Futuristic Eradication

[Sen Pai]

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Love Harvest.


Every year, the annual Love Harvest occurs on the exact date of January 1st. Citizens from all sections, all classes, and all genders ranging from the ages eighteen to twenty-eight all gather in one @Veirrianna Valentine @X405 @Darth Pai

[ERADICATION]


View attachment 58701


The Headquarters of the Government


PLEASE REFER TO SECTION TITLED "AUTHOR'S NOTES".




​

Imagine a world where your life has already been planned even before the moment you were a simple egg in your mother's womb. You were taken out of the womb and placed in an incubator. The very sperm from your father was carefully combined with the egg and your growth was scientifically managed through a laboratory. Then, you were placed back inside your mother's womb and monitored carefully.


When you were born, you had to be absolutely perfect. From your weight to your melanin level, if you weren't what was expected and planned, you would be eradicated. But, you were one of the perfect ones. The lucky ones that were allowed to live by the scientists and doctors. You were placed in the hospital's care for a few more days to make sure there were no malfunctions.


Approximately two days later, your parents took you home. But that wasn't the end. It wasn't even close to the end. As you grew, notes and tabs were taken of your mental, emotional, and physical state. You ranged from an annual to weekly check up and examination. It was all in preparation for the Love Harvest. For the moment you turn eighteen, your name and all your data is immediately inputted into a supercomputer that finds your "soul mate" through genetic compatibility.


What will you do? Find love within the Love Harvest? Rebel against he government? Perhaps discover the cure that will save all of humanity? Well, it doesn't matter. Because you have no freedom. You have no choice. Those who rebel will be immediately eradicated.

[HUMANITY'S FALL]


View attachment 58703


City of Boston, Massachusetts, USA during the initial outbreak.




​

The year 2016 is cursed in the name of mankind's history. It was March 10th, 2016 when the first sightings of the virus was reported. A middle aged farmer suddenly began hemorrhaging without any signs of a wound or injury. He was rushed to the hospital but, unfortunately, couldn't be saved. The doctors did not know what was happening to him so with the permission of the family, they sent the man away to the research branch as a cadaver to be studied.


What the scientists found was shocking. The farmer had a rather clean health record, he did not smoke or drink alcohol. Even his family history was generally healthy. Unusual tumors could be found all over in the man's respiratory system. His heart seemed to be blacked with "bruises". This was obviously not cancer. With careful handling, a skilled team of surgeons were able to remove a tumor from the man's left lung to send into the laboratory to be analyzed.


The cadaver continued to be inspected. However, all throughout North America, thousands of people were collapsing, dying off like flies. The hospital was booming with paramedics and the sound of sirens could be heard almost everyday. All of these people who were rushed to the hospital and operated on had almost the exact same symptoms as the man who first contracted the virus.


No one knew where it came from, why is started, or how to cure it. All the doctors could do was suppress the symptoms for awhile longer and get the victims into a stable condition. Ninety-seven percent of these people all died, two percent were placed on life support and require frequent surgeries, only one percent of these people were able to stay in a stable condition for a prolonged amount of time.


It was around this time, a day or two after the initial outbreak, a team of scientists all succumbed into the sickness. Only two survived and were put on life support, everyone else had died. When the officials were investigating what happened, they turned to look at the cadaver and found a dark purple liquid-like substance covering the inside of the left lung and the area around it. After careful observation, they realized that the team was dissecting the lung but they couldn't figure out what the substance had come from. The cadaver was quickly disposed of.

[THE COMMUNITY]


View attachment 58704


Section B of the Community of North America

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Sixty years after Humanity's Fall, in the year 2076, the virus has yet to be stopped. It has be named the "Nitrum Virus" due to the fact that it is very common illness, just like how nitrogen is a common element in the universe. The virus has grown immensely, destroying countries and forcing the government to make desperate decisions. Nitrum spread over to the continent of South America, as well as Europe, and soon became a worldwide pandemic virus. The only surviving country/continent is Australia. However, the country proceeded to initiate a national lock down, refusing to open up their airports and waterways.


To obstruct the declination of mankind's population, the government set up a new community of quarantines. Everything about everyone was carefully monitored. Even the slightest sign of illness was an emergency. The ill were taken away and treated. It is not sure if they survived or not. The word quarantine was soon lost over the years and the life that the people lived today was known as everyday living. This is the modern age, where science governs above all.


In the United States of America, although not many people regard the country names due to the fact that the population of mankind is at an all time low, there is a Community for those who are still alive. Controlled by the government and enforced by the military, this Community is where you begin. Where you were made.


There are a few laws that are crucial to living in the Community. The government will not stand any sort of mutiny and those involved will be dealt with quickly, quietly, and efficiently. Although, much like the law enforcement in the 20th Century, depending on the circumstances, one could find their way out of eradication.


The Community tends to be quite peaceful, the event of which a person is rushed to the hospital due to falling ill is not uncommon. Sirens are apart of day to day noises, just as how birds were once a natural morning alarm. There are no wild animals in the community, all pets must be registered and require a monthly checkup.


No one knows what goes on outside of the Community, it's been decades since someone last set foot outside of the large walls that separate humanity from the rest of the world.

[AUTHOR'S NOTES]


View attachment 58713


This is actually just here to look pretty. Haha!

​

Welcome to "Eradication". Thank you so much for taking an interest in my roleplay. I first had the idea of doing something like this back in April, it was influenced by an old roleplay called "Time Bomb" and a video game I watched my sister and her friends play. I worked on this roleplay for awhile so I hope you enjoy it!


This is a very interactive roleplay. Nothing is set in stone. The decisions that your characters make will affect their surroundings. Romance, action, humor, and death are what is expected to occur in this roleplay. The story will proceed with the characters and updates with information is to be expected. Depending on what your character does, the information in the updates will vary.


Everyone give a big round of applause to these two wonderful people who have volunteered to co-moderate this roleplay. The following roleplayers are moderators to this roleplay

• Darth Pai
  
• Ayl
  
• Syrenrei
  

We will be making sure that the roleplay is running smoothly so if you have any concerns, please feel free to contact us. Thank you.

[MAP]

A public underground tunnel going from Sector A to Sector C, with a separate tunnel splitting off to Sector B and Sector E.

​

There are four sectors in the Community. The government divides the people in sectors alphabetically by their last name. These sectors are mainly there to keep the Community organized and so there are smaller loads for the government officials.

• Sector A (A-F)
  
• Sector B (G-M)
  
• Sector C (N-S)
  
• Sector E (T-Z)
  

In each sector, they are divided once again.

• Lower Class - Those who do not have the wealth or status to be considered Middle or Upper Class. They have the absolute minimum of everything and, although healthcare is free and required, are technically the most likely to succumb to the virus.
  
• Middle Class - Citizens who are have the wealth to buy more than the lower class citizen but they don't have enough money or status to be in the Upper Class.
  
• Upper Class - People who have the money or status but are not apart of the government, the military, or the medics. There are ranks in the Upper Class, from low to high.
  

And then there's the military. They live separate from the class sectors. In the military, you are grouped together with your squad and you live with them. Most people don't like the military.

• Military - The "dogs of the government", as called by the other citizens. They are provided with food, water, whatever they need. Although provision depends on the person's rank. The military are the ones who carry out the eradication and control the public when riots break out. The medics is the group of professionals who study and practice medicine, carry out the regular checkups and surgeries.
  

There are special people, usually from the Upper Class, who are chosen to be apart of the government. They have status and wealth but they do not live apart from the classes. The government officials tend to return home after each day.

• Government - They decide the laws, whether or not to eradicate someone or something, and are provided with as much as possible. The government works with the medics during the matching of the DNA to create the next generation's couples.
  

[RULES]

A military guard patrolling the halls of Sector C.

​

1. Literacy. Please have a general understanding of the English language. Being literate does not mean you have to be an extremely high experienced roleplayer or post long ass posts. There is no punishment or shame if you make a little mistake. This is an understanding roleplay.
   
2. No one-liners. This roleplay will never, ever, ever accept a one-liner. Eradication is driven by the roleplayers' creativity and decision making. Please be kind to other roleplayers and giving them enough detail to go off of your post and keep the roleplay moving.
   
3. No Mary-Sues. All characters have their strengths, flaws, different personalities, and weaknesses. No character is perfect. This does not mean you cannot have a strong character, just make sure they have their flaws. Have a realistic character.
   
4. No claiming a character. This tends to happen in romance based roleplays. Eradication does have a romantic side of it, it all depends on how you, the roleplayers, decide to write it. When I say "no claiming a character", I mean you cannot look at someone else's character and say, "Hey, can that character be my character's love interest?" Don't do it. Let the roleplay decide.
   
5. Do not mix character photos. When you are creating your characters, I do not want to see a range of photos between real to anime to descriptions. Photos are allowed, but they are only "anime" type pictures. Also, I don't want characters with elf ears or magic flooding my science fiction roleplay, thank you.
   
6. No God Moding. This goes for all characters, no matter what class they are. No character is indestructible. Here, I make the final decision on who dies and who lives. If your character gets sick or in a fight, make sure it is not melodrama. There is no cure for the Nitrum Virus. You cannot take over my roleplay. I am God here. *dies from laughter* But, seriously. No God Moding.
   
7. No Bunnying. Do not take control of someone else's character without their permission. Not only is it rude and annoying, it's against the site's rules.
   
8. Be polite. While taking part in my roleplay, you will treat others with respect and kindness. You will not insult them or flame them. I do not want to see any fights between roleplayers or else someone will be kicked out. If there are any problems, please contact me immediately.
   
9. PG-13. Now, this rule only applies to sexual content. Go ahead and give us all the gore, violence, and profanity that you want! Just remember not to bypass the censor or censor out most of the letters like so; f*** you. If your character does end up getting sexual, please remember to fade to black.
   
10. Be realistic. Be realistic from fights, to wounds, to facing enemies, to even love. In the real world, love does not last forever and people can fall in and out of love. Cheating can happen. If your character falls in love, they can die, break up, or leave them for someone else. Realism is what makes this roleplay complex.
    

 

[Agent Nine]

Novi had woken up to an odd sight this morning; a semi-wrinkled face looming over her bed, with a pair of softened eyes gazing down at her. The young woman squinted up at the figure, confused and drowsy and confused from being drowsy. Wordlessly they lifted a hand and poked her shoulder with it.


"Time to get up. It's your big day."


Aurie? Novi couldn't help but continue to squint as she sat up, the blankets pooling around her waist. The old woman never came around to wake her up in the mornings; honestly, she never saw her other than the times that she'd wander into the kitchen to make herself some breakfast, or grab a piece of fruit when she was feeling exceptionally lazy. The rest of the day was usually spent out and away from the house. Though both Aurie and Novi lived in the same building, their lives were very separate from one another, and by now the two women had reached a point of mutual tolerance of each others' presence, so they avoided infringing on one another's lives on a daily basis. Today was...apparently, different.


"...Good morning to you too, I guess," Novi muttered in response, staring at the woman as she rubbed at one of her eyes with the back of her wrist. "And what 'big day' are you talking about?"


"The Love Harvest."


The words took a moment to sink in, but after a few seconds Novi frowned. Sh**. That's today...? Is it the first of January, already? "...Okay. And you cared enough to get me up for it. Wanna explain why?"


At this, Aurie managed a tiny smile. This morning was just full of surprises, wasn't it?


"I just...wanted to make sure that you didn't forget to go. That's all. It's a special day."


Novi snorted, swinging her legs over the side of her bed. The limbs felt as though they were weighted down with lead bricks, but she was pretty sure that was just her brain protesting against her moving. "Then how about you go in my place?"


"You know I can't do that."


"Yeah, but it was worth a try, wasn't it? Now move so I can put some clothes on."


The old woman dipped her head a little in a nod before turning and heading out of the room without a word. Novi sat on the edge of her bed and watched her go, the confusion still lingering about in her head. That had to have been the longest conversation they'd had in months...and all because of this stupid Love Harvest. Good God, if the thing wasn't mandatory, and if Novi wasn't convinced that she'd be arrested for playing hookie, she'd have pulled her legs right back under those sheets and gone back to sleep, without a single regret. But the young woman didn't have a death wish, so she got to her feet and went hunting around the room for her clothes. Once she was dressed, she took a banana from the kitchen before heading out, with a half-hearted wave to Aurie before disappearing through the front door.


Later on, it turned out that she didn't really need her clothes, anyway. She'd been given a whitewashed suit and told to change, and it wasn't until Novi filed into the left wing of the great building that she understood why. Sort of. Everyone was dressed the same, with only the collars around their necks to tell them apart. The atmosphere made her think of a hospital, to be honest, with everything white and bleached and sterile. It was unnerving. Off in Sector E, surrounded by mostly unfamiliar faces and a few recognizable ones, Novi couldn't help but fiddle with the collar of her suit. The entire thing was airtight, hugging her body in odd places, but the collar was the one part that she couldn't get used to. After a while, however, she decided to ignore it. That was when the lines of people around her began to move; Novi followed right behind them, letting her amber eyes wander over to the exposed paneling and wires of the hallways.


So, today was the day. The day she'd find her match made in metaphorical Heaven, though in this case, "Heaven" was more like "science," and science wasn't always right. In the end, mistakes could be made; what would the difference be in trying to pair two people up? Novi supposed that she wasn't worried about being involved in an error...she wasn't really worried at all, just...bothered. Bothered and feeling as though she'd been robbed of some basic rights. This was basically all leading up to an arranged marriage, only without the benefits of actually meeting the person with whom you were supposed to spend the rest of your life before the knot was tied.


The sudden, slow-yet-quiet beeping of the green collar around her neck almost made her jump.


"Marco," Novi muttered under her breath, peeking down at the device before redirecting her attention ahead. Time to go and snuff out her "match" from the ensuing crowd.

​

 

[kitsunemage]

@SkyFilms


"I have to wear that?" were the first words that came out of Aislyn's mouth, the moment she saw the full white body suits the other girls in the room were either wearing, or in the process of changing into. She didn't want people to take it the wrong way- they were certainly interesting, in fact on a more normal day she might have even worn something similar. But everyone was wearing the exact same thing. That was hardly exciting at all.


Aislyn stared down at her dress ruefully, the black bowed front and wide ruffled skirts did wonders to hide the fact that she had absolutely no curves at all. Waves of black and red satin hid her legs, a corseted front hugged her ribs and trimmed her waist- it was a positively stunning choice, with rubies of course to accent the gleaming fabric. It seemed almost a pity to abandon the dress in the changing areas. A shame really. With an overly dramatic sigh, the same kind that outlined almost every day of her being, Aislyn shrugged out of her glorious dress and began to thread her limbs through the various holes of the plain white body suit.


Aside from being a tab bit long in the legs, the suit fit wonderfully. She would have to see if she couldn't keep this particular outfit, or at least have one fashioned like it when she arrived back at her home. Was she even going home? Or was she going to live at her new-found partners abode? With a lethargic shrug, every movement as posed and deliberate as an actress on stage, Aislyn turned to join the rest of the girls in her designated spot in line-


"I seriously have to wear that too?"


------------


It was a rather Morose girl that joined the lines filing out into the amphitheater, a new white collar clasped around her neck- glowing a blue that seemed to echo the color of her eyes. Of course it definitely clashed with the line of rubies she twisted into her hair in an impromptu bun, wisps and strands of gold escaping at every opportunity, but she wasn't going to leave her mothers ruby necklace in the room with her dress and her neck was no longer an option for the silver chained jewels.


At least the suit didn't look nearly as bad on her as she initially thought it would.


Surrounded by girls she barely recognized, save Emilia and Skye, (whom she only happened to know due to her father; She had learned the names of all the upper class girls who were to be her 'competition') the line slowly moved forwards. Despite how she craned and twisted- to many pointed looks from the 'administrators' (Seriously, how many people did they need to watch over a few young adults anyways?) she couldn't see over the heads of the girls in front of her, so until the boys moving past were practically beside her she couldn't catch sight of her potential partners. Of course by the time they were beside her she already knew that they weren't a candidate.


As the line continued on, the girls in front of her dwindling little by little, Aislyn began to despair that she might not even have a match. She hated being in the back of the line, forced to wait and go at someone else's pace. When her collar began to beep, a soft noise that she could feel against the skin of her throat, her heart picked up a little. This was it, the moment of reveal- the big finale to her months worth of worry and dreaming- She certainly wasn't disappointed.


He was an average height, for a guy, though she was pleased to see he was a few inches taller then her. White and silver hair fell to just barely brush his chin-which of course was hidden behind a rather curious thing. A gas-mask. It was absolutely fascinating. She had seen girls getting away with a few hair ornaments, though nothing overtly large, and yet here he was wearing a mask to completely cover his face. One of the eye pieces was even cracked, giving him the look of something lost, or abandoned. Dressed all in white like he was, Aislyn couldn't help the thought that perhaps he was a ghost from a time long ago.


That thought made her smile, a full teeth bared grin that revealed the dimple framing one corner of her mouth.


"Now isn't that just dramatic?"

 

[Sen Pai]

Emilia G. Jarvis


(West Wing, Love Harvest)

​

Standing in line with the rest of the Upper Class women from Sector B, a young lady, soon to turn nineteen, cleared her throat softly and brushed off any dirt that was on her pure white standard uniform. Seventy years ago, a woman would wear a beautiful gown that would become her treasured wedding dress. A wedding dress would be something that she would keep forever, something that's unique just to her.


However, not today. Not in this Community. A woman's wedding dress is the exact same as the next woman's. It was the standard procedure to wear such an outfit. Both the men and the women wore the exact same thing. Weren't the men supposed to wear fancy suits and tuxedos on their wedding day? Wasn't your wedding day supposed to be special?


I guess, that this is what today's generation deems special. Lining up in an organized fashion and simply walking towards your chosen match. You would then register yourselves and go on your way. Some matches would actually spend time with one another, others just left for home right away and once the living areas were sorted out, they wound wait for their match to arrive at their home and spend the rest of their days with one another. It was just as easy as one two tree. Technology nowadays is an amazing tool.


Glancing around nervously, Emilia began to run her fingers through her hair, making sure there were no tangles and her blonde locks were as smooth as possible. Doing her best to stand still and be confident, Emilia let out a breath of air that she had been holding for quite awhile and wiped her palms on the white pants of her Love Harvest uniform. Anxiety plagued her heart as she began to panic once more.


What if she wasn’t matched up with someone again? Perhaps there were no men who she was genetically perfect with? No, there had to be someone. The Love Harvest is run by a supercomputer! There has to be someone…there must be someone out there for Emilia. All those fairytales that she had read, the happily ever afters, they had to be true! Was it silly for a grown woman to believe in fairytales? The princess and the prince? Perhaps it was, but to Emilia, fairytales are the light of hope in her enclosed world.


Coughing into her sleeve, Emilia tried to pull at her collar in attempt to loosen it only to be stung by a little electrical shock that came from the collar. Her violet eyes widened in shock. Running her hand over the white collar and the blue light, Emilia’s eyebrows furrowed together in both frustration and confusion.


Slightly annoyed by the fact that she had been electrocuted - even if it was just a little shock - and that the collar felt much too tight, Emilia pursued her lips and stared down. Even though she could not see the collar, Emilia’s lips formed a small frown as she trailed around it to the back, where it was attached.


Knowing that the collars could not be taken off until registration and deactivation, Emilia sighed and folded her hands together behind her back in a neat and well mannered way. As she stood in line, patiently waiting for the signal to begin walking, Emilia glanced around and found herself staring at the women in the Lower Class. Considering she had ventured to the Lower Class area of Sector B as a child, Emilia had once seen the Lower Class people as scary monsters that were out to rob you of your money and food! She had once feared those people.


Those people. She made it seem like the Lower Class had an illness of some sort. Emilia could feel guilt welling up her in heart. She made it seem like they had some sort of illness. Like they were rejects of the Community. Well, perhaps they were. One of the easiest ways for a Lower Class to gain respect is through the military. Well, if they landed themselves a good rank, of course.


Emilia didn’t know much about the military. However, a girl can have her questions, right? As a child, Emilia had once asked her bodyguards about their lives, since she was so bored with hers. They did their best to answer without going out of the boundaries of their job, but this didn’t give much information for the curious young lady. However, there was one man, perhaps around the age of fifty, who was very willing to tell Emilia about his life.


David was once a Lower Class citizen, just barely living due to his family’s lack of money. So, when he was able to join the military training at the age of sixteen, David jumped at the opportunity to provide his family with the money to rise up to at least the Middle Class. Emilia didn’t listen much to the harsh and brutal training David had gone through to be in the military, nor did David really include it as a part of his story. But, he did mention all the friends and experiences he had as a Lower Class citizen and his comrades in the military.


And so, this made Emilia think; what would it be like to be a Lower, even Middle, Class citizen? It was not that Emilia was envious of the lives of others or ungrateful about the fact that she as blessed with enough money and the heritage to pull her up the ranks to be in the Upper Class of the Community. She was just simply curious. She wanted to know.


As Emilia grew older, her curiosity seemed to boil over the top of the pot and spill on the stove that it rested on. Emilia was aware of the fact that she had practically lived under a rock her whole life and she wanted to change that. She wanted to be, although she would never admit it, like her father. Powerful and knowledgeable. People always came to her father for help and concerns.


“The Love Harvest may now begin.” The automated voice of a computerized female rang through the halls and the buildings of the Love Harvest, everyone immediately stopped talking and paid attention. “Please remember to follow protocol 18.3 and proceed in orderly fashion according to your designated trackers.”


A Lower Class woman snorted. “Trackers? You mean dog collars?” A hateful sneer spread across her face as she folded her arms over her chest and glowered at anyone who dared to stare at her.


“May the order provide you unity.” With the binary sound of the Public Announcement system ending, the tracks underneath the women all lit up with the colour green, signalling for the women to begin walking in an organized fashion. The collars all lit up with the designated colours of the different classes as the women began to walk forward.


As all twelve of the lines began to file out of the two buildings and into the Unity Halls, Emilia began to panic once more as the lines soon turned into crowds as people began finding their matches. With the soft beeping of the collar that seemed to get quieter, Emilia hurried off into the crowd, determined to find the man who she would be paired with for her entire life.


After all, her father wouldn’t allow anything other than perfect for his daughter. It was a little thought that Emilia told herself, that the servants told Emilia, even if the Love Harvest was sorted by a supercomputer that matched everyone by genetic perfection. Then again, the supercomputer couldn’t have failed. Technology today was so advanced after all.


Emilia continued to make her way through the crowd, the beeping on her blue collar growing louder and louder as she squeezed her way through, careful not to bump into anyone. “Oops.” and “Sorry.“ continued to be heard from the young lady’s mouth. However, not bumping into anyone was practically inevitable considering all the people that crammed themselves into the Love Harvest building.


The sound from her collar became so loud that it was practically ringing in her ears. There was someone out there for her! As Emilia got to the front of the crowd, the beeping suddenly quietened down. It was as if she was at the back of the line again. The hopeful smile that had been growing on her face quickly disappeared into a look of disappointment.


“How…?” Furrowing her eyebrows in frustration and staring at the ground, Emilia struggled to keep herself from tearing up. The sounds of people finding their matches, gasps, groans, and laughter filled the air.


Suddenly, a feeling of determination struck Emilia. If all these people had found their matches. She has got to have one. After all, there was nothing special about Emilia. She was just like everyone else. She wasn’t one of those people who were so special that the supercomputer took an extra long time on.


Her head snapped up with a sparkle in her eye that made a few people who had seen her move away a little bit. Pushing through the crowd of people, Emilia took a deep breath as she followed the beeping of her collar. He must be there. He has got to be. He better be.


Emilia had found herself off to the side of the middle of the hallway. The sound of her collar was rather loud, but not as loud as it had once been when she was up in the very front - even if it did practically disappear when she got there. That must mean that her partner was from Sector A since he was in the front. But, as Emilia searched around, unable to find her designated match, she found that the hallways were beginning to empty. People were starting to leave to get registered. If Emilia looked out the window, she would see a few of the first couples to leave the Love Harvest, legally married.


With less people to get in her way, Emilia hurried off once more, following the sounds of her collar. As she began to enter the East Wing of the Love Harvest, the collar began to become louder. She looked around and hurried around the simple maze that was the Love Harvest, searching for her “lover”.


As Emilia’s fast walk soon escalated into a full out run, Emilia’s mind was working on overdrive as she thought about her real life Prince Charming and how they would live happily ever after. Emilia would be able to pursue her own career and study medicine while she would come home to a loving husband and perhaps a few children of their own. She would be able to create her very own fairytale.


Turning a sharp corner, Emilia almost hoped that she would bump into her designated match right then and there and they would ride off on a white horse to the registration. All the girls would envy the blonde woman on the horse with the handsome young man. But, of course, that didn’t happen. Emilia continued to run through the halls, her heart practically jumping out of her chest.


The beeping of her collar grew louder and louder as Emilia ran down the stairs to the second floor of the East Wing of the building. Slowing down, Emilia’s lips had stretched into a wide grin, perhaps similar to that of a child’s when opening presents on Christmas Day.


Hunching over and leaning on her knees, Emilia took deep breaths to make sure that her face was no longer red from the running she had just done. Forcing herself to stand up straight, Emilia beamed as she slowly began to move her legs and walk.


Entering an empty area, Emilia’s smile seemed to be plastered onto her face, even when she realized one little…concern. Raising her eyebrows and standing awkwardly in one place, Emilia brushed her hair out of her face and glanced around.


“Where is he...?” Somewhat confused, Emilia knew that her partner had to be around here somewhere. Her collar was rather loud. It was quite annoying actually. Running her fingers through her hair, to discover many tangles, Emilia frowned as she pulled her blonde locks over to one side. "Perhaps...I'm lost...?"


How was this possible? The collars were a simple tracking technology that almost never malfunctioned? It was impossible, wasn't it? Rather confused, Emilia let out a soft sigh and began to walk around once more, wandering back and forth around the second floor of the East Wing.


@Lucem Tenebris

 

[Pequeno Burraidh]

Artis grinned as the wind whipped around her body as she looked down from her perch high up above the building she was making a point to try to get to. Her mission earlier had run, well, far, far longer than intended. Though putting a round in that one guy's knee certainly helped.


Making certain that her mutlipurpose Operator's Pack was secure, the slight woman coiled her muscles and leapt out away from the edge of the skyscraper and yelled in glee as gravity took hold. A few seconds later she pulled the cord and felt the almost painful jerk as the chute caught the air and turned her freefall into a controlled descent as she angled her route towards the building the Love Harvest was being hosted in.


As she floated airily towards the main walkway she blindly fished about in her bag for the white suit and the collar she needed to wear. Somehow just as she found the items in her bag she also touched down on the ground, surprising the two soldiers guarding the entrance.


As her chute was pulled in and automatically refolded Artis dropped her pack off her back and gave a nod to the guards, holding up her hands in 'surrender'.


"Artis Latharnach, Special Operations, part of the Marker division. Mission ran late, I'm here for the Love Harvest."


Both soldiers nodded, knowing better than to hold up any Special Operations soldier. Instead they both shifted uncomfortably as Artis stripped in front of them before pulling on her suit. She then quickly folded her work clothes before pulling out a belt and strapping it on.


From the bag and into a couple slots went three magazines, and second after that Artis pulled her Mark Four-eighty 'Bulldog' sidearm and slid it into a holster. Once properly armed Artis tossed her bag into a nearby bush and clipped the collar around her belt rather than around her neck.


Was it proper? No. Was she about to collar herself? That was also a no.


Happy with herself, Artis stepped past the two soldiers and into the building, breaking into a slow jog to try to get closer to the already intermixing groups. She slowed to a walk, not necessarily wanting to intermix in such a tangled group. Instead she stuck to the outside of the group, feeling it was smarter than diving in. As she worked her way around the outside of the group her collar began to beep a bit faster, and she was certain she was getting closer to her 'match'.


Hopefully this one would be a better match than the heartless prick she beat the hell out of a few years prior.


She wasn't planning on beating the hell out of some heartless fuck who only saw numbers, but if it came to it then a promise of pain and throwing herself at the nearest undercover operation would be the simplest fix. Besides, she trusted, well, some people in her government, and was sure they'd learned from their last 'perfect match'.


_______________________________________________________________________________


"Gunnery Sergeant O'Hanrahan, should we have stopped her?" asked the younger soldier as Artis passed them.


"No."


"But, she took a pistol in! She just parachuted down from nowhere!"


"Kid," O'Hanrahan groaned, "I don't know about you, but I saw a Special Forces operative walk in to find her Love Harvest Match. That's all I saw. Just... shut up and trust me on this."


"But-"


"Kid, no."

 

[Lucem]

On the first morning of the new year, Vincent awoke with only one thought. 'My life is over.' The moment he opened his eyes, he immediately closed them and rolled over in the cot full of holes that he called a bed. The very sight of the sun made his eyes feel like they would boil.


He felt exhausted, one hour of sleep not exactly bringing the feeling of rejuvenation. Most people found themselves unable to sleep on the eve of the Love Harvest, but his circumstances were different. He was not one of the people that stood up feeling giddy about meeting their 'true love' or those that worried about making a good impression. Vincent's rage at the very thought of the Love Harvest lit a flame that refused to be put out, accompanied by the feeling of slight depression.


Last night, he had packed his bags with whatever few belongings he had, determined to leave for good. Before he could walk out the doors of Sector A's gym, he slammed the bag to the hard, concrete floors in frustration. There was no way in Hell he could leave. Where would he go? No place in the world was safe from the government's influence. He would simply be hunted like a dog for his acts of defiance and be eradicated.


Feeling the growing warmth from the sun cover his body, Vincent covered his face with his arm, soft brown locks of hair being pushed to the side. Once more he adjusted his position, his forehead pushing against the walls covered in chipped paint. 'Maybe I can just stay here. Maybe I can skip it all and just sleep forever...'


As he took slight comfort in his thoughts brought upon by exhaustion, he thought he heard the click of a familiar pair of boots. He decided to ignore it, which proved to be a bad idea when the boots he heard swiftly kicked the legs of the cot, bringing it down and Vincent along with it.


Rubbing his head after the hard crash against the solid floors, Vincent cocked his head to this side and glared at the one responsible for his possible concussion. "Ow! What the Hell, Old Man!" As his blurred vision began to clear, the familiar large form of Colt Mardoch came into view, hovering over the pained youth.


"Me!? What about you!? You're gonna miss the Love Harvest if you keep sleeping in, you lazy bum!" As he yelled, Colt gripped Vincent by the color of his sleeveless shirt and lifted him into the air, quickly setting him on his feet


Recovering from his brief wobble, Vincent grabbed his shabby black coat off the floor and rubbed his head. "I know! You don't have to yell, you damn gorilla!" Brushing off the dirt from his dark jeans, Vincent made his way to the door.


"Hey, what about breakfast? No girl's gonna think much of a tiny guy like you, unless you eat and grow a few feet." Slipping on his black sneakers, covered in red outlines, Vincent felt a blood vessel pop after Colt's teasing. While he may have been in good enough shape from his constant fighting, Vincent was on the short side, which tended to strike a nerve whenever brought up in conversation.


"Shut up! I don't need it! What do I care if some woman doesn't think much of me!? She doesn't have a choice in it!" Placing his hand on the cold metal of the doorknob, Vincent looked down. "And neither do I..."


Lower lip, turning down a bit, Colt set down the weight he was currently cleaning. "Hey, Vince," his voice was notably softer now, "be careful."


Swimming the door open, Vincent walked out into the harsh outdoors of the Lower Class environment. "Whatever..." With that, he slammed the door shut.


------------


Standing in his designated line, body clad in pure white suit, Vincent looked around the building, eyes glaring at anything that so much as moved. He felt purely irritated as he stood there, even the walls managing to tick him off. This environment was absolutely dreadful. Being here made living in Sector A feel like he was living in the High Class. As large as this place was, being near so many people made him feel cramped as if he was being stuffed into a can. That situation seemed more preferable in his mind.


Everything was white. The color-coordination made it hard to see some people that were at a distance. They practically had their own form of camouflage. Maybe he could use that to sneak away...


Despite the colors they wore, some people managed to stand out. In order to stand out to their partner, people wore accessories. He had seen necklaces, earrings, and at one point, he thought he saw a gas mask. If that guy didn't get noticed, then genetic perfection is a waste of time, because their partner would be blind.


While he would never be one to try and look good for the sake of something as ridiculous as the Love Harvest, Vincent was glad that outside items weren't completely banned. Looking down at his wrist, he spotted the familiar object that had been tearing up his skin for years. The crudely made bracelet made from rope was one of the few things he cherished in this world that he hated so much. If they had taken it from him at the door, he would've fought back, not caring about the chance of being eradicated.


After being caught up in his thoughts, Vincent returned to reality and was met by the familiar feeling of discomfort he had forgotten about just a few moments ago. The silence didn't help things. It made things even more uncomfortable, but it was bearable compared to everything else. Vincent was from the Lower Class, where silence was the norm for the most part. Back in Sector A, it felt like a ghost town. Of course, the sound of flesh hitting flesh did tend to break that silence...


As he got lost in his thoughts yet again, he was brought back to his senses by the electronic voice from overhead. "The Love Harvest may now begin." Hearing that made Vincent want to sink into a hole. It was finally time for the yearly event where the government played with people like they were white mice in a lab, breeding them until they got the perfect result.


"Please remember to follow protocol 18.3 and proceed in orderly fashion according to your designated trackers" Hearing those words made Vincent even angrier than he had been initially. These things were collars and they were trying to make it sound like something completely different. They were nothing but animals and these were the breeding pits. There was no difference between a dog and those who lived under the government.


"May the order provide you unity." With that closing announcement, Vincent became nothing but a dot in the glowing trail of red. Each step he took as they filed out of the buildings like robots and into the Unity Halls made his stomach feel like it was sinking.


Soon, the previously organized lines turned into one large crowd, people searching for their 'perfect match.' The previous silence disappeared and turned into annoying noise. It just felt like chaos.


Some found their partners within seconds and others ran frantically, hoping their search would end soon. Vincent, however, just stood there, the crowd pushing past his form. No matter what supercomputer they used, the government would have no luck with him. There wasn't one woman in this world that would be deemed a match for him. If he moved, it would just be a search he dreaded to find someone that didn't exist and wouldn't want to meet anyway. It was utterly pointless.


As the minutes passed and the number of people dwindled with each pair registering one after the other, Vincent was still unmoving, his collar not having beeped in the slightest. As predicted, there was nobody. Feeling relief after making it through a year without having somebody forced on him, Vincent began to retreat. Of course he wouldn't leave yet, but the closer he was to the exit, the sooner he could get back to his sector.


In the midst of fiddling with his collar, Vincent's blood ran cold. The sudden beep numbed his senses, not even feeling the shock that came from the device around his neck. Unable to move, Vincent felt a bead of sweat trickle down his face as the beeping grew louder. Willing himself to get passed his current state, Vincent ran.


Everything had hit him at once. The realization that this was something unavoidable had sunk in. However, he would still foolishly try. He ran and continued to do so. Most would assume he was rushing to find his partner, but he was doing the exact opposite. He was running away.


Trying to block out the beeping from his ears, Vincent tried to focus on anything else. He tried to listen to the sound of his echoing steps or the curses he was currently muttering under his breath, but the beeping wouldn't stop. Every time the sound would fade, it would pick up again with more volume than the last time. It was as if this person was teleporting.


Just last year, the only thing on his mind was fighting and avoiding eradication, but now, the world was crashing down on him and brought a new worry to his life. His body was growing weak and he began to pant. It felt as if he was being chased by a monster.


Arriving on the second floor of the East Wing, Vincent stopped, his body no longer capable of running. As he tried to control his breathing, he looked around and swore upon seeing no others. It was empty. How long had he been running? Had everyone else left? Was he lost? He hadn't been looking where he was running, only trying to distance himself from the beeps that signaled impending doom.


Raising his head to look at the sky through the positioned window, Vincent felt all strength leave his body. However, the familiar beep shook him once more, only this time, he could not run. All he could do was fall deeper into the hole he had sunk into.


The beep had become the loudest he had ever heard it, the sound now accompanied by footsteps. As it grew closer, he clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms. Gritting his teeth, the sound was practically in his ear. It was game over. 'Damn...'


@Darth Pai

 

[Sen Pai]

A few minutes had passed, Emilia's hopeful expression was beginning to fade away. Sitting on the very first step of the stairs going up to the third floor of the building, Emilia sat similar to that of a doll; her legs crossed under the other and her hands folded neatly on her lap. Brushing any stray blonde locks out of her face, Emilia frowned and glanced out the window. The sky was still blue, the sun continued to blind you if you looked directly at it.


Ever since she was born, Emilia had very light sensitive eyes. Perhaps it was due to the mutation in her eyes and the lack of melanin in her eyes that doesn’t protect her from the ultraviolet light rays? Emilia had once read about it, wanting to know why her eyes were so light sensitive. But, something like that didn’t really matter. The mixing of the blue and red reflections did not matter when she was doomed to be alone all her life.


Maybe she was being way too dramatic about it? Emilia huffed, holding back a pout so that she wouldn’t look like a spoiled rich child who didn’t get what she wanted. But, to be honest, that was what Emilia really felt at that moment. She was like a spoiled kid who didn’t get that pony or doll that she wanted and was sulking, thinking about how terrible her life is.


Her collar continued to beep, but Emilia didn’t seem to care as much anymore. After all, you learn how to tune out the constant beeping and the levels of volume. It seemed that the sounds from the collar had regulated into either a soft or medium level. Was her partner ignoring her? Perhaps he had seen her and thought, “Oh shit. I’m out of here.”? Was she being avoided?


Frowning at the thought, Emilia turned her head away from the sky and the city below her. Closing her eyes and massaging them, Emilia felt the wet tears squeeze through from her eyes. But, it wasn’t from disappointment or sadness that her partner was avoiding her. Emilia was over that by now. She didn’t have a “lover” last year, why would she have one now? It was simply her eyes that bugged her. The light was too much and her eyes were light sensitive. A few couples glanced her way as they hurried down to get registered.


“Oh, that poor girl.” A woman would say, sympathetic with the “sobbing” Emilia. “Looks like she didn’t get matched this year.” The woman would then hurry off with her match to get registered. Emilia would only turn to look at them then, watching as they walked off together, sometimes they would hold hands.


Was it envy that Emilia felt? Perhaps. Emilia couldn’t help but wish that she had been matched this year. Perhaps her collar was malfunctioning. If that boy was avoiding her, she would have to teach him some proper manners. You cannot just keep a lady waiting! It was simply improper. Then again, it’s never good to keep anyone waiting.


Sighing once more and removing her gaze from the couple, Emilia stood up to stretch her legs. Rolling her shoulders back and going on her tip toes to stretch her legs, Emilia curved her back, listening for the satisfying cracks of her spine. With her hands still held together, Emilia reached her arms up in the air and then moved them behind her head.


Carmen once taught Emilia a game when she was younger, she said that she played it with her younger siblings all the time. It was called Hide and Go Seek. Carmen said that it was like the game “Tag”, where there is someone who is “it” and the “it” has to run around, trying to “tag” - or touch - someone. If someone who is not “it” gets “tagged”, they are now “it”. She also said that it was “Tag” and the game of “Hide and Seek” combined together in an “epic fusion of awesomeness”.


Emilia knew what Hide and Seek was, she would play it with her brother when they were younger. For some reason, Emilia always ended up being found by Joshua! She suspected that the older sibling was secretly cheating or someone was leaking information to him. So, when Carmen had taught Emilia about the game, the little girl was extremely excited to play it.


Unfortunately, Emilia sucked at Hide and Go Seek. Considering she was terrible at hiding and not the best at running, the game of “once you are spotted, you must run away” wasn’t something she was very good at. But, if her partner wanted a game of Hide and Go Seek, Emilia would give it to him. He isn’t going to get away this time.


Kicking out her legs to stretch them once more and get her blood flowing through them, Emilia felt the corners of her lips twitch as they formed a little smile. Clearing her throat, Emilia spun on her heel and began to walk through the second floor. Now, Emilia decided if they were going to play Hide and Go Seek, she might as well have fun with it.


“One, two, ten.” Emilia whispered to herself, the smile on her face growing as she was reminded of the fun memories she had as a child. “Ready or not, here I come.” Hurrying off, Emilia pushed her hair out of her face, which held a very determined expression.


Sticking to the camouflaged white walls, Emilia’s blonde hair wasn’t light enough to blend in completely, nor was she extremely pale, but the white suit was a good enough camouflage. The only thing that gave her away was the beeping of her collar. Then again, the beeping of the collars were synchronized, right? Unless this guy has ultra hearing, he couldn’t have heard the difference, right? Emilia couldn’t even hear the difference.


Stifling a childish giggle, Emilia stuck her arms out and pressed her back against the walls. Bending her knees slightly, Emilia snuck across the room, following the sounds of her collar. She had to find him. He was going to be her Prince Charming! Emilia’s head was filled with all the girlish fantasies she dreamed about her partner for the past year.


Emilia did her best to make her footsteps as quiet as possible, slowly going heel first and then rounding over onto her toes. When Emilia found herself in an open area, she either sprinted across, staying as low to the ground as she possibly could without falling over. She had fallen over once, but managed to pick herself up quickly to make sure no one had seen such an embarrassing scene.


Once in awhile, Emilia would hide behind a plant, or a pillar, and then check behind it to make sure the sight was clear. As Emilia progressed farther around the second floor, the beeping of her collar became louder. Perhaps louder than ever before!


Excitement built up in Emilia as she found herself stumbling a bit more. Three minutes in, Emilia found herself humming a sweet tune, then she forced herself to stop since it would give away her position. Emilia began to dream about her match’s reaction. Perhaps he would be surprised by Emilia, get scared and jump back. But then he would laugh it off and they would connect almost instantly.


Maybe he wasn’t actually avoiding her. Maybe he had gotten lost and confused? Emilia wouldn’t mind that. She thought that if it was because of something like that, she would find it cute. Emilia would then giggle and as they held hands and hurried down to become “legally married”, he would pick her up in his strong arms, bridal style.


When they stood in front of the registration, he would be very eager and fill out everything as soon as possible. When everything was finished, he would wrap his arm around Emilia’s waist, pull her in close and place his lips on top of her’s. Oh, how Emilia dreamed how magical that kiss would be.


It wouldn’t be her first kiss. She gave that to Daniel. Back then, the little girl thought that kisses in general were for people that you loved. Her mother had to give her a good explanation after that. Emilia, although embarrassed by the fact she had given her first kiss away when she was eleven (And to a baby!), wondered if her match would hug and kiss her. Like how Carmen and Joshua treated each other!


Emilia stopped sneaking about for a moment, a bright and girly smile on her face, stretching from ear to ear. Sighing romantically, Emilia leaned back on the wall, her hands pressed against it like her life depended on it. Holding back a squeal, Emilia felt her face only to find that it was burning compared to her fingertips. A red blush had snuck itself across Emilia’s cheeks.


Taking deep breaths to clear her mind, and face, Emilia turned around and found herself staring at a young man with brown hair. Emilia could only see his back, but he seemed to be very tense, as if he was frustrated with something. His body posture all signalled that the man was stressed out.


Then it hit Emilia. Perhaps he too was looking for his soul mate! The young lady giggled with glee. Ah, romance was in the air! It was so sweet! Deciding to help the man find his lady, Emilia walked over to him, unaware of the fact that her collar was beginning to beep louder.


At the last moment, Emilia decided that it would’ve been absolutely hilarious and amusing if she were to scare him! Pulling back, Emilia leaned on one leg and tapped her chin as she began to think. Or would that be mean? Perhaps this boy is too annoyed to take a joke? Emilia didn’t want to offend anyone after all. It was her wedding day, as well as countless of others! Your wedding day is supposed to be a happy and exciting event.


Finally coming to the conclusion of simply tapping on the man’s shoulder to get his attention, Emilia nodded to herself and took a step forward. Reaching out to tap the man on the shoulder, Emilia’s smile seemed as if it was permanently plastered on her face. As she reached out, everything seemed to slow down.


Emilia‘s hand made contact with the man‘s shoulder and the loud binary sound of her collar went off and echoed through the halls.


Eyes widening at the sound, Emilia’s smile disappear for a moment as her mind went blank. Was she really ready for this? Clearing all doubts from her head, Emilia beamed once more and sent a friendly wave at the man.


“Hello there,” Emilia extended her hand out to offer a handshake to her partner. “My name is Emilia Jarvis. What’s yours?”


@Lucem Tenebris

 

[Agent Nine]

The floor was aglow with tracks of green light. Novi looked down at the tips of her boots and the artificial beams that shone beneath them, directing the masses of girls towards what would most likely end up being some huge, writhing, hall of chaos. As if on cue, a voice leaking from some loudspeaker filled the air around them.


“The Love Harvest may now begin.”


Novi stood in her spot and watched as the lines surged forward. The disparity between them all was as clear as water and as huge as the Unity Hall, itself; there were the ones who were more eager than their peers—girls who'd gussied up this morning for the occasion with shiny earrings and circlets and fancy perfumes—and there were the timid, indifferent ones who didn't seem to know what to do with themselves. Personally, Novi felt as if she wasn't in either of the two groups. She had made her own, within the last few minutes; a group consisting of a single member. A group for those who were neither timid nor eager, yet dreaded to be in the place that they were, with the whitewashed walls surrounding them and the heat of hundreds upon thousands of bodies all pressed into a single space.


The automated voice continued in its faux-calm tone. “Please remember to follow protocol 18.3 and proceed in orderly fashion according to your designated trackers.”


Trackers, collars, nooses...what's the difference, really? They're all uncomfortable as hell and have no business being on my neck, Novi mused, giving the nuisance clamped around her throat a single-fingered tug. It zapped her a little in response, and she let out a surprised squeak. What the...? Have these things always been wired?


Speaking of collars...the beeps on hers had stayed quiet and slow for a while, now. Most likely because the young woman hadn't moved from her place since the loudspeakers stopped the announcements. Novi had no desire to go running into the fray. The same went for being here in the first damned place, but if she was going to find her match, she'd do it the smart way. Let all the other love-bugs pair up and leave, first. Once the place had cleared out some, it'd be easier to go walking about searching. Err, listening. Her man could deal with waiting a few extra minutes, couldn't he?


The plan set in stone in her mind, Novi trotted over to a nice, empty corner and sat herself down, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face as she did so. From here, she could see mostly legs and not as many faces unless she looked up, but that was fine. It was kind of amusing to watch the disorder, the scrambling. Kinda like watching horses racing at a track. Blondie curves her way around Big Red, the beacon around her neck starting to go crazy...has she gotten to the finish line? Oooh, no, wrong turn, Blondie! Blondie collides with Grey Face and goes spiraling to the ground! Wrong move, Blondie...


It was funny, and she laughed. They were quiet, uncertain laughs, but laughs all the same, and Novi made herself feel a bit better by laughing.


Because she wasn't worried. No, not at all, nope, not in the slightest. But she was bothered. And she wasn't sure she wanted any of these frantic or non-frantic faces stopping near her anytime soon.

​

 

[Lucem]

At that moment, Vincent couldn't be sure what affected him more. Between the sudden feeling of human contact and the ungodly loud sound emitted by the collar, it was a tough decision. Regardless of which was worse, both gave him the feeling of utter defeat.


His anger had subsided a bit, but what was lost had been replaced with the familiar feeling of depression. As soon as that hand touched him, his life was over. No, that wasn't true. His life was over the moment he was born. Everything he had ever done would've just led up to this. He never had any choice.


Hearing the voice of the woman who had touched him. Vincent was tempted to continue facing forward. He wanted to just keep walking and never stop. However, with the military hovering around the building like vultures, waiting for someone to show signs of defiance so they could be eradicated, that wasn't an option.


Left with no choice, Vincent slowly began to turn around, dreading every second of it. He couldn't escape the event, but he could delay it, even if it was by a few seconds. He was stubborn like that, always grasping at straws.


When he finally turned around to meet her face-to-face, it was clear that these two were living in completely different worlds. She was beaming like the bright sun, looking as if she didn't have a care in the world. She seemed happy, as if she was glad to see him. Vincent wasn't nearly as inviting.


He looked at her odd, purple eyes with cold, brown ones. He was slouching a bit and had a look of indifference. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with the woman in front of him. A stranger wouldn't have been happy to see him, let alone his future wife.


When looking at her, two things stuck out for him. The first of the two was the color of her eyes. No normal person had purple eyes, making it clear that this was a mutation. However, the government wouldn't allow mutations. Despite knowing this, it was right there in from of him. While this was suspicious, a different color had taken up his attention. Her collar.


The green light around her neck greatly contrasted his red. 'Is this some kind of joke?' He had been paired with someone from the Higher Class, something he couldn't bring himself to believe. They were worlds apart, both in status and in personality, yet they had been paired together. 'What kind of computer are they using?'


Hearing her voice again, Vincent stared at the extended hand. Looking down, he forced himself to mumble out a response. "Vincent..."


@Darth Pai

 

[Sen Pai]

Emilia watched as the young man turned around as slow as a snail. She waited patiently for him, her mind racing with ideas of his personality, intriguing quirks, and even his looks. But as soon as he turned around, Emilia found herself staring into brown eyes that seemed to match the man's hair.


He didn't seem very excited to see her that's for sure. With terrible posture complimented by a blank facial expression, Emilia could almost hear her mother's gentle lectures about proper manners.


Deciding to shake it off, Emilia continued to smile as she waited patiently for the man to respond. As she waited, she looked him up and down. He was a little on the shorter side, but that was okay. Emilia was never one to care about small trivial matter such as appearance. But a pretty face was always a bonus.


Emilia's smile almost falted when she saw the bright red blinking on his collar. Her match...was from the Lower Class. Somewhat surprised, Emilia kept herself from tilting her head to the side like a dog. Not that being from the Lower Class was bad, it's just that Emilia did not expect it. Then again, the Love Harvest made the pairs by genetic compatibility so this person...must be the man who would balance out Emilia's genetics.


Looking closer, Emilia found that her match was rather average when it came to genetics. The supercomputer must've purposely done that to balance out Emilia's own genetic code. After all, with her mother's health record and her own "mutation" in her eyes, you would need someone to balance it out.


"Vincent." He said, mumbling it. Emilia almost had to strain her ears to hear the young man's short introduction. However when Emilia picked up his name, she smiled warmly.


Dropping her hand considering the fact that Vincent didn't seem like a person to shake hands, Emilia folded her hands neatly behind her back. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Vincent."


To be honest, Emilia felt a little bit of hurt seeing the reaction she got from her future husband. Of course, it was understandable since they just met but it was obvious that Emilia's dreams of being rode off on a white horse wasn't going to come true.


However, the young lady would have to do her best. She was quite the optimist after all.


A rather awkward silence fell over the two, Emilia fiddled around with her thumbs as she found a very interesting plant to look at.


Finally, after deciding enough was enough, Emilia attempted to strike up a conversation. "How're you doing?" Smiling nervously, Emilia held back an anxious laugh as she made eye contact with Vincent.


@Lucem Tenebris

 

[X07]

Xavier stared out of his window, watching the new morning sun rise over the horizon. Most people welcomed the new year with welcome arms and excitement, and even more tended to do so with a fair amount of alcohol in their system. For the last seven years, this has been far from the case for Xavier. From the second he turned 18 years old he dreaded the new year with every fiber of his being, he never liked the process, he hated the protocols, and those god-awful white jumpsuits they always made him wear never really helped the situation. If there was any sliver of hope in him, it came from the fact that he was over the hump, usually not having a match made in your first five years meant that you were less likely of being matched up with each passing year. This idea greatly lifted the burden off of Xavier's mind, if the government couldn't do something as simple as playing genetic cupid, then maybe they weren't as all powerful as they make themselves out to be. Maybe, just maybe, Xavier could finally be in charge of his own life, his own destiny.


After a minute or two of reflecting on himself and his life, Xavier finally stood up and walked out of his bedroom. He finally finished moving in to his new apartment, and he couldn't be happier with himself. He finally took his knowledge and began consulting businesses and families on government processes and bureaucracy and helped them get around the constant red tape that plagued the lower class sectors. He wouldn't charge much, in fact he never charged some of the poorer families at all, they usually just gave a small donation to him, sometimes money and sometimes goods. But after months of hard work, he finally saved up enough cash to get a nicer apartment on the edge of the lower class sector. He wasn't quite middle class yet, but he was right at the tipping point.


He walked over to a box against the wall near his bedroom door and began shuffling through his contents, it was hard to get good luxury items in these sectors, and what you do get is usually not that great. But Xavier lucked out when one of the businesses he consulted on a tax audit gave him a box of old video cassettes as a gift of gratitude. Normally he would have refused, but that was a once in a lifetime opportunity for someone who grew up like him and he grabbed the box without a second thought. The television and the vcr themselves were not that hard to find, with one at a flea market and the other in a drug dealer's pawnshop, and soon Xavier had his own working entertainment center. He grabbed one of his personal favorites, the sticker had long peeled off but he recognized A Fistful of Dollars with little trouble. He popped the video in and let it play on it's own as he jumped into the shower.


The movie helped take his mind off the day ahead, and Xavier looked back on the first love harvest he attended. He had turned 18 only a few months beforehand, but as far as the government is concerned, as long as your birthday is on December 31 or beforehand, you were eligible for the love harvest. He walked in with pure terror in his heart, he didn't want to do it, he constantly looked over to the door and considered just up and running away. There was a huge chance of him getting a bullet in his back, but maybe they would miss. He put those thoughts out of his head and just stood in the room, waiting for that collar to go off like it would explode at any second. But it didn't the whole day passed and nothing. He was escorted out of the building and let go, "better luck next year" one of the escorts told him, as if Xavier should have been disappointed.


But that was seven years ago, and now Xavier was still finding himself apprehensive over the whole situation. He once again found himself wondering what exactly would happen if he were to just "disappear". Maybe the government wouldn't care, afterall he was never matched up after six love harvests, would they even notice him being gone? Or maybe they would hunt him down, make an example of him and parade him down his sector, an example for even thinking of dissent. No, he's made it this far, to run now would just be plain stupid. Xavier put on some jeans and an old t-shirt and walked outside to find a transport already waiting for him to take him to the administration building. He sat down next to some kid, obviously his first year at the harvest, who constantly looked out of the transport window with a large sigh. "Relax," Xavier said as he patted him on the shoulder, "the worst thing that can happen is that they let you go home."


The rest of the ride was uneventful and soon Xavier found himself walking into the administration building once more, the crowd was escorted inside and led to a large locker room. Everyone was assigned a locker to keep their personal items while they changed into the suits that they were required to wear during the ceremony. As he zipped up Xavier looked up and saw several men walking around, giving the appropriate collars to their owners. Eventually they came up to him, "Name?" The man asked, "Xavier Crane, son of Jonathon Crane and Emma Crane." Xavier responded trying to make things go quickly and smoothly, "Xavier Crane, lower class, just moved into a new address it seems, you were pretty close to changing colors too." the man said as he gave him his collar. Xavier stared at the collar, looking at the jewel in the center, this is where the government showed it's true colors. They preach unity, having everyone wear white in order to keep everyone at level, but around everyone's neck was the labels, it didn't matter who you really were, no one was going to look past the label.


His eyes glazed over during the opening ceremony and he only came to when he noticed everyone walking around, trying to find their supposed "soul mate." Xavier stood still for a couple of seconds, listening intently to his collar, so far it sat silent. With a satisfied sigh he began to walk away hoping to find a chair to sit in while he waited for the rest of the people to finish their business.


*BEEP*


Xavier stopped in his tracks, hoping that the noise he heard was just in his imagination. *BEEP* It was extremely slow but it was steady. Xavier's heart began to pound in his chest with an unbelievable force. He turned around and looked at the crowd in front of him. The moment he had been dreading has come, Xavier's destiny was no longer his.

 

[Lucem]

As the woman known as Emilia preoccupied herself by staring at a nearby plant, Vincent continued to try and understand the reasoning behind their match. Pairs were decided based on genetics in order to breed people that were perfectly healthy. If that was the case, they were paired to balance each other.


Looking back on his life, Vincent had always managed to somehow avoid being sick. Being around Margaret so much as child never resulted in him catching her disease, so it was safe to assume he had a strong immune system. However, if cracked ribs and broken arms counted as illnesses, he was extremely unhealthy...


He knew enough about himself, but this girl was suspicious. He couldn't get passed her purple eyes. They shouldn't exit in the world that they live in. The government would have noticed anything they deemed a mutation. The only way she could've slipped passed the system would be if there was a very incompetent doctor or someone in her family had conventions and a powerful position.


Not liking where his thoughts were going, Vincent tossed aside the notion that this girl's family had ties with the government. The very idea filled him with rage.


On the topic of things that made him angry, there was another thing about this girl that bothered him. Her height. It would've been annoying enough if she measures the same as him, but she was taller! It wasn't his fault he didn't get proper nutrition at a young age!


Caught up in his attempts to keep back his rage in a place surrounded by guards, Vincent hardly noticed when the girl spoke again. He had been zoning out a lot today. It seemed like his mind would take any chance to make Vincent forget he was here.


As she spoke, she looked nervous, reminding Vincent somewhat of a baby deer. She seemed to be just as uncomfortable as him, but for different reasons. She was coming to the realization that her 'perfect match' was someone like him. Vincent, on the other hand, had a problem with that, as well as everything else that was going on at the moment.


'How am I doing? Are we going to suffer through small talk until someone drags us away?' It should've been obvious how he was doing. This was one of the worst days of his life and that was saying something. His life would only get worse from here on out.


Looking towards the registration area, Vincent maintained his distant appearance. 'As soon as I'm forced to go through that, I'll be dragged off to God knows where with her.'


@Darth Pai

 

[Ayl]

Jacob Reginald Thaddeus Morgan, Unknown Detainment Facility

The taste of his own blood was the same as always. His mouth was full of it, practically drooling it after each hit he would receive from the government MM dog that was trying desperately to draw out all the information he had on the resistance. He knew nothing, it was his wife that dealt with them, Jacob tried telling them millions of times. But they just kept coming back for more, each time more persistent, each time more brutal. "You're a tough little f*****, aren't you?" said the bruiser, finally finishing his beating. "No worries, I started to believe you. Afterall, there's no more reason to keep us in the dark about the resistance, now that you're pretty little wife is dead, is there?" he spoke again, a smirk blooming on his face.


At the mention of his wife, Jacob straightened his head, his face and body bearing the mark of several bruises from the multitude of punches and kicks he had received during his stay in the prison facility he was incarcerated in. The mention of his wife did not only have the role of waking up some deep, both painful and happy memories, but also had the effect of making him angry. "Don't you...dare...talk about...her, you scumbag…or I’ll…"





"Oh, so it seems the cat ain't got yo' tongue yet! Do what? You can’t do sh**, Jakey boy! And guess what, you can't tell me what to do, you little sh**. Don't you get it, Jakey boy? This is our last meeting, you and me. You know why?" the agent asked, the smirk turning into an ear-to-ear grin. " 'Cause today is your big day, Jakey! Later today, you are scheduled for eradication!". He emphasized on the last word, watching Jacob's face for any reaction. "How's that sound to you, big boy? You will no longer be alone. You will soon get to see your wh*** wife that I enjoy 'toying' with, before her final minute." he chuckled. "Oh yeah, I had some real good fun with her, breaking her spirit. She was a more easier nut to crack than you were, Jackie boy, I can tell you that much! No sir, she started chirping like a bird from the very first session!" he kept boasting.


Jacob stood there and watched his tormentor go around, telling him the tale of his wife's demise. Before he knew it, Jacob's teeth clenched together. He probably could've bit off the agent's neck, which he would've done with no second thought or remorse. This prick deserved it. But alas, the agent knew better than to get too close to Jacob. Taking advantage of the moment his face got too near, Jacob did one last desperate defiance act. Gathering the blood in his mouth into a singular unit, he used the left of his strength to spit the contents of his mouth directly into the man's face.


The agent let out a cry of surprise as Jacob grinned automatically. The sight of seeing the man squirm like a little girl before him made his torture session worth it. Although a rather useless action, it certainly cheered him up. The response, however, came lighting fast, as another, last punch made contact with Jacob’s jaw, making him drop to the floor, powerless.


„I hope you enjoyed that, ‚cause it was the last thing you will ever do, worm”. The assigned torturer walked towards the door of the small interrogation room and knocked twice. The lock mechanism was heard and the MM agent gave his orders. „Take him to his cell and make sure he doesn’t get any ideas. It’s his final day, isn’t it?”. He departed laughing, as the gorrilas barged in and grabbed Jacob, leading him to his cell, more dragging him than helping him walk.


Tossed in his cell, in the cold and dark environment, Jacob tried standing up. He failed in every attempt and so became content with only sitting up against the wall, his legs not responding to his brain’s commands. It’s been two whole months. Torturing, beating, questioning. Not a damn break. And now he just found out that he was programmed for execution. There was only one thing he could say or think at that point.


„F***ing finally!” he exhaled.


He wanted this moment to come faster, yet it was always delayed, just so they could beat info out of him, info he didn’t have. But now, he was going to be killed. He didn’t mind that, he knew one thing about eradications. They were quick. One bullet to the back of the head, and poof, you’re on your way to a better place. He would finally get to see Loreley and Patrick again, to be happy again.


Now he looked back to his incarceration time and saw how stupid he was by trying to escape his prison so many times. One time, when they had brought him lunch, he took the spoon and kept it, spending time sharpening it into a shiv to use on the guard when he would come next time, get his key and run like hell. He overestimated his strength. The beatings left their mark on him and so the guard overpowered him. He got an extra beating for that.


Now, there he stood, staring at the door, in his white, blood soaked tanktop, his grey hair still maintaining its never-changing style. Bruises, wounds and cuts of all sizes, shapes and colors dotted his entire body. One thing was sure about the government, that they weren’t greedy with their punches and blows on e bit. But they did have a problem with the electricity, since Jacob would spend most of his days in complete darkness, while a chilly wind would sweep through the chamber.


He wondered how they were going to terminate him. And even more important, would he get a last wish? A cigar, maybe? He hadn’t smoked in years, Loreley had sensitive lungs. He had to quit, or be the cause of her death himself. Somehow, he was the cause of her death anyhow. If he wouldn’t have been such a jackass during her grieving for Patrick, maybe they wouldn’t have gotten into this mess. But, there was nothing he could do about it now.


As he laid there, on the cold, concrete floor, he heard a sound. The door was opening. Already? This soon after he’d just been interrogated? Well, he hoped he wouldn’t have to walk there. Afterall, he could barely move his upper body, much less his lower one. As he squinted through the black room to try and identify his ‚guide’ towards death.


„So, time’s finally up?” the defeated soldier muttered pathetically from the ground.

​

@X405

 

[Sen Pai]

Seeing as the usual small talk that often worked on the people of higher up ranks of the Community wasn't working on Vincent, Emilia held back a sigh as she straightened her posture. Staring at the young man before her, Emilia frowned as she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. What does he want? Emilia felt that she had to please him. Perhaps she was not trying hard enough?


Following Vincent's gaze towards the registration area, Emilia rolled her shoulders back and then glanced over at Vincent. He must be scared. Perhaps he is afraid of commitment? Maybe he's used to living a life of freedom? Emilia had to make sure he was as comfortable "Shall we?" Pausing for a few moments, Emilia knew for a fact that Vincent wouldn't pick her up bridal style and carry her other to the registration area. But, Emilia didn't want to be stuck in this building - or the outfit - for too long. The collar was seriously beginning to itch.


Emilia hesitated as she thought about taking Vincent's hand and pulling him to the registration center. But as she turned around, Emilia decided against it and began to walk towards the counter. She remembered how he reacted before when Emilia tapped his shoulder, nor did he accept her handshake. Perhaps he doesn't want to be touched? It's not like he could run or anything. The man's best bet would be to jump out the window. Glancing over at Vincent, Emilia flashed him a quick smile before turning to one of the people at the counter.


"Hello there," Emilia stared at the person who sat behind a digital screen. "We," The young woman looked back at Vincent. "Would like to register ourselves." Beaming brightly at the woman behind the counter, Emilia readied herself for anything that she and Vincent would have to sign.


The woman just seemed to roll her eyes and sigh. "Names?"


Emilia was a little shocked by the reaction but it was understandable considering the amount of people who had gone through this registration process. "Um, Emilia Jarvis and Vincent...." The young woman trailed off and glanced back at Vincent as if screaming, "Help me!". Vincent had not informed Emilia of his last name when they had introduced themselves.


Back then, Emilia had brushed it off and did her best to strike up a conversation. But your name was a crucial piece of information, it was linked to your CIN; Community Identity Number. Your CIN gave access to most of your data such as your appearance, name, gender, age, and birthday.


"Vincent...?" The right corner of Emilia's lips curled up into a sheepish smile. "May I know your last name please?"


@Lucem Tenebris

 

[Lucem]

When Emilia began to walk away, Vincent raised his brow. Was she leaving? If so, that would be a one-way ticket to the morgue.


Turning his head to follow her path, Vincent was displeased by what he saw. He took a step back when she approached the people at the counter. What in God's name was she doing!?


Listening to every word she said, Vincent paled. 'We would like to register!? No, you want to register! The government wants us to register! I want to leave!' The nightmare just kept on getting worse.


When she looked in his direction after being asked for their names, he cringed a bit. He hated these situations. He didn't want to put any attention on himself and he certainly didn't want to help ruin his life any further.


Vincent tried to make a point of standing still, but that look she had got on his nerves. She looked like a lamb about to be eaten by a wolf. He tried to resist his protective instincts, but the final nail was hit into the coffin when she spoke and gave that smile. 'Damn it!'


Walking over, Vincent began to mentally swear. He hated this side of him. He tried to avoid helping others as much as possible, but that instinct was still there. Besides, the fact that he would have a bullet put in his head if he didn't comply didn't exactly make resisting any easier.


Approaching the counter, Vincent forced himself to mutter once again. "Clara." It might've been just one word, but it was enough to sell his soul away. He hadn't known his last name for very long, but he didn't care much for it. It was useless to him, but it certainly mattered to the government.


His levels of uncomfortableness were higher than ever now. The registration process had finally started and it was dreadful. He was just a few moments away from being married.


Turning his head and running his hand through his hair, Vincent turned to the side. The window nearby was looking very promising right now. 'Maybe if I aim for the bushes...'

 

[Sen Pai]

Sighing in relief when Vincent had stepped up, Emilia didn't think she would be ready to lie correctly. Not only was she a terrible liar, if she got it wrong then they would know since it wouldn't have appeared in the register. Then she would have to lie again about hearing it wrong or having not paid attention.


It was rather embarrassing for the young lady. She had been the one who hsd stepped up to the counter without even knowing the information needed. I guess, Emilia just wanted to prove herself to Vincent. He didn't seem very impressed, or any positive emotion, and kept looking out the window as if he wanted to jump out of it!


Now, isn't that insane? The very thought of jumping out of the window made Emilia frown. Not only would you break the glass and end up cutting yourself, you would probably get injuried from the landing impact.


Emilia had to purse her lips in order to keep herself from blurting out a question about whether or not Vincent was really thinking about jumping out the window.


As Vincent mumbled his last name, Emilia could feel herself brighten up almost instantly. Emilia felt her cheeks hurt from all the smiling she had done today, but it was worth it. Having learned one more thing about her partner was good enough for Emilia.


"Your name is Vincent Clara?" Emilia let the name roll off her tongue, she was rather grateful that he had such an easy name to pronounce. It would've been embarrassing if she mispronounced it. Smiling softly, Emilia folded her hands in front of her this time. "That's a very beautiful name."


"Alright, you both can go." The woman waved them off and with the soft click snd the sound of sir pressure being released, the collar around Emilia's neck became looser. Almost immediately, Emilia took off the tracker and placed it in the pile of discarded devices.


Taking a few deep breaths, Emilia then turned around to stare at Vincent. Thousands of questions ran through her mind. What happened now? What is she supposed to do? Do you just walk outside of the building and then do whatever you think would be best? Emilia bit her lower lip as she wondered.


Deciding to just go with whatever happens, Emilia's lips stretched into a deep smile as she waited patiently for Vincent. Wanting to walk by his side, Emilia was unaware of the fact that Vincent didn't enjoy the fact that she was taller than him. She just wanted to make the most out of the experience.


"Vincent," Emilia blurted out randomly. A few moments later, the lady realized whwhat she had just said and giggled softly. Covering her mouth as she laughed, Emilia raised a hand and waved. "Hello."


@Lucem Tenebris

 

[CommodoreOlaf]

"Takeshi Oshiro.." She stopped and stared at him with big, curious eyes. Only seconds passed but it felt like an eternity. Time seemed to slow as they met for the first time.


Was this woman truly her? His partner? Her lips came together, a thin salmon-colored canoe reflected across the line where her smile began to form.


Feelings, odd ones, rose in his stomach and began climbing his spine. There was no way to describe it; the emotion was exclusive to this event. Then, her voice warped, as if her voice box had been submerged underwater, until it became gruff, low, and masculine.


"Takeshi Oshiro." She repeated, this time sounding annoyed. The mismatched face and voice extremely confused him. Huh...?


"Oshiro!" The voice barked and cracked at the end, jerking him away from his daydreams and into reality.


The woman's face (now nothing more than an image) expanded, imploded into thin air and was replaced with an older man's.


"Get a grip, son. Before I get a grip for you!" The man advised as spittle flew through the air. Saliva landed on various places on Takeshi's face.


He stood behind a desk in military fatigues, with massive, and borderline inhuman, muscles, hand outstretched. He looked like a croissant, about to topple over any second, with the way his biceps were so large his hands never came to his sides.


What's this guy's problem?


The man's face was square and ugly and his bottom lip appeared to swallow his top lip in a Popeye-like grimace. A name tag, probably stapled to his nipple, read Sergeant Otto.


In his large palm, rested a folded up set of white clothes, that looked tiny in comparison to the rest of the man's hand. On top was a collar, plain with locking gray tips.


"Well?" Sgt. Otto said.


"Sorry." Takeshi mumbled.


He grabbed the items and left the line. He was going to participate in the Love Harvest. Looking back at the crowd, he observed a motley of guys and gals from all different classes. Some of their faces were different; excited and very much optimistic. There were the ones who had made an effort to look presentable, confident in the supercomputer's choosing of their suitable, wealthier or at least equally wealthy, mate. Then there were others who wore somber expressions, uncomfortable in finding the new person they were destined to be with for all of eternity, disturbed by the crimes against free will, of which life was a serious offender.


Takeshi's eyes wandered until he spotted the boy with the ponytail. The guy had been standing in front of Takeshi in the registration line and he seemed to know where to go. Takeshi followed the ponytail into what appeared to be a locker room. There were some changing rooms on the side but they were all occupied. He hadn't been so close to so many people in such a long time but the feeling wasn't unfamiliar.


Takeshi stripped out of his normal clothes and began inserting himself into the white suit. Midway through, he caught his reflection in the mirror of an opened fitting room. The boy's face seemed unfamiliar to him despite how he always saw himself in the mirror every morning. He never really observed how much he had grown since he moved out of the luxurious Section A, a little over a decade ago. Now, his jaw was more defined and his brown hair had grown long, longer than he usually permitted. His chest and arms had grown large in comparison to his pubescent scrawniness. His abs were respectable and his legs had commensurate quality.


The suit fit him well, if you considered two sizes too large well. The clothes would have better suited a six-time heavyweight boxing champion than an 18-year-old boy, but he didn't complain. Takeshi considered taking it back to the registration desk to get the right size, but he didn't want to see Sgt. Otto again. That guy was a nut.


Oh well, nobody's gonna notice... if I do this. Takeshi stuffed the remaining fabric into his bottoms and then tightened the belt around him. He finished his outfit by locking the collar around his neck. The ends snapped together firmly. A few seconds later, it hummed to life, glowing red against his suit. Low, irregular beeping noises came from his neck. That supposed to happen? He wondered, tugging at the collar. The collar bit him, sending a shock of electricity into his fingers. Takeshi jumped backwards. What the hell? He made a mental note not to touch the collar under any circumstances, even if it became more uncomfortable to wear. The collar began beeping steady.


Takeshi looked in the mirror again. His appearance resulted in a cross between Urkel and MC Hammer, two television icons from the late 20th Century, famous for their bizarre outerwear. Takeshi stared at his clothing. He looked ridiculous. Yeah, I'm definitely not wearing this. He started towards the registration desk but stopped in his tracks when a woman's computerized voice projected into the room from all directions.


"The Love Harvest may now begin."


This was it. The defining moment of their lives. The culmination of their years. Takeshi walked towards the edge of the room. His brain began rapid-fire shooting off random questions and his imagination answered them as quickly as they came, juggling probability with musings. His heart decided to jump rope or something; it was beating so fast. His stomach was nowhere to be found.


"Please remember to follow protocol 18.3 and proceed in orderly fashion according to your designated trackers." At these words, the lines began to merge, until the room had been mixed thoroughly with blue, red, and green collars, a melting pot of different classes.


May the order provide you unity." The last words hung in the air for a few seconds before everyone became focused on the task at hand. Takeshi walked through the crowd, the beeping of his collar echoing in his ears.


Unity, huh? The room was filled with beeping and conversation. Some happy, some awkward, some completely silent. Takeshi looked around, the possibility of anything clawing at his mind. He began walking up through the center of the room. His collar beeped louder, not by much, but the difference was there.


Takeshi scanned his surroundings. In the first thirty seconds of the Love Harvest, some had already gone off to get "married". Others didn't even say a word to each other. If it was nervousness or if one partner was not what the other wanted, the situations varied. Some people seemed very urgent in finding their genetic soulmate. Takeshi thought he saw a man sprint to the back of the crowd, was he certain his partner was back there?


Takeshi turned left. The beeping got... quieter. Ok, wrong way.


Takeshi didn't know if he wanted this. Then again, he had no choice. This was what it took to keep the human race alive. He turned back around and headed right. He moved until the beeping became muted again. Too far.


With this, he had a vague idea of where she was or who she would be. Takeshi looked around and found his beeping had become louder, but he could not see who it was. Takeshi was on the tall side so he was sure he could see her, but she was nowhere in sight. Was he paired with a midget? The thought made him shudder.


The beeping got louder and louder as he headed toward a corner of the room.


There she was! Standing in a corner of the room, Takeshi walked up to her, feeling a sense of success. The beeping was getting louder. She turned with large black eyes, like his.


Her hair was brown which contrasted nicely with the blue glow of her collar. She was an Upper Class, but that didn't intimidate him. He had many friends, male and female, from his days in Section A. They were kids then, but they couldn't be any different now, right? Takeshi held his hand outward.


"I'm Takeshi. Nice to finally me-" He was cut short when another guy-the pony tail guy- swooped her up in his arms, adorning an identical blue collar.


"Let's go, honey." He said, flashing a smile. He carried her out towards the couple registrations, the girl's annoying giggles in their wake. Wrong person. Takeshi stood frozen, cheeks flushed red, as he realized his blunder. Turning back towards the hall, many of the people had already found their partners.


"Do I even have a partner?" He wondered. The day seemed to drag on.


@Agent Nine

 

[Ebonysdagger]

Sandra shakily got out of her bed that morning and began her ritual of scrubbing her flesh raw in the shower to make sure she was clean. Who knew what could settle on the skin during your sleep even when you kept your bedroom possibly cleaner than most labs? After she felt clean enough she stepped out and got into one of her cheaper pants and shirt outfits for the day. This way she would not be out a lot of money if she felt she needed to burn them after being around so many people. A lesson she had learned early in life.


After spending fifteen minutes in front of her door convincing herself to once again go through with this mess she stepped out and made her way to the Love Harvest. Once she arrived she shied away from the other girls who were getting dressed and stepping out quickly to take their places and only once she felt she was almost alone, and thus safer from contamination, did she get into her own pristine white suite. She, unlike several others, rather liked the outfit due to its design. She felt that it would be a safer choice for daily wear than most other clothes she had. Perhaps this time she would sneak this outfit out with her when she left. Popping on her collar with a gulp and hopes that the things were thoroughly cleaned in between these events she got in line with the others.


Her jittering nerves were somewhat in control in spite of all the girls around her and how long they were kept together breathing the same air but she knew it would not last. In a few moments she would be in a room with a mass of other people. No worse than that other young people. Most of them probably did not take the steps it took to stay healthy unlike herself and that meant any one of them could be tracking in who knew what. When the voice announced that they could proceed she let out a high pitched sound that was a cross between a squek and a scream. She waved off any attention the others gave her though and followed along.


Once again it was pure bedlam as far as the eye could see. Teenagers and other young people milling about with each other free as they pleased. This was almost as bad as the playgrounds in school had been. Sure, Sandra was of the lower class which likely had the largest amount of people in it but she had always lucked out in avoiding being anywhere with a lot of people save for this yearly event. She searched out a corner that was left the most alone and began to gravitate in that direction. If she remained out of the way she would not have to actually get caught up in the throngs and, eww, touched. Settling down to wait out another Harvest she just hoped she would luck out and not be paired again.


So wrapped up in her worries about disease and the possible fire code violations that her mind decided to make her worry about she failed to notice her collar begin to beep.

 

[Agent Nine]

Slumped in her spot on the floor, Novi rested her chin on an open palm as she watched the crowds of people flow in and out, the interwoven lines of males and females readjusting themselves every so often as partners were found, laughs were had, and tension was dumped by buckets into the atmosphere.


It wasn't until she brought herself out of her daze that she noticed that her collar seemed to be going haywire. One moment the beeps would grow louder and faster, then not a second later they'd get quiet again. Then louder, then quiet, then louder...there was a pattern forming, here, and Novi couldn't help but wonder if her "significant other" was tearing his hair out right about now, looking around for her. Should she move? Maybe. Would she? Hell no. He could look and look until he'd found her. This was a comfy place she'd settled into, and she wasn't about to give it up to the next shmuck who needed a place to hide.


Besides, the Unity Hall was still crowded, though the throngs of people seemed to be thinning out, now. It wouldn't be long till she ran out of excuses to stay put...


The beeps were suddenly as loud as ever. Novi winced, the high-pitched sound making her ears ring. It was as annoying as a mosquito's buzz.


Was he nearby? He had to be; science made mistakes, but Novi had a feeling that the collar didn't.


Maybe I should...get up and see if I can—


No, no, no! If he wanted to find her so bad, he would. She didn't have to do a damned thing but sit here and...and...


Novi let out a loud, exaggerated sigh, dragging a hand down her face.


For some reason, deep down inside her, it seemed as though something wanted her to stand up. To flag her would-be partner down just so he'd stop making his blood pressure skyrocket by searching high and low for her. The beeps were a testament to that, and for a second or two Novi felt a bit...bad for the guy. Just a bit, though. Not to mention that a part of her was actually kind of...curious. Geez, what's up with me...


Shaking her head a little, Novi got to her feet just as some ponytailed-guy swept up a chick that was standing a few feet away. There they went, off to sign their papers and start their new, joint lives. She frowned at them and watched them go, the beeping of her collar louder, still, and dared to take some steps forward, right into the dissipating fray.


Standing over by the hall's entrance with his back to her was...some guy who looked pretty lost. Novi pouted a little, then crossed her arms against her chest. Curious, she went a few paces near him. The collar noticeably got louder. Oh. ...Well. ....Huh.


Was it...? Maybe...? Only one way to find out, right?


Novi went towards him, willfully ignoring the sudden rock in her stomach. Once she was near enough, she reached over and tapped the guy on the shoulder. The collar was going berserk.


@CommodoreOlaf

​

 

[SkyFilms]

(@kitsunemage I apologize for my absence)


Levi stood among the other males within the blank walls, his gaze forever contorted due to the crack which blemished his otherwise mint conditioned gas mask. The room was silent save the ripples of cloth being removed from the surrounding bodies as they slipped into their new attire, which lacked any color.


The room gave off an aura of anxiety and a feeling of need, it was hard to measure which one held a higher status but it seemed neither over powered the other. Each male within the room both feared and looked forward to see the lovely female which would send his heart racing and his collar beeping. Except for Levi, he was only curious. Curious as to who they believed would be the best match for him, would be the girl to fill his void.


With a pale hand which mixed into the bright shade of his clothes he reached upwards and readjusted his mask, the thing in which he had barely gotten away with wearing.


As he had entered the room a single guard much larger then himself had instructed him of how they preferred his face to be shown. And though the word Preferred had been usen lightly, he still saw it as a key statement. Though he enjoyed peace and a non-troubled life especially on such a 'grand' day, he hadn't removed the mask even as he had changed. Levi's eyes lingered on the yellow scarf which was folded neatly upon his fathers old lab coat as a finger trailed the edge of his color, a gem of red marking his class. A memory fell upon his mind but he was quickly torn from the thought when informed of their need to get into their squad lines.


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Each row was silent small nervous habits making their reveal, rather it be twiddling with a section of fabric or digging at something under their nails each man couldn't help themselves. But Levi strolled behind the brunette ahead of him quietly, each movement quick and nearly unnoticeable. Small future couples began to appear in scattered amounts around him but his gaze only fell on them for a moment awaiting his own to appear. But as it seemed his line grew more scarce of candidates he began to drum his fingers upon the side of his thigh anxiously silently detesting his matches last name for being farther and farther down the line.


Giving him fearful thoughts like he was to odd and out of place to have a match, like the scientists had questioned each female to see if they liked gas mask freaks only for them to decline though he knew it to be impossible. Levi's drumming became more rapid as well as his heart but as soon as a small quiet beep fell upon his collar everything ceased, his own mind needing to remind him to breath.


Just as his eyes where met with bright blue sapphires which dazzled like the red ones within her hair. Her height was perhaps a couple inches shorter then himself but he took no mind and though he had passed many different hair colors and styles hers seemed to stick out the most within her line. And though it sounded corny as if he had stolen the line from a terrible Disney tale, she looked stunning. A girl of natural beauty in no need of cover up, an exact opposite of himself who hid behind a cover up.


And though he believed his collar had beeped for the wrong individual he steadily strolled over to the girl holding out a cold hand,


"Hello Ms."

 

[Flabbysaurus]

Flynn's eyes opened slightly as he heard movement in his room. He felt someone gently tap his shoulder. Flynn groaned at the early swishing and rolled over to see that it was his mother. "Good morning sweetie. It's time to get ready for the Love Harvest." She said with a cheery voice. Flynn simple grunted and rolled back over so he was no longer facing her. "Flynn. I know what your trying to do and no matter how hard you try you are getting out of this bed and getting ready." She said more sternly. Flynn would've grunted and sighed in response if he hadn't heard movement outside. Flynn quicky realised it was his father and suddenly flew out of the bed and jumped into the bathroom. It may have seemed like a strange reaction but Flynn knew that his father would use this to his advantage. Flynn knew that if he continued to fight against his mothers wishes that his father would use it against him in the next argument they'd have which would inevitably happen. After showering and getting dressed he made his way to the kitchen for breakfast which his mother had made. Flynn sat down at the table and began to eat as did his parents. "Are you excited Flynn? I just know you'll be paired with a nice girl." His mother asked with a grin. She continued rambling on about how Flynn would like it in the end and her own experience of it. The only thing stopping Flynn from interrupting her was the delicious breakfast she made.


"I just hope she's from the upper class." Flynn's father said in a calm voice as he slowly sipped his cup of coffee. Flynn swallowed the last of his breakfast and looked up at his dad who quickly done the same. His mother quietly took their plates so she could clean them. Hoping that an argument wouldn't start so she wouldn't have to step in. "What's wrong if she isn't? Not like you could stop it anyway." Flynn hissed. His father frowned as he replied. "I just don't want my only son to be married to some peasant." Flynn quickly stood up and slammed his hands onto the table. Causing both his parents to jump in surprise. "I just hope she isn't as much of a cold hearted bas-" Flynn began to yell but was cut off by his mother. "Both of you please stop!" She pleaded. Both Flynn and his father glared at each other one last time before Flynn's father left the kitchen to go to his study. Flynn apologised to his mother and hugged her before finally leaving.

----------------

​

Flynn couldn't help but stare in awe at how huge the building was that he was about to enter and how many people it had inside it at once. Even if he was against the Love Harvest he couldn't help but admit that the technology they used was pretty cool. After putting on the pure white suit given to him and having the metal collar forced upon him like he was an animal, Flynn was finally put in line with the many other citizens participating in the Love Harvest. “The Love Harvest may now begin.” The automated voice rung out which seemed to silence everyone. Flynn glanced around. Some peoples faces had went pale at the sound of the voice. He wondered if it was because they'd realised that there was no going back for them now. Flynn was surprised at how calm he was though as the automated voice continued talking. “Please remember to follow protocol 18.3 and proceed in orderly fashion according to your designated trackers.”


A few people seemed to scoff at use of the word trackers. They were anything but. “May the order provide you unity". Flynn simply shook his head. Saddened that humanity had reached the point were they were collared up like dogs then crammed into a building so they could find their soon to be partner that had been decided in advance. It was a lot more different from what marriage used to be like ex pet the bride still wore white clothes which was something but it was certainly no dress.


Suddenly the organised single file lines merged into a huge crowd. All searching for their partner as all their collars gave of the monotone beep notifying how close they were. Flynn simply shuffled through the crowds, waiting to see if his collar would beep. For a while it didn't and he wondered if he'd be free for another year, he'd heard that some people did leave unmarried. Maybe he'd be one of them.


I wonder what she'll be like. Hopefully she's not a weirdo or some rich snooty snob. Dad would probably like that last one though... Suddenly Flynn's collar beeped. His eyes widened in surprise and he quickly looked around. As he continued to move further forward the louder and mire frequent the beeping became.


@Auren ((Sorry for the delay in posting and if there are errors. It's annoying trying to type on a tablet.))

 

[Jays]

Toby looked at his watch impatiently, scowling at the tight timing he seemed to have to set on his schedule. "Drive faster, will you? I have an important meeting after this." The chauffeur simply nodded and started to press on the gas. The hanting dance music of the previous night still stood out in his mind, cranking up his annoyance. He had never particularly liked that type of the music, and the party was mostly business in nature, in which he spent 3 hours negotiating the details of a colloboration project between his business and a potential supplier. And now he couldn't get the damn song out of his head. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he let out a tired sign, something he never do in public. The Love Havest was the last thing he needed right then.


The Love Havest was nothing but a time-wasting ritual for him, something he didn't particularly wanted to go through again. Precious time in which he could be spending on something infinitely more productive. Toby thought of the work and his mood dampened, thinking of all the solutions yet couldn't do anything with them. It was increasingly frustrating, sitting there doing nothing. He hated travelling, as it too wasted his time and he couldn't do anything for the length of the trip, even short ones. That's why he had hired the best driver the country had to offer, and paid handsomely to keep him there. Still, the speed with which they were moving, borderline law-breaking felt slow to him.


Toby drummed his fingers on his leg, staring out the window into the city outside. He had plans for them, every building he was passing through. One day, they'd all be his. One day.


He snapped out of his day dreaming as soon as the limo came to a sudden halt. Too impatient, he opened the car and exited himself, not waiting for the driver to run around to open it for him. Toby was nothing but efficient, he wouldn't care less about the showing-off other rich people do if they wasted his time.


Straightened, he nodded to the chauffeur once to move the car then headed for the door to the building, the scowl on his face smoothed out. He smiled pleasantly to the guards. "Good day, gentlemen. Having a lovely morning, are we?" The guards only stared back at him blankly, one gestured toward the panel on the side of the door. Brutes, he thought as he pressed his palm on the panel to scan. All muscle and little brain, good for nothing but violence and intimidation.


-------------------------------


Toby looked at the white body-suit warily. It was a type of uniform, and he hated uniforms. Too common, it marked him as equal to all the worthless people of this city. May be he shouldn't have been so hash on his last wife as he had been. Too late for that now, he realised. Instead of putting the collar around his neck, he instead snapped it around his bicep. The guard frowned at that, but he just stared right back and the guy was smart enough to keep his mouth shut. At least some people in this place knew their place. Looking at his watch one last time before putting it down with the rest of his stuff and stepping out into the central platform, Toby once again mentally calculated the time he had. He might have to be late to the staff meeting if he didn't find his "wife" in 20 minutes. He clicked his tounge and walked into the line. Yep, he was definitely going to be late.

 

[kitsunemage]

@SkyFilms


Aislyn's grin widened upon her face, until it burst from her lips in a chime-like laugh. One dainty hand lifted to cover her mouth while the other slid into his offered hand. She took no mind of the chill in his fingers as she dipped into a mock curtsy, spreading wide imaginary skirts and bowing her head graciously; rubies winking in her hair.


"Ms. That makes me sound so old. Aislyn. Aislyn Whitman. You can probably see why it took so long to get where we are now- Whitman is not always a beneficial name. I always end up one of the last in line." Rising from her curtsy in a practiced manner- it was obvious that the blue glow from her collar was more then just for show- Aislyn flashed her soon-to-be spouse another smile.


"You know I was thinking of wearing a mask myself, like one of the old masquerade balls, white- with green feathers. I couldn't find any good feathers though, they seem surprisingly hard to come by." Now that she had the opportunity to observe him, at least observe what she could see save for the gas-mask covering his features, He really did seem quite handsome. Fit, but not bulging disgustingly like some of the military men she had seen floating around. He carried himself calmly, and he certainly seemed polite.


She would bet her britches that his name would be just as mellow as he was.

 

[Pequeno Burraidh]

@Jaysunn


Tired of the silly game of walking around the outside of the group, Artis unfastened her belt and pulled the collar loose from it, ignoring the brief shock that it was delivering in regular intervals. Listening carefully to the beeping and matching the rhythm and pace up to her breathing, heartbeat and footsteps. She then proceeded to hold the collar out to her right, then left, and then behind her and in front of her.


The speed changed to her left.


Turning left, Artis marched straight forward, ignoring those around her, even despite being roughly the shortest person here. She then repeated the process, letting her red light flash. Checking direction again, it again altered to her left slightly.


Facing that direction she saw about three people, one girl and two guys, standing about as if waiting for their match to show up. Pulling her arm back Artis hurled the collar over to the trio and watched as it slid to a stop at the feet of a rather pissy looking gentleman with a flashing blue collar on his bicep.


'Well look at that, you found your match. Doesn't he seem chuffed as fuck. Ah well, long as he doesn't ask me to shoot a kid I won't be too worried. Besides, I want to go get my rifle and real clothes back.' she thought to herself as she walked up to the man and locked eyes with him.


"Corporal Artis Latharnach, Lower Class, Special Operations Unit, Marker Division. That's rank, name, class, unit and division. You're a civvy, so what's your name and occupation? Then we can go talk to the suits, and either go 'home' and get along, or go 'home' and avoid each other."


Idly Artis remembered that A) they were making her move out of the barracks and into her match's place, and B) they were forcing her to take three days off to 'get accommodated' to her new home and match. Laymans terms for the fact that they expected her to spend the next couple days screwing like bunnies in the name of 'unity'.


Yeah, that wasn't going to happen.

 

[SkyFilms]

@kitsunemage


Levi's ears perked up at the soft sound of her laughter escaping her pale lips, and though it wasn't seen he rose an eyebrow in confusion as to the reason behind this action. About to question this he was cut off by the sight of the women lowering herself into a curtsey, the gesture proving the point of the shining blue upon her collar.


The silver haired man looked around a moment cautiously at the others around them as he bit his lower lip thinking about whether or not he should return the motion. Very quickly his right shoulder twitched as he participated in a mental back and forth argument within his mind, until he made the sudden decision to stick his arms to his sides and arch forward in the act of a small bow. Something he had lost the habit of as he was transferred to the lower class away from his higher rank.


As she explained her thoughts of him referring to her as Ms and introducing herself, he gave a understanding nod.


"Then I'll stray away from calling you that," he announced with a hidden smile, "Aislyn." He quietly added onto his statement enjoying the title and no longer despising the wait he had to experience as they walked through their lines.


As she spoke aloud of her own thoughts of wearing a mask the smile never faded, he took it as a sort've sign that she was alright with what he wore. Unlike the civilians which would glare wholes into him in oddity as he passed them,


"My mother would make small pins with feathers, perhaps if she has any left we could perform the task of making you a mask." Levi proposed optimistically imagining the long rows of pins which would line his mothers desk whenever she wasn't wearing them.


Aislyn seemed very independent, he inspected. She held herself proudly like an women should despite their size, which in her case was petite and thin. He made this observation from the slim size of her shoulders, the white suit still holding her form. At the point in which it seemed it was his turn to introduce himself he began to drum his fingers once more on the outside of his thigh,


"Levi Rose, like the flower." It was what he'd usually say when speaking his title, due to the point of the flower being such a rare sight in their everyday lives.