If one were to look at a particular car’s right side window, one would see the silly figure of a rabbit pressing its cheek hard on the glass, its sparkling eyes danced everywhere, taking in the scene of busy traffic. Tom showed an amusing mirth, observing the excited Ellowyn, her expressions represented that of a child who just discovered the existence of fairies and unicorns.

“I guess this is your first time seeing the outside from a car?” He asked. Only to conclude that she was too distracted and enthused to respond.

“Ah yes, I’m sorry”. She hurriedly replied after a long moment of silence.

Tom could only smile wryly, it seemed any attempt of communication to her then would simply go from one ear and out the other. She inhaled deeply, trying to calm down and to make sense of the incredible scene. She had known that flying vehicles existed there, but witnessing them with her own eyes had both awed and horrified her.

The first reference that came to her mind was fishes, more specifically, like a school of fish. These vehicles moved together in the same general direction. However, the scene was much more chaotic and larger in scale. Vehicles of different shapes and sizes were flying at various height and speed.They ranged from tiny, one rider bikes to gigantic cargo holding ones. Their appearances varied greatly. Some bikes had rusty frames and worn out engines that looked as if they would give in at any moment. Many cars and van were composed of a plain metal box and a few engines sticking out, she concluded that flying refrigerators would look better. A few fancy ones had sharp, modernistic edges or downright creepy glowing spikes and curves. Unequal distribution of wealth at its finest.

The way they moved was wild and unruly, it seemed there was no single, encompassing system that guided each vehicle. The aid of computers was obvious based on some of the impossible maneuvers executed by a small number of drivers. She presumed that the decision on which direction and what maneuvers to take was left to the human driver, seeing as the surrounding commuters weren’t all too happy. Often times, a hurried and reckless driver, regardless of vehicle size, would blaze through the stream, forcing the surrounding crafts to move aside, this act always earned them horns and shouts of obscenities.

“Watch where you’re going you fu” “Bob!” Tom rebuked her driver before he got the chance to give his share of colorful words.

Passes happened all the time, the rush of its driver seemed to determine a vehicle’s speed. She doubted whether regulations on these things exists at all. Many crafts carried far more goods and people than their manufacturer would limit, judging by their bulging cargo hold and crowded cockpit. She saw single rider bikes carrying entire families and other small cars carrying oversized sacks of merchandise.

She blanched every time some of the vehicles from the opposite stream crossed to her side, splitting the stream she was on horizontally, the crafts at the point before splitting would slow down would almost touch the ones behind them, yet everyone including her driver would simply slow down and dodge the slowed traffic nonchalantly.

She found it ironic that the smaller the vehicle, the more smooth and speedy was its commute. Whereas larger vehicles would get stuck at turns and crowded intersections, small bikes could simply weave through them effortlessly, essentially preventing a complete traffic jam.

It was an hour before she reached the highway connecting cities. The sky really is the limit. She thought in wonder. The previously packed stream had spread out greedily, flying vehicles filled the skies, no more were the densely packed buildings of the city they left behind. Most crafts deployed semi-transparent sails, fully stretched by the relentless winds to save energy in the long run. The one she was on wasn’t an exception, it had the shape of a long rectangle with stylish edges running all around the body. She could see a large, body length sail being set up from the roof window.

Her wandering eyes brought her back to the figure of Tom quietly observing her. His calm, steady gaze made her uncomfortable. Seeing that she had caught his attention, he nodded. “We are going to a small shopping outlet, you need better clothes than that hospital gown. I’m sorry that I can’t take you to the more fancy ones, I need to make sure that the place is completely secure”.

The sun already began its descent by the time they arrived at the shopping mall. The place was rather plain and worn down, blending with the surrounding buildings. A half-lit neon sign of Orange Republic hung next to the rusted metal doors she presumed as the entrance. She squinted, silently assessing whether the partially torn and bent support beams of the landing platform will give out at her limo`s weight, only to sigh in relief that it did not.

"Sorry I've only enough time to secure a small and simple place, you're free to pick anything here. I know the fashion trends of your peers emphasize freedom and diversity, but I hope that you don't go for the rather extreme options yet, I want Alice to be comfortable with your first meeting". Tom reminded her.

She nodded timidly, not that I had a good sense of fashion anyway.

The rusted gates groaned, slowly opening. Half a dozen guards poured out from the inside, wearing gray and blue uniforms bearing the Eve insignia. The leader with a more distinct uniform saluted Tom, reporting that everything had been checked and secured. Tom nodded and gestured for Ellowyn to enter with him.

The interior of the place was much larger than she expected, rows after rows of shelves featuring various goods, mostly clothes and shoes. After having a body scan, she was given a 5-inch platform, a hologram of her body shape appeared on top. Each item display did not allow her to remove them for trying on, but by tapping her platform on the case, it would transfer the item information into the platform so that she can take it to the trying booth which will provide the needed items with correct sizes.

She chose nothing fancy, a simple white blouse, a pair of jeans and sneakers. She was glad they still use this kind of clothing despite the advance in technology, however, they were quite hard to find.

It seemed the law of restroom placement applies here. She chuckled, looking at the restroom which was down the hall to the right. Finished with her business, she began to walk back to the entrance, only to be stopped cold as several warning markers appeared.