This Pen

If false beliefs are turned into ideology and mere nonsense is turned into the state order, then...

What can we do as ordinary citizens?

Even if we surface our new way of thinking, all the media there is controlled by the government.

The world-or at least the city in which I was born had that rule, everything is equal, the government controls it all.

But the utopia in my head did not wish for this kind of life.

With pen and paper I write, with pen and paper I grow. When other kids around me spend their lives roaming around stealing or pickpocketing for a living,, Alisa, and Ivan were different.

"You have the mind, You have the lips, And I've got this fist." Ivan Clenched his hand.

I was the mind, Alisa was the lips, And the fist... It's clear.

We're not heroes like we thought we were.

By the controlled eye, The government thought our mind was a nuisance and our act as an embarrassment to society.

But we grew, grew stronger, and grew apart from each other... And that is when our life was turned when Alisa died.

The lips have so much lie to tell until another being is born, until those lies become rotten alongside their cords.

When Alisa was caught by the guards, because of her 'Wrong' way of thinking. She was thrown into a prison of some sort, later I know that the worst thing in there was not the guard, but the scientist.

"I will save her!" Me and Ivan spoke in unison, but really, the weak me couldn't do anything.

Ivan became a soldier, and was actually sent into the same experiment site as Alisa.

It was great news until he was what an abomination that girl-our sister becomes...

Later I was thrown into the same prison, the same treatment, and a similar end.

But instead of rotting in a prison made of bricks, and stuck in the prison of my mind.

I overcome it until the rifle puts my life on a game over.

"What are you doing?!" The scientist has lost it. His face was mad red, throwing papers into the air and some bottles onto the ground.

"It was not my wish," Ivan sat on a chair, reading a paper-journal of some kind.

The journal consists of a way-multiple ways of winning the second war, one of them is the Mediator project or Code Mediator. A super soldier that can manipulate cause and effect, create a parallel timeline to achieve the best result.

The research is complicated because it needs the bearer to withstand the physical and mental pain from the drug's side effects, so the perfect vessel for that is the survivor of this experiment... Code name Mediator... Yuuri.

"Why did you just blatantly kill one of the most perfect vessels for this experiment? WHY?!" The scientist exclaimed, becoming more and more louder.

"IT WAS AN ORDER!" Ivan replied.

The room falls silent, only the sound of foot tapping and the snowstorm outside.

"The worse thing is... We could not possibly know where he is now. It was probably multiple times I shot him with an abnormal dose, so the procedure would be quick. You know he is abnormally strong against drugs."

"What about it?"

"He's still roaming... But maybe not in this world, a being cannot be killed. And even if you manage to kill him, in the prison of his mind... He's still Alive and winning."

After a while the scientist told Ivan to leave the room, while whining against the door, Ivan shed a tear.

"So maybe this wasn't real? Am I to him was just eternal executor? If he return to life after that shot then..."

Ivan gets up, he's wearing thick green cloak. His eyes was pure black, no thought inside. Where he was going? To find the truth...

But where could the truth reside?

...

I think that explains what i hate the government, or more generally. One who has more powers than any individuals.

But this man in front of me... Really just nice and happy or he's good at pretending?

"As I have introduced myself before, You can just call me Mr. Bootes."

I smile.

"Noir, so what's the purpose of your visit today? Mr. Bootes."

"Ah, nothing. I've come to see some farm in this area until one farmer says about his daughter who is now able to read. Then spiraling down some question lead me to you."

I nodded, my first impression needs to be the same as this guy-Mr. Bootes's imagination. But i want to keep it simple, and not blatantly put myself in any of his doings, good or bad.

"As you see, I'm just a normal kid, who is a little bit gifted.

"So it's like that..." Mr. Bootes paused for a second. "I've got a feeling, that inside your mind sat lingering thought. Why are a lot of people illiterate?"

I nodded, I'm kinda interested but not much. Even though in the world I'm from, being able to read from three years old is a requirement to still be alive.

But, considering this world... The reason could be either there aren't any academies or some sort, books are rare, or both, or neither.

Honestly i could ramble about a thousand way this could be possible but...

"The reason is because book is considered rare?" I asked.

"That's right." Mr. Bootes fixed his sitting posture, after analyzing him for a while, my instinct told me he's not dangerous.

But the answer for why books are rare becomes more and more deep.

Is it because only some people have it, like dukes and barons, Or just rare like generals. I think maybe they use scrolls more. And from there branch even more questions. But to keep it simple it was because of paper.

"Is a book considered rare because of paper?" I asked.

Mr. Bootes nodded, the most simple cause. And also the most simple problem.

I smiled.

"So, what did they mainly use to create such paper?"

"Animal hide but... What about it?"

I sigh...

So, I have two options... Either choose to speed up the discovery of Cai Lun styled paper, even though looking at the advancement of this country there should already be a faster way for making paper.

Maybe other countries or kingdoms or continents have done it and just gatekeeping the information.

"Noir, about that *sighs* of yours...Did the use of animal hide bother you? Or do you have any other way?"

I looked down at my fingers, does he know?

He probably knows.

The thing is that I don't want to be the one who gets the spotlight for finding it, I don't want people to see me as that kind of person.

And also wouldn't it be suspicious if some 'gifted' child just advances the field of knowledge like science and stuff. Usually a scientific breakthrough needs months or even years, like the creation of papers.

But I couldn't lie much since it would become so suspicious that I'm hiding something.

I sighs again.

"I just... Don't like the act of killing animals for its hide."

He-Mr. Bootes looks at me in a face printed with confusion.

"Even though your father is a hunter?"

I nodded.

Mr. Bootes gets up, and puts his top hat back on. This conversation is reaching its end. Finally, I can't help but stress the entire conversation.

I hate The people who have powers like The nobility, duke, and barons.

But i hate dealing with them when they are on the other side of the battlefield.

"Sorry for interupting your activity, it's my fault for thinking a gifted child could do anything."

I smiled again, the air in the room felt awkward.

"What about it?"

"After the election of the new king, all kids and teenagers are obligated to be listed in the academy. Before this rule, only the noble kids has education. As you know it, more student equal more book and pen to write, but it is my foolish to ask anyone."

Ah yes, the election of the new king. The summer harvest last year has that event, i have totally forgot about it, living in a mountain range.

The new king of the kingdom-Leone. King Alexander Regulus showed a development like no other kings before him.

While just being a 35 year old king, because his father passed away recently, he is now elected as this kingdom's king. The king who is just passed away, died of some strange disease. Swollen eyes and lips, hoarse voice, hands scratching the neck, then collapsed in his garden.

"I see... Then Ara too-"

"Yes, you teaching kids here probably made the future brighter. Lots of thinkers usually come from the bottom then launch themself up top"

I looked at Mr. Bootes straight in the eyes, Eh?

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing." I look down at my feet, me? Made the future brighter? Don't joke.

When I'm trying to make the future 'brighter' usually people would scream I'm crazy. That's why I don't want to make those paper, The Crazy Journalist had enough already.

I sigh... Again.

"Mr. Bootes, there's probably a way."

After this, I couldn't go back. But telling only till the Cai Lun's paper technique is okay.

After telling Mr. Bootes about it, he left at noon...

I lay myself on my bed, is this okay? I asked myself.

Of course, it will probably go smoothly.

I wasn't talking about the procedure, but actually I do need a notebook right now...

For what?

Writing, besides... What do you call a journalist without a journal and pen?

I went downstairs, meeting with my mom. I'm now at the age of five, and at the age of five people go to churches to be identified about their magic potential...

I, myself, don't believe in magic. If you think math and nuclear missiles aren't magic enough then, I couldn't imagine what is called magic.

It's like about the same thing about religion again...

Oh you really hate religion?

Shut up.

And so, now I'm leaving to the city, to the church. And while I'm in this carriage with my mom, Ara because she wants to join. There's two more people.

"Nice to meet you, I'm from the Ninth village, near the river." A kid lending a hand.

I shook his hands.

"I'm Noir, from the eight village near the mountains."

His eyes widened, really close at the time Ara first time saw me when i was born.

"Oh so your the genius Noir?"

I look at him, my face frowned.

"What kinda nickname is that?"

My mother laugh it off, and so as this kid's mother. Ara then reached out her hand.

"I'm Ara, nice to meet you!"

"Sorry but i don't handshake a girl..."

I hold back my laughter. Rejected.

"Viktor, don't say that... I'm sorry for my child's behavior."

"Oh no, it's okay..."

After that, they all talked like crazy. I swear, when two moms meet each other, separating them is as hard as separating two legos.

Even though I was drifting into my world, still thinking about how to make paper. Yes. I really need a notebook. I heard one and two things.

First on is Ara's going to the capital, two years from now so she's going to get her magic potential unlocked, and I heard that the kid across me-Victor is going to be joining the Knight academy side.

The academy consists of three sections or sides. The magic learning, General learning, and The knights.

The other things that I heard are rumors.

"Have you heard about Mr. Bootes's daughter?" Viktor's mom asked.

My mother shook her head.

"They say that she got a curse that makes her couldn't use magic. That is so unfortunate. Because her potential was surprisingly high."

"Oh my, that's bad."

I yawned looking at the scenery of the road, having other people in the ride is fun but because today I had a visit from a guest that I couldn't ignore... I'm so exhausted.

"So Noir, what side do you want to join? Come join the knights with me." Viktor asked, his eyes sparkling with passion.

"I think I'll pass, I'm going to take the general."

I don't want any association with either Magic and The knights, my instinct told me there's no real reward in learning in that place. I've got a feeling they would just use those kids in war.

I also don't want Ara to join but, I don't want to keep her in a cage. But my big sis probably could handle that.

Now, it's has time...

"Blanc et Noir, come with us to the back."

I was brought to a room with a pool, inside that doesn't seem like water. With a mirror in three sides and four candle in each corners.

"Step into the water"

Now... Let's begin the test

My heart races, my mind counting. What is going to happen after this?

Relax Noir... The Cynic comes back. No, it's not me who's coming back... But you.