Early in the morning on Saturday, Nicoleta opened her door to find a box package addressed to her, from mission control.
She brought it inside, and placed it down on her coffee table, warning her friends who stared eagerly at the box to not open it until she finished her call with her father.
By the time she turned around to face them, just right after saying goodbye, they immediately tore the box open, and tossed the paper on it to the side like trash.
Charlotte pulled out a small trophy in the shape of a woman with her arm held high.
Nicoleta took it, and placed it on her shelf beneath her desk.
She also looked inside, and pulled out a white T-shirt with I'am a Champion written on the back.
"ohh look at this ribbon" said May lifting up a scarlet coloured ribbon for them to see, Nicoleta took it and looked underneath it.
Beneath the ribbon was her initials, NKA.
Charlotte had pulled out a case locked with a padlock. Atop it was a small note.
"What could that be?" May asked inching closer to see better, Nicoleta examined the note, then took the padlock in her hands.
"It's a new uniform from Mr. And Mrs. Arnold," said Nicoleta, as she opened the case. They were all mesmerized to find a scarlet red jumper suit inside, with black boots, and a hair tie.
Nicoleta's smile grew wider.
"That is going to look so good in class tomorrow" May mused, picking up the whole thing to see. It was like the regular sector 2 uniform, it had a heater and an AC built into it, it wasn't too tight, and it had pockets deeper than a bottomless pit.
May looked inside the box one more time, and found another letter addressed to Nicoleta.
She opened it, and read it out loud.
"Nicoleta Ariti congratulations on your winning the sparring competitions. As part of your reward, we are giving you a two month vacation to sector 1. Signed Mission control" Nicoleta could have bursted in that instant.
An invitation to sector 1, this was just one more step closer to being transferred, they were just probably getting her prepared, then the moment she would arrive in sector 2 after her visit, they would knock on her door during midnight, and scoop her away.
She snatched the letter from May, and read through it again, just so she would be sure it was true, to make sure it wouldn't suddenly disappear.
They peaked into the box one more time, and inside were tickets, and on the tickets written in bold letters was Sector 1.
Nicoleta grasped it as if her life depended on the vertical pink ticket, she stared at a future with her father, brother, and perhaps her step mother.
She stared at flower fields, and paintings, projects, and staying up late watching Bob Ross.
"I wonder what sector 1 is like" Nicoleta whispered, dreamily "it's very disciplined from what I hear" said Charlotte. She sat down on the couch and took the boots from the case.
"I know a boy in sector 1 actually" Nicoleta and Charlotte turned to May, "who?" Charlotte asked, as she wore the boots, Nicoleta made to protest, but Charlotte stopped her, "we are the same size"
"That's not the problem- anyway. Who's the boy?" Charlotte laughed lightly. "Well I used to know him really well, we haven't spoken to each other in a year now" she sighed, sinking back on the TV desk.
"It is disciplined like Char said. It's like a military base according to Luke" Nicoleta furrowed her brows, "military base?"
May nodded, "yeah, there are twelve divisions, everyone is sorted according to what powers they have, so let's say there's a whole division for phoenixes" a clanking made May stop speaking.
They both turned to see Charlotte walking around in the boots, Nicoleta feigned a glare.
"Don't break them" she warned playfully, Charlotte laughed a little, "these are stilettos" she said, balancing herself on one leg.
"The heel is too short" May stated, "I think it's removable" Charlotte fiddled with the heel and successfully removed it. When she placed her heel less foot on the floor she turned to her friends beaming.
"That's amazing" May said, she nodded in agreement, "anyway- sector 1?"
May seemed to snap out of something, "yea yeah- anyway sector 2 is like a starter pack for sector 1- you have a tight schedule now, but wait until you get transferred to sector 1- you probably won't have time for anything else but sleep" that wasn't something too extreme for Nicoleta to handle, she went through worse, and there was always the weekend, and holidays.
Free time would come at some point, so that didn't sound too bad. "And there's school there too right?" May shrugged, "honestly I don't know- I've heard some rumours that say that sector 1 is where you graduate that's why it takes them so long to transfer anyone"
Being rid from school work would be a blessing, just then she had a stack of homework that she needed to get to.
Nicoleta really believed that after exams week, the teachers would have them take a break, but homework kept coming like Laura's attacks on the day of their match.
Nicoleta could definitely take it, but it was very sleep depriving.
"Well I hope it's true" Nicoleta said, standing up on her feet. She placed the ticket down on her desk, and grabbed her T-shirt.
"Char please take off the boots" May giggled.
"I just might join the competitions to get one of these"
The day of Nicoleta's vacation to Sector 1 was a week away, so she packed her bags the very same day she received the letter, and after her friends left, she settled into her desk chair and called her father again, bubbling with joy to tell him the great news.
"Hello" but Liam was the one to pick up, she looked at him strangely. "Where's dad?" Liam looked to the left on the screen.
"Trying to cook- what's up?" She heard her father's voice in the background, "is it Nicoleta?" He asked, right beside his voice was Valerie's.
"Oh I haven't seen her in so long"
Before she knew it three people were staring at her through the screen.
"Hi guys- " they all said hi together, causing the echo in the speaker to squeak.
Liam was the first to notice her shirt, which she wore backwards so the I'am champion would be at the front.
"Okay Champion" she giggled, "yeah Mission control delivered some things to me earlier" she held up the ribbon for him to see, "even a ribbon" Valerie looked around them confused.
"Wait what? What did you win?" Her father looked guilty, Liam only laughed. "Yeah you totally told her dad." He defended himself, "I got wrapped up in work"
"What did she win?" She turned to Nicoleta, "the sparring competitions, I entered three months ago- wait you really don't know?" Valerie twisted her glare to Ambrose almost animatedly.
Liam leaned back on the couch to give his mother free passage to hit Ambrose on the shoulder.
"You. Kept. This. From. Me. For. Three. MONTHS!" With each word he received a hit.
In any circumstance Nicoleta would have been angry, but this just looked funny.
"I'm sorry- I'm sorry… babe I got busy" he caught her hand and kissed it in a failed attempt to calm her down, Liam's face twisted into a disgusted look matching Nicoleta's.
"Okay- break it up" he basically tore their hands apart, though the only one who seemed upset with it was Ambrose.
"I'm sorry" he apologized again, his face filled with hope, "you were too busy to tell me that our daughter- Nicoleta cringed at the statement, Valerie continued.. "-was participating in the sparring competitions wh- " she looked at Nicoleta, her glare disappearing.
"What are the sparring competitions?"
"An annual competition created by Mission Control to bring kids together by making them hurt each other?" Valerie sunk back into the couch.
"They have a log- though I'm not sure if you can access it- " Nicoleta grabbed her tablet from beneath her desk, and went on the log.
It would be up for one more week before going down, and coming back again for the next competition.
"It's a competition to determine the strongest in all of westinsenson son- it is determined through duo competitions, group competition, trio competitions. And the most popular- individual competitions- which is the one I won"
Valerie's smile grew wider and wider. She clapped when Nicoleta finished her explanation, and even cheered a little.
"That is amazing Nicoleta- I'm so happy for you" Nicoleta nodded, "thanks- " she shifted her pleading gaze to her father, hoping he would catch on to what she wanted.
Ambrose smiled at her. "Okay give me my laptop- go finish putting the donuts in the fryer" Liam groaned and left, "this is why I don't visit often" he said in a sing song way as he walked over to the kitchen.
Valarie watched him go, then turned to Ambrose, then to Nicoleta. She let out a quick sigh, her smile everlasting on her face.
She rubbed her legs, looking about, when it clicked, "Val?" Ambrose started, she stood up on her feet immediately, "yes! I left the milk in the oven" she walked off.
Ambrose laughed heartily. He angled the camera to face him properly, then relaxed.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"I got an invitation to sector 1! " she rapped out. Nicoleta fought everything in her not to squeal, scream even.
"Wait- transfer or invitation" she looked at him as if he were speaking nonsense. "It's basically a transfer dad- " she held in a scream.
"I'm assuming this is them introducing sector 1 to me, so when I get transferred it won't be too much" Ambrose nodded. His gaze shifted for a moment as a flash of red and yellow in a mix coloured his face.
He almost looked concerned, then he chuckled, "what's going on?" He shifted the camera from him to Liam and Valerie trying to put out a pan fire.
"Don't use water, it makes it worse," said Ambrose. Nicoleta couldn't contain her laughter.
Eventually he stood up on his feet, grabbed a lid, and closed the fire up like nothing.
Liam looked at Nicoleta. "This must be hilarious to you"
She didn't deny it as she covered her mouth to hide her smile.
Nicoleta's fame in sector 2 didn't die out as quickly as she expected. Even after a good week, she was still being referred to as 'scarlet' and everyone who hadn't had the chance to congratulate her, stopped her, and did so.
In the canteen, the rush was a little low because everyone was hungry, and gladly it was breakfast, so the hunger was extra.
Still she didn't go unnoticed as she made her way to her friends.
Jackson and his crew even insisted on her joining their table.
"Winners should always sit together" that's how she learned that he and his crew had won their mixed matches. And by a landslide too regardless, She declined, and sprinted to her friends.
"See you in sector 1 then!" He shouted behind her.
Her brows knitted. For a moment she thought the invite was special, that she was the only one to receive it.
But then again he could have been getting transferred, but nobody ever knew if they were being transferred unless they were being transferred.
Perhaps it worked differently in sector 2.
But if he was being transferred then what was stopping them from getting her transferred as well?
Nicoleta sat down across from her friends as usual.
"Hi guys" she ignored all the people whispering about her, in class, in school, outside of class and school, in the gym.
Nicoleta ignored it as best she could, but she had always hated attention, and no amount of winning would get rid of that side of her.
She retired to her room early, settling down into a quiet, even her friends wouldn't be allowed to destroy.
On the day she would be taken to sector 1, she climbed on the elevator to the fifth floor just to make sure she had packed every essential.
Beside her was a blue haired girl, she looked ridiculously familiar. Nicoleta did a double take.
It was Laura Glass. "Oh hey!" Laura was the one to speak first. She must have not been paying attention either.
"Sector 2's champion in the flesh" her voice wasn't the same one Nicoleta heard when they fought, she sounded more chipper now, whereas on the platform her voice was deep, stern, commanding even.
"hi" Nicoleta responded, she had said hi to so many people that she'd run out of energy for Laura, she didn't sound as excited as she felt.
As Liam often said to her whenever she ran to him during a social event to feign sleep in his arms and avoid any more people. Her social battery had run out.
"you put up a great fight" she spoke as if she was the one that won.
If anything Nicoleta was supposed to be the one to tell her that.
"Umm… thanks?" The elevator doors opened, and the two stepped out together. "We should hang out some time," Nicoleta smiled and nodded.
"Maybe Saturday?" She stopped walking, and turned to Laura, "I can't- I'm gonna be in sector 1 on Saturday." Laura smiled, "well I live there- " Nicoleta laughed. Of course, why did she say that?
"Okay then I'll see you at dinner"
She had dinner in her room, with her friends.
Nicoleta told them what Laura said, sharing how strange it was to her that someone that once glared at her from across the platform would be so friendly. She took away Laura's fifth win, how could she be so kind?
"Heat of the moment actions aren't things you should take seriously" May nodded in agreement, mouthful.
"Or she could be spying on you, so next time you join the competitions she can beat you easily" May said with her mouthful, Charlotte had this disgusted look on her face that made Nicoleta chuckle a little.
"she doesn't need to- I'm not bothering next year"
"She doesn't know that." May butted in, "maybe she really wants to be friends? It might help your transfer chances" Charlotte beamed, "yeah- hanging around one of sector 1's selectives is a great way to secure a transfer" Nicoleta looked at them confused.
"Selectives?" They nodded, "yeah, every sector has seven children they have selected to defend their respective sectors in case of any emergencies, one of them in sector 1 include Laura" May explained, stuffing her face as she did.
Charlotte's disgust grew deeper. She turned to Nicoleta and wiggled her eyebrows, "there's an open spot- maybe you could be the seventh" May threw a napkin at her, "don't speak with your mouthful" Nicoleta burst out into laughter.
On the day of her vacation to sector 1, Nicoleta said her goodbyes to Charlotte and May.
The two pretended to cry, hugging her, clutching her hand, and wailing about never seeing her again.
Nicoleta laughed at them, "you guys are ridiculous" they grew even more dramatic after that.
Everyone that walked by looked at the three like they were crazy.
Jackson and his crew walked by them to the elevator doors, shaking his head at Nicoleta and her friends with a smile on his face.
When their transfer guide called for them, Nicoleta pulled Charlotte, and May into a tight hug, and kissed their hairs.
"I'm gonna be back before Christmas, don't have too much fun without me!" She climbed on the elevator, waving them goodbye as the doors came to a close.
"Bye!" She let out a breath, and turned to the others inside the elevator.
Seated in the corner was Kannika. Nicoleta smiled, and sat down next to her.
"You got invited too?" Kannika laughed lightly. "No, no I'm being transferred" so it was different in sector 2- what?
She was being transferred, she didn't even make it to the semi finals.
How come Nicoleta the winner was only getting a two month invitation? She did better than Kannika, Kannika couldn't beat Laura she did.
What made her qualified? Nicoleta had beaten a sector 1 selective, Kannika didn't even make it past the quarter finals.
That was so unfair, and it was ridiculous, outrageous if anything.
A winner gets an invitation, a quarter finalist gets transferred.
"Congratulations" Nicoleta said, despite the anger rising in her chest.
She wanted to punch away the smile that appeared on Kannika's face.
Wanted to burst into flames. Storm into mission control and tell them that they're being stupid.
Burn anything in sight, show them that she was much more deserving to be transferred than Kannika.
She didn't even want to look at her anymore, but refused to move away so as not to seem suspicious.
She glanced at Jackson, who was already staring at her.
He did a brisk wave, then looked away, falling into a hushed conversation with his friends.
After some time the elevator doors opened and Nicoleta was greeted with a balcony.
Standing by the railing was a tall thin woman, with a mole on her cheek.
"Hello everyone- welcome to sector 1" they all walked outside. Nicoleta watched in dread as Kannika was taken away by a different guide.
"Please follow me" said the woman, she began descending the stairs, and they all followed suit.
"This place is called the transfer hall- this is the first place all transferred children see before truly seeing sector 1." She opened the double doors, and they walked through empty halls, dimly lit.
Later she led them to another set of double doors, outside was a sector full of life.
"This is sector 1" Nicoleta looked at the chandeliers to the big windows that displayed the ocean almost artistically, her gaze wandered from the stairs, to the balcony then down to the kids playing around with blue flame.
She ran to the railing and looked at them as they walked away from sight, laughing about something unknown.
"Wow" she wondered, the woman placed a gentle hand on her back, "follow me to the visitors quarters please" they went down the stairs, then through a series of long hallways that were somehow much more crowded than Sector 2, but one incredible thing was, that despite the huge crowd, no one bumped into her. They might have glanced at her.
But not a single group even brushed her shoulders.
They all walked in an organized fashion, sticking to whatever group they were part of, and if they were alone, they kept themselves stuck to the walls.
They looked misplaced in such an organized crowd.
Their tour lasted two hours, and only so short because the woman showed them the main buildings, which meant there were more.
Another thing Nicoleta noticed was that sector 1 residents all wore different uniforms, unlike sector two and eight that had their signature, yellow, or blue uniform colors; in sector 1 everyone had on different uniforms.
One group of children had four kids wearing a black uniform with stripes rounding down along the sides and ending by the hip, just like the one she remembered seeing on Levi.
Nicoleta remembered thinking then that it was the official sector 1 uniform, but it seemed they didn't have one official uniform, because right behind the group was another set of kids who wore blue uniforms, with red running along their arms and legs.
On their breasts were names Nicoleta didn't believe were their own.
When she looked closer she saw Division twelve written on the breast pockets of the kids that wore blue and yellow uniforms.
Another set walked past them, this time they wore white and and red, on their breast pocket was the same thing. Division six.
That alone made Nicoleta's curiosity for sector 1 grow even more.
"Here is the school building, there are eight schools here in sector 1" Nicoleta was disappointed to hear that, but she didn't seem to be the only one as the ones behind her groaned.
Sector 1 was also very bright, it had more windows than Nicoleta believed any building had ever had.
They made it to the visitors quarters within half an hour. There were four doors facing each other then farther ahead was two ways, with an elevator stopping their detour straight.
Nicoleta was shown into her room with Jackson as he stayed in the room right across from hers.
When the woman left them after giving them instructions, And telling them the rules, Jackson smirked at Nicoleta.
"Guess you are forced to sit with us," he said, Nicoleta smiled, but ignored him, as she unlocked her door with her new key card.
"I'll see you at lunch" she closed her door and laughed at him.
Nicoleta looked at her new temporary room, she didn't want to get too excited, but couldn't help herself from spinning a little.
She settled onto the bed, and grabbed the rule book, this time she decided to read it.
As disciplined as sector 1 was, if she wanted to be able to live there she needed to know the rules.
Sector 2 might have been lenient, but sector 1 was basically military, following the rules wouldn't just be something expected but forced.
She flipped through the pages, running her index finger along the rules as she read through it.
No sparring in the halls.
No spying on other divisions.
Division Uniform cannot be taken off, unless working hours are done.
Sector uniforms cannot be worn by individuals in divisions.
Individuals not in divisions must not wear division uniform at any time.
No walking the halls after eleven Pm.
No skipping training, school, lessons etc.
Boys and girls cannot fraternize alone. They must always be around four or more officers.
Sector 1 residents need permission from a commander if an individual is in a division to visit different sectors, if not in a division individual must request leave from mission control.
Sector one residents cannot visit sectors seven to twelve.
Sector 1 visitors must wear the uniform provided to them.
Sector 1 visitors must not participate in any division training.
Nicoleta closed the book, she flipped through the pages, and realised just how big the book was, and the pages were thin.
It would take too long to read it now, later, definitely, she would read it later.
For now she had to settle down, explore her room. Perhaps call her dad, tell him that she had made it to sector 1.
Nicoleta jumped off of the bed, and looked around the room. It was very different from her room sector 2, this one had the bed in the center of the room with two windows, one at the head of the bed, and the other on the left across from her desk.
The bathroom was a blue door opposite the bed. It was almost as spacious as the bedroom.
Nicoleta settled into her desk chair after leaving the bathroom. She opened the computer, and immediately dialed her father's number.
He picked up instantly. His face appeared on the screen, his hair slightly disheveled, head laid back on a stack of pillows.
"Hello Nicoleta" she furrowed her brows at him, he was being too formal. "What's going on?"
He sat up straighter, and pulled something off screen.
"Val has some models over, I've been banned to our room" he smiled, his eyes softening at the mention of her.
Nicoleta didn't like Valerie, not because she was mean, or even treated her horribly, but because her appearance in their lives changed everything.
Nicoleta liked her life without them, she enjoyed the quiet, just the two of them on Sundays, making breakfast together, when they showed up it was four of them crammed in the kitchen.
But she wasn't a bad person, she loved her father, and he, despite how much she didn't like to admit it, loved her too.
It was obvious with just the way he looked at her, the way his eyes would soften when he spoke about her, the gentleness in his voice whenever he said her name.
He looked away from the door, and back at Nicoleta, "I'm in sector 1 right now" he beamed. "Congratulations" she smiled.
"It's an invitation not a transfer" he nodded, lips pursed. "It's still something to be happy about."
"Dad, come get her under control" her father burst into laughter, and he turned the camera to Liam, his hair had been tied into multiple ponytails.
"Is that Nicole?" Liam stepped inside, and closed the door.
"Hey- what's up?" He jumped in the bed next to his father, and Ambrose turned the camera around to face the both of them.
"Why's your hair like that?" Liam spoke his head, seemingly reliving something unpleasant.
"One of the models is a mother" he shuddered, "her kid cornered me and this happened"
Ambrose pulled out a small pink ribbon, staring at it for a moment, his smile dropping lightly.
He looked at it for a long time, as Liam explained his tragic tale.
"Nicoleta used to do that" he said, suddenly, Nicoleta melted.
She did used to do that. All the time.
"And I was never a victim?-" Liam celebrated. "I was a great hair stylist," her father disagreed. "You mean my styles weren't good?" Liam laughed lightly.
"They were adorable" was all Ambrose said. Nicoleta shook her head at him.
They spoke for hours, even sneaking out to see if Valerie was done with work.
She was angry for only a moment, but then she saw Nicoleta's face on her husband's computer and became the nicest person known to mankind.
"You have great judgement Nicoleta- who looks better in this dress?" They all eventually joined her work, picked out some models, and helped her sort dresses- well Nicoleta did the two men only sat very still, avoiding breathing too heavily so as to not upset Valerie.
Three days into Nicoleta's stay in sector 1, she met a familiar face in the halls. She quickly climbed the stairs and caught up with him.
"Hey" she said, waving a little only to regret instantly. Levi turned to her from the conversation he was having, his eyes as piercing as ever.
"Hello- you have been transferred congratulations- "
"No. It's an invitation" he shrugged, "same thing" the boy beside him disagreed, his eyes still on the tablet in his hands, "not really"
Levi glared at him for a second.
He pulled Nicoleta out of the way of an incoming group, and let her walk between the two of them.
"Don't mind him, he's always negative- " they turned a corner, and Nicoleta was startled when the wind slapped her in the face.
The boy beside her glared at nothing, mumbling curses under his breath, "those speedsters- no discipline" she moved the strands of hair that had fallen on her face, slightly agreeing with him.
"This is Issacher by the way- he's my brother" said Levi, Nicoleta smiled up at him extending a hand out for a handshake. "Nicoleta Ariti nice to meet you" the boy refused to look away from his tablet, and even shake her hand.
"I know- you are quite popular" confused Nicoleta turned to Levi, "you're not famous, everyone hates you" the boy said before Levi could answer.
"They all love Laura" Levi added, that she knew, but no one paid her enough attention for her to notice the hatred.
Perhaps that was the point? Ignoring her, the entire time she was there?
"That's nothing new" they turned another corner, and stepped on an escalator, Nicoleta stumbled lightly, to which Levi caught her, placing his hand protectively down her lower back.
"Thanks" she whispered.
"What is sector 1 like?" She asked when they reached the top, Issacher advanced toward a small booth, where a female officer stood behind.
"It's just as you see it" he answered, "I think she wants to know more than the eye sees" she watched as a young girl in a purple Uniform flew through the ceiling.
Sector 1 was strange, more confusing than sectors 2 and 8.
Issacher returned to them with a new tablet in hand, he glanced at Nicoleta, sighed, and glued his eyes on the screen again.
"If you want to know more about sector 1 you should be in the library" he scrolled through the tablet. Nicoleta noticed then that he and his brother wore different uniforms.
"Aren't you two in the same division?" Levi chuckled lightly, "no Issacher wanted to be different" Issacher glared at him from the corner of his eye. He faked a dry laugh, shaking his head before returning to the tablet, "haha really funny- I was promoted to a different division. Levi is just Lazy"
Levi's glare didn't disappear for a second, only when his eyes locked with Nicoleta's.
"He's training to become a commander in division twelve" Levi explained. "I'm a regular division trainee."
He pushed open some double doors, and they stopped inside a small lounge.
Issacher looked up from the tablet, and greeted a boy seated comfortably on a couch.
He waved back, "sector one consists of twelve divisions you already know- but it mostly operates as a military base, it keeps the control" Issacher explained, they settled on a window seal in front of a gigantic window.
Nicoleta watched the ocean moving in a slow relaxed motion.
She rested her chin on her shoulder, letting out a heavy breath.
"And who are your commanders?" Levi nudged his head at Issacher, "I'm not a commander- actual military men and women are our commanders"
He closed whatever was on his tablet and placed it down, "all the information you need is in the library" taking hold of her watch, he flipped through the map, and showed her a library not thirty minutes away.
"There. You can get whatever you want there" she smiled at him, "thanks- "
"Sectors- 1 and 1, historic dramatics of sector 1, and totally not a text book- those are titles to look out for" said Issacher. Nicoleta nodded.
"Anything more?" He shook his head, she glanced at Levi, "the only book I've read is the rule book" he said. She laughed.
Nicoleta jumped off of the seal and waved goodbye to them, which she also regretted instantly.
She walked out of the lounge, and held her Burning ears.
Nicoleta roamed through the library, picking up every book Issacher recommended and some.
The library surprisingly was empty, save for the robot by the counter posing to be a librarian.
She settled down where she would be hidden, and opened the first book, which ironically was the rule book.
She read all the books suggested, along the way she learned plenty about sector 1.
Sector 1- read.. sector one was established after 2028 when sectors three and four became too crowded to contain the children, after which sector 2 was established switching where sector one used to be to a higher level.
Totally not a text book- read… divisions one to twelve all have their own specialty, division one for example has mostly phoenixes, and so it is known to be the division of the Phoenix.
Division two mostly has blue flamers and so it is known as the division of blue flame.
Each division has a commander, and each commander has a right hand man or woman who is hand picked from amongst the division trainees.
Alongside the twelve divisions are jobs within the sector- such as being a medic, or a healer. Becoming a gardener, or a cook, though there are groups of people within the residents and outside who already specialize in these fields, one outside of it who are residents can request to be part.
Being trained, and taught as a soldier is not something a resident can avoid, nor schooling.
Residents can request for jobs as mentioned, some can even request to become seamstresses.
Sector 1 is civilisation, it has multiple jobs, and multiple buildings to support each career, and since it operates like the regular world, each job pays.
But sector 1 is mostly military based, as mission control in sector 1 along with the officers in all sectors are all military men and women.
One and one- read… sector one is a sector of many things, but we must first explore the one and one system of sector 1.
Every division gets a one and one commander, the commander, and his or her right hand.
Every division is a one and one, as in-
That one was too boring, she opened the dramatics of history.
Westinsenson history is rich with discoveries, and updates, the reader must be completely ready to sit through five hundred pages at once, because the author is not going to stop at the end of the chapter.
Sector twelve is a sector of experimentation, sector eleven closely behind. Sector ten is your introduction to what westinsenson son truly is, and sector nine is your step closer to improvement.
Sector eight is your assurance of improving, and sector seven is like it.
Sector six is when the child begins to really advance….
Her reading came to an end when dinner time sounded, she placed all the books back in place, as she placed the last book back in place, a thud sounded in the silent library.
"Hello!?" She looked behind the next bookshelf, "is anyone here?" She searched around, tracing where she heard the sound.
It seemed as if she was hearing things, so she skidded out of the library, reciting the books she read in her mind over and over.
The next day over lunch, she enquired for more information. To which Issacher hooked her up with more books to read.
Nicoleta didn't waste a second of her days, she spent all her time with her nose inside a book, in the empty library.
With each book she learned something, and with each new thing, she grew even more curious.
At some point sector five used to be sector eight, that was when westinsenson was still being established.
Sector three was founded by Mr. James Westinsenson himself, (his favorite number is three)
Every sector has a head, the person that oversees the entire sector, from transfers, to the last furniture replacement.
Nicoleta felt personally attacked by that.
Irene Butler is popularly known to be the general overseer of sector five. James Westinsenson being the general overseer of the entire facility.
Mission control is second only to Mr. James Westinsenson, they head westinsenson son, without them, half of what exists in the facility wouldn't exist.
Nicoleta learned that and more over the course of one week.
Eventually her thrill to learn died down, and one day the library seemed unwelcoming as she stood in front of the oak doors.
The thought of picking up another book was already putting her to sleep, Nicoleta yawned, and decided to not torture herself.
She wandered away, walking past various doors. Not stopping until she stumbled upon two glass doors that led inside a place with colour, and a canvas.
Nicoleta walked inside, hands trembling slightly, she grabbed a white canvas, and settled down on a round chair.
She dipped the paint brush in blue, and stained the canvas with it, sliding it down aimlessly.
She sighed, and placed the art supplies down. Six years old she would have had plenty of things to paint.
She stared hopelessly at the blue stained canvas. Wondering what life could have been like without her powers.
Wondering what it would be like to be a normal girl, what it would have felt like to be in the kitchen when the fire from the pan was increasing. Wondered if she would be scared, or as calm as her father.
Wondered if she would be a published artist, if her step mother would still have her model for her at special shows.
Flashes of her father's scared face, his trembling hands as he caught her in his arms, the tears that fell on her cheek and slipped to the ground.
She remembered her step mother screaming. How would that picnic have gone if she didn't get mutated by the meteorite?
What if she grew up normal, went to school, painted, modeled against her will, laughed, cooked, and cried with her family?
Why couldn't it be like that?
She picked up the brush and began painting.
It was an image of her wrapped around in her scarlet flame, and inside her head she struggled.
She titled it outwardly strength.
Nicoleta quickly fell into her old artistic ways, scribling on papers with pencils. Shading, sketching, drawing, water coloring, oil paintings, and paintings.
She suddenly grew the urge to draw James Westinsenson. And knowing nothing about him, she couldn't.
Nicoleta rushed back to the library covered in paint.
Unlike the week before there was life in the library this time, only one individual but life nonetheless.
He wore a black uniform which was covered up with a long coat.
His hair was tied back, though they were dreads, some didn't join the ponytail however, some two strands hung over his face.
He was tall, and seemed very muscular.
Nicoleta walked up to him quietly. "You're very loud" he said, his voice low, and deep.
Nicoleta stopped, confused, she hadn't made a single noise.
"What- ? " He didn't allow her to finish her sentence, "your thoughts" he said, as he removed a book and flipped it over.
"My thoughts?" He nodded, before placing the book back.
Nicoleta stepped closer, she noticed him going for a book she did not enjoy, "I wouldn't recommend that" he nodded, and went for another.
"What do- " again she didn't finish her sentence before he answered, "what is your name?" he turned to look at her.
Nicoleta was struck for a moment at the sight of him, he was mesmerising, his eyes were a beautiful shade of coffee brown, a couple of shades lighter than his dark chocolate skin.
The windows in the library were not many, but still he shimmered in the sunlight.
What a sight. He would look great in a painting.
"Thank you" said the boy, what was he thanking her for? She didn't say all of that out loud, did she? Nicoleta blushed, she couldn't have.
That would have been embarrassing.
"Um… Nicoleta" she reached in for a handshake, he shook her hand firmly.
"Alexander- Leonardo Alexander" she nodded, a small smile making way on her face, "nice to meet you Leonardo" he seemed slightly surprised when she mentioned his name.
"Well, what do you recommend then?" He asked later, running his index finger along the spines of the books. Nicoleta tapped on a title right to his left.
He smiled and took it, then removed a book, and gave it to her, "trust my judgment is true- you will enjoy it"
She looked down at the book, Mystery of the pretend it read, on the back was a description.
She followed Leonardo to the back, where he sat down in front of stacks of books.
She sat across from him, and flipped the book to the first page.
After that Nicoleta wandered into the library not just to read but to catch Leonardo, and just spend time with him.
He was easy to talk to, it was as if he knew her already, like they were old friends catching up.
He was like her in many ways than not, introverted, avoided crowds, and stayed away from attention like the plague.
They started a duo book club, discussing whatever book seemed convenient, and recommending some to each other.
When she wasn't doing her art, she was talking to him, and likewise.
It was two weeks until her stay in sector 1 would come to an end, when she learned why it seemed so easy for him to understand her.
Nicoleta flipped through a page realising that it had ended only when she saw the blank paper.
What kind of ending was that? She stood up, and was stopped by Leonardo.
He brought the sequel to her with his telekinesis, and gestured for her to sit down.
"Did- ?" He didn't let her end her sentence before answering, like before. "Yes I enjoyed it," he flipped through a page of his book, and looked at her.
"What?" He asked, Nicoleta had a suspicious look in her eyes. "How did you know what I was going to ask? How do you keep doing that?" he shrugged.
"When we first met you said something about my thoughts being loud?" Leonardo closed his book, sighing a little.
"I'm a mind reader Nicoleta" her jaw dropped, ".. I can't believe it- why did you keep this from me- " realization hit her like a door.
"You- " Nicoleta's flame bubbled furiously in her chest.
"You have been reading my thoughts all this time!?" She slammed her burning hand on the table turning the acacia wood blacker and blacker with each passing second.
Leonardo, calm as ever, stood up and placed all the books back on their shelves with his telekinesis.
"Calm down" she threw a fire ball at him, which he dodged effortlessly.
"Calm down!? Calm down!?- they're my thoughts, mine!" The table turned to ashes under the heat of her scarlet flame. "You had no right Leo" he held her shoulders gently, "I know, and I apologize" he bent down slightly to her eye level, Nicoleta's flame calmed.
"Please forgive me?" She sighed, anger still bubbling, but she held her flame back. "Fine. Only if you teach me how to make my thoughts 'quiet' " he smiled, straightening up.
"As you wish"
So over the course of two weeks, Nicoleta went to the library to learn how to block her mind from him, and any other mind readers.
The first day was mortifying.
"blocking your thoughts is similar to locking your bedroom door" she listened intently, soaking up every word, and trying to put it into practice.
"Reach for the knob and twist it to lock" Nicoleta obviously failed, and thus she put on her frustrations on him
"Could you be more specific?" Leonardo placed another book on his stack, which counted twenty. She tried not to focus on the obscure amount of books he was stacking before replying.
"Tell me how to locate this door," she answered. He placed two more books on the stack, and disappeared behind the shelf.
"The door is your brain Nicoleta, whenever you close your eyes the blackness that you see- " he appeared again, with five more books, and settled down across from her.
"That is your door," she nodded. When she retired to her room that day, she closed her eyes and tried to find the knob.
But it remained black, nothing materialised in front of her, not her flame, not a knob, not a carved shape of a door.
"I need more help" Leonard's smile was straight out of a painting by da Vinci, mild, almost unnoticeable, but when it was noticed, it was the most beautiful thing.
She had gladly brought a notebook with her that day, and also a pencil.
"Do you truly believe you have hidden that from me?" He asked, gesturing to the notebook hidden behind stacks of books, Nicoleta groaned.
"I told you to stop doing that" he nodded, "and I have earnestly heeded to your pleas- unless you wish for me to stop paying attention to your person all together" he might have been Leonardo Da Vinci with how he spoke.
Who spoke like that?
"What is that supposed to mean?" He smiled, that mild pretty smile. She drew it unconsciously.
"Your body language" he opened a book and flipped through the pages, before placing it back down, and picking up another.
"You can't read like that-"
"I'm not. Nicoleta your problem lies within your ability to halt your thoughts" she furrowed her brows, "halt my thoughts?"
He nodded. How does one halt their thoughts? She was thinking about things whether or not she knew about it.
How could she just bring her thoughts to a stop?
"It is entirely palpable to make your thoughts quiescence" Nicoleta's brows knitted together. They both stared at each for a long moment.
"It is possible to make your thoughts inactive" he repeated himself, emphasizing the words as if Nicoleta was the problem.
"I'm not a child- i speak English" he chuckled, "are you sure?" Nicoleta rolled her eyes.
"Maybe I need a visual demonstration" he stood up on his feet, "walk with me" she followed him to the opening of the library, there he sat on the floor and gestured for her to do the same.
"I want you to think about an intricate personal memory," Nicoleta nodded, letting out a breath of air.
She thought about her time in sector twelve, those days were secret, not even her father knew about her experience in sector twelve.
She went back to the first time she arrived there. When she ran away from the doctor with the needle, when someone caught her, and her powers wrapped around her as if she were being attacked.
"Close your eyes, and guard that memory" she did so. A moment later she felt something inside her mind, as if a weight had been added onto her brain.
"have you discerned me?" Leonard's voice echoed, she nodded unsure whether he was looking at her still or not.
"Good" Nicoleta felt a weight in her arms, whenever the heavy thing in her brain seemed to get close she moved away.
Everytime it neared her she moved away.
"You cannot simply flee from my presence- you must prevent My penetration" she focused on trying to find the knob on the door she held.
But she had stood too still for too long, and before she knew it the figure had gotten hold over her door, Nicoleta panicked.
"No! No! Stop! Get out of my head! Get out of my head!" She jumped a little, opening her eyes in a panic.
"alright" he said
She stared at Leonardo, breathing heavily, hands shaking.
"Alright" he reassured, but the look in his eyes was full of guilt. He already saw it.
Why did she think about that memory? Why couldn't it be something else? What was she thinking?
She stood up on her feet in a hurry. "We will continue another time. I have to go" she turned about and made for the door when Leonardo stopped her.
"Your notebook" she turned around and brought her notebook and pen to her person with her telekinesis.
When she turned to leave she was stopped again, Leonardo grasped her wrist turning her around.
His eyes had softened, a look of what she could only call familiarity bursting from them.
"I understand" he said simply, Nicoleta shook her head, "no. You don't" she left.
She stared at the finished drawing of him as she walked past the many doors following the library.
A tear stained his pretty smile.
Leonardo taught her all he could in two weeks; she left on December 1st, saying goodbye to Levi and Issacher as she climbed on the elevator down to sector 2.
Levi winked at her as the elevator doors closed, and Nicoleta blushed a little before settling down on the bench next to Jackson and his crew.
On the other side of the elevator in sector 2 was May, and Charlotte welcomed her with open arms, smiling widely.
She engulfed them in a tight hug, and only realised the clothes they were wearing when she pulled away.
"What's with the set up" they both looked at her as if she was crazy. They were wearing green dresses with red stockings, and white coats.
Their hairs had been styled into pigtails, and holding it together were red and green ribbons.
"It's Christmas," Nicoleta smiled. They helped her with her one suitcase, and when Nicoleta climbed on the elevator to the fifth floor she found out that everyone else was sporting something for the holidays.
"No uniform?" She asked, the two shook her their heads, "not during Christmas" the elevator song that was usually something boring was playing Deck The Halls. And all five of them in the elevator bumped their heads to the tone.
Nicoleta exited with her friends waving goodbye to the others inside, the two beamed at them.
"Merry Christmas" they said before the doors closed.
"So how was sector 1?" May asked, interlocking their elbows, Nicoleta sighed a little, "a dream really" Charlotte tapped her shoulder lightly.
"I'm sure you will be transferred" Nicoleta smiled lightly, "yeah- "
"I saw a lot of strange things" they both beamed. Nicoleta told them everything, and nearly forgot about Leonardo.
"And I also met a boy called Leonardo- " she caught herself before saying the words that came to mind. They didn't need to know about her drawing him, or her drawing at all, not at the moment.
She tried not to be too tense when she remembered the paintings of Levi, and Leonardo in her suit case, which May was carrying.
Levi was just so perfect in painting, his face was perfectly symmetrical, and his hair, his pitch black hair…
Those two belonged on a canvas, and Nicoleta wanted to do them that justice.
"Leonardo Alexander?" Charlotte asked, Nicoleta nodded, May jumped, Nicoleta caught her suit case in the air, and brought it to her person, tossing May a heated glare.
"I can't believe you met THE Leonardo Alexander- " May cut her off, "and didn't think to tell us the very moment you arrived? What's wrong with you?" Nicoleta looked at the two of them, confused.
"How do you guys know him?" They bursted, Nicoleta tried not to laugh at their reactions, "Nico he is only the most commended student in sector 1 perhaps in the entire facility" Charlotte explained, May nodded, eyes wide open.
"Everyone who breathes in here knows about hi- " her words were brought to a sudden stop when the ground beneath them shook.
Some of the paintings fell, and despite them being five floors up, Nicoleta could hear some people screaming from below.
Fear made a resting place in her, and before they could even take shelter, the ceiling caved in followed by a loud explosion.
They ran past the rubble, and made their way to the emergency stairs the very same time the alarm sounded.
A robotic voice followed right after.
"Emergency alert this is not a drill. Evacuations are being made on the deck." The voice repeated the same words over and over again.
They ran quickly down the stairs. Fear stank in the air as they joined the crowd of panicking kids, trying to make their way to the deck.
Nicoleta grabbed Charlotte and May's hand and held on tightly, her fear increasing by the second.
May was trembling, her eyes darting from side to side in fear, Charlotte tried to put on a brave face, as they navigated through the crowd but Nicoleta could tell that she was scared too.
They turned a corner, and made it to the deck where the first hover croft was being boarded.
Nicoleta rushed her friends forward, hoping to at least get them on the croft.
She pushed them forward through the horde of bodies, only to find that she had been holding on to strangers.
She panicked, turning around in the haze, "May Charlotte!!" She screamed, the same moment another explosion sounded, shaking the building once more.
She ran back to catch them, only to be pulled back, when someone wrapped their arms around her waist pulling her back.
"Let go let go!!" She shouted hopelessly, as Jackson who was much stronger than her pulled her toward the croft, she kicked her legs, and tried to break free all while holding her flame from bursting out.
She kicked his legs. And punched his arms repeatedly, wiggling, and squirming in his arms, but he was just too strong.
"Let go Jackson, I have to find my friends!!" her eyes burned hot with tears as he forced her into the croft, and onto a chair, "my friends" she told him.
He utterly ignored her, and sat down buckling himself in, whilst stopping her from getting up with his telekinesis.
The doors of the hover croft closed, and Nicoleta searched the crowd as they slowly disappeared behind the door for her friends.
The croft took off, and she could only hope they were safe, as she settled down, knowing she couldn't do anything more.