A city dimly shone in the darkness of night. That city, as a whole, was called Standart City. The light, however, came from the few buildings in the suburban area of the land, specifically those with work that continued into the late hours. The area chirped with insects floating around the emptiness of the streets, along with only a few people walking steadily across the sidewalks.
The buildings themselves are mostly not in use except for a few spots of light in a minimal number of rooms, perhaps with those still working late at night. The ocean coastline reflected the glistening shine of the moon, beautiful enough for a simple picture to be amazing.
The city gradually became enveloped in an aura of greenish light, high above even the tallest towers. The towers appear to be connected by another aura of some kind, one that seems to be linked rather than to a person or thing.
Two figures stood atop the aura threads between the towers as they observed the green aura engulfing more of the city by the minute. One sitting person showed a worried expression, while the standing one grimaced.
The standing one finally opened up and stated:
"This feeling... It's clear what this really means, don't you think so?"
The person sitting on the thread could only silently agree with her partner.
"Something's going to happen to this city," as he replied to himself. He looked over the city, and the green aura had seemingly stopped midway through its expansion, although the person didn't know the exact details of why.
The one sitting readied herself and stood up onto the aura threads, before mentioning what she thought, "I can feel it too, a terrible power will rise up before we know it. Let's return for now and see what happens next."
Both of them immediately strode across the threads, in which said threads began to dissipate as the two left their surrounding spot. The two disappeared on the horizon by traveling with their threads, while the green aura continued to take place above the city skylines.
One mystical morning, a neighborhood as ordinary as it can be. Some might consider the whole place one of the most mundane parts to be in, but others are certain that there are unusual things happening around the area.
But for someone specifically, one individual who believed himself to be normal like the rest of the people he meets. In his house, while lying on the bed, lies Nate Elfirm, just a guy with a special-sounding name, as most assume it's related to elves from the "elf" part of his surname. But Nate himself couldn't believe someone so ordinary like him could have a special name; he feels as though fate chose something wrong and happened to have a life like this.
"What time is it right now..."
But regardless of what he thinks, Nate Elfirm had to get up and get ready for the day if he wanted to keep his sister from a bad mood, which definitely led to him getting a bad mood himself.
"Nate! Wake up!"
A loud, shrill voice traveled from the other side of the room. Nate saw that his sister had already woken up and was getting ready for the day.
Her name is Nallie, Nate's younger sister by only one year. Her hair was shady black, just like his, along with fair skin to complement it. Her clothes were chosen as if they were part of the same set, important for all items to be worn correctly. Nallie is often discouraged when she has to act like the older sibling instead, but Nate couldn't help. He says as though it is something that makes him feel like this occasionally.
"School's going to start. Hurry up already!" Nallie sharply stated as she practically dragged Nate's whole body to the ground. He let out a gasp as he was forced to the floor, and Nallie wrapped her arms around his neck as if to give him a firm reminder of what she was capable of if pushed.
"And cook for yourself next time! You're the older one, so you should be cooking more."
"Okay! Okay!" Nate coughed out before Nallie finally let go. She then swiftly left the room in order to get to the kitchen.
After taking a short shower, Nate took his time to properly find the right clothes to wear for Friday, knowing that taking more time would tick Nallie even more. After getting done for the morning, he headed into the kitchen.
Nate noticed his and Nallie's plates were a bit smaller than usual, only one bacon and egg for each plate, additionally with a bit of... something on the side. Nallie saw Nate's confused reaction and sighed, "Look, I didn't have time to make more, so this is all I can make."
Nate replied to her with a smile, "It's fine, really. All of this is plentiful. It's like you have time to find the right shape of eggs that I like."
"You're not funny. Just finish up your breakfast before you make a mess," Nallie said, with a scowled look on her face.
"Already did, considering how little you just prepared."
"So annoying..."
The television in the kitchen flashed to the news, images forming of the city from last night and what appeared to be green cloud-like gases around the sky. Nate stared intently at the screen to figure out what it was.
"Reports from last night had stated that a gas leak from a local containment unit had burst due to poor maintenance. Mayor Whitford reassures the public that all is handled according to protocol and that this little event shouldn't scare anyone."
"Looks like more people are learning about this green stuff floating in the air last night. Some of my friends think it's going to leak again, but I can't see that happening." Nallie turned off the television with a remote in her hand.
Standart City has always been a city of ordinary things, not a lot of unique things about it. However, the city's past felt a bit more special compared to nowadays. Nate wonders if he lived in another city, would that change who he is currently? Would that be enough for him to be considered someone very unique?
Nate and Nallie exit through the front door of their house, with Nallie herself checking if anything goes wrong. Both of them go their separate ways as they each search for their respective friend groups. Nate looked around the environment itself.
It's just like any old day he sees during the last few weeks, noting it might not be that different today. But Nate continued forward, ready to give the day a chance.
Nate walked over to a friend's house on their street and saw that three of his friends were already ready for the day, and their names are Cloey Taffel, Sam Davis, and Manson Allert. The four of them, including Nate Elfirm himself, are all part of their special friend group called the Quad Four. One thing to note is that there is one more member they have yet to meet.
Nate knew them from even back in elementary, and had known them longer than his other friends. They were close enough to be comfortable hanging out with one another.
Cloey Taffel stood out with her bright pink dress with lightly colored highlights around the edges, giving the impression that the attire is one of a kind. Light orange hair around her head, probably of smooth texture if one looks at it closely.
The guy standing next to her is called Sam Davis. He's quite strong just by a simple glance, even when looking at him for the first time. Deep reddish-orange hair like the burning passion he has when he does baseball, when practicing.
Finally, the third person Nate met is Manson Allert. Someone who you can tell has artistic taste, and with how he presents himself with dark colored clothes. Manson is one who usually reels in the antics caused by Sam and Cloey.
Nate went up to them as they prepared their bags.
"Hey guys, you ready for the day?" Nate asked when seeing the three of them almost buckling up their bags.
"Nate, hey, we were just wondering when you're going to arrive." Cloey happily stated, as she clutched her bag, carrying it like it was light enough for even her.
"Honestly, though, we had some doubts about you being here on time. The three of us were planning to go out early, heh heh."
Sam expressed his lighthearted joke, but was immediately lightly smacked in the arm by Cloey, looking annoyed by the slightly rude remark he had just let out.
"Sam, please. Everyone gets late sometimes, right? Even you sometimes get late too, right, Manson?"
Cloey turned to Manson, who was only paying attention to the conversation when noticing Cloey looking at him, waiting for an answer to come out of him.
Manson halfheartedly pointed out, "Uh, right, lateness and all that stuff, so are we going or something? We really gotta go before we're late."
"Oh, okay then, let's go then. Lead the way, my heroic Sam Davis, I trust in you to get us to school safe and sound!"
Cloey exclaimed with delight following Sam, believing him to be their guardian. Nate could only smirk as he followed behind the group, with Manson following suit after being distracted enough. Nate then thinks of the group and goes over to Cloey to ask her a question.
"Hey Cloey, do you know where Sheila is? I thought she would be with you guys by now."
"I think Sheila's probably near the school. You know, the place where she usually hangs out in the middle of those shopping stores. We'll find her there."
"That Sheila, always having her eyes on that store, wonders what's up with that," Sam said.
The last member of their little group is someone named Sheila Orbison. She was a student who attended Quad Four's high school during the middle of last year, making her a recent addition to their core group. Nonetheless, Nate and the others treat her like any other member of Quad Four after some time passes.
The four marched out of the neighborhood into the part of town where many stores are currently operating once daylight hits. Dozens of passerby walk to arrive at their destinations, some are taking their time while others are more speedy. It seemed as though everyone had a goal in mind, not that it bothered Nate that much, or why he would think about this as important in the first place.
Nate Elfirm has frequently gone through the area during his life, living here, knowing all the things that have happened since the start of the store's construction. Almost everyone he knew would sometimes go through these stores to buy something. Additionally, he would buy some snacks from one of the stores, although it required a lengthy walk to reach the area.
The stores were usually two stories high, and many of them had their second floors dedicated primarily to be lived in by the storeowners. Nate wondered if being on top of a store would be such a good thing. Would there be stress knowing a person's only ordeal in life was to manage their stores, or would it simply be just something stress-free?
One of the stores Nate saw was the Agronomist Store, a building with greenery dripping over the potted plants like in one of those gardens you find in those castles, exhibiting a sense of serenity. Such a store can be reflected in the owner:
Ollie Lisjurbule.
Ollie is an elderly woman in charge of managing the store with many potted flowers and other types of plants. The Elfirm family, in particular, was personally close to her since the birth of Nallie Elfirm. Nate regarded her as someone who could be everyone's grandma, based on the personality she gives to everyone.
Nate and his group also passed by a man screeching unpronounceable syllables towards people walking by. Quad Four immediately walks by quickly as they can before he noticed them. The man named Pallnem is known by almost everyone in town as the crazy, homeless guy.
However, it's not that Pallnem is homeless or always seems to be in a dazed state, as if something has caught his attention while nobody else perceives anything; it's the fact that his name is known throughout the whole city. Only a few individuals of Standart City manage to make themselves known to the unbothered and boring population.
There were even Nallie's friends walking the streets, Damon and Rachel. Both were the children of the Farrey Family.
As the group traversed through the mostly busy street, they finally reached the point that Quad Four had expected. Nate and his friends were in an antique store, one filled with many items of considerable value. Historical nostalgia can be attributed to this store if one were to enter.
There, they meet up with a girl in a blue jacket with blonde hair smoothly swept by the soothing, cool wind. She continued to face the window containing a dozen antique items before noticing Cloey getting her attention. The girl then looked back at the store before going to Nate and his friends.
Sheila Orbison. That was the name of the girl at the antique store.
"Sheila, how are you doing?" Cloey gleefully said.
Sheila gave out a simple smile to her, "Sorry about not noticing you guys earlier. I was just so focused on the window that I didn't see you all coming."
"No worries," Sam said. He then looked over to the window where Sheila was staring. "But I gotta ask, what's really in there that makes you go here almost every morning, though."
Nate could only wonder what Sheila thinks when arriving at the antique store.
"Yeah, Sheila, if it really makes you so focused on what's in that building, there's something that's really cool-looking in there."
"Oh, just the memories that visiting this place gives me. It really makes you nostalgic, don't you think so?"
"Must be a strong feeling then."
Manson checked his watch and was concerned about the time right now. He urged the group to move at a brisk pace if they wanted to be at school before the bell while having enough time to socialize. Cloey whispered to the others that Manson probably got on the wrong side of bed, and that seems to be why he was always in such a sour mood.
These were all four of Nate's friends, each of them having wildly different personalities. Now, the whole group is now together again, like always!
After a few more minutes of walking, Quad Four finally reached Standart High, a school named after the city itself. The building was covered in a light shade of red with a neat pattern of windows at the front and sides. The symbol of the school, placed at the top of the main entrance, is large enough for anyone to know the center of the building and to symbolize hope for the students and faculty alike.
Many students know they are entering through the main gates. Teachers parked their vehicles in the parking lot, and frequent chatter echoed throughout the school about mundane things in everyday life.
The message boards were entirely covered with papers covering recent events around the school, and registration to enter clubs and organizations.
There was also the pasty green grass that looked recently mowed from just last week, giving out a scent that seemed to lightly tickle Nate's nose.
"Looks busy as always."
Nate heard Sam say behind him.
This was what awaited Nate Elfirm and everyone he knows. Just a typical life at school at the end of the week. Nate Elfirm entered the school building with his friends.
He expected nothing special, but just anything ordinary coming towards his daily life.