About the Story:

Spoiler:

This story takes place in Fantage, but not in the peaceful Fantage we know. In this Fantage, the Non-Members and the Members are separated, and mistrust grows like wild foliage on each side. However, some bleak parts of this story are inspired by things happening in the real Fantage. The main character in this story is named after me, but our lives-and, sometimes, personalities- have nothing in common. This story will be written entirely in this one post. Please enjoy.

Prologue:

Spoiler:

The confetti showered down on me, falling in the air like dying butterflies. All of the colors of the rainbow flying in the air, surrounding me. I look up into the blinding spotlight, displaying me to all of Fantage. The audience's cheers were my symphony, celebrating my victory. The flashes of the cameras came swiftly and stunningly, like a meteor shower on clear midsummer night. I had done it. I, Nakira Selvyn, was the first Non-Member to ever win the Fantage Top Model Championship. This competition was like the World Cup of Fashion Shows. Every model that won it was worshipped by the region they came from. Take Stacey Trider, from the Oceanic Region aka the Beach. When she won, the residents decided January 17th (her day of birth to her) was a regional holiday. Every tourist that visited that day was met with closed stores and no lifeguards. Of course, Fantagians took every little contest seriously. But, then again, this was no little contest. It was an honor to win, winners were treated like deities in the fashion world. And I, somehow, won. I could finally return home and be accepted. For once, something in my life had turned out right. I had to claw my way up a treacherous, dark, formidable canyon of hatred and prejudice to get this far. A more sophisticated, confident winner would smile at the camera, take the trophy, wave, and thank their family and friends. But I just stood there, holding the golden trophy with sweaty palms, and stared into the camera with a dry throat. A woman with long, flowing auburn hair and an elegant emerald gown floated towards me on her board, a microphone in her hand. She smiled at me with her perfect face. "So, Nakira, how do you feel after winning the FTMC?" she asked me in her pleasant voice. "Well, it's, it's, um, awesome!! I'm uber-pumped! I could really use a nap though," I answered, my eloquence nowhere to be found. The audience chuckled a bit. "I'm funny?" I gawked, sounding like an idiot. The audience laughed some more. The interviewer just smiled a toothy grin. "Well, dear, the audience seems to like you." "Uh, thanks." "Now dear, is there anyone you would like to thank?" she said, handing the mike to me. I gripped it with an unsure hand. Public speaking was not my forte. Modeling was. And history. I really had a thing for history. Oh great, I thought. My mind's wandering again. I scanned the audience, looking for something to help me start my speech. Then, I saw her. My face instinctively broke out into a grin. I cleared my throat, and began to speak. "Yeah. There is."

Chapter One: The Knock on the Door
{Neutral POV}

Spoiler:

It was a tenebrous, moonlit night when little Nakira's life was changed forever. Mrs. Selvyn was lying in bed, next to Mr. Selvyn. While her husband was sound asleep, snoring like a hibernating bear despite his lanky build, Mrs. Selvyn sat up, twiddling her fingers, full of anxiety. Then, as if Destiny wanted to cruelly relieve her unease, Mrs. Selvyn heard a BANG BANG BANG on the door. She jumped out of bed, wrapped a practically-threadbare robe around her body, and snuck into the hall. Carefully nudging the floral-patterned curtain aside, she peered out the window. The color evaded Mrs. Selvyn's face. Her heart dropped to her gut. They had arrived. Anyone could recognize them, with their long black coats and sunglasses worn even at night. She rushed back to the bedroom. Shaking with fear, she prodded her spouse awake. "Zepriel!" she whispered, her voice tainted with anxiety. "Wake UP!" "Whaaaa?" Mr. Selvyn mumbled, still lying in bed. "Arisa, whasgoinon? Iz late..." "They are here," she informed him. Mr. Selvyn's eyes flew open. "Oh no..." he murmured, his brown eyes glimmering in fear. "That means..." "Yes," Mrs. Selvyn said, confirming her husband's fears. "We have to tell Naki." Mr. Selvyn crept out of bed, and the couple briskly stepped into their daughter's room. They nudged the little girl awake. Nakira opened her heavy eyelids. "Mommy, whaa iz it? Izsleepy..." she mumbled, yawning. Mr. Selvyn almost burst into tears, knowing this would probably be the last time... "It's okay, Naki. But you have to wake up," Mrs. Selvyn said in that motherly tone she could use even during the worst times. The little five year old slowly sat up in bed, her short brown bob messy and her kitten-printed pajamas worn. "M'kay Mommy, I'm up," she murmured, still obviously tired. Mrs. Selvyn opened the closet, and took out a medium-sized box, handing it to her daughter. "Naki, right now Mommy and Daddy have to go out for a while; so you have to go to Granma's for a while," she told her. "All the way in Olif Odor?? Isn't that a fousand niles 'way from Raserberry Raven??" Nakira asked, incredulous. "Yes, teddy bear. And the proper names are Olive Otter and Raspberry Raven," Mrs. Selvyn continued, smiling at her daughter's mispronunciation. But her face quickly became serious again. "You have to take the bus from Raspberry Raven to Olive Otter. Ask someone to take you there. And then you have to go to the Suburbs." Every town had a designated place for the Nons to live, called the Suburbs. Nakira nodded. "Then what?" she asked her mother. "Then, look for house number Forty-Two, and you're there. Can you remember that?" "Yeah." "Excellent." "Mommy, what's the box for?" "Oh, this?" Mrs. Selvyn handed the box to Nakira. "This is a very special box. Don't open it 'till you get to Granma's, okay?" "Okay!" Nakira nodded eagerly, taking the box. "Let's go!" "But first, put on some clothes," Mrs. Selvyn said. "Granma has some clothing at her house, but not much." Nakira slipped on a yellow bunny dress, one of her favorite pieces of clothing. "Can I go now!?" she asked, her blue eyes gleaming in excitement. This comment broke Mr. and Mrs. Selvyn's heart. For them, they were going to be separated from their beloved daughter for... who knew how long? But for little Nakira, this was an adventure. "Y-yes, teddy bear," Mrs. Selvyn murmured, her voice growing softer. "Go out the back door." Nakira rushed to the back door, box and coat in her arms. Her parents rushed towards her, and began hugging her and kissing her innocent little cheeks. "Mommy, Daddy, stop!" she yelled. Mr. and Mrs. Selvyn stood up. "Well, goodbye, teddy bear," Mrs. Selvyn murmured. Nakira hopped on her heart board. "We'll miss you," Mr. Selvyn said. "Uh-huh. S'okay, it's just a trip! I love you! Bye-Bye!" the little girl said, floating out the back door, waving one last time. "Goodbye," Mrs. Selvyn whispered. And the Nakira left, humming a cheerful tune, despite her tired yawns. Mrs. Selvyn turned to her husband. "I hope she'll be alright," she murmured, twiddling with her brown ponytail. "She'll be fine. Fantage is far from perfect, but it's one of the safest places I know. She'll have fun," Mr. Selvyn said. "Fun..." And with that, tears rolled out of the eyes of both parents. After a good deal of tears, the parents rested on the couch, having forgotten about the knocking on the door. So, Destiny had to remind them. Before either of the couple could hide, the door burst open, the bang it made reflecting the fury and impatience of the people on the other side. They had arrived.

Chapter Two: The Bus Station
{Neutral POV}

Spoiler:

Nakira floated through the neighborhood. It was eerily soundless, but the young girl didn't seem to notice, or if she did, she didn't seem to care. At the Station Nakira had finally arrived at the station. Eyelids drooping with exhaustion, she let her box down on her board and looked up at the station schedule. Since she could not read, Nakira hoped for some pictures to be on the board, like pictures of meals on the kid's menus at restaurants. Of course, since she was at a bus station, not a restaurant, there were no pictures. Only confusing lines arranged together, that only the older and wiser could interpret, not a little girl going into kindergarten in a few months. Nakira looked around for someone to help her. A man in an ebony coat and secretive shades stood by the edge of the waiting platform, poised stock-still on his rocket board. Shyly creeping up next to him, Nakira gently tugged on his coat. The man briskly looked down, no emotion displayed on his face. "Um, Mister, can you please show me the bus that goes from here to Olif-er, I mean, Olive Otter?" Nakira mumbled, her usually-clear voice tainted by shyness. This man is kinda... scary, she thought to herself. The man continued to stare at her, deep in thought. There was something about this girl that was familiar to him. And if someone was familiar to him, that usually meant that person was in trouble. Big trouble. But he had never seen this girl before, he was positive about that. But the features on her face were familiar. Sky blue eyes, plain brown hair. Then he knew why this girl seemed to be familiar. He smiled, he smiled a tight, chilling smile, a smile with no soul. But, to a young girl like Nakira, all smiles were the same. "Yes, Nakira, I can. It's right over there," he said in a cool tone, pointing to a large bus- one much larger than you would expect if you were going to a small town like Olive Otter. Nakira's eyes brightened. "Thanks mister!" she piped, and quickly boarded the vehicle. As she sat down on a tattered seat that smelled like litter from a big city, she loudly yawned. Although it would have been wise to stay awake, Nakira was young, and when they want to, the young can sleep through everything from floods to fires. And so, as the near-vacant bus began its rollocking ride to its destination, Nakira fell fast asleep, clutching her box. Before her mind surrendered to sleep, however, she had one last little thought: How did that man know my name?

Chapter Three: More Than Your Worthless Non Self Could Ever Dream to Be
{Neutral POV}

Spoiler:

The sun's gentle morning rays nudged Nakira awake. Blinking her eyes drowsily, she realized the bus was still rattling along. That's weird, she thought. Last time we went to Granma's it only took us a few minutes. "ARE WE THERE YET??" she yelled at the driver, making sure he or she heard. No answer. The bus lurched to a sudden halt, flinging Nakira off the worn seat and onto the dirty floor of the bus. "HEY! OW!" she cried angrily. She stood up indignantly, brushing dust off her dress, and stepped onto her board. "Oh well. At least I'm at Granma's now," she muttered, grabbing her box. She floated out the empty bus, stopping to wave the grumpy driver bye-bye. But, as she stepped into the bus station, she realized something: Olive Otter was never this crowded before. There were Fantagians everywhere, pushing and shoving past each other, carrying luggage and briefcases and frilly, embellished purses. The Bus Station was filthy, and it smelled like a mixture of a public bathroom and a fast food place in the seedy part of town. Well, all I have to do now is find Granma's house, Nakira thought. She timidly floated through the crowd, but was much too intimidated to ask questions. People shoved past her, talking on their IDfones. She accidently bumped into a man in a stylish navy suit, making him spill his coffee. Nakira's eyes widened in fear and guilt. "I'm sorry, mister! I wasn't paying 'tention! Don't tell on me, please!" she cried. The man turned around to look at her, a coffee stain all over the front of his suit. Despite that, he remained eerily calm, his brown eyes revealing no emotion. "Excuse me, little miss," he said in a level voice. "Y-yes???" "Do you know how much this suit costs?" "Uh... n-no..." "Well," he began, his voice raising ever-so-slightly, "It cost me 3,000 Stars." Nakira's eyes widened. "R-really???" "Yes," he said, his voice getting louder and louder. "Do you know how much that's worth in Fantage?" "N-no..." "MORE THAN YOUR WORTHLESS NON SELF EVER COULD DREAM TO BE!" he roared, his face scarlet with rage. "GET OUT, YOU STUPID RAGAMUFFIN!" And with that, Nakira flew out of the Station as fast as she could, not even bothering to hold back her tears. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she wanted it to be far, far away from that mean man. As she sped away from the station, tears pouring from her eyes, she promised herself one thing: Someday she would be worth more than all of that man's suits combined.

Chapter Four: Lost With No Hope
{Neutral POV}

Spoiler:

As Nakira's tears slowed down, so did her hoverboard. She was exhausted, as would anyone be after crying and running away. She sat down on her board, gazing at her surroundings with puffy, reddened eyes. She began slowly floating around, sniffing occasionally. So this was the Forest her parents always told her about. Apparently, the Honourable and Benevolent Leader, Akunin Dokusaisha, had set aside some land that was forbidden to build in in each town. Her parents told her that while it was a good move, Dokusaisha didn't really care about the wilderness, he was doing it for something else. Something "polly-tackle". Nakira wasn't sure what "polly-tackle" meant, but her parents didn't look too happy when they said it. They also told her to never talk about the Honourable and Benevolent Leader in a bad away around other people. She didn't quite understand why, but she supposed it was because this Leader guy was the kind of kid who would cry if you called him something harmless like "lumpy-head"; so she promised not to speak of him, or about anything "polly-tackle". Whatever that meant. But Nakira couldn't care less about anything "polly-tackle" now. She was far too fascinated by the pure beauty of the Forest. There appeared to be a thousand shades of green here. Abundant, wild grass dotted with rainbow-hued flowers covered the ground like an intricate Persian carpet. Huge sapphire-colored flowers grew on the ground, along with delicate tulips and majestic trees. A crystal-clear river flowed through the forest, a small wooden bridge crossing it, which led to even more wilderness. This was the most beautiful place Nakira had ever seen. Two Nons floated past her, a boy and a girl. The boy whispered something into the girl's ear, making her giggle. The boy floated to the bridge, motioning towards the girl. The girl looked at the boy with a perplexed expression. The boy wiggled his eyebrows at the girl. The girl seemed to understand what that meant, and floated with the boy across the bridge. This odd display had captured Nakira's attention, making her forget about the bus station incident. Where are they going? she thought to herself. And why were that guy's eyebrows wiggling? Such an odd, tantalizingly curious thing! Nakira simply had to follow them! She stood up on her board, tentatively floating behind the couple, when something firmly grasped her shoulder, dragging her back. Nakira began to let out a squeal of fright, but her mouth was covered by a pale hand. She was dragged inside a dilapidated blue-and-brown hut, which looked more like a tree trunk than a proper building. As she floated down the stairs, she tried wriggling out of the stranger's grasp, but there was no use. She was set down on the hard wooden floor, still wriggling. She turned around to see her captor, expecting a scary police man. But what she saw instead was a Faerie. Nakira was a bit dumbfounded. Of course, she had heard of Faeries before. They were a minority in Fantage. But she had never seen one in the flesh. Her fear melted away, replaced by wonder. This Faerie had cerulean locks and porcelain skin. Her dress gracefully blended blue and green together. Orange antennae stuck out of her head, and her wings, oh her wings! They were magnificent. They were the wings of a butterfly, and they were the color of tangerines and the sun- two things Nakira loved. But this Faerie didn't look happy. Her kiwi-colored eyes were laden with fear and anxiety. "Dear, are you alright?" she asked in a delicate, almost regal voice. "Um, y-yeah. But, why did you grab me? I'm sorry if I went somewhere I wasn't 'sposed to go. I dunno the rules here," Nakira stuttered, hoping to avoid punishment. "You aren't in trouble," the Faerie explained. Nakira immediately relaxed at these words. "But why did ya drag me away from the bridge??" she inquired, looking up at the Faerie. "Those two people were about to do awful, awful things," the Faerie explained. "Like what, Miss?" The Faerie paused for a moment. "... You'll find out when you're older. You're much too young to learn about such awful, bloody things," she concluded, her tone dismissing the subject. Normally Nakira would have protested, but this was a Faerie she was talking to. You don't talk back at a magical being. The Faerie spoke again. "What on earth are you doing here?" the Faerie asked. "This is no place for a child." "I'm looking for my Granma. She lives in the Non neighborhood," Nakira explained. "Do you know where that is?" The Faerie's eyes darkened. "No, sadly I don't." "Huh? How come!?" "We Faeries are forbidden to come out of the Forest. We are isolated from the rest of Fantage. If we were to leave this place to find another home, we would be lost with no hope," the Faerie explained, a sad little smile on her face. Of course, Nakira saw it as just another smile, as the naive always do. "Oh," Nakira murmured, not sure how to convey her sympathy. She truly thought that was an awful thing, but what should she say!? The Faerie said nothing. Nakira took this moment to observe her surroundings. A curved staircase led to the floor. The floor was wooden, and built atop water. A fireplace roared in the corner of the room. Strange vines hung from the ceiling, round mauve fruit attached to them. "This place is neat, miss" she began, breaking the silence. The Faerie smiled. "Thank you. It's called the Grotto. By the way, you can call me Lily." "That's a pretty name." "Thank you." "... I have to go to Granma's now." "Well, good luck." "Thanks," Nakira said, standing up on her board. She floated up the staircase, and was about to open the door when she turned back to Lily. "Can I see you again someday??" "Yes... if your Granma comes with you," Lily replied. "Okay then! Bye-bye!" Nakira said, stepping out the door. "Farewell..." Lily murmured. As she saw Nakira float out the door and into the world, a phrase ran through her mind: Lost with no hope.

Chapter Five: The Shouting People
{Neutral POV}

Spoiler:

Nakira floated through the bushes, following a worn, twisting path. The sun shone through the treetops, making confetti-like flecks of light on the earth. Nakira wasn't sure were she was going, but she trusted the path. After what seemed to be hours of traveling, the path ended. Voices were buzzing in the distance. Nakira floated out the path, onto pavement. Two Premiums floated past her, chatting and sporting fancy clothing. A tall pink building stood nearby, with two tough-looking guys guarding it, standing on each side of a red carpet. The two Premiums floated into the building, laughing. This captured Nakira's interest. As she floated into the building, one guard blocked her. "Premiums Only," the man growled, cracking a fist. Nakira's eyes widened with fear. With a quivering lip, she floated away. There were other stores, as well. Cafes, salons, boutiques, and so forth. A flat fountain bubbled in front of a clothing shop, with some Premiums standing around it. There appeared to be two main crowds in this place: luxuriously suited Premiums with strange boards, and the simply-dressed Nons who shouted random things. Well, the Nons weren't the only people who were shouting. Everyone was shouting. "Party, my place!" "Someone date me!" "Any schools I can enroll in?" "Anyone wanna be my girlfriend?" "I need a daughter to adopt!" "I'm lonely, and looking for love!" "Best friend tryouts my place!" "I need a date!" Apparently the best way to get what you wanted here was to shout. And so, that was exactly what Nakira was going to do. "HAS ANYONE SEEN MY GRANMA?!" she screeched. A few Nons looked at each other in confusion at the girl. "What's a kid doing out alone in a busy town like this?" one Non asked. "I dunno. She's probably from a small town. Kids can go anywhere in small towns," another Non replied. One Non stepped forward and pushed her into someone. Shrieking in surprise, tears sprung into Nakira's eyes. She looked up to see who she had collided into. A woman with scarlet hair tied in a bun smiled down at her. "I-I'm sorry!" Nakira wailed, tears pouring out of eyes. The woman smiled. "It's okay, hun! You lost?" she said in an energetic tone. Nakira nodded. "Well, this is Downtown, in case you didn't know. You can go shopping, be a model, or have a bite at the Café!" the woman recited, as if she solely existed to say that phrase. "Oh. Uh, thanks," Nakira mumbled, wiping tears from her eyes. Downtown!? she thought. This can't be Downtown! The last time I went there with Mommy, it was so quiet! But as she looked around, she recognized the same shops she went to all her life. But why was it so busy all of a sudden!? Nakira's growling stomach interrupted her thoughts. She then remembered the café. She looked around for the familiar building, and spotted it. Clutching her box, she floated inside the café. Thousands of smells instantly surrounded her. The earthy yet sweet pungency of coffee, the fragrance of freshly-baked bread, the rich and sweet aroma of hot chocolate, and a thousand other smells all collided together. There was surprisingly no line. Premiums sat the the tables and on the soft seats, playing games and chatting. Nons got their coffee and left the building quickly. Searching her dress pocket for Stars, Nakira floated to the counter. The woman at the counter had dark brown pigtails, a polka-dotted pink shirt and a cheery smile. "How can I help you, dear?" the lady asked with a sugar-sweet voice. "Uh, can I please have a cinnamon roll?" Nakira asked shyly. The woman's mouth frowned in insincere sympathy. "Sorry, dear, that's only for Premiums." "Oh. Uh, can I have something I'm allowed to have?" "Sure, dear." The lady gave her a stale bagel. "That'll be 45 Stars." "Uh, thanks," Nakira mumbled, handing her the money. Nakira floated outside, bagel in one hand, box in the other. She took a moment to just stand around, watching people shout. "Sticker party my place!" a Premium called. "Anyone wanna be my boyfriend?" a Non girl inquired. "Slumber party at my house!" a Non dressed in pyjamas shouted. "I need a Premium date for prom!" a Premium boy pleaded. "Family-run café at my house! Our family needs support!" a Non announced. "Somebody be my match!" a Non girl begged. "I need a mwommy!" a fully-grown Non, dressed as a little girl, shouted; in what was possibly the worst imitation of a child ever. "Hey! Outta my way, you scum!" a Premium girl shouted at Nakira. "Can't you see I'm trying to advertise my PD tryouts!?" Nakira quickly floated into the shelter of a bush. Watching the shouting people, Nakira sighed. What's a Pee-Dee anyway? she though, as she took a bite out of the stale bagel. A tear rolled down her cheek.

Chapter Six: An Unusual Discovery
{A New Character's POV!}

Spoiler:

It was just another Girl's Night Out with me and my friends. Floating around town, shopping, discussing fashion and romance. It was nice, going out with my best friends. It was a great break from walking around the streets, seeing filthy Nons. My friends and I were Premium and Proud. Plus, hanging out with them took my mind off of all of the work I had back home. It can really be a pain in the neck to be a fashion designer, but it's worth it. "So, Zelly, what are you going to be doing this weekend?" my friend Margette asked. She was looking fabulous as usual, wearing a cute new white dress with black "pebble" designs on the bottom part. Her golden hair was tied up in a side ponytail. "Ugh. Don't call me Zelly! Anyways, I'm probably going to design a few dresses, then go yachting with Emel," I say, a bit annoyed by the nickname. "Oooo! So you and Emel are getting quite close," Margette said, giggling. I blushed. "Aww, don't be shy about it, we know you really like him!" my other friend Zerena chimed in. She grinned at me, wiggling her perfectly plucked eyebrows and twirling her glossy pink hair. I blushed even harder. My friends giggled. "Be happy. I mean, come on. You've always been the 'mean one', you're lucky we even hang out with you!" Margette said, poking me playfully. "Says the girl who once bit my finger before getting her morning latte," Zerena smirked. We all burst into laughter. "Well," Margette began. "I gotta get going. Later!" "Same here," Zerena said. "Later!" "Okay, later!" I wave goodbye to my friends, and began floating away on my board. Nons have told me that I'm snarky, rude, and prissy, but I don't care. They're just Nons. Their life isn't worth nearly as much as mine. And besides, I never acted that way around my friends. Or Emel. Oh, Emel... I had known Emel for quite awhile, we had gone to the same Premium-Only school. He was a wealthy businessman's son, I was the daughter of their lawyer. So, of course, our parents wanted us to be friends. Thus, we grew up together. Emel grew up to be a politician, I grew up to be a fashion designer. He also grew up to be quite handsome, in my opinion. He had fancy blond hair, sharp blue eyes, and he always dressed smartly. We were getting quite close, closer than ever. Someday, we might even be... a couple! I blushed at the thought of this. My life is so perfect, I thought. Just as I was about to go home, something rustled in the bushes.

Chapter Seven: Like a Pink-Haired Angel
{Neutral POV}

Spoiler:

Nakira moved around the bush, trying to find a comfortable place to sleep. This place was so confusing! She just wanted to go to Granma's! Using the box as a hard pillow, she lay down on a bunch of interwoven bush branches. Just was she lay down, Nakira fell from the branches onto the chilly, rigid ground. Even though the bush's branches were low, falling from them onto hard ground hurt. Nakira's lip trembled. Tears welled up in her clear blue eyes. Suddenly she began loudly bawling. Tears rapidly rolling down her rosy cheeks, crying and crying and crying. She just wanted to be away from this bush. From this awful place. Was this really Olive Otter!? She wanted to go home. Just then, Nakira heard someone floating on their hoverboard towards her. Looking up, she was in awe at what she saw. A Premium. She was dressed in a black abstract dress with artistic blue and violet circles. Her shoes were classy purple high heels and her eyes were a striking bright green. The only thing familiar about her was her shaggy pink hair. Nakira had seen girls in her neighborhood wear that hairstyle, and it truly looked shaggy on them. But on this woman it was everything but shaggy. It was silky and lustrous, brightly-colored with a perfect shape. Nakira could smell the luxury shampoo and hairspray from her branch. And to top it all off, she was standing on a heavenly cloud board. Like a pink-haired angel. Admiring the Premium had calmed her down a bit. She was crying less and less. "Can I help you?" the Premium asked. This Premium certainly didn't sound like a pink-haired angel. Her voice was sophisticated but harsh, she sounded like she was interrogating Nakira. Some fearful tears rolled down the little girl's face. "Uh... y-yeah.. please," Nakira said, wiping her eyes. "Are you lost?" Nakira nodded. "Well, tell me what happened." And so, Nakira told her everything. The box. Raspberry Raven. Her parents. Going to Granma's. Olive Otter. The bus station. The mean man. The Faerie. Downtown. Everything. And after all of that, she burst into tears yet again. Ugh, the Premium thought. I can't believe I actually came here. I should've gone home with Margette or Zerena. Now I have to deal with this filthy Non kid. "Be quiet!" she snapped in a loud whisper. This only made Nakira sob even more. The Premium slapped her hand over Nakira's mouth. That shut her up. "You want me to help you?" the Premium asked, her tone revealing her annoyance. Nakira nodded again. "Okay. Then listen to me. First of all, I'm Zelphira. Zelphira LeMarre. You are to call me Miss LeMarre and nothing else. Understood?" the Premium- that is,Miss LeMarre looked at Nakira. She nodded. "Good," Miss LeMarre continued. "Now, I'm going to take you home to my house. Then, we'll call your parents. They'll get you and take you home. Okay?" "Okay!" Nakira was excited now. She had never been to a Premium house! "Oh. And when we're going to my house, we can't let anyone see us," Miss LeMarre said. "Why?" "It's against the law. You're a filthy lowlife. I'm pure and classy. We can't mix, you know," Miss LeMarre explained in a condescending tone. "Now come on." The two floated down the streets together, in the dark night. "Olive Otter is comfuzzing! I-I mean confusing!" Nakira told Miss LeMarre. "Olive Otter!? This isn't Olive Otter!" Miss LeMarre replied. "Then what is it?" "White Seal."

Chapter Eight: Please Press 2...
{Neutral POV}

Spoiler:

White Seal!? Nakira's eyes widened in a mix of puzzlement and fright. She had heard awful things about White Seal. There were groups of Nons... who would do awful things to people... and cruel Premiums... her parents called it "a sleazy land of fear". She wasn't sure what "sleazy" meant, but the way her mother's mouth would spit out the word, as if she was spitting out rancid food, told her that "sleazy" wasn't good. But what she really needed to know was how she got into White Seal. Wasn't the bus supposed to take her to Olive Otter? The young girl pondered these question as she was led to Miss LeMarre's home. "Well, this is my house," Miss LeMarre announced. Nakira's eyes widened in awe. Miss LeMarre's home was a quaint yet elegant Autumn Cottage. It was small, sky blue, and circular. The roof resembled the frilly trim of a ballet tutu. The house was surrounded by a serene garden, with the plants in it genetically engineered to have their leaves colored as if it were autumn, even though the summer's hot sun was currently shining down on them. Inside the home, the wallpaper was white with pastel blue diamond shapes scattered around, and windows were all over the home, letting in the glorious light of summer. Plush furniture was arranged inside of the house in a tasteful way. Nakira lay down on a plush chair. "Your house is amazing!!!" she squealed. Miss LeMarre just rolled her eyes. Stupid Non, she thought, picking up the yellow pages. She turned to Nakira. "So, what's your parents' names?" "Uh... Arisa and Zepriel Selvyn," the young girl said. Miss LeMarre nodded. She flipped to S in the yellow pages. Seplane, Seddeck, Serrev... ah! Selvyn! Their house was all the way in Raspberry Raven. How did this Non manage to get all the way to White Seal!? she thought. Their home number was (42) 16-90. She typed in the numbers on her flashy IDfone, and waited for someone to pick up. "We are sorry," a recorded woman's voice said. "But the number you have attempted to call is no longer in use. The former residents of this household have been Eliminated. This phone number can be used by another Fantagian now. Also, one resident of this home has not been Eliminated yet. If you would like to inquire about getting this phone number, please press 1. If you would like to give us information on this missing person, please press 2..." Miss LeMarre abruptly hung up. Sweat gathered on her forehead. Ice crawled down her back. With pale, shaking hands, she set down her IDfone. NOTE: In Fantage, phone numbers are only four digits long. The area code is the number in parentheses.

Chapter Nine: What'd They Say?
{Miss LeMarre's POV}

Spoiler:

I took a deep breath. This girl... her parents... what was I doing!? Having a girl like, like... this could get me in enormous trouble! Ugh, WHY did I take in the stupid Non brat!? She was just another Non. Nothing special. I stole a quick glance into the living room, where the girl lay, falling asleep. What could I do!? I can't get arrested! My family would shun me... no, they'd Disown me. If I were Disowned, I'd have to have all my belongings taken away and start anew, with a new name. I just couldn't do that. I couldn't. I walked towards the little girl. She grinned at me. "Miss LeMarre, what'd they say?" she asked, looking up at me with her big blue eyes. What should I say? I frantically searched my mind for answers to this question. "They... uh... they said that you had to come here... to uh... stay here for a while! Because they're on... a business trip!" I stammered. "But what about Granma? Wasn't she supposed to take care of me?" the girl asked. Granma!? Great. She was supposed to go to her Grandma's? Why didn't her parents let her get Eliminated with them? Huh. I'll never understand parents. If one day I had a daughter, and she wanted to fly across Fantage for a really weird reason, or something like that, I'd say no. But I'm sure some crazy parents would say yes. Weirdoes. "Uh... they said that Granma couldn't watch you after all," I explained. This seemed to satisfy her. I turned back to the kitchen, but then I remember something. "By the way, little girl, what's your name?" I ask. "My name? It's Nakira!" the girl said. Nakira, huh? Interesting. Turning back to the kitchen again, I think of what I should do. My eyes surveyed the kitchen, and I saw The Fantagian Law Book, lying on a countertop. It's a book that every Fantagian is required to have. Suddenly, I knew how to solve my problem. Briskly turning the pages, I turn to the "M" section of the Book. And there, right in front of my eyes, was my solution. The top of the page read: "Memory Replacement".

Chapter Ten: Leftover Shards of a Broken Person
{Miss LeMarre's POV}

Spoiler:

Memory Replacement. Perfect. I can just have her memory replaced. But then who would take care of her? I certainly wouldn't. Whatever, once she's gotten her new personality and all, she's not my problem. I called Nakira over. She ran into the kitchen, still clutching that box. "Let me put that away," I say, motioning to the box. "We're going on a... trip." Nakira handed over the box, and I put it in the closet. "Where are we going?" she asked me as I grabbed my purse. "Uh, somewhere special," I said hastily, opening the door. I grabbed the little girl's sticky hand and hovered off to the destination. Everything about this place was cold. There was no grass in front of the building, just cement. The building itself was only one story, lurking low and unsuspected, as all malicious predators do. It was a simple grey cube, with no windows and an equally grey door. There was no color to it. There wasn't an advertisement in sight. I held on to Nakira's filthy Non hand and hovered in. The inside of the building was a blindingly sterile white. The walls were powder white, with garish florescent lights on the ceiling. White plastic chairs where awkwardly stationed around a plastic white table. There were no magazines on the table, no cushions on the seats. Everything was so pure, so sterile. It was unsettling. The only sound in the room was the diligent tap-tap-tap of the keyboard at the front desk. Sitting at that white desk was a woman. I instructed a cheerful Nakira to sit down at a chair. She obeyed, grinning. I hovered up to the front desk. The woman turned to look up at me. The woman looked like she was specifically designed for the job. She wore a white cotton turtleneck and a wooly grey skit that went down to her knees. Her shoes where white pumps, the kind that click-click-click down the halls, keeping a steady beat for the workaholics. Of course, there were no other workers that I had seen... yet. Her grey hair was tied in a ponytail, and the way it fell onto her face gave her an air of desperation, the same air you get from those rebels you see trying to escape from the noose on Public Punishment Day. Her eyes were a dull grey, but what was in front of them struck me. Bright scarlet glasses, thick-rimmed and triangle shaped, rested in front of her eyes. They were so out of place I didn't know what to think. This woman appeared to be in her mid-to-late twenties. But she was so... lifeless. Had she been different before this job? Why did she have such bright glasses? Were they the leftover shards of a broken person? As I pondered this, the woman broke the silence. "How can I help you?" she said in a monotonous voice. "I found a young girl. Her parents have been," I lowered my voice into a whisper. "Eliminated. And I'd like to have her memory replaced." "Your name?" "Zelphira LeMarre." "Child's name?" "Nakira Selvyn." The woman gave me a strange look. "Yes, that's a Non name. I only communicated with her to get her here," I explained quickly. The woman simply nodded and typed something into her computer. "Please sit down, someone will be with you shortly," she stated. I sat down on the plastic chair. It looked like the chairs Nons bought at the store. It was cold and uncomfortable, and made my bottom ache within a few seconds. Why did a Premium like me have to use this lousy Non chair? I glanced at Nakira. She was staring at the room, completely unaware of what was happening to her. Just then, a door to the left of the front desk open. A tired-looking nurse in white uniform stood in the doorway. "I need Zelphira LeMarre and Nakira Selvyn."

Chapter Eleven: Empty Molds
{Miss LeMarre's POV}

Spoiler:

I stood up at once, grabbing Nakira's sticky hand. The nurse lazily motioned with her hand. "Come on in," she said in a flat voice. The hallways were completely void of any other Fantagians. The only thing on the white walls were posters saying things like "The Honourable and Benevolent Leader Akunin Dokusaisha protects Fantage from Corruption and Chaos". I personally couldn't care less about politics. Emel, however, played an active role in the National Party; and he had great respect for President Dokusaisha. Oh, Emel. I hoped the nurse didn't notice my blushing face as I thought about him. "Ma'am, this is the room you'll stay in. The doctor will come in shortly," the nurse told me. I looked into her sunken brown eyes. I couldn't tell if she was Premium or Non. Whatever she was, she creeped me out. We stepped into the room. It was spare and plain, like the rest of the building. There was a grey metal desk in one corner of the room, with those same uncomfortable chairs as the waiting room. A computer hummed on the table. A screensaver with pictures of President Dokusaisha was displayed on the screen. On the other side of the room, a bare cot stood. Surrounding the cot was some sort of demented machine. A huge lamp hung over the cot, and the machine had all sorts of fancy buttons and keyboards and screens. The last thing I noticed was a simple grey cubby organizer, up against the wall opposite the desk. I sat down on a plastic chair, Nakira slumped onto the linoleum floor. And we waited. After only a few minutes, someone hovered in. A man. He wore those lab coats smart people wore, and his eyes were sharp and cold. He looked pretty old, both his hair and his beard were grey; and he had frown lines. "So, what do you need me to do, Ms. ... LeMore, is it?" he asked. "LeMarre," I corrected. "LeMarre. Well, what do you need?" he asked. His voice was strangely not as monotonous; in fact it had some emotion to it, but his words were short and clipped, as if he was speaking staccato. "You see that Non girl over there?" I pointed to Nakira. "I found her in a bush Downtown." "Downtown. I see." The man nodded, and took notes on a pad of paper. "So then I end up taking her to my house, and I try calling her parents. Turns out they're all the way in Raspberry Raven, and they're Eliminated. And that girl, Nakira's her name, she was trying to get to her grandma, who's all the way in- get this- Olive Otter. I have no idea how she managed to end up in White Seal. But anyways, I need to get rid of her. I felt weird though, turning her in to be Eliminated. I mean, I can't stand kids. But it's not like I can just let them get Eliminated. So I guess this is the next best thing," I said to the doctor, who was taking down notes. "I see. You made a good decision. The only legal alternative to having a child Eliminated is having their memory replaced. And children aren't the only ones who get their memories replaced. Adults do it too. If they plead their case at court, and- I should stop. I can't tell you this. As I was saying, I'll replace her memory and send her off to a decent home. Although, if you ask me, "memory replacement" isn't the best way to phrase it," the doctor said, drawing a circle with the word identity in it. "In fact, it's more like an identity replacement. You take out the old identity," he said, erasing the word identity. "And insert the new identity here." He rewrote identity onto the circle. "Oh," was all I could say. Nakira was too busy observing the floor to really care about what was going on. The doctor stood up. "Let's begin the operation, shall we?," the doctor said, picking up his notepad. "Of course, you'll have to pay through mail; and judging by your clothes I don't think that'll be too hard. Oh, and you'll have to leave the room." "Leave the room? Can't I watch?" I asked, standing up as well. "Well, you could," the doctor replied, smiling. The smile seemed fake though, and it filled me with shivers. "But then we'd have to Eliminate you, Miss LeMarre. Please step outside." I obeyed the doctor.

Flaming is Forbidden
Complaints are Accepted
Compliments are Welcome
Critiques are Highly Encouraged

(sorry for double posting, the editing's messed up) For some reason the story isn't showing up. Help please??

Did you write it on Microsoft Word or something first?

I'm on a Mac, so I can't do it.


Oh God this is so embarrassing. D:

EDIT: I fixed it! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Ooh, I like the prologue~!

Can't wait for more! ;D

I really luved the story!!!
Looking forward for more!!!

Nice prologue! Although, i really like action taking place... Nice beginning though!

Thanks for the comments, I promise there will be more action. ^.^ I went through a lot of trouble to post this, so I really appreciate your support, everyone. [: Now excuse me while I write a new chappy... *ω*

:O i loved it u shud really write more and fast ^^ ur fans are beginning to get impatient XD lololol

Awesome story! More plz xD