Three weeks later...

 

Fii had always wanted to have her very own computer, but after weeks of staring at this stupid screen—because Edith wanted to cram as much 'basic education' into her as possible—she was reconsidering her life choices.

Seriously. What was so important about knowing what a square root was? Or how to calculate the diameter of a circle? Did it matter whether it was pi or 3.14? So annoying.

And don't get her started on...what was it called? Physics? Something about energy and force and other stuff she couldn't keep track of. Math that involved more than just adding and subtracting was bad enough, but now there was all this other stuff?! Didn't matter if it was a carrot, a brick, or a planet. Who cared if a triangle had three sides, or a circle was round? These things didn't affect her ability to do daily tasks, and she'd gotten by fine without them. All she ever needed was her rooftop wisdom.

She'd rather spend her days playing football with the other kids, or scavenging for scraps at the junkyard. Anything but this.

Seriously, how the hell did HighRises spend hours glued to these things?

The screen before her was filled with equations and diagrams that made no sense to her whatsoever.

Fii slammed her head on the desk, groaning in frustration. She looked up at the clock, sighing with relief when she saw that it was almost lunchtime. Edith had promised to bring her something nice if she managed to finish her studies.

After several agonizing minutes, the door to the study finally opened.

"Ugh, finally!" Fii bolted upright, whipping her head around to look at the doctor.

Her hopes for an escape from her studies were dashed as she noticed that the person who entered the room wasn't Edith. It was one of three nurses who worked at the clinic, a petite woman named Sheri.

Sheri placed a tray of food on the table, pushing the stack of papers to the side to make space.

"Oh, you poor thing," she cooed, offering Fii a sympathetic smile. "You look exhausted."

"Yeah, it's been a long morning," Fii admitted, eyeing the food hungrily.

It smelled heavenly. A large plate of chicken biryani and a bowl of thick, creamy yogurt to accompany it. She would have had to work a full week of odd jobs to afford a meal like this.

"Edith is making progress with the new patient, so she's not gonna be out anytime soon. Here, this should help you get through the afternoon." Sheri nudged the plate closer to her, offering Fii a spoon.

Fii scooped up a spoonful of rice and chicken, savoring the delicious blend of spices. She closed her eyes, leaning back in her chair as she enjoyed the flavor. It was pure bliss.

"Ah, that hits the spot!" Fii let out a satisfied sigh.

She glanced over at Sheri, who was still watching her with a small, amused smile. Fii felt her cheeks grow warm as she realized that she had spoken out loud.

"I, uh, like your cooking," she said sheepishly.

"Thanks! It's a family recipe." Sheri smiled, looking pleased. "I'm glad you're enjoying it."

An awkward silence fell between them as Fii continued to dig into her meal. She wasn't normally one to enjoy being around other people, but Sheri seemed nice enough.

"So...why are you working for Edith anyways? You know she's not a real doctor, right?" Fii blurted out the question before she could stop herself.

"Huh?" Sheri blinked at her, seeming taken aback by the question. "Oh, she told you?"

"Yep, she told me everything," Fii replied, taking another bite of her food. "And I gotta admit, you guys are a bit of an odd group. You seem nice, but I don't get the vibe that you're a bad person or anything, so why are you helping her?"

Sheri chuckled, looking amused by the question. "It's a little more complicated than that," she said, shaking her head. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "The truth is, I used to work at the Neon Alley as a...ahem...physical therapist, for a very exclusive clientele, shall we say."

Fii raised her eyebrows, wondering what the other woman meant. "You were a massage therapist?" she guessed.

Sheri snickered, stifling a laugh. "Close enough."

"And now you're working with Edith, why?"

"Let's just say I owe her a favor."

"Like, she saved you from something?"

"Something like that." Sheri winked.

"Must have been quite the debt, huh?"

"You have no idea."

Fii shoveled the last of the rice into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. There was clearly more to this story, but she knew better than to pry. She had barely finished her food when Edith poked her head into the room, her eyes zeroing in on the tray of empty dishes.

"Ah, I see you enjoyed the meal," she remarked, sounding pleased.

"Loved it," Fii replied honestly.

"Excellent. You know, you might learn to like studying if you have something good to look forward to after." Edith smiled, stepping into the room and placing a hand on Fii's shoulder. "Speaking of which, how's it coming along with your homework?"

Fii groaned, shooting her a glare. "Don't remind me," she muttered, glancing back at the computer screen. "I hate math. Why do I even need to learn this?"

Edith sighed, sounding exasperated. "Fii, we've been over this. Mathematics is the foundation of physics. How do you expect to master your powers if you can't understand the principles behind them? It's only a few more days of reviewing before you move on to more practical applications."

Fii slumped back in her chair, feeling defeated. "Fine," she grumbled, crossing her arms. "I'll finish this stupid worksheet, but I want a day off afterward."

"But you've barely touched the chapter on basic trigonometry and algebra." Edith frowned. "You know that you can't advance to calculus until you've mastered this material, correct?"

Fii gritted her teeth, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. "Just give me a day," she said, struggling to maintain her composure. "I'm tired. I need to rest. I've been stuck in this room all morning. If I don't get some fresh air soon, I might go insane."

Edith tapped her chin, considering Fii's request. "Hmmm, you do make a valid point. We can't have our star pupil going stir-crazy on us." She flashed Fii a wry smile. "Alright. I suppose I can give you one day off to recharge your batteries. But when you get back, we need to run more physical tests to monitor your progress."

Fii nodded eagerly, relieved to be free of the study room, if only temporarily. "Whatever you want, Doc."

A few more hours. She just had to power through a few more hours, and she'd be free to roam the streets again. Fii turned to face the computer once more, picking up her pencil and preparing herself for another grueling session of number crunching. Whatever it takes. Scrap today, shine tomorrow. She just had to remember that. Scrap today, shine tomorrow. Over and over, in her head, like a mantra. Scrap today, shine tomorrow. Scrap today—no wait, it was skip tomorrow. Shine? Right, so scrape today, skip tomorrow, and...and something. Crap. It was already slipping from her memory.

Fii buried her head in her hands, groaning in frustration. This was going to be a long afternoon.

---

The sun had begun its descent, bathing the slums in golden light. Fii stretched her arms above her head, sighing contentedly as she watched the sunset. After spending most of the day indoors, it was good to be outside again, even if it was just to get some air. She closed her eyes, basking in the warmth of the evening. This was the break she needed to clear her head. And hopefully, it would help her get through the remaining chapters on her "homework."

She kicked a tin can into a pothole, squinting at the rusty sign up ahead, reading: SUMIKI'S GOODS. It was the neighborhood joint where you could find both cheap rip-offs and authentic old-world relics. Sumiki, a pot-bellied fellow with a toothless grin, waved her over, offering a trinket. "You. Girl. Come, come. I give you discount, yes?" he called out, brandishing his wares. "You buy? Good price!"

Fii made a beeline for him, examining the array of items spread out before her. Some of them looked familiar, while others were completely foreign. A metal helmet with a cracked visor. A pair of chipped dog tags. An assortment of plastic figurines in various states of disrepair. And more, each with a unique story to tell.

"These are neat," she said, picking up a shiny medallion with an inscription on it. "Where'd you find these?"

"Eh, all over. Dig here, dig there." Sumiki shrugged nonchalantly. "Sometimes people find things, throw away. I find, clean, sell. Nothing wrong with that, no?"

"Nope, no problem," Fii replied, grinning. "Hey, Sumiki, how's your nephew?" she asked, glancing around for the boy.

The man's eyes lit up. "Ah, Nigel! He's strong. Always helping. Say, you want to see him?"

"Not today, but thank you." Fii returned the medallion, waving goodbye as she set off. "Tell him I said hi."

As she continued walking, she passed by the usual throngs of people milling around, going about their everyday lives: Old women having a tin talk with one another, gossiping about the latest neighborhood news. The occasional gang member showing off his flashy new gear, strutting around like he owned the place. A couple of ClipRunners rushing past, no doubt delivering messages. And, of course, the ever-present peddlers of cheap, knockoff goods. There was never a dull moment in the slums, especially at this time of day.

"Hey, kid." A rough, deep voice stirred Fii from her thoughts. She turned to find a burly, intimidating man looming over her. He was dressed in a stained tank top and dirty jeans, and his face was covered in stubble. His eyes darted from left to right, and he was sweating profusely. Fii could tell immediately that he was up to no good. "You lookin' for somethin' to do? Need a job?" the man asked. "I'll pay you good ChitCreds."

Fii furrowed her brow, taking a step back. She knew that look—the look of a Skimmer. "I'm fine," she said, holding her hands up in a placating gesture. "I already have a job."

The man gave her a sleazy grin. "Perfect," he said, advancing toward her. "That's just the kind of attitude I like. Come with me, I'll show you what you need to do. You won't regret it."

Jeez. She may as well be singing to the scrap heap.

"I said I'm fine." Fii raised her voice, taking another step back. "I'm not interested."

The man's smile disappeared, replaced with a scowl. "You tryna make fun of me, kid?" he growled, clenching his fists. "I'm not takin' no for an answer." He lunged at Fii, grabbing her arm and yanking her toward him.

Fii yelped, struggling to break free of the stranger's grip.

Suddenly, his grip on her arm felt lighter, as if he had relaxed. She pulled back, and the man stumbled, his balance thrown off. Fii jerked her hand to the left, and the man went flying in the same direction. He landed hard on the pavement, dazed and confused.

She stared at her hand in disbelief. What just happened? Did she...? She flexed her fingers, and felt a prickling sensation all around her arm, as if she were wrapped in invisible spider webs. The lightness, the pressure, it was the exact same feeling as when she floated that day at the clinic.

The man scrambled to his feet, his expression furious. "You little punk, you're gonna pay for that," he snarled, pulling a switchblade out of his pocket and brandishing it in front of her. "You think you're so tough? Let's see you handle this." He lunged at Fii, swinging the blade wildly.

She instinctively threw her hand out, as if to ward off the attack. She felt the strange, prickling feeling envelop her entire body, and suddenly, the man went flying backward, landing hard on the ground. Again. Except this time, he stayed there. Completely still.

Uh oh! I hope I didn't...

Fii hurried over to the man's body, kneeling beside him and checking his pulse. Still there. Good, that was good. But was he okay? She shook him gently, but received no response. He must have hit his head and blacked out. Fii heaved a sigh of relief. At least he was alive. She got to her feet and walked away, leaving the unconscious man to fend for himself.

As she rounded a corner, she caught sight of a familiar figure standing nearby, her hands planted on her hips. Edith watched her, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Not a bad display of control, but your execution could use some work."

Fii froze, her mind racing as she tried to come up with an explanation. "I...um, sorry, I can explain," she stammered, not sure what to say. "He was bothering me, and I didn't know what to do, and then my hand..." She trailed off, realizing she was rambling.

Edith waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry, I saw the whole thing," she said, chuckling. "He got what he deserved. Anyways, now you see why your training is so important? Your power is incredibly dangerous. What happened here could have gone very differently, especially if you weren't in such a calm state of mind."

Well, it wasn't that uncommon to be randomly approached by a sketchy guy or a recruiter for one of the local gangs. This was the slums, after all. Still, the timing of Edith's appearance was a little too perfect. Almost as if she'd been waiting to catch Fii in the act of using her powers.

"You followed me, didn't you?" Fii asked, raising her brows. "To make sure I didn't run off or something?" She crossed her arms, giving Edith a pointed look. "That's a little creepy, Doc."

Edith shrugged. "Think whatever you want. The important thing is, you're beginning to understand the magnitude of what you're capable of. But if you must know, I was on my way to pick up some groceries before I spotted you." She inclined her head towards the end of the alley where a small supermarket stood, its windows covered in graffiti. "Shall we?" she asked, offering Fii a lopsided grin.

Fii sighed. "Lead the way," she said, following the doctor to the store. While they were there, she made a mental note to stock up on snacks before heading back to the clinic. Studying was a lot easier with proper motivation. Of course, Edith was paying.

She watched as the store owner sold Edith a sack of groceries at three times the price without her realizing it. Edith still didn't get it, even after the merchant made a show of counting out the chits before handing them to her. Then again, what did she expect from a HighRise?

On the way back, she decided to ask Edith a few questions of her own.

"So, the nurse, Sheri, she used to work at the Neon Alley. A...ah, physical therapist," Fii began, still struggling to pronounce the words. "What's that?"

"It means she gives people massages," Edith replied, smiling at the question. "Some people love getting all kinds of massages, and Sheri specializes in giving them." She raised her eyebrow suggestively, as if waiting for Fii to catch on to some hidden meaning. When Fii simply gave her a blank stare, she sighed. "Oh, you're being serious? You really don't know?"

"I don't."

"Well, some of my colleagues might say there are other benefits to receiving a massage. You know, pleasure. Happiness. Release." Edith made a vague gesture with her hands.

"Oh...OH! You mean—" Fii blushed in realization. "So she was a..."

That...made more sense, somehow. She should have known. Neon Alley had places for that kind of thing, from what she heard. And the more she thought about it, the more she remembered seeing Sheri giving men shoulder rubs while they waited their turn for a check-up.

"So, she quit her old job because of a debt?" Fii asked. Something must have happened. If a girl was pretty enough to work there, then why quit? From what people told her, that place made good money. Especially if you had regulars. "What happened?"

"That's her business to tell, not mine." Edith adjusted her hold on the grocery bag. "What I can say is she was fortunate to be at the right place and the right time to meet someone who could get her out of a tight spot." Her eyes flicked to Fii, and she gave her a small smile. "Saved her from a terrible fate, really. And then, she offered to work for me, and I accepted. Been together ever since. Then two more people joined in. That's how our group started, about eight months ago."

Fii tilted her head. "You're lucky she trusts you."

Edith snorted. "She reminds me every other day. But, yeah. I've had...people walk out on me before. They claimed I was using them, and I guess it's true. I was. But I did pay them what I promised."

"Was this back when you were living in the metropolis?" Fii asked.

Edith nodded. "Yup. It was a different time. And I'll admit, I was a bit more idealistic and naïve. Didn't realize how cynical the real world can be." She let out a short chuckle. "Guess that's what I get for selling my soul to science, huh?"

Fii studied her, trying to figure out what Edith was referring to. She wasn't exactly sure how to respond, so she kept her mouth shut, letting the silence hang between them.

It was surprisingly comfortable, despite the fact that they hardly knew each other. For a moment, she forgot she was in the company of a mad scientist.

---