An Era Begins

- "After that sleepless night, Mitsuki and Elisa board a mysterious futuristic subway in a part of the city filled with advanced technology. As destiny awaits them, Allivy gives them a crucial mission: to begin training "The Prodigies." Will they be able to complete her mission too? Find out on this journey full of action, surprises and unexpected decisions!" -

Dawn bathed the city in warm hues, making metallic surfaces glisten and casting long shadows across the streets. Allivy walked in front with her straight posture and confident stride, while Mitsuki and Elisa followed behind her, still recovering from the recent chaos.

"Why do you make us walk so much? We're tired," Mitsuki said in a relaxed tone, adjusting his jacket and looking around.

"Nobody told them to stay up so late," Allivy replied without looking back.

Elisa let out a light laugh, shaking her hair, which had been ruffled by recent events. "Well, at least we've been walking for a while now."

The group was moving along a futuristic avenue, lined with tall glass buildings that seemed to touch the sky. Vehicles floated on invisible rails, and holographic screens projected news and advertisements in endless loops. Mitsuki, distracted, looked at the details of his surroundings with curiosity.

—Incredible. —He paused for a moment to look at a hologram showing a changing landscape, from mountains to oceans.

"It's basic Ectiviland technology, designed by a super important scientist. It's already a habit," Allivy replied in a practical tone.

"You take the magic out of everything," Mitsuki replied, feigning a sigh of disappointment as he caught up with the two women.

Elisa, more observant, noticed a group of drones passing in formation above them, glowing like metallic fireflies. "Drones? Why are you here?"

"You don't need to understand it, just keep moving," Allivy said as she took a detour down a narrower street, which ended in an inconspicuous tunnel with polished metal walls.

Mitsuki, without losing his relaxed attitude, took his phone out of his pocket and began to unlock it. Allivy noticed him and stopped in her tracks, turning to him with a slight frown.

-What are you doing?

"I'm going to take a selfie," Mitsuki replied naturally, sliding her fingers across the screen.

Allivy, visibly confused, raised an eyebrow as she smiled. "Really? Now?"

Mitsuki gave him a carefree smile. "Why not? I guess this moment will mark my life."

Elisa couldn't help but laugh as she watched the scene. The contrast between Allivy's surprise and Mitsuki's relaxed attitude was so obvious it was comical. While Mitsuki took the selfie, Elisa took the opportunity to look around, noticing the details of the tunnel Allivy had taken them to. The polished metal walls shone under the dim light of the lamps, and a cool air seemed to flow through the place, as if everything was in perfect order. Nothing could be heard but their footsteps, and a faint echo of something distant.

"I have a bad feeling about this mission," Elisa said, without taking her eyes off the metal door at the end of the tunnel. "I don't know, it gives me the feeling that something bad is going to happen."

Mitsuki finished with the photo and put the phone back in his pocket. "Yeah, well, the weirdness is what I like most about this place," he replied, looking at Allivy. "Are we close to whatever it is we're looking for yet?"

Allivy nodded, looking over her shoulder. "Yes. The subway is at the end of this tunnel. It's what we need to continue our mission."

Mitsuki nodded, clearly more interested in the transport than the mission itself, and Elisa, though somewhat cautious, followed the leader without a word.

The tunnel seemed to lengthen as they moved forward, and the sound of their footsteps on metal echoed, creating a sense of emptiness in the air. As they neared the final door, a faint humming sound began to fill the space, coming from what seemed like a hidden mechanism.

Allivy stopped in her tracks in front of a metal door that shone with an intensity of its own. Without doing more than a slight movement of her hand, the door slid to the side, revealing the subway she had told them about.

It was a peculiar vehicle, with limited capacity, only suitable for two people, but with a sophisticated appearance. The design was completely minimalist, with elegant lines and a metallic surface that reflected the lights of the tunnel. There were no visible doors, only an opening that invited you to enter.

"Wow, this really surprises me," Elisa commented, staring at the vehicle in silence for a moment. "Is it really safe?"

Allivy looked at Elisa with a slight smile. "Don't worry, whatever you find there, I'm sure you'll overcome it."

Mitsuki, as always, showed no concern. He approached the subway and poked his head out to look inside. "It looks… comfortable," he commented, as if it were a completely neutral opinion, although the gleam in his eyes said otherwise.

Allivy paused for a moment, looking at Mitsuki with a mischievous smile. She looked as if she wanted to remember something but couldn't quite put it together.

—Mitsuki, —he said with a slight pause, —The classmates with whom you shared your adolescence. What are their names?

Mitsuki looked at her a little surprised before letting out a light laugh.

—Ronaldho is my best friend, and Antho is my younger brother.

Allivy nodded, realizing her forgetfulness, but she didn't let it interfere with her confident demeanor.

"I see. How powerful are they?" he asked, again in a serious tone, although still keeping the smile on his face.

Mitsuki frowned for a moment, as if thinking carefully before answering.

"Well…" she said, glancing at Elisa and then at Allivy. "Antho is kind of powerful. He's not like Elisa or me, but he has his own abilities. He's unpredictable, in a good way. He has a great ability to adapt and do what he needs most at the right time. Although… I don't think he's as strong as us."

Allivy nodded, attentive to every word, but she didn't seem surprised.

—And what about this Ronaldho? —he asked.

Mitsuki smiled with a warm expression, as if he was talking about someone very close to him.

"Ronaldho doesn't have powers like ours. But he does have impressive physical strength and a brilliant mind. He's more of a problem-solving type of person… and sometimes, that way of solving things is a little… chaotic," Mitsuki replied, shrugging with a playful smile.

Allivy let out a small laugh.

—Brilliant, huh? I imagine someone like that could be useful too.

"You'd be surprised," Mitsuki replied, now quite relaxed. "Although I don't know what all this is about."

Allivy smiled widely, a sly look shining in her eyes.

—The reason is simple, Mitsuki. To put together the group of prodigies, it's good to know what pieces I have as possible. Some of you already know each other, so I don't see why I can't gather everyone from the start. If any of them have useful skills, it's easier to start with a solid foundation.

Mitsuki watched her for a moment, lightly biting his lower lip as if evaluating her words.

"I see..." he said, shrugging as he looked back toward the subway tunnel.

At that moment, Elisa, who had remained silent until that moment, blinked and looked up, surprised by what she had just heard.

Elisa, listening to the conversation between Mitsuki and Allivy, frowned slightly, as if something was not entirely clear in her mind.

"Are you planning to look for our brother?" Elisa asked, surprised by what she had just heard, a mixture of disbelief and a small spark of hope in her voice.

Allivy, with her typical confident smile, looked directly at her. "If Mitsuki gives me the location, yes. I have no problem helping you find him."

Mitsuki, who had been listening intently, sighed before answering. "I don't know the exact location, but I'll mark my brother on the way. I'll tell you where it is as soon as I talk to him."

Allivy nodded in understanding. "Perfect, then keep me informed," she added with a smile. Then, without further ado, she pressed the button to activate the subway.

"Good luck, guys," he said before walking away towards the exit, his posture confident and assured.

The subway began to move with a soft hum as Allivy drove away, leaving them with a feeling of uncertainty, but with the hope that some things would be resolved soon.

The subway moved through the tunnel, its soft hum filling the space. Mitsuki and Elisa settled into their seats, as the metallic city skyline passed by the windows.

Elisa, tired from recent events and with her mind still a little agitated, decided she needed to rest. She took a pair of headphones out of her bag and put them on, isolating herself from the hustle and bustle outside. She closed her eyes, letting the soft, relaxing music envelop her, as she leaned back in her seat a little, looking for a brief respite.

Mitsuki, for his part, was more alert, observing the surroundings with interest. Although Elisa seemed to be completely immersed in her rest, he couldn't help but feel that there was something strange in the air.

Time passed without saying much more, the journey continued and the sound of the city was left behind, replaced by the stillness of the train.

Elisa, in her little break, managed to relax a little, allowing the momentary peace to envelop her, as the train moved forward into the unknown.

Mitsuki pulled out her phone and, with a sigh, dialed her brother, Antho Sorano's number. She expected to hear his voice, but instead, she only received the sound of his voicemail message. She repeated the call, hoping that this time he would pick up, but again, the voice recording intercepted it.

"This kid..." Mitsuki muttered to himself, staring at the screen before deciding there was no point in insisting any further. He shifted the conversation to Allivy's.

Mitsuki, feeling a slight discomfort, quickly typed:

"I couldn't contact my brother. I'll try again later."

Shortly after, Allivy's reply appeared on the screen. It was brief, but Mitsuki read it with some surprise:

"Mother..."

He didn't quite understand the tone, but he assumed Allivy had her own reasons for writing it. For the moment, he didn't go into the matter further, putting the phone back in his pocket. Elisa's music played softly, almost like a layer of tranquility over the environment.

The train continued on its course, moving towards the unknown, while Mitsuki was lost in his thoughts about his brother and the uncertain future of his mission.

In a quiet part of the city, Alaska was in a children's playground, watching with a smile on her face as Aura, the girl with light blue and pink hair, ran and played between the swings and slides. The little girl laughed happily, her eyes shining with pure fun, while Alaska accompanied her in a racing game.

"Come on, Aura, I'll catch up!" Alaska shouted, making a competitive face as she tried to catch up to the girl, but the girl quickly overtook her, proving to be more agile than she looked.

Aura burst out laughing.

—You can't catch me, Alaska! I'm faster than you!

Alaska dropped onto the grass, pretending to be exhausted, with a dramatic expression.

"I looked so ridiculous," she complained, putting a hand to her forehead as if she were in a Greek tragedy.

Aura approached, smiling.

—Don't say that, Alaska. You just need more practice!

Before she could continue her crazy fun, Alaska's phone vibrated in her pocket. She sighed and looked at Aura, who was still playing around on the floor.

"Hey, go play with the other kids for a moment, okay?" she said, patting him on the head in a gentle but firm tone.

Aura, though somewhat sad to have to stop her fun, nodded and stood up to join the other children playing nearby.

Alaska pulled out her phone and, seeing that it was a message from Allivy, decided to listen to the audio. She put her headphones on and pressed play.

Allivy's voice echoed in his ears, laden with a sense of uncertainty.

—I don't know if I'll be able to find them, but call the other 4, maybe they can be included soon...

Alaska stopped moving for a second, her eyes widened in surprise and a cold sweat began to form on her cheek. She immediately ran a hand over her face in thought.

—The other four?! —she muttered to herself, looking at the horizon as if she could escape the situation. She couldn't believe that she now had to look for four women... who were on a trip to Italy!

With a deep sigh and a nervous smile, he quickly responded to Allivy's message:

"Understood, I will do it."

But in her mind, worry took hold. Was she really going to have to travel all the way to Italy? What does Allivy have in mind by bringing in so many people all at once?

Without wasting any time, she stood up from the bench, looking around for any clues that would help her accomplish the new task Allivy had given her.

Alaska looked at Aura one last time, stroking her head with a forced smile.

"I have to go, little one, see you soon," he said, before quickly turning to the caregivers and briefly saying goodbye.

With a quick "thank you" and a smile, he started running, dodging people as his mind focused, He knew this was going to be a difficult task.

End of chapter.