Act I - Awakening
Chapter 2 - Change of Scene
"Don't worry, mama. I can take care of myself." I gave my worrying mother a hug, caressing her soft brown hair, which reached her shoulders. "Besides, the corporation has people everywhere. They can watch me."
"I'll miss you, honey..." She hugged me back tightly. "Remember what I told you..."
"Yeah, yeah, mom. Keep the door closed, always see who it is, and never run out of toothpaste. Besides, you can come visit anytime. A bit expensive, but anytime."
I picked up my dark brown backpack and put it on. The thing was given by the head Kafra. It was quite handy. Made of the same magic as the storage cabinets, it could store a whole lot of stuff in a small amount of space. And it came in different colors, too!
I like brown. I think. I never got to choose the color.
The letter? It was a notice from headquarters. I was being transferred to Alde Baran, due to a sudden shortage in personnel there. The letter didn't say much more than that. I would be briefed at the main office about my sleeping arrangements, work schedule, and stuff like that.
The head Kafra for the Pronteran branch (who is a nice old lady of about 50, but don't tell her that!) came that night and handed me the backpack, plus news of my bright-eyed replacement (who, amazingly, turned out to be that young girl I kept seeing near the castle). We asked her to stay and eat dinner, tasty fried Peco Wings, but she refused, saying something about being late. Maybe she didn't want to overeat and get fat.
Both my parents agreed that I could go. My papa's voice was still in my thoughts.
"I want you to spread your wings and be free. But when you are tired of flying, remember that you always have somewhere to return to."
I still don't know how I slept soundly that night.
Which brings us to this fateful morning.
I made my way downtown to the office where I would be warped directly at the main office's front door. It was quite early; there weren't much stalls in the usually jam-packed main street. The Kafra there was sleepily rubbing her eyes and stretching her arms.
About Miss Jane? Well...it was only later, at the head office, that I found out that she had been reassigned somewhere confidential, just when I was starting as a Kafra. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The head Kafra was waiting for me at the front door, smiling, hands clasped at her waist. The typical pose.
"I knew you'd be early, Amelia. It's only six. I said seven."
I looked down on the ground and blushed.
"And you're wearing your uniform already! Kids these days. Just can't wait."
"Uh..." I cleared my throat silently. "...you're wearing yours..."
She gave me a high-pitched roaring sound that sounded like a laugh. "Because I'm working already. You're not supposed to yet. What were you expecting, reporting for work the minute you get there?"
"Uhm, isn't that what they do?" I replied meekly, staring at my shoes.
"You don't get out much, do you?"
I scratched the back of my head sheepishly.
"Ah, never you mind. Let's just get started. Have you said your goodbyes?"
I nodded. I had said them to my friends the night before, and they all wished me luck, plus they promised to visit.
I watched the senior Kafra take out a special sky-blue gemstone, the kind that we use. Certain gems only warped to certain places, and each were properly labeled. It was a no-brainer using them. They were made of a magical material which will only disintegrate when applied pressure by a human hand. You would crush them and toss them on the ground at a person's feet, who would immediately be warped to their location.
"Good luck."
Those were the last words I heard when everything was enveloped in a bright light.
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"So this is the main office..."
I stared in wonder at the huge building. The walls were old yet clean and sparkling, the ornate carvings seemingly brand new. This place was well-maintained. There was no smell of mold or mildew, but a rather light scent of...cleanliness. There was no other way to describe the smell.
I gulped in a good amount of air and gave my backpack straps a tug. Feeling intimidated, I walked inside, to be greeted by the spacious reception room. The front desk was just to my left, and there were chairs all over, in neat rows some leaning against the grey stone wall. To my wonder, there were few people.
"It's early morning. What'd you think, this place is crowded twenty-four seven?"
I jumped in surprise, almost making my backpack dropped off my shoulders. The receptionist cackled. "All new Kafras think that."
I turned to face the grinning black-haired lady. "How did you know I was new?"
She grinned wider, showing me her teeth. "After thirty years sitting on this chair, I can tell rather well."
The shock must have been affixed on my face. She laughed again. "Yes, thirty." She leaned closer towards me. "I'm almost sixty. In two months, actually."
"But...you look so young!" I looked at her ruby red lips, her perfectly formed nose, that black hair that I always wanted, her gliterring green eyes, those nice-looking cheeks, neither too thin or chubby, and her slim neck. Plus no fine lines or any signs of aging. I felt envious.
"They say some people grow old with grace..." I whispered. "...but this is really strange."
"I know, dear. I find it hard to explain myself! You must be Amelia." She smiled. "I've been expecting you. Since you'll be seeing a lot of me, please call me Mei. It's actually Sun Mei-Ying."
I blinked. It was a first time I had met someone from Luoyang. A pretty someone, at that.
"Pleased to meet you."
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My backpack landed with a thud on top of my bed, bouncing off it once, and fell onto on the floor.
"Shoot."
What happened at the office? I was assigned to a new spot at the north part of the city, another semi-secluded area away from the crowd. Oh well. I was still a junior Kafra. Besides, I was used to the silence.
The Corporation was nice enough to give me my own place to stay, not too far from my work area. It was a modest little hole in the wall (and I mean that; the door looked like a mousehole) next to some other holes. The stone looked whitewashed and it was slightly run down, but it smelled nice. It was composed of a grand total of three sections. When you entered the door, it was the kitchen. From there, the door to the right was my bedroom, and the bathroom was opposite it.
The bedroom is a simple and very bare place, with only a bed (surprisingly comfy) and a nighttable. Kitchen had a basic stove and counter, and bathroom had a shower and toilet. Nothing fancy. Everything was in a weird whitish color, which hurt your eyes the longer you stare at it.
At that, I decided to ask permission to paint my little home first thing in the morning.
I picked up my pack and placed it underneath my bed. I was still wearing my uniform, but I went ahead and jumped on the bed, hugging the lone white pillow. After taking off the blue ribbons holding my ponytails together, I tossed myself around the bed until I was looking up at the ceiling. Which, if you haven't guessed it yet, was white.
The light of the setting sun came through the grilled window, signaling the end of the day. It shone on my face and I could almost feel the sun's dying rays. My thoughts came back to why I was late coming home in the first place. Miss Mei and I had become quite good friends, and I like to keep her company. She must be lonely sitting on that chair the whole day. Almost all of the people she talked to were cold and impersonal.
I smiled as I thought of her. Like Miss Jane before, I looked up to her for having to deal with rude, yelling people every day for the past thirty or more years. She was, for me, an icon, of what being a Kafra is all about. I never really noticed all the other Kafras. Those girls were...devoid of life. The way they talked and acted, you could say that they had nothing to do but work.
All thoughts were banished from my head as I fell into a deep sleep, overcoming my eagerness for the next day to begin.