When I glanced up, the figure was gone, replaced by the marching image of the emperor Legonicus, except instead of his iconic spear, he held a tall can of beer. His chariot was filled with cans, and his horses were automatons, powered by the beverage. Across the side in glowing letters read, "Panaxi, the roaring fuel of emperors!" The hologram took a swig, his visage morphing to look like he was laughing. He drank and drove through the air, eventually taking another turn on his massive chariot.
"What in the world…" I couldn't help but chuckle slightly, despite how I'd been feeling moments ago. "It's ridiculous."
"Yeah." He placed a hand on my shoulder, the soft mist spreading across my fresh white shirt and down my black pants. The train came to a silent halt, not even an ounce of inertia transferring to me. "Let's go."
I nodded, and we slipped past the crowd, ethereal wisps moving unseen. The train station continued to betray my expectations. It was sleek and spotlessly clean, with large angular silver construction and glowing blue holograms. People bustled about, yet the ground remained spotless. Automatons walked from place to place, their almost human appearance only given away by the glowing ports on their neck and the silver lines adorning their flesh.
People from all walks of life moved from platform to platform. Rich businessmen and their heavily cybernetically modified bodyguards, meager middle-class workers, and even dirty men and women in rags —likely factory workers— who looked about in wonder as if they'd never seen the sun. Spaced every few meters apart were guards of the station, further cementing its impressive and sleek air of refinement. Joy and wonder blossomed in my heart as fond memories flowed back, for I had recognized one of my favorite suits of armor.
They stood just above normal human height with sleek angular plates formed around thin construction, making them appear lightweight and agile. They looked as if they had come off the line hardly painted, mostly reflective silver with the occasional white plate, glowing icy blue light shining through the cracks. As they moved, pieces of the armor shifted and angled themselves toward the wind, letting them move with the utmost efficiency. Unlike the Sledge, they carried no weapons but having watched the TitanForge four years prior, I knew that its true strength lay in unarmed combat. This was a popular favorite, the Calm Before the Storm, a model constructed to go from perfect stillness to a devastating blow before you could process the movement. It was designed to fight pilots with strong dynamic vision. Powerful and fast, it was the ultimate close-quarters fighter.
I closed my eyes for a moment, relishing the memory. The scent of booze and sweat had filled the air, forming a suffocating atmosphere for my childhood self. Soft faux leather and cheaply stuffed cushions deformed beneath my weight as I leaned over the table, teeth dug into my meal, creamy congealed meat sealed within thin breading. My mother's brown hair shone with grease as she glanced over at me, smiling, her mouth moving as words I didn't remember came out. It was a night out, a treat since I had just finished the most recent stack of textbooks she'd scrimped for.
On the holographic screen floating above the bar, the final duel of the TitanForge tournament was underway. Beneath it, countless people crowded, puffing the ceremonial pipes as they watched, nobody uttering a word. A flash of silver blurred across the miniature dust-filled arena, and a shining figure plunged its hand through the chest of its battered and haggard opponent. Half the bar erupted into cheers, puffing their pipes, while the others slammed them to the bar or threw them to the ground, grunting as they forked over money through holographic screens.
I stared wide eyed at the screen, my heart pounding in my chest. "I… I want to build something like that!"
My mother turned to me, her flaxen eyes reflecting the soft yellowish light. "I know you will." Her smile was warm and sweet despite the weary bags under her eyes. "I believe in you."
"Hey," Johnny whispered to me, "stop staring, they'll notice, I'm not impervious to their sensors."
I blinked rapidly, pulling myself from the fathoms of my mind. "Sorry… I was— sorry." With a simple nod, I followed behind, pushing my childhood fantasies my own magnificent creation out of my mind. Maybe in another life, I could've participated in the TitanForge. No, I shook my head, remembering what Johnny told me, I have a chance. Even if it doesn't go how I want… there's always a possibility. My mother's words floated back to me, "I believe in you."
I steeled myself for the whispers to start, yet there was nothing.
A sigh of relief escaped me, earning me a look from Johnny even over the hustle and bustle of the people around us. "What is it?"
"Nothing, I had a vivid memory related to my mom but heard no whispers or anything."
He nodded slowly. "That's good. If you have more like that, just remember to keep track of your frame of mind."
"Okay."
Before too long, we snuck around customs and security, finding our way onto the streets. Once again, I struggled to see exactly what hidden darkness Johnny had spoken of, the one I expected to find from the countless rumors. I knew the district was full of depraved acts and evil people, but it hardly seemed it. Immediately upon exiting the station and beginning down the stairs, I was confronted with a massive open square. Towering buildings ringed the massive circular area on all sides, encircling the massive traffic circle in the center. Each one was covered in various holographic ads, each one vibrant and vying for my attention. Fancy stores lined the streets, opulent exteriors lit with glowing figures, characters and three-dimensional displays.
I couldn't help but freeze, overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of things vying for my attention.
The ground was paved with dark gray stones, forming a massive walkway where hundreds of colorful people traveled back and forth. It smelled of petrichor and smoke, mixed with the occasional pungent whiff of something unfamiliar. Various kinds of cars lined the street, some even floating into the air after being boarded, rocketing along floating beacons in the sky. In the center of the square was a massive holographic figure of the same woman who'd flown by the train, the image with a quality of the likes I'd never seen. From my vantagepoint, she was photoreal, a towering woman in a shimmering silver dress that hung loose off her upper body while contrastingly gripping her lower body.
Her face was stunning, framed by wavy shoulder-length platinum-blonde hair that accentuated her bright blue eyes. When she leaned down, a sweet seductive half smile stretched across her face, the bright light making the slightly hazy area feel as if the air itself was glowing. She knelt, blowing the crowd a kiss. She rose back up, striking a pose. An echoing woman's voice resounded from the massive black disk at the base, "Andariel Sapphira, the most esteemed female courtesan in Saer-Eh! Call the Crimson Luminance for more information and prices!" Then, quickly at the end added, "For automaton substitutes and any of her product lines, please visit any Crimson Luminance branded store."
After striking a few more poses, she leaned down again, face just above the crowd, winked and smiled, then disappeared into a haze of glowing particles. Suddenly, a towering man appeared in her place, similarly scantily clad and revealing every part of his upper body. I averted my eyes, focusing now on Johnny, who unbeknownst to me, had traversed down to the street level and was now staring up at me. My face flushed, my own teenage hormones driving a nail in the coffin of my shame.