The city lights flickered against the damp pavement as Eclipse walked home, her hands tucked into the oversized pockets of her jacket. A cool breeze drifted through the streets, carrying the distant hum of traffic and the occasional chime of a bicycle bell. The night had settled comfortably over Aegis-5, casting neon reflections across the gss-covered buildings.
Eclipse’s boots tapped against the sidewalk in a steady rhythm, her mind wandering through half-formed melodies. The soft glow of street mps guided her way as she turned down a quieter street toward her apartment complex. With a swipe of her key card, the door unlocked, and she stepped inside, the familiar scent of electronics and vanil tea welcoming her home.
She shrugged off her jacket and tossed it over the back of her chair before plopping down in front of her computer. Multiple screens flickered to life, casting a cool blue glow across the room. With a few keystrokes, she opened her music software, the unfinished track from st night waiting for her. It was an adventure piece—fast-paced percussion, soaring synths, and an underlying melody that reminded her of racing across rooftops under a violet sky.
Adjusting her headphones, she leaned forward and began yering in new elements, tweaking the bassline and adding an echoing chime to the intro. A smile tugged at her lips as the music took shape, each note pulling her deeper into the world she was creating. Just as she found the perfect drum pattern, her communication cuff on her ear chimed. Tapping it the hologram caller ID popped up.
With a smirk, Eclipse tapped it, picking up the call. “Arabel, what’s up?”
“Not much. Just wanted to check in. How’s the music coming?” Arabel’s voice was warm, ced with amusement.
Eclipse leaned back, stretching her arms over her head. “Pretty good. Working on something that feels like a high-speed chase mixed with a medieval hero’s theme. The commissioner is using it for an action video.”
“Sounds like you,” Arabel ughed. “This art commission is kicking my ass. Why anyone would want a cy sculpture in the age of 3D printing is beyond me, but hey the pay is good.”
Arabel made her income by specializing in more obscure forms of art, mostly forgotten or repced by modern alternatives. She lived holed up in her studio apartment nowadays, barely leaving due to crippling social anxiety. Eclipse was one of the few people who could calm her down during an episode. They had been friends since art school, both bonding over their love of the obscure and eccentric things in life.
“I was gonna call it an early night and thought I should touch base. Don’t forget to eat. Lord knows you lose track of time when you’re in the zone. I swear some days I’m your mom not your friend,” she said bursting into a fit of ughter. Both Eclipse' and Arabel’s parents had opted for life suspension, a common practice on Aegis-5 after you reach a certain age. The general popution abhorred aging and people like Mr. Lanson are rare. The two friends always found it a comical concept and adapted to looking out for each other.
“Yeah, yeah,” Eclipse sighed dramatically. “Actually, I was just about to run to the corner store for snacks.”
“Uh-huh. You mean you just realized you have nothing but coffee and café pastries?”
“...Maybe.”
Arabel chuckled. “Go get some resembnce of real food, Eclipse. I’ll talk to you ter.”
“Yeah, yeah, ter,” Eclipse said, hanging up with a smirk.
Standing up, she grabbed her jacket and tucked her phone into her pocket. The night air was crisp as she stepped back onto the street, heading toward the small corner store a few blocks away. The neon glow of the store sign blinked zily in the distance, promising shelves stocked with all the snacks she could carry.
