Chapter 5 - Stars and Sunrises

The relentless shuffle of thousands of feet filled the air, as all sorts of noises rang out in the streets of Akihabara. Akari stood at the heart of the chaos, having traded her stiff Lucent white uniform for her familiar, worn garb. She threw her arms wide inhaling the sort of sweet air.

“Can’t you smell it, guys? It’s gonna be a great day!”

Behind her, Yuto let out a sharp scoff. He remained armored in his silver-and-white uniform, like a living statue. Beside him, Seraphine stood with her hands folded with the same unreadable expression as normal.

Rika leaned in, pulling Akari toward her by the shoulder. “I told you not to invite that guy,” she hissed,  “Why do you never listen?”

“We’re a team, Rika! If we start fighting now, we’re doomed before the first mission! He showed up, didn't he? Just give him a chance.”

He looks like he’s waiting for a parade to start instead of a shopping trip, Rika thought, glaring at Yuto. The two locked eyes, heating the tension of the room up.

Mei, seemingly oblivious to the tension, trotted up to the water-user. She tilted her head, looking up at him. “Are you gonna help us decorate, mister?”

The boy’s rigid posture faltered. He looked down at the small girl, and for the first time, his sharp features softened into a genuine smile. He crouched to her level. “Absolutely. We should be on our way, shouldn't we?”

Mei’s face split into a grin. “Yeah!”

Akari and Rika share a look of utter disbelief, while Ami chuckles happily to herself.

“He gets along better with my sister than with me,” Akari muttered, “How does she do that?”

The group began to weave through the foot traffic. Rika took the lead, her eyes scanning the storefronts until she ducked into a cramped electronics shop that smelled of ozone and old solder. The moment they stepped inside, she seemed to come alive. Tiny, almost invisible threads of Aether expanded from her fingertips, brushing against the shelves as she navigated the maze of parts.

Mei dashed toward a dusty console display, her hands pressing against the glass. “Akari, Akari! Remember this? I watched you play this all day long. You were obsessed!”

The older sister puffed out her chest, a confident smirk playing on her lips. “Not to brag, but I’m a motion-input master. It was simple stuff. Though…” Her gaze lingered on the screen for a moment. I wish playing with other people didn’t suck so much.

Further back in the store, Rika was on her knees, sifting through a bin of discarded components. Yuto stood over her, his shadow casting a long silhouette behind her. The air between them grew heavy, the silence stretching until the mechanic let out a sigh.

“Are you gonna speak, or are you just gonna gawk, Hayasaka?”

He flinched, clearing his throat as his face flushed with a hint of embarrassment. “What exactly are you doing? This section of the store is… well, it's junk.”

“It’s only junk if you don’t know how to look at it,” she countered, holding up a charred circuit board. “If something is broken, you can always repair it. That’s what my grandparents taught me.”

The boy looked at his boots to avoid consequence. “Are they…?”

Rika’s hands stilled for a second. “When I was a kid, Akari and I saw each other all the time. Her parents were accomplished—her dad worked on the Amatsu project, so they were well off. She used to give me so much stuff from the ‘old world.’ Comics about heroes defeating gods and demons… childish stuff. But those were the best days of my life.”

Yuto raised an eyebrow, leaning against the shelf. “But?”

“While working on the prototype for Amatsu, it exploded. And wiped out our entire sector with it. As I’m sure you remember clearly.”

“And what does that mean?”

She shook her head, a bitter smile touching her lips. “If you don’t remember, I guess it doesn’t matter. My parents made toys. They fixed cars… They helped everyone they met. But the same people they helped became helpless. They died helpless. I’ll make a world where everyone can fight, so that never happens again.”

Yuto stepped forward defensively. “The people can fight already! They join the Lucents at twelve. My family’s corporation only ensures they fight better.”

A flash of genuine rage flickered in Rika’s eyes. She looked away, focusing on a bottom shelf. “If you’re really that blind, Yuto, then keep looking away. Tell me, what does Hayasaka Corp actually do?”

A knot forms in his throat. “...We constructed the Reservoirs, they produce Aether at a rate that surpasses standard electricity. It revolutionized technology. Hell, our family might be the only reason humanity still lives!”

 “And what if that’s exactly why we’re dying?

He froze. Rika stood up, her expression softening as she brushed the dust from her knees. “Just don't worry about it, Yuto. We’re on the same team. But if you have any respect for me, try to open your eyes a little.”

She turned, waving toward the front of the shop. “Aka-chan! We’re going! C’mon!”

The group exited into the bright sunlight of the street, leaving Yuto standing in the dim aisle, stunned. A hand, cold as a winter morning, tapped his shoulder. He spun around to find Seraphine watching him with that same unnerving smile.

“Something the matter, Yuto? The others are awaiting you.”

“I’m alright,” he replied, his voice uncharacteristically shaky. “If you’ll excuse me.”

As they stepped back onto the main thoroughfare, Mei’s nose wrinkled. “Takoyaki!”

A vendor was bellowing nearby, his voice cutting through the noise. “Piping hot! Melts in your mouth! Best in the district! It’ll change your life!”

Mei and Akari shared a look, their eyes practically turning into stars. Minutes later, the entire group was huddled around a small table, nursing trays of steaming octopus balls.

“This is the best day ever,” Akari sighed, her head lolling back in sheer relaxation.

Ami laughed at her, but then her gaze drifted. The light in her eyes faded, replaced by a distant, glassy look.

“You okay, Ami?” Akari asked.

Ami snaps out of her trance, nodding back. “Yeah, I’m fine, just… thinking about my grandma.”

‘’Your grandma?”

Ami looked up at the clear blue sky, lost deep within her memories. “I lived in a little coastal village, my parents weren’t around often so it was just me and my grandma… Every night, people would start a campfire around the super sandy beaches and just talk for hours and hours… I thought it was boring at first, but my grandma told me that this is what living was about!”

A little smile rises on Akari’s lips. “What a badass lady, she knows how to really get down!”

“Hehe, she sure was… That kindness she showed me, I want to show it to everyone else too. It’s like she always told me, or more like she wished…”

“One day, all people will come to understand each other, and be free of hatred.” She repeated.

Just another dream I have to make come true, Akari thought, feeling a swell of determination. But I can do it. I have to.

“Akari!”

A familiar voice cut through the air. In the distance, Kana was waving frantically, flanked by three strangers. One boy with sandy hair and oversized goggles on his forehead elbowed her, grinning.

“Yo! Is that the one you were talking about? Nice to meetcha!" His voice was a thunderclap that drew glares from every passerby.

A girl with long black hair and a light blue scarf tugged on his jacket. “Junpei, please… another noise complaint and we’re banned from this block.”

Beside them, a gray-haired boy with a bandage across his nose watched with tired, icy eyes.

The two groups collided in the middle of the sidewalk. Yuto groaned. “Not you again, Kana.”

“Nice to see you too, Hayasaka. Is the team treating you okay?”

He paused, looking at Rika, then back at the ground. “Fine.”

“Who are these guys?” Akari interjects. Junpei steps forward, inhaling before bellowing out.

“I am Junpei Okabe! But you can call me Jun, Hrahaha!” The girl with the scarf dejectedly sighs, barely managing to squeak out, “I’m Mira Sakamoto… Nice to meet you.”

The gray-haired man looks at them with the same icy stare. “Toru Hayashi.”

“And together,” Junpei continued, “we’re Team Astra! We’ll shoot for the stars!”

Rika smothered a laugh behind her hand. “Who wrote that tagline?”

Kana looked away, her cheeks flushing pink. “Aw, c’mon… I worked hard on that.”

Junpei let out a raucous laugh. “It’s a great one! You can’t reach the stars without the skills to build a rocket!”

 “And what would you know about that?”

“Well, my family knows a thing or two about building with Aether. I picked up a few tricks.”

Rika’s eyes sparkled. “You don’t mind if I pick your brain a bit, do you?”

As the two mechanics began to chatter rapidly, the others began to mingle. Ami and Mira shook hands, speaking in hushed tones, while Toru and Yuto shared a silent, measured nod of mutual understanding.

Kana leaned over, whispering into Akari’s ear. “Hey, wanna see something cool?”

Akari looked at Mei, who gave her a reassuring nod. The two of them slipped away from the growing crowd.

Kana led her to a nearby church. As the heavy doors creaked open, the roar of Akihabara died instantly, replaced by a cool silence. Soft light filtered through the high windows, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air.

“Akari, what do you know about our god?”

She racked her brain, recalling memories of the past. “Uhm.. Asagami, right? The god of the dawn, the one the Order of Solace follows.”

Kana nodded, walking towards the altar. “Right. The Order of Solace, our world government, shines the light of Asagami on us all. And that light is the only reason we’re alive. That’s why we fight… But what I really believe in is… The First Flame.”

Akari tilted her head. “Isn’t that what created us? What is there to believe in?”

They sat together in a wooden pew. “There are whispers,” Kana said, “That the Flame is still out there. And whoever finds it can shape the world however they want. They could wipe the Blight out entirely. It would be like… becoming a god.”

Akari blinked in surprise. “Then why doesn't the Order just do that?”

 “Who knows? There could be a million reasons.”

“Well I’m sure they have good reasons! We’re the heroes, so nothing’ll go wrong as long as we stand strong!”

Kana looks at her surprised for a second, before closing her eyes with a small chuckle. “Just as I’d expect from you… Akari, please keep that innocence you have. Being a Lucent is… not pretty. But I think you can be a star. Just like Lumen and Bolt. I believe in you, wholeheartedly.”

“Hehe, that means a lot coming from you!”

“And one day, if I find that Flame… I want to—”

“Excuse me for a moment.”

The voice was calm and firm. A woman with bright blonde hair styled in drills, wearing a nun’s habit, walked slowly up the aisle.

Kana jumped to her feet. “Sister Kikyo! Did we disturb you?”

“No, not at all. But there is a call for you. Something urgent.”

Akari and Kana looked at each other. The peace of the church was gone, replaced by the familiar feeling of a mission brewing.

“Hell yeah!” Akari grinned, punching her palm. “Let’s go!”

Chapter 5 - The End.