Page 298 of Light Leech

“And abandon the only people I know who seem to care for me? Me, Naoma. Not the Neon Idol. I know I could leave and jump back into the life that I had, but, Pet, people aren’t the only reason I’m staying. I’ve seen enough to know that what you are all doing might be the most important thing in the world right now. I’m not going to toss responsibility away for ‘finding myself.’ I have met too many people in the Violet who gave everything away because they wanted to love themself. They gave up family and friends for an impulse. Too many people forget what matters because they want to toss their luck into the race to become someone like me.”

Boyband nodded. “I get it.”

“Sorry. I don’t mean to sound upset. If I did, it’s not because of you. It’s because of the Violet District and the people who only care to see lumen-producing machines instead of people.” She sighed, then looked at me. “But, that doesn’t eliminate all the fun. Ready to go?”

Chapter fourteen

Hydra Girls

We walked through a labyrinth of light and advertisements. Everywhere we looked we saw a skyscraper blocking any view of the distant horizon. Every person I saw wore enough violet light to fuel a Blue neighborhood. The street and sidewalk were full of them, though I felt like I could walk with white socks and not collect a speck of filth. Indigo-wearing chauffeurs picked up hailing pedestrians in skyrides nicer than any I had ever seen. The air was free of exhaust, so unlike every other district and any scent I smelled was the umami of perfectly cooked real beef outside of a restaurant window or the semi-sweet chemical aroma of yet another light-infused salon.

“Try not to act like a tourist,” Naoma said under her breath. “Our pace is already off-putting to enough people and your wide-eyed gaze isn’t helping.”

“Sorry, it’s just, this is so much more than I saw when we met you and Anton for the first time.”

“My old studio was in an industrial area. Still big and full of shops, but this is the heart of the Violet District. This is where people come to socialize, buy, and put themselves on display, hence the pop-up.”

“Then why didn’t you have the ride drop us off right on the venue’s doorstep?”

“Because I’m not looking for more of a grand entrance than they’ll give me. I’ll toss this stupid hat and overcoat once we’re ready to step into action, but that doesn’t mean someone won’t recognize me before we get there.”

“Are we close?”

She nodded. We’ll turn right at the end of the street.”

“Down there?” I said, pointing to a line of people on the right side of the street.

“Yup. The event has already been going for an hour and the line is still that bad. They wanted me to come earlier, but I made an excuse because I did not want to come when that line probably winded down this whole street. The Violet District events are still crowded but are calm and organized. You have to prove your Violet residency for a ticket, so most of these people are the kids of industry titans, celebrities, or some other influencers who have enough lumens to afford a life here.”

“And you think that order might break when you make a surprise appearance?”

She shrugged. “Dropping off of socials and working for Nichley on a mindshow that was never released here might not have been the best for my reputation, but dedicated fans will justify anything I do. So, yes, I expect some people to bother me. I don’t know what to expect. Two of the girls are more enthusiastic than the other.”

“I thought you said they all had one mind?”

“I did, but that mind has its individual portions, like when your mind is different depending on your emotions.”

“Are they really cognitively connected?”

She shrugged. “Some people say it’s just a way to attract attention, others say they’ve bound their neurospaces together, and others say it’s something deeper. I just roll with it. They’re fine once you get to know them, but that doesn’t diminish the initial absurdity.”

She stopped and gazed up at the building to our left. What I had taken to be nothing more than another advertisement was instead an entire building’s face with three girls in blue, red, and yellow, dancing to a familiar 3Rochi song I couldn’t name. I had seen them before, but now their faces meant more. Each had hair styled in a bob, dyed their individual color with clothes and makeup to match. They moved with perfect fluidity and flawless execution as if they were individual limbs of the same body. Lights projected down the street and onto other buildings with pulses to match the poppy anthem. Pedestrians stopped to watch, some showing excessive enthusiasm as they pointed towards our destination.

The song concluded and the girl in yellow crouched, running her finger across glossy lips and winking as she pointed to the camera.

The time and date appeared with “3Rochi pop-up – first floor of Donki Tower.”

I looked at Naoma to read her reaction. Her eyebrows were flat and her stare pensive.

“How are you feeling?”

She looked at me and her face eased. She sighed. “Ready, I think.”

“Ready to get back into the public eye?”

I expected her to shrug it off and wave me onward, but she took a moment to think about it. Perhaps she was revisiting a day when her image covered that building. The burden of fame aside, she had been loved by countless. Superficial it might have been, but the emotional draw was still there. Not only did she not know if their love would persist, she was a different person than she had been. I couldn’t fathom such an identity crisis but felt close as I recalled wondering if I could remain the person I had been prior to receiving my Bite.

“I’m not sure I’m ready for that, but I’m ready to see if I am. There’s only one way to find out and that is forward. You and the others have shown me the need to push onward despite fear. I think this is one of those situations.