1 Forward
A complex of flats comes into view. Structurally only just holding together from the mixture of out of date building materials. Sticking out like a sore thumb in comparison to the immense sky high buildings littering the city gleaning with money.
One of the provided military flats, pales in comparison to the others having more amenities and equipment but disparaged nonetheless. The door creaks open and a trail of smoke follows. A young man stepped out now. A cigarette adorned his lips. Exhaling now he looks back.
"Alright Raven. I'm going now" Puffing on his cigarette harder, the forming future bringing anxiety and chaos with it.
"Wish me luck". A frail sprouting of optimism finds its way into a smile for him.
The young man looks to his sister now, fierce determination surging forward, the support she's given him wont go in vain.
"Please be safe Blake, you know I worry, life has been hard on you but you shouldn't run yourself into the ground trying to prove everyone wrong" Raven's melancholy leaks into her voice at the memories of her brother's past.
"I have to give this my all sis, so afterward I can live without regret" Blakes says as his eyes look towards the horizon of his desired future, while tightening the bandage where his arm would be. A gnarled stump is seen instead, the severing clearly not being clean in the slightest.
"I won't push too hard". Blake gives her a comforting smile through his white lie, while pulling a cigarette from his dad's old cigarette holder, the familiar silver star in the middle meets his eye as his thumb brushes against it.
"Fondness is the last thing I have for dads old smoking habit. Especially now you're picking it up". Raven's disappointment fills her expression.
Blake looks at her, grateful for all of her concerns. "Raven I have told you before, even though this isn't healthy, it's what I have to get me through. It's no excuse but it's my way of handling. Blake says explaining his reasoning before his sister can chew him out further.
"When I smoke I feel as though dad is with me, sharing in my smoke, it's comforting". He says, full of melancholy.
"Alright fine I won't push this any further but do try to be safe". She says before becoming an unneeded thorn in his side before his big event.
Blake slings his messenger bag over his shoulder the galaxy design giving off an old sense of nostalgia stirring a longing for something so impossibly far away.
He hugs his sister warmly, embracing her fully as he pats the back of head. A comforting smile forms on Blake, with that all Raven can do is send her brother off. "Please be safe Blake, please" Raven says, guilt ridden in her mind.
Taking his leave, Blake puts on his old black boots. Looking back at his run down government house, luxury housing parallels it. The differences are night and day to those deemed useful, clenching his fist he takes another drag reaffirming that this will change, finally heading out into the world.
Checking the time on the translucent screen of his phone, a slight projection is emitted into his view alerting him he's behind schedule to the finals, a desperate sprint enters his mind seeing the time.
A puff of his cigarette follows, taking the edge off. He attaches some sleek black glowing attachments on his shoes.
Having an interest in technology since his youth; this is one of his oldest creations. Having had multiple iterations in design before the incident. Within the year 2400 there's a vast amount of knowledge and technology available at people's fingertips.
However his father was in a different position, allowing even more knowledge and information accessible to him then most. This allowed him to become renowned on the planet for his works. The Asteria name is rooted in a lot of the budding technology. Now though its barely known, slowly dying out in the field.
Blake's father would often spend time with his son showing him a vast array of knowledge that most would consider a blessing to experience at such a young age. After a while of this his father asked him.
"What item do you want to make, whatever you decide I'll help you make it, son"!? This was the gateway for Blake's love of technology. After much deliberation Blake finally came to a conclusion on what he wanted to make. Settling for an interesting form of transport.
Electromagnetic hover attachments that would attach to the soles of most shoes, his dad had helped to adapt his son's creation to work off solar energy and electricity for the safest form of energy on his feet.
His dad went all out for the materials of his son's first item. Giving him a massive battery at the time, though they only held a charge of up to 15 minutes on its lowest setting and 5 minutes at its maximum output.
Mainly due to how small the batteries, they wanted a compact form factor of the item. Throughout the years Blake would end up using his creation a lot going through many iterations. Becoming highly reinforced now to withstand the impact of Blakes landings.
The attachments cling on, gripping to the soles of his shoes. With a kick of his heels he begins to hover a couple inches off the ground, giving off a silent humm in the air and a bright silver emanating from the bottom of his feet.
Exhaling smoke, he turns up the power. Tapping his toes on the ground, he begins to hover with more precision and power then before, a chime from his attachments alerts him of high power consumption finishing his drag, he skates forward gaining speed fast.
"Just like the good old days huh dad". Blake says to himself killing off the rest of his cigarette, memories of his dad teaching him how to use his creation flood through.
The memory still being cringworthy to him. Him and his dad naming his first invention, saying the first thing that came to mind when the two were brainstorming, mainly inspired by their use.
"I've got it KeepUps"! Blake yells.
"That's brilliant my son, straight to the point as it should be for any inventor". His Dad begins to laugh.
His father engraves the name into the attachments. Ever since his dads passing Blake has been straightforward in their name showing no embarrassment to honour his dad's memory and faith in his ability.
It's whilst reminiscing in this memory he nearly gets poled, as usual his habit of daydreaming while surfing the roads acts up.
Having been used to this old habit of his, Blake manages to sidestep the crippling pole. Thanking his dad again for making him practice with his inventions.
Starting to pick up the pace and is managing his way through gaps and corners throughout hover cars and bikes. Traffic getting annoyed with him in the process. A partial silver blur follows behind him, having nearly been hit multiple times at this point.
Finally he arrives at the military school. Just as the battery in his Keepups gives out and sends him forward from the momentum crashing into the entrance of the military exam site.
"They really want to send their message, the whole parking lot using Regencrete. I don't even want to think of the bill". Blake says his eyes pulled to the dull grey and shining white.
The grandiose skyscraper, almost piercing the heavens fills his view now. Floor after floor of glass and titanium make up the building. Multiple exams running at a time on each floor.
Regaining his balance. He looks up at it and his resolve is reaffirmed. "I will prove them wrong", flashes of his highschool come through, the helplessness and vulnerability being a tormenting memory for Blake as he struggles to deal with the constant abuse with no ability to retaliate.
Everyone would always tend to look down on him for his grim situation. Clearly showing the mindset. It's a dog eat dog world. However today is the day Blake proves to himself that he is more than that.
Ascending the worn down stairs, the entrance of the exam building comes into view, its sheer size giving Blake vertigo viewing its entirety.
As he ascends the steps immediately he's spun round in a circle by a flash of orange. "Oh sorry about that, the name's Kiara I'm 17 and I'm mainly known for my iconic orange"
"I tend to move really fast. It's not entirely in my control so I go a million miles a minute normally". Extending a hand to Blake now she pulls him up from the floor.
"It takes me a moment to slow down, especially when I'm nervous".She says in a flurry of speech, shaking like a fizzing soda ready to burst.
"Noted", Blake begins detaching his KeepUps clearing showing his disinterest in this person, a shielding of sorts. Storing the Keepups in their respective pouch aptly sewn with a star on it.
"I'm guessing you're late as well by your excessive speed and overall nervousness" Blake looks at the jittering person before him.
"Thankfully I've already completed mine, my parents made sure I passed swiftly". A nervous chuckle escapes her.
"Lucky you". Envy fills his voice as jealousy starts to form.
Glancing over at Blake storing away his KeepUps. Her eyes light up with curiosity. "Did you make those yourself, are you a legendary mechanic or something"?
"Do you build everything by yourself? Curiosity beams out of her eyes.
"If you do, I don't know how you do it with one arm". Her filter slowly starts to come back into her awareness at this.
"Sorry, sorry my bad i got carried away and forgot boundaries again". Her sentences blur together delivering this to him.
Blake pinches the bridge of his nose from the overload of information. "It's fine, yes I do make my own equipment and yes it is a wonder i can still do it with one arm. No I wouldn't say I'm a legendary mechanic more of my own thing which I'm still figuring out. Before you ask, yes this item helped me not be late today".
Kiara eyes stare at Blake in pure wonder. "I've always had a fascination for inventors, they can design things to imitate what powers can do".
"There's not many that go into that profession anymore, everyone just focuses on their powers. I have not had much exposure to them. Wanna be friends"? Curiosity and wonder pours out of her warm expression.
Blake looks at her with confusion. "Why would you want to hang out with someone with no power? Confusion surges throughout his mind, the irregularity of this making no sense to him.
"Unlike you, I don't have any powers. My genes were already examined and I'm told that I have nothing to awaken". Blake says his grim reality makes itself ever present.
"Can you really be fine with a friend like that"? Hesitation at this prospect is seen on Blake as worry and fear of another friendship going bad or fake protrude his mind.
"It's perfectly fine with me, you're the first person in a while to actually want to keep talking with me for more than five minutes". Her speedy sense of humor makes it hard for Blake to keep up or react.
"You seem like a good person as well so I'm going to trust my gut and go with my own views on you, Okay"? The innocent naivety of the world is seen clearly on Kiara as she extends a hand to Blake.
Hearing no response from Blake she takes that as a yes, forcing a handshake of sorts a chime is heard as Kiara's watch shares the data across to Blakes devices.
"Alright then we'll hang out sometime soon. Here's my number to get a hold of me. I wish you luck in the upcoming exam"!
Blake, still confused over his new found friendship yells out to Kiara as she's leaving. "You too"! The loneliness and solitude he's experienced for so long starts to melt away a little thanks to her.
*RING RING RING, THE FINALS SHALL BEGIN IN 5 MINUTES*. A loud robotic voice chimes out throughout the exam site.
Still getting over the shock of this encounter Blake finally ascends the stairs, preparing to move forward in his life even with all the cards that have been dealt to him.
