Cretil 23, 2095

Fiona slumped down on her desk and cried. Now that she was here, she knew now that there was no turning back. Fiona looked up and observed the ceiling of their dorm. Pink, pink and pink. Tears started forming at the edge of her eyes until it found its place on her book. She picked up her textbook, although digital books are already used by almost everyone, she still continued using physical ones as digital books ruin her eyes.

With the Verification Exams coming up, and the birthday of her own mother coming soon, Fiona knew that this time, it was going to be rough. Her father wouldn't even care for her and her mother, meaning Fiona was probably the only one that could remember the special event.

While flipping through the pages under her lamp, she recalled most of her mother's advice. Mostly about living alone, but the one that struck her the most was that she was proud of what her daughter had become. Although not performing well in his school, she thought that she grew up well under her care. Which made her tear up more.

She adjusted her seat and her lamp until she tried to distract herself by observing their dorm. Pink walls painted with flowers, three bunk beds lined up and a tv, which was rarely used. Their curtain was draped down and the consistent hum of the air conditioner gave her eerie vibes.

The sun hadn't risen yet and her roommates were still sound asleep. How she envied them.

She bit her bottom lip. What was the point of studying by the way? She knew she wouldn't pass so why was this so necessary? She sighed and pounded her head on her book as these thoughts circle her mind. She stayed up late and woke up early yet she still couldn't understand shit such as:

The Parliament of Minaden, The Republic of Dalikamata, and The Guinid Empire composes Corinth...

...Not allowed to intersect for it would restart great wars such as...

And other things that were truly alien to her ears. All except the land of Rejects. People who failed their verification exams would be subjected for re-verification to another nation which lasted a year. Fiona considered this as the last resort since failing it would make you stay there for an eternity. Rejects were considered threats to their Nations since they were said to be always against their own.

After a whole hour (maybe days) of studying, she finally had enough. Fiona stood up, put on her soft, pig slippers and observed the outside of their room through their window. Traffic caused by hovercrafts, all were at different altitudes, was starting to thicken. The high rise buildings made it seem like the sun wasn't starting to shine yet but when she looked up higher, there was a gradient of yellow to black, indicating signs of sunrise.

She went back to the table and arranged her things. Her roommates were starting to rise as well. Yawns and creaking of beds echoed around the room. She opened her closet and got out her towel and some necessary toiletries.

"Nervous?" Fiona turned around and saw Luna smirking at her. She liked teasing but she was tolerable most of the times. Her white hair covered her face in a confusing matter and she held her blindfold. She was petite, just like Fiona and everyone else, and she was the brightest among them.

"Yeah, I guess," Fiona said and looked down and according from her peripheral vision, she slumped down as well. She closed her closet meekly. "Are you as well? I mean, are you all as well?"

They all looked down. Even though Luna was the brightest among them, it wasn't considered "bright" outside. Luna was the daughter of the mayor of the district they belong, she really had no excuse of not passing the exams since brilliance was strongly criticized in high governing bodies, and her father received none.

"We're all nervous," Fiona said and looked down at her slippers. The anxiety kept on adding up so she decided to lift up the mood. "We can do this." She raised her voice and looked up as if she was some influential person she aspired she was. She observed her roommates and they smiled, 'till it all turned to laughter.

She laughed as well, unknown of the reason why, but she laughed together with them, but it was obvious, they were all worried about this exam.

***

She observed herself in the mirror. Eyebags that were impossible to erase, the anxious face that made it her signature emotion, and her petite face, all combined to Fiona's whole personality and lifestyle.

"You ready, owl?" Fiona folded her mirror and turned around. Luna was the only one that called her that, although it was very ironic. Fiona ran her petite fingers through her perfectly combed, chin-long hair. She narrowed her already small eyes which radiated anxiety. She and Luna went out of their dorm.

Fiona was glad they didn't live anywhere near the high floors of their dorm. She had a great fear of heights and she was afraid that a speeding hovercraft might behead her while waiting there.

Their dorm's door slid open automatically and it hummed before closing. Fiona slid a card through the panel near the door and it clicked, indicating that it's locked.

"Let's go," Luna said. Fiona nodded and they walked down the hallway. The hallway was wide and white all around, making it too bright to observe at times. Ornamental plants were aligned at the left side of the hallway.

Luna and Fiona didn't talk on their way down the hallway. The hallway was quiet, making it more awkward for each other to talk or start a topic.

They looked at each other and smiled once they reached the elevator. They pressed the lower button. Fiona looked up and noticed that the elevator was going to their floor. Probably.

Then the elevator dinged. The panel above indicated that the elevator was on their floor. Then the elevator doors silently opened and the two stepped in simultaneously. Luna tapped her ID and pressed a button and it hummed as it went down to the ground floor.

"So," Luna said interrupting the deafening silence. "How long have you been studying?"

"I started three in the morning, way before you all woke up." Fiona still looked down but she sensed that Luna was looking at her with a hopeful eye but it was apparent she was trying to mask her sadness.

"We all got this," Luna said, her voice encouraging the few positive energy Fiona had left.

The elevator dinged. They walked out and they are now already at the walkway of the street their high dormitory belongs. Luna waved to Fiona as Luna was going to walk her way to the venue of the Verification exams while Fiona was going to be fetched by her mother.

The traffic at the surface wasn't bad yet. Everyone was still cautious, as cars could often come speeding. She carefully crossed the road and walked to the park which was on the other side of the road.

While walking, she suddenly realized how much she wasn't going out of their dorm. The air was fresh, maybe because of the electricity-powered hovercrafts that were expensive and only a little amount of population could afford it, or maybe because of the high biodiversity the forest park had. Either way, it still felt good and calmed down Fiona's nerves.

She reached the other side of the park and waited there. While waiting for her mother, she tried remembering her lectures. Every single piece of it until her mind came to the newest fact that the Minaden released.

An unknown material was floating in space, and it was due to crash on Corinth around this month. No one knows what it is and the high members of Minaden are on it, some thought that the unknown matter is just some rock flying in space, but some thought it carried something dangerous. Something terrifying.

A loud horn snapped her out of her daydream. She looked forward and saw her mom's car approaching. The only dull-colored one that stood out among the many cars that passed through.

The car stopped in front of her. Her mother rolled down the untinted window it had. The strong scent of lemon entered her nose once it fully opened. She scrunched her face and crouched. She saw her mother's face sweetly smiling at her. Almost all of her mother's features were passed on to Fiona. Their differences were the color of their eyes and their face shape. Fiona had a petite face and aqua blue eyes, while her mother had a slightly big forehead and brown eyes. Fiona smiled back but still with a scrunched face.

"Hop on." Her mother opened the door and patted the car seat beside her. "I mean who knows. This might be the last time I would have a ride with you."

Fiona nodded and smiled completely. Although a bit teary, she tried to hide that she was sure of failing. She sat down and sighed. This was really her last ride with her mother.