Broken V.O.W. (Voice of the World)

Chapter 1: The Lotus Blooms

It is already eight o clock in the morning, the sun has already shown itself and yet Aeda is still lying down on her bed, wrapped around with pillows and sheets all over. Her alarm is on full blast to the point that it could be heard even downstairs. It was only then that Aeda’s mother, Alexa got agitated, went up, and smacked her head with a pillow to wake her up.

“Get up honey! You’re already late for school!” Alexa shouted as she pummeled her continuously with a pillow until she finally removed the sheets, exposing Aeda to the cold Monday morning breeze.

Aeda struggles to snuggle back into her bed, “Just a few more minutes…” she replied with her tone condescending back to sleep.

Alexa took off all the pillows and shoved it aside. She went close to Aeda’s ears and said, “You told me to remind you that you have an important lecture today.”

Upon hearing those words, Aeda suddenly remembered what it was. Supposedly she has registered to listen to a certain seminar particularly about the history of Siphon energy. Due to the certificate that comes along with the event, Aeda had already been eyeing the seminar during the past weeks of its promotion. It was only at this moment in time that she realized how important it was.

Like a rabbit in shock, Aeda leaped out of her bed and immediately took her towel to take a quick shower. After several minutes, she wore her clothes and went down, munching her way through her breakfast. Alexa was looking at her the same way she sees documentaries about wild animals eating their prey furiously. Aeda cleaned up her plates and wore her shoes, venturing outside of the Lotus city Suburbs.

“It’s a nice day to be late!” Aeda thought to herself, trying to jog her way towards the A.R.C. terminal (Automated Rapture Cars). The cool breeze of the morning surges through her bun tied hair, giving her the sensation as if she is floating in the clouds. Although at the back of her head, it would be such a waste to miss the attendance due to her ignorance. How long did she wait just to get that important piece of paper? For the sake of attending one of her favorite singer’s concerts, she needs to show something to her university as a sign of compensation. In R.I.A.S.R. (Rapture International Academy of Siphon Research), everything is decided by merit. From grades, academic standing up to hobbies and sports, points are the means to establish what you want in life.

The R.I.A.S.R. is a school/university that was developed to create and study Siphon energy, one of the most sought and used form of energy apart from solar and hydroelectric. Siphon energy comes from processing special kinds of soundwaves, harnessed by man for the sake of various purposes including military weapons, medicine and agriculture. That is one of the reasons why R.I.A.S.R. is considered as the pinnacle of all education facilities, making it one of the most prestigious schools around the world.

Aeda, upon reaching the A.R.C. terminal arrived just in time. She immediately rode the vehicle and sat down on the farthest chair from the door, trying to catch her breath.

“I hope I arrive just in time for the lecture…” Aeda kept mumbling to herself. Time quickly went by as the A.R.C. drove towards the aerial tunnels that guide them to their destination. These tunnels consist of gravitational circles that vibrate, providing siphon energy and direction to the A.R.C. every time it passes through each circle. Even though each vehicle is equipped with its own built-in energy source, the circles ensure a controlled acceleration of speed, something that cannot be done even with a driver behind the wheels. This gives the passengers a smooth pace of traveling, fast enough for anyone to savor the scenery of the setting and the rising sun, along with the fluffy clouds and birds flying the same level as the vehicle.

Ten minutes have passed, and there, the floating City of Lotus could be seen in its splendor and glory. As the A.R.C.s go to and fro the large pagoda-like gate, you could see the tall establishments with various billboards with 3D holographic advertisements stationed on every eye-catching location possible. Enclosed tubes act as walkways and roads for small vehicles such as bikes, and small A.R.C.s, connecting the buildings perfectly. Inside the buildings, there are multiple shops, arranged in a fashion similar to malls, but with a lot of space for smaller vehicles to travel around. Seraph police stations are also inside, with at least a team of four officers in charge, taking care of reports, and general security. Siphon robots being operated by the Siphon Police act as the guards roaming around the facilities to check for any hostiles.

For easier transportation, there are numerous A.R.C. terminals or loading bays situated at the base of the buildings where small food stalls await to serve any hungry customer. There are fences that surround each establishment, imbued with Siphon energy signatures to prevent any individual from falling or committing suicide (if there’s a chance). Each fence was designed according to the taste and preference of the architect of the city, in this case, it is French by nature with a Greek touch for sophistication.

The most interesting part of the city is the amount of vegetation present inside and outside the establishments. Greenhouses are abundant as each building has one, as mandated by the city’s ordinance for function and sustainability. Palm trees, Maple trees, and even Cherry blossoms are found outside the loading bays, with beautiful vines covering most of the metallic French fences—boasting its wonderful flowers to everyone. You could also see large floating trees in-between spaces of the establishments, being held stationary by Siphon technology.

These trees are usually illuminated at night, giving it a majestic appearance to any passerby. Small tubes are also found there, leading towards the lower section of the platforms where barter and reselling is possible. Bazaars of all sorts are arranged well based on their designated places and products, giving life to all aspects of trade within the borders of Lotus. Even though the sun is up, you could feel the cool breeze and the fresh air as if you are in the presence of spring. The smell and the sound of flowing waters give the city a calm and peaceful vibe amidst the high level of productivity happening.

Aeda wore her earphones and began to listen to her favorite singer Lotus City’s Siren, as she watches the everyday life of the people in her surroundings while waiting for her drop off. Several minutes have passed and Aeda arrived at the Jade trade center docks, one of the top business centers connecting the far eastern regions up to the train stations that allow faster travel inside the exclusive facilities found in the middle of Lotus City.

Speed walking her way through the bustling crowd, she finally reached her last ride bound for R.I.A.S.R. Within several building levels, there are tunnels that lead to specialized terminals that travels exclusively at one point. The vehicle used in these terminals is multiple times faster than the average A.R.C. Amidst its structure is similar to that of a train, it does not falter even at the presence of heavy objects inside, making it very efficient in terms of transportation.

After showing her identification to the floating orb Automata guarding the train entrance, she was immediately scanned and registered to the current database for the R.I.A.S.R.’s student protocol. This protocol was established to monitor the students if they are really going to their respective classes and to dissuade the students from cutting and going elsewhere dangerous. Even though Aeda knows how much of a hassle these procedures are, she just went along with the flow and got inside the train. It took only a minute for the train to get full before venturing onward.

As soon as the train landed on the terminals, Aeda went out and sprinted inside the R.I.A.S.R. entrance. Numerous elevators can be found on the main lobby where a large circular desk is situated, accompanied by 100 R.I.A.S.R. employees. The elevators look like the standard model but made out of hard polymer glass, with each side having the carefully etched words of R.I.A.S.R.’s motto, “Always listen to the voice of others”. These elevators are automatic and do not require wires or pulleys. With the help of Siphon energy, the elevators glide in the air, with a series of pathways programmed so that they won’t bump into each other.   

(To be Continued)