C H A P T E R - 1 Soul : Sister

I looked around the place. It’s like I’m on top of something. A skyscraper, inside this megacity? This mega-metropolis?... Where am I? I question myself.

Last place I remembered. A sewer.

Now… a skyscraper.

“So you all awake now Allen. Dream anything?” Allen reminded of a nostalgic time when he heard this well-known voice.

“Not just only the look, you also sound like my actual sister. With the voice, matured, huh?” Allen speaks up upsetly. Grinding his teeth. “Once you was a man and now..”

“I rather call genderless at that time, you looked through my figure. Had a difficult time identifying my gender before right? — Now, isn’t it all clear?” Noel interrupts his conversation.

“So where you gain the gender now? Internet? Watching some movies? Do you subscribe to one of those?” Allen counters.

“Something even more real than movies, your memories, and genetics which are also inherited by your ancestors. — Anyway, on the way that I carried you here Allen. I visited your sister's grave. I took some part of her genetic memories where you buried her as well. It wasn’t much but efficient enough for me to imitate someone’s memory.” Said Noel.

At that moment he is tempted enough to punch someone, even if she is a girl. Also, that powerful punch stopped at her bare hand surprisingly.

“Forget about someone’s wound?” Noel asks, more like a taunt with her expression. A dry laugh and outsmarted eyes provoke him well.

“I’m tough enough. So shut up.” Said Allen, as he pulls back his right arm ready for another shot, he stops. And with that moment, he realized.

“No pain right? I healed you, you idiot. With that contaminated water, you’re already dead long ago. If not, soon you’d infect and rot away somewhere else without me. — Do I owe you a million thanks?” Noel mocks him. Smiley face, heart-content, sister smiles (lost one). Who else wouldn’t fall? Whelp that’s Allen, he didn’t fall for it (even she’s cute).

“So now, we’re even. We’re done, right? Good luck.” Allen doesn’t get along. Sometimes, he is an ass, you might wanna slap him.

Instantaneous, Noel, with a guilty face, changes her stance immediately.

“Sorry sweetheart. I’m the one who owes you.” Noel blocks his way. With some tears in her eye, but no dripping.

“There’s no sweet or no heart, this is my sister (was), even if — it isn’t her soul.” Someone pissed.

“Which makes me a soul-sister to you?” Noel grins, tears gone. Expectable, a heart-content, again. Great comeback.

“Never ever. And FYI, my sister is not even attaining her maturity age yet at that time. So, well, even you — you’re not. Still no — Noel.”

“But I have grown up her age a bit in this form Allen.” Says Noel, sweet voice, looking down at her own dress (yes her breast).

“Then how old are you?” Asked Allen. Ignoring the fact that she treats him a bit.

“17, one more year to go.”

“Doesn’t make things any better Noel.” Furiously replied by Allen.

Noel gives a big smile as she continues saying that. “But you know? The formal age was calculated by mental capacity, which human refers to their average age that they believed he/she gained enough maturity right?”

“And?” Allen speaks up, not expect for any legitimate answer.

“That makes me attain one of the criteria. The legit mental age.”

“And what makes you legitimate enough? 20 or 21?” He criticizes.

“40 for the total of time since I was awakened here, Thousands since I was slumbered somewhere else, which I had no idea since when I was awake or when I was slumbered. — And pleases, do not ask that what is my past nor my entity for my deeply favors.” Noel's face becomes deadly serious as Allen is shocked (according to freezes through his spine).

“For now, it is perfect that I’m your lost sister. So I can conceal my whole entity with this genuine biometric memory.” That deadly face has gone from her.

“No seeker will find me. Completely new me.” She smiles, replacing that hitman glares that was able to completely chill up Allen's ass, more than Yaksha, or even worst.

“This will be the world's deadliest little sister.” Spoke in a low voice, Allen sighed.

“A-hem!” Noel stares. Dissatisfy.

“Nothing —” Says Allen, looking away.

Of course, it is nothing Allen, right? For your own safety, insurance wouldn’t be enough for your coverage. Trust our instinct, our primordial didn’t leave this nature on genetics without a reason. Trust the guts feeling. Otherwise, natural selection will do its job again. *laugh*

“Soul-sister huh, more like a soul… ” Allen paused without any stares on him, just by a smile by his side. Yes, Noel, his sister's lovely smile. With a menacing aura.

By taking his sister's soul memories, Noel promises his little sister her last wish. And that wish is the only secret between Noel and Noel’s. Even Noel didn’t live up to today, but thou’s wish shall be fulfilled by another thyself.

Every life is a form of consequence. Under that misfortune consequence, there might be some make-up over some tragedy. But those tragedies didn’t deliver a good result (as its name), on the other hand, it delivers bitterness to else souls who carry over the one’s leftover burdens.

..

“So where are we going?” Asked Allen.

“Up there our final destination.” Noel points up to the Apex.

“You must be kidding…”

“Not now, Allen. I know, but someday those usurpers shall be shattered down to their origin, the mother earth.” Noel said. For once he knew her, this is the most serious tone she could ever deliver.

“Hope so.” Allen smiles(secretly) as he understands her intent. Part of it.

“But you know Allen before that..”

“Hmm?”

“I’m hungry… my braadaaa!” Noel drawl the last word intensifies her pitiful hunger.

“No money right?” Allen rolls up his eye. Knowing the upcoming consequences.

“Yes… ” Noel stops her voice with the dead air.

“So, did you retrieve my wallet when you bring me up from the sewers?”

..

“Oh, shi… t” Noel is extremely frightened.

“I’m kidding Noel, who uses a physical wallet in this era.” Allen soothes his little sister, knowing an actual fact. But still, open-handed to her.

“You’re my big braadaaa!”

“I know” Allen smiles.

“Finally !!”

“What?”

“You finally smile! It is the best memory I had with you now brother.” Noel becomes blissful.

“At least this time you spelled the word brother right.” Replied Allen.

“And for her as well, so she may rest in my eternal.” Noel speaks in a very low voice, almost inaudible.

“Did you add up something?”

“Nope. —” Noel covers it up.

“At least you’re happy that’s ok.”

“Yup.” She nods, repeatedly, a few times.

We stopped at the family restaurant, surprisingly, she is a big eater. Only this time I guess, that I will let my sister eats. Fulfilling her request which I wasn’t able to achieve in the past. The heartwarming family meal, before the great destruction caused by Apex people from the Ayothaya.

“You okay? Allen?” Noel tilts her head, looking at my tense expression. I forget myself sometimes, shouldn’t tighten my hand with these fits of anger I had.

“No, nothing. —” I calmly reply to her.

“Eat it!” She scoops her meal and hands it over to my mouth.

“Please?” Noel insists.

For once, I will do her a favor again, so take a big bite.

“Thanks, Noel, this helps a lot.”

“You’re welcome my braadaaa.” She makes that annoying sound with her custom synonyms for the word brother again. Even original Noel never did that, I guess that it is her own original trademark now. At least if there are two Noels with the same copy, one would be identical enough for me to choose.

“Speaking of which, kinds of weird, knowing that someone called me brother is mentally older… ”

“Ahem!!” Noel clears up her throat.

“...is actually a very cute little sister.” I finish up my sentence. Not even a comeback I guess?

“Nevermind, as long as you remain your smile in the end.” Noel soften her tone, knowing what was I stressed about a few minutes ago. Oh, she had my sister’s memories. So she knew the whole story. What is inside her mind? What does she want? I questioned myself.

We look outside the window, watching people passing as the time flies. Jazz? Quite suit the mood well, I realize when the background music changed while we were chilling out here. For quite of time, suddenly Noel accidentally speaks of something odd.

“Do you believe in ascending evolution brother? Would it be an exit? Or is it just a zero-sum game.” A slip of her tongue comes from Noel.

“Ascending evolution?”

“Forget what I just said.” Noel glances at me, seriously.

“Roger boss.” No choice huh? At least what she said is something accidentally. Something that must be related to the Apex, soon the be known, not today maybe someday on tomorrow.

“Hey bro.”

“Yes?”

“Can I hold your hand when we walk back?”

“Sure.” She never calls me a bro…

A moment later, she ask me a simple question while we walking.

“What’s a bro before a ho-e?” Noel asks innocently.

“Who taught you that? Where did you hear this?”

“Noel’s memory”

Now I’m pissed.

“By whom?” I ask.

“Fawn’s big brother.”

“We’ll see soon. That bastard.”

“Violence is prohibited brother.” Noel requests.

“Just only a few punches.” I insist.

“No is equal to no, I’m not a child anymore. But what is a ho-e?”

“You’re too young Noel. This proofs.”

“Damn it!” Noel mutters.

.. Even though she looks like 17, her last memory is at 12. This insists me why she’s still young in terms of Noel’s experience. Not this Noel that has an everlasting life span. Wait, is she an immortal? I look at her and immediately stopped by her smiley face. — Nevermind.

But it’s 7 years now, is there any reason she deducted 2 years prior to Noel’s death? I have no idea, maybe another excuse to play along with my nerves. So I knock on her head gently as a redemption.

“Ouch!” Noel groans.

“That’s for intentionally underage.”

“So you figure it out. Braadaaa.”

“Not so long, but yes you little cute brat.”

Noel smiles.

“Want me to make it right?”

For a split second, Noel becomes a little bit older. Just in flashes.

“How?” I stunned.

“Biological metamorphosis, mutating something up.” She replied. This time no serious, more casual. “Plus, something grew up as well.” Noel looks down at her chest.

“Whatever pleased you Noel.” Another discontent from Allen.

So she turns back to her original age.

“I like this form, for now, so I will still be able to call you Braadaaa without any formality required.” She smiles to the end of her cheek.

“You know, smiling too much might cause a wrinkle when you’re old.”

“But I’m ageless, plus, I also can regenerate.”

“Damn it” Couldn’t agree more. Immortals. Many girls will envy you. You might end up as shampoos, or any facial treatment products if they ever find out. Women might be able to do anything to solve their wrinkles problem, as far as I know. Otherwise, these products wouldn’t hit the market well.

We stopped at the station, waiting for our floating train. Seems like Noel is having fun watching the realm outside of the train’s window. It’s dreamlike, in the everlasting evening, like watching the neons city through the river’s reflections.

Since when? That we, people from the underworld, never see a new dawn. Wonder how many generations is it now? An abyssal pit under the great civilization, known as The Underworld. No escapes, no exit.

“Can we drop by someplace?” Noel asks during our journey way home, which is a few alleys away.

“Sure, but where?”

“Just follow me along, everything will be fine.”

She stumbles upon the Metropolis Bureau(one of its branches) and walks into the office to have her identity scanned. That sounds simple, but I’m completely going against this idea as she gets into the office alone. So, no, I couldn't stop her. “Fine, what had been done is done. I only hope that she won’t be taken away again.” Allen cheers up himself.

This metropolis, the entire megacity, operates under a very strict system. Extremely. No one ever hacks, no one ever overwrites anything. You may be able to reset the address of your electronic device, but not your biometric-identity. This is authenticated from your genome & cortex sequencing data-set from your brain, it is only the biological evidence of your existence. This authentication and validation system becomes something powerful enough to render any other system into a child's play.

… And she walks out, showing up her new updated ID card. This is no driver license girl, they don’t just handover you a multiple-choice test or any physics theory to be proven.

“Unbelievable. Have you surpassed your biology professor? All A-Stars? What you want to be — A physician?”

“Sure A-Stars… But there is some important factor that makes this Hi-jacking successful. It’s you, Allen.”

“Me? What did you do? Mind making me impress?”

“Rewriting some brain memory sequences using Noel's genome code as the key authenticator. Decode some sequences with your mental-logic datasets, creating some replicate of a-neural-simulation of Noel’s. — In short, I used your sister's DNA and Genome key to create a false memory of her. So, I lied an officer that she was injured all the time until she was cured at home. Then she reappeared in this system, and most importantly, she never had the deceased record, correct? — Is it impressive now?” Said Noel, confidently.

“Sure you did homework, but… no one ever knows the last part. Who are you?” Allen distrusts.

“I read your memories, Allen. Do not ask about my entity.” Noel smiles, calmly, she knows what next.

“Then how may I trust you?” At first, he saw her as a little girl, but now something far beyond that. A god-like entity that possesses a capability that is far beyond any human.

“So Allen, even I had no right to talk about this, but I didn’t let you drown in that sewer, do I?” Noel takes his hand.

“I didn’t read all of it, I still remain humane to you.” Noel pulls Allen‘s hand that resists walking together.

She took a deep breath, trying to be more relaxed. Make serious stuff easier.

“Listen, Allen, I can wipe your memory, but I don’t. I’m not your enemy. Trust me.” She confirms. Tighten her hand, trying to walk him.

Allen says nothing as he starts moving along with Noel before she interferes with that: “For what you did Allen, helping my dying self upon the junk. It is only a genuine feeling that I cherish for you.”

“Will give you a chance to prove.” Allen breaks his silence, giving some trust in some part of her. Not all of it. Time & action will prove, he believed.

“Thank you— Allen.” Just only a sparkle of chances is more than enough for Noel.

- Soul : Sister Part I -