Blu and Arya passed a big floating sign on the outskirts of the city: “Welcome to Meridas.” Meridas was a region made of seven joint cities, each with their unique tower. The single road grew to a wider three-lane road, three-lanes for the right side ascending to the city. If the city’s tongue stretched this far, Blu wondered about the contents in the belly of Meridas.
Blu’s eyes peered into the sky, “God, keep us and guide us.” He pedaled on.
“Amen!” Araya yelled.
Blu pedaled fast enough to pass cars in traffic, and his cloak annoyingly flapped a bit much in the wind, his Bril scarf glimmered faintly as he exercised his strength, but so far he kept the pace with ease. The driver rubbed his eyes with his arm to check if his vision was correct. Blu saluted the wary driver with two fingers. The guy nodded back in acceptance, and Blu pedalled on.
The bizarre was normal in the age of Re:Earth. The siblings would stand out more if they act normal. To the world, the Blu and Araya Swann would be categorized as just another variant; individuals deemed special. There were so many different variants nowadays that most people had stopped asking what made them special. They simply accepted the dangers that came with them. Blu would make sure not to share their reasons out loud.
The two ride deeper into the first city of Meridas, where blue and white metal buildings scrape above the sky street signs stating: “Morwalk.” The highway turned, Araya pointed to the off-ramp.
“Is this the right way?” Blu asked
“The path is a detour but we should not miss the site,” Araya replied.
“Oh boy,” Blu replied, “Your erratic behavior mixed with Meridas might be too much,”
“Maybe. Counterpoint. My adventurous tendencies will lead to some of the most profound explorations,”
“That is one way to look at it,” Blu sighed.
Blu took the exit, it led them onto a thinner road, and in the deep heart of Morewalk. How small he felt under the wall of towers with hologram billboards hanging over their heads with several huge plastic, glass arch bridges connecting the buildings.The arches were too crowded for travel,they function more like shopping centers. “Morwalk, central. Known for a plethora of international commerce in one area,” Araya stated in awe, “Look at the candescent strand embedded into each bridge. These replicate the bioluminescent insects.”
Blu felt the congestion of the traffic and locals as he navigated. City blocks were loud with people and shining things on sale, but the whoosh from the outdoor elevators as they shot up to those glass bridges were an oddly pleasant beat in the city. Maintenance drones applied laser cleaning to keep the glass and steel bricks glossy.
The fresh new world was stale with traffic, Blu almost rear-ended a car in a blur of movement. His heart skipped a few too many beats; not from the threat of death, but from the threat of debt. Drowning in debt with no credit to his name? He had to pull over before his heart gave out. to catch his heart. Araya tapped his shoulders, and he braced for her remark.
“Blu, this building is five hundred seventy seven meters tall, that one is seven hundred thirty one meters, and about two blocks past that alley should be a Linxton building, five hundred sixty seven meters high with a projected mural of Floaters. Yes, Floaters, actual Floaters, Blu!”
“Floaters?”
“Observe!”
Blu slowed to a halt. A random guy in a rush bumped into them and cursed at the siblings. Blu barely held his lip, fighting to not respond to the rude stranger. Thankfully, Araya insistently nudged his shoulder, so he peered upward. People wearing steel and leather sneakers with round plates on the heel that brandish an intersected doubled ring Iridescent emblem filled the sky. So many children, the ones born with credits walking on the sky. Business men in RGB glowing suit jackets casually zoomed on by, the faces of which were so unbothered, or perhaps focused.
“We must purchase that footwear,” Araya said
“Really? What you do is better,”
“But the method is different and worth experiencing, Blu, and what about you? Don’t you want to fly?”
“Do I? I guess.”
“I don’t understand why your tone sounds uninterested? there is freedom in flight,”
“Freedom huh? That does sound nice,” Blu breathed in the city, “So where is Buster's HQ?” Blu cycled back into traffic.
“That will be…”Her eyes flickered, “The next city over, Lelios, the old heart of Meridas. Go straight and follow signs for Leeway. The estimate time will be 30 minutes, due to traffic,”
“The old heart huh?” Blu pedaled back into traffic, "Isn't an old heart kinda of bad?”
“Well, ‘old heart’ does imply a deteriorating health condition. However, a healthy fifty-year-old man could still have a perfectly healthy old heart. Logically speaking, of course. And furthermore-” Araya explained.
“Okay Araya, I appreciate the thought,” Blu interrupted and chuckled a bit.
“Anytime,”
Blu pressed on to the highway.
The horns blared at the siblings. Blu, distracted, he went in and out of cars on a flat polymer five-lane road. He cut off a silver modern compact car, so he moved out of their way by cutting in front another vehicle on the highway.
The more cars Blu dodged, the more horns blared and slurs were hurled his way. He was garnering too much attention; he might attract the city's sentries. The law armed with .22 Hand cannons that would chase you down in their state of art hovercrafts.
“Exit ramp in one mile,” Araya stated.
“Thank the Son!” He replied and sped up.
They took the off-ramp. Next stop was Busters' HQ home to the oldest city, Leolios.