…Live well.
…Live free.
…You can do it.
…
…Ryn.
…
…Ryn!
'!' Ryn snapped his eyes open, startling the small figure on top of him. "Argh!"
"He he, got you~" Ryn smirked while sitting up to catch the giggling girl as she tried to scramble away. He ruffled her hair. "Morning, Raya. Were you going to use me as a trampoline again?"
"N-No!" Raya chirped, her smile brighter than the sun filtering through the curtains. "Mama told me to wake you up. You're gonna be late!"
"Mm, thanks, my little angel." Ryn chuckled before rubbing his face with hers affectionately.
"Hehe~" Raya giggled happily before suddenly widening her eyes. "Ah-no! I just washed my face!"
"Haha, don't worry," Ryn laughed at her cute reaction. "We can wash it again."
"Ok! But let's hurry!" Raya beamed after jumping down to the floor, even drooling a little. "Mama's cooking pancakes!"
"Pancakes? Then we really should hurry!" Ryn finished, swinging his legs out of bed.
"Onto the bathroom!" He scooped Raya up again, earning another squeal, and carried her to the bathroom.
"Water on!"
"Mouth open!"
"Hehe..."
This had become a daily occurrence for the siblings, which Ryn treasured dearly.
"Look, look!" Raya insisted on brushing her teeth at the same time he did, resulting in a mirrored foam-mustache contest. He let her win, sputtering exaggeratedly as she pointed and laughed.
"Ryn! Raya!"
They only stopped when they heard their mother's voice and hurriedly rinsed their faces.
"Coming, Mama!" Raya yelled, already scrambling out of the bathroom and down the stairs, her small feet pattering on the wooden steps.
Ryn followed at a more leisurely pace, the smile from their antics still lingering on his face. The scent of pancakes and frying bacon grew stronger, pulling him toward the kitchen.
His father, Raul, was already at the table, a steaming mug of coffee in hand as he scanned the morning news-slate. He looked up as Ryn entered, his stern features softening. "Cutting it close, son. The Arc-Train won't wait."
"I know, Dad," Ryn said, sliding into his seat as his mother, Kaya, placed a stack of golden pancakes in front of him. Blueberry syrup glistened on top, just the way he liked it.
"Eat as much as you can," she said. "I will give you more so you can eat them in the exam or after."
"Mm, shanks~" Ryn replied, his mouth already full of fluffy pancake. He gave his mother a thumbs-up as she placed a second, larger stack onto a heat-sealed plate for him to take.
His father set the slate down and leaned forward, his gaze steady. "Listen, Ryn. Today is your exam. I am only gonna say this, don't try to be a hero. If it gets too dangerous, just walk away. You hear me? Prioritize your safety above all else. Always."
Kaya nodded, her hand resting on Ryn's back. "That's right. Even if you fail, it's fine. Just come home safely. That's the only thing we care about."
Ryn met their eyes, seeing no shadow of expectation for glory, only the deep, quiet fear and love of parents sending their child into a dangerous world. "I will," he promised. "Don't worry."
He finished the delicious stack, the warmth of the meal and their words settling in his stomach like a comforting weight. He gave Raya, who was meticulously creating a syrup lake on her plate, a final hair ruffle before heading back upstairs.
In his room, he changed quickly into comfortable, durable clothes suitable for a physical exam: dark pants, a simple white shirt, and a sturdy jacket.
When he came back down, his travel bag slung over his shoulder, his father and Raya were waiting by the door.
Kaya pressed a small, sealed container into his hands. "A few extra pancakes," she said, but the weight suggested something more substantial was tucked underneath them. "And some of those nut bars you like."
"Thanks, Mom." He tucked the container carefully into his bag.
Just as he finished, he was embraced by his mother. Her hug was tight and wordless, saying everything her calm voice did not.
"Me! Me too!" Raya shouted, wiggling between them until she was squished in the middle of the group hug, her small arms wrapped as far around Ryn's waist as they could go.
Ryn laughed softly, holding them both for a moment—this small, fierce circle of warmth that was his entire world.
"Ahem."
It was the sound of his father clearing his throat that broke the quiet. "If we don't leave now, Ryn is definitely going to miss his exam," Raul said. "You will be late too, Raya."
"..." Kaya finally pulled back, her eyes a little shiny. She leaned in, planting a firm kiss on Ryn's cheek, then another on Raya's. "Be safe. Both of you."
She stood in the doorway, waving as Ryn, with Raya's hand clutched in his, followed their father to the sleek, bronze arc-car parked outside. Raya scrambled into the back seat, and Ryn took the passenger side, giving his mother one last wave as the car's engine hummed to life.
The vehicle smoothly lifted a few inches off the ground and glided into the morning traffic stream of their suburban lane. The journey to the central station was quiet, the city gradually growing denser and taller around them.
Raul docked at a temporary bay under the soaring arches of the Nebula Central Transference Station. The area was lively, with strangers, anxious students, and nervous families moving through.
Raul turned to him. "Remember. Safety first." His gruff voice was thick with worry.
Raya unbuckled herself and launched across the seat to hug Ryn's neck. "Bye, Brother! Be the best-est!"
"Mm," He hugged her back, soaking in the innocent warmth. "Ok, I'll be the best-est. You should be good for Mom and Dad when I'm gone, ok?"
"Yesh~"
He shouldered his bag, gave his father a reassuring nod, a sweet kiss to Raya on the cheek, and stepped out into the crowd.
He only looked away when the arc-car disappeared from his view.
'Let's see...'
Glancing at his watch, he saw he still had some time before his train arrived. With a faint smile, he headed into the bustling station, making a quick stop at a vendor to buy a chilled lemon juice, his go-to drink.
A few minutes later, a soft "Swww!" announced the arc-train's arrival. It slid to a stop silently, its doors parting smoothly. Ryn boarded, sipping his drink as he rechecked his arc-watch and made his way through the sleek carriage.
"...This should be it," he murmured, stopping before compartment 29. He scanned his ticket against the panel; the door clicked and slid open.
The small, empty room had two beds arranged in a bunk against the wall.
Feeling the lazy pull of sleep, a luxury he intended to enjoy, Ryn finished his juice in a few long swallows, tossed the empty can into the small recycler unit, and hoisted himself up to the top bunk.
He then tapped a small rune panel on the bunk's frame.
'Ching-!'
A soft chime sounded, and a thin, opaque field of stabilized light shimmered into place around the upper bunk, serving as a "do not disturb" sign for intruders, mainly his soon-to-be roommate.
"...7:45."
An hour before arrival, he set a vibration alarm on his arc-watch and let his eyes fall shut.
Time passed.
Just as he was about to doze off, the compartment door slid open with a hiss.
"Huff!"
A sharp, panting breath filled the small space.
"Huff!"
A newcomer stumbled in, panting heavily, and collapsed onto the lower bunk with a groan of relief.
"Huff... huff... Made it," he muttered, his voice laced with excitement and exhaustion.
Ryn kept his eyes closed, his breathing steady.
The stranger below continued to mutter to himself, his voice quiet and jittery.
"Can't believe I'm actually going... the Stellar Nexus Academy… The first real event... gotta be ready. Gotta remember the patterns. Stay calm… Just like in the story… Hmm… I can handle that. I have to..."
As the train streaked through a tunnel, the compartment fell into brief darkness.
In the quiet that followed, the boy's final whisper was barely audible, tinged with a dread that didn't match his earlier excitement.
"…Only if I survive the train incident, that is."
The compartment fell silent.
Above, inside the shimmering privacy field, Ryn's eyes opened lazily. He stared at the ceiling of his bunk, not moving a muscle, listening to the stranger's now-steadying breaths below.
'...Train incident?'