"Excuse me, coming through," they ducked into the crowd.

"Dunn!" came a frustrated shout. Remy looked incredulous. "Wow, someone is popular."

"Just walk," said Will, as they followed the sea of navy blues.

They stumbled out of the school and thrust straight into the city. Sunlight hit them in the face as they stepped out of the gate. Skyscrapers surrounded them, and the noonday sun glared off the glass.

Will shaded his eyes and blinked out stars. The glare was so bright, he would have considered the sun real. Almost real.

The fiftieth floor of the tower simulated the false sky well. Will looked up, through the skyscrapers. The passing clouds projected onto the ceiling were radiant, and the sun hidden behind the clouds was stuck in perennial midsummer. The only thing that broke that illusion was the faint grid lines between the projection panels, and the fact that all buildings here seemed to mysteriously stop their construction at the two hundredth floor.

The imitation, however, didn't end just with the sky; it was the same for the buildings around them, modeled in the classical prewar style. They might as well have been in any other city before Final October. The only difference was how congested everything was.

With floor area prices at a premium, the buildings were jam-packed to claustrophobic levels. The crowds were even thicker now with the schools released. Remy and Will fought their way through the main walkway and sneaked into one of the side streets.

The crowd grew sparser within the narrowed streets, but still felt restrictive. If the main walkway was cramped, the side street roads were almost a thin line now. The two boys squeezed their way past students, office workers, and service drones, who darted in and out of the shops that lined both sides of the road.

Neon signs advertised textbooks, slates, and CAD suits in bright red and green letters. The holiday sale was in full swing, and Awakening Day colors were everywhere. Red banners and streamers adorned the shops, and garish signs declared half off on all etherite purchases. Naturally, after marking up the price by double, of course. Being next to one of the most renowned educational institutions on the fiftieth floor had its perks.

Cadets from Stanton High, Reming and Fronton Academy, roamed the streets. There were even a couple of Shieldhorns by the mech shop, in their crisp charcoal grey suits. Everyone looked excited for the coming festival. Rem and Will looked out of place in the throng, flustered from their sudden run, as they hoofed their way up the street.

Remy looked behind him. "What was that all about?"

"I have no idea," Will sighed.

"Hmm, yeah," Remy nodded. "Maybe Miss Wagner does. We should ask her."

"Funny," Will deadpanned. "I'll do that. Right after I run away again."

Remy snorted. "But seriously though, what—"

A shadow fell over Remy followed by a loud honk. A large metallic yellow sphere descended down from the side of the building beside them.

"Watch it!" Will pulled Remy out of the way of the fast shuttle car as it flared its brake lights. The yellow shuttle taxi slowed to a stop where they stood moments ago. A crack appeared in its smooth spherical surface, and twin doors split open with a pneumatic hiss.

Remy cursed and moved even further back, looking livid as the pair of Shieldhorns they had spotted earlier climbed into the shuttle.

"You god damn ingrates!" flared Remy. "There is barely enough room to move here, and you called down a shuttle?!"

A girl with silver hair and blonde streaks rolled her eyes and gave Remy the finger. The other boy looked bored and gave him a lazy wave. The twin doors slammed shut, and the shuttle zipped upwards, joining the other cars in the highways up above. The roads up top looped around and in between buildings in a veritable three-dimensional maze, and soon the shuttle was lost amidst the dense midday traffic.

"You've got to be kidding me! Goddamn tower brats!" Remy cursed. He let out a snort and glanced at Will. "Speaking of—"

"What?" asked Will.

Remy smacked his shoulder. "What's the deal with you and the class princess."

Will gave him an unamused look.

"Hey, I'm just saying there must be some reason."

"Whatever the reason, I don't want to know," said Will. "I already got Kade breathing down my neck; I don't need another."

Remy chuckled and looked around. "Do you think she is still following us?"

"Doubt it," Will pointed at the higher floors. "She is probably up there, somewhere."

The upper levels were the most expensive and interconnected part of the city. Up there, one had everything at the end of their fingertips. Shuttle lines extended right into houses; you could be dropped off directly into your living room. People who resided in those heights had often lived their entire lives without their feet touching the ground.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Rem shrugged. "Chin up. One day, we are going to be up there too."

Will watched the shuttles zip past giant advertisement boards. The sign sported an attractive woman with ruby red lips in a dark green suit top. She brought a stim-cig to her mouth and then blew the smoke towards the screen. The advert finished with the end line: A minute woman is always ready. Be ready this season.

The screen cycled through the Awakening Day colors, just like the neon signs in the side streets.

"Same above, same below," I muttered. "Let's go, I've had enough of this."

"Hold on," said Rem, his eyes fixed on the board. "It's almost time."

Will looked back up. The advert had dimmed, and the screen faded to black. It was the same with all the other signs. All screens winked out one by one, and even the false sky dimmed to an evening blue.

The sudden change was felt by everyone, and the crowd fell silent as they looked up, expectant. A piercing whistle came from the south end, and one of the billboards lit up with a video of a fireworks rocket shooting upwards. The rocket jumped from screen to screen until it reached the false sky itself. The crowd held its breath until the rocket reached its zenith and exploded in a burst of colors. Red and green sparks filled the sky, and the crowd cheered.

"All right!" Remy clapped. More fireworks were set off, and the sky became a kaleidoscope of colors. The booms of exploding rockets were accompanied by large flares that hung in the sky to spell out celebratory words—Happy Awakening Day.

The crowd cheered louder, and Will felt a lump in his throat. He looked around at the smiling faces and felt distinctly alone, oddly separate from the festive mood. Alone, apart, and filled with doubt.

When the world celebrates does one have any right to be unhappy? It spoke of great ingratitude. He let out a breath and shook his head. He was being an idiot. It was better to get things done than wallow in self-pity.

Will tapped Remy's shoulder and gestured away from the crowd. With his hands in his pockets, he weaved through the throng. With the crowd distracted, navigating the streets became much easier.

"Will!" Remy caught up with him. "Don't you want to watch the fireworks?"

Will shook his head. "While everyone is gawking, we can get to walking." Remy shrugged and followed.

"They've really gone all out with the fireworks this year. And they're early too," Remy said, counting on his fingers. "Only a week and a half till Awakening Day."

"Yes, the ceremony," Will replied. "But it's not like it's much use for us. We've already awakened."

"Whoa, whoa," Remy held up his hands. "You're still attending the ceremony, right?" Will gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Unbelievable," Remy shook his head. "There is a limit to how antisocial you can be. Even if you're not coming for the event, at least attend the pre-party. We could hit Salamian and the Maclarens: fireworks, mech fights, arena battles...ghost girls." Remy nudged Will, waggling his eyebrows. "It's gonna be fun."

Will shook his head. "Can't. I'll be at the factories for most of the recess."

Remy frowned. "Didn't you put in your notice? You said that with the project and the training there wouldn't be enough time for anything else."

"That was before my scholarship got revoked," Will deadpanned.

"Not revoked," Remy corrected. "Put on hold."

"Whatever," Will waved it off. "Either case, I'm not getting any money, and medication costs mula."

"How much do you have in stock?" asked Remy.

"Not much."

Remy patted his shoulder. "You'll think of something."

"Blind optimism is for children and the insane," Will gave Remy a pointed look.

"It's not optimism if you know it's true," Remy grinned. "By the time you get back home – no, when you get out of the station – you'll have your answer."

"You seem so sure."

"When have I ever been wrong?" Remy snorted, and Will laughed in spite of himself.

Remy grinned and made a cross with his hands. "Remember the goose."

"Duck, duck, goose," Will replied dryly. "Come on. The station is just around the corner. Let's see if we can't figure out this problem by the end of it."

"Bet," said Remy.