Boots and Cats

Year: 2300. Reef and Angelica are in Artisan’s garden. Reef was drowning in memories of the promise they made with Crysty.

-“She was legendary, wasn’t she?” Angelica says, trying to look into reef’s eyes.

-“Yes.” He answers, still looking up.

“We should probably get moving, they want us to start cleaning today, although today’s session might be shorter. We only got one hour worth of cleaning ahead of us since the teacher used the first one to explain and prepare everything and it was supposed to be taking around two academic hours, so... Let’s get used to doing it, and also... Let’s get this over with.” Angelica says as she grabs his hand and takes him back to class, where the rest of the group awaits. The way she holds his hand and pushily leads where they are headed reminds him of Crysty.

As the break is over and everyone returns, they leave the class and begin roaming the streets according to the cleaning plan. The four of them go towards their destination and Albert says: “Okay guys, I will start with their team...” -pointing at a different group, “...and I’ll finish with yours, that way I can send the details to our teacher via Smart-BLUE and then walk home with you guys”.

In this new bluish technological era, students do not address their teachers by name, but rather by “teacher”. While it carries no significant apparent change in Japan, as calling one’s teacher without using their name was quite common historically, A.I robots are introduced in schools as teachers as well. The treatment they receive from the students, while is a humanizing gesture towards them - may be dehumanizing towards the human teachers, as students slowly lose perception and care for the difference.

Albert joins the other group and they go different ways. Reef, Arney and Angelica reach an area of buildings standing tall on both sides of the road, leading to an alley in it’s end.

-“Alright, we’re here.” Arney says. “Let’s start cleaning.”

Arney moves his hands rapidly to collect many small pieces of paper that was torn. “Who would casually tear apart a paper and miss the trash can?” He asks.

-“Can you blame them? They can get away with it so they are basically indorsed into doing it.” Reef answers, looking slightly more gloom than usual.

Angelica notices that change in Reef’s behavior, like he is getting even more depressed. She isn’t too startled by it since she is used to that happening sometimes. Arney looks at her and she looks back at him as if to acknowledge that she noticed he is kind of triggered.

-“I feel you, though.” Angelica says, as she grabs a cup off of the floor. “The trash can is right here, it’s like the tourists are partying all night in public spaces... HEY!” Angelica suddenly yells at a tourist she spotted who missed the trash can on the other side of the street, far from where they are standing. She starts running towards his direction and as he notices, he lets the guy walking with him know by tapping his shoulder and gesturing to look at her coming. They start running away from her quickly enough.

Seeing that, she stops running, breaths heavily and picks up what he failed to dispose of - another empty cup. She thinks to herself: “It’s annoying that they got away and missed the trash can to begin with, but honestly, had they stayed... What if they weren’t polite? If they are not good folks, had they mistreated me personally in any way... How would Reef react? He is already on edge... Can’t have that happen now. Them running off is probably for the best.”

She returns and keeps cleaning the area. Arney doesn’t say much and seems already in the process, robotically and efficiently cleaning around. Reef finds a stick and some sort of a metal pole. He uses them to grab some pieces of trash to create an activity for his mind to not be too bored. He gets rid of the trash by throwing it to the can with his temporary range extensions. As he does, the pole and the stick striking the trash can suddenly make a “Bouing” and “Tuss” sounds respectively. His drummer instinct kicks in and he starts hitting the can lightly with the newly found drummer sticks in a basic rhythm. He slowly loses sense of the now and gets back to his memory drowning habit. Angelica looks at him, thinking how he barely ever looks at them in the eyes anymore, saddened by the thought. -“Must be lonely...” she says to herself in her mind as she keeps watching him.

11 years ago. Year: 2289. The day they made the promise with Crysty. After Reef’s last lesson for the day, Crysty awaits outside of his class.

-“Hey Reef! Come over here!” She yells towards him, without a care in the world for the attention she attracts.

Reef immediately blushes. He walks slowly towards her.

-“HeYy...” He says with a broken inconsistent voice.

-“It is time for you to see the music room.” She tell him. “Follow me.”

She grabs his hand and leads the way to an entrance to a huge room. They enter the room. It is relatively dark and hard to see. She turns on a light revealing the long stage stretched throughout almost half of the room. The stage is short in height and has many musical instruments on top.

Reef’s gaze is towards the middle of the stage. He sees a drum set next to a cajón. In the corner of the stage there is a big old fashioned piano. Off the stage there are many digital pianos lined up next to each other. Across the room there are all sorts of trumpets, horns, flutes and saxophones. Some look more unique and are hanged on the wall.

Crysty walks up to the stage grabbing a small and weird looking guitar.

-“Do you play the guitar?” Reef asks.

-“Not much, this however, is a banjo, which I also don’t play much.” She answers in a cute demeanor. She sits on the drums’ chair while holding the banjo. She starts playing a slow and chilled melody. After a short break in the melody, she continues while creating a beat through noises she makes with her mouth. -“It sounds like drums” Reef tells her.

-“Yep!” She replies. “That is the point. Now you try making some beatbox!”

-“Beat box? what is that?”

-“It’s the noises I’m making to create fake drums. I heard it’s easy if you say ‘Boots and cats’ really fast.” She explains. “Ready? GO!”

Reef suddenly starts mumbling: “Boots and cats boots and cats...” while blushing heavily.

-“HAHAHAHAHA!” Crysty loses it.

-“WHAT?? I did what you said!” Reef gets flustered. “It’s not my fault it sounds weird!”

-“Try adding ‘and’ at the end once more so it will be ‘Boots and cats and...’”

He starts slowly: “Booooots aaaand cats aaaaand boots and cats and...”

-“Yea, Perfect! Keep going!” She encourages him. She plays to the beat and sees he feels a bit embarrassed. -“How about this?” She asks while pointing at the cajón.

-“What’s that?” He asks.

-“Sit on it.”

Reef goes to sit on the strange box. -“This is a cajón, it’s like one drum that makes multiple sounds. Try slapping all over the box and create a beat.” Reef starts slapping all around, slowly getting the hang of the box. He eventually creates a simple enough pattern. Crysty plays the banjo accordingly.

She keeps playing to the beat and she suddenly starts singing. Reef is enchanted with her voice, and although he is hype to continue, he lowers his own volume to give her the stage. She suddenly stops playing, and Reef instinctively stops too. She then sings one more short little verse without the banjo and the beat:

"🎵L️et my words invite you to a different world🎵"

Reef starts clapping with a dazzle in his eyes.

-“Why are you clapping? You participated too! Hahaha” She pokes at him.

He blushes as he was so inspired by her and completely forgot he is not just watching a performance.

-“Now come over here.” She says as she pats the chair as if to invite him to sit with her to be taught how to drum.

His blush-meter skyrockets but he abides by her order. He sits on the same chair while she is behind him, showing him what sound every drum makes. She puts the drum sticks in his hands and then proceeds to hold his hands and commit to striking the drums with his hands to let him have a feel for it.

-“Do you like it?” She asks.

-“Yes.” He replies softly.

-“Do you wish to learn how to play?”

-“Yes.” He says more boldly, with confidence in his voice.

-“Good. You are now an artist. Welcome to Artisan.”