We are the Enhanced

arιya

A/N. Hi guys. So this is an idea I've brewed for a really, really, really, really long time. A plot finally figured itself out today. YAY! So this book is set mostly in Brazil, because I've always wanted to live there, and so there are some lines in Portuguese. I'll give translations at the end of each part, but this won't be like you're reading a book in another language, promised. So expect a rant at the beginning of each chapter, but you don't have to read them unless I say something like 'Simon says please read.' That's all for now, folks.

Ariya followed her parents into their gate. Her little brother lagged behind, trying to fit all his candy bars into his mouth at once.

Their first connection flight took them from their old home in Chicago to the Atlanta airport, from which they would fly straight to Rio de Janeiro, Ariya's new home in Brazil. It would be a long flight. Next to her little brother Aaron.

Aaron wasn't five yet, and was incredibly annoying. Lovable, but annoying. On the last flight, the little baby in the back row was silent, either that or his cries were drowned out by the terrible noise Aaron made.

Some time later, the gates opened and Ariya's family got on the plane.  Her parents sat in the row behind her, and Ariya and Aaron shared.

Thirty minutes into the flight, Aaron screamed bloody murder. "MOM! MY EARS WON'T POP!" He had the seat by the window, so all the confused passengers stared right through Ariya, who blushed madly.

He ran out of his seat into the row behind him, stumbling once because of turbulence. Then he cried and screamed for another hour. Ariya plugged in a pair of earbuds and spread across the whole bench, trying not to grin at the lack of an annoying brother right by her.

Ariya wasn't sure how much time passed before she came out of a daze to see two adults across the aisle fighting. A girl about Ariya's age was in the middle of them. The mother flicked her, and the girl yelped. The look one would see from a scared animal came from the girl. Ariya looked up, unafraid to meet her eyes, and scooted over in a silent invitation to the abused girl, who's lips turned up slightly. 

The girl pushed through her parents over to Ariya's bench. She sat down aisle side, and grinned.

"Thanks. I'm Charlotte, by the way," she said, before plugging in her own pair of earbuds.

Ariya just watched Charlotte for a while. The girl had a tall broad frame, unlike Ariya's own scrawny build. Her hair was much longer than Ariya's, which went just past her shoulders. It was blue at the ends, too. Ariya'd dyed her hair once, red, but it clashed with her blueish eyes and natural ginger hair. The blue fit Charlotte, with blond hair and icy teal eyes.

Ariya entertained herself for awhile by watching Charlotte's head bob up and down to a beat, and reading her lips as she mouthed along with the song.

We're a thousand miles from comfort, we have traveled land and sea

Charlotte sneezed, so Ariya couldn't catch the next line, but she went right back to mouthing along with the song.

As long as you are with me,
There's no place I'd rather be.

Ariya found herself humming to the song. After the next verse, Charlotte looked over, noticing Ariya humming, smirked, and as if they were old friends, the pair broke out singing the chorus.
"If you gave me a chance, I would take it.
It's a shot in the dark but I'll make it.
"Know with all of your heart you can't shame me,
"When I am with you there's no place I'd rather be."

It must have been late at night, because no one looked up and glared at them. They were all sound asleep. Ariya grinned, and Charlotte giggled back, pulling out one then the other of her earbuds, which still made a small noise as the next song on her playlist started.

Ariya started conversation, hoping she didn't ruin the moment. "That has to be one of my favorite songs."

Charlotte cocked an eyebrow sarcastically, and said, "Fate is a strange 'lil critter. That's my favorite, too. Though there are places I'd rather be than an airplane. One of the safer ways to travel, and yet I always think it'll be the random plane I'm riding that will crash."

"Or get hijacked," Ariya added.

"Stop it! You'll freak me out! We still have like, several hours left," Charlotte said, so Ariya of course took it as an incentive to come up with other random scenarios.

"Or run out of fuel."

"Lalalalalala," Charlotte said, ears covered playfully. Then, "Maybe we'll mysteriously go off the map, and find out how it happens."

Their conversation drifted to other topics of randomness, neither girl able to sleep, as they were much too scared the plane would fall to pieces, though neither would admit to it.

The pilot was announcing their descent when Charlotte finally asked Ariya's name.

That was probably the only thing Charlotte didn't know about Ariya. Charlotte was also moving to Rio de Janeiro because her dad was offered a job. It wasn't the same company, though, so Ariya quit being suspicious.

Facts and phone numbers as well as other bits about themselves were traded, so that the girls dozed for the rest of the flight fairly confident that they knew each other.