[The Eclipse City Weather Control Service advises you to carry an umbrella for at least two hours as rain covers the city.]
A projection of what appeared to be the news was displayed on the dimly lit, blue and violet-hued room's wall. Selene had thrown her backpack to one side and placed her gauntlets and communication crystal on her desk.
Her head was covered with a white towel; nothing covered her wet body after her shower. Selene watched the rain fall through her window, not caring if someone outside saw her naked body.
She was proud of her appearance: a toned body and moderate-sized breasts with pink nipples that seemed somewhat stimulated from the long, hot shower she took to wash away the bad smell.
Her armpits and pubic area were dotted with purple tufts. She had sturdy thighs and a firm butt due to exercise. Her hands gently caressed her toned abdomen.
"I'm a damn work of art," Selene whispered, enjoying her privacy.
She wasn't someone who actively sought beauty, but she had unconsciously managed to become a striking beauty in her 20s. She didn't think she could compare to truly beautiful women, yet she was proud of how she looked.
Selene looked at herself in the full-length mirror in her room, and her pink eyes winked back at her. As she removed the towel from her head, her short hair fell to her shoulders, completely free from its previous unkempt state.
At that moment, her communication crystal buzzed and vibrated, alerting her to a new message. When she picked it up, she smiled at the words in the chat projected only to her:
[I hope you had a good shower. I'll wait for you at the bar at 10 p.m. Come dressed comfortably.]
Before replying, she had an idea. With the crystal in her hand, she approached her mirror, struck a pose, and took a picture. She attached the picture to her message before throwing the communicator on the bed. She didn't want to know more about the outcome of the matter.
[Is this comfortable enough?]
"Okay, now that there are only four hours left, should I put on something comfortable and then change? Or should I just put on the clothes I'm going to wear in the end?" While Selene was debating, something helped her choose.
"Selene, come down to eat!" Tea's voice came from the projected screen on the wall. The purple girl simply snapped her fingers before rummaging through her room.
In no time, she put on black athletic shorts and a white blouse. With her communicator in hand, she went down the stairs, which emerged directly from the tree wall, one of the advantages of living in houses like these.
When she reached the first floor, her parents were in the dining room. The table was set, and a news report was playing on the screen. Selene began to listen to it when she entered the room.
[The mayor has rejected Dusk City's demands. Eclipse City will keep the army stationed at the mine in the Thunder Mountains until tensions ease.]
"Those damn guys never seem to learn. The radiation in their water must have rotted their brains," Hyperion complained. He waved his hand, causing the screen to project an old program with a very different aesthetic from that of this era.
"Oh, it's that old story! Don't change it," said Selene, sitting down in the chair and watching the images intently.
"I don't know how you find those old shows so fascinating. They just show a world that will never return," said her father. He lowered his hand, agreeing to leave the show on the screen.
"I guess that's what makes those shows so interesting, especially the aesthetics. For a musician, they can serve as inspiration," Tea commented, taking a seat next to her daughter.
"I'm only interested in the technology that appears there. There are many interesting ideas," Selene commented, pointing at the screen just as the protagonist activated a teleportation device and disappeared.
"Teleportation? Many problems with that issue would need to be resolved..." Hyperion, a Glyphworker, almost launched into a technical discussion, but then he heard his wife clear her throat.
"Let's eat! No complicated stuff during dinner," the woman said, making her husband sit down in front of them. Even though all three were now in their seats, none of them touched the delicious food in front of them.
Out of sheer instinct, they all closed their eyes, and Hyperion began to speak.
"When we were desperate, the Second Sun descended upon the world. It scattered the dust from the sky, removed the poison from the earth, and spread the knowledge that made us rise again.
We owe our new life to her. For that reason, we consecrate this food to her. May she receive our blessings wherever she is, and may she continue to shine with the same intensity as before." After this short prayer, they opened their eyes and began to eat.
"Hey, I have plans to go out later. Don't wait up for me." Selene was the first to speak, causing her parents to look at each other for a few seconds.
"Well, but remember that you just got back, and you need to get plenty of rest, okay?" Hyperion advised, causing Tea to shake her head with a grimace on her lips.
Her husband was too easy on Selene! It was her responsibility as a mother to be stricter. She stared at her daughter, who shrank back.
"You must be here at three in the morning. I want a violin recital from you tomorrow afternoon, okay?" Tea asked, but her words left no room for doubt or questioning. It was more of a statement than a question.
"Yes!" Selene replied, smiling. She would worry about the recital tomorrow. For now, the only thing on her mind was having fun with Noelle.
"Oh, yes. Dad, I ran into a sandworm, and..." She began to tell her family about her near-death experience and the loss of her leather jacket. More importantly, she explained that she had to sacrifice her weapon to escape the monster's pursuit.
"Well, I was about to get angry, but since you explained it that way, I can understand your reasons," Hyperion said after thinking about his response for a moment.
"Luckily, I always have spare parts. They're blank, so you can take them and create a Glyphwork to your liking." Her father's words made Selene's pink eyes sparkle with excitement, and she had many ideas for her new weapon.
It was time to get her second custom weapon!
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Selene quickly got ready for her night out. She didn't have to spend time putting on makeup, which was not one of her favorite things to do.
She wore a relatively simple outfit: a black leather jacket, a blue tube crop top that exposed her toned abs, a black miniskirt, black boots, and black knee-high socks.
She put on perfume, did her hair, and painted her lips blue. Then, she looked in the mirror and turned around to see how she looked. She used her communicator to send Noelle a photo of herself and uploaded it to her personal profile.
"Mom, Dad, I'm leaving!" Selene called out to her parents, who were sitting on the sofa, snuggled up while watching a program.
"Remember to be back before 3 a.m.!" her mother shouted. Selene made a slight sound in confirmation and left the house, heading for the parking lot.
She channeled her Noeia into her hand, generating dozens of gray threads that fluttered gently in the air. She controlled them to connect with an object, tracing an enchantment pattern to unlock her motorcycle.
As she climbed onto her motorcycle, she leaned forward, causing her skirt to rise enough to allow her to spread her legs. Luckily, she didn't reveal too much, although if she had, she wouldn't have cared.
She accelerated, and the motorcycle hummed as it floated toward the street, where other flying vehicles traveled through the city. The scent of rain stimulated her senses, making her feel relaxed.
The city at night was lit by natural lanterns and neon lights, a gentle interaction between nature and technology. The robots did not seem out of place at all and even did gardening work.
The streets were lined with screens projecting different advertisements. Holograms interacted with each other. The businesses that were open at night were busy. Pedestrians adorned the scene. She even received a few glances as she traveled.
It seemed as if nightlife was just beginning in Eclipse City! This was especially true in places that were at their best after dark, such as O'Connor's bar, which was located at the top of a giant apple tree.
Underneath the canopy were two security guards. When Selene glanced at them, she noticed that the mist they emitted was pink, hardly threatening. Still, she gave them the respect they deserved, even though she wore a disdainful smile.
There was also a long line blocked by a red crowd control rope. At the front of the line was a group of women in light dresses, well-groomed and arguing with one of the guards.
"Let us in! I didn't spend three hours getting ready just for you, a mere guard, to block my way!" said one of the women, who seemed to be representing the rest.
"Ma'am, may I see your ID? Only authorized persons are allowed to enter," the security guard replied in a monotone voice, which upset the woman arguing with him even more.
"I already told you, we forgot! Don't you know who my father is? He's a powerful man!" she threatened. The guard just stared at her for a few seconds before looking at his colleague.
"Anderson's daughter, right? Your father explicitly asked us to deny you access, and you're still a minor," said the second guard, causing the girl to blush with embarrassment.
By then, Selene had turned off her flying motorcycle and approached the two guards. Upon seeing her, they ignored the complaining woman and those still waiting in line. They opened the rope blocking the passage.
"Welcome, Miss Sahari," they said in unison. Selene nodded at them and glanced sideways at the woman who had been making a scene a few seconds earlier.
The purple-haired girl gave her a mocking smile before touching the bark of the tree, causing it to open and reveal an elevator that would take her to its canopy.
"Who was she?" asked someone in line. No one seemed to know. One man decided to try his luck and asked a security guard, who answered.
"A Noetarch and an up-and-coming Glyphworker with a lot of talent. The boss likes her." This piqued some people's interest, so they gave the guard a monetary gift. In return, he showed them Selene's public profile, gaining her new followers.
Selene was unaware of this, however, and if she had known, she would have just shrugged it off. She had already arrived in front of the building, which was made of red-tinted glass and stood atop an apple tree.
As she opened the door, music from inside reached her, along with various smells from different sources. The bar's light was predominantly red, though it occasionally changed to purple, pink, blue, or green.
The bar had two floors. The first floor was for dancing and having a good time. Selene had to pass through a crowd of people enjoying the music to reach the staircase that would take her to the second floor.
Access to the second floor was blocked by an energy fence similar to the one at the city entrance. She took her ID out of her pocket, and the barrier opened, letting her through before locking again.
She quickly climbed the stairs; this part of the bar had a very calm atmosphere, with a long bar and several tables with soft seats. Some people were calmly drinking, and a few nodded to her. She nodded back.
Selene didn't have to search. She went straight to the most secluded area, where she knew she would find Noelle. This was where they always met up with their other friends. They had even agreed with the business owner to reserve this space for them.
Then she saw her: There was that blonde woman with red lips to match her eyes and a black dress that enhanced her appearance. When Selene arrived, the blonde smiled happily and gestured for her to come closer.