1 Anticipation

MAY 9TH, 2184 | SATURDAY | 2:43 AM

"Hey, have you heard of that new game coming out soon?"

The question passed through the environment of any building or location like a whispered secret, igniting sparks of excitement in every conversation it touched.

In the heart of Straburn in North America, where towering skyscrapers reached for the sky and neon lights painted the streets in a multitude of colors, the anticipation was nearly-tangible.

From corporate offices to cozy coffee shops, from booming arcades to quiet alleyways, the buzz surrounding the release of Knowledge & Fear reached every corner of the city, of the continent, of the globe.

~~~

"Hey Candy, Isn't your dad like the CEO of Sunrise Entertainment or something?" A boys voice spoke through the clear speakers of Candy's sleek, metallic silver headset.

In a spacious, modern mansion housing five stories overlooking the bright cityscape of Straburn, Candy Reres leaned back against her plush pink couch, her emerald eyes fixated on the phone screen in front of her in bold letters the text on her screen read "Gio". The dimly lit room was filled with various consoles, PCs, phones, handheld devices and most importantly a large sky blue capsule in the corner.

"Yeah. We've been friends for thirteen years and you still have to ask?" Candy replied, clearly annoyed as she spoke into the expensive headset resting over her ears. "My dad's been working on it for three years. It's supposed to be revolutionary or something."

Across the city, Giovanni Bernard reclined in his own brightly lit room, surrounded by posters of various animated characters and heaps of manga. His deep voice resounded through the speakers as he responded to Candy, the enthusiasm in his voice contrasting with hers.

Giovanni's light brown towering figure could be seen sitting with his legs neatly crossed while he sat in a black leather gaming chair. His black hair crowned his head and his bang left little forehead to be seen, his sleek and sharp eyes stared at his phone screen with small pupils.

His lean and slightly muscular body shifted as he spoke. "I know, I know," he chuckled, "But I just wanted to make sure. Your old man's been making some serious waves lately."

Meanwhile in the same room as Giovanni, Sano Sanko lounged on the carpeted floor in fluffy white pajamas that matched well with her hair.

Her long ash-blonde hair fell around her like a snowy halo as she lay belly-first, head down on the floor. Her slender form relaxed against the soft carpeting, her head bobbled-up in interest as she stood up and walked over to Giovanni on the phone.

She leaned over his shoulders, bringing her head close to the phone while pushing Giovanni's head further away with her free hands.

"H-hey! You littl-" He tried to retort before his mouth was forcefully covered by her palms.

"Hey Candy, can you ask your dad to hook us up with some VIP access or something? I'm dying to get my hands on the game!" Sano's toothy grin was evident in her voice, her excitement infectious as she eagerly awaited Candy's response.

Candy rolled her eyes, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "I'll see what I can do, but no promises. My dad's a busy man, you know."

"Give the poor girl a break, Sano." A third and final voice could be heard faintly through Candy's headset.

"Awww~ Tyree, you're such a buzzkill," Sano whined.

Laying down, sprawled out on Giovanni's bed, Tyree Sanko chuckled, his own long ash-blonde hair tied back into a single ponytail as he lay his arms behind his head on the soft covers, his blue eyes scanning the popcorn roof just above him. "We can't expect Candy to pull strings for us all the time."

"You're a big fat poopy.." Sano pouted releasing Giovanni and crossing her arms.

Candy smirked slightly at the banter between her friends, the sound of their voices filling her ears with warmth.

"Well, I'm going to bed. I want to be able to play the game normally and not feel like I just had a lobotomy mid-game." Candy closed her eyes, a sense of weariness creeping over her as she prepared to end the call. "I'll catch you guys tomorrow."

"Goodnight."

"Sweet dreams!"

"Bye bye."

Candy ended the call and set her phone aside, feeling the exhaustion finally settling upon her shoulders. Pushing herself up from the plush pink cushions of her couch, she scanned the area looking for the most optimal path to her bed.

Her room was littered with clothes, posters, plushies, make-up, anything really. The walls were a soft pink with a heart pattern that seemed to glow in the soft hue of the room's dim lighting. The floor was covered in a fluffy pink carpet, providing a noticeable contrast to the sleek, modern furnishings scattered throughout the space.

Outlining the walls were a collage of different plushies from all sorts of franchises all ranging in sizes from miniscule to human-size. Large hills of clothes were scattered on the carpeted floor, threatening to obstruct Candy's already flimsy footing.

'I'll have to clean eventually, maybe I'll do it in a week or two.' She thought to herself.

Her bed, a queen-sized sanctuary of comfort flaunting a white double-layer veil, beckoned to her from across the room. Its soft pink and white hues were inviting, promising a restful night's sleep.

Atop the mattress lay two large white pillows, each decorated with their own unique accessories. A small, humanoid black and white plushie was nestled in the center of the two pillows. Its expression, though made of stitched threads and felt, seemed to mirror Candy's own perpetual scowl.

It was of a sad girl with short hair, a small nose bleed and tears running from her eyes. Around her neck was a cut rope, its slashed end dangling flimsily from the side.

With a resigned sigh, Candy made her way across the room, her steps muffled by the plush carpet beneath her feet. She couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight of the plushie perched atop her bed.

Reaching the foot of her bed, Candy grabbed the plushie and held it close to her chest, its soft fabric offering a modicum of comfort as she climbed onto the bed. Nestling herself among the pillows, she settled into her familiar spot, the plushie cradled against her as she whispered a command into the darkness.

"Astro.. turn off the lights.."

The room fell into darkness, the only source of illumination coming from the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the curtains. With a final sigh, Candy allowed herself to succumb to the sweet embrace of sleep.

~~~

The lull of a soft and slow melody rocked Candy from her slumber, her alarm was going off.

Opening her eyes groggily, she tossed her body over, her back laying comfortably on her mattress. The sound permeated from all directions throughout the entire room, almost omnidirectional.

"I'm awake." She yawned.

The tranquil but persistent melody paused, signaling for Candy to officially begin the day. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes before standing up and stretching her limbs.

Her room seemed to glow with the soft morning light filtering in through the curtains, casting a warm and comforting ambiance over her surroundings. The plushies that adorned her room seemed to come to life in the gentle light, their colors appearing more vibrant and their expressions more animated.

With a groan, Candy made her way across the room, her bare feet sinking into the plush carpeting beneath her. She glanced at her reflection in the full-length mirror near her wardrobe, noting the disheveled state of her long brown hair and the slight bags that lingered beneath her eyes.

"Might need to invest in some concealer," she muttered to herself, making a mental note to add it to her shopping list.

As she reached the wardrobe, she pulled open the doors, revealing row upon row of neatly folded clothes and meticulously organized accessories. With practiced ease, she selected a comfortable outfit for the day ahead, opting for a cozy red rib tank-top and a pair of well-worn jeans.

After dressing quickly, Candy made her way to the bathroom, the tiled floor cool against her bare feet. She went through her morning routine with practiced efficiency, brushing her teeth and splashing her face with water to wake herself up fully.

Finally deciding to check to check the time on her phone before doing anything else.

She swiped down at the top of her phone screen and a transparent black bar came down, showing the time, her unread notifications, her internet connection strength, her battery percentage and SIM provider.

[ 8:04 ]

Candy's eyes widened as she took in the time displayed on her phone. It was earlier than she had anticipated, but the excitement bubbling within her couldn't be contained. She quickly made her way back to her room and quickly out again through a tall white door.

There, the sight of a tall and lengthy hallway greeted her lined with other seven white doors alternating from left to right. The walls were made of shiny, polished marble tiles that reflected the soft light filtering in through the windows, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Three of the seven doors belonged to her siblings, Jewel, Maude and Kairo. Each door was adorned with a nameplate, bearing the name of its occupant in elegant script. Candy made her way down the hall, the plush carpeting muffling her footsteps as she approached her destination.

Stopping in front of the door directly in front of her, Candy reached out and grasped the doorknob, turning it slowly and pushing the door open with a soft creak. She stepped into the room beyond, greeted by the sight of her younger sister Maude, curled up beneath her pink duvet, her chest rising and falling in steady rhythm as she slept.

Candy smiled softly at the sight, her heart swelling with affection for her younger sibling. Maude was the baby of the family, and Candy couldn't help but feel protective of her, even as she watched her sleep.

She crossed the room silently, careful not to disturb Maude as she made her way to the window. Pulling back the curtains, Candy was greeted by the sight of the sun rising over the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the city below.

The skyline of Straburn stretched out before her, a sea of towering buildings and bustling streets. Even from this height, Candy could hear the distant hum of traffic and the faint chatter of people going about their day.

Lost in the beauty of the sunrise, Candy stood at the window for several minutes, simply taking in the breathtaking view before her. It was moments like these that reminded her why she loved living in the city, despite its many flaws.

With a sigh, Candy tore herself away from the window and made her way back to Maude's bedside. She placed a gentle pat to her sister's head before quietly slipping out of the room and closing the door behind her.

Back in the hallway, Candy made her way to the next door, which belonged to her younger brother Jewel. She turned the handle and pushed the door open, revealing Jewel's room beyond.

Jewel was sprawled out on his bed, his mouth slightly open as he snored rather loudly. His room was a mess, with clothes strewn about the floor and posters covering the walls. A perfect reflection of Jewel's nature.

Candy smiled, amused at her brother's sleeping form before quietly tiptoeing out of the room and closing the door behind her. She had one more stop to make before she could begin her day in earnest.

Kairo was the eldest of the Reres siblings, and his room was situated at the end of the hallway, opposite Candy's own.

Despite being the oldest, Kairo's belongings were just as unruly and unorganized as Candy. She knocked on his door to check if he was awake.

"Hello? It's Candy. You awake?" Candy called out, her voice carrying through the door with ease. She waited for a moment, listening for any signs of movement from within the room.

After a few seconds of silence, the door creaked open slowly.

It was pitch black.

Candy leaned in closer to the darkness to get a better look inside, but her heart dropped as few of the shadows retreated.

The withered face of Kairo slowly emerged from the darkness, his expression lacked any sign of human emotions as his bloodshot eyes stared back widely at Candy. Candy jumped instinctively, immediately turning to dash down the hallway as she apologized.

"SORRY FOR WAKING YOU UP!" She yelled.

Kairo's voice was barely audible as he muttered before slinking back in his room, his tone monotone and devoid of any emotion. "It's fine, I was awake."

The door shut loudly behind him.

Candy burst through a large double-door, the entrance and exit to the hallway situated just a few steps from Kairo's room.

As she stepped out into the main living area of the mansion, Candy took a moment to catch her breath. The room was expansive, with high ceilings and large windows that flooded the space with natural light. Plush sofas and armchairs were arranged in a cozy seating area.

Against one wall stood a towering bookcase, filled to the brim with books of every genre imaginable. Candy's eyes lingered on the titles, knowing damn well she ain't reading any of that.

In the center of the room sat a sleek marble coffee table, adorned with carefully arranged bouquets of fresh flowers. Their vibrant colors added a touch of warmth to the otherwise neutral palette of the room, their sweet fragrance filling the air.

Candy made her way to the kitchen, where the tantalizing aroma of freshly brewed coffee greeted her. Her mother, Jeane, stood at the counter, her back to Candy as she tended to the steaming pot.