I just want to sleep

As I fall face first into my bed, having just come home after weeks outside of The Wall, I can't help but feel a pinch of guilt. Even I know that I'm contributing the least in the raid parties that venture to the Outer Lands in search of precious materials. But that guilt of mine is quickly washed away by the relief of knowing that I've survived again, and will be able to use my reward money to help pay off grandma's hospital fees.

"I'm so glad," I think to myself, as I bury my head in my pillow. "This time I didn't get injured too badly, so I'll be able to go out again in another few days."

Knock, knock.

"Come downstairs to eat some breakfast before you go to sleep, Marc," my grandma says to me from the other side of the bedroom door. "Karen and I will be going to the hospital for my check-up tonight, so we might not be here to cook you something to eat when you wake up if you go to sleep now."

"Alright," I answered back, my voice being muffled because the comfort of processed cotton is just too alluring after having to sleep on the hard ground for the past couple of weeks. "I'm coming, grandma."

While I'm rolling my bruised and battered body off of the bed, my grandma's mumbling about how the world would be better if the young'uns didn't have to go outside of The Wall came through the thin walls, her voice trailing off until she could not be heard any longer.

"How nice would it be to have someone hand deliver some breakfast to me, right now?" I ask aloud.

"You know that ain't gonna happen, bro," Karen teases, somehow having made her way into my room within the last few seconds. "Get up for breakfast before I start kicking you!"

"Alright, alright..." I lazily reply, raising my hand to wave her away. "You know you can't ever hit me, anyway."

"Haaah?" she exclaims, her face instantly going into 'mafia mode'. "I've been keeping up with practice while you were outside of The Wall. You think I can't hit you with the martial arts they teach during the holiday courses?"

Woosh, woosh woosh!

Karen's three-part kick combo, a low-to-mid based movement ending in a swift axe kick, whiffs me completely. My Accelerated Reactions, a power that enhances my body's ability to move, makes everything feel like it's slower than it actually is. Dodging a few kicks from my sister? Easy.

"Hey!" she exclaims, stamping her foot in frustration at me. "Using your power is cheating!"

"You can use yours, too," I say, as I cross my arms and smirk at her. "But I don't know how grandma would feel about you burning down the house."

As if her brain just shut-down and rebooted, Karen goes from limp to waving her fists in the air in frustration. "Uuuuuurg! Whatever! Just come downstairs for breakfast already!"

"Well, I'm already wide awake from all that moving around. I'll come down after I change out of these dirty clothes."

"Hmph!"

Shaking my head at Karen, as she stomps downstairs to the kitchen, I chuckle at my own question of where she learned to behave like this from.

After a filling bacon, egg and toast breakfast, I'm making my way back upstairs. My body is craving sleep, and that is exactly what it will get. As I reach my door, as though fate was playing with me, my MVI (Mobile Voice Interactor) starts vibrating on my wrist. I raise my arm and see a familiar face on the pop-up holographic display. Under the face, now looking left and right impatiently, there are two words with differing text background colours - green and red - making the words 'Answer' and 'Decline' easily visible.

I breathe a sigh and drag my palm down the side of my face before reluctantly accepting the call. "Answer."

"What took you so long?" the now floating face of my friend Emily asks. "It's hot as heck out here, and I've been waiting forever!"

"Go find some shade, then," I suggest sarcastically, shrugging my shoulders to add fuel to the fire that was growing in the eyes of this floating head.

Emily's face goes deadpan, as though she had heard that line over a millions times already, saying: "Har-har-har. Ve-ry-fun-ny. You-got-me."

"Okay," I reply, dropping the fool-act. "What do you want, Em?"

"What do you mean 'what do you want, Em?' You were meant to meet me here, at the Square, when you got back from outside The Wall! Did you forget?"

"Uhhhh..."

"If it's not your stretched out 'uh', then it's the drops of sweat forming on your face that gives you away, Marc. GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!"

Bzzt.

I quickly change into a pair of denim shorts, and take a minute or two to contemplate whether or not I need to change my shirt also, before yelling at my grandma and sister that I'm going out. I'm sure that the two of them are still enjoying their warm tea after breakfast. It's better that I just rush out than to disturb their period of zen before the start of their days.

Life within The Wall is filled with excitement, every day breathing in winds of new air, and the people are bustling and noisy. The Square, where I'm now walking around looking for Emily, is a hot spot that the people on the east side of The Wall use for a multitude of purposes. One day you could see market stalls surrounding the Square, then come the next day you'll see live performers busking for money. There's a particular event that happens at least once every week that I look forward to, when I'm not outside of The Wall: the 'Battle at the Square' event.

During the Battle at the Square, young and old will make their way onto the platform and fight each other. These fights could be for any reason, too! You'll see people who are sparring for one match, then a blood feud happens in the very next! It's all very exciting to watch, and I take this chance to learn new martial arts from those who participate. Of course, I'm not some genius who can just see something once and be able to replicate it perfectly.

Today's meeting with Emily, who is now stomping over to me with her fists clenched at her sides, was to watch the thrilling event. Emily's cousins, who attend the University of Heroes, have decided to host a sparring sub-event to show off their abilities that they've learned during their first year in the prestigious institution. What better way to start the year than to pummel random people on a stage to build up their confidence?

"You're finally here, Marc!" Emily says through her teeth, trying her best not to look bad to the people around us. "You sure took your time to get here."

"Sorry, Em," I reply, scratching the back of my head guiltily. "You know how I am. Going to the Outer Lands is exhausting."

Emily harrumphs and crosses her arms, her charming pig tails swaying with her as she turns her head away from me in disapproval. "You're lucky I'm kind enough to look past your lateness, but you need to make it up to me."

I force a laugh while my eye twitches at the thought of just what kind of thing this cute pink haired girl could ask of me. "So what can I do to make it up to you?"

"Well," she smirks, squinting her eyes to the point where she looks deviant. "It's been a while since I've been outside of The Wall, why don't you take me?"

"But-" I try to answer, before being captivated by Emily's puppy-eyes. "Oh, alright... I'll take you."

Emily starts jumping excitedly, shouting "Yay!"

"But!" I exclaim, crossing my arms to look serious. "You need to listen to me and do everything I tell you."

"No problem, Sir!" she salutes sarcastically, before smiling widely in delight.

Going to the Outer Lands is a dangerous risk to take, one that could end in you losing your life, but the rewards one can get from bringing back materials or conquering monster-filled dungeons are numerous and highly alluring to those who wish to live a more luxurious lifestyle. There are countless people leaving the safety of The Wall to pursue these riches, for all different types of reasons, whether it be for the livelihood of their family, their own personal gain, or just for fun.

To qualify for venturing the Outer Lands, one must have their power certified. It is a requirement that has been put in place since decades ago to stop humanity from dying out. Rabid animals, beasts, monsters and demons can be found outside of The Wall. To walk through the unruly lands without a way to defend yourself is just asking for an early death. Emily's power: 'Rush' is a low-tier power that allows her to exert short bursts of speed every few seconds.

I always wonder if she'll ever join a raid party of Supers, to venture outside of The Wall, as a supportive role who could keep the party resupplied by using her Rush to get equipment to the front-liners, then go back to the back-line for safety in the blink of an eye. It sure would be an interesting way to use her power.

"What are you thinking about, smiling away like that?" Emily asks me, her head tilting at an angle.

"Oh, nothing," I reply, turning my head away bashfully. "Look! We're already at the gate."

We look up at the tall gate before Emily greets the guard. "Are you two going outside?" he asks us.

"Yeah," I reply promptly, nodding a 'howdy' to the other guard at the same time. "We're going to head toward Gortum Fields."

"The Fields, huh?" the guard asks me. "You taking your girlfriend on a bit of an Outer Land date, aye?"

"W-what?!" Emily interjects, her face now red. "G-g-g-girlfriend? Wh-who would be this guy's g-girlfriend?! We're just friends!"

The two guards laugh at her shyness, pointing at me who had been friendzoned.

"Alright," the first guard continues, wiping a tear from his eye. "Go on. Get outta here."