A new world
"The world is far from perfect; some people strive to destroy it, some seek to control it, and others aim to preserve what little remains.
A girl sat on the train, her silky white hair cascading down her back, her brown eyes fluttering open with each jolt of the train.
'First stop, Yokohama,' the intercom announced, prompting her to pay attention.
She disembarked from the train with her belongings in tow, heading toward her new apartment. The bustling streets of Tokyo were adorned with flashing lights, teeming with salarymen and women, and children sticking close to their parents.
"Now, let me see," she mumbled, surveying the unfamiliar terrain. "I think it's this way."
Her journey led her to a tall apartment building, its neon lights flickering in the evening, offering a warm and inviting welcome.
"Hello, I'm here to rent a room," she immediately explained upon entering, a woman at the front desk looking up with a somewhat puzzled expression.
"Name?" the woman sighed, pulling out a sheet of paper.
"Astra Brager," the girl responded, her body slightly tense and nervous.
After jotting down her name, the lady glanced at Astra again.
"You're all set. Here's your key." Her voice conveyed a sense of urgency, as if she wanted the conversation to end quickly.
Astra wasted no time and proceeded to her room.
"Alright, Astra, this is your first time living on your own... no big deal," she tried to boost her confidence while packing her things in the room. "Just keep your head down, stay out of trouble, and work hard." She paused for a moment and chuckled to herself. "I sound like my mom," she said, giggling.
"Okay, done," she declared with pride, surveying her neatly organized room.
[Knock, knock]
Someone was at the door. She opened it to find a woman in her thirties holding a basket of sweet buns and other treats. "Welcome," the woman said with a warm smile.
"Thank you... um, I'm not sure what to say," Astra stammered while accepting the basket.
"It's no trouble. We're just glad to have someone like you next door," the woman replied. Glancing at her watch, she continued, "Well, I must be going. I'll talk to you later, Astra."
"What a great place," Astra thought to herself with a smile as she closed the door. She picked up a sweet bun from the basket and began to eat. 'Hmm, this is really good,' she said with her mouth still full. After swallowing, she realized, 'Maybe just one more.'
Before she knew it, she was on her bed, watching videos and eating sweet buns for three hours. She snapped out of it when only one bun remained.
"Huh... what time is it?" she checked her phone. "4:50? Already? Ah, crap, I was supposed to call my mom three hours ago."
Astra tried calling her mom multiple times, but there was no answer. 'Yup, it's official, she's mad at me,' Astra sighed.
She checked the fridge, but it was empty, so she decided to go shopping.
[One hour of shopping later]
Astra was on her way back home when something caught her eye. She turned to see a fox that looked a bit unusual.
"Aww, that's so cute," Astra exclaimed as she approached. The fox hesitated and moved away. It was snow-white with a blue hue along its fur.
The fox started to walk in the opposite direction, and Astra followed. "Hey, wait up! Let me pet you!" she called out, trying to get closer. However, the fox jumped into a bin.
"Gotcha!" Astra exclaimed, but when she peered into the bin, she discovered that it wasn't filled with garbage but an entirely new world. She tried to pull herself up, but she had gone in too far and ended up falling into the bin, her landscape changed, from a mucky world to one of beauty and greenry, her eyes widened in shock by it, though it didn't last long, her awe lasted mere seconds as she landed on her neck a loud snapping sound heard.