Broken

*More than 4000 years ago was the last great war, the war that turned humanity upside down, but it was also the war that changed the whole humanity after they won. It was started with the sudden appearance of Astral border and the sudden invasion of Astral beings like those that came from myths and legends led by the gods once worshiped in ancient times. Before that very war, humans can only speculate that there are other life forms on other planets. Now year 4382, More than 4000 years ago after the humanities side won the last great war, the blood of other life forms they did not know exists, the blood of beings only thought to exist in tales and fables is ingrained in ours. During and after the war, humans started procreating with the Astral races that pledge allegiance with humanity. More than 4000 years had passed and now the other races disappeared and completely blended with humanity producing two distinct human variants, now technology lets us travel faster than light, some medicines could enhance physical capabilities permanently because of the astral borders that remained.

*This era was the supposed bright future of the victor in the great war, but right now people are trying to escape reality than busying themselves with progress. Instead of studying medicine people are creating substances to quench desires, substances used to seduce people or substances to straight out temporarily forget reality. Instead of building a stronger connection with other people or descendants of other races, they chose to hook up and party to share a few moments of indulgence in exchange for a lifetimes' worth of regret. Instead of building machines that could improve technological advancement, they chose to improve technologies to better the comfort of humanity, from machines that replaced human labor into machines that replaced humans itself. The supposed highest prosperity the humans could get was now the epitome of laziness, depression, and addiction humans could ever have.

*Indulging in pleasures of the flesh, intoxication with alcohol and substances, such actions to distract me away from the pain caused by the truth, the truth that I can't cross that damn Astral gate. I was wasting my life away to let me temporarily escape reality and forget that I wasn't able to get the person I love the most. Now this woman I'm having a time with, she too was one of those who had no other choice but to escape reality. Right now we're doing things as if we love each other, but tomorrow we may not even look at each other in the eye. In this era, there are only 2 kinds of people. Some often escape reality and those seldom. No one could say they haven't tried to do any of the 3 escape paths namely the use of the substance, hooking up, and alcohol. The only exemption is those who had to maintain images such as those daughters of nobility, sons of government officials, and people who want to increase their "market value".

*This era there is only two kinds of successful people, an Astrahuman or a Politician. To be a politician they must enter an academic hell that was so strict even the sons and daughters of presidents aren't guaranteed to pass through while the other way to succeed was to be born Astrahuman.

As I was pondering, I felt the woman started kissing me around my neck, I tried redirecting her lips to mine but she started biting me.

*Astrahumans are the descendants of the Astral races. Such as the race of this woman's ancestor, the sanguine race. Vampires, blood witches, and other humanoid beings fed on blood to empower themselves. She had a bloodline that belongs to the sanguine race that was why she would unconsciously bite people around their neck or shoulder during the time where she could feel extreme emotions. Even though she does not feed on blood, her instinct is already influenced by her bloodline.

*When did I start doing these things? 3 years? 4 years ago? All I know was it started with a kiss, a kiss to give me hope and a small appreciation for my love. A kiss that spun in my mind, a kiss that I twisted and turned into a key to open this hell. I entered this hell and explored it's every corner before I realize that the door I used to enter cannot be opened from the inside. So I find people that are about to twist their kiss, people who opened the door and try to enter this hell and I will push them away, like what I did to this woman awhile ago.

We're doing this after we spent a long time finding her way out of this hell.

*But why was I doing this? Sometimes when all the serious talks, ranting about life, and having a change of view in this world, they would occasionally initiate it not as a reward nor to be intimate but, it's akin to having a final supper. When they finally understand that this was just their way of saying "I'm worn out", their way of screaming "I want attention" or their way of telling "I want to be connected". They sometimes wanted to say "goodbye" in this way. It's a few minutes or an hour of fake love and farewell so I make sure they enjoy it as much as possible. Such as this woman, from a crying shy person who got used and hurt but still tried to force herself to endure her loneliness became a woman in heat as if saying "I'm happy with myself now" because she was finally able to accept the fact that she is what she is, and she isn't what her shitty boyfriend made her become, she isn't the killer lady people gossiped about her and she isn't the same lonely woman she thinks she was.

We both lost control of ourselves today for tomorrow is the start of a new life for her, she will not be the person that was contained by abusive rules and traumatic punishments. She will not be the meek and feeble prey for those gossipers. She won't care about them nor the past she went through.

*Do I enjoy this life? I depend on it, I depend on it for happiness, depend on it for pleasure, depend on it for the feeling of fake love in the end. It was all because I feel helpless about my own inability, I was unable to achieve something I want so I just resort to lying to myself. I lied about being a good guy saving others but in reality, I can only save them because I don't have any way to save myself. I lied about wanting this but all I wanted was that moment of being loved.

After we finished I felt a great amount of fatigue seeped into my body and all I can do was stare at the ceiling while pondering.

*Do I want to change? I can't, ever since I ran away 4 years ago I already knew whatever fucked up person I'll become there's no changing it unless I had what I want. What do I want? Love. I wanted a person to love, a person that I wanted since young. A jolly and playful person, she was always there supporting my worthless ideas. She was always there to annoy me whenever I was too focused on studying. She would always try to protect me from badmouthing but always ended crying because she was called names. She would always do silly ways and create silly disturbance to get my attention. A person that I tried to run away from 4 years ago but still annoys me until today. I learned to create drugs to let myself indulge greater but, her calls would always be the thing that I was addicted to. Her voice was the thing that kept me from completely falling into deprivation. Her nagging throughout the years was the thing that made me want to believe that what I was doing was for the betterment of other people but I know that she too is suffering. She too experienced pain when I left her alone.

I wanted to love her but I can't. I can't love her because I wasn't worth it. I'm sleepy now, I think I might sort things out with her, at least before,...she goes...

/.....5 hours later...../

Christina – "Hey!! wake up now!"

There was a woman who was trying to wake me up and if I remember correctly, she's my roommate. Currently, I am living with her in this extra spacious apartment.

Christina – "Hey!!! wake up, you're gonna be late for school"

*School huh?, yeah I remember when I was in the first year we created the door couple incident. I was busily fidgeting with my phone and about to enter the main building when she arrived in front of the same time as I was. I tried pulling the door while she tried pulling the door at the same time I did. Both of us are fidgeting something so the amount of power we gave was only enough to feel something wrong with the door but not overpower the other. Then we stared at each other through the door and let an awkward moment pass before we tried to pull the door at the same time again. Many students were staring at us with dumbfounded faces so it felt a little awkward but the people can't recognize us because of the distance. When we thought of letting the other party deal with the door we somehow sync again and we both let go of the handlebar at the same time, it was very awkward until a professor passing by open the door for us. That's where I met her and we somehow became a couple after attending a party then later broke up into friends with benefits relationship. Now I live in her former apartment or rather she currently lives here with me ever since I took over the place.

Christina – "Time if you're going on a "congratulatory party" don't bring a woman home or at least be aware of your surrounding whenever you bring a person"

*Oh? Did I bring someone? I remember that curvy girl, what was her name again? Rita? Wait, shit! my room looks like someone was murdered here. Why are my trophies on the ground? Maybe I'll just spread some blood and call the cops then it'll be a valid crime scene.

Christina – "I'm heading south of the city, my mom's starting to get suspicious about our relationship so I'll be staying there for a week. You should go and take a shower already."

Micheal – "I'm just gonna fix my room first then take a shower."

Christina – "Move faster or you're gonna be late."

Micheal – "Okay mom!"

She threw a pillow on me and laughed. I laughed too but I feel a little dizzy and some headache probably from a hangover. It took quite a while cleaning the room but she helped me so it didn't take too much time. She picked up a white that is shaped like a wheel and asked me while presenting the thing.

Christina – "Are you sure you're already finished with this game of yours?"

Micheal – "Yeah I just need to play some test then it's good to go."

It was a processing unit that I inherited as a memento of my father. Inside was the most advanced Artificial intelligence that exists but only I can access it due to a restriction.

*Game? Yeah, I seem to have created some sort of game, I dedicated 9 years of my life to it. I was marveled by my own wastefulness in using the most sophisticated and advanced AI system to create a game but, damn an AI lady that knows how to react right is a man's romance nowadays. I mean a world where creativity and practical ability are the main weapon of people for survival is the best way to help others find an alternative way than parties, drugs, and hookups.

Christina – "At least you were able to finish that thing before you graduated, I believe once you release that game those AI nerds would worship you."

*How am I able to create an AI system? The answer is I can't. I just mix and mash the AI systems in any appliances I can find. Later I learned to code and properly mix and mash the latest AI systems I bought, but to be honest the operating system itself could learn and improve on its own because learning was its main function. I just did that mix and mashing to insert some systems that I want to implement, such as, "procreation", artificial life, emotions, and such.

Christina – "Hey aren't you going to bring that game today? maybe that Nihhana would reward you again you know?"

When I heard the name Nihhana, I remembered a short-haired good looking lady that always had a phone or laptop near her. She was a little short compared to other girls, she isn't the jolly type of small person though. She likes teasing men sexually when she wants something from them but, once she finally got what she wants then she'd cut off ties immediately.

*Not me though, I didn't let her got off until I screwed her bolts tight.

Christina – "Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, there was a rainfall warning. We might have some soft rain later so if you wait, there might be sparkling night."

*Rainfall huh? It doesn't really matter though, I'm not planning on staying outside tonight anyway. After school, I'll test Origin, the game I made.

Micheal – "Thanks for the reminder, are you in a hurry maybe I can give you a ride?"

Christina – "No, it's okay. Don't be late at school okay, someone wanted to see you."

I remember the incident the other day where I won a contest and people wanted to be my project partner. The professor made me draw a name to pick my partner, but all the paper only had a single name.

*I tried to think straight but, I went blank. That name was like the cause and the cure for my insanity. She was a person I did my all, best and worst just to get away from but, she's still the person I wanted. I missed her smiles, I missed her hugs, her nagging, and her creative thinking whenever she wants my attention. The person that made me feel I have worth, someone needed me and gave me a reason to be better. But she was also the reason I chose this misery, to face it alone.

Christina – "I'm going out now! See you later!"

Micheal –"yeah yeah, see you later."

*I'm really having a bad hangover right now... Geez, I think I need to walk to the train station to sober myself up. I don't have much of a choice anyway, my hovercar seemed to have been missing and I don't have enough time to find it. I even offered to give Christina a ride, it could've been extremely awkward if she agreed. So Metro City? It's at least 900 sq. kilometer I don't really care how big it is because this is just a university focus city, all the establishment were focused on students. There are high and tall buildings reaching 30 floors while the cheapest and smallest are still 2 story buildings. I live in a very expensive seven-story building, but the owner made it high cost because the people will rent an entire floor like that of a condominium. Complete with a big kitchen to recreational rooms, currently I have 8 vacant rooms plus a single room up top.

* many land vehicles are going here and there while there are also hover cars occasionally passing by. There are three peculiar places here. First was Sand Castle, it was a recreation center that was run by a gaming company on the outside but underground mafias on the inside. The outside was a typical gaming center where people can play all sorts of games for wasting time but inside the hidden rooms are the gambling dens.

*Second most interesting was the renowned crystalline and glass theme cafe, people said that only Astrahuman family can afford the luxury to dine in such a cafe. People speculated that the owner of the place is an Astrahuman tycoon that had so much money so he created such a place to flex his financial power.

* The last interesting place was the 150 squared kilometer Campus, it occupied more than 15% of the city. That place was a prestigious looking school on the outside but a very complicated pandemonium inside.

I arrived at the train station and bought a ticket for the next travel. There are 2 minutes left before they got off so I bought some snacks for the ride. After waiting for a moment inside, the train started moving. I was bored because I just realized that I left my phone inside the hovercar so all I can do was to continue my pondering.

*Metrahumans, they are the opposite of Astrahumans. They can't cross the Astral gates so they are often treated less than Atrahumans. The only merit of being a Metrahuman was having inborn physical strength and higher productive chances. But the Astrahuman can improve their physical capabilities through the meat of Astral beasts, medicine, or drugs concocted with Astral ingredients and blessings from the Guardian. What are the blessings? Superpowers, and if that power became ingrained in your family then it'll turn into a bloodline.

*Now imagine, a place where there is a distinct difference between those who will be successful and who is not. A place where any genius Metrahuman can be overtaken by any Astrahuman because he doesn't have the ability to cross the astral border. Then let's put the Astrahumans that are either afraid or too lazy so he refuses on crossing the Astral border making those struggling Metrahuman pissed off. Let's not forget the Metrahumans that wanted to seduce Astrahumans to better their life plus Astrahumans that only wants to play with the feelings of Metrahumans using their status to seduce them. Lastly let's put parties, alcohols, and drugs. A peaceful and great university on the outside but utterly rotten on the inside. People envying people, sinking in misery while grabbing on heavier things. It was a place where I was hailed as the campus genius at the front but becomes their center of gossips and badmouthing at the back. A place where I almost know no one but they know how much to pay me to make custom drugs. A place where people that gets drunk and laid at night but become a top student tomorrow. Now, this school is in front of me.

I was about to enter the school gate when a curvy girl waiting at the front approached me. She had a body that was curvy enough for people to mistake her for being fat. Long hair and fair skin, she was wearing eyeglass and her demeanor gives off a feeling of a shy scholarly girl. Wearing jeans and a pink sweater while holding a familiar card. She stood in front of me and held her head a little low before speaking.

Rita – "So-sorry yo-you had to walk your way here, I-I woke up at 6 I-I used your hover to go home-...."

Micheal – "Oh no it's okay, sorry I wasn't able to bring you to your house myself."

Rita – "No I-I'm sorry, I used your hover without permission, I parked it already, he here's the key-card."

I received the piece of old key card that I used ever since I stole that hovercar to run away from home.

Micheal – "Don't mind it, it's not a big deal, you can borrow it whenever you like."

Rita – "Th-thank you."

Micheal – "Always welcome, just give a call whenever you need some help."

Rita – "O-okay, I-I'm going now, I-I'm assigned to do some gardening."

Micheal – "Goodbye then."

Rita – "Goodbye."

*Rita, the girl that went wild in my room last night. Everybody was gossiping about her because of a bloody incident that leads to her suspension of 2 weeks but, nobody even knows the truth. She was a shy girl with a lot of insecurity issues but now that she was starting to recover, I think everyone would regret ignoring her. It was pretty worth it not finishing the playtest of the game in exchange for being able to play those jugs and ass while finishing inside her.

I was walking to the faculty building to report my attendance today but a familiar face approaches me. It was my lackey, Guts.

Guts – "Hey, hey, hey! Monsieur Casanova! How was last night? Told you I'm gonna give you something good, how about later? Green Ghost will have a party tonight and she wanted to congratulate you. She said you should come."

*Green ghost? She was like the gang queen that prohibits sexual advancements at her parties, but drugs linger in the air like a substitute to oxygen every time. I don't want to party anymore though, I still feel that whatever we drink yesterday was still circulating in my body.

Micheal – "Well I think that's not a good thing is it? I mean if I continued this sort of lifestyle it's either my body would collapse or my mind would really fall into depravity. I'll just tell green I can't-,.."

Guts – "Boss wait! Wait! those little twins will come. I thought they owe you last night so I have someone convince them to come, Green said she'll make you an exemption."

*The twins, they are the popular sisters that have this strange superpower, they somehow sometimes know what each other thinks, feel what each other feels. I did one of them once but both of them came in the end. To be honest I feel weird about it til now. Downside? They had a weird fetish of doing it near their sister. They are okay people though, they had sex because they're horny. No reasons, no attachment just do it because they're horny. I don't feel any drive about them so I don't think they are reason enough to risk being dead drunk or having a heavy hangover for them. Unless big sis Gabby comes, Gabby was their playmate since young. Gabby became the big sister of everyone after she became the secretary of the previous campus queen. I did her once but I was a little high at that time so right now I want that to happen again but this time I want a proper one. Back to the twins, their decent people yes, but I don't feel like fucking for fun today, I think I should just refuse.

I put a smile at Guts because I appreciate his effort for convincing the twins to come. I spoke to him in an embarrassed manner,

Micheal – "Hahaha you even bother doing that, I mean I already told you I'm a bit busy tonight, I'll be reviewing my game and I need some time off to-"

Guts – "Don't worry, of course when the little twin comes the big sister will come as well, I know boss had been eyeing that woman for some time, everyone says she's clean you know? I know Green will exempt you from the rules, we made a deal and she will help you separate the twin from the big sis."

*This guy really knows how to please people. Now that's my Gutsy.

Micheal – "Well since your persistent then."

Guts – "hahaha I know Boss taste, so the boss can you help me with the twins....at least one....mmmm...."

By the way, this guy's name is Adrian but he's called "Guts", because of, well, his guts. He can talk to people as if what he was doing was normal and he always knows what to say to convince them. He even talks with big figures underground as if he's talking with a neighbor without offending or disrespecting them. He's a dealer, a trader, a broker as long as there's someone who needs a person that could talk things out, "Guts" the guy they need. But for me, he's like a personal scout for the girls I'm trying to find. He's like a danger detector guy but only in conversations though. If someone wanted to kill him from the front then he might not realize it due to his talkativeness.

I met this guy when he's about to die after being duped by a seller and being beaten half to death by the buyer. I gave him some first aid and let him stay at my old house after using some prototype medical machines I created in the basement until he fully recovers. After that day whenever he got into something troublesome, he would call me or use my name as a vouch because he knows every underground personality had at least one or two of my machines. Though he acts as my scout, he calls himself my sworn brother. There are also times that he wants to hit on someone so he'd ask for my help. We got a little closer ever since we started this mutual relationship, well most likely his parasitism to me.

I already finished my attendance report, well, to be honest, I just wrote my name, but what time I arrive, and the reason for being late. I then walked outside until I saw some shade and sat down. We're already at the time where the school would just let us do what we want because it's only at least 2 months before graduation.

Chloe – "Hey...."

A girl called me.... she had this brownish red hair, freckled white skin, and with a great body. A pair of blue eyes akin to a cloudless sky, but she wears a smile that looks like I was being greeted by the starry night. Before the goddess, campus queen went away, she put her duty to this girl. This girl was the previous campus princess, the very person the queen bestowed the title, pearl of the campus before leaving the throne.

Chloe - "Professor told us to partner up for the project so I think since you don't have enough time because of work I could....then...partner up.....40-60.....plan together.....alteration...."

*Chloe Suriela, everybody thinks she's a cold person who doesn't entertain lesser beings but in reality, she was just a typical hopeless princess. A typical "I don't want to be special, I want to be normal" princess. She was always showing that she is cunning and manipulative but if people see things right, they will know all of the "bad" things she did was good for many. A typical "I do bad things too" statement, she wanted everyone to think that she makes mistakes too, she can get angry too. But all her efforts on being an imperfect person makes her all the more perfect in my eyes.

*I was 14 back then when I woke up inside my head, and that was the day I started feeling something for her. I started to see how her silly actions become cute, cute actions become pretty, and pretty turned into beautiful. I watched her laziness becomes feeble, feebleness became delicateness, and then it turned into elegance. It was as if I was watching a bud slowly turn into a flower. But I can't have her so I ran away after 3 years of enduring my feelings. I wanted to be with her but I need to get rid of what I feel towards her as to not destroy whatever connection we have. But I wasn't able to, I still talked to her often even if we always had arguments before actually talking normally. Right now 4 years have passed since I ran away and I still feel the same helplessness whenever I see her.

I was spacing out during my pondering when I was brought back to reality by an annoyed voice.

Chloe – "We'll meet each other after class, Mr. Layperil"

I just nodded at her but she already turned around and walked after leaving that remark.

Chloe Suriela was the last heir of a dying Astrahuman family.

*So how about me? I'm something called hi breed but in reality, I'm more of nature's failure. We are commonly called "broken half" by other people. You see when Astrahuman and Metrahuman became the norm, evolution tried creating something new that's between the two kinds but for some reason, it got lazy in the end so he created us. We are not just like both, we are mixed, all the positive and negative. In the process of Astral sailing, first people would be turned into gaseous stated then proceed to astral swimming so on and so forth until they teleport to an Astral world. But us, broken half, can only turn to gas then that's the end. No matter how much I do, even if I'm intoxicated, even if I indulge myself in pleasures. I cannot change the fact, the fact that I'm just a broken half wanting to love a person that I will never deserve.

I just laid myself, closed my eyes, and felt a tear slowly sliding down my face.