***

Justin was in his car driving along the motorway, he thought about Skyler and how much she has lost. He was saddened by what happened. While he continued to think about it, the angrier he got by how long he took to get there. “Calm down Justin,” he muttered to himself. 

The landscape was filled with plants and Justin thought it was boring. Nothing changed, just the same plants. He sighed and tapped on the steering wheel. Trying to entertain himself on his journey back to the Lux sector from the Vita sector. 

When he got to the security barrier to a different sector. A shield that was touching the sky while a security guard stepped out of a booth “papers please sir” he said and Justin rolled down his window, whipped out his badge with the six animals engraved on it. “A detective in the Vita sector? How peculiar…” he muttered while he looked confused. 

“Why are you in this place?” Did you get injured during a fragment encounter or something?” He asked with curiosity. Justin stared at him, the security guard just nodded knowing that he shouldn’t push anymore. “Right it’s not my business” he said, shaken by Justin’s stare. 

Justin shook his head and smiled. “No, I wasn't injured.” He felt a pain in chest knowing that he should tell the security guard the truth but also he knew that he’s a higher rank than him “it’s classified” 

The security guard scoffs and rolls his eyes annoyed “I knew you were going to say that” he grumbled and went towards a lever and pulled on it. It started to rumble and it raised towards the sky “have fun mister protector…” he said with disgust. Justin sighed “you know if you wanted to be promoted to a detective then you shouldn’t be like this” he said as he drove through the barrier. 

As it shut, skyscrapers that could reach the sky dripped water onto the floor. The water created fountains and artwork on the floor. “God I hate water” he muttered. 

***

A day passed after Justin left Skyler finally got out of bed and into her own clothes. The surroundings were not to die for. The room wallpaper was a pale white void of colour. Which made her feel even more lonely like she was locked up in prison for failing to save her own father. 

The beeping of the heart machine gave Skyler a headache from its beeping. It was like little needles sticking in her head. She groaned and took the pillow and pushed it over her ears to try to block the sound of it. 

Skyler  saw a mirror that was leaning against the wall, she got out of her bed. Walked over to it, saw how much she looked like a zombie.  Her sleep deprived face,  was a far cry from her usual face. Skyler hated how she looked with the hospital gown on her and her hair was such a mess she couldn’t see through it properly. 

While she was distracted by her image, a noise of a person knocking on the door. Skyler knew that was a signal for her to see if she was awake but she was already. “Can we come in miss amberlight?” a voice called out from the over side of the locked door. 

Skyler turned to face the door and yelled “yes you can!” The door slid open to reveal the same nurse that treated her before. While walking in, a woman who had violet hair,  purple eyes and cat ears was behind her. Skyler blushed at how beautiful the woman was. Skyler felt so inferior to her, like how the woman had things figured out but Skyler didn’t have anything. 

No family, no friends, just her. That broke her heart even  more than she realised. Skyler gulped and shuffled back trying to make more space between her and that woman. “Who are you?” Skyler asked and the woman took out a scroll from her pocket, rolled it out and showed it’s contents to Skyler. 

“My name is Hannah nightingale” she came closer and reached out her hand to Skyler “I’m from the Aqua lawyers.” Skyler took Hannah’s smooth hand and shook it.  When she did Skyler looked down at the floor; hiding her face from Hannah  “a-ah nice t-to meet you” Skyler said. 

Hannah chuckled at the stammering skyler “what’s wrong? I don’t bite” she said gently. Skyler took a breath and looked at her and let go of her hand “why is the Aqua lawyers here” Skyler thought then widened her eyes

“I see you realised why I’m here right? due to your expression”  Hannah said and Skyler nodded and softly asked “are you here for the will of my foster father?” Hannah nodded and opened her bag and got out a scroll. Handed to skyler and she read it out loud. 

“Dear Miss Amberlight, we are writing to you about your two wills.  your adoptive father’s and your biological mother” her voice trembled while she read which made her feel cold and lifeless. Skyler gripped the scroll tighter making it more winkled “please come to the Aqua sector to collect them.” Skyler took a deep breath and her legs trembled, losing strength. “From the aqua lawyers” 

As skyler finished reading she collapsed onto her knees and screamed her heart out “why?!” she clenched the letter onto her chest “why!!” She sighed and wiped her tears from her eyes. 

“I’m sorry” Skyler said shakily, Hannah just shook her head. “No  need to apologise, everyone cries for their loved ones” Hannah said. Whilst sticking her hand out to help Skyler to stand. Skyler took it and stood up again, smiled at Hannah which made Skyler feel happier than she had been. 

Skyler looked at Hannah’s hand and saw an engagement ring on her finger. “Congratulations” Hannah smiled and put her hand close to her chest “thanks, this was a shock when my fiancé proposed” hannah said with a gentle blush on her cheeks. 

Hannah coughed and looked at Skyler “anyway I will be seeing you there Skyler.” Hannah flicked her fluffy  purple hair back and went back to the door and the nurse opened it for her to exit. “See you soon skyler” she said with a reserved smile. 

Skyler nodded and said back to her “yeah…” and Hannah exited and the door shut leaving Skyler alone with her thoughts. 

***

When she was younger, before Mr Richardson took her in. Skyler used to live with her mother in a small apartment in the terra sector near the francis university. 

Skyler felt happy,  whilst  remembering the smell of coal from the fireplace in the lounge.  She put out her small hands towards the fire. She felt the warmth of the fire which made her feel warm and comfortable. 

She thought “where’s mother?” The door opened and Skyler looked towards the lounge door and saw a woman standing with a soft smile “Skyler why are you up so late? Naughty girl” the woman said with a stern voice 

Skyler nervously chuckled and felt guilty for staying up late “sorry mum…” she stood up and held her arm. “I just…” she took a sharp breath “felt scared because you weren’t here” her mother smiled and walked over to her and hugged her warmly. 

“Skyler, I know” she whispered and picked her up. “But I have important things,” Skyler nodded and gripped her mother’s collar. “B-but” Skyler said and her mother just shook her head. Skyler  felt happy but sad at the same time. “Why does mum need to go out really late?” She thought curiously about her mother’s activities. 

“Mum, why are you always late?  Skyler with a curious expression that took her mother’s breath away “you’re only an archivist ” She said while being carried down the hallway, up the old rickety stairs. “Well sometimes it takes time to put relics in boxes” her mother said while chuckling lightly. 

“Okay mum! Just be careful, "Skyler smiled happily after the mothers answer. But in her mothers mind it was a whirlwind of emotions “Skyler you don’t know who you are yet” she looked at Skyler while she saw Skyler’s eyes droop and she smiled. Skyler saw this and smiled back “but when you do you mustn’t go anywhere” she felt like shit for not telling Skyler who she was but knew that she couldn’t interfere. “where you have to get blood drawn out of you” 

She placed Skyler onto her bed and kissed her forehead gently. “Goodnight sweetie, have pleasant dreams” she said gently. Skyler squirmed In her bed trying to get a comfortable position. “Goodnight mum” Skyler sleepily said, while her mother went out of the room.

The next morning when Skyler started to wake up the light of the sun breached through the crack of the curtains. “Too bright…need more sleep” she moaned while moving under the covers. Hiding her face, she felt so comfortable like nothing was important. She softly sighed but then her watch began to make loud noises. 

“Shut up” she lazily said and started to flop her arms around trying to reach for the watch. Until she accidentally fell off her bed. The impact made her feel embarrassed and annoyed that she had small arms. “Great…I’m awake” she said with slightly opened eyes. She pushed herself off the carpet floor, she looked at the mirror on the dressing table. Skyler groaned when she saw her hair in knots and messed up. She hated how her hair got messy easily 

She grinned mischievously, and looked at her own shadow while her eyes changed colour. Tendrils of misty blackness rose behind her, and started to brush her hair. “Love umbra magic!” She giggled softly while bowing to her shadow. “Thanks” she whispered, Skyler felt like she could do anything with her magic. When she blinked her eyes her eyes returned to their natural oceanic beauty. 

She grabbed a coin, which was on the table and while putting it on top of her thumb and hand. Skyler  grinned, “Yeah, railguns will never exist.” she pinged it up into the air and flicked it with her thumb towards the wall. “But I wish that i could meet her to see who would be the winner” she hummed while she felt that she could beat anyone who stood in her way like she was a god. 

“Because I will beat her,” she said with such certainty in her voice. She got out of her room down the dusk,  damp hallway towards the stairwell. Skyler lightly pressed her feet on the floorboards of the stairs to make it not creak when walking down it. Skyler hated the sound of creaking because it made her feel uncomfortable and nervous.

Then her worst nightmare came true. The stairs started to creak loudly, which made her feel so much more uncomfortable than she already was. Suddenly the patter of rain hit the windows near her which made Skyler’s skin crawl with goosebumps and a cold sweat came over her. 

“There wasn’t any forecast for rain today” she mumbled while the air began to cool. Skyler shivered and got to the bottom of the staircase, she made her way to the kitchen.  “I need food” Skyler  thought while her stomach was longing for food.

When she got to the kitchen she saw her mother slicing sausages and frying eggs which the aroma made Skyler drool and sat down at the table. “What's the occasion for this mum?” She asked impatiently, her mother giggled and smiled “why can’t i? just spoil my daughter” 

Skyler shook her head and smiled joyfully “no you can spoil me!” She giggled and the smell was incredible, the sizzling of the sausage and the egg as they were being put on a plate. They were too much for Skyler’s senses to handle. 

“I’m going to die” she thought while drooling, Skyler’s mother put the plate on the table in front of Skyler “here you go sweetie be careful it’s still hot” Skyler nodded and began to eat carefully using her knife and fork while blowing on the food with every bite of the juicy sausage.