Genzin's Goodies

With a burst of instinct, Alexander threw himself backward, his small body stumbling onto the sidewalk just as the sleek, gleaming object roared past him. The man inside leaned out and shouted, "Get out of the road, you dumb kid!"

Half-terrified and half-furious, Alexander glared at the back of the large object as it sped off, and his mind quickly supplied the name: cruiser. 

They were sleek, metallic vehicles of different colors made from Spark Iron and fueled by Spark itself. Their bodies shone with liquid metal, and from Alexander's viewpoint, they seemed to be gliding on air, suspended just inches above the obsidian street.

'Dumb kid?' Alexander grimaced, his pride stinging more than his fear. 'I may be trapped in this wretched child's body, but I am still the Breath of a Silver Dragon. I've felled armies, and now I'm being scolded by a man in a metal box?'

Many other cruisers drove past the road, some coming from his left and others from his right. This was when Alexander finally paid attention to the details of the road before him. 

It was not a wide road, but it seemed meticulously designed to allow the cruisers and other vehicles to glide through easily. He noticed the narrow walkways where a few people moved along, wearing clothing similar to his.

The walkways themselves had some glowing material running underneath, like molten rock trapped under glass, seemingly for beautification but actually to assist in safe traffic.

The people walked in straight lines, but when they needed to cross, they paused, waiting for the light on a pole above to turn red. When it did, they hurried across, the cruisers halting as if by some unseen command. The moment the light turned green, the vehicles surged forward again, their movements synchronized like a well-rehearsed dance.

'What a marvel,' Alexander exclaimed in his thoughts. 

These roads were no accident. They were the product of careful planning, a system designed to ensure order and safety. His memories — Razen's memories — told him that this was the work of Spark Engineers, men and women who had been tasked by The Parliament after the 30th World Defense to create a transportation system that would span the globe. 

This led to the creation of BASS, Bridenfall Academy of Spark and Sciences, and CCU, Center City University. 

More students graduated as Spark Engineers and Spark Mechanics. The Spark Engineers designed the city roads and the transportation vehicles such as cruisers, aerocycles, tubetrains and windjets, while the Spark Mechanics were tasked with building them.

The worldwide city roads were not completed until thirty years and six more World Defenses. But once it was finalized, the results were extremely satisfying and it made life in Deadworld easier, especially in the economic aspects of life.

'The governorship of this world is impressive,' Alexander thought. 'Perhaps my situation is not as dire as I thought. I could very well take this world for myself and relish the hard work of the rulers past.'

Catching a flash of something else by the road, he turned. 'What is that?' 

It was a creature, or a machine perhaps, darting through the streets with a man sitting on top of it, seemingly controlling it.

Although Alexander was awed by this... thing, the people around him paid it no mind, as though such things were commonplace. 

Alexander's new memories explained the creature to be a Sparkbot. They were machines or robots created by Spark Mechanics to carry out tasks or engage in battles.

This one was yellow in color, with a body that was small, round and of course, metallic, with thin, spindly limbs clattering as it moved, resembling a blend of a giant ant and an automaton.

'What a mad world,' Alexander thought, shaking his head. He was about to attempt crossing the road again when a scent caught his attention. Food.

Alexander frowned. From the reaction his body had, it was clear that its former owner was a glutton. But this scent; rich, savory, and utterly unfamiliar made his stomach grumble.

Alexander didn't know whether it was the energy expended during the reincarnation process or simply the demands of a child's body, but he was suddenly extremely hungry!

'Let me see.'

He followed the smell, walking through the walkway and ignoring the passersby who were now staring at him as though he was lost. It was annoying how small he felt as they walked past him, but Alexander didn't care about that, food was all that was in his mind now.

The scent led him down a narrow street, where a small, angular building stood nestled between an alleyway and a taller structure. A sign glowed faintly in pink neon: GENZIN'S GOODIES. 

The building was made of wood and metal, with a spotless glass facade which allowed Alexander to peer through and see the immaculately organized display of dishes. Outside the wet roads where he stood, delivery drones parked in designated spots, charging while they waited to pick up orders.

But inside, which was where Alexander cared about, a bright light of yellow and pink illuminated the decor. It was a minimal setting with metal stools attached to tables, and by the ordering counter, a middle-aged man dressed as a chef handed a tray of food to a customer. Working with him were Sparkbots, also dressed like chefs. 

Licking his lips with excitement, Alexander walked toward the entrance of the door. He attempted to push it open, but the door surprisingly retracted on its own, granting him passage. He stepped into the structure he now recognized as a diner and took a much better look at the surroundings. 

To his left, two men were munching on beef burgers, speaking in low voices about something important. Alexander realized then that Razen Revenant had sharp ears, as he could easily make out what the men were discussing.

"Parcy wants to climb again," one said.

"He ain't making it," the other replied. "Listen, I've got us a connection, a whole lotta axium and some band. With that, there ain't nothing stopping us from ascending this time."

The first man nodded. "So, who's this connection? Because that's gotta be a lotta axium."

The second man opened his mouth to respond but stopped when he noticed Alexander staring at him. He frowned, his expression darkening. "Fuck are you looking at, kid!?"

Alexander flinched — a reaction that would have shamed the old Alexander — and quickly looked away. He hurried to the counter, where the display of food awaited. 

'Axium,' his curious mind pondered. 'What is that?' 

After searching through Razen's memories, he was unable to find anything pertaining to the strange word. It seemed the young scion was uninformed about a multitude of things. This 'axium' appeared to be one of them.

Alexander quickly forgot about it all and focused on the display of meals before him. The chef glanced down at him, his mustache shifting in surprise to see a child of that age all alone. 

"Hey, kid! Welcome to Genzin's. If it wasn't obvious, I'm Genzin, the owner of this fine establishment. So... what will it be, young man?" His voice was gruff, with a funny accent, but polite enough.

Alexander didn't answer immediately. His eyes were fixed on a piece of delicacy shaped like a cup with a red, fruity ball placed on top. Genzin followed his gaze and smiled knowingly. "Ah! A strawberry cupcake, then!"

He opened the glass compartment and retrieved one of the pastries, handing it to Alexander. The boy took it greedily, making eye contact with no one else but the beguiling cake.

'This delicacy must be loved quite a lot by children,' Alexander thought. 'I can feel my mouth watering.'

He took a bite of the cupcake, and the moment the flavor burst inside his mouth — sweet, tangy, and utterly delicious, he took another, and another until it was all finished. Realizing this, he turned to the amused chef, requesting for another.

Realizing this, he turned to the amused chef, his eyes pleading for more. The chef chuckled. "Well, hold on a bit. You haven't even paid for the one you just ate. It'll be thirty-two microcredits."

Alexander frowned, seemingly confused. 

This caused Genzin to frown as well. "You do have some money with you, don't you?" 

Realizing what just happened, Alexander replied the distraught man with an innocent, nervous smile.