A New Day

The morning sun poked through the scattered clouds on a chilly, wet morning. Crowds of police officers roamed the early morning streets in rain jackets, questioning passersby with a virtual holographic display that appeared from a small implant embedded into their arms. Small drones that accompanied the officers hovered in front of the cars, stopping them so that the officers could question the people inside. Needless to say, this area was underlock down. Thanks to the influx of support from the rich who live in the Northern District, the police force is extremely well-fitted to handle any situation. Their overwhelming strength and manpower, considers them to be a private army in the eyes of foreign nations.

A small beam of light from the sun beamed onto Alan's sleeping face, causing him to wake up. He groan and tried to rise straight up. However, his body was stiff, and he fell back down. This time he slowly got up and stretched his weary bones before looking around the room. The room was empty except for two twin-sized beds and a small kitchen near the entrance. Two young girls were on a bed beside the one Alan was on. A girl with brown hair had her bare back shown to him as a girl with purple hair stood in front of the girl with a first aid kit in hand. The girl noticed Alan's gaze and smiled. She put down the first aid kit and walked over to Alan. Alan raised a brow as he noticed the girl was wearing one of his shirts.

"Morning sleepy head." The girl then gently tilted Alan's head towards the window. "Give us a second to finish up, please. Can't have you sneaking a peek at some goodies now can we." She giggled.

"RENNE!!!" Evangela shouted with an embarrassed tone.

"Renne?" Alan asked. He kept his eyes on the window, staring at the police below. Renne walked back to Evangela and resumed treating her.

"That's my name." She said. "But that's all you are gonna get from me. I have no family, just an orphan living with terrorists." Renne then wrapped a long bandage around Evangela and tapped her on the back. Evangela then put her shirt back on and Renne told Alan it was okay to leave the bed.

They all sat at a small table with breakfast in front of them. "So," Alan said, "If you are a part of Ouroboros, how come you aren't after us? Yesterday that those two bastards seemed dead set on killing us." Renne chuckled. "What is so funny?" Alan raised his voice in annoyance. Nearly dying multiple times in one day is stressful.

"Nothing, it's just that you got the current day wrong." Renne pulled out her air console and showed it to Alan. Alan noticed the date and sank into his chair. "You've been knocked out for an entire day because of phantoms." Alan glared at Renne. "If you're about to ask how I know, look at me. I'm the same age as you but I look like a small child. Not to mention," she called her purple mist and had it dance around Alan. "We are the same regarding us being able to use Nanomasses."

"So can the other two and that professor guy, what's your point?"

"They are artificial wielders." Renne's tone shifted as she used her mist to appear next to Alan's face. "People who undergo a dangerous yet stupid process just to harness a fraction of the power given to us after the quake. While you may not believe me, that quake years ago was deliberate. The greed of man caused it by playing with forces he has no right to play with. But to answer your question on why we have stopped targeting you, it's because you two are valuable assets to ending the war before it starts."

"What war?"

"I haven't been told. Even I'm in the dark." Renne backed away from Alan and sighed. "If only I could meet up with Arthur and Apollo."

"If you guys are a part of the same organization, why haven't you?" Alan leaned back in his chair, drinking a cup of orange juice.

"

Arthur has gone MIA and Apollo has yet to respond to any of my messages. Then to top it all off, everyone else has been ignoring me or leaving me a simple message stating that they are on a mission. Looking outside at the police makes it seem like they left me out of an important operation." Renne had a broken-hearted look on her face. Seeing this, Alan felt bad and changed the subject.

"Where are we?" Renne tilted her head a little then smiled. She rubbed her eyes and gave herself a gentle slap on the cheeks. "The room should feel familiar to you, no?" Alan nodded. "This is a room a few doors down from yours. We kept you here because that woman that owns this place said that your room was under repairs. And in exchange for free rent for a few months, she asked us to look after you. So yeah, we are gonna be neighbors now."

After breakfast, Alan made his way toward the bathroom. Because the layout of the room was the same as his, he found it with no problem. However, just before he could open the door, he felt a slight tug on his shirt. He turned around to see Evangela with a slightly angry look.

"You…okay?" Alan asked.

"I would be better if you didn't just ignore me for that entire discussion at breakfast." She said in a low tone. "How come you treat her much better than you treat me? You just met her and her ground tried to kill us." It was clear to Alan that Evangela felt as if she was treated unfairly. Alan sighed and placed his arm on her shoulder.

"Look, I'm sure I have told you before that I just don't like those who came to the city after the quake. It's nothing against you personally, it's just that I can't stand you rich, high and mighty folks exploiting us for money and opportunities given up by those who died. But since we are in the same boat right now, I will attempt to be nicer toward you." Alan gave Evangela a reassuring smile. She scoffed at him and turned around. Alan gave an awkward laugh in response before shrugging his shoulders.

"Thank you for protecting me." She said softly before walking away.

Alan then walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. He looked at his reflection over the large sink and removed his shirt. All the wounds he was inflicted during the past loops had been erased, leaving his body in a state before all of this even started. He stared blankly at his hand and summoned a crimson mist. It moved around his body before dissipating into the air. Alan then looked at the pendant around his neck. The once aqua-colored gems were now crimson as if they were stained with blood. Looking at the crimson-stained pendant made him think of one thing.

"Alice…" He muttered.

"You rang?" Alice said telepathically.

"Yeah…" Alan clenched his fists. He then took a deep breath and looked at himself in the mirror. "You're the same as him, aren't you? Using me in some kind of fashion."

"Everyone has their motives," Alice said. Alan looked away from his own reflection. "It's not like that…" Alice said with a wistful tone. "Please, just believe in me, I don't want to use you for anything bad, I just want…" she paused, "Never mind, I won't force you. It's up to you to decide whose hand you take."

The voice faded from his mind. "My decision huh?" Alan walked to the shower and continued his morning routine.

Alan walked out of the bathroom dressed in a black hoodie and jeans. He looked around the apartment and noticed that the girls had left. Alan then looked outside the window and noticed a pair of officers who looked like the same ones who knocked him out during a previous loop. Without him realizing it, Alan have the men a scornful look.

"I would recommend that you calm down boy," a masculine voice echoed through his mind. "Your corruption has already seeded in your soul, you'll need to be careful about how you act in order to prevent it from activating. Alice can only do so much on her own."

"Chronos," he said to himself, "before you leave me, what is your goal?"

Chronos paused for a moment to collect his thoughts, "I am gonna assume that this is coming from a talk with her." Chronos said with a bored tone. "Just so we are clear, whenever one of us is actively talking to you, any outside information is cut off from the one not speaking. So right now the girl cannot hear us and I could not hear the conversation you had with her."

"Answer the question." Alan retorted with a serious tone.

"I am not obliged to answer you, but heed my warning, the Crimson Princess is much more than what meets the eye. Don't let her womanly charms fool you. That woman is filled with misdirected anger. One wrong move and your body will be shattered into a million pieces."

"Like I'm the type to fall for sexually active girls." He said with a smug tone. "The both of you are being too cryptic about your true intentions. But I will-" Before he could finish, a book was flung at his face.

Before Alan was two fully dressed girls standing next to the entrance of the apartment. "You know it's rude to ignore young, beautiful maidens such as us," Renne said while puffing out her chest.

Alan, annoyed, rubbed the location where the book hit him, "I don't know what you mean. All I see is one beautiful maiden and a foul-mouthed, cocky little girl. But that's beside the point, I thought you two left."

"Aww, you wanted to watch change? That's adorable." Renne's statement left Alan speechless. In response Alan grabbed Evangela's arm and made his way toward the train station, leaving a chuckling Renne behind.

Shortly after getting off the train, Marshal had texted Alan to meet him at the NaviCafe, so he and Evangela made their way to the Cafe first instead of heading straight to school.

"You know Alan, the more I get to know you, the more I hate your guts." Evangela said while pouting. Confused, Alan continued walking in silence.

The two found their way to the Cafe's entrance and opened the door. Upon entering, a beautiful waitress greeted Alan rushing up to give him a big hug. Alan tried to dodge, but Marshal cut off his escape route.

"You bastard! I'll get for you this." Alan said quietly as Linda was squeezing the life out of Alan.

"I'm so glad that you are alright." Linda put him down. "How are your wounds?"

"If I had any, they would have most definitely reopened." He said while panting.

"You had us worried sick man. Not only did you get broadcasted live fighting that terrorist, but you also didn't wake up for a whole day," Marshal patted Alan on the back. "But I'm glad that you are alright. So let us have breakfast before heading off to school, shall we?"

Linda ushered the three to an empty table. While the other two were enjoying their meal, Alan's mind was elsewhere, worrying about how the others could watch his fight even though he was within the barrier. Alan decided to not ponder too much about it and enjoy his meal with his friends before heading off to school for the day.