fut ... 0310183058

The City:


The Technology:


The Academy:


Fashion:


The Government:

Sometimes it's the people we care the most about that turn us into monsters. It was the people I hated the most that turned me into a monster.

This nightmare is getting predictable. Every night I walk through the blazing streets, watching buildings crumble to ash as flame consumes them. Every night, I trail my hand through the fire, and every night I die by a flaming blade. I always know it's a dream, and I always fear it. My entire home city is burning to the ground, and it all revolves around me somehow. No matter. I simply need to die within the dream to be brought back to the real world. I continue to walk down the streets as a high reaching building crumbles and falls toward me. I walk away unscathed. Only one thing will destroy me in this dream. I reach the top of a skyscraper and come face to face with my undoing. Standing at the edge, cloaked in a blue flame is the one thing I truly fear. The flaming figure turns and plunges a red-hot weapon into my chest.

"Wake up sir." echoes a voice from inside my head. I bolt up in my bed, covered in a cold sweat. "You have thirty minutes before you are scheduled to leave."

I turn on my room lights, getting out of bed. "Thanks, Alpha." I reply to the voice and walk to my bathroom. I take a quick shower and mess with my hair to make it look somewhat decent. I head to my wardrobe and throw on a loose, black shirt. I find my prosthetic arm, setting it in place. My bag had already been packed, so I leave my room, and exit the vast complex of my house. I walk the very streets of my nightmare, heading towards the Transportation Hub. I stop to buy some coffee, and continue my way down the streets. When I reach the doors, I toss my cup in the trash, and head into the large, domed building. I purchase a ticket, and wait at the train platform. A few minutes later, a white bullet train slows down into the station.

"Academy Train B will be leaving the station in five minutes." announces the departure system. I walk into the train, and find a seat. I put my bag above in the storage compartment, and sit down. A few minutes later, the train departs. It's still pretty early in the morning, so I ease into my seat, and close my eyes. After a few minutes, I doze off, finding myself back in my ever persistent nightmare. This time, I'm exactly where I fell asleep. I stay in my spot for a few moments before the first flames appear. Within seconds, the train is ablaze, glass windows shattering, and seats exploding into a fierce blaze. The fire wove around my body, touching and striking at it, but never inflicting pain. The train melted around me, yet I still moved at incredible speeds. I could see the entire world ablaze, and sitting at its peak was my greatest fear. This dream felt different than others. I had had dreams in which I was in a different place, but every time the outcome was the same.

"You are powerless, weak, cowardly, and above all else, a fool." hisses a voice from within the blaze. I look at the fire curling around my body. I flex my left arm, and the flames coil tighter. I flick my hand open, and the flame bends off into the distance. I outstretch my arm, and close my eyes. Once again, a molten fury burns into my heart.

I snap awake, panting a little. Someone's standing next to me, a curious expression on their face.

"Hey, mind if I sit with you?" they ask, and I close my eyes and nod.

Raeyna Clark

"RAE RAE! RAE RAE!" I woke to the screaming voices of small children and my body being repeatedly bounced off of my mattress.

"Guys. I love you. But I love sleep way more." I rolled over and tried to ignore the noise and the little girl bouncing on my bed. You'd be surprised what I've learned to sleep through.

"But RAAAAEEEEEEYYYYYNNNNAAAAAAA!" One of the kids yelled, "I WENT POTTY ALL BY MYSELF!"

I sat up quicker than a bullet flying through the barrel of a gun.

"You did what?!?!?" I exclaimed.

It was little Zane. He was 4 years old and had struggled unusually long with potty training. For the last 3 weeks I'd had to wake him up in the middle of the night to take him to the bathroom so he wouldn't wet his bed.

I immediately got up and lifted Zane onto my hip. "That's amazing news!" I told him. "Look at you, growing up!" He just gave me one of those little kid grins and buried his head shyly into my shoulder.

Don't get me wrong. I was grumpy. I didn't love being woken up in the morning by screaming children, but I also didn't love dealing with crying children. I'd made the mistake of snapping at them the first couple of times they woke me. That was way worse.

I jammed my feet into my slippers and carried Zane from where I slept, through the girls' sleeping quarters and into the dining hall.

The orphanage was pretty small, housing just over 70 children. The old foster care system was still in place, but there were too many children and not enough homes. The kids the government referred to as "the leftovers" resided at places like this. The goal was to cycle kids out with adoption, but most of the time, like me, they just aged out.

I walked into the kitchen and opened the instacook system. It was badly outdated and worked slowly, but it worked at least. I put in the packets of dehydrated food, poured in water, and watched as the machine whirred and steamed. It would be done in about twenty minutes. The newer machines worked instantaneously and you didn't need water. The food tasted better that way, too.

I walked out of the kitchen and back to my room. Well, room was a bit of an exaggeration. A little over a hundred years ago, it was a janitors closet and smelled of antiseptic and old rubber. After the newer cleaning systems were created, there was no need. So the caregivers at the orphanage, Helena and and Patrick, had cleaned out the closet and put a bed in there for me. There was just enough room for the small twin bed, a tiny walkway and some milk crates in front of the wall. The bed was made up by a quilt Helena had made for me when I was a little girl. She'd tried to adopt me but was unable to because of a government ethics clause.

I shut the door and pushed a milk crate in front of it, I didn't want the kids walking in on me. As I pulled off my leggings and my sleep shirt, goosebumps formed on my flesh, sending shivers down my spine. The fibers of my denim pants gripped my legs as I put them on, automatically tightening to fit my shape, the fabric of my top and black leather vest worked the same way. Most clothing did, unless you shopped at vintage stores. Which I did.

Lastly were my heeled boots, the straps tightened securely around my ankles and I was dressed. Everything in this society was minimal effort, minimal cost, the easiest way possible.

I left my little closet to find the kids making their beds. That was the routine, they woke me up and I would put breakfast on, they made their beds, changed clothes, and put their nightclothes in the big laundry bin to be washed. Of course, that was automatic as well.

"Raeyna, my blankie ripped again," said Beck as I walked by. Beck was about 10 years old and her blanket was all she had left of her parents. We didn't have the modern sewing machines, we couldn't afford them. I mended most of their things by hand.

"Okay, sweetie. Make your bed for now and I'll sew it up for you before lights out, alright?" she nodded and sat back to read a battered copy of Donald Trump, The Last U.S. President. She loved to read.

I continued to walk towards the kitchen where the food was just finishing up. Hitting a button, I popped the machine open with a quite hiss and began spooning large quantities of food onto platters. One of the older kids, Jeremiah, came in to help. He was 17 and not the most intelligent in a scholarly way, but had a good heart and a talent for mechanics. We just called him Remy for short.

"Helena told me there's a message for you on the teleboard." He was referring to the outdated telescreen we had, it was an earlier model that came in the form of a board on the wall that could not be detached.

I raised an eyebrow, "Did she send you here to tell me that?"

"Yes. I saw what was in the message for a few seconds before she turned off the screen. It was from some school."

I stopped. "School? I did my schooling here, just like you."

"No, the fancy school, The Academy. I didn't see much else about it." The Academy was located about an hour away in the better part of town. That wasn't the official name, but that's what we called it.

"Are you sure you saw it correctly?" I asked him, putting the platters onto larger serving trays before opening the door to the kitchen.

"I'm positive. Helena told me to take care of breakfast. You need to go see her right away," Remy chewed on his lip. "Are you going away, Rae?" He and I had practically grown up together. We weren't best friends, but we were friends. You had to be friends with everybody in a place like this.

"No, Rems, I'm not," I said, handing him the platter, "Do what Helena told you, keep an eye on the kids. This should only take a few minutes. Patrick will be here in a little bit anyway to take the boys through their lessons."

He nodded before promptly walking away.


***

When I entered Helena's office, She was wearing worn trousers, flats, and a sweater. Her back was turned towards me and her head was in her hands.

"Lena?" I called softly, knocking on the door.

She looked up and gestured for me to enter. Modern doors normally slid open with the press of a button but these were manual. They were old.

"Hello, Raeyna," she said. Her hair was graying and lines adorned her eyes and her brow. Helena had both frown lines and laugh lines, she was an expressive woman. She had to be, to get along with children.

She sat down in the armchair behind the modest desk, using the remote to turn on the outdated teleboard.

"The Academy wants you, Rae," she said, her voice solemn.

"I'm not going. Remy told me they want me there but I can't imagine wh-"

"They saw your artwork in the paper, your photography. They want you to study art and then work for the government. This is the best thing that could've possibly happened to you, Rae, you're talented and you'll want for nothing in your adult life."

"No, Lena, the best thing that could happen to me is to one day run this place. I love these kids, they love me. My place is here." I insisted.

"This place might not be here for much longer. They need the money they give us for something else."

"Where will the kids go?" I protested angrily, "They'll be on the streets!"

"No, they'll go to group homes, or to privatized foster homes. Or, worse yet, they'll go to a larger orphanage," she grimaced. Larger orphanages were essentially crime houses. Most of the time you enter as a criminal, and if you don't, you certainly leave as one. There have been hundreds of stories of abused, neglected children. They got food, clothing, and not much else. I tried to picture Zane or Beck in one of these homes, and I broke.

"You're only 19," she said, "You have nowhere to go."

"I'll get a job," I argued, "You don't have to pay me, you can stay open. I can help contribute to costs. I can find work!"

"How? With what education?"

I fell silent, finally accepting that she was right.

"When do I leave?" I asked, my heart plummeting into my stomach.

"Tomorrow."

Ezra Hughes

People always ask me why every year I take the long route through the city. Of course I know there is a railway station 5 minutes from the academy, but that makes no difference to me. In truth, I exit from the railway that ends towards the lower class sectors of the city. That extra 45 minutes of walking gives me time to think. Time to see behind the facade of the great imperial Columba with its towering skyscrapers and its blinding bright lights. It's always easier to pretend something is perfect when you don't look to close. But my mother once told me, it's when you truly look close that you find the qualities that make something actually beautiful.

I've always been drawn to the poorer sectors of Columba, and the dark coves in which the details hide. Everything is so different below than it is above but in some small way it's the same. A darker, dirtier and more desperate form of life that in a way is almost more valuable.

I stop at a bench to sketch a woman playing with her young child, next to the trinket booth I can only assume they own. The child is laughing and the mother smiles, but her eyes are tired and the worry etched into the lines on her face quickly tell the simple tale of their poverty. She couldn't be much older than 30, but time has done its part to age her.

Without any thought, I rise from my spot on the bench to buy a small necklace from the woman. She smiles as she collects my money, and thanks me for my time. I walk away, ignoring her calls of the extra money I “left” at her booth. I know what the face of a hardworking mother looks like, and I also know the joy of knowing your child's belly will be full that night. For I have seen it in the aged eyes of my own mother. A woman who taught me to notice the small details of the bigger picture.

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After a few more detours of sketching, I finally arrive at the gates of the school. It's strange that no matter how many years pass, the academy never seems to change from the outside.

It is later than usual when I arrive at the academy for check in. I make my way towards the main office sector, and stand in one of the many lines leading to information desks. It isn't long before my telescreen brightens to life with a message notification from my cousin.

A: Hey are you here yet?

E: Just arrived. Waiting in line now.

A: You said you landed in the city a little under two hours ago. The railway ride is only 15 minutes from there to here.

E: I hit a detour.

A: Yeah no kidding. Your mom was chewing me out trying to figure out if you were dead or not. Did you turn off your telescreen again?

E: You know me so well Ari.

A: Idiot. Do me a favor and call your mom soon.

E: I'll make it up to you.

A: Yeah yeah. This is the last time I save your ass.

E: No it isn't.

No reply and I smile. It's always been easy to get on Arden’s nerves. Especially on days when she is stressed out like today.

Eventually the line dies down, and I am face to face to an older woman with dark hair pulled tightly into a low bun, and large dark rimmed glasses balancing on the edge of her nose.

“Name please.” Her voice is monotoned and uninterested. Clearly she has been here for a while.

“Ezra Hughes.” I say holding out my ID chip. She scans the top, and searches through her computer to find my page. After finding it, she shows me the holographic paper of all my information. I nod swiping the holographic file from the view of others. “Thanks.” I say quickly, and she nods her head sending me on my way.

By the time I make it to the assigned dorms, the floor is already packed with movers trying maneuver through their clutter. I nearly trip three times before making it to my doorway. Luckily enough, I just so happen to be rooming with the one kid who isn’t unpacking at this very moment. With the room to myself, I take a quick breather at my desk chair to shake off the craziness of the floor.

“Well, it's now or never.” I sigh pushing myself from the chair. I stare at the one lonely suitcase on my bed. On the outside it appears like an old suitcase not able to hold even a few books, but in reality it’s quite the opposite. Sometimes it's nice having a world class inventor as an uncle. He named the invention The Mary Poppins. I’m not quite sure what it's referencing, but I assume it's cool considering the invention. I place my thumb against the finger scanner, and wait for the satisfying click. Before I can even blink, everything I packed is presented in front of me on a conveyor belt of sorts. I quickly tuck my things into my designated part of the room, and close the suitcase. With a huff I sit down again.

After a few minutes of silence, I finally pull out my telescreen to message Arden.

E: Hey. You there?

A: Yup. What’s up?

E: All unpacked. Hey, make sure to thank your dad for the Mary Poppins. Works like a champ.

A: I’ll let him know. Excitingly enough, those babies will be hitting the shelves soon!

E: That’s awesome! Happy to always be a guinea pig.

A: Same tho.

A: Hey you wanting to head to the clubs fair soon? I think Bolshevik is gonna make an announcement.

E: Yeah, I’ll meet up with you now. Which floor?

A: F.

E: Really? I am too.

A: Weird, but cool. I’m in room 12 if ya wanna meet me there.

E: Okay I’ll be there in a second.

I turn off the blue light of my telescreen, and grab my bag heading for the door. I pull out of my room so fast I knock straight into someone carrying WAY more than they should by themselves. She is clearly new.

“Oh sorry.” The stranger winces. “I didn’t hurt you did I? I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“I don’t see how you could.” I laugh. “There are two boxes currently covering your face.” She quietly laughs along with me, and sets down the boxes revealing her face. Quickly, I find myself extremely caught off guard by the blue of her eyes. We stare at each other a few good moments before she finally speaks up.

“Anyways, Sorry again about the whole running into you thing.”

“Uh. Its no problem. Honestly, I’m pretty sure I ran into you.” I run my hand along the back of my neck.”And considering all the stuff, I’d say you kind of needed help in the first place.”

“Oh uh- I’ve got it covered. Its nothing I can’t handle.”

“Well, I see. Anyways, where ya headed?”

“Dorm 12.”

“Small world.”

“Wait- you’re in dorm 12?” Her face turns pink, and I burst into laughter.

“No, no, no. My cousin Arden is in that dorm.” I laugh again. “This floor may be co-ed, but it's not that co-ed.”

“Oh.” She laughs nervously. “That’s a relief. Is she cool?” She asks.

“Kind of a nutcase, but in the best way.”

“...Well that's a relief. I think?”

“It’s okay. She’s cool. I was actually headed that way anyways if you need some help carrying the rest of this load. Or are you all covered?” I ask jokingly.

“Well, they do say chivalry is not dead.” She says handing me a box. We both smile, and walk off towards dorm 12.

“Oh, and I’m Ezra by the way.”

“It’s nice to meet you Ezra.”

Maneria Ferguson

Manny furrowed her brows in concentration, the splattering of honeyed colored freckles wrinkling upon her nose. She was squished into the farthest nook of her train seat, her knees jabbed into the cushion in front of her, and her heavy boots dangling in the open air below them. Her hazel eyes stared intently at the Air Screen in her lap, and her thumb flicked and rotated furiously on a small animation of a joystick in the bottom right corner of the screen, which brightened with an array of colors each time her callused thumb twitched. In that moment nothing existed for her but the small brightly colored blob that she controlled and the hounding little ghost men that plagued it.



Manny jerked at the sudden intrusion of the pleasant female voice, jarring to her ears (she had the sound too loud, she always has the sound too loud). When she looked back to her Air Screen, the blob had been consumed, and the bouncing letters YOU LOST, TRY AGAIN? ricocheted off of the barriers of the Air Screen. Hurriedly, she tapped the off button on the tablet, stuffed it into her backpack, and waved at her headset sensor to switch on her music.

She stood from her seat as the same female voice informed her via wireless connection to her headset that the train would be leaving the station soon. She scooped her duffel bag over her shoulder, throwing it directly over her backpack, before hurtling for the doors closest to her former seat. The doors brushed her arms as she shoved herself through.

Manny huffed, sagging over from her top-heavy load, and glanced about the tram stop. People walked around her, absorbed into their own headsets and whatever feed they were looking at that moment, oblivious to her as if she were nothing more than the Plexiglas walls. It was as busy as it ever was during this time of year.

"Cosmos."

A soft beep came from her backpack as her assistant AI awoke and detached itself from the specialized nook on her bag. Cosmos, his four hover blades floating gracefully off of his sleek white body, focalized his single lens, his shutters shrinking and expanding until he was fully awake. A blue light blinked at her, signaling that he was connecting to the city's grid. The same light blinked in the corner of Manny's headset screen.

"Hello, Maneria."

"Cosmos, I need the directions to World Center Academy, Terminal... D." Manny had already turned away, throwing her duffel bag onto the floor for her to rifle through. She pulled out her hoverboard, pressing her thumb to the I.D. scanner located right behind its front turbine. With a startled whir, its twin turbines came to life with a bright flash of florescent pink, the thin strip of programming that ran through the two plates of hardened glass that made up its body lighting up the same way. Manny dropped it to the side and it caught itself and stabilized, patiently waiting, as she re-zipped up her duffel bag and threw it over her shoulder.

"Directions to World Center Academy Terminal D found. Would you like to begin route?"

"Yes, Cosmos. Link onto headset and go on standby."

"Going on standby and establishing link." Cosmos retreated back onto her bag as the small loading symbol for Cosmos' brand rotated in the corner of her vision. A small map appeared, revealing the path she needed to take. Now coming from her headset, Cosmos said through her music, "Link established. Starting route. Take a right on avenue... "

Manny placed a foot onto her hoverboard, testing her weight momentarily, before jumping on. The board buckled under the extra weight, its turbines whining and nearly glancing off of the ground, before it stabilized, now adjusted to the extra load. She nudged it forward and soon she was out from under the cover of the station.

Columba was a city made for admiration.

With its gilded chrome buildings, made out of specialized material that drank up every last ounce of light to convert into energy; its skyscrapers that stretched their stiletto apexes into the realm of the cloudless sky, bursting with rich greenery on every possible surface; its flawless interconnecting grid-powered bridges, made for hoverboards and the hover cars that flowed over the street level to reach sections of buildings higher off of the ground - Columba was painstakingly unalike her hometown, where travelers were highly likely to get lost in its deep belly of an interconnecting haze of walkways, catacombs, and hazardous rifts in the earth, where the earthquakes hadn't been so kind.

Manny breathed in the fresh air. She could never think lowly of her home, even if it wasn't as beautiful as a megacity like Columba - but, this city was impossible not to compare. Despite her never wanting to have come to this school in the first place, despite the countless hours she had spent so far working towards a career she already had going for her back home, and despite the constant pressure on her to do something besides building machines with her brain, she couldn't deny the elegance and allure Columba and its philosophy held to her.

Freedom.

Coda Hall

I had already unpacked my bag. My clothes and the few belongings I'd deemed important enough to bring were already neatly tucked away. Lying on my bed, all I could seem to focus on was the unearthly white of the ceiling. How the shadows from the ceiling fan seemed to swim around the tiles in a listless dance. I pushed myself up, mind buzzing uneasily from the inactivity. I drifted to the window and swept aside the filmy curtains. People bustled around below me, eyed fixed on the ground, hustling with purposeful steps. They all looked roughly the same from above. I shifted my focus to the line in front of the school that was slowly inching forward. The variation in that line was slightly more refreshing compared to the rest of the city. All sorts of different attitudes flowing into the building. I could easily pick out the bored faces of the older students from the brighter ones of the new. I stood there awhile, leaned sideways against the wall, studying the features of person after person. Behind me the door squeaked open and clacked closed.

"...Oh!" The voice was soft and a bit squeaky, then the girl coughed, attempting to clear her throat. "Hello! I'm Manny, your roommate, I think?" She spoke with a intonation that seemed like a mix of Asian cultures.

Behind her, I could hear her grunt as she tossed her items onto the unmarked bed.
I glanced quickly behind me and nodded a greeting. "Nice to meet you."
The girl smiled and I turned my attention back to the window. Another girl was staggering up the line with a bunch of cardboard boxes stacked in her arms. I watched her, sizing her up against the other students with their sleek suitcases. stealing another look behind me, I saw my roommate was still standing in the doorway. My eyes flicked back to the window. "You should probably move."

"Move?" She glanced behind her, then nervously at the bed. Her freckled cheeks were beginning to flush.

"Yes." My eyes did't leave the window. "Out of the doorway."

"O-Oh, yes!" From the corner of my eye, I watched her as she jerked awkwardly over to her bed, leaning against it casually, though everything in her stance was stiff and painfully forced. "I'm a mech major, how about you?"
I could feel the Manny's eyes pricking at my back and I turned around, meeting her questioning gaze steadily.
"Law Enforcement."

"Oh!... Sounds fun." She paused for a moment, fiddling with a loose strand on her baggy pants. "... Like the military?"

"Police force." I corrected her. "They most likely wouldn't let me into the military program even if I had tried." I had a hard enough time getting in as it is...

"Oh... ok." Silence filled the room, the only sound the slight plunk plunk her anxious fingers made on her pant's lining. Her face was flushing more now, tinging her ears, and I was about to turn back to the window when she exclaimed, "Oh! I hope you don't mind that I have a bot with me. The Academy gave hi- it, to me when I came here. You know, one of those scholarship things? Well anyways, it can be loud at times, mostly when it's talking, but he'll be off for most of the time when he's in here. Is that okay with you?"

She turned around and unhooked an egg-shaped white bot from her smaller bag, showing it to me in example. "It's off right now, but..."

She turned it around in her hand, coughed, and then placed it on the bed, her hands tucking behind her back. I shrugged a little. "As long as it doesn't interfere with my work, it's fine."
Manny nodded. "Okay." Another pregnant pause.

She turned and began to rifle through her belongings and unpacking them. I turned back to the window, lazily searching for the ambling tower of old fashioned cardboard boxes. After a minute or two, she tentatively asked, "So... where are you from?"

Against my will, my spine stiffened a little. I forced myself to keep looking ahead. "North American Union."

"Oh, which part?"

My hands gripped the windowsill tightly. "It's a pretty big city. Lots of large businesses there."

"That's cool. What about siblings?"

I turned back around."You ask a lot of questions, don't you?"

"Oh, I didn't mean to..." Her voice trailed off, dissolving into a heavier silence.
I sighed a little through my nostrils. "They'll be starting orientation soon. I should go." I pushed off the windowsill and headed to the door. "You should get ready as well." without waiting for a reply, I let the door swing shut behind me.

Knox Fierro

The towering structure of the academy loomed over me as I craned my neck to see the top. I could hardly believe my eyes, I had finally made it. The years of hard work had paid off, every night up late trying to learn English had been worth it. Every extra delivery to raise money had borne fruit, everything my family had done led me here. I wanted to whoop with joy, my thoughts raced a million miles an hour as I made my way to the entrance.

A wiry woman with large dark glasses that made her squinty eyes look two times bigger than they actually were stood behind a desk. She looked tired and run down already. I checked my watch and looked back to her knowing exactly how she felt.

"Name please." She said the same way she must have said hundreds of times before.

"Knox Fierro, would you like an empanada?" I asked reaching into my bag and retrieving one of the warm pastries my Abuela had made me.

"Thank you young man!" She said taking the empanada from my hand. Smiling and with a little more light in her eyes she sent me on my way.

I walked inside and stood near the door staring at my holographic paper.

¿A dónde voy?

I managed to read the part about my dorm and I followed the holographic signs hanging from the ceiling. With a lot of luck I ended up in a basic grey room with stark walls and two twin sized beds. It was connected to a larger space that I decided I could explore after unpacking.

I dropped my ruck sack on the bed and opened the duffel bag I had been dragging along behind me. There wasn't much inside it and I had just put away the last of my clothing when I heard someone come in behind me.

"Oh uh hey! You startled me. You must be Knox. I'm Ezra Hughes. Your roommate" A male voice said.

I turned at the sound wondering how he knew my name until I remembered the paper I was mostly unable to read. The boy standing in front of me was a few inches taller than me, with dirty blond hair and big brown eyes. He stood comfortably as if he had been here before. My eyes rested on his earring and necklace briefly before I noticed he was holding out his hand. I offered my hand in return, hopefully I was making a good impression.

"Nice to meet you!" I said slowly to get the words right.

"So? You new here?" He asked, still standing in the door.

"Yes this is my first year at the academy" I said looking around the room. "It is a large school."

"Your accent. You must be from Old Spain right?" Ezra asked.

"Yes yes. Do you know any Spanish?" I asked hoping my new roommate could make conversation a little easier.

"Un poco. Suficiente para pasar" He answered in my native tongue. I frowned Only enough to get by he had said.

"Si a mi tambien en Ingles" I responded testing his knowledge.

"Well then, looks like we'll have to help each other out." He smiled plopping down onto his bed.

"I have been trying to practice however I require more learning" I informed him. I smiled and put my now empty suitcase under my bed so I could sit across from him.

"Well your definitely at the right place for learning." He sighed before adding, "I can't help but notice you have hearing aids" He said pointing to his own ear.

I frowned at the observation and stiffened as I remembered the difficulties of my youth.

"I am deaf" I said slowly "a..... mistake in my childhood" I left it at that. Even if I had known the words I was not ready for a stranger, no matter how much time we would spend together, to know the details.

"I wont ask. I'm not one to judge when it comes to childhood mistakes. My little sister had some hearing issues after getting sick once. So I kind of get where you're coming from. Not that I have any idea what its like." Ezra said.

I let out a breathe I didn't know I had been holding. Acepta me!

"I can hear most of the time now and I know sign language" I sputtered happily. "It is easier these days. Thank you for not question me about the mistake. I don't know the words" I explained.

I let silence pass between us for a moment before asking a question that had been plaguing me since I left home.

"If my hearing aids don't work... do you know any sign language?"

"Once again...I only know enough to get by. But I'll try my best if the time arises."

I laughed to cover up my disappointment but also as I imagined my older brothers learning to sign. "do you have a sign name?" I asked to gauge what he meant by 'enough to get by.'

"No actually." he responded.

I brightened and leaned forward a bit. I was excited to give a name to somebody who actually wanted one. At home it had been a while since I could give anyone a name. My family was easy and the first ones I named. However most of the neighborhood did not like my method of communication very much so I hadn't had the chance in years.

"I wish I knew you better. What do you like to do?"

"Art." He said after a moment.

"Do you paint?" I asked as my mind filled with signs. It felt like magic to use language this way.

"Not really. More sketching than anything. I enjoy architecture."

I thought about this carefully because I wanted to select the perfect sign for Ezra. After a moment I gasped having succeeded.

"Look" I said.

I made both my hands into the letter E and repeatedly placed one on top of the other as if stacking blocks then I separated them and raised them parallel to each other. The name seemed very fitting.

"The letter E and the sign for building" I explained slowly.

"Thats really cool of you. Thanks." He said trying the hand movement. Suddenly his phone dinged from a message. "Oh hey orientation starts in a few. We should probably head out."

I thought about the word 'orientation' carefully trying to remember what that was. I signed similar sounding words to try and catch the meaning. I could sign in American Sign Language easily and the motions helped me to remember how to say things in English. However this time nothing was helping.

"We go?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said standing up.

I nodded and grabbed my rucksack of empanadas and memorabilia. I didn't know where I was going or when I would be back.

Then I followed Ezra out of the room and into the unknown.

Ashir Blackfire

To be everything, you must first be nothing. To be a hero, you must be a villain. To be human, you must have been a monster.

I had already broken something by the time I unpacked. There goes another data card. I suppose it was a good thing I only had a few terabytes of useless information on that specific card. It was also a good thing I had so little to unpack, just clothes and some of my tools for messing with my arm. I'd have to do that later, however, as orientation was going to start in a while. I removed some of the orange plates that covered my right arm, exposing black bio-mesh. Although completely synthetic, the arm functioned mostly like normal humans would. I stepped out of my dorm room, heading down a long hallway to one of the many elevators.

"Hey, hold that door for a moment!" I shouted, jogging to the elevator. There were two boys already inside, both a little older than I. I got inside the roomy space just before the doors closed. "Hey, thanks," I said, picking up a small cube that I dropped off of the ground. Pocketing it, I looked at the two boys in the elevator with me.

"No problem," said the older one. I let out a sigh, fiddling with my shoulder. Looks like the socket would need some work as well. Running a hand through my hair, I looked through the glass window housed within the elevator. The academy was huge, sprawling with hundreds of thousands of students.

"Man, more and more people keep coming here each year," I muttered. Turning around, the elevator doors opened. We all stepped out, walking in the same general direction. When we got to a balcony overlooking the floor below, and some stairs. "Oh I never caught your guys names," I said, turning.

"I'm Ezra," said the one who held the door. I nodded, turning to the other boy. He didn't say anything for a moment, but after Ezra nudged him a little, he spoke.

"Oh, I'm Knox, Knox Fierro, sorry," he said quietly, holding out his hand. I shook it, turning back around and heading down the stairs. I followed the crowd heading to a large section of the building. Year two orientation was going to be a pain to get through, but hey, still gotta get through it. I walked into the gigantic room, heading down even more stairs. A notification from Alpha distracted me for a moment, and I tripped, falling down several stairs.

"Could you not right now?" I grunted, shutting down Alpha. Having made a complete fool of myself, I got up calmly, then continued down the stairs. What a fantastic start to the day. Sitting down in an empty seat, I waited for the orientation to start.

It was the day. The day to move out. To leave the rolling hills of San Francisco and go to the World Center Academy to study zoology. To the very best university I could possibly have been accepted into. And yet, as I looked back across the lush green fields I wondered what I was walking into.

My stuff was all packed and ready to go. I'd take the rather obscene underground hover train to the city and then fly to Columba from there. However, I'd be leaving behind the cats who I'd trained since I was small, the horse who I rode out hunting. The dogs in the kennel at the Police Station, the ravens and crows and jays that had learned to know my call. But, most painstakingly, I would have to leave my hawk.

She was on my fist now, rousing contentedly. She wasn't any of the newfangled hybrids, but an old-fashioned Peregrine that I'd caught in her juvenile year instead of raising her. We'd spent countless hours hunting gulls, pigeon, quail, and doves by the beach and on the farm. I remembered when I rode out here, trailing behind the dogs as they flushed up game. I'd slip the falcon and she'd climb thousands of feet, so high I could see her no longer. Then, like a bullet, she'd fall from the sky, wings tucked in. The bang was audible as she collided with her prey in the air. I would nudge my steed into a canter and we'd run to her. Then, once her prey was dead, we'd just sit, breathing in the salty wind.

I struck the hood and pulled it from her head. She shook her head and fluffed her feathers, getting her bearings. With the utmost care I removed her equipment and wiped the last bit of blood from her beak. The wind was perfect as I tipped my hand, casting the now-free falcon off.

"Farewell," I muttered as I turned and began walking back down to my home, my heart heavy and vision blurred.

____________________________________________________________________________

My muscles ached from stiffness after sitting for so long. I was used to moving, working, all day, every day. With a groan and dropped my bags on my bed. The room was small and simple, but homely. A small teleboard hung on the wall near the door. Other than that, it consisted of a bed, a nightstand, a closet, a dresser, and a bathroom. There was a second bedspace across the room, but I wasn't sure if that was just because they didn't have a single room or if it was because I had a roommate.

I quickly unpacked and put my devices- a small, old-style mobile phone and a tablet. I wondered if they'd let me keep a cat. Sometimes people were fine with cats, but not other animals. Or maybe a jay. Would that be too messy for them?

I opened the window that looked out onto a splendid view of the colorful city Columba. For most I supposed it would be paradise- newfangled tech, wonderful schools, billions of stores and options for food or drink or toys. But for me, it was anything but a utopia. There needed to be more animals.

A flock of Rock Pigeons flew about the city. Perhaps there was a resident Peregrine nest that ate the pigeons. Maybe, just maybe, might they let me get a hawk? Oh, maybe I could do a 'school experiment' with one of the birds that were part tech, or an experimental hybrid. Those were known for their extreme intelligence and versatility, with the adaptability of a living creature but the learning capacity and obedience of a machine. I still had my old bird's equipment in my bag. I wasn't sure why I'd brought it, but there was room so I shoved it in.

Was there a store out there with the new equipment, of the best materials? Maybe some of the hoods that were rarer and more elusive that I couldn't get in the country. Oh, maybe there were some exotic animals!

I didn't have to go anywhere else that day. I had the rest of the afternoon and evening free to myself. An idea began forming in my mind. Columba had a Police Station too, of course, but their dogs would be much more expensive and capable than the ones at home...

Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all.

Apathy Statham

"Apathy, it's time to wake up!" I heard someone say with a very monotone voice. But I stirred in my bed, assuming I was still dreaming. But, just a beat later, the same voice came again. "Apathy, you have to wake or else you'll miss you train!"

The voice became more emotional, anger leaked through. "Do you want to not go to this school?"

Opening my eyes, I sat up and realized that I was not dreaming. It was the day, they very day my whole life will change. I'll be able to do what I dreamed of. Looking over at my bedside table, I saw my little robot, he resembled a robotic toy of a dog. His eyes were flashing blue, signalling that he would speak again, so he could try to wake me.

I picked him up, he barely weighed anything, and looked at him for just a moment. This is what started my love for programming and hacking. This little guy was never intended to be a helper, a friend. And I've changed him.

"I've taught you well," I smiled at it. "I am awake, Charlie."

"About time!" His little mouth flashed blue as he spoke. "You would have missed your train!"

When I first started hacking and programming into him, he didn't really know much about regular human interaction. He was meant to help with studying, ask all sorts of questions and have all the answers. But, a conversation? It wasn't wired in his computer. So I transformed his AI abilities into something more. I introduced conversation to him. The alarms I'd set for myself started with myself recording my voice into him, and he learned what I spoke, and just repeated it until he learned how to properly react on his own without repeating what I said, just assuming on his own.

But that's just the start.

"I know, I know," I sighed. "I'm gonna go wash up, alert me for when it's time to go..."

"Of course Apathy." and his face faded away, the lights turned off.

After my shower and getting ready, I went to the kitchen. I found my mother and father sitting at the dining table with their coffees in hand. They each had their computers floating in front of them, a hologram from their phones.

"Morning," I said with a weak smile.

My mother looked up at me, "Apathy dear, how was your sleep? Are you excited for your first day?" She had a genuine smile on her face that calmed my nerves. Everyone said my mother and I were identical, except for her black hair.

"It was good, I wish I could sleep longer though," I let out a short laugh, "But I cannot wait to go to school."

"Go ahead and sleep longer, A." My father but in, anger licking his tone. "Cause that's all you ever do... who cares about school, right?" He didn't even look away from his computer as he spoke to me like I was a failure.

My heart raced as my breath quickened. I didn't know if I should say something back, or yell, or cry. Tears pricked my eyes as the tension set in thick. I walked over to the coffee maker and tapped the screen, asking for a small latte.

"Right dad, cause I don't care about school." I hissed under my breath as quietly as I could. "You fuck,"

"Did you say something Apathy?" He asked, making my skin crawl. Did he hear me?

"Just talking to myself." I replied with fake joy.

"Nothing better to do. Why don't you get ready for school instead of wasting my time?"

Anger started to rise in my body second by second as I walked the coffee drip into my cup from the machine. I could feel my fathers' presence behind me and all I wanted to do was rip his head off.

I grabbed the cup from the stand and turned on my heel, facing the table. He was still staring at his computer as my mother drank her coffee quietly.

"Why don't you stop being a fucking dick?" I hissed through my teeth.

Silence filled the room, you could hear a pin drop and cut the tension with a butter knife. Now is when he finally looked away from his computer, his face red and eyes wide. I did resemble my father in some ways, but I care not to say how.

My mom had placed her cup down and went back to typing away on her computer, trying to stay free from his wrath.

"Is that a way you should be speaking to your father?" He yelled. "Katryn, tell your daughter to get her damn act together!" He faced my mother, who reacted by practically falling off her chair.

"I'm your daughter too, scum bag!" I retorted. "And I would love to not admit it either."

Something happened in me that I couldn't hold anything back. I don't know what it was, but I was just a bit scared... for my mother. I was leaving, but she wasn't. What if he takes his anger on me, on her?

"Apathy, I'm warning you." He stood up from the table, "Don't test me. You might not be going to this Academy after all. Why would they want you anyway?"

"Maybe because they see what a screwed up father I have and want to help me. Fuck off, alright?"

***

The wind was cool, cool enough to calm all my anxieties. I stood at the train station, watching people walk by me. Millions of people passed around, talking among each other or keeping to themselves. I had my luggage's with me, ready for my new life. Somewhere better.

There were a few kids my age, wandering about the platform. Maybe they were going to the Academy too?

"A, are you nervous?" Charlie asked me.

I was wearing ear phones and he was connected to them through my phone. I had him in my backpack for safe keeping, He could read me, how I felt. If I was hungry or if I was sad.

"Maybe a little," I said.

"Do not worry, you will be great."

Smiling, I said, "Thanks, Chuck."

My train came up, calling to me. It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders. It was time, time for a new life, new friends, new... everything.

"New message from, Mom. May I read it?" He asked as I pulled my heavy luggages' behind me to the train, skipping around the hoards of people.

"Sure, go ahead." I said.

"Apathy, I love you so much. Have fun on your journey. I'll be staying at your Aunt Wilhemina's for a while... if you need me. Call me."

I smiled, feeling my heart skip a beat. She was leaving my dad? The train floated above the platform in all its' beautiful glory. I gave my suitcases to a baggage handler, and he took care of them.

Time to go.