Part 1 – A New World

The cold, grey and overcast sky slowly pulled off its blanket revealing the blue sky that was once long lost to the outside world – the real world. Thin and thick beams of dusty sunlight shone through the gaps in the greyness, like great pillars that held the blue into place and blessed the cold earth with their touch. Soon, the pillars too disappeared, and gentle warmth carefully crept across the still barren land.

Vincent Law flinched, a natural reaction that somehow still felt odd to him. He sighed, pushing the tiller of Centzon Totochtin (or more affectionately – The Rabbit) away from himself to swing the odd sail-vessel to the left. His short black hair was unkempt and ruffled by the wind and only matched the appearance of his grubby face; discoloured with dust and dirt that only his strong, green eyes managed to shine through. They scanned the horizon, bleak as ever, before resting on the cabin door as it slowly rose open.

A woman stepped out, young and emitting vitality in a world of desolation. Perhaps that was what Vincent loved about Re-l Mayer. Well, that amongst other things. Unlike him, she was immaculate. Her hair carefully placed and set, no doubt by Pino; her blue eyes framed with a husk of blue shadow and dark eyeliner. Vincent shook his head, not wishing to believe he was entirely this shallow.

"Still no sign?" she was blunt, as usual.

"Nothing since Romdo. I thought if we'd followed the path we took to Mosko we'd of run into someone…" his voice trailed off. She smiled at him slightly; a rare occasion.

"We'll find people soon enough. I can't imagine we're the proverbial Adam and Eve of the new world."

Vincent managed a laugh, but his flush face betrayed his forced emotions. Him a Re-l, the last humans around? It had a fairy-tale quality to it, but little else. In truth the thought was strikingly worrying. More so in the knowledge that he was still Ergo Proxy.

This was a fact he had come to terms with. A fact that no longer worried him for reasons that any person may think such a thing would be worrying. He had fought his demons, taken control and defeated them on that fateful day back in Romdo. The only worry he had was that he knew it was keeping Re-l from him, and it most likely would continue to do so. He could hardly blame her, though. Human as he appeared and human as he tried to be, a Proxy is a Proxy. He was dangerous, a little elusive and perhaps even other-worldly. Just how much of this Re-l considered he didn't know. He'd never asked, but rather had been thankful for the affection that she had been showing him despite everything. Perhaps she could overlook the fact? The tiller was pushed further away; The Rabbit suddenly veering sharply left and buckling to a halt as it hit dead-wind.

"Vincent!" Re-l's cry was echoed by Pino, who suddenly rushed up the stairs of the cabin to thump at Vincent's leg.

"Ow! Oww!"

"Was Vincent daydreaming about Re-l Re-l again?!" Pino questioned, making a face as she watched the young man redden and avert his eyes to the floor. Similarly Re-l snapped her head away, gazing out to the distant horizon. Pino giggled, and ran back inside.

"I-I wasn't really daydr-"

"Let's just get started again and find another dome. The sooner I see more life, the better."

Vincent nodded, pushing frantically at the tiller to turn the boat away from the wind. Civilization had to be somewhere nearby, but what would they do when the found it? He shook his head hard. Daydreaming again wasn't a clever idea.