The shopping complex we entered was a circular complex of automated vending places, ranging from locations to eat specialized delicacies to those that sold authentic clothes. Prices were a lot cheaper locally than bought online from the Federation’s main production planets, and the government encouraged people to visit places on their own. 

In contrast to the empty streets we passed early, this place displayed a healthy dose of people of all sorts going around their business. I even recognized a fourth year student from the Academy by his uniform- this was the easiest to reach city during pastime after all, except for those who took the teleportation network to another place in the inhabited ten percent of the world.

The complex was a place we had visited more often, since we all enjoyed exploring the world around us. Though new experiences were my preferred way of spending time, the homeliness of these artificially lit two-hundred square meters were easily worth my return.

Silver, blue-lit walls, three stories and a high ceiling lined with the occasional security orb, cameras that could detach and become active agents of justice. Shops displaying their titles, and glamorized animations showcasing their wares.

I grabbed my own tablet. It was a small device that fit in the palm of my hand, and projected a small, interactive hologram screen. I fiddled my finger along the screen, the software predicting my passages and creating a small 3D sketch. I preferred sketching over photographing the area with my eyes- it felt more authentic and engaging to me. Qualities I would need to guide my future.

“We have returned.”

Over my shoulder, Nick and Caenya exited one of the buildings. Nick was proudly carrying a small datastick while Caenya skipped beside him.

She was wearing a grey shirt with a black hoodie over her skirt, which flailed around in rhythm with her step.

“I have purchased the next issue of The Vigilant for us all to read.”

The Vigilant was a local writer’s story about the cities of our academy planet, imagining a fictitious conspiracy and an easy, young adult’s storyline.

“Didn’t one just come out?”

“The writer must’ve had a productive week,” Nick answered. “Or multiple writers are in question, story-generating software was used, or some other change occurred...”

“Does it matter?! It’s fun!” Caenya proclaimed, but her statement immediately came under my attack.

“The authenticity matters!” I spouted, aiming a finger of disagreement at her while she halted in front of me. “I think stories with a good story behind them are the best. You can tell that producers that use automated story generation or have an army of slaves as writers produce different kinds of tales, emphasis on produce. It’s not the same!”

“I can tell,” Caenya wisely analyzed, narrowing one of her eyes, “that I won’t be able to sway you on this one.”

I smirked. “Am I not open-minded enough?”

“Nah, you’re passionate,” she said. Her compliments always sounded like they were half-jokes, but they still landed safely onto my fragile heart. I oftentimes felt like I stood alone, especially after I was placed onto this world after the tragic death of my family, but she and Nick were always there for me.

I could take less weight upon myself, always trying to become smarter, but I wouldn’t let myself rest. If I did, I would become like all the others of my age- guided only by their environment. I was relatively smart for my age, and with that came the responsibility to use it to do good to myself and those around me.

“S-so,” I started, quickly lowering my volume after inadvertently stuttering. What triggered that?! “So, where are we heading to now? Are we looking for new clothes for Caenya?”

“Sounds good!”

She was completely in her element- a shining ball of emotion to contrast and complement Nick’s purely logical viewpoint and my analytical observer’s standpoint. She skipped forward and waited on us on an elevator, a hovering platform encased in a tube of glass that then quickly shot up, and brought us to the second floor. What came to eye first was a cultural center to preserve local history, an authentic local dinner and a simulator meeting location. Nick’s vision was better than that of us all though, spotting our target in between the crowds of people happily conversing with each other.

“Clothing and jewelry stores located!”

“After you then, lead the way.”

We passed a multitude of different people. They all towered over my early growth-spurt level length, and I was slightly envious of Nick’s impressive height that could stand toe-to-toe to some adults. People I saw included two Arachnid Federation soldiers, a Pyuntian father with two daughters about five years behind me in age, and a lady with stylized hair and a cat’s ears conversing with an engineer explaining some sort of business plan. Judging by the young woman’s fixated eyes, I expected the two to be good friends or lovers on top of work partners. The soldiers were on patrol, and their silence meant that they were probably having conversation on their neural networks with others.

The store Caenya now rushed into was small, including a storage room of jewelry and four interactable panels with which one could scroll through the company’s local and global wares. Every panel had a download option that allowed you to take the option to browse and purchase with you everywhere.

While I comfortably scrolled through apparel construed in stone, gem, crystal and plant, Nick worked with me to compile his own list of the shop’s options with a sorting program and a script written by yours truly. He stood behind me, his length almost allowing him to look over me.

I would’ve narrated Caenya’s action as well, if I knew where she managed to storm off to within the second my eyes and ears laid off her.

“This item here,” Nick started, “weighs only a gram more but costs twice the price as this item over here. What do you think influences that?”

I scratched my chin while staring at the two referenced rings, both being intricate laser-cut designs cut in crystal. Though we usually covered each other’s weaknesses, both of us were not apt on business safe for a healthy dose of philosophical speech concerning our hierarchical meritocratic society. 

“Simply supply and demand, probably. This design must be far more popular than the other.” 

While I continued, there was a bustle coming from the supply room, likely caused by a very excited Caenya.

“These prices are rather to-the-digit specific, this necklace costing 14.86 points, so I assume they are updated on the go.”

“Understandable,” Nick concluded, “like how this seven point item here just increased cost to twelve.”

“Huh?”

The item was a crystalline stone and it just updated in front of my eyes. Some of my hair caught in front of my face, and I shifted it away while I reasoned.

“We can only wonder what caused that influx. Probably a coincidental hoard buy on one of their other facilities.”

I laughed out loud. Researching these things was funny to me.

“Hey guys, let’s go to the next shop!”

Caenya had returned, and we both turned the walking maelstrom’s way.

“Didn’t you find anything you like?”

“Y-yeah, but, it’s too expensive, and I couldn’t do that to you, hehe...”

“Awww, suddenly so nice huh? A change of heart!”

“Oh shut up, I’ll change your skull.”

We walked out of the shop, back into the realm of the masses, but a loud noise put my soldier’s instinct into motion. I reflexively held up my hands as the crowd dispersed and made room for a security drone, a floating dark-blue orb floating from the ceiling. In its center, a modular, cyan-colored eye rotated around and scanned us. The glowing logo of the TSFF, a percentage sign with squares instead of circles and two lines instead of one, conveyed its status as law enforcer.

“Cease and desist. Profile: Caenya Veryll. Subject of vandalism. Penalty instated. Order to elucidate.”

Penetrating stares from the audience looked at Caenya, the only candidate bearer of a female name. There was no right to remain silent- on most TSFF modern worlds, penalties were directly issued without a lengthy process.

“Caenya?” I started.

“P-Please don’t be angry! I, uuuh...”

“This must be some sort of mistake,” Nick started. “Surely-”

“I b-broke something! This stone thing! I’m very sorry! Vincey, please d-don’t be angry!”

Caenya looked like she was about to cry, which was applicable. I tried to comfort her, and put a palm on her head.

“Hey, don’t worry. You didn’t do it on purpose. Drone, what’s the penalty?”

“Object: Cyan Quartz, apparel item, thirty centimeters. Damage: Irreversible. Penalty constitutes 60 points- further misconduct may result in state-instated punishment.”

“I’ll pay it.”

“W-what?!” Caenya started. “No, no, you shouldn’t-”

“Then,” Nick followed, his sharp blue eyes unmoving, “I will pay a half too. I have enough unspent points I don’t need.”

She was speechless, and so was the crowd, who seemed to take in the drama as an appetizer. I didn’t mind at all. The drone’s eye flared, and sent orders of payment to us. I confirmed it, and I was left with my almost entire month’s stock of points depleted.

“Thank you for your cooperation,” the drone said, his electronic voice sounding a lot less intimidating now. “Stay out of trouble, all. Is there any help you require?”

Caenya was being emotional, so I hugged her. The crowd seemed pleased, and started to disperse. I awaited her confirmation, and she nodded.

“Not needed. Thank you for your service, drone.”

The floating orb beeped, an equivalent of a nod, and entered the shop with his hoverblades emitting a pleasant whirring. The situation was amended. We walked away, onwards to find a less crowded area to sit. I was about to say something to restore Caenya back to her sunshine mood, but to my surprise, Nick was first.

“Why didn’t you say anything when we left?” Nick confirmed. “You knew that the possibility of not being caught was nihil.”

“But I, I didn’t want to make you guys angry, I was afraid that you’d hate me, I swear it was a mistake!”

“Interesting. I thought you expressed that burdens were meant to be shared amongst friends.”

Good move, Nick. Caenya struggled to find her defense, which was mostly emotional and the product of cognitive dissonance.

“But, but, that was with like, long-term burdens! N-not... This isn’t something that would benefit all of us at all, it’s my own responsibility to-”

But Caenya was smart, and she caught herself on her own logic.

“My responsibility...”

“Hey,” I said. We found a corner next to an electronics stockhouse within the building and sat down. “We got you. We know you mean well. You can always tell us anything. We’re a team.”

“But it’s so, so hard to tell people things… And I’m only burdening you all! Sixty points is so much money!”

“Well, shit happens, ey? Doesn’t change that your own mistakes don’t always have to be your own responsibility if we’re perfectly willing to help you out. I mean, you’re a handful, but remember that time-”

I was about to say something inappropriate- something that happened three years ago.

“The time I was hung up over that one test I failed?”

“Just being there for you is hardly worth sixty points.”

“You’re always there for us, and that is worth more than anything. You’d have done the same.”

I thought she’d cry, but Caenya released herself from my hug, and her eyes twinkled towards the ceiling in a thirty degree angle, her long, curly black hairs falling past her shoulders.

“You know what! You’re right! I’ll do my best. Vincey, Nick. Thank you~”

Seeing her smile again warmed my heart, even if my heart was sprained and conflicted about the fortune I spent to pay the fine.

“Just don’t… Don’t thrash things again. What even happened?!”

She laughed oh so heartily! “I thought the thing looked nice but I was afraid I’d knock into this other thing, so, I accidentally hit the thing, and the thing fell and a piece broke off!!”

“Creep Detectives.”

Among the crowd, she had escaped our observant eyes, paining my dignity. It was Aeyn “Ice” Chrysante, the girl Nick and our friend Torch had an encounter with the day before. She was wearing casual clothes with short shorts, kneesocks and a simple shirt. Her brown-white dyed hair wasn’t loose as usual, but tied into a ponytail. Her entire demeanour seemed separate from her attitude at school.

She seemed oddly concerned, confused, and a bunch of other things. 

And she had been stalking us.