Zed and Psy watch the gate close with a ‘thunk’ noise and turn back to observe their surroundings. They’re met by clean, sparking streets lined with stores selling luxurious goods, and restaurants catering to people of sophisticated looks. People were everywhere wearing designer suits and dresses. They walked by with their chins in the air and half-closed eyes, paying zero attention to the raggedy duo that just entered.

“Well this is a lot… snobbier than I expected”, said Zed. Psy nods his head in agreement. “Well I don’t know about you but I’m still parched. Let’s see if we can’t find some water in this big city. One of these fancy lookin’ people must be able to help us out.” Zed looks and walks up to the closest fancy looking stranger. “Hello there! Me and my brother here were just looking for a place to get some refreshments. Can you help us out?” The stranger who was admiring a suit in a store front window turns toward the boys. He gives them a look up and down, sneers disgustingly and walks away. “That could’ve gone better.” Zed looks around and finds a couple walking toward them. “Excuse me! Me and my brother are quite parched, do you know of a place where we can wet our whistles?” The couple stop in their tracks and stare at the boys with disgusted looks on their faces.

“You boys look disgusting! How dare you walk around looking as such!” exclaimed the man.

“Have you no shame?!” said the woman. The woman looks the boys up and down as well, clearly disgusted by their dirtied attire. “These people… could they be from outside the city?!” The couple put their hands over their mouths. People nearby start turning their heads toward the shocked couple and begin walking toward them.

“Well this simply will not do,” one of the onlookers said.

“This must be taken care of immediately!” another said. The fancy people begin forming a circle around the confused boys. Just as it appears the people of the city are about to take action someone pushes their way through the crowd and gets in between them and the brothers.

“I’m sorry everyone!” exclaimed the mysterious person. It was a girl with long blonde hair wrapped into a bun wearing a rimmed, long, light blue dress. “I’m so sorry for the mess my cousins have caused with their dreadful appearances,” the girl continued. “I shall take care of them at once!” The girl turns her head to look at Zed and Psy with a stern look in her sky blue eyes, and make upped face. The city crowd calm down and begin to disperse. Zed sighs a sigh of relief.

“Thanks so much for that girl!” said Zed. The girl faces the boys and puts her hands on her wide hips.

“I couldn’t help but see you two dirty rag-a-muffins come through the gate,” said the girl. “Neither of you look like one of the many guards we have so I figured you were travelers. Nobody would have paid you a second thought but you just had to go and talk to someone”. The girl sighed and places a hand on her forehead. “You got everybody’s attention now! Listen come with me and I’ll help you guys blend in better”. Psy looks at Zed with skepticism.

“Well… we got nothing to lose do we?” asked Zed. Psy squints his eyes toward his optimistic brother, but reluctantly nods.

“Good”, said the girl. “Now follow me”. The girl begins walking and the boys following closely behind. The three end up in a nearby clothing store. “We need to get you two out of those old, crappy clothes if you even hope to blend in a little. Starting with that weird tall hat”. The girl begins to reach for Zed’s hat, but Zed slaps her hand away with his robotic arm. “Ouch!”

“Don’t touch the hat”, said Zed.

“Fine!” exclaimed the girl, holding her hit hand. She then walks off and takes some time to pick out some clothes. “Here”. The girl hands the boys each a pile of clothes. “Go try these on”. Each boy is pushed into a nearby dressing room by the girl. A few minutes pass before Zed and Psy leave their dressing rooms revealing their new clothing. Psy is wearing a nicer grey hoodie from his old one with matching grey pants. The hoodie had zip away sleeves on each upper arm and small skulls beads adorned the hanging strings of the hood. Zed came out sporting his striped hat still but was now wearing a black shirt covered by a red, yellow rimmed, buttoned down jacket that he wore opened. On the black shirt was a red ‘no symbol’ that sat on his chest, partially covered by the jacket. Each sleeve of the jacket was decorated by three black stripes on the fore arms. Zed wore black jeans and sneakers to tie everything together. “Well a good first attempt, but I think we need to get a little more suity”. As she says this Zed grabs the sleeve of his left arm and rips it off from his coat to reveal his metallic arm.

“That feels better! Gotta show that Shima mechanic pride!” exclaimed Zed. A nearby store employee stops what they’re doing and stares at the ripped clothing, and then at the girl.

“Guess they will do!” the girl said obviously perturbed.

“Thanks so much for getting us these new digs, uh”, Zed cut himself off.

“Trace. My name is Trace”, the girl responds.

“Thankyou Trace”, Zed said with a smile. Trace’s perturbed expression changes to a light smile as she walks up to the store counter. Trace reaches into her breasts to reveal a shining gold credit card. The shine causes Zed and Psy to shield their eyes. “I… I… never felt such a presence before! How much wealth can be stored on one little piece of rectangular plastic!?” Trace finishes the transaction and turns toward the boys.

“How bout I put you two into a hotel for the night,” said Trace. “Get fed and well rested, and head out in the morning to where ever it is you need to be”.

“You are the nicest and richest lady we’ve met in years”, said Zed. “Also the only lady we’ve met in years”. Trace chuckles at Zed’s comment and the three new friends leave the clothing store to a five star hotel tower. Trace checks them in, the boys once again are blinded by the glamorous card, and Trace guides them to their room on one of the top floors. The three enter the luxurious suite and make themselves comfortable. Zed runs to the fridge and begins guzzling down some bottles of water. As he drinks he throws a bottle to Psy, who slowly unscrews the cap to the bottle and begins drinking as well. “I can’t tell you how long I was waiting for this”, Zed said in between gulps. Trace covers her mouth as she chuckled. She walks over to the king sized bed and sits.

“So”, said Trace, crossing her legs. “How did two rough boys like you end up in a rich city like this?” Zed takes a break from drinking and takes a breath. He then tells Trace about his home town’s destruction and their missing parents. “I’m so sorry. Your town wasn’t the only one affected by Cyber Tech’s armies.”

“Cyber what?” asked Zed. Trace’s jaw drops.

“You’ve never heard of the tyrant Cyber Tech!” shouts Trace. Zed and Psy look at each other, and shrug in response to Trace’s shock. “… I guess you wouldn’t know considering you’ve been living in a wrecked town the past couple years. He’d have no interest in that area anymore”. Trace tells the boys of Cyber Tech’s greed and path of destruction. Zed and Psy listen intently. “That robot that cut off your arm was most likely one of Cyber Tech’s soldiers.”

“So this Cyber Tech steals all kinds of machine builders and scientists?” asked Zed. He looks down and smiles a small smile. “This whole time me and Psy were never even sure if our parents were alive, but if what you’re saying is true there’s a chance they’re just locked up somewhere. Doesn’t feel very good to know our parents might be enslaved, but it beats them being dead”. Psy looks down and nods in agreement. Zed turns to face the giant windows of the hotel room and gazes at the large city. “So if this tyrant guy is ruling over the entire continent how can such a glamourous city even exist?”

Trace looks concerned toward the boys. “Well as long as you’re in Big Shot City your safe from any Cyber Tech threat. This city was always among some of the richest of Unitia. Years ago when the invasions were first starting, word spread to Big Shot fast. Upon hearing this the wealthiest family known as the Aces hired workers to build walls around the city. They then hired mercenaries to guard the walls and armed them with the latest weaponry for you see the Aces had acquired their vast wealth through the production of the best weaponry on Unitia. To this day Cyber Tech continues to try and invade but is met with the mighty guard force of Big Shot City. Unfortunately, this predicament has not changed any of the residents from being uptight, snobby jerks!”

“Well I’ve talked your ears off enough”, Trace said as she gets up from the bed. “Get some rest and be ready to head out in the morning”. Trace wiggles her fingers at the two as she leaves through the doorway. “Before any fancy rubs off on you”. Zed and Psy lay down on the giant king sized bed.

“Kind of a progressive first day”, said Zed. “We left home and found out about this Cyber Tech guy… guess that’s who we gotta meet if we want to find out about our parents”. Psy nods his head in agreement. Zed lifts his mechanical hand toward the ceiling and opens up his fingers. Zed begins to remember that tragic day he lost his arm and his life getting flipped upside down. “We have a goal… Good night Psy.” Zed brings his hand back down.

“Good night Zed,” responds Psy. The two close their eyes and drift off to sleep.

The boys were awoken by the sounds of explosions. Zed and Psy jolt from the bed and look outside through the large window of the suite. Through skyscrapers and past the walls surrounding Big Shot City, they can see smoke and more explosions. “Could that be?” asked Zed. Psy looks at his brother with eagerness. The two bolt through the suite door and head down stairs to the exit of the hotel. When the two make it outside the sound of gun shots can be heard echoing throughout the fluorescently lit up streets. The fancy residents are undisturbed by the sound of combat and continue their daily lives. “Don’t look very worried do they?”

Zed and Psy run through the uncaring crowded street to the part of the wall where the sounds of fighting can be heard from the other side. “Grab on”, said Zed as he reached out his left arm to his brother.

“Are you going to…?” asked Psy.

“Yup!” exclaimed Zed as he gestures to hurry. Psy sighs as he lets his brother hold on to him. “Alright! This should probably work!?” Zed brings his mechanical arm up to his hand around Psy. He uses his left hand’s index finger to touch the first red stripe on his mechanical fore arm which lights up in response. He robotic fore arm begins to expand as it sucks in air. Zed then points his robotic arm at the ground.

Psy closes his eyes, preparing for the worst. “This is going to go as well as your hover car”, said Psy through gritted teeth.

“This is totally gunna work!” shouted Zed. Zed’s arm stops sucking in air and suddenly all of the air compressed inside is released all at once toward the ground, shooting the boys skyward. Up in the air and over the wall the brothers can see flashes of gun shots and lasers mixed in clouds of dust. Zed looked at his brother with a silly grin on his face. Psy looks up at him with concern and the two begin to fall into the chaos. “It totally worked!”