It's been a few days since Lina left for Determination.
I stepped out of the checkpoint and found myself back in the carpeted streets of Ingenuity. There, I found Deva already waiting for me, arms folded, that same look of 'You have done nothing wrong but I am still disappointed in you anyway' on his face.
"How's stewardship?" Deva asked,gesturing at me to follow him.
"Stewardship..." I walked beside him. "I mean, it's different from worker or laborer..." I muttered. "Like, you..." I shook my head. "Actually, it's the exact same, we got shift, we got SOP, we got structure, we got work hours, but..."
I found myself at a loss of words, because, honestly, it's the exact same.
"The culture is different," Deva summarized.
"Yes!" I nodded in agreement. "The culture, it's... it's animistic! Like, it's not, delusional kind, but... They gave me dirty look for kicking a door open or not cleaning up my tools after use, like... God, this is weird!!!"
Deva simply nodded and for a moment he said nothing. He simply led me through the city in silent, past the fountain, the sculptures, the sparkling light tower, and the air purifier system that doubles as AC.
"Your world is also strange," Deva said finally. "Aion spoke of a place where people learns to be selective when it comes to kindness and respect," he began. "We practice compassion on everyone and everything so that we cannot distance ourselves from action, so we cannot see people as mere tools and exploit them,"
Yeah...yeah, I know, score one for Ingenuity I guess...
After a while, we found ourselves there, in front of a gargantuan building in the center of the city. It looked similar to the Pandora Logistics HQ, only far larger and jet-black, decorated with splashes of white murals.
"What is this place?"
"This is the Trailblazer Headquarters," Deva began. "Normally, you would have to go through seven years of formal education and three years of Trailblazer training to even sit for the exam. But there is another way."
"What is it? Some sort of secret test?"
Deva glanced at me. "No. Nepotism." He pushed open the double doors, revealing a spacious lobby that looked like an outdoor cafe.
Instead of carpet, the floor was covered in synthetic grass that felt rough beneath my feet. Instead of metallic chairs, there were artificial wooden logs and boulders. The receptionist sat behind a desk carved from a massive stone, wearing a sharp black uniform.
"Welcome, Mr. Dharma," the receptionist greeted. "How may I help you?"
Deva gestured toward me. "This is Viel. She's a special case. She will be attending the next Trailblazer Exam."
The man eyed me, taking in my mechanical appearance. "I can be lenient with the formal requirements, but the same rules and terms apply during the test." He pulled a letter from behind the desk. "Here are the terms, rules, and participation details. The seminar is next week. It's not mandatory, but it's highly recommended. It increases your chance of survival."
I took the envelope, finding it stuffed with brochures and schedules. "Wait... 'chance of survival'?"
"Trailblazer entry is extremely strict," Deva said. "It has a five percent graduation rate and a twenty-five percent death rate."
What the fuck? It's that kind of exam? "So it's either pass or die?" I asked. "Can't I just surrender?"
"You can, but it's not guaranteed," Deva said, folding his arms. "Precautions exist to keep participants alive, we will dispatch rescue team if anything went wrong, but we don't want you to rely on them." He gave the receptionist a quick nod before leading me back out. "You're on your own now. You have one week to prepare." He turned back toward the HQ with a simple wave. "Good luck."
Just like that, he left me! Like a parent abandoning their kid at the checkout counter. I went to a nearby bench and sat down, flipping through the pamphlets. There were informational posters on how to stay alive on the surface, lengthy terms and agreements, and finally, the invitation to the seminar.
"Still... am I technically homeless?" I looked around. "What now?"
Again, being "homeless" in Ingenuity wasn't actually that bad, I realized. The "outdoors" was still climate-controlled. The streets were more comfortable than any mattress in a simulation.
And besides...
Ah fuck, I already miss Lina now... I hope I can go to determination after I get my certification.
I decided to pick a nearby sofa, close my eyes and went straight to sleep.
I had a dream about working at Walmart. Restocking shelves, cleaning up messes, and beating up shoplifters in the parking lot. It felt so... unreal now. Fake, even. Meanwhile, Ingenuity, with all its strangeness, felt lucid and undeniable.
But I know the dream felt real back then, too.
Does that mean all this could be just another dream? Will I eventually wake up as a butterfly?
"Umm... umm... excuse me? Hello? Umm..."
A voice shook me awake. I yawned lightly and opened my eyes, coming face-to-face with a pair of bright green ones.
"Hmm?"
The girl stepped back, brown hair framing a nervous smile. "My... my name is Diana. Are you, umm... another participant?" She shifted on her feet, fiddling with the hem of her green turtleneck sweater. "Do you already have a team?"
I blinked, shaking my mind awake. "Team?" I double-checked the brochure. "Aren't we supposed to form teams after the seminar?"
Diana shook her head. "Oh uhh yes! You're absolutely right, but, I mean... most people form their teams before the exam even starts." She averted her gaze and shifted a little. "O-otherwise, you, you get left out and you'll have to... like, find a team, and... And it's a bit awkward because everyone else already knows each other and..." her face reddens and she shrunk into her sweater.
"Right, right... I get it." Geez, even I felt bad for her. "So, you still don't have a team? What's the maximum size?"
"Oh! Of course!" she clenched her fist and nodded. "There is, umm, usually a five-person limit. But I heard there's no limit for the final exam," she quickly shuffled through her documents. "Ah, and I also read something about too many humans in one group attracting more predators, so... umm.."
Well, I guess even with state-mandated eugenics, some people are still born socially awkward.
"Diana, sit next to me," I said.
The girl nodded and quickly sat down, scooting closer. "Yes! I'm sorry if I umm, I mean, yes... umm, Miss..."
"It's Viel. You can just call me Viel." I tilted my head and smiled at her. "So, tell me about yourself."
"Oh! Of course. My name is Diana Raga. I was born and raised in Love, then moved here after an accident..." Her voice faltered ever so slightly. "But it's alright, because Ingenuity is a great place to live, and I really think this city is very pretty."
Right. Inata and Sally had mentioned caretakers. "What's Love like?"
"Love? It's, umm... a lovely place." She giggled softly. "It's a giant ship, you see? It floats somewhere in the ocean near an archipelago." She smiled wistfully. "Because of that, Trailblazers from Love are great sailors! Myself included."
Well, that would be a useful skill, aside from the fact that we were currently in the middle of a savanna surrounded by deserts and forests.
"That sounds fun," I said, folding my arms. "I guess it's my turn, huh? I'm a robot, or a 'Smart Construct', from the Old World. Have you heard of it?"
"Yes! I've heard about it from the Herald of this city." Diana looked down. "I... I visited him a lot. He always knows what to say to make me feel welcome. He even told me to find you specifically." She smiled giddily. "I love the Herald of Wonder; he's so cute. The Herald of Desire is super nice, too, don't get me wrong, but... she's so nice that I just can't bring myself to open up to her..."
"You mean Aion? Is that his title, the Herald of Wonder? I thought he was just the boss of Pandora Logistics."
The girl's mouth hung open. "You don't know anything about the Heralds?!" She stood up and grabbed my hand. "Come on! Let me show you! I know the perfect place!"
Diana led me through Ingenuity, weaving through crowds, sculptures, and murals. We slipped between narrow alleyways and performed actual parkour up the sides of buildings. We jumped from roof to roof, and despite how it looked, I had a feeling this kind of agility was the bare minimum for a Trailblazer.
"Here we are!" Diana stopped in front of a tall, tower-like building decorated with murals. Each one depicted five different figures in distinct colors. The one in red, black, and purple was clearly Aion; the rest were too abstract for me to recognize at a glance.
"I bought this tower a month ago after I arrived," Diana said, leading me inside. "Come on, let me show you what I've got."
I was expecting a house, but I found myself inside something resembling a museum or a lounge. It was hard to describe. There were sofas and chairs, but no cupboards... Only glass shelves showing off strange trinkets. Paintings hung all over the walls, depicting either people or landscapes.
"This is..."
"This is my Circle Base" Diana grinned. "I mean... I'm the only member of the Circle, but I'd love it if you'd join me... T-temporarily! I mean!" She shifted nervously.
"I mean, su-"
"Anyway!" she cut me off before I could finish. "The Heralds, right?" She ran toward a glass shelf displaying action figures. "Here are two of them! Look."
I looked through the clear glass. The first figure was Aion, standing with a bright grin while holding a stuffed shark. He was surrounded by tiny replicas of gadgets and plush toys. The inscription below him read: Herald of Wonder.
Beside him was a figure of a beautiful woman with tanned skin, sparkling blue eyes, and long raven hair. She wore a white tunic that accentuated her curves, adorned with golden chains and gems. She had a soft, almost motherly smile. Her inscription read: Herald of Desire.
"There are only two?"
"I've only made two so far," Diana replied. "I haven't met the other three. The books and descriptions just aren't enough to get the details right."
So she made her own action figures of the Heralds. Talk about a dedicated fan.
"So, what does a Herald actually do? Do they rule the city?"
"No, they're... like the guardians. But they have powerful veto rights," Diana explained. "They can't exactly tell people what to do, but they can definitely tell people what not to do."
"And their decision is final?"
"Yep. Totally final. Most Heralds don't interfere with politics much, so when they do put their foot down, everyone knows it's a big deal. Like the time the Council of Love wanted to use bombs against sea monsters. The Herald of Desire said no, and they all backed off immediately, even before she gave them a reason."
I blinked. It was hard to imagine Aion putting his foot down on anything, let alone being taken seriously. But I suppose everyone here knew how important he was, regardless of how he acted.
"So every city has one?"
"Yep. Ingenuity has Wonder, Love has Desire, Myth has Fantasy, Determination has Perseverance, and Humanity has Morality," Diana explained.
I sat on one of the sofas, getting comfortable. "So, this is your base? Do you sleep here, or do you have a home?"
"Home? Well, the City of Love is my home, but I suppose the City of Ingenuity is my home now?"
No fucking way. "Where do you sleep?"
"I-I guess I like the spot near the library?" Diana said nervously. "Is that weird? I sometimes sleep in the main aula with everyone else, but..."
Recap time: What the fuck? People in this city didn't have homes? I mean, sure, the place was climate-controlled and the streets were comfortable, but still. "What about bathing? Where do you keep your clothes?"
"I have a few things in the luggage I keep upstairs, but I like this sweater..." Diana fiddled with the hem again. "It's cute, isn't it? And super comfy. I've been wearing it every day for months."
I blinked. "Do you ever clean it?"
"Well, yeah. Every morning. Sometimes in the evening, if I feel like it."
Right, right, now I remember the laundry facility in Ingenuity. It's blazing fast.
Diana pouted a little her mouth trembling. "Do you... do you think I'm weird?"
I waved my hand. "Listen, don't take it personally, everything about this city is weird for me. This entire world is weird, hell, I am the weird one most of the time,"
Like... to think a city could exist where people didn't even feel the need for a house. Again, I couldn't tell if this was a utopia or a dystopia. "So, what do you usually do to pass the time?"
Diana hesitated a little before answering. "I... I like to stroll around the city, jumping on top of buildings," she replied carefully. "Or I stay here and design things, or do some painting."
Okay, so this nerdy artist had parkour as a hobby. Got it.
Diana looked down, fidgeting. "You don't... hate me, right?"
No, no...
I sighed and scooted over to her. "Listen... I'm from the Old World; everything here is weird," I replied. "You are weird, Aion is weirder, Stewardship is weirder, everything is weird..."
"Umm... does it bother you?"
"No."
Diana's face lit up just a little. "Oh! In that case, do you... want to be my friend? And maybe... consider join my Circle? I mean..." She bit her lip.
"Yes," I sighed. Honestly, this girl was absurdly cool. What could have possibly made her lose her confidence? She could design figurines, parkour like a pro, and owned her own property. Given her age, she'd already beaten out about ninety-five percent of Americans.
"Really?"
"I don't know how to draw, so I can't contribute much that way," I told her. "But if you don't mind having me... sure."
Diana grinned brightly and grabbed my hands. "YES!" Her eyes sparkled. "We're going to be best friends, you hear?" she giggled. "Okay, calm down, umm... so what do we do? Oh! Let's think of a name for our Circle!"
"Name?"
"Yes! Okay, umm..." Diana bit her lip. "I can't think of any," her face flushed red.
"How about we... get to know each other better, figure out what we're even making... then we think about our name?"
"Oh! That's a great idea," Diana shifted a little. "You want to go out then? See some places?"
"Sure,"
With that, Diana and I left the circle base for a little trip, and boy, did this place just keep getting weirder.