When Orin Cristos created Mytikas, New York, would he have been satisfied with how it ended up?

  Theodora would have that question prodding her mind as they'd make another turn around the street corner, her eyes gazing up to skyscrapers that seemed like they were made of marble and a sky without a cloud in site. She would look towards the street corners where not a single stain tainted the sidewalks, and every trash can never went hungry because what people tossed away never landed on the floor.

  It all seemed to give this little city above the world a certain weight to it.

  Despite the name and how anyone and everyone would say they were from here, Mytikas wasn't a city, but a county. A part of New York, but by the year 2525, one could argue it had become to the Empire State what Chicago had become for Illinois.

  The county had been divided into three towns, and Theodora lived in Elysium. A city that Theodora had once heard described in a magazine as *"The place everyone once imagined they'd go when they died."* Honestly...she thought that was blasphemous, but she did think the city was beautiful. The parks were always so full of life. The water in the ponds remained a pure blue that could not be touched. She loved going to the Cristos City Park for jogs with her track team...she just wished that those were social clubs.

  Elysium was beautiful to look at, but Theodora could never come around to the feeling of the town. It was essentially the business hub of Mytikas...each skyscraper was a corporation. Almost every citizen they spotted was either someone of their way to work or a tourist who stood out like a sore thumb. Yet no one would dare risk attempting to even pickpocket in this city, as every corner would have an officer ready to pounce on them.

  Because there was so much business in the area, Theodora always felt like there was just a wall that everyone seemed to put around them. Most of the citizens wouldn't remove their gaze from their phones. It wasn't a hazard the way it once was. Every crosswalk in Elysium had an electric barrier so a car wouldn't even go an inch too forward without bouncing off. Even the cell phones had built in alarms to keep people from bumping into one another. Because of that, things like eye contact, or even little greetings of "hello" and "how are you" were barely a thing.

  It made her sad because she loved looking at people. Every person walking down the street told Theodora a story. A middle-aged man in a business suit who was waiting impatiently to cross the street, even from her car window she could see the sweat on his brow from sheer anticipation of just getting to his job. A young lady on her way to her first day of adulthood, eyes brimming bright as she seemed to expect a fresh start. If Theodora kept passing by her, would she slowly start getting bags under her eyes, or would she just get an optic to reduce wrinkles?

  Maybe it was a byproduct of the city. Maybe it was a byproduct of the culture. Even middle school was a friendless affair...

  But it made her appreciate people like Mr. Meraki that much more.

  Right now, her bodyguard was pretty much giving Miss Aquino a lay of the land, pointing out the coffee shops, the fancy restaurants, the bookstore. Pretty much everywhere he deemed important, along with a story for each location that we'd weave with all the natural charm of an actor. Miss Aquino would keep her focus on the road, but every little sigh and exhausted breath meant that she was hearing everything. This may have been a bit of revenge for the red-haired woman, because she overheard the whole *"Two hours of sleep and a tequila shot"* statement and decided that he wasn't fit to drive.

  Which...fair. But while the current driver wasn't all that amused, Theodora couldn't help but smile as she paid attention. Mr. Meraki could tell the same story a hundred times, and make each one feel a little different.

  "Hey, hey, Nadine..." Meraki would point out his window. "See that bar? Best place to get ice for a shot after work...tellin' you, ain't nowhere else in all of Mytikas you're gonna find better ice."

  After attempting to remain quiet and focused, Nadine's gaze would slowly turn towards Meraki, one eyebrow raised over the other and her face scrunched up like a prune. "The ice?"

  "The beer's mild, the wine's too plain and the scotch tastes more Irish than anything..." A little chef's kiss. "But I'm tellin' you...you gotta go just for the ice they put in the drink. It's like..." He'd lean back into the chair and hold his left hand out as if he were sizing up a picture and Theodora would lean in a little to get a better view. "It's crunchy, but soft enough that your teeth aren't gonna file a complaint." He'd turn back around to Theodora. "One time, your Pop and I went down there for a meeting..." Meraki would already start to chortle while attempting to describe this once in a lifetime adventure. "That man didn't buy one drink, just plopped down a bucket, looked at the bartender without one ounce of shame and went "Fill em up!"

  The only man in the car would pretty much burst out laughing, holding his stomach with one hand as Theodora would cover her mouth with two to hold her own back. "Y-You should'a seen the look on that guy's face..." He'd continue. "He looked like he saw a ghost..."

  Nadine would audibly tap her fingers against the steering wheel, eyes widened as she would stare out into the void, more than grateful for a red light. "That is..." A pause as she'd glance around. "The...most animated story about a bucket of ice I've ever heard..."

  "Ah that ain't even top five for me...I gotta tell ya about this merchant I met in Surat-"

  "Mr. Meraki..." She'd quickly speak up, even lifting a hand from the steering wheel before setting it back down as the light went green. "I'm very happy your confidant in yourself...but could you please keep an eye out?"

  The concern would make Theodora lean in; hands pressed to her skirt as she'd ask with genuine sympathy. "Is everything okay?"

  "Y-Yes, Miss Paré..." A clearing of her throat. "We're fine..."

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  "I get ya..." Meraki would speak up once more, leaning his hand to his cheek and an elbow to the dashboard. "Rookie jitters, right?"

  "More or less..." Nadine would turn the wheel and go down the next lane, leaning back into the seat, using her free hand to push her ponytail over her shoulder so it didn't press too much into the head rest. "I've never been to this specific part of Mytikas...so I'm still getting used to everything."

  "Ah right right...the police academy's stationed over in Asphodel."

  Asphodel was the second city of Mytikas, and the city Theodora was the least familiar with. From everything she heard and saw on the television, it was a little more of a cultural hub for arts and music. It was a city that wasn't as prominent as Elysium...but it was still fairly regarded well. From what she heard, it didn't have security as heavy or streets as clean...but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing in her mind. Maybe it meant that the people were friendlier.

  "Don't worry, kay?" Meraki would speak once more with a relaxed tone. "You'd be lucky if you saw a litterbug in these parts."

  "I understand...but the last thing I want is to feel fat, happy, and ignorant. I'm sure Miss Paré would prefer it if her security took their job seriously..."

  "Y-You can relax!" Theodora would feel herself stiffen up after speaking, clamming up and brushing her hand through her own hair as her eyes glanced to the side. "I-I have full faith in you and Mr. Meraki...s-so it's okay to be loose..."

  "I...appreciate that, Miss Pare..." Nadine would sigh out, bringing her thumb to her op'd eye to rub the eyelid. "But I'll be fine. I'm paid to be on the lookout."

  Theodora would understand, refraining from trying to push too much. She had to remember that other bodyguards weren't going to be as social and open as Mr. Meraki had been. She did understand that feeling of being new...she probably would have been just as nervous at a future job.

  "To be honest..." Theodora would speak once more as she glanced out her window. "I've never really been to Asphodel before..." Before a softer smile would appear on her face. "Maybe...we could always visit during the weekend? We could always get something to eat..."

  "I'll think on it..." Nadine would answer with a smaller smile at the corner of her lips. "I know a few places that are-" She wouldn't say much more as the sound of a vibration would fill the air, causing the women to pause. "Can you take over for a second?" Meraki would take the wheel on his side of the car with his hand and continue around another corner in one fluid motion. Meanwhile, Nadine would take her phone out from her pocket and lifting the screen. A soft tsk would leave her lips as she let out a sigh. "Ah hell..."

  The tone of her voice would make Theodora feel a twinge of concern...she didn't know who could have sent that message...and was worried that it'd be someone she really didn't want to think about at the moment. "Miss Aquino?"

  "Everything's fine..." Another sigh as she'd place that phone back into her pocket. "It's just some news about the Styx..."

  "Th-The Styx?" Theodora would lean in, holding a hand to her collar. "W-Was it bad?"

  "Is there anything good in the Styx?"

  Nadine's answer may have come across as cold, but a lot of people were rather apathetic of the Styx. Of the three cities in Mytikas, it was considered bottom of the barrel. A series of slums where crime was rampant, and people were constantly caught in a series of incidents. It was a blemish in an otherwise perfect city. If Elysium was the top of Heaven, then the Styx represented the lowest level of Hell.

  Once again, it'd be Meraki who knew how to keep the conversation going when Theodora didn't know how. "You actually get news about the Styx? Some TV stations don't even cover it less it seeps into Asphodel..."

  Nadine would nod. "Yeah...I want to keep track of what's happening there..." Yet the tone of her voice didn't indicate that it was much out of concern. "If security get too careless, then what happens there isn't just going to affect Asphodel..."

  "Hooooof..." Meraki would wince. "We're going to school, not briefing a drug bust..." He'd then turn back around to Theodora. "Don't worry nothin, kay? Elysium's security's not gonna allow somethin' like that to-"

  "My wheel!" Nadine would yell as she'd suddenly grab a hold of the wheel on her side, pressing down on the breaks as the passengers would almost launch forward. Had it not been for their seat belts, they would have all flown right out of the glass. Turns out, the sudden grabbing of the wheel was because the car almost went into one of those electric barriers, earning their vehicle a load of stares from the people on the crosswalk in a rare instance of getting their attention away from their phones.

  Meraki would stick his head out the window and flash a thumbs up. "We're all good! Don't worry! Rookie driver!"

  Though safe to say, Nadine's own expression would be three seconds away from exploding and she'd let him have it the second he closed that window. "This! Is exactly why I didn't want you driving on two hours of sleep..."

  "You did trust me with the wheel..."

  Nadine would almost blurt out a foul word before biting the air in front of her, stuffing her cheeks with air as she'd go cross-eyed, before swallowing it down. "You..." A deep breath. "I am just not going to say anything..."

  For once, it'd be a silent car as all three of them would remain silent, with Theodora still stiff from the sudden event, Nadine tapping the wheel, and Meraki checking the mirror to put some loose strands of hair back underneath his hat.

  Once the nerves finally settled, Theodora would place her hand to her arm, rubbing it softly as she would keep her eyes settled on the passing streets. It always felt strange to think about how three cities that were totally opposite could exist on one county...and how so many people just seemed to ignore everything that went on down there. Maybe if someone just went down there and helped out...things would be better...but...she didn't know why it couldn't be that simple...

  It just felt...wrong to ignore it. Her father's entire legacy was a product of not ignoring anyone...whether they called the Styx home or whether they were floating on Elysium.

  "Miss Aquino?" Theodora would speak a little quieter, before somewhat shutting down and putting her hands onto her backpack, hugging it to her stomach. She could tell that anything regarding the Styx seemed to annoy her bodyguard, and didn't want to be a bother.

  Nadine, for her part, was expecting Theodora to actually ask away, feeling an odd bit of silence as she'd tap both fingers against the wheel at a little slower rhythm. She'd glance over to Meraki, who would hover his hand over the wheel with raised eyebrows to see if it'd be okay. Nadine would take a softer breath before letting go of the wheel, with Meraki taking a hold of it without wasting a single second and keeping his eyes on the road.

  "Miss Paré?"

  Theodora would look up from her spot once more, putting the tips of her fingers together before fully clasping them. She'd swallow a lump that had formed in her throat before asking. "Did...anyone die?"

  Second of silence would pass as Nadine's gaze would falter for a moment, before shaking her head. "No one died..." She...wouldn't add that she hadn't checked for a number. It wasn't something that had occurred to her. But for some reason, the realization that she hadn't checked just sent a ping of guilt through her entire body, she'd turn around and set a hand to her cheek, glancing out the window as they passed by more street corners.

  Theodora would let out a breath and lean back into her chair, closing her eyes once more as she counted the seconds that would go by as she got closer to her first day. A lot of people in Elysium would never want to waste a second thinking about the Styx...

  But for her, it felt like a crime to not at least wonder if it could be a better place.