Year 2223. Humankind as we know it has almost disappeared. People tend to "enhance" their bodies with biotic implants, giving them certain abilities required for their jobs. These enhancements do not alter their appearance, except those focused for physical jobs, such as lifting certain amount of weight. However, protected inside a palace/fortress lives a young woman free of enhancements: the only pure human left alive on Earth. There's this order which watches over here because there have been several attempts to kill her by a radical group known as Protechnicus, people who have money and access to finely crafted enhancements that go unnoticed completely by government's scanners. Someone hires an assassin from Protechnicus to kill a target: the princess.

---------- Post added 06-28-2012 at 12:52 AM ----------

Sebastian Arnaez

I've seen that frustration,
been crossed and lost and told no.

And I've come back, unshaken,
let down and lived and let go.

"Sebastian," an old man, dressed formally and wearing a top hat, greeted the young man approaching the table, "please take a seat. We have a business proposal you might find interesting." At this so called proposal, the blue-eyed young man frowned gently. Business proposals in his field weren't optional. You received one, you had to fulfill it. Although there was the occasional out-o-the-law proposal in which it was possible to decide, most of the time his proposals were already sealed and his payment was waiting for him in his bank account. This time, though, it was different. The old man took a sip from his wine and then kept on speaking. "A businessman approached to us because he needs help with a delicate matter. Even more so, he asked specifically for you and your talents." Mr Arnaez couldn't hide his surprise this time. If someone had asked for his services, he must have been someone really important and with the right contacts to know his movements in his work. He shuffled a bit on his chair, wondering who was this strange businessman. "In here you will find all the details you need to know about your field work. Good luck." The old man then stood up and left. Moments after, Sebastian followed, depositing the check to the restaurant's online account using his Credit Interface. Yes, things were easier now.

New York City had changed drastically over the time after humankind was able to produce bio-systems compatible with life. With this, science and technology skyrocketed, changing history forever. Longer space travels could be held, deeper exploitation of resources was made available, and people could now extend their lives significantly. However, all these new upgrades were only available for those who could afford them. Even at present time, year 2223, underdeveloped countries had no enhanced humans (colloquially known as cyborgs). Sebastian looked around and smiled. He walked towards Central Park, which had been preserved through all this time, and then aimed to get to his two-level flat in Manhattan. To do so, he needed to catch his lift and then an aerobus. It didn't take too long, and in less than fifteen minutes, Mr Arnaez was back home.

He took off his jacket, threw it over the sofa, and spoke. "Avina, check each room for microphones, scan the wireless network for possible hackers and/or crackers, and start security protocol PT-189." A female voice then chimed in. "Identity recognized: Sebastian Arnaez, 28 years old. DNA comparison clear, voice security locks disabled. Initializing security protocols as requested, Sebastian." Sebastian then went to the kitchen, took a glass of water and went to the living room. He sat on a nearby couch facing the skies and, once Avina had finished checking all what he had asked, took out the envelope and opened it. Immediately, a tablet dropped from it. A hologram hovered over the surface and began opening different windows which Sebastian scanned through, reading the information he had been given and dragging some of said information into his private folder, connected directly to his database, accessible throughout his missions. He was browsing calmly until he arrived to the target's information. At this point, his eyes opened in surprise and the glass he had been holding fell to the floor, shattering in a million tiny pieces. A small robot came hurriedly and cleaned all the mess. it even placed a new glass on Sebastian's hand. "Avina, prepare my best equipment. We're going for the last worthless human living in this world."

Scarlett Andrews

"I had a dream my life would be different from this hell I am living,
so different from what it seemed."

"Now life has killed the dream I dreamed."

A beautiful dark haired woman sat in the palaces inner garden and tended to the roses. The Order or the 'Guardians of Humanity' as they called themselves had built her a small part in the center of the palace to be a garden. They had taken out part of the roof and made a grassy area for her to start fresh. She had been eager to do it, but the downside to having a garden now a days was that most of the plants were 'hybrids' or mixtures of other plants or plants with chemicals to enhance their beauty. But, Scarlett didn't very much like the enhanced flowers, so she only had one flower in her garden that hadn't been modified. It was a full blossomed red rose.

The red rose was surrounded by hybrid flowers that absorbed the light so easily, and Scarlett felt terribly bad for it. She knew it would die in a week or two from not getting enough air or sunlight. But she couldn't bare to dig it up and put it in a vase, for she felt the rose was like herself; alone and surrounded by cyborgs. She had been cooped up in a palace all of her life and for only two years of her life did she have a mother. After she had turned two one of the radical groups had attacked the kingdom and killed her mother. But the order had kept her safe.

The 5'7 youth stood up and brushed her slender hands off on her work dress. It was just rags anyways. The Order often yelled at her for wearing it when she was a princess, but she didn't care. She didn't feel like a princess. Princesses were supposed to be loved by their subjects. Not hunted.

She looked over at the mirror with her emerald green eyes and did a twirl to inspect herself for dinner. She was thin, but not too thin. She had all the right curves in the right places from growing up with all the influences of making sure she had the 'princess' image. Dark haired, busty, but small waist. She quickly ran a slender hand through her black curls and smiled when they all fell back into place. She fluttered her long, black eyelashes at how pale she was. She almost looked porcelain. But, it was mostly because she wasn't allowed outside.

"Scarlett, Dinner is ready!"She heard Aurelia call. Aurelia was the cook. She was part of the Order, but since she and Scarlett were the only ones that knew how to cook, Aurelia was eager to take the job. "Coming Aura!" She called, heading down the long terrace to open glass doors leading inside.

The inside of the palace was mostly gold, or fancy styled furniture and floorings. It was very beautiful, and elegantly designed. The dark haired beauty walked down the halls until she quickly went into her room to change. She swiftly went over to her closet and pulled out a sapphire blue dress that had no sleeves, a sweetheart neckline, and stopped at her ankles. She then put on black heels and quickly headed out of her room and to the dining room.

By the time the princess arrived all thirteen leaders of the ordered were seated at the long table, and watching her sit in her seat at the end. "Good evening[/B][/I]" She said, placing her napkin in her lap and eying the others. Just as soon as she sat down they started to talk once again, so the youth simply ate her soup and listened to them talk of her birthday coming up. She would be twenty three in a week, and unlike most people she wasn't too excited. Another birthday meant she had been in here for yet another year, and she hated it.

((Sorry its long! D: ))

"Are you aware of the dangers this mission poses to your life even with your enhancements?" Sebastian's virtual intelligence chimed in while he rinsed his body. The water rustling down made a comforting sound which, oddly enough, the young man found relaxing. He then closed the water running down and grabbed a towel, tying it around his waist. He stepped out of the shower and, with his right hand, removed the moisture which had accumulated on the mirror's surface. Mr Arnaez stared at his reflection for some time. Even in a society dominated by cyborgs, Sebastian still was a spotlight. Unlike other people, his turquoise eyes were completely natural, as well as his fair skin color. He sighed gently, then took out his shaver, and then proceeded to trim his beard just short enough so it wouldn't bother him during his mission. "I am aware of that, Avina. However, I can't reject the mission now. I got payed in advance, and if everything goes as planned, you will finally have your male VI for you to have fun with." At this point, a mysterious grin curved Sebastian's lips moments before he rinsed his face. Once he had done that, he continued to dry his body and put on his bikers. He walked to his room and then spoke once more. "Avina, Scientia potestas est," Sebastian heard some locks being unlocked and, moments after, a door appeared right in front of him. He walked through and arrived to his armory. "Sebastian, which outfit you're taking with you this time?" Mr Arnaez remained silent for a moment before turning around and staring at the newest outfit he had acquired. It was ideal for the mission he needed, mainly because it was made of a special fabric which adapted to his movements while still giving him enough protection against the environment. Even more so: it was resistant enough to withstand a knife wound. "I'm taking the new one. Prepare as well two quivers with a varied sorting of arrows and a backpack with spare arrows. Give priority to stealth and climbing. I will need those badly." Sebastian then took his outfit and dressed in it, getting his mind ready for what he was going to do.

It was nightfall. New York City slowly was sinking into slumber, but hidden inside its streets some people were still lurking around. Some were just starting their day, and, for Sebastian, he was just warming up. He had gone upstairs, to his skyscraper's roof, to wait for his shuttle. After making sure he was taking with him only what he needed, he ended up having one backpack and a small backpack with the arrows he was going to need. The small backpack could be attached to the bigger one, so that wasn't really a problem. For the last time, he flipped open his bow and examined it. "Everything has to be perfect, there can't be mistakes..." He inhaled deeply and, as he folded his bow's limbs, his shuttle arrived. He threw his backpack over his shoulders and, determined, climbed up the shuttle. "Remember: Scientia potestas est."

{OoC: It's cool, don't worry.}

Just as Scarlett finished her food her 'guardian' Beatrice told her it was time for her to be heading to her room. "I was going to go for a swim first, but alright." She said in a defeated tone. There would be no fighting for what you wanted in this palace. Beatrice was the head woman of the order. She was old, and seemed to be in her fifties, but she was wise enough to keep a princess safe.

Scarlett stood with a sigh and sat her napkin on her half empty plate. "Thank you for dinner Aurelia. I will see all of you in the morning." She said, her full, red lips forming into a soft smile as she curtsied. She then turned quickly and headed out the two golden double doors and into the main hallway. The floors were black and white marble that had been imported from some fabulous place years ago, and the walls held pictures of her dead family. She kept her eyes on the grand staircase at the end of the hall, not very eager to look around for she wasn't in the mood to look at pictures of her dead mother or father.

Once she reached the staircase she glided up it in her heals, hoping not to make too much noise. At the top of the steps she looked around for any sign of people awake before heading to her room. Her room was the very last room on the right. They had put her room there specifically so that she could have a balcony. Of course the balcony was barred, but it was still nice to look out. She took her skeleton key off her necklace and opened her bedroom door, heading in and shutting it tightly.

She gazed around at her room filled with luxuries. The order had made sure to give her everything they could, but yet she was unhappy. What she wanted was the outdoors, friendship, fresh air, and to see other people! Or cyborgs.. Whatever the new race was called now a days.

The dark haired woman sighed and headed over to her bed that had been placed just to the left of the balcony, and collapsed onto it. She was rather tired from the longevity of the day and almost instantly fell asleep. Her dreams were filled of a life that was different. A life that was filled with others.

"Warning: drop point location changed. Past coordinates unavailable, danger of location is imminent if proceeded as expected." Sebastian, holding his bow firmly in his right hand, shook his head. "Damn VI's. It shouldn't be that difficult, it's a damned palace!" He stood up and got ready for what was going to be the most dangerous mission yet. "Master Marksman speaking. Approaching new drop point, authorization given to PT to proceed as needed in case mission fails, over." The back door of the shuttle opened, revealing a rugged mountain range with a few and quite separated trees. Taking a deep breath, Sebastian walked up to the edge and, glancing downwards just for a second, jumped.

The fall hadn't been bad at all. In fact, it was one of the best he had seen in his few years of life. Once he had finally settled, he stared at the stars for a moment before finding his North. However, he remembered something else. He raised his left arm up to his chest and, with his right hand, started operating his SeMI (Secure Mission Interface), getting highlights of the path he was going to take and information about the weaknesses he could exploit in his opponents. However, he noticed there was a lack of information about the palace itself. "Avina, give me some information about the palace. I need to know how to get inside." Sebastian waited for a moment before his VI chimed in. "I'm sorry, Sebastian. There is no information about the palace's blueprints or any updated information about its structure. You'll have to improvise." A weird grin danced on Sebastian's lips as he turned off his SeMI, taking his bow and flipping it open. "Let the hunt begin."

After about two hours of climbing, hiking and finding his position once more, Sebastian finally got a glimpse of the mysterious palace. Even from where he was, he could see its walls were enormous. "Good thing I brought climbing arrows..." The whole palace seemed to be designed to withstand an army, but what its architects didn't have in mind was a one-man army. With a determined light shining in his turquoise eyes, Sebastian resumed his walking, heading directly to the Eastern wall. From there, he could make his way into the palace.

As he had expected, the walls were enormous. Giving them only a glance, he took out his bow and both quivers. He then hid all his backpacks where no one could see them. Once more, he operated his SeMI, restricting his connectivity to Eden, the way Internet was called at his time. After isolating himself from the world, Sebastian then took a climbing arrow, placed it on his bow, aimed to the top of the wall, and released. The arrow flew silently and hit exactly where Sebastian wanted it. He grinned for a moment before placing his bow over his shoulders, tying the climbing rope through his belt, and making his way up. After he reached the top, he let himself fall on the small corridor behind the walls. It was expected: archers, or snipers, could wait there and wreck havoc among enemies from there. He looked right and left, but didn't see anyone. "Good. This is going to be quite easy."

Scarlett slept soundly in her bed. Multiple guards and people of the Order had made random stops to check on her, but for now she was alone, and all was silent. But suddenly her emerald eyes fluttered open. From a nightmare perhaps? She didn't remember. The dark haired beauty sighed quietly and sat up, looking around at her surroundings.

Her room was almost pitch black except for the small bits of light coming from the barred balcony. She slowly got out of bed and headed to her closet to change. She slipped off her black heels and put them on her shoe rack, then slid off her dress. She hung the dress up, biting her lip while thinking of what to wear tonight. "Hmm.." She mumbled, pulled out black shorts that stopped at her mid thighs and put them on. They were a bit short, but its not like anyone would see her in them.

She then slipped on a black tank top over her crimson lace bra. Her dark green eyes glanced into the bottom of her wardrobe and slipped on black and white slippers. "There." She whispered, shutting the wardrobe and then turning to look at the mirror on to of her dresser. She did a quick twirl, happy with her appearance and then headed back to bed.

Once she got herself all cozy and tucked into the sapphire blue covers, she ran a hand through her dark curls and then laid her head on the pillow. She stared up at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come again.

After making his way through the palace's grounds and some encounters with some guards, Sebastian had finally managed to infiltrate the main building. Once more, he checked his bow and placed an arrow on it, ready to fire if needed. He was hiding under the shadows of the row of columns lining up the main entrance of the palace, using them to his favor and to confuse his enemies. Most of the guards he had killed never knew someone was lurking around. Others had seen him, but they couldn't warn anyone of his presence in the palace. His VI whispered in his ear through his earphone. "These are members of the Guardians of Humanity, Sebastian. Be careful, no one knows what they're capable of." Mr Arnaez simply snorted silently and shook his head. "Humans. They can't do anything properly before screwing it up." He neared the edge of the column and looked to the far end of the corridor, his night vision enhancement helping him a bit there. All clear. He held his bow tightly and then dashed forward, heading to the grand staircase.

Walking stealthily, Sebastian rushed up the stairs. He then heard someone shouting at him. "Hey! What are you doing here?!" Turning quickly on his feet, he aimed and shot, hitting the man blankly on his chest. Immediately, the garments he was wearing turned scarlet while Sebastian rushed once more into the darkness. He knew it was a matter of time before someone found the dead body of the guard. "Damn it! I have to find her before anything else happens!" He placed his bow at his back and dashed upstairs, aiming to find her room.

After some unsuccessful tries, Sebastian found a room which seemed to be bigger than the rest and had a barred balcony. He entered the room and, right on one side of it, spotted a bed. He walked closer and found his target. A cold stare shone in his turquoise eyes as he placed an arrow and aimed at the woman's heart. "For once and for all, this planet will be clean of worthless humans..."

Scarletts emerald eyes fluttered open to the sound of her door opening. She hadn't fallen asleep yet, so she had woken easily. At the sight of the man aiming an arrow at her heart she rolled over until she was at the other side of the bed and hopped up. "What are you doing here!?" She screamed, grabbing her hand held silver mirror off her vanity desk. It was about the size of a frying pan and weighed at least five or six pounds since it was made of silver.

The dark haired woman held it in a stance that said she would easily beat the crap out of him if need be. "Now before I beat your face in I suggest you answer me." She said, her emerald eyes growing darker. She slowly started to make her way to the door, her eyes never leaving his. Hopefully if he shot at her she could stop the arrow with the mirror. Hopefully. As she slowly got closer to the door she sighed at ow vulnerable she looked in her skimpy night clothes. He lace tank top and short black shorts weren't exactly making her look strong enough to fight. Just weak.

"Damn. Damn, damn, damn!" Sebastian's heart raced as the woman stood up from her bed and held her mirror as a weapon. The mirror was the most insignificant of Sebastian's worries. What really mattered were the Guardians. Far away, at the grand staircase, he could hear how a mob of people was gathering around the body. With his bow still ready and aiming at the woman, his mind raced. He had two options: kill the woman and risk himself to be caught by a bunch of crazy pro-humanity people, or take the woman with him and kill her later. Avina spoke once more to him through his earphone. "Sebastian, I'm detecting a large group heading to your location. You have to move quickly." Taking a decision, Sebastian put the arrow back on his quiver while he moved the arrows with the buttons located on his bow until he located an explosive one. "I know you want to see the world. I can show it to you, but you have to trust me and we have little time left." After saying this, he turned his back at the woman, aimed the arrow to the bars on the balcony, and shot. His arrow hit the bars and immediately exploded, creating a huge hole through which he could pass without any problems. "Quickly, you have to decide."

Two seconds after he had spoken, he heard footsteps just outside her door. Without really giving the girl a chance, Sebastian shoot a second arrow all the way to the walls, creating a sliding point. He reached for the woman's arm, took off the mirror, and then jumped down the balcony. "You'll thank me later, just hold on!"

At the mans words Scarlett frowned. How did he know she wanted to see the world? She was about to respond with a no when he took her arm and pulled her towards the balcony. She grimaced at the sound of the mirror dropping and shattering as she was pulled off the balcony and into the air while the man was sliding across some sort of rope/line that had been attached to an arrow. She closed her eyes and clung to the male, trying not to look down. "Your crazy!" She yelled after looking down and then clung to his chest. "Please take me back!" She said, opening her eyes to look around.

Once they reached the wall she looked back briefly. The order was at her balcony, and Aurelia was crying out for her. As a last wave to her guardians, she kissed her fingers and put them over her heart. It was something they often did at the kingdom when someone died or was leaving. It meant that the person would always be in your heart. She could've cried when Aurelia did it quickly back as the others ran out of her room to most likely try and catch up with the mysterious man.

"You can't just take me! You were going to kill me! I can't trust you." She said, standing on top of the wall and looking at him, trying to get his hand off her arm. "I don't even know your name! I can't just run off with you.." She said, sighing and closing her eyes. She had just been kidnapped.

((One question, what color is Sebastians hair? oh and I think i'm going to bump Scarletts age to 23. That way theres not that much of a difference. I'll go back and edit it <3 But sorry, I read your posts over and I still can't seem to find his hair color. Lol all I know is that he's attractive, has a beard, and has pretty blue eyes. :3 ))

{OoC: It's fine by me. I forgot to tell you that Sebastian's name on my first post has two links, on the the capital S and one on the capital A. There you can ind Sebastian's features. For short: his hair is dark brown XD}

"Sorry, but you have to choose. Either you stay here and never see the world as it truly is, or you take a leap of faith and come with me. It's your choice, and I'd really appreciate if you decided quickly. We can't stand here and wait all night!" After saying this, Sebastian kneeled and held the rope he had previously used, tied it to his belt, and then offered his hand to the woman. "Last moment to decide. Are you coming or are you staying here?"

{OoC: Sorry for the short post, but I have to go right now ._.}

((Kay here's a picture of Scarlett: http://i635.photobucket.com/albums/u...s/atn3b6-1.jpg

Scarlett bit her ruby red lip and took his hand. "I'll go. But you have to tell me your name first." She said, her green eyes looking into his. The guardians were getting closer as they spoke, so she was hoping he would make a quick move and get them out of here before they captured him and killed him. All she wanted was to see the world. Then she would come home. Eventually..

((It's fine. (: ))

{OoC: Okay, I'm back >.>}

"Call me Seb for the meantime. We have to get moving!" With a swift movement, Sebastian carried the woman while he rappelled down the wall. Once they were on the ground, he placed her gently on the ground while he went and took his backpacks. "Come on, let's get moving!" He held her hand and started sprinting downhill. "Avina, lock on my coordinates. We need immediate lifting. Double speed!" He then turned around and gave the woman a small smile. "Don't worry, we'll be out of here before you can say anatidaephobia." Soon enough, Sebastian's shuttle landed in front of him and opened its rear door. "Go in and make yourself comfortable. I'd suggest you sit down and fasten your seat belt. This will be a rough ride." After the woman had made herself comfortable, Sebastian climbed in. "Ready for takeoff, Avina!" The shuttle then rumbled and began its ascent, placing a good 3,000 feet between their pursuers and themselves. In Sebastian's mind, though, something else was cruising his mind. "I have failed..."

((Yay :3 ))

Scarletts eyes widened as he started to climbed down the wall. Once they started sprinting she had a little bit of trouble since she had no shoes, but it didn't seem to matter since a shuttle had landed in front of them. She got on like he said and sat in the nearest chair, buckling her seat belt.

Her eyes looked around the room in awe. She had heard of these, but never seen one. Or been in one for the matter. She reached out and started to touch the wall nearest to her seat, then looked towards 'Seb' as he spoke to someone named Avina. She guessed Avina was a computer of some sorts that personally assisted Seb.

Once the shuttle took off she looked down at her slender hands, shock finally setting in. She had left her kingdom to see the world with someone she didn't even know. Someone who aimed an arrow at her heart. She looked up suddenly, her long curls falling behind her shoulders as she did. "Where are we going?" She asked, her voice soft and velvety. She was a bit tired from suddenly waking up and being dragged into some sort of strange adventure. But there was no way she could ever fall asleep now.

Once he made sure there was enough distance between them and their pursuers in between, Sebastian dropped his backpacks, leaned on the wall, and exhaled deeply. It had been a rough mission, but what was important now was to get her to safety. After doing so, he could focus on what he should do next. He walked up to a seat and let himself fall, breathing deeply. He then turned around the seat and stared at the woman. "I know you have many questions. I hope I will be able to answer them all. My name is Sebastian Arnaez, I'm 28 years old and I live in New York City. I work for an organization that researches and finds cases like yours, of people who haven't seen the world at all, and shows them what the world looks like," odd, but it was the best he could come up with. Besides, it was somewhat true. "I'm a marksman, that's the main reason why I use a bow. I prefer it over a crossbow because it's more versatile and light. Crossbows would just drag me down." He smiled warmly to the woman, trying to make her feel comfortable. Avina chimed in once more in his ear. "Sebastian, this is dangerous. Be careful of what you reveal to her and don't get too attached with the hostage. You know the rules." Mr Arnaez sighed lightly and then spoke once more. "We're going to my place. It's nothing as big as your palace, but I think you'll like the view." He smiled once more before standing up and taking a small canteen from his backpack. "Here, drink some water. It'll help you."

Scarlett looked at him with unbelieving eyes and then started to crack up laughing. She continued to laugh for a minute until she finally calmed herself down. "So wait, your telling me that you break into womens homes, wake them up in the middle of the night by pointing an arrow at their heart and then say your going to show them the world!?" She grinned, laughing again.

She then eagerly took the water and took a long drink, then handed it back. "You don't have to tell me lies you know. I really could care less what you do, as long as it's not killing me." She said, leaning back in her chair and eying the handsome male. "Sebastian? I'm Scarlett. Though you already know that.." She said, looking down at her hands. As he spoke of weapons the woman looked up. "Bows are nice, though I do love crossbows. Even though they're a hassle to reload." She said, her emerald eyes looking at his blue ones. "Even though I'm a princess I've learned to use weapons." She said, a small smirk on her full red lips.

"Your place? New York?" Her eyes grew large with wonder. "Well hopefully I'll like the view. You did promise me the world." She added, running a hand through her dark curls. They all gently fell back onto her shoulders. "How long does it take to get there?" She asked, raising her left eyebrow at him in a questioning manner.

When Scarlett cracked up laughing, Sebastian stared at her for a moment before he raised his eyebrow, wondering if she had lost her mind. Soon enough, though, she stared at him and questioned his words. He just shook his head for a moment. "I know it sounds weird, but we actually do that. Just- not the arrow part. My mistake, I'm sorry." He scratched the back of his head nervously, hoping she would believe in his words.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Scarlett. We already know you know how to use weapons, that was the main reason of the action plan I executed this night. I still prefer bows. Maybe it's because of my personality, but I like them better. However, the extra firepower crossbows use could come in handy." Sebastian smiled once more before a thought crossed his mind. "You idiot, your trauma module helps you hit stronger!" He shook his head quickly and then stood up, walking around the cabin for a moment.

"Avina, calculate estimated arrival time." His VI spoke this time on the shuttle's speakers. "Estimated arrival time in ten minutes." Mr Arnaez turned around and looked at Scarlett. "Don't worry, we'll be there soon enough. I know I promised the world, and I'm going to fulfill my promise." Moments after, Sebastian saw the faint glow of NYC. "Look, you can see NYC's lights from here." He pointed at the faint glow through the window.

Scarlett smirked at the way he looked at her. "I promise, I'm not a loon. Just a skeptic." She said, winking. At his mention of the cities lights the girl unbuckled her seat belt and stood up. She headed over to the window and peered out at the glow of the cities lights. "Wow. It s beautiful.." She whispered, her eyes seemed glued on the image.

"It must be nice to live in such a populated area. With so many people to talk to.." She said, looking over at him. The glow from the city made her eyes sparkle as she talked about how nice it must be. "I've only talked to twenty-eight people in my entire life." She said, peering back out the window and then sending a quick glance at him. "Twenty-nine." She said, her eyes dimming as she turned her head away from the window.

"Its okay. Mistakes happen." She said in response so him apologizing. "Though if it somehow happens again.." She looked at him. "I'll be fighting back ten times more than I was tonight." She warned, looking away from him and looking around the cabin. "So. What enhancements do you have? If you don't mind me asking." She asked, looking back at him.

"I can't believe you've only meet twenty-nine people in your whole life. That's just... I don't know, it's weird." Sebastian frowned a bit before pushing himself off the wall and walking once more around the cabin, wondering what the hell he was going to do with Scarlett. He needed a plan, but before he could do anything at all, he needed approval from his leader.

When Scarlett mentioned his mistake and how she would react, Sebastian shook his head again. "I promise it won't happen again." He smiled apologetically at her, and was about to said something when she asked him about his enhancements. He frowned a bit, but said nothing else about the question itself. It wasn't considered polite to question someone about his or her enhancements unless the person in matter spoke of them on the first place. "I don't, Scarlett, though many people out there could feel offended if you ask them the same thing. My enhancements are somewhat useless," Sebastian said as he shrugged. "You filthy liar!" "They're focused to compensate the weaknesses I was born with, such as bad vision and shaky arms."

The dark haired female bit her lip as he said that it was rude to ask. "Sorry. I didn't know." She said, looking down at her slender hands once again. "I didn't know people would be so offended if someone asked about their little enhancements. They act as if they've gotten cosmetic surgery.." She said, then looked back up at him. "For vision? Why didn't you just get glasses or contacts?" She questioned, but shook her head and looked back at the window.

"I'm sorry. I'm just not used to the thought of people being so dependent on machinery." She said, her eyes over looking the city once again. "The people in the order only had enhancements to live long enough to keep me alive. Other than that they had none." She said, her long eye lashes fluttering at the glow from the city. It was much brighter as they neared then she had expected. "But I suppose in this era you have to have enhancements to make it in life." She said in a soft tone. All she could think of was that it sounded a lot like survival of the fittest. If you had enhancements you were strong. The ones who didn't were weak and didn't amount to much.

"Again, I'm sorry for being so rude." She said, going back over to her chair and sitting down. She looked down at her lap, letting her dark curls envelope her face. Why was she here? She didn't even know this man. For all she knew he could be some murderer out to kill her. She gently shook those thoughts from her head and looked up at the man. He was good looking; Strong, handsome. But in a world like this it was hard telling if he was born that way or enhanced to look stunning.

"It's fine, Scarlett. Don't worry too much about it, you'll get used to it quite soon." Sebastian smiled as he sat down in front of her, giving her a warm smile. "I suppose glasses or contacts could have been easier, but now everything's about enhancements. You have to have at least one, doesn't matter how small or unimportant it is." The shuttle then rumbled and began its descent. Avina announced their arrival. "Sebastian, we have arrived at your flat's building. I suggest a quick withdrawal." Nodding, the young man stood up and offered his hand to Scarlett. "Come on, let's get moving. You'll get somewhat dizzy, it always happens the first time you're on a spacescraper." Before they left the shuttle, Sebastian threw his backpack on his shoulders, making sure he let nothing behind. They left the vehicle and, firmly, he guided Scarlett to his flat.

Once they entered, Sebastian issued some orders to Avina. "Avina, activate security protocol PT-210. Remember: extra security measures are on order should you consider them necessary." Then, he dropped his backpacks near the entrance, turned, and smiled once more at Scarlett. "Welcome to my home. It's not that much, but at least it's something. It has two levels: the lower level holds the kitchen, living room, study, a restroom, and a small spare room that can be conditioned to any needs; and the upper level holds my room, a bathroom, and another study. You'll be sleeping in my room, I'll stay here in the living room. I'd suggest you get some sleep now, tomorrow will be a tiring day."

Scarlett took his hand and got off the shuttle. Just as he said, she started to feel rather dizzy and clung to his hand. "I guess it will be awhile before I get used to all this..technology." She said, giving a weak smile. It wasn't until they were inside that she stopped seeing double. At his words of his home not being very nice she chimed in. "Your home's beautiful. Very modern compared to the palace." She said, heading over to one of the large windows. "The view is amazing, too." She added, turning back to look at him.

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly sleep in your room. I'll sleep on the couch." She said, glancing over at the couch. It was a large couch, so she would sleep easy on it. "Really, I'm a guest in your home. I wouldn't feel right taking your bed." She said, sitting on the couch. "But thank you for the offer." She said, looking down at the couch and feeling the material.

"I must insist, Scarlett. You'll be more comfortable sleeping there. Besides, I still have some adrenaline running in my system. I'm not tired at all, so I might as well use this time to go over my following steps." Sebastian smiled gently as he headed to the kitchen, where he took a glass of water and offered it to her. He then leaned on a nearby wall while speaking to Avina. "Avina, please prepare my room for Scarlett. She'll be sleeping there until I receive authorization to proceed with the plan-" he then turned and smiled once more at her "-. Here, my little friend will guide you to my room. Sleep well, tomorrow will be a tiring day. Have a good night." Sebastian nodded gently at Scarlett before picking up his backpacks and disappearing into the spare room.

Scarlett eyed the male and nodded. "Fine." She said, giving up the battle of the couch. With a sigh the woman stood and headed to where he said his bedroom would be. "What have I gotten myself into?" She whispered, heading down the hall and stopping in front of the door Avina told her was the room she would be staying in.

The youth opened the door and peered into the room before stepping in. It was a large room that was rather nice, though you could tell it was the room of a man. By the smell, the colors, and the decoration. She shut the door behind her and headed over to the bed, sitting down on it. It smelled of mens cologne, A smell she liked a lot. She laid back onto the pillows and closed her eyes. Within minutes she was asleep from being exhausted.

"Sebastian, you know you're playing with fire. This is quite complicated to explain and you know that." Sebastian threw his backpacks on the floor as the spare room he was in slowly changed into an armory. The room wasn't too big, but it had enough space for a work table to modify and repair his bow, craft new arrows, and craft new attachments to his bow; a console in which he could access his database; a small couch; and a window through which the city lights filtered into the room. He sat on the couch and then ran his right hand through his hair. "I know, Avina. I can't afford failing, and everything got quite complicated once I was inside the castle. I have to report to HQ. Patch them in." Arnaez exhaled deeply and then stood in front of the console. A hologram of a man sitting on a chair popped in front of him, humming lightly.

"Ah, Sebastian. You're reporting in to announce your success, right? I didn't think you would take care of this issue so quickly."

"Sir, there was a problem while on mission-" Sebastian shook his head at this point "-. Things heated while I was inside the castle and... I ended up with a hostage."

"A hostage, Sebastian? Who is this hostage you're talking about?"

"Scarlett, princess of the now extinct Human Kingdom, sir."

The man shifted gently on his chair. For a moment, Sebastian thought the man had lost his temper, but that wasn't the case.

"Very good, Sebastian. This is much better than killing her. It will give us power over all those purists. HQ out."

The comm ended, leaving Sebastian utterly confused. What the hell was going on? "I guess things went better than I had expected... Still, I'll report tomorrow to see if anything has gone wrong by my actions. Check the suit's microprocessor to find any damage. If there is, repair it." "I'm on it, Sebastian."

Night went by slowly for Sebastian. He spent most of it repairing his bow, which had suffered minor hits, and thinking of his previous assignment. What had gone wrong? Where had he failed? All these storms clouded his mind, preventing him from getting a replenishing sleep. Once the sky lit up with the dim light of the sun's first rays, Mr Arnaez stood up from bed, sneaked into his room to grab clean clothes, and then hit his shower. It was still early, but he wanted to report into HQ with time. Besides, he also needed to take care of some paperwork regarding his last mission. "Avina, please tell Scarlett that I've gone to the city but will be back shortly to show it to her once she wakes up. Also, get her some new clothes. You're more proficient in that area than myself. Have them delivered here and charged at my account." After saying that, he walked up to his door, and left his flat.

The city's noises hit him blankly once he had made his way down his spacescraper, fitting his hands into his pockets as he strolled next to Central Park. People were already jogging or exercising, others were rushing to work, and some people just sat on a bench and stared at the others. Sebastian lowered his gaze and sped up. He needed to make his way to HQ quickly.

"Good morning, Mr Arnaez," a receptionist said as Sebastian entered the building, "It's a pleasure to see you here so soon. " Sebastian nodded his greeting and then walked past her without further notice. He made his way to an elevator and hit the last button. That's where he was heading. "Mr Arnaez," a voice next to him chimed in, "do you want me to fill in your paperwork about your mission?" Sebastian nodded his agreement. "Do it quickly, but before sending them to bureau, send them to me, Glyph." "Noted, sir." The elevator's door opened and he made his way down the corridor. Instead of the usual office corridor (and building), Protechnicus HQ's were known for being one of the most luxurious buildings in NYC. Their offices resembled more penthouses than offices, and each employee had its own shuttle to get to work. In Sebastian's case, though, he had destined the money Protechnicus would have spent on his shuttle into his bow and suit. They didn't complain at all, so he soon had his equipment ready. The mahogany floors creaked gently under Sebastian's pressure and, as he made his way to the farthest door, he heard talking. Normally, he would turn around and simply leave, but something told him not to do so. He stopped on his tracks and, as his marksman training kicked in, moved without making the floor creak, getting as close as humanly possible to the door. Once there, he overheard pieces of conversation.

"...No, he doesn't suspect a thing about it... Yes, Sebastian has proven quite useful and efficient, even under the most difficult circumstances... I'm just glad we planned him that way."

"Planned him... Planned me?" Sebastian frowned as this information sunk into his being. Planned him? What they were talking about? Still in shock, he made his way back to the elevator and out the building. What the hell was going on?