As we rose through the floors, Melanie kept humming tunes that played in the elevator. They were all foreign to me, but that wasn't really hard to cope with. I just had to keep reminding myself I wasn't in the 2000s anymore, "We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto..." I muttered to myself.
Melanie looked over at me like I'd just shouted something crazy, "Huh? What'd you say?" Those big eyes only gazed at me for a moment before I answered her, her stare making me nervous, "Nothing-" suddenly, the elevator door opened. I began to step out before Melanie put an arm on my chest to stop me, speaking in a hushed tone, "My father is an easy man to talk to, but he's very proud of his company. Try to be respectful, Okay?" I nodded. Respect I could do.
As we began to step out of the elevator, another woman walked out to greet us from the desk at the far left corner of the room behind the wall separating the CEO from his supposed clerk. She smiled at Melanie, bowing, before turning to me with a soft smile. She was good at her job, but I could still tell the smile was forced, though the gaze she affixed me with was certainly no lie as she studied me carefully before speaking, "Pierce? Mister Renco Subaru is ready to see you when you're ready~" her voice was soft, friendly. Her smile might've been part of the job, but this girl was obviously the kind sort. Or at least patient.
As we began to walk towards the door, a burning question ate away at me. I went ahead and asked, never being one to shy from honesty, "Melanie? Your father seems to employ a lot of woman in his establishment. Why is that?" Melanie smiled like she knew something I didn't, stopping at the glass doors leading to the CEOs office. She turned to me, putting a finger to her lips, "My fathers a kind man, but he's also a pervert. You don't fool me, James. I think you two will get along great. I certainly have no issue with it ..." her gaze drifted down for a moment seductively before she turned on her heels, spinning towards the office doors. Quickly opening them with an enthusiastic greeting to her parent and boss, "Papa! I've brought you someone!" She walked over quickly, kissing her father on the cheek before turning to me next to him like some sort of personal secretary. Huh, strange relationship.
I made my way up to the massive circular polished wooden desk and bowed, since it seemed to be custom now. Inching myself back upright to greet the man, "Hello, Sir. My name is-" Mister Subaru held a hand up to stop me as he spoke, "I know who you are, James. Thank you for making such a ... timely arrival."
The CEO turned to his daughter, his hand turning into a pointing gesture at me, "Did you teach him that?" Melanie shook her head in denial. Teach me what? Did I do something wrong already? Melanie spoke, the two having completely turned away from me for the moment as they discussed Subaru's questioning about my actions, "No, maybe he's taken a queue from your clerk at the desk? She does have a habit of being a little too polite sometimes~"
Melanie's gaze quickly returned to me, and she looked like she was stifling a smile. Trying to look as unbiased as possible around her father. Mister Subaru spoke up excitedly, not at all the reaction I had expected, "I like him already, Melly! So!" The CEO father figure turned to address me directly. A huge grin on his face, "Welcome to Renco, James! You're aware of what we're about here, yes?"
I nodded affirmatively, speaking up to the man without pause so in hopes not to appear timid before my new boss and headmaster, "Yes, Melanie told me you not only provide sanctuary for those who've been reincarnated, Sir, but you also school us. I have to ask, though. The one who brought me back. He said he was going to meet me here? His name is, uhm.." I had totally forgotten about the exploding fire man at the store in all the excitement today. As I was struggling to remember his name, Mister Subaru stepped in to save me the trouble, naming the person in question, "Thomas, yes? You were chosen by an odd duckling, but he's good people. You'll find him in the main lobby where you came in. Your new dorm is on the level below us, James. Go ahead and find your guardian, then get settled in." I nodded. The sudden rush to get me out of the office came as a bit of a shock as I'd just got here, but as I had other things to do, It didn't bother me. I started to turn before Mister Subaru stopped me abruptly, "And James?" I turned, looking at the fatherly CEO curiously. Did he forget to tell me something? The man had this intense stare affixed on me suddenly as I met his eyes. A mysterious smile caked his expression as he spoke, "Do try to excel. We've had our eyes on you for some time. We have high hopes for you, Mister Pierce." I swallowed, nodding as I resumed my exit. Taking my leave through the quality glass doors. I was almost in the clear when the clerk called to me, "James?" Turning, I saw she'd gotten out if her seat and begun to make her way over. "Hun, we need to talk. I'll walk you down. Come." Uhm. Okay, I guess we're walking together, then.
Making my way over to the elevator at the side of the desk clerk who had yet to introduce herself, I went for the button. Pressing down. Wasting no time, the door opened quickly to allow us inside. I thought, there must've not been many people active this late if the service was so quick. We stepped inside, me after the clerk, as I was raised. She smiled kindly at me as I stepped inside before the doors shut.
I was about to press the lobby floor number, one, when I felt a hand on me. It didn't feel sensual, but it grabbed my attention as I turned to find the female clerk in my face, staring at me. I stuttered, unsure how to even begin to address her as my face flushed a second time, "Uh! Y-you're kind of close, Miss... uhm-"
She shushed me, speaking in whispers, "I want you to meet me in your dorm tonight. There are many things you need to know before you dive too quickly into our time. You're from the 2000th Generation, aren't you? Things are much different now. You will.... drown, if you don't get your bearings, Mister Pierce." I nodded in understanding as she lifted herself off me. Relief flooded my mind as she resumed standing next to me like nothing had happened, that perfect secretarial smile on her face again. She spoke as she pressed the button for me, my flustered emotions making me forget all about our destination, "My name is Leslie, by the way. It's a pleasure~"
The elevator dinged on the bottom floor. Leslie was no longer with me, having gotten off at my room floor number. I could only assume she had some sort of fingerprint or card key to get in. Casually making my way over to the counter where I'd met the two girls, I spotted Thomas in heated conversation. His best jokes out on display. Sadly, neither girl seemed to be laughing. He looked like he was the only one enjoying himself, though he didn't appear bothered by that.
Before I had a chance to speak up, Thomas noticed me making my way over and laughed. He was waving enthusiastically, "Pupil! I've been waiting for you! What happened?" Thomas's hair combusted suddenly, but he didn't seem to realize as he spoke. The two girls, Sesly and Lily, did though. They inched away slightly in their chair, clearly hoping not to catch fire. I nodded, assuming this was normal for my guardian as I spoke, "A lot. So, we're here. This city is pretty crazy, Thomas. But this building doesn't seem to be at the same standards as everything else. Why is that?"
Sesly spoke up suddenly, intervening in our conversation, "You must've lived in the 2000s if this doesn't impress you, James. But you're right, this corporation is funded by the charity of our donors and the missions we accomplish for the city and state. So our budget is limited. What year?"
I blinked in confusion at her. Lily and Thomas watched us both curiously. Neither interrupting our exchange. Speaking up, I asked, "What?" The question caught me off guard. Did she mean what years did I live in between? "I don't understand. You mean what years did I live and die in? Isn't that a little invasive?"
Lily spoke up, chuckling to herself before her words hit me, "Oh, honey. That's far from invasive here. You'll need to grow a backbone if you want to make it in this academy." I blanched. Having gotten an earful from Leslie in the elevator about changes. I guess this is a good example, I thought, as I responded honestly, "I lived and died between 1994 and the start of 2020. Half of the stuff in this metropolis was just dreaming back when I was alive."
Sesly nodded, understandingly. Her eyes were focused squarely on mine now as she bounced lightly up and down in her chair like she'd had too much sugar. Maybe she was ADHD? Or simply energetic, "Ah! That's not too far back. 300-400 years, maybe. You're in 2387. Lily knows more about this stuff than I do. If you ever have any questions, I'm sure she wouldn't mind filling you in. Right?" Sesly nudged her counter-partner encouragingly. She had seemed to space off, staring at me for some reason or another. Snapping out if it quickly, she nodded. Looking at Sesly. "Yes. Wait, what are we talking about?"
Sesly gave me a 'She does this a lot' sideways glance and moved her attention back to Lily. Bringing her back up to speed, "James is from the early 2000s. I was telling him how much you know. You don't mind giving him the juicy details if he comes knocking, riiiiight ...?"
They seemed to have a staring contest as the two girls tried to convince each other whether this was a good idea or not. In the end,
Lily sighed, turning to me. She seemed a lot more serious than her counter-part as she spoke to me in response to Sesly's question, "Yeah, that's fine. Just don't call me Lily and we're good, James. The two you know now? It's been their running joke for a while now. They do it because they know it annoys me~" Lily turned toward Sesly and redirected her mood at her. Sesly gave her an innocent sideways glance, smiling, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Lily turned to me. A pained look on her face as she spoke more gingerly, no smile creasing her expression. The girl seemed tired, "Come see me If you need to know anything, James." I felt a slap on my shoulder as my guardian grabbed my attention back when the conversation had ended. That usual smile brightening the room, "Now that we've got that settled, I'd better show you around! There's so much you haven't seen yet, James. This place is fantastic! Just like you!" Another corny compliment. Great. I let Thomas lead me away as we headed back to the elevator. Round two, here we go.