[img]https://serving.photos.photobox.com/767212479a2bf243f9dfca4b53884dd0d00ea302ac71ee07c0cc38f41bda05ce251f3caa.jpg[/img] [b]Synthetic Eden Organisation[/b] [i]Have you ever felt that something wasn’t quite right? That the world you grew up has orchestrated your every thought and move? That the society has indoctrinated our thoughts whilst those that have resisted have been rendered docile through atonement? [/i] [i]The current world would not have you think like that. Going with the motions earned you mutual respect. Or what some might say, was a pat on the back. [/i] [i]The red pilled brigade were either punished for such thought crimes, or kept quiet in fear of being chastised. [/i] [i]The little people punished and bled dry of their finances, well-being and livelihood all for the bigger people in the game to stay above and beyond float in this gross imbalance.[/i] [i]This was the dystopian society humans, anthros, animals and androids found themselves in the world they were living in today.[/i] ———————- [b]New Ennisberg, CBD [/b] [i]’Tick, tock, tick, tock.’ [/i] The drone of’ end of day’ novelties chimed through Xell’s partially numb and partially heavy mind. A fleeting presence. A short burst of dopamine that quickly dissipated before it could be acknowledged. Let alone embraced. A token of hope to carry him through yet day. His azure eyes that carried a reminiscent glimmer of former upbeat drawled across the corroded floor. Auto pilot dragging his gaze amongst a myriad of worn, moth eaten shoes of various leather and canvas material. Black and white checkered earning the prize of the most lively pair. Belonging to a being who was hard to decode underneath its oversized and shapeless hoody. Wiry fingers, with skin torn scabby cuticles scrolling through the phone feed. White screen outlining its form within this dark vicinity. A wasting part of limbs that looked as if it had picked up anything but food for the last few days. The dragon lifted his head a bee’s whisker. One step further from his sub-conscious to the real world. The photons of light that resembled corroded metal dancing about the air through the window. Pulsating headlights dancing off the deadline assembly of ominous figures. The patterns about the walls and windows had faded and withered so chronically that the capacity could be easily mistaken for a methadone clinic. Rope slings rattled off the ceiling as the enclosure rocked back and forth. Tired and weary metal wearing each other thing as they slid up against each other. “Terminal stop.” A monotoned voice void of empathy announced. Twin pistons released which gave off gasping sound as the poorly fitted doors screeched open. The vehicle giving in to free fall, albeit for 0.2 seconds, as the ignition caved in to a complete stop. It was still dark outside within the ante meridian hours. The rusty filter left in situ partly owing to the urban emissions having fabricated its own pollutant blanket upon the CBD. Xell drearily lifted his head. Streaks of washed out pollutants sun an unwarm welcome to his current dilated eyes that had been mostly accustomed to the dark. Blinking wearily, he could process buildings. A plethora of cityscape encompassing one would crudely remark as a concrete jungle. Any signs of anything light, cleanliness and a good vibe falling by the wayside. The dome like area of clouds hawking over the city resembled rusted metal and decaying fabric. If he stared long enough, he could make out a twisted face staring down at him through the nuclear orange fenestrations amongst the clouds. As if to mock his existence. Xell frowned. The first sign of any emotion in wake since he woke up this morning. He pulled out a cigarette from his work shirt pocket. A lighter from another make-shift or “repaired” pocket from his dog-eared trousers. A few flicks, emissions of carbon dioxide, deep throated cough and exhale took place before the moment he was in became a little bit more endurable. Having consumed another long drag, he turned to look at a nearby cathedral. Monumental statues and gargoyles blurred renderings of their former selves. Former detail and characteristic youth seemingly stripped away. Owed to either a signs of neglect, change in priority or in what one values today. Or simply acid rain eroding the earth’s surface characteristic. Much like one’s thick skin or sense of self-worth. One, after all, can always evade harm or violation in whatever shape, form or situation. But a process so gradually chronic and disintegrating, that one became desensitized and docile to the notion would cause a loss of purpose. Or a relinquished sense of what one may have been running from in the first place. Having drawled through the next walk of blocks, Xell finally found himself outside the designated workplace. A tall black windowed building of unusual spiraling architecture. Some civilians even remarked that it looked like a circuit. Many complex lights, eclectic structures, paths of whimsying paths so complex, one wouldn’t know where it started nor where it ended. Where many may find their position in the workforce at this company a trend setting point of conversation that carries prestige and status- for civilians like Xell, uncertainty became a burden since the start. Uncertainty so intangible, however, any reason to leave felt like grasping at straws. Without looking, he open out his hand to let the cigarette butt drop to the floor like a swatted fly. Smearing the ash marble floor with his shoe to leave a sooty stain. He pressed on towards the glass doors, pulling back the sleeve of his work shirt reluctantly to reveal his bare and vulnerable wrist. A raised and indurated lump protruding his scales. Scar revealing where the chip had been slotted within the epithelial tissue. A keypad on the wall immediately detected the notion and pinged the words ‘ACCESS GRANTED’ in attempted encouraging neon green lights. Twin glass doors suspended from titanium framework opening up and enabling him entry. —————————— [b]Level 72[/b] Having ascended the monumentally high levels through the circuit, much like a hamster test tube with a fan like sound whooshing past each level like a dull toll, the box finally came to a stop. As the door whirled open, Xell stepped outside. Vased plants and waterfalls decorating the hallways. He walked up to the reception area. Dull eyes glazed over the person behind the desk. A green dog with long hair, a striped shirt and ears. A oversized dangling tag that carried the name ‘Zacharias Maynard’. Face stuck in the newspaper impolitely whilst the computer blinkered in the background. “You’re killing trees doing that…” Xell blurted without much thought. Or empathy for that matter. The grey eyes looked over the pages of grey print. Maintaining his lazy position, he whipped out a hand to point at the Dragon’s wrist with an index finger. “You need to sign in.” “Already did that at the door. How many times do I need to do this?” Xell muttered “it’s a bit much.” “Employee attendance and business performance tracking,” Zach muttered, licking his finger to turn a page “Oh… you need to take your pills.” He gestured with his hand towards the open baskets whilst keeping his face buried in the gazette foliage. Bored eyes still visible from the hollow. “So… what mood are we in today…” his voice trailed off as the chip got scanned and a digital photo with a name appeared on the computer screen. Finally earning his attention elsewhere. “Xell Weaver?” “Has this been approved by a doctor?” Xell asked, trying to sound incredulous. With the bland emotion within his tone, it stood out as more of a statement or moan, rather than a protest. “Difficult today, aren’t we?” Zach furrowed his brown from behind the papers still “ok, blue pill for you.” “Are you at least going to tell me what they are?” Xell picked up the capsule from the basket placed before him. Inspecting it indifferently before gulping it down with a glass of water that was pushed towards him. “Nope,” Zach replied “can’t cause bias. But it should get you back on track.” The dog forced a smile which appeared to be a ghost beneath his many layers of stoicism. Almost liked it was drowning. “Right…” Xell muttered after he had turned his back to leave the dog in the wake of any conversation he had had all day. Automatic doors shutting behind him which left sounds of water fountains and air vents trailing in a maze of ambience. ————————— [b] Office [/b] Xell walked across the labyrinth of desks. Some people getting to work within their cubicles. Otherwise using the internet for other purposes. He mentally shook his head at the latter. “Must be new here…” he rolled his eyes as he saw an X-rated picture of long-haired fennec posing a position he didn’t even think was possible. Having arrived at his cubicle, he slumped within his chair. Head spinning as he tried to accustom himself to the dreary effects of earlier. He massaged his temples, before burying his face into the palm of his hands. After several minutes passed, he relucntantly opened a drawer to the right of his computer desk. Reaching out for more pills that clattered in the container like a packet of smarttees. He exhaled. A bead of sweat crossing the boarders of his face til it splattered on the keyboard. “Is this as good as it gets?” he opened his eyes dryly. Rattling the pills in the bottle. “was it always like this?”