Prologue

"Life."

"What is Life?" 

"..."

"A question, that probably everyone, well, just about everyone, has heard, at least a few times in their short duration of life. Whether it was just a joke or rather, a serious thought. Of course, each individual has their own say in such a question, which may, or even may not, align with others. A common sample of answers to such questions may be presented as follows 'Life is about having fun, earning money, eating delicious food, traveling around the world and spending time with your loved ones'." 

"While that may be true for most, there are others, others who have a rather, extreme, a very extreme approach to experiencing this so-called life.  Well, it is certainly considered 'extreme' at least in the eyes of the majority, or let us say the society. And most would already have an idea, a rough idea of what may be considered 'extreme'. Sleeping with multiple partners, with not a single guilt of shame, intoxication, until their very life airs leave their body, depriving other people's happiness for the pleasure of their own."

"These ideas you have preconceived of what is extreme, don't you think, it is growing to be a rather, common theme? Of course, time has changed, wars have been fought, AI and robots have swiftly integrated into our daily lives, but what I find intriguing is, the conception of life, it almost remains the same."

"Now all of this may sound extreme to you, but is there really any difference between the two? Before you young ones judge me, think to yourself, we think life is about chasing happiness and that happiness is located in external objects, but no matter how much we receive, we never feel full. It continues to bother our mind, and we still feel, empty."

"Have you ever thought about, just taking a moment, to, slow down and understand, why we feel in such a way? Have you ever thought of seeking internally rather than externally, as you have done from the moment you were born? Have you ever contemplated, that the life we think we are currently experiencing, may not be as real as we think? And what is beyond this very piece of life? Have you ever thought-"

"!"

"I will have to cut you right there Dr. Nilesh Radheshyama, I am sure the students would love to hear more. Isn't that right children?" The Headmaster hastily interrupted the wise speaker while wiping off her sweat which trickled down from her forehead. The students however showed no signs of response, neither verbal nor a gesture of approval. 

"..."

"Well. Uhm... I guess... We are running short on schedule too. And the children are probably feeling hungry too haha..." The Headmaster took a quick glimpse at her silver watch which rested on their left wrist.

"Anyway! We are very grateful for your time here Dr. Nilesh Radheshyama. We really are. Your lecture was uhm... Very... How do I describe it? It was very intriguing, yes intriguing, that's it!"

"Uhm... Children. Why not give it up for Dr. Nilesh Radheshyama? Let's go! Woohoo!!"

"..."

There was only tone-deafening silence, not a single sound of applause nor a sign of appreciation. It was as if the insightful lecture never had occurred, almost like a fever dream. The lack of reception did not faze the wise speaker, however, rather, he smiled, smiled with a sense of accomplishment. He left the stage, gracefully, with not a single hint of anger following him.

"..."

"I legit had no fricking clue what he was blabbering about. Like I don't know what he smoking, but I want some of that shit too lol lol."

"Lol Leena you dumb b*mbo, you never understand sh*t haw haw. But to be honest, neither did I. I was sleeping the whole lecture, then suddenly woke up when he mentioned sleeping with multiple men. I thought that the old man caught me guilty. Heh."

"Oh right, I remember you were sleeping with that hunk Johnny. Are you still dating him?"

"Nah, I am dating Chris now.

"Wait, Chris? As in Patricia's boyfriend, Chris?" 

"Who else, doofus lol."

"Like damn girl, you out there playing some dangerous ass game, but you know what, f*ck it, I support you. Like you go girl, Slay Queen!"

"I mean. it's not my fault that Johnny was too busy playing around with his weird ass friends. He needs to know where the priority is at!"

"I know right, honestly. You deserve better girl."

"..."

"Aye bro, what are we munching today?"

"I'm actually thinking of eating some chicken and rice from the canteen you know. Need that protein ting init."

"You always eat that dry shit, don't you ever feel like taking a sh*t after that. Why not just wait after school and we can go munch on some fried chicken, I know a good place, the boss man there is quite generous you know, he gave a tons of fries last time."

"Really? Aight cool then, let's do that init."  

"Aight, see you then."

"..."

"Hey Eliza, did you finally get that titanium edition of Lewy Votton designer bag you were craving for?"

"Oh that, yes, yes I did. Finally, after countless attempts to convince my father, I'd say it took me a thousand times. I simply told him 'Dearest father, if you would be kind enough to get me, your sweet daughter, the latest Lewy Votton designer bag, then I shall perform exceptionally well in my examinations.' Surprisingly enough, this trick always seems to work."

"Lucky you, my dad acts really stingy with this stuff. He always gets me those cheaper models. I just give them away to those b*mbos over there. Surprisingly enough, they seem to love it. I guess beggars can't be choosers. Filthy monkeys. Tch."

"Now now Anna, there is no need to ruin your beautiful face. How about I give you my old bag?"

"Really, you would do that for... Me?"

"Of course Anna, besides, it'll probably deteriorate if I just leave it in my large closet."

"Oh, thank you, Eliza. I love you, I really do. You're the best!"

"Hashtag Bestie."

"Hashtag Bestie."

"..."

"A feeble old man dares to give us, a group of highly educated individuals, such a lecture? What does he know? Who does he think he is? His nation is full of dirty peasants scraping the floor, and yet he questions us about life. Pathetic!"

"Agreed."

"Honestly, very well said."

"As expected from the man who scored the highest in the recent mock exams."

"You tell him, Andrew!"

"The Headmaster really needs to rethink before inviting random guests such as him."

"She really does!"

"By the way Andrew, how is your MVIDIA investment getting long? I heard UMD has just won themselves the contract rights to build the next generations of KA12 Androids."

"!"

"Oh, Dominic, didn't see you there, apologies, got myself caught up with this façade. Well, it is not going too well, my friend. Those sly weasels really hit MVIDIA where it hurts most. Although I was planning on adding some investment on UMD, but either way, it should be fine. What about you when are you going to start investing?"

"I am not sure Andrew, I am a bit sceptical about investing. I just do not know where to start."

"Oh Dominic, you jester. I am always here to help, we are friends, are we not? Look at me, have I ever betrayed your trust?" 

"I... I guess not."

"You see, as a friend, I always want what is best for you. All you need to do is, follow my advice. And just like that, you will find yourself making enormous profits and gains. Just imagine yourself, in a few years, living a life of wealth and riches. Do you not wish for that? Or do you, wish to become poor, like those peasants on the other side?" 

"No. Definitely not! I do not wish to associate with those peasants, and I never will! It will be the death of me if I ever do."

"Exactly. Now then, I will send you an invite to a private chat via iVision, just ensure you accept it. You will require a bit of heft amount of funds at first, but rest assured, your funds will be safe under my guidance."

"Oh thank you, Andrew, thank you very much. I knew I could count on you, my dear friend."

"Oh please, no need to be formal. Anything for you, my dear friend..."

"Say Andrew, can we join too?"

"Me too, please?"

"Me as well, I want to become rich as well."

"Now now gentlemen, and ladies of course, you know me very well, and you know that, I, will never, I repeat never, exclude anyone in this class. We are in this together, we are all here as a family, are we not? There is nothing stronger than a family. So of course, I will send you a request as well." 

"Life is about wealth, the more you earn the better, not only is it better, but it also provides you, power! Power, that enables you to do what you please, and that my friend is called freedom."

"Hear hear!"

"Well said Andrew."

"We definitely cannot be like those peasants on the other side!"

"Agreed!"

"..."

The noise in the hall suddenly abrupted after the long-awaited departure of the wise speaker. The students, both boys and girls, both with high and low statuses, ridiculed the wisdom they had just been bestowed upon, rather their minds were enchanted, by exactly what the wise speaker had cautioned. 

Immorality, falsehood, apathy, avarice, despite all the horrors of wars and technological advances, the core of human hearts always remains the same. 

An endless cycle, bound to repeat itself, again, and again. 

In the year 221X, the world had transformed exactly how humans had envisioned, centuries ago. Flying cars, hoverboards, tall skyscrapers, robots, and magnetic bullet trains. But the most impressing of all, was the highly advanced brain implant called iVision, created by the great tech giant, Cranberry. Users equipped with this brain implant were able to not only call up a screen in front of them but also interact with it, similar to the function of a handheld mobile device. The screen was only visible to the user, but Cranberry recently reported that they are indeed working on a share feature which will allow users to share their screen, almost like a status menu in an RPG game. 

However, not everyone was fortunate to acquire such a technological marvel. It was only the wealthy who garnered and benefited. As a consequence, there was a huge digital divide within society, which affected almost half of the world's population. The impact was felt not just socially, but economically too. People with iVision were given a much higher standing in society, enhanced services for their daily needs, and better career opportunities including roles in the government. This had a snowball effect in educational institutions as well, where the foundations were meant to be built upon equality. And yet students disdain each other based on their differences. 

In the educational institution where the wise speaker had his last say, within the Island of Albion, Little Angels Academy, students were separated, not based on academics, but rather based on how much wealth their parents could administer into the educational institution. This led the students to create two divisions and terms, A & FA. The students with wealthy parents were referred to as As while the rest were referred to as FAs. 

Angels (A) and Fallen Angels (FA).

The teachers and staff turned a blind eye to this division. And parents? What to say about parents? They were all abiding by the same division in their daily lives as well. The FA students were discriminated against, both verbally and physically. They had to learn their place, and trying to fight back was all but a futile effort. 

There were more risks, than rewards.

Knowing this, the tech giants, Cranberry, found themselves a great opportunity, an opportunity to expand their domain and influence. They monopolised this field, as there was not a single competitor who dared to challenge them. And whilst collaborating with the government, together, they came up with a plan, a plan to increase inclusivity and end the digital divide in the next decade once in for all.

They termed it...

Project: GAIA. 

The project's main goal was to create premium and standard models of iVision, iVision Pro and iVision Lite. The premium model intended to target the existing users of iVision and upgrade it from its former, while the standard model looked to appeal to new customers, with the majority of potential customers being the ones who were heavily affected by the digital divide, or simply, the people who were not abundant with the riches. But overnight after the plan was officially announced, it became a huge hit, many had pre-ordered iVision Lite with the hopes of a better life than the current, not just for individuals, but also for their families. 

Their golden ticket had finally arrived.

The distribution of the new models was planned to be scheduled for next year, 222X, starting from the Island of Albion, where the Cranberry HQ was located. The distribution was then to follow at a much more global scale, from neighbouring countries to the Far East. This, however, agitated some customers, particularly international customers. They flocked to social media sites like Skybook, Tiktracc and Litter, voicing out their complaints regarding the potential late distribution dates. To raise awareness, customers liked, shared and commented on posts, one after another. Some customers were even eager to pay a hefty sum just for an earlier distribution. 

Cranberry once again, took advantage of the situation. They were rather ecstatic, considering the possibility of extending their income and profits. And just a few days later, Cranberry proceeded to announce their new distribution tiers as per the demands of their customers, categorised from fastest to slowest. The tiers were as follows 'Lighting Distribution (Tier I), Flash Distribution (Tier II), Speedy Distribution (Tier III), and Standard Distribution (Tier IV)'. Customers were now able to purchase any of the four distribution tiers and reduce their expected distribution date. However, this only had a detrimental effect on customers who had not purchased the distribution tiers. Their expected distribution dates were now moved to an even later date. No expected distribution date was fixed, it was vulnerable to being delayed at any minute, any second.

The existing iVision customers, or the wealthy, grew competitive so as not to fall behind either, they had pre-ordered the new models, but it was not the standard model, rather it was the premium model, iVision Pro. The premium model promised new features, such as a faster processor, screen customization, and real-time background customization. In fear of losing their exalted statuses, they further decided to take the distribution matter into their own hands, from business connections to stock market manipulation. Once again, the digital divide was set to continue, only the iVision Pro model was set to be distributed from next year, while for the cheaper model, customers were forced to wait a few more years despite purchasing the distribution tiers. 

This caused a huge uproar all around the world, people protested regarding the inequality and discrimination they had received and continued to receive, it was the tipping point of the so-called revolution. 

The people wanted a change. 

A change which would prosper with equality and new opportunities. More and more people had joined the global movement. It became a massive trend in social media sites, especially for the younger generation, who engaged in this movement to chase clouts, but funnily enough, this only helped raise the needed awareness. 

This, unfortunately, did not last very long, what had grown at an alarming rate, only lasted a mere few months. The government, from all across the world, were blinded, blinded by the sweet nectar that they were receiving whilst working alongside Cranberry. Instead of serving the people of the country, they decided to seize control, enforcing law and order forcefully. RoboCops were deployed, protestors were arrested and charged, and just like that, one by one, the numbers plunged to zero. The final nail in the coffin was delivered by the wealthy, they threatened to fire or not hire any employees who were partaking in the movement in their respective companies, and for the employees, without a job, how could they possibly think about surviving harsher conditions than the current. From there on, no one ever spoke nor shared the events from the movement, it was as if that particular timeline was erased from history. 

A few years later, the distribution was all complete, but it did not change a single spec on what Project: GAIA hoped to achieve. Discrimination continued, and the wealthy, people equipped with the premium model continued to enjoy the fruits of their exalted status, while people equipped with the cheaper model, struggled, but despite that, they were finally able to get a slight taste of what their richer compatriots were relishing.

Year 232X.

The tradition continued at Little Angels Academy, the only difference this time, was the new generation of FAs were not falling behind the digital world despite the discrepancy. And today, both As and FAs were in unison regarding the wise speaker. They were very adamant about how they led their lives and believed it was the only way as long as they enjoyed it. 

This, of course, was not the case for all, a selected few were inspired, both from the sides of FAs and As, as they pondered over the nectar of knowledge they had just heard, particularly one boy, whose eyes were sparkling in hunger for more. Although he was part of the A division, he shared rather very, unique, unique views from his classmates which often would be laughed upon. 

Kaito Lionheart. 16. 5'9. Black hair. Fair skin. Division: A.

Despite being part of the A division, Kaito had opted out of installing iVision brain implants from a very young age, both the original and Pro models. This would have been heavily questioned but fortunately, Kaito's father had worked for Cranberry, so he received a little leeway here and there. But his classmates from A division occasionally mock him for his abrupt decision. This caused a rift between his and his father's relationship, Kaito's father was more than ready to disown his son, but due to the convincing of his dear mother, that decision was put to a halt, until Kaito turned 18. 

Kaito loved his dear mother very much, she never forced him to do what he didn't like. She wanted to Kaito live the life he desired with no one's influence over him. One memory that always stuck with him was, when his mother spoke to him in a gentle warm voice after having received the fury of his father, "Kaito, what's wrong dear? Awh, don't cry, it's okay. Don't think too bad of your father, okay? He is just worried about you, that's all. But, listen very well Kaito, no matter what anyone else says, do what you think is right, alright? You do not have to follow or be swayed by anyone else. Always follow what your heart tells you. If you ever decide to make decisions that are not favourable, remember, your mother, will always, always be here, supporting you, through and through, because you will always be my cute little baby." 

Kaito's mother was originally from the Land of Edo across the other side of the world, she had moved to the Island of Albion to assist on the iVision project with Cranberry. There she met the love of her life. Like his mother, Kaito has black hair, and his classmates often jeer at him calling him a foreigner. But he paid no heed, as he was proud of his mother's heritage. 

But when Kaito turned 10, his mother passed away. His whole world collapsed right there and then. He had lost his safe haven and the person he trusted the most. He was able to tackle all the obstacles of life before, but now he thought... 

'What is the point of living?' 

He shed a river of tears, crouching down in the corner of his room, losing his only light of hope. Kaito's father could not hide his grief either, he wailed loudly which Kaito could hear from across the wall. But now Kaito's father had an even bigger concern, the cruel possibility that if he were to leave this world someday too, how would his dear son survive? Would he be a well-renowned official just like his father, with a high paid job and a nice caring family? Or a beggar, who can't make ends meet, struggling to live off their day-to-day lives? He was very much so attached to his only dear son. And so he decided to take an aggressive approach, to convince his son, to secure his future, Kaito's father attempted, day after day to encourage his son to get the iVision implant. 

But after years of trying, it never bore any fruit, and just like that, Kaito's father eventually gave up on him. He decided to live separately, away from his son, but still provided Kaito with the necessities until the age of eighteen, as promised to his late wife. Installing iVision brain implants was not a mandate in most countries, but eventually, the society does push you to, as there was no advantage not to. And Kaito had no intentions to do so anytime soon.

"..."

"Hey Kaito, what are you pondering about?"

"Don't tell me."

"It's that tuna and beans spud!"

"!"

A feminine voice catches Kaito's attention...