Archie
“Is it crooked?”
“No, doesn’t look it.”
“How about from far away?”
A brief sound of the air being rapidly displaced, twice.
“Nope, looks good.”
“Okay then, coming down…”
Archie descended the ladder and gently placed it aside, compacting it for easier movement. He stepped backward, taking place next to his companion, and took out a small remote device from his blazer pocket. He hit the button, and the rolled-up poster emerged from its casing hung on the wall.
Archie and his companion looked up and down at it. A
large poster, seven feet tall, specially printed for this exact spot - the Promise’s central hub. By far the most active area during the academic year, students passing in and out to head for different areas, or generally just lounging, talking, etc.
This would get the most attention, no doubt about it. But for the sake of assurance, there had to be more, elsewhere.
“Good start.” Archie’s companion commented. She was a short girl, pale, black hair with red highlights, general
punk wear. A grasshopper emblem emblazoned on the back of her coat.
“Yes it is.” Archie replied, “But what’s important is being thorough. You know where the rest are stored, so just go and put them wherever. And space them out too, wanna cover as much as ground as possible. I’ll send the credits to your account after they’re all up.”
“You got it.” The girl replied, turning and suddenly vanishing, distorting the space around her for only a split second. Teleportation. Archie nodded and turned as well, taking a look around the hub. There were already students up and about there, some taking an eye to the poster. Admittedly, Archie was expecting more senior students to participate - people who had already, or were
close, to completing their power training. But in his five years aboard, he’d seen a good few come up already knowing plenty of tricks and tactics. He was one such student - but then again, his power wasn’t very combat-oriented. Not
directly at least.
As he perused his thoughts, a familiar sound heralded the arrival of the new freshman class. Archie turned his eyeless gaze towards the launch bay entrance, where a cadre of older students were corralling the new folk inland. Archie clapped his hands together, ever so excited to see how the future would play out.
“It begins.”
Please input user ID
>ECW241
Identifying…
Identified as user ECW241
Please input user password
>********************
Working…
Accepted
Welcome to the Luminous Communication Network, hosted by Wonderstrike. Please input a command to begin.
>request chat with ZNY519
Working…
Requesting communication with user ZNY519…
Communication established.
ZNY519: Yes?
ECW241: The new batch is here and there’s nothing you’d be interested in. Just telling you now and saving you the extended report later.
ZNY519: I thought I already told you I wasn’t interested anyway. I’m past the power introductions, now all I’m doing is bug testing.
ECW241: I know you.
ECW241: You say you’re done with something and then a week later you double back because you ‘might have overlooked some details’.
ECW241: You just can’t make up your mind sometimes.
ZNY519: Is this a lecture?
ECW241: No, this is me telling you, you suck. And if you try to double back this time it’s not gonna work.
ZNY519: Goodbye, Winzer.
ECW241: I’m serious.
Connection with user ZNY519 terminated
>logout
Logging out user ECW241…