The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him.

---- Thieron works for H'eon. The Leader of He'on is Alton Ivar. Thieron tells Alton that he will find the second Priority Soul so that he can be sent to retrieve the Àvo. Thieron is provoked by Dhor-Wo (Alton's bodyguard). He hits Dhor-Wo and breaks his nose. Thieron trails Aija; he finds that she is an extremely powerful soul. And, so, even though Alton asks him to Harvest her, he decides on a different plan by himself.

---- Nala seeks Zuri out. They spend the day together, and go to the APC. Zuri introduces Aija to Nala. Nala is contacted by her partner, who sees her mingling with humans.

---- Nala is confronted by her partner – Luka. Luka tells her that Thieron is trailing Zuri's friend Aija. Alton ordered Thieron to Harvest Aija.

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****10.1 - Aija****

"When the sun's first rays kiss the ground softly, the snow sparkles like the iridescent magic it is," she read to herself. "Snow makes the whole place that much more magical."

Aija had fallen in love with those words the first time she had read them when she had been a student. Reading it now, she fell in love with it again.

She was taking care of the class three students, and they were showing her what they had learned that day.

"Have you seen snow, Ms. Niyarah?" Marya asked her voice vibrant.

"No, Marya," Aija replied with a sad smile. "There has been no snow for hundreds of years now."

"Ever since the Wars," clarified Riya. "The Wars changed everything."

"Yes," Nadim agreed, joining in the conversation.

The children settled into a discussion of their own. 

Aija Niyarah Rao-Oshiro settled into her seat behind the teacher's desk. She loved children, and she could see herself teaching in the future. But, there were times when Aija felt like there was something else she was supposed to be doing. The problem - she didn't know what it was.

The classroom was brightly lit, the sunlight streaming through the side walled entirely by glass. Aija looked out towards the Apartments. She was half expecting Luka to be looking at her from one of the Apartments. He wasn't there.

Etrie hadn't contacted her since the day he had dropped her back home. It had been over a week now. She now wondered if he had even asked her to help him. Or had she imagined it? Had she imagined the whole thing about aliens? Or had he made up some story to toy with her?

She looked back at the kids. They were going through the day's lesson and talking about how cool it would be to see snow for real. Aija herself had wondered the same for as long as she could remember. On her ninth birthday, she had wished to see snow; only it had never come true.

Zuri had once asked what Aija would wish for if she knew it would indeed come true. She had wanted to say snow but didn't believe it could ever come true, so she hadn't said anything. Zuri's wish had been to fall in love and be able to marry that person.

At that time, Aija had known Zuri had a crush on her. But, Aija hadn't been able to reciprocate the same feelings, although she did love Zuri as a friend. Aija hoped Zuri would fall in love with someone and would be able to marry that person, though it was just a dream. The Leadership decided when and whom to marry, which meant that Zuri would most likely end up with a man to continue the human race. It was unfair.

Aija had liked Nala. She appeared charming and lovely. She wished Zuri had told her about Nala much earlier, but of course, everyone kept some secrets. She kept a major one herself.

After the class ended, Aija went to the Teacher's rooms. She remembered how she had wanted to tell the Principal about Luka. What if he had been at school then? What if she had managed to inform him? Would it have helped Rez? What if they had stayed in the basement that night? Would Etrie have reached them in time?

She sighed rather loudly.

"What's the matter?" Mr. Young asked. He was sitting at his table, reading something on his DigiBook.

"Nothing.... I'm sorry." She apologized.

"You don't have to be sorry. If something's bothering you, I might be able to help, Aija."

Mr. Young was a middle-aged man who had worked at the school for as long as she could remember. He had been her teacher when she had been in school and taught her History. He had taught her sister Vaya and brother Rei History too, and he would do so for her younger brothers Avi and Asahi, too, one day.

"Thanks, Mr. Young." she acknowledged sitting at her table. "But, I'm fine."

"Applications for the Teacher Training will be available next week. Have you decided to continue to teach?" he said, putting the DigiBook on his table.

She smiled, "Thanks for letting me know. Zuri and Ze will be looking forward to it. I suppose I could be doing this too."

"What is that you truly want to do, Aija?"

"Isn't that always the most difficult question, Mr. Young?" she responded with another question.

He laughed, picked up his DigiBook, and left for his class.

Ze entered the room and nodded at her. They were free several times of the week at the same time.

"I'm hungry." he declared, looking at her.

Aija smiled, "Lunch is next."

"Yup," he said, stretching.

Aija hadn't yet gotten over her feelings. She still felt weird around him, and she wondered if he had ever observed it. Or maybe he was busy noticing Zu. She wasn't jealous. She just didn't know how to feel. The coming weekend she was scheduled to meet Quinn, and she was dreading it. She had asked Rei if he could be there, but he had to go back to school and to travel to Pristine City One from a different city was difficult. It was too far. Her younger brothers were too young for it, and Vaya was busy with Doi. So, it was just her and her parents.

"What are you thinking about so deeply?"

Ze was looking at her with mild interest. She could detect amusement in his icy-green eyes.

"Do you want to have dinner together tonight?" she proposed.

Her unexpected question faintly dazed Ze.

"You, Zu, and I." she made her point clear.

"Um...yes."

They decided upon the time and menu. Aija was proud of herself – she had managed to ask him herself this time. Not that it would matter anymore.

Her Scroll vibrated. She checked it and found a message from Etrie. It read, "Be ready by eleven, tonight."

After a week of nothing, Etrie decided to take her on a Harvest that very day?

She looked at Ze. Dinner would surely be over soon since there was school the next day. Still, she wanted to refuse to go. She knew she wasn't any good at saving people. But, she was curious too.

"Honestly, it looks like something's eating at your thoughts today," Ze told her.

She smiled, shaken out of her thoughts.

***

"You managed to invite Ze, why couldn't you invite him to your place?" Zuri repeated for the fifth time.

"I told you, I don't think he would have come," Aija said.

Zuri just stared at her but didn't say anything more. She had probably realized it was true, after all.

"I need to tell you something," Aija confessed as she poured orange juice into the glasses.

Zuri was removing the packaging from the burgers. Aija had picked the ones with the berry-flavored packaging; she liked them better than the other flavors. Zuri tore a piece of the edible-packing and put it into her mouth and gave some to Aija. "About...?" she asked her mouth full of the berry packaging.

"I received the notice," Aija said. "From the Leadership, to meet this guy..."

Zuri nearly choked on the packaging. Aija handed her some of the juice.

"What?!" Zuri yelled once she had swallowed the thin sheet. "You're telling me now?" she looked disappointed.

"Sorry..." Aija apologized. "It's just that....I don't know.... I don't even want to meet him. But, Rei says I mustn't decide before meeting him. I don't know; it's just been driving me crazy."

"Ai..." Zuri's voice held understanding; an understanding of Aija's feelings. Zuri hugged her.

"But, you aren't eighteen yet. I'm eighteen and haven't received the order."

"I will be in a few months, Zuri."

"When do you meet him?"

"This weekend," Aija hugged her best friend back. "Zu, I don't want to."

"You can't do that." Zuri pointed out. "Is he cute?"

Aija thought about Quinn.

"Yes," she replied. "I've met Quinn before."

"Really?"

Aija told her about the times she had spent with Quinn when she was younger. Zuri told her it wasn't a coincidence that the Leadership had put them together. 

Aija herself had had such thoughts. 

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Character Reference from Index

Etrie - Ot/chr 3.a

Quinn - Ot/chr 3.r

Nala - Chr/In 1.d

Rei - Ot/chr 3.p