The soft glow of the morning sun filtered through the towering buildings, casting long, golden beams into Aekira's room. The light danced on the walls, illuminating the sleek, futuristic designs and casting faint shadows.
Aekira lay sprawled on the large bed, her light grey hair messy from sleep. Slowly, her blue eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the soft light. She blinked a few times, trying to shake off the lingering fog of sleep.
She glanced around the room, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings: the high-tech furniture, the faint hum of unseen devices, and the sleek, metallic walls that felt cold despite the warm light of the morning.
"...this wasn't a fucking dream," she muttered under her breath, her voice hoarse from sleep. The realization hit her like a tidal wave. Everything that had happened—the destruction of Earth, her rebirth, this strange, dystopian world—was real. She wasn't going to wake up in her old bed, in her old life.
Her heart sank as the weight of it all pressed down on her. There was no escape from this reality.
As Aekira sat up in bed, her thoughts drifted back to the night before. The balcony. The figure. Those chilling words.
Her chest tightened as the memory resurfaced. Was it real? Or was her mind playing tricks on her? She shook her head, running a hand through her messy hair, trying to make sense of it.
"…How did I even come to bed?" she muttered, her brows furrowing. The last thing she remembered was standing on the balcony, frozen in fear. Had she walked back on her own? Or had something—or someone—brought her here?
The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She glanced at the door to her room, half expecting to see someone—or something—standing there. But it was shut tight, and the room was as quiet as it had been when she woke up.
Her gaze shifted to the balcony. Sunlight streamed in through the glass doors, and the town outside looked calm and peaceful, as if the events of the previous night had never happened. But Aekira wasn't convinced.
"No way that was just a dream," she whispered, her voice shaky. "It felt too real..."
A sudden knock at the door made Aekira jump, her heart racing. She clutched the blanket tightly, her mind still swirling with the unsettling memories of the night before.
"…W-what…" she stammered, her voice barely audible.
"Aekira, it's me," came the familiar, calm tone of her mother, Shenan.
Aekira let out a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. "Oh… c-come in," she managed to say.
The door slid open with a soft hiss, and Shenan stepped inside, her elegant presence filling the room. She was dressed in a flowing dark green robe, her warm yet piercing eyes immediately focusing on Aekira. Her expression was calm, but there was a flicker of curiosity in her gaze.
"Good morning," Shenan said with a small smile. "You slept well, I hope?"
Aekira hesitated, glancing toward the balcony before looking back at her mother. "…Y-yeah," she lied, forcing a weak smile. "Just… a weird dream."
Shenan tilted her head slightly, studying her daughter. "A weird dream?" she repeated softly, walking closer. "You seem a little shaken. Is everything alright?"
"Don't worry, Mom, just a little shaky," Aekira said, forcing a smile. She tried to sound convincing, but her voice wavered slightly.
Shenan studied her for a moment, her piercing eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Hmm," she murmured, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "If you say so."
She walked closer to the bed, her steps graceful and deliberate. Sitting down on the edge, Shenan placed a gentle hand on Aekira's shoulder. "You know you can talk to me if something's bothering you, right?"
Aekira nodded quickly, her fake smile holding firm. "I know, Mom. I'm fine, really."
Shenan's expression softened, though a flicker of doubt remained in her eyes. "Alright. Just don't overthink things too much, okay?" she said, giving Aekira's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
Aekira nodded again, her mind racing. She couldn't bring herself to talk about the figure on the balcony. It sounded ridiculous, even to her. And besides, what would her mother think if she told her about it?
"So… are you ready to get up?" Shenan asked, her voice gentle but with a hint of encouragement. She stood up, smoothing out her robe and looking at Aekira with a soft smile.
Aekira hesitated for a moment, glancing at her small hands resting on the blanket. Her mind was still a storm of thoughts, but she nodded slowly. "Yeah… I guess."
"Good," Shenan said, her tone brightening just a little. "Your father wants us to join him for breakfast. He said he has something important to discuss."
Aekira's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Something important? She felt a pang of anxiety but quickly brushed it aside. "Alright. Just… give me a minute to get ready," she said, offering a faint smile.
Shenan gave her a knowing look but didn't press further. "Take your time, dear. I'll be waiting outside," she said as she turned and made her way to the door.
As the door slid shut behind her, Aekira let out a deep breath. She ran a hand through her hair, still trying to shake off the strange unease lingering from the night before.
"Something important, huh…" she muttered to herself, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
--
Later, after the robot maid helped her into a beautifully tailored outfit—a sleek, dark blue dress with silver accents—Aekira walked down to the living room. The space was vast yet cozy, with high ceilings, intricate futuristic designs, and a warm light filtering in through tall windows.
As she stepped in, her eyes landed on her family. Shenan sat gracefully on one of the sleek chairs, sipping a cup of tea. Zakis stood nearby, his massive frame relaxed yet commanding as his tail wagged slowly behind him. Lucius was leaning against a wall, engrossed in what looked like a holographic tablet, his fingers swiping rapidly as lines of data scrolled by.
Aekira hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Ah… Hello, everyone."
Zakis's ears perked slightly, and his tail wagged a bit faster at the sound of her voice. He turned toward her, his usually intense gaze softening. "Aekira, good to see you," he said in his deep voice.
Shenan smiled warmly, gesturing for her to come closer. "Come, dear. Sit with us."
Lucius barely glanced up from his tablet, giving a quick nod before his focus snapped back to the glowing screen.
Aekira took a seat beside Shenan, glancing around. "Uh… where are the others?" she asked cautiously, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity.
Zakis's expression darkened slightly, and his tail slowed its movement. "They're… doing their things,"
Later, after the robot maid helped her into a beautifully tailored outfit—a sleek, dark blue dress with silver accents—Aekira walked down to the living room. The space was vast yet cozy, with high ceilings, intricate futuristic designs, and a warm light filtering in through tall windows.
As she stepped in, her eyes landed on her family. Shenan sat gracefully on one of the sleek chairs, sipping a cup of tea. Zakis stood nearby, his massive frame relaxed yet commanding as his tail wagged slowly behind him. Lucius was leaning against a wall, engrossed in what looked like a holographic tablet, his fingers swiping rapidly as lines of data scrolled by.
Aekira hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Ah… Hello, everyone."
Zakis's ears perked slightly, and his tail wagged a bit faster at the sound of her voice. He turned toward her, his usually intense gaze softening. "Aekira, good to see you," he said in his deep voice.
Shenan smiled warmly, gesturing for her to come closer. "Come, dear. Sit with us."
Lucius barely glanced up from his tablet, giving a quick nod before his focus snapped back to the glowing screen.
Aekira took a seat beside Shenan, glancing around. "Uh… where are the others?" she asked cautiously, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity.
Zakis's expression darkened slightly, and his tail slowed its movement. "They're… preoccupied," he said, his tone curt.
Shenan placed a calming hand on Zakis's arm, her expression unreadable. "We thought it best to have a more intimate breakfast this morning," she said smoothly, shifting the focus back to Aekira.
Shenan placed a calming hand on Zakis's arm, her expression unreadable. "We thought it best to have a more intimate breakfast this morning," she said smoothly, shifting the focus back to Aekira.
As Aekira settled into her seat, a maid seemed to appear out of nowhere, gracefully placing a plate of breakfast in front of her. The aroma of freshly baked bread, spiced eggs, and roasted vegetables wafted up, making her stomach grumble despite her nerves.
She blinked at the maid, who disappeared as quickly as she'd arrived. Where the hell did she come fr— She cut off her own thought with a sigh. You know what? I don't care anymore.
Aekira picked up her fork, trying to act casual. "So…" she began, glancing around the room. "What's the thing you guys wanted me for?"
Shenan exchanged a glance with Zakis, her smile almost too knowing.
Zakis crossed his arms, leaning against the edge of the table. "We've been thinking about something you mentioned," he said in his deep, steady voice. "About how you wanted to meet the Black Plumes."
Aekira paused mid-bite, her fork hovering in the air. She swallowed hard, setting it down. "Wait, really?"
Shenan chuckled lightly. "Yes. It seems our little one is curious about them," she teased, her tone warm but laced with subtle caution.
Aekira leaned back in her chair, blinking in surprise. She'd mentioned it offhandedly, never expecting them to take her seriously. The Black Plumes were practically legends—or nightmares, depending on who you asked.
"Well… yeah," Aekira admitted, trying to play it cool. "They sound, uh, interesting."
Lucius finally looked up from his tablet, his expression flat but his tone amused. "Interesting? That's one way to put it."
Here's the continuation:
Shenan raised an eyebrow, tilting her head slightly. "Huh?" she muttered, her confusion subtle but evident as she glanced between Aekira and Lucius.
Zakis's tail twitched as he shot a sharp look toward his son. "Lucius," he said, his deep voice carrying a tone of warning. "Please be more respectful."
Lucius shrugged, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright," he said nonchalantly, setting the tablet down on the table. "No offense meant. I just think 'interesting' doesn't quite cover it."
Aekira frowned, leaning forward slightly. "What do you mean by that?"
Lucius gave her a sideways glance, his expression unreadable. "You'll see soon enough," he said cryptically before picking up his tablet again.
Shenan sighed, her graceful demeanor unshaken. "You'll have to forgive your brother, Aekira. He tends to be... blunt," she said with a gentle smile.
Zakis crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on Lucius for a moment longer before softening as he looked at Aekira. "Meeting the Black Plumes isn't something to take lightly," he said. "They're not just a team—they're an organization with a history... one that comes with risks."
Zakis's gaze lingered on Aekira as he added, "…the old generation, that is."
Aekira blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, the old generation?" she repeated, her voice a mix of curiosity and confusion.
Shenan leaned back slightly, her smile softening. "Yes, dear. The current generation of the Black Plumes is…"
"Terrible," Lucius cut in, his voice dry and blunt. He didn't even glance up from his tablet as he spoke, his words hanging in the air like an unsettling truth.
Aekira's eyes widened. "Terrible?" she echoed, incredulous. "What do you mean by that?"
Zakis's expression darkened as he shifted his gaze to Lucius, his tail twitching ever so slightly in disapproval. "Lucius…"
Lucius finally looked up from his tablet, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. "I'm just telling it like it is," he said, his voice flat. "The Black Plumes are a shadow of what they once were. The old generation had honor. They had a purpose. But now… now they're just a dangerous power hungry group with no clear objective other than to manipulate anyone they can get their claws into."
Aekira frowned, her mind racing. "So, you're saying the current Black Plumes are…"
"Unpredictable, to say the least," Zakis interjected, his voice low but serious. "They have no true leader anymore. They're divided, and that makes them dangerous. If you meet them, be cautious."
Shenan nodded in agreement. "But there are still people in the old generation who we trust. They know what they're doing. They know the balance of power, and they understand the risks better than anyone."
Aekira's mind spun with the information, her thoughts conflicted. The Black Plumes had sounded like a myth, something far too distant to be real. But now it seemed they were all too real, and the reality of meeting them was daunting.
"So... we're talking about meeting someone from the old generation?" she asked cautiously.
Zakis gave a short nod, his expression unreadable. "Yes. One of the few left who still respects what they were built for."
Lucius stood up, tapping his tablet thoughtfully, his expression as cold as ever. "I will be waiting for you outside. Do not be late," he said without looking at Aekira, his voice firm and direct.
Aekira blinked, slightly thrown off by his sudden departure. "Sheesh, cold much?" she muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing in frustration.
Shenan chuckled softly at her daughter's reaction. "Your brother does have a unique way of showing affection." She gave Aekira a wink.
Zakis, however, looked at Lucius's retreating figure with a touch of concern. "He's just... focused," he said. "And perhaps a little too serious for his age."
Aekira couldn't help but shake her head, the weird tension hanging in the air. She hadn't expected this kind of cold treatment from her brother. Maybe he really does think I'm some kind of liability, she thought, her thoughts clouding with uncertainty.
"Well... I guess I better not keep him waiting." She stood up from the table, brushing off any remaining hesitation. "Thanks for the breakfast, Mom. Dad. I'll be back soon."
Shenan smiled warmly. "Stay safe, dear."
Zakis gave a sharp nod, his eyes softening slightly as he spoke. "Remember what we talked about. Stay alert."
Aekira nodded firmly, her expression determined. "Got it." She turned and walked toward the door, ready to face whatever came next.