How far would you go to NEVER fail again?
This question will push Noche L. Grim to the test as she attempts to join the Cross Military. With their resources she intends to find DeathTech and recover her memories.
However, when she lives on a conti...
Jack sat in a small room with a party hat made of printer paper and colored in red pen. He wore a blindfold as a cake too small for a child was placed on the table.
"Happy birthday Jack." a woman said, "You can take the blindfold off now."
"WOAH! Is that?!"
"It is."
"A real cake!" Jack shouted, "How did you afford this?!"
"I've worked extra shifts all year." She said, "I wanted you to try something other than nutrient paste for once in your life."
Jack was grinning ear to ear.
"Mom... Thank you." He said, "You really didn't have to do all this. I know cake is one of the most difficult rewards to get."
"Anything for my special litt-cough- little b-coughcough-"
"Mom, are you alright?"
"I'm fine Jack. I'm fine."
Jack paused.
"Please don't work more shifts... You need to take care of yourself."
"Sure thing Jack. Now open up your present."
Jack picked up the nearby bundle of printer paper and duct tape. Unwrapping it carefully, he found the elastic band inside. It was blue as a summer's sky and could fit his goggles perfectly.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Took some effort to ste-borrow enough blue pens for the ink to dye it. But tada!" She coughed, "I hope you like it."
Jack lunged towards his mom and hugged her. He was barely a teenager and already taller than her.
"I love it so much, thank you."
Closing her eyes she tightly embraced her son. A moment later Jack swapped out the goggle's strap as his mother began a coughing fit. Later that evening Jack laid in bed, remembering the taste of cake. The sweetest thing he had ever tasted in his whole life. The only thing he's eaten other than paste and baby food.
"I have to do something for her. Something important." Jack thought, "I need to do something that'll bring her joy."
Rolling on his side, Jack saw the new blue strap on his goggles. The strap he was told that was as bright as the summer sky.
"Mom came from the surface. She's the one who told me about the sun." Jack thought, "That's it! The thing she talks about so much it made me want to see it. I'll show mom the sun!"
Jack's thoughts were interrupted by coughing fits muffled by the wall.
