Planet: Eteran

First Insurgency War

RAYAN

It took several weeks of getting used to his new home to sort through the art dome and place things where he wanted them to be. Mom had done most of the work for him, though left his personal artist tools for him to organize. Rayan kept track of all of his tools with his own head as he placed them in assorted cupboards; from acrylics, which he sorted by colour and shade, his fresh papers Mom bought from the crafts store James told him about. His pencils and brushes he put in holding spots beneath his workbench. He grinned at his brand of organized chaos, and shuffled for his old artbook.

I've got a few pages left... maybe I can get to know the area if I could just put it on paper. He tore off each used page to slide into the board on the wall of the dome for future projects and references, where Mom left him extra, empty infopods on the side. Okay, I think I'm good to go. Let's see if I can find any landmarks to jot down so I don't lose my way again... He shoved his artbook into the pocket of his coat, before grabbing it and leaving the art dome into the main foyer of the manor.

"Mom?" he called. "I'm going out."

Mom left the kitchen. "Okay, just try not to be out too late, Rayan. I'll have dinner in the heating unit when you come back." She hesitated, then added, "If I'm not home, I'm probably discussing something with Garrett and waiting for your father to send me some news from Odaport."

Rayan frowned at the mention of Dad. "I understand." He opened the double doors, where the SAI clicked in response and he donned his coat to escape the chilly breeze.

Ugh... why is it so cold? He trudged through fallen leaves. Where do I even start...

He wandered through Eastpoint, and spotted several of his new classmates in every place he drifted by. Jon and a few boys Rayan hadn't learned the names to put to faces yet hung outside the park by the pitch, chatting animatedly, but otherwise didn't notice him. Glad for the reprieve, he rushed across town, shoving his face into his collar to try and avoid awkward conversation, where every voice echoed without the canopy of metal to smother them. Rayan swallowed the fresh air without smog, almost choking on the sensation it left in his lungs as he continued to keep his brisk pace.

I don't want to get lost again.

Trees replaced concrete and buildings as he kept on the well-maintained path through the forest, following the small signs on the trail. Birds chirped in the green, rustling canopy over his head which blocked out any sense of sunlight, only leaving patches on the ground as it trailed to the event horizon. Mist trailed past his lips with the chilly day as he listened to the leaves crunch underneath his boot. Pinpricks swept up his skin when the breeze picked up and threatened to carry him off to the unknown. He froze with the smack of wind against his cheeks as he growled at nothing in particular before hugging himself and trudging through the hard breeze of Eastpoint.

And here I thought the winds of the salt flats were a nightmare.

He tread past a small park, where a single pair of swings and a slide rounded around a mini jungle gym. No children with their parents gave life to the park, only the tree leaves which scattered across the beams and benches. He kept on the trail, marked clearly as it led him deeper into Eastpoint's surrounding forest. A small creek tore through the roots of some trees as he followed it all the way to a glistening pond.

Rocks shadowed patches of the crystal water as he tested the air within the grove. As he reached the water's edge, a trickle of movement caught his attention. A small burrowing creature licked at the water, where its double tail held out to weave with the wind shattered by tree cover. Sketchbook in hand, he crept closer to the strange creature. Its ears twisted in his direction, and without a second look, bolted back into the underbrush with a hiss.

Huh, never seen something like that on Kestra before. He stood at the eroded shore holding out his sketchbook to try and gauge the angles needed to mark down the new landmark. Sketchpen between his fingers, he tried to get every curve of the pond and every interruption of jagged rock. As he trailed across the lines, he hesitated at the shuffle of leaves and crack of branches. Bushes rustled, and heavy footsteps approached from behind.

"Do you mind—?"

He threw his arms out to escape from the sneak attack, although the voice rang with familiarity. His knuckles smacked against the tough casing of a camera. It flew past him with his swing, and tumbled with a wet plop.

It went silent, and the forest held its breath.

Rayan blinked at the ripple of water and bubbles before turning around to who snuck up on him.

James stood there, hands outstretched without a grip on what he had held previously. His lips parted as the hazel drifted to him. Rayan took one step back as James' arms slacked against his sides and stared at the dissipating bubbles until there was nothing left. One more step as James fists clenched and sucked in his lips as he eyed him.

Oh no... Rayan's heart burned in the acid of his stomach as James skewered him. "Uh—"

"You're jumpy," James observed.

Rayan jolted, then waved his hands when James stared at where Rayan had unceremoniously tossed his camera. One thing Rayan had never seen James without in the fresh weeks at school. One thing he had on his person at all times during arts classes. He gasped out when the shock came back to him as he switched to the pond. "Oh, shi—I'm so sorry!" He shook his hands at James who's expression steeled in annoyance. "I didn't mean it—- You just... you just snuck up on me and I'm not quite used to the area yet! I didn't even know you were here and—" James gave him the cold shoulder as he headed to the pond, and Rayan followed. "How long were you here?"

No response, and he wanted to strangle his own tongue.

He frowned when James knelt to the water to dip his slender fingers into it before shaking off the droplets. "James—?"

One more glare was his answer as James slipped off his shoes and socks before stepping into the pond. Rayan lunged forward. "Hold on, isn't it a bit too cold?"

"The weather's fine," James mumbled as he rolled up his sleeves to shuffle through the water. Rayan stood back as James tugged out the camera, where dirt and grime stuck to the casing and lens. His heart sank as James investigated it, and his facial features contorted into a dangerous grimace as he gave Rayan a side-eye.

"I'm sorry," he bleated.

James tried to wipe off the grime with his shirt to no avail as water droplets dripped through the cracks. "Does this happen often to you?" he questioned.

Rayan stopped. "Uh... I don't know? I'm not usually this much of a klutz, I promise—"

James returned to the bank to shake himself off before slipping back into his socks and shoes as he studied his camera.

"I-I didn't ruin it, did I?"

James ignored him as he headed over to a bush, tugging out his bag with a huff.

"Aren't you cold?"

James tugged out a cloth, wiping down the camera to the best of his ability with stiff motions. Rayan raced to him. "Wait— If there's any damages, I can help pay for it—"

"I don't need it," James grumbled as he straightened himself out and shouldered his bag, holding his camera close to his chest. "What are you doing here?"

"I just stumbled here."

James blinked. "Like you stumbled onto the pitch, I'm assuming?" Knives stabbed into his chest as James rubbed his hands in the cloth. "Great..." he whispered.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted something," Rayan continued, and kept James' pace when he stomped onto the exit trail. "Let me help. Where are you going?"

"Where do you think? I need to see if this can even be fixed," James said tightly as he shoved the camera into his bag. "I don't need the help, Falae. If you were doing something there, you can go back and do it." He pointed down the path they came from before shoving his hands in his pockets with a drifting scowl.

"I'm the one that clearly messed something up," Rayan insisted as he kept James pace, who sped up to try and outwalk him. "Were you there taking pictures?"

"No, I brought my camera just to throw it in the pond."

Rayan facepalmed at his own stupid question. "You know what, pretend I didn't say anything. I can always go back later." He tried to walk side by side with James, but he avoided his gaze as he hunched forward and continued walking. "James, I really am sorry."

"Forget it."

"I know good cameras are expensive—"

"It was a hand-me-down."

Ice bit in the air between them as James led him back into the heart of Eastpoint. People he had yet to know clamored around each other or hung between the small buildings. He spotted some of his classmates eating outside the restaurant seating area, but James trudged forward to the plaza and to the electronics shop, tucked beside the arts, crafts, and general store.

Soft music rang out with the bell when Rayan entered behind James, though when he tried to hold open the door, James smacked his arm aside with a small scoff. Barely any life rustled through the aisles, too used to the packed, cramped quarters of Odaport as the cashier gave James a swift nod.

"What are you looking for?" Rayan whispered.

James drifted down an aisle of back-up infopods to investigate them.

"Are you ignoring me now?"

James grabbed one packet, reading the packaging.

"I said I was sorry, I really didn't mean it."

"Rayan."

He froze at his name as it slipped out of James' lips.

James sighed then relaxed. "I said forget it. I'm just going to grab some carrying infopods so I don't lose all my work... I'm probably going to need some new lens and cleaning tools..." He drifted down the aisle to the camera section. Very few showcased cameras filled the stocks, but James turned his back on the newer ones to sort through boxes of cleaning apparatus while the music continued to sing.

"This is a small selection, isn't it?" he whispered. "What if they don't have what you need?"

James flipped over a tight package before eyeing him. "What did you expect in a small town? For this place to be full of the newest 'gadgets'?" He airquoted with a soft scoff. "I've never had a problem finding what I need. Here, since you want to help so badly." Rayan grunted when James shoved his chosen tools into his arms.

Rayan frowned as James straightened himself out to peek at the lenses, and decided to keep his mouth shut as he brought out his camera for comparison.

"Can that camera even dock different lenses?"

"Just standard. I have to get creative, but I was hoping to get a wide angle at some point," James answered before leaving the aisle. "Be careful with those."

"I'm not going to drop them."

James headed up to the counter, where the cashier awaited them as Rayan carefully placed the tools onto it. James brushed him to the side, and he waited by the window as his classmate put the camera in front of the cashier, who took it into his hands.

His heart sank as the cashier nodded and tapped something into the register while James opened his exal wallet with his own faltered face of annoyance. He held out an exal card to slip it into the drive, and Rayan hid in his coat as James packaged the tools, but not his camera while the cashier disappeared into the back with James' camera.

"James?"

"What?"

Rayan headed to him. "How much are you missing?"

"I've got enough."

Rayan hesitated when the cashier came back with James' camera. "It's a bit of a mess, James," he explained. "I can probably fix it, but it needs parts that I don't have in stock right now."

"How much?" James asked carefully, and Rayan focused on the row of I-Screen's in the back and allowed the two to have their conversation

"I see," James' voice interrupted him when he waved his hand. "Forget it then, I'll just take the tools."

"You're not going to get your camera fixed?" Rayan asked as the cashier nodded. "Is it too much?"

James puffed out a breath then glared at him. "It's just a hand-me-down." He headed away from the counter and to the exit.

Rayan eyed the cashier, then slipped out his own exal card. He counted the difference needed as the cashier considered him. "I'll pay for it," he whispered as he slipped his own exal card into the drive. I'm the one that got it in this state.

The register accepted his card as the money filled to meet the difference, and he tugged it out with a beep as James' footsteps faltered. The cashier unloaded a chip from the camera's drive, handing it to him.

"Um." Rayan turned to James, who stared at him. "What is this?"

James blinked, then rolled his eyes. "It's the chip that holds all my pictures. I just don't have a drive at home to upload all of them—"

Rayan jolted. "I do!"

"What?"

Rayan rushed over to his classmate. "I do, I mean. I have one at my house you can use until that camera gets fixed."

"I don't think—"

"Listen," Rayan insisted. "I know we've gotten off on the wrong foot, but let me at least try and make it better."

James considered him, then frowned at the door. "Why would you have a photodrive at your house?"

"Just take my word for it, please?"

James leaned around him as the cashier took the camera into the back, and a sigh escaped his nose. "Fine, Rayan. Let's go — and don't get us lost on the way there."

"I won't." Victory tasted sweet as he led James out of the shop. "It's a bit of a walk, but I swear the uploads will be safe with me. You can... I don't know... also have some dinner if you don't have any other plans. Mom always tends to make extra for some reason..."

James hummed as they walked. "Hm... why would I do that?"

Rayan flinched. "I don't know, I just want you to not... think I'm an asshole."

"A troublemaker?" James corrected.

"Sure, yeah. I said I'm not usually that much of a klutz."

For the first time since he met James Ranier, he smiled. "I'll think about it."