Whrmmm… click—chhk… whrrr—
"Fuu…why's it so damn cold?"
Sienna looked up from the garage toward the cloudy sky above. Gray waves drifted across it like a painted scene, mirroring a rapid river in slow motion. The dark, swollen sky hung heavy with rain, waiting to ruin her day the second they felt even a spark of happiness.
"Should've worn a jacket..."
She muttered under her breath while rubbing her hands vigorously before speed walking her the Alfi.
Her keys clattered against each other in a frantic mess, the metal ringing like a bell while she searched for the right one. Her fingers moved clumsily from the cold until she finally found it, slid it in and threw herself inside.
Sienna willed it and the interior of the began to warm up rapidly, pleasantly reaching twenty two Celsius.
Her foot pressed down on the clutch. The handbrake already doing its job. She shifted into neutral, giving the gear stick a couple of unconscious shakes while sinking into the seat.
Chk-Chk-Chk
The car roared to life after another crank, white smoke spilling from the muffler. Sienna warmed up alongside it, watching the temperature gauge climb every so slowly. Only then did she slip it into reverse, easing into first once she had enough room.
She let the momentum carry the car toward the garage until she lined up beside the rusted truck.
Switching back into reverse, she took her sweet time parking in front of the old rust bucket, leaving enough space for the garage door. Once satisfied, she swung the door open, shut the car off completely, and left it in reverse.
With a flick of her hand, the garage door closed from the top down.
Sienna was about to leave the garage when a thought made her pivot.
She opened the car again, planted one knee on the seat, and pushed the handbrake down.
Sliding out of the awkward position, she reached for the trunk lever and pulled it a second time for good measure.
Her feet carried her to the back of the car.
She popped the trunk open, lifting the mat and the board beneath it in one motion. The battery sat tucked into the corner. She reached in and disconnected the negative terminal with a quick flick of her fingers—the quick disconnect a blessing.
The mat and plank dropped all at once, kicking a cloud of dust into the air. Sienna slammed the trunk shut before heading back inside.
The garage door into the house opened on its own—she was too tired to bother lifting an arm.
Her yawns filled the cold room before she threw a glance toward her work booth, barely sparing the missing gear another thought.
She pressed the garage button twice, and the sound of something sliding along a rail echoed through the room.
Her steps softened as she moved past the stairs leading to the gym, the living room, and the tiny courtyard off to its side. Then down the hallway that led straight to their bedroom and through the door.
Her ears caught Ikade's voice from the bathroom, singing along to some indie band, completely deaf to the fact that Sierra was already picking the lock.
"I can't understand anything she's saying."
The thought drifted through her mind, the door unlocking on its own just when the hot, humid air hit her.
She ignored the heat and moved straight to the fogged mirror, grabbing a small towel and wiping a single clean streak across it. Her reflection stared back at her—a squinting Sienna, brows shifting along with the faces she made at herself.
The faint lines under her eyes filled her with horror.
She sighed in defeat and touched the mirror. Information populated across one side of the fogged surface, the week's forecast playing at the top with subtitles running along the bottom.
Her eyes roamed over the other mundane scribbles slowly scrolling upward into nothing. The music switched to another song while Sienna grabbed her toothbrush, applied toothpaste and ran warm water over the bristles.
The sound of her brushing was drowned out by Ikade's singing for several minutes, the running water forming a miniature pond before she finally spat the foam from her mouth. A hairbrush floated into her waiting hand before she ran her fingers through her hair.
She guided the brush through the wild mess, pressing absentmindedly until every stubborn cowlick finally gave in. At the same time, Ikade pulled the curtain open.
The two of them stared at each other.
Ikade seemed to have a heart attack from finding her in the bathroom.
"Can you noet?"
Sienna let out a giggle at the slip, tilting her head to one side without feeling the slightest bit guilty. Ikade felt the shift immediately, her ears twitching before she backed away, edging closer to the shower.
Before Sierra could say anything else, Ikade yanked the curtain around herself, leaving only her narrowed eyes peeking out from the edge.
"Sexual harassment dayo."
Her voice was low, drawing a snort from Sienna.
"I haven't even done anything."
The smile stayed plastered across her face, ignoring the increasingly cautious feline. Turning back to the sink, she raised one hand and stared at the way it rested naturally.
Her eyes focused on the hand that refused to twitch, the room blurring for a moment before her fingers moved to grab a pill bottle. Popping it open, she tossed two painkillers into her mouth and swallowed them dry.
The feline walked behind her, grabbing her phone from the wooden shelf along with a hair dryer. Through the mirror, Sierra caught sight of those fluffy ears being dried beneath a pink towel.
Sienna glanced at the white paper bag on the counter.
She tipped it over, letting the contents spill across the surface. A half-used tube of topical anesthetic rolled out alongside a lone suppressant. She reached for the small medical pouch hanging from a hook stuck to the mirror.
The overstuffed pouch flattened like a fat pancake when she unzipped it.
She pulled out something like an insulin pen. Chrome accents ran along it, the handle a light beige. The bottom half was clear plastic, and inside sat a purple cartridge filled with a transparent liquid.
Giving it a few flicks, Sienna uncapped the numbing cream and worked the cold gel into her thigh—the same spot she always used, the skin there discolored from countless tries.
Her mind did not let her wait, and before she knew it, the suppressant was already pressed to her skin. A mechanical clink echoed through the room as the medicine spread through her body. She pulled the pen away and tossed the empty cartridge into the bin.
The pouch was overflowing with more band-aids than she could count. She grabbed a few before washing her hands and drying them.
Then her fingers found a bottle of benzoin tincture. After giving it a small shake, she opened it and pulled out the cap, a swab attached to the end.
She rubbed the swab over every crystal on both wrists, covering each one with a small band-aid afterward—one by one.
"Perfect. Total emo vibes right here."
Sienna zipped up the pouch, holding it loosely in her hands as she stepped back into their room.
Ikade, however, was still getting dressed.
Looking through the closet, she picked out a pair of pants, a simple loose long-sleeved top, and a pair of shoes from under the bed.
She stripped off her shirt and tossed it aside, pulled on the other long sleeve, then tugged her hair free from where it clung to her back, her necklace slipping loose right after. Her hands yanked off her shorts, trading them for the pants.
Ikade, finished with drying her hair, stood at the edge of the bed staring at her, feline ears drooped to the sides—completely relaxed from the shower.
"Auntie. Heh."
The smug feline announced it like a victory, looking far too pleased with herself.
"What!"
Sienna whipped her head around in record time, shock widening her eyes and her mouth left hanging open. She lunged, jumping on top of the giggling feline.
"If I'm an auntie, guess that makes you a brat!"
Ikade squealed, trying and failing miserably to defend herself.
Sienna's hands shot to her sides, mercilessly tickling until Ikade could barely force out a coherent sound. Their breaths filled the quiet room, and once the struggle slowed, they found themselves staring at each other. A few tears clung to Ikade's lashes, her head resting flat against the bed.
Now it was Sienna wearing the smug smile, a spark igniting in her eyes. Her finger traced along the cat's lips, whose eyes widened in panic.
"Let this auntie show you okay?"
Her finger tapped gently against Ikade's lip and Sienna's eyes narrowed with a smile.
"Stop—! Stop, stop!"
Ikade's face burned red with shame, her little ears flailing while her tail smacked repeatedly against Sierra's leg.
"H-Have you no shame?!"
Sienna's eyes were drawn to the wiggling mess beneath her, her heart jumping with a brief spark of joy before she finally let up. The panting feline looked completely spent from their scuffle.
"I do. I'm just really good at hiding it."
The two stared at each other for a brief pause.
"Lets go, we've gotta head out in an hour."
Sienna pushed herself off the bed and headed toward the doorway. Ikade followed a moment later, still catching her breath. A handful of steps later, the two wandered into the kitchen, pulling out a few ingredients for a quick meal.
Sienna rolled her sleeves up slightly and tied an apron around her waist, working the remaining masa into a tortilla. She spun it between her hands, pulled the cut plastic bag over a layer of wrap, and shaped the dough until it flattened into a perfect circle.
Ikade, for her part, finished reheating the leftover stew from last night.
Sienna placed the newly shaped tortilla onto the hot pan, watching it inflate before flipping it just before it popped, the pan sizzling sharply. She gave the dough a few more turns, and when it puffed again, she dropped it into the small basket with the rest.
Ikade filled two bowls to the brim, letting the pot cool before carrying them to the dining room, oven mitts shielding her hands. She only came back to wash the pot.
Sienna shut off the stove, washed her hands, and brought the tortilla basket to the table. Ikade was already seated, taking a sip of her drink. Sierra set the basket down and sat beside her.
For the next twenty minutes, the two ate quietly with their aprons still on, their devices resting on the table between them, each playing something different.
Once the time had passed, Ikade slipped out of her apron and set it on her chair before heading to the nearby bathroom.
Sienna stuffed the last tortilla into her mouth, chewing a few times before swallowing and washing it down with a gulp of juice. Then she stood and let the empty bowls and cups levitate into the air, following her into the kitchen where she washed them.
"You don't have to clean if you don't want to, someone'll come and clean the house once a month."
"I know, I just hate having a dirty kitchen."
They spent the remaining time lounging around—reading, watching whatever happened to come up. Sienna's body, however, still fought to catch up on sleep even through the downtime.
When her wrist buzzed, she lifted it. A small screen flickered into existence, notifying them that their cab was already at the gate.
"Its here."
Her voice came out lazily as she tossed the manga onto the desk. She pushed herself up from the beanbag while Ikade stretched out her limbs after sitting in the chair so long.
Sienna reached for the laptop resting at the side of the desk, tucked it into the bookbag at its feet, and slung the strap over her shoulder.
She blinked once, and the two of them were already heading toward the front gate—their bags long since packed and loaded onto the waiting vessel the afternoon before. The cool morning air hit them the second they stepped through the gate and into the red-and-white cab.
"How long is it? The travel, I mean."
Ikade asked while fastening her seatbelt, the driver pulling out of the driveway once she was done. Sierra was left pondering for a moment before answering.
"Probably just a couple weeks."
Ikade did not feel any better after hearing the response, her ears falling flat on her head. Sienna patted her hand before speaking.
"You'll be fine. It's just a couple weeks—nothing big."
Her smile did nothing to help the sulking feline, who shot her a side-eye and muttered under her breath.
"That's easy for you to say, I've only been on one my entirely life!" Ikade muttered, feeling the injustice that was life.
"That was before we met anyway…you still haven't told me everything."
Ikade groaned away in a soft voice, her tailing flinging all around the cab while Sienna nodded along.
"And what happened when I told you on the way here, hmm~?"
Sienna teased away, running her finger across the length of the flinching tail, watching it twitch.
"We—Fought—The—Entire—Way—Here."
Both of Ikade's ears and eyelids fluttered with each tap, her annoyance building up. The two of them kept bickering the whole way through the maze of land plots and districts, the city breathing around them like a living organism—one that did not spare either of them a single thought.
The city's shadow draped itself over the moving cab, high-rises looming overhead with ads that reached down like grasping hands.
The faint wails of cruisers and ambulances passed through the steel chassis, mixing with the hum of the street.
They passed a residential block whose walls were plastered with an old mural—faded, yet still as prominent like years ago. The cab eased around the gentle curve of a roundabout and down crowded streets packed with an abundance of species.
Fiesta—where she had been raised.
Buildings rose around them in every stage of construction, some still skeletal, others nearly finished, a new venue's lights flickering while workers prepared it for opening night.
She watched groups moving along the sidewalks, lost in their own routines and daily patterns, living lives she no longer recognized.
Sienna could not remember the last time she had properly slowed down.
They passed through several gates connecting each city plate together, every checkpoint taking roughly fifteen minutes. It felt less like transit and more like being processed before they finally reached the land plot they were headed for.
The cab left the highway and rolled down the off-ramp at a steady pace. Both of them looked out their windows at the so-called bustling port in the distance.
It looked like any other part of the web called Gran Casas, if not for the massive complex planted in the middle. Three buildings of marvelous engineering—just one of several terminals scattered across the city in the vastness of the barren land.
They connected Gran Casas to the cities stretching along the distant horizon, much like the cab now cutting across another intersection.
They stayed quiet for a while before reaching the outer edge of the complex, the sound of traffic and construction heavy on their ears. The driver pulled up to an open spot the moment one presented itself, and both Sienna and Ikade hopped out from the passenger side the second the cab stopped.
Their bags were already slung over their shoulders, with the payment long handled.
A small no name village huh? Your eyes glow whenever you see something similar like these.
A vast wall of glass filled her view, curving in a gentle arc, the name of the complex written across it in harsh white.
Sienna only stared at her, watching Ikade take in the terminal before them. Her gaze lifted slightly to the roof hanging several meters above, transparent panes and chrome steel shielding the space from the weather, taller than the jacaranda trees scattered along its edge.
One tree rose up through the floor below, its trunk growing through a cutout square in the level beneath them, only a short distance away. Brick curbs lined each stretch of road behind them, separating the harsh traffic from the walkways.
Sienna said nothing.
She just grabbed Ikade's hand and dragged her inside the building, her pellicular form following close behind.
For all the times she had used the services here, she had not explored most of the place either. If she had to describe its shape, it reminded her of two V's pressed together—like a stickman missing its head, one arm raised in the air, baggy pants and all.
"Um…where are we going again?—"
Ikade asked, trying to remain dignified in public.
She stayed close to her, Ikade's gaze wandering nervously across the massive open space, not even sure she would still be in the right place if she were alone. Both their eyes drifted upward to the ceiling of glass and white steel and a gulp of nothing slid down her own throat when she caught sight of the dimpled surface above.
"Whoa—this is nothing like when you brought me here."
From the first floor alone, the place dwarfed far higher than the community center they had visited just days ago.
"Mhm. The one we used last time's been here longer than this one."
Sienna tugged her along, stuffing Ikade's bag with a few goodies along the way. She used her map to find the resource center, asked for directions to their terminal, and got herself a notice of declaration. A handful of wary glances followed her, but the regular folks could not do much beyond stare.
The two continued deeper inside, eventually crossing into a mall that branched through the terminal.
They made several small stops, having each new purchase sent directly to the waiting vessel. Some time passed before they found themselves standing in a security line, holding the very expensive boarding passes Sienna had generously paid for.
This part was unavoidable.
Sienna had to take out her ΜΙСΛ from her backpack in advance and lock it into the secured bright orange container provided by the resource center. It went much quicker for Ikade, who did not really have much on her. Sienna, on the other hand, was another story.
She had to present her ID and certificate for her tool—her casting device. The people nearby looked tense just being close to it, their hushed muttering brushing against her ears and greatly amusing her.
Once she got her things back, they moved farther down the corridor and came across a lounge ahead. Elevators lined one side behind a glass wall. Sienna tugged Ikade along and stepped into the nearest one.
There were only a few buttons, so she pressed the bottom-most one. They chatted about nothing in particular while the elevator kept descending for far too many minutes.
And when the doors finally slid open.
Another lounge greeted them, tucked into the center of a wide corridor. Ikade moved in closer, staring toward a smaller checkpoint at the far end of the cozy space. The two ignored it entirely and headed straight for the waiting vessel.
After showing their passes, the worn gates to the vessel opened. A clean, surprisingly warm waiting room sat only a few feet ahead, the thick doors on the opposite side already open to reveal it.
They crossed the short corridor and waited.
When Sienna opened her eyes again—boredom having knocked her out of her own thoughts—she realized she was already unlocking the door to their room.
She did not think too hard about the missing time. She pushed the door open, revealing a decently sized space, almost like a cozy apartment. They dropped their bags on the counter and shut the door behind them, sighs of relief escaping after the long stretch of movement and waiting.
With the lights fully on, the interior felt a little too modern for her taste, though still comfortable. Sienna glanced toward where a window should have been, only to find a metal blast door sealed tight.
Ikade wandered deeper inside, exploring every nook without hesitation.
Sienna took a seat on the sofa and stretched her limbs before lifting her wrist, a small screen blooming into view with the map.