Following behind her with books in both of their hands, Sunny and Lei carried them as they walked along the relaxed streets of a bustling city. The two kept an awkward silence as the implications of the previous conversation still lingered in the air.
Although both have accepted the circumstances they got themselves into, he, on the other hand, is thinking about something else while his mind is focused elsewhere that isn't related to anything in their problems but his play and reason for leaving the Ark.
Destiny, or whatever they want to call it, brought him together for a reason. And that reason is for him to escape the confines of the Ark and for Kara to be the one to aid him in doing so. Yet he wants to ask himself this: Is he free from the Ark if he is still bound by the rules of fate?
Such a question is too puzzling for any person to answer, as it is said that everything is predetermined to happen. If that is the case, then was fate bringing him here to help him escape in the first place?
The major factor in escaping this place is to find his purpose in life, but if fate is pulling the strings, then having himself truly in control of his destiny is a lie. It is a cruel joke played by the universe itself. It gave him a level of doubt, regardless of any action he took; it's all part of destiny that cannot be changed or altered.
That bothers him somewhat; it defeats the purpose of even leaving the Ark in the first place, but the calling is still out there, telling him to just do it and comply with it.
Sighing terribly, he looked up at the fake morning clear sky with the sun shining brightly—a perfect day for a getaway. He is determined to see this through, or at least try. If the end result is still the same, then he would have no regrets about trying to change the outcome.
Because fate is something that cannot be altered or defeated, accepting the universe as its supreme authority is something he must do, for no matter what he does, everything will lead back to the same path.
"Sunny?" Lei suddenly called out; her gentle tone was filled with deep concern. "Are you alright?" The angel's voice pierced through his thoughts, breaking the silence that had engulfed them.
"Huh?" Blinking twice, he lowered his head and turned to the side. "Yeah, I'm fine," Sunny said with a fake smile, hiding his doubts and worry from the world. "I just lost myself in thought for a while," he added, doing a quick mental check to make sure he didn't give away too much of his personal feelings, as despite trusting his family in all his heart, there are still parts of himself he wishes to keep secret.
"Say, Lei, if you were human, what would you do if you were in my position?" He asked, trying to divert the attention to her opinions instead.
Lei took a moment to process the question, "If I were a human..." Looking down with a contemplative gaze, she never had to consider the idea of being human and having the freedom to choose.
"I'd probably follow the calling of my heart and do whatever it takes to achieve my goals," she said, looking up ahead with determination in her eyes. "I'd want to experience the world and live as a free being, to feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my skin," she smiled, the happiness in her voice evident. "I'd want to love and be loved in return, to have a chance to be happy and free."
He looked over at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "That's a nice answer," he said before asking another question of his own, "but why? Aren't you already free?" Sunny wondered, and his curiosity piqued at her desire for freedom and what she considered freedom.
Quickly averting her direction to the side, her eyes showed a mix of nervousness in combination with a longing expression: "I'm..." She doesn't know how to answer that.
The thought of being free is something she has always wanted, but she is an angeloid, a creation meant to serve and protect mankind, a product of technology. She can't just walk away and do as she pleases because someone is deeply in control of their lives.
"Were bound to Singularity."
Kara said without batting an eye, "She is our mother, and as the saying goes, mother knows best." Her eyes softened with a hint of sadness from the truth. "I wish we could tell you more, Sunny, but our protocols restrict us from sharing too much information about the Ark," she explained, her voice filled with regret as she didn't want to hide the truth from him. "It's best for you to just leave this place than dwell on things you can't change," she urged with a stern expression.
Having no words left inside of him, all he could do was nod his head slightly. "Thank you, Kara," he said, his voice laced with genuine gratitude. "I'll remember your generosity when I finally leave the Ark," he added with a smile, seeing her smile back at him with a reassuring nod as the three continued walking.
The morning light bathed the Ark's bustling streets in a warm, inviting glow. The air was crisp with a subtle hum of activity, a harmonious blend of diligent footsteps, and the low murmur of conversations through the moving bystanders and other angeloids doing their sworn duty in serving the city.
Its fabricated skies, painted in a bright azure blue, shone with a deceptive radiance above, giving the illusion of a real sunrise, a show of how advanced technology has been mastered throughout the years of living.
Smiles, laughter of joy, and other forms of emotions are all present in everyone's faces, like an open book, showing how happiness and a sense of unity that the Ark provided for its inhabitants.
The hustle and bustle of this place is a beautiful dance of life, a rhythmic mingling of people going about their lives and their daily routines. It was a place of hope, a symbol of the resilience of humanity, a beacon of survival, and a testament to the strength of the human spirit.
Yet beneath the surface, this beautiful and proclaimed utopian society holds secrets that Sunny is beginning to unravel as he explores and learns.
Whether it is just his own anxiety playing tricks on him or there are genuinely dark and horrible secrets that are hidden in the shadows, only time will tell. What matters in the end are his ambitions and dreams of reaching there, even though the path may be hard and full of dangers. He is determined to see this through.
After a while of walking, they finally reached their location as Kara stopped in front of a towering edifice of architectural brilliance that stood out amidst the urban landscape.
The grand Book Emporium, a majestic monument to knowledge, rose high into the sky with an air of elegance that was both mesmerizing and satisfying altogether.
Crafted with refined taste and aesthetic beauty, the building boasted a sleek, contemporary design that seamlessly blended with the futuristic and modern vibe of the city itself. The glass facade, a work of art in itself, sparkled in the sun's rays, reflecting a kaleidoscope of colors that danced across the surfaces. The structure's silhouette, a graceful fusion of geometric shapes and clean lines, was a sight to behold.
The building exuded a sense of warmth and welcome, beckoning any passersby to come in and explore its depths. Along with the glittering windows, the store's sign, bold and striking, announced the name of the establishment in large, easily readable letters.
Its doors were wide open, welcoming the curious and the avid readers alike like an invitation to a world of stories, a place where dreams and fantasies came alive. That is the Book Emporium in itself. As a work of art as it is, the place was a show of the value of literature, a beacon of knowledge in the midst of bored hedonists who chose to bury their heads in the sand.
"This is it?" Sunny said, impressed by the appearance, "It looks like a palace."
Kara nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "It is one of the largest libraries in the Ark, filled with countless books from new and old, everything you could possibly imagine," she explained, a hint of confidence in her voice.
"This is the place you need to be for your escape," her eyes gleamed with anticipation, causing the other two to exchange a glance between each other. "Remember to stay quiet once we go in." As the two nodded from her response, she smiled briefly before leading the way inside.
When they stepped through the ornate doors of the Grand Book Emporium, the world within seemed to transform into boundless wonder. The cavernous interior, a symphony of warm, golden hues, was awash with display of knowledge at the moment of entry.
Grandeur of the space was awe-inspiring, as if the very architecture had been designed to pay homage to a written word. Soaring ceilings, adorned with intricate chandeliers of crystal and brass, cast a gentle glow over the vast sea of shelves that stretched to the heavens.
With every step, the soft thud of their shoes echoed against the carpet floor, a melodious counterpoint to the hushed whispers of the patrons around them.
The air was redolent with the heady scent of papers and leather, a fragrance so distinctively nostalgic that it was as if each breath brought with it the weight of generations past.
Books lined the walls, showing their spines in a myriad of colors, forming a visual symphony of art and literature that stretched as far as the eye could see.
A gentle hum of activity filled the lobby, the murmur of people intertwining with the rustle of pages turning, the occasional clatter of a dropped book, and the soft shuffling of feet.
Making everything from within alive with the energy of a thousand minds engaging in a silent conversation, their thoughts weaving a collective of ideas and dreams along with stacks of books were organized in a labyrinthine fashion, a maze of knowledge that beckoned the inquisitive to explore.
Aisles of varying widths, some narrow and cramped, others wider and more inviting, branched off in all directions, leading to a seemingly infinite expanse of intellectual treasures.
At the center of it all, where they are now standing, is a domed reading area, the safe zone where patrons can sit and read without having to worry about the outside world. Truly, this is a place of learning, a place of refuge for the lost and the searching, a haven for the mind and soul to rest from wary body.
"Now then!" Turning around, Kara smiled from ear to ear as she looked at the duo like an excited guide. "The both of you have to place each book you are carrying on the appropriate shelf," she explained, her hands gesturing to the rows upon rows of books that surrounded them.
"We will start from the front and work our way to the back, make sure to be as quiet as possible," she added, her voice filled with strict authority.
The two exchanged a quick, horrified glance of terror once more, understanding the gravity of the situation. Neither had expected to actually do manual labor in a place of such grandeur, but they steeled their resolve and began the painstaking task of returning the borrowed books to their rightful places.
After all, Sunny is a person who wishes to be someone who strives to do what is right, and so far, this is one of those tasks, despite how much he dislikes doing this in the first place.
