Lillith guided Gabriella through the streets until they arrived at a quaint restaurant tucked away amid the dimly lit sprawl.

The establishment, bathed in the glow of bright signs and holographic advertisements, exuded a distinct charm amid the hustle and bustle of the other places Gabriella had seen thus far. 

As they stepped inside, the ambient hum of chatter and the clinking of utensils created a lively backdrop. The interior, adorned with a strange fusion of leather and metal embraced, seemed very eclectic. 

[I hope she's paying,] Gabriella thought as Lillith motioned toward a secluded corner. [The System could have at least given me some gold.] 

They sat down at a comfy, little table. Gabriella took her seat, her senses enveloped by the collective buzzing of everything around her. A holographic menu flickered to life before them, presenting an array of strange images all portraying what she believed to be this world's food. 

With a confident smile, Lillith took charge, her fingers gliding across the holographic interface to navigate the menu.

"Do you have any money?"

"Negative." 

"Okay..." Lillith nodded slowly. "Well, uh, how about I get us some noodlettes?"

"I have no clue what that is but if your taste in food is as potent as that of your charm I am sure it will be great."

Lillith just gawked at her for a bit, a faint bit of red finding its way onto her cheeks. 

"Uhm... Well, they're a local specialty, and trust me, they're worth trying." 

"Noted." 

As Lillith placed the order, the holographic waiter acknowledged the request, projecting a hologram of a man wearing a big, white hat onto their table. The jovial atmosphere continued as patrons around them indulged in some of the food this place had to offer. Everyone was all smiles.

"So," Lillith said, "you really don't remember anything? At all?" 

"I remember the abilities I can use. My name. Some of my general likes and dislikes. That's about it." Gabriella adjusted her position on the chair, getting more comfortable as she committed to her lie. "I don't remember where anything is. I feel lost no matter where I go. You called me an 'Executioner', perhaps I had an occupation previously but I do not recall any such thing. You mentioned 'optics' and I didn't know what those were either. For all intents and purposes, it's as though I just arrived from a completely different world." 

"Wow."

Lillith did not look unsympathetic, but she did appear to be gauging Gabriella's words very carefully. 

"Now," Gabriella said, "are you ready to tell me what this 'Executioner' you mistook me for is?" 

She nodded. 

"Um... 'Executioners' are, uh... First District enforcers." 

Those three words were said with great gravity. 

Gabriella couldn't quite feel the impact, though. 

"What does that mean?" 

"Wow," Lillith blinked. "You're not kidding, you really can't remember anything. Uh," she looked away. "Okay, this place we're in right now, not the restaurant but the area outside of it, this is the Fourth District. In the city of Eden."

She paused, as though wondering if Gabriella was keeping up. 

"How many districts does Eden have?" 

"Four," she answered. "This, uhm... This is the worst one." 

[Lovely.] 

"Anyway, Executioners mostly work for the big companies. There are rogues here and there, but they're mainly just corporate muscle. They go and... eliminate people who they were ordered to kill. Sometimes criminals... sometimes not."

[Like bounty hunters, then? Come to think of it, I will need to make some money in this world to get by. Perhaps I could take a job like that. The life of an Executioner may just suit me.] 

"The thing about them is that they tend to have very strong, uh, psychic abilities. Hell, sometimes it feels like they're the only ones who do the kind of stuff you did. Which is why I was so scared when you did your trick back there." 

[Ah... Wonderful. So, these people, with the incredibly welcoming and friendly-sounding name, are generally denoted by their possession of abilities that regular people in this world, like Lillith, see as being... unnatural, basically? I understand.] 

"Perhaps I was one of them, but-" 

"I hope not." Lillith cut her off. 

"... I take it you haven't had good experiences with these people?" 

She shook her head. 

"They're just killing machines. That's all they do. That's all they're good for." 

[I sense some history here.]

The way Lillith's eyes shot up at her did hint at the fact that she still felt some amount of fear toward Gabriella, even if she did not believe she was an actual Executioner. 

Gabriella did want to know, however:

"Are Executioners above the law?" 

If the answer was "yes", it could be a useful alibi in the unfortunate situation that she ended up having to test her new abilities on people. 

"They can be, depending on who they're after or what they're doing." 

[Eh... If I'm asked for specifics things could still end up being dicy. That said, at the end of the day, strength ultimately dictates who's above the law and who isn't. I just need to train my new skills to the point where people decide it might be better to leave me alone.] 

"Can you tell me about Eden? As a whole, I mean." Gabriella put her chin on her hand. "What is life like here?" 

Lily leaned back in her chair, a pensive expression crossing her features as she contemplated Gabriella's question. Her gaze wandered, seemingly lost in the neon-lit tapestry of the cyberpunk city beyond the restaurant's window.

"Eden's a mess, you know?" Lily began, her tone a mix of resignation and defiance. "You sink or you swim. Each district is like its own little world. The higher you go, the better your life is. And... We're at the bottom right now." 

She traced an invisible line on the table as if outlining the hierarchy she spoke of.

"The First District, that's where the big shots live. The ones who make the rules." Lily's eyes flickered with a mix of resentment and resignation as she continued. "Second District is basically people on the cusp of getting to have actual power. Third and Fourth bleed into each other. Hard workers, let's say. Though, the Third is more factories, warehouses, that sort of thing. And, ehm... Then you have us here." 

[And, this is where I woke up? Really?] Gabriella found that funny. 

"Eden might look flashy with all its lights and tech, but it's a place that chews you up and spits you out if you're not careful. Life down here? It's survival. You do what you can to make it through the day. Some play by the rules, others... well, they find their own way."

Lily's gaze met Gabriella's, a glimmer of something beyond resignation in her eyes.

"But hey, it's home. For better or worse, it's where we live. It is what it is." 

Lily's eyes softened as she observed Gabriella. She seemed to understand that Gabriella was receiving nothing but new information right now.

After a moment of contemplation, Gabriella hesitantly broached a different topic. 

"Lillith, I don't remember where my home is, and I'm not sure how I fit into this world. I need to find work and make a place for myself," Gabriella confessed, her gaze searching for understanding in Lily's eyes. "As far as a skillset is concerned, well... I am rather strong. Is there anyone you know who may be able to make use of someone like me?" 

Lily hesitated for a moment, choosing her words carefully as she gauged Gabriella's reactions.

"Well, Gabriella... I could ask my boss if she can find something for you," she stated, "and I think maybe... she might have something for you." 

"What exactly do you have in mind?" 

"Well..." 

And with that, Gabriella hoped to find her footing in this place. For now, anyway.