New World, New Rules. (8)

He finished all he had to do; he said goodbye to Cynthia, leaving the room with the backdrop of holographic displays showing his status report behind him.

Quin returned to his room, checking all the belonging he carried and stashed in the personal locker.

An electronic identification card, half-metallic and half-transparent display screen. It shows his information just by holding it. Also connected to his bank, can work as a wallet.

Casual clothes, a plain white shirt, and black synthetic jeans.

Black trench coat and a white formal top with blue lining on its collar and sides, a logo that writes F and G embossed on a black tower shield. Seemed to be his uniform for work.

Flat shoes, colored black with white soles.

And a synthetic leather bag that can carry all of it.

All of it is arranged side by side on top of a metal table right beside the transparent display windows. On the right side of his bed.

'Seems like I am ready. Based on my recovery rate, I will be discharged tomorrow.' Quin stared at his items while contemplating.

He raised his head and turned to look outside the window, watching the activity of the city.

People walking side by side on the sidewalk, hovercars passing by overhead. Floating image boards connected to high rises, colorful facades made by neon lights.

He smiles as he arranges them all back into his bag 'I'll be a part of them soon.' He paused, mused, then showed a determined face.

Deciding.

'This will be the actual start of my journey.'

As he closes the cover of his bag with force.

…

A closed training room covered with a soft mat. Metallic walls that can withstand heavy force. Exercise equipment lying around the floor, still radiating slight heat from being used.

A man is standing in the center of the place, breathing roughly with his eyes closed.

He frowns as he extended his hand in front of a metal device shaped like a ball, trying to do something.

In what seemed like an instant, it moved, hovered, then fell. Making his breathing harsher.

He rested in place, his head lowered, arms crossed, dissatisfied, contemplating.

A soft alarm sounded on the wall, snapping him out of his thinking.

"Apprentice Leo, you got a message from the Primary orphanage."

He heard the notification, eyes puzzled, and tried to recall if there was any noteworthy event happening soon.

As he walked outside the training ground, he stared in the direction of the metal ball device and raised his hand one last time.

And have his fingers snap together.

*Boom!!*

The ball got blasted seemingly out of nowhere, hitting the wall and discharging its kinetic energy, stopping just right beside the group of exercise equipment.

Satisfied with his handiwork, Leo smiles while leaving the room, having all lights turn off in his wake.

…

Sun up high, Cloudy. Temperature, Normal.

Quin raised his head, observing the environment while standing in front of the hospital entrance.

A big glass door, opening side by side. White walls with a red cross decorated its facade. A sign that states Preeminent Hospital are embossed on a crystal-shaped background.

A huge avenue right in front with tall trees planted on the side every 10 meters interval.

Ambulances going back and forth. Medical personnel walked side by side busy accepting emergency patients.

Citizens with worried faces walked up and hoped for the best.

Quin observed everything happening with his perception open, lost in thought, on standby.

He turned his head to his left, snapping out of his stupor, noticing an elderly approaching.

"Congratulation on having your vacation over. Why stand there? Waiting for someone?" The elderly asked while showing an amused smile. He seems to be always looking for fun.

Quin rolls his eyes after seeing the familiar joking sneer on his face.

White coat, looking like a doctor's attire. Silver Hair, dark eyes. Holding a metallic cane, tall and appearing to be staid… Until he opens his mouth.

"Yes Alfred, you do not need to remind me that simple days are over." Quin raised his eyebrow while pointing his chin toward the wide avenue.

"I'm waiting for someone to pick me up. Probably an acquaintance I had at the orphanage. Considering that I do not have any relatives, their number is registered as my emergency contact."

Quin explains while paying attention to the hovercars passing by the area.

"You can wait inside the building no? rather than stand here outside stupidly basking under the sun."

Staring in a surveillance camera's direction, Alfred raises his hand and points straight at it.

"I bet the city manager has been confused into deciding whether to call a ride-hailing service for you or not with you pacing here back and forth," Alfred said in jest while having his eyes squint.

Quin responds with a blank face, speechless.

"Right, I forgot. You mentioned that your memory recall procedure was unsuccessful. You might not even remember that artificial intelligence is serving as our manager." Alfred mused while holding his chin.

"Just what do you want, Alfred?" Quin snaps, getting somewhat annoyed.

While they are going back and forth, a retro black muscle car running on wheels, drove straight down the avenue, heading in their direction.

"Can't I just drop by and pester you for the last time before you leave?" Alfred taps the ground with his cane while giving Quin a wink.

"Gregory has already left the hospital after his routine checkup and biological maintenance a day after we played together, and the kid, Charles, is strictly guarded by his butler and rarely goes out." Alfred stared at the surrounding trees with a straight face, appearing somewhat lonely.

Frankly, Quin never knew what Alfred had been doing staying at the hospital. Every time they asked him, he'll just answer randomly without going straight to the topic and lead you away from it...

The muscle car stopped behind them, turning all its engines off.

The window rolls down, showing a man, with unusual emerald eyes, brown hair, slightly chubby and comfortable to look at, wearing a black jacket with red linings.

He just watched Quin and Alfred's bickering quietly without interrupting while observing Quin's violet eyes and hair oddly.

Quin turns around, hearing the noise staring at the newcomer, triggering a blurry memory.

"Adams?" Quin asked while examining him, getting a familiar vibe.

Leo Adams, the guy who entered the orphanage with him on the same batch, only to get adopted suddenly by an institution 5 months after his entry. There was a gossip stating that a bigwig favorably looked at him, it seems like the rumors aren't baseless. Not anyone can own and manually drive a retro vehicle on wheels in this generation.

As Quin stares at his attire, watching him get out of his ride, he figured out where the familiarity comes from. Leo has the same black jacket with red linings and a confident and composed demeanor that Mary had.

Alfred raised his eyebrow as soon as he saw the pattern on Leo's jacket apparently caught in memory, being uncharacteristically quiet.

"Yes, long time no see. Have not seen you since I left the orphanage." Leo smiled politely while showing a puzzled look after glancing at his hair and noticing the slight shade of violet after being radiated by the sun.

"Yeah, it seems like you have been doing well. By the way, this is Alfred, a friend I made here at the hospital."

Quin introduces Alfred to Leo, snapping him out of his recollection, allowing him to concentrate on observing the young lad while giving a nod.

"You have been staring at Quin's eyes and hair for quite a while now. Is there a problem?" Alfred started his observation, squinting his eyes in curiosity.

Leo showed an unusual look on his face in an instant, pausing, trying to find the right words before asking Quin, "What do you think the color of your eyes is?"

Alfred raised his eyebrow at the question, looking at Quin's eyes, somewhat realizing and somewhat not seemingly in thought.

Quin, taken aback by the question, answer it nonetheless, even if he noticed something unusual.

"Violet," Quin responds.

"That's what I thought," Leo mutters while holding his chin in thought.

Alfred had his eyes wide, looking in Quin's direction, surprised by his answer, examining him up and down like watching a rare animal from the zoo.

Quin was confused and also apprehensive, thinking there must be something important he was not aware of, hating this predicament that is based on the lack of information.

Leo noticed Quin's baffled eyes while staring in Alfred's direction and offered a vague clarification by asking, "Alfred, what color Quin's eyes are in your observation?"

"Brown," Alfred answered with certainty.

"What?" Quin has his mouth agape, hearing Alfred's response.

Leo chuckles and forcefully changed the topic.

"It's getting late. We should go, Wells." He stared at Quin's eyes seriously, having reservations about discussing the matter in public.

Leo turns back and opened the front door of his vehicle, signaling Quin to hop on while looking apologetically in Alfred's direction.

Alfred nods in understanding, quietly musing over the result of the question and answer while staring at Quin, who is now unsettled.

Quin stands there, dumbfounded, lost in their riddles, looking unlovable.