Perspectives

“Come on Makoto, make the jump!” Standing between me and her was an obstacle neither of us could force our way around, a gap between the buildings at least three meters across. With my shaky legs and burning lungs, a jump like that was simply out of the question.

I leaned down towards the street below. So far there wasn't a Corruption Checker in sight anywhere but behind the building, where the fallen ladder still lay.

“You know that’s not an option right now Nari.”

“It’s ok, we can just patiently wait for the Corruption Checkers to find us like good little children. I'm sure they’ll forgive and forget and we can go on our merry way.”

“I get it, Nari.” God this was not the time.

“Then jump!”

“It’s not that simple! I jump right now, I fall.”

“Come on, you're not that wimpy. Legit anyone could make this.” She was right, I knew. There were eighty years olds out there more than able to traverse the gap, yet I couldn't.

I took a deep breath. Nari was waiting for me, risking her life. If Nari died here it was on me, nobody else. Just for that alone, I had to suck it down.

“All right, going.”

“Thank god.” Nari watched as I forced myself off the cold hard roof. I back up, step after step towards the back of the building.

Could I do it? What would happen if I tripped; fell down below? My knees started to shake. No, I couldn't take the risk. Better to have the Corruption Checkers get me down. They were the good guys after all, the ones who were chosen by Fides themselves.

No, CRAP. Nari’s words from just a few minutes ago rang in my ears. I didn't have a choice here; it was jump or be killed. Fides weren't on my side now. I was a simple target to capture.

“Come on Makoto! Don't talk yourself out of it.”

I took a deep breath and dashed along the rooftop. My legs burnt, my lungs screamed, but I didn’t care. Any weakness would result in me becoming a blob on the streets below.

The gap approached, and I leaped into the air like a drone. I was flying! Air caught my legs as I flew towards Nari.

The ledge came closer, and closer, until my feet barely skeeted past the edge and I face planted on the roof.

“Graceful as always.” Nari laughed as she extended a hand.

“Hey you know I’m not exactly the most athletic. I gripped her fist as she yanked me in the air.

“Oh trust me, I know.” We quietly looked around the quiet rooftops. Danger was lurking below at every corner, but up here it was quiet, peaceful. I felt as if nothing could hurt us.

A flock of seagulls flew over the horizon, just within my view. A rarity these days. Inside Tokyo, anything other than a rat or fly was a rare commodity.

“Hey Makoto, let's get a move on.”

“Right.” With her soft words, Nari snapped me back to reality. It really was easy up here to get caught up within your wandering thoughts and daydreams.

She grabbed my hand and led me along the roofs as we hopped along. Nothing even close to the gap earlier came within our way. Only little crevices not even a foot across, something even I could get over in my current state.

Nothing even resembling a Corruption Checker showed its face. Only the occasional scurrying of rats broke the unmoving ground as a slow breeze flew through the rooftops.

Nari took a long breath and stretched her arm. Despite her now dirty white t-shirt and ripped jeans, her blue eyes still shone like diamonds. I noticed how her blonde hair whipped around in her ponytail like a sea of gold, with no beginning or end.

“Makoto?” She gave me a quizzical gaze. “You ok?”

“Y-yeah, just a bit stressed.” I had to snap out of this. One of these times I’d zone out at the worst possible time and get us caught,

“Hey.” Nari grabbed me by the shoulders and met her eyes with mine. “We're going to be ok.”

“Are we? Were on the run with no end in sight, in a city completely controlled by our pursuers. And it's all my fault we're here.”
“No, the blame’s mine to take. I’m the one who provoked you, the one who put you in a state of mind to say that. I don’t regret it in the slightest, but I should have realized a patrol was near and shut up.”

“But I’m the idiot who actually spoke!” My high pitched voice echoed around the walls, towering above and below.

“So what? Nothing either of us can do to change the past. The truth is that we messed up, and now we have to pay the piper. Complaining about it won't get us anywhere.”

“So what's next? Do we just run around like mice, avoiding any hint of the sun? What's the point if that’s what our life turns into?”

Nari sighed. “Of course not! Why do you have to always dart towards the worst possible outcome?”

“Then what?”

“Well first of all we need to get out of Tokyo, out of Japan. No use planning anything else if we die on the way out.”

“And how do you plan on doing that? Were wanted criminals Nari! With how tight the border is these days there's no way we ever make it though.”

“I don’t know ok! I’m just a girl who lives in the slums, not some mastermind!” Nari crouched down, tears flowing from her eyes. Crap what had I done?

“Nari!” I crouched down, unsure of exactly what to do.

Nari spoke in a soft voice. “I’m scared too, you know. I just wanted to live away from all the fighting, all the conflict. Let the rebellion and Fides duke it out, is that so bad?”

“What, no-”

“Isn’t it? There's people out there, giving their lives while I’m too chicken to choose a side. Am I in the wrong Makoto? Is it wrong to just want to live in peace?

I always see you and Kono so set in yalls sides, when both are equally shitty in my eyes. I don’t want to die Makoto. Not for any shallow cause or corporate greed.”

“Of course you're not chicken! No one can force you to choose a side.”
“Oh really? Who was it that was always leaving snide comments telling me to hurry up and choose a side? Who was it who called me a moron, behind the times for not doing so?” Nari shouted, tears still pouring down her face.

“Well…”
“Oh now that I’m crying it makes my decision ok? Is that all that matters to you; not the truth but whatever makes you feel vindicated? Whatever makes you feel in the right?”

What was I supposed to say? She was right, since the beginning. I was on Fides’s side from the beginning, yet all my loyalty got me was on the run for a few misspoken words.

And the rebellion? What had they done? Sure Fides controlled the news, but surely Kono or Rei would have at least mentioned a major accomplishment of theirs once or twice. Yet for the life of me nothing came to mind.

“I’m sorry, I see what you mean now.”

“Well well well.” We both jumped as a harsh voice filled the air. “Look what we have here boys!”

Corruption Checkers circled around us like vultures, coming from every corner. Their sleek masks made my skin crawl as Nari wrapped her arms around me.

“Say goodnight, you're not going to see the stars for a very long time.” Before I could react, a baton flew toward my head, turning the world black as my mind descended into darkness.