2300: Janitor Island

Year: 2300. The beginning of a school year. Tokyo, Japan. A local art school is known for offering both mandatory education and focusing on different art fields. “Artisan”, a school that sends the students onto an educational route that is “fit for the times”, from kindergarten to highschool.

-“Can you believe it??? We are the Adults of this school! Not one student is above us now! AAAAhaha!”

-“Ironically... Something like this is extremely childish to even mention...Don’t you think so Albert?”

Albert replies: “That’s Arnold... He speaks mainly for himself, don’t take him too seriously.” He says confidently. He has a short stylish haircut and black hair.

Arney: “Now hold on a minute, right now I am Arney, the apprentice. Indeed, you shouldn’t take me too seriously. HOWEVER! If you choose to call me ‘Arnold’, representing the name of the one and only, the legendary body builder actor, my one true master and teacher, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER! Then! You should at least...”

-“We call you that mostly to poke fun at you for being a man-beast, though...” Angelica manages to slip sneakily before he is done. She has a moderately long hair that is dyed red.

-“I didn’t finish!” He recovers his speech, “ARNOLD SCHWARzErZer...”

-“You can’t even pronounce the name twice in a row, hahaha” She starts laughing, palming her face slightly.

-“Excuse me? You interrupted me wench! And what if I called you Angel all the time? Wouldn’t you expect me to know that it’s time to speak seriously if I suddenly call you “Angelica” instead?”

-“That’s not the issue beast-man...” She replies, “You are not actually named after him, not to mention, nobody calls me ‘Angel’, unless, of course, they believe that I am one.”

Albert: “Well he obviously thinks that you are one. Cut him some slack, he’s just frustrated from embarrassment.”

-“Surely.” She adds.

-“Wha? WHAT?” He turns completely red, “But...But when did I... What did I...REEF! You’ve been awfully quiet all this time. They are frying me man! Can’t you say something???”

Reef speaks for the first time that day: “I just wish Crysty was here with us.”

The mood suddenly changes as a depressing vibe looms on the group as they just reached the entrance to the school.

-“Come on Reef, it’s been 3 years already. She would have wanted you to move on and enjoy your youth buddy.”

The silence continues for another moment.

-“She would have definitely wanted you to pursue professional acting and keep following your dream.” Reef replies.

-“That’s my buddy!” Arney says as he grabs him tight and his brownish fuzzy hair is in Reef’s face. “Couldn’t you have said something sooner? They made today into official-roast-me day.”

They enter the castle-like looking building.

Unlike a traditional school, modern schools offer much more indoor campuses as most areas outside are public. There is a garden in the center of the school, however, it is mostly for activities that require an outside scenery, and all entrances to the school look uniquely like students are entering a glass-castle-wall from all of it’s directions. Consequently, there is no yard at the entrances and all the mandatory classes are closer to the entrance.

Closer to the garden at the center, there are classrooms for hybrid lessons that require going outside more often. As a result, Illustrators and photographers are viewed in the school as more of outdoor type of people, and when somebody else goes outside - they usually require special permission in order to avoid people moving too much while students try to capture the scenery in their art.

They enter their class and take their sits. Some students came earlier and some aren’t there yet.

-“Just in time. Perfect.” Albert states.

-“I swear Albert, without you to wake us up every morning...” Angelica adds, feeling relief as they can all rely on him.

Some final students arrive, and the teacher approaches.

-“Good morning students. Today I have an important matter to discuss with you. After the last change in policies, our school will officially participate in the cleaning of the streets of Japan.”

The students murmur about that notice.

-“I heard something about it.” -“Yea, they said ‘schools will join the janitors’.” -“Wait, shouldn’t just robots do it?” -“Why are the janitors even needed for this? -“Why should we do it?”

-“quiet down students, it has already been decided, and is, of course, mandatory for our students.” The teacher says.

-“Come on...” -“Such a waste of time.” -“Like getting homework before class began...”

-“Have you heard about this Reef? Crystalite Inc. has pushed more towards working hands. I’m not saying I’m necessarily against it or anything, but it is kind of a weird thing from them isn’t it?” Albert asks.

-“Since when can a rich company dictate the rules of Japan? I can’t tolerate the way they do things.” Reef answers.

-“But isn’t that notion technically a contradiction to their robotic takeover?”

-“...” Reef makes a quiet sound without saying a thing.

The teacher keeps explaining: “We divided you into units of 9 students per unit. Each unit will divide to 3 groups and will have an area to cover. Which parts of the surface area each group covers and how you divide yourselves to groups - we will leave it up to you to decide together. You can even change it daily to have a chance of seeing more of the city, and every week we will switch up the units so you’ll get to work with different students and cover different areas.

Since we have 30 students in the class, each unit will have one leader that goes between the groups to help around and make sure the entire area is actually covered. After establishing that - the leader can join the last group until they finish, and will report to me afterwards.”

The teacher then reads the name of the students in each group, along with the weekly leaders. This takes a few minutes

-“Looks like I’m the leader this week, good choice.” Says Albert.

-“I’m just glad all four of us are in the same unit.” Arney adds.

-“Well, I will have to move between groups but you guys can be a group since you are exactly three. I will try and start with the other groups so I can finish with you guys.” Arney states the plan.

Reef is quiet. Everything is already decided by his friends who register as a group with him, other groups who are also done forming have quieted down and the class begins.

Meanwhile, Reef is daydreaming about the past. 11 years ago. When all five of them met for the first time.