It had been a while since Loki had walked down the streets of Meteor City.
The city itself was a sprawling wasteland of forgotten things and forgotten people. At its peak, Meteor City had boasted a population of over 15 million, though it had since shrunk to around 8 million. Still, it rivaled a small nation in numbers alone.
Meteor City was divided into five large quadrants, each ruled by a local Elder. These Elders were all Nen users who had used their strength and cunning to secure power. Despite the presence of multiple factions, internal conflict was rare. No one dared risk a civil war that would plunge their already fragile society into further ruin.
Machi's home was in a remote part of the northwest, nestled just minutes from the border that separated the town from its never-ending garbage piles and the surrounding desert. From the roof, one could see heaps of discarded refuse, stretching like metal mountains toward the horizon. Occasionally, a truck would appear, its rear gate swinging open to release another load of waste into the endless heap.
No one fought over the area Machi called home. It was simply too far from the fresh dumps to make scavenging profitable. But for an eleven-year-old girl trying to live alone, it was a perfect place, being quiet, overlooked, and free from most trouble.
Loki and Machi now walked side by side toward the church located near the city center. It was one of the main churches in Meteor City, known for sheltering abandoned children brought in from the trash piles. Many of its residents were raised by volunteer priests and caretakers, though only a few chose to leave the safety of its walls, like Machi had.
They had nearly reached the steps of the church when Machi called out.
"Hey, Pakunoda," she greeted a blonde girl walking a few paces ahead of her.
The name caught Loki's attention. He turned to examine the girl, noting how young she looked compared to her future self. Gone was the sultry air and revealing clothing—replaced with a simpler dress and an unreadable expression.
"Machi? Are you heading to the church as well? I didn't think you were interested in the movie…" Pakunoda responded, giving a side glance to Loki.
Machi caught the look and quickly spoke. "This is Loki, the one Uvogin and Nobunaga were talking about. He's been staying with me the past few weeks."
"Why hello, Miss Pakunoda. It's a pleasure," Loki said smoothly, placing a hand over his chest and bowing with a flourish.
"Uhmm… It's nice to meet you, too. You've got a… nice mask," she said awkwardly.
"Don't take him too seriously, Pakunoda," Machi sighed. "He acts like this with everyone."
"Oh my, Miss Machi… Is that jealousy I detect?" Loki teased with a sly laugh.
Pakunoda chuckled, while a dark line formed on Machi's forehead. She turned and marched off.
"Ah—please wait, Miss Machi!" Loki called, hurrying to catch up, with Pakunoda laughing behind him.
As they neared the entrance to the church, three figures stood nearby chatting.
"Franklin, Feitan, Phinks!" Pakunoda waved.
The trio turned toward them, recognizing Machi immediately. She nodded at them silently and walked past without stopping, prompting Phinks and Franklin to exchange confused glances while Feitan snorted quietly.
Pakunoda gave an apologetic smile and walked over, Loki close behind.
"Sorry about her. She's just in a bit of a bad mood," she said. "Guys, this is Loki."
The three boys immediately perked up, exchanging looks.
"Is he the one Uvogin's been talking about?" Franklin asked. His large frame and scarred face made him intimidating, but his tone was mild.
"The one he couldn't stop bragging about?" added Phinks, raising a brow.
"Haha… I suppose my fame precedes me," Loki said with a smirk.
"Did you teach Uvogin and Nobunaga that strange power?" Feitan asked abruptly as he looked Loki up and down, expression unreadable.
His pale skin and fox-like eyes gave him a very unique appearance.
Loki chuckled. "So he's been talking. I don't mind, really. I'd have shown you all eventually."
"Is it true that you were able to steal food from the gangs outside Meteor City?" Franklin asked, tilting his head.
"Oh? You've heard?" Loki said, tapping the side of his mask. "I did manage to steal some food, but ended up passing out from injuries. Miss Machi was kind enough to patch me up, though."
"So you taught Uvogin and Nobunaga that practice where you smash rocks against each other?" Phinks asked, arms crossed.
"I did... When they asked about it, I didn't bother to hide it." Loki replied casually.
"Would you teach us too?" Feitan asked, eyes narrowing.
Loki smirked. "If you can survive Machi's glares, I don't really mind."
Just as the conversation picked up momentum, a boy burst out from the church.
"Hey guys! Chrollo's calling everyone in! I think we got the movie player working!"
"Really, Shalnark?!" Pakunoda lit up. "Let's go!"
"By all means," Loki gestured with a smile. "We can talk more later."
Inside, Uvogin and Nobunaga were already waving excitedly. "Hey guys! Hurry up, we almost got the movie working!"
At the projector stood a boy with dark hair and a calm, confident smile.
Loki's eyes narrowed slightly. 'So that's Chrollo Lucilfer…'
Even now, there was a weight to his presence. His expression, mannerisms—everything was composed. Loki had seen his type before.
A natural-born leader.
He gave Chrollo a respectful nod, which was subtly returned. Then he noticed two unfamiliar girls standing nearby, eyes bright with excitement.
'Sarasa and Shiela…' Loki guessed, offering them a small wave. They returned it eagerly.
'Still untouched by this city… how rare.'
He stepped closer to the group and was immediately swept into introductions.
"Loki, this is Sarasa," said Pakunoda, nudging the girl with bright red hair. "And that's Shiela."
"Nice to meet you!" Sarasa said, bouncing slightly. "You're the one with the mask, right?"
"That I am," Loki said with a graceful nod. "It's a pleasure to meet you both."
Shiela smiled shyly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Your voice sounds like it belongs in a movie."
"Why, thank you for the compliment, my dear..." Loki said theatrically.
Laughter echoed through the church as the projector slowly flickered to life.
The title screen showed with music playing in the background
--------- Power Cleaners ---------
Groans soon followed, however, as everyone realized it was in a foreign language.
But before disappointment could spread any farther, Sarasa jumped up.
"Don't be upset! We can do the voice acting ourselves!" she said, beaming.
Excited chatter broke out at the idea, with everyone embracing it. Chrollo offered to translate the script using the Elders' books, and roles were quickly being fought over. Even Loki was being assigned a role as the villain's henchman, which made him laugh.
As laughter echoed through the church, Loki leaned back slightly in a chair and watched.
The group grew louder as everyone began seeing who had the best robot voice for one of the roles. Even Feitan cracked a rare smile when Phinks tried to mimic a high-pitched robot voice.
Time passed quickly, and before long, the sun started to go down.
Chrollo announced to the group that it was probably time to rest before attempting to translate some books. People had already begun stretching, yawning, or lying down on makeshift mats.
Sarasa and Shiela were huddled near one of the pews, whispering and giggling. Uvogin was halfway through an exaggerated retelling of his battle with a "mutant trash rat," while Nobunaga tried and failed to look unimpressed.
Franklin handed out a few protein bars he had traded earlier that week, and Phinks flopped onto his back with a tired grunt.
Machi had settled in near the back of the church, her arms crossed and head leaning against the wall. Loki could feel the contentment in the room like a quiet pulse, unfamiliar but not unwelcome.
He sat nearby, legs crossed and arms folded, silently taking in the scene.
He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the murmurs and soft laughter surround him like a distant lullaby.
'A moment like this… in a place like this…'
He smiled beneath his mask.
'Who would have thought I'd find something so warm here.'
'Perhaps Meteor City has truly become my new home...'