N429

The City

"When a child is born, they get a number. The numbers are gender-neutral and are what the child is called up until the May Day after their 16th birthday. On that day, they get their name. All children are born mostly perfect. No one is exactly the same, but negative DNA codes are cut out. None of us have ever had any problems with anything. Fights don't break out, no-one gets hurt unless it's because of themselves. We're a diverse society, but we don't have the need for most vaccines because our likelihood of catching diseases is very low. Everything is watched and everything is monitored carefully to insure success."

"And why didn't your parents give you a customized number?"

"I was small for a kid. My mother said I was unremarkable and told the council to pick a random name for me." N429 shrugged. Sabrina was curled up in her lap, listening attentively and sometimes posing questions. Beatrice was sitting across the couch listening as attentively as her sister.

"Your parents, what are their names?" Beatrice finally spoke up.

"My mother was formerly T24 and my father was formerly M49. Now my mother's name is Tanya and my father's name is Marcus. She is.... on... the council and he's a mechanic."

"Wow," breathed the little girl, "you have a little sister, too, right?"

"Yeah," N429 smiled fondly, "A1153. Mother picked her number specially because of our grandmother. Apparently she looked like her. That was my grandmother's number too."

"Is there a system to the numbers, or are they just whatever lengths the parents want them to be?"

"There's a system, mostly. When my grandmother was born, they were on a generation four rotation. A1153's rotation is also generation four. My rotation is generation three and my parents are generation two. You see, my grandmother on my father's side is younger than my grandmother on my mother's side was. My grandmother had my father when she was young, whereas my other grandmother had my mom when she was older. My grandmother on my father's side is a generation one rotation and a rotation was skipped between my grandmother on my mother's side and her two daughters."

"So you have an aunt then? What's her name?"

"Margaretta. My mother hates her because grandmother favored Aunt Margaretta over her. So I barely ever see my cousins."

"Cousins?"

"Yeah. There are four of them. R047 is a little older than me, but he's still in my rotation. T930 is sweet, but bossy. She's a little younger than I am and she's also in our rotation, though just barely, and she's pretty as a butterfly. S4881 is A1153's age and she has hair as red as a strawberry. And then there's little H4, who was a newborn the last time I saw him."

"Aww," Sabrina cooed at the mention of H4, "They sound wonderful."

"S4881 and H4 are. R047 is a royal pain, as is T930. S4881 is the apple of her mother's eye, which she hates. She goes galivanting around town in pants and a t-shirt with A1153 whenever they can get away from mother and Aunt Margaretta. They're thick as thieves, the two of them. They only separate when they have to."

"Why did you leave?" Sabrina furrowed her little brow together in concentration.

"I was kicked out. Probably a 'unanimous' decision on the council's part. Sometimes I wonder how father and mother met, but it was probably her power and money that convinced him to marry her in the end. They're polar opposites, they really are. Father is kind, caring, quiet, sweet, sentimental, and funny. Mother is loud, powerful, terrifying, and has no time for sentiment and caring."

"Wow... I-I'm sorry, N429." Beatrice slipped her hand over to the city girl's.

"It doesn't matter now. I just hope A1153 is okay."

"I'm sure she is. She sounds like a strong girl. And if she's anything like her sister, well, let's just say there won't be a rebellion anytime soon that she and S4881 aren't involved in, by the sound of those two."

"I agree wholeheartedly, which is part of the reason I'm worried about her." N429 chuckled sadly.

"Good. Stop worrying about her, she'll be fine. I just know it. The sun's up. It's time for you to worry about you." Beatrice hopped up and started towards the door, her younger sister following her.

"The sun's up?"

Beatrice stopped at the door while Sabrina pranced out the door happily, "I forgot. They told you it rained non-stop everywhere, didn't they?"

"Well.... yes....."

"Well, city-girl, come take a look," She beckoned to the younger girl and N429 hesitantly got off the couch to take the other's outstretched hand. Beatrice smiled and ran out the door, N429 following close behind with a matching smile. She could get used to friends like the Caspian sisters.