Tom's Diner

"What year is it?"

Silence fills her ears as she waits for the imminent response, like an audience waiting for the beat to drop and for them to continue the cheer.

"It's 2040, Madam, why'd you ask tha-"

Suddenly, a fast-flying vehicle whizzed by the two as the sudden loud thunder-like noise booms through their ears.

Surprised, the man hastily walked as he placed his hand on her shoulder, guiding her to the nearby clinic only for the woman to gently move away from his hand.

"Hm? W-what's wrong? Surely, I'm not causing you any discomfort, no?" the man asked, stopping his movements as he lightly raised both his hands.

"Oh, I'm not really in any sort of condition... I- I'll be on my way... if you don't mind..."

She slowly walks to a nearby store, hoping to buy something to eat her stress away.

But as she reaches for the entrance sliders, the man rushed in to stop her.

"Miss, you do know that you can't simply waltz in there without any form of money?"

"Yeah, I know..." she said.

"Well, what are you here for exactly?" the young man asked.

"I'm here to, uhhh...."

She begins to think of what words should come out of her mouth. She knows spilling the beans won't do any good, nor does telling him about her 'origins' be of any help. Though she wants to be out of there, the man's aura doesn't seem to be threatening, not even a single ounce of negative emotion from his body language.

Instead, he's exuding this atmosphere of calmness and serenity. Maybe he's true to his words, but there could never be a possibility that where it isn't.

"I'm just here to eat some food... T- that's all..." she said, scratching her head.

"Are you sure you're just here for the food? I mean, surely there must be something else going on in that mind of yours, no?"

"What would you even do if I told you anyway?" she asked.

"I... would treat you! You don't seem to have any money with you, and I can hear your stomach gurgling already..." the young man said, chuckling as he let out a small smile.

"Why though? Aren't you simply wasting your money on a stranger you just met?" she asked.

"A stranger you are, yes. But wasting my money? Oh, no no no. I'm just here to give a little hand to those who need it..." the young man answered, his words sincere and full of solemnity.

"Still though, why?"

The woman was confused. What's wrong with this young man? Sure, he is a gentleman, but he's probably using that kind of demeanor of his to lure people. Something about him just feels... off.

"Why... Why not? What's so wrong with being a Good Samaritan? You see a bunch of people from social media donating food to poor people, and rich content creators giving money to charity simply because they can... I may not look like some millionaire who can afford a Lamborghini, but I assure you... Simply treating a person to some food isn't gonna hurt, right? Nothing's wrong with doing a little good toward people, no?"

It was true. Nothing truly is wrong with doing good to people. But what if those people were to hurt them in the end? What sort of reaction will this man make?

Disbelief perhaps? The girl cannot answer. But he seems to be a nice guy, at least... that's what her mind is telling her at the moment.

"Y- yeah... You're right... I guess"

"Cheer up lady! You could use some Moqueca Mista to get rid of that paleness of yours..." the young man said as he grabbed her shoulder, practically pulling the limp pale lady from where she is standing into the mall's entrance.

It was... bright, so bright.

There were lights plastered across all the different shops and restaurants, thousands of people moving to go home, some staying with their friends on an all-night stand, and others merely wasting the night away sitting on chairs.

Stores went up and above the sky as it broke the laws of physics itself, the integrity of products remaining still as they stuck to the shelves and the containers seemingly unaffected by gravity.

Most people who walk to the side seemingly stick to the ceiling as their hair remains still and their clothes are uninfluenced by the force pulling them down.

The food they ordered, the bottles they drank, the snacks they ate, and the things they carried along with them seemingly came along like a person following the crowd. Even if they were dropped, the object seemingly fell upward and back at the person's hand.

Elevators there were nonexistent, only needing people to jump upward and let technology guide them to the opposite side.

To distinguish which is 'up' and which is 'down', the company made the top colored green and the bottom colored red. In the case that someone ever tried miscoloring the different floors, they made the colors hydrophobic enough to stick to concrete but resistant enough not to be coated with any other form of paint.

Staff and other employees alike have a much better and more efficient way to approach their clients, seemingly using gravity to communicate and to get the products in a jiffy, making it less of a hassle for people in a hurry.

"The technology here sure is advanced. No wonder they call this the Accelerated Age.." she muttered, still being dragged by the young man.

"Also, could you please stop pulling me? I'm not some doll you can drag around, y'know?"

"Oh right... I thought you were still not inclined to let me treat you, miss..." the young man said, chuckling as he let go of the lady's shoulder, letting her fully stand up.

"Which restaurant do you wanna go to?" she asks.

"So you're leaving the option to me? I thought you were gonna... pick the eating spot..." he responds.

"Oh, I did say that didn't I? Well...."

She begins looking around at which ones tasted good, finding a place that's not too expensive but not so cheap that the quality of food becomes bad.

"I guess we'll go to Murphy's Spud..."

The two arrived there shortly afterward, entering a suspicious-looking doorway to the eatery.

"Welcome, ma'am and sir! Are you going for a dine-in or take-out?" asked one of the employees.

"We'd dine in..." both of them said.

The two find their seat as they sat on the table, facing each other.

The girl quickly skimmed through the menus as she tries looking for the dish the man told her about earlier.

"Oh right...!" the young man exclaimed.

"Hm?"

"I almost forgot..." he continued.

"Forgot about... what?" she asked.

"About your name? I- I'm really really sorry for that... It's just that I, uhh, tend to get carried away... Do pardon my rudeness, miss..?"

"Miss Nicole Brynn. You can simply call me Nicole" she said.

"It's a pleasure to meet you then, Nicole. My name's Molly Wester.."