Noth looked up to his phone, dd was open, in the black and empty background with only small dots of light slowly raised like fireflies in the summer on a lazy night. He waved over them and a chat would show up, each of them with a small change that, the fonts are in three dimensions or a small avatar showing their emoticons, other are glittering colors over strong contrast that could almost blind him. Most of them are talking in other languages or disturbing things, but Noth looked accustomed to such sight and keep scrolling between the fireflies, didn’t take long for him to scroll every chat. When he finds one almost empty with other three people, was the standard clean configuration with their static image on the side and a discussion was going on.

Red: the pie with chicken still better than the any other

Blue: what a foolish thought, the superiority of the sweet ambrosia that is Pudim is unmatched

Red: salt is the very basic of human equilibrium and chicken the foundation of our Empire

Blue: I don’t remember being part of a ranching empire, are you talking about salty Hermes Captain again?

Yellow: ooh... a new lurker, hello anon *wave*

Red: hehe, that was a crazy bastard we don’t see often

Blue: I can say that he went into a spiral after the fall of the crystal city

Blue: In fact, I speculate that he is hiding something, probably that salt mines =)

Red: Stop talking about Hermes-chan like that,( ≧Д≦)...he is just a little slow.

White: stop you will scare him away, you can’t show sudden movements when hunting…

Yellow: *wave stealth*

Red: sure show him how it’s done grampa white, like that time with the unicorn ( ͡º ͜ʖ ͡º)

Blue: Hey, we promised to don’t talk about, “the unicorn incident”

Yellow: such terror, such horror, how many lives are lost that day? *tragedy_war_dog.gif*

...

...

…

Red: The use of Kaiter-class RPG was madness, that would take him and the Cloud_Nine

Blue: You can’t see strategy even if is draw in front of you

Red: So you are saying the loss of the Lite and Titan ship was part of Malten strategy?

[Anon]: hello people

Yellow: Welcome young one, are you ready to accept your destiny?

White: Hi again

White: I imagine that you are already an old veteran, but a recap chooses a new nickname in each chatroom.

Yellow: No new blood since the attack 10 years ago. ahh that was the years

White: And they call me gramps, are you sure that you aren’t old as dust?

[Anon]: thx, is just I see you guys are colorful, here so…

Blue: Hm… I think is easier to say what color we have left than otherwise

White: Don’t try to impress the anon, he even got as far to get a color, we have many open spots just name one and see if the chat let you use it.

White: Congrats you almost a real boy now.

Black: I didn’t expect the first to work

Yellow: maybe so many thought of it that no one tried

Red: Or no one wanted

Blue: Well the strings still attached to every one of us

Black: Let’s hope the evil AI doesn't decide to destroy the world

Red: Hey guys, don’t let me out of the fun. Please, ELI5

Blue: Isn’t what we have been doing since you arrive?

Red: *stab with eyes blue*

White: sigh…

Black: haha, so… anyone here is into this new DD games?

Yellow: Oh no

Blue: the forbidden words

Red: run to the hills! quick

Black: ?

(Red private comment: Is white, get kinda out of hand when is about )

White: News? there hasn't been anything since last year and with the death of Yggdrasil and Razor Road, they don’t see the opportunity to jump into this market? “Rom Software” tried miserably with that A Idol Like Myself, who come with this ridiculous names? must be one of that money grabber.

White: Don’t even start on that static mannequin they call anchor, well fitting if is to sink the rates, how could Razor Road Indiannoples Games make just mistake in their last year? They pulled Laymen into this, his awkwardness to try to move that show forward is such a sad vision. I never thought I would say that I wanted one of this fired in mid-air just so that could end.

Red: God dammit White, what are you a seer? or just one of your curses? turn Razor Road News they are doing just that

Black: ???.

Blue: that is white for you when he moves around mountain and river change course.

Yellow: I’m kinda worried about you blue, have you been eating well lately, you are saying make less and less sense.

White: Wat?

As he still eating he could see the channel on not very far from him. There was a muscle man in his 40, jumped straight from medieval front lines and still wearing dark red leather armor that its theme was clear red dragon. His face was square and amiable but now was filled with confusion while he stroked his big red beard, the strange scene developing in front of him. In a stark contrast with his valiant attire, on his side with a black haired beauty with a face that looked too innocent to her revealing bell-shaped dress that changed colors like leaf changing in the season. In fact, her young face and shocked disbelief, looked like she would cry at any moment.

The happy looking goofy reporters that are in ridiculous outfits, like they are the jester of clowns, while they gave the notice to her like she was winning a prize. There was indeed balloons and a big check with the big digit on it, but she showed difficult to contain her sad tears and forced a smile like this was all along the show. The armoured men couldn’t keep, he tried to approach the girl but the secondary looking reporter swift blocked him, as the angle changed to show just her and the main reporter, as something happened in the background, after some seconds they cut to him as he left the stage, the reporters made some jokes about it but prompt comeback to tormented the poor ex-presenter girl.

The train leaves the station in 8:30 without delay, this time again Noth didn’t get a place to seat or a corner to stay and as the train moved he already let a tired sigh. The train was once again filled with the colorful parts mix of styles, but this time there wasn’t the eerie silence from before, but a heated discussion.

“I can’t believe they are so lucky, I would give at least 1000 credits just to see it.”

“I that can’t believe that you said that, you know how hard is to find a good Abeo Painting and this guy waste it on the burnt city. “

“Aren’t you also from the burnt city? why are you talking like you are a noble or something?”

“Well excuse me, but I'm almost a baron so you should keep your mouth shut.”

“Guys, guys, don’t deviate from the point I want to finish this before our ban is over. So who wants the pic? As the good suggestion of our friend there, I will start with 1000g.”

“This is crazy, 1000 gold? I was talking about credit, there is no way someone will spend 1000 gold on a picture.”

“Well is that what they mean with ‘in their weight in gold’ ”

“I call bullshit, how could you get it before the cleaners get it first? I heard you can’t see anything when is one of this ‘Days of Fire’.”

“What? the big baby can’t walk when is dark?”

“Shut up Mark, I will beat the shit out of you when I get back to revive”

“Well I have a friend on the red caps and he got my source.”

“Hey, you are crazy? talk about red caps here?”

“And who will hear? the Ghosts?Look around everyone is minding their own business if you don’t want to fuck off. Now 1010g, because our friend here got on my nerves. Wait, I already got the names here on with my servant. one, three, five…”

“Dammit the airline will start early today, everyone act natural.”

In that moment all the voice ceased but their discussion was clear going without a problem, as they moved their mouth fiercely. Few seconds after started the advertisement and news on the windows of the cars, this time Noth wouldn’t be able to see what was going on, aside from seeing the red light still surrounding the Iridium North Station, as the white zeppelins have trouble moving around the black buildings.

Now he was somewhat in the middle of the car, when someone lost their balance or tried to move the crowd they inevitably push others aside, but not him. When he saw with the corner of his eye a lady, moving with difficulty in his direction he sighed one more time.

When she touched on him to push him aside, she didn’t feel anything and just phased through him, losing her balance in the act and hitting other people around him. She quickly got up if not with the hair disheveled and her face filled half with embarrassment and half with surprise, she was completely fine, turned back him and started to move her lips fast, he couldn’t hear but he already knows every keyword that was going out of her mouth.

“...what you think you are…”

“...who do you think I’m…”

“... Why have you turned off the collision parameter?..”

“...Why are ignoring me? are you deaf?...”

“... We will meet on the court!...”

“...Why are you refusing to connect?oh, wait you aren’t a…”

He wasn’t very interested in this already dead horse development, so he just closed his eyes and waited the time to arrive, but for his surprise, he hears her voice in much early than he ever expected.

“Hey, I’m sorry, I ended bumping on you”

For a moment his face revealed a deep distrust, and instead of looking to her, he looked around but didn’t find anyone looking talking to her, the one that was hit just gave a bad eye to him before continue talking with his friends.

“Now Ignore me isn’t a gentleman way of doing things.”

He looked back at her, a beautiful woman with long blond hair tied in a ponytail, deep blue eyes, and a black and white sportswear. While his distrust lessened, he filled with confusion and suspicion.

“Sorry, I was listening to a song and didn’t hear you.”

“Lie isn’t also a gentleman way of doing things.”

He took a deep breath as he feels the pressure of his blood raising

“I’m so sorry that you have to bump on me, I hope that this doesn't have caused any inconvenience on this ride.”

“Now sarcasm, you aren’t good to deal with people are you?

“Yes, I’m a horrible person, terrible without bounds, a cruel heartless monster that will turn the mirror of my problem into the shittest of the situations for the other around.”

“Humf- she snorted- a great job in keeping with the stereotype.

He smiled, but he was starting to grind his teeth.

“You are welcome”

She frowned a little with his response and said a little angry

“What your problem? I just wanted to say sorry!”

“No, what you wanted is to pity me, the poor ghost, that can’t enjoy the heavens of DD, let talk to him so I can feel better about myself, or complete this challenge.”

“You need to wake you, this world doesn't revolve around you and your pitying self-hole, only because I want to be a half decent human being, don’t mean that I’m interested in whatever problem you have.”

“Such, wise word, such knowledge, and wisdom, oh thank you. Kind and great master from above to teach this little mortal how shit he is. I’m sure now my step for enlightenment are one step closer.”

“Asshole”

“Bitch”

She sneered before moving away, the jacket with and disappear in the sea of people, their small discussion attracted some few onlookers and their reaction varied between apathy, laugh, and disgust. Noth closed his eyes and keep taking a deep breath, and every a couple of seconds he twitches a little, as he constantly shifted the weight on his legs and the position he was until he finally gets out of the train the fastest way he could, with the face visible calmer. But his mouth murmured from time to time words.

“what is the problem with me?”

He would arrive, at his old work and after a lengthy explanation that he needed just to take out his things out of the office, the security that should already know him by the name looked with distrust and even accompanied him while he moved to the Holographic Development Room.

When he arrived there, there was a man using a white coat was testing a small projector the size of a bean, projecting over fabric, changing the area illuminated from black to white. But he was clear unsatisfied

“Doc. Ritcher is good that you are here so early.”

“Where you are, you know that without someone physically here we have to rotate to deal with the material?”

“I was relocated to other division, you didn’t know?”

“Doc. Ritcher, can you confirm the identity of this man, he claims that he worked in this department.”

“Haven’t you heard just call me?

“Please Doc. Richer.”

“No, I know him, he used to work here. No… Ni…-Doc. was having trouble remember Noth name- Nathan was the paperboy of the department.”

“Y-yeah - he smile was stiff - I deal with the paper and materials from the Scout Department, I also helped in the experiment with the cloth hologram and the problem with the plastic bag black line.”

“yes, yes. Now you are going to come or not?

“I just told you that I have been transferred.”

“I see, well I will go back to my experiments, don’t touch anything.”

“I will leave Dr. Richter, good job”

“hunh”- he just made an affirmative noise and was already engrossed in the experiment.