3 days earlier.
This year, 2019 on the first day in July. And of course, the first day of school.
Alex Gibson was preparing to go to his new school in high school. With his shady very dark-red glass he was wearing on his eyes as he was climbing down the stairs.
He was junior high last year and graduated with average grade.
He didn't get "with honors" awards and he felt disappointed, not because he didn't get one, but because he wanted to enter the very popular school called "Hillview High school."
It was popular since the education about the psychic ability system in there was perfect and enough to make level 1 Esper became much high level or maybe turn them to be level 5, the highest known level in the level system.
On the other hand, Alex Gibson was level 0, yet his hope was high and he believed that he has an ability, yet the special equipment did not detect any psychic powers in his head. That is why his eyes were downcast as he walking downstairs to eat with her parents.
He entered the kitchen with the rectangle table in the middle. The food was already at the table and waiting to be eaten.
Alex was sad that he didn't pass the exam at the school he wanted.
Maybe because it was rumored that the 1st princess of Rangalia named "Elise Roosevelt." Would likely enroll in that school next year. It was right now has been reported on the television on the corner. If he passed at that school, he maybe has given a chance to see famous students or even a person from nobility and royalty.
"I was hoping to see the princess next year. Now my hope turns to despair. I guess I should go to a psychologist. I always feel that a famous person would like me, and I can't stop thinking about it."
He was not a regular person. Alex was obsessed with popular girls that mostly twenty years younger and fantasize about the famous girls were having a crush at him.
Well, even it's his obsession, it was likely not going to happen in real life.
It was actually would not going to happen since he was very anxious to confront a person eye-to-eye or even have a conversation. He can only do it when it's very short like buying something at a convenience store or something.
"I guess I should accept the fact that I am worthless, esperless, powerless esper. I can only do was to be alone and cut any connection to other people."
He murmured it then eat his food with a wooden spoon and fork on his hand.
The topic of the news that about the rumors of the first princess "Elise Roosevelt" that now has been ended. Then the next topic was the first princess, her again in the news that she bought a blue diamond ring that worth a million qurt.
(Note: Qurt is the name of the currency in Rangalia. Like Peso, Dollar, Yen, etc...)
"Royal Family was now wasting some money for their greed. How about they show their knowledge instead of buying some useless thing."
The manly voice said by his father who apparently look mad for some reason. He stated other words like before when one of the Royal family buys something then it became big news. He seemed that he hated that kind of news he heard on the television.
Alex did not speak a single word and he keeps eating the potatoes that steamed and cut in small cubes with a corned beef scrambled.
His father appeared that he was getting ready for some work. He was wearing black formal attire with a suitcase next to his seat.
"Why don't we respect their decision? That was their wants, but they also did their work a good job."
It was his mother, next to his father that apparently defending the royalty. Alex was on the opposite side of the table and ignoring his parents that arguing on something.
"Then there's still a person who's homeless that scattered around the area. There's also a place they called squatter area where a slum only live there. They had been reported that many crimes have happened there or where the criminals almost living there. It's not like they wanted it, they're angry at the Royal family who didn't support them for living."
There is a certain place they called the "squatter area" that a lot of people reported that the way they think is a huge problem in the city. The place was next to the river and under the huge bridge. No matter many people report that place, for the police or the higher up, that it's just a rumor that going in a circle. However, the higher-ups never intended to help those slums under the bride to give them a proper job. The only choice of some people there was to do something illegal or evil, like selling drugs, killing, or maybe selling prostitute that has been declared illegal since a hundred years ago.
No wonder why some people believed in those slums since the government never helped them.
Alex's parents created an argument for some reason, but the atmosphere here wasn't like they were angry with each other, but it appeared that they enjoyed making a useless argument. Seemingly, it was their hobby.
Alex finished eating his breakfast and went to the sink to brush his teeth. He then picked his bag and wear it.
"I'll go now."
Said Alex, anxiously. His smile wasn't normal, perhaps he was a bit scared or aware for some reason.
"Oh, then." His dad picked money on his wallet next to the plate and gave a hundred qurt. "Here, are you really okay? This would be your first time again."
"I guess I can handle it."
◆◇◆
Alex was on his bike, riding down the road and speeding up.
His heart apparently beating faster than before.
He then remembered his past in his junior high years. He was unable to talk in person with long conversations. He can only talk to people when he would buy things or food or asking a question. He never be able to look away from his anxiety so he was heading it forward without any lesson to take with. He spend his junior high years alone, without any friends.
It wasn't normal. A young adult or teenage aged should be active with friends and doing some activities. Playing sports or buying things in malls with friends. However, Alex never did those, he only went to the mall when he needs something, but the rest of his life was in his room by locking himself up for long hours. He only entered the school because it was needed
Now, he was on his way to senior high school and he wants something to change.
(I want to change. I can't just be alone for the rest of my life.)
While he was stepping the pedals. He glance the girl under the bridge, wearing a nun-like hood, and white robe that reached her ankle. The cuff on his sleeves has a golden color and widened a bit. The white robe of her supposed to cover her body, but apparently her arms were open-wide so the middle of her robe was open without any zipper on it. Under that robe was a uniform that appears similar to a girl's uniform at his new school.
It was odd to see that she suddenly appeared like a person who came out behind the fourth-dimensional wall. Alex also noticed that the way she appeared in the mid-air was so strange that the light even bent like you see on the drop of liquid in the bucket full of water. It was wave-like but disappeared completely after she stepped down on the concrete floor next to the river, under the bridge.
After it. She climbed the stairs were next to it was a land of grass that angled at forty degrees. It was made that way to prevent the river overflowed and crash to the road when heavy storms hit the city.
(What was that? Is that her ability? Able to make a some sort of portal... That's quite rare.)
Eighty percent of people have the power called "psychic power". If a person had it, they call themselves as Esper who could make a psychical phenomenon.
Each has a unique ability that helped some countries to develop their own country. No one knows where their ability came from. Some countries believed that it was given by one and only God, yet there were many Gods that man created. Some of them did not believe any Gods so they only believe that it was part of human nature.
On the other hand, Alex Gibson was level 0.
He was surprised since he also envies esper. He just accepted the fact that he was level 0, a person who can not call themselves an esper.
(Her ability is unique. I guess she would likely have a ton of friends. If I'm only one of them, it should solve my anxiety.)
For some Espers. Level 0 is doesn't mean that they don't have psychic ability. It was called "passive ability" were they unable to turn their ability off. And some of Espers do have ability, yet the technology that is supposed to detect a person's ability can't detect it. It may be the reason why there's a lot of people who's level 0, yet they have ability after all.
However, Alex Gibson doesn't have one. He was completely level 0 and doesn't have any hope to get any ability, or is it?
Few moments of riding his bike, he finally reached the school without being late.
At his side, he watched hundreds of students that entered the school with the smile on their faces. It appeared that some of them have a friend already.
(Then, this is my starting point...of my high school life!)
▲▼▲
Mathew felt odd on his surroundings.
It was not a dream, but also it wasn't real.
The world turned black-and-white. Mathew was gasping as his lungs were barely breathing and can't get enough oxygen inside the bus.
He then coughed, it wasn't a normal cough. But it seemed that it was a disease that when a person coughed, blood followed. Since Mathew can't see any colors, he was confused about it and afraid of what was really happening around him.
He opened the window, yet his breathing wasn't normal at all. He was still gasping as he hardly breathe.
(What is this?)
He began to felt like fainting. However, he was fighting it.
(...I can't...! I can't just feel weak in here.)
He coughed again twice and his muscles on his legs collapsed then he fell on the metallic floor. Yet, he still conscious. He was trying to widen his eyes as much as possible as he became aware that if he tried to blink, he may loss of his consciousness
He was gasping.
His breath was echoing in each corner inside of his room, no, it was his own brain that immediately hallucinate his breath was getting louder, as his vision wasn't becoming blurry but being distorted. Some sort of stroke-like he was feeling
"Ugghhhh!!"
For a few seconds of crawling at the floor, he manages to get in the middle of the bus. He wants to get up and force himself to push with his weak muscle on his arm, but he can't. He fell down as his arm was appeared to be preventing himself to move more, like he was mildly paralyzed.
He made up a plan on his mind with his eye full of blazing anger, he wasn't angry at someone else, he was angry because of himself that being weak.
(...I can do it! I can't just hope with my level 4 sister to help me. I can't afford to be a loser. I just need to get up.)
"Gggghuuauaaaaaaaaa!!"
He yelled as he trying his arm just to reach a nearby chair beside him to make him stand up on his weak feet.
He screamed, with pain. He was feeling his muscles were about to rupture due to forcing without proper training or stretching. The pain was real, it wasn't just a mere dream.
Mathew finally stand at his weak feet with his hand was grabbing the chair beside him and balancing himself.
"Finally. Now I can-"
"Are we really unified?*
He stoned. Before he even said another word, a voice came out of nowhere.
He was shocked and felt the danger at his back.
It was the sound of a girl. A cute voice that seems to be in teen years.
But something was odd.
The first thing he saw in this black-and-white world was nothing but chairs inside the bus. There was no person inside. The bus on the other hand was moving in constant speed, and the door was lock. It was impossible that a person could enter the bus with the door close.
His heart was beating too fast, like he could actually hear it. He was gasping and sweating. His muscles were trembling, and felt nothing but the terrifying cold-air breathe after he heard a person's voice
There wasn't anything that Mathew would likely do. He was level 0 without any gift from God. He was powerless and helpless at the place like this. He turned around with his eyes wide open, trying still to fight his fear and face the girl with him so suddenly.
He slowly tilted his eyes and noticed a girl was standing. The way her dress wasn't normal. She was wearing a nun-like dress but it's a white robe that covered everything except her ankle and below it. Mathew can only glance his mouth as her eyes were covered with the hood from the robe itself.
He was terrified of the way she was standing. This unknown girl was standing like she was about to murder a person. But another odd thing he realized and noticed that made him confused even more than feeling scared.
(...She asked a question? Unified? What?)
For an instant, his strength began to flow back to every part of his muscles. He wasn't feeling weak anymore, it was like he has been healed by someone ability.
Mathew trapped inside the lifeless world, and a colorless fate he saw right before his eyes with a strange girl on his sight.