A Custodian and a girl

Loss Era of Custodians

Northern Capital of the Arcus Empire

Day 1

For a girl named Sophia Sagittarius, things were about the same as they had been. It was early in the morning; the streets were currently being swept out of the snow. Sophia like a usual girl her age; she attended the most glamorous of glamorous schools in the district.

The moment she stepped out of her parents’ apartment a cold wind of ice struck her palm. The snow gleamed from the window panels; light reflected from the hanging icicles, dropping her temperature of touch.

It was the first season of winter and things already had been started to freeze all over; no one could imagine what would happen in the next few months.

Sophia let out a silent ‘huff’ blowing her warm breath over her hands;

She neatly wrapped her scarf around her neck; being ever so careful as to not disrupt her loosely attached blue-white strip bow. She moved down stairs from the third floor of the building to the second then to the first slowly enough that her white freckled wrinkled shirt under her blue coat wouldn’t catch a drop of sunlight or gaze.

She made her way to the streets of the Ward. Snow Felt streets cleaned thoroughly for cars to fly through their affairs. Sophia cleaned walked around the numerous footpaths along the road, trying to reach her tram stop; somehow managing herself to avoid her orphanage.

Sophia reached the station just in time, fifteen minutes ahead of the 6 O’clock tram that would take her to the local school station. As soon as she arrived, she found herself tucking towards the far edge of the platform, seeking a quiet spot away from the throng of people. She waited patiently as the minutes ticked by, her eyes occasionally flickering to the large clock overhead.

Bystanders, scattered around the station, cast curious glances in her direction. Teenagers her age, standing in groups, seemed particularly intrigued by her unusual appearance. Her grey-shaded hair, a rarity among children, caught their attention, their stares lingering a bit too long. The feel of their gazes pressed down on her, making her shift uncomfortably in her spot. She could feel her cheeks flush with embarrassment, the unwanted attention making her wish she could simply disappear into the background.

The distant hum of the tram's approach grew louder, pulling Sophia's attention away from the curious onlookers. She focused on the tracks, watching as the tram rounded the corner and steadily came into view. The familiar blue and silver exterior reflected the early morning light, and the soft screech of the brakes signaled its arrival.

As the tram pulled to a stop, its doors were opened by the blonde-haired conductor with a quiet hiss, releasing a small rush of cool air. A handful of passengers disembarked, their expressions a blend of morning fatigue and routine. Sophia took a deep breath, gathering herself before stepping forward. She could still feel the eyes on her, but she kept her gaze fixed on the tram's open door.

She boarded swiftly, choosing a seat near the back where she could settle in without being too conspicuous. The tram was only half-full, with a few scattered passengers reading or staring out the window, lost in their thoughts. As the doors were closed; the tram began to move, Sophia let out a quiet sigh of relief, grateful for the temporary refuge from the onlookers.

The city in shine of the first light; reflecting in snowflakes, flying droppings of water and early morning charcoal smoke blooming out of the chimneys. Was the same sight that Sophia saw day after day. The same light; the same snow platted roads; the same smokey residential district the same buildings, the same back seat where she sat and the same life that for now, she had no attachment for.

She had taken her seat in the back row; where not a single person her age or her locality would dare sit foot, especially when there was an availability of front row forward seats.

Her quiet daily reverie was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching from the front of the tram.

Sophia subtly glanced up, noticing a boy around her age making his way down the aisle. He was just a young man in his prime. Well-suited, with a symmetrical ordinary face. Short trimmed black hair. He wore a large brown coat with a hanging watch on one side, a well-printed ironed white collar coupled with a grey-blue checkered shirt, an Azure tie with an added short hat. As he walked past the rows of seats, his eyes scanned the passengers, searching someone or something in each one on who he laid his gaze.

When his gaze fell on Sophia, there was a brief flicker of recognition—or perhaps curiosity—in his eyes. Instead of continuing further back, he paused and then immediately sat down in the seat directly opposite her. The distance between them was minimal, and the closeness made Sophia's heart race slightly, an unfamiliar anxiety creeping in.

The boy leaned back casually in his seat, setting his bag with a Ohm symbol on the floor beside him. His eyes met hers for a brief moment before he looked away, seemingly interested in the view outside. Yet, there was a subtle tension in the air, a silent acknowledgment of each other’s presence.

Sophia tried to focus on the window again, but she could feel his presence acutely. It was as if the someone or something had shrunk the distance between them, making it difficult for her to ignore him. Her mind raced with thoughts—who was he? Did he know her? Or was he simply intrigued by her unusual hair, like everyone else?

She tucked a strand of her grey-shaded hair behind her ear, a nervous habit she had developed over the years. The boy noticed the movement and glanced at her again, this time with a small, almost imperceptible smile playing at the corner of his lips. Sophia’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly averted her gaze, hoping the ride to the school station would pass quickly.

Not wanting to waste a moment, the boy shifted in his seat, turning to face Sophia directly. Her heart raced as his gaze locked onto hers, his intense eyes studying her with an almost unnerving focus. Her cheeks flushed a deep pink, her lips taking on a rosy hue, and her eyes flickered nervously under his constant stare.

After what felt like an eternity, the boy finally broke the silence.

“Good morning, young miss,” he greeted, his tone polite yet firm, as if he expected her full attention. Sophia, still reeling from the sudden confrontation, barely registered his words. She was caught off guard, her thoughts tangled in a whirlwind of confusion and anxiety.