C2: So Close

Energy crystals, a highly used item within the aurum star of [MechHigh], it powers the cities and mechs within this fantasy world but was soon discovered by the real world to be real crystals that can be recharged, only the powerplants and government know the full method of recharging it and was patented by intergalactic entertainment.

The item was used for many things, such the magnetic coupler that keeps the mecha pieced together, a power source for the mecha and even a power source for the city.

In order to recharge it one must have a Particle Energy Converter, a machine that takes in particles from the air we breath and converts it into natural energy, then stored into the crystal, what comes between the steps is hidden by the government and powerplants.

Its appearance is a Blue cylindrical glass tube with copper materials on each end, the glass is made of a material that hardens when impact is experienced and softens when there is no impact, allowing a flexible usage, they named the glass Varriumite, right after its creator Dr.Boris Varrium and not its unique properties.

Maya shut the book she was reading about the energy crystals and massaged her temples.

"Agh why can't I just get this! is it my budget? maybe I need to find a better part time job to support my research" Maya tossed the empty water bottle and eaten candy bar into the bin and walked to her bedroom to get some proper shut eye.

The pod had a life support system that would call the nearest hospital if the user had stayed inside for over a week without proper rest, Mayas pod doesn't have this now though since she modified it slightly and removed the safety.

Her physical health was top shape but her mental health suffered from fatigue due to long exposure from the pod, she plopped on her bed and closed her eyes as she got herself some proper rest.

As she rested a masked black figure infiltrated her home and went to her pod, the figure then opened the back of the pod and installed a cube like object within it before escaping as if nothing happened.

The figure got out of the building and entered a hover car, the figure removed the mask they had worn to reveal a woman with curly fiery orange hair, she sat on the backseat with her legs crossed and lit a smoke.

"So did you install it properly?" a deep husky voice questioned the woman from the drivers seat.

"Yeah I did but do tell what this little girl did to agitate you old men of Blue Star University?" the woman asked as she then pointed the sharp gaze of her amber eyes to the man.

"She is getting close to a proper breakthrough on the crystal and coupler tech, we needed to take care of her so she couldn't surpass us, otherwise we won't be able to surpass her" the man replied with a sinister grin on his face as he then drove away from the scene.

"So its just another one of those geniuses that your old a*ses can't have around huh" the woman puffed rings of smoke as she then began to undress the black suit she had on to reveal a rather normal looking attire composed of denim pants, a white tank top, and a black leather jacket.

"You could say that, humanity is born from conflict and conflict us buried deep within out flesh and bones, the actions of our school doesn't defy humanities nature so we wouldn't be guilty at all" the man stated as he driver the car to a convenience store and dropped the woman off, they said their farewells and the woman got an envelope of money or precisely six credit chips, with each holding 50k credits.

She entered the convenience store and bought some stuff before leaving.

Maya was in her home slumbering away on her bed, dreaming of her success once she discovers the problem of the coupler, her on top of a podium shaking the hands of the worlds most brilliant minds, holding her prize with a large grin on her face.

But before the dream could even finish the dream, her room exploded and everything was burned, her body barely recognizable due to the burns apart from her lesser burnt face, fire fighters arrived swiftly and were putting out the fire, she was carried on a stretcher and all she could see were the yellow helmets before she then passed out from the pain and fatigue.

As she was being hauled away, the car from earlier was watching it all unfold and even focused on her with a frown, he then opened the glove compartment and pulled out a syringe.

"I was right to come back, this b*tch is much more resilient than I thought" the syringe reflected the mans murderous gaze as he then followed the departing ambulance.