TD

The explanation shifted into a recount by Chefe himself.

“During my first meetings in Nowy with the leaders of the other regions, I could feel the discrimination against me and my people. ‘The mutts have finally reached the top, huh,’ was something I heard often.

This all began because of Farias, the former representative of the South, originally from Nowy, who did everything the others commanded. At that time, Kera had no sovereignty, and we were regarded as mutts, without breed and without individuality compared to the other territories.

One day, during one of their provocations, I couldn’t just stand there silently and said, “Now the dogs are on top, and you’d better get used to it.”

From that moment on, we were called TopDog — a name I chose from the nickname that was once used to mock us, so it would always remind them of where we came from and affirm that we were moving forward as equals.

Kera is the region that suffers the most from poverty, due to the corruption during Farias’s term. Five thousand people lost their freedom and had their consciousness condemned to extra storage in Nowy because of his actions.

We have already recovered 4,500 of them over the past 1,000 years. Our mission is to recover the rest and then rebuild Kera.

Luís Silveira, one of the founders of TopDog, was also a former member of the old criminal organization in 2040. Back then, both of us were trapped in crime, but our ideals of justice and integrity never changed. To make amends for our wrongs, we provided free legal assistance to those who couldn’t afford the costs of their cases at the time. Our motto was never to let evil overcome us, but to overcome evil with good. That hasn’t changed to this day.

The world today is vastly different and better than the one I lived in back in 2040, but injustices still exist.

TopDog exists for that purpose. We will overcome evil with good until the end.”

The projection stopped, and our attention shifted back to Luna’s living room.

Everything I had just seen was far deeper than I had imagined. TopDog wasn’t just another political organization; they were the backbone of the south.

There was no longer any doubt about “wearing their jersey.” For the first time since arriving here, I felt certain I was on the right side.

“I’m with you. This outfit is perfect,” I said.

They seemed relieved by my decision.

Luna had been clever to use Chefe’s voice to convince me. Of course, it wasn’t really him narrating, but hearing the explanation in his voice and seeing his image was quite moving. As these thoughts crossed my mind, I recalled something she had mentioned earlier.

“But there’s still one thing I don’t understand. What’s the connection between TopDog and the new place I’ll be staying?”

“Good question,” Luna said. “The building where you were staying earlier belongs to TopDog, but it isn’t suitable for a human. You need easy access to water, food, and better air quality, basic sanitation, you know. The place that meets all those requirements is the Botanical Garden, which also belongs to TD.”

“Am I going there alone?”

I knew it was a better place for me, but I felt safe with Alba and Dom.

“We’re all moving there temporarily until things settle down,” Luna replied, gesturing toward Alba and herself.

“I’ll just finish gathering a few more things, and then we’ll head out,” Luna said, picking up some bags from the floor and heading through another door.

“We’ve been organizing everything for two weeks. The place is practically ready for you. I think you’ll like it; it’s one of the few places that still resembles old Earth, or rather, it’s something we find nostalgic. I don’t know if it will feel new to you,” Alba said, correcting herself mid-sentence.

My memory of old Earth was still fresh, so I found myself even more charmed by this new environment.

“That’s true. Everything here is new and exciting for me. Honestly, I’d be fine anywhere. But thank you for caring even about the smallest things I need,” I said sincerely, feeling truly grateful. Was hospitality part of their Brazilian heritage, or was I just lucky?

“Thank Chefe when you see him later; he’ll be happy to see you in the outfit,” she replied.

I smiled and caught my reflection in a glass cabinet in the room.

“Should I try on the helmet?”

“Yes, yes, put it on and see if everything works properly,” Alba said, handing it to me.

I took the helmet and placed it on my head.

I’d been calling this item a helmet all along, but it was… different. It molded to my face and matched the outfit’s proportions, more like a reinforced mask integrated into a balaclava.

I glanced at my reflection in the cabinet again and laughed genuinely.

I looked like Black Panther, but with a slightly dog-like twist. I didn’t feel like a superhero cosplayer only because my entire face was still visible.

Alba came closer and helped me adjust the outfit properly. The hood had to be tucked inside the suit before zipping up the outer parts. I needed to be completely sealed off from the outside environment because of the mist.

“Do you feel any difficulty breathing?” she asked.

I took a deep breath through my nose, then settled back into my normal rhythm. I didn’t notice much difference.

“It feels normal, as if I weren’t wearing anything,” I replied.

“Great, then everything’s perfect. Luna designed it to prevent claustrophobia while wearing it, since you’ll need to keep it on at all times. The filters are on both sides and should be replaced weekly, or whenever you feel resistance while breathing. This time, they can be replaced from the outside,” Alba explained.

“That’s much better,” I said.

“Let me see too,” Rei said in a groggy voice.

Oh, Rei! I’d gotten so used to his absence that hearing his voice again felt comforting.

“Of course, show him, Alba,” I said, handing her the phone so she could show him my outfit.

Alba tried to point the camera at me, holding the phone vertically, but before she could adjust it properly, Rei started laughing.

“Why are you laughing? Is it… that bad?” I asked.

“Wow, not at all. It looks great,” he said, still chuckling.

“Seriously? I couldn’t tell if that was a compliment or sarcasm.”

“It’s just that I wasn’t expecting the ears, but it’s perfect. I can see TD in it,” he replied.

I looked at my reflection again, and it felt like my eyes were finally getting used to what I was seeing. “I kind of like it,” I said, accidentally letting the thought slip out loud.

“Good thing you do. If you need to fight, there’s a special slot for your phone near the nape of your neck. Anyway, is everything ready for us to go?” Luna asked as she came back carrying two suitcases.

These suitcases weren’t like the ones from the 21st century, with wheels that dragged along the ground. They were large, round, and floated in the air when pulled by a handle. How? Magnetism, maybe. That’s what it felt like from the way they moved as Luna walked.

Luna handed two more suitcases to Alba before coming over to explain something to me.

“Innie, the press has been surrounding my house ever since you were discovered that day. When we leave, they’ll try to approach you in different ways, so be careful.

Oh, and there are no more physical cameras like in your time. Our eyes serve that purpose now. If you see eyes that look like camera lenses with a red border, it means you’re being recorded,” she said.

“And… what am I supposed to say?”

“Say nothing. They’ll use anything you say against you,” she warned.

“Our ride’s already waiting outside, so don’t worry. Shall we?”

“Let’s go. Put your phone in the outer pocket of your pants. I’ll lead the way, just follow me,” Alba said as she handed me back my phone.

She waited for me to slip it into my right pocket, then opened the door, and we stepped outside.

End of Report 23