Rain

As the group lingered near the scene, their day over, an alert echoed through the air. A blimp-sized, hovering drone moved across the skyline, blaring its message: “ALERT. ALERT. RAIN INCOMING. ALL COMPUTERS, PLEASE SEEK SHELTER.”

On the ground, rectangular alert computers patrolled the streets, their faces displaying the same warning. Crowds scattered, rushing indoors to avoid the oncoming rain.

“Looks like we gotta find someplace to chill,” Johe said, squinting as he looked up

“Oh no! Rain alert!” Bontly exclaimed.

Tackle shared. “The Cog Apartments are nearby, it’s where I live.”

Shinku glanced at Tackle, surprised. “Oh! I live there too!”

“Let’s head there until the rain lets up.” Tackle said.

As they followed Tackle into her apartment building, the question lingering in Shinku’s mind formed into words. “Tackle,” Shinku began, “Back at the restaurant, I noticed how the smoke was causing you to suffocate…you’re... human?”

She smirked. “Yup. Pure human.”

Johe squinted at her. “But your serial number?”

The group exchanged glances. “Human?” Shinku asked, confused. “But… your serial number—”

“Fake,” Tackle said nonchalantly. “Take a closer look.”

They all leaned in, examining the serial number engraved into her nape. Evidently, it was a forgery.

“Why would you fake it?” Shinku asked.

“Helps me blend in with idiots like you.” She claimed.

Bontly couldn’t believe it. “Wait, what?!”

“Don’t worry about it, and don’t go telling people. Being human in a world like this draws too much attention. I like my privacy.” She smirked.

“Bontly, enter sideways so you don’t destroy my door.” Tackle ordered as she unlocked her apartment. “Yes ma’am.” Bontly complied.

Once inside, Tackle grabbed popsicles from her fridge and handed them out. “What are these?” Bontly questioned. “These are popsicles, its something that humans eat for a snack.” Tackle replied.

“C’mon,” Leading them to the rooftop. “We’ve got a rain cover on the building, it's my favorite hangout spot.”

The rooftop had a translucent barrier materialized from data that shielded most of the space. Tackle, ignored it, stepping out into the open. The rain soaked her hair and clothes as she sat on the edge.

Shinku, sitting below the barrier and indulging in his treat. “How come you sit in the rain like that?”

Tackle, tilted her head back to feel the droplets against her skin. “I do this every day, no matter the weather. It reminds me that I’m human.”

Johe shrugged, lighting up a cigarette-like object. “You just love being so fantastical.”

Bontly tilted his head. “What is that object?” he asked, pointing at it.

“A nitrogen cig. Wantna try, Bont?” Johe offered, holding it out.

“Oh, sure!” Bontly said eagerly, before pausing. “Oh, wait… I don’t have a mouth.”

Shinku wrinkled his nose. “Those things are gross. They’ll mess up your wiring.”

“Oh, shaddup! I’ll depreciate eventually,” Johe replied, blowing out a plume of nitrogen vapor.

Tackle continued to sit in the rain, her voice soft but steady. “Feeling the rain, the sun, even the wind… It reminds me of what makes me different in a world that’s all…computerized. It’s soothing. It makes me feel special.”

Shinku’s expression softened, her words resonating with him. He stayed quiet, deep in thought.

As the rain continued to fall, the group finished their popsicles, the atmosphere lightening despite the earlier chaos. Later, Shinku walked back to his place alone, the sound of rain filling the empty streets.

Days passed, the group worked on assignments under Binar’s guidance, and each evening ending the same way—on the rooftop, eating popsicles and watching the city below.

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains of Shinku’s room, but he was already awake—or rather, woken up.

“Get up, bub!” Johe’s voice buzzed directly in his head, thanks to their neural connection.

Shinku groaned. “It’s our day off. Go bother someone else.”

As Johe’s voice persisted, Shinku’s mind drifted to a few days earlier: Binar, had announced in their group chat that Thursdays were statistically the least crime-filled day of the week. The group had collectively agreed to take it as a paid day off.

Still, Johe wasn’t one to let anyone sleep in peace. “We’re all meeting up! Bontly’s coming too!”

With a resigned sigh, Shinku dragged himself out of bed.

In the elevator, Shinku found Tackle, leaning tiredly against the wall.

“Going to meet Johe too?” he asked.

Tackle let out an exaggerated yawn. “Yeah. The idiot wouldn’t stop calling me. I’m gonna beat his ass for waking me up.”

Shinku chuckled nervously. “Well, I guess I’ll tag along.”

Outside the apartment building, Johe sung with his eyes closed, a wide grin on his face. “Good mooooorning! How ya—”

“C’mere!”

Before he could finish, Tackle stomped over, put on her glove, and delivered a punch straight to his face. Johe staggered but managed to keep his cheery tone.

“Tuh-today’s payday!” he shouted, his voice rising with excitement. “Say it with me, Bontly!”

“Today’s payday!” Bontly echoed, still wearing his pajama cap.

Shinku rubbed his temple. “Way to announce it to potential thieves, Johe.”

Tackle crossed her arms, unimpressed. “Is that it? THAT’s why you called me? I’m going back inside.”

“Wait, wait!” Johe waved frantically. “Check your accounts! We just got our first paychecks!”

Despite her irritation, Tackle pulled out her phone. Moments later, her eyes widened slightly. “Hmph.”

Shinku checked his account as well. “Oh, he’s right. Finally, some funds.”

Bontly, however, hesitated. “I’m not good with small screens. Can someone help me?”

“Don’t worry about it, Bontly,” Tackle said, exasperated. “You probably got paid too.”

Johe clapped his hands. “Let’s celebrate! We’re heading the bank first! After that, we’ll each pick something cool to spend our bytes on! I assume we’re all with Bank of Computers?”

“It’s pretty much the only bank.” Tackle replied.

Shinku hesitated. “I was planning to save for rent… and maybe some information books at the Cloud Café.”

“You spend your money on the library?” Johe teased, his expression turning goofy. “Have some fun for once!”

Tackle sighed. “Fine…I really don't want to be bothered by you today. But I do need to go to the bank.” She pointed to Shinku. “And you’re coming too. No way I’m getting stuck with him alone.”

“Hop on! I’m driving!” Johe’s three-seater motorcycle roared to life. Shinku climbed on reluctantly, while Tackle activated a button that transformed her pajamas into a casual outfit. She climbed into a compartment on Bontly’s frame, muttering, “Wake me when we get there.”

As they approached the Bank of Computers, Bontly looked up at the building in awe. It resembled a massive data chip, its reflective surface displaying holographic visuals of financial updates.

“Wow. I’ve never been here before,” Bontly admitted.

Johe raised an eyebrow. “Never? What do you even do with your money?”

“Nothing.” Bontly replied vaguely.

Inside, the group was greeted by an open space filled with walls displaying dynamic streams of financial data. Employees in military-like uniforms paced methodically around the perimeter.

“So, are you guys ATM people or teller types?” Johe asked, grinning.

“Tellers are creepy. I’ll stick to ATMs,” Tackle said flatly.

Bontly looked unsure. “I… don’t know.”

“Then you’re with me,” Tackle declared, grabbing his arm. “I’m not letting you embarrass yourself for Johe’s entertainment.”

Johe and Shinku approached holographic tellers, who requested that they touch the kiosks to link their accounts.

Meanwhile, Bontly’s curiosity got the better of him. He mimicked the employees pacing around, much to Tackle’s annoyance.

“What are you doing?” she snapped.

“They look so serious,” Bontly said, taking exaggerated steps.

Tackle sighed. “Those employees are powering the bank’s systems by generating data. When customer traffic is low, they use their own staff to keep the displays running.”

“Oh, like data mining?” Bontly asked innocently.

“No, data mining is what humans do when they harvest data from the scraps of dead computers,” Tackle corrected. “Completely different things.”

At the ATM, Tackle showed Bontly how to load bytes onto his card. “Just follow the instructions here. And don’t press anything weird.”

As Bontly fiddled with the machine, the ATM’s voice asked, “Would you like to convert this into physical bytes?”

“No,” Tackle replied firmly.

At the teller kiosks, Shinku declined an offer to invest in the national market, while Johe was presented with a bizarre proposal.

“Would you like to have our new product, the BAC Microchip, implanted into your brain?” the teller asked. “It will track your financial health in real time.”

Johe leaned back, horrified. “What? No way! You guys are always trying to sell something crazy!”

Moments later, Johe collected his funds: 40,000 bytes and 1,200 minibytes.

As the group regrouped outside, Johe raised his arms dramatically. “Alright, guys! Let’s go spend our hard-earned bytes!”

Tackle rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress a small smile. For all his antics, Johe’s enthusiasm was contagious.

Shinku smirked. “Fine. But I’m not spending all of it. I need to keep some for rent.”

“Well look at yoou with all the responsibility.” Johe joked. “Whatever! Let’s make today unforgettable!”