Page 332 of Light Leech

“Don’t you mean politically neutral?” Kyo kept a tenacious grip as Naoma failed to pull her hand free.

“No. I mean don’t be a zegging idiot. You’re a part of the Entertainment party at least until you leave. You want connections? You’re an entertainer. That is your income. Your worth and personality. Zhou permitted your presence because you, by definition, are a zegging politician. We all are. Humans consume. They must be fed something or they become worthless corpses. Nutrition and in media. Humans must consume something at all times or their senses will breed chaos. That is what we offer. Entertainment isn’t some leisure to pass time. Entertainment is the modern nutrition and the only means by which you can hope to accomplish anything. Pharma and that SocStan guk are businesses with clever marketing. People are becoming too smart for advertisements. Entertainment is the only way you can accomplish anything, Naoma. Even Haven understood that when they employed you for their ads. People are too stupid to think for themselves. That is why we feed them. Words and studies don’t hold the sway they used to when information and evidence can be so easily forced and manipulated. Most people won’t buy that guk anymore, they’ll only take it when it’s forced into their mouths with a sweet coating around that corrupt pill. You, Naoma. Trash the Entertainment party all you want, but it’s no single ideology. It’s the capacity to make the world better through molding people’s minds in a way they enjoy. You want a purpose? Make it tonight. This idea of a corrupt party doesn’t exist. You, me, all of us are different people with different purposes who make the world a better place by our media outlets. Freedom. That is what entertainment is.”

“And if Zhou decides my purpose doesn’t fit here? Will he ruin my reputation to fit his design? That doesn’t sound very liberating to me.”

“Then your purpose is wrong.“ She dropped Naoma’s hand. “Fix it.”

“Do you need me to stay with you?” Kao asked.

Naoma shook her head. “I trust I’ll find my way.”

“As do all lost teenagers,” Kyo said.

They pivoted in unison and headed along the pulsing emerald pavement towards a tower more majestic than anything I had seen in Arabasia. Even though those pagodas and temples had been masterful reconstructions, this made me forget the appeal of time-tested culture to savor the allure of modern light.

The palace stretched to the width of a colosseum and rose five levels, each slightly smaller than the previous. An illuminated staircase stretched up to the grand entrance under a red arch. Similar arches, though smaller in size, spanned the rim of each level, some opening out onto balconies upon which stood guests in a variety of clothing that only the Violet District could understand.

A small stream with blue and green lights ran along the side of the jade path. Upon further inspection, I saw that the lights were bioluminescent jellyfish with Arabasian characters imprinted on their bodies with thin gold.

Naoma pulled me along, leaving no time to wonder if they were living creatures as I turned back to the palace under the grey sky. It was the shade of grey seen in sleepless cities whose lights never permitted a true rest of black sky. I didn’t check the time in my neurospace, knowing that seeing how late it was would only tire me out more.

That small reservation didn’t matter. Fatigue was setting in. I recognized it through the cognitive delay and lethargy in my motions.

This fatigue was more concerning. I pulled myself away from focusing on the palace.

I moved closer to Naoma and whispered, “I need to feed.”

“Now? Really?”

“I know, I should have before we got here.”

“No, it’s fine we’ll find someone. I’m sure there are an abundance of unsavory celebrities here for you to choose from.”

“No, we don’t need to cause a scene.”

“That or a groundskeeper? I’m sure someone will be drunk or zegged out on fixes. With the extremes of parties like this people occasionally go too far.”

“We’ll have Ral fabricate a story if questions come up.”

“I doubt it will be hard to pin it on someone. They might all be united under this Dynasty thing, but that doesn’t dissolve old grudges.”

“Know any that might help you pick out a target?”

She nodded.

We ascended the stairs and passed bouncers dressed in an amalgamation of ancient Arabasian armor and a tuxedo. They watched us as we entered. Beneath the darkness of their visors, I saw the subtle flash of neurospace usage.

I checked on them as we entered the hall and let out my breath, seeing that they hadn’t followed. A few more people trickled in behind us, but I could hear a cacophony of laughs and gossip above. The hall split in three paths. Two up a staircase on each side, which the other guests took, and an empty path before us that led to a massive, gilded door. A row of bouncers stood before it and no one dared approach. We followed the crowd to the second level, but it did not diminish my curiosity.

The volume increased with the pulse of Finian-produced music that shook my core. I opened my neurospace and accessed the building’s music hub to dial down the stimulation for me, turning the music into a typical club beat that set the mood. Others could dance and live in the music if they wanted, but I was sure most people had done the same as me to enjoy the party for the people rather than the atmosphere.

3Rochi lead the way. I glanced at Naoma, seeing that her eyes were flashing as well. From what I understood, most clubs offered the high-stimulation Finian atmosphere for those who wanted to experience the most expensive fixes in a realm of their own. I had been to a couple of parties like that but had heard only rumors of events like this. None of my expectations met the majesty of a party thrown by someone who might be the leader of the Entertainment party or even a Beacon of the Gongtide.

Naoma took my hand, stilling my shaking. She gave me a glance and a calming smile before proceeding.

It didn’t matter who we were as we entered. Nichley himself could have walked through the crowd with his mechanical body and no one would have noticed. Every face I saw belonged to some form of entertainment. Mindshow actors mingled with influencers who shared drinks with other musicians and idols. Even those I didn’t recognize had the face and wardrobe that could only belong in the Violet District. Finian butlers walked around with trays holding light-infused drinks, fix-download tabs with a variety of holographic labels, and hors d’oeuvres that looked the right amount of unappealing that they had to be worth neighborhoods in the lower districts. Dragons in the air, serpents weaving through the balcony balustrades, and all other forms of light constructs filled the room like ghosts of living energy.

Kao glanced back at us as her two sisters walked towards an area on the right filled with chromatic smoke. She followed them, leaving us alone in the center of the room.