The Earth, 12 August 2079, in a small apartment in the middle of the metropolitan city of Tokyo, Japan,...
- Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...
The candles flicker in the dim light of the small living room, joining the cheers of four people in the apartment who are clapping delightfully towards the fourth birthday of a certain somebody.
- Wah, thank you, mama, papa, and grandma!
The petite figure joins her little hands together, makes a prayer, and blows the candle. As innocent as the deep blue sky, untainted with clouds, and as cute as a button, as well as a mysterious aura of a knowledgeable scholar, the lovely child is nobody else, other than Mirai Sasaki.
The clumsy hands then grab the plastic knife, her eyes look at the cake, calculating the angles in her mind. Then, she cuts the cake into four exactly equal portions. The cake may be fragile, so her mother helps her to distribute the four pieces of the cake to the family.
Born in a family from the lower-middle socioeconomic status, under generous government financial aid, the Sasaki family of four spends their life in a subsidised apartment under the public housing scheme. Two things transcend time, the absolute of science that just waits to be dethroned by more appropriate scientific concepts, and the income gap. As technology advances, the rich replaces human labour with machines and reaps all the profit, while the poor struggle to adapt. There is a definite limit to what a government can do, otherwise, they are as helpless as the people that they are trying to help. Centralised power is no longer the norm in this day and age.
- Here is your birthday present, Mirai.
- Thank you, papa! - Mirai leans herself towards the box, which makes her lose balance and fall onto the carpeted floor.
It is a big box wrapped in a blue and white cover, which resembles the colour of her hair, as blue as the clear ocean, with white speckles from the sunlight. She tears the wrappers in excitement, and there is a box inside.
- So pretty! I love this, papa! - Mirai looks at the box with wide eyes.
- It is hard to find this quantum physics experiment box for kids, so yea, enjoy the present. - Her dad smiles.
The happiness of the little figure echoes with the derived happiness of her family, warming up the small apartment in the breeze of autumn.
But good times do not withstand the trial of time... In fact, they are never able to. Such has already gone the day that the Intruders manifest, and little do they know what awaits them just twenty-one years later. Let us appreciate the remaining time that the clock still ticks in the favour of humanity.
After finishing the cake, Mirai brings her new apparatus back to her room, while her parents help to clean up the dishes.
- Wow, so this is how the photoelectric effect actually works... There is a current. - Mirai stares at the setup in front of her desk, wearing a face mask that protects her from the ultraviolet rays coming from the source of irradiation.
Her parents silently tiptoe past her room and watch her just looking at the toys she gets and writing down something in her notebook.
- Honey, our daughter really has an intelligent vibe like you.
- You are praising me a bit much, haha. I am sure that she inherits that beauty from you.
- Do you think that she will be able to revolutionise our world, which just reeks of negativity?
- She sure can, darling. She sure can.
The silent footsteps become even fader, as the parents leave the room.
__________
- OK, that is enough reminiscence for today. Do you have any story, Yuusha? - The sudden interruption terminates the atmosphere.
- Oh, come on. The story just reaches the wholesome part. By the way, my life story is a bit plain, but I will tell you someday in the future.
- Oi, that is not fair. I share with you mine, so you also need to...
- What is with this lovey-dovey talk we have here? - There is the interruption of the third party.
- We are not! - We yell unanimously.
Issac has already been behind my back. I hope that he just comes recently.
- How is the expedition today? - Issac asks.
- Yea, it is quite OK for us. We have gathered sufficient data to give to our boss. Thanks for your great help. - I reply.
We leave the park, and Issac brings us home with his car. At the very least, this time, nobody is tracking us, since we have brought down every single of them in this area.
During dinner...
"Breaking news. Today, on 16 December 2050, there detects seismic activity from the area within Huntly Mine, Australia. Although scientists are arguing whether there is a tectonic activity or it is an attempted bombing, we have confirmed that..." The big holographic screen on the wall is reporting today's news while we are having our meal at Issac's place.
- Wait, isn't it that you guys visit the place today? - Issac turns to us while still having a mouthful of food.
- Dude, just finish swallowing before you talk. Mirai and I do not feel anything. Maybe the seismic activity is just too small to be manually detected.
- Yea, makes sense. At least you two are safe.
We finish our meal, then do some work and go to sleep. My project work has been piling up for a few days, and I need to resolve them. The sense of rare tranquillity can be sensed across the room again, which is good pay after what we have achieved.
_____
The next morning comes upon peaceful Australia, and I am happy that I am still waking up to see another day. I only adapt this habit, after numerous times I place myself in life-threatening scenarios, literally.
I go to the bathroom to do my basic hygiene and dressed up, for effectively the last day that we stay here.
It is eight o'clock in the morning, and Issac takes a whole day of work leave to bring us around places of entertainment and recreation. Actually, his shift for weekends is only effectively half a day, but an exaggeration does not hurt anyway. Right now, he is preparing breakfast.
- Ah, waking up already? I would expect you two to wake up at nine or even later. - Issac laughs as soon as he sees me walking down the stairs.
- I have told you, we are not anywhere near that. At this point, it is just annoying, man.
- Sorry friend, I just cannot resist the temptation.
I sit down on the bench and turn on the holographic television. Besides the news about investigations going on to find out the "seismic activity" within the Huntly Mine, there is no other significant news. I scroll through a list of channels, before deciding to just return to the news channel.
Issac brings the breakfast to me and places it on the table. A simplistic one to barely satisfy the nutritional needs of the stomach, before the lunch splurge that will likely supply both Mirai and me with energy that can sufficiently power us for the next day.
- Have you always been eating like this?
- Well, what do you expect? Cooking is a burden when you live alone, and you sure must understand that.
Issac holds and rotates a kitchen knife as if it is a fidget spinner. Of course, I know that he only uses it to cut loaves of bread into slices, at most.
Surprisingly, he opens a jar of Nutella, dips the knife into the jar to extract a thick layer, and spreads the thing on the bread slices that he purchased from a bakery earlier in the morning. So the knife is not even meant for cutting.
- Why are you just smirking like that?
- Nothing particularly. - I reply.
After fifteen minutes, Mirai finally wakes up and finishes her basic hygiene, as I see her shadow walking down the stairs.
- Good morning, Mirai. How is your sleep? - I lean back and wave at her, while still chewing some food.
- Finish your food before you talk. And as usual, I have a very good sleep.
That is our conventional way to refer to her as fully charged.
- So, where are we going today, Issac? - I ask him.
- The most popular attraction that I believe to be the only reason why people know of Australia. Sydney Opera House. - Issac stands up, steps his right foot on his chair, and majestically announces.
- What about the price?
- It is on me.
- Thanks!
After our last breakfast in Perth, we get onto Issac's car with our luggage (again, this is just for the deception purpose). Dropping the initial politeness from the first day, Issac scans his finger to start the engine and pushes the lever to the maximum node. The car slowly levitates upward to reduce friction, and then it starts accelerating like a rocket.
- I am a bit concerned... Is this a bit fast? - I tap on Issac's shoulder.
- No need to worry, my friend. I have already set it on auto-drive.
The car flashes through the industrial area and starts entering the expressway that stretches the south coastal region. Issac slows down and presses a button. The ceiling of the car is lowered, letting the gentle breeze of the Australian summer enter the passenger seats.
- It is December and I am experiencing one of the hottest days in Australia, haha. - I laugh like a child.
- Come on, man. This joke is so obsolete. - Issac joins my lousy joke.
Even with all the jokes and geography, it is still something magical for a person in the Northern Hemisphere like me. It is just amazing to see how science does its job.
After the seemingly infinitely long journey along the coastal line, the expressway merges with other expressways, signalling that we have reached New South Wales, the eastern part of the country. It is only two hours, and this is also accounting for the sightseeing which likely takes more than half of the travelling time.
Soon, our car reaches the vibrant and busy city of Sydney. Issac parks his car in the city border's communal parking space, then we enter the city.
Again, in places with high residential density, travelling tubes are installed to facilitate pedestrian movements. If one's purpose for driving a car is not to go to the airport, to escort high-profile individuals, or for any other valid reasons, one must not use any personal vehicles. Henceforth, it is just walking or taking public transport around the city, as any civilised person would do.
We reach the reserved accommodation place first, which is closer to us. Issac asks the receptionist to bring our luggage to our room, which only takes like five to ten minutes. After freeing ourselves from the unnecessary burden, we casually use the travelling tubes to get to Sydney Opera House.
- So, what show are we enjoying today?
- I do not think that you guys would like a symphony performance or some sort, so I have bought three tickets for a comedy show. It is easier to appreciate it, hopefully.
- I mean, you are paying for it, so I cannot be demanding. I am fine with anything.
- It is a rare occurrence that you have some businesses down here, so a budget blow once in a blue moon does not affect me that much.
- Remember ah, I will exploit your wallet to my heart's content today, haha. - I put my right arm over Issac's shoulder.
- Please don't.
- I know. Just kidding.
We are currently standing under the Sydney Opera House. As promoted by all sorts of advertisements, the colossal building lives up to its expectations. Located at the Sydney Harbour, it harnesses the various opportunities provided such as beautiful views, perfect architecture, and design, as well as serving as a hot pot of the finest, the most quintessential that the culture can offer. And of course, except this time, this comes at a price.
Issac scans his handphone to check in, and we enter the building. And not shattering any tiny bit of my expectation, the interior of the theatre is on par with the grandeur exterior. I cannot keep my eyes away from staring at the design like a kindergartener on his first school trip.
Issac leads us to the theatre room where the comedy would take place. The seats have been filled up, and we struggle to find and reach our seats.
The lights dim down, the curtains unveil, and the spotlight slowly shifts to the stage area. We come just in time, right before the comedy officially begins.
***
- Haha, the comedy is top-notched. I am still laughing.
- It is, it is, right? They do not hesitate to joke about their own country, which is the biggest plus there.
We have a heated discussion about the comedy we just observe. Theatres have that mysterious power that commoners like us cannot resist, and it is just that.
After the show, we enjoy our lunch in a restaurant near the harbour. Although Mirai and I are enjoying the food, I can certainly sense somebody dying inside, as his money depletes exponentially like radioactive decay.
The lunch ends with two stomachs stacked with food, in exchange for an empty wallet. We walk around the city for a few hours, before the orange veil of the sunset is erected in the sky, and we go back to the accommodation place.
- After so much stress from those days, all I need is to submerge my whole body in a big, big bathing pool like this. - I am relaxing in the artificial hot spring of the hotel.
- Right? It has been years since I get to feel this sensation again. You should have installed one in your house.
- Yea, I will save my money and think of that.
Wait, something is wrong. I turn to my left, and next to me, Mirai is also chilling in the hot spring.
- Why are you even here? - I try to withhold my surprise while asking.
- It is fine. This robot shell and your synthetic skin material are hydrophobic. Water cannot penetrate my outermost layer, but the sensors sure stimulate the feeling of bathing so vividly.
- That is not what I mean.
- Are you discriminating against humanoid robots regarding bath use?
- No. Why are you in the same bathing pool with me?
- It is a mixed-gender bath area. Or do you, in any possibility, consider me a woman? Haha, but the answer is nope.
Sometimes childish, sometimes short-tempered, yet sometimes so calm and confident, and sometimes unimaginably reliable. That is just how volatile her personality is. Maybe the memory upload and transfer are incomplete, but except when she gets overly aggressive like in this scenario, I am in no way complaining though.
This time, Issac is good and generous enough to reserve three separate single bedrooms, and I appreciate that. I can finally have a good rest, of course after finishing my work.
I open my laptop and do not even attempt to hide my disappointed face. The workload looks higher than yesterday, the last time I checked it. Well, I have some time now, so I can just take my time and finish whatever I can.
The Saturday evening is unusually quiet, but it is the quietness that is conducive and not the frighteningly quiet type. The buildings outside have already turned on their lights, creating a vibrant night version of the already colourful Sydney. I plug my ears with my headset, open some chill music, and my finger muscles unconsciously type all the code lines that I have been typing and retyping numerous times. Sometimes, I look at the screen to see if I accidentally make an error, then let my fingers do the rest.
I again reflect on my journey so far, a supernatural yet so realistic journey. I have a friend-partner type, although not a physical and biological human. We go through the hard days together, and we share moments of joy. Maybe, this journey can continue for some time. I am satisfied with what I have now.
After a few productive hours, I have cleared much of my pending work. People say that when a person is contented with his day, he is ready to fall asleep. It is just as miraculous as that. Within a few minutes, I fall asleep on my blanket, and the lights automatically turn off.
___
The final day of the journey.
- Well, it has only been one week, and I do not meet you two for more than half of the days, but it is a pleasure working with you two. Best regards from the University of New South Wales applied science department. - Issac returns to the initial formal mode as he bows to greet us.
- Wah, you do not need to be that formal, man. - I wave at him, as we enter the Sydney international pod station.
Right before I enter the pod chamber, I suddenly remember something.
- Oh yea, say hi to Albert for me too. - I shout at him.
But just to receive a face of confusion...
- Who is Albert? I did send a colleague to help with your expedition, but his name is not Albert...
- Wait what.....
As soon as I finish my sentence, the pod is launched, sending Mirai and me two kilometres per second back to Tokyo.
- Haha, we got him there. Just look at his frightened face when I act as such. - Issac raises his necklace ornament near his mouth and says.
- Right? The people's reactions whenever we pull the joke are just too precious. By the way, just send them a message to say that we are just kidding. - The ornament makes some sounds.
It is a contact device for people working in the applied science department, but who knows what other ways it can be used?
After a swift ride, we finally set our feet back to our home. I receive a clarification message from Issac.
- Oh come on! I actually have thought that undercover Intruders are working in the university. I could have even blown the place up.
- Chill, Yuusha. I understand that but save your fury for our next task. We need to fix all of the broken drones, as well as our big mech. It will take probably a few days, so enjoy. - Mirai holds my shoulder, while her other hand is holding a screwdriver.
I think that this journey could have ended earlier.
___________
After sending farewell to the duo, Issac drives back to his accommodation within the university compound. As he drives, he is tuning the radio interface for the morning broadcast, when it accidentally intercepts a mysterious frequency. The sound is a bit unclear from radio noise, but the automatic filters still manage to capture the dialogue.
- Bzzzz... Bzzzz... Those two brats erase all evidence of their existence in the Huntly Mine, and now we cannot track them.
- Sorry sir, we will try to extract any data available.
- If not, then what? FASTER!
- Sir, yes, sir.
It just sounds like a weird action drama by an amateur writer. Issac has already found the correct broadcasting frequency and switched away from that mysterious frequency.
- And now, back to ABC morning news. Summarising the news for the fiftieth week of 2050, here in Australia. On Sunday, December 11th, there was a bombing in a bar in a residential area near Perth. While the police have reported that the buildings nearby are completely undamaged, there is an unfortunate casualty. After profile checking, the body was known to be...
Albert.
- Huh?
(Author's Note: Asian names usually follow the sequence [family name]+[last name], so the Sasaki (the family name), must go first. However, following the Western convention, the family name goes last, so Sasaki Mirai (Asia/JP) will become Mirai Sasaki (Western/EN).)