"Pull the thread through chosen cloth."
Emily gazed at her star-speckled hoodie, pen in hand. She flipped a page in her notebook while she sat on the rooftop. She then gazed up at the evening sky. Crimson, blue, and pink stretched across the heavens, shifting to mulberry around the ENGINE.
She scribbled down lyrics in her notebook.
Stitch the stars into starlight.
Silver needle, blackened string.
Sewing fate to orphan skin.
She looked at the streetlights glowing near the harbor. The warm amber light put a smile on her face.
"Double-stitched, the fabric glows. Sown something.... something... ugh."
Emily groaned, then put her notebook in her hoodie pocket. She bit her nails while gazing down at the streets below. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Rachel walking into an alley.
"Where is she going?"
She got up, then made her way to the fire escape ladder.
Emily pushed through the crowded streets. Her face soured. The scent of urine, alcohol, and week-old trash burned her nose when she walked into the alley. A single street light kept the shadows at bay. Glass shattered under her boots. She shuffled towards the side of a brick building, peeping her head around the corner.
She saw Rachel, arms crossed, talking to a man who had a green chosen mask. He wore a designer silk baroque outfit.
"Who is this fucker?"
"ł₮₴ ⱧɆⱤ ฿ØɎ₣ⱤłɆ₦Đ."
"No, it fucking isn't."
"₮Ø₮₳ⱠⱠɎ ł₴."
"She would not have such bad taste."
"Mike, why are you here... did my mother send you?" Rachel asked the green-masked man.
"Don't be like that, Rache... I can explain," Mike replied. "It's your brother, actually. He was worried about you."
Rachel rolled her eyes. "My brother is a self-centered, narcissistic asshole. The only reason he sent you was to spy on me or try to recruit me."
"I mean, he is your brother, Rache... if we all team up, we've got a better chance."
"˙ssǝןʇuı̣oԀ"
"And you're his lapdog. You're chosen as well, Mike. In case you forgot, only one person becomes PRIME!"
"Yeah, but we can still survive if we team up, even if only one of us wins."
"That's not how it works, dipshit!"
"˙ƃuı̣ssɐɹɹɐqɯǝ sı̣ sı̣ɥꓕ"
"This is why I told my pops not to arrange this marriage. You are so pessimistic. I said Becky from House Montero would be way better wife material, but nooooo, I'm stuck with you."
"Is that what you really are worried about right now? Mike, you are going to die if you don't become PRIME."
"No fucking way," Emily whispered.
"₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳ⱧⱧ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳ⱧⱧ₳ⱧⱧ₳ ."
Rachel's eye twitched. "I'm so happy I don't have to deal with you for very much longer."
"Oh, so you want me dead?"
"No, I don't want you fucking dead, Mike, but I am happy the ENGINE chose us since I-"
"I'm not!" Emily shouted, then covered her mouth.
"Who is there?" Mike asked.
"Fuck!"
"₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳ⱧⱧ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳Ⱨ₳ⱧⱧ₳ⱧⱧ₳ ."
"Shut up."
"ØⱧ ₥Ɏ ₱Ɽł₥Ɇ."
"Emily of Leonore, are you spying on me!?" Rachel asked.
"?ןןɐ ǝʍ ʇ'uǝɹⱯ"
"No... I mean, sort of," Emily replied. "Saw you from the rooftops is all."
"Another chosen? You know her, Rache?" Mike asked.
"Obviously… Emily, this is Mike... Mike Emily."
"A pleasure. I am her fiancé... unfortunately, planned marriage sucks."
Emily blinked.
"For once, I can agree with something you said," Rachel replied. "You can fuck off now, Mike."
"Fine, whatever... I don't care anyway. Once I am PRIME, I won't have to deal with you. I will go marry Becky," Mike replied, then left.
"Sorry about that...now you see why I don't mind giving my family the middle finger."
"You're engaged to that?" Emily replied as she followed Rachel.
"Unfortunately, the empire's noble families all do the planned marriage thing. Alliance, prestige... the typical elitist bullshit."
"Since when?"
"Since I was twelve."
"How old are you now?"
"Twenty."
"You were going to keep this a secret, weren't you?"
"Yeah, and to be completely honest, I am embarrassed by the thought of him. Plus, I didn't see why it mattered anyway. Being chosen in all."
"It matters to me."
"Because you are crushing on me?"
Emily's cheeks turned red. "No."
Rachel chuckled. "Relax, I like you as well."
"How the hell did the ENGINE choose him?" Emily asked as they navigated the streets of Leonore.
Rachel shrugged. "The ENGINE works in mysterious ways, I suppose. Either way, the ENGINE did me a favor."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't have to worry about planned marriages anymore."
"Yeah, but you might actually have to kill your brother or him."
"My brother would revel at the opportunity to kill me. We trained to become PRIME since we could walk."
"Sibling rivalry is one thing."
"You're an orphan, Emily...you just don't understand."
They entered their hotel.
"You meant what you said, right?"
"What do you mean?" Rachel asked as she pulled out her room key.
"Like the promise."
"I'm not going to betray you... If that's what you're asking?"
"Right... sorry.... just had to check."
"My word is my bond, Emily of Leonore," Rachel replied as she opened her door. Her eyes widened as she noticed Arthur approaching. "Oh, we got company."
"Ladies... I take it you two are getting some shut-eye? Tomorrow is a big day after all," Arthur asked.
"Maybe... maybe not... what's it to yah?"
"Come now... no need to be defensive, Emily of Leonore. I was here to extend an olive branch to you both if you would lend me your ears for a moment."
Emily glanced at Rachel, then back at Arthur. "You want to help the orphan whom you never talked to until you found out I am chosen?"
"I admit I was shortsighted in my life before being chosen. Orphan or not, you have some remarkable musical talent, and that I can respect. Perhaps Leonore doesn't always find the best amongst our society, and the ENGINE shone a light on those when we are blind."
"Um, thanks?"
"You're laying down a lot of sweet talk, Arthur. That's not like you...what is this olive branch you speak of?"
"I am glad you asked," Arthur replied, gesturing for Rachel and Emily to follow.
"Where are we going?"
"To the vineyards... I have a few associates who would like to meet you both," Arthur replied, guiding them down Main Street.
Rachel laughed. "You getting us drunk?"
"Actually, yes."
Arthur led them towards the outskirts of Leonore.
"What's the occasion?"
"Masquerade ball of wealthy elites. Chosen such as us have an open invitation."
"In case you forgot... orphans don't do well in social settings... let alone stuck-up elitists bullshit," Emily said as they made their way outside the city gates.
"Ah, you will be fine... most of them are too drunk or ruminating in sadness to bother to notice you're not one of them."
"Why would they be sad?"
"Imagine a noble house not having any chosen selected amongst their blood by the ENGINE? To look your fellow noblemen in the eyes, knowing the ENGINE views your bloodline as inferior. I am sure Rachel can relate to this?"
"Unfortunately, I can. My parents grew more zealous the closer it got to Prime Day."
"Of course they did... worship the eldritch god in the sky and sacrifice their daughter for fame."
"₮ⱧⱤɆ₳Đ ₳₦Đ ₦ɆɆĐⱠɆ, ₮ⱧⱤɆ₳Đ ₳₦Đ ₦ɆɆĐⱠɆ, ₮ⱧɆ Ɇ₦₲ł₦Ɇ ł₴ ₩₳₮₵Ⱨł₦₲ ₮Ø."
"Shut up,"
"Did you say something?" Rachel asked as they walked.
Emily shook her head. "Oh no, just thinking out loud again... don't mind me."
"₱₣₣₣₣₣₣₮₮₮₮₮."
"You do that a lot."
The sun gave way to night as stars splotched across the moonlit sky. Rain droplets splattered on Emily's face as they approached the vineyards. Baroque music echoed from a choir while the scent of grapes, rain, and wealth lingered in the air. Lights danced like fireflies as noblemen danced with women under raindrops. A butler donning a crafted masquerade mask offered Arthur a glass of wine as they made their way in.
"Wine for the chosen?" The butler asked as Emily and Rachel followed.
Emily shrugged and took a glass alongside Rachel. The sweetness lingered on her lips as she took a sip. "Not bad... actually," she said as she watched Rachel chug a glass, then reached for another.
"I'm going to need a few of these before the night is over," Rachel said as she downed the second glass.
Emily chugged her glass as she glanced up towards the night sky. She let out an exasperated sigh as she stared at the ENGINE.
"Thread and needle, thread and needle."
"Mechanical and soft as rain," Emily sang to herself, pulling out her notebook.
"Thread and needle, thread and needle."
"Pull me through the eye so small."
"Thread and needle, thread and needle."
"Watch the orphan rise or fall," Emily jotted down before following Rachel into the vineyard.