The Lady in Black

Looking around the convenience store wearing nothing but a black hoody, some black shorts, a pair of sandals, and his bracelet. Jack looked exactly like a hooligan walking around in broad daylight.

The female cashier who was watching him as he slowly read the price of everything around couldn't help but feel helpless at the sight.

Finally, her back shivered as Jack started to take notice of the alcohol around the back, with him even picking a purple basket so he could fill it to the brim.

Jack who was carelessly putting everything onto his basket, didn't even seem to care about the price anymore. He even went as far as grabbing onto another basket just so he could fill it until it was half full.

He also filled his second basket with cured meats and other simple items he could find, even noticing something he had never seen before, which was considered to be a delicacy in the sacred land, noodles. And being unable to hold himself back, Jack started to fill another basket with those inside.

At the end of his trip around the place, Jack had four baskets all filled with different items, beers, cup noodles, meats, cookies, dried squid, coffee, teas, and candies.

The cashier who Jack found to be trembling for some unknown reason started to scan all of the items brought by Jack, even flinching when Jack asked her a question, "What's the best cigarette brand you got?"

The lady then proceeded to point at a random brand on her back, Jack found it amusing that someone had gotten so used to her job that she could easily find that out without even looking.

"Give me ten of those, please"

"Ah, yes"

The scanning of the items continued as Jack stared intently at every move of the cashier. More so analyzing the beeping and scanning of the machine.

And the grand total for Jack's rampage through the store was 214,570 RP. Almost bankrupting him with his first purchase.

"Now if you could please scan your ID"

Doing as he was told by the cashier, a sudden noise started to play after Jack had scanned his bracelet against a pad.

[Buyer is underaged, purchase invalidated.]

For a few moments after that, Jack was in a dark mood, as the silence in the room spoke volumes about the situation. The cashier who had to do her job, took the baskets of items away, only stopping as she noticed the tears in Jack's eyes.

His mood grew sour, and she decided to ask the young child, "What is wrong?"

Jack who looked at her eyes with his tears running rampant, covered them with his dirty hands, and the sound of a broken and scared child escaped from his mouth, "If I don't buy this for him, she will beat her again...". Jack's sobbing only got louder as he spoke, mentioning a man who could only be described as scum.

The cashier who had once feared the child for looking like a hooligan, soon reconstructed his image. Dirty and cheap clothes, dark circles under his eyes, and buying alcohol in large amounts.

The back and forth between the cashier and the child started, with the cashier attempting to offer Jack help through the authorities only for Jack to stop her, every single time. In the end, the two of them came to an agreement, She would buy the items for him but if something happened, he would need to come to her.

Jack didn't mind as he was sure he wouldn't come back here ever again.

Being handed the many bags with his items, Jack was making his way out only to be stopped by the cashier once again.

"You are going to carry those? Is your storage space full?"

"Eh? What?"

Jack found himself confused at the words the cashier had said, and she whilst giving him the same confused look started by first having Jack put the bags on the ground. Showing that the bracelet on his arm had two sides.

A blue gem on top and a red gem on the button, and by placing the red gem against an item it would store it inside a dimensional pocket, allowing someone to carry even a hundred items with ease.

And the way to take them out was simple, turn your arm upside down so the red gem is on top and the screen will appear with an icon appearing for every item inside, with all someone had to do was tap on the icon for it to appear.

Returning home, Jack couldn't help but think that this was most definitely the future of humankind. As he even had to scan his ID on the door to his apartment so it would open up, it showed just how far, humanity had advanced.

***

In an office that to say looked more similar to a personal library, a beautiful woman rested her head on her desk, reading a book to pass the time.

Books and papers were all scattered around, it looked as though one couldn't make a single step without ruining a page. The light of the sun entered faintly through the gap in between the blinds softly allowing only a speck of sunshine to enter the room.

Her glittering eyes shone enhancing their unusual and magnificent purple gradient color, only for such eyes to be further magnified by the round large glasses that rested on her face, and her white hair also stood out, fluttering lightly as the wind brushed it to the side.

The calm and charming scene was soon ruined, as the bracelet the lady started to sound. Standing up, after being startled, her clothes were in the view of the skies, wearing nothing but a tank top, a black hooded leather jacket, and some large pants.

Answering the call, a female spoke to the woman.

[Olivia, I need you to do me a favor.]

"I am off for today, it's Sunday, please let me rest, vice principal"

[That's why I'm asking for a favor]

Olivia who didn't want to get on the bad side of the vice principal, let out a sigh and accepted the request.

"Just tell me what it is."

[Haha, I knew, I could count on you...Well, as you may know, the entrance ceremony was held on Monday, but one of the students didn't show up to even receive his dorm room, and as of now six days have passed since any news of him has come out. So I need you to go visit him and check if everything is ok.]

Seeing as how the request was simpler than it seemed, Olivia accepted the offer, only asking the vice principal to send her the report of the child.

Olivia who was already ready to go decided to do so by jumping all the way from her desk to the front door of her room with ease, not even stepping on a single piece of paper on the floor.

As she ran through the hallways of the building, Olivia arrived at an elevator, making her way down all the way to the first basement.

The first basement was pretty much just a parking lot, but to say that it was small in size would be a lie, as the parking lot alone could rival the size of a mall.

Not having to run far, however, Olivia easily arrived at her car in a matter of seconds, now standing in front of a futuristic machination, a car without wheels, although strange, it was in reality, a common sight in this world.

Entering her vehicle as she read the report on the student, she stepped on the pedal without wasting any time.

"Jack Whitlock, 14 years old."

"Lost his parents at an early age, and had to live with the support of the government over the past earlier years of his life."

"Currently he possesses the rank of an Candidate, having yet to awaken his powers as an Aspect"

"I see, so a pretty basic story"

Brushing past Jack's saddening backstory, Olivia was only thinking of getting this job over quickly so she could finally rest.

*

Finally arriving at a run-down apart, Olivia made her way to the second floor, arriving at the last room in the hallway.

She proceeded to knock on the door, seeing if she could find any response, however, not a single sound was heard from inside. She continued to try and get the attention of the person inside but no matter what she did, silence was all she was given.

"Hello, I'm from the academy, I'm coming in."

From her senses, she knew that a person was inside the room even if they were trying to hide it. Sadly for them, Academic Officials could enter the homes of students by just scanning their IDs and contacting the headquarters to receive permission.

But as Olivia opened the door, she was met with the smell of smoke and alcohol pertaining from the room. Just the entrance alone was already filled with bags of trash that had yet to be taken out. The kitchen in the front as well, was filled with nothing but instant noodle cups, and multiple cans.

Olivia could tell just from looking at what was visible from the outside, that this place was nothing but filth.