Whrmmm… click—chhk… whrrr—
"Fuu…why'd it so damn cold?"
Sierra looked up from the garage to the cloudy sky above. Gray waves drifting across like a scene, mirroring a rapid river in slow motion. The dark and swollen scenery filled with rain waiting to ruin their day the moment they felt a spark of happiness.
"Should've just worn a damn jacket!..."
She muttered it under her breath while rubbing her hands vigorously before jogging toward the Alfi.
Her keys clattered against one another in a frantic mess, the metal ringing like a bell while she tried to find the right one. Her fingers moving clumsily from the cold until she finally inserted the correct key and threw herself inside.
Sierra willed it and the inside of the began to warm up rapidly, pleasantly reaching twenty two Celsius.
Her foot pressed down on the clutch, the handbrake already doing it's job before she shifted to neutral—giving the gear stick a couple unconscious shakes while sinking into the seat.
Chk-Chk-Chk
The car roared to life after cranking it again, white smoke leaving the muffler. Sierra warmed up alongside the car, the temperature gauge climbing steadily. Only then did she put it in reverse, easing into first gear when she had enough room.
She let the momentum carry the car toward the garage until she lined up beside the rusted truck.
Switching to reverse again, 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 and shut the car completely, and left it in reverse. With the flick of her hand, the garage door closed from the top down.
Sierra was about to leave the garage when a though forced her to pivot one eighty on her shoe's toe. She opened the car once more, placing one knee on the seat and pulling the handbrake down.
She slid out of the awkward position and reached for the trunk lever, pulling 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. Sierra slammed the trunk shut before heading back inside.
The door to the garage opened on its own—too tired to bother lifting an arm.
Her yawns filled the cold room before throwing a glance at her work booth, barely sparing the missing gear another through.
She pressed the garage button twice, and the sound of something sliding along a rail echoed through the space.
Her steps softened as she moved past the stairs leading to the gym, the living room and the tiny courtyard off to it's side. Down the hallway that led straight to their bedroom and through the door—her ears catching Ikade's voice from the bathroom, singing along to some Yaman indie band, completely deaf to the fact Sierra was already picking the lock.
"I can't understand anything she's saying."
The though drifted through her mind, the door unlocking on its own as the hot humid air hit her all at once. She ignored the heat and closed in to the fogged mirror, grabbing a small towel and wiping a single clean streak across it. Her reflection staring back to a squinting Sierra, her brows moving along to the faces she drew at herself.
The faint lines under her eyes filled her with horror. She sighed in defeat and touched the mirror, Information populating across one side of the foggy surface, the week's forecast playing at the top with subtitles at its bottom.
Her eyes roamed over the other mundane scribbles slowly ascending into nothing, the music switching to another song—Sierra's hand grabbed her toothbrush, applying some toothpaste and and ran warm water over the bristles.
Her brushing was drowned under the singing Ikade for several minutes, the running water forming a miniature pond before spitting the water out her mouth. A hair brush floated to her waiting hand before she ran her fingers through it.
She guided the comb through her wild hair, pressing absentmindedly until every stubborn cowlick finally surrendered. At the same time, Ikade opened the curtain—the two of them stared at each other, Ikade could have sworn she was about to have a heart attack from finding Sierra in the bathroom.
"Can you not?"
Sierra let out out a giggle from the slip while moving her head to one side, not feeling in the least guilty. Ikade felt a change somewhere, her ears twitching before backing away and closer to the shower.
Before Sierra could say anything else, Ikade yanked the curtain around herself, leaving only her narrowed eyes peeking from the edge.
"Sexual harassment dayo." Her voice was low, eliciting a laugh from Sierra.
"I haven't even done anything, y'know?"
Her face was still plastered by the smile, ignoring the increasingly cautions feline—turning back to the sink, she raised one hand up and stared at hand in its natural position.
Her eyes focused on the un-twitching hand, the surroundings becoming blurry for a moment until her hand moved to grab a pill bottle. Popping it open, she tossed two pain killers into her mouth before swallowing them dry.
The feline walked behind her, grabbing her phone from the wooden shelf and a hair dryer. Through the mirror, Sierra saw those fluffy ears being massaged by a pink towel. Sierra clenched her hand until it popped and twisting her torso soon after, the joints echoing the same.
Sierra glanced at a white paper bag on the counter. She tipped it over, letting the contents spill across the counter. A half-used tube of topical anesthetic rolled out alongside a lone suppressant, she reached for her small medical pouch hanging from a hook stuck to the mirror.
The overstuffed pouch flattened like a fat pancake when she unzipped it. She grabbed something similar to a insulin pen, it had chrome accents with the handle being a light beige. The bottom half was a clear plastic and inside was a purple cartridge, filled with a clear liquid.
Giving it a few flicks, Sierra uncapped the numbing cream and worked the cold gel into her thigh—the same spot she always used, the skin discolored from countless trials.
Her mind didn't let her wait and before she knew it, the suppressant was already pressed against her skin. The mechanical clink echoed through the room as the medicine swam through her body. She pulled the pen out and tossed the empty cartridge into the bin.
The pouch was overflowing with too many band-aids to count, grabbing a few before washing her hands and drying them. Her hands found a bottle of benzoin tincture—shaking it just enough, she opened it up and pulling the cap with a swab attached to it.
Rubbing the swab over every crystal on both wrist, covering each one with a small band aid afterwards—one by one. Once she finished, she nodded to herself and packed everything away.
"Perfect. Total emo vibes right here."
Sierra zipped up the pouch, holding it loosely in her hands while stepping out into their room. Ikade was still getting dressed.
Looking through the closet, she picked out some pants, a simple loose long-sleeved top and a pair of shoes from under the bed.
She stripped her shirt off in one motion onto the bed, threw on the top, then tugged her hair free from where it clung to her back, her necklace slipping free next. Her hands yanked off her shorts, trading them for the pants.
Ikade, who had finished drying her hair, stood by the edge of the bed staring at her with her ears drooped to the side—fully relaxed from the shower. Sierra by the, was done—playing with her hair while gazing at her reflection.
"Auntie. Heh."
The smug feline announced it like a victory, looking far too pleased with herself.
"What!" Sierra 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 fend the librei off. Sierra's hands shot to her sides, mercilessly tickling until Ikade could barely yell out a coherent noise. Their breaths filled the quiet room, both of them staring at each other once the struggle slowed. A few tears clung to Ikade's lashes, her head flat on the bed.
Now it was Sierra who wore the smug smile, a spark igniting in her eyes. Her finger traced the lips in front of her—the feline's eyes widening in panic.
"Let this auntie show you okay?"
Her finger gently tapping the bottom lip, and Sierra 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-Hey! Have you no shame?!"
Sierra's eyes were teased by the wiggling mess beneath her, her heart jumping with a brief spark of joy before finally letting 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 quick reprieve. "C'mon, we've gotta head out in an hour."
Sierra pushed herself off the bed and headed toward the doorway. Ikade followed after a short moment, still catching her breath. A handful of steps later, the two wandered into the kitchen—taking out a few ingredients for a quick meal.
Sierra 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, pulling the cut plastic bag over a layer of wrap, shaping the dough until it flattened into a perfect circle.
Ikade for her part, finished reheating the leftover stew from last night.
Sierra placed the now shape tortilla on the hot pan, watching it inflate before flipping it just before it popped, the pan sizzling sharply. She gave the dough a few more spins 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 the bowls to the dining room—the oven mitts shielding her hands.
Sierra shut the stove off, 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 the aprons still on, their bracelets and phones resting in the open space between them playing different things.
Once the minutes ran out, Ikade slipped out of her apron and set it on her chair before heading to the nearby bathroom.
Sierra stuffed the last tortilla into her mouth, chewing a few times before swallowing and washing it down with a gulp of juice. She stood and let the empty bowls and cups levitate into the air, following her into the kitchen where she washed them for a couple of minutes.
They spent the remaining time lounging around—reading, watching whatever popped up, her mind lighter without the weight of work. Her body however, still fought to catch up on sleep even through the downtime.
Sierra lifted her wrist when it buzzed, a small screen flicking into existence to notify them 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 from sitting on a chair.
Sierra reached for her laptop sitting on the side of the desk, tucking it into the bookbag resting at its feet before slinging 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 since yesterday afternoon. The cool morning air hit them the moment 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. Sierra 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 is 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 Sierra nodded along.
"And what happened when I told you on the way here, hmm~?"
Sierra teased away, running her finger across the length of the flinching tail, watching it twitch before tap the tip of the feline ears. "We—Fought—The—Entire—Way—Here."
Both Ikade's ears and eyelids fluttered with each tap, her annoyance building up. The two kept bickering all the way through the maze of land plots and districts. The city breathing around them like a moving organism—one that didn't spare either of them a single thought.
The cities shadow draping upon the moving cab, high-rises looming overhead with ads that reached down at them like grasping hands. The faint wails from cruisers and ambulances passing 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 prominent like years ago. The cab eased around the gentle curve of a roundabout and down the crowed streets with an abundance of species.
Fiesta—where she was raised.
Buildings rose around them in every stage of construction, some still a skeleton, others nearly done, a new venue's lights flickering while workers prepared it for its opening night.
Fiesta—where she hadn't rested in a long time.
She watched groups moving along the sidewalks, lost in their own routines and daily patterns, living lives she no longer recognized.
Fiesta—where the irony in it's name wasn't lost on her.
Sierra couldn't remember the last time she had slowed down properly.
They passed the several gates connecting each city plate together, every one taking roughly fifteen minutes—which was more like a checkpoint until they finally reached the land plot they were headed for.
The cab drove off the highway, rolling down the off ramp in a steady speed. 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 that is called Gran Casas, if not for the large complex dabbed in the middle. Three buildings of marvelous engineering—one of several other terminals scattered along the city in the vastness of the barren land.
They connected this Gran Casas to the ones stretching across the distant horizon, much like the cab now crossing an intersection before gradually slowing down.
They stayed quiet for some time before reaching the outer edge of the complex, the sound of cars moving and construction heavy on their ears. The driver quickly pulled up at an open spot when it presented itself and both Sierra and Ikade hopped out of the passenger side the second the cab stopped.
Their bags were already slung over their shoulders, and the payment long handled. They stood still for a moment, watching the steady flow of people funneling toward the entrance—the air thick with the scent of purpose, the noise of different species combining together without hesitation.
"So...what do we do?"
Ikade asked, her face flushing a light pink.
Just the outside alone was far more impressive than anything in her tiny village back home. A vast wall of glass permeated her view—curving in a gentle arc, the name of the complex written across it in harsh white.
Sierra only stared at her, watching Ikade take in the terminal before them. Her gaze lifted slightly to the roof hanging several meters above them—transparent panes and chrome steel offering cover from the weather, taller than the jacaranda tree scattered along its edge.
A tree poked up through the floor below, its trunk growing through a cut out square in the level beneath them, only a short distance away. The brick curbs lined each stretch of road behind them, separating the harsh traffic from the walkways.
Sierra didn't say anything but grab her hand, dragging her inside the building with a pellicular form. Despite all the times she'd used the services here, she hadn't explored most of the building either. If she had to describe its shape, it reminded her of two V's pressed together—like a stickman missing its head, its arm up in the air with baggy pants.
Concrete, stone, and an overwhelming amount of glass framed everything.
"Um…where are we going again?—"
Ikade asked, trying to remain dignified in public. She stuck close to Sierra while her gaze nervously wandered across the massive open space, not even sure she'd be in the right place if she were alone. Her eyes drifted upward to the ceiling of glass and white steel, a gulp of nothing sunk down her throat when she stared at 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, but it's way easier for me."
Sierra tugged her along, stuffing Ikade's bag with a few goodies along the way. She used her maps to find the resource center, where she asked for directions to their terminal and getting herself a notice of declaration. A handful of wary glances followed her but the regular folks couldn't do much.
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 the two found themselves standing in a security line, holding the very expensive boarding passes Sierra had generously paid for.
This part was something they couldn't avoid, Sierra had to take out her ΜΙСΛ in advance from her backpack, locking it into the secured bright orange container provided at the resource center. It went much quicker for Ikade, who really didn't have much but Sierra on the other hand—
She had to present her ID and certificate for her device—her CD, a term much easier to pronounce. The people nearby looked tense simply being close to it, their hushed muttering touching her ears and greatly amusing her.
Once she got her things back, they moved farther down the corridor and came across the lounge ahead. Elevators lined one side behind a glass wall. Sierra tugged Ikade along, stepping into the nearest one.
There were only a few buttons so she pressed the bottom most one. They chatted away at nothing, going down for far too many minutes.
And when the doors finally slid open—
Another lounge greeted them, tucked in the center of the wide corridor. Ikade moved in closer, staring toward a smaller checkpoint on 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 just a few feet ahead, the thick doors on the opposite side opening to reveal it.
They crossed the short corridor and waited.
And waited some more.
When Sierra opened her eyes again—boredom having knocked her out of her own thoughts, realized she was already unlocking the door to their room.
She didn't 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, their sighs of relief escaping after the long stretch of movement and waiting.
With the lights fully on, the interior felt slightly too modern for her taste but still comfortable. Sierra glanced toward where a window should've been, only to see a metal blast door sealed tight.
Ikade wandered deeper inside, exploring every nook without hesitation.
Sierra took a seat in the sofa and stretched her limbs before lifting her wrist—a small screen bloomed into view with the map loading after a couple of seconds. The vessel's interior was smaller than she expected—but otherwise normal, better to be safe behind walls than hammered by the elements