Beatrice Garcia pulled her heavy luggage back along the wooden floor. The tiny wheels turned boorishly before it stopped.
"Oh, Beatrice, what's with all this stuff?! Are you going somewhere?" asked Beatrice's mother, Luca standing in the living room.
"Mom.... My flight is this evening, right? Did you forget?"
Luca laughed and waved her daughter's comment dismissively. "Of course not! Haha. I'm just kidding." She then turned to call for her second daughter, Alice who was in the kitchen.
"Sis, do you really have to go...?"
Alice's dejected expression pulled Beatrice. She patted her little sister on the shoulder. For Beatrice herself, she'd decided to continue her study in Sweden after the rebel group she was apart of disbanded. The girl was elated when she could still pursue her dream job, so she applied for her chosen course without a second thought. Of course, Beatrice's family knew this would happen. Even after a few cajoles and some prodding by Alice and Luca, the girl refused to change her mind.
Beatrice's close friends called her obstinate after she revealed this decision to them.
But who cares, right? Beatrice didn't want to make a fuss over such trivial matter. All she wanted by the end of her study was that scroll—and the benefits that would come through it.
Luca and Alice respected her decision through and through.
"But, Sis..." Alice sidled up to her sister and poked at her shoulder. "Mom and I thought about it, and we've come to the conclusion that you chose Sweden so that you can see Hope!!! Am I right?!"
"Ehhhh. N-N-No! Not really... Ah, I mean, it's not about him!" Beatrice's abashed countenance put a smile on Luca's face. In a sense, Beatrice and her decision to go to Sweden wasn't entirely because of the guy she fell in love with. She'd focused on something else other than him.
"Are you sure?" Alice chortled as she kept poking at Beatrice.
"Yes!! Anyway, why you always have to bring him up? I don't like it!"
Luca giggled at her daughter's attempt to hide her feelings. The mother had noticed it for a long time, and she never minded what Beatrice felt one bit. After all, whenever Luca found some time to be alone with Beatrice, she would ship her with Hope non-stop.
"Ugh....." Beatrice ignored Alice and pulled her luggage near the wall. "I want to study hard, and somehow help Ava and Hope in the near future. That's the only reason."
"How about being a school teacher or a professor, Beatrice?" suggested Jessie after she appeared from out of nowhere.
"Aaaah!" The Garcia family almost stumbled after hearing her voice.
"W-Where did you come from?!" asked Beatrice with a rasped breath.
"I knocked on the front door but no one answered! So I come in myself," answered Jessie with a smile.
Jessie Domitius.
A former member of The People's Light after the group dissolved and took control over Russia. She was apart of the grand rebuild process, working as a top government official, and so far the progress brought a lot of positive changes to the country. As a side note, the State Kremlin Palace, a hallmark in Russia' capital, Moscow, had finished its rebuilt exactly a week ago.
"Hope's mother, welcome. Ah, I'll prepare some drink!" Luca was about to rush to the kitchen, but Jessie said she didn't need any.
"It's fine, Luca. I'm here just to pick up Beatrice to the airport."
"What do you mean by me being a school teacher.... or a professor?" Beatrice repeated Jessie's suggestion from before.
"If you become a teacher, I'm sure you can teach Hope and Ava that way. I mean, you want to help them, ain' t it?"
"Yes.... I want to contribute to their future," said Beatrice furtively. She didn't deny that it was a good suggestion. After she got her degree, she could continue her study further and become a professor.
Beatrice nodded to herself, acknowledging the path she'd chosen.
Meanwhile, in Sweden's capital, Stockholm, a pair of kids were running up and about across a vast garden. This garden surrounded Maltyie's opulent mansion—maintained and cared for austerely. The maids taking care of the plants smiled at those two playing tags. When one of the kids, Ernestine, caught up with Elle, they both stumbled and fell down near the mansion's front gate.
"Hahaha! You're so fast, Tina!" Elle chortled and pulled Ernestine back up with her dainty hands.
"I am half-robot after all," said Ernestine.
She waved her robotic left hand at Elle, emphasizing her point. "And my leg as well. With it, I can run faster than most adults."
Elle poked at Ernestine's left foot and a resounding "Oh!" echoed. "But you're so pretty, Ernestine! Look, look! When you're wearing this dress, it covers this part that you don't like. And people will not look at it, but only at your pretty eyes and hair!"
As she patted Ernestine's head, Elle acknowledged the fluff of it and then brushed her delicate fingers through her red hair.
"Your red hair is so flowy!"
"Is it?" Ernestine never cared about her appearance that much, so her good friend's comment perturbed her a little.
"Woah! Are you a cyborg?!" said another voice.
The two little girls turned their head towards a boy—a bit younger than them—staring at Ernestine's arm through the mansion's front gate. Truly, the boy was fascinated by it judging from his sparkling eyes. The girls understood that this boy was interested in Ernestine's mechanical half-body. However, Ernestine herself didn't understand why. Most strangers who had looked at her stayed away almost immediately. But of course, a kid didn't mind the little things when something this rare took his attention.
"Hey, hey! Can I come to play with you two? Pretty please! My family just moved in next door a few days ago."
Elle put a hand at her chin."Oh! Mama did mention it before."
"So, can I come in?"
"...Aren't you afraid of me?" asked Ernestine.
"No. Why would I?" answered the boy honestly. "To me, you look awesome!"
Elle and Ernestine looked at each other and nodded. They sought permission from Maltyie and the boy flitted into the mansion's front yard to play with them. Though... it should be noted that Ernestine was chased around by him, and in the end, the two played tag with each other. Maltyie and Elle watched them, a smile appeared on their face.